|
|
|
|
|
Top 8 Golf Courses: Editor's Picks
U.S.
 Seaside Course, St. Simons Island, Georgia (pictured right)
There are 54 splendid holes to play at the Lodge at Sea Island, but start with the Seaside 18, fashioned by Colt and Alison in 1929, refashioned by Tom Fazio in 1999. (888) 732-4752 or (912) 638-3611, www.seaisland.com
Pasatiempo Golf Club, Santa Cruz, California
The man who designed the likes of Augusta National and Cypress Point claimed Pasatiempo was his favorite; Alister MacKenzie even built a home here. (831) 459-9155, www.pasatiempo.com
Bandon Trails, Bandon, Oregon
Designers Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore had two tough acts to follow (David McLay Kidd and Tom Doak) at the Bandon Dunes Resort. But this more wooded track shows they knocked it out of the park. (888) 345-6008 or (541) 347-4380, www.bandondunesgolf.com
 TPC Stadium Course at PGA West, La Quinta, California (pictured)
None of the PGA West courses are pushovers, but Pete Dye’s Stadium Course is the most adamantine. Manly golfers should opt for the “6 Pack” package at La Quinta Resort & Club, complete with cigars, massages, and poker night. (800) 598-3828 or (800) 742-9378, www.pgawest.com
International
Portmarnock Golf Club, Ireland
Tough but fair is the tersest description of this fabled links, perched on the Irish Sea less than a dozen miles from the heart of Dublin. 011-353-1-8462968, www.portmarnockgolfclub.ie
The Royal Birkdale Golf Club, England
It’s Carnoustie this year, Royal Birkdale in 2008, as the Open Championship returns to what many consider England’s greatest course. 011-44-1704-567920, www.royalbirkdale.com
Royal Adelaide Golf Club, Australia
Before Pasatiempo, Alister MacKenzie made a fruitful visit Down Under, and this South Australia classic is further evidence of his design genius. 011-61-8-8356-5511, www.royaladelaidegolf.com.au
Royal Dornoch Golf Club, Scotland
Some say this Southern Highlands course is the definitive links experience. Next spring the Royal Dornoch Golf Hotel & Spa will add to the pleasure following a major refurbishment by Peter de Savary, creator of the nearby Carnegie Club at Skibo Castle. 011-44-1862-810219, www.royaldornoch.com
U.S. | International | Editor's Picks
|
|
The Platinum List
Isn’t
it great to hear firsthand from a friend about a wonderful travel
experience, complete with tips on where to stay and where to play?
Welcome to the ever-popular Celebrated Living
Readers’ Choice Platinum List, which is like having more than 38,000
friends share their travel preferences in one superb best-of-the-best
list. And what a list it is: 130 luxury hotels, 48 legendary golf
courses, 26 sumptuous spas, and 10 top cruise lines.
Two
highlights of the survey, for me, actually take the form of statistics
— we received 10 percent more entries than last year, and a whopping 79
percent more of you reported you read Celebrated Living regularly. As editor, that’s music to my ears.
For your eyes, our Platinum List has a handsome new design, courtesy of CL’s
talented art director Marilyn Calley. The pages are fresh, engaging,
and filled with images that will make you say “I want to go there,” or,
also fun, “We’ve been there and loved it!” As one reader commented,
“These picks are a mix of places already visited and those I dream of
visiting.” See for yourself, beginning with a handy pullout compilation
list on page 49.
 Of
course, we wanted to entice and reward you for taking the time to weigh
in with your outstanding travel knowledge. Grand Prize winner Henry de
Lagarde is glad he participated. He was randomly chosen to win a
two-year lease on a 2007 Lincoln MKX, MKZ, or Navigator (he chose the
MKZ and is pictured with it here), and 500,000 American Airlines
AAdvantage miles. Ten Second Prize winners received 50,000 miles each.
Quite an incentive, I’d say.
We hope you’ll agree that the rest
of this summer issue is as entertaining and enlightening as the
Platinum List. There’s a feature story on Heidi Klum, a look at
chartering fabulous yachts, five great summer motorcycle rides and
several bikes to enjoy them with, a tour of several cool European
castles, and more. Or, for those weekends when you want to just sit
back and enjoy your own backyard, check out our cocktail story, with
recipes perfect for poolside sipping — and for contemplating where
you’d like to go next.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|