This Week at TravelGolf.com: May 17, 2005

It's time for Chris Baldwin to step up to
the tee and give instructors their due

After such an exciting weekend on the PGA and LPGA Tours - with Annika Sorenstam taking the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship for her 60th career W and little known Ted Purdy hammering home his win at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship with a near-flawless final round - my thoughts naturally turned to TravelGolf.com's own Chris Baldwin.

You see, today marks three weeks on the nose since I gave our west coast bureau chief three weeks to finally take a golf lesson.

As faithful readers will remember, Baldwin has not been shy in the past with his criticism of golf instructors, implying that most are hucksters and would-be chiropractors out to relieve golfers of their hard-earned cash. Naturally, we received a flood of angry comments from golf pros (though, as I re-call none were from United States Golf Teachers Federation members - I reckon his blasts hit too close to home for those losers). At any rate, after all his bluster, I've yet to hear back from Mr. Baldwin regarding my direct order. Of late, all I've heard from the man is how much he's been enjoying a cushy golf review trip to British Columbia - look for those stories here on WorldGolf.com in the coming weeks. I suspect Baldwin fled to Canada rather than stay home and face the wrath of yet another wronged PGA Professional anxious to either get him on the practice range with a driver (or on the back of the head with a 9 iron).

Now I've only been managing editor here since March, so I tend to give guys like Baldwin the benefit of the doubt, even when they mouth off. After all, he's done a lot of great work for us. But going into shut-down mode like this is too much! And scurrying off to another country? Come on, man! At this point I'm not only ready to post a degrading-but-hilarious blooper video of Chris teeing off at Chateau Whistler Golf Club (the staff there e-mailed it to me with a pitiful plea for us to please get the boy some help with his game), but I'm also this close to yanking him out of the starting lineup of the TravelGolf.com softball team just for spite.

So what'll it be, Chris? You think Sorenstam and Purdy got where they are by choking up and clubbing the pill like a baby seal ala Baldwin? Heck no. They've doubtlessly put in hours and hours and hours under the careful tutelage of a skilled golf instructor. I'm not ordering you to become a scratch golfer. But you have been told to get some help with that swing of yours. I gave you three weeks to get a lesson. Do it. Now!

WorldGolf.com welcomes your comments.

Prince's Grant lodge gives you
Zulus, monkeys, fine golf

There can't be too many places on earth where you can put together a Zulu-monkey-golf package. The Prince's Grant Golf and Country Estate north of Durban happens to be one such place. If you like your Zulu history, monkeys, wild and strange birds and - oh yeah, if you like to play golf in exotic settings - you might want to try this small property far from the well-trod South Africa tourist path, writes Tim McDonald.
Full story | Try a golf safari

Gallagher's Canyon in Kelowna,
BC leaves 'em gaping

Gallagher's Canyon in Kelowna, British Columbia is a golfer's thrill ride, a wild and wonderful woodland experience delivered courtesy of co-architects Les Furber and Bill Robinson. The course sits adjacent to gaping and camera-worthy Gallagher's Canyon itself, and bends uphill, downhill and side-hill, sometimes concurrently. A true mountain course, this track is among the most exciting golf experiences in the Okanagan region, which offers no shortage of worthwhile venues, writes Joel Zuckerman.
Full story | Golf and ski in the same day!

Ladies: What has the golf
industry done for us lately?

Lately, times have changed and golf has become a buyer's market. Faced with this decline in the overall industry, many facilities have had to go to great lengths to bring in more buyers - namely, women. Correspondent Jennifer Mario recently chatted with John Beckert, CEO of ClubCorp, the Dallas-based parent company for more than 170 golf courses, country clubs and resorts about what ClubCorp has done to capture its share of the female market.
Full story | TravelGolf.com 'invaluable,' says reader