This Week at WorldGolf.com: May 4, 2006

Recovery's on a fast track in Mobile

Here's a little Alabama trivia for you: Did you know that Mobile's Mardi Gras celebrations are actually older than New Orleans'? It's true. Mobile's first Mardi Gras dates back to 1703, one year after the city's founding.

There was certainly nothing trivial about Hurricane Katrina, which nearly wiped New Orleans off the map. That city's devastation also got more publicity, deservedly so, than Mobile's.

But Mobile lies not far east of New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and its position on the exposed Mobile Bay ensured it would take a healthy swipe from the monstrous storm.

In fact, Katrina's surge pushed up into the city and surrounding areas, flooding much of Mobile and putting many businesses out of action for months. Not as critically injured as New Orleans - not to mention the fact that Mobile doesn't need levees - the city has managed to bounce back much faster.

That's good news for traveling golfers, many of whom are avoiding the entire Gulf Coast like the plague. But, all of Mobile's attractions, including its golf courses, are back open for business.

Those golf courses feature everything from Magnolia Grove, one of the stops on the vaunted Robert Trent Jones Trail, to Azalea City Golf Course, a truly fine municipal golf course.

There's also the two courses at the Lakewood Golf Club, part of the Grand Hotel in Point Clear. The place sustained quite a bit of damage from Hurricane Katrina, and is still rebuilding, though it is obviously open for business. The hotel was used as a hospital during the Civil War. In fact, a little cemetery lays in the peaceful shade near the 18th tee box on the Azalea course.

You find this kind of history all through Mobile. It isn't exactly New Orleans, but it does have its charms, one of them being the beautiful Gulf beaches that lie just to the south, including those of Gulf Shores, which you can reach by ferry from Mobile once again.

National Golf Editor Tim McDonald spent some time in the area recently and profiled these courses, along with others. He found the city has almost completely recovered from Katrina, unlike its more unfortunate neighbors to the west.

Some of McDonald's stories have already appeared on GulfCoastGolf.com. Look for others soon.

As always, WorldGolf.com welcomes your comments.

Houston is a golf widow's surprise
ace thanks to Galleria's splendor

The Galleria, a gigantic shopping mall, is Houston's No. 1 tourist attraction, drawing more than 15 million visitors per year. Some cities can boast of historic museums, great cultural events and proximity to breathtaking natural wonders. Houston has Gucci, Tiffany's, an exotic tea store and an ice-skating rink all in one place. Which just might make it one of the best cities for a golf widow or widower to convince their spouse to tee it up in.

Also: Your guide to golf vacations in the Lone Star state

Wars, wolves and now golf: Don't
miss Mt. Temple in County Westmeath

At Mt. Temple in County Westmeath, Ireland, they like to say the club was 'built by God , polished by man.' That can be expected from a golf course that was a working farm for generations. Mt. Temple is a course that may not get the attention it deserves, but it's a pleasant course that should be discovered by Americans looking for great golf with green fees below what you think you'll find in Ireland.

Also: Ireland vs. Scotland as a golf destination

Golf for Beginners podcast: We talk with a
PGA Pro, U.S. Open qualifying, tips, more

Our golf podcast moves along at a brisk pace this week and is chock full of instruction mostly provided to you by PGA Professional Martin Nolletti. I had the opportunity to sit down with my coach from Fairview Golf Center and his simple tips are perfect for both the beginner as well as the advanced player. And: More than 8,000 entries were accepted by the USGA for the 2006 U.S. Open, including THREE Tigers! There are also twelve "Wood" and nine "Woods."

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