HOW TO SELL GOLF HOLIDAYS IN ARIZONA
Teeing it up in the desert in... ARIZONA
BY DAVID CLARE What golf nut would not accept an
invitation to play some desert golf in Arizona? Certainly not this golf nut! My trip, organised by the Arizona
Golf Collection, included stays at a variety of hotels in both Scottsdale and Tucson that are featured by several UK operators. Golf was on five top courses that ranged from a resort-style hotel course to a cactus-lined desert course, which, I was warned, "is inhabited by some nasty critters, sir’. First stop was the Westin Keirland
in downtown Scottsdale. The emphasis is on the culture and history of Scottsdale. The halls and rooms are decorated with reminders of days-gone- by and the Scottish piper who plays as each day draws to a close is a reminder of the contribution Scottish immigrants made to the development of Scottsdale. The resort has three resort-style nine-hole courses, and there's the added attraction of travelling around the fairways by means of Segway! The Radisson Fort McDowell is
the only AAA four-diamond resort in the desert. It has its own casino, perhaps for those hoping to claw back money lost on the lush green fairways of the adjacent We-Ko-Pa golf club. The Cholla and Saguaro courses –
featuring cactus embedded with golf balls – are a real treat. Back in Phoenix we had an overnight
stay at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa. Opened in 1929, the iconic property hosted the honeymooning Clark Gable & Carole Lombard and
Ronald & Nancy Reagan. The Boulders, a Waldorf Astoria
Resort, is made up of a collection of villas that would not look out of place in a Flintstone movie. The stunning collection of golf holes are positioned among the rocky outcrops and desert sands. The two courses meander through the desert, providing stunning vistas from raised tees and greens – a totally unique experience. Our final stop, an hour’s drive south in
Tourism Talk Jane Dawkins sales and marketing director, Arizona Office of Tourism "It is possible to play golf in Arizona year round. The golf courses are as diverse and spectacular as the state's famed landscape. Ranging from desert target-style courses to links courses and alpine fairways, we have over 300, catering for seasoned golfers and complete novices. Arizona is easily accessible and just a nine-and-a-half-hour flight from the UK."
Tuscon, was The Lodge at Ventana Canyon, which sits against the backdrop of the Santa Catalina Mountains. With just 50 suites the property offered a homely and comfortable stay after a day of playing the resort’s Mountain and Canyon courses. As the names imply, both courses offer a range of elevated tees, narrow fairways and some spectacular vistas. The Mountain course is also home to one of
the most photographed holes in US golf, a stunning Par 3 tucked into the rocks of the Santa Catalina mountain. Golfers play across a canyon of cacti to the green.
ARIZONA Where To Book It
• North American Travel Service 0113 246 1466
www.northamericantravelservice.
co.uk A 10-day trip, with five nights at Loews Ventana Canyon and five nights at Westin Kierland is priced from £1450pp. Return economy flights from
Heathrow to Phoenix with British Airways. Also included is a compact four-door car.
• Destination Golf 0207 223 8726
www.destinationgolf.co.uk Seven nights at either The Westin Kierland (£1079 pp), or Radisson Fort McDowell: (£1049 pp), based on two sharing a room and seven days' compact-size car rental. A golf package – to play four rounds at Kierland/We Ko Pa/Eagle Mountain/Rancho Manana – costs £225pp. Return flights from London Heathrow to Phoenix with British Airways.
Summer Specials Several of the properties I visited have attractive special deals in the hot summer months. For example, The Radisson Fort McDowell’s Sunsational summer package features week-day rates from just $139 (approx £86) and weekend rates starting from $159 (£98). The package includes $75 (£46)
resort credit for each night booked, 20% discount on spa services at Amethyst Spa & Boutique and special golf rates at We-Ko-Pa Golf Club. The Truly Boulders package has rates
from $149 (£93) per night, double occupancy, until September 1. This includes a daily $15 (£9) per adult breakfast credit and 20% off spa treatments at the Golden Door Spa.
CONTACT DETAILS: For further information on resorts mentioned, visit:
www.arizonagolfcollection.co.uk
Clockwise from left: The author tees off against the unique backdrop of The Boulders; The Arizona Biltmore; The stunning par-3
third hole at the Lodge at Ventana Canyon's Mountain course
www.sellinglonghaul.com • June 2011 25
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