IN
THE GOOD OL' SUMMERTIME
Plan your summer
vacation with these memorable
best bets at The Pinehurst Company and ClubLink resorts.
Summertime and the
living should be easy, so throw away the brochures, guidebooks, and maps and let
us do your summer planning. The Pinehurst Company (formerly ClubCorp Resorts)
and ClubLink resorts feature luxury accommodations and enough activities to keep
you busy all day and well into the cricket-chirp-filled nights. We asked our
resort experts to tell us what makes summer at their properties so memorable.
The results: An entertaining list of activities that will bring out the
outdoorsman in you, let you relax and take in a scenic view, or take you back to
your childhood (and let you bring your kids along with you). With nine
properties to choose from — each with its own distinct surroundings — the
biggest decision you’ll face this summer is choosing which one.
Barton Creek
Austin, Texas
Set amid the rolling terrain of the Texas Hill Country, Barton Creek is not just
72 holes of scenic golf. Off the courses, guests can spend the day playing
tennis, swimming, jogging, or hiking before regrouping with a royal treatment at
the full European-style spa. Those venturing off the premises will want to visit
nearby historic Fredericksburg and Town Lake, and take advantage of Austin’s
lively nightlife on Sixth Street. After all, besides golf, music is the heart
and soul of Austin.
AMENITIES
Newest addition to the resort: Barton
Creek’s fourth championship golf course, the Fazio Canyons, sits on 210 acres
of Texas Hill Country and is located about two miles from the main resort. The
new par-72 course measures 7,161 yards from the tournament tees.
GOLF
Most intimidating tee-off:
Fazio Foothills No. 10. Even Lee Trevino is on the record that this
elevated tee shot is particularly difficult. Beware of the severe drop-off to
the right. Oh, did we mention the sand traps?
Most hazardous hole: Fazio Canyons No. 18. Play this 561-yard, par-5 with a little fade downhill off the tee. That’s the only way to have a shot at reaching the green around 220 yards. A creek crosses the fairway at about 340 yards and then again in front and just right of the green. Be aggressive.
Best golf view: Fazio Canyons No. 15. From the tournament tee box, golfers get a glimpse of downtown Austin, including the beautiful Capitol of Texas.
FOOD & SPIRITS
Sunniest Chardonnay: Fall
Creek Chardonnay.
Best
local brew: Celis Pale Bock.
Most
unexpectedly delicious summer meal:
Don’t miss the charbroiled portobello mushroom and eggplant sandwich —
served on a hamburger bun and topped with lettuce, tomato, red onions,
mozzarella cheese, and pesto mayonnaise.
RECREATION & ACTIVITIES
Most exhilarating spa treatment:
The Rainforest Body Rinse combines an exfoliating scrub with grainy jaboncillo
shower gel and a vichy shower with aromatic steam wrap.
Best way to
appreciate nature: From Mount Bonnell, only 20 minutes from the resort
complex. Climb more than 100 steps and savor a violet-tinged sunset over Lake
Austin and Westlake Hills from the most scenic and one of the highest points in
the city limits (785 feet above sea level).
Requisite day
trip: German Settlers arrived in the Texas Hill Country in the 1840s and
developed towns such as Fredericksburg. Within a few hours of Austin,
Fredericksburg exudes quaint charm along with its German roots. There are more
than 100 antique shops and stores within walking distance of each other in the
picturesque compact downtown area; some peddle standard tourist fare such as
homemade fudge.
Most
educational side trip: The Lady
Bird Johnson Wildflower Center was founded in 1982 to educate the public about
the environmental necessity, economic value, and natural beauty of native
plants.
Best
aprés golf: A massage with marine
fango at the Barton Creek Spa.
DAUFUSKIE ISLAND
Daufuskie Island, South Carolina
Like a page out of the past, Daufuskie Island epitomizes the ideal
American family vacation. Leave your stress — and your car — behind as a
ferryboat ride takes you and your family to the tranquil sea island full of
oceanfront cottages, wraparound porches, gazebos, hammocks, and plenty of golf
and tennis.
BEST SUMMER FUN
A variety of water sports activities are available at the Beach Club, including
banana boat rides, wave runners and jet boats, parasailing above Daufuskie and
Hilton Head Islands, hobie cat sailing, or just a peaceful shell-collecting walk
along the beach.
AMENITIES
Best view: The sunrise as seen from
the Bloody Point beach with Tybee Island in the background.
Coolest
pool amenity: Water aerobics at
sunrise.
GOLF
Most
intimidating tee-off: Bloody Point No.
10. Tee off across the marsh to a small fairway guarded by sand on the right and
more marsh on the left.
Biggest
golf challenge: Making par on No. 14
at Bloody Point, a 460-yard, par-4, playing into the wind.
FOOD & SPIRITS
Most refreshing frozen drink: Daufuskie
Fizz, a blend of gin, cream, Triple Sec, and Blue Curaco. The “Haint” Blue
color has a bit of history behind it. Hags and Haints hold a respectable place
in Gullah folklore. Hags are witches who live normal lives during the day, but
by night they shed their skin and haunt people in their sleep. Haints are
spirits of the dead. Many houses on Daufuskie Island have a particular blue on
the shutters or doors; this is “haint” blue. This color is said to keep evil
spirits away, hence a Daufuskie Fizz, with its haint blue coloring aids in
keeping the evil spirits away.
Best
local brew: Palmetto,
appropriately named because South Carolina is known as the Palmetto State.
Tastiest
summer entrée: Oysters cooked on the
beach at the famed Daufuskie Island oyster roast.
Best
summer appetizer: Fried pickles
and green fried tomatoes.
TENNIS
Best court: The stadium court
offers a view of the Atlantic Ocean with a beautifully landscaped seating area.
Best
gift in pro shop: Daufuskie Island
logo tennis balls.
RECREATION & ACTIVITIES
Best way to appreciate nature: Dragging
a seine nest through the ocean to see what is swimming among us; or
participating in the Loggerhead Turtle Watch, where you’ll learn about the
migrating habits of the loggerhead turtle.
Best
seaside spot: You can walk for 3
1⁄2 miles on a brand-new pristine white sand beach (the entire island is
only 2 1⁄2 miles wide by 5 miles long) along the Atlantic Ocean. If
you’re lucky, you just might find an arrowhead that dates back 9,000 years.
Best
fishin’ “hole”: In a
hidden pond across the street from No. 10 on the Melrose Course.
Best
place to float your boat, canoe, or kayak:
On the Cooper River, just beyond the landing.
Most
apropos reading while in the area: Pat
Conroy’s The Water Is Wide is his story of his experience as a schoolteacher
in the two-room Mary Fields Elementary School on Daufuskie Island. The movie Conrack,
based on The Water Is Wide, was partly filmed on Daufuskie.
Most
creative kid activity: During
the weekly Discovery Camp Calibogue, activities include making a wave or sand
bottle with seashell art, exploring the ponds of Daufuskie, Gyotaku (Japanese
art of fish printing) T-shirt making, exploring the marsh wearing boots, and
creating marsh-style picture frames.
Most
dazzling fireworks display: Sitting
on Daufuskie’s beach, you have a great view of the fireworks lighting up the
sky over Harbour Town.
Most
educational side trip: Historical
tour of Daufuskie Island. This island was discovered in 1664 by English Captain
William Hilton. The tour tells the history of the island and includes a visit to
the First Union African Baptist Church, reconstructed in 1885.
Most
stunning sunset view: On the upper
deck of (ferry) Clipper No. 1 on its return trip from Daufuskie to Hilton Head.
THE HOMESTEAD
Hot Springs, Virginia
Retreat to The Homestead as others have been doing for more than 200 years.
There you’ll find the term “taking the waters” means so much more than
a dip in the natural hot springs. It means a treatment at the newly
renovated European-style Spa, afternoon tea in the Great Hall, or a choice of
golf, tennis, fly-fishing, hiking, biking, and horseback riding on 15,000 acres
of scenic land in the Allegheny Mountains.
BEST SUMMER FUN
The summer golf experience at The Homestead would not be complete without a
round on the famed Cascades Course, ranked by Golf
Digest and and Golf
Magazine as the No. 1 course in
Virginia and in the top four courses in the United States accessible to all
players.
GOLF
Most intimidating tee-off: The
oldest first tee in continuous use in America is on the historic Old Course.
Built in 1892 as a six-hole layout, the course was expanded to 18 holes in 1913
by Donald Ross. This historic course provides exceptional views of the
magnificent 510-room Georgian-style Grand Dame.
RECREATION & ACTIVITIES
Most exhilarating spa treatment:
The Cure, a warm mineral bath, exfoliation with salt blend, followed by a
refreshing rinse with a Scotch spray and Swiss shower.
Best
way to appreciate nature: Take
a guided hike deep into the forest to the ruggedly beautiful Cascades Gorge,
where the Cascades Stream cuts dramatically through the mountain. Thirteen
waterfalls drop and splash over geologic formations along the trail.
Best
fishin’ “hole”: The
Cascades Gorge provides a splendid natural experience and more than 12 beautiful
waterfalls and superb fishing holes for the fly-fisherman. Stocked with trout,
this uniquely beautiful fishery provides more than three miles of private
mountain stream in one of the most scenic regions of the Allegheny Mountains.
Best
way to while away a summer evening: As
your busy day winds down, slip into a carriage for a leisurely twilight ride
through the cool Virginia woods. Watch the sun drop in shades of pink against
the blue ridges of the Alleghenies and sip champagne in the shade of the
whispering pines.
Most
apropos reading while in the area: The
Homestead and Warm Springs Valley, Virginia:
A Pictorial Heritage,
available
at the resort’s newsstand.
Best
outdoor exercise activity: Mountain
biking over 100 miles of wooded trails.
Most
nostalgic vacation activity:
Experience the historic Spa, where classic treatments from the 1800s are paired
with the latest in technology for the ultimate spa experience.
Most
creative kid activity: International
Mystery Monday at KidsClub, where your kids can submerge themselves in Egyptian
or Japanese cultures, and learn to be a detective.
Best
seat for the July 4th fireworks: On
a blanket at the Old Course, with the Tower lit up at night in the background.
Most
celebrated historical figure to retreat to The Homestead:
George Washington.
Best
use of daylight-saving time: Sitting
on the front porch, rocking in one of the many comfy wooden rockers, as twilight
settles over the lovely grounds.
Best
aprés golf: After a day on the golf
course or tennis courts, head straight for the Spa and ask for the newest body
treatment, The Sportsman. Aaahh...
PALMILLA
Los Cabos, Mexico
A true tropical paradise, Palmilla, at the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula,
is the ultimate getaway. Surrounded by white sand beaches and the crystal blue
water of the Sea of Cortez, the breathtaking views and resort activities never
end.
AMENITIES
Best view: The hacienda-style white
archways of the Neptune Bar, located high above the surrounding rock bluffs,
frame the crisp blue waters of the Sea of Cortez, creating breathtaking views of
San José del Cabo.
Best
room or suite: Room 29. Ideally
located on a corner, the Grand Playa offers several views of the gorgeous
surroundings from a spacious oceanfront terrace just feet from the beach.
Best
place to enjoy cocktail hour: At the
picturesque Neptune Bar.
Coolest
pool amenity: The Swim-up Bar.
GOLF
Most intimidating tee-off: Mountain
No. 5. A straight 200-yard carry is necessary at tee-off in order to avoid an
arroyo, or ditch, before hitting the narrow fairway.
Most
hazardous hole: Ocean No. 9, where the
caverns and bunkers seem to meet you at every turn.
Biggest
golf challenge: To stay out of the
numerous arroyo’s and canyons throughout both courses.
FOOD & SPIRITS
Most
refreshing frozen drink: The
Margarita.
Best
local brews: Bohemia and Pacifico
Clara.
Most
unexpectedly delicious hamburger topping:
Guacamole.
Best
breakfast buffet: Champagne
Brunch served on Sundays.
RECREATION & ACTIVITIES
Best way to appreciate nature: A
visit to the estuary of San José.
Best
place to ride the waves: Playa Costa
Azul.
Best
fishin’ “hole”: The Sea
of Cortez.
Best
place to float your boat, canoe, or kayak:
San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas.
Most
breathtaking snorkeling or diving location:
For snorkeling, Santa Maria Bay; for diving, Cabo Pulmo.
Requisite
day trip: Visit the Glass
Factory, just 10 miles away, where glass is hand-blown into traditional Mexican
art.
Most
educational side trip: Whale watching.
Most
patriotic activity: Sept. 15 is
Mexican Independence Day, a celebration of Mexico’s independence from Spain
in 1810 and is celebrated in both Cabo and San José.
PINEHURST
Village of Pinehurst, North Carolina
Located in the Sandhills of North Carolina, Pinehurst is golf and Pinehurst is
history. But Pinehurst is also a vacation haven of porches with old-fashioned
rocking chairs, quaint storefronts and shops, croquet courts, lawn bowling,
sailing, paddle-boating, beach volleyball, and carriage rides. Yes, you can
spend plenty of time on one of eight golf courses, but what Pinehurst has to
offer is more than a day on the links.
AMENITIES
Newest addition to the resort:
Course No. 4 — “Tom Fazio’s Tribute to Pinehurst.”
Best
view: Looking down Carolina
Vista, you’ll experience a magical view as the tree-lined road leads to the
historic, stately clubhouse.
Best
room or suite: Jasmine Suite of the
Holly Inn.
GOLF
Most intimidating tee-off: Hole No.
1 on Course No. 2. Just try to stay focused as you tee off from hallowed ground
played on by such greats as Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson.
Most
hazardous hole: Hole No. 13 on
Course No. 8 is a 209-yard, par-3 with the green surrounded by sand bunkers.
Biggest
golf challenge: Hole No. 5 on Course
No. 2. Designer Donald J. Ross opined that the second shot on this 482-yard,
par-4 hole, with its slight dogleg to the left, is the most difficult on the
course.
FOOD & SPIRITS
Most refreshing frozen drink: Cherries
Jubilee.
Sunniest
Summer Chardonnay: ZD Wines’ Napa
Valley Reserve Chardonnay.
Best
Local Brew: Pinehurst Double Eagle
Golden Ale from the Pinehurst Brewery.
Tastiest
summer entrée: Asian Sea Bass.
Best
summer appetizer: Bay scallops
in puff pastry.
Best
breakfast buffet: Carolina Dining
Room.
Sweetest
summer dessert: Mocha Paradise.
TENNIS
Best court to meet your match: No.
1.
Best
gift in the pro shop: Putterboy
statues.
Best
buy in the pro shop: Pinehurst
logo caps.
RECREATION & ACTIVITIES
Best way to appreciate nature: A
walk on the golf courses.
Best
fishin’ “hole”: The pond at the
11th hole on Course No. 5.
Best
place to float your boat, canoe, or kayak:
Lake Pinehurst.
Best
way to while away a summer evening: A
horse-drawn carriage ride through the historic village or relaxing in a rocking
chair on the front porch.
Requisite
day trip: Seagrove Pottery,
home to more than 100 potters and artists who — often on homemade kick wheels
— mold the famed North Carolina clay into stoneware and original creations.
Most
nostalgic vacation activity: A
game of “roque” on the lawn. Similar to croquet, this sport was popular in
the late 1800s and a favorite pastime of Pinehurst founder James Walker Tuft.
Most
creative kid activity: Holiday
programs for Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day.
Most
patriotic Independence Day activity:
Sand castle contest at Pinehurst Marina.
Most
dazzling fireworks display: Village of
Pinehurst fireworks.
Shadiest
picnic spot: Pinehurst Marina.
Must-attend
summer event: Annual Labor Day
Wine Festival.
Most
stunning sunset view: On a
pontoon boat on Lake Pinehurst.
Best
aprés golf: Afternoon tea at the
Carolina or Holly Inn.
CLUBLINK
Muskoka, CanadaJust north of Toronto, in Muskoka, are four of Canada’s most
desirable resorts. Located within miles of each other, Grandview Inn, Resort
Villas at the Lake Joseph Club, Rocky Crest Golf Resort, and Sherwood Inn, all
offer unlimited opportunities for fun on land or in the waters of Lake Joseph.
The tranquil natural lakefront settings are ideal for every summer activity
imaginable complemented by world-class dining and luxury accommodations.
GRANDVIEW INN
AMENITIES
Best view: Luxury suites
come with full kitchen, living room with fireplace, separate dining room, and
master bedroom with whirlpool bath en suite, plus a private deck overlooking
Fairy Lake.
FOOD & SPIRITS
Best local brew: Muskoka
Cream Ale.
Sweetest
summer desserts: The historical
Inn offers a heavenly selection of homemade desserts.
RECREATION & ACTIVITIES
Best way to appreciate nature: Resident
naturalists offer wilderness canoe trips to Algonquin Park, black bear
expeditions, evening WolfHowls, mountain bike adventures, the Algonquin Moose
Caboose, hikes, and birdwatching adventures. Discover the crystal waters, rocky
shores, and secluded bays of Georgian Bay’s Massasauga Provincial Park by
Zodiac boat.
Requisite
day trips: Robinson’s General
Store in Dorset (voted the best general store in Canada), Muskoka Pioneer
Village in Huntsville, Dyer’s Memorial, Algonquin Provincial Park, Ragged
Falls on Oxtongue Lake, and Santa’s Village in Bracebridge (summer home to the
Christmas spirit).
Time
to play: Situated on a
beautiful stretch of sparkling shoreline, Grandview Inn offers unlimited
opportunities for land and water recreation. Here you can play tennis, water
ski, sail, canoe, hike, or mountain bike. Golf is another favorite. Here
you’ll play nine holes of golf in a beautiful woodland setting. Or relax in
one of two heated pools. For those who want to keep in shape, the indoor sports
and exercise center is available, rain or shine.
RESORT VILLAS AT THE LAKE JOSEPH CLUB
GOLF
Most hazardous hole: No. 11
boasts a marsh alongside the fairway of this 451-yard par-4.
Biggest
golf challenge: No. 9 requires
an accurately hit tee ball that steers clear of rock outcroppings on the right
and far enough to the top of a hill to avoid a blind second shot.
Best
golf view: No. 18 descends into
a valley bordered by trees and granite to a green tucked behind a pond and
framed by the clubhouse high on a leafy hill.
FOOD & SPIRITS
Best local brew: Muskoka
Cream Ale on tap.
Sunniest
summer Chardonnay: Ontario’s own
Cave Spring Cellars Chardonnay Estate.
Most
refreshing frozen drink: The
“Monster” Margarita.
Best
summer appetizer: Grilled jumbo
shrimp with a ton of garlic.
Most
unexpectedly delicious hamburger garnish:
Ontario Hothouse Tomato.
Sweetest
summer dessert: Fresh Ontario
berries — over ice cream.
TENNIS
Best court to meet your match: Court
4.
Best
gift in pro shop: Wilson Hyper
Carbon Sledge Hammer 2.0.
RECREATION & ACTIVITIES
Best way to appreciate nature: Play
18 holes on the Thomas McBroom-designed championship course.
Best
seaside spot: Story Dock behind the
chapel.
Best
fishin’ “hole”: Two boat lengths
off the point, due south.
Best
place to float your boat, canoe, or kayak:
Cox Bay.
Most
breathtaking snorkeling or diving location:
Lake Muskoka Sagamo Steamship Wreck.
Shadiest
picnic spot: Under the Norwegian Pines
alongside the beach.
Most
apropos reading while in the area: Historic
Glimpses of Muskoka.
Most
popular kid activity: Kids’ Club Day
Camp.
Most
stunning sunset view: From the
top of the 10th tee on the Nature Trail.
Best
aprés golf: Five-star lunch
and beverages at The Water’s Edge Wine Bar & Grill.
ROCKY CREST GOLF RESORT
GOLF
Most intimidating tee-off: Your tee
shot on _No. 6 must clear 180 yards of granite resembling a tidal wave of rock.
Most
exhilarating hole: No. 16, a
par-5, runs through a shoot of pine and hemlock and then hugs a giant pond down
the left side.
FOOD & SPIRITS
Sit on the patio and enjoy a refreshing drink as you take in the breathtaking
view of Lake Joseph.
TENNIS
Pick from any of the three outdoor courts, if the mood should strike for a match
of tennis.
RECREATION & ACTIVITIES
You can enjoy the new challenging 18-hole championship golf course, hike on the
trails, swim in the outdoor heated pool, or take a refreshing dip in the lake.
After a day in the sun, treat yourself to a spa treatment in the Amba Health
& Beauty Spa.
SHERWOOD INN
AMENITIES
Coziest library lounge: The
30-seat Library Lounge has floor-to-ceiling, hand-waxed wood paneling and
pillars, complemented by plush couches, leather arm chairs, and deep green and
burgundy colors.
Best
view: Relax on the stained wood deck
as you sip a cold drink and enjoy nature’s breathtaking show each evening.
Situated on an 11-acre point jutting onto Lake Joseph, Sherwood Inn offers a
spectacular site to relax and take in the setting sun. Peeking through the
60-foot pines and maples, reflected off the bright shimmering lake on three
sides, the brilliant colors make every evening a show to remember.
FOOD
& SPIRITS
Best dining: The setting of
the spacious screened-in, air-conditioned verandah is only equaled by the fine
fresh Muskoka fare prepared in classical European style and by the discreet,
attentive professional service.
Best
summer appetizer: The Sherwood
Smoke Cured Salmon.