January 1, 2006

Editor: Mike Fitzgerald

Thanks for a Great Year
We want to thank all of you for your inquiries and purchases this past year. As you know, we are a website that specializes in only a few of the best golf destinations, sites that we have visited and played. 2005 was again a record year for us. We expect to serve you even better in 2006. Please contact us if you have any ideas for serving you better.

FORE: The number you write down when you double bogey a hole.

Welcome to the Golf Exclusives Hole in One Club
All of us love to get a hole in one, and when we do to brag about it to our friends, relatives and fellow golfers.  With that in mind we created a club, so you can publicize your skill (luck) and also get a reward.

If you or another member of your group has a hole in one, send us the information. It will be included in the next issue of our Newsletter. The golfer will receive a $25 Gift Certificate from Golf Exclusives, which can be used for future golf travel with us. 

Past Customer Bonus
Attention past customers! Watch your email for a bonus coupon coming from Golf Exclusives, which you can apply to your 2006 golf trip. Thanks for your past business.

From the Chef at Saddlebrook
Chef Daniel Desmond recently sent this recipe for all the readers:

Lemon and Sage Roasted Chicken with Red Flannel Hash
4 Chicken breasts with skin on
8 slices Lemon - sliced paper thin
8 Sage leaves (may use ground sage)
1 oz. Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Place slices of lemon and sage under the skin of the chicken. Heat skillet; add oil, season chicken breast and place skin side down in skillet until golden brown. Turn breasts over and place skillet in oven for 9 to 12 minutes or until juices run clear. Remove from oven and place on top of Red Flannel Hash.

Red Flannel Hash
1 Sweet Potato, peeled and diced ½ inch
1 Turnip, peeled and diced ½ inch
1 Carrot, peeled and diced ½ inch
1 Golden Beet, peeled and diced ½ inch
1 Purple Potato, peeled and diced ½ inch
1 Celery Root, peeled and diced ½ inch
1 Red Onion, peeled and diced ½ inch
1 oz. Olive oil
1 tbs. Butter (not margarine)

Place all root vegetables in salted boiling water and cook until tender. Drain root vegetables and place in an ice water bath, drain and set aside. Heat skillet, add olive oil and sauté onion until tender, add the root vegetables to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper, add butter. Arrange hash in center of plate and top with the Lemon and Sage Roasted Chicken.

Enjoy!

On The Road Again
Next up on our scouting trips is a visit to World Golf Village (WGV) we have planned for March of 2006.  WGV is in St. Augustine FL. A visit there is akin to an Irishman going to Ireland, or a baseball historian going to Cooperstown. A lot of golf history, and some great courses are there, and we plan to take it all in.

World Golf Village, Home of the World Golf Hall of Fame, is the new international destination for the game of golf. The centerpiece of the Village is the 75,000 square foot modern Hall of Fame, overlooked by a 190-foot majestic tower. Here you'll find the PGA TOUR Golf Academy, World Golf Village IMAX® Theater, the new headquarters for PGA TOUR Productions, the 300-room World Golf Village Resort Hotel, two championship golf courses and The Shops at World Golf Village, including the nations most unique golf store - PGA TOUR STOP, and the one-of-a-kind Murray Brothers' Caddy shack Restaurant.

WGV is located along Interstate 95 (Exit 95-A, International Golf Parkway), eight miles northwest of St. Augustine, FL, and 22 miles south of Jacksonville.

We recommend 2 types of accommodations at WGV. The first is the Residences at WGV. These 3 and 4 bedroom villas are excellent for groups. Take a virtual tour at www.wgvresidences.com/home.htm

For twosomes and smaller groups, we recommend the Comfort Suites at WGV. Nestled on a private lake adjacent to the World Golf Village and Golf Hall of Fame, Comfort Suites is conveniently located adjacent to the World Golf Village and Golf Hall of Fame.  The package there includes a continental breakfast, indoor and outdoor pool and spacious accommodations.

But, what about the golf?  We have researched 4 courses, 2 on property. Here is a brief description of each:  

King and Bear (rank 4.6 out of 5 stars)

For the first time in history, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus have paired to create the King & the Bear. Working together, these two Hall of Famers  have collaborated on a truly remarkable golf course of unparalleled beauty, challenge and design.

The course features loblolly pines and open meadows on the front nine while the natural beauty of 200-year-old live oaks with huge, shady canopies perfectly complement the back nine. The signature feature of the course is lakes lined with large coquina rocks, and coquina is also incorporated into several bunkers and cart paths. Measuring 7,279 yards from the stone tees and 5,119 from the green tees, this course is sure to challenge the skilled golfer while providing player-friendly conditions for the novice.

Slammer and Squire (rank 5 out of 5 stars)

The Slammer & Squire, along with the entire World Golf Village, was designed to honor the great game of golf and its players. Slammer & Squire is named for legendary player consultants Sam Snead and Gene Sarazen. Since opening in spring 1998, Slammer & Squire has hosted six nationally televised events, including the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf, a Senior PGA TOUR event.

Designed by Bobby Weed, this 6,939-yard course features two distinctive nines. The front side meanders through an old pine forest linked together with wetland corridors to protect the indigenous vegetation and wildlife. The back nine finishes with a breathtaking view of the World Golf Hall of Fame that towers above the 18th green.

St. John's Golf and Country Club (rank 4.1 out of 5 stars)

This new, well-groomed course offers some daunting challenges and a unique golfing aid. Gold tees at 7,236 yards and blues at 6,801 make respected architect Clyde Johnston’s design a test of the long-ball hitter. There are six tee placements with comfortable yardage for every golfer to negotiate these undulating, well-bunkered fairways. Johnston’s use of surrounding wetlands, lagoons and pine forests adds excitement and beauty to this design. Practice facilities include a 10,000 square-foot putting green, a chipping green, double-sided driving range and practice bunkers.

Golf Club at South Hampton (rank 4.8 out of 5 stars)

Enjoy playing the area's newest course. Mark McCumber’s unique design intent was to offer every golfer the appropriate risk-reward situations that challenges the experienced player and offers encouragement to the novice. The distinctive layout is surrounded by acres of mature pines, native oaks, contoured bunkering, lakes and scenic wetlands. Large teeing areas provide superb turf conditions for our "six" sets of tees.