Golf Resorts in Indian Country

Transcription

1 Golf Resorts in Indian Country In Part III of a series about golf resorts, we spoke with golf pros and directors from Native properties across the nation about their courses, the amenities they provide, and the features that make their courses unique. To be continued in Spring 2010 Chinook Winds Golf Resort Chinook Winds Casino Resort - Lincoln City, OR Rudy Frykberg Head Golf Professional (PGA) Year Built: 1926 Yardage: 4,800 Rating: 62.3 Slope: 102 Yardage: 4,300 Rating: 61.4 Slope: 98 Red Tees - Yardage: 3,972 Rating: 62.4 Slope: 98 Located on Oregon s central coast, Chinook Winds Golf Resort provides a lush green gateway to Lincoln City as you arrive from the north on U.S. Hwy 101. Even though the 18 hole regulation course features one of the most challenging holes offered on the coast (#10), both inexperienced players and those with a low handicap can enjoy a stimulating afternoon of golf. Approximately one mile from the beach, the mild coastal climate keeps the course open for play year round. Even on a rainy day golf can be enjoyed in total comfort at the largest indoor driving 58 Indian Gaming September 2009 range on the Oregon Coast or playing Aces Bar & Grill s golf simulator that makes it possible to virtually test your skill at some of the most challenging courses in the world. For fitness buffs, Chinook Winds Golf Resort club house not only houses Aces Bar & Grill with meeting and convention space but also a full service fitness center. One of the largest free weight sections to be found regionally with over fifteen cardio pieces, a twelve stack icarian table, weight lifting machine, a nautilus section, two racquetball courts and a variety of specialty fitness classes are available for a nominal fee. Trained staff are available to assist and advise guests. Chinook Winds Golf Resort offers space suitable for meetings, small conventions, weddings and other social events for up to 200 people or an added attraction for large conventions booked at Chinook Winds Casino Resort which contains the largest convention center on the Oregon coast. As a partner in the community, Chinook Winds is proud to host many charitable golf fundraisers and fitness challenges during the year at the Golf Resort as well as golf clinics for young golf enthusiasts. Situated in one of the most naturally beautiful areas to be found, the property makes every effort to maintain the natural environment by finding new and innovative ways to Go Green.

2 Eagle Falls Golf Course Fantasy Springs Resort Casino - Indio, CA Willie Maples Course Director (PGA) Year Built: 2007 Designer: Clive Clark Teal Tees - Yardage: 6,715 Rating: 72.8 Slope: 133 Yardage: 6,140 Rating: 70.0 Slope: 128 Yellow Tees - Yardage: 5,729 Rating: 67.9 Slope: 119 Orange Tees - Yardage: 4,917 Rating: 68.8 Slope: 119 Eagle Falls Golf Course lies just steps away from the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino hotel tower. Guests can literally walk out of the hotel lobby, drop their clubs at a bag drop and ride over to the course in less than a minute. You re on the grass and ready to tee off in only a few more minutes. The course was completed in 2007 as part of the resort/casino s multi-million dollar expansion and was named a top new course of 2008 by Golfweek magazine. Golfers are treated to unique scenic splendor throughout the terrain, which is surrounded by the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa mountain ranges. Visual elements on the course include the 44-foot waterfall on the 18th hole, complex, rolling hills, and one hole as an almost exact replica of the Postage Stamp 8th hole at the famous Royal Troon Golf Course in Scotland. Eagle Falls features an unlikely setting the desert. The course is 6,715 yards with wide fairways, but mounds, pot bunkers and water hazards can make scoring difficult. Eagle Falls opens its doors 365 days a year to the daily-fee player. The course features elevations and water features not usually seen on links open for public play. The par 72 course tests the low handicapper, yet provides an enjoyable experience for a leisurely golfer who may find his or her golf score improves after a few rounds. Eagle Falls and Fantasy Springs Resort Casino management insist the course s golf fees are maintained at reasonable rates. Greenskeeper.org rated Eagle Falls the best value course in the desert two years in a row. Greens fees also include a lot of extras a golf cart with GPS ball and pin positioning, use of the range, and an ice-cold cooler filled with water. If golfers want to practice before teeing off, they can take a swing at the 40-stall, 300- yard driving range. Excellent customer service envelops every facet of Eagle Falls. Whether guests come strictly for golf or add it on as part of their stay at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, everyone experiences the same friendly and helpful staff. All of these staffers are also golfers and know the course inside and out. They serve as indispensable resources for insights on playing the holes, and can even be overheard discussing the Native American heritage woven through the course. Eagle Falls golfers seem to appreciate the 10 minute tee times, which allow them to complete the course in about four and a half hours on average. They also appreciate the course s snack bar and fully stocked hospitality cart. Special requests on the course are never too much to ask. Anything from a cigar to a specialty sandwich can be carted to players at their hole. September 2009 Indian Gaming 59

3 Indian Canyons Golf Resort Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa - Rancho Mirage / Spa Resort Casino - Palm Springs, CA Steve Adams Resort Manager Year Built: North Course,1961 South Course, 2004 Holes: 36 North Course: Yardage: 6,943 Rating: 72.9 Slope: 128 Yardage: 6,482 Rating: 70.6 Slope: 124 Gold Tees - Yardage: 5,988 Rating: 68.1 Slope: 118 Red Tees - Yardage: 5,788 Rating: 73.4 Slope: 126 South Course: Yardage: 6,582 Rating: 70.4 Slope: 118 Teal Tees - Yardage: 6,305 Rating: 68.8 Slope: 115 Yardage: 5,984 Rating: 67.3 Slope: 112 Gold Tees - Yardage: 5,547 Rating: 65.3 Slope: 108 Rust Tees - Yardage: 4,878 Rating: 68.4 Slope: 116 Indian Canyons Golf Resort is the premier location for championship golf in Palm Springs, offering 36 holes of windfree golf with two distinct course designs. Nestled at base of the majestic San Jacinto mountains, this picturesque golf resort offers the best of both worlds: a classically designed North Course brimming with history, and a contemporary South Course designed to challenge even the most seasoned player. Both offer terrific golf the way it was meant to be played - virtually wind-free in a setting that is lush, relaxing and simply unforgettable. The par-72, 18-hole championship North Course is classic in design, with greens and fairways that meander through 6,943 yards of dramatic desert scenery. It features private chipping and pitching areas, putting greens, a driving range, plus six water hazards stocked with largemouth bass. This course is semi-private, with family, single and social memberships available. The beautiful, par 72, 18-hole South Course was redesigned in 2004 by famed course architect Casey O Callaghan, with LPGA Hall of Famer Amy Alcott serving as a consultant. The challenging design of the championship course offers a dynamic assortment of curves and fairways spanning 6,582 yards. It features four large lakes, which come into play on six holes, as well as five, 5-par holes and a 25-station driving range. Indian Canyons Golf Resort also offers all the amenities guests have come to expect of a world-class facility, including tournament and banquet facilities, a golf shop, golf instruction and more. The Clubhouse at Indian Canyons Golf Resort offers fine dining seven days a week in an atmosphere is that is elegant, yet comfortable. The North Course offers an expansive dining room with gorgeous views of the fairways and the club s famous Disney Fountain. The South Course is equally impressive, with panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and a patio made just for sunsets and cocktails. 60 Indian Gaming September 2009

4 Lake of Isles Foxwoods Resort Casino - Mashantucket, CT Archie Cart General Manager (PGA) Year Built: 2004 Designer: Rees Jones Season: Spring through Fall Holes: 36 (18 public, 18 private) North Course: Yardage: 7,252 Rating: 76.6 Slope: 146 Gold Tees - Yardage: 6,717 Rating: 73.2 Slope: 137 Silver Tees - Yardage: 6,304 Rating: 71.5 Slope: 135 Copper Tees - Yardage: 5,812 Rating: 67.9 Slope: 125 Jade Tees - Yardage: 4,937 Rating: 68.9 Slope: 127 South Course: Yardage: 7,359 Rating: 75.8 Slope: 140 Gold Tees - Yardage: 6,862 Rating: 73.2 Slope: 138 Silver Tees - Yardage: 6,395 Rating: 70.6 Slope: 132 Copper Tees - Yardage: 5,812 Rating: 67.8 Slope: 129 Jade Tees - Yardage: 4,980 Rating: 69.1 Slope: 120 Golfers in New England will enjoy a world-class golf experience when they play southeastern Connecticut s Lake of Isles. Located on 900 acres of pictorial landscape and adjacent to Foxwoods Resort Casino, Lake of Isles is owned by The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. Renowned Golf Course Architect Rees Jones has designed 36 unique holes carved from the natural topography that surrounds the 90-acre Lake of Isles. The two courses offer rolling terrain, island greens and tees, and extraordinary views, all blending harmoniously with the incredible natural landscape. Since opening in 2004, Lake of Isles has received several accolades - Top 10 Best New Courses, Golf Magazine; America s Best New Golf Courses, Golf Digest; America s Best Courses You Can Play, Golfweek; No. 1 Public Course in Connecticut ( ), Golfweek; Top 21 Casino Golf Course, Golfweek; America s Top Rated Newcomer, Zagat Survey, Top 100 Courses You Can Play, Golf Magazine; Best In State No. 2 Lake of Isles North, No. 3 Lake of Isles South, Golf Digest. Lake of Isles also offers five different sets of tee markers per hole, so players of all skill levels can enjoy the course. Lake of Isles is managed by Troon Golf, which is well known in the golf industry for its properties to have pristine course conditions, excellent service and outstanding amenities. Lake of Isles is no exception. Among the extra services Lake of Isles offers is complimentary valet service for golfers, locker room attendants, concierge service for dinner reservations and hotel arrangements. Golfers also receive complimentary use of practice facilities before and after their round, complimentary water on the carts, towels, and a bag tag with their name on it. September 2009 Indian Gaming 61

5 Santa Ana Golf Club & Twin Warriors Golf Club Santa Ana Star Casino - Santa Ana Pueblo, NM Roger P. Martinez Director of Golf/GM (PGA) Santa Ana Golf Club Year Built: 1991 Designer: Ken Killian Holes: 27 Tamaya/Cheena Yardage: 7,298 Rating: 74.1 Slope: 133 Yardage: 6,568 Rating: 71.4 Slope: 130 Yardage: 5,952 Rating: 68.4 Slope: 122 Yellow Tees - Yardage: 5,034 Rating: 68.2 Slope: 122 Tamaya/Star Yardage: 7,187 Rating: 73.1 Slope: 134 Yardage: 6,438 Rating: 70.6 Slope: 130 Tamaya/Star (Cont.) Yardage: 5,889 Rating: 67.7 Slope: 123 Yellow Tees - Yardage: 4,936 Rating: 67.3 Slope: 121 Cheena/Star Yardage: 7,145 Rating: 73.0 Slope: 135 Yardage: 6,572 Rating: 70.8 Slope: 132 Yardage: 5,953 Rating: 67.7 Slope: 124 Yellow Tees - Yardage: 5,060 Rating: 68.3 Slope: 118 Situated on the Santa Ana Pueblo located just 20 minutes north of Albuquerque and 35 minutes south of Santa Fe, the Twin Warriors Golf Club and Santa Ana Golf Club are home to the Southwest s most prestigious golf clubs. Twin Warriors Golf Course is a gem in the desert. Crafted by noted course architect Gary Panks, this course layout incorporates spectacular views of the Sandia Mountains. Designed and developed with meticulous care and cultural sensitivity, Twin Warriors Golf Club provides both the championship golfer and the resort-style golfer a unique golfing adventure. Twin Warriors Golf Club offers a level of service comparable to the most private exclusive clubs. Guests will be greeted by name and escorted from the bag drop area, through the golf shop, and onto the warm-up facility and first tee. Course attendants will notify you of any unusual course conditions, ensure you have sufficient supplies onboard your cart, clean your clubs and assist you throughout the course with everything from providing cool towels on hot days and contacting the beverage cart. Spectacular views of the Sandia Mountains make Santa Ana Golf Club one of New Mexico s most dramatic golf settings. The Ken Killian layout on 270 acres offers itself up as one of the most challenging and yet accessible courses in the state. Santa Ana is a true links-style course woven through the desert along the Rio Grande. Native grasses, subtle mounding, and lakes will inspire and encourage you to play your best. At Santa Ana the only distractions you ll find are the mountain ranges, the Rio Grande, and the dormant volcanoes crouched on the West Mesa. 62 Indian Gaming September 2009

6 Twin Warriors Golf Club Year Built: 2001 Designer: Gary Panks Maroon Tees - Yardage: 7,736 Rating: 75.4 Slope: 140 Yardage: 7,284 Rating: 73.5 Slope: 140 Play from 5,500 yards to 7,400 yards, then enjoy a four-star gourmet meal at the renowned Prairie Star Restaurant in the 23,000 sq. ft. clubhouse. Full practice facilities, professional instruction, golf carts with Parview GPS, and impeccable service round out the Santa Ana Golf Club experience. We-Ko-Pa Golf Club Fort McDowell Casino - Fort McDowell, Arizona Turquoise Tees - Yardage: 6,715 Rating: 71.1 Slope: 136 Silver Tees - Yardage: 6,131 Rating: 68.9 Slope: 126 Maize Tees - Yardage: 5,100 Rating: 67.0 Slope: 116 Derek Crawford Director of Golf Operations Saguaro Course Year Built: 2006 Designer: Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw Orange Tees Yardage: 6,912 Rating: 72.1 Slope: 138 Purple Tees Yardage: 6,603 Rating: 70.7 Slope: 135 White Tees Yardage: 6,252 Rating: 69.1 Slope: 128 Green Tees Yardage: 5,061 Rating: 68.4 Slope: 112 We-Ko-Pa s two courses, Cholla and Saguaro, have a lot in common both are in excellent condition, both have received high praise from the golf media and consumers alike, and both offer a golf experience free of houses and roads, thus preserving the unobstructed views of the mountains. Two characteristics, however, distinguish Saguaro from Cholla (and just about every other golf course in Scottsdale). First, Coore and Crenshaw designed Saguaro to be walked, a rarity among desert courses. The designers routed holes so that the next tee box is only a short stroll from the previous green and steep hill climbing is kept to a minimum, despite a wildly heaving landscape. September 2009 Indian Gaming 63

7 We-Ko-Pa Golf Club (continued) Fort McDowell Casino - Fort McDowell, Arizona Secondly, Coore and Crenshaw re-introduced the all-important art form of tying the entrances to the greens into the greens themselves. The majority of the greens are open in front to allow for runup shots. It is the subtle pitch and roll of the terrain on the approach to the greens that give each hole much of its unique playing characteristics. When playing Saguaro, the boney ground and natural slopes may add an element of "sting" to the course, as the golf ball will bounce and roll along the native terrain. This is by design and is a strategic element both Coore and Crenshaw placed great emphasis on. You re in for a desert golf experience unlike any other in the state. At We-Ko-Pa, it s just you, your ball and good old Mother Nature. In 2001, the Scott Miller-designed Cholla Course vaulted onto many golfers must-play lists when Sports Illustrated named it one of the Top 10 New Golf Courses in the World just two days after the course opened. As the course matured, other impressive awards followed, including one from a well-respected golf trade publication, which named it Golf Course Development of the Year. More recently, Golf Magazine named the club to its list of Top 100 Courses You Can Play in the United States. Oftentimes such lofty accolades are difficult to live up to. We-Ko-Pa, however, easily lives up to the hype. Threading through an open expanse overlooking the Verde and Salt River Valleys, Red Mountain, and the legendary Superstition Mountains, the Cholla course will always preserve the essence and purity of desert-style golf. In fact, there is as much talk of the setting and the sensational views from the golf course as there is of the challenges at hand. Getting down to golf, Miller s Cholla routing is dramatic to say the least as it plays across desert washes, atop ridges and then flows flawlessly into greens tucked into hillsides and desert arroyos. Each hole is imbued with its separate strategic flavor, yet flows in rhythm with the holes before and those to follow seamless to the point that Number 18 crops up almost unexpectedly. Besides having multiple tee options for golfers to choose from, the course s 1st tee greeter suggests a set of tees based on a player s ability. In addition, the golf service staff will help less experienced players locate golf balls throughout their round and provide yardages whenever possible. Finally, throughout the winter and spring, the golf professionals will walk up and down the driving range and offer swing suggestions and course management tips to those in need. Cholla Course Year Built: 2001 Designer: Scott Miller Orange Tees Yardage: 7,225 Rating: 73.0 Slope: 136 Purple Tees Yardage: 6,740 Rating: 70.7 Slope: 131 White Tees Yardage: 6,114 Rating: 67.5 Slope: 121 Green Tees Yardage: 5,289 Rating: 69.1 Slope: 119 From the moment a guest arrives at We-Ko-Pa the mindset is the best customer service possible! The outside service staff member greets the guest with a smile and welcomes them to We-Ko-Pa. They are directed to our award-winning golf shop where again another friendly smile is waiting from the inside staff. The attitude is, The answer s yes - what s the question? That philosophy puts the guest at ease and hopefully at the end of the day warrants a return visit! Pristine conditions at the practice facility are just a taste of what the guest will encounter on the course. The enthusiastic attendants on the refreshment car provide any food & beverage needs guests may have. As guests round is completed, their golf bags have been loaded and they re handed a beautiful print. The picture (inside a travel tube) is of one of the holes they enjoyed that day. The importance of customer service, and how it relates to a positive experience at We-Ko-Pa, cannot be emphasized enough. 64 Indian Gaming September 2009

8 The Wilderness at Fortune Bay Fortune Bay Resort Casino - Tower, MN Tom Beaudry General Manager (PGA) Year Built: 2004 Designer: Jeffery D. Brauer Season: Late Spring - Early Fall Gold Tees Yardage: 7,207 Rating: 73.0 Slope: 138 Blue Tees Yardage: 6,772 Rating: 75.3 Slope: 144 White Tees Yardage: 6,147 Rating: 70.2 Slope: 132 Red Tees Yardage: 5,324 Rating: 71.9 Slope: 127 Draped along the pristine shores of Lake Vermilion, amid the high granite ridges of Northern Minnesota's Iron Range region, The Wilderness at Fortune Bay offers luxury, excitement and relaxation all within a spectacular Midwest setting. Owned by the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa and operated by KemperSports Management, this highly acclaimed Northwoods golf getaway is renowned for its wild beauty and exceptional amenities, making it a shining star and solidifying it's ranking as #1 in the state. The challenging course is as visually stimulating as it is enjoyable to play, making it a true golfer's dream and rated the #2 Best Casino Course in the Nation by Golf Digest in The Wilderness at Fortune Bay is part of Northern Minnesota's premiere vacation destination at Fortune Bay Resort Casino. The Wilderness at Fortune Bay offers four tee boxes varying in difficulty and distance for the inexperienced to seasoned golfer. The course also has three PGA Professionals on staff available for instruction for a beginning players. The Wilderness strives to achieve the highest level of personalized service possible. The staff caters to customers in order to make their experience memorable. The course has consistently received the National Customer Loyalty Award as a top five facility from the National Golf Foundation since our opening. As a KemperSports managed faculty, The Wilderness at Fortune Bay provides a "Best in Class" service experience by building great relationships with customers, being flexible to the needs of the customers, and ensuring staff members are dedicated to providing the best service in the market. September 2009 Indian Gaming 65