The Wigwam offers guests everything they could want in a holiday spot

PHOENIX, Arizona (Gord Montgomery/iG) — If you’re looking for a relaxing warm weather spot to settle down for a bit this winter that offers great recreational amenities, food, and entertainment options as well as some amazing history, than look no further then the Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park.

The sprawling 440 acre site, located just west of Phoenix, is one great spot to settle in and enjoy the fine things in life including three great golf courses, nine excellent tennis courts, three swimming pools, fine and casual dining, a superb spa and of all things, a beer donkey!

The Original Building Constructed By The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Is Still Standing, And Still In Use Today At The Wigwam. (Photo/Gord Montgomery)

Now in its 85th year, the Wigwam is designated as a Historic Hotel of America and rightfully so. Saved from bankruptcy by its present ownership group, this famed resort complex was originally founded by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, who made use of the cotton in the area to extend the life of their tires. The original building from way back when is still standing, and is used today as the main office building of the resort.

The Wigwam Kept A Lot Of Its History Over The Years, Including A Large Number Of Wonderful Photos, Such As This One Showing Workers Picking Cotton Which Was At One Time Grown On The Land Where The Resort Now Sits. (Photo/Gord Montgomery)

In all there are 331 rooms  here, spread out over the landscape in one- and two-storey buildings. All the rooms are spacious and offer patios and decks to enjoy the fine outdoor weather. There are also 70 luxurious suites and two presidential suites, the Oraibi and the Bacabi. The Oraibi Suite offers 5,000 square feet, including a parlour-style sitting room and patio lounge and a private bedroom that can accommodate up to 40 people for a party and sleeps eight. The Bacabi Suite spans 3,500 square feet with separate bedroom suite with private entrance, sitting area and patio and sleeps up to six, making both of these great spots to set up camp for a family gathering or a buddy sports junket.
The other, smaller scale rooms run from 480-square feet up to 1,000-square feet in the one- and two-bedroom suites. All are decorated in a southwestern motif and are spotlessly clean.

With Three 18-Hole Golf Courses On The Property, Everyone Should Certainly Get Their Fair Share Of Playing While Staying At The Wigwam. (Photo/Gord Montgomery)

As for the golf here, well, it is truly like nowhere else in the valley. The Gold Course, designed originally by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., is the granddaddy of them all and is a 7,400 yard parkland style layout, something not seen on a regular basis in the desert. There are two other courses on site and guests at the Wigwam have the ability to play two other local tracks, including the Arizona Biltmore Country Club.

A Locally Grown Orange Is Always High On The List Of Fresh Farm To Table Cuisine That Is Highlighted In The Restaurants At The Wigwam. (Photo/Gord Montgomery)

When hunger strikes and you go looking for a great venue, you know you’re in the right spot when you come upon local residents showing up at the resort for a meal. That’s the case virtually every night at Litchfield’s, a top-end fine dining establishment where the menu features farm-to-table cuisine emphasizing fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables as well as locally produced meats, cheeses, wines and other delicacies. For more casual fare, there are two other great spots on the grounds, Red’s, which is a sports oriented establishment and the Wigwam Bar, a spot not only to savour great food but a place to meet old, or new, friends in a casual indoor/outdoor setting.
And if you’re a sports fan, be it football, hockey or baseball, the Wigwam is the place you want to settle down, be it for a weekend or a week or two. The resort is only minutes away from the home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals and the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes, and several Major League Baseball teams who show up for Spring Training. Teams that work out, and play here during the Cactus League season include the Cleveland Indians, the LA Dodgers, the Chicago Whitesox, the Seattle Mariners, the Kansas City Royals (whose upper management at one time stayed at the Wigwam), the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and if you want to venture a bit further east, the always popular Chicago Cubs, among others.

One Of The Three Swimming Pools On The Grounds At The Wigwam Where There Is Plenty Of Room To Lay Back And Enjoy The Warm Arizona Sun. (Photo/Gord Montgomery)

So whether you’re looking to get away for a while to simply relax by the pool in the sun to escape the northern cold, or you want to golf or play tennis until your arms ache, eat exquisite meals, enjoy professional sports or just explore the area, then you want to explore the possibility of staying at one great, and historic, area resort, the Wigwam.
For more on the Wigwam Resort, go to their website at wigwamarizona.com.

Troon North Moonument Course Back In Business After Restoration Project

By Gord Montgomery (iG)

SCOTTSDALE, AZ. — After a four-month restoration project by Tom Lehman, which focused on the greens and bunkering, the high regarded Troon North Monument Golf Course, located in Scottsdale, AZ., is again open for business.

The redesign was actually a step back in time, if you will, as the green complexes were restored to their former size and shape when this track was first constructed by Tom Weiskopf. To ensure he stuck faithfully to that original design, Lehman and his work crew utilized the same GPS coordinates as Weiskopf .

The putting surfaces were re-sodded with creeping A4 bent grass and the fringe areas were redone using TifGrand semi-dwarf Bermuda grass. What came from that are large greens that run extremely well with subtle breaks throughout the surfaces.

Both the greens and bunkers on the Monument Course at Troon North have been taken back to their original Tom Weiskopf specs, after restoration by Tom Lehman.

The second part of the upgrades were to the bunkers and that included updating the drainage in all greenside and fairway traps, new bunker liners and new Pioneer bunker sand.

The renovations at Monument are the first major changes to the award-winning course in a decade.

“We are committed to providing our guests with the finest course conditions on the planet at our flagship facility,” said Dana Garmany, the chairman and CEO of Troon, in a news article. “Through these green and bunker enhancements on Monument, we are proactively improving and reinvesting in one of the top daily-fee courses in the nation.”

The Monument’s sister course, Pinnacle, will also undergo a facelift in the spring and summer of 2018, meaning the two will retain their place in the upper echelons of public golf courses not only in Arizona but in the USA.

Troon North’s Monument course is ranked number 58 on GOLF Magazine's ranking of the 2016/2017 "Top 100 Courses You Can Play in the United States.” In addition, GOLF Magazine named Monument the  No. 4 golf course in Arizona in their ranking of "Best Courses You Can Play in Arizona,” which is just part of the long list of accolades it, and Pinnacle, have earned over the last few years.

*With file from morningread.com

Mom's Suggestion Pays Off In Big Way For Headcover CEO

By Gord Montgomery (iG)

PHOENIX, AZ. — Don’t ever let anyone tell you that parents don’t know what they’re talking about. Just ask Jane Spicer.

As a teen, Spicer was into making hand puppets with the hankering to own her own car.  Through some wise advise from her mother, she got that vehicle … along with a company that is renowned throughout the golf world for making the most popular headcovers.

Long before that type of golf gear was popular, Spicer took the bull by the horns — and yes, she probably has crafted more than one of those animals — during the 38 years Daphne’s Headcovers has been in business.

“Headcovers just didn’t exist and I was making puppets, and my mom, Daphne, the company’s namesake, had a customer suggest we make head covers. My mom bribed me and said, “I’ll tell you what. If you sell enough of these I’ll buy you a car. I was almost 16, so I made some samples and went out and gave a bunch of bad sales pitches and Daphne’s Headcovers was born.”

While the idea has become so popular that two high echelon pros use them — Dustin Johnson has a black lab on his driver and Lydia Ko has the Snowman on hers. But back when she was starting out, sales weren’t all that easy, Spicer noted. And in 2017, Daphne’s teamed up with one of the biggest hitters ever on the PGA TOUR, when she teamed up with John Daly who stated, “So, make sure when you cover  up that hot driver, make sure it’s a ‘Grip It and Rip It’ John Daly Lion Headcover by Daphne’s!”

“We really had to work at it. I’d sale I was a sales rep, and as a 16-year-old sales rep, they wouldn’t let me in the golf shop. Then I’d say I was selling animal headcovers  and they’d go, ‘What? What’s that?’

“But, it was a slow and steady growth and now we’re in over 75 countries,” with all a menagerie that includes cats, penguins, moose, tigers, lions , well you name a species and Daphne’s has likely created some version of it. In fact, the company presently has 75 different designs on hand and turns out a new one each and every year.

What is perhaps a popular sales idea, besides the cuteness of these headcovers, is that they all carry an unbeatable guarantee.

“We are the only head cover company in the world with a lifetime guarantee,” said Spicer, who acts as the company CEO. “Our quality remains our passion.”

Besides driver covers, Daphne’s also has sleeves for fairway woods and hybrids and they’re available at a number of golfing outlets or through the company’s website at daphnesheadcovers.com.

The company is headquartered in Phoenix, AZ., with a factories in China and Indonesia.

The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail a tribute to Canadian architect Thompson

By Gord Montgomery - INSIDE GOLF

HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA — Even though the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is miles south of the 49th Parallel, there are hints of Canadiana spread out all over this world famous destination. After all, the man that created the Trail was tutored by the best known architect to ever come from the Great White North.

Among many others, Robert Trent Jones, Sr., was a disciple of Stanley Thompson’s back in the day. As such, it’s easy to see that the Canadian’s ideas, and philosophies on building outstanding golf courses with exceptional playability and sight lines, took root with the famed American designer.

As for the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail which is celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2017, it stretches through greater Alabama. The Trail itself boasts 26 different courses at 11 sites, running from Hampton Cove in the north down to Magnolia Grove in the southern part of the state. The Trail’s terrain varies from location to location, from the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in the north to the flatlands of the Gulf of Mexico in the south. All the courses are within an easy drive of each other, making them accessible and well worth the travel time to play.

Following in his mentor’s footsteps, Jones was of the mind that a score of par should be a challenge to one’s game and skill, or as he put it, “not easy to come by.” At the same time, if that number escapes you, holes are set up so that a bogey isn’t all that hard to come by.

Another key element of his teacher’s lessons are the visuals presented at the courses he built. Whether you’re looking from tee to green, or in the reverse direction, the lines are true and it’s easy to see the obstacles that lay in front of you, or those that you’ve managed to avoid on your way to the putting surface.

The Beginnings

Interestingly enough, Jones wasn’t the first designer approached about constructing a golf trail through Alabama in hopes of encouraging tourism. Big names like Nicklaus and Palmer turned aside the chance to put their names on this golfing paradise and eventually Jones was lured out of retirement to create this ever-lasting legacy to his, and his mentor’s, name.

Since the inception of the Trail, tourism has boomed in Alabama, exactly what the visionaries hoped for when this idea first arose. It’s said that the state’s visitor numbers have risen sharply from 2 million a year to over 8 million now, thanks in large part to the Trail and its unique, fun, and gorgeous offerings. While the Trail wasn’t created to make money, the latest stats available suggest there are more than 500,000 rounds played on it each year, making for a huge economic spinoff not only for the courses but the area’s hotels, restaurants, craft breweries and businesses.

In constructing the Trail, Jones adhered to what Thompson preached: 1) unforgettable views; 2) natural features such as rivers, lakes, trees, good soil; and, 3) environment.
He also followed, at least for the most part, the best way to lay out a course as seen by his Canadian mentor — an easy, aesthetic start with a long, strong finish.

While Thompson felt there shouldn’t be any par 3 holes before the 4th or 5th assignments of the day or after the 16th hole, Jones did step outside the parameters here, at on at least a couple of his designs. At The Shoals, The Schoolmaster has a beautiful little short hole up second on the scorecard while Fighting Joe wraps up its demands with par 3s on both nine and 18 .

But when you look at what he created, not only for golfers but for the State of Alabama, Jones can certainly be forgiven for those small flaws!

Kananaskis Country's Mt. Lorette As Good As New

By Gord Montgomery (iG)

KANANASKIS COUNTRY — To hear Bob Paley tell the tale, the expected closure of the Kananaskis Country Golf Course back in 2013 wasn’t expected to be all that long. Little did he know the trouble that was tumbling down the mountainside.

Paley, the had pro at the gorgeous mountainside tracks in Alberta, explained that on June 20, 2013, he received a phone call from the courses’ GM, Darren Robinson, about some rain that was falling.

“He told me, “I think we’re going to be closed for a couple of weeks,” Paley told a group of specially invited guests who were involved in one of a dozen Sneak Peek events surrounding the reopening of the Mt. Loretta course.

That “couple of weeks,” turned into a much longer spell but now 18 of the 36 heavenly holes have been restored after a hellacious four years of planning, work stoppages due to a change in provincial government, and more bad weather. While Lorette is back in tip-top shape and ready for the general public to return next spring, the Mt. Kidd course is still in the rebuild stage. It too though will be open for play in 2018.

Golfers from Alberta, and the rest of the world, will soon be flocking back through the gates at the beautiful Kananaskis Country Golf Course to play Mt. Lorette in the spring, and Mt. Kidd in June or July.

This all started when the tiny Evan Thomas Creek roiled over its banks, joining the Kananaskis River and running rampant over the pristine golf playpens built back in the early 1980s by the Conservative Government with money from the Heritage Trust Fund.

Robinson, often choked up by his recollections of those tumultuous times, noted that “two to three thousand trees,” along with boulders and silt were spilled across the two courses. In the end, days of heavy rain falling on a huge snowpack in the mountains resulted in 32 of the 36 holes being partially or fully destroyed.

The GM called in Gary Browning, a Calgary golf course architect who had lost out on the original design to the famed Robert Trent Jones, to assess the damages. Browning reassured Robinson that he could handle the task of a clean-up/rebuild, though he admitted quietly the task did appear overwhelming, a thought he wasn’t sharing with anyone else.

While it looks anything but intimidating here, the Kananaskis River along with the Evan Thomas, caused massive damage to the Rocky Mountain beauties when the overflowed their banks in June 2013.

To speed up the recovery of the area, 625,000 square feet of Alberta-grown sod was put down on the fairways. The sand for the spectacular bunker complexes around Lorette was brought in from Golden, B.C., and the grass for the greens, which were in unbelievable condition for the third week of September, was grown in Abbotsford, B.C.

Mt. Lorette did have a few minor tweaks done as it was restored, including the moving of the green on Hole 14, a par five. The putting surface was shifted away from the river and a wildlife corridor and while that took away a beautiful sightline from the previous layout, the new green still makes a par on this hole a great score.

Another change that may not even be noticeable to some is the change to the green complex on No. 18. A false front has been added on this par 4, making the approach shot a little tougher as anything that land short ends up stopping in its tracks instead of trundling up to the green.

But all in all, the restoration here is spectacular and now the course goes to sleep for the winter. But be assured, when Mt. Lorette opens in the spring and Mt. Kidd joins the party in late June or July, the Kananaskis Country Golf Course will be everything it ever was previously —  even if it did take a bit longer than a couple of weeks to reopen.

While no rates or online booking dates have yet been set for the 2018 season, they will be announced in the coming weeks and everyone will be made aware of those. Or as Paley put it, “That will be the worst kept secret of the year!”

The view from the 18th tee box at Mt. Lorette is sure to stick with you as you wrap up a great round of golf at Kananaskis.

The Ka'anapali Alii is a condo unit that's a cut above in Maui

By Gord Montgomery (iG)
LAHAINA, MAUI - If you're looking for luxury as well as ocean access on Ka'anapali Beach in Maui, then you need go no farther than the Alii condo resort.

Nestled up tight to the beautiful blue Pacific, the Ka’anapali Alii has everything families or golfing buddies could want for comfort, convenience and amenities.

In an area of the world where it seems every resort amenity comes at a cost, the Alii is different. The 263 1- and 2-bedroom units boast free Internet, free parking, no daily resort fee and maybe best of all, sun, sand and surf that cost you nothing to enjoy.

The fully furnished units here range in size from 1,500 to 1,900 square feet with two bathrooms, a separate dining area and spacious lanais to enjoy the sun and the outstanding ocean and courtyard views. As well, there are three clay-based tennis courts with a pro on staff for those looking to play a few sets or pick up a few pointers. And if you're into golf, you are only minutes away from the famed Ka'anapali pair of the Royal and Kai courses.

The wonderful courtyard grounds here include a heated swimming pool, aa quiet pool, a kids' pool and two hot tubs. Also on the grounds is a great outdoor grilling area, where guests/owners are free to whip up a feast for their family and friends. Or, if needed, there is a grill master now on site to lend a hand with those big cooking jobs. As well, there is an herb garden right beside the grills, meaning that whatever spicing up you feel your meal needs, it's close at hand.

Top all that off with a state of the art fitness centre to maybe work off any excess indulging you do, and a spa to aid in working out the stressers of everyday life and you know you've found a special spot in paradise.

The friendliness of everyone encamped at the Kaanapali Alii is noticeable, especially in the common areas around the pools, bar-b-que and pavilion areas on the spacious grounds. Several owners mentioned that as a key selling point for them and visitors are always made to feel welcome, with the first question often asked around the grilling area is, "Where are you from and how long are you here?" leading to lengthy conversations about the weather back home - and usually how much snow they just received there - as well as things to do on this beautiful island.

Another nice benefit of staying at the Alii is the fact they partner with a group of hotels and restaurants along the beautiful Ocean Walk immediately in front of this property, to provide charge accounts to your condo. The Kaanapali Alii doesn't have an eating establishment of its own, but that's of little consequence given the partnerships established with such places at the Lahaina Grill, the Ka'anapali Golf Course, The Westin, the Marriott's restaurants and bars and their health club and the Maui Sheraton which both feature fine dining choices.

Also close by is Whaler's Village, featuring a unique variety of upscale botique shops featuring not only local clothing and jewelry designs but artwork and great eating spots. The good news is it is a quick five-minute walk along the famed Ka'anaplie Beach.

So, if you want luxury and a spot right in the heart of one of the most vibrant parts of Maui, you need look no farther than the Ka'anapali Alii for all those special touches that makes a vacation here an extra special time.

For more on the Alii and rates, call them toll-free at 1-888-722-6284 or their website is at kaanapalialii.com.

Maui Nui GC proves writer overlooked great golf deal

By Gord Montgomery (iG)

If you're heading to Maui and planning to golf while you're there, please don't make the same mistake I made for several years - driving past the Maui Nui Golf Club without stopping.

Many Canadians find themselves stayig in the Kihei area of the island and likely drive by the fairways that line the Piilani Highway never really giving this playground a second thought, thanks in large part to it being overshadowed by its more famous cousins in Wailea and Ka'anapali.

Well, think again and hit the brakes my friends, for this is one place you want to tee it up.

Lief Smith, the director of golf at the Maui Nui, said people are truly taken off-guard when they first set foot on this layout, designed by a Western Canadian, Bill Newis.

"What we have here is a lot of people see the neighbourhood just off the highway and think "private club," and costs that run upwards of $300 a round," Smith explained. "Our golf course is not a resort course," with wide open, hard-to-miss landing areas. "You can have all sorts of challenges out here," especially if you set up on the wrong starting blocks.

"From the Blues or the Gold championship tee boxes you're going to get a far bigger challenge," than from the more forward boxes," warned Smith. "Blind tee shots. Forced carries. Long 220-yard second shots. Elevation changes. We have some water and the wind to deal with late in the afternoon usually."

Maui Nui's director of golf, Lief Smith.

This par 71 layout has a challenging start on the front nine with some steep demands placed upon your skill from the get go. No. 1 is a demanding 409 yard par-4 from the whites followed by a par-5 that is no cakewalk. Then holes four through seven, in particular, can put some big crooked numbers on your scorecard but the good news is the course softens after that.

"You want to try and get out of 4, 5, 6 and 7 with a par, or a bogey at worst, and if you do that you'll feel really great about your round, because once you get to eight, nine and the back nine, there are lots of scoring opportunities," Smith pointed out. "But literally, two through eight, with the exception of three, a short par-3, are pretty tough holes."

One of the past complaints about this course, when it was called the Elleair Golf Club, was that it was too long from the front tees. That issue has now been resolved under new ownership, making this a family-friendly locale.

"We were built in 1986 and the forward tee boxes were something like 5,800 yards," said Smith. "In the past eight to 10 months we've put six new tee boxes in that shortened up our par-5s and some of our longer par-4s that brought us back down to around 5,200. That's made it a lot more enjoyable for the golfers looking to play the forward tee boxes."

The thing is, no matter what tee you play from, the Maui Nui is a surprise if you haven't teed it up here before. It features interesting slopes and angles, both on the fairways and the greens. As well, for the most part, the holes aren't so demanding that you need to hit long irons/hybrids/fairway woods into greens on your approach shots ... as long as you play from the right tees.

Yes, the first first hole is a challenge and there is that previously mentioned four-hole stretch on the front nine but beyond that, well placed tee shots are rewarded with reasonable length approaches to the putting surfaces leading to an enjoyable day on a fun golf course.

Another great thing about Maui Nui, that many may not be aware of, is that there are great deals in place to play here. On an island where golf can run upwards of $200 a round, and more, this place offers great pricing, especially if you want to golf lots, like many Canadians do in the winter.

"Our highest rate all year is $119 (during peak season) but what we have is the Maui Nui Player's Program. No other golf course has a program like this," where with that card in tow green fees are slashed dramatically, explained Smith.

And by dramatically, we mean dramatically.

For a one-time fee to enter the popular program, a person pays anywhere from $56 at the most during winter prime time to a low of $24 during the summer months per round, with no limit on the number of rounds. As well, that purchase price includes two free rounds and some driving range tokens to work out the kinks on the course's lighted range.

"You can play every day of the week with that. We have people that purchase this that play three to four times a week," said Smith, adding there's also a great short-term deal here. "We do have a limited weekly pass, for only $349 for a couple," who can get more than their fill with that pass.

So if you're in Maui and looking for affordable golf at a great facility, don't overlook Maui Nui because what it offers is beyond what is expected.

After all, Maui Nui gives you something different from any other resort course you're going to play here. With the least amount of wind, the least rain on Maui not to mention the least costly rounds, this is a place to play. Because truthfully, Maui Nui gives you some of the best golfing challenges you'll find on the island at a price that saw the course recently voted as America's Best Value by GolfAdvisor.

For more on this course, go to their website at mainuigolfclub.com.

About the writer: Gord Montgomery is a retired sports editor of two weekly newspapers in the Edmonton area and is a member of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada. He has written for Inside Golf for the past nine years. He can be reached at noraltagolf@gmail.com. He’s also on Twitter at @gordinsidegolf.