I travel a lot (understatement). I used to be terrible at it. I'd break into cold sweats and throw a death-grip on my innocent armrest (or the arm of the person next to me) at the mention of turbulence. Over the years I've managed to suppress my travel fears into my personal little black box, but there's something about the story of Captain Sully and the 155 survivors of a successful emergency landing--ON A RIVER--that gave me hope. Hope that if I stopped hearing engines as we're reaching 15,000 feet, that I too might survive. I guess that's why I can't get enough of that story.

To this day, if I'm taking off on an early flight out of LaGuardia, I pin my beak against the porthole of the plane and try to make sure we don't have the smell of burnt bird in our future--as if I could do something about it if we did.

Today in the Daily News, Erica Pearson writes a fun update on the Myrtle Beach buddies trip  shelved by that pesky flock of geese.

Here's the link, but the story is short enough to give you the whole thing right here:

The last time Jeff Kolodjay (pictured above) and his golfing pals tried to go to Myrtle Beach, their airplane ended up in the Hudson. He's giving it another shot--but this time he's going to drive.

Kolodjay, 31, was on US Airways flight 1549 in January with his dad, cousin and three friends when the plane made an emergency landing in the Hudson.

Now the six golfers are again heading to South Carolina, this time for a free four-night stay at Legends Resorts.

Bill Golden, president of Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, arranged the trip after seeing Jeff Kolodjay on TV after the crash. "We've got a big suburban," said Jeff's father, Robert Kolodjay, 60. "We'll take our time."


Here's a portion of another story written by Mike Cherney of the Myrtle Beach Sun News that gives more details of the trip and their itinerary:

Bill Golden, the president of Golf Holiday, said he saw Kolodjay speaking on TV shortly after the crash, which happened Jan. 15, about his planned vacation to Myrtle Beach. Golden said he sent Kolodjay an e-mail, telling him to call when he started thinking about his next vacation.

He called the next day, Golden said.

"It was a huge story nationally," Golden said. "He was on TV saying they were on their way to Myrtle Beach and we need to react to that. The community wants us to react to it."

The trip includes complimentary accommodations for four nights, and the group will play seven rounds at area courses, including Legends Resorts, where the group was supposed to stay last time, Heritage Club, True Blue Plantation and TPC of Myrtle Beach, Golden said.

I spoke to Golden today. He told me Kolodjay is "pumped," and that he and his group "couldn't be more appreciative." Golden told me Kolodjay is a Myrtle Beach regular and that True Blue is his favorite course on the Grand Strand. True Blue (pictured below) is across the street from Caledonia, which is my favorite in Myrtle Beach. Both courses were designed by the late Mike Strantz.

I wrote about a trip I took to Myrtle Beach for the February issue. In case you missed it, here's the link.

As I sit here watching golf again on Sunday (thanks to Tiger), I'm going through entries this week for the next Ambush. I'll post some finalists in a few days.

Last week Ian Thompson wrote a column in the Birmingham News about the most recent Ambush in Gulf Shores, Ala.

Here's the link to Thompson's column.




In the picture above, from left to right, that's Hugh Johnson, who has been planning the Bratton Brothers Invitational since 1976. Johnson is a prime candidate for the best of buddies trip planner contest. His advice to other buddies trip planners, "It's not a democracy. I make a decision and stick to it."

Johnson is standing next to Joe Bratton, 69, who has played in every round of all 40 BBI's. Joe said that if Johnson schedules another round at Kiva Dunes, that's a round that he'll skip because Kiva Dunes in the wind was too much course for his game. Joe's standing next to his younger brother, Bobby, who was 25 when the Bratton Brothers went on their first BBI. Now he's 65, and a living indicator that age is just a number. He was my wing man as I chased what I think (and hope) was a pack of females around the FloraBama--a run down watering hole on the border of Florida and Alabama. And then there's Greg Waldrop, who sent in the itinerary on behalf of the BBI. Waldrop asked that he'd hope Golf Digest would consider his group. Golf Digest is happy Waldrop considered the Ambush.

--Matty G.

You can't say Golf Digest isn't doing its part to spread the love in this shoulder-slouching, rock-kicking economy.

We've just launched another essay contest, and this one will allow six winners to stay and play at a U.S. Open venue this summer--free of charge!

No, it's not the highly publicized, ridiculously popular Golf Digest U.S. Open Challenge. That contest received over 70,000 entries and has been whittled down to four finalists. Voting is underway and eventually one lucky guy will join three celebrities (including his Airness, Michael Jordan) and experience a round of humility as he tries to break 100 at Bethpage Black a few days before the 109th U.S. Open. Vote here. (I voted for the fireman.)

The buddies contest is different. We're trying to identify six of the game's best buddies-trip planners, and we're going to send them to Pinehurst in July. They'll get three rounds of golf, caddies, spa treatments, food, loaded gift bags and more. One round will be played on Pinehurst No. 2, where Payne Stewart won the Open in 1999, Michael Campbell in 2005, and yet another in 2014.

I've done 13 Ambushes so far and it was on about the third one that I started to notice a trend: The trip planner of each group, the one who dots all the i's and crosses every t, the selfless, tireless organizer of all things to make sure his or her group is fed, watered, sleep deprived, golfed out and bailed out of jail, if necessary--never gets to actually enjoy the trip.

And so we've conceived this contest to give back to the givers. We're pampering the planners. At over $3,000 per person of value and scorecards full of priceless memories, this is a great opportunity to help us find the ones who are most worthy of the greatest gift a man or woman can get--a free buddies trip. Especially one that he or she doesn't have to plan.

But to give back to the givers we need you to let us know who they are. In 100 words or less, you can nominate yourself or your favorite trip planner. Click here for the full story and the entry form.

Sorry. The woman in the spa snap is not a part of the gift bag.

--Matty G.

A story I wrote for the upcoming issue of Golf World...

It has been a tough couple of months for the golf resort and travel business, which has gotten caught in the backdraft of the economic downturn and the high-profile embarrassment of a few irresponsible companies abusing the concept of a corporate outing. So Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, an advocacy group for the American travel industry, did what a lot of the country's business executives normally do: He organized an off-site meeting.

The destination wasn't a swanky resort, there wasn't excessive spending and it wasn't a business boondoggle gone wild. But it was at an exclusive venue with tight security, a focused agenda and an unexpected guest--Barack Obama.

To start with, the sobering news: Dow estimates that in the first two months of 2009 businesses canceled more than $1 billion in corporate meetings and travel, most of which were events at high-end golf resorts.

"The travel industry is used to tightening its belt in tough economic times," says Dow. "But this is a time when government and the media is discouraging the way a big part of America does business."

So Dow assembled a group of 12 other top travel tycoons--Jonathan Tisch of Loews Hotels, Bill Marriott of Marriott International Inc., and Barney Harford of Orbitz Worldwide, to name a few--and requested a meeting at the White House. They wanted the opportunity to educate and remind the government that travel may not be the appropriate use of stimulus funds, but with the jobs it provides and the spending it generates, it is a stimulant.

On March 11, in a conference room in the West Wing of the White House, Dow and company met with Valerie Jarrett, one of President Obama's top advisors. Dow presented Jarrett with some key travel facts: One American in eight works in the travel industry; $100 billion a year is spent on business meetings; $240 billion a year is spent on business travel and $740 billion a year is spent in travel. That's when Dow and his group got an unexpected shock: Jarrett told them that President Obama would be joining the meeting.

"He walked in, shook everyone's hand and pulled up a chair," recalls Dow. "He spent a half-hour with us. I don't want to speak for him, but I'll say he's a very engaging individual. He understands the importance of travel, the impact of tourism and how many jobs there are in this industry."


The travel team enjoyed a quick return on their investment. The next day, in an announcement by Robert Gibbs, the White House Press Secretary, the message was: "The White House encourages business travel."

The travel industry will continue to navigate rough roads. But this meeting Dow inspired--and the public support of the Beltway's most powerful man--might provide a notch of relief on the belt of the travel industry's perception problem.

--Matty G.

For more on a national campaign produced by the Travel Association, go to meetingsmeanbusiness.com. “We’re providing on-line guidelines to a successful and efficient off-site business meeting,” says Dow.

Caption: Roger Dow, President and CEO of the recently formed advocacy group for travel, the U.S. Travel Association, is seated at the head of the table.
(White House photograph by Pete Souza)

The Away Game in the April issue of Golf Digest is about my trip to Birmingham, Ala. I stayed and played at Ross Bridge--a big hotel with a bigger golf course. I also did 36 holes at Oxmoor Valley and took a half a day to see what the Barber Motorsports Park was all about . . .

George Barber is a local tycoon who made money in milk and real estate and has since been pouring some of his profits into a vintage car and motorcycle museum as a way to display a personal vehicle collection that would make Jay Leno die of jealousy. In addition, Barber built the "Augusta National of racetracks," just behind the museum. This is where he hosts regular races and a Porsche Driving School.

As I said in my story, I'm the furthest thing from a gear head or a car freak. I couldn't tell you the difference between a hairpin valve and a hairpin turn. But the minute I walked in and saw Barber's ridiculous display of cars and motorcycles, some suspended from the ceiling of the Vintage Motorsports Museum, I was wishing I had more time.

In the massive, well-organized cement structure, Barber has over 1,220 motorcycles and 50 Lotus cars--one bike dates back to1902. I walked all five floors, fascinated by the display and the depth of the collection. Here's the 1938 Brough-Superior SS100 (pronounced "bruf"):

My guide was Brian Slark, the Technical Director of the museum. Slark (pictured below) told me that everything in the building runs and they'll often drive the bikes and cars on the 2.8 miles of track out back. "We're lucky to have the track to run them on," says Slark. "Because some of them have lousy brakes."



After my tour of the museum I participated in some driving drills at the Porsche Driving School. I wasn't there long enough to get behind the wheel, but sitting shotgun to some of the instructors was enough to get me to release inner-fleeting expletives.


The museum is a bargain but the driving school is a different story and a much different budget. To see what I called "hog heaven," the museum will cost you $15 for adults and $10 for children (ages three and under get in free). To get behind the wheel of German-engineering and get a lesson on how to hit the apex of a turn at 55 MPH, a one-day class will cost you $1,795; a two-day course is $2,995.

The Champions Tour plays an event at Ross Bridge every year in May. They told me at the driving school that Corey Pavin, Bernhard Langer and Loren Roberts have all been students.

Here's a short video tour of the museum and the driving school:

 

The resort at Ross Bridge is affiliated with the Porsche Driving School. To get to Barber Motorsports Park from the hotel it's about a 20-minute drive. I got there and back in my far-from-flashy little white Hyundai rental car. Certainly nothing museum or race track worthy.

Here's a link to the April Away Game.

And here's a link to the Barber Motorsports Park.

--Matty G.

Life at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club in Southern Pines, N.C. is as good as it can be expected, considering they’re recovering from a fire.

On Sunday evening, at about 8 o’clock, a fire broke out in the clubhouse at the main lodge of the Pine Needles. More than 10 fire departments and 65 firefighters put the fire out, and there were no reported injuries.

A day later, Pine Needles President Kelly Miller told me the fire department’s early estimation is that the fire started in an old ceiling fixture in the dining area.

“It looks like it was an electrical fire that started between the dining room and the locker rooms,” said Miller. “There’s a lot of smoke damage, and there’s a lot of water damage in the pro-shop area and the lady’s locker room because of the sprinkler systems. But from the outside, you’d never know anything was wrong.”

The damage was contained to the main lodge. The club is utilizing other space at the resort for a makeshift golf shop and dining area. They’re checking customers in at the bag-drop area or directing them to their sister resort at Mid-Pines for check-in but there was no damage to the Pine Needles guest rooms.

Meanwhile, life on the golf course resumed as usual as early as Monday morning. Miller anticipates no disruption in play or accommodations as they work to repair the damages.

I asked Miller if he had spoken to owner and Hall of Fame instructor, Peggy Kirk Bell. “It’s sad for her,” said Miller. “There are a lot of holes in the dining room floor.”

I played Pine Needles last year, and I’m a huge fan of the original Donald Ross design. An impromptu lesson and some Southern hospitality over lunch, and Mrs. Bell had charmed me into one of my sweetest swinging rounds of ‘08.

Past Champions of the Women’s U.S. Open at Pine Needles is a distinguished list: Cristie Kerr won it there in 2007, Karrie Webb in 2001 and Annika Sorenstam in 1996.

—Matty G.

                  

"Thank you for calling the Granddaddy . . ." That's how they answer the phone at the new Pine Lakes Country Club.

This isn't exactly The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but there is an old golf course in Myrtle Beach that just got a lot younger. Proof money can't but you love, but it can buy you a pretty sweet facelift. Nicknamed "the Granddaddy" because in 1927 it was the first course on what would become the "Grand Strand," the Pine Lakes Country Club reopened today after a 20 month, $15 million restoration project.

What once was the Ocean Forest Club, the history and the fact sheet on this place gives good info:

--The clubhouse (pictured above) was designed by Henry Bacon McKoy, which he did right after he finished designing the Lincoln Monument.

--St. Andrews native and first PGA of America president, Robert White, who consulted with Donald Ross during the planning process, designed the original course. (Some say there's evidence of Alister Mackenzie influence--the seventh hole at Pine Lakes looks like No. 12 at Augusta National.)

--Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, Gene Sarazen and Sam Snead, who shot 78 there on his 78th birthday, were among some of the big names who frequented the course.

--In 1954 the Snug Pub was where Henry Luce sat around a table with other Time Inc. executives and editors and came up with the idea of an all sports magazine. (That would be the little fish wrapper we know today as Sports Illustrated.)

                  

The new course (first hole pictured above), was redesigned by Craig Schreiner. It's still short (6,609 yards) but that just means I get to play the back tees without having to constantly look over my shoulder and comment to my playing partners, "How hard would this hole be from way back there?"

I clipped this graph from the press release: "My design challenge was integrating the nine newer holes with White's nine original holes," said Schreiner. "This task was made easier by Burroughs & Chapin Golf Management's vision, which gave me the opportunity to reshape the entire golf course. The end result was improved consistency in the strategic play quality and the aesthetics of every hole, while preserving the historic-view corridors of those original 16 holes. Remarkably, the 80-year old clubhouse can be seen from all 16 of these holes; unlike most golf courses today."

Schreiner designed two holes from scratch to replace two of the old holes that were removed to create a new entry into the club, which is only a few miles north of the Myrtle Beach airport.

                   

On the Pine Lakes website I booked a tee time for a foursome next Saturday at 8:00AM. The green fee was $125 per player and a $24 per person cart fee.

I'd pay a lot more for the place responsible for the start my career AND the Swimsuit Issue.

--Matty G.

If Pebble Beach is so beautiful it's often referred to by some as "God's pocket," then Cypress Point is a Grayson Tighe Serpentine Stone fountain pen ($5,500) perfectly placed in the good Lord's pocket protector.

Back in June I wrote a blog about my first round at Cypress Point. (Here's the link to that story). While I was there I took pictures of my day and in addition to framing the scorecard and swearing to never wash the bottom of my bag, I also shot a little video.

I've only recently learned how to post video clips to the blog, so this week I've gone back into my archive to potentially spoil the surprise.

If you haven't played Cypress but you think there's a sliver of a chance you might get the invite one day (hint: befriend the chef): DO NOT CLICK ON THIS CLIP.

The contents of this video, which is the greatest 64 steps in the game of golf, is like getting the collective sneak peek into the endings of Scarface, Braveheart and Gladiator.

You've been warned.

As I finished the par 3, 15th hole (up and down from the front bunker for a par, which stopped a streak of scoring absurdity), I took out my camera and put it in video mode. After I let my playing partners and the caddies walk ahead, I hit the record button and made my way through the tree-lined tunnel to the main stage: The 16th tee box at Cypress Point.

Here's the video and my spontaneous reaction, "Hello! Hello doctor!"

                   


               

(For better quality, click on the "HQ" in the lower-right corner of the screen).

How'd I do? I hit driver as good as I could into the teeth of a stiff wind. The sun was in our eyes and the glare was fierce. I could've sworn I had plenty to clear the watery grave of all mediocre swings, but I was politely told to hit a provisional. I never found the first ball and played out the provisional for a very pedestrian double bogey. I'll watch great movies as many as three times before they leave the big screen. Someday I'll see that Cypress Point ending again. And hopefully you will too.

--Matty G.

                   

I recently received this e-mail from Craig Watson of Skippack, Penn.:

Our group is traveling down to Gulf Shores, Ala. at the end of March and we have an empty golf day. We would love your input on where to play. Can you give us some of the top courses?

Craig,

I'm actually just back from Gulf Shores. I Ambushed a group of 89 guys on their 40th annual buddies trip--The Bratton Brothers Invitational. Here's their website. It's one of the better buddies trip sites I've seen. Look for more about their story in the June issue of Golf Digest. The BBI played Kiva Dunes, Peninsula Golf Club and the Golf Club of The Wharf. (The practice round at Marcus Pointe was optional.)

A few of the guys with higher handicaps felt Kiva Dunes, especially when the wind was blowing, was too hard but they agreed it was in great shape. The lower handicappers liked the challenge.

The Peninsula Golf Club (pictured above) got high marks from all skill levels. Peninsula has 27 holes, which were also in good condition, and Todd Edwards and his staff were a key ingredient to yet another successful Ambush (No. 13). Thank you, Todd. (And thank you beverage cart Tammy for showing off your heart and chili pepper tattoo. The specific body quadrant to be kept under wraps, but I'd rate the location PG--as in, pretty good.

I left the Bratton Brothers Invitational as they teed off at The Wharf, which used to be the Gulf Shores Golf Club. Built in the 60's, The Wharf was the first course in Gulf Shores. It was closed and completely renovated in 2005. It's had stints as a private course, but as of January, it's open to the public again. A trend we'll be seeing a lot more of I'm sure.

A few of the guys who came in early voted "No" on Marcus Pointe. And that was after they played it.

Note to self (and reader): When you go to Gulf Shores in March, be sure to bring bug spray or pack pants and long-sleeve shirts. The Noseeums, the maddening miniature gnats with a bloodthirsty bite, struck again. I'll aggressively be scratching my way through the next two weeks. I hate Noseeums more than I hate canceled flights, doing my expenses, the Yankees and eggplant.

On a social note of service . . .The Bratton Brothers brought me to the Flora-Bama last Saturday night. The Flora-Bama is a delightful little dump of a venue, the tramp-stamp on the lower back of the "Redneck Riviera" if you will, that's been located on the border of Florida and Alabama since 1964. If it looks like it's been knocked down, dragged out and left for dead, it's because it has. Several times. Hurricane Ivan was the Flora-Bama's latest sparring partner. The current owners, Joe Gilchrist and Pat McClellan, have taped the place up and tied it together with big ol' braziers from a clientele with exhibitionist tendencies. It features multiple rooms with as many as four bands playing at the same time. Order a Bushwacker, the local frozen drink, and take a seat with your back to the wall if you know what's good for you. As one guide explained to me, "It's a bar scene out of Star Wars." I'd argue it's more terrestrial than that.

And if this kind of thing floats your boat--or heaves your fish--get to the beach right next to the Flora-Bama in the last full weekend of April to catch the Annual Interstate Mullet Toss. It's exactly what you think it might be: Marinated, sun-drenched rednecks wearing next to nothing tossing fish over 150 feet from one state to another. Thousands of people come from all over for gridlock traffic, an unlimited supply of Bushwackers and countless acts of drunken debauchery.

It's not all bad at the Flora-Bama. They attract some great bands and I should mention that proceeds from the Mullet Toss go to local charities and youth organizations. Which begs the question: What's better than a group of fish-tossin' rednecks with big hearts? 

--Matty G.

I think you know by now, I usually fly American Airlines. I have Platinum status (over 50,000 miles in one year), which allows me to board early and get regular upgrades. I'm also a member of the American Airlines Admirals Club, which is the lounge in the airport that gets you access to power for your electronics, food, drinks and some sense of peace in an otherwise chaotic setting. I've decided to be loyal to American because when I'm on the plane American has a little more leg space than other airlines and they have power outlets under most of the seats, which can be helpful if you have a weak laptop battery, like I do. They also have the flights that work for me when I want to see family in San Diego, San Francisco or Hawaii.

Recently I've been making a lot of flights to the Southeast. American doesn't offer me a lot of options to get there and back to New York, so I've also joined Delta's frequent flier program. I haven't had any reportable travel troubles on Delta--yet.

Today I'm making my first trip on Virgin America, the airline who's majority owner is Richard Branson. I've heard Virgin offers a "different" travel experience. I've heard, like JetBlue, it's an airline with a focused effort to treat the customer with the attention they deserve.

I can confirm the rumors. I'm on a slick new plane, modern seats, decent leg room in coach, TV/movies/games on the back of every seat and a power outlet you can plug into without needing an adapter. In the picture you get a hint of the moody blue and purple cabin-lighting. For the third time in the last year or so, I also have in-flight wireless provided by Gogo (the first two times were on New York to San Diego flights on American Airlines). As of December of last year, wireless has been available on the following routes on Virgin America:

-Seattle to Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco.

-San Francisco to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York and Washington DC.

-Los Angeles to Seattle, New York and Washington DC.

-Las Vegas to San Francisco and New York.

I read that the goal is to have the service available on all flights by the end of the year. I paid $12.95 for unlimited use on this flight. For flights less than three hours, it will cost you $9.95.

The act of travel can be turbulent. On this flight it has been a bumpy ride in the air, but a smooth trip in general. I hope that becomes the norm on all airlines and not the exception.

Now I'm going back to transcribing a recent interview with Tom Fazio, sending the occasional e-mail while I monitor my Facebook page and watch CNN. Times on planes, trapped with only your thoughts, a book (or the latest issue of Golf Digest!) and the chatty boob seated next to you, they are a changin'.

--Matty G.