by Diana Andrews

Resilient- adjective – meaning to spring back; rebounding. Synonyms – elastic, flexible, springy.

Resiliency is a trait many golfers have to have if they are going to continue to play, enjoy and maybe even make a living at playing golf. Ok, maybe just win a few bets amongst friends.

Even the seemingly unstoppable Tiger Woods has had to dig deep into his resiliency reservoir to spring back from his two year winless drought with four wins in his first seven 2013 starts!

Without this quality he may not have bounced back from his double-bogey water shot on his way to winning the 2013 Players Championship. Imagine the resiliency Sergio Garcia will need to conjure up at the HP Byron Nelson Championship just a short week after blowing his tie with Tiger for the lead when he plunked two balls in the drink for a quadruple bogey.

If the pro’s can return year after year, tourney after tourney, hole after hole, duffs shanks mis-hits and all, then there’s no reason to let a bad shot, bad day or even a bad year snap the elasticity of your game.

With so many Oak Island NC golf courses, you can take your time to tour all the local greens and find the links that play to your advantage. Then be sure and call up those pals who maybe saw a not-so-fortunate round and invite them over for a friendly game.

Golf can definitely be the avenue that strengthens your resiliency and reminds you that every day is a new day, every shot a new shot. Once you have bounced back you’ll fee rejuvenated; like you’re on top of the world and can accomplish anything.

Then, of course, you’ll duff another shot and the humbling cycle will start anew. Luckily, Oak Island is a golfer’s paradise where even the worst of shots won’t deter you from moving on to the next course.

And the next…

And the next…

So shake off those bad-shot-blues and prepare to bounce back better than ever with plenty of golf courses to make you forget the worst of shots and offer plenty of opportunities for bragging rights!

By Diana Andrews

If you’ve ever hung out around, are friends with, or just happen to overhear golfers while encapsulating their latest outings, you’ll know there are some pretty outlandish golf tales out there! Apparently, these tall tales can be traced back as far as 1938 (probably even earlier), the year of the Great Golf Marathon in which an outlandish golf wager was made.

Probably the safest bet that can be made related to golf is to say that there are some pretty outlandish golf outfits that have graced the links over the years. Everything from Rickie Fowler’s outlandish outfits to a recent story about the golfer who made the seemingly outlandish decision to remove his pants in order to play a shot out of the water can be reason to feel good about that bet!

Non-golfers may decree that it is utterly outlandish to participate in a sport where videos such as the three-legged alligator crossing a golf course can be made into its own form of spectator sport. Anyone who decides to golf in the Carolinas, for instance, should be prepared for such sightings as the alligator has made a comeback in North Carolina with the southern-most counties having the highest in the state’s population.

What wouldn’t likely be considered outlandish is the idea of taking a stay and play golf vacation NORTH of Myrtle Beach far from that concentrated alligator population to the south!

Outlandishly popular, golf is a sport that most anyone can enjoy at some level. Now that the air is warming and the greens are greening, it would be outlandish not to get out there and see where your own fodder for outlandishness will come from!

The Hyundai Tournament of Champions has been announced to be held January 3-7, 2013 at The Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort in Maui, Hawaii. The course, designed by Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore, is ranked among the world’s greatest and has been hosting this season opening tournament since 1999. The Plantation Course is also certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary by Audubon International – an association dedicated to conserve and restore natural ecosystems for the benefit of humanity and the Earth’s biological diversity.

The truly unique aspect of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions is that only the champions from the previous PGA TOUR are eligible to compete. Thus, scores in this tournament are often very close and each hole is exciting to watch. Additionally, the tournament raises awareness for over 30 local Maui charities and host organizations have contributed over $4 million to those causes over the last 12 years.

For fans planning to visit the tournament or golfers who want to play this famous course, we suggest staying at the Grand Villas at Kapalua Bay. Offering condos on the golf course or oceanfront, this resort is a gold rated luxurious escape. Completely renovated condominiums with modern designs and the highest quality materials are sure to please our distinguished guests. Additionally, registered guests of the resort receive a discounted green fee and are eligible for a Weekend Warrior package that includes unlimited Saturday and Sunday golf.

Tucked away in beautiful British Columbia , Kimberly  is home to several of Canada’s best rated golf courses and is the perfect place for a family getaway.

With several courses to choose from, it can be difficult to decide where to book a tee time first!

Spending a day at the Trickle Creek Golf Resort is often referred to as a dream golf vacation. This award winning course promises an unforgettable round; from the rugged alpine scenery to greens hidden within the forest, Trickle Creek offers challenging holes for every level golfer.

Surrounded by the spectacular scenery of the Kootenay Rockies, Bootleg Gap Golf Course incorporates riverside holes and tricky tee shots, but also has a great practice factuality to get your game up to par. Located in South Kimberly, Bootleg Gap has 27 solid holes, a 9-hole course, and tee boxes set for pros and beginners alike.

One of Kimberly’s newest courses is the breathtaking Shadow Mountain Golf and Country Club. During a round at Shadow Mountain, you can’t help but feel Mother Nature’s influence on the course. From pretty ponds to the panoramic mountain scenery, Shadow Mountain will complete your Kimberly golf vacation.

Booking a hassle-free trip is easy when you book a Kimberly golf package vacation. Find the perfect rental for your Kimberly vacation weather you have 2, or 10 people in your party. From luxury Kimberly cabins, to condos in Kimberly Village, find valuable rentals during any season throughout the valley for your British Columbia Golf vacation.

Many tourists dream of an island vacation but are turned away by high prices and crowded beaches. Nearly everyone knows the main beaches and attractions that draw people to the islands. But the island paradise of Kihei remained relatively unknown and uninhabited until the government began selling off its property in the 1930’s.

The turning point for Kihei was in the late 1960’s when water was piped in and developers saw the area’s potential to draw in beach dwellers with affordable Maui condominium rentals. Once visitors began foregoing the lush landscapes of other Hawaiian locales for the opportunity to save some dough, it wasn’t long before this became the turning point for Kihei and its tourism draw. 

Today you can create a turning point in your vacation planning and again pursue the dream of a tropical island vacation. Less crowded beaches, golf and water sports allow visitors to experience the wonders of the island without sacrificing the Maui experience or the budget. Kihei has also become known for offering craft fairs, music and concert events, and plenty of family fun.