I’ve stayed at some of the top resorts in the world for this job, places in Cabo where the pool seems to meet the sea, the Four Seasons Whistler, the ex-Four seasons and even better service now Island Hotel in super wallet trendy Newport Beach. I’ve spent a day at Trump National LA when The Donald himself wanted his staff to convince me that the place was a Top 10 California course (close, but still not Top 10). Yet through all this luxury service, I’ve never been treated quite as well as I was at a recent stay at Crown Island ... full post »

Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco is one of the worst tourist monstrosities of all time. The world famous Fisherman’s Wharf manages to pull off the difficult task of combing garish rip-off tourist trinkets and outrageous prices at really bad supposedly “high-end” restaurants in a setting seedier than many big city bus depots. So anytime you hear about another Fisherman’s Wharf in a tourist city, there’s bound to be a little trepidation. Fear not when you’re told about Fisherman’s Wharf in Victoria, Vancouver Island’s largest and most hip city, though. For the Fisherman’s Wharf in Victoria is a pure charming pleasure. You’ll actually find ... full post »

WorldGolf.com’s resident grunge master Brandon Tucker’s been going on and on lately about all the beer he couldn’t understand that he slurped up in Portland. Well, one afternoon into a trip on Vancouver Island and I’ve already topped BTuck. How about a beer, cheese and chocolate truffle tasting? That’s one of the culinary innovations offered at Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub & Guest Houses, a spot right on Victoria’s waterfront - one of the prettiest waterfronts in the world with the floatplanes taking off of the striking blue and the funky house boats bopping. Spinnakers is the oldest licensed brewpub in Canada, but it’s ... full post »

Paula Creamer once gave this bad golfer a great tip about hands and the swing. During which she no doubt wondered why such a devastatingly handsome man was coming to her for advice - and likely went on to secretly pine for more Baldwin hugs and less caddie hugs (alas, Paula I’m taken). Anyway, I’ve now finally paid Creamer back. For one of the best players in women’s golf clearly took my advice after her playoff loss to Annika Sorenstam last Sunday. Like I pleaded, Creamer finally got mad. And it resulted in a playoff win over Juli Inkster in the SemGroup Championship ... full post »

Regular readers of TravelGolf.com already know about Roger Clemens’ love of golf. Not to mention actor Matthew McConaughey’s giant man crush on Clemens. But it turns out I should have been following The Rocket around off the course too during the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. That’s where the New York Daily News reports that Clemens first met Paulette Dean Daly, one of John Daly’s ex-wives, and started a relationship with her. And people don’t think these celebrity golf tournaments are relevant anymore? The New York Daily News - whose new slogan needs to be “a new Roger Clemens’ extra-marital affair revealed every day” ... full post »

Yes, Paula Cremaer is still better than Michelle Wie now, will always be better than Wie. But will Creamer ever start demanding more than that of herself? You have to wonder after Creamer lost a playoff to Annika Sorenstam and then essentially brushed it off to nerves and inexperience today in South Florida. Creamer told reporters at the Safeway International that the putter shook in her hands on the first playoff hole - also the last playoff hole after a Creamer bogey. On the one hand, you could chalk this up as refreshing honesty that’s too rare in the world of sports. ... full post »

The LPGA of Carolyn Bivens has taken a lot of criticism - much of it well earned. But you have to give Bivens and her staff credit for being willing to try new things. More international tournaments - which are good idea no matter what Dottie Pepper says, especially with the PGA Tour so rarely allowing even World Golf events to be held outside of U.S. soil these days - are a smart play. So is bringing back the old celeb pro-am event to the women’s game. That’s what happening this weekend with the Stanford International Pro-Am in South Florida. For the ... full post »

Several trips to San Diego later, I’m still searching for a great fish taco in a region that should - the operative word being should - produce great seafood. When my Castle Baron Boss Mark Nessmith suggested Rubio’s, I had high hopes. After all, the Baron knows food. Heck, he cannot even talk about a golfer choking without bringing up grub (see Chris DiMarco and the infamous pizza bone). Rubio’s loomed as possible salvation. Sure, it’s a chain, but it began as a local chain, one that started out of what was essentially a glorified shack on Mission Bay in the mid ... full post »

I’ve never been much of a Big Break fan. Reality shows don’t do much for me and the Golf Channel’s version was never in much danger of changing my mind. I once ran into David Gunas Jr. - the barefoot-golfing supposedly funny Big Break II contestant - at Torrey Pines and didn’t recognize him at all (though most of the cart kids did). When Gunas handed me a business card showing his travel agent business, I must admit I wondered what kind of big break he’d actually gotten too. The latest edition Big Break Kaanapali intrigues me though. It helps that it ... full post »

The news that Tiger Woods is likely out from knee surgery until the Memorial, just two weeks before the U.S. Open, is bad for the PGA Tour. But it’s probably good for Tiger. No great athlete enjoys not actually competing in his sport more than Tiger Woods. Serena Williams was close for a while, but Tiger’s likely passed her. The greatest golfer in history - and please let’s stop any of this ridiculous talk that Tiger might not blow by Jack Nicklaus anymore just because he finished second at the Masters - has gotten to the point where he likes to actually ... full post »

Let’s face it, sports fans are suckers for a good comeback story. Give us Hoosiers over the undefeated New England Patriots in the Super Bowl every time. Lance Armstrong actually got America to care about bike racing because of his own brush back of cancer. Heck, Armstrong had half of the U.S. wearing cheap yellow braclets, including about 95 percent of our golf pros. At one point, you couldn’t be a golf pro without a Livestrong bracelet and a killer pair of shades. Even if everyone in France still thinks Armstrong was as juiced as Barry Bonds, Lance will never receive ... full post »

Soon after Trevor Immelman backed into the most uninteresting green jacket ceremony ever, I received an e-mail from a sports writer colleague who wondered if I agreed that Immelman’s wife Carminita is hotter than Elin Woods. Which immediately caused me to spit up Pepsi on my keyboard and rip off the kind of expletive string that Tiger Woods used to fling out back when he was still good. Sure, Carminita is another hot blonde golfer’s wife, but comparing her to Elin is akin to comparing Jennie Garth to Elisha Cuthbert. No offense, Trevor. Especially since you landed Carminita before anyone knew ... full post »

Tiger Woods used to be a truly graceful loser. This is one of the things he’s never received nearly enough credit for - his classy sportsmanship. In the rare occasions when he did come up short in a big tournament, he’d always heap praise on the other players, never stoop to lame excuses. Some people are too preoccupied with the colorful expletives he’d drop in frustration (at himself) to recognize this. But it was true. Apparently, the emphasis is on WAS though. For the good loser Tiger was nowhere to be found after he threw away a great chance to force the tepid, ... full post »

The Masters is incredibly still right there for Tiger Woods to grab it. Even after his bogey on No. 10. Tepid Trevor Immelman is going to go wobbling back to 8-under, maybe 7-under. Yet what’s Tiger doing? He’s letting playing partner Stewart Cink pretty much match him during the final round at Augusta. Yes, that Stewart Cink, the guy Tiger calls “Stewie.” I’ve seen Tiger and Stewie Cink matched up before live. Indeed, I watched six excruciatingly boring hours of it in the World Match Play Championship outside of Tucson. Woods treated Cink like his own jovial, goofy pin cushion that day. ... full post »

Lorena Ochoa is rolling toward another comically large victory margin, leading the Corona Championship by seven shots after going 66-66-66. She’s doing this in her home country of Mexico, making it an even better story. And who’s paying attention? Well, just about absolutely no one in the world of golf. It’s Masters week and the entire golf universe tends to get a little fixated when the green jacket’s on the line and Tiger Woods is talking grand slam. Which begs the question: Why is Ochoa being forced to play in Mexico Masters week? It’s not just bad scheduling by the LPGA. It’s a ... full post »