Gourmet Golf

Courses to please the palate

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For many golfers, especially those 80 percent who never break 100, the best part of the game comes after the last hole is played — in the clubhouse or resort restaurant. Fortunately, course operators are increasingly paying as much attention — and sometimes much, much more — to the 19th hole as they do to the first 18. On those days when the trek from tee to green fits Mark Twain’s description of golf as “a good walk spoiled,” that’s all the more reason to trade in the cleats for the culinary delights waiting at the end of the round. On a recent trip, I set out to sample some of the best golf — and golf resort food — in the West.

I began my travels at a public course with a reputation for offering a private club experience, Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale. Troon North was named the Southwest’s best golf resort by Travel & Leisure Golf magazine, and it was easy to see why from the moment I arrived. Valets rushed to unload my clubs and direct me to the clubhouse. Inside, a concierge pointed out locker rooms and the shoe repair station, ready to repair broken laces or remove the scuff of the green from those new golf shoes.

The pampering, however, stops at the first tee. And no amount of country-club conditioning could save me from the third hole on the Monument Course. A stone monolith monopolizes the fairway and I wasted several shots trying get around it. I decided to put the monolith behind me (literally) and look forward to stunning views—rocky desert, tall saguaro cactus, jagged mountains in the distance. Troon North’s Monument and Pinnacle courses were reworked recently by Tom Weiskopf, who switched the front and back nines, lengthened some holes and changed the bunkering.

Back at the clubhouse, I found an expanded cocktail hour that rivaled the best in Scottsdale. Our foursome loved the appetizers—Kobe beef sliders and shrimp tempura; they amped up our appetites for the feast that awaited at Talavera, the new restaurant at the Four Seasons Resort at Troon North.

At Talavera, a tequila sommelier welcomed us with the advice to “forget your previous experiences with tequila,” meaning those worm-in-the-bottle evenings back in our college days. We began by tasting raw, unaged blanco and working up to the prized extra anejo, an aged tequila as smooth as cognac. We slid right into dinner.
Talavera offers a colorful atmosphere of bright greens and purples and is warmed by an open fire pit framed by the desert landscape and Pinnacle Peak. The food is eclectic and delicious.

California Bound

I then headed to Southern California, intent on seeing how two years of renovation had improved (although I hardly thought that possible) one of my favorite courses, Pelican Hill Golf Club in Newport Coast. As I discovered, nearly everything had changed, for the better: new clubhouse, revamped courses and a new hotel (under construction). What remained were the glorious ocean views. In fact, the views on the Ocean South course had improved, because shrubs and bushes that once obstructed visibility were replaced with lower-growing plants.

Pelican Hill’s new clubhouse features the Pelican Grill, more an upscale restaurant than a golf course grill. Settling into a deep booth, we watched chef Thomas Ryan and his crew work in the open kitchen, flaming a bourbon brined skirt steak that moments later made its way to our table. After dinner, the expansive terrace that runs the length of the restaurant lured us outside for an ocean sunset.

The course and clubhouse makeovers are the first steps toward completion of the Resort at Pelican Hill, scheduled for late 2008. The final phase will consist of 204 bungalow rooms and 128 villas, plus more restaurants and a spa.

West to Hawaii

After years of Hawaiian family vacations, our family has settled on Oahu as our favorite destination. Its central location gives each of us, including the avid golfers, plenty of opportunity to pursue the leisure pastimes of our choice. We make Hilton Hawaiian Village our headquarters. It’s a self-contained resort set along Waikiki’s widest stretch of sand with 22 acres of tropical gardens, exotic birds, koi ponds, waterfalls and six oceanfront towers, including the Rainbow Tower, a 31-story Oahu landmark.

The well-equipped golf shop on the property can book tee times at special rates for hotel guests at some of the island’s best courses. Round-trip transportation is provided and you’ll be back in time for the sunset cruise. My favorite courses include Ko‘Olina Golf Club, Luana Hills Country Club and Ko‘Olau Golf Club. The closest course, Ko‘Olina, has hosted Senior PGA and LPGA events. Luana Hills was built as a private club in a lush rain forest and is quite challenging, with hilly terrain.

Ko‘Olau, located about 10 minutes from Luana Hills on the windward side of the island, is considered the toughest course in the country. The last time I played Ko‘Olau, one of my partners became convinced that hundreds of unclaimed golf balls lay hidden in the deep, overgrown ravines. He would disappear periodically and emerge triumphantly grasping fistfuls of golf balls, his hands muddy and leaves in his hair.

If you enjoy sampling local delicacies, try Spam musubi, a traditional Hawaiian snack usually sold on the beverage cart. It consists of sliced Spam covered with rice and wrapped with sushi nori (dry black seaweed). Word to the wise: it’s an acquired taste.

For family celebrations, we like the oceanfront Bali by the Sea, Hilton Hawaiian Village’s main restaurant, which features regional cuisine made from fresh island ingredients: chilled sashimi, ahi tempura with Molokai purple sweet potato, and orange-and-miso-glazed Kona Kampachi.

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