Double dipping with great links and attractions
The patron saint of music in Texas is Willie Nelson. At the age of 82, the pigtailed octogenarian is still rocking. And one of the ways music’s most famous “Outlaws” stays young is by teeing it up regularly.
When he’s not on the road again, or on the fairways, Willie can often be found hanging out in Austin. (He’s not the only celeb who calls the state capital home. Fellow headliners range from Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey to the Super Bowl winning quarterback Drew Brees.)
It’s easy to see why Nelson and friends are so attached to the town. Besides the 30 plus courses in the area, Austin is home to more than 250 live music venues, 200 restaurants and some of the most famous festivals in North America.
It’s also home to the University of Texas (former Longhorns include Masters’ winners Ben Crenshaw and Jordan Spieth) and is a high-tech hub — Michael Dell started his computer company in Austin. The place strums to a unique sound and vibe. It’s also the perfect example of a destination where you can combine good golf with lots of other neat, nearby attractions.
There are lots of other examples of double dipping golf with other bits of fun. For instance, a couple of weeks ago, Rory McIlroy won the Cadillac World Golf Match Play Championship at the TPC Harding Park course in San Francisco.
The Harding Park layout is actually a city-owned facility that dates back to 1925 and is studded with giant cypress trees and curls around the banks of Lake Merced. It has hosted most of the game’s top players over the past 80 years and upcoming events include the PGA Championship and the President’s Cup.
Harding is also just a kilometre from the Pacific Ocean, is around the corner from the San Francisco Zoo and about a 20-minute drive to the city’s treasures, from cable cars and Golden Gate Park to the local food scene at the Ferry Building.
Another dynamic combo is the Cape Kidnappers Golf Course in New Zealand and the local vineyards.
Designed by American architect Tom Doak, Cape Kidnappers may be the most stunning layout in the entire golf kingdom. Running along a jagged chunk of headland that juts out into Hawke’s Bay, the holes zigzag across a series of rolling ridges. Some of the holes unfurl right to the very ends of the cliffs and if you yank your approach shot to either the 6th or 15th greens, the ball will spin and topple deep into the Pacific — the cliffs are more than 150 metres high.
Although it might be tough to leave the handsome, adjoining lodge that overlooks the white-tinged Pacific, it is worth the effort. Hawke’s Bay features a Bordeaux-like climate and the area is New Zealand’s capital of red wines.
There are more than 100 vineyards and 80 wineries around Hawke’s Bay and many of them are combined with tasting facilities or restaurants. As importantly, there are a couple of ways to raise a glass — you can rent a bike and cycle to the wineries or there are local companies who ferry you around by car or van.
Closer to home is the combination of the Cobble Beach Golf Resort and the story of a couple of Canadian icons who have roots in nearby Owen Sound, Ont., and the village of Leith.
Cobble Beach, which peaks out over Georgian Bay, includes a cosy, New England style inn, a spa, a highly rated restaurant and most importantly, a really strong Doug Carrick-designed golf course.
About five minutes away in Owen Sound, you can also get your fill of culture, with a visit to both the Tom Thomson Art Gallery and the Billy Bishop Home and Museum. It is interesting to discover how from their small town roots, both Thomson and Bishop went on to become influential personalities. Ian Cruickshank is a Toronto-based writer. He’s been chasing the little white ball around the globe for 25 years. His trip was subsidized by Texas Tourism.