First Class Travel
Now more than ever, PGA TOUR pros and first-class fans alike are taking luxury into their own hands and hitting the road in a Marathon-Prevost Coach. Miki Markovich gives us a tour...
Miki Markovich takes us on a luxury Marathon journey
PROS AND NOVICES ALIKE have found they have a meaner swing, a better outlook and more energy when they have the distinctive comforts of home mere steps from their favorite fairways.
Lee Pharris, owner of Pros Home on Tour, has introduced plenty of pro golfers to the benefits of the luxury RV lifestyle: “My whole selling point with delivering luxury, on-site tour accommodations was for players,” said Pharris. “They can have a greater sense of stability and a home life—not living out of a suitcase all of the time—by getting a motorhome and living on the road that way, as opposed to the hotel.”
In fact, it was Pharris who introduced professional golfer and new Marathon coach owner Bubba Watson to the lifestyle.
“I never really considered getting an RV until a few years ago,” said Watson. “Wish I had done it sooner. It is so much nicer than I imagined. I used to worry if my hotel room would have a comfortable bed or a funny smell. Not anymore. With my RV, I know exactly what to expect at every tournament, and it is really nice. It’s easy to see why so many people think of RVs as their home away from home, but like a lot of people I didn’t really understand until I gave it a try.”
Marathon Coach, the world’s largest luxury bus converter, has a team of truly innovative engineers designing these luxury homes on wheels. The Marathon-Prevost conversions specifically are handcrafted works of art, fabricated from the world’s highest quality materials. Behind every decision and detail, their focus extends beyond the surface level to efficient systems, hidden features, exceptional aesthetics and old world craftsmanship.
“Tim Petrovic, who plays on the senior tour, has had a Marathon for 13 years,” said Marathon Coach Texas salesperson Dennis McBride. “In our conversations, he’s shared that one reason he loves his Marathon is because he can travel to tournaments with his wife and kids, enjoying privacy the entire duration. Of course, it also allows him the flexibility of making his own travel arrangements when it comes to vocation and advocation.”
Marathon Coach salesperson Kasey Hess has long understood the benefits of mobile headquarters, but has only recently embraced the game due to frequent invitations from clients and his love of the outdoors. “So many of our coach owners ask me to join them for a round while at a motorcoach resort,” said Hess, “so I began taking lessons. There are some beautiful courses near many of the luxury RV resorts that we frequent. Having worked with some professional golfers, I’ve seen how it really enhances their lives on the road. The professionals who have adopted the motorcoach lifestyle are able to stay near the courses, bringing their families along, basically taking their homes with them: no need to pack and unpack a suitcase or worry about the bed or lodging conditions. It provides a sense of normalcy and consistency week to week.”
With the production facility and headquarters in Oregon, and sales/service facilities in Florida and Texas, near the new PGA of America headquarters, full service maintenance and upgrades are convenient and thorough.
“One reason I love working with Marathon is that it allows our clients to travel North America and play all the beautiful courses in comfort,” said McBride. “Being able to store clubs in the storage bays, which take up a lot of space, is also helpful. There’s so much to love about the game: It’s great at any age, plus there’s fresh air and seeing some absolutely beautiful parts of the country. However, the true gift of the sport for me is the people I meet.”
“I didn’t really understand RV life until I gave it a try”
—Bubba Watson