It was a triple scoop at Cascata. - A Golf Course Fit For Caesar

It was a triple scoop at Cascata.

One scoop of celebrity surprises, second scoop spectacular scenery, and the third scoop was filled with sensational golf when the Michael Douglas and Friends Celebrity Golf Tournament converged at Cascata Golf Course in Boulder City, Nevada. It was one of those spring days that you felt lucky to be alive! (Opening photo: Michael Douglas celebrates "Closest to the Hole" win at the Michael Douglas & Friends charity golf event at Cascata.).

Being part of the paparazzi for the day and experiencing the rush of star power mixed with media frenzy, and the thrill of competitive golf was scintillating. Michael Douglas, Kenny G. , Andy Garcia, Heather Locklear, Shelby Lynne, Kyle Mac Lachlan, Leslie Nielsen, Haley Joel Osment, William Petersen, Joe Pesci, Martin Sheen, Robert Wagner, Mark Whalberg. and Luke Wilson, provided the star power and sportsmanship to tee off for a good cause and raise money for the Motion Picture and Television Fund for members of the film industry who have fallen on hard times. Past events have raised more than $1.5 million.

They say, "Do what you love and the money will follow!" These celebrities proved this to be true as they competed for the Lexus $1 million hole-in-one shoot out that occurred just prior to the taping of the 6th annual Michael Douglas & Friends Celebrity Golf presented by Lexus. They all gathered on the practice tee warming up their swing for the shoot out. It didn't seem quite fair that these celebrities could be great golfers AND super-stars as well.

Vegas Show TicketsAlice Cooper plays golf 254 days a year, although I found out that he's never played with his makeup on. He's a scratch golfer. Haley Joel Osment from the Sixth Sense, is sixteen years old and gave all the others quite a run for their money. (He had his own peanut gallery of twelve-year-old girls following him around.) Haley plays on his high school golf team. Kenny G. had great rhythm to his swing. Andy Garcia was just as sexy in person as he is in the movies. Mark Walberg from Sex in the City, takes the game seriously, while Heather Locklear looked as great in person as she does on the screen. She's quite a free spirit! Shelby Lynne, the country western singer looked like the only beginner, but she was such a good sport no one minded. Tom Arnold, with his size thirteen shoes declared himself the comic relief in his foursome. Robert Wagner was the penultimate gentleman and gave Shelby Lynne a few golf tips to ease her nervousness. Everyone was ready to show the crowd that they could compete with the best of them.

Jetsetters Magazine Golf MallButch Harmon, one of the top teaching professionals in the world was on hand to give everyone a few golf tips. (He was Tiger Woods coach.) He said that the key to a good golf swing was to stay in your own rhythm. He said that a lot of people think that hitting the ball hard is how you become a good golfer. But he said that the key to a great swing and good golf is to find your own natural rhythm and to stay within. That's probably why Kenny G. is such a great golfer. Even though he's small in frame, he's got tremendous rhythm and is consistently staying within his personal rhythm and swing. Alice Cooper does the same, even though he's hunched over in stance from all his rock and roll days, he swings to the rhythm of his own beat and the ball flies straight towards the hole. After listening to Butch Harmon, I could see that finding your own tempo is a key element to a good golf swing.

Duffer DVDsI didn't realize that Cascata Golf Course won Golf Magazine honors for one of the top 20 courses built in the U.S. since 1959. It is ranked the best course in Nevada. Cascata is an exclusive desert golf club owned by Caesars Entertainment, Inc. This stunning 400-acre golf facility is set in the foothills of the River Mountains range near Boulder City, just 30 minutes south of Las Vegas. It is designed by legendary golf architect Rees Jones. The course is available exclusively to guests of Caesars Entertainment resorts, so it was quite a privilege to be on the inside of those gates and thrilling to walk this beautiful and exclusive course.

It soars 3200 feet above the Las Vegas desert valley. The par-72 course drapes across mountain slopes that provide striking vistas at every turn. The lush fairways take your breath away as they meander for 7,200 yards through the mountain terrain amid the stark

Janice Wilson, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

Golfing Lake Powell Is No Bluff

If touring the American Southwest bring your sticks, open your golfer's guide to Page, not just any page, but Page, Arizona. Snuggled amongst the colorful sandstone cliffs of beautiful Lake Powell is a must-play public course, aptly named, the Lake Powell National.

Designed by William Phillips, built and managed by First Golf Corporation and opened for business in 1995, this gem is positioned on a mountainside overlooking the massive Glen Canyon Dam. The course, with it's optional four tee boxes, is designed to challenge the most skilled golfer, but it can also be adjusted to accomodate any level of play. The tips are laid out at over 7000 yards while the blues are set at around 6400 and the whites at 5800 yards. Now laddies, don't think for a minute that you are in for an easy time of it because even at 5100 yards the reds are more than enough of a challenge for any game.

Combine changing weather patterns with vistas only found in the canyonlands of the Great Southwest and it's almost too much visual beauty, making concentration on your game difficult. I found myself gazing on the Lake Powell horizon. On most golf courses are your typical hazards, such as grass and sand bunkers, water, trees, rolling fairways and the course boundaries. In my numerous years of playing golf, I was never reminded that it was my turn to hit. I would have even given up honors to sneak a peak at the burnt orange cliffs and towering monuments. Of course this didn't help when it came time to markmy partner's drive off the tee - he should have been in the fairway anyway, right?

Now somewhere down the road of golf there must be an unwritten rule that states, "If you play a course that's new to you, take along a local, or let your playing partners hit first." Fortunately, for my group, we had a local guide to assist with shot strategies. For those without the aid of a local hustler, the Lake Powell National does provide an excellently designed pocket guide to the entire course. It lays out each hole, recommends shot location, and provides beautiful color diagrams from most landing locations, their hazards, and all of the distances. A picture in a little pocket book is not going to make this round a snap - but wait until you meet the real National.

Remarkably, the front nine is set lower geographically than the back nine. Unfortunately, so was my score. I can't say if it was the long sweeping fairways with their waste bunkers and bright sandstone escarpments, or the various bi- and tri-level greens. I found that our golf course superintendent, Mr. Wil Mortensen , does indeed know his business. From the maintained fairways, to the manicured first cut around the greens and roughs, right down to cutting the hole and its placement, I was delighted with the care and condition of the course. A word to the wise, as the weather warms up, the grass length is extended to protect the growth. Averaging in the mid 90's throughout the summer, which is actually quite nice in a dry climate, you may find yourself playing an extra club to reach some of those second shots. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that this course plays with numerous elevated and dropped greens for approach shots? Well, if I didn't, then make sure the clubbing rules are understand when standing above or below the target. It will help. Other than that, the course is a snap.

Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

Golfing Guavaberry in the Dominican Republic - A Golf Feature for Women

We Canadians consider ourselves a hearty people, however, the 2003 winter was excessively bitter cold and endless. By February we had had enough and were ready to trade in our winter boots for a pair of sandals.

Travel ads for the Caribbean beckoned us south like the Siren's called to Odysseus. One by one our colleagues seemed to disappear for a week then reappear sporting tans and relaxed smiles. Feeling left out, a person can crack under the pressure and the decision is made. South or bust!!!

I walked into my kitchen and yelled at nobody in particular, "I'm officially sick of winter!", I emailed my editor and suggested he plan a trip south to write a golf article. He jealously obliged and my travel companion and I soon began planning a golf/relaxation trip to the Dominican Republic, to write about two new Hilton properties (Marien Coral by Hilton and the Costa Caribe Coral by Hilton) and the Guavaberry Golf Resort. Our departure date couldn't arrive too soon!
The Dominican Republic is a well-known favorite destination of Canadians from Newfoundland to British Columbia. It is the second largest island in the Caribbean, with a population of eight million and a landmass of 48, 442 square kilometers. The island offers something for everyone - seductive sunsets, the highest mountains in the Caribbean, rolling landscapes, villas, busy cities, and over 1,500 kilometers of gorgeous beaches. The island is actually entitled (Hispaiola) and hosts two countries: Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic is located on the east side of the island and is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

My traveling companion, Kevin, an avid bogey golfer like myself, and I, flew into Puerto Plata, located on the northern tip of the island. We were looking forward to experiencing and writing about two hotels recently acquired by Hilton and the Guavaberry golf course.

Prior to departing we considered the best method of getting around the island. We obtained maps; we inquired about car rates and researched public transportation and hotel shuttle services. In the end we were undecided and concluded that this was one item we could arrange upon arrival. We have driven in many places including: London, England; Athens, Greece; Germany and even Montreal. Heck, if you can drive in Montreal without an insurance claim, you can drive anywhere, right? As a result, we opted to a rent a car to get us around the island. Figuring we're both careful and confident drivers and competent navigators, we didn't anticipate too many problems.

Our arrival in the Dominican was a pleasant and swift custom's experience and we quickly found ourselves outside the quaint airport watching the taxis and buses come and go, and all the other tourists boarding their all-inclusive package shuttles.

Over to our right was a row of little shops and car rental outlets. We arbitrarily selected one and asked to look at some of the cars for lease and stated we needed one for the week. We negotiated with a friendly agent named Gypsy who spoke superb English and we decided on a 7-year-old white Nissan Sentra with only 40,000 km. We didn't think about it at the time, but 40,000 km on the 180 km island is a lot of driving, and suggests the car had seen its better days. We completed the walk-around and we checked the tires, which looked satisfactory as long as it didn't rain. The best we could arrange was a fair $190 USD for the week. It was a box on wheels with air-conditioning and a radio, with manual windows. We would discover our simple, run-down Nissan with spongy, springy seats, was one of the better cars on the road.

The deal signed and sealed, we fired it up and off we went, map in hand. I was the prepared navigator and Kevin the confident driver. We laugh when we think how nave we were.

Somehow the excitement, and unclear directional traffic signs, led to taking the wrong turn out of the airport and we drove one pleasant and interesting hour the wrong way. At that point we should have known that we might be up for a bit of challenge.

Eventually we did find our hotel, which was actually only 15 minutes from the airport. Our first destination was the Marien Coral by Hilton. Situated on the Puerto Plata "resort strip", the Marien Coral by Hilton is the last resort property before you reach Puerto Plata proper. As we entered the resort, we immediately knew we were in for a special treat. Our first impression was one of awe.

The resort emits a sensation of serenity and decadence. Swaying palm trees line the circular driveway bringing your vehicle directly to the entrance. Our car door was graciously opened and a friendly smile welcomed us to the Marien Coral by Hilton. A chilled glass of fruit punch is in our hand even before our luggage and clubs are unloaded and we are led into an open-air spacious lobby, accented with a marble floor and inviting couches and a panoramic view of the common pool beyond. The lobby teases us, offering a glimpse of what's to come.

Hilton Caribbean, a division of Hilton International, and Coral Hotels and Resorts decided to join forces in late 2002. As a result, the Hilton Caribbean entered the all-inclusive resort market with the addition of four resorts in the Dominican Republic. Hilton is the first major hotel chain to embark in the all-inclusive-resort market in the Dominican Republic and further plans are underway for Hilton to expand in this market; with the addition of new properties in Haiti and Barbados.

Lise Lacasse, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

Golf Amongst the Coyotes at Paiute Golf Course

It is 39o at 5:00 a.m. on a dark, but clear early November morning in Las Vegas. Loading a golf bag in the car and heading 77 miles on I-15 North to Mesquite, Nevada (a town named for its hardwood Mesquite groves when settled By Mormon families in 1880).

Vegas Show TicketsOn the agenda for the day is the "crown jewel" of the Mesquite master-planned community, the Oasis Golf Course. The rear view mirror provides a picture of the island (they call Las Vegas), rich in resource and life with all its glimmering lights. As the speed limit is increased to 75 m.p.h., and abandoning other headlights from behind while passing the last bastions of the outer Twilight Zone (Nellis AFB), the glimpse of sunrise in the high eastern sky is apparent. Ambivalence is experienced during the get away from the vexation of the city to sense the race against sunlight, and the feeling of being the first golfer to tee off and touch the virginity of the unwielded golf course. Going forth to hear a new story and experience in yet another new golf adventure

A little over an hour later, as daybreak just occurred, the Arnold Palmer-designed Oasis Golf Course, which is recognized as one of the top 5 best new resort golf courses in North America and is rated among the "top 10 you can play" by Golf Digest is evident. Immediately greeted graciously by Randy (the Director of Golf) and his staff, the golf cart is loaded with a brief set of course facts and nuances and onto tee #1.

The first thing that strikes an avid golfer about the Arnold Palmer design is the hilly terrain with meandering fairways. This requires concentration to perfectly position the drive, otherwise the second shot will be in the thicker rough, and out of position to reach the green in regulation since there are many blind shots over rolling mounds and into gullies. This provides the golfer with plenty of course management options, including the use of the draw and fade. The course starts out and finishes as a typical master-planned golf course community with new, upper-scale homes and commercial space trimming its desert target course layout. Beautiful man-made creeks and landscaping lace the first four holes, and lakes and cascading water fountains mask the most of the latter back nine

After the first few holes, a golfer can't help but notice the scorecard is colored yellow, starting on hole #5 thru #8. As one marks their score and proceeds to #5, they are greeted with a majestic view of one of the prettiest holes a golfer can be bestowed with! Just in the few moments it takes to travel in the cart from holes #4 to #5, you are perched some 75 feet above the carpet-like fairway which looks as if it was cut into the rugged sandstone canyon and the grass poured by a helicopter with "liquid seed." The golfer is truly presented with the next golf challenge, a par 5, 512-yard downhill and narrow hole with reachable sand traps, utilizing the natural features of the canyon it was placed in. No more signs of man, just a poster sign indicating you are entering an environmentally sensitive area and entry to these domains are prohibited (oh, yes, this is where I first linked-up with Wayne, my amiable Quasi Guide and Course Ambassador who stood on the meticulous-contoured green some aloofness away and graciously escorted me later throughout the back nine). Also, these holes are a reptile sanctuary, so hit your ball straight, or forever lose it, and remember why there is yellow coloring on your scorecard

Holes #6, #7 and #8 all meet similar standards of its predecessor, utilizing the natural surroundings to enhance the game itself, and yes, they are unique in their own way. Although #6 gives the golfer a quick breather for its shorter distance and lack of elevation change, it is well deserved. Of these four canyon holes, it is the only one without a vista view but compensates for its lack of visage as you are embraced by its walls of tranquility, built by immense boulder formations while wandering through its fairway. Hole #7 is a par 3, 151-yarder over a 75-foot canyon, which funnels even the slightest wind through the venturi. This hole must be played wisely; as it can play anywhere from two to five clubs longer because of the moment of flight time a ball takes to travel across the mystical gorge. Hole #8 elevates the golfer while driving up to it, some 100 feet above the fairway floor. What a great view and what a way to make an average golfer feel like a Golf God! As if #5 was there to prepare you for this hole, #8 is a par 5, 519-yard test with just a petite target for your cliff drive. As the golfer hits their ball, it seems like eternity while watching the drive take off and waiting for it to land, that is, if you can follow it to terminus

Although the back nine revisits the man-made structures of communities and beautifully landscaped homes, it maintains many of the cliff shots, rustic canyons and twisting fairways as the front nine. In particular, hole numbers 11 and 16 are stationed as high as some of the holes on the front nine. Hole #11 can be driven rather safely, but do not pull it or the water-saving sand traps comes into play. Also, the golfer discovers on hole #16, a par 3, 166-yarder, that calculation for the wind and loft before clubbing-down is a prerequisite. In other words, the combination of high tee off elevation with its proximity to higher head winds aloft makes for extended flight time. The longer the ball is head-on in the jet stream, the more it loses its forward distance. Hence, so even if you hit a low shot for the wind, this hole will play up to three clubs longer, as it did for me.

Jetsetters Magazine Golf MallMy guide Wayne was so informative, allowing me to play my game and experience the accolades and abasing encounters one has with this course. He pointed out facts and trivia of the course, including the day Big Cat Williams and two other of his long drive buddies teed-off and all drove the green (and over) from high above on Hole #18, a par 4, 392 (from the black). Today, I was playing from the blue tee off boxes although there is white and gold too.

The elegant clubhouse at the Oasis is attached to the Pro Shop with locker rooms, restaurant and formal dining facilities, ornamented in a Nevada desert decor. Dining Room guests are able to view golfers starting out their humbling experience on Hole #1, preparing for the ultimate Desert target golf experience.

I head back to

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By Mel Barosay, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

Bear Best For Golf in Las Vegas

I remember growing up and watching Jack Nicklaus in the 60's and 70's while marveling at his accomplishments in the 80's and 90's. That is probably why I really appreciate playing Bear's Best.

Jetsetters Magazine Golf MallBear's Best is a cooperative effort between ClubCorp of America and Jack Nicklaus to create a golf experience as great and unprecedented as the Bear himself. You see, Bear's Best takes four decades of PGA championship experience and golf course design, and made 18 exact replicas of his most memorable holes from over 200+ courses he designed globally, and based on elements such as location, climate and terrain. This fluid layout will make the average golfer realize the same swing thoughts as The Bear did during his fabulous career, including the appreciation he had by capturing the feel and challenge of each hole in its original state.

Vegas Show TicketsThe par 72, 7,194-yard tract is only a 20-minute drive from the Las Vegas Strip, providing stunning views in all directions from its elevation of 3,200 feet. Situated just east of the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area along the western side of the Las Vegas Valley, the golf course shares its fairways with The Ridges, a luxury residential village in Summerlin, America=s best-selling master-planned community. The facility itself creates a unique and unforgettable venue for corporate, convention and the incentive marketplace. This dedication to large group play is evidenced by its 75,000 sq. ft practice range (nearly twice the size of most others), a 3,000 sq. ft. indoor pavilion and a 5,000 sq. ft. outdoor pavilion for pre- and post-golf activities.

Bear's Best uses the forecaddie system in every group throughout the round. This adds to the overall ambiance of the course, and captures the dream and fantasies of all with replicated holes such as Castle Pines No. 14, PGA West Numbers 6 & 10, and Cabo del Sol No. 12.

One of the most fascinating stories of the course lies in two of its holes numbers 7 & 11 - Old Works & Old World #2 respectively with their glistening black-slag bunkers of imported black sand from Montana.

Four holes from Geronimo and Chiricahua designs at Jack's Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona contains all the details right down to the Saguaro cactus. Hole No. 9, which is a replica of Desert Mountain No.6 at the Geronimo Course is a 453-yard par 4. This lengthy sloping downhill test doglegs to the left. Your tee shot has to be hit on the fairway and avoid the bunker on the left. Your second shot has to fly an arroyo, cut in front of the green and wrap around it to par.

A trademark of Bear's Best is the starting and finishing par fours (1 & 18) with water running the length of the entire fairways. These PGA West (Palm Springs) replicas honor his two designs and brings water into play from both the left (on #1) and the right (on #18). Hole No.18 (PGA West No.18, Palm Springs, California - Resort C

A 450-yard par 4. This strong finishing hole has sand and water along the right side of the fairway. The elevated and sloping green sits right next to the water and is also well bunkered. To stay out of trouble, precise shots are required throughout the length of this great finishing hole.

For more than 30 years, Nicklaus courses have covered nearly every continent, creating the name and reputation of excellence among great golf course architects. In 2001, Jack was recognized with three national awards related to his golf course design work, and in Mel Barosay, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

Suburban Golf Retreat in Los Angeles

TRADITIONAL DESIGNS -
Certified Preowned Callaway Golf Clubs

Some 25 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, and right in the middle of Southern California's urban and suburban growth, Robinson Ranch has captured the feeling of golfing in the country. Co-architects, Ted Robinson Sr. and Ted Jr., whose family has ties to the Golden State dating back to when the early settlers traveled the Sierra Nevada=s by foot, have given golfers a glimpse of California's lost heritage, "The Way It Used to Be."

The 400-acre complex sets on rolling hills, rock outcroppings and dry stream beds with hundreds of stately oak trees, natural alluvial and coastal sage, bordering the Angeles National Forest. It is one of the few places a golfer is more likely to look at some of the wildlife, such as raccoons, weasels, deer, bobcats, coyote, fox and even bear - instead of looking at their wild golf shots!

Ted Robinson, Sr. has designed more than 170 courses around the world. As a team, both father and son combined their experience in, and passion for, golf with a spectacular layout. For instance, bi-level and undulating greens, numerous dogleg par 4's and 5's, uphill fairways, cliff-hanging tee-off boxes, strategically-placed deep bunkers, stream-dissecting fairways, middle-of-the-fairway oak trees, sometimes wide-open and beautiful fairways, canyons surrounding greens, and refreshing, but non-golfer-friendly lakes are some of the eclectic features of the two courses - Mountain and Valley.

One of the true signature holes of the Valley Course is the scenic par 3, hole seven called the "Tarantula." The golfers' tee-off from some 100 feet above the green, approximately 200 yards away.

THE TOUGHEST HOLE -

The toughest hole on the Valley Course rated by the lowest handicap index on the scorecard is the par 4, hole four. This hole is a slight dogleg left, bordered by a left side fairway bunker and a dry stream bed to the right. The second shot to reach the green in regulation is between two large heritage oak trees.

Jetsetters Magazine Golf MallThe strangest hole (nine) on Valley and maybe the true signature hole, called "Saddleback" is a par 5 with one fairway to the left and another fairway to the right. A large heritage oak tree in the middle separates the two fairways and is very reachable with the driver. If you hit left, it is a traditional three-shot hole, laying up short of the lake that fronts the moderately sloping putting surface with a waterfall backdrop. However, if the golfer hits the ball to the right Saddleback fairway with a bit of zip on their driver, they stand the chance to reach the green in two! This golfer/reporter had the fortune to hit a provisional (ball) after the first gamble to go right posed a few doubts after watching it fall from the elevated tee-off box some 90 feet above the fairway. Therefore, I hit my second ball to the left fairway. Luckily, I learned my lesson without taking my medicine, and shortly later I was able to find my daring first shot to par the hole!

All the greens rated 10 on this reporter's meter as being one of the finest in the entire West. One has to wonder if PGA tour golf professionals like Tiger Woods and Davis Love III gets these fine of greens to putt on "week-in-and-week-out?!"

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By Mel Barosay, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

Howl On a Cliffhanger in the Canadian Rockies A Golf Feature for Women

I write this golf feature for women who love to golf. Women are falling for this game and I too have fallen truly, madly, deeply in love with golf. My summer afternoons are spent daydreaming about which course to play and plotting whether I can sneak away early enough from the office to play a full round.

I want to share my passion for the game. My features will discuss the journey, the accommodations, the game and experience, from a woman's perspective. Yes, I will describe the game from the forward tees.

My goal is simple: to share my "experiences" hoping that you, my dear readers, are encouraged to explore some of the wonderful golf resorts that North America, and the world, has to offer. Golf is a wonderful game and I hope to share my enthusiasm with you.

Girls just want to have fun, and in our case, fun means golf! I love to golf and in fact, the gals and I belong to a "ladies league" just so we can golf once a week. We do this for a couple of reasons - to improve our game and to escape from life's daily annoyances, if only for a few hours.

By January, I commence fantasizing about golf as I shovel mass amounts of snow. I stand in my driveway, shovel in hand, totally engrossed in my fantasy. I smell the freshly cut fairways and hear the chatter of the birds. It's hot and I wipe the sweat from my brow as I plan my next shot. I remove my driver from my golf bag, and then reach into my back pocket for my tee and ball. Instead, a cold, wet mitt presents itself. Reality strikes once again!

I call my girlfriend and shriek, "I need to golf, where are we going and when? It's time to plan our annual golf vacation! - Mexico, the Carolina's and California are discussed as possible destinations. In pursuit of our goal, I discovered a great website that offers vacation packages to all these locations.

After a lengthy discussion, we chose the interior of British Columbia for a few reasons. First, the flight is fairly short from Toronto, second, the climate is less forgiving out West, and, third, that naughty little phrase, "exchange rate" need not apply.

We chose to stay at Panorama Resort, and resort known to Canadian's for its skiing and golfing. The resort is approximately 20 minutes southwest of Radium, BC. It is rated as a four-star resort, complete with all the amenities: spa, restaurants, tennis courts, and shops that sell snacks, beer and a decent bottle of wine. The package also included three rounds of golf, at local courses. We were fortunate enough to choose the courses and book our tee-off times prior to our departure. Panorama is also home to Grey Wolf, classified as one of Canada's top 100 golf resorts.

We flew direct to Calgary, Alberta. Total flying time was 4 hours. We departed early in the morning to ensure that we arrived in Calgary with enough daylight to drive through the mountains. We packed our rental car (one large enough to fit our clubs and massive amount of luggage), found the map, and headed west. Much like our ancestors, I knew heading west would eventually lead me to my paradise where my fleeting dream would be fulfilled.

The drive from Calgary to the interior BC is approximately 2.5 hours. I love to drive, but my girlfriend was driving, and I was jealous! However, after some thought, I changed my mind and considered myself lucky, because while her eye was on the road, mine was on the approaching vistas. If you have the opportunity to take this trip, happily relinquish your driving rights because the sights are truly breathtaking.

Majestic mountains appeared on the horizon - the snow-capped Rockies, the symbols of Canada that they are, dominate the countryside creating a perfect picture postcard.

On your way, make sure you stop in Banff for a bite to eat; it's truly a town worth seeing. Sure, it's full of tourists and tourist shops that sell overpriced, tacky items, but it's a quaint village in its own right, so take my advice, make a stop.

After lunch, we continued the drive to British Columbia. Remember, we are driving from one province to another. (For those of you unfamiliar with traveling in Canada, there are NO border stops between provinces.) The trip from Banff, Alberta to Radium, British Columbia, is approximately one hour. That is if you don't stop. But you will stop, and have your camera ready because the views are breathtaking. Valley upon valley unfolds before your eyes. As the mountains reach for the sky, I spotted where the tree line ended and was replaced by stark protruding rock faces. I can't help but ask my girlfriend to stop the car, so I can take pictures. I feel compelled to photograph everything, as I didn't want this memory to fade.

When we arrived in Radium, I noticed the hot springs were open. Note to self about Radium. Natural hot springs are favorite tourist spot, so if you're into this type of scene enjoy, if not, wave to the "springers" and keep driving. Another note to self. Beware of mountain sheep on the side of the road and don't stop to close to take photographs, as they get frightened and begin to "joust" right in front of your car.

Twenty-five minutes later, the car stops. I am at Panorama Resort! www.panoramaresort.com Greeted by friendly staff, I was handed a map and promised the weather would cooperate. I was somewhat dubious about the weather comment and I became fixated on the weather channel.

We arrive at our condominium and as we pull up, I squeal, "this is too good to be true!" Picture this: four chateau-style condominiums, perched high on a hill. Behind them loom snow-capped mountains as far as the eye can see. Traces of the snow remain on a few of the ski runs, making me consider that I might have to return for a ski trip. The car stops and I get out. Silence. I inhale deeply and my lungs welcome the fresh air. I feel like I've been beamed from a busy, stark city into an enchanting countryside that offers nothing but splendor and peace of mind. Blue sky, tall pines and silence are the elements the make-up the landscape.

It's one of those moments one experiences when s/he realizes there is much more too life than daily rituals - it is a moment where values are questioned. I hadn't even golfed yet and I was ready to move here!

Our suite is on the fourth floor. It is a corner suite that overlooks the pool area as well as provides us with a panoramic view of the mountains (I'm guessing that's how the resort acquired its name.) It's been a long day, it is time to get some supplies, soak in the hot tub, and eat.

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By Lise Lacasse, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com