Cabo Is Fab-O

Cabo Is Fab-O

In February of this year, my golf tour partner, Kevin McGrath, and I spent two glorious weeks, zipping back and forth between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, twenty miles apart. Our local contact, Brian McCallen, who does Public Relations for Los Cabos, calls it the “Tourist Corridor”.

Cabo San Lucas, or colloquially “Cabo”, is at the southernmost tip of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. The Baja peninsula is separated from mainland Mexico by the Gulf of California; but locals prefer to call it the Sea of Cortez. Along the coast you will see pristine sandy beaches and postcard perfect turquoise blue water. However, the strong currents and powerful shore breaks do not encourage taking a dip in the sea.

Hazards of the shore are marked with beach warning flags, red being the most dangerous. One red flag means surf is high and there are treacherous currents. Two red flags means NO-GO for even the strongest swimmers. Besides red, there is an entire beach color coding system. Green: conditions are good. Yellow: Caution. Black: Extreme danger!

A few places like Chileno Bay, have a swim-safe area, with kayak, snorkel and dive gear rentals available. The gorgeous Medano and Palmilla beaches are also swim friendly. If you want a close-up look at the iconic rock formation known as El Arco (the arch), where the Pacific Ocean becomes the Gulf of California, you have a number of options. There are tours of different duration, and even some on fancier boats taking in the sunset on a 2-hour tour. You can also hop onto a water taxi that will drop you off and pick you up at the swimmable Lover’s Beach.

However, we were there for the golf. Golf. Golf. And more golf. That’s what we’re all about. And plenty of delicious food and excellent wine.

In the two fun-filled weeks, we managed to pack in nine rounds of golf along the Tourist Corridor. Were I not such a golf fanatic I’d have loved to have observed the gray whales, including cow-calf pairs, and even courting whales, on one of the many private boat excursions. Or go in search of blue whales, the largest animals ever to exist on Earth. And there’s sport fishing; but the golf course beckoned…

Cabo sand beach

Chileno Bay

Taba and Kevin

Course #1: Cove Club at Cabo Del Sol

We started our golf adventure at this ultra-private club. If you can pull some strings, like we did, your extraordinary round will include stopping off every few holes at “comfort stations” — mere bathrooms these are not.

The array of food and drinks boggles the mind. We had the benefit of playing the Jack Nicklaus Signature course (formerly the Ocean Course) with Aaron Shotzberger, the Golf Professional, who congenially pointed out, “The bacon is really incredible.” Standing on end in a ceramic cylinder, when I took the first bite I was hooked. I grabbed an ice cold can of pineapple juice while I circumnavigated the astonishing smorgasbord full of mouthwatering treats; but kept returning to the crunchy strips of bacon that tasted like they were baked with honey. Sinfully good, and golfers need protein, right?

While we did not play golf at Chileno Bay Club, Dan Counts, the Head Golf Professional, gave us a tour, pointing out the spectacular golf holes designed by Tom Fazio. Next up was a site visit of the entire property, owned by Discovery Land Company, including the ultra-luxurious Auberge Spa.

Throughout our tour we saw stunning works of art, starting with a monumental steel sculpture by Sante Fe, New Mexico-based artist Will Clift. A wide range of pieces from dozens of artists, some from Los Cabos and elsewhere in Mexico, included fascinating ceramics by the Mexico City duo Charabati Bizzarri, and mosaic surfboards by Wes Horn near the entrance to the beach.

That evening, Valentine’s Dinner at COMAL was sublime. Our romantic table was set against the dramatic views of the Sea of Cortez. The food was exquisite and the live music by a group called Green Love took the whole experience over-the-top. The female singer was enchanting.

Cove Club

Cove Club Course18th hole

Course #2: Diamante Cabo San Lucas

Our friends, Jeff and Lisa Sepesi, whose permanent residence is in North Carolina, are building a house on the property. They invited us to play with them at this magnificent private resort that includes two world-class courses paralleling a mile and a half of breathtaking Pacific coastline.

Before we descended the steps to the spectacular practice range at the Dunes Course, designed by Davis Love III, we took advantage of the breakfast slider bar. Like the other courses in Cabo, the green fee includes all the food and beverages. We enjoyed egg and bacon sliders accompanied by fresh smoothies made with blueberries, strawberries, and/or bananas. Later, while playing golf, we made pit-stops to indulge in small plates and skinny margaritas at course-side comfort stations.

Course #3: Rancho San Lucas

We had the good fortune to be paired with a lovely couple, Shairida and Johnnie Mack, who’ve been coming to Cabo for 25 years. The Greg Norman-designed course is the centerpiece of the 834-acre private Solmar Group resort. On this particular day, the wind was whipping up the sand from the beach and high dunes, creating an extraordinary challenge. To reward ourselves for surviving what felt like a Saharan desert storm, and continue the friendship we developed during our round, we drove up the hill to Picaro for drinks, and to take in the magnificent view from the tranquil patio. The menu looked superb, especially the Charbroiled Giant Shrimp.

Course #4: El Cardonal

Lucky us. Jeff and Lisa had us come to Diamante again to play this second course, designed by Tiger Woods. Oh, were we in for a treat. Wide landing areas and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean made the experience fun and memorable. We joined them later for dinner at a seaside restaurant in downtown Cabo. Situated on the Medano beach shoreline, SUR Beach House is part of the trendy Bahia Hotel Group. From the outdoor seating area we could see cruise ships anchored out in the bay. Cabo does not have a cruise ship dock yet, but there is probably one on the drawing board. There is a massive amount of construction going on — hotels, resorts, hundreds of private homes — so for the next ten to twenty years, this tourist destination will only grow bigger; and for cruise ship travelers too.

Course #5: Puerto Los Cabos Golf Club

This is one of three public golf courses in Los Cabos owned by Questro Golf. The first nine holes we played was called the Nicklaus II Course. The tiny greens were lightning fast and confounded us. More experience would have helped us adjust.
While lining up a putt, I spotted a giant lizard on the edge of the green with sharp spikes protruding from the ridge of its long back. This Spiny-Tailed Iguana was one scary reptile. Just as the sun was setting, we finished the second nine holes on the Norman Course.

We were thrilled that our room at Hacienda Del Mar (HDM) was in the main building, high enough up with views of the pool and ocean. We delighted in strolling through the manicured gardens and further enjoyed the nightly themed music and dinners served in the Los Tomatoes Restaurant courtyard.

Once Kevin and I discovered the Pitahayas Restaurant at HDM, we returned two more times. Chef Volker Romeike’s sophisticated menu encompasses tastes from Mexico and exotic dishes from the Pacific Rim cuisine.

Other joys of HDM include the artwork that greets you in the main reception area, and is showcased in other public spaces. Paintings and decor in the lobbies reflect old-world Mexico. More contemporary canvases, 6-foot-high tile portraits and stained glass are found both indoors and outdoors.

Diamante Club entrance

Chileno Bay red bucket

Chileno Bay pool

Course #6: Club Campestre San Jose

Today we were in for a big surprise. The starter on the first tee informed us that the word campestre means “country” or “rural.” This course is also a Nicklaus design, and part of the Questro Golf communities. When we reached the fourth hole, the first par-5, the meaning of the word campestre was underscored when a herd of goats meandered onto the course. They bunched up in the shade of a big tree behind a bunker on the left side of the fairway. I aimed my shot in the direction of the goats, knowing I couldn’t reach them or the bunker, and it would position me for my third shot onto the green.

Kevin and I were both trying to get a decent photograph to send back to pals at Lahinch Golf Club in Ireland, where two goats roam the course. The tradition of keeping the goats stems back to before weather apps became the norm. If the goats took shelter by the clubhouse it meant rain was on the way. The goats are so beloved that one is now part of the Lahinch logo.

Course #7: Club Cabo Real

This is the third course in the Questro Golf group, where we were guests of Susana Martin, Director of Sales. She arranged for us to play all three in our quest to experience what Cabo has to offer the golf traveler. Cabo Real was designed by Robert Trent Jones II. We had the pleasure of playing with José Vargas, who flew into Cabo from the thriving commercial center of Monterrey. He was an excellent player and gave Kevin serious competition. When José would hit a wayward shot, he’d moan, “I hate golf.” Then he’d birdie the next hole and was back in love with the game.

Course #8: Palmilla Golf Club

Playing golf with Brian McCallen was both fun and enlightening. Brian revealed that when the club’s first two nine-hole courses opened — Arroyo and Mountain, the first Jack Nicklaus Signature Course in Latin America — this was the start of the big golf boom in Cabo. We played Arroyo first, then Mountain, nearly tumbling off the steep cart path when we came upon the resident rock lizard that Brian said has been there for twenty years. (The club’s Ocean nine was added in 1999.)

The club is part of a 900-acred master-planned community known as the “One & Only Palmilla”. Exhilarating elevated tees…check. Unplayable transition/desert areas…check. Manmade water hazards…check. Getting to know a bit more about Brian while having post-round drinks, was certainly illuminating. He served as a Senior Editor at GOLF Magazine from 1987 to 2003. Big expense account…check. He is now a freelance writer and tourism consultant, living in Cabo, and escaping the heat of the desert summer back home in leafy Connecticut.

Hacienda del Mar pools

At Cabo Real with Jose Vargas

Goats on Campestre Course

Course #9: Quivira Los Cabos

Nothing like saving the best for last—except we didn’t know it until we got there. Quivira is an epic residential resort community. The golf course was designed by Jack Nicklaus. Kevin and I both agreed it was our favorite. Considering Kevin plays off a low single digit handicap, and I’m way north of that, it is quite a feat for an architect to create a course that is fun and challenging for golfers of such different skill levels. Nicklaus wasn’t always known for doing that; but thankfully he has evolved over the decades of doing golf design, and has arrived at this new awareness.

The course itself is a marvel of engineering, cut into and weaving around a mountain. The drama builds as you leave the 4th green and you are riding higher and higher in your cart, wondering if you’ve strayed onto the wrong cart path. Nope. Just keep going for what seems like 10 minutes and you finally reach Hole #5.

Not only is there a great comfort station, where the drink of the day was an amazing rum punch, the fifth hole is so unique, there is someone on hand to give you guidance on how to play it. You have to see it to believe it. It’s a par-4 blind shot to a green that is so far below you, it is magical and scary at the same time.

I chose the right line and my driver sent the ball down, down, down to within a short pitch shot to the small undulating green. Overshoot it and you’re in the ocean. To make par there was a thrill. With four more pars on the back nine, I had the most fun and best score of my entire Cabo experience.

After our round, we had committed to doing a site visit. Figuring it would be a letdown after all the euphoria Kevin and I felt from playing the intense course, we were treated to a big surprise instead. I had heard about Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach from a fellow member of Troon Country Club. She said, “We have a timeshare there,” so I figured it would be nice. Nice? Ha! It was extraordinary.

The gated luxury community at Quivira Los Cabos is situated on 1,850 acres. One of the newer offerings, Coronado, atop a bluff overlooking the ocean and hole No. 17 of the Nicklaus course gives buyers the chance to choose from floorplans ranging from 3,700 to 4,000 square feet, with prices starting at $1.8 million. Features include kitchens with granite islands, Viking appliances, marble flooring and a two-car garage. More highlights are patios, pools, fire-pits and pergolas for your outdoor entertaining. You can even have your own family crest adorn your personal hacienda.

I have to say, after being shown around the massive “all-inclusive” property, I was duly impressed with every luxurious design element, but when we got to the Towers at Pacifica, I realized this adults-only “resort within a resort” set a new bar for me. To cap off this perfect day, we dined at El Huerto Farm to Table Restaurant, indulging in delicious organic food from their four and a half acres of gardens, orchards and fruit trees.

Golf, whale-watching, golf, fabulous food, golf, strolling on the beach, golf, sport fishing, golf, floating in a refreshing pool with a swim-up bar, and just enjoying the laid-back splendor of Cabo, there’s something for everyone — but especially golf lovers.

P.S. A note about timeshares: If you don’t already have one, or even if you do, it’s a safe bet that, at some point during your visit you’ll be invited to a presentation on buying Cabo timeshares.

Pueblo Bonito at Sunset Beach

Quivira-13th-hole-par-3

Quivira hole #5

Ship Ahoy

Ship Ahoy

GHS goes to the GCSAA Show!

The Invitation

When I saw a GHS ad for A History of Greenkeeping; Golf’s Cause and Effect, I called the author, Mel Lucas, and bought his book. That’s when I learned of his commensurate background and he mentioned, “Ya know, GHS has been offered a free table at the GCSAA Show for years.”

The GCSAA, of course, is the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. It’s 2022 show was scheduled for Feb. 8-9 in San Diego. Mel, is a longtime member of GCSAA, and past president, as well as a past president of the GHS (then GCS).

I thought this would be a wonderful opportunity for our Society to promote brand awareness. GHS President Bern Bernacki, his wife, Mary, and board member Glenn Haueisen and I would form the GHS Team who would attend the convention.

Trip planing included working with Melissa Householder, the trade show manager, to select a booth among other things. What a saint she was! She also told us about the before-show social mixer on the USS Midway on Feb. 7.

Aha, or rather Ahoy! I thought this sounded like so much fun. And it was. What a great introduction to the huge, congenial crowd.

“Ship Ahoy” is a perfect metaphor for what we were doing at this major golf industry show. Bern often describes our organization as a vessel. And in San Diego we would be physically and intellectually attracting the attention of another “vessel,” the GCSAA, an important society itself of golf industry stalwarts.

The Mixer

Bern, Mary, and I eagerly attended the mixer, arriving at the great ship to take an elevator to its Main deck — the Hangar Deck — where a fascinating array of airplanes from the World War II era were on display.

Eventually we made our way to the Flight Deck. This is where the real action was. We circulated around the ship, which is about the length of three football fields and is as high as a 20-story building. The 10 bars and food stations featured pulled pork, chicken, mac and cheese, and fish salads served in cocktail glasses. Lord only knows how many deserts we left up there!

I only just began to learn the history of the Midway. The ship was built in only 17 months and was the largest ship in the world until 1955. She was named after the climatic Battle of Midway of June 1942, and was the longest-serving aircraft carrier in the 20th century.

A recent movie filmed in 2018, Midway, covers roughly six months of the war in the Pacific, from the attack on Pearl Harbor through the decisive battle around Midway Atoll, which turned the tide of the war in favor of the U.S.

There was plenty of mingling with the big crowd of GCSAA officials and hundreds of attendees, including superintendents from across the world.

Our GHS connection Mel Lucas was in fine form, schmoozing with dozens of people he knows both nationally and internationally.

Tuesday, Feb. 8 – Set Up

The convention officially kicked off at 5 p.m. and went for just two hours. That gave everyone a whole day to finish setting up and wander around a little bit to chat with people while they are doing the same thing.

I had a great time over at the Toro stand and even got my photo taken on a gigantic Groundsmaster 4500 rough mower. What a thrill that was. Almost as exciting as sitting on Arnold Palmer’s ancient Toro tractor at Latrobe at our GHS National Convention this past autumn. Toro is now in its 107th year and has equipment and products in more than 125 countries in the world. Just a few courses where you’ll find Toro include Pebble Beach, Augusta and the Old Course at St Andrews.

Bern was busy. He had interviews with Dean Knuth, contributing editor with Golf Digest magazine; Tim Moraghan, of Golf Industry Magazine; and then at 5.30 pm by turf expert and superintendent Matthew Wharton.

 

Wednesday, Feb. 9 – The Main Event

Though only a one-day show, the GCSAA packs a lot into it. Bern, myself and Glenn were busy all day long. Lots of people stopped by our booth to drop off their GHS card to enter our Giveaway for a collectible golf item, Scores of others just stopped by to visit and learn about us.

During a presentation titled “Tiger Woods’ Reimagination of The Hay Short Course at Pebble Beach,” Bern did not miss an opportunity to ask a question. He really stood out in his very natty period clothing when he queried the group on stage that included Bubba Wright, Pebble Beach Golf Links superintendent, Beau Welling, Woods’ lead architect on the project, and Jason Nau, vice president of builder Frontier Golf. GCSAA CEO Rhett Evans moderated the panel discussion.

One group of ladies, led by Azucena Maldonado of the Latina Golfers’s Association, stopped by our booth and wasted no time in becoming GHS members – “We want to join right now!” Some took an application form, but most said they will go on the website and join right away. (Something to consider next time is to have a computer with us so we can show off the GHS website and make it easy for people to join on the spot.)

Later on that day, I attended a panel event called “Ladies Leading Turf: Mentoring Women Power Hour.” Jan Bel Jan was supposed to be the moderator, but an injury kept her from flying, much to my dismay.

The presentation was moderated Kimberly Gard, a territory manager for Syngenta, the presentation sponsor, who stepped in for Jan. The four panelists were each involved in various aspects of the golf industry.

Mel was on hand for the social networking hour following the day’s networking. He was accompanied by Vanja Drasler, head greenkeeper at the Attersee Golf Club in Austria, in the foothills of the Austrian Alps. Mel also introduced us to Leasha Schwab, superintendent for the Pheasant Run Golf Club in Canada. It was she who, in 2018, created the Ladies Leading Turf program.

As important as signing up new members was, three more significant conversations took place — one was with Bern and the USGA. Another was my conversation with Josh Tubbs, Toro Senior Marketing Manager, about Toro becoming a sponsor for GHS. He asked me to email him information and before we said goodbye, Josh said, “I’m really glad you tracked me down.”

Also terrific was getting to meet Chad Ritterbusch, executive director of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) and his colleague, Jeff Brauer, director of outreach. We are honored that ASGCA will now be a “spiritual sponsor” of GHS. They have offered to lend articles to The Golf and have their members participate in our Grand Zoom calls, and more. Donald Ross is one of the original founders and their organization is celebrating its 75th anniversary.

Gaining education, meaningful interaction and building synergy with this segment of the golf industry is all thanks to Mel Lucas who had for years been patiently prodding the GHS to attend the convention. We have been invited by Melissa Householder, the trade show manager, to participate in the next GCSAA show, scheduled for January 2023.

Ahoy! I say let’s go!

Hear the Heartbeat

Hear the Heartbeat

Intro

Where Sophia’s ear is

Shortly after I got back from Ireland last summer I discovered an event at Troon Country Club called the Hawk Talk was scheduled for November 18th. I signed up for it right away. I was hoping it would be interesting like my experience several years ago at the Burren Birds of Prey Centre that I visited with Kevin’s family in County Clare. I wrote a story about it: “Hear the Heartbeat.” 

The Troon CC Hawk Talk was conducted by Master Falconer, Tiffany White, with Sonoran Desert Falconry. Along with her colleague, Sally Knight (a General Falconer and the co-founder of Sonoran Desert Falconry) they dazzled us with birds in their care like Dracarys, the Harris’ hawk. They introduced us to Uno the Kestrel and Zeke the Peregrine falcon. But it was Sophie the Barn owl that stole my heart.

 

 

The Hawk Walk

Kevin’s daughter, Nicola McGrath, and her husband, David Boyle, came down from Dublin to Clare for a visit with their two boys, Adam and Simon.

David drove us to the Burren by way of Corkscrew Hill. The narrow road was just like it sounds. 

The Bateleur eagle with his handler | the Burren Birds of Prey Centre, Ireland

We reached the aviary where they house the Birds of Prey, which include eagles, falcons, hawks, vultures and owls from all over the world. We continued to the grass arena with the magnificent hills of The Burren in the background. We watched the handler perform with “Batty” the Bateleur eagle. We were told she could fly up to 200 miles a day, but could only sustain a wing beat for two to three minutes. Bateleur is French for “tight-rope walker,” describing the bird’s characteristic habit of tipping its wings when it flies. She was a magnificent, very large and quite fluffy bird, predominantly black with a gorgeous streak of red plumage down her back. 

A couple of other birds did perform, one being an American owl who although he looked quite large, only weighed 2 lbs. He was “built for stealth — very quiet.” All the birds put on quite a show, but did “not fly for fun.” Their handler quipped, “This is a business relationship! We make the most of their laziness and they make the most of our generosity,” as he fed them little morsels of food throughout their performance.

With the demonstration over, it is now time for our Hawk Walk. There was a tinge of trepidation when I learned that Nicola and David had designated me as the one to ‘fly the hawk.’ “Are you sure David shouldn’t be the one to do this?” “No, Taba, it’s going to be you.”

Our instructor and hawk handler, Jamie, appeared with Eric the Harris’ hawk. As I slipped the elbow length glove over my left hand, Jamie untied Eric from his glove and transferred the raptor over to me. Then he tied a falconry knot entirely with his right hand only, informing us, “You must be able to do everything with one hand and it’s always the right hand.” “Why is that?” we all asked in unison. “So you can draw your sword if you have to!”

The hour walk through the Hazel woodland was full of wondrous facts, starting with the sport of falconry. Jamie told us the Chinese and Japanese have been hunting with birds of prey for some 3,000 years, but the Harris’ hawk was only recently introduced in the late 60’s.

Taba with Eric the Harris hawk

After a few minutes, I got comfortable with Eric, who perched on my glove, just so. It was amazing to be eyeball to eyeball with this beautiful creature. He would often fly away and be “called back” with a little bit of meat placed on my glove. Eric would always fly to a branch high in a tree and swoop down in a second or two, making a perfect landing every time.

At first I kept my eyes closed when I saw him coming, as his wing span was easily three feet and I wasn’t sure where those wing tips would wind up! Eric would tuck his feathers in precisely at the last possible second so they never touched my face. I relaxed and got more confident, and stared right at his intense eyes, while he zeroed in on his “reward” that Jamie placed on my glove.

 

Eyes Like a Hawk

I will forever have new respect for the phrase, “Eyes like a hawk.” They are small, but penetrating. Brown just like mine. Maybe that’s why I bonded so well with this bird. It turns out that southern Arizona is part of their natural habitat. They even nest in saguaro cactus, which explains why coyotes would be their most feared predators when they are on the ground.

The top of the beak is bright yellow with little nostrils, becoming a dark grey color and then white at the sharp tip. The legs were equally yellow, each with four powerful talons. His feathers are mostly brown, with a reddish color blending in where the wings attach, and then his tail feathers are tipped with white.

Adam asked Jamie lots of very intelligent questions, like “What do they eat?” “Rabbits, mice and other small animals,” said Jamie. “Would they eat other birds?” Adam wondered. “Yes they would,” affirmed Jamie.

Harris hawk with a handler | the Burren Birds of Prey Centre, Ireland

David followed the line of questioning, “When they are in the wild, do they hunt cooperatively?” “Yes they do,” explained Jamie, “one or more might scout the prey and another swoops in to attack.” (Note: Tiffany told us it is the female “that closes the deal.”)

“These Harris’ hawks are very social,” informed Jamie, “and very easygoing around people.” Eric did seem perfectly happy in his well-learned role to fly away and back to us as we followed a path through the woods…often varied to avoid predictability.  Every now and then, he made a short, high-pitched sound, as if to let us know where he was. 

“When he flies up high in the tree, is he looking for something to eat? Will he leave and never come back,” queried Adam. “Yes, although he really couldn’t survive in the wild, he has never lost his instincts. Every now and then he does catch something!” 

We learned that all the little bits of food, in this case chicken, were stored in a pouch to be eaten later. Sure enough, as the walk progressed, we could see the bulging pouch. “He only eats raw food, never cooked food,” Jamie clarified. Adam worked it out, “That would be chicken sushi.” 

 

Hear the Heartbeat

Jamie also told us, “The hawk can see much better than us but doesn’t have peripheral vision, which means he has to turn his head if he wants to see something not straight ahead.” Adam wondered, “Does he hear much better than us, like an owl?” “Hawks hear very well, but the owl has much more acute hearing. Owls actually have one ear higher than the other and they find their prey by hearing, not by seeing. In fact, even though they have big eyes, they can’t see well up close. If a mouse was right under an owl, the owl wouldn’t see him.”

Adam wanted to know, “Couldn’t the owl smell the mouse?” “No, but he could hear the heartbeat.” Hear the heartbeat.  Now that was amazing. 

The owl could hear the heartbeat of its pray

Finally we headed to the Birds of Prey Center to join up with Nicola and Simon, who was now getting his second wind. Back to the arena we went.

This time we got to see the handlers fly two Harris’ hawks together, a brother and sister, the female being about one third larger. Again, we were told that they are very social and easygoing, completely different from the falcons, which are much more high-strung. They are hooded to calm them down. The largest of the falcons, the Peregrine, is the fastest animal on earth, achieving speeds of 200 mph. (Note: Tiffany told us a Peregrine has been clocked at 220 mph.)

White-backed Vulture with its handler | the Burren Birds of Prey Centre, Ireland

Our flying display concluded with a pair of massive White-backed Vultures, which were surprisingly beautiful. The pair were named Henry and Dyson, after two models of the Hoover vacuum cleaner! Their names are funny, but their endangered status is not. Members of the Gyps family, they are suffering from an extremely rapid population decline.

After such a special day of many wondrous things, David guided our flock back to our nest in Liscannor, electing not to return by the Corkscrew road, and instead taking another scenic road which hugged the coast for part of the journey.  

I was securely wedged between the two boys, who promptly fell asleep in their car seats. Not a peep out of either one of them as we wove our way through the Burren landscape. They are so sweet and peaceful. I think I can just about hear their heartbeat.

How Arizona Became a Golf Destination

How Arizona Became a Golf Destination

We Ko Pa Saguaro Course (Crenshaw Coore design) – I mention in the podcast

When I was contacted by Maritza Dominguez, the audio producer and reporter for the Arizona Republic podcast, I was surprised and delighted.

She had such a wide range of questions I knew I couldn’t answer them all.

Maritza Dominguez

At first she wanted to know about the history of golf in Arizona and how did Arizona become such a popular golf destination. I told her I could do some research but there would be better people to answer that question.

When Maritza expanded her desire to have me speak about the culture of golf, and where did the game begin and HOW is it different playing golf in Scotland, say, playing golf in Arizona.

NOW we had a lot to talk about.

She invited me to record an in-person interview in the AZCentral offices in downtown Phoenix, which was really a cool thing to do.

The other people on the podcast told fascinating stories about Hollywood celebrities who used to come to Phoenix. Another interviewee gave insights about how the Skins Game at Desert Highlands started in 1983. The BIG FOUR — Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Tom Watson put on quite a show.

Do you want to know how Arizona became a golf destination?

You can listen to it HERE.

It might be interesting for listeners to know that AZ Central is part of the USA Today Network. (Which to me is a pretty big deal.)

This episode of Arizona Republic’s podcast Valley 101 is now on streaming platforms such as Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

 

You Can Call Me Alice

You Can Call Me Alice

Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh – a place full of wonder!

I should have been named Alice like the girl from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. No kidding. The day Mary Bernacki took me to the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh, I felt like I fell down another rabbit hole! (I’m so good at doing this I should probably have a series called My Rabbit Hole Experiences.)

Well, Alice fell down a rabbit hole, but I went willingly with Mary to a magnificent place full of wonder. This was one afternoon during the Golf Heritage Society (GHS) National Convention conference just before our Gala Dinner at our hotel in Monroeville, PA.

There was no White Rabbit, but there were TROLLS to greet us. Adorable, colorful, talking trolls. Mary has probably been through the Phipps hundreds of times, since she grew up in this part of Pittsburgh. She and her husband Bern, president of the GHS, are both native Pittsburghers.

 

“Here, take my land” –  original gift that keeps giving

Mary had first taken me for a drive through the lush, hilly Schenley Park, which is the setting for the Phipps, on the way home from the airport a few days before. My guide told me the land had been donated by a woman named Mary Schenley, who, when she got married went to Europe, and said, “Here, take my land.” This was back in 1889. It was no small gift — we’re talking about 300 acres!

This is a fascinating story all by itself. When she was young, Mary Croghan attended a boarding school in downtown Pittsburgh. At about age 16, she eloped and married Capt. Edward W. Schenley of the Royal Navy.

The land that Schenley owned was willed to her by her pioneer grandfather, James O’Hara. For that story we have to backtrack to when O’Hara emigrated from Ireland in 1772. He had successful careers as a soldier, a businessman, and a federal official. O’Hara worked as a trader and Indian agent, and also served as an officer in the Third Virginia Regiment during the War of Independence. Obviously along the way, he amassed a considerable amount of land.

O’Hara’s generous granddaughter also contributed five acres of land for the Western Pennsylvania School for the Blind. Mary Schenley did more. She gave the Old Blockhouse to the Daughters of the American Revolution, and she gave the city of Pittsburgh another nineteen acres where the Carnegie Museum now stands. What an incredible woman.

 

Phipps started with a great vision

Then along comes another philanthropist — Mr. Henry W. Phipps. He declared that he wanted to “erect something that would prove to be a source of instruction as well as pleasure to the people.”

His vision started with a structure designed by Lord & Burnham, a New York-based greenhouse manufacturer, for a fee of $100,000. The original nine display rooms were completed in August of 1893. When the building opened to the public, many plants originating from the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago were featured. After its founding, Henry Phipps continued to serve as the Conservatory’s benefactor until his death in 1930 at the age of 91.

 

15 acres and 14-room glasshouse with 23 distinct gardens

This remarkable place has continued to grow like the extraordinary plants it houses. The Phipps now encompasses fifteen acres and includes a 14-room glasshouse with 23 distinct gardens.

We got a tantalizing taste of the seasonal exhibit ahead of Halloween in a room full of pumpkins, decorated with ghosts, witches and bats hanging from the ceiling.

From orchids to an amazing bonsai collection, there is just about no end to the beauty. There is even an enormous model railroad with a very complex layout.

Unless you popped outside for a moment like we did, you wouldn’t even know about the Center for Sustainable Landscapes. It is the first and only building to meet six of the highest green certifications. Sadly, we didn’t have time to go inside, but what didn’t I get to see? Here is a for instance — there is a new exhibit called “Planets Earth” that looks at the problem of resource use, climate change, and other environmental issues. I read online that the exhibit identifies ways of thinking that drive conventional decision making, and it offers courageous new paths toward changing the way we interact with the world.

We did have a few more rooms to go through before exiting the way we came in. That meant we got to see an entire exhibit on Cuba with a wide variety of exotic plants, a birding station, and even learn about natural medicines that might be found in Cuba that are rooted in organic farming. Traveling to this magical tropical environment made it that much harder to tear ourselves away.

A dazzling Chihuly sculpture

Just as we were about to leave from our marvelous indoor universe, I was stopped in my tracks when I discovered a dazzling, large-scale Dale Chihuly sculpture. The intricate array of bright yellow, blown glass pieces was suspended from the metal supports of the roof in a stunning, organic display.

The monumental Chihuly was as energizing as the sunlight that greeted us as we emerged back into the outdoor scenery. For sure, this was the best damn rabbit hole I have ever stumbled into.