Feb. 22, 2005 – The Gulf Shores Golf Association, with 10 signature golf courses and 32 miles of sugar-white-sand beaches, has announced that three GSGA member courses have garnered distinction for their high-quality golf, customer service and other amenities.
Two of the courses, Woodlands at Craft Farms and Lost Key Golf Club, were named among the Southeast U.S. region’s five “best deals” according to GOLF Magazine’s “Bang for the Buck” rating system, as published in the March 2005 issue.
The courses were rated on the following criteria: peak weekend greens fees, slope, Wow Factor (scale of 1 to 10), condition (scale 1 to 5), pace (1 to 5), service (1 to 5) and rating (1 to 100).
'We’re absolutely thrilled to have two of the Gulf Shores Golf Association’s 10 courses recognized by GOLF Magazine for providing golfers with memorable experiences by offering superior course conditions, playability and excellent customer service,” says Mark Stillings, President of the GSGA. “We’re proud of the collection of public-access golf clubs in the Gulf Shores Golf Association and that they are being honored for exceeding guests’ expectations.”
The ratings were compiled from votes submitted by GOLF Magazine readers. GOLF is the second-largest national golf magazine with an estimated readership approaching 5 million per issue.
GSGA-member Rock Creek Golf Club was honored by the National Golf Foundation as the overall winner for the 2004 Customer Loyalty and Satisfaction Program (CLASP™) Awards in the Daily Fee category. The annual awards are based on surveys fielded by the NGF throughout 2004 and announced during the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida earlier this month.
Owned and managed by Honours Golf, Rock Creek was selected from more than 400 courses participating in CLASP. Customers rated their satisfaction in 12 key areas of the golf property including overall value, course condition, pace of play, customer service, amenities, aesthetics and scenery, and overall experience.
“The high honors garnered by three of our Gulf Shores Golf Assocation courses validates what golfers who visit Gulf Shores tell us – that our group of 10 member courses is the equal to virtually any golf and beach destination in the country,” says Mike McArthur, Executive Director of the Gulf Shores Golf Association.
Other GSGA members include Timbercreek, Glenlakes, Cotton Creek at Craft Farms, Peninsula, Soldiers Creek, Cypress Bend at Craft Farms, and Kiva Dunes.
Further indicative of the quality of the GSGA member courses, Kiva Dunes, designed by former U.S. Open Champion and Alabama native Jerry Pate, is rated No. 56 in Golf Digest’s “The Sublime 75: The Best Golf Resorts In North America.”
Owned and operated by WCI Communities, Lost Key Golf Club recently began an extensive redevelopment program and plans a grand re-opening in the 4th quarter of 2005. An Arnold Palmer Signature Course, Lost Key is regrassing greens with Sea Dwarf Paspalum Turf, re-grassing tees, rough, fairways and practice area with Sea Isle 2000 Turf, and reshaping several greens and the practice area to further enhance their playability, conditions and drainage.
Furthermore, construction of Lost Key’s new clubhouse is underway and scheduled for completion in the 1st quarter of 2006. Amenities for the almost 10,000 square-foot clubhouse will include indoor and outdoor-screened dining with a full sit-down bar and public and private locker rooms. .
For more information about the Alabama Gulf Coast, please contact the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-745-SAND (7263) or www.gulfshores.com. For more information about the Gulf Shores Golf Association and its easy golf vacation planning, visit www.golfgulfshores.com or by calling 1-888-815-1902.
About Gulf Shores Golf Association
The Gulf Shores Golf Association is comprised of 10 exceptional signature golf courses that offer 198 holes of variety and beauty and which challenge serious golfers from the championship tees while delighting fun-loving resort golfers of all skill levels. Gulf Shores Golf Association-member courses have joined forces with numerous hotel and resort accommodations to offer very affordable, yet truly unforgettable “stay-and-play” experiences.
Gulf Shores Golf Association’s lodging partners offer a broad selection of accommodations, from a world-class resort and beachfront condominiums, to on-site golf villas and affordable national-chain hotels. In addition to superb golf, the area has clean, safe beaches, thousands of acres of nature preserves, historic sites, deep-sea fishing, great shopping, and fine restaurants. Whether it’s an annual trip with the guys, a romantic getaway weekend for two, or a week with the entire family, the Gulf!
Shores Golf Association offers easy golf vacation planning at www.golfgulfshores.com or by calling 1-888-815-1902.
