Digital Journal — It’s hot and the only sound I hear is the wind blowing. After only five minutes on the course, I’m at ease.
Several miles away from me, in massive flashy casinos, men and women robotically insert electronic cards into slot machines, and newlyweds risk their life savings on lucky seven. Over there, it’s loud, smoky and bustling.
But right in front of me, green hills roll almost as far as I can see, with colossal mountains cutting through the horizon. It’s a beautiful sight I’ve only seen on postcards.
A couple miles to my left, strippers hold out their hands waiting for drooling guys to pay them. These women only work nights, but they make more than some full-time lawyers.
But to my immediate right, the pin flag on the third hole flutters behind a deep gorge that swallows 130 yards of rocky ground. It’s an oasis far from the maddening crowds.
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TPC Canyons is an 18 hole championship course naturally incorporated into the deep desert canyon washes. It has wide fairway landing areas and soft undulating greens. It also features a multitude of trees, elevation changes, steep ravines and a canyon lake. |
I’m in one of the few places where such different worlds collide. Serenity lies beside sin, harmony beside hookers and beauty beside bedlam. I’m in Las Vegas, the city where great food, high-end entertainment and luxurious accommodations are always available for a price — the city that is also becoming world-famous for, of all things, golf.
“You can golf 365 days a year, on every style of course,” says Alex Isaac, vice-president of sales and marketing for Golf Adventures, a Las Vegas-based company that books golf packages, group events and tournaments. “You can experience Scotland or canyon golfing right here in one city.”
Vegas has watched its popularity swing upward thanks to its near-perfect weather year round — the average annual rainfall is a mere four inches. Isaac says the city is gaining notoriety in the competitive $3-billion (US) golf travel industry.
A multi-million dollar company that books about 75,000 people per year, Golf Adventures accommodates everyone from pro golfers to business executives to couples who want advice on where to play while in town. It also has branches set up in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Scottsdale, Arizona and more recently in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
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”When you call a course, they’re never going to tell you something is wrong. Before deciding where to spend your money, always check with an expert.” — Alex Isaac, VP of Marketing, Golf Adventures. |
When I went to Vegas in late 2005, I admit I was worried Golf Adventures would operate like a travel agency. But after seeing what the company had arranged for me, I would probably not go back to Vegas without calling them first.
They did everything from booking my stay at the MGM Mirage Hotel to planning a day at the 18-hole Tournament Players Club at The Canyons — the same course the pros play on the PGA Tour. As I began seeing the sights, I quickly learned that Vegas makes the customer feel like the boss. At many places, pampering is mandatory.
Golf Adventures is no exception. Unlike many of its competitors driven to sell you whatever will increase their commission, Golf Adventures pays close attention to what you need, and goes far beyond your demands.
While the company’s wealth of information enriches your vacation experience, the company’s business model also changes the dynamic. Golf Adventures makes no money from clients. Book a vacation, get expert advice on golf courses, learn what shows are the best and where to find the best food, and they won’t charge you anything. Instead, hotels and golf courses pay the company for bringing in clientele.
The company’s business model lends kindly to the traveller because it forces the hospitality industry to work harder to entice you. Golf Adventures is so well-connected in Vegas, they are able to find substantial deals for everything from room rates to green fees. The company will even pull strings to get golfers into members-only clubs.
“Many other companies in Vegas don’t pay full attention to customer service,” says Isaac. “Some companies take the attitude that there will always be millions of other people coming in, so we don’t need to care on an individual basis. That’s not us. I treat every package as though I was booking my father.”
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Located in the beautiful community of Summerlin, the Tournament Players Club at The Canyons provides you the only public PGA Tour Facility in Las Vegas. |
“Setting up a golf package needs to be done by the right person,” says Scott Bowles, vice-president of business development. “People get travel agents to book a trip to Vegas, but they don’t realize that those travel agents usually call us for advice. We can save time and money for the customer if they call us first.”
In a city where companies will do anything to get attention — luring people with neon lights, giving away free drinks or food — it’s refreshing to see some services still focusing on the most important aspect of business: the customer.
ABOUT GOLF ADVENTURES
With years of experience in the golf industry, including working with all-star golfer Jack Nicklaus, Scott Bowles (above) is Golf Adventures’ VP of Business Development. Alex Isaac (below) is a Class “A” member of the Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA) and the company’s VP of Sales and Marketing. For more information, check out the
Golf Adventures website or call 1-800-841-6570.
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