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Things have now changed. In March Direct Air, the airline that features non-stop flights at low costs to featured destinations, started flying directly from Worcester, Mass. to Myrtle Beach. “We see the New England golf market as a prime target for golfing in Myrtle Beach, and we can get the people there in less time than it takes to play nine holes,” said Ed Warneck, President of Direct Air in Myrtle Beach about the one hour and forty-five minute direct flight.

Currently (now through September 6) there are only a two flights per week from Worcester. One leaves at 3:15 p.m. on Thursdays and returns back to Worcester at 7:15 p.m. on Sundays. That same plane returns back to Myrtle Beach at 8 p.m. on Sundays.

Starting on September 7 and continuing through November 16 the flights from Worcester leave either Thursdays or Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and flights are returning to Worcester at 9:45 a.m. on both Thursdays and Sundays. There are no scheduled flights from November 17 through April 10, but that is subject to change.

“After September 6 we see golfers heading to Myrtle Beach on Thursday morning, playing 18 holes that afternoon, playing 36 holes on Friday and maybe even 36 on Saturday and return home in time to watch the Red Sox or Patriots on Sunday afternoon,” said Marshall Ellison, marketing director for Direct Air.

Myrtle Beach is truly the Golf Capital of the World with over 100 courses. There are 60 miles of pristine beaches; so a trip south for warm ocean swims when the weather cools in New England is less than two hours away. The Myrtle Beach area has over 1,500 restaurants and nightlife activities and over 1,000 hotels and lodging facilities.

I can’t decide if the best thing about the Direct Air flights is the short flight time or the extremely low price. Go to www.visitdirectair.com to see the prices. They start at either $79 or $99 each way depending on the flight you choose. Sure cheaper than the eight hour flights! Their website also has specials for lodging and car rentals.

Direct Air also flies to Orlando-Sanford and Ft. Myers/Punta Gorda from Worcester.

I’ve never flown from Worcester Airport, but I know it only takes 45 minutes to get to Worcester straight up Route 146 from Providence. I spoke to Richard Walsh, official spokesperson for Massport who manages the Worcester Airport for the city of Worcester. “Worcester Airport is a modern airport with easy access in and out, in fact Direct Air is the only commercial service with scheduled flights, although there are many private flights and charters,” said Walsh who added that the overnight parking fee at the airport is only $7 per day.

Directions to the airport from Rhode Island are Route 146N to Route 290N to Route 9N. There are signs leading you to the airport and it is less than an hour from Providence and less than 1.5 hours from anywhere in Rhode Island, eastern Connecticut or southeastern Massachusetts. Sure going to make those treks to Myrtle Beach a lot easier– and a lot less expensive.

The military doesn’t locate its bases in too many poor locations, therefore Military Golf Courses are geographically promising. Also, for the most part, the military has done a very good job of building golf courses for the use of their members and former members.

Many retired members of the military relocate to warmer climates. Thousands of “snowbirds” from Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut travel south for the winter, only returning when the golf greens are green again. Two hundred and twenty five thousand military retirees live within a thirty-mile radius of Patrick AFB in Cocoa Beach, Florida.

Having played hundreds of rounds at the course at Otis ANGB on Cape Cod and enjoying the low rates and fine conditions, I thought it would be fun to visit some of these southern golf courses that are so popular with folks who have a DD Form 2, also known as a retiree’s ID card. On some of the military bases it is not even necessary to be a retiree to play their Military Golf Courses. Additionally, if one of the foursome has an ID card, he or she is able to bring civilians to the courses.

Heading south on Route 95 when that white stuff starts to fall, those with a Military ID in their golf bag can stop at Fort Meade outside of Baltimore on the first leg of their southern golf journey toward Military Golf Courses. Ft. Meade has two courses that opened in the 1950s, and they are in top condition. Call 321-494-GOLF for information and tee times. The course allows civilians at a higher rate. Twenty miles south on Route 95 is the course at Andrews AFB, just outside of Washington, D.C. Call the course at 301-981-4405 for more info.

Fort Belvoir (703-806-5878) and Fort Lee(804-734-1228) are not far from Route 95 in Virginia, but I didn’t make either course because it was getting cold and I wanted warm golf.

My next stop on my Military Golf Courses journey was Fort Bragg in North Carolina. It is only ten miles from Route 95 in Fayetteville. Having served there in the late 1960s and sneaking out from training only a couple of times to play the two courses on base, it was fun to go there almost 40 years later as a golf writer. The Stryker course is the larger of the two courses and allows the public to play. Donald Ross designed nine of the holes in 1946 and Robert Taylor did the other nine. “The Ryder course started as the Officers Club in the 1930s and has many challenging holes on hilly terrain,” said Jeff Johnson, PGA professional at the Stryker course. Call 910-907-4653 for the Stryker course and 910-396-3980 for the Ryder course.

Fort Stewart is on the northern end of Georgia and 25 minutes from Rt. 95. They have two courses and you can call Tom McArthur, PGA pro for both courses, at 912-767-2370. The course that I played in Georgia was Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in Kingsland. It is ten minutes from Exit 3 on Route 95, and it was a gem. Two large ponds come into play on many holes with many risk/reward holes. The conditioning was superb. Call Rick Hayes at 912-573-8476.

Florida was the destination for the story, but it was fun getting there. Patrick Air Force Base in Cocoa Beachwas one of my favorites and also had the best clubhouse with great food. The picture for this story was taken at the course that also has a marina. It is the busiest or all Military Golf Courses in the Air Force averaging 75,000 rounds per year. Many golfers literally get off their boats and walk over to the first tee with their clubs. The Atlantic Ocean is across the street and holes run along the inter-coastal waterway. The 16th is the signature hole, a par 3 over water, but the sixth was the most difficult. Robert Trent Jones, Jr. designed the course in 1960 and it was modified by Tom Fazio. Hurzdan and Fry recently modified the greens with paspalum supreme grass that is receptive to saltwater that often washes up on the course. Patrick AFB is 15 minutes from Route 95 at Exit 191. The military rate is under $20, and is a great bargain. Call 321-494-4653 to make tee times. If you tell them that you are traveling from the north they will make every effort to accommodate you as they did us.

The story was going to have the headline ‘Golfing on Military Golf Courses along route 95,’ but we visited McDill AFB in Tampa on our trip south, and the two Military Golf Courses needed to be described. The Bay course was designed by noted Floridian Ron Garl and seems like it plays right into Tampa Bay on a couple of holes, and the Palms course was built in the 1940s by the civil engineers but is the equal of the Bay course. Call Lou Harris at 813-840-6904.

We had to get back to New England to get the next issue of OSG on the street, but we went back south to find more courses for the snowbirds to consider for this issue. We visited Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi first. Hurricane Katrina slammed Keesler in 2005 and the golf course was not spared. It is open but needs a great deal of work. There is no charge to play as the course returns to the conditions that it had since it was built in the 1940s. Call 228-377-3832 for the latest condition. Keesler is less than 100 miles from New Orleans. We traveled through Alabama on Route 65 to get to Mississippi and saw many exits for the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail (We’ll save that for another trip and story).

Heading east into Florida we stopped at Pensacola Naval Air Station., home of the Blue Angels. The course originally opened in 1942. Later a par 60 executive course was added to the property, and in 1993 a third nine holes were added. In 2003 U.S. Open champion Jerry Pate redesigned all 27 holes and the results are outstanding. The nines (Lakeview, Bayou and Bayview) wind through live oaks and over ponds and along marshes. All are quite equal in difficulty with large, rolling Tifdwarf greens that are fast and true. The Executive golf course is an excellent layout as well and was almost full when we visited. Make sure you see the third hole on the Lakeview nine. It has a large marker displaying the Navy wings in front of the green. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays you also get a free show as the Blue Angels practice right overhead. Call Steve Bobe at 850-452-2454.

Our last stop was at Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. There are two courses (Falcon and Eagle – both nicknames for jet aircraft–that are run by the Air Force, but these Military Golf Courses are located about five miles from the base. The Eagle Course was opened in the early 1920s and has a rich history. It was purchased by a group of “businessmen” from Chicago (including Al Capone) and was renamed the Chicago Country Club of Valpariso. Florida was the winter hideaway for many from Chicago and the wanted to have their own golf course. The course was sold to a private owner in the 1930s and he donated it to the military in the 1940s. The second course was added about 1990. Both courses offer large elevation changes that are unusual in Florida. Make sure you take the elevation change into account when hitting to the receptive greens that are large and fast. You can call the courses at 850-882-2949.

Golfing on military golf courses will give you some of the best value you will ever get in golf. Most of the military golf courses would rate above average in conditioning and design and way below average in price. The book Military Travel Guide is an excellent source for finding courses and getting telephone numbers. You can get information about the book at www.militaryliving.com.

One of the best golf vacation spots of the world is getting even better.

Listed below are some of the latest happenings in the Myrtle Beach area when determining your Myrtle Beach golf packages.

Waccamaw Trail created south of Myrtle Beach

We’ve heard of the Robert Trent Jones Trail and the Mississippi Golf Trail, and now there is a new one.

The 12 golf courses that make up the Waccamaw Golf Trail includes:

• Blackmoor Golf Club
• Caledonia Golf & Fish Club
• Heritage Club
• Litchfield Country Club
• Pawleys Plantation
• River Club
• Tournament Players Club
• Tradition Club
• True Blue Plantation
• Wachesaw Plantation East
• Willbrook Plantation
• Founders Club at Pawleys Island

Most of the courses on the Waccamaw Golf Trail were built upon the sites of 18th and 19th century rice and indigo plantations, set amid ancient moss-draped oaks and tidal rivers.

The list of accolades for these courses includes GOLF Magazine’s “America’s Top 100″, Golf for Women’s “Top 25 in America” (Willbrook Plantation), six 4-star courses and one of only three 5-star courses in the southeast (Tournament Players Club) as rated by Golf Digest.”

We had the opportunity to play three of the courses on the Trail.

Willbrook Plantation

Willbrook Plantation was the first stop on our Myrtle Beach golf packages tour and we got to play with head professional Kevin Lynch. “We are known as a great course for women, but you can see for yourself how demanding it can play,” he said.

The course meanders through an old plantation, and they have historical markings throughout the course giving you a background of the property.

The large chimney on the sixth hole will distract you from all the water that plays down the right side of this tough par 4.

The seventh is a short par over water that is fun to play.

True Blue Golf Club

Our second stop on our Myrtle Beach golf packages trip was at True Blue Golf Club. Designed by the late Mike Strantz who built Caledonia, my personal favorite in all of Myrtle Beach.

True Blue has a reputation of being very difficult, but if you play from the proper tees it is a great layout.

Some holes are very demanding including the par 3 third that has a diabolically large, two-tiered green surrounded by water.

Three putting is the norm.

That same body of water on number three comes into play often on the par 5 fourth hole. The hole looks like a boomerang as it winds around the water.

Big hitters can challenge the water twice to get home in two, but watch the wind.

Tournament Players Club

Our last stop on the Trail of our Myrtle Beach golf packages tour was Tournament Players Club.

Formerly a TPC course owned by the PGA Tour, and host of a Champions’ Tour event, the property was purchased by Chip Smith, a real estate investor. “We very much appreciate the five-star rating and continue to make improvements in the course,” said Smith who is building villas around the property.

The design and conditioning of the course make it a must play.

Another choice for accommodations on the Trail for your Myrtle Beach golf packages trip is the Legends Club. Located close to the airport off Route 501, the Legends has three top courses on their property and represent two of the Trail courses, TPC and Heritage, that just was named #46 in the Top 100 Public Courses by Golf Digest. “We have accommodations for all sized groups,” said Jim O’Neil of Legends.

You can reach the Legends Club at 1-800-509-4363 or on their website at www.legendsgolf.com.

$8 Million Renovations at Caravelle Myrtle Beach Golf Packages Trip

The Caravelle Resort, originator Myrtle Beach Golf Packages, completed an $8 million renovation of their hotel a few years ago. It is located right on the ocean a mile from the center of town.

“The original property opened in 1960, and everyone said it was too far from downtown and would never make it,” said general manager Chip Russell as he recounted the history of the property and talked about how the Grand Strand now extends for about 17 miles. “This room was where the pioneers in Myrtle Beach met in 1962 to develop a plan to bring golfers (only had three courses at the time-Pine Lakes, Dunes and Sands) to the Beach in the shoulder seasons of spring and fall to fill their hotel and motel rooms in a community that had only been seen as a beach resort,” he added.

The renovations are easy to see. Each room has been completely remodeled including new plasma televisions.

It seems difficult to focus on the television, however, as each room looks out to the ocean. The property is very family-oriented with indoor (first in Myrtle Beach) and outdoor heated pools, a lazy river ride, and fine restaurant.

Myrtle Beach Golf packages started here, and

“We strive to provide outstanding golf packages including weekly golf parties,” added Russell.

You can contact the Caravelle at 888-854-9713 or visit the website at www.thecaravelle.com.

Leopard Chase at Ocean Ridge Plantation

Leopard’s Chase is the fourth course at Ocean Ridge Plantation, and the first Grand Strand public course to open in five years. Designed by Tim Cate, the golf architect has called Leopard’s Chase the best of the four Ocean Ridge golf courses.

Located just outside Calabash, North Carolina, the course has championship potential.

The scenery and elevation changes give the course plenty of character. There are five sets of tees ranging from 7,155 yards down to 4,872 for the forward tees.

We played the white at 6,165 and there were no forced carries that were unmanageable. You will long remember the last hole, a 400-yard par 4 with water down the left, a large waste area down the right and a green tucked behind a plunging waterfall.

Impressive.

You can reach Ocean Ridge Plantation at 1-800-556-6770 or the website at www.oceanridge.com.

Worldgolf.com Network started in Myrtle Beach

A group of Myrtle Beach investors purchased 477 golf websites to start a new Internet network called Worldgolf.com to help people with their Myrtle Beach Golf Packages.

“The chance to purchase the Internet’s most visited network of golf and travel Web sites was an opportunity we could not pass up,” said David Brittain, lead investor with WorldGolf.com LLC.

“The WorldGolf.com ownership group brings to the table an extensive knowledge of Web-hosting and management backed by a proven track record of success in the travel, golf and advertising industries.

To apply this knowledge toward the enhancement of the industry’s top-tier Web sites is an endeavor we are thrilled to pursue, he added.

“The flagship Web site included in the acquisition, WorldGolf.com features candid reviews of golf courses and resort destinations, as well as helpful tips and instructions for site visitors interested in improving their golf game.

The site also includes a comprehensive booking feature that allows visitors to reserve package deals in several key destinations including Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix and Hawaii.

They have a product review section as well as additional commentary on equipment, apparel and courses throughout the world.

WorldGolfWire.com is being enhanced to better serve its readers as a premier daily e-newsletter featuring the latest developments, updates, product information and news from within the golf industry.

Currently, WorldGolfWire.com is delivered to more than 100,000 subscribers including consumers, media and industry professionals. “We want to make this the best and most used golf site on the Internet,” said Will McIntosh, CEO of WorldGolf.com.

You can visit both www.worldgolfwire.com and www.worldgolf.com for great golf and travel information.

What do you think of when you think, Las Vegas Golf Travel? Well, we have found a new place to go for a vacation during the winter. A place where it is warm, can wager a few pesos, and most importantly can compete in a golf tournament on excellent courses.

Notice the dates of the tournament.

It is always held around Valentine’s Day and there are themed dinners for two evenings and an awards luncheon at the end of the tournament.

The entry fee includes a practice round and two rounds of competition with carts, the dinners, boxed lunches during the competition and thousands of dollars in credits for golf products and equipment as prizes given to the top ten places in each division.

That is for both of you!

“We want couples to have a great time, and also see how they do in competition,” said Rapson, who proved to play better than her handicap and helped carry us to an eighth place finish in our division.

I didn’t help much. Must be the winter rust. Maybe just a lack of talent.

The couples are divided into groups by combined handicap of the two players. “We had men and women who were scratch handicaps up to quite a high number,” said Mark Lynch, Tournament Director for the Mesquite Couples and the Mesquite Amateur, a five-day event held every May, who went on to say that the average handicap for men was 13 and the average for women was 23.

“We played in the Mesquite Amateur last May and heard from some who played about what a wonderful event the Couples tournament had been, so we decided to play.

My husband and I love Mesquite. It is a small town with beautiful courses and the elevation changes are so pretty to see,” she added.

This small size did not keep the townsfolk from building beautiful golf courses.

“There are six courses in town and we use three courses in St. George, Utah as part of the Golf Mesquite package,” said Marty Rapson who diplomatically said that she didn’t have a favorite.

“They are all a little different, and all fun to play,” she added. The only course in town not on the Golf Mesquite package is Wolf Creek, a new design carved out of the sandstone in the highest part of the fast-growing Town of Mesquite.

Golf Travel Utah

While on our Las Vegas golf adventure, we managed to get to Utah for a practice round.

Mesquite is one mile from the Arizona border and twenty miles from Utah.

St. George is only 45 miles from Mesquite on the Interstate and you travel through the Virgin River Gorge that took eight years to blast out to complete the highway.

The views are spectacular.

We played Coral Canyon www.coralcanyon.com and it was true high desert golf.

The rock formations, shades of color as the sun hit the mountainside, and the pretty layout makes this a must play.

We flew into Las Vegas directly from Providence on Southwest Airlines.

We visited and toured the Hoover Dam and were still in Mesquite four hours after landing.

We will go back, maybe even some day to play in the Mesquite Amateur.

The relaxed pace and well-run tournament makes for a delightful vacation.

Mesquite and Las Vegas Golf Travel Information

You can find out more about the tournaments at www.CasaBlancaResort.com or www.golfmesquitenevada.com, or calling 1-800-459-7529.

For the Mesquite amateur visit www.mesquiteamateur.com or call 1-888-711-4653 ext. 5-1.