Travel &Leisure Golf....

Starwood at the FOREfront

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide is definitely at the forefront when it comes to great golf. With a wide range of properties and styles, including the Luxury Collection, Westin, St. Regis, Sheraton, W Hotels, and Four Points, you’re sure to find the perfect place to play and stay. As one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world, Starwood owns or manages more than 700 hotels in 80 countries. That’s alot of golf!

Two Perfect Picks That Are Way Above Par-

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide obviously offers many ways to enjoy the game of golf at some of the finest accommodations and courses in the world. It’s just a matter of finding the resort and courses that suit you to a tee. Featured below are two top choices that don’t require a trip around the world. Some of Starwood’s best golf resorts are just a short flight, drive, or driver away. You’ll soon see why, for Starwood guests, it’s okay to be way above par.

Westin Innisbrook is In the Bag-

In the rolling hills of Pinellas County, just south of the Greek fishing community of Tarpon Springs and 25 miles west of downtown Tampa, lies one of America’s premier golf vacation destinations--Westin Innisbrook Resort. Innisbrook is the perfect place to take your golf bag (and your family).

The private luxurious setting features 700 all-suite accommodations; 90 holes of championship golf on five award-winning courses; a complete tennis, racquetball, and fitness facility; dining in five restaurants, ranging from seafood to northern Italian cuisine; and live entertainment. Guests can also enjoy six swimming pools (including a fun family pool and whimsical water slide complex), jogging and cycling trails, a nature preserve, and a complete children’s recreation center.

Guest accommodations are in 28 low-rise lodges, which are named for famous golf courses around the world. These lodges are nestled around the resort’s golf courses, clubhouses, and pools. The clubhouses act as centers for dining, entertainment, sports, and leisure activities.

The famed Copperhead Course--site of the JCPenney Classic--is consistently ranked one of the top courses around. Copperhead recently reopened after an extensive renovation in anticipation of the PGA TOUR event scheduled for Copperhead October 16-22, 2000. Well-known Eagle’s Watch, the Island course, and Hawk’s Run (opened for play in January, 1998) provide a wide variety of golf experiences. Lost Oaks of Innisbrook, formerly known as Tarpon Woods, was acquired by Innisbrook in 1997 and completely renovated. In addition to outstanding play, Innisbrook offers the top-notch Innisbrook Troon Golf School developed by Jay Overton, including weekend programs during the summer and a Summer Junior Golf School for those ten and older..

After undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation, the entire resort is better than ever. Camp Innisbrook, A Westin Kid’s Club, and the Recreation Center mean families are very welcome at the resort. When you add a wide variety of dining, amenities, conference facilities, nearby attractions, and many package possibilities, you have a complete golf vacation resort.

Three-night packages at Westin Innisbrook Resort start at just $699 per person, including club suite accommodations, one round of golf daily (including arrival and departure days), golf club storage, and advance tee times. Call a Starwood resort specialist at (800) 555-4540 or plan, price, and buy your vacation online at www.starwoodvacations.com/golf.

Go Fore It at The Phoenician-

A verdant oasis in the heart of the rugged Sonoran Desert awaits golfers at The Phoenician. Situated on 250 lush acres at the base of majestic Camelback Mountain, The Phoenecian offers vacationing golfers a retreat unlike any other resort.

With 654 expansive rooms, The Phoenician offers a full spectrum of accommodations, yet still manages to retain the more personal atmosphere and stellar service of a boutique hotel. The resort’s main building offers 454 beautifully appointed guestrooms and 12 luxury suites, as well as two presidential suites with 3,200 square feet of elegance and comfort.

The Canyon Building is more secluded and intimate, with 20 guestrooms, 38 luxury suites, and two presidential suites. For absolute privacy and seclusion, seven roomy villas offer luxurious suite accommodations. In addition, 107 casita guestrooms and 12 casita suites are nestled along the edge of the necklace lake, with doorstep parking, fireplaces, and panoramic views. Each guestroom is highlighted by an oversized Italian marble bath.

Other Phoenician amenities include: three distinctive dining venues, along with several casual options and their famous afternoon tea; numerous pools (including a 165-foot water slide for kids and kids at hear); the Tennis Garden’s 12 courts and four different surfaces; croquet; lawn bowling; biking and hiking; and the full-service Centre for Well-Being to soothe the mind and body (see below for special golfer programs). In addition, The Funician Kids Club offers younger guests a myriad of hand-on activities and projects.

The Phoenician Golf Club is considered one of the most beautifully designed and landscaped golf courses in Arizona. The Golf Club features an impeccably manicured 27-hole layout, which was designed by Homer Flint and Ted Robinson, Sr. These championship nines circle the resort, offering three distinct experiences. A driving range, chipping green, and putting green are also popular.

As an added benefit for visiting golfers, The Centre for Well-Being at The Phoenician equips golfers with advanced tools to improve physical and mental power on the course through an exciting synergy between golf and spa. The Golf Power Core Program is anchored by the ASTAR (Automated Sports Training and Research) digital golf analysis, which is followed by a training session with a Centre exercise therapist trained in the field of biomechanics (this targets postural misalignment and imbalances affecting a golfer’s swing). Additional program components can include: on-course instruction for nine holes with a teaching pro; guided visualization; strength training specifically for golfers; after-golf massage; a reflexology session; and much more.

Three-night packages at The Phoenician start at just $xxx per person, including resort accommodations and unlimited golf daily for two. Call a Starwood resort specialist at (800) 555-4540 or plan, price, and buy your vacation online at www.starwoodvacations.com/golf.

TRAVEL & LEISURE GOLF Club-

Travel & Leisure Golf and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide are proud to present The Golf Club, a unique club created exclusively for readers of Travel & Leisure Golf. Membership includes a wide array of exciting benefits, including tremendous discounts on golf merchandise, great savings on golf vacations, and discounts at hundreds of luxurious hotels and resorts worldwide.

The membership kit includes: a 48-page catalog, with savings of up to 40% off retail prices on apparel, equipment, and accessories from top-name manufacturers; listings of ongoing member discounts and benefits at resorts worldwide; an assortment of golf vacation packages created especially for members; special savings certificates to use at golf resorts; club finder, to help you find lost clubs on the course; a personalized bag tag; and an exclusive member’s newsletter with even more savings.

Join now! Call (888) 232-8184 for details.