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From Scotland’s legendary links to Florida’s Gulf Coast, the Preferred Golf Club collection welcomes seven new member resorts in the most sought-after destinations. Created by Preferred Hotel Group in conjunction with American Express, this exclusive program now offers participating Cardmembers entree to more than 60 of the most prestigious golf courses the world has to offer. The newest additions include Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland, Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina, the Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club in Florida, England’s Stoke Park, Northern Ireland’s Lough Erne Golf Resort, Hotel Tivoli Victoria in Portugal, and California’s Ojai Valley Inn & Spa.
Three of Scotland’s top championship courses are available to guests at The Gleneagles Hotel in the Perthshire countryside. They include the famous King’s Course, whose rich history dates back to 1919, the Queen’s Course, and the PGA Centenary Course, which will host the 2014 Ryder’s Cup. The hotel’s legendary golf offerings also include the nine-hole Wee Course and a state-of-the-art Golf Academy. Off-course, guests at this 232-room hotel can enjoy world-class spa treatments at the award-winning Spa at Gleneagles by ESPA, equestrian activities, shooting, falconry, and more.
With eight immaculate golf courses to its name, the celebrated Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina’s Sandhills has hosted more championship tournaments than any other course in the nation. Pinehurst has been garnering top awards since it first opened in 1898, and its 2,000 acres are also home to world-class tennis, spa and family recreational facilities, as well as a historic hotel steeped in Southern tradition.
The Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club in Tampa, Fla., boasts four award-winning layouts by course architect Lawrence Packard, including the famous Copperhead course on the PGA Tour. Golfers can work on their game at the Innisbrook’s 10-acre practice facility and Golf Institute. A luxurious spa, 11 clay tennis courts, six pools, miles of trails, lakes, and proximity to some of the Gulf Coast’s finest beaches round out the offerings at this 620-room resort.
The 27 holes of the Stoke Poges course at Stoke Park, in England’s Buckinghamshire countryside, have been winning well-earned acclaim since 1908. With just 49 luxurious accommodations surrounded by 350 parkland acres, this historic resort offers its guests and members an endless array of luxuries and recreational opportunities that range from grass-court tennis and a state-of-the-art golf academy to world-class spa and fitness facilities.
Nick Faldo’s first Irish course will make its highly anticipated debut on July 1, 2009 at the 120-room Lough Erne Golf Resort in Enniskillen, North Ireland. With the lake in play on 14 holes, this spectacular new course promises to challenge the most experienced players. Golfers can indulge in pre- and post-game massage therapies at the resort’s pampering Thai Spa and finesse their technique at the Lough Erne Golf Academy.
The new Hotel Tivoli Victoria is located in the Vilamoura area of the Algarve Portugal, and overlooks the spectacular Victoria Golf Course, an Arnold Palmer design. It offers 280 luxuriously modern guest accommodations, gourmet dining, the Banyan Tree Spa, a health club, four swimming pools, and a hotel green where golfers can warm-up before their round on a course that represents the most ambitious golf project in all of Portugal.
Golfers can take a swing through history at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa in Ojai, Calif. The resort’s 1923 course follows the natural contours of the sun-dappled terrain in an award-winning design by George C. Thomas Jr., made more challenging in Jay Morrish’s 1988 renovation. The 308-room resort is also home to one of the world’s top spas.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
