Nov 157 min read

Slice Life November Newsletter

Slice Life

Welcome to the Golf Trip Guys Monthly Newsletter

We are excited to launch this content on a monthly basis to transport your from your desk or home office onto the fairways of a new golf locations. Imagine yourself on the course where you can slice, hook or pound the ball in some new unforgettable surroundings. Please engage and tell us what you want more of and what you could use less of, and most important share with your friends! We don't grow without you!!

Who are we???

Nice to meet you - we are the Golf Trip Guys (Mike and Sean) and we love planning golf trips. It's no secret one of the best things in a golfer's orbit is the golf trip. Exploring new courses, laughs with friends and creating new lasting memories refuel us for months on end. It's the advancing the golf trip out of the group text and then PLANNING it that is the hardest part of such an awesome pastime. Well oddly enough, we love it. From researching new destinations, to lining up logistics and planning out the gameplay, that's what we are here for. We believe you deserve a golf trip and we are glad you are here with us. We also recognize it's hard to coordinate and find a group of 8 or 12 to go on a trip. To solve that, we have created a series of pre-planned events where 2 or 4 golfers can join and meet new golf buddies. Check out our upcoming series for 2025.

Since the average time it takes from the idea of the next golf trip to actually teeing up is ~3-6 months we ignore the present and look right ahead to speeding that process up. In this newsletter, we will highlight destinations for February that may just inspire your next trip...enjoy transporting yourself to a few destinations to keep you warm as the temperature drops...

February Focus: Cabo San Lucas

A luxury winter's dream destination

What seems at the end of the world sits a luxurious coastline that is emerging as an incredible golf destination. This one has all the goods so gear up for a once in lifetime trip that checks multiple boxes. If it's luxury, a guys trip, or a couples retreat, there is adventure and relaxation for all. Cabo defines the adult playground with camel rides, desert ATV adventures, snorkel/scuba and countless spas. When it comes to golf, it's truly hard to beat with landscape that sees the desert meet the coast and form a booming yet still fully undiscovered golf mecca. With 18+ courses dotting the coastline you have the pick of the resort and itinerary to create a lifetime of memories.

We found some crazy posh spots and it was hard to narrow down to just one but ultimately opted to highlight the luxury villas at El Diamante (if resorts are your speed there are plenty we can share). A few flyovers of the Champions Tour at Tiger's TGR course, El Cardonal, helped sway us to feature this property... Let's take a visit to the El Diamante property.

The property sits on 1.5 miles of pristine beachfront along the Pacific Ocean. You’ll find one of the most spectacular golf course facilities, with two championship courses, a short course and putting course.

The Golf

The first complete design done by Tiger Woods and his TGR development company just got it's first major PGA event. El Cardonal is exceptionally playable for all ranges of golfers with wide fairways and various backstop mounding. Strategy is a key element of the design with multiple ways to approach holes. The course has incredible views playing down to the Pacific Ocean while winding through the desert amongst the El Cardonal cacti.

The premier course, Diamante Dunes, designed by Davis Love III has been a frequent visitor on the Golf Magazine Top 100 courses in the world ranking. Set atop and amongst stunning Pacific Dunes with beach and ocean views on the majority of holes, the course leverages the natural layout of the land to provide an exceptional on course experience.

Accommodations

Diamante is a private community but travelers can rent out golf villas and receive access to the property and it's amenities during your stay. There are a host of 3 or 4 Bedroom Villas with incredible outdoor space featuring private infinity pools.

The culinary experience at Diamante offers an array of fine dining and casual eateries. Enjoy weekly themed dinners, daily specials with ingredients from their organic garden, local favorites and creative fare. Outside of golf there are options to meet all your desires. (One advice -- just beware the timeshare sales pitch traps :) ) Otherwise one can achieve maximum relaxation mode cabana side in the 10 acre lagoon followed by spa services. For adventure on the water book chartered fishing trips, scuba or snorkeling excursions. On land hiking, ATV rentals or simply gazing at the breathtaking sunsets over the Pacific. Cabo is a treasure.

February Focus: Scottsdale

A can't miss destination

Cactus lined fairways, mountain views, clear skies...there is a reason Scottsdale continually sneaks into the golf conversation and it is built for golf. With more than 200 courses in the regional area, there is a course for you. From resort style with all the amenities to a desert adventure course that meanders through the Sonoran landscape, this place hits for a February escape from winter. Temps are mild with day temps in the 70s and cool evenings, clear skies and full sun await.

Where to stay:

We have found a sizeable amount of Airbnb's have sprung up that cater to the golf trip crowd. With desert backdrops highlighting crazy amenities like infinite pools, hot tubs and backyard putting greens, it's an incredible setup to keep the fun going after the course.

Where to play:

A monumental question...with so many great courses, this place is worth a yearly trip to hit more and more. For the first time, a trip to TPC Scottsdale is almost a must...it is worth the experience especially if you time it after the Waste Management and get the full effect of the course with all the grandstands. You may not get beers thrown at you for missing the green but the imagination of fans on top of you while you are trying to hit the green is legit. Safe to say the 16th hole surrounded by the bleachers is a golf bucket list mission complete.

We move out of the grandstand and into a true Arizona desert golf experience at We-Ko-Pa. With a casino on site and 36-holes of sweeping landscapes and scenery, this destination is a must visit. The first course, Cholla, is a par 72 dramatic desert journey that follows the rise and fall of the land and surrounds you with unencumbered views of the mountains. The second course, Saguaro, is a par 71 designed by the architects of some other courses you may have heard of...Bandon...and combines natural links style elements into a walkable forgiving layout with endless beauty.

For our final stop, we head to the Monument course at Troon North. Surrounded by the now familiar towering saguaros and natural rock formations, are the signature immaculate fairways and the undulating greens of the Monument course. A unique and memorable challenge awaits on the par-5 3rd, where a massive boulder sits in the fairway. Approach shots are key at 'The Monument', so pick a line that allows for a good second shot and bombs away. While in the area and have the time, a bonus hidden gem is Sunridge Canyon. The Wicked Six finishing holes will test the best of golfers and make the bagpipes at the wickedly fun 19th feel like a reprieve or a celebration for those that survive.

Game of the month

Sometimes it’s fun to mix up the standard stroke play. Cash games are a staple, but if you are looking for some “friendly” competition that keeps everyone on their toes and adds a little strategy to the round, format games are a great alternative.

November's Game - Wolf

If you’re looking for a game with a bit more strategy and a competitive edge, Wolf is a classic choice. This one is great for when your group wants to really get into the action and enjoy a little trash talk along the way. It’s perfect for a group of four and a good game if you only have 3 as you can adjust the rules if you’ve got more or fewer players.

How to Play:

The Basics:

Regardless of how many are in your group, each golfer will take turns being the "Wolf." The Wolf has a special role: for each hole, they decide who they want on their team or if they want to go Lone Wolf. Lastly, don’t forget to also determine the prize for the winner (cash is king!) Winner is the individual who accumulated the most points.

Who’s the Wolf?

Before teeing off, determine your playing order and pick the first Wolf randomly (the classic “tee toss” is a perfect option here). After the first hole, the next player in line becomes the Wolf, and so on.

Making Teams:

After everyone tees off, the Wolf chooses one of the other players to be their partner for the hole. But here’s the kicker—if the Wolf thinks any of the other players will drag them down, they can choose to go Lone Wolf and take on the other three players by themselves.

Example Scoring:

If the Wolf and their partner win the hole, both players get 1 point.

If the Wolf is playing solo and wins, they alone get 2 points.

If the opposing team wins, each player gets one point and no points are awarded to the Wolf.

Risk/reward - the Wolf can also call "Lone Wolf" before seeing any other players tee shots. In this case if they win they can earn 3 points.

In the event of a tie, no points are awarded and no carryovers

Why it's fun:

Wolf is perfect for a competitive group because it brings in elements of strategy and risk. Do you take the safe route and partner up, or do you go Lone Wolf and try to take down the whole field by yourself? Plus, it creates a lot of friendly banter between the players. Trash talk is practically encouraged—and after all, what’s a day on the course with your buddies without a little chirping and bragging rights at the 19th hole!