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GOLF ADVISOR LIVING, SHOWCASING IDEAL GOLFING LIFESTYLES, DEBUTS WEDNESDAY WITH HOST KIRA KAZANTSEV, MISS AMERICA 2015

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Jack Nicklaus and Kazantsev Will Join Wednesday’s Morning Drive for a Profile of Arizona’s Desert Mountain Golf and Recreational Community

 

Kira Kazantsev to Serve as GOLF Advisor Living Features Host and Will Contribute On-Air and Online as a Lifestyle Correspondent for GOLF

ORLANDO, Fla. (Feb. 26, 2019) – Showcasing the abundant ways to live the ideal golfing lifestyle, the new GOLF Advisor Living on Wednesday will begin airing monthly features on GOLF Channel’s Morning Drive. In tandem with the golfing lifestyle content found on GOLF Advisor, the segments will be hosted by GOLF Lifestyle Correspondent Kira Kazantsev – Miss America 2015 – and will profile the country’s finest golf communities, as well as share the latest real estate, apparel and lifestyle trends.

 

On the Wednesday edition of Morning Drive, beginning at 7 a.m. ET, Kazantsev and golfing legend Jack Nicklaus will join the show for an insider’s look at Arizona’s Desert Mountain, considered among the best golf and recreational communities in the world. Nicklaus, who designed all six golf courses at Desert Mountain, will talk about the community’s unparalleled desert golf, while Kazantsev will profile the many amenities, activities and events that have earned Desert Mountain the reputation as the epitome of desert living and the ideal golfing lifestyle.

Watch a Preview of the Desert Mountain Feature Here

 

“We’ll be visiting some incredible properties and communities, and showing the things that make them special, like great golf, restaurants, activities and shopping,” Kazantsev said. “These are places anchored around golf that people would consider making their homes. It’s not necessarily all about golf, it’s about how it plays into your life and the greater joys you get out of it.”

 

Through expansive on-air features and regular news reports, as well as a broad range of editorial from an expert team of writers – covering topics from real estate trends to the private club lifestyle – GOLF Advisor Living is the newest offering by GOLF Advisor, the ultimate online destination for people looking to play, travel and live the golf life.

 

“Expanding the GOLF Advisor business with an additional focus on real estate, private communities and the golf lifestyle is an exciting opportunity,” said Mike Lowe, vice president and general manager, GOLF Advisor. “GOLF Advisor was founded on showcasing the best in destination golf travel, and now we’ve widened our view to provide expert advice on how to put golf at the center of your daily life.”

 

Kazantsev, who recently made the cut at the 2019 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am where she played alongside PGA TOUR winner Ryan Armour, has a long history with golf. The daughter of Russian immigrants, Kazantsev was first introduced to the sport as a child by her father, who considered playing golf an “American right of passage.” A “serious” junior golfer, she has played in numerous competitive events over the years and credits golf with opening doors throughout her career. Kazantsev attended Hofstra University, and was crowned Miss America in 2015, Miss New York City 2014 and Miss New York 2014.

 

On an encore episode of GOLF Advisor Round Trip airing tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET on GOLF Channel, host Matt Ginella provides a look at the desert golf experience offered by Scottsdale, Ariz.

 

About GOLF Advisor

GOLF Advisor is the ultimate digital destination for traveling golfers, who love to play, travel and learn more about how the sport can be experienced around the world. Featuring more than 825,000 reviews of 14,000-plus golf courses, GOLF Advisor serves as a one-stop, customized experience for golfers of all levels to find honest recommendations from their peers – and to offer feedback of their own – about any golf course they play, anywhere, anytime. The GOLF Advisor portfolio also includes a GOLF Channel travel series, GOLF Advisor Round Trip and GOLF Advisor Getaways, premium travel experiences at world-class resorts and clubs. A veteran staff of award-winning writers provides complementary, expert editorial content about golf travel, architecture and history. GOLF Advisor also is home to the popular ”Best of” Lists generated each year from authentic golfer reviews. Special GOLF Advisor perks and benefits, including travel assistance, insider travel information and credit at a selection of top resorts, are available through any GOLFPASS membership.

-NBC Sports Group-

GOLF ADVISOR ‘BEST OF’ LISTS REVEAL COURSES THAT BEST EXEMPLIFY CHARACTERISTICS RECREATIONAL GOLFERS DEMAND THE MOST

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A Year of Reviews by Recreational Golfers Determined Top 25 Lists for Most Improved, Best Layouts, Staff Friendliness, Pace of Play, and More

 

ORLANDO, Fla. (Jan. 14, 2019) – The next wave of GOLF Advisor’s “Best of” lists were revealed this week, showcasing the top golf courses in the United States that best cater to the ever-changing tastes of recreational golfers.

 

The “Best of” lists feature the top-25 courses in separate categories, determined by specific criteria, including: Top 25 Most Improved Courses; Top 25 Courses Rated by Value; Top 25 Course Layouts in the U.S.; Top 25 Courses for Staff Friendliness; Top-Rated Courses for Pace of Play; Top 25 Courses Rated by Conditions; Top 25 Courses for Off-Course Amenities; and Top Courses by State.

 

“What really separates our review platform from other consumer review sites, like Yelp, Google and TripAdvisor, is that not only is our reviewer base full of avid golfers, but our platform lets golfers drill down into these subcategories,” said GOLF Advisor Senior Managing Editor Brandon Tucker. “This level of detail is unmatched in the golf review industry and provides a much more thorough idea of what the total golf experience is like from the parking lot to 19th hole.”

 

More than 2,800 golf courses of the 144,000-plus courses reviewed on GOLF Advisor in 2018 were considered, having received the minimum 10 reviews to qualify.

 

Unlike golf course rankings published by industry insiders who have access to golf courses the public may never have the opportunity to play, these GOLF Advisor “Best of” lists are totally consumer driven – by recreational golfers, for recreational golfers. Ages, handicaps and budgets of golfers using the website run the gamut, so the more than 825,000 reviews GOLF Advisor has accumulated showcase the golf course characteristics that are the most important to avid golfers across the country.

 

The GOLF Advisor online destination grew rapidly in 2018, with user traffic to the website hit all-time highs for four consecutive months during the year. It also expanded services for the avid traveling golfer, including the debut of a GOLF Channel series, titled GOLF Advisor Round Trip. Hosted by Matt Ginella, the series takes viewers around the world to showcase amazing golfing destinations. On the next episode, Ginella will showcase beautiful Sandestin, Fla., airing Tuesday, Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. (watch a preview here ), with upcoming destinations including Melbourne, Australia; Baha Mar, Bahamas; and Turning Stone Resort in New York state. Viewers also can travel with the GOLF Advisor team on hosted golfing trips – GOLF Advisor Getaways – exploring the destinations featured on the TV series. On the next Getaway, GOLF Advisor Senior Writer Bradley Klein will host an experience of Florida’s most significant courses, new and old, with the group based at famed Streamsong Resort, March 31-April 3.

 

The “Best of” lists can be found at GOLFAdvisor.com.

 

About GOLF Advisor

GOLF Advisor is the ultimate digital destination for traveling golfers, who love to play, travel and learn more about how the sport of golf can be experienced around the world. Featuring more than 825,000 reviews of 14,000-plus golf courses, GOLF Advisor serves as a one-stop, customized experience for golfers of all levels to find honest recommendations from their peers – and to offer feedback of their own – about any golf course they play, anywhere, anytime. The GOLF Advisor portfolio also includes a Golf Channel travel series, GOLF Advisor Round Trip; GOLF Advisor Getaways, which are premium travel experiences at world-class resorts and clubs; and GOLF Advisor Club, offering exclusive member benefits and perks. A veteran staff of award-winning writers provides complementary, expert editorial content about golf travel, architecture and history. GOLF Advisor also is home to the popular ”Best of” Lists generated each year from authentic golfer reviews.

 

-NBC Sports Group-

 

Media Contact:

Dan Higgins

Golf Channel Communications

Dan.Higgins@GolfChannel.com

407-355-4018

GOLF ADVISOR REVEALS MOST-ANTICIPATED ‘BEST OF’ LIST OF THE YEAR

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Top 50 Golf Courses in the U.S. Determined by Reviews from Recreational Golfers

 

This Year’s Top 50 List Includes Eight New Courses in the Top 10; 22 New Courses Overall

 

ORLANDO, Fla. (Jan. 2, 2019) – Golf Advisor has revealed its annual list of Top 50  golf courses in the United States, the website’s most-popular and most-anticipated list determined by recreational golfers who shared their reviews throughout the year with the online destination for traveling golfers.

 

Unlike golf course rankings published by industry insiders who have access to golf courses the public may never have the opportunity to play, the Golf Advisor Top 50  list is totally consumer driven – by recreational golfers, for recreational golfers. Ages, handicaps and budgets of golfers using the website run the gamut, so the more than 825,000 reviews Golf Advisor has accumulated showcase the golf course characteristics that are the most important to avid golfers across the country, like pace of play, staff friendliness and value.

 

What makes Golf Advisor’s Top 50 list unique and interesting is the potential for volatility year-to-year due to changes in consumer tastes. These swings can depend on a variety of factors – anything from course conditioning to new pricing. This year’s list includes eight new courses within the top 10 that were not included last year, and 22 new courses overall.

 

“This is our fifth Top 50 list since we launched Golf Advisor in 2014 and the variety of our reviewers continue to evolve,” said Brandon Tucker, senior managing editor, Golf Advisor. “While the list includes a sampling of bucket-list courses that are delivering on high golfer expectations, a large selection of the list features special, more reasonably priced courses that are excelling in their local or regional market.”

 

More than 2,800 golf courses of the 144,000-plus courses reviewed on Golf Advisor in 2018 were considered, having received the minimum 10 reviews to qualify for the Top 50.

 

“Reading through the reviews, we are seeing evidence of reviewers choosing to book at a golf course based on what golfers like them have to say on Golf Advisor about the total experience,” Tucker said.

 

Other lists released this week include:  Top 25 Most Improved Courses; Top 25 Courses Rated by Value; Top 25 Course Layouts in the U.S.; Top 25 Courses for Staff Friendliness; Top-Rated Courses for Pace of Play; Top 25 Courses Rated by Conditions; Top 25 Courses for off-course amenities; and Top Courses by state.

 

Below is Golf Advisor’s list of Top 50 golf courses for 2018. An asterisk signifies a course which has never previously appeared on the list:

 

  1.      Bethpage State Park/Black Course* – Farmingdale, N.Y.
  2.      Atlantic City Country Club* – Northfield, N.J.
  3.      Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass – Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
  4.      Tobacco Road Golf Club* – Sanford, N.C.
  5.      Pilgrims Run Golf Club – Pierson, Mich.
  6.      Black Lake Golf Club* – Onaway, Mich.
  7.      Yocha Dehe Golf Club at Cache Creek Casino Resort – Brooks, Calif.
  8.      Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort/Snow Mountain Course – Las Vegas, Nev.
  9.      Chariot Run Golf Club – Laconia, Ind.
  10.      Mauna Lani Resort/South Course* – Kohala Coast, Hawaii
  11.      Royal Manchester Golf Links – Mount Wolf, Pa.
  12.      Pinehills Golf Club/Nicklaus Course* – Plymouth, Mass.
  13.      Rams Hill Golf Club – Borrego Springs, Calif.
  14.      Bear Slide Golf Club*- Cicero, Ind.
  15.      Blackstone Golf Club – Marengo, Ill.
  16.      World Woods Golf Club/Pine Barrens Course – Brooksville, Fla.
  17.      Harbour Town Golf Links – Hilton Head Island, S.C.
  18.      Seaview Golf Club – Bay Course* – Absecon, N.J.
  19.      Kiva Dunes – Gulf Shores, Ala.
  20.      Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort/Sun Mountain Course – Las Vegas, Nev.
  21.      Ballamor Golf Club*- Egg Harbor Township, N.J.
  22.      Barnsley Resort* – Adairsville, Ga.
  23.      Waldorf Astoria Golf Club – Orlando, Fla.
  24.      Fox Hopyard Golf Club* – East Haddam, Conn.
  25.      Prairie Landing Golf Club* – West Chicago, Ill.
  26.      Riverwood Golf Club – Port Charlotte, Fla.
  27.      Indian Wells Golf Resort – Celebrity Course – Indian Wells, Calif.
  28.      River Course at Sevierville Golf Club* – Sevierville, Tenn.
  29.      Founders Course at Verrado Golf Club – Buckeye, Ariz.
  30.      King and Bear Golf Course at World Golf Village* – St. Augustine, Fla.
  31.      Royal Hylands Golf Club – Knightstown, Ind.
  32.      Heron Glen Golf Course* – Ringoes, N.J.
  33.      Caledonia Golf & Fish Club – Pawleys Island, S.C.
  34.      The Links At Union Vale* – Lagrangeville, N.Y.
  35.      White Horse Golf Club* – Kingston, Wash.
  36.      Whirlwind Golf Club – Devil’s Claw – Chandler, Ariz.
  37.      Maderas Golf Club – Poway, Calif.
  38.      Lanier Islands Legacy Golf Course* – Buford, Ga.
  39.      Harbor Links Golf Club at Sagamore Resort – Liberty, Ind.
  40.      Quintero Golf Club – Peoria, Ariz.
  41.      Seneca Hickory Stick Golf Club* – Lewiston, N.Y.
  42.      Arrowhead Pointe Golf Course at Lake Richard B. Russell – Elberton, Ga.
  43.      The Palmer Course at La Cantera Resort – San Antonio, Texas
  44.      Pole Creek Golf Club – Tabernash, Colo.
  45.      North Conway Country Club* – North Conway, N.H.
  46.      Grand Cypress North/South/East – Orlando, Fla.
  47.      English Turn Golf & Country Club – New Orleans, La.
  48.      Trump National Doral Miami/Red Tiger* – Doral, Fla.
  49.      TPC Myrtle Beach* – Murrells Inlet, S.C.
  50.      University of Georgia Golf Course – Athens, Ga.

 

The Golf Advisor online destination grew rapidly in 2018, expanding services for the avid traveling golfer, including the debut of a Golf Channel series and the introduction of hosted golfing trips. User traffic to the website hit all-time highs for four consecutive months during the year.

 

About Golf Advisor

Golf Advisor is the ultimate digital destination for traveling golfers, who love to play, travel and learn more about how the sport of golf can be experienced around the world. Featuring more than 825,000 reviews of 14,000-plus golf courses, Golf Advisor serves as a one-stop, customized experience for golfers of all levels to find honest recommendations from their peers – and to offer feedback of their own – about any golf course they play, anywhere, anytime. The Golf Advisor portfolio also includes a Golf Channel travel series, Golf Advisor Round Trip; Golf Advisor Getaways, which are premium travel experiences at world-class resorts and clubs; and Golf Advisor Club, offering exclusive member benefits and perks. A veteran staff of award-winning writers provides complementary, expert editorial content about golf travel, architecture and history. Golf Advisor also is home to the popular ”Best of” Lists generated each year from authentic golfer reviews.

 

-NBC Sports Group-

 

Media Contact:

Dan Higgins

Golf Channel Communications

Dan.Higgins@GolfChannel.com

407-355-4018

TROON SELECTS NBC SPORTS’ GOLF ADVISOR AS LICENSEE FOR TROON GOLF VACATIONS

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TROON SELECTS NBC SPORTS’ GOLF ADVISOR AS LICENSEE FOR TROON GOLF VACATIONS 

World’s Largest Golf Management Company and Golf’s Leading Digital Travel Source Partnering to Deliver New Golf Vacation Travelers to Troon-Affiliated Destinations

 

ORLANDO, Fla. (Dec. 19, 2018) – Golf Advisor, NBC Sports’ ultimate digital destination for the traveling golfer, today announced a new partnership with leading golf course management company, Troon, making Golf Advisor the official licensee of Troon Golf Vacations.

Golf Advisor will assume responsibilities for marketing and fulfillment for hundreds of properties within the Troon Golf Vacations destination portfolio. Troon Golf Vacations destinations include Hawaii, Scottsdale, Florida, Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Puerto Rico and more. Notable golf courses include Kapalua on Maui, Troon North in Scottsdale, Pronghorn in Oregon, Tiburón in Florida, and Bahia Beach in Puerto Rico, to name a few.

“The rapid evolution of the travel offerings introduced in 2018 to the Golf Advisor brand has been exciting to watch,” said Jeff Foster, senior vice president, GolfNow and Emerging Businesses. “This new partnership complements an already great resource for the avid traveling golfer. Since Troon has always been a valued partner within our businesses, expanding our relationship to drive more golf travelers to Troon locations is a very natural next step.”

“We are excited to partner with Golf Advisor and Golf Channel on this collaboration with Troon Golf Vacations that will ultimately deliver golf vacation travelers to our family of courses, resort partners and destinations,” stated Tim Schantz, president of Troon. “Together with our Troon-supported sales and marketing reach, combined with Golf Advisor’s and Golf Channel’s marketing, we will create new synergies that will connect traveling golfers with stunning resort locations.”

Troon Golf Vacations currently offers customized golf packages that couple resort accommodations and Troon-affiliated courses around the world. Golf Advisor, which features more than 800,000 golf course reviews, award-winning editorial content and a host of travel experiences, will use its resources to significantly enhance the Troon Golf Vacations brand and help heighten awareness of Troon-affiliated destinations across North America through digital promotion, social media and via Golf Channel on-air exposure. Operationally, Golf Advisor plans to integrate new technologies to improve the overall booking experience for golfers and maximize efficiencies for both golf travelers and host destinations.

Golfers will be able to continue to book their travel experiences through the Troon Golf Vacations page on TroonGolfVacations.com – which Golf Advisor will host and manage – and now via Golf Advisor.

About Golf Advisor

Golf Advisor is the ultimate digital destination for traveling golfers, who love to play, travel and learn more about how the sport of golf can be experienced around the world. Featuring more than 825,000 reviews of 14,000-plus golf courses, Golf Advisor serves as a one-stop, customized experience for golfers of all levels to find honest recommendations from their peers – and to offer feedback of their own – about any golf course they play, anywhere, anytime. The Golf Advisor portfolio also includes a Golf Channel travel series, Golf Advisor Round Trip; Golf Advisor Getaways, which are premium travel experiences at world-class resorts and clubs; and Golf Advisor Club, offering exclusive member benefits and perks. A veteran staff of award-winning writers provides complementary, expert editorial content about golf travel, architecture and history. Golf Advisor also is home to the popular Best of Lists generated each year from authentic golfer reviews.

About Troon

Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf management company providing services at more than 360 locations around the globe, including 280 golf courses at 246 facilities. In addition to golf, Troon specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management and associated hospitality venues. Troon’s award-winning food and beverage division operates and manages more than 150 restaurants located at golf resorts, private clubs, daily fee golf courses and recreational facilities. With properties located in 35 states and 30 countries, divisions of Troon include Troon Golf, Honours Golf, Troon Privé (the private club operating division of Troon), Troon International and Cliff Drysdale Management. There are currently 60 Troon-affiliated properties featuring 80 golf courses on national and international “Top 100” rankings. Troon-affiliated properties include Bayside Resort Golf Club in Selbyville, Delaware; Kapalua on Maui, Hawaii; Mauna Lani Resort on the Kohala Coast on Hawaii; Pronghorn in Bend, Oregon; Lofoten Links in Norway; and Mollymook Golf Club in Australia. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com, or connect with Troon on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, Blog, Press Room, or subscribe to Troon Golf & Travel.

 

-NBC Sports Group-

Golf Life Navigators Launches Co-Branding Partnership with Golf Channel’s Golf Advisor

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(NAPLES, Fla.) – Golf Life Navigators (GLN) – providing the only marketplace in the world for consumer-to-club connections – has entered into a strategic co-branding partnership with Golf Channel’s Golf Advisor.

Based in South Florida with an active presence across the U.S, GLN uses the unique algorithm of its automated online ProGuide³ questionnaire to create a stress-free targeted marketplace for “best-matched” potential members with golf and country club options in Florida, Arizona, North Carolina and South Carolina. GLN’s properties division identifies primary and secondary residences in golf and non-golf communities.

Golf Advisor is the leading digital destination for the avid, traveling golfer. Its engaged community shares first-hand experiences at thousands of courses worldwide. To date, golfers have submitted more than 800,000 reviews on more than 14,000 courses around the globe. Additionally, Golf Advisor has an expert editorial staff producing daily articles, newsletters, photo galleries, travel tips, “Best of” lists and more.

Through Golf Advisor’s robust content creation and promotion, GLN will tell its story to a wider audience of golfers, including those planning for retirement, researching personal and professional relocation, and / or seeking a coveted “snowbird” lifestyle. Golf Advisor’s editorial team will benefit from GLN’s rich data, helping to generate more compelling editorial content on emerging trends and insights into golf courses and communities.

Private clubs also will benefit from the content by discovering “actionable” information they can use to better their facility and service. This data also will help Golf Advisor users make more informed decisions when it comes to places to play, as well as places in which they are considering investing.

“The Golf Life Navigators model intrigued us and we feel it’s something that serves a substantial need within the private golf industry,” says Jeff Foster, senior vice president, GolfNow and Emerging Businesses. “Connecting our Golf Advisor brand to the Golf Life Navigators product will help power thousands of ProGuides for private club partners and further facilitate partnerships with private clubs on behalf of our RIDE procurement service.”

“We’re thrilled to partner with Golf Advisor as it will provide us valuable exposure to consumers considering a move to the Sun Belt states,” says Jason Becker, CEO of GLN. “It’s an incredible milestone for our company to have grown to the point where we’re now in partnership with a true industry leader like Golf Channel.”

GLN’s unique ProGuide³ has been referred to as “eHarmony meets Zillow for golf” and focuses on three crucial criteria when identifying “matching” clubs:  golf, amenities and lifestyle.  To date, more than 6,700 golfers completed the free, 10-minute questionnaire. From the results, up to six “best-matched clubs” are presented for consideration.

About Golf Life Navigators

Based in South Florida with active presence across the U.S, GLN efficiently eases the process of determining the precise real estate, golf and country club membership choices for golfers looking to retire, relocate or engage in the “snowbird” life.  Created in 2014 by grass-root PGA Professionals, club managers and membership directors, GLN guides discerning golfers, club seekers and property buyers through an in-depth analysis and insights befitting their unique lifestyle desires and budgets.  The company has two divisions:  Golf Life Properties, the in-house real-estate brokerage specializing in golf course homes and real estate communities, and Golf Life Analytics, owner of an immense catalog of golf club and community data. More information:  www.GolfLifeNavigators.com, 800.447.8707.

About Golf Advisor

Golf Advisor is the ultimate digital destination for traveling golfers, who love to play, travel and learn more about how the sport of golf can be experienced around the world. Featuring more than 750,000 reviews of 14,000-plus golf courses, Golf Advisor serves as a one-stop, customized experience for golfers of all levels to find honest recommendations from their peers – and to offer feedback of their own – about any golf course they play, anywhere, anytime. The Golf Advisor portfolio also includes a Golf Channel travel series, Golf Advisor Round Trip; Golf Advisor Getaways, which are premium travel experiences at world-class resorts and clubs; and Golf Advisor Club, offering exclusive member benefits and perks. A veteran staff of award-winning writers provides complementary, expert editorial content about golf travel, architecture and history. Golf Advisor also is home to the popular Best of Lists generated each year from authentic golfer reviews.