Instead of plunking down several million dollars for a waterfront villa in Hawaii, for example, you can purchase nearly one month’s worth of use in an island vacation home for a fraction of the cost. As a Club member, you and your guests will appreciate the comforts of home while being treated to the legendary services and lavish amenities that Ritz-Carlton hotel guests enjoy.

Among the locations—and more on the way—are some delightful golf prop­erties. Now open, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club & Spa (Jupiter, Fla.) boasts an im­peccably manicured Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course and Addison Mizner-inspired architecture. Available for occupancy in the next few years, ad­ditional locations will offer a variety of golf experiences. Five consecutive ocean­front holes will inspire players at The Ritz- Carlton Club, Kauai lagoons (Hawaii). Golfers will also be enchanted by The Ritz-Carlton Club, Kapalua Bay (Hawaii), located in the famed Kapalua Resort, which has set the standard of sophistication on Maui.

Each location serves up unique activities with a local flair, along with all the extravagances Ritz-Carlton fans have come to expect: rejuvenating spa services, palate-tantalizing cuisine, attentive staff and elegant decor. Floor plans range from one to four bedrooms, and all residences are well appointed with fully equipped kitchens, appliances and plush interiors. As an added benefit, members may explore other Ritz-Carlton Club residences through reciprocal-used privileges.

Fractional ownership with The Ritz-Carlton Club is changing the future of vacation-home ownership.

In Hot Springs,Va., The Homestead first welcomed guests in 1766. J.P. Morgan bought the place in 1888, adding the main building, the famed spa with its gorgeous indoor pool and a Donald Ross golf course, the first of three 18-hole layouts. New owner KSL Resorts has updated the bathrooms in all 486 rooms, put in a new driving range at The Cascades Course and restored  the Old Course bunkers to Ross’ original 1913 design. Darling, you look marvelous.

The tournament will be contested on Waikoloa’s legendary Kings’ Course, a collaboration of Jay Morrish and Tom Weiskopf, which contains design elements reminiscent of a Scottish links course while simultaneously offering amazing views of Big Island volcanoes, wildflowers and towering palm trees. Golfers always enjoy the Scottish-style double green shared by the third and sixth holes. On the free day, competitors can also tee it up on the sister Beach Course, which hugs the water and was literally carved from the lava flow along the picturesque Wailulua Bay. Its signature is the par-5 12th, bordering the ocean from tee to green. Perhaps the biggest challenge is not being distracted by the frolicking humpback whales.

As diverse as its courses are the Waikoloa lodging options—which include the Waikoloa Beach Marriott and the Hilton Waikoloa Village, as well as no less than a half dozen luxurious condominium properties—all with wonderful views and comfortable furnishings. More than a few golfers have paid a first-time visit, fell in love with every aspect of this gorgeous 1,350-acre master-planned residential resort community and ended up buying a vacation home before they left.

MODEL YEAR: 2007

BEST FOR : Going fast without sacrificing seating and lug­gage space.

LOOKS : Low and aggressive, like the muscle car your first boyfriend had back in the day.

ENGINE : 6.1 liter SRT Hemi V8; 425 hp.

PROS AND CONS : This high-performance version of the 300 sedan is a living room on wheels. But its interior lacks the panache of the European luxury sedans.

GOLF BAG CAPACITY : Two to three.

HOW IT DRIVES: Loud and proud. The Hemi engine provides snap-your-neck acceleration, and the sport-tuned suspension gives this rear-wheel-drive vehicle a firmer ride for better handling.

COOL OPTIONS : Satellite navigation system, chrome-detailed side molding, chromed mirrors and door handles, rear entertainment system.

Infiniti G35X AWD

MODEL YEAR : 2007

BEST FOR: A high-spirited romp through the urban jungle.

LOOKS : Performance meets sex appeal.

ENGINE : 3.5 liter V6; 306 hp.

PROS AND CONS : This all-wheel-drive version of the second-generation G35 is a low-slung sedan with a luxurious feel, thanks to the leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated seats, violet-hued gauges and knobs, and textured aluminum trim. Some of our older passengers found it a bit too low to the ground.

GOLF BAG CAPACITY :Two Golf Bag.

HOW IT DRIVES : Even better than the original: quicker on the straightaway, and smoother on its feet in the twisters. It practically danced around tight corners.

COOL OPTIONS : XM satellite radio, Bose sound system, Blue- tooth hands-free phone system, African rosewood trim.

VW EOS

MODEL YEAR : 2007

BEST FOR : Having fun, fun, fun till your husband takes the car keys away.

LOOKS : Cute as a button.

ENGINE : 2.0 liter, turbocharged inline four cylinder; 200 hp.

PROS AND CONS : Named after the Greek goddess of dawn, the Eos is one of the best convertible val­ues around. It’s also the only hardtop with a power sunroof. But the top hogs the trunk when down, so throw your bag in the backseat.

GOLF BAG CAPACITY : One with top up, zero with top down.

HOW IT DRIVES : The turbo engine provides lots of smooth, easy power, and the car handled like a champ.

COOL OPTIONS: DVD navigation system, leather seats, Dynaudio sound system.

Any course designer would relish the opportunity to shape such a spectacular landscape into equally spectacular fairways and greens. Among those who have are such creative legends as Robert Cupp, Tom Weiskopf, Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Tom Fazio. A perfect way to sample many of the best is to tee it up in the west’s biggest amateur handicap golf event, the Northwest Dodge Dealers Pacific Amateur Golf Classic. Golfers will compete for three days at a different course each day. Those advancing to the championship roondwill tangle with the legendary Crosswater at Sunriver Resort, tanked among America’s best by Golf Digest.

After each day’s round, golfers can attend special 19th-hole activities at Sunriver, the PacArn’s official host site. The tournament’s comprehensive website (PacArngolf.com) has details about the event including information about the courses, the hotel options and the playing format.

With so many things to do and so many courses to play, it’s no wonder vacationers return to Central Oregon year after year.

Mercedes-Benz CLS550

MODEL YEAR: 2007

BEST FOR : Thrill- seeking golfers who want to push it.

LOOKS : Low to the ground and gorgeous.

ENGINE : 5.5 liter 32-valve V8; 382 hp.

PROS AND CONS : The interior is richly appointed in leather and wood, and the uncluttered gauge cluster is easy to read. Loved the iPod interface, but the low roof made it a little difficult to get in and out of the cockpit.

GOLF BAG CAPACITY : Two to three.

HOW IT DRIVES : Firm, smooth and super powerful, it makes you feel like you own the road.

COOL OPTIONS : Tele-Aid roadside assistance, cockpit management and data system with radio, CD player and color LCD navigation screen.

BMW 335i Convertible

MODEL YEAR : 2007

BEST FOR : Cruising to your favorite course-on the other side of the state.

LOOKS : Crisp and stylish, whether the top is up or down.

ENGINE : 3.0 liter 24-valve inline six cylinder; 300 hp.

PROS AND CONS : The leather upholstery has heat-reflective technology that can lower its surface temperature by as much as 36 degrees. (No more burning the backs of your legs on a hot day!) The hardtop disappears into the trunk in a mere 22 seconds, but it gobbles up trunk space when lowered.

GOLF BAG CAPACITY : One with top up. Zero with top down.

HOW IT DRIVES: The lightning-fast six-speed manual shifter and firm, athletic suspen­sion combine for an incredible experience.

COOL OPTIONS: 18-inch alloy wheels and sport-tuned suspension.

Land Rover LR2

MODEL YEAR : 2008

BEST FOR : Indulgent, everyday driving, from the golf course to the mall.

LOOKS : A cross between the LR3 and Range Rover Sport: stylish, simple and, of course, boxy.

ENGINE : 3.2liter aluminum-alloy inline six cylinder; 230 hp.

PROS AND CONS : This small sport-Ute has an upright, muscular stance, a well-planned interior layout, supportive leather seats and seating for five. The gauges could be brighter and bigger.

GOLF BAG CAPACITY : Four Golf Bag.

HOW IT DRIVES : Very stable and balanced, even when we pushed it hard. The engine delivered decent get-up-and-go and plenty of grunts for powering over speed bumps. All four wheels stayed firmly connected to the ground at all times.

COOL OPTIONS : GPS navigation system, Bluetooth integration, heated seats, heated windshield and windshield wipers.

If you are looking for a golf instruction book that takes a more holistic approach, this is it. Pia Nilsson, a former coach of the Swedish National Golf Team, adopted her teaching methods to instill her players with a deeper will to win. She and teaching pro Lynn Marriott, both GFW contributors, have produced a revolutionary way to learn that they call GOLF 54.
(Some golfers claimed to have dropped 10 strokes after reading the book.) These lessons apply to
life as much as to golf. For example, Nilsson and Marriott advise readers to learn to control what they
can (attitude, diet, commitment) and leave the rest (weather, playing partners) to take care of itself.

THE UNPLAYABLE LIE: THE UNTOLD STORY OF WOMEN AND DISCRIMI­NATION IN AMERICAN GOLF by

Marcia Chambers.

This expose is a first-class book about golfers who refused to be treated as second-class citizens. Chambers, a GFW contrib­uting editor and former New York Times reporter specializing in legal issues, documents the discriminatory policies sonic private clubs have had toward women. She puts current sexist policies into a historical context and describes what happens when women (and sometimes their husbands) dare to ques­tion the status quo: for example, fighting for weekend-morning tee times. This is not a relaxing read, but it’s an essential one.

FIVE LESSONS: THE MODERN FUNDAMENTALS OF GOLF by Ben Hogan, with Herbert Warren Wind.

Nearly five decades before Nilsson and Marriott, Ben Hogan, one of histories greatest golf practitioners, enlisted Wind, one of histories greatest golf writ­ers, to distill his years of training into five simple sessions. Hogan believed that all “average golfers are capable of building a repeat­ing swing and breaking 80,” and his prescription are as accessible to women as it is to men.

Enhanced by the classic illustrations of Anthony Ravielli, which bring to life the body‘s sinewy torque and release better than any photograph, the words and draw­ings imprint themselves on the psyche. Some hours after reading the chapter on the grip, you may find yourself grasping an imaginary club, the concise instructions still crystal clear in your mind.

Lexus LS460L

MODEL YEAR : 2007

BEST FOR : Did someone say golf road trip?

LOOKS : Mus­cular yet refined.

ENGINE : 4.6 liter V8; 380 hp. (A hybrid version arrives this fall.)

PROS AND CONS This sleek freeway flier comes equipped with an amazing array of tech-savvy gadgets, such as a voice-operated navigation system that provides real-time traffic updates for major cities. The Advanced Parking Guidance System takes time to set up, but once programmed, it’s well worth the extra $700.

GOLF BAG CAPACITY : Two to three.

HOW IT DRIVES Oh-so-smooth, thanks to electric power-assist steering and sporty air suspension. We steered through twists and turns effortlessly.

COOL OPTIONS : Rear-seat entertainment system, 19-speaker Mark Levinson audio system.

Jaguar XKR Coupe

MODEL YEAR : 2007

BEST FOR : Making like a Bond girl who plays a mean game of golf.

LOOKS : Sleek and seductive.

ENGINE : Supercharged 4.2 liter V8; 420 hp.

PROS AND CONS : The touch screen in the burled-walnut dash, which controls the radio, navigation and other systems, is easy to read and use. The trunk is surprisingly roomy, but the rear seats are nearly useless-too small for even toddlers.

GOLF BAG CAPACITY : Two Golf Bag.

HOW IT DRIVES : Wow! The cat growled as we steered along twisting back roads and down straight-line highways. A supple ride, terrific handling and loads of get-up-and-go.

COOL OPTIONS : 20-inch Senta wheels, premium sound system, Adaptive Cruise Control that monitors traffic via radar and brakes accordingly.

Cadillac Escalade

MODEL YEAR : 2007

BEST FOR : Stylishly transporting your friends and their gear.

LOOKS: A big daddy Caddy, yet still refined and classy.

ENGINE : 6.2 liter Vortec V8; 403 hp. (A hybrid version arrives this fall.)

PROS AND CONS : Feels like a luxury vehicle, with faux wood and aluminum trim, double-stitched leather seats and electro­luminescent gauges. The touch-screen interface in the dash worked well in navigation mode, Sot so well in audio mode.

GOLF BAG CAPACITY : At least four, more if you fold down the third-row seat.

HOW IT DRIVES: Surprisingly quick, agile and quiet, more luxury sedan than land yacht.

COOL OPTIONS : DVD navigation system with rearview camera, Bose sound system, retractable assist steps.

by George Plimpton.

A beloved figure in the lit­erary world and a founding editor of The Paris Review, Plimpton became famous in the 1960s for trying his hand at such profes­sional sports as NFL football and major league baseball—and living writing for Hollywood. But he loved golf and wrote prolifically on the subject.

In this collection of tales about a fictional golf club, his female characters are as entertaining as the male ones. There’s the low- handicapper Jane, whose romantic musings about her fiancé, William, include the delight she takes in his nearly equal handicap. And then there’s the club champion Agnes Flack, who hits it 240 yards and never lets a touch of rain put her off her game.

In the deliciously absurd “Feet of Clay” the final round of the Women’s Singles Championship involves a thunderstorm, a Pekinese and an “expensively uphol­stered” Lulabelle Sprockett, heir to Sprockett’s Superfine Sardines.

THE ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF WOMEN’S GOLF by Rhonda Glenn

This first-rate compendium opens with Mary, Queen of. Scots (who incurred the disfavor of the local Presbyterians when she mourned her husband’s death with a few rounds of golf) and ends with Nancy Lopez.

The pages in between cover the most important amateur and professional golfers of their time, some obscure (Edith Cummings, winner of the 1923 U.S. Women’s Amateur) and some famous (Mickey Wright, Patty Berg).

Glenn, a writer and golf commentator, brings this well-researched and diverting text to life with a gen­erous number of historical photos. So how in heaven did they play in those enormous dresses?

THE CONFIDENTIAL GUIDE TO GOLF COURSES by Tom Doak

Now one of the world’s most in-demand golf course architects, Doak played more than 1,000 courses in the 1980s and ’90s, and in this mighty work, he delivers the truth on the failings and the successes he found. The book opens with “The Gourmet’s Choice”-31 of his favorites, including Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic and Royal Dornoch GC in Scotland—and continues with comprehensive directories of courses in the U.S. and abroad.

He dedicates the closing pages to hugely enjoyable lists of the best and the worst in categories ranging from “Courses I’d Most Like to Play with Dianna [his wife]” (St. Enodoc GC in Cornwall, England, tops the list) to “Courses I’d Never Play Again” (New Jersey’s Stone Harbor GC).

The honest clarity of his critiques almost makes you wince; in fact, Doak mentions that Alice Dye gave him a “motherly scolding” for having written the book at all. He seems to have grown more diplomatic, because he refuses to allow the book to be reprinted.