Potawatomi Resort

Milwaukee, Wisconsin is a fun place to visit. A truly mid-western city on the shores of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee is chock full of breweries, restaurants, and sites sure to keep visitors busy for days on end. 

The hotel at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino is a prominent 19-story property offering guests world-class service and deluxe amenities. With the addition of a second tower in 2019 the hotel features 500 guest rooms, including 75 suites and the lavish presidential and chairman’s suites that offer stunning views of the Milwaukee skyline and Lake Michigan. The hotel also features a casual dining restaurant and bar/lounge on its first floor, coffee bar, business center, exercise room and complimentary Wi-Fi. Eight state-of-the-art meeting rooms and pre-function area provide more than 24,000 square feet of distinctive space to host corporate and social affairs.

The casino itself gives players a wide selection of the latest slot machines, bingo, and more than 100 tables offering games like three-card poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, and more. A 24-hour non-smoking poker room features cash games and tournaments for Texas Hold ’Em, Seven Card Stud and Omaha players. The casino also offers off track betting for fans of horse and greyhound racing.

Despite being in a city with a variety of dining options, Potawatomi takes things up a notch by offering nine different restaurants that serve hotel guests as well as local diners. Visitors can choose from a high-end steak house, fine italian foods, Asian entrees, casual cafe options, a buffet, sportsbar, and more. With so many options, everyone in the group will find something they enjoy.

No casino is complete with a great slate of entertainment, and Potawatomi is no exception. The Northern Lights Theater is a 500-seat, two-tiered, state-of-the-art venue featuring local and national live entertainment acts. The theater specializes in bringing acts that appeal to diverse audiences, hosting musical legends like Ringo Starr, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt and Cheap Trick; along with comic icons Jay Leno, Bob Newhart, Carrot Top and Sinbad. The hotel is also home to an events center with seating for up to 1,500 guests, as well as a Topgolf Swing Suite, where players can enjoy all the benefits of the Topgolf experience in a state of the art simulator.

Unlike casinos run by entertainment corporations, Potawatomi takes pride in being part of the fabric of the area. Caring for the community is a tribal tradition and a priority at the hotel and casino. In addition to millions of dollars donated each year by the Forest County Potawatomi Foundation, the Casino’s signature community program, Heart of Canal Street, has given more than $20 million to hundreds of area children’s charities since its inception in 1994. As a socially responsible business, Potawatomi sees responsible gaming as its number one priority. The tribe and casino are also dedicated to environmentally friendly business practices, and utilize them whenever possible.

Visit www.paysbig.com to learn more about Potawatomi or to book your stay!

TPC Scottsdale: Walking in the footsteps of champions

TPC Scottsdale, one of the crown jewels of the TPC Network, allows golfers the chance to play where the game’s best tee it up.

The greater Phoenix area is chock full of golf courses; some good, some great. It can be overwhelming to plan a golf trip and know which courses are worth the time and money to play. Thanks to the TPC Network of courses and a phenomenal PGA TOUR stop, there’s one facility that’s guaranteed to please.

TPC Scottsdale encompasses two championship golf courses – the Champions Course and the world-renown Stadium Course. The latter of the two plays host every February to the biggest party in professional golf, the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Every day, players are able to walk in the steps of their favorite professional players when they tee it up on the Stadium Course.

Depending on the time of year, visitors will find the Stadium Course in varying stages of tournament host preparation. Those who play immediately before or after the Waste Management may find wayward shots ricocheting off the bleachers and grandstands lining fairways and surrounding greens. At other times of the year, the course feels wide open, encouraging players to fire away off the tee. Regardless, it’s a course that will challenge players of all abilities, while simultaneously charming them with its pristine conditions.

Since opening in 1986, the Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish-designed course has undergone changes in response to play on the PGA TOUR and to make play more enjoyable to average golfers. Some of the iconic landmarks – like the boulder Tiger Woods called a ‘loose impediment’ – have been removed, while bunkers and waste areas have been added or enlarged.

“We don’t want this to be the most difficult golf course in Scottsdale,” said head professional Alex Abbruzza. “We want a golf course that will provide the professionals with the opportunity to make exciting shots for the fans and we want a course that’s fun for the public to play. Right now, that’s exactly what we have with the Stadium Course.”

The Stadium Course’s signature hole is, of course, the par-three 16th. During the Waste Management Open, the hole is completely enclosed by bleachers that seat more than 20,000 spectators. Needless to say, it looks vastly different without the bleachers but it’s still one of the most difficult short par-three shots out there.

The second course at TPC Scottsdale is the Champions Course, which was designed by Randy Heckenkemper, and completed in 2007. This course replaced the original Weiskopf and Morrish designed Desert Course.

The best part about a day at TPC Scottsdale is that the experience starts the moment guests turn off Hayden Drive and motor down the main drive. From the attendants at the bag drop to the pro shop employees to the starters, everyone is willing to bend over backward to make sure players have a complete TPC experience. It’s truly one of the biggest assets of the TPC Network that all their properties provide exquisite experiences for guests.

“We don’t live in the area full time, but every time I’m near I have to play the TPC Scottsdale, especially the Stadium Course,” said repeat guest Scott Combs. “There are a lot of options for golf, but the pros play the Stadium Course, and my son and I are always curious about how we’d play the same course the best players in the world play.”

The Stadium Course has managed to distinguish itself in another way, with its off-course offerings. The clubhouse features well-appointed locker rooms, one of the best pro shops in the country, and a fantastic dining experience at Toro Restaurant and Rum Bar. If you’re looking for fine dining after a round of golf, Toro’s South- and Central American-infused menu is guaranteed to hit the spot.

In short, no trip to the Scottsdale/Phoenix area is complete without a round at the Stadium Course. For more information or to book a tee time, visit www.tpc.com/scottsdale.

About the TPC Network

The TPC Network of Clubs gives golf fans the opportunity to experience golf at the same level the professionals play on. As part of the PGA TOUR, the TPC Network was developed to host some of golf’s biggest events on venues designed to showcase the skills of the world’s best players. It’s a chance for golfers to walk the same fairways and hit shots from historic spots.

There are currently 28 courses available through the TPC Network.

Bali Hai Golf Club

When Perry Como recorded the classic ‘Some Enchanted Evening’ in 1949, he would never have guessed that the fictional island he crooned about would be the inspiration for one of Las Vegas’s most exclusive and unique golf resorts. Since the turn of the century, Bali Hai Golf Club has been delighting golfers with its one-of-a-kind views of the Las Vegas Strip.

Built to look like the tropical island it was named for, the Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley designed course is within 10 minutes of the city’s top hotels and just across the street from McCarran International Airport. To complete the tropical effect, the property was filled with 4,000 trees – including 2,500 towering palms – more than 100,000 tropical plants, and nearly seven acres of water features.

At 7,002 yards from the tips and a par of 71, Bali Hai is no pushover. Players can tell from the very first tee that the course will be tight and challenging. As with any course of this caliber, everything is in amazing shape, giving golfers the chance to play shots from immaculate fairways and roll putts on pure greens.

Bali Hai starts off with a relatively short, easy par four. What follows is a series of increasingly difficult holes that builds to a series of dramatic finishing holes using the golden Mandalay Bay Resort as a backdrop.

One of the most interesting and intimidating shots happens on the par three 16th, which plays over water with a full view of the clubhouse and restaurant. It’s followed by the two par fours that will test a player’s mental fortitude as they try to finish with a good score. 

While Bali Hai looks the part of a desert oasis, there are reminders that you’re in the middle of one of the busiest cities in America. You’ll hear everything from freeway noise, trains, and airplanes as you play, but those things all add to the feeling of having escaped the real world. 

Bali Hai has a large clubhouse, and pro-shop which is well versed in renting clubs to visiting gamblers who need to take a break from losing money to get their fix on the golf course.

Bandon Crossings Golf Course

As soon you get out of your car at Bandon Crossings, it’s easy to see that the course is well-loved by the locals and more laid back than the resort up the road. The modest pro shop is full of great golf gear and the practice facilities are everything you need to prep for your round of golf. An added bonus is that the prices are extremely affordable.

Crossings allows players to ride in carts, a welcome accommodation with some of the hills the course is built on and around.

Designed in 2007 by northwest designer Dan Hixson, Bandon Crossings gave the locals of Coos County a championship course to play without the high greens fees of the Bandon Dunes Resort. Set on the east side of Highway 101, Bandon Crossings feels like one of the great golf courses that you can find scattered throughout the region. Elevation changes, a variety of native trees, and water that crosses the fairways and protects the greens.

The holes featured varied lengths, shapes, and directions to keep you interested throughout the round. Long hitters will find some of the holes, especially a couple of the par fives, pretty easy to navigate from the tee. However, Hixson used the greens to protect the course from players who bomb the ball. 

“There are no gimmie putts out there,” said Head Professional Jim Wakeman. “If your ball finds the wrong position on the green, two putts are at a premium.”

In keeping with the spirit of catering to the local community, Bandon Crossings promotes golf to new and young players. The course offers what it calls the ‘North Nine,’ a collection of holes that are built on the flattest terrain on the property, making it an easy outing for the entire family. The North Nine includes holes 1-5 (alternate green on the fifth hole) and holes 15-18.

Bandon Crossings is a course that you shouldn’t miss on your next trip to Bandon Dunes.

The Links at Horn Rapids

With over 300 days of sunshine a year and less than 7 inches of rainfall, Horn Rapids offers year-round golfing. The Links at Horn Rapids is one of the best desert courses in the Pacific Northwest and an experience you won’t want to pass up.

Winding through the sand and sage of the natural desert, Horn Rapids provides a brilliant contrast of greens backed by desert colors and set against the backdrop of Rattlesnake  Mountain. This desert course features narrow fairways lined by sagebrush and a standard cut of rough. The small greens are undulating and fast, and the terrain is rolling. 

The signature hole is #13, 156 yard par 3 that overlooks the Yakima River and a beautiful Rattlesnake Mountain. All 5 Tees are rated for both men and ladies.

Horn Rapids is one of the few courses out there that doesn’t have holes that run parallel to one another. Unless you find yourself on one of the higher points of the property, it’s possible to go the entire day without seeing anyone but the groups in front or behind you.

The course, on the outside of the Tri-Cities, has undergone an ownership change in the last few years and the new owners are embracing the potential that the layout has to offer. With plenty of property around the golf course, new homes are being built and money put into the course to improve its conditions and playability.

Included in those improvements are a new irrigation system, a practice facility, and new clubhouse. Since the purchase, both fairways and greens have seen a marked improvement.

Castle Creek Country Club

Not every course in Southern California was designed as a place of worship to professional golf. Many courses, like Castle Creek Country Club in Escondido, offer public golf that both fun and well-priced for players of all abilities.

At Castle Creek, it’s all about fun when it comes to golf. The greens fees are a steal at $50 or less, the food and beverage is inexpensive, and everyone working there is friendly and accommodating. It’s the kind of place you want to play and then hang around on the patio for a drink or two afterwards.

Opened in 1948 as a Jack Daray design before a later rework by Perry Dye, Castle Creek features a relatively easy front nine that sets the stage for a much more difficult finishing nine. Starters constantly hear players say that they shot their best nine ever when making the turn, only to have their hopes of a career round crushed on the back.

What gets them? It starts with three holes (a par four and two par fives) that are narrow and difficult. They’re excellent golf holes, just difficult ones that require strategy off the tee. After that, water comes into play.

A creek runs across holes 13, 14, 16, and 17, languidly waiting to snatch balls that are off-line. The toughest of those – the 418-yard par four 14th – sports the creek running in front of the tee box and then down the entire left side of the hole before cutting back in front of the green.

It’s all about holding on for dear life on the way into Castle Creeks clubhouse.

Suncadia Resort


Prospector Golf Course

The first of two public golf courses at the Suncadia Resort, Prospector is a phenomenal Arnold Palmer designed golf course. Spread out over 7,100 yards from the tips, the course offers non-stop views of the valley and surrounding forests.

A true mountain golf course, Prospector features rolling fairways and fast greens. Many of the holes are well-bunkered – both along the fairways and around the greens. Many holes have water that present a series of risk-reward opportunities for players looking to score low.

The fifth hole is an excellent example of that risk-reward mentality. The short par four measures between 300 and 340 and offers players two paths: straight-away at a green guarded by water or around that water with a couple of shorter shots. This hole is a great chance at birdie if you plan ahead.

Prospector offers a practice range, private instruction, junior golf, group instruction, and golf clinics for all ages and skills. Golfers may select a program or collaborate with PGA Teaching Professionals to customize a lesson program.

The Prospector Golf Shop, located next to The Inn, features clothing, equipment, and accessories for the whole family. The Lunch Bucket at the Turn, located on the Prospector’s 9th hole, serves sandwiches, snacks and beverages. The cheeseburgers at the turn are excellent.

Rope Rider Golf Course

On the other side of the resort, the Rope Rider course couldn’t be more different from its older sibling. The Jacobsen-Hardy designed course is great for families and beginners, but offers plenty of challenges for more accomplished players.

Built along the site of the historic Roslyn Mines and was named to honor the miners who balanced themselves on the roped coal cars as they moved up and down the steep mine shafts. One mine entrance is still available for viewing near the course parking lot.

Rope Rider measures more than 7,300 yards from the tips but features youth tees on every hole and offers shorter three- and six-hole loops for quick outings with the kids.

The finishing stretch of holes are a real treat, concluding with the medium-length par four 18th. The slight dogleg left works uphill and away from the 120’ high coal tailing on the right side of the fairway. Players will find a green sloped from to back in the shadow of the clubhouse to end the day.

The Resort

With more than 6,000 acres of forested mountain landscape, Suncadia’s wealth of year round activities make for a perfect Pacific Northwest escape. A picturesque Washington State resort, with 40+ miles of hiking and biking trails, three championship golf courses, local wining & dining, and world class spa treatments.

Nestled on the sun soaked slopes of the Central Washington Cascade Mountains, Suncadia is a special place. Designed as a premium resort, Suncadia is just 80 miles east of Seattle and offers an excellent selection of lodging and activity options that will fit all families.

It all starts with the lodging, and Suncadia has several different options: The Inn, The Lodge, and condominium and home rentals. 

The Lodge is the biggest building on the property, featuring a stunning view of the Cle Elum River Valley and Tumble Creek, as well as Mount Baldy and the rest of the Cascade Mountains. It’s a true full-service luxury hotel that’s great for families and business travelers. The guest rooms in the lodge welcome guests with premium bedding, high definition televisions, and even small kitchenettes for those who just want to make a quick snack. Nothing about the rooms feels cramped, making a stay comfortable and luxurious.

The Inn is an intimate lodge with 14 rooms with golf course views. And, finally, the condos and vacation homes are spread throughout the property with an excellent selection of bedrooms and amenities.

It’s easy to look at Suncadia as a golf resort, but the fact is that it’s much more than that. Depending on the season, guests should expect to use their hiking boots, bikes, golf clubs, snowshoes, or skis. Don’t worry, if you forgot equipment or just want to try out something new, Suncadia’s rental services can get you set up.

The point is, Suncadia acts as the perfect base camp from which to start any activity.

In addition to the two public golf courses features on the left, Suncadia members also have access to Tumble Creek, an exclusive private club just down the road.

Bandon continues to amaze with Sheep Ranch

For years, the property just north of Bandon Dunes was the stuff of legend, a free-form course that wasn’t easy to access.

Despite 20 years of acclaim, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort continues to find new ways to stay relevant and remain on every golfer’s bucket list. June 1, 2020 saw the official opening of the resort’s sixth golf course: Sheep Ranch.

For years, visitors to Bandon Dunes heard tales of the Sheep Ranch, an oceanfront property just north of Old Macdonald. Those who had the opportunity to play there – it was a wild collection of tee boxes and greens – knew it was likely some of the most stunning property on the resort. Now, it’s a championship course available to all resort guests.

Designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw – the duo responsible for Bandon Trails and Bandon Preserve – Sheep Ranch presented something of a challenge. The site earned its breathtaking ocean views by virtue of being perched high above the beach. Because the smallish site was trapped between steep bluffs and a deep ravine, Coore and Crenshaw had to design a smart, concise route that maximized usage of the land along the ocean.

Coore spent several days walking the site with Bandon Dunes owner Mike Keiser and his business partner, Phil Friedmann. The latter had always considered the Sheep Ranch a hidden gem that he cherished; Coore convinced him that it could be something greater.

Recognizing the potential along the coastline was easy, but Coore knew that making compelling holes inland was equally important. With that in mind, he worked from the coastline inwards, occasionally placing the tees for two holes (2 and 18, 5 and 15, and 8 and 10) in proximity to create width.

“You can’t have holes that are strictly parallel because of the wind,” Coore says. “We tried to cluster tees for holes. That means you can get tees in a small area, but radiate from different angles and create wider playing areas. The places you’re playing golf are almost like a piece of pizza—you’re playing from the center out. And that’s the way you make it interesting and create different holes. We’ve done it a time or two at other places, but never as frequently as at the Sheep Ranch.”

The result is an incredible, old school routing that really feels in touch with the origins of the game, and the Bandon ethos of not placing too much emphasis on length. Coore says the course is different than any at Bandon Dunes, comparing it to Cabot Cliffs in places. However, even that comparison doesn’t quite fit, as the coastline at Sheep Ranch is far less linear, allowing the golfer to strategically challenge the rugged cliffs for position on several holes.

One thing that’s unique about the Sheep Ranch is the lack of formal bunkers. It was a decision that saves on maintenance – sand blows out of the bunkers at Bandon – and gives the course a unique feel. Instead of bunkers, the course features grassy areas reminiscent of long-abandoned bunkers. “I think golfers are going to find them very interesting,” Coore said.

The question now becomes whether or not Sheep Ranch will be the swan song for Bandon Dunes. Keiser has been quick to say that Sheep Ranch will, indeed, be the last full course built at Bandon. “With the completion of Sheep Ranch, we’ve used all the great land.”

The property features five full-length courses, a par-three course, a putting course, and a world-class practice facility. With a variety of lodging options on-site and around the area, it’s a destination that’s accessible to everyone.

With the potential for Sheep Ranch to be on everyone’s mind in 2020, it’s probably best to book your trip now. If you wait, you may find yourself waiting for a round on the ranch.

Mountain View Golf Course – Boring, OR

Established in 1964, Mountain View Golf Club offers an 18-hole golf experience filled with characteristic holes and breathtaking views of beautiful Mt. Hood.

Despite its rural location, Mountain View is a course that just about everyone in the Portland, Oregon area has played. Thanks to excellent rates and the club’s willingness to host outside fundraiser events, it’s a place golfers are willing to drive to regularly.

The challenge really starts from the very first hole, with a tight tee shot guarded on the right by trees and OB stakes. From there, the course continues to give you tight looks off the tee until you get to the turn and things open up a bit. Course conditions, especially the greens, are excellent.

Mountain View’s signature hole is the par-three 12th. Voted the second most interesting hole in Oregon by the public in the Oregon Golf Association’s “Most Interesting Hole Series” in 2017, it’s a 184-yard shot from the blue tees (pictured right). Regulars tell you that whatever club you hit on the 140-yard 10th hole is the same club you’ll hit on the 12th hole. It drops nearly 200-feet from tee to green

In addition to great golf, Mountain View also offers a covered driving range, a chipping area, and generous putting green. The local professionals are available for lessons and can get you the latest gear from their large pro shop. The clubhouse also features a turn-stand, a breakfast/lunch cafe, and a full restaurant.