The Great Lakes
Golf Cruise to The Great Lakes
Aboard Clelia II
August 22 - 29, 2009
From majestic natural treasures to man-made marvels, the Great Lakes boast a grandeur that truly upholds their name. On our voyage aboard the Clelia II, cruise these scenic waters and discover spans of pristine splendor and outstanding golf courses situated at superb locations. Golfers will revel in such world-class venues as the Rees Jones course at Grand Niagara Resort; Cobble Beach Golf Links, which leading Canadian architect Doug Carrick set over beautiful Georgian Bay; Bay Harbor Golf Club, built by Arthur Hills to great fanfare and awards; and Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club, a links-style gem with exquisite views of Lake Michigan. Beyond these impressive golf layouts, we’ll admire the vibrant communities of the region and such feats of design as the massive locks that lead to Lake Superior and the 27-mile long Welland Canal, a marvel of engineering that will “raise” the ship over 300 feet to transit from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie. But no itineraries truly compare to the breadth of the region—and the thrill of the game—we’re to experience in North America’s superlative inland waterway, the Great Lakes.
Host:
A PGA Golf Professional, Ron Lucas spent four years as Head Professional at Latrobe Country Club under the tutelage of Arnold Palmer. His client roster includes, among many others, Cadillac/Callaway golf clinics, Special Olympics groups and the Pittsburgh Youth Golf Foundation. Currently Ron is President and owner of Pro Golf Club Manufacturing and founder of a company specializing in custom-designed clubs and quality club repair. Niagara Falls After graduating from Stirling University in Scotland, Denise Doyle spent two years as an assistant golf professional with the Pebble Beach Resorts. Denise has also held positions at Fresh Meadow Country Club in New York and Kuki’o Golf and Beach Club in Hawaii. In 2004 Denise became a “Class A” member of the PGA of America and is currently a teaching professional at El Cabellero Country Club in Tarzana, California. She resides in Southern California with her husband, who is also a golf professional.
Deck Plans and Rates:
3-Night Optional Post-Cruise Extension in Kohler, Wisconsin
August 29 - September 1, 2009
Extend your Great Lakes journey by spending three days at The American Club, a superb luxury resort in Kohler, Wisconsin. Play two of Pete Dye’s awardwinning championship courses, the Straits Course at Whistling Straits and the River Course at Blackwolf Run.The Straits Course, which hosted the 2004 PGA Championship, is styled after Ireland’s great links courses and spans two miles of Lake Michigan shoreline. Given a five-star rating by Golf Digest, the River Course was the site of the 1998 U.S. Women’s Open. It cuts across a glacial valley. Touring guests will enjoy the many recreational offerings at The American Club, including the Kohler Waters Spa; the private 500-acre River Wildlife preserve for hiking, hunting, fishing, canoeing and horseback riding; the Shops at Woodlake Kohler, spanning more than 30 boutiques and a gourmet market; charter fishing on Lake Michigan and fly fishing on the Sheboygan River; and antique and history tours, among other attractions.
ITINERARY:
Saturday, August 22, 2009
TORONTO, Ontario, Canada | EMBARK
Arrive in Toronto and embark Clelia II. Overnight aboard ship docked in Toronto.
Sunday, August 23
WELLAND CANAL
Sailing from Toronto early in the morning, Clelia II will enter the Welland Canal to begin the dramatic passage through a series of seven locks, from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie. Golfers will play opening round at the Grand Niagara Resort. Sited on the shores of beautiful Welland River, this Rees Jones classic beckons players of all levels. Mind the water, which comes into play in 14 of its 18 holes. Non-golfers will take a drive and marvel at the great falls of Niagara, where every minute more than six million cubic feet of water thunder over the crestline.
Monday, August 24
WINDSOR
Arrive in Ontario’s Windsor, built on the Detroit River, near the entrance to Lake St. Clair. “Big, undulating and sculptured” are all adjectives frequently used to describe the greens at Essex Golf & Country Club, where we will play Donald J. Ross’s much-touted course. Among the tournaments Essex has hosted are the Canadian Open, the LPGA’s duMaurier Classic and the AT&T Canada Senior Open. Touring passengers will drive across to Michigan’s Detroit and Greenfield Village, a remarkable assemblage of restorations saluting the American past, with the Henry Ford Museum as its centerpiece.
Tuesday, August 25
PORT ELGIN
This morning Clelia II arrives in Port Elgin, Lake Huron’s bustling resort town known for its spectacular sunsets. Golfers will play Cobble Beach Golf Links, with its undulating fairways, links-like character and thrilling vistas of Georgian Bay. This Doug Carrick course challenges the best players while also delighting the novice. Those touring will visit the town of Owen Sound and explore Cobble Beach’s heritage sites featuring Native and Euro-Canadian artifacts, rock formations and homestead ruins.
Wednesday, August 26
CHARLEVOIX, Michigan, USA
The tumbling hills of Michigan’s scenic northwest are blanketed with maple, spruce and some of the nation’s best golf courses. Golfers will play Bay Harbor Golf Club, ranked eighth by Golf Magazine among the “Top 100 Golf Courses You Can Play.” Designed by Arthur Hills, the course is set amidst sweeping bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan and the Little Traverse Bay, a quarry with 40-foot rock walls and unspoiled forest. Touring travelers will explore the old port town of Harbor Springs, with its panoramic views of the bay, and enjoy a wine tasting at Harbor Springs’s Pleasantview Vineyards. Later drive through the Tunnel of Trees, en route to historic Cross Village, known for its ties to the Native American Ottawa Indians, and admire its spectacular forest canopy.
Thursday, August 27
TRAVERSE CITY
Clelia II docks in the port of Traverse City. Today play Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club, designed by Warren Henderson and Rick Smith and much-acclaimed for its undulating terrain, windswept natural fescues and resemblance to a seaside Irish links. Enjoy panoramic views of Lake Michigan and see why this 1998 design has swept numerous awards, including Golf Digest ’s ranking among the top 100 Greatest Golf Courses in the United States. Touring guests will set out for the Music House Museum, a restyled antique barn housing a superb array of automatic instruments from the early 1900s, including a Wurlitzer theater organ, an 18-foot Mortier dance organ and a reproducing piano. Later enjoy wine tastings at Chateau Grand Traverse; Brys Estate Vineyard and Winery, on Old Mission Peninsula; and Chateau Chantal.
Friday, August 28
SAULT STE. MARIE CANAL & AT SEA
Relax aboard and enjoy the ship’s amenities as Clelia II transits the “Soo” Canal to enter fabled Lake Superior,and spend the day cruising toward Duluth.
Saturday, August 29
DULUTH, Minnesota, USA | DISEMBARK
Clelia II docks in Duluth, at the westernmost port on
Lake Superior’s North Shore. Disembark and fly home.
Program Inclusions:
• 7-night cruise aboard the 100-guest small cruise ship /Clelia II
• Welcome and farewell cocktail receptions
• All meals aboard Clelia II including house wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner
• Open bar aboard ship throughout the cruise
• Complete program of tours and excursions as described
• All golf arrangements, including green fees and golf carts
• Accompanying golf host
• Professional tour staff
• Complete pre-departure materials
• Baggage handling and transfers abroad on the designated program departure and arrival dates
• Port and embarkation taxes
• Gratuities to porters, guides and drivers
NOT INCLUDED:
Airfare; visa and passport fees; luggage, cancellation and accident insurance; meals and beverages other than those specified above; personal expenses such as laundry, telephone calls, faxes and e-mail service; and gratuities to shipboard personnel
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