What started as a concept to enhance the image of a state has turned out to be one of the most successful achievements in the golf industry.

In 1992 the first golf courses opened on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Alabama. The vision of creating a golf trail came from Dr. David G. Bronner, the CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama. The golf course designs started with Robert Trent Jones after coming out of retirement and have continued with Roger Rulewich, Jones’ protégé. The original courses opened in 1992 and additional courses have been added over the years. In 2011, greens were replaced on several courses. Silver Lakes underwent a significant renovation after tornado damage in 2011.

Now that all 26 courses on 11 different sites are up and running, you are the one who gets to celebrate. World-class golf remains an exceptional value on the original golf trail. Here are a few highlights for the Trail’s 20^th Year:

$20 on 20

On the 20^th day of each month in 2012, enjoy a round of golf on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail for $20. Reservations can be made within seven days of the desired date and are available through the local RTJ sites. Golf carts are not included in the price and play is based upon availability. For $20, the hardest part may be deciding which location to challenge.

RTJ Trail Card/Loyalty Program

Golfers have been very loyal to the Trail, in fact naming it Alabama Tourism’s Attraction of the Year for 2010. To say thanks, the Trail is upgrading its traditional Trail Card by adding a loyalty program to it. After purchasing the Trail Card, golfers will enjoy their seventh round of golf for free. The Trail Card is available to Alabama residents or those living within 100 miles of the state line. Trail Cards are $35 until January 1 and $39.95 after that date. In addition to the seventh round free, the Trail Card offers discounts on golf, merchandise, range balls and golf instruction at the RTJ locations.

Trail Adds Platinum Memberships

Membership has its own privileges and our inaugural Platinum Members of Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail will have plenty.

They receive unlimited greens fees all year to nine of the RTJ sites and reduced greens fees at Ross Bridge and Lakewood Golf Club. They can enjoy unlimited range privileges at their home site plus their own private locker, guest privileges at the RTJ Trail Card rate, 15% off merchandise and clubhouse meals plus 10% off golf lessons. Platinum Memberships start at $1800, considerably lower than a country club membership, and members have unlimited access to RTJ’s world-class golf.  Payment options are available annually, quarterly and monthly. Platinum Membership can be purchased at any RTJ Trail location. Individual, couple and family memberships are available.

10 Millionth Trail Visitor

The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail is on track to have its 10 millionth visitor in 2012.

Updated 20^th Logo

The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail will be using an updated logo throughout the 20^th year. Based on the traditional golfer in knickers, the logo will be featured on limited edition merchandise at the RTJ pro shops and online. The logo will appear in all RTJ ads and will be showcased in an expanded version of the 2012 Trail Guide.

Packages, Events and Promotions

Visit www.rtjgolf.com for more updates on the Trail and the 20^th Year activities. A major celebration is being planned for May in Birmingham. Each location will be celebrating the milestone and special packages and promotions will be added throughout the year and will be highlighted on www.rtjgolf.com.

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Media Contact:  Bill Lang, 205.965.9574; bill.lang@pchresorts.com

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Snow and sleet does not stop the mail from going through so it shouldn’t disrupt your vacation plans. On the contrary, winter conditions can be ideal for vacationers.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia.org

Snowshoeing at Silver Dollar Lake Trails, Colorado

Ever wanted to try your hand at snowshoes? Then you may want to check out the Silver Dollar Lake trails in Colorado. There are about three miles of trails surrounding the lake that just beg to be explored; and while it may be a bit strenuous it is well worth the approximately 2 hour hike among mountains and pines. Keep in mind that snowshoes are no longer like wearing over-sized tennis rackets on your feet as they have improved and are more compact and comfortable.

Snowmobiling Across West Yellowstone, Montana

Perhaps you would rather forego the snowshoes for something a little more exciting; if so head to West Yellowstone, Montana and hop on a snowmobile. It has been dubbed the snowmobile capital of the world for a good reason; after all, it gets about 150 inches of snow that is almost perfect powder for snowmobiles.

If you are looking forward to a little backcountry skiing then the undeveloped, raw and pure area around Jackson Hole, Wyoming is the place for you. Not only does it have what is known as the best powder in the U.S. it also boasts the longest slope; from the top of Rendezvous Mountain to the valley below you will enjoy a 4,139 foot run. And, if you are worried about crowds you can relax as Jackson Hole covers about 2,500 acres, more than enough room for everyone.

Ice Climbing in Ouray, Colorado

Photo Credit: Gummi Stóri via Compfight cc

Still need a little more excitement? Then Ouray, Colorado is the perfect place for you to test your skills in ice climbing. Yep, climbing up a sheer vertical wall of ice is an extreme sport that people actually do on purpose. In Ouray the overflow from one of the local reservoirs forms cliffs of ice that are over 100 feet tall that are regularly sprinkled with more water to reinforce them lessening the chances of an avalanche. Don’t worry if you have never done this before as there are many instructors there and lots of safety features that make it a great place to learn.

Vacationing with Family in Mammoth Lakes, Sierra Nevada

If you are looking for a family friendly winter vacation you may want to consider Mammoth Lakes located in the remote portion of Californian’s eastern Sierra Nevada. Many people consider it comparable to Lake Tahoe but without the huge crowds. There are several places to stay and food choices range from gourmet meals to hamburger joints nestled in the faux Alpine village. As for activities, they run the gamut as well; you can go skiing (downhill and cross country) one day then snowmobiling or snowshoeing the next; then maybe some dog sledding and top it off with a sleigh ride.

There are many great options available for a winter vacation so pack some warm clothes and head off to a new winter adventure.

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Have you guys seen the newest photobomb that’s taking the internet by storm? If you haven’t, you need to. It’s hilarious.

Apparently stingrays are tired of people taking vacation photos with them, without their consent. Well, time for stingrays to start getting even. Much like this one did, photobombing 3 friends. Whoops. So sorry that mother nature interferred with your Facebook profile picture to be. Maybe that will teach you not to turn your backs on wild animals that cannot possibly be trained to the point of 100% predictability. Lesson learned, ladies.

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Image via Wikipedia

We do not need robins or groundhogs to tell us that winter is just about over because we have “Pitchers and Catchers” which is the day that the first players report to training since the 1920’s when MLB teams started practicing in locations other than their own fields allowing the newer players to learn the roster and get a feel for their positions while giving the veteran players the opportunity to get warmed up. Since they practice on more than one field they get the chance to play each other and gain a little competitive feel during pre-season. This also gives fans a chance to get just a little closer to their favorite teams and players.

This means that baseball fans have a tendency to head to Florida and Arizona during the spring; basking in the sun and catching some top baseball action. Many of these stadiums are well located making it easy to stay in one location and still be able to catch several different teams.

You can check out spring training by visiting the Grapefruit League found in Florida or the Cactus League out of Arizona. Each team has what is considered a home field during spring training; in Arizona you will find them in the Tempe, Tucson, Scottsdale and Phoenix areas. One you definitely want to visit is Peoria stadium so that you can catch  the San Diego Padres and the Seattle Mariners; or head to HoHokam Stadium to watch the Chicago Cubs.

In Florida the major areas are Ft. Lauderdale and Ft. Myersand down the Space Coast to Walt Disney and Kissimmee. Try staying in the central part of the state so that you can visit several different stadiums and keep in mind that many of them are “home” to two different teams allowing you to see that many more games.

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Many companies have had to tighten up their budget in many ways; however it appears that business travel is becoming more and more common in our globalized economy. Foreign markets that are opening up and outsourcing are one reason that many corporations are willing to spend untold amounts of money each year to keep the lines of communication across the nations open.

At one time most of business travel was for the purpose of making sales calls, however there have been many more reasons for entrepreneurs and employees to get out of the office. Not too long ago there was a survey done that today the company sponsored trips actually have very little to do with meeting any clients. The most common reasons for travel include attending training seminars and conventions. Many of the companies that have an international office will fly certain executives to different locations in order to get a look at the operations or to hold meetings.

More often than not business travel should actually be viewed as a privilege since it shows that your managers or bosses have enough faith in you to allow you to represent the company overseas; it is also a great way to visit any number of different places while on the company’s expense account. Of course if there are some sales calls or meetings thrown in there that gives you another chance to impress the boss and make the climb up the corporate ladder perhaps a little bit easier. Perhaps one of the most important benefits of business travel is that it is a great opportunity to widen your network.

If you are going to be responsible for making your own travel arrangements such as the hotel, etc. try to find accommodations that will make it easy for you to get to your meetings and engagements on time. For instance, you may want to consider staying at the same hotel where your meeting or conference is being held, it may be a little more expensive than one across town but it will save you time and possibly save you taxi fare.

If your business travel is taking you out of the country be sure that you familiarize yourself with some of the local practices and customs of the country that you will be visiting, this will impress clients and colleagues alike.

Perhaps you have met someone while on your travels, or made a connection (although long distance) with someone online; relationships can be hard to make and maintain when you are not together so here are a few tips to help you keep the flame going.

Obviously in person time with your new interest is going to be limited in long distance relationships so you need to stay in touch; try some extra time talking on the phone, texting or even video chatting. Make sure to ask plenty of questions so that you can get to know more about their interests, work, friends, travels and their life in general and then be sure to share your details as well so that you will have things to talk about.

Body language, what the other person doesn’t say, is a big part of relationships; since this is absent most of the time in a long distance romance you will have to depend on reading between the lines so to speak. This means paying attention to those slight nuances in the other forms of communication that you are using; like pay attention to the way that they phrase things, the inflection of their voice when on the phone and try to determine what their mood is as well as what they are trying to say.

During a persons travels it is very easy for things to become misconstrued as it is very hard to really gauge someone’s emotions and intentions from behind the computer screen or over the telephone which is one reason that you should opt for video chatting as much as possible. If something seems to produce and emotional response in you be sure to ask for clarification before you jump to any conclusions. Texting and chatting definitely help keep relationships going but they can leave the inflections and emotion behind.

If you are like most people that are in relationships the more that you like someone the more time that you want to spend with them; however, depending upon your travels and budget it is not always possible to get together. Try to make plans as often as you can to get together, considering both of your schedules and budget; long distance romances can quickly extinguish so keep the sparks going by getting together as much as possible.

You have undoubtedly heard the phrase that a bad day fishing beats a good day working; these are probably the same guys that would be able to land a fish worthy of mounting out of a puddle. However, no matter what your skill level may be fishing trips are always worthwhile if for nothing else than the relaxation factor. Listed here are a few trips; some even have a fishing guide available for an additional fee that is worth the trip.

If you are thinking about heading down under for some fishing then you should definitely check out Weipa, Australia where you will find one of the best fly and sport fishing opportunities available. You can hire a charter with a fishing guide for both laid back tourist or active fishing trips and wade around in the waist deep blue water or stay in the boat and try for the coral trout or red emperor.

If you plan on staying a little closer to home then you should take one of your next fishing trips in Point Pleasant, New Jersey where you have the chance of catching some fluke or big tuna. You may just enjoy floating along in one of the charter boats as much as fighting to reel in that bluefin. Most of the organized trips even offer catering if you want to enjoy some gourmet food while you fish.

If you are looking for something a little more exotic then you may want to venture to Forra River, Norway where the area looks like it has been undisturbed by mankind and a local fishing guide can help you catch an Atlantic salmon that will surpass your wildest dreams. You are also pretty much guaranteed some solitude as they only allow four rods to be cast at a time for environmental reasons.

For pristine water and a natural beauty you can’t beat the Great White North of Seward, Alaska, the stuff real fishing trips are made of. The charter boats led by your own fishing guide takes you out among the sea lions and whales while you can expect to find some halibut and silver salmon that are most certainly trophy sized; many of them have been known to weigh over one hundred pounds. For excellent king salmon fishing you should plan your trip in either the early spring or the fall.

Sometimes when you have to book travel arrangements for business at the last minute it can be a little expensive; fortunately there are some things that you can do in order to save a little money.

One of the first things that many people do is to check out websites online; you can enter keywords such as travel, budget, business, etc. Many of these sites offer last minute deals on traveling as there are times when people have no option but to cancel their plans on short notice. In order for companies such as hotels and airlines not to lose money they will offer plans at a considerable discount for last minute travelers. Keep in mind that many people are searching for the same things so you may need to act quickly when you see a good deal.

If you have to go on a business trip consider purchasing everything as a “bundle”; in other words look for deals that offer air fare, hotels and possibly rental cars for one low combined price. You can save yourself some time by checking online for travel deals and comparing several offers at one time.

It can also save you some money if you are willing to fly stand by for your next business trip or if you are willing to take a less elaborate or even a budget room at the hotel; they would rather give you a deal than risk losing a booking altogether. If your trip happens to be to a popular location but it is considered off season there you will also very likely be able to save quite a bit so be sure to include “off season” in a keyword search if it is applicable.

However, don’t just check out the bundle travel packages because there may be a hotel in the area that has lost a few bookings and is willing to make a good deal; the same thing holds true for airlines and rental car companies. If the trip is going to include several people you can also save money by everyone staying in the same hotel room or using the same rental car.

So, the next time you have to make plans at the last minute for business, don’t panic, get online and enter a few keywords or head over to some popular travel site and save some money.

Love to travel, but not really in the mood for a road trip and the road rage opportunities that accompany it? Why not try sailing and not just any sailing but a rent a mega-yacht and sail the open seas trip?

Consider starting in Florida, but forget about everything you think you know about their emerald colored water being infested with alligators; floating adrift in the Conch Republic will keep well out of harms way. Many recommend starting your trip in Biscayne Bay and sailing the 140 miles south to Key West; you will pass Marathon along the way where you will definitely want to relax on the famous Sombrero Beach and perhaps enjoy a little fishing in the shallow waters.

If you want to venture a little further out to sea consider starting in Paradise Island, Bahamas; it is located off the coast of Florida and is an archipelago that consists of 700 islands and over 2,000 more uninhibited cays that seem to just magically float in the Atlantic. You can contact one of several charter companies in the area that will not only set you up with a sweet luxury boat, but will provide you with a crew and an amazing itinerary so that all you have to do is sit back and relax.

Ready to head out further into some deeper international waters? Then you should really consider New Zealand’s subtropical South Pacific region, the Bay of Islands. You have never seen more sheltered inlets for private parties, sleepy little coves for relaxing or long stretches of sandy beaches for soaking up the sun. If you start off in Russell you will be able to enjoy some easy cruising and some good game fishing all the way to Roberton and you can partake in some incredible snorkeling along the trail to a natural lagoon.

And, for the ultimate sailing experience you need to head to France, the French Riviera flows past flash towns and tranquil islands. Starting in Nice and head for St. Tropez and then possibly on to a quieter spot like Porquerolles where you can ride a bicycle across the island or swim in the glorious sea. From there you can sail to Cannes and tread the ever famous Croisette or visit the cell of the Masked Man. From Cannes you can continue to Monte Carlo in Monaco and try your luck at the many casinos.

Naturally you can always choose to fly from point A to point B much quicker, but then you will never see some of the worlds best places; seeing islands as they float towards you out of the mist. You will feel the ocean spray on your face, but most of all you will feel alive.

Travelers these days need survival strategies, as airlines are thinning their routes and your ultra-premium-super traveler status induced upgrades are far and few between. Road Warriors should be scouts at heart: be prepared. Here are a few tools to help you survive the bumps and daily grinds in airports and hotels coast-to-coast.
Tech Tools

You can get connectivity in a tight spot, like on the tarmack during a flight delay: Private Mi-Fi 2200 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot

Health Tools

Research the Hotels with the Best Fitness Centers

Map your run before you head out

Or workout in your hotel room with these helpful youtube videos.

Diet Tools

Keep It Simple: Commit to Lo-Carb choices unless there is no alternative. If you indulge in the Hi-Carb, wait 3 meals before choosing Hi-Carb again.

Lo-Carb (choose most)
Poultry, seafood, vegetables (except potatoes), fruit, nuts, eggs, cheese, milk, water, low-carb protein bars and shakes, unsweetened coffee and tea, diet soda

Hi-Carb (limit)
Bread (and other foods made with flour), rice, pasta, hot and cold cereals, potatoes, chips, yogurt, cookies, cake, pastries, candy, granola, sugar, sweetened beverages

2 glasses of wine or beer/night

Ask hotel to stock mini bar for “diabetic” requirements, to curb your temptation if you must.