Bargain-hungry visitors continue to flood Cape Region retail outlets this holiday season. With 10 days to go, here are some other good options for finding something nice for your golf-loving family and friends at local golf clubs and other golf opportunities.
American Classic Golf Club lies just off Postal Lane near Route 1, at 18485 Bethpage Drive, and the owners are justifiably proud of the improvements they have made at the nine-hole course.
This year, the club is once again selling $35 gift bags, filled with golf items such as tees, socks, Blyster finger wraps, Trion Z bracelets and other goodies. The club also offers memberships in one-, three-, and six-month installments, in addition to the unlimited play annual membership. Open from 8 a.m. to dusk, the club also sells gift certificates in any amount (302-703-6662; americanclassicgolf.com).
Baywood Greens, at 32267 Clubhouse Way in Long Neck, is selling golf bags for 20 percent off, with most summer shirts for men and women reduced 25 percent. Winter knit hats and FootJoy winter gloves are also in stock for those hardy souls.
In addition to gift certificates in any amount, Baywood lessons are available at $40 for 30 minutes, $70 for an hour or $185 for three one-hour lessons. The club is also selling NFL logo golf balls (Bridgestone e6’s) at $35 per dozen, featuring the Eagles, Ravens, Redskins, Giants and Cowboys (302-947-9800; baywoodgreens.com).
Stenger’s Shamrock Farms Par 3 is a pleasant layout just west of Milton at 22222 Saw Mill Road, and is open year-round. For the month of December and January, folks who purchase five rounds of golf earn a free sixth round. Memberships are also available (302-684-1808; shamrockpar3golf.com).
Ben Bateman’s 365 Golf offers a high-tech simulator for all-weather golf play, at 37165 Rehoboth Ave. He sells gift cards for the time slots. You can also schedule lessons at 365 Golf with PGA teaching pro Steve Smith (302-727-0789; 365golfde.com).
The Rookery’s pro shops at both North and South courses are running several special sales. At the North shop (302-422-7010), they are selling last year’s demos and older model new clubs. Drivers are $175, fairway woods are $99.99 and hybrids are $89.99. The Milford course is also selling golf shirts as low as $19.99.
At Rookery South at Routes 1 and 16 east of Milton, summer polos for men or women are offered at $35. Select golf shoes and bags are 25 percent off, and other select deals are available for clubs and hats. They do a brisk business in gift certificates, and arrangements for lessons can also be made (302-684-3000; rookerygolf.com).
Out of the Sand is the newest entrant in the Cape Region golf business scene, on the southern end of Midway Shopping Center on Route 1 (302-200-9777; outofthesandde.com). Featuring three golf simulators, the facility also offers other interactive sports options, such as hockey and baseball. Gift certificates are available, and reservations can be made.
Midway Par 3 is a longtime Cape Region favorite for locals and the tourist trade, just off Route 1 at 34578 Pinnacle Road. Barbara Moore highlighted several Christmas special items at 20 percent off, including sunglasses, towels, caps and hats and gloves. In addition, they offer 10-round golf packages for juniors ($85), seniors ($104) or friends and family ($112). Discounted rounds are also available at two for $25, four for $45, and six for $65 (302-645-7955; midwaypar3golf.com).
Heritage Shores is holding a gift card sale through Sunday, Dec. 24, with the cards discounted 10 percent and good for golf, merchandise and food and beverage purchases at the Bridgeville club just off Route 13. The Christmas sale also continues, with 30 percent off through Saturday, Dec. 16 and 35 percent off from Dec. 17-24 on in-stock apparel, footwear and headwear in the golf shop and signature shop in the Sugar Beet Market (302-337-7514; heritageshores.com).
Plantation Lakes is the Cape Region’s newest golf course, an Arthur Hills design for which nine holes are open and nine more are planned for construction. The winter play rate for nine holes is $25, including the cart rental and range balls. To play 18, the rate for the same package is $39. You can check them out at 20301 Charlotte Blvd., Millsboro (302-733-8072; plantationlakesclub.com).
Some Cape Region golfers may feel they have everything golf-related they need or want. For these folks, consider making a donation in their name to The First Tee of Delaware. The program has served thousands of young people statewide, with an emphasis on character building, life skills and the healthy habits golf can create (302-384-8759; thefirstteedelaware.org).
Oakley wins PGA event
Congratulations to Heritage Shores assistant golf pro Zac Oakley for his Dec. 5 victory in the second event of the PGA Tournament Series in Florida.
The son of Senior British Open champion Pete Oakley is again working this winter as a caddie at Seminole Golf Club. He won the two-day tournament with a 6-under 66 in the final round, including two eagles, and earned $5,000. Oakley beat some well-known competition, including longtime PGA Tour professional Omar Uresti.
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Fritz Schranck has been writing about the Cape Region's golf community since 1999. Snippets, stories and anecdotes from his columns are included in his new book, "Hole By Hole: Golf Stories from Delaware's Cape Region and Beyond," which is available at the Cape Gazette offices, Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, Biblion Books in Lewes, and local golf courses. His columns and book reviews are available at HoleByHole.com.
Contact Fritz by emailing fschranck@holebyhole.com.
