U.S. GOLFERS Top rate our region
us. They are obviously very proud to show
and St Andrews Beach, but the Old National
It's often said that it takes the eyes of an
off the country to people like us. Yesterday,
course is so hard and frustrating. We're not
outsider to make you realise what you
lunch at La Campagna was such a warm and
used to playing links courses; they're so
have in your own backyard, and a recent
wonderful experience. The golf courses are
different from what we normally play on.
encounter with a group of North American
challenging, beautiful and creative in their
Because most of them are club courses, they
golfers left this writer in no doubt that our
design. Flinders is perhaps my favourite; it's
are not very well signed, so often a visitor
little boot of land is right up there with
as good a golf course as I have ever played."
doesn't know where they are going."
some of the best places around the globe.
The group's 13-night stay on the Peninsula
Tour organiser David Mills has little hesitation
Bob from Palm Springs, California
not only significantly boosted the regional
in claiming the Mornington Peninsula to
"We also spent nine days in Sydney, but this
economy, but also created 13 new
have..."more going for it than any other
part of the country has been the best part of
ambassadors in the U.S., who will be singing
peninsula in the world; more than the
the trip. You could see the real difference in
the praises of our golf, food, wine, scenery
Monterey Peninsula in California and more
the country as we drove down here..it's so
and hospitality for years to come.
than Cape Cod south of Boston."
nice to see farmland and I didn't know about
all the vineyards. The people have been
The tour was organised by HawaiiGolfDeals.
" Successful destination marketing needs
unbelievable...so friendly and so willing to
com CEO David Mills, who accompanied the
places that offer options to people on a grand
help, without being asked. It has been a really
inaugural group to make sure that everything
scale. For golfers, who are also into wine
good experience".
ran like clockwork.
and cuisine, this Peninsula is probably the
greatest golf destination on the planet there
The former New York studio musician, golf
Candice and Allen from Dana Point,
are 15 golf courses to choose from
writer and Hawaii's biggest golf marketer,
California
in the southern part of the Peninsula and all
" This area reminds me so much of the
spent two years planning the new program,
are terrific."
Monterey Peninsula in California. Your people
after falling in love with Melbourne through
are wonderful and have bent over backwards
family connections.
to do things for us. You guys are so much
The November tour was used as a `focus
nicer...to us as well as to each other...we
group' for the concept.
need to learn how to be that way.
He invited twelve of his company's best
clients to sample a part of Australia that
none of them had heard of before. They
readily accepted his word, parted with
large slabs of money and devoted two
weeks of their busy schedule to be the
guinea pigs.
When Visitor Magazine caught up with
them in Sorrento on the final night of their
stay, there was no doubt that they gave
us, our scenery and our golf courses a
major thumbs-up:
Mills, who lectures on destination
marketing at The University of Hawaii's
School of Tourism, says that the
only negative about the inaugural
experience is that Peninsula tourism industry
" The courses are a little more `rural' than we
doesn't quite understand the needs of the
have, but they are very challenging.
international traveller.
The Old National course is probably the third
" Accommodation of a certain size and
hardest course I have played in my life.
quality in the region is a problem, plus a
Christie from Palm Springs
lack of broadband and even telephone
"Our golf courses are very manicured so
connections in many lodgings also makes it
we have had to learn to adapt to the very
hard for overseas visitors."
different challenges of your courses.
" The promotional material/collateral
" The Mornington Peninsula is very beautiful
Christine from New York City
produced by the Victorian tourism authorities
" It reminds me a little of Cape Cod, but wider
and I'd have no hesitation in recommending
is great, but there needs to be initiatives
and bigger, with a fertile interior. The most
it to friends, except for one thing the
to encourage companies like mine to do
striking part of the place is its freshness and
flies...they're very nasty critters; there must
business with the various regions and to
beauty - the air quality and the sparkling night
be a way to eradicate them. Apart from
help lodging providers to serve these longer
sky. I sat on St Andrew Beach today and
that, the place is very clean and extremely
staying and bigger spending visitors."
observed the people and an expanse that
eco-friendly, which is a great plus and very
seemed to go-on forever. It's quite humbling
"The golf courses are almost perfect, but
commendable - you're a long way ahead of
to come here and say `gidday' to someone
need to address a few simple items like
us. Sorrento reminds me a bit like Martha's
and get such an effusive response".
better signage and distance markings. More
Vineyard, near Boston, but I think the shops
cart hires are also a necessity."
and the vendors could do a bit more with
Ray from Wyoming
their retail presentation and quality of goods."
"It has been a wonderful trip; we've enjoyed it
However, if the response from his guests is
immensely--I'd do it again in a heartbeat. The
any indication, the Peninsula certainly has
Pat from Huntington Beach, California
people are so friendly, really gracious, very
"What you have here is a wonderful place
the right product to offer, but just needs to
happy and seem to really enjoy life...it's kinda
with wonderful people. Everybody we have
fine-tune how it can be packaged for the
neat to see that. I loved playing the Dunes
rest of the world to enjoy. -Tim Bracher
run into has been over the top trying to help
32
Peninsula Visitor . . . Summer 2007-08
