This week, Doral Golf Resort and Spa (Miami, FL) announced that for a limited time, a forecaddie will be assigned at no charge for each foursome that plays the Blue Monster. Golfers know Doral’s Blue Monster to be one of the most prestigious and challenging championship courses in the world and home to the PGA Tour’s CA Championship. Timeshare owners know the Doral Golf Resort and Spa to be home to Marriott’s Villas at Doral timeshares.

Unless you play golf at a private club that uses caddies on its courses, or you play golf professionally, you may never have experienced the services of a caddie to assist you with your game. Ask a PGA Tour player and he will tell you that a good caddie is gold; so much so, that top professional caddies earn six-figure annual incomes for their contributions to their player’s success.

A forecaddie doesn’t give the same services that Steve Williams provides for Tiger, nor does he do the things that greens keeper, Bill Murray did in Caddyshack. He doesn’t typically assist with club selection, carry your bags, or sabotage gophers. But a good forecaddie does make a round of golf more interesting and flow more smoothly.

According to Doral’s official press release, “We decided to make the Blue Monster caddie inclusive because we want golfers to experience the history and tradition of the course, from strategic shot making to entertaining stories that have been passed on over the years,” said Darrin Helfrick, General Manager of Golf at the Miami golf resort. “This is truly one of the game’s treasured courses, and this caddie program will enhance the overall golfing experience, while making history come to life.”

The complimentary inclusion of a forecaddie in the price of your round of golf is available only through May 20, 2008.

Marriott Timeshare at Doral Resort

Marriott’s Villas at Doral timeshares are located on the property of the Doral Golf Resort and Spa. There are more than 130 two-bedroom timeshare villas, as well as an outdoor pool, fitness center, and convenience store. Timeshare owners and their guests, (or timeshare renters) have access to Doral’s renowned health spa, the five golf courses, a tennis center, The Blue Lagoon water recreation area, and the resort’s restaurants and lounges.

Each timeshare villa has separate living and dining areas, a private balcony, an oversized soaking tub, a fully-equipped kitchen, and a washer/dryer.

Choices in Timeshare Sales and Timeshare Resales

Timeshare condos at Marriott’s Villas at Doral may be available through Marriott Vacation Club (Marriott Timeshare), but for the best values in Marriott timeshare sales, visit Sell My Timeshare NOW. Through Sell My Timeshare NOW, Marriott timeshare resales and Marriott timeshare rentals are available for most Marriott timeshare resorts, including more than two dozen timeshare villas at Doral, starting at just under $7000.

Remember the American Express commercial that featured Tiger Woods in the role Bill Murray made famous in Caddyshack? Thank you, YouTube for these 58 seconds of humor.

About a month ago, the Timeshare Owners Blog carried a post titled, Marriott Timeshare Is Turning Green. We told you about a corporate effort by Marriott to increase environmentally conservative practices by employees of their hotels and timeshare resorts. The plan calls for more emphasis on recycling and an expanded use of recycled materials.

But the green at Marriott hotels and timeshare resorts has just gotten greener, and this time , they are going green on the greens - the golf greens and fairways.

Environmentally Conscious Timeshare Resort Golf Courses

When the Doral Golf Resort & Spa Hotel and Timeshare in Miami hosted the World Golf Championships last week, they became the first Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary in North America to host a World Golf Championships event. And Marriott Golf is following this accomplishment by requiring 34 of the Marriott managed golf courses at 25 locations to become Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries by the end of 2008.

The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries honor certain golf facilities for their efforts to protect the environment by enhancing wildlife habitats and natural areas. To achieve an Audubon Certification, a golf center must prove that it achieves and maintains the highest degree of environmental quality in areas that include wildlife and habitat management, community outreach, educational efforts, minimized use of chemicals, water conservation, water quality management, and environmental planning.

Currently Marriott Golf has six hotel or timeshare resort golf courses that are operated in accordance with the Audubon standards. These resorts are the Ritz-Carlton Members Club in Sarasota, Stone Mountain Golf Club in Georgia, Doral Golf Resort in Miami, and two other Florida courses.

In a press release issued by the Environmental News Service, Kevin Fletcher, director of Audubon International was quoted as saying, “We are elated with the level of commitment Marriott is showing by mandating Audubon Certification across their portfolio of golf courses…These proven environmental management practices will help preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf for many generations to come.”

Marriott Timeshare Resales

If you want to know more about opportunities to buy timeshare resales at or near great golf courses, the seven Marriott timeshare resorts at Hilton Head Island, SC are a perfect place to start.

• Marriott’s Barony Beach Club Timeshare Resales
• Marriott’s Grande Ocean Timeshare Resales
• Marriott’s Harbour Club Timeshare Resales
• Marriott’s Harbour Point Timeshare Resales
• Marriott’s Heritage Club Timeshare Resales
• Marriott’s Monarch Timeshare Resales
• Marriott’s Sunset Pointe Timeshare Resales

If you want to know more about improving your golf swing during your Marriott timeshare vacation, watch this YouTube video of a private lesson taught by Bobby Cole at the Marriott Doral Golf Resort and Spa:

And if you are more interested in watching birds than making birdies, you will enjoy this YouTube video about Audubon certified golf courses:

PGA Tour golfer Brandt Snedeker, who won his first PGA Tour victory at the Wyndham Championship, and won the 2007 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Award, has signed a sponsorship contract with Wyndham Worldwide and Wyndham timeshares.

What does this sponsorship mean for the Nashville, Tennessee native, who earned over $2.8 million in his rookie season with a Tour victory and six top-10 finishes? It means he sleeps more soundly at night.

Unlike an NBA or NFL team member who works under contract with his team, a PGA Tour player is an independent businessman. When the Boston Celtics travel to play the Orlando Magic, the team travels together, typically on a private jet, and the team pays for travel, accommodations, and meals for its players. The team also pays for the uniforms, equipment, the services from the trainers, coaches, team medical staff, and everyone else who works behind the sidelines keeping Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo on the floor, blocking shots, stealing balls, and shooting three’s.

But professional golfers operate by different rules. They are not under contract with the PGA Tour; instead, they are members, with their membership based on their playing performance. The PGA Tour doesn’t pay them to play; PGA Tour members actually pay the Tour for their membership and the privilege of competing in tournaments. They also foot the bill for their own travel expenses, their trainers, coaches, caddy, equipment, and even the plaid pants and white shoes they wear in the final round, unless these costs are underwritten by a sponsor.

Play as well as Brandt Snedeker played last year and sponsors like Wyndham timeshare are eager to put their logos on your cap, golf bag and the shirts you wear during tournaments. Sponsorship deals for professional golfers range anywhere from a few thousand dollars to millions, with bonuses thrown in for top finishes and tournament wins.

Recreational golfers and fans of the game of golf are an excellent market for the timeshare and timeshare resales industries. Many professional golf tournaments draw a half million fans in the galleries during the week of play, with millions more watching the event on television. Companies who sponsor the play of professional golfers recognize that marketing to golfers means marketing to people who have the time and means to plan regular vacations and would be interested in the vacation ownership opportunities of timesharing.

Franz Hanning, president and CEO of Wyndham Vacation Ownership (Wyndham timeshare) “We believe this is a tremendous opportunity to align the Wyndham brand with one of the game’s most promising young talents. Our goal is to connect with golfers at every stage in their love of the game. We’re proud to associate ourselves with a rising star like Brandt and believe he is the perfect complement to our partnership with the game’s most preeminent legend.”

Besides sponsoring Snedeker, Wyndham timeshare maintains an exclusive marketing partnership with Arnold Palmer, and has developed the Arnold Palmer Golf Holidays line of travel products.

Wyndham timeshare will again sponsor the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C., on August 11 through 17, 2008.

To learn more about opportunities in Wyndham vacation ownership and Wyndham timeshare resales visit Sell My Timeshare NOW.

Watch this YouTube video to see the golf swing that made Brandt Snedeker 2007 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year.

During the 10th Annual Grand Bahama Business Outlook forum last week, Mike Murphy of Harcourt Development announced that Harcourt (the owners of Royal Oasis) has finalized a management deal for the Royal Oasis Timeshares property.

The Freeport News quoted Murphy, the director of Harcourt Development, as saying, “We’ve been working at this for a very long time and we met with Foxwoods almost a year ago now and we’ve been in talks with them ever since.” As Murphy explains, “We’re (Harcourt Developments) the owners and developers of the property, but Foxwoods are going to be the operators.”

Spokespeople for both Harcourt and Foxwoods agree that they are still in an assessment phase, determining which aspects of the hotel and timeshare resort can be refurbished and which will have to be totally rebuilt. Royal Oasis timeshares, as you probably recall, has be closed since Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne caused extensive damages in the fall of 2004. Timeshare owners at Royal Oasis have been in limbo since that time, many still on the hook to make payments on timeshare condos were no longer usable as vacation properties.

Upgrades and Repairs at Royal Oasis Caribbean Timeshare Resort

Currently, proposed plans for the Royal Oasis timeshare resort include quickly bring the Ruby Golf Course to playing conditions, with a long-term overhaul planned for the Emerald Course. A new hotel tower is planned, along with a spa, and multiple food and beverage service locations.

According to reports in The Bahama Journal, some 400 hotel units will be refurbished and another 350 hotel units added. While all sources of information about this newest development in the long and controversial issues surrounding Royal Oasis timeshares refer to the expansion as “hotel” units, I am speculating that they actually mean “timeshare units”. Moreover, while any news of forward momentum in this situation is positive, it doesn’t sound like timeshare owners at Royal Oasis can look forward to using their timeshare weeks any time in the immediate future.

The unfairness of this whole nasty mess as far as Royal Oasis timeshare owners are concerned is inexcusable and if you would like a refresher course on the chain of events, I recommend you revisit the following posts in the Timeshare Owners Blog:

• Updates about Royal Oasis Timeshare
• Do You Own Timeshare at Royal Oasis in the Bahamas?
• Royal Oasis Timeshare Resort: A Litany of Problems
• Uncertain News about Royal Oasis Timeshare Resort

If you are a timeshare owner at Royal Oasis, you still have until April 1, 2008, to become part of the class action lawsuit against the original owners of the timeshare resort. To find out more about the terms of this lawsuit, contact:

Phillips & Garcia, P.C.
Carlin Phillips, Esq.
13 Ventura Drive
N. Dartmouth, MA 02747
cphillips@phillipsgarcia.com

On Monday, the Timeshare Owners Blog will update you on the other group, in addition to timeshare owners, who have been so deeply impacted by the debacle at Royal Oasis timeshares.

Who could have imagined that the business affairs of Donald Trump would show up in the Timeshare Owners Blog as frequently as they have this past year? But Donald Trump’s reality reads better than fiction, and new chapters seem to be written almost weekly.

If you have somehow missed the continuing saga of Trump’s dream to build a hotel and timeshare resort on the Scottish coast, I direct you to these past postings on the Timeshare Owners Blog.

Trump’s Efforts to Build a Hotel and Timeshare Resort in Aberdeen, Scotland:

• Drama Continues Over Trump Hotel and Timeshare Resort
• Hey Donald Trump, Can You Get Me a Timeshare Deal?
• Aberdeen Golf and Timeshare Resort a Little Closer to Reality
• Can One Scotsman Stop Trump’s Resort and Timeshare?
• Donald Trump’s Controversial Golf and Timeshare Resort in Aberdeen, Scotland Part II.
• Donald Trump’s Controversial Golf and Timeshare Resort in Aberdeen, Scotland

…And now for the latest chapter in Trump Golf’s quest to build the finest golf resort and timeshare in Scotland.

Photo courtesy of The Daily Mail

Earlier this month the Scotland’s heraldic authority stated that Donald Trump had broken the law by not registering a coat of arms the Trump Organization has been using on stationery and other promotional materials for its proposed Aberdeen golf course, hotel, and timeshare resort. Citing a regulation that is more than 300 years old, the Scotland heraldic authority says Trump has been illegally using a coat of arms that features three lions and a fist holding an arrow as part of their marketing campaign for the golf resort.

The Court of the Lord Lyon, which has held authority over coats of arms in Scotland since 1642, has issued an order that the Trump company must immediately stop use of the image. Not only is the coat of arms unregistered, but according to a quote that appeared in United Press International, Romilly Squire of the Scottish Heraldic Society says that having Trump’s name in the crest breaks a key law of heraldry. Apparently, a motto should have been used rather than a name.

According to a slightly tongue-in-cheek blog post on The Nation, written by author and columnist, Nicholas Von Hoffman, Trump also uses a similar logo for Trump University. I wonder if the Trump U lion is a registered coat of arms or if the keepers of heraldic integrity will have to rap The Donald’s hands for that unauthorized use as well?

Great Choice for a Scotland Timeshare Vacation

And while the world waits for the resolution of the Trump hotel and timeshare resort issue, remember that there are always opportunities to enjoy a great Scotland timeshare vacation or golf timeshare vacation by taking advantage of Scotland Timeshare Resales and timeshare rentals through Sell My Timeshare NOW.

• Sunterra Resort Kenmore Club
• Moness Country Club
• Loch Rannoch Highland Club
• Hilton International Grand Vacations at Hilton Coylumbridge and Hilton Craigendarroch
• Great Glen Water Park Club
• Edinburgh Residence
• Cameron House

It was a safe prediction to say that we hadn’t heard the last of the controversy over the Trump hotel and timeshare resort planned for construction near Aberdeen, Scotland, despite the application being rejected last week by the Aberdeenshire local council.

If you haven’t been following the story, there have been too many ups and downs in this hotel and timeshare resort project for me to properly take you through all of them. Let’s just say that on the negative side there have been environmental concerns, some very resistive Scottish farmers, and a host of objections that range from the traffic and activity the two golf courses, hotel, luxury homes and timeshare condos would generate, to a general sense of “we just don’t want it here,” voiced by some of the area residents.

On the positive side, there is the promise of new jobs, a huge boost to the local economy, the possibility of hosting a future British Open, and Donald Trump’s desire to pay homage to the Scottish roots of his late mother, not to mention, I assume the chance for a number of people to make big bucks along the way.

After being rejected in November by the local councilors, the Trump Organization, according to the New York Times, announced they might just build their $2 billion project in Northern Ireland.

The fallout from that statement led to others, higher up the Scottish political hierarchy, deciding it was time to interject themselves into the situation. BBC NEWS says that Labour Aberdeen Central MSP, Lewis Macdonald, addressed parliament, explaining that the situation had arisen because, “Aberdeenshire planning chiefs had delegated powers of authority over ‘vital’ decisions in their own area.”

This prompted Brian Adam, the SNP MSP for Aberdeen North to say, “I am very concerned that if this development doesn’t go ahead, it’s going to deliver an international message that Scotland is not the kind of place to come and invest in.” The Scotsman.com quoted Lewis Macdonald, the Labour MSP for Aberdeen Central, as saying, “The bigger picture here is about the kind of message that Scotland is sending out to the world and about whether we’re able to take opportunities when they arise.”

If you have followed my over six months of writing about this in the Timeshare Owners Blog, then you know that the planned resort sounds spectacular. Trump International Golf Links Scotland would create one more jewel in Scotland’s crown of legendary golf courses, which start in the south at Muirfield, and include St. Andrews, Gleneagles, Carnoustie, Royal Aberdeen, Murcar, Nairn, Inverness, and finally Royal Dornoch in the north. The hotel and timeshare resort’s design would be elegant, a showpiece to the Scottish countryside.

Whether this is a case of a few naysayers thwarting development for an entire region, or if the people of the Aberdeen coastal area have valid concerns about negative environmental and social change to their homeland, I am just too far away from the situation to say with certainty. But I can’t help but wonder, when the local people have fought this so hard and for so long, why does a developer persist in pursuing the location? I am willing to bet there are suitable places to build this resort where the residents would welcome The Donald and his development dollars with open arms.

We’ve had a few interesting comments from people with strong opinions on the plans for this golf course, hotel, and timeshare resort, and I really appreciate it when our readers share their thoughts. Anyone else like to add to the discussion?

Here’s a very cool virtual tour on YouTube of another one of Trump’s controversial projects the Trump SoHo Condos.

It is probably fair to say that people don’t often get the best of Donald Trump.

But if you have been following the saga of Trump’s attempt to build world class golf courses, a hotel and timeshare resort near Aberdeen, Scotland, you know Trump has faced a number of delays in getting approval for the project. Among them has been a Scottish farmer, Michael Forbes, who refuses to sell his farmland to the Trump Organization. Forbes’ land is centrally located in the planned golf and timeshare resort area and while Trump says he could and would build around the Forbes’ property if necessary, it has been obvious that Trump has been somewhat stumped by Forbes’ resistance to sell his family farm.

So last week when radio DJ Robin Galloway telephoned Donald Trump, pretending to be a real estate agent representing Michael Forbes, the Trump Organization was eager to talk to the man, who they thought might be bringing them a solution to the stalemate.

According to The Daily Record, Galloway told Donald Trump, “Forbes was willing to ’stand aside’ and give up his land in return for an annual, two-week trip to New York for two.

Galloway went on to ask, “Is there any chance of doing a timeshare?”

Trump’s reply was, “I could do something like that. I’d look after him.”

Before hanging up, Galloway confessed to Trump that the call was a prank. Reportedly, even Donald Trump saw the humor in the hoax, recognizing the irony in the idea that a Scottish farmer who refuses to sell his land so that a timeshare resort can be built, would ever be offering to trade that land for two weeks in a New York timeshare.

Use this link to Scotland Real Radio to hear the entire phone call with Donald Trump.

For several months, I have been writing updates on Donald Trump’s progress (and lack of progress) in building a luxury golf resort with a hotel and timeshare units near Aberdeen, Scotland.

Trump’s project has faced multiple stumbling blocks, not the least of which has been a Scots farmer, who stalwartly refuses to sell his farmland to the Trump organization. Other objections have included the environmental impact the resort will have on native grasses and wildlife, on the coastline ecosystem, and on the peaceful lifestyle the area’s residents currently enjoy.

If Donald Trump has his way, the Trump organization will build a five-star hotel, two golf courses, approximately 500 luxury homes, and nearly 1000 timeshare units, five miles north of Aberdeen. Trump’s plan is to create a golf mecca to honor his mother, who was born on Scotland’s Isle of Lewis.

On November 20, the Aberdeenshire Council Formartine Area Committee met for nearly three hours, again hashing out the pros and cons of permitting the construction of Trump’s resort and timeshare units. Although the committee eventually issued approval of the plans, (voting 7-4 in favor of the golf resort) ministers of the Scottish government still have the option to halt the development at any point along the way.

The UK Daily Record reports that opponents of the resort and timeshare development call it a “gated community for the super-rich” and that opponents fear it will ruin the coastline. Supporters say the hotel, golf course, and timeshare units will create 6000 much needed jobs.

Donald Trump claims that approval by the Aberdeenshire committee is “a tremendous victory.” But an environmental activist group, known as Sustainable Aberdeenshire, plans to continue its fight against the golf resort and timeshare units. They claim that the project’s application is “legally flawed” (according to The Scotsman) and make further claims that Trump’s implied promise of attracting the British Open to the course will never happen. Climatic conditions along the coastline periodically result in blinding fog that, although infrequent, happens often enough that the threat of heavy fog is sure to scare away planners of such a prestigious and significant golf event.

Something tells me the controversy around this hotel and timeshare units is far from over, so expect me to keep passing along updates as they come my way. Be sure to also read our Timeshare Owners Blog tomorrow, when I’ll be writing a related post about one of the few times that someone has pulled one over on Donald Trump.

Other Options for Scotland Timeshare Resales:

• Cameron House
• Edinburgh Residence
• Great Glen Water Park Club
• Hilton International Grand Vacations at Hilton Coylumbridge and Hilton Craigendarroch
• Loch Rannoch Highland Club
• Moness Country Club
• Sunterra Resort Kenmore Club

When the 2009 British Open is played at Turnberry Golf Course, it will no longer be a Westin resort property under the ownership of Starwood Hotel and Timeshare Resorts.

Starwood has announced that they are selling the resort, which include the 219-room luxury five-star hotel. A spokesperson for the Starwood Hotel and Timeshare Resorts said in an interview earlier this month, “In line with Starwood’s asset strategy, the Westin Turnberry Resort, Aryshire, has taken the decision to resource an investment partner to realize the development potential of the resort, where there are 300 acres of undeveloped land.”

…hmmmm…300 acres could mean a lot of space for a timeshare resort and fractional ownership property.

Hotels Magazine quoted legendary European Tour golfer, Colin Montgomerie as describing Turnberry golf course as, “one of the best in the world”.

The links at Turnberry have been the site of three previous British Open tournaments: 1994, when Nick Price won there; 1986 when Greg Norman took home the Claret Jug, and in 1977 when Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus battled in the legendary Duel in the Sun, in which Watson eventually claimed the win.

PGA Tour winner Bobby Cole says, “The weather that year during the 1977 Open was atypically mild for a British Open. Watson and Nicklaus were so far ahead of the rest of us in the fourth round, that it was as if they played their own tournament and the rest of us were only playing for third place. The Americans played very well that year. Tommy Horton, a British golfer was the only person to finish in the top twelve spots who wasn’t an American.”

Bobby Cole, who has worn our logo at Sell My Timeshare NOW, when he competes, finished T15 in the 1977 Open at Turnberry.

Starwood Hotels are looking for an outside investor to buy the property and fund a multimillion pound development program, with an asking price of £100 million (GBP), which is more than 200 million US dollars.

I’m just wondering if the new owners can have a timeshare resort completed at Turnberry in time for the 2009 Open.

Just an afterthought: Isn’t it a strange irony that the same time the Turnberry Golf Resort was going on the market for hundreds of millions, Xbox was making the Turnberry Golf Resort a free download for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08. It seems that gamers were complaining they didn’t want to give up Microsoft Points in order to get it.

Other great Scotland timeshare resorts and Scotland timeshare resales:

• Scandinavian Village Timeshare Resale
• Loch Rannoch Highland Club Timeshare Resale
• Moness Country Club Timeshare Resale
• Edinburgh Residence Timeshare Resale
• Hilton International Grand Vacations at Hilton Coylumbridge
• Hilton International Grand Vacations at Craigendarroch
• Great Glen Water Park Club Timeshare Resale
• Sunterra Resort Kenmore Club Timeshare Resale
• Cameron House Timeshare Resale

And here’s one of the most charming YouTube videos about the British Open, Nike’s own special version of Tiger Woods wining at St. Andrews.

Right now, it seems as if one lone Scotsman is standing between Donald Trump and his plan to build Trump International Golf Links.

This past June, (June 11,12, The Timeshare Owners Blog) I wrote about Trump’s plan to develop approximately 1000 acres with two championship golf courses, a 450-room luxury hotel, between 500 and 1000 timeshare villas or vacation residences, a golf academy, and perhaps even a turf grass research center. The project is an enormous undertaking (the only kind the Donald seems to get involved with) and could bring many benefits in the form of jobs for area residents and tourist dollars into the local economy of the coastal farming area near Aberdeen, Scotland.

But problems that have ranged from environmental issues, to permitting, to securing the land, have now delayed construction on the golf resort and timeshare villas by more than a year.

The most recent thorn in the side of the Trump Organization is a farmer and fisherman by the name of Michael Forbes, who owns roughly 23 acres of land that Trump would like to own in order to move the project forward. Forbes, who was quoted in NY Daily News as saying that the land had been in his family for generations and would never be sold to someone like Donald Trump, has now become a target for Trump’s vocalizations. Trump has been very outspoken with his claims that the farm’s appearance is “disgusting” and that Forbes is just trying to “raise the stakes”.

So move over, Rosie O’Donnell, it looks like you may have to share the Trump hot seat with Mr. Forbes, at least for a while.

In the meantime, there’s nothing to stop you from enjoying a Scotland timeshare vacation in a great timeshare resale or timeshare rental.

• Cameron House
• Edinburgh Residence
• Great Glen Water Park Club
• Hilton International Grand Vacations at Hilton Coylumbridge and Hilton Craigendarroch
• Loch Rannoch Highland Club
• Moness Country Club
• Sunterra Resort Kenmore Club