Preferred Golf Club expands over 60 top resorts

From Scotland’s legendary links to Florida’s Gulf Coast, the Preferred Golf Club collection welcomes seven new member resorts in the most sought-after destinations. Created by Preferred Hotel Group in conjunction with American Express, this exclusive program now offers participating Cardmembers entrée to more than 60 of the most prestigious golf courses the world has to offer.

The newest additions include Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland, Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina, the Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club in Florida, England’s Stoke Park, Northern Ireland’s Lough Erne Golf Resort, Hotel Tivoli Victoria in Portugal, and California’s Ojai Valley Inn & Spa.

Three of Scotland’s top championship courses are available to guests at The Gleneagles Hotel in the Perthshire countryside. They include the famous King’s Course, whose rich history dates back to 1919, the Queen’s Course, and the PGA Centenary Course, which will host the 2014 Ryder’s Cup. The hotel’s legendary golf offerings also include the nine-hole Wee Course and a state-of-the-art Golf Academy. Off-course, guests at this 232-room hotel can enjoy world-class spa treatments at the award-winning Spa at Gleneagles by ESPA, equestrian activities, shooting, falconry, and more.

With eight immaculate golf courses to its name, the celebrated Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina’s Sandhills has hosted more championship tournaments than any other course in the nation. Pinehurst has been garnering top awards since it first opened in 1898, and its 2,000 acres are also home to world-class tennis, spa and family recreational facilities, as well as a historic hotel steeped in Southern tradition.

The Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club in Tampa, Fla., boasts four award-winning layouts by course architect Lawrence Packard, including the famous Copperhead course on the PGA Tour. Golfers can work on their game at the Innisbrook’s 10-acre practice facility and Golf Institute. A luxurious spa, 11 clay tennis courts, six pools, miles of trails, lakes, and proximity to some of the Gulf Coast’s finest beaches round out the offerings at this 620-room resort.

The 27 holes of the Stoke Poges course at Stoke Park, in England’s Buckinghamshire countryside, have been winning well-earned acclaim since 1908. With just 49 luxurious accommodations surrounded by 350 parkland acres, this historic resort offers its guests and members an endless array of luxuries and recreational opportunities that range from grass-court tennis and a state-of-the-art golf academy to world-class spa and fitness facilities.

Nick Faldo’s first Irish course will make its highly anticipated debut on July 1, 2009 at the 120-room Lough Erne Golf Resort in Enniskillen, North Ireland. With the lake in play on 14 holes, this spectacular new course promises to challenge the most experienced players. Golfers can indulge in pre- and post-game massage therapies at the resort’s pampering Thai Spa and finesse their technique at the Lough Erne Golf Academy.

The new Hotel Tivoli Victoria is located in the Vilamoura area of the Algarve Portugal, and overlooks the spectacular Victoria Golf Course, an Arnold Palmer design. It offers 280 luxuriously modern guest accommodations, gourmet dining, the Banyan Tree Spa, a health club, four swimming pools, and a hotel green where golfers can warm-up before their round on a course that represents the most ambitious golf project in all of Portugal.

Golfers can take a swing through history at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa in Ojai, Calif. The resort’s 1923 course follows the natural contours of the sun-dappled terrain in an award-winning design by George C. Thomas Jr., made more challenging in Jay Morrish’s 1988 renovation. The 308-room resort is also home to one of the world’s top spas.

For an annual membership fee of around £210, members of Preferred Golf Club enjoy access to a celebrated collection of golf resorts spanning both sides of the Atlantic. They include Ireland’s The K Club, The Lodge at Sea Island Golf Club, The Broadmoor, Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows, The Coeur d’Alene Resort, Sandy Lane, The Grand Del Mar and many more. Program benefits include:

- The option to “Fill Your Foursome” with up to three companion memberships for around £70 each. Companion feature may be presented as an invitation or a gift from the initiating member;

- Complimentary round of golf with every consecutive two-night stay at participating Preferred Golf Club resorts; benefit may be used as often as desired, subject to resort and tee time availability;

- The lowest publicly available room rates at participating luxury golf resorts;

- Resort room upgrades based on availability;

- Exclusive use of the Preferred Golf Club Desk which assists in booking complimentary golf rounds and resort stays;

- Priority early resort check-in and late check-out;

- Quarterly newsletters for members;

- Exclusive offers from hotels and golf partners;

- Automatic enrollment in the I Prefer Guest Benefit Program, which offers the following perks at all hotels and resorts within four of Preferred’s brands, including Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Preferred Boutique, Summit Hotels & Resorts and Sterling Hotels; complimentary Internet access (at most locations; restrictions apply); customised local hotel benefits; and exclusive offers promoted through the I Prefer newsletter and dedicated members-only website.

American Express Cardmembers can enroll online at preferredgolf.com. Upon joining, they will receive a membership card and course directory.