Smart Players Shoot for Golf Getaways

There's more than golf at the El Conquistador, however -- there's gambling and pampering, too. Puerto Rico first began offering poker in 1999, and the 10,000-square-foot casino at the "El Con," as it is affectionately known, has become one of the most popular places to play. The stakes are low, ranging between $5 and $10 a bet, but with the resort set on a 300-foot bluff overlooking the Caribbean Sea, the views are breathtaking.

And then there's the Golden Door Spa, a descendant of the original Golden Door Spa that was founded in 1958 and introduced the spa concept to millions of Americans. The El Con's spa is the Caribbean's highest rated and has a generous 25-room spread that is set apart from the hotel, in the hills overlooking the El Yunque tropical forest -- tranquil enough to quiet even the chattiest talking head.

Drive Into History

Why visit a Civil War battlefield when you can practically play golf on one?

During the Civil War, the Chickahominy swamp in Richmond, Va., was the final staging area for the Union's critical troop movements in and around the former capital of the Confederacy. It was a place where outlaws came to hide, but today, it's a place where golfers go to play.

The Crossings Golf Club lies on the northern edge of the swamp, its 18 holes wedged between two Civil War battlefields. The Joe Lee-designed course, named one of the top 10 public courses in the state and the best in the Richmond area, takes good advantage of the terrain, featuring dense woods, elevated tees and lush, rolling fairways.

This fall, the course has paired with the Commonwealth Park Suites Hotel in Richmond to provide an excellent package for golfers who like some history with their handicaps. The Commonwealth, established in 1846, was a bootlegging saloon for the first couple decades, that is, until it was burned to the ground during the Civil War.

Today, the fully renovated 11-floor brick building sports 18th century mahogany furniture in its suites and celebrates its history with daguerreotypes from its moonshine past in the lobby. The State Capitol is across the street and the hotel is within walking distance of Shockoe Slip and Shockoe Bottom, two of the Colonial Era's original trading posts.