(GULF SHORES, ALABAMA) – Golf and Gulf Coast fishing – a popular buddy-trip combination along the Gulf Shores of Alabama – is available again, thanks to an added eight-week season of recreational red snapper fishing.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration opened the Gulf of Mexico Oct. 1 for red snapper anglers. The reopening of Gulf waters allows avid fishermen to catch the quota they did not reach this summer when a portion of the Gulf was closed due to the Deepwater Horizon/BP oil spill. Recreational fishing will be allowed on Fridays through Sundays through Nov. 21.
“We’re excited that fishing and golf devotees can now come to the Gulf Shores of Alabama and take part in both of their favorite pastimes,” says Duncan Millar, executive director of Golf Gulf Shores. “With optimal weather through November, this is the best time to return to the Gulf for a weekend getaway with 18 holes at a quality course and fishing in one of the hottest spots on the coast.”
Because the summer fishing season was cut short, experts estimated that only one-third of the quota set aside for recreational fishermen was harvested. Alabama’s Gulf Coast is home to one of the world’s largest charter fishing boat fleets with a dozen marinas and hundreds of vessels from which to choose. A variety of fishing options are available – from deep sea trips to back-bay excursions – that will suit any anglers’ needs.
Golf stay-and-play packages throughout the Gulf Shores region can be customized for each group, with stay-and-play golf packages starting as low as $62 per person, per night. Sport fishing charter companies abound in the Gulf, with rates starting at $550 per four-hour expedition. For more information about the many quality fishing and golfing options available on Alabama’s Gulf Coast and a customized quote, visit www.golfgulfshores.com.
In addition, all groups that book a customized golf package via www.golfgulfshores.com for travel between Nov. 16, 2010 and Feb. 28, 2011 will be entered to win the $2,000 destination credit prize to be used on dining, golf shop items, area attractions and more. Packages must be purchased by Nov. 15, 2010 and include a two-night minimum stay. The winner of the $2,000 destination credit will be randomly chosen on Nov. 15.
Country Music Legend Alan Jackson to Perform at the Concerts for the Coast Series
Grammy Award winner Alan Jackson will bring his country music talent to the Gulf Shores for a free concert on Saturday, Oct. 30 at The Wharf in Orange Beach as the final event of the “Concerts For The Coast” series. The event is will be an appreciation concert for the local community presented by Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism (CVB).
Locals can score up to four free tickets per person through Friday, October 22, while supplies last, at The Wharf’s Amphitheater box office (Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) or the Ticketmaster office located at the Publix of Orange Beach (Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
“We are thrilled to bring this year’s concert series to a close with an artist of this caliber,” said Herb Malone, president/CEO of the CVB. “Our area has faced a challenging summer, and I am extremely proud and humbled to see how our community has joined together to face this battle with a unified effort. This concert will be a thank-you to the community.”
The “Concerts For The Coast” series kicked-off with Jimmy Buffett & Friends: Live from The Gulf Coast on July 11. This nationally televised event hosted 35,000 fans on the Gulf Shores Public Beach. The series continued with a September 25 performance by Hank Williams Jr. and Gretchen Wilson at The Wharf. Bon Jovi (October 15) and Brad Paisley (October 17th) are both scheduled to perform this weekend during the Thunder of the Gulf 2010 powerboat event.
The “Concerts For the Coast” event series was created to offer economic support to the gulf area, drawing visitors from around the country and stimulating the local economy damaged by the oil spill.
About Golf Gulf Shores
Golf Gulf Shores is the moniker for the Gulf Shores Golf Association, the partnership that promotes the destination and its custom golf packages built by its partners, for golf groups, families, and corporate outings. The destination offers nine golf courses, countless lodging options and a wealth of outdoor activity on its 32-mile waterfront destination. Course highlights:
Cotton Creek at Craft Farms – Arnold Palmer Signature Design with generous fairways lined by Southern Hardwoods, undulating greens and a championship test from 7,028 yards, and owned and operated by Honours Golf.
Cypress Bend at Craft Farms – The sister Honours Golf property to Cotton Creek, the Arnold Palmer Signature Design meanders through cord-grass accented lakes which come into play on nearly every hole.
Glenlakes Golf Club – Scottish-style links course designed by Von Hagge and known for its extensive bunkering and postage-stamp greens.
Kiva Dunes – A “Top 100 Course in America” by Golf Digest, the Jerry Pate design is the only beachfront resort course in Gulf Shores.
Peninsula Golf and Racquet Club – Owned and operated by Honours Golf, the 27-hole facility offers chilled apples on the tee. The 830-acre park includes 30 lakes and fairways surrounded by Bon Secour Wildlife Preserve.
Rock Creek Golf Club – Also owned by Honours Golf and boasting rolling terrain and fairways lined by pines, the Earl Stone design overlooks freshwater wetlands and the Rock Creek basin.
TimberCreek Golf Club – This 27-hole design was crafted by Earl Stone and feels like an inland Carolina course with fairways lined by loblolly pines, dogwoods and magnolias.
The Golf Club of the Wharf – Formerly known as the Gulf Shores Golf Club, this was the Gulf Shores’ first course. Opened it 1960, it was redesigned by Jay and Carter Morrish in 2005.
For more information: www.golfgulfshores.com, 888-815-1902.
Contact:
Janeen Driscoll, Buffalo Communications
910-690-9711
jdriscoll@buffalocommunications.com
Gary Trask, Buffalo Communications
978-228-0314
gtrask@buffalocommunications.com
