PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Those old enough to remember will crack a smile at the mention of the late Dinah Shore’s melodic TV commercial introduction: “See the USA, in your Chevrolet.”
It is a nostalgic moment from years gone by.
Americans, in the throes of a challenging 2020, have been reliving those nostalgic days. They are taking to the highways, putting together road trips and visiting new golf destinations. And those road trips include visits to golf courses … in record numbers.
Addressing that renewed trend in American lifestyle, the award-winning Traveling Golfer television show has produced its November episode in tribute to the Great American Road Trip. And what better stage for that road trip than the iconic highway, I-95?
Although the highway spans America from north to south … from Maine to Miami … the stretch that cuts through the northeast portion of Florida is a golf mecca. Known as Florida’s First Coast of Golf, the 68 golf courses in the region and lifestyle attractions along this corridor present the pallet for the November episode of the Traveling Golfer.
Part of the road trip is staged from the Doubletree Hotel, on the banks of the scenic St. John River in the heart of downtown Jacksonville. From that location there is easy access to all there is to do in this modern city – from brewery tours, to museums, to markets and great rooftop dining experiences.
And, of course, there is easy access to extremely close golf courses such Hidden Hills GC and all of the courses on Amelia Island.
Part Two of the Great American Road Trip features America’s Oldest City – St. Augustine. The base of operations in this tourist favorite was the historic Collector Luxury Inn and Garden. This unique collection of suites in a garden setting puts visitors within walking distance to all of the restaurants, shops and attractions in St. Augustine.
And it is a quick drive to golf resorts and courses such as the Ponte Vedra Inn, TPC Sawgrass and St. Johns Golf and Country Club … and many more. For a total immersion in the golf scene, there also is a visit to the nearby World Golf Hall of Fame, which has its own exit off I-95.
“In addition to I-95, we have two more interstates – I-10 and 1-75 – that connect with the area,” explains Dave Reese, president of Florida’s First Coast of Golf. “We’re right at the border of Florida and in a very good spot to get the drive traffic from out of state to come over the state line and enjoy Amelia Island, Jacksonville, Palm Coast and St. Augustine. We have 68 golf courses, so there are lots of choices.”
This Traveling Golfer episode explores many of those courses … plus takes a deep dive into the amazing lifestyle choices in the area.
“Not only does I-95 provide access to such a wide range of golf courses, but it is the gateway to such an interesting array of attractions and cultures,” adds Traveling Golfer host Tony Leodora. “We probably portray more lifestyle features in this show than any show we have done. Let’s face it, Americans are traveling as families in greater numbers now and they want to know all of the options. This show provides plenty.”
The November episode of the Traveling Golfer airs as a scheduled weekly feature show on NBC Sports and NBC Sports + throughout four markets in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. NBC Sports airings are 10:30 a.m. on Sundays, 10 p.m. on Tuesdays and 11 a.m. on Thursdays. NBC Sports + airs the show at 8 p.m. Mondays and Fridays. In addition, the show airs nationally, three times every day, on the new Fun Roads Network (funroads.tv/schedule) – in the San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Wichita, Detroit, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Washington State, North Dakota, Raleigh, Orlando, San Jose and Boise markets. Additionally, national and international expansion has taken place via connected TV on Roku, Amazon Fire, SelectTV and GlewedTV.
The Traveling Golfer also airs a number of times in the Month of November on “Rivertalk” on HTC-4 in Myrtle Beach.
The show also airs on the Traveling Golfer network of websites … including The Golf Director Network and The Myrtle Beach Golf Channel (see full list of sites on travelinggolfervideo.com).
As part of every Traveling Golfer show there is the additional feature, “Tech Talk”, hosted by Tour Edge Golf experts, such as President Dave Glod. With years of experience as a club maker, Glod presents an inside look at the research and development of high-quality golf equipment.
Responding to golfers’ never-ending demands to learn more about interesting golf courses and golf resorts across the country and around the world, well-traveled host Tony Leodora created the Traveling Golfer so he could take viewers on video trips to some of the most exciting golf locations. For the fourth time in five years, the show was honored as the No. 1 Golf Television Show in America in the prestigious International Network of Golf awards, presented at the PGA Merchandise Show in January of 2020.
The Traveling Golfer is a series of monthly shows hosted by Leodora, who has 19 years of experience in televised golf. The featured destination stays on the website for one month, before being replaced by a new show. Alternate shows also air in a two-month rotation. All old shows are archived for continued viewing on the YouTube Network and on the home website, www.travelinggolfervideo.com.
For more information about the Traveling Golfer, or to find out how a property can be featured on the show, call TL Golf Services at (610) 721-8186.
