PEI now a prince among golf destinations

The Atlantic Canada province of Prince Edward Island has become a summer golf destination over the past several years, and it is in the spotlight because of two recent developments.

Last week, Delta Air Lines introduced a daily nonstop flight from Boston to Charlottetown, the provincial capital , and Doug Newson of Charlottetown Airport Authority told CBC News that Delta reported strong advance bookings.

Later this month, PEI golf will receive a second jolt of energy when Mike Weir and Vijay Singh , a pair of Masters champions , play a match at the Links at Crowbush Cove in Morell . The pair will tee off in a charity competition July 29-30, at a course that helped both Weir and the province show up on the golf radar.

Weir played at Crowbush Cove in the 1998 Canadian Skins Game , where the Ontario native's performance against top US pros gave him the confidence that eventually landed him the 2003 Masters title and made him Canada's male athlete of the year three times.

Crowbush Cove, in a spectacular setting along the Gulf of St. Lawrence, was named Canada's best new course by Golf Digest on its opening in 1994 , and the attention it garnered helped launch PEI as a golf destination.

Ten championship courses have opened since Crowbush Cove's debut, and golf revenue on the island, which totaled some $17 million in the mid-1990s, soared to about $80 million by 2002.

Weir and Singh follow in the footsteps of Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, who played head-to-head last summer on PEI's Dundarave Golf Course at the Rodd Brudenell River Resort before 7,200 fans over two days. Tickets are $60 plus tax, $30 for children ages 8-15, free for 7 and under. Call 888-222-6608 or visit legendsofgolfpei.com .

To play the course, visit roddvacations.com or call 800-565-7633 . A three-night package including accommodations with breakfast and four rounds of golf starts at $1,212 for two, including taxes and fees.

Canada's newest course opened last September at Humber Valley Resort in western Newfoundland. Designed by Canadian architect Doug Carrick, the River Course features dramatic elevation shifts and winds along the Humber River. The resort offers a three-night package with accommodations in a three-bedroom chalet and unlimited golf with cart starting at $435 per person, based on four people sharing, and not including taxes and fees.

Five-night packages range from $680 to $1,040 per person. The resort's spa offers facials, body treatments, and aromatherapy massages. Visit humbervalley.com or call 866-686-8100 .

The Ritz-Carlton Lodge at Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, Ga. , 75 miles east of Atlanta, offers 99 holes designed by four of the game's best-known architects: Rees Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio, and Bob Cupp . The 251-room resort on the shores of Lake Oconee has stay-and-play summer packages starting at $429 a night.

The Oconee course, a Jones design, is home to Reynolds Golf Academy , where players receive short- and long-game tutelage. Reynolds Plantation is one of two United States resorts with a TaylorMade Performance Lab , which uses motion-analysis technology to bring game improvement and club fitting to a new level. For more information, call 800-241-3333 or visit ritzcarlton.com .

The LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort in Naples, Fla., which has a David Leadbetter Golf Academy and a course designed by Bob Cupp, is offering a stay-and-play package through Nov. 15.

The package starts at $169 per night and includes a coastal view room, 50 percent off greens fees, fitness center access, and valet parking. The resort is also throwing in a $50 credit for two- and three-night stays, and $100 for four or more nights.

LaPlaya has earned spots on both the Condé Nast Traveler Gold List and the great hotels of Travel + Leisure. For more information, visit laplayaresort.com or call 800-237-6883 .

Ron Driscoll can be reached at rdriscoll@globe.com.