Elite Traveler January-February 2018

elite traveler JAN/FEB 2018 121

Tee off with the stars

If our roundup of top golf courses or interview with the legendary Jack Nicklaus has you reaching for your clubs, we’ve got just the thing. Head to Ridgewood Country Club in Bergen County, New Jersey, August 21–26 for the Northern Trust — the event that kicks off the final leg of the PGA Tour — which features a top-notch Pro-Am package. Only the tour’s top 125 players in the FedExCup Playoffs, a season-long points race to earn the title of PGA Tour Champion, can compete in the Northern Trust event (as Elite Traveler went to press, Dustin Johnson is top of the leaderboard with Jordan Spieth close behind). Get a slice — or a wedge — of the action before the lead event at the Pro-Am, where you can play alongside a top-50-ranked PGA Tour player such as Spieth, Jason Day or Justin Thomas. The Pro-Am package includes an exclusive invite to the draw party. Last year, the fête was hosted by 13-time Emmy Award–winning broadcaster Jimmy Roberts and featured a master distillers’ showcase of Facundo Bacardi private rum reserves, classic martinis by Grey Goose vodka and premium food pairings. When the tournament begins, guests receive clubhouse badges for the ultimate spectator experience — close proximity to the players while enjoying delicious cuisine from famed chefs paired with signature cocktails. The Northern Trust Pro-Am package, $39,000. Contact Nick Clark, nickclark@pgatourhq.com, +1 201 444 5356, pgatour.com

Experience tour a relatively short trip for most new owners. To make the visit even more special, Acura has teamed up with its parent company’s groundbreaking HondaJet, offering a unique opportunity to experience both reimagined modes of transportation in rapid succession. There are now more than 50 of the innovative HondaJets flying the skies. Popular with owner-operators (while it’s a jet, it’s FAA- approved for only one pilot) and companies making regional trips (it has a range of up to 1,358 miles), the aircraft features a unique engine-over-wing design, fastest-in-class airspeed and surprisingly roomy interior, poising it to take over significant market share in the near future. Plus, you can sit in the copilot’s seat during your flight. In Ohio, you can custom design your trip to focus more on history, track driving or watching your baby be assembled. On the Acura Proving Grounds, step inside an NSX with a professional driver accompanying you, and put it through its paces in a dynamic drive experience. Test the four modes and feel the difference between Quiet and Track modes on the curvy dynamic track, or drive perhaps the fastest you’ve ever driven on the high-speed test track. If you’re up for it, your driver will take the wheel and show you a high–g-force hot lap, which will have you firmly pressed into the back of your seat and leave you absolutely exhilarated and searching for a track close to your home. Acura NSX from $156,000, nsx.acura.com NSX Insiders Experience from $1,990 to $6,768, nsxinsiderexperience.com HondaJet from $4.9m, average operating costs $1,000 per hour, hondajet.com Charter a HondaJet from Sunrise Jets to Marysville from $8,000 round-trip, charter@sunrisejets.com, +1 800 927 0209, sunrisejets.com

Below: Take your Acura NSX out onto the track

Below: Dustin Johnson takes a shot while Jordan Spieth looks on

Photo Chip Shot Photography