No, a romantic golf getaway is not an oxymoron. There are a plethora of exceptional resorts that offer championship golf and necessary romance-oriented amenities such as spas, elegant restaurants, cozy hotel lobby bars, private pool cabanas, whirlpools and hot tubs, and gardens for long walks.

Before I get to my Top 10, here’s a suggestion for your next couples getaway. Play a late afternoon round of golf and follow up with a nice bottle of Shiraz, Pinot Noir or Pinot Grigio on the clubhouse veranda as the sun sets over the golf course.

Photo Courtesy of Fairmont Banff Springs

The American Club, Kohler, Wisconsin

The Kohler Waters Spa has a new co-ed, glass-enclosed rooftop deck with a whirlpool, fireplace and lounge. The resort’s two golf courses have hosted major tournaments.

Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff Springs, Canada

A phenomenal spa and 27 holes of challenging, picturesque golf against the backdrop of a castle-like hotel are just a few of the many attractions at this resort nestled in the mountains.

The Boulders Resort, Carefree, Arizona

A spectacular Sonoran Desert setting, Golden Door Spa, on-site boutique shopping village and two Jay Moorish-designed golf courses are the draw.

The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Sitting under the shadow of Cheyenne Mountain, The Broadmoor has three championship golf courses, a spa, three outdoor hot tubs, boutique shopping and the 5-Diamond Penrose Room restaurant.

Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa, Maui, Hawaii

Enveloped by tropical foliage on 40 landscaped acres just steps from the beach, this resort’s spa specializes in ancient Eastern and Hawaiian philosophies.

The Lodge & Spa at Cordillera, Edwards, Colorado

A fashionable 56-room lodge with views of the Vail Valley, Cordillera’s amenities include three golf courses, a spa, and indoor and outdoor Jacuzzis.

The Lodge at Pebble Beach, Pebble Beach, California

A spa nestled in the Del Monte Forest, access to world renowned golf courses, exceptional restaurants and lounges, and the 17-Mile Drive are just a few of the enticements.

Ojai Valley Inn, Ojai, California

Fresh from a $90 million renovation, Ojai Valley, set on 220 tree-laden acres 35 miles south of Santa Barbara, is oozing with Mediterranean elegance highlighted by its white stucco buildings with red barrel tile roofs.

Skytop Lodge, Skytop, Pennsylvania

Set in the lush Pocono Mountains, Skytop has a castle-like hotel, a classic golf course that opened in 1927 and the option to surprise your significant other with pre-ordered champagne, chocolate strawberries or a bouquet of roses.

Turnberry Isle Resort & Club, Aventura, Florida

Looking like it was air-dropped in from the French Riviera, Turnberry Isle has a Willow Stream Spa, two golf courses and a new Bourbon Steak restaurant.

For more golf travel tips, check out http://www.thegolftravelguru.blogspot.com

Does the thought of warm sandy beaches, palm trees, luaus and the plucked strings of a ukulele bring a smile to your face? If so, then snap a picture of your ear-to-ear and enter it in the Hawaii: A Thousand Reasons to Smile sweepstakes campaign for a chance to win a vacation for two to Hawaii.

Sponsored by the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau along with its sister bureaus on Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island, the trip includes airfare to Maui, four nights accommodation at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa and a helicopter tour for two on Blue Hawaiian Helicopters. The sweepstakes ends April 30, 2009.

Not fond of yourself in pictures but still want a free trip to Hawaii? If in the San Francisco Bay Area in March, then be sure to drop in one of the four Aloha Friday Pau Hana Concerts this month. The bureaus are hosting events at Gordon Biersch restaurants in San Francisco, Palo Alto and San Jose every Friday in March from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Stop in to listen to some of Hawaii’s top musical entertainers, special guests and speakers; dine on favorite Hawaiian dishes; and have more chances to win additional trips to the islands.

For full details, visit the campaign’s Web site.

So what are you waiting for? Pull out those old hula skirts, leis and surf trunks and get smilin’!

Sorry for the back-to-back Disney info this week, but I wanted to share the news that Walt Disney Parks and Resorts broke ground yesterday for its first family destination resort in Hawaii. The event included a traditional Hawaiian blessing ceremony for the 21-acre property, which will be part of the Ko Olina Resort & Marina development project on the west side of the island of Oahu. Disney paid $144 million for the site. What makes this project unique for Disney is that it will not include a Disney theme park, nor be located near one.

Mickey and Minnie get in on the groundbreaking action. (Credit: Disney Vacation Club)

The resort plans are still being finaliized, but currently call for 350 hotel rooms, 480 Disney Vacation Club timeshare villas, an expansive pool and water play area, an 18,000-square-foot spa, two restaurants, a wedding lawn, a children's club, a water way with family friendly tubes and body slides that will weave through volcanic rockwork and include an iconic caldera volcano, a wading pool for parents with toddlers, a sprawling zero-entry fun pool and a saltwater snorkel lagoon filled with a variety of exotic fish. The project is currently scheduled to open in 2011.

Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, noted that Disney chose to build a resort on Oahu due to the international popularity of Hawaii as a family vacation destination, and in keeping with Disney being such a strong a family-oriented brand, that the design also calls for activities and amenities that aim to engage every member of the family.

The resort also is being designed to respect and connect with the local culture of the Hawaiian islands, and the property will include cultural programming in the areas of environmental education, music, dance, history, and arts and crafts.

Question is, will you be willing to book a Disney resort vacation that does not include a theme park?