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Tierra del Sol had just been awarded a 4 1/2 star rating in the 2008-09 edition of Golf Digest’s “Best Places to Play,” which this year rated nearly 6,000 courses in North America and the Caribbean.

“The course was evaluated by approximately 20,000 Golf Digest readers on a five point scale,” reports the elated head professional at Tierra del Sol golf course, Oliver Riding. “The laurels,” says Managing Director Ann Brown, “are being shared between our head professional and the course’s tireless, Aruba-born superintendent, Haime Maduro.”

At the end of the rating questionnaire some of the comments made by those rating the course for Golf Digest included: “It’s hard not to have a wonderful experience with these breathtaking views.” Another golfer raved: “It’s a spectacular combo of desert and ocean,” while a third one summed up what many felt: “Ranks up there, as one of my favorites.”

The 4-star rating explains Riding, is a great accomplishment for Aruba and the Robert Trent Jones II design which relies on 1,800m3 of desalinated water, and a crew of twelve dedicated maintenance men to daily manicure its 110 acres of grass, featuring 6,811 yards of golf. With only one 5-star golf course in the Caribbean, Riding and Maduro are confident that their 5th star is in the making, hopefully for next year.

Tierra del Sol, Aruba Resort, Country Club & Spa opened in 1995, flaunting 18 holes of golf, on a resort course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. The desert-style course features sweeping vistas of Aruba’s coast, sand dunes and the California lighthouse. While the average green fees are about $150, reduced fees are available weekdays and at twilight, also for juniors and seniors.

The course accepts tee time reservations 365 days in advance, and is open year round, from January to December. Tierra del Sol mandates carts, and does not offer a walking option. Riding and Maduro report the fairway turf grows Bermuda grass and that a grass practice range is available. The course, they add, is graced with more that 100 bunkers and best of all, the facility includes a full service gourmet restaurant in the club house named Ventanas del Mar, and a casual grill and bar at the highest elevation, the Look Out Bar & Grill, facing Palm Beach and the high-rise hotels.

Maduro who worked on the course since opening day and who planted each blade of grass on the greens is proud of “his baby” and credits all accomplishments to his team for their consistency and great attention to detail. Riding who last weekend helped organize the successful Aruba Pro Am in its 14th edition, also credits his crew, complemented by golf pros Heath Henrich, and Adam Williamson.

The rating, explains the Golf Digest website means that Tierra del Sol is perfectly positioned between the four-star “outstanding golf, good enough to plan a next vacation around it,” and the five-star “Super. Golf at its absolute best. Pay any price to play at least once in your life.”

This story submitted by Rona Coster-Kahan

Top right: Haime Maduro and Oliver Riding
Bottom: Tierra del Sol, Resort, Country Club & Spa Golf Course

On August 21 and 23, American author Daniel Putkowski will be signing his novel An Island Away at Samsom Bookstore, Oranjestad, Aruba. In July, readers lined up at Charlie’s Bar in San Nicolas for copies of An Island Away and a chance to meet author Daniel Putkowski. Since then, the entire first shipment of the book to Aruba has sold out. More books arrived last week and two new events have been added to the author’s schedule. This week he will be signing books at the Samsom Bookstore located in the Antraco Retail Center, L.G. Smith Boulevard 126, Oranjestad (near Wendy’s, The Jungle Furniture Store, and the traffic circle by the container port). Ample, free onsite parking is available. The first signing will be Thursday, August 21, from 1 to 4 pm. A second event will be held on Saturday, August 23, from 3 to 6 pm. For directions, call the bookstore at 297-582-3434.

Putkowski sets the stage for a compelling read with the opening line of An Island Away, “Charlie lived in a place where some people’s fantasies were other people’s realities.” As the story unfolds in the heart of San Nicolas, Putkowski makes one thing clear — he is a keen observer of the human condition. Before deciding to live in Aruba, he was a frequent visitor. It was during those visits that he gathered material which became An Island Away. The novel is set mostly in the shadow of Aruba’s refinery, with some real-life characters like the late Charlie Brouns, Jr. of Charlie’s Bar. Readers will recognize other locations including the California Lighthouse, Palm Beach, and the fishing village of Savaneta.

Here the author answers some commonly asked questions:

When did you first come to Aruba and why? I was invited to Aruba in 1994 by friends who lived here. I investigated the possibility of building artificial reefs for sport divers along the northwest coast. At the time, I owned a business in the States that was building reefs in New Jersey and Delaware by sinking ships and concrete pipe.

Why did you choose San Nicolas as the setting for your book? During that first visit in 1994, I went to San Nicolas with the people who invited me to the island. The oil refinery looming in the background reminded me of my own pier in Philadelphia. We stopped at Charlie’s Bar for a drink, met Charlie, Jr., himself, and I thought, “This is my kind of place.”

Your novel is very realistic. How did you conduct research? I had the good fortune to become fast friends with people who were born and raised in the Seroe Colorado Colony at the height of the Esso days. These guys not only told me their stories, but also took me to the places where they happened. My visits to Aruba became more and more frequent and each one was like another episode in a sort of grand soap opera. In some ways, these adventures were like reconstructions of the good old days. Soon I was a friend of their friends, people who ran the gamut of jobs, nationalities, and backgrounds.

Charlie Brouns, Jr. is a featured character in the book. Why? Charlie was a good friend, may he rest in peace. In many ways he was like the ringmaster of a circus. Whether at his bar or his pavilion in Savaneta, he kept the good times going, encouraging everyone to enjoy themselves. At the same time, Charlie had a wit and wisdom that taught life’s lessons to anyone with the patience to listen. I only wish I had spent more time with him before his untimely passing in 2004.

When did you start writing stories? My earliest writing efforts began when I was about ten or eleven. During college, I started a few novels but never finished them. After a long break, I took up the pen again and completed a novel in 2000. That gave me the courage to work seriously and by 2003, I’d finished another one.

Were they published? No, those first two books were practice. They helped me hone my skills and prepared me to take on a story as big as An Island Away.

How long did it take you to write An Island Away? About two years. There was another year of rewriting and editing.

What would you like your readers to take from the book? The characters in my story discover that, for better or worse, life is full of detours. My own life has been the same way. I started out in film school, ended up working in the marine industry for 17 years, and then returned to the creative arts. However, without that detour I might never have written An Island Away. As Charlie always said, “You have to improvise.”

Top right: ‘An Island Away’ book cover

Bottom: Daniel Putkowski (white shirt)

Nine candidates to the Miss Aruba pageant met at Blue, Renaissance Aruba Resorts over cocktail last night. They have been rehearsing for the show at the Renaissance Convention Center on Saturday night and stopped in at the famous bar for a breather.

The local beauties mingled with guests and members of the jury in charge of selecting Miss Aruba 2008.

Renaissance Director of Food & Beverage John Grigg, the reigning Miss Aruba Tracey Nicholas and Miss World Boyura Martijn, as well as a former Miss Aruba Linda Scnog enjoyed the cocktails and the sunset before dinner at Aquarius Restaurant courtesy of Renaissance one of this year’s major sponsor and host hotel reports Rebecca Verschoor – Marval, Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino, PR & Marketing Communications Manager.

The warmhearted people of the island of Hawaii and their colorful Hula skirts and floral lei offered a taste of the far-away, exotic land to the associates of La Cabana Beach & Racquet Club, during the monthly special themed lunch at the Sit & Chat Café.

“Aloha, we offer you just a taste of Hawaii, no passport needed, just bring your smile,” said the invitations dispatched by the Front Office, PBX-CDS and Bell Staff.

Associates enjoyed a special luau BBQ luncheon finished with pineapple upside cake and virgin piña-coladas.

Pictured here General Manager Joe Najjar in his favorite Hawaiian shirt, flanked by his in-house Hula dancers.

A group of event planners from the US received a special welcome to Aruba, orchestrated with great attention to detail and fanfare by Eco Destination Management.

Over the next couple of days, from July 30th to Aug 3rd, the Aruba Convention Bureau, formerly known as Meet Aruba and its new, dynamic sales team, will be helping host the important planners at the Westin Aruba Resort, in conjunction with Aruba’s premier hospitality partners.

The group will be wined and dined, and shown the island’s fantastic ability to lavishly entertain and creatively pamper meetings, incentives conventions, exhibitions and conferences, big and small.

ECO DMS, gave the just-landed certified meeting professionals a taste of luxury with an airport arrival featuring Mojitos served on a red carpet and special transportation to their host hotel.

On Friday the group will be spending a magical, unforgettable night at Mr. Jazz, hosted by Eco Destination Management, says Ruben D. Mannes, Director of Sales & Marketing
ECO Destination Management Services of Aruba.

ECO Destination Management hosted a group of VIP guests for dinner at Mr Jazz, located at Paseo Herencia, a swanky supper club, with an authentic Cuban atmosphere. The guests where received at the Hyatt Regency pier with on a Red Carpet, and then walked across the beach, guided by tiki torches towards their awaiting transportation which took them to Mr. Jazz, where a special banquet was set up on the 2nd floor wraparound terrace, overlooking the band and the dance floor.

Dinner offered a Taste of Mr. Jazz’s Culinary Delights, and the ever-flowing Mojitos matched the mood created by the brand new dance show of the Pachanga Aruba dancers. It was a memorable evening for the guests, invited by the Aruba Tourism Authority and the Aruba Hotel & Tourism Association to experience Aruba’s special brand of hospitality for a weekend, says Ruben Mannes, Eco DMS Aruba.