Cigar smoking, despite any new regulations pending, is on the rise. The reasons? It is an activity you can do with friends that encourage conversation and comradery. In the case of golf, it can be done on the golf course.

It is no wonder that events like the Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival, held at the Omni Interlocken Resort/Golf Club just outside of Denver on August 20th, has added both festival goers and vendors each year. In just four years, the festival has gone from 1100 to over 2100 attendees, and that was capped due to space constraints. Vendors for the 110 booths come from 38 states and 27 foreign countries and cover everything cigar to adult beverages, lifestyle products, and dining. Admission tickets include simple entry, VIP and Super VIP. Each level of ticket has its’ own perks including cigars, lighters and other goodies. And each cigar vendor packages special cigars for sale during the one day event.

 

Cigars are the festival focus, and each manufacturer has a different angle on the stogie to appear to an increasingly diverse and sophisticated market. Cornelius & Anthony was one of the few American produced cigar companies at the festival. Steven Bailey’s family has been growing tobacco in Virginia since the 1860s. Their cigars demonstrate that an American cigar can appeal and develop a loyal aficionado following, especially with a product like the Cornelius.

La Flor Dominicana is a meticulous cigar company as they control all facets of the cigar from growing to manufacture and packaging. Their intent is to bring a premium cigar that is always the same smoke because of the consistent process. For the 1994 cigar, they set aside tobacco for years in anticipation of this very special blend to commemorate their 20th-anniversary cigar. Their 1994 cigar has complex flavors that originate from the superb fillers and binder grown on their farm in the Dominican Republic. Cigars need a wrapper, and this one gets a sweet and savory Mexican San Andrés wrapper.

Accessories for cigar smokers are always interesting from Lotus. Their torch lighters are efficient and elegant, yet in cutters, they might have the latest and greatest. Enter the Jaws Serrated cigar cutter with serrated edges on the cutting surface, which grabs the cigar for a cleaner cut. The Jaws has been so successful; Lotus is likely going to place the technology in all their cutters.

Oliva Cigars remain wildly popular because they provide low-cost premium cigars. Their tobacco mantra is for the consumer to spend the least amount yet get the best products. They do not often introduce new products because they need a reason and want it to be a big deal. Their Oliva Series V Melanio gets a 95 rating, so why change success in cigars that are all under $14?

If you can turn your hobby into your business, then success has been achieved, and so it is for John Way of City Star Brewing. Located in Berthoud, Colorado this bustling brewery just celebrated their four-year anniversary. Moreover, they did it with award winners all brewed to style. Just this year, their All American IPA won the silver medal.

Some cigars do not try to innovate unless they have a vision and theme, and that is the case with the Quesada Cigars operation in the Dominican Republic. With their cigars, you can get either tradition or innovation. The most recent example is they might be the first cigar company to offer a special cigar for Oktoberfest, which parallels the craft beer explosion.

Take 100% sugar, start the still and you have some superb Colorado moonshine from the 3Hunrdred Days of Shine Distillery. Just celebrating their second year, this operation is in Monument, just south of Denver. Their flavors include Apple Pie, Margarita Moon, Summertime Strawberry Lemonade, Firebomb, Peach Cobbler, and Colorado Honey.

Move over Mr. Potato Head, as Gorgeous Vodka is distilled in Montana from select potatoes. While the regular vodka is stellar and has a unique flavor, what sets this apart is one that was developed to pair with cigars. Enter the Cranberry Tea Vodka, which has just the right blend of sour, sweet and tea to pair well with any cigar.

Al Capone is a premium cigarillo that is carefully rolled for a long smoke for a shorter stick. Rolled in Honduras, it is infused with either cognac or rum flavors. This fills a market niche for the smoker who wants some character and something that doesn’t take two hours. However, due to popular demand, Al and the crew released the Big Stick last year to rave reviews.

The festival also highlights the venue and nearby options. The Omni Interlocken Hotel and Resort is a nifty facility with meeting rooms, conference facilities, spa, extensive pools, and restaurants. The Omni Golf Club offers three distinct nine-hole courses best described as a mounded links experience that follows the gentle hills.

Get off the property and festival grounds, and easily the most exciting new restaurant in the area is Kachina Southwestern Grill. This is southwestern dining that is inventive and taste-vetted before it ever hits the plate. The Controlled Burn Margarita will get the evening lit, while the smoked Bison Meatloaf rumbles with flavor and the Rajas & Calabacitas Enchilada proves a vegetarian dish can be meat-like hearty.

 

In golf distance is king, and hitting it long in the right spot is the ultimate goal. Televised tournaments are filled with sponsorships and advertisements, but are those clubs the best for your game?

Adding yardage through innovation, TourEdge has quietly been making a name for themselves with a resultant loyal following. And now, you can catch the next techno wave. Something that characterizes TourEdge is they take most clubs in their line and use the technology for combinations that are more forgiving and other combinations that are more precise for the better player.

The newest advantage across the line is called the “SlipStream Sole,” a wavy pattern on the bottom of the club. In testing, TourEdge found this design better at breaking up friction with the turf and increasing club head speed. Quite simply, the result is a longer shot. I was skeptical, but in hitting the clubs, this does work.

Another key component to TourEdge technology and application is picking the right combination head and geometry for precision versus distance. Just about everything in their lineup features this choice. If you are less than a 10 handicap, then pick the precision model. An 11 or greater, then the extra forgiveness will make those long shots go just as long when you don’t hit it precisely.

For example, their EX9 Tour Adjustable fairway wood ($299), gives loft options in 15, 15 and 17 combined with the new anti-friction sole. The smaller head designed for less spin and a boring ball flight. Add an adjustable hosel and sole-moveable weight for the player who wants to control trajectory. What was more surprising in hitting this club is how forgiving the smaller head is with off-center hits, something not found in other “tour” woods.

 

On the driver side, the EX9 is sized at 460cc and uses the SlipStream Sole combined with a hexagonal thickness pattern in the face for increased distance. The approach allows the golfer to pick from a 10 or 12 degree lofted driver, but then the hosel adjusts up or down one degree as well as providing fade or draw tendencies. Move over that company that worked with Boeing, TourEdge also has an aerodynamic sloping of the crown for less air friction and drag. Simply put, this is a fantastic technological package for just $299.

Where TourEdge actually claimed the fame on tour, was the number of tour players who used their hybrids. So, no wonder that the EX9 Hybrid gets a performance upgrade by combining the SlipStream sole with a maraging steel cup face. This club really zings it out of the grass. Like most TourEdge clubs, it is incredibly easy to get the ball in the air out of the fairway. At $159, this is a lot of performance that forgives the occasional swing flaw.

 

If you have the time and link motivation, this is a great time to visit Williamsburg, Virginia. Get a dose of history and nature while you are getting your golf fix in pristine conditions. And, portions of fees go to support historical causes and preservation in Williamsburg.

Steeped in history, the Williamsburg Lodge is offering a lower nightly rate with green fees and cart at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club for the month of August. This is a nifty golf club as woods and no development surround you. In addition, the course is a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, so birds and wildlife abound. The area was originally explored in 1716, and was noted at that time to be a rich and fertile land full of opportunity for those who would venture further west.

 

Home to a number of prestigious events, The Golden Horseshoe features the Gold Course, a Robert Trent Jones Sr. design that blends a traditional design perfected with the landscape. The Green Course, designed by Rees Jones, is a touch more “modern” in fairway design and green approach. The Spotswood Course offers a challenging nine-hole layout where the whole family can participate.

The Williamsburg Lodge, which features over 300 rooms in eight buildings, offers a Colonial feel with modern appointments. Originally restored and funded by the Rockefellers, the lodge stays true to historical roots.

The Lodge has all the upscale amenities needed for both individual and group stays – meeting rooms, pools, spa, fitness center and all-property Wi-Fi. In addition, the newest restaurant, Sweet Tea & Barley reflects Southern cuisine and regional cocktails. Even when the temperature dips, fire pits and heated tables bring cuisine to added life with a bit of fall chill. The outdoor area features a number of historical lectures, food focus dinners and food and wine pairings.