The Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival, held at the Omni Resort/Golf Club just outside of Denver on August 22nd, set record attendance numbers. The festival has gone from 1100 to over 2100 attendees and 107 vendors in just three years. The RMCF is now the third largest cigar festival in the U.S.

Vendors and attendees came from 38 states and 27 foreign countries to sample cigars, adult beverages and lifestyle products. Attendees can talk to and interact with cigar makers and distillers, a big draw in the world of cigars to make that personal connection.

And for those participants staying at the Omni, the chance to play the Omni Interlocken Golf Club before and after the event.

The course features exciting golf in a breathtaking setting with 27-holes with stunning scenery and more than 400 feet of elevation change. The course consists of three individual regulation nine-hole courses – Eldorado, Vista and Sunshine.

Designed by Graham & Panks International, (a partnership between David Graham, 1981 U.S. Open Champion and PGA Senior Tour player, and Gary Panks), Omni Interlocken Golf Course was ranked third in the “Best Resort Courses of Colorado” survey. It is consistently one of the best courses to take business clients with the diversity of lodging, dining and libations at the Omni.

Cigars are the festival focal point, and each manufacturer has a different angle on the stogie to appeal to a market with varying tastes.

Drew Estate started with two cigar lovers making cigars and selling them direct to business people in NYC. Now they have one of the largest cigar factories in the world in Nicaragua, and multiple cigar brands with a similar theme of adding new life to the cigar industry. The Liga Privada T52 is meticulously blended over a period of two years. Hints of black pepper and spice, it is a good choice when desiring a stronger, more robust smoke.

La Flor Dominicana is a niche cigar company that controls all facets of the cigar from growing to packaging. Their goal is to make a premium cigar that is always consistent because they oversee the process. Their Coronado was the winner of the #2 spot in Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 Cigars of the Year for 2006.

Beverages and lifestyle products that appeal to cigar lovers are also displayed and sampled at the RMCF. Mead, a honey wine, is making a resurgence as it tastes like part beer, wine combined with cider. Locally, Boulder’s Redstone Meadery just released a passion fruit mead. Like most local operations, they sell direct, but mostly through liquor stores. In a few short years, their taste has spread their distribution to 38 states.

Tequila consumption is on the rise, and nowhere was that better demonstrated at the festival than with Silvercoin Tequila. Silvercoin agave is grown and produced by Grupo Tequilero Mexico in Arandas, Mexico. Officially founded in 1987, with 150 years of passed down family traditional tequila making wisdom. Their new distillery, house-made distilled water and hand made bottles, make this a force in the agave spirits world.

The Guayabera is a shirt that is part casual, part dress and often called the Mexican wedding shirt. A Cuban take on this shirt are those produced by the Guayabera Lady, Berta Bravo. She came to the U.S. after working in her parents clothing store in Cuba, and then applied her craft for rich design variations in the U.S. The Torpedo is long-sleeve 100% linen Guayabera that is versatile from a.m. to p.m.

Coffee gets a tasty infusion with Whiskey Barrel Coffee. Age premium coffee beans in bourbon barrels, and you get a unique taste. Bourbon leaves about 20 pounds of residue/flavor in the barrel, and the green coffee beans absorb this during the aging process. Whiskey Barrel Coffee comes in a bottle that is hand-filled, hand-labeled, hand-marked with the batch and bottle number, and then hand-dipped in wax to seal in the flavor.

Beer goes as organic as you can get as the Vindication Brewing Company uses no chemicals, enzymes or stabilizers in their beers. American Bold Ale is a 7.5% alcohol beer. A bold beer featuring a wide spectrum of caramel malts balanced against a huge load of American Hops.

Possibly the most innovative cigar lighters come from Xikar. The versatile Forte is their newest single jet flame lighter design, probably durable enough to last a lifetime. The all-metal body features a built-in razor sharp 7 mm cigar punch and a wind-resistant flame for golf course performance.

There is an important downward trend affecting the performance of every golfer – falling arches.

If the foot is not properly supported and aligned, not only does short term performance suffer, like the lack of speed and power in the swing, and later in life in foot, knee and hip issues. In adults, many of the knee issues contributing to knee and hip replacements can be linked to fallen arches and the changes that makes in lower body alignment.

Having your arches fall is normally a sign of age, yet in this case, it is a result from poor footwear choices, the lack of proper lacing, worn out golf shoes, and a general lack of understanding of sizing and in-shoe support for golf athletes.

The foot essential has three arches – the medial, transverse arch, and lateral arch. The lateral arch is normally what collapses in motion, resulting in a loss of balance, stability and power. The golf shoe can only partially make up for this lack of stability if the foot is unstable, and the minimalist shoes found in some brands are less than optimal if you have foot problems What you wear the rest of the week is also important as well, wear shoes with laces that fit properly.

It has been estimated that 80% of people in the U.S. need orthotics; this percentage is even higher with golfers because of the added load and rotational stress of the swing. In addition, at least 75% of people, including golfers are in the wrong size shoes. The two go together in you will perform better if they have the right size shoes, and will avoid arch issues in the future with proper in-shoe support.

Get your feet evaluated for size, shape and tendencies, then buy shoes that fit that profile. Just because there is a charging animal on the shoe does not mean it is a good shoe for everyone! Some feet do better in straight lasted shoes, and some do better in curved last shoes. Find someone who can tell you what is best for your foot type and needs, and can measure their feet on a yearly basis to monitor changes.

Have you feet evaluated for structural soundness and tendencies in both basic standing and gait, and then if necessary, you can have anything from simple support in an insole to a medical orthotic placed in their shoes. However, remember the sock liner in most shoes provides minimal arch support at best. Both shoe fitting and foot structure are specialized approaches, just like club fitting. And just like club fitting, off-the-rack rarely works for most golfers.

Golf orthotics are significantly different than street shoe orthotics, so if you decide on that route, make sure the orthotic is both geared to your foot and golf game. Golf orthotics should provide slightly more rigidity under the midfoot to help with weight transfer. In one study, golf orthotics added 10 yards to the drive of each subject!

If you get an orthotic or insole, always try on new shoes with that insole instead of the foam sock liner, as that level of support will change foot size inside the shoe.

There is mounting evidence that minimalist shoes are not ideal for athletic training and performance, so err in the direction of more conventional shoes in both areas if you have foot problems.

The old Santa Fe Trail was established in 1821, and the area has been a focal point for new ideas blended with old traditions and a sense of history ever since. Santa Fe is a unique blend of culture, history, art, ideas, activities, culinary adventure and even some pretty good golf about five hours south of Denver.

The Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi, which by modern standards is intimate with 58 rooms, is an excellent downtown lodging option. Rooms feature local art and Southwestern touches, and your dog is even welcome at the Anasazi. The restaurant was just updated, into revamped bar adjacent to a tequila lounge area that leads into the dining area. Try the Trout BLT for something different.

The La Fonda on the Plaza is the oldest hotel is Sante Fe. Originally built as an iconic Harvey Hotel in 1922, it has undergone significant renovation. The Terrace Suites in the La Fonda is almost a hotel within a hotel with a concierge, separate entrances, and private amenities. The hotel boasts original art in the hallways and great rooms. If you want to roam downtown, this is the cultural epicenter, with just about everything equal walking distance from the La Fonda.

The Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder at 16 minutes north of the city center on Route 84 gives you a full-fledged casino resort close to the artistic action. Each room has a kiva or a small indian fireplace for a cultural touch. The spaciously appointed suites are the best option at the Buffalo Thunder. If you want the ultimate, then the Governor’s Suite is the over-the-top lodging option. The lobby and halls serve as a Native American art exhibit, and the Hotel has the largest conference center in the area. The Red Sage is THE steakhouse in the area with local steaks and buffalo with interesting sides such as spicy spaghetti squash.

Dining in Santa Fe goes in every direction. Imagine artists as chefs with extreme individuality, attention to detail and combine that with a little gunslinger attitude. Sure, they get along, but there is some of who is the biggest-bawdiest-best in the bunch mentality. Their creative competitiveness is your culinary gain.

The Tune-Up Café serves from breakfast to dinner with an El Salvadoran twist. You order at the counter, yet the food is incredible. French toast to tilt the Eifel tower and the best steak & eggs plate in town.

Andiamo is a great Italian option, with the standouts of the Lasagna Bolognese and the Penne with Spicy House-made Lamb Sausage, ingredients made on premises. The profiteroles, puffed pastry with ice cream will make you think about Naples.

Want Southwestern dishes in a festive & Mexican Deco atmosphere? La Choza serves red chili & green chili themed dishes, and an array of vegetarian items. Wash down the magnificent Chili Rellenos and the enchiladas with one of the vast array of margaritas.

Chef Martin Rios, a Beard finalist, is the Picasso of the kitchen at Restaurant Martin. Each creation is a blend of exceptional creativity, taste, and plating. Standouts include the crispy Berkshire Pork Tenderloin and the Pan Seared Atlantic Salmon. Rios is the creator of the best side dish ever: the truffle orzo mac & cheese. The Soft Chocolate Decadence with hazelnut ice cream is representative of his culinary mastery – creativity, balance and visual appeal with everything made on the premises.

Saddle up at the Cowgirl BBQ when you need some drenched meat and some brew as a chaser. Their El Diablo sauce is by far the hottest and best BBQ sauce on the planet. The Mother Burger is a beef-bacon-bison combination with green chili, cheese, tomato and truffle fries. This wins the local votes in the chili cheeseburger trail competition just about every year.

History and fine dining combine at Eloisa, the home of Chef John Rivera Sedlar, with a family tie to his aunt, Jeronima, who cooked for the artist Georgia O’Keeffe. Best described as southwestern adventure dining with dishes like Pastrami tacos and Potato Encrusted Scallops. If you want a Sage Martini, the bar is the after-work scene with the vast collection of craft cocktails.

Open just a few months, the Fire & Hops Gastropub features fantastic pub food with an unusual selection. The choices include the risotto with beets and goat cheese, slow roasted shepherds lamb, and a sesame noodle salad. Cap the night with beer ice cream made on site. Now that is a good use of an IPA.

Golf is just as good and diverse as the eateries. Cochiti is about 35 minutes from Downtown. The holes meander through the elevated mesa with direction changes that make each hole different. It is serene, relaxing and visually pleasing at the same time with incredible conditions. The Kiva restaurant on site has been improved to feature cook to order food, which is far better than average golf course fare, so plan on eating there for lunch during your round.

Towa Golf Club

The Towa Golf Club is three separate nines adjacent to the Buffalo Thunder. Choose from Valley, Pinion and Boulders courses all of which are visually stunning. From the courses you have an unobstructed view of the ski area to the east and Espanola valley to the west. Boredom is not on the golf menu here. Extensive renovations starting in 2014 included removing 28 bunkers on the three courses, and re-forming the rest of the traps as more player-friendly.

The Black Mesa Golf Club about 37 minutes north of town, is links golf combined with Mesa geography. Warm up before you play as you will need every shot you have to navigate the course. About three years ago, Black Mesa had turf problems, but an infusion of resources from the Santa Clara tribe is quickly remedying the situation.

Sante Fe has an impressive spirits industry that is ramping up in artistic fashion enchanted twists on old favorites. Sante Fe Spirits sprung from a local orchard, with the first product an Apple brandy. Their most famous product, the Colkegan whiskey is smoked with mesquite wood. Their Wheeler’s Gin uses sage and cholla blossoms among other botanicals, while their Atapino liqueur uses pinon nuts.

The Estrella Del Norte Vineyards are 25 minutes north of downtown and have won numerous awards for their Pinot Noir. Their Holy Mole is a red wine combined with almond and chocolate.

The Black Mesa Winery, not far from the Black Mesa Golf Club, about 45 minutes north of Santa Fe and also has a tasting room in Taos. The 2011 Cabernet won a Jefferson Cup merit award, and you can share a pour with Sola, the winery cat.

Need to relax? The Wo’ P’in at the Buffalo Thunder has a full-service salon and exceptional wet areas. The expression means “Medicine Mountain,” and they have an herbalist on staff that mixes local organic products used in the treatments. The Desert Sage Massage uses local sage oil to enhance the head, scalp and body massage.

The New Mexico National Guard History Museum features an extensive display of memorabilia from the Bataan Death March of WWII. The 200th and 515th Coast Artillery regiments from New Mexico only had 900 survivors of this ordeal from 1800 who started. Remember their service, sacrifice and suffering with a visit.