This week I will start a monthly series on my blog to highlight a city
that I really enjoyed visiting during my journey. I love travelling and I am lucky
to have the opportunity to visit cities throughout the world… Golf has taken me
to places I never even dreamed of and I love exploring and getting to know
these great cities.
The last event I played was in Rogers, Arkansas. When I told people I
was playing in Arkansas, I heard the same response over and over… “Really? Oh!”
implying that Arkansas isn’t a wonderful spot.
Well, they could not be more wrong.
I loved travelling to Arkansas and Rogers is located right next to
Bentonville, the home of Walmart and a great city in its own right. The reasons
why I love Arkansas are below and, if you ever have a chance to go, you should
be excited about visiting as well:
1. The People: Let’s start with the people,
because they are the heart of the place and could not be any nicer. From the staff and volunteers at the golf
course to all my pro-am partners, and especially my hosts, Michael and Gloria
Morse, who where simply incredible (a lot of times LPGA players stay in private
homes with a family instead of at hotels). Gloria cooked me delicious Mexican food
all week and treated me like a queen. People in Arkansas seem always go out of
their way to help you.
2. Crystal Bridges Museum of
American Art: This place is extraordinary. The Museum founded by Alice Walton, daughter
of Sam Walton, founder of Walmart. The museum
opened in 2011 offers free admission and is incredibly beautiful with gorgeous
architecture, stunning grounds, and trails. It exposes the community to incredible
art and also provides a place to spend quality time with family while enjoying
the beautiful outdoors. Right in front of the Museum the Walton family built a
Children’s Museum and an outdoor area for families to come and enjoy outdoor
concerts on the weekend. It is so cool.
To learn a little more about the Museum go to its website: http://crystalbridges.org
3. Downtown Bentonville: One night, a friend of mine, Chris Shephard,
who lives in Bentonville with his family, took me out to dinner downtown.
Chris, his wife Shauna, and their three kids Sabrina, Teagan and Logan watched
me play during the week and then showed me around downtown Bentonville. We went
to a lovely fish restaurant called Fresh Market, which brings fresh fish in
daily. It was delicious and after that we went to the famous Bentonville Square
to get ice cream. The ice cream store is located inside the Walmart Museum and
right next to it is the site of the first Walton Store, where Walmart started.
Ice cream for five people cost me $8. I could not believe it! There is a hotel called 21 C Museum Hotel, also
owned by the Walton family, which brings incredible art pieces and exhibitions
into the hotel. SO AWESOME! To find a
little more about downtown Bentonville you can go to: http://www.downtownbentonville.org.
I loved my time in NW Arkansas, and thank the Morse and Shepard families
for being such great hosts. I can’t wait to go back and I hope that if you have
the chance to go, you enjoy it as much as I did.
