Martin Armes and Craig Distl, I owe you big time.
    Martin, based in Raleigh, N.C, and Craig, based in Charlotte, N.C., are public relations specialists who represent golf tourism destinations in North Carolina and elsewhere.
    A couple of years ago, Martin gave me a heads-up about a media event Craig was pulling together for the Yadkin Valley region in northern North Carolina. I couldn't free up the time to be part of that event, but held onto the email containing information about Yadkin Valley Golf & Wine Getaways because, well, I love golf and wine.
    I'd also traveled through that part of North Carolina in recent years and it is a drop-dead gorgeous part of the country.
    When planning this golf vacation, I contacted Craig and asked him if he could create an agenda for me and traveling companion George Sweda that would approximate what he'd done for the golf-travel writers who took part in the event two years ago.
     Craig did just that, coming up with a schedule that had us playing three rounds of golf, visiting four wineries, eating some great meals, staying at the Cabins at White Sulphur Springs in Mt. Airy and driving through some of the prettiest country you'll see east of the Mississippi River.
     I'll be writing about our stay in the Yadkin Valley in great detail for the Travel section of The News-Herald, but here's the first of two quick overviews for "Affordabili-TEES.''
     We played out first round of golf at Cedarbrook Country Club in State Road. Designed by Ellis Maples, Cedarbrook is a classic layout with a satisfying blend of holes and extraordinarily challenging greens.

Cedarbrook CC

 

     While there, made the acquaintance of PGA professional and general manager Zim Zimmerman.
     When the round was finished, we made the short drive to Grassy Creek Vineyards. Tasted some nice wine and enjoyed a tour of the vineyards with co-owners Lori and Derrill Rice.

Grassy Creek Vineyard

 

      Dinner was at the Shelton Vineyards Harvest Grill in Dobson, a place we'd visited before on a previous trip.
      George skillfully navigated us back to the Cabins at White Sulphur Springs. More on the colorful history of this place in the Travel story.
      The tone had been set for what would turn out to be an eye-opening stay in the Yadkin Valley.
     
       Stay-and-play packages
       Yadkin Valley Golf
       www.YadkinValleyGolf.com  
       121 Hamby Rd., Suite 318
       Dobson, NC 27017
       (855) 398-4653
       
       Tourism info
       Surry County Tourism Development Authority
       www.verysurry.com

       Cedarbrook Country Club
       www.cedarbrookcountryclub.com
      225 Country Club Drive
      State Road, NC 28676
      (336) 835-2320
     
      Grassy Creek Vineyard
      www.grassycreekvineyard.com
      235 Chatham College Circle
     State Road, NC 28676
     (336) 835-4320               

     Shelton Vineyards
     www.sheltonvineyards.com
     286 Cabernet Ln, Dobson, NC 27017
     (336) 366-4724

     Cabins at White Sulphur Springs
      http://wsscabins.com/
      (866) 901-1910