According to literature, I was "minutes away, miles from ordinary" attending annual Media Golf Round-Up at 1,500-acre ranch with its adjoining championship golf course. So I was ready for anything that weekend, including taking part in my first rodeo on Friday. The ranch holds about twenty rodeos a year, and this particular weekend marked first of 2003 season.

During one of audience participation portions of rodeo, I was coaxed into rodeo ring, only to find myself chasing baby bulls with ribbons tied to their tails. The object was to snag one of these ribbons, and winning ribbon would win a cute lil' statue commemorating feat.

All but one of bulls had been stripped, and I found myself uniquely poised to rip a ribbon off running ribeye.

So, there I was, standing with my left shoulder a few feet away from fence that encloses ring. A crowd of people are chasing last piece of beef counterclockwise, and it's running along fence, towards me. Without thinking, I slam my hip into beast and slide my left hand over its back and gripped its tail, still sliding my hand downward.

A kick and a snort later, my cow dung-encrusted hand holds a ribbon up high over my head.

No, I didn't win prize, but I felt like I had.

The rodeo clowns performed amusing skits, and real cowboys busting broncos and bull riding were amazing to watch. Other audience participation moments included trying to ride wild donkeys and an impressive display of skill from some of more regular attendees, galloping atop steeds from one end of ring to secure a rope on other end in a rodeo-style elimination game.

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By staff, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

The Hole #9, a par 4, 438-yard test is appropriately named "The Brute". It is number one rated or handicap on course. With its length and protective bunkers, a draw (right to left) shot is preferred, but not mandatory. A very difficult approach to green is upon golfer with a steep collection area to right of putting surface if shot is missed there. A sand trap and "dunish" mound of sand lies directly behind green if shot is long. Water (out-of bounds) and tall grass growing from moister ground confronts golfer if they are too far to left.

Although nothing was created unfairly, golfer will find some fairways a bit unduly trecherous, such as Hole #11 (named "Entrapment"), with a non-conspicuously placed sand bunker in its middle where a longer drive may be able to reach it. Whether or not drive makes trap, it leaves a tricky climbing approach to arrive on green in regulation.

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Hole #13 ("the Pit") is a short par 5, 477 yarder. It winds like letter "S" with a large waterless strip of desert confronting golfer to hit over and reach green. As fairway slithers around well-manicured desert landscape, fairway becomes very narrow. Therefore, if you failed to hit a long drive from tee, you probably will be required to lay up your second shot. Perfect positioning in tapered fairway is required to avoid unsure hazard. Although natural desert sand floor looks, feels and reacts like a shot from a characteristic sand trap, it allows golfer to ground club while addressing their ball.

Holes #17 ("Crap Shot"), and #18 ("Double Cross"), bring golfer in with two of prettiest holes of day. Both tee-off shots will necessitate carry over small lakes. Hole #17, a par 3, 145 seven iron to a peninsula green is protected by a sand trap if you bail out to right. Hole #18, a par 4, 388-yard trial requires a perfectly-placed drive to fairway which runs parallel to river-like lagoon to right, and thoughtfully-positioned sand traps to left, some 200+ yards out. From here, and to advance your ball to make green in regulation, golfer is faced with another shot over stream to an angulating green that is well protected by bunkers on right and behind it (in case you used an extra club length to ensure dryness).

Duffer DVDsWith a four-star rating by Golf Digest, and voted "Best Course" in tri-state area (Arizona, California, Nevada), Mojave Golf Resort provides finishing touches to a total entertainment venue that

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By Mel Barosay, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent. Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com