No, that title is not a misprint! I’m going to tell you how to enter to win a vacation to the beautiful Sandals Emerald Bay in Great Exuma, Bahamas. And, I’m going to give you a few pointers you can test out on the golf course at the Sandals Emerald Reef Golf Course, where Golf Channel’s hit show, Big Break Sandals Resorts, was filmed this year.

Delta Vacations has teamed up with Sandals Resorts, Golf Channel, Big Break Sandals Resorts, and “The Shark” himself, Greg Norman, for the Sandals Emerald Bay Golf Getaway Sweepstakes. We are giving away a 5 night stay at the all-new Sandals Emerald Bay resort on the island of Great Exuma, Bahamas! The grand prize trip includes a $250 credit for the Red Lane® Spa and four rounds of golf on the spectacular Greg Norman designed Sandals Emerald Reef Golf Club.

This resort is definitely on the top of my list, especially since every room at the resort comes with butler service! This is one of those opportunities you don’t want to miss so enter now. While you’re entering the sweepstakes, be sure to check out the amazing pictures of the resort and golf course in the photo gallery!

Now for the slice portion. Pay attention because these tips will turn out handy at Sandals Emerald Bay!

Tip 1: Tee It Up

This is a very common drill that I find helpful. Tee the ball up normally and set up your club how you would before you tee off. Then place another tee right outside the toe of your club. This way, if you take an outside-in-swing (most slicers do) you will hit the other tee. By tucking in your right elbow (if you a right handed golfer), this will help promote an inside-out swing and will straighten your slice.

Tip 2: Finish High

This drill focuses on your follow through, which believe it or not is very important to your ball flight. Take a normal swing but focus on extending those arms through the ball and hold your follow through until the ball hits the ground. This will help promote a straighter ball flight and maybe even a bit of a draw with more distance.

Now that you’ve entered the sweepstakes and brushed up on your golf game, tell us, what’s your favorite beach and golf resort?

No purchase necessary. Must be at least 18 to enter. Sweepstakes ends 8/27/10. Visit www.sandalsgolfgetaway.com for complete details and Official Rules. Void where prohibited.

Jennifer Arnold is the founder of Canine Assistants and author of Through a Dog’s Eyes. Since 1996 Delta has been the airline partner of Canine Assistants, providing travel for recipients and their service dogs. Canine Assistants is a designated organization of the Delta SkyWish program, allowing Delta travelers to donate their skymiles directly to Canine Assistants and other worthy organizations. This partnership has helped change the lives of so many in need. Photo credit David C. Scott.

For the past twenty years, I have been a frequent flyer. I don’t fly alone. On nearly every trip, a dog has accompanied me. Taking young service dogs-in-training on overnight trips can be more than a little stressful. Will the dog behave well? Will people be kind about seeing a dog in public? No matter how far away from Atlanta my trips take me, I feel like I’m home when I get to the Delta kiosk. I know Delta employees will help me sort out anything that might go wrong. Delta gate agents have helped me find little strips of grass or pine straw when my canine cohorts needed an emergency restroom from Newark to Los Angeles. Flight attendants have rearranged seating so that all the passengers, dog included, could be comfortably seated. I even had a Delta pilot carry a dog with a serious leg injury all the way through the Atlanta airport and to my car. With kindness like that, you can see why I am proud to say the Delta is the Official Airline of Canine Assistants!

Knowing that Delta has my back when I travel leaves me free to focus on my favorite subject…dogs!

My husband, who is also the staff veterinarian for Canine Assistants, sent me an email today containing a link to a report just published in an animal behavior journal that said scientists have found that aggressive dogs may actually be suffering from depression.  The researchers found that aggressive dogs have consistently lower levels of serotonin, the “feel good” hormone, and higher levels of stress hormones like cortisol than nonaggressive dogs. Know what else researchers have found? Sweet, laid-back dogs actually live longer than dogs who are more intense in personality. 

Wow. That sounds an awful lot like another species I know…human beings. Stress does horrible things to our health and our behavior. Know what can elevate your serotonin levels while lower your levels of stress hormones like cortisol? Patting a dog. Know what can elevate your dog’s serotonin levels and lower his cortisol levels? Being petted by you. So, for the sake of your health and your dog’s, petting is a must!

If you want to learn more about the wonderful creatures we call man’s best friend, please pick up a copy of my book, Through a Dog’s Eyes, at your favorite bookseller and, on your next Delta flight, tune in to the PBS special by the same name.

Read an excerpt from Through a Dog’s Eyes.

At Delta, our team is always committed to finding new ways to improve your travel experience. In that spirit, we’re excited to introduce our new delta.com homepage.

The new Look of Delta.com

It’s redesigned with you in mind to give you faster, easier access to everything you need to plan and manage your travel. Here are some of the great new features you’ll find:

• Easy Navigation: All of the tools you use most—from flight booking and upcoming trips to status updates and online check-in—are at your fingertips, right on the homepage.
• SkyMiles Dashboard: With the new dashboard, you’ll be able to see your mileage balance at a glance. And if you’re a Medallion® member, you can see exactly how close you are to reaching the next Medallion level.
• Top Destinations: Need a great idea for your next trip? You can now scroll through pictures of our most popular or newest destinations for ideas on your next vacation spot.

We know our homepage looks quite a bit different from the rest of our site, but don’t worry, we’re working on that. Stay tuned in the coming months as we continue to update our site!

Stacey M.

Project Leader, Delta.com & Self Service