The North Carolina Golf Marketing Alliance (NCGMA) has released the Official 2009 North Carolina Golf Guide.

Packed with golf travel information, including listings for the almost 500 public accessible courses, the guide is divided into seven distinct golfing regions which allow residents and out-of-staters an efficient way to plan the ideal golf getaway.

Spanning more than 500 miles east to west, golf in North Carolina is one of the most diverse offerings available in the United States, the alliance said in a news release. Each of the seven regions represents a unique golf experience, from seaside links to the Sandhills to mountain vistas.

The state's golfing regions are: the Outer Banks and Inner Banks, Wilmington and the Brunswick Islands, the southern Sandhills and I-95 region, the Research Triangle, the Piedmont Triad, Charlotte and the Foothills, and Asheville and the mountains. Unique stories, anecdotes, top five lists, new courses and travel planning tips are sprinkled through each of the regional pages. A sample of the content included in the guide is listed below:

n "Golf's American Home" -- an overview of 43 courses in the Pinehurst, Southern Pines and Aberdeen area, all within a 15-mile radius and all of the quality expected of a world-class golf destination.

n "I-95 on the Fly" -- outlines some of Fayetteville's fastest tee times, best deals and easiest accommodations along Inter-state 95.

n "Tangled Up in Golf" -- touts one of the Triad's most famous courses Tanglewood that hosted the 1974 PGA Champion-ship and other gems in the Winston-Salem area.

n "Good Nights, Better Days" -- chronicles Calabash's offerings of fried seafood, quiet and classy nightlife and the 30 courses around the Brunswick Islands.

n "Three Pointer" -- highlights the quality campus golf courses at UNC (Finley), Duke (University Golf Club) and North Carolina State (Lonnie Poole Golf Course).

n "A Mountain Rumbling" -- describes the 36 championship holes in a beautiful Blue Ridge Mountain setting at Rumbling Bald Resort at Lake Lure.

n "Bank on the Banks" -- details the great golf offerings in the Outer Banks, including the Currituck Club, the closest OBX course to the ocean.

For the second year, NCGMA has partnered with Sports Publishing International (SPI), which produces other state golf guides, and works in conjunction with Golf Styles Magazine (regional golf publisher). A substantial benefit to advertisers in the guide is the distribution of 475,000 guides via Golf Styles subscribers (through their six different regional magazines).

In addition, guides will be available at numerous welcome centers, visitors' information centers, golf retailers, golf courses, international outlets, and convention and visitor bureaus throughout the state. Efforts by the NCGMA are designed to complement the extensive marketing program orchestrated by the N.C. Division of Tourism, providing potential visitors to the state with the very best in comprehensive, compelling travel information.

"Yet again SPI innately understands the North Carolina market and how to speak directly to golfers, mixing history, humor, and pertinent travel information in a way that no other publisher we know of can do," said Caleb Miles, president of the NCGMA and president of the CVB in the Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area. "We are very confident golfers everywhere will find this guide to be the quintessential planning tool for their next golf outing, whether for a hard-core group of 24 golfers, or for a couple looking for a leisurely getaway weekend that includes some golf. It's right here, presented in a very user-friendly format."

Anyone needing more information on the 2009 Golf Guide can visit online to www.golf-nc.com.