erova

i've played my share of tougher courses and I don't usually think about pin placement as much as I try to keep the ball in the fairway and on the green. while that seems like common sense, bomb-and-gouge usually doesn't work on competitive courses because the better architects either predicted you'd try that and defend against it, and/or the rough could be much denser than what you're used to. also spend some time on the putting green--chances are you'll see a difference on the speed and undulations as well... have fun...

Yoshi, Man, after reading a few posts of yours over the last few months it seems like you definitely have it rough. Are you ever able to enjoy the game? If you're not absolutely set on getting in a full 18, and you know the course like the back of your hand, perhaps next time you make it out you can spot some shortcuts to other holes to just bypass them. But some of the other guys are spot-on--you gotta ask to play through if they're either clueless or intentionally ignoring you.

sounds like you got out of dodge at the right time, CP. MoCo Golf has gotten quite full of themselves recently and will charge only about 20 dollars less than some of the less crowded, well-conditioned daily fee courses in the area. Paying close to $75 for Needwood vs. $90 for Worthington Manor is a joke.

lemay, I'd stick with the River and Straits, and next time try to find time for the irish.

i'm not sure i understand this statement: the condition for public play AND hosting major golf tourneys must be similar? these are opposites: you either get a major-host setup (albeit toned down for public play) or you get the public-friendly track. the river course is certainly not set up to be an easy day on the course for joe public--and even though the Kohler resort is just that--a resort--all the courses there would never simply be considered resort courses (like you'd find at pedestrian tracks in the carribbean, florida, etc.). i guess this is the great thing talking about golf courses--you can tell me that the river course is the 50th best course in wisconsin, and while i could fall off my bar stool laughing, it's still your opinion and i can't tell you you're flat out wrong.

You should check out RTJ Jr.'s Arrowhead Golf Club in Littleton (about 30 mins south of Denver), if only once to see the red rock formations. a few more: http://flickr.com/photos/erova/sets/72157601871005641/

Lemay, My wife and I basically just ate at the resort itself--we had a great dinner at the Immigrant Room, a few lunches at the BWR and Straits clubhouses (trust me, there's a bit more on the menu than dogs for the turn), and did an easy happy hour at the Horse and Plow--easily one of the bars that should have been on Golf Digest's list of best golf bars. So while we didn't try any Sheboygan local flavor, we weren't disappointed at all, either.

if you're interested in golf course architecture, try reading geoff schackleford's Grounds For Golf. http://www.amazon.com/Grounds-Golf-H...3630918&sr;=8-1 then if you want to go a bit more in depth, you should definitely consider Tom Doak's Anatomy of a Golf Course. http://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Golf-C...3630945&sr;=8-1

I'd have to stick with 5 private ones; if it's public i basically assume i'll play it at some point or another, so here goes, order is basically interchangeable: - Sand Hills - Shinnecock & NGLA (i jump from 18th tee at NGLA and hustle over to SH to count as one) - Cypress - Augusta - Pine Valley of the big dogs i've played and would play over and over again: pebble bandon dunes pac dunes ocean course/straits dead tie hoylake

i used one of the reservation services for $25 and it worked out just fine. booked it about 60 days out, if i remember right...

Can't argue with that lineup. Sorry I can't suggest more, but from what I understand about SC golf that's not a bad trip. Even though you could probably get away with jean shorts and a mid-80's RATT tank top at Torrey, I don't suggest it at Aviara. I'm definitely going to hit up Barona next time i'm back in that area...

hey weber, then to clarify, the kohler resort is certainly a bit less expensive. also looking forward to old macdonald--just played greenbrier's old white and it was a lot of fun to play the redan, alps, mounds, long, short, etc. and can't wait to see the interpretations ofdoak, budo, and everyone else...

definitely keep me posted with any details. i really want to check that whole region out...

man, the question of pebble vs. kohler (vs. bandon) comes up all the time after a few beers at the bar. i just don't think i could decide--i mean, leave from chicago and hit up erin hills on the way, or leave from san francisco and play pasatiempo on the drive down? come on, too tough to decide. i played pretty poorly at pebble so i wouldn't mind some revenge on that course, but then i basically forgot how to play golf on bwr (fwiw i played decent at spanish bay & straits) so i can't even use that as a motivator.

public: try the courses at Talking Stick and We Ko Pa, and Troon North. the boulders is also highly regarded. you'd be wise not to automatically assume TPC Scottsdale is king of the mountain just because of the FBR golf tournament.

Nice, sounds like a great loop up in Mich. I'm also trying to make that similar swing as well and was considering August. I've kicked around adding High Point to the list as I'm a Tom Doak fan and wouldn't mind checking out his early stuff. 28 states ain't bad--definitely a lot harder to knock'em out after you get through your border states and the resort-friendly ones...

good to hear you had a great time. easily one of my most memorable golf experiences. next time i want to hit up erin hills en route up to kohler. great pics and thanks for posting.

Yeah, I have to add another vote for Homestead, but the Cascades course is the one I played. here's a few pics if anyone's interested. i only got to play golden horseshoe on a cold march day so i haven't seen it grown in, but still had a great time. i'll be hitting up blue ridge shadows next month which is supposed to be nice. on my *will play* list: royal new kent laurel hills stonewall cannon ridge westfields

I disagree with this statement. These guys are good, as we're so frequently told by the PGA Tour. They can shape their shots as they need, and a failure to execute the proper shot is that player's weight to bear. Let's also remember golf is played outside, not at the Metrodome. Weather is part of the game, just like it always has been, major or not, whether the architect is Pete Dye or Old Tom himself.

definitely don't agree with this: what was exciting was the possibility that Sergio could do the exact same thing. let's all agree Garcia isn't exactly the most clutch golfer ever. and to those people re-inventing the possibilities of what would happen if there was rough there, or sand, instead of water? well, there's not. it's water so deal with it. How many home runs would have been hit at fenway if there wasn't the Green Monster? I don't know, because I know it's there and not going anywhere. And these questions of starting at 16 or 18? what if goydos pulls his tee shot into the drink on 18? could he recover? sure he could. or serg could have stroked a five iron down the fairway, an easy approach to the middle of the green, and two putt for the championship, knowing goydos was wet. Basically same story if the approach went drip on the 16th approach.

Shindig-- Definitely know where you're coming from. I recently started a membership at a facility started by the guy also founded TPI and it's already working great. I think what you want is a fitness resource that can utilize MyTPI (or something similar) rather than relying on the web site alone. I'm definitely in favor of this type of program (and yes the kool-aid tastes good) over haphazard lessons with a driving range pro once every couple of weeks or months or so. The fitness, coupled with consistent swing review, is fantastic. Feel free to email or PM me with any other questions off-line if you like, but I'll also be happy to post any other info in the forum as well.

wow extremeld, i'd be all over that idea... you should post that event's details on here so we can check it out...

yep, played renditions a few years ago. it's not too bad, but the replica holes are kind of tough to distinguish since they can really only duplicate the layout, not the land, weather, greens, or other maintenance that make the originals so special. for instance, the open rota holes really look like they could be in the middle of anytown USA except there are pot bunkers instead of usual parkland bunkers. obviously they can't duplicate the sandy soil, wind, or wet air whipping around, so you're really left with a parkland par four with the principal's nose bunker in the fairway. also, even if a par 3 is modeled after a winged foot par 3, it's still really only going to look like a parkland par 3 to most of their constituents. i just played CB Macdonald's Old White Course at the Greenbrier and he had his usual inspired holes such as the Redan, Eden, Cape, etc., and that was a bit more enjoyable.

Right on. If you are sticking around in this area and and interested in playing more golf (around Chartwell or otherwise) I can throw some public-course suggestions your way...the Annapolis area has some decent tracks... enjoy the trip

i played the south back in february and this is where the rough was at... you can see how thick it is in the color changes: