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I have had the pleasure of playing 9 Trump courses...Several of them multiple times. His renovations at Turnberry Ailsa are spot on. The redo of Kintyre now Robert the Bruce are truly great. It is now a very good course and candidly I could see a couple of the holes being intertwined into Ailsa to form a composite course much like The Country Club in Brookline. I have played Doonbeg a few times. Before and after his purchase. And the after is much better than the before. I have played his Philly before and after his purchase. No real changes made. And a very challenging course. He purchased a Hudson Valley Trump which is nice but rather ho hum. His Westchester club is very nice. But it sits in the shadows of an area which has so many spectacular courses...Winged Foot X2, Quaker Ridge, Westchester.....I played his Trump Aberdeen last summer and while Donald announced it to be the best in world....It isn't but it is spectacular. It has better turf from green to next tee than 98% of links courses have on their fairways. I have played the Blue Monster before and after and it is nice but just that. His two in NJ are both very nice courses but again sit amongst a bevy of great courses. Trump has the business model down with his golf courses. He swoops in and buys where others have dropped unlimited amounts to previous work. He gets the places at 25 cents on the dollar. Brands it with his Trump...which many find appalling....but candidly it means high end quality or else...So yea, his pushing his name everywhere is a tad over the top...but a quick view to what these places were...Financially struggling and depreciating...to Financially robust and thriving....The proof is in the pudding.

And flog is golf backwards...Barton Tuck who was the founder of Wingfield Mgmt spoke to me extensively after I reached out to him months ago. I wrote to him and used the "I'm a Golfweek Rater " He literally picked up the phone and called me. I thought he was buying RNK...But no he just handled the renovation. The course is what was originally built. The bunkers are filled with a soft white silica sand that literally swallows your ball. I had one shot come 6 inches short and here comes double...That was 10. Anyway Wingfield manages RNK and Viniterra. Stonehouse I'm not sure they are involved. There's some good golf in that area. A spring or fall trip would be best time to visit.

Stonehouse to open in July. RNK is quite humbling. At times seemingly well struck shots that are ever so slightly off, end up in very difficult spots. The primary difference between the two is RNK stretches back to 7480 yards...Their Invicta tees with a 77/154... Tobacco taking every inch it has can't go much past 6700. RNK Gold at 7119 is a 150 slope. Their black at 6695 is a 147 slope. I love Tobacco Road. More than RNK. RNK is tougher. At least for those of us that don't pop their drives past 250. Especially today where my combined total roll on 14 tee balls was like 50 yards. Got a hard spot a couple times...Ha

Had pleasure of playing Royal New Kent today. A Mike Stranz gem. During the renovation the new ownership brought in Mrs Stranz and she had all of the original design work of her late husband Mike. The team recreated the course as originally laid out. Not often you encounter a 142 slope off the whites at 6132 yards...with three sets of tees behind you...If you are in the area you should visit this place. Chip Sullivan is the head pro and very welcoming.

Have been there often. Lighthouse Sound is really nice. You will love it. Rum Pointe is maybe may fave in the area though. It is kinda two different courses. One nine linksy and other through the woods somewhat. But I love it. Can't comment on Man O War. Never been. Over all there are about 12 good courses in that area. Had a group that went there for quite some time. Played Rum Pointe year it opened...Ha I travel up the 1/13 roads thru DE and MD and every once in while pull over and play Rum Pointe again. Enjoy.

Golfweek’s Best 2018: Best Courses You Can Play Welcome Golfweek’s annual Best. Each spring, we publish the three lists that are the foundation of our course-ratings program: Golfweek’s Best...

How many times has some dumbass announcer said something like....Rory hasn't made a bogey on back nine all week.....as he stands over a 5 footer and misses...Nice to see Rory play well and win....Jon Rahm, with his hook it outta the bunker into a cross breeze while his caddie says don't do it....priceless.

Understand. The person handling the charity for this Montessori School listed it in Sports rather than Golf. Either which way it will be a lot....but for a chance to play this place...This is one of the ways to a deal.

Accompanied Round of Golf at Kinloch Golf Club | BiddingForGood Best in Virginia....

3 players with caddies....750 is cheap my guess is it will sell around 1000....so 333 each to play there with a caddie.

This expires shortly....It's not per se cheap...but candidly if it sells near what it is at right now it is... Golf at Congressional Country Club | BiddingForGood I have bought these often...sometimes the deals are pretty good. This expires tomorrow... Golf at Congressional Country Club | BiddingForGood

I don't think the technology gains are so substantial to move to new irons.....before I would reshaft your Mizuno's I'd get fit and then I would but a used set a year old which goes for less than half price with the shaft that fits....On the Driver I do believe the technology has leaped forward and maybe not a brand new but again a year old model that fits. You can get last years best now for in the $250 range when they were $400+ last year.

Good stuff. I'm a rater with Golfweek. I also have a mega collection of pencils and just made a board with my top 147....I know awkward number. I just spaced them on this board I had and that's how many fit. Best places on top. Maybe about 50 of top 100 in world. Then bottom have a row of courses which have closed...El Diablo, Pistol Creek, Blue Heron W, But my real collection are my score cards. I have like 700 different ones I played but maybe 900 total. The boxes weigh like 50 pounds. I have them alphabetized. What I love about Golfweek is that they are obsessed with ratings. They rate all kind of different groups. Not every course is ratable. They want to rate the top 1000...But the US has about 17000 right now...And to rate 1000 they pick out about 2000....So about 12% are ratable. Many seemingly wonderful courses don't make the cut to even be considered ratable. GW has 700 raters each knocking off maybe 15 rounds each a year...and you can only rate a place once. Rating has opened up the ability to go almost anywhere to play. The places you think might be difficult many times are the most accommodating. It's your local somewhat no name privates that typically respond that they are too busy to allow you to visit. Good luck with your travels. One state you may wish to put on your list is NJ. A bunch of the best you can play are grouped in the Atlantic City area. The best is usually Ballyowen part of the Crystal Resort. NJ has some great clubs. Love your upcoming NE trip. Some fabulous golf there. Reach out to Sand Hills....Ya never know.

I have two buds who have had holes in one.....and someone in their foursome also had one. One guy was playing in a member/member and his partner knocked it in...So he put his club back and his partner said hey, hit, ya never know you might knock it in...and he did. Another bud plays out of Ivy Hills in Cincy and they have a par 3 which is punchbowl shaped and has more than normal amount of aces...Yea he had one but when they got to next tee, someone else had honors as he had aced it too and had honors prior. Once I was playing with abud who had a hole in one...and I hit mine and it went straight into cup and bounded out....maybe his ball threw mine out...Ha...It did rip the cup lip quite a bit.

Numerous of the sought after designers/architects of today are minimalists. Tom Doak being possibly the lead. Coore/Crenshaw mostly. Gil Hanse. David McCay Kidd. It is a lot about what the owner wants though. The biggest blessing to the world of GOLF has been Mike Keiser. He has just created magic with everything he touches...and barely touches. Bandon Dunes, Cabot in Nova Scotia. Sand Valley in WI. And yes it is about a great piece of real estate. Hence why he built in middle of nowhere.... Having lived in FL for 8 of the last 9 years and playing much golf. Yea most is not natural. But it really can't be. The water table is only a few feet down. Irrigation ponds must be utilized extensively so heck use em to influence play too. I visited Streamsong a few times. Not since Black opened though. That property was manipulated by a quarry for a long time and then abandoned. So the naturalness of the contours were created decades ago. I do agree though that I love natural vs contrived. I am a big links fan. I travel often to go play links golf. And yes classics are more natural as shovels and picks don't move earth like bulldozers.

My best golf day ever....I use the term quite often...Top 10 day. Great weather, great course, great company...good play. good eats/drinks...But my best ever was with my Dad and two of my sons on the course I grew up on. Irem in Dallas, Pa. On 17 I hit a sweet iron to a ridiculous cantilevered green par 3. When I hit it well, I don't watch it as it is going where it should. I only watch intently when I know I need to find it...Anyway my son screams it went in the hole...My dad who was on a tee box below and to side in front with my one son looks at me and says nice shot and continues on like no big deal....Ha....Dad passed before I ever got to play with him again.

I have been often to Scotland. I set up trips also. I also have a very good bud who owns Fairways to Heaven tour operator. He has Old tee times. This is how it works....The Old and all the other St Andrews golf clubs are municipal. They use the Old to keep you chained to St Andrews for a few rounds. If you are going as part of a group. Reach out to Fairways to Heaven if you have to have an Old time before going. Ask for Dave Reid and tell him Doug Roberts referred you. What you have to do is book a package to get an Old time guaranteed. And what that means is over paying for everything. To play the Old now is about 175 pound or 225 US. To get a time guaranteed a tour operator will package 3 rounds at St Andrews most likely Old, New and Castle...couple nights lodging and their shuttle bus around town for like $2500 a head....when if you booked it direct it would be $1000. If you are going just as a single or couple....Just go. Do ballot two days prior. And if not successful walk up early...and I mean early...I have played the Old 6 times and only once with an advance teetime. 17 summer I went with 8 others. Stayed in Apt in St Andrews....In mid August. We all played the Old...One 4 some via ballot. All others via walk on. Every teetime will have 4 players. You can get a teetime with 2. You can review the groupings and see how many spots are open for walk ons...Normally around 20 in mid summer. To be in top 20 fr walk on you probably need to be at starter shed by 4:30am. It opens at 6am. And you will have a good idea when you should play at 6am and can adjust accordingly....If the weather is foul...all bets off as many don't show of locals and anything is possible...summer 17 3 buds got in line at 4:30 and were 13/14/15 in line with 18 openings. They were told come back around 11am. I meandered down at 8am to put my name on list. Starter said...Do you have your clubs? I said no but they are 5 minutes away. He said you are on the tee...Go get em, hurry. I couldn't as my 3 buds had never played...I called em and they literally ran down the hill. One took that tee time other two played 20 minutes later as two local lads didn't show as the weather was looking hazardous.

Thought 30 days was kinda ridiculous. Should be more.

6 up 5 to go...He only won 16? He walked off 5 to go? Did you start on back 9?

Right before coming here I bought a camera off eBay. I got an email from a Trendy Tech Media...and I liked what I saw and was going to buy it. Basically a gopro but much cheaper and I'm sure not as good...but at 80% off.....so I go to eBay and there it is...29.95 delivered. The other had it for 69.99...So bam I bought....What I like about eBay is everybody has their rating....right there in front of you. I bought a camera from an outfit with 200,000 transactions and 100% positive feedback....More so than any other method of transactions....You know your sellers reputation...If you are buying from somebody with hardly any transaction history....guess what?

Kiawah Ocean is spectacular...If you can handle mucho golf....Book the cheapest course for am play and replay Ocean at half price or less. Charleston National is a decent alternative. Or better yet...Sell your tix and go play the Ocean a few times....Ha

I'll throw out two options which are south and north of the two you suggested...The Cashen at Ballybunion can be played for just under $100. It is quite nice too. If you go north a bit I'd suggest either Carne or Enniscrone. Both are excellent and in the budget. If I could only play one of the 3....It would be Carne. It has just a couple holes on the water though. The Cashen has the best views/water play.

As you are playing Tobacco Road....you must be a Stranz fan. Si I would suggest Tot Hill. I'd also say Dormie Club is very nice too. Set up a time or two at those without paying upfront. Then try at Pinehurst and if doesn't work out you have times made. If it does cancel the others asap. Love Tobacco Road...enjoy.

If the item didn't have a reserve price, and the seller wanted a certain amount....yes he may have had a bud bidding. However for the item to be relisted and get to the point of another sale time would take like a week. How many feedbacks does the seller have? What is his rating? I have at times been very active with buying clubs via eBay. Have dealt with the situation you have....I am that last minute bidder at times too....But prior to putting in my final bid in the last minute....I review the bidders and it is usually pretty easy to see what the real bid is at...Whether there is a max higher or the bid is near the max.....But what I do is bid the value I am comfortable with regardless of where the bid is at....So with your example...If the bids were at about 140...with a minute left...and the club was normally selling at 250.....I would go in with a 201 bid in the last minute and expect success somewhere in the mid range as other s jump in last second and try to be cute with a 141 or 146 bid...