flashman70

I enjoy this part of the season, because I've been lucky enough to have played a number of the HI, CA and AZ courses. They're at Riviera this week which I haven't played but did get to walk during a practice round a few years ago. When I see the pros going low on courses I struggled with (from the white or blue tees!) I'm reminded of how talented these young guys really are.

There are a slew of good courses down that end. In addition to True Blue, there's Caledonia, Heritage, Tradition, Willbrook Plantation, River Club and Litchfield. (Like Flap said, I don't think Lichfield is a joke - it's just an old design.) Drop me a line when you're going and we can tee it up if I'm down there then.

Glad you joined in. Golf's almost as much fun to talk about as it is to play...no wait, that's sex, no wait................

That sounds about right. I drive from just south of DC to just south of Myrtle in about 7 hours.

I've had a lot of opportunities but never played it. If you don't stay at the Lodge at least two nights you can't make a tee time more than 24 hours in advance. So you're probably going to go out as a single and hook up with three other golfers you don't know. That makes the experience less than optimal from my point of view. My wife and I play with lots of folks we don't know at our courses in SC, but that's not costing me $450 or (worse) $900. If they're bad golfers, or slow or annoying or whatever, it's no big deal. At Pebble's prices those things would really grind on my Scotch soul.

I played a private course in Naples - Golf Club of the Everglades. A links style layout. There's a public course - Raptor Bay that's a little north of Naples that's not bad. On the east coast, if you get as far north as Del Ray Beach there's a nice Donald Ross layout - Del Ray Beach GC.

I agree with flap. The Myrtle Beach area affords good golf year-round. I got to Pawleys Island on Dec. 26 and played three rounds by the time I got on a plane to Phoenix on Jan 3. On the morning of the 4th we had a frost delay at the Phoenician course, and the next day at Talking Stick. When I got back to Pawleys I played a round on the 7th in warm weather. I admit, I did get rained out on the 8th. But I've been rained out in Las Vegas, snowed out in Colorado Springs, etc. So no place is perfect. As flap noted, Myrtle gets pretty muggy and sticky in the summer months. But it allows me to play all year 'round.

Let's see if I can show a couple I played in Banff a couple years ago...

While I may disagree with any number of actions/rulings the USGA makes, I send 'em my money every year. Just feels like something a golfer ought to do.

Thanks for the reference, iacas. So I should have had him replace the ball. I knew there was no penalty if he wasn't addressing it, but I wasn't sure about where it should be spotted. Live and learn.

I had something come up Sunday that was odd, not (I don't think) cheating. I was playing a match with a fellow I know and we came down to the last hole with me one down. It's a par five and we're both short of the green in two. My shot was the tougher, as I had to hit uphill, over a trap to a tucked pin. as luck would have it I wound up 30" from the hole. My opponent had a clear line to the pin, but hit his chip too hard and wound up right at the edge of a back tier. The ball should have come back down, but it hung up. He marked, cleaned his ball, replaced it and picked up his mark, whereupon the ball rolled down the slope, about 6' closer to the hole. He said the ball was in play, he hadn't addressed it and he should play it as it lay. I don't know the rule, and we weren't playing for big money, and to be honest, I wasn't watching until I looked up to see it rolling. So I said nothing and let it go. He didn't make the putt and I did, squaring the match. But if anyone knows the rule I'd be interested.

Other than Kelly Tilghman, I don't know who these women are. After reviewing everardo's post I'd definitely vote for Lisa Guerrero.

I think in the US most of the gripes would focus on bad drivers. Only those of us in metro areas ever experience the thrill for waiting for a bus.

I'd avoid TPC. They've cut their operating budget in half and I understand it is in bad shape. You generally won't find the greens in Myrtle to be very fast. They're mostly Bermuda and not as fast as good bentgrass. In early March the Bermuda may still be dormant, so you're putting on rye. On the south end River Club has bent grass greens. It's an OK course, but I prefer True Blue, Caledonia, Pawleys Plantation and Heritage down there. Barefoot courses are generally terrific - although I don't particularly care for the Norman course. I hear good things about Grande Dunes, but haven't played it. King's North is a good track. As mentioned already, up on the north end, Tidewater is tops and in NC Tiger's Eye, Lion's Paw, etc are really good, as is Rivers Edge - a Palmer design. To avoid driving miles and miles you ought to focus on what part of the grand strand you want to play on this trip. You can spend a lot of time getting to a course on the south end when your hotel is up north, and vice versa. Also if you want to go to "gentlemen's clubs" at night you're better off in Myrtle Beach proper than down south. It's pretty quiet there.

I'll do that. Merry Christmas!

All time, I guess it's Sam Snead. I remember him winning the GGO when he was nearly 50. About four years ago he gave a talk during the 19th hole following a scramble I had played in at the Homestead. He was completely charming. The old coot gave my wife a big hug and squeeze. The stories about him around there are legendary. A hacker is playing a hole beside the road and a car stops and out steps Snead who proceeds to show the duffer a thing or two. The duffer is thrilled and very grateful. When he checks out there's a $200 charge on his bill for a lesson from Sam.

It's hard to explain.............but golf plays a large part.

Can't argue with your opinion of Mr. Modell. But I was thinking of the old Colts with Unitas and Alan Ameche and Ray Berry, etc. They'd kick the Redskins' butts every year and I really hated them. I even rooted for the Giants against the Colts in "the game." Little did I realize that Sam Huff would become a 'Skin. After the 'Skins quit playing for the year I would root for whoever appealed. I think the Bears in '63 (?) won only because they played dirty and took out Y A Tittle. Later in the '60s I was a post-season Packer fan. Loved Hornung, Taylor and Starr. I was also an early fan of the AFL. I liked the Oilers with Blanda, Billy Cannon and Charley Tolar - who put out oil well fires in the off season!

Been a Redskins fan since 1956. Before the days of national TV contracts, each team had a network of stations that carried their games. Washington was the team of the South. They were awful, but folks would drive up from the Carolinas to see games. It wasn't until the Cowboys in 1960 (?) and then the Falcons in 1966(?) that other southern teams came on. And no, Baltimore was never a southern team.

Lucky guy. It's one of those I intend to play before my expense account travel is done...

So that would involve a "Trip to Bountiful"? I've played at Park City and I don't remember where around Salt Lake City. I'll check out the Bountiful courses next time I'm out that way. Thanks.

www.fishclub.com .

The only memorable golf I've played around Tampa was the Palmer course at Saddlebrook. I never have played Innisbrook's Copperhead - always highly rated.

That's really good advice/info. I've played them both also and in addition to outstanding courses, they're good values. Much cheaper than the Disney courses.

Awesome! Someday I'll make the trip across the pond with my clubs.