A worthwhile option for golf at the Byron Nelson Championship, Dallas

Posted on 14/05/2012 by Jay Morse
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One of Texas' best golf courses, though 2 hours from Dallas

If you’re heading for the Byron Nelson this week in Dallas, and want to include a round of golf in your plans, don’t keep reading this post unless you’re willing to drive two hours one-way to find one of the more unique golf courses in Texas, and a true hidden gem. Pine Dunes is southwest of Tyler near Lake Palestine, and is an Augusta/Pine Valley typ of golf course experience. It was originally a small 9 hole course when Jodi Lutz purchased it in 1994, and with the help of PGA Tour Pro David Frost realized there was more potential here eventually hiring Jay and Carter Morrish to redesign and add an additional 9 holes.

Pine Dunes, an Augusta or Pine Valley experience in East Texas

The course now plays to 7,117 yards, 131 slope from the back tees, and is routed through stands of mature pines with open fairways (Augusta National style) or island fairways(Pine Valley) on the rolling hills of east Texas. The course is extremely well maintained, and has a lot of sand, and the greens putt true with a lot of speed. Very nice, secluded setting, interesting hole layout and variety, and decent rates for this quality and uniqueness of a golf course.

It’s a long haul to be sure, but a very unique golf experience. You might consider stopping for lunch or dinner in Athens, about midway. There’s a couple decent restaurant choices there, for Mexican try The Jalapeno Tree or Danny’s Smokehouse on Corisicana Street for barbeque.

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Posted on 10/05/2012 by Jay Morse
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The PGA’s New Path Forward

In Myrtle Beach, golf is a necessity. It’s a way of life. But it’s uncertain if golf has the same appeal to younger individuals across the country. Is golf on the right path in terms of appealing to the next generation of potential golfers? And in attempting to reach the new generation, will older golfers feel alienated?

Previous generations have grown up with a love of the game, from watching The Golden Bear on television to stepping out onto the local green. But Generation Y seems more distant than other generations from the beautiful game of golf.

And the question remains as to whether the love of golf will continue to trickle down to younger generations. Grandpa and dad may play golf, but what about the current generation? Will today’s high school athletes take a second look at the game?

An Ambitious Goal for the PGA

There may not be a clear-cut answer, which creates a problem for the game. As other sports are taking hold of the current generation (i.e. extreme sports’ growth), the PGA has decided that it is time to take action.

With a current club-wielding population of 26 million, the PGA has a simple, ambitious goal: to create 40 million golfers by the year 2020.

How does the PGA plan to do this? They’ve already taken a step in the right direction. During Spring Family weekend at Virginia Tech and Maryland Day at the University of Maryland, golf was taken to each campus to reach college-age students and younger kids. It has been called a “near golf” experience.

A couple of highlights were particularly noteworthy:

  • 600 people were introduced to the game of golf and 50 percent of those people had never used a golf club prior to that experience. Maybe that sparked an interest in a young man or woman to start playing or following golf.
  • Participants, including students, staff, and parents aimed      at “GolfZilla,” an inflatable dinosaur, and tried their hand at hitting miniature tennis balls.

The Middle Atlantic PGA (MAPGA) held the on-campus experience dubbed “Play Golf America”.

Catering to a New Demographic

Steps like these could attract potential golfers to the sport—who never previously considered playing. For some, it simply is a matter of exposure. A number of college-age students have not had the opportunity to step out onto a golf course.

Taking these steps to bring the game to them could be the answer. They could see what it’s like to swing a club, to enjoy the finer moments of the game. Perhaps understanding the beauty of the game only comes through experience.

This push toward a younger demographic could have great implications for the game. With respect to the allure of major sports such as basketball, baseball and football, as well as action/extreme sports, golf could certainly benefit from the same kind of exposure. A younger, fresher following could change perspectives about golf. Perhaps it could lead to increased acceptance of golf video games, social media appeal and brand awareness. Or, better yet, perhaps golf could become a bond between generations again. After all, it’s not just a game for grandpa and dad—as younger, elite golfers are demonstrating.

Thanks to the author: Dawn lives and works in the Indianapolis area, and she enjoys following the tech and business worlds. After furthering her education, she has spent some time researching her interests and blogging about her discoveries often. Follow her on Twitter! @dawnaltnam

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Millsite, Utah golf in Castle Country

Posted on 02/05/2012 by Jay Morse
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Millsite is one of the more scenic layouts you might find

Millsite is truly one of the more unique golf courses I’ve ever played.  It’s virtually out in the middle of nowhere in central Utah.  It’s about 40 minutes north of I-70 at Fremont Junction on the way to the Manti La Sal National Forest, about 30 minutes north off I-70.  It’s only a 9 holer, but a must play if you’re anywhere close.  It’s set in some rough desert area right next to the Millsite Reservoir and State Park. Millsite opened in 1988 and is just a 9 holer.

The course is owned and operated by the City of Ferron and has plans to build another nine holes, but I’d just rather play this course twice.  Some of the holes are cut from canyons, there’s a waterfall, one hole is at the base of the dam,, and most are doglegs. #3 is a 90 degree dogleg to an elevated green, mostly blind, with the Millsite Dam and boulders bordering the hole, talk about target golf!  Not always in the best of shape, but you’re rewarded by the overall experience and uniqueness of the course.

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Gulf Shores Golf

Posted on 22/04/2012 by Jay Morse
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Kiva Dunes Golf Club, closest to the Gulf in Gulf Shores

Gulf Shores is midway between Pensacola and Mobile on the sugar white sandy beaches of the Gulf of New Mexico.  If you’re heading there on a family vacation, and looking to get a little golf in, use our map of the best golf courses in Gulf Shores to determine the courses closest to where you’re staying. The Forelinksters guide to only the better golf courses lists a total of eight courses in the Gulf Shores area, listed by the cost to play with the best value courses at the top:

1. The Refuge An Earl Stone design, is on the the Gulf State Park on the north side of Shelby Lakes. It’s expensive for a state run golf course, but it’s a better value than some of the more upscale courses in the Gulf Shores area. The course is carved through the woods with no homes or development along the holes, and is very scenic.

2.  Timbercreek is about 30 minutes north of Gulf Shores, and just east of Mobile in Daphne north of I-10 at exit 38. The course is a great a 27-hole course designed by Earl Stone, parkland style with nice elevation change routed through dogwood and pine trees. All three nines have interesting holes, fair to all levels of play, but with some challenge if you’re playing from the back tees.

3. Rock Creek is located on the east side of Mobile Bay in Fairhope, about 30 minutes north of Gulf Shores. It was designed by Earl Stone and opened in 1993. Good, challenging course, the fairway’s landing areas have a enough room off the tee, just doesn’t look like it from the tee. It’s a fun layout with a lot of strategic holes, doglegs, and is parkland-like in the design. It’s very well maintained, and is a semi-private, so they keep it in good shape for the membership.

4. GlenLakes is just north of Gulf Shores in Foley, off Rt 59. There’s 27 holes, designed by Devlin and Von Hagge, with 18 hole links-style holes with the Vista and Dunes nines, and more of a Florida style course with the Lakes course, sand and water throughout. Tee times are available through GolfNow for the best rates.

5. The Peninsula Golf Club is set on Mobile Bay bounded by the Bon Secour Wildlife Preserve, just west of Gulf Shores. It’s a 27 hole course, designed by Earl Stone, and is routed through live oak and cypress tree stands with lakes at every turn, in a very natural setting. The three nines are Cypress, Marsh, and Lakes, interesting hole design, somewhat forgiving on your errant shot, the course is a very well conditioned parkland style course.

6. Gulf Shores Golf Club was previously known as The Golf Club at the Wharf, it’s north of the beach in Gulf Shores, off RT 59, north of Fort Morgan Road. The golf course is surrounded by an upscale resort real estate community, and is a well regarded course in the area. It was originally built in the 1960′s, but re-designed by Jay and Carter Morris and renamed in 2006. The course is flat as are most in the coast area, but it’s an interesting layout with a good amount of variety, plenty of sand. The course doesn’t have the character or quality as Craft Farms or Kiva Dunes, but is a close second to both. Good choice for more reasonably priced golf.

7. Craft Farms has two great Arnold Palmer courses in excellent condition throughout. Typical Palmer design standards, risk/reward and heroic holes, but with some bail out areas, well bunkered, and water in play on almost every hole in some shape or form. The Cotton Creek course is over 7,000 yards 136 slope from the tips, and is routed through lakes and tree lined fairways, on rolling ground with mounding throughout, and was a real challenge. Cypress Bend, is the newer course, and is a little shorter at 6,484-yards, 123 slope 71.8 with water in play throughout. Just as challenging on approach to the greens, but a little more forgiving off the tee.  A must play if you’re vacationing in the area, a real value if you can take the time for a 36 hole day, with a nice lunch in the clubhouse.

8. Kiva Dunes is located in Gulf Shores on the Gulf of Mexico, the course was designed by Jerry Pate and opened in 1995, and extends to 7092 from the back tees with a slope of 134. The course is highly rated, but I think you can buy ratings with the national golf magazines. It’s a good course though, laid out among the sand dunes and pines of the Gulf Coast. It’s a links style layout with a lot of deep bunkers of white sand throughout, and is located in a residential/resort real estate development. There’s a lot of wildlife here including alligators and birds of all kinds. Make sure your sand game is working, there’s sand everywhere, and the constant wind off the Gulf is always on.

9.  Lakewood Club at Point Clear  is on Mobile Bay has two superb 18 hole courses that are available only to the guests at the Marriott Grand Hotel here, a classic old resort property, once used as a Civil War hospital. The Dogwood course was recently redesigned and renovated by Bobby Vaughan, it’s a traditional design with huge oak tree lined fairways. The courses here have some history by golf course architects, Perry Maxwell, Southern Hills and Colonial CC fame, designed the back nine of the Dogwood Course in 1946. Joe Lee, Bay Hill/Doral, designed the front nine of the Dogwood in 1965. Ron Garl did nine holes to the middle of the Azalea in 1985. While not technically part of the RTJ Trail, the resort is funded by the Retirement Systems of Alabama, who owns the Trail, and is included as one of the Trail’s resorts.

 

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2012 Masters Double Eagle, Oosthuizen’s “Albatross” ball

Posted on 17/04/2012 by Jay Morse
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MASTERS NOTEBOOK: By Terry Moore

OK, what happened to the famed “albatross” ball of Louis Oosthuizen that he tossed into the gallery surrounding the second hole at this year’s Masters on Sunday? Well, as you have probably seen or read, it was caught by Wayne Mitchell, 59, of New Tripoli, PA which is outside Allentown. Vice-President of Air Products, Mitchell and his wife were tournament guests of an executive of Dow Chemical in Midland, Michigan. Along the rope line, they had been seated at the par-five second hole since 10:00 a.m., patiently waiting over four hours for the leaders to come through.
After he caught the ball and placed it into his pocket, Mitchell was later escorted by security and Augusta National members to Butler Cabin where he met Billy Payne, Augusta National’s Chairman. As reported by several news outlets, including the Augusta Chronicle and The Morning Call, Mitchell’s local newspaper in Bethlehem, PA, Mitchell gave the ball to the club for its archives located in the Trophy Room which includes the ball Gene Sarazen holed out with for his iconic double eagle in 1935.
As quoted in The Morning Call earlier this week, Mitchell said: “I’m not a souvenir-grabber. For me, the ball clearly represented a special moment in history. Now, it’s in the hands of the club, where it belongs.” Mitchell and the club declined to discuss details on the actual transaction. However, I’ve learned from a reliable source that in exchange for the ball Mitchell was offered two Lifetime Passes to the Masters. Before happily accepting, Mitchell also asked Payne for one other request: the opportunity to play Augusta National. Payne said that could be arranged.
That’s what I call a great catch: Lifetime passes to the Masters topped off by a memorable round at Augusta National. So next year don’t be surprised to see patrons with catcher’s mitts.

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Best Golf Courses on the Outer Banks

Posted on 15/04/2012 by Jay Morse
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Herbert C. Bonner Bridge, over the Oregon Inlet, connecting Pea and Bodie Islands

The Outer Banks will never be known as a golf destination, the remaining undeveloped land is much too sacred…for any use.  Mostly it’s the beach and fishing that lures you to this 200-mile long stretch of four barrier islands off North Carolina’s Coast. They begin just south of Virginia Beach, and include Bodie, Roanoke, Hatteras, and Ocracoke Islands, and there’s plenty to do.   There’s the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, a 70 mile protected National Park a beautiful and undisturbed strech of beach as you will find anywhere.  The Wright Brothers’ National Memorial of the First Flight, very interesting and worthwhile tour, and well done museum.  Roanoke Colony, where the first person of English descent was born on American soil is commemorated by The Lost Colony,  the longest running outdoor drama in the U.S.  The area’s also known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic due to the numerous shipwrecks just off the coast over the years, and a great museum in Hatteras Village outlines the history.  Even if you’re not planning on offshore fishing, you have to stop by the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center at the end of the day to watch the boats unload their catch for the day.  Finally, if you ever wanted to hang glide, but were afraid of a hard landing, at Kitty Hawk Kites, you hang glide off 100 foot high sand dunes, a great experience, and the views from on top are spectacular!

The Nags Head Golf Links...on a rare calm day

If you have time from all of the above, and want to steal away for golf, there’s six choices for good golf in the Nags Head area, depending on where you’re staying, here’s a map of the golf courses to help you sort it out.

1. Starting at the far northern section, Corolla there’s Currituck Club, a Rees “The Open Doctor” Jones upscale layout routed on the sound side of a residential community. Unless you’re staying in the Duck area and to the north, it’s a long slow drive from the Kitty Haw/Nags Head area.

The remaining courses are central to the Kitty Hawk/Nags Head area, two are located on Bodie Island.

2. Sea Scape Golf Links , originally designed by Art Wall, with some redesign work by Nicklaus, it’s routed through an old established residential community with some tight and funky holes, but the most reasonably priced course on the island, and the most poorly conditioned.

3. The Nags Head Golf Links is located hard on the Roanoke Sound, tough layout, always windy, water in play on most of the holes, operated by ClubCorp, convenient, but pricey.

There’s three more reasonably priced courses, and quality layouts are located about 30 minutes from the Nags Head/Kitty Hawk/Duck area, depending on traffic.

4. The Pointe Golf Club a Russell Breeden, parkland design, well conditioned and interesting layout, rates about half what’d you pay at Nags Head, and actually a nice break to get off the busy island during the summer months.

5. Kilmarlic Golf Club a Tom Steele layout, parkland routing, carved through the pine trees, each hole separate and isolated, just a couple of homes along the course. Tight course, a shot maker’s delight, bomber’s nightmare for offline shots.

6. The Carolina Club, another Russell Breeden design, traditional style of layout,  routed through a residential community. Quality routing, well conditioned, and fair rates, the homes lining the course are a bit of a distraction.

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Bubba’s Shot at #10 to Win!

Posted on 13/04/2012 by Jay Morse
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Bubba Watson's shot on #10 to win the Green Jacket

Catch the Video!

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Masters’ Disasters

Posted on 04/04/2012 by Jay Morse
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Greg Norman had his share of Major disappointments, especially at Augusta

So, I’m putting together my picks for Fantasy Golf this week, plodding through the multitude of stats trying to steer myself away from my emotional favorites. It’s become clear though, that with respect to the Masters, there needs to be a “choke-ability” stat given the amount of Sunday collapse’s witnessed over the years.  To wit:

1946: Herman Kaiser led by one going into 18 with Hogan 1 back, Kaiser three putted for a bogey….but so did Hogan!

1954 Hogan was leading the tournament, found water on both 13 and 15, but made the playoff. Amateur Billy Joe Patton hit the water for a double bogey on 13, and a bogey on 15 to get into the playoff, but both lost to Sam Snead.

1956 Amateur Ken Venturi had a four stroke lead going into Sunday, gives up the Jacket to Jackie Burke Jr by shooting 80 in the final round.

1961 Arnold Palmer, needing only a par at 18, hits into the bunker for a double bogey to loose to Gary Player

1962 Palmer had a two stroke lead going into Sunday, ballooned to a 75, but won in the playoff with Dow Finsterwald and Gary Player

1971 Johnny Miller stood at the 15th with a two stroke lead. As he’s recounted, “I started thinking about how I was going to look in that Green Jacket, and the next thing I know they’re putting it on Charlie Coody”

1978 Hubert Green missed a three footer at 18 to make a playoff with Gary Player

1979 Ed Sneed, with a 3 shot lead going into 16, bogeyed the last three holes to end up in a playoff and loosing with Fuzzy Zoeller, who won his first time out at Augusta.

1980: Tom Weiskoph in a Tin Cup moment, put 5 balls in the water at 12 to card a 13

1985 Curtis Strange with a three shot lead went for the greens at 13 and 15, finding water both times, and missed winning by two strokes

1986 The year of the immaculate comeback of 46 year old Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman had a chance at 18, but missed the green, and couldn’t get up and down. Seve Ballesteros snap hooked one into Rae’s Creek at 15 as the roars from the Golden Bear’s charge distracted him. Tom Kite fell to his knees at the 18th green after his putt to tie lipped the cup.

1987 Greg Norman lipped the cup on 18 to win, but then lost in the second hole of the playoff when Larry Mize chipped in from 40 yards.

1989 Scott Hoch bogeyed 17, then missed a short birdie putt at 18 to win, which forced a playoff, then three-putted from 2 1/2 feet on the first hole in the playoff to loose to Nick Faldo

1996 Greg Norman started the day with a 6 shot lead, shot 78 and lost by 5 to Nick Faldo.

2003 Jeff Maggert a 2 shot lead on Sunday morning, but had two-2 stroke penalties in bunkers at the 3rd and the 12th, and finished five strokes back of Mike Weir.

2005 Billy Casper carded a 14 with 5 balls in the water at 16 , didn’t turn in his scorecard, if he had the 106 would have been the worst score ever recorded at the Masters.

2011 Rory McIlory with a four shot lead on Sunday morning shot an 80 while bouncing one off the Peek Cabin on #10.

This history of disasters on the back nine on Sunday define ”Amen Corner” and may have persuaded Chip Beck to lay up on 15 at 236 yards out when he needed to make up 3 shots to catch Bernhard Langer in 1993, ending up four shots back. Everyone it seems is subject to their own demons as well as what Augusta National can throw at you while negotiating the back nine on Sunday, when the tournament really begins.

It’s guaranteed there will be drama and more history made on Sunday afternoon at the Masters. If it were up to Alister McKenzie though, who designed Augusta National, there would be no water on the backside on Sunday, no Amen Corner, and likely a much different history than we have today.  His original design showed the nines reversed!

 

 

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The Shot Heard Round the World

Posted on 02/04/2012 by Jay Morse
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Sarazen's 2nd shot on the 15th at Augusta made history

Gene Sarazen put the 1935 Augusta National Golf Club Invitational Tournament, now known as the Masters Tournament on the global map with ”the shot heard round the world”, a double-eagle on the 15th to force a playoff with Craig Wood, and with Sarazen as the eventual winner. The story goes, on Sunday at 3 shots down, and four holes to play, Sarazen hit a solid drive off the tee at 15. He was two-hundred thirty two yards from the green in the middle of the 15th fairway. His caddie, Stove Pipe suggested a 3-wood, Sarazen instead choose the 4-wood, and holed the shot, picking up three shots on Wood for a tie at the finish of regulation play. He won the 36 hole playoff the next day, and picked up a check for $700. Sarazen always maintained the shot was a pure fluke, but was more of a thrill for him as it completed the Pro Grand Slam, the British and US Open, the PGA, and now the Masters. He lamented that his accomplishment of 100 strokes in the last 28 holes to win the 1932 U.S. Open at Fresh Meadow was more notable, but never mentioned in the same vein as the double eagle.

Sarazen with Byron Nelson and Sam Snead were honorary starters for the Masters until 1999

Sarazen was also know for inventing the modern sand wedge. Sarazen was flying with Howard Hughes in the mid-1920′s and noticed how the flaps on the wings came down and made a connection between the  flaps and the flange you could add to a club  that would allow it to slide through the sand  and help splash the ball out. It worked, and he played it to his advantage for some time until the other touring professionals caught on, and Wilson mass produced the clubs.

One of my favorite pieces written on the longevity of Gene Sarazen called a Lesson from History:

The Question:

In 1922:

  • 1. Who was he President of the largest US steel company?
  • 2. The President of the largest gas company?
  • 3. President of the New York Stock Exchange
  • 4. The greatest wheat speculator
  • 5. President of the Bank of International Settlement
  • 6. Wheat Bear of Wall Street

These men were some of the most successful men of their time, now 90 years later we know what ultimately became of them:

  • 1. The President of the largest steel company Charles Schwab died a pauper
  • 2. The President of the largest gas company Edward Hopson spent his final years in the Brooklea Sanitarium
  • 3. The President of the NY Stock Exchange Richard Whitney spent his later years in Sing Sing prison, and died alone at home
  • 4. The greatest wheat speculator Arthur Cutten died weeks before being tried on charges of tax evasion
  • 5. The President of the Bank of International Settlement Leon Fraser committed suicide
  • 6. The Great Wheat Bear of Wall Street Jesse Livermore shot himself at the Sherry Netherland Hotel in New York

However in the same year 1922, PGA Champion Gene Sarazen won the US Open and the PGA. What became of him? He went on the win golf’s Grand Slam, played golf well into his 90′s, lived to be 95, was financially secure and lived in Marco Island, Florida.

The Moral: Screw work and play golf, you’ll live longer and be better off in the end!

 

 

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The Purest Ball Striker Golf Has Ever Known

Posted on 31/03/2012 by Jay Morse
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Moe and Me, by Lorne Rubenstein

Moe Norman, known to most who’ve watched him play as the purest striker of the ball the golf world has even known. He was born in Canada, and during his later years lived in Florida during the winters.  Norman, not of the country club crowd, and self taught his unorthodox golf swing from childhood at a local muni, and in fact became obsessed with developing the perfect swing. He competed in both amateur and professional events, both in Canada, and the United States.  He won back-to-back Canadian Amateur Championships, turned professional in 1957, and played on the PGA Tour, and was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. He had a most unconventional swing, feet spread wide apart, arms straight and stretched out to address the ball, an abbreviated back swing, and an extended follow through, almost comical to see until he hit the golf ball. Here’s a clip at YouTube.  His accuracy was legendary, both irons and woods, but putting was his weakness. He played extremely fast, sometimes not even slowing to line up his putts.  To a man, Snead, Trevino, Nicklaus, Singh, and most touring pros who witnessed his prowess have acknowledged his ball striking ability. In fact Tiger Woods once commented there were only two professionals who truly owned their golf swings, Ben Hogan, and Moe Norman.

Lorne Rubenstein, an author of numerous golf books, and an accomplished amateur golfer has written “Moe and Me”, which chronicles his relationship with Moe from teenager to the end of Moe’s life in 2004. Many have tried to dissect Moe’s swing and his success in controlling the golf ball, some have opined that he was autistic, a savant or had asperger’s due to his complete focus and passion for the golf swing, but with limited social skills. Moe was known to leave the clubhouse after he’d won a golf tournament and hide under a bridge or in his car to avoid addressing the public. His obsession was legendary. He qualified for the 1956 Masters, and after the second day was on the range when Sam Snead suggested a slight change to Moe’s swing. Moe proceeded to hit 800 balls before the third round trying to perfect Snead’s suggestion to the point that his hands cracked and bled forcing him to withdraw.

Rubenstein’s book is an excellent read, enlightening, with a peek into the life of one of the more interesting characters in golf.

 

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Final Four-Best Golf Courses in New Orleans

Posted on 30/03/2012 by Jay Morse
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While Kentucky should be heading to New Orleans this weekend to take on the NBA’s Hornets, the Buckeyes, Jayhawks, and Cardinals fans will be heading to New Orleans for the semifinal games on Saturday.  Golf in New Orleans, well it’s known more for it’s food and partying, but there are some courses worth playing, most with discount rates from GolfNow.

TPC of Louisiana, Pete Dye's Tour Track, open for public play

1. TPC of Lousisiana, a Pete Dye track where they play the annual PGA Tour Event, and recognized as the best public access course in town.

2. Lakewood Golf Club A former PGA Tour venue and private club now open for public play, layout redesigned by Ron Garl.

3. LaTour Golf Club, a bit out of town, halfway to Morgan City, a beautiful Louisiana native David Toms design, worth the drive and expense.

Audubon Park, close to town, short and quick, inexpensive

4. Audubon Park Golf Course, close to town, across from Tulane University, almost an executive course, but with one par 5, classic muni, crowded and inexpensive, good for a quick round.

5. Oak Harbor Golf Club, located east of New Orleans in Slidel, development course lined with homes, flat with a lot of water and sand in play, but 20 minutes from downtown.

6. Stonebridge G.C. another real estate development course on the south side of New Orleans, 27 holes, reasonable greens fees, and an interesting layout.

Abita Springs, a bit of a drive, but good to get out of the French Quarter

 

7. Abita Springs Golf Course, nothing upscale here, and a hike from downtown in Covington on the north shore, but a reasonably priced, parkland style of layout out in the country.

 

8. Covington Country Club also on the north shore in Covington, the course is a Joe Finger design, routed through a residential community,  parkland style of layout.

9. Belle Terre an early Pete Dye design, west of the airport off I-10 in Belle Terre, the course is routed through a former bayou turned residential community, plenty of Dye’s signature touches here. You may also want to check out Riverlands, also in Belle Terre, similar in design, and less expensive.

10. Cypress Lakes Country Club semi private club, development style of course, well conditioned, rates are fair, and an easy drive from downtown.

New Orleans has two many great restaurants to mention here, one of our favorites is Pascal Manale, where Barbeque Shrimp was originated. It’s not what the name implies, shrimp and barbeque sauce over the grill, it come served as a buttery, soupy heaping of heads-on shrimp that you peel and eat, soping up the sauce with warm french bread. The recipe is a closely guarded secret, some say it’s a pound of butter, and an equal amount of ground peppercorns with a touch of garlic, that’s impossible so far to recreate at home, so we’ll have to keep coming back!

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GolfNow Tee Times

Posted on 29/03/2012 by Jay Morse
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Forelinksters is the only golf course directory that features only the best public golf courses you can play. The courses listed are a compilation of all of the national golf magazine’s list of best public golf courses. While there are over 16,000 golf courses in America, we list only 4,200+ of the best public courses. It’s a great resource when you’re traveling to a new city, and need suggestions on where to play, or to remind yourself of the names of the better golf courses there.  The directory uses GolfNow to provide discount tee times for courses in their system which happen to be in the Forelinksters directory.

The next time you’re traveling, try using the Forelinkstes directory of the best golf courses  to find the best golf course to play, and consider using the GolfNow discount tee time system to book your tee times.

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A question of ethics

Posted on 21/03/2012 by Jay Morse
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Here is a golf ethics question for you.
You’re playing in the club championship tournament finals and the match was halved at the end of 17 holes.  You had the honor and hit your ball a modest two hundred fifty yards to the middle of the fairway, leaving a simple six iron to the pin.  Your opponent then hits his ball, lofting it deep into the woods to the right of the fairway. Being the golfing gentleman that you are, you help your opponent look for his ball. Just before the permitted five minute search period ends, your opponent says: “Go ahead and hit your second shot and if I don’t find it in time, I’ll concede the match.” You hit your ball, landing it on the green, stopping about ten feet from the pin. About the time your ball comes to rest, you hear your opponent exclaim from deep in the woods: “I found it!”  The second sound you hear is a click, the sound of a club striking a ball and the ball comes sailing out of the woods and lands on the green, stopping no more than six inches from the hole.

Your ethical dilemma:
Do you pull the cheater’s ball out of your pocket and confront him with it, or do you keep your mouth shut.

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Sweet 16 Golf

Posted on 20/03/2012 by Jay Morse
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The Sweet 16, the next stop on the road to the Final Four in New Orleans

How’s your bracket looking? Mine, not so good, but no one’s bragging this year. With 3,170,914 brackets filled out on Yahoo Sports, none  are 100% correct, and the leader only has 42 correct picks.  When you have two #15 seeds beat their #2 opponents for the first time ever, it’s tough to keep the bracket intact.

If your team is heading on like my Bobcats, you may be tempted to bite the bullet and head to either Phoenix, St. Louis, Atlanta, or Boston to catch one of the Sweet Sixteen games, so here’s the guide to the best courses within a 30-40 minute drive of each of the venues:

An Arhtur Hills design on a former dairy farm, one of St. Louis' best

Best Golf Courses in St. Louis  Pevely Farms, Tapawingo, Quail Creek, Missouri Bluffs, and across the Mississippi in Illinois, Gateway National and Spencer T. Olin are among the best St. Louis has to offer.

Best Golf Courses in Boston  Close in to Boston Granite Links, Widow’s Walk, Meadow at Peabody, further south around Wareham, there’s 15 great layouts including both Nicklaus and Jones’ Pinehills.

The Frog, a Tom Fazio design on the west side of Atlanta

Best Golf Courses in Atlanta Some must play courses include The Frog on the west side of town, Bear’s Best, The Trophy Club, Wolf Creek, and Bradshaw Farms.

The surreal world at The Boulders on the north side of Phoenix/Scottsdale

Best Golf Courses in Phoenix/Scottsdale Without a doubt, the best collection of public access golf in the country, we have 45 golf courses listed in our directory, but there’s over 125 courses in total in the Phoenix area altogether. Some of our reader’s favroties are We Ko Pa, Troon North, The Boulders, TPC, and Wildfire. Check out our map of the best golf courses in Phoenix to determine which courses are closest to where you’re staying.

Next week, it’s the best golf courses in New Orleans, plus where to find the original Barbeque Shrimp!

Sweet 15, the next stop on the road to the Final Four in new orleans

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March Madness Golf-Round 1

Posted on 14/03/2012 by Jay Morse
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March Madness

It’s here, the season for March Madness, the first pitch for major league baseball, Master’s week, the true rites of spring. If you’re lucky enough to have your team in the Big Dance, and are heading to one of the Round 1 cities, we’ve assembled a guide to the best golf courses in each area from the directory of the best golf courses you can play, by Forelinksters.com

Paa Ko Ridge, one of Albuquerque's best courses

Paa Ko Ridge, one of Albuquerque's best courses

1. Albuquerque’s best golf courses include Paa-Ko-Ridge, the Iseleta Eagle, Sandia among other great courses and settings in the Land of Enchantment.

2. Columbus, Ohio’s best golf courses you can’t play Jack Nicklaus’ Muirfield which is exclusively private, butCooks Creek, New Albany Links, Winding Hollow, Bent Tree, a total of 26 courses are within a 30 minute drive.

3. Greensboro’s best golf courses The Grandover Resort on the south side of town where the PGA Tour plays the Greensboro Open is the top layout. Bryan Park, one of the best munis on the east coast has two 18 hole championship layouts. Tanglewood, where the 1974 PGA Championship is on the west side of Winston Salem.

Heritage Hill is just south of Louisville, named #1 public golf course in Kentucky

Heritage Hill is just south of Louisville, named #1 public golf course in Kentucky

4. Louisville’s best golf courses include Quail Chase, Seneca, Indian Springs, and a little further south in Shepherdsville Heritage Hill

5. Nashville’s best golf courses there’s 22 golf courses within a 30 mile radius of the Music City, The General’s Retreat and The President’s Reserve in Old Hickory, Gaylord Springs, and Greystone in nearby Dixon are among the best.

6. Omaha’s best golf courses include Tiburon, Indian Creek, Eagle Hills, and River Wilds out in Blair is worth the drive, Johnny Goodman’s a solid muni.

7. Pittsburgh’s best golf courses include Quicksilver, Cranberry Highlands, Totteridge in Greenburg, the Highland CC among the 20 best public access courses in the area.

Ghost Creek at Pumpkin Ridge, a Bob Cupp design

Ghost Creek at Pumpkin Ridge, a Bob Cupp design

8. Portland’s best golf courses include Pumpkin Ridge, Witch Hollow, the private course  of the two 18 hole tests is where in 1996 Tiger Woods won his third US Amateur. The Reserve Vineyards, and Langdon Farms are the other top layouts, but there’s a good amount of second tier courses worth your time.

Good luck to your team, hopefully you’ll be searching for golf courses to play in New Orleans in the next two weeks!

 

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