Entries from December 2005 ↓

The Greatest Joy in Golf

This is from a blog I kept a few years ago. Detailing an experience I had in 2003 regarding my finding a “hidden” but neglected gem in Central PA.To me, experiences like this are the greatest joy in golf.I was just in the most hell forsaken place on th…

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Featured Course III

Treetops - Jones Masterpiece
Gaylord, MI

Masterpiece is a good name for this golf course. It is cut through the forest that grew over the glacier carved valleys in the Pigeon River area. Easily one of the best courses I’ve ever played. Watch it though, it is brutally tough. Choose your set of tees carefully.

I have a hole-by-hole description of the course from the pages of an old website I used to maintain. Here it is…

 

1. 524 Yards / Par 5

Excellent opening hole requires a carry over the valley where you see the water. From the fairway bunkers it is downhill to the green well protected by water on the right and mounds on the left. It is hard to see on the image, but it is 285 yards from the back tee to the far bunker. But don’t be so foolish as to try playing from the back unless you are a scratch golfer.

Attached image is of this hole.

2. 201 Yards / Par 3

Hookers beware. The entrance drive runs right along side the entire left side of this hole. Pull hook anything and it is going to hit concrete (or a windshield). The yardage guide says ‘trouble is short and to the right’. Yeah, no kidding, the big hole in the ground short of that piece of fairway is no place to be playing from.

3. 419 Yards / Par 4

I told you not to play the back (Black) tees on this course, but it might be worth trying on just this hole. That ravine you see is a giant pit filled with all kinds of foliage. If you fall into it, you might not come back out alive.

Make your plans for your tee shot very carefully. That second ravine is very much in play and you really don’t want to be playing from out of there. The same is true when it comes to the second shot too. Miss the green by much and you are going to be in a serious recovery dilemma. The thick woods and dramatic dropoff might be too much for you.

4. 198 Yards / Par 3

Another valley to negotiate. Just hit it flush, it is a long friggin’ way to that green very well protected by bunkers. Possibly one of the toughest par 3’s you’ll ever play. I know it was for me.

5. 539 Yards / Par 5

Outstanding par 5. After the last couple of holes, this one is a bit of a reprieve. That is, if you manage to stay out of the woods and that ravine. The fairway has a lot of contour character, but as long as you hit 3 decent shots, this hole isn’t too bad.

6. 180 Yards / Par 3

Postcard hole. There are probably more pictures taken on this hole than any other in the state. The 120 foot drop to the green has to be experienced to believe. The view over the Pigeon River Valley is awesome in the fall when the colors are full.

Truly unforgettable.

Oh yeah, don’t miss the green here. Trust me.

7. 406 Yards / Par 4

Straightforward par 4. Through the trees it rises slightly to the green. About as average of a golf hole as you will see on this course.

8. 452 Yards / Par 4

That last hole was a warmup to this one. There is a huge elevation drop from the tee down to the fairway. You can cut as much of the corner as you would like, but make sure you clear the forest. Ideally, you will get as close to this green as possible for your second shot. That narrow peninsula the green sits on is very slim. It is an extremely nerve racking shot from even up close. Avoid that friggin’ cart path running down the right side. Last time I played here, I pushed it right and the ball bounced high and sent the ball into the water. They should excavate all the cart paths on this course and give you a caddy instead. Grumble, grumble…

9. 431 Yards / Par 4

Since you listened to me and stayed away from the back tees, you get the pleasure of playing from an island tee (unless you chose the Red tees). From the fairway, this hole is very much like #7 and I often confuse the two.

10. 605 Yards / Par 5

Bring a lunch with you for this hole. The tees are elevated, but that is offset by the brutal yardage and long uphill climb to the green. You get a minor reprieve from the forest on this hole.

11. 431 Yards / Par 4

When we first played here (their opening day), the fairway turf was sliding down the hill for the 100 some yards in front of this green. It is pretty steep. Hard to find a flat place to play from, isn’t there?

12. 469 Yards / Par 4

Back out in the open again. At this point, you are given the opportunity to get some food, massive amounts of alcohol, or a phone call to your mommy to cry about the 70-some strokes you’d had up to this point.

13. 208 Yards / Par 3

Wicked par 3 with that water in the front. And it is carry all the way to the green. You’re in big trouble if you miss it short, or right.

14. 446 Yards / Par 4

This is one of my favorite holes on the course. That ravine you see in the image is quite severe, but it shouldn’t come into play unless you are a big hitter playing the white tees. It is possible to duff one into it though…

The image shows a handful of trees on the right, but, trust me, it is a forest. The ground slopes away from the fairway in there, so keep out.

There is a nice view from the green looking over the valley. Enjoy it before you leave.

15. 363 Yards / Par 4

Ifyou forgot to enjoy the view from the last green, you get another opportunity from the tee on this hole. The fairway drops drastically from the tee. When you hit, your ball will have some serious hang time. Since the hole is fairly open and rather short, it feels like you could drive this green. Go ahead and try. Now is a good time to get your frustrations out.

16. 152 Yards / Par 3

Nice par 3. Easiest one on the course. Those lines you see in the image indicate a sharp dropoff, so if you are going to miss in any particular direction, do so on the left, not the right. Nothing too special about this hole otherwise.

17. 443 Yards / Par 4

More dropoffs on the right (same ridge as #16). Nothing too special here either (in comparison to the rest of the course, anyway - these holes make most courses look like <expletive deleted>). Just stay left.

18. 579 Yards / Par 5

Good par 5 finishing hole, but it isn’t as nice as #1 or #5 (in my opinion). This is basically a 3 shot hole. I can’t imagine how anyone could get there in two given the sharp elevation rise to the green in the last 90 yards or so. The bunkers in front force a carry all the way up to the green (which is quite shallow in the back left).

Previously Featured Course

 

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Stroke of Genius

Just a few days ago I happened to watch the movie Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius on DVD (library rental). Having a history of bad sports/golf movies to disappoint me, my expectations for this one were a bit low. What a pleasant surprise to find out that this was actually a very well done movie. It covered his life from youth through his competitive years of golfing nicely. I would recommend this movie to any golfing fan.
 
See how it rates compared to other golf movies I have seen:
 
* Caddyshack - the King of golf movies. Absolutely hilarious and true to golf afficianados everywhere. It is the standard by which any other golf comedy is done. Everything else on my list is a distant second.
 
* Tin Cup - well done movie with both comedy and serious golf. Cameos add to the class of the movie.
* Bobby Jones: Stoke of Genius - this could easily be in 2nd place, but I like the humor in Tin Cup.
* Happy Gilmore - had the potential to be an awful movie, but it was excellent. Bob Barker appearance was outstanding.
* The Legend of Bagger Vance - pretty good - nothing great though. Didn’t dislike it. How’s that for a non-commital review?
* Dead Solid Perfect - Randy Quaid plays a lowly pro. Unremarkable movie.
* Follow the Sun - Ben Hogan movie starring Glenn Ford.  Rather corny and not very well done.
 
 
* Caddyshack II - horrible, horrible, horrible. All traces of the existence of this terrible movie should be eradicated from this universe.
 
 
Here are some I have not seen:
 
* The Greatest Game Ever Played - movie about Francis Ouimet. Hopefully it will be good. The story behind it sure is.
* A Gentlemen’s Game - has some potential.
 
Any I missed?
 

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Baypointe Country Club

As I reported in an earlier posting, one of the many courses closing here in SE MI includes the private course Bay Pointe in West Bloomfield. Rumor has it that before the course actually closes for good it will be open to the public. This is good news - I am always looking for an opportunity to play these (to whatever degree) exclusive places.

I actually have played this course once. A longtime golfing buddy sent them a letter some time ago asking for permission to play and they obliged. Ok, so it was off season (April), it was still the first private course that we were able to play.

It remains to be seen if they will open to the public or not, but don’t miss out on the chance if it is true.

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Natalie Gulbis Helps International Team Win Lexus Cup

Natalie Gulbis helped an International Team of golfers to a 16-8 victory over Asia in the inaugural Lexus Cup held in Singapore.Natalie finished with a record of 2 wins and 1 loss for her three matches. Paula Creamer, Sophie Gustafson of Sweden and Nor…

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MEMORIES

I used to play with a fellow named Tony who played to a 16 handicap — not bad for a guy with one hand. His right arm is off just below the elbow, but you’d never know it if you saw his scorecard. We’d negotiate a bet on the first tee. I was a 12 a…

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Natalie Gulbis Show Episode 4 Review

The Natalie Gulbis Show aired last night at 10pm EST on The Golf Channel. In my opinion, the best so far, at least from a production standpoint.If you read my preview below from yesterday, you can see I was misled by information posted on the Golf Chan…

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Natalie Gulbis Show Episode 4 Preview

The Natalie Gulbis Show airs tonite at 10pm EST on The Golf Channel. Episode 4 is deemed “Michelob Ultra”.Natalie plays a practice round at the Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill with Danielle, the winner of The Golf Channel’s Big Break 3. Natalie & Se R…

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HOME DECORATING 101

I live in an Arizona golf community with a nifty 19th Hole called Phil’s Grill, named for Phil Mickelson. (The place has so much Mickelson memorabilia that you find yourself eating left handed.) When we built our house I decided to make golf a big p…

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Can’t Compare Natalie Gulbis and Anna Kournikova

In reading an article I just came across on CNNSI by Mike McAllister, I couldn’t help but wonder just how wrong his thinking is.As I read the article I was immediately thinking “this guy is jealous of Natalie Gulbis.” It just seems this guy can’t stand…

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