Golf

TroyD · February 2003

Anyone here besides me play golf?

BDT

Jstas · February 2003

I usedto. Not much time for it anymore. I suck at it too but I'm a blast to play a round with! Every bad shot I make I laugh my butt off at it!

caseymou · February 2003

I try....sometimes I succed.

Ron-P · February 2003

Yeah, I play now and again, but nothing on a regular basis. I mainly like to just hit at the range and aim for that guy in the cage-cart.

Peace Out~:D

shack · February 2003

Yes, I play golf.

wallstreet · February 2003

Yep. What's the most famous course you've played? I played the TPC at Sawgrass. And yes, I made a par on #17 (the island green).:cool:

dylan · February 2003

Careful Ron: The transition from a stock Porsche 944 to a range picker...

Golf is definetely fun every once in awhile... few beers, get out some aggression with the driver, usually a nice walk. I don't take it too serious, otherwise my slices would drive me crazy...

TroyD · February 2003

Most famous?

The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island. Venue of the 1991 Ryder Cup. I've played it a couple times, I shot 86 from the Championship tees and thought I played the best round of golf I could possibly play. My handicap got as low as 10 at one point but I'm hovering around 14-15 now.

I've actually been fortunate enough to get TOURNAMENT round tickets to the Masters in 1999 and have been to the practice rounds a couple of times. Heaven couldn't look that good even if God had the money.

BDT

TroyD · February 2003

The neatest round of golf I played was at Cape Arundel CC in Kennebunkport, ME. President Bush Sr. was playing at the same time (I had a connection who got me on). Of course you couldn't get near his foursome, it was neat to be playing on the same course at the same time. I did get to meet him and shake his hand briefly, so that was a thrill.

BDT

Jstas · February 2003

Originally posted by wallstreet
Yep. What's the most famous course you've played? I played the TPC at Sawgrass. And yes, I made a par on #17 (the island green).:cool:

Pine Valley Country Club in Pine Hill, NJ. Well, I didn't get to play it. I had an invitation to go with a club employee but ended up having to fly to Hawaii for business and couldn't make the date. He still works there and last time I saw him, he said the invitation is still open.

I don't know how famous the course reall is but it has held the honor of being rated the best course in world a few times. Extremely high class clientele too. Most enter the course by way of helicopter. I suppose it's nice having the Boy Scout camp butt right up against the golf course. One of the grounds keepers is a scout leader. Just goes to show, it's not what ya know, it's who ya know.

TroyD · February 2003

Pine Valley is generally considered one of the premier courses in the country, some would argue the world.

BDT

hoosier21 · February 2003

I play when I can, I am stuck in the 90's

HBombToo · February 2003

I play when nobody cares I'm stuck in the 3 digit range. I think golf is a great sport and don't like to be a distraction for those that are serious. For me its a ride in the park with a 12 pack. Ta Hell with dragging a bag around... I like the CARTS!

HBomb

nellis8166 · February 2003

TroyD,
I grew up in Maine and played a couple of tournaments at Cape Arundel CC. Although I never saw Pres Bush I guess he was there a lot in the summer. The Bush family has a vacation house not too far from there in Kennebunkport.
I used to play competitively...Now I am at about a 5 handicap, play any other courses in Maine???

Regards,
Nat

TroyD · February 2003

Nat,

Where in Maine? I'm from Wells and I've got a bunch of family in the suburbs of the greater metro-Brunswick area (Harpswell, Bailey Island). One of the guys on Pres. Bush's SS detail lives next to my parents, that's how I got the hook up.

I've played a few courses, Sugar Loaf (great course) Kebo Valley in Bar Harbor (the oldest course in the US), Cape Arundel and a new course in South Berwick called The Links at Outlook ( a GREAT course). I kick my **** for never playing Penobscot Valley in Orono (the held a US mid-amateur there years ago) but I didn't take up golf until AFTER I left the University of Maine.

BDT

shack · February 2003

I've played 5 of Golf Digest's top 100 US courses:

#9 - Pinehurst #2, North Carolina
48 - The Homestead, West Virginia
53 - The Honors Course, Tennessee
66 - Harbor Town, South Carolina
79 - Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina

There are some other really great courses in this part of the country that I've been able to play on;

Tennessee - Holston Hills, Stonehenge, River Island

South Carolina - The Dunes, Tidewater

North Carolina - Pine Needles, Elk River

Georgia - Sea Island, The Farm, Callaway Gardens

Virginia - The Virginian

I've been playing for for about 37 years and I've had lots of opportunities to play different places. I used to be an 8/9 handicapper...now more like 14. Other things take time... like KIDS. One is a HS senior and the other is a freshman. In a few years I'll have more time for golf (if I can afford it after paying for 2 college educations).

Shizelbs · February 2003

Its kind of funny that someone brought this up. See, my grandma is getting old. I had some money come in my way recently and I was thinking either get some golf clubs, or start this music hobby. And I chose Polk for my music, and thats why I am here today.
The best course I have ever played at was Sun Valley and it was totally paid for by the government. That was one great round of golf. Thanks America!

nellis8166 · February 2003

No **** TroyD!!!
I grew up in the Augusta Area and then migrated and lived on the Eastern Prom in Portland for many years. I recently got transferred to Buffalo, NY for my work. Buffalo is ok, but man I miss the ocean more than anything. I guess you take it for granted when you can sit on your front porch and look at the ocean. Really miss the smell, some people don't like it, but it's home to me.
I have played all those courses that you mentioned, but Sugarloaf is my favorite. It's just so beautiful. No matter how well I was playing, I was never able to break 80 at that track...tough course. It beat the hell out of me many times. Did you ever hear of a public course in Augusta called Natanis??? Nice track, 36 holes. I worked there all through high school, it's where I learned this wonderful game. Hey, I am going to be in Maine for a couple of weeks this summer, maybe you can get us into Arundel!!!
How are things in the sandbox??? Stay safe man.

Regards,
Nat

TroyD · February 2003

Nat,

I have an aunt that lives in Augusta, my cousin graduated from Cony High in 1988.

I've never had a problem getting on at Cape Arundel, but I actually prefer The Links at Outlook though. Only drawback there is it is a **** to walk and I don't like to play from a buggy. I figure another year to mature the back nine and it will be even better.

Sugarloaf (I've skied there countless times) but have only played the course once when I first started playing so it doesn't really count I suppose.

I'm going to be in Maine (tentatively) in late summer/early fall. Maybe the dates will jive.

BDT

woodyjacobs · February 2003

Good thread Troy...I'll bet you are jonesin' to tee it up. Any golf to be played where you are now (oiled-sand greens are said to be the thing in the middle east...always wanted to try those)?
I'm an avid player, played a lot of junior/amateur golf growing up and played in college. Handicap hovers around a 2 now but it is probably on the way up since I have a 6-month old.
I've gotten to play a lot of great courses in the mid-atlantic and southeast. Congressional CC (site of a few U.S. Opens) is probably still my all-time favorite that I have played, but I've also enjoyed playing all of the Pinehurst courses (except #8), the Upper and Lower Cascades in Hot Springs VA (Sam Snead's old stomping grounds) and a few of the TPC courses (Sawgrass, Avenel, and Wakefield come to mind). Biggest regret is that I have been to the town of St. Andrews twice but haven't played golf there (got good and drunk, though).

TroyD · February 2003

Yeah, I'd give anything to tee it up about now.

Wow, remind me not to play you guys for money!

I doubt I'll get a chance to play here but I have heard that about the sand greens from some of the Omani's.

The WIERDEST thing I've seen as far as course design goes, was in Korea. I was invited to play at an upscale country club outside of Seoul. Anyway, some of the holes had a narrow concrete trench with a cable connected on either side of the fairway to a post mounted pulley type affair. Anyway, I asked my host what it was for. It is (or was) a law that if the fairway was a certain length, it had to have the cable installed that could be raised to prevent an enemy aircraft from landing on the fairway. Not something you would see anywhere else, I suppose.

Another interesting hole is #6 at Osan AB in Korea. The left side of the fairway is lined with Patriot Missle batteries. They are DEFINATELY OB.

BDT

woodyjacobs · February 2003

I guess that would have to be out of bounds.
That actually sparked my memory a bit. My dad is retired navy so I grew up playing a lot of military courses in the D.C. area where we lived. The 5th hole at Andrews AFB's west course has a bunch of ammo storage bunkers running down the left side. I was playing out there one morning, walking down the fairway with the rest of my group when 3 guys in camo with (I think) M-16s popped out from behind trees on the right side of the fairway and told us to get back up into the trees (where the tee box was). We did. They were watching something that was going on in the ammo bunkers. After a few minutes they walked back across the fairway and yelled that we could play on. Never did find out what that was all about. The joys of military course golf.

Tour2ma · February 2003

Wow... HTH did I miss this thread... Laid up with a shoulder injury right now, but I love this game...

Famous courses I've played... Well I've played three Open courses. No, not US Open, THE Open...
St Andrews;
Carnoustie; and
Turnberry.

Turnberry is hands down the best course I have ever played. It's like God made this special piece of Links Land and trusted man would figure out what to do with it, and for once, God's faith in us was justified. It is simply a marvel.

St. Andrews is actually the weakest of the three above, but you have to play it for the history. And it's in a great little town to boot.

We definitely need a Club Polk tournament...

Edit: I'm a 13.2 index as of my last round (in August). Flirted with single digits a couple times, but never quite made it. So Troy, you can take me on... of course with the injury and all I'll need a couple extra strokes a side

Golf

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