Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Erin Hills Pictures Up
Here's a link to the Erin Hills photoset at my Flickr page. A review will be coming shortly. Let me just say, it wasn't as bad as Bradley Klein said it was going to be.
Arcadia Bluffs
I played it a few years ago, but last week my wife and I just grabbed dinner on the deck at Arcadia Bluffs. Absolutely stunning. Check out this picture as the sun begins to set over Lake Michigan. I suggest you grab the larger version and do what my buddy did and make it your desktop wallpaper. You'll be the envy of the office.
I talked to a guy the other day that did it in a single day (about 8 hours round trip from downtown Chicago). Sound crazy? It's not, the place is incredible.
I talked to a guy the other day that did it in a single day (about 8 hours round trip from downtown Chicago). Sound crazy? It's not, the place is incredible.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Glenview Park Golf Club
Vital Stats
Date Played: 5/27/07
Tee Time: 1:40
Turn Time: 4:10
End Time: 6:25
Price: $45 (walking)
Tees Played: Blue (6,133 yards, 68.9/123)
My Glenview Park Golf Club photo set at Flickr.
Summary
Glenview Park Golf Club is a North Shore municipal course that ranks somewhere south of middle-of-the-pack when compared with the group of muni courses you find stretching from Winnetka to Lake Bluff. It's short (6,133 all the way back) and there's only so much you can do with a par 70 layout, but there are some interesting holes. The conditioning was decent, but they just got socked with some hard rain so it precluded them from doing some maintenance that morning.
Golf Course
The problem with the layout is that there is a certain level of monotony. It's a par 70 so there are 12 par fours. This wouldn't be so bad, except that they string par fours of the same distance together. Here's how they do it on the front nine:
And on the back nine:
As you can see, there is a little variation, but not enough to keep you interested. My favorite par four is actually #15 because of the unique approach shot that has a tree partially blocking the green. They need to do more of that to give this place some zing.
The two long par threes at the turn are pretty solid. The take you over and around a few picturesque ponds and are long and challenging. But, once again, they put them right next to each other.
Conditions were decent. The fairways are bluegrass, but it's a very tightly mowed bluegrass. I think it's in a low lying area (kind of like Winnetka) so it doesn't shed water very well. The fairways were spongy, but I didn't have any bad lies. The greens were nice bent grass and rolled true.
Facilities
It has a nice, spacious clubhouse with a great selection of equipment in the pro shop for a muni. There is no driving range, so if you need that to loosen up, be warned.
Service and Other Items
I can't blow any holes in their service. The starter parks himself about 25 yards from the first tee so we had to battle a little to get our starting time right, but no big deal.
I messed up because there was a coupon in the Wednesday Tribune that I missed, so I could have played it for about half price. Oh well.
Rating
In the end, I just feel a little uninspired by it all. The reason they have to put a discount coupon in the paper is because Winnetka Golf Club is about 10 minutes away and only costs $1 more, so Glenview really can't compete unless they discount. Winnetka has a range, bent grass fairways, and a challenging par 71 which measures almost 6,500 from the back tees. It's a no-brainer, go there instead. On my 100 point rating system, I'm giving Glenview a 41. Play it if you're a resident of if you get the coupon, other than that, you're better off at another North Shore muni.
Date Played: 5/27/07
Tee Time: 1:40
Turn Time: 4:10
End Time: 6:25
Price: $45 (walking)
Tees Played: Blue (6,133 yards, 68.9/123)
My Glenview Park Golf Club photo set at Flickr.
Summary
Glenview Park Golf Club is a North Shore municipal course that ranks somewhere south of middle-of-the-pack when compared with the group of muni courses you find stretching from Winnetka to Lake Bluff. It's short (6,133 all the way back) and there's only so much you can do with a par 70 layout, but there are some interesting holes. The conditioning was decent, but they just got socked with some hard rain so it precluded them from doing some maintenance that morning.
Golf Course
The problem with the layout is that there is a certain level of monotony. It's a par 70 so there are 12 par fours. This wouldn't be so bad, except that they string par fours of the same distance together. Here's how they do it on the front nine:
- #2 - 402 yards
- #3 - 411 yards
- #4 - 416 yards
- #5 - 409 yards
And on the back nine:
- #11 - 372 yards
- #12 - 385 yards
- #13 - 345 yards
- #14 - 349 yards
- #15 - 347 yards
As you can see, there is a little variation, but not enough to keep you interested. My favorite par four is actually #15 because of the unique approach shot that has a tree partially blocking the green. They need to do more of that to give this place some zing.
The two long par threes at the turn are pretty solid. The take you over and around a few picturesque ponds and are long and challenging. But, once again, they put them right next to each other.
Conditions were decent. The fairways are bluegrass, but it's a very tightly mowed bluegrass. I think it's in a low lying area (kind of like Winnetka) so it doesn't shed water very well. The fairways were spongy, but I didn't have any bad lies. The greens were nice bent grass and rolled true.
Facilities
It has a nice, spacious clubhouse with a great selection of equipment in the pro shop for a muni. There is no driving range, so if you need that to loosen up, be warned.
Service and Other Items
I can't blow any holes in their service. The starter parks himself about 25 yards from the first tee so we had to battle a little to get our starting time right, but no big deal.
I messed up because there was a coupon in the Wednesday Tribune that I missed, so I could have played it for about half price. Oh well.
Rating
In the end, I just feel a little uninspired by it all. The reason they have to put a discount coupon in the paper is because Winnetka Golf Club is about 10 minutes away and only costs $1 more, so Glenview really can't compete unless they discount. Winnetka has a range, bent grass fairways, and a challenging par 71 which measures almost 6,500 from the back tees. It's a no-brainer, go there instead. On my 100 point rating system, I'm giving Glenview a 41. Play it if you're a resident of if you get the coupon, other than that, you're better off at another North Shore muni.
Monday, June 25, 2007
White Deer Run Golf Club
Vital Stats
Date Played: 5/19/2007
Tee Time: 12:20
Turn Time: 2:15
End Time: 4:20
Price: $89 (18 holes, cart)
Tees Played: Gold (2nd longest tee, 6,751 yards, 72.9/133)
My White Deer Run photo set at Flickr.
Summary
White Deer Run is a Nugent designed golf course running through a housing community in North suburban Vernon Hills. It has a lot of great holes, it's always well-conditioned, and it's never very crowded. The lack of crowds is probably reflective of a pretty stiff price tag relative to courses in the surrounding area. If I haven't planned golf for the weekend but find myself wanting to play late in the week, I can usually call up White Deer on a Friday afternoon and get a prime Saturday tee time without fail.
Golf Course
Nugent put together a great design with an especially challenging second tee from the back (Gold). I played those very tees and on this beautiful spring day and they knocked the snot out of me. I shot a 98 (92 with ESC), which is as high as I've been in years. It just so happens that the very same set of tees also hosted my best round of golf in the last decade. I think this is a testament to Nugent's design, if you're on, you're going to score well, but if some aspect of your game is awry, Nugent is going to bloody your nose. This is how it should be.
I love the par three 4th hole (152 yards from the Golds). You tee off from an elevated to a green with a mote around it. I think it qualifies as an island green because you have to take a bridge, but the green complex is so large it doesn't feel like an island. The the mote is bordered by large rocks, which provide a nice visual.
Nugent has also tossed in a pretty decent twist on "Amen Corner." Holes 9, 10, and 11 are three punishing par 4s that have distinctly different sorts of trouble. Here are some short descriptions with Gold tee lengths.
Conditions were near perfect and I didn't have a bad lie all day. The tees, fairways, and greens are bent grass and immaculately groomed. I love playing on nice bent grass and I've never been disappointed with conditions here.
The only course-specific drawback is that the homes are right on top of the course and there aren't many trees to hide them from view. The homes are huge and not my style. I think they detract a lot from the views.
Facilities
White Deer has a nice new clubhouse with a bright and well-stocked pro shop. There is a small men's locker with at least one shower. I am not sure about the women's facilities. The hot dog is decent and they have a large banquet room. Solid facilities all-in-all.
The range is a cart-ride from the clubhouse on your way to the first tee. Everybody takes carts here. The price includes carts but not range balls. The range is both grass and mats and even has a bunch of heated stalls for cold weather. I've never had good luck with the grass on this range though, I don't think it's bent and it's always longer than the fairways but shorter than the rough on the course.
Service and Other Items
Like I said, I called on Friday afternoon to get a Saturday tee time because of a change in weekend plans. An accommodating guy answered the phone. I told him I wanted to go off around noon. He reels off a bunch available times and adds that at 1PM the rate drops to $69 from $89. I like that a lot? Very rarely do you get that kind of information out of a pro shop attendant. I would like to think that it reflects how they treat people in general. I've always had good customer service here.
They have an organized bag-drop system, the starter is always on top of things, and they seem to have a few good rangers prowling the course. When I ran into a group on the back nine, the ranger very nicely grouped me with the guys in front.
They cheapen it a little by making you pay separately for the range balls. Most high-end courses just throw them in so I usually forget to ask when I'm paying close to $90.
Rating
As I said in the last review, I will talk more about my rating system later. It's in its infancy right now and I'm sorting through just how to describe it. Let me say that it's a 100 point system, and a Golf Digest Places to Play 4-star rating (out of five) should be close to a score of 80 on my scale. I'm going to give this course a 78 rating. Basically, I agree with the 4-star rating that it gets from Places to Play. But for an 80+ rating, the course can't have any huge houses looming over the course. For that reason alone, I'm not going to let it break that coveted 80 point barrier.
Date Played: 5/19/2007
Tee Time: 12:20
Turn Time: 2:15
End Time: 4:20
Price: $89 (18 holes, cart)
Tees Played: Gold (2nd longest tee, 6,751 yards, 72.9/133)
My White Deer Run photo set at Flickr.
Summary
White Deer Run is a Nugent designed golf course running through a housing community in North suburban Vernon Hills. It has a lot of great holes, it's always well-conditioned, and it's never very crowded. The lack of crowds is probably reflective of a pretty stiff price tag relative to courses in the surrounding area. If I haven't planned golf for the weekend but find myself wanting to play late in the week, I can usually call up White Deer on a Friday afternoon and get a prime Saturday tee time without fail.
Golf Course
Nugent put together a great design with an especially challenging second tee from the back (Gold). I played those very tees and on this beautiful spring day and they knocked the snot out of me. I shot a 98 (92 with ESC), which is as high as I've been in years. It just so happens that the very same set of tees also hosted my best round of golf in the last decade. I think this is a testament to Nugent's design, if you're on, you're going to score well, but if some aspect of your game is awry, Nugent is going to bloody your nose. This is how it should be.
I love the par three 4th hole (152 yards from the Golds). You tee off from an elevated to a green with a mote around it. I think it qualifies as an island green because you have to take a bridge, but the green complex is so large it doesn't feel like an island. The the mote is bordered by large rocks, which provide a nice visual.
Nugent has also tossed in a pretty decent twist on "Amen Corner." Holes 9, 10, and 11 are three punishing par 4s that have distinctly different sorts of trouble. Here are some short descriptions with Gold tee lengths.
- #9 (385 yards) Short dogleg left with an extremely tight driving area, bordered on the left by the lake and a creek right and long. It's an intimidating tee shot.
- #10 (411 yards) A longish par 4 requiring a wetland carry to a tight and rolling landing area with the same creek on the right. The approach is not that daunting, but there is water on the left.
- #11 (397 yards) Not that long and with a huge landing area off the tee. But the approach is over water to an elevated green surrounded by bunkers. Tough, very tough.
Conditions were near perfect and I didn't have a bad lie all day. The tees, fairways, and greens are bent grass and immaculately groomed. I love playing on nice bent grass and I've never been disappointed with conditions here.
The only course-specific drawback is that the homes are right on top of the course and there aren't many trees to hide them from view. The homes are huge and not my style. I think they detract a lot from the views.
Facilities
White Deer has a nice new clubhouse with a bright and well-stocked pro shop. There is a small men's locker with at least one shower. I am not sure about the women's facilities. The hot dog is decent and they have a large banquet room. Solid facilities all-in-all.
The range is a cart-ride from the clubhouse on your way to the first tee. Everybody takes carts here. The price includes carts but not range balls. The range is both grass and mats and even has a bunch of heated stalls for cold weather. I've never had good luck with the grass on this range though, I don't think it's bent and it's always longer than the fairways but shorter than the rough on the course.
Service and Other Items
Like I said, I called on Friday afternoon to get a Saturday tee time because of a change in weekend plans. An accommodating guy answered the phone. I told him I wanted to go off around noon. He reels off a bunch available times and adds that at 1PM the rate drops to $69 from $89. I like that a lot? Very rarely do you get that kind of information out of a pro shop attendant. I would like to think that it reflects how they treat people in general. I've always had good customer service here.
They have an organized bag-drop system, the starter is always on top of things, and they seem to have a few good rangers prowling the course. When I ran into a group on the back nine, the ranger very nicely grouped me with the guys in front.
They cheapen it a little by making you pay separately for the range balls. Most high-end courses just throw them in so I usually forget to ask when I'm paying close to $90.
Rating
As I said in the last review, I will talk more about my rating system later. It's in its infancy right now and I'm sorting through just how to describe it. Let me say that it's a 100 point system, and a Golf Digest Places to Play 4-star rating (out of five) should be close to a score of 80 on my scale. I'm going to give this course a 78 rating. Basically, I agree with the 4-star rating that it gets from Places to Play. But for an 80+ rating, the course can't have any huge houses looming over the course. For that reason alone, I'm not going to let it break that coveted 80 point barrier.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Trunksmasher Laws 1st Draft
In no particular order, comments...suggestions?
- Have a bias for walking. Walking 18 holes gives the round a more natural rhythm than riding.
- Fourteen clubs is too many clubs. A set of substantially fewer doesn't detract materially from your score and could make you a better player. Plus, it saves your back and shoulders.
- A golf weekend away with 3 or more members of the same sex does not make you a bad spouse, an uncaring boyfriend/girlfriend, or a neglectful parent.
- Memorize the entire contents of your golf bag.
- When you arrive at the course, if the bag boy drives up to your car while you're putting on your golf shoes to see if you "need help with your clubs," you should politely decline and disregard any reprisal from the bag boy or your playing partners.
- Have a desire to grow the game and make golf more accessible to those not as passionate or proficient as you.
- Playing an emergency 18 holes after already playing 36 because "there are at least 2.5 hours of daylight left" is normal and is an acceptable alternative to "having a few beers by the pool" or "getting a good steak."
- Always have a towel handy in the trunk to wipe off a small space on your back bumper to sit while you put on your golf shoes so you don't get dirt on your ass.
- Bag-drop, what's that? Couldn't it damage my clubs if you drop them?
- A five hour round is not stressful and waiting on half of your shots should not be met with bitching and moaning. Actually, this situation could be construed as relaxing. It gives you more of a chance to converse with your playing partners and contemplate the resolution of world problems.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Pictures: Hilldale
Here are some pictures from Hilldale Golf Club, you can see the review here.
Below I am standing on #3 tee looking down on #6 green with the snake-like par five #2 in the distance.
This is my approach to #5 green. It is a very tough little par 4 where accuracy is important. Unfortunately, I dumped it into this bunker on the corner and had a downhill lie in the bunker to a green that slopes towards the water on the right.
Here we are looking back on the tough par 4 #17. It is a picturesque hole away from the homes and the expressway. It's 421 yards from the back tees and is the longest par 4 on the course.
Below I am standing on #3 tee looking down on #6 green with the snake-like par five #2 in the distance.
This is my approach to #5 green. It is a very tough little par 4 where accuracy is important. Unfortunately, I dumped it into this bunker on the corner and had a downhill lie in the bunker to a green that slopes towards the water on the right.
Here we are looking back on the tough par 4 #17. It is a picturesque hole away from the homes and the expressway. It's 421 yards from the back tees and is the longest par 4 on the course.
Hilldale Golf Club
Vital Stats
Date Played: 5/12/2007
Tee Time: 10:20
Turn Time: 12:42
End Time: 3:10
Price: $64 (18 holes, cart)
Tees Played: Blue (back tees, 6,432 yards, 71.6/135)
My Hilldale GC photo set at Flickr.
Summary
Hilldale Golf Club is the only 18-hole public design in Chicagoland by late, famed American designer Robert Trent Jones, Sr. It's a great layout with well-conditioned greens and fairways, but lacking in certain aesthetic and service aspects. The management (it's privately owned) focuses on keeping the short grass in great shape but do little else to enhance the overall golf experience.
Golf Course
As you would expect from Jones, the design is solid. The par 71 course is challenging yet very playable and features a good variety of holes. The three par fives are especially interesting:
You get a yardage book on each cart and it contains plenty of information to plot your strategy on even the most difficult of Jones' par fours. I loved the 421 yard 17th. It's a gentle dogleg right with water in front of the green. The fairway is thin but if you hit the drive perfectly, you get the benefit of some roll off the downhill about 150 yards from the green. Decent risk/reward hole.
The greens (bent grass) are as good as it gets for Chicago area daily fee courses. They are smooth, fast, and well-conditioned. The fairways (bent grass) are also in great condition and I didn't have one bad lie in them all day.
On the downside, the rough is generally thin and not very penal. Around the greens, the rough is patchy at times and I had a few green-side lies in ruts. The bunker maintenance was almost non-existent the day I was there. There were a lot of bunkers with too little sand and several bunkers were facing erosion. Hardly any of the bunkers were edged and it did not look they had the maintenance crew do a Saturday morning raking. The cart paths run most of the course but are very close to the fairways in a lot of places. All of these matters of sub-par conditioning are more noticeable when contrasted with the nice greens and fairways.
Facilities
This place has a great range. It's bent grass and they keep it groomed very well; not mowed quite as tightly as the fairways, but close. It has flags marking the distances and you can hit drivers.
The clubhouse is dated and the pro shop is dark and cramped. I checked out the men's locker room and it was also old and dark, but has a full wall of showers and looked pretty clean. There's a restaurant on-site called CK Mulligan's Bar and Grill. I didn't check it out, but I did have a dog at the turn, which was good.
But for the range, nothing stands out with the facilities.
Service and Other Items
In general, the service was lacking. You get a receipt in the pro shop then just have to wander out and find your own cart. It's mandatory cart on Saturday mornings and they don't sell yardage books, so we took the cart. It would have been nice if somebody official-looking pointed at a cart said "take that one, it's juiced," but we had no such luck. Don't get me wrong, I hate it when some youngster or senior citizen is prowling the parking lot looking to sell me a cart and his bag handling services, but I do need to at least know which cart I can use.
The ranger was pretty much non-existent and it was a long and arduous round. We played in 4 hours and 50 minutes and waited on every shot. We did see what looked like a ranger on 3 and 12, but he just waved. We got our tee time the night before and it didn't look that crowded, so I was surprised by the almost five hour round. Plus, they use a much-advertised 10 minute tee time interval. Bottom line, they just aren't doing anything proactive to speed play.
Finally, two points about the rating, slope, and tee positions. First, this didn't feel like a place with a slope of 135 from the back tees. And second, they don't even use the back tee box on the "signature" par five 11th. These are some of my pet peeves.
A slope of 135 should have the potential to beat me up, if not just kick the living crap out of me. I was getting off the tee as well as ever, so maybe that made it feel easier. But even the tight fairways are abutted by rough that is not that penal and trees that aren't that numerous. I think it needs to be re-rated. And I really get mad when they dumb down the tees on long, tough holes to speed up play. When I noticed that the back tees were moved up on the 602 yard par five 11th, I trekked up the hill to real back tee box. It was mangled and unkempt, so they aren't using it. Here's my suggestion, if you want to speed up play, make the ranger do something about it. Pulling this tee box trickery is false advertising and probably has Jones turning over in his grave.
Rating
I will talk more about my rating system later. It's in its infancy right now and I'm sorting through just how to describe it. Let me say that it's a 100 point system, and a Golf Digest Places to Play 4-star rating (out of five) should be close to a score of 80 on my scale. I'm going to give this course a 65 rating. I disagree with the 4-star rating that it gets from Places to Play, so I'm giving it something akin to a 3.5-star rating, which is still good. As you will come to find out, a score of 80 is for a stellar course in all respects, and a score of 90 is reserved for the very best courses around.
The 65 probably doesn't mean anything right now until you see how I rate other courses and you get the underlying theory on my rating system. Let me sum it up by saying that this a great course from tee to green, but it has conditioning and service issues that keep it from fulfilling its potential.
Date Played: 5/12/2007
Tee Time: 10:20
Turn Time: 12:42
End Time: 3:10
Price: $64 (18 holes, cart)
Tees Played: Blue (back tees, 6,432 yards, 71.6/135)
My Hilldale GC photo set at Flickr.
Summary
Hilldale Golf Club is the only 18-hole public design in Chicagoland by late, famed American designer Robert Trent Jones, Sr. It's a great layout with well-conditioned greens and fairways, but lacking in certain aesthetic and service aspects. The management (it's privately owned) focuses on keeping the short grass in great shape but do little else to enhance the overall golf experience.
Golf Course
As you would expect from Jones, the design is solid. The par 71 course is challenging yet very playable and features a good variety of holes. The three par fives are especially interesting:
- #2, 550 yards - Mid-length hole with two lakes in a play; one on the left reachable from the tee and one on the right by the green. For me, it played as a double-dogleg.
- #11, 602 yards - Massive beast with an elevated tee and water in front of the green. The green is very shallow with OB behind making the approach very difficult.
- #14, 524 yards - Finally, some normalcy, but no cupcake. Straight with bunkers, a small pond, and a slightly elevated green. Unfortunately, it's ruined by the expressway and the huge billboard for the course.
You get a yardage book on each cart and it contains plenty of information to plot your strategy on even the most difficult of Jones' par fours. I loved the 421 yard 17th. It's a gentle dogleg right with water in front of the green. The fairway is thin but if you hit the drive perfectly, you get the benefit of some roll off the downhill about 150 yards from the green. Decent risk/reward hole.
The greens (bent grass) are as good as it gets for Chicago area daily fee courses. They are smooth, fast, and well-conditioned. The fairways (bent grass) are also in great condition and I didn't have one bad lie in them all day.
On the downside, the rough is generally thin and not very penal. Around the greens, the rough is patchy at times and I had a few green-side lies in ruts. The bunker maintenance was almost non-existent the day I was there. There were a lot of bunkers with too little sand and several bunkers were facing erosion. Hardly any of the bunkers were edged and it did not look they had the maintenance crew do a Saturday morning raking. The cart paths run most of the course but are very close to the fairways in a lot of places. All of these matters of sub-par conditioning are more noticeable when contrasted with the nice greens and fairways.
Facilities
This place has a great range. It's bent grass and they keep it groomed very well; not mowed quite as tightly as the fairways, but close. It has flags marking the distances and you can hit drivers.
The clubhouse is dated and the pro shop is dark and cramped. I checked out the men's locker room and it was also old and dark, but has a full wall of showers and looked pretty clean. There's a restaurant on-site called CK Mulligan's Bar and Grill. I didn't check it out, but I did have a dog at the turn, which was good.
But for the range, nothing stands out with the facilities.
Service and Other Items
In general, the service was lacking. You get a receipt in the pro shop then just have to wander out and find your own cart. It's mandatory cart on Saturday mornings and they don't sell yardage books, so we took the cart. It would have been nice if somebody official-looking pointed at a cart said "take that one, it's juiced," but we had no such luck. Don't get me wrong, I hate it when some youngster or senior citizen is prowling the parking lot looking to sell me a cart and his bag handling services, but I do need to at least know which cart I can use.
The ranger was pretty much non-existent and it was a long and arduous round. We played in 4 hours and 50 minutes and waited on every shot. We did see what looked like a ranger on 3 and 12, but he just waved. We got our tee time the night before and it didn't look that crowded, so I was surprised by the almost five hour round. Plus, they use a much-advertised 10 minute tee time interval. Bottom line, they just aren't doing anything proactive to speed play.
Finally, two points about the rating, slope, and tee positions. First, this didn't feel like a place with a slope of 135 from the back tees. And second, they don't even use the back tee box on the "signature" par five 11th. These are some of my pet peeves.
A slope of 135 should have the potential to beat me up, if not just kick the living crap out of me. I was getting off the tee as well as ever, so maybe that made it feel easier. But even the tight fairways are abutted by rough that is not that penal and trees that aren't that numerous. I think it needs to be re-rated. And I really get mad when they dumb down the tees on long, tough holes to speed up play. When I noticed that the back tees were moved up on the 602 yard par five 11th, I trekked up the hill to real back tee box. It was mangled and unkempt, so they aren't using it. Here's my suggestion, if you want to speed up play, make the ranger do something about it. Pulling this tee box trickery is false advertising and probably has Jones turning over in his grave.
Rating
I will talk more about my rating system later. It's in its infancy right now and I'm sorting through just how to describe it. Let me say that it's a 100 point system, and a Golf Digest Places to Play 4-star rating (out of five) should be close to a score of 80 on my scale. I'm going to give this course a 65 rating. I disagree with the 4-star rating that it gets from Places to Play, so I'm giving it something akin to a 3.5-star rating, which is still good. As you will come to find out, a score of 80 is for a stellar course in all respects, and a score of 90 is reserved for the very best courses around.
The 65 probably doesn't mean anything right now until you see how I rate other courses and you get the underlying theory on my rating system. Let me sum it up by saying that this a great course from tee to green, but it has conditioning and service issues that keep it from fulfilling its potential.
Review: Hilldale Golf Club
Vital Stats
Date Played: 5/12/2007
Tee Time: 10:20
Turn Time: 12:42
End Time: 3:10
Price: $64 (18 holes, cart)
Tees Played: Blue (back tees, 6,432 yards, 71.6/135)
Summary
Hilldale Golf Club is the only public design in Chicagoland by late, famed American designer Robert Trent Jones, Sr. It's a great layout with well-conditioned greens and fairways, but lacking in certain aesthetic and service aspects. The management (it's privately owned) focuses on keeping the short grass in great shape but do little else to enhance the overall golf experience.
Golf Course
As you would expect from Jones, the design is solid. The par 71 course is challenging yet very playable and features a good variety of holes. The three par fives are especially interesting:
The greens (bent grass) are as good as it gets for Chicago area daily fee courses. They are smooth, fast, and well-conditioned. The fairways (bent grass) are also in great condition and I didn't have one bad lie in them all day.
On the downside, the rough is generally thin and not very penal. Around the greens, the rough is patchy at times and I had a few green-side lies in ruts. The bunker maintenance was almost non-existent the day I was there. There were a lot of bunkers with too little sand and several bunkers were facing erosion. Hardly any of the bunkers were edged and it did not look they had the maintenance crew do a Saturday morning raking. The cart paths run most of the course but are very close to the fairways in a lot of places. All of these matters of sub-par conditioning are more noticeable when contrasted with the nice greens and fairways.
Facilities
This place has a great range. It's bent grass and they keep it groomed very well; not mowed quite as tightly as the fairways, but close. It has flags marking the distances and you can hit drivers.
The clubhouse is dated and the pro shop is dark and cramped. I checked out the men's locker room and it was also old and dark, but has a full wall of showers and looked pretty clean. There's a restaurant on-site called CK Mulligan's Bar and Grill. I didn't check it out, but I did have a dog at the turn, which was good.
But for the range, nothing stands out with the facilities.
Service and Other Items
In general, the service was lacking. You get a receipt in the pro shop then just have to wander out and find your own cart. It's mandatory cart on Saturday mornings and they don't sell yardage books, so we took the cart. It would have been nice if somebody official-looking pointed at a cart said "take that one, it's juiced," but we had no such luck. Don't get me wrong, I hate it when some youngster or senior citizen is prowling the parking lot looking to sell me a cart and his bag handling services, but I do need to at least know which cart I can use.
The ranger was pretty much non-existent and it was a long and arduous round. We played in 4 hours and 50 minutes and waited on every shot. We did see what looked like a ranger on 3 and 12, but he just waved. We got our tee time the night before and it didn't look that crowded, so I was surprised by the almost five hour round. Plus, they use a much-advertised 10 minute tee time interval. Bottom line, they just aren't doing anything proactive to speed play.
Finally, two points about the rating, slope, and tee positions. First, this didn't feel like a place with a slope of 135 from the back tees. And second, they don't even use the back tee box on the "signature" par five 11th. These are some of my pet peeves.
A slope of 135 should have the potential to beat me up, if not just kick the living crap out of me. I was getting off the tee as well as ever, so maybe that made it feel easier. But even the tight fairways are abutted by rough that is not that penal and trees that aren't that numerous. I think it needs to be re-rated. And I really get mad when they dumb down the tees on long, tough holes to speed up play. When I noticed that the back tees were moved up on the 602 yard par five 11th, I trekked up the hill to real back tee box. It was mangled and unkempt, so they aren't using it. Here's my suggestion, if you want to speed up play, make the ranger do something about it. Pulling this tee box trickery is false advertising and probably has Jones turning over in his grave.
Rating
I will talk more about my rating system later. It's in its infancy right now and I'm sorting through just how to describe it. Let me say that it's a 100 point system, and a Golf Digest Places to Play 4-star rating (out of five) should be close to a score of 80 on my scale. I'm going to give this course a 65 rating. I disagree with the 4-star rating that it gets from Places to Play, so I'm giving it something akin to a 3.5-star rating, which is still good. As you will come to find out, a score of 80 is for a stellar course in all respects, and a score of 90 is reserved for the very best courses around.
The 65 probably doesn't mean anything right now until you see how I rate other courses and you get the underlying theory on my rating system. Let me sum it up by saying that this a great course from tee to green, but it has conditioning and service issues that keep it from fulfilling its potential.
Date Played: 5/12/2007
Tee Time: 10:20
Turn Time: 12:42
End Time: 3:10
Price: $64 (18 holes, cart)
Tees Played: Blue (back tees, 6,432 yards, 71.6/135)
Summary
Hilldale Golf Club is the only public design in Chicagoland by late, famed American designer Robert Trent Jones, Sr. It's a great layout with well-conditioned greens and fairways, but lacking in certain aesthetic and service aspects. The management (it's privately owned) focuses on keeping the short grass in great shape but do little else to enhance the overall golf experience.
Golf Course
As you would expect from Jones, the design is solid. The par 71 course is challenging yet very playable and features a good variety of holes. The three par fives are especially interesting:
- #2, 550 yards - Mid-length hole with two lakes in a play; one on the left reachable from the tee and one on the right by the green. For me, it played as a double-dogleg.
- #11, 602 yards - Massive beast with an elevated tee and water in front of the green. The green is very shallow with OB behind making the approach very difficult.
- #14, 524 yards - Finally, some normalcy, but no cupcake. Straight with bunkers, a small pond, and a slightly elevated green. Unfortunately, it's ruined by the expressway and the huge billboard for the course.
The greens (bent grass) are as good as it gets for Chicago area daily fee courses. They are smooth, fast, and well-conditioned. The fairways (bent grass) are also in great condition and I didn't have one bad lie in them all day.
On the downside, the rough is generally thin and not very penal. Around the greens, the rough is patchy at times and I had a few green-side lies in ruts. The bunker maintenance was almost non-existent the day I was there. There were a lot of bunkers with too little sand and several bunkers were facing erosion. Hardly any of the bunkers were edged and it did not look they had the maintenance crew do a Saturday morning raking. The cart paths run most of the course but are very close to the fairways in a lot of places. All of these matters of sub-par conditioning are more noticeable when contrasted with the nice greens and fairways.
Facilities
This place has a great range. It's bent grass and they keep it groomed very well; not mowed quite as tightly as the fairways, but close. It has flags marking the distances and you can hit drivers.
The clubhouse is dated and the pro shop is dark and cramped. I checked out the men's locker room and it was also old and dark, but has a full wall of showers and looked pretty clean. There's a restaurant on-site called CK Mulligan's Bar and Grill. I didn't check it out, but I did have a dog at the turn, which was good.
But for the range, nothing stands out with the facilities.
Service and Other Items
In general, the service was lacking. You get a receipt in the pro shop then just have to wander out and find your own cart. It's mandatory cart on Saturday mornings and they don't sell yardage books, so we took the cart. It would have been nice if somebody official-looking pointed at a cart said "take that one, it's juiced," but we had no such luck. Don't get me wrong, I hate it when some youngster or senior citizen is prowling the parking lot looking to sell me a cart and his bag handling services, but I do need to at least know which cart I can use.
The ranger was pretty much non-existent and it was a long and arduous round. We played in 4 hours and 50 minutes and waited on every shot. We did see what looked like a ranger on 3 and 12, but he just waved. We got our tee time the night before and it didn't look that crowded, so I was surprised by the almost five hour round. Plus, they use a much-advertised 10 minute tee time interval. Bottom line, they just aren't doing anything proactive to speed play.
Finally, two points about the rating, slope, and tee positions. First, this didn't feel like a place with a slope of 135 from the back tees. And second, they don't even use the back tee box on the "signature" par five 11th. These are some of my pet peeves.
A slope of 135 should have the potential to beat me up, if not just kick the living crap out of me. I was getting off the tee as well as ever, so maybe that made it feel easier. But even the tight fairways are abutted by rough that is not that penal and trees that aren't that numerous. I think it needs to be re-rated. And I really get mad when they dumb down the tees on long, tough holes to speed up play. When I noticed that the back tees were moved up on the 602 yard par five 11th, I trekked up the hill to real back tee box. It was mangled and unkempt, so they aren't using it. Here's my suggestion, if you want to speed up play, make the ranger do something about it. Pulling this tee box trickery is false advertising and probably has Jones turning over in his grave.
Rating
I will talk more about my rating system later. It's in its infancy right now and I'm sorting through just how to describe it. Let me say that it's a 100 point system, and a Golf Digest Places to Play 4-star rating (out of five) should be close to a score of 80 on my scale. I'm going to give this course a 65 rating. I disagree with the 4-star rating that it gets from Places to Play, so I'm giving it something akin to a 3.5-star rating, which is still good. As you will come to find out, a score of 80 is for a stellar course in all respects, and a score of 90 is reserved for the very best courses around.
The 65 probably doesn't mean anything right now until you see how I rate other courses and you get the underlying theory on my rating system. Let me sum it up by saying that this a great course from tee to green, but it has conditioning and service issues that keep it from fulfilling its potential.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
It's Tournament Time!
The TPC is on TV a lot for the next four days. Remember, the course was rebuilt in the last 12 months, so this is first time we are seeing the new course. But keep in mind that Florida has been mired in a serious rain shortage along the Atlantic coast (it was really bad south of Vero Beach) so conditions could be affected.
If you are so inclined, check out the Hooked on Golf blog for the TV times. I usually watch most of this tournament, but since I haven't played any golf in the Chicago area yet this year, I feel the urge to sacrifice some HD time for actual playing time. That's the price the PGA is going to pay for having the tournament in May...they have the weekend all to themselves without the distraction of the NCAA tournament or the Masters in two weeks, but the weather is nice in Chicago so most of us are going to be out playing. Nice call Finchem.
If you are so inclined, check out the Hooked on Golf blog for the TV times. I usually watch most of this tournament, but since I haven't played any golf in the Chicago area yet this year, I feel the urge to sacrifice some HD time for actual playing time. That's the price the PGA is going to pay for having the tournament in May...they have the weekend all to themselves without the distraction of the NCAA tournament or the Masters in two weeks, but the weather is nice in Chicago so most of us are going to be out playing. Nice call Finchem.
Monday, May 07, 2007
The Season is Clicking In! Lotsa News
I haven't played yet in the Chicago area. That gets me down. I need to get my life in order. However, I was heartened with some great news and some decent coverage in the local papers today.
PINE MEADOW SAVED
I had been hearing that Pine Meadow was on the brink of being closed. The story that I'd heard was that Jemsek and the Chicago Archdiocese couldn't agree on a deal. Well, Len Ziehm says in the Sun-Times today they have reached a deal, but no time frame was released. Great news.
BILLY CASPER GOLF PURCHASES WHISPER CREEK
Len Ziehm also released this news about Whisper Creek today, but I don't necessarily think it's news. I think I've known this since early in the year, but maybe it was just rumor. Or maybe I just know more about golf than Len Ziehm (doubtful). Regardless, Billy Casper Golf has done wonders with George Dunne, so I'm sure they'll do great things with Whisper Creek. I've never played it, but I will definitely make the long haul out to Huntley this year.
SUN-TIMES LISTS AREA GOLF SCHEDULE...
...but they forgot to mention the US Bank Championship in Milwaukee and other key tournaments. I don't get it. Here is the schedule the Sun-Times posted for TOUR EVENTS in todays paper:
May 31-June 3 LaSalle Bank Open, The Glen Club (Nationwide Tour)
June 1-3 Aurora Health Care Championship, Geneva National (Futures Tour)
June 8-10 Horseshoe Casino Classic, Lost Marsh (Futures Tour)
June 29-July 1 Team WLF.org Classic, Kankakee Elks (Futures Tour)
July 12-15 John Deere Classic, TPC Deere Run (PGA Tour)
Sept 6-9 BMW Championship, Cog Hill, (PGA Tour)
That's all!
I'm not quite sure why they left out the three events below. Kohler and Milwaukee are both closer than the John Deere Classic in Silvis, IL. I don't think they're anti-Wisconsin either because they list the Futures Tour event in Wisconsin. Oh well, that's what I'm here for.
June 14-17 Mich. Ultra Futures Tour Players Championship, Decatur, IL (Futures Tour)
July 5-8 U.S. Senior Open, Whistling Straights (Champions Tour)
July 19-22 US Bank Championship, Brown Deere Park (PGA Tour)
One last thing, check out Ed Sherman's comments about John Daly in today's Birdies and Bogeys. You go Ed!
PINE MEADOW SAVED
I had been hearing that Pine Meadow was on the brink of being closed. The story that I'd heard was that Jemsek and the Chicago Archdiocese couldn't agree on a deal. Well, Len Ziehm says in the Sun-Times today they have reached a deal, but no time frame was released. Great news.
BILLY CASPER GOLF PURCHASES WHISPER CREEK
Len Ziehm also released this news about Whisper Creek today, but I don't necessarily think it's news. I think I've known this since early in the year, but maybe it was just rumor. Or maybe I just know more about golf than Len Ziehm (doubtful). Regardless, Billy Casper Golf has done wonders with George Dunne, so I'm sure they'll do great things with Whisper Creek. I've never played it, but I will definitely make the long haul out to Huntley this year.
SUN-TIMES LISTS AREA GOLF SCHEDULE...
...but they forgot to mention the US Bank Championship in Milwaukee and other key tournaments. I don't get it. Here is the schedule the Sun-Times posted for TOUR EVENTS in todays paper:
May 31-June 3 LaSalle Bank Open, The Glen Club (Nationwide Tour)
June 1-3 Aurora Health Care Championship, Geneva National (Futures Tour)
June 8-10 Horseshoe Casino Classic, Lost Marsh (Futures Tour)
June 29-July 1 Team WLF.org Classic, Kankakee Elks (Futures Tour)
July 12-15 John Deere Classic, TPC Deere Run (PGA Tour)
Sept 6-9 BMW Championship, Cog Hill, (PGA Tour)
That's all!
I'm not quite sure why they left out the three events below. Kohler and Milwaukee are both closer than the John Deere Classic in Silvis, IL. I don't think they're anti-Wisconsin either because they list the Futures Tour event in Wisconsin. Oh well, that's what I'm here for.
June 14-17 Mich. Ultra Futures Tour Players Championship, Decatur, IL (Futures Tour)
July 5-8 U.S. Senior Open, Whistling Straights (Champions Tour)
July 19-22 US Bank Championship, Brown Deere Park (PGA Tour)
One last thing, check out Ed Sherman's comments about John Daly in today's Birdies and Bogeys. You go Ed!
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Golf as Sport?
For some reason, I'm infatuated with the question of whether golf is a sport. I think it's a sport and I think people who play golf are athletes. However, I don't often refer to it as a sport. I usually call it a game or a sports and gaming pursuit just to avoid the argument. Sometimes arguments about the sport vs non-sport issue clutter up conversations about how great the game is, so I avoid them.
It's clear that many great athletes feel that golf is a sport and that people who play golf are athletes. Golf Digest has a big article this month on athletes that play golf. Or if you want, just check out Ed Sherman's take from the Chicago Tribune.
There are a couple of things to take from this. First, Ed Sherman rules and if you're a Chicago golf fan and not reading his blog, you lose. Second, I'm on the cutting edge because I've been compiling stories about athletes playing golf for awhile. Check out my posts below:
This will be an ongoing theme (athletes playing golf), so let me know now if you are sick of it and maybe I'll dial it back.
It's clear that many great athletes feel that golf is a sport and that people who play golf are athletes. Golf Digest has a big article this month on athletes that play golf. Or if you want, just check out Ed Sherman's take from the Chicago Tribune.
There are a couple of things to take from this. First, Ed Sherman rules and if you're a Chicago golf fan and not reading his blog, you lose. Second, I'm on the cutting edge because I've been compiling stories about athletes playing golf for awhile. Check out my posts below:
This will be an ongoing theme (athletes playing golf), so let me know now if you are sick of it and maybe I'll dial it back.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
What if your flag was stiff?
Picture it, it's a completely calm day out as you walk up to the green yet you notice the flag is not drooping, but stiffly standing parallel to the ground. And in fact, there's an advertisement for Joe's Bar and Grill on it with a coupon code for a half-price burger if you mention the name of the golf course. How would that make you feel? Would it cheapen the serene beauty and intense competition you are embroiled in? Would you lose focus as you are hovering over that four-footer for the match?
I think not. I don't have any problems with a little sponsorship on the golf course. And neither does Rockford based Midwest Golf Managment (looks like a division of a company called Fetelli). They've invented a flag that is about half rigid and half fluid called the Ad Flag. On the rigid half you can put your course name or an advertisement and you never have to be concerned about it being obscured on a calm day when the flag droops. But, it still retains some of the features of a loose flag because half of the flag flaps in the wind.
I read an article about this in Golf World. The little article talks about the interesting take on income opportunities that Midwest Golf Management has. They propose charging the advertiser on an advertising-view basis that is positive Google-ish. You, as the golf course owner, go to the potential advertiser and say, "I get 20,000 paid rounds per year on my golf course so I can guarantee that many sets of eyeballs on your advertisement annually if you sponsor an Ad Flag on my first hole. In fact, I will only charge you for each "view" so you only pay $0.08 per view."
Check out the link and let me know what you think. Sounds reasonable to me I guess. You can see for yourself if you play a Rockford park district course his summer, because they've apparently incorporated it on their greens. The industry has been doing it for years on tee markers, but may not be using the "advertising view" model to charge advertisers. Heck, if it makes the industry healthier, I'm all for it, because this sponsorship model is here to stay.
I think not. I don't have any problems with a little sponsorship on the golf course. And neither does Rockford based Midwest Golf Managment (looks like a division of a company called Fetelli). They've invented a flag that is about half rigid and half fluid called the Ad Flag. On the rigid half you can put your course name or an advertisement and you never have to be concerned about it being obscured on a calm day when the flag droops. But, it still retains some of the features of a loose flag because half of the flag flaps in the wind.
I read an article about this in Golf World. The little article talks about the interesting take on income opportunities that Midwest Golf Management has. They propose charging the advertiser on an advertising-view basis that is positive Google-ish. You, as the golf course owner, go to the potential advertiser and say, "I get 20,000 paid rounds per year on my golf course so I can guarantee that many sets of eyeballs on your advertisement annually if you sponsor an Ad Flag on my first hole. In fact, I will only charge you for each "view" so you only pay $0.08 per view."
Check out the link and let me know what you think. Sounds reasonable to me I guess. You can see for yourself if you play a Rockford park district course his summer, because they've apparently incorporated it on their greens. The industry has been doing it for years on tee markers, but may not be using the "advertising view" model to charge advertisers. Heck, if it makes the industry healthier, I'm all for it, because this sponsorship model is here to stay.
Monday, April 16, 2007
The Links Page - An Update
Alright folks, the links page is coming alive and I've added a bunch of new features. At the left is a little screen shot of what you get when you go to del.icio.us/chicagogolfcast. I have 183 bookmarks so far that encompass a ton of Chicagoland golf course information.I've bookmarked the home pages of about 129 Chicago area golf courses and grouped them by price range, region, architect, and the expressway you would take from downtown. The other 50 or so bookmarks are for things like local architects, golf road trips, online tee-time companies, and local periodicals.
Keep in mind that it is still in process and we will be tweaking this thing throughout the year. If it looks a little daunting, take a look at this post where I write more about the links page and how it works.
I got out this Sunday and hit a few buckets then chipped and putted some. I have not yet played 18 holes in the Chicago region yet this year and it is killing me. I probably won't be able to get out until May because of the cold weather and my travel and work plans, but then I'm going to go crazy with golf.
Look for posts upcoming about some special features in the links page.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Silverman's Idiotic Rant
Have you noticed the new feature that ESPN 1000 rolled out in mornings? Marc Silverman and a few other personalities go on a little rant about current topics in sports during some of the commercial breaks during Mike & Mike. Well, today Marc Silverman (of The Show) went off on a golf rant. He was making fun of the Masters final round and the prodigious amounts of bogeys and apparent "choking" going on amongst the world's best players.
I'm paraphrasing because, but here is what he concluded:
If you were the least bit knowledgeable of the game, you would have a concept of pressure and what it does to the golf swing for even the most accomplished players. Pressure that is more prevalent because the Masters is the premier event in golf, on one of the greatest golf courses in the world, during a tournament steeped in tradition. This pressure actually makes it nearly impossible for a completely healthy and sane human to perform the complex action of the golf swing without a degradation in performance.
If you've ever engaged in a simple money game with your buddies, you would know what it's like to have a 4 footer to tie the match on the 17th hole. But if you don't play golf, or have any buddies, this bit of insight will escape you. In fact, I feel sorry for you because you are probably just a spectator for all of your sports. I doubt you can round up a weekend game of football or baseball. Basketball is one sport where you may be able to actually engage in the physical action against an opponent, but dealing with the mental aspects of pressure and choking don't really enter into that foray.
Participating in sports that you are a fan of is a great way to get a truer understanding of them. That's one of the beautiful things about golf, anyone can simulate the same type of pressure-packed conditions that our heroes in the PGA play under. It sets golf apart and is one of the reasons why I love it so much. I suggest you try playing it someday because it may save you from sounding like a idiot the next time you talk about it.
So I wonder, why would a guy that is so helpful to me in analyzing the Bears, Bulls, Sox, and Cubs, destroy all that goodwill with an ignorant tirade on a sport that he is so unfamiliar with. I've always been a big fan of you Silvy, and still am, so I say this only to help. Keep your piehole shut when it comes to golf and let Mac and Jurko talk about it (Harry doesn't know jack about it either)!
I'm paraphrasing because, but here is what he concluded:
...if that's the best the sport has to offer, then golf fans, you can have it!Well Marc, I guess there's nothing to complain about in the land of Cubs or Sox, so you might as well pick on golf. It's clear that you're ignorant of the intricacies of the game and you should limit your analysis to sports you're familiar with; football, baseball, and basketball. Why showcase how little you know of the game of golf by even opening your claptrap? But, I guess that's what you get paid to do.
If you were the least bit knowledgeable of the game, you would have a concept of pressure and what it does to the golf swing for even the most accomplished players. Pressure that is more prevalent because the Masters is the premier event in golf, on one of the greatest golf courses in the world, during a tournament steeped in tradition. This pressure actually makes it nearly impossible for a completely healthy and sane human to perform the complex action of the golf swing without a degradation in performance.
If you've ever engaged in a simple money game with your buddies, you would know what it's like to have a 4 footer to tie the match on the 17th hole. But if you don't play golf, or have any buddies, this bit of insight will escape you. In fact, I feel sorry for you because you are probably just a spectator for all of your sports. I doubt you can round up a weekend game of football or baseball. Basketball is one sport where you may be able to actually engage in the physical action against an opponent, but dealing with the mental aspects of pressure and choking don't really enter into that foray.
Participating in sports that you are a fan of is a great way to get a truer understanding of them. That's one of the beautiful things about golf, anyone can simulate the same type of pressure-packed conditions that our heroes in the PGA play under. It sets golf apart and is one of the reasons why I love it so much. I suggest you try playing it someday because it may save you from sounding like a idiot the next time you talk about it.
So I wonder, why would a guy that is so helpful to me in analyzing the Bears, Bulls, Sox, and Cubs, destroy all that goodwill with an ignorant tirade on a sport that he is so unfamiliar with. I've always been a big fan of you Silvy, and still am, so I say this only to help. Keep your piehole shut when it comes to golf and let Mac and Jurko talk about it (Harry doesn't know jack about it either)!
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Where is Chicago's Amen Corner?
Think of the most compelling micro-moments in all of sports; pitching with bases loaded late in the game with two outs and a small lead; a pivotal second set tiebreaker in a 5 set match; the football with less than a minute left in the second quarter-down by two touchdowns and wanting badly to go into the locker room down by only 7. These are pivotal, mid-game moments that provide great drama. Depending on how it plays out, someone is going to walk away with a big advantage.
However, nothing compares to that hour long period when the final group on Masters Sunday steps on to the 11th tee and begins the slog through Amen Corner. Whatever happens on the ensuing three holes usually has a huge influence on who puts on the Green Jacket a few hours later.
So let's kick off a regular feature at the Chicago Golfcast and try and find Chicago's Amen Corner somewhere amongst all of the daily fee courses around here. To aid in our effort, let's first reflect on what makes the real Amen Corner so compelling.
I've never played them, but I have studied them. Holes 11, 12, and 13 at Augusta are three consecutive holes of such mind-boggling complexity, difficulty, and guile that when the player is done, the overriding feeling is simply, "thank God it's over and I'm still alive." Any joy is usually reserved for one or two humans that by force of will or dumb luck, escape with their wits intact. Let's go through some more of the special traits of the real Amen Corner:
Here is the overhead shot from Google maps.
The tee on 11 is in the upper right corner back in the narrow shoot of trees. The 12 green and 13 tee are situated at the bottom center of the map, just below the brown, murky waters of Rae's Creek (maybe they do color it for Masters week). The green on 13 is upper left, surrounded by bunkers left and long and the stream on the right. The holes peaking out below and bottom right are not part of Augusta National, they are actually part of the unaffiliated Augusta Country Club. Note that this shot was taken at least 24 months ago because Hootie and crew (Fazio I think) decided to plant a bunch of trees on the right side of 11 fairway which really toughens it up and makes it play more like a dog leg right.
So, given that build-up, do you have any ideas? I have proposed holes 11 to 13 at Prairie Landing as option before, but they're not perfect. Submit an essay to chicagogolfcast@gmail.com with your Amen Corner. It has to be from a daily fee course in Chicago or the surrounding areas. I will pick a winner at the season's end. The prize is a free round of golf for one paid for by the Chicago Golfcast valued at $75.
However, nothing compares to that hour long period when the final group on Masters Sunday steps on to the 11th tee and begins the slog through Amen Corner. Whatever happens on the ensuing three holes usually has a huge influence on who puts on the Green Jacket a few hours later.
So let's kick off a regular feature at the Chicago Golfcast and try and find Chicago's Amen Corner somewhere amongst all of the daily fee courses around here. To aid in our effort, let's first reflect on what makes the real Amen Corner so compelling.
I've never played them, but I have studied them. Holes 11, 12, and 13 at Augusta are three consecutive holes of such mind-boggling complexity, difficulty, and guile that when the player is done, the overriding feeling is simply, "thank God it's over and I'm still alive." Any joy is usually reserved for one or two humans that by force of will or dumb luck, escape with their wits intact. Let's go through some more of the special traits of the real Amen Corner:
- The three holes are truly placed in a remote corner of the grounds at Augusta National about as far away from the clubhouse as you can get.
- They are situated in a V shape forming a perfect "corner." If you drew a line from 13 green roughly down the fairway, it would be perpendicular to 11 fairway and hit just about at 11 green.
- They are three holes of great variability, each providing a distinctly different challenge. Hole 11 is a long, gentle dog leg right par 4 with a pond left of the green (505 yards). Hole 12 is a short, devious par 3 with a wide creek in front (155 yards). And hole 13 is a short, reachable, dog leg left par 5 with a narrow stream running down the left side of the fairway and crossing over over to the right, just short of the green (510 yards).
- Spectators and players can get a panoramic view of significant parts of all three holes from many points around the "bottom of the V."
- They holes are basically in the middle of the round. Affording plenty of time to warm up and providing the ability to make a recovery if the player is only partially destroyed.
- Each hole is singular in it's beauty and serenity. Each one landscaped like a work of art.
Here is the overhead shot from Google maps.
The tee on 11 is in the upper right corner back in the narrow shoot of trees. The 12 green and 13 tee are situated at the bottom center of the map, just below the brown, murky waters of Rae's Creek (maybe they do color it for Masters week). The green on 13 is upper left, surrounded by bunkers left and long and the stream on the right. The holes peaking out below and bottom right are not part of Augusta National, they are actually part of the unaffiliated Augusta Country Club. Note that this shot was taken at least 24 months ago because Hootie and crew (Fazio I think) decided to plant a bunch of trees on the right side of 11 fairway which really toughens it up and makes it play more like a dog leg right.
So, given that build-up, do you have any ideas? I have proposed holes 11 to 13 at Prairie Landing as option before, but they're not perfect. Submit an essay to chicagogolfcast@gmail.com with your Amen Corner. It has to be from a daily fee course in Chicago or the surrounding areas. I will pick a winner at the season's end. The prize is a free round of golf for one paid for by the Chicago Golfcast valued at $75.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
The Masters, Chicago Connections
If you're a Chicago golf fan and looking for some local blood to pull for, you have a few options. As usual, the core trio of Steve Stricker (U of I), Luke Donald (Evanston), and Jeff Sluman (Western 'burbs I think) are all in.
You have already read my rant on why I'm discouraged that these guys aren't highlighted in the local papers so I won't belabor the point. I will make a couple of other points that may be interesting to you.
First, according to my sources (Ed Sherman), the Masters will begin inviting certain PGA tour winners from the previous year. Had this been implemented last year, we would be seeing our man Mark Wilson teeing it up today. Oh well, hopefully he wins again before next year's Masters.
Second, keep in mind that we actually have a former Masters winner with a Chicago connection (somewhat). Bob Goalby, from Belleville, IL and a graduate of U of I, won the tournament back in 1968.
This wasn't just an ordinary win and is recounted in detail by famous golf writer Curt Sampson in his book The Lost Masters: Grace and Disgrace in '68. Among other reasons, this Masters was famous for a simple scoring mistake. You see, Goalby ended regulation play tied with Roberto DeVicenzo and went on beat DeVicenzo in a playoff. However, DeVicenzo should have won outright. His playing partner marked an erroneous 4 on the scorecard on number 17 rather than a 3-the correct number. If scored correctly, DeVicenzo would have been shrugging on the green jacket that evening, but since he signed the scorecard, the erroneous score stood.
Hmm, I might have to add the Sampson book to my summer reading schedule. I played a Goalby-designed course a few years ago in southern Illinois called Far Oaks. Nice course. I wish I would have known some of this history when I played it.
You have already read my rant on why I'm discouraged that these guys aren't highlighted in the local papers so I won't belabor the point. I will make a couple of other points that may be interesting to you.
First, according to my sources (Ed Sherman), the Masters will begin inviting certain PGA tour winners from the previous year. Had this been implemented last year, we would be seeing our man Mark Wilson teeing it up today. Oh well, hopefully he wins again before next year's Masters.
Second, keep in mind that we actually have a former Masters winner with a Chicago connection (somewhat). Bob Goalby, from Belleville, IL and a graduate of U of I, won the tournament back in 1968.
This wasn't just an ordinary win and is recounted in detail by famous golf writer Curt Sampson in his book The Lost Masters: Grace and Disgrace in '68. Among other reasons, this Masters was famous for a simple scoring mistake. You see, Goalby ended regulation play tied with Roberto DeVicenzo and went on beat DeVicenzo in a playoff. However, DeVicenzo should have won outright. His playing partner marked an erroneous 4 on the scorecard on number 17 rather than a 3-the correct number. If scored correctly, DeVicenzo would have been shrugging on the green jacket that evening, but since he signed the scorecard, the erroneous score stood.
Hmm, I might have to add the Sampson book to my summer reading schedule. I played a Goalby-designed course a few years ago in southern Illinois called Far Oaks. Nice course. I wish I would have known some of this history when I played it.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Intrepid Trib Reporter in Augusta
The Chicago Tribune's very own Ed Sherman is an Augusta this week so, once again, I'm going to give you the link to his blog so you can follow the action. Hopefully he posts daily.
This week is like the NCAA tournament, Super Bowl, and BCS Championship all rolled into one. Each of those individually pale in comparison, but taken collectively, they may be able to dig up enough excitement to match the four day event that is the Masters. There is no sporting event that consistently turns in the drama that the Masters does. It's simply the best, period!
For Chicago golf fans, this is the only major championship that occurs during invariably poor weather. I'm happy that April is here, but I think we're going to be in the 40s this weekend. Great for watching golf. I always find it difficult to watch the US Open (June), British Open (July), and PGA Championship (August) because I would rather be playing. That 100+ day period from June to mid-September is mostly DVR territory for golf viewing as far as I'm concerned.
This year is extra-special also because it is the first year that I'm going to be able to watch it in HD. Golf in HD is great, but Augusta in HD makes it even better.
Clear the decks, here is the TV Schedule.
This week is like the NCAA tournament, Super Bowl, and BCS Championship all rolled into one. Each of those individually pale in comparison, but taken collectively, they may be able to dig up enough excitement to match the four day event that is the Masters. There is no sporting event that consistently turns in the drama that the Masters does. It's simply the best, period!
For Chicago golf fans, this is the only major championship that occurs during invariably poor weather. I'm happy that April is here, but I think we're going to be in the 40s this weekend. Great for watching golf. I always find it difficult to watch the US Open (June), British Open (July), and PGA Championship (August) because I would rather be playing. That 100+ day period from June to mid-September is mostly DVR territory for golf viewing as far as I'm concerned.
This year is extra-special also because it is the first year that I'm going to be able to watch it in HD. Golf in HD is great, but Augusta in HD makes it even better.
Clear the decks, here is the TV Schedule.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Material for Heckling C.C. Sabathia at Sox Park
Hey, the Sox open at home next Monday against the Cleveland Indians and I have a feeling that Cleveland ace C.C. Sabathia will be on the mound at some point. Yes, it's the same C.C. Sabathia that gave up golf this spring so he wouldn't get injured again.
I'm serious. Harken back to last year when Urlacher quit golf to prevent injury. Well, it seems that football players aren't the only ones bitten by the injury bug from the nasty sports and gaming pursuit known as golf. In the March 16, 2007 issue of GolfWorld, John Strege talked with Sabathia who says that his stint on the DL for the last two Aprils was because of golf. I quote:
If these injuries start to accumulate, I may eventually have to start calling golf a sport (versus a sports and gaming pursuit). If danger and the physical toll of performing the action are any measure of whether a game graduates to a sport, golf would certainly qualify in this aspect as a sport.
I'm serious. Harken back to last year when Urlacher quit golf to prevent injury. Well, it seems that football players aren't the only ones bitten by the injury bug from the nasty sports and gaming pursuit known as golf. In the March 16, 2007 issue of GolfWorld, John Strege talked with Sabathia who says that his stint on the DL for the last two Aprils was because of golf. I quote:
"So I'm going to give up golfing, and let's see if I can make it through April this year." Sabathia, who stands 6-foot-7 and weighs in the vicinity of 300 pounds, presumably takes an aggressive swipe at the ball, claiming to hit it 300 yards. "I shoot in the 90s," he told the paper. "It's not worth it for me to go out and shoot 90 then go on the disabled list."Well, I can't disagree with you tough guy. Good luck on getting better.
If these injuries start to accumulate, I may eventually have to start calling golf a sport (versus a sports and gaming pursuit). If danger and the physical toll of performing the action are any measure of whether a game graduates to a sport, golf would certainly qualify in this aspect as a sport.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Hole Breakdown: Village Links of Glen Ellyn #5
When I discovered that I could look at overhead photographs of golf courses in Google maps, I was a happy guy. It makes the winters go by a lot faster if I can blow an evening here and there just checking out my favorite courses from a satellite view. Sometimes it's even cooler checking out courses that I will never get on. In fact, Google maps is about as close as many of us will ever get to Medina or Butler National.Pictured above, via Google maps, is one of my favorite holes in the region. This is the 5th at Village Links of Glen Ellyn and it's a dastardly short par 4. So dastardly, that I often have nightmares that the pin is back left, every day, for the rest of my life.
If you can't tell, the hole runs from right to left on this picture. It plays 400 yards from the black tees but I usually play the blue tees, so it measures 369 yards. If you look on the right side of the photo, the blue tees are at the back of the second tee box in, right where the cart path loops around.
You stand on the tee and the water looms large about 160 yards out on your left. The two bunkers straight away on the right side of the fairway are 271 yards out. You can't see the water on the right.
What makes it so sinister is something that you don't notice from this overhead shot; at the bend of the dog leg there is a large mound running all along the right side of the fairway. That means that everything is going to bounce left, right towards the water. It really thins the fairway out a lot. Fear. That's all I'm feeling at this point.
Your eye is drawn towards those two fairway bunkers. I think the designers put those there hoping that you aim at them with a club that will leave you just short. But wait a second. Draw a line from the tee box to those bunkers. It skirts the edge of the water on the left. You already know the fairway slopes left, so unless you can carry it about 240 (from the blue tees), you are in the drink, even with a straight ball. Don't fall for it. I think the best play is a three or four wood aimed out to the crest of the hill on the right. But don't go too far right, because if you hit the top of hill and bound right, you have an uphill, blind approach, or your in the water.
Say you prevail, and you hit a nice 210 yard three wood and you have a six or seven iron left. You're still not out of the woods, especially if the pin is back left. There is a big mound that roughly traverses the green diagonally, from that back bunker to the middle of those front bunkers. If you fly anything hot to the back half of the green you're in trouble because it all slopes away from you. Just aim for the middle of the green and hope you get lucky. If the pin is in front, just play short, don't risk dealing with the other slide of the mound.
I like this hole a lot. I don't hit the driver 240 consistently, so it presents a significant challenge and I really enjoy matching wits with it. In fact, this whole course is great and my review will come out sometime this year.
Throughout 2007, we'll be visiting great golf holes in the Chicago area. Tell me what some of your favorites are and the crack staff here at the Chicago Golfcast will put some analysis together.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Weather is Perfect, but No Posting Until Thursday
I know, it's beautiful out. My sources in Indianapolis tell me that not only is everything green and lush down there, but they're actually cutting the greens and mowing fairways already. We may not be quite at that point in Chicago, but it looks like everything is better than playable.
I'm going to try and get out Thursday afternoon, which is the first day that us carriers of a USGA handicap can officially post a score. That's right. Say you went out this weekend and blew up to 100+ and you're drooling to post it because it's going to knock off a low differential and start the ball rolling to some "handicap restoration." Not so fast my friend (hey, when did Lee Corso show up?). You can't do that. We are officially "out of season" until Thursday so you just wasted a blow-up round (hopefully you didn't lose too much cash).
If this is news to you, or just confusing, go to the CDGA website and get the lowdown. I strongly encourage you city dwellers to get a handicap from one of the clubs that allows you to post online. I do it and post 100% of my scores online. I actually only play my home course (Schaumburg GC) about twice a year (which is not good, because it's a great place). I think you can even register online now, but I'm not sure. I couldn't figure it out from the website. Regardless, it's now easier than ever to have a full-fledged USGA handicap. If you don't, you're cheating yourself.
If you care, here are the 14 dates that the CDGA recalculates your handicap, so get posting.
I'm going to try and get out Thursday afternoon, which is the first day that us carriers of a USGA handicap can officially post a score. That's right. Say you went out this weekend and blew up to 100+ and you're drooling to post it because it's going to knock off a low differential and start the ball rolling to some "handicap restoration." Not so fast my friend (hey, when did Lee Corso show up?). You can't do that. We are officially "out of season" until Thursday so you just wasted a blow-up round (hopefully you didn't lose too much cash).
If this is news to you, or just confusing, go to the CDGA website and get the lowdown. I strongly encourage you city dwellers to get a handicap from one of the clubs that allows you to post online. I do it and post 100% of my scores online. I actually only play my home course (Schaumburg GC) about twice a year (which is not good, because it's a great place). I think you can even register online now, but I'm not sure. I couldn't figure it out from the website. Regardless, it's now easier than ever to have a full-fledged USGA handicap. If you don't, you're cheating yourself.
If you care, here are the 14 dates that the CDGA recalculates your handicap, so get posting.
- March 29
- April 19
- May 10
- May 24
- June 7
- June 21
- July 5
- July 19
- August 2
- August 16
- August 30
- September 13
- October 4
- October 25
Friday, March 23, 2007
Potential Erin Hills Roadtrip Squashed???
Erin Hills was on the short list for a golf road trip this summer, but Bradley Klein from Golf Week gave it a review so horrible that I might need to rethink my road trip plans.
I usually take one day trip up to Wisconsin to get a little golf in. Last year I went with a buddy to play Brown Deer Park about a month after the US Bank Championship. Awesome road trip. The course was still fast and hard from the tournament. It's beautiful. It's reasonably priced. And it's very manageable for golfers of any playing level. Perfect for a day trip because you shouldn't have to drive more than two hours unless you are coming from the far south side.
I was anticipating Erin Hills because the new course generated a lot of buzz. The project included the involvement of popular (and expensive) designers like Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry, got some good early press (probably because Ron Whitten, editor of Golf Digest, co-designed also), and has some really cool pix on the web site. It looks like it's only about 2.5 hours from Chicago so this place is right in my wheelhouse for a day trip.
However, in the 3.10.07 issue of Golfweek, Klein gave it an epic beatdown. Here are a few of the comments:
I won't know until I play it. I am still planning on getting to Erin Hills this summer. Even if I don't like it, it will still give me some insight into golf course design. Plus, since when do I listen to the media? I am my own man, I am golf man, hear me roar.
I usually take one day trip up to Wisconsin to get a little golf in. Last year I went with a buddy to play Brown Deer Park about a month after the US Bank Championship. Awesome road trip. The course was still fast and hard from the tournament. It's beautiful. It's reasonably priced. And it's very manageable for golfers of any playing level. Perfect for a day trip because you shouldn't have to drive more than two hours unless you are coming from the far south side.
I was anticipating Erin Hills because the new course generated a lot of buzz. The project included the involvement of popular (and expensive) designers like Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry, got some good early press (probably because Ron Whitten, editor of Golf Digest, co-designed also), and has some really cool pix on the web site. It looks like it's only about 2.5 hours from Chicago so this place is right in my wheelhouse for a day trip.
However, in the 3.10.07 issue of Golfweek, Klein gave it an epic beatdown. Here are a few of the comments:
- ...the routing is a mess, in large part because Whitten insisted on moving no dirt at all-thereby taking trendy "minimalism" to its absurd extreme.
- ...much of the bunkering is overexcavated and unmaintainable.
- ...and the completely blind par-3 seventh "Dell Hole" plays up and over to the bottom of a vast taco shell. They should have thought "inside the bun" on this one.
I won't know until I play it. I am still planning on getting to Erin Hills this summer. Even if I don't like it, it will still give me some insight into golf course design. Plus, since when do I listen to the media? I am my own man, I am golf man, hear me roar.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Fourteen Clubs, Shmorteen Clubs
It's just not necessary to haul around 14 clubs. This chart should give you the framework to bring fewer clubs and enhance your golf life. By carefully culling out unneeded clubs in a systematic manner, you can do so with minimal impact on your handicap.Think about all the benefits:
- You can walk 36 holes and not feel beat down for that final 9.
- You free up a lot of space in your trunk so you can pick up all your buddies for that road trip to a far off course.
- Air travel is much simpler. My wife and I only bring one travel bag for air travel, we put both of our clubs in one regular bag and then I just stuff an old Callaway Pencil Bag (I don't think they make it anymore) in the travel bag. Piece of cake.
- Fewer clubs allows you to develop better feel because you are forced to hit the same club multiple distances.
- If you have to cross a creek or brook, you can just leap over it rather than finding a bridge because you are so nimble with the lighter bag. This makes you look like a bad-ass and intimidates your playing partners.
- It feels good to break the game down into the four components and attack it from that perspective. It doesn't matter how many clubs you have, you still only need to be able to Drive, Approach, play the Short Game, and Putt. You just have to be more creative and strategic when you use fewer tools in those aspects. If you like puzzles, brain-teasers, and thinking your way around the course, this is for you.
It's not something that you leap into quickly though. I would start with no less than 11 clubs then gradually make your way down to the seven club package. I don't always play with this few clubs. I like to mix it up a lot so I will switch back and forth.
The benefits for a trunksmasher are evident. It's easier to walk, easier to travel (road or air), and easier to manage out of your trunk. Later, we will get into how exactly this can be used to grow the game by making it "stickier." You gotta stop back for that analysis.
Monday, March 19, 2007
I'm Happy for SIU, But...
I'm happy for SIU, yes, great. They are in the Sweet 16 and played some great ball this weekend as I understand it. You see, I didn't watch much hoops over the weekend. My eyes were on the real tournament, the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.
Yes, I saw Duke get beat and watched the end of the Ohio State vs Xavier game, but those did not collide with the golf. As a rule, if golf is in HD, it takes precedence over any other programming. That includes the NCAA tournament, it's that simple. Those overhead shots of Bay Hill this weekend, especially the last three holes, were amazing. HD really makes the blimp shots shine. They had this blimp shot of Vijay hitting a wedge and you could see the ball sailing directly at the camera then arc towards the hole, beautiful.
However, even if the tournament was broadcast only in regular TV, it still would have been worth watching versus the hoops because of the dramatic shot Vijay pulled on the 12th. Did you see that? Let me see if I can recall it correctly.
Okay, so Sergio birdies 13 while Vijay is coming up the par 5 12th. That puts Sergio at -7 and Vijay is sitting at -8, so it's getting tight. Vijay is right in the middle of the fairway on the 12th and decides to hit a driver off the deck. Johnny Miller just about has a cow. Johnny called the shot "kooky" or "nutty," I can't actually remember which. And it appeared that Johnny was right because Vijay yanked it left behind a tree. So here we are, Vijay behind a tree on the 12th with virtually no shot at the green. If he gets a bogey, it's all tied up at -7, and Johnny Miller probably gets his ass kicked by Vijay after the round. Who would turn the channel?
Not me, thankfully.
Vijay eyeballs the situation and decides that he can't go over the tree, he can't go under the tree, and he can't go to the left or the right of the tree; so, he goes through the tree. Yes! He has to execute this wedge so that the ball leaves the clubface at such an angle to go above a large branch about 10 feet off the ground and below some leafier branches about four feet above that branch. Piece of cake, huh? He executed it perfectly and left himself about a 20 footer for birdie. He runs it in, which basically won him the tournament, and the announcers start the Vijay love-fest. Even Johnny (I love Johnny) tossed Vijay some love. He said that Vijay "practices more than anybody in the history of the game."
It was great drama. So this weekend, when in-state SIU is battling for some NCAA tournament glory and the sports bars are full, you will probably find me in front of my TV watching Doral. Because the Blue Monster won't take a seat behind anything this weekend.
Yes, I saw Duke get beat and watched the end of the Ohio State vs Xavier game, but those did not collide with the golf. As a rule, if golf is in HD, it takes precedence over any other programming. That includes the NCAA tournament, it's that simple. Those overhead shots of Bay Hill this weekend, especially the last three holes, were amazing. HD really makes the blimp shots shine. They had this blimp shot of Vijay hitting a wedge and you could see the ball sailing directly at the camera then arc towards the hole, beautiful.
However, even if the tournament was broadcast only in regular TV, it still would have been worth watching versus the hoops because of the dramatic shot Vijay pulled on the 12th. Did you see that? Let me see if I can recall it correctly.
Okay, so Sergio birdies 13 while Vijay is coming up the par 5 12th. That puts Sergio at -7 and Vijay is sitting at -8, so it's getting tight. Vijay is right in the middle of the fairway on the 12th and decides to hit a driver off the deck. Johnny Miller just about has a cow. Johnny called the shot "kooky" or "nutty," I can't actually remember which. And it appeared that Johnny was right because Vijay yanked it left behind a tree. So here we are, Vijay behind a tree on the 12th with virtually no shot at the green. If he gets a bogey, it's all tied up at -7, and Johnny Miller probably gets his ass kicked by Vijay after the round. Who would turn the channel?
Not me, thankfully.
Vijay eyeballs the situation and decides that he can't go over the tree, he can't go under the tree, and he can't go to the left or the right of the tree; so, he goes through the tree. Yes! He has to execute this wedge so that the ball leaves the clubface at such an angle to go above a large branch about 10 feet off the ground and below some leafier branches about four feet above that branch. Piece of cake, huh? He executed it perfectly and left himself about a 20 footer for birdie. He runs it in, which basically won him the tournament, and the announcers start the Vijay love-fest. Even Johnny (I love Johnny) tossed Vijay some love. He said that Vijay "practices more than anybody in the history of the game."
It was great drama. So this weekend, when in-state SIU is battling for some NCAA tournament glory and the sports bars are full, you will probably find me in front of my TV watching Doral. Because the Blue Monster won't take a seat behind anything this weekend.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Wheaton Center for History Golf Exhibit
I checked out the Wheaton Center for History golf exhibit called the Fairways, Greens & Clubs Exhibit. It was really cool.
The history of golf in this area is rich. The Chicago Golf Club, in Wheaton, was the first 18 hole golf course in the USA (1892). It was finished slightly earlier in the year than Shinnecock...I think. However, the first golf course in the Chicago area was not The Chicago Golf Club, but some course in Lake Forest, but it was only like seven holes or something so the The Chicago Golf Club gets all the fame because it was 18 holes.
The Chicago Golf Club actually originated in Belmont (now Downer's Grove) before they moved it to Wheaton. It was only 9 holes in Downer's Grove though. There is still a little friction between Wheaton and Downer's about who was first and who is more important. The Downer's course is now the Downer's Park District course I think. There are pictures and other memorabilia relating to C.B. Macdonald, the architect. He was very prolific and quite a character. The staff has a lot of good stories about the guy and about other famous golf personalities associated with Wheaton.
This is only a smattering of the information that you can get by spending a few hours in the Fairways, Greens & Clubs exhibit in downtown Wheaton. For $7.50 you get a guided tour through about four rooms full of golf memorabilia. There are four people on the staff at the Center and a couple of them are always on duty. I went there with my wife and mother-in-law and we had the place to ourselves. We spent about two solid hours there and had both staffers at our disposal for questions. I would have liked to have spent more time on the golf side of things, but my wife and mother-in-law were highly interested in the exhibit on the Eastland Disaster, so I relented and pretended like I cared.
I want to spend another couple of hours at this place. I think I am going to plan an outing at Cantigny or Arrowhead and then head to downtown Wheaton for some history and some food. The downtown is full of great restaurants so it works well as a great after-golf option if you are with that special woman (or man, depending on, you know, what you like).
The history of golf in this area is rich. The Chicago Golf Club, in Wheaton, was the first 18 hole golf course in the USA (1892). It was finished slightly earlier in the year than Shinnecock...I think. However, the first golf course in the Chicago area was not The Chicago Golf Club, but some course in Lake Forest, but it was only like seven holes or something so the The Chicago Golf Club gets all the fame because it was 18 holes.
The Chicago Golf Club actually originated in Belmont (now Downer's Grove) before they moved it to Wheaton. It was only 9 holes in Downer's Grove though. There is still a little friction between Wheaton and Downer's about who was first and who is more important. The Downer's course is now the Downer's Park District course I think. There are pictures and other memorabilia relating to C.B. Macdonald, the architect. He was very prolific and quite a character. The staff has a lot of good stories about the guy and about other famous golf personalities associated with Wheaton.
This is only a smattering of the information that you can get by spending a few hours in the Fairways, Greens & Clubs exhibit in downtown Wheaton. For $7.50 you get a guided tour through about four rooms full of golf memorabilia. There are four people on the staff at the Center and a couple of them are always on duty. I went there with my wife and mother-in-law and we had the place to ourselves. We spent about two solid hours there and had both staffers at our disposal for questions. I would have liked to have spent more time on the golf side of things, but my wife and mother-in-law were highly interested in the exhibit on the Eastland Disaster, so I relented and pretended like I cared.
I want to spend another couple of hours at this place. I think I am going to plan an outing at Cantigny or Arrowhead and then head to downtown Wheaton for some history and some food. The downtown is full of great restaurants so it works well as a great after-golf option if you are with that special woman (or man, depending on, you know, what you like).
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Get This Beast Back on Track - Chicago Take
Check out this interesting post at Point 1 Golf. Point 1 Golf is a Chicago golf blog that I suggest you add to your blogroll.
The post speaks to growth of the game and the fact that it has been stagnant recently. He points to a Golfweek article by Bradley Klein who poses that maybe part of it is that "fewer gen-X'ers are growing up as caddies." Which makes sense. I'm a Golfweek subscriber and Bradley Klein always has some good stuff to say, so I look forward to reading it. The writer, I think his name is Tom, paints a couple of possible scenarios, both worthy of getting me to jump start my efforts, however humbly, to grow the game.
I have a lot of theories on how we (yes, that includes you) are going to get this game back on track. We have to go on a mission to grow this game and 2007 will hopefully be the year when we turn the beast around...at least in Chicago. Here's where I'm going to focus my efforts:
The post speaks to growth of the game and the fact that it has been stagnant recently. He points to a Golfweek article by Bradley Klein who poses that maybe part of it is that "fewer gen-X'ers are growing up as caddies." Which makes sense. I'm a Golfweek subscriber and Bradley Klein always has some good stuff to say, so I look forward to reading it. The writer, I think his name is Tom, paints a couple of possible scenarios, both worthy of getting me to jump start my efforts, however humbly, to grow the game.
I have a lot of theories on how we (yes, that includes you) are going to get this game back on track. We have to go on a mission to grow this game and 2007 will hopefully be the year when we turn the beast around...at least in Chicago. Here's where I'm going to focus my efforts:
- Provide a forum for combining golf with other life-enhancing activities (food, fitness, and entertainment) in and around Chicago (Chicago Golfcast).
- Simplify the game and make it less expensive for all with a detailed theory on equipment and playing venues (Trunksmasher Golf).
- Help the community through golf in some way, shape, or form.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Taking Issue with the Trib and Sun Times
In the wake of the Mark Wilson victory, I felt the need this morning to look through the scoreboard in the sports page to see how he was doing this week in Tampa. I grabbed both papers in the Starbuck's and glanced at the scoreboard thinking that his name, along with other Chicago connected golf pros, would be in a boldface font for easy recognition. Not so for either of our city-based papers, the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times.
I don't get this. In the past 24 months I've had occasion to read the print versions of the Palm Beach Post, the Orlando Sentinel, and the Denver Post. Each of them puts local players in boldface font in the print editions. Is that too much to expect? Maybe it is. If I have any readers in other cities let me know if your local folks are highlighted somehow in the scoreboard. Maybe I'm nuts and nobody is doing this anymore.
Where is everybody on this issue? Should I organize a write-in campaign to get the names of players like Luke Donald, Jeff Sluman, Steve Stricker, and Mark Wilson in boldface? Or am I just a whiny baby with too much time on my hands?
I don't get this. In the past 24 months I've had occasion to read the print versions of the Palm Beach Post, the Orlando Sentinel, and the Denver Post. Each of them puts local players in boldface font in the print editions. Is that too much to expect? Maybe it is. If I have any readers in other cities let me know if your local folks are highlighted somehow in the scoreboard. Maybe I'm nuts and nobody is doing this anymore.
Where is everybody on this issue? Should I organize a write-in campaign to get the names of players like Luke Donald, Jeff Sluman, Steve Stricker, and Mark Wilson in boldface? Or am I just a whiny baby with too much time on my hands?
More on Mark Wilson
Boy, this Mark Wilson story is just great. Our main man Ed Sherman has not been updating his blog that often but he has vindicated himself with the this piece on Thursday in the Chicago Tribune.
I may just start milling around in the Western 'burbs just on the off chance that I run into Mark Wilson running some errands so I can say "dude, you kick ass!" Not only is it a great story that this local journeyman finally won on tour, but he did so after assessing himself a two stroke penalty, thereby upholding the integrity of the game and the integrity of all Chicagolanders (even though he is a Packer fan).
If you haven't heard, on Friday of the tournament he heard his caddie tell another caddie what club he hit. You can't do that. It doesn't matter if it's you or your caddie, neither can give or receive advice in competition to/from another player/caddie, period! He told a rules official and was assessed a two stroke penalty. Then he still goes on to win.
Read Sherman's article and let's starting getting into Chicago golf. Also, relish the 50+ degree day we are going to have and get fired up because the season is right around the corner.
I may just start milling around in the Western 'burbs just on the off chance that I run into Mark Wilson running some errands so I can say "dude, you kick ass!" Not only is it a great story that this local journeyman finally won on tour, but he did so after assessing himself a two stroke penalty, thereby upholding the integrity of the game and the integrity of all Chicagolanders (even though he is a Packer fan).
If you haven't heard, on Friday of the tournament he heard his caddie tell another caddie what club he hit. You can't do that. It doesn't matter if it's you or your caddie, neither can give or receive advice in competition to/from another player/caddie, period! He told a rules official and was assessed a two stroke penalty. Then he still goes on to win.
Read Sherman's article and let's starting getting into Chicago golf. Also, relish the 50+ degree day we are going to have and get fired up because the season is right around the corner.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Honda Classic Trophy Keeps the Chicago Connection
Check this out. I’m banging through the Sun Times today at my favorite McDonald’s and Len Ziehm has a great article from the PGA Tour. Mark Wilson, who lives in Elmhurst and plays out of Cog Hill, won the Honda Classic and the accompanying $990,000 in a four man playoff. Keep in mind, Luke Donald, Evanston resident and Northwestern graduate, won this same tournament last year. We [Chicagolanders] rock the golf world and this is further proof that Chicago is the best golf town in the country.
I watched a lot of this tournament this weekend. There were very few big stars down the stretch but the drama was huge. If you’re a fair weather golf fan that watches only when Tiger and Phil play, then you've cheated yourself out of some great theatre.
Let me tell you something about Mark Wilson that you may not know unless you were watching on Saturday. He loves to run errands! Yeah, I’m serious. They showed a little taped interview with him about mid way through the Saturday telecast and he says basically that he loves to run errands. Actually, he couched it in these terms, “I love to check things off a list.” He goes on about how he likes it when his wife gives him a list of stuff to do and he figures out the quickest and most efficient way to get it done. Wow, these guys are good...husbands!
I can picture him running around the western suburbs grabbing a gallon of milk, picking up some duct tape from Home Depot, then hitting a bucket of balls at Cog. How cool is that? Congrats Mark.
I watched a lot of this tournament this weekend. There were very few big stars down the stretch but the drama was huge. If you’re a fair weather golf fan that watches only when Tiger and Phil play, then you've cheated yourself out of some great theatre.
Let me tell you something about Mark Wilson that you may not know unless you were watching on Saturday. He loves to run errands! Yeah, I’m serious. They showed a little taped interview with him about mid way through the Saturday telecast and he says basically that he loves to run errands. Actually, he couched it in these terms, “I love to check things off a list.” He goes on about how he likes it when his wife gives him a list of stuff to do and he figures out the quickest and most efficient way to get it done. Wow, these guys are good...husbands!
I can picture him running around the western suburbs grabbing a gallon of milk, picking up some duct tape from Home Depot, then hitting a bucket of balls at Cog. How cool is that? Congrats Mark.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
The Bulge Bracket
I've always thought this was a cool term ever since hearing it used a bunch in my college days. All of the finance majors wanted to work for a bulge bracket investment bank like Morgan Stanley or Goldman Sachs. It was a term used to identify the "largest and most profitable" investment banks in the world.
Well, I'm going to use this term to identify the golf courses in the Chicago area that basically have it all. The bulge bracket golf courses are the courses bulging with amenities and features that make the overall experience comparable to a high end resort course or country club. The kind of places where you can take a few clients and show them a first class experience that leaves them wanting for nothing, except more of your products or services.
These courses, for the most part, have:
Well, I'm going to use this term to identify the golf courses in the Chicago area that basically have it all. The bulge bracket golf courses are the courses bulging with amenities and features that make the overall experience comparable to a high end resort course or country club. The kind of places where you can take a few clients and show them a first class experience that leaves them wanting for nothing, except more of your products or services.
These courses, for the most part, have:
- Top name designers
- Beautiful bent grass on greens, tees, and fairways
- Grass driving ranges
- Full locker room facilities
- Decent eating and drinking options
- GPS on carts
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Winter Blahs Cured by Bolingbrook Golf Club
I sit here looking out over the vast landscape of cold and snow in Chicago, wondering how I'm going to make it to the spring. We have some great tournaments coming up on TV and we'll even get to see Tiger Woods in a few weeks at the Match Play, but that really doesn't make spring in Chicago feel any closer.
When these things get me down, I go to the internet and try to simulate that feeling of looking at golf courses, thinking about single-hole strategy, and appreciating the fine design of a great architect. I can do that at the site of Bolingbrook Golf Club.
It is a decent golf course and we'll have a review sometime in 2007. But for now, let's just sit back and appreciate the website. Spring feels very close when you go the course tour. They have a narrated fly-over for all 18 holes. As with the clubhouse, they did not skimp at all at the website. What muni has enough cash to hire a helicopter and write code to embed this in the website? Well, probably one that charges around $90 a round.
When these things get me down, I go to the internet and try to simulate that feeling of looking at golf courses, thinking about single-hole strategy, and appreciating the fine design of a great architect. I can do that at the site of Bolingbrook Golf Club.
It is a decent golf course and we'll have a review sometime in 2007. But for now, let's just sit back and appreciate the website. Spring feels very close when you go the course tour. They have a narrated fly-over for all 18 holes. As with the clubhouse, they did not skimp at all at the website. What muni has enough cash to hire a helicopter and write code to embed this in the website? Well, probably one that charges around $90 a round.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Ed Sherman Golf Blog
Alright folks, Mr. Sherman has promised in his golf blog, Bunker Mentality, to update it more frequently now that the Super Bowl is over. He says:
The 2007 season is right around the corner. Heck, March is like 18 days away or something so we need to begin our prep for some serious Chicago golf. How about beginning with the following three steps:
Now that the Bears are finished, we can devote our attention to a real sport: golf.I like it Ed, and I am going to hold you to it. In fact, I too am dusting off my own golf blog and will begin posting again. Not necessarily because the Bears are done, but because seeing Pebble Beach in HD really motivates me.
The 2007 season is right around the corner. Heck, March is like 18 days away or something so we need to begin our prep for some serious Chicago golf. How about beginning with the following three steps:
- Set up a link to this blog and Ed Sherman's blog to keep you informed.
- Get your clubs out of storage and make sure your equipment is ready for a round of golf at any point after March 15.
- Make a list of your 2007 golf goals (more on that later).
Monday, January 01, 2007
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Sterling Sharpe on Golf (Chicago Tribune)
Did you catch Sterling Sharpe's interview in the Trib this morning? It's in the Out Loud with Steve Rosenbloom section.
Sterling Sharpe was born in Chicago and raised in Georgia. I have always been a fan of his NFL work on ESPN and he still does stuff for the NFL Network and NBC. I became even a bigger fan about a year ago when I was listening to Joe Theisman talk about Sterling's golf game on Mike and Mike. Theisman says that Sterling is a golf junkie, practices constantly, and keeps detailed records of every round.
Fast forward to this morning. As soon as I saw the Sterling Sharpe item, I hoped that there would be a golf reference. He did not disappoint. Here it is, in Sterling's words via Steve Rosenbloom:
Sterling Sharpe was born in Chicago and raised in Georgia. I have always been a fan of his NFL work on ESPN and he still does stuff for the NFL Network and NBC. I became even a bigger fan about a year ago when I was listening to Joe Theisman talk about Sterling's golf game on Mike and Mike. Theisman says that Sterling is a golf junkie, practices constantly, and keeps detailed records of every round.
Fast forward to this morning. As soon as I saw the Sterling Sharpe item, I hoped that there would be a golf reference. He did not disappoint. Here it is, in Sterling's words via Steve Rosenbloom:
America is full of liars, and here's why I say that. America says, "You know, I want to get good at golf," but they'll stand on the driving range for half an hour and talk to their buddy while they hit balls, and they'll talk to their buddy on the putting green while they hit balls. I can't do that. I don't bring that to the table. I approach it like it's my job.Yeah baby, you my man! Just another great athlete consumed by the challenges of golf. He goes a little overboard with the whole "Americans are liars" thing, but I get his point.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Pic of the Month-Bay Harbor
Bay Harbor Golf Club (Links) #4Par 3
178-151-127-105-80
Bay Harbor, MI
Architect: Arthur Hills
How about taking a break from Door County, WI or Saugatuck, MI next summer and going about six hours up the eastern Shore of Lake Michigan to Petoskey, MI? You will not be disappointed. Petoskey is the epicenter of Michigan golf and can satisfy the most discerning golf junkie.
Check out this shot from the elevated tee of the par three number four at Bay Harbor Golf Club (Links). It's about 5 miles due west of downtown Petoskey. There are three nines at this venue and about seven holes right on the lake, and many more with lake views. If you go, try and play the Links and the Quarry.
You stand on the tee and have a beautiful view of the town of Bay Harbor and Little Traverse Bay. Club down one if there is no wind and just aim to the right of the green. There are only about two paces worth of grass left of the green so I didn't mess with the pin. Of course, I was on the upper tier to the right and three-jacked it for a bogey.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
