Georgia Golf

Okay, I golfed twice in the past two days both courses being within driving distant to Atlanta, GA so I should be able to compare the two for quality. The first was Cuscowilla Golf and Country Club, greens fees plus cart with shared caddie - $160; the second was Crystal Lake Golf and Country Club, greens fees plus cart - $65.

Crystal Lake is the clear winner for several reasons. First let me state that both courses are in great shape and really don't have much bad to say about either but for the money I see no reason to spend the extra $95 for the help of a caddie when the only help he gave was distance (which I already find with my Greenfinder in my phone) and helping to line up putts. And if you don't believe his line that doesn't help much either. That being said, he was a nice boy trying to do his best at his job. And since he was a "shared" caddie it didn't bother me having him around. Shot a 92.

Cuscowilla #3 #10 #15


But the clear winner is Crystal Lake. The greens were just as nice and I feel more consistent throughout the 18 holes. As for the course, both much more challenging and designed. No, it didn't have as much "vista" holes but there were some beautiful holes. Shot an 88 but had a horrible back nine, front nine in 42.

Crystal Lake #3 #16

Olde Sycamore & Mallard Head

Played two courses this past weekend, the first with my son Matt and the latter with CSGA - the Carolina arm of the ASGA.

Olde Sycamore is a very beautiful course with narrow fairways and sometimes slick greens. I remember on one hole one of our partners putting from the same spot three times. Wow! Granted he wasn't the greatest golfer but that's pretty cruel punishment for not making it close to the hole. Shot a 91 with three 3 putts. Would like to go back and have a shot at under 90 again.

Mallard Head is just your local run-of-the-mill course - wide fairways and forgiving greens. There are some beautiful holes but overall its not a course and fight to get to again. My favorite hole was the 10th and only because of the women's tee. The men shoot their tee shot over a pond while the women's tee is situated on a long peninsular right in the middle of the pond. I like the look.

Florida

I will be traveling to Miami this coming July 15-16th to meet up with my friend Bill. Then I am off to Argentina for two weeks.

Although I have already played the courses I've wanted to play in Florida when I arrive back from Argentina I will probably take a leisurely drive up the coast to Georgia and play a couple more times in the state.

The three courses of note that I played are Doral, PGA National Championship Course and Copperhead at Innisbrook. Of the three I would say I was most disappointed with Copperhead. I played it the most recent in late June and whereas the course itself was beautiful the greens were a mess and very, very slow. not at all what you'd expect from a course of its stature.

My best round of the three was shot at PGA National Championship playing from the blue tees. I shot an 88 and that was after a horrible start on the first three holes with a caddie. I'd never experiences a caddie before and thought I'd give it a try. Disaster!!! Maybe because I was the only one with a caddie. I'll never try using a caddie again unless everyone in the foursome has a caddie.

Doral was memorable if only because I started with a par and had a par on the famed Blue Monster closing hole. The rest of the round was, well, lets just say it wasn't championship golf.

Beginnings

Hello All, this is the beginning of what I hope to be a long journey to golf courses yet unknown. Yes, I know that sounds crazy but I really don't know where specifically I'll be golfing from week to week until it is planned. Okay, there are a few criteria I've tried to set and that does reveal some of the golf courses but far and away most are unknown.

All I do know is I will be attempting to travel each of the 49 states in my Jeep. If anyone can find a road my Jeep can travel leading to Hawaii, I'll go there also.

My goal is to golf the 2 or 3 "best" golf courses in each state that I am able to get a tee time. Obviously, unless someone is able to pull some gigantic strings, Augusta and many of the private courses which are truly among the "best" I will have to forgo. But aside from the many private courses, there are a great many beautiful and challenging semi-private and public courses where I will be teeing it up.

Following along and see how my travels go...............................