Fore: One of the best I've played

Every time we come down to Williamsburg to visit my aunt and uncle I make it a point to play golf with my uncle. So on Monday the two of us played the Goldenhorse Gold course and it did not disappoint. My uncle is a member at the Golden Horseshoe. 

I would agree with the sign below. 

The 16th hole is the photogenic hole of the two. 

While the 17th is a beast of a hole. One of the hardest I played. 

The Golden Horseshoe Gold Coures is one of the best I've played. In my top five. I broke a 100 so I'm happy. 

U.S. Open done the Fox Way

I've held off on passing judgement on Fox's first attempt at covering my favorite major: the U.S. Open. Until now.

Joe Buck is a pain and I've never liked him and during the open my disliked for him grew. During the four rounds, Buck drove me nuts but talking over shots the whole time. Listening to Buck for four days make me yern for the days of Dan Hicks. 

Greg Norman was ok, not great. Norman gave some good insight on Jason Day's issues but beyond that he was not great.

The one thing I did like was the time they gave golf course designers to talk about all for the issues regarding fescue grass and the way it dominates the course. 

For a first major championship, Fox did an ok job but there is a ton of improvement that has to be made next year at Oakmont, my favorite US Open venue.  

Playing a piece of history

On Sunday I had the honor of playing Atlantic City Country Club and it was well worth it. The classic design has hosted several USGA Championships and playing you can see why. 

Here are some sights from my round. 

It was such an amazing track despite the fact I shot 96. 

An Interesting list of golf do's and don'ts

This list of the The 36 Most Common Mistakes in Golf  sums up many issues with golf around the country. The one that I take most exception to is that people with over a 36 waist shouldn't wear a white belt. I'm a huge fan of the white belt.

Frozen Tundra Golf

So it's 31 degrees put and I decide to head out to the golf course. Let's just say it's hard to a tee into frozen ground. 

What's the ruling on playing your ball from ice. 

Hitting over an ice hazard. 

Fore: Metuchen Golf and Country Club

Last week, I had the honor of playing Metuchen Golf and Country Club in Edison and I really enjoyed it. The course had great greens and a really nice design. The holes where all playable which is something that is lacking in today's golf world of super sized golf courses.

If you get a chance, its worth playing 18 holes.  

Fore: Golden Horseshoe Green Course

I've played the Golden Horseshoe Green Course a couple of times and each time that I play it, I fall more and more in love with it. Monday was no different. 

It's a classic Reese Jones design built around the rolling hills of Williamsburg. The course plays for golfers at all levels. 

If you down in Williamsburg it's well worth playing. 

Fore: Rutgers University Golf Course

On Sunday myself and three friends went to Rutgers to play Rutgers University Golf Course and boy was it fun. 

From a design standpoint the course holds up. Fairways are wide but fair and some holes feature a variety of bunkers that could derail any round. The course is fairly playable. 

While I love the place, there is one major issue I have with it. If you haven't played it before it's hard to understand where hazards are off the tee. The tenth gave me fits, the card doesn't really the hazard at the bottom of the hill.  I know money is tight at the course but a better course map would benefit many who are playing the course for the first time. 

Despite the issues I had an amazing time and had seven pars and shot 91 despite having an eight and two sevens. 

One of the best I've played

                                               

On Saturday, I was able to play one of the best courses in America: Trump National in Bedminster, NJ. The club features such members as Bill Clinton and Donald Trump. The club hosted the 2009 Boys and Girls Junior Ams. A friend and I played the old course which was designed by Tom Fazio. The design is classic, Every hole offers something different. Its near the top of the list of courses that I have had the privilege to play. 

Trump National now is now added to the list of course of that I have been able to play that have hosted USGA events. That list includes : Trump National, Echo Lake, Blue Heron, Mountain Ridge, Golden Horseshoe, Pine Needles, and Baltusrol.

Cover Story: Tigers Balls

Yesterday was a dramatic day at Augusta National Golf Club. From Tigers penalty shots to the leaders struggling down the stretch. Just notice the different in class between New York Times and the New York Post. Stay Classy New York Post.

The peacefulness of a empty golf course

I played a quick nine holes after I finished working yesterday at Hamilton Trails Golf Club and snapped this photo. Show the peacefulness of a golf course in the late afternoon.

Now this is redneck golf

Nothing says redneck golf like an empty Keystone Light can on a downed tree. Saw this during a round of golf at Green Tree Golf Course in Atlantic County on Sunday.

Maybe Golf was not her deal

In honor of the US Women's Open final round today, lets remember the person that lost in a playoff to Se Ri Pak the last time the event was played at Blackwolf Run. In a sudden death playoff, Pak defeated then amateur Jenny Chuasiriporn. For Jenny, the playoff ended up being the highlight of her career, now she has a higher calling. Chuasiriporn, U.S. Women’s Open Playoff Loss Was a Turning Point.

A vacation in golf

Have been off from work for the last week and have take the time to play some golf. From Hamilton Farms in Gladstone to Green Tree in Mays Landing. The courses are all different from layout to money they spend. Here is a break down of the courses that I played during this week. 


Hamilton Farms Golf Club: Might be one of the nicest places that I have ever played The New York Times called it one of the most exclusive clubs in the world. Boy was it nice, almost too nice for someone like me.

McCullough's Emerald Links: A links style course built around concepts from classic courses from around the world

Green Tree Golf Course: Not exactly Hamilton Farms, buts its the course that I consider home 

Maybe David Duval has a future in TV

When I first started to get into golf, David Duval was my favorite golfer. After he won the British Open I was so happy for him, then the struggles started for the world number one golfer and you knew it was only a matter of time before he gave it up.


While I was at work last week, I put on ESPN3 so I could keep track of what was going on at the US Open at the Olympic Club and heard Duval working the telecast.Duval worked with ESPN’s Trey Wingo, host of the feature group coverage, with co-analyst Bill Kratzert and on-course reporter Mark Donaldson.

“TV is definitely something that’s interesting and intrigues me,” said Duval in a press release before the tournament started.. “I enjoy the game so much and I enjoy what’s going on in the game right now so much. The opportunity to do this presented itself and it worked out, so I thought this could be pretty fun.”

When I first heard it was him, I was a little surprised. During his time on the tour he was not the most quotable, but last week he seemed to be in his element. Duval gave some good insider type of points and was not sugar coating things at all, which was good to see. At one point, the crew was talking about Phil Mickelson's short game and someone said that he had the best short game on tour. Duval shot back saying that Tiger had the best short game because he was more consistent with those type of shots.

Its interesting to see Duval in the booth, but with a little work he could be a good one. He will never be Johnny Miller when it comes to be outspoken but he could be a really commentator Its just going to take some work.

Will Uihlein be a trend setter

After failing at PGA Tour Q School, former Oklahoma State star Peter Uihlein is heading to Europe to start his career. In addition to heading to Europe to start his career, Uihlein is heading to Europe for his agent. Uihlein, signs with Chubby Chandler. Chandler is a power broker in Europe, he manages three of the four of this years Grand Slam winners. So will more young Americans head to Europe if they don't make it here, its just a thought.

Happy Holidays Pro V1 Style

One of the few truly great Holiday commercials in sports

Giving Everything a Try

In college you are supposed to give everything a try and Oklahoma State QB Brandon Weeden is sure trying that. After being a standout on the grid iron this year, Weeden is trying something else. The Oklahoma St. quarterback is walking on to golf team, yes that would be the national ranked Cowboy's golf team. After announcing that hey was returning to QB the cowboys next season Weeden tweeted the following:

“I forgot to mention I'm also the newest member of the OSU golf team!!!! Proud to be part of something special! Football and Golf!!!!”, according to a fox sports story

Weeden is no stranger to trying different things, baseball was his first love. Weeden was drafted in the second round of the baseball draft in 2002 by the Yankees as their first selection in the draft. After the 2003 season, he was traded to the Dodgers as part of the Kevin Brown deal he was selected in the Rule 5 draft following the 2005 season by the Royals His baseball career ended due to an arm injury and then he turned to football.

In high school, Weeden led Edmond Santa Fe High School to an appearance in the state semifinals in the school's first-ever playoff appearance, where he was eventually named team MVP and offensive player of the year. He finished second in Oklahoma in passing yards with 2,863. He also contributed 29 touchdowns. After leaving baseball, enrolled at OSU to baseball.

At this rate, Weeden will be trying out as a point guard for the Cowboys basketball team in the next couple of weeks.

Professional Tailgating: There goes a piece of my tailgating soul

Sometimes it's time to move on, but moving on can hurt. After weeks of waiting it finally happened, the tailgating car, a 2002 vw golf, was traded in as part of a deal for a new car for the family.

The car was getting up there in miles and in memories. It has seen its fair share of sporting events, most of them documented on this site. It went to Rutgers for the famous Louisville game and saw a bunch of years of season tickets. Its been to countless baseball games, Eagles games, and seen friendlies involving Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United and two USMNT games.

Its helped me lug my golf clubs to a variety of courses around the state including Blue Heron Pines, Echo Lake, and the Architects Club. It also assisted with a trip to North Carolina to play a variety of different courses that had hosted USGA events.

I'm sure the new tailgating car, a honda accord, will produce the same type of memories but its always hard saying good bye to your first love and that is exactly what I had to do :(
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Sad News For South Jersey Golfers

I always held out hope that the story would be different, but today I found out different. The Blue Heron Pines East Course (course map above), which was a favorite of mine, is never going to come back. The Press of Atlantic City reported that the course will soon be sold to a developer so housing can be built. Its such sad news. The course has been closed for the last couple of years, but I continued to hold you hope that it might reopen, but that is not going to happen.

Its rare that you see a course that has hosted a USGA event only seven years ago close. The course, which was extremely difficult, hosted the 2003 USGA Public Links. The event included such PGA Tour players as Jeff Overton annd Brandt Snedeker. The event also included countless college stars of the time including Chez Reavie. Snedeker, Nashville, Tenn., triggered by 11 birdies in 27 holes, defeated Dayton Rose, 20, of Stillwater, Okla., 10 and 9, in the 36-hole match play final.

During the last couple of years the golf industry has taken its share of hits and selling of Blue Heron East is a hard hit to take. There are few courses in the area that tested people this much, from its greens to its fairways, it was challenge and now its a challenge that will be gone forever.