off topic...golf

N

nj george

#1
#1
going away to myrtle beace in 3 weeks. need suggestions on where to play. i wan to get a few rounds in. i am a very high handicap(40-50) but i try. i don't mind sand, water, targets. but, i hate undulating fairways! if i am lucky to get my shot to land in the fairway i want to be rewarded with a flat lie. i have my eye in myrtle beach nat'l north, true blue, caldonia, pine lakes, possum trot. maybe the witch.

any ideas?
 
O

Ozzy

#2
#2
caldonia.

your going to be in the prime golf area so most of those are can't miss. if your driving then head up north into NC and in the pinehurst area (of course theres PH #2) but theres a course called foxfire CC. very nice and what your looking for.
 
H

Hotpuppy

Mr.Butterworth
#3
#3
Caledonia Golf and Fish Club

I played there with a handicap pushing 40 and was able to shoot 110 at the time. Very pretty course and a fair test of golf, except for Bermuda rough( which ho high handicapper likes to see). Hit 'em straight.
take care HP( off to the links this fine morn)
 
L

Luciano

#4
#4
Speaking of Golf....

Is there a good club (public) that is beautiful and not super crowded within an hour of Manhattan? Price is unimportant, as it is less than the flight to DC I usually make for golf. Links (oceanside) would be nice; I know there must be one, but I haven't been able to find it.
 
O

Ozzy

#5
#5
forget about any NY city course. to get a normal start time you need a month in advance res.

[Edited by Ozzy on 07-14-2001 at 11:01 AM]
 
N

nj george

#6
#6
thanks guys

yes, caldonia is the one that i've heard really nice things about. it's off season so hopefully i can get a tee time.

bahuba: you can try Black Bear in hamburg nj on rt 23 north. very nice course, about $65.00 to ride. played there 3 yr ago. only the 2nd time out for me. it was a disaster! but i'll be back. i'm a little better now than i was then. there are a number of sister courses in that area that are supposed to be really nice. Crystal Springs(my long time golfing friend calls it the hardest course he ever played on, but i don't think he ever played bethpage), Wild Turkey(brand new this year), Ballyowen, i checked this place out it is a replica of a true scottish links course. no trees, killer rough, people say it's really nice. also there is Skyview in sparta. about 2 yr old, very hilly, some really nice scenic vistas as part of it is on the side of a mountain. High Mountain in franklin lakes is nice also...wide open fairways...just what i like!! all these courses require about 7-10 days advance tee times for weekends. maybe 5-7 for weekdays. you can check with them.
a little less upscale but still a nice course is the Meadows in lincoln park. water is everywhere! must be accurate. you can walk on with no problem on weekdays, weekends require a tee time...7 days advance.
 
L

Luciano

#7
#7
Thanks, these are great! A week in advance!!!!

That is crazy! I read in golf magazine that we have 1500 golfers per course whereas in Europe they have 500 golfers per course, so tee times are easier to get. In NC and DC though you can usually reserve on the same day. I got this new ERC II driver that I have only played one game with so far. It is a little better than the big Bertha but more tempermental. When you hit it just right, it makes this "ping" unlike any other club. I hope I can play more often, but that means finding a good course in NJ. I will try these suggestions, again thanks.
 
S

SkellyChamp

#8
#8
NJ George

Caledonia is a beautiful course and if you don't play well you'll at least enjoy the view. The approach at 18 can be intimidating though - you have to fly water to the green which is surrounded by the veranda of the clubhouse so everyone is watching you.

Stay away from the Witch - many shots require precise shots to landing areas and the course can kill you

Possum Trot - Is a basic course where you will be rewarded with flat lies in the fairways. The real value of PT though lies in the fact that most of the strippers from the various clubs live in the condos lining some of the fairways (I beleive 9-12) so if you time your round to make the turn around 11-12 you may be rewarded with better vistas than anywhere else.

Oh yeah - MB in July /August Play early and drink plenty of fluids.

The courses in NJ are very nice - Every Columbus day we go out and play 36 usually rotating between Black Bear, Ballyowen and Crystal Springs (you need to be able to carry off the tee to be successful at CS).
 
G

ginny1

#9
#9
im from mb,sc

i just got back up north in april so i was posting to let u know if need help with anything i'd be glad to help. are you staying in nmb or mb for the south- dunes is nice if ur going to the north in there r a few nice ones 0n hwy 90 and in nc sea tails is very nice
 
L

littleguy

Gold
#10
#10
nj george,

Caledonia is a nice course, a little expensive IMO, but nice. Forget what is costs this time of the year, but certainly more reasonable, say about $45 w/cart I'd guess. It is not very long, is not wide open but is also not real tight either. You'll probably enjoy it. There are a few carries over water though. 18 is not real tough. Any half-way decent tee ball ( not even a driver) gives you a short iron over water to a reasonably siezed green. 16 is a motherfucker. Long par 4 with the 2nd shot a long carry over the water. Some less expensive courses that fit your bill (but not as nice) are Robber's Roost and Parkland's at the Legends.

Don't worry about tee times at all. I've played down there in the Summer prior to playing in the DuPont World Amateur near Labor Day. When I called to ask if I could get tee times at my assigned tournament courses, they just laughed and said just c'mon by.

Bahuba,

That driver's illegal. Forget Crystal Springs. If the rough is up it's impossible. If the rough is not up it's still rather difficult. The Par 3 10th is about a 100 foot vertical drop from tee to green over water. Rather picturesque and can play from a pitching wedge to a 3 or 4 iron.

Bethpage Black (from the regular (white) tees) is far more playable than Crystal Springs from the tips. Of course that may be because I've played the Black course probably 200 time over the last 30 years.
 
L

littleguy

Gold
#12
#12
HP,

Yeah, blow the starter. Just kidding.

Actually I haven't played the Black in at least a year and I'd love to play it before they close it.

I'll ask some of the guys in my club. Actually, a couple of them play with the "Player's Club" (men's club at Bethpage). Maybe they know if there's anything special to do other than simply calling up the reservation system.

Maybe I'll play around with you. Errrrr, that's play a round with you, of course. (grin)

[Edited by littleguy on 07-14-2001 at 07:15 PM]
 
C

Carl M

Hanging by a thread
#14
#14
Here is a good Tip....

In more ways than one. When going to any State Park Golf Course. Go there the day before and tip the cashier/starter $10-20(These guys make like $6-8/hr and tell him you want to play the next day. My friend used to work at Sunken Meadow, they do it all the time!

[Edited by Carl M on 07-14-2001 at 07:25 PM]
 
O

Ozzy

#15
#15
i thought the black was closed for a couple of years to the public because they were preparing it for next years us open.

[Edited by Ozzy on 07-14-2001 at 07:28 PM]
 
S

SkellyChamp

#17
#17
LG

NJG said he was a 40-50 handicapper and at that level the approach at 18 at Caledonia with people watching can be quite intimidating.

The ERC II has not been approved by the USGA but I believe it has been approved by the Royal & Ancient.

Oz - Black was closed while they built new tee boxes etc. but it is open now and will be till about a month or two before the Open. It is my understanding that all 5 courses will be closed for about 1 month before the Open while they set up staging areas, corporate tents, concessions etc. I know places like Crystal Springs and other facilities are already getting tee time requests for May and June 2002.
 
L

littleguy

Gold
#18
#18
SC,

I DID notice that, but ANY carry over water is intimidating for that high a handicap. I was just speaking in relative terms. And yes, it IS more intimidating if anybody's watching.

ERC II - correct. But I live here in the U.S., not somewhere else.

Ozzy - SC's correct. I don't have all the details but I might be surprised if the Black were open to anybody in calendar year 2002 except maybe for practice rounds by the Pros and maybe a few tournaments. Meanwhile, this year and even last year the Black has opened later and closed earlier in the year to give it more "rest" than usual, but it HAS been open.
 
L

Luciano

#19
#19
Now I can't go pro!!

ERC II is approved by the R & A, but is not approved here. Don't worry, I won't play any tournaments with it considering my H is 34. I just have it for fun, and no course in DC or Virginia has had an issue with it yet. I still keep the hawkeye in the bag, just in case.

Bethpage black and Crystal Springs sound way too intimidating if they are busy, nothing like queuing up on a Par 3 and having everybody watch your balls drink; I am thinking I will rent a car and go out to one of the farther NJ ones described above.

thanks for the suggestions!
 
Slinky Bender

Slinky Bender

The All Powerful Moderator
#20
#20
"I still keep the hawkeye in the bag, just in case"

You're not one of those guys who carries 25 clubs in their bag, are you ?? ( Four putters, three drivers, 7 "specialty" clubs that you find on TV at 4AM.....).


If it was really hot out in the middle of the summer, I used to break out a the canvas bad and just play with a Driver, 3, 5, 7, 9 and putter.

[Edited by slinkybender on 07-15-2001 at 11:36 AM]
 
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