Bend's Out West Golf Trip 10 states

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I thought I would post up pictures from my from Cincinnati to Moab, Utah and back golf trip,



Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska are the states we are passing through.



My guess is close to 3500+ miles of driving.. I have plans to play 14-15 (more if I can sneak a few rounds early in the mornings) different golf courses along the way. The car is loaded and I am on the road. Stay tuned.







First stop, Gateway National Golf Links in Illinois.

rcb1586

That sounds like a blast.

This will be fun to follow for the next couple weeks.

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Ever wonder where the world's largest golf tee is located? Me neither, but it is located at Casey CC in Casey, Illinois. I avoided being routed "through the pro shop" for a close up picture. Nice way to get people to stop and buy merchandise in your pro shop. The course didn't appear to be anything worth stopping to play however.

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Gateway National Golf Links, great golf course, was super windy and about 90 degrees when we teed off today! $43 for 2 people, 18 holes with cart.

sir_templar2

Dammit, BEND, you're killing me! /taunt.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':taunt:' />

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2nd leg of the trip starts today. We drove a little over 450 miles in total yesterday. There is darn near NOTHING on Rte 44 in Missouri (but not as bad as driving through Kansas) we winged a hotel and it was tough to find one and even tougher to find a restaurant (No fast food this trip!) as well. We'll check out some Rte 66 Historical sights this morning as we head out.



Today I will make a stop at a place that I have not been back to in about 30 years.

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Today I stopped in for a visit to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. I went to Basic Training here way back in 1987, so I figured I would play the golf course on base as well since we were driving right past on I-44 anyway. I ended up really enjoying the layout of this course. Very fun round and I certainly enjoyed being on base better than as a private surviving basic combat training!

I found my barracks from basic training, still there but many have been replaced with newer buildings.

just plain bill

You will enjoy moab golf course! Pinon hills in farmington is also great. But you gotta play lake powell national in page, az...enjoy the trip...I just got back, texas to Bend, oregon, to california delta, to ventura, to lake powell...awesome...and you must visit monument valley!!!!!

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just plain bill wrote:

You will enjoy moab golf course! Pinon hills in farmington is also great. But you gotta play lake powell national in page, az...enjoy the trip...I just got back, texas to Bend, oregon, to california delta, to ventura, to lake powell...awesome...and you must visit monument valley!!!!!

No Arizona this time! Can't wait for Moab GC!

just plain bill

Lol...play farmington then, if you get the chance! And dont drive a million miles a day like I did....my eyes are STILL fried! But check the pics of lake powell for golf and fishing!

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We are going to play Pinon Hills GC on the way to Utah.

just plain bill

You will like it. A bunch. I do prefer moab. If you're hitting idaho, there's a real stunner in twin falls, in the snake river canyon, canyon springs. Enjoy!

defnotapro

What courses you plan on playing in Texas and when?

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defnotapro wrote:

What courses you plan on playing in Texas and when?

Texas is a toss up right now. We are passing through Amarillo once we leave Oklahoma City and I was thinking of 9 holes Sunday morning maybe. I have not really scouted anything around Amarillo, or elsewhere along I-40. I defintiely want to eat at the BigTexan in Amarillo as well.

007iron

Presumably when you leave Moab and head to Colorado you'll be passing through my neck of the woods (Glenwood Springs along I-70) - do you have plans for western Colorado/mountain golf or are you going to Denver/other part of the state?

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We are staying near Grand Junction two nights and I planned on playing Redlands Mesa and Devil's Thumb in Delta. If I can, I may sneak in 9 at Battlement Mesa too.



In Denver I will probably only play Fossil Trace unless I can get out really early one morning and sneak in 9 at Common Ground or Murphy Creek while my wife sleeps in.

just plain bill

Moab...the only relatively uninteresting holes are 1 & 10, as I recall from last summer...gonna see if I can post some pics here...

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Just jumped out of the car in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma, no tee time, playing LaFortune Park GC.

Sean2

Very nice Bend! Looks like the weather has been cooperating too.

OK_Golf

BEND OF THE RIVER GC wrote:

Just jumped out of the car in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma, no tee time, playing LaFortune Park GC.

Welcome to beautiful (hot and windy) Tulsa, OK ... or as I like to call it "God's Country" (Three Dog Night happened to agree, btw, check out the song "Never Been to Spain" for confirmation). I hope you enjoyed La Fortune. Pretty nice little muni, with interesting greens (that are never too fast). It's a good value in my opinion. If you are coming back through on your trip, be sure and play Forest Ridge Golf Club in Broken Arrow (best public course in the area); or if you need more of a "story" course you could try Cherokee Hills at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Catoosa (right on I-44). Originally a 9-hole Perry Maxwell design ... it's a bit tricked up, I think (crazy elevation change on a few holes and the first 6 are unnecessarily difficult in my opinion), but always in great condition.



Sounds like a fun trip. Keep the pics coming, we desk jockies want to keep day dreaming.

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We stopped and played LaFortune Municipal GC in Tulsa, Oklahoma and it was really nice, great shape, nice greens and an interesting design. We only played the front 9 as this was an unscheduled stop. Here are a few pictures.











Weather has been great so far. Headed to Oklahoma City for 2 days and it looks like my wife's friend has made us a tee time at GC of Edmond (for erly Fairfax CC) tomorrow morning. I am thinking about a quick 9 holes around Amarillo, Texas Sunday morning as well.

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For all you gun buffs out there, there is a really cool gun museum in Claremore, OK on Rte 66 called the JM Davis gun museum. Incredible collection of guns to gawk at.

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We saw that course next to the Hard Rock Casino. So many courses, so little time (and $$$)!

007iron

BEND OF THE RIVER GC wrote:

We are staying near Grand Junction two nights and I planned on playing Redlands Mesa and Devil's Thumb in Delta. If I can, I may sneak in 9 at Battlement Mesa too.



In Denver I will probably only play Fossil Trace unless I can get out really early one morning and sneak in 9 at Common Ground or Murphy Creek while my wife sleeps in.

I'd have you join me at Ironbridge in Glenwood if you have time on your way to Denver...

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I forgot to post these after we passed through Rte 66 in Uranus, Missouri.

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007iron wrote:

BEND OF THE RIVER GC wrote:

We are staying near Grand Junction two nights and I planned on playing Redlands Mesa and Devil's Thumb in Delta. If I can, I may sneak in 9 at Battlement Mesa too.



In Denver I will probably only play Fossil Trace unless I can get out really early one morning and sneak in 9 at Common Ground or Murphy Creek while my wife sleeps in.

I'd have you join me at Ironbridge in Glenwood if you have time on your way to Denver...

I'll get back to you on that!

JNewsted

EPIIIIIIC!

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Today's round near Oklahoma City in Edmond. GC of Edmond. Stay tuned for pics.



Really difficult golf course.





Formerly known as Fairfax Golf Club. Nice greens, kinda narrow in most places, making it a fairly tough golf course.

Demo1

I know from another thread that just plain bill steered you away from playing The Hideout in Monticello, UT. I'm not here to discredit his experience and assessment of that course, but I'd like to say that my experience was different. I played The Hideout last week and really enjoyed it. It was a scenic course in great condition. I didn't find it overly penal and unfair. Disclaimer: I'm 71 and played from the white tees, so someone playing from the longer tees might have the kind of experience that just plain bill had.

just plain bill

I played with one of the members. We were first out. Too many slanted fairways, tricky greens, just thought it was somewhat unfair...does look amazing from the clubhouse, lol... I think a drive landing in the middle of the fairway should stay in the fairway! It is a beautiful course, however! /smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' /> heck, the driving range looks better than most golf course holes!

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Demo1 wrote:

I know from another thread that just plain bill steered you away from playing The Hideout in Monticello, UT. I'm not here to discredit his experience and assessment of that course, but I'd like to say that my experience was different. I played The Hideout last week and really enjoyed it. It was a scenic course in great condition. I didn't find it overly penal and unfair. Disclaimer: I'm 71 and played from the white tees, so someone playing from the longer tees might have the kind of experience that just plain bill had.

I am still playing Hideout, but I am also playing Moab GC!!!!