MD/VA/DC Golfers - Ten Seconds or Less

[thechief16]

I was supposed to play with Puppet at PoSho this morning, but changed plans when he tweaked his back. Decided to go early at Brambleton in the hopes of playing more than 18.

 

Went off alone at 7:10 with no one in sight. Caught up to an older foursome on 5 and stuck behind them the rest of the way. No biggie. They were playing the golds and played quickly. I played some extra balls here and there, ended up playing my first 18 in 3:30 on the button. More than anything else, it gave me a chance to actually grind at my own pace. Something I needed to work on. Picking lines off the tee, thinking about my shots, looking for spots to land my chips and pitches and lining up all my putts.

 

Playing the fade:

 

1: No warm up, heely, Word not allowed little fade into the right rough about 240. Iron on 2 putt par

6: Straight bullet 270. Flip wedge, sank the 12 footer for bird

9: Pull into the left rough at the foot of a mound. 4 iron, wedge, 3 putt bogey.

10: perfect fade 265ish to the right side of the fairway. Wedge on, 2 putt par

14: Power fade, just in the right rough. Wedge on, par

15: Pull/straight ball into the left rough, 250. 8 iron on, 2 putt par

18: Straight push right, stuck behind tree. Advanced 100 yards, wedge on, 2 putt par.

10: (again) straight power fade into right rough. Wedge on 2 putt par

14: pull left into trees, punch on 2 putt par

15: pull just into left rough, bad lie, miss green, 2 putt bogey

18: push fade into right rough behind tree again, punch out, 7 iron on, 2 putt par.

 

All in all, it worked for me. Mostly because my misses were playable. Most of this season, my misses with the driver have left me virtually no shot at the green. +1 off 11 drivers is pretty damn good.

 

The bogeys:

 

3: Blew a 7 iron over the green on a par 3 and couldnt get up and down

4: Tough lie in the rough (3 wood off tee) and missed right. Couldnt get up and down.

5: Terrible hook 7 iron on 2nd shot, ibid

8: Sweeping hook carried over green (par 3)

9: Bad 3 putt. Got too aggressive with first putt

16: Hit 3 wood too straight (dogleg right) and drew tough lie in rough. no upsies/downsies. Lipped out

11: (2nd time) Push 3iron off tee behind a tree and had to play to edge of green. Long 3 putt.

12: Hit tee shot (par three) just carried water, terrible lie, took 2 to get on, 1 putt

15: Drew tough lie in rough and missed green right

16: topped tee shot

17: mishit hook 5 iron off tee. No U/D

 

Doubles

 

13 and 13. This hole just doesnt fit me. Especially when I am working on cutting the ball. 520y par 5. Trees all the way up the left. Trees pinch in from the right at 315, so if you are too far right on your tee shot, you are f*****. I usually like to play a draw 3 wood to give myself a little room to work with re: the trees that pinch in. Trying to hit a cut driver is tough with the trees left and being dead if you are too far right. First time, I was indecisive and didnt commit to my shot and pushed a 3 wood right, into the trees/hazard. Second time, still indecisive, tried to hit a cut D and and hit a low liner (top) that didnt make the fairway. Drew a bad lie and couldnt get the ball past the pinch, so was sitting 3 more than 200 out. Lazy hook left of the green. No U/D.

 

All in all, my best round since Feb. Played really thoughtful and conservative. Just tried to hit GIR and 2 putt.

[misplacedtexan83]

A foursome wouldn't let a single pass?

 

No biggie my @$$... what's wrong with people.

 

 

[thechief16]

Yeah. I tried not to let it bother me. I had nowhere to be. And it was a great day to walk today.

 

And follow the board on the back. Eagle's posting kept me focused.

[misplacedtexan83]

Yeah. I tried not to let it bother me. I had nowhere to be. And it was a great day to walk today.

 

And follow the board on the back. Eagle's posting kept me focused.

 

Such a gentle giant you are!

[gregh729]

And puppet is right. Ocelot.

 

Good call on Ocelot. Great beer!

[TheCityGame]

Got in a very shaky 9 yesterday.

 

Gave it a run this morning, but it was raining buckets by the 9th (actually 18th) hole. Soaked through my rain jacket. Was hitting fws and greens. Could NOT make a putt. 6 great looks inside 15 feet. Nada.

 

 

[bayrat88]

PSA to anyone who has forged irons and hasn't had the loft and lies checked recently, have them checked! Brought mine to Laurel Golf Center for a sanity check. Holy crap were they off! Lies were all off 1-1.5 degrees and the lofts were as follow:

 

5: 27* was 28*

6: 30* was 31

7: 34* was 36

8: 38 was 39.5

9: 42 was 44

Pw: 46 was 48.5

54: 53 was 54.5

[bayrat88]

The amalgamation of me and clammer is nearly complete now. We're going to have the same grips.

 

He can actually still score a golf ball, though. I've got to work on that.

 

What completes the amalgamation? I already have a second kid on the way, if it's a boy that helps get closer.

[Golfer827]

The amalgamation of me and clammer is nearly complete now. We're going to have the same grips.

 

He can actually still score a golf ball, though. I've got to work on that.

 

What completes the amalgamation? I already have a second kid on the way, if it's a boy that helps get closer.

 

You need pooched over wrists, a desire to change iron sets 3 times, a want to keep a conversation about your play going, and be jealous about other trips when you've played other courses that are just as good if not better.

[MonteScheinblum]

For those interested, I have a golf school in Baltimore October 7-8 at compass pointe.

 

Email me if you would like to attend.

 

[email protected]

[baddomes]

Golfer827 is my favorite internet person

[dcmidnight]

Some random shots from EH/Whistling Straits, will spend some time editing them later.

 

Erin Hills

 

https://photos.app.g...YzmXzn0kW2yN093

 

Whistling Straits - Straits Course

 

https://photos.app.g...xyEkf8zjW7R2uz2

 

WS - Irish

 

https://photos.app.g...GBUmSTS8SvoxXe2

 

BR - MV/River

 

https://photos.app.g...msgDNwJfahJ9XW2

[pquarta1]

Some random shots from EH/Whistling Straits, will spend some time editing them later.

 

Erin Hills

 

https://photos.app.g...YzmXzn0kW2yN093

 

Whistling Straits - Straits Course

 

https://photos.app.g...xyEkf8zjW7R2uz2

 

WS - Irish

 

https://photos.app.g...GBUmSTS8SvoxXe2

 

BR - MV/River

 

https://photos.app.g...msgDNwJfahJ9XW2

 

Can't wait for the recap.

[SullGolf]

Awesome. I'm a sucker for the water, so the Straits course looks like the one of those 4 that tops my list. Though the chicken and waffles at Blackwolf Run does have its own appeal.

[dcmidnight]

Moar writeup:

 

Courses:

 

Blackwolf Run (River / Meadow Valleys)

Whistling Straits (Irish / Straits)

Erin Hills

 

Flew Southwest into Milwaukee - quick, cheap and easy. Hardshell golf cases checked for free, never one single issue. Had lunch at a brewery in Milwaukee Friday afternoon (Lakefront) that had excellent food/beers but was ironically not actually on the lake but a little canal/river. Perfect weather to be eating outside on the water. They had a patio/dock setup on the water where people were pulling up kayaks and paddleboards to eat. Really good spot. Cheese fries, fried cheese curds and liverwurst sandwich = A+. Weight = rising. Absolutely recommend for anyone thats in the area.

 

Got into Kohler Friday afternoon and decided at the last minute to try and play the River Course. We were scheduled to play it Sunday morning but at the time the forecast was for storms Sunday morning. No problem at all, tee sheet was empty when we went over so they sent us out. The range at Blackwolf Run was...pretty average I thought. Its a smaller, two sided range and both times we were there they werent allowing shots over 250 yards. Kind of disappointing for a place with two big courses.

 

But the River Course itself was solid. Lots of fantastic carries off the tee with a couple of *really* narrow chutes. Loved the look of it. One of the par 3s I posted a pic of was 205 yards, river down the right with the green just perched seemingly in the middle of the river. Just a stunning hole. I could see how this course could be tightened up and play as an amazing tournament track.

 

My only complaint would be that BR kept the greens running way too fast (on both courses) considering the undulation on the greens and how small some of them were. When we played there (Fri/Sat) the shop guy said they were as fast as he could remember them being but that since it was scheduled to rain Sunday, they were letting them firm up. Which would be fine on flatter greens. But with the undulations and smaller size of the greens, they got to be a little bit absurd. Didn't ruin the enjoyment though.

 

Post round drinks up on the patio which was an A+. You can watch people finishing on the 18th of the River Course - which is a long par 4 with a huge bunker all down the left side - and watch people finish 18 on the Meadow Valleys course, which includes a tough 2nd over water. Really, really great spot. Had food/beers here 3 nights.

 

BR River course - 9/10.

 

Played the Meadow Valleys course Saturday. Definitely felt completely different than the River Course and really did feel like you were in the middle of farm country. Couple of beautiful old barns out there with some great sightlines. Some excellent holes and a couple of really great Par 5s. I think its still ranked in the Top 100 in the US which isnt suprising, its a great track. If that course was in the DC area it would probably be a Top 5 course. There were a couple of ticky tack holes that weren't that great but still a really fantastic course overall. I'd say it was my "least favorite" of the 5 courses we played last week but thats a pretty high bar

 

BR Meadow Valleys course - 8.5/10

 

Sunday was an off day, got some rain in the morning but we were able to walk around a bit after that. Drove down into Sheboygan but again, not a lot going on so they were pretty quick trips. After walking around the docks and seeing the wind/waves rolling in, I can only imagine how cold that is in the winter.

 

Had a Monday afternoon tee time on the Irish course. The two WS courses are @ a ten minute drive from Kohler, couldnt be easier to get to. One thing Wisconsin seems to be good at is building dead straight roads, so you take one road for a few miles, take a right and then you literally run into WS.

 

Met up with our caddie (Austin) who was great for both rounds. Former Navy guy that had moved up there when his wife took a job. Super caddie. I had been driving the ball great for the first two days so he kept pointing out "alternate" lines on a lot of the holes including a couple of the par 5s that I was able to reach in two by taking the agressive line. It was so much easier playing a course like this with a caddie. You could do it with just a yardage book but IMO it would be really tough.

 

What a beautiful course though. I dont know why the people that I talked to who didn't like the course didn't like it but I absolutely loved it. 2nd favorite WS course.

 

WS Irish Course - 9.8/10

 

Tuesday afternoon was the Straits course. I had been looking forward to playing this course for years and it managed to exceed expectations. Weather was just dead on perfect, high 60s with a 3-5 mph breeze most of the day but zero gusts, zero rain. I had been playing well for 3 days so bit off a bit more and played back on the blue tees. Unfortunately my driving felt just a bit off all day but thankfully everything was findable and playable. Posted an 82 but it ended up being @ a 6 differential. Felt like I played way better than I scored.

 

Playing the 18th was one of the highlights of the trip. The 18th is a split fairway/option hole with the right side being the safer/layup side that leaves you @ 200 in. If you want to try and carry the bunkers on the left, you'll have a much shorter shot but it is a long carry all over bunkers. Given the way I'd been driving it, I was definitely going for it. It was @ 260 to carry the last bunker and I hit it absolutely perfect, faded back slightly but it carried the bunkers, landed on the downslope and ran into the first cut with @ 130 left. With everyone watching from up on the patio, I hit a soft PW to 8 feet. Thankfully I have a good video clip of that. Even my caddie was really pumped after that, what an awesome way to finish.

 

Every hole at the Straits Course has something going on. Either a safe/agressive option off the tee or an option on the approach to hit some different shots - or both. A lot of visual intimidation too from the blue tees, you just have to trust your caddie/book to hit the shot as far as he tells you. To say nothing of the absolutely stunning views of the lake on just about every hole. Pics probably tell the story better than I am, I really cant say enough good things about the course. Its the best course I've ever played, period.

 

WS Straits Course - 10+/10

 

Checked out Wed AM to head to Erin Hills. Upon further review, I honestly dont get all the hype over the American Club in Kohler. Supposed to be this 5 star, amazing property and I thought it was...just OK. Very big place so the restaurants were always crowded with big groups or on two nights, wedding groups. And if you've ever stayed in an older B+B you know how you can always hear people walking around above you or the floors creaking? It was like that, only exponentially more expensive. Talked to a guy at WS that was mentioning how many good Airbnb options there are now up there, definitely would make for a great option on a future guys trip.

 

Erin Hills

 

Got in Wednesday noon, scheduled to play that afternoon and Thursday morning. From the first minute you drive in, the entire property itself is just stunning and you really are/feel like you are in the middle of nowhere. On the outskirts of the property - the range and the entrances specifically - there seems to be a lot of cleanup/construction still going on from the Open. But you dont hear any of it once you are out on the course. In fact, you dont really hear much of anything once you are out on the course since it is walking only. I love that.

 

From the getgo though you realize that the hills there are really no joke. All of the tv talk or reviews, nothing can really prepare you for the hikes up/down almost every hole. We only saw one group that attempted to carry their own and two of them got a caddie at the turn. It just seems like one of those things you dont do, walking is hard enough. I'm sure you *could* but with the caddies are available I'm not sure why you would want to.

 

I played pretty good golf both days. Posted a 77 on Day 1 (14 holes) and a 79 on Day 2 - both were @ a 3 or 4 differential. Continued to drive it well and at EH I didnt miss many fairways. As long as you followed your caddies line, you had plenty of room to work with. The 2nd day it was blowing 15-20 mph pretty consistantly but I think I hit 12 fairways. I did miss the 1st on both days, same exact thing, drove the ball down the left center and it bounded into the hazard. Dropped, hit the ball onto the fringe (220 or so to the hole both days) and two putted for par.

 

18 on Thursday was dead into the wind, 613 yards on the GPS, 629 to the back. I hit driver, 3W, 4i - all flushed - short of the green. If I had to have one nit, this is just a stupid finishing distance hole from the green tees (6750) even when the wind wasnt blowing. Flipside of not enjoying that hole was getting a great eagle on 14 - downwind par 5 that was @ 510. Crushed a drive that left a 4 iron in. The green on your 2nd shot plays uphill and is half blocked on the left side by a big mound short of the green. Caddie says, play a 200 yard shot right over that mound. Hit it perfect, ball lands right where he wanted it on the green and falls right over a ridge to 6 feet. Back of the cup for an eagle.

 

Without question, these were the best greens of the trip. Rolled absolutely pure and seemed to be at a speed that matched the contours. Caddie (Frank) was awesome, highly recommended.

 

We had a room on the ground floor of the lodge that had a door right out onto the patio/fire pits. Really cool. Lodge only had 11 or 12 rooms so it is really small but they also have 4 or 5 cottages on the property (I think they are all 4 beds) that look like they would be a great option for a group trip. Its too bad the season is so short up there, man what a track. WS/EH are definitely my 1/1a courses. Its hard to say one is "better". But having played played a few other Top 10 courses over the years, its easy to say that these two are better than all of them. Without question.

 

Course rating - 10+/10.

 

Overall

 

I honestly couldn't pick a favorite between the Straits Course and Erin Hills, I think they are both that good. Trying hard to think but IMO there's not a real throw away hole between those two courses. By contrast, from a pure golf/shot making/design standpoint, I think there are @ 9 or 10 throw away holes at a place like Pebble Beach. I think they are currently rated @ #4 and #8 and that is really underrating them IMO. These two could easily be the top 2 rated courses in the country - and I dont think thats just recency bias.

 

Couldnt have asked for a better trip. I wish we had been able to sneak Sand Valley in while we were at it but it was just too long a drive. After talking to a guy that had driven up there, he said the greens really needed another season to grow in better, so I think we made the right call.

[thechief16]

Sweet recap, DC. 18 days and counting. Sounds like I picked the right course to NOT schedule (Meadow Valleys), though I may try to hit it up on a replay Saturday (playing River in the morning).

 

Food recommendations in and around Kohler? PQ, you're welcome to chime in.

[dcmidnight]

Food recommendations in and around Kohler? PQ, you're welcome to chime in.

 

Not a lot "in Kohler" itself. Horse and Plow at the American Club has a small but good menu. Lots of good beers on tap, the Jigger Ale Nitro from St Andrews was an A+, only properties in America that serve it (same guy also owns the Old Course Hotel). Small place but the food was pretty good. Restaurant/patio at Blackwolf Run (or WS) is probably your best option.

 

Couple other options if you go into Sheboygan. Black Pig had some great food with a double sided whiskey/bourbon menu.

[FAbb]

Superb pics and recap, DC. Thanks for sharing. Looks like all PQ's Wisconsin hype is for good reason. Some serious A+ looking spots, and there are still more that you didn't get to.

[TheCityGame]

Great recap DC. Glad to see you hit some money golf shots.

 

Definitely want to get out there at some point. Talked about it with pq. It's gonna happen. Just don't know when.

[TheCityGame]

Funny line from weekend golf...sort of a "you had to be there" but anyway...

 

3 of us are standing on 17th tee. Started on 10. It's pouring. We're soaked through. Wet feet. Green is soaked.

 

I'm talking to the guys, "you know, I don't need to be out in this."

 

"yeah, this is heavier than we thought."

 

Etc etc etc.

 

4th guy comes walking up. He's looking at his phone. We go, "hey, J- what do you think?"

 

He looks up and goes, "uhhh.... it's about 180."

[misplacedtexan83]

In the zone!

[FAbb]

Funny line from weekend golf...sort of a "you had to be there" but anyway...

 

3 of us are standing on 17th tee. Started on 10. It's pouring. We're soaked through. Wet feet. Green is soaked.

 

I'm talking to the guys, "you know, I don't need to be out in this."

 

"yeah, this is heavier than we thought."

 

Etc etc etc.

 

4th guy comes walking up. He's looking at his phone. We go, "hey, J- what do you think?"

 

He looks up and goes, "uhhh.... it's about 180."

 

 

Dedication.

 

[Gmen1204]

So was it 180 ?

[TheCityGame]

So was it 180 ?

probably 190. I hit 4 iron to about 20 feet. The green was almost underwater.

 

I smashed my putt and it rolled about 12 feet with a rooster Tail.

 

Smashed the next one and it went in. We were playing greenies too, so it mattered.

 

One of the guys I was playing with isn't a big hitter. He hit driver to 25 feet. It was a good shot.

[oldbergkamp]

Just got back from a 20-hour round trip to Kentucky. BILs copped out on a Saturday round, too, so haven't played for over a week, which is probably been good for my shoulder, hand and back. All have been pretty screwed up for a few weeks now. Needed to get some swings in for the gregh-hosted work tourney at the end of the week.

 

Hit Cannon Ridge for a dew sweeper round. Nice, cool morning with pretty perfect playing conditions. Fairways were solid. Tee boxes, from okay to good. Greens...eh. Apparently about a month ago, they had a fuse break over a weekend so their nightly sprinklers were not coming on. No sprinklers on hot summer days = lost greens. I counted four or so that were pretty rough. Others had damage but looked like they were recovering. Luckily, pin placements were in good spots so it wasn't gawd awful.

 

Everything was flowing pretty well today. I've had a lot of problems getting off the tee over the past month or so, so my expectations were low. My EPIC driving distance^tm was in the tank and I almost pulled out the F7. Instead, I just took it easy and swung. Yardage was way down (nothing over 230) but every tee shot was straight. Missed three fairways by less than a foot combined. Hit short approaches, too, which cost me dearly on the front. Missed three putts by about thee inches combined. Seven over out. Feeling pretty good about myself.

 

On the back, I started hitting greens (even though I dropped one short on 10) and really got into a rhythm. Birds on 13 and 15 got me to -2 on the back until I hit 17. Missed the green and didn't throw the chip far enough to get close to the hole. On 18, I did the same except I threw the chip too far; however, I finished at even par on the back. Unlike other rounds where I've played well, I didn't know how well it was going. Mostly, I just kept talking to myself (think Tex talking to DaGoose), trying to keep my swing going. Slowed myself down a couple of times on purpose, too. Not sure why but CR just seems to suit me. I tend to play pretty well there. Unfortunately it's not closer to my house or I'd go there more often. Hoping to get out tomorrow somewhere since I have to take the car in to get checked.

 

Hope everyone's enjoying the primo weather. I'm thinking about heading over to Old Bust Head to throw back a couple of brews.

[thechief16]

Backed up Friday's 79 with an 80 today, which included 5 3 putts, including the last 2. I don't think I have had 5 3 putts in my last 10 rounds combined.

 

No penalty strokes with the driver. Iron game on point. 10 fairways, 12 greens.

 

Putting doesn't concern me. Greens were super inconsistent speed wise, and I was rushing the whole day.

 

Interesting fact: No warmup whatsoever, for either round. Not a single shot or putt.

 

 

[baddomes]

Really great recap DC

[ALTSean]

Got out for a quick 9 this evening and was even through 6 with two birdies then started to think about what a great 9 hole score I was going to shoot and then proceeded to finish bogey, with a 3 putt, triple bogey and double bogey with an OB for a +6, 41. Really snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. FML.

[thechief16]

Yeah. Technically, no misses left. Really, there was one, but the fairway runs almost perpendicular to the tee box, so I technically hit it. Only had 255 in a par 4.

 

The "all cut" thing is working, especially once I get a better grip on not really running it out right. MIsses are long pulls to the left rough. Giving up a good 15 yards off the tee, but being twice as playable makes it up for it.

[Johnny T]

Great recap DC! Bravo!