Arg's Travel Log

[Argonne69]

The Bandit GC, New Braunfels, TX 

 

 

 

 

The 2nd into the par 5 9th 

 

 

 

 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/3k25ada55igq6wz/AACnyU6tY0aPoZu2ltN0m-8oa?dl=0

 

[Argonne69]

Well, finally some good news. After a dozen phone calls I was able to find a doctor with an opening this Thursday afternoon. Hopefully I'll get a (relatively) clean bill of health, and be on the road to Laredo on Saturday. Fingers crossed. 

 

[Double Mocha Man]

23 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

"Clean bill of health, on the road to Laredo"

 

Sounds like an old school country-western song title...

[CCTxGolf]

Here’s some good road music for your Laredo run!!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ixW2wyFU-A

Edited December 13, 2022 by CCTxGolf

[Argonne69]

20 minutes ago, CCTxGolf said:

Here’s some good road music for your Laredo run!!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ixW2wyFU-A

 

I always like to put this one on when starting a roadtrip. 

 

 

[mikedit]

Arg,

 

I have been reading this from the beginning, hope you get the health issues sorted out and all is well.  Question I have, I don't know if you have answered it before, but do you always play from the tips?? I sometimes look at your comments about easily reachable par 5 or had to use a long iron on a par 3 and wonder what tee boxes you are playing. Is this something you could add to the review?? Or if it is always the tips, that would be great too.  Safe travels!!!

[Argonne69]

11 hours ago, mikedit said:

Arg,

 

I have been reading this from the beginning, hope you get the health issues sorted out and all is well.  Question I have, I don't know if you have answered it before, but do you always play from the tips?? I sometimes look at your comments about easily reachable par 5 or had to use a long iron on a par 3 and wonder what tee boxes you are playing. Is this something you could add to the review?? Or if it is always the tips, that would be great too.  Safe travels!!!

 

Tips? Heck no! I take the photos from the tips for the long hitting WRXers, but I play from 6200 to 6500 yds. Typically blue, white, or a blue/white combo. The game is hard enough, especially when one is teeing it up on a new course. On a firm course I probably average 240, but in soft conditions it's 225. 

 

A long par 3 for me is 185 (5h) to 230 yds (mini driver). A typical par 5 is 500 to 530 yds. A reachable 5 is usually 470 to 490. A short 4 is 250 to 330. It might be driveable on the low end, but it's usually a FW or hybrid + wedge. 

 

Of course if someone is playing 6800 yds to 7000 yds, then they're probably driving it 270, and the reachable 5s are in the 500 to 520 range. 

 

In the past 10 days I've played the following courses: The Bandit Green at 6368 (70.9/128), Canyon Springs White at 6210 (70.1/131), Vaalor Creek Blue at 6300 (71.8/135), Olmos Basin Combo at 6240 (70.5/128), Silverhorn Gold at 6333 (70.9/131), Hill Country Lakes Oaks Combo at 6300 (70.0/128), Olympia Hills White at 6390 (72.3/133), and Willow Springs White at 6529 (72.4/127).

 

Edited December 14, 2022 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

Back to the riverwalk for beer and Q. First stop is Yard House. Yeah, it's a chain, but like Flying Saucer Emporium, they usually have a decent section. Not much good on the stout side, but I'm enjoying a nice flight of Belgians. Yard House Cuvee Tripel, Yard House Belgian Golden, Chimay Blue Grande Reserve Belgian Strong Dark, and a Gulden Draak Belgian Strong Dark.

 

 

'Going to stroll over to Smoke BBQ shortly. The weather sure changed quickly. A cold front blew in last night with cooler temps and strong winds. Overnight lows tonight will be in the upper 30s, so tomorrow's round at Breckenridge Park is going to be a chilly one. 

 

[Argonne69]

Smoke BBQ. Not bad, but not great. Biggest issue is that there's no indoor seating. Lovely outdoor area overlooking the riverwalk, but with the cool temps and breeze the food gets cold awful quick. Cold ribs and brisket? Eww. The brisket was decent, but not going to win any awards. The ribs were very good, but lukewarm takes away from the experience. Jalepeno hot link was meh. Too lean. The sides were very good. Mac and cheese had a nice kick. The potato salad was better than average. I really liked the sauce. A little thin, but it had plenty of tang. Can't say if recommend the place, but if you happen to be on the riverwalk and don't want to drive it's acceptable. 

 

 

 

[Double Mocha Man]

10 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

Smoke BBQ. Not bad, but not great. Biggest issue is that there's no indoor seating. Lovely outdoor area overlooking the riverwalk, but with the cool temps and breeze the food gets cold awful quick. Cold ribs and brisket? Eww. The brisket was decent, but not going to win any awards. The ribs were very good, but lukewarm takes away from the experience. Jalepeno hot link was meh. Too lean. The sides were very good. Mac and cheese had a nice kick. The potato salad was better than average. I really liked the sauce. A little thin, but it had plenty of tang. Can't say if recommend the place, but if you happen to be on the riverwalk and don't want to drive it's acceptable. 

 

 

 

 

But just think how much safer you were, outdoors away from the Covid, flu and RSV viruses.  

 

Love the River Walk.

[ThinkingPlus]

@Argonne69I just played a 1 day tournament at Rancho Viejo near Brownsville.  You probably should drop it off your play list.  Greens are pretty bad.  Lots of green cancer and it's most if not all the greens. Sad.  Their owner and GM both passed away this year and they are struggling a bit.

Edited December 14, 2022 by ThinkingPlus
Grammer...

[bossman641]

If you get homesick in SA there's a place called Wrigleyville Grill. He has vienna dogs, pizza puffs, Italian beef, etc.

[Argonne69]

Finally caught a break with the weather. Very chilly to start the round, but with nothing but sunshine the layers came off within a few holes. Brackenridge Park today. This 1916 A.W. Tillinghast design ranks #13 in the state by GolfWeek. Can't really argue with that. At $55 to walk on a weekday it's a bit pricey, but it does have the famous name and some history associated with it. The flat parkland layout has enough trees to give it character, but they won't beat you up. The green complexes will, though. Fairway bunkering was good. Greenside was excellent. A few crossing creeks come into play, but no big bodies of water. There are a few sweepers, but the majority of the course is simple back and forth. 

 

Fairly easy off the tee, but there are a couple of tough tee shots. The long par 14th has a huge tree on the inside corner, so one really needs to hit a big draw to keep the ball in the fairway. I agree that the 16th is a dumb hole. 255 from the blue tees to carry the creek, including dealing with a huge tree. It was 175 to the end of the fairway, and a six iron off the tee ran through and into the rough. Missed fairways weren't deadly, but one could always have tree trouble. The rough was either super thick or hard pan. Both options were pretty bad. Approaches were tough. Firm, well guarded, elevated greens with plenty of slope and steep drop offs. Up and downs we're mixed. Find a closely mown area and you had a chance. The thick rough was very difficult. Putting wouid be moderately challenging on a good day, but unfortunately the greens were heavily sanded, and inconsistent. Some were rolling 8, kicking up rooster tails of sand, and others were 10. 

 

Four of the five pars 3s were long and tough. I hit two 9 woods and two hybrids. The short 15th was a nice breather. The 5s weren't terribly exciting. The 12th had a creek guarding the green front, and the 13th was reachable with deep bunkers guarding the front with a medium sized gap between them. Short 4s were mixed. The 17th might be driveable if you cut the corner over the big tree, but creek in front of the green lies waiting. 

 

Conditions tee to green were spotty. Playable for the most part, but plenty of thin, muddy areas. As mentioned, the rough was a coin flip. Bunkers were excellent. Greens looked good minus the sand, but the speed was all over the map. 

 

Blue tees playing at 6243 yds on the par 71 layout (69.8/129). Another up and down day. Layered up I once again stumbled out of the gate. Once the jacket and vest came off the driver started to cooperate. Managed a nice 280 yd drive on the long 14th, but unfortunately it ran through the fairway and into the wood chips. One eagle and six bogies. While the 21' eagle putt on the 13th was sweet, the 7 wood that threaded the front bunkers to set up the putt was the highlight of the round. A nice 15' par save on the 16th was a bonus. 

 

BP gets 6 cows. Pretty much what you want from a muni. I do think Cedar Crest in Dallas is a better Tillinghast design, but this one is no slouch. Would like to see one of the par 3s shortened, and a risk/reward five, but that's a minor nit. My two playing partners were great guys, and sailing around in a hair over 3 hours made for a wonderful morning. 

 

Edited December 15, 2022 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

Brackenridge Park GC, San Antonio, TX 

 

 

 

 

The long par 4 14th 

 

 

The 16th. Ewww. 

 

 

The short par 4 17th. Hit a high draw that clipped the big tree (thankfully). The ball came up 2 yds short of the PA. 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9lrpt0wvif95qaj/AADKipfaI7oi3pMsumudOuJqa?dl=0

 

[Argonne69]

Well that was mighty tasty. Blanco BBQ in San Antonio. Not the best I've had, but definitely a top 5. Brisket was moist and fatty. Ribs were a little lean, but tender. The hot link was excellent. Very juicy. Beans were OK, but the creamed corn was excellent. Sauce was once again on the thin side, but a nice balance of sweet and tangy. Definitely recommended. 

 

 

[Double Mocha Man]

1 hour ago, Argonne69 said:

Well that was mighty tasty. Blanco BBQ in San Antonio. Not the best I've had, but definitely a top 5. Brisket was moist and fatty. Ribs were a little lean, but tender. The hot link was excellent. Very juicy. Beans were OK, but the creamed corn was excellent. Sauce was once again on the thin side, but a nice balance of sweet and tangy. Definitely recommended. 

 

 

 

Looks good!

[CDM]

1 hour ago, Argonne69 said:

Well that was mighty tasty. Blanco BBQ in San Antonio. Not the best I've had, but definitely a top 5. Brisket was moist and fatty. Ribs were a little lean, but tender. The hot link was excellent. Very juicy. Beans were OK, but the creamed corn was excellent. Sauce was once again on the thin side, but a nice balance of sweet and tangy. Definitely recommended. 

 

 

 

 Good thing you walk the courses 🤣

[Double Mocha Man]

1 hour ago, Argonne69 said:

Well that was mighty tasty. Blanco BBQ in San Antonio. Not the best I've had, but definitely a top 5. Brisket was moist and fatty. Ribs were a little lean, but tender. The hot link was excellent. Very juicy. Beans were OK, but the creamed corn was excellent. Sauce was once again on the thin side, but a nice balance of sweet and tangy. Definitely recommended. 

 

 

 

You never comment on the white bread...  😄

[Argonne69]

One step forward, one step back. I saw the doctor today for a consultation, but unfortunately the imaging center didn't have an opening this afternoon, so I'll have to return tomorrow afternoon after my morning round at Cedar Creek. Hopefully the doctor is available to review the images, or I'll wind up having to stick around until next week. Could you worse I guess. 

 

[Double Mocha Man]

8 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

One step forward, one step back. I saw the doctor today for a consultation, but unfortunately the imaging center didn't have an opening this afternoon, so I'll have to return tomorrow afternoon after my morning round at Cedar Creek. Hopefully the doctor is available to review the images, or I'll wind up having to stick around until next week. Could you worse I guess. 

 

 

See if they can e-mail the images and the narrative to you.  That way another doctor down the road can look at them and advise...

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

Always wondered why they always give you just plain 'ol white bread. I prefer garlic bread.  Seeing bread like that sparks my PTSD. Lol.

 

When I was in Army Basic Combat Training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO  you were only "allowed" only 2 pieces of bread with each meal. Needless to say, you are ALWAYS starving in basic because you are pretty much always in a caloric deficit. I would take 2-4 extra pieces of white bread and smash them down into my tray when the drill sergeant was not looking and then set the other 2 pieces on top so it looked like I only had "two". I would hate to think what would the Drill SGT would have done to me if he had caught me. Lol. Never got caught.

[Argonne69]

Just now, BEND OF THE RIVER GC said:

Always wondered why they always give you just plain 'ol white bread. I prefer garlic bread.  Seeing bread like that sparks my PTSD. Lol.

 

When I was in Army Basic Combat Training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO  you were only "allowed" only 2 pieces of bread with each meal. Needless to say, you are ALWAYS starving in basic because you are pretty much always in a caloric deficit. I would take 2-4 extra pieces of white bread and smash them down into my tray when the drill sergeant was not looking and then set the other 2 pieces on top so it looked like I only had "two". I would hate to think what would the Drill SGT would have done to me if he had caught me. Lol. Never got caught.

 

Lol. At least it's not toasted.

 

 

[LeftDot]

Arg, sorry to hear about the health struggles. Hopefully it gets sorted soon.

 

Have you made it out to Bastrop/Lockhart/Luling for BBQ yet? I know they're a bit outside San Antonio but if you've got time to kill... I lived in San Marcos for a bit and the guys who grew up around those parts advised that the real deal Q is in those towns. I rated City Market in Luling better than the Black's in San Marcos fwiw.

 

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

The Blues Brothers, one of my all time favorite movies! (and Animal House of course).

[SnowbirdTom]

1 hour ago, LeftDot said:

Arg, sorry to hear about the health struggles. Hopefully it gets sorted soon.

 

Have you made it out to Bastrop/Lockhart/Luling for BBQ yet? I know they're a bit outside San Antonio but if you've got time to kill... I lived in San Marcos for a bit and the guys who grew up around those parts advised that the real deal Q is in those towns. I rated City Market in Luling better than the Black's in San Marcos fwiw.

 

 

Hmm, youngest son is in Maxwell and both those are an easy drive from there.  We'll be out that way Christmas weekend. Might just stop in and get us some.  I'll check business hours before making plans.  😉 

 

Thanks!

[Double Mocha Man]

4 hours ago, BEND OF THE RIVER GC said:

Always wondered why they always give you just plain 'ol white bread. I prefer garlic bread.  Seeing bread like that sparks my PTSD. Lol.

 

When I was in Army Basic Combat Training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO  you were only "allowed" only 2 pieces of bread with each meal. Needless to say, you are ALWAYS starving in basic because you are pretty much always in a caloric deficit. I would take 2-4 extra pieces of white bread and smash them down into my tray when the drill sergeant was not looking and then set the other 2 pieces on top so it looked like I only had "two". I would hate to think what would the Drill SGT would have done to me if he had caught me. Lol. Never got caught.

You would have been on KP for a month straight.

[Argonne69]

4 hours ago, LeftDot said:

Arg, sorry to hear about the health struggles. Hopefully it gets sorted soon.

 

Have you made it out to Bastrop/Lockhart/Luling for BBQ yet? I know they're a bit outside San Antonio but if you've got time to kill... I lived in San Marcos for a bit and the guys who grew up around those parts advised that the real deal Q is in those towns. I rated City Market in Luling better than the Black's in San Marcos fwiw.

 

 

No, unfortunately I didn't make it out there. A bit of a hike from Austin. As much as I love Q, the golf courses are driving the schedule. I wouldn't be shocked if I end up retiring in Texas, and then I'll have plenty of time for some short BBQ road trips. 

 

[Argonne69]

Another wonderful day. A bit warmer than yesterday, but mostly cloudy. The sun did peek out at times, and of course once again in true Arg fashion it cleared up on the 17th hole. Grrr. Lol. 

 

Cedar Creek today. Wow. This is not your typical muni. $42 to walk on a Friday was a bargain. Hard to compare it to an old school layout like Brackenridge Park, but I'd say it's better. The front routes as a loop down in a valley with homes perched high on the walls. The back is more continuous, but it's still in the low area with views of the homes above. The opening teeshot is quite nice, elevated near the clubhouse, and playing down to the valley. The course is anything but flat, but I wouldn't call it hilly. Plenty of mounds, slopes, and ravines. Flat lies were at a premium. Only one small body of water that comes into play, but plenty of lateral and a couple of crossing PAs. Bunkering was light. A number of fairway bunkers have been allowed to grow in. There are a handful of sweepers and/or doglegs, but most holes are quite straight. However, the shaping of the fairways make them look less than straight. 

 

I thought it was moderately difficult off the tee. Fairways weren't overly generous, and a few tee shots were pinched by trees. Not much rough on the course as the junk quickly comes into play. That said, most of the fairways were in bowls, so mild misses would kick back to the fairway. Approaches were also tricky. The greens had some weird shapes, with pins tucked on little fingers. Throw in decent greenside bunkering, and some elevation, and one couldn't get sloppy. Up and downs were tough with plenty of iffy lies. Putting was a bit easier, but not easy. There was definitely some valley effect going on, as balls were breaking a lot more than the eye could see. A handful of greens with tiering added spice. 

 

Only three par 3s. The 5th was meh, but the two on the back were playing long. The 200 yd 17th had a good club drop. The three par 5s were mixed. The 4th was benign. The 9th was a good risk/reward hole. While fairly long on the scorecard, it plays downhill with a generous speed slot. The narrow green has a pond left, so going for it is very risky. The 14th is also reachable, but one has to hit a huge draw to get around the trees on the short leg of the dogleg. Short 4s were meh. Decent, but needed more danger. 

 

Conditions were spotty. Fairways had a few too many bare spots. However, they were firm and getting decent rollout. Bunkers had plenty of sand, but it was wet and compacted, and needed proper grooming. Greens were very good. Probably rolling 10. 

 

Much better start today without the cold weather gear. I played a white/gold combo at 6415 yds (72.3/135). Solid ballstriking, but couldn't quite figure out the greens. One birdie and five bogies. Highlight of the day was rolling in a 39' Texas wedge from 15' off the green on the 16th. 

 

I'll give CC 6 cows. Same rating at Brackenridge, but this one wins by a hair. Love the views, and strolling through the valley(s) on a mostly empty course added to the experience. I'd like to see the short 4s spiced up. I can see why the Palmer course at La Cantera is being turned into a housing development. This area of the city looks to be a boomtown. New construction everywhere. Definitely recommended. 

 

Edited December 16, 2022 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

Cedar Creek, San Antonio, TX 

 

Wonderful opening hole. 

 

 

 

 

The par 5 9th 

 

 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/55h1a55yn3mts1f/AABqNo7qmpVrfRPKVqTlgqUSa?dl=0

 

[Argonne69]

Lol. I mentioned Flying Saucer Draught Emporium on Wednesday, but I didn't realize there was one in SATX. Not much in the way of decent brewpubs in the La Cantera area but so I headed back towards the city and made a stop at FS. With 80 taps, there's something for everyone. This one appears to be Belgian heavy, which suits me just fine. Enjoying a wonderful flight with a Delirium Nocturnum Belgian Strong Dark Ale, a Chimay Premium (Red) Dubbel, Gulden Draak, and Prairie Artisan Ales Christmas Bomb! 

 

 

My appointment at the imaging center is in two hours, so I just may kill some time with a visit to Brickyard BBQ. I rescheduled my departure from San Antonio until Sunday, so I'll play another round tomorrow if nothing crazy comes up. I booked a round tomorrow morning at another of the Alamo City Golf Trail courses, Northern Hills.