Arg's Travel Log

[Double Mocha Man]

@Argonne69 - Are you not eating these days?  

[Argonne69]

9 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

@Argonne69 - Are you not eating these days?  

 

Lol. 'Had kimchi fries on Friday, and a pizza on Saturday. Sunday is pasta day in the RV, and Monday is salad and leftovers day. 

 

[b_smith07]

On 1/11/2023 at 2:59 PM, Argonne69 said:

Can Q be sinful? Lol. Wow, this was some seriously evil barbeque. Pappas Delta Blues Smokehouse. Definitely on the pricey side, but well worth the expense. Brisket was tender and tasty, but a little lean. Ribs were juicy and tender. The Pork shoulder was simply amazing. Wow. Best on the trip yet. Tender and dripping. Buttered mashes potatoes were meh. Creamed corn was excellent. The original sweet sauce was excellent. Good balance of sweet and tangy. The rub on the three meats was a little peppery, but it didn't overpower the smokey meat taste. Highly recommended. Only downer was the lack of white bread. Lol. 

 

 

Dont know if youre still in the South Houston area or not - but check out Killen's BBQ in Pearland for some solid BBQ.

[Argonne69]

I quickly remembered why I booked the round at Hermann Park for Sunday, and not a weekday. Oy. Been a while since I sat in rushhour traffic. 70 minutes to get to the course. Cloudy and warm today, but the sun did manage to peek out at times. 

 

Enjoyable round at Hermann Park. Nobody will mistake the course for Memorial or Gus. Old school parkland layout with plenty of trees, water, and small greens. A couple of left/right holes, but way too much dead straight. Fairway bunkering was light, but greenside provided a good defense. The course reminded me of two Chicago Park District courses that I used to play, Jackson Park and Sydney Marovitz (Waveland). 

 

Tough course off the tee. Fairways are rather narrow with the trees pinching. Misses were generally findable, but a pitch out from the trees might be necessary. Also, the "turf" under the trees was primarily hard pan and tree roots. Approaches were moderately tricky due to the small greens, and the fact that more than a few holes had forced carries over water. The course is short, so at least half the approaches were with short irons or wedges. Up and downs were straightforward with flatish greens. Same with putting. 

 

Par 3s were mixed. The two on the front were decent, with the 7th having a forced carry. Unfortunately the 3rd had a temporary green that was only a gap wedge away. The two 5s were quite good. The longer 6th might be reachable for a long hitter, but the final 100 yds is a dogleg with the green tucked behind trees. One would need a heck of a high draw to reach it. A layup required a fairly precise shot to clear the corner. The 13th was reachable, but a tree and bunker guarded the front. I managed to hit the tree, but luckily it kicked sideways into the fairway. Short 4s were meh, other than the 1st. Tough starting hole with water left. 

 

Conditions were rather scruffy, even for a cheap muni. Fairways had thin patches. Rough was thin or nonexistent. Bunkers were actually quite nice. Greens were OK, but only rolling 9 at best. 

 

Played the Gold tees at 6015 yds on the par 70 layout (69.1/124). Starting to get a feel for the new driver, and I'm happy to say I actually missed a couple of fairways to the right for a change. Two birdies and four bogies. Highlight of the round was a nice 27' birdie putt on the long par 4 11th. Caught up with another single for the final four holes, and was impressed with his game given that he started playing just a year ago. 

 

I'll give HP 4 cows. Pretty much what you'd expect for a 100 year old inner city muni. $27 was just about right. It won't win any beauty contests, but if you're not hitting the ball straight it'll take a pound of flesh. Can't say I'd recommend it unless you're simply looking to stretch your legs with a literal walk in the park. 

 

Edited January 17, 2023 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

Hermann Park GC, Houston, TX 

 

Tough opening hole with water left and a narrow fairway. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cztwcrdd1ustwfc/AACZHMHcod2X8jq-exJyg_ata?dl=0

 

[Argonne69]

Not a lot open on a Tuesday, and the few brewpubs open near downtown were IPA heavy, so I headed to a tried and true emporoium, Flying Saucer. 70 taps, and a 100+ variety of bottles and cans should suffice. Enjoying a very nice Duval Belgian Strong Golden Ale (love the glassware!), and will follow that up with a Prairie Artisan Ales Bomb! imperial stout. Pricey, but oh so good. Lol. 

 

 

[Argonne69]

Ah, the glamorous life of a full time RVer. Had a few errands to run this afternoon, so eating out will wait till tomorrow. Had a tasty bowl of spicy tortilla soup and a grilled cheese and ham sandwich in Bessie. Total cost less than $5. Lol. 

 

 

[JungleJimbo]

5 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

Not a lot open on a Tuesday, and the few brewpubs open near downtown were IPA heavy, so I headed to a tried and true emporoium, Flying Saucer. 70 taps, and a 100+ variety of bottles and cans should suffice. Enjoying a very nice Duval Belgian Strong Golden Ale (love the glassware!), and will follow that up with a Prairie Artisan Ales Bomb! imperial stout. Pricey, but oh so good. Lol. 

 

 

thanks @Argonne69 for these posts & letting us live vicariously through your journeys.

 

Found this & thought you might be interested.

 

https://beerconnoisseur.com/articles/flying-saucer-25-years

 

Flying Saucer Celebrates 25 Years of Craft, Food and Fun

beerconnoisseur.com/articles/flying-saucer-25-years

November 4, 2019

 

November 4, 2019

By: Jessica Zimmer

 

In June 2020, national “neighborhood pub” Flying Saucer Draught Emporium will celebrate its 25-year anniversary, and in April 2020, Dallas gastropub Meddlesome Moth will celebrate its 10-year anniversary. These innovative restaurants have enhanced awareness about local craft beers from Texas to North Carolina. This year, the Flying Saucer and Meddlesome Moth are planning a slew of special events in honor of the milestones and offering anniversary beer experiences at each location.

Flying Saucer operating partner and Meddlesome Moth co-founder Keith Schlabs said “Beer Knurds,” members of the Flying Saucer’s “UFO Club” of loyal customers, can expect tastings, happy hours, beer festivals and special guest appearances. The restaurants will also hold beer dinners with guest speakers from the Saucer’s and Moth’s favorite breweries. The Flying Saucer restaurants are organizing some events in coordination with craft brewers, including Dogfish Head Brewery founder Sam Calagione and Avery Brewing founder Adam Avery.

“There will be anniversary events at different times at all Flying Saucers throughout the U.S., from Little Rock to Memphis, Charlotte to Sugar Land. Most of our staff and customers have been with us for years. It should be a fun celebration throughout the year,” said Schlabs.

Schlabs said FSDE and Meddlesome Moth will present special beers and host new guest speakers. They will also offer anniversary glassware and t-shirts throughout 2020.

“Our goal is to continue to grow the beer culture, encouraging enthusiasm about craft beer and offering a fun, laid-back atmosphere,” said Schlabs.

---

The Future of the Restaurants
Schlabs said the Flying Saucer’s newest location, The Sound at Cypress Waters, showcases the brand’s interest in healthy dining options in a “fast casual” setting.

“The new Flying Saucer model, which opened in June, is right on the shore of North Lake. It offers live entertainment in a development with 10,000 office workers. It is about 3,500 square feet, our smallest footprint for a Flying Saucer to date. Here we offer beer and wine only, although you can take crowlers and growlers to go. We have a special food menu with bowls, salads, and sandwiches, featuring wild-caught salmon, grass-fed beef, and free-range chicken,” said Schlabs.

Flying Saucer and Meddlesome Moth also engage with brewers and experiment with products in ways that benefit one another.

“Occasionally, when the Moth produces something that’s interesting, the Saucers will try to pick that up. For example, the Moth’s craft cocktail program has somewhat influenced the Flying Saucers. In turn, the Flying Saucers’ close relationship with craft brewers helps the Moth. The brewers know that we will sell their beers. I think that is why they’re interested in offering the Moth special opportunities,” said Schlabs.

Schlabs said one of the secrets to Flying Saucer’s success is the emphasis on freshness.

“I find that I am buying beer like I used to buy milk – checking in the back for a better canning date,” said Schlabs.

---

The Origin of Flying Saucer
In 1995, after managing the first brewpub in Texas, Yegua Creek Brewing Company in Dallas, Schlabs left the restaurant with the hope of founding a similar establishment of his own. While scouting a site in Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth, he met restaurant owner Shannon Wynne.

The two had a discussion, which culminated with Wynne founding the first Flying Saucer on the site Schlabs had visited. Wynne hired Schlabs to be his first general manager and beer director.

“When we were creating the first beer menu, it was difficult for us to pronounce half the beers. We had so many imports. We were still learning about beer. I thought, ‘How do I get people to order these [beers] if they can’t even pronounce them?’” said Schlabs.

Schlabs said his concern led to him making FSDE into a place where customers could learn about beer.

“We envisioned the (first) Flying Saucer as a neighborhood beer bar, a place for people to go after work. Yet we also wanted to create experiences where our customers could taste new beers. We began a tradition of ‘flight nights,’ positioning specially curated beers so people could learn about them,” said Schlabs.

Schlabs said early on he realized that Sunday and Monday nights were very slow. But the Saucers needed to move beer.

“We created a pint night on Monday, where we sold all draughts for $2. We also created the society of “Burn a Turd,” or “B.A.T.,” where people could smoke a cigar and drink cheap craft beer,” said Schlabs.

Schlabs said he learned a lot in the early days of the Flying Saucer.

“I remember offering the strongest Belgian beer on tap, which was designed for a small pour, for $2 a pint. The distributor and importer were amazed at how much we would sell in a week. We were selling maybe six kegs a week,” said Schlabs.

When the Fort Worth location built a strong following, Schlabs and Wynne started establishing more Flying Saucers around Texas, including Houston, San Antonio and The Lake in Garland.

“We built a German-centric menu with brats, sauerkraut, pretzels and cheese boards. But we kept our focus on the beer, bringing dozens of local, regional and international craft brewers to our bar. We trained our staff to understand beer and reach out to the top producers. This helped us present the best beers in the market to our customers,” said Schlabs.

---

How the Saucers Spread
After the Flying Saucers became a success in Texas, Schlabs and Wynne introduced the brand to other states. The pair began with locations in Arkansas and Tennessee in 1998. They spread the Saucer to North Carolina in 2000, South Carolina in 2003 and Missouri in 2008.

“We decided to put a Flying Saucer wherever Southwest Airlines would fly. We didn’t do much demographic research. We asked ourselves, “Is this a cool town? Do they have good beer?” The success of our previous locations helped. Dirt traders started calling Shannon,” said Schlabs.

Schlabs and Wynne give their general managers the freedom to organize all kinds of events, including community outreach, beer festivals and special tastings.

“If Flying Saucers want to be style-heavy for an event or focus on a couple of local brands, that’s fine. They are not tied to a corporate mandate. Each Flying Saucer has its own beer culture. We do try to keep each Saucer’s selection well-rounded. The bottom line is to support good beer,” said Schlabs.

Schlabs said key people at headquarters keep an eye on all the beer each Saucer orders.

“We also have beer discussions with all of our general managers once a week,” said Schlabs.

The Flying Saucer promotes a standard of excellent service by making new staff undergo a week-long training.

“We give every staff member a substantial foundational knowledge of the culture of the Flying Saucer, its standard for quality service, and how to present beers as the brewers intended,” said Andrea Coan, director of training for FSDE and a Certified Cicerone(R).

Coan said the training helps everyone from servers to marketing officers “have an intellectual conversation about almost every popular style of beer a customer could ask about.”

“We teach our staff about flavor, color, body and finish, separating beers by style and flavor profile. No other company or draft bar does training that way, so we stand out,” said Coan.

“Many of our past employees are now working for the breweries we support,” said Schlabs.

Today, FSDE has 16 locations, each with about 85 beers on tap and 150 bottled beers. Altogether, the restaurants offer well over 250 different beers made in over 100 brewing styles. Offerings include unique beers such as Foothills Brewing’s Sexual Chocolate stout and Jester King Brewery’s Nocturn Chrysalis, as well as more popular offerings like Community Beer Company’s Mosaic IPA.

“We still remain loyal to the OG and even feature Duvel on draft at our Houston Saucer and the Moth,” said Schlabs.

---

Teaching All About Beer
An enjoyable aspect of the Flying Saucer is its organization of tours by beer writers who come to speak at every Flying Saucer location. Customers like the interactions and book signings.

“In early 2000, we hosted Garrett Oliver, brewmaster of Brooklyn Brewery and author of “The Brewmaster’s Table.” He sold out performances from Texas to Tennessee. He also helped us pair the food on our tasting menus with beers that we sold. Oliver helped create a memorable experience for our customers and staff. He inspired us to continue that tradition (of showcasing guest speakers),” said Schlabs.

Other speakers at Flying Saucers have included “The Beer Hunter,” Michael James Jackson, Stephen Beaumont, author of “All About Beer,” and Tim Webb, author of the “Good Beer Guide” books.

The company headquarters also runs the UFO Club, which has about 150,000 members. Beer Knurds join the club and receive a Flying Saucer t-shirt and a digital membership card. The card counts the type of beers that the member tries on their visit, with a maximum count of three beers per visit.

“The goal is to encourage each Beer Knurd to try all of the different beers and hopefully find some new favorites. (Joining the UFO Club) definitely pushes people out of their comfort zone,” said Schlabs.

After a Beer Knurd has tried 200 different beers, their name goes on a plate in the Ring of Honor.

Many loyal Beer Knurds visit multiple Flying Saucer locations.

“Our home Flying Saucer is in Addison, but we’re retired and we travel a lot. So far, we’ve been in every Flying Saucer except the one in the DFW airport. We’re scheduled to go there in November,” said Ben McWilliams, a Beer Knurd and longtime customer of Flying Saucer and Meddlesome Moth.

Ben McWilliams said he and his wife Barbara like coming to the Flying Saucers because of the friendly staff and casual feel.

“It’s a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere where you can always try a new beer,” said Ben McWilliams.

---

The Birth of Meddlesome Moth
Meddlesome Moth was born from the success of FSDE. “We saw a need for a restaurant that focused on craft beer,” said Schlabs.

In 2010, Schlabs and Wynne opened the first chef-driven gastropub in Dallas’s Trinity Design District.

Schlabs said the inspiration for the Moth initially came from the U.K. DGBG Kitchen & Bar in New York City and The Tasting Kitchen in Venice, California were also heavy influences.

“I remember visiting The Ram Brewery in London with Shannon (Wynne) early on as the Flying Saucer was expanding. We spent time with John Young and his brewers, touring many of the Young's Pubs that his family owned. One in particular was chef-driven and more upscale and polished than the others. I think that was part of the inspiration for us to open Meddlesome Moth several years later,” said Schlabs.

Schlabs said the Moth is very proud of its current executive chef, Jennifer Otsuki.

“She was our original sous-chef when we opened our doors. She understands flavors and has a knack for pairing food and beer,” said Schlabs.

Meddlesome Moth offers a number of special, high-end beers, from Saugatuck Brewing Company’s Neapolitan Milk Stout to Saint Arnold Brewing Company’s Bishop’s Barrel No. 16.

The dinner menu is just as diverse, featuring New Orleans BBQ shrimp, Tandoori chicken, Wagyu beef carpaccio and Paleo fried rice.

Matt Quenette, beer director and assistant general manager for Meddlesome Moth, said in 2010, it was very difficult to find a good restaurant that had a well-curated beer list.

“Now craft beer is everywhere around us. In order to be competitive, the Moth has had to evolve. Special one-off tappings and glass nights don’t work anymore. We try to offer unique events, like small intimate beer dinners for twelve with the brewers. I like to showcase styles, such as 30 taps of Belgian beers, IPAs or German beers. [I curate] the very best beers with [excellent] pairings,” said Quenette, who is a Certified Cicerone.

Quenette said the Moth has 40 taps, one cask when available and between 120 and 150 bottles of different beers at any given time.

“I definitely go for more obscure beers, like Order of Eccentric Boilers (OEC Brewing)’s beers. In order to get the breweries and special beers to come to us, I work my hardest to be a strong partner with my suppliers. We are in this together,” said Quenette.

Barbara McWilliams said Meddlesome Moth is a little more upscale than the Flying Saucer with a unique beer selection.

“It’s a neat, classy place to go, with eclectic and interesting food. It has everything a beer bar would,” said Barbara McWilliams.

---

Partnering with Breweries
Asa Hanrahan, beer director for the Flying Saucer, said meeting local brewers is key to keeping a diverse array of craft beers available.

“For example, we have a good relationship with Saint Arnold. I make sure to know every new beer that they produce, including every seasonal brew. That helps us get new beers on the shelves at a reasonable price,” said Hanrahan.

Hanrahan said the Flying Saucers also have a huge amount of respect for Jester King Brewery, with some locations even holding Jester King beer celebration weeks.

Erik Hodgeman, general manager for the Charlotte Flying Saucer, said he has often partnered with some local and well-respected breweries, including Olde Mecklenberg Brewery, NoDa Brewing and Birdsong Brewing Co.

“People like to come see their local brewmaster. Although craft beer wasn’t that prominent in the Carolinas 18 years ago, the appeal of it has definitely grown year by year,” said Hodgeman.

Hodgeman said seasonal events like the Charlotte Flying Saucer’s “Beersgiving,” a deep-fried turkey dinner with all the fixings, also gives the restaurant an opportunity to release rare offerings from breweries across the world.

“We’ve held this event the Saturday before Thanksgiving for nine years in a row. It allows us to offer fall and winter rare seasonals that pair with the feast,” said Hodgeman.

Andrews Cope, social media director for Flying Saucer and Meddlesome Moth, said showcasing the positive experiences customers have at the restaurants also attracts brewers’ attention.

“This year, it’s our goal for Flying Saucer to dedicate each month to a specific brewery, whether they’re national or local. We want to celebrate the breweries that have helped us reach this milestone and celebrate that culture. We’ll plan theme events that celebrate their beers and broadcast these across social media,” said Cope.

Cope said he likes working with brewers and breweries on creative ways for Flying Saucer and Meddlesome Moth to make their experiences “discoverable.” Customers can then find the restaurants through custom video and photo content using popular hashtags.

“This year, we found our various Instagram accounts were being discovered thanks to the Storm Area 51 event. People were finding our content with “#UFO” and “#FlyingSaucer.” I encouraged the Saucer staff to take advantage of the trending hashtags. We had so much traffic because of this ridiculous, funny trend,” said Cope.

Cope said he believes Flying Saucers and Meddlesome Moth succeed because of the dedicated staff and customers. 

“Making the Saucers and Moth successful is all about getting to know people, making friends, and getting involved. Many visits to these restaurants have resulted in real-world friendships. Highlighting those friendships and experiences makes for the best social media and marketing. Social media is just word of mouth,” said Cope.

Hodgeman said he believes the reason the Flying Saucers and Meddlesome Moth have lasted so long is because they create a family.

“If customers weren’t friends with someone at the bar when they walked in, they don’t leave that way,” said Hodgeman.

Images Courtesy Flying Saucer and Meddlesome Moth

 

[Argonne69]

Day off today. Have to call the Honda dealer to see if they were able to locate a gas tank somewhere in the country. Hoping I'm not in the city too long. 

 

Booked a round at Augusta Pines tomorrow, and Cypresswoods Cypress on Friday. Looked at other courses in the area, but there were either no early morning tee times available, or the course didn't allow singles to book. Frustrating. 

 

Saturday and Sunday look rainy, so it might be a long weekend off. We'll see. 

 

Edited January 18, 2023 by Argonne69

[Austincountyag]

how long will you be in the area? would love to play a round with you Arg

[Double Mocha Man]

1 hour ago, Austincountyag said:

how long will you be in the area? would love to play a round with you Arg

 

Make sure you go out afterwards for beers and BBQ.  That is my favorite part of his reviews...

[Argonne69]

1 hour ago, Austincountyag said:

how long will you be in the area? would love to play a round with you Arg

 

The plan is to head to Beaumont on Sunday morning. Got a bit of good news this morning. I spoke with the Honda dealer, and the priority order for a new gas tank was delivered today. Hopefully they can get it repaired tomorrow, or Friday at the latest. I'm still worried that they'll find additional damage as they try to piece it back together, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. 

 

[vallygolf]

 

Hopefully the CRV will need more work and you can trade it in for a more appropriate Texas vehicle.  

 

Not sure you can call it a calf at that point.  Bessie and her Bull perhaps?

Edited January 18, 2023 by vallygolf

[Argonne69]

3rd Coast BBQ in Spring. Sure beats grilled cheese. Unfortunately I arrived a few minutes before they closed, so the meat wasn't quite piping hot. Brisket was tender with just the right amount of fat. Ribs were very good. Tender and meaty. Country sausage was decent. Creamy Mac and Cheese was excellent. Sauce was OK. Had better and worse. 

 

 

Bummer. Looks like I'm a day early. 

 

 

[Argonne69]

Excalibur Brewing in Spring. 29 taps with some good stuff. The We Were Monks w/ Peppercorns Belgian Tripel is excellent. 

 

 

[Double Mocha Man]

41 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

Unfortunately I arrived a few minutes before they closed, so the meat wasn't quite piping hot. Brisket was tender with just the right amount of fat. Ribs were very good. Tender and meaty. Country sausage was decent. Creamy Mac and Cheese was excellent. Sauce was OK.

 

At least you got the slice of white bread.  Not being a close follower of Southern BBQ you gotta tell me what you do with the white bread???

[Argonne69]

46 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

At least you got the slice of white bread.  Not being a close follower of Southern BBQ you gotta tell me what you do with the white bread???

 

You use the white bread to soak up the extra BBQ sauce and grease. Yum. 

 

[jjr]

2 hours ago, vallygolf said:

 

Hopefully the CRV will need more work and you can trade it in for a more appropriate Texas vehicle.  

 

Not sure you can call it a calf at that point.  Bessie and her Bull perhaps?

I'm assuming you meant to use a Raptor, LOL

[Double Mocha Man]

13 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

You use the white bread to soak up the extra BBQ sauce and grease. Yum. 

 

 

One more question to bother you with.  This seems to be a standard... brisket, ribs, sausage, mac 'n' cheese, white bread, sauce.  Do you order it by a certain name or just a la carte?

[Argonne69]

Just now, Double Mocha Man said:

 

One more question to bother you with.  This seems to be a standard... brisket, ribs, sausage, mac 'n' cheese, white bread, sauce.  Do you order it by a certain name or just a la carte?

 

Depends on the joint. Most places have a two or three meat combo with 2 sides. White bread included. Some places don't offer a combo option, so it's a la carte with the meats sold by the pound, half pound, or quarter pound, and individual sides. 

 

Not all places that offer combos allow one to choose all of the meats, so there are times you have to go with a two meat combo, and add ribs or a link as an additional item.

 

[503Mike]

3 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

Excalibur Brewing in Spring. 29 taps with some good stuff. The We Were Monks w/ Peppercorns Belgian Tripel is excellent. 

 

 

I don't know if it will lessen your enjoyment any more, but bubbles clinging to the inside of the glass indicate dirty glass. That glass is exceedingly dirty.

 

I did a stint at Rogue and every employee had to go to a half day internal "school" to learn everything you wish you didn't know about bar cleanliness and proper pouring, etc. Fun times.

[Double Mocha Man]

24 minutes ago, 503Mike said:

...bubbles clinging to the inside of the glass indicate dirty glass. That glass is exceedingly dirty.

 

Adds protein and builds up your immune system.

[DavePelz4]

On 1/17/2023 at 12:49 PM, Argonne69 said:

Not a lot open on a Tuesday, and the few brewpubs open near downtown were IPA heavy, so I headed to a tried and true emporoium, Flying Saucer. 70 taps, and a 100+ variety of bottles and cans should suffice. Enjoying a very nice Duval Belgian Strong Golden Ale (love the glassware!), and will follow that up with a Prairie Artisan Ales Bomb! imperial stout. Pricey, but oh so good. Lol. 

 

 

 

Looking at this pic I'd ask if you would like a little beer with your head um....er...foam.

[Argonne69]

1 hour ago, DavePelz4 said:

 

Looking at this pic I'd ask if you would like a little beer with your head um....er...foam.

 

Lol. I did exactly that, but it's actually supposed to be served that way. 

[Argonne69]

Beautiful morning. A little chilly to start the round, but it warmed up nicely with plentiful sunshine. Augusta Pines GC today. The course hosted the Champions Tour for a few years. Very nice parkland layout. Technically it's probably a housing development course, but the homes were few and far between. Large pine trees kept the look mostly green. Water in play on many holes. The course was fairly flat, but there were a few elevated greens and tees. Good mix of hole lengths and left/right sweepers. Fairway bunkering was light, but greenside was quite good. 

 

Fairly benign off the tee. The dogleg 12th was probably the hardest driving hole with heavy bunkers on the inside corner. The dormant rough was fairly light, so misses could find trouble in the trees. Approaches were tough. A few odd shaped greens along with good bunkering put a premium on shot making. The greens were benign, so putting and up and downs were stress free for the most part unless you shortsided yourself behind a bunker. 

 

Par 3s were very good. Three had forced carries, and the 17th was an island green. Good mix of lengths. 5s were also very good. Three could be reached with long drives, and each was a good risk/reward with water guarding the green. The 18th had an island green, so going for it was a real risk. Short 4s were good. The 11th had water in play if one got greedy. The 12th was short if one wanted to challenge the inside corner bunkers. 

 

Conditions were meh. Thin overseeded fairways were actually firmer than I expected with yesterday's rain. Turf was quite thin, though. Rough was very flat. Bunkers were hit or miss. Had a couple of great lies in fluffy sand, and one with practically no sand. Greens were poor. Looked good, but bumpy and slow. I'd say 9 at best. 

 

Played a Green/Gold combo at 6300 yds (70.7/122). Wonky driver today. 5 fairways? Oy. Not horrible misses, so I was able to somewhat salvage things. Seven bogies and a double. The slow greens were nearly unplayable. Probably got five putts to the hole. Highlight of the day were my playing partners, a couple of young members and a senior member. Solid games, and you could tell they've played the course more than once. Lol. 

 

I'll give AP 6 cows. Conditions were subpar, but it's a fun layout. Greens are boring, and need a few buried elephants. $85 with no walking rate was overpriced, but I'd still play here regularly if I was a local. 

 

[Argonne69]

Augusta Pines GC, Spring, TX 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2nd into the par 5 18th. Go or no go? 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l0lhl9bomat2g5p/AAAiSJThh8pXJrzZcYmytwxXa?dl=0

 

[Argonne69]

Local Pour in The Woodlands. The gastropub has 40+ taps, but fairly light on the good stuff. Enjoyed the Victory Golden Monkey on tap, and a bottle of Chimay Grande Reserve Belgian Strong Dark Ale. 

 

 

[tw422]

36 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

Local Pour in The Woodlands. The gastropub has 40+ taps, but fairly light on the good stuff. Enjoyed the Victory Golden Monkey on tap, and a bottle of Chimay Grande Reserve Belgian Strong Dark Ale. 

 

 

For 20 yrs I lived about 15 min from Downingtown, PA where Victory Brewing was founded.  Golden Monkey can bang you up quick.  Victory was one of the first true microbrewery's and put out some great products.  Love their Prima Pils and Hop Devil IPA's.

[Double Mocha Man]

3 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

2nd into the par 5 18th. Go or no go? 

 

Go for it!  The lay-ups look even more dangerous.

[cjblake09]

4 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

Beautiful morning. A little chilly to start the round, but it warmed up nicely with plentiful sunshine. Augusta Pines GC today. The course hosted the Champions Tour for a few years. Very nice parkland layout. Technically it's probably a housing development course, but the homes were few and far between. Large pine trees kept the look mostly green. Water in play on many holes. The course was fairly flat, but there were a few elevated greens and tees. Good mix of hole lengths and left/right sweepers. Fairway bunkering was light, but greenside was quite good. 

 

Fairly benign off the tee. The dogleg 12th was probably the hardest driving hole with heavy bunkers on the inside corner. The dormant rough was fairly light, so misses could find trouble in the trees. Approaches were tough. A few odd shaped greens along with good bunkering put a premium on shot making. The greens were benign, so putting and up and downs were stress free for the most part unless you shortsided yourself behind a bunker. 

 

Par 3s were very good. Three had forced carries, and the 17th was an island green. Good mix of lengths. 5s were also very good. Three could be reached with long drives, and each was a good risk/reward with water guarding the green. The 18th had an island green, so going for it was a real risk. Short 4s were good. The 11th had water in play if one got greedy. The 12th was short if one wanted to challenge the inside corner bunkers. 

 

Conditions were meh. Thin overseeded fairways were actually firmer than I expected with yesterday's rain. Turf was quite thin, though. Rough was very flat. Bunkers were hit or miss. Had a couple of great lies in fluffy sand, and one with practically no sand. Greens were poor. Looked good, but bumpy and slow. I'd say 9 at best. 

 

Played a Green/Gold combo at 6300 yds (70.7/122). Wonky driver today. 5 fairways? Oy. Not horrible misses, so I was able to somewhat salvage things. Seven bogies and a double. The slow greens were nearly unplayable. Probably got five putts to the hole. Highlight of the day were my playing partners, a couple of young members and a senior member. Solid games, and you could tell they've played the course more than once. Lol. 

 

I'll give AP 6 cows. Conditions were subpar, but it's a fun layout. Greens are boring, and need a few buried elephants. $85 with no walking rate was overpriced, but I'd still play here regularly if I was a local. 

 

I hate that Par 3 9th hole!  It is a fun layout and the conditions use to be better that the current state unfortunately.  

 

Are you going to try their new sister course Highland Pines that just opened?