Arg's Travel Log

[Argonne69]

I managed to find a walking round tomorrow at The Oaks GC in Pass Christian. Looks like the course hosted a Korn Ferry tournament 20 years ago, as well as PGA Q School. Anyway, the winds are picking up, and it'll be very windy in the morning before the rain hits later in the day. Thursday may very likely be a washout. 

 

[tw422]

6 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Yes, value is definitely a factor, but it's one of many. I think it negatively affects the higher end courses more. A cheap course with conditioning issues (up to a point) will likely get a pass, but an expensive course with conditioning issues, or a lackluster layout, will get dinged.

 

It's not a matter of saving a buck. Most of the courses that allow walking down here don't give you a discount. They're collecting the cart fee whether a player walks or rides. If a player insists on walking, even though they're paying the cart fee, chances are they're more than capable of keeping up.

 

In any case, pace of play should be applied to every player, walking or riding. The clubhouse doesn't have to make any determination before the round begins. If you fail to keep pace, you should be moved back into position. I hate the attitude that walkers are automatically slower than riders. I can guarantee you that the slowest rounds I play are on courses where the vast majority of players are riding. Yet, I rarely see marshals move slow groups back into position. I'm not asking for special treatment. I just want the same pace of play policy applied to all players. It's doubly aggravating when a course allows members to walk.

 

The last time I checked my money, it was green. I've never understood the business decision to decline a paying customer then they won't be a problem the vast majority of the time. Players who ride are not a problem the vast majority of the time. So, why not deal with the problem players if and when they become a problem?

 

I agree with your frustration and the thing I don't understand is if this cart/no walking thing is (from the course perspective) just about money and you're willing to pay the cart fee but not use a cart why should it matter?  It would then seem to me that it becomes about them wanting to (thinking they can) to control PoP.  However, IMO, walking is much faster than a group of 4 in 2 carts pushing another group that is playing slowly.  

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

All this winter golf is making me jealous, so,  since my birthday is on Monday I figured I would find some Non-Ohio decent weather and play some golf myself. Headed to Charleston, SC to play Charleston Municipal course Sat, Wild Dunes Links on Sunday and the Donald Ross front 9 at the Fort Mill Golf Club up near I-77 and Charlotte (pit stop to break up the drive home). Then it's back to crappy Ohio winter weather and living vicariously through Arg's  thread!

[Argonne69]

I spent some time today planning out my travels into March, and it's looking like I may skip Corpus Cristi and Brownsville. I have to be in Illinois in early April, and with stops planned for Memphis, West Point, Birmingham, Prattville, Philadelphia, Vicksburg, and Tyler, TX, heading to Brownsville will take me too far south.

 

I'm going to need a few places to visit early next winter, so stops in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Brownsville, Laredo, Del Rio, and Terlingua should be doable before heading west to Tucson and Phoenix. 

 

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

Playing Old Waverly and Mossy Oak? Depending upon when you are gonna be there, maybe I will join you. It's only 8 hours from Cincy and I wanted to get get down there, but their weather has been pretty cold lately.

Edited February 15, 2022 by BEND OF THE RIVER GC

[Argonne69]

32 minutes ago, BEND OF THE RIVER GC said:

Playing Old Waverly and Mossy Oak? Depending upon when you are gonna be there, maybe I will join you. It's only 8 hours from Cincy and I wanted to get get down there, but their weather has been pretty cold lately.

 

Yes, I'm planning on it. Tentative dates are March 25th and 26th. 

 

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

Snap! Going to NC that weekend; Playing a few Munis (Sanford and Wilmington Munis) an Army course (Stryker GC) and Pilot Knob CC. Looking forward to your pics of Old Waverly and Mossy Oak too!

[hammergolf]

7 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

I managed to find a walking round tomorrow at The Oaks GC in Pass Christian. Looks like the course hosted a Korn Ferry tournament 20 years ago, as well as PGA Q School. Anyway, the winds are picking up, and it'll be very windy in the morning before the rain hits later in the day. Thursday may very likely be a washout. 

 

The Oaks is a good layout. Of course it’s gonna be flat but the closer you are to the gulf the flatter it’s gonna be. Just to make you feel better, we’re getting snow and ice here in STL Thursday….

[krtgolfing]

15 hours ago, BEND OF THE RIVER GC said:

All this winter golf is making me jealous, so,  since my birthday is on Monday I figured I would find some Non-Ohio decent weather and play some golf myself. Headed to Charleston, SC to play Charleston Municipal course Sat, Wild Dunes Links on Sunday and the Donald Ross front 9 at the Fort Mill Golf Club up near I-77 and Charlotte (pit stop to break up the drive home). Then it's back to crappy Ohio winter weather and living vicariously through Arg's  thread!

 

What time you playing Muni on Saturday? I got a 8:00am tee time. I am not sure if you walk or ride, but it is a very easy walk. Course is pretty flat and no long walks in between holes. 

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

15 minutes ago, krtgolfing said:

 

What time you playing Muni on Saturday? I got a 8:00am tee time. I am not sure if you walk or ride, but it is a very easy walk. Course is pretty flat and no long walks in between holes. 

12:48 tee time at the Muni. 

[vandyfan]

On 2/12/2022 at 12:19 PM, Argonne69 said:

My final round in Florida for this part of my journey was a very enjoyable one. Baytowne GC at Sandestin. It was my 750th course played. I was joined by another single, a retired Navy corpsman, and we had a great time out there. A little overcast, but temps were nice. 

 

Did you end up walking Baytowne? I have played that course so many times it makes it difficult to effectively judge it anymore so I enjoyed your notes on the course. Other than 13 which I think is a poor hole, most of the course is pretty fun to play. #15 might be the easiest par 5 I have ever played but they turn around and give you #16 which I have bogeyed several times so it all balances out. #18 is a bit underwhelming. Still, I always play out there so glad you enjoyed it. 

[Argonne69]

4 hours ago, blackbdmillsaps said:

 

Did you end up walking Baytowne? I have played that course so many times it makes it difficult to effectively judge it anymore so I enjoyed your notes on the course. Other than 13 which I think is a poor hole, most of the course is pretty fun to play. #15 might be the easiest par 5 I have ever played but they turn around and give you #16 which I have bogeyed several times so it all balances out. #18 is a bit underwhelming. Still, I always play out there so glad you enjoyed it. 

 

Yeah, I walked it. The hike under the tunnel on the back was lengthy to say the least, but otherwise it was an easy walk. 

 

Edited February 16, 2022 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

A windy, but otherwise enjoyable morning at The Oaks GC. Temps were 20 degrees warmer than yesterday morning, and it felt great to shed a layer. 

 

The course is fairly decent for one routed through a housing development. Most of the homes are set back behind the treeline, so while you do notice them occasionally, they're not pinching the course. The back nine has a number of holes routed through thick woods with no homes visible. The course is fairly flat, but there are a number of gentle elevation changes. Water comes into play on a number of holes. 

 

Bunkering was so so. Fairways were moderately tight, with the trees being the main penalty if you got seriously offline. Approaches were a mixed bag. Greens ranged from small to large, and many were well guarded by bunkers. A few pin positions were sucker pins. The greens were moderately challenging. Decent tiering, and a few large breaks. Better than the average housing development course. 

 

While the course looked nice, there were few, if any, memorable holes. A couple of the par 3s had water in play. The 5s were rather ho hum. The short 4s were meh. 

 

Conditions were a letdown. Overseeded, overwatered fairways were thin and soggy. A few had enough rope blocking muddy areas that one could rig a 16th century Spanish galleon with rope to spare. Bunkers were in serious need of sand. The greens were soft, and the ones on the front had been slit aerated. Not as bad as plugs, but enough to knock putts offline. Speed was decent at 10 or so. 

 

I was generally pleased with my round. With the wind and soft fairways the course was playing very long. Hit a solid drive into the wind on a 400 yd hole, and had 195 left to the center. Couldn't buy a putt on the front with the slit greens, but made a few nice ones on the back. Two birdies and seven bogies. 

 

I'll give this one 5 cows. There are certainly much better courses in the Biloxi area, e.g. Grand Bear, but it's playable. If I were a local I'd probably play it every two weeks, but it's no destination course. Price was reasonable at less than $60.

 

Edited February 16, 2022 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

The Oaks GC, Pass Christian, MS 

 

 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/t3gzqxldlmu93oc/AAD1hKmhE3Q6zmYfMK8CccQza?dl=0

 

[Argonne69]

Chances for rain tomorrow are a little less than they were yesterday, but the winds will be blowing 15 to 30 mph. If there was a course in the Biloxi area that I was dying to play I might tee it up, but right now I may pass. I'll see what it looks like in the morning. 

 

I'm heading to Baton Rogue on Friday. I managed to find an RV park along the way that will allow me to park Bessie for a few hours while I head down to Springfield to play Carter Plantation. The course ranks #3 on GolfWeek's Best in State list for Louisiana. 

 

Any must play courses in Baton Rogue? I have time for a round on Sat before heading west to Westlake on Sunday. 

 

Edited February 16, 2022 by Argonne69

[Cousin]

I spent a lot of time working at the Nuke plant north of BR in St Francisville. We played the bluffs a ton on our days off. It was a nice course. I want to say it was very new at the time 10+ years ago and it had a membership, so it may be private now. Also it’s been a long time so not sure how conditions are now. It is a bit of a drive north. 

[hammergolf]

3 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

The Oaks GC, Pass Christian, MS 

 

 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/t3gzqxldlmu93oc/AAD1hKmhE3Q6zmYfMK8CccQza?dl=0

 

Crazy to see the houses there now. Last time I played it there was nothing. You drove through the woods to get there. It’s a shame they’ve let the conditioning go down.

[Cousin]

1 hour ago, Cousin said:

I spent a lot of time working at the Nuke plant north of BR in St Francisville. We played the bluffs a ton on our days off. It was a nice course. I want to say it was very new at the time 10+ years ago and it had a membership, so it may be private now. Also it’s been a long time so not sure how conditions are now. It is a bit of a drive north. 

Update - just searched it and it looks like the course closed down.

[hammergolf]

1 hour ago, Argonne69 said:

Chances for rain tomorrow are a little less than they were yesterday, but the winds will be blowing 15 to 30 mph. If there was a course in the Biloxi area that I was dying to play I might tee it up, but right now I may pass. I'll see what it looks like in the morning. 

 

I'm heading to Baton Rogue on Friday. I managed to find an RV park along the way that will allow me to park Bessie for a few hours while I head down to Springfield to play Carter Plantation. The course ranks #3 on GolfWeek's Best in State list for Louisiana. 

 

Any must play courses in Baton Rogue? I have time for a round on Sat before heading west to Westlake on Sunday. 

 

Carter is a good one and probably the best option in that area. You also have Santa Maria which is public that’s a good layout, but conditions can be a hit or Miss. The Island in Plaquemine is another good option, and Pelican Point in Gonzales. Layout wise Sandra Maria is prob the best, The island is “links” style, and Pelican Point is a mix. 

[hammergolf]

1 hour ago, Cousin said:

I spent a lot of time working at the Nuke plant north of BR in St Francisville. We played the bluffs a ton on our days off. It was a nice course. I want to say it was very new at the time 10+ years ago and it had a membership, so it may be private now. Also it’s been a long time so not sure how conditions are now. It is a bit of a drive north. 

Yeah The Bluffs was really good, in my opinion it was #1 in La. I used to play in The Magnolia Cup every year. It’s a shame it’s closed but it was just too remote. 

[Argonne69]

13 minutes ago, hammergolf said:

Crazy to see the houses there now. Last time I played it there was nothing. You drove through the woods to get there. It’s a shame they’ve let the conditioning go down.

 

I assume conditions are better in the summer. As we discussed a few pages ago, many of us prefer dormant (gold) Bermuda to thin, soggy, overseeded rye. The course doesn't seem like a big draw for snowbirds, so no idea why they overseed.

 

[hammergolf]

2 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

 

I assume conditions are better in the summer. As we discussed a few pages ago, many of us prefer dormant (gold) Bermuda to thin, soggy, overseeded rye. The course doesn't seem like a big draw for snowbirds, so no idea why they overseed.

 

Yes, the courses are always in better shape during the heat. It’s just the nature of Bermuda. Plus being at sea level and having such a high water table courses there don’t drain well in the winter. If you notice in Southern La. people are buried above ground because of the water table. Funny story, when I was in the golf business we were building a new store in a suburb of New Orleans. Because of the water table situation you have to drive in pilIngs to get good footing for the foundation. So we have the pile driver set up, and it hammers the first piling, it disappears….lol I don’t know why the courses even bother overseeding. Really all it does is screw up the course for longer periods. 6 weeks dousing the course getting the rye to grow in, then another 6 weeks in spring waiting for the rye to die off and Bermuda to grow. There is nothing wrong with dormant fairways. Just cut them after the first freeze and let them go. On the greens just verticut before the cold weather, and cut them down. Some of the best greens I’ve ever putted on were dormant Bermuda that were rolled once a week….. La. Doesn’t get the snowbirds so honestly no idea why the courses do it. 

[Argonne69]

Speaking of pilings, I took a nice drive on US-90 along the gulf coast from Pass Christian to Ocean Springs. It's crazy to see two story homes built on two story high pilings! Seems that the newer the home the higher the stilts. 

 

[Argonne69]

Blustery day in Biloxi. With scattered showers and gusty winds this morning I decided to take the day off. I'll hit Carter Plantation tomorrow. 

 

Good day for a pub crawl. The Beer House in Ocean Springs. 45 taps with a good mix. I'm sampling the Belgian dubbel, and three coffee stouts. 

 

 

Edited February 17, 2022 by Argonne69

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

Are those full size beers? They look like it in the pic! That last course looked tight!

[Argonne69]

39 minutes ago, BEND OF THE RIVER GC said:

Are those full size beers? They look like it in the pic! That last course looked tight!

 

Lol. Heck no. 5 ounce pours in a flight. I'd need an Uber, or a hurse, if they were full pours. 

 

The Stout Fest continues at Craft Advisory Brewing, a short walk from The Beer House. 30 taps with a good variety. 

 

 

[Argonne69]

Mmmm. Gumbo. 

 

 

[hammergolf]

9 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

Mmmm. Gumbo. 

 

 

Golf courses aren’t good, but seafood and food in general in MS and LA are elite!

[Argonne69]

Blustery day again. At least the sun made an appearance. I parked Bessie on the way to Baton Rogue, and drove down to Carter Plantation. It's ranked #3 on GolfWeek's Best in State list for Louisiana, but I just don't see it. Is public golf in the state that hard pressed? Another course routed through a housing development. With few memorable holes it's easily forgotten. Unlike The Oaks, there are no trees blocking the homes. While the course does have a bit of up and down, it's basically flat. Greens were raised a bit. Fairways were very generous. Bunkering was acceptable. Water on a couple of holes. 

 

With wide fairways and practically no trees it was straightforward off the tee. Approaches were a little tougher with a few well guarded greens. Many of the greens had sections, so being in the same one as the flag was necessary to have a legit birdie chance. In addition to the sections, the greens had a good amount of break, and combined with their speed offered a good test. 

 

A couple of the 3s had water in play. The other two were snoozers. The 5s were benign. The short 4s had little danger. If it wasn't for the green complexes I might have fallen asleep out there. 

 

Conditions were generally good. The dormant fairways were wet from two days of rain, and I was picking up plenty of mud. The turf was in good shape, though. Bunkers were sandy, but a little compacted. Greens were excellent. Not quite as fast as Lakewood, but probably 11 to 11.5. Definitely fast enough to get your attention. 

 

Good day out there with two birdies and five bogies. Once again the course was playing long with the wind and the soft turf. Green speeds had me on the defensive most of the day. Highlight was a 7 iron to 18 inches on the par 3 12th. 

 

This one is getting 4 cows. Decent course for the homeowners, but the nice greens don't make up for its relative blandness. You're not going to miss anything if you pass on it. 

 

 

[Argonne69]

Carter Plantation GC, Springfield, LA 

 

 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/c7uyiuh42qv9ry8/AABEgbp12994HkY91nV6YAIGa?dl=0