motoo344
Bearded Bandit
Follow my golf adventure around the country!
Back Story
My Equipment
Schedule:
Day 1 - Travel Day
Alright, I made it to Columbia, MD around 6. Hung out for a bit and headed to golf galaxy to pick up some more golf clothes, couldn't find a pair of pants in the length I needed but got a few shirts. I will be leaving here around 9 am tomorrow to head to Williamsburg, probably hang out in the area until tee time at 2 and then leave right after to get Durham, NC between 10pm-12am.
Day 2 - Williamsburg - Golden Horseshoe
The Gold course was in fantastic shape, it reminded me a little of the Pine course from the THP Atlantic City Outing, the course was in much better shape and had a lot of character. It had a natural flow, a lot of trees, narrow fairways and rolling hills. The rough was brutal, I think it was bermuda, short but thick and the ball disappeared in it. Every green was either elevated or way below the tee box. They had just punched the greens which from my experience always makes greens bumpy and hard to read (not like I can anyway!) surprisingly they rolled fantastic and were absolutely the fastest greens I have ever played. My putting has been much better as of late, low 30's, and I ended up with 38 putts today.
Was going to take a shower at the club but I decided to eat a pack of crackers and head out on the 3 hour and 45 minute drive to the Durham, NC area. I85 is a terribly boring road but I made fantastic time, ended up arriving 47 minutes ahead of schedule, left Williamsburg at 7 and pulled into my hotel at 9:58. Tomorrow is going to be another long day, no driving in the morning but a 5 or so hour drive from here to Hilton Head tomorrow. I am really leaning towards taking Thursday off because I want to be feeling good for Harbourtown.
This was number 16, Par 3 150 yards. Great view of the 16 and 17 holes, two of the nicest holes I have seen.
Day 3 - North Carolina - UNC Finley
I woke up this morning and did a little planning and booked my room for the Atlanta get together. While Frank was getting all dolled up I did some light reading in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Express, we met for lunch and then headed over to the course. The course was fantastic, all around and for the $35 dollars it was a steal, I told Frank I was going to move down there just to play this course. Everything was in great shape, greens, rough, fairways, tee boxes and they had a nice practice area as well. The greens were not as quick as the Golden Horseshoe but they rolled true, I did not have any putts that took weird bounces or kicks, ended up with 32 putts today which is much better than my 38 or whatever from yesterday. Had a great time playing with Frank today and I am so glad I went down that way. I definitely hope at some point to come back or meet somewhere else for a round. Unfortunately he tried to get cute and bet $20 dollars a hole, I just did some calculations and he owes me $180 dollars lol. I ended up arriving in Hilton Head at 11:20pm which was 40 minutes ahead of schedule with 2 stop for gas and food. As for tomorrow, I haven't decided what I want to do yet. I feel surprisingly well, I adjusted the seat in my car and my back felt a lot better after that 5 hour drive than it did after the 3.5 drive the night before.
Here is one of my favorite holes from the course today: Hole 15
Day 4 - Hilton Head Island - Hilton Head National
Day 5 - Harbour Town Golf Links
I have been waiting for this since February of 2009, Harbour Town. I will cut to the chase on this because I am exhausted, I will update it more when I get a chance. I played in a group with two other guys and we had a lot of fun, our fore caddie Chris was wonderful, helping where he could and lending words of encouragement. We teed off at 1230, I usually never get nervous for drives but I was on this one, thankfully I hit it right down the middle. Overall it is a great course, the front being less exciting than the back. The course is stern but fair, keep it in the fairway and you will be okay except the holes with overhanging trees. The par 3's were tough, there was carry on all of them, whether it be sand or water. What set this course apart from any other course I have ever played were the greens. You can land the ball soft as can be and it will find a way to roll 10-15 feet. Don't bother hitting the middle of the green unless you have a lot of backspin because it wont stop. The greens were small, there were a few very tough pin placements but they were true. There weren't many big breakers but the speed was brutal, I was pleased that I ended up with only 34 putts today. I shot an honest to god 86 from the white at 6200 yards, no mulligans, did not lose one ball, had a birdie, a few pars, hit 9 or so fairways and a few greens. Actually being out on holes 17 and 18 made the experience worth it. Being able to take the same walk as the pros, even from 75 yards up, is an awesome feeling.
More pictures here.
http://imgur.com/a/lCQ2J
One of my favorite holes, par 3 4th hole.
Number 18
Tee shot for the par 3 below
Hole from the shot above, 7 iron from 140 to 1.5 feet. Made my birdie.
7 Iron onto the green here, a lot of carry, just missed my birdie putt.
Number 18
Number 17, ended up hitting it a little left into the bunker. Got out of it fine and just missed a 15 footer for par.
Day 6 - THP Atlanta get together
[video=youtube;-zbOrdjsbHk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zbOrdjsbHk&feature=youtu.be[/video]
Todays spoils of war.
]]
Day 7 - The Long Drive
Nothing all that exciting to report today, a lot of driving, it surprisingly wasn't that bad and even with several significant stops I arrived an hour early to my destination. I picked up a new laptop and one of those flip type cameras. I have some down time tomorrow so I will try and do some videos. Keeping it golf related, one of my detours today.
Day 8 - Whistling Straits
A few action shots from the course.
Whistling Straits photo gallery.
http://imgur.com/a/HwxPF
Day 9 - Blackwolf Run - Kohler, WI
<strong>
Pics here - http://imgur.com/a/smjeT
Day 10 - A long journey - Kohler, WI to Rapid City, SD.
Day 11 & 12
Day 12 & 13 - Denver, CO, Mesquite, NV - Wolf Creek
Photo album - http://imgur.com/a/zPgIC
Day 14, 15, 16 and 17 - Las Vegas, NV
Day 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 - Phoenix, AZ
[video=youtube;9-z7Dszpqgs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-z7Dszpqgs&feature=youtu.be[/video]
Day 23, 24 - Santa Fe & Albuquerque, NM
Day 25, 26, 27 Lubbock & Austin, TX
Day 28 - Memphis, TN
Day 29 - Knoxville , TN
Day 30, 31 - Greenbrier Resort, White Sulphor Springs, WV
Day 32 - Home
First Contest
Back Story
My Equipment
Schedule:
Day 1 - Travel Day
Alright, I made it to Columbia, MD around 6. Hung out for a bit and headed to golf galaxy to pick up some more golf clothes, couldn't find a pair of pants in the length I needed but got a few shirts. I will be leaving here around 9 am tomorrow to head to Williamsburg, probably hang out in the area until tee time at 2 and then leave right after to get Durham, NC between 10pm-12am.
Day 2 - Williamsburg - Golden Horseshoe
The Gold course was in fantastic shape, it reminded me a little of the Pine course from the THP Atlantic City Outing, the course was in much better shape and had a lot of character. It had a natural flow, a lot of trees, narrow fairways and rolling hills. The rough was brutal, I think it was bermuda, short but thick and the ball disappeared in it. Every green was either elevated or way below the tee box. They had just punched the greens which from my experience always makes greens bumpy and hard to read (not like I can anyway!) surprisingly they rolled fantastic and were absolutely the fastest greens I have ever played. My putting has been much better as of late, low 30's, and I ended up with 38 putts today.
Was going to take a shower at the club but I decided to eat a pack of crackers and head out on the 3 hour and 45 minute drive to the Durham, NC area. I85 is a terribly boring road but I made fantastic time, ended up arriving 47 minutes ahead of schedule, left Williamsburg at 7 and pulled into my hotel at 9:58. Tomorrow is going to be another long day, no driving in the morning but a 5 or so hour drive from here to Hilton Head tomorrow. I am really leaning towards taking Thursday off because I want to be feeling good for Harbourtown.
This was number 16, Par 3 150 yards. Great view of the 16 and 17 holes, two of the nicest holes I have seen.
Day 3 - North Carolina - UNC Finley
I woke up this morning and did a little planning and booked my room for the Atlanta get together. While Frank was getting all dolled up I did some light reading in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Express, we met for lunch and then headed over to the course. The course was fantastic, all around and for the $35 dollars it was a steal, I told Frank I was going to move down there just to play this course. Everything was in great shape, greens, rough, fairways, tee boxes and they had a nice practice area as well. The greens were not as quick as the Golden Horseshoe but they rolled true, I did not have any putts that took weird bounces or kicks, ended up with 32 putts today which is much better than my 38 or whatever from yesterday. Had a great time playing with Frank today and I am so glad I went down that way. I definitely hope at some point to come back or meet somewhere else for a round. Unfortunately he tried to get cute and bet $20 dollars a hole, I just did some calculations and he owes me $180 dollars lol. I ended up arriving in Hilton Head at 11:20pm which was 40 minutes ahead of schedule with 2 stop for gas and food. As for tomorrow, I haven't decided what I want to do yet. I feel surprisingly well, I adjusted the seat in my car and my back felt a lot better after that 5 hour drive than it did after the 3.5 drive the night before.
Here is one of my favorite holes from the course today: Hole 15
Day 4 - Hilton Head Island - Hilton Head National
Day 5 - Harbour Town Golf Links
I have been waiting for this since February of 2009, Harbour Town. I will cut to the chase on this because I am exhausted, I will update it more when I get a chance. I played in a group with two other guys and we had a lot of fun, our fore caddie Chris was wonderful, helping where he could and lending words of encouragement. We teed off at 1230, I usually never get nervous for drives but I was on this one, thankfully I hit it right down the middle. Overall it is a great course, the front being less exciting than the back. The course is stern but fair, keep it in the fairway and you will be okay except the holes with overhanging trees. The par 3's were tough, there was carry on all of them, whether it be sand or water. What set this course apart from any other course I have ever played were the greens. You can land the ball soft as can be and it will find a way to roll 10-15 feet. Don't bother hitting the middle of the green unless you have a lot of backspin because it wont stop. The greens were small, there were a few very tough pin placements but they were true. There weren't many big breakers but the speed was brutal, I was pleased that I ended up with only 34 putts today. I shot an honest to god 86 from the white at 6200 yards, no mulligans, did not lose one ball, had a birdie, a few pars, hit 9 or so fairways and a few greens. Actually being out on holes 17 and 18 made the experience worth it. Being able to take the same walk as the pros, even from 75 yards up, is an awesome feeling.
More pictures here.
http://imgur.com/a/lCQ2J
One of my favorite holes, par 3 4th hole.
Number 18
Tee shot for the par 3 below
Hole from the shot above, 7 iron from 140 to 1.5 feet. Made my birdie.
7 Iron onto the green here, a lot of carry, just missed my birdie putt.
Number 18
Number 17, ended up hitting it a little left into the bunker. Got out of it fine and just missed a 15 footer for par.
Day 6 - THP Atlanta get together
[video=youtube;-zbOrdjsbHk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zbOrdjsbHk&feature=youtu.be[/video]
Todays spoils of war.
Day 7 - The Long Drive
Nothing all that exciting to report today, a lot of driving, it surprisingly wasn't that bad and even with several significant stops I arrived an hour early to my destination. I picked up a new laptop and one of those flip type cameras. I have some down time tomorrow so I will try and do some videos. Keeping it golf related, one of my detours today.
Day 8 - Whistling Straits
A few action shots from the course.
Whistling Straits photo gallery.
http://imgur.com/a/HwxPF
Day 9 - Blackwolf Run - Kohler, WI
<strong>
Pics here - http://imgur.com/a/smjeT
Day 10 - A long journey - Kohler, WI to Rapid City, SD.
Day 11 & 12
Day 12 & 13 - Denver, CO, Mesquite, NV - Wolf Creek
Photo album - http://imgur.com/a/zPgIC
Day 14, 15, 16 and 17 - Las Vegas, NV
Day 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 - Phoenix, AZ
[video=youtube;9-z7Dszpqgs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-z7Dszpqgs&feature=youtu.be[/video]
Day 23, 24 - Santa Fe & Albuquerque, NM
Day 25, 26, 27 Lubbock & Austin, TX
Day 28 - Memphis, TN
Day 29 - Knoxville , TN
Day 30, 31 - Greenbrier Resort, White Sulphor Springs, WV
Day 32 - Home
First Contest
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