thanks for the heads up…i heard good things about the new greens and the progress it was making
boys opted for GSO National instead
Josh wasn’t trying to drive all that way hungover
Quail holler 2025 major back in NC
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That’s gonna be back to back years with a major in NC, 2024 US Open at #2. Pretty solid.
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Isn’t the 2021 presidents cup at QH as well
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Sure is!
That PGA in may will be so much more comfortable to beat than the last PGA in late august.
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OMG yes man. Being the stubborn irish blooded ginger I am, saturday got burnt to a god damn crisp, and spend sunday sitting on the back side par 3 all day trying to just stay alive. I was about 10 yards from thomas when he chipped in and got the momemtum back.
Hottest 2 days I can remember like ever.
I’m embarking on a mini Strantz tour this month - playing Tot Hill Sunday and TR end of month, both first time. I’ve played Caledonia and True Blue before. That is all.
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I’m sure you can find someone to guide you around Tobacco Road if you post when you’re playing. @Double_Bogey_Dave and @Are_you_double_D were amazing for my first time
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When are you going to be in town? There are about a dozen of us who have TR player cards, and we have been talking about getting out to Tot Hill soon.
We tried to be gentle. 
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2pm tee time Sunday at Tot Hill, will be at TR Friday 5/29
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Regarding golf: I posted previously about Tot Hill, didn’t love it first time I played there. Played a few weekends back a second time and it has improved and greens were in good shape particularly. Still not a favorite course of mine cause you just can’t change the layout. Plenty of holes are cool to look at but just not fun to play.
Now pardon the novel:
The thing that bothered me was why they haven’t made a single effort to be sensible with COVID.
- No pool noodles or elevated cups etc.
- They didn’t have people riding in separate carts or any apparent effort to clean carts, I usually walk but at a course that is definitely not walkable like Tot Hill… they should be aware of that problem.
- Most notably, they forced us to pair with random group… when there were like 10 cars in the parking lot??? not like the course was even remotely packed. I love pace of play and typically play my rounds in 3 hours if not impeded, but that was unnecessary.
I’m not particularly anxious about COVID (though not underestimating it), in fact I’ve got in a ton of golf during this time. Golf is inherently a great place to be outside and responsible regarding COVID. I think they got those things above wrong and that left me with a bad taste, worse than anything to do with the course. Having given Tot Hill two tries now, not sure what would draw me to return.
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Weird thing I learned about Tot Hill Farm a few years ago while playing with a member is that a large number of the members are retired Duracell employees.
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Played Tot Hill today. Greens were really good, perfect time of year for the bentgrass. But yeah, as mentioned by @GWB15, they have pretty much zero COVID restrictions in place, nothing in or around the cups. They said they didn’t have enough carts for our threesome to each take our own…it was relatively busy out there, can’t blame them, but still. I’m not obsessively anxious about it, but I also don’t wanna be a scumbag. It felt totally irresponsible to sit so close to another guy for 4 hours. So two of us ended up walking (with our own pushcarts). Holy moly that’s a tough walk. Probably the hardest walk I’ve ever had in golf.
It’s an interesting course. I find it to be much harder than Tobacco Road. Not a unique take, but in my opinion, Tobacco Road is not wildly difficult if you’re hitting it decently and you use your brain and don’t get suckered into some of the hero shots. It’s a lot of visual intimidation. But the elevation changes at Tot Hill make it tough…hard to find a level stance all day. There’s probably some smart choices to be made if you’re more familiar with the course.
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Spot on. All the respect for walking that.
In terms of it vs. Tobacco Road agree 1,000%. 8,9,18 at Tobacco Road are tough holes but other than that not too bad unless you leave yourself in dead spots from poor shots. Tot Hill even the straight forward holes are hard in my opinion. There is water on 12 holes I think and the others have OB. Bunkers/no OB makes huge difference in difficulty. Hard is fine though.
My biggest complain is only in comparison to Tobacco Road. If it was just a course it would be fine, but as it is sister/cousin course to Tobacco Road I find it very lacking. You get the visual aspects to an extent, but none of the strategy/decision making. It just felt like a normal golf course in terms of risk/reward shots. You are still taking the same lines whether you’re playing aggressive or conservative. At Tobacco Road you’re making distinct decisions that dictate angles, distances, lines, etc. At Tot Hill you’re making decisions on distance to hit (do I hit driver on 10? Do I go for it on 4,5,16,18? If you’re not you’re on the same line just shorter club just like any other course in my opinion).
TL;DR: Tot Hill is a fun course that I have enjoyed playing (is in great shape comparatively right now). They are not adhering to any COVID guidelines and if you want any type of experience like Tobacco Road, just pay the extra money to play there.
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I think Tobacco Road was designed with match play in mind more so than Tot Hill. Tobacco Road is more forgiving in the width and angles and that provides a lot of options; play it safe or take on as much trouble as you want. Tot Hill looks you straight in the face and says “Here is where you have to hit, so do it.” The 14th hole comes to mind with that mantra. Your tee shot has all the room you need but the approach requires you to hit to an area of the green regardless of pin position, and also, don’t be short and don’t go long. I use that course as a barometer for where my game is. If I think I’m swinging it well, that course will confirm or deny that feeling. I love both courses, and all Strantz courses for that matter, but they offer very different rounds of golf. True Blue might be a little closer comparison to Tobacco Road.
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I don’t get the backlash about Tot Hill not forcing people to adhere to various guidelines. What should they do that golfers can’t do themselves?
Don’t wanna reach into the cup? Get one of those suction cups for your putter the old guise use.
Don’t wanna share a cart? Walk.
Don’t want to touch the flagstick? Don’t
Don’t wanna touch a bunker take? Don’t
Don’t want to play with random people? Don’t
I believe the above are generally state requirements for them to be open.
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If they never implemented CDC guidelines, I wonder if someone there has friends in high places, or if no one bothered to check. I know at least a couple weeks ago the guys at Oak Hollow were nervous about everyone following guidelines because they could be shut down real quick, although maybe that is because they are government owned. Current day may be different with things starting to re-open, although my course is still applying all the same restrictions and will be for the foreseeable future.