Wrapping a passion bucket filled weekend today with my @RACDGNorCal homeys at Windsor GC outside Santa Rosa, hard on the Charles Schulz Airport. A fun “hidden gem” that used to host a Nike Tour event in the 90s. $74 to walk on a weekend morning. 16 of us out today and I think most if not all would recommend. Paired up with our hitters @forembc @DevinTheDude and Jack.
2nd under par rd of the year, -1 71, over the moon……. and got absolutely mollywhopped in our Stableford comp. #theseguysaregood
Yeah it was. It was also the hottest start to a round for the entire group that I’ve been a part of. I think we had 10 birdies in the first 6 holes, IIRC.
@DombrowBryan the kid was dialled in. Pleasure to spectate that round!
Started the weekend with @3Putt2Glory near Lansing, MI at Eagle Eye. A Pete Dye collab that looks like a links style but plays pretty soft so you don’t get the rollout you’d expect but still presented a real fun challenge. They even have a replica Sawgrass 17. A top Michigan course for me for sure.
Next we headed a little north of Grand Rapids in Kent where we played “The Falls a Barber Creek” using quotes because the man made falls were off Saturday. A fun 18 hole in the middle of farm country with good elevation changes a fun design even if it only is 6100 from the tips. For $60 with cart, I’d file this under the “worth playing” if you are in the area
Sunday we joined up with @zeoalex for Pilgrims Run. Great course also near Grand Rapids that was featured it Tourist Sauce Michigan. Lots of risk/reward and some absolutely stunning holes. A steal of a deal for $99 with cart.
Great weekend all around even if my game is in a total rut.
You’re going to need to expand on this.
Holy shit, just looked it up and that very much looks like a Pete Dye. That’s really interesting that the Dye family doesn’t take credit for it on their website. I’m going to have to add it to my list!
It’s a Chris Lutzke design (seems like he was Pete Dyes right hand man/mentee). I believe Chris was helping with straights and ocean course. Eagle Eye was his first solo project.
@zeoalex needs to play it too so let us know when you wanna play and we can make it happen
We are flying into Charles Schulz Airport later this week. Does Windsor GC need to be on the list? I have Northwood down as a hard maybe so far. Staying by Foxtail GC so I was going to play there if I get free for an afternoon. Thanks!
to tack on to @adam17walt 's post above - I played 2/3 of the TS Michigan Grand Rapids courses this weekend:
Saturday was Diamond Springs which may well be one of my favorite courses I’ve played, especially in Michigan - it was just cool. I think single mow height is often code for “poorly maintained” and this is just such a perfect example of how awesome single height can be. It was rough around the edges in only the best sense of the word. Full disclosure - I was there for the FCF classic club challenge, so vibes surrounding that may well have an influence, but, I just couldn’t stop smiling all day - even when I was playing like shit, and when we got rained on…it was just fun. This very much so feels like a course that I would want to go play over and over and over. I cannot wait to get back out there with my modern set.
Day 2 was Pilgrims run which was just sick. It felt like good high end up north resort golf without being pretentious or annoying about any of it. The hopitality was nothing short of incredible, we got a probably 10 minute speech from the starter about the course, good little bits of info, history etc. Then he saw our NLU towels and told us how crazy things have gotten since TS. This routing was killer. This is another course that I’d like to go back to now having seen it once (and hopefully with a better night’s sleep). The course was kept up incredibly well, and every shot really seemed to give you an interesting choice to make on how to approach it. I cannot wait to go back.
This isn’t exactly a round of golf, but I was just at a 3 day “golf camp” and one of the guys was 93 years old, still looking to improve his game! Larry didnt even begin playing golf until he was 70! Totally my hero - still believing that his game can get better. We should all be so optimistic!
Yeah. Its so close to the airport, I’d say def worth it.
Love this. Always inspired seeing older members at my club grinding on the range, trying to “find it in the dirt”. That will always be me
Could you hear the strains of “No Nay Never, No Laying Up” on the winds as you played?
I have never layed up.
Played Nags Head Golf Club at the Outer Banks with my dad. Pretty scenic but a few too many holes where you could only hit it 150 off the tee to avoid water. A college student in our group had an NLU towel and putter cover. Made a pitch for him to join the Nest.
Was very pleasantly surprised by Sligo. Ended up being one of my favorites from my trip.
I need another crack at it.
I played it after after an 8 hour flight directly followed by a 3+ hour car ride. Then they put me out right away so I’d beat a couple of foursomes and I didn’t have the chance to grab a snack or drink. Then it poured rain for the first 10 holes and between the jet lag and no food by the time I got to like hole 15 I was a dead man walking.
On the plus side afterwards may have been some of the best sleep I’ve ever had.
