J. Brian Keith asked:


This interesting article addresses some of the key issues regarding golf courses. A careful reading of this material could make a big difference in how you think about golf courses.

Is everything making sense so far? If not, I’m sure that with just a little more reading, all the facts will fall into place.

One thing every golfer will agree on is no golf course is ever the same. While playing different courses is fun and challenging, playing ones home course, no matter how many times it is done, is always going to be different.

Yes, it is the same course, nothing has been changed, except for the position of the cup on the green, but no golf course is ever exactly the same two days in a row, or, for that matter, the same day.

Will Smith in the movie “The Legend of Bagger Vance” told his protégé how the grass follows the sun, which means a putt that broke one way in the morning will break in the opposite direction in the afternoon.

Another thing that makes the same course different every day is the weather conditions. Weather plays a big factor in golf, and how a course plays. A wet course will play slower and the ball will not travel as far after hitting the ground. On a dry course, the ball will roll farther after hitting the turf.

A course will also play differently in hot or cold weather. Colder weather keeps the ball from traveling as far, while a well hit ball will go further on a warm or hot day. Additionally, if an area has been dry for any length of time, the fairways, unless they are watered heavily every day, will become as hard as concrete and provide extra distance once the ball hits the ground.

Then comes the golfer’s attitude. Yes, the frame of mind a golfer is in will have a direct affect on how well he or she plays and reacts to the course. Golf is a game requiring a calm, focused mind, so the player can concentrate on what he or she is trying to do on any particular shot.

One other thing that will make the same course play differently is how the grounds are kept. If the fairway is allowed to grow a little long, balls will not be able to roll as far, whereas, if they are kept trimmed close to the ground, the ball will roll further.

The rough is a whole other problem, as are other obstacles on the course, such as sprinkler heads. The rough is always going to be thick and hard to play out of, but a heavy, wet rough makes it almost impossible for a golfer to do much more than simply attempt to chip back onto the fairway. Sprinkler heads, which are positioned all over the course, will have an adverse affect on a ball that happens to hit them.

Believe it or not, who a person is playing with, or if he or she is playing alone when he or she normally plays with someone else will affect the way the course is played. So, this only goes to show how the same course, no matter how many times a person plays it, is never the same course twice.

Knowing enough about golf courses to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you’ve just learned about golf courses, you should have nothing to worry about.



Joseph

Lori Ann asked:


Why do golf courses have 18 holes, not 20, 10, or even a dozen? This is a trivia question.

Do NOT give me an Internet link for your answer. Please give full details.

Good luck!
You’re getting warmer …….

Does anyone at all, find this question interesting?

Carla

mulvisaur asked:


I am planning on traveling south on I-95 to play some random golf courses that wont break the bank. There are 2 of us making this venture starting March 5 and ending March 10th. I do not feel like driving south of north carolina. We are leaving from Philadelphia. I also do not want to venture too far off of 95.

Rose

christiansoldier911 asked:


specifically the Dallas/Grand Prairie/Arlington area? My dad is coming in for a visit from the Northeast. Since its absolutely miserable and cold up there, I know all he wants to do is golf. However, I can’t seem to tell if any golf courses are open. I’ve went to a few websites of local golf courses and they don’t say whether they are open year-round or not. Help!

Carolyn

kmed1an asked:


What golf courses let you be 14 to drive their golf carts.

Francisco

Grahame Simpson asked:


Santa Maria Golf Course is a beautiful course that players of all levels can enjoy and be challenged. There are some beautiful holes and fantastic vies

Santa Maria Golf Course front 9 holes.

Hole 1: The tee shot is over a lake and the right hand side is a gully with a river. Straight down the middle and then to the flat green which has three bunkers protecting it.

Hole 2: This is a downhill par 5 with a tight tee shot due to the row of trees on the right side. The fairway narrows further 100 m before the green which is left of the raised 2nd tee.

Hole 3: Up hill tee shot with the fairway falling away to the left. The green has two bunkers in front and one at the back.

Hole 4: 250 meter par 4 uphill with out of bounds on the right and river gully along the left. The fairway starts tight but opens out and the second shot should be a chip.

Hole 5: Out of bounds on the right and open but some trees on the left. Straight forward hole with the green slightly elevated.

Hole 6: Again slightly up hill with a wide fairway. Middle to right side of the tee is the safest and best position to play to the green.

Hole 7: A long par 3 where you play over a gully to a small green with a couple of bunkers protecting.

Hole 8: A dogleg right par 5 where the corner can be cut however, there are two bunkers after that which need to be carried. It is safest to play up the middle with an easy second shot and then a short iron to the green. There is a lake on the right side of the fairway 100 meters before the undulating green.

Hole 9: Tee shot over the lake and up hill to the green there is a gully on the left to stay away from.

Please visit Santa Maria Golf Course Guide for the back 9 holes.

If you wish to play Golf Courses of the Costa del Sol then let www.sungolfer.com help you.



Monica

Sunil Tanna asked:


The United States is blessed with many wonderful public golf courses, including several in the state of North Carolina. In this article, we will review some of the best public golf courses in the North Carolina, and what they offer.

1. Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Course in Southern Pines, was laid out by the Scottish born golf architect, Donald Ross. The course, which has always been lovingly maintained, has in recent years been restored back towards the original Donald Ross design, while the greens’ foundations have nevertheless been rebuilt to USGA specifications.

2., 3. and 4. Pinehurt Resort and Country Club in the village of Pinehurst is home to no less than 8 different golf courses as well as the Pinehurst Golf Academy. The most highly rated are No. 2, No. 4 and No. 8. The No. 2 course was designed by Donald Ross in 1907. The No. 4 and No. 8 courses are both designs by Tom Fazio (2000 and 1996 respectively), although the No. 4 course owes a great debt to an earlier Ross course on the same site. The No. 2 is especially known as a challenging course, not because of any individual feature, but because of the combination of features that it offers, and hence is a popular site for golf championships, more in fact than any other course in the country, including having hosted the 2005 U.S. Open Championship.

5. Rivers Edge Golf Course is an Arnold Palmer Signature Course in Shallotte. The course is home to spectacular landscapes, and six of the holes sit upon bluffs which overlook the Shallotte River and surrounding marshlands.

6. Ocean Ridge Plantation in Sunset Beach is home to four courses: “Lion’s Paw”, “Panther’s Run”, “Tiger’s Eye”, and new in 2007, “Leopard’s Chase”. While all the courses have something special to offer, perhaps the best known and most highly regarded is the “Tiger’s Eye” which has been rated as one of the best public golf courses in the country by Golf Digest.



Allan

Dana Buttenhoff asked:


If you take a poll of true Minnesotans and you ask them to name areas of the state that are traditional vacation destinations, the Mille Lacs Lake area is certain to be in the top five locations for the majority of those polled. Taking a trip to Mille Lacs is one that nearly every Minnesotan has made. A trip to Mille Lacs is similar to attending the Minnesota State Fair or going to the State Capitol building on a field trip as a 5th grade student, everybody does it.

Just off of U.S. Highway 169 and an easy 90-minute drive north from the Twin Cities, just six miles south of Garrison, there is a golf course that has been open since 1964. There have been some changes made during the past couple of seasons and more changes that will be taking place in the months and years ahead. Welcome to Mille Lacs Golf Resort and Marina featuring Hardwoods Golf Club. Future plans include a new log design clubhouse and restaurant, a 35,000 square foot indoor water park, a day spa, a 120-unit hotel condo building and many more amenities planned for the future. There is also the option of purchasing or renting single-family homes and townhouses which feature log design.

There are some changes in the future for Hardwoods Golf Club. There are some plans on the drawing board to stretch the 6,309 yard course a bit by adding some length to a couple of the tee boxes and converting one of the longer par-4 holes into a par-5 making the course a par-72. The addition of some strategically placed bunkers is on the drawing board as well. In it’s current design Hardwoods Golf Club plays to a par-71 with a course rating of 69.7 and a slope index of 119. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security by looking at the yardage on the scorecard and thinking you can overpower this golf course. If you are an accurate ball-striker and an above average putter you can score well, but if you let your guard down this golf course will have you for lunch. All of the greens are small, elevated and have enough undulation to keep you on top of your putting game. The greens at Hardwoods Golf Club have been described as Pinehurst-like, and I would agree with this statement.

General Manager Trent Christenson along with his management staff of, Jim Resch- Head Golf Professional, Justin Heitkamp- Pro Shop Manager and Bob Weston-Golf Course Superintendent, do a fine job of making patrons feel welcome as well as keeping the facility in fine condition.

The weekend rate of $45.00 per person with a cart is quite reasonable for this resort destination. Seniors can golf on any Monday or Wednesday for $25.00 per person with a cart making this an even better value. For tee times call 1-800-435-8720 or visit their website at www.millelacsgolf.com

With the planned additions to the Hardwoods Golf Club as well as the planned expansion to the resort facilities, Mille Lacs Golf Resort and Marina featuring Hardwoods Golf Club is a destination you will want to bring your family to again and again.



Louis

Todd W asked:


I’m looking for the top public or semi-private golf courses North of Napa and Sacramento to the northern border of California.

Minnie