The Other Golf Holes We Want To Play

The 7th at Pebble Beach. It's definitely one of the most recognizable holes in golf. Any major golf publication has emblazoned this image into the minds of its readers. Every golfer, stinky or not, would like to play this hole at least once in their golfing lives...hopefully more.

Along with this hole are a few of the others which the golfing media has spotlighted as "legendary." Holes such as the 17th at The Old Course, the 13th at Augusta or the 17th at Sawgrass. All of these holes are famous for one reason or another, and all are holes we want to play someday.

But maybe I look at this a little differently. Don't get me wrong, I would love to play all of these holes. But the way I see it, some of these holes simply have something intangible attached to them rather than actually being a "cool golf hole." The Old Course for instance; I've never played it (would love to though!), but seeing it on TV...I don't find it to be particularly attractive. But I also understand, that's not why people want to play it.

Similar to the Old Course is the 13th at Augusta. While it's a very pretty hole and it, again, has that historical significance, in then end.., it's just a pretty hole.

When I think of some holes I would like to play, I think of the holes I mentioned earlier and a few more that many may or may not be on the list of most golfers. For instance:

This is a hole that's gotten a lot of attention over the past year or so. It's the 19th hole at South Africa's Legend Golf & Safari Resort. While it's more of a gimmick hole, I don't care. It's quite possibly the most unique golf hole on the planet. The green, shaped like the continent on which it lies, is best viewed from the tee box area, which just so happens be located on a cliff, 1,400 feet above. I know what you're thinking - "Who the hell wants to walk all the way up there?" Well, fret not friends...the helicopter ride up and down is included in your $220 greens fee. Now that's cool.

But maybe you're afraid of heights. Maybe you don't like helicopters. Maybe you'd just rather hit at one of those cool-shaped greens from a "normal" tee box. Well, check out this shapely green at Washington's Apple Tree Resort:

Yeah, it's gimmicky also. It's a large island green. It's an apple. But you have to admit...it's pretty cool. I don't believe it's of any historical significance, and I'm sure the only story behind it is to pay tribute to the apple growing regions of Washington, from where 58% of commercially grown apples in the U.S. come. But again, that's not what matters. What matters here is that it's a cool hole to play.

But another hole that's pretty high up on my list resides in the golfing mecca that is...Idaho, home to the Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course.

Now, island greens just don't have the same allure to me that they used to. I live not more than 20 minutes from a pretty average course which features an island green. So seeing that an average course in the area can pull it off, the idea of an island green has lost some of its luster in my mind. Maybe that's part of the reason why I really like the island at Apple Tree mentioned above. But here at Coeur d'Alene, this island green ain't just another island green:

Nope, this is the world's only floating island green. And when they say island, they mean island. See that boat slip to the right? There ain't no land bridge here, friends. But wait, there's more. This par-3 averages 147 yards. I say "averages" because, get this (if you don't already know), the island moves! Everyday, the computer controlled island is in a different place! One day the hole can play 95 yards. Play it again the following day, and it may be 200! Now that...is a cool hole.

It's one of the things I love about this sport - the variety. While the same courses, year after year, magazine issue after magazine issue, are drilled into our heads, there are so many great courses and great holes out there just waiting to be played. Some of them may not be on the Top 100. But that doesn't make these hidden gems any less great. It's just up to us to get out and play them.

So maybe the next golf trip you plan could or should be somewhere other than Florida or Myrtle Beach. Maybe places like Idaho and Washington (among many others) are worth a look. If variety is the spice of life, then it certainly should be the spice of your golfing life as well.

Swing 'til you're happy!

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The Quest to Play Every Golf Course in my State

Every now and then, you reach a point in your life when you feel the need to accomplish something for you and only you. Things have a way of carrying on in the same manner; a routine sets in and before you know it, it's been months, perhaps even years since you've done something truly unique.

For me, the year was 2003. By then, I had been playing golf for 14 years and I hadn't gotten any better. It's strange, actually; My golf game had gotten smarter - I learned to lay-up to the 150-marker so I could hit 8-iron into the green every time; I learned to hit a 5-wood off the tee to sacrifice distance for control; I learned to, well...I learned to play it safe.

I knew I couldn't compete on any pro tour or even have a chance to win a local tournament. Yet I continued to suck all the fun out of golf by focusing only on that silly number written down with those silly little pencils. I knew something had to change - I needed to shift that focus from my score, to the game itself.

And that's when I decided to embark on my quest: To play every 18-hole public course in the state of Connecticut. Now it may not have been the most adventuresome quest in golf (people that set-out to play the top 100 courses in the country, or even the world have got some time and money on their hands), but it wasn't exactly something to sneeze at either (after all, The Constitution State had...at the time...66 golf courses meeting my criteria).

I quickly drew up a schedule for 2003 (and 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2007 to boot). Being married and working a full-time job, I knew this quest would take a few years. That being said, I settled on a schedule that would keep half my summer weekends free, while still enabling me to complete said quest within a reasonable amount of time - I would play roughly two rounds a month for seven months of the year (April - October) for five years.

Of course, no quest would be complete without people to experience it with. So I emailed the schedules to all my golfing buddies - hoping at least one of them would accompany me at every course (and that pretty much happened - at least one golf buddy played with me at each course along the way).

So I had this quest, and I had people to experience it with. But what about documenting it? Rather than keep a diary in the traditional sense, I decided to photograph and review every course I played. But as I reviewed them, I realized many of the course descriptions sounded similar on paper. So I began compiling a rating system based on a set of six criteria to help me distinguish between the courses (you can learn about those criteria HERE).

The more courses I played (and subsequently the more courses I rated and wrote about), the more I began to realize what makes a good golf course (at least in my opinion). This quest took me to the lushest of courses; where greens-fees greatly exceeded $100; where bag-boys loaded your clubs on the cart at the beginning of the round and cleaned them for you at the end of the round; where every blade of grass reminded you of Augusta. Yet the same quest took me to the shabbiest of courses; where chain-link fences protected tee-areas from errant shots; where driving range mats replaced worn-down tee-boxes; where the fairways were so dusty, you'd swear the carts ahead of you were part of Rommel's tank battalion.

After completing my quest at the end of the 2007 season, it took two years for me to embark on my next adventure - contributing to this blog and helping to develop golfstinks.com. And this too benefited from my quest - a new feature you will be seeing very soon on this site is the ability to search and rate golf courses the golfstinks way (not-to-mention you can read all my ratings and reviews for those Connecticut courses too). But I'd have to say the real benefit was to me. I learned a bunch in those five years...mainly to forget about my score and just have fun playing the game I love.

So get out there and experience what golf has to offer. Drop a C-note on an awesome track once in a while; drive two hours to experience the latest Nicklaus or Jones design; get out there and forget about the rest of the world...Don't worry, your home course will be waiting for you when you get back.

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Fans Love A Good Rivalry

Ah...the rivalry games. You don't have to be a baseball fan to understand the significance of Red Sox-Yankees. Just the same for Lakers-Celtics, Packers-Bears, North Carolina-Duke, etc... That list can go on and on.

There are the all-time great rivalries like those mentioned above. There are the rivalries that last for a few years while two teams are both hot. There are local or in-state rivalries that may not have a huge national impact, but mean the world to the fans of the two teams. The bottom line is...fans love rivalries.

But I just recently came across an old article (roughly two years old, the article is not dated) touting golf's ten greatest rivalries. When I first came across this article, I felt I stumbled onto something interesting. Something that may help promote the sport to a new generation by focusing on or creating rivalries. Instead, I found the same old golf stuffiness. Seriously now...what is it about golf and golf writers that simply won't allow the sport to advance into the future? What do I mean? Here, I'll show you.

Moving through the list from 10 through 1:

#10 - USA vs. Sergio Garcia. For starters, this is not a rivalry. This is just a golfer who claims to dislike Americans. In return, many American golf fans dislike him. Further,Sergio Garcia is of relative insignificance. He has only two PGA Tour wins in the past five years and hasn't won multiple tourneys since 2004. So who cares about Sergio? But, other than his comments about beating Americans and spitting in the cup...one of the reasons people don't like him is his celebrations. I disagree here. I like the emotion. I would like to see more of it from other golfers. I'm tired of the "tip-of-the-cap." Celebrate a great shot a little. Don't rehearse it. I don't want to see a T.O. But don't be afraid to show a bit of emotion. Make the game more fun.

#9 - Pebble Beach vs. Augusta. Again, this is not a rivalry. This is like saying Yankee Stadium vs. Fenway. It's great for comparisons sake - one is big, extravagant and new, the other quaint, traditional and full of character. But neither has anything to do with the games themselves. It would be Yankees-Red Sox even if the game was on a neutral field. Sure you could make the argument that playing in each other's stadiums adds to the rivalry, but in golf, those two courses have nothing to do with an actual rivalry between players. They are just two courses. Albeit, two dream courses...but just courses nonetheless.

#8 - Robert T. Jones Jr. vs. Rees Jones. Once again...who cares? The average golf fan doesn't give a crap about this. So two brothers don't get along. OK, so it's a family rivalry. But it has nothing to do with the sport itself. They just both happen to be golf course designers. Meaningless.

#7 - Sarazen vs. Hagen - Hey!! We're four in and we actually have a player rivalry! It's what golf fans care about! Although, they do only mention one match and it happens to be almost 80 years old. Otherwise...I'll take it. They are after all, two of the greatest of all time.

#6 - Greg Norman vs. Tim Finchem - One is an all-time great golfer. The other is the commissioner. It's two guys who don't get along...but it's not a rivalry! Not in the sense that I want anyway. Not only that, but it's not exactly Pete Rose vs. Bart Giamatti.

#5 - Tradition vs. Technology - GET OVER IT ALREADY!! The game has advanced. It's going to continue to advance. Just let it happen!! Equipment is going to become easier to use. Technology will make the game easier for some. Does that ruin the game? Of course not! Besides, isn't it fun to think to yourself.."I know Tiger is great...but can you imagine what Bobby Jones would do with a set of Tiger's clubs?" Oh, and by the way, "tradition vs. technology" is, once again, not a rivalry.

#4 - Jack Nicklaus vs. Tom Watson - No argument here.

#3 - Sam Snead vs. Ben Hogan - Ditto.

#2 - Arnold Palmer vs. Jack Nicklaus - My only issue with this one is, how is it NOT #1?!

#1 - Tiger Woods vs. Old Man Time - Oh...because Tiger had to be involved in the #1 ranking somehow. Sports Illustrated and Golf magazine were, of course, busy kissing Tiger's ass. Tiger vs. Old Man Time? Are you kidding? He injured his knee!! How is that a rivalry???!!! Worse yet...how is that a better rivalry than Arnie vs. Jack?! What a joke.

See, I've mentioned before that I believe the PGA does a crappy job of promoting it's players. No one, save the hardcore golf fans, has any idea who half the players on the tour are. Want to promote these players a little better? Then create some rivalries! Give us a reason to watch! Build up a match! Don't give us a crappy top ten list that shows only four actual rivalries, and none of the current!

The PGA could do so much better...but they don't. In the meantime...fewer and fewer people care. Fewer and fewer people take up the game. Fewer and fewer rounds are played every year. Fewer and fewer members of the younger generations show interest in the game...and #5 on the above list is part of the problem, not one of the "greatest rivalries."

Swing 'til you're happy...and find your own top ten reasons to do so.

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