Learn to sit back and observe. Not everything needs a reaction .

"Golf is like a love affair: If you don't take it seriously, it's no fun. If you do, it breaks your heart."- Louise Suggs

Favorite Golf Destination #4- Pebble Beach

My first really classic golf trip was in 2006. We landed in SF and immediatly headed over to Harding Park, where we had to wait way past our tee time and were only able to get in 15 holes. The Cypress trees were very impressive and we could see our next days challenge across Lake Merced.
The Olympic Club at that time, the fairways were heavyly tree lined and it was a challenge to keep it on some of the sloping FW's. It has many memorable holes, the hamburger in a hot dog shape at the turn, and the worst caddie experience I had ever had (see 6/13/12-Lary the Sleepy Caddie). But my highlight was the short par four 18th hole. I hit my approach shot long as it was a front pin day and wanted to make sure I didn't fall short. So I am left with at least a 30'ft downhill putt. Anyone who has played it from there knows that putt is a screamer. Somehow I hit the back of the cup and dropped it in for a Birdie!
We next drove down to Pebble Beach and played the Big three there. We stayed at Spanish Bay for one night to quarantee a PB tee time, which is still probably the most I have ever paid for a room. I played great at Pebble Beach but it was in the process of a bunker renovation and there was either no sand in the traps or new sand which when you hit in totally ate up your ball. The best shot of my life was the approach to #8, from 193 yds I hit it three feet behind the stick and it stuck in place. At Spanish Bay we played in a heavy ocean layer and at the very challenging Spyglass Hill course the #4 ocean hole was sensational.1-831-574-5609
The last stop on this half of the trip was at the Alistar MacKenzie, Pasatiempo GC in Santa Cruz. This is one of the greatest USA public courses I have ever played and if I could ever get a chance to play Cypress Point I would make sure to return here again.1-831-459-9155
I borrowed a camera and took an occasional photo along the way, this was the start of my Photo tours. These six courses were the greatest stretch of top courses I had ever played. From here we drove up to Bandon Dunes for 8 rounds. What a trip!!

"The truth has no defense against a fool determined to believe a lie."- Mark Twain

#877 Plantation on Crystal River- Lagoons 9

In 1981 the first hole of the championship course was shortened and the first tee of the Lagoons short course was created. The course superintendent, Glen Oberlander is credited with the design which now includes 3 par 4's (#6-8). It is a fun loop with the rustic, thread the needle, 120 yd Par 3 a real hoot. You have about a 15 yard opening from the tee to find the green.

With the craze now of short courses around the world, Crystal River GC was ahead of the crowd. Lagoons conditioning and greens aren't as good as the other course but it is always great to have an option for more golf after your 18. If I were in charge I would make it complementary for all 18 hole greens fee paying players, hoping they would come back in the clubhouse for another round of drinks. White rated.

#876 Plantation on Crystal River GC

Crystal River GC, formerly Paradise CC, was designed in 1958 by Mark Mahannah and is located in Crystal River, FL. Some have probably heard of this region because of the winter migration of Manatee's up the Crystal river. The golf course is very flat but with a nice assortment of doglegs, ponds, and some of the best greens I have played at a public course in Florida it is well worth the trip. The greens were not only very healthy but so firm that most of the time you didn't leave a ball mark. I found the B9 more challenging with 11-14 a strong stretch of holes, #13 is a good risk/reward hole that I wished I had been more aggressive and not layed up on. My favorite hole was the serpentine par 5 #16 that temps you to take on the pond fronting the green with your second approach shot. It is followed by the best par 3 at #17. I found #2, #6, and #7 interesting on the F9. Overall the par 5's are the stongest group of holes here.

The way the course manages their rakes in the bunkers was a first for me. They insert a PVC pipe down in the ground at the edge of the bunker and you just drop it down the capped top and it is vertical with only the rake end protruding. The staff is very professional and friendly. The director of golf shared with me the history of the course which I found very interesting, that Tommy Bolt once lived on the 10th hole and was part of the pro staff which included Gay Brewer, Doug Ford, Bob Goalby, among others. The orginal golf course lots in the 50's were priced under 5k and the promo stated "Thou shall dwell in Paradise" thus Paradise CC. The management hit a homerun with me with their priority of superb greens and outgoing staff to earn a GOLD rating. Call 352-795-7211 for golf and lodging.

#875 Cranes Roost at The Plantation GC

Cranes Roost is at the same complex in Leesburg, FL as Otter Creek, which I played 3 months ago. I was hopeful that the courses would be in better condition by now but Otter Creek has been closed and the greens here were pretty ragged. If I owned a golf course my first priority would be to have playable greens. Cranes Roost is a 1996 Clifton Group design and the better of the two here but until they can assure me of greens and fairways without any bare spots I will not return. This has the potential of a Gold rating but under the current conditions it only deserves a White.

"Learning never exhausts the mind."- Leonardo da Vinci

My Golf Game- Al Uhryniak, The Villages

Once again my score is high
Hitting my ball far and wide
I'm never going to shoot my age
This causes my little brain to rage
The shop says clubs, that's what you need
clearly with those you will succeed
And even though the price is high
I do commit for I'm not shy
Then off I go for another round
Confident of my turnaround
But then the ball still can't be found
My change of clubs has run aground
There is just one conclusion here
And obvious to any of my peers
It's something directly from the devil
The problem is clearly my skill level

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up."- Thomas Edison

Favorite Golf Destination #3- Cruden Bay, Scotland

I usually don't return to a region more than once because I have too many courses on my bucket list yet to play. Cruden Bay is one step from heaven and a destination that I immediately fell in love with. It has one of the all time amazing views from the clubhouse overlooking the Cruden Bay and St. Olaf (9) courses, 1597 Slain's Castle (Bram Stoker's novel Dracula), and the North Sea.

Cruden Bay is one of the most unique, unforgettable designs, fun golf experience in the world. Old Tom and Tom Simpson are credited for most of the original design with a redesign of #9, 10, and 16 coming in 2014. If you love blind holes, #3, 14, and 15 will be some of the best you will ever play. After your round be sure to stop by for drinks and dinner in the club's dining room. We ate most all of our meals here, as the food is delicious and the service wonderful especially if your server is the delightful Irene B. On my first trip we stayed at the Kilmarnock Arms Hotel, most recently we stayed in a nice, sleeps 8 home across from the clubhouse.

Within a 30 minute drive South you can play the magnificent Trump Scotland course, Royal Aberdeen, Newburgh-on-Ythan, and Murcar Links- one of my least favorites with some of the narrowest fairways ever. To the North 35 min is Fraserburgh and Peterhead. Cruden Bay is a laid back town, with very friendly people, and sensational views. You can easily spend a week here golfing and recharging your batteries. Call +44 1779 812285 for tee times.

"The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time."- Mark Twain

#874 The Links Club at Spruce Creek South

Located in Summerfield, FL this 1995 Terry Doss design was one of the better courses I have played regarding risk/reward. His dogleg designs are 90 degree so you can bite off as much as you want, some will require you to take on treelines. On the F9 I liked #4,6,7,and 9. My favorite was the straight away 487 yd par 5 #6 which has a large pond that comes into play on your second shot with a light house to the its right. The B9 starts out with a blind tee shot, short, DL 290 yd par 4. If going for this big risk/reward green you have to take on a small cattail area on the left side of the hole. I played it safe to the right and made an easy par. The 370 yd 12th, if you are JD, you could try and go for the green on this sharp DL right. Fall short and you will be in heavy grass in a depression. Again, I played it safe to the left of the treeline and made a birdie. #17 was my favorite hole on the course. A long 417 yd challenging DL left protected by trees on the left to a tiered geeen. I got stuck under the trees and was happy with a bogey to this back pin. #18 is a very challenging, serpentine par 5 which I usually like strong finishing holes. Except, I HATE to layup off the tee on a par 5. I hit driver, instead of 3W, trying to negotiate a narrow isthmus and ended up left into a heavy grass depression losing my yellow Chrome Soft. That shot screwed up a good B9. Conditioning was good except on 3 or 4 greens and it was a fun course to play with the risky holes. With the $25 coupon I had it was a great value and I will return again. White+

"Every day above earth is a good day."- Ernest Hemingway

Return to County Donegal and Rosapenna 2022

After over 2 years of Covid craziness I am hopeful of finally getting out of the country and returning to Ireland for the third time this Fall. On my 2011 trip I started in Dublin and went across the top of Ireland ending up in Carne. 23 rounds in 18 days and 10 lbs lighter I felt like I could have played golf forever. On that journey I had one stretch of real bad weather and it was in the NW Donegal region. At Ballyliffin Old it rained non stop the whole round (no Photos), next day was Sandy Hill and it snowed (would have frozen to death if Frank didn't make me take a buggy which allowed us to come back in and warm up), the third day was Cruit Island which I could not find so I headed south to Nairn and Portnoo where the winds were 45 MPH sustained and my traveling partner threw up on the way due to the winding roads. Can't get much worse than that stretch so I am returning with high hopes of sunshine and dry September weather.

I just confirmed the trip plan which is 12 nights and 12 rounds of True Links golf all in County Donegal. The highlight will be playing the new Tom Doak, St. Patrick's design at Rosapenna Resort twice. Below are my scheduled rounds:
Gweedore(14)
North West
Dunfanaghy
St. Patrick's x2
Coastguard Nine(9)
Sandy Hill
Old Tom Morris
Cruit Island (9)
Bundoran
Narin and Portnoo
Donegal

"The bond that links your true family is not of blood, but of respect and joy of each other."-Richard Bach

Favorite Golf Destination #2- St. Andrews, Scotland

Three times I have traveled to St Andrews and was fortunate to have played three rounds on The Old Course plus ten other courses in the immediate area. It is a close second to BDGR in my all time trips. From watching The Open for many years I was surprised at how small St. Andrews really is. My first glimpse of the Old Course was the 18th hole and I couldn't believe I was standing on the street right next to the green. Basically it is, two main streets, a University, lots of neat pubs and golf shops plus 7 golf courses affliated with the Links Trust. There are another 10-15 courses you can play within a 45 min drive. Dundee which is 30 minutes north opens up Carnoustie and its courses. My favorite course was Kingbarns and yes, I was a bit underwhelmed by the Old Course. A new links course, Dumbarnie, has recently opened nearby and maybe someday I will return. It is a trip every golfer should make at least once and its golf ambience is next to none. My last trip I didn't even play any golf, just walked around the town, hung out at The Dunvegan, and visited the Golf Museum.

If you need assistance in planning a Scottish golf vacation or want the best caddie for your Old Course experience contact: John Boyne at CaddieGolfTours@gmail.com

"A $600 Club doesn't fix a $1 Swing"

My Favorite Destinations/Resorts 1-10

I have been very fortunate to have played at most of the great destinations in the golf world. If you asked where I would go if I only had one trip left, it would be Bandon Dunes Golf Resort (BDGR). The following are some of my other top golf destinations.

1. Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, USA-Located on the Pacific ocean in Oregon, my first trip to BDGR was in 2006 which opened my eyes to True Links golf (only 250 worldwide). I have since returned three more times to play a total of 24 rounds with ten of those on my favorite course, Pacific Dunes. BDGR has six top rated courses with excellent lodging and food service options available onsite. It is only a 25 minute shuttle ride from the airport (OTH), so there is no need to rent a car even if you choose to stay in the small town of Bandon. There is no finer collection of firm and fast playing golf courses in the world. All courses are walking only with amble number of caddies available, if you don't want to pull or carry your bag. On the horizon is a second public course in Bandon, New River Dunes to compliment Bandon Crossings, plus a Doak Par 3 at BDGR. You could easliy spend a week in Bandon experiencing all the fantastic golf. To book your trip call 855-220-6710

2. St. Andrews, Scotland

3. Cruden Bay, Scotland

4. Pebble Beach, USA

5. Troon/Turnberry, Scotland

6. Rosapenna, Ireland

7. Royal County Down, Northern Ireland

8. Pinehurst, USA

9. The American Club/Kohler, USA

10.Big Cedar Lodge, USA

Stay tuned as I write a short article on each of the above.

"I do not exist to impress the world. I exist to live my life in a way that will make me happy."- Richard Bach

#873 Otter Creek at The Plantation GC 1/21/22

The Plantation is a 36 hole complex in Leesburg, FL. The two nines at Otter Creek had to have been designed a few years apart or by different architects because they are so dissimilar. The front nine is very poorly conditioned with only four holes interesting-3,6,8,9. The back nine has newer housing and six nicely designed holes but again the conditioning is spotty at best. I would rate the F9 a Green and B9 a White for this 1988 George Clifton design. I had a $20 Group Golfer voucher and would say that was a fair value for this 18, with $15 of it going towards the back nine. Will wait until May to come back and try the other course and hope for better conditions. White-

Why no photo's of this course? I only photograph above average courses (Black, Blue, Gold rated), True Links, and Villages Championship which make up about 60% of the courses I have played. The lesser courses usually don't have enough quality holes of interest. I do post a few pictures of every new course I play on my Instagram account @inpursuitof1000

Golf is a never ending journey, it can and will take you places you never dreamed of.

Silver Springs Shores 1/14/21-Revisited

Desmond Muirhead designed The CC at Silver Springs Shores in 1969. At this time in the 60's he was one of the top architects in the world and soon after partnered with Jack Nicklaus. He held Jack's hand in his formative years of design and was instrumental in designing Muirfield Village and several other projects the seven years he was with him. Desmond was an urban planner and architect who got into golf course while he was planning a golf community in Arizona. After his experience with Nicklaus he stepped away from golf for 10 years and resurfaced with several eye opening "land sculpture" designs. SSS is by far one of the best designs in this region with excellent green complexes and challenging assortment of holes. Since I last played here 3 years ago the club has hired a new superintendent. The conditions are now very good which prompted me to take a full array of photos with my Iphone. Gold+
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https://photos.app.goo.gl/v7YmTKEZoFgzQPxSA

"Think about the next shot, not the last shot."- Johnny Bulla

2021 Recap- 28 new courses

The Pandemic has slowed my progress to 1000 by at least one year. The past two years I have added 46 courses which was a normal years total. In 2021 I took four major trips to the Pinehurst region, Spokane, Bandon Dunes, and the Midwest.

Pinehurst trip allowed me to experience three more Mike Strantz courses plus the revitalized Pine Needles track host of this years Women's US Open. I also replayed Mid Pines and stopped by to play The Cradle at Pinehurst.

Spokane was in a record setting heat spell when I arrived and I only played three rounds before returning to the cool Florida temps. Gamble Sands was a real treat but the heat was too much for me to walk the short course in the afternoon.

It had been many years since my last visit to Bandon. With the Sheep Ranch newly opened and my old favorite Pacific Dunes calling I took a short trip to catch up on what is new there. Bandon Preserve is probably the best short course I have played and another option after a morning round.

As soon as I returned from Bandon I loaded up my SUV and headed north for three weeks. I added a DeVries and a couple of Langford courses but the highlight was the Big Cedar Lodge in Branson. I will be doing an article later in the year on the top Destinations I have played around the world and this will make my top 10.