The RGV Tour

At the end of every golf trip I think to myself... "What if I didn't have to stop playing golf?  What if I could just drive down the road and go to the next golf course? The next state? Just never stop playing golf?"  For years, that has been my dream.

II have decided that the time to live the dream is now.  I have resigned from my sales position, I have purchased a recreational vehicle (RV), and turned it into a recreational golf vehicle (RGV). and I am touring the country playing golf for the next 12 months.  I will be raising money for the First Tee and I am inviting you to join me.

“The time is now for me to live my dream. The time is now for me to play golf every day.”

— Patrick Koenig - RGV Tour Founder

Yes, that's right, I quit my job to play golf every single day.  Over the next year it will be my goal to play golf in every single state.  I will be looking to play everywhere, the local gems, the top 100's, the quirky par 3 courses, the local municipalities, and the top tier putt-putt tracks.  I am starting the Recreational Golf Vehicle Tour, or the RGV Tour and it is going to be glorious.

The best part about the RGV Tour is that I will be raising money for a worthwhile cause, The First Tee of Greater Seattle.  The First Tee positively impacts the lives of young people by building character, instilling life-enhancing values and promoting healthy choices through the game of golf.  With all that the game of golf has given me, I feel it's important to start giving back.  My goal is to present a check for $10,000 at the season ending check ceremony.

The second best part about the RGV Tour is that it is coming to your town.  I am inviting you to join me and you don't have to go to Q School to get your RGV Tour card.  All you need is a passion for the game and a 9 iron.  Just consult the schedule and send me a message l and I will do my best to bring the RGV Tour to you.

After we golf our socks off, you will be invited to sign The RGV Tour guest book with other legends of the RGV Tour.  Upon signing, you will automatically be entered to win the season long grand prize.  The details are still being sorted out, but it will be grand.

At 26 feet long, the recreational golf vehicle will serve as the RGV Tour headquarters for the next 12 months.  Now leaving behind your home and no longer having a "mailing address" can be scary, but this ride should ease the pain.  The Tour bus is complete with a mini golf library, and is stocked full of golf balls and energy bars.  It is #golfparty headquarters.

I have also transformed the RGV common areas into a portable podcast studio.  Please find me on the RGV Tour podcast with PJKoenig.  We will go behind the scenes as I golf like a maniac and talk golf with fellow RGV Tour pros, my favorite golf brands, and various special guests, 

While I have a tentative schedule for the states, I believe the magic resides in the spirit of exploration and adventure. The goal of the RGV Tour is to explore the places and people that make up the American golf landscape. 

It all starts on January 28th at the RGV Tour kickoff event at Chambers Bay.  If you are interested in joining, please let me know as spots for this premier event are limited. 

The first tour event of the season is at Chambers Bay on January 28th.

Please head on over to the RGV Tour Blog as the regular blog has been suspended temporarily due to the RGV Tour.

Oui, France, Oui!

With The Ryder Cup coming to France in 2018, I deemed it necessary to visit Paris before Patrick Reed gets his "shush" on and angers the French fan base.  I was able to sneak in one last 2017 trip and my partner in golf crime was Stephanie Wei.

When a normal person thinks about France, they think of the Eiffel Tower, French bread, and maybe some of those silly hats.  For me, I think... "I bet they got some cool golf courses out there."  Now, France is not well known for it's golf, but in this post, I uncover some gems and play some courses that are definitely not on your radar.  When you pair those gems up with the typical French destinations, you have got yourself a serious golf vacation.

Our first round of golf was at France's finest links course, Golf De Granville.  The course is an HS Colt design and is a time tested routing.  Like any true links test, we faced Granville in a pretty good side-ways downpour.  I started out with 2 great shots and a 3 putt par.  The golf party was on.

The clubhouse behind the 9th green.

I love a good riveted bunker.

On June 6th 1944 US, British, and Canadian troops stormed Omaha Beach on World War II's infamous D-Day.  Today, France is no longer occupied by German forces and instead of Nazi soldiers, there is a golf course on the bluffs above the beach.  Fittingly, the beach was getting stormed, with rain, as we put our tees in the ground at the Omaha Beach Golf Club.  Eventually the rain would lift and we would enjoy a gap in the clouds.

The 6th hole finishes right on the edge of the bluff overlooking the sea.

A view of Omaha Beach from behind the 6th hole.

Good times for PJKoenig on the MPKoenig hole at Omaha Beach. pic.twitter.com/uV1chWz94u

— Patrick Koenig (@PatrickjKoenig) December 7, 2017

After storming Omaha, we were off to Le Golf National, the host course for the 2018 Ryder Cup.  As we rolled up to the course we caught a glimpse of the rolling WHITE fairways.  To our despair, snow had covered the course the night before and we would not be able to play.

However, the snow and frost would not stop us from touring the course, getting some great pictures, and enjoying the day.

Le Golf National is perfectly suited to host a large professional championship.  With stadium seating on just about every hole, the Ryder Cup experience is sure to be a good one for the spectators.  The French fan base has already gotten their tickets with the event selling out in around an hour.  

The sun rises over a chilly 16th at Le Golf National.

The most prominent and challenging string of holes at Le Golf National is on holes 15-18.  Players will need to be both long and accurate on this key stretch if they want to stay dry and put points on the board.  There is sure to be some spectacular drama come September 2018.  Early odds are 10:1 that someone chucks a putter in the pond.

They have the flags up and the carts fully charged.  Le Golf National is Ryder Cup ready.

The frozen 15th and 18th greens.  You will want the Ryder Cup matches to make it to these holes.

After a solid scouting of the Ryder Cup venue, it was time to take in some of the French scenery.  There is an endless amount of obvious attractions like the Eiffel Tower and the Palace of Versailles to see in the Paris area.  We did our best to see what we could in a short amount of time.

"Look at all of the gold and rich stuff in there."

Stephanie Wei is happy to be in Versailles.

The fine folks over at De Vinis Illvstribvs had us out for a drink in Paris.  Even as a non drinker, I enjoyed the wine tasting.

Arc De Triomphe pose.

Successful high kicks start with consistent stretching.

For a golfer, the ideal way to take in the Eiffel Tower is obviously from the golf course.  That is exactly what you get at Golf de Saint Cloud.  Since St Cloud is a private club, the course isn't accessible to all tourists.  Fortunately, it's not Augusta and if you are interesting in experiencing this one of a kind golf experience, it's entirely possible.   You would just need to contact Private Golf Key for the details.  Just ask for Olivier and tell 'em Large Marge sent, ya.   Mentioning this blog post also works.

Two greens and the Eiffel Tower.  Golf courses don't pose much better than this.

Found The Rolling Stones bunker! pic.twitter.com/JCr2rgvKnE

— Patrick Koenig (@PatrickjKoenig) December 11, 2017

Next up on the agenda was a visit to the International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) in Cannes.  The IGTM is an annual get together of countries and tourism boards looking to promote golf and tourism within their countries.  It is a big deal and you get a really good idea of some of the amazing golf outside of the US.  As if my list of countries to golf in needed to get any longer.

After a serious rain fest at nearby Golf de Saint Donat, it was finally time for the sun to come out.  We tackled the Golf de Grande Bastide on a brisk but sun filled afternoon.  The course is set amongst the foothills of the Niçoise hinterland and has a strong Southern France vibe to it.  We had a tense 3 way duel that included several clutch putts with an overabundance of 3 putts.

High above the partially frozen fairways of Grande Bastide.

After a spirited day on the links it was time to kick off the IGTM.  With France hosting the Ryder Cup in 2018, the country is set for a huge year in golf and the IGTM coming to Cannes was no coincidence.  The Mayor of Cannes and the officials in charge of the Ryder Cup welcomed us and talked briefly about the unique opportunity that France has to assert itself as a legitimate golf destination.  France is not going to replace Ireland or Scotland but any visit to France should certainly involve several trips to the golf course.

The IGTM took place in the The Palais des Festivals et des Congrès, the same venue as the Cannes Film Festival

The Mayor of Cannes, David Lisnard, kicks things off with a ribbon cutting.

After a full day scouting the various golf destinations of the world, we decided to head down the street and actually visit one of them.

Good times in Cannes with Leo.

It's hard to capture the serene feeling that the surrounding trees on the Old Course provide.  

There is a golf cart boat that takes golfers to play holes 3-12 on the other side of the river on the Old Course at Cannes Golf Links. #golfboat pic.twitter.com/Ds9FgtmWFu

— Patrick Koenig (@PatrickjKoenig) December 14, 2017

The Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia founded the Old Course at Cannes Mandelieu in 1891 and the routing would later be altered by HS Colt.  The most beautiful aspect of the course is without a doubt the canopy of trees that surrounds just about every hole. While it is not long at only 6,300 yards it is certainly a very enjoyable round of golf.

I teed it up with 2 Frenchman who did not speak a word of English.  Since I did not speak a word of French, there was not a lot of chit chat.  However, all 3 of us spoke the language of golf and we traded groans, grunts, and fist bumps as the highs and lows of our rounds unfolded.  

Even though we did not talk, I would rank my playing partners high on the enjoyability scale.  If you have the opportunity to play with someone and only communicate through golf noises, I would recommend it.

I only had to punch out 3 times on the 4th hole.

The short 16th was my favorite of the par 3's.

With only one course left to play in France. we were lucky enough to play one of France's finest.  We were headed out for some twilight action at Golf Country Club de Cannes Mougins.  The course hosted the Cannes Open in the 1980's and 1990's featuring winners such as Greg Norman and Seve Ballesteros.  If you only have time to play one course in the Cannes area, this is the course you want to play.

Long Shadows.

Longer Shadows!

If you are interested in creating your own French experience please reach out to Paris' premier golf & art de vivre travel concierge, Private Golf Key.  The CÔTE D'AZUR website is also a great French reference.

Our trip to France ended in Cannes with a fantastic party that generated this awful selfie of me attempting to lick the Ryder Cup.  As an FYI, I google image searched "People licking the Ryder Cup" and found lots of people kissing, posing, and drinking from the cup, but as far as I can tell I am the first person in history to lick it.  According to my nieces, cooties only last a week, so we should be good to go come presentation time in 2018.

Sea Island Sweepstakes!

"I am already sold, sign me up for the free sweepstakes."  

In 2016, I went to my very first Masters and it was an experience that I will never forget.  However, you don't actually get to play golf and since they wouldn't let me out onto Augusta for a quick nine, I had to look elsewhere.  The course that I wanted to play was Sea Island in nearby St. Simons Island, GA.  The course is home to the PGA Tour's RSM Classic and it was time I paid it a visit.  Sea Island has 3 championship courses, The Seaside, The Plantation and the Retreat.  I was after the Seaside course.

The Seaside course winds its way around tidal creeks, marshes, and sand dunes on the southern tip of Sea Island.  Not only is the golf course fantastic, but the entire area and resort has a fabulous five star feel to it.  In fact, it's a Forbe's Five Star resort. 

Top notch conditions!

Basket pins!!

You:  "Patrick, this looks cool.  I also want to visit Sea Island." 

Me:  "But didn't you just lose your life savings on an overly aggressive Nassau last weekend?"

You:  "That son of a bitch!  With those pants he was wearing, it should have been a sure thing!! 

         "But yes... I now have no money."

Me:  "Fret not my friend!!  I have the perfect solution for your woes"

        "Everything you see below can be yours."

• Three (3) night’s stay at the Sea Island Resort located in Sea Island, GA
• Ground Transportation between Brunswick Golden Isles Airport or Jacksonville International Airport and Sea Island Resort
• One (1) $1,000 gift card to use towards travel costs
• One (1) round of golf for winner and one (1) guest
• BMW vehicle for transportation during stay at Sea Island Resort
• $500 Sea Island Resort credit for use at Sea Island Resort

Just click here to make this hypothetical conversation become a reality.  The deadline is December 1st, 2017.

Tathata Golf Launch Party

When Kyle over at Tathata Golf (www.TathataGolf.com) informed me that they were having a launch party to celebrate the new 60-Day Training Program and membership platform, I was excited.  When Kyle mentioned that he was inviting Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, and Annika Sorenstam to help launch the program, I was even more excited... and when Kyle invited me to help celebrate the occasion, I punched a hole in my wall with excitement.  For years, I had watched these legends dominate the sport and now I was getting the chance to meet and photograph them.  

Since Tathata Golf's teaching foundation is based on the movements of the greatest golfers of all time it only made sense to have Jack, Greg, and Annika join in the presentation and launch of the new training platform.  Greg Norman, the best driver of all time, was going to walk us through his approach to driving the golf ball.  Annika Sorenstam, the best female golfer of her generation, was going to demonstrate her wedge game.  Jack Nicklaus, the best pressure putter of all time, was going to share his thoughts on putting.  The evening would conclude with a $1 million closest to the pin competition with the proceeds going to the winner's charity of choice.  The event was aptly titled "A Celebration with the Greats" and it would be streamed on the Golf Channel.

Annika's approach to the wedge game is simple,   Every time she gets a wedge in her hands, she is looking to place the ball inside of 10 feet.  She has created a very repeatable fluid motion that allows her to do this consistently.  

Although it's no surprise, Annika stresses practice and really being able to get a feel for those shots inside of 100 yards.  It is a pleasure to watch as she drops wedge after wedge right next to each other.  Annika was going to be tough to beat in the million dollar closest to the pin competition.  

Up next was Greg Norman and his approach to driving the golf ball.  After twenty or so minutes of istening to The Shark talk about hitting a driver, I came away with a couple of things

• Pick the smallest target you can, every single time.  Small... I mean the leaf on a tree 400 yards away small.
• Try to hit the front of the golf ball and not the back of it.  This is a great way to visualize and feel the acceleration through the impact zone.
• Greg Norman is the man.  Even at 62, with large gaps of time away from the game.  Greg steps up and bombs the driver like a 30 year old.

“I never really got nervous, I would just get excited.”

— Greg Norman

It's not often that Annika or Greg aren't the main attraction at an event, but when Jack Nicklaus is in the building, all eyes are on the Golden Bear.  With 18 major championships to his name, Jack is arguably the best golfer to ever walk the earth.

Jack starts off by highlighting the importance of keeping your eyes directly over the ball and strokes a couple of putts.  It is a surreal feeling to be on the same putting green as Jack Nicklaus and at one point Bryan Hepler, the Founder of Tathata Golf, comments "Isn't this the coolest? Just hanging out with Jack and watching him roll some putts?"  

The biggest takeaway from listening to Jack talk is that he values the mental side of putting just as much as the fundamentals.  Because Nicklaus has built up such a strong mental game, he is much more dangerous when he fully engages his mind on the putting green.  Because of this approach, Jack is a notably better putter when he "needs" to make a putt.  If anybody can will a ball into a hole, it's Jack.  Well, maybe Tiger did it once or twice... (In corner, Michael Jordan raises hand)

Jack's head covers are cooler than yours.

The hands of 18 majors grip the putter lightly

Jack's philosophy on putting centers mostly around the importance of speed.  Three putt avoidance is important to Jack and he likes those second putts to be stress free.  He recalls several seasons when he made it to June or July on the tour without a three putt.  Most of us are lucky to make it to the third hole.

Jack doesn't just stick to the putting stroke and offers up his thoughts on the full swing.  Nicklaus clearly embraces a natural swing that develops from a golfer's own personal style. He also gives a few lines on today's competitive landscape.  "Jordan Spieth will be a much better golfer than he is today."  So Jack is clearly on the Spieth Wagon with the rest of us.

There is even a discussion about the whereabouts of a putter Jack used to win the Masters.  Apparently those things are valuable.  Side note:  If anybody knows where the Lynx putter that I used to win the 1994 Junior Varsity Bruin Invitational is, please let me know.

This quote may NOT have actually happened.

Greg, Annika, and Jack pose along side Bryan of Tathata Golf.

The roundtable discussion on the grounds of the Tathata training facility.

After the roundtable discussion winds up, it is time for the $1 Million shootout.  It's a 60 yard wedge shot and they only get one shot, closest to the pin wins $1 million.  Not to be left out, each runner up receives $200k for the charity of their choice.  The Greats warm up and give the honor to Annika.  Like a champion, she sticks it to 3 feet.  With the pressure on, Jack finds the sand and Greg catches it heavy.  Jack later laughs  "Greg and I couldn't get it over a bunker 40 yards away."  At 77, his game isn't what it used to be, but his mental outlook remains solid and fun.

Nice lil' check for Annika

With any luck, you picked up one or two takeaways from this post, I know I picked up 2-3 strokes just by meeting these legends.  It was truly a special treat.

If you are looking to improve your game at all, I would suggest checking out Tathata Golf and their new membership platform. It contains a variety of beneficial features in a Netflix-like user experience; training courses, weekly TV shows, 200+ Video Library, and mobile companion app.  If it's special enough to attract these champions, it is worth a moment of your consideration.

Jack, Greg, and Annika were gracious with their time and met everyone at the party.

The sun sets on Tathata Golf and one of my favorite golf days.

A 3rd Option to Consider

In order to play golf in America, you basically have two options to get out onto the course.

1.) Pay a lump sum of money and monthly dues to belong to a private club.

2.) Pay a daily fee to play public courses.

For the majority of my golfing career, I did not want to be tied down to just one course and If I spent my money on a private club, it would be difficult to justify the cost of paying a green fee elsewhere.  So I have always opted for the 2nd option.  The good news is that there is a 3rd way to go about things.  It may not make sense for everyone but it is a viable option for the passionate golfer who likes to travel.

• $7k initiation fee $3,150 annual dues
• Access to a network of Private clubs
  • ArborLinks - Nebraska
  • Ballyhack Golf Club - Virginia
  • Briggs Ranch - Texas
  • Dormie Club - North Carolina

Imagine, every time you take a golf trip, being able to visit your own private golf club and not just any private club, but one of the state's best.  I haven't visited Ballyhack yet, but if you click on any of the links above, you will get a taste for the high quality of these clubs.

The Dormie Club in West End, NC is a Coore and Crenshaw favorite.

If the $7k initiation fee is holding you back, it's not due for 2 years.  The club operates under a spend off model so every time you spend money on cottages, guest fees, or even beers for your group, that total comes off of the $7000 fee.  So if you manage to drink $7k worth of beer over two years, you owe nothing.  Or, if you manage to eat $6500 worth of steaks, you would only owe $500.  A pretty cool motivation to make sure you get the most out of your membership.

Briggs Ranch is a Fazio Texas gem.

Palmer's Arborlinks brings the beach and the trees.

The best part about the whole deal is that It's a fairly new organization that is adding clubs at an aggressive rate.  Even with 4 clubs, there is tremendous value here and there are ongoing negotiations with several other well known clubs as I type this.  The goal is to have 20-22 courses in the network by 2022 all scattered across the US.

If you are a corporation reading this, there is also an option for you.

• $20K initiation fee
• $9,450 dues per year for 3 designees to use.
• Can add more designees at $1,000 a piece, up to 10 additional.

PJKoenig blog readers that sign up by December 31st 2017 at midnight will receive $1000 off the initiation fee for individual users and $2000 off of the corporate initiation fee.  Just click here and send me a message if you are interested.

Comments on the Cleveland VAS Irons

I recently came across an article that mentioned the Cleveland VAS golf clubs and it brought back memories of the 1990's when the clubs were popular.  For those not in the know, VAS stands for Vibration Absorption System.  Which, I am pretty sure was a load of marketing garbage, but people really bought into it back in the 90's.  I did a little research and here are some of the comments I found on the irons. These are real comments from real people.  Well... real internet people.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

• " I was so impressed with these irons that I have already purchased a back up set." - James
• "The looks only a mother could love." = David
• "Easily the best feeling irons I've ever hit. - Mike P.
• "Found the driver on Ebay for $1... Best investment I ever made." - Ty T.
• "I am not convinced that the VAS plate absorbs too much vibration. - Jay
• "Took my Rocket Blades out and put my VAS's in and shot my best round in 10 years." - Mark
• "An incredible damping effect." - Andy M.
• "I love the finish.  I love the matte pewter finish."  - JB
• "I don't think I could commit to the swing, I'd either be laughing or puking." Mikey D
• "I sold them in 1999 and I have regretted it ever since" - Tim
• "Those irons may be even uglier than Corey Pavin's mustache." - BG.
• "It may look unshankable, but trust me, you can still shank it."  Steve R. from Rhode Island

Personally, I never owned a set of the Cleveland VAS irons, but I remember a player in high school who did.  That kid's name is Travis Hampshire, so I decided to google Travis.  As it turns out, Travis is no longer a kid and actually went on to play an event on the PGA Tour, the 2011 Traveler's Championship.  Was it the VAS effect that trampolined him to the PGA Tour?   We may never know.

Alex Dunlop Golf

Over the course of my 25 year golfing career, I have had less than 5 lessons.  At most, I would pick a swing thought that made sense to me and just go with that.  I am a feel player and that works for me.  I always knew that my swing wasn't perfect, but I also knew that it was good enough to break 70.  

However, after playing a round with Golf Teacher Alex Dunlop, I decided to take in a long overdue lesson.  I was actually looking forward to getting some expert eyes on my swing and receiving some feedback on things that I could work on.  As an added bonus, Alex's office has a first class view of Newcastle Golf Club and the City of Seattle.

The view from above the clubhouse at Newcastle and the Rusty Putter; an 18 hole putting course.

Chances are, your office isn't as green.

One of the best parts about taking a lesson with Alex is that he is a straight up cool dude that likes to talk about golf.  We could have hung around and shot the shit for an hour, but we decided to hit some balls as well.  Alex is Trackman certified and immediately as we start the lesson, I am getting feedback in terms of numbers.  Now, these numbers didn't mean much to me at first, especially since I have always played by feel.  The good news is that Alex is an expert on explaining what these numbers mean and keying in on the numbers that actually matter.

For me, it was just one number that we started on with my driver.  That number was attack angle and according to Alex -2.5 was not good.  After a series of interpretations and suggestions that made sense to me, I was able to understand what it felt like to change that -2.5 to a +2.5.  After grooving that feeling over several months, my drives are much longer and there is less dispersion on my tee shots.

On the latest session, Alex and I worked on consistently compressing my iron shots.

Here I am compared to Brooks Koepka.  A model player for shaft lean.

One of the coolest aspects about Trackman is that you get full digital copies of your lessons afterwards.  The photos above are snap shots that I took from the videos on my phone.  If you wanted to, you could pull up a lesson while you are sitting in a staff meeting.  You can literally hear Alex and I discussing things as we review the video and crack jokes about how much better I am at golf than Brooks Koepka.  

My case is nothing special for Alex, it's just business as usual for him.  I had the opportunity to sit in on another lesson and the story was similar with even more measurable success over the past 2 years. 

“When I first started working with Alex 2 years ago, I carried a 24 handicap, now I am a 10.”

— Zander, Student of Alex Dunlop Golf

Alex is the youngest ever winner of the Western Washington Chapter’s PGA Teacher of the Year for 2015 and is generally regarded as one of the best teachers in the state of Washington.  You can find Alex at Newcastle throughout the week or head on over to his website to learn more.  

Golf Town New York!

With the New York area playing host to nearly 20 of America's top 100 golf courses, it is without a doubt one of the best areas for high end golf in the country.  The issue for most golfers is that the majority of these courses are private clubs.  Don't get me wrong, for a weekend golfer looking to pay a daily fee, you have got some great options with Bethpage Black, or nearby Ferry Point.  However, most passionate golfers have their eye on Long Island or Westchester as these regions pack a serious golf punch.  Getting an invitation to play some of these exclusive clubs is partly what makes these rounds so special.  I was fortunate enough to have a couple of these "Bucket List" courses on the agenda.  Let's jump into it, as I get excited just warming up to it.  Click on any of the photos to visit the full course gallery.

• Quaker Ridge Golf Club

Coming in at #71 on Golf Digest's Top 100, Quaker Ridge is a Tillinghast gem and an excellent way to start off my adventure.  The course is pure classic golf and the greens are regarded as some of the finest in the country.  I found this to be especially true as I was one of the first to head out in the morning, following right behind the maintenance crew.

Given the challenge on the greens, there are certain places you can't afford to miss.  Unfortunately, I found just about all of those places.  A great start course wise, a bad start score wise.  

• Old Oaks Country Club

A quick afternoon tee time was just what I needed to address my early morning swing woes.  As it turns out, that was definitely not the case.  However, I didn't mind my poor play one bit as the walk around Old Oaks is a fantastic one.  It was my second Tillinghast course in the same day.  The only way you can pull that off on the west coast is to own a private jet.  I do not own a private jet.

The highlight of the day was playing through a fourball on the 5th hole and nearly holing out for eagle.  As I tapped in for birdie, I pretended like I hadn't doubled the last two holes.

• Hudson National Golf Club

Resting on dramatic bluffs above the Hudson River Valley, Hudson National is regarded as one of Tom Fazio's finest designs.  The design is not a natural one, as Fazio dynamited over 130,00 cubic feet to match the terrain with his design.  Built in 1996, Hudson is one of the more modern additions to the Top 100, coming in at #95.

The site used to be home to Hessian Hills Country Club in the 1920's.  However, a fire burned it down in the 1930's.  In an odd coincidence, my golf game would also go up in flames for my 2017 round.  Remnants of the old clubhouse can still be seen today along the 4th and 5th holes.  Remnants of my golf game would also survive the fire.

• Essex Country Club

After playing Shoreacres in 2016, I immediately became a Seth Raynor fan.  Unfortunately, there are not many Raynor designs and none near my home base of Seattle.  So when I had an afternoon open up, I gladly signed up for some twilight action at Essex.  The club was founded in 1887 and is the oldest in the state of New Jersey.  A composite design by Banks, Raynor, and Tillinghast, Essex is one of the 25 founding clubs of the USGA.

I had the pleasure of employing Spencer for my round at Essex.  When it comes to caddies, Spencer was just about as enthusiastic as they come.    Quick quote from Spence:  "Oh yeah, our greens are big... Big enough for your ass."  With the help of my man Spence, my game was back on track.

• Maidstone Club

Having found my groove at Essex, I was stoked to be heading out onto Long Island and paying a visit to Maidstone.  The club was founded in 1891 and architectural credits go to Willie Parker Jr.  It also has as a pretty sweet whale logo.  I had heard great things about Maidstone and I was pretty fired up to play.  

The holes on the ocean definitely stand out, but the entire design is very enjoyable and a lot of fun to play.  Fun fact:  The house to the right of the tee box on #15 has bullet proof windows to protect itself from errant tee shots and I guess.. gunfire.  Although, in East Hampton, people are not too concerned about flying bullets penetrating their million dollar homes.

• Bayonne Golf Club

The last thing I said before I found the entrance to Bayonne Golf Club was "Oh man, I definitely made a wrong turn."  It is easy to think you are in the wrong area as you pull in from the nearby industrial area into the private gates of Bayonne.  It's a touch of Scotland that some how found it's way into New Jersey.  Built on top of an old waste disposal site, Bayonne does an excellent job at providing the golfer with a links experience... A links experience with a view of Manhattan.

The day started out with rain and by the 4th hole, it was pouring down pretty good.  Not good for pictures, but not a problem for this Seattleite.  However, by the 7th hole, the rain had lifted and we ended up with a pretty good day for golf.  Nothing quite like the feeling of pealing off your rain gear as the sun hits your shoulders.   

• Aronimink Golf Club

I had originally visited Aronimink Golf Club in 2016 and it was easily one of my favorite Donald Ross designs.  So when I got a chance to head back out and see the Gil Hanse renovations, I was pretty excited.  If you follow golf course design, you know that Gil Hanse is the hottest architect in the game right now.  It's basically Zoolander but for golf nerds.  See video below for clarification on this point.

After visiting several of Hanse's renovations, I have found them to be very well done and non intrusive.  As a member at Maidstone described it to me, "It's not like he changed the nose on the Mona Lisa, he just scrubbed off all the grime and dirt that had built up over the years.  Now we can see the beauty of the original intent."  The renovation at Aronimink is no exception.  When the BMW Championship visits in 2018, I am sure the players will rave about the course.

Aronimink has one of the coolest clubhouses in the game.

• National Golf Links of America

After several days of dealing with the big dogs, it was time to bring in the really big dogs.  National Golf Links of America is the ultimate creation from the father of American golf course architecture, Charles Blair McDonald.  This is his masterpiece.

When Stephanie Wei of Weiunderpar.com informed me that we had a tee time, I nearly threw up and definitely peed my pants.  As a fan of the classics and a fan of golf course architecture, NGLA or National, has been at the top of my bucket list for quite some time.  I had studied it from above via Google Earth and now it was time to study it from ground level.  I was beyond excited.

Unfortunately for my score, that excitement would carry over to the first hole and I would promptly open up with a double bogey.  The good news is that the golfer within would emerge and manage a handful of birdies and a score in the 70's.  Every hole is a study in architecture and a joy to play.  

• Fishers Island

The cape hole at Fishers is a crowd favorite.

There is an old saying that goes "The only thing better than playing NGLA, is playing NGLA and Fishers Island."  Naturally we hopped onto the ferry to Fishers Island to honor this ancient saying.  Another Seth Raynor gem, Fishers Island is widely regarded to be one of Raynor's very best designs.  Because the course is basically on it's own private island, it offers a golfing experience like no other. 

There are some outstandingly good template holes at Fishers Island and I was particularly impressed by the "Punchbowl" and "Biarritz" options on the front nine.  Other highlights include a birdie bomb on the first hole and the bounce I received on the 8th that led to a very memorable eagle.  

Fishers Island was also one of the most interesting courses I have photographed from the air.  Be sure to check out the gallery.

The best part about the New York area is that you could easily do 3-4 trips of similar quality before you would run low on amazing new courses to play.  This golfer will have to return.

FedEx Cup Predictions

For years, the PGA Tour and players alike have conceded that the FedEx Cup and the season ending playoffs are not perfect.  However, it is an honest attempt to make the end of the season compelling and interesting.  Here are my projections for the 2017 version.

• Jason Dufner will not win the FedEx Cup.  With 50 billion to 1 odds, don't empty your bank account banking on Duf man going from #30 to #1.  If you decide to bet anyways, here are Dufner's 9 simple check marks to victory.
  • Jordan Spieth must finish 29th or worse
  • Justin Thomas must finish in a 3-way tie for 6th or worse
  • Dustin Johnson must finish T4 or worse and wear blue shoes
  • Marc Leishman must finish T3 or worse
  • No more than 32% of the field can birdie the 3rd hole
  • Jon Ram must finish in a 3-way tie for second or worse
  • Rickie Fowler must finish T2 or worse
  • Pat Perez must not have bacon for breakfast
  • Jason Dufner must win the Tour Championship
• "How does the FedEx Cup points thing work?"  will set a new record for number of times googled.
• The Golf Club at East Lake was an amusement park in the 1890's. Tony Finau will make East Lake his own personal amusement park in 2017 and cruise to a 4 shot Tour Championship victory.
• With 24th ranked Finau pulling out the Tour Championship victory, 176 individual alternate victory scenarios will emerge for the FedEx Cup.
• The top 5 (Spieth, DJ, JT, Leishman, and Rahm) will all finish outside of the top 5 for for the Tour Championship, putting their chances of FedEx Cup victory into question and plunging the tournament into chaos.
• Math difficulties and confusion will overtake the scoring booth.  

“Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... Mass hysteria!!”

— Bill Murray - Ghostbusters

• The following flowcharts will serve as the scoreboard during the entire back nine.

Brooks Koepka!?!?!

• World renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson will be called in to provide live scoring projections and updates.
• Neil crushes the call and kills it in the scoring booth.

Neil Calls the live FedEx Cup action.

“In 5-billion yrs the Sun will expand & engulf our orbit as the charred ember that was once Earth vaporizes.”

— Neil deGrasse Tyson on Spieth's birdie attempt on the 17th hole

• With Rickie Fowler facing a 5 footer to finish in a 3 way tie for fourth place, Webb Simpson eagerly looks on.  Webb is not sure if a two way tie or 3 way tie from Rickie coupled with his 3rd place finish will be good enough for a first place finish.  If Fowler 3 putts and finishes in solo 5th, would he need a bogie from DJ on 18, or would the 3 way tie from Hoffman give him 2nd place??
• After holing his put for a fourth place finish, Rickie reluctantly fist pumps.  Did he just win $10M or did he just win $1.5M.  Nobody knows!! The excitement and tension is unbearable.
• On his way to the airport, Justin Rose receives a call from tournament organizers letting him know that he has indeed won the 2017 FedEx Cup!!
• The bad news for Justin Rose is that he will get stuck in traffic as he turns his car around and heads back for the trophy presentation.

The Canadian Rockies

When you think of the top 5 public golf destinations in North America, do the Canadian Rockies come to mind?  Probably not... but it should.  For most of the US, it's a relatively short flight to Calgary and an hour or so drive into the heart of the action.  Between Jasper, Banff, Kananaskis, and Canmore there are 6 courses on the trail.  Let's dig into the details of my recent adventure into the Canadian Rockies and sort out the details.

My partner in golf crime for the trip would be McKenzie O'Connell, most people call her Kenzie or Kenz, I decided to call her K Dawg.  Now, K Dawg is a 5 handicap and certainly a valuable addition to any golf trip.  She also jumped right in and showed off her impressive golf modeling chops.  Things were starting off nicely. 

The view looking back on the restaurant atop the Banff Gondola.

Golf hard, model hard.

After getting into Banff, we took the Gondola up for a view of the local scene and had a fantastic meal at the top, courtesy of Brewster Travel.  In terms of easy things to do in Banff, I would highly recommend the gondola ride.  With views of downtown Banff and the surrounding mountain ranges, it was an excellent preview of what was to come.  

Afterwards, we headed back to our first class accommodations at the Delta Hotels Kananaskis Lodge.  The hotel was centrally located in Alberta and has easy access to local hiking and biking trails with outstanding views of the Rocky Mountains.  A world class spa will be opening in 2018.

In the morning we were headed out to Kananaskis Country Golf Course for our first round of golf in the Canadian Rockies.  Designed by Robert Trent Jones and opening in 1983, the 36 hole layout is a favorite of local Albertan golfers.  In 2013, floods seriously damaged the course and it has been shut down for the past 4 years with funding and rebuilding underway.  In a sneak peak event, I was able to get some of the first photos of the new course, as 27 holes will officially open to the public for the 2018 season.  You can click on any of the images throughout the post to get the full course gallery.

Image courtesy of Robert Trent Drones.

The dual green on the Mt Lorette 18.  You can see the 9th hole on the Mt Kidd 18 still under construction below the mountains.

The Mt Kidd 18 will open with 9 holes available in the beginning of 2018

The best part about the event at Kananaskis was the emotion demonstrated by the participants and the staff as they returned to their course after a 4 year hiatus.  I watched as head professional, Bob Paley, high fived and hugged a couple of familiar faces, afterwards he would turn to our group with a huge satisfied smile on his face... "See, this is the stuff that I miss the most, the people, the camaraderie... it's just the best."  Bob was immediately one of our favorite people we would meet on the trip.  The only downside was that smoke from nearby wildfires would cloud the view of the normally spectacular mountains.  

Next up was paddle boarding courtesy of Rebound Cycle, we would change that to golf paddle boarding as K Dawg would pull off a pretty sweet trick shot effort! 

Be sure to pump up the volume for @kenzie.oconnell and this paddleboard #trickshot @canrockiesgolf @reboundcycle #golfthatinspires 🏄‍♀️⛳️

A post shared by Patrick Koenig (@pjkoenig) on Sep 9, 2017 at 11:47am PDT

When traveling with a golf model, it is necessary to note that just about every location is a modeling location.  Here are some of those shots from early on in the action.  As a published Golf Digest model, I would push Kenzie to be the best model she could be, while providing her with the experience and modeling guidance that she needed.

Golf stairway modeling

Model off standings: PJKoenig: 1.  K Dawg: 0

Next up on the Canadian Rockies agenda was Silvertip Golf Club.  With 600 feet of elevation change, Silvertip offers some outstanding views of the Three Sisters and nearby mountain ranges.  Unfortunately, the normally amazing views would be partially clouded by smoke.

“As a professional, I’ve played all over the world and I find the Silvertip Golf Course to be one of the most spectacular I’ve ever played. Between Les Furber’s incredible layout and the scenery, it is easy to see why.”

— Stephen Ames - 4 time PGA Tour winner & Member of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame.

I would come out of the gates firing with birdies on the 1st 2 holes,  The flames would fizzle.

With several rounds under our belt, we were ready to put the pedal down on the EZ-GO and turn up the golf action.  With an early start on the Stewart Creek Golf Course, we would find our golf groove for a day of 36.  

Stewart creek is one of the more unique locations for a golf course as it is actually built on top of an old coal mining operation.  The shafts and tunnels run beneath the golf course and several of the mine entrances are still visible on the course.  We were told it was safe, but I took it easy on the divots to avoid plummeting through the fairway and into any abandoned mine shafts.  A big thanks to our host Greg for helping us avoid the pitfalls!

This coal mining shaft would cease operation in 1978.  

With several mine shafts and several models on the property, this was naturally the perfect time to start production on our 3 part series: "An Introduction to Male and Female Amateur Mine Shaft Modeling"  As you can clearly see in the video, I have increased my lead in the model off competition with a score of 2-0.

The stunning downhill 9th hole:  I would get nasty and make a 2!

From time to time, I would find a slight gap in the smoke coverage and get a shot of the mountains.  These views are commonplace on all of the courses we would play in the Rockies.

Next up on the tour of the Canadian Rockies was the highly anticipated Fairmont Springs Banff Golf Course.  We were in for a treat as veteran Golf Broadcaster, Luke Elvy, would join us for the round.  Luke is one of the best dudes you can play golf with and he was happy to lend advice, share stories, and even call the action as we golfed our balls.  He also has an Australian accent.

Exhausted from the mine shaft modeling, I would take the day off from the competition.  Surprisingly, K Dawg would still only manage a narrow victory..  Update; PJKoenig 2  K Dawg: 1

Professional Golf Broadcaster @lukeelvy13 has little patience for amateurs like myself. Listen in! For those man enough to wear the shirt, free shipping!! code: pjkoenig at @badbirdiegolf #stringbeany @canrockiesgolf #golfthatinspires @fairmontbanff #stringbeany #inthepiss

A post shared by Patrick Koenig (@pjkoenig) on Sep 11, 2017 at 8:20am PDT

Kenzie would nearly make an all world 2 on the "Devil's Cauldron"  Check out the video here.

Even with a heavy dose of smoke covering the mountains, the Stanley Thompson course was a highlight of the trip.  The course is strategic, scenic, challenging, and fun to play.

A shot from behind what was originally the 18th hole.  The routing has been changed due to clubhouse and capacity demands.  

For the final round of the trip we headed out to Canmore Golf & Curling Club.  In 1926, the original course was only 9 holes with sand greens and coffee cans for holes.  In the 1960's a curling rink would be added, and today, Canmore offers a full test of golf with stunning views of the surrounding mountain ranges.  Thanks to our host Darren Cooke for showing us around.

Even during a historically dry season, The short par 3 11th at Canmore Golf & Curling Club is still a stunner.

Local golfing stud, Jack Stoliker would come out of the gates hot and birdie the 1st two holes.

The view from above the 10th hole at Canmore.  

One of the most compelling parts about the Canadian Rockies is that there is a lot more than golf in the area.  Even though our trip was compromised mostly of golf, the opportunities for hiking, helicoptering, kayaking, shopping, and of course, modeling, are endless.

With only one day left in the model-off competition, I decided to give Kenzie a chance to even the score on the downtown streets of Banff.  Naturally, K-Dawg rose to the challenge and pulled off some sort of movie shopping montage.  It is important to note that the original score called for Billy Idol's Dancing with Myself.  However, Billy Idol did not return our requests for copyright approval.  With the score even at 2-2, a return trip is in order.

Sunday Fund-'eh' 🇨🇦 When girls just wanna have fun 😜 & by girls I mean (P) @pjkoenig @tara.kabatoff & I ❤️. . . . #dance #goofs #love #live #laugh #bestimes #banff #canada #travel #travellife #traveling #salt #salty #spinmoves #model #modeling #golf #golfer #canadianrockies #blessed #boom #k🍀 #KO #keeponkeepinon @tara.kabatoff @pjkoenig @banff_lakelouise @fairmontbanff @canrockiesgolf 🎥

A post shared by McKenzie O'Connell 🍀 (@kenzie.oconnell) on Sep 10, 2017 at 4:06pm PDT

Thanks for tuning in to watch these two heavyweights golf hard and model hard. #GolfHardModelHard