Sand Valley

On May 2nd 1999, Mike Keiser opened a little golf resort called Bandon Dunes.  It was located in a remote coastal area of Oregon that was hard to get to.  Most golf experts told Mike that he was crazy for building a course in such a remote location.  But golfers came in droves to play the highly regarded David Mclay Kidd layout.  Two years later, Pacific Dunes joined the original course and then came Bandon Trails, Old Macdonald, and finally Bandon Preserve.  It is easily one of the greatest golf success stories of this generation.

After adding Cabot Cliffs to his portfolio of courses in 2016, Mike Keiser decided to open another golf resort in a remote location.  This time it's in the middle of Wisconsin, it's a little easier to get to, and its called Sand Valley.  With preview play already open on the resort's second course, Mammoth Dunes, and a par 3 course in the works, the Bandon Dunes formula that worked so well is looking to repeat itself.

The view from "Craig's Porch"  which is named after Craig Haltom, the landowner who originally brought the land to Mike Keiser's attention.

The view of the clubhouse as you drive into the property.

Sand Valley Facts

• The course opened to the public on May 2nd 2017, exactly 18 years to the day after Bandon Dunes opened.
• Sand Valley is 4 hours from Chicago, 3 hours from Milwaukee, 2.5 hours from Whistling Straits, and 2.5 hours from Erin Hills
• I drained a 40 footer on #5 for birdie and fell over attempting an overly unnecessary fist pump.
• The course is designed for walkers only. 
• The brisket tacos at "Craig's Porch" for $1.50 will knock your socks off
• Ashley Mayo hit the opening tee shot at Sand Valley.  She found the fairway... she always finds the fairway.
• Sand Valley has 53 rooms with 107 beds on property
• The team of Coore & Crenshaw built Sand Valley and David McLay Kidd is the course architect for Mammoth Dunes.
• Because of the name's negative connotation, the name for the par 3 course, "Quicksand" is up for review.
• I disagree with the up for review thing.  Quicksand is an awesome name.

Even the parking lot at Sand Valley is filled with sand.  You can see the resort's par 3 course in the top left and the 1st tee and 18th green on Mammoth Dunes on the right.

Sand Valley was built on top of a sand bed left behind from a glacier.

The green on the par 5 4th hole

It's tough to make an uphill par 3 look this good.  Coore & Crenshaw  have figured things out at Sand Valley

During my visit to Sand Valley Resort, I was able to play 6 holes at Mammoth Dunes and I was fortunate enough to get a tour of the other 12 while they were under construction.  For those of us outside the world of golf course construction, It's a unique experience to view a course in it's various stages of development.  I much prefer them with grass.

The sand dune I am standing on here partially obstructs the view of the green from the tee on the par 3 16th.  Given my experience with golfer's and their reactions to blind shots, this one should spark some debate.

Basketball soon to be replaced by golf ball.  Kidd uses these basketballs to get an idea of how the green will break when finished.

Fresh seed at Mammoth Dunes is coming in nicely.

While creating Mammoth Dunes, Kidd and his team uncovered an old housing foundation.  Instead of removing it, they made a bunker out of it.  It's gnarly and awesome.

With Sand Valley Resort off and running, Wisconsin is quickly turning into one of America's go to destinations for amazing public golf.  With Whistling Straits, Blackwolf Run, Sentry World, and Erin Hills all a reasonable drive away from one another, the area is poised to see a dramatic spike in buddy trips and birdies.  I know I added a couple to the tally.

To get an idea of the courses you would like to visit, you can view all of my course photos from Wisconsin here.

Go Goleta

Recently, the Goleta Department of Tourism invited me to help create the greatest promotional video that the world has ever seen.  While the world's greatest tag may be a bit of an exaggeration, Goleta is certainly an excellent place to spend a weekend.  

If you are like me, you are probably not familiar with the city of Goleta.  Located just 15 minutes outside of Santa Barbara, CA, Goleta resides right on the Pacific Ocean.  The best part about traveling to Goleta is the airport.  Since the airport is the size of a Spanish villa, it only took me 15 minutes from landing to arrival at the Pacifica Suites hotel.

My buddies for the trip were members of our San Francisco Skeeball team, Adam and Trevor.  That's right Ron Burganskee, Bill Braskee, and Gary Buskee (skeeball aliases) were getting back together.  The trip would start off in Goleta Style with the arrival of an all world gift basket comprised of local Goleta offerings.  Our group would dive into this gem with enthusiasm

The Sandpiper Selfie is a cut above other selfies. #GoGoleta #GoletaStyle pic.twitter.com/pZPDrj2liv

— Patrick Koenig (@PatrickjKoenig) August 1, 2017

When your Instagram handle shows up on large bags of food, drinks, and golfballs. 👍💪@PacificaSuites #GoGoleta pic.twitter.com/YlQDgY1tRF

— Patrick Koenig (@PatrickjKoenig) July 31, 2017

First up on the agenda was a visit to the popular Sandpiper Golf Course.  With camera crews present, the pressure was on to deliver high quality golf shots combined with superior modeling skills.  Amidst the backdrop of the Pacific Ocean, we delivered in style... Goleta style.  The back nine at Sandpiper Golf Course is exceptionally good and a couple of those birdies should definitely make the highlight reel.

The par 3 11th at Sandpiper sits right on the beach.  View the rest of my photos here.

After golfing up an appetite at Sandpiper, our group headed to M.Special, a local brewery that has cornhole, giant Jenga, and several standout ales.  We even brought in a Mexican fare lunch as the cameras descended on our dining experience.  If you have never eaten tacos while being filmed at close range, I can assure you it's a pressure packed experience.  We would rise to meet the challenge and consume our chips and salsa like seasoned models/actors.

Trevor displays his newly found skill at field goal beer golf, an impromptu skills challenge that probably won't become popular any time soon.

Maintaining your food model face is difficult work

After lunch, it was time to return to the Pacifica Suites and proceed to pool party like only Burganskee, Braskee, and Buskee can.  The video and picture below should give you an idea of the top notch pool action that happened.

Our final round of the buddies trip was at Glen Annie Golf Club.   With views of the pacific and the rolling foothills of Goleta, it's a fitting end to a fantastic weekend.  Be sure to check out the rest of my photos here. If you are interested in making your own Goleta style experience, you can get started here.

A view of the 10th hole at Glen Annie with lemon trees in the backdrop.

Good times yesterday with @PatrickjKoenig and his crew. #gogoleta @gogoletaca pic.twitter.com/dEM9ptF5e8

— Glen Annie Golf Club (@GlenAnnie) August 2, 2017

The sun sets on an excellent Goleta weekend over Glen Annie Golf Club

Colorado

If you are looking for some distance gains with the driver, you may want to consider a trip to Colorado instead of forking over $500 for the latest and greatest.  With the entire state resting at least 1000 meters above sea level, you will gain at least half a club, no questions asked.

This was my first golf visit to the "Centennial State" and Colorado has some serious golf options located just outside of Denver.  First up on the agenda was Jack Nicklaus' Castle Pines.  The course opened in 1981 and from 1986 to 2006 hosted the International, a PGA Tour event.  In certain circles, Castle Pines may be even more well known for it's milkshakes.  I finally would know the feeling John Travolta expresses in the clip below from Pulp Fiction.  They are seriously that good.  After a glorious introduction to golf in Colorado at Castle Pines, a day of 36 at Cherry Hills and Colorado Golf Club was on the calendar.

It's quite possible that Travolta prepared for his role as Vincent Vega by visiting the Castle Pines shake shack.

Click on any of the images to view all of my photos from that course.

The view of 18 from the clubhouse at Castle Pines

 Cherry Hills is most well know for the 1960 US Open in which Arnold Palmer erased a 7 shot deficit to claim victory.  Being a part of Arnie's Army for as long as I can remember, I couldn't have been more excited for my visit.  If there was a single swing that earned Arnie the tile of "The King" his drive on the first hole at Cherry Hills was it.  Palmer would find the green with a persimmon driver and balata ball on the 346 yard par 4.

Would I be able to drive the green and duplicate the feat?  Would I birdie 6 of the first 7 to shoot 65?  Could I live up to the legend?  The answer would be a resounding no.  Even with superior technology, I would come up 30 yards short on #1 and only manage two birdies in the first seven holes.  I was pretty stoked about those 2 birdies with one coming on a holed out bunker shot.

A view from Arnie's tee box on #1 at Cherry Hills.

A look down at Cherry Hills

After a fantastic morning round at Cherry Hills, I headed down the road to Colorado Golf Club.  CGC was created by the architectural duo of Coore & Crenshaw.  Having enjoyed several of their creations, I was excited for the afternoon round.  Adding some more flames to the fire was Instagram sensation Karin Hart.  Karin is a newcomer to the game, but she has picked things up nicely.  

Karin recovers from the rough looking stylish

The short 2nd hole kicks off the par 3 fun at Colorado Golf Club.

Aside from the course, one of the highlights from our round at Colorado Golf Club was our forecaddie, Sadie LeCheminant.  Usually, I struggle to find serious value in a forecaddie, but Sadie brought the heat to our foursome.  A former professional snow boarder, Sadie was easily the best forecaddie I had experienced.  Book her today if you are serious about having a well informed and joyous time on the golf course.  

Sadie dials in the yardage, she would later dial in a well timed golf quip.

Next up was the 3 hour drive to Holyoke, CO and Ballyneal Golf Club.  With a population of 2,313 people, you probably have not heard of Holyoke.  However, Ballyneal is doing a great job of putting Holyoke on the map.  Even though it's in the middle of nowhere, Ballyneal has a small cozy resort feel to it.  Everything a golfer could want is right on the property.  With a large putting green course, a par 3 course, and a championship layout, you won't run out of golf to enjoy.  Left to myself, I would play until darkness covered the course, then I would play 3 more holes.

The wildly fun 6th hole is a drive-able par 4 with a uniquely shaped green.

The 6th hole at Ballyneal

After a drive back to civilization, I would find myself in Colorado Springs looking at The Broadmoor Hotel.  The Broadmoor is a member of the Historic Hotels of America and it's visitors have included heads of state, celebrities, athletes, and business tycoons.  In 1986, George Bush woke up with a hangover in the Broadmoor and decided "he would drink no more."  The Broadmoor parties hard.

There are also 3 golf courses at The Broadmoor and I was scheduled to take on the East Course.  The East course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr and Donald Ross.  The course has hosted a number of USGA events over the years and will host the 2018 US Senior Open.

In an attempt to save up some golf karma, I would go birdie free during my round at The Broadmoor.  However, I would score with my pairing and join up with two fantastic gentlemen.  After the round, we would tour the hotel.  It's worth a visit even if you are not staying on the property.

Originally established in 1918, The Broadmoor Hotel has 779 rooms.

The short 17th at Bear Dance

For the final leg of my Colorado tour, I would take in a recommended local course called Bear Dance.  Despite it's name, the course was not designed by Jack Nicklaus and I would not dance with any bears.  However, I would resume my dances with birdies and get my fist pump on 4 times.

In a very anti climatic end to the trip, I would par the final hole of the trip and stop at a Taco Bell on my way out of town.  I usually prefer the birdie and Arby's exit strategy.

The astoundingly large bear paw bunker at Bear Dance was not actually left by a 15,000 pound bear.

Scotland

After an inspiring trip to Ireland that included 13 rounds of golf in 8 days, I wanted more.  With Scotland just a short plane ride away, I decided to board that plane and meet up with a serious crew of golf nuts.

• Ashley Mayo - Trip planner and ring leader of the golf circus.  This critically acclaimed Golf Digest Editor was also celebrating a birthday.
• Jeff Blind - As the boyfriend of Ashley, Jeff is often referred to as Mr Mayo on hotel reservations.  However, standing at 6'6" Jeff holds his own on the golf course.
• Jeff Filer - A second Jeff, standing at what feels like 7'2".  Thats over 13' feet of Jeff to deal with.
• Shane Bacon - Fresh off his broadcast at the US Open, Shane brought his handsome face and swing speeds exceeding 115 mph.
• Tom Murray - A master of the quip and pee your pants one liners, Tom brings the comedic heat. As a special treat, Tom will host the Paper Plate Awards at the end of this post.
• Hally Leadbetter - Hally is a recovering tour pro on staff with Golf Digest.  This girl can golf her ball.
• Chris Solomon - Chris is the driving force behind the No Laying Up podcast.  True to his game, Chris would not lay up once during the trip.

It is claimed that golf was first played in the village of Cruden Bay in 1791.  100 years later, Old Tom Morris of St Andrews and Archie Simpson would design Cruden Bay Golf Club in 1899. The course was then redesigned by Tom Simpson and Herbert Fowler in the 1920's.  Our group would hit our golf balls 226 years after the 1st golf ball was struck on this land.

Chris Solomon pounds one deep at Cruden Bay's 6th hole.

After a rousing start to the golf trip, things were about to get nasty.  Carnasty at Carnoustie that is.  With winds gusting into the 40mph range on one of the toughest tests in golf, the golf battle was on.

Since The Open is coming to Carnoustie in 2018, it was important for our team to test the merits of the layout.  Even though they have been golfing here since 1850 and our opinions don't "officially" matter, we approved this course for Open play.

I always remember to pose as hard as I golf.

Photo bombed my way through Cruden Bay today. Hey, hey.

A post shared by Patrick Koenig (@pjkoenig) on Jun 22, 2017 at 2:32pm PDT

Tom would smoke his the 3 wood into the wind on the difficult 17th "Island" hole at Carnoustie.  You can sense the amazement in the face of the caddie as Tom finds the green.

Hally would find the sand often at Carnoustie, this one would also find the bottom of the cup for birdie.

After a long and tumultuous internet romance between Shane and Chris, this would be the first time that they would actually meet in person.  With expectations high for a life altering introduction, things were surprisingly normal and there were no uncomfortable Butler Cabin moments or sloppy make out sessions.  

Meeting your internet friends is always awkward @shanebacon pic.twitter.com/EV2jv684IY

— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) June 23, 2017

With it often being difficult to obtain a tee time to play the Old Course, Crail is a fantastic option just down the road.  With most of the holes offering fantastic views of the North Sea, Crail will satisfy your golfing soul.

The par 3 14th hole at Crail greets you on your arrival to the Balcomie Course.

After a successful morning round at Carnoustie, half of our group would tackle the Old Course at St Andrews.  The other half would head to the Golfing Society of Crail. 

Here we have Jeff Blind finding the green, Jeff Filer looking on, and Tom Murphy looking on in sheer amazement.

The view from the 1st hole at Crail's Balcomie Course.

Since only half of our group had played The Old Course, the other half needed to get up early and wait in line to get a tee time for that day.  After chatting with the starter, we were advised that getting in line between 3am and 4am should put us in a good position to be sprinkled into the tee sheet as singles throughout the morning.

After a good 2 hours of sleep, we walked through the darkness and got into line at 3:15am.  The first person in line had arrived at 2:18 am and we were in positions 5-8.  We were confident as we waited for the starter to open at 6am.  As we watched the sunrise over St Andrews, it was clear that there are far worse lines to wait in.  I'd take a 3 hour wait at the Old Course over a 30 minute wait at the DMV all day long.

At 6am, the starter opened up to a round of applause.  Moments later, we would learn that a foursome had cancelled their 7am foursome and our group was next in line to claim the coveted tee time.  After some high fiving and coffee drinking, The Old Course was ours.

The view from the early morning line at the Old Course.

Excitement level at 10 as we nab the 7am slot.

Classic classicness.

Par saver from the knees!

Jeff Blind finds the green on 18!  "I will never forget this moment for the rest of my life."

Having heard much about the Old Course before actually visiting, my expectations were for a flat and rather pedestrian golf course.  I was told that it takes years and a minimum of 10 rounds to appreciate the subtleties of the Old Course.  

What I did not expect was just how much fun the course is to play.  The course is anything but flat and has incredible undulations that add a great deal of interest to any shot played along the ground.  Each hole feels like a walk through history and the ambiance of the course is unlike anything else.

I was surprised how far right you really have to go with your tee shot on 17 and I also can't describe just how awesome that tee shot into 18 is.  I remember smiling as I pounded one towards the village of St Andrews.  When was the last time you hit a tee shot with a big ass grin on your face?   

“I feel sorry for people that don’t play golf.”

— Shane Bacon

After a round of golf at The Old Course, The Dunvegan Motel is the place to get your golf party on.  It's where quotes like this make sense.

Up next was an afternoon round at Elie Golf Links.  It was a unanimous decision that this was the windiest round of golf that any of us had ever played.  Balls were not staying on the tees and flushed 6 irons were only going 80 yards.  You could literally fall into the wind and it would just push you right back up again.

After a 380 yard 3 wood, Jeff plays his 2nd from the parking lot at Elie Golf Links.

St Andrews sunset selfie action. Kingsbarns and North Berwick today #golfparty. pic.twitter.com/ro59eaH26g

— Patrick Koenig (@PatrickjKoenig) June 25, 2017

Ashley checks out the periscope clubhouse at Elie Golf Links.  This is an actual periscope from the HMS Excalibur submarine that allows the starter's office to alert golfers when the 1st fairway is clear.

After 2 hours of sleep, 18 at the Old Course, 18 at Elie in 45 mph winds, it was time to play a sunset round on St Andrews' Jubilee course.  To cap things off, we ordered Domino's pizza and smoked cigars from the Jigger Inn as we watched the sunset over 17 and 18 on the Old Course.  In terms of golf days, this was a good one.

Today was one of those days Ice Cube talked about pic.twitter.com/YkM7Kb5vGW

— Shane Bacon (@shanebacon) June 24, 2017

A nice little compilation of when it takes 4 tries to escape and I am in the group with my camera, 

In a heated golf bus discussion, our group debated the captioning options for Hally's Instagram post.  "Feel the 'burn' between your legs at Kingsbarns." was deemed too racy and was unfortunately scrapped.

With only one day left in Scotland, it was a day of 36 holes at Kingsbarns and North Berwick.  With Kingsbarns opening for play in 2000 and North Berwick being established in 1832, this was a good mix of the old and new.

The 18th at Kingsbarns

At around 200 yards, the 15th at Kingsbarns is a real ball buster of a par 3.

The 12th hole at Kingsbarns was recently voted the best par 5 in Scotland based on a poll conducted by VisitScotland.com

North Berwick was one of the courses that I had earmarked on the agenda as I was looking forward to many of the holes and the original architecture.   North Berwick did not let us down that day as it has been satisfying golfers since 1832.  It knows what it's doing.

"The Pit" hole at North Berwick is as fun as any other golf hole in the world.

The biarritz green on the 16th at North Berwick is outstanding.

With the trip nearing completion as we headed down the 18th fairway, Ashley Mayo decided to knock one in for eagle and earn shot of the trip awards.  What a legend, that Mayo.  

With Ashley's walk off eagle, the trip was complete and it was time to take some selfies and hand out some awards.  I know you have been eagerly awaiting the Paper Plate Awards hosted by Tom Murray.  

Paper Plate Awards Hosted by Tom Murray

• Most likely to play 36 while we're sleeping Award- Patrick Koenig *It's true, I played Muirfield twice while every was in bed on Tuesday.
• Steal my chips and look like Jason Whitten Award - Jeff Filer *Jeff had 2 touchdowns and 3 birdies on The Old Course.
• Most likely to pound the most D's on the same hole Award - Jeff Blind *D stands for driver people, jeez.
• Expedia.com travel insurance Award - Shane Bacon *Shane booked the wrong flight and showed up a day late.
• Hit every fairway Award - Ashley Mayo *Ashley has hit every fairway since mid 2005.
• Least likely to lay up Award - Chris Solomon *not even once.
• Feel the burn Award - Hally Leadbetter *While the caption may have been scrapped, the burn lives on.

See ya later, Scotland!

Ireland

After reading countless books and listening to endless accounts of the golf in Ireland, I finally booked my flight to visit and play.  I would play 13 courses in 8 days, and at the end, the only thing I would wonder, is why I had not done this sooner.

On the flight over the pond, I decided to take in the book "A Course Called Ireland" by Tom Coyne.  The book is a self told tale of a man who decides to walk around the entire country of Ireland playing golf.  Although I had time constraints and would need to drive in between courses, the book got me in the mood to golf hard.  As the wheels hit the ground and I started driving my rental car on the wrong (left) side of the road, I wasted no time in hitting the links.

The journey began with a day of 45 holes between the 27 at Portmarnock and 18 at The Island.  Fortunately, the wind would only give me a gentle welcome with 15-20mph breezes nipping at my ball.  I would take advantage of the good conditions and card several rounds in the 70's.  The golf train was off and rolling hard.  It would not slow down for 7 days and I would not touch the brakes.

The 12th hole at Portmarnock

The 5th hole at The Island

Next up was the world's #1 ranked golf course, Royal County Down.  With expectations bordering on ridiculous, the course did manage to meet most of my expectations.  Royal County Down is indeed one of the best courses I have seen.  The course never really lets up, but highlights include the par 3, 4th hole and the approach on #9.  In an unrelated note, Royal County Down set the record for most pictures taken at a course with 295.  It is as scenic as it is good.  A click on any of the pictures or links throughout the post will take you to a course's full gallery.

A look back on the par 3 4th at Royal County Down.  

Next up was a visit to the world's oldest clubhouse and a round of golf at Ardglass Golf Club.  Built in 1405, the pro shop is housed in an old castle.  Just take several steps out of the castle and wander past some cannons and you will find the first tee.  You won't find anything like this in Florida.

It was at this point during my trip that I stopped paying attention to yardages on the scorecards.   With consistent 30mph winds, 6,260 yards has little meaning.  

If you are planning a visit to Royal County Down, I highly suggest staying at the Slieve Donard.  For a castle right next door to the world's highest rated golf course, it's not too pricey.

What a clubhouse built in 1405 looks like in 2017.

The tee shot on the opener at Ardglass.

Even though it was a decent drive up to Royal Portrush, I wasn't about to skip the newest edition to The Open rotation.  In order to earn their spot in the rota, Royal Portrush scrapped their existing 17th and 18th holes and built 2 new holes on the edge of the property.  I was able to see them, but I just missed the official opening by 2 weeks.

Although it was one of my favorites, Royal Portrush was probably the toughest test of golf that I faced on my trip.  The rough is very penal and if you are hitting it sideways, which is easy to do in 30mph winds, you will lose plenty of golf balls.  I am looking forward to watching The Open in 2019.

The 5th hole at Royal Portrush gives you a stunning welcome to the water.

It does take some time getting used to driving on the left side of the road, but after a 6 hour drive down to the town of Lahinch, I was feeling confident with my motorist abilities.

At Lahinch, I would encounter the only sub par weather of the trip.  We made the most of it by sliding down the fescue and generally enjoying the misty and rainy conditions.

One of my favorite aspects of Irish golf are these grass walking paths.

The proper way to enter the green complex on #11 at Lahinch. pic.twitter.com/Jzb3e5gGS3

— Patrick Koenig (@PatrickjKoenig) June 16, 2017

It was a shame not to catch Lahinch in more ideal weather conditions.  The course is a real stunner with some good lighting on it.  Although, they have a saying in Ireland that goes like this... "If you don't like the weather, just wait a minute."  As it turns out, some of my best lighting would come moments later at Doonbeg with an afternoon round.

The 6th hole is drive-able from the gold tees.  With views like this, I didn't care too much about missing my short eagle putt.

Dunes at Doonbeg

You can see the difference in elevation change between the back nine (center) and front nine (top right) at Tralee Golf Club

Up next, was a visit to Tralee Golf Club.  The open nine sweeps out to the ocean's edge quickly and treats the golf to some fine views of 14th century castle remains.  However, it is the back nine that receives most of the attention due to it's bold setting and design by architect Ed Seay.  

Some golfers may argue that the 440 yard par 4 12th hole, that usually plays into a prevailing wind, is a tad excessive.  Especially, with an 80 foot chasm before the green.   However, given that most golfers in the UK and Ireland prefer match to stroke play, the design becomes far more interesting when considering your opponent's score instead of par.  You are far better off keeping this mentality in mind as you play Tralee and the rest of Ireland.

Into the wind, the par 3 16th, can sometimes require a driver to reach the surface.  Fortunately, the breeze was benign and my 8 iron landed softly.

After a fine outing at Tralee, a day of 36 was up next at Dooks and Waterville.  With the courses 30 minutes apart, this was an easy one to add to the calendar.  

Not sure why Dooks is considered off the traditional path, as it has one of the best settings for golf in Ireland.  It is also home to breeding grounds for the Natterjack toad.  Not only is Natterjack toad fun to say, but it is also the course's logo.

On the first tee at Waterville, I noticed that something was missing.  Something felt off.  Why was it so quiet?  Where was the sound of 30 mph wind blasting across my ears!?!?  The wind had stopped completely.  I didn't question things for too long and starting firing my ball at the limp flags.  As predicted, the afternoon breezes would freshen up and golf scores would return to normal.

Views on views at Dooks.

Waterville from above. Here we see the 4th and 15th greens at the very edge of the golf course.

After a drive further south, I would arrive at the much anticipated Ballybunion.  In addition to having an interesting name, the course has some golf holes of interest as well.  The most anticipated being the 8th hole.  My buddy Xan had made an ace some ten years ago and I had vowed to return to the scene and duplicate his feat.  In an extremely anticlimactic moment, I would fly the green and make bogey.  The hunt for my first ace marches on.

It is easy to see why everyone raves about Ballybunion as it delivers on just about every level and has several holes in contention for the "Golden Shamrock" awards.  Just as the name indicates, the forthcoming awards should not be taken too seriously and YouTube style arguments are encouraged in the comments.

No rakes at Ballybunion, just brooms. I'd describe "sweeping" the bunker as surprisingly satisfying and effective. #BallyFacts pic.twitter.com/JYDYcCg5dk

— Patrick Koenig (@PatrickjKoenig) June 19, 2017

The Golden Shamrocks: Stupid Name, Serious Awards.

The cool factor of the grass path here may take your mind off the fact that you need a punch driver to find the surface.

With only one day left in Ireland, I would wrap things up with a day of 36 at Cork Golf Club and Old Head.  Cork was the only "non-links" course on the agenda, but with architectural credit to Alister Mackenzie, it was an easy one to add.  Cork Golf Club, like every other course on the trip, did not disappoint.

The 4th hole at Cork Golf Club

The setting for golf at Old Head is unlike any other on this planet.

Old Head has been criticized for the disjointed nature of the "inland" holes with those along the coast.  After playing, I can certainly see the merits in such claims, but the experience of the round should outweigh most gripes one can find.  For a "golfographer" like myself, the stunning views and unique shots kept my attention just fine.

The par 3 16th at Old Head with the lighthouse in the distance.

Best of trip awards: The "Golden Shamrocks"

• Best par 3:  I had planned on making at least one ace on the trip and then just giving the shamrock to that hole.  However, I did not make an ace and the award goes where it belongs... to No 4 at Royal County Down.
• Shot of the trip:  The 3 iron that came in sideways off the sea and smacked into the flagstick on #2 at Ardglass.  I would miss the short birdie putt and slump off to #3.
• Best roadside snack: Between rounds on an international golf trip it is important to stay properly fueled.  Gas stations in Ireland carry these chocolate graham cracker things called Hobnobs.  It's basically gasoline for birdies.  Winner: Hobnobs.
• Best par 4: With approximately 130 contenders in this category, the battle was tense.  Early on, the 1st hole at Ardglass was in the lead, then Lahinch and Tralee happened.  But in the end, the 11th hole at Ballybunion with it's views, it's challenge, and it's playing options, could simply not be beat.
• Best tweet:  If you haven't noticed, the golf tweets have been extra spicy lately.  This one was brought to you by the caddies at Ballybunion.

Me: Sprays tee ball deep into the dunes."That's good over there, right?"

Caddie: "I wouldn't even pick up my kids over there."#golf

— Patrick Koenig (@PatrickjKoenig) June 19, 2017

• Best par 5:  With contenders from the 1890's doing battle against designs from the 1990's.  This one was real hard to judge.  Although if you stand on 12 tee box at Old Head long enough, she will convince you.  Winner: #12 Old Head Golf Links.
• Best roadtrip detour:  Somewhere in between Ardglass and Royal Portrush is Bertie's Pitch and Putt.  It's a full 18 holes in Bertie's back yard.  The best way to break up the golf is with more golf.  Runner up: The Cliffs of Moher
• Most treacherous green:  Inside the Waterville house, there is an absurdly long hallway that leads to the Tillinghast room.  Legend has it that Tiger Woods 4 putted this hallway during his visit to Waterville.
• Best Overall Course:  This is by far and away the most frequently asked question I have been asked.  It is also a ridiculous question to answer.  Each course that I played had tremendous character, outstanding conditions, with fun and unique playing options.  The photographs should convince you of each course's unique beauty and setting.  The final Shamrock award reminds me of the book that I read on my way over here. Winner: That course called Ireland. 

Golf Digest Think Young Play Hard Invitational - 2017

Every year, the fine folks over at Golf Digest throw a big golf tournament party and they call it the Think Young Play Hard Invitational, or TYPHI for short.  The tournament is so much fun, that it is one of the few tournaments T Rex attends every year.  As it turns out, the 65 million year old creature is a total golf nut.

For the tournament's inaugural 2 years, it has been hosted in Las Vegas.  Sensing that the TYPHI needed a change of pace, the tournament organizers consulted the ancient golf scrolls and moved the venue to Bandon Dunes.  From hot desert terrain to sea side wind storms, the tournament was on the move to the Pacific coast. 

“When in doubt, go to Bandon Dunes”

— Ancient Proverb

There are 2 acceptable options for any golfer arriving at Bandon Dunes without enough time for a full 18: Hone your putting game on the Punch Bowl or go to Bandon Preserve and warm up your wedges.  We had time for both.

The 2nd hole at Bandon Preserve gets the golf juices flowing.

With holes like the 6th, Bandon Preserve is easily one of the country's best short courses.

For those new to Bandon, the Punch Bowl is a 100,000 square foot putting course designed by Jim Urbina and Tom Doak. It just had it's 3rd birthday and is a terrific way to spend hours putting.

“You will find every kind of putt you can imagine out there, and probably a few you’ve never dreamed of.”

— Tom Doak

With the tournament preparation taken care of, it was time to set our sites on the first round.  My partner?  Why It was none other than Smooderoo.  She's a doctor in Canada and wears hats that say "Pray for Birdies"  What could go wrong?  As it turns out in golf, lots of things can go wrong. 

Things that remained high during Round 1 of the 2017 TYPHI

• Spirits
• Temperatures
• Our golf scores

The @jonesgolfbags crew, Bandon Preserve, and a sunset. 👌🔥👌 pic.twitter.com/XrdUPiCcIJ

— Patrick Koenig (@PatrickjKoenig) June 2, 2017

In one of our team's first round highlights, we made a 4 footer for par on the relatively easy 17th hole at Bandon Trails.  The highlight reel was sparse, the aerial footage was plentiful.

The popular 5th hole at Bandon Trails.

This is where we would drop out of the lead.  #2 at Bandon Trails.

So naturally, after a tough outing at Bandon Trails, I headed over to Pacific Dunes to hone my wind game.  I was fortunate enough to tee it up with the guys from ShipSticks and a good time was had flying drones, taking photos, and also playing some golf.  In perfect weather, with the sun setting over the ocean, Pacific Dunes is a visual assault on the golfing senses.  I tried to capture the magic from the ground and from the air.

A look back on the short 16th at Pacific Dunes.

The golf party really starts on the 3rd hole at Pacific Dunes.

Not only can the @shipsticks crew deliver your clubs to the course, but their delivery on the par 3's at @bandondunesgolf is also on point. #thinkyoungplayhard #bandondunes

A post shared by Patrick Koenig (@pjkoenig) on Jun 4, 2017 at 9:26pm PDT

With round 1 in the books, we found our 2 man team 4 shots out of the TYPHI flight lead.  Unfortunately, we would do little to help ourselves up the leader board during the second round at Bandon Dunes.  However, Sarah did help herself to some scotch at Bandon's secret stash.

The difficult 5th at Bandon Dunes is one of the best holes on the property.

A different view of the 16th green at Bandon Dunes.

In the end it was the folks from Jones Golf that totally dominated the field with stellar play both rounds.  Congratulations fellas!!  I highly suggest that you honor their victory by picking up a Jones bag.

 Just when the awards were about to be handed out, T Rex came in hot and crashed the party.  He immediately started roaring and pounding Bud Lights.  He then proceeded  to pass out as he took in a classic Bandon Dunes sunset.

T Rex takes in a sunset at Bandon Dunes. #Trex #Bandon pic.twitter.com/j5MZDRMsig

— Patrick Koenig (@PatrickjKoenig) June 4, 2017

After spending some time in the Bunker Bar and telling stories of missed putts and chunked chips, it was time for an early morning send off round at Old Macdonald and just like that the TYPHI had come to a close.

A big thanks to Luan and the team at Golf Digest, the staff at Bandon Dunes, and all of the sponsors for putting on another fantastic tournament.  

What your golf ball sees at it descends onto the 11th green.

The view from behind and above #13.

Leave a ball, take a pull on the scotch, and go make some birdies.

“Any time you use the same club 5 times in a row, it’s a bad thing.”

— Patrick Koenig

Our final round pairing featured Instagram standout Kasia Kay.  This girl can golf her ball.

After calling in 6 rules violations, an angry and drunken T Rex demands a recount of all scores.

Personally, I am a big fan of railroad ties in bunkers.