Conference 7.286::golf

	What an impressive list.

>    Pine Valley (New Jersey, I know there are others...) - Confirmed.
>    Merion (Philadelphia) - Pretty certain.
>    Baltusrol (New Jersey) - Fairly possible to pretty certain. I haven't
>    played it in years, but I'd love to see the lower course again.
>    Winged Foot (New York) - Fairly possible. Could be tough, but the
>    "network" is strong.

	You make me green with envy!  You'll have to provide the obligatory
	trip report to make us all feel worse.  Since you'll be in the
	neighborhood and you'll be playing so many USGA Championship site
	courses you should stop by Golf House too.
		

     re .1 - I'm a USGA assaociate and I had completely forgotten about
    "Golf House" in Far Hills, N.J. Great suggestion ! If we have a day
    off, spare time or run out of golf balls we'll be there !
    
    --Jack
    
    

	Re: .2

	Jack,

	You can probably "do" Golf House in a little over an hour.  If you
	want and study the stuff it will take longer.  My favorite was one
	of Hogan's clubs where he had worn a shiny patch the size of about
	a nickel from where hit repeatedly hit the ball with the sweet spot.

	Larry

     Here's the final "Trip Report" for all you other junkies and
    masochists out there. We had to "mix and match" a little, but the
    courses were fine, and the trip was great.
    
    7/30 Century Country Club, Purchase, N.Y. - Reputed to be the best
    conditioned course in the U.S. (probably correct, per my experience).
    This is also a Jewish club that is also the wealthiest of it's type. I
    don't wish to offend anyone, but this is apparently true and may be of
    interest. 6522 from the human tees (NO ROLL !), par 71, rated 71.5 and
    slope is 128. Shot 83, hit lousy irons off perfect (!) turf and fell in
    love with this Colt/Alison layout. Left my 56 degree Hogan SW in my
    host's bag and Pine Valley still awaited. Found out the next day, so I
    was "stuck" with a 60 degree Hogan SW.
    
    7/31 - Ridgewood C.C. (Tillinghast) New Jersey - Played Center/West
    (they have 27) which were 6531, slope 131, par 72 rating 72.0. Again
    (and for the whole trip) No Roll, perfect shape. Shot 78 because The
    Yonex was workin' but irons were generally lousy. Valet parking here
    puts all the Mercedes in the same row, Caddies in another (BIG
    rows...). Some elevated greens, huge trees everywhere and some immense
    (!!) par 4's with small openings. Rated by some folks the second best
    in N. J.
    
    8/1 Merion Golf Club, Ardmore Pa. (Hugh Wilson) - Par 70, rating 71.5
    6103 yds (played about 4-500 yds longer), Slope 143 (!) - Shot 82, and
    my irons still are on sabbatical. The finest golf course I have ever
    played or seen in the U.S., period ! Just driving in and seeing the
    baskets on the flagsticks and traps with hummocks of grass ("The white
    faces of Merion") gave me goosebumps. I must have spent $150 in the
    shop. One of our guys shot 77 from the tips (6482, par 70, rating 73.1
    Slope 149; the rest of us played regular tees. The good news is that
    our host gave us an open invite back. I LOVE Merion. We had the best
    caddy here I've ever seen, and I used to be a caddy...
    
    8/2 Pine Valley, Pine Valley N. J. (yeah, I know the Golf books say
    Clementon, but the actual course is in Pine Valley and the club is all
    that's there - they even own the Police force. George Crump did most of
    it. 6442 yards, par 70, rated 73.0, slope was 150 (!). Shot 84 and
    bounced it out of the hole on # 3 just missing a hole in one. This is
    the kind of place where you've gotta hit it 200-220 to carry the
    garbage; after that, the fairways are enormous ! However, if you don't
    carry the bunkers, you make 12. There's only one rake on the whole
    place.
    
    8/3 Metedeconk National Golf Club - 6684 yards, par 72, rating 72.6
    Slope 138 (Roger Rulewich/R.T. Jones). Shot 83. This is a fabulous
    course with great par 5's and the hardest golf hole I have ever seen in
    my life. 461/415 yd (back/middle) uphill dogleg left par 4 with a green
    elevated 40 yds and fronted all the way up the hill with knee high
    grass and traps. Notice I didn't say "good," just "hard." Regarded as a
    top 5 course in New Jersey. They could hold a "Major" here. Like all
    the others, no roll and impeccable shape. Hope this satisfies everyone,
    because I'm exhausted and I'm goin' fishin'.
    
    --Jack

    Jack, are there memberships available to this club of yours -:)
    
    What a trip. I'm proud to say I have played some of the best (Winged
    Foot, Baltastrol (sp), Congrssional, The National (Long Is), but you
    have seen the "who's who's" in golf courses.
    
    With the minority controversy in the news, maybe can find a way to
    invite the only Italian in Texas on your next outing. 
    
    BTW, I get to play the TPC at Los Colinas this PM.
    
    Ken

    Reply .4
    
    	Hi Jack,
    
    	Talk about Mr. Consistent ! That's some pretty good shooting !
    	Is your handicap around the low 80's ? Or did you do better/worse?
    
    	Is it tough getting on these courses? If so, how did you do it?
    	Did you tell them you give secrets on how to play the Fox???
    	Or just where the BIG bass are hiding ;) ...
    
    	Walta

     Walta, it was my first time on any of 'em, and it took a lot of doing.
    I've got a couple of friends with R.T. Jones, a golf salesman in the
    NYC area who helped, as well as an old pal who has a cousin who's on
    the board at Merion.
     My HCP at "The Fox" is 11, and is adjusted to 8.9 elsewhere. However,
    the slope was so high at Merion and Pine Valley that my hcp would
    actually be higher at those places.
     I normally try to play different places each trip, so we've stayed
    away from the Shinnecock/National and Congressional/Burning Tree rota
    (despite protests from my golfing pal the Judge, who hasn't played them
    yet). I think next year one of the guys is going to Scotland with
    another guy and their wives. I think the Judge and I will pass on this
    because we've been there and there isn't much for the gals to do.
    Combine two "SO's" being P.O.'ed and a bunch of tough courses, and it
    doesn't sound like a day at the beach to me. My guess is that we'll
    head West next year, providing 3 critical courses fall into place -
    Cypress Point (looks doable), Olympic (Lake course - looks doable too)
    and L.A. Country Club (North course) - no clue yet on this one, although
    I've got a buddy that played it. L.A. North is probably the best kept
    secret in golf.
     My NYC guy says that he can do Winged Foot and Quaker Ridge, but it
    will probably be at an odd time and on short notice. Doesn't matter to
    me, when I get the call, I'm outta here.
     As a final mini trip this fall, the Judge and I are planning on Oak
    Hill and Oakmont. We've got real good contacts at both (especially Oak
    Hill, although Rochester can be a little nippy in the Fall...), so
    we'll probably give 'em a shot.
     We're trying to play as many decent courses as we can before our
    contacts all dry up, but if that happens, I'd probably rather fish
    anyway. Plus, if I don't start hitting some irons soon I might retire
    real early (let's see, maybe moving the ball up will get me off my
    right side... Maybe I should go back to the Hogan persimmon driver...
    Maybe... ahh, the hell with it. I'll keep y'all posted.
    
    --Jack

     Well, fellow "Junkies," the 1991 "Tour de Golf" is almost here for me,
    so I'll give you a rundown on where we're going.
    
    
    6/17 - Fisher's Island. A Seth Raynor course off the coast of Ct. One
    of my all-time top 5. A couple of the guys haven't played it, so we
    kept juggling contacts to get on it. This place is NOT easy to get on,
    so - thank God for friends.
    
    6/18 - Piping Rock. A C.B. MacDonald course in Locust Valley, L.I.,
    N.Y. Supposed to be terrific, and I guess it's a "Horsey" kind of
    place, like Myopia Hunt.
    
    6/19 - The Creek Club. Also MacDonald, also around Locust Valley. Joe
    Dey used to belong here. Typical "Blood test" kind of course. I doubt
    they sell Skoal Long Cut in the Pro shop...
    
    6/20 - The National Golf Links of America. MacDonald again, and perhaps
    his most famous. Noted as the strongest lunch in America. Only male
    head of households can be full members, so if our host can't be on the
    premises, two of my pals will play Maidstone, and The Judge and I will
    fork out $ 125 each to play The National. Not my choice - I've played
    it twice - but The Judge hasn't seen it, so it's a must.
    
    6/21 - The Rockaway Hunting Club - Cedarhurst, L.I. Bendelow (Medinah #
    3) and Tillinghast. I used to be an Assistant at this place. Terrific
    course with a "Top 100" hole (# 9) that gets no play. I don't think
    they even like members here... The former chairman of the board of the
    Mets (M. Donald Grant) used to belong (He lived across the street in a
    castle). He was a TREMENDOUS pain in the ass. Basically nice people,
    and the most beautiful lady members I have ever seen. Needless to say,
    in those days fraternization was a "No no..."
    
    6/22 - Garden City Golf Club - Garden City. Emmett (Congressional) and
    Walter Travis (Ekwanok). Just guys. PERIOD. My "S.O." is hugely P.O.ed
    about me playing here, so I lied and said we were playing the other
    country club in Garden City, which is co-ed. Now, how do I explain the
    shirt ?
    
    6/23 - Crumpin Fox - Y'all know about The Fox, but did I mention that I
    caught (And released) a 4 lb Smallmouth on # 8 recently ?
    
    6/24 - Quaker Ridge - Mamaroneck, N.Y. (Tillinghast). People who have
    played both say it's better than Winged Foot (Which is another story,
    perhaps later in the summer). This is the only place we're still
    working on, and our bail-outs are Blind Brook, Old Oaks and Sleepy
    Hollow. I know that SOMETIME Quaker Ridge and Winged Foot are gonna
    happen.
    
     Other than that, it looks like this summer the only places I might get
    to are Kitansett, Myopia, Merion and possibly Saucon Valley (Grace
    Course). The last two depend upon how patient my "SO" is.
    
    --Jack

    Hey Jack- I played Myopia last week and shot seven over and only lost
    one ball. Unfortunately it rained so hard we had to quit after #5. Boy
    was I POed. My first (and maybe last) crack at Myopia gets washed.
    
    Chris

     I think the front 9 at Myopia is quite a bit better than the back.
    It's LOADED with good holes - especially # 9, possibly my favorite
    short par 3 anywhere. One of my playing partners popped up his drive on
    the hole titled "Myopia" - I think it was # 7 - and holed out a blind
    5 wood shot for an eagle !
    
     Did you notice the old "Claw foot" tubs next to the showers ? Seems
    they had some fat members in the old days that preferred tubs, but they
    needed BIG ones. The members are so tight, they squeak, but I love the
    course.
    
    --Jack

    This year's trip is still a-bornin', but I have enough input to perhaps
    make it worth posting so - here goes.
    
    7/18 - Crumpin-Fox. My pal "The Judge" loves "The Fox," and since we're
    basing operations out of my house, we're tryin' to stay close. Plus,
    after buying a house, I don't have a lot of cash to blow.
    
    7/19 - Shattuck Inn. Not my favorite (by a LONG shot), but it's
    beautiful, and The Judge has a pal who is a member and lives nearby.
    I'd say "retired, but this guy has NEVER worked. He is hosting us, and
    has several trout ponds and streams, so that pretty much made up my
    mind.
    
    7/20 - The Country Club (Brookline) - I never get tired of Brookline -
    the old trees, squirrels, members with holes in their sweaters, the
    crummy locker room and treacherous greens - I LOVE it ! I never play
    worth a damn because I'm so excited, but it's a treat.
    
    7/21 - Winged Foot (West, although I'd love to play the East Course
    too). I've been on the West course before, and it is TOUGH ! Very fair,
    with greens that are hard to read, and soft fairways and thick rough.
    Lousy range, but if I just wanted to hit balls, I'd stay home. Played
    with a guy who was a +1 hcp before - this cat could play !!
    
    7/22 - Quaker Ridge. Never been to Quaker Ridge, but I hear it's
    unreal. Practically abuts Winged Foot, and some people like it better.
    It is a Jewish course that is very tough to get on, and for a long time
    I figured I'd never see it either. I'm very excited about Q.R., and I
    love Tillinghast courses.
    
    7/23 - Either Wannamoisett or Kittansett. Wannamoisett is looking
    pretty bleak, and it's the one place left in New England I'd like to
    see. If not this time, maybe in the future - who knows. Our "contact"
    worked hard, and there's nothing else I can do. Kittansett looks good.
    I've never played it in the summer, but it's a good course with
    unbelievably fast, "charcoal bentgrass" greens. The wind usually blows,
    making it very different - much tougher. About as hard to get on as
    Brookline, and has many of the same members.
    
    7/24 - "Anthony's" - rte 116, Holyoke, Ma. Hey, we'll need a break, and
    this place makes "The Magic Lantern" look like a convent. Stronger
    field than the TPC Championship, and the "players" "dress" better...
    
     There may be changes, last minute scratches, etc., but - I'll let
    y'all know. There is a place near Winged Foot called Fenway that I'd
    love to play, just as I would Sleepy Hollow...
    
    --Jack

    Quaker Ridge is awesome!!!! It is definitely worth playing.
    
    You will enjoy