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A Quest to Play the Top 100 Public Golf Courses in the United States
A Quest to Play the Top 100 Public Golf Courses
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... (CONT'D) ... (Updated 5/13/08 - 9:04 p.m., Anaheim Hills, CA ... By Jim Allen) ... Sometimes it’s hard to explain this Golfest thing. A quick explanation of what we are doing comes off as just a regular buddies’ golf trip. Give us a few more minutes and we begin painting a picture about how it’s a quest by several friends to play the top 100 golf courses in the United States. And if you go to lunch with us, you’ll quickly figure out that we are serious about getting it done.
The other day, my wife was talking with a friend about my Golfest 2008 trip and a strange word came up -- "obsession." Wow, that stings a little! That rates right up there with pointed words such as subpoena and tax audit. The last time I heard obsession, I was watching the six o’clock news and it was used in reference to a mentally unstable man who was caught stalking his hot psycho girlfriend.
Why in the world would anyone want to travel all over the country to play golf when there are courses right down the street? My answer is … quite simply is
... why not? The Golfest concept started in 2004
using the word "goal," like in … we have a goal to play the top 100 courses. However, that seemed more like a description destined for people trying to lose weight. The fact is few people ever reach their goal.
Objective was also considered, but that sounds work-related and even when you accomplish it, it’s seldom satisfying. The same thing applies to the word target. That belongs on a sales meeting PowerPoint.
It’s a QUEST! We are on a "QUEST" to play the top 100 public golf courses in the great U.S. of A.! Is that obsessed? I don't think so! I think it would be more appropriate to call it dedication, or extremely focused at accomplishing the task at hand. And, you want to know the best thing about it? There is a lot of fun and memorable experiences in the process. The fact is, if you ever really want to find out anything about your friends and family, go spend a week in the car with them. And throw in another 36 hours in a golf cart. You’ll either kill them or laugh your ass off.
Golfest 2008 – "The Great Lakes Tour," which convoys through Michigan (May 15-22) features 144 holes of golf ... in six days ... at seven courses. This would include 36-holes on one day, and 27-holes on a pair of others. Did I mention the 844 miles of driving? In reality, I think I can see how someone might view that as a
little over the top. Heck, that sounds like a lot of effort and hard work. What it really is ..., is an ultimate road trip that Hollywood makes movies about. And we are not talking about a chick flick like Thelma & Louise, but more along the lines of a cross between National Lampoon Vacation and Easy Rider.
Of course, it does help if you have the golf bug and a passion for the game. No matter how you slice it, the Golfest concept is an ultimate quest and it all makes sense because we have a passion. The same passion that drives a marathon runner while he fights his inner-demons for 26 grueling miles -- except the Golfest thing is lot easier. We have cup holders for our cocktails! ...
... (4/28/08) ... Well, let's get right down to business! Mark Suzda became the second Golfest member to score an ace this year, accomplishing the coveted feat at the Cascata Golf Club in Boulder City. He was enjoying a casino outing on Friday,April 18th as part of a special half-hour Tiger Woods "meet and greet." If that wasn't enough of a highlight, Mark scored a hole-in-one on the par-3 168-yard 15th hole on the the 69th rated golf course in the United States.
BUT WAIT ... that's not even the good part! As luck would have it, an ace on that hole was worth a brand new $40,000 Buick Enclave SUV. How cool is that? For those of you at home taking notes, it was Mark's second hole-in-one on a top-rated course. His first was during Golfest 2006 at the 17th hole at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island. Congratulations!
With aces by Bob Potts and Mark, Golfest members are not going to need to buy a cocktail for the first few days of Golfest 2008. ...
... Make sure you check out the MASTERS
Championship review. Golfestians Jim Allen and Mark Suzda made the trip for the 2008 edition. It's a trip that everyone needs to take at least once during a lifetime. ...
(3/19/08) ... There is no better way to break out of golf drought than with a trip to Hawaii. Three rounds in three days, including a jaunt to Kauai to pick off the 90th rated Kauai Lagoons Golf Course; a trip to Turtle Bay for an outing on the Palmer Course; and a hidden jungle gem on Oahu called the Luana Hills Country Club. Three courses with three completely different personalities.
The trip to the Kauai Lagoons turned out to be a very pleasant experience with me going out as a single and blazing a trail through the scenic track in only two-hours and seven minutes. That would be a new personal record. To put that in perspective, I spent more time waiting in the airport for my 19-minute Oahu-Kauai Hawaiian Airlines flight than I did on the course. I'll put together a complete course review in the next few days.
It was my second trip to the Palmer Course at Turtle Bay. It's a great course on the North Shore of Oahu that features picturesque and challenging par 4's and 5's, but lacks that postcard quality par 3 that you will always remember. Either way, it's tough to complain about paradise. Another great day!
The trip to Kuana Hills Country Club was a last minute addition to the golf binge so that we could get out with fellow Golfestians Tony Fernandes and Joe Arellanes, plus Steve Adams, Justin Holliman, and a couple of customers. It was the first ever Hawaii golf exposure for Tony, Joe and Justin and they were impressed.
After dropping $175 for green fees at the Lagoons, and $204 at Turtle Bay, my expectations were really low for the $125 Kuana Hills Course. I thought it was a
local muni-track and boy was that a wrong assumption. This course was absolutely awesome -- very tough ... but absolutely awesome.
The back nine of this place is literally cut through dense Hawaiian jungle on the side of a mountain. The views and overall experience were over the top. It kind of had a Jurassic Park feel to it. If a dinosaur would have shot out of the jungle, I wouldn't have been terribly surprised. Then again ...
Upon returning home to So Cal for a whopping 12-hours on the ground, it was on a plane to Dallas for a business meeting. However, this one also dished up an opportunity to get out at TPC-Los Colinas Cottontail course with Jim Dee. Mr. Dee, who has moved from Phoenix to Texas to Indiana during the past two years, keeps cutting his golf season shorter and shorter with every move. He was glad to get out since Indy has been colder than heck. According to Jim, Golfest can't get here quick enough.
... We've added a few more golfer profile pages to the site in preparation for our upcoming trip. Among those added were Craig Decker, Mark Pickering, and Mike Rittner. It still a work in progress, but now they are official. ...
... There is no better way to bring in a new golfyear than with an ace. Charter Golfest member Bob Potts did exactly that on February 9th, when he one-stroked the 11th hole at the Talon Course at Grayhawk in Scottsdale.
The scenic "Swinging Bridge" hole was all carry over the desert and a bunker to a front pin location. Pottsie nailed it with an eight-iron from 137-yards. How cool it that?
The fine people at Grayhawk gave him some souvenirs, including a course flag with the hole number on it ... AND ... drinks in the bar. In an age where most golf courses attempt to charge you about $100 for some decent hole-in-one paraphernalia and a huge bar tab, that is a breath of fresh air. By the way, it's hole-in-one number two for Mr. Potts. Congrats! ...
... While Mr. Potts is getting out in the desert, it seems like most avid golfers - no matter where we are in the country -- are still sitting in the clubhouse, sidelined by rain, wind and snow. A few of us are getting out for an accidental golf outing once in a while, but not enough to quench our golf-zen. Like most, I can only watch the Golf Channel for so long before I lose my sanity, or worse yet, try to fight the urge to buy one of those alleged swing aides that promise to shave 10-strokes from my scorecard.
Speaking of which, here are 10 things that actually would shave 10-strokes off my round ... and they don't cost $39.95, plus shipping and handling:
(1). Turning off my cell phone. ("Do they always have to 'hear me now?')
(2). Reducing my golf course intake of Vodka-cranberries would probably help some. ("Nah, bad idea, move on to number three.")
(3). Consider bringing a sniper rifle to pick off those slow golfers in the group in front of us. ("Hey butthead, hurry up and sink that 18" putt for an eight.")
(4). Not pullng out the big dawg on narrow par-4's. ("That'll never happen! We didn't come here to lay up.")
(5). Not talking about work while on the golf course. ("Say Bob, have you updated your resume lately?")
(6). Focusing on every single shot as if it was worth $100K. ("I think I have golf A.D.D.")
(7). Staying out of 12 foot deep sand traps. ("This isn't a trap! This is where an asteroid smashed into the earth and killed all the dinosaurs.")
(8). Cigars ("See Vodka-Cranberry - above!")
(9). Always play on aerated greens. (Say Jim, isn't that an automatic two-putt?")
and ...
(10). Learn how to hit a flop shot that doesn't get skulled over the green at 80 mph onto the next tee box. ("FORE!!!!")
But seriously ... they are all true!!! Either way, here is the segway, so don't miss it ... While we are on the subject of 10-strokes, tell me what is better? ... Shooting an 85 at your local muni-course ... or ... nailing a 95 at Arcadia Bluffs Golf Course in Michigan during Golfest 2008?
"Alex ... I'll take the 10th ranked course in the United States for $100 please!"
Just in case you've been recently hit in the head with a stray golf ball, the answer is obviously Arcadia Bluffs, the 10th ranked course in America. This years road show is slated for May 15-22nd and will visit all seven of the Top 100 ranked courses in Michigan. The exclusive list includes:
The other day, my wife was talking with a friend about my Golfest 2008 trip and a strange word came up -- "obsession." Wow, that stings a little! That rates right up there with pointed words such as subpoena and tax audit. The last time I heard obsession, I was watching the six o’clock news and it was used in reference to a mentally unstable man who was caught stalking his hot psycho girlfriend.
Why in the world would anyone want to travel all over the country to play golf when there are courses right down the street? My answer is … quite simply is
... why not? The Golfest concept started in 2004
using the word "goal," like in … we have a goal to play the top 100 courses. However, that seemed more like a description destined for people trying to lose weight. The fact is few people ever reach their goal.
Objective was also considered, but that sounds work-related and even when you accomplish it, it’s seldom satisfying. The same thing applies to the word target. That belongs on a sales meeting PowerPoint.
It’s a QUEST! We are on a "QUEST" to play the top 100 public golf courses in the great U.S. of A.! Is that obsessed? I don't think so! I think it would be more appropriate to call it dedication, or extremely focused at accomplishing the task at hand. And, you want to know the best thing about it? There is a lot of fun and memorable experiences in the process. The fact is, if you ever really want to find out anything about your friends and family, go spend a week in the car with them. And throw in another 36 hours in a golf cart. You’ll either kill them or laugh your ass off.Golfest 2008 – "The Great Lakes Tour," which convoys through Michigan (May 15-22) features 144 holes of golf ... in six days ... at seven courses. This would include 36-holes on one day, and 27-holes on a pair of others. Did I mention the 844 miles of driving? In reality, I think I can see how someone might view that as a
little over the top. Heck, that sounds like a lot of effort and hard work. What it really is ..., is an ultimate road trip that Hollywood makes movies about. And we are not talking about a chick flick like Thelma & Louise, but more along the lines of a cross between National Lampoon Vacation and Easy Rider. Of course, it does help if you have the golf bug and a passion for the game. No matter how you slice it, the Golfest concept is an ultimate quest and it all makes sense because we have a passion. The same passion that drives a marathon runner while he fights his inner-demons for 26 grueling miles -- except the Golfest thing is lot easier. We have cup holders for our cocktails! ...
... (4/28/08) ... Well, let's get right down to business! Mark Suzda became the second Golfest member to score an ace this year, accomplishing the coveted feat at the Cascata Golf Club in Boulder City. He was enjoying a casino outing on Friday,April 18th as part of a special half-hour Tiger Woods "meet and greet." If that wasn't enough of a highlight, Mark scored a hole-in-one on the par-3 168-yard 15th hole on the the 69th rated golf course in the United States.
BUT WAIT ... that's not even the good part! As luck would have it, an ace on that hole was worth a brand new $40,000 Buick Enclave SUV. How cool is that? For those of you at home taking notes, it was Mark's second hole-in-one on a top-rated course. His first was during Golfest 2006 at the 17th hole at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island. Congratulations!
With aces by Bob Potts and Mark, Golfest members are not going to need to buy a cocktail for the first few days of Golfest 2008. ...
... Make sure you check out the MASTERS
Championship review. Golfestians Jim Allen and Mark Suzda made the trip for the 2008 edition. It's a trip that everyone needs to take at least once during a lifetime. ...
(3/19/08) ... There is no better way to break out of golf drought than with a trip to Hawaii. Three rounds in three days, including a jaunt to Kauai to pick off the 90th rated Kauai Lagoons Golf Course; a trip to Turtle Bay for an outing on the Palmer Course; and a hidden jungle gem on Oahu called the Luana Hills Country Club. Three courses with three completely different personalities.
The trip to the Kauai Lagoons turned out to be a very pleasant experience with me going out as a single and blazing a trail through the scenic track in only two-hours and seven minutes. That would be a new personal record. To put that in perspective, I spent more time waiting in the airport for my 19-minute Oahu-Kauai Hawaiian Airlines flight than I did on the course. I'll put together a complete course review in the next few days.
It was my second trip to the Palmer Course at Turtle Bay. It's a great course on the North Shore of Oahu that features picturesque and challenging par 4's and 5's, but lacks that postcard quality par 3 that you will always remember. Either way, it's tough to complain about paradise. Another great day!
The trip to Kuana Hills Country Club was a last minute addition to the golf binge so that we could get out with fellow Golfestians Tony Fernandes and Joe Arellanes, plus Steve Adams, Justin Holliman, and a couple of customers. It was the first ever Hawaii golf exposure for Tony, Joe and Justin and they were impressed.
After dropping $175 for green fees at the Lagoons, and $204 at Turtle Bay, my expectations were really low for the $125 Kuana Hills Course. I thought it was a
local muni-track and boy was that a wrong assumption. This course was absolutely awesome -- very tough ... but absolutely awesome.The back nine of this place is literally cut through dense Hawaiian jungle on the side of a mountain. The views and overall experience were over the top. It kind of had a Jurassic Park feel to it. If a dinosaur would have shot out of the jungle, I wouldn't have been terribly surprised. Then again ...
Upon returning home to So Cal for a whopping 12-hours on the ground, it was on a plane to Dallas for a business meeting. However, this one also dished up an opportunity to get out at TPC-Los Colinas Cottontail course with Jim Dee. Mr. Dee, who has moved from Phoenix to Texas to Indiana during the past two years, keeps cutting his golf season shorter and shorter with every move. He was glad to get out since Indy has been colder than heck. According to Jim, Golfest can't get here quick enough.
... We've added a few more golfer profile pages to the site in preparation for our upcoming trip. Among those added were Craig Decker, Mark Pickering, and Mike Rittner. It still a work in progress, but now they are official. ...
... There is no better way to bring in a new golfyear than with an ace. Charter Golfest member Bob Potts did exactly that on February 9th, when he one-stroked the 11th hole at the Talon Course at Grayhawk in Scottsdale.
The scenic "Swinging Bridge" hole was all carry over the desert and a bunker to a front pin location. Pottsie nailed it with an eight-iron from 137-yards. How cool it that?The fine people at Grayhawk gave him some souvenirs, including a course flag with the hole number on it ... AND ... drinks in the bar. In an age where most golf courses attempt to charge you about $100 for some decent hole-in-one paraphernalia and a huge bar tab, that is a breath of fresh air. By the way, it's hole-in-one number two for Mr. Potts. Congrats! ...
... While Mr. Potts is getting out in the desert, it seems like most avid golfers - no matter where we are in the country -- are still sitting in the clubhouse, sidelined by rain, wind and snow. A few of us are getting out for an accidental golf outing once in a while, but not enough to quench our golf-zen. Like most, I can only watch the Golf Channel for so long before I lose my sanity, or worse yet, try to fight the urge to buy one of those alleged swing aides that promise to shave 10-strokes from my scorecard.
Speaking of which, here are 10 things that actually would shave 10-strokes off my round ... and they don't cost $39.95, plus shipping and handling:
(1). Turning off my cell phone. ("Do they always have to 'hear me now?')
(2). Reducing my golf course intake of Vodka-cranberries would probably help some. ("Nah, bad idea, move on to number three.")
(3). Consider bringing a sniper rifle to pick off those slow golfers in the group in front of us. ("Hey butthead, hurry up and sink that 18" putt for an eight.")
(4). Not pullng out the big dawg on narrow par-4's. ("That'll never happen! We didn't come here to lay up.")
(5). Not talking about work while on the golf course. ("Say Bob, have you updated your resume lately?")
(6). Focusing on every single shot as if it was worth $100K. ("I think I have golf A.D.D.")
(7). Staying out of 12 foot deep sand traps. ("This isn't a trap! This is where an asteroid smashed into the earth and killed all the dinosaurs.")
(8). Cigars ("See Vodka-Cranberry - above!")
(9). Always play on aerated greens. (Say Jim, isn't that an automatic two-putt?")
and ...
(10). Learn how to hit a flop shot that doesn't get skulled over the green at 80 mph onto the next tee box. ("FORE!!!!")
But seriously ... they are all true!!! Either way, here is the segway, so don't miss it ... While we are on the subject of 10-strokes, tell me what is better? ... Shooting an 85 at your local muni-course ... or ... nailing a 95 at Arcadia Bluffs Golf Course in Michigan during Golfest 2008?
"Alex ... I'll take the 10th ranked course in the United States for $100 please!"
Just in case you've been recently hit in the head with a stray golf ball, the answer is obviously Arcadia Bluffs, the 10th ranked course in America. This years road show is slated for May 15-22nd and will visit all seven of the Top 100 ranked courses in Michigan. The exclusive list includes:
Rating-Course
10 –
24 – Tullymore Golf Club
25 –
35 –
43 – Shepherds Hollow Golf Club (27-holes) 47 –
66 – Red Hawk Golf Course
For more details, and a list of who is currently signed up to go, check out the Golfest 2008 page.
This site was created on June 15, 2007.
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