It's a perfect late-February morning in Florida. I'm 20 minutes from the Miami airport and I've just played 18 holes in less than two hours as a single at Country Club of Miami's West Course. I was lucky to get out early--the tee sheet is full from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a golf group in town from Canada.

A man approaches the starter shed and asks if anyone turned in two clubs.

"They're right here," says the starter, and points to two clubs in the corner of the wooden shed he's using for air traffic control.

Another man asks about getting a bucket of balls for the driving range.

"Take as many as you want," says the starter, while pointing to the stack of empty baskets and a large bucket of range balls.

Another man is missing a jacket and sunglasses.

"Someone will turn them in," says the starter.

This starter retired from being a steamfitter and plumber in Philadelphia over 30 years ago, but he still works on Mondays to pay for his golf three days a week. He's an inspiration and he's anxious to tell you how and why, so listen closely.

"My name is Carl. Last name is B-U-B-E-C-K." He spelled it for me because he wanted to make sure I got it right. "I can't believe no other golf magazines have been here to see me yet."

Bubeck will be 95 on July 4th. "AARP Magazine had an article in there because I've never taken any medication--never did." 

Bubeck (pictured) moved down to Ft. Lauderdale with his wife of 69 years in the early '70s. Her name is Margaret but she goes by Betty--she'll be 90 in May. Betty had to stop playing golf two years ago because of complications with her feet. When they first moved down here she had a group of 62 women she played golf with. Now, only three are still alive. 

"If you play here you better bring a lot of golf balls," said Bubeck. "There's water somewhere on all 36 holes." 

C.C.of Miami has a West Course and an East Course. It used to have 54 holes and it used to be private. Jackie Gleason was a member. He'd bring friends such as Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. This was where Jack Nicklaus played in his first professional tournament and it's where Lee Trevino won his fourth tour event--the National Airlines Open in 1970.

C.C. of Miami is now public. During peak season you can play for $40, which is great value, and it's in decent shape. The greens and fairways are good, but the tee boxes could use some work. Come here in the summer and you can play for $20.

Bubeck plays with his friend, Ray, who's a marshal at C.C. of Miami. They coordinate a group called the Eastern Shores Golf Association. "I play here because I play for free. It saves me almost $150 a week."

Bubeck likes the East Course better than the West Course because it's shorter. "Right now I'm shooting about a hundred."

He's not satisfied with that. He's working with C.C. of Miami's instructor, Larry Levow, on hitting it straighter and farther. If you have five minutes, look at the online video of Bubeck on the driving range fixing his alignment.

I left that starter's shed inspired by Bubeck and with some advice on how to have a successful marriage.

"Take care of your wife," he says. "Make sure she's happy when you're out playing golf. Sometimes, take her with you."

I asked if she's ever beaten him on the links. "No. But she has a hole-in-one," he said, laughing. "I have six."

--Matty G

I've played 30 golf courses in the last five months. I've been to South Carolina twice, Florida twice, Arizona twice, Georgia, Hawaii, Palm Springs and Las Vegas. Some of the courses I played multiple times for roughly 648 holes since November.

I went back through the courses I've played and compiled a ranking of my top 10 public/resort courses that you can play. I'll update the list periodically.

Counting them down from 10 to 1:

10) Plantation at Sea Island, Ga. (Rees Jones redid an original Walter Travis in 1998).  The back nine is why it's on the list. It gets overshadowed by its big brother, Seaside, but it's a good golf course in great condition. Most memorable hole: 10th (429-yard par 4), which is in between the Lodge and the Atlantic Ocean.

9) Mountain at LaQuinta Resort and Club, Palm Springs, Calif. (Pete Dye). I was blown away to be playing in and around the Santa Rosa Mountains. There are parts of the course on the front and the back where you feel dwarfed by massive amounts of rock. It's stunning scenery and you feel like you're on a movie set--any minute the mountains/backdrop could fall over. Most memorable hole: 4th (494-yard par 5), that's when I was bending shots around a section of a mountain and I knew it was different than any other place I've ever played before.

8) Retreat at Sea Island, Ga. (Davis Love III and his brother, Mark). It's long and strong and although you are surrounded by houses, they're set back amongst the trees that line the fairways. Most memorable hole: 17th (537-yard par 5), I like hard par 5's late in the round--especially if the match is still going at that point. It takes three great shots to have a chance at 4 and can expose a game that isn't pressure-proof.

7) Crandon Park at Key Biscayne, Fla. (Devlin/Von Hagge designed it 1972 and then Von Hagge redid his own work in 1993). It's a former Champions Tour venue only 15 miles from the Miami International Airport. There's not a single house on the course but there's exotic vegetation and wildlife and a fantastic view of downtown Miami from the 18th fairway. Most memorable hole: 12th (171-yard par 3), if the wind is blowing take an extra club-and-a-half to make sure you clear the water. This is where I've seen an assortment of rather large iguanas--they've been known to hang out on the green.

6) We-Ko-Pa's Cholla course in Fountain Hills, Ariz. (Scott Miller design). There are no houses, breathtaking views, as the sun goes down it turns every surrounding mountain structure different colors and you feel like you've been dropped into a painting. It's in immaculate shape and I can't remember a bad hole. Most memorable hole: 8th (587-yard par 5), this hole will identify any flaws in your skill to manage your game. Which is probably why I walked away with a 6.

5) Desert at Primm Valley, Calif. (Tom Fazio). It's 45 miles from "the Strip" in Las Vegas and just past the California border. The greens are hard and fast and it has a substantial display of good holes. It's classic Fazio with easy-on-the-eyes tee shots. If nowhere had an address this is where all the mail would be sent. The course lends itself to scenery similar to the Mountain course at LaQuinta--where you feel as though the surrounding mountains might be fake. Most memorable hole: 13th (520-yard par 5), it's the first of back-to-back par 5's and as you get to the green take a 360-degree look at where you are--and then take a few pictures.

4) Palmer Course at Turtle Bay Resort, Oahu, Hawaii. (Arnold Palmer). Every year it hosts an LPGA and a Champions Tour event. It starts out slow and continues to build in degree of difficulty. The wind is always a factor but it's in good shape and when you're done--you're in Hawaii. Most memorable hole: 17th (452-yard par 4), the fairway is littered with 10 bunkers. As you walk up to the green you're reminded you're in one of the most desirable zip codes in the country. This is where the turf meets the surf--another great spot for a photo.

3) Blue Monster at Doral, Miami, Fla. (Dick Wilson). It has three of the hardest holes on the PGA Tour. It's a great test and after you're done you feel like you've accomplished more than just a round of golf (more like pulling a train with your teeth). Most memorable hole: 18th (414-yard par 4), it's an obvious choice but it IS the 18th hole at Doral. You wait all round to get to it and like Tiger Woods, they not only live up to the hype--they exceed it.

2) Stadium at PGA West in Palm Springs, Calif. (Pete Dye). Another case of feeling like you've done more than play a round of golf when you walk off the 18th of the this Dye masterpiece. You might curse him when you're done, but you'll still respect him. Playing the Stadium should be a huge priority if you're in the Palm Springs area. This track, and especially the last three holes, will let you know the status of your game. Most memorable hole: 16th (521-yard par 5), the view at the end of the day from the back tee box, the 600-yard plaque, is spiritual. Pull your ball left of the green and you'll be walking down 32 steps to hit your bunker shot. Get it up-and-down from there and you might be the next Digest cover subject.

1) Seaside at Sea Island, Ga. (In 1999 Tom Fazio redid the original version by Colt and Alison). As I walked up to the fourth tee box I knew this was a special golf course. I'm a sucker for Fazio anyway, and what he did with Seaside is some of his best work. It's a great layout and a great trip around a fun track. You wish this 18 was somehow 36. The fact that it's at the top of this list should be a good indicator that a trip to Sea Island (all three of the resort's courses are in this top 10) would be well worth it. Most memorable hole: Although I loved playing the 15th (545-yard par 5) I have to give the vote to the 4th (421-yard par 4). As you try to chart your route to the green you can't believe you're supposed to reach it in two shots.

I'm off to Ambush again this week. Who, when and where are details I'll need to keep to myself.

--Matty G

Captions (from top to bottom): 15th hole at Plantation; 18th hole at Crandon Park; 8th hole at Cholla; 17th hole at Turtle Bay; 16th hole at Stadium; My best friend from high school, Todd Curran (right) and I, on the 5th tee box at Seaside.

The only thing more intimidating than the operational cannon at the front of Secession's clubhouse might be the tee shot on the first hole. And the only thing more intimidating than the first tee shot might be the rather large alligators sunbathing on the sides of the lakes throughout the golf course. 

I've been down to Secession Golf Club in Beaufort, South Carolina two times in the last few months. In both cases I've been the guest of Rick Hall--founder of the blog, The Best In Golf. Hall, is in fact, one of the best in golf.

As I stood with Hall on the back porch of Secession last week, watching the grounds crew mow the 18th green--which is an extension of the practice putting green--I reflected on my 45 holes in 28 hours.

Beaufort, South Carolina is about 40 minutes from the Savannah, Georgia airport.  Secession opened in the fall of 1991. The private club has had as many valleys as peaks in its' 17-year history. The founders of the club parted ways with Pete Dye before he finished building the course. A classic case of not seeing eye-to-Dye. The designer who was brought in to finish the job was Bruce Devlin.

In addition to disagreements about the layout, the club has used several financial lifelines to stay afloat. Maybe that's why the current membership of 750 strong, which includes Mario Lemieux, doesn't seem to take anything for granted.

Some more fast facts about Secession:

-Secession lost two members on 9/11. They now have the Jeff LeVeen/Steve Roach Scholarship Fund. They've had two white wooden chairs behind the first tee in memoriam ever since. 

-At the Blue-Grey tournament in the fall, a full field event in which members from the north play against the members from the south, they hold a silent auction.  The money raised goes to the LeVeen/Roach Scholarship Fund. They've been known to raise over $250,000 in a single night.

-They fire the cannon at the start of most events throughout the year at Secession, but if the Blue squad wins the Blue-Grey tournament, the barrel of the cannon aims south for a year. If the Grey squad wins, the barrel aims north.  Right now the barrel points to the south but a caddy told me it's only because the Grey, who typically dominates, donated a few players to the north side last year to try and balance the power.

-Buddy and Tully manage the locker room. Buddy was a bar owner in Philadelphia for 17 years. Tully was a master sergeant in the Marines. They're people-people, making first time visitors feel like veterans of the club. Their focus might be your FootJoys, but they're so on their game they might buff and polish a bald head if it sits still too long.

-The eight-room cottage on the property, four rooms upstairs and four rooms downstairs, is known as the Black Hole. It's equipped with a 60-inch flat screen TV, which is on the wall of the living room just below the crisscrossed north/south flags--the club's logo.  The Black Hole also features a pool table, a poker table, a Jacuzzi, oversized showerheads and wireless-internet. All but one room is named for a golf course. I stayed in Royal County Down. One of the guys I was with stayed in Beaufort County Detention Center. This wasn't a room in the pokey in downtown Beaufort, it's the one room not named in the Black Hole not named for a golf course. It's decorated with a few mug shots of a guy who you'd hope is no longer roaming the streets of South Carolina.

-An alternative to cottage lodging is one of the 12 to 15 rooms just above the clubhouse. One member referred to these rooms as "zero star living." I say they're functional and located awfully close to the first tee. I give them something right in the middle--say two and a half stars.

-The four tee boxes, Grant (7,035 yards), Lee (6,685), Sherman (6,158) and Jackson (5,512), are named after Civil War generals.  Grant is the name for the back tees because the North won the war.

-Secession's 11th, 12th and 13th holes, all sturdy par-4's, might initiate more prayers to the almighty golf gods than Augusta's Amen Corner.

-The 'lunch bunker' is located on the right side of the fairway of the 512 yard par-5, fifth hole.  If a player hits it in this trap and makes par, the caddy of the player who makes the par enjoys a free lunch courtesy of his counterpart. 

-The pro, Mike Harmon, played the tour in the 80's. Harmon, no relation to Butch, has been at Secession since it opened. They call him 'Ol' Pro.  He looks and dresses like he's on a movie set.  He works the room like a polished politician. If the wind is a factor members say, "the wind's up higher than the Ol' Pro's pants."

Once you get passed the Civil War artillery, portions of Pete Dye's design and things with big teeth, Secession Golf Club is more than worthy of a retreat.

--Matty G

Captions (from the top): The cannon in front of the clubhouse; the back porch overlooking the 18th green, practice putting green and 1st tee box; the two chairs behind the 1st tee in honor of Jeff LeVeen and Steve Roach; the back of the clubhouse at sunrise.

Jack Johnson knocked me out. 

Not the former heavyweight champ, which would make sense (although he passed away in 1946). I was dropped by Jack Johnson, the singer-songwriter. The ridiculously-kind North Shore native who also happens to be humble, soft-spoken, environment-conscious and maintains a sharp focus on his family. He taught me a valuable lesson one night. As "Dirty Harry" in "Magnum Force" once said, "A man's gotta know his limitations."

I've blogged about the North Shore of Oahu. I told you that this is the home of my oldest brother and his family. I wrote the Away Game on the North Shore and the Turtle Bay Resort for the April issue, which is now online or in your mailbox. The story I haven't told you about are my efforts as a DJ at a party the night after I arrived.

About 12 couples and I had gathered in my brother's backyard for what has now become an annual jamboree to drink a little, listen to some good music and dance a lot. I'm certainly the outsider. I arrive from New York City with pasty-white skin, a big black golf bag, five pairs of shoes and very rarely wear anything but swim trunks and walk around in bare feet. My golfer's tan and packing habits could use some work.

Johnson was the recent cover subject of Rolling Stone and is headlining every major music festival in 2008 from California (Coachella), Tennessee (Bonnaroo) to New Jersey (All Points West). 

On the North Shore Jack Johnson is just "Jack." He's the sound master to all big neighborhood events, whether it's a wedding on the beach or a back-yard bash. He rolls in a few hours before with a portable sound system, often setting up without anyone knowing he's been there. 

The most amazing thing about Johnson is that being a musician may be third on his list of talents. He was a teenage surf stud who qualified for the Pipeline Masters at the age of 17. And some argue his greatest gift is filmmaking.

I'm here to tell you he's quite a DJ. 

My brother mentioned that Jack would be mixing the music for this party. And sure enough, Johnson showed up a few hours early to set up his portable sound system. I tried to help but had no clue what I was doing. He asked me if I had my computer and my iTunes available. 

"Umm--yes, I do . . . "

He explained that he and his wife, Kim (his college sweetheart), would be needing to leave a little early because they had some sick kids at home. He could get the party going, but then he'd turn it over to me and my mix.

"Umm--sure." What a story I could tell my buddies (and girls, of course) back home. I followed Jack Johnson as a DJ at a private party by the beach.    

He was stationed at the corner of the small deck wearing shades and a hat.  He picked 'em up and put 'em down, song after song. He brought a cowbell. Even that worked. He tapped that thing like a keg and and we all loved it. Every so often he'd come out from behind the wobbly plastic table to dance a slow song with his wife, who's clearly his biggest fan.

And then, a little after 10:30, a la John Elway, Jack Johnson was going out on top. 

"Hey, Matt, are you ready?" he asked.

Of course I was ready. I had a plan. I would start with "Stronger," by Kanye West, followed by "Girls in Their Summer Clothes," by Bruce Springsteen. I could come back with some White Stripes and slip in some Ray LaMontagne. I really believed I could follow Jack Johnson at a backyard party with some of his closest friends and find success.

This man did NOT know his limitations. By the time I played some Ray, most of the partygoers had gone home, and the ones who stayed behind were helping my sister-in-law clean up. The party was over and so was my career as a DJ. I'll stick to golf and trying to pack a better bag.

I once asked Jack if he played golf. As you might imagine, he doesn't have time. He did tell me he has lost a lot of friends to the game, one of whom might be Kelly Slater, but that's as close as this blog entry gets to connecting this story to what I usually write about. It is, however, a trial and a tribulation of my travels, and I figured I'd share a life's lesson.   

The story I tell my buddies back home (and the girls, of course) ends with me trying to tap the cowbell for Jack Johnson on the deck of my brother's house. Do me a favor--keep the part about Johnson leaving his small carbon footprint on my back between us.

I'm learning my limitations. 

--Matty G

Captions (from the top): Jack Johnson warms up the crowd for my DJ debut; I try my hand at the cowbell first; Killing the party softly.

My inbox, which has never been so swollen, is fun to flip through. No anti-inflammatory can slow down the Ambush entries.

Just to recap, the Golf Digest Ambush is a concept we came up with to celebrate the golf trips YOU take with friends and/or family. It's a version of the TV show "Punked," but I'm no Ashton Kutcher and our version provides benefits, not embarrassments.

You send in your itineraries, tell us who you are, where and when you're going, who you're going with, how long you've been going, some traditions of your trip and why it's unique. We'll choose one itinerary per month to feature in Golf Digest. Not only that, we'll give you stuff--balls, beer, shirts, range finders, hats or clubs. We'll shoot video of the Ambush and put it on golfdigest.com and you might even see it on the Golf Channel.   

I've only done two so far. I ambushed Neil Thomson and his buddies at Sea Island (pictured), which will appear in the April issue, and I ambushed Chuck Wierda and his crew in Arizona, which will appear in the May issue.

Of the 273 entries so far, I can't help but share a few that, for whatever reason, have separated themselves from the pack/pile:

From Andrew Marcolini of Burlington, Ontario: Four months of freezing cold and snow, I think I might have forgotten how to hold a club. I had to change my grip to use my snow shovel. I should have had "Toro" tattooed on my back--the human snow blower with arms. I need to discuss this global warming issue with Al Gore, he should have spent some time in Burlington--the snow and cold is crazy. So now you have four golf-deprived Canadians heading to sunny Scottsdale for a much deserved break. I'm lying in bed with my monthly Bible, Golf Digest, and I read your article--how cool would that be for the guys I'm going with--all who have never been to Arizona, all who love the game, and all who are eager to trade in our shovels for our sticks.

Golf Digest gives millions of golfers spiritual guidance, but I've never heard it referred to as a Bible.

Vince Mendoza of Reston, Va.: Our trip is unique in the sense that every year we know a few things are sure to happen: 1) There will always be stories that we'll be able to talk about forever. Something funny, crazy or unbelievable always seems to happen. 2) There will be at least one or two guys who will not make it the following year. This trip started out as four core guys wanting time by themselves to just play golf and forget about the worries of everyday life. The second year we decided to include four others and create a mini tournament. But by year four we had grown to 12 guys. Every year since the second year, for one reason or another, at least two members have not made it. Reasons have been: Guys getting too drunk the night before and bailing on golf (you bail on your partner, we bail on you). Not getting along with the majority of the core guys. Friends moving continents. And most shocking--one golfer stealing another golfers wife.

It sounds like Vince rolls with a crafty crowd. Most people go into a buddies trip willing to risk the better half of what's in his/her wallet, but not their better half.

Steve Miller of Douglassville, Pa: We lovingly call our trip "The Jack Kevorkian Tour." Some years back, after a tough day on the links, a member of our group announced, "Just kill me." The "Tour" was born.

That's a crazy combination of the words "lovingly", "kill", "Kevorkian" and "born"...especially considering the topic is the game of golf.

Ed Lane of St. Louis, Mo.: I have four wonderful, healthy children (a 6-year old and 3-year old triplets), thus I am extremely fortunate to get a round in on the weekend. I usually have to take a half-day off work to get a round in during the week since the daycare is already paid for. Because of recent employment turbulence due to an unexpected merger, and the overwhelming stress that comes with it, my wife told me to contact a buddy of mine in Cumming, GA. and spend the weekend golfing. Yes, she's a saint to take on the children alone for a weekend so I can play golf. Something tells me she has her own secret weekend planned that I don't know about yet, but hey, all is fair and I'd agree to anything while I am glossed over thinking about a weekend of golf.

Ed, I like that move--turn the tables so that it's you who will "agree to anything," as though you're doing your wife the favor by going on the golf trip. We could all learn a thing or two from your diplomacy.

Finally, and my favorite for obvious reasons . . .

Andrew Resler of Newburgh, N.Y.: My foursome will be playing in the Playboy Golf Finals at the Pacific Palms Resort at the end of March. The final involves several parties at the Playboy Mansion and golf on the two courses at the resort. I would have to say that this is quite a unique trip and we're all very excited, as there will be numerous Playmates to keep an eye on all our wayward (golf) balls. Hope to see you there.

Andrew, that makes two of us.

--Matty G