I'm still messing around with the latest electronic form of mass communication. In this case Twitter is the mode of streaming babble and the term "mass communication" may be overstating things a bit. I'm still working my way up to 100 followers. I'm no Stewart Cink, who has 796,402 followers. And I'm no Eliza Dushku, my latest crush and the Q&A subject for the November issue. Dushku has 72,316 followers. But I'm thinking, to the hardcore course fan, it may make sense for me to use Twitter for weeks like the one I'll be starting today.

I land in Milwaukee in a few hours and I'll be going directly to Erin Hills. Then I'm checking in at the American Club for a few days of dream-trip golf in Kohler, Wisc. My itinerary includes two rounds at the Straits courses, the Irish course, a portion of Blackwolf Run, the Bull and the Bog.

If you care to read my initial thoughts on all of the above, go to: http://twitter.com/. You create a name and then ask to follow: wheresmattyg

I best be taking off if I'm going to catch my flight.

--Matty G.

It wasn't exactly an Ambush entry, but it's a short story about a group of people geeting together to play golf in Indiana this weekend. They have a slightly greater purpose than just going low. Allow me to introduce you to the Deeter Memorial:


Dear Matty G.,

I'm a regular reader of Golf Digest, a weekend golfer, a 17 handicap, a big fan of Ambush and other bloggings, all golf related. Accordingly, I wanted to share a story with you about the upcoming Deeter Memorial Tournament, to be played this weekend. This year marks the 15th year since my grandfather's passing, and the Deeter Memorial takes place on the last weekend of August in his honor.

To frame it for you, we usually have three to five foursomes (our peak year was six groups). The format we play is two best balls of the foursome and we play a $3 nassau. In addition, there are $5 per man skins and there are many side bets within each foursome. We meet for a hearty breakfast at 5:30 a.m. with an old picture of Grandpa placed at the table. By 7:30 a.m. we're all on the practice green putting for $1 "sinks" in groups of two or three. At 8:00, with the gallery watching, the first group tees off on the reachable downhill 290 yard par 4. What a way to start your Saturday! The pressure is palpable and heckling is mandatory for balls hit into the woods. The tournament is held annually at the "venerable" Valley View Golf Course in Middletown, Ind., which measures a full 6,400 yards from the tips. Middletown is located approximately 30 miles from downtown Indianapolis, and is also notably "Rocky Mountain Oyster Capital, USA."

Since my grandfather and his sons were much, much younger, the Deeter boys have made annual treks to play this little patch of hilly hard-pan with bikini waxed greens, and imbibe icy cold beers and breaded Rocky Mountain Oysters. Altogether, the Deeter boys have been heading to Middletown once a summer for over 40 years, spanning across three generations. It's truly a rite of passage into manhood for any member of the family.

After the round the highlight of the day is the presentation of the coveted traveling dollar award. As my grandfather approached his final years, he continued to make the Middletown trip every year and wager with my father and uncles that he would get over the creek in two on the par 5 15th hole at Valley View. The best part is that most of us these days (with our flex shafts, 460 cc drivers, four-piece golf balls, and springboard irons) can get over the creek with a driver and a wedge--we can all easily reach the green in two with two good shots. However, getting over this little obstacle was so important to my grandfather in his later years that today we use an inverse yardage marker to commemorate his wager--the ball closest to the creek, but still over in two, wins the honorary William Award for sportsmanship. Invariably, due to the pressure of the shot, or perhaps because old William is looking down with a smile at just the right moment, someone in the group shanks one on the 15th and barely clears the little monster, thereby keeping the spirit of the William Award intact.

While the day is filled with lots of laughs, some good and some bad golf shots, and an occasional birdie here and there, the real joy comes from all of us honoring the tradition itself, honoring my grandpa by playing a game he truly loved at a course he thoroughly enjoyed, and honoring the meaning of "over the creek in two," in golf and in life.

Your blog invites readers to share stories from time to time. On behalf of the Deeter boys and all past, present, and future players in the Deeter Memorial, I hope our fiddling little tournament and our piddling little story bring a smile to you and other readers. To us, this side of Augusta, this weekend is truly the biggest tournament of the season.

Our picture of Grandpa is attached. Please feel free to use this for your blog, and again, many thanks. Until he left us, Grandpa was always 100 percent committed to getting over the creek in two. He was totally old school, he was tough as nails and along Old State Road 67, between Indianapolis and Valley View Golf Course, he knew every bartender. His warhorse spirit lives on because old soldiers never truly die.

Best regards, Jeffrey M. Deeter


Jeff, thank you for sharing your story. Hit 'em straight out there this weekend. And may you all (just barely) clear the creek.

--Matty G.

She's so hot. I can't stop thinking about her. I feel like the dog in the Travelers Insurance commercial: "Trouble..." Her curves and undulations, long grass and supple greens. I want to roll around in her bunkers and make sand angels. It's weird, I know, but get to Forest Dunes in Michigan (pictured above) and you'll feel the same way. She's all I've ever wanted--all that I'm looking for...

For more on great golf in Michigan; decent green fees and reasonable lodging--click here. It's my latest Away Game. I played 144 holes in 108 hours and my favorite--my latest crush--Forest Dunes.

--Matty G.

Thank you to reader Tom Hoyt, who passed on this story from Karen Misuraca of the SF Resort & Spa Examiner:

The luxury resort mecca at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Nev., 20 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, has closed two its three golf courses--The Falls Golf Club and Reflection Bay Golf Club; the private South Shore Golf Club remains open.
 
The Lake Las Vegas development filed for bankruptcy protection last year, with over $800 million in debt.

Reflection Bay, a Jack Nicklaus Signature track, received top ratings from golf critics, including 4.5 stars from Golf Digest readers, and has hosted Wendy's Three-Tour challenge.

Click here for the entire story.


I went to the Reflection Bay website. Here's what they said under the link to "Golf":

The Reflection Bay Golf Course at Lake Las Vegas (pictured above) is not open to the public for golf play or for casual dining, as it is in the process of being transferred to its secured lender. Until future notice, we suggest residents and guests consider the Tuscany Golf Course in Henderson or contact the concierge desks at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, Loews Lake Las Vegas, and MonteLago Village Resort for assistance in making alternative golf course arrangements.


As golf gets more accessible and inexpensive in the wake of the recession, unfortunately, in some cases, it will also go away.

--Matty G.

The Greenbrier broke ground yesterday on a future in gambling. The new owner, Jim Justice, is the tall cat in the middle of the image. The big fella also has broad shoulders and he's trying to carry the storied resort back to the land of prosperity. He'll need more than six gold shovels to get there, but a new tour event and a casino is not a bad start.

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va., August 24, 2009--Today, Jim Justice, chairman/owner of The Greenbrier resort, broke ground on the property’s elegant, new casino, retail and dining areas, slated to debut in April 2010.

“We are so excited about breaking ground for the new casino. It will be a truly spectacular facility, very elegant and unlike anything anyone has seen before,” said Justice.

The construction of the new casino, retail and dining areas will encompass an area of approximately 80,000 square feet. The front lawn, under which the casino will be built, will keep the main flower bed but feature changes including a reflecting pool, pedestrian walkways, benches and leisure area. The space is also designed to improve guest arrivals and departures.  

The casino will consist of 320 slot machines and 38 full-variety table games including craps, roulette, black jack, mini-baccarat, poker varieties and poker tables. Champagne will be passed around nightly at 8 p.m., offering a toast of luck to all of the gaming guests.

Beginning on October 1, Greenbrier guests and members will be able to enjoy this new amenity, including slot and table games, in a temporary casino, located in the resort’s Virginia Wing.  

For more information on the casino or other recent changes at The Greenbrier resort, visit www.greenbrier.com  or call 800-624-6070.

--Matty G.

More from the golfdigest.com "Travel Trouble" in-box:

From Stephane Beaulieu of Quebec, Canada: We will be four guys traveling to Boston on the first weekend of October for a Red Sox game and we’re looking to play some golf. I don't have a clue where to play near downtown Boston. We all shoot in the high 80's low 90's. Where can we play good golf courses at a reasonable price (say 50-75$ per round)? We played in Myrtle Beach last and had a blast at Myrtle Beach National (King's North). Can you suggest anything that will match that? Thank you in advance, Stephane.

Stephane, I’ve played King’s North. That’s the Palmer design with the sixth hole they refer to as “The Gambler” and the 40-something bunkers on the 18th hole (pictured above). That course gets a 4.5 star rating in Golf Digest’s Places To Play Guide and I called for their current green fee: $105 (includes a cart), and after 12:00, it’s $90.

To answer your question about public golf in Boston I turned to Paul Ramos, one of my best friends and an avid golfer who lives just outside of Boston. Ramos is actually a huge Yankees fan, but I only hold that against him when I see him or speak to him on the phone. Here’s his report on public golf in and around Boston. I added some contact info, green fees and star ratings for each course.

Ramos writes:

Matto,

It seems like Stephane is interested in visiting historic sites (Fenway) or gluttons for punishment (Sox fans). Either way, I’ve lined up some courses that speak to both sides of their trip.
 
1. Red Tail Golf Club: 4.5 stars--redtailgolf.net; 978-772-3273 (M-Th: $99; F-Su: $115). Awesome.

"A beautiful course that should be perfect in early October. It hosted the ’09 U.S. Women’s Amateur Pub Links. Red Tail Ale is also one of my favorite ways to finish a round."

2. Maplegate Country Club: 3.5 stars--maplegate.com; 508-966-4040 (M-F: $72; S-Su: $82; Twilight starts at 3:00 and rates drop to $37/$42).

"It was the host of the U.S. Open qualifier 1998 and 2001 and the U.S. Amateur qualifier in 2009. It’s my favorite public course in Mass. No nonsense, just golf."

3. Triggs Memorial Golf Course: 3.5 stars--triggs.us; 401-521-8460 ($40).

"A Donald Ross gem that’s an hour from Boston and it’s in great shape, but it’s a tough track. Going to see the Sox play Cleveland to finish the 2009 season won’t bring much consolation."

4. Franklin Park Golf Course: 3 stars--sterlinggolf.com/franklin; 617-265-4084 (M-F: $37; S-Su: $44).

"Another Donald Ross design that's also known as the William J. Devine Golf Course (that’s the actual name of the course, but it’s located at Franklin Park). It’s 6,000 yards and they say it's the second oldest public course in America."
 
5. Ponkapoag Golf Course: 2 stars--ponkapoaggolf.com; 781-828-4242 (M-F: $27; S-Su: $30).

"Built in 1936, this is another Ross course with 27 holes."


Stephane, thank you for your submission. Ramos likes Maplegate, but it looks like Red Tail may be the best option to duplicate the price and quality of golf that you enjoyed at King’s North. Let me know where you play and how it goes.

Paul, I know it must’ve put a shank in your day to help a Sox fan, especially considering your mighty Yanks haven’t won a championship since 2000 and the Sox have two titles since the turn of the century. We appreciate your selfless help but we still hate anything in pinstripes. What nerve: they tear down "The House that Ruth Built," ask tax payers to pay for it and then quadruple ticket prices. As a Padres fan it's easy for me to hate the Yankees (see 1998), but I have another question for you to answer: How do Yanks fans stay Yanks fans? And how on earth do you listen to Waldman, Kay and Sterling without clocking your radio with an old driver?

Do you want to share a story about a destination or ask me a question?
Click here and your submission will come directly to my e-mail.

--Matty G.

I recently posted a blog about Erin Hills. Here's a link to that story in case you don't feel like scrolling through my buddies trip to Baywood.

I received this note from a reader in response to my Erin Hills blog and I thought I should pass it on . . . most of what Mark writes is in line with what I reported a few weeks after he played the course in mid-July. Erin Hills is in rough shape but the greens are good and green fees are being adjusted accordingly.

From Mark Jasayko of Vancouver, Canada: Hi Matt. I was traveling through the Midwest with my clubs and I had a chance to play Erin Hills on July 18th. It's in fairly rough shape. Some of the areas are being completely re-manufactured (they must have Herb Kohler's budget!). I was playing the ball down and had some difficult fairway lies because of the patchiness. The greens are in great shape though. The on-site dining is very good--their Irish stew is the way to go. As far as getting a US Open: I played Cog Hill No.4 three days later and the renovations they made are spectacular. It screams a U.S. Open parkland-type layout. Also, with Whistling Straits so close to Erin Hills and having the PGA Championship in 2010 and 2015 and hosting the Ryder Cup in 2020, I just can't believe that small corner of the country will have yet another major-type event squeezed in--especially since, at that point, it will be a decade since Chicago's last major--the 2006 PGA. Between Erin Hills and Cog Hill--currently my guess would be Cog Hill by a length. Cheers, Mark.


Thank you for the note, Mark. I'll be at Erin Hills in two weeks. I'll let you know how it goes.

Do you want to share a story about a destination or ask me a question? Click here and your submission will come directly to my e-mail.

--Matty G.

Greg Waldrop of Birmingham, Ala. admits he’s “retired with not much to do.” If his golf game has suffered in the last few weeks, if he has been a little distant at dinner, it’s because Waldrop has been busy at the local library selflessly recording the history of the Golf Digest Ambush. In almost two years the Ambush has now become a fraternity (and a sorority) of golfers getting together all over the country with one distinct goal: spend quality time with family and/or friends. Oh by the way--play some golf. I always say that what I do--show up to give gifts, take some pictures and report the story--is simply giving the Golf Digest readers a clear view of each trip from the outside of the fish bowl of golf. Together we've watched and read about the Ambushed who sometimes drink like fish, golf like it's the last round they will ever get to play and laugh like it's the law. It has been quite a ride so far and I'm busy going through a few hundred trips taking place in late August and in early September in search of the next set of winners.

Waldrop submitted a winning itinerary for Ambush No. 13, the 40th Annual Bratton Brothers Invitational, and I met him in Gulf Shores when I showed up, passed out beer, balls, hats and a range finder to his group and wrote their story for the June issue.

Ever since appearing in Golf Digest, Waldrop (in the second row, red shirt, blue vest) has taken it upon himself to reach out to Ambush finalists and winners and wish them luck or congratulate them respectively. He has gone as far as contacting winning trip planners and he has even met them for rounds of golf. Waldrop and Dave Walker played a few weeks ago when Walker just happened to be coming through Alabama. Walker is the trip planner for Ambush No. 14, the 20th Annual Watson’s Springfest in Canandaigua, NY.

I think it’s safe to say that Waldrop is an Ambush groupie. Or, as Kate Hudson delightfully explained in Almost Famous (one of my favorite movies), Waldrop may best be described as a “Band-Aide.”

Either way, I'd argue he is an Ambushaholic, and we’re all benefiting from his insatiable appetite for buddies trips.

Waldrop compiled a chart of all 17 Ambushes so far. In his grid, Waldrop listed the number of golfers I Ambushed on each trip, where the Ambush took place, how many years the group has been getting together and the issue date of the Golf Digest where their story was published.

Here’s a version of his work with a comment about what I remember from each Ambush:

-No. 1: April, 2008--"The Ponce" was a story about 16 guys at Sea Island Resort on St. Simons Island, Ga. The Ponce set quite a precedent. I've always said that The Ponce, at a resort like Sea Island and with the competitive format put together by Neil Thomson and his friends, is the type of trip I would like to plan one day for all of my brothers and friends. I do buddies trips, just not at Ponce level. And you can't beat the Lodge at Sea Island or the Seaside Course as a venue.

-No. 2: May--A group of eight guys from Holland, Mich. had been getting together for 17 years and this trip was to Scottsdale, Ariz. I remember I didn't love the Arizona golf courses (narrow and lined by houses) but I loved the weather and the deal they coordinated for their lodging. And some of the nicest people I've met while out on the road have been from Michigan. (The craziest are from Canada--or Ball Ground, Ga. More on that later . . .)

-No. 3: June--The "Louisville Sluggers" was a group of eight guys from Kentucky on their sixth annual gathering in Destin, Fl. This trip was memorable because the group bumped into the Playboy Bus . . . 'nuf said.

-No. 4: July--The "O'Toole Invitational" was 16 guys on their 12th annual trip to Orlando. Bryan O'Toole got hot on this trip. His team finally beat his brother's squad, he chipped in from a bunker and fleeced me in late-night Texas Hold 'em. Ms. Kara Bristol in our accounting department kicked back the line in my expenses that read: "Poker lesson--$60." I gambled again and lost.

-No. 5: Aug.--Three friends from San Diego celebrated their 40th birthdays by treating themselves to an ultimate buddies trip to Pinehurst. They were a threesome before I showed up. I conveniently joined them for a day of 36 holes at Pinehurst No. 2, followed by a spontaneous lunch with Peggy Kirk Bell and an afternoon round at Pine Needles. It was an unusually tough day on the job.

-No. 6: Sept.--The "Baroo Cup" was 20 guys on their fifth annual trip to Charleston, SC. I remember a lost wallet, a flirty beverage cart girl, a pair of Tom Fazio's first golf courses and a replica British Open trophy they ordered from a small store in St. Andrews.

-No. 7: Oct.--The "Mid-Michigan Invitational" was 14 guys on their 14th annual trip to Lewiston, Mich. A great group of emotional guys honored two of their fallen friends on this trip, both who had died within a year of the previous trip. They toasted the two friends before every round and every meal. There were lots of tears on this trip but they played on because that's what their friends would've wanted them to do--they would've wanted the boys to play on.

-No. 8: Nov.--The "Roadrunners" was a story about a group of 45 guys on their 18th annual trip to St. George, Utah. A display of impressive inexpensive golf and a fine delegation of trip responsibilities. For example: three guys were assigned the job of human alarm clocks, one guy marked every putter with a piece of tape to determine a unified gimme length, and one guy coordinated mid-trip rub downs by a trio of local massage therapists.

-No. 9: Dec.--"Fore on the Porch!" My first experience Ambushing an all-female trip was at Hawk's Ridge in Ball Ground, Ga. What can I say? To date, still the wildest bunch of golfers I've Ambushed. These women made the Canadians in Ambush No. 11 and No. 14 look like kindergarten cops. These fun-lovin' ladies, 12 of them on their fourth annual gathering, did most of the Ambushing. And I loved every minute of it.

-No. 10: Jan., 2009--The "Jay Rivalry" was eight guys getting together for their sixth season of golf and college football in Birmingham at the Magic City Classic. Jay Roberson and Jay Walker got me on the sidelines for the football game, we played Oxmoor Valley on the RTJ Trail and we devoured massive amounts of finger-lickin' Dreamland BBQ. I haven't been hungry since.

-No. 11: Mar.--The "Canadian Pro Am," which is coordinated, organized, updated and executed by Russ DaSilva, who must hide a cape under his golf attire, was only 135 guys getting together for the 17th year. I'll never forget the hockey glove head cover they gave me as a parting gift. One guy told me, "Take it off your driver and throw it down on the ground when you're ready to press a bet."

-No. 12: Apr.--After reading about the Ambush in Golf Digest, the "Wolf Pack" decided to get together for their first annual golf trip to Las Vegas. They were 12 guys working on building a new hospital in St. Louis and they loved playing Wolf Creek in Mesquite, Nev. One guy played with a sprained ankle and one guy played in a pink skirt because he didn't get his tee shot beyond the forward tee box (also known as the red tees or ladies tees).

-No. 13: June--This was Waldrop's group of 90 guys, the "Bratton Brother Invitational." Bobby and Joe Bratton started this trip when they were in their twenties. Now that they are in their sixties they might move a little slower around the course, but not on the dance floor. The Florabama, two notches below the class of dive bar, will never be the same. Neither will I.

-No. 14: July--"Watson's Springfest," organized by Dave Walker, is a group of 132 guys who drive over from Toronto to spread their frozen golf swings on the course overlooking Canandaigua Lake at the Bristol Harbour Resort. I still love the fact that Walker pairs himself with his father, his brother and his son each year for the Saturday round of golf.

-No. 15: Aug.--The "Wedgewood Cup" was about a group of eight guys who used to be neighbors in Dallas. They've been getting together for five years in Frankston, Tex. for golf, great food and a high level of fun. I was loving the chipping contest to the 18th green until 3 a.m. That is until our source of light, my rental car, became the target. Game over.

-No. 16: Sept.--The "Gantsters." The first story to include a mix of males, females (and kids). The Golfers Across Nebraska Tournament, a group of 42, is out in the current issue of the magazine. This was the closest I've come to an arranged marriage. You'll see what I mean if you watch their video.

-Here's a link to the story about Ambush No. 16.

-Here's their video.

One last thing. If you care to read any one of the Ambush stories listed above, Waldrop, along with his web-technician, Jeff Graham, has made every Ambush story easy to find on the Bratton Brother Invitational website. Click here, scroll down to the link and click on "See Golf Digest's Ambush of the BBI," and then scroll down again and click on "Ambush History." Click on any one of the Ambush pictures and it will call up the story of that Ambush.

The page you're trying to find looks like this:

Greg, thanks again. An evolving history of a concept we're very proud of at Golf Digest. So far we've Ambushed 585 golfers in 14 states (three groups in Florida and two groups in Alabama). It's an incredible connection to real golfers who are enjoying friends and family at venues that work for their group, at their price range and on courses that fit their skill level. Sometimes the groups play for green backs, sometimes they play for silver and other times it's just simply an excuse to get away for a few days. It's always a few months worth of planning, a few weeks worth of banter and as soon as it's over--it's a year worth of waiting for the day they get to go again. It's golf. What a sport.

Do you have a trip you take that you'd like to share with the readers of Golf Digest?

If so, click here and fill out an entry form.

--Matty G.

Tiger Woods and Eliza Dushku have a lot in common. In addition to being cover stories of multiple magazines, Woods and Dushku could be considered child prodigies: Woods was on the Mike Douglas Show when he was two. Dushku started acting when she was 10 and starred in This Boy's Life with Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro when she was 12. They've both gone on to success in their respective crafts as adults: Woods has 70 wins on the PGA Tour, not to mention 14 major championships. Dushku starred in True Lies, Bring It On, Buffy The Vampire Slayer and currently in Dollhouse, a TV series on FOX. They both celebrate their birthdays on Dec. 30th. Tiger dabbles in acting, Dushku dabbles in golf.

I spoke Dushku yesterday about her golf game, travel habits, being interviewed by Howard Stern and the fact that she's not opposed to flying coach.

Dushku got her first set of clubs when she was seven, grew up next to a golf course and the Dushku house used to get peppered by errant tee shots. A young actor and an entrepeneur, Dushku and her three older brothers would snatch the balls and then try to sell them back to the golfers at the next green. A self-proclaimed tom-boy, Dushku offers no fashion advice for the LPGA Tour. "I'm still trying to figure fashion

You can read more about my interview in an upcoming issue of Golf Digest and the entire interview on this website in a few weeks, but it's Friday, it's the day before the weekend,

On Tuesday morning in Arcata, Calif., surrounded by a marine layer of thick fog and competitive tension, my Baywood Pro Am team started the final round with high hopes.

After day one we were in a tie for sixth place, 15-under par and four strokes off the leaders. I figured if we could put up another 15-under we had a chance of finishing in the top five, but for a win we’d need to get it to 20-under on Tuesday. This team had a 20-under in us, but we’d have to be supermodel flawless.

For more background on my buddies trip to Baywood, read the three previous posts below.

We started our Tuesday round on the 17th hole (pictured above). This is the 276-yard par 4, dogleg right with a tiny peanut shell shaped green. “It’s the toughest short par four I’ve ever seen,” according to my pro, Glen Stubblefield, who has played in a Senior U.S. Open and two Senior PGA Championships. It’s the only hole where we gave a stroke back on Monday. On Tuesday we picked up a stroke--which is the start we wanted. We picked one up on 18 and one on the first hole. We were rolling. After we flatted the next four holes we stood on the sixth tee knowing it was time to paddle. And we did. We picked up one stroke on the next three holes before we went flat again at the ninth hole. And then we came to the start of the back nine.

The back nine at Baywood is lean, mean and intimidating. It’s like climbing into a Ultimate Fighting Championship cage with Brock Lesnar. You might be able to run and hide for a few minutes, but eventually Baywood will land a punch, wrap you up and wrestle you into submission. Off the tenth tee we were all in great shape and yet, after five poor approach shots, we scrambled to flat the hole. On the eleventh hole I made one of my only Tuesday contributions to the squad with a birdie on the hardest hole of the course and we picked up a stroke. I was feeling good and almost relaxed. Then I shanked my tee shot at 12 trying to muscle a six-iron over the front bunker of an uphill par 3. The rest of the round, where it really gets tight at Baywood, I never sniffed a par. We all struggled. Bello barely broke 100. He got 17 strokes and his only par of the day came on the 18th handicap hole, where he didn’t get a stroke. Hetrick, our 16-handicap, managed six pars but didn’t make a birdie in two days. Clark, with seven strokes, is always a steady ball-striker but struggles on the greens. Stubby, our pro, was a stud. He shot 75 the first day and 73 the second day and made a total of seven birdies, which was great for the gross ball. Our second day score was 8-under for a two day total of 23-under, not good enough to cash a check.

In the end our team finished in 15th place, one place out of the money. Uncle Tony’s team rallied on Tuesday and finished in 11th. Stubby finished in a tie for 10th amongst his fellow pros, which earned him $350. The winning pro was Kris Isackson (73-67), a local guy who beat Jim Hosley, the Baywood General Manager, on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff. Isackson earned a check for $3,000, Hosley got $1,900. The winning team went 19-under the first day, 18-under the second day and won it by three strokes. Each member of the winning team received $600 credit in the pro shop.
 
The real winner is Baywood. For the 20th consecutive year I leave Arcata, Calif. humbled and psychologically hobbled. It’s going to take at least three large buckets of balls before I start releasing the club again. I shot 84-88, made eight pars, three birdies, and hit shots I haven’t hit since last year at Baywood. Over the course of two competitive rounds there were pros who never broke 80. One pro didn’t manage to break 90, who's life in golf may need to switch to swimming. One amateur shot 81 the first day but on the second day he had 12 double bogeys and shot 94. A legit 3-Index from Sonoma Golf Club, the host of the Schwab Cup every year, shot 88. And the horror stories and head shaking don't stop there.

How can this short course be so hard? It’s all about the trees. I know the saying goes: trees are 90 percent air. That's not true at Baywood. Not even close. These trees are 145 percent hard wood, with branches that could catch the best of Tim Wakefield's knuckle balls. In an amazing display of optical illusions, the longer you’re on property, the more the trees creep closer to the fairways. Admittedly, I’m mentally weak. In the case of Isackson and Hosley, the course clearly can be conquered, just not by me. Regardless, as I told Greg Henderson, the pro at Baywood, “Death, taxes and I’ll be back next year.” A common denominator in the equation of the best buddies trips--I was so ready for it to be over--can’t wait to get back.

Some of my trip report details: All in this trip costs me less than $500, not including my flight to San Francisco. That gets me two practice rounds, two tournament rounds, a few nights of pizza and beer with the boys, lunches, breakfasts, a big steak dinner on Monday night at Baywood and forever in terms of memories shared by family and friends. I lost a little playing gin, a little more on the course in side bets, but I deserved to lose for the way that I played both cards and golf.

In the second blog post about Baywood (see below) I wrote about Nick “Kookaloo” Christensen, our trip mascot. I said he speaks like Berra, swings like Barkley. Here’s a quick video of Nick’s tee shot on the ninth hole during the Monday round. The video says it’s the "18th tee," but that’s wrong, it’s the ninth tee box. Nick tops it but focuses on the positive, “At least I'm in the middle.”

--Matty G.