The release of my favorite public courses in the country continues . . .

Repeating disclaimer: My unofficial scoring system is obviously based on the quality of the golf course, but I also factor in service, green fee, a pinch of nostalgia and a smaller pinch of how I played. (It's hard not to like a course when you break 80.)

No. 6--Whistling Straits Golf Club (Straits) in Sheboygan, WI. ($340). The positive: I’m giving Pete Dye one in my top 10, and my guess is, it will forever be the Straits course (I think I've seen the best U.S.-based courses he has to offer.) Yes, it’s too much course for me, but I caught it in calm conditions and I flirted with a great score, relatively speaking. Unlike the Ocean Course at Kiawah, you feel like Dye took into account the potential for wind (and the amateur golfer) when he built Whistling Straits. It’s another spiritual spot where you look around a lot and remind yourself: life is short so you might as well enjoy it. The negative: It’s expensive, but it is one of the premiere Big League Ballparks in the country. The fifth hole is an odd fit. The four par 3s are spectacular, but they teeter on being repetitive. Favorite hole: No. 17, a par 3 (pictured above).

No. 7--Bandon Dunes in Bandon, Ore. ($275). The positive: It was phase one of Mike Keiser’s grand plan--it had to be good or the empire never gets off the ground; my compliments to David McLay Kidd for not screwing it up. You’ll appreciate the views of the Pacific Ocean and get used to an internal speech pattern: “Could I figure out a way to live here?” Especially standing on the 16th green and 17th tee. The negative: There can be extreme wind and weather, so pack accordingly. I don’t love the finishing hole. The resort is hard to get to, but they’ve made it easier with improvements and flight frequency to the “Southwest Oregon Regional Airport in North Bend” (the name of the airport is also a negative). Favorite hole: No. 5, it's top 5 best par 4s on the planet of public golf.

No. 8--Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, Calif. ($220). The positive: Two holes into the round I was in love (and I was also 3-over). An Alister Mackenzie design, updated for 10 years by Tom Doak, there aren’t any bad holes. I use Pasatiempo as a benchmark of a combination of quality, value and mystique--not many public courses can compare. You’ll want to play it at least twice (replay rate is $110). The negative: I said there aren’t any bad holes, but a few might be out of order. I didn’t like finishing on a par 3. Favorite hole: No. 3, it hurts so good.

No. 9--Pebble Beach in Calif. ($495). The positive: History, an iconic coastline, 17-Mile Drive and six (or seven) of the greatest holes in the world. The negative: In this current state of the game (and economy), the fact that they haven’t dropped their green fee is a flagstick-sized middle finger to the world of golf. As the so-called “best in the business,” if they go down to $300, or even $350, that forces all of the other over-priced courses to drop, respectively. Even worse, Pebble has developed a pay, play and get out of our way attitude. At that price I expect Sea Islandesque hospitality with a small bucket of humility. I realize they don’t care what I say, but I’ll keep saying it. Favorite hole: No. 8, if there's a better approach shot in golf, I haven't played it.

No. 10--Bandon Trails in Bandon, Ore. ($275). The positive: It’s two minutes from two other courses in my top 10, and it has the best greens on property (at least until they open Old Macdonald in June). Tucked into the trees, it’s a different look and a lot less breezy than Pacific and Bandon Dunes. Some people make the horrific mistake of coming to the best golf resort in the country and not playing Trails. Their loss. That just means there’s more room on the tee sheet for you and me. The negative: They’ve made some changes, and it’s getting better, but I still can’t be a fan of the 14th hole (and I’ve never loved 18). Favorite hole: No. 12, a par 3, but standing on the tee you'll think it's a par 4.

My top 5 will post on Monday. I will follow it up with my Top 10 Affordable Courses in the Country.

--Matty G.

Click on the "previous post" below for courses 11-15, 16-20 and then 21-25.

The release of my favorite public courses in the country continues . . .

Repeating disclaimer: My unofficial scoring system is obviously based on the quality of the golf course, but I also factor in service, green fee, a pinch of nostalgia and a smaller pinch of how I played. (It's hard not to like a course when you break 80.)


No. 11--Sea Island Resort (Seaside) on St. Simons Island, GA. ($295). The positive: The official term is a redesign, but I still say this is my favorite Tom Fazio design (he basically started from scratch). To have one of the “best golf resorts in the country,” you have to have a great golf option. Seaside (pictured above) rings that bell for Sea Island. It’s an easy walk in a sweet setting, steeped in the ceiling of southern hospitality. The Lodge is the second best mancation destination in the country (behind Bandon Dunes). The negative: The whole place is pricey, but as a result of the owner's financial struggles (and the economy), the resort should get more affordable and more accessible. Favorite hole: No. 4. 

No. 12--Caledonia Golf & Fish Club on Pawley’s Island, S.C. ($195). The positive: Built on what was a rice plantation, thanks to the subtle design-style of Mike Strantz, it feels like it has always been a golf course. Strantz left several gifts to the game before his life was tragically cut short by cancer--Caledonia is one of them. It’s my favorite in Myrtle Beach, and a lot of people would agree with me. Don't leave without a beer on the back deck, overlooking the 18th green. The negative: I’m not a fan of the free spicy fish soup at the turn and it’s located at the southern tip of The Grand Strand, so it’s not easy to get to. Favorite hole(s): No. 8 (and 16, and 18).

No. 13--Kapalua Golf Club (Plantation) in Hawaii ($298). The positive: It’s golf’s version of a roller coaster ride. You go out, up, over, up again and then all the way down to where you started. It’s a fun ride and it's my second favorite Coore/Crenshaw (behind Bandon Trails). For as much hype as the back nine gets, and deservedly so, the front nine is not exactly a plugged-lie in a bunker. The views, from what feels like the peak of Maui, are a pleasant distraction. The negative: It can be windy and it’s expensive. (If we get all the way to Hawaii, shouldn’t golf be free?) Favorite hole: No. 18.

No. 14--Pine Needles in Southern Pines, N.C. ($195). The positive: Peggy Kirk Bell is the owner, and like Palmer at Bay Hill, you’re likely to bump into the Hall of Fame instructor (who’s also one of the game's most colorful characters). It’s very female friendly and they recently renovated the Donald Ross design so now the tees and fairways are up to speed with big-hitting men and modern technology. The negative: It sits in the shadow of the all-mighty Pinehurst, which means you might make the mistake of leaving town without playing Pine Needles. Favorite hole: No. 18. 

No. 15--TPC Sawgrass (Stadium) in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. ($375). The positive: The three finishing holes for starters. The new clubhouse is the Cowboys Stadium of golf and if you love to play where the pros play, then buckle up and trust your swing. They actually offer what they call the "Tour Player Experience." The negative: The host of the “fifth major” is yet another Pete Dye course where me and my game don’t belong. The price is out of my range as well. Now that I’ve played it once, I’d rather pay $375 to fix a tooth. Favorite hole: It's cliche, but I have to say, No. 17.

--Matty G.

Click on the "previous post" below for courses 16-20 and then 21-25.

The release of my favorite public courses in the country continues . . .

Repeating disclaimer: My unofficial scoring system is obviously based on the quality of the golf course, but I also factor in service, green fee, a pinch of nostalgia and a smaller pinch of how I played. (It's hard not to like a course when you break 80.)


No. 16--Dunes Golf & Beach Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C. ($200). The positive: Widely considered the best of The Grand Strand (until Caledonia came along). With about 100 courses available to the public in that area, that puts it in the top 2 percent of a golf mecca. It drips history (pictured above) and it has been the lead sled dog of drawing golfers to Myrtle Beach since 1949. The negative: It caters to members. In my Away Game I dinged it for their service to the general public; hopefully they took it as constructive criticism. Favorite hole: No. 4

No. 17--Arcadia Bluffs in Arcadia, Mich. ($180). The positive: If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear I was playing along an Eastern or Western coastline--just playing one round at the “Pebble Beach of the Midwest” isn’t enough, especially for under $200, so play it twice. Order two cherry chicken salad sandwiches for lunch--one for each 18. The negative: I still can’t figure out who designed it; was it Rick Smith or Warren Henderson? There’s a sense from some of the staff that they know they’re great. Maybe it’s not cocky, it’s just confident. Favorite hole: No. 11.

No. 18--Pinehurst (No. 8) in N.C. ($239). The positive: This course is the reason why I say I’m a fan of Tom Fazio. It’s a slight visual departure from No. 4 and No. 2. It’s also a slight departure from No. 2 and No. 4--It's two miles from the hub of the resort, so it’s remote and quiet on the course. A stiff test, but passable if you've done your homework. The negative: You’re going to have to stay focused to finish with a good score. When you think Fazio you generally think “easy”--that’s not the case with No. 8. Favorite hole(s): 14 (and 17).    

No. 19--Kiawah (Ocean) in S.C. ($350). The positive: This is Pete Dye, trapped in a corner, hair standing up on his back and flashing his fangs. How can a man so sweet build something that is so sour? If there’s a slight breeze, it’s too much golf course for me (I’m a 7 handicap). Everything else is perfect--the setting, the clubhouse and the resort. The negative: The price and you’ve never been so tempted to play from the forward tees. Favorite hole: I didn’t finish enough of them to vote.  

No. 20--Tetherow in Bend, Ore. ($195). The positive: David McLay Kidd proves he’s not a one-hit wonder (Bandon Dunes). I’ve heard Kidd has recently gone back and made the course more user-friendly. It’s my favorite in an area loaded with good golf (Sunriver, Pronghorn and Aspen Lakes). The negative: IF and when the empty lots around the course get filled in with houses, it won’t be nearly as scenic (and I'm guessing it will no longer be public). But houses filling in all of those empty lots is a BIG if. Favorite hole: No. 17.

--Matty G.

Click on the "previous post" below for courses 21-25.

How do I keep my mind off a delay for de-icing, life-threatening turbulence or waiting in line to declare lost luggage?

I tweak the list of my top 25 public courses in the country.

My unofficial scoring system is obviously based on the quality of the golf course, but I also factor in service, green fee, a pinch of nostalgia and a smaller pinch of how I played. (It's hard not to like a course when I break 80, but this is my blog and this is my list.)


No. 21--Chambers Bay in Wash. ($170). The positive: Other than it will host the U.S. Open in 2015? It's a beacon of hope for Tacoma, I was impressed with what they've done with the scraps of a rock quarry and it's a spectacular setting (pictured above). The negative: The course needs a few more years of growth (and better greens) before I can put it any higher on my list. Favorite hole: No. 17.

No. 22--Pinehurst (No. 4) in N.C. ($239). The positive: You get similar looks to a round at No. 2, you get more reasonable greens (cheaper green fee) and a better chance of feeling good about your existence. The negative: It's the third best course at the resort and it must suffer from an inferiority complex. Favorite hole: No. 13.

No. 23--The Greenbrier (Old White) in W.V. ($225). The positive: In 1995 Sam Snead made his final ace on No. 18 of Old White. The negative: I was paired with Tom Watson when I played the 18th--I hit it to 12-feet and three-putted. Favorite hole: No. 13.

No. 24--Bay Hill Club in Orlando ($225). The positive: I just got back and they've made some improvements to the grass on the greens and drastically upgraded the bunkers. The negative: The "beach bunker" in front of the 17th green has tripled in size. I know--I was in it. And then I was in it again. Favorite hole: No. 6.

No. 25--Turtle Bay Resort (Palmer) in Hawaii ($205). The positive: I visit the North Shore of Oahu at Christmas every year (my brother lives down the street) so I get to play it a lot. It starts out slow but I like the way it ends and there are some great holes in between. The negative: The wind (and the driving range) both blow. Favorite hole: No. 16.

--Matty G.

Tim Finchem, The Commissioner of The Real Tour, has been clear: The Show must go on. But what have commissioners of fantasy golf leagues decided to do about a Tigerless tour?

I’m a member of the “Longest-Running Golf Pool” in the country; it’s celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. At the start of every season our league, run by The Czar, conducts an auction--ten teams buy ten players and each owner has $200 to spend. When you’re out of money you wait for everyone else to spend their money and then you fill out the remaining roster spots via a draft.

In our league Tiger has gone for as much as $350. Woods is the only exception where the winning bid can go over $200. The year when he went for $350, the owner paid an extra $150 to the league on top of the $200 entry fee, and then he waited for the draft to start before he could fill out his nine other roster spots. In that case, Tiger drove the team bus, everyone else was along for the ride. (Not far from reality on the PGA Tour.)

This year five players went for more than Tiger, who I bought for $50. Mickelson went for $85. The other four who went higher than Tiger were: Furyk ($85), Ogilvy ($75), Mahan ($60) and Zach Johnson ($55). Sean O’Hair and Anthony Kim tied Tiger at $50.

The Show is going on, but the uncertainty about the return of the game’s biggest name has him selling like a cheap ticket.

Curious how other leagues and formats are handling my favorite 14-major-winning-former-immortal, I made a few calls.

ESPN.com is doing a majors-only format again this year. "In terms of Tiger, we're going with a wait-and-see approach," said an ESPN rep. CBSSports.com got out of fantasy golf entirely. Yahoo, who joined forces with PGATour.com, does a week-to-week format and is considered the largest manager of fantasy golf leagues. In the Yahoo format each week you pick two A players, four B players and two C players. You start one A, two Bs and one C each day. Individual rounds by your four starters generate a daily score for your team, based on how they finish in relation to the best round of the day. If your guy gets low round of the day, your team gets 20 points. Still with me? I’m not sure it matters. The bottom line:

“We’re not doing anything special to handle Tiger,” says Ed Pankau, Product Manager of Yahoo Sports Fantasy Golf. “Once he plays, people can pick him. It’s not any different than past years.”

A quick spin through our hallways in Wilton, Conn., and I got some more answers. Colleague Stina Sternberg is in a survival pool—pick one player each week, you can only use a player once. If you pick a player and he doesn’t finish in the top 25, you’re off the island. “It will be risky to pick Tiger his first week out,” says Sternberg. “I want to see what kind of form he’s in.”

What if he comes back at the Masters?

“I’ve been burned by picking him at the Masters the last few years,” she says. “If it’s not his first tournament back, I’d consider picking him again this year, assuming I’m still alive at that point in the season. Last year I wasn’t.”

Tiger doesn’t have a good record after coming back from a break. Not the first time back, anyway. Mike Johnson, Equipment Editor for Golf World, points out that after Tiger’s father passed away in 2006, Woods came back to play at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot. He missed the cut. He tied for second his next time out, followed by SEVEN wins in a row (including a British and a PGA).

After his knee surgery in ’08, Woods came back at the Match Play and was eliminated in the second round. Then he tied for ninth at Doral, followed by a win at Bay Hill.

“This comeback is a different animal,” says Johnson. “Picking him his first time out will be a huge risk, even if he’s coming back at Bay Hill or the Masters. Could he win? Sure. But Tiger has always been a silver bullet. You don’t want to waste him.”

Sternberg and Johnson agree: if you’re in a survival league, picking Woods at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, or the British Open at St. Andrews, is a better option.

“But not if it’s his first event back,” says Johnson.

As the proud owner of Tiger Woods and a vested interest in his return to golf, Finchem and I finally have something in common--both of our busses need a driver.

My complete 2010 roster: Tiger Woods (sore), Sean O'Hair (sore wrist), Y.E. Yang (post-major syndrome?), Nick Watney (had a good start to last season), Dustin Johnson (drives for show, hopefully he putts for my dough), Steve Marino (Dan Marino never won a big one, can Steve save the name?), Martin Laird (so straight he makes Fred Funk look like me off the tee), John Merrick (plays well in majors), Webb Simpson (efficient with the flat stick, but can he do it when it counts?), Troy Matteson (is this the year he stops playing like Helen of Troy?).

How is your league handling the Tiger scenario? Tell me about it in the comments box or  click here to send me an e-mail, and I’ll post some of your responses.

--Matty G.

(Photograph by Getty Images)

Bob Lang, former owner of Erin Hills, made several smart moves on his way out of golf: He bought a beautiful piece of property, hired good architects, aligned himself with Jim Reinhart, worked with the USGA and sold to Andy Ziegler. But there were also some bumps along the way.

Here's an audio/video introduction to my recent story about Bob Lang's journey within the game of golf:

Here's a link to the full story, which appears in this week's Golf World.

--Matty G.

On my recent flight from LA to NYC, I sat next to Jets QB Mark Sanchez (see post below), I had in-flight wireless and I made a minor contribution to Unicef, the global organization dedicated to helping children in all facets of life, most notably, life itself.

American Airlines has assisted Unicef's fund-raising efforts in the past, and they're doing it again in light of the horrific situation in Haiti. Flight attendants walked around with plastic bags and collected money. According to the attendant on the loudspeaker, the previous flight he worked, which was only half full, raised $500. Our flight, which was full, raised $985. I emptied my wallet, all $4, but then I went to the Unicef website and made a more substantial donation.

If you feel inclined to do the same, take a flight on American Airlines, which has raised over $4 million by working the narrow aisles of airplanes, or click here and go to Unicef's site directly.

--Matty G.

You'll never believe this: I'm flying home from LA with Jets QB, Mark Sanchez. (He's sitting right next to me.)

Happy Friday. (There are five of them this month.)

Have a great weekend. There are also five of those this month, which will happen again in May and October. So we have that going for us . . .