VII Review of "Apache Stronghold"

Hey, this course is on your road back as you drive back from Cancun.

APACHE STRONGHOLD, San Carlos, Arizona: This is a hidden gem run by the San Carlos Apache nation. In the middle of nowhere (outside of Globe, Az.) in the beautiful Sonoran Desert, it includes casino and tremendous golf architecture (by Tom Doak). The Reservation course conditioning is suspect though. (Tom feels that "there's not much left" of the course.) It's a great deal but will cost $50 in gas to get there from anywhere. Worth the trouble! RATINGS: 75/138 COST: $50-$65 including cart

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VI Review of "Cozumel Country Club"

Well, I did get a chance to play a great course in the Yucatan, Mexico. Only had "Montezuma's Revenge" once, the Mayan ruins are unbelievable, & Cozumel is a world class scuba & diving destination. FELICES NAVIDADES & FELIZ ANO NUEVO.

COZUMEL COUNTRY CLUB, Cozumel, Mexico: It's close to your vacation home in Cancun & the picturesque Mayan ruin Tulum is also not far away. This course is a Jack Nicklaus design cut out of the sub-tropic jungle. Hit the ball straight on this layout or feed it to the fauna. I didn't see any gators but I could feel them waiting for me to look for an errant shot. I didn't look for any balls! It's a special course, very scenic and very difficult. RATINGS: 72.2/133 COST: $105 (after 1:30 PM)-$169 including cart.

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An Unauthorized, Unbiased, Unsanctioned Golf Ball Review

Ok, I can't play the dumb game. I do know what's good though. The best golf balls, in my opinion, that I have used are: 1) Titleist (Black Numeral) PRO V1 2) Callaway (Black Numeral) TOUR ix 3) Nike (Black Numeral) ONE BLACK. Well those are high dollar balls. Sometimes I'm cheap and I like these: 1) Titleist (Red Numeral) DT So Lo 2) PRECEPT (Black Numeral) LADDIE X(treme) 3) SRIXON (Black Numeral) AD 333. The glove I use right now is the FOOTJOY CUSTOM. It has a great feel. Well, now I'm off to Mexico for a few weeks. Let's see if I find any great courses there. Will advise on that on the next blog.

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V Review of "Spyglass Hill"

SPYGLASS HILL, Pebble Beach, California: Located at the same Pacific coast resort as Pebble, I think that it's a better course. I know that's heresy but Spyglass is cheaper also. On everyone's list of top layouts in the world and among the toughest. It's a Robert Trent Jones, Sr. course completed in 1966 and the course is in the top ten of Golf Magazine's "Top 100 You Can Play". RATINGS: 75.5/147 COST: $330 plus cart

BONUS LESSON!!! I just learned this from a scratch golfer. Set up to hit the ball. WAIT. NOW put your feet all the way together and swing. Did you fall down? Then you swung too hard. Careful with this drill. It's easy to pull an upper body muscle with feet together. Anyway, the point is, you don't need to swing any harder with feet apart than with feet together. Same swing. TEMPO TEMPO.

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IV Review of "Pinehurst #2"

PINEHURST #2, Pinehurst, North Carolina: Ditto the first sentence for Pebble. The quintessential Donald Ross worked on this one from 1903 to 1935 and he got it right. Apparently many agree that he got it correct, as no other course has hosted as many championships. The course is the hardest in the world that has "no trouble". Ha ha. The "umbrella" greens seem to be 3 feet wide. But don't worry, when a putt misses the hole by an inch and rolls off of the green and ten feet into the rough, the next stoke won't count as a putt. The "Old South" atmosphere enhances the experience. RATINGS: 76.0/137 COST: Rates available for guests only.

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Golf Lesson for Hackers (Dummies)

"Get your front foot down" was the best free advice that I ever got. Well let's limit that to golf advice. I was at a golf course practice range and the club professional hollered that sentence at me as he walked by me. When I was young (and sorrowfully sometimes now) I used to get my front foot up on tip-toes to try to generate an extra 10 yards on the drive. Well, in my 20's I could occasionally get back to the ball to hit it. Now, nevermore. THE LESSON IS: a swinging gate doesn't hit a ball straight very often. IF it hits exactly perfect though ha ha the extra ten yards will be there every time. There is a low percentage of human perfection. KEEP YOUR D___ FRONT FOOT DOWN!

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III Review of "Pebble Beach"

Happy Halloween, hey Monterry, California is home to a state of the art aquarium, and as long as you are in the area, I am reminded of my next golf course review.

PEBBLE BEACH GOLF LINKS, Pebble Beach, California: If you don't know of this beautiful course on the Monterry Peninsula you are not reading this. Built in 1919, it has finally matured into a good one. The most special moments are at #8 (the entire hole is amazing) and from the 17th. green to the 18th. tee. RATINGS: 74.3/144 COST: $495 plus cart. Oh do it once anyway, #17's a birdie hole.

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II Review of "Green Springs"

GREEN SPRINGS, Washington City, Utah: Utah's St. George area in the southwest corner of the state is a little known tremendous golf destination. This course is one of the best in the area. It features stunning, economical desert golf. Hole #6 may be the toughest hole in Utah. The fairway there seems to be 10 yards wide with O.B. left and unplayable arroyo right. COURSE RATINGS: 71.9/130 COST: $38-$62 including cart

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I Review of "The Bear"

THE BEAR, Acme, Michigan: A Jack Nicklaus beauty that the man was proud enough of to bestow his nickname on. With only a 5 month season, northern Michigan's courses are in the best shape in the country due to lack of play. Rated among the 20 toughest courses in the United States (public or private) by Golf Digest. Everyman won't break 100 but will enjoy every minute of the suffering. Photograph the moguls on #16 but don't hit into them or you will procure a crooked lie. COURSE RATINGS: 76.3/148 COST: $80 (off-season)-$140 including cart

NEWS FLASH!!! A veritable plethora of dinosaur footprints has been recently discovered in the Vermillion Cliffs. If you like old stuff check it out. The area is not too far from St. George, Utah which will remind me of my next review of a golf course.....

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Unordinary Golf Course Reviews by Everyman

It's always difficult to remember the beginning of life, but I believe my golfing life began when I was about 15 years old. I hatched as a caddie, working at a private golf club in the Chicago area. I enjoyed the game so much that I eventually became a very poor golfer. After playing for 40 years, I'm proud to say, I haven't improved a lick. But really, the point is, golf is a game that can make a person cry... with sadness or happiness, sometimes without ever hitting a ball. It's a game for anyone of any age. The people shooting 73's aren't any happier than the people shooting 90's or triple figures. And I have a hole-in-one! Some guys playing golf on TV don't have a hole-in-one. Anyway, it's the best game and IT IS A SPORT. Some publications offer course reviews by professional golf writers. I'm going to provide a personalized list: 50 of some of the best courses in selected areas of the U.S.A. as evaluated by an average golfer. That is to say a guy that scores between 82 and 120. I've played all of these courses from coast to coast and I know golf. If any of these disappoint I'll eat your 3 iron (and your golf hat for dessert). IMPORTANT: If you don't like exquisite pain read no further. All course ratings given are from the tips (back tees) because we want to see the whole course, right? All costs quoted are non-guest rates because this is about the golf and not the lodging. Discount (i.e. twilight) rates are not included. Prices are quoted as accurately as possible. Contact the courses, most of which have online sites, for updates. If we're lucky, I may throw in some GOLF TIPS. So the great courses materialize in no particular order in further posts.

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