Search Results

The word 'Appalachian', as a noun, calls to mind an ancient mountain range stretching its spine from Alabama to Canada. These hills are the proud owners of some of the most beautiful landscapes in North America. Appalachia, however, is an entirely different animal. The word 'Appalachia', as an adjective, can mean a great deal of things from culture, to music, nature, a people and - for now the majority of my adult life - home. Yet, ask five different people to draw a border around Appalachia and you'll get as many different boundaries. Anyone could argue successfully that Appalachia covers portions of West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and beyond. Rich in natural resources, these here hills have been mined for just about everything imaginable throughout its history. It's most sought after resource over the years - coal - is hidden deep within the earth, requiring maximum effort - and sometimes sacrifice - to obtain. The hidden gems we've searched for (golf courses) are a bit easier to find for three simple reasons... They're on top of the ground rather than buried within Google Maps Golf Bloggers with nothing better to do than obsess about finding great golf courses For the purpose of our exercise here today however, we're focusing on it's heart, proudly beating throughout Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia and Western North Carolina with the Aorta extending down to the extreme northern reaches of South Carolina and Georgia. We're also providing only those courses that are open to the public 365 days a year with no strings attached (like required lodging to gain access) and don't require a Benjamin to play them. So... if you're looking for information on The Greenbrier, Primland, The Homestead, Grove Park or Linville, their sites do a great job of detailing them (and we'll probably do that another time). The courses in Appalachia are primarily mountain courses, which is a nice way to say, "hold on to your butts!" [Editorial note: If you're picturing Samuel L. Jackson saying that line in Jurassic Park right about now, you're getting the full effect of what we mean!] What we mean is, the courses are as diverse as the culture and landscape surrounding them. For that purpose, we've attempted to list courses that oppose each other in style, geography and mission to provide as comprehensive a list as possible. Also, please note this is just to give you a starting point, an 'App Golf 101' if you will. Half the fun of playing a hidden gem is finding one on your own, so we half left plenty of them out there for you to discover. We've played all of these within the past couple of years, so what you see if pretty much what you'll get when you show up! Soooo, without further ado and in no particular order whatsoever... #1 - Mountain Glen | Newland, NC | George Cobb | 18 holes | Regulation The first time you drive by this course on NC-194, you think, "Man, that place looks FUN!" the highway runs parallel to the entire out and back front nine, giving you plenty of insight to the parkland design found in the NC High Country. Just over a ridge from the Linville area, this is a classic design (actually feels a lot like a Donald Ross course) that is about as enjoyable a course as you'll ever play. It doesn't beat you up much the way other tree-lined courses may, but its not a pushover either as precision is key. There is just enough mountain golf here to say you've dipped your toes in the chilly, clear waters of Appalachia! All these factors make Mountain Glen the perfect course with which to begin our list! PHOTO NAVIGATION TIP: Use the arrows on the left/right of the photos below for the slideshow to scroll. You can also click the photo to expand. #2 - Sugar Mountain | Sugar Mountain, NC | Frank Duane | 18 holes | Executive Recently voted the second best 'short course' in America by the community on Golf Advisor, 'Ole Esval' as its also known finds its place by offering an executive course experience among the high peaks and posh second home community clubs in the area. Only open half the year (the course lies within Ski Sugar), its a nice alternative and change of pace to work on your game. Tight fairways box in the big hitters, so best to give up some yards to keep it in play. Duane was RTJ's right hand man for two decades, so you certainly see some of his mentor's design characteristics. #3 - Graysburg Hills | Chuckey, TN | Rees Jones | 27 holes | Championship Those that follow us regularly may have seen our feature story this summer on Graysburg. It's long been a local favorite. Easy to access on/off I-81 near where it meets I-26, this early Rees Jones design runs through a idyllic valley framed by steep slopes and capped by farms on both ends. A more peaceful round in nature will not be found many places. Check out that full feature for a deeper dive, otherwise just hit us up when you're passing through and we'll come out for a few holes! Play all 27 for $45 in season or play all day for just $35 in winter. #4 - Gatlinburg | Pigeon Forge, TN | William B. Langford | 18 holes | Regulation This golf course is incredibly misnamed. The course is the municipal course for the city of Gatlinburg, a mountaintop resort town found 10 miles up the slopes from Pigeon Forge, where the course is actually located. If coming to the 'Myrtle Beach of the Mountains', bring your clubs because this course is only a couple miles from Dollywood and tops out at $65 in peak season. Bob Cupp's team renovated/restored this course a couple of times, most recently in 2007. Langford didn't work much in this part of the country, but we're glad he did. You'll be glad if you bring a real camera to capture the Smoky Mountain views, especially those off the cliffhanger par-3 12th hole, dubbed 'Sky Hi'! #5 - Sky Valley CC | Sky Valley, GA | Bill Bergin | 18 holes | Championship A lot of places we find are on the way to somewhere else. SVCC is exactly one of those courses for us! We found it due to its location near US-23 on the NC/GA line, it served as a great warmup on the way to Atlanta. What we found was an incredibly underrated and scenic course with incredible golf shots to be made on every hole. Sky Valley is also the highest course in terms of elevation above sea level in Georgia. If you find yourself travelling through the Clayton, GA or Franklin, NC area, give this ol' girl a spin. Its also one of the best options for an 18-hole round that is open to the public near Highlands & Cashers, NC. It is the highest priced course on the list, topping out at $91 for a weekend morning tee time in the peak season, but often run much less depending on day/time/season and juniors (17&U) are always just $25. #6 - The Rock | Pickens, SC | N/A | 18 holes | Resort Another course we picked up on the way to another destination, The Rock has been welcoming guests near the Table Rock State Park area about 45 minutes north of Greenville, SC. Affordable golf in good conditions is tough to find, as are public courses in this microregion that is littered with high-end private clubs. The Rock seems to have benefited from new ownership. While we only had time for nine, a return trip with more time to play is certainly on the docket for the next visit. If $26 to ride 18 (or $20 to walk) in the afternoons sounds like the deal of the century, it's probably because it is! Plus, how often do you get to tee off next to a waterfall?!? #7 - Orchard Trace | Hendersonville, NC | Flaughn Lamb | 18 holes | Par 3 This is here for a couple reasons. The main one is the reason we found it, it has LIGHTS! Yes that's right, when we have the opportunity to actually play together, it makes no sense to go to bed early. We also recommend you visit Orchard Trace because of its owner, operator and architect, Mr. Lamb. He not only created something that should be treasured in today's golf landscape, but he himself is a treasure. Stop in the comfy cottage-esque clubhouse and spend a few minutes with him. You'll be better for it. We know we are! Check out the aerials of the course when he built it too. You'll want to tell all your friends to come play here. It could use a little polish, sure, but man is this place fun! This one may 'feel' more like Appalachia than any course on the list - and that's a wonderful thing! #8 - Bald Mountain at Rumbling Bald | Lake Lure, NC | W.B. Lewis | 18 holes | Resort While you may not recognize the name of the course, chances are you've seen it before. If you've ever watched Dirty Dancing, this course and resort was one of the two main shooting locations for the movie. While it's not a movie you'll often quote while playing elsewhere, you'll probably catch yourself yelling at a putt saying, "Put THAT Baby in the corner!" No? You won't? What was that? We're dorks? Ok, so you won't quote it as often as you do Happy Gilmore, but if Appalachia is Americana, then so is this course. Rumbling Bald also has a second 18-hole course designed by Dan Maples that just underwent a facelift that we hear made a big difference. Perhaps another trip down to Lake Lure is in the offing. #9 - Cleghorn | Rutherfordton, NC | George Cobb | 18 holes | Championship The only architect with two courses on the list is George Cobb. While he fit Mountain Glen on gentle, tight land, Cleghorn stands in contrast with its cavernous tree-lined corridors and large greens. Cleghorn has had its ebbs and flows, but with the Tryon International Equestrian Center writing the checks, it'll only make a really good course even better over time. These photos are the oldest among the group here (2010-11 probably) and came right after some work had been done to the course. You may not see bright flowers if you played it today, but like us, you've also probably never said, "Man, that lie out of the flowerbed really helped my score today"? Another easy on/off access course from US-74 on the way from Charlotte to Asheville, NC and you'll never pay more than $50 to play it. #10 - Marion Lake Club | Nebo, NC | Russell Breeden | 18 holes | Regulation Considered a 'locals course' by ours truly, you're not going to build a trip around Marion Lake Club (not to be confused with Lake Marion CC in Santee, SC). However, at just $30, you'll find enough intrigue here to not feel cheated. You'll find a shared fairway (not a double fairway, a shared fairway) that made more sense after we found out it used to be the first and 18th holes that shared it. The most main road you'll find in this rolling terrain bisects the nines, giving it two distinct feels. The front plays over a set of railroad tracks a couple of times in a backwater valley, while the back nine brings the thunder with big views of the lake and the reason it's on the list, the view of the mouth of the Linville Gorge from the 17th green (you may have noticed the first photo at the top of the page). Friendly staff + good price + big views = Win! We hope that gave you some ideas as to where to begin your golf journey in the Heart of Appalachia! If you like what you saw and read here, follow us on social for somewhat daily posts. If you want to go REALLY deep into the topic, you'll also want to give our friends @appalachiangolfsociety a follow on Instagram as well! As always, our interactive map and course tracker are loaded with pics and info to help you find your next place to play. Feel free to reach out with questions about places we've played or with tips to put others on our list! Sincerely Fores, Dooner

The Johnson City Press (TN) recently did a story on us. That is weird to type we'll be honest. Warning - this story does contain our real names. If this spoils it for you - do not click on the link below. Click here to check out the great story written by Joe Avento here: https://bit.ly/3itqDub Yes, our moms have read it and they approve. We hope you do too! We sincerely thank Joe for taking time for us in order to shed light on the journey so that more may join it! Thanks to all that have been a part of the #GolfCrusade thus far and we look forward to meeting those we haven't yet on a course near you soon! Sincerely Fores, BMAC & Dooner

If your last name is 'Jones' and you're a golf course architect, you've got some VERY big shoes to fill. While there's no relation between Bobby and Robert Trent, they are giants in the golf world. Taking away Bobby for the purposes of bloodlines, RTJ's sons RT II and Rees have carved out their own legacies in the course construction business. When Rees Jones left his old man's design company to incorporate on his own, he embarked on a career that saw him build dozens of award winning courses and even earn the nickname, "The Open Doctor" for his role in updating US Open venues for the modern game (you may have heard of Bethpage Black, Winged Foot, Cog Hill Dubsdread, Congressional and Baltustrol Lower, just to name a few). His first original design on his own, Arcadian Shores, has been a mainstay on the Myrtle Beach Grand Strand since 1974. His follow up effort didn't come for five years, but when it did, that course was the little known Graysburg Hills Golf Club, located in an even lesser known unincorporated dot on the map known as Chuckey, Tennessee. It's a course we know well and targeted early on after moving to the Appalachian Highlands region (better known still as the Tri-Cities) that Golf Digest once named the second "Best Metro in the US" for golf (2005). We thought since the course doesn't do Instagram, barely does Facebook and has had the same website since we first discovered it nearly a decade ago, that it could use some updated content on the web for others to discover. (NOTE: As of December 2021, the course has updated their website and features many of the photos that appear in this story!) After all, it's why we do what we do! While the property now boasts twenty-seven holes over three distinct nines, Rees designed the original championship eighteen (now called Knobs & Fodderstack nines. The Chimney Top nine {pictured directly above} was added in 1994 and was designed by Edward Lawrence Packard - more on that later). You'll be hard pressed to find a natural setting more befitting to a golf course. When people come to town for a visit - or are passing through and ask us for a recommendation - Graysburg Hills is always a top option. With its close proximity to Interstate 81, it's an easy on/easy off pit stop for the die hard hacker looking for a quick round. Oh, and the value cannot be beat! In peak season, it's only $35 for eighteen holes or just $45-$50 to play all three loops. In the offseason, that $35 will get you an all-day pass. Since it's a little out of the way for most folks, it is nice that they have a full-service grass range and practice green just steps away from the parking lot. The modest clubhouse houses the pro shop and adjacent snack bar, where you can get a hot dog along with typical drinks, candy bars & sandwiches. This place loves the heat, too! It's Bermudagrass fairways soak up the heat and spit back out firm and fast conditions in the summer months. While that normally may mean thin lies in the offseason, the fairway turf is so consistent that if you get it early enough after it goes dormant you don't miss a beat with your lies in the short stuff! We're going to break it down for you each nine at a time. It's worth stating again that the Jones championship layout intended to play KNOBS (1-9) to FODDERSTACK (10-18). It can stretch out to 6834 yards, which play to the card fairly true given the overall gentle topography. The CHIMNEY TOP nine has a different feel to it entirely and plays more like a mountain course typically found around the region. KNOBS The course starts out with a relatively easy par five that can be reached in two if you're warmed up. It's straight away, like many of the holes in this bucolic setting, but the driving range flanks the opening hole to the right, making a wayward tee shot tough to find for those that typically work the right side. The next three tee balls offer some reward to those willing to risk the big dog, but the angles have to be precise. The par-4 3rd is especially tricky and tough for the first timer. Big hitters with a draw can clear the bunkers and leave a short wedge, but anything less than perfect can end in jail, OB or up to a 243 yard second shot. [How do we know its 243 yards? Well, having once hung one out to dry near the right side/outside dogleg tree line, I pulled a 3-hybrid and stuck it with inches of eagle. I walked it off at 243 paces.] You'll use a lot of different clubs on this side. Play what's in front of you conservatively on this side. Length is not important on the Knobs, but if you're comfy with the big stick, it can help in spots. Don't get greedy though. The first par three (5th) can yield a chance at an ace if you get it to the right level on the multi-tiered green. It sits in a natural (looking) bowl, so it is forgiving if you get the number right. The second one-shotter is one of the reasons for making the drive. Hard to beat an elevated tee shot to a peninsula green that plays like a tiny island, ain't it? From the true tips, this hole will make or break your round. From a forward tee, be true to your yardages. Of course I say all this jokingly, I suck at golf. Just look at the pretty pictures and don't ask questions about what yardage to hit. The 9th, while a short dogleg left par-4 that seems tucked into land that shouldn't be a golf hole, is actually a great hole. Keep the driver in the bag before you walk up the stairs. Play to just right of the fairway bunker cluster and it'll leave you a pitching wedge in, but careful of the sloping fairway towards the water (long and right). The approach to the green comes in front of a beautiful old barn (no less than 3 of them are found on the course and many more can be seen from it). Here are a few more of the best of the Knobs nine: FODDERSTACK The opener on the 'back nine' starts with another par-5 - and it is awesome. An angled landing area the rewards the aggressive line up the left is a tricky start, but once you land its straightaway home. The approach is slightly uphill to a signature Rees Jones green complex that feels more like Winged Foot or Bethpage than East Tennessee (not that we know what those places feel like, though we did attend the latest Open on Long Island). Strategy plays big roles on the next two two-shotters, before things open up to a great finishing stretch of holes that will determine who takes the day, including some great chances to let some bombs drop! The uphill 4th is bordered by farmland with a kind landowner that provided a set of makeshift stairs to traverse the barb-wired fence in case your tee shot is hooked left. The hole climbs so you can drop on the next hole to perhaps the prettiest par-3 in East Tennessee! Classic bunkering with sharp edges surround this stunning downhill test of wills. Enjoy the view, you may not enjoy the score... Variety brings you home from here. No hole plays to the same par consecutively after the 4th, but chances to score abound. If you've been able to hold back the temptation to this point, now is the time to let it rip. Distance shortens the course considerably after the 3rd, so let it eat and reap the benefits! If there is one complaint we have about nearly every course in East Tennessee, it's of the decision of course management in the 1970s and 80s to plant hundreds of White Pine trees to "better define" their routings. Take the photo above of the par four 6th as a prime example. The original design had three fairway bunkers left where only one remains, and (likely) zero trees. Here's a photo from a very similar angle from the Rees Jones-designed Forest Course at Fiddler's Elbow Country Club in Bedminster, NJ, but with no trees in the line of field. Which would you prefer to play? Virtually the same hole - built decades and hundreds of miles apart. For us, we'll take door number two! Just a few miles away, Johnson City Country Club has realized the folly of planting such hindrances and has taken a strategic approach in removing many of their overgrown White Pines, breathing life and playing options into its 101-year-old A.W. Tillinghast design. It's a lesson we'd love to see learned and duplicated here! Native grass areas abound on this course - it would be incredible to see it restored to a links feel and open up the long views of the valley. To wrap a bow on this point - look at aerials from Google Earth from 1997 vs now... Enjoy a few more of the best views from the Fodderstack nine: CHIMNEY TOP As mentioned above, this was the add-on nine and should be treated as such if visiting just for a single round. Its got the more scenic land and long views, but after crossing the valley ridge after the par-3 third hole, its more a 'build what fits' design vs the first twenty-one holes. Rather than describe them all - which we honestly don't like to do - just enjoy some of the best photos from the third nine in gallery below... So there you have it. Give them a shout for a tee time at 423-234-8061. Tell them we sent you! If you're coming in to play it, use the form at the bottom of the page to let us know if you need a fourth! Oh, and if you're a fan of barns on golf courses, this place is your Graceland! We feature it often on @golfbarns on Instagram - another #GolfCrusade social channel! Give us a follow there and tag us when you capture some of the great #GolfBarns at Graysburg or beyond! Keep it straight and true! Sincerely Fores, Dooner

How do you describe a work of art to someone who has never seen a particular piece? Sure, that person has seen other forms of art before, but perhaps this installation is a bit different, bolder in nature. You know it is one of a kind when you see it, but will your detailing of the sculpture or painting do it justice enough? No. It will not. The only thing that will allow the other person to feel what you might is to get up close and personal with it. Or of course look at a couple hundred photos to feel your way around the course as if it were being narrated by Morgan Freeman. Or maybe not... Still, what is it you say to someone that has never played a Mike Strantz golf course? "You have to see it to believe it." Who wouldn't want to play a course that won Golf Digest's Best New Upscale Course in America back in 1997 and was just honored by Golf Inc., having been named the runner-up (we demand a RECOUNT!) in the Best Renovation category for 2019-20. If you haven't ventured yet to Royal New Kent Golf Club, located in the Southeast corner of Virginia, halfway between Richmond and Williamsburg, then buckle in and prepare to "Golf Ireland in Virginia". And since words are futile in describing a course like this, please enjoy the story as we see saw it - from tee to green | hole by hole - on the day we brought a few friends with us during The Iron Maverick in 2019. Enjoy the story. ROYAL NEW KENT GOLF CLUB SCORECARD HOLE 1 - PAR 4 HOLE 2 - PAR 5 HOLE 3 - PAR 3 HOLE 4 - PAR 4 HOLE 5 - PAR 5 HOLE 6 - PAR 4 HOLE 7 - PAR 3 HOLE 8 - PAR 4 HOLE 9 - PAR 4 HOLE 10 - PAR 5 HOLE 11 - PAR 4 HOLE 12 - PAR 3 HOLE 13 - PAR 4 HOLE 14 - PAR 4 HOLE 15 - PAR 3 HOLE 16 - PAR 4 HOLE 17 - PAR 5 HOLE 18 - PAR 4 So... what are you waiting for!?! Consider yourself invited! Sincerely Fores, Your Golf Crusade

Abraham Lincoln famously stated in the Gettysburg Address that our great country was dedicated to the proposition that ALL men are created equal. Sadly, the equality proposition does not apply to Par 3 Courses. In fact, implying that Par 3 Courses can be a mixed bag is the understatement of the millennia and might as well be added to the Ten Commandments of Golf (if they exist). Turns out Forrest Gump's mother was right about those damn chocolates, too. Some Par 3 or Short Courses have the ability to open minds and help us remember how fun the game can be. We mean, has anyone said anything bad about The Cradle lately? Or ever? On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are some you just shake your head at and wonder why what you just experienced is even considered a golf course. Well, we've found a place where you can experience the highs and lows, the fun and the frustration, all in one town - or better yet all in one day! Welcome to Rocky Top, a.k.a Knoxville, Tennessee! (enter joke explaining that the previous sentence also applies to the local college football team at your own peril) Knoxville is a cool town if you've not been. In addition to the Vols, it has a vibrant downtown core, rivers, nearby mountains and lakes, and quite a few places to tee it up. Among the golf courses are four par 3 or short courses on which became of focus of a recent day on the links. And yes, you can do them all in one day if you're a golf nerd like me. Before we get to the courses, let's break down the numbers a minute, because a town of just 187,000 having four short courses may not seem like an awfully robust supply, but the numbers say otherwise... Sure, there are probably holes you can shoot in this data and its not apples to apples, but it's just meant to show that Knoxville has more Par 3 Courses per capita that you'd expect from a mid-size city - especially compared to some of its brawnier southern brethren. Now we can get into the courses. Since Knoxvegas is right at a 100 mile drive from home, you've got to make it worth the trip! Quarantine had certainly strained our pace of new course play in 2020, yielding just two new courses between the two of us (both BMAC's) up until May. Not acceptable when you're trying to average one new course per month per man! Here's how you make up ground in a hurry (or if you're in town without a lot of time to play, this will help you pick your pleasure)... ROUND ONE 8:30am | WILLIAMS CREEK GOLF CLUB | 18 holes Knoxville's East Side | Designed by Tom Fazio | $20-$25 A bold claim awaits as you walk down around the old schoolhouse of a clubhouse to the pro shop. "Best Par 3 in Tennessee" is quite the welcome mat, but if you know the course was designed by Tom Fazio, then you just got really excited. Remembering that not all Par 3 Courses are created equal, also understand they're not all to be assumed to be walkable. This place feels so spread out that if the terrain were a bit more gentle, it could have had enough room for a more traditional course. Luckily, the prices are low ($25 includes cart) and rates drop later in the day. As the first one off the box and the solitary nature that each hole provides in its own setting, you feel as though you own the place! The wall-to-wall concrete cart paths and electric carts make for a ride as smooth as the putting surfaces. As for the course, it is very nice, but don't expect 18 Fazio signature holes though. If you expect great conditions, varying distances to give you the ability to use most of your bag, some resistance to scoring, smooth putting surfaces and a few bunkers, then you'll be extremely pleased. This course has all of that in spades. But does Williams Creek measure up to being the "Best Par 3 in Tennessee"? It's the best one we've played so far is all we can say about that. Keeping in mind that Williams Creek is also home base for The First Tee of Greater Knoxville and that the course should not have a whole lot of forced carries, thus providing an incredible place to grow the game, then Williams Creek checks all the boxes! Breezing through in under two hours for all 18 was nice too! Enjoy some of the best views from Williams Creek: ROUND TWO 11:00am | "The Loop" at Fairways & Greens | 9 holes (sort of) Knoxville's West Side | $20 day pass This. Place. Is. Awesome! Fairways & Greens Golf Center is a membership based facility and is a practice Mecca for all things golf. Multiple areas for putting, full swing, lessons, VIP lounges/Swing Suites, covered hitting bays, sand, short game, etc. And that's just the outside! Inside you have all the latest tech aides, plus a huge putting green and fitness center. If you live in Knoxville and you're a serious golfer, you have to seriously consider joining. It was named a Top 50 Stand Alone Range by Golf Digest. It is legit. All of that is before we even get to thelit short course, dubbed “The Loop”! After calling and inquiring about their 'day pass', I was thinking the $20 fee was going to be an overpay just to play 'The Loop', the imaginative short course located near the main entrance of the property, yet furthest from the clubhouse. Boy was I wrong. First, the layout. It's pretty ingenious really. The footprint cannot be much larger than two football fields side x side, but It also has a pretty large pond in the middle. There are only three greens, but each has three separate tees that play to them, yielding the nine hole Loop. However, each green has two flags (one short and one long), so in reality you can play eighteen different hole combinations. That doesn't even take into account any cross-country options should play be light. Add the links feel to it and you've got a brick of C-4 explosive compacted into an Altoids can! Depending on foot traffic on The Loop, you can drop a ball on each tee and fire three shots in succession, thus playing 'three holes' at once on your card. If traffic is heavier, they have a sign asking golfers to play only one ball at a time. I played the 3 tee shot at a time, 9 hole loop in about 20 minutes. If I didn't have the day planned out to play all four courses and still be home for dinner, I could have spent a lot more time here exploring not just the loop, but spending some much needed time on practice. Check that, we talkin' about practice, man?! Back to the game! Oh and by the way, the whole place has lights, including The Loop! This will be a tough course to beat in our Alternative Golf Facility year-end fake awards lists! Check out some more of the greatness at The Loop and the rest of Fairways & Greens! ROUND THREE 12:30pm | Concord Park Par 3 | 9 holes Southwest Knoxville | $8 walking Next up was Concord Park Par 3. For $8, I didn't expect much. Turns out that was a wise expectation. This city owned facility sits on the gentle slopes of a hill overlooking Fort Loudoun Lake. The staff was very friendly and the little house/pro shop was set up well for social distancing. [Photo note: all flag sticks were removed for social distancing purposes - but course provided more than enough detail on where the locations were!] Going back to the edict of Par 3 Courses not being created equal, CPP3 would be down towards the lower end of the spectrum. We aren't hear to run any courses down - it's just not what we do. It's hard work running a golf course and we have no idea what kind of resources are given to a certain property to make it what most golfers would call 'good'. If you're looking for a place to introduce a youngster to the game, or just get out for some exercise, Concord Park would be a great option. However, after about five holes, I felt I experienced all the course had to offer and hopped over to the 9th tee to turn inward. It is there I found perhaps one of the more puzzling things I've ever seen on a golf course. It didn't appear to be left to neglect, but the course's real 9th hole was abandoned. It's too bad because the hole certainly appeared to be in good shape and EASILY the best hole on the course. Puzzling? Yes. Losing sleep over it? No. Onward we must go! ROUND FOUR 2:00pm | Beverly Park Junior Golf Course | 9 holes Northeast Knoxville | $8 walking Also a city owned course of similar size, stature and resources (it appeared) to Concord Park, I really wasn't expecting much out of Beverly Park having just played Concord Park. While the greens were the same fairway grass at both courses (even if groomed better at Beverly), they feel world's apart on the Par 3 Course Pantheon of Goodness (trademark pending). Immediately as you pull onto the drive leading down to the parking lot, you are greeted by a giant old silo (major points!). Then you see the beautiful old red barn and the authentic log cabin clubhouse before you start get the feels running through your arms down to your fingers. It's the itch you just have to scratch and you don't even care what the course plays like. [Photo note: all flag sticks were removed for social distancing purposes] We aren't saying that Beverly Park should be awarded a PGA Tour stop. Far from it. What it is - as well as all of those who enjoy this game like we are kids ourselves - is what junior golf should strive to be. Sure its a little rough around the edges, but the course setup is darn near perfect. The only thing its really missing are real greens. If someone would like to donate $100K to this course to build some real greens, we'd be happy to introduce you to some folks out in Knoxville. UPDATE JUNE 2022: BEVERLY PARK IS GETTING REAL GREENS INSTALLED!!! CHECK THEIR SOCIAL CHANNELS FOR COMPLETION DATE. The best part about the barn and silo is that they're integral parts of the golf course. Even the cabin is too, as you step off its front porch and onto a tee box (just not the first tee). If we were running the course, we'd make the 7th the 1st hole so the 6th - which plays right at the silo - becomes the finisher. Either way, we're just happy to have played it and wish well to those charged with stewarding this property. Take in a few extra views of Beverly Park Junior Golf Course! There you have it. Four Courses in a day. A Course Collector's dream. If in town for a day with the sticks but short on time, take a drive or an Uber out to one of these facilities. You won't regret it! Thanks to all the staff we encountered for promoting social distancing and maintaining excellent customer service standards. Golf Course numbers 454, 455, 456 & 457 on The Golf Crusade! Sincerely Fores, Dooner 2ND UPDATE JUNE 2022 As it turns out, we've discovered two more short courses in the Knoxville area! One, a rudimentary 4-hole course is available at Ruggles Ferry GC on the eastside of town. We haven't made it there yet, but as soon as we do we'll let you know. Over on the west side, The Patch debuted it's 12-hole short course in late 2020. We finally found our way over there and were blown away. You can read our story on the course found within The Preserve at Oak Ridge community by clicking here.

There are sports fans, then there are fanatics. Fans root for their favorite teams. Fanatics look for anything they can get their hands on to display their love of their teams in the most unique ways. There are golfers, then there are course architecture nerds (hands raised) that debate the intricacies of bunker placement and needs for restoration to classic courses (guilty again). If you fall even on the slightest side of the latter of those two extremes, then we have found your next Christmas, birthday or Father's Day gift! Step into the world of 'The Art of Sports Architecture' If you haven't stumbled across Ballpark Blueprints yet, then you're in for a treat. Even if you have, you likely haven't heard the stories behind-the-scenes that are as fascinating as the company's products and creativity are incredible. Ballpark Blueprints captures the distinctive artwork and beauty of sports venues for the sports fan who is looking for a classic, sophisticated, old school way to display their love for the game. The company was founded on an authentic passion for the history and architecture of baseball, and has since expanded into other sports lines. Hand-rendered original designs, custom ink, and museum-quality paper are used to ensure that Ballpark Blueprints products are a unique and high-end addition to any room in a home or office. Recently we had a chance to talk to Thomas (Tom) Young, CEO/Creative Director and Founder of Ballpark Blueprints. We had the idea to showcase the company, but came away with so much more that we hope you'll enjoy a deep dive into both the profession, the products and the person behind this sensational journey. THE FOUNDATION Tom Young met his future business partner Marvin Larson when moving from Denver, CO to Napa, CA during high school. The two friends stayed in touch while bouncing around the country while Marvin pursued an MBA and Tom set forth on a successful career behind-the-scenes in the opera business. That is until the time they wanted to purchase a unique art piece that combined their love of architecture and sports. Fast forward to 2001. After an extensive search, Marvin (ironically by this time in Denver) found that there wasn't really anything in the marketplace in the realm of a stadium blueprint. It just so happened that he wanted to start a small business. It also happened to be that Tom (then and now in Chicago) had some experience in drafting and technical drawings. From there, Ballpark Blueprints was born. Their first project: Wrigley Field. "I'm just a huge baseball fan," Young declares. "All the parks are unique. Back in the 1960s and '70s ballparks went the cookie cutter route, but they're all unique again now." "When you look at Wrigley Field, what was built in 1914 is pretty much the same as it is today. The Ricketts' Family has done an outstanding job modernizing the park in recent years, but its still the same outfield that Babe Ruth once played in." Young goes on to explain what makes Wrigley so special and why they chose it as their first 'build'. "Before I even lived here, I wanted to visit. I remember coming in on an August afternoon. I remembered the address, 1060 West Addison, from the Blues Brothers movie! I stopped and asked for directions because I'm saying to myself, 'There is no way a Major League Ballpark is on this street,' in middle of the residential neighborhood I found myself in. Eventually you come around a corner to a stoplight, but instead of a house being on the opposite corner, there is Wrigley Field!" During a 2016 off-season renovation, one of the amenities added was the extremely high-end 1914 Club beneath the grandstands behind home plate (starting price is about $10K a seat for season tickets). A New York City interior designer was brought on to outfit the new space. Upon seeing an 8' x 14' blank wall leading up to the seats, the consultant suggested placing the elevation blueprint (of the stadium exterior) on said wall. "The Wrigley team had dug through some of their archives and found the original plans. Upon showing it to her, she said, 'It doesn't really look like that anymore. I want the one I saw online.' The Cubs people said, 'what are you talking about?' and she brought them to our website." "One day, I pick up the phone and on the other end there is a representative from the Cubs asking if they could license the piece to engrave into the wall at Wrigley Field." So what happens when you get a call from the Cubs wanting to use a piece of art you created about your favorite ballpark? You say YES!!! As part of the agreement, Young secured a commission, some tickets to a game and access to the club for the game he attended so he could take pictures of the display. However... "We had such a great time, I forgot to take the pictures!" We hate when that happens! MAKING THE ROUNDS The same thing that makes a ballpark blueprint great applies to golf courses. As the number of golf course architecture nerds continues to rise, so do the number of armchair architects who yearn to design their own course one day. However, for every group of guys behind Brough Creek National (@someguysbackyard), there are tens of thousands golf archi-nerds that will never get the chance. Luckily for guys like us, we have Tom and his talent to get us through the heartache. He started a golf course blueprint line because, "I wanted a few of the courses I had played on my own wall." We're really glad he did! An avid player - but one that rarely keeps score, (but also has some great branded golf bags!) - Tom has some ridiculously cool golf stories. One of those stories really helped grow the business along with being one of those things you have to fact check prior to putting it in writing. We fact checked. They check out. Here you go... "In 2015, I was planning a trip to go play golf in Ireland. I had reached out to (New York Times best-selling author) Tom Coyne to see where I should really play. I had sent him a print (of Notre Dame Stadium, Coyne's alma mater) and it turns out he was a fan of my work. I had never done a golf course at that point, but he asked if I would do one for his Ireland trip (that turned into the best-selling book, A Course Called Ireland)." "When we got back into the discussion about what courses to play in Ireland, he says to me, 'Hey, I'm going to Scotland to do a follow-up book this year. You can go to Ireland anytime, but why don't you come to Scotland instead? Join me for any stretch you want.'" Coyne's itinerary in Scotland: 110 courses played in 57 days, including all the Open Championship courses. Take a minute to let that sink in. Young and his wife, Tracy, hopped on a plane (red-eye), drove 4.5 hours, got out of the car, stretched and walked out to the tee with his little Persimmon woods ready to hit it over the beach. "The first time I met Tom (Coyne) was on the first tee at the Old Course at Machrihanish." Old Course, as in Old Tom Morris, old. Young wasn't Coyne's only guest, however. Scott Wilson, Director of Golf at Streamsong also played the round at Machrihansih. During the round, Wilson asked Young if he would create a blueprint map for Streamsong. Jump ahead to 2017. The back of the invitation to the Streamsong Invitational (held during the annual PGA Show in Orlando), was a Ballpark Blueprint of the resort property. "From there, I ended up with a ton of golf pros commissioning me to do their courses. Among them were Cape Kidnappers, courses in Canada, others in the U.K. It just spread like wildfire." The list of courses completed by Ballpark Blueprints can be viewed by clicking here. And just as one of Young's blueprints adorns the walls of Wrigley, another holds residence on golf's most hallowed ground... ST. ANDREWS "I had done the blueprint for St. Andrews awhile back. Most of the courses I do are affiliated with the course (i.e. sells in the pro shop/website/etc.). St. Andrews was one of the few that were not. This past winter (January 2020), I met with the Links Trust at St. Andrews. St. Andrews Links Limited actually had sent a cease-and-desist letter. I hadn't used anything proprietary or any logos. It was legit in America of course, but wasn't going to mess with (them)." "However, after talking with them about it, it actually went from a cease-and-desist and turned into a partnership deal. I have the agreement sitting here on my desk to sign as we speak!" Wow. And by the way, the fact checker for the Tom Coyne story was... Tom Coyne. Upon marveling at the experience, we asked a follow up question (clearly joking)... 'Could we get Tom Coyne's cell number?' About an hour after we hung up with Young, Coyne called us on Young's suggestion. Two Class-A gentlemen right there folks! Check out a cataloged journey of both trips right here... Those have to be the greatest golf trips ever taken (call Guinness)! CONTRACTION & EXPANSION Even the greatest of businesses have to evolve. Some out of necessity of technology, others out of life circumstance. Shortly after the company expanded in 2013, then became a full-time interest a year later, Marvin was diagnosed with cancer. Marvin Larson sadly passed away in 2016, leaving a wife, two children and a flourishing business with a giant void. "We were doing this business together, but he ran the business end. I didn't even know the log-ins for accounts because he handled everything. Needless to say, it was horrible. It's been almost four years now, but we carry on." So the forty eight year old with the Music History and Musicology degree with a business background in opera picked up the pieces and now has an expanded product line that goes well beyond a framed art piece. In addition to framed, unframed, metal prints and canvas wall art, BPBP offers the same great artwork on a variety of media, such as calendars, T-shirts, hoodies, fleece blankets, murals, ceramic and travel mugs, ties, golf headcovers (so getting some of those!) and even ornaments! You can see for yourself here! Then there's The Golfer's Journal. The quarterly publication of editorial golf content has developed a cult-like following and spreads its tentacles beyond it's printed pages. TGJ's Podcast - hosted by Tom Coyne - delivers new episodes every other week and the Broken Tee Society shares many of the same values as The Golf Crusade by creating community among golfers and sharing the game beyond the course. If you've picked up a issue of the magazine, you may have noticed a featured hole section dubbed, 'The Yardage Book'. You may have also noticed the art provided by BPBP on St. Andrews #7. All we know, is that the sports fan on your list (or if you are the sports fan - create the list from their website and send it to the people that keep your list), Ballpark Blueprints better be on your radar from now on! SUPERLATIVE SPEED ROUND - Favorite sports team? Right now, the Astros, because my 21-year-old son was just hired as an analyst in the front office (starts next month) - Favorite Stadium? Hard to top Wrigley and Fenway for me. - Favorite golf course (overall and one you've played)? My favorite golf location is Rosapenna, a golf-only resort on the north coast of Ireland. They have 5 or 6 courses, with another one opening next summer. My bucket-list course is the Par-3 course at Augusta National; I'd rather play that than the 'big' course. - First game attended was... Wow. Probably a Denver Bears (minor-league) game in the late 70s/early 80s? - First round of golf was at... at age... with... My first round of golf was with my uncle who came to visit. We went to a little par-3 course (just a park that they put some holes/flagsticks in) near our house. It's still there: Harvard Gulch in Denver, CO. Just recently found photos from that day! I was probably 10? - Favorite sports movie (any sport)? Bull Durham - Favorite sports movie quote? "So I've got that going for me . . . which is nice." --Carl Spackler - Do you have a favorite piece/stadium/course that you've created? Not really. It's like asking which of your kids is your favorite. I only have two hanging in my house: the original Wrigley Field print, from our first press run. And the only non-sport print we have: there's a wooden boat builder on YouTube: "Tips from a Shipwright". he does these video series where he builds a wooden boat, from scratch. Like, literally from picking logs, milling them into lumber, and building a boat. In one episode, he drafted the plans of a boat he was going to build. I got a hold of him and got those plans from that episode and turned it into a blueprint. I've got that hanging in my bedroom. - If you weren't doing BPBP, what would your job be? That's hard to say. Before doing this, I had a career in opera: I did budgets, planning & management for several major opera companies. I guess I'd still be in opera. GIMMIE VAUGHN... To close us up, we figured we'd go back to how this story came about. Well, we had noticed some BPBP products floating around social media about a year ago. We immediately followed their feeds and maybe even suggested a few venues to mock up via email. Not too long after the COVID-19 shutdown occurred (and golf clubs essentially went into lockdown along with everything else), we decided we'd pick a few people or businesses we'd admired and see if we could use our vehicle to gas up their engines. Then we saw this... Getting to spend an hour with Tom has undoubtedly been one of the highlights for us during this situation. We hope you enjoyed learning about his story as much as we enjoyed telling it. We hope we did him, Marvin and their Ballpark Blueprints journey justice! Please don't forget to follow Ballpark Blueprints on your favorite social channels and bookmark their website for that next sports cave addition! Follow Ballpark Blueprints! Instagram | Facebook | Twitter https://ballparkblueprints.com/ EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Use the discount code GOLFCRUSADE at checkout & receive 15% OFF your first order of Ballpark Blueprints! If you missed our first feature on Ben Frotscher, an Iowa native that is closing in on his goal to play every golf course in his home state, then please check it out as well! If you're new to The Golf Crusade, feel free to look around! If you see something of interest, you can send us a note about it or subscribe using the form below. You can also find and follow us on Instagram (@golfcrusade for daily golf content, @strantzfantzclub a feed dedicated to the work of course architect Mike Strantz, or @stadiumcrusade) or on Facebook. Sincerely Fores, Dooner & BMAC The Golf Crusade Here are some other side-by-side samples of a Ballpark Blueprint from Tom's desk next to the actual stadium as seen through our lens. Citi Field - New York Mets (above) Neyland Stadium - University of Tennesee (below) Bryant-Denny Stadium - University of Alabama (above) Bank of America Stadium - Carolina Panthers (below)

Everyone knows the famous exchange between Shoeless Joe Jackson and Ray Kinsella from Kevin Costner's "diamond in the corn field" classic... "Is this Heaven?" "No, it's Iowa!" Field of Dreams put Iowa on the sports landscape in a way never seen prior. In addition to making every grown man that has ever seen it cry, the movie beautifully showcased how balance can be achieved between the wants (recreation) and needs (farming) of the land. A baseball diamond may only take up approximately three acres of fertile land in the Nation's Heartland. A relatively small patch compared to say, a golf course? A small nine hole course would consume at least sixty acres, while most 18-hole tracts consume at least 150-200 acres, often times much more. Those figures make another famous line from the movie even more important when considering the commitment of land resources... "If you build it, they will come." Life-long Iowa resident Ben Frotscher, 36, has certainly followed the eerie whispers of the Ghost of Shoeless Joe. We're not talking about the first part of that quote, rather the part about showing up. And boy did he! He came, he saw, he played... almost every single golf course in the state! At the most recent unscientific tally of golf courses within the borders of the Hawkeye State, there are 396 different courses. Frotscher has played 388 of them. If you include the nineteen more he has played that have since closed, he's teed it up at over 400 courses in his home state! By comparison, the current home states of your Golf Crusaders possess only 351 (South Carolina) and 289 (Tennessee) courses. Surprising? Yes. Impressive? Extremely! In this time of uncertainty, when so many cannot enjoy the game we love (thanks a lot, corona-virus), we felt it was appropriate to shine the spotlight on a few folks whose golf journeys we've admired. It's with that in mind we invited Ben to sit down with us for a little chat about golf in the heartland and what made him want to tackle such a quest (in a relatively short amount of time!). UPDATE: If you haven't already heard, Ben completed his journey in August 2020 by playing the final course on his Iowa list, The Talons of Tuscany! BMAC: To kick us off Ben, how's it feel to be so close to your goal? Ben: I honestly can't believe I'm this close! I'd say I'm almost relieved. Dooner: I'd just be really tired. Studio audience: (roaring laughter) Dooner: When did you get into golf? Who introduced you to the game? Ben: My first round of golf was 25 years ago. My family was in eastern Iowa visiting relatives. My Uncle Jerry, and his son Jake, were going golfing while we were there. They I asked if I wanted to tag along. I’d never golfed before, but my uncle said not to worry because we were going to a course that didn’t care about that kind of stuff. My uncle happened to have a mismatched set of clubs in the garage and off we went to the now closed Credit Island Golf Course in the Quad Cities (the course flooded easily, being situated near the Mississippi River). BMAC: Any memories from that first round that made you want to come back? Ben: I don’t remember much of the round, but I do remember that we were on a par 3 and my tee shot landed on the green, and I wound up making par. I thought, “Well, this isn’t so bad.” And I’ve never given up the sport since. After that first round, I remember getting a few lessons and starting to golf on a regular basis at my local golf course—Gowrie Golf and Country Club, a nine-hole track in north-central Iowa. Dooner: When did golf become an obsession (or choose your own word for it)? Ben: I started to golf on a nearly daily basis while I was in high school. I played on varsity all four years at my small high school in north central Iowa. I think that’s when I really started to enjoy playing courses other than my home course. Dooner: When did you start keeping a list of courses played? Ben: Probably after my first couple years. I can tell you that my first round was in May '96. That first year, I played 162 holes. By the end of year two. it was up to 369. By the time I made it my fifth year, I played 900 holes of golf for the year. I would guess I played five or six areas courses that first year or two. After my first five years or so, there were about 25 Iowa courses on the list. Dooner: Most people (that play a lot of golf) might think they have played 100 courses until they sit down and start making the list. Most would struggle to come up with half that. BMAC: SO TRUE! The list is so important! BMAC: At what point does someone say to themselves, "I'm going to play all the courses in my state"? Ben: I started to throw the idea around while I was in college, more than 15 years ago. During my senior year in high school, I had a really up and down season (scoring wise). I loved golf, but I knew college golf wasn’t in the cards. So, I decided to start playing courses in and around my college town. I would generally stack my class schedule so that I had a free morning or afternoon each semester so that I could have time for golf. My goal—over the past 15 years or so—has to been to play around 20 courses in the state each year. It’s been a slow and steady process, and now entering 2020, I have eight courses left to play. UPDATE: 6/10/20 - After a spring golf trip, Ben now only has ONE course left to play in Iowa! Dooner: As a follower of yours on Instagram, I know you played some really nice rounds out of state too! How many courses have you played overall? Ben: Well, 388 current Iowa courses, plus nineteen more that closed, plus 89 out-of-state (498 total). BMAC: Incredible milestones coming up! Dooner: Iowa doesn't exactly jump to the forefront of people's minds when they think of golf. What's something most people don't know about the Iowa golf scene that they should? Ben: Iowa has a lot of golf courses. Outside of North Dakota, I believe Iowa has the most golf courses per capita. We have a lot of great small-town, nine-hole courses. At best guess - I'd say two-thirds of the courses in the state might be 9-hole courses. State had public money available back in the 1960s to build community recreation (Wikipedia citations needed). We also have some of the most well-known course designers represented around the state. Tom Bendelow probably has his name on the most golf courses in Iowa, including Dubuque Golf and Country Club, Elmwood Country Club (Marshalltown), Fort Dodge Country Club, Mason City Country Club, Ottumwa Country Club, and Sioux City Country Club. Harry Colt and Charles Hugh Alison designed the Davenport Country Club. Willie Dunn, Jr. designed the nine-hole Algona Country Club in northern Iowa. Pete Dye designed both 18-hole courses at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club. Tom Fazio designed Glen Oaks Country Club in West Des Moines. Keith Foster designed The Harvester Club, located 30 min. northeast of Des Moines. Perry Maxwell designed Veenker Memorial Golf Course in Ames. Donald Ross originally designed the Cedar Rapids Country Club. Rees Jones worked on two Iowa golf courses—Grand Falls Casino and Golf Resort in northwest Iowa and Riverside Casino and Golf Resort south of Iowa City. Arnold Palmer designed the Tournament Club of Iowa, Des Moines area (pic below) BMAC: Following that up - do you have a style of course you prefer? Classic vs Modern or Parkland vs Links vs Mountain, etc.? Ben: Classic courses are no problem when the irons are working and putts are falling. BMAC: If that were the case, Dooner wouldn't like classic courses... Dooner: ...Good one Ben: Haha! I'd say I lean more towards links courses. I like the openness and options that they provide. BMAC: Got any favorites? Ben: The Harvester (Iowa) and the set of courses at Streamsong (pictured below @frotsch84). IOWA GOLF TRIP When we retire, there are dreams of owning an RV of some kind, with the goal of taking month long golf trips around the country to play in places we currently cannot. We asked Ben where we should spend a few days when we come to Iowa and where should we play? He came up with such a great itinerary (even though some may be private now - who cares), we wanted to include it in its entirety: Friday 8 a.m. | Spirit Hollow Golf Course—Burlington (pictured above - credit to course) Let’s start your Iowa weekend getaway at the No. 1 public golf course in the state, Spirit Hollow Golf Course near Burlington. It really is one of my favorite courses in the state, in part because the course just feels like it’s always been there (it’s only about three decades old). It’s always well-kept, and it’s at a great price point—around $80 for a round. Also, it’s out in the country and has very few houses on the course—making it great for getting away from it all. Friday 2 p.m. | Davenport Country Club—Davenport Hop back in the car and take an hour drive up to historic Davenport Country Club, originally designed by renowned golf course architects Harry Colt and Charles Hugh Alison. In 2014, the course underwent renovations, and it now looks even better. I played it last year, and it’s a beautiful—yet challenging—course. It honestly may be the hardest course I’ve played in Iowa. If your game is not up to snuff, you’re going to struggle. Saturday 7 a.m. | Cedar Rapids Country Club—Cedar Rapids (pictured above/club credit) Before leaving eastern Iowa, head up to Cedar Rapids and the Cedar Rapids Country Club, a beautiful Donald Ross design (restored by Ron Prichard in 2015) in the heart of the city. There are some great elevation changes throughout the layout. It’s a classic, old school, country club feel. It’s probably one of my favorites within 30 minutes of where I live. Saturday Noon | Stone Creek Golf Club —Williamsburg (pic right/cred to course) It’d be a mistake to come to Iowa and not play a small-town, nine-hole golf course. We have so many great ones, but this one designed by former PGA Tour professional D.A. Weibring is always in great condition. Saturday 3:30 p.m. | The Harvester Club—Rhodes Formerly the No. 1 public course in the state, The Harvester Club went private a couple years ago. Located about 30 minutes northeast of Des Moines, The Harvester Club is a very different country club feel than Davenport Country Club or the Cedar Rapids Country Club. It’s a much more open layout, but it’s equally challenging. Sunday 7:30 a.m. | Des Moines Golf and Country Club—West Des Moines Choose your 18 and off you go on a Pete Dye-designed course. I honestly have a hard time choosing which course I like better. You can always get a taste of both courses & play the Solheim Cup layout from when the club hosted the LPGA version of The Ryder Cup in 2017. Sunday 12:30 p.m. | The Wakonda Club—Des Moines Site of a yearly Champions Tour event, The Wakonda Club is a great old school track overlooking downtown Des Moines. The William Langford-designed, 18-hole course is a classic parkland-style course. It’s a stone’s throw away from the Des Moines International Airport, so it’s a great place to end your weekend in Iowa. NOTE: There is no Black Panther merchandise or paraphernalia sold at Wakonda Club. We at The Golf Crusade feel this is a gross oversight by the club and will not play it until this is rectified. If you don't get that joke, you may be on the wrong website. SPEED ROUND Course most people would say is the best course in Iowa? The Harvester | Keith Foster design (pictured below - credit: www.theharvesterclub.com) Course that is actually the best course in Iowa (your opinion)? Davenport Country Club | Colt & Allison (pictured below - credit: www.davenportcc.com) Most Underrated Course? Cedar Rapids Country Club We're coming in for a Hawkeye football game - where do we play? Riverside Casino Course in Iowa City called Blue Top Ridge (Rees Jones design) University of Iowa's Finkbine Golf Course (Robert B. Harris design) Side note: A newly expanded Kinnick Stadium debuted last fall. Check out this preview written by the guy we're writing about: https://bit.ly/3ccAVeQ Most difficult course to get on was (or still is)? Talons of Tuscany, privately owned in Ankeny by an Iowa businessman. Haven't played it yet - will probably be the last course standing when all said and (almost) done. Best Par 3? Des Moines Golf and Country Club, North Course, No. 12 (above) —horseshoe-shaped green with a bunker in the middle and water in front. From back to front, the green spans almost 100 yards. Best Par 4? No. 16 at Davenport Country Club, dubbed the 'Hole of Grief' because Sam Snead knocked his tee shot into Spencer Creek that runs along the hole, losing his chance of winning The Western Open in 1951 (believed to be the first-ever televised golf tournament). Best Par 5? No. 9 at Davenport Country Club. I still remember playing the hole with three guys I’d never met before and everyone’s reaction was, “Whoa!” Most Unique Golf Course? Ida Grove Golf and Country Club—Ida Grove is known for its castles and castle-like structures in Iowa. The golf course is no different, featuring draw bridge across a creek on the course. Best picture you've taken in Iowa? I hope it’s still yet to come when I finish playing all of the courses later this year. Most Difficult Course? More than a decade ago, I played Fairview Hills Golf Course in Malvern, which is located just southeast of the Omaha/Council Bluffs area. It was a nice small-town golf course with one unique wrinkle—it had AstroTurf greens. You basically had to treat it like a British Open course and bump and run anything onto the green, because my shots were not holding on the fly. I did hear that they tore out the AstroTurf greens a few years ago and built grass greens, so that’s terrific. What is the 'thing' you collect from each course? I have every scorecard of every round I’ve ever played, except for my first round at Credit Island. I also collect golf pencils from the courses I’ve played. Best Scorecard? Here’s a scorecard that has some feels. This was the last round of golf I got to play with my dad (Nicole is my sister). My dad would pass away the following month from a heart attack. Favorite golf destination outside of Iowa? A few years ago, I went on a week long golf trip with my friend, Josh, to Canada and swung into northern Idaho and Montana. Some beautiful golf courses and some mostly good golf! (CRUSADER NOTE: Ben's being modest! We were blown away by this trip. Flew into Calgary, then played Silvertip, Stewart Creek (pictured above) and Banff Springs. THEN... drove to Idaho to play Coeur d'alene and a number of other courses that made us so jealous that we stopped listening and started planning our trip up there!) Once you play out your Iowa roster, what comes next? I’d like to play a round in every state, then a round on every continent that has a golf course. So far, I’ve played golf in 25 states & on three continents (North America, Europe, Asia). This was a ton of fun! We hope you enjoyed reading it as much as we did speaking to Ben and putting this together. We encourage you to give him a follow on Instagram so you can enjoy his own personal Iowa version of The Golf Crusade. While we wish we could go play a course as cool sounding as Talons of Tuscany with him for his final Iowa round, we hope our travels allow us to tee it up with him sometime in the future. We leave you with the vitals from a fellow golf addict and overall good dude. Thanks for reading and stay safe out there! Sincerely Fores, Dooner & BMAC The Golf Crusade THE FROTSCHER FILE NAME: Ben Frotscher (FROT - sure) LIVES: Iowa City, Iowa INSTAGRAM: @frotsch84 OCCUPATION: Writer at the University of Iowa Center for Advancement (fundraising arm for the University) IN THE BAG Driver & Hybrids: Taylor-Made Irons: Nicklaus Flatstick: Bob Toski Mighty Mite II (came with the mixed set used in first round) COURSES PLAYED: 496 BEST ROUND: 74 (+2) at Highland Park in Mason City, Iowa FAVORITE COURSE PLAYED: Pebble Beach NOTE: These courses were on his list at time of original posting but have since been crossed off the list! COURSE LEFT TO PLAY IN IOWA: 1. Talons of Tuscany Golf Club, Ankeny 2. Grand Falls Casino and Golf Resort, Larchwood 3. Willow Creek Golf Course, Le Mars 4. Whispering Creek Golf Club, Sioux City 5. Sun Valley Golf Course, Sioux City 6. Echo Valley Country Club, Norwalk 7. Westpointe Golf Course, Urbandale 8. The Ridge Golf Club, Sioux Center UPDATE - Ben completed his personal Golf Crusade across the state of Iowa in 2020! His final course was in fact the Talons of Tuscany - which he was invited to play in large part due to the attention this article drew to his journey. We are honored that Ben let us share his story with the masses and humbled that it helped get him across the finish line! Congratulations Ben!!!

Sometimes access makes all the difference, it makes it easier for you to enjoy the time set aside for the task at hand. Golf. Ft. Lauderdale may not be the first place that comes to mind for golf - it's usually spring break, the beach or partying - but why not throw golf into that mix. The huge airport, nearby to many cool courses, will have you ready to tee it up within an hour of landing. What we're saying is, you should head south and spend the weekend (or 4 years in Optometry school as it were) and see what else this area has to offer. We had the chance to do just that in the month of January (2019), but found the values to be tremendous and the conditions excellent. Here's what we hit while in town - learn why should do the same if given the chance... Plantation Preserve This course is the epitome of underrated. If TPC Sawgrass and The Old Course at St. Andrews had a baby, Plantation Preserve would be it. Think railroad ties, double greens, pot bunkers, water and undulating fairways. Glad I have your attention. I played this course for the first time late in 2006, a few months after it opened, and it immediately vaulted into my Top Five. We’re now fourteen years on and it has not moved. It’s going to take a serious contender to replace it and I’ll tell you why. Bunkers...although this place is not one large sand trap, it uses its bunkers extremely well and with over thirty pot bunkers, by my count, you may see one while out there. And everyone of them seems to be in the right place (or wrong place depending on your sand game). The first hole, 589 from the tips, kinda sets the tone for the day being a dogleg right with water and 9 traps left and then OB along the range to the right. There is actually a lot of space in between the hazards but the placement of the bunkers really feels like you’re being squeezed around and you’re instantly uncomfortable. It’s perfect...get used to it. If you haven’t guessed by now, I am a glutton for golf punishment. I love forced carries, split fairways and nasty bunkers. This is my Graceland. vonHagge, Smelek & Baril made a beast here and I wish there was more info on who actually pulled the trigger on its design. My guess is vonHagge based on the French course last year for the Ryder Cup and having played The Ridge Club on Cape Cod. There are a few similar themes but I think this takes the cake. Play here. Oh, did I mention they have a super twilight after 3:00pm year round that lets you out for just $45? The top of the top rate this course has (out-of-state, peak season, peak time) is just $99. Chances are excellent you're paying less than that. Lauderhill Golf Course The Cradle (of Pinehurst Resort fame) this is not. However it is only $9 to spin 18 here, $6 for a single pass through its nine holes. That point should really temper your expectations and make you realize what a great value this is. Golf can be annoyingly expensive and seen as a rich man’s game. Places like this exist to prove that point wrong. Lauderhill doesn’t have perfect fit and finish, but few places do. What it does have - that many don’t - is access to anyone. This facility is perfect for the first timer, the veteran and the scratch golfer alike. Golf snobs will turn up their noses at the greens because of the pace and appearance but those dopes won’t be appeased by most ‘good’ greens anyway. What this place represents is an idea that golf can be fun, cheap and a bit messy at times. ‘Fun’ being the key term. A friend recently went to a posh bar in a hotel and was charged over $15 for one drink. Tack on the tip and they spent the equivalent of thirty-six holes at Lauderhill. Tell me which expenditure would incur the most amusement? Golf is hard, especially on a big course. Many times people play the wrong tees and end up hating their afternoon because they made a Roy McAvoyian twelve on the #1 handicap hole. At Lauderhill, most anyone can make a good number out there. The shortest hole is around 50 yards. Lots of people can come close to making a par there. That’s fun. That’s the point. Success in golf is enticing...almost addicting. Why not play an easy course and build confidence the entire time? We wish more of this breed of course existed. We think it would bring more people to the game and make it more fun. Top Golf is taking off...why not a cheap little Par 3 Course? It can give you a better chance at making numbers seen on TV by the pros. Most golfers struggle to make par on a long course, on a Par 3 course that likelihood increases dramatically...and so do your chances of a hole-in-one! Play here. Eagle Trace Golf Club It’s fun to play a course that once held a PGA tournament (it did so under the 'TPC' banner, but is now part of the ClubLink network). However, it’s not fun to realize just how much better the pros are at golf. Eagle Trace gives you the opportunity to make both of those statements a reality. This course, in the Coral Springs area, is a fun track but it’s not for the faint of heart. Water comes into play quite a bit, like fourteen holes quite a bit. Think ‘water left’ on the front and ‘water right’ on the back. Forced carries, pseudo-island greens and railroad ties start to make themselves known throughout the front nine but I think the back nine is where this course shines brightest. The stretch run to the clubhouse (holes #15 through #18, specifically) are not only beautiful, with large open views full of water and wide fairways, but they are also Eagle Trace's toughest - culminating in a 470+ yard par four finisher. I wish I could have seen the scene on Sunday when The Honda Classic was still being held there. The stadium seating full of spectators surrounding 18 would have been magical. For now you’ll just have to imagine what that would have looked and sounded like because those seats tend to be empty when it’s just you and your friends missing 4-footers for 96. Eagle Trace's rates jump around a bit - but don't expect to break the bank. $99 weekday out-of-state rates are common, yet twilight starts drop to $59 or even $39 if you're willing to sleep in. All of this for a former Tour stop!?! With the aforementioned beaches and parties, we think you can fill time. Ultimately where you go for your golf trip depends on weather, price and prestige. We just wanted to make the case for a Ft. Lauderdale area golf trip. It may not be listed by any top magazines but it makes for a great time, has great access and there is some very fun golf to be had. Wishing you a happy golf trip in 2020, BMAC Enjoy some more of the best from our trip! Plantation Preserve - Plantation, FL Eagle Trace - Coral Springs, FL

Hello Friends. ...Man I hope we don't have to pay Jim Nantz for that. Oh the places we've been... For a couple of (nearly) forty year old dudes - each with our own non-golf playing spouses, young kids and careers - getting to play as much golf and as many courses as we do, consider us lucky. We certainly do! We've been on this journey for a long time, but since launching The Golf Crusade just 19 months ago, we've been fortunate enough to have played fifty-six new courses and revisit another couple dozen others. Wonder how we do it? Start a golf site and make the focus playing 1000 courses! No seriously. That's helped a ton. We've met tons of great new friends that support us and fuel the fire to play the long game! It's also helped legitimize some hall passes from the wives in that it's for a purpose... at least that's what we believe. It's also opened our eyes beyond a standard 18-hole round. To play that many places, you sometimes have to take the road less traveled. We'll enjoy a nine or even six hole course as much as we do playing a championship track. It certainly helps the time constraint, especially while on the road traveling. That's not to say we are putting the big boys on the shelf though, so without further a do, we proudly present The Golf Crusade's Best of 2019 Lists, as well as some of the places we look forward to visiting in 2020. Best Replay Best Alternative Golf Facility Best New Public Course Best New Private Course Rapid Fire Round (New Superlatives!) Best Of What's To Come Best Replay This category broke down pretty evenly as to who played what... We each replayed four courses with BMAC adding a 5th that Dooner had previously visited. BMAC had more variety in his plays, so we're yielding this category to him this year. The nominees are... Plantation Preserve - Plantation, FL Yeamans Hall Club - Charleston, SC Laurel Island Links - Kingsland, GA Atlanta National - Milton, GA At first glance, nearly all our of half-dozen loyal readers would probably pick Yeamans Hall in a landslide. However, when you pay the unaccompanied rate for punched greens and top dressed fairways, it tends to slide down the list. Not that it isn't awesome - because it is - it just wasn't the best course we replayed this year. Two Georgia courses were contenders this year. Atlanta National (left desktop/top mobile) was replayed on a much better day than the previous year's visit - which felt more like the Ice Bucket Challenge than a round of golf - so the photos revealed a lot more about the course's challenges and visceral charm. Down on the southern coast, Laurel Island Links is a coastal marshlands Davis Love III muni-design that has you thinking at the turn that its one of the best values in the southeast. However the other half-dozen subscribers may know BMAC's affinity for Plantation Preserve and thus tops this year's BEST REPLAY List. It checks all the boxes for us: hidden gem, value, good price, conditions and shot-making. And as you can see, it's pretty easy on the eyes too! Maybe with the earnings (haha... earnings?) they take home from this win, they can upgrade their website. We know some guys that have some decent photos of the course we'd be happy for you all to use! When in the Ft. Lauderdale area - drop in and thank us later! For now, enjoy a few of the best from an early trip down to South Florida. Best Alternative Golf Facility This is a new category for us in year two. We used 'facility' strategically in the title to make it a catch-all for all things golf not included in a traditional 18-hole course. This incorporates, but is not limited to, short courses, driving ranges, mini-golf, TopGolf, Par-3 Courses, 9-holers and indoor facilities. Our nominees here are... TopGolf - Fort Worth, TX GolfAMPLIFIED - Kingsport, TN Independence (Short) - Midlothian, VA The Cairn at McLemore - Rising Fawn, GA Orchard Trace (Par 3) - Hendersonville, NC The Golf Village - Pineville, NC Lauderhill Golf Course - Lauderhill, FL There were also a couple 9-holers we didn't even mention here. Needless to say, we enjoy experiencing the game in other ways. These are all legit contenders to top the list, but let's trim it down to a few. While TopGolf is cool, they're virtually all the same, so we're going to drop them off. The Golf Village (Dooner) and Lauderhill (BMAC) were nice additions to our roster. Even if the conditions there prohibit them being best in class, it doesn't mean they're not fun as hell and worth a play with lower expectations (because at less than $10 each, they definitely are!). That gets us down to a more manageable four facilities to breakdown. Each is highlighted below with a photo followed by what we (and others) think makes these places so cool! GolfAMPLIFIED - PGA Chris Woods has taken a space that once housed a resort's winery and turned it into one of the hottest & fun entertainment venues in Northeast Tennessee. The welcoming warehouse-esque venue is outfitted with clubfitting services, merchandise, PuttView (pictured above) & Full Swing Simulator (40+ courses from which to choose) tech in their own spaces, plus tons of TVs and tunes to provide good times for lessons, clinics, solo work or private parties (BYOB!). Our good buddy @matthewalawess stopped in for a sample. He promptly added a PuttView to his Christmas list (photo credit to him as well). Independence Golf Club (Short Course) - Midlothian, VA - picked this one up as a warm up to the IRON MAVERICK weekend in Richmond. Cool little 9-hole 'true par-3' course versus a 'short'. The difference makers here were two-fold. 1.) Tom Fazio designed it and is beautifully maintained & 2.) It has THREE cups on each hole, one standard, one 8" junior and one Footgolf located putting surface adjacent. Very cool and inclusive theory that supplements a championship-level Fazio offering in the front of the property. The Cairn at McLemore - Rising Fawn, GA - Bill Bergin & Rees Jones created a new 18th hole when they renovated an old course on Lookout Mountain just south of Chattanooga. It was needed since the old 18th green was to be the site of a new clubhouse (coming in 2020). In doing so, it rendered the corridor leading up to it useless. Bergin laid out a six hole shorty with an open concept, giving you ability to play cross-country or in large groups if desired. Since the course primarily caters to members, this is a dynamite edition with big views to settle some big bets (perhaps?). Orchard Trace Golf Club - Hendersonville, NC - If this course were a beer, it would be Dos Equis. We would be playing the role of the Most Interesting Golfers in the World. It'd go something like this... "We don't get to play golf together often, but when we do, we play all night at Orchard Trace." This is a legit 18-hole par-3 golf course design (even if past its prime). Best of all... it obviously has lights! The conditions could use the benefit of more revenue, but the guy who runs it (and built it) is a treasure. Please support him and Orchard Trace if ever in Western North Carolina! PLEASE! (note: it is a cash-only facility) So who wins? Well, since this is our site and we make the rules, we are declaring the entire foursome of facilities BEST IN CLASS FOR ALTERNATIVE GOLF FACILITIES for 2019. I believe this is where Matt Damon plasters a girl's phone number on the window and says, "How you like 'dem apples?" Here's a further taste of the quartet of the best in the #ALTGOLF realm... And here's Matt following the read at the PuttView at GolfAMPLIFIED: Best New Private How can you not have love for Mike Strantz's only private design? Bulls Bay Golf Club in Awendaw, South Carolina has been on our radar for years, not to mention it resides 22.9 miles from BMAC's front door. Our 'crusade' definitely opened this door for us and it was one we went through humbly. The clubhouse seems to be the main character out there, as it is seen from 15 holes. However that doesn't mean the course itself only plays a supporting role. BMAC states at least 3 holes out there should be on a list of 'best holes in America' (We're looking at you Golf Magazine). Those would be numbers 9, 14 & 18 respectively. Lots of elevation changes and water throughout, this course is truly unique in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. We also give extra style points for the sand cart paths/waste areas. First class views, first class conditions and first class weather make for a truly remarkable experience. As it has been said before, if you get an invite - GO! Fun fact, every year Bulls Bay hosts 'The Hootie at Bulls Bay' for some of the nations top college golfers. This event is open to the public so it is a great way to get out there and see the course for yourself. We did! And while we didn't bump into Darius Rucker, we still got to witness some of the best college players and walk along the hallowed grounds step-for-step. Best New Public We love the fact that some high-end clubs that have attached resorts offer stay-and-play options for non-members. It's a really cool way to experience some amazing courses that most people only dream about. However, we don't consider those true public courses. That asterisk rules out some strong contenders that would otherwise be on some major publication's radars (Linville, McLemore & Lake Toxaway being the three main players). If you follow us regularly, you probably know that really just leaves one course it could possibly be... and this one doesn't need the asterisk! Royal New Kent Golf Club - Mike Strantz's follow up to Caledonia that earned Golf Digest's Best New Upscale Public Course in America in 1996 - now add's The Golf Crusade's Best New Public in 2019. Their marketing hook - "Golf Ireland in Virginia" - is right on the money. Strantz toys with your mind off nearly every tee and the grounds crew has this course on absolute fire just a few months after being resurrected from closure. It's a rock star golf course in every sense. It made for the perfect venue and reason for our first event - THE IRON MAVERICK - this past September. Fifty players from nine states, playing thirty-six holes in four different formats, on one bad ass golf course on one perfect fall day. So good. Do yourself a favor and get there. You can revisit some of the madness and fun that was The Iron Maverick by reading the PREVIEW or the RECAP. If not, just enjoy a little of the greatness that is Royal New Kent! Rapid Fire Round Twenty superlatives that define the Best of the Best of the little things you remember about a course or a trip to the company you keep or meet. Let's go! [Category - Dooner's Pick | BMAC's Pick (followed by photos of each)] Best Opening Hole - Golden Apple (Stephens City, VA) | Royal New Kent Best Par 3 - Linville #9 | Hickory Knob #6 (McCormick, SC) Best Par 4 - Lake Toxaway #2 | Bulls Bay #9 Best Par 5 - Royal New Kent #5 (both) Best Tee Shot - Lake Toxaway #4 | Royal New Kent #14 Best Approach - Achasta #9 (Dahlonega, GA) | Plantation Preserve #9 Best Greens (condition) - Royal New Kent (both) Best Greens (architecture) - Lake Toxaway | Yeamans Hall Club (suckers for square greens) Best Tee Markers - Linville | Bulls Bay Best Clubhouse (view) - Gettysvue (Knoxville, TN) | Bulls Bay Best Cart Paths - McLemore | Bulls Bay Best Hazard - "The Wall" at Linville Land Harbor #17 | Atlanta National #14 Best Risk/Reward - Royal New Kent #2 | White Columns #15 (Milton, GA) Weirdest Thing on Course - Telescopes at Linville Land Harbor (NC) | Bridge & Stairs to Nowhere at Bulls Bay (Astute Ghostbusters fans would know Bill Murray would love these!) Best Beer Cart or Snack Shack - Independence (VA) | Grande Oaks (Caddyshack!!) Best Putting/Practice Green - Clarksburg (WV) | Royal New Kent Best Stairs (follow our friend @golf_stairs on IG) - McLemore | Bulls Bay Best Bridges (follow our friend @golfbridges on IG) - Achasta | Grande Oaks (Davie, FL) | Rivertowne (Mt. Pleasant, SC) Best Finishing Hole (Dooner) - McLemore (arguably the best inland finishing hole in the United States. Disagree? Find us another one more dramatic than this and we'll share it) Best Finishing Hole (BMAC) - Bulls Bay Best Day of Golf - THE IRON MAVERICK at Royal New Kent (Newly minted #7 Course in Virginia - GolfAdvisor.com) Best Of What's To Come Like any with a goal would do, you have to have a to-do list. Some are places we've had on our respective wish lists for quite awhile, others we may have seen driving by and stopped to snap a few pics to marinate on over the winter. True Blue (above) - Pawley's Island, South Carolina Shaftesbury Glen - Conway, South Carolina Stonehouse - Williamsburg, Virginia Spring Creek (above) - Charlottesville, Virginia Chattanooga, Tennessee (Sweetens Cove, Lookout Mountain (pictured), Black Creek Club, Chattanooga G&CC, and about half a dozen more...) Old Toccoa Farm - Blue Ridge, Georgia Highlands, North Carolina - anything there will do - pictured is Highlands CC Iron Maverick II - Stay Tuned (dates & location in early '20)! Thank you for being a part of the journey! If you're ever in our areas, please let us know if you're teeing it up while in town. We love hearing from folks that are travelling somewhere new and need a good reco on where to go. Keep us top of mind - we haven't steered anyone wrong yet! Until the next time... Sincerely Fores, BMAC & Dooner Your Golf Crusaders

While Pinehurst lays claim to being 'The Cradle' for golf in the United States, you'd be mistaken if you thought they brought golf to the United States. A handful of courses or areas call themselves the home of golf in the U.S. (the Westchester area of NY and Oakhurst Links in WV come to mind). So not only is Pinehurst not the birthplace of golf in the U.S., it also can't claim that title it in its own state! Welcome to Linville, North Carolina; a small point on the map tucked away high in the Blue Ridge Mountains. As the natural beauty of the area began to attract more tourists than mine workers, the local inn - which would later become the Eseeola Lodge - built a nine-hole golf course in the early to mid-1890s before adding five more around the turn of the century. Donald Ross showed up in 1924 and laid out the existing 18-hole course a couple blocks down the street. The rest was, as they say, history. That history has lead to the creation of nearly twenty courses over the years, drawing a whose who of golf course design. Names like Ross, Raynor, Banks, Byrd, Cobb, Fazio, Maples, Nicklaus, Palmer, Trevino and Weed have all left their fingerprints on the Linville area. Without question, the Linville name carries a ton of weight. Stands reason why four courses use it in their name. Let's breakdown what's in the name for each of the four... LINVILLE GOLF CLUB As discussed above, you've got to back to the one that started it all. Since there is no one still alive today that would have played the 1892 layout, pardon us if we just go ahead and begin with the existing Donald Ross mountain masterpiece. This course is old world overload - and it is incredible. Because it was built by mule and pan, it has so much character every where you look. And in case you were wondering, yes, the Ross turtle-back greens are just as difficult as you'd expect to find in a work that is as close to an original - or at least the spirit of it - as you'll find anywhere. Most mountain courses built in the golf cart era have taken advantage of that mobility and have been able to spread their courses out over hundreds more acres than the walking-style courses of the Golden Age. This course is certainly the latter - especially when it comes to the short green to tee walks. Not that we walked the course, but just the fact that you could makes us want to come back and do it one day. There are some great golf holes at Linville, but most conversations start with the par-4 third hole. This bunker-less brute is found in nearly every 'best holes' compilation every published. Trying to describe it is like would be akin to a high school art student trying to write a paper to explain a Picasso, so here.... just look for yourself - tee to green. Linville Golf Club appears on nearly every 'best courses you can play' list, though you do have to stay at the Eseeola Lodge to gain access to the otherwise private club. The accommodations there should be up to your liking, but don't expect a Groupon offer to show up anytime soon. It's a great weekend getaway and has a full service spa in addition to tennis, food and all the free fresh air you can breathe in. LINVILLE LAND HARBOR GOLF COURSE Celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2019, Land Harbor came along next in the line of 'Linville' courses. Originally a nine-hole course designed by Tom Jackson, this semi-private club added a second nine opened in 1982. The front nine (original nine) rolls up and down the slopes between trees and an artsy housing development. We'll say the course was designed as a nine-holer for a reason! The back nine is three things: short, targety and dogleggy. True, the more you read that sentence, the more it appears we bastardize the English language. Thankfully, golf has its own language! The furthest shot you can hit in any one direction on the back side is about 180 yards - and that's your opening tee shot on number ten! There were even a couple par fours that played wedge-wedge. Had the course been built in today's age where the number of holes a course has is becoming less traditional (no longer in multiples of nine). The back could play as perhaps a baker's dozen unique par threes with a par four thrown in instead of a 3/6 split on par 3s/4s. It is open to the public, making it is one of the few golf options in the High Country if you're not a member at one of the higher end clubs. It'd be fun to spin at least the front nine. It has some charm and even has two telescopes to sight groups over the hill on a couple tee shots. Yes... Telescopes!!! LINVILLE RIDGE Right after the back nine at Land Harbor opened for play, Linville Ridge Golf Club brought the region's golf to new heights. Originally designed by George Cobb (1983), 'The Ridge' plays 'UP' to its name. While most of the area's courses play in the valleys around 3000'-3500' in elevation, Linville Ridge rises up to nearly 5000 feet above sea level. In fact, the course holds the designation for being the highest in elevation east of the Mississippi River. Simply put, instead of playing in the shadow of Grandfather Mountain, Linville Ridge rises up and shakes hands with the old man! The vistas here are unmatched in the immediate area and are among the best throughout the Appalachians. Bobby Weed refreshed the course in 2007, reshaping the bunkers in a rough-hewn style that fits in line with the rugged landscape. The results were absolutely breathtaking. See for yourself how the property comes alive with an aggressive look to match the terrain it follows. A quick visit to Weed's website uncovered perhaps the best description one could possibly give for this course... "A rollicking, turbo-charged mountain course that gives golfers high-octane views, shots and satisfaction."  - Bobby Weed As much fun as this course is, it all builds towards the show-stopper; the signature par-3 sixteenth hole. Let us first agree on something... If in the unwritten rules of mountain golf, there is not an amendment that clearly states that in order to officially call yourself a true mountain course, the course must come with a 'fall off the world' par-3, then we'd like to propose that one be added to said imaginary rule book. Now that we're all in agreement, this hole drops eleven stories from tee to green. Its not the furthest drop ever - but the backdrop can drop your jaw just as far! Linville Ridge is a private club within a gated community, but national memberships are available. If you're a frequent visitor (with or) without your own place in town, we'd HIGHLY recommend looking at LRGC to see if there is a fit for any of its ten different membership classes. LINVILLE FALLS GOLF CLUB The most recent course to join the Linville Fraternity is Linville Falls Golf Club. Opened in 1995 under the name Blue Ridge Country Club, the course has had its ups and down (and different names) through the years, including a two-and-a-half year shutdown due to catastrophic flooding from back-to-back hurricanes. However, based on recent social media fodder, the course appears to be on solid footing. Linville Falls was designed by Lee Trevino (with a nod to Bruce Devlin) and is a joy to play as it runs out and back through a river valley. There are great views and some very interesting shots that you'll remember long after you're gone (so long as you have pictures to remember them!). The course actually has a town of Marion mailing address. It appears that former owners were attempting to capitalize on the brand value of the Linville name, it doesn't mean the course can't hold its own against its big brothers up the road. This was actually the first of the fraternity that we played, so we're about due for a return trip. Based on what you see during an early season round (at the the then-named Linville Falls Mountain Club back in 2011), we're anxious to see what it might play like these days! It's open to the public - so let us know if you're going, we'll meet you there! UPDATE (2020) - We did make it back to Linville Falls in 2019. It hadn't improved much (if any it had slid backwards) and the staff were about as rude and insulting as we've ever seen or heard at a course. Turns out, we must not have been the only ones offended. The course closed for good at the end of the year. Scratch this one off the list. CONCLUSION The Linville area is home to no less than six of the top 100 courses in the state according to the NC Golf Panel, but should probably contain at least one more. [Editor's note: That list is a bit incomplete and skewed towards classic courses since it does not mention Diamond Creek (consensus top 10 course in state by just about every other publication) or Tobacco Road. The fact that Southern Pines Golf Club ranked TEN SPOTS AHEAD of Tobacco Road in the Top 50 You Can Play list says you might need a bit more diversity on your panel. Nothing against Southern Pines, but come on guys...] In other words, put it on your list of playing destinations. If you don't book a stay at the Eseeola - which we'd recommend doing at least once so you can enjoy the spoils of luxury and of course their fantastic golf asset - there are dozens of Airbnb/Vrbo options in the region at ski and summer destinations like Sugar Mountain and Beech Mountain. Nearby towns of Boone and Blowing Rock are also great places to stay with plenty of charm and things to explore (shopping, dining, hiking, equestrian, college football at Appalachian State, etc). CRUSADER RATINGS Linville Golf Club - 5 STARS (last played 2019) Linville Ridge - 5 STARS (2016) Linville Falls - 3.5 stars (2011) NOW CLOSED Linville Land Harbor - 2.5 stars (2019) Sincerely Fores, Dooner Enjoy more of the best from the Linville foursome of courses... LINVILLE GOLF CLUB LINVILLE RIDGE LINVILLE LAND HARBOR (slideshow toggle < >) LINVILLE FALLS (slideshow toggle < >) Note: Pre-Bermuda Bloom in Spring

Smoky Mountains. Dolly Parton. They are inevitably the first two things that come to mind when I hear the two words, "Gatlinburg, Tennessee". There's more than country music and long-range vistas to keep you occupied, however. There is an endless supply of attractions ranging from go-karts and mini-golf to dinner shows and aquariums, with the plenty of olde-timey Western photo places or Myrtle Beach style T-shirt stores in between. And while there isn't aren't a ton of golf courses here, there are few fun tracks that you can fit into your family vacation, and you don't even have to take the minivan over to the course. Most are within a short Uber ride. So set your alarms early and get that round in one day before you head out for your daily family adventure! We usually profile the area before the golf, but here we'll suggest a place to stay with each course. Without further ado, here are your closest golf choices: Course | City | Architect | Year Opened Gatlinburg | Pigeon Forge | William B. Langford |1955 Seiverville (36 holes) | Seiverville | D.J. DeVictor | River 1994 & Highlands 2011 Bent Creek | Gatlinburg | Gary Player | 1973 Island Pointe (formerly River Islands) | Kodak | Arthur Hills | 1991 Creekside Plantation (9) | Seymour | N/A | 2000 As you can see, golf is not necessarily native to the area. You won't find any classic courses here. In fact, up until about 30 years ago, there were only two courses available for play. Tourism became big business here for two reasons: the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park - the most visited national park in the United States annually - and the 1982 World's Fair in nearby Knoxville. The oldest track you'll find is the geographically challenged Gatlinburg Golf Course in the city of Pigeon Forge. Located very close to Dollywood, it makes it an easy Uber from just about everywhere you'll stay 'commercially' in the area. Normally, I'm a fan of staying in a B&B or a Vrbo rental, but man, the DreamMore Resort Hotel is a five-star stay! Dolly did it right! This place has it all; including the private shuttle with park entry to Dollywood/Splash Country, the AYCE meals, the spa, the pool(s), the family friendly accommodations (some guest rooms have a separate sleeping room - complete with bunk beds - for the kids! Best of all, the cinnamon bread sold at the park is baked fresh in the hotel!! If you don't know about the bread, you haven't lived! Check out some of the excellence that is DreamMore! Back on the course, the William B. Langford course rocks and rolls up and down the hills at the literal foot of the Smoky Mountains. This is a true mountain course if there ever was one, and you know it from the very first shot. Do yourself the favor and try to get the first tee time. The light is tremendous! Langford is probably best known for his work in the upper midwest with his Theodore J. Moreau (Lawsonia Links). They are more Golden Age than modern since the equipment they used (steam shovel) would be out of date with today's measures - or that even of the 1960s. You can see some of that in the land forms created below... No true mountain course is complete without a fall off the world par-3 you say? We'd agree. You won't be disappointed to find what is waiting on the 12th hole... The area is know for its hospitality - so don't be afraid to pair up with someone and make a new friend. I'm certainly glad I was grouped as a single with 3 other guys - all from Dayton, OH. Two of them were buddies, but the other guy being from there was purely coincidence. Wouldn't you know it, my boy Josh and I have become good friends and keep in touch to this day! Bent Creek came along next and was built in quiet and secluded valley due east of Gatlinburg on US Hwy 321. Easily the highest course in feet above sea level in the area - in fact may now be the highest course in terms of elevation in the state of Tennessee (Wiki-style citation needed). Diamond Resorts has many vacation rentals available for those looking for something out of town yet plush with amenities - a nice in between a secluded cabin and an in-town resort. Three-time Masters Champion Gary Player crafted a front nine that hugs a creek in the low spots and a back nine that wind up and down the hills of the National Park. The views are huge in many places - certainly part of the charm and allure of playing golf up here! The Sevierville Golf Club is all about options and convenience. The options aren't just on the course - which features two 18-hole layouts and a first-class practice range. However, the main attraction to the property though isn't even golf! The Wilderness at the Smokies Resort features an indoor water park for the kids. We haven't stayed there, but we also hope there is a fully-stocked bar with top shelf spirits for the parents for those brave enough to bring their kids here! My guess is, they'll need it. Both courses give you some of the river valley and links golf, as well as some holes creeping up the hillside. Each course has one more than the other (the River holds true to the valley except about 3-4 holes with the opposite said for the Highlands loop). Here you can see a blend of both courses as they share a similar look & feel: In what could be one of the most unique inland layouts you'll ever find, Island Pointe Golf Club (the course was formerly known as River Islands - which was about the most appropriately named course of all-time!). You play your first two and last two holes on the north bank of the French Broad River with nine holes on the south side of the river. That leaves five incredibly cool holes playing to & on literal islands in the middle of the river. It's ownership has changed hands a few times, so you'll find mixed reviews out there online. However, if you're playing around here on vacation, you're probably just happy to be on the course, so don't worry too much about it. If you're looking for some shots to remember - this Arthur Hills layout is where you want to play! Places to stay up on this end of the area aren't abundant, so refer back to the aforementioned places above or rent a cabin. Lastly, if you're short on time, give Creekside Plantation a look. Its not your typical nine holer. It's a legit golf course design. It's also flat and very walkable if that's your thing. It's got a fun little links feel and as the second half of the course's true name details, a pretty good practice facility if you just want to work on your game. It's about 15 minutes from Sevierville Golf Club, so if its too crowded there, it's an easy drive over to Creekside. In summary, are you going to schedule a golf trip here? Maybe... You certainly could get a good budget weekend out of it. For high-end resort play, you'd be better suited for that a number of different places, but there good rounds to be had here. Maybe the next time you load up that big SUV for the family vacay, fighting for the trunk space for the golf bag just might be worth it after all! As always, if you need a recommendation on where to play - or you need a fourth - please let us know via the comment box at the bottom of the page! Sincerely Fores, Dooner Enjoy a few of the best of the rest from the area... Gatlinburg Golf Course Bent Creek Golf Village Sevierville Golf Club Island Pointe (formerly River Islands) [winter photos - dormant Bermuda] Creekside Plantation

Chattanooga, Tennessee is about as good a golf town as you'll find in a city it's size. From The Honors Course to Sweetens Cove, from Seth Raynor and Donald Ross to Jack Nicklaus and Gil Hanse, from the 1800s to the 2000s, this city checks about every possible box you'd want to see on the golf spectrum. Well, you can add another box to the list. McLemore - a striking Scottish Highlands-esque layout atop Lookout Mountain - is now open for play following a national grand opening event on October 7th. The course was designed through a unique collaboration between course architects Bill Bergin and Rees Jones and features what will become one of those holes on every golfers’ must-play list. “Hole eighteen may become one of the most photographed holes in the Southeast” -Bill Bergin, ASGCA Who are we to argue? If you're a frequent visitor to The Golf Crusade, you know we take a lot of pictures while we play. I'm not sure I've ever taken more photos of a single hole than I have the 18th at McLemore. If not for a cloudy day and a spoiled sunrise because of it, the shutter count would have been much (MUCH) higher too! The natural beauty and scale of the property is on full display nearly everywhere you look. Course Setting In a word: breathtaking, powerful, diverse, scenic, stunning, memorable, huge... OK, so that's more than a word. It's impossible to narrow down to just one adjective. Owner & developer Duane Horton (Scenic Land Company) comments during a welcome round table discussion speaks to the diversity of the property. "There are more botanicals in this county than there are in any other place in the United States." -Duane Horton Simply put, you have to see in person to understand its power. Even the cart path routing would be a world class luxury hiking or biking trail that dips, dives, climbs and rides the expansive terrain that would probably be a national park if it weren't a golf course. Clubhouse/Pro Shop/Practice Facilities You can't talk about one with the other here. They're all connected and once completed, will form the hub of this expansive 1000-acre site. The pro shop is basically a luxurious tiny house but has an inviting front porch overlooking the pyramids of white golf balls that line the practice range. While views of the neighboring mountains exist from the site now, they'll soon be obstructed by a lodge style clubhouse that will keep most of those views for itself. The site of the clubhouse took the place of the old course's 18th green. It's under construction and scheduled to open next spring/summer. There are even special 'preview' membership options that feature reduced initiation fees if you join prior to the clubhouse being finished. Since the 18th hole was shifted down mountain a ledge, it left a flat patch of fairway without a purpose. That left more than enough room for Bergin to design a six-hole short course for the site. 'The Cairn' Course is so much more than an amenity thanks to its flexibility. Due to the vastness of the main course and the topsy-turvy routing, those looking for a quick round may find their way here instead of playing a few holes or a non-returning nine-hole round. It's the perfect golf playground on which to start or end your day! The Course So much can be said - and will be said - about the new 18th hole. All of it is due. All of it. Seeing photos of it during and after the construction on social media, we hypothesized that it could be the greatest inland finishing hole in the country. Think about it for a second. Sure, Pebble Beach and the Bandon courses are incredible, but they also have the coastline. Harbour Town is amazing, but it also has the marshes, the Intracoastal and the famed lighthouse. Liberty National is a eye-candy overload, but it is also as a coastal feel on New York Harbor, the Manhattan skyline and Lady Liberty herself. Got one? Good. If not, that's ok, here's McLemore's... Imagine if we had some clean skies or a sunrise (which would have come up right over the green!)??? Hard to argue, right? It's not just the view either. It's a stiff test - at give or take 400 yards depending on your choice of six tee box options - complete with an uphill finish and of course the cliff running the enter length of the hole. It's a great hole, but there's more to this course than just one hole. The course is laid out in three distinct sections and styles of hole: cliffs, canyons and highlands. The neat thing about it is you're constantly weaving through them and the variety keeps it interesting. That leads to some long rides between holes, so make sure you get one of those tasty pimento cheese sandwiches before your round or at the snack shack. Again, that's not a bad thing here because of the vast beauty of the area. Personally, I loved the starting trio of holes. Pars play 5-4-3 to begin the day and memorable shot values exist on all of them. The first tee box on the course is marked with '575' plate only, perhaps to deter hacks like yours truly from planting a tee in the ground and firing one down the chute (just kidding, hooked it in the woods). Once you turn the corner to the mild dogleg, your first gift of the day is revealed in the form of an infinity green. Don't. Go. Long! The second is the rare risk-reward par 4, giving you a tough choice on club selection. Either way you play it, there is going to be a 'risk' shot whether or not you're rewarded for it! Take an extra club if you've got the long iron heading into the green. Use the slope behind the green as a backboard - it's better to get stuck up there than the alternative shot! The third is a nice breather hole (they're well-placed all throughout the course too). Short par 3 from an elevated tee just begging for an ace... but probably not yielding many. CRUSADER TIP: Take a peak to the left from your approach to number two to sneak a peak at the retaining wall supporting the green (see below right). Other dynamic holes - many that would be signature holes elsewhere - litter the remainder of the course. - Number six is a par five that will eat your lunch for you. - The par-3 seventh is a scenic beauty with tee boxes built like the terraces at Machu Picchu protruding from the hillside. - The 13th plays as a reverse-Redan and has a definite Jones flavor... - ...while the 15th leans towards Bergin's influence on strategy, bunkering and the chipping area behind the green. Here's an appetizer of those holes running clockwise from top left on your desktop/tablet (or vertically on your phone). However, outside the finisher, the penultimate hole was the one we'd build a course around given the canvas to start from scratch. If the view from the tee doesn't give you an added shot of adrenaline, you're not a fan of mountain golf. These are the shots you dream about. Gently sloped downward towards the cliff from tee to green, the elevated tee shot should have no trouble rolling out to give you a poke at the green in two regardless of your tee selection (569 yards tipped out down to 376 from tee 'VI'). The width of the green-adjacent area is so forgiving you almost have no excuse not to let it rip. Future plans may even call for some tree removal behind the green to maintain the view of the mountains the full length of the hole. We'll have to come back to see that! For now, see for yourself... Conclusion We'd followed the progress of this course since shovel one went in the ground. The renderings and vision for the property were too great to ignore. To see it come to life over the past year plus has been a treat. To play it at all would have been the whipped cream, but to play with the star power brought in for the grand opening was the cherry on top (as you might notice in some rare photos I post of myself, I do enjoy my milkshakes!). Thanks and congratulations go out to all who made this project a reality. We certainly look forward to seeing the course again in the future. And for those that fear they'll never get a chance to play it because it's private, fear not! They have on-site accommodations for stay-and-play golfers! Groups of four to fourteen can stay under one roof, with multiple rentals available to house larger groups. If you're a mountain golfer, it's worth investigating for your next trip. With a gluttony of great golf courses available in the greater Chattanooga region, your Golf Crusade certainly plans on coming back - and (hopefully) quite often. As always, bounce around the site and let us know if you need to know where you should be playing next - in or out of town! Scroll down & enjoy a few more of the best shots from McLemore on Lookout Mountain! Sincerely Fores, Dooner McLemore (Main Course) Round Table & Panel Discussion (click here to watch the video) The Cairn Course (Short Course) Played October 2019 Course numbers 447 and 448 on the Golf Crusade's journey towards 1000.