Starting tomorrow, the A Walk in the Park public golf travel team will being playing eight consecutive great western US public golf values by more than four preeminent architects. There will be interviews as well. Stunning settings, brilliant strategic designs and an unbeatable price will...
The public golf value airplane is fueled up and on the runway, which means Tour Journal reports from around the U.S.A opn some of the best public golf values. This fall we will visit New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada, Cali, Texas and The Midwest. There will also be interviews with golf...
Pine Needles Resort, Pinehurst, NC Par 72 Architect – Donald Ross, restoration by John Fought Excitement Level – 8/12 Difficulty 5/12 Cost – $95 in high season, many half price packages available Conditioning – Four Stars Value – Four and One-half stars...
ATUNYOTE GOLF CLUB (Turning Stone casino)Architect: Tom Fazio Par 72 Excitement Level – 5/12 Difficulty – 7/12 Cost – $175, no reduced rates Design – Two and 1/2 stars (all ratings out of seven) Natural Setting – Two and 1/2 stars Conditioning – 6 stars...
JF: Tiger, Phil, Ernie and Vijay all challenge each other to a one hole, winner take all televised $1 Million Shootout. What public hole of yours will you take them to play? Silva: #17 at Red Tail. It’s tough to pick your line and it would tempt those long hitters to try to drive...
First things first: here’s the poll question: Bulle Rock or Beechtree? Its time for a side by side taste test of Maryland heavyweights. Like two champion prize fighters trading haymakers, Tom Doak’s classic and beautiful minimalist design at Beechtree slugs it out admirably...
I am happy to announce I have joined the outstanding golf writing team at Golf Observer. Golf Observer is one of the world’s leading golf information sites and golf writing cadres. It features great writers and scholars such as Geoff Shackelford, Sal Johnson, Billy Casper, Frank...
Onomatopoeia (noun) – a literary device in which words are used as an imitation of the sounds to which they refer. E.g. “zoom” and “bang.” sarcasm (noun) – another of my favorite literary devices. Too many rules and red pens lead to the suppression or...
Geoff Shackelford is building the new Prairie Club near Valentine, Nebraska. Geoff writes the following on his website: “The design will mark a reunion of the Rustic Canyon team, headed by Gil Hanse with support from Geoff Shackelford and Jim Wagner. The private club and retreat is...
Scotland can be conveniently divided into four parts by the discerning golf traveler. First, there is the St. Andrew’s area which occupies the middle one-third latitudes of Scotland on the eastern half of the country. The will be plenty of coverage at this site and at my future site...
The year was 1985 – perhaps the most uninspiring US Open of our generation. An unknown Taiwanese named T.C.Chen had dominated the leader board at Oakland Hills for three days and had a five shot lead four holes into Sunday. Then disaster struck. Deep in greenside rough at the fifth...
Early yesterday afternoon, I conversed with Tim McD and publisher Robert Lewis about the strong feelings I’ve been having that Travel Golf’s role in my career had run it’s course and that I’d like to part ways and move to my new golf writing team while it was still...
Yesterday I told the Travel Golf team thanks so much for all their input and support but I was moving on to a different site and magazine with other, full fledged golf writers. Actually it’s TWO new sites with golf writers and sportswriters you all know and like. The detailed...
All year a debate has raged among the best golf writers in the world – is Tom Fazio in a slump? Golf Digest’s Ron Whitten wrote in the May 2005 issue, “Is Tom Fazio good for the game? Golf’s leading designer is beloved by many, yet his courses have lifted...
I have made some changes I like to two pieces. First, the first part of the Brian Silva interview is here. I love it. I got to use the word “pterodactyl” in a sentence – that was fun. Let’s see you do that. And I dont mean something flippant like “so and so...
Share the joy with me! I just found out I will get my first gold record. It’s Bowling For Soup. www.bowlingforsoup.com
Jay and the plaque from his desk in the media tent, Jen Maples and Darren from Ohio, 2005 U.S. Open, Pinehurst No. 2.
The post round interview with Retief that was broadcast on GolfChannel features three of my questions. Here are my snippets: JF: retief with all the chipping areas and collection areas and the variety of chip shots you have to hit around the greens and with the three excellent days you...
JF: Do you think that with all the varied recovery shots you have to play here – bump and run here, pitch and check there, putt from off the green somewhere else – that Pinehurst has helped you when it comes time for St. Andrew’s? FF: Yeah. It sure doesn’t hurt...
My interview with Lee, where he discusses both Pinehurst and Baltusrol, site of his 1993 U.S. Open victory and site of this year’s PGA is below. JF: Lee, the PGA returns to baltusrol, sight of your 1993 Open victory. What can you tell us about the architectural design features that...
As I pulled into the parking lot today, the license plate of the car in front of me read “ALL PARZ.” That is the order of the day. Damage control. Grinding. A great golf course is really a puzzle. The key is to figure out a game plan and execute it. One of the greatest blights...
While covering the 2005 U.S. Open for Travel Golf Magazine, I kept an open mind all week as the world debate raged on whether $375 is too much for a round of golf at Pinehurst No. 2, or whether $240 is too much for Nos. 4, 7, and 8. I listened to the good points raised on either side...
As we walked in the gate, everyone received a brass pin with the outlined image of Payne in his now famous victory pose. Look for them on the broadcast. One other note. Pardon me while I dislocate my own shoulder patting myself on the back, but in the last year I have been to Pebble...
Retief Goosen has shared or held the lead after the third round three times previously and walked away with two majors. He led the 2001 and 2004 US Open after three rounds and won both. He was tied with Eldrick T. Woods after three rounds of the 2002 Masters, but lost to Woods. In other...
The caddies are concerned about the devilish pin placements for Sunday. “They are evil” one remarked. “Most are four or five paces from the fringe. They are not the most accessible.” When asked if players, when faced with difficult chips might play to a point five...
Lee Westwood agreed with Phil Mickelson’s Friday observations after his +3 73 left him six back of leader retief Goosen. “You have to be very defensive out there, you can’t charge your putts. It’s very difficult. If you miss the green, sometimes you have to treat...
Trip expert Jen maples and her architect dad, Dan, a third generation of Pinehurst area designers. His dad did No. 5 and his grandfather shaped No 2. among others.
Jay and fourth generation architect Brad maples. The apple is close to the tree, luckily for golf.
Surprise, Jay. Yo, Yo, Yo…rollin in the architect’s mad wheels.