Just keep golfing, just keep golfing

So its December, I live in New England, and I just played golf today in a short sleeve shirt.  Buh-dah-du-da-dah, Im loving it!  Sorry to rip off the tag line but it was a widely successful campaign. 

The Course:

My pro J. Struebing and I played Franklin Park Golf Course today (www.cityofboston.gov/golf/WJDGC/).  It is the second oldest public golf course in the nation and it is a great place.  It is mostly links style with some really nice holes tucked back in the woods.    

A view across the course, you can see 4 fairways

It is a great design though with really hard greens.  I thought that I was somewhat able to read greens but this course proved me wrong.  It took 18 holes for me to one putt and trust me I had some really close looks before that.  It made for a good challenge though and a fun day.  There were also some great elevation changes with some blind tee and fairway shots (local knowledge required).  I stood on the 6th tee not knowing where we were going and blasted my drive into the 8th fairway, not helpful.  It was a great drive, unfortunately for me in the completely wrong direction. 

From the fairway on 6. I was 100 yards to the left (not in the picture)

The weather was warm (65, you joking me?) and the rain held off for most of the round.  The golf gods were smiling on us because the weather report said rain all day.  It was $35 for 18 walking.  I was a little disapointed in the price.  I would expect a little discount at this point in the season especially given the condition of the course (soaked and doing work).  I will be back next year though.

One last pic from 16, just a well designed fun hole

The Round:

It is always nice playing with Jesse.  He is such a great guy and an even better golf coach.  He is so laid back and great at explaining the cause and effect of a golf swing.  He lets me bother him with all my questions about plane and swing thoughts and always has an answer.  He's awesome.  To have that on the course makes me feel like a true professional.  If only I played like one.  I did not play up to my potential but I dont care because its December and Im still playing golf in short sleeves (happy dance).  I have plenty to work on in the off season but for right now Im just enjoying the nice weather. 

J-bombs played well.  Straight crushing it off the tee and stupid around the greens.  It wasnt a birdie day due to the greens.  Some unfortunate edge burners that will drop for sure next time around.  He did have some nice sandies and up and downs. 

For all you animal lovers dont read this paragraph.  For those of you who hate Canadian Geese then save and publish this paragraph.  On the 15th tee there was a whole flock of geese about 25yds in front of the tee box.  Now normally they would not be in any immediate danger, but not today my friends, oh no.  I ripped a drive low and left off the inside of the club face and one hopped it into the side of the geese.  It made a thump followed by a squawk.  I hate these flying dump trucks so I thought it was hilarious.  Plus arent they supposed to fly south for the winter.  Its their own fault for still being around.  P.S. The goose was fine so dont worry.

The Beer:

I didnt have any beer on the course or any afterwards.  Im sorry If I have let you down.  I did have a nice dust cutter of Jim Beam though (www.jimbeam.com).  For those of you who dont know me, I LOVE JIM BEAM.  Im somewhat sure that bourbon is the cure all  for a lot of things, colds, broken hearts, AIDS.  Im working on a grant to study its effects.  Ill let you know the results. 

I bought a 5th for the course (I didnt drink it all) and then parlayed it into a lovely Manhattan when I got home.  It was delicious.  I promise to have some beers next time.

Final Tally: 

0 birdies and 0 beers.  Came away with a couple of pars and a feeling there is some great golf in the future.  Until then...Burning edges and pounding beverages.

Gobble Gobble

Thanksgiving is hands down my favorite holiday!  You cant beat a holiday where your holiday cheer is measured by how much you can stuff your face.  Trust me Im real good at stuffing my face.  I won a blueberry pie eating contest for both most eaten and messiest in 3min.  I finished the pie, with my hands behind my back, not kidding.  I wish I had a picture of that to show you, you will just have to take my word for it.  Anyhouch back to golf.

The Course:

I played 9 holes today at George Wright golf course in Hyde Park, MA (georgewrightgolfcourse.net).  It is a Donny Ross (my boy) design that was constructed back in the 1930's.  It is an absolute gem and in my professional opinion (I say that very loosely) the best Municipal course in MA.  This course screams Donald Ross.  It has every aspect of what he was all about.  False fronts, blind shots, crazy greens, working with the land, etc. 

From behind the 4th green, you can see the 3rd in the back ground.

You cant even see where the hole goes from the tee.  It is not low and left which is where I went.

If you are only able to get out for 9 try to get on the back.  It is the much better half of the course.  Unfortunately for me I had to play the front.  Not upset in anyway but just not as exciting.  The first two holes are pretty much a waste.  It is about 650yds from the club house to the end of the property and Donny stuck two par 4s in that space, blah.  After that the course picks up though.  The greens were rolling, hmmm, okay.  They had been sanded recently so that is always a mystery for putting but what can you do?  Im still playing golf at the end of November.  Im not going to complain that much. 

The trees at this point dont have much left on them which hurts you in two ways.  One, it isnt very visually stimulating.  Just makes everything feel gray.  Two, there are a bunch of leaves on the ground which makes it difficult to find your ball when you spray it a little.  Now you can look at this as a bonus depending on how much of a helping hand you require.  If you play like me then you walk up to an area somewhat near to where you hit your ball.  Put your hands in your pockets and kick around in the leaves and mumble to your self.  Pretend that there are far to many leaves to find you  ball and take a free drop and play on.  Perfect!

They are running a small fall discount right now (you can almost call them winter specials at this point) but not much which is a little disappointing.  It was $23 I think for 9.  When you consider that I paid $30 on the weekend at Poquoy Brook $23 doesnt look so good.  The course is 5min from my house though so you cant beat the convenience.  If you are a Boston resident they give you a decent discount year round though. 

The Round:

I couldnt find anyone to come out a play so I headed out by myself.  Im not going to pass up 60 degrees and sunny.  Are you kidding me, its almost December!  Im no scientist or politician but I think that Al Gore has it all wrong.  Global Warming kicks ass!  Walking around in short sleeves with the sun shinning down, yes please.  If you figure that the ice caps are going to melt in what 300+ years lets soak up the nice weather while we can.  There will be a nuclear fall out way before the ice caps melt. 

I ended up playing with a nice family.  The son was in college and could crush the ball, a real solid player.  The dad was alright, mostly annoying and thought he was way better than he actually was.  He was clearly trying to keep up with his son and doing a horrible job at it (little too competitive, just let it go dad).  The mom was a good golfer.  Hit it well off the tee and could really keep moving which was a nice surprise. 

I did not play well.  When I played for a fade, it would go straight or hook.  When I tried to draw it, forget it.  I also had a handful of hosel rockets, always a fun surprise when the ball goes shooting off into the woods.  On a Donald Ross course that isnt going to get you anywhere.  My swing is quickly falling apart at the end of the season.  Im okay with it I guess.  I figure I wouldnt usually be playing at this time of year so who cares if Im hitting everything but a straight shot.  Its all bonus time anyways.

The Beer:

They were running a special on Bud products.  $2.75 for anything Bud related which is a good deal.  I didnt take them up on it though.  The bar was empty and I wasnt about to belly up by myself at 2:15 in the afternoon.  That is the path to alcoholism my friends.  Instead I came home and enjoyed a Back in Black by 21st Amendment with my dog (he enjoyed a rubber bone).  You arent an alcoholic if you drink with someone else.

George Wright does have a handful of domestics at the bar but nothing on tap.  Ive reviewed the Back in Black before in another post (birdiesandbeer.blogspot.com/2011/09/butter-brook-gc).  I was just as impressed this time around as I was the last time I had it.  A wonderful brew. 

Final Tally:

0 birdies (Not even a par) and 1 Beer.  Until next time...free drops and lots-o-hops make for a good fall day.

Woopsie

So here is a picture of the course that we were supposed to play...

This is Shining Rock Golf Course in Northbridge, MA (www.shiningrock.com).  My friend Mike and I were supposed to play for $Free.99 but he messed up the reservation.  He set us up for Monday instead of Sunday, an honest mistake (if you are a dumbass) but it didnt get us on the course because they were all booked up.  To Shining Rocks credit they did give us numbers to surrounding courses so that we could still try to get out and enjoy the day.  Big ups to them for trying to help us out.  It is that kind of hospitality that will bring me back even if I have to pay. 

The Course:

So we called around and Sandy Burr was able to take us.  They had a cancellation and we jumped on the opening.  Sandy Burr (www.sandyburr.com) is in Wayland, MA.  I have played this course in the past but when I was much younger.  I grew up in Natick so this course was the best option that was close to my house.  I never got to play it and drink at the same time though so this was a different experience. 

The course is a Donny Ross design (yea I called him Donny, we're tight like that) but I wouldnt call it one of his best.  Dont get me wrong, it is a very nice course and worth a try but you wouldnt play it and automatically think about Donny.  Some false fronts and it works well with the land but there are better designed Ross courses out there.  It is set on the Sudbury river and a word to the wise, dont ever play there after some hard days of rain.  The course turns into a marsh quickly and they usually have to close some holes.  The day we played was nice though with some soft fairways but it is playing very well for the end of the season (minus the punched greeens).  Most of the leaves have fallen off the trees which makes it not as visually appealing as usual but still a nice walk.

They do have some fall rates going on right now ($40 for 18) so go and check it out.  I think they could do a little better on the price given the time of year and the condition of the course but Im always looking for a better bargain.  It isnt long enough where you have to take a cart.  So save yourself a little cake on the cart and apply it to your bar tab. 

The Round:

So the course was nice but the round was HORRIBLE!  I was playing like poop.  I blamed it on not being prepared to play Sandy Burr but the truth is that I just wasnt at my best.  Now I have played like doodie in the past but had a great time doing it.  That was not the case today. 

We were paired up with a couple of Asian guys.  Dont get the wrong idea about me.  Im not a racist or one to stereotype.  I mention that purely for descriptive purposes.  They were terrible golfers!  They would duff it all the way up the fairway and then take their sweet ass time on the green like they were lining up a putt on the 18th at Augusta (only to 3 putt every green, awesome!).  I thought that golf would be a universal language but I was very wrong.  These guys didnt speak a lick of English.  You try to describe "play faster" with hand signals and gestures and see how far you get.  We just got a lot of head nods a smiles.

Mike played well.  He was crushing the ball off the tee and had some difficulty around the green.  His typical game.  We were both so frustrated with the day that by the 16th tee we were ready to go home.  The only thing that made the back 9 tolerable was the two 16 ounce bud heavies at the turn (by two I mean two a piece).  Just an FYI, a sand trap makes a great koozie. 

Im not trying to condone drinking (yes I am) but lets be honest with each other here, it always makes life better.  It makes ugly people better looking, it makes a hard day at work melt away, it makes your nagging mother less annoying, and it makes playing horrible golf with a couple of people you hope to never see again, hmm okay. 

Needless to say I was happy when it was all over.  I did par the last hole which helped as well.  I was more excited to get into the club house and grab a frosty beverage. 

The Beer:

Sandy Burr did not have any cart girls on the course.  Ive come to find out this is customary for this time of year due to the fact that all the college girls go back to school.  I believe that they usually do have on course alcohol assistance during the regular season.  The club house isnt accessible from much of the course.  Realistically only the 1st and 10th are close enough to duck in and grab your libations.  I tell you this so you can plan accordingly.  If I had planned ahead better I would have grabbed more than two at the turn. 

After the round I tried Festbier by Victory Brewing Company (www.victorybeer.com/beers/festbier).

I have had other Victory's in the past at the brew fests that I go to throughout the year and these guys know what they are doing.  Festbier is their Octoberfest and man is it a tasty brew.  Real good hop flavor and a smooth finish.  Hands down one of my favorite Octoberfests and that is saying a lot, trust me.  This is my favorite time of year for beer and I hold companies fall beers to a higher standard.  Victory straight delivers with this brew.  Watch the video on their website.  The beer flavors actually make your brain think you should drink more (now I know why I like octoberfests).  It is a great beer for the fall and early winter.  I will definitely be looking for this in the liquor stores and you should too.  You will not be disappointed. 

Final Tally:

0 birdies (I didnt even have a legit look at one, sad face) 3 beers.  Until next time...A Slice is never Nice unless you are taking down an OctoberFeist.

Peaks and Valleys

It was a perfect afternoon for golf and the Patsies werent on until Sunday night so we had plenty of time to play.  C-Mo and I decided upon Poquoy Brook which is clearly in support of the home team.

The Course:

Poquoy Brook (www.poquoybrook.com) is located in Lakeville, MA just south of Boston and it is a gem of a course.  I dont know where the term Indian Summer comes from, or what its true meaning is but I like it.  If I were Websters (and thank god for the human race that Im not) I would describe it as a period of time in fall that allows Ian to play a ton of golf at a discounted rate in really nice weather.  Thank you Indians.  You can have my wampum at your casinos as long as you keep providing me with late rounds of golf.  Sounds like a fair trade.  Not like my early ancestors that stole America from you.....too soon?

It was only 30 beans to play 18 holes for walking and only an extra 10 beans to take a cart.  That is what I call value my freinds.  First off only $30 to play this course is an absolute steal.  Minus the leaves on the course it was in fantastic shape.  The greens were quick and rolling true and the fairways were still well kept.  It was a little soggy but you cant fault the course for that.  Secondly an extra $10 for a cart is what every course should charge.  I typically dont take a cart because I enjoy the exercise of walking but when I do I CANT STAND paying $20 to utilize something that only cost the course 20 cents to operate (that is not value)

The course had a great mix of all types of holes.  Short, Long, Up, Down with a couple of nice blind shots mixed in.  Most holes are tree lined which I think adds some visual value.  It also gives me an aiming point and landing point for my golf ball (the two are never the same).  There isnt a whole lot of OB and if you tend to spray it a little you can knock it back in your own fairway without losing your golf ball.  OR, if your feeling saucy you can play it up the other persons fairway and hit back into your hole when you have a clear opening.  I might have done that a couple of times.  They do have a nice creek running through the course on some holes and some other added water features.  Overall a very pretty course with a great mix of holes that are very well laid out.

The Round:

I titled the post peaks and valleys because that is how my day went.  I had two birdes to complement my two snowmen.  I had a great lesson the previous week and was obviously able to incorporate it on a couple of holes and then totally lost it on a couple others.  C-Mo and I showed up a little late so we had to skip the first hole.  We decided that we probably would have birdied it, so we gave ourselves par just so it didnt feel like we were cheating.

My front 9 sucked, minus my birdie.  I decided to grab two bloodies (yea I said 2) at the turn to make my second 9 better.  Apparently something clicked because I hit a huge anti-gravity ball off the 10th tee.  I drew a bulls eye to show where it landed, stupid long!

Here is a view back to the tee from where it landed.  Holy Ballz!

I was sporting my new Triple Bogey vanilla golf shirt.  These guys are awesome, check them out (triplebogey.myshopify.com).  They have a great view on the game of golf and an even better product.  Their shirts run in the $15 range and are well worth the money.  It feels like a cotton bed sheet wrapped around your body.  I think that it is made from 800 count Egyptian cotton, just a guesstimate.  It fits well and leaves you plenty of room to swing (and I have a big swing if you know what I mean).

C-Mo played well.  He had a case of the lefts going on but eventually calculated how to play with them for the better part of the round.  Our match ended up even at the end of the day after a bunch of back and forth.  It added some good excitement to the round though.  We played with two randoms and one of them was named Fuk.  He said it was the John Smith of Vietnam.  I think the Vietnamese could have picked a better letter combination for the most common name in their country.  This only prompted C-Mo to make a ton of Austin Power references.  We thought it was hilarious, Fuk didnt share our enthusiasm.

The Beer:

The Brook does not have cart girls (cart people for my PC readers).  They might during the full season but in the middle of fall there was no one out there to quench my thirst.  I tried to get a bloody before we tee'd off but they dont start serving until 11am (thanks a lot Massachusetts).  I tried to drop a couple of dollars to see if that helped establish my own laws but it didnt change a thing.  Like I said earlier I did have two at the turn and they were delicious.  A home grown mix with good spice and a heavy poor.

Poquoy has a good selection of beers and a full bar.

I decided upon a Bass Ale (www.bass.com) after the round.  It was, okay.  I would typically go for the Sams October but at the beginning of the season I said I would try all types of beers to see what is best.  Bass has a good flavor, not enough hops for my liking, and a little more bitter than I typically enjoy.  It just didnt mix right for me with the crisp fall air.  Maybe it is better suited for a mid-summer or early spring round but that judgement will have to wait until next season.  I do love Bass in a black and tan but I didnt have that option.  Maybe next time.

Final Tally:

2 count em 2 Birdies, 1 beer, and 2 bloodies.  Until next time...its peanut butter jelly time.  I racked my brain for an alcohol related phrase but it just wasnt coming to me.  Ill try better next time.

F!

So I didnt get to play golf this weekend because it SNOWED up here in good old New England. 

Thanks Mother Nature you wicked Witch with a B! Dont you worry honey I had no plans to play numerous rounds of golf this fall.  You go ahead and drop that pretty white stuff.  Damn it! Where is Al Gore when you need him with his global warming BS?  The last time it snowed a "measurable amount" was 1979 and it was .2 inches.  We just got 6in where I live and more than a foot in Western MA.  Im no mathematician but by my count we have a 3,000% increase in snow production over a 22 year span.  Global warming?  Really?

If you cant tell by now I dont enjoy the winter season.  I have been self diagnosed with what is called SAD (seasonal affective disorder).  Or what I like to call, I hate snow, I hate shoveling, and I cant play golf so it makes me upset disorder.  Apparently that was too much to fit into a disorder so the people with the PhD's just went with SAD. 

Hopefully this will turn around for the next couple of months and I will be able to get a few more rounds in.  Last year I was able to play past Thanksgiving.  In the mean time at least I was able to make a snowman with my dog. 

All Alone

So I was slotted to play 18 with my buddy.  He bagged out at the last moment (due to a night of heavy drinking, cant be that mad at him) so I played 18 at Ridder Farm all by my onesies.  I almost decided not to play but it was too nice of a day to pass up.

The Course:

Ridder Farm Golf Club is located in East Bridgewater (http://ridderfarm.com/).  It used to be a dairy farm (big surprise there) that was switched to an 18 hole course in 1965.  It is a good course to go to if you are looking for a confidence boost.  It is as wide open as a 15 year old standing on the street corner in China Town.  It isnt terribly long either, which doesnt take away from the course but makes it more fun to play.

The back 9 tightened up a little bit (just to give you a little tickle) which was nice because it really brought out the fall foliage.

There are some nice water features on the course too which bring some risk reward into play.  On this hole the 70 year old guy that I was playing with told me he would call me a pussy (so old school Boston, I loved him like a family member) for the rest of the round if I didnt take my driver out and try to go over the water.

I took his challenge and blasted it over the water on the fairway.  Thank god because it was only the 9th hole and I dont doubt for one second that he would have followed through on his end of the challenge for the rest of the round.

They are running some great fall rates right now, $35 for 18 on Fri/Sat/Sun and even cheaper than that for play during the week.  Unbelievable value for the money!  Go out and play there, you wont be disappointed 

The Round:

So like I said I showed up to the course alone.  Im glad that I did though because it made me realize how special the game of golf is.  There is no other sport, activity, place on earth (especially in the North East) where you are forced to spend 5hrs with 3 complete strangers and with-in 5 minutes you are friends.  I was paired with 2 Irishmen and the old school Boston guy and by the time we were walking down the first fairway we were already telling jokes, complimenting one another, and poking fun at each others games.  These guys were great!  I was asked if I took steroids (more on that later), called a pussy, and was told that I was fukin  unlucky (fucking with an Irish accent) all surrounded by a round of golf.  Sounds like family right?

I brought my new driver out to the course with me.  I purchased a Tour Edge Exotics XLD-LS (http://exoticsgolf.com/), and I now call it my anti-gravity club.  This thing is stupid long!  Its made out of some metal that I cant pronounce.  In fact Im lead to believe that NASA is shutting down because their engineers wanted to work for Tour Exotics instead of the government.  When you hit it the ball travels up in the air and just floats, has a nice conversation with a cloud, and then plops down 300yds later.  Im not kidding.  I hit a drive that landed in the rough, bounced, and still went over 300 beans.  That is when one of the Irish guys told me he was going to make me piss in a cup after the round.  The club also sounds amazing!  Everyone in the world turns their head to see what you are doing when you hit it.  Seriously there was a man in Japan who stopped eating his sushi and pondered what was going on in East Bridgewater.  I tried to get a video so you can hear it but it didnt work out.  Ill try again in the future.

Now most of you are probably saying, who the hell is Tour Edge?  I read about them in one of the golf magazines that I get and I was instantly hooked.  They dont sponsor anyone on tour, meaning they dont pay people to play their clubs.  Therefore, the players dont advertise their company on their body or bag.  But dont be fooled by all that marketing BS.  There are a handful of tour players who use a tour exotics club, one might even be ranked #1 in the world.  I think that speaks volumes about the company.  Get out and try one and I can guarantee that you will want it in your bag.

The rest of the round was up and down.  I played alright and came away with a bunch of pars and no big numbers.  I had some looks at bird but the little bastards are elusive.  Still a fun day and I didnt even drink on the course.  I know that I shouldnt need drinking to make an activity fun but lets be honest, it usually helps.

There was one funny hole.  17 has high tension wires right down the middle of the fairway.  Ive never seen it before.

I dont even know what the ruling is for these.  The hole is a par 5 and I hit my drive to the right side of the fairway (depicted above).  I hit a hybrid over the top the wires and it hit them on the way down.  One of the other guys I was playing with hit a screamer down the middle of the fairway that hit the pole and kicked to the right.  We all just laughed and decided to play our balls as they lied.

The Beer:

So Ridder Farm has a very strict policy on drinking on the course...

Clearly enforced...

So I played by the rules and didnt drink on the course.  We tee'd off at 8am so I didnt want to look like too much of an alcoholic in front of people that I didnt know.  The course does have a very inviting sign when you are done though which I thought was a nice touch...

I decided to take them up on the offer and went over for a Harpoon IPA (http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/).  Now I have had Harpoon in the past but Ive never really drank it while thinking about what I was going to write.  They make a damn good IPA and it was a great beer to have on a crisp fall day after the round.  I was honestly a little surprised at how much I enjoyed it.  I also instantly felt like I should now pay attention to every beer that I drink because I might be missing out.

Harpoon has a great combination of hops that give it a great flavor unlike other IPAs that have so many hops in them it feels like you are getting punched in the face every time you take a sip.  Dont get me wrong, I love IPAs.  I just feel like they get a little out of hand at times.  Harpoon gets it right though and they left me wanting more.  I only had one because I had to get home.  Plus I was drinking by myself and didnt want to look like the lonely drunk at the bar.

Final Tally:

0 Birdies, 1 Beer.  Ridder Farm kicks ass.  Tour Edge is the Truth!  Harpoon is where its at for IPAs.  Until next time...In this cold weather use a Hot Tottie to warm up your Body before you play golf

9 With some Fam

My wife, Bro and I played 9 holes this weekend at Wentworth Hills Golf course.  I played there earlier in the year.  It is still in great shape and beautiful this time of the season

The Course:

I played Wentworth (www.wentworthhillsgc.com) at the beginning of the season with Mikey and DJ G-Ram.  Check out the post on May 16th.  At the time they were in a little bit of trouble and havent had the best of seasons in the past and almost got bought out.  I asked for everyone to give it a go and try to support them and a great course.  If you were one of the many that did I thank you because they are going to be around for another season next year, WOOHOO.  Where else would I play my early and late season?

I love this course and if I lived closer I would be a member because it is such a great value for the money.  It is absolutely beautiful this time of year too with all the foliage.  I will never understand why people drive up to NH, VT, and ME to see leaves change color (put a pillow over my face if I ever become that person).  Just play a round of golf and look up every now and then.

The pic didnt come out that great on my I-Phone (I have to start bringing a real camera).  Trust me there are some great reds and oranges in the distance.  I could have gotten some close up shots but that would show you how bad I am and who wants that.

Wentworth is great at running deals too and it was only 50 clams for the 3 of us to play 9.  I dare you to find a better deal, I DARE YOU!

The Round:

My Bro just moved back from New Zealand a couple of weeks ago.  It is great to have him back in the states and even better to be able to enjoy 9 holes of golf with him and my wifey.  It was really nice out especially for  the middle of October in New England.

I mentioned in an earlier post that my wife and I have been taking lessons.  It was nice to get her out on the course again.  She didnt enjoy the group that started behind us (it makes her nervous).  We let them play through though and it was smooth sailing from there.  She hit some great shots and ended up playing really well.

Than, short for Nathaniel, (how cool is that nick name by the way, what a baller) swings like he could care less about the outcome.  So smooth and care free.  It is really fun to watch and reminds me of Big Ern a little bit. In honor of the fall season he decided to make a Jack-O-Lantern ball which was awesome.

I played pretty well actually.  It helps when you dont officially keep score because there is no pressure to do well.  It also helps if you drink a stiff Bloody to start the round.  Loosens you right up.  I did end up hitting some HUGE drives which always feels good.   Here is a picture from the biggest one of the day on the 9th hole.  I added in a yellow flag so you can tell where the tee box is.

Here is a picture of how close to the green I was afterwards.

30yds out, do you think that I birdied the hole.......NOPE, I suck!  I make a great partner for a scramble though if anyone is offering.  I might have video of our swings to add later, stay tuned.

The Beer:

I have officially let you down.  I had ZERO beers during and after the round.  Im sorry.  I did have that Bloody though.  Wentworth has a home made mix which is fantastic!  I had a Manhattan when I got home.  Im not 75 years old but I do enjoy the drink.  It is a socially acceptable way to get more Bourbon in my blood stream which makes me smile.

I promise to double up on beer consumption the next time I play.

Final Tally:

0 Beers, 0 Birdies.  I had a legit 3 looks at bird but couldnt hole any of them.  I told you I suck.  More beers and less hard drinks next time.  Until then, walking 9 is drinkin time.  Exercise and alcohol at the same time, you cant go wrong.

9 at Harmon with the Doc

I got invited to play 9 holes the Harmon Club with a MD that I work with.  What an amazing place.  It was a windy but fun afternoon with a couple of delicious beverages afterwards.

The Course:

The Harmon Golf Club is located in Rockland, MA (www.harmongolf.com).  This place is AMAZING!  It is a golfers paradise.  If you live anywhere in the area you have to check it out.  They have a full grass range with covered/heated bays so you can hit golf balls year round.  The have a pitch and putt course with all grass tees which is perfectly maintained.  A huge short game area for bunker practice, chipping/putting, and a place to practice side hill lies.  We played the 9 hole course there which is one of the best courses that I have played all year.  To add to the list they have a top of the line gym facility and a great dinning area too with a full bar.  Everyone that knows me knows that I love Norfie.  If I lived any closer to Rockland, I would drop my membership in a heart beat and join Harmon.

I didnt get the chance to take any photos while I was playing.  I was technically having a "meeting" with the MD that I played with so I didnt feel it was appropriate to bust out my camera and snap some photos.  Here is a stock photo of the course though.

The course is all target golf, which I love.  You can take your driver out but you better be accurate with it (who the hell is right?).  There is a water feature on almost every hole which as you can see by the photo is very pretty.  The layout of the course also for the most part makes you play a right to left shot.  You can play a slight cut but no slices allowed.  The greens were phenomenal.  They were rolling at about a 10/11 and keep in mind this is October which is amazing for New England.  I love playing on fast greens though because at least they play true.  You dont feel like you are playing Plinko like most of the other greens in the state at this time of year.

The Round:

I was nervous as hell stepping up to the first tee.  That all went away though when the doc blasted his drive into the trees.  It was at that moment I knew that I was in good company.  Now Im not saying that I piped my drive right down the center but I knew if I was a little wayward with my drives that I wouldnt be laughed at.  It was really windy that day which always makes it interesting.  A knock down shot isnt really in my arsenal so I always have to throw it up in the air and let the wind blow my ball around.  This usually ends up with me yelling at the wind which, like your favorite sports team, never listens.

I didnt play that great on a couple of holes.  I was trying out a new driver that I just could not hit straight.  Everything was going right off the tee and then the wind would take it further right (awesome!).  It was put back in the bag and I played my hybrid for the rest of the day.  I was able to put together a string of 3 pars but had no birdies on the day.  I was putting like the Tiger Woods of old (not like Tiger Woods now, he sucks) which was fun.  The doc played well and was a great about not putting any pressure on the situation.  Just a normal guy who like to get around and play some golf.  We were originally going to play 18 but decided on 9 given the conditions and the fact that beer tastes good.

The Beer:

Harmon has a full bar with a bunch of beers on tap.  They do not have any cart girls due to the short yardage on the course.  The Doc was telling me about one of the houses that abuts (who is impressed by that vocab word) the course.  Apparently during tournaments they have a cooler set up and you just walk up, grab a beer, leave a buck and be on your way.  The course also sets up a bar in the middle of the course which according to the doc pours a heavy bloody.  Now were talking!  That is the kind of tourney that I want to play in.

We decided upon Sams Octoberfest for our after round refreshments (www.samueladams.com).  It is a great beer which went down smooth.  I am a huge fan of Octoberfest beers in general and Sams gets it right.  I has that crisp taste that you want for this time of year.  A light hop flavor and not a whole lot of spice.  They leave that for their winter warmer.  It is a great blend and definitely a beer that you can have multiple glasses of without feeling heavy.  I would highly recommend you try it following a round of fall golf.

Final Tally:


0 Birdies, 2 Beers.  If you can tell Im a fan of Harmon Golf Club.  Seriously get out there and at least take a look around.  While you are there enjoy an Octoberfest, you wont be disappointed.  Until next time, work on your knock down shot while knocking down shots (I hear it helps).

Happy Bday C-mo

It is my friend C-mo's Bday today.  To celebrate we decided to play 18 at Far Corners in Boxford, MA.  It was a fun day with A LOT of frustration, but more on that later.

The Course:

Far Corners is located in Boxford, MA which is about 30-40min outside of Boston (http://www.farcornergolf.com/).  You pass by Merrimack College on the way there and on the way home you pass by the General Lee (no kidding, I almost drove off the road).  We have been thinking about playing this course all summer long but have been driven to other courses for one reason or another.  Im happy that we eventually got here because it is a gem.  27 holes, 3 sets of 9 hole tracks, two of which play into eachother and the last 9 tucked away on the back side of the course.  We originally thought about playing all 27 but that just wasnt in the cards.

The course wasnt in the best of shape but I dont blame it on them.  It has been raining like the tears down my face from watching The Notebook (dont laugh at me Im a sensitive guy) which makes it tough to cut the greens and fairways.  They had also recently punched the greens on the first 9 which made them unpredictable and slow.  I would imagine that the course would play really well if it was groomed to their usual standards.

It is a great track though and is perfect for playing golf this time of year.  There are a lot of trees and it is a very pretty walk to both play golf and enjoy the fall foliage.  If you arent in somewhat reasonable shape I wouldnt recommend walking though.  Im not saying that Im an adonis but I go to the gym 2-3 times/wk and I was winded after walking up the first fairway.  There are a lot of ups and downs on the course but it makes for some great views.

The Round:

My day was a shit show of a beginning.  I had to leave early because our tee time was a 6:42.  We have an 8 month old puppy that I was trying to not wake up so my wifey could sleep in.  I went out to get my keys and much to my surprise they were with my In-Laws in North Attleboro (we do not live anywhere near there).  At first you might think, no problem just take the other car, ladi-dah, go with the flow.  This would be sound logic if my clubs, shoes and rain gear werent locked in my car.  F!  Not to fear C-mo, I would never let a friend down for their Bday round of golf.  I went in my basement and put together a shag bag of clubs that I used to use in 1995, my wifes putter, and shuffled off to the course.  My scoring and ball striking suffered but my fun didnt.

I started off with a couple of pars and thought it was going to be a great day.  It didnt stay that way though and I had some big numbers on my card.  I also did not have any birdies, oh well, life goes on.  We did have a turkey for a four caddie.  Seriously, it led us to our shots down the whole 2nd hole.  I should have taken a picture but I just didnt think of it at the time, my apologies.

C-mo played well and was striping (I originally wrote stripping, he was not getting naked) the ball off the tee.  He was a little left and the trees ate a couple of them but all in all he had a good round.  Both of us suffered on the greens but, as I said before, we blamed it on their poor condition and the water on the course.  Here is a pic of C-mo contemplating which set of trees to put his tee shot into

He put it right down the middle, I chose the Right sided trees.  They looked much more inviting.

The Beer:

Far Corners did not have any cart girls.  I dont know if they condone drinking on the course but the trash barrels certainly said that they did.  They did have a good selection of beers in the club house and a couple on tap.  Wachusett's Country Ale and Shock Top were the selections and we decided to have one of each.  We didnt want one to be jealous of the other, its only fair.

The Wachusett's (http://wachusettbrew.com/) was a great fall beer for after the round.  It is a lightly hoppy ale with good flavor.  It has a crisp finish that leaves you wanting more.  They didnt try to get to fancy with adding  spices which I really appreciate.  I would have definitely had another one but like I said I couldnt play favorites.

Shock Top is a Belgian white (http://www.shocktopbeer.com) and is a great summery beer.  It was nice to finish with because it reminds me of summer even though it was only 60deg out and I was wearing a long sleeve shirt.  It has a good unfiltered flavor but is a little too sweet for me, others love it though (ie my wife).

If I was forced to drink another I would have gone with the Wachusett.  Side note, how amazing would that be if people forced you to drink beer.  Like a little world where you have to chose between being shot or drinking a beer.  I would choose the beer 10/10 times.

Final Tally:

0 Birdies, 2 Beers.  I cant wait to play the course again with my real clubs.  If you have the chance get out there too.  Until next time keep Drinking and Driving . . . . . it long!

Butter Brook GC

My friends C-mo, Baggy, a new character Andy Pants and myself decided to go out and play 18 at Butter Brook in Westford, MA.  The day was perfect and filled with our usual activities.

The Course:

It isnt Butter Nut, it isnt Brook Meadow, its Butter Brook.  A great 18 hole track located in Westford, MA (http://www.butterbrookgc.com/).  It opened its first 9 holes in 2004 and then opened the final 9 holes to the public in 2007.  It is located on a former pig farm (I think) and it can definitely smell that way if the weather is warm enough and the wind is blowing in the right direction.  It is very well maintained though so dont get the wrong idea. 

I think that the front nine are carved well through the surrounding trees and the Butter Brook, hence the name.

The back nine gives you a wide open meadow feeling with well placed waste bunkers and water features.

I really liked the course.  I have played it before and was happy to return.  The course provides a lot of good challenges.  I think that it can play a little to much like driver - wedge (which I dont like).  You do have to be accurate though, otherwise you are going to get a close up look at the green from behind a big ass tree (I know from personal experience).  It can get a little pricey on the weekends, 78 beans with a cart which they require.  Not a great value, but not overly priced either. 
 
The Round:

I had an awesome time playing with these guys!  Andy was a great addition to the foursome.  He is not a good golfer at all but he is okay with that.  He is very understanding though and doesnt try to slow anyone down.  Plus it gave me a buddy to smoke cigars with (CAO's delicious).  He was also a great cart partner and kept me laughing throughout the whole round.

Baggy and C-mo played well.  C-mo was getting a little frustrated at the beginning of the round due to a case of the lefts.  He was able to straighten it out though along with his attitude.  I didnt play that well due to the fact that I wasnt really paying attention, due to the fact that I was just straight chillin with Andy and having a blast doing it.  I did find a pink ball in the woods though and decided to play 2 holes with it (not kidding, I have proof).

C-Mo did put me back on track though and I was able to have a couple of pars and a birdie (almost eagle) before the drinks and laughter got the better of me.  I did play the 9th hole in a different fashion than most.  Here is a re-cap.  It was a long par 5

I blocked my drive into the adjacent fairway (not out of the ordinary yet).  I didnt have a good shot to go back into the 9th fairway so I decided to go through the trees back up to the 3rd tee box.  The 3rd was such a nice hole I decided to play over that way again.  My 3rd shot was about 175yds through another set of trees and over a small waste area.  I was nervous as hell though because there was a group on the tee box so I had a little gallery.  I tried to wait for them to hit to be polite but they wanted to see if I could pull it off.  So I closed my eyes and swung and it landed right on the green.  I felt like a professional, I even got a little golf clap from the gallery.  Ended up with a par.  Easily the best hole of the day.

The Beers:

Andy Pants brought some delicious craft beers from 21st Amendment.  One was called "Back in Black" (http://21st-amendment.com/beer/back-in-black). 

It is like a mix between an IPA and a Guinness and all delicious.  It was surprisingly good on the golf course.  Smooth flavor with a nice mix of hops.  The other one was called "Hop Crisis" (http://21st-amendment.com/beer/hop-crisis).  It is ofcourse an IPA but not an overly hoppy IPA.  I was very timid when taking my first sip, expecting the hops to come out like a group of green army men and punch me in the face.  To my surprise it wasnt that way.  The hops were mixed well and the beer had a GREAT flavor without too much kick in the pants.  Usually I wouldnt think that such full bodied beers would be appropriate but if I were given the chance to drink them again in the same situation I wouldnt say no.  Good job 21st Amendment.

I also drank it out of my coffee cup (no Panera does not serve beer now) because I didnt want to break any rules.  Butter Brook does have a cart girl but I didnt need her because I had my cart Andy.  After the round we went to the club house for a drink.  Since we had beers on the course I decided on a John Daly.  The shack did have your regular mix of domestics and imported.  Nothing out of the ordinary which is always a little dissapointing to me. 

Final Tally:

1 Birdie, 3 Beers.  It was a beautiful day with new beers and new friends to play with.  What more could you ask for.  Until the next round stay out of the bunkers and keep getting drunkers.

9 with my Wifey

I told you in the last post that I have been taking regular lessons.  What I didnt tell you is that my smoking hot wife has been taking them too.  She is really turning into a good golfer and have little doubt if she keeps up with it will be better than me some day (that isnt saying much).  As a side note we take our lessons at MIT (oh yeah were pretty much the smartest people you know) from Jesse Struebing (jstruebs@gmail.com).  He is the man!  If you are in the area and need lessons he is the one to go to.  Tell him I sent you.  We decided to go out and showcase her skills at Norfolk GC.

The Course:

We decided to go out and play Norfie late on a Saturday because there is no one around.  Emily still suffers from the typical starting golfers Psyche.  She thinks that everyone is watching her swing and everyone cares about what she does.  I am working on assuring her that no one cares about how she plays golf as long as she doesnt slow down play.  I have also told her that no one watching her, especially a guy, is focused on her swing.

Norfie is in mid-season shape and it was a ghost town.  Perfect for a nice casual 9 with drinks, cigars and good times.

The Round:

Most old timers at Norfie tell me Im crazy to get my wife into the game.  "Why would you ever want her to play with you?"  They are all divorced at least once if not twice.  A great source for sound advice on marriage.  The way I see it is 1) I do love my wife and enjoy spending time with her 2) If she wants to play more golf then I get to play more golf.  1+2=Ian winning!

We took a cart because it comes with a cooler attached to it.  Carrying 6 beers in your golf bag is torture.  We also had some nice cigars to smoke while out on the course.  Oh yes, I said WE. 

Em played well with a mix of great shots and some duffs.  To be expected when first starting out.  She was crushing it off the tee and is working on her game around the green.  I played okay but wasnt really focused on my game.  I was just making sure that Em had a good time so that she would want to come back again.  I think that my goal was achieved.

The Beers:

Our cooler on wheels stayed well stocked throughout the 9 holes.  We started with 6 (3 Coors for me, 3 Millie Lights for Em) and had to pull in for a pit stop coming up the 5th fairway to fill the tank.  It was nice playing a little slower than usual because we got to enjoy our time and drink some more beers than would have typically been consumed.  That coupled with the cigars made for a great afternoon/evening on the course.

Afterwards we went up to the club house porch for a night cap.  I had a vodka and tonic and Em had a G&T.  Amanda is the #1 bar tender at the club and makes a stiff drink.  Given all the beers we consumed on the course one Amanda drink was all we needed.  They were delicious though and a great way to end a fun day.

Final Tally:

Birdies - ?, I told you I wasnt paying attention to my game. Beers - 5 with a night cap.  Until next time Tee it high and drink it dry.

Cyprian with some friends

This represents how I played golf this past weekend.  My friends C-mo, Baggy, Ron and myself played a round at Cyprian Keys in Boylston, MA.  It was a beautiful course with great friends filled with bad golf (all by yours truly).

The Course:

Cyprian Keys (http://www.cypriankeyes.com/Club/Scripts/Home/home.asp) is located in Boylston, MA, about 15min northeast of Worcester.  It is a beautiful course cut through the trees and super challenging.  It plays mostly like a target golf type of course.  It twists and turns with a lot of dog legs.  It is definitely one of those courses that requires you to use all the clubs in your bag, which I love!  I only used my driver on about 6 holes.  I probably should have only used it on 2 but who doesnt like to go for it?

Most fairways are narrow with danger and OB lurking beyond the trees.  The first hole is a 150yd carry to a 70deg right hand turn in the fairway just to give you an idea of what you are up against.  There isnt much water which I think the course could use a little more of.  Not to add more challenge, trust me it doesnt need that, but just for aesthetic reasons.  The greens were in great shape (maybe a touch slow due to the rain we got the day before) and they had a lot of dynamic to them with mounds and ridges.  When you finally got to the green your job was far from over.

Dont get me wrong.  Im not trying to steer you away from playing this course.  I thought it was a great track and I'm dying to play it again.  I just want to give an accurate description of what you are up against.  The best part is if you want to make some smores in the middle of your round they have a fireplace available.  Either that or you can burn your golf clubs depending on the day you are having.  The choice is yours.

The Round:

As I stated earlier it wasnt my best effort.  I have been taking regular lessons, which are great, but I took one two days before I played and didnt have time to incorporate it into my game.  If the goal of golf is to see as much of the course as you can then I was the clear winner.  The woods at Cyprian offer a great view of the well groomed fairways and the bunkers give you an optimal line of sight to read your putts.  I was all over the place, losing balls left and right on a fast track to a 98.  Ouch!  I did have a couple of good holes but more double and triple bogeys than I would care to mention.

Baggie and C-mo played great! 81 and 83 respectively.  Bag had 3 birdes and C-mo was a par machine.  He tripled the first hole and still shot an 83.  Ron was a good golfer too and a really fun guy to play with.  He is friends with the other two from college so I knew he would be a good addition to the team.  Ron did some searching in the woods like I did.  I was happy to have a friend to commiserate with.

The Beer:

Bag and I brought our usual fruity pebbles to tide us over before we reached the beer shack.

Just in case you were wondering you are not allowed to do any art on this area of the course.  It is clearly marked.  The shack carried the usual domestics with a Corona and Heineken mixed in.  Margaret was there to help and was a lovely woman with sound advice.  If you purchase a Bud Light draft it is only $3.75 and 16 ounces vs. any other beer in a can which was $4.50 and only 12 ounces.  Guess what we went with.  Bud Lights all around.  The only downside was that they were in plastic cups and we tried to cover them.  It forced you to drink a little faster than you would usually.  We didnt want to do it but the container forced us to drink, that is what we told ourselves at least.  The other great design on this course was that you pass the shack 3 times.  The designer of the course clearly thought the same way that I do.  Nice job buddy.

After the round C-mo, Baggy and I went in for a beverage.  The restaurant at Cyprian has a great selection of draft and bottles.  Bag and I had the Wachusett Summer Ale (http://www.wachusettbrew.com/).

I thought it was a great selection following a hot day on the course.  Good taste with an orange flavor to it.  It has more of a citrus flavor than other summers that I have had but I enjoyed it given the setting.  I dont think I could drink many more that 2 but my doctor tells me that is bad for me anyways.  Chris decided on a Guinness.

I tried to get a picture of the water falling legs but it didnt come out that great.  I personally wouldnt select a Guinness after playing golf because it is a little to thick for me.  C-mo enjoyed it greatly.  They poured it a little quick and the Irish would have been pissed but it was fresh and delicious anyways.

Final Tally:

0 Birdes and 4 Beers.  I loved the course and want to get back out there again to prove to myself that Im a better golfer than this.  Dont ever let a course get the better of you.  Until next time keep swinging and keep swigging.

Soaked!

My friends C-mo, Bag, Jake and I played at Black Swan on Sunday.  The weather said it was going to rain in the morning and then clear up a little and then a "possibility" of thunder storms in the afternoon.  They were SO wrong, hence the title to this post.

The Course:

Black Swan is located in Georgetown, MA (www.blackswancountryclub.com).  It was previously Georgetown Country Club and was private.  What a great track!  It is still very well maintained and plays like a private course.  It requires you to use all the clubs in your bag and all the thoughts that you have up in your cabeza good or bad.  There is a lot of risk/reward types of shots which in my opinion make a course that much better.  "Can I carry that 260yd stream?"  The answer is no but I sure do want to give it a go. 

If you are ever in the area or looking for a great place to play North of the city give Black Swan a go.  You will have to call in advance for the weekends to be able to get out.  The course fills up quickly which is a sign of how good it is.

The Round:

So in weather person lingo (I want to remain PC) "rain in the AM with a clearing in the afternoon" means steady down pour all day long.  What a great job where you can be wrong 60% of the time and still keep your job.  Could you imagine being dead wrong at your job 60% of the time and have your boss think "Wow Mr. Smith is really killing it today."  Amazing!

We were originally supposed to play Far Corners in Boxford.  Due to the rain Black Swan had a lot of cancellations and we were able to play the better course.  We tried to call in the AM to try to get on Black Swan and the woman on the phone told us we couldnt.  We just drove there anyways and were one of 3 groups on the whole course.  We showed her...not really.

I wasnt completely prepared for the rain.  I wore some rain pants and a rain resistant (code for doesnt stop rain) jacket.  By the end of the 1st hole I was soaked through.  It would have been better for us to play in board shorts and no shirts.  The upside of the rain was that it forced me to purchase a new FJ rain jacket and rain gloves.  Worth every penny and trust me I spent a lot of pennies.  I think that the rain jacket was treated with RainX because the rain had no chance against this jacket.  Every single drop beaded off.  The gloves were awesome too.  With every increase in rain the grip only got better.  Im sure the purchases led to my back 9 score being 3 strokes less than my front 9. 

We decided upon a friendly match for the day just to make it interesting.  It was C-mo and Baggy against Jake and I.  Jake and C-mo played straight up and Bag gave me 4 strokes.  Everyone was playing their normal game.  Bag wasnt playing as well as he usually does but neither was Jake so it was fairly even.  It came down to the 18th hole.  The bad guys were up by 2 strokes.  Jake got his par and I ended up chipping in for a bird to even everything up.  It was a great way to end the day.  We thought about going back to 18 and playing a play off hole but decided to just go to the 19th and celebrate our tie. 

The Beers:

Bag and I both brought a little fruity pebbles.  If you dont know what fruity pebbles is then you need to go back and read the past posts.  At the turn after I made my new purchases we decided to grab a couple of beers for the rest of the round.  Black Swan provides you with beer buckets!!!  That is reason alone to go and play this course.  We went with the usual domestic Bud, Bud Light, and Miller light.  It was nice to be driving around in a cart with a beer bucket between my feet.  We almost lost it a couple of times due to some quick corners dukes of hazard style but Jake was able to save it. 

After the round at the 19th I had a Sammy Summah and the other boys stuck with the domestic.  It was a really fun day and we didnt let the rain ruin our good times.  If anything it made it that much better.  I have never really played in the rain before but now that Im prepared I cant wait to do it again.

As a side note I apologize for no pictures.  I use my Iphone and didnt want it to get too wet.  I also apologize for the delay in posts.  I havent really played many different courses so I didnt want to keep posting about the same places. 

Final Tally: 

1 Birdie 4 Beers, see you next time

18 at Presidents

Let me start off with a sincere apology for the delay between posts.  We have been getting a ton of rain and I have been dealing with finishing our kitchen remodel.  That has lead to me not being able to play a lot of golf.  It has lead to a bunch of drinking opportunities but this blog isnt about my drinking habits.

The Course:

My friend Jake and I played 18 at President Golf Club in Quincy, MA (http://www.presidentsgc.com/golf/proto/presidentsgc/).  It is a great course with a beautiful lay out.  I would suggest if you plan on playing get directions from the course not from Google.  Google brought us to the backside of the course that was fenced in with barbed wire (it is Quincy).  Needless to say we were not about to throw our clubs over the fence and walk to the club house. 

The course has a lot of ups and downs with some real nice views in the distance of Boston.  You have to look past a highway and a rainbow water tower but Boston is there somewhere.

If you arent in the best of shape then take a cart.  I like to consider myself to be in somewhat decent shape, I mean I walk my dog.  If I had to play it again I would consider the cart though.  

The course has a good mix of distances and hole designs.  If you are going to use the big stick you better be accurate.  If you want to play smart (who ever wants to do that) then you can use most clubs in you bag.  It does require some local knowledge for distances though.  A perfect example of this is the par 5 15th.  It is about 500yds but only about 320 over the lake from an elevated tee.  I decided to go for it knowing I would never reach.  I just wanted to check though.  I was right I cant hit it 320 on the fly and then spin it back.  Good to know.

The Round:

Im not one to brag, okay yes I am, I had the best round of my life!!!  I shot an 83 and it felt like I won the PGA Championship.  I was able to putt out of my mind and that really kept the numbers down.  I know they say drive for show and putt for dough.  I just never believed it because I love to smash a drive.  I could care less if I 3 putted after a 300yd drive.

Enough about me though.  Jake and I played super early.  Our tee time was 6:14.  I didnt even know that was possible on most courses.  I left my house so early the traffic lights werent even on yet.  The only good part about getting out so early is that we were the first ones out (big surprise) and we were done in about three and a half hours. 

We played with two guys we didnt know.  One of their names was Camile and was a guy.  I guess it is foreign but I kept calling him Camillo Villegas.  He didnt play or look like Camillo but I think that he liked the nickname.  He also played with two gloves which unless you are playing in the rain or Tommy Gainey it is a big no-no.  The other guy was just as bad but didnt have a funny name so he didnt entertain me as much as Camillo. 

The Beer:

Jake and I had Bloody Mary's at the turn.  I know what you are thinking.  Tee off at 6:14, round only took 3 or so hours, A+B=C.  Yeah it was 8am!  Dont judge me!  There was tomato juice in there and pepper.  Practically an omelet in a glass with vodka.  Plus look at how pretty the look in the morning sunshine.  How do you say no to that?

They were delicious.  Bloddy's are quickly becoming a favorite of mine when playing an early round.  Jake said that he didnt want anything when I went in to get mine but I knew that he was lying.  Plus it is illegal to let a fellow golfer drink alone (look it up, practically an amendment to the constitution). 

After the round I decided upon a Sam Summer (http://www.samueladams.com/enjoy-our-beer/beer-detail.aspx?id=8f502ab9-ac04-4799-a24e-ad4144ff5a27).  I thought it was a good choice following a nice round of golf on a warmer summer day.  I usually think that their summer is a little too spicy for a true summer beer.  Maybe it is their "grains of paradise."  What the hell is that anyways?  It is probably just some form of sprouts that Jim Koch decided to rename so it sounded more illusive.  I dont think they would have as much sales success with "summer sprouts." 

I only planned on having one but Camillo's playing friend (Andy I think) bought us a round.  Im too much of a gentleman to say no to such a nice gesture. 

After that we headed on home.  It was a great day with a great friend and I cant wait to play there again.  Later that night Em and I went to the American Craft Beer Festival.  Over 100 brewers and 600 beers.  I was a happy boy!