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.