Check out this great interview with Jim Venetos a world-renowned golf instructor teaching a unique swing methodology. Listen to Jim and learn how to build a consistent, repeatable swing that will have you scoring lower from day 1! Listeners can see the swing in action on Jim’s YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/jimvenetosgolf
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1. Who are you and where are you?
Fred and Melissa Fahrenbruch- Southeast Region (Georgia)
2. Where is your favorite place to play golf?
We love our home course, The Georgia Club! Our other favorite courses are Harbour Town, Country Club of Hilton Head and Orange County National.
3. Which is your go-to OnCore ball and color?
Both of us love the OnCore VERO X1 in White!
4. Tell us why you stay with OnCore as your golf ball?
Melissa: "I love how the ball comes off the club and I have more control with my iron game".
Fred: "I get the distance I need, great feel on and around the green and top quality for the price"
5. Tell us what you would say to a friend, to convince her/him to make the switch.
We don't have to say a word! We have already converted several of our friends who were diehard ProVI'ers to switch. We always bring an extra sleeve when we play and share with our group. We even had one friend order before he finished his round.
6. Tell us a story about your favorite round of golf with an OnCore ball.
Fred: I shot my lowest round this year with the VERO- a 70, which is the first time I have ever broken par.
Melissa: I hit a 263 yard 3-wood with the VERO, earning the nickname "Boom Boom" from male and female members at the club..
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We have designed a full suite of golf balls to meet each of your needs on the course. Maybe you prefer a soft, low compression distance ball and our AVANT 55 is a great choice for you. Or maybe you are looking for a phenomenal tour ball at nearly ½ the price of the big-name brands, give our ELIXR a shot. Or maybe, you are striving for more distance and faster ball speeds – try our new VERO X1 tour ball. In this video our founder’s Bret and Steve talk shop on each model. Thank you for playing
OnCore! OnCore Golf Website - https://www.oncoregolf.com/
OnCore ELIXR - https://www.oncoregolf.com/products/e...
OnCore AVANT 55 - https://www.oncoregolf.com/products/a...
ONCORE VERO X1 - https://www.oncoregolf.com/products/v...
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Or listen to the podcast on any streaming platform:
You can connect with Alex on his Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/riggsgolf/ and begin lessons with him today https://skillest.com/?u=F4aLWd5fk6tKbFjD9&_branch_match_id=357232560668976138
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Demo all morning of OnCore Golf balls
1 free OnCore sleeve included with your round
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The original layout, called Bandon Dunes, paid homage to the town of Bandon By The Sea, Oregon. Nowhere close to anywhere, many questioned the logic of building a golf resort away from everywhere. One course would be a curiosity, but in Keiser's mind, two courses made a destination. Within three years, that second course did open. Adjacent to the north of the original layout, Pacific Dunes was designed by a separate architect and offered the same building blocks of the original: exposure to the elements; firm turf; shot options; and strategic alternatives.
Pac Dunes, as it came to be called, also introduced the golfing world to something that Keiser would never shy from: quirk. Pac Dunes offered consecutive par three holes (10 and 11), along with two greens (upper and lower) on a single hole, the 9th.
The third course, opened in 2005, did two things to set the golfing world in yet another tizzy. It moved golf at the resort away from the Pacific ocean, and it introduced the bluff (behind the 14th tee) where Mike Keiser looked out and decided that golf would work here, and that he was fully committed. A third architectural team was selected for Trails, and they returned another gem ... almost. Trails traversed the dunes, an interior meadow, and the woodlands near the entry road. It was everything that Bandon and Pac were not, and it took a while for the golfing public to warm to the course. When it did, there was no turning back.
Mike Keiser felt that he owed the Trails architectural team another chance at a different property, and that chance would come at the end. However, we're not quite there yet. Course number four debuted in 2010. Demonstrating Keiser's sense of whimsy, the Pac Dunes team returned to craft an homage to the great architect of the early 1900s, Charles Blair Macdonald. Macdonald had championed a series of template holes found in Europe. He mastered these templates at Long Island's National Golf Links of America, a course that always inspired Mike Keiser. The 4th course was baptized Old Macdonald, and introduced those with little knowledge of template holes to Punchbowl, Bottle, Short, Redan, and many others.
The Trails team returned to open a short course, in 2012. Bandon Preserve is the perfect 2nd course for groups that want more golf, but not enough to walk another 18. Yessir, walk. There are no golf carts at Bandon Dunes. The Preserve offers 13 of the most rollicking, enjoyable, one-shot holes you will ever experience. The best part? You can putt from tee to green on a few of them, and you might even secure that elusive, first ace.
One of the great stories at Bandon was Area 51. It was a mysterious, fabled plot of land to the north, beyond Old Macdonald. Employees claimed no knowledge of the place, and the only way to access it was to walk through the doors of Bandon Golf Supply, in town, and inquire. The course was a series of greens and fairways, roughed in by the designers of Pacific Dunes, with no specific routing. If you wanted to play from here to there one day, from there to over there the next, and from over there to here the third day, you could.
On June 1st, 2020, Mike Keiser unveiled the final course at his original property. It was the debt that he owed to the designers of Bandon Trails: the chance to build an eternal course, on as magical a place of linksland as existed in the world. The team did not disappoint. Sheep Ranch joined its flock and cemented Bandon Dunes as the single greatest golf destination on the globe. Remember what we said about quirk and whimsy? Well, given the extreme winds along 5 Mile Point, not a grain of sand inhabits the bunkers at Sheep Ranch. Hollows and hummocks roil the turf, encouraging the golfer to bound his way from tee to green.
The circle has closed, and golf is the beneficiary. Do your best to save up and schedule one trip in this lifetime to Bandon Dunes. Whether you take a caddie, push your clubs on a cart, or shoulder them, your time along the Oregon coast will be the single greatest golfing sojourn of them all.
Bandon Dunes: David Mclay Kidd
Pacific Dunes: Tom Doak
Bandon Trails: Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw
Old Macdonald: Tom Doak and Jim Urbina
Bandon Preserve: Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw
Sheep Ranch: Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw
]]>1. Who are you and where are you?
Dave Antill, Ohio
2. Where is your favorite place to play golf?
My current home club is Kinsale Golf Course/Scioto Reserve. My favorite course played is Scioto CC in Columbus.
3. Which is your go-to OnCore ball and color?
My Go-to Oncore golf ball is the VEROX1 in White.
4. Tell us why you stay with OnCore as your golf ball?
The performance speaks for itself. It is the most accurate ball that I have ever played, it putts better than any ball on the market, it is as long as any ball out there and bites into greens.
5. Tell us what you would say to a friend, to convince her/him to make the switch.
I don’t say anything, I hand them an OnCore golf ball and tell them to try it.
6. Tell us a story about your favorite round of golf with an OnCore ball.
It's a very interesting story. 3 years back the local sales rep for OnCore Golf in Pittsburgh asked me to try the ball. After 3 weeks of him calling me, and me telling him that I hadn’t tried the ELIXR yet, I finally put it into play. Shot 64 and then followed it up with a 66. The ELIXR never left my bag until recently when I put the VERO X1 into play. I also made 4 holes in one with the ELIXR.
]]>1. Who are you and where are you?
Peter Davis, western New York
2. Where is your favorite place to play golf?
My favorite place to play is Ironwood golf course, in Cowlesville, New York.
3. Which is your go-to OnCore ball and color?
My Go-to Oncore golf ball is the AVANT55 in optic yellow.
4. Tell us why you stay with OnCore as your golf ball?
The AVANT55 is a product that fits my needs, and is sold at a fair price. In addition, I receive consistent support from the company.
5. Tell us what you would say to a friend, to convince her/him to make the switch.
Three simple words: "Just try it."
6. Tell us a story about your favorite round of golf with an OnCore ball.
Playing golf with my two sons and wife is a real treat. They are all happy to sport the OnCore gear, shirts, hats, golf balls and tees ( thanks, OnCore ) But, the real fun is seeing everyone's game improve with OnCore golf balls. The boys use the ELIXR or new VERO X1. With a slower swing speed, I use the AVANT55 and my wife does as well, both of us in optic yellow. Watching my older son play better and better is really priceless.
]]>Check that: make it two courses. Until a few years back, Arcadia Bluffs was a one-off destination. The admins took a gamble, and built the South Course, entirely inland, and came away with a winner. If the original Bluffs is a panegyric to the courses of Ireland, the South course lauds the principles of golden-age architecture. They are as different from each other as night is from day, yet their core attributes, of great and rewarding and memorable golf, are shared.
We've yet to use the how far away meter in our Where else to play when series. In Michigan, how far away is the mother of planning a Michigan golf trip. You see, there's north Michigan, northern Michigan, and way-up-in-the-mitten-tips Michigan. Arcadia is in northern Michigan, as are many other, worthwhile courses. Have a read and you'll see what we mean.
Nearby
Nearby means within half an hour. There are four courses that fall within this radius. Of the four, Manistee is the one that comes with the most encouragment. Our ranger at the South Course at Arcadia was a member at Manistee, a semi-private course from another era. Like Arcadia's Bluffs course, Manistee runs along the Lake Michigan shoreline, evoking the great links courses of the auld sod.
Bear Lake Highlands - 8 miles
Chestnut Hills - 8 miles
The Heathlands - 10 miles
Manistee - 23 miles
Within An Hour
The big prize within an hour is Traverse City. Home to acclaimed golf course architect Tom Doak, the area bears not a one of his courses. As they say, one is a prophet everywhere but in his home country. There's still some fine golf in the area, be it an Arnold Palmer course, a three-course resort, or a Steve Smyers under-the-radar design.
Manitou Passage - 50 miltes
Grand Traverse Resort - 56 miles
Lochenheath - 58 miles
Within Two Hours
At this stage, you've committed to at least seven days in northern Michigan. Our suggestion is to pair Arcadia with one of the following two. Remember that Doak fellow? He designed a reversible golf course at Forest Dunes. That means, you play it forward one day, and backward the next. We swear! We played it and it felt like two different courses, albeit with the same shot values. There are three courses at Forest Dunes, plus a nine-hole par three and a putting course. At Boyne, there are two base locales (Mountain and Highlands), plus a 27-hole layout on the lake shore in Petoskey. If you gave us 27 at Bay Harbor (Petoskey) and 63 at Forest Dunes, we might skip Arcadia altogether!
Forest Dunes - 107 miles
Boyne - 108 miles (Mountain) and 128 miles (Highlands)
George Wright is the Boston equivalent of Bethpage Black. Designed on gorgeous, broken ground waaaaayyyy back in the day, by Donald Ross, George Wright has the bones of greatness. The city of Boston restored its gem and George Wright is ready to welcome you. If you're making plans with the family for college visits, or historical places, you can fit a round or two of golf into the schedule. If you're heading up with the battalion, the sky's the limit, and we're here to help.
If you can only play two courses and you're on a budget
George Wright and Franklin Park are the two courses, owned and operated, by the city of Boston. Franklin Park was also designed by Donald Ross, and is currently undergoing restoration by Mark Mungeam, a respected architect. If you play at the most expensive time, you'll fork over $77 for golf and cart. If you're walking, chop off $20 (and who doesn't love and need a good walk?) and if you play during the week, knock off another $10.
If you can add a third, same budget
We love municipal courses. The town of Brookline (across the Charles River) has a muni known as either Putterham Meadows or the Robert T. Lynch, depending on your era. Same tumultuous ground as the two courses mentioned above, so you'll never get bored. Freight is even more affordable, at $69 max for golf and cart, $49 max for walking, and below. The cool thing about this joint is, it lies next to The Country Club, a super-exclusive, 27-hole club known for things like Francis Ouimet's US Open win, and the 2022 US Open. The proximity of the two courses inspired, in part, the layouts in Rick Reilly's Missing Links, on municipal golf.
If the battalion is on the march, flush with cash
The aforementioned three courses still make your list, but now we have some leeway for a few more, super-cool courses that you'll play nowhere else. Southeast of the city, in Scituate, you'll find Widow's Walk, a course designed by Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry. One of the first courses to reclaim urban wasteland, destroyed by dumping, Widow's Walk maneuvers through the salt marshes of the coastal area. Green fees are similar to the ones mentioned above.
Can you imagine reshaping a played-out quarry with 13 million tons of fill? That's what happened near Quincy (which is near Boston) in the 1990s and 2000s. Boston's Big Dig, which created a tunnel under the harbor to ease traffic, displaced a lot of earth. It ended up in Quincy, where the most intelligent operators said, let's build a golf course! The 27 holes at Granite Links are the culmination of that effort.
Our final suggestion, within 30 minutes of downtown, is South Shore Country Club. It's public access, don't worry, so you won't need a letter of introduction to access the first tee. Designed by Wayne Stiles, an under-the-radar architect of excellence, in the roaring 20s, South Shore offers fairway width along its treed corridors. You'll feel outdoors, but never restricted, unless you slice it reeaaall wide.
All right! One more. You have to map Nahant Golf Club to believe where this place is located. It's a short course, par 30, but has to be one of the coolest places for a golf course, in a big city region, that we've ever seen. Have fun in beantown, golfers.
]]>Fortunately, not all golf in greater Jax is priced prohibitively. There are a number of courses to be had for a song, which makes the green fee at Sawgrass more manageable. Home to the PGA Tour, TPC Sawgrass is presently ranked 11th on the Golf Digest best public courses list, and 49th on its best American courses list. It ranks 68th in the world at Golf Magazine, and inside the top 65 (no official place) at Planet Golf. Sawgrass is a bucket list course, for certain.
As with other, bucket-list courses, your green fee at the Stadium course approaches $500. The good news is that Dye's Valley, the second course on site, comes in at a third of the freight. Designed by Pete Dye and Bobby Weed (who just completed Michael Jordan's uber-exclusive Grove XXIII club near Hobe Sound) the Valley course reminds you of its bigger sibling, without trying to copy it.
Let's move westward, to the university of North Florida. Located near the I-95/Route 202 interchange, the college course is home to a wonderful practice facility and a 4-hole course. A weekday tour of the course is $10, while a weekend round will set you back $14.
To the north of Jacksonville center, on the coast, is Amelia Island. The Amelia Island Resort has two courses: Long Point and Oak Marsh. Each course currently offers green fees of $100 for guests and $120 for non-guests.
Near Sawgrass, in Ponte Vedra, is the eponymous Inn and Club. Its two golf courses, the Lagoon and the Ocean, have also been restored by the aforementioned Bobby Weed. Weed's architectural sensibility has evolved over time, and although there is evidence of the master's (Pete Dye) influence, its clear to see that Weed has developed his own brush strokes.
We would be remiss if we closed this piece without mentioning the elegant and ancient, Hyde Park golf club. Designed by Donald J. Ross, jr., the course opened nearly 100 years ago. In a region where three-digit fees are commonplace, the thought of paying $30 or less for 18 holes of golf is equal parts shocking and exhilarating. No matter where you peg your ball in Jacksonville, the weather and the golf will most likely be wondrous.
]]>Harding Park was designed by William Watson and Sam Whiting, who also joined forces to lay out the adjacent Olympic Club, a decidedly-private venue. The course has a riches-to-rags-to-riches history, moving from storied venue to parking lot, to a refurbished gem. It became a TPC course in 2010, That means that your green fee will set you back a few bills. No worries, though, as there is plenty of golf to be played in San Francisco, to balance the budget.
San Francisco's Other Munis
The city by the bay has a soft spot for golf. McLaren Park, Golden Gate Park, Sharp Park and Presidio are four courses, owned and operated, by a variety of municipalities, in addition to the 27 holes at Harding Park. Rates at these other munis are one-fifth to nearly one-tenth of what is costs to peg it at Harding. If you're staying in Frisco and don't want to move around much, there's plenty of public-access golf via SFMTA.
Two in Oakland
Lake Chabot and Monarch Bay-Tony Lema are located across the bay in Oakland. Much like the finances-friendly courses across the water, these two fit well inside the affordable-green-fee-per-round bracket. Lake Chabot comes in between $30 and $45, while Monarch Bay maxes out at $59 on the weekend. The San Mateo-Hayward bridge is your passage eastward, to two courses with tremendous views of the land and sea of the Bay area.
Forget North, Head South
Nature lovers and hikers head north of The City, but for golfers, it's a dead zone. To the south, however, wonderful golf awaits. There is plenty of golf between San Francisco and San Jose, but we're going to stay along the coast and give you a look at a pair of high-end golf locales.
The sweetest ones are Half Moon Bay (36 minutes from Harding Park) and Pasatiempo (67 minutes to the south). Two courses await at Half Moon Bay, which is situated on the water, just south of Redondo Beach. Pasatiempo is something of a pilgrimage site. It is the spot where golf course architect Alister MacKenzie laid down roots, after traveling the world as a doctor, warrior, and builder. His home is located to the left of the 6th fairway, and Pasatiempo was his favorite tract of land. Like Donald Ross at Pinehurst, Pasatiempo is synonymous with MacKenzie.
If you find yourself jonesing for a round of golf at TPC-Harding Park, be sure to set aside a few more days to see the area's other golf wonders.
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1. Who are you and where are you?
Justus Becks, Arizona
2. Where is your favorite place to play golf?
Anywhere with green grass and blue skies!
3. Which is your go-to OnCore ball and color?
My Go to Oncore golf ball would be the Elixr in Lime Green Matte Finish. But with the VeroX1 just released that might be my next go to golf ball. Just need that one in more Neon colors or Matte finish colors.
4. Tell us why you stay with OnCore as your golf ball?
I love the straight and long flight of the Oncore golf ball. Even in high winds the ball will have penetrating ball fight. Remarkable stopping Power on the greens. And laser like accuracy while putting.
5. Tell us what you would say to a friend, to convince her/him to make the switch.
I would say try this golf ball.......I would give them a sleeve to try. Then on the very next hole they use the golf ball. They proceed to have a birdie, eagle or even inches from a hole in one. They are instantly hooked on the Oncore golf brand.
6. Tell us a story about your favorite round of golf with an OnCore ball.
House on my left. The opposite fairway on my right. 550 yard Par 5. Tee'd up my Elixr Oncore golf ball with all the confidence that ball gave me. Hit a perfect drive. A Booming drive, 320 yards straight down the fairway straight as an arrow. 230 yards left to the flag. Hit my hybrid club. It felt so good, we saw the ball bouncing on the green. Drove up to the green grabbed my putter. Couldn't find my golf ball anywhere. After about 4 minutes of searching for my ball one guy said go check the hole. BOOM BABY, my Oncore Elixr golf ball was smiling right at me. That was my favorite shot.
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1. Who are you and where are you?
Thomas Petty, Utah
2. Where is your favorite place to play golf?
Riverbend Golf Course (Riverton, Utah)
3. Which is your go-to OnCore ball and color?
Elixr Optic Yellow (the one you see in the photo above!)
4. Tell us why you stay with OnCore as your golf ball?
The consistency, accuracy, control on the greens and amazing distance. I also can see the optical yellow really good on clear days.
5. Tell us what you would say to a friend, to convince her/him to make the switch.
Do you want to change your game and your life? Cause this ball can do it all for half the cost of anything close to its quality.
6. Tell us a story about your favorite round of golf with an OnCore ball.
I was playing at Cedar Hills golf course with my friend Mike and we were on the second hole and I had just hit about a 270 yard drive and was about 80 out from the pin, and I got a second shot eagle. I threw my club in the sky, running around screaming and yelling and gave my buddy a big hug. We then went up to the hole and took pictures. That was a fun day!
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The Straits course at Whistling Straits is the 4th designed by Pete Dye, and it is the one with greatest renown. It has hosted two PGA championships, will host the Ryder Cup in 2021, and welcomed long-drive king Kyle Berkshire in his new Youtube series. For those who never travel to the United Kingdom, it's a pretty fine substitute for links golf. It's a bucket-list course for the ages, and it has great-golf company in Wisconsin.
We've broken down the Where else to play options by cost. In previous takes (Bethpage Black and Pinehurst #2) we've stratified the complementary courses by arrival route and architectural style. After you fly into Milwaukee or Chicago, and drive north to the Kohler region, you'll want to play more than one course.
High-End
The other three courses at Destination: Kohler fit into this stratum. A composite course (River and Meadows Valley) has hosted the USGA Women's Open on two occasions. From time to time, the resort allows play over the composite course. The separate layouts, plus the Irish course at Whistling Straits, are excellent
Middle
The Bull (short for The Bull at Pinehurst Farms) is located in Sheboygan Falls, five miles from the center of Sheboygan, the big city near Whistling Straits. The Jack Nicklaus-designed course opened in 2003. An inland, parkland course, the layout works its way through forests, around ponds and bunkers, in the inimitable Nicklaus fashion. Also close to Sheboygan is Pine Hills. Built in the Lawsonia tradition, this club takes advantage of the turbulent land left behind by ancient glaciers. This unforgettable course is private, but a phone call to the pro shop is worth making.
Affordable
The Town & Country golf course in Sheboygan is home to three nines. None extends beyond 3200 yards, so a challenging first 18 holes can easily be complemented by a third 9 or second 18 at a more relaxing venue. The lead candidate for best golf course name is undoubtedly Quit Qui Oc, which means crooked river in the Menominee Indian language. Like T&C above, QQO has 27 holes, perfect for an extended day of golf.
Some days, the best follow-up to a rigorous 18 is a chillin' 9 over a par three course. Greater Sheboygan has a pair of fun 9s at Sunset Hills and Evergreen. Pack a Sunday bag and stroll casually around either 9.
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Pebble Beach comes up in the conversation. As long as golf is part of the topic, Pebble Beach represents. Why? It's kinda sorta public. The freight is expensive, but the experience just might be worth it, depending on what you expect. Know this: no one has ever returned from Pebble and commented "I shot my best score ever at Pebble Beach!" You'd be amazed at how many people say that about the Old Course at St. Andrews. Both are Open Championship stalwarts, but Pebble is tough!
No matter, we're going! We're paying nearly $600 to play the vaunted links, because we have a tee time, and we are not going to miss it. Might as well hit a few more tee balls while on the Monterey peninsula, but where? Cypress Point and Monterey Peninsula are super-great, but they're private. Rumor has it that Cypress offers one early time each day to a lucky foursome; we're not banking on hitting that jackpot.
Relax. OnCore has you covered. There is plenty of golf to keep you occupied, when not strolling the gorgeous streets of toney Carmel-By-The-Sea. We break it down for you, and we keep it simple Along with Monterey, you have the knowns, and you also have the unknowns. Allow us to elaborate.
The Knowns
You've seen them on television, when the professionals visit MP for the AT&T Classic. You've heard them mentioned, when the Open is played at Pebble. The Pebble Beach resort is made up of more than just one course. Tiger Woods is putting the finishing touches on a redesign of the short course on site. Formerly called the Peter Hay short course, the new one will have all the touches of its big sister, and that will be fun!
The Pebble Beach links occupies land on the southern perimeter of the peninsula. The rest of the golf is either north or east of Pebble. Directly north, adjacent to Cypress Point, is the Spyglass Hill golf course. This Robert Trent Jones, sr., layout begins in the dunes, and ends in the forest. It's known as the toughest of the three courses in the AT&T rotation.
Way up north, nearly to Point Pinos, is the Links at Spanish Bay. This is the most recent addition to the company, and it has undergone a bit of revision since it took its first bow in 1987. The combined efforts of renowned professional Tom Watson, decorated amateur Sandy Tatum, and golf course architect Robert Trent Jones, jr., produced this gem.
The Unknowns
Way up north, adjacent to Point Pinos, is the hidden gem of the Monterey peninsula. The Pacific Grove golf links is the product of the same two gentlemen who designed Pebble Beach. Think of this one as the affordable PB; it will cost you 10% of what the big one charges. Unlike Spyglass Hill, Pacific Grove begins inland, and concludes along the coast. Let's be honest: we've come west to golf along the water. What better place to do so, than a local course that concludes against the breakers?
Moving inland, south-east of Pacific Grove and north-east of Pebble Beach, is the Monterey Pines golf course and Laguna Seca golf ranch. Like the Grove, Laguna Seca charges in the neighborhood of $60 per round. The Pines comes in at half that cost and 5500 yards, for a nice, executive finish to the week. Unless your lottery ticket cashed, balancing the resort courses (north of $300 per 18) with the affordable locals will confer the ability to eat!
Green Fees
Pebble: $575 Pacific Grove: $60 Spyglass Hill: $425
Laguna Seca: $60 Spanish Bay: $275
5 rounds on the easy: Pebble, Pacific X 2, Laguna X2 = $825
5 rounds in the middle: Pebble, Pacific X 2, Laguna, Spyglass = $1180
5 round at the ritz: Pebble X 2, Spyglass X 2, Spanish Bay = $2550
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The course changed a lot over the years, with conditioning transitioning 180 degrees from what Ross intended. Fortunately for us, admins retained Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw to return the deuce to what it once was, and was supposed to always be. Numero Dos is firm and fast, from fairway to green and beyond. There are no oceans nor mountains, just one wee pond, and zero trappings found on country club for day courses. That said, it's a must-see if you can assemble the cash and the transit.
The closest landing strip to Pinehurst is on a military base, so when you reach the sandhills of the Carolinas, you might as well stick around. The eponymous resort has 10 full-size courses of its own, plus a short course, plus a putting course. In addition, courses of all flavors are found in the surroundings, to ensure that your time playing golf will be unforgettable. We've broken the spate of additional courses into three different categories, to help you on your way.
If you like fast and firm
There is a collection of stellar courses in the area, most by Donald Ross, that will satiate the appetite of anyone who loves Pinehurst #2. Southern Pines, Pine Needles, and Midpines are all owned by one company. All were designed by Donald Ross, and all are fast and firm. Fortunately for you, all are public and two of the three have accommodations on site. Southern Pines has its own site for now (the purchase agreement was made official on July 1st, 2020) while Pine Needles and Midpines have a second site.
In addition to Ross, the Sand Hills region of the Carolinas came full circle when Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw designed the Dormie Club in West End, not far from downtown Pinehurst. Dormie is one of the best courses built in the USA in the past 30 years, and its legend grows with each passing year. Currently a part of the Dormie Network, access is managed through that organization. Trust us when we say it's worth the reach.
If you like parkland
The names are recognizable: Jack Nicklaus, Rees Jones, Arnold Palmer, Tom Fazio. All are golf course architects with a penchant for designing parkland golf courses across the United States of America. Ponds, lakes, plentiful bunkers, and soft, lush turf are characteristics of their layouts. For Nicklaus, head to Legacy golf links. Jones' work is on display at the New Course at Talamore. Palmer's legacy is found at the Mid-South Club, also part of the Talamore property. Fazio's efforts lie in the #8 course at Pinehurst.
If you like abstract
In honor of the departed The Pit, a legendary course designed by Dan Maples, we recognize the value of the abstract in golf course architecture. None did it better than the late Mike Strantz, and the Pinehurst region is home to two of his limited designs. Tobacco Road is a shining example of the love child between traditional architecture and cubism. Its foundation represents a traditional course, but its appearance features the artist that Strantz was, before his untimely passing. An hour north of the sandhills lays Tot Hill Farm, another Strantz gem. Situated on the northern perimeter of the Uwharrie national forest, Tot Hill Farm is an ideal first or last course for those driving in from the north.
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For starters, it's south of Kansas City. And west of Nashville. And east of Tulsa. In essence, it occupies its own little part of Mark Twain's America. It's a country-music mecca, where theaters owned by the talent blend with shopping and amusement parks. It's adjacent to where Johnny Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops, decided to create his own golf mecca, at Big Cedar Lodge. Located 10 miles south of the city center, Big Cedar Lodge is home to three championship courses and two short layouts.
With deference to Bill Coore and Tom Fazio, the golf course that people want to play will undoubtedly be Tiger Woods' Payne's Valley. Honoring the late Payne Stewart, an Ozarks native, TGR Design's first public-access course will have many eyes on it when it opens for full play in late 2020.
As mentioned, there are five courses at Big Cedar Lodge, making it a unique destination. It's possible to travel to Big Cedar Lodge and play the Mountain Top and Top of the Rock par-three courses as warm-up or cool-down, combined with another round at Buffalo Ridge Springs, Ozarks National, or Payne's Valley, and never visit the town. Possible, but not likely.
In Branson itself, there is plenty of mini-golf, simulator golf, and driving ranges to satisfy all comers. This is a vacation destination, remember, so the quick-hit golf experiences are a necessity. If you find yourself in Branson, say, with family, and you know that you need to play Payne's Valley, it's time for the parlay. Book the round at PV for yourself, and schedule another at an in-town course, with a father-in-law or some other, strategic member of the tribe. If you've arrived for a golf bonanza, you know what to do!
Here's a list of area courses and the rate you'll pay to play.
Big Cedar Lodge
Ozarks National $195
Top Of The Rock $135
Mountain Top $60
Payne's Valley (Preview Play Only)
Branson
Thousand Hills Resort $50-$80
The Pointe @ Pointe Royale $50-$80
Branson Hills $80-$140
]]>What else is around? Since it's metro New York, movement is mildly restricted. We've got your covered, in any case. Have a look at what we recommend on your way to/from Bethpage, and also while you're there.
On The Island
15 miles away, a mere 21-minute drive, is Eisenhower Park, in Westbury. EP has three courses, the White, Blue, and Red. For years, the Red was home to a PGA Tour Champions event, so it not only has teeth and interest but conditioning as well. It's a Devereux Emmet design, which means golden-age golf at its finest. Add in two Robert Trent Jones, sr., courses, and you have a nice blend of eras and styles. If you're in the mood to see the Hamptons, consider heading WAAAYY out to Montauk Point. You can play another state park course there, at Montauk Downs State Park. You'll drive past Shinnecock Hills and Southampton, and be super-close to a bunch of other, world-class courses. Most important, you'll see the tip of New York state, a cool place if ever there was one.
Coming From The North
If you're in Connecticut, stop by Richter Park in Danbury. As respected a municipal course as there is in the Nutmeg state. On the New York side, a drop-down the Taconic Parkway is nature's joyride. Visit James Baird state park (Little Bethpage, we call its 18 holes) and the Links at Union Vale.
Coming From The West
Whether you take I-287 or I-78, two things are certain: you come from New Jersey and you cross Staten Island. Along the northern route (I-78) stop by Galloping Hill golf course in the Garden state. The southern route takes you past the Green Knoll golf course, in Somerset county. Whether you stop by on the way in, or the way home, you'll find affordable and memorable golf at both courses.
Coming From The South
A southern entrance probably brings you past Philadelphia. You've no doubt heard of Merion. Did you know that Hugh Wilson designed a public course in the city of brotherly love? It's called Cobbs Creek, and it's in the process of restoration. Farther north, just in from I-95, is the Juniata golf course. Tipping out at 5300 yards, it won't break your back (which might happen at Bethpage!)
Check-in often with OnCore Golf for more Where else to play when you have to play suggestions. When you just HAVE to play a bucket-list course, we share where you should play, on the way.
]]>In 1912, Grover Cleveland was the 2nd iteration of the Country Club of Buffalo. The course was located on the outskirts of the city, but urban sprawl led the membership to seek greener pastures to the east. The course was turned over to the city, and became the only course to host both the Open and the now-defunct USGA Amateur Public Links championship (1926.) After World War II, a Veteran's Administration hospital was built on a healthy chunk of the property, and many holes were rerouted. Still, the ghosts of Walter Hagen and Johnny McDermott still roam the fairways along Bailey Avenue. The freight is cheap and the golf is more than decent.
1972, 1982, 1992, 2000, 2010, 2019 Pebble Beach
As Grover Cleveland was not a public course in 1912, the 1972 Open at Pebble Beach was the first, truly public open. The crowds were treated to a timeless performance by Jack Nicklaus, including his near ace at the penultimate hole. A decade later, the Golden Bear looked to have another Open in his pocket, only to have Tom Watson work his wedge magic and steal the crown away. Pebble isn't a cheap date, but all who have played the course, carry memories of the oceanside holes into eternity.
Another resort, in the American southeast, considers itself to be the premier golf destination in the lower 48 (and the outer 2, for that matter.) It is said that Donald J. Ross, jr., poured all his efforts into #2, after he failed to receive the commission to design Augusta National. Perhaps true, perhaps not. The deuce received a wondrous restoration from Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw around 2010, and served as host of the Open for the third time, in 2014. Like Pebble, it doesn't come cheap, but the subtlety of its fairways will compel a golfer to elevate the value of strategic play.
The People's Open was the tag line for the 2002 playing of the august championship. Never before had a municipal course opened its arms to the greats of the golfing world. It didn't hurt that Tiger Woods captured his second title at the Black. Midway out on Long Island, the Black is one of five courses at the Farmingdale (NY) state park. The other four aren't slouches, but to play the Black is to play the epitome of public golf.
The municipal theme repeated itself in 2009, this time on the west coast of the USA. Torrey Pines, unlike Bethpage Black, was not untested. It had served as a venue for the annual San Diego PGA Tour event for decades. The way the course played in June of 2008 was quite different from February. Hobbled by a broken leg, Tiger Woods once again summoned greatness to defeat Rocco Mediate in a Monday playoff. As for you, choose the North course (the non-Open course on property) for your Monday round. You might like it even more than the South.
It's safe to say that the Open at Chambers Bay was one of the most unforgettable in recent memory. 4 or 5 golfers looked to have the event won, but only Jordan Spieth was able to survive and lay claim to the title. The SEATAC municipal course is a behemoth, situated at the bottom of a former quarry. The holes are oversized in every way, and a walk along Chambers Bay will turn your calves into grapefruits. Be sure to play a deck or two shorter, for the uphill holes are truly uphill. Unlike the Pebbles and the Pinehursts, Chambers Bay's green fee won't break the bank.
Never was a golf course more ripe for an assault on par than Erin Hills in 2017. Rains had softened the fairways and greens, and the width of the playing corridors (accompanied by an absence of wind and rough) had the aficionados crying that these weren't Open conditions. Brooks Koepka's breakout victory was confirmed the following year, when he repeated at storied Shinnecock Hills. Erin Hills is a glorious golfing park, Irish in spirit, in the middle of Wisconsin. With so much great golf (Sand Valley, Whistling Straits) in the Badger state, a stop by Erin Hills is a must.
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]]>As the definition alludes, the journey of a Nomad is one initiated by a separation from the settler’s society. His lack of home is often not a choice of his own, but a learned defense mechanism to preserve his culture and people in environments that can be seasonally hostile.
In constant reflection upon the survival and safety of its people, the Nomad must procure and sustain a strong cultural identity, as a social “body armor” in order to keep his mental and spiritual sovereignty, despite of a cyclical physical un-sovereignty often presented to he and his people.
The Nomads private golf club was founded in1950 by group of successful and famous African American men who loved the game though at times that love was not retuned. In a “Caucasians Only” policy enacted by the Professional Golf Association at the time, meant that most golf facilities had a license to turn African Americans away without a question, even public golf courses in public parks. And so, because the original members were forced to travel far and wide to find courses that would allow them to play, they adopted the name The Nomads. They were golfers without a home. Comprised of only seventy members, the group has evolved into one of the most exclusive private golf clubs in America, enlisting only of the highest caliber of African American men of means.
60 Min Special https://vimeo.com/249036076
July 2019, history was made when The Nomads secured their first corporate sponsor in their entire history of 69 years, OnCore Golf. In addition to becoming the official golf ball sponsor of the Nomads, the team traveled to Fairmont, Chateau Whistler Golf Club to partake in the festivities further cementing the relationship. This was especially special for partner Nasser Sutherland, for also an avid golfer and longtime Nomad follower, had been discretely petitioning to become a Nomad for years prior with no avail due to its strict monetary requirements. N.S “(Laughs), I’m pretty sure I don’t make enough, but I’ll keep trying till one of those seventy spots opens up”
OnCore sponsor video https://youtu.be/nnOiqulZAqc
This July 2020, the Nomads approach their 70th year anniversary celebrating almost a century of pride and tradition, while emulating that “sacred” Nomad number of seventy. However, due to this unprecedented global health environment, the annual “Nomad Week” of golf festivities and comradery cannot commence. Alternatively, and recently announced, Saturday 06/11/2020 The Nomads 60 Minutes story will be replayed on CBS Sports on June 13th at 1:30pm EDT, included in a series of unforgettable sports stories.
https://sports.cbslocal.com/2020/05/26/cbs-sports-60-minutes-sports-timeless-stories/
This Saturday help us celebrate the history and tradition of The Nomads. A partner we hold very dear to our hearts and encourage all our OnCore family and patrons to tune in for a rare golf treat.
Nomad Hole in one video https://youtu.be/YhKrwyFQiUA
Team OnCore
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