Travelin' Duff On BuffaloGolfer.Com

February 2011: The Mouth That Roars versus Mo' Golf In A Next-15 Years Fantasy Golf Draft

You can see what the winter months in the northern hemisphere drive men to do...fantasize about who the best professional male golfers will be over the course of the next 15 years. The Mouth threw the challenge cup at Mo' Golf. After rubbing the dent in his head, Mo' picked up the cup and threw down his list. The two of them tweeted their head-to-head top 25 over the past two weeks. Here it is, compiled for the first time on site. I'm going to enlist the aid of The Scrambler and Rico's Rants to vote number by number. In addition, given that they are both educated and genteel men, Mouth and Mo' will also get a vote. I'll anonymously tally the results and let you know which way our four voters went, head-to-head. Make sure you chime in on Facebook (buffalogolfer) and Twitter (@buffalogolfer) and let us know how you feel about the respective pronoses of these lads.

The Mouth	Mo' Golf	Voting

1) Rory McIlroy	A) Martin Kaymer
2) Dustin Johnson	B) Graeme MacDowel
3) Paul Casey	C) Chris Kirk
4) Tiger Woods	D) Colt Knost
5) Rickie Fowler	E) Jeff Overton
6) Hunter Mahan	F) Kevin Chappell
7) Camilo Villegas	G) Louis Oosthuizen
8) Ryo Ishikawa	H) Bill Haas
9) Ian Poulter	I) Matt Kuchar
10) Matteo Manaserro	J) Francesco Molinari
11) Anthony Kim	K) Charl Schwartzel
12) Justin Rose	L) Noh Seung-Yul
13) Chris Wood	M) Webb Simpson
14) Sergio Garcia	N) Ricky Barnes
15) Ross Fisher	O) Kevin Na
16) Ryan Moore	P) Adam Scott
17) Jamie Lovemark	Q) Jason Day
18) Bubba Watson	R) Nick Watney
19) Alvaro Quiros	S) Alejandro Canizares
20) Jhonattan Vegas	T) Danny Lee
21) Andres Romero	U) Ben Martin
22) Brendon De Jonge	V) Spencer Levin
23) Rafael Cabrera	W) Jbe' Kruger
24) Lucas Glover	X) Richie Ramsay
25) Billy Horschel	Y) Peter Uihlein

January 2011: Mark Wilson Fact Sheet

Mark Wilson has won twice in this young PGA Tour season earning himself more than $2 million and positioning himself atop the FEDEX Cup standings. Wilson isn't a big man - he's 5' 8" and 145 lbs - but he's doing big things. He may prove to be a mainstay on Tour, so you might as well get to know him. Here are some fast facts about Wilson.

~ He's undefeated in PGA Tour playoffs (2-0)

~ He has two career holes-in-one in competitive rounds, both wile playing with Doug LaBelle II. (Umm, Doug, can you tee it up with me sometime)

~ He and his wife Amy are heavily involved in the Blessings in a Backpack charitable organization, with a message of sending needy school children home every weekend with nonperishable food they can eat on Saturday and Sunday.

~ His best Nationwide Tour Finish was a T8 at the SAS Carolina Classic.

~ He played the final 40 holes of this year's Sony Open in Hawaii, an event he won, without a bogey.

~ He has two sons. (He must like to do things in twos - wins this year, holes in ones with LaBelle, kids)

~ He lists stand-up comedy as one of his interests. (Nothing funny about his golf game though.)

~ He trusts Titlesists. And he hits them with Ping clubs.

~ He's playing again this week at the AT&T National Beach Pro-Am.

~ Last one: Not really a fact, but a prediction - he'll win again this year.

November 2010: Hickory Stick Voted #6 New

LEWISTON, N.Y. – Just weeks after completing its inaugural season of play, Seneca Hickory Stick Golf
Course is already earning national recognition.

The Robert Trent Jones II-designed par-72 championship layout was listed at number six on the list of
Best New Courses in America by GOLF Magazine. Seneca Hickory Stick, which was developed by Seneca
Gaming Corporation and opened for play on July 2, was the only course located in New York State and
one of only four courses from the east coast to make the list.

“The recognition from the golf community shows that Seneca Hickory Stick Golf Course is quickly gaining
a place among the elite golf courses in the northeast and across the country, which was our goal when we
set out to develop the course,” said Kevin W. Seneca, Chairman, Seneca Gaming Corporation. “By partnering
with outstanding companies like RTJ2 Golf and KemperSports, we have created a golf destination that is
unmatched in our market and reflects the standard of quality that is synonymous with Seneca Gaming
Corporation.”

Located on approximately 250 acres of land, Seneca Hickory Stick features manicured landscapes surrounded
by stunning lakes and ponds that weave through native vegetation, wetlands and open meadows. The course,
which was named for the rare Shellbark Hickory trees on site, is owned by the Seneca Nation of Indians and
managed by KemperSports.

“This is truly a people’s golf course,” said Bruce Charleton from RTJ2 Golf, who led the course design along
with Robert Trent Jones, Jr. “From its public nature to its fair yet challenging layout, Seneca Hickory Stick
presents what every golfer is looking for – a memorable golf experience that you will appreciate and want to
enjoy more than once.”

Including Seneca Hickory Stick Golf Course, KemperSports Management is involved in four courses on the
GOLF Magazine list. “We are very fortunate to have opened a quartet of fabulous golf courses for our clients this
year,” said KemperSports CEO Steve Skinner. “Each of these projects is unique and well-deserving of this honor.”
GOLF Magazine used a panel of raters to determine the list of the Top 10 New Public Golf Courses. The entire list
is available in the magazine’s January 2011 issue and on-line at www.golf.com.

As Seneca Hickory Stick Golf Course heads into the off-season, the course team, led by general manager Fran
Roach and course superintendent Gerry Doolittle, will be focusing on the continued maturation of the course and
the final preparations for the opening of the new clubhouse, which will coincide with the start of the 2011 golf season.

“We started and finished our first season with a golf course that was in remarkable shape,” said Roach. “Golfers are
in store for an even greater experience at Seneca Hickory Stick in 2011.”
For more information on Seneca Hickory Stick Golf Course, visit www.senecahickorystick.com.

In addition to Seneca Hickory Stick Golf Course, Seneca Gaming Corporation operates Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel
in Niagara Falls, New York, Seneca Allegany Casino & Hotel in Salamanca, New York and Seneca Buffalo Creek
Casino in downtown Buffalo, New York on behalf of the Seneca Nations of Indians. Since opening Seneca Niagara Casino
in 2002, the company has grown to employ more than 3,500 people at its three casino operations. Seneca Gaming
Corporation operates world-class facilities offering more than 6,500 slot machines, 140 table games, 800 hotel rooms
and other related amenities. For more information, visit www.senecagamingcorporation.com.

October 2010--Interview with Brian Curley, Golf Course Architect Share This Story With The World |

1. What got you into golf as a young man?

I grew up in Pebble Beach, through the woods from Spyglass Hill. I worked there at the age 13 or so and
caddied Pebble, Cypress, and Spyglass. Golf was 100% of my time away from school – either working or
playing (sneaking on in the afternoons). I knew at a young age that I would be a golf architect.

2. You and Lee Schmidt have a design team...discuss your training...with which architects did
you both work before striking out on your own?

Lee worked a number of years for Pete Dye including Casa De Campo where his children were born. Landmark
Land Company in the early 80’s was doing a lot of work with Pete and requested his best guy – and hired Lee
full time. I began work with Landmark in 1984, just when we were starting PGA West.

I spent some time with Ron Fream and Lee was a lead designer with Jack Nicklaus for seven years before we
joined up (reunited) in 1997 forming Schmidt-Curley.

Having worked so much with Pete was a huge influence on us, not only in design but in how to get things done.

3. Are either of you two students of golden-age architecture? If so, which of the recognized greats
(or which of the not-so-recognized greats) would you say influences you?

I think anyone in the business is a student of Golden-Age architecture; the question is “How much does modern
architecture influence you now?” So many Golden Age designs were built on golf friendly terrain when the demands
of 50,000 rounds and G.M.’s wanting multiple pin placements were non-issues. Modern design occurred on lesser,
often difficult sites and reacted to a desire for better conditions and playability. I did a job in Houston (Royal Oaks)
down the road from an old Donald Ross course that is perpetually under water after big storms. We sand capped,
herringboned and incorporated a huge amount of catch basins to deal with drainage. The result is arguably not
“lay of the land” but they play golf immediately after storms whereas River Oaks is shut down and unplayable.

Ragged edged bunkering is all the rage now but I am curious how much is still around in the years to come,
especially as maintenance crews are reduced (and handwork as well). Many Golden Age courses reverted to cleaner
lines over time.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the look and playability associated with golf design today (what’s left of it).

To me, the most important element may be the greens. They used to build “greens”- pushed up enough to get
drainage and side bunkering. Modern design, however, brought us “green complexes” with shaping that saw work
extending well beyond the greens and often had mounds infiltrating the green surface and sculpted bunkering well
into the outer reaches.

I have started to avoid the “green complex” look as much as possible and incorporate as much transitional bunker
edges as possible. I think the natural look has much more to do with surface flow, flat outer edges of greens (with
internal movement), less maintained outer reaches, and minimal artificial mounding; If you do this even cleaner
lined bunker edges can be incorporated yet still the more “natural look” is there – ragged edged bunkers with hundreds
of catch basins and elaborate green complexes does not. Mackenzie remains my favorite of the Golden Agers, growing
up through the woods from Cypress Point, how could he not be?

4. What is your approach to golf course design? Do you design for a specific player ability level?
It varies from course to course. Some clients will always be romanced by the big scorecard but few
have legitimate shots at holding the big events and, consequently, the back tees are never used. Some,
such as our new course in Haikou for Mission Hills, will do so. It can stretch to over 7800 yards (but will play
most likely at 7500).

In most cases I campaign for less length and, sometimes, less par. It’s a challenge but people are coming around.
I am pushing for the 6500 yard par 70’s as often as possible!

Regardless of the scorecard, we have always pushed for width – I despise courses that unnecessarily incorporate
lost ball conditions. Sometimes you can’t help it given the property but I always try to produce a “find your ball”
situation in the main landing area whenever possible. Width provides options and can be done without easing things too much.

5. Continuing this theme, what is your opinion on man-made hazards? Water, wetlands, etc.,
the natural hazards, are often unavoidable.

An architect truly puts her/his obstructivist hand on the course in the form of man-made hazards.

First of all, I am not afraid of housing incorporated into plans – it may not be the purist form but it is the gas
that drives the bus. We have witnessed a number of closures of core golf and will see more. That said, water is
a good way to get the needed separation of golf and development while increasing values. I am certainly not into
overkill and try to use man-made (as you say) water only when needed. We just finished up 10 courses at Mission
Hills in Haikou and of 180 holes, only 10 have water in play, that’s an average of one per course in South China’s
sub-tropical climate. More than half are on the required irrigation lakes.

6. You and Lee were among the first architects to make a concerted effort to open up Asia as a
market for American architects. How did that come about?

Lee had worked in China for Jack (at Spring City and others) and I got involved following the World Cup at
Mission Hills in 1995. I was with the Landmark guys and a mutual friend, Birch Riber, came back from organizing
the World Cup and hooked us up. I took the assignment to heart and, unlike some architects, never gave less than
100% despite being so far away. Some architects used to ask why we work where nobody sees your efforts and
so far from home – I always replied that the future was much brighter there.

7. Looking at your current projects section of your website, all but one (a course in Washington
state) of your present endeavors are in Mexico, Egypt, Canada and Asia (14 courses in total.)
How does this reflect the state of golf course projects in the lower 48 states and what do you
project for the future?

I am bullish on Asia and feel quite the opposite about the U.S. I think the game is fresh and hits on many cylinders
in Asia while, in the U.S., it lost its ties to business years ago and never recovered. Competition for free time is
fierce and the traditions of golf prohibit the multi-task mentality of today’s society to co-exist. Asia fully embraces it.
Some courses in the U.S. are beyond repair. Just like the commercial space that constantly sees a new restaurant
come and go, some courses are wrong; wrong at any price. The half built – out residential course with water on
every hole is not what golfers want regardless of the price of a tee time. But developers have that “foreclosure”
mentality and think anything will sell at the right price. The reality is that you could build a new course with
Old MacDonald sensibilities in some of the harder hit golf markets and people would play it, but developers won’t do it.

8. How is the golf course design process different in, say, China or Thailand, from the way it is
in the USA? Please discuss permitting, restrictions, and any other critical elements.

It is certainly easier but not the cakewalk many believe it is. You have to consider that places like California are
so far removed from reality when it comes to permitting. We built the Crosby in Rancho Santa Fe and followed
each and every demand yet they kept coming back with more and more during construction – but they have you
by the you know what’s.

China, for instance, has a decent requirement for clean water concerns, especially near large bodies of water
and we incorporate first – flush systems. We treat all jobs as good stewards, regardless of permitting.

Actual permitting, as in land use, is another matter. Everyone is aware of the current moratorium on golf yet
courses are still being built. Local government says yes while Central Government tries to herd the cats.

9. To finish off, if you could reveal one aspect of your chosen profession that most golfers and students
of architecture don't know or understand, what would it be?

I think most golfers and students have no idea how much work can go into the
process before the "finishing touches" are made. So many courses today get
attention for their design when an overwhelming amount of the finished
product was "there" already. Not to belittle any of the designers at Bandon
Dunes (and I am a BIG fan of the place), but having a property like that as
opposed to the side of a hill or a barren piece of hardpan is a huge head
start. I think many students believe a major amount of a designer's time is
devoted to locating bunkers and shaping greens. That might have been the
case in days gone by (and with the premier sites today), but I can tell you
that a tremendous amount of time and energy goes into what I call
"stretching the canvas" - the effort and coordination with other consultants
that creates the opportunity to do the fun stuff that follows. On top of
that may be a landscape effort that, in hours spent, can dwarf the design
process. Many of the courses that receive acclaim today had, in effect, zero
landscape design beyond hydroseeding native grasses. We have done plenty of
courses where EVERY feature of the landscape was conceived, designed,
procured, coordinated and grown in. With today's "gotta have it now"
mentality, some do not have the patience to wait for a grow-in. That is one
reason why Tom Fazio has been so successful - he has single landscape line
items that well surpass the entire budget of most other designer's courses.

If you look at most great golf photos, the main feature is something the
architect had no hand in - the ocean, a lake, mountains, wild sandy dunes,
thick expanses of vegetation, etc....all the places you do not want to hit
your ball into. The patches of turf that weave through are often the result
of a very easy effort in my opinion. The credit to the architect is
frequently more for the showing of restraint rather than for design prowess.
I think the designers who are able to do magic with a low-quality site and
tepid budget never get the proper attention - most goes to the natural sites
that (naturally) produce great courses. It will always be the case that
great properties with spectacular backdrops will get the most acclaim.
Nobody would talk about the 18th at Pebble Beach if it wrapped around an
industrial plant.

September 2010--Interview with Brady Riggs, teaching professional
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1. Give us your name and current position(s), please.

My current position is Director of Instruction at Woodley Lakes GC in Van Nuys, CA. I also serve as a Top 100 Teacher
for Golf Magazine and a Senior Instruction Editor for Golf Tips Magazine. Editor's Note: One of Brady Riggs' pupils,
Danielle Kang, won the 2010 US Women's Amateur Championship.

2. How did you get your start in golf?

My dad introduced me to the game at the age of 10. We have been talking golf in my family ever since.

3. What is it about teaching golf that keeps you coming back every day?

I like the variety and challenge every day brings, not to mention I can’t imagine having a real job. I would be bored if
every player I worked with was at the same level. Going from the average Joe to Tour player and back again makes every
day interesting.

4. Put these six elements of golf in order of what should be important for the average club golfer and
make any explanation as to why you selected that order:
a. driving b. fairway metal and hybrid c. middle irons
d. short irons e. pitching/sand play f. chipping/putting

Driving- Golf sucks when you can’t get the hole started. Driving the ball well is a must to enjoy the game.

Chipping and Putting-Golf sucks when you can’t finish the hole. This is critical to scoring and to maintaining a positive
attitude.

Pitching and Sand Play- Still close enough to the green to kill a player’s confidence and score if it is a weakness. When this
area is really bad it can be embarrassing.

Tie between short irons, middle irons, and fairway metal and hybrids. This is usually a fairly decent part of most club
player’s games.

5. What element of club fitting has changed dramatically over the past ten years that most club purchasers
ignore?

The major difference is that the manufacturers are even better at convincing people they need to spend money on
equipment they don’t need. If people spent as much time concentrating on the fundamentals as they did researching
useless equipment they would be better off.

6. You make your living as a teaching pro. Do you still enjoy competing in tournaments?

No. That part of my golf experience is currently on hold. I am not a big fan of doing things halfway. Between family life,
teaching and writing my ability to prepare properly is hopeless. Things may change in the future but for now I only play
for fun.

7. Bobby Jones made the statement that golf and tournament golf are in no way similar. What one tip
would you give the average club golfer to help her/him perform better in competition?

People need to embrace the opportunity to challenge themselves under pressure. If they don’t want to feel uncomfortable
and nervous they shouldn’t play tournament golf. If they decide to play, they need to have a plan, stick to it and be
committed to a solid routine at all times.

8. We saw Alexi Lalas abandon the red goatee and sideburns to go all corporate with Major League Soccer.
Is the same going to happen with Brady Riggs?

I am a public course kid who still plays hockey and soccer at my advancing age. I hate to lose at everything I do and will
bend the occasional rule if necessary (except on the golf course). I’m not a big fan of sell-outs or hypocrites. There is
no circumstance that would make me change who I am to make someone else happy. If facial hair is a problem for
someone I won’t hang out with them. There are certainly more important issues in the world than what is on my chin.

9. What question haven't we asked, that no one has ever asked you, that you desperately want to answer?

As you probably have already figured out, I like to speak my mind. I am more likely to give an answer before someone
actually asks me a question so I can’t think of any subject I haven’t put in my two cents.

Awesome!!! We need Brady Riggs in western New York!!!


August 2010--Interview with Fred Solomon, director of Scratch Players Group

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1.  Easy first question:  state your name and your day job.

Fred Solomon (or for the aristocrats "Fred Frank Solomon III).
My day job is my "all hours" job and has been since 1999.  Why and previous life is a long winded discussion.
(To clarify, Fred directs the Scratch Players Group at http://www.scratchplayers.org) 

2.  Next, discuss the genesis of the Scratch Players Group.  Whose idea was it and who was there 
from the start?

The birth and evolution of the SPG has always been mine alone.  I have many
supporters who were there at the start but no one else has had a significant
role in the SPG.  Things got started in 1999 initially over a local town
squabble over which of two courses was best.  I ended up doing a thorough
ballot survey among over 200 top amateur or pro respondents ranking the top
courses in Northern California.  The SPG concept was launched as a
non-profit organization "for, by and of" scratch players worldwide.  The
birth of the Scratch Players Championship followed in November of 2000 since
that is what most appeals to top players.  I sought to create the top
amateur event in the west immediately and it has been every year since &
including 2002.  It has never been Porter level but it is close at this
point.

3.  What segment of the population and why does the SPG benefit/serve?

The SPG targets the "accomplished player" segment of the golf world.  My
"benchmark" for that is a handicap of 3 or under, man or women.  I estimate
about 250K of those worldwide.  From a business perspective, the prime
market is "scratch player wannabees" (handicap of 3-9).  The numbers jump
into the millions at that demographic.  My efforts at this point focuses on
the amateur players and events worldwide and build a solid, loyal based
traffic to the website.

4.  There are an awful lot of high-end amateur tournaments each week of the summer.  Will a saturation 
point be reached?

The saturation point has already been reached in terms that field dilution
is already occurring.  I think things have substantially leveled off but
over time, there will be "ebbs & flows" of so called, "national level
amateur events".  At this point, there are essentially 2 national level am
events each week of our summer from the D1 Nationals to the US Am.

5.  Why does SPG feel the need to sponsor its own regular, mid-am and senior am championships?  
Isn't that to be left to the USGA, which already has individual championships for each of those divisions?

I was a career tournament scratch amateur for over 35 years.  The amateur
game's bedrock are accomplished players who work for a living and play golf
for fun.  The vast majority of these players are "good eggs" and positive
contributors to society.  I run a mid-am (age 30 + in my case) and senior am
event to stay in close touch with that world.  I'm also fortunate to have a
top 100 in USA course hosting it (Mayacama) within an hour of home.  These
events also help with brand value outside the young elite who are just
passing through to the dark side of the moon (pro world).

6.  Why amateur golf?  Why not junior or professional golf?

Pro golf does not need anymore coverage or focus and has it drowned out
amateur golf over the last 40 years.  I'm doing what I can to restore some
luster to the amateur game.  Junior golf is part of the amateur world.  The
world ranking sorted by just those age 17 & younger is already the most
accurate ranking of just juniors in the world.  There is no such thing as a
top junior player that just plays junior golf (does not exist).  There is
plenty of coverage on junior golf and plenty of junior rankings which only
rank based on junior events anywhere worldwide.  I focus on all top amateurs
worldwide irrespective of age.

7.  Discuss the proposed, interactive chat forum.  How would this benefit members?  Would the average 
player benefit from access to better players?

This must be in reference to SPG membership goodies.  This is a medium that
was developed where just scratch players could "chew the fat" on a number of
topics.  The benefit to members is that only members can gain access to
these chat rooms.  Enhancing the ability for scratch players to interact and
meet other of their kind can only be a good thing.

8.  What direction do you see the Scratch Players Group and the Scratch Players website taking in the 
coming years?

The membership area has been neglected as the world ranking has consumed
most of my time.  I need to get that up to speed and pursue some business
related ventures.  Much depends on whether or not the USGA adopts the world
ranking for exemptions into their applicable events.  If the USGA picks the
best world amateur ranking, then it is just a matter of time.  Only politics
could derail that prospect.  The USGA remains the only conductor of a
significant amateur event in the world that does not use one of the two
credible world amateur rankings (SPWAR or R&A) for at least some
exemptions/invitations to their tournaments.

9.  What question haven't we asked, that no one has ever asked you, that you desperately want to answer?

I don't have anything else I gotta get out.  I would like to say that the
Porter Cup has always been my "mentor" event.  For an event starting under
144 players, it is the top amateur event in the world.  The Porter has the
best "per man" field quality on the planet.  They know how to attract the
best players and Steve Denn in particular is as sharp on following amateur
golf as any tournament director I know and I know them all.  The event is
first class and run well.  If my event can get close, I have succeeded.

July 2010--Interview with Jake Katz, 2010 BDGA Match Play champion
[Editor's Note: Jake Katz won the 2010 BDGA Medal championship on 8/7 at Tri-County.]

1.  Describe your introduction to the game...who got you involved, where did you play, what got you hooked?

I started when I was 8, one winter I was in Florida and my grandmother got me a beginner set of clubs and got me 
a few lessons, and I began playing from then on. My family joined westwood CC that summer. I have always been 
competitive and played a lot of other sports growing up and golf just seemed like a perfect fit. Once I started playing 
tournaments and learned the game I became hooked.


2.  Have you worked with teaching professionals?  Which ones?

I started working with Gary Battistoni when I was 12 and still see him for the occasional tune up. Also, my coach at 
Binghamton, Bernie Herceg a class A professional has worked with my mental approach, consistency, and over the 
last year my posture. The biggest thing they have both helped me with is hitting a lot of different shots, low, high, left 
and right, and also with knock down shots. The head pro at westwood Chuck Antinoccio has assisted with my putting 
and some mental aspects,  he has been a big help.


3.  You are a tall golfer...most of us are under six feet...what advantages and disadvantages does 
being a tall golfer present?

The advantages are that I have a bigger torque and so naturally I am going to be able to hit it further than the average golfer. 
However, growing up my height kept changing from summer to summer and I would have to keep altering my swing and 
it would be very frustrating at times. But now that my height has stayed about the same, I don't see any disadvantages to 
being tall that I see. Once I got clubs that fit, I was good to go.


4.  You got on quite a run recently in the match play final...what do you do (or not do) to keep it going?

The key is to not think about your score, each hole presents a different challenge and staying in the present and not being 
content with making a birdie is key. When I was on my run of 5 birdies in a row I was only thinking about my next shot 
and not worrying about what I did on the previous hole, because once you start worrying about or thinking about your 
score, you will become result orientated and you will be playing for a number and not letting the score just happen.


5.  Tell us something (nutrition, fitness, whatever) that the average golfer would not think is a key 
to successful golf, that you consider uber-important.

I have been doing a steady workout for the last 4 years and it has helped me tremendously. I have concentrated on core 
strengthening and endurance and it has allowed me to hit a wider range of shots. Like consistent knock downs, side hill 
lies, and bunker shots. It also makes 36 hole days seem like a breeze. Eating healthy is also very important, I try and eat 
a lot of greens, and I try and avoid soda \and processed food. It makes me feel better and allows me to practice for 12 
hours a day in the hot sun. The mental aspect of the game is something that the average golfer doesn't think about. They 
get excited about hitting it close to the pin and at that point the putt becomes less important. But staying in the present 
and curbing your expectations will greatly lower your score.


6.  Discuss your collegiate golf experience at Binghamton...practice, competition, balancing your studies, etc.

Collegiate golf has been the most rewarding and best part of my life so far. It has allowed me to grow as an individual and 
has helped with my time management. In order to be successful you have to be willing to put in the extra work in both 
your studies and on your golf game. Because practice time is limited due to class and homework. I really have to focus my 
practice time or else I won't be prepared for the upcoming tournament. At practice I put about 100 to 150 balls at 
different yardages and on different lies inside 120 yards. This helps me work on my touch, timing, and keeps my game 
sharp with limited practice time. Being on the road with the team is something I really have cherished, from practice rounds 
to team dinners, to the jokes and the laughs we have at each others expense enhances the experience and I wouldn't change 
it for anything. Reading and having my laptop on the road helps me keep up with my studies and I have gotten used 
to finishing papers at 2 in the morning.


7.  What do you need to do to take the next step in your game?

I am continuing to work on my posture and not dipping so much on my back swing, this will be key in making my ball 
striking more consistent. I need to continue to work on my short game, because it is so easy to throw away shots from 
inside 100 yards. It used to be one of the weaker parts of my game, and now it is probably the best part of my game. 
Watching the guys on tour inside 100 yards is something to marvel at. And it is easy to see why they shoot 25 under for 
4 rounds. I really focus on hitting a wide range of chips and pitches when practicing. Also flighting shots from inside 50 
yards, and also on spinning shots.

8.  Time for a clutch shot on the 72nd hole...what's your go-to shot and why?

If it is a long tight hole, I will hit a low stinger driver as my go-to shot. Even if I have the nerves going, I can hit this shot, 
and even if I miss it a little bit, it doesn't go far off line.

9.  What question haven't we asked, that you would love to answer?
What does the future for golf hold for you?
Answer
As of now I am just trying to get better day to day. But after I graduate in 2011 and after a summer of top amateur 
tournaments, I will most likely give professional golf a shot. Over the last few years I have made major strides in my 
game, and I feel if my game keeps evolving I will have shot. Besides it is nice to have dreams....

June 2010--Interview with Dr. Joseph Parent, author of Zen Golf

1. Tell us how you came to golf...early exposure, awareness of a true passion for the game?

I Learned as a teenager, from my father, who shot in the low 120's. I only found out later that he hadn't been keeping
score that carefully.

2. What lead you to believe that a Zen approach to all facets of golf could lead to success?

I took Buddhism as my path in life, and when a golf instructor asked me about the mind and golf, I simply applied
what I had learned about the mind from my Buddhist teachers.

3. Are there commonalities between the highly-talented pro and the searching, seeking hacker,
that Zen might address and cure/repair?

They both have the challenges of getting ahead of themselves, and beating themselves up unnecessarily.
Zen Golf gives a path to change those habits.

4. Can you relate the biggest breakthrough a student of yours ever experienced? Feel free to
keep the case anonymous.

A golfer who had attempted Q-school 12 times, and only made it to the finals once. That time his total for six rounds
was over par. After we worked together for two months, he made it to the final stage of Q-school, where he shot
30 under par for six rounds, and did not bogey a single par four in the course of all six rounds at PGA West. Didn't
miss a putt inside 6 feet, and didn't have more than one bogey per round.

5. We're going to put you on the spot with the old admonition "Physician, heal thyself." What |
have you learned/improved at, during this journey toward enlightenment?

To take what I'm working on seriously, but not take myself too seriously.

6. Teachers often mention commitment and repetition as the two most important traits of
successful students...how do commitment and repetition apply to zen and Zen Golf?

Commitment is a requisite for success. Repetition is the application of discipline. One also needs to know
when to stop - too many reps in a single session can lead to a degrading of performance.

7. What can you tell the impatient golfer, who strives weakly for zen, yet abandons it much too soon?

Let go of expectations, and take joy in the process of learning and growing.

8. Can you give us the most important and basic thought that can benefit every golfer who struggles
with attitude and emotional control on the course?

Make your expectations more realistic, and don't take yourself so seriously. Take care of your process, and let the
results take care of themselves.

9. What question have we failed to ask, that you have always wanted to answer, that no interviewer
has ever asked?

Is your goal to make people better golfers. The answer is "No. My goal is to help people make themselves better people."

May 2010--Interview with Geo, Professional Caddie

1.  You are a professional caddie, correct?  Describe what that entails.

    That is correct. I define a professional caddie as someone that 
loops day in and day out as their sole means of making a living. I 
have caddied for professional golfers and looped on the CHAMPIONS 
TOUR, however the mainstay of my job is the everyday guest at  
Top-Notch public facilities or members at exclusive, private clubs. 
Over the past five years, I’ve caddied for over 4,000 clients and 
it has been my sole profession during that time.


2.  At what clubs/courses have you caddied?  Don't worry if the list 
is extensive...we have space!

I began my caddie career at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, where the 
PGA CHAMPIONSHIP will be held this year. In the Winter I would travel 
to Florida and Georgia, where I caddied at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte 
Vedra Beach, Florida, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida, 
PGA National in Port St. Lucy, Florida, Red Stick Golf Club in Vero 
Beach, and Sea Island Golf Course located in Sea Island, Georgia. I 
then moved out to Southern California where I now reside full time. I 
now caddie at The Resort at Pelican Hill, in Newport Beach, CA, 
Torrey Pines located in San Diego, CA and Brentwood Country Club, 
Sherwood Country Club, and Bel-Air Country Club, all located in Los 
Angeles, CA.


3.  Without naming names, what have been your most memorable 
experiences as a caddie, both good and bad?

Well, I don’t like to dwell on the negative, so let’s just 
say I’ve caddied for 3 complete “pricks,” and out of 4,000, 
that’s not too bad. The great loops far outweigh the bad ones. 
I’ve been fortunate to loop for over a dozen Professionals on the 
PGA TOUR, 100’s of Professional Athletes and a ton of captains of 
industry and Hollywood Actors and Producers. However, no matter whom 
I’m caddying for on that particular day, the next shot that golfer 
makes is the most important thing to me. I truly care about his or 
her outcome and that gives me immense satisfaction of a job well 
done. So, I would say every day is memorable. Of course there is 
nothing like caddying in the U.S. Open and being inside the 
ropes…Pure Adrenaline!

4.  What can you tell us about reading greens?  It is my nemesis and 
I often confess to being dimensionally challenged.

Reading Greens is part art and part science. The art part is 
having an eye that just sees the line and movement of the green.
Here are a few tips:
--As you approach the green, look for the low spots, balls will 
drift towards that direction when they start to loose speed. Also, 
find any drains around the green; same movement effect.
--Know the tendencies of the different grasses you are playing on 
at a particular course. Different grasses affect the roll of the 
ball. The most common types are Bermuda (In warmer climates) and Bent 
(in milder climates).
--Bermuda is very grainy so you need to determine the direction of 
the grain to add or subtract from your read of the putt. (This is 
especially true in Florida or Hawaii as their grain is most 
pronounced.)
--Bent Grass has very little grain if any, so bent is mostly 
“what you see is what you get.”
--To determine the direction of the grain, just circle the green 
until the reflection is the brightest; this will be the direction of 
the grain.
--Next, step off the putt near your line and feel which way the 
green tilts or moves.
--Determine speed (uphill, level, or downhill).
This will help you calculate all of the factors you need to read the 
putt. As I am working with a foursome, I’m calculating all of this 
as I approach the green. Keep in mind I only have about 10 seconds 
per person to insure I keep the pace of play moving. However, this is 
a “key” job for a caddie.  It can make or break your relationship 
with your player.


5.  We know that there is a story of Geo's life/career before 
caddying. Do you mind going into it?

    I started off attending college on full scholarship away from 
home. I was planning on being an architect. I didn’t handle it so 
well, so I came home. I enrolled in the Air Force and a year later I 
was leaving for basic training. I spent 12 years building Nuclear 
Weapons and another 12 years recruiting physicians to serve in the 
Air Force. The last Doctor I recruited for the Air Force told me 
about working as a caddie at Whistling Straights while he was in 
college. Since I wanted to work in the golf industry when I retired 
from the Air Force, I made him a deal. “I’ll get you a contract 
for the Air Force if you get me an interview with the Caddie Master. 
Now he is in Blue and I’ve found my profession for the 2nd half of 
my life. I also found the love of my life in the process. Funny how 
when you do something you truly love, everything comes together.

6.  Do you follow the professional tours?  Which caddies do you think 
are the best in the business and why?

    I follow all of the TOURS. You never know who will need a caddie 
here or there. I really appreciate Fannie’s work ethic; she works 
the hardest. I love how Joey LaCava and Freddie work together. I try 
and keep up with Stevie’s hustle, but I would have to say 
“Bones” is the best overall caddie. He really compliments Phil 
and that is exactly what it’s all about.

7.  If a young person (say around 12 years of age) is thinking about 
caddying at her/his local club, what advice do you have for her/him?  
Elaborate as much as you like.

    I think it is an absolutely great idea for a young person to grow 
through the caddie ranks. I would definitely encourage them to 
already have a good working knowledge of the game mostly playing and 
reading golf history books. My boys are age 14 and 15 and I’m 
training them now. I think you can learn a lot about yourself by 
caddying. You also get to network with some of the country’s 
biggest success stories; not to mention it is probably the best 
part-time job that one could have while in college. The biggest piece 
of advice I would give however is to respect the veteran caddies that 
are there and wait patiently. Veteran caddies will likely take you 
under their wing if you respect them.

8.  What would be the holy shrines of caddying for you?  Have you any 
desire to caddy in Scotland or at Bandon?

    First of all, we have to raise our 3 kids! Only 4 more years 
though and they will all be in college. At that point, I will 
probably rotate between Augusta, Whistling Straights, Pebble Beach 
and TPC Sawgrass. I would love to caddie at the Old course at St. 
Andrews one season. New Zealand, Dubai and Spain are also on my list. 
We love to travel and we plan to do a lot of it in our future. For 
now, I’m content taking in the spectacular views of the Pacific 
Ocean, catching a glimpse of a whale or a dolphin in between holes 
and ending the day with some of the most spectacular sunsets I’ve 
ever seen. Not a bad office if I do say so myself.

April 2010--Interview with Tom Doak

1) Your Confidential Guide has attained a cult-like following and inspired many. Given years of reflection,
what one or two things do you wish you had known before you published your first edition? Perhaps
along a similar line, is there a single regret that stands out?

The original book was written strictly to be shared with my friends, which is why it could be so blunt. If I'd known I was
writing for a larger audience, I'm sure it would have been different -- neither as controversial nor as popular. So in
hindsight, that's been a plus. I guess my only regret would be that not everyone who reads it imagines me as a friend,
thus they are more likely to take offense to my words.

2) In interviews over the years, you've indicated the major influence from Pete Dye was the importance
of being on-site during construction and supervising the "3-D" Design Work. In 20 years or so, what do
you think or hope will be your lasting influence on one of your staff?

I would hope that everyone's experience on our job sites has reinforced the view that it takes a lot of smart and talented
people to create something really worthwhile, and that none of them think they should do it all by themselves.

3) Throughout your years of design, on which project was it easiest for you to visualize the routing you
knew was "right"?

At both St. Andrews Beach and Sebonack, I did a routing for the course before I set foot on the property and that routing
turned out to be pretty much the final one. That was possible because at St.Andrews Beach, there were no offsite views
which affected what we might want to do, and at Sebonack, the views of the water were easily predicted from looking at
the map.

4) In a past interview, you mentioned how operating bulldozers often led you to change the shape of greens
from the original intent. Can you think of one or two more memorable instances where a hole ended up
dramatically differnt from your intentions during the construction phase?

I guess the most obvious one would be the ninth at Pacific Dunes ... we built the lower (left) green as an alternate after the
upper one was pretty much complete, once I realized the tee shot would play so much differently to one than the other.
Another that comes right to mind is the seventh green at Ballyneal, which some people think is one of the coolest greens
I've ever built. It's inspired by the seventh green at Crystal Downs, the Alister MacKenzie course where I'm a member; for
twenty years I've had in the back of my mind that I would love to build a green like that one somewhere, someday. But the
green site at Ballyneal was not at all an obvious place for it ... it sits in a long, skinny valley, and for the longest time I
couldn't figure out what to do with it, because if we left long grass partway down the banks a lot of balls would get stuck on
the sides, but if we mowed the grass all the way up the banks then everything would just run down onto the green. I
must have stared at that green site ten different days trying to solve that problem, and then one day, Eureka ... I let the
green run way up the bank on the left side, and cut a bunker into the right side that jutted right into the green, so you
could use the bank on the left to approach (or putt) around the bunker. It seems obvious now, but it wasn't obvious at all.

5) Design philosophies are often referred to as a continual evolution of ideas and influences. As you reflect
on your career, can you think of some of the biggest "leaps in evolution" that you have experienced? Was
there a particular course or discovery that profoundly affected your future design efforts?

I don't think that my ideas on how to make a golf course interesting and challenging have changed a whole lot in the last
twenty years. Most of those ideas come from having worked for Mr. Dye and from seeing all the best courses in the world,
particularly in the UK -- and I'd had all of that experience by the time I was 25. I think the biggest leap for me has been
that when I started building courses, I didn't pay too much attention to what they looked like -- I was only interested in how
they played, which I believed was the essence of the Scottish links courses. But, at some point, I decided that the esthetics
of the golf course were just as important to most golfers as the playability, and that if we tried harder, we could find
solutions for the golf holes that were interesting and challenging AND beautiful and natural-looking. And I really think
that's been the reason for our successes in recent years; we've had some beautiful properties to work with, and we knew
how to focus golfers' attention on how beautiful they are. That new focus has only been possible as my team of associates
grew, and we had that many more eyes on the ground, committed to trying to make the golf holes work from all angles.
A big part of "my" evolution as a designer is really due to their evolution and the additional contributions that they're able to
make to the effort.

6) What is the biggest misconception of your work?

The biggest misconception is that we don't move any earth in building our courses, or that we don't know how to. The truth
is that I am RELUCTANT to move earth to build a hole if I don't need to, because I recognize that every time you make that
choice, it's harder to put all the pieces back together and hide the work from view. But as we've gotten better at doing it,
I've gotten more confident at it, too; and now I'm not at all afraid to move earth where I think it will really make a hole
better. We've done more on some properties than people realize, and we take great pride in making it hard for anyone to
tell. I guess a lot of that reputation comes from having had such beautiful properties to build on, so people think that's all
we can do. We could build courses on any kind of land. But we're only going to build two or three per year, and all else
being equal, we'd rather take the most beautiful sites we have to choose from.

7.  Please let us know how you were introduced to golf and how (if at all) this introduction/these formative 
years played a part in your career selection.

I started playing like most young kids do ... first miniature golf, then going to the driving range with my dad.  When I was 
nine, a new public course opened a mile from my house, and all of a sudden golf became a real possibility, because my 
parents didn't play much so we would not have joined a private club.  The little golf my dad did play was on business for his

company, and one of those trips was our summer vacation ... so when I was 11-12-13 years old I got to play Harbour Town, 
Pinehurst and Pebble Beach.  They were so much different than my little home course that I became fascinated by golf course 
design.

8.  Discuss your program at Cornell University and how it developed/morphed as you went along.

There isn't really a program in golf course architecture, and with good reason ... if you had 20 graduates a year, they could 
never succeed.  It's a very individualistic pursuit.  Most of the business is learned through apprenticeship, but Cornell had a 
good landscape architecture program, and I could take courses in turf management and ecology there, too, which is as 
good a foundation as you could have.

9.  It is our understanding that a portion of the Cornell program was spent in Great Britain/Ireland.  
Clearly, those courses would have influenced your perspective on golf course quality.  What USA courses 
had a prior influence (before you traveled abroad) on your sense of golf course quality?

My year's study in the UK and Ireland was courtesy of a postgraduate scholarship, designed for someone who couldn't study

exactly what they'd wanted to in school.  Golf architecture fit the bill pretty well.  And I had already demonstrated I was pretty

serious ... from the time I got into college, I wrote to the best courses in the USA and asked if I could come and visit, so 
by the time I graduated I had already seen Merion, Pine Valley, Shinnecock, Seminole, San Francisco Golf Club, et al.  
The summer of my junior year I also started working for Pete Dye, so I had a little bit of knowledge about golf course 
construction and what I should be looking for on all those great courses.

10.  What elements (try to limit it to three or four, if possible) do the average golfer miss/fail to understand 
about your golf courses, that would help them substantially (to score better, to enjoy the round more, 
or both) were they to comprehend their importance?

On a good course, course management plays a big role in scoring.  I try to make most of my golf holes to reward a player 
who is approaching from below the hole, whether he's on the green or still off it; so to play them well you have to think 
backwards from green to tee, knowing where the hole is cut that day, and figure out how to approach the green headed 
into the slope instead of having the slope sidehill to you or falling away from you.  Every golfer has different strengths 
and weaknesses, and I try not to favor one skill over another.  A lot of people think that my courses are focused too much 
on short game skills -- chipping and putting -- but that's only true when you are leaving yourself on the wrong side of the 
hole.

11.  What question have I (and every other interviewer) failed to ask, that you believe should be asked and 
that you wish to address?

Most people seem to think that golf architecture is a top-down profession, that we create this elaborate design in our 
heads on day 1, and then just go and build that.  In fact, design is an ongoing process throughout the construction of 
the course, and you get opportunities every day to add small details and make the course even better.  I think my courses 
have been well-received because I've been willing to put several associates on the ground to work on all those small details.  
It's anything but a one-man show.

March 2010--Interview with George Bahto

1. How did you come to golf? Young or middle age? As a player or something else?

My dream growing up was to be a baseball player. Out of high school I signed a minor league contract
with the (then) Philadelphia Athletics and played a couple of years in the minors before enlisting in the U S Navy
(for 4 years) during the Korean War. I was 21 years old at the time and figured by the time I got out of the service
(at 25) the baseball dream would not happen. I was in Naval Aviation for four years - went to school for 18 months
then was on flight crew for two and a half years. During that time I switched my athletic focus to golf. Not too many
golfers on the courses at the time so I had a fairly empty course most of the time and practiced a lot. By the time
I was discharged I was a single digit player - the transition from baseball to golf was easy for me.

2. What drew you to golf course architecture? Experiences as a youth? A mentor? Something else?

Well, I caddied occasionally for my father as a kid - but that was a chore - pretty crazy game, I thought. Little did I know
that my three different "home" courses after I was discharged were designed by the same architect, Charles Banks,
the disciple of the great Charles Blair Macdonald. I was more concerned with playing in those days but there seems
something similar to those three courses. My last course, The Knoll, was where I played most of my golf and in
the middle 1980's the clubhouse burned to the ground - we were devastated. Lost were the original artwork, the
original framed blueprint aside from other memorabilia. I went to the USGA Golf Museum here in New Jersey to see
what they had about our course. Much to my dismay I was told I would have to leaf through the old magazines in the
library to find any material. Oh my, the time I spent in that library - and to think most of it is on line now.

During the research process I would periodically tell the members at The Knoll about how the third hole, our Redan,
was a copy of a famous hole in Scotland; and that we have versions of holes from the Old Course, etc.. or our
impossible 13th hole was from France, built in 1888. I explained the theory of Macdonald's "famous-hole" concept to
them and it caught their interest. "Gee, George why not write a book about the Knoll and explain all this to the full
membership." Me? - with no writing experience, just a high school graduate (who once cut my senior class for 35
straight days before getting caught - hah) - are you kidding.

Well, the town of Parsippany, who owns the course, thought it would be a good idea, gave me an editor and "we were
off to the races" - writing a book called The Legend of The Knoll. The Knoll is an interesting story, a course founded
by thirty millionaires during the Roaring Twenties who lost the course just a few years after it was built because of
the Great Depression of 1929. The course remained virtual original and untouched for many years by various ownership's
- neglect would be a better description. It was private for many years and finally went public in the 1970's and it was
then that I could afford to join this marvelous original course. A number of people encouraged me to continue the research
and soon it brought to the surface the fascinating story of Seth Raynor and Charles Blair Macdonald. Raynor was intriguing
to me. He was reticent, to put it mildly, wrote down little - just let his 90-plus courses speak for him. He built 90-plus courses
many of which he never was credited for building. There was virtually no information available about Raynor so I decided
to start visiting his courses - usually the most elite courses in their area due to the fact most of these were private
clubs founded by founders of Macdonald's National Golf Links.

From then on more and more information rose to the surface and a profile on Raynor began to develop. Well, you can't
talk about Seth Raynor without speaking about Charles Blair Macdonald in the same breath, so more research! I gained
great access to the information at The National - a museum unto itself. After that all door opened for me (after I
promised not to talk about their social histories - hah).

3. What design elements do you like on a golf course (staggered tees versus runway tees); blind shots
versus complete views; cross bunkers versus parallel hazards, etc.

What I appreciate most in golf course architectures are a number of things that really tie together a total theme; wide
fairways, strong strategic bunkering incorporating fast and firm conditions and large greens which enable architects to
affect interesting internal undulations.

Allow me explain in detail.

The equipment makers and the powers to be have all but destroyed so many of the great classic courses by allowing length
to be the major factor during a tournament. Also, our "instant- success" - "short attention span" attitude is partially at fault
as well - we have little patience for details; "details" in golf, to me, has a lot to do with strategy through the course as well
as on the greens..

We have allowed our game to be a succumbed by the soft greens we play on so many courses - we want to see our golf
shots react like the shots of the professional golfers - we want shots to land, hold and even spin back like the pros.

The single most important tool courses have today to curb the ultra-low scores on the tour is to firm up the greens.
With firmer greens (along with the new groove modifications) even the professionals cannot play darts to the pins.
With the groove change and firmer greens, even the pros, have to vary their approach shots.

Back on the tee, to me, wider fairways compound the average golfer's target - "so much room! I'll be in the fairway, even
if I am somewhat off-line." The opposite is true on well designed courses. The architect can cleverly afford you a false
sense of security with wide fairways, leaving the golfer with awkward approaches to the green if in the wrong area - not
so with narrow fairway with "defined lines of play."

Further, wide fairways allow sufficient room for cleverly positioned fairway hazards along the play to the green. Narrow
fairways most often use rough for golf course strategy.

Given sufficient room architects can plan a course that is challenging for the crack golfer while still designing a course that
is fun to play for the average golfer.

Larger greens afford the designer the opportunity to build greens with interesting internal contours and large greens
segmented into what essentially are greens-within-greens. The golfer, again with that false sense of security I spoke of
before, falsely believes large greens are easier to hit and make the putting easier. He will be in for a surprise.

4. Your book on Charles Blair Macdonald is recognized as a critical volume...how did it come about? Can
you discuss the process by which you completed the book?

Since there were so many clubs and so many interesting stories, I just continued researching, then one day I got call
from Sleeping Bear Press in Michigan. It seems the publisher saw one of my drawings on Tom Doak's desk while visiting
- Sleeping Bear published a couple of Tom's books. Tom told him "this dry cleaner" from New Jersey is gathering up
information on a book about Macdonald. (Tom and I have been friends for a long time). It was great not having to look
for a publisher for a book and after "signing up" with Sleeping Bear the pressure increased about "when will the book be
completed?" Well, it went on for a while and, yes, the book finally got completed and seemed to go over quite well.
Actually I think we are almost sold out now.

5. Are there other books in the works? Don't give away any secrets if projects are currently in limbo.

Here again, we continue. The original book was supposed to have included all the Seth Raynor courses as well as what
is in the book, The Evangelist of Golf - the Macdonald courses. I'm dealing with nearly on hundred courses aside from
bio material, photos and drawings. The text and drawings would have been cut down a lot and much of the important
text would not have made it. I rebelled. The book would have been so heavy you wouldn't have been able to pick it up.
They sent one of the representative over to my house to take a look at my material and we then decided there was enough
for two books - even three - one totally on The National. I think I could even do one on Lido. I'm having a great time
working on courses - I'll get to finish the "Raynor" book one day soon. The story of Raynor must be told!

Course projects? Even in this economy there still is plenty going on for me. We are continuing updating the successful
project we did for the Sleepy Hollow club. A new Master Plan is in the works now which should raise that course to yet
an even higher level. The Sleepy Hollow restoration was voted the #2 restoration in America in 2008 by Golf Digest.
We're very proud. Two years before the restoration of Essex County CC in New Jersey was elevated from #11 private
course in NJ to the #3 spot - topped only by Plainfield and Pine Valley - heavy company here in New Jersey. 2009
brought more acclaim, my home course The Knoll was honored as the #1 muni course in New Jersey, that was a long
5 – 6 year project being it is a municipality course and money comes in drips and drabs. Restoring the Knoll was
important to me.

Can you discuss current projects, either literary or in the field? If so, go ahead

I work a lot with Gil Hanse, and we have three Master Plans hoping to be moving forward this year. I also have two of
my own in the works - one in Westchester and the other in Maryland. At this point in my life I just want to work on
important projects that will yield impressive results. Of course the Raynor book.

8. Discuss if you will (and as much as you comfortably can) the various folks you've worked with in golf. Who
have been your positive (and negative, if you wish to reveal) influences.

I have been fortunate to have worked with and am still working with two of the finest young architects today;
Gil Hanse and Tom Doak. Both have been great experiences and both have been absolutely positive. Gil afforded me the
opportunity to design and build a course out on Long Island - Stonebridge Golf Links, a course in 1999. Something I never
dreamt of doing. The course is based on the Macdonald Raynor architectural philosophies. It was a great experience. Imagine
seeing your one dimensional drawing actually grow out of the ground as you envisioned it - and (hopefully) it would
afford people the opportunity to play the course for a hundred years or so? Gil and I have drawn up a number of Master
Plans together and have done a couple of restoration that received national acclaim - very exciting. The, of course, a couple
of years ago I was invited to be a part of a Mike Keiser project - the building of Old Macdonald - the fourth course at the
Bandon Dunes resort, It will open in June of 2010. This sort of added the icing to what I been working on for the past 15
years or so. Working with Tom and company was a wonderful experience.

9. What do you have to tell the world that it needs to hear?

The New Golden Age of Golf Architecture: I feel we are in the middle of a new bold Golf Golden Age.

Many of the new courses that have been built over the past few years, the Sand Hills, Pacific Dunes that have taken golf
course architecture to a new highly creative level of architecture not seen since the 1920s eras.

There are many "younger" architects today that are rising to new higher levels of design. A number of these talents
learned their trade under the talented Pete Dye. Other architects have risen to more creative levels through competition -
hoping to gain recognition matching the "big-names."

For years we seemed to have built cookie-cutter upon cookie-cutter courses, regurgitating their pet design philosophies,
many taking the easier route of not "taking chances."

Frankly, that produced very boring courses, with just a few designs reaching new heights.

We have to applaud some very innovative developers assisting these newer innovative architects by purchasing and
developing wonderful sites that others have long overlooked. I'm praising the Kohlers, Youngscaps and Keisers of the world
who developed very remote sites where others feared failure.

Hopefully these, now, "New Golden Age Architects" have just begun their journey building their wonderful new designs.

February 2010--Interview with Jim Urbina

Jim Urbina is a design associate of Tom Doak and Renaissance Design. He has worked side-by-side with Doak on a number
of the most interesting new courses of the past decade, including Pacific Dunes, Ballyneal, CommonGround, Apache
Stronghold and the fairly-anticipated Old MacDonald (neighbor to Pacific Dunes in Oregon.)

1. Describe your entry/introduction to golf...as a youngster or adult, as a player or builder...what took you from golf as interesting to golf as a career/profession?

Growing up in my hometown golf was not my first passion but as I became more involved with the design and construction of golf courses I took up the game. Pete Dye never wanted me to learn how to play golf, he said that would influence how I built golf courses. I got a degree in secondary education and since I couldn’t get my normal summer Forest Fire fighting job, my soon-to-be father in law suggested I get a job at a new golf course they were building south of Denver. That would suffice until I got a teaching contract and after one year working for Pete Dye, I taught in the winter months and in the summer would work for the Dye family building golf courses. I was a High School Drafting teacher. That's why drawing plans and reading topo maps came easy for me. You may not be old enough but when I was teaching drafting we drew a lot of 3 D models and so that third dimens ion was burned into my brain.

After teaching for three years I decided to make a career change after some coaxing by Mr. Dye

2. What was/were the first golf course(s) that affected you in a deep and lasting way? Can you
describe exactly what that was and if it influenced your decision to take up golf course building?

The National Golf Links of America. I saw it in the middle 80s after I was reading a Coffee table book in the office of
Perry Dye. I saw some pictures of the 17th hole at the National before I made my pilgrimage and said in a revelation to
someone else in the office. Gee this looks awful close to what we were building at The TPC at Plum Creek. This guy in
the book is copying Pete Dye; little did I know Pete was copying C.B Macdonald’s style.

It did influence me to take a more active role and it made me search out other courses to find out who else was doing
the Pete Dye style. I started to seek out many styles of golf course architecture and today I still go out of my way to see
something new and exciting. I still want to see more Stanley Thompson golf courses. One in particular is Banff Springs.
That was another picture I saw in that Coffee table book that day.

3. What are your specific skills when it comes to creating a golf course? What machines do you like to
operate, what elements of the course are you most comfortable in shaping/creating?

My ability to visualize in 3D. It seems very easy to me to see how features are going to look in three-dimensional form.
Most people can only see two dimension or plan form. When I start to create a feature or I am trying to explain it to a
shaper I sometimes build it in the dirt like a clay model. I understand how it works I am not sure if the shapers understand
some times so a dirt model shows the intent. Pete Dye use to show people all the time using dirt as his clay model. I
just copied that idea and still use it today. I like track hoes and if I had my choice I would build the whole golf course with
them. When I first started shaping for Pete Dye we only used Bulldozers. I float all of the greens on the courses I have
been involved with. So the most important machine to me is the Sand Pro.

4. How do you prepare to build a course? Can you walk us through, from the moment you first set foot
on the property to the final touches?

I first look at how the design will fit the property. I am not afraid to make changes to the design if it is warranted.
Sometimes the best routings have to be tweaked. The rest is done in the field mostly by the feel. What I mean by that is,
how does the hole look and feel. The rest I would have to show you on site. Maybe we can do that some day. One hole
would take a few pages to explain.

5. What golf courses designed by others do you feel have influenced you the most?

All of them. Can’t say just one. I learn a little from every course I have seen but mostly from links land courses they are
my favorite. I would say in the end has had the most influence. It's the little things that count when you’re doing the
finish work. I learned that from walking golf courses in Great Britain and Ireland.

6. What do you like to see on a golf course? What do you avoid at all costs in placing on a golf course?

No Mowing Lines, Man Made Fountains and Waterfalls, Ten foot wide cart paths, I have seen cart trails done in a more
pleasing way. Pasatiempo has cart paths but they are only six feet wide in most areas and blend in as nicely as I have seen.

7. Can you tell us about the 2 or 3 courses that have been the most rewarding, the most enjoyable to build?

Apache Stronghold, Pacific Dunes and Old Macdonald.

At Apache Stronghold we were required by the Apache Nation to build the golf course using as many local laborers for the
job. At one point during the construction we had almost 70 Apache Native Americans working on the crew and in fact the
greens crew which I had under my control numbering five worked as hard as any crew I have ever had. As construction
started and we had gathered the crew together we took a half day away from the work site and went into a large auditorium
and I showed them a video supplied by the GCSSA. The video showed what a green was, how a bunker was raked and
what tees and fairways looked like. One of the crew members asked after the video was done, " Jim are we really going
to build a golf course like that video showed" most of them had never seen a real golf course. My answer was "Yep we're
really going to build a golf course"

Pacific Dunes was my very first sand site. What a pleasure and once again we used all local labor, some kids just out
of high school. Only a few on the crew had worked on a golf course some coming right over from Bandon Dunes, the
first course. I had the pleasure of showing a bunch of kids how to build a golf course.

Old Macdonald was my first Co Design for which I owe a debt of gratitude to Mike Keiser. I also got to be reunited with
Ken Nice the Re sorts Agronomy director. Ken and I first worked together at Pacific Dunes. What a guy. Hard working
and just a great person to be around. Always a positive attitude and made the designs of both Pacific Dunes and Old
Macdonald better. His favorite line to me during the construction process of both Pac Dunes and Old Mac was " You
create it and will figure out how to maintain it" Classic. Never asked his crew to do something he wouldn't do and many
times he was right in the thick of things. Ask anyone at the resort about Ken Nice and you will never hear a negative thing
said about him. Total Class Act. Wish I could work with him again.

8. What are your present and future plans? The highly-anticipated Old MacDonald is in its final months
of preparation for complete public access, so where to from here?

Stay in the golf business working on really cool sites like Sebonack in the East and Bandon Dunes out West. That will
be much harder in the current golf climate. I really enjoy being outside and I have learned that the greatest golf courses
ever designed ( Cypress Point, Shinnecock, The National, Prairie Dunes to name a few ) were done in the field not in an
office on a drawing board.

I thought when I had finished Pacific Dunes it couldn't get much better and then along comes Sebonack a piece of property
on sand in the Hamptons next to my favorite course, The National. Then a few years later Mike Keiser calls and asks if
we would be interested in doing the fourth course at the Bandon Dunes resort. I consider myself very lucky. Waiting for
another call.

9. Last question: What haven't I asked or addressed that you feel needs to be said? What question has no
one ever asked that you would love to answer?

I wish I could be involved with more affordable golf courses like the one I was involved with in Denver, Colorado.
Common Ground, a golf course we did for around 4.5 Mil. Fun to play and at around 40 dollars a round more affordable
to play then other golf courses built in recent years.

I would like to do a few nine hole golf courses ones that require about 1 and 1/2 hours to play. Sometimes golf just takes
too long and people just don't have that much time to play. Quick, In and Out.

January 2010--Interview with Jim Haley, owner and operator of Highland Golf Services

1. Describe your introduction to the game of golf as a player.

As a young boy, my folks were members at the Lincoln Country Club. Although I didn’t possess a significant passion
for playing the game of golf, I knew I loved being out on the course. I learned a very important lesson around this time: I
made sure I played bad golf FAST.

2. Describe your introduction to golf course construction.

Following a stint in the US Navy Seabees and in the middle of my 3rd year at the University of Nebraska, I attended my
brother in law’s stag party held at the Firethorn Golf Club. I opted to take a break from the party and took a walk under
a harvest moon around the property, which was under construction at the time. I was blown away and one word came to
mind: AWESOME.

The following day, I introduced myself to Scott Poole, the construction superintendant for Pete Dye and Dick Youngscap
at Firethorn, and remember asking “where are your grade stakes?” Scott quickly replied, “We don’t use those things!” I
instantly thought to myself…”Big yellow machines and NO grade stakes?? I’m IN!!!”

3. Any good breaks along the way? Any bad breaks along the way?

I’m grateful to say I’ve received many, many good breaks. I’ve been lucky to have the support of my wonderful wife and
daughters as I’ve been required to travel extensively over the years to complete projects all over North America, South
Africa and Europe.

I’ve also been blessed to work with some of industry’s finest golf course architects, real estate developers, superintendents,
and project managers. All of these people play a vital role in the success of any project and I’m lucky to say I’ve been involved
in quite a few.

4. Who has been the most influential person in your development as a golf course builder?

That’s a tough one, simply because I’ve learned a a bunch from a few different people. Reese Jones provided me with a
11 year learning opportunity where we over came a variety of challenges and built courses like Haig Point Club, Duke
University Golf Club, and Stoney Creek Golf Course at Winter Green Resort.

My association and experience with David Kidd at both Bandon Dunes and Nanea Golf Club (as well as others) has also
taught me so much with regards to different design concepts, especially combining modern design features without
forgetting the origins of the game.

5. What were three defining moments in the construction of memorable courses in your stable of courses?

--1. Three Ponds, Rees Jones 1994. During a long weekend while the project superintendant was away, Rees and I spoke
and agreed some substantial changes need to be made. The superintendant returned to furiously find significant changes
without his knowledge or approval, only to better the project. This is when I knew I needed to go to work for myself.

--2. 16th hole Bandon Dunes, David Kidd. David and I worked very closely on this particular hole, understanding full well the
opportunity the land presented us. Owner Mike Kaiser was very surprised and excited to return to the property to see firsthand
that his course has what is now one of the most recognized golf holes on the west coast.

--3. 15th hole Nanea, David Kidd. First hole shaped and planted. It was this hole that taught me a vital lesson: you cannot
always trust your eye. For the first time, I realized slopes can play tricks on your eye. A laser was required to make sure
what we thought was “flat” was actually “flat”. I guess that comes with building a beautiful course on the side of a volcano…

6. What has been the biggest "save" of your building career? (as in, OH GOD, all is lost, unless we can
somehow...maybe...perhaps...it worked!!)

Well, luckily we haven’t had too many of these, but there was a situation at the TPC San Francisco Bay at Stonebrae a few
years ago. We had begun to put greens mix in the green cavities, starting with the 3rd hole. I opted to take a sample of the
greens mix and sent it to a soils lab for testing, only to learn it did not meet the USGA sieve test! Luckily, we only had filled
one green with the bad mix and quickly found a new qualifying mix.

7. What are your expectations and anticipations for the next XX (you pick the number) years?

Good question. Golf course construction in this country has been directly affected by the down turn in the economy, like
many other forms of construction. But I’m confident people will continue to play the game and possess a fondness for great
courses, which will need improvements over the years. I’m confident I’ll keep busy and hope to continue playing a role
in providing golfers the best possible experience they can find.

8. What do you hope to leave behind after you are done?

Besides some killer courses that will surely outlive me? Ha! I like to think I’ve played a role in helping create a place where
people enjoy themselves and one another. I’ve had a chance to make a variety of great friends at every project I’ve been
involved with and hope people will continue to enjoy the courses and clubs we worked so hard to create.

December 2009: An Interview With Incoming BDGA Executive Director Thomas Sprague
1. Discuss your introduction to golf as a youngster/adult. What was it about the game that hooked you?

Growing up in Batavia, N.Y. golf was not the game of choice. Baseball, football, bowling etc; were the "big" sports. In
my first year at SUNY at Brockport, I fractured a vertebrae in my back while wrestling. I spent 6 months in a back
brace/cast. During that time my doctor informed me that there was going to be no more wrestling, or baseball. He
suggested I try something like golf. In my dorm was a young swimmer/golfer by the name of Rick LaRose, who took
pity on me and had me join him for practice and rounds at the local course. I got hooked. The rest is history. By the way,
Rick has gone on to become the NCAA Hall of Fame golf coach at the University of Arizona. The only NCAA coach to win
National Championships in both men's and women's golf. He'll probably never really know how much his kindness
changed my life.

2. Go over your time spent in high school coaching and league administration. How has that prepared you
for your role as Executive Director of the BDGA?

In 1968 I had the great fortune to get hired as a history teacher by the Sweet Home School District. It was the best place
a guy like me could have ended up at. The first year there I got a chance to help the golf coach, Don Kinsella, teach adult
education golf. That school year the Sweet Home golf team won the State Championships. I got caught up in the spirit. A
few years later Sweet Home was looking for a new coach, and the AD, Bob Barczak, took a chance on me. I coached the team
until 2003, three years after I retired, from teaching. What great years. I got to deal with great young men and women;
Coach with and against some of the finest people I have ever known; Work for great administrators; And I got paid for all
of this. In the mid 1980's I got involved with Section VI of the NYSPHSAA, becoming the Section Chair for golf. Section VI
covers almost the same geographical area as does the BDGA. This started my involvement in "running" various golf
tournaments. In the early 1990's I became the Assistant State Chairman for Golf, with special emphasis on the USGA Rules.
Each year the State puts on the NYSPHSAA Golf Championships at Cornell University's Robert Trent Jones Golf Course.
This event, which has grown to become quite a major event, has brought me into contact with great players and coaches
from around the State. When my own sons began playing golf locally, I had the great opportunity to come in contact with
Sid Leonard and Jim Ely. They were legends in the area for their involvement in youth golf. They got me involved in the
BDGA Friday Leagues. Soon I was involved with the Northern Division, and that lasted for about 15 years.

I look back on all these "adventures," with great satisfaction and joy. How could I have asked for more. Sometimes they
actually paid me for teaching and working with the best kids around, and the best adults. Are you kidding me, my guidance
counselor once told me that I would spend my life paving streets for the City of Batavia. Which, by the way, I did for four
summers. But it should be noted that all these accomplishments were possible because others were also working hard.
Great leaders like Jim Mohan of the ECIC and Dave Boice of the NO, who made my job that much easier. John Kaeselau
of Iroquois High, the best assistant you could have, who made Section VI and NYSPHSAA tasks doable. Local pros like
Tim Fries at Transit Valley CC and Paul Agone at Gowanda CC, who always put the needs of golfers above their own. The
list could go on and on. No job in teaching or in golf can be done in a vacuum, it requires the help of many. I was fortunate,
I've always had the best help around, for which I will be eternally grateful.

3. What motivated/inspired you to apply for the position?

I was standing in one of the local golf stores one day, as I tend to do quite often, when a friend of mine asked me if I
had seen that Fred Hartrick was going to retire from the BDGA. I said that I had seen the notice. He suggested that it might
be a good position for me. Not a chance I said. My first retirement, from Sweet Home, had lasted 6 months; My second,
from teaching at Sacred Heart Academy, had now lasted 2 years, and I wasn't interested in any new adventures. Ok, so I
lied. I really am much happier working, especially if it involves teaching and/or golf.

4. What direction do you see the BDGA under your watch? Do you feel that significant updates or changes to tournaments will be made? Will we add new tournaments? Subtract additional ones?

I have quickly learned how complicated the duties of the BDGA are. My hat is off to the fantastic job that previous Executive
Directors like Fred Hartrick and Whitey Nichols have done over the years. I have my hands full to keep up with their
accomplishments. I believe in taking some time to see how things work. It is hard for me to talk about changes at this
point. Obviously we need to continue to provide our members with the best playing opportunities possible. This includes
men, women and children. The loss of any tournament is regrettable, but sometimes that may be dictated by the playing
members themselves.

The number of tournaments being offered now by the BDGA, USGA, PGA, Etc; in Western New York, in a fairly short
playing season, is incredible. The strain on local facilities is telling. I see a time, in the not to distant future, when all of
these groups are going to have to set down together, to see what is best for golf in Western New York.

5. How will the digital age affect the BDGA?

As we enter 2010, instant communication is here in full force. Our members are already use to instant communications
in the rest of their lives. Hopefully this coming year the BDGA will be able to do its part. We would like to post scores on
the internet within hours of the completion of a round or event. These results should also be available to local media outlets
at the same time.

We are already working on having online registration for events, on top of the present system of mail-in registration. The
actual process for online registration is not too difficult to set up, but the process of taking payment of fees, using credit
cards online is more difficult. The process can also be costly for the BDGA. We are a non-profit organization, with a limited
budget. We have to balance these possible costs with our other expenses. Our number one priority is to be able to give
out significant scholarships at the end of the year to deserving junior players. I would not want to ever lose a scholarship
just to speed up the entry process to a particular event. The BDGA will continue to do the best possible job for all concerned.

6. Please mention anything else that does not fit under the first five points, that you consider relevant for
the area golfing public. Gifted interviewer that I am, I have still overlooked things in the past.

Thanks for giving me this opportunity to talk about the BDGA, and to tell the public a little about myself. As I see it, the
BDGA has four goals or missions that it wants to accomplish each year: Provide scholarships to our deserving young
players; Provide playing opportunities to local players of every level; Provide workshops and forums for our members,
so that their knowledge of the game and joy in playing it, increases yearly; And, to provide services to members,
such as GHIN handicaps.

It is my hope that during the next few years each of the goals mentioned beforehand will grow... more and bigger
scholarships, more tournaments, and more interesting workshops and forums. And, that more and more clubs will take
advantage of our offerings, like the use of the GHIN system. But, most of all, I would like local golfers of every level, to
recognize the BDGA, know what it does, and feel that our services are helping all of them. The BDGA is only as good as
its members.

November 2009: An Interview With Fred Hartrick, outgoing BDGA Executive Director

Fred Hartrick came to the Buffalo District Golf Association nine years ago, after serving as athletic director at Buffalo State
College. He succeeded Whitey Nichols, who retired after more than 20 years at the helm. This year, Fred turns the reigns
over to Thomas Sprague, former golf coach at Sweet Home high school. Before he abandoned the director's chair and
returned to the first tee at his beloved Wanakah, we had an opportunity to ask him a few questions.

1. What made you apply for and accept the position?

I was first informed about the job opening by Dr. Tom Quatroche, a BDGA Board member and Vice President of Student
Affairs at Buffalo State College under whom the Department of Athletics served for many years as I came up through
the ranks from coach to Assistant Athletics Director to Sports Information Director to Athletics Director and finally into
retirement in 1996. I also knew Tom from my 25 + years at Wanakah CC. where we have “partnered” in many golf
events. He called me to ask permission to submit my name to the Board and I agreed partly due to this friendship, his
faith in my ability to do the job, and the fact that I was getting “bored” with full retirement!! It was right up my alley
since I had administered many athletics events throughout my career including the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championships which were hosted at Buffalo State College for three years and numerous other SUNYAC and NCAA
sectionals and championships. My own golf abilities were not of “championship” caliber so this was a chance to get
involved in those events administratively rather than as a player. I owed the game something as well from my years
of personal enjoyment of the sport!

2. What did you anticipate entering the job?

This question could be better asked “What DIDN’T you anticipate entering this job!!” I had to become my own secretary, office organizer, memory expert, multi-tasker, neophyte computer whiz, golf rules interpreter, and master of deadlines for scheduling/printing/event entries/record keeping/result reporting/ etc. The position was soon to become a multi-tentacled monster that needed taming every day but that eventually became the real satisfaction – getting everything done that needed doing by the end of that day and being ready for the next one!! I anticipated and was ready for almost everything else!

3. Did you make changes/advance the role of Executive Director/redefine the position along the way?

I simply reacted and re-defined direction based upon the natural growth of the position duties and expectations. The increase in numbers of championship offerings plus the natural growth of what we already had in both scope and entries all needed
more attention. The advent of the computer age required expanded and more instantaneous information at the request of
the players. I never saw this position to be one of a “dictatorship” but rather one of understanding needs, listening to suggestions, tapping into personnel resources, and good old-fashioned “schmoozing!” Any change that occurred came about
more as a result of the way I was used to doing things after 36 years in college athletics rather than finding fault with the
way it was or had been done.

4. What are you most proud of during your tenure?

I am probably most proud of the addition of new championships like the Men’s Mid-Am and the Women’s Individual, big
changes in the new Parent/Child event which used to be strictly for the Father & Son, the addition of a Senior Division in
other championships, the Players- of- the- Year awards for Men, Women, Juniors, and Sub-Juniors, and the printed
brochures and schedule cards that go to all clubs and the general golf population. We were also able to increase the worth
of the Junior Scholarships awarded ($750 per year for four years which was previously $300 per year) and to initiate a
separate Friday League Girls Division to encourage the participation of 18-hole and 9-hole girls by conducting four girls-only events with winners being invited to the season-ending Friday League championship finals in mid-August.

5. What did you not accomplish that you might have like to?

I would like to have been talented enough to do more with the computer with regards to record-keeping, result-reporting,
and historical data for the organization which has a unique 88 year old past. We do expect to get into on-line event
registration soon under the leadership of new director Tom Sprague. We also lost some events (Scratch Better Ball,
Team) that may simply have been victims of the times. The number of member clubs has also been reduced some but
that, too, may be more due to the financial times.

6. What do you anticipate the BDGA will become...will it stay the same or will it evolve?

Under new director Tom Sprague, I know that the operation of the BDGA will move more boldly into the next decade with
on-line registration, the use of advertisement to support the website, and advancement of that website and email to
personalize and quicken the necessary response time to all players in our events. I think that there must be a more
definitive decision as to the real role that the BDGA plays in area golf, i.e. is it solely for championship-level 0-8 handicap
players or should there be more events and opportunities for mid-level 9-15 handicap players? Are players proud to
have won a BDGA Championship or are most participating simply because of the opportunity to play a great local course
that you would never get a chance to visit?

7. Are you now the odds-on favorite for all senior BDGA events?

Although I have played from time to time in both the Senior Gross and Senior Net Championships as well as the Mr. & Mrs., I
will no longer be able to overuse the fact that conducting and then playing in an event is tantamount to guaranteed disaster.
Now I’ll have to fess up to the truth and admit that even without the administrative reason, I’ll continue to place in the bottom third at best! However, if I can outlive some of the great senior golfers we have, maybe the field will have been reduced
enough in number so that perhaps I could “place” in the 85-90 flight!

8. What didn't I ask that you would like to discuss?

In closing, having had the opportunity to meet so many of those individuals who make the game of golf “go” in this area
along with the many who play the game at such a high level has provided me with more than enough satisfaction and
the solid belief that the game of golf is healthy and in great hands in WNY. I am proud and satisfied to have been a part
of its growth for the past nine years.

July 2009 Special Edition: The Porter Cup

If you live in western New York, this is your chance to see many of the top ranked collegiate and mid amateur golfers
in the world. The 51st Porter Cup Tournament will be played this week, July 21-26 and hosted by Niagara Falls
Country Club in Lewiston, NY. Tournament play begins on Wednesday at 8:00am with Sunday being a rain date
if necessary.

Both Adam Mitchell, the defending champion, along with the 2007 winner, Brian Harmon, will represent the
University of Georgia. The field of 80 invitees and 8 local qualifiers represent 22 states and 8 foreign countries.

Local qualifiers include Joe Anderson, Sanborn, Matt Donahoe, E. Amherst, John Edwards, Grand Island,
Jake Katz, Williamsville, Rahman Luthra, E. Amherst, Chris Malec, Webster, Chris Stoddard, Jamestown,
and Brett Nymeyer, Stratford, Ontario, Canada.

Buddy Marucci from Wayne, PA and the 2009 Walker Cup captain will be playing in his 17^th Porter Cup. In
September, the Walker Cup will be played in Philadelphia. Buddy will be closely watching the players at this
Porter Cup as the Walker Cup team will be chosen soon. Over the years, more than 150 Porter Cup players
have been selected to play in the Walker Cup, the amateur version of the Ryder Cup.

Many of the past Porter Cup champions and participants go on to successful careers at the professional level.
The list includes Lucas Glover, the 2009 US Open champion, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, David Duval, Ricky
Barnes, Mike Weir, Geoff Ogilvy, Jim Furyk, Ben Curtis and Shaun Micheel to name a few.

The Duff and the Scrambler played the NFCC layout last week and found the course to be in great shape. The
greens were fast and true and the fairways lush and green. The secondary rough will be very challenging when
play begins on Wednesday. The Scrambler shot an 80 from the blue tees while the Duff shot a 90 from the whites.

Admission to the Porter Cup is FREE. For more information, including directions and parking, go to www.portercup.com .

Congratulations to the Porter Cup Tournament committees and volunteers, the Niagara Falls Country Club members
and grounds crews and M&T Bank, the tournaments corporate sponsor.

July 2009: 32nd NIAGARA FALLS JUNIOR GOLF TOURNAMENT

The annual, City of Niagara Falls, Youth Golf Tournament will be held at the Hyde Park golf complex
on Tuesday, August 11, 2009. Entry is open to boys and girls ages 7-17 and residence in Niagara Falls
is not required.

Last year the tournament attracted close to 100 youth golfers from all over Niagara & Erie counties,
Niagara Falls, Ontario and other areas of western NY. Four years ago one of the age group winners was a
young man from Pennsylvania on vacation with his parents at Niagara Falls. All young golfers regardless of
ability are given a chance to compete and enjoy the Hyde Park course and staff. Beginner, Intermediate and
Experienced categories have been set up to accommodate all youth who register.

Every young golfer will receive at least one gift along with the opportunity to win other locally donated items of
youth interest. Last year, golf clubs and equipment along with bikes, stereo systems, tv's, etc. were awarded to
the youth participants due to the generosity of local and western NY donors. Pre-tourney breakfast food, a
post tourney hot dog roast, prizes and golf greens fees are included in the $5.00 entry fee. Parents,
grandparents and friends are welcome to come and see the youth tourney.

Registration forms are available at the Hyde Park Clubhouse at 4343 Porter Rd. in Niagara Falls and
on-line BY CLICKING HERE.

The form must be returned to the clubhouse with the $5 entry fee by Friday, August 7, 2009.

Come on out to a great golf event for youngsters. Parents, grandparents and friends are welcome to attend
the event to cheer on the young golfers.. To see a photo gallery and summary of last year's tournament,
please check out the Travelin' Duff column of August 2008 on www.buffalogolfer.com.

The Hyde Park staff, the City of Niagara Falls and all the volunteers and sponsors should be applauded
for providing this tournament for the youth in the community and surrounding areas for the past 32 years.
If you would like to be a sponsor of the event , a prize donor, or if you have any questions
please contact: Jennie Lee Packer at 716-297-2067 or 286-4956.

May 2009: Pine Acres Country Club in Bradford, PA

The Scrambler will certainly write about the other course we played this month, PennHills Club, also in Bradford, PA.
I'll scratch out a few lines about a round interrupted, our nine holes at Pine Acres, on top of a mountain near the
Zippo factory. Pine Acres is a truly public facility, accepting cash on the counter seven days a week. It sits in a reserve
of pine and other trees and reminded me of North Carolina, South Carolina and a state park campground, all at various
times. I mean those things in the nicest sense, as compliments. There was something scruffy about the area beneath
the trees. You could recover from the rough, although you needed a nice stinger shot to do so. The ball didn't nestle down
as it often does in springtime rough. No 1-stroke penalty for missing the fairway here!

Pine Acres' front nine moves softly up and down a gentle portion of the property. There were no jagged uphill nor downhill
shots with which to contend. Put the ball on the wrong side of the fairway (especially on the long, par five fourth hole)
and you might find the best angle for your second shot blocked by trees. I escaped this threat, but The Scrambler did not.

The front nine is straightforward and challenging. Long shots, big greens to putt, a fair number of sand holes to avoid. Don't
be long over greens, as the chipping/pitching back can be treacherous. Straight is good, as the fairways are of such fine
quality that your ball sits up like a spring chick begging mamma for a worm.

Another thing about The Scrambler--he's not very bright. I let him have the PennHills review because he needs more material
to write a decent article. Humble guy that I am, I can kick out a story on nine holes without batting an eyelash. Him? Needs
about 72 holes on a good day to put a workable sentence together.

Back to Pine Acres. The clubhouse has to be the most welcoming place in the area. No high-handed look of a stately
country club here, the joint looks like a backwoods cabin with your favorite flavors of liquid and solid refreshments. As we
waited out the storm (futilely, it turned out) with a wholesome glass of milk, other sorts argued about mowing lawns, the
golf on television, wine, women and song, in a hoedown sort of frolic. The beat of their voices resonated against the clatter
of the raindrops, forcing a rhythmic staccato beat into my soul...

Whoa. What was that? What did I just type? Jeez, I'm sounding like that intellectual Mo' Golf now. From Scrambler to
Mo' Golf in one paragraph. I'd better seal this deal right now. You'll like Pine Acres a lot. If you combine it with a visit to
PennHills Club (about seven miles separate the two), you'll enjoy yourself the way a Travellin' Duff should. They gave us a
rain check to come back and experience the back nine. Count me in!

April 2009: PGA-Sponsored "Play Golf America" Days

If you haven’t heard, the PGA has been sponsoring free clinics around the country. The Duff was fortunate to
participate in one held this past weekend sponsored by the PGA of South Florida.

It’s a day of fun for everyone.
Beginners to low handicappers,
Friends and families,
Young and old.

Arrowhead Golf Club, located off of Immokolee Rd. in northeast Naples, hosted the event on a sunny, warm and very
windy day on Saturday, March 28th.

More than 25 local PGA professionals were on hand to meet and greet local area golfers.

The schedule of events ran from 9am to 3pm and included individual lessons on swing basics and the short game,
testing of demo clubs, Q & A session with local pros and a performance by Kevin Compare, PGA Master Professional
and trick shot artist. Raffles, contests and free golf at Arrowhead were held after the clinic.

The Duff had a swing basics lesson with Bill Constantine, a Nike Field Rep, and a short game lesson from Aaron Sustad,
a 1st Assistant Pro at Magnolia Landing in Ft. Myers. Believe it or not, these guys provided some hope for the Duff’s
tired old game! The Duff also won a raffle giveaway for a round of golf at Arrowhead for a foursome. What a Day!

Check out future events in your area by logging on to www.playgolfamerica.com.

Compliments to Mike Dopslaff, Head Pro and all the staff at Arrowhead Golf Club for a great event.
Visit www.arrowheadgoldnaples.com for more information.

PHOTO GALLERY

April 2009: Iceland is Golf's Newest Tourist Destination

In his epic tome A Course Called Iceland, Tomska Coynesvik retraces his ancestral steps around the crystal isle so revered
these many centuries for ice golf. Unlike southern climates, Iceland ignores the ancient game of the auld snauws when the
grass is green and the ice is gone. Hibernating during the summer months, Iceland's finest golfers return to the links of
Siglufjordur and Porlakshofn when the snow begins to fall, Olafsvik and Akureyn when the bitter winds howl, and Bolungarvik
and Vik when the ice smoothes the terrain.

Coynesvik decided to visit the land where he and his father had played many years before, except he would do it in a way
that would truly connect him to the tundra: snowshoes. Donning a pair of spiked snowshoes for two months, he scratched
his way from Reykjavik east to the lands of Djupivogur, north to Raufarhofn, then west to Isafjorour before returning to the
capital.

"I always imagined the typical north American tourist who ached to play BallyBorgarnes, PortDalvik, and Old Myvatn of
Hofsjokuff, traveling by comfy luxury bus, hardly touching his feet to the turf, rarely smelling the air and the ice. I wanted
to experience all of that first-hand, to get in touch with the wild sled drivers, the stray polar bears and the wild gorsejar and
heathermur. I got that and more, after two million yards and 648 holes."

If you'd like to learn more about Iceland and its glorious golf holes, you're out of luck. Happy April Fools' Day from
The Travelin' Duff. Visit http://acoursecalledireland.blogspot.com to read about the real Tom Coyne book,
A Course Called Ireland.

March 2009: Old Corkscrew Review

If you want the ultimate in a “country club for a day setting," and happen to find yourself near Estero, Florida, then
this Jack Nicklaus signature course is for you. Recently the Duff had the pleasure to be treated like royalty during
his sojourn to southwest Florida.

Old Corkscrew opened for play on January 23,2006 after almost 2 years of construction. The layout was Jack’s
255th personally-designed course and 312th overall for his company, Nicklaus Design.

The course is built on 275 acres of the most beautiful Florida land about 7 miles east of US I 75 at exit 127,
Old Corkscrew Rd. Since its opening, Old Corkscrew has received numerous awards and recognition for overall design
and environmentally-sound use of the land.

This recognition includes the Golf Digest 2007 America’s Best New Course Award, Golf Magazine’s 2008 Best Course Near
You: Florida Award and the Audubon International Certified Signature Sanctuary designation.

Old Corkscrew is unique in that it is a golf only facility without a residential community attached. There are no plans to
become just another golf community in southwest Florida.

Each hole on the par 72 layout has 4 tee areas ranging from the Black Tees at 7393 yards to the Gold Tees at 5061 yards
in length. This arrangement fulfilled one of Jack’s main design ingredients:

“Build a course which would be fair to all golfers at all ability levels and yet, offer a layout which would provide a challenging
test for each individual. Most of all, make it fun to play!”

On this beautiful February day in golf heaven, the Duff and Chris Covelli, the Florida Gulf Coast University senior and
Buffalo native, were challenged and had fun too. Chris pummeled the ball from the black tees while the Duff wisely took
on the layout from the gold/green tees.

For his first time on the course, Chris shot a respectable 76. The Duff, not having played or practiced since late October,
was humbled. Hence, the gods of golf declared a “no contest practice round” for this aging duffer.

Even though the Duff’s golf skills did not meet the challenge, his camera did capture some of the tropical beauty of this
magnificent layout as seen in the photos attached. However, visit www.oldcorkscrew.com to view one of the best golf
course website this writer as ever seen.

Thanks to Mark Iwinski, the Director of Golf Operations at Old Corkscrew, for being a gracious host. Mark, by the way, is a western New York native hailing from Hamburg.

The Duff’s 5-star rating places Old Corkscrew alongside two of his all-time favorites, Arcadia Bluffs in Michigan and Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, in the Travelin’ Duff Great Courses Pantheon. All things considered, this Nicklaus design is one “BEAR” of a course.

Old Corkscrew Golf Club
17320 Old Corkscrew Rd.
Estero, Fl 33928
Tele: 1-239-949-4700
www.oldcorkscrew.com

March 2009: Interview with Chris Covelli

PLAYER PROFILE

January 2009

Chris Covelli	*Florida* *Gulf Coast University* *Golf Team 2008-09*
Class/Year of Graduation	Senior/Class of 2009
Hometown/Previous School	Buffalo, NY/The Nichols School
Junior Year- Finished tied for 20th in the Naval Academy Spring Invitational with a weekend score of 149. Prior to FGCU- Graduated from The Nichols School in Buffalo, New York…Coached by Frank Sacheli…State champion his sophomore as well as runner up both his junior and senior year…Received invite to participate in the Porter Cup in 2006… Was an honors student his junior and senior year. Personal- Son of Elmer and Jean Covelli…Major is Business Management…Favorite athlete is Tiger Woods…Favorite sports movie is Any Given Sunday…Favorite sport to watch is hockey…Choose FGCU because of the great coaching staff, weather, and beautiful campus.

Q & A:

Duff: What made you choose FGCU?

Chris: At Nichols, I researched many colleges and universities. I wanted to attend a school which provided me with
a strong academic program in business and the opportunity to play golf at the D I level. FGCU had these ingredients
and much more. I chose it because of the many academic and internship opportunities available and the chance to
play and learn golf from the legendary teacher and FGCU golf coach, Dr. Jim Suttie.

Duff: Has FGCU fulfilled all your expectations?

Chris: Yes! Most definitely. My degree in Business will give me a path to sports management which is one of my career
goals. Playing on the golf team has also given me the opportunity to develop my game, play on outstanding courses,
receive instruction from a pro teacher and to meet and play with many PGA professionals.

Duff: Who is your favorite PGA player?

Chris: George McNeil. I had the pleasure of playing with him this past December at Cypress Lakes in Naples, FL. His
work ethic, positive attitude, patience and willingness to help others is inspiring to me. He is my golf hero with Paul Azinger
a close second.

Duff: What is your career goal after college?

Chris: Since I was a kid, my ultimate goal is to become a PGA Tour professional. This summer my plans include practice,
practice, practice and testing a few mini tours to gain more tournament experience. I am also going to try and qualify for
the 2009 US Open at the Bethpage Black course on Long Island, NY. After these experiences, I may play the Nationwide
Tour and/or try Q school.

Duff: Has FGCU met all your academic expectations?

Chris: The program in Business at FGCU has given me the theoretical framework to be successful in the business world.
With the varied internship learning opportunities in which I have participated, I feel that I now have practical applications
of my skills and knowledge. Currently I am interning with Five Star Valet Service which provides ground transportation
services for customers in southwest Florida. My work includes scheduling, payroll, event planning and other business
related activities. This graduation I hope to intern for the NY Mets triple A affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons, in Buffalo, NY.

Duff: What about your golf expectations?

Chris: Definitely! In many ways. The team plays golf 6 days a week at some of the most challenging courses in southwest
Florida like West Bay, Twin Eagles, Grandezza, Plantation and Miromar Lakes. I go to class during the week until 1 pm
and golf until dark. Two to three days a week we do weight training, fitness exercising, running and even some
psychological activities. In addition, Dr. Suttie and ass’t. coach Brent Jensen work with us individually with video evaluations.
Both coach’s style is “tell it like it is”. My game continues to improve each day through instruction and tournament play.
In addition, I received a ½ scholarship in my freshman and sophomore years and a full scholarship in my Junior and
senior years.

Duff: How have you fared in tournament play?

Chris: In my freshman year I played in all but 2 tournaments. In the off season, Dr. Suttie worked with me on swing
changes. This was very dramatic and it took me until my junior year to feel comfortable with all the changes. In the spring
of my junior year I finished 20^th at the U.S. Naval Academy Invitational.

Duff: What do you miss most about western New York?

Chris: I miss my family very much and especially my mom’s cooking. Also miss the great restaurants in Buffalo serving the
best chicken wings and Friday night fish fries in the world.

Duff: What are your most memorable golf moments?

Chris: Playing a round of golf this past December with George McNeil and Paul Azinger at Cypress Lakes in Naples……
Playing in the 2006 Porter Cup at Niagara Falls Country Club in Lewiston, NY and holing out from the bunker on # 12.……
Playing golf for FGCU under the tutelage of coach Jim Suttie…… Making birdie last summer, after sticking a wedge to
1 foot over a huge tree on the par 4 #1 hole, at Wanakah Country Club my home course in Buffalo, NY…….Playing the
Jack Nicklaus designed Old Corkscrew Golf Club in Estero, FL. with the Travelin’ Duff 2 weeks ago.

February 2009: The Duff continues southward

Day 4: The Duff Gets Regripped!

THE DUFF GETS RE-GRIPPED IN NAPLES!

After settling in at our golf villa haven, the Duff heads for the driving range. It’s been about 4 months since striking
a ball was felt by these old hands. After hitting a few shots with a 5 iron, the Duff remembers that his clubs
have long needed new grips. In the local newspaper that morning, an advertisement invites golfers to have
their clubs re-gripped. FREE! That’s right! FREE!

If you are in the Naples, Fl. area or plan to visit soon, check out the GOLF LIQUIDATION SALES STORE.

It’s located in the Village Falls plaza at 5091 E. Tamiami Trail, ½ block southeast of Rattlesnake Hammock Rd.
in Naples. Store hours are 10 am to 6 pm seven days a week.

Usually, Golf Liquidation Sales host shows at various locations in Florida and around the country. Partners Jim Martin,
Skip Dokic and Alex Mowry came to south west Florida last Thanksgiving to host a week long show at a local resort
hotel in Naples.

Would you believe it? They are still in Naples and thriving in this economy. Seems the partners were given an offer
they couldn’t refuse. A store front location on a main thoroughfare was available for less than a reasonable business price.

FREE REGRIPPING OF ALL YOUR CLUBS is done with basic Golf Pride grips while you wait.  No appointment necessary.
Better quality grips are also available at a low cost.  The catch? You must purchase something to get this offer.
One re-grip customer picked up a ball and asked Jim Martin, “How much?”.   Jim replied, jokingly, “$9 a dozen or
$100 per ball.”

Bargain prices are on every conceivable golf item. Over 4000 men’s and women’s shirts, pants and shorts, 800 pairs
of shoes, 600 golf bags and more. Choose from: Hybrid clubs start at $19. Iron sets from $99. Golf balls galore along
with gloves at 3 for $10. Name brand as well as knock offs, are available at liquidation prices. They will take trade-ins
and also sell used clubs and bags.

The Duff was amazed at how fast his clubs were re- gripped. In and out within 20 minutes. What did the Duff buy to get
this deal? Opted to get pro-grips for $1.99 per club.

When you visit the Golf Liquidation Sale store, tell Jim, Skip and Alex that The Travelin’ Duff from BuffaloGolfer.com sent you.

Day 3 : Thank God, we are there………..

The morning sun peeks through the motel window and awakens the Duff. Sliding out of bed, quietly and slowly,
hoping not to disturb the wife, Bailey awakens. Of course, he wants to go out to water the flowers and fertilize the
sandy Florida earth. To the Duff's surprise, the sun is warm and the temp feels like a Buffalo morning in July. Hallelujah!

We arise to the dog’s kisses and wet paws. With renewed enthusiasm, we quickly pack up and head for US I-95 south.
AAA has routed us differently this year. The road to Naples will go through Orlando as we exit on to US I-4.

Disney World, Sea World, Universal Sudios and a multitude of other attractions flash by as we head south west. Been there,
done that, goes through the Duff’s mind remembering fondly good times with our daughters when they were young.

Approaching Tampa, we exit on to US I-75 south. The Super Bowl was played here this year. The Duff is very happy
that the game isn’t this day. The traffic is crazy enough on a normal work day in Tampa, let alone Super Bowl Sunday.

Burger King beckons us. Nothing like an egg and sausage croissant sandwich to settle the hunger pangs. We take the
next exit and find a BK to satisfy our needs to empty and fill-up. Bailey falls in love with a cute poodle and gets her
number in case he returns to the area again. After we filled up on food, the van gets its fill at $1.75 per gallon.

Back on US I-75 south, we are in the final leg of our 1300 mile journey from the cold north to the warmth of southwest
Florida. The grass is so green, the trees full of leaves and buds, the flowers are in bloom and the palm trees are abundant.
The temperature is at 65 degrees and the southern sun feels so very warm.

We pass by Sarasota, Punta Gorda, Ft. Myers and finally we reach Exit 111 in North Naples. The villa we rented is located
in a golf community just 2 miles east of the exit. This is what we find………

The Duff, the wife and Bailey are finally in “GOLF HEAVEN”!

Day 2 : The goal is still Naples, with hopes of warmer weather……..

Dreams of snow and cold awaken the three of us to, would you believe, snow and cold weather.
The Duff didn’t sleep well.

After a great breakfast at Red Roof, we fill up the van at Kwik Fill. Would you believe that 87 octane gas
is only $1.53 a gallon and it isn’t a reservation. It’s Virginia.

Believing sun and warm weather has to be on the horizon, the Duff heads to North Carolina on
US I-77. The sun is up and the temperature is still hovering around 40 degrees. No snow on the
ground appears to signal better weather.

As we approach Statesville, NC, the wife wants to stop at J-R’s, one of her all time favorite bargain
stores. Reluctantly, the Duff agrees. J-R’s offers the avid shopper deals on books, clothing, toys,
sporting goods, housewares and, of course, cigars and cigarettes.

Wandering through the store, after giving Bailey the opportunity to relieve himself, the Duff finds an oasis.
Located at the entrance to the humidity controlled tobacco emporium, the Duff discovers a varied
selection of golf equipment. Bags, clubs, shoes, shirts, picture frames, umbrellas, and of course, golf balls
are all awaiting my perusal. Good names and great prices make this more interesting.

Surprise! My bride has made her selections in a relatively short hour and is ready to check out. The Duff is
still trying to decide whether if adding another putter to his collection will really improve his game.
A resounding “No”, says the love of my life. “Nothing can help your putting skills!”, she adds. With tail
between my legs, we head for the checkout counter. (Editor's Note: Mo' Golf is deeply disappointed that
the Duff is such a wimp...there's always room for one more putter--just get rid of the wife!)

It appears that the economy of Statesville, NC will be on the upswing as the cashier rings up a cartful of
goodies...No golf items included!

We load up the already overly packed Toyota van and look for a place to get coffee. The Duff was hoping
that some northern entrepreneur had figured out that “Tim Horton’s” would be a gold mine in the south. Unfortunately, this wasn’t happening on this year’s trip south. We settled for a convenience store cup of
coffee and headed back to I-77 south.

In Columbia, SC , we pick up US I-26. The sun is out and the temp increases to 45 degrees as we head east
towards US I-95 south which leads to Georgia and Florida.

Outside of Savannah, Ga., we stop for lunch at a Waffle House. The wife seems to think that a southern
entrepreneur would open a gold mine by debuting a Waffle House in western NY. Hmm! After a great waffle
and eggs selection, we are on the road again. (Editor's Note: during his time in college in North Carolina,
Mo' Golf ate at many an "Awful Waffle." While Mo' loves the eats, the use of one spatula to fry eggs, cook
cakes and swat flies might be the item holding back Waffle House' expansion northward.)

We amble through Georgia on US I-95 at the speed limit of 70 mph. The trucks, motorcycles and cars pass
us like we are standing still. They must be doing 80-90 miles per hour. Most vehicles are from the north.
Guess they’re trying to get to the Sunshine State as fast as they can. Who’s to fault them as I speed up too.

Our second day will conclude in Jacksonville, Fl. Another overnight at a Red Roof Inn, next to
JAX airport off of I-95. We pull into the parking lot and proceed to register. That is, to get in line to
register although I have a confirmed reservation. Seems like the manager on duty thought it would be
a great educational opportunity to train a new employee that night. Not a sound training practice when you
have tired and cranky people standing 6 deep in line after driving many hours.

After taking a half hour to check in, we head for our room. Needless to say, this Red Roof Inn was not as accommodating as the one last night. No free Wi-Fi. No continental breakfast. Only 1 bath towel in the room
for 2 people. From a 4 star to a no star in one day.

Next to the Inn is a Perkins. We are tired and decide to eat there. The food was good and the service was
very good. Back to the room after walking Bailey for his nightly routine.

The temp is near 55 degrees with the promise of sun and the low 60s tomorrow. Sleep and dreams
of Naples, Fl. await us all.

January 2009--The Duff Heads South

Day 1 : The goal is the warmth and sun of Naples, Florida

It’s 7:00 am. The van is loaded and ready to go. The temperature is near zero. The wind is howling and it is snowing. All the ingredients which make driving south from Buffalo a real adventure.

With wife and dog in tow, the Duff heads out of town. West on US I-90 to Erie, PA, the directions read. Of course, the directions don’t indicate the amount of snow and wind one should anticipate when driving past the south towns of Buffalo along Lake Erie in January.

First stop is in Erie to fill up the Toyota. Gas is always cheaper in PA than in NY. Hit the restroom, get a cup of coffee and we are off to better weather. I think. The snow and sleet continue on US I-79 heading towards Pittsburg. Bailey, the family dog, has to go. His eyes were turning yellow when we finally stopped at a rest area. He explores the wonder of other canine scents and frolics in the snow. Must think he is home in our backyard.

Back on the road again, we enter the mountains of West Virginia. The mountains are a beautiful site to behold. Not, however, in the middle of winter driving while in snow and sleet at elevations that require oxygen masks. Which, by the way, do not come standard or even special ordered in Toyota Sienna vans. From US I-79 , we take US 19 through more mountains and tractor trailer run offs. The snow ebbs and temp goes down 10 degrees.

Further south we reach Virginia and the Blue Ridge mountains, hoping for a break in the weather. The temperature is in the 30’s now. We see only light fluffy snowflakes as we head towards Wytheville, VA.. Our first night on the road will be spent at our favorite Virginia Red Roof Inn located at the intersection of US I-77 and I-81. Nice people, great southern hospitality and pet friendly. No snow on the sun side of the slopes but the temperature is in the low 30’s and flurries fill the night sky.

We settle in and order out a Pizza Hut, hand tossed crust, large cheese and pepperoni pizza. It’s our lucky day. A medium pizza also comes free. It’s like pizza heaven. Tonight even Bailey will dine on pizza. With hot showers, full stomachs, a comfortable king sized bed, and pizza for the road tomorrow, the three of us settle down for the night. Yup! Even after eating a pepperoni pizza, Bailey sleeps with us.

December 2008--Duff Found, Incoherent!

It was a cause for celebration, a cause for rejoicing, this Thanksgiving Thursday. While thousands of western New
Yorkers were participating in the Turkey Trot down Delaware Avenue, John "Travelin' Duff" Daken returned
from a two-month time warp to the apparent ambivalence of his family and friends. The Duff had been reported
missing a few months before, ostensibly on the hunt for a mythical golf course, the Brigadoon of the Niagara region.

"I was in a field behind these houses. I wandered north for a while and stumbled on a pond with the most glorious
fish around. It seemed as though they had all come from the great Mother Fish, they were so similar."

"Just when I thought my mind was clearing, a little man in plus-fours began speaking to me, telling me to get off his line.
I turned and bolted, running down a narrow field and left at a path through the woods. No sooner had I gotten
away from the little man, I looked up into the sleepy eyes of a living tree! It didn't speak, just chanted, or
moaned or something like that. So much for clarity!"

"After I dreamed a golfing dream of a parkland course, on a sunny day, I lapsed back into an
unconscious state. I came around to the sounds of a motorized cart, driven by a kindly older gentleman.
I later learned his name was Chuck Papke and that he was the owner and architect of Bedrock Golf Club,
the object of my search from so long ago."

What is Bedrock? We'll let you know in the New Year. Only 31 days until the secret is finally revealed.

November 2008--Duff Still Missing, Camera Found!

On 10/04/2008, a camera was found beneath mileage marker 406 on the westbound I-90 in New York State.
Extensive lab testing revealed finger prints from John "Travelin' Duff" Daken. The lab was confounded, however,
by the apparent disparity in groove depth: some of the prints were the finely-grooved ridges of a younger man
while others clearly showed the more profound depths of a wizened sage. The lab could provide no explanation for
the disparity in finger prints but did confirm that all prints belonged to The Duff.

The images are doubtless from his eye, as they reflect the typical random nature of the Travelin' Duff. Pictures of
nondescript roads, barns and tents mix with shots of an unexplained, unidentified golf layout. However, there is an
even more curious fact to report.

Nowhere in the telephone books of western New York, nor online, nor in the public or private course listings of area courses,
has a layout called BedRock Golf Club ever been found. It is almost as if some unidentifiable force is playing a sick and tragic
joke by linking Duff's disappearance to a childish, Dino-esque figure. Haven't we suffered enough?

The crime lab was able to extricate the undeveloped film from the camera and send it off for processing. The film,
unbelievably, remained acceptable for development, in spite of its exposure to the elements. When pictures came back from
the lab, the time stamp on them read "August, 2004," exactly four years prior to Duff's disappearance. Incredibly,
the camera from which the film was extracted appeared on the market one year: 2006. Technicians retraced their steps
but were unable to explain how a young/old Travelin' Duff could shoot images simultaneously in 2004 and 2008
with a disposable camera that did not exist in either calendar year.

When interviewed, Duff's wife of over forty years indicated that there was always something odd about her spouse:

Really, he's always been a bit squirrely. He hangs around with some of the strangest
people you'll ever meet. Most of them golf and they do it a lot. Even odder, they seem
to enjoy it. He's forever going off on madcap adventures to find lost treasures in Michigan,
Wisconsin, Long Island and the Carolinas. As if there was anything of interest in either place.
His being gone means I have to walk the dog, I have to close the pool, I have to take
the car in for oil changes. Really, that's about all he's good for.
He never did much else around the house.

October 2008--Duff Disappears!!

In a coincidental series of incidents too strange for fiction, Travelin' Duff has disappeared! Duff and Mo' Golf had
long discussed the existence of "Mileage Marker 406," a mysterious golf course with no known markings. Both
had attempted to identify the course with Google Earth, but a mysterious haze and distortion cause the area to
appear in an unfocused state. Mo' had driven the area roads once after a day at Buffalo Tournament Club, but
the sun inexplicably went down at a faster than usual pace.

In late September, Travelin' Duff was on his way home from business when he once again saw the Brigadoon of
area golf courses rise from the mist along I-90. Resolving to once and for all identify the layout, he exited and
backtracked. He was able to send one communique before the disappearance, from which we can assume he not
only approached the course in automobile, but actually set foot on the hallowed or haunted ground. Here are
the Duff's final known words to date:

"Early this past Wednesday I was on my way to Batavia to do a transfer program at Genesee C.C. At mileage marker 406 I
again saw the phantom golf course. I decided to try to locate it on my way home. To my surprise I found the nine hole
layout. It is located west of Crittenden Rd on Stage Rd at N. Ayers, a dead end road. I drove down N. Ayers hoping
to find a sign with the course name or a clubhouse. All I found was what looked like a maintenance barn. Around
the north side of the barn was what appeared to be a cart path which led to a starter's shack which was empty.
I saw a few golf carts around the barn and shack without golfers or clubs. I walked a little further past the shack to the first
tee and saw more vacant and scattered carts and another barn type building with a couple of picnic tables. There
were also a few golf course lawn mowers and other equipment in this area. Still, no one was around or on the course
as far as I could tell. Even so, the pins were in, the fairway grass and the greens were cut. It was an eerie feeling.
I did however find a score card on one of the vacant carts. The course is called "Bed Rock Golf Club".
Attached are the front and backside of the card. At the top of the xeroxed score card is a phone number
which was written in pencil. When I headed back to Crittendon Rd. I noticed a sign on a vacant lot which read
"lots for sale on golf course". Of course, I didn't take down the phone number or take a picture of the course
(left my camera home). It seemed like every house along Stage and Ayers had a golf cart in the yard..........
Well at least we now know that there is a golf course there. It appears to me that the course is probably for the
adjacent or nearby homeowners who either bought into a package (house, lot, golf course) and/or who pay
an annual fee to use the course any time they wish. I would like to find out more about
Bed Rock in Crittenden. How about you?"

The BuffaloGolfer community asks that anyone with information on Duff or the course contact Mo' Golf
immediately at buffalogolferATbuffalogolfer.com. Duff has gone AWOL before, although usually to avoid
meeting a deadline. This time is different...having met the deadline, he would usually bask in the glory of
his achievement.

September 2008--Powerful Poconos

The Poconos are linked inextricably with western New York. Both have had to overcome the mid-20th century tag of
"Honeymoon Capital." Truth is, that's not such a great moniker anymore. Sort of limits you, if you know what I mean.
The joke in Niagara Falls was, let's go look at the water. After ten minutes, OK, that's nice, what else can we do?
Hmmmm...we have a hotel room and it's our honeymoon...

And thus, a nickname was born. Now that there are great golf and gambling in Niagara Falls, there is much more to do.
The Poconos have always had golf, since the early days. I had a chance to play two of those older courses this August
and they have certainly held up against the onslaught of time. I also played two newer tracks and found them to be
the perfect complement to their more staid brethren. Here's the Rush-Hour Rundown of the four tracks I played.

Started at Split Rock Resort. Three nines are open and a fourth is being built. The first nine is old school resorty...
not too long and fairly forgiving. Not sporty but not physically exacting. You could walk it. The other two nines
currently open will kick your calves if you attempt to walk them. They go up and down hillsides and mountain feet,
around scary wetlands and through dark forests. The golf is great, but it's definitely a cart-riding experience. Conditions
at Split Rock were excellent. I noticed the new build winding its way around our condos and anticipate that they will have
three new-age nines and one old-school half fairly soon. I absolutely recommend playing Split Rock.

Shawnee-On-Delaware came next. A.W. Tillinghast's first nine hole design is very enjoyable and fairly taxing from the
tips. He put a lot of effort into designing movement in the greens and ran the fairways as the land would allow
back to the tees. The course is located for the most part on an island in the Delaware River. Holes 1-6 and the
7th tee occupy ground between PA and New Jersey. The 7th tees off from the island and alights on the mainland,
a strong, mid-length par three with a terrific green quarters. The other two nines at Shawnee were designed by other
architects and are just as strong. The Tillinghast is officially known as the Blue nine. I also played the White, but missed
the Red. In my opinion, it is an excellent option for those who either love traditional golf or wish to learn about
golf courses that are eminently walkable.

Third on the list was Buck Hill, a Donald Ross design. Buck Hill has the elite, private feel to it, yet is a public-access course.
Like Shawnee, Buck Hill has three nines and all of them work through foothills, over valleys, around forests. Buck Hill has
even more demanding putting surfaces than Shawnee and is worth playing at least twice to gather an understanding of the
course. You can play all the holes at Shawnee well your first time, but I'd be shocked if you didn't have a misstep or two
at BH during your first tour, owing to the lay of the land. The par five holes at Buck Hill are quite memorable, along with the
downhill ninth, a tremendous par three. Buck Hill charges about what a high-end course in western New York might ask
for a green fee, so pay it, play it, and enjoy it.

The final 18 that gathered my attention is fairly new, Hideaway Hills. Formerly a "Dirty Dancing" style resort in the Pokes,
HH was converted into a golf course by its owner. The resort had a ski slope, so owner Joe Farda built the tenth, a downhill,
cascading par five with a 150-feet drop from tee to fairway. The fairway is tiered like mountain crops are farmed in
the Andes, moving from tier one to tier two to the green level. The next three holes move along the ridge, as two short
par fours and a memorable par three. The par three is memorable if you sneak up the closed access road to the old tee,
240 yards downhill. I hit four wood four times and all four found the green. Like parachuting. The 7th hole has an even
more direct drop, about 140 feet from tee to green. Driving a cart on some of these holes is a life-changing
(or life-threatening) experience.

Summary:
I recommend all four courses. Their green fees were certainly affordable enough to not force a home equity loan. Each
course had its foibles and its unique elements, yet conditioning was consistent from layout to layout. Hideaway Hills is the only
one of the four that was designed by an amateur architect and this is evident on at least four holes. You'll love or hate
them, and you won't forget them. All except Buck Hill have onsite lodging, although Buck Hill does sell second-home property.
There are quite a number of Poconos courses available for public access. If you like mountain golf, you'll do well to head
north and east to Pennsylvania.

Rates:
From your wallet, Split Rock sets you back $50 on weekdays, while Shawnee subtracts $65. Hideaway Hills
runs about $60 and Buck Hill bags $50. Weekend rates are higher, twilight rates are lower.

Web Links

Split Rock
Shawnee
Buck Hill
Hideaway Hills

August 2008--Blazing Your Own Trail In The Berkshires

Since it was New England, a nod to Robert Frost seems appropriate. The Road Less Traveled is an apt
description of golf in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts and southern Vermont. You won't find a carefully-
crafted marketing campaign that details the ten "must see, must play" designer layouts in the region. The
mountain folk of the area won't ever retain a name architect to carve a series of cookie-cutter courses. The
Berkshires are home to a number of memorable golf courses. Like the green mountain men of Rip van Winkle fame,
you'll need to sniff them out.

We knew coming in that Taconic at Williams College would be the jewel of our trip. Originally laid out in 1896 and
perfected by Stiles and Van Kleek, the golf course will undergo a year-long renovation under the careful management
of Gil Hanse. Bunkers that used to be will be re-dug; bunkers that used to come into play will be moved into strategic
locations. Some tees will be extended while others will be re-angled. Certain putting surfaces will be gently
extended to afford new pin positions.

The problem with Taconic is, it's a high-end layout. Unless you're making medical, investment or educator bucks
in Williamstown, you're probably not playing Taconic with any frequency. On the south end of town lies Wabeeka
Golf Links, the long-time alternative to Taconic. When I first played Taconic at age 16, my partners let me know that
Waubeeka was an "ok layout, but certainly not Taconic." Wanting to know for certain, we added WGL to our rota.
Truth be told, Cranwell Resort (another Stiles/Van Kleek) was high on our list, but evidently, the sentiment
wasn't reciprocal. After some searching, we found a diamond in the rough in Haystack, a Desmond Muirhead layout
in Wilmington, Vermont (near the Mt. Snow ski resort.) For those of you who don't know of the late Mr. Muirhead,
some of his layouts bordered on the bizarre, blending metaphor with creative topography to forge an
unforgettable if not always consistent creation. For western New York golfers, River Oaks on Grand Island is the lone
area representation of the scotsman's craft.

Waubeeka was way more than I expected. The course moves up and down the hilly terrain with logic and precision.
It is a tricky task to create a mountain course and not have gimmick holes and Waubeeka does this with
consistency. The first hole is a prime example of the conditions you will face in the Berkshires. The golf in the
area is old, certainly not built to today's 7200-yard plus standards. A short par four, the hole requires you to risk
hitting driver over the left corner or lay up with a metal to the fairway center. I took driver to position A, hit a wedge
above the hole, then watched my putt drift ever so gently...off the green. The scenario repeated itself with
frequency throughout the day. My suggestion to you is...show up the evening before, take a putter out on the
course and putt the greens in the twilight. Waubeeka consists, in appropriate terms for ski country, of an upper adnd
lower bowl. The lower bowl is home to the opening and closing holes of each nine, along with 2, 3, 16 and 17.
The remaining 10 holes traverse a higher ground that meanders up and down a series of ridge runs. Whether
teeing off up or down these runs, you can envision the rivers and slides that carved these narrows. The
three-hole stretch from 11-13 defines the round. Take special care with driver placement on these holes and
you'll walk away with satisfying numbers. As far as the front nine, you're likely to recall holes 5-7. The 6th is the
best pure par four on the course (and quite possible, the best in the region.) It plays like a "Cape" hole, except
the cape is a left-side ravine confronted on the second shot.

Haystack was easily the most undulating course we faced. Located in south-central Vermont near Mt. Snow, the
layout was designed by Desmond Muirhead and also places a premium on putting. For us flatlanders, a trip to
the hills takes us out of our putting element and demands that we take two or three looks at each stroke on
the greens. My advice is no different from that of the great teachers of the game: look at the lay of the green
as you approach it to get your first sense of the roll. Next, park your cart or place your bag at the back of the green,
then take a look from there. How many times have you looked at a putt and seen left, only to watch the ball head
right? Mountain greens will do that to you! The short par four 6th begins a demanding, three-hole stretch in which
all is not what it seems to be. On 6, ignore the bunkers on the left and aim right at them...huh? It's easy to yank a
ball into the pond left, so err on the side of caution. The par three seventh has redan-like characterstics, where an angled
fairway short and to the side of the green serves to bounce the ball toward the putting surface. In this way, you avoid
having to traverse a major hazard on the direct line to the green. At Haystack, use the right bunkers to frame your shot,
then let it bounce left toward the green. The 8th is a large par five that teases you to drive the right corner. Resist, play
straight, then take a whack at your second shot. Trees left and water right pinch the layup zone, so be precise. The green
is a fairly docile one, yet sits in a picturesque natural amphitheater. On the back side, the par five will make or break your round.
After taking a deep breath on the 11th tee (150 feet drop to green!), hit a ball down the right side...with the appropriate
bounce, you might have only 150 yards left. The green is open in front, so take dead aim and you'll be putting for eagle.
The 14th is a great driving hole with an incredibly narrow (19 yards wide!) first lay up area at 150 yards out.
If you want to hit wedge in, you'll have to lay up a bit farther up, where the fairway expands to 28 yards wide. The
green has many slopes, effectively communicating that your efforts at working your way up the fairway will not be enough.

Taconic is the most storied of the three courses. Designed by the recently-rediscovered team of Wayne Stiles
and John Van Kleek, the course is owned by Williams College and is home to the school's golf teams. Taconic has hosted
national USGA events, including a junior Amateur in 1956 and a senior amateur in 1996. The course topography is nearly
the opposite of Waubeeka; the lower bowl houses most of the holes, while an upper ledge contains the remainder. For a
moment I believed that I had encountered two "breather holes" at Taconic; then I three-whacked both greens. The first
and sixth are not overly demanding from tee to green. From green to hole they are certainly equal to any effort. You'll
find that balance is the optimal word at Taconic. Each hole seems to flow from tee to green in its own, casual way. With
the exception of the ninth, a par three that drops some 170 yards into an enormous fissure, there are no explosive holes.
What the architects did best was allow terrain to dictate direction, slope, and result. To succeed at Taconic, your long game
must include comfort with uneven fairway lies, the ability to read pitch and slope for putting and recovery shots, and a
surgeon's touch from bunkers, should you miss the greens. Driving the ball is probably the least critical skill in demand,
although a long and straight tee ball certainly makes the tasks easier. Like no other course that I know, Taconic extracts
the measure of a golfer on it short holes. Not one of them is a simple toss from tee to green. On all of them, the slightest
miscalculation or mis-hit results in a daunting recovery from sand, hollow or some other frustrating position. If you play to
your handicap the first time you tackle Taconic, you're a patient and wise golfer.

Rates:
From your wallet, Waubeeka Golf Links sets you back $55 on weekdays and $65 on weekends,
while Haystack subtracts $49 on weekdays, $79 on weekends. Taconic tops out at $145 unaccompanied (with a
$50 replay making it more tolerable). Find a member and you'll get on for $60.

Web Links

Waubeeka Golf Links
Haystack Golf Club
Taconic Golf Club

July 2008--The Porter Cup...Thursdays Play Was ... a Washout!

Try as they might, the Porter Cup officials and grounds crews were unable to calm the rain gods. After a 6 hour rain delay, only 14 threesomes were able to tee off before the horn sounded to suspend play. The thunder, lightening and rain finally washed out round 2.

Play will resume today and rounds 2 & 3 will hopefully be completed. Threesomes will tee off on both # 1 and #10 at 7:30am to accommodate the 36 holes of play. The final round will take place on Saturday.

The Duff was able to photograph some of the players as they waited for play to begin and as the early groups were teeing off. Enjoy!

The Travelin Duff for BuffaloGolfer.com

July 2008--31st NIAGARA FALLS YOUTH GOLF TOURNAMENT

The annual, City of Niagara Falls, Youth Golf Tournament will be held at the Hyde Park golf complex on Tuesday, August 12, 2008. Entry is open
to boys and girls ages 7-17 and residence in Niagara Falls is not required.

Last year the tournament attracted close to 100 youth golfers from all over Niagara & Erie counties, Niagara Falls, Ontario and other areas of
western NY. Three years ago one of the age group winners was a young man from Pennsylvania on vacation with his parents at Niagara Falls.
All young golfers regardless of ability are given a chance to compete and enjoy the Hyde Park course and staff. Beginner, Intermediate and
Experienced categories have been set up to accommodate all youth who register.

Every young golfer will receive at least one gift along with the opportunity to win other locally donated items of youth interest. Last year, golf clubs
and equipment along with bikes, stereo systems, tv's, etc. were awarded to the youth participants due to the generosity of local and western
NY donors. Pre-tourney breakfast food, a post tourney hot dog roast, prizes and golf greens fees are included in the $5.00 entry fee. Parents,
grandparents and friends are welcome to come and see the youth tourney.

Registration forms are available at the Hyde Park Clubhouse at 4343 Porter Rd. in Niagara Falls and soon on-line at www.buffalogolfer.com.
The form must be returned to the clubhouse with the $5 entry fee by August 8, 2008.

Come on out to a great golf event for youngsters. The Duff will be there rooting on the young golfers and shooting candid photos of the
participants, parents, grandparents and friends. To see a photo gallery and summary of last year's tournament, please check out the
Travelin' Duff column of August 2007 on www.buffalogolfer.com.

If you would like to be a sponsor of the event , a prize donor, or if you have any questions please contact:
Marc Stott, Director of Golf, at 716-297-2067 or at marc.stott@niagarafallsny.gov.

SEE YOU AT THE TOURNEY!...............The Travelin' Duff

June 2008: Tiger Woods--A Hero...For All Seasons...and Reasons!

According to Webster's dictionary, a HERO may be defined as "a mythical or legendary figure often of divine descent
endowed with great strength or ability, or a man admired for his achievements or noble qualities,
or one that shows great courage, or is an illustrious warrior".

After watching Tiger Woods at the US Open the first three days, Mr. Webster should add, "TIGER WOODS, for example".
The Duff has had the pleasure of seeing many sports heroes during his 6 plus decades on this planet.

Tiger ranks as his top choice in all sports. Looking back over the years, the first hero on the Duff's list
was baseball's Babe Ruth... the Bambino ....the Sultan of Swat. Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, and Whitey Ford were added later.

Growing up in the "Big City", this writer wasn't aware of the game of golf until Arnold Palmer began to dominate the sport.
There was only one course in the neighborhood and golfers were lining up overnight to get tee times.
Opportunities to learn the game were limited. Reading the sports pages about Arnie and his growing Army
developed the Duff's first interest in golf. A used 2 wood was a birthday present from Dad, who never played golf,
along with a trip to the only driving range within the borough.

What a gift for a 12 year old who had no idea anyone, much less Dad, knew of his interest.

This writer never played a round until upstate New York lured him to college. The Duff was in his early twenties when he
was bitten by the "golf bug". Interest in the sport led to admiration of golf legends like Jack Nicklaus, Chi-Chi Rodriguez,
Lee Trevino and many other great players. As the Duff's admiration grew for future legends in the game of golf,
it lessened in other sports. As professional sport teams began paying athletes big bucks and long term contracts
the number of players to admire, in my opinion, dwindled.

Except in golf.

Golf was a professional sport where a player had to qualify to play each week. Players paid there own expenses
including entry fees. No guarantee of earnings unless one finished in the money on the weekend.

Wow!

A professional golfer has to prove himself on the course, week in and week out, year after year, to get a paycheck
and endorsements. In this writers opinion, the game of GOLF builds traits of

CHARACTER, DETERMINATION, INTERGRITY, PERSEVERANCE, COURAGE and HONOR

The qualities of HEROES.

Payne Stewart, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Zack Johnson
and many other professional golfers have displayed these qualities over the years.
But Tiger Woods far surpassed expectations with his gutsy performance in the 3rd round of this years Open.
You could see his determination as he played in pain. You could sense the inner strength coming from his father,
urging him to keep going and to hang in there. In other words, a Hero listening to his Hero.

Win or Lose,

TIGER WOODS is the Duff's HERO for all times!

Happy Father's Day to all you Heroes out there and thanks Dad for your presence in my life!

Post script: This article was written on Saturday evening before the final round on Sunday.

April 2008--Senior PGA Championship Comes To Oak Hill Country Club

One of the funniest moments of my brief reporting career came at the 2003 PGA Championship at Oak Hill. Jeff
Maggert was playing a practice round when he was caught by Bernhard Langer. Bernhard Langer. The slowest
golfer in creation. I might have been the only one to notice. It was still pretty funny.

The Senior PGA Championship comes to Oak Hill this May, specifically the week of the 19th to the 25th. The weather
should be pretty nice, with Spring completely arrived. I love Oak Hill for everything from the driveway to the Tudor
clubhouse (think Park Club on HGH) to the golf course itself. Oak Hill has two 18s, East and West. East is the masterpiece,
although West is much more than the parking lot it becomes during championship week.

Oak Hill East is a classic northeastern golf course. It moves through alleys of trees, along pitched and sloped fairways,
to greens canted at devilish angles across brooks, ponds and bunkers. You'll see a fair number of birdies at Oak Hill, although
sensible play will certainly win the week. Oak Hill rewards honest champions, no more evident than in 2003, when Shaun
Micheel outdueled Chad Campbell to win his only major championship and tour event to date.

I've been to Ravenwood, Greystone, Mill Creek and Bristol Harbour in the Rochester area. They are all wonderful golf courses
and continue the tradition of excellent golf in the flower city. Having walked the fairways of Oak Hill for that exciting 2003
PGA, I can only imagine the excitement generated in 1980, when Jack Nicklaus won the PGA; in 1989, when Curtis Strange
captured his 2nd consecutive USGA Open, or in 1995, when the USA played poorly down the stretch to hand the Ryder Cup
to the European team. I've a suspicion that the Senior players will not disappoint this May and that we'll have a stirring finish
to the 69th Senior PGA Championship.

December 2007--Golf Courses and Clubs in Western New York

It has been a while since I checked in with an article, so I decided to start from scratch. With snow on the ground
and the wind whipping through the trees, the Duff sat down to his keyboard and trolled the internet for area golf courses
and clubs. The gamut of local course and club websites stretches from incredibly professional to fairly inept.
The disheartening element for local public players is the lack of access to the sites of top private clubs (members only.)
You'd think that the cream of courses would provide a course map, scorecard and history at the very least. Here we go,
then, with my list of top local golf sites.

Public Courses
All of the courses listed below offer course maps and scorecards, telephone and email contact information, directions to course,
menus and photos. Accompanying my ranking is a brief blurb on what separates each course from the ones that follow.
The six courses reviewed here are the cream of the crop, and it is worthwhile noting that not a single municipal course
made my list. New York State, towns, counties and villages, are you reading?

Harvest Hill--With all due respect to its peers, Harvest Hill outshines the web sites of all other public courses in WNY.
It takes a lot of work to maintain a site with this much information, so we'll see how the new kid on the block
fares in 2008.
Glen Oak--Glen Oak scoots ahead of BTC into second place thanks to its hole-by-hole presentation and
instant EMAIL functionality. Animated overhead views and individual-hole playing suggestions make the difference.
Want to contact someone at the club? It's easy on this site. Both Glen Oak and BTC use the Fore! Reservations technology.
Buffalo Tournament Club--The online tee time option used elevates BTC to third place among Buffalo-area
golf websites. The lack of detailed hole analysis places their site just below the Glen Oak web door.
Diamond Hawk and Arrowhead--Both lack the online tee time capability of BTC and Glen Oak, although their presentation
is just as nice. Professional lines and
The Links At Ivy Ridge--Honestly, for a course of its quality, the web site is a bit of a disappointment. I'd like to see
a bit more functionality, although given a choice between a great course and a great website,
I'll take the great course every time. Great aptly describes the layout and conditioning at Ivy Ridge.

Municipal Course Clubs
Honestly, most of these are worse than BuffaloGolfer in terms of functionality, and we're not that great! In most cases,
a club member knows a thing about web design and maintains a halfway-decent site.

Audubon--A club I played as a younger adult, a course I know like the back of my hand. From the time
they cut two holes in every green to the building of the new 17th hole, Audubon is what it is.
Elma Meadows--How cheezy are the animated files that greet you?
If you could give it a little more yardage, ohh what a course it might be. Great elevation changes, tricky
par three holes, Elma is our second-best municipal course.

Private Courses
Way too many to address them all. Does any other region have quite so many private clubs? Doubt it! I've listed four
welcoming club sites from one end of the spectrum and four locked-down ones from the other.

Niagara Frontier, Niagara Falls, and East Aurora stand out. The first seems to be a laid-back club in Niagara county
that welcomes members. The latter two both host important events (Porter Cup and Junior Masters), so they need
to have accessible sites. Oops, guess what, forgot to add Crag Burn. They used to lock you out, but their new site
is truly cool. Bravo! (Must need members!) Guess what? Cherry Hill did the same thing. Check them out!

Brookfield, Westwood, Orchard Park and Park give you next to nothing. If you're not a member, hit the road.
Still, they're better than Country Club of Buffalo, whose website I cannot even find anymore!

September 2007: Turning Stone Resort Championship Photo Galleries

August 2007-- Results From The 30th Annual Niagara Falls City Youth Golf Tournament

Last week, 82 youth golfers and as many parents, grandparents and friends, took over the Hyde Park golf complex. The 30th annual Niagara Falls Youth Golf Tournament was played under partly sunny skies and in mild summer temperature.

Teeing off at 8 am was the 15-17 year old bracket playing the North 18 hole course. With a shot gun start at 10 am, the 7-10 year old youngsters teed off on the Red nine while the 11-14 age group played the White course.

To View The Travelin' Duff Photo Gallery, Click Here.

All golfers received a bag full of golf tidbits from tees to coupons to a sleeve of balls. Golfers also received golf prizes ranging from ball retrievers, to free greens fee certificates to books about golf. In addition, entertainment centers, IPods. a TV set, putters, golf clubs, golf bags and gift certificates for the hot air balloon by the falls, local restaurants and even a 2 hour limo ride were given away.

This year the United Steel Workers of America, local # 9434, was the main sponsor. Representatives from the Niagara Falls local were on hand to present awards and prizes after a hot dog and pizza lunch which was served to and enjoyed by players, parents, grandparents, friends, sponsors, course staff and volunteers.

Can you imagine? Golf, prizes, lunch and giveaways for only $5.00 per player. Other municipalities with public golf courses should use the Niagara Falls Youth Tournament as a model program.

To View The Travelin' Duff Photo Gallery, Click Here

Thanks to Marc Stott, the Hyde Park Golf Director, the fantastic staff at the course and the terrific volunteers who organize and run the tournament. A special thanks to the many sponsors who donate prizes and gifts for the young golfers. Also kudos to Robin and JennieLee for gathering and organizing all the gifts and prizes.

BuffaloGolfer.com readers who would like information or to donate items for the 2008 Tournament should contact Marc Stott at 716-297-2067 or e-mail at marc.stott@niagarafallsny.gov .

The Duff is proud to be a volunteer photographer providing photo memories on the BuffaloGolfer.com website as well as a photo collage at the Hyde Park clubhouse.

To View The Travelin' Duff Photo Gallery, Click Here

August 2007-- The 30th Annual Niagara Falls City Youth Golf Tournament

The 30th annual, City of Niagara Falls, Youth Golf Tournament will be held at the Hyde Park golf complex on Tuesday, August 14, 2007. Entry is open to boys and girls ages 7-17 and residence in Niagara Falls is not required.

Last year the tournament attracted more than 100 youth golfers from all over Niagara & Erie counties, Niagara Falls, Ontario and other areas of western NY. Two years ago one of the age group winners was a young man from Pennsylvania on vacation with his parents at Niagara Falls. All young golfers regardless of ability are given a chance to compete and enjoy the Hyde Park course and staff. Beginner, Intermediate and Experienced categories have been set up to accommodate all youth who register.

To View The Travelin' Duff Photo Gallery, Click Here

Click Here For Entry Form

Every young golfer will receive at least one gift along with the opportunity to win other locally donated items of youth interest. Last year, golf clubs and equipment along with bikes, stereo systems, televisions, etc. were awarded to the youth participants due to the generosity of local and western NY donors. Pre-tourney breakfast food, a post tourney hot dog roast, prizes and golf greens fees are included in the $5.00 entry fee. Parents, grandparents and friends are welcome to come and see the youth tourney.

Click Here For Entry Form

Registration forms are available at the Hyde Park Clubhouse at 4343 Porter Rd. in Niagara Falls or on-line HERE. The form must be returned to the clubhouse with the $5 entry fee by August 10, 2007. For more information or questions, please call Marc Stott, Director of Golf, at 716-297-2067, or email him at marc.stott@niagarafallsny.gov.

Come on out to a great golf event for youngsters. The Duff will be there rooting on the young golfers and shooting candid photos of the participants, parents, grandparents and friends. To see a photo gallery and summary of the 2005 tournament, please check out the Travelin' Duff column of August 2006 on www.buffalogolfer.com.

Click Here For Entry Form

To View The Travelin' Duff Photo Gallery, Click Here.

CONGRATULATIONS ! ....... The Travelin' Duff

July 2007--Ten Thing You Need To Know About Harvest Hill

The next seven days will see a flurry of activity on Old Transit Road in Orchard Park. Harvest Hill will join the ranks of top-notch area golf courses open to the public on July 25th. To keep it simple and keep it real, I, the Travelin' Duff, will list ten important items that you need to know about Harvest Hill. In keeping with my track record, there is no order of relevance to my list.

1. Harvest Hill is a privately-owned, public-access course. That means, no public traffic on bikes, horses, foot, or motorcycles. The course IS NOT owned by a municipality.

2. Although the Hurdzan-Fry design firm is the designer of record, the lead designer was David Whelchel. A similar scenario unfolded at Diamond Hawk in Cheektowaga, where the lead designer from Hurdzan-Fry was Bill Kerman.

3. Harvest Hill is a 21-hole facility, with three "short" holes complementing the 18-hole championship course.

4. The First Tee of Western New York owns the course and sponsors golf, recreation, and educational programs at the facility.

5. Green fees at Harvest Hill range from $30 for twilight golf (M-F, after 4 PM) to $52 for golf and cart on weekends.

6. If you join the Harvest Hill E-Club, you will receive coupons for $5 a twilight round of golf.

7. In addition to the 21 complete golf holes, Harvest Hill also contains a practice range and a short game facility.

8. Walking rounds of golf are allowed and encouraged at Harvest Hill

9. In addition to the programs offered at Harvest Hill, The First Tee of Western New York operates satellite locations at Cazenovia Park in south Buffalo, and Concord Crest Golf Course in Concord, NY.

10. The course offers five sets of tee decks, stretching from 4961 yards to 7010 yards in length. The longest hole is the 575-yard thirteenth (Black tees), with the shortest weighing in at a mere 48 yards, number five, from the blues.

Travelin' Duff's 19th Hole: Waterbike Adventures

Looking for a different 19th Hole to relax after golf? Want to surprise your golfing buddies, spouse or entire family? Look no further than Waterbike Adventures at Gateway Harbor in the Tonawandas.

A few years ago, Jim Chilton, an enterprising entrepreneur and North Tonawanda NY native, had a dream to bring some water fun to the Twin cities area. Today, his dream has evolved into a small business (ad)venture.

Waterbike Adventures is located on the Tonawanda side of the canal off of Main and Young St.. Hourly rentals are available for waterbikes for individuals and the electric boat, from Florida, for group outings. Open daily from 11am till dusk.

Stop by and see Jim at his "adventure" or call him for information at: 716-316-3905. Tell him "The Duff" sent you. Check out the photo gallery below to see what Waterbke Adventures has to offer.

June 2007--Nationwide Tour & Peek'N Peak Classic: Day One

Although an early rain and fog delayed the first round yesterday, sun and cooler temps prevailed for the rest of the day. The Duff watched some of the first round players including early leaders Bryn Parry from British Columbia and Jeff Wood from California each at 5 under par , Joe Daley from Arizona at -4 and Greg Chalmers from Australia at -3 respectively.

Leaders after the first day are Paul Claxton of Georgia and Michael Letzig of Missouri. Both shot a sizzling 6 under par 66 finishing in the afternoon under windy but sun filled conditions. Nick Thompson, currently #2 in the Nationwide Tour rankings, shot 73 while Tim Fries, local Transit Valley Country Club pro, shot 80 in the last group of the day.

The Duff's sentimental favorite Nationwide Tour player, Esteban Toledo shot a 1 under 71. Esteban is currently 25th in the rankings. His son, Nicholas, is now caddying for Dad.

Plenty of terrific golf and weather remains for the Peek'n Peak Classic at Findley Lake, NY through Sunday.. Get out and see these promising golfers. Look for the Duff, the Mouth that Roars and Mo' Golf on Sunday and say hello to the BuffaloGolfer.com team.

See the Duff's Photo Gallery below.

June 2007--Out & About at Springbrook Greens on Lake Ontario

OUT & ABOUT.......

For the past few weeks, the Duff has been enjoying the summer like weather which finally arrived in western NY. As usual there were many graduation, reunion and retirement events to attend, but there was still plenty of time, and daylight, to focus on recreational activities. Of course, GOLF was uppermost in the Duff's mind.

The Oswego State University alumni reunion dangled the treat of playing golf at a course the Duff had never seen before.... SPRINGBROOK GREENS STATE PARK GOLF COURSE, located in Fair Haven, NY. The course is situated adjacent to Fair Haven State Park on Lake Ontario which provides public access to many recreational activities for Finger Lakes and central NY residents.

So, the Duff (class of '66) twisted some arms and managed to find 3 other golfers to play in this Captain & Crew event. Playing with the Duff were Jerry Oberst '77 and Associate Director of Admission at Oswego, Justin Culkowski, Alumni Director at SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry in Syracuse and Dick Atkins, Oswego city alderman and dear friend. Although the Duff's group played well and tied for first, a foursome from the 1962 reunion class was awarded the fruits of victory after a tie -breaker was invoked.

SPRINGBROOK GREENS was purchased in the spring of 2006 by the NYS Dept. of Parks and is evolving into another beautiful and affordable public course. The front nine opened for play in 1995 and the back nine in 1998. Alan Tomlinson designed the layout which was owned and operated by Ms. Pat Cooper of Fair Haven until the state took ownership last year.

Mary Gregg, the course manager, brings college degrees in Turf & Course management along with experience from Bethpage State Park on Long Island to Springbrook Greens. She is a vibrant and knowledgeable young woman who has been given the opportunity to develop the course into another gem in the state park system.

· Check out SPRINGBROOK GREENS on the web at www.nysparks.com

· Call 315-947-6115 for tee times and greens fee information.

May 2007--Blueberry Hill Golf Club

There is much truth to the assertion that environment and ambience make the golf course. Those who are fond of seaside golf have their fill along oceans and lakesides. Those who prefer the desert atmosphere move inland to Arizona and California. And those who enjoy highland golf, especially the wooded variety, should make a beeline for northwest Pennsylvania, to the small town of Russell. The bucolic home of Blueberry Hill Golf Course sits 20 miles southeast of Jamestown, NY, near the NY-PA state line. With your focus on Blueberry Hill’s 6700 yards of fairway, tees and greens, there’s little need nor opportunity for interruption.

The par three collection at Blueberry Hill is quite memorable.

Blueberry Hill was developed in the early 1960s as a nine-hole track, and was expanded to its present 18 a decade later. The original, lowland holes, play like a museum piece, with throwback sculpting around the greens, and hazards with the high side facing the golfer, and, oh yes, the occasional blind shot. Bells on 1 and 18 are rung when the fairways have cleared. Availing themselves of the heave and ho of the hilly terrain, the designers placed tee boxes high above and deep below target areas, and aligned fairways along natural drop-offs and hillsides. The result is a six-hole stretch of short par fours, lengthy par fives, and a breath-stealing, downhill par three, all with a common narrowness. Expect beautiful surroundings and numerous strategic changes during the opening stretch.

The Scrambler, caught in the act by The Duff

The tee box of the seventh hole lies across the road, and brings the upper meadow and woodland into play. This stretch of a dozen holes mirrors its predecessors in the heaving spirit, if not in the tightness, of the fairways. The remaining par threes beg mid to long iron shots to fair greens, while the par four holes have a tendency to require a right to left shot shape for optimal positioning. The par fives are split, with fourteen reachable in two at 490 sloping yards, and twelve quite difficult at 550, with a large pond occupying fairway acreage some 250 yards from the tee.

Don't let the beauty of Blueberry Hill get you!

One of the most attractive features of Blueberry Hill is the guest house. Built to accommodate 2 to 12 persons, this comfortable if humble cabin renders the search for housing moot. Three, four and seven day rentals are available, averaging from $45 to $60 per day.

A Little Blueberry Hills humor!

April 2007--FORT MYERS BEACH GOLF CLUB, Fort Myers Beach, Florida

Fort Myers Beach Golf Club

The Island Paradise Golf Course
Fort Myers Beach, Florida

If you are staying at "the Beach" and you want to play golf, the Ft. Myers Beach Golf Club is the only game in town. Located at the southern end of Estero Island, this Gordon Lewis designed 18 hole layout offers a short but challenging level of play. By golf standards. FMBGC is an executive or par 3 course with a length of 3091 yds from the Blue Tees and 2632 yds from the Reds featuring 4 mid length par 4's and 14 par 3's.

In November of 2005, the former Bay Beach Golf Club was purchased by Chip Durpo who renamed the course. Under his guidance, the course continues to be challenging and well maintained and efficiently managed. Nancy Lambert, FMBGC manager, provides exceptional organizational skills in the operation of the course, pro shop/snack bar and golfing activities and events.

Although the driving range was lost to new residential development, FMBGC still maintains a small but efficient putting and chipping practice area. If a golfer wants to practice sand and water shots, the beach and the Gulf of Mexico are right across the road. The course is well maintained and irrigated which provides golfers with a pristeen setting.

Ample parking is available, if driving, or a free ride on the Ft Myers Beach trolley can get you there. The Duff was fortunate to be within walking distance while staying at the Royal Pelican condo complex which faces the 15th and 16th holes on the course. Ed Whitlock, president of the Royal Pelican Condo Association and a starter at the course for 11 years, leads a group from the condo complex in weekly league play.

With the addition of a number of new condo complexes in the immediate Bay Beach area, FMBGC is getting a lot of play, especially during the sason from January through April. The management has continued to offer greens fees and cart rentals at reasonable "in season" rates. Club membership is available and will dramatically reduce per round fees.

The Duff and his brother-in law, John, played the course on a warm and partly sunny day in late March. John, a retired NYFD deputy chief, is a snow bird from Long Island who winters in Naples. Three years ago when we played the course, he gave the Duff some good advice. "Put away the driver and use fairway woods, utility clubs and irons " . This time he added, " Most of all, make sure you sure you use the club that gets you on these small greens". Neither of us came close to the course scoring record. But we enjoyed the day, the course and each others company. In other words, we had FUN. The Duff shot a 79 while John limped (literally) to an 89.

The SIGNATURE HOLE in this writers opinion, is #16, a 221 yd. par 3/4. This hole has hazzards of water on the right, OB to the left and sand all around the green and the distance and beauty to make every golfer feel good as well as challenged. Although #17 a par 3 at 192 yds. is listed as the #1 handicap hole, the #16 hole ranks #1 in the Duff's book.

Log onto www.clubcarusa.com/ or call 239-463 2069 for tee times & membership information.

Ft. Myers Beach Golf Club
4200 Bay Beach Lane
Ft. Myers Beach, Fl 33931

March 2007--CORAL OAKS GOLF COURSE, Cape Coral, Florida

Nestled in the northwest corner of Cape Coral, Florida, is an Arthur Hills designed municipal course. COGC opened for play about 20 years ago. The course offers large Tif Eagle greens, contoured fairways and rich natural surroundings at an affordable price all year round. Tee placements provide challenging play for all skill levels. A large practice area featuring a driving range with full grass tees, pitching and putting areas, and instruction from a PGA professional staff for beginners to scratch golfers.

A well stocked pro shop, as well as a full service restaurant, Knickers Pub, are also available and will meet the needs of every golfers needs.

The Duff was fortunate to play with longtime golfing and fishing buddy, Jeff, a snowbird from Cape Coral and Racine, Wisconsin. Rounding out the foursome were Luan and Steven, friends of Jeff from Racine. On this beautiful blue skyed day in March with the temperature in the low 80's, medalist honors went to the Duff, beating Jeff narrowly by 3 strokes and Steven by 5. Luan enjoyed the abundant wildlife and birds and certainly got her moneys worth of play.

The par 72 layout features fairways lined with oak, pine and palm trees, water hazards on at least 9 holes and manicured soft white sand bunkers.The Scoreing Ratings and Slope are as follow:

Championship Yellow Tees 73.3/139

Back Blue Tees 70.0/133

Middle White Tees 67.8/124

Front Red Tees 68.3/115

· The Director of Golf is Allen Magnuson, PGA Professional and the course superintendent is Jim Foster. For information, directions, greens fees, and outings contact the Pro Shop at 239-573-3100 or log on to www.CoralOaksGolf.com .Questions can be directed to Allen Magnuson at http://coraloaksgolf.com/contact.html or Fred Cook at fcook@capecoral.net

March 2007--Nationwide Tour to remain at Peek'N Peak Resort through 2011

PEEK’N PEAK RESORT AND PGA TOUR ANNOUNCE
EXTENSION OF NATIONWIDE TOUR EVENT THROUGH 2011

(Ponte Vedra Beach, FL) – Peek’n Peak Resort & Conference Center and the PGA TOUR today announced an extension of the Peek’n Peak Classic tournament agreement through 2011.

Tournament officials also announced an increase in the purse from $560,000 to $600,000 this year, escalating to $725,000 in 2011.

The 2007 edition of the Nationwide Tour event will be played June 25 – July 1 at the Peek’n Peak “Upper Course” in Findley Lake, NY, near Erie, PA. GOLF CHANNEL will televise the event, one of 16 Nationwide Tour tournaments they will air in 2007.

“This tournament is one of the most significant events we do at Peek’n Peak. It brings national exposure to our resort and to the region, and it’s a real pleasure for all of our staff members to work with the PGA TOUR staff and players,” said Brad Gravink, General Manager of Peek’n Peak.

“Winning at Peek’n Peak helped my career a great deal,” said former champion and current PGA TOUR member Kevin Stadler. “It did wonders for my confidence. I didn’t have much of a career prior to winning there, so it launched the career I now have. I love the area around Findley Lake and the whole week is so nice. The community does a wonderful job embracing the tournament and making the players feel welcome.”

“The Nationwide Tour has enjoyed an excellent relationship with Peek’n Peak Resort since 2002 and we are very pleased to announce we will return through 2011,” said Nationwide Tour president Bill Calfee. “The players love the golf course as well as the wonderful hospitality that is extended to them. With two playoffs and two other single-shot victories in the first five playings, the tournament always provides great drama and excitement for the fans and I’m sure this year will be no different.”

The Peek’n Peak Classic was first played in 2002. Its past champions include Stadler, Patrick Moore, Guy Boros, Esteban Toledo and John Merrick last year in a playoff. All five were played on the “Upper Course”.

The tournament’s charitable recipients are the American Cancer Society and The Foundation for Cancer Research and Education. They are two of the hundreds of organizations that benefit from Nationwide Tour events across the United States and contribute to the PGA TOUR’s umbrella support of charity.

About Peek’n Peak Resort

Established in 1964, Peek’n Peak Resort & Conference Center, in Findley Lake, NY, is a regional destination for golf and snow sports, 30 minutes east of Erie, PA. The resort features two highly acclaimed golf courses, 27 ski slopes and trails, 10 miles of cross country terrain, fine dining, and a vast selection of accommodations and other amenities, as well as a prestigious RCI Gold Crown rating. A new, full-service day spa is slated to open in April 2007, which complements other recent renovations, totaling about $8 million, including 150 new electric golf carts with Global Positioning System (GPS), the complete renovation of 70 hotel rooms, a $2 million snowmaking system expansion, two additional terrain parks and a new half pipe cutter. Each year, the Peek welcomes about 200,000 visitors. For more information, visit www.pknpk.com.

December 2006--A Visit To West Virginia's Oglebay Resort

OGLEBAY RESORT & CONFERENCE CENTER
Wheeling, West Virginia

Nestled in the mountains of the northern panhandle of West Virginia is the picturesque Oglebay Resort and Conference Center in Wheeling. Started as the summer estate of Earl W. Oglebay over 100 years ago, it has evolved into a 5 star, 1700 acre year round recreational and lodging paradise. One of the numerous events scheduled is Oglebayfest annually held the first weekend in October. The festival celebrated its 29th anniversary this year and attracted over 100,000 people during the 2 1/2 day event.

In an exerpt from the October 2006 Oglebay newsletter, "A juried Artist Market opens on Friday afternoon in the Mansion Woods as does Oglebay's Harvest Market featuring fall's bounty. Guest's can dance the night away in Wilson Lodge on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon. A parade opens the festivities on Saturday and a fantastic fireworks display climaxes the day."

The Duff and his wife made the 5 hour, 270 mile journey through New York's southern tier, the western mountains of Pennsylvania and into West Virginia's northern most tip to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary at Oglebay. Fortunately for us, the weather on the weekend of October 6-8 was fantastic. A little cool in the morning but sunny and warmer each afternoon. The fall foliage on our trip was breathtaking and was even more dramatic as we entered the grounds of Oglebay.

Of course, in addition to celebrating our wedding anniversary, the Duff's attraction to Oglebay was GOLF and the three 18 hole golf courses and a par 3 layout and a beautifully landscaped driving range overlooking the ski area. Fortunately, a Saturday morning of golf for the Duff coincided with the opening parade, the Harvest Market and the Craft Show which my bride eagerly wanted to attend. What more could you ask for than a married couple happily doing the things each enjoys. The Duff is lucky to have such a wonderful woman as his wife.

Oglebay has 2 championship courses at the Spiedel Golf area. The newest is the Arnold Palmer designed layout and the older is the traditional Robert Trent Jones designed course. The 3rd 18 hole course is Crispin a par 71 regulation layout which offers numerous elevation changes from tee to green. Although it only plays 5627yds. from the men's and 4993 yds. from the women's tees, the course provides each golfer with many challenges. A few years ago, the Duff and son-in-law Garrett Wadosky, from North Tonawanda, NY, played the Crispin course during a family Oglebayfest weekend retreat.

However,it was time for the Duff to take the challenge of either the Jones or Palmer designed championship courses. Mo' Golf suggested the Arnold Palmer course. A few years ago the Duff played and reviewed Rivers Edge Golf Club and Plantation in Shallotte, NC which was an Arnold Palmer design. (See the 2005 Travelin’ Duff Rivers Edge article). Mo’ thought it would be interesting for the Duff to compare the two Palmer designs. A tee time was arranged through Lou Perini, Director of Golf Operations at Oglebay, and the Duff was set to tee off at 9am on Saturday.

It was a cool morning at 36 degrees but the sun was shining and the forecast called for temps in the 60’s by midday. The Duff was ready to test his skills, or lack of, at the Palmer course. Approaching the Spiedel complex was a treat in itself. The courses are a short drive from Wilson Lodge just past the driving range and the par 3 layout and near the ski tow and slopes. The Spiedel Clubhouse is home to both the Palmer and Jones courses and offers a fully functional pro shop and restaurant with spectacular views of both courses and the surrounding mountain areas.

After being greeted by Lou Perini, the Duff made his way to the starter’s shack. Greeted in true southern hospitality, the starter introduced the Duff to 2 gentlemen from Washington, PA and a doctor from Huntington, WVa who nicely rounded out the foursome. He also invited our group into the starter’s shack to warm up a bit and to describe the layout of the Palmer course. Instructions and score cards in hand the foursome headed to the 1^st tee.

The par 71/72 Palmer course offers 5 tee boxes suggested by handicap: Black tees for men scratch golfers at 6725 yds, Blue for males 9 and under at 6498 yds, White for lady scratch golfers and men 10-24 at 6055 yds, Red for ladies 9 and under and men 25-34 at 5125 yds, and Gold for ladies 10+ and men 35+ at 4569 yds Having played the Palmer course in Shallotte, NC, the Duff was hoping that 35+ indicated the chronological age of the golfer allowing this aged duffer to hit from the gold tees. Unfortunately, the rest of the foursome decided on the white tees much to the Duff’s chagrin.

The photographs of the Palmer course included in this article will show the majesty, difficulty and beauty of Arnie’s design. At times however, the foursome was wondering what Arnie had in mind when he dropped 18 teeboxes and greens onto the hills and valleys of Oglebay. The course is very difficult and demanding although if you play your ball in or near he fairway and land your approach shot close to the flag the course is a piece of cake.

After the round the Duff was greeted by Jay DeBolt, the supervisor of SpiedelGolf Club. The Duff told Jay that golf at Oglebay was like playing in paradise or heaven to be specific and that John Denver had to be thinking of golf and the Oglebay Resort and Conference Center when he wrote and recorded, “Almost Heaven, West Virginia”.

Accommodations for lodging at Oglebay include the Wilson Lodge and over 40 deluxe cottages Facilities include indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a spa, a health and fitness club, ball fields, tennis courts, nature and walking/hiking trails, horseback riding, a lake for paddle boating and fishing with a dancing and musical water display, a zoo, lots of local wildlife and much more. Oglebay is open year round and offers signature weekend and seasonal themes for all ages and interests. A listing of all events throughout the year and accommodation availability can be found on the Oglebay website.

If interested, contact Oglebay on the internet at www.oglebay-resort.com. ,by telephone at 1-800-CALLWVA, or in writing at Oglebay Resort and Conference Center, Route 88 North, Wheeling, WV 26003.

Post Script

The Duff and his wife thoroughly enjoyed the weekend at Oglebayfest. The accommodations at the new addition to Wilson Lodge are outstanding offering a studio apartment arrangement with a gas fireplace, a balcony and beautiful furniture. The food at Oglebay restaurants and weekend venues was terrific and reasonably priced. The staff at Oglebay were accommodating and friendly. The Duff and his bride give the Oglebay Resort and Conference a 5 Star rating.

September 2006--Rebirth of Holiday Valley

The Holiday Valley Golf Course used to be one of the answers to a truly enigmatic human puzzle: why, when presented with 17 bounties and 1 horror, do we choose to remember the horror? That old, 390 yard par five at HV used to drive people crazy! 6 Iron, wedge, wedge down a bowling alley-wide fairway, over a gorge, to a well-sloped green. Never mind the fact that the front nine ran along beautiful pastures beneath the fabled ski slopes, or that the back side traversed the foothills of those same trails. Forget the slick, true greens, the delightful pro shop, restaurant and resort. One hole was all it took to distract people from all that was right about the Ellicottville, NY course.

Well, readers, all of that is in the past. Beginning in 2006, Holiday Valley began a three-year renovation under the watchful eyes of Paul Albanese. If the name doesn't exactly jump out at you, think Mill Creek in Rochester. Ah-hah, now you begin to drool! Albanese came in and revamped no fewer than five golf holes. Now, for those of you who have played the course in many of its reroutings, the hole numbers may not be designated in a familiar fashion. To begin, Albanese took the old 10th/12th hole, the little par three that ran away from the clubhouse, next to the halfway house, and moved the tee up to the right, on a ledge above the hill. What used to be a slightly uphill hole is now a gorgeous, mid-iron downhill par three to a green fronted by a pond. Left and right are trouble, so be accurate both horizontally and vertically. Next Albanese tackled the "memorable" hole, the little dink par five. He chopped out trees behind the tee, leaving a great view of the hotel, which also allowed more sunlight in to the tee deck. Down the fairway, he removed stands of trees along the left, affording more room for the approach shot. Finally, the hole was renamed a par four. All it takes is a 220-yard shot to reach the 150, from which a mid- to short-iron approach will clear the cavern and reach the green. Sure, it's narrow, but that's what hybrids are for.


New Number 10	New Number 11--tee shot--the old dink par five

The par three that follows (old 12 or old 14, depending on your memory) has a new tee deck, a bit up and right from the old one. Still a solid short hole. The biggest change comes on the fun, downhill par four that follows (old 13 or 15). Gone is the tree line to the left. That area has been re-landscaped as a second fairway, giving the hole a split-fairway look. It's still bombs away, only now you have twice the room! AS if that weren't enough, the cart path flows between the two fairways. Aim there...if you hook or slice, you're in the short stuff. If you hit it straight, you hit the path and bounce to the green. Climb all the way to the top tee and yodel down before you hit. It may just be the most fun hole in western New York. The par three 15th/17th has a funky new bunker on the right, to prevent caroms down into the resort. As another downhill shortie, it's fun to fire away against the Ellicottville backdrop.


New Number 13	New bunkering on New Number 15

The old 10th and 11th (or 17th and 18th, again depending) were par fours that ran up, then back down, the western slope of the course. They were separated from the other 16 holes, and were two of the tougher pars on the course. They will once again play as 17 and 18, but with completely different character. Now, strap yourself in, as this will take some imagination. Imagine the Yodeler quad chair. That's where the new 17 tee sits. Instead of playing down that fairway, you now play up. The hole is an uphill, right-bending par five. It measures around 495, but with the extreme uphill nature, plays around 540. A fabulous new green sits at the top of the slope.


Tee shot on New 17--minus the poles and light standards	New 17 from the fairway

New 17 from the green front	New 17 from behind the green

Number 18 will play down the old 10th/17th fairway. I don't know about you, but I rarely encountered the uphill, ball-below-your-feet shot as often as I did on my approach to this hole. Playing downhill as a dogleg right, you will tee off by the old green, then float downhill, approaching the old 11th/18th green that sits across the creek, next to the base lodge. All in all, it's an exciting finish.

As if that weren't enough, there are more changes in store for the front. Since that nine is, well, flat (compared to the back), the direction is to give it a slight Scottish feel with stacked-sod bunkers. 9 of 10 shots will get out, but if you're faced with one up by the face, change direction away from the hole! In addition, the second hole has had trees cleared out along the right side, opening up the drive a bit. The fourth will be changed from a 400 yard par four to a 500 yard par five, with a bit more length. The seventh will move its tee back up and to the left, on the hill below the condos. Finally, in the shadow of hotel expansion, the short, par four ninth will lose its tee boxes, and be reborn as a 180-yard par three. With the pond still in place, it will be wonderful!

The most impressive aspect of the redesign is the continuity of the course. All 18 holes will remain open during peak season, with the entire project scheduled for completion in 2008. With the addition of so many fine new courses in western New York, the feel at Holiday Valley is beyond a facelift...it's seems that a new track has been laid over the old one, with smiles all around.

August 2006--Another fine city championship for Niagara Falls, New York

The first week of August brought the 29th annual Niagara Falls Youth Golf Tournament to the Hyde Park Golf Course complex. More than 80 youngsters, ranging in age from 7 to 17 participated in the event sponsored by the Cataract city and representatives from the staff and men and women from the golf leagues at the course. Marc Stott, Hyde Park Clubhouse Superintendent, and the many volunteers and sponsors provided the youngsters with a day they will not soon forget. Each player received a golf utility bag which included various donated golf sundries and a gift ranging from a ball retriever to a sleeve of golf balls, to name a few. Along with the gifts, the $5 registration fee afforded the young golfers with greens fee, a hot dog lunch, and a chance to win a trophy and many door prizes. Parents and all volunteers were invited to participate in the supervision of the three player divisions and to enjoy lunch at the end of the tournament.

The 3 divisions included nine hole play for youth ages 7-10( Red Course) and 11-14(White Course) while the 15-17 year olds played the North 18 hole course. After the tournament and lunch, 1st, 2nd and 3rd place trophies were awarded to boys and girls in each division. As a finale, the door prizes, which included golf bags, putters, drivers, and golf balls, were awarded to those youngsters whose registration form was picked by random. The trophies and door prizes were awarded by Niagara Falls mayor, Vince Anello and Marc Stott.

The Duff was invited to follow the 11-to-14 year old group in which his grandson Michael was playing. This division was the largest group participating and they played the nine hole White course. The White is a terrific layout and in great shape for a MUNY course and a city with little financial backing for golf course maintenance and development. Unlike a recent Niagara Falls Gazzette sports editor's review of the White course, the Duff was pleasantly surprised with the condition of the tee boxes, the fairways and the greens. Albeit, there are some rough spots here and there but the layout is challenging from any tee and certainly affordable for common golfer. Hyde Park is not a Country Club. It is a municipal layout with limited finances. Instead of degrading Hyde Park, maybe the Gazette would be interested in being a financial supporter of the only golf course complex in the city of Niagara Falls, at the moment.

Photos of the event follow this article and many printed photos will adorn a wall at the Hyde Park clubhouse in the near future. Thanks to , Marc Stott and all the volunteers, especially Robin and Jennie Lee, the sponsors and Mayor Anello for making this a CLASS event for the youngsters of Niagara Falls and the surrounding communities.

Next year will be the 30th annivesary of the Youth Golf Tournament. Sponsors, prizes and youth golfers are needed to make the 30th anniversary a very special one for the City of Niagara Falls, Hyde Park Golf Course and the young golfers in the community. Contact Marc Stott at 716-297-2067 or email at marc.stott@niagarafallsny.gov if you are interested.

Click Here for the Travelin' Duff Tournament Photo Page

August 2006--Down the 33 to Buffalo Tournament Club

The Buffalo Tournament Club was referred to me by my good friend, Mo' Golf. Mr. Golf and I had played the front nine of the course last year, and enjoyed the tremendous roll of the par fives (numbers 4 and 7), the deception of the short holes (numbers 5 and 8), and the raw strength of the backbone of the nine the par 4s (1, 2, 3, 6, and 9). My scores ranged from fantastic to un-oh, especially when I saw that tee shot from up high on number nine. That lake, beautiful as it is, scared the heck out of me. I also vaguely recall losing a shot short of number three, in that ravine or barranca or whatever type of canyon you want to call it. What I remember most, though, are two thoughts: I couldn't wait to see this course as it matures, nor could I hold out long enough to see the back nine.

2006 has arrived, and the back nine at BTC opened on schedule, in early July. I made my tee time for a quiet Friday evening, the perfect way to relax after a long week. The new nine opens with a reflection of number one, a gentle dogleg right, with a fairway bunker along the right side. The green is quite wide, and finds protection in the form of a mid-deep sand pit front left. Similar sand traps protect the short sides of numbers 13 and 17, but for the most part, the architect lets you make the decision. Buffalo Tournament Club, more than most other courses in western New York, gives me a sense of the links game, if not the links look. Unless the course is saturated with water (which it usually is not), it allows for, and seems to encourage, the run-up shot. Even holes with a front-side bunker leave half a green surface to accommodate the player who likes to bounce it in. I was able to do so on 11, 12 (more on that later) and a host of other holes on the new side.

The eleventh is a medium-length par five that moves slightly from left to right. Trees line the entire right side of the hole, forcing play to the left, against the natural curvature. The fairway runs out some thirty yards short of the green, but the rough that protects the front, while testy, is not as thick as some of the heather and gunga we see on television. The putting surface is deep and narrow, demanding a precise yardage on the approach. Twelve is a wee par three, measuring between 129 and 213 yards. Wee, you ask? That's right, as it usually plays downwind and downhill. Once you see what's behind the green, you'll favor the front of the putting surface every time. Twelve is so open, you get lost in the amplitude of the shot. It seems to be a hole cut from the America's heartland, from the plains of Nebraska or Kansas. It plays just as firm, so take two clubs off and allow for the bounce. The wide green accepts any runner, although a shot hit off-line way right will find a drainage pond.

The 12th hole, par three, 213 yards from the tips.

The course turns northward on 13, and presents a most visually-stimulating tee shot. Driving over the front-side barranca, the hole beckons you right. As the hole turns in the other direction, a left-moving tee ball is more propitious. The fairway and green are protected on the right side by sand, although the bunkers are in no way too deep for recovery. 14 is the collosus of the course, topping out at 588 yards from the tips. It is surprisingly playable; with the advantage of a bounding landing off the tee, the first shot tends to roll a bit more than anticipated. The tee shot is played across a lovely little pond, more functional and decorative than hazardous. The second shot must avoid a second water course up the left side (I found it!) Play the hole center-right and you'll have a run at the green on your third, and perhaps a putt for birdie. 15, the second of the short holes on the inward nine, plays one club shorter than its par-three predecessor. Shielded from the wind by trees on both sides, it plays closer to its measured yardage than number 12.

Tee shot on Number 13...Across the barranca
to a left-turning hole.

The penultimate and anti-penultimate holes run through an old quarry, and each has a feature unique to this type of land. Number 16 seems to run forever, at 459 yards from the tips. Moving from open to closed, from wide to narrow, the hole rebuffs you on the right off the tee (pond), then closes you in as the green approaches. The 17th hole plays counter to this strategy, escaping the minor woodland off the tee, then moving toward more open spaces as the putting surface draws near. The major concern on this hole is the pond, whose grandeur is felt at the front and left of the 17th green. Playing anywhere from fifty to seventy yards shorter than the preceding hole, 17 is best approached with caution.

Tee Shot on 14, over the decorative pond to
the longest fairway on the course.

The final hole of BTC's new nine is a unique styling for western New York. The tee shot is played past a left-side bunker to a flat zone in the optimal driving area. The green sits below the hole, shielded on the front by a bunker (left) and some minor mounding (right). The approach must be on yardage, as short might remain below the green surface, while long will bound up the backing hill, leaving a testy flip wedge for recovery. The final putt did fall, and my thoughts drifted back to the entire course. Having played both nines, I found that I enjoyed the close to the front a bit more than the back, and might flip the nines to bring a more dramatic ending to the course. No matter which nine you begin on, however, you will find many shots worth remembering, and many holes to enjoy.

July 2006--Niagara Falls Annual Youth Golf Tournament

The 29th annual, City of Niagara Falls, Youth Golf Tournament will be held at the Hyde Park golf complex on Tuesday, August 8, 2006. The tourney is available to boys and girls ages 7-17 and residence in Niagara Falls is not required.

Click Here For Application

The Duff was impressed with last year's tournament which attracted 120 youth golfers from all over Niagara & Erie counties, Niagara Falls, Ontario and a number of other areas. In fact, one of the age group winners was a young man from Pennsylvania on vacation with his parents at Niagara Falls. All young golfers regardless of ability are given a chance to compete and enjoy the Hyde Park course and staff. Beginner, Intermediate and Experienced categories have been set up to accommodate all youth who register.

Click Here For Application

Every young golfer will receive at least one gift along with the opportunity to win other locally donated items of youth interest. Last year, golf clubs and equipment along with bikes, stereo systems, tv's, etc. were awarded to the youth participants due to the generosity of local and western NY donors. Pre-tourney breakfast food, a post tourney hot dog roast, prizes and golf greens fees are included in the $5.00 entry fee. Parents, grandparents and friends are welcome to come and see the youth tourney.

Click Here For Application

Registration forms are available at the Hyde Park Clubhouse at 4343 Porter Rd. in Niagara Falls or on-line here at www.buffalogolfer.com. Forms must be returned to the clubhouse with the $5 entry fee by August 4, 2006. For more information or questions, please call Marc Stott, Clubhouse Superintendent, at 716-297-2067 or email him at marc.stott@niagarafallsny.gov.

Click Here For Application

Come on out to a great golf event for youngsters. The Duff will be there rooting on his grandson, Michael, who will be competing for the second year in a row. If you would like to see a summary and photos of last year's tournament, please check out the Travelin' Duff column of August 2005 on www.buffalogolfer.com.

Congratulatons to the Hyde Park staff, the City of Niagara Falls and all the volunteers who annually provide this tournament for the youth in the community and surrounding areas.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK....... The Travelin' Duff

Click Here For Application

July 2006--The Travelin' Amigos (Part 1)

On a cold and rainy afternoon at the beginning of the Memorial Day weekend, three amigos from buffalogolfer.com set out for the golf trip of their lives. We were heading to "cheese country", better known as the State of Wisconsin, for a 3 day and 4 rounds of golf weekend. Mo' Golf volunteered his aging van to make the 1400 mile round trip to Kohler, WI. The Scrambler, the Duff and Mo' managed to squeeze 3 golf bags, 6 duffle bags of clothing, food and beverages for at least a weeks stay, a box full of golf books, magazines and other sundries, 2 lap top computers, 3 cell phones, a package of breathe rite strips and a box of earplugs, and 3 hangers full of "formal attire" in case we needed to dress up. All the planning and packing and no where could be found a map of our journey. Of course, Mo' and the Scrambler had computer generated directions to aid us in this journey. Thank goodness the Scrambler's directions were more lengthy and informative.

As we left the familiar confines of western New York, we headed west through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and finally, into Wisconsin. Our goal was to reach Kohler, WI within 11 hours which would make our arrival time at approximately 11pm, Central Standard Time. We shared the driving duties and drove through some of the worst weather each of us had ever seen. Seems like the mid west was sending a weather pattern filled with heavy rain and hot weather to the east. After frequent stops to eat fast food, gas up and to allow the Duff to drain his aging bladder we were in Wisconsin. Of, course, Kohler was still another two to three hours away but we made it to the state line and the rain has stopped.

Since we left Buffalo many long hours ago, the Duff enjoyed finding memorabilia from previous trips in Mo's van. A plastic cup from the 2002 US Open at Bethpage, a media pass from the 2004 US Open at Shinnecock Hills, many score cards from courses, most notably the Conklin Players Club and the Links at Hiawatha Landing from the Binghamton area, Irondequoit Country Club in Rochester (site of the annual Nationwide Tour's Xerox Classic), many copies of Buffalo Spree magazine featuring Mo' Golf ( Ron Montesano) articles over the past year or so, lots of candy and water bottles left behind by Mo's kids and a full-sized spare car battery (just in case they don't sell any along the road we travel) and many, many unrecognizable items.

We finally reached Kohler at 12:30am CST or 1:30am DST, some 13 and 1/2 hours since leaving Buffalo. The next objective was to find the American Club where we will lay our collective heads during our stay. Mo’ was navigating and the Duff was driving as we entered the darken town of Kohler. Of course, the navigator missed the turn in to The American Club which woke up the Scrambler from a deep sleep of golf dreams.

Even late at night, The American Club is a sight to behold. A beautiful spread of lighted, landscaped and ivy covered buildings was beckoning our tired bodies. Mo’ told us to stay in the van as he slid out to register this motley trio. The Scrambler and the Duff sat in the van like children wondering if Mo’ was trying to sneak us in because of the way we looked after 13 ½ hours or because he had only booked the room for one.

Once registered, the Three Amigos entered a beautiful guest room with 2 queen size beds, a full sized cot, 3 sinks, a bathroom with a spa, and all the trimmings were Kohler products. Even the hook on the bathroom door was unique. It was in the shape of a keg spigot and shiny as gold. The two younger Amigos gave the queen sized bed nearest the bathroom to the Duff since he is the oldest and in most need of rest and closeness to bladder relief. The Scrambler opted for the cot in front of the TV with the golf channel playing as soon as we entered the room while Mo’ Golf, by default, got the other queen sized bed since it was closest to the internet port and electrical supply.

By this time, we were all zombies and looking to arise at 6am for an 8am tee time at the Whistling Straits Irish course. The Duff headed for the shower and then to bed. Of course, with two night owls as room mates, I came prepared with ear plugs and breathe rite strips for everyone. The Duff wanted to sleep at least a few good hours and did so after installing the sleep equipment.

PART 2 TO FOLLOW SOON

June 2006--!Vamos, Esteban!

The NATIONWIDE TOUR makes it's annual stop in western New York this week for the Peek'n Peak Classic held at the resort in Findlay Lake. This will be the first time in a few years that the Duff will be unable to attend any of the week long events. He did however, have the opportunity to play the the upper course in the middle of May during the media day festivities. Needless to say the 18 hole championship layout was in fine shape that day and will be in tournament shape beginning Thursday when the players take the course.

Traditionally, the Classic directors bring back the winner from the previous year for media day. Esteban Toledo, the 2005 Classic champion who shot 274 (14 under par which was 2 strokes better than runnerup Jeff Gove) , was on hand at media day this year. Each media foursome had the opportunity to play one hole with him. Esteban and our foursome played the 14 th hole, a trecherous par 5, which the Duff believes is the signature hole on the upper course. It was amazing to watch Esteban hit 2 irons and a wedge to 10 feet of the flag which he promptly holed for birdie. Check out the photo of our foursome which included from left, Jeff from Peek'n Peak, the Scrambler from www.buffalogolfer.com, Esteban, Garrett from the Tonawanda News, and the Travelin' Duff. We had the opportunity to speak to Esteban during our play and also at the luncheon held in his honor at the resort.

Not only was Esteban's play last year impressive but he also had great rapport with the gallery. He had been on the PGA Tour twice before and the Duff wanted to know more about him. Questioning my colleague, Mo' Golf, regarding Esteban's background, he mentioned the book "Tin Cup Dreams....A Long Shot Makes It on the PGA Tour" by Michael D'Antonio. "This book, Mo' said, " is the life story of Esteban Toledo and I happen to have a copy of it for you". Over the next few days, Esteban's life from his poor childhood in Mexicali, Mexico to his first trip to the PGA Tour unfolded. Without a doubt, this book is a must for all golfers and for anyone interested in reading a story about dedication, perseverence, love, and undying loyalty to a dream.

So, good luck to all the players in the field at the Peek'n Peak Classic this week and a special cheer for last years winner..... "!Vamos Esteban!" (Let's go Esteban).

May 2006--Beware of Bird Houses!

This past week the Duff was playing at Deerwood Golf course in North Tonawanda, NY. Luckily, I was teamed with 2 very nice local gentlemen, Jeff and Warren. We played the Buck nine first and all had decent scores. Standing in the tee box of the beautiful ninth hole on the Doe course, Warren said, "Beware of the Bird Houses in left rough!". He further explained that last summer, his tee shot, on this long dogleg left hole, landed close to two bluebird houses in rough on the left side of the fairway.

Believing that the bird houses were not in his line of flight , he hit his fairway wood. Unbelievably, his ball hit directly on the corner of one of the houses and shot back at him. In an instant, the ball struck and broke his nose. Fortunately, Warren remained conscious, although extremely dazed, and was taken to the hospital by his long time playing partner, Jeff. The Duff asked Warren, "When did you see the ball coming at you?". Warren replied, "About an inch before it hit me in the nose". He was relieved that he didn't see the ball sooner, as a slight movement of his head may have caused more severe injuries. Warren recovered nicely and is, again this year, a season pass holder. He does have a message for Deerwood golfers though, " BEWARE of the bird houses on number 9 on the Doe course!."

By the way, all 3 nines at Deerwood are in great shape. The grounds crue has been upgrading the sand traps throughout the entire layout and work will begin soon to upgrade the and repair the irrigation system. It has been a terrific spring for golfers as most of the area courses like Deerwood were able to open sooner than usual and the mild weather has allowed the fairways and greens to be in early summer shape.

For the past two years, the North Tonawanda recreation department has offered a tee time reservation system for Deerwood. Resident ID holders and non residents may call 692-4100 to reserve tee times. If you have any questions, contact the NT Recreation Deparment at 695-0342 or the course at 695-8525.

By the way, the Travelin' Duff shot a 91 which, as my readers know, is 1 over par in the Shivas Irons Society recommendation of 90 as par for bogey golfers like me. Have a great season of golf and get out and see some local tournament golf like the Nationwide Tour, Lake Erie Charity Classic at Peak N' Peek in June, the Porter Cup, best amateur tournament in the country, at Niagara Falls Country Club in July and the Xerox Classic, another Nationwide tour event, held at Irondequoit Country Club in the Rochester area in August. Check the www.buffalogolfer.com home page for exact dates, times and costs for these and other upcoming events.Keep Swinging and have Fun..................

Travelin' Duff .....travelinduff@buffalogolfer.com

April 2006--Bandon, Oregon.

About a dozen years ago, along the southern coast of Oregon, a Buffalo-raised entrepreneur began 
to change the face of American golf.  Bandon had been a sleepy, downtrodden area until Mike Kaiser's 
renaissance brought three courses of inestimable quality and uniqueness to the west coast.  Intent and 
chance contrived to fashion a shoreline of dunes and gorse that replicated the conditions of Ireland and 
Scotland.  A timely phone call from a real estate agent brought the Chicago-based Kaiser to the region,
and he knew that his search was over.  In 2006, Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes and Bandon Trails stand
as testimony to Kaiser's due diligence, his attention to detail, and his love for the game.  Travelin' Duff 
ventured west last August, and files this report:
Dateline 23 August
We passed the complex on our way into town yesterday, but I held off on visiting until today.  It was 
worth the wait.  From the approach to number one at Bandon Dunes to the final putt on 18, I felt as 
though I had been transported far away, not to Europe (the food was too good) nor to the moon (too 
much gravity!) but to some other place not yet conceived nor contrived.  Bandon Dunes is links golf 
with great food, politely aggressive course guides, and atmosphere beyond belief.  Click Here to see 
our photo essay.

Dateline 24 August
The day dawned misty, and a pair of Golf Digest review groups preceded me to the first tee at Pacific Dunes.
I enjoyed the front nine, as it again brought me to the cliffs of the Pacific. The ninth hole has alternate upper
and lower greens, so figure out which you are playing before teeing off. The back nine took my breath
away, with its two par fours, four par threes, and three par fives. Once again you tread the pacific edge, so be
careful to not topple over. The 18th is a great preview hole for Pacific Trails, as it winds its way through inland
dues. Click Here to see our photo essay.

Dateline 25 August
Bandon Trails had two hard acts to follow, as Pac Dunes had only one. Coore and Crenshaw succeeded.
Bandon Trails plays through three unique environments. It begins and ends in the dunes, plays through a
meadow for a few holes, then directs itself into the woodlands that abut the dunesland. The soil remains
sandily constant, never approaching dirt. The course presents wide fairways and vistas beyond imagin-
ation. Click Here to see our photo essay.

I did sneak out for a replay of the original course, Bandon Dunes. It was twice as good the second time. I
also availed myself of the practice range. See if you can find out the secret of the target greens!

February 2006--The Top Ten Pages on BuffaloGolfer.Com.

Have you ever wondered which are the most popular pages on BuffaloGolfer.com?  Are there certain pages 
that you always visit, and others that you have yet to glance at?  The Duff did a little research, and came up with these
ten pages, ranked 10 to 1 for the new year.

Number 10

WNY Public Links Golf Association
Directed by Mike Lawler and run by Bob Fortin, the WNYPLGA offers a great slate of diverse tournaments to members of public-course clubs.

Number 7 (Tie)

Peter Michel Heilmann's Launch Pad
The new guy made quite a splash with his golf links launch pad. As he constantly reminds me, "Keep in touch with the Dutch." If it's golf and on the web, Peter will find it.

Number 8 (Tie)

Book Reviews
Golf literature ranges from the terrible to the timeless. BuffaloGolfer.Com reviews instructional, fictional, historical and other sorts of golfing literature.

Number 7 (Tie)

The Mouth That Roars
The Kid has made quite a name for himself. Tackling controversial and benign subjects with ease, the youngest staff writer is worth the read.

Number 6

The Scrambler
Easily the most verbose writer on staff, it's hard to believe that he is an accountant by trade. Must be all those numbers by day, words by night. Trust any review that comes from The Scrambler; if he can handle your money, he can handle your golf.

Number 5

WNY Women's Public Links Golf Association
After a number of years of direction from Iris , the WNYWPLGA is now in the hands of Danielle Rotondo, from Terry Hills in Batavia. This group is a terrific organization that offers four outstanding events for its member clubs.

Number 4

Travelin' Duff
The Duff just keeps getting better with age, and I say that about my own self with abject humility. I promise a full slate of outstanding course reviews for 2006, from Myrtle Beach and Kohler, Wisconsin, to Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

Number 3

Buffalo District Golf Association
Even though we are no longer the caretakers of the BDGA site, we still receive a number of inquiries about events, results, and ratings. The BDGA will have a new site in 2006, but we still plan to answer all your questions.

Number 2

Walter Travis Society

Walter J. Travis was an early-20th century course designer. His local works include Cherry Hill and Lookout Point (Ontario), Orchard Park CC, Stafford CC (near Batavia), and a Grover Cleveland re-design for the 1912 US Open. The society preserves his memory, and establishes ties between the members and member clubs

And Number One is ...

Number 1

Mo' Golf

Mo' Golf is the most arrogant, condescending, superior writer on staff. It's little wonder that he receives the greatest number of hits on site; his ego couldn't handle anything less. Begrudgingly, I must admit that some of his stuff is pretty good, and I like the new idea of tour reporter.



January 2006--WNY Men's Publinks Preview

The WNY Men's PubLinks schedule is in the final stages of affirmation, with all but two events confirmed for 
date and times.  The schedule includes two events in Canada (those seniors must like to travel!)  New to 
the championship rotation this year is Ironwood, while Byrncliff returns after a fair absence.  After a 
remarkable debut in 2005, Ivy Ridge returns to again host a prominent event.  It is a credit to Bob Fortin, 
tournament director, and Mike Lawler, President, that the WNYPLGA is able to enlist the support of so many fine
public-access courses in the area.  With Diamond Hawk (Cheektowaga) slated to open this year, and the Buffalo
Tournament Club rounding into shape, the organization will have its share of many fine new courses to choose from
for years to come.  Not to be forgotten are the old standards, the Sheridan Parks, the Dande Farms, and the
Deerwoods, who have provided many exciting moments over the years.

Senior 2-Man Best Ball Monday June 5^th

@ Links at Niagara 11:00 – 1:00 PM

Father/Son/Grandson - Sunday June 11^th

@ Hyde Park 11:00 - 12:30

Class A Team - Sat June 24^th

@ Dande Farms 10:00 - 12:30

Barton Memorial - Sat July 8^th

@ Deerwood 10:30 - 12:00

Bill Boyle - Sat July 22^nd

@ Sheridan 10:00 – 12:00

Senior - Mon Aug 7^th
@ Bridgewater CC

12:00 – 2:30

Class B Team - Sat Aug 12^th

@ Ironwood 10:00 – 12:00 PM.

Junior Boy’s – Tues-Wed Aug. 15^th & 16^th

@ Audubon GC 10:00 – 13:00

Class A & B Championship - Sat & Sun August 26^th & 27^th

@ Links at Ivy Ridge - Sat. 10- 12:00

Sun. 10 – 11:00 2 Man Scramble - Sat Sept 16^th

@ Byrncliff 10:30
---------------------------------------------------------------------

December 2005--The Building Of A Golf Course Part Two:  Concord Crest

1.  What goes into a golf course that the public is hardly aware of?

A tremendous amount of labor hours and commitment from all of the employees.

2. What can be the most frustrating aspect of developing a golf course?

Mother Nature!

3. What is the most rewarding aspect of developing a golf course?

Having a customer tell us what a great time they had at Concord Crest.

4. How does the owner go about staffing a golf course?

Usually referrals from employees.  We are blessed in that our employees are wonderful, dedicated individuals.

5. What is the most important element of publicity that can help a new golf course?

A fantastic experience by customers who have golfed at Concord Crest.

6. Why do some golf courses fail, while others succeed wildly?

Perhaps location.  Maybe customer service or course conditions.

7. Regarding Concord Crest, what holes are you most proud of, and why?

This is a tough one.  We are so proud of where we are, 18 holes in 5 years, it would be tough to say.  
I know that Don is just amazed at the growth the new nine has had.  So much blood, sweat and tears have gone 
into every inch, I don't think we could do our course justice by selecting one hole.  They all have a story, and in a way, 
we, (Don, Gail and our 4 kids who have grown up with Concord Crest) are proud of each hole all in their 
own unique way.
(Editor's Note:  Mo' Golf LOVES the par 3 third hole!!)

8. Where is there room for improvement?

Oh my gosh - everywhere!  The average golf course turf takes 7 years to mature.  That makes our 
"old" nine needing 1 more year to maturity.  The roughs need to grow in.  Don has so many concepts \
ready to be developed it is exciting.

9. What is your long-range plan for Concord Crest?

To become the best public golf course - meaning rates and course conditions - that the area has ever seen.  
Lots of work, lots of dedication - but we have the staff and the know how to make it happen.

10. What "secret" would you like people to know about Concord Crest, that no one ever asks about?

We love what we do - from making coffee to mowing greens, everyone at Concord Crest takes a huge roll 
in our success.

November, 2005--The Building Of A Golf Course:  Part One-Ironwood

While the Duff has made many a journey north and south, east and mid-east (even west!) it is the local ones 
that are often the most satisfying and enlightening.  Two golf courses expanded to 18 holes in the last few years,
but they're not the high-end, high-publicity ones you may have read about.  These are real family affairs, not
just mom and pop, but the cousins, grandkids, and a  no-good in-law or two.  The Duff is going to take a look 
at these two operations with a straight-up, ten-question interview with the owners.  After all, they did the work to 
get these places into shape, so why shouldn't they be the ones to tell the story?  We'll begin with Ironwood, 
Scott Witter's first 18-hole design, in Cowlesville.  If that metropolis doesn't ring a bell, it's halfway to Byrncliff 
from the I-400, along Route 20A.  Visit their brand-new website, www.playironwood.com, for directions.

1.      What goes into a golf course that the public is  hardly aware of?

A lot of work behind the scenes. The  little things like making sure all garbage is picked up. 
The ball washers have fresh water.

2.    What can be the most frustrating aspect of  developing a golf course?

Making people realize the  hard work that went into it, and hoping they have the same respect for it 
when they play.

3.    What is the most rewarding aspect of  developing a golf course?

Having people tell you  "what a great course".  A lot of hard work goes into keeping it playable,  
and it's only the comments by the players that let you know if you're doing a  good job.

4.    How does the owner go about staffing a golf  course?

You need to have "people persons".  Not  that you talk to anyone for very long because 
they are there to play golf.   But making them feel welcome and thanking them 
for choosing your  course.

5.    What is the most important element of publicity  that can help a new golf course?

Word of  mouth.  It can make or break you.

6.    Why do some golf  courses fail, while others succeed  wildly?

Playability - course rules -  attitude.

7.    Regarding Ironwood, what holes are you most  proud of, and why?

On the front sie, #7.   We let the greens  shaper do his thing.  It's just a beautiful hole. If you play it smart,  
you'll certainly have a par or birdie.  If not, you're either wet or in the  sand, and then 
you're talking bogeys or more.  And of course #14. (old #12)  Water all along the tee shot. 
Then it's lay up or go for it?  Too  short, it's wet.  Too far, it's a nasty chip shot back up.

8.    Where is there room for  improvement?

Landscaping. Cart paths. A few more  trees. A few more employees.

9.    What is your long-range plan  for Ironwood?

We are looking to build a new permanent  cart barn with a covered deck on top.  
Then it's the clubhouse.  Not  too big, not too small, but a place to get a
sandwich and a  brew.

10.    What “secret” would you like people to know about  Ironwood, that no one ever asks  about?

Not that they really ask about  it, but all of the workers that they see on our course cutting greens, mowing fairways, 
picking garbage, trimming tee boxes,  etc. are the owners.  Only the rough mower and a couple of the girls 
in the snack building aren't family.

Thank you very much, Linda Ripstein of Ironwood. Remember to visit their brand-new website, www.playironwood.com, for all details.

August, 2005--The Niagara Falls City Youth Championship

In lieu of an article (which he claims to be dragging out of his beard,) the Wandering Duff attended the Niagara Falls (NY) City Youth Championship this month, and brought his camera. Below is an album of his pictures.

GET OFF YOUR DUFF July Edition

The 47^th Porter Cup got underway on Wednesday, July 20^th at the Niagara Falls Country Club in Lewiston, NY. Pablo Martin-Benavides (Oklahoma State) is the current leader. This event attracts the best collegiate, mid-amateur and senior amateur players in the world. The likes of current PGA professionals who have won or participated in previous Porter Cup tourneys is too long to list in this column. But I have had the opportunity to watch and walk with the likes of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson (1990 Champion), David Duval (1992 Champion), Scott Verplank ( 1983 & 1985 Champion), Robert Gamez (1989 Champion), Gary Nicklaus (1991 Champion) and Allen Doyle (1994 Champion and currently a member of the PGA’s Champions Tour), just to name a few. This years crop of players will certainly be the future stars of the PGA Tour, The Champions Tour and the Nationwide Tour. In fact, more than half of the 2004 PGA Money Leaders won or participated in past Porter Cup Championships. Soooooo…Get off your duff and watch terrific golf at the 2005 Porter Cup . It’s free too and you will have the opportunity to be “up close and personal” with the participants. Parking is available across from the course on Military Rd. for a small fee which is collected and kept by the Boy Scout Scouts. Pairing sheets and a Porter Cup magazine are also free and available at the parking area or at the NFCC Clubhouse. Food and beverages are sold outside the clubhouse for all spectators…Bring your wife, girlfriend, son, grand daughter or whomever you choose and sit under the shade of a beautiful tree lining the fairways or surrounding the greens and watch some of the most terrific golf you will ever see, especially for free. Checkout www.portercup.com for more information.

The Travelin’ Duff

Mo' Apologies: What happens when your friend goofs by the Travelin' Duff

The most recent issue of Buffalo Spree hit the newstands with an article by my friend and sometime traveling companion, Milfred 'Mo' Golf. Truth be told, I never read the article, but when asked, I recounted how enjoyable it was. Very informative, too, except for one itsy-bitsy item. My good friend Mo' mislabeled the Volcano hole at the Country Club of Buffalo. Inexplicably forgetting that five holes serve as precursors to the one-of-a-kind par three, Mo' calls it the fifth hole at CCB. Well, you can imagine the firestorm that erupted. At least one reader mailed a copy of the page with the hole in highlights, corrected in red ink. I'm not certain, but I believe that the reader also threatened withdrawal of subscription if Mo' was not publicly humiliated in the stockades, yoked to some ox cart, or put in irons and paraded around the public square.

When I at last spoke with the despondent Milfred, he was mumbling incoherently (can one mumble coherently?) about three sites for the Country Club of Buffalo, something about McKinley High School, the Old Campus of the University of Buffalo, and the Young quarry in Williamsville. He also spoke about letting Ron Whitten of Golf Digest down, about Brad Klein (click here and go to #80) never forgiving him, and other such nonsense that I left him to erode in his Quijote-esque state. I imagine that, when the pipes begin to play and the coverage of the Open Championship commences at St. Andrews, he'll return from his funk and rejoin the world of golf. Until then, we'll have to make do with The Scrambler, The Mouth That Roars, and me, The Duff.

So dear Spree readers, please forgive Mr. Golf. His is a woe-filled road to travel in life. Having a grander sense of self than that which the world attributes him is a burden that he will carry the rest of his days, much like the chains of Jacob Marley. Extend him pity, a hand, or a few dollars for coffee, and he will show you gratitude, if only in the murky emptiness of his eyes.

GET OFF YOUR DUFF by the Travelin' Duff

The 2nd major golf tournament of the year is coming this week and the hype is on all TV stations advertising, not just the golf channel. The 2005 U.S. Open being played at Pinehurst in North Carolina will come to your home in living color for four wonderful days. So sit back and enjoy watching the best male golfers in the world. Some local golfers may be making the trip to North Carolina walk Pinehurst's legendary course but most, like the Duff this year will be watching from home. Mo' Golf and this writer have had the opportunity to report from the 2002 U.S. Open at the Bethpage Black course and the 2004 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills both on Long Island. This year, however, no major golf championship will grace New York State.

After watching the drama of the Open from your couch, get off your duff and attend two premier golf tournaments to be held in western New York this summer. Get your golfing buddies together and make plans to see the best up and coming professional and amateur players in the world. Walk these two great course layouts. The exercise will help your golf game too.

At the end of June, the Nationwide Tour will stop in south western New York for the 2005 Lake Erie Charity Classic......For the 4th consecutive year, Peek n' Peak Resort located in Findley Lake will host the event from June 27th to July 3rd........ Recently, the Duff had the opportunity to play the outstanding upper course during a media day program and was thrilled to play one hole with the Guy Boros the 2003 champion. Guy, the son of golf's Hall of Famer, Julius Boros, hit driver and iron to 8 feet from the pin on the par 5 #2 hole. He lipped his eagle putt and tapped in for a birdie. The Duff made par 5 the hard way by sinking a 15 foot putt after taking 4 strokes to get on the green. Garrett Wadosky, from North Tonawanda and playing in the foursome, tied Guy for the hole by dropping a 40 foot putt. Kevin Stadler won the 2004 Championship on the same day his father, Craig Stadler won a Champions Tour event........The Nationwide Tour is touted as the second strongest Tour in the world and annually provides direct access to the PGA Tour to its top 20 money winners. Notable PGA Tour professionals who are alumni of the Nationwide Tour include Ernie Els, David Toms, Tom Lehman, Jim Furyk and John Daly, just to name a few. A PGA Tour record was set last year, 2004, with 5 rookie wins. All the rookies were on the 2003 Nationwide Tour..........

In addition, proceeds from the Lake Erie Charity Classic, Peek n' Peak and the Nationwide Tour contribute to local and regional charitable organizations in this area including Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY............For more information regarding ticket packages, listing of charities, course and player information, volunteer opportunities, etc. Contact: Linda Warnshuis,Tournament Director at 716-355-4141 ext. 7370 or visit the Peek n' Peak website at www.pknpk.com

At the end of July, the 47th Porter Cup, one of the premier amateur tournaments in the world, will be played at the Niagara Falls Country Club in Lewiston, NY and it's free......More to follow regarding this tournament in the next installment of Get Off Your Duff.....

HERON CREEK GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
Charlotte Harbour, Florida

HEADING SOUTH FOR THE WINTER?

If you're like the Duff, plans to flee the cold north are in the works. Whether your calendar and pocketbook can allow you a few weeks or months in the sunny south, the Duff has an outstanding courses for consideration.

HERON CREEK GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB, North Port, Florida is located just north of Charlotte Harbor, about an hour from Ft. Myers or Sarasota. The architect for this 27 hole layout was Arthur Hills whose many designs are playable yet challenging. Heron Creek gives you that "country club for a day" feeling at an affordable price. This golf community not only offers outstanding golf but also beautiful homes, fine dining and banquet facilities and a golf academy.

Golfers have the choice of three testy nine hole layouts, the Marsh, the Creek and the Oaks. Sand, bunkers, woods creative greens and water abound on almost each hole. Five tee boxes offer challenges to every ability level. Although there are homes surrounding each nine, none come close to being in play.

The Oaks plays 3418 yards from the black tees to 2376 from the reds. The Marsh totals 3451 yards from the black tees and 2411 yards from the red tee markers. The Creek is the shortest at 3365 yards from the blacks and 2379 from the reds.

The Duff had the opportunity to play the Creek nine with Suze, a club member and home owner originally from Boston, Mass., and Maggie and Gunnar from Washington, DC, who were in the process of finalizing a home purchase on the course. On the Marsh course, the Duff was teamed with Steve and Kirk from southern Indiana who, like me, were new to Heron Creek and its challenges. This writer shot 50 on the Creek nine and 44 on the Marsh from the blue tees for a respectable Duff total of 94.

Heron Creek is located at 3401 South Sumter Blvd. in North Port. The Golf Shop can be reached at 1-800-877-1433 or locally at 941-423-6955.

Log on to www.heron-creek.com to find out more about this fantastic golf community.

Rivers Edge Golf Club & Plantation
Shallotte, North Carolina

RIVERS EDGE GOLF CLUB and PLANTATION is located in Shallotte, North Carolina on the North Strand about 25 miles from Myrtle Beach, S.C. This 18 hole championship layout and golf community was designed by the legendary and golf great, Arnold Palmer. It is aptly referred to as "Palmer's Bayside Masterpiece". Living accomodations include waterfront townhomes, custom designed homes and cottages overlooking the Shallotte River, the golf course or the nature preserve area.

Rivers Edge features five tee areas to meet the needs of every golfing ability. The Gold tee markers play 6909 yards with a slope and course rating of 149/ 74.7 respectively. From the Blue tees the distance is 4692 yards with a slope and course rating of 119/ 68.2. Water hazards, large sand bunkers, pine tree and marsh lined fairways, undulating fairways and greens should challenge and satisfy every golfer. A beautiful clubhouse provides a grill and restaurant for casual dining and a Pro Shop. A driving range and practice greens are also available.

The Duff was teamed with 2 ladies from the Cleveland, Ohio area who pleaded to be nameless in this article. Seems like they were playing "hookey" from school, so to speak. This writers game was at its best on this day as the Duff shot an 87 (45/42). The signature hole for this golfer was the par 5, 570 yard, 9th hole which features a links fairway bordered with marshland on the left and heavily wooded pine trees on the right with a second shot peninsula shaped landing area leading to a similarly shaped green. The Duff had double bogie on this hole but it was a most rewarding.

To find out more about this upscale golfing experience at Rivers Edge, log on to www.river18.com or call toll free 1-877-RIVER18 or locally, 910-755-3434. The address is Rivers Edge Golf Club, 2000 Arnold Palmer Drive, Shallotte, N.C.

If you need ground transportation while in the Myrtle Beach area, call Jerry or Anna at Easy Way Transport Service for all your airport, golf, vacation and charter service needs at (toll free) 1-800-291-9926 or locally at 910-579-9926.

Bay Beach Golf Club
Ft. Myers Beach, Florida

Moving a little further south along the Gulf coast, away from cape coral, is the Island of Estero. Ft Myers Beach is located on this island which is where many northerners come to enjoy the sun and sand during the winter months. The duff and his wife booked a condo at the southern end of Estero Island in an area known as Bay Beach.

Our condo complex, the Royal Pelican, just happened to be located across from the only golf course on Ft Myers Beach. Bay Beach Golf Club is an executive course and has a sister course , Bay view, located on Sanibel Island, northwest of Estero Island. About 10 years ago, I had the opportunity to play bay beach and was interested to see what changes the new owners had made to the course and the surrounding area.

Much to my delight, bay beach golf club has been transformed into a challenging and well developed par 60/58 layout under the new management group. The yardage from the blue tees is 3091 while from the red tees it is 2632 yards. Water comes into play on 14 of the holes with many sand traps around the greens. Bay Beach has its share of par 4’s which can be reached by most duffers like me with 2 well placed iron shots. The par 3’s are testy especially with prevalent Gulf shore winds during the winter. native bird and wildlife abound and add to the enjoyment of the course. The duff said hello to a 2 foot long alligator who was soaking up the sun next to my errant shot on the first hole. Didn’t lose a ball to the water hazards or out of bounds but gave this one up to mr. gator.

The duff had the pleasure of playing bay beach with his brother-in-law, john from long island who winters in nearby naples. “put away the long woods and use the mid irons”, was his advice on the first tee. John was correct. good course mangement strategy and proper club selection will lead to good scoring on this course. John shot an 80 while the duff came in with a 73.

The most noticeable change to the course was the redesign of holes 15-18. Water hazards, rolling fairways and smallish greens make this area of the course an “amen corner”. Need to be accurate off the tee and precise around or on the green. In addition, the irrigation system and greens and fairway maintenance has improved dramtically throughout the whole course. A pro shop and snack bar is available on site too.

walking or riding this course is reasonably priced even during the winter season. For more information and/ot tee times, call 239-463-2064 or visit www.baybeachgolfclub.com . Bay Beach golf club is located off of estero blvd. at 4200 Bay Beach lane, ft myers beach, fl.

upcoming reviews:

san carlos golf club, Ft Myers, Fl

heron creek golf & country club , northport, fl. \

Rivers Edge Golf & Country Club, Shallotte, NC

ROYAL TEE GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

Royal Tee, located on Pine Island Rd in the middle of Cape Coral, has 27 beautiful holes of golf available even if you aren't from a royal blood line. The King, Queen and Prince courses were designed by golf architect, Gordon Lewis and opened in the late 80's. The layout winds in, through and around luxurious homes and future homesites. The landscaping, floral displays and condition of the fairways, greens and bunkers are outstanding and surpassed by few courses in the region.

The courses is owned by Dean Ballantine and the the GM is Steve Sloan. The recent hiring of golf pro Michael Stewart provides a strong teaching program for Royal Tee. For information and tee times call 239-283-5522 and visit www.royaltee.net to view the courses. Greens fees at this time of year average around $50 with cart for 18 holes and $25 for 9 with discount ads and coupons available through the local newspapers and golf publications.. An attractive and well stocked Pro Shop and a reasonably priced restaurant/bar make up the stylish clubhouse.

The Duff only had time to play 9 on this day and chose to play the Prince layout on the advice of Michael( with a great English accent I believe) at the Pro Shop. My Cape Coral snowbird buddy, Jeff was along for the ride again today. The Prince plays 3384 yards from the Gold tees, 3137 from the Blue, 2900 from the White and 2362 from the Red tees.

RATINGS: Course/Slope

Prince

Gold Tees 71.4/128

Blue Tees 69.6/124

White Tees 67.1/113

Red Tees 66.2/110

The Prince layout meanders through both the King and the Queen nines with water coming into play on every hole. The number 1 handicapped 7th hole, a 384 yd par 4 dogleg left, is in my opinion the signature hole on this nine. Your tee shot needs to carry over water to a generous landing area but your second shot must navigate a narrow approach to a peninsula green also protected by trees and sand bunkers. The par 3 5th hole was playing tough as a stiff breeze was in our faces and it's all carry over water to a smallish green. Needless to say the Duff found the water on his first tee shot but put his second on the green and dropped the putt for a bogey 4. Jeff just made the apron of the green on his tee shot, chipped up close and holed a five foot putt. However, that was the only hole the Wisconsin cheese head took from the Duff today. Each of the holes provided challenges of doglegs, bunkers, water and well groomed greens.

The Travelin' Duff will be changing locations this week and will be keeping you posted on courses in Ft Myers and Naples over the next month or so. If you have a course you would like this Ol' Duff to play or any comments regarding these articles, please email me at travelinduff@buffalo.com.

CORAL OAKS GOLF COURSE
Cape Coral, Florida

Located in the northwest sector of Cape Coral, Coral Oaks Golf Course offers a golfers paradise. Lots of native
trees (live oak, mangrove, pines and palms) are situated on wetlands and marshes which are home to a variety of local\par
animal, mammal and bird populations. Many turtles, reptiles, alligators, egrets, limpkins and great blue herons can be\par
seen on the course. Coral Oaks offers 4 tee locations to challenge each golfer. The championship tees (black) measures almost 6700 yards, the back tees (blue) 6100 yards, the middle (white) 5600 yards and the front tees (red) 4800 yards. Water comes into play on almost 2/3 of the holes with sand and bunkers located strategically on each fairway and around the greens. The course has a "links look and feel" with rolling and undulated fairways with greens of unusual shapes and smallish in area.

Course Ratings: (Rating/Slope)
Championship tees 73.9/139
Back tees 70.0/133
Middle tees 67.8/124
Front tees 68.3/115

The Duff played a little better on this day than at Alden Pines. I shot a 91, which is 1 over par on the bogey as par scheme. Jeff, the snowbird buddy from Wisconsin who beat me in match play the last time we played, didn't fair as well on this day. After dumping 3 balls of the tee into the water on the first hole we played, he conceded victory to me. We met up with 2 retired police offers from Suffolk County, Long Island, NY who migrated to Cape Coral more than 15 years ago. Al & John are Coral Oaks members and play the course 2-3 times per week. Their candor, wit and course knowledge were extremely helpful and informative.

The modern clubhouse offers a pro shop with a nice selection of clothing, equipment and information and the restaurant has a moderately priced menu whether you want coffee, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Many outings are scheduled at Coral Oaks throughout the year hosting local social groups,organizations and businesses. This City of Cape Coral owned
course offers reduced greens fees for residents of the city as rates vary approximately from $35-$50 during the winter season. Non-resident rates are slightly higher.

The course is located at 1800 N.W. 28th Ave., Cape Coral, FL, 33593 and you may contact the Pro Shop at 239-573-3100 for more information and tee times. Marc Czcerwinski is the course manager and Joseph T. Boe is the
course superintendent.

Duffin' Among The (Alden) Pines
Alden Pines Country Club, Bokeelia, Florida

Alden Pines is on Pine Island, located in the southwest region of Florida, off the coast of Port Charlotte. The course is very rustic and yet, very beautiful, especially if you love nature. Lots of sand, water, woods and wetland filled with, what else, pines trees make up the land of this golf course. It could be mistaken for a nature sanctuary for local animal inhabitants.

The fairways and wetlands on this 18 hole layout are home to some of Florida's native animal life. Osprey nests are found perched high atop tall , almost bare trees, lining the fairways and around the greens.On this day, the Duff saw more than 40 of these beautiful eagle like creatures. Alligators are also natural inhabitants of this water bound course and sightings of 3-8 foot creatures during a round of golf is a daily occurence. You should be very careful looking for errant shots in the water or marshy woods or even in the sand traps.

The course layout is short, by most golf standards, ranging from 5663 yards from the blue tees, to 5088 yards from the white and 4391 yards from the red tees. Don't let these shorter overall distances fool you. This is one tough little course. Course management is the rule of order while playing Alden Pines. What it may lack in yardage is made up with narrow and challenging fairways and difficult rough and hazards.

Put away your metals, especially your driving one. Your best bet for a decent round is to use irons all the way around the course from tee to green. Challenging narrow fairways with water on each hole and the wet woods and bunkers are all noted for grabbing your shot, not to mention the gators, possibly waiting to grab more than your ball!

My playing partner at Alden Pines is a long time friend and snow bird from Wisconsin. No, he doesn't wear a cheese wedge golf hat. I'm glad he wears something on that thinning scalp as the glare from the sun is blinding when he bends forward. Jeff's winter residence is in Cape Coral about a 45 minute drive to Pine Island and Alden Pines. He has explored and played the course a few times before our match and stated, "It's worth the greens and cart fee just to see the wildlife on the course". He was certainly not kidding. I also believe he was trying to scare me with tales of gators and osprey carrying balls, clubs and golfers away. On this day, Jeff beat the old Travelin' Duff in match play, 2 and 1. I believe Jeff's tall tales about the wildlife and my penchance to take in all the natural beauty of the course distracted me from playing my usual and consistant, bogey golf. Wait till next time, Jeff!

Golf rates, depending on the season, seem to be fairly reasonable for greens fees and cart in this area of Florida. GPS (Global Positioning System) carts are also available for an extra fee. A modest restaurant/

bar/pro shop offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack menus.

For more information, including tee times and directions, call 239-283-2179. Alden Pines Country Club is located at the north end of Pine Island at 14261 Clubhouse Drive, Bokeelia, FL 33922.

Hope you enjoy Alden Pines as much as Jeff and the Duff ..........

Here is a link to the best site for Alden Pines:

December 2003
Travelin' Duf-Equipment Buff

In August, when the area's finest male amateurs competed in the BDGA Individual at The Park Club, I had the foresight to leave an equipment questionnaire at the first tee. Some mailed it back, some gave it to the BDGA Executive Director, others placed it surreptitiously in a trash can. In the end, twelve responses came back, and after much delay, the results are presented below. The golfers are listed anonymously, so that the reader does not let preconceptions (or postconceptions, for that matter) about what equipment which golfers should use, creep into her/his psyche. The diversity of respondents was remarkable; it included former state amateur and mid-am champions, juniors with national reps, and many area club champs (but what else would you expect at the BDGA Indy?) Read the table below, and you might be a bit surprised by the diversity of equipment in the bags of the area's finest.

	Driver	Fairway Metals	Irons	Wedges	Putter	Golf Ball
Golfer #1	Titleist 975J 9.5º	3 Metal Callaway 16º	Ping Eye 2	PW-Ping Eye 2 SW-Golf Smith 56º LW-Golf Smith 60º	Odyssey White Hot	Lady Precept
Golfer #2	Mizuno Blue Rage 9º Graffaloy Shaft	Cleveland Launcher 13º Stock Shaft	Mizuno MP-30 2-PW Dynamic Gold (X-300)	GW-Titleist Oil Can 52º SW-Titleist Oil Can 60º	Odyssey 2-Ball	Titleist Pro V1x
Golfer #3	Titleist 983E 9.5º	Orlimar Trimetal 13º Snake Eyes Quick Strike 18º	Ping I3 Blade 3-PW	GW-Taylor Made RAC Raw 52º SW-Titleist Vokey 58º	Titleist Scotty Cameron Newport	Titleist Pro V1x
Golfer #4	Nike 9º	Orlimar + 13º Mizuno Hi-Fli 18º	Nike Pro Combo 3-PW	SW-Titleist Vokey 54º LW-Titleist Vokey 58º	Callaway 2-Ball D7X	Titleist Pro V1x
Golfer #5	Calloway Big Betha VFT 9º	Cobra 3 & 5 Metals	Ping Eye 2	Ping Eye 2	Odyssey Mallet	Nike Power Distance
Golfer #6	Titleist 975J 8.5º	3 Metal Callaway Big Betha Warbird 13º 5 Metal Callaway Big Berrtha Steelhead	2-PW Tommy Armour 845 S-Silver Scott	GW-Titleist Vokey 52º LW-Titleist Vokey 60º	Odyssey-DF550	Titleist Pro V1
Golfer #7	Taylor Made 510 Tour 9.5º	Titleist 975 16.5º	Hogen Apex Forged 3-PW	GW-Titleist Vokey 52º SW-Titleist Vokey 56º LW-Titleist Vokey 60º	Odyssey 2-Ball Black, Offset	Titleist Pro V1x
Golfer #8	Cleveland Launcher 400 cc 8,5º	TaylorMade 200 Series 15º	Titleist 981 3-PW	GW-Cleveland Gunmetal 53º SW-Hogan, 56º LW-Cleveland, 60º	Odyssey 2-Ball	Nike One
Golfer #9	TaylorMade 580, 8.5º	3 Metal-Callaway 4 Metal-Snake Eyes 18º 5 Metal-Snake Eyes 22º	Ping Eye 2 Red Dot	GW-Cleveland, 53º LW-Cleveland, 60º	Callaway 2-Ball	Titleist Pro V1x
Golfer #10	Titleist 983, 9.5º	3 Metal-Snake Eyes 14º 4 Metal-Snake Eyes 18º	Taylor Made 320 3-PW	GW-Titleist Vokey, 52º SW-Titleist Vokey, 56º LW-Titleist Vokey, 60º	Bulls Eye Wide Blade	Titleist Pro V1x Nike TA2
Golfer #11	Titleist 983K 9.5º	Callaway Steelwood Plus, 4+	MacGregor V-Foil Blades	GW-Cleveland 900, 54º LW-Cleveland 900, 60º	Odyssey White Hot #5 Center Shafted	Titleist Pro V1x
Golfer #12	TaylorMade 540 9.5º	Orlimar Tri Metal Plus 14º Snake Eyes Quick Strike 18º	Nicklaus Pro Carbon 3-PW	SW-Cleveland 900, 56º LW-Cleveland 900, 60º	Mizuno TPM #2	Titleist Pro V1x

Just for fun, here are some of the driver shafts from this bunch: Mitsubishi Rayon, Penley 60, Graphite Design YS-6, Fujikura, Graffaloy, Harmon CBX. What this small response indicates is that ball selection is narrow; driver and wedge selection, a bit more diverse; and fairway metal, iron, and putter choices, all across the board. The obvious trends here are 3 or 4 wedges (everybody) and ironwoods/quick strike (42%).

Stay tuned to this webpage in 2004, when my Eastern Tour of courses begins. Happy holidays.

October 2003
Old-New and New-New for Duff

The Legends On The Niagara

It seems so long ago that the Niagara Parks commission made its announcement. After more than fifty years of rave reviews for Stanley Thompson's Whirlpool Golf Course, the commission would take advantage of the golf boom to construct a behemoth golfing center just south of Niagara Falls. Thomas McBroom and Doug Carrick, the pre-eminent Canadian architects of the day, were contracted to build two world-class championship courses, an enormous putting course (Carrick), a 360-degree driving range (McBroom), and a nine-hole short course (a joint effort) at what would be christened The Legends On The Niagara. Tip-toeing around the site where the Battle of Chippawa (1814) took place, the two gentlemen took great care to not disturb the ghosts. The legend of the Legends is that the two men flipped a coin over the pieces of property where the championship courses would lay, to determine which would choose first. The winner (and loser??) carry the result to their graves. To fanfare and accolades, the complex opened in 2001.

I was privileged to play the Ussher's Creek course this fall. Some courses give the sense that they should be played in the fall; in fact, if a course does not have a Fall personality, I often dismiss it for future play. There is something about the serenity of autumn that brings out the nature of a golfing grounds. Ussher's Creek has a profound Fall personality. There is much subtlety to this course; it does not have the obvious bravado of its sister course, the Battlefield. In the end, my memory of it was not that of a brutish challenge, but rather, of a demanding and enjoyable journey.

The course plays to a par 72, and can stretch from 5400 to 7200 yards in length. Although McBroom sprinkled the layout with nearly 90 bunkers, the sandy areas do not instill a visual fear. This is not to say that they are not punitive; find yourself in the half-acre of sand on number 14, in the braids on number 2, or over the green in the necklace on number 7, and you will concur. This last hole, a mid-length par three, is an example of the impishness of the course. Like a sundial, the tee boxes wind their way around the lake that edges the green. "Keep moving right," you think, and the shot will be shorter and less over water. Go ahead, as you will find that the solitary front bunker moves more and more into the line of your shot, staunchly implanting itself between you and the promised land. So which is it? Carry the water, no sand; or less water, but get over that bunker?

There is one truly heroic tee shot on the course. Number six demands an iron will in the finest tradition of the Cape hole (of McDonald-Raynor fame). Bite off as much lake as you can afford; from the tips, our suggestion is to aim at the middle bunker. If you stay dry, do not lose your head (as if the hole were already completed). The water's edge is nigh close to the green, and a too-left approach might role gently into the spring.

What is it that Ussher's Creek has to offer? By my way of thinking, it is the way in which the holes are framed. McBroom gives us many of the design features that classic architects used to fortify their designs. Number three is a Redan hole of the finest calibre, where the threatening creek may be avoided by bringing the ball in, even with a bounce or two, from the right. Many holes accept the run-up shot, eliminating the fear of many a golfer (that a high carry is a necessity.) Ussher's Creek has the finest collection of par five holes in the Niagara region. To achieve such a distinction means besting the beauties at Hunters Pointe, Whirlpool, and even the Legends' own Battlefield. The secret? The feeling that you are truly working your way home, with the green representing the hearth. As you pass each bunker, mound and creek, the battle is more firmly joined, until you accept the ultimate challenge of four unique putting surfaces.

Take the time to head north to Ussher's Creek. Find out when their best deals are in effect. Give yourself time to hit some balls before and after the round, and to use the putting course. Sure, you pay a goodly amount, but when you figure in the range time and the putting course, it all makes sense.
http://www.niagaralegends.com

Arrowhead

Over the last decade, western New York golfers salivated a bit while staring westward. With 6 tremendous new courses taking shape in Ontario, one questioned why no new work was being done on the American side of the river. It is true that Willowbrook and Deerwood opened new nines, Oak Run was constructed in the early 1990s, and Concord Crest (near Springville) revealed its initial nine around 2000. The reality was that these courses were home-grown efforts, built with love and care, but not nearly the resources that were put into Hunters Pointe, Peninsula Lakes, Rockway Glen, Legends, and Royal Niagara. Perhaps the most remarkable was the North Tonawanda effort, in which a municipality saw the benefit of hiring a professional architect, albeit an unproven one (more on him later.)

Here we are in 2003, on the cusp of the American reaction to the Canadian onslaught. Is there a Legends on the horizon? No. If you turn your sites to Akron, though, you will find something legendary (where you least expected it.) If you had played Bright Meadows before this year, you would remember it for the old-time flavor, the straight fairways and flat greens, and the par three course out back. A few years back, the owner decided that Akron deserved an upscale course of a challenging nature. He went out and brought in an architect looking to make a name for himself. Scott Whittier's claim to fame to date was the new nine at Deerwood (remember?) Awarded the design contract for Arrowhead, Whittier staked out a course of tremendous potential on a fine piece of land. In late October of this year, the back nine opened for media review, and the Duff and Mo' Golf found their way out.

The course, much like Ussher's Creek (see above), does not overpower you. A golfer of average length, playing well within her or his game, will not only enjoy the round, but will score well, too. Try to overpower the layout, however, and the contours, hazards, and angles will take their toll on you. Arrowhead is not an overly tree-laden course; a few copses, boundary forests, and a tall one here and there are all that you see. Such exposure to the wind lets you know that the high, hard one simply won't do at all times. Many of the fairways put what I call the "wiggly worm" theory on display. Unlike the boomerang-right and boomerang-left holes of the area's many municipal courses, the dogleg appearance of Arrowhead's holes is psychological. Instead of the football-field straight holes in such great local supply, the straight holes at Arrowhead profess inward protrusions of rough, mounds, and bunkers.

It is said that the back nine will open with the arrival of the Spring, and that the front nine's debut will herald the arrival of July. Together they will form the final piece in Bright Meadows' package: driving range, par-three course, short course, and championship course. For a sneak preview, visit our page below.
http://buff-golf.com/arrow.htm

Travelin' Duff at Oswego Fall Classic

It was a spectacular day at the 14^th annual Oswego State University Fall Classic in September at the Oswego Country Club in Oswego NY. This outing is one of the prime sources of revenue for the Presidential and Merit scholarship program. Over $2 million in scholarship aid is given annually to incoming freshman and transfer students attending the State University of New York at Oswego.

I had the pleasure of working with Larry Heintz, class of ’74, at the par 3, 12^th hole. We were “judges” for the “closest to the pin” competition. The 12^th hole is straight away with large bunkers fronting a massive green and a pond to the rear that features a floating plastic alligator to keep the geese away. By the way, the gator didn’t keep some long shots from entering the pond. Over 200 Fall Classic golfers aimed for the pin with holes in one in mind but distances of 2 feet ¼ inch and 11 feet, male and female respectively, won the prizes

The original Oswego Country Club nine hole layout was located in the late 1800’s along the shores of Lake                        Ontario. This area, west of the city and the college, is fondly known as “The Loop” due to the
winding and looping road to access this area. The Loop features breath taking views of the world
renowned   Oswego sunset and “The Stands”, a few informal eateries and ice cream establishments,
open from April through September. Many area residents, vacationers and college students, flock to the stands
for a fish fry or a Texas Red hot, an ice cream for dessert and the beauty of seeing the sun set on Lake Ontario.

In the early 1900’s, OCC moved to an area on the southwest side of the city near the Oswego River and
Nine holes were completed and in the late 1980’s, a second nine was added. The Oswego Country Club
features a layout with lots of hills, water, trees and wildlife, a beautiful clubhouse with restaurant and bar
and a swimming pool. If you are interested in seeing more about OCC log on to

http://home.twcny.rr.com/oswegocc.

PGA professional, Jon Fowler, and course superintendent, Scott Peters are always eager to assist golfers
and to show off the features of the course to interested golfers. Call the Golf & Pro Shop at 315-343-1941
for information.

Although I didn’t have the opportunity to play OCC on this day, I have had the pleasure many times in the past. My late father-in-law, Joe Morgia, was a club member for many years and he treated me to a number of rounds before his passing several years ago. The Oswego Country Club layout is the home course for the Oswego State University Great Lakers golf team. Many NCAA Division III All-Americans have performed on this course including current PGA senior tour member, Wayne Levy of Herkimer, NY, who attended Oswego in the 1970’s.

Kudos and praise should go to Barbara Manwaring, Associate Director of the Office of University Development, along with the many volunteers, donors and supporters who make the Oswego State Fall Classic at the Oswego Country Club a huge success each year. If you would like to support and/or participate in the 15^th Classic in September of 2004, contact Barbara at 315-312-3599 or email her at manwarin@oswego.edu .

It was a pleasure and an honor to represent Buff-Golf and the class of 1966 at this charity event. Look to www.buff-golf.com for information regarding the promotion of your charitable golf outing in 2004.

Gettysburg Station: Stops 1 & 2--The Bridges & The Links At Gettysburg
There will always be a debate about which side [North or South] would have won the Civil War, had the Confederacy pushed past Gettysburg. The new millenium probably has brought a debate about which golf course in the region is the best, an interesting notion (albeit not as world-defining as the initial one.) The Duff recently traveled to the Gettysburg area for a week of work, and found time to play two of the area's better-known courses. Neither one could be characterized at old builds, as both date to the 1990s. What they are, five years down the road, is mature courses, having survived the grow-in period. When you play them, you will understand the importance of this feature.

The Bridges
Abbottstown, Pa
www.bridgesgc.com

The first indication that The Bridges puts stock in reuse of property and landscape is the beautiful brick clubhouse and guest quarters that stand sentinel over the course. Originally constructed two centuries ago to be a furniture factory, the building was preserved and transformed into a full-service golfer's dream hostel. Twelve guest rooms and one handicapped-accessible guest room make up the second story of the building, while a grill room, pro shop, and dining deck are found on floor one.

The golf course itself is a thing of beauty, about which one can truthfully claim that nature had a hand in its construction. The 6700 yards from the tips traverse so much wetland that you believe that you have accidentally crossed a fence somewhere, into a preserve. The cart paths heed the lesson taught by these centuries of growth, as they curve and double back, to avoid trespassing across or through the myriad examples of native grasses, flowers and trees.

The course was designed and built in 1995 by owner Mike Bross, Engineer Fred Altland and his brother Charlie (superintendent). They tried the course management deal with a reputable company for a year or two, but found that local ownership restored a sense of pride and accountability that the golfing public needed.

The course winds its way through these lowlands in a surprisingly-hilly way. The vales created by water flow over time cause a variety of downhill, sidehill, and uphill lies to be encountered as the round progresses. The bridges in the name are seen in the trip from two tee to fairway, as the cart path takes you through the only covered bridge on a golf course in the USA. A Y-Bridge (ever been to Zanesville, Ohio?) is found at the intersection of holes 8, 16 and 17, yet is surprisingly logical (and easy) to navigate. You will be hard-pressed to forget the bridges that connect you on this course; when did that last happen?

The front nine begins with an inviting tee ball to a wide fairway. Be careful, though, as it slopes from right to left and down, toward a creek. Hit it too far with the drive, and you may end up wet. Three wood is enough from the middle tees. The approach is played uphill to an under-protected green, insuring that your round should start with no less than bogey. Don't get complacent; it gets harder. The second hole is a brief affair of some 315 yards, up and around a hill and trees, to an elevated green. You need a bit more off the tee, as the fairway sits above you. Be careful on your approach: the yawning front bunker suggests taking more club, but there is precious little room behind the green (OB !) Holes three and four are manageable four and three pars, but play below the hole on three green. The fifth hole is where the adventure truly begins. A right-angle dogleg, par five, you must avoid the left-side tree if you want to get home in two. To do so, you need to hug the right side, to attain a level lie for your second shot. If you don't wish to risk trouble, the layup to 100-150 yards is straightforward. Unlike number two, take enough club to get to the green, as it sits on an elevated bluff.

Hole six overlooks a dirt race track, but leave the quick driving to the folks who do it for a living. Taking the turns too quickly at The Bridges will cause you to lose control of your cart. This par four seems uphill from the tee, but runs gently downhill until it drops off the face of the earth to the green. The run-up shot is an option here; just don't land it in the upslope in front of the green. Number seven is a long and testy par 3.5, with bunkers and a hillside guarding the green. Like its predecessor from the kingdom of five, number eight is reachable, but only with two enormous shots. Avoid the trees to the right and the wetlands to the left, and take just the right amount of club for the approach to this shallow, ribbon-like green, and you will walk away with par or birdie. The first act closes with an uphill-all-the-way par four, where left is always good.

Act two begins much as did its predecessor, with a downhill-then-uphill par four to a large green. However, the ditch in front is bigger, the green a bit more elevated, and the hole itself some fifty yards longer. No more fooling around. Number eleven is a par three tucked next to ten, requiring you to thread the needle between trees and sand. Twelve through fourteen are short-to-medium par fours that will test your patience. Accuracy, not length, is the key to surviving this stretch. Come on, they average 356 yards; keep it straight !

Fifteen begins a closing stretch that alternates between brute strength and delicate touch. The bookends are par fives, and the first may be the most memorable hole on the course. I'd like to be here in winter, with a sled. The hole careens downhill from left to right to left again, in a chute between hills that must be a lot of fun if you're playing well ! Sixteen is a long, downhill par three from the tips, with wetlands to the right. Seventeen is another less-than-driver hole, as a long poke will take you through the fairway, into the water. The green is set up high, against railroad ties that hold up the bulkhead beyond the long water hazard. The home hole is an uphill brute of a par five that seems to go on forever. Note to reader: do not try to carry the left bunker from the tee. If, however, you do succeed, email me your secret.

The Bridges of Abbottstown is a safe course, with few parallel fairways. More importantly, it is an unpretentious place, where you can feel at home, either as a member or a guest. I'd love to go back and spend a few days and nights in the guest quarters. The only sad part would be the leaving.

The Links At Gettysburg
Gettysburg, Pa
www.thelinksatgettysburg.com

Lindsay Ervin and Stephen Klein came together to design one of the more awe-inspiring courses at sea level (give or take.) Any shortness of breath is due to the severe aesthetics of this golf course. It simply stuns you from the start. You hit your drive on the first tee, keeping it left of the hillocks, right of the trees. You reach your ball, turn to the green, and glory be, it's a mirage. Your downhill approach must avoid flanking sand bunkers, and must carry a creek and two rock walls. The hole is not long at 394 yards, nor does it have to be. From the approach shot at number one on, you must be in a zone, or a loose shot will be penalized severely. More examples? Let me enumerate: approach on number two (must carry gunge in front); tee shot on number three (avoid trees left and watery gunge in front); tee shot on number seven (this is why God invented adult Pampers -- You CANNOT carry the right water !); tee shot on eight (carry the fish hatchery and you face the Red Rocks amphitheater -- Are we in Colorado?) tee shot on eleven (trees right, watery stuff left -- no, I'm NOT almost done); tee shot on thirteen (only from the tips -- anywhere else is sissy stuff); tee shot on fifteen (again, only from the tips -- you need to carry it 200 just to reach the layup zone !!); approach on sixteen (this is NOT a par four at 490 yards); everything about seventeen (carry the water off the tee, challenge the volcanic green that rises behind two sand quarries) -- OK, I'm done. Eighteen is benign, compared to these shots.

Now understand, of all the courses that I have played this year (Cooks Creek and The Golf Club Of Dublin in Ohio, The Bridges in Pennsylvania, The Concord Monster in New York, to name a few,) I cannot think of another that I would more like to have another crack at. Knowing where to take chances, where to lay back, makes all the difference. There is not an unfair hole on the course, as long as you know your own game. The Links At Gettysburg mixes in some breather holes (4, 5, 6, 9, 10 and 12 come to mind) to provide respite from the dragons.

Course conditions at The Links were immaculate. The greens rolled true, which makes the undulating surfaces much easier to handle. They are quick, so do not use your sledgehammer stroke (if you have one.) The fairways are nothing less than pristine, and the course drains well. I should know, as Gettysburg got slammed by torrential downpours the evening prior to my Links visit. Only at the edges of rough and trees, did I encounter any truly soft spots. The tee boxes are quite level, which makes addressing the ball much less of a chore than it is on tilted teeing grounds. In short, all the things that you expect from a "country-club-for-the-day" experience (but don't always get) are in evidence at The Links At Gettysburg.

Things that you won't see anywhere else:
     1. Enormous mansion on hillside overlooking 7th hole. I realize that enormous and mansion are redundant, but when you see it, you'll understand.
     2. Stone bridge leading to 12th green. It looks like it is half-submerged in the water, which is cool. DON'T drive your cart over it, which is not cool. It is for walking only, not that I'd know anything about that.
     3. Cannons for tee markers. They get you in the mood for "firing" a few long tee shots (get it ?)
     4. Red rocks behind 12 green and 18 green. All right, maybe in Colorado (see earlier reference) but not on a golf course.
     5. The complete Feng-Shui of the approach to the first hole. No, it's not a dish at a local Mandarin or Thai outpost. Feng-Shui is arrangement in harmony with nature. There is a natural ascension of elements on this hole. Want metaphors? Here goes. The creek (water element) rises to the grass (earth element) rises to the brick wall (fire element -- bricks are fired) rises to the green (highest point = heaven). The fourth element (wind) is present as your ball approaches the green. Cool, huh?

So, get yourself down to Gettysburg soon with the family. Inexpensive shopping at outlet malls, historical tours of battlefields, the Pennsylvania Amish and great golf await you in central Pennsylvania.

The Travelin' Duff in Southwest Florida-Part Three

Mirror Lakes Golf Club

As I approached the entrance to Mirror Lakes Golf Club, I was greeted with an unusual indication of what was to come. The ad sign read, "The 707 Challenger of Mirror Lakes G.C., Southwest Florida's Premier Par 6." I said to myself, " Wow, a par 6, 707 yards long. What have I gotten myself into?"

Mirror Lakes is located in the Lehigh Acres area about 10 miles east of the Southwest Florida International Airport. The course is one of two layouts affiliated with the Admiral Lehigh Golf Resort. Mr. Nevin Sutcliffe, a class A, PGA professional, is the Director of Golf, Mr. Todd Wigington, is the Superintendent, and Mr. Mark C. Duffy, the GM, make up the leadership team at both Mirror Lakes and the Admiral Lehigh Resort Course.

Mirror Lakes is the longer of the two courses at 7043 yards from the blue tees, 6573 yards from the whites, and 5671 yards from the red tee markers.The signature hole is the 11th, the number one handicapped hole. At 707 yards from the blue tees, this par 6 features a pond to the left of the tee area, fairway bunkers at stratgic driving yardages and sand traps surrounding the green. What a challenge.

Twelve of the 18 hole layout have water hazards while bunkers and sand traps are stratgically placed on every hole. The par 72/73 layout also features long par threes as the 5th hole is 227 yards and the 12th hole is at 193 yards, both from the white tees. From the blue tees, the yardage for #5 is 253 while #12 is 206. At least 13 holes feature doglegs to make it even more challenging. The course scoring and slope ratings from the blue tees are 72.6/125, the whites 71.0/121 and the reds 71.8/126.

Mirror Lakes opened for play in 1971 and was designed by Mark Mahanna (sp?) and is well manicured and maintained. Lush. thick green southern grasses make the fairways a pleasure to hit from and the greens are very large and "pock" free resulting in true putting.Although I didn't see one on this day, local lore indicates that alligators do hang out in the many ponds and waterways around the course.Best to leave that new ball in the water, take the penalty and move on quickly, I was told.

The Travelin' Duff had a decent score on this longer, well designed and manicured course shooting a 91. Again that's par golf for me using the bogey as par scoring system I've mentioned in previous articles. The Duff played the white tees for all but the par 6, 11th hole. The blue tees beckoned me for the 707 yard monster hole. To my surprise, I humbled the number one handicapped hole by reaching the green in 4 and dropping a 15 footer for a birdie 5. This made my day........What the heck, this made my entire trip to southwest Florida worthwhile.....

Playing with the Duff were two Admiral Lehigh Resort guests from Collingwood, Ontario, Canada, about 90 miles north of Toronto. Tom Rolling and his son, Tim, a senior at Collingwood Collegiate School, made my encounter with Mirror Lakes a memorable and satisfying one. Both Rolling boys shot well, but on this day Dad outplayed his son. Thanks to Tom and Tim for a great day on the links.

Greens fees and cart rates vary from season to season. During the high tourist winter months of January thru April, the greens and cart fees range from $45 before noon to $35 after noon. Coupons in the local papers and tourist flyers offer discounts of $5-$10 during the winter season. From October thru December, the rates are lower at $23 before noon and $18 after noon. Reservations are required as many social and local association outings are planned daily especially during the wintet season. Call the Pro Shop at 239-369-1322 for tee times and information at both Mirror Lakes and the Admiral Lehigh Resort course. You may also log on to the resort website at: www.GolfResortatAdmiralLehigh.com for indepth info.

Well, the Duffs Florida tour is fast coming to an end for this year. I'll be heading back north Western NY soon with hopes of warmer and dryer weather at home. It's time to put my spring training regimen into practice to take on the Buff-Golf staff of Mo' Golf, The Scrambler and The Mouth That Roars on the fairways and greens of the beautiful Niagara Frontier region of New York and Canada.

March 2003

Travelin' Duff in Southwest Florida --Westminster Golf Club

So many new golfing communities are sprouting in all the southern states. Westminster Golf Club, located in the Ft. Myers/ Lehigh area, is one of the newest and nicest I have seen in southwestern Florida.

Sprawling Spanish influenced homes surround the par 72 layout. Four tee boxes are available ranging from the championship gold tees of 6930 yards (slope rating of 133) to the ladies red tees at 5340 yards (slope rating of 120). Although the layout is somewhat wide open and forgiving, water, sand and doglegs makes the course a challenge for any golfer.

Westminster was designed by Ted Mc Anlis and opened for play a few years ago. The general manager is David Deetscreek, PGA professional, and the course superintendent is Chad Holliday. The course features a few signature holes like the par 3, 175 yard (white tees), 7th hole with water on the right guarding the green and fairway and the par 4, 410 yard (white tees), the number 1 handicap, 18th hole with water on the left, bunkers on both sides of the fairway and a dogleg right to boot.

Greens fees during the tourist season ( January-April), range from $50 before noon to $40 after noon. This includes an electric cart. Coupons appear in local publications to reduce the cost throughout the season. Tee times may be reserved by calling the Pro/Golf Shop anytime in advance at 239-368-1110. Log on to www.westminstergolf.com to learn more about the course and layout and the housing opportunities available. If you want to play a course with country club ammenities, Westminster is the course for you. The golf carts even feature a built in cooler to carry your favorite refreshments and bag boys take your clubs from your car to the cart with a smile and a friendly attitude.

The Duff played well on this outing until the 18th hole. A snowman 8 inflated a potential round of 84 (42/42) to a total of 88 (42/46). Even at that, using my bogey as par scoring system, I shot 2 under par ( 90 being par). Playing with the Duff were six other golfers. In my foursome were Garrett Wadosky, who plays out of the Deerwood Golf Course in North Tonawanda, NY, Jeff Peterson, a retired fire chief and Cape Coral snowbird, and Steve Cabell, a vacationing Bait & Tackle Shop owner, both from Racine, Wisconsin. In the other group of three were Rick and Dianne Peterson ( Jeff's brother and sister-in-law) also from Racine, and Sam "The Shark" Tomaine,, who plays out of Elkview Country Club in Carbondale, PA.

The Duff's improved round was largely due to a new golf tool called the "E Club" developed and marketed by the Bantam Golf Co. and promoted by PGA professional, Nick Price. The E Club design allows duffers like me to improve the short game through the "tight lie" features of the club head. Look to buff-golf.com for a review of the E Club in the near future.

As Westminster matures, it will become a very beautiful southern corse. The palms, live oaks and other tropic greenery will close in the openness in the coming years to make the layout more challengeing. One current drawback of the young course is the immature greens which, unfortunately, are "pocked marked" due to lots of play and careless players not repairing their ball marks.

Westminster was challenged by our group on a warm humid sunny day in March and the course won the test of snowbird golfers this time. In fact, Jeff Peterson and Steve Cabell played so poorly on the first nine that we decided to trade them for Dianne Peterson on the back nine. Even hitting from the ladies tees on the back, Jeff and Steve didn't fair as well as Dianne, who played from the men's white tees with Garrett and the Duff.

The staff at the Golf/Pro Shop were most accomodating and courteous. The restaurant features great food items but the Sunday brunch is highly recommended whether you are playing that day or not.

February 2003

February 27,2003 -- Travelin' Duff Heads South.

Escaping this year’s long winter and surviving the 1450 mile trek from cold to warm should be reward enough. Playing golf in

February, like it was the middle of summer in western NY, is a taste of heaven.

The Ft. Myers Country Club is the first course, and hopefully one of many, that I have played upon my arrival in the southwest

Gulf coast of Florida. One of three city owned courses, it is the oldest layout in this area. This Donald Ross design was built in

1917 and has played host to mat1y championship rounds through the years. FMCC is a beautiful, and typically southern, layout

providing challenges for all ability levels at a reasonable price during the high tourist season

This par 72,6421 yard course, from the blues, is well maintained and has all the amenities of a private club save the higher

pricing. The layout presents a series of five tees to accommodate championship hitters to senior & beginning ladies. The

placement of fairway and greens bunkers and the meandering water hazards make up for its open and forgiving fairways. .

FMCC was ranked by Golf Digest as one of the top public courses in the nation. Rich Lamb, the course Director of Golf., provides

the overall leadership direction of this gem in the "City ofPalms". Golf Professionals, Todd Minico and Earl Persinger, along with

course superintendent, Ed Stalnos, as well as a friendly pro shop staff, provide the day-to-day operations. Even Gary the starter

made me feel right at home.

During the peak season, January thru April, the daily green fees are $12.50- $35 walking to $20-$52 with golf cart, depending on the time of day you wish to play. That's right. You can walk this course anytime of day. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 24 hours in advance at 239-936-3126. The full service pro shop and the Brixz, an excellent restaurant and bar, add to the "southern hospitality" of the course.

The Duff was fortunate to team up with 3 terrific golfers. Paul McCabe, who plays out of the Whaling City Golf Club in New Bedford, Mass., Joe, a recent transplant to Ft Myers from LA by way of Cleveland, and Howard, an 84 years young southern gentleman, rounded out the foursome. Paul and I walked the course and played from the championship (blue) tees while Joe hit from the whites and Howard from the Senior men’s yellow markers. We finished the round in 4 hours, a pace recommended by the course management.

The Duff shot an 8 over bogey score, on a scale of par 90, and was very satisfied with my first round of golf since last October. I had my share of pars and near birdies but also managed a triple par 9 on one of the par threes, along with some other Duff unmentionables. My golfing partners all played well but Howard, the ageless southern gent with the Sam Snead hat, took the honors with straight drives, accurate irons and an a hot putter.

The beauty of playing golf in the south can only be experienced. You can write about it, you can read about it but you have to play it to truly see and feel the beauty of the land. Instead of seeing tall maples, you are surrounded by palm trees. Instead of Canadian geese, you see herons & egrets. Instead of deer & ground hogs, you may see raccoons (yes, during the day) and maybe an alligator or two.

My round at FMCC was an enjoyable and memorable one. For the price value, the layout and the social amenities, I don't think you will find another one like it. It will certainly be on my playing calendar a few more days before I return to the frozen north.

Ft Myers Country Club is located at 3591 McGregor Blvd. in Ft Myers, Florida. In addition to the reservation phone, 239-936-3126, you can visit the course through the city of Ft Myers web site at: www.cityftmyers.com

January 2003

Most Memorable Golf Courses Of 2002

Looking back over the past golfing season, was thinking about which one of the courses I played or visited was the most memorable. After all, I had seen over 25 courses across the great state of New York and the Canadian Niagara peninsula. I was thrilled to spectate at the US Open on Long Island in June, as well as the Porter Cup in Niagara Falls in July. As I pondered the layouts and qualities of each course, and after much consideration, I came up with five memorable finalists.

In no particular order, the Bethpage State Park Black Course in Farmingdale, NY (site of the 102nd US Open); Hunters Pointe in Welland, Ontario; Conklin Players Club, near Binghamton; the Shenandoah course at Turning Stone Casino, in Verona, NY (near Syracuse); and Battle Island State Golf Course in Fulton, NY, all made my final list. That's right, Battle, not Beaver, Island, for all you western New Yorkers. Step number two: choose one, the most memorable course for Travelin' Duff in 2002.

My choice was a sentimental one. In July, I played the course which had introduced me to golf more than 35 years ago. It was the first regulation-length course that I had ever played and I was hooked on the game. I was just 22 years old, had just graduated from college, had my first full-time job, and was getting married to boot. The course is Battle Island State Golf Course, an 18-hole layout located outside of Fulton, just south of Oswego, north of Syracuse.

The name Battle Island originated in a conflict which occurred on a nearby island on July 3, 1756. The British Army, under the leadership of Col. John Bradstreet, were en route to Albany by way of the Oswego River when they were attacked by the French, led by Sieur de Villiers. Although the fighting only lasted an hour, a large number of casualties were suffered by both sides. The British were heavily armed and better prepared for the battle. They launched their counterattack from an island in the middle of the river, and used the cover of trees to prevail.

Today, Battle Island is one of the finest manicured golf courses in the state, a far cry from the early 1900s, when it was mowed by sheep herds. The land which comprises the current layout changed hands many times following the battle. In 1938, Stanley Emerick deeded the land to the state. That same year, Battle Island became a state park.

As I was driving to the course this past summer, I reflected on memories of the first time I played Battle Island. How nervous I was as I walked to the starters shack! The bag line was enormous, I was a single, and it was my first round on a regulation-size course. As the golf gods would have it, the starter put me with a threesome in the process of teeing off. As I rushed to the tee, ahead of all the waiting golfers, the strap on my old hand-me-down, tartan plaid, golf bag broke. As I stooped to pick up my "begged, borrowed and stolen" clubs and my cut-up golf balls, one of the three elderly gents on the tee decreed "you're up, slugger," adding to the tension.

As I placed my ball on the tee, all I could think of was the number of golfers in the bag line, how they were watching me, and how I didn't want to miss or shank my drive. I don't remember taking a practice swing or lining up my shot. I think that I closed my eyes and hope for the best. Well, I sliced the drive across the 1st and 18th fairways, onto Route 48, out of bounds. One of the elderly gents in the foursome said, "hit another one, young lad." This eased my nervousness. I thought about how nice it was for him to give me another chance. My next shot trickled past the ladies tee, in play! As I picked up my bag, the gent indicated, "now you are lying three." So much for mulligans on the first tee at Battle Island. I didn't keep score that day on the advice of my future bride's late grandfather. Harry Dempsey told me to try to hit the ball and enjoy the walk. Thanks for the much-needed advice, Harry. I'm sure that I had at least 120 strokes, but I made it through my first round of golf. I learned so much about etiquette and courtesy from the three elder members of my foursome.

The course layout has changed somewhat since my early days at Battle Island. Although the front and back nines have been reversed, and a few greens have been redesigned, the layout is still beautiful to behold. The rolling hills and fairways, the beautiful, plentiful trees, and the Oswego River that borders some of the holes, make this one of the greatest memories of my golfing life. I played many years at Battle Island with friends and family members, including my late father-in-law, Joe Morgia, who taught me the finer points of the game.

So, if you are ever in the central New York region, take the time to play Battle Island. You won't be disappointed. The par 72, 5973-yard layout is short by most standards, but it will test your course-management, club-selection, and putting skills. In addition, you will enjoy the simple beauty of the region. Tee times may be made up to a week in advance by calling the park office (315-593-3408) or the Pro Shop (315-592-3361). Before and after golf, you can enjoy a beverage and/or a meal in the clubhouse at Battle Island Food & Spirits. The restaurant features a second-floor deck that overlooks the course. The course is located a few miles north of Fulton, and few miles south of Oswego on Route 48. If you are coming from the NYS thruway, take exit 39 and head north.

Brian Griffin is the Golf Professional at Battle Island and owner of Griffin Pro Shops located at Battle Island (315-592-3361) and at Green Lakes Golf Course (315-637-0258) in Fayetteville, NY.

P.S. In case you were wondering, I've improved some 35 shots in the 35 years since my first outing at Battle Island, attested by my 85 in July, 2002. Not bad for a Travelin' Duff.

October 2002

Travelin' Duff traverses Ohio

Travelin Duff had an opportunity in early October to make his way into Ohio, to play a wonderful private club south of Cleveland. Home to the Hudson Junior Invitational (The Drew Carry version of our East Aurora International Junior Masters) since 1979, the Country Club of Hudson presents a very attractive and challenging test to the young stars that make their way to its tees and greens each June.

The Hudson property is home to eight lakes. These diverse lagoons add much to the experience, from aesthetics to anxiety. All four par three holes play across the H2O, although its function is more beautification than hazard for the well-struck shot. Number two is a visually stunning hole, played 125 yards from atop a mesa, down some fifty vertical feet over a horseshoe pond, to a thrice-bunkered green. The pond on the second par three (number six) ends 2/3 of the way to the green, where trees and sand take over, narrowing the entrance to the putting surface for an eight-iron tee shot. The two short holes on the inward nine are mid-length in nature, ranging from 165 to 180 yards, both with water zones that do not abut the putting surface, minimizing their influence.

The par five holes begin and end each nine, adding a gambling element to the start and finish of each loop. They are characterized by their brawny nature, averaging over 550 yards. For those who anticipate margin for error, given their lengths, forget it. Trees and precise fairway bunkering narrow the landing areas for tee balls and second shots, and the errant shot often demands a subsequent bump back to the fairway. On these longer holes, no water intrudes, and none is required. Its presence, in fact, would be overkill, and require a reworking of the attractive and effective bunkering.

The par four holes average 390 from the tips, with three long (420, 426, and 440) and one short (338) wrapped around six in the 360 to 400 range. On these holes does the water truly come into play in a strategic fashion. Its first evidence is on number four, where a full-grown pond intrudes on the landing area and right side of the fairway. A six iron will get your ball to the ideal lay-up zone, leaving a full pitching wedge to the green. If your tee ball carries 240 yards, and you feel like Vegas, go for it! On the day that Duff received his invitation, two high school teams played an inter-state match. Four members of the visiting team went over the water, leaving flip wedges to the putting surface, resulting in birdies for their side.

The second intrusion of mega-dew is on number eight, a narrow, dogleg left. Trees on the inner side tempt the long hitter to the cut the corner, but no true advantage can be gained by so doing. The smart play is with a long iron, straight out from the tee, to the visible landing area. More trees to the right will wreak havoc on the rightward tee ball. From the fairway to the green is a trail of grass, sand and water, with a small but lethal, L-shaped pond confronting on the front and right. Par on this hole, from any of the tee markers, is the hallmark of an astute, controlled player. Turning to the back nine, numbers 13 and 14, both mid-length par fours, sandwich a pair of ponds on the right of each hole, forcing play to the left in both cases. Trees and out-of-bounds await on the safe side of both holes.

The Country Club of Hudson tops out at 6725 yards, not long by the standards of the day. The course will not punish the player with a rhythm of long-iron approach shots. Instead, it is the subtle design characteristics of a well-studied architect that provide the defense of par. Approach shots that carry beyond the putting surface are often met with beguiling recoveries from trees, sand and hillsides. Errant drives will often bound into dark and scary places, from which at least one shot must be donated to the recovery effort. Finally, once upon the short grass of the greens, we are often faced with approach putts of enormous length, traversing distances better measured in yards than feet. That the surfaces are canted and mounded adds another element of danger to the putting experience. It is not any wonder that the winners of the girls and boys divisions of the Hudson Junior Invitational rarely shoot lights-out numbers.

June 2002

Travelin' Duff Makes The U.S. Open scene

Traveling to Long Island last week to see the best golfers in the world was a homecoming of sorts for me. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, the better part of Long Island to many, until I went away to college upstate. Although I never returned to the metropolitan area to live, I did frequently visit my family in Brooklyn, Staten Island and on Long Island. Bethpage State Park wasn't new to me since I had the opportunity to play 2 of the five golf layouts, the Red and the Blue, a few times over the years. Unfortunately I never played the Bethpage Black course in its original form before it was renovated for the 2002 US Open Golf Championship. In fact I had never seen the layout until I walked the course during the practice rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday... Wow! What a monster!

The USGA modified greens, bunkers, tee boxes and fairway grasses to make Bethpage Black a most challenging test for the international field of competitors...After sneaking on the course the week before the championship to play a practice round with his close friend and fellow competitor, Mark O'Meara, Tiger Woods was quoted in a Long Island newspaper as saying, "I doubt anyone will come in under par for the championship. This is the toughest par 70 layout I have ever played." As we all know now, Tiger was the only golfer to have a total score under par at -3 to win the championship. Lefty Phil Mickelson, my choice to win, was the next closest competitor at even par for the tourney.

It was a homecoming of sorts for Tiger and his Dad too. The elder Woods was an officer in the US Army stationed at Ft Hamilton in Brooklyn back in the early 1970's. One day he was invited to play golf at Dyker Beach Golf Course, a city course near the military base. He had never played before but shot a 94 for 17 holes. He had to sneak on the course after the first hole since he didn't have his own clubs. This experience hooked him on the game and he became a regular at Dyker as well as LaTourette on Staten Island across the Verrazano Bridge from Ft Hamilton. His playing also included several rounds at the Bethpage Black course where 27 plus years later his son, Tiger, would win the 102nd US Open championship.

Watching the practice rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday afforded the opportunity to be close to the players, much like baseball’s spring training Grapefruit League. I was like a kid in a candy shop. Watching Phil Mickelson, Justin Leonard, Scott Verplank, Tiger Woods and many others, reminded me of the times I saw them play as amateurs at the Porter Cup held annually in July at the Niagara Falls Country Club in Lewiston. I got some autographs on golf balls, US Open programs and anything else I had handy. Most of all I watched in awe at the abilities of all these professionals on the toughest public course layout they ever played.

The weather was as diverse as the players and fans. After 2 days of sunny, mid 80's temps and high humidity during the practice rounds the weather turned to the cool 60's and cloudy on Thursday. The skies opened on Friday and poured rain on the course all day. Saturday was cold, damp and extremely muddy while Sunday brought sunny blue skies and 80 degree temps most of the day. As the championship was winding down, Mother Nature decided to let everyone know she was watching too. Thunder, lightening and a downpour forced an hour-long delay. Many fans left the course only to miss the exciting conclusion under a clear sky as the sun started to set. I stayed and saw Tiger win his 2nd US Open championship.

The USGA should be commended for making the 102nd US Open such a huge, crowd-pleasing event. From the parking to the bus transportation to the many concession venues to the viewing stands, and even to the many, many port-a-potties, this event was the developed and carried out with smoothness I have never seen. When you consider that over 50, 000 fans, volunteers, security personnel, medical staff, vendors and, of course, the professional golfers and their families and staff, were at the course on any given day, it is with amazement that no major negative incident occurred. Even the expected rowdy New York fans were under control and observed, for the most part, the etiquette of the tournament viewing.

Well, I can cross off one more item on my "wish list of things to do in my lifetime". I finally got to a major golf championship. This has only peaked my interest in professional golf. I have now added the 2003 PGA championship at Oak Hill in Rochester and the 2004 US Open at Shinnecock on Long Island to my revised wish list. However, topping "my list of golf things to do" is to play a round at the Bethpage Black course before the rates go up 3 years from now.

May 2002

Travelin' Duff In The Catskills

I had an opportunity to accompany a group of young men to a recent state golfing championship. One of the perquisites of this sojourn was the opportunity to play two golf courses whose region has seen better days. Do you remember the movie Dirty Dancing, especially the part where the resort owner lamented the fact that kids today (the 1960s) were going to Europe, rather than the Catskills, on some "28 countries in ten days" trip? As a result of that change of loyalties, two of the the largest resorts in the east, The Concord and Grossinger's, shut their doors. When you drive through the properties, you see boarded-up cabins, swimming pools filled with cracks and cobwebs, anchor hotels with broken windows and peeling paint. The feeling is not unlike that of driving through the Love Canal neighborhoods in the 1980s, before reoccupation began. What is left, however, are the golf courses, and they are breathtaking.

Back in the days of Robert Trent Jones, Sr., length was king, as everyone wanted to own the longest, most demanding course of the day. The Concord: Monster and International, and Grossingers, were all designed by Joe Finger, a disciple of Trent. Finger was not only about distance; he had an acute eye for leaving nature to itself, disturbing only enough to route 18 hole sequences through the rolling hills of the lower Catskills. What he produced in Liberty and Kiamesha Lake are two* distinct and challenging layouts, kept in surprisingly good condition, in spite of the misfortunes of the resorts to which they belonged.
(*Two, rather than three, as I did not play Concord: Monster, this time through. Perhaps down the road . . .)

Saturday was cold, windy, and wet. We played the Grossingers layout from the back tees, and paid the price. Scores were pretty high, due only in part to the conditions. Grossingers' front nine begins and finishes up high, descending into a lowland for some four or five holes. The first hole played long, if only for the loss of roll due to a sopping fairway. The green was quite unique, with a back right tier some two feet below the remaining 3/4 of the putting surface. Number two played even more difficult, some 440 yards from the back. This dogleg left is protected by trees left and sand right in the drive zone, and more trees, sand, and a creek around the green. Number three is the inverse of the second hole at Crag Burn, kind of. A long, three shot, dogleg right par five, the water near the green sits front left instead of front right, and is as challenging a hole as can be found. The next three holes completed the lowland trek, mixing in two par threes and one par four. Numbers eight and nine comprised the climb back to the clubhouse, with eight magically drawing all balls left, in spite of the fact that it sloped hopelessly to the right. Go figure; must be some mountain magic. Nine was a struggle, an enormous, uphill par four incapable of being hit in two by anything less than driver-three wood on this fine day.

The back nine at Grossingers descended much as the front nine did, although it took one hole more to do so. The tenth, a short par four, tossed a challenge in the tee ball, as right is dead and left is blocked. The green sits provocatively in a little bowl, although a false front chipping area and sand protect it well. Eleven is a downhill par three, at most an eight iron, on which I came tantalizingly close to an ace, finishing two feet away. I got the deuce, which made my round. Twelve is a twisting affair, a dogleg left par four with trees on both sides, and more slope and elevation than the Kathmandu. The green has very few legitimate hole locations, which may account for the fact that our best efforts were two three putts, one four putt, and one "still in denial." Thirteen is THE HOLE at Grossingers, a statement that serves to verify its greatness, as opposed to belittling the other 17 holes. This dogleg left par five begins with a mammoth carry over a creek, downhill, to a fairway of average width. At this point, a decision is made. Off in the distance floats an island green, some 220 yards from my best effort. Not this day; an eight iron laid me up some 80 yards from the green. The putting surface barely occupies a noticeable amount of this lake, although it is not tiny by any stretch of the imagination. Instead, the lake is so large, that it represents what remains quite well, and that golf is a mere portion of its existence. After all that, I chunked my third into the water and made 7. Still a beautiful hole.

The next few holes side-saddled their way up a minor ledge at the back of the property, mixing two par fours with another par five. Numbers seventeen and eighteen, as on the front, represented the climb back to clubhouse level, and were fairly benign when compared with the preceding seven holes on the back nine. Certainly a fine way to end the round, as more pain could have served no purpose. Grossingers was in remarkable shape for early May, and the pro indicated that the greens will get faster as the summer approaches. Ouch.

Sunday brought a round on the International course at The Concord. Forever the second course, owing to the international renown of the Monster layout, International resembles Grossingers in the elevation changes, although the water present at G is noticeably absent at I. International is not a championship course, but instead provides a playable challenge, with a few surprises along the way. The most demanding hole is number ten, a short par four, dogleg left, over a chasm to an elevated green. Once the psychological challenge of the tee ball is negotiated, the second shot must be played uphill to a severely-sloped green. Remember number twelve at Grossingers? Well, number ten at International gave forth a seven putt and a two putt. There was one perceived-as-fair pin position on the entire green, but hey, that's golf. The eighteenth typifies the risk-reward nature of a solid par five. Playing just over five hundred yards from the back, this double dogleg dares a long driver to carry the front right pond and putt for eagle. The layup is made with no more than an eight iron, into an isolated patch of fairway. If you think all the way from tee to green, no matter which option you choose, you should make four. The par threes at International are varied, with three playing uphill and one, down. Two are mere pitch shots, requiring no more than nine iron, while the other pair demands from mid to long-iron, depending on tee box and pin location. The 4th is noteworthy, as it plays up a merciless front slope covered in long grass and sand, to a thin, wide green. Miss it long or short, and your work is cut out for you. Get the distance right, and you have a putt at two or three.

Perhaps the most demanding feature of the International course is the subtle lie variations found in the fairways. On three occasions (6, 7, and 18) I found myself with flip wedges into greens for birdie. On all three did I misfire. Now, I am a pretty good wedge player, being a disciple of Dave Pelz and all, but I simply did not take into account the lie of the ball, and the lie of the targeted landing area. Next time, I'll be more respectful.

As most champions respond well to pressure, so too did these golfing venues after the collapse of the empires. Working mutually to promote golf in the area, you can play at both for less than $120, which is a terrific deal for NYC money. The area has a number of hotels, and a distance of some 8 miles separates the two courses. Make plans for a weekend trip to southeastern New York, and stop in to play these two wonderful layouts.

April 2002

# 1--Travelin Duff at Elkdale CC

While most of the western New York golfers were sitting at home watching the Masters this past Saturday, I was driving with Mo Golf to the southern tier......We journeyed to Salamanca NY on a miserable rainy day to play golf at a gem of a course located about an hour and a half from the northern suburbs of Buffalo..........To our surprise Elkdale Country Club was open and playable..........This 6132 yard, par 70 layout is one of the most beautiful I have played, even in the rain.........The course follows the contour and natural beauty of the land... It seems like the tees and greens were placed without disturbing the natural beauty and flow of the landscape.......... I haven't played much since last fall, so I decided to work on my short game while Mo Golf hit from the furthest part of the tee box on each hole..........We were joined by Phil, a young graduate student from Houghton College, who could really rip at the ball and score..........Although there was a steady rain the course was amazingly puddle free. Of course, not much roll in the fairways, but the greens seemed fast, even as soaked as they were.............Jack Widger, the PGA pro at Elkdale, an easy going likeable guy, walked us through the course history and layout before we teed off.........For more information and tee times, call Jack at 716-945-5553 and/or log on to the Elkdale website at ELKDALECC.COM...........There is a clubhouse and a driving range on the course......Take the drive to Elkdale and you will not be disappointed.................Travelin' Duff

TRAVELIN' DUFF at ST. BONAVENTURE GOLF CLUB

Business recently brought me to St. Bonaventure University near Olean and Allegheny, NY...... Adjacent to the campus is a nine hole layout appropriately named the St. Bonaventure Golf Club Course. For $5 a student can play 18 holes during the week. The rest of us pay $12 ($16 on the weekend)...................My friend Tom, from the Syracuse area, was also visiting the university and we decided to give the old course a shot............We used a "buy one, get one free greens fee" coupon from the American Lung Association golf book and rented a cart. Total cost for 18 holes was $16 apiece.........Tee times are not accepted, so golfers hit off on a first come first served basis....So we put a ball in the front nine sleeve at the first tee and awaited our turn to play.....Although the course is short, the terrain filled with hills and valleys makes play very interesting,....Lots of tee shots into huge swales with approach shots into elevated hidden greens....The par 5 dog leg right 2nd hole, offers an elevated green facing a valley to left and a huge hill to the right. If you fly the hill, you are in good shape to hit your second close or on the green......Too far right and you might hit the restaurant at the top of the hill which my playing partner did....He hit off the roof (not recommended) but the ball found it's way to the fairway in great shape for his second shot...........The 3rd hole presented an unusual hazard at the tee box. It seems that the beautiful sunny 80 degree weather prompted some Bona students to launch water balloons, via a large sling shot from a nearby residence hall, at golfers on the tee. We were not a target but we did see the broken balloons scattered around the tee .....One way to cool off, I guess.........Due to the recent deluge of rain the course was very wet...We lost a few balls which plugged in the fairways..........All in all, the course was fun to play. The beautiful landscape of the course, nestled in the hills of the southern tier, also made our day....For information regarding the course, call....716-372-7692.......

Travelin' Duff Writes

TRAVELIN' DUFF IN VIRGINIA

A week ago, I had the pleasure to be south of the Mason-Dixon line
attending the wedding of my godson in the Newport News, Virginia area.
Fortunately, I met up with an old friend at the rehearsal dinner on Friday
night and we made plans to play golf on Saturday morning before the wedding
ceremony. Wally is from North Haven, Connecticut and plays out of a
local country club there. So we decided to meet at 7am on The Hamptons Golf
Course which is owned and operated by the city of Hampton, Va.
The Hamptons offers three 9 hole layouts, the Lakes, the Links and the
Woods. Although not especially long, each nine offers unique challenges to
all golfers.

The Woods plays 2858 yds. from the white tees, 3029 from the blue and 2645
from the red. As the name suggests, stray from the fairway and you are in
literally in the woods. Lovely tree lined fairways with strategically
placed bunkers beckon your ball. Par is 35.

The Lakes plays 3144 yds. from the white tees, 3372 from the blue and 2727
from the red. Water comes into play on most of the holes with two very
tricky par 3's with all water to carry. Par is 36.

The Links plays the shortest at 2719 yds. from the white tees, 2911 from
the blue and 2212 from the red. A true viision of treeless golf with lots
of heather like rough, well placed bunkers, smallish greens and lots of
"bumps" along the fairway. Par is 35

Wally and I had separately played and enjoyed the Hamptons course a few
years ago and we both had played the Lakes and the Woods. Since we didn't
have a lot of time before the wedding we decided to play the Links course.
We both had our "ups & downs" on this great links layout but using the
"bogey par" suggestion of the Shivas Irons Society( par would be 44), Wally
shot a round of 9 over and I was 1 under. Gotta love these ideas as you
get older..................

The Hamptons is conveniently located off of Interstate 64 and is just one
of many sports related businesses at this unique location, a former
landfill. According to Gary Anderson the Hamptons golf pro, the course was
designed and developed by Mike Herizen, who specializes in landfill golf
course design. It opened in October of1989 and is managed today by Martin
Miller. For more information you can check the Hamptons website at:
www.hampton.va.us/thehamptons, or call 757-766-9148, or fax 757-766-9256.

We had a great time and a fine taste of southern hospitality on the course
and at the restaurant for breakfast after our round. By the way, we made it
to the wedding in plenty of time and continued our enjoyment of that great
southern hospitality at the reception..............

Travelin' Duff 7/1/01

TRAVELIN' DUFF IN ROCHESTER, NY.................

This past week, I was in Rochester, NY on business. The "Flower", or is it "Flour" city is a beautiful place to visit with many natural and man- made wonders.....Mike, a bartender at the Hyatt Regency Hotel downtown, overheard me inquiring about area golf courses. He suggested a gem, the Durand Eastman Golf Course, located in the northern section of Monroe county, approximately 20 minutes from downtown. Originally designed by Donald Ross in 1917, Durand Eastman played as 9 holes until 1931 when a second nine was completed. In 1935, the course was reopened after a redesign by Robert Trent Jones and today it is basically the same.

In 1971, Alvan R. Grant, former Monroe County Director of Parks, described the course as follows: "The area contained in the 500 acres of Durand Eastman Park originated as a delta deposited by the Genesee River. Subsequent stream erosion produced a series of steep sided narrow valleys. At the time of its acquisition in 1908 for park purposes....most of the land had been abandoned due to the low productivity of the soil...An important contribution to the present stabilization of erosion with grass and vegetation was made when carloads of manure were brought in from the Buffalo stockyards to build up the humus content of the soil...............Durand is probably the most picturesque of all the Rochester parks. Very little has been done to change the natural configuration of the land, and the planting was undertaken to show every tint of green in Spring and Summer, and every hue of Autumn color...............In this park, 15000 coniferous evergreens, 1000 mixed plums, 60 varieties of Japanese trees, with about 200 plants, 3000azaleas and rhododendrons, a collection of 200 different species and varieties of Willows and 66 species and varieties of poplars. The total of all trees and shrubs set in Durand Eastman Park is about 500,000"..... Also abounding in wildlife.... deer, ducks, geese, fox, coyotes, wild turkey and fish, and with a wide variety of birds, Durand Eastman Golf Course and the Park are enjoyed year round. Skiers and other winter enthusiasts its slopes and hills in the winter while golfers, hikers and picnickers enjoy it in the spring, summer and fall..

In a GOLF DIGEST article in March 1976, "The Changing Face of Public Course Golf", the Durand Eastman Golf Course was listed as one of "Three Dozen Top Courses". Of course, other changes have been made to this historic layout over the last three decades but the original beauty of this golf course and park remains as intended.

The privatization of Durand Eastman, along with Genesee Calley and Churchville, all Monroe County courses, was accomplished in 1997. Control of the all three courses was given to Jack Tindale, Master PGA Professional at Genesee Valley who is responsible for the restaurants, greens fees, cart rentals, and lessons.

So, if you want to enjoy an environmentally beautiful Donald Ross & Robert Trent Jones golf course, at public greens fees, make the journey to the northern part of the Rochester suburbs for a golfer's delight at the Durand Eastman Golf Course. For tee times and more information, call 716-266-0110. Bill Lach, the PGA teaching pro or Guy or Greg Giudici of the pro shop are there to make your golf round memorable.

Travelin' Duff, 6/16/01

Travelin' Duff Writes

My good friend, Mr. Duff, continues to find himself the victim of family favors and trips both far and near. As such, I, Whackin' Walk, will attempt to fill his ample trousers and depict this column. On Sunday evening, I had the pleasure of participating in the rain and sun of the new nine at Willowbrook, in northern Lockport. I must say that I enjoyed myself immensely, in spite of the fact that my first tee ball found the water. The North nine at Willowbrook measures 3317 yards, making it the longest of the three separate nines. It plays to an american par of 36, with 2 par 3s, 5 par 4s and 2 par 5s. The par three holes, numbers two and four, are long and mid iron shots, respectively. The first is a flat hole, the second slightly uphill. Bunkers guard both greens, and both putting surfaces are multi tiered. The 2nd hole employs a slight rise to the back tier, while the fourth reveals an ascent to a crown, then a descent to a hidden lower back tier. Both require accurate tee balls, and thoughtful putting to walk away with par.

The par five holes are fabutastic. The third hole is a serpentine affair, meandering gently left, then right, then left over the brook to the green. The brook double back around the rear of the green, so don't be lulled into thinking that a shot over the creek is safe. It must stay short of the rear branch of the brook. Back to the fairway--a mound of rough sits down in the middle of the fairway, right where a layup might land. Best thing to do is ignore it, and hit your iron or wood down the gut of the short grass. Number nine is a more angular par five, with a sharp turn to the right after the drive, then a second sharp turn, again to the right, to approach the green. Other than being blocked by the large trees to the right, about 100 yards shy of the green, the only trouble on the hole lies in the lake, to the left of the fairway and green, and also behind the green. The green is a deep one, and eminently puttable.

The par four holes are a varied lot, ranging from 343 to 442 yards in length. With the exception of the excessive fifth, all are under 385 yards long. That is to say, par or birdie holes. As with the original 18, however, the emphasis is on accuracy of the drive and approach. If these are realized, then the holes are playable. Miss the fairway or the green, and you will be faced with a) reloading, due to hitting a water hazard; b) a daunting recovery shot; c) both a and b.

Having not yet played the new nine at Deerwood, I cannot yet pronounce the North nine at Willowbrook as the top new area nine for 2000. However, I will say that the Fawn nine at Deerwood has to show me an awful lot to top this one.

Sincerely mine,
Whackin' Walk

Travelin' Duff Writes

   Well, Travelin' Duff has his hands full with retirement, a new job, family responsibilities, and the like. Not that any or all of those curtail his wanderin' nor his duffin', mind you. However, he has bestowed upon me, Sojournin' Slice, the responsibility of filing this first report in the Travelin' Duff series, and he promises to report soon with news from a-near and afar.
   Since he was a little fade, Mr. Slice has been enamored of the self-designed golf destination. Avoiding the glamour of the MBeaches and GCoasts, SS has ventured to New England college courses, ski country tracks, and other "unknown" golf destinations. In this column, he describes another such invention, deep in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania
   East of Indiana, PA, north of Pittsburgh, near the birthplace of Arnold Palmer and Rolling Rock beer (Latrobe, PA), is a growing town called Blairsville. It has all the charm of small-town America, with sidewalk stoplights, stores that close at five, and folks that wave even when they don't know you. It also has a thirty-six hole golf complex called Chestnut Ridge. The Ridge, as folks in western PA recall it, is a privately-owned, public access facility along the lines of a golfer's Salvatore's Italian Gardens. Statues adorn roadways, the clubhouse/pro shop/fine dining facility, as well as tees, trees, fairways and greens. No marble here, but rather cold steel, in the shapes of wildlife, native americans, cowboys, and a few classical nymphs for balance.
   The golf is primo, as conditions are top notch, and both courses extend beyond 6700 yards. The older of the two courses, Chestnut Ridge, boasts a front nine of a parkland nature, with little water coming into play (one hole). Hazards include greens set along canyons, into hillsides, or against bunkers. Pinpoint accuracy is not required from the tee, but accurate putting speed is a must. The back nine is like something out of a Tour dream, with rapid elevation changes, par five greens bulkheaded against lakes, and grass bunkers requiring patience and power to escape alive.
   The newer course, Tom's Run, is the more expensive of the two, and also requires a cart. You do get the beverage cart every few holes, along with a souvenir sign reserving your cart with your name. The Run was in the running for top new national upscale course a few years back, and drew a good bit of notice from Golf Digest, The Washington Golf Monthly, and other golfing publications. It is a solid course, a better overall test than its older brother, but perhaps without the flair of the Ridge back nine.
   Expect to pay between $20 and $30 to play the Ridge, and between $50 and $60 for Tom's Run. Some specials do exist, so call ahead for an explanation. The Chestnut Ridge facility is affiliated with the Comfort Inn down the road, so a stay at the Inn may result in a golfing package.
   These two courses are not the only game in town . . . well, in town, yes, in the area, no. About fifteen miles east along route 119 is the VFW Country Club, where you pay $16 for 18 holes walking, on weekdays.   Stretching to 5961 yards from the tips, it is easy to underestimate, difficult to conquer. The combination of terraced, speedy greens, uneven fairway lies and precise driving targets results in a need to focus acutely from start to finish. There are no let-up holes at the VFW. It has a bit of Lockport's Willow Brook in its design, in that there are some tricky holes that force the player to play to a certain portion of the fairway, extending a short par four or five. I made my share of pars, had a number of three (or more) putts, and came away humbled.
   A fourth course in the area is Mannitto, a public facility about fifteen minutes toward Pittsburgh on route 22.  It is a bit off the main drag, so be sure to call the course for directions. This 18 is no pushover, nor is a boring campaign through the Laurel Highlands. Mannitto can stretch to 6900 yards from the tips. Most notable on the front nine is the utilization of small bodies of water and marsh to obstruct run-up shots to greens. The driving area is, typically, ample, leaving the to the approach shot the necessity of invention. The day we played was a wet, cold April morning, yet we were able to reach most of the greens in regulation. Once on the greens, the work was not done. This course is proof that proper and creative construction of greens (as the great designer Alistair MacKenzie knew) can not only make a golf course better defended against low scores, but also improve the quality of the round for the player.
   The variety of hole shapes at Mannitto is another plus to players. Rarely do two consecutive holes have the same angle. There is always some bend to each hole, be it subtle or pronounced, along with some unique natural feature, such as a signal tree, a pond or creek, or elevation change. Mannitto is every bit as challenging as either course at Chestnut Ridge, and the VFW, and is easily as or more affordable. One other bonus: we played 18 in 2.5 hours. Try to do that in a metropolitan area.
   There are many other courses within a 30 minute drive of Blairsville. Latrobe, Ligonier, Greensburg, Indiana and Johnstown are all within a half-hour, and all offer a variety of public golf opportunities.

	The Duff BuffaloGolfer's Regional Man of Mystery, Viewing Golf Around The Block, Around The B'Flo, Around The Planet, Too! Read The Duff's Niagara Falls City Youth Golf Tournament 2010 Recap HERE
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	June 2005 Get Off Your Duff: Spectator Golf May 2005 Travelin' Duff @ Heron Creek	April 2005 Travelin' Duff @ Rivers Edge July 2004 Travelin' Duff @ Bay Beach
	May 2004-#3 Travelin-Duff @ Royal Tee G & CC January 2004-#2 Coral Oaks In Cape Coral	March 2004-#1 Travelin-Duff @ Alden Pines (Florida, that is!) December 2003 Travelin' Duff-Equipment Buff
	October 2003 New-Old and New-New for Duff Ussher's Creek and Arrowhead September 2003 Duff In Oswego	July 2003 Duff's Historic Tour The Bridges & The Links At Gettysburg April 2003 Duff's Southern Swing, Take Three Mirror Lakes Golf Club
	March 2003 Duff's Southern Swing, Take Two Westminster Golf Club FEBRUARY 2003 Duff's Southern Swing, Take One Fort Myers Country Club	JANUARY 2003 Duff's Most Memorable Golf Courses Of 2002 OCTOBER 2002 Travelin' Duff Traverses Ohio
	JUNE 2002 Travelin' Duff Makes The U.S. Open Scene May 2002 Travelin' Duff In The Catskills --The Concord: International --Grossingers	April 2002 # 1 Travelin' Duff In Salamanca --Elkdale Country Club April 2002 # 2 Travelin' Duff In Olean --St. Bonaventure Golf Club
	Travelin' Duff In Virginia --The Hamptons Travelin' Duff In Rochester --Durand-Eastman Golf Club	Travelin' Duff In Lockport --Willowbrook Golf Club Travelin' Duff In Blairsville, Pennsylvania --Chestnut Ridge Golf Club