Re: ShopTalk: Golf courses...south

[Burgess Howell]

At 09:29 PM 2/9/03, Bernie wrote:

Played one of the Magnolia Grove courses, the one the pros don't play, I
think, when son Tim's family was staying with us at Gulf Shores August year
before last.

That would be The Falls. Not a bad course, but not as challenging as The Crossings. Crossings is tighter and hillier.

...seemed like every par-4 second shot was a
6-iron for me (about 160-165)...even 6-iron par-3s. That made it kind of
dull, but a pretty course with all the palmetto and trees surrounding most
holes. Some water, but not a lot. Pretty good shape.

We usually play the RTJ courses from the back three tees on each hole in rotation -- white, then orange, then purple. You can get some wedge second shots from the whites and some 3i-3w second shots from the purples.

If you really want a test, avail yourself of the free round on the par-3 course and play the same tee rotation. If you're lucky (unlucky?) you can wind up playing a couple of holes from 235yds out. Against the wind, that is a TOUGH order.

 They have a GPS system
on the carts for distances, but it wasn't working after the second hole the
day we played there...didn't matter...I just pulled out a 6-iron. :-)

Seems the GPS works about 50% of the time. I don't trust it, anyway, and usually pace off the distances from the stakes.

BTW, if you want the most challenging tracks in this neck of the woods, you have to play Capitol Hill in Prattville (just north of Montgomery), and Grand National near Opelika (between Montgomery and the Georgia state line). Play all 3 courses at Capitol Hill from the purple tees and you'll go 7300yds (The Legislator), 7700yds (The Senator), and 7800yds (The Judge). The Judge includes two par-5s that measure 675yds and 711yds.

Burgess