Golf Widows And Orphans

I love to travel for golf.  Some of my best vacations are had when going to play at destination sites.  But when you’re on a family vacation, do you golf if other members of your party don’t?  This can be a tricky dilemma and I’m staring it straight in the face next week, as the family and I head off to Treasure Island, Florida for some time in the sun.

Sneaking out to play and practice at Bear Trap Dunes in Bethany Beach, DE

The downside of turning your family into golf widows and orphans is just too great, so I err on the side of not playing.  That doesn’t mean golf is totally ruled out.  I’ll always bring my clubs on family trips to the Delaware eastern shore and often get a round in very early while everyone is still sleeping.  No harm there.  Or sometimes, like on our last trip to Florida, I’ll make my way to a professional venue just to check it out.  As it happened my son and I ran into Arnold Palmer at Bay Hill completely by accident.  What a thrill!

With Arnold Palmer at Bay Hill Club. April 2010

Next week, the PGA Tour is playing Valspar at Innisbrook in Palm Harbour, which is 45 minutes from our hotel.  Maybe we’ll pop in on Thursday or Friday, or for a practice round???  So even if you’re not playing, you can still engage.  Bottom line:  family is too important and they shouldn’t be abandoned even if golf is your passion.

Some fellow bloggers play with their family members.  Jim, at The Grateful Golfer is starting to play more with his wife, which is awesome.  Josh and Beth at Golf is Mental, regularly travel, play together, and document their trips beautifully in posts and pictures.  More power to you folks!

My next golf trip is to Myrtle Beach over Memorial Day week.  Here’s the line-up:

The Legends – Heathland

Grand Dunes – Resort Course

Myrtle Beach National – Kings North

TPC of Myrtle Beach

Wild Wing – Avocet

Willbrook Plantation

Having played a fair amount of golf in Myrtle Beach, I still try to get on at least one course I’ve never played per trip.  This year that will be Wild Wing – Avocet.  Anyone ever played there?  Got some playing tips for me?  New reviews are coming for the courses in red.

So next week, as much as I would like to be ripping drives down lush Bermuda fairways for seven straight days, I’ll happily settle for kayaking in the mangroves, Baltimore Orioles spring training games, riding roller coasters at Busch Gardens, and just hanging with family by the pool and on the beach.  Remember, on a family vacation, always put family first!  Safe travels and play well.

Countdown To GolfaPalooza!

I absolutely love this time of year.  Today is G-minus 30 days from the annual pilgrimage to Myrtle Beach and it’s time to start counting.  Maybe it’s the aha moment I discovered today with my golf swing, or maybe it’s the five sustained days of 80 degree temperatures we’ve got lined up, or maybe it’s the prospects of total immersion in the game I love (playing 216 holes the same week as the U.S. Open is contested at Pinehurst.)  Either way, the anticipation and lead-up to this trip is almost as good as the real thing.

Leopard’s Chase

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 2014 MB lineup (36/day weather permitting).

June 9: Lion’ Paw

June 10: Panther’s Run

June 11: Tiger’s Eye

June 12:  Leopard’s Chase

June 13: True Blue

June 14: Surf Club

The best thing about playing Ocean Ridge Plantation (Four Big Cats) is an abundance of replay targets.  Often, you have the opportunity to play a different course in the morning and afternoon, and I’ll bet we come home with at least three rounds on Tiger’s Eye, which is one of my top five plays on the Grand Strand.

The best thing about playing True Blue is that it’s one of the finest public golf courses in the United States.  Everything about this Mike Strantz design is great.  We added it to the line-up and removed Tidewater after learning that the latter had lost their greens due to a fertilizing double bogey by the greenskeeper.  I’ll have three new course reviews coming for Lion’s Paw, Panther’s Run, and Surf Club.  Anyone with an early season report on course conditions for these six, please pass them along.

As readers of this space know, I’ve been in an early season ball striking slump.  It’s hard for the serious player not to let a slump affect the rest of his life, but we try (and usually fail), you know what I mean.  So today was huge.  I recalled Vet4golfing51‘s advice to review the fundamentals during my ball striking slump last year.  Darned if it wasn’t my grip again, and I validated with some swings on my patio driving range mat and then again with some PW shots off turf.  The fix feels great and it’s funny how the rest of your mood improves when you have better prospects with your golf game 🙂

I hope your season is off to a great start.  Mine is certainly looking up!

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