Coastal Georgia’s Jekyll Island, A Million Reasons to Visit!

August 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Enjoying dessert in the Grand Dining Room!

Merri & Andy enjoying dessert in the Grand Dining Room!

Golf Writer Andy Reistetter is joined by Merri Daniel, golf’s newest voice for women, as they share another intimate “stay & play” golfing experience. This exclusive “Play-Stay & Write” article encompasses a weekend visit to Jekyll Island, the State of Georgia’s “Landmark Experience.”

Much has been written about its aesthetic, cultural and historical significance. These were the homes for Millionaires starting back in 1886. But what sense of being is found today on the island? Why does it attract so many visitors? Join Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Daniel and Reistetter, yes Merri Daniel and Andy Reistetter, as they share their perspective of why Jekyll Island is today’s destination of choice.

The Jekyll Island Golf Complex boasts 72 holes of golf for competition and fun for every golfer!

The Jekyll Island Golf Complex boasts 72 holes of golf for competition and fun for every golfer!

Walter Hagen once said “I never wanted to be a millionaire. I just wanted to live like one.” The millionaires of the late 19th and early 20th centuries lived on Jekyll Island to escape winter and rejuvenate themselves. Today there is no need to be a millionaire but there are a million reasons to come to visit Jekyll Island.

“It’s different, it’s just different,” was what the man said to us when I asked him to describe Jekyll Island. After only a few hours on the island we knew that what he said is true. Jekyll Island is different. After a fabulous dinner in the Grand Dining Room of the Jekyll Island Club Hotel Merri and I set out to stroll down the many sidewalks of the Historic District. We came upon the Sans Souci rumored to be the first condominium project in the world- a segue between the rooms of the hotel and the opulence of the “cottages” of the millionaires.
The man was sitting on the front porch rocking away with his 16-year old son. Rocking as in a rocking chair on the covered veranda, not as in musical gyrations though the beat of their father-son conversation was noteworthy. It was the peaceful tone of that conversation which attracted us to mosey over their way. As simple as being happy and fulfilled, we joined in with the rhapsodists. What we conversed about, whether it was the weather, the activities of the day or the splendor of experiencing Jekyll Island is forgotten. But the charm of Jekyll Island is not. Where else can you meet a stranger, share a moment and depart friends celebrating such a tranquil experience?
In the legendary office of the legend Johnny Paulk himself! What an experience to meet this man!

In the legendary office of the legend Johnny Paulk himself! What an experience to meet this man!

Well of course that can also happen on a golf course. Jack Lemmon, who told us the story of Bagger Vance, said “If you think it’s hard to meet new people, try playing the wrong golf ball.” Opportunities to play into other fairways are minimal due to the spatial world class design of the golf courses. Jekyll Island is “the World’s first golf course designed with suitable tee locations for the entire family to enjoy the game of golf together.” Perhaps a game of alternate shot is the course of design for fun and making more friends in the family?

Golf has been on Jekyll Island since 1898 and today boasts 63 holes and is the largest public golf resort in the state. That’s three 18-hole courses and one 9-hole keepsake from the 1926 Walter Travis creation of “American Ocean Links” called the Great Dunes course. Oleander is a 1917 Donald Ross masterpiece redesigned in 1964 by Dick Wilson. Indian Mound was designed by Joe Lee in 1975. Pine Lakes is a 1968 Dick Wilson/Joe Lee design renovated in 2002 by Clyde Johnston. So if one is into name dropping, the golf architects of Jekyll Island are right up there in the world of golf as Rockefeller, Vanderbilt and Morgan are in the world of finance.

Like the quiet conversations on the front porch you will find a great deal of humbleness and dedication behind the scenes on Jekyll Island. If you look into the concept of family tees on a golf course you will learn it was done under the direction of Johnny Paulk.
The World's first golf course designed with suitable tee locations for the entire family to enjoy the game of golf together. Thank you Johnny Paulk!

The World’s first golf course designed with suitable tee locations for the entire family to enjoy the game of golf together. Thank you Johnny Paulk!

A living legend of Georgia golf, Paulk started as an Assistant Professional at East Lake Golf Club, home club of the legend in golf, Bobby Jones. On the wall outside his office hangs the letter Bobby Jones wrote on his behalf recognizing Johnny as a personable, competent and industrious person and recommending him for a job. Of course Jones started the Masters Tournament a long time ago.

Paulk announces the golfers as they approach the 18th green and is only the third person to do so. When you bring your family to golf on Jekyll Island, seek out Johnny Paulk for a story or two and learn something about the true essence of the game.

We said there were a million reasons to come to Jekyll Island. Here are Merri’s Marvelous Moments of Jekyll Island. Ten of those million reasons to visit Jekyll Island:
10.   Staying at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel. “The room was capacious, the bed extra comfortable and the bathroom even had a window that opened to the flowery courtyard below.”
9. Golfing, it was fantastic. “Sorry I know it was mentioned before but from a women’s perspective these golf courses are a lot of fun to play. Plus I love seeing up close the deer with their fawns.”
Merri enjoying the company of three deer off the 9th tee on the Pine Lakes Course!

Merri enjoying the company of three deer off the 9th tee on the Pine Lakes Course!

8.   Riding bicycles around the island. “At the Club Hotel you can literally valet your car, walk a few steps and rent a bicycle to tour the island and get some exercise. I liked when we rode out to Driftwood Beach, what an interesting and beautiful place with fantastic views.”

7. Visiting the Commissary on Pier Road which was the General Store back in the 1920s. “Juliana, the owner has a private label of Georgia based food products. Georgia
Peaches and Vidalia Onions and Pecans are used to make delicious barbecue sauces, salad dressing, preserves, hot sauces, relishes, salsas and much more, which is quite extraordinary”
6. Working on Jekyll Island. “Oops, we are not supposed to use that word but if you have to do that the new Jekyll Island Convention Center is the place to do it. It is oceanfront and there is an automatic positivity that comes to any event. A Beach Village retail center and three new hotels are planned.”
5.   Visiting Faith Chapel. “Wow, the chapel is home to a treasured rarity- a signed stained glass windows by the famed artist Louis Comfort Tiffany. I am so excited that my daughter recently became engaged to be married to a wonderful guy. This would be a wonderful place for an intimate wedding celebration.”
The charming view from the bathroom window in our charming room in the

The charming view from the bathroom window in our charming room in the

4.   Walking down to the Café Solterra at the Club Hotel to get some coffee. “Andy knows I need my coffee early in the morning. I love to pop down to the café to get some Starbucks coffee and bring Andy back a treat from the bakery.”

3.   Taking the Historical District Tour starting at the Island History Center. “Talk about going back in time, the only thing missing are the people. What gorgeous homes. It was as though we were joining the Rockefellers for the 1917 season. The antique Red Bug car they had was cool but I love driving the modern electric Red Bug around the island.”
2. Visiting the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. “Turtles are so cute in their hard shells. The ones in rehabilitation seem to have such personality. Not only are there sea turtles but diamondback terrapins too from the brackish water between the island and the main land. Since one of two turtles sited on the causeway are killed by motorists please drive slower and more carefully coming onto the island.”
1.   Having dinner in the Grand Dining Room. “Especially on a Saturday night, date night! The food was extraordinary, the people nicely accommodating and the desserts richly chocolate the way I like them. My best tip is to have dinner early and take a leisurely romantic walk afterwards. Don’t miss Sunday brunch as it is to die for. But eat late as you can before it ends at 2 p.m.”
Faith Chapel on Jekyll Island...

Faith Chapel on Jekyll Island…

In reality maybe the reasons folks come to Jekyll Island today are very similar to the reasons the millionaires started coming 125 years ago. Sure we are curious about how they lived and what the insides of their homes looked like. Exploring the island and connecting with its natural beauty is a big part of the experience. Probably a bigger part, like that father and son rocking on the porch is connecting with ourselves and the people important to us in our lives whether friends or family. You don’t have to be a millionaire. On Jekyll Island today it does not take long to decompress, relax and enjoy the ambiance of a special place. “It’s different, it’s just different.”

The tag line in the Bagger Vance movie was “Some Things Can’t Be Learned. They Must Be Remembered.” Remembering things and creating new memories is easy to do when you spend a few nights on Jekyll Island. At least a million good thoughts and feelings will come your way. Enjoy!
p.s. Jekyll Island is “Celebrating 125 Years of History with a Year to Remember at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel.” Dinner for two for $125 is available through the end of the year in the Grand Dining Room. In December any night in a Clubhouse or Traditional Room is $125 in the Club Hotel.
Merri Daniel is a Women’s Golf Advocate in addition to being a Spokes Model for Vivacity Sportswear .
Andy Reistetter is a freelance golf writer as well as a Spotter, Research and Broadcast Assistant for The Golf Channel, NBC and CBS Sports. A lifetime golfer, Andy enjoys volunteering at the World Golf Hall of Fame and THE PLAYERS Championship while pursuing his passion for the game of golf and everything associated with it.
Residing within two miles of the PGA TOUR headquarters and the home of THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, this golfing couple is focused on a number of entrepreneurial golf pursuits within the realm of “Outside the Ropes Entertainment.”

Friend  Andy Reistetter on Facebook to enjoy daily updates or contact Reistetter by e-mail at AndyReistetter@gmail.com

Filed Under: East Coast Golf Journey, Northeast Florida, Travel Golf

NE Florida: Play Golf Club of Amelia Island & Visit Fernandina Beach!

January 24, 2012 By
The peace & tranquility of Amelia Island....

The peace & tranquility of Amelia Island….

Now that was a luxury golf trip!!!

The peace & tranquility of Amelia Island….

Time for golf!

This is going to be a fun trip! Will try to stay away from the bunkers!:-)

Great foursome, with Katharine Dyson, Bruce Vittner, & Tony Leodora — in Amelia City, Florida.

Tee shot at par-5 12th hole at GC of Amelia Island. — in Amelia City, Florida.

Approach shot on par-4 14th hole...wedge to 9 feet, made the putt for Birdie, I am a happy Golfer!

Approach shot on par-4 14th hole…wedge to 9 feet, made the putt for Birdie, I am a happy Golfer!

Approach shot on par-4 14th hole…wedge to 9 feet, made the putt for Birdie, I am a happy Golfer!

Looking back at 17th hole… — in Amelia City, Florida.

View from room at Ritz- Carlton…

Nice way to say welcome… 🙂

Thinking women would like the shopping here at the Ritz Carlton, not sure, just saying…:-) — in Amelia City, Florida.

 

Great foursome, with Katharine Dyson, Bruce Vittner, & Tony Leodora — in Amelia City, Florida.

Great foursome, with Katharine Dyson, Bruce Vittner, & Tony Leodora — in Amelia City, Florida.

New bulkhead & reshaped bunker area on par-3 5th at Golf Club of Amelia Island, this place is well maintained and in outstanding shape!

Sunday 3some with Asst. Golf Professional Eric Cannon and Golf Travel Writer Tony Leodora.

Even lunch at the turn is a gourmet sort of experience. Director of Golf John Price with Dylan and Kevin in the background.

Par-3 16th hole- one of many beautiful holes at GC of Amelia Island

On the practice facility at GC of Amelia Island with Jacksonville's own Gator Bubba Dickerson. Hitting it so pure... 2012 will be a big year on the Nationwide Tour for the 2001 U.S. Amateur.

On the practice facility at GC of Amelia Island with Jacksonville’s own Gator Bubba Dickerson. Hitting it so pure… 2012 will be a big year on the Nationwide Tour for the 2001 U.S. Amateur.

On the practice facility at GC of Amelia Island with Jacksonville’s own Gator Bubba Dickerson. Hitting it so pure… 2012 will be a big year on the Nationwide Tour for the 2001 U.S. Amateur.

The Spa at the Ritz Carlton… Mr. Reistetter, Brenda is ready for you… are nice words to hear!

NO I am not the JOKER… but no joking… the gentleman’s facial was quite invigorating!

Director of PR Joe Murphy hosting a Sports Night… Patriots and Giants on their way to the Super Bowl!

NO I am not the JOKER... but no joking... the gentleman's facial was quite invigorating!

NO I am not the JOKER… but no joking… the gentleman’s facial was quite invigorating!

Trolley tour of Amelia Island! Hosted by Katharina Brierton Lane and conducted by David Edwards. What interesting and educational stories- great fun!

Sadly the end of my stay at the Ritz Carlton Amelia Island came to an end… with Director of S&M Stephen Deucker, GM Jim McManemon and Director of PR Joe Murphy.

On Board with Captain McCarthy for Amelia River cruise… he took us into Georgian waters… Back home this afternoon… Leave for PGA Show in Orlando on Wednesday… — in Fernandina Beach, Florida.

With Tom Bedell who is a golf and beer writer! After a fabulous lunch at Karibrew Brew Pub.

More pics that go along with the above captions!

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24

[Show slideshow]
Filed Under: "Play-Write" Golf Courses, East Coast Golf Journey

Play the Slammer & Squire, then visit the World Golf Hall of Fame!

January 24, 2012 By
Playing with 67-year old Camilo Villegas... a.k.a Charlie Novitske...

Playing with 67-year old Camilo Villegas… a.k.a Charlie Novitske…

Playing with 67-year old Camilo Villegas… a.k.a Charlie Novitske…

Playing Slammer & Squire… par-3 7th is a spectacular Redan…

Visiting World Golf Hall of Fame with good friend & fellow Binghamtonian Charlie Novitske…

OMG IMAX is so inspiring… yes the technology but more so the storylines… saw Legends if Flight and Rescue… When did the birds start to come out of the screen and fly out over the audience? Soooo cool!

Playing Slammer & Squire... par-3 7th is a spectacular Redan...

Playing Slammer & Squire… par-3 7th is a spectacular Redan…

Visiting World Golf Hall of Fame with good friend & fellow Binghamtonian Charlie Novitske...

Visiting World Golf Hall of Fame with good friend & fellow Binghamtonian Charlie Novitske…

OMG IMAX is so inspiring... yes the technology but more so the storylines... saw Legends if Flight and Rescue... When did the birds start to come out of the screen and fly out over the audience? Soooo cool!

OMG IMAX is so inspiring… yes the technology but more so the storylines… saw Legends if Flight and Rescue… When did the birds start to come out of the screen and fly out over the audience? Soooo cool!

Filed Under: "Play-Write" Golf Courses, East Coast Golf Journey

The Ritz-Carlton, Golf and a Tour of Historic Amelia Island

January 23, 2012 By

Golf Writer Andy Reistetter continues his exclusive “Play-Write” series with an extended stay at the Ritz-Carlton and a few rounds of golf at the Golf Club of Amelia Island. Perhaps to some vacation travelers, Amelia Island is a hidden piece of the coastal Northeast Florida treasure map. For those in the know, “putting” on the greens of the Golf Club of Amelia Island while staying at the Ritz-Carlton is the ultimate double eagle — the new generation “putting on the Ritz!” Join Reistetter as he experiences golf and luxury in one of the truly pristine areas of the Southeastern United States.

Hosted the Champions' Tour 1999 Legends of Golf.

Hosted the Champions’ Tour 1999 Legends of Golf.

A gentleman named Ritz opened the first Ritz Hotel in London in 1905.

At the time he set the “swanky standard” for a hotel with a kitchen on each floor so room-service meals could be served course by course.

Another gentleman named Jim McManemon was part of the Ritz-Carlton team that opened up the Amelia Island property over twenty years ago.

Now having come back home as the General Manager, the Jim Valvano—like natural leader and his incredibly talented team will make an impact on you the moment you walk in the front door to this oceanfront resort.

Whether you come with friends, family or by yourself, your visit to the Amelia Island Ritz-Carlton will be memorable for all the right reasons.

SALT

SALT

Creativity is the hallmark of any dynamic venture and you will find it with the theme restaurant and lounge aptly named SALT.

Salt is the only rock people consume, yet we forget how precious it is in terms of the ocean, salt marshes, and cuisine.

A meal in SALT is extraordinary yet educational. Like a lot of our commercial food, common salt is stripped of everything good before it reaches our dining room tables but not at the Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island.

The AAA Five Diamond restaurant utilizes 52 different types of natural salts from all over the world: Croatian salt from the Adriatic Sea, ancient salt from the Himalayan Mountains, and BBQ infused salt derived in part from the wood of apple trees from the American Northwest.

Each signature dish is “simple elements from the earth and sea, properly seasoned and artfully prepared.”

That's Andy in the Spa!

That’s Andy in the Spa!

Near the end of a six year, 55 million dollar renovation, all of the Ritz Carlton facility, including the area’s largest conference facilities, are exquisite and unsurpassed in quality and functionality.

Open the door to your room and its new decor take you from a dark mahogany wood floor that simulates brown reeds, to a wind-swept sandy carpet, to the dramatic ocean view through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

You will want to spend more time in the elegant marble bathrooms and lounge around in your plush bathrobe.

Once you come out of your room, deciding which way to exit the lobby can be perplexing.

Does one head out to the sandy beach for relaxation or towards the sandy white bunkers of the “nearby” golf course for recreation?

Signature par-3 16th hole, right after memorable par-5 15th.

Signature par-3 16th hole, right after memorable par-5 15th.

“Nearby” is an understatement. As Johnny Miller would say on television it’s a simple “slice” lag putt from the front door of the Ritz Carlton to the house of the Golf Club of Amelia Island.

As golfing experiences go, this one is world class, yet unique.

Jacksonville native and PLAYERS champion Mark McCumber, along with golfing great “Gene the Machine” Littler, designed two golfing experiences into one.

Though the fairways are wide throughout the course, the first nine feels tighter with lakes and majestic live oaks defining fairways and guarding the opening to greens.

The second nine is more open as it meanders out towards the ocean through marshes.

The brilliance of the McCumber-Littler design literally peaks and speaks for itself on the strategic par-5 15th hole.

Like classic holes of the Golden Era, there are important decisions to be made, risks to be analyzed, and rewards to be seized.

The inviting experience culminates at a perched green complex at the closest point to the ocean on the golf course.

So close in fact, you can hear the surf while you are putting. No need to hush the ocean as its rhythmic tones may improve your putting stroke.

Legends of Golf autographed portrait.

Legends of Golf autographed portrait.

The Golf Club of Amelia Island is a very scenic and playable course yet has challenging competitive shot values. When the World Golf Hall of Fame’s Slammer & Squire course was not yet ready to go, the Champions Tour came here to stage their Legends of Golf tournament in 1999.

Golfing legends Charles Coody and Dale Douglas teamed up to win both the Legends (over 40 years of age) and Legendary (ages 50 to 69) while Joe Jimenez and Charlie Sifford won the Demaret Division (over 70).

Like the family atmosphere at the Ritz Carlton, it is likely that you will be greeted at the turn by Director of Golf John Price just to see how you are enjoying your day.

Ask John to show you his autographed poster from the Legends event — talk about capturing golf history!

Afterwards, if you choose to hit a bucket of balls like me, you may run into professional golfer Bubba Dickerson at the practice facility.

You really can’t beat this golfing experience!

The Clubhouse is a lag putt away from the front door of the Ritz-Carlton.

The Clubhouse is a lag putt away from the front door of the Ritz-Carlton.

Or the Spa experience, where afterwards you can extend the treatment as warm water is cascading down on your shoulders in the signature whirlpool.

Or the romantic beach fire near the dunes for couples complete with s’mores, hot chocolate, and a warm blanket if needed.

Or the Ritz Kids programs with island adventure themes: ocean tides, native birds, sea turtles, scavenger hunts, and of course sharks and pirates!

There many options throughout the day for as many days as you like.

The Ritz-Carlton is synergistic with the Fernandina Beach community of Amelia Island.

Whether it’s a narrated trolley tour around town with guides David and Ellen Edwards or an Amelia River tour with Captain Kevin McCarthy, educational and recreational opportunities abound.

Here with Billy Burbank, an American business success icon.

Here with Billy Burbank, an American business success icon.

Our trolley stopped by to visit with Billy Burbank at his manufacturing facility. Hear an inspiring American success story first hand from a “good young guy” who transformed a family business from fishing nets to state-of-the-art sports nets.

If you sat in really good seats behind home plate at a Major League baseball game, it was Billy’s nets that protected you.

Have a shrimp cocktail or fish sandwich during your visit to Amelia Island and it was Billy’s nets that captured your seafood with an innovative design that safely released any sea turtles that might have been caught.

Feel the wind and sudden temperature drop as Captain McCarthy swings you out a bit into the Atlantic Ocean to get an encompassing look at Fort Clinch.

On the way back, see the never touched wild horses roaming on the shores of Cumberland Island.

Amelia Island is tranquility. Photo courtesy of Hayworth Creative.

Amelia Island is tranquility. Photo courtesy of Hayworth Creative.

Saddle up and enjoy a horseback ride along pristine shores.

Paddle for pleasure with egrets, herons, a dolphin, manatee, or sea turtle, while exploring the tranquil salt marsh of the Talbot Islands State Park and Timucuan Preserve.

Back on land, Fort Clinch comes to life with period actors depicting military life in the 19th century. Hikers and bicyclists can enjoy a six-mile trail with remarkable views of some of the biggest sand dunes in the state of Florida.

Amelia Island is a special destination for families, and those who visit are sure to create memories that will last a lifetime.

While convenient to reach it remains a hidden piece of the coastal Northeast Florida treasure map.

Only fifteen minutes from Interstate 95 and thirty minutes from the Jacksonville International Airport, it is less than a six-hour drive from Miami and Charlotte and only five hours from Atlanta.

There are many special events to schedule your trip around including one within view of the Ritz-Carlton on the fairways of the Golf Club of Amelia Island.

Whether it’s the highly acclaimed Shrimp Festival in April (remember Fernandina Beach is the birthplace of the modern shrimping industry) or Blues Festival in September or Jazz in October, this is a place you want to come and visit to relax and to be entertained.

With "Jimmy Mc M" (Suit) and Stephen Deucker (left, Dir. of Sales & Marketing) and Joe Murphy (Right, Director of Public Relations).

With “Jimmy Mc M” (Suit) and Stephen Deucker (left, Dir. of Sales & Marketing) and Joe Murphy (Right, Director of Public Relations).

The upcoming Concours d’Elegance car show on March 9th through the 11th rivals the one in Pebble Beach, California as the best in the world.

The gala gathering of prestigious cars dates back to 17th Century French aristocracy parading their horse-drawn carriages in the parks of Paris and literally takes place on the 10th and 18th fairways.

From sunrise beach activities to dancing the night away in the Lobby Lounge, the Ritz-Carlton and Golf Club of Amelia Island bring “Putting on the Ritz” back into style.

Enjoy your visit and be sure to say hello to “Jimmy Mc M” for me!

 

Andy Reistetter is a freelance golf writer as well as a Spotter, Research and Broadcast Assistant for The Golf Channel, NBC and CBS Sports. He spends time on all four major American golf tours- the PGA TOUR, Champions, Nationwide and LPGA Tours.

Reistetter resides within two miles of the PGA TOUR headquarters and the home of The PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach.

A lifetime golfer, Andy enjoys volunteering at the World Golf Hall of Fame and THE PLAYERS while pursuing his passion for the game of golf and everything associated with it.

Friend Andy Reistetter on Facebook to enjoy daily updates or contact Reistetter by e-mail at AndyReistetter@gmail.com

 

Filed Under: East Coast Golf Journey, Travel Golf

The Sea Island Golf Club Defines Southeast Golf!

October 17, 2011 By

Golf writer Andy Reistetter continues his exclusive “Play-Write” series with a round of golf on the Seaside Course at Sea Island in Georgia. Ben Crane triumphed in the PGA Tour’s McGladrey Classic on the Seaside Course. Along with the Plantation and Retreat courses, Sea Island Golf Club is a premier golfing destination. But there is more to the story. Play along with Reistetter as he discovers a truly unique, world-class golfing experience at Sea Island.

Ben Crane kept his balance and his eye on the ball winning the 2011 McGladrey's Classic on the Seaside Course. Photo Credit: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Ben Crane kept his balance and his eye on the ball winning the 2011 McGladrey’s Classic on the Seaside Course. Photo Credit: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Seaside defines a timeless historic version of golf in America.

There may be five oceans and seven seas, but there is only one Sea Island.

What defines a golf course?

Eighteen holes?

What defines an ocean or a sea?

It gets complicated, isn’t it all salt water?

What defines golf in the southeast United States?

I grew up north of the Mason-Dixon Line, playing on golf courses with bent grass greens and Kentucky bluegrass rough.

After four years of living in the Southeast, Bermuda grass continues to challenge me.

How does one play a shot from the rough around the greens?

Why is it harder to read the break on Bermuda greens?

But isn’t Kentucky south of the Mason-Dixon Line?

Why does bluegrass, but not Bermuda grass, grow well up north?

Here’s the answer to the rub…

Red wicket baskets are a nice touch on the Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club.

Red wicket baskets are a nice touch on the Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club.

Play the Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club on St. Simons Island in Georgia.

Sea Island defines southeast golf… golf nestled in the salt marshes in the coastal plains of the Low Country.

There is a reason Sea Island has hosted the SEC golf championship since 2001.

Sea Island’s pedigree goes back to 1927, with Walter Travis designing the original nine holes of the Plantation Course.

Harry Colt and C.H. Alison designed a second nine in 1929.

In 1999, Tom Fazio redesigned Colt and Alison’s work, as well as Joe Lee’s Marshside nine (1973), to form the Seaside Course as it is known today.

Seaside is a design masterpiece.

The first nine goes out and back in a counterclockwise fashion, while the second nine follows a clockwise direction.

Each of the four par-3s faces its own unique direction.

In essence, the layout complicates the gauging of the ocean breezes.

Red wicker baskets are the norm on the Seaside Course.

The golfer is left in quiet isolation to feel the direction and strength of the wind without the aid of a flag on the stick locating the hole on the green.

Davis Love III played in the McGladrey's Classic where his father was a distinguished golf instructor. Phote Credit: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

Davis Love III played in the McGladrey’s Classic where his father was a distinguished golf instructor. Phote Credit: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

The PGA Tour thinks this is unfair for its players, so during the McGladrey Classic there are flagsticks on the greens.

Golfers with exceptional talent and a desire to have that talent challenged have always come to Sea Island.

Bobby Jones first played there in the summer of 1930, just before completing the Grand Slam at Merion Cricket Club in Pennsylvania.

Merion has wicker baskets but no crickets.

World Golf Hall of Fame member Louise Suggs has been a member of Sea Island since 1955.

Whether it is a sponsor’s product or a golf club affiliation, Suggs never associates herself with anything other than the best and something she personally believes and trusts in.

Sea Island was the place where the best golfers would come for instruction by Davis Love Jr.

His son Davis Love III heads up a growing list of professional golfers who make Sea Island their home.

Hosted by Davis and his foundation, the McGladrey Classic is a family affair. His brother Mark is the executive director of the tournament.

Davis grew up at Sea Island. This is where his heart is.

To bring a PGA Tour event to his hometown must be as satisfying as winning the 1997 PGA Championship with Mark on the bag.

Every golf shot Love takes has something to do with his father.

Wildlife abounds on the tranquil Seaside Course.

Wildlife abounds on the tranquil Seaside Course.

When he sank the winning putt for his first major championship, a rainbow was present.

It was as if his father, who had died nine years earlier in an airplane accident, was there smiling his approval for a course well played, a job well done.

The golfing face of McGladrey is bigger than only Davis Love III. It includes Chris DiMarco, Natalie Gulbis, and another Sea Island resident, Zach Johnson.

While I have been trying for four years to understand how to play golf on Bermuda grass, it took me one round at Sea Island to understand Southern golf.

We all know that the lie dictates the shot.

Play shots from greenside Bermuda rough like bunker shots. Open the blade up, aim an inch or two behind the ball and blast it softly onto the green.

On the green, look for the grain at the edge of the hole cut and play one-third less break than you think you need.

We all know that the truth dictates one’s life experience.

Play Sea Island and enjoy a truly remarkable golfing experience!

Filed Under: "Play-Write" Golf Courses, East Coast Golf Journey

Historic Golf Discovery in Williamsburg, Virginia

July 21, 2011 By

Golf Writer Andy Reistetter takes his exclusive “Play-Write” series on the road north to Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. While known for its historical role in the emergence of American democracy, more should be known about its present-day role as a 45-hole world-class golfing destination. Whereas George Washington and Thomas Jefferson walked down the main street on the way to American liberation, so too have many famous golfers walked the fairways of the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club. Enjoy this autumn golfing trip with Reistetter, then schedule a golfing trip of your own!

Escape from all of the hullabaloo outside R. Charlton's Coffeehouse over a stamp tax and head to the links for a quick round of golf on the Spotswood, Green or Golf courses of the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club.

Escape from all of the hullabaloo outside R. Charlton’s Coffeehouse over a stamp tax and head to the links for a quick round of golf on the Spotswood, Green or Golf courses of the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club.

“Are you people of the frontier?” cries Mr. Richard Lee, a historical re-enactor in the R. Charlton’s Coffeehouse when asked a silly question about life and politics in the year of 1765.

The same could be said for seasoned golfers who have yet to play the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club in Colonial Williamsburg.

“Are you golfers of the rough?”

Come to the fairways and greens of the championship Gold and Green Courses designed by the renowned father-son golf course architects Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Rees Jones.

Jones Sr. called the Gold Course which opened in 1963 his “finest design—a natural arboretum upon which a great golf course has been built.”

The following year the World Golf Hall of Fame member reconfigured the original 1947 Fred Finlay nine-hole course into the executive-length Spotswood Course.

This little family-favorite gem earned “the best nine-hole course in the country” distinction of Golf Magazine.

From where does the name “Golden Horseshoe” originate?

Spotswood, the course’s namesake, was the colonial governor in 1716 and led an expedition from the coastal plains to the far western portions of the Virginia colony.

Many horseshoes were consumed due to the newly encountered rocky soil of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The expedition was successful and when they returned to civilization the governor gave each pioneer a Golden Horseshoe.

Four years after the Gold Course opened, Jack Nicklaus set the professional course record of 67 in an exhibition match.

More recently in collegiate competition, Daniel Summerhays of Brigham Young University and Michael Schachner of Duke University have posted 10-under-par 60s.

Though relatively short at 6,817 total yards from the back tees, the tightly laid out design nestled amongst rolling hills and a hardwood forest requires precise golf shots from tee to green.

Aesthetically pleasing to the eye and the soul are the four par threes which are memorable.

The par-3 16th on the Gold Course is as finest a par-3 as you will find anywhere in the world of golf.

The par-3 16th on the Gold Course is as finest a par-3 as you will find anywhere in the world of golf.

Three of the four, Nos. seven, 12 and the signature No. 16 cross water in a magnificent little valley near the center of the traditional layout which is free and clear of any adjacent development.

In fact you could be a million miles from civilization for all you know yet you are close by one of the earliest civilizations in our country.

The 16th is a true island hole. Having been constructed in 1963 it is one of the first holes with an island green anywhere.

The second shot on the reachable par-five second hole is a risk-reward all or nothing shot over the same stretch of water.

The par-three third hole has water of its own cutting across the front of a diagonally placed green. From the elevated tee a bunker short right appears as a beach even though Virginia Beach is 60 miles away.

Originally the Gold and Spotswood courses met the needs of the locals and golfing guests to Colonial Williamsburg.

The par-3 third hole on the Gold Course has water of its own.

The par-3 third hole on the Gold Course has water of its own.

Director of Golf Glen Byrnes has been a golf professional at Golden Horseshoe since 1986. He recalls the design challenge of the Green Course as being “a playable resort course that can host a major golf championship as well.”

Rees Jones, the younger son, answered the call and designed a green masterpiece literally next door to his father’s legacy.

Both the Gold and Green Courses are certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries.

The Gold and Green Courses are the only father-and-son, side-by-side designed courses in the world. One could literally play the first five holes on the Gold then check in at the Green clubhouse, play 18 and come back to finish the remaining holes on the Gold.

With up to five or six teeing grounds on each hole the yardage of the Green Course extends from the red tees at 5,348 to the green tees at 7,120.

For a touch of history one can look to the right and see the timeless boathouse of John D. Rockefeller Jr., the man who championed the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg in the 1920s.

The Rees Jones-designed Green Course opened in October 1991 and is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

With extreme flexibility of course setup particularly in tee and hole locations, narrowing of fairways and length of the rough this playable links style course can be transformed overnight into the most difficult test for the world’s best golfers.

That happened in the 2004 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship.

Yano Tseng got the best of Michele Wie in 2004 on the Green Course at Golden Horseshoe Golf Club. This picture is more recent.Victor Fraile/Getty Images

Yano Tseng got the best of Michele Wie in 2004 on the Green Course at Golden Horseshoe Golf Club. This picture is more recent.Victor Fraile/Getty Images

Defending champion Michelle Wie battled a young Yani Tseng down the stretch.

It all came down to the classic finishing hole a reachable par five with an elevated tee shot over water down into a valley with an upward slope—to the well-bunkered green.

All square in their 36-hole match both Wie and challenger Tseng bunkered their second shots greenside at the home hole. Tseng got it up and down and Wie did not.

Tseng, at age 15, became the second-youngest winner of the championship behind Wie, who captured the title as a 13-year-old. Wie is in the record books as the youngest titlist of a USGA “adult” championship.

Tseng, if by chance you have been out on the frontier, has gone on to become the youngest player ever, male or female, to win five major championships..

The Williamsburg Inn recently enlarged both guest rooms and bathrooms reducing the number from 100 to 62. Spectacularly appointed and luxurious.

The Williamsburg Inn recently enlarged both guest rooms and bathrooms reducing the number from 100 to 62. Spectacularly appointed and luxurious.

Colonial Williamsburg’s motto is “The future may learn from the past.”

Whether you play the Spotswood, Green or Gold or hopefully all three what you will learn is that Colonial Williamsburg is a premier golfing destination.

I guarantee that you will remember your rounds of golf at the Golden Horseshoe in 20 years’ time.

My insider’s tip when golfing Williamsburg is to make it truly a “Jones family affair.” Prior to going, read older brother Robert Trent Jones Jr.’s Golf by Design book. This will give you the knowledge to lower your score by understanding how golf courses are designed.

Perhaps once you come in from the frontier, armed with knowledge and faced with the challenge of these 45 holes of golf, your golfing experience at the Golden Horseshoe will be your best ever!

Golf Williamsburg’s motto, in my opinion, is “Come play golf here and we will do whatever it takes to make it a memorable experience.”

The Spa at Colonial Williamsburg has perfected the golfers massage!

The Spa at Colonial Williamsburg has perfected the golfers massage!

Besides the golf and American historical experience of Colonial Williamsburg, there are great restaurants, lodging and of course the full-service spa.

For an elegant dining experience may I recommend the Regency Room at the Williamsburg Inn (coat required)?

I had the Crabmeat Randolph for a first course and Grilled Angus Filet and Veal Sweetbreads for my entrée. In addition the steward recommended a local Virginia wine, Octagon vintage 2006—a proprietary blend by from Barboursville Vineyards.

My desert selection was the Carrot-Coconut Cake with caramel cheesecake frosting and pineapple relish.

Truly a memorable culinary experience!

With nearly 700 guest rooms and suites available, whether you stay at the Williamsburg Inn, Lodge or the Woodlands you will be close to the golf courses and Colonial Williamsburg.

The Lodge is literally right across the street from the Gold (& Spotswood) clubhouse with the Green only a few drivers away.

Reistetter is all smiles golfing at Golden Horseshoe and enjoying the autumn season.

Reistetter is all smiles golfing at Golden Horseshoe and enjoying the autumn season.

Also across the street is The Spa. I enjoyed the sports massage which is really the golfers’ massage. Even after 11 years of yoga I don’t think my shoulders or hips have ever been so free. I only wish I had taken the massage before I played the golf!

One final tip—there are five taverns nearby. Don’t miss an opportunity to taste one of the locally brewed AleWerks beers.

That’s all for now, reporting from a state of bliss…

 

Filed Under: East Coast Golf Journey, Featured Golf Resorts & Courses, Travel Golf

Sawgrass Country Club: Original “Home” of THE PLAYERS Championship

May 10, 2011 By
Doing a little research with the Sawgrass CC archives.

Doing a little research with the Sawgrass CC archives.

Golf Writer Andy Reistetter continues his exclusive “Play-Write” series recently playing the East-West nines at Sawgrass CC that hosted THE PLAYERS Championship (then known as the Tournament Players Championship) from 1977 to 1981 .

THE Players Championship is synonymous with the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass with its iconic island green on the par-3 17th hole.

This year (2012) is the 30th anniversary of the first PLAYERS held at TPC Sawgrass when in 1982 Jerry Pate won by two strokes and three architect Pete Dye and Commissioner Deane Beman into the lake and then dove in himself.

That would be Jerry Pate’s last win on the PGA TOUR but the first of annual PLAYERS Championships on the Stadium Course.

The Ed Seay plaque found near the first tee of the East Nine. He and Arnold Plamer designed more than 250 golf courses together.

The Ed Seay plaque found near the first tee of the East Nine. He and Arnold Palmer designed more than 250 golf courses together.

The story of THE PLAYERS began many years before when Beman became commissioner of the PGA TOUR in March 1974 and implemented, then improved upon the idea of the first commissioner Joseph Day.

Beman, the only modern-era professional player to become commissioner of his own sport staged the first PLAYERS, then known as the Tournament Players Championship in August in his first year at the helm.

Fittingly, Jack Nicklaus the player of the time and of the 20th century won that first event played at the Atlanta Country Club.

Al Geiberger won the next one which was contested in the 100-degree August heat of Texas at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth.

The tournament came to Florida for the first time with a new date on the schedule but with a familiar champion. Nicklaus won the third edition at Inverrary Golf & Country Club in South Florida on March 1st, 1976.

The first hole on the East Nine. A gentle start but then things get topsy turvy quite quickly.

The first hole on the East Nine. A gentle start but then things get topsy turvy quite quickly.

While successful, the tournament had the feel of a traveling circus with no home or even a good spot on the schedule.

Beman had a dream to bring the PGA TOUR headquarters to the Jacksonville, Florida area and to have a permanent home for the tour’s marquee event.

His successor, current Commissioner Tim Finchem made the March-to-May schedule change four years ago and the “fifth major” rising star came into perfect celestial alignment with its more historical peers.

Now we are able to enjoy the top five tournaments with a sense of measured buildup and timing: the Masters in April, The PLAYERS in May, The United States Open in June, the British Open in July and the PGA Championship in August.

In between that traveling circus pitched in three different states and the tradition we now know as The PLAYERS on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass was a very important five year period.

It was then that the Tournament Players Championship, today’s PLAYERS was enacted at Sawgrass Country Club, its original “permanent” home.

The always dicey par-3 6th hole on the East Nine.

The always dicey par-3 6th hole on the East Nine.

Beman brought the tour and the tournament to Ponte Vedra Beach in order to build upon the excellent volunteer organization support of the Jacksonville Open.

He found a golf course at Sawgrass Country Club that was a natural fit for a premium world-class golf tournament.

Sawgrass CC opened in 1974 and was designed by local golf course architect Ed Seay.

Seay went on to partner with golfing legend Arnold Palmer to design and build more than 250 golf courses worldwide.

Sawgrass CC is Seay’s masterpiece the same as Augusta National being the pride and joy of Alister MacKenzie.

Seay opens with a traditional short par-4 that lays there in its beauty all for the golfer to see including the flagstick on the green.

The ever present and difficult sawgrass, after which the club is named.after.

The ever present and difficult sawgrass, after which the club is named.after.

Then he begins to challenge the golfer by limiting the vision of what is in front of them by hiding the greens from the tee on the dog-leg right par-4 second, the par-5 dog-leg left fourth and the dog-leg-right par-4 fifth holes.

The presence of the ocean is introduced quickly with the roar of the surf clearly audible on the second tee. The fourth green is only a 9-iron shot from the sandy beaches of the Atlantic Ocean.

To befuddle the golfer even more amidst the unpredictable ocean breezes Seay routed the East nine in a counterclockwise fashion and the West nine in a clockwise fashion.

While each nine goes out and returns to the clubhouse area the golfer never arrives at a point of comfort with the magnitude or direction of the wind.

To get to that clubhouse the same large lake brings water into play right on the final three holes of the East and on the left of the final four holes of the West.

The variety and difficulty of Seay’s Sawgrass gem is evident in the champions it produced during those five years of hosting the TPC events.

Four of the five- Nicklaus, Lanny Wadkins, Lee Trevino and Raymond Floyd are World Golf Hall of Famers.

The first champion at Sawgrass Mark Hayes is the only exception.

The winning scores confirm the genius of Seay’s design and the impact of the ocean winds.

Both Nicklaus and Hayes won with plus-1 scores.

The shrubbery saws it all, Sawgrass Country Club.

The shrubbery saws it all, Sawgrass Country Club.

Why were Beman and the PGA TOUR unable to purchase Sawgrass CC?

Perhaps the real reason is revealed in Beman’s recently released book Golf’s Driving Force.

Whatever the reason THE PLAYERS Championship moved another one-half mile inland on the golf course Beman conceived and with the help of Pete Dye had it designed and built.

Though still a shocker at times the new course snuggled within trees plays much easier than during the Sawgrass CC era.

David Duval’s minus-3 total in 1999 is the highest winning score on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.

To fully experience the history of THE PLAYERS Championship at its original home, play the East-West routing at Sawgrass CC, if given the opportunity.

With my buddy Stokes Hill...

With my buddy Stokes Hill…

A real treat to be a guest at an ocean side club and play a historic course today with my buddy Stokes, host of 5 PLAYERS, completely renovating the West now, playing the East & South which will be renovated next 2 years, Trevino won here & at Merion, great Ed Seay design, 40th anniversary if club in 2014!   (Facebook Post with 4 pics, Andy Reistetter, 6-13-13)

 

2

3

 

Filed Under: "Play-Write" Golf Courses, East Coast Golf Journey, Hickory Golf, PGA TOUR Golf

Play Royal Isabela in Puerto Rico… Be Inspired!

April 1, 2011 By
Royal Isabela is Pebble Beach and the Old Course at St. Andrews reincarnated in one!

Royal Isabela is Pebble Beach and the Old Course at St. Andrews reincarnated in one! Photo courtesy of Joann Dost & Royal Isabela.

Puerto Rico is known as “the enchanted island.”

The Golf Links at Royal Isabela will become known as one of the most fascinating and inspirational charms of the golfing world.

Suffice it to say that if you want the experience of playing Pebble Beach Golf Links and the Old Course at St. Andrews in the same day go to Puerto Rico now and play Royal Isabela.

You won’t be disappointed and you will remember it for the rest of your life.

If not for playing golf on the cliffs with dramatic ocean vistas then for the variety of golfing habitats experienced and their magical blending into one awesome round .

It is written that wisdom is looking beyond what seems to be.

If you look beyond what seems to be at Royal Isabela the experience may be more than memorable, it may change your life.

Absolutely, positively, without a doubt brothers Stanley and Charlie Pasarell have discovered, nurtured, and are now presenting an inspirational place for the golfing world to enjoy and treasure as well.

Or perhaps a place of passage for you to venture into the next step in your life’s journey?

One sees the profile of the Taino Indian face in the cliffs off the tee on the 12th hole.

One sees the profile of the Taino Indian face in the cliffs off the tee on the 12th hole.

Beyond the beauty of Isabela is the inspirational story of Isabela.

This is the island Borinquen- “the Land of the Valiant Lord,” and the heritage of the indigenous Taino people.

One sees the profile of the Taino Indian face in the cliffs off the tee on the 12th hole.

One feels the spirit that looks proudly out into the ocean proclaiming “this is our land, a special place that we protect so it will be here for all of eternity.”

The story of Isabela is the story of Stanley and Charlie’s great grandfather- Dr. Manuel Zeno Gandía. That man born in 1855 published the first novel by a Puerto Rican author in 1894.

Gandia’s naturalist novel dealt with the difficult realities of life in the remote and mountainous regions of his beloved homeland. A land and heritage he so loved that he was an advocate for Puerto Rican independence after the Spanish- American War.

A love of the Puerto Rican land has passed down to the current generation.

The story of Isabela is the story of a son that answered a call from his father in 1978 to return home to Puerto Rico to help rescue the family business from bankruptcy. The company prospered and is now one of Puerto Rico’s most successful privately-held companies.

The family sold their majority interest a few years back to Edwin Perez who is Stanley and Charlie’s other partner in Royal Isabela.

A respect for family and doing what one needs to do to be successful.

The green of the par-3 17th hole is perched high above the ocean. You don't want to know where the tee is!

The green of the par-3 17th hole is perched high above the ocean. You don’t want to know where the tee is! Photo courtesy of Joann Dost & Royal Isabela.

The story of Isabela is the story of the preservation of nature, heritage and the land. Everything on the property, with the exception of the exceptional Mini Verde putting surfaces on the greens is native to the 426 acres of Royal Isabela.

“Once an era, the land has its way. It speaks and we listen. It beckons and we follow. It commands and we obey. So it is- and so it always will be- we are not the creators of Royal Isabela, we are its caretakers.”  -Stanley and Charlie Pasarell

The game of tennis may have never before impacted the game of golf in such a creative and awe inspiring manner.

Charlie, a friend and teammate of tennis great Arthur Ashe at UCLA, was the No. 1-ranked men’s singles tennis player in the United States in 1967.

Stanley played his collegiate tennis at Stanford University and represented Puerto Rico in the Summer Olympics in Mexico City in 1968.

While at Stanford Stanley shared the cover of the “Stanford Golf & Tennis” magazine with Tom Watson.

The Pasarell link to golf was much stronger than a magazine cover.

Golf became a part of the family when their father Charlie Sr., an accomplished tennis player that played in the 1953 U.S. Open (tennis), accepted a challenge to quiet the talk that “golf was so much tougher to play than tennis.”

The bet was simple- could he break 100 the first time he played a round of golf?

At age 40 he took lessons on his lunch hour and went to the driving range to practice at night.

The result?

Charlie Sr. made an 18 foot putt on the last hole to shoot 99.

Together, brothers Stanley and Charlie Jr. played, studied and analyzed Scottish and Irish golf courses similar to what insurance salesman Pete Dye did in the early 1960s as he transformed himself into a golf course architect.

With my host, Stanley Pasarell on the scenic 17th green at Royal isabela.

With my host, Stanley Pasarell on the scenic 17th green at Royal isabela.

The Pasarell brothers teamed up with architect David Pfaff who started his career as the original and only associate of Peter Dye and Associates in 1965. With experience nearby at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic and the philosophy of hands-on, personalized course design, Pfaff was a natural to complete the Isabela design team.

The result was a “tropical Scotland” type golf course that was ready for play in 2009.

I was invited to play the day after the Puerto Rico Open. Mariel Prieto, the Director of Marketing and Real Estate received me warmly and Brother Stanley acted as host.

Brother Charlie was in Indian Wells, California fulfilling tournament director responsibilities at the BNP Paribas Open an ATP sanctioned tennis tournament that is part of the 2011 ATP World Tour.

Charlie is one of the founding members of the ATP (association of Tennis Professionals) and was elected and served in the ATP board for more than 25 years, the longest tenure of any board member to date.

The ATP headquarters is less than one mile from the PGA TOUR headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Perhaps there are more ties between tennis and golf than previously thought.

Miguel Suarez- one of the most respected golf professionals in Puerto Rico, both as a player and as a teacher. Director of Golf at Royal Isabella.

Miguel Suarez- one of the most respected golf professionals in Puerto Rico, both as a player and as a teacher. Director of Golf at Royal Isabella.

My playing partner was Miguel Suarez, the Director of Golf, at Isabela.

Suarez is an acclaimed international golfer that started playing golf at the nearby Punta Borinquen Golf Club- the first public golf course in Puerto Rico. Miguel was educated on the mainland and played on mini-tours once winning the Golden Bear Tour Championship.

Suarez is the story of a kid who played all sports including golf stating at age 9 at summer golf clinics, then chose golf and played golf every day starting at age 16.

One of the most respected golf professionals in Puerto Rico, Suarez oversees the national Junior Golf League, a program he created to give back to the game which has given him so much.

Having competed in all four of the PGA TOUR’s Puerto Rico Opens, his game was as hot as the blazing Puerto Rican sun.

Ever play with someone who hit every fairway, their approach shots seemingly covered every flagstick, hit nearly every green and putted like a demon?

Suarez recorded 5 birdies alone on the front side and shot a 5-under 68 from the blue tees playing a little social golf with mere amateurs.

The “blues” are 6,804 yards with a rating of 75.7 and a slope of 145.

Suarez holds the course record of 2-under 70 from the tips or so rightly labeled as the “naturals” at Isabela.

The “naturals” are 7,667 yards with a rating of 80.3 and a slope of 155.

That is not a typo- a rating of 80.3 and a slope of 155.

With Jose Perez in front of the logo windswept tree on the 18th fairway.

With Jose Perez in front of the logo windswept tree on the 18th fairway.

Our forecaddie was Jose Perez who caddied for Paraguay’s Carlos Franco the week prior in the Puerto Rico Open.

Does one’s golfing life get any better than this?

The front nine goes inland with an equatorial parkland sort of design.

The par-5 first hole is memorable with a peephole view of ocean in the V-shaped gap between two hillocks to the left of the green.

One encounters the first flavor of Scotland with a sod faced bunker to the left of the second green.

The uphill 155-yard par-3 fourth hole gave me a sense of Texas hill country golf with live oak trees and stone ruins behind the green.

The fifth green is dramatically placed in front of the earlier sneak preview of the ocean. The hole was on the upper level of a triple tiered green. My ball not only spun back to the lower levels but rolled another 30 yards down the hill in front of the green.

Tropical paradise- not!

The sixth hole makes its way back to the high point of the property where the clubhouse area is found.

Here is where you sense the buoyant brothers may have encountered a disagreement, a fork in the road with respect to hole design with designer Pfaff coming to the rescue.

Whereas it is said that Palmer and Nicklaus butted heads a bit designing the “King and the Bear” in northeast Florida and the resolution was that each took a nine to design. At Royal Isabela each brother won out by designing a sixth hole of their own with a common tee.

We choose to play to Charlie's green to the right in front of the clubhouse.

We choose to play to Charlie’s green to the right in front of the clubhouse.

We played the Charlie version, an uphill 622-yard par 5 hole with the green sitting below the clubhouse.

The other Stanley version, following the right fork in the road is a really uphill 493-yard par 4 hole that finishes on a high point with ocean vistas.

Please note again that we played Charlie’s par 5 and hence a par 73 golf course. Okay so it was a 544-yard par 5 birdie opportunity versus a difficult par-4.

The next three holes were the earliest holes to open and form the dreaded triangle- a designer tool to completely befuddle the golfer’s sense of trade wind direction.

After missing the meandering Scottish burn off the tee, the second shot on the par-4 seventh hole is the first true links feel of Royal Isabela- a prelude of what is to come on the ocean front back nine.

My round began to deteriorate with an unforced error into the water hazard short of the par-5 eighth green. In reality my thoughts of the Charca del Diablo or Devil’s Pond began when we made our way past the island 9th green on our way to the seventh tee.

Much like Dye’s Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, this threatening triangle of an otherwise beautiful non-intimidating Royal Isabela (at least up to this point) gives you many bad thoughts to think about much too soon.

Bridge walkway to the island green on the par-3 ninth hole.

Bridge walkway to the island green on the par-3 ninth hole.

I did tighten up my Bermuda britches and managed to land one safely on the devilish island green of the 174-yard par 3 ninth hole. In fact I would only lose that one ball for the entire round at Isabela.

Feeling safer now that the tormenting triangle was behind us we were warmly greeted by Stanley’s dog Dunas who knowing there was food to be had followed us up to the clubhouse for a lunch of flat iron streak at the turn in the open-air grill.

The transition from the lush parkland of the front nine to the more barren ocean facing links of the back nine is as evident as the vastness of the ocean from the 10th tee.

One sees the links of the distant holes and can sense being on a high elevation that goes to the edge of the ascertainable golfing grounds. It is there that the cliffs drop straight down 350 feet to the level of the sea.

It is there in the distance near the double green of Isabela on the steep face of the rock that the Taino warrior protects these sacred grounds. The elevation protects golfers from the sea but not from the wind or other hazards of the Pasarell-Pfaff designed Royal Isabela.

Two sod face bunkers guard a second shot that cuts the corner on the 578-yard par-5 10thhole. Another one short right of the green minimizes the bailout area. A golfer must be accurate even in the wind by the sea. This is true links golf.

View of 11th green looking north.

View of 11th green looking north.

Instead of the scorecard par-3 11th hole we play Brother Stanley’s future private home site par-3 whose green is perched on the cliffs. Miguel notes that this is admittedly a 100-yard par-5 hole.

Given the green complex namely the bunkers and the slope of the putting surface not to mention the distraction of the thunderous Atlantic Ocean below I agreed without question.

Walking away with my “par-5” I was completely overtaken with the beauty of Isabela.

Seeing the majestic view off the 12th tee with the prominent profile of the Taino Indian face I went with driver and put one in play on the 435-yard hole along the cliffs.

After nearly making a 6-footer for birdie, Miguel cried out that there were whales to be seen off the coast. The rare and impressive Humpback whales visit this area every year on their migratory route to the North Atlantic where they mate during the summer months.

Now my golf game was completely lost. I was in the “feeling one with nature” zone no longer “in only the golf zone.”

Royal Isabela's 13th hole, tall palm trees with a vista to the south.

Royal Isabela’s 13th hole, tall palm trees with a vista to the south.

The 13th hole, Palm Grove traverses an old grove of coconut palms. Like the “W” at the finish line in the 1963 film “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” I had my eye on those tall, thin palm trees for a couple of holes now.

It’s a Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful World.

One of the most spectacular views is from the perch of the 13th green looking south. The cliffs end at the shoreline there and what you see down below is another mile of native dunes with the approaching white lined surf.

As if Royal Isabela’s 3.5 miles of shoreline is not enough, she is part of the larger Costa Isabela development which owns the land of dunes far below cliffs. The same is true on the north side of the property.

All told there are plans for four more golf courses and my guess is one each will be built at sea level on the dunes to the north and south and two more inland perhaps along the meandering Guajataca River.

After taking in the view and appreciating the vastness and diversity of the landforms on the property we played the 443-yard par-4 14th hole that takes us back north along the cliffs to the elbow-shaped double green with the 12th.

The 14th is a double green with the 12th. The perfect whale viewing spot looking west into the Caribbean Sea.

The 14th is a double green with the 12th. The perfect whale viewing spot looking west into the Caribbean Sea.

The name of the hole is Hidden Pearl, a tribute to great-grandfather Dr. Manuel Zeno Gandía’s artistic creation. Though now that Royal Isabela is coming onto the world golfing scene in full bloom it is debatable whether or not it is still a hidden pearl.

The final cliff-hanging shot is where the Atlantic Ocean once again comes into play at the dramatic 200-yard par-3 17th hole. For the first time on this strategic thinking course one must carry the ocean and a gorge for there is no bail out route.

This is perfectly fitting in golf and in life for there are times we must work through and not go around a difficulty.

I remember the inscription in the Ben Hogan instructional book my older brother gave me as a young boy: “Golf is a lot like life, the more you read, understand, and become educated about it the easier it is to meet its challenge.”

I took a hybrid 3 and pushed all thoughts out of my mind with the exception of feeling and making a solid, confident, and balanced swing. The well-struck ball flew out over the ocean and gorge, landed with friction and ended up on the back fringe of the green from where I two-putted for a heavenly par.

The 18th is a difficult 491-yard uphill par-4 hole aptly named “Ruins” with the remnants of a house and rock wall on the inside of the sweeping dog-leg-left fairway that takes you back up to the gracefully but royally placed clubhouse.

Playing Royal Isabela is a spiritual golfing experience not to be missed!

Playing Royal Isabela is a spiritual golfing experience not to be missed!

On the right side of the fairway you will find the wind-swept native oak tree- the logo tree of Royal Isabela.

Royal Isabela’s logo reminds us that golf is all about the wind and its impact on the golfer.

Having played Royal Isabela it seems my life and my thoughts linger a bit more these days.

Making the acquaintance of Isabela has somehow impacted my soul.

For more information on Royal Isabela please visit the web site www.royalisabela.com.

Royal Isabela is shown by invitation and appointment only. Please contact Mariel Prieto, Marketing Director, at 787.565.7710 or mprieto@royalisabela.com for more information.

Filed Under: East Coast Golf Journey, Travel Golf

Play St. Johns Golf & Country Club- On the Road to the PGA TOUR

December 2, 2009 By

Golf writer Andy Reistetter has been tracking the road to the 2010 PGA TOUR.

He was on site at the Nationwide Tour Championship at the Daniel Island Club in Charleston, South Carolina where 25 golden golfers earned their 2010 PGA TOUR cards.

Two weeks ago he was at The Children’s Miracle Network Classic at the Walt Disney World Resort where the Top 125 on the money list were finalized and qualified for the 2010 PGA TOUR.

This week he heads to Bear Lakes CC in West Palm Beach to report on the Finals of Q-School and the Top 25 golfers and ties who will fill out the fields for the 2010 PGA TOUR.

Along the way he enjoys playing the golf courses the pros play in a series he is developing called “The Monday After.” How should an amateur play a golf course set up for professional golfers- from the tips, same hole locations, “The Monday After” the competition concludes.

In this installment he played the St. Johns Golf & Country Club as a guest of General Manager Dan Zimmer.

DSC03677For some of the finalists in this week’s conclusion of Q-School the hopeful road to the PGA TOUR went directly through the St. Johns Golf & Country Club in late October.

Eight golfers are competing next week for a 2010 TOUR card because they advanced through the first stage held right here in our own backyard at the Clyde Johnson designed 7,236 yard gem off County Road 210 in northern St. Augustine.

Keep an eye on Alan Morin, Billy Horschel, Chris Kirk, David Lutterus, Jesse Hutchins, Joe Affrunti, Major Manning and Rafael Gomez and see if the guys who played at St. Johns Golf & Country Club make it to the PGA TOUR.

Then go out and play St. Johns’ to test your game versus some of the world’s best professional golfers.

That’s exactly what I did recently and quite frankly the results were as my friends say “keep your day job.”

But I did discover what a great golf course St. Johns G&CC is… especially for ladies.

I played with a lady friend and she really loved the playability and picturesque natural setting of a golf course that gently meanders through open forested land and around lakes and ponds.

DSC00733The routing of the course is world class in that the front nine goes out in a clockwise direction to the south and returns to the clubhouse while the back nine is laid out in a counterclockwise direction.

The bottom line is that you are “lost in nature” never knowing exactly what direction you are heading in. The challenge of gauging the wind direction and its effect through the trees may very well be St. Johns’ hidden hazard.

As host for Q-School for five of the last six years this Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary had my number and the dismal 92 result far exceeded my 7-handicap expectations number wise.

Maybe I was being distracted by my lady friend or maybe the reason for posting such a high score was that I played the tips- the gold tees which are a challenging 74.7 rating and slope of 132.

Before teeing off I had the pleasure of meeting two brothers from Germany enrolled in the onsite world renowned Tom Burnett Golf Academy- 15-year old Willie and 20 year old Fritz Gabor.

With swings that appeared to be like that of new TOUR sensation Rickie Fowler these two golfers inspired by the likes of Martin Kaymer may be the ones who give Tiger Woods the old heave hoe in a few years.

Local PGA TOUR rookie Jeff Klauk who finished No. 71 on the money list this year winning over $1.2 million, Matt Kuchar and Aree Song are graduates of the Burnett Golf Academy.

DSC00749Are you getting the picture here? Tremendous practice facilities, a world class designed golf course always in tip-top shape and a very friendly and accommodating staff that is “always exceeding your expectations” makes you feel like a member even if you play St. Johns only for a day.

For the record it is open for public play.

I started off well with a regulation par on the first hole which is a reasonably short par-4 of 400 yards from the tips.

On the other side of the practice facility is No. 10 which is a similar length par-4 of 407 yards.

Just like TPC Sawgrass home of THE PLAYERS Championship holes Nos. 1 and 10 are similar challenges from a design perspective. Why do golf course architects do that?

They do it so there is no advantage during competitions whether a golfer goes off No.1 or No. 10. Another subtle world class design element of St Johns Golf and Country Club.

I quickly put myself in trouble with an errant drive on the scenic par-5 second hole. Though managing a bogey the beauty of the pond down the right side of No. 2 that goes on to frame the green of the par-3 third hole mesmerized me into a quick feeling of tranquility on the links.

Not the competitive perspective one needs to score on a difficult but fair golf course.

Though the promoted signature hole is likely to be the finishing 18th with an almost island like teeing area and the logoed bridge crossing this golfer thinks No. 4 is competitive in that regard.

Plus it was my only birdie of the day. Go figure that!

No. 4- the shortest par-4 on the golf course at 382 yards brings water into play off the tee on the right hand side. The water encapsulates the right half of the green which has a wooden bulkhead.

With a front right hole location my pitching wedge landed on the backboard behind the flagstick and zippered down past the hole leaving me the makeable 18-footer for birdie.

How exciting!

I am no Ben Crenshaw on the greens and the greens of St. Johns are no Augusta National but let me tell you taking 39 putts, 21 on the back nine is not my style.

Surely I was being distracted by something or someone?

To keep me in the game my lady golfer friend and I decided to engage into a match for the final five holes.

Brilliant or not so brilliant?

I am fortunate and happy to report the match ended in a draw with me winning the last with a 3-putt bogey. The logoed bridge depicted on the scorecard was like a bridge over troubled waters for me.

Though not winning the match it was my pleasure to buy lunch. The Grille Room is in a remarkable clubhouse and overlooks the 9th and 18th green complex.

As I sat there enjoying a tasty lunch and how lucky I was to win the final hole to draw the match to even I recalled coming out last year and watching some Q-School action around the Nos. 9 & 18 greens.

I had the pleasure of meeting Rod Curl the first full-blooded Native American to win a PGA TOUR event when he beat no one other than Jack Nicklaus down the stretch in the 1974 Colonial National Invitation.

His son Jeff advanced through the first round at St. Johns though he did not earn a 2009 TOUR card.

I remembered entering the clubhouse under the large clock as it struck high noon.

Isn’t it time for you to play St. Johns Golf & Country Club and find out where your game stands?

Or better yet take a lady friend and your best golfing buddy or two and enjoy the tranquility of an afternoon out on the links.

Situated equidistant from the hearts of Jacksonville and St. Augustine less than a mile off Interstate 95 its location is convenient whether or not you are on the road to the PGA TOUR.

Good golfing!

Andy Reistetter is a freelance golf writer. He follows the PGA TOUR volunteering and working part time for NBC Sports, CBS Sports, and The Golf Channel.

He resides in Jacksonville Beach, Florida near the PGA TOUR headquarters and home of The PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach. He enjoys pursuing his passion for the game of golf and everything associated with it. See more of Andy’s golf travel on his website Andy’s Golf & Travel Diary. Feel free to e-mail him to AndyReistetter@gmail.com

Filed Under: "Play-Write" Golf Courses, East Coast Golf Journey, Northeast Florida

The Charm of Charleston; The Daniel Island Golf Club

October 30, 2009 By

Daniel Island Club hosted the Nationwide (now Web.com) Tour Championship from 2009 to 2011.

Daniel Island Club hosted the Nationwide (now Web.com) Tour Championship from 2009 to 2011.

Golf writer Andy Reistetter was on site at the 2009 Nationwide Tour Championship at the Daniel Island Club in Charleston, South Carolina last week. He helped cover the action for The Golf Channel and thoroughly enjoyed witnessing in person the crowning tournament of the Nationwide Tour where 25 golden golfers earned their 2010 PGA TOUR cards.

To top that experience he was invited by Greg Keating, Vice President of Club Operations and Bobby Donnellan, Director of Golf to play the Rees Jones designed Ralston Creek Course on Monday morning. From the tips and with Sunday hole locations this devoted amateur golfer tells the story of the Nationwide Tour Championship and his “Monday Morning Golf” outing in his own words.

I have always wanted to go to Charleston, South Carolina so it was a no-brainer to drive up from Jacksonville Beach, Florida on Thursday morning to catch all the action of the Nationwide Tour Championship at the Daniel Island Club.

The Prince of Tides is a 1991 romantic drama film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Pat Conroy; the film stars Barbra Streisand and Nick Nolte. Photo credit: Wiki.

The Prince of Tides is a 1991 romantic drama film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Pat Conroy; the film stars Barbra Streisand and Nick Nolte. Photo credit: Wiki.

My connection with Charleston was through the movie The Prince of Tides. You know the one nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture in 1991 with Barbara Streisand and Nick Nolte. I loved it when Nolte drove over the picturesque bridge in a convertible. So my dream was always to go to Charleston and drive over that bridge with the top down.

The Daniel Island Club is a couple of miles off the interstate highway. It’s a Wizard of Oz Munchkin like moment. It is that dramatic of an entrance into an enchanted land of Low country natural oaks, beautiful palms and saltwater marshes.

What is the quickest way to paradise from Interstate 526 around Charleston, South Carolina? Take Exit 24- Daniel Island and proceed to the Daniel Island Club.

Sixty of the best golfers on the Nationwide Tour did exactly that for their championship event- the culmination of the landmark 20th season of PGA TOUR Driven excellence. There is no question that the skill, desire and work ethic of these golfers mirror that of the big tour.  

In fact the PGA TOUR is simply the grown up version of its younger brother. Nationwide Tour graduates account for 258 PGA TOUR wins including 13 Major and 3 PLAYERS Championships. Make that 259 PGA TOUR wins with Nationwide Tour alumni Troy Matteson winning the Frys.com Open last week.

You do the math on that one- 20 years, about 40 PGA events a year is about 800 events… so about one in three come from the Nationwide Tour. With Tiger Woods with 71 victories and players coming directly from the European Tour being the key exceptions.

Matt Every, 2009 Nationwide (now Web.com) Tour Champion.

Matt Every, 2009 Nationwide (now Web.com) Tour Champion.

Matt Every who came in at No. 49 shot 63 in Friday’s second round and a pair of 67s on the weekend to overcome the tour’s best golfer Michael Sim who came out firing on all cylinders with a 64 on Thursday. The 25-year old Every would make his first win on the Nationwide Tour his biggest and hopefully his last. His stellar performance vaulted him to No. 10 on the money list. That gold status earned him his playing card on the PGA TOUR in 2010.

The heart pounding and heartwarming story of the week on Daniel Island was 44-year old Fran Quinn. Turning pro in 1988 he made it to the PGA TOUR for the first and only time in 1992 when he finished T8 at Q-School.

First and only time until now.

After twelve straight seasons on the Nationwide Tour where he is now ranked third in all-time starts at 324, Quinn fought off a painful bladder infection and was inspired by his 11-year-old son Owen. “Dad, you’re going to do it. You’re going to have a great day,” were the words spoken early Sunday morning though it was the tone that was really inspiring.

With Fran Quinn who finished No. 25 to earn his 2010 tour card.

With Fran Quinn who finished No. 25 to earn his 2010 tour card.

The son in his heart already knew his father was a champion and all he hoped was that everyone else would know the same thing come the end of competition on Sunday. His father was locked in as No. 25 when Brian Stuard missed an eight foot birdie putt on the final hole to finish T14 in the Championship and only $2,844 out of the Top 25 and a golden passport to the big show next year.  

Quinn’s success really was determined by his finish on Saturday. At 6-under par for the tournament he missed a short par putt on the 13th green. He then hit a poor iron from the fairway bunker on No. 14 failing to get out which led to double bogey.

On the par-3 15th he hit a poor chip shot and then a good one for a one-putt bogey. On the 16th he drove it left into the water and came away with another double bogey. In total, he was 6-over par for four holes and back to even par for the tournament. It easily could have been the end of the story but not for this gutsy competitor playing hurt.

Beware of the ill golfer. After steadying the ship with a two-putt par on No. 17 he finished strong with a birdie on No. 18. That was the key to the tournament for Quinn. Despite his ailment, he finished with a birdie put the poor stretch of golf behind him. He came through with a decent 74 on Sunday, a T46 finish and the $3,750 he needed to finish in the 25th slot after starting the week at No. 20.

“Those words (of my son) were an inspiration for me all day,” the elated Quinn said afterwards.

Fran Quinn was one of 25 players to sign the Top 25 flag at the end of the day.

Fran Quinn was one of 25 players to sign the Top 25 flag at the end of the day.

While Quinn was fortunate to remain in the Top 25, another golfer named Steve Wheatcroft came into the gold with Every. The 31-year old Indiana University graduate from Indiana, Pennsylvania shot three rounds in the 60s and an even par 72 on Sunday to finish T3, win $58,000 and vault from No. 31 to No. 20.

In the tough reality of championship golf and a limited number of PGA TOUR cards to pass out at the awards ceremony late Sunday afternoon when two come in two have to go out.

Along with Brian Stuard who started at No. 23 Alastair Presnell the “bubble boy” at No. 25 coming in slipped to No. 28 despite a respectable T19 finish.

The big picture of the Top 25 movement for 2009 was that Matt Every (1st) and Steve Wheatcroft (T3) came out of nowhere and surged ahead to No. 10 and No. 20 respectively on the final money list.

Quinn held on for dear life to remain in the Top 25 while Stuard and Presnell were bumped out despite reasonable finishes in the Tour Championship at Daniel Island.

Welcoming entrance to the Daniel Island Club for the 2009 Nationwide (now Web.com) Tour Championship.

Welcoming entrance to the Daniel Island Club for the 2009 Nationwide (now Web.com) Tour Championship.

Daniel Island was the perfect place for the championship with the difficult “U.S. Open Doctor” designed Ralston Creek course, superb facilities and near perfect weather. The winning score of 21-under par on the 7,446 yard par 72 masterpiece was due surprisingly to a lack of wind in this beautiful coastal community. Generous fairway widths in the landing zones despite the deep Rees bunkers was also good news for the bombers.

The winding 557-yard par 5 9th hole with water right off the tee and water short left of the green on the second shot was an exciting finishing hole. A perfect drive meant an opportunity to reach the green in two and possibly make eagle.

The beauty of the grounds with the purplish hue to the whimsical vegetation and the majestic clubhouse setting on high ground to the left as the player walks down the 18th fairway for the last time on Sunday afternoon.

Imagine the thoughts, feelings and emotions of Michael Sim as he completed perhaps the most dominant season ever on the Nationwide Tour.

Or Matt Every who triumphed as Nationwide Tour Champion just in time to catch the train to the PGA TOUR for 2010.

The informal hospitality of the Low country and that of Daniel Island was certainly evident on the grassed plateau behind the clubhouse. Overlooking the vast marsh the view is literally endless with natural beauty as far as the eye can see.

An open hospitality tent designated the 19th hole provided spirits and musical tunes to dance to as the evening sun set over the marshland.

Jerry Foltz, the broadcasting face of the Nationwide (now Web.com) Tour, mc'd the tour card presentation ceremony.

Jerry Foltz, the broadcasting face of the Nationwide (now Web.com) Tour, mc’d the tour card presentation ceremony.

On Sunday afternoon the festivities were taken inside the large ballroom where Golf Channel Host Jerry Foltz emceed the final chapter of the Quest for the Card series where the 25 golden graduates of the 2009 Nationwide Tour receive their official 2010 PGA TOUR card.

The graduation ceremony started with 25 empty chairs on stage draped in the numbered gold caddie bibs. One by one the successors are introduced and come across the stage to shake hands with Bill Calfee, President of the Nationwide Tour and Jim Lyski, Chief Marketing Officer for Nationwide.

Better than a high school or college graduation, this ceremony utilizes high tech life size portraits of each golfer with a twirling PGA TOUR card framing the background for the handshakes and presentations. There is no pomp and circumstance playing over and over again.

Family and friends whoop it up a bit as each player is introduced. This ceremony being the culmination of the hard work of a year or of a career brings out the emotions and tears of joy especially for the successful bubble boys and streakers like Every and Wheatcroft.

The joyous gathering spilled out to the grassy plateau where Jerry Foltz continued the festivities recognizing a Nationwide Tour volunteer for the past 31 years in a very inspiration manner.

Lady Lainey and her new car exemplify the family spirit of The Golf Channel and the Nationwide (now Web.com) Tour.

Lady Lainey and her new car exemplify the family spirit of The Golf Channel and the Nationwide (now Web.com) Tour.

Lady Lainey drives to many tournaments from her home in South Carolina. Her car with over 300,000 miles on the odometer has seen better days. A grassroots collection was taken up with contributions received from players, caddies, other volunteers, and the media among others to purchase her a new car so she could continue her volunteer activities.

Though she did not leap on the car like Rich Beem did when he aced the 14th hole at Riviera in the 2007 Northern Trust Open Lainey was obviously moved by the outpouring of love and respect for all she has accomplished in a humble manner the last 31 years.

The celebrations on the grassy plateau continued on into the darkness on Sunday evening with hugs and kisses and pictures and toasts occurring nonstop for a few hours as players, caddies, family, friends and fans milled around enjoying the special moment.

Want to experience the Nationwide Tour family up close and personal? Make plans to attend the 2010 Nationwide Tour Championship at the Daniel Island Club in Charleston, South Carolina.

I was like a kid on Christmas morning amongst the purple pageantry of the Daniel Island Club.

I was like a kid on Christmas morning amongst the purple pageantry of the Daniel Island Club.

I was like a kid that simply could not wait for Christmas morning to come. An opportunity to play the Ralston Course with exactly the same setup of the tour players was granted to me for which I am extremely thankful. My peg was in the ground at 8 a.m. walking and playing in a twosome with a distinguished member named Richard.  He was distinguished to me in that it was immediately evident he loved the game and cherished the walk in the park we would surely enjoy over the next few hours.

Off we went with me playing from the tips a la my friend Sir Walter’s way… go to the back of the back tee, take one step with your right foot, then another step with your left, bend over and put the tee in the ground at the tip of your left shoe.

Wait a minute, this course measures 7,446 yards. Even for a 7-handicapper that is quite the challenge. Especially for a 7-handicapper who doesn’t get out as much as he use to. It is definitely try what they say about being in the golf business—you do play less golf.

I lied about my drives carrying 270 and rolling to 300... this one stopped well short of 250!

I lied about my drives carrying 270 and rolling to 300… this one stopped well short of 250!

The key to being able to play a golf course of this length is having the fairways hard and fast so the ball rolls like crazy. That is the only way my 260 yard drives will ever stretch to the needed 300 yards. Looking back the length of the golf course was not overwhelming to me. It was long and I did hit every club in my bag. I was hitting the ball extremely solid and straight for the most part.

On the four par-3s I hit two hybrid 4 irons and two drivers to carry the marsh on the 250-yard 9th hole and to carry the water into the wind on the 227-yard 12th hole. I bogeyed No. 9 pulling my drive way left though I two-putt for par on No. 12.

On the par-5s after reasonable second shots I hit 6-iron, 8-iron and pitching wedges into Nos. 6 and 18. I played the par-5s one over par and the par-3s two-over par sadly three-putting No. 15 from 30 feet.

The heart of the Daniel Island Club like any golf course is the 14 par-4s which bring the designer’s challenge and intrigue into play. The shortest iron I had into any par-4 was an 8-iron on No. 17 which I played from the back tees at 368 yards. The longest was a 3-wood into No. 10 playing 468 yards into the wind.

The green at the par-3 third hole.

The green at the par-3 third hole.

With Richard as a wonderful playing companion I started off well with hybrid 3-irons into the par-4 Nos. 1 and 2 and coming away with par. Thinking I was off to a good start with the third hole a par-5 coming up I pulled out my 3-wood to advance the ball as far as I could on the second shot on the 618-yard hole. A quick swing trying to hit the ball from the top of my backswing resulted in a duck hook that rolled to a stop in the left fairway bunker.

Now I was in Rees Jones country—a fairly deep fairway bunker with 160+ yards to the hole over water and the front part of the bunker. Another quick swing resulted in a top shot that encountered the signature Jones grassed finger trying to escape the bunker.

With the ball still in the bunker I was challenged with the same shot only ten yards shorter. Trying to calm myself down a bit I exchanged my 6-iron for a 7-iron. Taking a deep breath I made a perfect swing with the ball rising over the lip of the bunker, carrying the water, covering the back left flagstick all the way to the hole.

 I chipped delicately from slightly past the putting surface from light Bermuda rough with an 8-iron. The challenge of disaster had passed as I tapped in for a bogey. Still a good start one over par after three holes.

The marsh views are spectacular and make for a memorable experience no matter how good one's golf game is that day playing the Daniel Island Club.

The marsh views are spectacular and make for a memorable experience no matter how good one’s golf game is that day playing the Daniel Island Club.

After a hybrid four iron to 30 feet and a two-putt regulation par on the 188-yard par-3 4th hole disaster struck quietly but soundly on the 402 yard par-4 5th hole.

My drive right landed in another fairly deep fairway bunker. Failing to get my 8-iron I managed to escape barely with a 9-iron. Granted I am not the most skilled fairway bunker player but I am not bad. There is something about these bunkers that subtlety pull you into misjudging the lie or height needed to escape in a routine manner.

A skulled wedge over the green left me with a snarly heavy Bermuda rough lie that I was fortunate to get up near the green only to mischip and two-putt my way to a quadruple bogey 8- a snowman on a warm Charleston morning.

So much for the good start at least score wise. Though battered a bit I felt confident this was still my day. After parring the par-5 6th hole I drove right again on the par-4 458-yard 7th. Forced to punch out with a 5-iron I wedged to the green only to lip out a 40-footer and make bogey.

After a perfect drive on the 395-yard dog-leg-left par-4 8th hole the beauty of the Daniel Island Club unfolds with a vast marsh to the left of the fairway. The marsh goes forever necessitating a carry over it on the long par-3 9th hole.

The openness continues the full length of the 468-yard par-4 10th hole and then simply expands in all directions. To the north along holes nos. 11, 12, 13, and 14, To the east as far as the eye can see. If the marsh was an ocean you would be at the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland.

What a feeling to be in awe of these natural surroundings.

The par-3 ninth hole with a intimidating carry over the marsh.

The par-3 ninth hole with a intimidating carry over the marsh.

A good par on the 8th and the previously mentioned driver over the marsh pulled to safety left on the 9th and I carded a plus-7 43 on the front nine holes. Not bad but I played really well though the score does not indicate it.

I hit a pro long bunker shot from the short right bunker on the 10th green only to miss a 6-footer for par. Other than that putt and a similar 6-footer for par on No. 9 and the 3-putt on No. 15 I putted well all day.

An alligator-less par on the 583-yard par-5 11th hole and a solid driver par on the par-3 12th got my round back to stable condition. Another plus-1 start over the first three holes. I was determined to post a good score on the back nine possibly break 40 for my normal low 80s posting.

Though this was not a normal course. At 7,446 yards it carried a rating of 77.3 and a slope of 143. Who said only Pete Dye was diabolical? Honestly thought the course played fairly with no tricked up holes. Only solid well designed good golf holes coming at you.

I made a good par on the dog-keg-left par-4 467-yard 13th hole. Driving left I hit a flyer with a hybrid 4-iron that just kept rolling and rolling down the firm fairway. A nice chip and tap in gave me confidence.

Plus the back nine holes were the ones I covered for the Golf Channel so I knew them well. I had seen some great golf shots over four days. In fact, I have seen a lot of good golf shots at over 40 PGA TOUR events in the last two years.

Not that I am one of them but I have seen and know how it can be done. Get the ball in the hole however you can—great drive, recovery shot, long putt whatever just get it in the hole in as few strokes as possible and there you have the game of golf.

The par-3 15th hole at the Daniel Island Club.

The par-3 15th hole at the Daniel Island Club.

A key to success for my back nine performance came after I pulled a 6-iron in the left bunker on the par-4 424-yard 14th hole. I had to carry 30 feet of sand, an embankment to a near sided hole location.

An honest assessment is that I did not have the skills let alone the lie to carry that shot off. I played out sideways and two-putted from 30 feet for a “good” bogey.

Two over after five holes on the back nine with a par-3, tough par-4, short par-4 and the par-5 finishing hole left I started to actively think about how good it would be to break 40.

Distracted I three-putted the 15th after a nice hybrid 2-iron to 30 feet. There’s nothing worse than a 3-putt to kill the mojo on a golf course.

Now I had the toughest hole of the Nationwide Tour Championship in front of me—a 450-yard par-4 dog-leg-left with water all the way down the left side with bunkers right.

After a solid drive I hit a hybrid 4-iron to 25 feet and drained the putt for my only birdie of the day. What a treat to birdie the toughest hole on the golf course. Richard was beginning to think maybe I was a pro disguised as a golf writer if there ever could be such a thing.

I tried to step up an 8-iron from 140 yards on No. 17 and fell short hitting the bank and rolling back in the bunker. Though I did not get my bunker shot all the way to the green I did perform well with a delicate chip and tap-in bogey.

Four bogeys and a birdie on the back nine. With a par on the closing par-5 I will shoot a respectable 39 on the back nine.

After a drive and a lay-up hybrid 4-iron my wedge fell short of the ridge protecting the back hole location I was faced with a difficult two-putt from 60 feet. The lag putt almost went in and left with a tap-in par for 39.

The 18-hole score of 82 putt a smile on my face.

The Top 25 Class of 2009!

The Top 25 Class of 2009!

Though no Top 25 finish or 2010 PGA TOUR card awaits this golf writer it was a fantastic round to play the course after seeing the professionals compete for four days.

I guess I should keep my day job if only I had one.

Daniel Island Club—Charleston’s in-town country club amidst a remarkable planned community.

Only a dream for some but if you can make it a reality I would highly recommend doing it. Did I mention the “other” golf course there is the Tom Fazio designed Beresford Creek?

 By the way I did drive over the bridge a few times with the top down.

 I think it’s a new replacement bridge but quite spectacular with its twin towers and streaming cables. 

 With great sadness, I leave the Charleston area for now.

 Remember if you can; catch the Nationwide championship there in 2010.

With Michael Breed, Bill Calfee, Stephanie Sparks and Curt Byrum. It was a memorable time at the Daniel Island Club!

With Michael Breed, Bill Calfee, Stephanie Sparks and Curt Byrum. It was a memorable time at the Daniel Island Club!

Filed Under: "Play-Write" Golf Courses, East Coast Golf Journey