Fan Mail!

We just got our first fan mail - and it's international! All the way from St. Andrews - the birthplace of golf.



"I have read quite a few golf blogs and keenly follow most of the discussions taking place and I must confess this is a wonderful blog that you guys have. It is always wonderful to hear about the exploits of fellow golfers on different courses and the best part is that it also serves the purpose of bringing us up to date with most of these wonderful courses which may never have revealed themselves to the rest of the world."



Check out his Web site.

Tot Hill Farm

I am a 15 handicap and Amy is around an 18. Tot Hill Farm is ranked the 7th toughest golf course in America according to Golf Digest. To put that into perspective, Bethpage Black - where they just played the men's U.S. Open, is ranked 6th. I shot 81, Amy shot 84. It seems persistence and practice are finally paying off.

Enough is never enough, so we'll probably play Birdsfoot tomorrow and Sunday once we get home. But, I imagine our disappointment if we fail to become scratch golfers on our home course after playing so well on these extremely challenging courses in Moore County, North Carolina.

Next up for this blog, Amy and I will both be reviewing our scorecards and photos, and providing more commentary on the courses, specifically, rather than this most recent anecdotal drivel. But until then, I highly encourage you to view the pics of Tot Hill Farm here. It's like nothing I've ever seen, and doubt the pictures we took do it justice.

What a way to end what was a memorable, challenging, fun and, in the end, triumphant golf vacation.

Tobacco Road GC

Tobacco Road. Mike Strantz. Elephants buried in the centers of the greens. Fast. Slope of 141. Waste areas, blind shots and thick rough. Rated by Golf Digest as the 10th toughest course in America.

We shot a pair of 85's - saved our best for the best.

Tired. Crispy. Hungry and thirsty. Worth every penny. See more pics here.

Tomorrow, Tot Hill Farm. Mike Strantz designed it, too. Ranked by Golf Digest as the 7th toughest course in America. I forecast a pair of 80's.

Bring it, Mike Strantz.

I Was Misiformed

I don't think Pine Needles is where they shot the movie "Tin Cup" as I'd thought. No where on the course did I face an eagle opportunity if I merely had the guts to hit a three-wood over a lake, down hill, into a green that slopes back toward said lake.

My apologies for passing along erroneous, trivial fodder.

What I did find at Pine Needles ... I'm still trying to put into words. While I struggle, check out the photos here.

For All My Ladies Who Fear the Fairways

Five years ago I viewed golf as a sport that gave me and Jared time apart and one that I was not at all interested in trying – it was his hobby, not mine. I assumed he loved being with just his guy friends and I always loved the opportunity to clean the house without him getting in the way. A few years ago, though, Jared bought me a set of starter clubs thinking I would want to give it a shot. I had always been athletic as I was involved in soccer and tennis, and Jared and I never had a dull moment when we would talk sports. So, I guess he thought I might want to try this mysterious sport of golf. Well, I gave him a fake smile and a thank you as I wondered where we would store this set of clubs to collect dust. Much to my surprise, he ignited a spark in me that I never imagined.

At first I struggled. Jared was very encouraging as he pointed out that I was quickly learning the basics and seemed to be grasping the game. I still wasn’t convinced. I practiced every so often, but mostly at the driving range. The thought of a “big golf course” intimidated me and I tried my best to avoid ever having to play one.

However, I was slowly encouraged to give it a shot and I could just pick up my ball and ride along in the cart if I hated it. As time went on I really started to enjoy the game and the time I got to spend with Jared. We do have our squabbles on the course as each of us gets frustrated with the sport, but overall we are a great support for each other. Jared and I have been paired up with many men that have said, “I’ve tried to get my wife to play, but she’s not really interested.” It makes me really appreciate that Jared was willing to take the time to teach me the game and the patience to put up with my struggles on the course over the last few years.

Here we are in the Pinehurst area of North Carolina. Did I ever think I would be on a vacation that involved six rounds (maybe more) of golf? Absolutely not. Four years ago I thought a tee box was a place where you kept your tees, and here I am at a golf vacation hot spot – and playing golf to boot. A vacation for me used to be the beach and shopping, and I can honestly say I appreciate and enjoy this vacation completely.

The courses here in North Carolina are different. So far, I have enjoyed each of them, though The Carolina was my least favorite. It wasn’t as aesthetically appealing and was more difficult. Not to mention, there were a lot of bugs. Jared didn’t seem to notice, but it was as if every gnat, dragon fly and bee was drawn to me, even though I avoid perfume and hairspray when I get ready to golf.

We played The Pit today and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I had a fairly good round, considering the difficulty of the course and the 90 degree heat. It was quiet and peaceful, which was nice, but it allowed me a lot of time to get inside my own head and think too much. Overall, I was able to make adjustments to have a good round. I am looking forward to the next few days and the courses that are on our agenda. I have realized that it’s important to keep an open mind. The old saying “don’t knock it until you’ve tried it,” sure fits in with my situation. I thought I hated golf, but I had never tried it. I never expected to enjoy a golf vacation, but I love it.

(hyperlinks provided by Jared)

The Pit Golf Links

Today it was The Pit Golf Links - when I have a chance to further research the course, I'll let you know why they named it "The Pit," as the course has a railroad theme as the undertone to a remarkably scenic and playable, yet challenging golf course. I made the mistake of wearing a black shirt on the hottest day we've seen thus far - 91 degrees at 10 a.m., so it made for a difficult round. I thought it'd be OK, since I've seen Mickelson wear black quite a bit, but he has to swing (move) much less than me, so probably stays cooler.

Amy and I were both glad that The Pit was everything the course's accolades claimed, after what we considered a disappointment in yesterday's round at The Carolina. And it never hurts when you rebound and play better, as we did today. The Pit was in much better condition, with soft fairways and greens that ran fast and true (although the greens were a bit hard, and held few shots over a short chip...perhaps the time of year is the reason for this...). Look to your right and click on the Flickr logo for photos - a picture's worth more than my paltry words.

An interesting turn of events - I am relatively good at keeping my composure after a poor shot, while Amy is still working on that old saying, "the toughest shot in the game of golf is the six inches between your ears." Today, however, I got frustrated and bent the shaft of my 5-iron after in skulled one into a marsh. I got stuck in my own head and paid for it...missed several short par putts, and got very inconsistent across the board. Anyone know a good golf club repair shop in the 15222 area?

As I write this, Amy is composing something of her own - she played well and must have been visited by a golf muse. I imagine that she played much better today because she kept her composure (friends, she beat me by a stroke today...). I didn't play well, lost my composure, my muse never showed up - deal with my boring writing today.

Well, this is very random and I just gorged myself with rib eye and king crab legs at The Lob Steer Inn - a recommendation from our friends at Golf Escapes, Inc. They have yet to let us down...we are in an upgraded suite, we haven't gotten lost once, their meal recommendations have been spot on, and I could go on. I anticipate nothing less than a great experience through the second half of this adventure.

Tomorrow, Pine Needles, where I will be certain to repeat the infamous blow up scene from "Tin Cup."

Arnold Palmer Hates Me

We played Arnold Palmer's Carolina Club today, and I'm quite convinced that somewhere along the way, that sweet old man developed a deep resent for me. I can find no other rationale as to why and how he would foresee today's round, and strategically place bunkers and waste areas where half of my shots landed.

The reality is that I just plan stunk today - shanks, fat iron shots, etc. the kind of stuff you can get away with on an easier course, but are imprisoned by on a more challenging one. When I was in the fairways or greenside rough, I played fairly well. Same can be said for Amy.

But, there were few areas to miss.

I suppose it was good to get that one out of the way - a local art dealer in the Village of Pinehurst says The Carolina is the locals' least favorite. Fortunately, the rest of our itinerary ranks high on this peddler's list.

More to follow.

Pinehurst Day One Surprise

The first day of our trip to Pinehurst was intended to be spent in the car, eagerly anticipating a Monday morning start of the golfing fun. However, my lead foot and relatively traffic-free roads allowed us to arrive in time to sneak in an afternoon round. Rather unknowingly, we chose The Legacy. I asked Amy to pick something close to our hotel, and it just happened to be this Nicklaus gem. The greens were shockingly slow, but we played well and, for $37, this little bonus was the perfect way to start our trip - followed by a nice rare Ahi steak at Bonefish.

More to follow, but check out some of the cool Legacy pics here.

Oh - our hotel is the Hampton Inn and Suites. It's only about two years old, spacious, comfortable and clean. But, it feels like we're in The Shining - I think we're the only people here. Fortunately, this week is all play and no work, so Jared will not be a dull boy.

Redrum; Flog.

And finally, not sure if it's ever been said before, but I might have coined a new phrase:

"Amy, golf is a game of good shots and better excuses." - after Amy took a mulligan because she heard someone talking in the distance.

Cheers!

Erectile Dysfunction

I'm not sure if erectile dysfunction an appropriate golf term, but I have it. I noticed over the weekend that I was addressing the ball too upright - or erect - and thus hideously shanking everything rather dysfunctionally. So I have erectile dysfunction in my golf game. Wonder of Pfizer has a little green pill for that. I bet if I were to tell a guy with real E.D. how he could shank everything in sight, he'd call me crazy and then ask how. I digress.

Turns out I didn't need a pill. I was standing too wide, so I was standing too upright so that the club face would be flush to the ball at address. So I closed my legs a bit, bent over a little, and my erectile dysfunction was cured. I wouldn't recommend that for just anybody, but it feels so nice to finally strike an iron stiff again.

My E.D., combined with the fact that I've played nowhere aside from Birdsfoot (review still forthcoming) for the last month or so, has left me little to blog about.

However, we recently got our itinerary from Golf Escapes, Inc. for the upcoming anniversary outing to Southern Pines, NC. If you are planning an outing this year, next year, or in a decade from today, I highly recommend you first get a quote from Golf Escapes, Inc. They are professional, courteous, helpful and, chiefly - they have terrific rates. Our epic review of the Southern Pines trip will likely again pay homage to the Golf Escapes, Inc. staff.

So, we're pretty excited. We aren't playing any of the "real" Pinehurst courses, however, I'll be sure to get a picture of #2's #18, which I believe you can see from the front porch of the club house, along with a group photo of me, Amy and Payne.

But we are playing The Carolina, The Pit, Pine Needles, Tobacco Road and Tot Hill Farm.

I've played The Carolina and The Pit before, and both are quite challenging, but not as aesthetically pleasing as you might think. I've never played Pine Needles, but plan to dunk a few in the water like Tin Cup - which is the primary reason I wanted to play Pine Needles.

Aesthetics alone are Tobacco Road's and Tot Hill Farm's raison d'être on our itinerary. These are less golf courses, and more theme parks and carnivals set up as golf courses. I can't wait to see and share the pictures of these two gems.

It should prove to be quite the challenge in Southern Pines, but at least my E.D. is gone.

For Jim

Amy's grandfather. James, passed away last week after a long bout with cancer. Among many talents and admirable qualities, Jim was the type of golfer I aspire to be. Even into his later years, he still managed what I would guess to be an 8 handicap. He understood that it wasn't about 300 yard drives and power fades. It's just moving the ball forward, and having the hands around the greens. Jim must have had some sense of touch, as his home course was a long one, and he routinely reported scores in the low 80s and even some in the 70s.

I'll miss Jim. I'll miss talking about the game of golf with him, learning how he - some 40 years my senior - could outplay me any day of the week. I'll miss watching PGA tournaments with him while other family members found entertainment through other means. Just this past Easter, we watched the final round of the Masters together while the rest of the family caught up on other things. Everyone seemed to have a special bond with Jim, including me. Ours was golf, although that is a passion he shared with anyone who was willing to talk golf.

Beyond golf, Jim was one of the most understanding, non-judgemental people I've ever met. And without getting into too many details, I've given Jim and the rest of my in-laws plenty of reasons to resent me. Jim was the easiest for me re-approach after I'd made a life error. He had that sage wisdom about him - "kids will be kids" - and I immediately felt comfortable around him, as I did the first day we met and we discussed his service in the Airforce (at that time, I was working as a civilian for the Navy).

I'm sure there are many great qualities that, through heredity, Jim left his family. I see a lot of Jim in Amy's talent and passion for the game of golf. In just three years, her swing is spot on in terms of mechanics, she knows how to manage a course, not just play it, and always strives to do better. I've never seen anyone so disappointed when they come up a few strokes over their target score than Amy. Like many men of his generation, Jim might not have mentioned to Amy how proud he was of her golf prowess (although I cannot say he never did), but I'm sure in his heart he beamed with pride that his loved granddaughter had taken a shine to the game he loved so dearly.

Unfortunately, I never had the chance to play golf with Jim, as he was fairly deep into his illness as we grew closer. But many of his friends and family members speak of the golfer that he was, the golfer - the man - I hope to be, and the golfer that Amy is becoming.

We'll miss you, Jim. And if you find the time, send a few birdies our way.

Struggles Continue

I developed my golf game - we developed our golf games rather - based on a once or twice a week golfing frequency. Since our membership at Birdsfoot, I've started playing about 5 rounds a week and Amy's playing about three. And things are getting worse. Mechanically, it's all there. But playing "loose" - that is, not allowing a week or so for those golf muscles to tighten, is quite an adjustment. We're over swinging and, as a result, losing the groove on the down swing. And I there's not a more difficult glitch to fix than shortening that back swing, especially when everything feels so loose and fluid.

So. I think we're going to take a few days off. We've been playing a ton, which is a lot of the reason why this blog has gone rather stagnate the past few weeks.

I guess another thing worth noting is now that we are members at Birdsfoot, this blog will more than likely be less about various courses, and more about the interesting experiences Amy and I share, and the interesting people we meet when we play. Although we'll still have the occasional round to review, e.g., Pinehurst in June. And we still owe our readers the full review of Birdsfoot. That will likely come in three or four parts, since we know that course so well now.

The course management is in the process of naming all of the holes, and are asking members for suggestions. The best I've come up with is "Eggplant," which I'll explain in a later post. The short of it is that the green is shaped like an eggplant cut in half - imagine the slopes there. And when the pin is near the stem of this eggplant-shaped green, forget about it.

I'll try to pepper that with some fashion, equipment and anecdotal, unqualified pointers and lessons here and there. But do stay tuned.

I believe there's a lot more to golf than 18 holes. Amy and I could both share rousing and tragic tales of par 3s gone awry.

A great golf writer and friend, Chris Rodell (his blog is listed here as one of my favorites) once told me to look for the story that's beyond just the scorecard. Look for the people, the course history, etc. Something that will actually be surprising to a reader. I'm going to steal his philosophy, but doubtful that I'll be as crafty as he.

Until next time, keep on keeping on.

First Things First

We played Birdsfoot again yesterday, as noted, and it was a fantastic adventure - winds at 20 mph that had quickened the previously moist greens, and the rough had grown to U.S. Open length.

At about the 5th hole, my stomach was growling and I could barely focus on the shot at hand. And I had not nearly enough energy to power an 8-iron to the pin.

Simple as it sounds, with all of the preparation we undertake - with cleaning the clubs and making sure our shoes are tightly laced - we often forget one of Maslow's essentials - EAT.

One of my favorites is Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats. They offer five grams of fiber and a variety of flavors - my personal favorite is the Blueberry Muffin flavor, and Amy likes Cinnamon Streusel. On an off note, although my mom doesn't golf, she eats Frosted Mini-Wheats Strawberry Delight like it's going out of style.

And while I consult for them as part of my day job, my love of this cereal is genuine. Pick yourself up a box. You might just save your self a few strokes on the back when the only jitters are from that 3-foot putt for par and not wishing you'd had a nourishing breakfast.

Disclaimer - I work for a consulting agency that represents Frosted Mini-Wheats. I was not paid or otherwise compensated directly by the company to include Frosted Mini-Wheats in this post. I frankly just love the cereal and have come to learn the importance of eating well to playing well.

Lakeview - Jared's Demise

I had been playing relatively well until a men's outing at Lakeview Golf Resort and Spa several days ago.

In preparation for this event, I played about 54 holes at Birdsfoot in 2 days. That was probably my first mistake, as by the time we arrived at Lakeview, my back was so stiff I struggled to even lace up my golf shoes.

I'll write more on my experience - which was a great one - but am off to Birdsfoot today. But in the meantime, check out some of the photos at Flickr.

Tees for Two - Father Son Edition

It's Jared - playing with my Dad and a group of his buddies at Lakeview Golf Resort and Spa in West Virginia. Secretly, I think my dad's just in it for the pedicure...

I'll tweet from the course and upload some pics to the Flickr stream.

This is a pretty nice course from what I understand, and the rates posted online aren't that bad, so Amy and I might play that one before summers' end.

Ciao

Birdsfoot GC

What a great round, and what a great course. More details to follow - so nice, we opted for the membership. See the photos at our Flickr journal or click here.

Birdsfoot

We are playing Birdsfoot today afterall. There was some concern about the weather, but it's looking like a reasonably nice day. I'm not only excited for golf, but we FINALLY got a new camera, meaning our Birdsfoot review will have some of our own photos, and we'll finally be able to get the Flickr photo journal off the ground. Birdsfoot is one of the more scenic courses we're playing in this area, so the new gadget could not have come at a better time...just hoping the weather holds...although that's why God invented plastics.

Laws of Golf

Check out the Laws of Golf by Al Lowe. This is great stuff, and so true. A few of our favorites:

A severe slice is a thing of awesome power and beauty.

During your swing, never think about more than a hundred separate things.

Every time a golfer makes a birdie, he must subsequently make two triple bogeys to restore the fundamental equilibrium of the universe.

To calculate the speed of a player’s downswing, multiply the speed of his backswing by his handicap. Example: backswing 20 mph, handicap 15, downswing 600 mph.

It takes longer to learn to be a good golfer than it does to become a brain surgeon. Of course, you don’t get to ride in a cart, drink beer, smoke cigars and fart while performing brain surgery.

...There are about 100 nuggets like this.

Hope you enjoyed Amy's review of Strawberry Ridge. It looks like we might get rained out at Birdsfoot this weekend, but the weather is less predictable than my draw.

Strawberry Ridge - The View from the Reds

Jared's still processing his thoughts, but here's my take on Strawberry Ridge Golf Course, which we played last Saturday with my dad and sister.

I shot a 91 - which is a decent score for me this early in the season - and, more importantly, had an enjoyable Saturday. It was by far the nicest day of the year thus far ... not too hot, not too cold.

The course seems to be under construction in certain areas, but that does not take away from the scenic views. The course is set amid some of the smaller ridges of the Allegheny Mountains (thus, the "ridge" of the name...however I saw no strawberries), so there are plenty of breathtaking skyline views where green, red and orange foliage meet the bright powder blue skies and pillowy clouds.

I liked that there were no bunkers on this particular course, however that does take away some of the challenge, as there are many water hazards that reflect like a mirror the aforementioned skyline views. I also found the greens to be rather simple to gauge, and absent much variety. Putting was rather easy once I adjusted to the speed - much slower than the greens we experienced at Quicksilver.

The red tees play at 4,588 - pretty short compared to most of the courses I’ve played. However, some of the holes offered quite a formidable challenge at only 200 and 300 yards from tee to green, as many blind tee shots demanded that the drive to carry over ravines and play toward the high side of sloped fairways.

For me, this was a great course to play at the beginning of the season. The lack of bunkers, short distance and relatively flat greens allowed me to focus on strengthening some of my weaknesses in my game without many course obstacles.

Delays at the tees

Life went and got really busy, but the Strawberry Ridge review is in the works.

More good news - since our camera was broken (sadly learned this at Quicksilver), we finally got a new one. So, in the future, we'll have our own photos to post to this site, as well as our Flickr photo journal (link to your right). On the next post, I'll write more about the camera. It's awesome (and cute, says Amy).

The weekend is looking a little iffy in terms of golf weather - we don't mind rain so much, but the weather persons are calling for lightening. See Caddy Shack. Hopefully, the storms will break and allow for a few rounds.

On the horizon, we're looking to play (and review) Birdsfoot, Conley Resort, Lake Arthur and Cranberry Highlands before we go to Pinehurst in June.

Golf and Nicotene

Jared here. So, I quit smoking Wednesday, which should make tomorrow's round at Strawberry Ridge more interesting. Will the absence of nicotene give me a case of the yips? Will my impatience and irritability result in wantiing to finish an hour ahead of pace so I can nap off the tobacco withdrawals? Tune in tomorrow evening to find out. That is if I can steady my hand enough to type.

Upcoming Events and More About this Blog

If you follow the Tees For Two Twitter feed, you'll notice I was tweeting about Strawberry Ridge. I enjoyed the course, personally, and thought Amy would as well. So we'll be playing a round the Saturday morning and posting the he says/she says review shortly thereafter.

Additionally, in re-reading the Quicksilver post and reacting to some offline comments, I wanted to point out that our aim is not to simply relay to you what you can already get by visiting a course's Web site or picking up their score card. That is, we're not going to talk too much about the layout of every hole, or how many total bunkers are on a course...you can find that on their Web sites.

What we aim to provide is the experience - good or bad - that the golf course, not its marketing literature - will provide you. And it's more often than not the experience of a married couple (though I love to see myself write, so I'll likely be chiming in for solo reviews too).

Having said all that, if there is anything else you'd like to know about a specific course, please leave me a comment or send us an e-mail. We take extensive notes and save the scorecards, so I'm more than happy to provide any information you might be seeking, but don't find in our reviews.

Happy hitting.

He Says, She Says - Quicksilver GC Review

After much coding and site aesthetics, we’re finally ready for our first true review: Quicksilver Golf Club. If you’ve followed the Twitter feed, you know it was a challenging round. But at the end, Amy and Jared both appreciated the course. Here are our takes on what we’ve concurred is one of the best courses for the money in the Western Pennsylvania area.

Amy’s Red Tee Perspective

Though Jared is a much more experienced golfer, I still think it is important to provide feedback on course and golf topics from the viewpoint of the red tees. I haven’t had opportunities to golf at major resorts, or take lessons from a golf pro. But I think that’s what makes my opinions genuine and simple. Jared recently posted comments on our experiences at Quicksilver Golf Club in Midway, PA. As Jared wrote, starter Bill Weir helped send off our round on the right foot. He went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable and relaxed as we prepared to take our spot on the first tee, which is an intimidating par 4 with trees on the right and bunkers on the left, lining a narrow uphill fairway to a relatively small green guarded by several deep traps.

As Bill provided general information about yardages and course rules, he warned that this is a challenging course for women. He was not joking. The red tees play 5,003 yards, many of which are accounted for on the monstrous par 5s.

I didn’t have the best round, yet I appreciated the aesthetics of the course and it was good to get a feel for these challenging greens. Surprisingly, putting wasn’t where I struggled. The course was in great shape, though it was disappointing to see that some golfers don’t have the common courtesy to rake the sand traps and repair their ball marks on the greens. This doesn’t reflect on the course groundskeepers, but it is surprising that golf etiquette is so often overlooked at such a pristine golf course. However, the beautiful weather that Saturday welcomed surely brought out a variety of golfers with varying degrees of etiquette understanding.

Overall, I enjoyed playing at Quicksilver, although I hope to improve my game as the season progresses and I begin to iron out some flaws. For the average golfer, this course offers an exciting and scenic challenge, especially with the placement of the many bunkers and the various slopes of the fast-paced greens.

Of course, my favorite part was the GPS system in the cart. Bill Weir was correct in that this is a difficult course, however I would love to have another opportunity to play here and take revenge (and perhaps a lower score) in the fairway.

Jared’s Blue Tee Perspective

In this case, my blue tee perspective is actually from the white tees, which play to 6,389 long yards – ideal for the 10-12 handicaps such as me. The blue tees, at 6,762 yards, would have beckoned me on any other day, but I wanted to enjoy this round and didn’t have the requisite confidence in my driver to tackle the extra yardage. At 7,083, the silver tees were out of the question. So, white tees it was.

Aside from the warm welcoming from Bill Weir, I was immediately most impressed by how well Quicksilver was conditioned for early April in Western Pennsylvania. Aside from a few divots and un-repaired ball marks, the course conditions were impeccable, making for an even more challenging round than I’d anticipated.

I didn’t help myself much though, struggling to keep my tee-shots in the narrow but welcoming fairways. While the rough was kindly cut to about 3 inches, I had the misfortune of finding the many fairway bunkers and tall wooded impediments, otherwise known as trees. The course seems to set up equally well for a draw or fade, neither of which I was able to execute when needed.

When I finally got to the greens, I was amazed at how true the ball rolled and the pace of the greens so early in the season, not to mention that the greens held most low iron shots, even when played from the rough or a fairway bunker where spin is a bit more difficult to generate.

Having played a course earlier in the week that demanded Herculean strength to get the ball to the hole, I struggled with putting through the first five holes or so. But eventually I settled down and started to sink a few putts for par and bogey. That said, I shudder at the thought of Quicksilver’s stimpmeter readings once we hit mid-season – the greens will probably play like buttered glass.

I was able to salvage a decent score with some luck and creativity, but would love to give this course another shot, this time playing to the greens from the fairways. If I had to do it all over again, I’d have hit more 3-woods from the tees to keep the ball in the fairway more often, and deal with the longer approach shot.

All in all, I’d rate this course a 4-star out of a possible five. I’d give it a five out of five, but only if they raise the rates slightly (Saturday was $45/golfer) to keep away some of the less-experienced golfers who don’t understand terms like “ready golf” and “play through.” We finished the round 43 minutes off pace, and the foursome ahead of us had at least two open holes ahead of them early on the front nine. This, my only complaint, is out of the hands of the course managers. Otherwise, kudos to the grounds-keeping staff and, of course, Bill Weir.

We’ll be back to Quicksilver for sure.

Bill Weir, Starter, Quicksilver

Amy and I played Quicksilver Golf Course yesterday, but before we get to the "he says, she says" review, we wanted to send a big "thank you" to Bill Weir, the starter at Quicksilver G.C.

The course was packed, and Bill Weir was - presumably under orders from the pro shop - to get as many golfers out as possible. Unexpectedly, Amy and I found ourselves paired with a couple of younger, obnoxious
guys with bags full of gadget clubs and a cooler full of beer.

I usually don't mind being paired up, but as a relatively new golfer, Amy is a little less comfortable playing with strangers.

So, as is customary, I politely explained the situation to Bill Weir and, without so much as a groan of anxiety, he assured me he'd keep me and Amy solo.

We had to take a later tee time spot, so our intended pairing could go out with the group ahead of us, which was more than a reasonable trade for the joy of Amy and I golfing alone - and a blessing that we'll cover in the review (if you're a Tees for Two Twitter follower, then you know what that's all about).

As we waited for our turn on the tee box, we heard an older gentleman near the practice green grumbling something to the effect of "well, on a day like today, she's just going to have to deal with it!" I turned to see this man was speaking to our beloved Bill Weir.

Fearing the worst, I was shocked when I heard Bill reply, "I understand, but I gave that gentleman my word that he and his wife could go as a twosome." I haven't seen people even close to me "keep their word," but kind old Bill was doing as he'd promised.

Later, as Bill loaded the bags on to the cart, I thanked him and offered him a handsome tip - I'd assumed the disgruntled solo golfer filed a complaint with the course authorities, and wanted to help with Bill's impending need for a retirement fund. He refused the money, and smiled as he finished loading Amy's bag. Finally, after pleading with him, Bill accepted the smallest bill I had in my wallet as a token of our appreciation.

We only knew Bill for a few moments, but he seemed like the type of guy with a lifetime's worth of sage advice and witty anecdotes that would entertain us for hours. Next time we play Quicksilver, I'm going to make sure Bill is working.

In the Bags

As we eagerly await the our first couple's course review - Quicksilver - we felt compelled to keep this blog humming and share our preferred equipment. While I firmly believe that the equipment doesn't entirely make for a better golfer, it sure helps. And, finally, Amy and I have a full arsenal of clubs in which we feel confident.

Amy's Bag:
Ladies' Callaway X 460CC Driver
Ladies' TaylorMade Burner Fairway Metals (3 and 5)
Ladies' TaylorMade Burner Hybrids (4 and 5)
Ladies' Taylor Made R7 Draw Irons (4-SW)
Odyssey White Hot Tour Rossie Putter
Ball: Callaway Pearl

Jared's Bag:
TaylorMade R7 Draw Driver
Cleveland Golf HiBore XL Fairway Metals (3 and 5)
Callaway X-Tour Irons (4-PW)
Titleist Vokey 52-Degree Gap Wedge
Cleveland CG10 56-Degree Sand Wedge
Cleveland Tour Action 900 60-Degree Lob Wedge
Odyssey White Steel 2-Ball SRT Putter
Ball: Titleist ProV1 X or Nike One

We're always open to trying new clubs and other types of equipment as the pocket book permits, but we're pleased with our selections for this season. (Note to manufacturers - We'd love to review your latest and greatest, so feel free to contact us with offers)

I'm sure that, at some point, Amy will chime in on golf course fashions, as she's established a rather handsome wardrobe of LACOSTE shirts, vests, etc., as well as some nifty outerwear for the both of us. And, I'm not ashamed to admit, I kind of like the style too.

As for me, my only golf fashion obsession is Titleist hats - I believe I own no fewer than 20. A good friend of mine once laughed when we unpacked our bags for a golf trip to Scottsdale, AZ upon realizing that I'd packed more Titleist hats than any other garment.

Welcome to Tees for Two

After playing a round at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course near Butler, Pennsylvania, and later discussing the various perks and challenges of the course with my wife, Amy, it occurred to me that we each have differing opinions as to what constitutes a great golf course. Many who are fortunate enough to have a spouse or significant other that also enjoys this great game of golf may have encountered similar situations.

While we ultimately concurred that Pheasant Ridge was, indeed, a fairly nice course for the price, we continue to have differences of opinion - course length, speed and slope of the greens, number of fairway bunkers, length of the rough, etc. - all which contribute to our overall enjoyment of a round of golf.

With that in mind, we are setting out, via this blog, to chronicle the experiences we have at the various golf courses we play. At a minimum, we hope to reflect on these posts as we plan upcoming excursions. And at best, we'll be able to provide similar couples with our perspective on the courses they'd most enjoy.

Our current focus will be on reviews of Western Pennsylvania golf courses; however, we are taking a week-long trip to the Pinehurst, NC area in June, which should surely provide some interesting fodder for this forum. We'll also be playing some courses in Caanan Valley, WV in August as part of a family reunion (no, we are not from WV), but plans are still tentative.

Thank you for reading, and please do feel free to make any recommendations and share your favorite couple's golf experiences.