Arg's Travel Log

[Argonne69]

Rock City Gardens. Yes, it's a total tourist trap, but the barns say you have to go. It's also trippy as heck once you descend into the Fairyland Caverns. Willy Wonka can't hold a candle to this. Lol. I visited the place 50 years ago, and it brought back some good memories of traveling with mom and dad. Unfortunately the weather is rather crummy today, so the views of 7 states was more like 2 states. 

 

 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/679vyk7g8ckbat8/AABnKjq-GEoWXGlieLA3heZSa?dl=0

 

 

Edited November 18, 2021 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

Point Park, the site of the Civil War's Battle of Chattanooga (Lookout Mountain) 

 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/t4snrydu0cshevd/AADuw4LyPpOkvJLWMjcUT4pQa?dl=0

 

[Argonne69]

Chattanooga Terminal Station. At its peak the station served 50 trains a day. It was operated by Southern Railway. The last passenger train departed on August 11, 1970. It was saved from the wrecking ball and now hosts a hotel (Chattanooga Choo Choo) and other retail and entertainment establishments. There is a rag tag collection of vintage passenger cars behind the station. 

 

 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/s8auow03uckxkmv/AADyiXzhmSANtLeo0Azsh21Ga?dl=0

 

 

[Argonne69]

Godfather Death Belgian Quad and Wicked Crone Imperial Pumpkin Ale at OddStory Brewing. Small selection, but a good variety. 

 

 

[AltC]

Just read through your journey so far and will be following from afar, your golf and beer exploits. Best of luck for the trip very jealous - enjoy.

[Argonne69]

I made it to Asheville after a rather stressful drive from Chattanooga. There must have been a big accident on I-40 east of Knoxville, because both my GPS units sent me on an offroad adventure on US-25. How bad could a US highway be? OMG. Two lanes of twisty roads with no shoulders and no pullouts. Speed limit was 55 in most stretches, but with the sharp turns I was down to 35 mph at times. Then there was the fun of the 8% downgrade. Sheesh. What should have taken 4.5 hours wound up taking 6. I wasn't in any particular hurry, but I didn't really need a white knuckle adventure this early in the trip.

 

Overnight temps are going to be below freezing, so I booked a late morning round tomorrow at Omni Grove Park. 'Should be in the low 40's when I tee off.

 

[hammergolf]

2 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

I made it to Asheville after a rather stressful drive from Chattanooga. There must have been a big accident on I-40 east of Knoxville, because both my GPS units sent me on an offroad adventure on US-25. How bad could a US highway be? OMG. Two lanes of twisty roads with no shoulders and no pullouts. Speed limit was 55 in most stretches, but with the sharp turns I was down to 35 mph at times. Then there was the fun of the 8% downgrade. Sheesh. What should have taken 4.5 hours wound up taking 6. I wasn't in any particular hurry, but I didn't really need a white knuckle adventure this early in the trip.

 

Overnight temps are going to be below freezing, so I booked a late morning round tomorrow at Omni Grove Park. 'Should be in the low 40's when I tee off.

 

That’s good practice for when you go to Ireland….. Just imagine the roads about 30% more narrow and having to drive on the other side of the road! 😂

[Argonne69]

A beautiful, crisp fall day in Asheville. It was 40 degrees when I teed off, but the winds were light, and the sun was out, so it felt at least 10 degrees warmer. Lol. 

 

The (Omni) Grove Park Inn is a Donald Ross design, and ranks 13th on GolfWeek's Best in State (North Carolina). Competing again Pinehurst, Pine Needles, and Mid Pines, it has some serious competition. I'd say it deserves a spot on the list. It sits on a wonderful rolling piece of terrain. Plenty of elevated tees and elevated greens. On the card it's quite short at only 6055 yds, but as a par 70 layout with five par 3s it plays longer. The par 4s and 5s are on the short side, but Donald always seems to beat you up with the long par 3s. Not much in the way of fairway bunkering, but the greenside bunkers are classic Ross. The greens are more generous than I was expecting. While not crowned, they were tricky. The holes seem to be built into the side of a hill, so while your eye is telling you there's not much break, the ball is peeling away 4 ft. Uphill putts were uber slow, and downhill putts slick. 

 

Conditions were playable. A little wet, and the leaves were a bother. Pace was excellent. The starter let me play the empty back nine first, so I shaved an hour off the round. Tough walk, especially the back nine. Similar to Eagle Creek with the up and downs. 

 

Not much of a swing today. Playing in 4 layers is never easy. No birdies, four bogies, and a double. Greens left me baffled all round. 

 

I'll give the course five cows. It's quite short if you're a long hitter looking to use your driver. Doesn't quite stack up against the better full length courses. The greens do provide plenty of challenge. That said, it's a beautiful layout, and there doesn't appear to be many better public courses in the area. 

 

I'll post more photos when I get a WiFi connection. 

 

 

Edited November 20, 2021 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

The Omni Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC 

 

 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l25k5j52brv5fjq/AACh9GHxbKkEyTgop5zXHTaka?dl=0

 

[Argonne69]

DSSOLVR Brewing in Asheville. Plenty of sours if you're in to them. 

 

For me it's a barrel aged Black is Beautiful imperial stout and a sample of the Cannibal Supernova spicy fruited mead. Quite the kick. 

 

 

 

Asheville seems to be a brewpub hotspot. I count 14 within a mile of DSSOLVR. Should be a fun afternoon. 

 

Edited November 20, 2021 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

Thirsty Monk Pub & Brewery. If you like Belgian style, and I sure do, this is a definitely stop. 

 

 

 

[hammergolf]

3 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

The Omni Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC 

 

 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l25k5j52brv5fjq/AACh9GHxbKkEyTgop5zXHTaka?dl=0

 

One of my very good friends owns the resort. Love the place!

Edited November 20, 2021 by hammergolf

[Argonne69]

A relaxing day off in Asheville. I started with a drive to the Biltmore Estate. 'Figured I'd get a little exercise walking the grounds. $129, and no entry to the inside until after 7 pm? Lol. Pass. $495 to play Pebble Beach is fine, but I'm not paying $100+ to walk in someone's house. 😁

 

Off to Wicked Weed Brewing for a tasty Belgian quad. After that I spent an hour walking the downtown area before heading to the Blue Ridge Parkway for a nice scenic drive. I drove a stretch of the parkway 35 years ago, and it's still a pleasant way to get away from the hustle of urban life. 

 

 

 

Off to Chapel Hill tomorrow. I'll play Duke University GC on Tuesday, and UNC Finley on Wednesday before heading down to Pinehurst for an extended stay. The weather is still not cooperating. Looks like midday rounds this week. 

 

[Phireside]

Loving this. Hope most or all of your rounds are walking with that diet of great food and beer!

 

Let me know when Gamble Sands makes the calendar. Love an excuse to go there if you want company.

[Argonne69]

10 hours ago, Phireside said:

Loving this. Hope most or all of your rounds are walking with that diet of great food and beer!

 

Let me know when Gamble Sands makes the calendar. Love an excuse to go there if you want company.

 

Yeah, walking is my thing, and allows me to indulge now and again. I've played 163 rounds this season, and I've ridden 8 times I believe. 

 

[Argonne69]

Arrived in Durham, and already started planning for Pinehurt. 'Looks like Pinehurst #4 is off the agenda for this trip. Both #4 and #2 require a stay at the resort, so I'd be looking at $620 to play a round. I like a good course, but that's not going to happen. In addition to Mid Pines, Pine Needles, and Tobacco Road, I'm thinking about Mid South, or Southern Pines GC. Thoughts on the two?

 

Edited November 22, 2021 by Argonne69

[JLaws_2929]

I've heard great things about the Southern Pines reno.   It might be worth looking into the stay and play packages for Pine Needles/Mid Pines/Southern Pines.  Especially if you want to squeeze in more than 18 holes in a day.

 

https://www.midpinesinn.com/packages/stay-and-play-packages/

[Argonne69]

7 minutes ago, JLaws_2929 said:

I've heard great things about the Southern Pines reno.   It might be worth looking into the stay and play packages for Pine Needles/Mid Pines/Southern Pines.  Especially if you want to squeeze in more than 18 holes in a day.

 

https://www.midpinesinn.com/packages/stay-and-play-packages/

 

Walking 18 a day is enough for me at this point. Morning temps are going to be near freezing, and with the sun setting so early it's tough to get in 36.

 

I booked Pine Needles for Thursday, Mid Pines on Friday, and Tobacco Road for Saturday. Will likely do Southern Pines or Mid South on Sunday before heading out of town on Monday.

 

[vallygolf]

3 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Walking 18 a day is enough for me at this point. Morning temps are going to be near freezing, and with the sun setting so early it's tough to get in 36.

 

I booked Pine Needles for Thursday, Mid Pines on Friday, and Tobacco Road for Saturday. Will likely do Southern Pines or Mid South on Sunday before heading out of town on Monday.

 

IMO some of the best public golf anywhere, you just booked.  Enjoy it will be an awesome few days.

[Lithovt]

2 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

Arrived in Durham, and already started planning for Pinehurt. 'Looks like Pinehurst #4 is off the agenda for this trip. Both #4 and #2 require a stay at the resort, so I'd be looking at $620 to play a round. I like a good course, but that's not going to happen. In addition to Mid Pines, Pine Needles, and Tobacco Road, I'm thinking about Mid South, or Southern Pines GC. Thoughts on the two?

 

Southern Pines and Mid South are both nice courses I enjoy.  I would say if you love you some Donald Ross then go with Southern Pines.  If you think you will have had your fill of Ross with Pine Needles and Mid Pines and want to change things up a little then go with Mid South. 

[postfold]

 

3 hours ago, Argonne69 said:

 

Walking 18 a day is enough for me at this point. Morning temps are going to be near freezing, and with the sun setting so early it's tough to get in 36.

 

I booked Pine Needles for Thursday, Mid Pines on Friday, and Tobacco Road for Saturday. Will likely do Southern Pines or Mid South on Sunday before heading out of town on Monday.

 

 

Both are fine courses, but I would definitely choose Southern Pines.  One of my very favorite courses and that was before the renovation (which I hope to get to see in April).  It's a beautiful piece of property and a challenging layout.  You'll definitely get in a good hike.  Mid South is a very nice Palmer design with excellent greens -- I forget exactly what it is, some minidwarf bermuda or something.  So much good golf in that area.

 

 

 

 

[mci711]

I am adding Pine Needles to my trip at the end of Winter. Women's US Open this year made it a must play for me. Will be interested in seeing what you think about all of the courses you play there. 

[Argonne69]

I could get used to this. At first glance I thought it was going to be a rough day with morning temps below freezing, and 15 to 20 mph winds. However, it turned out to be a beautiful, crisp fall day. With cloudless skies and plenty of trees to block the wind it was a pleasant day on the links. 

 

Duke University GC today. When I picture North Carolina courses, this type of course comes to mind. In a nutshell this is a no-nonsense parkland layout. No gimmicks, just a solid test of golf. I wouldn't say it's flat, as there are a number of elevated tees and greens, but in general it's fairly level. Fairways are generous, but get a little left or right and you're in the trees/pinestraw. Bunkering was just about right. The fairway bunkers were few, but strategically placed. Greenside bunkers were numerous, and fairly deep. Green complexes were excellent. Generous in size and not tricked up. Plenty of tiering and subtle breaks. Good mix of lengths on the 3s, 4s, and 5s. Water comes into play on a few holes. Two of the 5s are good risk/reward holes with creeks in front of the greens. 

 

Conditions were good. It rained yesterday, so a few low spots were soggy, and a handful of bunkers were on the wet side. However, play was unaffected for the most part. Greens were a touch slow at 10. Probably not getting cut at this point in the season. Pace was wonderful. I felt like the only player on the course, but I did see a twosome a few holes ahead that I never caught. 

 

Rough day with the driver. Generous fairways aside, I was blocking my teeshots all day. I was shocked at how many balls I found, though. Luck of the draw. Two birdies, six bogies, and a double. Even though it felt warm, the ball was just not flying. Took me half a round to accept that I needed to hit one or two more clubs. 

 

Overall I was pleased. The course won't knock your socks off, and doesn't crack the top 5 college courses I've played. However, it's the type of course that I could play on a regular basis, and for me that's saying something. 'Can't recall a single hole that I disliked. I won't call it a must play, but it's worth considering. Six cows. 

 

Edited November 23, 2021 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

Duke University GC, Durham, NC 

 

 

 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5nln2nk0rpghc5s/AAB77J_0snKLr9UIeBuritF4a?dl=0

 

[Argonne69]

Took a short drive through the Duke University campus. 'Pretty. Currently enjoying a nice imperial stout at Beer Study (Durham), a beer hall with 40+ taps of local brews. Good variety if your looking to sample the local craft beer scene. 

 

 

 

UNC Finley tomorrow. I expect a frost delay tomorrow, and with a full teesheet the day before Thanksgiving, it'll likely be a long day. I'll show up early and hope there's a cancelation. 

 

[Argonne69]

Another gorgeous day. With plenty of sunshine, and light winds, it felt at least 10 degrees warmer than the air temperature. As expected there were numerous cancelations at UNC Finley, so I was able to get out 90 minutes before my scheduled tee time. 

 

Another fine North Carolina parkland layout, although I thought Duke was better. The front is fairly flat, but there is some elevation change on the back. Fairways weren't quite as generous as Duke, but still plenty wide. Solid mix of holes. Fairway bunkers were decent, as were the greenside ones. Greens were fairly benign. Par 3s were fairly boring, but the 5s presented a decent challenge. Not much in the way of risk/reward though. 

 

Conditions were playable. A little damp in spots. Bunkers could use grooming. Greens were slow, rolling 9 at best. Pace was was awful to start. It was cart path only, and unfortunately my playing partner and I got stuck behind two foursomes that couldn't find a fairway if they walked the ball out 225 yds and dropped it from knee height. The hikes to and from the cart paths had to be 75 yds on most of the holes. I'll never understand why a group would rush instead of allowing a twosome to play through and be gone. After waiting on every shot for the first four holes we skipped over to the open 6th hole, and had clear sailing the rest of the round. Definitely worth losing two holes. 

 

Another decent round with seven bogies and two birdies. Driver was better behaved, but I paid the price for missing a couple of fairways. The Bermuda rough was brutal in spots. 

 

I'd give the course 5 cows. It ranks a spot higher on GolfWeek's Best in State (North Carolina), but I'd play the Duke course three times as often as UNC. It's not a bad course, but there's no "Wow". It's worthy of a visit, but you won't be blown away. 

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

UNC Finley, Chapel Hill, NC 

 

 

The 430 yd par 4 15th is a beast. Heavy bunkering up the entire right side, and water the entire left side. 

 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/iq3s1jw5hki1j6x/AAA4Ojx2-dbXHIUqEkMQJVwga?dl=0

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

A tasty porter at Carolina Brewery in Chapel Hill. Not much of a selection. Seems most of the brewpubs in the area open at 4 pm, which seems odd given that the day before Thanksgiving is traditionally the 2nd biggest drinking day after New Year's Eve. 

 

Drove through the UNC campus before my round this morning. Not bad, but Duke has it beat. 

 

Off to Pinehurst tomorrow for four days and four rounds. Myrtle Beach after that for at least 5 days. I'll be looking to play True Blue, Leopard's Chase, TPC Myrtle Beach, Hermitage Club, Legends Golf Resort, and Barefoot Resort. 

 

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by Argonne69

[Argonne69]

Another lovely day. A slight frost delay to start the morning, but it was 60 degrees with plenty of sun by the end of the round. 

 

Pine Needles today. Gorgeous. Blowout bunkers, elevation changes, pine trees galore, and diabolical greens. Fairways are generous, but get wild and the bunkers, trees, and pine straw will wreck you. Greens are a good size, but like Pinehurst #2 they're extremely difficult to hold. I hit a ton of them today, but didn't stay on many. Throw in the grain and it was a rough day with the flat stick. Ouch. Excellent mix of 3s, 4s, and 5s. 

 

Conditions through the green were fine. A few teeboxes were a little rough with a little too much sand mix tossed on. The greenside bunkers also needed grooming. Doesn't look like the compacted sand has been raked since the last rain. Lies were thin. Greens were rolling 10 or so. 

 

Rough going out there today. The greens just did me in. I can typically scramble for a number of pars, but I was baffled today. One birdie, nine bogies, and a double. 

 

Score aside, this is a wonderful course. It ranks #44 on Golf Magazine's Top 100 Public list. I can see why. Must play. Seven cows. 

 

 

I'll post the full photo set after dinner. Happy Thanksgiving. 

 

[Argonne69]

Pine Needles GC, Southern Pines, NC

 

 

 

 

Full photo set: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8b3slvi0h93lves/AADZEPXpU9u0VqchvBmcx70Da?dl=0