Beer of the Week

The beer: Alpha Klaus

Brewed by: 3 Floyds Brewing, Munster, Indiana

Description (from the website): "Alpha King’s festive cousin. A big American Christmas Porter brewed with English chocolate malt, Mexican sugar, and tons of strange American hops. The pronounced hop bitterness gives way to flavors of molasses and chocolate from the roasted malt bill."

Would I buy it again? If I were presented with this beer blind, absent any notions of festivity, I would like this beer. It's a solid porter from a well-known and fairly large craft brewery. But this beer has been advertised as a Christmas beer, and I'm sorry, but I'm not seeing it. This is quite literally just a porter, and I can get one of those any time of year. You can't just advertise a plain old porter as a Christmas beer, it's just wrong. I've never had Alpha King, which apparently this beer is related to, but if I were a betting man, I'd wager that this is the same beer with different packaging. Just make sure you don't sell the two beers at the same time and no one will ever notice that they're actually one in the same. That's my conspiracy theory to end the year.

So no, I would not buy this again, despite overall quite enjoying it. I'd rather spend my money on something worse that actually tried to be festive.

Ranking The Golf Courses I Reviewed In 2024

Happy Boxing Day!

Another year of golf has come and gone, and as I've done for the past 8 years now, it's time to take a look back at the golf courses I've reviewed over the past 12 months. Well, mostly, because for the first time, we have an omission; in November, I reviewed the front nine at Schenectady Municipal, but it's not going to appear on this list. I didn't play the entire course, so I don't think its fair to make it stand along a bunch of courses where I did get the full experience. Who knows, maybe the back nine is the greatest group of golf holes ever devised? I don't think it is, but I think the point stands. If you're curious though, I think I'd place it between the 11th and 10th spots.

Anyway, on to the reviews.

16. The Links at Gettysburg

The third hole at the Links at Gettysburg.

The fifth hole.

The seventh hole.

The eighth hole.

It isn't often that I can find nothing positive to say about a golf course. This is one of those times. I went into my round thinking that the Links at Gettysburg was the worst golf course I'd ever played, and when I left, I was certain of it. This course is a godawful waste of space (not to mention a waste of the cool red rocks scattered throughout the property) and I hate every inch of it. If I never see or hear about it for the rest of my life, it'll be too soon.

The twelfth hole.

The thirteenth hole.

The sixteenth hole.

The eighteenth hole.

Find my review here and here.

15. South Mountain Golf Course

The second hole at South Mountain.

The third hole.

The fifth green.

South Mountain Golf Course is not what anyone would deem impressive. It's a simple 9-hole course with only basic maintenance; only the greens are watered, for example, which makes the course run very hard and fast in the summer. You don't need to be very good to get around, and you don't really need to think either. There's no way I could put South Mountain any higher up. But before you write it off entirely, just remember, it only costs $10 to play. For that price, I don't ask for much, and South Mountain more than provides. It's a nice little family-friendly course, and it would be a terrible shame if it were to go away. This is the sort of golf course we need more of. Save South Mountain Golf Course! 

The seventh hole.

The eighth green.

Find my review here.

14. Great Cove Golf Club

The first hole at Great Cove.

The fifth hole.

The ninth hole.

We've got another example of "well, it isn't very good, but at least it's cheap." Great Cove is technically a step up from South Mountain in terms of maintenance and design, but not much of one. Plus, it is 18 holes, and it can be played for as little as $25. Like I said, if you can provide a cheap product, I'm willing to overlook the flaws. Plus, Great Cove has some decent views. I maintain that 17 is a terrible hole, but it doesn't ruin the round, so I can move past it.

The tenth hole.

The twelfth hole.

The seventeenth hole.

The eighteenth hole.

Find my review here and here.

13. Blue Ridge Shadows Golf Club

The first hole at Blue Ridge Shadows.

The third hole.

The seventh hole.

The ninth hole.

If the entirety of Blue Ridge Shadows was on the level of its front nine, it would be noticeably higher on this list. Upper top ten. The golf isn't amazing, but I would term the front nine as pretty solidly above average. The back nine is a different story, particularly the last five holes. Those are a catastrophe on the order of Links at Gettysburg; the fourteenth in particular is an affront to nature and good golf design. So much so that I ranted about it for nearly 500 words in my full review. I won't repeat it here, but needless to say, the closing stretch at Blue Ridge Shadows is sorely letting the course down. At least the place is cheap.

The tenth green.

The eleventh hole.

The fifteenth hole.

The eighteenth hole.

Find my review here and here.

12. The Bridges Golf Club

The second hole at The Bridges.

The sixth hole.

The ninth hole.

The Bridges is the epitome of "average golf course." It's got a couple of decent holes, it's got a couple weird holes, but overall it provides a thoroughly pleasant environment for the average golfer to ply their trade. This is the sort of course you go when you just want to play golf with friends, not if you want to play seriously. And that's fine, those sorts of courses have every right to exist. But at the same time, while technically it is a better course than the more wildly uneven Blue Ridge Shadows, I'd be more inclined to play there than the Bridges again. This is the golf course equivalent of a loaf of cheap white bread.

The tenth hole.

The twelfth hole.

The fifteenth hole.

The sixteenth hole.

Find my review here and here.

11. The Fairways of Half Moon

The third hole at Fairways of Half Moon

The fourth hole.

The seventh hole.

Everything I just said about The Bridges? It goes for this course as well. The only difference is that the back nine does have a couple of quirky holes that I do like and actually remember. The par 5 playing about 300 feet uphill is a highlight ... not a good hole, but a highlight nonetheless. Otherwise, this is also an average, fairly user-friendly sort of golf course that costs slightly more than I'd like but not to the point where you feel you're getting robbed.

The twelfth hole.

The thirteenth hole.

The sixteenth hole.

The seventeenth hole.

Find my review here and here.

10. Beaver Creek Country Club

The first hole at Beaver Creek.

The fourth green.

The sixth green.

The eighth green.

The ninth hole.

I think, if I were being completely fair, Beaver Creek would be a spot or two higher than this. It really isn't that good a golf course. The greens aren't interesting, being of the "small oval mildly sloped in one direction" ilk, and the preponderance of pines with limbs coming almost to the ground means that missing fairways is a bad idea. Accuracy matters a lot more here than distance.

But of course, Beaver Creek was my home course for 5 years. Maybe it's a bit of the old Stockholm syndrome, but this was my mediocre, tree-lined golf course, and I can't speak too ill of the place. I liked playing here, and I kind of miss it.

The eleventh hole.

The twelfth hole.

The sixteenth hole.

The eighteenth green.

Find my review here and here.

9. Legends Golf Resort - Moorland

The second hole at Legends - Moorland.

The third hole.

The fifth hole.

The ninth hole.

Moorland is the very epitome of trying too hard. The course is actually not particularly long at 6,700 yards, but that hardly matters as PB Dye has quite literally thrown every trick in the book at Moorland. It's not devoid of fun or charm, and there are some good holes, but some of the others go a little too far in their efforts to protect par. Despite being on the shorter side, this is very much not a beginner-friendly golf course, nor is it kind to those among us with weak short games. Honestly, were it not for the fact that there's plenty of width to work with (most of the time), this would be in Links of Gettysburg territory. It really does straddle the line, but I think there's enough good stuff to keep it out of that ignominious tier.

The tenth hole.

The thirteenth hole.

The fifteenth green.

The sixteenth hole.

Find my review here and here.

8. Sly Fox Golf Club

The second hole at Sly Fox.

The sixth hole.

The eighth hole.

Sly Fox is the definite winner of this year's "better than I thought it would be" award. Front Royal, Virginia hadn't offered too much in the way of solid golf before I played this course, and while the first few holes here didn't too much for me, once you get through the first third of the round, you're in for a surprisingly good time. There's plenty of nice land movement and the par 5s that rise and fall like waves on a stormy sea are fun, but the greens really steal the show. Obviously, I don't want to get anyone too excited, but if you're about to start on a tour of Shenandoah National Park and you've got some time to kill, Sly Fox is the best course to play. It's a lot better than the other local options.

The tenth green.

The eleventh hole.

The fourteenth hole.

The sixteenth hole.

Find my review here and here.

7. Dauphin Highlands Golf Club

The first hole at Dauphin Highlands.

The second green.

The fourth hole.

The ninth hole.

In general, Dauphin Highlands is a solid, mildly upscale daily-fee course; the sort of place that foursomes love to play on Saturday afternoons. Not too expensive, not too difficult, with some interesting designs and strategies. There are even some interesting greens, though not enough to warrant placing this course any higher. That said, there isn't really anything special going on here. Dauphin Highlands is kind of the golf course equivalent to a nice sit-down chain restaurant: You know you'll have a perfectly good time, but there isn't anything special on the menu. Also, the sixteenth hole is just not good, which also doesn't help Dauphin Highlands' cause.

The eleventh hole.

The fourteenth hole.

The sixteenth hole.

The seventeenth hole.

Find my review here and here.

6. Albany Country Club

The first hole at Albany Country Club.

The third hole.

The eighth hole.

The ninth hole.

I think "stern" is as good a word as any to describe Albany Country Club. Robert Trent Jones liked to build his courses pretty tough, and Albany certainly fits that mold. This is a good course though, a classic parkland layout negotiating interesting land. The greens are solid, there's plenty of strategy throughout, and while the course is quite difficult, it's never in an unfair or annoying way. Water only shows up a few times, and it's always well used. It isn't difficult to end the round with the same ball you started with, which is something I greatly appreciate in a golf course. If it can be forgiving for the high handicapper while being a tough challenge for the low handicapper, all the better. That said, Albany isn't really a golf course with a lot of charm to it, or one with a sense of humor. It's good, but a bit joyless.

The tenth hole.

The twelfth hole.

The fifteenth hole.

The seventeenth green.

Find my review here and here.

5. Worthington Manor Golf Club

The second hole at Worthington Manor.

The fourth hole.

The sixth hole.

The ninth hole.

Everything Dauphin Highlands did, Worthington Manor does a bit better. It's that same sort of upscale daily-fee course laid out over rolling, open countryside, and while the price is a bit more here, I do think it's worth more. Conditions are better, the design is better, the greens are better, this is a genuine contender for best golf course in Frederick County. That isn't a particularly heated contest, as the only other course on this level is PB Dye, but still, Frederick County has quite a few golf courses and Worthington Manor is absolutely better than almost all of them. Really, other than a couple of awkward holes, I can't really say much about Worthington Manor other than that it feels fairly safe. It's good, but not particularly memorable or exciting.

The eleventh hole.

The twelfth hole.

The fourteenth hole.

The seventeenth hole.

Find my review here and here.

4. Wilmington Municipal Golf Course

The third hole at Wilmington Municipal.

The Volcano fourth hole.

The sixth hole.

The ninth hole.

In a perfect world, every golfer would have a Wilmington Municipal at their disposal. Affordable, architecturally interesting, playable for golfers of all skill levels, and above all else, easily walkable. Wilmington Municipal is even blessed with sandy soil, which is something not a lot of golf courses can boast. 

Donald Ross certainly did his best bringing municipal golf to the United States, and I will always highly appreciate each and every one of his public golf courses. They are treasures in their own way. That said, Wilmington Municipal is decidedly in the middle, quality wise, when it comes to Ross's public works. The big weakness of this course is how easy it is off the tee; you rarely ever have to think about anything other than slugging driver. Some additional, well-placed fairway bunkers would definitely elevate this course. I still really, really like Wilmington Municipal and find the whole place immensely appealing, but let's not get too carried away.

The twelfth hole.

The thirteenth green.

The sixteenth hole.

The seventeenth hole.

The eighteenth hole.

Find my review here and here.

3. True Blue Golf Club

The third hole at True Blue, with its island green.

The fourth hole.

The eighth hole.

The ninth hole.

Mike Strantz golf courses occupy two of the top three spots this year, which I think is completely reasonable. You may not like everything he did, but you absolutely cannot say he didn't try his best to make his designs interesting and memorable.

True Blue is an excellent 15-hole golf course. The fairways are rumpled and undulating, the enormous waste bunkers are attractive and appealing, and the greens are varied and interesting – though not as standout or dramatic as Royal New Kent's. The par 5s are a particular strength here as well, certainly one of the best sets I've played – the only course I can think of with a definitively better group is Leatherstocking. That said, one of Strantz's apparent weaknesses as a designer is an inability to close out a round, and the last three holes here do not fit in well with the course that came before. Also, I feel like True Blue is similar to Royal New Kent in general concept, but Royal New Kent has the advantage of natural elevation change. Or maybe more earth was moved. Either way, True Blue lacks dramatic land movement, and while the smaller microcontours and enormous bunkers can somewhat compensate, they can't fully provide the thrills of properly rugged land. 

The tenth hole.

The twelfth hole.

The fourteenth hole.

The fifteenth hole.

The sixteenth hole.

Find my review here and here.

2. Legends Golf Resort - Heathland

The second hole at Legends - Heathland.

The fifth hole.

The eighth hole.

The ninth hole.

Of course the Tom Doak course, even a Myrtle Beach resort course from early in his career, was going to be very high up on this list. The guy is simply very, very good at designing golf courses. 

That said, while Doak's talent certainly shines through throughout the round, one can't help but get the impression that Heathland is generally fighting with one hand tied behind its back. Which is fine if you want a generally solid resort course, one that's interesting throughout but never truly great. Heathland flatters the golfer, at least as much as a golf course can. There's some similarity with Wilmington Municipal, and while I'm obviously giving the architectural nod to Heathland, both courses can struggle to really challenge the golfer consistently. Also, Heathland does finish very well, with the stretch from 15 onward being the strongest on the course. If the rest of the course had been at that quality, Heathland could have taken the No. 1 spot. Alas, it will have to settle for second.

The twelfth hole.

The fifteenth hole.

The seventeenth hole.

The eighteenth hole.

Find my review here and here.

1. Caledonia Golf & Fish Club

The third hole at Caledonia.

The fourth hole.

The sixth hole.

The seventh hole.

The incredibly tiny ninth hole.

It is perhaps a little ironic that, of the three Mike Strantz courses I've played, my favorite is the one where his signature style is least on display. Caledonia is tucked into a pretty small property and there isn't space for some of his particular flair, but what is here feels more classical and old school. I would never confuse this for a Golden Age design, but there is some of that influence.

More importantly, what Caledonia presents is a challenge of appropriate size to the vast majority of golfers. At 6,500 yards, this is not a long golf course, but no one has ever said that Caledonia is too easy. You are almost always being challenged by something, water, sand, trees, but while this course doesn't have a ton of space, there are no narrow holes here. Also, only rarely are you forced to execute a particular shot with no other option. The only big drawback, in my opinion, is that Caledonia has no truly great holes. Plenty of very good holes, but beyond the second shot at 13 (which is preceded by a very pedestrian drive), there's nothing to really move the soul. Still, even without a hole delivering a true knock-out blow, quality wise, Caledonia is pretty easily the best golf course I reviewed in 2024. 

Just don't look at how expensive it is to play.  

The eleventh hole.

The thirteenth hole.

The seventeenth hole.

The eighteenth hole.

Find my review here and here.