Beer of the Week

The beer: Creekfestbier Lager

Brewed by: Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company, Croydon, Pennsylvania

Description (from the website): "Traditionally brewed in March just before brewing was banned for the Summer, Märzenbiers are malty, smooth, clean, and rich lagers that have a distinctive malt backbone and complexity for a style that can be so understated. Brewed with German Munich and Pilsen malts as well as German Hallertau and Tettnanger hops, this distinctive brew is conditioned at cold lagering temperatures for five months; some things you just can’t rush. This is a true Oktoberfest offering, one that is prominently featured during our Oktoberfest celebration at the brewery, and at 5.2% ABV it’s a crisp, smooth, and easy to drink beer perfect for the chilly Fall nights ahead."

Would I buy it again?: Yes, I would. As I've mentioned, I enjoy Märzen beers a lot. And it's fall, so they're everywhere. It's extremely drinkable and more importantly, it doesn't taste like a pumpkin just punched me in the face. I know pumpkin beers are popular at this time of year, but I appreciate a fall seasonal beer that isn't pumpkin flavored. Also, this was a pint instead of 12 oz, so that's another extremely good reason to buy this one again

Review: Triggs Memorial Golf Course (Part 2)

It's time for the back nine at Triggs Memorial, go here if you haven't seen the front nine.

The tenth hole is the first of three par 5s on the back nine, and at 513 yards is the longest hole on the course. However, this hole was playing straight downwind, so it was very easily reachable in two. The two bunkers flanking the driving zone weren't a big concern, but the big bunker situated within the confines of the fairway about 50 yards short of the green definitely was. It's easy enough to avoid, of course, but it's extremely threatening. It's got a high, flashed-up face, so it's definitely a place you don't want to be. This hole is still a definite eagle possibility though.

The tenth hole.

That fairway bunker is very conspicuous.

Peeking over the bunker at the tenth green.

The eleventh hole is a short par 4, and in this case, you really can see everything you need to know about the hole from the tee shot. It plays downhill over a small stream, and then back up to the green, fronted by three bunkers. If you can hit a driver 300 yards, I would advise laying up. No need to put your drive into one of those first two bunkers. If you can get over the slope that cuts diagonally across the fairway and onto the right portion of the fairway just before the bunker, your view of the green will be better.

The eleventh hole. There were quite a few people out on the course.

I missed the eleventh fairway by a fair margin.

The twelfth hole is a 200 yard par 3 that plays back over the narrow stream the eleventh hole went across. The stream is about 20 yards short of the front of the green, so a shot that is only slightly short will be okay. And this is not a big stream we're talking about, it's a few feet across at most. But it is there, and it is a hazard. Otherwise, this is a pretty straightforward hole.

The twelfth hole.

The thirteenth hole is a short par 5, about the same length as the third hole, which is a par 4, but they play in opposite directions. This hole also plays in the opposite direction of the tenth hole, so while the thirteenth is 50 yards shorter, it was much more difficult to reach the green in two. The drive has to clear the big fairway bunker if you want to go for the green, not a big deal in calm conditions, but it becomes more problematic into a stiff breeze. Starting around 100 yards from the green is a series of 4 bunkers, staggered on each side. This ensures that whether you're going for the green or not, you'll still have some bunkering to think about. This is definitely one of the best holes on the course.

The tee shot on 13 should clear the fairway bunker.

The thirteenth played into the wind, so two big shots were needed to get home in two.

A slightly closer look at the thirteenth green.

The fourteenth hole is the shortest hole at Triggs Memorial at just under 160 yards. It's a classic drop-shot par 3, there are several bunkers short, left, and right that you don't want to be in, and long isn't exactly a good option either. This is one of those holes where it's either hit the green or work for your bogey.

The short fourteenth hole.

The fifteenth hole is the final par 5 on the back nine, and is just over 500 yards. The tee shot is not exactly inviting, first you have to go over a marsh, the biggest bunker on the course is lurking on the left side of the fairway, and of course, there's OB very close on the right side. If you can negotiate all that trouble, preferably with a fade, you can have a go at the green. The OB (in the form of a high school football field), continues up the entire right side of the hole, and there are three bunkers around the green, which is quite small. While it may be a short par 5, you need to play it cautiously, otherwise you're going to have to put work in to make par.

There's a lot to process when you tee off on 15.

I like the rolling contour of the fairway here.

The fifteenth green.

The sixteenth hole is a short par 4, and it's been a while since we saw one of those. Four holes in a row without a par 4 is quite unusual. The most important part of this hole is the tree in the corner of the dogleg. Your tee shot has to get past it, otherwise you'll be blocked off from the green. The green has a bunker short-left and right. I'd like to tell you how the hole plays when you play the hole "correctly", but I hit a spectacular hook off the tee and ended up next to the twelfth tee. That basically turned this into a straight hole. If I were to play this course again, I'd forget about laying up, pull out the driver and go straight at the green. I admit, that's not the most elegant strategy, but I'm not a very elegant golfer.

The sixteenth hole.

I have to imagine this isn't the route most people take on 16.

The seventeenth hole is a mid-length par 4 at 410 yards. It was playing straight into the wind, so it was playing the full yardage and then some. There are no fairway bunkers, but missing the fairway left is not recommended, as there's a fairly steep drop-off. Go over there and you'll have a blind shot from a sidehill lie. However, the green does open up more if you're on the left side of the fairway. The options are subtle, but they are there.

The seventeenth hole.

The seventeenth green.

The eighteenth hole is very similar to the seventeenth hole. Same yardage and same direction, so they both played into the wind. This hole has two fairway bunkers, but they're so close to the tee that even into the wind they were basically irrelevant. The green is also defended by two bunkers, but they're not very threatening. I would say this was a good finishing hole, it's not easy, but it's not so difficult that you can't finish with a birdie, but it's just too similar to the previous hole.

The eighteenth hole. It's not very interesting, but I do like the way it looks.

The eighteenth green.

While all three of the golf courses we played during our vacation were pretty good, one had to be the least good, and unfortunately, it was this one. Yes, I started out with my least favorite course. It certainly wasn't bad, I'd put it in the top quarter of the courses I've played, but there was one very specific issue that prevented me from really enjoying this course. The greens were horrifically, abysmally slow. I'm not a fan of super-fast greens, but seriously, it was like we were putting through molasses. You couldn't make anything because you just couldn't get putts to the hole. A pretty common theme of Donald Ross course is that they usually feature greens that slope from back to front, often severely. You really don't want to be above the hole. But here, it absolutely didn't matter where your ball ended up. All matter of subtlety and skill was out the window, what you did was putt as hard as you could and hope it was enough.

Something else that I have to mention is the length of the round. We started at 10 AM on a Tuesday. I know Triggs is in the middle of a city, but I was really not expecting any issue with pace of play. This was a mistake. The course was very busy, and the round took almost 5 hours. Neither of the other two rounds we played took more than 4 hours. It was good that we were allowed to walk, but that is a very slow pace of play for a short golf course with short walks between greens and tees.

In a comparison between Triggs Memorial and Dunedin, it should be no contest. Triggs has the advantage of rolling terrain, it had a rustic sort of aesthetic that I liked, and it has more than a handful of fairway bunkers to provide strategic interest. But the green speeds ruined Triggs. Apparently, they're not always that slow, so I suppose you'll have to take this review with a small grain of salt, but I can't review a course I haven't played. And the course I did play was not as good as Dunedin. I wouldn't necessarily say to give this course a pass, but there are better courses in the area, as you will see in the next couple months.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Espressway Cold Brew Coffee Stout

Brewed by: Two Roads Brewing Company, Stratford, Connecticut

Description (from the website): "In a process unique to Two Roads, we mixed a locally-roasted Ethiopian/Sumatra blend of beans with a rich oatmeal stout under pressure [like espresso but without the steam] using our German-built 'Brewnik' device. The mixture is steeped for several days resulting in a true, cold-brewed coffee stout. Hop on the Two Roads Espressway!"

Would I buy it again?: Probably not. If you're a coffee drinker, than I'm sure this beer would be right up your alley. You can definitely taste the coffee. However, I am not a coffee drinker, and while I think this beer was pretty well done, it was a bit too bitter and thick for my taste.

Review: Triggs Memorial Golf Course (Part 1)

The last time I went on a vacation, I went to sunny Florida. The time before that, it was Cape May. Florida's quality as a vacation destination needs no explanation, and while people outside the Northeast may not recognize the name of Cape May, it is most definitely a place where wealthy New Yorkers and Philadelphians (and during the week I was there, a strange number of Quebecians) spend their weekends away from the city. I don't think anyone thinks of Groton, Connecticut as a place to take a vacation. But for several days, Groton was the base of operations for a little, golf-centered vacation for me and my brothers. The weather could have been better, but we got the three rounds at three different courses that I wanted.

We start off our trip to New England with the last course we played. Triggs Memorial Golf Course is located quite close to the center of Providence, Rhode Island. Yes, I know, I just said we were staying in Connecticut, but we're not exactly talking about big states here. It was just under an hour to get from our hotel to the course. Anyway, Triggs Memorial is an old Donald Ross course, built in 1932. That means I was expecting something pretty similar to Dunedin, which I played back in Florida and enjoyed quite a lot. Does Triggs stand up to that? Let's find out, shall we?

The first hole is a mid-length par 4, playing about 400 yards. There is OB left and two fairway bunkers, but the OB is pretty far out of the way and the bunkers are really not in play unless you hit a very poor drive. There is a bunker about 50 yards short of the green, but again, it's really not in play unless you've hit a bad shot somewhere. There is a bunker short-left of the green, and the green itself is pretty straightforward. All in all, this is a fairly mild opening, a typical feature of Donald Ross courses.

The first hole.

It was raining quite heavily as we played the first hole.

The first green.

The second hole is another par 4, playing in the same general direction as the first, and is a bit longer at 425 yards. The hole doglegs slightly left, and a series of bunkers running along the right side of the green and the end of the fairway suggests that the drive is best hit to the left side of the fairway, flirting with the lone fairway bunker. But you have to be careful, because a tree juts out significantly past the left tree line. It can very easily get in the way if you stray even a little too far left. The green has two tiers, and when the flag is in the back, the hole becomes much more difficult. The back tier is not big, and if you go long, you'll probably be making bogey.

The second hole.

The bunkers, for the most part, have fescue along the top.

The second green.

The third hole is by far the longest par 4 on the course, stretching nearly 460 yards. This is very similar to Dunedin, which also featured the longest par 4 on the course very early in the round. The tee shot plays uphill onto a small plateau, and then back down slightly to the green. The dropoff behind the green is obviously a place to avoid. Honestly, this isn't a particularly interesting or good hole. It's kind of a long slog. Fun fact: This hole runs right alongside Rhode Island College, the second-oldest college in the state. You can't see it from the course, but it's there.

The third hole.

The third green.

The fourth hole is the first par 3 at Triggs. It's about 200 yards and plays slightly uphill. The two bunkers are well short of the green and not really in play, but they definitely look like they do from the tee. There's a bit of visual deception going on. And it is a good looking hole too. The fescue that frames much of the course looks very good in general.

The fourth hole.

A slightly closer look. The fescue does make the course look very good.

The fifth hole is a very short par 4, though at 330 yards, it isn't quite drivable. The ideal drive is a wood or long iron that cuts the corner of the dogleg slightly, flirting with a series of fescue-covered mounds. This best opens up the approach to the green, which is nearly surrounded with bunkers. This isn't a hole you want to have a 50 yard approach on. It's much better to hit a full wedge that you can stop quickly.

You can't see too much from the fifth tee.

The heavily defended fifth green.

The sixth hole is the lone par 5 on the front nine. Of the four par 5s on the course, three of them are all about 510 yards. This is the first of the three. The fairway bunker in the corner of the dogleg is obviously to be avoided. The slope is quite steep, and you'll have to use a wedge or short iron to get out. If you hit the fairway, you can take a shot at the green. There are two bunkers left and right of the fairway, a bit short of the green, waiting to catch poorly struck attempts to hit the green in two. Much like the third, long is very bad.

The view from the sixth tee.

You still can't see the green on the second shot. The green is to the right.

The sixth green.

The seventh hole is the second par 3 on the front, and is slightly shorter than the third at 190 yards. The tee shot plays over a native area, but you don't have to worry about it unless you top it. Stray too far right and your ball will get snared on the trees and potentially drop into a gully running along the right side and I am definitely not speaking from experience here. The green is elevated, so if you miss short, your ball may very easily run back down the hill. There are two bunkers, one right, one left. This isn't the longest par 3 on the course, but it's definitely the toughest.

The seventh hole.

The eighth hole is another drive-and-pitch par 4 at 340 yards. Unlike the fifth, the driver may be the best club to hit off this tee. You can't see it in the picture, but there's a pond on the left side of the fairway that is definitely in play if you hit a wood or long iron. Use a driver, and it's not as much of a concern. Whatever you do off the tee, the green is small and is protected by three bunkers, two left, one right.

The eighth hole.

The eighth green. I do like the low profile of this green. It looks very natural.

The ninth hole is a mid-length par 4, pretty much exactly the same length as the first hole, but running in the opposite direction. There are four fairway bunkers, two on each side, which is incidentally as many fairway bunkers as Dunedin had. Even more strangely, they're not exactly in play. The farther ones on each side are a little bit of a concern, but even so, they're pretty close to the tee and only an issue if the wind is coming into you. The green is guarded by two more bunkers. This is really a hole where you just want to hit two straight shots. Not particularly exciting.

The ninth hole.

The ninth green.

That's it for the front nine, we'll check out the back nine next week.

Beer of the Week

The beer: 1888 Octoberfest Lager

Brewed by: Saranac Brewery, Utica, New York

Description (from the website): "A medium bodied Copper colored Lager. It’s rich, malty taste is subtly balanced by Saphir and Mt. Hood hops. The beer is aged slowly in the Munich tradition."

Would I buy it again?: Yes, I would. And not just during the fall too, I really like the Märzen/Oktoberfest style of beer, so you don't have to do too much convincing to get me to drink one. Frankly, you'd have to do it very wrong for me not to enjoy it, and they did not.

Europa May Not Be As Smooth As It Looks

In terms of overall elevation change, no body in the solar system has less than Europa. No feature extends more than a few hundred feet above "sea" level. You've probably heard the saying that if you made a billiard ball Europa sized, it would have more elevation change. All that is true, but just because Europa is flat doesn't mean it's smooth. As a matter of fact, much of the equatorial region could consist of thin ice towers that would wreak havoc on any space probe attempting to land.

These towers, called penitentes, form through sublimation in cold, dry environments at tropical latitudes. We have them on Earth, where they are especially common in the Chilean Andes. Here, they are about 5-15 feet tall, but on Europa, where it could hardly be colder or drier, they could be 50 feet tall and each peak would be about 25 feet apart.

So, what do we do about this? Well, the solution is quite obvious -- don't land at the equator. We'll just have to hope the most interesting stuff isn't there. Luckily, it's going to be quite a long time before we attempt a landing on Europa, so we have time to sort this out.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Night Owl Pumpkin Ale

Brewed by: Elysian Brewing Company, Seattle, Washington

Description (from the website): "A very drinkable pumpkin ale--brewed with pumpkin puree and juice, and spiced in conditioning with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Both roasted and raw pumpkin seeds are in the mash, with pumpkin added to the mash and fermenter."

Would I buy it again?: Probably not. There was nothing wrong with it, but I'm just not a huge fan of pumpkin-flavored beer. But it's fall, so pumpkin beers are just a reality of life. It is very drinkable, and if you do like pumpkin, this is a good choice for you.

Have We Found Our First Exomoon?

I didn't think this would be happening for a while. Finding exoplanets is hard enough, but finding a small little moon orbiting an exoplanet? That's even harder. But the potential moon orbiting Kepler-1625b has one very important thing going for it that made it much easier to spot: It's gigantic. According to the observations, it's as big as Neptune and has about 1.5% of the mass of its host planet. Kepler-1625b is about three times as massive as Jupiter, so that puts its moon at 10-15 Earth masses, which is about the mass of Uranus.

Now, were this moon in any other location, it would be a planet in its own right, and there's a strong argument to be made that this represents a double planet rather than a planet and a moon. But the mass relationship of Kepler-1625b and its moon are almost identical to the Earth-Moon system, and I don't think anyone considers this to be a double planet. It's just a bit strange to think about. Imagine if Jupiter had Neptune orbiting around it.

It's probably safe to say though that this is an outlier and that most exomoons won't be literal gas giants. Remember, in exoplanet hunting, it's a lot easier to spot the weird things than the normal ones. Hot Jupiters are uncommon, but they make up a lot of our exoplanet catalog because they're easy to spot. We found this moon because, once again, it was really (relatively speaking) easy to spot. But now that we've done it once, we can do it again, and hopefully the next exomoon we find will be a bit smaller.