Beer of the Week

The beer: English Breakfast Stout

Brewed by: Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, Maryland

Description (from the website): "A full English. A full monty. It can be called whatever, but it's somehow becoming a measuring stick for what breakfast should be. Anytime I can start a day with sausage, bacon, baked beans, tomatoes, fried bread and eggs, I'm in. The only thing missing is a beer to complement it all, and that was the dream for this concept. Rich and robust, with a bit of bitterness from English breakfast tea, and another excuse to drink beer before noon."

Would I buy it again?: Yes, but I sincerely doubt I'll be able to. I don't think I've reviewed one of Flying Dog's Brewhouse Rarities, but as the name implies, the beers are quite rare. It's a case of they make one batch and that's it. They're usually quite weird; to be honest, a breakfast stout with English tea in it is actually pretty tame (I'm looking at you, Tropical Stout). I don't eat breakfast so I can't vouch for its pairing with a traditional English breakfast, but it's quite good on its own.

Ranking the Golf Courses I Reviewed in 2018

We've reached the end of another year, and it's been an interesting one. Lots of good things have happened, but wow, the weather was absolutely terrible the whole year. A late winter, seemingly endless deluges over the summer, and an early winter. All that made doing these golf course reviews way more stressful than I thought they'd ever be. But I completed my goal of doing one review a month. So, what better way to commemorate 2018 than by ranking all those courses I reviewed? You may recall that I did something similar last year, but in that, I limited myself to golf courses that I never played before, regardless if I had reviewed them yet or not. This year, I'm limiting myself to the 12 golf courses I reviewed in 2018. I may have played them before, and as you'll see, I may not have even played them this year. Sure, there will be some overlap, but I think this will make things more coherent in the future. But that's enough introduction, let's get to the list!

12. The Landings Golf Club

The sixteenth hole at the Landings.

I can't believe I'm writing even more words about this golf course. It's a pancake-flat executive golf course right next to a small airport. It is completely uninteresting, there are no holes that I would consider even remotely good or exciting, and to cap it all off, it isn't even that cheap. I would most definitely not recommend.

Read my review of the Landings here.

11. Glade Valley Golf Club

The sixteenth hole at Glade Valley.

The best thing about Glade Valley is the price. If you do things right and you play here at the right time, you can play a decently maintained, full-length golf course, with cart included, for under 20 dollars. Unfortunately, I think everyone knows that, so while the round is cheap, the golf will be slow. And this isn't an interesting enough golf course to warrant a 5 hour round. It's not bad, I guess, just bland. Lots of holes that play just like other holes.

Read my review of Glade Valley here.

10. Shenandoah Valley Golf Club

The first hole of the Blue nine at Shenandoah Valley. If only the rest of the course looked like this.

Trees. That's the most enduring thought I have about Shenandoah Valley when I look back at my round there. There are lots and lots of trees. Way too many of them. For one, this is bad because my brothers and I spent half our round looking for golf balls. That's no fun and it made the course tougher in an unenjoyable way. And secondly, this was a golf course with excellent terrain overlooking the northern end of Shenandoah National Park. And as you can see from the picture, it's quite an impressive view. But you barely get to see that landscape. You just get to see trees. If the course took out, say, half the trees, I'd move this course up the list. For now, it earns my "Most Disappointing" award.

The second hole on the Red nine.

Read my review of Shenandoah Valley here and here.

9. Flatbush Golf Course

The last hole at Flatbush.

Flatbush is not the most exciting course in the world. But it had a decent amount of variety, had some nice bits of elevation change, had some actually challenging holes, and it was very well priced. And while I can't guarantee you'll have an empty golf course, we certainly did. It's pretty user-friendly too, and I'd say it's a decent place to learn the game.

Read my review of Flatbush here and here.

8. Little Bennett Golf Course

The third hole at Little Bennett. Long is pretty dead.

Not every golf course can meander freely across the landscape. Sometimes, the terrain is so severe that routing options are limited, and even then, the end result can be disjointed and near impossible to walk. Little Bennett is one of those golf courses. Walking isn't even an option here. The course itself is a bit underwhelming. It's certainly got its interesting and quirky moments, but considering the ruggedness of the landscape, I was expecting a bit more. Not to mention that the place is not cheap to play.

There were some nice views at Little Bennett.

Read my review of Little Bennett here and here.

7. Wentworth Golf Club

The extremely difficult second hole at Wentworth. I like the hole, I just wish it came later in the round.

My younger brothers played here when they made a separate trip to Florida, based on my tepid recommendation and the fact that it was one of the few courses open during a day of bad weather. They were under the impression I thought it was the greatest course ever. It is not, and I never thought that. I thought it had some good points but it also had plenty of issues. My general assessment of the course remains the same though, it's tough and narrow, but I can appreciate that in moderation. The front nine, in my opinion, is by far the better of the two nines. The course itself looks great, I especially enjoyed the sandier look of the front nine. But there's too much water in general, and too much OB on the back. It was never my favorite golf course, and it doesn't even crack the top half of this list. Is that better?

The fourteenth hole at Wentworth.

Read my review of Wentworth here and here.

6. Westminster National Golf Club

The seventh hole at Westminster National is, to put it mildly, a bit strange.

Westminster National is an interesting proposition. Is it a good golf course? To be honest, it really isn't. It's not bad, but it's simply maintained, kind of bare bones, nothing fancy. However, much like Little Bennett, Westminster National is situated on a very rugged piece of property. That level of elevation change combined with a basic design lends itself to a certain level of quirkiness. And Westminster National has some extremely quirky holes. The king of strange has to be the seventh hole, which is a short par 5 that doglegs 90 degrees at around the 250 yard mark down a big hill, crosses a small stream, only to climb back up almost the same height in half the distance. But the quirkiness isn't limited to that one hole, there's enough weirdness to keep you going through the round. Westminster National constantly put a smile on my face, and that's why it's in the top half of my list.

Much like Wentworth, the second at Westminster National shows no mercy.

Read my review of Westminster National here and here.

5. Triggs Memorial Golf Course

I'm being a bit merciful and giving Triggs the benefit of the doubt. I had way more fun during my round at Westminster National than at Triggs, and I'm betting both of my brothers would say the same thing. The golf at Triggs was mediocre, and the only thing slower than the pace of play was the green speed. However... this is still a Donald Ross course we're talking about. A relatively untouched Donald Ross with lots of authentic New England charm and aesthetic. There was plenty of subtle strategy and challenge as well. If the greens had been appropriately paced, Triggs would be up one, maybe two, spots.

Read my review of Triggs Memorial here and here.

4. Dunedin Golf Club

The tenth hole at Dunedin, nestled among palms and live oaks.

We go from an old Donald Ross course to... an old Donald Ross course. But this one is in Florida! And the greens didn't feel like you were putting through Velcro! Otherwise, Triggs and Dunedin feel pretty similar. Obviously, Dunedin is flatter, but it's not as flat as you might expect from a Florida golf course. There's enough movement to be interesting. It's reasonably challenging for the good golfer, but because water only comes into play on a couple of holes, it's completely playable for the not-so-good golfer. It won't deliver extreme thrill, but it is relatively affordable and fun golf. I wish there were more courses like it.

The fourth hole. You couldn't ask for a better day to play golf.

Read my review of Dunedin here and here.

3. Royal Manchester Golf Links

I think it's pretty fair to say I have an affinity for older golf courses. All four of the Golden Age courses on my list are in the top five. However, as proof that I am not completely biased against modern golf courses, I present Royal Manchester. It has its faults, the ninth and eighteenth holes are fronted by water and feel out of place and there is a 400 yard walk to a tee so that you can play a hole that doubles back in the direction you just came from. Otherwise, Royal Manchester is a solid golf course with quite a few good strategic holes. It's very well maintained and also fairly cheap, making it extremely good value. I'd definitely make the hour and a half long drive to play there again.

Read my review of Royal Manchester here and here.

2. Keney Park Golf Course

The Redan at Keney Park. Definitely not your standard par 3.

The Church Pew bunker next to the eighth green. Definitely not your standard greenside bunker.

It is very difficult for the average golfer to experience Macdonald/Raynor replica holes. C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor worked almost exclusively for a extremely wealthy clientele, and as such, most of their courses are extremely private. There are a couple exceptions and there are some courses that pay homage to the style, but most of this group is expensive to play. Keney Park is an exception. If there's a cheaper way to experience Macdonald/Raynor replica holes, I don't know it. For $40, you can play a Redan, a Biarritz, a Short, a Road, among some other lesser known replicas and original holes. All in a location just a couple miles from the center of Hartford. Not only does Keney Park possess fun, rolling terrain and an endlessly entertaining set of greens, it's set in an almost unbelievably serene forest. You can't see the city, you can't hear the city, you feel isolated from the world. It's not easy, but it is relentlessly memorable, and I definitely recommend it if you're in Hartford.

The graveyard-adjacent twelfth.

The ninth green with its Road bunker.

Read my review of Keney Park here and here.

1. Shennecossett Golf Course

The sixteenth green at Shennecossett, overlooking the mouth of the Thames as it empties into Long Island Sound.

While my choice of Shennecossett as the best course I played in 2018 isn't quite as obvious as my choice of Atlantic City last year, if Keney Park didn't beat it, nothing would. It's very close between the two, and if you prefer Keney Park, I completely understand. It has a lot going for it. But so does Shennecossett. Shennecossett has history. And while the Donald Ross design has been changed and altered, a lot remains, and the new portions were woven in almost perfectly. And let's not forget that the course looks incredible. It's exactly how a seaside course should look, with plenty of wide open space and fescue at the peripheries, waving in the sea breeze. And it has what I would say is the finest view of any course I've ever played. The sixteenth hole is something I won't soon forget. Don't worry though, Shennecossett doesn't depend on the strength of its looks, there's plenty of substance and strategy here too. With about a hundred bunkers scattered around, you're almost guaranteed to have something to think about on every shot. Simply put, Shennecossett is everything you could want from a golf course, and for only $40 a round, it's great value too. I would definitely play here again if I was ever in the area.

The fourteenth hole.

The tenth hole.

The sixth hole, with the fourth in the background.

Looking back down the seventeenth hole toward the river.

Read my review of Shennecossett here and here.

And now, it's time to move on 2019! Once again, I plan on doing one course review a month, and I've already got reviews lined up through March. So stay tuned!

Beer of the Week

The beer: Double Chocolate Bock

Brewed by: Block House Brewing, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Description (from Untappd): "Pours a deep brown color with a creamy tan head and enchants the nose with a wallop of sweet cocoa. The boldness of the 6.5% ABV is hidden beneath rich, robust layers of decadent milk-chocolate, creamy vanilla, and silky caramel that accentuates the Bock's sweet malt flavor. This myriad of flavors combines to create the smooth swirl of a heavenly chocolate treat."

Would I buy it again?: What we've got here is a perfect beer for Christmas. And hey, look what's just around the corner? The beer itself is exactly what you think it is. It's chocolate in beer form. That bit about rich and robust layers of decadent milk chocolate, that's no marketing term. If you love chocolate, you'll love this beer. I'm honestly a little disappointed this doesn't come from Troeg's, which is literally right next door to Hershey Park. But that's how it goes.

Now to be honest: I do like this beer and I would buy it again, but only in limited quantities. I like chocolate, but I'm not super crazy about it. And this beer REALLY tastes like chocolate. I don't think I could drink more than one in a night. But I would drink it again.

Review: Shennecossett Golf Course (Part 2)

It's time for the back nine at Shennecossett, here's the front nine if you haven't seen it yet.

The back nine opens in a rather stern fashion, with a 425 yard par 4. Tee shots hit down the right side will face second shots with the golf ball significantly above their feet. Hitting left will provide a flatter stance, but of course, a pair of bunkers threatens the left side of the fairway. The green is small, very well guarded with four bunkers, and quite undulating for a green of its size. Like I said, the back nine gets off to a fast start.

The tenth hole, with the drive back over the road.

A better look at the fairway, with its significant right to left slope.

The small and uninviting tenth green.

The eleventh hole is a mid-length par 4 with a very blind tee shot. The hole is essentially straight, but the drive is best hit down the left side, flirting with the OB. The green has a small bunker behind and a very large, intimidating bunker right. That is not a good place to end up. Not a complicated hole, but a strategically sound one.

You can't see much from the eleventh tee.

A better view of the eleventh hole.

The bunker right of the green is quite large and not a good place to be. Guess where I went.

The twelfth hole is a tiny little 125 yard par 3. It should be a simple hole, it's just a wedge, how hard could it be? That elevated green is not large, and there are several bunkers around it. It's either a good birdie opportunity or work for par. It wasn't particularly windy when we were there, but I can imagine this hole gains an extra layer of difficulty when the wind is up.

The twelfth hole.

The thirteenth hole is a short par 4 with another blind drive. There's nothing stopping you from using a driver, but we all used shorter clubs, this isn't a wide hole. Really, you just need to get the drive in play, as the approach is the shot of particular importance here. While the front of the green is at the same level as the fairway, the back of the green is significantly built up from the tenth hole, which is behind the green. Long is extremely dead, as is being even with the green but left or right. The only decent miss is short. If that wasn't enough, the green is separated into two distinct tiers. This isn't the easy birdie opportunity you might expect.

The thirteenth hole from the beginning of the fairway.

The second shot into 13 doesn't look too difficult...

But you definitely don't want to go long.

The fourteenth hole is a 420 yard par 4 with yet another blind drive. The payoff when you get over the plateau is very worth the third blind drive in four holes. Yes, for the first time, the Thames River comes into view. A bad drive brings a cross bunker 50 yards short of the green into play. Otherwise, the second shot is anything from a wedge or short iron into a green guarded with bunkers short right, short left, and long. Much like the last hole, the green is crowned and falls off very significantly behind the green, so long is a very bad place to miss. I would say only the fourth hole rivals this one in terms of difficulty.

Another semiblind drive on 14.

14 from the fairway. The Thames River is finally visible.

The fourteenth green is a very tough target.

The fourteenth green from a slightly different angle.

The fifteenth hole is a nearly 200 yard par 3, playing downhill over a native area to a green guarded by three bunkers. This is the first of the three new holes on the west side of Eastern Point Road, and I would say this is the weakest hole on the course. Maybe it's a little bit of frustration and disappointment because you can't really see the river at all. After the last hole I was ready for some scenic views, and there weren't any. I also felt like this hole didn't really fit in with the rest of the course. It felt a little different, though I can't put my finger on why I felt that way. Don't worry though, the next hole is much better.

Let's be honest, this is just a convenient way of getting to the sixteenth hole.

The sixteenth hole is not the best hole at Shennecossett in terms of architectural quality. But that hardly matters when the backdrop is as good as this. The golfer starts off back in a marshy area, which doesn't come into play, luckily. The hole doglegs to the left, and if you can hit a draw in between a row of three fairway bunkers left and various trees and mounds right, you'll be in excellent shape. Under normal circumstances, the second shot is a wedge or short iron to a large green with two bunkers on the left side. But with the river and Long Island Sound lurking in your peripheral vision, it's difficult to focus and hit a good shot. I still think Atlantic City Country Club is the most scenic course I've ever played, and the views there are more consistent, but nothing there beats the view from this green.

The tee shot on 16 goes over a marsh.

The row of fairway bunkers left of the fairway.

The sixteenth green.

More river views.

Boats sailing down the river.

It was hard not to look.

The most scenic hole I've ever played.

From the ocean side of the green.

The seventeenth hole is a short but uphill par 4 that plays away from the river. Unless you're an extremely short hitter, a driver is completely unnecessary. The fairway is pinched about 80 yards from the hole by a marshy area and OB runs down the entire left side of the hole, so a fairway wood or long iron will be plenty. A good place to be is near the second fairway bunker on the left side, that will leave you with a good angle into the elevated green.

The view out toward Long Island Sound.

Looking upriver from the seventeenth tee.

The seventeenth hole.

The elevated seventeenth green.

One last view of the river.

The eighteenth hole is a 500 yard par 5. To get the best angle to go for the green in two, the drive needs to be hit down the right side, flirting with the large fairway bunker that cuts into the middle of the hole. From there, a draw to the semiblind green will serve you best. The green has five bunkers around it, some quite small, but if you want to miss, short and right is your best bet. Like 13, this green overlooks the tenth and there is a steep (though not quite as severe) drop-off behind the green. This is not a tough hole, and it is an excellent opportunity to finish the round with a birdie.

The left bunker isn't in play, but the right one is.

The semiblind second shot on 18.

This is another hole where long is no good.

The eighteenth green.

Shennecossett, much like Keney Park last month, is the type of golf course that most others should aspire to be. Sure, not every course is located on a coast, but this would be a fantastic golf course in any location. There is strategy everywhere, the noncoastal holes are just as good, if not better, than the coastal ones, the course is completely walkable, and you can play a classic Golden Age design that has been well taken care of for only $40 on a weekend morning. That is a fantastic deal. If you're ever in Connecticut and looking for a round, I would highly recommend it. I know I'd be more than willing to go back.

Now that we've reached the end of our little excursion to southern New England, it's time for the big question: Which course did I like the most? Obviously, not Triggs Memorial. It is a tough choice, but you may have guessed from the order in which I've done my reviews that I preferred Shennecossett to Keney Park. It's extremely close between the two, Keney Park is an excellent golf course and it was incredibly fun to play despite being completely soaked. It had plenty of flash and quirk, and I appreciated that a lot. But when given the choice between a golf course routed through a forest and a more open golf course next to the sea, I'm probably going to go with the seaside course. There's just something about playing near the ocean that elevates a golf course. And I really dislike trees. That's a bit of personal bias, but I still think Shennecossett is ever so slightly the better course.

And with that, we've reached the end of our last golf course review of 2018. If you're curious to see how they all stack up against each other, come back next week.