Beer of the Week

The beer: Waffle Sauce Maple Pecan Imperial Brown Ale

Brewed by: Rusty Rail Brewing Company, Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania

Description (from the website): "Sweet Maple flavor & aroma, with a subtle pecan flavor on the finish."

Would I buy it again?: How could I resist buying a beer that had a picture of waffles on it? I couldn't. And the verdict? It was very good, very much maple syrup flavored. But that's where I run into an issue. See, I've already come across a maple flavored beer that I liked a lot, and that one was significantly cheaper. So while this is good, I'd opt for Starr Hill's version most of the time.

The Best Christmas Gift Ever

Yes, it's Christmas Day, and just because I'm generous, I found a website that I'm sure you'll all love. Feel like giving yourself a reminder that we're incredibly insignificant, compared with the entirety of the universe? Well, here's a nifty little place that's scaled the solar system to such a scale that the moon takes up one pixel. As such, it takes a very long time to scroll through the entirety of the solar system. And remember, our corner of the universe is but a infinitesimally tiny portion of an infinite whole. Just what you needed, right?

Beer of the Week

The beer: Celebrator Doppelbock

Brewed by: Ayinger Brewery, Aying, Germany

Description (from the website): "A beer that has a dominant malty taste. This beer’s origins in a monk’s recipe are reflected in its heartiness. The Pope of Beers, Conrad Seidl, describes it as: 'Almost black with a very slight red tone, a sensational, festive foam and truly extraordinary fragrance that at first summons up visions of greaves lard. The first taste is of mild fullness with an accompanying coffee tone, which becomes more dominant with the aftertaste. There is very little of the sweetness that is frequently to be tasted with doppelbock beer.' The Ayinger Celebrator has been ranked among the best beers of the world by the Chicago Testing Institute several times and has won numerous medals.

Would I buy it again?: It's just a few days before Christmas, and this feels like as appropriate a choice as any for the season. I love double bocks, and this one is quite arguably the best in the world. And I won't argue with that. It is absolutely delicious, smooth and thick and tasty. I fully admit that this beer is better than a Troegenator, comparing bottle to bottle. But this is only available in the winter, and it is significantly more expensive for one four pack of this than a six pack of Troegenator. So yes, I'd get it again, but outside the Christmas season, Troegenator is still my favorite beer.

Review: Lake Placid Club - Links (Part 2)

It's time to check out the back nine at the Links course, go here if you haven't seen the front.

The tenth hole is the last of the really long and tough par 4s that Lake Placid has to offer, and while it's comparatively short at a measly 450 yards, it's probably the toughest. The tee shot is completely blind, with your only guide a small pole at the top of the hill. To start off, the fairway is very generous, but a bunker cuts that width in half abut 250 yards from the tee. Yes, it's the same story as the seventh, but this time the fairway gets much narrower much quicker. Also, there's O.B. just right of the fairway. If you don't use driver, the second shot will be threatened by a fairway bunker that extends very close to the green. A horseshoe-shaped bunkers curves around the left, back, and right portion of the green.

The tenth hole features a blind drive.

The tenth hole.

The tenth green.

The eleventh hole is not a terribly challenging par 3, but it's not easy. The tee shot must carry a small ravine, and the green is protected by sand left, long, and short. While there's no sand right, the terrain quickly falls away into a native area. The green, tucked into a corner and backed by wilderness, slopes from left to right, and is fairly generous. Plus there's a rickety wooden bridge that you use to cross the ravine, which is definitely cool. It suits the surroundings.

The eleventh hole.

Not pictured: the swarm of wasps that made their home underneath the quaint wooden bridge.

The twelfth hole is a fairly short (finally) par 4, with the tee shot playing back over the ravine the eleventh crossed over. The fairway is fairly wide, but a pair of fairway bunkers do narrow things a bit if you want to use a driver. But since the hole is only 370 yards, a driver is mercifully unnecessary. The second shot will be a wedge to a fairly small green guarded by sand on three sides. For the first time, one of those three sides includes the front, so there will no run-up shots on this hole.

The twelfth hole.

An aerial approach is necessary on 12.

The twelfth green.

The thirteenth hole is a 570 yard par 5, and if I'm being honest, this is probably the worst hole at the Links. A single bunker provides some interest on the drive, and there's some interesting mounding around the green, but otherwise, this hole is kind of boring. Just don't go too far left, and play smart. Not much else to it.

The thirteenth hole.

Approaching the thirteenth green.

The thirteenth green.

Also the thirteenth green. The background is more interesting than the hole itself.

The fourteenth hole is the final par 3 at Lake Placid, and it is fairly similar to the first two on the front nine. Granted, the bunkers are significantly bigger here, but the hole is about 200 yards, bunkers surround the green on three sides, and a draw is the best shot to hit.

The thirteenth hole.

The thirteenth green (well, some of it).

On a golf course filled with long, tough holes, the fifteenth stands alone. The Links saved the longest par 5 for last, as the fifteenth weighs in at a backbreaking 620 yards. And unlike the thirteenth, there's plenty of obstacles in the way. The drive is easiest, with a single and small fairway bunker the only obstacle left. But if the drive is not good, the second shot becomes very tricky, as a pond to the right of the fairway about 100-150 yards from the green looms large. It's better if you can clear it, as the angle to the green, sandwiched between two thin bunkers, is worse if you avoid the pond to the left. For all but the longest golfers, this hole requires three strong shots, which is not something most golf courses offer. True three-shot par 5s are relatively rare, but Lake Placid has plenty.

The very long fifteenth hole.

Approaching the fifteenth green.

The fifteenth green.

The sixteenth hole is broadly similar to the twelfth: Same length, same requirement for an aerial approach. There's even a similar need to carry the drive a certain distance to avoid a hazard. There are no fairway bunkers, but once again, the golfer is better off resisting the driver. The fairway is wide, so it's tempting, but if you hit a 300 yard drive, you'll be left with a little half wedge to a shallow green that is completely surrounded with sand. (Surprisingly, for all the bunkers Lake Placid has, this is the only hole that pulls that trick.) Not a difficult hole, but one you need to think about.

The sixteenth hole.

Another aerial approach is required on 16.

The sixteenth green.

The seventeenth hole is normally the shortest par 4 at the Links, but the back tees were closed during our round, so we ended up playing from the front tees. That reduced a 360 yard hole to 250 yards. And I have to say, I think the hole works better when it's drivable. The first 300 yards of the hole is wide open. It's only in the last 50 yards that bunkers come into play, three on the right and one big one on the left. So, most golfers going from the back will hit a driver or 3 wood short of those, then have a wedge in. While the bunkers do reach greenside, they're not major obstacles. However, with the hole shortened, those same bunkers become far more perplexing. The green is easily reachable off the tee, but do you risk ending up in a bunker? Or do you lay up short and rely on your ability to hit a half wedge close? It may drop the Links under 7,000 yards, but the owners should definitely consider making this hole a full-time drivable par 4.

The seventeenth hole.

There's quite a bit of sand around the seventeenth green.

The seventeenth green, with the first hole in the background.

The eighteenth hole finishes off the round in a quiet, understated manner. A mid-length par 4 at 400 yards, a tee shot up the right side flirting with the tree line is preferred. That gives you a better angle at the green, which is elevated and benched into a hillside. The green is small and protected by only one bunker. Once you're done, take a moment to look back out on the course you just played, and the mountains that have served as a backdrop. It's tough to beat Lake Placid on a summer evening.

The eighteenth hole.

Approaching the eighteenth green.

The eighteenth green.

A long view of the Links.

The ski jump makes a return.

Despite the fairly tame finish, there's no escaping the fact that the Links at Lake Placid is generally a very brawny and tough course. Even though the course is pretty free from trees interfering with play, you absolutely need to be hitting the ball well from tee to green. If you aren't, it's going to be a long day. And I think that's completely appropriate, Lake Placid is a very isolated setting, so it almost feels like you're doing battle with the wilderness out on the course.

Unfortunately, while the Links is a very good course, my opinion of it is a bit soured by the fact that I played absolutely horrendous golf there. Seriously, I was barely able to enjoy the stunning views and stern challenges that were placed before me because I was too busy stewing. But I'll try my best.

Overall, Lake Placid has a lot of positives, but there are a few negatives that I have to mention. First off, there are a lot of flat holes. Now, the architect did a decent job of creating interest with the bunkering, which was both numerous and distinctive, but ultimately flat hole after flat hole means the course can kind of blend together. And on a related note, the greens are not the most compelling I've ever played. Not bad, but not great, and they weren't running very firm or fast.

Another issue: Lake Placid isn't the cheapest course in the world. It was $50 to play after 1 PM, but before that, it's $80. The $50 wasn't bad, but I'd struggle to justify paying the full price. So as far as value goes, the Links isn't spectacular. As for the Links moniker, it's a bit silly, but the old-style features and low profile of the course make it not the worst usage of the title I've ever heard.

Ultimately though, there are a lot more positives than negatives, and I think Lake Placid is an excellent golf course that's almost certainly in my personal top five. I can only imagine what it's like there in early October when the leaves are at peak color. If I ever go again, which I'd be perfectly okay with, I'd definitely go in the fall.

And with that, the last golf course review of 2019 is done. I'll be doing my annual round-up of all the courses I reviewed in a couple weeks, so stay tuned for that.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Holiday Ale Biere de Garde

Brewed by: Two Roads Brewing Company, Stratford, Connecticut

Description (from the website): "Two Roads Holiday Ale is inspired by the little known Biere de Noel style, a subset of Biere de Garde, both of which originated on small farmhouse breweries in the north of France. Biere de Noel, which translates as'Christmas Beer,' tends to exhibit a more malty profile than a typical Biere de Garde. In its native France this special type of ale is brewed by just a handful of small breweries and is only available for the few weeks leading up to Christmas."

Would I buy it again?: Yes, I would. The flavor was very nice, and festive as well, and it was a very drinkable beer. An overall solid beer choice for the holidays.

Review: Lake Placid Club - Links (Part 1)

Golf is probably not the first sport that comes to mind when someone mentions Lake Placid. This is where the Miracle on Ice happened, after all. And even if you didn't immediately think of hockey, Lake Placid is much more associated with other winter sports, like skiing or ice skating. But it's not winter all the time in the northern reaches of upstate New York, and Lake Placid is home to a fair number of golf courses. Happily, the best course in the area -- the Links at the Lake Placid Club -- is available to the public.

Lake Placid has the sort of view that makes you want to play golf.

Despite the prestigious-sounding name, the 45 holes at the Lake Placid Club are owned by Crowne Plaza, making them resort courses. While I'm sure the Mountain course and the Pristine Nine have their own qualities, the Links course is generally considered the best of the bunch. Designed in 1909 by Seymour Dunn, the course plays over surprisingly flat land, considering the mountainous locale. But there are views aplenty at Lake Placid to make for that, and all things considered, you'd be forgiven for thinking you'd strayed across the border into Canada. On a day when even Albany was pushing 90, Lake Placid was sitting at a humidity-free 80. Seriously, didn't break a sweat the entire round.

Now, before we start, let me clarify: Obviously the Links course is not a real links. The ocean is a couple hundred miles away, and the place is surrounded by dense boreal forest and mountains. But as we'll see, the course does pull off the name better than some other places do.

The first hole wastes no time, getting the round started in vigorous fashion. From the back tees, it's 466 yards, which makes it the longest par 4. (We did not play the back tees. It's almost 7,100 yards, too much for us.) While there's plenty of room to miss both left and right, there is an obvious obstacle in the form of a valley cutting across the fairway right where a good drive would end up. So right away you have a tough choice: lay up and leave yourself a very long second with a view of the hole, or drive into the valley and have a blind second of a reasonable length. The small green is guarded on each side by bunkers. As I hope you'll see over the course of the review, the bunkering at the Links is unique and very old school, and is definitely a strength of the course. Anyway, the bunker right is long, thin, and deep, making recovery from that side more difficult than from the left. This is a tough start, but not unreasonably so.

There's a lot to see when you step onto the first hole.

I chose to lay up with my tee shot.

The first green.

The second hole is the longest par 3 at the Links, playing 230 yards, and features a vaguely Redan-like green. Two bunkers snake around the back edge of the green, all of which encourages the golfer to hit a draw into the green. While it's not a tremendously difficult hole, it is tough having to hit a long iron so early in the round.

The second hole.

The second green.

The third hole is the shortest of the four par 5s at the Links, but at 550 yards, it's not exactly a walk in the park. The drive is deceptive, as there's more room to the right then what you can see. It's a pretty wide fairway, and a drive aimed at the left edge of the tree line should suit you just fine. From there, any lay-up will have to contend with a pair of small fairway bunkers, so either leave it short, leaving a full wedge, or go past them. The green, much like many at Lake Placid, is very low profile and not built up in any way. It is very easy to run long shots up onto the green, especially considering the lack of hazards in the front.

The third hole, with a drive over a picturesque alpine pond.

A decent position to be in after the drive.

Approaching the third green.

The third green.

The fourth hole is a slightly downhill par 3 playing just under 200 yards. Once again, a draw is going to be the preferred shot shape on this hole. Two thin bunkers surround the green on three sides, and are not easy to escape from. The green itself is pretty small, and while not excessively sloped, there's a fair amount of break to contend with.

The fourth hole.

The fourth green.

The fifth hole is a 580 yard par 5 playing pretty much dead straight with O.B. right the whole way. Unlike the third, which is wider than it looks, the fifth is exactly as narrow as it appears. You're better off missing left than right, as there's a little more wiggle room, but still, the drive requires a lot of accuracy. There's a bunker over the hill on the left side that also requires some consideration. The second shot raises a choice: Do you get as close to the green as possible, which brings a pair of long, thin bunkers that flank the last 100 or so yards of the hole into play, or do you lay up short of them? The third shot, if you're in the fairway, is pretty straightforward, as the bunkers don't come very close to the green. In my opinion, it's probably better to leave a longer approach and bank on getting a wedge close.

Much like the third, the fifth also features a drive over a small pond.

You really get a good idea of the Links course's low profile here.

Approaching the fifth green.

The fifth green from behind.

The sixth hole is the first par 4 we've seen in a while. And it's not an easy one. Measuring a slightly downhill 460 yards, the tee shot on the sixth is a fairly easy proposition. Just don't go too far right, and you'll be fine. The second shot presents a sterner test, as the sixth hole possesses the toughest green complex at the Links. To the left of the green is a pair of bunkers. Right and long, a steep drop-off. The green itself is not dramatically sloped, but there's plenty there when you take a second look, rising and falling and rising again. Even if you hit the green in regulation, a par can be tough to come by.

The sixth hole.

The slope to the right of the sixth green is dramatic.

The sixth green.

The seventh hole plays parallel to the sixth, is slightly longer, and is slightly uphill. This course has some very tough par 4s. The drive is once again fairly wide open, unless you're a particularly long hitter. Around 275 yards from the tee, a long, thin bunker starts eating into the fairway, narrowing it considerably. Obviously you could lay up with a 3 wood, but then you'd have a 200 yard approach, and that doesn't sound fun. The green is guarded on three sides by sand, but you can bounce an approach on if you're a long way back.

The seventh hole.

Approaching the seventh hole

The seventh green.

The eighth hole is the third parallel par 4 in row, playing slightly downhill, just like the sixth. Fortunately, this one is almost 50 yards shorter than the last two holes. The fairway starts out pretty wide, but it does narrow as you get closer to the green. Fortunately the hole is short enough that using a 3 wood off the tee won't leave you with a long iron. The green is not large and is exceedingly well bunkered. An aerial approach is definitely needed here.

The eighth hole.

The eighth green.

From behind the eighth green.

The ninth hole is the shortest hole at the Links, playing 165 yards. Once again, bunkers completely surround the green, which features a noticeable back to front tilt. It's a shallow target, but it is a wide one. So long as your distance is correct and you aim for the middle of the green, there's definitely some room to miss. The bunkers aren't great to be in, but there are worse places to be.

The ninth hole.

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