We Have a New Record For Furthest-Away Solar System Object

What do you call a dwarf planet that's further away than a dwarf planet you've already dubbed "FarOut?"

If you guessed "FarFarOut" then congrats! You think just like the scientists that discovered the object way out at the outer edges of the solar system. The object, which we know nothing about other then that it exists, is currently 140 AU from the sun and probably has an orbit lasting a thousand years or so. While objects we have discovered have orbits that will take them past that (the dwarf planet Sedna will get thousands of AU away), this beats the current record for furthest object from the sun currently by about 20 AU.

The discovery is also helpful for scientists looking for a potential ninth planet hanging around in the far-flung corners of the solar system. If we can find little dwarf planets billions of miles away, then we can find something that may be 10 times the size of Earth if we look in the right place.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Old Engine Oil Black Ale

Brewed by: Harviestoun Brewery, Alva, Clackmannanshire, Scotland

Description (from the website): "Legend has it that Old Engine Oil was dedicated to our Head Brewer’s love of classic cars. But it’s the thick, dark, chocolatey viscosity that reveals the real inspiration behind the name. We use loads of roasted malt to give it a rich black colour and add plenty of oats to smooth out the tannins and give it a creamy mouthfeel. No aroma hops here, just Galena, East Kent Goldings and Fuggles for bittering. It’s just the job for anyone who appreciates beautifully engineered stuff that used to be made properly. So undo the top button of your pressed pits overalls, ease into the wingback and roll out a rare taste of a truly great British beer. Welcome to our Owners’ Club."

Would I buy it again?: Definitely, and not just because I think the name of the beer is fantastic. This is a very, very dark beer, but it doesn't taste like you might think. It's surprisingly drinkable and enjoyable. Also, the name of the beer is fantastic. You can't throw a beer called "Old Engine Oil" at me and expect me not to buy it.

Review: Swan Point Yacht & Country Club (Part 2)

It's time for the back nine at Swan Point Yacht & Country Club, go here if you haven't seen the front.

The tenth hole is a 420 yard par 4 that plays parallel to the ninth on the opposite side of the lake. It's best to be on the right side of the fairway on the drive, as trees hang over the fairway 100-150 yards or so from the green, blocking out shots from the left. While technically there is water in play on both the drive and the second, it doesn't come into play on either shot. The greenside bunker right is more concerning. There's nothing left, so if you're looking for a bailout, that's a good place to miss.

A group let me play through and I was hurrying, so no picture from the tenth tee.

The tenth green.

The eleventh hole is the best hole at Swan Point, and one of the most memorable holes I've played. It's just under 170 yards, and plays over a marsh to a peninsula green angled 45 degrees away from the line of play. Beyond the marsh is the Potomac River. It reminds me a bit of the 15th hole at Atlantic City Country Club, and any hole that can do that is bound to be good. Except this hole might even be better, because there's a legitimate place to bail out on this hole. You can lay up right if you want, something that really wasn't an option at ACCC. I like the true do-or-die aspect of ACCC, but being user-friendly is also a good thing, and if a good golfer wants a birdie, they have to take on the full risk.

The eleventh hole, jutting out into the marsh.

The bunker surrounding the green catches slightly wayward shots, something I made sure to utilize.

The eleventh green, overlooking the marsh and the Potomac.

The twelfth hole is also a par 3, but you would be completely forgiven for playing it as a par 4. At 235 yards, it's very long, and much of that distance is over the marsh. Again, a bunker left of the green serves less as a hazard and more of a catcher's mitt. The green is quite large for the golf course, and the central back portion is noticeably elevated. There is room to bail out right if the carry is too much. This hole is intimidating in the sense of when I stepped onto the tee, I had no idea where the hole was. It's semiblind, and it took a while to find the flag poking up above the marsh grass. Obviously, this is a tough hole, but in terms of being memorable, the eleventh is better.

Trust me, the twelfth green is there.

The twelfth green is very elevated in the back.

The thirteenth hole is the final hole where the marsh comes into play, and it is a doozy. It's just under 400 yards, which isn't long, but the first half of that is over the marsh. To the left is marsh. To the right, trees. Going from shorter tees minimizes or eliminates the carry, but even so, there is not much fairway available. And while I wouldn't enjoy that on every hole, it's okay to have this sort of hole once or twice a round. The thrill you get when you blast a drive through a strong headwind into the heart of the fairway is intense. The green is guarded by bunkers left and right, and behind is more marsh and the Potomac.

The thirteenth hole. A good tee shot is very recommended.

Approaching the thirteenth green.

I took a lot of pictures on this hole.

Looking back at the neighboring arm of the Potomac.

Looking back down the thirteenth.

The fourteenth hole is a 525 yard par 5 that doglegs right back into the forest. You might be tempted to hit down the right side, but if you do, the trees will block you out from going at the green. I'm sure people have hit this green in two, but since you need to go left off the tee, it would require two big shots. The key feature of this hole is a line of five bunkers that separates the green from the rest of the fairway. The closer you get to them, the better angle you'll have. The green itself has a noticeable swale running through the middle, which is impressive considering how small it is. This isn't a hard hole, but it's one that needs to be played patiently.

The fourteenth. That's the last of the marsh in the lower left corner.

It would take an impressive shot to get home in two from here.

You can see four of the bunkers in the bunker wall here.

Not such a good place to approach the fourteenth green.

The fifteenth hole is a mid-length par 4 with a drive through a narrow chute of trees. The fairway is fairly wide, but a pond right and OB left mean there's not a whole lot of room to work with. The pond continues up to the green, but as has often been the case, two bunkers sit between the green and the water, acting as a buffer. The green is best approached from the left, and a gentle fade will suit you well. There are more birdieable holes at Swan Point, but this is the one I birdied, so it can't be that difficult, can it?

The fifteenth hole.

Approaching the fifteenth.

It's definitely preferable to miss the green left.

Looking back down the fifteenth, with the Swan Point water tower in the background.

The sixteenth hole is a bit longer than the fifteenth at 410 yards, but still, it's not exactly a long par 4. Again, the tee shot is through a chute of trees, although this hole doglegs noticeably to the right. Ideally you want to be on the left side of the fairway, as that will give you the best and most open shot at the green.

The sixteenth hole.

Approaching 16.

The sixteenth green.

The seventeenth hole is by a considerable margin the shortest par 5 at Swan Point, playing at only 485 yards. The hole is pretty wide, but a pair of internal fairway bunkers in the right central portion of the fairway do narrow things a bit. The ideal shot is a draw between those and the left tree line. Do that, and the green is pretty much wide open. This is an excellent opportunity to get a birdie, or even an eagle.

The seventeenth hole.

The seventeenth green is behind the bunker. I had trouble finding it when I played.

Looking back down 17.

The eighteenth hole is actually the shortest par 4 at Swan Point at 345 yards, which is a refreshing change of pace. There is water right, but it's behind trees for the most part and doesn't come into play until you reach a point about 280-300 yards from the green. For that reason, I would recommend using a wood or long iron off the tee. Don't bother bringing the water into play, and you do want to be in this fairway. The green is narrow, and flanked by bunkers. But this is hardly a tough hole, and coupled with 17, it's entirely possible to finish birdie-birdie, which is an excellent ego boost and very much appreciated after some difficult stretches earlier in the round.

The eighteenth hole.

The eighteenth green.

By all rights, I should hate this course. It's narrow and tree lined in most spots, and if there aren't trees, there's water. But while I certainly wouldn't call this my favorite course in the world, I didn't dislike it. That's honestly mostly because of the scenery, some of those holes on the river look incredible. And this really doesn't look like any other course I've played in Maryland, it really does have a Southern aesthetic to it. I'm not entirely sure I would be fooled into thinking I was in Myrtle Beach, but considering there's two whole states in between Swan Point and South Carolina, it's pretty close. There are plenty of the longer-leafed pines that are so common in the South. So I'll give the advertising line on the website some credit.

As for the course itself, I really would advertise it as a Myrtle Beach course transplanted to southern Maryland. Lots of water but user friendly at the same time. It's a bit cookie-cutter and bland in places, but in others, it's intensely memorable. Holes like the second, eleventh, and thirteenth are not easily forgotten. I wouldn't say I'm in a rush to get back down there, but I would be willing to play the course again. I'd enjoy playing it in drier conditions. And I think that's saying something, that a golf course with water in play on 12 holes and is a 2 hour drive off is worth a second playthrough.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Rhino Chasers Pilsner

Brewed by: Lost Rhino Brewing Company, Ashburn, Virginia

Description (from the website): "Like an early morning dive into crisp waves, this premium Pilsner packs a quick, hoppy bite to wake up your senses. Topped with a dense creamy head, this golden lager is one you won’t forget."

Would I buy it again?: I'm gonna say no to this one. It was pretty hoppy for a Pilsner, and I am not a huge fan of hoppy beers. Explains the lack of IPA reviews. Anyway, I was definitely a bit disappointed by this particular Pilsner. However, I'd definitely buy from this brewery again, I like their name. Lost Rhino is a good name for a brewery.

Review: Swan Point Yacht & Country Club (Part 1)

Can Maryland pass for the Carolinas? Or, more specifically, can Swan Point Yacht & Country Club, located at the southern tip of Maryland next to the Potomac River, really approximate a round down in Myrtle Beach? That's what their website said, and I have to admit, for some reason I was intrigued by the proposition. Sure, there was lots of water, but the course looked good. And I figured that it might be nice to look at some pictures of a nice-looking subtropical golf course in the middle of winter.

That's why I made the long 2-hour trip down south of D.C. to Issue, Maryland to play Swan Point. Plus, I'd never been to this particular section of Maryland before, so that was a nice little bonus. I don't think Maryland is a southern state, unlike the U.S. census, but as I was driving south down on the small peninsula formed by the Wicomico River and Potomac River that Swan Point is located on, I could definitely see a resemblance. Anyway, enough about geography, let's get to the course.

The first hole is a fairly simple par 4. At 375 yards, it's not long, and it's dead straight. Obviously, you're better off finding the right side of the fairway so you don't have to hit over the pond short and left of the green. In addition, the green is angled so shots from the right get more green to work with. The green itself is small and separated into a lower and upper tier. If it weren't for the pond, you could hardly ask for a milder start to a round of golf. Even so, this is hardly a challenging hole.

The first hole is nice and wide open.

The second shot plays slightly over a pond.

The first green.

The second hole is the end of your warm-up. It's a long par 4 at 435 yards, and it doglegs nearly 90 degrees around a narrow arm of the Potomac River. The decision on the drive is obvious. Do you lay well back with an iron, avoiding the water but leaving a very long second shot? Or do you pull out the driver and cut off as much of the marsh as you can, leaving a more reasonable second? Go through the fairway at all and trees will prevent you from going at the green, which is small and on a narrow point overlooking the river. This is an awfully tough hole to throw at the golfer at the start of the round, and I wasn't a big fan. Still, it is quite good to look at.

The second hole. You can't see much because there isn't much hole to see.

Not an ideal place to be on the second shot.

The second green is not an inviting target.

Looking back down the second hole.

The view from behind the second green.

The third hole is a bit of a difficulty whiplash as we go from what is probably the hardest hole at Swan Point to the easiest. At 165 yards, it's not long, and there's no sand or water in play. The only issue are the mounds that meld into the green. It's not the easiest green to putt, but still, if you don't make a decent score on this hole, you have no one to blame but yourself.

The third hole.

The third green, with the fourth in the background.

The fourth hole is the first par 5 at Swan Point, and at 520 yards, it's not very long. I would hesitate to call this a good birdie opportunity though. The hole doglegs left, so to shorten the hole and bring the green within reach in two, the drive must flirt with a lake running along the left side of the hole. You then have a choice, lay up to the right of the pond or go for the green. It's an island green, but the island is quite large, so there is some wiggle room to the right. I don't imagine too many people go for it though, it's quite an intimidating shot. The hole isn't super easy when you play it as a three shot hole, since the water is still there, but disaster is much less likely. Play it safe and a par is pretty easy to get.

The fourth hole.

The island the fourth green sits on is generously sized.

The fourth green, snug against the lake.

Looking back down the fourth hole.

The fifth hole is a long, straight par 4. The lake from the last hole curls around the left side of this hole, but it stops before it can really come into play. The ideal tee shot is also up the left side, as this will give you the best angle into the green, which is guarded by a bunker and a pond right. A simple and straightforward hole, much like the first.

The fifth hole.

The fifth green.

The sixth hole is the longest hole at Swan Point, and is a very long hole in general at 580 yards. This is a solid three shot hole to all but the longest golfers, especially on a day when the course was as saturated as it was. Anyway, the sixth is, once again, dead straight, with the pond by the tee really not coming into play. The cluster of bunkers on the left side is more concerning, as is the general narrowness of the hole. For such a long par 5, there's not a lot of wiggle room. A pond guarding the left side of the fairway between 50-150 yards from the green creates several options. You could try blasting a 3 wood past it, but then you're left with a short pitch to a small, elevated green guarded by four bunkers, providing you don't put yourself in the woods. You could lay up short of the pond, but then your approach is just as difficult. It really is a small target, and you're coming at it from at least 150 yards away. Or you could lay up to a normal wedge distance, threading in between the pond and the trees. The third is still fairly tough, but it's more reasonable with a wedge in hand.

It's a bit unfortunate that there are so many trees behind the green, because past them is an impressive view of the Potomac River. I'm not sure why the course management has decided to keep trees up, but hey, it's not my golf course.

The very long sixth hole.

Slowly approaching the sixth green.

The sixth green is elevated and very small.

The Potomac is sort of visible from the green.

This is the sort of view they could have without those trees behind the green.

The seventh hole is a short par 4 that doglegs left through dense forest. If you're feeling confident, you can use a driver to cut the dogleg and leave yourself a little pitch shot. Otherwise, it's a wood or long iron off the tee, followed by a wedge or short iron into a long, narrow green flanked by two bunkers. I would classify this hole as a good birdie opportunity.

The seventh hole.

The seventh green is a very narrow target.

The eighth hole is a fairly straightforward 200 yard par 3. There's a big bunker left that you don't want to end up in, but there's plenty of room to bail out right or short. Overall, not a particularly difficult or interesting hole.

The eighth hole.

The eighth green.

The ninth hole is just under 400 yards, and bends left around another small lake. Much like the second, you can bite off as much of the lake as you dare with your drive. The more you cut off, the shorter your second shot will be. Playing safe gives you a wider fairway, but makes the second shot very difficult. The green is guarded by a pair of bunkers left and a lone loblolly pine right.

The ninth constantly curves left.

Approaching the ninth green.

Definitely didn't take a picture from here because I chunked my second shot. At least the third shot was pretty good.

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