Beer of the Week

The beer: Smoothie Dreams Ale

Brewed by: Captain Lawrence Brewing Company, Elmsford, New York

Description (from the website): "Brewed with raspberries, vanilla, and milk sugar, it’s sweet, tart, and super smooth. You’re going to love it!"

Would I buy it again?: Sorry Captain Lawrence, but I really did not love this. Raspberries ruin yet another beer for me, but even so, I doubt I would like this beer. It's just so weird, a smoothie beer. And it's unfiltered too, which I also thought was strange. I saw it and I had to get it, but I wouldn't get it again.

Dark Matter Stars May Have Seeded Supermassive Black Holes

We're getting very theoretical here, considering we're not even sure what dark matter is. Anyway, in the early universe, when all the matter was squished together a lot more tightly than it is today, stars that formed were often a little different. Oh sure, they were made of hydrogen, but they also contained a bit of dark matter in the form of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles.

These dark matter stars would have looked a lot different than the stars we know today. For one, they were gigantic, spanning up to 10 AU across. They could be millions of times heavier than the sun, and billions of times as bright.

The existence of these stars could solve a big mystery of the early universe. Galaxies seemed to form around supermassive black holes, but where did these black holes come from. A gigantic star would collapse into a gigantic black hole. It's almost a little too obvious.

Beer of the Week

The beer: #Adulting Guava IPA

Brewed by: Evil Genius Beer Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Description (from the website): "#Adulting is our Guava-infused IPA! Pale and crystal malts marry perfectly with Citra & Cascade hops, creating an easy drinking, creamy, medium-bodied, clean, smooth IPA. It is then infused with all-natural guava, turning this already delicious IPA into something truly unique. Big, bold hop notes of tropical fruit, watermelon, and lemon, balanced perfectly by a slightly sweet malt backbone and juicy, refreshing guava."

Would I buy it again?: Honestly, I was just looking for something to finish the mixed six-pack when I picked this up. But you know what? Despite the awful name, I actually enjoyed this beer. I sincerely wasn't expecting that, but it really wasn't too bad at all. It wasn't too hoppy, and the guava taste was okay. I wouldn't go searching for it, but I'm glad I got it, and I'd buy it again.

Review: Glenn Dale Golf Club (Part 2)

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

The tenth hole is a par 4 of reasonable length (420 yards) that plays hard against a property line left of the hole. The trees encroach quite a bit on the tee shot and honestly could use a bit of a trim. The left fairway bunker is hardly a concern because it's tough to get a drive in that position. The drive is down the hill, and the second shot goes back up to an elevated green with bunkers front left and front right. Shots that don't get far enough on the green will almost certainly roll back down a ways.

The tenth hole. Definitely don't want to go left on the tee shot.

The tenth green.

The eleventh hole is a short par 4, only barely more than 300 yards. The hole plunges downhill and doglegs around a group of trees. The green is definitely reachable, though you'd have to be pretty brave to try carrying those trees. Experience helps, as first-time players, my brother and I had no idea where the green is; more importantly, we didn't know how far we had to go to get a clear shot at the green. As it turns out, the left side is covered by trees, and a front-left bunkers guards the elevated green from low punch shots. The right side of the fairway, followed by a full wedge, is clearly the best option. Even so, the green is small and raised, making any approach a fairly tough one.

The second hole.

The second green presents a difficult target.

The twelfth hole is, at 174 yards, the shortest hole at Glenn Dale. It plays downhill, and a single bunker rests to the left of the green. It's the easiest hole on the course.

The twelfth hole.

The thirteenth hole is supposed to be a mid-length par 4 of 380 yards. However, the back tee was out of commission, so all the tees were moved up, meaning the hole only played 290. This section of the course is pretty heavily treed, and wouldn't you know, sticking a tee in the middle of a forest isn't a great idea. It's almost like grass does better when it actually gets light. Anyway, the hole, as we played it, is a drivable par 4 playing uphill through a narrow corridor of trees to an elevated green. If you're accurate, the green is gettable, but there's very little room for error. My brother and I both opted to lay up, though my long iron play is so precise that I was able to hit the cart path for added distance, meaning I hit a 250 yard 4 iron up the hill, which was something I totally meant to do. Anyway, the green is sloped pretty significantly from back to front, so you don't want to be above the hole. There are better birdie opportunities out there.

The thirteenth hole.

The thirteenth green.

The fourteenth hole is actually a mid-length par 4 at 375 yards. It plays significantly downhill to an unseen fairway. Also unseen: A long fairway bunker stretching down the right side of the hole. However, there's O.B. left and nothing right besides that bunker, so if you're going to miss, right is better. And I used literally all the space to the right that I could. The second shot is pretty simple, the green is fairly flat, and I don't imagine the bunker long and right gets a whole lot of usage.

The fourteenth hole.

The fourteenth green. There's plenty of room to miss the fairway right.

The fifteenth hole is the final par 3 at Glenn Dale and plays 190 yards over level terrain. The lone bunker is front right, and the green, much like many others on the course, has a significant back-to-front slope.

The fifteenth hole.

The fifteenth green.

The sixteenth hole is a bit of a weird hole. It's 400 yards and plays uphill to a blind fairway up on a plateau. The hole bends slightly left, but it isn't that simple. For whatever reason, a group of trees was allowed to remain in between the green and the landing area. That means the sixteenth is a bit of a double dogleg, and that if you don't want to lay up on a 400 yard par 4, you'll keep your tee shot well to the right. The sixteenth is bunkerless, so it relies on its unusual path through the trees for defense. And it's quite an effective defense, even though the green is pretty big, this isn't an easy hole.

The sixteenth hole. Make sure to aim out to the right.

The sixteenth green.

The seventeenth hole is the final short par 4 at Glenn Dale, though at 330 yards this hole is a bit longer than some of the others. This is another unorthodox type of hole, as the fairway bends nearly 90 degrees at about the 225 yard mark. The driving range and some big trees are left, but go through the fairway and you end up in more forest. So you really need to hit your drive a certain distance to have a clear shot at the green, but should you end up short and have to punch underneath that big tree in the corner of the dogleg, you can use the terrain short of the green to get a good shot near or even onto the green. So yeah, the tee shot is a bit silly, but the green complex makes up for it.

The seventeenth hole.

The seventeenth green is below the level of the fairway, meaning it will gladly accept run-up shots.

Glenn Dale saves its second par 5 for the very end of the round, and much like the last couple holes, the eighteenth is a bit quirky. First off, there's the drive, which has to be threaded through a 20 yard wide gap, if that. Seriously, if anything it looks even narrower when you're playing it. Then there's the length of the hole: 462 yards. If you recall, the ninth was a few yards longer, but that was a par 4. I guess because of the trees and the dogleg, this hole plays pretty long. Anyway, provided you've managed to thread the needle and find the fairway, the second shot is uphill to a green separated from the fairway by a sea of sand. Getting home in two requires a very good shot, and the green itself has some severe tilt to it, so you definitely don't want to be above the hole.

The drive on 18 plays through an exceedingly narrow chute.

The uphill second shot to 18.

The eighteenth green.

Glenn Dale Golf Club was never destined for greatness. There is very little of the spectacular within the confines of its property. At no point did I think, "wow, this is one of the best courses I've ever played." I'm sure it's never made a best of anything list. It's quiet, pleasant, unassuming golf. And that's why it was so depressing to find out that it's being closed down. It's a very likable golf course, there's not a lot of water in play, and while it could use some tree trimming, it's not narrow in most places. And it's not like it was built by a no-name architect either. Glenn Dale was built in 1950s by George Cobb, whose more notable designs include Quail Hollow, East Lake, and the par 3 course at Augusta National. While there are some bland holes, there's nothing offensive, and I genuinely like Glenn Dale's collection of short par 4s. They're interesting and don't involve slugging a drive as close to the green as possible. And the ninth hole is definitely a contender for best long par 4 that I've played.

And that's not even getting to the best part about this course: the price. If you play Glenn Dale on a weekend morning, it's $55 because the cart is mandatory. But at any other time, the course can be played for less than $30. It's easily walkable, the terrain is gently rolling, and tees are always reasonably close to greens. The maintenance is very good considering the price, this isn't a bare bones operation here. While it isn't my home course, Glenn Dale is the sort of course pretty much anyone would be thrilled to have in their backyard. And that's how I'd characterize Glenn Dale best. It's a great home course, and it's going to be a big loss to those people who do play it regularly. Not as big as it would be if Glenn Dale was in the northern D.C. suburbs rather than the east, but still noticeable. Although, Glenn Dale does have a cousin of sorts nearby: The University of Maryland golf course was also designed by George Cobb, and while it's more expensive, it's still within a reasonable price range.

If you're curious about Glenn Dale, the course closes on September 2 this year, so there's still time to get a round in. I would definitely recommend it.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Golden Ale

Brewed by: Uinta Brewing Company, Salt Lake City, Utah

Description (from the website): "A year-round refresher, this golden ale is light bodied and crisp with a subtle sweetness."

Would I buy it again?: Probably not. It didn't taste bad, far from it, but it tasted exactly the same as pretty much every other easy-to-drink ale out there. And if I want one of those, I can go through a lot less effort to get one.

Review: Glenn Dale Golf Club (Part 1)

I've played my fair share of golf courses that no longer exist. Seven out of 91 courses at the moment that I'm writing this. It's a sad truth that golf isn't exactly booming at the current moment, and it's been many years since more golf courses opened in the United States than closed.

As you might suspect, I bring this up for a reason: As of September 2, 2019, Glenn Dale Golf Club, in Glenn Dale, Maryland (a D.C. suburb northeast of the city), will close. This was a bit of information that I only found out after I played here, and let me tell you, it was a bummer. It's not easy losing golf courses you know and have played before, but as we'll see over the course of this review, Glenn Dale offered reasonably interesting golf in a slightly more relaxed setting for a very reasonable price. When it goes, it will leave a gap in the D.C. golfing world.

The first hole starts things off in understated terms. The tee shot on this mid-length par 4 plays down a steep incline, then gently upward to the green. The fairway isn't exactly wide, and is especially pinched by trees near the landing area, but it's not really narrow. This is the sort of hole that really eases the golfer into the round.

The first hole.

Approaching the first green.

The second hole is much less understated. The hole is a hundred yards shorter than the first, but definitely throws a lot more at the golfer. This is a good short par 4, there are choices to be made on the tee. Sure, you can pull out the driver and blast away, but three greenside bunkers and a fairway bunker about 50 yards short definitely add some peril to that option. There is definitely a strong argument for laying up with a long iron and leaving a full wedge into the green, which is small and sharply sloped from back to front. 

The second hole.

The second green.

The third hole is a long par 4, coming in at just under 450 yards, and it's definitely a tough hole. The hole doglegs left around a group of trees, and in order to have a good shot at the green, you need to hit a decent tee shot. That sets up an approach over a pond to a green flanked by two small bunkers. Luckily, the green is pretty big, but going over doesn't exactly leave an easy recovery, as the green slopes away. If you can make par, you've definitely done well.

The third hole from the elevated tee.

Approaching the third green.

The third green from behind.

The fourth hole is almost exactly the same length as the first hole, but they play very differently. The tee shot is obviously meant to be played out to the right, but doing that leaves quite a long approach considering the modest length of the hole. While I'm not certain as to the exact distance required to clear the water, I'm pretty certain that a long hitter could clear it, and doing so would leave just a little wedge to a wide-open green.

The fourth hole.

The fourth green.

The fifth hole is the first time we see something that isn't a par 4. Luckily, the first four holes all have quite a bit of variety, so you don't notice as much. Anyway, this is a reasonably straightforward 180 yard par 3, with a narrow green and a fairly significant greenside bunker short right. This isn't the most interesting hole in the world, but it's not bad.

The fifth hole.

The fifth green.

The sixth hole is a straightaway short par 4, similar in length to the second, but they play significantly differently. One thing they do share: Going for the green is discouraged. There's only one bunker on this hole, but it's directly in between the tee and the green. If you want to drive the green, you'll have to clear that bunker. Normally I'm not a big fan of forced carries like this one, but the hole is so short that this one is okay. In addition, the green is placed in a subtle bowl, so shots will gather toward the middle of the green. Just don't go left, that's out of bounds over there. 

The sixth hole.

The sixth green.

The seventh hole is the longest par 3 at Glenn Dale, playing just over 200 yards gently down a hill. There are bunkers right and short left, but the real hazard on this hole is going long or left. There's nothing but trees and hazards there. The green is large, but it's tough to swing confidently with so much trouble long. Another solid, if unspectacular, par 3.

The seventh hole.

The eighth hole is the first of only two par 5s at Glenn Dale, and is by far the longest of the two at 555 yards. The hole is completely bunkerless for some reason, so this isn't the most interesting hole on the course. You'll definitely want to avoid a hook on this hole, thick trees and O.B. line the entire left side. Other than that, it's hit a drive and second shot to your ideal lay-up length. The green is also not hugely interesting. A bunker or two in the fairway would improve this hole a lot.

The eighth hole from the tee.

Still a long way to go.

Half of the eighth green is hidden behind a small mound.

The ninth hole is both the most difficult and the best hole at Glenn Dale. At 466 yards, it is by far the longest par 4 on the course (and slightly longer than a par 5 that we'll come to later). The tee shot has to be threaded between a road left and a large fairway bunker right onto an undulating fairway. That's tough enough by itself, but things get really interesting on the second shot. That'll be a mid to long iron off of what will almost certainly be some sort of uneven lie up to an elevated green. It's a big green, but an undulating one, and two putting is definitely not guaranteed. If you make par, there's a good chance you'll be making up at least one shot on your playing companions. This is a brutal hole, but it's still enjoyable because there aren't any major hazards. There's O.B. left on the drive, but it's pretty far off; otherwise, the hole relies on terrain for its difficulty, and I appreciate that.

The ninth hole presents a difficult drive.

The ninth green is an equally difficult target.

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

Beer of the Week

The beer: Jefferson's Golden Ale

Brewed by: Yards Brewing Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Description (from the website): "This complex golden ale pays homage to our Founding Father and fellow brewer, Thomas Jefferson. We recreated his recipe, employing honey, rye and wheat, just like the beer brewed at Monticello during Jefferson’s time."

Would I buy it again?: Not so long ago I wrote about people brewing ancient beer. The late 1700s/early 1800s weren't exactly ancient times, but it's not exactly yesterday either. So, how did Jefferson do? Pretty well, I'd say. It's definitely a pretty strong beer, and plenty drinkable too. I'd definitely consider buying more.

Computer Simulates The Universe A Little Too Well

So I've been very busy this week but I wanted to make some sort of post. So here's an article about an AI simulating the universe so well that the scientists behind the simulation aren't actually sure how it works. Which is cool and a little disconcerting.