Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail: A Cautionary Tale

I have very little investment into the golf scene in Alabama. I have never been to Alabama, and I have no immediate plans to go to Alabama, save for a vague desire to visit and play golf in every state in the country. But even I find the plight of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail to be a fascinating study into golf in the modern day.

The 1990s were great for golf. Especially after Tiger Woods burst onto the scene, the idea of a state-subsidized golf course system was a decent one, and the RTJ Trail made money all through the boom years. And then came the crash. The Trail began to fall into the red, and it's done so ever since. So now, Alabama residents are essentially paying for this gigantic, sprawling system of not particularly exciting golf courses. Seriously, it's 468 holes of golf, all losing money, and not one course among the bunch is what you would call great. Some aren't bad, to be sure, but others kind of are. And Alabama is stuck with it, because it's the Trail, and the value comes from the fact that it is the Trail. But it'll almost certainly never make money again, because that's not where golf is going. But hey, there's a bunch of open golf courses down there for presumably not a lot of money, so that's something for the golfers out there.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Coconut Merlin Milk Stout

Brewed by: Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Paso Robles, California

Description (from the website): "With an infusion of freshly toasted coconuts and a touch of seasonal sorcery, Brewmaster Matt 'Merlin' Brynildson conjures up Coconut Merlin - a uniquely flavored brew for fall and winter. The fresh coconut addition perfectly accentuates the beer’s roasty, nutty character. The lactose gives a rounded mouthfeel & suggestion of sweetness resulting in the perfect combination of flavors in this first-time release from Firestone Walker."

Would I buy it again?: Coconut-flavored beers are pretty hit or miss with me, and unfortunately, this one was on the miss side. Which is too bad, because I'm usually a fan of milk stout. But this one had a weird bitter aftertaste that I did not care for. Not something I plan on getting again.

Review: Mount Pleasant Golf Course (Part 2)

We're back with the back nine at Mount Pleasant, go here if you haven't seen the front.

The tenth hole is the second of only two par 5s, and while it's almost identical in length to the first, and both are essentially straight holes, the tenth is a much more interesting proposition, thanks to the terrain. The same valley that comes into play on the ninth hole is back, this time cutting across the hole about 275 yards from the tee. You have two options off the tee, either keep your drive short of this valley, turning the hole into a definite three shot affair, or go for the driver, using the downslope to get as much distance as possible. I went for option 2, and I only had a 5 iron into the green. However, odds are that you'll have a very awkward stance, so it's not as clear cut a choice as you might think. A long iron uphill of a downhill lie is not an easy shot to pull off. The green is like a lot of the others at Mount Pleasant, reasonably sized and flanked by sand.

The tenth hole.

The valley from the ninth makes another appearance.

I imagine that bunker is usually drier.

Looking back down the tenth hole.

The eleventh hole can stretch as long as 200 yards, but the tees were up when we played. And honestly, I think this hole might be better at the 130 yards we experienced. There are bunkers right, left, and long, and if you're short, you'll be left with a sharply uphill chip. If you miss the not particularly large green, par is going to be very difficult to achieve. I don't have a problem with that sort of challenge when I have a wedge in my hands, but at 200 yards, I imagine this hole gets pretty tough.

The eleventh hole.

The twelfth hole is a mid-length par 4 at 380 yards. There's O.B. running down the entire left side of the hole, but the right side is pretty wide open. In addition, if you go left, you'll likely end up with a blind second shot, as there's a pretty big dropoff right where drives might end up. In addition, the whole fairway slopes from right to left, but the effect is less drastic the farther right you go. The bunkers right of the green definitely factor in, considering that approaches will likely be coming in from the right. The green runs away if you draw your second in, so being able to hit a fade from a draw stance will do you a lot of good.

The twelfth hole.

The twelfth green.

The thirteenth hole is another mid-length par 4, this one about 10 yards longer than the last. The drive is hit down toward an unseen fairway, while there's plenty of room, going too far right leaves you stuck behind big trees, and too far left or too long puts you off the golf course. If you've hit the fairway, the second shot is a wedge or short iron back up to the green, which has quite a bit of tilt to it and is surrounded on three sides by bunkers.

The thirteenth hole.

The main portion of the fairway is well below and to the left of the green.

The thirteenth hole.

The fourteenth hole is the longest par 4 on the back nine at Mount Pleasant, weighing in at an uphill 440 yards. The tee shot needs to long and preferably hit down the left side. Too short or too far right means overhanging tree will likely block out your second shot. That shot is up the hill to a semiblind green with bunkers front left and front right. Definitely not an easy hole, but as we'll see, it isn't the toughest hole on the back nine.

The fourteenth hole.

The fourteenth green.

The fifteenth hole is 20 yards shorter than the previous hole and plays downhill, but it is significantly harder. The O.B. left is definitely a factor on the drive, but the second shot is where things get really tricky. The green is perched above a stream, and most shots ending up left or short will kick into it. The green is big, but there's a fair amount of slope within it, so even if you hit the green in regulation, a par isn't guaranteed. This is a hole you want to hit a big drive on to give yourself a shorter approach, I can tell you with some authority that nothing good will come from hitting a 210 yard pop up off the tee.

The fifteenth hole.

15 has the toughest second shot on the course.

The sixteenth hole is very confusing the first time you play it. Let me show you a Google Maps image of the last three holes to better illustrate my point.

When you're standing on the sixteenth tee, you really can't see the sixteenth green. What you can see is the seventeenth green, and a fairway of sorts in between. You can also see a small little green directly to the right of the tee, through a few trees. It took my brother and I a couple minutes to realize that the seventeenth green was actually the seventeenth green, not the sixteenth, and that the fairway and small green didn't actually belong to any hole. Also, there were a fair number of pedestrians milling about in that area in between 16 and 18. I'm guessing that area is some sort of public place where people can come with their kids, letting them hit golf balls around for free, while doubling as a park. It was a bit strange.

Anyway, the sixteenth hole. It's a mid-length par 4 at 385 yards, and the drives plays over a valley and the stream from the previous hole. There's a lot of room to work with, but if you try taking the direct line at the green, you'll probably end up either with a dramatic sidehill lie or down at the bottom of the valley with no view of the green. Or some combination of the two. Bottom line, keep your drive to the left, at least a little bit. From the fairway, it's a fairly standard wedge or short iron to the green, which is guarded by bunkers left and right.

Trust me, the sixteenth is over there somewhere.

Approaching the sixteenth green.

The sixteenth green.

The seventeenth hole is the last of the three par 3s at Mount Pleasant, and at just over 200 yards, it's marginally longer than the eleventh, though it does play downhill. There was no escaping the mid iron this time, we played the hole as it was meant to be played. And this is a tough par 3. The green is small, and there is no good place to miss. Miss left or long, and the chip and/or bunker shot will be to a green that runs away. Miss short or right, and you'll have to negotiate that big upslope the green is perched on. Simply put, do your best to hit this green.

The seventeenth hole.

The eighteenth hole is an interesting finisher. When you step up to the tee, you're greeted with a big hill. The fairway climbs up over that hill, and then bends almost 90 degrees left. If you want an unobstructed view of the green, you need to clear the hill, and while that carry isn't hugely far, it is something to think about. The second shot is a lot simpler, just a wedge to a fairly big green. Once again, there are bunkers left and right, but they're not a huge issue. Really, provided the drive gets over the hill, this is an excellent opportunity to finish with a birdie. Considering how tough some of the last few holes have been, that opportunity is very much appreciated.

The steep uphill drive on 18.

The eighteenth green.

I can sum up my experience at Mount Pleasant in two words: Pleasant surprise. It's not at the same level as Keney Park or Shennecossett, but it's not too far behind. There are some very strong holes here.. The third is probably my favorite, but the fifteenth is also very strong. The par 3s are also pretty strong in general. But what really makes the course is the terrain. Interesting topography can elevate any course, even if it doesn't use that topography in the best way. But Mount Pleasant does utilize its land well. It rests gently upon the surprisingly rugged landscape, never fighting it. The course is completely walkable, with the only sizable green to tee walks coming when you have to cross a road after the first hole, then when you have to go back to get to the ninth hole.

To be honest, Mount Pleasant is a little bit on the pricey side. It was 40 dollars to walk 18 on a Saturday afternoon, which wasn't bad, but it's definitely not cheap. I wouldn't want to pay too much more than that for a round here. I'll call it appropriate for what you get, but it's not the best value in the world. The pace of play was also on the high side of acceptable, it was a bit faster than I was expecting, considering it was a nice June afternoon (don't we all wish for a day like that right now?) in the middle of a big city, but 4 and a half hours definitely isn't quick. That said, I still recommend playing here. It's a good course at a fairly reasonable price, and Baltimore is fortunate to have it as a municipal option.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Saison de Lis

Brewed by: Perennial Artisan Ales, St. Louis, Missouri

Description (from the website): "A straw colored Belgian-style Saison brewed with chamomile flowers. It is fermented with a traditional saison yeast strain that imparts fruity and spicy notes that dovetail perfectly with the tea-like quality of the chamomile. Finishes dry, tart, and refreshing."

Would I buy it again?: I bought this beer quite a while ago, and at that point, I had no idea what chamomile tasted like. Well, in between then and now, I got a very sore throat and was drinking chamomile tea multiple times a day in a desperate search for relief. During that time, I learned that I really don't like chamomile that much. So a beer flavored with chamomile really didn't do much for me.

Review: Mount Pleasant Golf Course (Part 1)

Municipal golf courses can be very hit or miss. Sometimes you get a gem like Keney Park or Shennecossett, or sometimes you get something that is ... not so impressive. I grew up playing on a basic 9 hole muni, one that was one step above a field with some flags stuck in the ground. You can't get much more basic than that.

In terms of municipal golf, Baltimore is pretty well equipped. It has five courses with 81 holes; considering the size of the city, that's not too bad at all. To compare, D.C. only has three municipal courses, and it's a bigger city. Mount Pleasant isn't the most played of the Baltimore munies (that honor goes to Pine Ridge), but it's generally considered to be the best of the bunch. Not the most scenic (again, that honor goes to Pine Ridge), but the best in terms of strategy and architecture. It's a Golden Age design in the northern part of the city, built in the 1930s, so it's got that going for it. It's also got some history too; the course actually hosted a PGA Tour event back in the 1950s. The list of winners during that decade is seriously impressive, including the likes of Sam Snead and Arnold Palmer. That's some serious pedigree, but the question is: Does Mount Pleasant still stack up today? Let's find out.

Things start off in a less than thrilling fashion. The first hole is actually the longest hole on the golf course at 560 yards, but that's about all the hole has. There's one fairway bunker, but it's not big, and considering all the room everywhere else, you'd have to really try to get into it. The second shot is also not particularly interesting unless you've got the length to get home in two, which most people playing the course wouldn't have. Really, the most noteworthy thing about the first hole is the two greens. I'm not entirely sure why this is the only hole with two greens, but I didn't build it. The right green looks a bit more interesting, as it's more sloped, but both are flanked by bunkers. Okay, this isn't the worst hole in the world, but I was expecting a little bit more.

The first hole plays over fairly level ground.

The first hole, with its two greens. Obviously, the left one was being used the day I was there.

The first green.

The second hole is a short 350 yard par 4. It's a dogleg right, with trees encroaching on the right preventing the use of driver. You don't want to go too far left either, as there's a road and O.B. close by. That means you'll be using a long iron or 3 wood on the tee, and obviously, the ability to hit a fade will benefit you immensely. The green is guarded by three bunkers, one left and two right. The green is quite large and tilted from back left to front right.

Driver is a bad idea off of the second tee.

The second green.

The third hole is where the round really starts to pick up. Mount Pleasant has a pretty strong set of par 4s, and this is one of the best on the course. It's about the same length as the last hole, and it doglegs right in a similar manner, but the two could hardly be more different. The hole drops down into a valley and then back up. You have two primary options off the tee: Either use a long iron and lay up in the widest part of the fairway, or use a driver and hit into the narrower upper section. Obviously, the first option is easier at first, but then you're left with a blind shot up over a series of bunkers. If you go more aggressive, you get a shorter shot, an actual view of the green, and an open look. The green itself is big and not hugely complicated.

The third hole.

The third green.

The fourth hole is another par 4, this one just under 370 yards. The tee shot is blind, but the ideal line is as close to the trees on the left as you can. A single bunker guards the green short right, any drives not hit down the left side will have to go right over it. Not a dramatically difficult or complicated hole, but definitely not a bad one either.

The fourth fairway is blind from the tee.

The fourth green.

The fifth hole is significantly longer than the last three holes, playing about 415 yards. Once again, the tee shot is blind. That makes sense, the hole plays parallel to the last hole, so it has to traverse the same sort of terrain. The fairway slopes from right to left, and if you're a long hitter, a dip in the fairway may make you reconsider using a driver. The green is quite substantial, and there's a fair amount of slope from back right to front left.

Another blind drive on 5.

The very large fifth green.

The sixth hole is a tiny little 135 yard par 3. There are a couple bunkers short, but they're pretty easy to clear. On the surface, it looks really easy. Few hazards, big green. However, that green is sloped sharply from back to front; the front of the green is easily 5 feet below the back. It is extremely easy to 3 putt, something I can attest to. It really isn't enough to hit the green, you really do need to be close, because there are some big breaks to be found.

The sixth hole, with another very large green.

The seventh hole is a mid-length par 4, curving right around trees and a small stream. Much like the second hole, the ability to hit a fade comes in handy here, though the need isn't quite so urgent. There's no O.B. left this time. Even so, I don't imagine driver is used too often off the tee. The second shot is a short iron to a small green with bunkers left and right.

The seventh hole.

The seventh green.

The eighth hole is another not particularly long par 4, playing under 370 yards. It doglegs sharply to the left, and the fairway slopes down in a similar fashion. You need to hit your drive far enough to clear the dogleg, as the trees left encroach quite a bit, but you also don't want to go through the fairway, as there are more trees. The green is on the smaller side and surrounded by sand and a steep dropoff behind. I'd say that long is dead, but I went almost 50 yards past (like I said, it's a big drop), and then I pitched to a foot and made par. Okay, unless you hit the miracle shot, long is dead.

The eighth hole.

The eighth green.

The ninth hole is always going to be a difficult proposition. At 465 yards, it's a very long par 4, but the day we played, the hole was playing straight into a fairly stout breeze. That made the act of clearing the big valley eating into the fairway a whole lot more difficult. If you don't clear it, you'll be left with a blind and very long second shot. If you do hit a good drive, your reward is a mid iron to a not particularly large green guarded by several bunkers. Honestly, 5 is not a bad score here, and I imagine there are quite a few people who can't reach the green in two. It's a very tough way to close out the front nine.

The ninth hole, with a drive over a valley.

I was happy to get my drive far enough to get this good a look at the green.

The ninth green.

That's it for now, come back next week for the back nine.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Cascara & Coffee Ale

Brewed by: Guinness Open Gate Brewery, Halethorpe, Maryland

Description (from the bottle): "Brewed with Cascara (fruit from the coffee bean), sourced from Baltimore's vent coffee roasters. Bold espresso flavors partner with subtle smokiness and dark fruit."

Would I buy it again?: You might be a little confused as to the brewer here. Guinness? In Maryland? That can't be right. Turns out this is that Guinness, and this brewery is the first time Guinness has brewed beer in the United States for a very long time. Why they went with Baltimore I don't know, but here we are, a bottle of beer that you can only get at the brewery itself. The beer itself is a bit spicier than I was expecting, not at all bitter, honestly it was pretty good. I'm going back next week, if it's still available I'll probably get it again.

The Best Of Science In 2019

There were some big events in the scientific fields in 2019, and Science News has compiled a top 10 list of the biggest. Some were more positive than others (new depression drug good, measles return not so good), but all are important. (Yes, even the Denisovans. Cavemen are very important.) I'm glad that the black hole image took the number 1 spot though, because that's a very big deal. That little orange and black doughnut was the culmination of years of work, and it's great to say that we've finally actually seen a black hole. We can only hope 2020 is equally as interesting when it comes to science.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Rye Oatmeal Stout

Brewed by: Liquid Hero Brewery, York, Pennsylvania

Description (from the website): "Sweet, rich, coffee like dark malt flavor combined with a creamy spicy-slick consistency from additions of oat and rye. Tan-colored head."

Would I buy it again?: I honestly don't have a huge amount to say about this one. There was a bit of rye flavor but not a lot. Other than, it was a pretty straightforward oatmeal stout. It was okay, but nothing I'd crave again.

Ranking the Golf Courses I Reviewed In 2019

It's officially 2020, and what better way to wean off that New Year's hangover than with a big round-up of all the golf courses I reviewed in 2019!

I'll say this about 2019, the golf was occasionally awful, but at least the weather was mildly cooperative. Actually, for a little while in the fall it was downright dry. So it was never a struggle to get a year's worth of review material in, which was very nice. I was also able to get quite a variety of environments this time around, ranging from the marshes of southern Maryland to the boreal forests of the Adirondacks. Anyway, let's get to the list!

13. Cumberland Golf Club

This is about as dynamic as Cumberland gets.

I called it all the way back when I reviewed the course back in January. It would be tough for a course to be worse than Cumberland, and nothing else I played was up to the challenge. Not even close. It's flat, it's boring, and it's not worth your time or money.

The eighteenth is the one mildly interesting hole at Cumberland. It isn't worth the effort.

Find my review of Cumberland here and here.

12. The Woods - Mountain View

One of the more intimidating tee shots you'll ever face.

Sometimes a piece of land just isn't suited for golf. There is such a thing as too rugged, and I think the Mountain View course at the Woods crosses it. The course is completely unwalkable, holes are separated from each other by what often seems like miles, and to make matters worse, houses line almost every hole. The other things I could forgive, but when I play a golf course in the middle of nowhere, I want it to feel like it's in the middle of nowhere. Instead, it just felt like a mediocre housing course.

One of the few pictures I took where there were no houses in frame.

Find my review of the Woods here and here.

11. Range End

The fourth at Range End, quite possibly my least favorite hole of all time.

We go from ridiculously mountainous to nearly dead flat. Range End isn't a bad course, per se, but it is pretty boring. It's packed into a small property, so that means numerous parallel holes, and to top it off, the vast majority of the land is pancake flat. A talented architect could create some interest with cleverly placed bunkers or subtle earthwork, but Range End possesses neither of these attributes. This is about as generic as golf gets.

The twelfth at Range End, the one hole on the course with significant elevation change.

Find my review of Range End here and here.

10. Stamford Valley

The seventh hole is the best one at Stamford Valley.

The only 9 hole course I reviewed in 2019, Stamford Valley has some excellent scenery and a generally interesting set of greens going for it. The stretch from 6 to 8 is honestly pretty compelling golf. The rest of the course is fairly lackluster, if occasionally quirky. And $16 for 9 holes is a bit steep. It's better than most of the other 9 hole courses I've played, but I wouldn't take it over too many 18 hole courses.

There's quite a lot to take in on the eighth tee.

Find my review of Stamford Valley here.

9. Hickory Heights

The fifth green at Hickory Heights.

My experience at Hickory Heights can be summed up in two words: unexpected rain. More than a year on and I'm still annoyed about that. Anyway, the golf course is pretty basic, but it traverses some rolling terrain, which provides some reasonable interest. It's not quite as quirky as Westminster National, but it's not bad.

The sixteenth hole.

Find my review of Hickory Heights here and here.

8. Brigantine Golf Links

The third hole at Brigantine.

This definitely isn't a bad golf course, but it's completely flat and literally every hole is surrounded by houses. As a result, things start to look a little repetitive, especially in April when all the grass is brown. That said, there's some real strategic interest here despite the weaknesses, and the sixteenth is definitely on the short list for most entertaining green I've ever seen. It's worth seeing Brigantine just for that.

The ninth green, overlooking the ocean. Also note the tiny flags.

Have fun if you end up above the hole.

Find my review of Brigantine here and here.

7. Fore Sisters

The third hole at Fore Sisters. Sometimes the round feels more like a hike than golf.

The ninth hole.

Remember what I said about the Woods? How a golf course in the middle of nowhere should feel like it? Well, Fore Sisters does exactly that. It feels wild. There are no houses in view, just forest and mountains. The course is rugged, but it's not completely unwalkable (I wouldn't recommend it, but you can do it). Is it the most compelling course in the world? No, but the setting alone elevates it, and there's some definite quirk around. Plus how many courses have 700 yard holes?

Now that's a hole.

Looking back down the fourteenth. Yes, the 700 yard hole is uphill.

The sixteenth hole.

Find my review of Fore Sisters here and here.

6. Kingsbury National Golf Club

One of Kingsbury National's unique features is a double green, occupied by the first and eighth holes.

The approach on the ninth.

Kingsbury National is a perfectly nice golf course. A few decent holes,  a few parallel holes, nothing spectacular but nothing bad. A typical modern golf course, I'd call it. However, Kingsbury National has an ace in the hole. I'm not sure if it always plays so firm and fast, but it did when I was there, and that made it way more fun than it had any right too be. In softer conditions, this may drop a spot or two.

Golden hour can make any hole look great.

Find my review of Kingsbury National here and here.

5. Swan Point

The second at Swan Point is a rude awakening, but a good-looking one.

The Potomac River behind the sixth green.

Swan Point is not the sort of golf course I'd expect to enjoy. Lots of trees, lots of water, not particularly wide, it sounds pretty awful, to be honest. And yet, I did enjoy playing Swan Point. It's a beautiful spot, and there are some fun holes on the back nine. They're a little too tough for the beginner, I think, but as a sort of not completely terrible golfer, I appreciate the challenge now and again. The thrill of blasting a drive over the marshes to an unseen fairway is something I won't soon forget. Just bring a few extra golf balls.

The tenth hole, with the eleventh in the background.

Trouble surrounds the eleventh green.

The thirteenth concludes quite a scenic three-hole stretch.

Find my review of Swan Point here and here.

4. Glenn Dale Golf Club

The tough approach to the second.

The punchbowl-like sixth green.

The ninth hole requires two mighty blows.

Ah, Glenn Dale, a golf course gone too soon. That's right, we've got a dead course on the list, so unlike the other courses on this list, you'll just have to take my word that this course was pretty fun. Not earth shattering, but there were 18 solid holes with a decent set of greens, and it was a nice little slice of nature in suburban Washington, D.C that you could play for a very reasonable price. The golf world needs more Glenn Dales, not fewer.

The fifteenth hole.

The uphill approach to the last green.

Find my review of Glenn Dale here and here.

3. Orchard Creek Golf Club

Heading down to the first green.

The eighth green, sitting over Bozen Kill

The weather may have been disgustingly hot and I may have blown 7 shots in 4 holes to my brother who was suffering a fair amount of heat exhaustion, but that didn't stop me from appreciating a wonderfully minimalist modern golf course. There was plenty of strategy around, and playing corridors were almost always very wide open. The greens were fun, and the course was very walkable, not to mention affordable. Just bring lots of water with you if it's hot.

The fourteenth is only 270 yards, but it's got many possibilities.

The fifteenth is a 250 yard brute.

Find my review of Orchard Creek here and here.

2. Lake Placid Club - Links

The second hole at Lake Placid, with some impressive mountains in the background.

The sixth green, long, undulating, and dangerous.

The Links course at Lake Placid is, of course, not a real links. It wasn't even particularly firm and fast. But what it does have is a resolutely old-school style. Granted, I haven't seen a whole lot of golf courses (just shy of 100), but I have never seen bunkering like the Links course had. Long, thin ribbons of sand, stretching for dozens and dozens of yards. The course has apparently undergone a recent restoration, and I would just like to commend whoever was responsible for actually restoring the features of the course to the way they would have looked when Lake Placid was built over a century ago. The Links is a tough course, long and often punishing. But it's never overly penal, if you're careful, you can work your way around just fine. Plus there's the little matter of the scenery. The pictures don't do it justice.

The eleventh hole.

It's tough to beat Lake Placid on a July evening.

Find my review of Lake Placid here and here.

1. Copake Country Club

The second green at Copake presents quite a challenge.

I thought the difference between Shennecossett and Keney Park last year was small. Both are excellent golf courses, but I was always a bigger fan of Shennecossett. This year, the difference between Lake Placid and Copake was so small that I initially favored Lake Placid over Copake. Lake Placid is such a beautiful course, of course it was best. How could it not be?

The sixth, one of three sub-300 yard par 4s at Copake.

This isn't just a beauty contest though, and while Lake Placid has plenty of style and substance to go with the scenery, I think Copake is a more compelling golf course. The greens at Lake Placid were often not the most interesting in the world, while Copake presented quite possibly the most compelling set of greens I've ever played. Copake is not a course that can be bludgeoned into submission, it's all about the second shot and the short game there. As such, it varies immensely from Lake Placid, which can be a bit of a brute tee to green.

The eleventh green.

The thirteenth hole, down in a valley.

Let's put it like this: If you gave me one round and a choice between Lake Placid and Copake, I'd go with Lake Placid. But if you gave me ten rounds, I'd probably split it seven/three in favor of Copake. Lake Placid is an excellent getaway course with plenty of charm, but Copake, in my opinion, is just more fun. I would rather play Copake every day than Lake Placid, and that's why I'm putting it at the top for 2019.

It may not be the Adirondacks, but Lake Copake isn't a bad substitute.

Find my review of Copake here and here.

Well, that's 2019 done and dusted. It's been an adventure. I've got a backlog of courses all the way to April this time around, so once again, expect reviews once a month in 2020. Stay tuned!