Today in Counterproductivity

We want to send people to Mars. That's a big goal both for science and politicians. So you would think it would make sense to fund our current Mars projects adequately so that we can learn as much as possible to make that first manned mission as safe and productive for the astronauts as possible. This would be a poor time to cut the budget of our Mars expeditions. Or not. Sure, it's still a proposal at this point so hopefully things will change, but come on government. Let's give NASA the money they need.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Baba Black Lager

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

Description (from the website): "This black lager has flavors of dark coffee, chocolate, and subtle wood smoke. Our black sheep’s color stands out and leads the herd in drinkability."

Would I buy it again?: I like black lagers, they're a style you don't see often enough. And this was an excellent example. It's like a lager, but heavier and darker (how about that). But at the same time, it's more drinkable than a stout of similar coloration. Definitely something I'd consider getting again. Also, I like the name quite a lot.

Review: Mark Twain Golf Course (Part 2)

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

The tenth hole is a 430 yard par 4 playing up the hill. It's honestly a fairly tough drive, as the fairway is quite narrow (there really isn't much room left) and a marshy area cuts across the fairway about 50 yards from the green. A single greenside bunker guards the left side, meaning that the green is best approached from the right. Not an easy way to start off the back nine.

The tenth hole.

The tenth green.

While Mark Twain is mostly untouched, there has been at least one modification, and that's here at the eleventh hole. Apparently the green has been softened and the hole shortened significantly. I can't confirm any green modification, but there is definitely a former tee about 50 yards behind the current back tee, which sits about 180 yards from the green. Too bad, the course could use some variety in the lengths of its par 3s. The small green is very sloped with a fairly significant tier cutting through the middle. If that's what their idea of softened looks like, I would love to see what the green used to look like.

The eleventh hole.

The eleventh green. Still plenty of slope left.

The twelfth hole is a mid-length par 5 at 520 yards that doglegs right and has O.B. down the left side for pretty much the entire length of the hole. There's a fair amount of fairway you can cut if you're a long hitter, and that will give you a much better chance at hitting the green in two. In addition, there's actually a couple of depressions on the left side of the fairway around where the hole starts to turn that I'm guessing are former bunkers or bunkers that never were. Either way, best to avoid them. Regardless of whether you're going for the green in two or three, the right side is the best side to approach from. If you're laying up, a fairway bunker on the right side of the fairway about 100 yards from the green will complicate things.

The twelfth hole.

Approaching the twelfth green.

The twelfth green.

The thirteenth hole is yet another mid-length par 4 that plays uphill, but this one is definitely more interesting than some of the others. While there are no hazards close to the fairway, there is still a decision to be made, as the further you go, the narrower and more sloped the fairway gets. Sure, you can hit a 300 yard drive, but even if you do hit the fairway, that wedge will be from a steep sidehill lie. And the green is a tricky one, sloped sharply from back right to front left, with a noticeable tier thrown in for good measure. Hole locations in the back right shelf are going to be especially treacherous if you end up above the hole.

The thirteenth hole.

The thirteenth green.

The fourteenth hole is a bit unusual for a Donald Ross course in that it's a par 4 with a forced carry over water to the green. Though at 400 yards, it's not especially long, and it plays significantly downhill, so that helps matters. A low draw hit down the left side of the wide fairway should run out and leave just a little wedge, as well as giving the best angle to the green. Drives out to the right will have a shallower target and will have to clear a bunker as well as water to get to the green.

The fourteenth hole.

The fourteenth green.

Since the eleventh has been shortened, the fifteenth hole is currently the longest par 3 at Mark Twain, though it is a shade under 200 yards. But just like all the other par 3s, this one plays uphill. The hole is also fairly bland, with a quiet green and not much going on save for a few bunkers. This is probably the weakest hole on the course.

The fifteenth hole.

The fifteenth green.

The sixteenth hole kicks off what I would say is Mark Twain's strongest set of holes, which has been nicely saved for the end of the round. This hole in particular has the strongest terrain on the property, the land just flows so nicely up and down and around. You can have any type of stance on the second shot, depending on where you leave your drive, and I appreciate that. Anyway, the ideal drive is a fade up and over the depression on the right side (which are much closer than they look, nice visual deception there), which will leave the best angle into the green, which is guarded by a single bunker to the left. Oh, and when you do get to the green, you better hope you're on the correct side, as a knob juts into the back center, dividing much of the green into two sections. Putts and chips that have to be hit from one side to the other are going to be extremely difficult. This is arguably the best hole Mark Twain has to offer.

The sixteenth hole.

Approaching the sixteenth green.

If you have to make this putt, have fun getting it close.

The seventeenth hole is, to be honest, an incredibly easy hole. At 465 yards, this par 5 is only 15 yards longer than the ninth, which is, if you'll recall, a par 4. And it plays slightly downhill. The fairway comes in waves of low ridges, so finding a flat lie off of the tee is unlikely. The best angle to approach the green is from the left, and if you can hit a fade, it'll help the ball roll down off the higher left side toward the hole. This is the sort of hole where, if you fail to make a birdie, you really feel like you've given a shot away, especially at this point in the round.

The seventeenth hole.

Approaching the seventeenth green.

A fade will help you get close to the hole.

The eighteenth hole closes things out in an interesting way. It's on the longer side at 420 yards, doglegging right as the tee shot goes down and the approach goes up. As always, the dogleg can be challenged, shortening the hole for those who clear the trees at the corner. Interestingly, there's a bunker contained within the fairway on this hole, but it really doesn't come into play, since its well over than 300 yards from the tee. It's much more of an obstacle for those recovering from poorly hit drives. Mark Twain throws one last severely tilted green at the golfer here, and the two front bunkers are also something to think about. All in all, this is a strong finishing hole and definitely one of Mark Twain's best.

The eighteenth hole.

The uphill approach to the eighteenth.

The eighteenth green.

Looking back at the eighteenth hole.

My experience at Mark Twain had one supreme advantage over the round at Triggs Memorial: The greens actually functioned. It wasn't like putting through molasses. I'm not a fan of super-fast greens, but they have to have something, and Triggs just didn't.

However, and perhaps unsurprisingly, there isn't really a big difference in terms of quality golf course architecture between the two courses. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Mark Twain had better terrain and more interesting greens, but lacked somewhat in terms of variety. The difference in length between the longest and shortest par 4s was barely 50 yards (with the shortest being more than 390 yards), and the par 3s all played uphill. Triggs had much more variety in the lengths of its par 4s, but it wasn't immune to having par 4s that played similarly to each other, and the finish at Triggs was on the weak side. Both courses had a strong set of par 5s. Both courses are easy walks. Both courses could do with some restoration work to remove trees and expand greens and bunkers.

Ultimately, choosing between the two really comes down to personal preference, as objectively speaking Mark Twain and Triggs Memorial are about the same. In my case, I liked Mark Twain a bit more. The scenery was better, I liked the course's design a bit more, and the pace of play was way better (not much over 3 hours versus 5 hours at Triggs).

And then there's Mark Twain's trump card: value. I'll grant that 1 PM on a Tuesday in October hardly qualifies as peak time in New York, but for two people to play 18 holes on a genuine Donald Ross course, I had to pay a total of $30. That's right, it was $15 per person. For 18 holes. I've paid more to play mediocre 9 hole courses. The only golf course that I've played that beats Mark Twain in terms of value is Copake. Even though it cost twice as much, Copake is just that good, and I didn't even go for the cheapest rate. Copake can be had for $20, which is insane for a course that interesting.

But don't let that take away from Mark Twain. It's not the best course ever, but the design is solid throughout, the maintenance is good, and the price is almost unbeatable. For a state with as expensive a place as Manhattan, New York has some of the best-value golf anywhere. If you're in the Southern Tier, I absolutely recommend Mark Twain Golf Course.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Dragonfly IPA

Brewed by: Upland Brewing Company, Bloomington, Indiana

Description (from the website): "India Pale Ale originated when the British added excessive amounts of hops to help preserve their ales for long journeys to their citizens overseas, including to India. Our Dragonfly India Pale Ale is true to this tradition, featuring seven hop additions to create a powerful hop profile. A solid malt base, however, tempers the bitter American hops, giving Dragonfly a balance not often found in this style. The end product is a well-balanced, malty beer with the crisp taste of hops and an exceptionally floral nose. Dragonfly is our most popular beer, serving as an introduction to craft beer for many and a longstanding favorite for many more."

Would I buy it again?: This was, for all intents, a basic IPA. Not bad, but nothing to write home about. Pretty much every brewery makes something like it. The only reason I bought this one is because I'm trying to collect beer bottles/cans from every state, and I didn't have Indiana.

Review: Mark Twain Golf Course (Part 1)

Before I get to business, let's address the virus-shaped elephant in the room. I wrote this review back in January before the word "COVID-19" meant anything to everyone. As such, it feels almost refreshingly naive. This is the last course I played in 2019, so future reviews will be from 2020. I'll do my best to soldier on with them; while Maryland and Pennsylvania have closed their golf courses, courses in Virginia and West Virginia remain open, and the next two reviews after this will be from Virginia. Luckily, of all the sports in the world, golf is probably the safest in terms of discouraging viral spread, so I'm hopeful the closures will be lifted by May or the beginning of June. This is a strange world we find ourselves in, and if I can't keep up the monthly reviews, I won't sweat it. Anyway, on to Mark Twain.

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The Great Depression was, in general, not a great time for golf. The people who'd been bankrolling the various private clubs that dotted the wealthier sections of the country found themselves low on funds, and the temptation to sell was just too great for quite a lot of golf courses. As you can guess, these people weren't exactly turning around and building new courses, but golf course construction didn't exactly stop completely. City governments still had money, thanks to programs such as the Public Works Administration, and quite a few built golf courses. Bethpage is probably the most notable example of a Depression-era municipal golf course, but there are more. Triggs Memorial, an old Donald Ross course in Providence, Rhode Island, which I reviewed back in 2018, is another example.

You can probably guess where I'm going with this. Mark Twain Golf Course (named in honor of the author, as he's buried near the course), located in Elmira, New York, is a Depression-era municipal golf course, owned by the city of Elmira, designed by none other than Donald Ross. Mark Twain was built a few years later, but still, that's an incredibly similar backstory. In both cases, the courses have remained basically untouched. Mark Twain occupies somewhat more rolling terrain, seeing as it is on the side of a mountain, but both are easy walks. So, just how similar are these golf courses when it comes to the actual holes in the ground? Let's find out.

The first hole is a fairly tame par 4 of 400 yards, playing uphill. It's a pretty standard Ross "gentle handshake" hole to start the round. There's not a huge amount of space off of the tee, but it's hardly narrow. The approach is up the hill to a green with fair but not extreme slope protected by a pair of bunkers. There is a third bunker about 40 yards short, but it doesn't come into play much.

The first hole. In case you're wondering, I played here in October, so separate from the other New York courses I reviewed recently.

Approaching the first green.

The first green.

The second hole is 15 yards longer than the first but plays over basically level ground, so in reality, you'll probably be using the same clubs on this hole that you did on the last one. The second is significantly wider, but the green is best approached from the left side of the fairway. Again, two bunkers flank the green. Another fairly tame hole, provided you don't hook it 80 yards left like someone I know who might be me.

The second hole.

Definitely didn't take this picture from the next fairway.

The second green.

The third hole is a short par 5 at only 470 yards, and while I can say that it's an easy birdie/eagle opportunity (my brother and I played it in a combined three under), the hole is anything but simple. There isn't a flat lie to be found anywhere as the hole meanders up the hill. Approaches will be from a sidehill and uphill lie, a tricky proposition when you have a long iron in hand, and things don't get much easier when you reach the green. I've probably seen greens with more drastic slope in them, but this one has to be up near the top. Even solid putters would probably get nervous having to putt downhill on this green.

The third hole.

The uphill approach to the third green.

The third green features a very sharp tilt.

The fourth hole is a mid-length par 3 that plays up the same hill as the previous hole. The small green is heavily bunkered, so even though this isn't a long hole, you'll need a precise mid iron (preferably hit with a draw) to hit the green in regulation.

The fourth hole.

The fourth green from behind.

The fifth hole is by far the longest hole at Mark Twain, though the 565 on the scorecard is mitigated somewhat by the downhill nature of the hole. Of course the hole was playing into a stiff breeze when we played, so if anything it was playing more than the yardage indicates. The key feature on the drive is a large tree tucked into the corner of the dogleg right, about 300 yards from the tee. Clearly, you want to be left of it, otherwise your second shot will be stymied. For mere mortals, the ideal lay-up is to about 100 yards; go much further and the fairway narrows considerably courtesy of a significant depression on the left side. The green is protected by two bunkers and is best approached from the right side of the hole. Missing left or short will leave a very difficult pitch shot up a hill and over one of the bunkers.

The long fifth hole.

Approaching the fifth green. The view is slightly spoiled by the big giant warehouse.

The fifth green.

The sixth hole is 395 yards, and while it isn't technically the shortest par 4 at Mark Twain, it plays like the shortest because it goes downhill. The tee shot is fairly wide open, but if you want the best approach to the green, you're better off going down the right side, flirting with the O.B. The green is fronted by three bunkers, and more O.B. lurks behind.

The sixth hole.

This is not the greatest place to approach the sixth green.

The sixth green.

The seventh hole is the shortest hole on the course at 160 yards, but it plays longer since the last 50 yards or so of the hole are abruptly uphill. The green is fairly shallow and has bunkers in front, behind, and to the right. So not only will you need more club, the ball will be coming in lower, and there's not much space to work with on the green. It may not look like much on the scorecard, but this is a surprisingly tough hole.

The sharply uphill seventh hole.

The seventh green.

The eighth hole is actually the shortest par 4 on the course at 392 yards, but since it plays uphill, it feels longer. The pond in between the tee and fairway is barely a threat. The drive is going to land on the upslope, so don't expect much roll from it. The approach will be semiblind from that uphill lie to an elevated green protected by a pair of bunkers front left and front right.

The eighth hole.

The approach to the eighth is somewhat similar to the first hole.

The eighth green.

The ninth hole is the longest par 4 at Mark Twain, coming in at a not-inconsiderable 450 yards, though it does play slightly downhill. There isn't much to worry about on the drive, though obviously if you don't hit a good one reaching the green in two becomes an iffy proposition. However, the green is best approached from the right side. Just be careful aiming at a back hole location, as the green does slope away quite quickly past a certain point.

The ninth hole.

Even though the approach is over level ground, much of the ninth green is blind from the fairway.

The ninth green.

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