Beer of the Week

The beer: Son of a Baptist Coffee Stout

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

Description (from the website): "Son of a Baptist is an 8% ABV imperial stout. It is not barrel aged like its father, Big Bad Baptist; instead its flavor profile was designed to highlight the complex and unique flavors of small batch coffees. Instead of sourcing a coffee that would play well in a beer we sought out creative and innovative roasters, then asked them which beans they’re passionate about. Each resulting release of Son of a Baptist is widely different, depending on the coffee selected. Some are fruity and sweet with notes of jam and chocolate, others are rich and earthy with a big roasted finish. Each limited release will return to the Roaster’s home market where the beer and the coffee can be sampled side by side."

Would I buy it again?: I probably would, but not for a while. This may come as a big surprise, but a thick coffee stout isn't exactly the best beer to drink in the summer. But in the winter, sure, I'd get it again. I like coffee stouts, and this was a good one.

Washington D.C. Munies To Be Restored, Revitalized

Many years ago I did a post on a different blog about a potential plan to change the Washington, D.C., municipal golf courses into more upscale places. There was talk of championships and mini-Augusta Nationals, and in general I was very against such plans. Golf doesn't need more fancy courses, it needs more affordable places with quality architecture that the general public can access. That seems especially appropriate in the world of today as golf, as with so many things, wrestles with its elitist elements. This article from Golf.com illustrates the point nicely. While programs like the First Tee are certainly well intentioned, the fact is that they haven't really done a whole lot to increase minority participation in golf. Golf, by and large, remains very inaccessible to those who are not upper middle class or live in big cities.

That's why the news that the National Links Trust has been chosen to run the D.C. munies is such good news. Not only will the courses be revitalized by big names such as Tom Doak and Gil Hanse, but they will be renovated and/or restored in a sympathetic and minimalist fashion so that the courses will remain faithful to their roots as blue-collar haunts. The typical D.C. golfer will have no trouble affording the golf, and they will be rewarded with three courses brimming with interesting quality design. The courses will truly be a part of the community, and it's this sort of action that will truly make golf a more inclusive sport. I've never played the D.C. municipal courses, but I sure plan to once the restorations are complete.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Crosslands Clover Honey Ale

Brewed by: Guinness Open Gate Brewery, Halethorpe, Maryland

Description (from the can): "Golden Ale featuring clover honey from Apex Bee Company, a local apiary. The delicate flavor of the honey is balanced with biscuity malt and tea-like hops."

Would I buy it again?: I absolutely would. It is an interesting combination of flavors, the breadiness and the honey, but it works surprisingly well. In my eyes, this is a Guinness sleeper beer, you wouldn't go there to get it and they're definitely not known for it, but it's really good, and I've already purchased it multiple times (well, twice, once at the brewery and once as a six pack).

Review: Royal New Kent Golf Club (Part 2)

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

The tenth hole is the longest hole at Royal New Kent, playing 620 from the tips and an equally impressive 580 from the middle tees. When you're standing on the tee, the most obvious feature is the line of four bunkers that seem to be taking the place of the fairway. Now, there is a sliver of fairway left, but that also quickly disappears over the hill. Rest assured, there is fairway beyond the bunkers, and a huge one at that. It may actually be 100 yards across at its widest point. So wide that even I was able to hit it. Now unless you've hit a huge drive, you'll probably be laying up, which is where things get interesting. There's a big waste bunker where the hole doglegs, if you want to avoid it, your third shot will be longer, but if you go over, you'll have a much shorter shot. Either way, you'll be approaching a green fronted by a native area and sand. The green itself is high at the front, low in the middle, and high at the back, so you'll want to end up on the correct level.

The tenth hole. There is fairway out there, the hole isn't just bunkers.

 

Approaching the tenth green.

The eleventh hole is a 380 yard par 4 from the middle tees and is fairly unremarkable from the tee. Oh sure, there are quite a few bunkers, but otherwise, it's not a tough tee shot, but not as wide open as the last hole or some others. There's a lot of elevation in the fairway, so have fun finding a level stance. The second shot is right back uphill to a semiblind green. Now, interesting thing about the green, at first it doesn't seem all that impressive, compared with a couple others, but this is perhaps the most treacherous green on the course, which is saying something. There are no easy putts, and downhill putts are incredibly fast. I hit my approach to only 15 feet and my second putt was from nearly that same distance. So don't count on making birdie here.

The eleventh hole.

 

The semiblind approach to the eleventh green.

The eleventh green is a tricky one.

Royal New Kent has some pretty crazy greens, but the twelfth hole stands head and shoulders above them all. Perhaps not in terms of actual difficulty of putting, since there's not as much elevation change as some others, but when it comes to sheer scale, it can't be beat. The green on this "175 yard" par 3 is nearly 90 yards long. So long, in fact, that, when the hole is in the back of the green like it was the day I played, the hole actually played over 200 yards. And I'm sure the hole becomes quite short when the flag is cut on the front portion of the green. If you end up on the front side when the hole is in the back (or vice versa) ... well, all I can say is have fun with your 200 foot putt.

Oh, and in case that wasn't enough, this green is pretty well bunkered, and the entire hole is a victim of rather poor routing. You see, the thirteenth tee is right next to the eleventh green; to get to this hole, you have to go in the opposite direction from the thirteenth and cross a road. And when you finish this hole, you go right back the way you came, cross back across the road you just crossed in the exact same spot as before, and head to the thirteenth. Royal New Kent is carts only, but still, there had to have been a better solution than that.

The twelfth hole, with the world's longest green (probably not quite, but it's pretty up there).

 

The twelfth green. As you can see, the green gets very narrow.

The thirteenth hole is a short par 4 at 340 yards from the black tees, and it's a fairly classic strategic hole. There's not much trouble left, so drives hit over there will be safe, but the second shot will be a complicated pitch over bunkers to a narrow target. Go right, flirting with the massive bunkers, and the second shot will be from a much better angle. Not a complicated hole, but a solid one.

The thirteenth hole.

 

The thirteenth green.

The fourteenth hole is the shortest par 4 at Royal New Kent, measuring 330 from the middle tees and 340 from all the way back. Looking at the hole from above, the fairway almost resembles an amoeba in the process of undergoing mitosis. There's a big wide blob of fairway that you can lay up into that narrows to almost nothing about 250 yards from the tee. That 250 goes pretty quick too, because for whatever reason, this fairway seemed to a lot firmer than the others. The approach, if you've hit the correct portion of fairway, is semiblind to a somewhat elevated and rather shallow green. Even so, this is a good birdie opportunity.

The fourteenth hole.

 

Approaching the fourteenth green, sheltered among the faux dunes.

The fourteenth green.

The fifteenth hole is the longest par 3 on the course from any tee, but from the middle tees it's 210 yards. And for once, the green is a normal size and shape, though it's definitely not the easiest target in the world, being elevated on pretty much every side. But hey, the hole seems easy when the green's as big and not ridiculously narrow as it is.

The fifteenth hole.

 

The fifteenth green.

The sixteenth hole is a long par 4 from the back, and an especially long one from the middle, weighing in at 450 yards. No mercy on this hole. If you can hit a draw, you'll be at a distinct advantage, since the hole doglegs quickly and there's a big slope that, if you catch it, your drive will run a long way, making the fifteenth much more manageable. And you'll want as short an approach as you can to this green, which is flanked by big bunkers. And yet, that's not the green's greatest defense. Basically, don't go long, as the back of the green is 5 or 6 feet higher than the front. Go past and you'll have lots of fun with that next putt.

The sixteenth hole.

   

The sixteenth green has some very severe slope from back to front.

 

The sixteenth green.

The seventeenth hole is the final and shortest par 5 at Royal New Kent, but at 530 yards from the middle tees, it's still not exactly easy to reach in two. The fairway is very wide and framed by trees, and the undulated fairway provides most of the challenge, though a small stream right is something to think about. If you do want to go for the green in two, you'll have to go down the left side, which lengthens the hole. Then you'll have a fairway wood to a very small green fronted by that same stream from before. My opinion: Play this as a three-shot hole. It's much simpler that way. The green is pretty flat, so a good wedge should give you an equally good birdie opportunity.
 

The seventeenth hole is framed by trees.

 

Approaching the seventeenth green.

The seventeenth green.

The eighteenth hole is also a departure from the rest of the course, much like the seventeenth, but in no way is that a good thing. For whatever reason, the course ends with a long par 4 with water everywhere. Sure, it doesn't come into play too much on the tee shot, but since you do have to carry the pond on your tee shot, it's never far from your mind. The second shot is a different story. It's a mid iron to a peninsula green that's also the shallowest target on the golf course. There's water short, long, and right. If you don't hit a good drive, I honestly think the best play is to bail out left. The green is set in an amphitheater and shots hit left will funnel toward the green. That's what I did and I actually managed to get up and down for par, which was a more than satisfactory score on a hole like this. This is an over-the-top hole, but not in a positive way like the rest of the course, and it's a definite letdown that Royal New Kent ends in this way.

The eighteenth hole.

The eighteenth hole presents a very challenging second shot.

 

The final green.

There is no denying that Royal New Kent is an extremely memorable golf course. It is intensely creative, over-the-top, and there's never a boring hole over the course of the round. Royal New Kent always throws something at you, some new challenge. But that strength, that intensity, is also the course's weakness. Royal New Kent doesn't really do breather holes. There's no easing into the round either; the second is probably the most ridiculous hole on the entire golf course. A fishhook par 5 with a 30-foot deep pit? That's not something you see every day. Even the easier holes like the thirteenth aren't actually all that easy. Disaster can befall you anywhere because of the punishing nature of the bunkers and hazards. Often, if you end up in a bunker, you'll struggle to advance out of it.

That's not to say I disliked Royal New Kent, far from it. I'd put it in my personal top 10. But I think it would be better if it was a bit ... worse isn't the right word, gentler is better. It's just so much, such a handful. If there were a few holes where you could relax, enjoy the good things Royal New Kent has to offer instead of worrying, I think this would be a top-tier golf course. That and if the lake on the last hole was filled in, lakes on final holes almost always ruin what comes before. P.B. Dye was worse for it, Royal Manchester was worse for it, and Royal New Kent is worse for it. Difference is, I was able to play those first two courses for a combined total well less than what I paid for Royal New Kent. 85 dollars on a Saturday afternoon isn't the most expensive round ever but it certainly isn't cheap or good value in any way. My general assessment would have to be that I'm glad I played there, but I'm in no hurry to play it again.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Never Say Hefeweizen

Brewed by: Cushwa Brewing Company, Williamsport, Maryland

Description (from the website): "This German style wheat beer (weissbier) produces unique flavors of banana and cloves with an often dry and tart edge."

Would I buy it again?: It's a locally brewed hefeweizen, so yes, I would. I like the style of beer, I like this particular version, not much else to say about it. It's a good solid beer for the summer. Also, I enjoy saying the word "Cushwa," so it's got that going for it as well. Never underestimate the power of funny words.

Review: Royal New Kent Golf Club (Part 1)

I've been playing golf for 20 years, and over that time, I've played a decent number of golf courses, especially in the past few years. When 2020 started, I was at 98 golf courses, and I had plans to play something special for my one hundredth golf course. Hitting three digits was a big deal to me. Then coronavirus happened, and it made my quest a lot more difficult. My initial thoughts were either Bethpage Black or Bulle Rock just north of Baltimore (former site of an LPGA major). Unfortunately, both New York and Maryland closed their golf courses. As I mentioned last month, Virginia kept its courses open. That brings us to Royal New Kent, located southeast of Richmond.

Mike Strantz was declared as one of the "Top 10 Greatest Golf Architects of All Time" by Golfweek on the grounds of just nine golf courses. That's an impressive credential, and he was probably destined for even better things before dying of cancer at only 50 years old. Royal New Kent is one of those nine, and was designed as an Irish links. Mountains of earth were moved to make that happen. It's quite a spectacle, and it's been through quite a bit. The course actually closed at the end of 2017, but was bought up at the last minute and was restored, saving one of Strantz's few courses from extinction. So, what's Royal New Kent like? Is Mike Strantz's reputation deserved? Let's find out.

The first hole wastes no time in introducing the golfer to the offbeat strategy and look of Royal New Kent. Playing 370 yards from the middle set of tees, which is where I played from (it's 6,700 yards from that set, but the course can play as long as 7,400 yards ... no thanks), this par 4 doglegs 90 degrees left along a valley of faux-dunes. You can play the hole with a 3 wood out to the right, leaving a longer approach, or you can cut the dogleg at virtually any point. The green is actually not that far away and is almost drivable. Certainly you can leave yourself just a short pitch. But that second shot will be tricky, as the green is very elevated and any shots left even slightly short will roll back down the hill. The green, by Royal New Kent standards, isn't anything special, but when you're playing it for the first time, it's a bit of a shock. The adventure doesn't end at the greens, I'll say that much.

The first hole.

The semiblind approach to the first green. Don't miss short!

The first green.

The second hole is a rare example of an actually decent rendition of the fishhook hole. What do I mean by fishhook? It's a hole that features a dogleg greater than 90 degrees, so that you're almost doubling back after the tee shot. Most of the time, doing this is a sign that you've routed poorly, but this is apparently a bit of a Strantz template, as similar holes exist on some of his other courses. The hole is 560 yards from the middle tees, which sounds quite long. The landing area is blind from the tee, but you'll want to stay out toward the left. Once you ascend the ridge you'll find out why: There's a massive chasm to the right. I'm assuming that balls hit into there are lost during the summer, but since I played here in early April, the grass hadn't had time to grow much, so if you did hit a drive in (which I did), you could find it and hit it out (which I also did). But assuming you do hit the fairway, you're left with a choice. You can go out to the left around the pit, or you can go for broke and go for the green. It's a long shot, but it's definitely possible. Just don't end up short or right.

Not much to see on the second tee, but there's plenty going on past that ridge.

If you're willing to negotiate the chasm, the second green is reachable in two.

The second green. You'll probably want to miss left here.

The third hole is the first par 3 at Royal New Kent, 160 yards from the middle tee. The green is long and thin, and there are multiple tiers. This is a green you'll want to hit, short isn't good, left isn't any better, and right is actually the worst. There's a really deep pit over there. Like I said, you really do want to hit this green, which is not an easy task considering how narrow it is. A little extra width would make the hole a lot better, in my humble opinion.

The third hole.

The third green.

The fourth hole is a mid-length par 4 from the middle tees, and when you're standing on the tee, there's a tiny little sliver of fairway weaving through the faux dunes. It looks like a tough tee shot, but there's actually a huge amount of fairway over the mound on the left side. Like, 50 or 60 yards worth of fairway. So there's really no reason to miss right when there's so much room left unless you're a colossal idiot (I'm a colossal idiot). The green is small but it's located in a punchbowl of sorts so shots hit slightly astray will tend to funnel back in toward the hole.

There's more to the fourth hole then meets the eye.

Approaching the fourth green.

The fourth green.

The fifth hole is a big par 5, 570 from the middle tees, playing uphill through a valley to a fairway guarded by several bunkers. A cluster of three bunkers cuts the fairway in two, though it's far enough away that you can use a driver without fear. The second shot will be a lay-up (unless you're really long), and once again, there are quite a few bunkers in the lay-up area. The third shot is a fairly easy pitch shot, but the greenside bunkers are not fun places to be if you're coming at the green from further out.

The fifth hole.

The second shot on 5 is blind.

The fifth green.

The sixth hole is 380 yards from the middle tees, and the most obvious feature when you're teeing off is the gigantic bunker to the left side. It's really just for show though, since it's pretty close to the tee. You'd have to hit a pretty bad shot to end up in it. And no, I'm not speaking from experience this time. No, my bad drive ended up in the deep pot bunker to the right. The green is bunkerless, but it doesn't need any protection. This is one of the most extreme greens I've ever seen; the surface is small and the back right section is about 5 feet above the rest of the green. End up in the wrong place and have fun getting anywhere close to the hole.

The sixth green.

The sixth green.

The seventh hole is a mid-length par 3, 170 from the middle tees, playing to a long green diagonal to the line of play. There's a narrow stream in front and left, and a couple bunkers to the right. The green is wavy, rising and falling then rising again over the course of its 50-yard length. A draw is the best shot to hit into the green. I do like the hole, but much like the third, I wish the green was a bit wider. Not a lot of wiggle room.

The seventh hole.

The seventh green.

The eighth hole is 400 yards and plays almost like a mirror of the first hole. The hole bends 90 degrees to the right, but while I suppose it is theoretically possible to cut the dogleg, I wouldn't recommend it. I did just that, and the fairway is incredibly narrow. I got away with it, but I imagine I wouldn't get so lucky next time. If you're not a long driver, then you don't need to use a 3 wood or an iron, but if you are, then a lay-up is probably for the best. The fairway does run out fairly quickly. The green is partially behind a mound and there's a big knob in the back right corner, though not as big as the sixth.

The eighth hole.

Approaching the eighth green.

The eighth green.

The ninth hole is fairly short from the middle tees, only 350 yards, but there's a pretty good reason not to use driver off of the tee. There's a stream right of the fairway, and a pair of bunkers narrow the fairway nearly 300 yards from the tee. The green is elevated, long, and narrow, and is best approached from the left. The same stream extends to the green, so there's a big drop to the right which is a less-than-ideal place to be.

The ninth hole.

Approaching the ninth green.

That's it for the front nine, next week we'll look at the back nine.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Night Putting Pale Ale

Brewed by: Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, Maryland

Description (from the website): "This is THE GOLF BEER. Light and easy to drink, Night Putting's 16oz can is the perfect companion for the course. Brewed in celebration of the 40th anniversary of Caddyshack, the greatest golf movie ever. A subtle malt profile paired with a balanced blend of bitter hops and sweet oats make this new-and-improved pale ale a versatile and easy-to-drink option for afternoons on or off the course."

Would I buy it again?: Naturally, when I heard that Flying Dog had made a golf-themed beer, I knew that I had to review it here. And it's exactly what it says it is: an easily drinkable pale ale. It's the sort of beer one could enjoy while out hacking around the golf course on your cart. I might buy it again because I am a golfer and I feel like I should, but it's a pretty standard pale ale, there's probably hundreds of beers out there just like it.