Earth Punches An Asteroid In The Face For Science

You may have heard about this already, but NASA recently attacked an asteroid. And that's not really hyperbole. In fact, NASA went all in with the DART space probe, literally launching the half-ton probe into Dimorphos, a 500-foot-wide asteroid in orbit around Didymos, a slightly larger asteroid. There's a very good reason they did this: To test whether or not NASA could save Earth from asteroid impact. 

It's really simple physics. Slam an object into another object, and that second object's trajectory will be altered. Now, even moving at 14,000 MPH, DART won't alter Dimorphos' orbit by that much. This is a half-ton spacecraft versus a giant boulder weighing millions of tons. But NASA is hopeful that they will see something (they're hoping for shortening the orbital period by 1%, or 10 minutes), which is why they undertook this test on a moon, rather than any old asteroid. It's much easier to see a change in an orbit that's only a few thousand miles long, rather than an asteroid orbiting the sun, where the orbital circumference would be a couple hundred million miles long. 

A 1% orbital period change isn't a lot, obviously, but remember, this is space we're talking about. If we detect an asteroid or comet coming straight for Earth from far enough away, a 1% change in trajectory would absolutely make the difference between that object hitting and missing Earth. So, in conclusion, NASA is testing an Earth defense system, and unless physics lets us down, it should work. You can hopefully take "asteroid impact" of the list of potential apocalypses. 

Beer of the Week

The beer: Peasant Bread

Brewed by: Burlington Beer Company, Burlington, Vermont

Description (from Untappd): "Peasant Bread falls somewhere between a English Mild and Brown Porter. Peasant Bread is a Fall/Winter Seasonal release brewed with Toasted Wild Rice providing flavors and aromas of Toasted Walnuts to the already Toast-y malt bill. Brewed with a wide array of specialty malts including Vienna Malt, Honey Malt, Pale Chocolate, Crystal 65, Brown Malt, and Melanoidin Malt to create a broad spectrum of Bread-y flavors and aromas. The recipe for this beer dates back to a home brew recipe that won Best in Show by our Founder and Owner."

Would I buy it again?: Wild rice goes really well with brown ales, it turns out, because this beer is really good. The nutty flavor of the rice compliments the toasty maltiness of the beer, and neither overwhelms the other. I'd buy it again.

Review: Deerfield Golf Club (Part 2)

It's time to take a look at Deerfield's back nine, go here to see the front.

The tenth hole is the second of Deerfield's two par 5s, and the longest hole on the course at 536 yards. However, the tee shot is dramatically downhill, and you can cut even more distance off if you challenge the dogleg and the pond guarding the left side of the fairway. If you don't have the length or willingness to do so (this isn't a wide fairway), you can play it this as a three-shot hole, using a fairway wood or long iron off of the tee into the widest portion of the fairway, then laying up about 100 yards out on a section of fairway significantly sloped from right to left. However, this is a very reachable hole if you play aggressively; it's entirely realistic to have less than 200 yards for the second shot. You will need to fade the long iron around large overhanging trees about 75 yards out from the green, and the green itself is elevated and sloped severely from back to front. Putts from above the hole are very tricky, but still, this is a good birdie opportunity if you hit a solid drive.

The tenth hole.

Approaching the tenth green.

The tenth green.

The eleventh hole is the shortest hole on the course at just under 160 yards. Unusual for Deerfield, the hole is essentially flat, though the green is ever so slightly elevated above the fairway, just enough to make shots that end up short very tricky to get close. There are two bunkers left as well, and the green is on the flatter side.

The eleventh hole.

The eleventh green.

The twelfth hole is 370 yards, with the tee shot playing over a valley to a fairway up on a plateau and pinched by bunkers on both sides. If you want a completely clear view of the green, you need to reach the plateau and carry the bunkers; this isn't a huge carry, maybe 225-250 yards, but it's not a short one either. If you do get up top, the second shot is a wedge to a small, elevated green with two bunkers short left and one front right, as well as a steep dropoff beyond. Going long of this green is not a great idea.

The twelfth hole.

The twelfth green.

The thirteenth hole is pretty short, only 325 yards, but it bends nearly 90 degrees right around 225 yards from the tee. Massive trees guard the corner, so there's really not much point in using a driver, especially with more forest out beyond the fairway if you go too far or pull the drive. A safe lay-up, avoiding the fairway bunkers lurking right, will leave a wedge to a partially blind green that you can see more of the closer you get. The green itself is small, pretty narrow, and sloped significantly from back to front; there are bunkers on both sides and another big dropoff into forest behind.

The thirteenth green.

Approaching the thirteenth green.

The thirteenth green.

The fourteenth hole is a mid-length par 4 that, from tee to green, is fairly level. The tee shot is steeply downhill though, playing to a narrow fairway squeezed between trees, as well as a big hillside left. An ideal drive, one that cuts the corner, will leave a wedge or short iron back up the hill to a semiblind green, with bunkers on each side. This green is a particularly slippery one, with a lot of back-to-front tilt. If you're above the hole, you can very easily hit your first putt 10 feet by.

The fourteenth hole.

Approaching the fourteenth green.

The fourteenth green.

The fifteenth hole is a great example of why letting trees run amok on a golf course is a bad idea. The fairway is draped on a steep hillside, and while this would be okay if it was 40 yards wide, it's not so okay when the fairway is just 20. In an ideal world, one would seek to keep their drive as high up on the hill as possible, as doing so would provide the best angle into the green. But doing this on the current hole would only mean you'd be hitting into a group of trees, with additional trees blocking the second shot. The fairway is almost impossible to hold, being so narrow and so sharply sloped; it's almost inevitable that you'll run down to the right, alongside the cart path. That means the second will be a tricky wedge over a large bunker into a small green. Removing all the trees left of the fairway and expanding the fairway out left 20 yards or so would make this hole infinitely better. It's still a fun hole, but it could be so much more.

The fifteenth hole.

Approaching the fifteenth green.

The fifteenth green.

The sixteenth hole is Deerfield's last par 3, playing 170 yards to an elevated, partially blind green. There are four bunkers around the green, two left and two right, and the green itself is fairly undulating. It's not the most exciting hole in the world, but it is a very tough iron shot, demanding quite a lot of precision, especially when the flag is tucked behind the front left bunker. The hole location we got is probably the easiest.

The sixteenth hole.

The sixteenth green.

The seventeenth hole is my pick for the best hole at Deerfield, if for no other reason than the welcome lack of trees. The hole doglegs sharply to the right, heading steeply downhill from a high plateau about 225-250 yards out from the tee. If you want a flat stance for the second, you can lay back at the top of the hill, leaving a downhill short to mid iron. Or if you're feeling bold, you can carry the group of bunkers in the corner of the dogleg, catching the big slope, and potentially leaving yourself as little as a partial wedge for the second. 

While the width provided on the drive is a big part of this hole's charm, it's not the primary reason for it. That comes from the green, which is unlike any other at the course. For one, it's a lot bigger, and it's not simply sloped from back to front. The front half is tilted in that fashion, quite severely in fact, but the back half slopes away, and that makes approach shots very tricky. Go too far, and the ball will roll quite a long way away, turning potential birdies into potential three putts. I wouldn't want every green to be so tricky, but this one really works for this hole.

The seventeenth hole.

Approaching the seventeenth green.

The seventeenth green.

Deerfield finishes with a fairly short par 4, playing just under 350 yards. The landing area is completely blind, and the fairway doglegs right. It's not as wide as the previous hole, but this is one of the course's wider fairways. Even a good 3 wood will leave a wedge second. The green is very small and protected by three bunkers. It's not as interesting as the seventeenth, but the second is tough enough to keep you on edge. 

The eighteenth hole.

Approaching the eighteenth green.

The eighteenth green.

Deerfield is a good course as it currently stands. It's got a lot of quirk to it, and a lot of interesting land movement. There are a lot of par 4s, since this is a par 70 with just two par 5s, but they always feel varied and different. You never get the sense that you've already seen a hole. The two par 5s are very interesting, if a bit overgrown, though the par 3s are a bit too similar in distance to really be a strength. The value is okay; we paid $50 per person on a Monday afternoon, which isn't hugely expensive but not a bargain either. It's a bit too far away, and a bit too in Delaware for me to seriously think about playing again though; what's on the ground currently is just not quite good enough to be worth the 2-hour drive again.

That said, there's a much better golf course out there if the local government's ever willing to front the expense. Honestly, the only thing Deerfield really needs is a few hundred fewer trees, everything else would be nice but not necessary. Expanded fairways and greens, things like that. But the trees really constrict Deerfield, and they rob the course of so much potential. The land is so interesting, but it's hidden amongst trees, and so many holes are worse off because of untamed trees. The first, the fifth, the sixth, and especially the fifteenth, but they're not alone. Removing trees would also absolutely improve turf conditions, which weren't bad, but they're never going to be great at a busy municipal course. Anything to make the grass grow better is a good thing. I would love to see Deerfield receive a slow, methodical restoration, similar to what George Wright's gone through in the past 15 years. I don't think it would quite be on that level, but a restored Deerfield would certainly stand up favorably with courses like Keney Park and Shennecossett, and definitely worth the 100-mile drive for me.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Gneiss Weiss

Brewed by: Gneiss Brewing Company, Limerick, Maine

Description (from the can): Gneiss Weiss is our take on a classic German hefeweizen. Soft, clean, and crisp with ester-produced of banana (isoamyl acetate). Very restrained phenolic presence. Cascade hops provide a somewhat nontraditional lemon/citrus finish. Pairs well with delicate and robust food alike."

Would I buy it again?: I love the name, but unfortunately the beer is just not great. Sure, the tasting notes on the can say all these fancy things, but the reality is that I just didn't taste any of it. This felt more like a homebrew, if I'm being honest, particularly when it came to the lack of a full head. It's not awful; it's certainly drinkable, but there are so many better hefeweizens out there.

Review: Deerfield Golf Club (Part 1)

If you're like most people, your only experience with the state of Delaware is paying the toll on I-95 to enter the state. Then 10 minutes later, you're through and into New Jersey, which is its own unfortunate circumstance. But there is actually more to Delaware than I-95. Not a lot more, this is the second smallest state, after all, but something. 

That brings us to Deerfield, a municipal golf course tucked into the northwestern corner of the state, just a couple miles from the Maryland and Pennsylvania borders. By and large, Delaware is a very flat state, even edging out Florida for lowest average elevation. But Deerfield is in the tiny sliver of the state off of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, and that means the course, weaving through dense forest, is actually very hilly. Deerfield was designed in the 1950s by William Gordon, who actually got his start in the 20s working for William Flynn. So there's the potential for some interesting design and strategy. It was originally part of DuPont, acting as a company course, before being purchased by the state as part of the surrounding White Clay Creek State Park. What does all that mean? Let's find out.

The first hole is not your typical friendly handshake; it's actually one of Deerfield's most interesting holes. The tee shot on this 520-yard par 5 is uphill to a blind landing area, with dense forest lurking left. There's a bit more room than you might guess from the tee, but not much. This isn't a wide fairway. There are no bunkers, but you'll want to favor the right side if you want any chance of getting to the green in two. The fairway doglegs sharply left about 150 yards from the green and plunges over 50 feet downhill to the green; tall trees occupy the corner of the dogleg, so there's no going over them. You either have to go around to the right, swinging a massive hook down toward the green, or go under. If your drive ends up on the left side, basically all you can do is punch a shot underneath the trees, taking the hill down to a spot about 30 yards short of the green. The green itself is small, reasonably undulating, with bunkers on each side and dense forest beyond.

The first hole.

Approaching the first green.

The first green.

The second hole is a mid-length par 3, playing to a slightly elevated green tucked into a corner of the property, with slopes falling away into forest both left and long, so it's best not to miss in either of those places. There are two bunkers left and one short right, and the green is a bit bigger than the previous hole, and a bit flatter.

The second hole.

The second green.

The third hole is a short par 4 playing up a big hill for the first 200 or so yards. That's obviously not a huge carry, but you'll want to make it, otherwise the second will be completely blind. There's a bit more room left than it looks from the tee, but less to the right, where trees will quickly encroach. The second shot will be a wedge into a very small green protected by two bunkers. 

The third hole.

Approaching the third green.

The third green.

The fourth hole is the longest par 4 at Deerfield, playing 435 yards over rolling terrain. The tee shot is downhill, with the fairway plunging into a valley about 250 yards out. If you want a relatively level stance, you'll have to lay up; using driver will leave you with a semiblind short iron from a downhill lie. That's not ideal, especially when the green is as elevated as it is, and tucked behind a cluster of bunkers short left. It's also not a very big green, and fairly undulating as well. Of course, approaching the green from 200 yards out also isn't ideal. That said, this hole does benefit from being relatively treeless, which isn't something most holes here can't say.

The fourth hole.

Approaching the fourth green.

The fourth green.

The fifth hole is 400 yards, playing hard against marsh and forest right of a narrow, sloping fairway. On the left side, large trees overhang. This is not an easy tee shot, and accuracy is far more important than distance. The hole, fortunately, isn't that long. The second shot will be a short or mid iron up to an elevated, semiblind green with a cluster of small bunkers short and right. The green is fairly flat, so if you can hit the fairway, it's a reasonable birdie opportunity. But this is a very tough tee shot, maybe the toughest on the course.

The fifth hole.

Approaching the fifth green.

The fifth green.

The sixth hole, despite playing parallel to the previous hole and being the same length, plays quite differently. The tee shot is blind, but the fairway dives down to the left, swinging around a group of trees. The ideal drive is a low, slinging draw, taking the severe right-to-left slope down to the bottom of the hill. That will leave a wedge or short iron for the second, which goes right back up 50 feet to a semiblind green, sloped sharply from back to front and flanked by bunkers. This is the sort of hole that I would hesitate to call good, but it is delightfully quirky, and I appreciate it for that. 

The sixth hole.

Approaching the sixth green.

The sixth green from behind.

The seventh hole is a fairly short par 4, playing 345 yards, though the tee shot is uphill. The fairway is sloped severely from left to right, though not quite as dramatic as the previous hole. A bunker creeps in on the left side right where one might aim a drive, so it's best to skirt the right tree line or use a 3 wood to stay short of it. The approach shouldn't be much more than a wedge, which is good, as this green is not an easy target. It's small, narrow, undulating, and closely guarded by sand on both sides. 

The seventh hole.

Approaching the seventh green.

The seventh green.

The eighth hole is listed as a par 3 on the scorecard, and at 225 yards it's certainly not the longest par 3 I've ever played, but this one is essentially a mini par 4. The tee shot is uphill to a small, semiblind green, and in case that wasn't enough, there are bunkers front right and left, leaving maybe 15 yards for you to scoot a long iron or fairway wood up onto the green. It's not a particularly difficult green, at least, but still, this is a lot for the average municipal golfer, and I'm sure 4 is a much more common score here than 3.

The eighth hole.

The eighth green.

The ninth hole is 420 yards, but plays uphill the whole way. The fairway bends right around forest, so you'll want to avoid straying. Even a drive that finds the right rough, rather than fully slicing into the trees, may be blocked out by overhanging limbs. While the tee shot is fairly uncomplicated, the second is anything but. This green is maybe the smallest on the course, and there are three bunkers around it, one right and two left. Plus, you're coming from a long way out and 20 or so feet below, so good luck getting much elevation to hold the green. The ninth and the fourth are the only long par 4s at Deerfield, and while this is technically the shorter of the two, I think it's the more difficult.

The ninth hole.

Approaching the ninth green.

The ninth green.

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