Beer of the Week

The beer: Nordic Jam

The brewery: Two Pitchers Brewing Company, Oakland, California

Description (from the website): "We’ve packed this tasty lager with cherries, elderberries, and strawberries - all staples of a viking warrior’s diet - to create a refreshing, tart, and downright delicious party in a can. Jam on, friends. Skol!"

Would I buy it again? This is kind of a moot question, since I already have, but yes, I would. It's an extremely good beer. So often these days, fruity beers are sours, which automatically puts them on my "not interested" list. Fruity lagers are even more uncommon. And that's a shame, because this is a great beer. Pleasant to drink, especially in colder weather. My girlfriend and I will likely buy much more in the months to come.

Review: Locust Hill Golf Course (Part 2)

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

The tenth hole is a mid-length par 4 that doesn't have much going for it. Even the course's website calls it the easiest on the course, with its only advice "keep the ball in bounds." The fairway is wide and essentially hazardless beyond a few trees, and the green is quite large as well (though admittedly it does have some undulation to it). There are two bunkers greenside, but they're not difficult to avoid.

The tenth hole.

Approaching the tenth green.

The tenth green.

The eleventh hole is quite a long hole, playing 440 yards uphill the entire way. There are no bunkers, but there's some very large trees close up on the left side. That definitely leads your eye out right, which lengthens the hole and gives you a worse angle on the second shot. The green is perched up at the top of a hill, with a steep dropoff right and three bunkers protecting the left side. And the green itself is hardly flat. I don't imagine too many birdies are made here.

The eleventh hole.

Approaching the eleventh green.

The eleventh green.

The twelfth hole is 180 yards and plays downhill over a pond (which isn't really a major factor) to a green angled from left to right and sloped quite sharply from back to front. It's surrounded by three bunkers as well. This is a real all-or-nothing sort of par 3, which can definitely work well, but this hole is way too long for the green complex. This hole would be fine if it was 130-150 yards, but not 180.

The twelfth hole.

The thirteenth hole is a 550-yard par 5 playing out to a wide fairway with a small cluster of trees left crowding in quite close, leading the golfer's eye out to the right. That's certainly the safer play, but doing so means your second shot will be blocked out by a group of dense trees right that starts about 150 yards out from the green. You may need to lay up quite a long way back if you go too far right. Hugging the left side means you can go directly at the green on the second shot. Not necessarily reach it, since this is a pretty long hole, but get fairly close. Like the previous hole, this green has a fair amount of back-to-front tilt, and there's also three bunkers left.

The thirteenth hole.

Approaching the thirteenth green.

The thirteenth green.

The first few holes on the back nine haven't been terrible. Not great, but I was able to derive some slight enjoyment from them. The fourteenth hole ... not so much. This 430-yard par 4 is nearly a 90-degree dogleg, with the turn coming about halfway through. That means, realistically, you have to hit a long iron or maybe a fairway wood if you can hit a big draw threaded between flanking bunkers to match the fairway's sharp turn. At about 250 yards, the fairway ends, dropping down significantly to a second fairway and eventually the green, which is tucked in among mounding and is protected by a large bunker left. I know that doesn't sound completely unreasonable, but trust me, the margin for error on the tee shot is so small. You're coming out of a chute of trees, and if you miss the narrow fairway on either side, trees will block you out entirely from going at the green on the second shot. It's just not fun in any way. Holes like this can be good — there's a hole at Sagamore quite similar to this one that I really liked. The execution there, however, was far superior to Locust Hill (Donald Ross is a legendary architect for a reason). That hole was fun. This one is not.

The fourteenth hole.

Approaching the fourteenth green.

The fourteenth green.

The fifteenth hole is 425 yards and plays to a flat, featureless, very wide fairway with water lurking right. There's no reward for playing close to the water aside from a slightly shorter shot, as the angle into the green (which is more of an isthmus green than a true island) is actually better from the left. The water's just here to punish bad shots, which is not fun. This hole could have been ripped from any one of a thousand Florida golf courses; it's even got the tacky houses in the background to complete the effect. I guess I can say that the green is kind of interesting, with a little false front and some noticeable elevation changes. But that doesn't salvage the hole.

The fifteenth hole.

The fifteenth green.

The sixteenth hole is 170 yards, 90% of which plays over an incredibly scenic and not at all algae-covered pond. The green is medium sized and has a fair amount of back-to-front tilt to it. There's also a couple of bunkers to keep shots coming up just short from bouncing back into the water. Like the twelfth, this hole would benefit from being a bit shorter, though I don't think that would make a huge difference in how much I like this hole. It's just a bit too stereotypical for me.

The sixteenth hole.

The seventeenth hole is a shortish par 5 ruined by one of my least favorite design features: the blind water hazard. The fairway here looks quite generous, but about 275 yards out that width is cut by more than half by a pond that runs for a hundred yards or so up the right side. The only indication of the water is a red flag which is hardly the most obvious thing in the world. Essentially, longer hitters are forced to lay up on the tee shot here, which basically forces a lay-up on the second shot. It's not even that interesting a lay-up, since the water is pretty easy to get past and there aren't any other real hazards in play. The third will be a pitch to a large green with bunkers in front, left, and right.

The seventeenth hole.

Approaching the seventeenth green.

The seventeenth green.

The eighteenth hole is the cliche long par 4 with water in play that somehow manages to fumble the water aspect. The fairway here is pretty wide with two bunkers wide right. Not too difficult. The second shot is then a mid iron over a pond to a medium-sized green ringed on three sides by bunkers. It's a difficult approach, yes, but the real hazard for lower-handicap golfers is the sand, not the water. The pond doesn't come within 30 yards of the green, which makes it a massive obstacle for higher-handicappers but not lower ones. And there's a word for hazards that excessively punish bad golfers instead of good ones: stupid.

The eighteenth hole.

The eighteenth green.

It's difficult to put my precise feelings on Locust Hill into words. I've certainly played worse golf courses. It's no Links at Gettysburg, or any of the other bad but not quite as offensive to the world golf courses out there like Maryland National or Heritage Hills. There were even a few holes that I kind of liked. But man, when I walked away, I was just thoroughly miserable. I played this course in May, and I only wrote this review last month. It's taken me months to work up the feelings necessary to write about Locust Hill, and that's just not a good sign.

Here's the thing: Before the round, I knew Locust Hill was going to be a bad golf course. That much was obvious just from looking at it on Google Maps. But I at least hoped it would be entertainingly bad. Maybe even so bad, it's good territory. But Locust Hill doesn't reach that level. It's bad, but it's not fun. It's not even bad or interesting enough to make fun of. It's just there, an incredibly mediocre golf course that sapped my soul of literally any feelings at all. I honestly think I'd rather play Links at Gettysburg than this one again. At least that course I can properly insult. Locust Hill is a void where interesting golf goes to die, and I never want to see, hear, or think about it ever again.

Cider of the Week

The cider: Maple Stout

The cidery: Cobbler Mountain Cellars, Delaplane, Virginia

Description (from the website): "Red Delicious apples ware warmed up with cinnamon and given a smooth Maple finish for this full-bodied, you-know-you-want-it, cider."

Would I buy it again? This isn't quite as good as the maple bourbon barrel–aged cider I reviewed last year, but that stuff was actual ambrosia, so I won't hold it against this cider, which is also very good. Maple and apple cider just work very well together. I'd happily buy this again.

Review: Locust Hill Golf Course (Part 1)

Are you tired of Ed Ault yet? I hope not, because he's back again with yet another golf course. This time, we're in Charles Town, West Virginia. No, not Charleston, capital of West Virginia, or Charleston, famous city in South Carolina, Charles Town, well-known for not being either of those more significant places.

Unusually, I've never played Locust Hill, even though I've lived within an hour for the past several years. There's a couple reasons for that: for one, you need two people to make a tee time. Also, at least from above on Google Maps, Locust Hill hardly looks like an appealing or fun place to play. Lots of houses and water. Even the name itself feels unpleasant. Who wants to play at a golf course called Locust Hill? But who knows, maybe Locust Hill will surprise us. Let's find out.

The first hole is 430 yards and doglegs left around a very large fairway bunker. The fairway is split about a hundred yards from the green by a narrow ditch, and there's a pond running right of the last quarter of the hole. The water can come into play on the second shot, but it really depends on how close the flag is cut to it. For us, we had the hole on the left side of the green, which made the pond little more than an afterthought. More important are the two greenside bunkers, one short left and the other behind. Seeing as the green is not exactly generous in terms of depth, those bunkers are quite significant, and it's probably best to play safely to the middle of the green. This is a fairly tough opening hole.

The first hole.

Approaching the first green.

The first green.

The second hole is the longest hole at Locust Hill, playing 590 yards. It is also quite uninteresting. The hole is flat and plays straightaway, and while there are a couple bunkers right that drives have to contend with, there's really not much to worry about hazard wise. Oh sure, there's O.B. left and trees right, but they're more framing than actual hazards. The second shot in particular is really, really boring. Just advance the ball with no thought. The green is medium sized with bunkers front right and left.

The second hole.

Approaching the second green.

The second green.

The third hole is a mid-length par 4 with water and high grass left; the fairway subtly but definitely slopes from right to left toward the water, so a fade is the preferred option on the tee shot. There's O.B. far right, but you'd have to hit a pretty big slice to reach it. A solid drive will leave a wedge or short iron into the green, which is narrow and protected by two small bunkers left and one behind. 

The third hole.

Approaching the third green.

The third green.

The fourth hole is 415 yards with O.B. wide right of the fairway, which is otherwise pretty open. A good tee shot will leave a short iron into the green, which is carved out of the bottom of a hill. It's L-shaped and has some pretty noticeable slope and break to it. There are two bunkers left; basically, considering the general left-to-right slope of the green, left is a very bad place to miss.

The fourth hole.

Approaching the fourth green.

The fourth green.

The fifth hole is 175 yards from all the way back, though I definitely think this hole works better from the next set up. The green is quite narrow and fairly undulating, with three bunkers ringing the front section. It's quite a tough shot with a mid iron in hand. From 150 yards and the second set of tees, this becomes a fun little short par 3. That makes this next bit unfortunate, but the fifth hole is yet another entry in my long-running series "holes that clearly arose because the architect was short one on the routing." In this case, you finish the fourth, walk a short distance to the fifth tee, play the hole, then immediately double back the way you just came to reach the sixth tee, which is also near the fourth green and fifth tee. This hole quite literally pokes out into nowhere. Nothing like cart golf, right?

The fifth hole.

The fifth green.

The sixth hole is 375 yards and plays over pretty level ground to a fairway that's split at about 250 yards out for no particular reason. There's no hazard there, just rough. So as long as you're okay with a wedge from the rough, there's no reason not to use driver. That will take the fairway bunker left out of play. The green is medium sized and protected by a bunker left.

The sixth hole.

Approaching the sixth green.

The sixth green.

The seventh hole is a mid-length par 3 at 180 yards. It plays to a fairly large green with a bunker close left and a pond long and left. Bailing out right is a safe play, though of course with the right-side hole location that works a little less well.

The seventh hole.

The seventh green.

The eighth hole is 510 yards and starts off in the same area as the fifth and sixth tees (you actually need to pass in front of these tees to get to the sixth hole after finishing the fifth), with the tee shot playing downhill to a wide fairway protected by a large bunker left. That bunker can be carried on the tee shot, which brings the green more into play on the second. A pond lurks left for the last 75 yards of the hole, so both people going for the green in two and those laying up need to consider the water. The green is protected by bunkers front left and back right, along with the water which also curls around the back.

The eighth hole

Approaching the eighth green.

The eighth green.

The ninth hole is 370 yards and plays to a fairly narrow fairway with trees close in left and two bunkers on a mound right. The fairway cuts out 250 yards out (again), and while there's no big hazard there, there are a couple of rock outcroppings about 50 yards short of the green. Not exactly a hazard, but still, not something you want to hit. A 3 wood will leave a wedge or short iron into the green, which is sloped quite severely from back to front and has bunkers left and long.

The ninth hole.

The ninth green.

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

Beer of the Week

The beer: Pumpkin Barrel Ale

The brewery: Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company, Lexington, Kentucky

Description (from the website): "A barrel-aged ale brewed with Kentucky-sourced pumpkin, richly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. This robust, limited-release seasonal brew makes for a flavorful sipping beer to slowly warm up with as the weather cools."

Would I buy it again? I'm a little disappointed in this one. It's got some pumpkin and cinnamon to it, but it's a little hoppier and more bitter than I expected. Not to an extreme amount and it's certainly still drinkable, but when there are so many good pumpkin beers out there, why waste your time on something that isn't amazing? I'd pass on this in the future.

What's the Best City for a Golf Getaway? And What About the Worst?

It's a question that vexes golfers all over the country, including myself: Where do we go next on our next golf vacation? Obviously, you want to go someplace with lots of good public golf courses, but weather is also a big factor. There's also the matter of cost, as most people don't have unlimited amounts of money to throw around.

If you truly have no ideas about where to go, this new analysis from The Action Network could help, even if their results are a bit ... off. I don't think its any particular surprise that Sun Belt states dominate the top of the list, although Seattle sneaks in at No. 20, which is a little odd, considering its weather reputation. Ogden, Utah, at No. 15 is another weird one. The very top of the list is mostly the usual suspects, with Scottsdale, Arizona, taking No. 1, followed by Fort Myers, Florida. One particularly strange omission from the top 20 is Myrtle Beach, which is like, THE, golf destination in this country. Maybe it's a little too expensive these days?

While I probably wouldn't get the order right, the top of the list is generally the usual suspects and cities I would expect. To me, the more interesting side of this list is what comes at the bottom. What's the worst city in America for a golf getaway? Notre Dame fans are going to be in shambles, because the answer is South Bend, Indiana. Cost plays a big factor, as the average price of a 5-day trip tops $4,000. That seemed excessive for a city in northern Indiana, but when I checked a random weekend in October, it became clear that football games played a massive role in raising hotel prices. Go in June, for example, and things become much cheaper. Not that I'm advocating for people to vacation in Indiana, but South Bend does host a public Coore and Crenshaw golf course, which is far more than most towns can say. Based on that alone, I wouldn't put South Bend anywhere close to the bottom.

The presence of three California cities at the bottom is a little surprising, particularly Napa. I suppose that is a wine town, something that is distinctly not a golfer beverage, but still, the climate's got to be quite pleasant. Perhaps all the grapes are taking up all the good space for golf courses.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Live Deliciously

Brewed by: Forward Brewing, Annapolis, Maryland

Description (from the website): "Dopplebock, a strong German-style dark lager brewed with Dark Munich malt and smoked Beechwood malt. Notes of toffee and subtle smoke with a warming finish."

Would I buy it again? I don't want to say I liked this better than a Troegenator, but it's very, very close. It was an extremely good doppelbock, and I'd buy it again in a second. It's too bad this particular brewery doesn't distribute locally. 

Review: Bryce Resort (Part 2)

It's time to check out the back nine at Bryce Resort, go here to see the front.

The tenth hole is a 350-yard par 4 that plays through a fairly narrow corridor lined by trees to a fairway that slopes noticeably from left to right. No need to hit driver here, a 3 wood or long iron will still leave you with a wedge second shot. There's a big bunker right of the green, which actually has its highest point in the middle; past that point, the green falls away, making back hole locations a bit tricky to get at.

The tenth hole.

Approaching the tenth green.

The tenth green.

The eleventh hole is 180 yards, just like the previous two par 3s. There are two bunkers, one on each side, though there is a bit of breathing room between them and the green. The green itself is a bit punchbowl-like, with the slopes all working to filter golf balls toward the center. Not a particularly difficult hole.

The eleventh hole.

The eleventh green.

The twelfth hole is a short par 4 at just 310 yards, which is out of range for all but the longest hitters. Still, you can get quite close, and this is where a decision needs to be made. If you use driver, you can leave yourself just a little pitch for the second shot, but the green is small and well protected by sand. That 50-yard pitch could be very awkward and difficult to get close. You can also lay back, but a fairway bunker right is in just the right place to threaten long irons and fairway woods. The fairway bunker is easy enough to avoid, but still, if you purposely play conservatively and end up in the bunker anyway, you're going to feel pretty silly.

The twelfth hole.

The twelfth green.

The thirteenth hole is a 550-yard par 5 that plays slowly but steadily uphill. The fairway is initially quite narrow but the forest does bend away in the landing area, so there's a bit more room left than you might think. The second shot isn't very interesting and is mostly just a matter of advancing the ball to the best place for the third. The green here is fairly small and quite significantly sloped from back to front, more so than any other green on the course. 

The thirteenth hole.

Approaching the thirteenth green.

The thirteenth green.

The fourteenth hole is a downhill 370-yard par 4 with a bunker right of the fairway slightly pinching in and making the drive a little bit tougher. A solid driver will leave just a wedge into the green, which is quite small and guarded by bunkers on both sides. There's also a pond wide right, but the hole is short enough that it shouldn't come into play on approach shots.

The fourteenth hole.

The fourteenth green.

The fifteenth hole is thankfully a par 3 that isn't 180 yards. This is the shortest hole on the course, playing 145 yards slightly downhill to a fairly large green.. There are two big bunkers both left and right, and there's a bit of a dropoff behind, so long isn't a particularly good option either. Still, the green's big enough that the tee shot is hardly uncomfortable.

The fifteenth hole.

The fifteenth green.

The sixteenth hole is 530 yards, and it's the lone example of quirky fun that Bryce Resort has to offer. A small stream cuts across the hole about 260 yards out, meaning you have to use a wood or long iron on the tee shot. The second shot is then a long or mid iron off to the right to a section of fairway on a high plateau, which will leave a wedge third from a hanging lie down to the green. The green itself is fairly small and protected by a pair of bunkers. Is this a good hole? No, but I appreciate it immensely for at least being memorable. I was hoping more of the course would be like this. 

The sixteenth hole.

Approaching the sixteenth green.

The sixteenth green.

The seventeenth hole is 355 yards and plays straightaway to a narrow fairway flanked by large trees. The entire hole is tilted pretty sharply from right to left, so a fade to counter that tilt will do very well. A good drive will leave a wedge into the green, which has bunkers both right and left. I know, quite imaginative there, we definitely haven't seen that 10 times on this course.

The seventeenth hole.

The seventeenth green.

The eighteenth hole really says it all about the limited space Bryce Resort had to work with. I don't imagine anyone is particularly happy with a relatively uninspired, vaguely Redan-like 155-yard par 3 with a bunch of apartments immediately behind, but it was pretty clearly the only that could be accommodated, given the space. Sure, they could have not built so far along, but come on, we all know that housing comes before golf concerns. At least there's no odious ponds lurking, just the single big bunker protecting the green. 

The eighteenth hole.

Approaching the eighteenth green.

I really want to like this golf course. Genuinely, I do. It's in such a cool spot, and I loved driving to and from the place (especially on the way back, when I took the scenic route through part of George Washington National Forest). But it's just so boring! It's aggressively pleasant, and while that's fine if you're playing in a foursome with your buddies, riding around and drinking beer, it's not what I'm looking for after a 90-minute drive. It's a typical Ault course then, and an expensive one at that. $90 is not cheap. Granted, I was using a cart (it was very hot, and I was coming off of a bit of an illness), but still, this course is not worth nearly three figures. If you want a golf course routed through a narrow valley in the mountains, go play Cacapon. Even with conditions being mediocre, it's way more fun and interesting, not to mention much, much cheaper.