Today, a quick article about “your club”. Not the aspirational “bucket list” spots like St. Andrews, Augusta, Royal County Down, Portrush, Seminole, Shinnecock, National, Riviera, Muirfield… Clearly, those are majestic and a few of you are blessed to belong to one/few of them. The Fairwaze and GreyDogGolf supporters pine for a chance to “tee” it one of them. Many have, and (I, for one) treasure those days. It’s where we answer THAT question: if you could play just one course for the rest of your life, where would it be? (And also, where there is no wrong answer! It’s Maidstone just to be clear!) But, in our shared quest to bring attention to the game we love, Lou, (Fairwaze1) and I have chatted for hours about the differences between strong playability architecture suitable for professional championships… and the nuances of what makes a good course a great “club”. And trust me when I tell you those differences are profound. It occurred to Lou and me that many -if not most- of us belong to just such a club. A top 100? Hmm… So now you know why the club/course non-golf experience is an important rating element on Fairwaze!
Today we celebrate the quiet and sustainable pleasure of a neighborhood club. A place you’ve played 1000 times. A place where the golf course is fair and available; well designed and correctly kept. The full-throttle 6,100 from the back tee isn’t at all the story, rather perhaps it’s the tree-lined and narrow fairways that curtail the biggest weapons in the bag. Maybe it’s the wickedly fast small greens that defend the course if you get on the wrong side. It’s where so many play. It’s the place where the pro stays for decades and retires with an uproarious sendoff party. The club where our children bike to the club, run up pool-café bills, first swing a golf club, caddie, hear stories potentially inappropriate for 15-year-old ears and resultantly, first learn to swear *%#$%^! It’s the ubiquitous post-round beer and burger with the lads (Cobb salad for your pal on the never-ending diet) and the highlight of summer weeks is the Thursday ‘Nine and Dine’ with your spouse. We needn’t boast about how well our handicap travels, because it just doesn’t matter. Your dad belonged here too, before you. As does your crazy Uncle (with his third wife, the blond, buxom three-time club champion). We’re proud, and it’s why we wear our club logo polo, quarter-zip and cap wherever we go. This, my friends, is true sustainability in golf. This is where the (overused) phrase “grow the game” cashes the check.
Lou belongs to Spring Lake Golf Club, and the course is a truly fine test. I promise you, it’s a better “club”. (Disclaimer: This is a club where your author has played frequently, and poorly each time!! Astonishingly so!) I have a whole crowd of pals at Rockland Country Club in Sparkhill NY just up The Palisades from NYC… a fine track, but a terrific club! From my years at Riveria (yes, lucky) I’d say the exact opposite. Extraordinary golf. Then, change shoes, tip the locker room attendant, go to car, drive away. My club in Spain, Alcanada in Mallorca is “both” a professional tournament tested course, and a fun group to share lunch and a glass of wine in the Balearic sunshine. I used to belong to Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club when I lived in “the RSF covenant”. Wonderful (updated) course and a membership that will know and care about every other member. I have a pal that played at University of Maryland with me. He’s a member at Burning Tree, Seminole and Calusa Pines (best in FL, imho, and don’t @ me!) We have the best days imaginable on our University Maryland Golf Course, a George Cobb design (East Lake, Quail Hollow, Augusta par three course) and the only thing that matters to us? “It’s our spot.” See?
Here’s the thought. Give us a reply on your “hometown” course. Let us know why. Maybe we’ll all again discover that some things right in front of us are really just perfect. We’d love to hear from you. It’ll make both Fairwaze and GreyDogGolf better.
Write to info@greydoggolf.com or Lou at info@fairwazes.com and we’ll report back.
Best regards, Wes for Lou