Check out this great home at Washington National Golf Club

April 15, 2011Can you believe what a great Masters tournament it was??! With 4 holes to go there were 5 guys who could win…never saw anything like it in championship golf.  Makes you want to live near a great course, doesn’t it? This is an awesome custom home at Washington National Golf Club that I listed just 2 [...]

Wailea Golf Club, Wailea HI

September 19, 2010What a place to relax! It’s not the toughest course in the world but very pleasant with beautiful ocean views. I first played it in the mid ‘70’s when it first opened: no clubhouse, no condos or homes, no hotels, just a wonderful golf course in perfect condition. It still is, though it costs a little more now to play there!

Torrey Pines, San Diego CA

September 19, 2010Once again, reminds me of my college days when an annual event was played here. VERY long South course (the North is easier) with huge par 4’s, and ending with an exciting reachable par 5 18th. It was fun to see the US Open played there in 2009…golf fans will remember the Woods-Mediate showdown for a very long time!

Sahalee Country Club, Sammamish WA

September 19, 2010I’m extremely lucky to call Sahalee my home course. Not only has some history been made here as Vijay Singh won the ’98 PGA and Bernhard Langer won the recent US Senior Open, but it’s a fabulous course and a friendly, wonderful group of members to play with. Very demanding and never dull, it requires precise approach shots and imaginative putting. Our little secret; the East 9 which is not used for the big events is every bit as good as the 2 nines that are used!

Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, CA

September 19, 2010Brings memories of my college golf years flooding back. Great old-style course, requires good driving and really sharp iron play. It starts with an easy par 5 that’s reachable but then things get tough quickly. I’ve played it a few times since college, very few changes over the years yet it’s still a great, difficult track. Talk about history: Hogan, Snead, Nelson, Watson, Els, Miller, Irwin, Stadler, Faldo and Couples have all won here, and you can feel it.

Princeville Resort, Princeville HI

September 19, 2010Wow, what a gorgeous place this is! Really tough course, made even more so because the views are so sensational it’s hard to keep your mind on your game. The back 9 of the Prince Course borders on too hard, as sometimes you’ll find jungle just off the collar of the greens. I actually prefer the original 27-hole layout that opened in the mid 70’s.

Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach CA

September 19, 2010Lots of great memories here, including watching several US Opens, a PGA, numerous “Crosby’s”, and playing it myself a few times. It’s not hard at all on a calm day, but add some wind and/or play before an Open when the rough is up and fairways are fast and it’s a different game entirely. It’s not easy for spectators to watch the action, but amazingly I did see up close and personal the famous Nicklaus 1-iron on 17 in 1972 to win the Open, and Watson’s chip-in to win in ’82.

Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont PA

September 19, 2010I got to play here during a visit to Nancy’s mom who lives nearby. It’s remarkable, rolling greens that are as hard as pavement, long par 4’s and 1 par 3 over 250 yards, yet short par 5’s including the 9th that has a giant green, the back half of which serves as the practice putting green! You sense plenty of history here including several US Opens and a PGA. It’s a course where I can remember every hole, even though I only played it once.

Eugene Country Club, Eugene OR

September 19, 2010I’ve played here a lot, starting around age 10. Growing up in Medford I played in several Oregon Golf Assn. and PNGA events held at Eugene. It’s one of the best courses in the west and has hosted a number of USGA events, starting with Johnny Miller’s US Junior victory in 1964. It’s one of my favorites; tough without being impossible, and gorgeous.

Cypress Point, Pebble Beach CA

September 19, 2010What can you say? I’ve only played it once but it was more like a spiritual experience than a round of golf. It’s so quiet, so gorgeous, so well designed that I was in awe the entire round. Everyone of course talks about the famous 16th hole, but 17 (pictured here) is in many ways even more spectacular.

Congressional Country Club, Bethesda MD

September 19, 2010Site of Ken Venturi’s US Open victory in 1964, I played it twice thanks to a distant relative who was a member there. Very long, very tough, and more hilly than TV would have you believe. In addition to remembering the Venturi and Els US Open wins, I found myself wondering how many political deals have been made by House and Senate members during a round of golf here.