BrandonTuckerGA

There is only one Ocean Course at Kiawah, but there are two courses on the ocean. Nicklaus' Turtle Point has a unique stretch of holes from Nos. 14-16 that are tucked between the ocean dunes and some prized real estate. The remainder of the course is much flatter and winds through shady corridors. Turtle Point was the recipient of far more fairway thanks to the recent renovation, so if you haven't played it since 2015, you can expect much more playability off the tee.

Greens are generally raised with a lot of runoff areas that are shaved. I found that most of my approach shots that missed ended up on grass as opposed to bunkers.

The clubhouse F&B is excellent, including a bar with an expanded outdoor back deck with a great menu for both food and cocktails. It is a happening scene there especially on the busy spring morning I was there. Tomasso is also on sight for dinner that is a little more formal.

All in all, Turtle has spectacular views and exemplary facilities but I actually liked the 18 holes at Cougar Point a little more in totality.

The general consensus at Kiawah is that Osprey and Turtle vie for second fiddle behind the Ocean Course. I prefer Fazio's Osprey over Jack's Turtle for a few reasons, despite the fact Turtle has three oceanfront holes. Osprey has a lot of water and winds through lagoons and ponds with a few more open holes with long, marshy views. There are a few heroic carries on par 3s, none moreso than the long 11th, which we tackled into a strong wind. My favorite hole is the 9th, which has a lot of water left and golfers are tempted to drive over it for a short look into the green.

I love Fazio's shaping and there is plenty of room to hit the ball, as well as nice hole variety. If you can only play two courses at Kiawah, my vote is for the Big O's.

I returned to ACC for the WGC media day for the second year in a row and the first thing that stuck out to me was that the colder winter we've had has had an impact on conditions. The rough was entirely dormant and the greens were actually a bit slow, soft and a little spotty in areas. Honestly they were similar to Jimmy Clay a couple weeks ago. That said, by the time the pros show up for the match play, the rough should be greening up and the greens quick.

The hole variety here is excellent. There are some brutal par 4s but some scoreable par 5s that play downwind on each nine. The par 3s on this day chewed me up, besides a birdie on the 16th (7th for WGC). But the par-5 16th hole (or 7th for WGC) that heads uphill into the wind is a brute. For the second year in a row, this hole and the long par-4 5th along Lake Austin chewed me up.

The course was cart-path only. I hope one day i can walk the course instead. It actually seems pretty compact besides a couple walks between holes.

But there are scoring opportunities when you're playing downwind. All in all, it's the best course I've played in Central Texas. Maybe only Bluejack National compares in Texas.

I've been telling people that Clay has the best greens of the ATX munis since they redid them a couple years ago and I was pleased to see that after overseed they are still running really nicely. You could drop a lot of putts out there. That said, whoever set the pins on this Sat AM round was in a bad mood. Lots of tucked positions out there, which isn't ideal operations for a busy weekend. Even still, pace was a good clip and our four-ball got around in about 4 hours flat. It is definitely recommended to get out early AM like us if you want to play quickly before the fiveballs get out.

I was really impressed how busy the place was despite the fact it was a cold and wet Saturday morning. This facility does a lot right and local golfers are noticing. Great walking course, too.

Didn't get a chance to check out the new grill but it looks like it's open.

This was my first round on the Blue since a month before Streamsong opened, and it was great to see the product fully operational and matured.

We caught a great day on the Blue, with about a 2-club wind or so. I also happened to bring a pretty decent swing to the first tee, which made the round even more fun. You can really swing away on some of these holes. I did not however, bring a reliable short game (I'll blame the 5:30 am flight), and the greens really did a number on me. The greens are pure and firm and fast, and there are some runoff areas that can jump up and bite if you're not careful.

That said, I think what I like most about Doak's effort is there is some great flow between really dramatic holes, and some more mellow ones. No. 17 is a par 5 that feels like it goes on forever, and the 18th has a great reveal once you get over the crest of the fairway to your drive. The par-3 7th hole is likely the signature hole of the three courses at Streamsong. It's a wonderful tee shot, even if a playing partner of ours putted it into the hazard.

One interesting note: we wrapped up around 5pm and the restaurant only had their dinner menu, which is by no means casual bar food. It's all pretty high-end. If you want something a little more casual, go to the hotel or the Black clubhouse. ALso, look out for the taco stand at the turn. Nice touch there!

This is no doubt one of the more visually interesting courses you'll ever play. Hanse is out to make a statement on what feels like every hole. And quite a few holes here make the case for Top 5 on property. I particularly loved the par-5 18th hole, and the par-3 5th felt a bit like Florida's take on Portrush's Calamity. It's about as intimidating of a tee shot as you'll play on a par 3.

There are opportunities for birdies here, and I even had a couple make-able eagle putts. That said, I curry favor to the Red and Blue at Streamsong. I think Hanse was really trying to outdo his predecessors, and the result is a ton of sand and quirks, like blind shots and punchbowl greens. You definitely need a reliable caddie your first loop around to have any sort of idea what to do on these holes. I found Red & Blue to be a little more straightforward and comfortable off the tee, which is in my mind more appealing for a resort course.

La Cana may check in a notch below Corales, Teeth of the Dog and Punta Espada, but it's probably the best oceanfront value in the destination. This isn't a resort course so much as a member-for-a-day experience. When you book a tee time at La Cana from one of the Punta Cana resorts, bring your swim suit and a change of clothes and make a day of it. There's a private beach steps from the clubhouse, as well as a pool, spa and excellent outdoor dining. When they told us about their $2400/yr membership package, I was ready to start looking at real estate.

The Hacienda nine is the most recent addition, added in 2012, but you'll want to stick to the original 18. Each side has oceanfront holes and views.

If you're in Punta Cana and want to play golf but are not sure you want to pay the big bucks for Corales or Punta Espada, you will be more than satisfied with La Cana, especially if you embrace the total amenities package offered here.

After a morning round at Teeth of Dog at Casa De Campo, we thought we'd head down the road about 30 mins to check out the mysterious new course at the Bahia Principe.

First, the good: it's a brand new tournament-length course with four ocean holes. It's generally forgiving and pretty interesting. The second half of the back nine is especially interesting.

The course is still growing in and some greens, particularly those by the coastline, are basically all sand. So I'd give them a little time to let it grow in.

One of the four ocean holes, the par-5 8th, is a pretty brutal design. It's a split fairway and partially blind off the tee thanks to some shrubbery. The second shot from the fairway is blind too. I'm trying to comprehend how you'd botch the hole on the course with the most ocean frontage. Maybe one day they'll fix it.

Anyways, La Romana Golf Club (not to be confused with La Romana CC at Casa De Campo) has some good things going for it (we didn't have time to see the 9-hole short course, but that's really the only short course I know of in DR) and it should be a nice amenity for the emerging residential and resort community and provide coastal golf at a bargain compared to Teeth, Punta Espada and La Cana. Would I stray from Casa De Campo to play it? Probably not.

Just a few minutes from Punta Cana, Punta Espada is one of the three true headlining golf courses in the Dominican Republic along with Corales and Teeth of Dog. It might be a little lesser known if only because Cap Cana took a little longer to get off the ground compared to Punta Cana. It's a mesmerizing place and an entirely different environment compared to its peers. Holes on both side of the course play so intimately beside the sea. In fact, on the 17th tee, the waves feel like they could run right onto your feet.

Playing corridors are pretty generous, but there are holes where fairway bunkers come into play. There are some real neat short holes, and some brawny par 5s like the 2nd (make sure you drive back to the elevated tee, and take a crack from the 250-yard tips on 13, too. Very Mauna Kea-esque!)

I recently played Jack's Cabo Del Sol, and I think Punta Espada compares favorably to it. It's less of a desert course with more mellow undulations to it. But drama is nevertheless high throughout.

The experience is a premium one through and through and includes a forecaddie. Like all courses in DR, they can be hit and miss. Come early and use the driving range. It's one of the best settings out there.

I didn't realize just how different Dye Fore would be vs. the original Teeth of Dog at Casa De Campo. The environment, while away from the ocean, is in many ways just as dramatic. The Marina nine has some wonderful views of the shore and river from high above, while the Chavon nine tip-toes high above the river. I hit it around as good as I have all year on the course too, so that certainly gives me even greater fondness for the layout.

In terms of ranking the courses I played between Punta Cana & La Romana, this checks in 4th behind Teeth, Punta Espada and Corales, but it is every bit as worthy of five stars, simply because all the seaside courses are so much different and don't have the kind of lofty perspective Dye Fore has. Don't leave Casa de Campo without playing it.

By the way, the new Dye Fore clubhouse will be open by early 2018. I would also highly recommend an italian dinner at PIAZZETTA at Altos de Chavon nearby. Excellent!

Pete Dye didn't design all that many courses outside the U.S., but his best ever may very well be in the Dominican Republic. Teeth of Dog is a sublime routing from his early days in design that is simply one of the most enjoyable 18 holes on the planet. The ocean is revealed halfway up the third hole, and seven holes hug the ocean. None are better than the little 5th, which is better than the island green at TPC Sawgrass by a mile.

Don't let the name fool you: Teeth is actually one of the fairer Dye designs I've ever played, even if there are a few intimidating shots.

Corales and Punta Espada are the other two super-premium courses in DR. I'd rate Teeth 1a and Punta Espada 1b. Each are totally different and must be played.

The driving range was rebuilt and expanded recently to make way for a top event, and the resort recently opened a brand new beach club.

Also, this is one of the better breakfast buffets: open air overlooking the course with all sorts of goodies to choose from. Be sure to save time for it in the morning.

Like my colleague Jason Deegan alludes to in his 2014, review, I think what makes Great Waters so excellent is that the design blends wonderfully into the rolling land and lakefront property. The front nine begins with anticipation: "When, exactly, am I going to see the lake?"

The front nine meanders through rolling, densely forested terrain, and once you tackle the long, par-3 8th hole, the lake reveals itself in a big way on the elevated tee of the 9th. The routing really never leaves it after that, if only for brief moments. It's a very wet, drama-laden finish that I compare a bit to Edgewood Tahoe.

Reynolds is planning a big renovation with Nicklaus design in the spring of 2018. I didn't see a whole lot that needed to be tweaked besides some pesky overhanging trees. I'll be curious to hear details when it's announced.

We played the course just a few weeks after overseed, so the grass was really wet, but the greens were some of the smoothest I'd seen in a long while. A real joy.

A few days removed from this round and I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about the layout. But I will say this: architectJim Engh delivered a polarizing course that is sure to leave a lasting impression. The Creek is one of six courses at Reynolds Lake Oconee, and it's the only facility that is completely private. You have to be a platinum member in order to play here, or be escorted by one.

That's interesting to me because it feels a bit like a wild "calendar golf" course that tourists would love to play and get a kick out of, like Tobacco Road, for example. Nevertheless, Oconee members enjoy the exclusive and one-of-a-kind facility.

I've played some Engh courses before and so I had an idea of what to expect: Big fairways, spectacular vistas off the tee, split fairways, eye-popping bunkers and remarkable greens complex imagination.

What's interesting to me is that it's both player-friendly and not at the same time: Fairways and greens are generally bowled, so errant shots are easily corralled, but bunkers are deep and often in front of elevated greens. The bowls surrounding greens also mean you usually park your cart well above the green and tip-toe down. I'd be curious how elderly players manage here between the deep bunkers and mounding. You can also putt it off the green if you're in the wrong spot.

The 18th hole is, fittingly, an over-the-top finish. The elevated tee is spectacular, and Engh built three greens for this hole alone. We played high up to the left, but IMO the middle green seemed like the only one worth keeping. Anyways...

I'm glad I played the course, it's certainly got five-star scenery, even though it's mostly away from the lake, though I don't think resort guests should be knocking down the gates to play it with a lot of great golf to play on property. But for members at a six-course facility, having one like this is probably a hoot once in awhile.

I had the chance to play Mayakoba during this year's OHL Pro-Am on a sublime afternoon with barely any wind except for the exposed par 3s on each side. The routing is tougher than your average resort course with some holes that are pretty narrow, but it's unique environment and solid hole variety makes it a fun round. The course winds through dense mangrove forest and along the canal network before coming out for air along the beach on each nine. The cenote is a pretty neat feature that you can't miss. Facilities are excellent and the clubhouse is quite a marvel of architecture. All in all, there really isn't another course between Cancun and Riviera Maya that comes close to Mayakoba, especially when you stay at one of the resorts. I've stayed at both Fairmont and Andaz Mayakoba and they are both two of my favorite hotels anywhere in the Caribbean.

I may have known all about the Ocean Course at Cabo Del Sol. But admittedly, I didn't really know what to expect when I set up a round on the Desert Course. Little did I know I'd be in for a treat and had one of my favorite rounds of the year.

I had a taxi to the airport scheduled at 10 am so I was first off at 7. A couple days earlier, I had a 7 am tee time on the Ocean and the club's shuttle took over 30 minutes to get me, so this time I just walked up the 8th and 9th holes to the clubhouse from my hotel room at the Sheraton Grand in less than ten minutes.

I was paired with two members who also liked to play fast, and we zipped around in 2:25 and had a lot of fun on a forgiving layout but one with a lot of hole variety.

Tom Weiskopf knows how to build desert golf courses like no other, and there were many standout holes. Also, in typical Weiskopf fashion, there were two short par 4s (both on the front). It's well off the ocean, but plays up into the mountainside and has great ocean views from afar. Some of the better holes play downhill towards the water for a great backdrop.

Conditions and amenities are similarly excellent to the Ocean Course, and you can play it for over $100 less. ($255 peak season).

I've only played two courses in Cabo, and both were at Cabo Del Sol, but couldn't have been more impressed with both courses. I'm curious what I'm missing at places like Palmilla or Diamante.

There's a whole lot going on in Cabo's hotel and golf scene but it's safe to say that Cabo Del Sol's Ocean Course remains the top draw for public play. The Nicklaus design features back-to-back beachfront par 3s on the front nine and a closing stretch on the back along the beach as well. The inland holes are pretty doggone good too.

The experience includes free tacos at the turn and also a margarita at the end of the round. Peak season green fees for the Ocean are $375, certainly one of the more expensive experiences in resort golf, but Cabo is a pricy destination and the conditions, service and layout certainly deliver.

I had a little hiccup with the shuttle service to my tee time. Leave enough time to get there, or just do like I did for my next tee time and walk to the club from the Sheraton. 10 mins.

I'd avoided Mo Willy all year due to reports of sketchy greens. Finally made it back out and it was good to see them rolling pretty well. A little on the slow side, about two weeks after overseed, but rolled smooth and besides a few blemishes (hey, it's a busy muni), were solid. They might quicken up a bit in the next few weeks and firm up (approach shots were dropping on them like stones), which would be nice, but they've definitely turned the corner. I still think Clay has vaulted ahead of Mo Willy though in my preference of ATX munis.

My buddy who plays in the AGA dragged me back to the tips. It's been awhile. Definitely a different animal vs. the blues, especially the 9th tee where you're forced to hit a fade due to an overhanging tree.

This was my third time back to Cabot Links since it opened in 2012, so of course I knew what I was getting into, but as I was walking to what I thought was the first hole (the blind, dogleg right that heads over the big bunker), everyone in my group asked where I was going.

Turns out, the course has been rerouted since 2014. Even the caddies in our group, new since then, thought I was hallucinating.

Now, the course starts out fairly similar to Cliffs in that it's a south-facing par 5 that is all in front of you, and what used to be the demanding par-5 2nd hole is now the 11th. The old opener (now the 10th) reminded me a lot like Pacific Dunes' first. I think the new 1st and 2nd are among the less memorable holes, so maybe that's what Cabot was going after.

This was my first trip to Cabot playing the Links and Cliffs. Having played Cliffs twice before my round on Links, I was curious how I'd find the round. My takeaways were that there are long par 4s on Links, whereas there isn't really a brutish 4 on Cliffs. Maybe it's just because my swing was a little lazy having played a full 18 on Cliffs in the morning, but I think there are some legitimately more difficult holes on Links (the slope/rating for the par 70 Links is much lower, however).

I'd say the main difference between Links and Cliffs is that it seems that on practically every tee, Cliffs is trying to outdo itself with spectacle. Links, meanwhile, has ups and downs to it, with some holes more mellow than others, that make the standouts that much better. And there's something much more authentic about playing a links right in the town with church steeples as aiming lines.

Cliffs has a more spectacular 18, no question, but I think Links still holds its own and is a totally different piece of property and design. It's a slightly easier walk but not by much. If playing 4 rounds at Cabot, I think I'd still split it up 2-2. And you can't beat finishing up on 18 with the sun setting and the light coming on the green.

I had high hopes for Cabot Cliffs. I'd been to Cape Breton twice before and the third time around, finally got a chance to play the course (twice, actually). Expectations were certainly met and in some ways exceeded. We've been seeing images for the famous cliffside 16th hole for years now, and have heard about the controversial, short par-4 17th. But frankly I was blown away by many other holes on the course. The par-4 2nd is incredible, and I love the par-3 14th and par-5 15th holes. There are a lot of birdie opportunities with the equal amount of par 3s, 4s and 5s. I don't think I've ever played a course with three par 5s in four holes, and they all play a different direction. That's important because the wind can blow up here on this exposed position (though holes that wind farther inland tend to get a little more benign).

I vividly remember every hole a week or so after we played it. Every tee box has a different look and challenge to consider. It's really one of the great amateur courses in the world. I'm sure better players could chew it up since it's just 6,700 yards from the tips, but catering to the pros is never the point of a Mike Keiser-backed project.

We played the course twice with caddies and while the afternoon round got a little slow, we were one of the first groups off the following morning and got around in 3:30. What a treat that was!

This was my third time making it back to Ingonish, on Cape Breton Island's northeast corner, since 2012. Those of you who have been know what kind of commitment that takes. There are few courses in North America that take as long to get to from Texas than here, but it's worth it every time, and every time I come back, the course has been improved upon by the staff (and this time around, the hotel, too). Golf courses this special within a national park just can't be found in the U.S. Highlands is every bit as good as Stanley Thompson's Jasper Park and Banff Springs efforts in Alberta.

Highlands is a different animal, though. It's a long walk. 8.1 miles according to my Garmin Vivoactive. But it winds so pleasantly from the more exposed peninsula and then deep into the mountains and winds along the Clyburn River. The hole variety and memorability takes no backseat to Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs and in someways exceed them. One of my favorite par 5s anywhere in the world is the 7th, Killiecrankie, despite the fact it has my number.

One of my cardinal rules of golf travel is if you're going to Cabot Links, you can't leave until you come here. If you love golden era architecture and stunning parks scenery, you won't regret it.

One off-course tip: The clubhouse's grill isn't much, but between the Keltic Lodge and the course, the Arduaine has a much more suitable lunch with lobster and ocean views.