Bobemac

We got an early tee time to avoid the Army golfers but sadly the first group out was so slow.
This course is very popular and it was having a banner day. They had sold more than 250 tee times before noon.
The course itself has matured nicely. Trees and plantings fill the sides of the fairways.
Most of the holes here are fairly easy with most par fours reachable in two.
The greens and tees are in amazing shape, some of the fairways have difficult uneven side hill lies.
We played the Lakes and the Waterways nines and they do bring water into play a lot.
You should be able to handle the narrow fairways and stay out of trouble if you hit a straight drive.
This is a well kept fun course and they do have a popular rating among travelers and locals.

This is a nicely designed course with deep bunkers protecting every green.
Water comes into play on both sides up to the green and there are numerous forced carries that traverse alligator and snake infested zones.
The greens and tees are in good shape, but the fairways are thin and brown in spots. This is a good test of golf, and the bag drop, pro shop, and Mr. Donahue, the starter are first class.
Unfortunately, they no longer provide free range balls nor yardage books.

The pace of play is very slow here. We were behind a threesome that was pathetically slow. We waited on every shot while this group dawdled constantly. They were wandering around aimlessly taking multiple practice swings even in bunkers.
The Marshall, Steve, was unable to get them moving. I was informed that Wednesday was the day of the men's golf league and that they measure every put like it was the US Open.
They are perfectly happy here with a four and a half hour round while we consider such a
lengthy amount of time in 90 degree heat not desirable.
Check with the pro shop on their league play situation before booking a tee time.
The pro shop had a nice selection of merchandise some at good discounts.
They have a nice little bar area, but space is very limited.

This is a nicely designed course with deep bunkers protecting every green.
Water comes into play on both sides up to the green and there are numerous forced carries that traverse alligator and snake infested zones.
The greens and tees are in good shape but the fairways are thin and brown in spots. This is a good test of golf, and the bag drop, pro shop, and Mr. Donahue, the starter are first class.
Unfortunately, they no longer provide free range balls nor yardage books.

The pace of play is very slow here. We were behind a threesome that was pathetically slow. We waited on every shot while this group dawdled constantly. They were wandering around aimlessly taking multiple practice swings even in bunkers.

The Marshall, Steve, was unable to get them moving. I was informed that Wednesday was the day of the men's golf league and that they measure every put like it was the US Open. So avoid a Wednesday AM tee time.
They are perfectly content here with a four and a half hour round while we consider such a lengthy amount of time in 90 degree heat not desirable.
Check with the pro shop on their league play situation before booking a tee time.
The pro shop had a nice selection of merchandise some at good discounts.
They have a nice little bar area but space is very limited.

Golf Digest has this course ranked in the top 15 public courses in Oregon.
There are lots of sand traps, lakes and meandering creeks to misplay your shots.
The greens here are in great condition, however, the fairways and tees are victims of the course's popularity and are partially worn down. Some of the fairways have been affected by drought conditions.
The pro shop experience was excellent. We were greeted very professionally by several employees. We received complimentary yardage books and had some good discussions.
We played on a Tuesday afternoon. Tuesday is ladies day and they have over 40 ladies in their league. We played the first nine in 70 minutes, but then we encountered the slowest of the ladies.
Our round came to a screeching halt.
The have a nice little restaurant located in their club house. We had an enjoyable lunch with great service.
This is a very popular family club. They even have junior tees set up throughout this course.
The Eagle Point Golf Club is one of the top places to play in this area.

Set amongst a large pine forest is one of the best maintained and challenging tracts in Oregon. Some of the holes have the characteristics of a links course while others are laid out among the pine trees in a typical parkland fashion. It's rated as a top 5 course for women golfers in the U.S.
The greens were smooth and very fast, at least 11 on the Stimpmeter.
The fairways were mowed nice and smooth so that a good drive got that extra roll. Add to the fact that you are playing at over 4000 feet elevation and you are carrying one or two clubs further.
An early morning tee time is pretty magical here. The greens keepers are all invisible here and that's a credit to management. With no wind or humidity, but a noticeable pine fragrance filling the air, it was an idyllic morning for golf.
There are lots of carries over lakes to tight greens, amazing elevation changes, especially hole #9 which goes straight down the mountain.
This is an enjoyable test of golf under perfect conditions. This tract is rated a top ten public course in Oregon and one of Arnold Palmer's favorite designs.
We were able to finish in just over three hours.
The pro shop guys are very friendly and helpful.
We enjoyed this course so much that we scheduled another round this week.

Homestead Resort Golf Course is now Crater Springs Golf Course.
The pluses include the reasonable rates for Seniors after noon, the greens are in good shape, the pro shop is friendly particularly Rick. There is quite a bit of scenery with views, trees, plants and water features.
Now for the minuses. The rough is very thick and those same water features can be sneaky and jump and grab your ball. The course is popular and gets a very heavy level of play. They have a sporadic Marshall who showed up one time. They need him to show more often. Sometimes the cart paths are not easily defined and that can be tricky for a new player. There are too many areas roped off which requires extra walking and slows the pace of play.
There's a good variety of holes. The par fives are manageable,
and the par 4s are doable.
A good test of golf in a nice area

The gold course is not your everyday walk in the park. It will challenge all your shot making skills.
This course is at a higher elevation than it's twin 18, the silver course.
There are lots of elevation changes and too many side hill and down hill green approaches in deep rough. The pace of play is not the best. It is a popular layout and there are many unskilled players trying to hit from the tips.
They did not have a Marshall on the course so the pace of play really suffered.
There are plenty of long carries over nasty wild ravines.
Players here should have to provide a valid USGA handicap under 20 prior to teeing it up.
The course is in great shape with smooth tricky greens and deep rough just off the fairways.
Our first pro shop guy was John, but he was less than cordial and very full of himself.
The second fellow we met was Joel. He was a 180 degree change. He was very friendly and accommodating.
Joel was a gem in the pro shop and should be recognized for his efforts.
They have some great value rates for senior golfers. Overall this is one of the top courses in the area.
The restaurant here is a good place to eat.

We played early AM, it was hot and humid so we wanted to play fast and cool off.
The greens are in great shape, some areas of fairways and tee boxes are burned out
from the extreme heat and drought.
I like the layout, it's generally fair and well thought out.
Hole #5 can be daunting because it's long, and has a carry
over a deep dry creek.
The back nine is really different and more challenging.
Hole #16 is problematic. It's a short par 4 into the wind, but you have a small landing area and trouble on the right. The green is elevated and undulated.

My BW shot her career lowest round that day and she has played all the courses in San Antonio. If you are fortunate enough to get an early tee time it's fast and fun here.
We were able to finish in less than 3.5 hours and never saw anyone in front or behind us.

Republic is part of the Foresight operation and they always do a fine job. The starters and marshals here are very friendly.
We will definitely be back here again.

This is a fine golf course that's just off the beaten track.
It's located in the Rockin' J Ranch two miles from US 281 South of Blanco, Texas.
We played this course in 2009 and it was brand new, but suffering from drought conditions.
Most of the lakes were dry and the fairways hadn't filled in.
The course is in great shape now. All the water hazards are full, the fairways, tees, and greens are plush.
We were greeted by Andrew in the Pro Shop and he told us we could tee off early. There were rain showers in the area so many golfers in San Antonio and Austin had canceled their tee times.
Our starter/Marshall was David. He was a very friendly guy and he had lots of good advice.
Hole #1 is a short par 4, an easy starter hole. Hole 2 requires a well-placed tee shot to the edge of a lake. The approach shot to this green is a long carry uphill and into the wind to an elevated green. This is the #1 handicap hole for the ladies. Hole #3 is the hardest because it's a long narrow par 4 with water right and trees on both sides and a small elevated green.
There are many lakes here and #4 has water on both sides. The par threes are fairly easy, but the greens are undulating and can fool you.
Hole #10 is pretty rough. It is a split fairway with water on the right, in the middle and left of the green. It's a narrow uphill shot with sand protecting the elevated green.
Holes #17 and #18 are the heads up holes on this course. They are both short par fours but with some serious problems. The seventeenth is a very narrow downhill shot between many live oak trees, then an uphill long carry to a small elevated green. The last hole is a short, narrow dogleg left and a long windy carry to an island green.
We caught a little rain at hole #9 so we stopped off at their neat little halfway house. Donna is the charming lady who makes tasty sandwiches. Their menu runs from breakfast tacos to hamburgers and is impressive.
This course is named for a fallen hero of the Vietnam war and is a fine addition to the Texas Hill Country between San Antonio and Austin.

There are two 18 hole golf courses at Fort Sam.
The original 18 was created by A.W.Tillinghast, an iconic golf course architect in 1929,
In 1937 the only PGA event ever played on a US military installation was here at the Texas Open. Sam Snead and Palmer have played here.
In mid 1976 the original 18 holes were divided between the two new revamped courses. Kevin Tucker Design Group handled the redesign.
Las Lomas includes holes 1 through 10 from the old course, and Salado Del Rio includes hole #1 and 13 to 18 of the 1929 design.
We played the Salado del Rio course on a Saturday AM.
The greens and fairways are as good as any in town. The putting surface was a thick green carpet and rolled straight.
This course wind among a forest of huge trees. Trees play an important part in so many green approaches, this can be areal challenge.
There are creeks throughout these fairways and lots of
hidden lakes to catch the errant golf shot.
There's a big practice facility here. The placement of drinking water stations and bathrooms is about the best in the area.
Salado del Rio has scenic views, a tricky parkland layout,
great playing conditions, and good pace of play.
Fort Sam Houston golf is a fine golfing experience in San Antonio. It's heads above the local municipal courses.

The Tribute is a classic links course where the designer moved tons of dirt and created mounds, and dips, and nasty creeks.
It seemed as if all the par fives played into the wind, and that there were no easy par threes here.
This layout was created from flat Texas prairie land. This course resembles many of those old Scottish courses and many holes are named for those courses.
The Tribute plays without the punitive pot bunkers and arid areas of hard pan, or the extremely high grasses typical of the Scottish rough.
Here you get nice smooth greens and fast fairways that are tricked up with bumps and curves.
Putting is tough and there are few flat "straight in" putts. There are also plenty of uneven lies.
Because the wind was blowing today the degree of difficulty increased exponentially.
The club house is nice; the pro shop was friendly.
We could use a bit less of the constant din of bagpipe music that goes on forever.
The cart girls are friendly and efficient, but the food at the turn was very tasteless, as was the sandwich prepared by the club.
What you have here is a well-conditioned golf course that plays really tough on windy days.
On most holes your drive can determine your eventual score.

We had played this course back in the early 1970s when it was new. It didn't seem very difficult back then.
Now we are talking about a different layout.
This course is in amazing condition, because the hill country just had one of the harshest winters in many years. The greens on the back nine have recovered nicely from a fungus. They are impressive.
When you arrive at the course you are greeted by friendly and helpful cart attendants. The pro shop guy was a bit confused because I had already checked out.
It took him awhile to figure it out.
The starter here is a very brusk individual, more suited for non-public contact work.

Slick Rock follows the Robert Trent Jones, Sr. concept of “hard par, easy bogey.” The front nine is strategically routed through colorful outcroppings of Texas granite and a magnificent mixture of trees: native oak, persimmon, willow, Chinese tallow and eldarica pine.
The back nine is open and rolling with Crenshaw Bentgrass greens and 419 Bermuda tee boxes. All in great shape.
Robert Trent Jones Sr. has used
his bunkers to dominate the greens approach on many of these holes.
This wide spread use of bunkers here, is consistent with the "hard par, easy bogey" policy.
Slick Rock is home to Horseshoe Bay Resort's awe-inspiring "Million Dollar Hole"* (No. 14) featuring a winding cart path that takes golfers on a ride through a waterfall that spans more than 35 yards.
There is more brick and tile work on the cart paths and surrounding walls here than any other course.
The original developer/owner Norman Hurd created this magnificent course as a part of three great golf courses in what was once a barren, undeveloped area south of lake LBJ.

Slick Rock Golf isn't just a walk in the park, it's
an adventure in first class golf.

* based on 1970s costs.

This layout has two different personalities.
The front nine is a regular parkland course with tree lined fairways and big greens. The only exception was hole #4, it had a lake.

The back nine is sneaky with water all over the place. If you don't pay attention you will be in the drink. This all starts with #10 hole. You have a drive over the corner of a big lake with OB on the left.
A nasty creek meanders along the next three holes, but it gets worse with long carries, hidden creeks, lakes and retention ponds in your path.
#17 is really sneaky. It looks like an easy par 3, but a huge pond lurks behind the berm. #18 is like running a gauntlet of lakes, ponds and creeks.
The fairways here are pretty gnarly. That's fairly deep grass and scraggly, not smooth. The greens are mottled and infested with weed, but they putt OK.
Jeremy in the pro shop is a friendly guy. He even let us start on the back side so we made good time.
They must have a good kitchen here. There were several lunch meetings going on.

We played this highland lakes municipal course on a mid week afternoon.
The weather was warm and windy with scattered clouds.
I met, Bear, at the pro shop and he has a very cordial demeanor. This is a well run and well conditioned golf course.
They have brand new golf carts with auto stop. They are heavy duty, SUV like.
The greens here are about the best I've seen at this time of the year. The tees and fairways are smooth and give the golfer some great rolls.
The course is challenging but fair with tricky greens and narrow dog legs.
Hole #1 is a par 5 with a narrow downhill fairway. You can reach the green here in two, if you stay in the middle.
The first five holes are down wind. I had so many birdie attempts I was on cloud nine. Playing the holes into the wind was another matter. They do water around the greens and the collars are super thick and fluffy.
Several groups allowed us to play through. It took about 90 minutes to play the front side. The back nine slowed to a crawl as we caught up. There was no Marshall on this course today. It could have helped.
A fun course to play and reasonable. Burnet, Texas you have a winner

This old course has seen better days.
There is minimum maintenance here, the water holes and ditches are filled with junk and pond scum. No one cleans up here.
There's no Marshall on this course. You are at the mercy of any level of hacker who happens to be in front of you, and sometimes this can be a disaster.
I would avoid playing here on AM weekends.
The afternoons could be somewhat better because the traffic gets a lot lighter.
Quite a few of their green are covered with what looks like a fungus. They attempted to hide this disease by coloring it green. Now,
it's hardened into a green/grey plaque which makes the greens unplayable.
The only maintenance worker we saw set up camp on hole #11 and was completely uncaring
about golfers approaching the green. He was oblivious and was clearly channeling Carl Spackler with attitude.
This course is currently under the landing
path of San Antonio airport, and there were at least three very noisy freight trains that passed next to the fairways. There's also a skeet shooting range across Basse Road to add to the constant din here.
Golf should be an escape, not an ordeal.

This tract was built in the 1970s as a part of a housing development along IH 35. It was located too far from town and the houses did not sell.
Thirty years later they are in the middle of a housing boom.
The course is a Joe Finger design and it's "a
fun to play" layout. There are lots of dry areas around fairways and greens. The fairways are very uneven and bumpy. A lot of the infrastructure needs repair.
They do a good job of Marshall control here.
We had the misfortune to run into a visiting scramble tournament.
Half the greens are OK, but many have large areas of bare spots. Many of the teeing areas are uneven, specially the ladies tees.
This was a fun course to play, even with all the
issues. It's a good deal with Golf Now.

When this course was first completed back about 14 years ago it was a nice and scenic, but relatively easy, course. Not any more. The trees have filled in nicely and the fairways are much narrower. The front nine is a narrow parkland design, but the
back nine is more links style tract.
This is a tough but enjoyable course to play. We played behind a slower group that allowed us to play through at the turn. The tees and greens are in good condition as well as the fairways. There are many elevation changes here.
There's also a fair amount of high level noise from Randolph AFB, and IH 35 on the back nine.
The pro shop was friendly and the course Marshall is very effective.
There was some unexpected interference from the mowing crews. They move around without concern for the golfers on this course.
Overall, the course is in great shape and plays pretty long. Straight drives are required here, as there are many hidden creeks on the perimeter.

This course is inexpensive to play but there is a trade off. The fairways are so heavy and thick that there is no roll, the ball dies right where it lands. These dense Kikuyu grass fairways act just like rough and deflect fairway woods and irons.

" Kikuyu is somewhat "hairy", if you look at it closely. And the leaves bend over in the middle, forming a spongy mat that traps the club, especially because the ball tends to sink down between the blades, effectively resting on the ground. The trick is to strike down on the ball, as though from heavy rough. Otherwise, the thick mat of interlaced Kikuyu blades trap the club, drastically reducing clubhead speed. " *Golfers Guide to Grasses
Using Kikuyu grass for the putting green is unheard of in the US, and the Waikoloa Village Golf Course is the exception. The putting here does not roll true, it's bumpy and grainy depending upon density.
This track is long and plays into the wind on some of the longest holes. There are so many uphill shots to the elevated greens. There are multiple elevations on this layout with elevated tees and water comes into play especially on the approach to 18.

The bunkers are full of pea gravel and are unplayable. There's limited yardage markers on the course, except for the 150 stakes and some 100 yard, and 75 yard plates in the fairway. Women golfers do not get any real forward tee breaks here. With the high winds and the deep fairways, the ladies will have a tough round.

The pro shop is friendly and Cal the cart guy/starter is efficient. You cannot get your cart until after Cal releases you to the first tee.
The course scores high on looks and scenery with ocean vistas in the distance. The grass is bright green from all the rain.
There are a lot of Nene, Hawaii state birds and a protected species, here.
They don't have a beverage cart, but there's a young women camped out in the midst of the back nine selling sodas and beer. There's no water in the cart nor on the course and no ice or towels either. There's no food available if you have a morning tee time, the bar opens around noon.

We've been playing here since the 1990s and this course is still fun, though the fairways are starting to show their age.
There is a lot of good golf course maintenance, the greens appear to have been aerated about a month ago, leaving some slowing lines and sand.

Our pro shop experience was enhanced by Jamie who was pleasant and efficient.
Conversely, Paul the starter seemed to be on a power trip.

They start out with two water holes, a long par four and a long 205 yard par three which is almost all carry. A good idea is to warm up on the practice tee.
Four years ago the Course at Waikoloa Beach Resort consolidated their clubhouses and practice facilities to Kings' Course, which really doesn't take away from the amenities of either course. The range is large with excellent turf and a short-game area. The Beach holes were realigned and the
clubhouse closed.
Hole #7, the amazing signature hole, is a 90 degree dogleg left uphill par 5 to a bunker covered green surrounded by beautiful ocean vistas. Be aware of the lava rock outcropping hidden in a swale on the right side approach.
Hole #10 is really long for the ladies, at 500 yards it's tough from the short tees.
Number 15 has a long carry over water into the wind.
Course conditions were almost ideal, except for greens recovering from maintenance. The fairways were flat and well-trimmed, and the rough was very playable.

The pace of play was good, we never waited and no one trailed us, even though we started with a twosome behind us.

This is one of our favorite courses on the Big Island.

We have played here quite a few times over the years and conditions are slipping fast.
After playing Mauna Lani and Waikoloa Kings course the conditions here are deplorable.
There are large herds of sheep and flocks of turkeys running wild on the course. The sheep are visibly part of the course maintenance staff. They cut the grass. The turkeys and some Nenes provide pace of play monitoring. There are no human Marshalls to maintain pace of play or to allow faster groups to play ahead.
The "grass" on this course is sometimes weeds, and is wildly uneven. The bent grass greens
haven't been rolled, nor cut properly, and are bumpy and uneven just like the tees and fairways.
You will almost never find an even lie here. There are so many uphill, downhill, and sidehill lies.
You will be playing out of fairways that are deeper than rough should be. Other times the fairways are hardpan.
Sadly, this tract has some beautiful flowering trees, great views of many bird species, and is located in a cool temperate area of the high country.
This course is very popular with visitors because the rates are much lower than the Kohala coast
courses.
There is less of a difference in green fees here for locals.
The good news is that there are friendly ladies at the pro shop check in and Nick has it all together at the starter's post.

Course conditioning and pace of play control are pressing issues they need to deal with.