Medical issues are finally behind me I hope

Hi all. I know I disappeared for awhile and I apologize.  I’ve finally been able to mostly overcome the circulation issues in my lower legs after almost two full years!  I think I can start playing again.  Going to take the clubs out of the garage and head to the range next week, and then hopefully play my first round in two years at Grizzly Ranch GC at the end of April.

And a small update to my quest.  Now that I’m living in Reno, I’ve started making friends and contacts here on the west coast.  I think I may have finally found a contact to help me further my goal of playing the top 100 courses in the world/U.S. and get on to and play the big 4 courses in SF and Monterrey areas - California Golf Club of San Francisco, Monterey Peninsula, San Francisco CC, and some little course named Cypress Point 😉. (I’ve already played Olympic Club).

Fingers crossed it actually works out.

2015 Updates to the top 100 lists

I don't plan to change the list every two years when Golf.com puts out their new lists for top 100 in the world and the U.S. Instead, I will be adding links on the left side of the webpage of the new courses added to the list each time it is updated so I have additional courses on the radar to play instead of having to rest my goal every two years.

Life updates and looking ahead to 2016

Now that we've settled into our new home after the move across country, and the new job has settled into a normal rhythm, I should be able to get some more blog entries up soon. There is snow on the ground so not sure when the next time I will get to hit the links again, but the next best thing is writing about it! Sorry for the three month absence.

I've made my preliminary list of courses near my new home I want to try to get a round played in 2016. Here we go (in no specific order):

Clear Creek Tahoe
Montreux GC
Edgewood Tahoe
Incline Village
Dayton Valley GC
Red Hawk GC
Coyote Moon GC
Schaffer's Mill
Old Greenwood
GC at Gray's Crossing
Dragon at Nakoma Resort
GC at Whitehawk Ranch
Genoa Lakes
Grizzly a Ranch
Links at Squaw Creek
Plumas Pines
Tahoe Donner

In addition, I'm going to be researching trips to the following for 2016 provided I can work out vacation with my new job. I most likely won't be able to do all of them as this job travels far less than my previous, but I want to check at least three of them off my list.

Whistling Straits
Erin Hills
Po-Kaa
We-Ko-Pa
Pronghorn Golf Resort
Crosswater at Sunriver Resort
Torrey Pines
Pebble Beach
Doral

Finally, I will likely add my annual trip to Bandon Dunes Golf Course and Resort to 2016 again.

A personal favor

I am currently in the lead by 15 votes. Please continue sharing and voting so I can keep accumulating votes and raise more money for charity!

Please click the link, choose Zurich Classic of New Orleans, Click "Vote for a Volunteer", and select my name, "Michael Brock". Prizes and other stuff are great, but the more clicks I receive, the greater chance more money is raised for the charity. Please share with others you know and help me receive the most votes possible. Thanks!

Tour Challenge for Volunteers

Pinehurst Resort - The Cradle of American Golf

There are only two courses at Pinehurst Resort currently on Golf Magazine's top 100 lists. Pinehurst #2 is rated among the top in the world and is on all three lists I am trying to complete. Pinehurst #8 appears on the Top 100 Public Courses in the U.S. at #96. Even though it is not on one of Golf Magazine's top 100 lists, Pinehurst #4 does appear on Golf Digest's list as the #44 public course in the U.S.

However, there are nine courses at Pinehurst and they all are a fantastic experience in their own way. The hotels, restaurants, spa, and other facilities, as well as the historic town of Pinehurst, are all special as well.

The totality of all of the above is why I reserved a special section of my blog (on the left side under the top 100 lists) to highlight all nine courses individually, as well as the Pinehurst experience outside of golf. I will likely not add anything new that hasn't already been said about Pinehurst, but it is a truly special place and still my favorite golf memory and second favorite golf resort on the planet.

Occasionally, I will reserve a special section outside of my normal blog entries, to cover a full golfing experience, such as Pinehurst Resort (and quite possibly the Robert Trent Jones Trail in Alabama). Each course will receive it's own blog and link. The facilities will receive a separate blog and link.

Pinehurst is exactly what it has been dubbed - The Cradle of American Golf - and is why I write about all of my experiences there, not just the top 100 golf courses found at the resort.

A Golfer's Dream blog added to suggested blogs and websites

Halfway down on the left, you will find my links to suggested blogs and websites.  Today, I spoke on the phone with Mr. Berle, who was gracious enough to let me link his blog, A Golfer's Dream. Mr. Berle has completed the quest I am currently on to play through the top 100 courses. He also wrote a book about it and I am looking forward to receiving my copy to read through.

Thanks for letting me add your awesome blog to my page, Mr. Berle.

2014 Year in Review

December 30, 2014

Holy mackeral what a year! When I started this blog and this quest, I couldn't imagine the places it would take me or the people I would meet.  I am still nine blogs behind, needing to write one more from the England trip, all five from the New York trip, and the four from the Oregon trip. But before the year ends, I wanted to write up a year in review.

I played golf on three continents and in four different countries. I was able to go to days three and four of the Open Championship in Liverpool. I visited the movie set of Hobbiton from the Lord of the Rings movies. And, I played some fantastic golf courses I had only dreamed of being able to visit.  I walked in the footsteps of champions, visited locker rooms where legends of golf have lockers, and played numerous courses where major championships have been, or will be hosted.  I checked off 26 courses from the top 100 list (not bad for 15 months) I made great golf contacts, met some great people along the way, and made some very good friends that I can't wait to enjoy a round and a pint with. And, I moved from Seattle to New Orleans. What a year!

In 2014, I played 64 rounds of golf (down from 76 in 2013) on 59 different courses (down from 70 in 2013).  Most of them have been great courses; a very few not so much. I have played on blisteringly hot days, perfect condition days, and very cold days (what is the rule when your ball comes to land on a pond that is frozen over?), sunny days, and rainy days (I lived in Seattle afterall). But, every round was a good round. Afterall, the worst day at golf is better than the best day at work. 

Every memory has been etched into my brain to always remember. A new logo golf ball has been placed into golf cabinet from each and every different club (and was sometimes the highlight of very poorly played round). My handicap started at a 19.8 back in January of 2013. As this year ends, I have been able to get my handicap down to a 17.2! I am looking forward to seeing it continue to drop as I get more chances to play at some of the top courses in the world.

Courses I played in 2014 in the order they were played:

January 2014

TPC Snoqualmie Ridge (Washington)

February 2014

Bandon Dunes Golf Course (Oregon) x2

Chambers Bay GC (Washington)

March 2014

Fallen Oaks GC (Mississippi)

Grand Bear GC (Mississippi)

Dancing Rabbit GC (Azalaes Course) (Mississippi)

Cascata GC (Nevada)

Shadow Creek GC (Nevada)

Harbour Pointe GC (Washington)

Golden Horseshoe GC (Virginia)

May 2014

The Plateau Club (Washington)

The Home Course (Washington)

Kingston Heath GC (Australia)

Royal Melbourne (East Course) (Australia)

Royal Melbourne (West Course) (Australia)

Barnbougle Dunes (Tasmania, Australia) x2

Barnbougle Lost Farms (Tasmania, Australia)

Cape Kidnappers GC (New Zealand)

Kauri Cliffs GC (New Zealand)

Royal Adelaide GC (Australia)

New South Wales GC (Australia)

July 2014

Sand Hills GC (Nebraska) x2

Wild Horse GC (Nebraska)

Woodhall Spa (Bracken Course) (England)

Woodhall Spa (Hotchkin Course) (England)

Royal Birkdale (England)

Royal Lytham & St. Anne's (England)

Ganton GC (England)

Sunningdale GC (Old Course) (England)

Sunningdale GC (New Course) (England)

Royal St. George's GC (England)

Forest of Arden GC (Arden Course) (England)

August 2014

TPC Louisiana (Louisiana)

Kayak Pointe GC (Washington)

Camaloch GC (Washington)

September 2014

Blue Heron GC (Washington)

Maidstone GC (New York)

Tall Grass GC (New York)

Garden City GC (New Jersey)

Bethpage State Park (Black Course) (New York)

Winged Foot GC (West Course) (New York)

Plainfield CC (New Jersey)

October 2014

Trilogy at Redmond Ridge GC (Washington)

November 2014

Pinehurst #1 (North Carolina)

Pinehurst #2 (North Carolina)

Pinehurst #3 (North Carolina)

Pinehurst #4 (North Carolina)

Pinehurst #5 (North Carolina)

Pinehurst #6 (North Carolina)

Pinehurst #7 (North Carolina)

Pinehurst #8 (North Carolina)

Pinehurst #9 (North Carolina)

Pine Needles Golf & CC (North Carolina)

December 2014

Old MacDonald GC (Oregon)

Bandon Dunes GC (Oregon)

Pacific Dunes GC (Oregon) x2

Bandon Trails GC (Oregon)

Pumpkin Ridge GC (Ghost Creek Course) (Oregon)

Oak Harbor GC (Louisiana)

I have already started planning my travel schedule for 2015.  I should be able to knock off at least 12-20 more top 100 courses in the world and be able to play at least four rounds every month this year! If you are in the area, please feel free to email me and join me for a round and a pint.

2015 Travel Schedule

My travel schedule for 2015 is still tentative at this point as I am still waiting for my travel schedule for work. The below listed schedule is what I have confirmed or set aside dates for the courses listed. This list will be changed and updated as I add courses when they become available or when I receive confirmation of tee times and invitations.

If you are going to be in or around any of the below courses and would like a playing partner, please feel free to contact me. I would love to have some company, that also shares the same passion for golf as I do, join me on some of these fantastic courses.

All rankings listed below are based off of world and U.S. rankings found at golf.com and Golf Magazine. Golf Digest magazine had its own separate world rankings that have been included in parenthesis. Those separate 2014 world rankings can be found HERE.


Months and Dates yet to be determined (Invitations received)


January 2015 (Alabama & Mississippi)

January 14 - NR Robert Trent Jones Trail - Ross Bridge Course 
January 16 - NR Robert Trent Jones Trail - Oxmoor Valley (Ridge Course)
January 16 - NR Robert Trent Jones Trail - Oxmoor Valley (Valley Course)
January 29 - NR The Bridges Golf Club

February 2015 (Los Angeles)

February 12 - NR Pelican Hill Golf Club (North Course)
February 13 - #93 (Public) Pelican Hill Golf Club (South Course)
February 17 - #29 (Public) Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles

March 2015 (Nevada & San Francisco)

March 12 - NR Coyote Springs GC
March 13 - NR Conestoga GC 
March 13 - NR Falcon Ridge GC
March 14 - NR Canyons at Oasis GC
March 15 - #66 (Public) Wolf Creek GC
March 20 - #57 (World) / #30 (U.S.) Olympic Club (Lake Course) 
March 21 - NR Half Moon Bay Golf Links (Ocean Course)
March 22 - #53 (U.S.) / #15 (Public) Pasatiempo GC

April 2015 (Florida)

April 7 - #58 (World) / #31 (U.S.) / #7 (Public) TPC Sawgrass (The Players' Stadium)
April 8 - NR Dye's Valley Course
April 9 - #59 (U.S.) / #16 (Public) Streamsong (Blue Course)
April 9 - #52 (U.S.) / #12 (Public) Streamsong (Red Course)

June 2015 (Ohio, Michigan & Colorado)

June 2 - #63 (Public) Longaberger Golf Club
June 7 - Attending final round of The Memorial Tournament
June 8 - NR Maple Creek GC
June 9 - NR St. Ives Golf Club
June 9 - #82 (Public) Tullymore Golf Club
June 10 - #37 (Pubic) Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club
June 11 - #72 (U.S.) / #21 (Public) Forest Dunes Golf Club
June 12 - #87 (Public) Bay Harbor Golf Club (Links/Quarry)
June 13 - #81 (Public) Marquette Golf Club (Greywalls Course)
June 14 - #75 (World) / #40 (U.S.) Ballyneal Golf Club 
June 15 - #75 (World) / #40 (U.S.) Ballyneal Golf Club - 2 Rounds

July 2015 (England, Washington, and Indiana)

July 13 - #92 (World) - Swinley Forest GC
July 13 - #80 (World) - Walton Heath GC (Old Course)
July 14 - #69 (World) - Royal Liverpool GC
July 22 - NR Gamble Sands
July 25 - NR Coffin GC
July 25 - NR Purgatory GC
July 26 - #70 (Public) French Lick Resort - Pete Dye Course - 2 Rounds
July 27 - NR French Lick Resort - Donald Ross Course

August 2015 (TBD)

TBD

September 2015 (TBD)

TBD

October 2015 (TBD)

TBD

November 2015 (TBD)

TBD

December 2015 (TBD)

TBD

Letters From The Links Facebook Page

I know I am behind by about seven blogs. However, if you want to see photos of courses after I play once I finish a round, I usually post several.  You can find them on the Letters From The Links Facebook page.

Photos of Pinehurst # 4 and #9 are now up on that Facebook page. They will eventually be up here, but I still have two blogs from England and five from New York to write.

Updated Top 100 Public List

Since I started this blog, and all three quests, more than a year after the last Top 100 public courses list was published by Golf Magazine, I always felt a slight disconnect.  When the new list was published (or soon will be in September - I get my subscription a month early generally), I felt it aligned better with my quest to play all the top 100 public courses in the U.S.  Since none of the courses I have played in the past year fell off the list, I also didn't lose any ground. I actually gained ground with Streamsong joining the list.

This will be the only time I change any of the three lists. What I will likely do when the top 100 in the world and the U.S. are released in 2015, if just add a new page that lists the courses that are new to each list. My top goal, is to play those three lists I now have up. If I can play courses added in the future, then all the better. But, I am more comfortable with pursuing the 2014 list than the 2012 list of public courses, and since this is my quest, that is what I am going to do :-)

Updated blog name

The old title "One Guy's Goal to play the top 100 courses in the U.S. and the World" was entirely too long. It was difficult to give the name to people I met that I played a round with. And it was just not catchy.  After brainstorming, my wife came up with the name "Letters from the Links" and it makes sense.  So, the title of the blog, as well as the banner, has been changed to reflect the changes.

Life happens

February 11, 2014 

I have a range of emotions this morning. Between frustration, depression, anger, and a mix of others, today just sucks.

Yesterday on my first round at Bandon Dunes, on the 18th fairway, I rolled my left ankle on a sprinkler head. It didn't seem too bad, so I put on an ankle brace, got some lunch, and then started my second round. Apparently, I was subconsciously putting extra stress on my right foot trying to compensate for the injury, and somewhere around the 4th or 5th hole, I pulled or strained a muscle on the outside of my right foot. I made it through the front nine, but had to call it quits after the ninth as I was in some serious pain that was hurting just standing, and made worse by walking.

 Once I got back to The Lodge, I sat in the hot tub four different, 30 minute sessions. Later, I elevated and iced both left ankle and right foot on and off for the next six hours. I still held out hope that 12 hours rest and care would help enough to at least let me play one round a day. Unfortunately, when I woke up this morning, the right foot was worse, not better. On a positive note, the left ankle feels much better.

 So, my awesome golf vacation to Bandon Dunes was cut short after one day and 27 holes. I am very disheartened at the moment, but I have rescheduled this trip for a week in December.

2013 Year in Review

January 26, 2014

Before we get too far into 2014, I thought I should write a wrap up of 2013. I have dubbed it my "Year of the Return to the Grand Game". Back in 2009-2011, I was a police detective. Back then, we got one day off a week and worked four day workdays. Living in the Atlanta area, there were some fantastic courses, but most were very crowded on Friday through Sunday and could be very expensive. I chuckle at those green fees now that I am endeavoring to play the top 100 courses in the U.S. and the World, but on police pay, we always shopped for deals. What I had learned was Mondays were not only the least expensive days to play, but were also the least crowded, so Mondays were my day off.  During the summer, I could get in 72 holes on any given day.  Then, a work place accident happened in July of 2011 that caused me to be unable to play a round. It took nearly two years to get back to good health where I felt comfortable playing.

When I took the new job in Seattle, I knew I would get to travel. I still hadn't started playing golf again because of fear of reinjuirng my back, knees, and ankles.  But, when work decided to send me to Australia, I knew this was the "perfect excuse" to get back into the game I so dearly love. Since that round on March 29, 2013, I have played as much golf as I possibly could with the busy life of a Dad and husband, a good employee, and a football fanatic.

In 2013, I played 76 rounds of golf on 70 different courses.  Some of them have been great courses, others not so much. I have played on blisteringly hot days, perfect condition days, and very cold days (what is the rule when your ball comes to land on a pond that is frozen over?), sunny days, and rainy days (I live in Seattle afterall). But, every round was a good round. Every memory etched into my brain to always remember. A new logo golf ball to place into golf cabinet was sometimes the highlight of very poorly played round. My handicap started at a 24 back in March of 2013. As the year ended, I had taken lessons, played a good bit, and was able to get my handicap down to a 17. I am looking forward to seeing it continue to drop as I get more chances to play at some of the top courses in the world.

I love to play golf, and I love to experience a new course. When I was afforded the opportunity to play a top 100 course Harbour Town my fate was sealed. I decided I wanted to play more top 100 courses in the U.S. When I learned I was going to Australia again in 2014, I decided to bump that goal to include the top 100 in the world.  And hence this blog was born.

Courses I played in 2013 in the order they were played:

March 2013

Flinders Golf Club (Australia)

April 2013

Black Mountain Golf & Country Club (Las Vegas, NV)
Twin Rivers Golf Club (Fall River, WA)
Snoqualmie Falls Golf Course (Fall River, WA)
The Blue Heron Golf Course (Carnation, WA)
Cascade Golf Course (North Bend, WA)
Gold Mountain Golf Course (Olympic Course) (Bremerton, WA)
Gold Mountain Golf Course (Cascade Course) (Bremerton, WA)

May 2013

Elk Run Golf Club (Maple Valley, WA)
The Golf Club at Echo Falls (Snohomish, WA)
Golfclub Neuhof e.V. (Frankfurt, Germany)
Golf Club St.Leon-Rot (Sankt Leon-Rot, Germany)
Golf und Land Club Regensburg (Regensburg, Germany)
Golfpark Idstein (Frankfurt, Germany)
Golf club Main-Taunus (Wiesbaden-Delkenheim, Germany)
Kenwanda Golf Course (Snohomish, WA) x2

June 2013

The Golf Club at Redmond Ridge (Redmond, WA)
The Golf Club at Newcastle (Coal Creek Course) (Newcastle, WA)
Longaberger Golf Club (Nashport, OH)
Cumberland Trail Golf Club (Pataskala, OH)
Eaglesticks Golf Club (Zanesville, OH)
Glenross Golf Club (Delaware, OH)
Darby Creek Golf Club (Marysville, OH)
Druids Glen Golf Course (Covington, WA)
Desert Canyon Golf Resort (Orondo, WA)
Bear Mountain Ranch Golf (Chelan, WA)
Highlander Golf Course (Wenatchee, WA)
Leavenworth Golf Club (Leavenworth, WA)
Mt. Si Golf Course (Snoqualmie, WA)

July 2013

The Golf Club at Hawk's Prairie (Lacey, WA)
Salish Cliffs Golf (Shelton, WA)
Gold Mountain Golf Course (Olympic Course) (Bremerton, WA)
Gold Mountain Golf Course (Cascade Course) (Bremerton, WA)
Cedars at Dungeness Golf Club (Sequim, WA)
Whidbey Golf Club (Oak Harbor, WA)
The Resort at Port Ludlow (Ludlow, WA)
Peuramaa Golf Club (Kirkkonummi, Finland)

September 2013

Wolf Creek Golf Course (Atlanta, GA)
Hermitage Golf Course (President's Reserve) (Old Hickory, TN)
Hermitage Golf Course (General's Retreat) (Old Hickory, TN)
Bella Collina Golf Club (Montverde FL)
Hawk's Landing Golf Club (Orlando, FL)
Eagle's Brooke Country Club (Locust Grove, GA)
Château Élan Golf Club (Château Course) (Braselton, GA)
Bear's Best Atlanta (Suwanee, GA)

October 2013

The Golf Club at Newcastle (China Creek Course) (Newcastle, WA)
Lake James Golf Club (Angola, IN)
Cherry Hill Golf Club (Ft Wayne, IN)
Autumn Ridge Golf club (Ft Wayne, IN)
Washington National Golf Club (Auburn, WA)
Kenwanda Golf Course (Snohomish, WA)
The Blue Heron Golf Course (Carnation, WA)
The Resort at Port Ludlow (Ludlow, WA) x2
White Horse Golf Club (Suquamish, WA)
Trophy Lake Golf & Casting Club (Port Orchard, WA)
McCormick Woods Golf Course (Port Orchard, WA)
Old South Golf Links (Bluffton, SC)
Eagle's Pointe Golf Club (Bluffton, SC)
Harbour Town Golf Links (Hilton Head, SC) x2
Heron Point by Pete Dye (Hilton Head, SC)
Hilton Head National Golf course (Bluffton, SC)
Eagle's Talon at Willow Run (Redmond, WA)
Chambers Bay Golf (University Place, WA)

November 2013

Bay Hill Club & Lodge (Orlando, FL)
Streamsong Resort (Red) (Streamsong, FL)
Fairways of Canton (Canton, GA)
The Highlands Course at Lake Arrowhead (Waleska, GA)
Eagle's Crest Golf Course (Ypsilanti, MI) x2
Fox Hills Golf (Plymouth, MI)
Stonebridge Golf Club (Ann Arbor, MI)

December 2013

Mt. Si Golf Course (Snoqualmie, WA)
White Horse Golf Club (Suquamish, WA)

New banner!

A heartfelt thanks goes out to my friend, Russell Akred, for putting together a new banner for my blog!  If you need any graphic design work done, I highly recommend him.  His linkedIn page can be found HERE and the website for his business can be found HERE.

Help fund my adventure through charity donations!

So I took the advice of a few friends and have set up a personal site to help fund my travels to finish this quest in a quicker time frame. If you are interested in helping fund this lifelong goal of mine, feel free to make donations HERE. One of the focuses on raising money to play these top courses is not just so I can play them, but also to support the courses' local charities.  One example is Shinnecock Hills holds an annual charity golf outing for Project ALS. Another example is that Oakmont CC supports one of its local schools through a charity golf outing. I think this would be a phenomenal way to experience these top 100 courses, while at the same time helping charities by much needed fund raiser events.Any donations received and designated to enter into these charity events would be used solely for the entry fee for the charity golf outings and I would pay for airfare and hotel out of my own pocket. Also, if you wanted to donate a charity auction tee time directly to me (so you can write off the expense on taxes), feel free to contact me via the contact gadget to the left. If my travel schedule has no event listed for that date, I can almost guarantee being able to make it.

I will eventually play all top 100 courses. I've made it a life goal. I would love to finish sooner rather than later, and any support received can help that along, especially if the monetary support goes towards a good cause.  If I don't receive any monetary support, it will just take longer than a few years. I am fine with that also. But as I've always been told, it never hurts to ask. So, I am making this request one time only. Every dollar helps a charity and helps me come closer to achieving this goal. Thanks in advance for any help offered.

What's in the bag? What's your handicap?

So, I have had a few questions emailed to me and thought I would answer them in one post.  First, I am currently a 16 handicap. When I started playing again on March 29, 2013, after nearly two years away from the game, my handicap was right around a 22. I am proud of the accomplishment of dropping 6 full strokes on my handicap in 9 months. Lessons from Golftec Training Center have certainly helped.Also, playing 81 rounds of golf from March to December also helped a good deal. There is nothing like real experiences and situations on the course. Oh, and I was away from golf for almost two years due to some injuries to my back, knees and ankles that I sustained when I was a police officer and detective. I needed to let those heal properly and forced myself to take a 22 month break.

As for what's in my bag, mostly what I hear called "game improvement" equipment. I am not shy about the fact that I am not the greatest golfer out there. Realistically, I feel I am average at best.  But, the golf gods keep rewarding me with at least one memorable, very good shot every round I play. This keeps the passion burning that the next round I will have two or three of those kind of shots. 

My driver is my least favorite club in my bag currently. It is a Nike Covert VRS Driver. I bought it back in March when I got back into the game, to upgrade from my old Ping G10. I got pulled into the sales pitch of "you can adjust it 10 different ways to Sunday" spiel and so I bought it. I hit it just as far as the Ping G25, but I let the salesman talk me into buying the Nike. I kind of regret that decision now and am watching eBay to try to find a discounted Ping G25 or possibly a Callaway X2 Hot. I have hit both drivers at the pro shop and like both. I do want to try out Titleist 913 D2 and the new Ping i25 Driver before I make a final decision on what will replace the Nike.

One smart thing I did when I got back into the game in March was to get fitted at Puetz Golf Superstore here in Seattle. They have a phenomenal range and fitting system, as well as a huge selection of just about every piece of golf equipment and clothing you could ever want. I highly suggest checking it out if you are in the Seattle area. I had previously had Ping G10s with a yellow dot, but when I took them to my first round back at Flinders Golf Club in Australia, it just didn't feel like I was hitting them well. At my fitting, we narrowed down the irons to Ping G25 Irons and Mizuno JPX-825. I really liked both sets of irons, but I have been playing Pings for as long as I can remember, so I went with what I was comfortable with.  It's a good thing I was fitted also because my color code had changed from yellow dot to green. 

I also was fitted for and purchased Ping K15 Fariway Woods and Ping G25 20 and 23 degree Hybrids. I grew tired of the high loft of the K15 fairway woods and have since sold them. I have replaced them with a Ping Anser 3W and a Ping G25 5W.

One thing I noticed over the next few months and 20 or so rounds was that I have lost some distance. I believe it is due to several factors including age, lingering mental stuff with my injuries, and an extra 15 pounds. I am working to get rid of the extra weight. The more I play, the more comfortable I am with the fact I am not going to re injure anything again. The age, well, I guess I am stuck with it :-)   I have also decided my golf ball of choice is the Bridgestone e7 ball. They have a nice feel and they do help add a little extra distance to all my shots than what I was getting from other balls I have tried.

I also found I REALLY liked the feel of my hybrids so took out my 5 and 6 irons and put in a 27 and 31 degree hybrid.

During my fitting, we also decided on the normal Ping G25 wedges, except for the SW. It is a Ping Tour Gorge 54 degree Wedge.  I liked the Tour Gorge so much, I have since sold off my other wedges and replaced them all with the Ping Tour Gorge set. 

After 80 rounds and much improvement in my game, and since I only was using the 7, 8 and 9 iron from the Ping G25 set, I decided to sell the irons as a set.  I like the look of the Ping i25 Irons so will be putting the 7, 8 and 9 irons from that set into my bag.

Finally, to round out my bag, I purchased the Odyssey White Ice Sabertooth Putter. I have always preferred a mallet to a blade putter because it is easier for me to align.  The Odyssey was great for the 80 rounds I played in 2013, but about a month ago, while killing time in a local proshop, I tested a few Scotty Cameron Putters and absolutely fell in love with them. But man are they expensive. I got lucky with eBay just this past week and was able to pick up a store display test model of the Titleist Scotty Cameron Select GoLo S5 for $150! It has a few dings on the top, and slight paint wear from normal use from in-store demos, but it still rolls the ball very nicely and there doesn't appear to be any diminished performance.I am excited to get out on the course with the new putter.

So, going into 2014 and the real start of this quest to play the top 100 courses in the World and in the U.S., my bag is made up with the following:

Ping G25 Driver (Graphite Design Tour AD DI 5 shaft)

Ping G25 3W (Graphite Design G-Series Silver 60 R)

Ping G25 20* Hybrid (Graphite Design Tour AD DI Hybrid 75g shaft)

Ping G25 23* Hybrid (Graphite Design Tour AD DI Hybrid 75g shaft)

Ping G25 27* Hybrid (Graphite Design Tour AD DI Hybrid 75g shaft)

Ping G25 31* Hybrid (Graphite Design Tour AD DI Hybrid 75g shaft)

Ping i25 7 iron

Ping i25 8 iron

Ping i25 9 iron

Ping Tour Gorge 47* Wedge

Ping Tour Gorge 52* Wedge

Ping Tour Gorge 54* Wedge 

Ping Tour Gorge 56* Wedge

Ping Tour Gorge 60* Wedge

Titleist Scotty Cameron Select GoLo 5

(I either choose 3 or 4 of the wedges for each round depending on weather and the course).

2014 Travel Schedule

Now that I have work and personal schedules sorted out for 2014, I have started to reserve some tee times. Below is what I have already confirmed. If you are going to be in or around any of the below courses and would like a playing partner, please feel free to contact me. I would love to have some company, that shares the same passion for golf as I do, join me on some of these fantastic courses.

All rankings listed below are based off of world (and U.S.) rankings found at golf.com and Golf Magazine. Golf Digest magazine had its own separate world rankings that have been included in parenthesis. Those separate 2014 world rankings can be found HERE.

March 2014 (Mississippi and Las Vegas)

March 5 - #30 (Public) Fallen Oak Golf Club
March 6 - NR Grand Bear Golf Club
March 6 - NR Shell Landing Golf Club
March 10 - #32 (Public) Dancing Rabbit GC - Azaleas Course 
March 10 - NR Dancing Rabbit GC - Oaks Course
March 16 - #60 (Public) Cascata Golf Club
March 16 - NR Tuscany Golf Club
March 17 - #56 (U.S.)/#18 (Public) (#75 World Golf Digest)  Shadow Creek Golf Course
March 28 - #57 (U.S.) - Golden Horseshoe Golf Course (Gold)
March 29 - NR Williamsburg National GC - Jamestown Course
March 29 - NR Williamsburg National GC - Yorktown Course

May 2014 (Australia and New Zealand)

May 19 - #94 (World) (#28 World Golf Digest)  Royal Melbourne Golf Club - East Crse
May 19 - #28 (World) (#20 World Golf Digest) Kingston Heath GC
May 20 - #13 (World) (#9 World Golf Digest) Royal Melbourne Golf Club - West Crse
May 21 - #72 (World) (#23 World Golf Digest) Barnbougle Lost Farms Golf Club
May 22 - #34 (World) (#11 World Golf Digest) Barnbougle Dunes Golf Club
May 26 - #38 (World) (#22 World Golf Digest) Cape Kidnappers Golf Course
May 27 - #74 (World) (#39 World Golf Digest) Kauri Cliffs Golf Course
May 29 - #99 (World)  Royal Adelaide GC
May 30 - #41 (World) (#33 World Golf Digest) New South Wales GC

July 2014 (Nebraska and England)

July 9 - #12 (World)/#9 (U.S.) - Sand Hills Golf Club - 2 rounds
July 10 - #88 (Public) - Wild Horse GC
July 17 - NR Woodhall Spa - Bracken Course
July 17 - #62 (World) (#88 World Golf Digest) Woodhall Spa - Hotchkin Course 
July 18 - #31 (World) (#38 World Golf Digest) Royal Birkdale Golf Club
July 19 - Attending 3rd round of The Open Championship
July 20 - Attending final round of The Open Championship
July 21 - #59 (World) (#81 World Golf Digest) Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club
July 22 - #84 (World) Ganton Golf Club
July 23 - #39 (World) (#41 World Golf Digest) Sunningdale Golf Club - Old Course
July 23 - NR (#91 World Golf Digest) Sunningdale Golf Club - New Course
July 24 - #29 (World) (#66 World Golf Digest) Royal St. George's Golf Club
July 25 - #96 (World) (#78 World Golf Digest) Rye Golf Club
July 26 - NR Forest of Arden Country Club - Championship Arden Course

August 2014 (Louisiana)

August 18 - NR TPC Louisiana

September 2014 (New York & New Jersey)

September 15 - #67 (World)/#37 (U.S.) Maidstone Club
September 15 - NR Tallgrass Golf Club
September 16 - #47 (World)/#26 (U.S.) Garden City Golf Club
September 16 - #36 (World)/#23 (U.S.) Bethpage Black Golf Course
September 17 - #21 (World)/#13 (U.S.) Winged Foot GC (West)
September 18 - #50 (U.S) Plainfield CC

November 2014 (North Carolina)

November 16 - NR Pinehurst #9
November 16 - NR (#44 Public Golf Digest) Pinehurst #4
November 17 - NR Pinehurst #3
November 18 - NR Pinehurst #7
November 18 - NR Pinehurst #1
November 19 - NR Pinehurst #5
November 19 - NR Pinehurst #6
November 20 - #16 (World), #10 (U.S.), #3 (Public) - Pinehurst #2
November 21 - #96 (Public) - Pinehurst #8

December 2014 (Oregon)

December 1 - #88 (World), #45 (U.S.), #10 (Public) Old Macdonald Course - 2 rounds
December 2 - #63 (World), #34 (U.S.), #8 (Public) Bandon Dunes Course - 2 rounds
December 3 - #20 (World), #12 (U.S.), #1 (Public) Pacific Dunes Course - 2 rounds
December 4 - #49 (U.S.), #13 (Public) Bandon Trails Course - 2 rounds
December 5 - #56 (Public) - Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club (Ghost Creek)