How sick is this wedge being played by Robert Garrigus at the 2016 CarrerBuilder Challenge?
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Friday, January 22, 2016
Sunday, January 17, 2016
More new gear this off season
In addition to the great Seamus hybrid cover I got from my sister for Christmas, I also have picked up a few other goodies.
First up is a new pair of Footjoy M Project spiked shoes. These were on clearance at TGW and I couldn't pass them up. I have admired the appearance of these since they came out. My wife has a pair and so I figured the price was right and got these.
At the same time I got the M Projects I also got a good deal on a Zero Restriction wind jacket. I have never had any ZR gear but it was 70% of so I decided to try this out as well. The jacket seems very nice, a high quality pull-over, though it is not exactly a heavy duty jacket. It is a pretty thin fleece/poly material.
But my biggest deal was a new GoreTex jacket from Sunice. I got this on Proozy for under $100. I have been thinking of getting a new rain jacket, as the Snake Eyes one I have has no breathability and every time I wear it I feel like a wrestler wearing a foil track suit trying to loose weight. Normally this jacket is north of $300. I was surprise how lightweight and comfortable this jacket is. The material is very soft to the touch and there is no restriction in movement.
Now I just need to wait for this snow to melt!
First up is a new pair of Footjoy M Project spiked shoes. These were on clearance at TGW and I couldn't pass them up. I have admired the appearance of these since they came out. My wife has a pair and so I figured the price was right and got these.
At the same time I got the M Projects I also got a good deal on a Zero Restriction wind jacket. I have never had any ZR gear but it was 70% of so I decided to try this out as well. The jacket seems very nice, a high quality pull-over, though it is not exactly a heavy duty jacket. It is a pretty thin fleece/poly material.
But my biggest deal was a new GoreTex jacket from Sunice. I got this on Proozy for under $100. I have been thinking of getting a new rain jacket, as the Snake Eyes one I have has no breathability and every time I wear it I feel like a wrestler wearing a foil track suit trying to loose weight. Normally this jacket is north of $300. I was surprise how lightweight and comfortable this jacket is. The material is very soft to the touch and there is no restriction in movement.
Now I just need to wait for this snow to melt!
Friday, January 15, 2016
North Hills Country Club
The snow may be flying and the wind chills may be chilling but I can still be thinking about green fairways and pure greens.
I had the good fortune to be invited to play a round of golf at North Hills Country Club in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin by Paul Seifert.
North Hills is a beautiful classic parkland course. The club was founded in 1929 and is host to the Vince Lombardi Golf Classic, now in its 45th year. The course has a good historical overview on its webpage, including details of the lowest round recorded in Wisconsin- a 59 by Tom Veech in 1958!
As I mentioned the course is a classic parkland design. It was designed by John P. Barr in 1928 and re-designed in 1997 by Ken Killian. Most of the trouble you will find on the course is in the form of mature trees and strategically placed bunkers. The Menomonee River does run through the course and comes into play on a few holes but I would say water is never really a primary hazard.
I played it at the perfect time with brilliant foliage on all of the big old trees lining the really well kept fairways. The greens were also very, very nice. You can definitely tell the difference between a nicely maintained private club like this and the daily pay courses I usually haunt.
There are 5 sets of tees, and the possibility to play 2 other combination tees for as wide a variety of playing options as possible. From the Championship tees the course plays 6,718 yards and a rating and slope of 73.2 and 133.
A short dogleg left par 4 starts your round. The hole bends at around 220 yards, with a pair of bunkers sitting across the fairway. Driver here is not needed and will bring the sand into play, if not the trees.
You must play down the right side to avoid being blocked out on your approach down the left.
The approach into the green is generous and flat allowing a variety of options to the green. A pair of bunkers do wrap either side of the putting surface, so hitting the green is required.
The green is sloped back to front and hitting long is not advised with the hole falling away behind the green.
Bunkers again sit on each side of the green. A false front on the green requires you to hit the center of the green in order to hold your ball.
I hit into the left bunker here. I played a good shot out to what I thought would be maybe 5-6 feet from the pin, however the ball caught the slope and continued to roll completely off the green. Ouch.
The fairway runs downhill from the tee. Here you can see how brilliantly conditioned the fairways were. Nearly immaculate all around the course.
As you turn the corner, the hole rises as you approach the green making the hole play even longer.
Once again, the green is well guarded on either side by a couple of bunkers.
The first bit of the Menomenee river also runs across this hole at the base of the teeing grounds. It should not come into play. The play here off the tee offers a generous landing area but shots played down the right can be blocked from trying to get home in 2 by the trees that jut out down that side.
Your second shot will have to thread a rather narrow gap of trees as you play up the hole.
As you reach the neck between these trees, the hole opens back up as you approach the green. Your second shot will be blind due to the ridge running across the fairway where the hole narrows down.
The green is surrounded, front and sides, by more bunkering. Getting on in 2 here would be a real feat.
The green is again elevated above the bunkers and fairway preventing running up.
From behind the hole, you are offered a lovely view of the spire of St. Anothony's.
The hole also plays as a slight dogleg left. Once again not only a good tee shot is needed, but one played to the right half of the fairway to avoid trees blocking you down the left.
A large green which is protected again by front corner bunkers.
Missing left is again problematic with a grove of trees
From the dogleg, the hole drops down the crest of the hill to the green. A deep kidney shaped green is again flanked by a pair of bunkers, common to every hole so far.
I think all of us played too far left into the grove of trees. Paul hit a crazy shot from between the tree trunks close and managed a ho-hum birdie.
Anything coming up short can rebound down the steep slope fronting this green a fair distance.
A view back down the hole shows the elevation of the green to the tees.
The 8th is the a straight ahead par 4. A well placed pair of bunkers sit on either side of the fairway in the landing area off the tee. The one on the right is closer and more danger on your first shot.
Your second shot is a flat approach into yet another green with bunkers on either side. Keeping things consistent, OB is all down the left side.
Another bunker is in play down the right off the tee. This is approximately where the hole turns gradually to the right. A ball played down the left will open up the hole for an attempt at the green.
Missing left is again the worse option, as heavy trees occupy the first half of the hole, and the driving range sits left of the hole closer to the green.
The green is narrow but deep. Unsurprisingly, it is flanked on either side by sand.
A pretty approach awaits on this hole as the fairway travels slightly downhill to a back to front sloped green, shaped much like the 9th and again protected by sand on either side.
A view from the tee on 11 looking back up the 10th hole.
A shot played up the left will be safe but you can see a large oak can block an approach to the green.
From the right the hole is much more open. Avoid the side traps and also avoid going long on the back to front sloping green.
Once you crest the hill, the approach into this deep green is flat and relatively open, save for the obligatory pair of bunkers on either side.
Missing long here is again problematic with another fall off towards the trees behind the hole.
The hole plays basically straight. Heavy trees line both sides of this hole but right probably offers more hazard then left. Your only real chance here is to avoid the trees though.
As you travel up the fairway you crest the hill and the hole falls away in front of you. The green sits below, once again surrounded by bunkers. A larger green than most on the course, it is receptive to the likely longer irons you will have. If you happen to hit over the hill you can gain a lot of distance down the hill.
Right even with the willow, the Menomenee River cuts across this hole, making it the only real time that water comes into play.
The best play is a right to left ball that lands just left of the bunker down the right.
If you have avoided the trouble off the tee, the second shot must carry the uphill approach to this green. Your typical pair of bunkers await. Anyone going in the right bunker will have a very hard shot back up to the green.
Again, if you play too far to the left trees can cause you problems in reaching the green in regulation.
From the fairway it is a easy approach to this green. The hole does play slightly uphill so an extra club on your second is probably wise.
Beautiful colors looking back down this hole.
Missing short here is probably the best miss. You will at least have a relatively easy chip, compared to what you face from either of the bunkers.
If you can avoid the sand off the tee you then face a shot into the smallest green on the course which is also sharply elevated from the fairway.
If you decide to layup on your second you have a generous landing zone, just avoid the single large bunker up the right side.
Your approach in must be accurate to hit this tiny green. Getting into either of the bunkers will make for a difficult up and down. Anything coming up short will be repelled back down to the fairway.
A look back down the hole from earlier in the day.
First a big, thanks to Paul for inviting me to play his home course. NHCC is a great club. We had the good fortune of playing as a 5 some with some of the other members, all of whom were very gracious and welcoming.
The conditions of the course were absolutely excellent. Playing the time we did, I got to experience probably the prettiest the course is all year with the bright colors on the trees. The fairways were like carpet and the greens were fast and pure rolling.
My favorite 2 holes on the course, were number 4 on the front and number 14 on the back. The course has a lot of variety. It has enough elevation changes to make things interesting. In writing up this overview, I realized how common the design themes of the greenside bunkering and predominate left running doglegs were. While playing I never felt that holes were similar though. It was a really fun course to play, especially after getting slaughtered by Blackwolf earlier in the day.
I ended up carding a 41-41 for a total round of 82.
If you ever get a chance to play here, take it!
North Hills Country Club
N73W13430 Appleton Avenue
Menomonee Falls, WI 53051
I had the good fortune to be invited to play a round of golf at North Hills Country Club in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin by Paul Seifert.
North Hills is a beautiful classic parkland course. The club was founded in 1929 and is host to the Vince Lombardi Golf Classic, now in its 45th year. The course has a good historical overview on its webpage, including details of the lowest round recorded in Wisconsin- a 59 by Tom Veech in 1958!
A lovely patio and fire pit on the patio of the clubhouse.
As I mentioned the course is a classic parkland design. It was designed by John P. Barr in 1928 and re-designed in 1997 by Ken Killian. Most of the trouble you will find on the course is in the form of mature trees and strategically placed bunkers. The Menomonee River does run through the course and comes into play on a few holes but I would say water is never really a primary hazard.
I played it at the perfect time with brilliant foliage on all of the big old trees lining the really well kept fairways. The greens were also very, very nice. You can definitely tell the difference between a nicely maintained private club like this and the daily pay courses I usually haunt.
There are 5 sets of tees, and the possibility to play 2 other combination tees for as wide a variety of playing options as possible. From the Championship tees the course plays 6,718 yards and a rating and slope of 73.2 and 133.
Hole 1 Par 4
333 | 333 | 322 | 291 | 286 yards
A short dogleg left par 4 starts your round. The hole bends at around 220 yards, with a pair of bunkers sitting across the fairway. Driver here is not needed and will bring the sand into play, if not the trees.
You must play down the right side to avoid being blocked out on your approach down the left.
The approach into the green is generous and flat allowing a variety of options to the green. A pair of bunkers do wrap either side of the putting surface, so hitting the green is required.
The green is sloped back to front and hitting long is not advised with the hole falling away behind the green.
Hole 2 Par 3
172 | 170 | 165 | 150 | 143 yards
A mid length uphill par 3. This hole features a treacherous back to front sloping green.
Bunkers again sit on each side of the green. A false front on the green requires you to hit the center of the green in order to hold your ball.
I hit into the left bunker here. I played a good shot out to what I thought would be maybe 5-6 feet from the pin, however the ball caught the slope and continued to roll completely off the green. Ouch.
Hole 3 Par 5
465 | 434 | 424 | 412 | 412 yards
Another dogleg left that plays 100 yards longer than the first. A good tee shot is required to give you an opportunity to get to the green in 2. The bunker across the hole is reachable for big hitters.
I hit a great drive here that drew right around the corner of the dogleg.
The fairway runs downhill from the tee. Here you can see how brilliantly conditioned the fairways were. Nearly immaculate all around the course.
As you turn the corner, the hole rises as you approach the green making the hole play even longer.
Once again, the green is well guarded on either side by a couple of bunkers.
Hole 4 Par 5
495 | 486 | 482 | 405 | 405 yards
A pretty elevated tee sits right behind the 3rd hole. The first par 5 of the day, the 4th hole offers plenty of trouble off the tee from the trees lining either side. Left is also OB (as it was on 1 and 3 as well).
The first bit of the Menomenee river also runs across this hole at the base of the teeing grounds. It should not come into play. The play here off the tee offers a generous landing area but shots played down the right can be blocked from trying to get home in 2 by the trees that jut out down that side.
Your second shot will have to thread a rather narrow gap of trees as you play up the hole.
As you reach the neck between these trees, the hole opens back up as you approach the green. Your second shot will be blind due to the ridge running across the fairway where the hole narrows down.
The green is surrounded, front and sides, by more bunkering. Getting on in 2 here would be a real feat.
The green is again elevated above the bunkers and fairway preventing running up.
From behind the hole, you are offered a lovely view of the spire of St. Anothony's.
Hole 5 Par 4
383 | 371 | 351 | 344 | 294 yards
Another tight driving hole with OB running down the left. While the tee is elevated, the fairway plays uphill the entire length to the green.The hole also plays as a slight dogleg left. Once again not only a good tee shot is needed, but one played to the right half of the fairway to avoid trees blocking you down the left.
A large green which is protected again by front corner bunkers.
Hole 6 Par 4
421 | 413 | 402 | 335 | 335 yards
A downhill dogleg left par 4. The spire of St Anthony's is again visible above the trees. The fairway slopes to the left so a shot just bit right of the spire makes a good aiming point.
Missing left is again problematic with a grove of trees
Paul hitting his tee shot.
From the dogleg, the hole drops down the crest of the hill to the green. A deep kidney shaped green is again flanked by a pair of bunkers, common to every hole so far.
I think all of us played too far left into the grove of trees. Paul hit a crazy shot from between the tree trunks close and managed a ho-hum birdie.
Hole 7 Par 3
186 | 183 | 169 | 144 | 125 | 115 yards
A tough crowned par 3. Playing uphill from the tee, you must avoid the Menomenee river at the base of the hill and the 2 bunkers on either side.
Anything coming up short can rebound down the steep slope fronting this green a fair distance.
A view back down the hole shows the elevation of the green to the tees.
Hole 8 Par 4
348 | 341 | 341 | 327 | 318 | 275 yards
Stepping up to the tee on the 8th there were these trees off to the right with the lowering sun shining through and creating some lovely shadows up on the tee box. The sun was getting a bit low here as we were in October and playing an afternoon round after being up a Blackwolf in the morning.
The 8th is the a straight ahead par 4. A well placed pair of bunkers sit on either side of the fairway in the landing area off the tee. The one on the right is closer and more danger on your first shot.
Your second shot is a flat approach into yet another green with bunkers on either side. Keeping things consistent, OB is all down the left side.
Hole 9 Par 5
550 | 519 | 510 | 448 | 448 yards
The 9th is a long narrow dogleg right, the first right turning hole on the course.
Another bunker is in play down the right off the tee. This is approximately where the hole turns gradually to the right. A ball played down the left will open up the hole for an attempt at the green.
Missing left is again the worse option, as heavy trees occupy the first half of the hole, and the driving range sits left of the hole closer to the green.
The green is narrow but deep. Unsurprisingly, it is flanked on either side by sand.
Hole 10 Par 4
443 | 436 | 428 | 361 | 361 yards
The first hole on the back is located right behind the clubhouse. A slight dogleg left, you must avoid the sand located off the right side of the fairway. Playing to the left avoids that trap but can bring tree trouble in to play.
A pretty approach awaits on this hole as the fairway travels slightly downhill to a back to front sloped green, shaped much like the 9th and again protected by sand on either side.
A view from the tee on 11 looking back up the 10th hole.
Hole 11 Par 4
379 | 361 | 346 | 336 | 284 yards
This hole plays straight away and offers one of the wider landing zones off the tee. Tree trouble does await down the left, and a large fairway bunker guards the other side. If you can drive the fairway you should have a shorter iron in.
A shot played up the left will be safe but you can see a large oak can block an approach to the green.
From the right the hole is much more open. Avoid the side traps and also avoid going long on the back to front sloping green.
Hole 12 Par 3
177 | 167 | 155 | 132 | 107 yards
A pretty par 3 requiring a carry over the river. There is plenty of room between the water and the green so that should not really be an issue.
Perhaps a first on the course, bunkers only exist down the left side of the green. On the right side, a more troublesome hazard sits in the form of a large oak.
Hole 13 Par 4
393 | 383 | 368 | 355 | 318 yards
An uphill double bender. Off the tee the hole plays slightly right and then plays back slightly left to the green.
A generous landing area off the tee, you need to reach the crest of the hill with your drive to be able to see your approach to the green. A bunker does sit down the left edge of the fairway in the landing area.
Once you crest the hill, the approach into this deep green is flat and relatively open, save for the obligatory pair of bunkers on either side.
Missing long here is again problematic with another fall off towards the trees behind the hole.
Hole 14 Par 5
438 | 415 | 412 | 400 | 400 yards
Perhaps my favorite hole on the course. Your tee shot here is blind. You simply aim to split the gap in the trees you can see.
The hole plays basically straight. Heavy trees line both sides of this hole but right probably offers more hazard then left. Your only real chance here is to avoid the trees though.
As you travel up the fairway you crest the hill and the hole falls away in front of you. The green sits below, once again surrounded by bunkers. A larger green than most on the course, it is receptive to the likely longer irons you will have. If you happen to hit over the hill you can gain a lot of distance down the hill.
Hole 15 Par 4
348 | 323 | 298 | 274 | 240 yards
A long carry is required off the tee on this dogleg left. A thick weeping willow guards the hole from trying to take off distance on the dogleg. On the other side of the bend, a large bunker awaits a drive that runs too far.Right even with the willow, the Menomenee River cuts across this hole, making it the only real time that water comes into play.
The best play is a right to left ball that lands just left of the bunker down the right.
If you have avoided the trouble off the tee, the second shot must carry the uphill approach to this green. Your typical pair of bunkers await. Anyone going in the right bunker will have a very hard shot back up to the green.
Again, if you play too far to the left trees can cause you problems in reaching the green in regulation.
Hole 16 Par 4
434 | 397 | 384 | 370 | 311 yards
One of the rare dogleg right holes is the par 4 16th. You can take on this dogleg, provided you carry the pair of bunkers that sit over there. That is a long ball though and the smarter play is to the left. The fairway narrows considerably next to the bunkers as the hole turns right.
From the fairway it is a easy approach to this green. The hole does play slightly uphill so an extra club on your second is probably wise.
Beautiful colors looking back down this hole.
Hole 17 Par 3
225 | 218 | 212 | 191 | 151 yards
The penultimate hole is a tough, tough uphill par 3. Precision is key here to avoid getting in the bunkers that sit on either side but well below the putting surface.
Missing short here is probably the best miss. You will at least have a relatively easy chip, compared to what you face from either of the bunkers.
Hole 18 Par 5
519 | 495 | 485 | 474 | 401 yards
The final hole is a straight ahead short par 5. While the hole plays uphill it is reachable in 2. A couple of challenges stand between you and the hole off the tee.
First, a pair of fairway bunkers sit on either side of the landing zone.
If you can avoid the sand off the tee you then face a shot into the smallest green on the course which is also sharply elevated from the fairway.
If you decide to layup on your second you have a generous landing zone, just avoid the single large bunker up the right side.
Your approach in must be accurate to hit this tiny green. Getting into either of the bunkers will make for a difficult up and down. Anything coming up short will be repelled back down to the fairway.
A look back down the hole from earlier in the day.
First a big, thanks to Paul for inviting me to play his home course. NHCC is a great club. We had the good fortune of playing as a 5 some with some of the other members, all of whom were very gracious and welcoming.
The conditions of the course were absolutely excellent. Playing the time we did, I got to experience probably the prettiest the course is all year with the bright colors on the trees. The fairways were like carpet and the greens were fast and pure rolling.
My favorite 2 holes on the course, were number 4 on the front and number 14 on the back. The course has a lot of variety. It has enough elevation changes to make things interesting. In writing up this overview, I realized how common the design themes of the greenside bunkering and predominate left running doglegs were. While playing I never felt that holes were similar though. It was a really fun course to play, especially after getting slaughtered by Blackwolf earlier in the day.
I ended up carding a 41-41 for a total round of 82.
If you ever get a chance to play here, take it!
North Hills Country Club
N73W13430 Appleton Avenue
Menomonee Falls, WI 53051
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