Travel!! Where are you headed; Where do you want to go? Where have you been?

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leggo PE said:
Where is queen of travel, @tj_PE planning on going soon? I hope you have some fun stuff planned!

I was just in your state, but down in the Miami and Jupiter areas, visiting a friend and then family. I’d never been to that part of Florida before (though I’d been to Jacksonville in college, Tallahassee and Orlando as a kid). It was a good time. We got a really good Cuban good dinner in Little Havana and then went out in Wynwood for drinks. Our friend lives on the 30th floor of a condo building right on the water in Brickell, which was pretty astounding in terms of the view of the water and Miami. We even saw a manatee from his balcony, in the water below. We rode city bikes to South Beach in the daytime, which was interesting. It actually reminded me a lot of Venice Beach, in terms of how the boardwalk/Collins ave is set up — even down to the outdoor gym equipment!

While in general, south Florida was nice to visit, I don’t think I could ever live there (and not just because Miami is going to be underwater 40 years from now). I’d go back to visit again though!

Next up is Portland and Seattle for the end of December and New Year’s. I think we’re gonna make it a road trip!
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I'm going to Augusta, GA in April. Can't wait!
 
wilheldp_PE said:
I just got back from a golf trip to San Diego and Phoenix. San Diego was awesome, but playing 36 holes a day in Phoenix heat was a bad idea.
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My favorite golf trips were:

1. Pinehurst
2. Augusta
3. Las Vegas in July (drank 5 Powerades in the middle of the summer and never had to use the restroom...so I can probably relate to the Phoenix heat)
4. Grandfather Mountain/Banner Elk area in North Carolina.
5. French Lick resort
 
I need to get back to my parents' house in Florida. Maybe I'll go in January when the tickets are still cheap!
 
DuranDuran PE said:
My favorite golf trips were:

1. Pinehurst
2. Augusta
3. Las Vegas in July (drank 5 Powerades in the middle of the summer and never had to use the restroom...so I can probably relate to the Phoenix heat)
4. Grandfather Mountain/Banner Elk area in North Carolina.
5. French Lick resort
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My group was supposed to go to Pinehurst last November, but some of the guys complained that it was too expensive (it wasn't), so we ended up going to Crossville, TN. Tennessee was OK, but the courses were short and goofy (lots of 90 degree doglegs, and tons of elevation change).

A friend of mine got Monday practice round tickets to the Masters in 2012, so we made a golf trip out of it. Played in Kentucky, Tennessee, and South Carolina on the way down, and it was a blast.

I used to go on a pro-am in Vegas every year. We played Paiute, Boulder Creek, Rio Secco, TPC Las Vegas/Canyons, Reflection Bay, and Cascata. Cascata, to this day, is the nicest course I've ever played.

Never heard of Grandfather Mountain/Banner Elk.

I've played the Ross Course at French Lick over a dozen times, and Sultan's Run in Jasper, IN (now owned by French Lick) several times. Both courses are fantastic. I've been lucky enough to get out on the new Dye Course three times for free (just paid caddy tip), and it's just on another level.

I very much want to go to Bandon. Never heard a bad thing about it. Pinehurst and Whistling Straits are also on my list. I'm also trying to make a trip to St. Andrews in Scotland happen, but that might be a ways off.
 
wilheldp_PE said:
My group was supposed to go to Pinehurst last November, but some of the guys complained that it was too expensive (it wasn't), so we ended up going to Crossville, TN. Tennessee was OK, but the courses were short and goofy (lots of 90 degree doglegs, and tons of elevation change).
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I went to Pinehurst with my dad in '99 (played 36 holes per day for 5 days, including #2 and #8) , and I'm sure the prices have skyrocketed since then. I took lessons there in the early 2000's and after the lesson I was allowed to play one of the courses there for free (usually Pinehurst #5, 6 or 7). Great memories. If you get a chance to play at Pinehurst, consider stopping in Sanford to play Tobacco Road. It's one of my favorite all-time courses.

Crossville has the typical short and hilly terrain of East Tennessee. Deer Creek, Fairfield Glade, and Cumberland Gardens (before it closed). I always enjoyed those courses though, but that's what I grew up on.
wilheldp_PE said:
A friend of mine got Monday practice round tickets to the Masters in 2012, so we made a golf trip out of it. Played in Kentucky, Tennessee, and South Carolina on the way down, and it was a blast.

I used to go on a pro-am in Vegas every year. We played Paiute, Boulder Creek, Rio Secco, TPC Las Vegas/Canyons, Reflection Bay, and Cascata. Cascata, to this day, is the nicest course I've ever played.
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Boulder Creek is the only one I've played on that list. Black Mountain is one I remember playing.
wilheldp_PE said:
Never heard of Grandfather Mountain/Banner Elk.
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Boone, North Carolina area. If you don't like short, goofy mountain type courses you may not like it.
wilheldp_PE said:
I've played the Ross Course at French Lick over a dozen times, and Sultan's Run in Jasper, IN (now owned by French Lick) several times. Both courses are fantastic. I've been lucky enough to get out on the new Dye Course three times for free (just paid caddy tip), and it's just on another level.
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We drove up to the Dye course just to have a look. I would kill to play that one! That looks super nice!
wilheldp_PE said:
I very much want to go to Bandon. Never heard a bad thing about it. Pinehurst and Whistling Straits are also on my list. I'm also trying to make a trip to St. Andrews in Scotland happen, but that might be a ways off.
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If you go to Bandon Dunes or Whistling Straits, be sure to take anywhere from a 3 to 5 iron, and learn to hit 100-150 yard shots with it. Advice from a state-amateur level friend (not me!)
 
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Sorry, you all can keep talking about golf. Don’t pay attention to me! Golf travel is still travel, of course (pun intended)!
 
DuranDuran PE said:
Thanks...we will! :ROFLMAO:
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While we're at it... and not to boast but I have Chambers Bay notched on my golf belt. It was during a work trip and I was on the right side of the vendor's expense card. I played a links course last week which claimed the greens were rolling a 12 that day, and boy were they tough. Bandon is also on my bucket list.
 
pbrme said:
While we're at it... and not to boast but I have Chambers Bay notched on my golf belt. It was during a work trip and I was on the right side of the vendor's expense card. I played a links course last week which claimed the greens were rolling a 12 that day, and boy were they tough. Bandon is also on my bucket list.
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Lol...that place looked like a dumpster fire on TV. Speaking of dumpster fires...Torrey Pines is a goat ranch with a great view. We paid over $250 to play it, and the course conditions were demonstrably worse than my local muni that I pay $9 to play on the weekends.

The fastest greens I ever played were at our State Am a few years ago. They had the greens rolling at a 13+, and they were very hilly greens. I only 4-putted once...

Back to the travel...heading to Dallas for Thanksgiving and we're playing a couple times down there. Then I just booked my February trip to Ft. Myers, FL, which is a trip I've been taking with a huge group (~45 golfers) for about 10 years now.
 
wilheldp_PE said:
The fastest greens I ever played were at our State Am a few years ago. They had the greens rolling at a 13+, and they were very hilly greens. I only 4-putted once...
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Kudos! I can't imagine putting on greens that fast. A friend of mine talked me into qualifying for a state mid-am several years ago. I got in, and man were those tough conditions. It was fun though.
 
My travel plans:

December 10 - Jan 1 (going home to LI,, helping out mom who keeps injuring herself)

Jan 13 - 27 (Kauai; finally going to Hawaii with my family after they've been going annually since 2012)

Then, like, a wedding. But. I have nothing else planned until family cruise in September.
 
After the previously-mentioned Alaska trip in September (which was incredible!) we spent a week at Myrtle Beach in October (notched Congaree National Park off the list of NPs to visit) and then 10 days in Vegas just before Thanksgiving. "Working remote" sure is nice!

Not much on the docket until February when we take an 8-day trip to Costa Rica, other than a 4-day jaunt back to Vegas in January and visiting family in GA for Christmas.
 

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