Spanish Golf

Maybe it's because the Volvo World Match Play Championship is under way, or because I've be watching a cooking show that features nothing but cuisine from Spain, that I thought to myself, "man, I wouldn't mind going there." I loved the food and the people and the golf courses in Portugal, why wouldn't I enjoy Spain just as much?

The Marabella region in the southern portion of the country has a number of layouts including some with views of Gibralter and Africa. Now that has to be something, looking at another continent while playing golf.

Finca Cortesin Golf Resort is hosting the World Match Play and I'd surely tee it up on the Cabell Robinson design if the opportunity arose. The event is raising money for the Seve Ballesteros Foundation, which aids in brain cancer research.

Looking around the web, I cam across the La Manga Las Lomas Village on the southwest coast and that appears to be a wonderful spot. The resort has three layouts including the South Course that was reworked by Arnold Palmer and has hosted the Spanish Open. I'd love to try out all three.

OK, now I just have to figure out a way to get over there!

Golf and Gambling

For so many golfers, the game can’t be played without a little side action, say a $5 nassau and $1 birdies. For others, though, it has to be way more involved than that and they partake in a game like Wolf that is so complicated, I really don’t have a modicum of understanding of the rules even though I’ve played it a few times.

For me, a straight match-play contest is good enough and if there is a want to pay out for greenies and sandies, I’m good with that. If there's no desire for a "game," I'll still tee it up.

On the other hand, my friend who I'll call Keith (because that's his name), can't just enjoy a round of golf. "I have to play for something," he once barked in his gravely voice. "I don't care if it's a stick."

He's serious. During one of my trips to the Old Course, I brought him back a branch broken off from a gorse bush on the famous layout that he used to carry in his golf bag as the designated "stick."

During one of our more memorable rounds, we decided to complicate it about as much as we could. Besides me giving him shots and playing for sandies and birdies, we also paid out on each hole for Hogans, par or better while hitting the fairway and green in regulation on each hole, Watsons, hitting the fairway in regulation but missing the green while making par or better and Seves, missing the fairway and green in regulation while still making par or better.

I think we also threw in barkies, making par or better after hitting a tree, and had we had the chance we would have played for Alexander Graham Bells, that's making par or better after bouncing a shot off a telephone pole or overhanging wires.

Then there are those who love golfing and gambling, but not at the same time, which explains the popularity of golf and casinos. If your looking for places around the world to gamble, and possibly get in some golf, check out this casino guide.

Take Me to Teeth of the Dog

It's turning cold in Connecticut and I'm not ready for it. The forecast of temperatures in the 40s, accompanied by wind and rain, makes me want to take a crash course in hibernation. Pretending, for a moment, that I had the money, I was perusing the Internet for a place I'd jet off to for golf and sun when it gets really cold. The answer I came up with was, Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic and Pete Dye's Teeth of the Dog Course.

I have Dye on the brain after speaking with him a few weeks ago for a piece I wrote for Golfdom magazine about the role of architects in helping golf courses conserve water. At 84, the design genius is still opinionated when it comes to all topics golf and it was pure joy to talk with him on a variety of topic for close to 30 minutes.

Ranked as high as 34th in the world by various magazines, Teeth of the Dog is now complimented by two other Dye designs -- Dye Fore and The Links. Teeth of the Dog might not have the audaciousness of Dye's later work, but it is replete with his signature style of options and angles that appeal and challenge players of all skill levels.

"Casa de Campo has been my life," he has said. "I always say Casa de Campo is my favorite place. The courses are as good as I can build."

Hey, maybe that's just an architect hyping his work like he should but, if I had the money, I'd take a trip there and find out for myself.

Arawana on the Air

Here is a link that takes you to my appearance on The Eye on the Air, discussing the Arawana Golf Course Project.

http://www.archive.org/details/EyeOnTheAirSeptember18

Magnificent Machrihanish Dunes

I should have posted this a while ago, but my life has been a bit hectic with the Arawana Golf Course project.

I played Machrihanish Dunes in late July as part of the grand opening that occurred the Tuesday after the Open Championship and I have to tell you, this course is worth the trip.

Architect David McLay Kidd and his chief associate, Paul Kimber, have created an outstanding links golf course, the first layout built on the West Coast of Scotland in over 100 years, with wild greens that nestle into the natural terrain. The course, on the southern tip of the Kintyre Peninsula on Scotland's far Southwest Coast, is within one of the country's most sensitive natural areas that is known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Because of that, there are no pesticides used on the golf course and artificial irrigation is only allowed for the greens. As a result, this is a golf course that is constantly changing as the natural grasses adapt to the lower heights of cut and the presence of golfers. It is, as the literature says, "the way golf began." The Old Tom Morris-designed Machrihanish Golf Club that was built over 100 years ago and is Mach Dune's next-door-neighbor, transformed over the years exactly as Machrihanish Dunes is doing and will continue to do.

As part of the Machrihanish Dunes, complex, there are the newly-built
cottages in which to stay, creating a perfect home base for journeys to
nearby courses such as Machrihanish, Dunaverty and the wonderful Machrie,
located on the Island of Islay, also home to the distilleries that produce
the lovely Islay single malt whiskies.

The drive from Glasgow or Edinburgh to Kintyre is a delightful trip, and there is also the option of direct flights from Glasgow to Cambeltown Airport.

Arawana: Economic Development Commission Meeting

I made my presentation before the Middletown Economic Development Commission Monday night and it was well-received. Also presenting their plans were the ArtFarm people and Blue-Blaze Trail people.

Here is a link to the story in the Middletown Press:

http://www.middletownpress.com/articles/2009/09/14/news/doc4aaefdef53c02156340038.txt

Commission members had no questions for me after the presentation but I talked to a few one-on-one and they appear to like the plan. Commission chairman Gerry Daley, however, wants the Conservation Commission to review all the proposals and report back for the November meeting. The CC has no actual power, but acts in an advisory capacity.

One surprise of the evening came before the meeting began when the Blue-Blaze Trail people and I were in the conference room together. We had a good discussion and it looks like we may have found a way to route the proposed trail through the golf course land in a way that works for both our interests.

Another Arawana Update

Well, I'm getting closer to the first official step in making the Arawana Golf Course a reality when I appear before the Middletown Economic Development Commission on Sept. 14. I'm optimistic that my plan will be approved.

There is one new bump in the process. While meeting with the chief engineer of the Middletown Water and Sewer Department I learned an access road to the Kleen Energy power plant wells will run right through the fourth and sixth holes (click on the photo, red line indicates proposed road). I meet with people from Kleen Energy on the morning of the 14th in the office of the director of the city's planning and development department to see if we can do something about this problem.