Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Favorite Golf Courses

Here's my favorite courses. I took several things into consideration for these rankings: condition, pace of play, layout, clubhouse and expense. I could only select from the courses I've played or Augusta would be first of course. One of my favorite courses recently went under, Center Valley Country Club, such a shame...

1.  Olde Homestead Golf Club - PA

I played this course on Saturday, June 9th. The course was pristine and the staff and clubhouse was outstanding. My brother and I were pared with some regulars that were decent guys. The course was quite challenging with deep rough and strategically placed bunkers that are consistently in play. The topper here is the deck that overlooks the tee box on 1 and gives you a great look at the par 3 9th hole that is over a lake. 

Great course, I haven't had a chance to get there yet this year, but the layout is amazing. It would be number one if they had a better clubhouse.

I love this course, last time I played it was a little beat up, but when it's in shape it's up there. The 14th is absolutely picturesque. The clubhouse and staff need to be improved before it can compete with the top two.

I played this early in the season and it was in good shape even then. We got stuck with a random guy who was pretty cool. Course is wide open and a lot of fun. I have to get back there now that the season is in full force. 
A lot of nice elevated tee boxes and a couple nice par 3's over water. I still remember guys trying to steel my balls, saying they didn't know it was being played. It's in my fairway clown, why did you think it was there?!
Nicely designed course, probably the newest on this list. Extremely long with a ton of fescue that eats balls. I know that's the way courses are going now, but it's too close to the fairway, it needs to be backed off. 
This course is usually in amazing shape, but the layout is a bit boring to me. They make the greens lightening fast to make the course harder. Some of my friends love this place, but I'm nto a fan. I'm playing here on Saturday so I'll update the list after that.
Nice standard course that's pretty inexpensive to play and that has a good amount of openings. They add a little water with a drainage ditch basically. It's a fun course, but not a top course.

Decent layout here, but it's such a slow round. There are better courses right around there that they have to contend with. The clubhouse is great here, it overlooks the first tee and had great service. Would be 2nd to last if not for that.

This course has a place in my heart cause it's in my home town, but they just don't take care of the place. Everything is beat up; greens, tee boxes, fairways, nothing is nice, even the driving range needs to be redone. Hopefully they'll eventually get sokme money and put this place together because the layout is pretty nice, but I doubt it will ever happen

I played this on Sunday, June 10th. The course is garbage, just straight shot after straight shot. We didn't see a starter or a ranger, so the pace of play was terrible. we had to wait 10 minutes after every hole. It's just first come first served. You couldn't pay me to play here again.


This is the 1st tee box on the red course at The Wheel. When I say it's a dump I mean it.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

What Happened To The Center Position In The NBA!?!?


The news of the Lakers picking up Andrew Bynum's option for another year at $16.1 million. Andrew Bynum is getting paid this much to be a decent player?!?! I didn't get it until I looked around the league and realized how terrible the center play actually is. Power forwards are dominating the boards and scoring down low now, centers are basically just there to foul it seems. That red headed step child on the Clippers is 6"10 and dominates with quickness and athleticism now. He's only been knocked on his ass once that I can remember, do that a couple times and he'll be a bit more hesitant to drive it as strong and jump out of the gym.


Here's a quick comparison of the all star centers that are currently running around the league vs the ones is 1994.



2012 All Star Centers
Roy Hibbert
Dwight Howard
Marc Gasol
Andrew Bynum 

1994 All Star Centers
Shaquille O'Neal
Patrick Ewing
Hakeem Olajuwon
David Robinson

There's no comparing these classes. the 2012 class still has some time to get their act together, but I doubt we'll be seeing any of these guys in the hall of fame. I doubt half these guys will still be playing in 5 years. 


The best by far in the 2012 class is Dwight Howard, he's in his prime and unfortunetly has back issues. Anyone from the 94 class would destroy Howard, he wouldn't be able to comer any of them in the post. Sure Howard can jump out of the gym and maybe block a couple shots, but he lacks the discipline to cover any of these guys with picking up fouls, his time one the floor would be minimal.  I don't hold him totally at fault for this, there's really no one to even challenge him out there now. 

Anthony Davis will be coming into the leauge next year and could be a start to the rebuilding of the position. Though he'll have to play power forward for a bit until he bulks up, the kid is only 19, he's got time.....