A Good Day @ Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club

Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club
7 Clubhouse Drive, Ocean View, DE 19970
Yards: 6377, Par 72 (Kodiak [3187] / Black Bear [3190] - Back Tees)
Course Architect: Rick Jacobson
Built/Open: 1999
Website: http://www.beartrapdunes.com/
Score: 92 (45 out, 47 in)
Date: May 9, 2009

I played Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club over Mother’s day weekend without picking up a club since playing The Peninsula a few weeks ago. My playing partners wanted to play the back tees today which play 600+ yards further than the usual club (white) tees we usually play. Not expecting to play that well from the longer tees, I shot a round of 92 on a beautiful sunny, calm breezy day. My driving was good, only spraying two tee shots way off line. My short game is coming around, I didn’t blow any approach shots over the green but hit them short of the green. Chipping was average and my putting improved, only two 3 putts and 7 one putts.

FROM THE WEB SITE: 'Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club offers one of the area’s most unique and memorable golf experiences on the Eastern Shore. Winding bent grass fairways lined with native wetland grasses drift into natural sand dunes. Impeccably groomed oversized greens and four strategically placed sets of tees beckon golfers of every skill level.'

COURSE CONDITION: The course was in great shape, the fairways and teeing areas were lush and green. The greens were in excellent shape and rolling super quick, just how I like it.

FACILITIES: Really didn’t utilize the facilities this time around (no time). The chipping and putting greens are adjacent to the driving range.

SHOT OF THE DAY: None really, just a solid day of golf.

SUGGESTIONS and COMMENTS: If you are playing here early, bring drinks and a snack, the refreshment cart starts late.

GOLFNERDNESS: All golfers should know their limits…Back Tees, I don’t think so!

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT: Keep the ball out of the water and you will score!

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A beautiful day @ The Peninsula

The Peninsula Golf and Country Club
32981 Peninsula Esplanade, Millsboro, Delaware 19966
Yards: 6,248, Par 72 (Silver Tees)
Course Architect: The Great Jack Nicklaus
Management Company: Troon Golf
Built/Open: 2006
Website: http://www.peninsuladelaware.com
Course Ranking: 2nd in Delaware (Golf Digest State Rankings 2009-2010)
Score: 99
Date: April 10, 2009

I was invited to play at The Peninsula Golf and Country Club (thanks to Carmen and Walt!), an ultra-private country club with every luxury amenity you can thing of, pro shop, fitness center, grill room, formal dinning room (members only), tennis facilities, two pools (one with real sand beach), nature trails. Not expecting miracles my first 18 hole round of the year with no practice before showing up, I shot an 18 hole round of 99 on a brisk, high 40’s, but real windy day. My driving was average, I hit about half of the fairways, more towards the end of the round. When my tee shot was not in the fairway, it was just off the fairway in play, a few of my approach shots were long, over shooting the green a few times. My mid and short iron game is still off since I tweaked my swing, I am hitting the ball further with my irons and have to adjust my distances and aim. My chipping was good and my putting was better since the hard/fast greens keep the ball moving past the hole.

FROM the WEB SITE: The finest Delaware resort has teamed with one of the most skilled golfers in the history of the game to deliver the first private Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course in Delaware. This highly esteemed course design does not disappoint and is the highlight for many of The Peninsula members.

The private 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Design Golf Course opened in April 2006. Seven holes of the Delaware golf course are set dramatically along the Indian River Bay and Lingo Creek, and set the tone for the special feel of the Troon Golf Experience at The Peninsula. With four sets of tees, the course offers an enjoyable experience for all levels of golfers. This past summer The Peninsula partnered with the PGA of America and U.S. Kids Golf and installed two sets of "Family Friendly" tees. By adding two sets of tee locations (Blue Level 1 - 1100 yards and Gold Level 2 tees - 1900 yards) all family members are able to enjoy the round.

COURSE CONDITION: The course was in excellent shape, every inch of the course. The greens were fast and slippery, little difficult holding the greens with a low iron shot.

FACILITIES: Excellent practice facilities, grill room food was good, and well equipped pro shop.

SHOT of the DAY #1: Hole 9, Par 3, 180 Yards. Due to the windy conditions and water on the entire right side of the fairway, I aimed 50 yards left of the entire green, at a tree half way up the fairway. I hit a high 2 iron, the wind grabbed it and pushed it to the right, hit the green and rolled to 2 feet, basic tap in for BIRDIE! The other three players, first player – low liner 5 yards off the fairway rolled onto the green, Par. Next two players, wet.

SHOT of the DAY #2: Hole 13, Par 3, 148 Yards island style green. Due to the windy conditions, I hit an 8 iron figuring the wind would push the ball toward the green since I aimed right and short (usually a 7 iron). The pin was in the middle of the green, the wind pushed the ball way left, bounced on the green twice and rolled down the 10’+/- embankment into the water. Taking my drop at the edge of the water, looking up this steep slope, I opened my 9 iron, aimed left of the hole and took a swing. After hitting the ball, I watched the ball hit the green and start rolling toward the pin, watching this at eye level with the green. The ball, tracking toward the pin just disappeared into the hole, PAR! I looked at my playing partners and said, “that is a hard way to make a par”. In the mean time, my father-in-law hit the front of the embankment and rolled into the water. He took his drop next to the water as well, hit his ball from the opposite side of the green from where I hit my shot. He hit an open lop wedge, rolled it straight into the hole, PAR. He looked at me and said, “that is a hard way to make a par!”. No way could that be done again.


SUGGESTIONS and COMMENTS: This course is adjacent to the bay, winds are common and change direction at the blink of an eye. Don’t pass on an opportunity to play here! Check out the facilities and the monster houses that line some of the fairways! Have a few million, build your dream home on your dream course, just remember me, I’ll be waiting for an invite to play.

GOLFNERDNESS: Golf Etiquette, might be good to use here!

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT: Keep the ball out of the water, sand and waste areas and the course is easy. LOL


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Wintry 9 Holes @ Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club

Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club

7 Clubhouse Drive, Ocean View, DE 19970

Yards: 5817, Par 72 (Grizzly Course - Club Tees)

Course Architect: Rick Jacobson

Built/Open: 1999

Website: http://www.beartrapdunes.com/

Score: 46

Date: January 2, 2009

I played Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club over the holiday weekend without touching my clubs since playing The Rookery in early November. Not expecting miracles, I shot a 9 hole round of 46 on a cold (34 degrees), windy and after a few holes snowy day. My driving was average, I was just on or just off the fairway on most holes and didn’t hit any balls into the water the entire round. My short game is still off since I tweaked my swing, I am hitting the ball further with my irons and have to adjust my distances and aim. My chipping was good and my putting was good since the hard greens keep the ball moving past the hole instead of being short of the hole like usual.

FROM the WEB SITE: 'Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club offers one of the area’s most unique and memorable golf experiences on the Eastern Shore. Winding bent grass fairways lined with native wetland grasses drift into natural sand dunes. Impeccably groomed oversized greens and four strategically placed sets of tees beckon golfers of every skill level.'

COURSE CONDITION: The course was in great shape considering it was the 2nd of January. It was a little difficult to insert tees into the teeing area the first few holes. The greens were frozen solid, if you hit the green on the fly, it sounded like a ping pong ball hitting the table, and usually took a huge bounce and ended off the green.

FACILITIES: Didn’t utilize the facilities due to the cold weather and getting the call to play 20 minutes before teeing off.

SHOT of the DAY: Hole 4, Par 3, 134 Yards. Due to the winter conditions (frozen greens and blowing snow), I hit a 9 iron figuring it would be short and hit the frozen ground and run toward the green. The pin was in the back middle of the green, the ball landed on the front of the green, and since I hit the ball so high, it only took a few bounces and started rolling toward the pin. The ball rolled over the ridge in the middle of the green and tracked left toward the hole. By this time, all of us were yelling, GO IN THE HOLE!!! It stopped 2” away, so close yet so far.

SUGGESTIONS and COMMENTS: This course is close to the ocean which keeps the temps reasonable for winter golf at the Delaware shore, but wind will be a factor any time of year.

GOLFNERDNESS: When playing in the cold, keep moving!

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT: Keep the ball out of the water on the few holes, and you will shoot a lower score at this course.

For all your local golf information, check out http://www.twooverpar.com./

For personal golf course reviews and comments, check out http://twooverpar.blogspot.com/!

The Delaware Shore - The Rookery

The Rookery
27052 Broadkill Road
Milton, Delaware 19968
Yards: 6139, Par 71 (White Tees)
Course Architects: Chris Adkins/Pete Oakley
Website: http://www.rookerygolf.com/
Score: 90 (43 out, 47 in)
Date: November 7, 2008

While spending a long weekend at the Delaware Shore, my golfing buddy and I played The Rookery in Milton, DE. This course is wide open with generous fairways and greens, not many trees, a few holes with forced carries over water, very similar to a links course without the fescue grass everywhere. Considering in the last few weeks I have played Galloway National Golf Club (ranked 74th) and Bethpage Black (ranked 26th), this is by far the easiest course I have played lately which was a nice break.

This was the first time playing this course, and since this course is adjacent to Route 1, I have driven by it many times looking at the mounds and white vinyl fence that lines Route 1. On an overcast day, I shot a round of 90 (4 lost balls), one of my best rounds of the year. I was hitting the ball with a slight fade today except a few that went straight by accident (hit 5 fairways) which was nice since this course was wide open and ending a few yards off the fairway didn’t hurt me at all. My approach shots and chipping was pretty good (hit 6 greens in regulation and came up a yard or two short on about three others), I was getting the ball on or just off the green on my approach shots. I was hitting my 7 iron better than ever, and I used that club all day. My putting was pretty good on the nice rolling greens (2 – three putts and 4 – one putts). Overall, my game came together this day and it was a great feeling since it maybe one of the last golf outings of the year.

After the round we stopped in at the restaurant and had a good cheese burger and awful nacho appetizer.

FROM THE WEB SITE: The Rookery is the newest public championship 18-hole layout in the Rehoboth Beach resort area. We offer a wonderful playing experience with four sets of tees for golfers of all abilities. 2004 Senior British Open winner, Pete Oakley and course visionary, superintendent Chris Adkins, have teamed up in designing a water laden, golfer friendly challenge just off the picturesque Broadkill River.

COURSE CONDITION: The course was in great condition, no divots in the tee boxes or fairways, a few pitch marks on the greens and the greens were rolling nicely.

FACILITIES: The Rookery provides practice facilities, pro shop, and restaurant.

SHOT OF THE DAY No. 1: Hole #18, 566 Yard, Par 5 – I pulled my drive into the left rough. My second shot came out hot with a rescue club and ended about 180 yards out in the first cut on the right side of the fairway. The pin was hidden behind a 8 to 10 foot high grass mound, I took aim at a telephone pole about 15 yards to the left of the pin and hit a 5 wood. The ball started at the pole and was fading toward the pin, I could not see the ball or pin till I walked up about 50 yards and saw the ball near the pin on the green. Grabbing my putter, I sank the three footer for birdie and the match.

SHOT OF THE DAY No. 2: Hole 11, 425 Yard, Par 4 – drove the ball 325+/- yards, on the green in 2, 2 putt for par.

SUGGESTIONS AND COMMENTS: Very nice course, wide open and flat. Very good course for a mid to high handicap golfer with lots of room to spray shots and bail out areas. I shot a 90 with the following scores on the last 5 holes, double bogie, double bogie, triple bogie, double bogie and birdie.

GOLFNERDNESS #1: We arrived a little early and the pro shop gave us the option of teeing off early. Skipping the option to warm up, we drove over to the starter and asked him if we could tee off since there was no one around, as stated in the pro shop. He asked us to wait and disappeared for about 10 minutes, then he and two golfers drove up to the tee box. The two golfers jumped out of the cart and started warming up on the blue tees. The starter said out loud, looking at us, maybe these guys would let you play with them. Immeadtialy one of the guys (found out later he was a preacher) said, ‘naa, we’ll just rip though the course’. So we waited, they really ripped through it, they played the blue tees, couldn’t reach the short fairways with their drives and sprayed balls all over the place. We waited for them on almost every hole but the last two, pushing them on every hole. If you suck, play the whites like the rest of us, you really ripped it up. After the round, he was in the restaurant yelling on his cell phone while other golfers already in the dinning area were trying to eat. After he got off, he looked at me and said, ‘you guys could have played with us’. I looked at him and replied, ‘Naa, you ripped this course UP!”

GOLFNERDNESS #2: Hole 5, 385 Yard, Par 4, dog-leg left – after the turn of the dog-leg, there are three trees in the middle of the fairway. There are hardly any trees on the course, then why are there trees in the middle of the fairway?

GOLF COURSE MANAGEMENT: Keep the ball out of the water on the few holes that have water, and you will shoot a lower score at this course. Hole #4, 290 Yards, Par 4 – Do not hit driver, lay up and hit 8 or 7 iron to the green. I laid up on my tee shot, then for fun (while waiting for speedy ahead of us to clear the green) hit three extra balls and could not reach the fairway over the pond.

For all your local golf information, check out http://www.twooverpar.com./
For personal golf course reviews and comments, check out http://twooverpar.blogspot.com/!

Labor Day @ Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club

Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club
7 Clubhouse Drive, Ocean View, DE 19970
Yards: 5817, Par 72 (Kodiak / Black Bear - Club Tees)
Course Architect: Rick Jacobson
Built/Open: 1999
Website: www.beartrapdunes.com
Score: 91 (45 out, 46 in)
Date: August 31, 2008

I played Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club over the holiday weekend without any type of practice in the last few weeks. Not expecting miracles, I shot a round of 91 on a beautiful sunny, calm breezy day. My driving was a little better on the front nine hitting 3 fairways but making the green in regulation on 5 holes, the back nine I hit 3 fairways but only 3 greens in regulation. My short game is still off since I tweaked my swing, I am hitting the ball further with my irons, as a result, I over shot a few greens, which is not usually a problem. My chipping was good and my putting improved after I got my 3 putt out of the way.

From the web site 'Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club offers one of the area’s most unique and memorable golf experiences on the Eastern Shore. Winding bent grass fairways lined with native wetland grasses drift into natural sand dunes. Impeccably groomed oversized greens and four strategically placed sets of tees beckon golfers of every skill level.'

Course Condition: The course was in great shape, a few minor dead patches of grass here and there on the edges of the fairways. The tee boxes were a little beat which is understandable considering it is the end of the season and on a holiday weekend, the fairways were in nice shape and the greens were in good shape but rolling a little slow.

Facilities: Really didn’t utilize the facilities this time around (no time), but usually the range is in good shape with lots of room for players to hit balls off of real grass, the chipping and putting greens are adjacent to the driving range.

Shot of the Day: Hole 2 on Kodiak, Par 4, 349 Yards. Hooked my drive into the rough about 130 yards from the green behind a large mound. Hit an 8 iron over the mound, over the pin to about 35’+/- behind the pin. Took a good look at the putt, hoping to lag it close and watched the ball track into the center of the cup for birdie.

Shot of the Day #2: Hole 1 on Black Bear, Par 4, 288 Yards. Hit my drive to the right on top of a low sloping hill in the first cut. Hit a 7 iron to the front of the green and watched the ball roll all the way to the back of the green. Again, took a good look at the 25’+/- putt, hoping to lag it close and watched the ball dive into the left side of the hole for my second birdie of the day. I should have gone home after that hole, next three holes: +2, +3, +2.

Suggestions and Comments: If you are playing here early, bring drinks and a snack, the refreshment cart was no where to be found, except when we were a hole from the clubhouse.

Golfnerdness: When golfing partners are hitting, watch their ball!

For all your local golf information, check out www.twooverpar.com!

Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club

Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club
7 Clubhouse Drive, Ocean View, DE 19970
Yards: 5817, Par 72 (Grizzly / Kodiak - Club Tees)
Course Architect: Rick Jacobson
Built/Open: 1999
Website: www.beartrapdunes.com
Score: 95 (47 out, 48 in)
Date: June 22, 2008

Played Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club over the weekend two days after my run in with the annoying pro shop employee. After two days of hitting balls with my new grip, I headed out with some new confidence in my game which soon came to an end. I shot a round of 95 on a sunny, slight breezy day (the wind picked up on the last two holes). My driving was a little better on the front nine but disappeared on the back nine. My chipping in general was good, had a few stupid shots that’s cost me a few strokes and my putting improved after the first couple of holes. I also lost a few strokes trying to be cute on a few shots, still have not learned my lesson.

From the web site 'Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club offers one of the area’s most unique and memorable golf experiences on the Eastern Shore. Winding bent grass fairways lined with native wetland grasses drift into natural sand dunes. Impeccably groomed oversized greens and four strategically placed sets of tees beckon golfers of every skill level.'

The course was in great shape, a few minor dead patches of grass on the edges of the fairways. The tee areas were in good shape, the fairways were in fantastic shape and the greens were in good shape and rolling nicely.

For all your local golf information, check out www.twooverpar.com!

Annoying Pro Shop Employee Playing by the Rules

I spent a long weekend down at the Delaware shore at Bear Trap Dunes. Looking to tune up the golf game, I drove by the range and noticed a few guys out there hitting balls in tee shirts. Well, wearing a Nike tee shirt and shorts, I decided to get out and hit some balls. I placed my clubs next to a stand on the range and walked over to the pro shop. On my way, I noticed the guys in the tee shirts were members of the club.

I walked in the pro shop and ask the lady behind the counter for some driving range tokens. She looked at me with this disgusted face and asks all cocky if I have a collared shirt. “Yes I do”, I replied. “Do you have it with you?”, she asks. Like most people in the world, I carry a collared shirt in my pocket all the time incase I run into someone asking if I have one. Before I could open my mouth to respond, she continues to inform me that she can not sell me any tokens since I have a tee shirt on, “collared shirts are required on the driving range, sir”. Are you kidding me old lady, I felt like saying there are two or three MEMBERS on the range right now in tee shirts hitting golf balls.

Whatever, I left, got a collared shirt on, purchased the tokens and removed the collared shirt as I walked slowly out of the pro shop. If you have a standard, I’m all for following the rules, but don’t single out people while your MEMBERS are out there breaking your own rules.

For all your local golf information, check out www.twooverpar.com!