You may have assumed that golf plays an important role as a sport in California, but you may be surprised by how far reaching its impact is to the State’s economy. As both an industry and a good neighbor, the game of golf is important to California and beyond. Sometimes golfers and non-golfers alike don’t realize that not only is the game important to our human ecology, but to our economy as well.

CAG President Tom Addis III

“Golf is more than just a game, it’s an industry that creates thousands of viable jobs for Californians, provides year-round fitness opportunities for citizens, and life skill programs for our youth. Equally as important, is golf’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability” said Tom Addis III, president of the California Alliance for Golf. We touch a lot of lives through golf.”

Golf brings visitors to the state, drives new construction and residential development, generates retail sales, and creates demand for a myriad of goods and services. Golf course owners, operators, and golf professionals are happy to serve as access points for annual fundraising by local service organizations. It also raises huge sums of money for important charities – roughly $346.6 million in 2011 alone.

2013 California Golf Economy: Economic & Environmental Impact Report details the $13 billion annual economic impact golf has the state of California. The 52-page report was commissioned by Golf 20/20 for the California Alliance for Golf and prepared by SRI International.

According to the report, golf industry’s financial impact upon the state includes $13.1 billion of overall economic activity that supports more than 128,000 jobs and $4.1 billion of wage income. California’s golf population is the largest in the U.S.

In 2011, the size of California’s direct golf economy was approximately $6.3 billion (down from $6.9 billion in 2006). This is considerably greater than revenues generated by other key industries in the state, such as movie theatres and drive-ins ($2.6 billion), fitness and recreational sports ($3.6 billion), greenhouse/nursery crops ($3.7 billion), and amusement/theme parks ($3.7 billion). In 2011, California’s golf industry generated a total economic impact of $13.1 billion, supporting over 128,000 jobs with $4.1 billion of wage income.

California’s 921 golf courses, 84 stand-alone ranges, and 65 miniature golf facilities generated $3.343 billion of revenue in 2011. This reflects a nominal increase of 17.46 percent from the 2006 total revenues of $2.846 billion (inflation was 9.78 percent during that same period).

The report also documents the game’s environmental record.  Golf encumbers less than 3.6% of the total turfgrass acreage in the state, uses less than 1.3% of the total water used for irrigated crops, and less than 1% of the total fresh water consumed. In 2011, golf courses produced significant economic returns in comparison to other agricultural commodities that require irrigation. Golf’s revenue ratio per acre-foot of water is more favorable than that of the state’s most common agricultural commodities including grapes, citrus, and almonds.

Providing significant economic returns and jobs for California citizens is only part of the equation for an industry to thrive in the Golden State. Golf course owners, operators, and allied golf organizations must be conscientious stewards of the land and water resources required to sustain the industry and provide recreational opportunities to millions of Californians. In this light, the golf industry has aggressively pursued conservation strategies to minimize its environmental footprint and reduce water consumption via improved high tech water systems and irrigation practices. A major focus of golf course superintendents and course maintenance professionals involves maintaining and improving irrigation control and water distribution systems.

Golf facilities generate economic impacts beyond operational revenues through investments to upgrade and maintain facilities and infrastructure, and through the construction, expansion and renovation of courses. These investments create employment in the construction and maintenance industries and often involve the purchase of significant amounts of equipment and supplies from companies within the state.

California golfers spend significant sums on golf balls, golf clubs, golf apparel, and golf media (books, magazines, DVDs). The economic value that accrues to a state comes from the production of these golf-related goods, as well as retail sales of such items. California is home to a number of companies that design and manufacture golf cars, golf equipment, golf apparel and accessories—e.g., Acushnet, Callaway Golf, Cleveland Golf/Srixon, TaylorMade-adidas Golf, Yamaha Golf Car, etc. In 2011, California manufacturers’ total value-added shipment of golf-related products was approximately $787.7 million. California retailers and golf facilities earned approximately $136.1 million on the sale of $339.3 million of golf equipment, apparel, and media.

Even though the real estate sector has experienced a significant decline over the past several years, real estate developers use golf amenities to attract new home-buyers in many areas of the State impacting yet more industries.

Across the country, golf has enjoyed increasing popularity among travelers, whether it is the primary motivation for a trip or is connected to other recreational time spent with friends and family, or business colleagues. In California, golf is an important tourism segment adding significantly to the average stay and dollars spent. California’s golf resorts help the state attract conferences and business meetings, and both amateur and professional golf tournaments draw people to courses in different parts of the state.

Golf’s impact on California’s economy includes both the direct effects of economic activity in the core and enabled golf industries, as well as the indirect or multiplier effects on other industries in the state economy. In economics, the idea of the multiplier is that changes in the level of economic activity in one industry impacts other industries throughout the economy. For example, a fraction of each dollar spent at a golf course is, in turn, spent by the golf course to purchase goods and services for golf course operation—these are indirect effects. Additionally golf course employees spend their disposable income on personal goods and services, and this stimulates economic activity in a myriad of other industries—these are induced effects resulting in the total $13 billion golf impact figure.

There can be no doubt that golf’s “Welcome Mat” is vigorously spread throughout the State. From the very active Northern and Southern California PGA Sections, the LPGA, and the flagship Northern and Southern California Golf Associations, and a vibrant Golf Course Superintendent’s Association together with the Golf Course Owner’s Association, along with the California Alliance For Golf and “Discover California Golf,” there are many enthusiastic and qualified people to sustain this valuable enterprise. A host of First Tee Programs also introduce young people to the game as well as focus upon imparting our young people with the life lessons that golf provides. Whether to introduce you to the game or simply add to your enjoyment, you have many good neighbors affiliated in some way with golf.

As you travel about California, you will also note that golf is not a “rich man’s sport,” but rather a game for a lifetime that can be played by all. From children to business people and retirees, women and minorities, golf promotes good health and fellowship like few other games. When you consider all its many contributions, golf, indeed, carries its weight and then some in California!

Bob Fagan served as the Executive Director of the Northern California PGA from 1991-98. A former teaching and playing professional with more than thirty years turning around challenged operations, he currently operates a unique coaching practice aimed at improving performance skills through golf. 

Bayonet Black Horse is truly one of America’s most overlooked golfing gems! 

You smell the salt air and its moistness signals that the ocean is nearby.  Picture thick stands of cypress, oaks, and pine positioned on immaculate rolling fairways punctuated with bright dazzling white bunkers, ending in quick, smooth undulating putting surfaces with an occasional view of the Pacific little more than a mile away.  It’s the Monterey Peninsula and you may just be at one of the West Coast’s best golf values – Bayonet Black Horse.

The uphill par-five first hole on the Bayonet has seen many a skilled player in a host of important competitions over the years.

Two of America’s best side-by-side golf courses anyone can play are actually located in the Monterey Peninsula area of Northern California, but both remain relatively unknown. If you are a discriminating golfer and miss playing Bayonet Black Horse, you have badly missed out on two of best golf courses that the West Coast has to offer!

Yes, Bayonet Black Horse is the full name of a superb two-golf course public golf complex that was once the secure domain of the United States Military at Fort Ord on the Monterey Peninsula. Today, the city of Seaside owns the property and someday it may be developed as a resort. For now, however, it simply denotes two of the best golf courses you might imagine.

Beautiful holes abound on either course. Shown above is the 198-yard 5th hole on Black Horse. (Photo courtesy of Julio Rodriquez.) 

Because Bayonet Black Horse was situated on a military base, relatively few outsiders had the opportunity to play there, though the facility with its Bayonet Course was always regarded as one of the U.S. Army’s premier military golf layouts. Accordingly neither golf course ever received much attention with the general public. When the Fort Ord base was closed, these courses became public. The fact that the property is owned by the City of Seaside, the complex is  “public,” but that barely describes the type of quality golf you will encounter. The look, feel, and challenge of these two beauties are more akin to “championship” or “high-end resort” style layouts.

The par-five first hole on Black Horse features the serrated bunkers that distinguish it from the Bayonet.

The history of these two golf courses is uniquely interesting. Commanding Army officer General Bob McClure with the help of a local golf professional Robert “Boots” Widener designed and built the Bayonet Course in 1954 and named it in honor of the 7^th Infantry Light Fighter Division. McClure who was a distinguished veteran of World War I and II as well as the Korean War also garnered input from one of his soldiers and future Golf Hall of Famer member Ken Venturi. McClure was a left-handed with a habitual slice so he accommodated his game with the three sharp doglegs right within the stretch between the 11^th and 15^th holes, aptly named “Combat Corner.”

The addition of the Black Horse Course came in 1964 when the Army was considering putting housing in on the South side of the property. McClure and the golf course superintendent Merle Russill quickly road around the property in the General’s jeep. Anxious to keep the property open, the two came up with a routing in less than two hours for a new 9-hole course. The next year McClure retired, but his successor General Edwin Carnes continued to work with Russill as well as McClure and they decided to add an additional nine holes in 1967.

A close inspection of the par-four 3rd green on Black Horse reveals the many undulations that are characteristic of that layout and protect par.

Once the military left, the Bayonet Course in particular became a favorite for local competitions including PGA TOUR Qualifyings. The course has always had the reputation for being a beast of a test of golf, one that I would term “the Bethpage Black of the West Coast.” No championship test in the region including the Lake Course at Olympic plays any more difficult. Like its counterpart about two hours north in San Francisco, the Bayonet Course was built upon a treeless site, but an aggressive tree-planting campaign matured the layout into a shot-maker’s alley fairly choked with thick strands of cypress, oaks, and pine trees. Only great shots would allow for good scoring, but at that time the shaping and bunkering was rather nondescript and conditioning was usually only average. Eventually that all changed. The PGA of America was so impressed with the golf that chose their Professional National Championship to be contested here in the summer of 2012. Like those before them, most of the competitors found both layouts very challenging, but all sung their praises.

I count the uphill dogleg-right 476-yard 9th hole on Bayonet as one of the most difficult two-shotters in America! (Photo courtesy of Julio Rodriguez.)

The Black Horse Course was the newer of the two built on more undulating parts of the property with stirring views of the Pacific only little more than a mile away. Its original weakness was that it wasn’t a very challenging test of golf. In 2008, new management invested $14 million into what might best be described as a renovation project for both courses. What would I discover?

Black Horse has evolved into one great golf course and a beautiful one as well. Pictured above is a view across the fairway toward to the par-four 7th green. (Photo courtesy of Julio Rodgriguez.)

Returning to play Bayonet Black Horse Courses, it is amazing to see each course’s transformation. Architect Gene Bates applied his skills to provide two tests of equivalent entertainment value. The previous “weak-sister” Black Horse is just as attractive an option today as the renowned Bayonet Course. Bates also gave each course a distinctively different look centered on the bunkering. The Black Horse Course features serrated edges to its bunkering while the Bayonet Course has smooth finishes to its classic style hazards. View any hole and it’s easy to identify either course based on that very fact. While the Black Horse’s distance was stretched more, the Bayonet only had a mere 16 yards added to the 1954 McClure design. Both tests, however, play considerably longer due to the heavy sea-level air and damp soil conditions.

Even downhill, the 613-yard 8th on Bayonet plays long, tight, and tough to a narrow putting surface. There are no short-cuts to making par here. (Photo courtesy of Julio Rodriguez.) 

Bates also rerouted the layouts, shifted hole avenues, moved greensites, and repositioned tees.  The Bayonet Course remains the slightly more difficult of the two courses. The holes for the most part are situated in tunnels of dense trees very much akin to the look and style of the Olympic Club’s Lakeside Course in which many national championships have been contested. These trees for the most part limit the views, but there’s more than enough challenge to keep your attention. Competitors who have played both may actually maintain that the Bayonet may be the tougher! (Its slope is 141 and its rating is 74.8.) Its 7,104 yards from the tips plays every bit of its distance. Errant drives are always penalized by the thick trees making successful recoveries very rare. The bunkering is traditional in style with its smooth round edges. Likewise the shaping of the putting surfaces is roundish with no severe undulations, but getting above the hole can make for most challenging putts. Of all the holes, the 476-yard par-four 9^th with its all-carry approach to an elevated green is an absolute beast while my favorite might be the 527-yard finishing hole with its great views and best chance for a birdie.

Situated right by the clubhouse, I always look forward to the par-five 10th on Bayonet as one of my favorite tee shots. Only a day before my visit, the large pine guarding the left side up by the green fell. Here is the view afterwards. You can faintly see the brown area where is once stood sentinel to a portion of the green.

The Black Horse Course features much wider fairway avenues, but more fairway bunkering. It’s just a little bit shorter at 7,024 yards, but commands the more picturesque views of the adjacent Monterey Bay. (Black Horse shares an identical slope of 141 and a course rating of 73.8.) Interestingly, on the front nine, the Black Horse features a 247-yard par-three (the 2^nd) and a 265-yard par-four making for the rare combination of a par-four some might drive and a par-three that many can’t. Already noting the serrated bunkering, Black Horse seems to have a few more hilly lies and the greens are far more undulating than the Bayonet. Like the Bayonet, I count the 605-yard 18^th as one of my favorites as it parallels the last hole there. Otherwise, the par-three 15^th is a brand new hole and with its stirring view is certain to impress.

Above is the view of the par-five 18th on Black Horse, while below is a picture taken from behind its putting surface. What an attractive finishing hole!

Interestingly, both golf courses begin and end with par-fives and architect Bates left enough of each course intact to remain recognizable, but only barely. Beyond the golf course, I was amazed by the new expansive practice range and short game areas that were introduced. They make for terrific place to either warm-up or to really work on your game. What’s more, any trips around either course will surely work up your appetite. Thankfully you will encounter their casual sports grill from which you can recount your round or gaze upon the stunning views of the Monterey Bay from the outdoor patio. Menu items include the best in fresh, local ingredients. Worthy of a trip unto itself, Bayonet Black Horse features several attractively priced “Stay and Play” options. (Refer to: http://www.bayonetblackhorse.com/.)

The par-five 18th on Bayonet provides one of the best birdie opportunities as well as one of the best views on that course.  (Photo courtesy of Julio Rodriguez.)

Visiting the clubhouse, you will observe pictures of American golfing greats such as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, and Ben Crenshaw together with Ken Venturi all playing the Bayonet Course. If you were not associated with the military, getting to play either course was a tough ticket. Now not only has each golf course and the entire facility experienced immeasurable improvements, but anyone can play there. Like I did, you will encounter two of America’s true hidden gems and so very much worth playing!

The aerial view below of Bayonet Black Horse reveals just how close it is located to the Pacific Ocean. Note the spacious new practice area in the foreground.

All the bunkering on Black Horse is serrated as seen on the par-four 10th tee.

Really big hitters can have a go at the par-four 7th green on Black Horse by cutting over the trees to the right of the picture.

The 436-yard 2nd hole on the Bayonet is classic – narrow, with a relatively small target, and smooth-edged bunkering. (Photo courtesy of Julio Rodriguez.) 

The 225-yard 17th hole on Bayonet is a brand new hole. The former par-three faced the same direction, but was located to the right on the other side of the trees. This vacated area is reserved for a future resort hotel. (Photo courtesy of Julio Rodgriguez.)

The par-four 9th green on Black Horse like all the others has few straight putts.

Elevation changes are common on Black Horse as evidenced by the 398-yard 14th.

Fairway bunkers adorn the 605-yard 18th at Black Horse. (Photo courtesy of Julio Rodriquez.)

The 365-yard 3rd hole is the shortest par-four on Bayonet, but nothing to be taken for granted. (Photo courtesy of Julio Rodriguez.)

The par-five 8th on Black Horse is a mine field of bunkers. (Photo courtesy of Julio Rodriguez.)

In any sort of weather, the golf doesn’t get much better than at Bayonet Black Horse!

Jim Nantz – He’s the ultimate professional and everyone says he’s an absolutely great guy, but now he so over-exposed that I see and hear him everywhere. It’s just way too much for me, plus he’s so syrupy sweet pleasing, mechanical, and prepared. Take a break, you’ve earned it, Jim!

Pinehurst #2 – I don’t care what they’ve done to restore or change the course for the umpteenth time, it’s too tricked up to be one of my top-rated courses. That said, I still love Pinehurst!

David Feherty’s TV Show Theme Song – I liked the melody when it first ran on The Golf Channel, but now it’s become irritating and stupid to me beyond belief. Feherty is the best interviewer in golf when he’s serious and heartfelt, and a brilliantly funny mind.

The White Titleist Sports Jackets – Titleist has long been an industry leader, but honestly, aren’t some of you sales reps at Titleist getting tired of donning those white sports jackets? (Don’t write me on this.)

Junior Golf Tournaments for Elite Players – How about devoting more attention to youngsters of average ability that will someday actually support the game?

PGA Championship Golf Coverage – Truth be known, the NBC announcing team has been my favorite for several years, but the damn PGA Championship coverage in August is so interrupted with commercial interruptions that it’s no longer worth my time watching. Pretty soon they’ll start calling it the PGA Viagra or Cialis Championship.

Peter Dawson of the Royal & Ancient – Is there a bigger asshole in golf? In the last six months he has stated that people playing with long putters have an inherent advantage playing in the wind. What facts did you base that upon, Peter? Then he says that banishing all-men’s clubs from hosting the British Open would be like “bullying,” and then getting personal and snubbing the PGA of America for not rubber-stamping his idea for the banishment of anchored putting. He is not the type of leader that golf needs. Okay, Mr. Dawson may not be an asshole (???), but this knucklehead gives his fellow old white males that play golf a bad rap.

Top Fifty Instructors and Most Powerful in Golf Lists – C’mon now, if these aren’t the most narcissistic and self-serving lists ever, what are?

Caddies – While they are a dying breed in most areas, I have experienced only a precious few in the last twenty years that genuinely added to my enjoyment of a round. And please don’t continue to tell me stories of how hard a hole is or the other people you’ve looped for – unless I ask. The truly good caddies are mostly gone or so says this former caddy.

Cell Phones on the Golf Course – Is there anything more impolite and inconsiderate that someone carrying on their phone conversations on the golf course? Now the only problem is that these smart little devices have all these new fangled golf applications that we all of a sudden can’t seem to do without.

Stroke Play – Sure stroke play determines the best golfer, but how about the fun of the match? I’d much rather have someone ask me who won as opposed to what I shot, plus match play should take much less time.

Ricky Fowler’s Golf Clothes – “The Justin Bieber of Golf’s” over-sized flat-billed cap is the stupidest looking thing since I wore bell-bottoms pants, platform shoes, and a mock turtle neck shirt. No, I take that back, Fowler’s is worse! And does Ricky know that wearing the color orange suggests that he has severe sexual problems? Besides, isn’t he getting too old to continue to go after the teenie-bopper market?

Below is author Bob Fagan modeling his bell-bottom pants while golfing for Rollins College in the early 1970s.

Most everyone I know is a liar or has been. I have been too.

As a coach, I hear folks tell their lies all the time. What’s more I have my own and that’s why I currently have three coaches!

So what am I referring to you, no doubt you are asking. The answer would be that little voice inside your head that one time or another, or more likely all the time tells you that you’re not enough. It’s too late. It screams or whispers to you constantly that you are limited. It will convince you that you’re not worthy enough, to be careful, and to not bite off more than you can chew.

Isn’t it about time that you tell that little voice to SHUT UP?

I’ll bet that you wake up every morning and do what you believe you can do, what’s possible. We ignore those things we don’t think are possible. This creates Step One in our failure to achieve our potential as we only do what they believe we can do.

Step Two in the failure model is that we only believe we can do what we’ve done before.

Can you see how this two-step model doesn’t leave much opportunity for progress? Can you see how this puts you on the treadmill of “Groundhog Day?” Can you begin to appreciate why this is a lie?

It is likely that your little voice developed its content with the help of a guardian when you were very young. The guardian (Mom, Dad, or someone else) cared about you, though “worry” would be a more fitting word. What that means is that they were coming from a position of fear – fear that you might not turn out the way they hoped. This voice of authority soon became your voice. The process repeats itself every generation.

There is the quotation by the painter Vincent van Gogh that points to the solution of how to quiet your voice and stop telling those lies.

“If you hear a voice within you saying ‘I am not a painter,’ then, by all means, paint… and that voice will be silenced.”

Whenever you hear that voice lying to you, JUST DO IT! Van Gogh’s voice or yours may try to interrupt, but you’ve already done it. Van Gogh painted and painted and painted.

What might you be doing? What is the dream or desire, you’ve been overlooking or discounting because of some lie you’ve been telling yourself for decades?

Folks hire coaches like me, or personal trainers, consultants who are, in effect, story-busters. I don’t care about your limiting story. I can see better things for you and will call you on your lies. Believe me, my coaches do the same for me.

Maybe you can’t hire me, but you might get inspired by a “hero.” Ask yourself, what would my hero do in this circumstance? Inspiration can wake us out of our self-limiting lies – our hypnotic stories.

Just do it! Before your old, limiting voice can tell you can’t, you’ve already done it. YOU CAN DO ANYTHING – AND THAT’S EXCITING!

Almost everyone always answers this question with “I’d rather be right than wrong.” Well, here’s a different take on the subject.

I’d rather be wrong. That’s right, I like being wrong. Once my ego adjusted to that concept, it became clear that when I am wrong, struggle, lose, “fail” or whatever, I am in a far better condition to learn.

Looking back on my life, it was the failures, losses, and mistakes both big and small that have prompted my greatest learning and growth. A poor investment, bad business decision, a divorce, a wrong turn, or a loss on the golf course that created the best opportunities for me in the long term – though I didn’t always appreciate them then.

No, receiving an award, a pat-on-the-back, a correct answer or the like really never have never done much more than to inflate my ego. It’s being comfortable (though not complacent) with failure that provides us with the choice pickings to learn and improve provided we stay in the game.

Coaches both in and outside of sports might refer to this as “Game Film.” Once the heat of the contest is over, we can analyze the precedings in a calm, neutral manner much as a football coach might review game films. If a relationship didn’t go as planned, a negotiation failed, or a sale was lost, we can review things detached from the outcome. Win or lose, football coaches will dwell upon what didn’t work so as to refocus strategy and coaching to improve it. In golf, in the last couple of years Rory McIlroy in the Masters and Adam Scott in the British Open suffered late stage meltdowns to suffer embarrassingly devastating loses only to comeback and win the US Open and Masters golf tournaments respecitively in stirring fashions soon thereafter.

Fellow coach Steve Chandler also speaks about this relaying the following story.

“I remember years ago one of my clients was Dick Tomey, head football coach of the University of Arizona Wildcats. One of the things I noticed about Coach Tomey was that after a game in which his team lost, he always had this strangely energized expression on his face. His eyes were sparkling and he didn’t look exactly happy, but somehow he looked uplifted.  

And after his team won a game there was a strange foreboding or brooding look on his face as he trotted off the field. And I thought that was interesting because most coaches celebrate wins and when they lose they look angry and upset. But he was the opposite, in a very subtle way.

So I asked him about it one time and he said, ‘I see what you mean and I’ll tell you why that is. When we lose I’m really excited about all the alterations we can make and everything we can learn from our film of the game. I’m ready to go. I’m ready to really fix this team and shore it up and make it strong for next week based on what we see on the film—all the things we can do differently. But when we win we get a kind of feeling of being invincible, there’s nothing really left to correct, we only need to show up next week. And I don’t like that. I get upset with that attitude, so I’m worried when we win about how to keep the intensity and how to keep people focused. So that’s what you are seeing in my face after each game.’”

Just like my own experience, whenever my clients have had some breakthroughs, it often accompanies a new approach to failure and to things we did “wrong” and things that didn’t work.

In business, Bill Gates and Microsoft provide yet another example of this “winning by losing” or being wrong approach. Gates has said, “We built our company on customer complaints.” Because when the customers would complain about any part of his computer system (or software systems) they would really be fascinated by the complaint and they would stay with it and they would have teams studying the complaint so they could change things and that complaint wouldn’t show up again.

In contrast, most people try to forget what doesn’t work because they have a bad emotional reaction to it. They think, “That’s too bad and it’s sad and I wish I hadn’t lost that deal or I wish I hadn’t lost that customer,” but if I can change that to “Boy, this is terrific, I’ve got a lot to learn here, there’s a ‘game film’ to watch, I’m not afraid to watch it because this customer I lost last week who I wanted to enroll is going to show up again in another identity soon and if I haven’t learned how I lost the customer this time, it’s going to happen again and again.” That’s the making of genuine personal or organizational development in action!

It’s really true that most people who are not doing well have patterns of things that keep happening again and again that cause them to not succeed. Part of that is because of their willful lowering of consciousness when bad things occur—like, “I don’t want to think about the bad news, I want to move on, I need to stay positive, I don’t even want to look at it.” We are quick to run from our pain and negatives, but shining the light on it can really reveal so much for us.

By embracing and analyzing your failures, you set yourself up for real growth and development. You also prepare yourself to not keep repeating the same mistakes. You see I don’t mind being wrong one, but being wrong in the same situation twice stings!

Sometimes you have to move out of “home sweet home” to realize the life you were meant to live!

There is a time when “home sweet home” simply isn’t and it’s time we move on and build and establish a better home. What am I talking about?

In both coaching others and being coached myself, I either been told or noticed some old habits or beliefs were keeping me from reaching my goals. Why did I keep doing them? The answer is simple. We often cling to non-serving habits and beliefs simply because they are “home” to us – they feel comfortable and safe.

If we are honest with ourselves, sometimes our home can become a bit messy, even ugly and dated. Perhaps the place needs a painting, carpets cleaned, furniture or appliances replaced. Maybe we have even stopped noticing that there’s a dank odor that evokes a damp, dark prison of non-serving habits and lethargy, permeated with fear. As a coach, it’s easy for me to see; for myself or you it might be a bit more challenging.

Yes, we enjoy the safety, familiarity, and comfort of our home, but if we pause objectively we will find that these routines that have built up are in actuality pure limitation.

With help from my coaches, I could readily see that it was time to move out of my house and locate to a better neigbhorhood. A new home and neighborhood would provide me a better view of my goals, purposes, and desires. Just perhaps you might envision yourself as always moving to a better home.

Don’t let yourself become a prisoner of your current home, because it probably isn’t all that sweet. What might have served you years ago doesn’t fit or is worth of you today. Identify the habits and beliefs that have held you back. What might the “best you” look like and differ from the “current you?” Accept that your current “home” may have been hastily built only to keep you temporarily safe from growth and risk. Then leave. Whether with the assistance of a coach like me or even a do-it-yourself project, there are many sets of exciting blueprints around!

Bob Fagan is a performance coach specializing in the fields golf, life, and business and can be reached at rsf4653@aol.com.

“Don’t shoot him! He just climbed the fence and only wanted to take some pictures of the golf course.” This is what my new friend cried to the operator of the Peru’s Amazon Golf Course just minutes after I had trespassed in broad daylight. As I soon discovered, they were not joking. Maybe?

Such was the beginning to my latest golf adventure – to play one of the world’s most remote inland golf courses. I’ve played Augusta National, Cypress Point, Seminole, St. Andrews and many places in between, but the Amazon Golf Course counts as one of those unusually fun golf experiences. Located in the Upper Amazon, the city of Iquitos, Peru is akin to an island, a growing city of more than 500,000 that is accessible only by air or boat, so isolated that relatively few Peruvians venture there. About seven kilometers out of the city lies the semi-private Amazon Golf Course. The little, rustic 9-hole layout situated on flat former pasture land would prove to be my 2,601^st golf course played, a far cry from the upscale Streamsong Golf Resort in Florida that was my previous round a couple of months earlier.

Aside from playing in such an exotic location, I was going to be hosted by my new friend, a real-life Master Amazonian Shaman by the name of Hamilton Souther. Souther is a transplanted Northern Californian who has made the region his home for nearly a dozen years. What’s more, he was a founding member of the club and touts a low-handicap game. A left-hander the height of Bubba Watson only with muscles, this 35-year old can really hit it – even with the rusty 1960’s clubs we would be provided. Could this be my “Golf in the Kingdom” experience?

Hamilton had cautioned me that we were going to be playing on the tail end of the rainy season and so the greens might be too long to be able to use a putter. The Amazon and its tributaries were a full 40’ above their normal levels and with the water tables only about 11’ below the surface, the clay-based soils don’t drain very well. When I discovered that their current mower was one weed-wacker, I scaled back my expectations. Truth be told, I encountered the Amazon Golf Course at its worst, without its proverbial make-up, but who cares?

My quick jaunt around the tidy, locked clubhouse (above, and note the “Wellcome” sign) revealed the par-four 9th green looking back down the hole. It would turn out to be the best or only manicured hole at the Amazon Golf Course as the rainy season had not allowed any mowing for some time. While there was a good bit of “causal water,” the day would turn out to become a golfing delight!

My schedule provided me with only a single day to play golf, but thankfully the weather cooperated with cloud-laden skies shielding only part of the typically oppressive Amazonian heat and humidity. Never mind that, I was set. With Hamilton as my guide, driver, and host, we took a bumpy, puddle-filled, mud road off the main highway that was reminiscent of the treks I had taken in rural India to play golf. Nonetheless I was stoked!

This is not exactly “Magnolia Lane,” but the Amazon Golf Course is just down this road on the right-hand side. And who minds the threatening skies? I guess this is one of the reasons I was tagged as “The Wandering Golfer” more than twenty years ago for I will play anywhere. What I uncovered is that special golf can be discovered anywhere in the most unexpected places!

As we approached the entrance, Hamilton noted that the gate was closed and locked. How could this be? Had I traveled so far to be disappointed? Mr. Souther must have chuckled to himself as I excused myself, exited the truck, and climbed the barbed wire fence. Camera in hand, this old guy was not to be denied. I had to check this Amazon Golf Course out. While Hamilton guarded the vehicle, I ran up the path by the practice putting green to the clubhouse and quickly surveyed the par-four ninth green and par-three first hole. This was so fun though the conditions were ruggedly pristine to state things politely.

My quick tour of the property revealed the 122-yard first hole of the Amazon Golf Course where hopefully my “Golf in the Kingdom” experience might await. Rather ordinary wouldn’t you say? The course was founded and designed by a group of golf-loving expats.

The ground was sloppy wet and the grass was high. Hamilton was right; the maintenance had been almost non-existent due to recent rains. I circled the wooden clubhouse and then raced down the first hole and stood by the second tee trying to imagine a fairway. Nonetheless, I still wanted to play. Disappointed I thought that I’d better return to the truck and we’d head back to town. Oh, I had come so far only to be disappointed.

Suddenly I heard Hamilton calling my name. At this point, a dark-skinned well-toned man with a machete and a woman carrying a weed-wacker were accompanying Hamilton to the clubhouse. Was there a problem? Here they had temporarily left the facility to get fuel for their weed-wacker, but the best news was that Hamilton and I were going to play golf and the man would caddie for me. And no, they were not going to shoot me!

Pictured is my set of clubs that included a couple of sand wedges with the practice putting green in the background.

Talk about a little kid on Christmas morning? I could care less that my clubs were rusted and old, they provided me with a dozen shiny, white balls with my green fee. I had brought about ten balls along with tees with me, and didn’t even take them all. That was nearly a grave golf mistake as I would soon find out.

Master Amazonian Shaman and one of the Amazon Golf Course’s Founding members, Hamilton Souther and my caddie, Rodrigo, surround me as we were about to begin our 9-hole adventure at the Amazon Golf Course. 

Yes, the man with the machete, Rodrigo, was my caddie. How cool. At the Amazon Golf Course, the machete is an essential either for protecting one’s self or creating a playable lie in the grass. Hamilton assured me that during drier periods, the fairways and putting surfaces were more playable, but on this occasion they were like the rough at Winged Foot or Merion before the US Open.

Hamilton Souther surveys his wedge approach shot (with his rented clubs) from the “fairway” on the third hole that he nearly holed – placing the shot a mere 3-inches from the hole!

Anyway, we were off.  With the club’s canine, Geronimo, we had a most unusual gallery. I hadn’t swung a club in six weeks, but my first shot was solid and straight on the 125-yard first. Plugging just short of the green, I pitched close to the hole and made my par. On the third hole, Hamilton quickly showed his skill nearly holing his wedge approach. His birdie putt was a mere three inches, but only just inside the “gimme zone” as the putting surfaces were pretty ragged.

My caddie, Rodrigo, is ahead of me in the fairway on the 6th hole that was to be my sole birdie on the golf course. The flagstick was missing a flagstick so he placed his machete in the hole as a target. Below Hamilton attempts his birdie putt on the same hole, but as was often the case Geronimo provides an additional challenge.

So just how ragged was the Amazon Golf Course? The pictures say it all. The fairway grass was well above my ankles and knee-high in spots, the tiny bunkers’ sand was washed away from the rain, and in a few cases the cup or hole was only wide enough to allow the pin to fit. Casual water conditions were abundant. I could imagine many if not all of my American golfer friends would laugh and never pay a dime nor venture out in these conditions, but for me in this instance, the rougher the better for this was a true golfing adventure!

How many places have you played golf where a machete is required equipment? (I almost titled this piece “Machete Golf.”) Here Rodrigo prepares a “playable lie” for me in the 5th fairway with the everpresent Geronimo preparing to pose as an additional obstacle in the background.

Our mascot, Geronimo, was completely useless as an aid. He wouldn’t fetch a single ball, but once we found one, he was as likely to carry it away. Some help! He would sit on the tee and we’d have to move him to play away – same on the greens. Nevertheless, he was the happiest club mascot I’ve seen. My caddie, Rodrigo, spoke no English as Hamilton happily translated yardages and informed me where the holes went (it was not always apparent). Hot and sweaty, was this really golf? You bet it was!

Obviously Geronimo has no regard for golf etiquette, but he was one happy dog as he followed Rodrigo!  

The golf course itself is not going to make any Top Ten Lists. It has a back-and-forth routing of parallel holes, narrow fairways, with tiny push-up greens. There are many seen and unseen water hazards. To complicate things, the flagsticks are only 3’ tall, causing the targets to look further away than they actually are. As you can imagine, I over-clubbed the first few holes. Nonetheless, hundreds of miles from the nearest other golf course, the Amazon Golf Course became my “Golf in the Kingdom” experience.

The Amazon Golf Course has its own “island green par-three.” Pictured above it the testy 110-yard 4th. With its tiny raised green, it is no easy hole. Hamilton Souther made an easy par (his ball is the tiny white speck on the putting surface), while I succumbed to a double-bogey five. 

Here I was, isolated in the Amazon far from home, playing golf with a real-life Master Shaman. I had a caddie that carried a machete and a quirky dog. My playing companion Hamilton Souther could play and soon we were talking a little bit of smack with one another or alternatively rooting each other on so as to keep our best ball near par. Our score was not important as we lost balls in the prime fairway spots, though we both birdied.  For not playing recently, neither of us embarrassed ourselves. With these ancient clubs, we were hitting some pretty fair shots. While I would like to say it was a fun walk, it was more like a measured trek in swampy conditions, but that doesn’t matter. As for leaving most of the golf balls in the truck, I had stuffed eight balls in my pocket and finishing the last hole had but a solitary one left. Whew!

It was a treat to watch Hamilton Souther smash a golf ball. Here he is teeing off on the 388-yard 8th hole. Playing with his own clubs on a previous round, he hit a tee shot with no wind just 10 yards short of the green on this flat hole…whew! 

As you can imagine, a two-ball playing with a caddie on a short nine-hole course doesn’t take too much time, but the day and the experience will live on with me as a most fun and unusual one. Making a new friendship via golf, enjoying a walk in a totally exotic location with a dog that could care less about golf, and stepping outside my self-imposed boundaries of what I term “great golf” all made this brief round memorable and special. And reflecting back, playing the Amazon Golf Course with Hamilton Souther was a good reminder that either by yourself or with good company, “Golf in the Kingdom” is wherever you are.

P.S. As the cloudy day I spent at the Amazon Golf Course didn’t make for the best photography, it did  hide the oppressive heat. My next day in Iquitos, it would rain incessantly hard the entire day making the course unplayable for days. When it was all said and done, I was lucky enough to experience a wonderfully special golfing adventure on the only day it would have been possible. How fortunate!

Below I happily donated my golf equipment to the Amazon Golf Course – with such nice people too – and she never would have shot me!

If I ask you “Why is the sky blue?” your mind will start searching for the answers regardless of whether you know the answer or not. The brain is just like that. I’ll bet that at the very least, you pictured a blue sky in your mind.

If you’ve had a setback, it’s perfectly natural to ask why. I do. And when we do, our brain will set about to find evidence to support the gist of the question. It follows that when we ask a negative question, the response will be to support the underlying assertion, and the answers create an even more negative response – and the subconscious takes note. Pretty soon little innocent sounding negative questions begin to create patterns that soon become ruts either that work for or against you. On the other hand, when you ask positive empowering questions, your outlook and your life begin to take a completely different perspective than when you ask negative ones.

Now if you are stuck, ask yourself what kind of questions do you ask yourself? Why is my luck so bad? Why poor me? Why can’t I advance in my profession? Why is life so cruel or tough? Why can’t I make more money, play better golf, or meet the person of my dreams? You are creating your life with your questions as your focus begins to attract those very things you may be lamenting.

I encourage you regardless of how you perceive your current circumstances to begin asking yourself empowering questions. Why am I so lucky? Why do interesting, kind people gravitate toward me? Why do I find prosperity greeting me at every turn? Why am I so healthy and happy? Use your imagination and then contemplate the answer to your newly framed questions. Sometimes the answer pops out right in front of you and other times its appearance will be delayed, but your subconscious mind will be quietly working on it nonetheless. As always, be patient with the process and forgiving of yourself.

Remember that energy follows focus, and when you change your focus by simply asking empowering questions, your life begins to magically transform.

Based upon the contents, Seifferlein is more experienced and skilled at the golf portion. Let me explain why. The book is divided into 19 chapters. Each chapter begins with a quotation, an open-ended business question with blank space for your notes, a golf instruction piece, and concludes with a golf joke. Of the golf instruction, I found two or three chapters to be quite insightful, one (Chapter Ten) was very unclear, and the remainder seemed to be fairly useful for the novice or beginning golfer. The opening chapter quotations are old and well-used while the jokes were fun though I’ve heard most all of them or a variation before.

What disappointed me were the nineteen open-ended general questions that form the basis of the book’s business content. All are valid ways of opening someone up during a round of golf, but they might have also been used during a mixer or cocktail party. More importantly, there were no explanations or expounding on any of the questions nor any discussion whatsoever of golf course business etiquette. “Ask them what they have done in the past that they are proud of” is typical of the questions. That sentence with blank lines underneath forms an entire chapter devoted to “business golf conversation.” As a business man with a PGA background, I could have written this portion of the text in less than ten minutes and it took less time than that to read and digest the 19 questions. Sadly there was not a single “new” or truly illuminating question posed nor an explanation as to why they were included in the book. “Nineteen Holes” was written for those at a first-grade level of business acumen, but offers nothing instructional of value.

I purchased the book based upon its many testimonials with the hope that Mr. Seifferlein might provide me with a new perspective, an unusual insight about either golf and/or business – and I found none. Criticism aside, I did enjoy the jokes and may use several of them myself. The presentation, albeit brief, makes for a very quick read that will have you chuckling from time to time so it’s not a complete loss. Perhaps what irked me was the $19.95 price tag. This paperback production is more of a $4.95 value or a simple 95-cent ebook. 

What I did takeaway from “Nineteen Holes” is that it reminded me that it is important to ask open-ended questions when hoping to establish a relationship, and to also consult a trained golf professional when learning to play the game. I have no doubt that Scott Seifferlein is a fun, talented, and knowledgable golf professional. He is also likely an entertaining speaker, but sadly this didn’t transfer to the book, which disappointed me.

The Streamsong Golf Clubhouse is nestled in the dunes that came from the now water-filled pits that once contained phosphate. 

As a golfing prospector I’ve traveled near and far in search of golfing gold. Perhaps you do have too. Finding exciting new golf courses nowadays is become more difficult as new golf course building in America has almost ground to a stop. Just when you assume that the last great new courses have already been built, Florida’s Streamsong Resort arrives – unlike anything you will experience in the entire State – or the Southeastern U.S. for that matter.

Traveling the flat country roads in Central Florida between Orlando and Tampa not far from the Interstate-4 corridor in Polk County, I was nearly certain that I was lost. The flat listless landscape dotted by pine revealed nary a hint of a golf course let alone two world-class ones. It had been more than a dozen miles since I passed my last gasoline service station and there were scarcely a home or a trailer to be seen. Consulting my directions, I cautiously ventured on. Finally I spotted a modestly small, understated sign “Streamsong.” I breathed a sign of relief as my starting time was approaching.

Golfers typically don’t anticipate the rustic rough landscape that greets them at Streamsong.

Four twisting miles later, the modern clubhouse thankfully came into view like a long awaited oasis. Nestled amongst rugged dunes that erupt like small mountains, the sight or 5h3 sand-capped mounds reminded me of those lunar-looking Irish ones. Arriving at the clubhouse, I was greeted by an army of caddies that took my clubs safely to the course and parked my automobile. Then the moment I entered the spotless modern clubhouse it became evident that while the golf would be rustic, the service,  food, and accommodations would be luxurious.

Where Created from the phosphate mines long operated by the Mosaic Company on the site, these dunes in large part transform this property into a special destination unlike anything else you will encounter in Florida. When you add the golf course design teams of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw together with Tom Doak and his Renaissance Golf team to concurrently build two separate 18-hole side-by-side golf courses, Streamsong becomes akin to the modern day Super Bowl of golf course architects squaring off.

Tom Doak and Bill Coore cut their architectural teeth under the legendary Pete Dye and have a healthy friendship and respect for one another. Both are at the top of their profession and lead today’s minimalist school of golf course design – meaning that they move as little dirt as possible and typically only move much in order to make a hole playable.  Doak’s Pacific Dunes, Ballyneal, Old Macdonald, Cape Kidnappers, Stonewall, and Barnbougle Dunes together with Coore and Crenshaw’s Sand Hills, Friar’s Head, Bandon Trails, Old Farm, and Kapalua Plantation only begin to introduce one to their collective artistry.

Early morning casts its shadows on two of golf’s newest best par-threes designed by Coore/Crenshaw and Tom Doak – the 16th (left) on the Red Course and the 7th (right) on the Blue Course at Streamsong. 

Golf course architect Bill Coore was first brought in by the Mosaic Company and routed an initial 18 holes. When he learned that Tom Doak would also join the project, Bill graciously gave up some of his routing to accommodate Tom’s space on the property. (Tom Doak told me that had it been another architect, Bill Coore shared with him that he would have kept his initial routing intact.) Interestingly, Streamsong was the third project that includes both a Doak and Coore/Crenshaw course (Bandon and Barnbougle Dunes being the others), but the others had Doak build his first followed by Coore/Crenshaw doing theirs later – neither was done simultaneously. Suffice it to say, both routings work seamlessly and Streamsong is a magnificent 36-hole golf retreat.

Many have already and will continue to say that Streamsong is to Florida what Bandon Dunes is to Oregon. Indeed that was my first impression too. The rustic natural minimalist nature of the courses forms the primary comparison, but also the feeling that this is a pure golf experience where walking, fast ground conditions, and the simple pleasures of the game will impress every fortunate visitor.

Golfers don’t expect the sharply undulating terrain or the challenging recovery shots they will typically encounter just a few paces off of the 4th green on the Blue Course or elsewhere at Streamsong.

I envision Streamsong becoming the Mecca for golfing purists. Yes, Streamsong is isolated on the Mosaic property so a side trip to the greater Tampa or Orlando attraction is more than an hour away, but many exciting on-site amenities are coming.

Late in 2013 a luxurious 216-room four-floor lakefront resort hotel covering four floors will open 1.5 miles from the clubhouse, as well as casual and fine dining restaurants, multiple bars, a full-service spa, fitness center and outdoor lakeside pool, a quiet loft/lounge area, and even retail stores and outfitters. Stunningly situated with lakes on its sunrise and sunset sides to take full advantage of its unique setting, Streamsong will have scenic observation areas without city lights to hinder the starlight views, especially from the rooftop lounge. Streams and lakes that offer unparalleled Florida bass fishing with guides available and there will be trails for hiking and bird watching along with a sporting clay shooting range. Like Bandon Dunes, Streamsong is a getaway, but unlike Bandon Dunes, it will have more than golf and is set to service meetings and bigger groups as well.

The Streamsong Resort & Spa lodge is seen in the background of the par-three 5th on the Blue Course. Note that the hole is tucked way to the right side of this green that has as many waves as an angry ocean.

As you climb to the first tee on the Blue Course or saunter over to the opening hole of the Red Course just a few steps off the practice putting green, you would be forgiven for mistakenly feeling as if you in the British Isles. Though Tom Doak explained that working side-by-side revealed the two design teams differences, to the casual golfer the two layouts appear designed by the same architect. Both layouts are designed for the ground game with firm, fast conditions. A shot to the fairway may roll sideways into a treacherous bunker or an approach to the wrong section of a putting surface may roll twenty-five yard off down a fairway or worse, into a hazard. Both layouts have large fast, firm putting surfaces that require vast imagination and skill to putt. In fact, during the time I played there, I would rank the Streamsong greens as the fastest ones of any public-access course anywhere! There are no “automatic” shots; there are subtle differences between the two layouts.

The 474-yard uphill 15th on the Red Course is one of the toughest at Streamsong. When played into the wind, it requires to might hits to be putting for a birdie and by all means avoid that deep cavernous fairway bunker to the left!

Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw designed the Red Course. Beyond it featuring more water in play, the Red Course features many little mounds capped with sand – almost like chocolate drops topped with vanilla. There is nothing vanilla about either layout’s personality. Given the firm, fast conditions, its full length of 7,148 yards will not likely be the main challenge as will the fact that flying the ball to your target will mean little, particularly if the wind picks up.

The challenging first hole on the Red Course will surely be sufficient to get your heart pumping a little stronger. For many, it plays more like a short par-five with its elevated putting surface that as shown below is anything but routine to putt.

The Red Course begins its challenge right out of the box. If you can earn a par on the first hole, you are either lucky or good as this 474-yard par-four with its elevated putting surface can often play as a three-shotter. The next hole begins a series of holes that feature lateral water hazards and slight angles to test your skills and judgment. These swampy ponds were actually once the phosphate mining pits. While most of the tee-shot landing areas are actually very generous, you may be tempted to play close to the water to shorten the holes, but hole after hole you had better employ a “fairway first” strategy. The Red Course with its more plentiful water hazards and fairway bunkers demands a bit more in-your-face strategy beginning right at the tee and is a bit more penal off the tee that its sister Blue Course. As such, some describe it as more of the shot-maker’s test and I would definitely recommend utilizing a more forward tee.

The shortest hole on the Red Course may be one of the most challenging. This is the view from about 115 yards, but there is an entirely different approach from the right that extends to 147 yards and a completely different angle. The putting surface is rock hard and is multi-leveled making both recoveries and putting quite the challenge. Below is viewed from just right of the green.

While the Red Course has some interesting very short and very long two-shotters, it was the quartet of par-threes that most captivated me. Ranging from 147 to 208 yards, each is artistically situated in very varying looks. As typified by the shortest one, the 8th,  par is a coveted score because each has a putting surface that plays far smaller.

The sand-topped cone-shaped mounding on the Coore-Crenshaw Red Course is one of its uniquely different features and make for a nasty hazard should your shot land in one of them!

Tom Doak’s Blue Course features typically wider fairway landing areas, but some of the property’s deepest nastiest bunkers and confounding putting surfaces. In contrast, the Blue Course begins from one of the highest points on the property with a simple 338-yard drive-and-a-pitch opener. With the expansive par-five second, there is nothing yet to suggest that this is not the easier of the two layouts and that you can continue hitting your driver. That it may be, but as you proceed through the routing, Doak thrills you with deception bunkers, false fronts, and cunning angles.

Many count the par-three 7th hole on the Blue Course as the Resort’s most photogenic. Below is the view from of the clubhouse from the 7th tee.

Everyone delights in learning which holes are really special, but a case can be made that Streamsong has 36 of them. Undoubtedly the side-by-side par-threes of the Blue 7^th and the Red 16^th are the most memorable. Separated by a giant sand dune, define both spectacular play and beauty. Tom Doak doesn’t particularly like water holes, but he has to admit that the 203-yard 7^th on the Blue Course is a truly special effort with its entire greensite seamlessly ensconced in its natural bowl-like setting. Speaking of greensites, just to the left to it is the Coore/Crenshaw 208-yard 16^th with its Biarritz-inspired putting surface. It is as thrilling a hole as it is difficult.

Above and below are views of the Red Course’s par-three 16th from the tee and from the green looking back toward the tee. It is a daunting challenge from either perspective – and a splendid Biarritz take-off with its deep swale bisecting the giant putting surface!

Replaying my rounds on both courses, I am really taxed as to how I’d write my recommendation. The Red Course may be rated a tad higher as more demanding driving course and slightly more glamourous par-threes, but the Blue Course just might be my favorite by a ultra slim margin with its many shot-making options and a pacing I preferred. Take your pick – both are anything but routine, and become more like puzzles – similar to the great links of the British Isles.  The firm turf and ground conditions allow both architects to create a variety of even more golfer-decisions and options than you might normally encounter in their other American designs (the firm conditions of Ballyneal excepted).  One good golfer I played with hit his putter to approach the greens from as far as 105 yards! Anyway, I can almost guarantee you that it will take you several rounds before you begin to unlock the intricacies of either layout.

The 478-yard finishing hole on the Blue Course is a fun, but testing completion to your round. The rippling fairway provides few level lies from which to approach the relatively open green that likewise mimics the same busy undulations – another example of the Tom Doak’s detailed eye for artful shaping.

Thankfully both courses are designed to be walked. Trained caddies are available and those taking carts must be accompanied with a forecaddy. And as you encounter the courses’ intricacies, you will welcome and appreciate that requirement. And guess what, there is a 37^th 120-yard par-three over the water to begin or end your round. It’s a great place to settle any bets!

Though there are some interesting elevation changes, both courses at Streamsong are easy to walk. Shown above is the walk toward the 9th fairway on the Blue Course. 

 The very first hole you encounter at Streamsong is actually not part of either course, but rather is the “Bye Hole,” a practice hole measuring up to 125 yards intended to get you into the flow of your round or the perfect place to settle any bets.

As much fun as the golf courses at Streamsong are, the service and facilities are every bit as good. This is resort golf at its very best and becomes even more special when you realize that this was “lost mining land” that has been lovingly repositioned as a lovely natural habitat for wildlife and a positive force for human ecology.

When American golfers are told that they don’t need more golf courses, Streamsong rocks that trend for it is a most needed special new offering. Look across the property, you will no doubt appreciate that the two elite design teams surpassed themselves in delivering in a way that will draw golfers like me from around the world. More importantly, they will want to return. And as the exciting amenities arrive, Streamsong will become a world-class destination resort. Yes, while the Mosaic Company long mined for phosphate here, we golfers have discovered golfing gold and the vein will hopefully last for many years!

Streamsong is another wonderful example of golf simultaneously restoring the natural habitat for wildlife and providing a wonderful playground thanks to the Mosaic Company. Who would have envisioned dunes like those behind me in Polk County, Florida?

MORE PICTURES

Cross-bunkers make for a formidable carry hazard for the typical second shot on the par-five 17th hole on the Blue Course.

The 442-yard 4th hole on the Blue Course plays longer than its distance.

The first order of business on the Red Course’s third tee is to get the ball into play. The dogleg right measures 404 yards from the tips.

A sloping green and surrounds make the South Course’s 18th hole much more challenging than might first appear.

Looking back down on the 12th green complex on the Blue Course, you realize that the back nine there seamlessly follows the subtle landscape. Note the new resort lodging being built in the left background.

Architects Coore and Crenshaw moved very little dirt on the Red Course except for this 453-yard 5th hole. The entire fairway and mound area was originally a pit and had to be filled in to make this very strong hole playable.

The greensite for the 185-yard 6th on the Red Course is naturally nestled amongst the dunes.

Tom Doak has shared that he doesn’t much like water holes, but as these golfers will agree, the 7th on the Blue Course is as good and spectacular as you will find – especially in Florida!

The view from the elevated first tee on the Blue Course is quite the sight!

These two golfers are heading down the expansive 2nd fairway on the Blue Course and will most likely agree that there are few public-access golf courses in America that approach the ‘pure golf’ attraction of Streamsong.