Tour Shot Golf

  WESTRIDGE GOLF COURSE McKinney, TX November 23, 2023 (Thanksgiving) OVERVIEW FACILITY TYPE: Public YEAR OPENED: 2001 ARCHITECT: Jeff Brauer PAR: 72 GREENS: Tiff Eagle Bermuda LENGTH: 5,160 - 7,043 USGA RATING: 65.1 - 73.6 USGA SLOPE: 108 - 131 TEE OPTIONS: 5 WEBSITE: www.westridgegolfcourse.com PHONE: (972) 346-2212   There are few holidays I enjoy more than Thanksgiving. Unlike other holidays that lean towards gifts and material goods, Thanksgiving is about expressing gratitude for the ones you love. And we share that love by making great food, bonding over a few beverages, or in my case this year, getting to play golf with some of my best mates.  Westridge in McKinney, Texas is an 18 hole public facility focused on making the game fun and accessible. For Thanksgiving this year, they had an 8:30 shotgun that was able to accommodate a full course but ensure everyone was done by 1:30 to get home and spend time with their families. It was the perfect place to s...

  STEWART PENINSULA GOLF COURSE The Colony, TX OVERVIEW FACILITY TYPE: Public ARCHITECT: Tripp Davis PAR: 66 LENGTH: 4,000 - 5,325 USGA RATING: 60.7 - 65.9 USGA SLOPE: 102 - 124 TEE OPTIONS: 3 WEBSITE: www.stewartpeninsulagolf.com PHONE: (972) 625-8700   It’s not often I get to play a course that bends the rules and creates an experience unique to anything else I’ve ever played. Everything about Stewart Peninsula is unique and creates an experience you won’t soon forget. This hidden gem in North Texas has views of Lake Lewisville on every hole and has a clever routing reminiscent of St. Andrews and other old links courses with its shared greens. Stewart Peninsula is a 9/18 hole golf course. What makes it so unique is its 10 greens… Each hole at Stewart Peninsula, except hole 18 which has two separate greens, has a shared green with two holes; one for the red flag and one for the yellow flag. Each hole has two sets of tees, red tees, and yellow tees. For the first nine...

  Up and Down: A PGA Professional’s Perspective on Golf and Philosophy As a PGA Professional, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing firsthand how golf transcends being just a sport and evolves into a profound metaphor for life. The rhythmic sound of a well-struck ball, the lush greens stretching out before us - it’s more than just a game; it’s a philosophical journey through the ups and downs of existence. 1. Guiding the Trajectory: In golf, much like in life, the trajectory of the ball represents our journey. From the initial drive off the tee to navigating hazards and undulating greens, every shot mirrors the twists and turns life throws our way. As a PGA Professional, I find joy in guiding golfers to embrace the unpredictability, emphasizing adaptability, persistence, and strategic thinking on their golfing and existential journeys. 2. Pursuit of Excellence: One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is witnessing golfers’ relentless pursuit of perfection in a game that cannot ...

  WAVERLEY COUNTRY CLUB Portland, Oregon August 21-25, 2023 US Senior Women's Open OVERVIEW FACILITY TYPE: Private CLUB FOUNDED: 1896 ARCHITECTS: Jack Moffat (1898), H. Chandler Egan (1912), Gil Hanse (2012) PAR: 72 LENGTH:  5,301 - 6,668 USGA RATING:  66.1 - 72.8 USGA SLOPE:  124 - 134 TEE OPTIONS:  7 WEBSITE: waverley.cc PHONE:  (503) 654-6521   This review is a special one because while I have played the course in the past, this trip I didn’t hit a single shot yet I know nearly every square foot of the property. For a week I had the great fortune to caddie for Patricia Beliard in the 5th annual US Senior Women's Open at Waverley Country Club in my former home city of Portland, Oregon. It was less than two weeks earlier that I met Patricia when I caddied for her in the US Senior Women's Open Qualifier at Firewheel Golf Park in Garland, Texas. After draining a 27-foot birdie putt on the 3rd playoff hole to qualify for the Open, Patricia and I sat...