To drive or to transport...Illinois to L.A....Courses along the way

[John Kavanaugh]

I can get my daughters car transported for around a thousand dollars or I can drive two thousand miles and play some golf along the way.  Here is a link to my potential path and I was wondering if I could get some help in my decision.  The trip would be taken appoximately starting on Jan 2nd and be over when it is over.  Weather must be taken into consideration.  Note:  I have a brother in Tuscon so that is a potential stopping over point.

http://tinyurl.com/y6zvqz

[Andy Troeger]

John,
I did a similar trip in November (South Bend, IN to Albuquerque, NM) and will be doing the same thing in a Budget truck next week. From what I gathered then, and even moreso now, you could run into decent weather or it could be miserable/unplayable depending on the day or week. I stopped the first time and played Rose Creek GC in Edmond, Oklahoma, more because it was a good stopping point than anything. Would have liked to have played Oak Tree instead, but that wasn't an option. Albuquerque has some nice courses and the weather is decent more often than not (despite yesterday's snow!). Tucson might be a little out of your way, but it would have better weather than going north through Flagstaff!

I didn't find much to play between Oklahoma City and Albuquerque. Hope that's at least a little bit helpful!

[rjsimper]

JK -

I've taken that trip twice via auto.  

If your daughters car needs to be in LA by a certain date, do NOT ship it (unless you are prepared to pay premium freight) - auto shippers are notorious for taking their time and bringing their cargo at a leisurely pace

Albuquerque is worth a stop from what I hear - I've even given thought to flying there just for the golf at PaaKo and Black Mesa, so a stop on a road trip would be more than called for.

The southern route shouldn't have many weather issues...Flagstaff can get pretty damn cold.  

[rjsimper]

BTW, Tucson is a good 4 hours out of the way (2 hours south to Tucson, maybe more...and then 2 hours back north, because if you continue west from Tucson, you end up in San Diego)

[Cory Lewis]

Paa-Ko Ridge near Alquerque is worth stopping.  The Rawls course is worth it but might be a bigger detour then you want, as it is more than 1 1/2 hours from Amarillo.  Karsten Creek in Stillwater is about an hour north of the highway, good Fazio.

[Andy Troeger]

One thing to check on regarding Paa-Ko Ridge is that I believe it is closed for awhile in the winter...not sure about Black Mesa. The courses in ABQ itself are much more likely to be open. If they are open then they are both very much worthwhile. Black Mesa is also probably an hour off I-40.

[Adam Clayman]

With the recent batch of weather, I doubt any of the marginal golfing spots will be available.

Paa Ko is indeed closed in the winter.

[John Kavanaugh]

Albuquerque is right around 1200 miles from my start point.  An interesting route is to hit Lubbock at about 1000 miles and then go to Tuscon and then into LA.  I would probably just take a cart tour of The Rawls course like I recently did at Rustic.  I'm surprised that the route from Tuscon to LA does not take me through San Diego...I hear there is a second tier Jesuit school in that town my daughter might have considered if she didn't get in LMU.

[John Kavanaugh]

With the recent batch of weather, I doubt any of the marginal golfing spots will be available.

Paa Ko is indeed closed in the winter.

Adam,

I'm showing 50 deg weather around the first of the year in Albuquerque..Why would the courses be closed.

[Tom Huckaby]

I'm surprised that the route from Tuscon to LA does not take me through San Diego...I hear there is a second tier Jesuit school in that town my daughter might have considered if she didn't get in LMU.

If you mean The University of San Diego (alma mater of my brother, sister, two cousins), then I don't know which part will more insult them... second tier or Jesuit... I'd argue they are definitely the former (to piss them off) but even I can't call them the latter.  Catholic yes, Jesuit no.

I do thank you though for a GREAT line to feed to my siblings, who I will be seeing soon... and with whom I battle viciously on these matters.

BTW, as to your question - won't you find pretty much bad winter weather no matter where you go if you drive?  You will have no such issues in LA... and plenty of places to tee it up....

TH

[CHrisB]

John,

I will fly out, pick up the car, drive it to L.A. for you, play golf along the way for you, and stay with your brother for $735.

Is it OK if I take the car into Mexico?

[Adam Clayman]

JB, Even though the temps get up well above freezing, all north facing slopes will continue to have snow on them for weeks (3)

The Rawls is your best bet. And unless you aren't up to playing, I encourage you to play it.

[Chris_Clouser]

John,

Springfield, MO has the Payne Stewart Municipal Course.  

Try Cherokee Hills just outside of Tulsa in Catoosa.  It is well worth the stop.

Bartlesville, Oklahoma is a little out of your way, but if you can get on at Hillcrest CC.  It would be well worth your time.

Just south of Oklahoma City is Norman and you can probably get on at the University of Oklahoma course as well.  Another solid layout.  

Craig Edgmond would probably be the best person to talk to in regards to Oklahoma courses.  

[John Kavanaugh]

John,

I will fly out, pick up the car, drive it to L.A. for you, play golf along the way for you, and stay with your brother for $735.

Is it OK if I take the car into Mexico?

That is one hell of an offer.  If you want to ride shotgun you are welcome to come along for the ride and golf.  I've got the car and the gas and lodging taken care of.  Your golf and food and getting back home expenses would be on you...

[John Kavanaugh]

I need to pass on this tip for those of you (like me) who did not know as it increases the ability to learn about architecture by making threads more efficient.

A tip for you:

To keep from having such a long URL that it ruins the thread, take the LONG URL to www.tinyurl.com. Enter your LONG URL. Copy the tinyurl that results, and paste it into that driving trip thread.

[Bill_McBride]

Go directly south to I-10 and head west.  The weather will be fine all along the way and there will be lots of good golf along the way.  Any thing farther north is iffy at best.

Road construction slow in January?  

[Doug Ralston]

LOL John;

The mapper wants you to drive 2000 miles in 28 hrs. No probs, just pop a few peppers and zoom, zoom, zoom.

But I guess you will spoil the fun by stopping to play golf.  

Sorry, my untraveled self cannot advise on this one, unless you want to detour WAY south and play Dancing Rabbit in Ole Miss.

Enjoy the trip, and tell us.

Doug

[John Kavanaugh]

I spoke to the architect last night and it looks like I will be playing Vista Verde and Longbow near Phoenix around January 2nd or 3rd...Has anyone out there played either course and have any ideas on what to look for.

[Craig Van Egmond]

John,

How many of your brothers courses have you played?

I have played both the old Long Bow and the new Long Bow. Both are very cool courses, but I would give the nod to the new version.  I try to play it whenever I am in the area because it is by far one of the best deals in the area. Nice routing and excellent green complexes.

[ForkaB]

John

Have you thought about going Eastward (Ho!?)?

Drive to NYC, taking in walking tours of the great posh courses on the way.  Slow boat to Ireland, where you can get in some great winter golf at Lahinch, Portsalon, etc.  Ferry to the UK and do Scotalnd and Lancashire.  Eurostar to France and then down to Istanbul via the Orient Express.  Just one word--Morfontaine.  Caravan through Kahzakstan and all those other cheerful ex-Soviet republics, but heading to China, where the future of the game lies.  Spend 3 w2eek there and then pay a brief homage to Allison in Japan.  Forget about Australia, as we already know from the Ozzers on this forum how great they are.  Chill out in Hawaii, and then take a Matson steamer to Long Beach.  By the time you've arrived there you'll wonder why the hell am I in LA?  Then you take the Winnebago back to Lawrenceville.

[John Kavanaugh]

John,

How many of your brothers courses have you played?

Very few..I can't decide if it is because I am a bad brother or because I am a trophy seeking access whore.  I don't recall ever having been within 100 miles of one of his courses and not playing it...The Doak standard.  I just don't get out much.  note:  I live in Illinois my entire life and have never played Medinah, Shoreacres, Chicago, Butler National or even the Orange or Blue...I even recently played in Dallas with Jeff Brauer and I still havn't played a Brauer course.  Where and when and why I play is a complicated issue that I can't explain.

[Paul Payne]

John,

I am surprised you even had to pose the question. This is a big country. If you have the ability to take your time and drive across it playing golf the whole way??....... where you stop and play is only a minor secondary question. Pack up the trunk man, get your maps out and drive!

[Mike Hendren]

Anyone riding shotgun with Barney will be considered for Hillbilly Tour membership.  Honestly, if I had the time, I would PAY to ride with Barney again.  It's a trip in so many ways.

Mike

[John Kavanaugh]

John,

I am surprised you even had to pose the question. This is a big country. If you have the ability to take your time and drive across it playing golf the whole way??....... where you stop and play is only a minor secondary question. Pack up the trunk man, get your maps out and drive!

Paul,

There are always advantages to declaring a trip like this on this site.  For one, I am surprised the New Mexico courses are closed.  For two, I am collecting friends along the way as we speak.  For three,  I have gotten course suggestions that I didn't know about.  For four,  in most cases private access opens itself up (this is a strange route for privates).  For five,  I had strongly considered transporting the car and wanted to work things out in my head.  For six,  I am still looking for a buddy to ride shotgun and am not registered on Match.com.

[Paul Payne]

Aw nutz!!

Too bad.

I make it my policy to only accept buddies through Match.com.