First of all, thanks to Howard once again. I think he qualifies as a professional cat herder after this display of organizational virtuosity.
There were a lot of highlights for the past weekend, but the best moment came when Mike Whitaker returned hale and healthy for the Saturday evening dinner and gloatfest by Choi's Champions (otherwise known as the Blue team).
Sadly, for me, I can no longer recall the sequence of holes after one or two or even three plays. So my impressions of the courses are just that--impressions rather than a hole by ratiocination of the relative merits. Nudged by Richard Choi into expressing an opinion after the first day of play I came down on the side of the Red course because I found it more visually appealing (Chris Sturges went so far as to describe it as "more visually stunning" and I incline to that also). Let it be noted that I preferred the Red despite playing much better on the Blue during the Friday rounds.
Once I had expressed my opinion I resolved to play more attention to the courses, particularly the greens because my impression was that the Blue greens were more interesting. A second day of play confirmed those impressions, but it also reinforced my preference forthe Red over the Blue. Reduced to the how many plays out of ten I'd go six-four, and that would be open to revision with repeated plays.
I think the tipping point for me was the sight of the flagstick on 13that Friday. Located where it was it appeared to suspended in mid air when viewed from the fairway. A minor thing perhaps, but aesthetics are subjective, a trim ankle vs. a shapely calf depending on the the inclincation of the beholder.
Favorite par 3--the Biarritz on the Red
Favorite par 4 --the 11th on the Red
Favorite par 5--the 17th on the Blue
My secondary impression was the width of the Blue fairways. I heard the number 120 yards wide being bandied about for one them. And I suspect given the complexity of the greens that width would be required to approach many of the pin positions on the greens that evidence of several large mammals being buried under them.
All of that being said about the width of the blue the narrowest two shotter on the property has to be the 6th(?) on the Blue course.
I regard both courses as being big boy golf and I was hesitant about trotting out my hickories on them, but I am glad that perissted through five rounds with them. Aside from a few miserable swings which would have been miserable with any set of clubs, I felt like I was able to get around the property without making a complete fool of myself. The fast and firm conditions effectively shorten the course so that the roll out with my brassie minimized the separation from the modern equipment.
It was great to see old friends and to meet new ones. I discovered some GCAers not far from my "neuk" of the woods, and I hope to get together with Dean sometime soon when we are both using our hickories.
Lastly for now, I want to thank Johnathan Mallard for his characterization of our partnership as having an "exciting" match. I think a more accurate adjective would have been suspenseful as in where's the guy with the suspenders going to hit it this time and when, if ever, is he going to contirbute?
Great times, great guys, great golf courses.