"Golf As It Was Meant To Be" NLU Vids

[Mike Bodo]

We've had a lot of press and instagram golf experts visit this summer.  Seems like there's been a drone up just about every day.
Sven

I can't even begin to imagine how crazy it must get there during summer with all the Instagram and YouTube vloggers who frequent the resort and those courses. What I do know is that when I eventually make it out to Bandon, I'm requesting you as my caddie. 

[Michael Essig]

Sven, were you working at Bandon when the NLU guys were there filming this summer and did you by chance caddie for any of them during their stay at the resort? Would be curious to hear your take on their games. LOL!

Mike:

I don't know when they were here.  We've had a lot of press and instagram golf experts visit this summer.  Seems like there's been a drone up just about every day.

Sven

My son said they were at Bandon at the time of the US Am.


They seem to often take one of the later tee times of the day, because they seem to be finishing their rounds just before sunset.  The late day footage makes the courses look fantastic.  Also, I would guess their pace of play is little slow, although they have a person dedicated to filming; I think that is Panther Mike in the credits.


Their new drone footage is dynamite.  Clearly 4K. 


My son said they took a little flack in the last Tourist Sauce for focusing too much on their games, and they appear to have gone back to focusing on the courses, as in the past: Australia, Scotland, etc.


PS. My son is playing golf in Ft. Laud with the NLU guys as I type this.

[Mike Bodo]

My son said they took a little flack in the last Tourist Sauce for focusing too much on their games, and they appear to have gone back to focusing on the courses, as in the past: Australia, Scotland, etc.


PS. My son is playing golf in Ft. Laud with the NLU guys as I type this.

I agree with your son's take on past Tourist Sauce series. I'm re-watching Tourist Sauce - Scotland as I write and agree that the episodes were more course oriented, as opposed to the focus being on the individual participants games. I'm envious your son is playing with them in Ft. Lauderdale. Lucky guy!

[Jon Heise]

The variety in memories and opinions is as fun to debate as the variety of shots you get to play at Bandon.  Well, almost.  I feel the NLU guys capture the feel for camaraderie amazingly well.  I've only been once - and solo - and I look forward to my next trip with some pals.

[Jason Topp]

I spent a day at Northland while Tron Carter was filming this summer. I have no idea when the video will come out but I really enjoyed spending time with Tron and watching him try to play left handed.  He clearly liked the course.  He paid for a membership in between rounds. 


He filmed my group in the morning but it was cloudy so I cannot imagine they will use any of the footage.  The sky cleared late in the day so the combination of evening sunlight and Lake Superior should be amazing.   


Rick Shefchik will likely get some airtime. 


Trying to hit a shot with a drone swooping over your head is a strange experience.  It felt like a fly was coming in for an attack. 

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[Mike Bodo]

Tonight's NLU Tourist Sauce episode on Sheep Ranch is up on YouTube.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnFKKOAcNhM


The number of ocean holes and infinity greens that dot the property is simply astonishing. However, my favorite features were the volcano green on #11 and the 15th green that was sandwiched between the rock-face to the right and ocean cliffs to the the left. The other fun aspect about that hole is the ability to put to the green from the forward tees. 


All in all another fantastically produced and enjoyable vlog. It just keeps getting better with them.


On a side note, I found it interesting that the key to making the property an 18 hole track from 14 was the challenge of incorporating the ravine into the layout, which apparently Coore and Crenshaw figured out how to do. I'm not sure if that was the primary reason they were awarded the project, but from Mike Keiser's comments is sounds as though it was.

[William_G]

the orchestral music to lead of the episode is so appropriate


to hear the thankful and humbled Bill Coore is also so appropriate


Bill was all smiles all day on opening day which is now about 25000 in the past


congrats to TS and a great site for their show!

[Sven Nilsen]

Tonight's NLU Tourist Sauce episode on Sheep Ranch is up on YouTube.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnFKKOAcNhM


The number of ocean holes and infinity greens that dot the property is simply astonishing. However, my favorite features were the volcano green on #11 and the 15th green that was sandwiched between the rock-face to the right and ocean cliffs to the the left. The other fun aspect about that hole is the ability to put to the green from the forward tees. 


All in all another fantastically produced and enjoyable vlog. It just keeps getting better with them.


On a side note, I found it interesting that the key to making the property an 18 hole track from 14 was the challenge of incorporating the ravine into the layout, which apparently Coore and Crenshaw figured out how to do. I'm not sure if that was the primary reason they were awarded the project, but from Mike Keiser's comments is sounds as though it was.

The green you are talking about is 16, not 15, and there is no rock face on the right.  There is a gorse covered hill, but no rock face.


What ravine are you talking about.  There really isn’t a ravine anywhere on the property unless you mean right of 11 which is off the golf course.


Sven

[Mike Bodo]

The green you are talking about is 16, not 15, and there is no rock face on the right.  There is a gorse covered hill, but no rock face.

What ravine are you talking about.  There really isn’t a ravine anywhere on the property unless you mean right of 11 which is off the golf course.
Sven

Thanks, Sven. I was going off visual memory when I posted. As to your second point, watch the video from the 2:20 mark to about 3:25 where MK discusses having to negotiate the ravine to the right of 11 green that was necessary in converting the course from 14 holes to an 18 hole layout.

[William_G]

thank you Sven

[David_Elvins]

The green you are talking about is 16, not 15, and there is no rock face on the right.  There is a gorse covered hill, but no rock face.

What ravine are you talking about.  There really isn’t a ravine anywhere on the property unless you mean right of 11 which is off the golf course.
Sven

Thanks, Sven. I was going off visual memory when I posted. As to your second point, watch the video from the 2:20 mark to about 3:25 where MK discusses having to negotiate the ravine to the right of 11 green that was necessary in converting the course from 14 holes to an 18 hole layout.

Mike,


I think what Mike Keiser meant was that Coore and Crenshaw were the first to figure out how to build a 18 hole course without crossing the ravine.  Other 18 hole routings for the land had required a ravine crossing which he didnt like.

[David_Elvins]

Sven,


What did you think of the NLU guys having Pac Dunes as the 4th ranked course on the property, worthy of 1 round on a 10 round Bandon trip.


Reasonable opinion?

[Mike Bodo]

Mike,


I think what Mike Keiser meant was that Coore and Crenshaw were the first to figure out how to build a 18 hole course without crossing the ravine.  Other 18 hole routings for the land had required a ravine crossing which he didnt like.

Ahhhhhhh.....................got it! Not knowing the property, I couldn't really figure out what MK meant when he was speaking about the ravine. All I know is that he didn't like the idea of having bridges to cross to get to a different parcel or section of the course. In my mind I took that to mean Coore and Crenshaw figured out a way to cross the ravine naturally without having to erect or build a structure to do so, but this makes perfect sense. Thanks!

[William_G]

first world problems with ranking the courses at Bandon, they are all great
yet now with Sheep Ranch offering another ocean course per se, Pacific Dunes is dropping in my mind, yet it is still fantastic
like Mike K said during an interview by MG on opening day at Sheep Ranch, Mike said "if he could only play one of the 5 for the rest of his life, he would be very happy"


side note, my sense is that the visitors to Bandon this year are possibly a bit different as the lid is really off how great Bandon is combined with a Covid lockdown for international travel, What do you think Sven?

[William_G]

new episode this evening


Trails I think

[Jason Thurman]

Sven,


What did you think of the NLU guys having Pac Dunes as the 4th ranked course on the property, worthy of 1 round on a 10 round Bandon trip.


Reasonable opinion?

Nobody's asking me and I haven't seen Sheep Ranch (or played the Preserve for that matter)... but I kinda feel like there are no unreasonable opinions at Bandon.


Like, I had Bandon Dunes as the fourth best of the original big four, and not by a particularly close margin personally. But it's not insane to me that lots of people put it number one. They're probably not quite looking for the same things I'm looking for, but it's not an unreasonable take. It's an awesome golf course!


And likewise, I have Trails #1 there, but plenty of people put it 4th among the 4 I've played. They're wrong, but that's okay. No need to institutionalize them or anything. More space on the tee sheet for me.


The quality of golf at Bandon is almost preposterously good, and each course really has its own character that will endear it deeply to some while not quite hitting the spot for others. That's part of the magic for me - every other multi-course complex I can think of has a clear consensus ranking. I don't have any desire to even have a conversation with somebody who thinks #3 is the best course at Pinehurst. But regardless of how someone ranks the courses at Bandon, I'm excited to discuss the Why with them.

[William_G]

exactly Jason, it is fun to discuss all the options at Bandon even with newbies who have not had multiple plays


PH, there is nothing really to discuss, it's moot


fun is what its all about

[JLahrman]

Like, I had Bandon Dunes as the fourth best of the original big four, and not by a particularly close margin personally. But it's not insane to me that lots of people put it number one. They're probably not quite looking for the same things I'm looking for, but it's not an unreasonable take. It's an awesome golf course!


And likewise, I have Trails #1 there, but plenty of people put it 4th among the 4 I've played. They're wrong, but that's okay. No need to institutionalize them or anything. More space on the tee sheet for me.

Thanks Jason. At my first visit I thought Bandon Dunes was the fourth best as well, but in retrospect it maybe have been because it was the KP and I felt peer pressure to rank it that way. Kind of like I wouldn't want to go to a music critics' conference and admit that I think Yo La Tengo is way overrated.


After my second visit I felt that Bandon Dunes was far better than I originally thought. I still think it's the fourth best (having not played Sheep Ranch either) but I don't think the gap is as big as I originally thought. And I could make an argument that whatever its GCA chops it might be the most fun of the four to play. Thanks to your post I no longer feel embarrassed to say it. Maybe next I'll admit that I kind of like Dancing With the Stars.


I think Trails might be the best too but every time I play it, it really beats the shit out of me.

[William_G]

Love Trails 


Great course, not on the ocean, but of the 5 certainly should not be missed

[Dan Gallaway]

Great episode.  At the 3:08 mark I moved Trail to #1 in my rankings....and the NLU guys hadn’t even gotten to the first tee yet.

[Thomas Dai]

The production quality has improved greatly.
Still not enough of the course(s) and far too much banter and frankly bollocks from the guys on screen who aren't particularly funny, nor good actors and seemingly aren't particularly good golfers either.
Take the presenters ego and vanity away and show more of the course(s).
Others producing similar material should do alike as well. Some already are.
Just my two-pence worth.
atb

[William_G]

-thanks to these knuckleheads and their awesome drone pics and vid, more folks are seeing why anyone would "love" Bandon
-to play 5 great courses on video in 3 days all at Bandon only punctuates how Mike Keiser succeeded in bringing links golf to the US
-if you haven't been to Bandon, why not? or when?

[Sven Nilsen]

Sven,


What did you think of the NLU guys having Pac Dunes as the 4th ranked course on the property, worthy of 1 round on a 10 round Bandon trip.


Reasonable opinion?

David:


Sorry I missed the question earlier.


Personally, I don't agree with their assessment, but I'm not going to tell anyone what to think.


If you were to ask 10 guests, you'd probably get 10 different rankings.  Some people are smitten by the Ocean, some like the isolation and definition of Trails.  Some folks like firing at pins and having the greens hold, others prefer the firm turf of Old Mac.


The courses change daily.  This time of year you might play Pac on a north wind day where the course is set up for that wind with pins in approachable and puttable spots.  The next day you might get a gale from the south without the tees being adjusted, and the grounds crew may have put the holes in the high and dry locations.  You're going to get vastly different opinions on the course depending on which day the course was played.


We have a starter out here who goes a bit overboard on his pre-round description of "his" course.  Most talked about, most photographed, blah, blah, blah...   My preference would be to send people on their way without the hyperbole and let them make up their own minds on the qualities of the course without the unnecessary guidance as to what they should think.


On back to back jobs a couple of years ago, at the same spot on Old Mac (the 16th fairway with the group having to take on the Alps), I had two completely different reactions:


A.  The first group, faced with what for them was an impossible shot to get to the green in 2, let their frustrations boil over with statements that Old Mac was the dumbest course they had ever played.  Didn't help anything that they were playing the wrong tees for their games.


B.  Second group, seemingly befuddled for a bit as to where the green was, completely got and embraced the hole once they figured out what was being asked of them.  The general reaction was that they couldn't wait to play the course again.


In short, I won't begrudge any guest's opinion that doesn't match my own, as there are a ton of factors that can go into how that opinion was formulated.  I do have an issue with anyone with a platform telling others what to think, whether it be our starter or a group of vloggers.


Sven

[Brian Finn]

The production quality has improved greatly.
Still not enough of the course(s) and far too much banter and frankly bollocks from the guys on screen who aren't particularly funny, nor good actors and seemingly aren't particularly good golfers either.
Take the presenters ego and vanity away and show more of the course(s).
Others producing similar material should do alike as well. Some already are.
Just my two-pence worth.
atb

I understand your view, and agree with some of it.  I'd love to see more of the courses they play in each of their "Tourist Sauce" videos, as that is the primary draw for me.  Having said that, I'm not sure there is anyone doing the golf travel content better than they are.  The “Tourist Sauce” seasons in Australia, California, and Ireland were terrific.  I’m actually behind, and haven’t gotten to the Bandon courses yet in the Oregon season, but can’t wait to watch.  I generally find the characters (mostly) likeable, and actually pretty funny, and the production is well done, and constantly getting better.  As far as their play goes (which doesn’t impact my opinion of the show quality at all), they have one guy who is a solid plus handicap, and then four guys who range from 3 to 9 index.  Of course, one of them is currently playing left-handed for a year, so his game might be a bit different at the moment. 

While they aren’t for everyone, the NLU guys are extremely popular, and have a very loyal following, which continues to grow, both within their core demographic (millennials), and perhaps even more within the 40 and older crowd (of which I am part). 

The NLU content is pretty wide-ranging, including heavy professional tour coverage, equipment, travel on a budget, and much more.  Personally, I mainly stick to “Strapped” and “Tourist Sauce.”  “Strapped” is their series where two guys visit a US city and stay/eat/play for 2-3 days on a $500 budget.  They play municipal courses and other low-cost options, and typically meet various locals who work or play there.  It’s as much a human interest series as it is a golf travel show, but I enjoy it.  “Tourist Sauce” is obviously the bigger budget, buddies golf trip series, and my personal favorite.  Much of their other content isn't for me (especially the deep PGA tour stuff), so I skip most podcasts and some YouTube stuff. 

For courses and architecture, I listen to Andy Johnson on “The Fried Egg” podcast, and Derek Duncan on “Feed the Ball,” as well as “The Golf History Podcast,” which has some great stuff on the ODGs.  I do wish there were better video content for courses and architecture, so any recommendations would be appreciated.  Regardless, I’ll continue watching NLU as they travel to great golf destinations around the world.  I can’t wait to hear their (seemingly controversial) views on the Bandon courses.  My personal ranking of courses has changed with return visits, but if there was every such a thing as “no wrong answer” it is ranking those incredible courses.

[Joe Zucker]

I might have said it before here, but the average GCAer should be very supportive of NLU and their position.  They are extremely pro walking and also pro roll back for the ball.  Those opinions are not always popular with "dreaded millenials", so if they can get more people hitting the course on foot and thinking the ball goes too far, it would only make this discussion board happier.   


Brian's summary is on point.  Few are more reasonable and entertaining when talking modern golf than these guys.