Is Texas HOT, or not?

[Jeff_McDowell]

Dan,

You think the newspapers are more accurate than your onscreen guide?

[Dan Kelly]

Dan,

You think the newspapers are more accurate than your onscreen guide?

Some newspapers.

Some of the time.  

[Jeff_McDowell]

Dan,

Hopefully the Wild website is right. Tonight's game is at 8:00 on the number 9.

[Dan Kelly]

Dan,

Hopefully the Wild website is right. Tonight's game is at 8:00 on the number 9.

Thanks. The most reliable newspaper in town   agrees.

[Steve Lang]

Forget the NHL.. till the finals.. IHL hockey has never been better..

The Houston Aeros downed the Norfolk Admirals 4-1 in Game Five of the Western Conference Semifinals. The Aeros take a 3-2 series lead. Game Six is Wednesday in Houston at 7:00 PM. If Houston wins, the team advances to the Western Conference Finals to face Grand Rapids.

Sure, some of the venues don't have big city name glamour, but the game action is what counts, kinda like the golf here too!  Give it another 50 years and we'll have some modern classics.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Steve,

I'll be in Houston Tuesday night May 13.  Let me know if the Aeros are still in it and playing at home that night.  I will need my live hockey fix, and need to root for some Texas team!

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

There is something wrong in the Universe when men from Texas are talking hockey and not golf or football, much less baseball this time of year.

[Dan Kelly]

There is something wrong in the Universe when men from Texas are talking hockey and not golf or football, much less baseball this time of year.

I don't know about Mr. Lang -- but Mr. Brauer may be IN Texas, but he's not FROM Texas. I believe he grew up in the shadow not of Darrell Royal, but of Bobby Hull. Might explain a lot!

[Jeff_Brauer]

The old Southwest Conference disbanded before I ever got a chance to develop any loyalty to it!

[Steve Lang]

Jeff B

Aeros are in..
The first two games of the Western Conference Finals are in Grand Rapids on Monday, May 12 and Wednesday, May 14. Game Three will be at Compaq Center on Friday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m.

If you want to check out the Woodlands CC send me a note..

Tiger_B
Yes, weird eh?  BTW that "eh" means something..

[Steve Lang]

Jeff B

Aeros are in..
The first two games of the Western Conference Finals are in Grand Rapids on Monday, May 12 and Wednesday, May 14. Game Three will be at Compaq Center on Friday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m.

If you want to check out the Woodlands CC send me a note..

Dan K
Not from TX but I got here as soon as I could!

Tiger_B
Yes, weird eh?  BTW that "eh" means something..

[Steve Lang]

TX was very hot this weekend, especially in Austin..

Ms Sheila & I went to see the Champions Tour Kinko's Classic at the Hills CC (73.8/140) on Saturday and it was great theatre, especially walking with Arnie's Army (though he was in cart) for 6 holes, and though he was fighting to not be DAL.  He and Walter Morgan trading barbs were a hoot!  No surprize that the fittest guys were the only ones standing in the end.

More on JN's Hills course later.

Of note, at dinner sat night, talking with college-grad age waiter at Ruth's Chris' steakhouse, we asked him where he'd take guests or friends out to play for a special round on Sunday.. he didn't hesitate and said Colovista CC in Bastrop (73.8/126; 30  miles east) or Plum Creek in Kyle (74/125; 20 mi south)..  What does that say about Austin golf!

I smiled as I had mentioned Colovista above in this thread.. It seems there's much greater potential southeast of Austin going down the lower Colorado River basin than in the hills of Austin for great golf course development.

Austin's population explosion and land demands, plus the costs of developing significant sized properties on rock or in canyons around there would seem to limit opportunities or strain budgets without surrounding housing.  Heading north/south or east seems to offer better locales than west in the hill country unless you want to be exclusive like the Hills CC, built 20 odd years ago.

Adios

p.s. Colo is fun course to me..shot 81 with 3 doubles from the blues

[Lou_Duran]

Steve,

Which course did they play at the Hills, the original Nicklaus course with the beautiful waterfall par-3?  Do you know much about the new Nicklaus course there?

Re: Colovista- I played it a couple of years ago and was greatly disappointed.  In my view, it has several very ordinary holes, and the elevation changes weren't used all that well.  As I recall, it was an in-house design job, and perhaps an opportunity missed.  

[Steve Lang]

Lou,

Yes, it was on the original Nicklaus signature course the Hills, with the 16th being quite a hot spot.  We sat on the bank on the side of the green for a while to watch tee shots, then looked backwards to see approach shots at the 4th... then we sat across the gorge on the rock bank to watch putts from afar and then go up the hill 10 yards to watch tee shots from 17th.  

One could catch a glimpse of the new course from the 2nd fairway.. nothing to report.

In regards to Colo, its a fun course to me, several steps above munis, some varied topography, it was in good shape, the greens ran true, and its a once a year type venue, with some GCA weakness, but once you're familiar with it, it entices you to take some chances..  The pampas grass on the river plain holes has grown up and made them more interesting as did the stiff winds on Sunday.

Perhaps opportunity missed, but, theres side hill holes, flat holes, uphill, downhill, up and down hill doglegs, tight holes, short and moderate holes, no real long par 5's.. so big hitters might not like..

Pine Forest, about a mile away is similar but a little more muni like in presentation and much lower cost.. playing the two would make for an interesting and relatively cheap day along the Colorado River.

[Mike Vegis @ Kiawah]

76.1/155 is virtually unheard of save Kiawah-Ocean, which is something like a 78 (or even 80?) from the tippy-tips.

The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort back tees is 79.6/155....  It's never expected to be played from there as it is 7,937 yards.  It just gives us flexibility in setting the course for tournament play...  Personally, I think the 79.6 is a bit low.  I don't think the USGA wanted to rate a course in the 80s...