Opening Day at Sand Hills

[Matt OBrien]

I had the privilege of playing Sand Hills this past weekend on their opening day. Other then the 30-40 mph winds it was a great time. Here is a link to some of the pics.

http://gallery.me.com/jbakeriv#100008

[George Freeman]

Great pictures Matt from what looks to be an awesome day. 

Was that your first time playing the course?  If yes, what surprised you the most (both in a positive way and a negative way, if applicable)?  Was the course still pretty playable in those winds?

I hope all is well!

- George

[RJ_Daley]

This one reminds me of some poor soul in the French Foreign Legion, lost out on the desolate sands.  Pity the poor soul, just a wedge, a rake and not even a drop of water. 

[Matt OBrien]

Great pictures Matt from what looks to be an awesome day. 

Was that your first time playing the course?  If yes, what surprised you the most (both in a positive way and a negative way, if applicable)?  Was the course still pretty playable in those winds?

I hope all is well!

- George

George,
This was my second trip to sand hill and my 8th round there. The course was playable but we had to play different tees to make it manageable. The one thing that was different this time was the consistent wind direction. Last trip there the wind would change directions every round. This trip the wind blew from the south the first 2 days and never swirled. In my opinion Sand Hills is the best place on earth.

[Keith OHalloran]

Thanks for the pics Matt. I get to go back (my second trip) on the 25th. I agree with your sentiment and the pics will help me through the next  few weeks!

[PCCraig]

Great stuff! Thanks for the pics!

[Gene Greco]

I get to go back (my second trip) on the 25th. I agree with your sentiment and the pics will help me through the next  few weeks!

Keith:

 
  Indeed,  no argument with you or Matt about Sand Hills being the best place on earth.

But isn't it true that aside from the golf course aren't you really going back because YOUR WIFE IS MAKING YOU?

To get more of Tom Simonsen's (Cowboy Tom) spices for her hamburger recipe???


        Gene     

[Mike Nuzzo]

does one really need to rake that bunker?

Are they mechanically raked, hand raked or neither - by the crews.

[Jim Tang]

Matt -

Sweet pictures.  When I was there last July the greens were lightening fast, maybe the fastest greens I've ever played on.  We had almost zero wind over the 2 days my group was there.  At the time I wondered what it would be like to putt those greens in high winds.  It has got to be pretty brutal.

[Gene Greco]

#2

[Jimmy Muratt]

Gene,

Great picture of #2 green.... and that pin position yields some of the most maddening and thrilling shots anywhere! 

[Wyatt Halliday]

I get to go back (my second trip) on the 25th. I agree with your sentiment and the pics will help me through the next  few weeks!

Keith:

 
  Indeed,  no argument with you or Matt about Sand Hills being the best place on earth.

But isn't it true that aside from the golf course aren't you really going back because YOUR WIFE IS MAKING YOU?

To get more of Tom Simonsen's (Cowboy Tom) spices for her hamburger recipe???


        Gene     

Gene,

My wife enjoys cooking like I enjoy world class golf courses. The Sand Hills recipe book was the perfect gift. I received a substantial amount of brownie points and an extra fifteen pounds for the effort.

[Mike Policano]

Geno!  Last time I was at SH, someone ask me to pick up a couple bottles of Tom's seasoning. It was early in the am and Tom walked through the pro shop as I was buying the jars.

I asked him to sign the jars with a sharpie. His look was priceless. It was right out of the movie City Slickers where old grizzled Curly looks at Billy Crystal with a "how did you live this long" look.

Cheers

[Keith OHalloran]

Last year, I brought some bottles of the spices home with me. When we opened the cabinet this year for our first BBQ, my wife looked at the almost empty bottle and said "Thanks god your going back to Sand Hills, we are almost out of the spices!"  All I could think was
"Yes, thank God (and the good doctor) that I am going back"

[Mark Chaplin]

Matt - is that Ari Techner left side of pcture 459? One of the pictures also looks like Patrick Glynn's swing.

[Harris Nepon]

OK, let me get this straight. I'm new to the whole amazing golf course world and just got married last summer.

All i have to do is bring home a few jars of spice and a cookbook from Sand Hills and I'll be allowed to play amazing golf for the rest of my life? Can it be that simple?  And i get super tasty food made for me with said items?

[Gene Greco]

Gene,

Great picture of #2 green.... and that pin position yields some of the most maddening and thrilling shots anywhere! 

Another perspective for you:

[Scott Szabo]

Last year, I brought some bottles of the spices home with me. When we opened the cabinet this year for our first BBQ, my wife looked at the almost empty bottle and said "Thanks god your going back to Sand Hills, we are almost out of the spices!"  All I could think was
"Yes, thank God (and the good doctor) that I am going back"

I brought some back with me from my last visit, and my wife fell in love with the spices as well.  She thought it strange that I'd bring the bottles of spices home, but changed her mind once she tried them! 

[Kevin_Reilly]

Gene, do you have any pictures looking from the back of the 2nd green to the great expanse beyond (i.e. away from the course)?  That I think was my favorite view on the course.

[Mike Hendren]

Gene, do you have any pictures looking from the back of the 2nd green to the great expanse beyond (i.e. away from the course)?  That I think was my favorite view on the course.

+1

[Mike Hendren]

For you relative newcomers to this website, allow me to explain one more time.  The bunker depicted in the photograph below is no more than a few feet deep and four of five paces wide.  Such photographs are a ruse, perpetrated by the Sand Hills cognoscenti, where a GI Joe figurine is dressed as a golfer and placed in the bunker, then photographed.  The clothing is changed periodically to perpetuate the myth of a guarantuan bunker.



Right Gene?

Bogey

[Shane Wright]

Matt -

Sweet pictures.  When I was there last July the greens were lightening fast, maybe the fastest greens I've ever played on.  We had almost zero wind over the 2 days my group was there.  At the time I wondered what it would be like to putt those greens in high winds.  It has got to be pretty brutal.

Jim, I played 3 rounds over 2 days in which it was a steady 30+ mph wind.  It took me almost two years to get my putting stroke back.  I've seen a lot of fast greens, but I'm not sure I've seen them that tough and fast combined. 

[Daryl David]

For you relative newcomers to this website, allow me to explain one more time.  The bunker depicted in the photograph below is no more than a few feet deep and four of five paces wide.  Such photographs are a ruse, perpetrated by the Sand Hills cosnoscenti, where a GI Joe figurine is dressed as a golfer and placed in the bunker, then photographed.  The clothing is changed periodically to perpetuate the myth of a guarantuan bunker.



Right Gene?

Bogey

I guess that explains the black shoes and black socks.  GI Joe's military issue.

[Matt OBrien]

Matt - is that Ari Techner left side of pcture 459? One of the pictures also looks like Patrick Glynn's swing.

Yes that is Ari Techner in the picture and that is not Patrick Glynn

[Matt Harrison]

Great photos, Matt.  Reminds me of some good shots you hit at Lost Dunes not too long ago...