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John Kavanaugh

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Tour bus with driver
« on: December 12, 2010, 08:15:45 PM »
Has anyone ever rented a tour bus with a driver for an extended golf trip?  I am planning a minimum 7 day road trip with a few friends leaving St. Louis with the only mandatory stop of Rock Creek Cattle Co, where I purchased a day at auction, then returning home.  My plan is to sleep on the bus at night and golf during the day.  Is 500 miles per day unreasonable or what kind of itenerary would you suggest?

Any suggestions on reputable bus companies would be appreciated.

J_ Crisham

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2010, 08:23:42 PM »
Greyhound has a good reputation- 500 miles is nothing for those drivers- you may smell a bit ripe by the third or fourth day. Not uncommon with Greyhound though. If you come thru Chicago I would gladly host you ,just park your bus west of Western Ave on 87th Street! See you then,  Jack

John Kavanaugh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2010, 08:27:57 PM »
Greyhound has a good reputation- 500 miles is nothing for those drivers- you may smell a bit ripe by the third or fourth day. Not uncommon with Greyhound though. If you come thru Chicago I would gladly host you ,just park your bus west of Western Ave on 87th Street! See you then,  Jack

Jack,

Thanks, Chicago may be an ideal stopping point. We are going full rock star on the bus so Greyhound may be out.  Hell, you might even want to hitch along for a day or two.

Tim Martin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2010, 08:41:43 PM »
JK-I have not rented a tour bus. I have rented a Winnebago out of Neptune New Jersey some thirty years ago to go to Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale. Although we didn`t have a driver we did have 6 drunk guys willing to shout out all kinds of idiocy to the driver including bad directions. We did not stop for golf but we did stop for beer as needed. I believe the company was Bob`s Bago`s. Does this help?

John Kavanaugh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2010, 08:46:44 PM »
JK-I have not rented a tour bus. I have rented a Winnebago out of Neptune New Jersey some thirty years ago to go to Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale. Although we didn`t have a driver we did have 6 drunk guys willing to shout out all kinds of idiocy to the driver including bad directions. We did not stop for golf but we did stop for beer as needed. I believe the company was Bob`s Bago`s. Does this help?

It is that kind of story that is motivating this trip.

J_ Crisham

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2010, 08:51:59 PM »

   Let me know,  John, If you come to Chicago think am at OFCC with Winnick and pm with me just don't park your bus over in the woods east of Western! :D

jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #6 on: December 12, 2010, 08:56:56 PM »
Has anyone ever rented a tour bus with a driver for an extended golf trip?  I am planning a minimum 7 day road trip with a few friends leaving St. Louis with the only mandatory stop of Rock Creek Cattle Co, where I purchased a day at auction, then returning home.  My plan is to sleep on the bus at night and golf during the day.  Is 500 miles per day unreasonable or what kind of itenerary would you suggest?

Any suggestions on reputable bus companies would be appreciated.

I have and had one great experience, and one not so great.

I think it would be really cool to have maybe 1,2 or three destinations booked and leave the rest to just stopping at what lloked good out the window.
I certainly want to do that once in both Ireland and Scotland, where nearly every coastal town has their own course
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

Bart Bradley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #7 on: December 12, 2010, 09:01:00 PM »
John:

Think Big...find a prevost and a driver....

http://roadiejobs.com/profile/BryanBoesASTENTERTAINMENTCOACHLEASING?xg_source=activity

Check this out.

Bart

John Kavanaugh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #8 on: December 12, 2010, 09:12:34 PM »
Bart,

Thanks, that is what we are talking about.  Nashville may have to be are starting point given them people love their buses.

I like the Chicago stop given Omaha C.C. Is only 500 miles down the road where my sister is a member.

I know that I hate the hit and runners, but hell I can be as self loathing as the best of em.

M. Shea Sweeney

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #9 on: December 12, 2010, 09:41:21 PM »
.
« Last Edit: December 12, 2010, 09:42:52 PM by M. Shea Sweeney »

Mike Hendren

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #10 on: December 13, 2010, 09:48:44 AM »
Barney, those things are indeed a dime a dozen in Nashvegas.  Heck, every bank's workout area has a least a couple!

500 miles a day is not problematic as the drivers are permitted to drive up to 10 or 11 hours at a time.

Please let us know when you've booked the trip and I'll start a thread soliciting goodie bags for the group like we do for our teenage choir tours.   I'm thinking Jack Daniels mini-bottles and 16 oz. Monsters in lieu of bottled water and M&M's.

Mike
Two Corinthians walk into a bar ....

Phil_the_Author

Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #11 on: December 13, 2010, 10:00:23 AM »
With Michael's goodie bags filled with Jack daniels mini-bottles, make certain that you and those that go with you, can SHOWER at the places you play and that the on-board "facility" is mighty clean and kept that way!

Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +3/-1
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #12 on: December 13, 2010, 05:10:44 PM »
John,

I will bet that your bus pulling into Rock Creek will cause quite a stir!  Hoepfully you'll stop to see your brother's course in Wyoming, too.

I have only done a bus tour once, in Ireland with Mike Keiser and a group of his friends from Buffalo.  I wad trying to convince them to change the itinerary to get to Carne and the bus driver balked ... at which point the whole group insisted.  That was quite a day.  About fifteen miles before we got there, the road got so narrow I began to think the driver may have been right!

John Kavanaugh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #13 on: December 13, 2010, 05:43:23 PM »
Tom,

What is going to be fun is the look on the drivers face when when tell him the one lane road into Dismal is 17 miles long.  We may have to park the bus and have them come get us in the Dismal Shuttle, or even better ride horses in.

So far we have Nashville, Chicago, Omaha and Mullen in the mix.  1275 miles on the road so far heading north with only 850 miles to Rock Creek.

Buck Wolter

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #14 on: December 13, 2010, 06:29:44 PM »
JK
Between Chicago and Omaha pull some strings and play Wakonda in Des Moines -- something tells me you'd love it and it's only about 10 minutes off the interstate.

You're flying back, right?
Those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience -- CS Lewis

John Kavanaugh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #15 on: December 13, 2010, 06:46:12 PM »
Buck,

Thanks, no we are driving back full circle which looks like a return route of Salt Lake, Denver, Hutchinson back to Nashville for a total of 4600 miles.  I am looking at mid-June so we are very preliminary at this point.  At ten days and nine nights it is looking doable.

Now I just need to figure out why the hell I am drawn to Salt Lake.

Jed Peters

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #16 on: December 13, 2010, 06:48:05 PM »


Now I just need to figure out why the hell I am drawn to Salt Lake.

Mormon chicks are hot.

Generally speaking, of course.

John Kavanaugh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #17 on: December 13, 2010, 06:55:08 PM »


Now I just need to figure out why the hell I am drawn to Salt Lake.

Mormon chicks are hot.

Generally speaking, of course.

I had several witty responses to that comment that are best saved for the bus.

Brian Potash

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #18 on: December 13, 2010, 07:39:15 PM »
John,

I used this guy and company last year for the Bonnaroo Music Festival.  We got picked up at Nashville Airport.  The guy Wayne may remeber me.

The only issue is that if anyone approaches 6'4" it gets a bit tight.

I would definiteyl recommend this company, very professional.

Brian



Wayne Linder

Operations Manager

Pioneer Coach, Inc.

(615) 860-1690

www.pioneercoach.com

 


John Kavanaugh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #19 on: December 13, 2010, 07:50:18 PM »
Brian,

Thanks, it might just be possible this becomes the greatest golf trip of all time. I will be taking applications for taggers a long once financial considerations are procured.  Current participants are the Dismal Devil, Amish Man, a friend who recently fell off the wagon after 20 years of sobriety and me. I have asked for a bus that sleeps eight. 

Doug Wright

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #20 on: December 13, 2010, 08:04:03 PM »
Buck,

Thanks, no we are driving back full circle which looks like a return route of Salt Lake, Denver, Hutchinson back to Nashville for a total of 4600 miles.  I am looking at mid-June so we are very preliminary at this point.  At ten days and nine nights it is looking doable.

Now I just need to figure out why the hell I am drawn to Salt Lake.

John, you're welcome to stop by my house in Denver. The neighbors will love it.
Twitter: @Deneuchre

Bill_McBride

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #21 on: December 13, 2010, 08:12:22 PM »
John, I sure hope you've got Ballyneal on your agenda. It's not to be missed if in the vicinity.

Will groupies be allowed on the bus?

Also many Merry Pranksters / Electric Kool images screaming inside my head.  If that is a rock 'n' roll bus, there could be built in acid flash backs.  Have fun!

Dave McCollum

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #22 on: December 13, 2010, 08:15:48 PM »
25 miles from Rock Creek is Old Works (Nicklaus & Olenoski).  Fun, inexpensive, and in good shape, if not an elite trophy course.  Front side is great and after the first two holes on the back one could argue it loses some steam.  It’s also as big and brawny as you want at 7,700 yards from the tips.  Perhaps the most interesting aspect is sociological in its role of turning an industrial wasteland into golf course and thus really helping (if not saving) a dying old mining town.  You could easily do both in a day.  Personally, I don’t know of a greater contrast in architectural styles so close together.  Then again, you could just go around RCCC another time.  When we were there a few days before their club championship, we were the only group on the course that day.

A swing down into Idaho to Huntsman Springs (Kidd) on the Idaho side of the Tetons and through the pass to Jackson Hole 35 miles away might be an amusing way to get to SLC, a pretty good and inexspensive golf town, as well.  This entire route might be 500 miles of very attractive country with lots of good golf from which to choose.  And more than a few hot springs to wash your pits (like Fairmont 7 miles from Old Works).  Out West, 500 miles a day is child's play.  

John Kavanaugh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #23 on: December 13, 2010, 08:25:14 PM »
Buck,

Thanks, no we are driving back full circle which looks like a return route of Salt Lake, Denver, Hutchinson back to Nashville for a total of 4600 miles.  I am looking at mid-June so we are very preliminary at this point.  At ten days and nine nights it is looking doable.

Now I just need to figure out why the hell I am drawn to Salt Lake.

John, you're welcome to stop by my house in Denver. The neighbors will love it.

I was recently at Cherry Creek mall and drove past Denver CC.  I thought about you and where you might live.  Careful about what you ask for.

John Kavanaugh

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Tour bus with driver
« Reply #24 on: December 13, 2010, 08:35:00 PM »
Bill,

There will be other GCAers in the region during this trip.  I fully expect to either be dropping off or picking up some hitchers at Ballyneal. Or both as the fun of this trip will be the mystery of who emerges from the bunks each morning.

Dale,

Thanks, yes there is some fantastic golf somewhere between Montana and Utah. The Dismal Devil has been down on his luck of late and may need some budget options.