I drove three times and flew one time to Florida in the last two years. Lots of new courses along the way. Jacksonville is new terrain for me as my son will now be stationed there with the Navy for three more winters! Timuquana was probably my favorite so far, but I also loved Jacksonville Beach Muni for the cool vibe. Did not play, but took a tour of Tom Paul's infamous Fernandina Beach GC (muni). It was deadly flat and probably a Doak 4, so my appreciation for Tom Paul's storytelling grew in 2021!!
Military deployments start in 2022 for my son, and the first stop for him looks to be Japan, probably Okinawa. Military golf courses are very interesting, to me, as they get players from across the country and also from Allies from around the world to play with. It's tough to find a Doak 6, but there is alot of charm in the people and courses including playing behind barbed wire and under power lines:). Next up, with lots of possible hiccups in the journey is:
With Neil Regan's sudden passing, I have a renewed spirit of adventure for the game we cherish, the courses we play, and the people we play with.
I enjoyed my "Peg Board Hunting" days, but Iceland (US Navy watching Putin) and Japan (US Navy watching China) seem to be the next chapters and I am interested to see golf in those countries that are virgin to me.
#FlyNavy