The Details

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Fallen Oak - Saucier, Mississippi

View down the fairway from the first tee.

Official Website: fallenoak.com


#3: The first of the par 3s

Course Architect

Tom Fazio

First Teed Off

November 2006 (Improved Summer 2014)


Rating

Slope

Yardage

Par

76.5
1427847 yards72



Rates of Passage

$200-$300
Includes greens fees, range, and cart.  Caddies additional. 
You must stay at the Beau Rivage to play.  Check for golf packages with the resort for your best deal.  We were both able to play and stay for a little over $400 total.  An incredible value.

View from the 19th Hole

Saturated with oak, pecan and magnolia trees, Fallen Oak is an expertly manicured piece of paradise alongside the DeSoto National Forest just outside Biloxi.  Players are treated like members at this private course available to the public when staying at the Beau Rivage.  (Note: The course is about 20 minutes north of the resort.)  Fallen Oak is the Sister Course to the highly acclaimed Shadow Creek of Las Vegas.  Water meanders throughout in the form of streams, lakes, and wetlands and fairways have as much spring as the greens.  Fallen Oak is a welcome escape from reality. 

Through our Lens: click to view 



Our Round 

Tucked in the backwoods of South Mississippi, you'll find Shadow Creek's sister course, Fallen Oak.  A break in the leggy pines of the DeSoto National Forest give way to a commanding gated entry.  You'll be buzzed in for your round, and from that point you are in the caring hands of Fallen Oak staff.  Two gentlemen greet us at the clubhouse: one to take our car and the other to guide us into the clubhouse.  With my Denny's coffee in hand, I immediately felt I was living a dichotomy.  Someone took our shoes to the locker room attendant, while we were greeted in the pro shop to check in.  Never have I been so nicely referred to as Mrs. Anderson, as I was within 15 minutes of my arrival at Fallen Oak.  Notably, we were the first to arrive at the course this morning, so all hands were on deck for us.

Our shoes were cleaned and powdered before our arrival to the locker room.  The men's locker room adorned the names of some familiar faces: Michael Jordan, Tom Lehman, Larry the Cable Guy, Jason Dufner, Emmit Smith, Kyle Orton, Clyde Drexler, Paul Azinger, Willie Mays, Eli Manning, and George Gervin.  Coffee and tea are waiting in the grill, and you might even want to grab a signature spicy Bloody Mary.  You'll quickly learn all staff at Fallen Oak have a pairing sheet, so they know better than you where you should be at any given time.

Like our previous round at TPC Louisiana, this course is playing host to a major event in the near future.  Fallen Oak is host to the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic in about a week.  As such, the course conditions are prime, and stands are poised throughout the course.

The range, chipping, and putting areas are sizable and well-maintained.  The putting green is freshly rolled and has the spring of a basketball court.  Putts are rolling as if it were glass, and there's a fair amount more undulation than meets the eye.  The care and hospitality at Fallen Oak is akin to that of Sea Island.

The quintessential photo opportunity of Fallen Oak sits at the first tee.  A stream squiggles to the left of the tees and fairway as it doglegs left into a larger pond.  This pond, per the sign along the green, is home to Hogan the crocodile.  It was still a bit chilly at the start of our round (I piled on four layers up top), so my guess is Hogan was staying warm out of our view.


We quickly found there is rarely a flat lie in the fairways of this course, and if there's water present, it's likely the fairway will slope you toward it.  The bounce in the fairways and greens demand accuracy in your approach.  However, a missed approach to a green won't often land you off the green.  You can anticipate your ball to roll quite a bit from where you intended it, but the skirting around each green is enough to keep you hanging on.


I won't be the first to note playing at Fallen Oak makes you feel as though you have the whole place to yourself.  I know there were a fair number of people teeing off after us, but the course is spread out nicely so that you'll rarely see another group during your round.  The tone at Fallen Oak is extremely peaceful.  If it's a windy day, as it was for us, you'll see it come into play more in the front nine than the back.  The back is more guarded by trees, and the elevation changes help to break the breeze.

Fallen Oak is worth the trip, and certainly a special place.  While we don't intend on frequenting the Mississippi coast, we'll certainly make time to come back to Fallen Oak at some point.
              

Scoreboard

2015-16, America's 100 Greatest Public Courses (#36), Golf Digest
2015-16, Best Golf Courses in Mississippi (#1), Golf Digest
2014, Top 100 Courses You Can Play (#30), GOLF Magazine
2009-10, America's 100 Greatest Public Courses (#18), Golf Digest


Professional Play


Expert Commentary

2012 Dec 6, Fallen Oak, LINKS Magazine

2012 March 21, Champion's Tour Favorite: Fallen Oak in Biloxi, Golf Channel

2009 Dec 3, Fallen Oak Golf Club in Saucier, Mississippi focuses on extra amenties, Travel Golf


Beyond the 19th Hole

You'll be staying at the Beau Rivage in order to play at Fallen Oak, so plan to spend some time in the casino or at one of the many restaurants in the hotel.  If the weather is nice, you can walk the beach in Biloxi, or enjoy a minor league baseball game at the adjacent MGM Park.


Scorecard


Saturday, March 19, 2016

TPC Louisiana - Avondale, Louisiana

Can you find the pin?  Heavily guarded greens.

Official Website: tpc.com/tpc-louisiana


Course Architect

Pete Dye

First Teed Off

2004


Rating

Slope

Yardage

Par

76.3
139739972


Rates of Passage

$109-$229
Range use, cart, and greens fees.  Does not include tax.

Bunkers as far as the eye can see

View from the 19th Hole

A wetland set along the Mississippi River, TPC Louisiana is something of a nature preserve.  Cypress and 103 bunkers that stretch the length of the fairway at times, make for a traditional setting with its fair share of challenge anytime you step outside the fairway.  We played in the high season and wouldn't deem it worthy of the over $500 price tag for the two of us to play, however it's a very nice track.

Through our Lens: Click to view 


Our Round 

Set in a rural area of Louisiana, a golf statue leads you off the highway to the entrance of TPC Louisiana.  It's quite possibly the birthplace of the mantra "a diamond in the rough."  Weather certainly wasn't our friend, and the course was pretty quiet as a result.  We'll assume that's why hospitality was lacking.  We felt a sense of being in the way in most aspects from loading our clubs, check-in for our round, and food and beverage service after finishing.  We weren't able to use the range due to the excessive rain they've had as of late, and there were "kids hanging out" at the chipping area, so we were told to stray from there as well.  It's a not a huge deal, but at this price tag, an opportunity to warm up seems a given.

We had a steamy start for our first hole before the blustery drizzle set in for the following seventeen holes.  There's a great deal of wildlife throughout the track, and we were fortunate to see a couple gators skimming through the water on the backside of three.  Bunkers abound, and the most notable was that of number 15.  The bunker stretches nearly 200 of the 500 yards this par 4 commands.  Interestingly, the bunkers are all lined with tiny islands of grass through their centers.  The green dapples appeared to serve as a drainage aid, however they could provide you more of a challenge, or a nice deck for your out depending on where your errant shot may fall.  Pot bunkers are set in some prime positions throughout the middle of fairways, and almost always guard the greens.

Our wettest round on record.
Overall, the course had a great design, and there was a fair amount of undulation throughout all aspects of the course.  Even so, the course was still playable, and the undulation didn't make for a frustrating round.  Dye incorporated three short par-4s that allow you to attack the course, while intermixing some long par-4 and -5s that were tough to reach.

The course will plays host to the annual PGA Tour Zurich Classic about a month after our round (last week of April).  Therefore, the course was in great shape, and we can't wait to catch a glimpse of how the pros attack their round in comparison to our play.

Locals can play this great Dye design at a steep discount, as compared to the daily rate.  Memberships with unlimited Monday through Friday play are available for $1800.  Similarly, they offer a NOLA card that enables the user to deeply discounted greens fees.  It actually would have cost us less for our round to buy the NOLA card and just play once.  Locals rejoice.

Scoreboard

2016, Best State-by-State Courses You Can Play (#2), Golfweek
2015-16, The Best Golf Courses in Louisiana (#5), Golf Digest
2015, Best State-by-State Courses You Can Play (#4), Golfweek
2012, America's 100 Greatest Public Courses (#99), Golf Digest
2004, Best Upscale Public Course (#4), Golf Digest


Professional Play


Expert Commentary



St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square

Beyond the 19th Hole

A half hour outside the bustling bayou of New Orleans, TPC Louisiana is an easy addend to your stay in the French Quarter.

We enjoyed a great bike tour of the Garden District through Free Wheelin' Bike Tours.  It's a local, family-owned business from tour guides who've grown up in NOLA.  Furthermore, it's nice to stretch your legs and get some fresh air.  While it's not a star-gazer tour, we had the opportunity to see where Mark Twain spent time, in addition to the stomping grounds of Sandra Bullock, Kathy Bates, John Goodman, and the Mannings (of football fame).  Shuffle through the old Lafayette Cemetery No. 1, the final resting place of those afflicted with malaria and yellow fever back in the early days of the French.  

The French Quarter
Good food of the cajun variety and beyond abound in this town.  We enjoyed the following:

Breakfast



Lunch
Oysters at Acme




Dinner

  • SoBou, outside the W Hotel– offering inspired craft cocktails and menu items
  • Tujague's, Creole eats and fun drinks near Jackson Square 
  • Emeril's Delmonico, unique offerings near the edge of the Garden District and CBD

The Carousel Bar is another fun place to eat, drink, and be merry as you spin.  Located in the Hotel Monteleone. 

Scorecard




Friday, February 12, 2016

Streamsong Red + Blue - Fort Meade, Florida

Official Website: streamsongresort.com


Course Architects

Tom Doak (Blue) | Bill Coore + Ben Crenshaw (Red)

First Teed Off

January 26, 2013


Rating

Slope

Yardage

Par

Blue: 74.1
131
7176 yards
72
Red: 74.2
130
7148 yards
72


Rates of Passage

$85-255, Walking Rate: includes greens fees and use of practice areas.

Caddies available for an additional fee.

Cost dependent on season and whether you stay at the resort.  Stay and play packages typically available.

View from the 19th Hole

Carved by phosphate miners of yesteryear on what was once ocean floor, this sand-laden paradise is unlike anything in Florida or the US.  An intricate mosaic of dunes, plunging waterways, and rolling links fairways, Streamsong blends some of the best aspects of golf courses from around the world into this magical spot in central Florida.  In fact, everything about this course leads you to believe you're somewhere other than Florida.  The Black course, rumored to roll even more so than its predecessors, is set to open in fall 2017.  While Red typically ranks just above Blue, we're hard pressed to award a winner.  Both tout their own personality.  I'd say Blue is a little nicer to look at with more challenging greens, however Red demands precision on your tee shots.  

The course is only played on foot this time of year, so pack your most comfortable golf shoes.  Really craving that golf cart experience?  Carts are allowed during the summer season.  Caddies are available, but be prepared to have cash on hand.  Your caddy fee and gratuities are payable directly to the caddy on the completion of the round.  Caddies run $80-100, plus gratuities.

The intended direction of the courses isn't abundantly clear, as there aren't paths at all points, some holes are spread apart, nor are the hole markers always visible.  For this reason, a first timer will need to keep up with the group ahead or enlist the help of a caddy.

Through Our Lens: click to indulge


Our Round

Adventures in Traveling (idle ranting)

One bolt shy of takeoff
Either we have bad travel mojo, or traveling is just cursed for everyone.  This trip was originally planned for October.  A broken hand for my better half had us scrambling to reschedule less than a week out.  Enter February.  We booked direct flights to Orlando in order to circumvent any unforeseen snow-related travel delays.  It's the perfect plan: 7am flight to Orlando, hour or so drive to Streamsong, and on the tee at 1pm.  Our plans so great, we can probably even grab lunch before we tee off.  I'm thrilled to report our pre-flight inspection was completed satisfactorily, and in doing so they found a bolt missing from a landing gear door.  No big deal, right?  We'll the mechanic called in sick.  There are others, right?  Sure.  Turns out they don't have this magical bolt in stock, so it will be coming on the 10am flight from Chicago.  Our 7am flight is now, at best, an 11am flight.  Scratch that 1pm tee time.  Meanwhile, the snow that has been absent from Columbus all winter has now decided to arrive with some vengeance.  We will sit, wait, and laugh because what else can you do? I'm convinced travel would be a smoother experience for us if we didn't plan with such precision.

Update: It's 11:30am and now we've done away with time updates.  Our dear gate agents know nothing.  We've cancelled our tee time for today.  However, we did book a reservation for dinner at the resort's Sotto Terra restaurant.  I've read mouthwatering reviews of their meatball appetizer.  (Read: We've been up since 4am, and we're hungry.) 


The only (literal) sign you've made it.
Keep driving another couple miles to reach the lodge. 
We finally arrived at the remote resort around 6pm.  It's no exaggeration this mecca is in the middle of nowhere.  We check in just in time to watch the sun dip beneath the dunes.  Tomorrow will be a better day!

Know Before You Go


The bye hole.  It's the 19th, 37th, and deal breaker shot of the courses.
The range is located near the front side of the clubhouse, so you'll hitch a ride from the tunnel underneath the clubhouse to get there.  At the range, there is a putting green and chipping area, but there is also another sizable green to access just outside the back of the clubhouse before each of the first tees.

The 19th hole.  There's a legitimate 19th hole here.  Or maybe it's a 37th hole.  The 150 yard, par 3's intent is to settle any outstanding bets from the prior round(s). 

Streamsong reminds us of Tobacco Road, sans the tall pines, or Wolf Creek. Goose, our caddy for the Red course, compares it to Whistling Straits or Bandon Dunes.  Keep your eyes peeled for ocean treasures.  While we weren't so fortunate, many find shark teeth scattered in the sand during their round.  

Red


We are the first tee time this morning, but at a balmy 35º F, there is a frost delay.  We end up teeing off just an hour shy our original tee time.  The sun is high in the sky, and our caddies are eager to roll.
No. 1

Tougher than Blue's starting hole, Red jumps out the gate with a bang: a 474 yard, par 4 with a carry over water.  Dunes flank the fairway below, as you'll venture down before climbing back up for the green.  It's a tough par.  The second and third are more reasonable.  Two is a par 5, dogleg right and three, a 404 yard par 4.  You might find, like many holes at Streamsong, three plays a bit longer than it promises.
Water on No. 2 shouldn't come into play.
Development of Streamsong Black Course visible at back left. 

The fourth hole is an exciting, drivable par 4 with an extremely wide and forgiving fairway.  As you consider your attack plan, don't mind the sizable, inverted bunker hanging out directly in front of the green.  Its green is similar to many at Streamsong in that it bears an extreme ridge throughout the back that will shift your approach shot, regardless of which direction you come in.  All the more reason Goose, our caddy, was a key asset at this juncture.

Five is a narrow par 4, where all the risk is on the right–water that hugs the edge all the way to the green. Greenside bunkers hug the back and right sides of the green. Playing your shot along the left side is helpful since this hole slopes left to right. The 203 yard, par 3, sixth hole steps up the challenge and visual interest factor with water features and prominent dunes.   

Overlooking No. 7
Do yourself a favor on seven, and take the steps up to the tips even if you're not playing from them.  It's a pretty spectacular view (see above).  While this hole features a large green, its fair share of expansive bunkers guards it. Seven is a straightforward par 5, leading to the par 3 eighth, riddled with sand bunkers and waste areas. Nine is a short par four with a steady climb to the green.  It's another risk-reward drivable green like four.  Be sure to stop for a barbecue sandwich if your stomach is starting to talk. After all, you're burning it off with all that walking.

Big ol' greens everywhere you turn
Ten through twelve are all lengthy par fours averaging out at nearly 475 yards on each.  Utilize your driver to cut through the wind and help climb the seemingly endless uphill fairways.  Fortunately, all have substantial greens.  Of note, the approach shot on twelve has woods at the front left, water at back right, and sand everywhere in between.  Goose wasn't exaggerating when he mentioned the back nine would be longer and more challenging.

The thirteenth relents a bit, as it's a 526 yard par 5.  Your tee shot requires a carry over water, and a long bunker runs about 200 yards down the right side of the fairway.  At Streamsong, you'll find comfort in landing somewhere in the greenspace, regardless of where that may be.  Otherwise you and your wedges will be getting some quality time from the sand and native grasses you're undoubtedly in.

Aim high on fifteen
The par 3 fourteenth, at a 176 yards, doesn't seem all that miserable, but the green is guarded by four bunkers marking the cardinal directions, with the green at their center. So remember, just land it in that green space...  

Fifteen is a forgiving, 474 yard par 4, with a smaller, kidney-shaped green sloping away as you approach.

Par 3 sixteenth of Red.  Enjoy a peek back at Blue's No. 7 (at right) from the tees. 
Sixteen is a stunner.  This picturesque par three has a 173 yard carry over water and plunging greenside bunkers.  With the center 208 yards from the tee, and the back edge 241 yards away, you'd think you have a fair amount of space to work with.  However, this green waves down from top to the water.  You have a great view to your right of the signature seventh of Blue and the clubhouse from this tee box sharing the same water.

Seventeen is a reasonable par 4 best suited for a smaller wood or hybrid off the tee.  A nice layup will help keep you out of trouble.  Eighteen is a 518 yard, par 5 that's reachable, and seems somewhat easy in comparison to what you've encountered at this point.  You still have a bit of a walk to the clubhouse from this eighteen, as it doesn't play right into the clubhouse like Blue. 

Teeing off at seventeen

Blue


360º views from the first tee

Blue starts short and ends long.  You'll find the first tee perched upon a dune.  Leave your bag at the bottom of the hill because you'll be breathless at it is making it to the top of this sand laden hill.  Our starter, Fred, gave us a lay of the land from this tee box, the highest point on the course.  From here, you can see the lodge, both courses and, in the distance, workers actively carving sand at the future home of the Streamsong Black course set to open in fall 2017.  It's a great way to start your round, with the elevated tee making it easy to see what's ahead.  The green is guarded by aptly placed bunkers, requiring precision in your approach shot.

Tees at three
Two is a long dogleg right par 5, retaining the same strategically placed bunkers alongside the green.  This hole is the first of many that seem to be an expanse of rolling green fairway.  Three is a gem, requiring a tee shot over wetlands, navigation around sizeable bunkers, and a meaningful elevation change up to the green with significant slopes surrounding the hole.  Get used to it– there's fifteen more.  If not for the seventh hole (more to come on that) the fourth might be the most memorable hole.  Just standing on the tee makes you wince at the challenge of your approach shot.  The hole itself is not that long, at 442 yards from the green tees, but your approach shot seems to scale a sand wall whether you're approaching from the left or right.  You really can't tell what lies above either.  You're just hoping for the best, and enjoying the spectacular view.  We both hit long, but the advantage at Streamsong is there's only one cut.  The fairways and greens, while different types of grass, are all the same length.  Therefore, landing outside the green doesn't penalize you as much as one might typically assume.

Grass, sand, hills.  Repeat.
Five is the first par 3, and a welcome respite after the climb of four.  I'm proud to say my shot, not by design, somehow caught the perfect line on the left of the green and rolled all the way to the right-side pin placement, making for an easy putt.  Don't go long on this one, or you'll find your ball over the ridgeline at the back, buried below in the native grasses and plunging bunkers. 

On 6: still longing for
that hole-in-one
Six is a par four dogleg right.  For us, the noteworthy aspect of this hole was the fact Shawn almost eagled his approach shot.  

Up a little hill, and we're staring at the signature seventh.  With the exception of the forward tees, all the tees work from an elevated plane.  The 195 yard reach from the tips gives it a little bite.  The water is easy enough to clear, but a short approach will land you in a deep greenside bunker.  Going long will land you in the tall dune covered in native grasses.  The descent to the bridge on this hole is pretty steep, so you best hope there's plenty of gravel to keep your feet from coming out under you.  Don't forget: you, a caddy, or walking cart, is holding your bag.  Having that weight behind or in front of you can make you feel like you're mid-avalanche.  Be prepared to climb back out of the seventh hole as you ascend to number eight.

Tee shots at No. 7
Eight is a par 4 featuring a wetland patch near the green, where we spied a couple turtles at play.  There's a great deal of wildlife at Streamsong, including gators, bald eagle, and turtles.  We saw a bald eagle and some gator ridges going through the waterways, but the colder weather kept most of those friends in hiding. 

Nine is L-O-N-G.  It would be tough to miss your tee shot on this hole, even though you have no perspective on where you're headed.  The fairway seems to stretch in all directions, and the climb required after your tee shot is another one that just seems to keep reaching.
The start of nine.  Same bunkers at top right of this photo and photo below.
Perspective on how massive everything is at Streamsong.

Like the Energizer bunny, nine just keeps going, and going, and going...

Pit stop: The halfway house on Blue features grouper tacos for those craving a mid-round binge. 

Greenside on eleven
The back nine surprisingly opens with a short par 3.  Have no fear; eleven quickly makes up for the short yardage, as it's the first of many monstrous par fours on the back nine.  I'm not sure if there was a sudden change in weather for us, or if it's just the lay of the land at this point of the course, but there was a noticeable uptick in the wind coming straight at you from this juncture.  Twelve is no exception, as it's a long far four with a headwind–the difference being a required carry over water and bunkers for your approach shot.

Thirteen sends you down before climbing back toward the green.  Don't miss left, as I did, or you'll find yourself at the bottom of a very deep bunker.  Shawn raked me out, as I'm not sure I would be able to get enough loft to save myself otherwise.  On our walk to fourteen, we had our first gator siting.  Shawn spotted his dinosaur-like ridges swimming through the adjacent pond.  

Sand guarding bunkers at 14 and requiring a carry off the tees at 15.
Fourteen is a dogleg right that eventually stretches out and up in front of you with water to the right, and a hill to your left.  It wasn't an excessively long par 5, at 523 yards, however it seemed to play like it was six hundred yards.  Fifteen coiled back, over bunkers that both guarded fourteen's green, and provided a challenge for the tips of fifteen's tees.  It "might" be the only straightforward hole on this eighteen.  

Climb a la number 9 on seventeen.
Surprisingly, sixteen was a long par 3, especially with the wind.  Shawn used his 230 yard club from the black tees, and was pin high just off the side of the green.  If you aren't gassed at this point, the great stretch of seventeen will be your nail in the coffin.  It's marked by two fairway bunkers, each in excess of a 40 yard carry for your second shot.  If you can successfully navigate the sand, the elevation change is about 45º up to the green.

Eighteen rolls you back into the clubhouse, but not before dropping it's famished golfers into another valley flanked with its own share of bunkers.  The walk up the fairway is marked by the clubhouse, thoughtfully framed by two dunes towering along each side.  It's this lasting image that will remain in your memory, and remind you, "Yeah this [tall sand dunes and a minimalist attitude] is exactly what this course is all about."
18 headed into the clubhouse.  Mount at left is climb to first tee on Blue.  Yes, those are tiny people climbing up the hill.


Scoreboard


2015, Top 100 Courses in the US (Red #47, Blue #56),  GOLF Magazine
2015, Best Courses You Can Play | By State (Red #2, Blue #3), Golfweek
2015, America's 100 Greatest Public Courses (Red #18, Blue #24), Golf Digest
2015, Best Public Courses in Florida (Red #1, Blue #3), Golf Digest
2015, America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses (Red #100), Golf Digest
2014, Best Resort Courses for 2015 (Red #12, Blue #14), Golfweek
2014, Top 100 Courses You Can Play in the US (Red #12, Blue #16), GOLF Magazine

Expert Commentary


2015 July 15, From Phosphate Mine to Golf ResortWUSF News
2014 December 11, Buddy This!Golf Digest

Beyond the 19th Hole

Lodging


Clubhouse at Streamsong
You can find many an article regaling the accommodations at Streamsong.  Options include: 12 guest rooms at the clubhouse, or 216 guest rooms at the Lodge.  Our basic rooms was spacious and overly appointed, leaving me to wonder what the suites offer.  The premium to stay at the clubhouse might just be worth it, seeing as though it's pretty intimate over there.  The on-site restaurant, Restaurant Fifty-Nine is open for all three meals, so you'll never have to leave, except to walk out back for your round.  However, complementary shuttles are prevalent around the resort, so getting to and from each location isn't a problem once you're on site. 

Looking toward Red from the clubhouse back porch.

Dining


The bevy of culinary options contrasts those of the typical clubhouse or resort experience.  While we didn't have the time to sample everything, we're confident it's all pretty spectacular from what we did try.  If it gives you any indication, Streamsong is a place where tap water is referred to as "house water" and fries aren't included with your club sandwich.  As someone who ate at Denny's at Streamsong in the same day, I feel it's my civic duty to help others avoid culture shock.


Scorecards