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KAXE Programs - Diamonds
in the Rough
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Occasionally on
the Morning Show Thursdays at 8:40am
Diamonds in the Rough is
the only golf show on public radio in the
United States. John Bauer and Bogey Bob
Cahill cover the Minnesota golf scene and
beyond interviewing the games top names both
professional and amateur, discuss the latest
equipment and feature an in depth review of
golf course across the United States and
beyond. |
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| Golf Courses |
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BANDON
DUNES REVIEW
 For
most golfers the ultimate dream
vacation would be Scotland.
Where pot bunkers, gorse,
firm fairways, and strong
winds force you to play a game you
are unfamiliar with.
You don't have to head
overseas to experience putting from
60 yards out, hitting backwards out
of a bunker or hitting a 5-iron from
120 yards?
All you have to do is head
down the coast of Oregon to a
golfing destination that's second to
none . . . Bandon Dunes.
Imagine playing
four golf courses at one location
that are in the top 15 of the Top
100 Courses You Can Play ranked by
Golf magazine.
Whether it's Bandon Dunes
perched on a bluff high above the
Pacific Ocean designed by Scotsman
David McLay Kidd; Tom Doak's
windswept masterpiece of sand and
sea Pacific Dunes; sprawling
meadows, coastal forests and sand
dunes of Bandon Trails uncovered by
Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw; or the
C.B. Macdonald inspired masterpiece
Old Macdonald created by Tom Doak
and Jim Urbina . . . this is how
golf is meant to be played!
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 Don't
expect lush, perfectly manicured
conditions and hitting soft wedges
that stop on a dime.
Expect links style golf which
means brownish fairways and roughs,
sand traps with rough edges and
greens that won't scare you with
their speed but mystify you with
their subtle undulation and
frustrate you with reading the
brake.
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 There
is no need to feature any specific
holes because they are all
spectacular and will take your
breath away.
Make sure you take the time
to enjoy every second of your walk .
. .
you may not be fortunate enough to
go back!
There are two things I would
recommend to make your walk a
pleasant one.
Bring rain gloves and buy a
Bandon Dunes Bucket Hat.
I'm not telling you it's
going to rain, but if it does, you
will be ready.
I think you should also buy
one of the beautiful prints of golf
holes of Bandon Dunes in the pro
shop.
Why?
Because if you never return,
that photo will remind you of how
lucky you were to play there. |
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 The
resort offers varying lodging
options to fit your needs.
When it's time to golf you
can either be picked up by a shuttle
or walk to the course(s) of your
dreams.
After a golf, make sure you
visit McKee's Pub for a microbrew or
Scoth and don't forget to order
Grandma's Meatloaf.
You won't regret it!
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WHISTLING STRAITS REVIEW
The anticipation of seeing Whistling
Straits for the very first time
consumes you as you enter the front
gate and drive down the winding road
to the bag drop.
Once there, you are greeted
by what seems to be hundreds of
caddies dressed in their white
overhauls waiting to take you on a
once-in-a-lifetime journey.
Legendary course
architect Pete Dye claimed to "apply
every trick he learned" into
building Whistling Straits.
My advice to you, bring
you're your own bag of tricks and
listen to your because you're going
to need both of them.
This course isn't for the
faint at heart.
With over a 1,000 sand traps
(999 if you're Dustin Johnson), fast
undulating greens and strong winds,
you have to be ready.
At first glance down the first tee
you think you were on a different
planet, perhaps the moon. You will
ask yourself, "How the hell did they
build this thing?"
Pete Dye did it by moving
over 1,000,000 yards of dirt and
studying courses like North Berwick
and Royal Dornoch in Scotland.
Mixing that with breathtaking
views of Lake Michigan and you have
a public course that has held a U.S.
Open, PGA Championship and in 2020 a
Ryder Cup.
The course is very
hard and so is the ground so bring
your best shoes because you have to
walk. If the wind blows you will
have a difficult time ... trust me.
Reading the greens is nearly
impossible without the help of your
caddie.
If your caddie proves he can
read the subtle breaks on the greens
for the first few holes ... trust
him/her the rest of the way.
"Don't
keep score, just add them up at the
end of the day."
That's what they say in
Scotland and I highly recommend you
do the same.
You will experience the wind
in your face, sand traps like you've
never seen before, greens that
confuse the eye and club selection
issues beyond your imagination.
One thing you can count on if
you play the correct tees, you'll
have the time of your life.
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PINEHURST
They say you can feel the spirit of Donald
Ross on Pinehurst #2.
I couldn't agree more.
Pinehurst #2 is the masterpiece of
Donald Ross and his roughly 400 golf course
designs in North America.
After all, it's hosted more major
championships than any other United States
golf course.
What's so special about playing Pinehurst,
specifically #2, is that the fairways are
generous and you won't lose many golf balls.
However, you had better bring your "A
Game" when you approach and putt their
renowned crowned greens.
Do you remember John Daly hitting his
moving ball after failing twice to putt his
ball onto the 8th green?
They drove him completely nuts and
they will you as well if you aren't ready.
On nearly all the holes, if you don't keep
your approach within a 5-yard radius of the
pin, your ball can easily roll down to the
bottom of a tightly shaved collection area
or worse yet, a bunker.
Bring your 60 degree sand wedge
along. You getting the picture?
Driving up the inclined oval driveway gives
you goose bumps.
Once there you are asked your tee
time and course you are playing.
You are directed to the club house
and informed that your clubs will be waiting
for you.
After leaving the Pro Shop you head
downstairs where the caddie master directs
you to your cart or assigned caddie, the
gigantic putting green and the driving.
Expect to ask questions because there
are 5 world class courses right in front of
your eyes.
All the courses at Pinehurst are beautiful
but #2 must be played at least once for
historical value alone.
The constantly swirling winds, tall
pines, white sand and greens make it a real
challenge to shoot your handicap.
It's a fine example of classic golf
and know that when you are putting these
greens you need to remember that Donald Ross
and crew used teams of mules to build them.
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