DSG's Affordabili-TEES

DSG at Day 1 of the Cleveland Golf Show

2012-02-17T19:27:00.000-08:00

The sun was shining....the temperature was (for mid-February) a balmy 42 degrees...a man's thoughts turned to tees, greens and fairways in between.

Perfect conditions, I surmised, to go to the I-X Center in Cleveland to check out Day 1 of the Cleveland Golf Show.

The aisles on the exhibition floor were full of bargain-hunters and other folks anxious to immerse themselves again in all things golf. Exhibitors include: merchandisers of golf equipment, clothes, bag, shoes and gadgets of all sorts; golf courses and resorts from our area and surrounding states; companies offering reasonably-priced golf vacation packages. And, of course, there are practice areas where golfers of all sizes and stripes can experience the sweet sensation of club face colliding with ball.

I gave myself three hours to roam the floor. The primary objective was to make contacts with folks representing affordable golf destinations that could be subjects of upcoming profiles in this space.

These plans could change at a moment's notice, but it appears the "Affordabili-TEES'' trip in March will carry me along the I-65 corridor through southern Tennessee and Alabama. Looking forward to that big-time.

Looking forward to another season of fairways and greens!

On this video highlights package, check out the duds on Concord Township resident and area golf pro/TV host Jimmy Hanlin.

"Affordabili-TEES'' pro Bryan Huff: Drive for show AND dough

2011-08-19T13:34:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of good feelings on the golf course, but none much better than ripping a great drive down the intended line into the short grass.

In this three-part series, teaching pro Bryan Huff breaks down the basics of solid technique with the driver. He offers pointers on swing plane, ball position in the stance and body rotation.

This series was shot at Little Mountain Country Club in Concord Township.

Bryan is an instructor at the Jimmy Hanlin Golf School, operating out of LMCC's sister course, StoneWater Golf Club in Highland Heights.

To book a lesson with Bryan, call 440-382-5305. His rates are $40 for 30 minutes, $75 for one hour and $200 for three hours. He also offers a special rate for younger players, ages 23 and under.

"DSG's Affordabili-TEES'' spotlight: Garland Lodge & Resort

2011-07-24T12:39:00.000-07:00

Where:

4700 North Red Oak Road, Lewiston, Michigan 49756

Courses, par, yardages: Fountains, 72, 4,617 to 6,760

Monarch, 72, 4.904 to 7,166

Reflections, 72, 4,713 to 6,373

Swampfire, 72, 4,791 to 6,854

Stay-and-play packages: Ranging from $117 to $277 (per person, double occupancy, weekdays).

Phone: 989-786-2211

Website: www.garlandusa.com

The "Pure Michigan'' media golf trip ended on a decidedly upbeat note with a two-night stay at Garland Lodge and Resort.

With four championship-caliber courses, a range of lodging choices, natural beauty and welcoming atmosphere, it's no wonder that Garland has a large, loyal following among golfers and vacationers in Michigan and nearby states.

Upon entering the grounds, your eyes settle on the main lodge, billed as the largest wood-log structure east of the Mississippi River. If you are staying in the main lodge or South Wing, as our group did, you are within east walking distance of the dining areas, pro shop, staging area for golf carts, practice range and putting green.

The grounds lend themselves to exploration, carrying guests on paths to the outdoor pool and hot tub as well as gardens and fountains.

DSG went 36 holes at Garland on a toasty-warm day last week, playing the Swampfire and Fountains courses. Both were challenging and pleasing to the eyes. The greens were slick and contoured.

At various points of the day, I had the pleasure of sharing a cart with Director of Guest Services Susan Miesch and Director of Sales Johna Hewes. Both ladies are terrific golfers and effective spokeswomen for Garland, which has a year-round slate of activities.

It's about a six-hour drive from Northeast Ohio to Garland. There will be more details about Garland's golf and other attractions in a feature story that will run in the Travel section of The News-Herald on Sunday, Aug. 14.

"DSG's Affordabili-TEES'' spotlight: Forest Dunes Golf Club

2011-07-23T19:54:00.000-07:00

Course: Forest Dunes Golf Club

Where: 6376 Forest

Dunes Dr., Roscommon, MI 48653

Par, yardages: 72; 5,032 to 7,141 (four sets of tees)

Stay-and-play packages: $269 (per person, per night); Monday and Tuesday, $319 special, 2 nights lodging, unlimited golf, four persons.

Phone: 866-386-3764

Website: www.forestdunesgolf.com

It's always best to go easy on the superlatives.

Otherwise, you cheapen the impact when they are justified.

I'm perfectly comforable throwing around superlatives when it comes to Forest Dunes Golf Club.

Designed by Tom Weiskopf and open since 2000, Forest Dunes is a great golf course. Tree-lined on the front nine and links-y on the inward nine, it's a feast for the eyes and a stern but fair test of your game.

Yes, it's off the beaten track in upstate Michigan, about 2 1/2 hours north of Detroit and six hours from Northeast Ohio.

Is it worth the long-ish ride to pit your game against Weiskopf's design? In my opinion, heck yes.

The price of stay-and-play packages at Forest Dunes puts those packages at the outside edge of the "Affordabili-TEES'' envelope. But there is real value in them, from the super-sharp houses on site where stay-and-players stay to a truly special golf course.

I'll share more thoughts about Forest Dunes in a story that will run on Aug. 14 in the Travel section of The News-Herald.

DSG's Affordabili-TEES spotlight: Lakewood Shores Resort

2011-07-22T20:44:00.000-07:00

DSG's Affordabili-TEES spotlight: Lakewood Shores Resort

Where:

7751 Cedar Lake Rd., Oscoda, Michigan 48750

Courses: The Gailes, par 72, 5,246 yards to 6,954 yards.

Blackshire, par 72, 4,936 yards to 6,898 yards

Serradella, 5,295 yards to 6,806 yards

Wee Links, par-3 course, 18 holes, holes 50 to 105 yards.

Stay-and-play packages: $203 (per person, 2 nights) to $401 (per person, 4 nights)

Phone: 989-739-2073; 1-800-883-2493

Websites: www.lakewoodshores.com

www.oscoda.com, Oscoda Convention and Visitors Bureau

In this hyper-connected world, it does a body good to “go off the grid’’ every now and then.

Go off the grid to play good golf courses at great prices, and in short order, it won’t bother you a bit that your cell phone is silent.

That’s how I felt after spending two days at Lakewood Shores Resort in upstate Michigan on what’s called the “Sunrise Coast.’’

This low-key resort on the west shore of Lake Huron features three 18-hole courses, a really cool par-3 course, comfortable lodging, good food and outstanding hospitality.

It’s a 375-mile drive from the center of Lake County to the driveway at Lakewood Shores. Quite by design, the place isn’t posh. I was told it’s a favorite destination of middle-class vacationers from Detroit, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Flint, Grand Rapids and other downstate urban areas.

And it isn’t just affordable golf that brings folks up to Oscoda-AuSable River area. Dotting the west shore of Lake Huron on the drive up Route 23 are individual cottages and cottage communities that are the epitome of “cozy.’’

The three courses at Lakewood are as different as they are challenging. Gailes is a links course with a seaside feel. Blackshire blends a traditional tree-lined layout with large sand and waste areas. Serradella is relatively open with less trouble than its two sister courses but extremely challenging greens. Wee Links is behind the 72-unit main lodge.

Lakewood Shores will appeal to golfers who love a bargain and don’t mind a long drive through open country. I wasn’t sure what I thought about the place at first, but the more I was there, the more I liked it and the more I appreciated being off the grid.

If you like to mix fishing and other outdoor, water-related activities, check out the Oscoda Convention and Visitors Bureau website. Renting one of those lakefront cottages for a week would be intriguing.

There wlll be more about Lakewood Shores, its courses, its interesting history and out-in-the-country ambience in an upcoming Travel feature story in The News-Herald. The scheduled run date is Aug. 14.

DSG's Affordabili-TEES spotlight: Upstate Michigan trip

2011-07-21T11:38:00.000-07:00

Courses: Lakewood Shores, Oscoda, MI; Forest Dunes, Roscommon, MI; Garland, Lewiston, MI

Websites: www.lakewoodshores.com; www.forestdunesgolf.com; www.garlandusa.com

The weather was hot and the golf courses first-rate as DSG participated in a media travel trip to upstate Michigan. We started out at the Gailes and Blackshire courses at Lakewood Shores Resort. From there, it was on to Roscommon and Forest Dunes Golf Club, a Tom Weiskopf design. The trip ended at Garland Resort & Spa, where we played two of its four courses.

In days to come, we'll do detailed blogs on each location. Also, there will be an overall feature piece running on The News-Herald's Travel page on Aug. 14.

DSG's Affordabili-TEES spotlight: Hershey Golf Collection

2011-07-16T22:26:00.000-07:00

Courses: Hershey Country Club East and West, Hershey Links, Spring Creek (9 holes)

Where:

1000 East Derry Road, Hershey, Pa., 17033

Par, yardages: East, 72, 5,645 to 7,115; West, 73, 5,276 to 6,860; Links, 72, 5,335 to 7,009; Spring Creek, 1,701 to 2,125

Greens fees: See story for information on stay-and-play packages

Phone: 1-717-533-2360; 1-800-437-7439

Website: www.hersheygolfcollection.com

A couple of months ago, I was invited to Hershey, Pa., aka "The Sweetest Place on Earth,'' to play the Hershey Country Club East Course as part of a media preview for the PGA Professional National Championship.

It was my first visit to Hershey, home of the internationally famous chocolate company, but it will not be the last.

I made the trip with good friend George Sweda, the retired golf writer from the Plain Dealer. George, a Concord Township resident, is a member of several golf Halls of Fame. George may not know everybody in the golf world, but there aren't many places in the continental U.S. where George doesn't know someone.

With the media event in Hershey as a "tent pole,'' we turned the trip into a four-day tour of the Hershey-Harrisburg-Lancaster area. Gettysburg and its many historical attractions are in the same area, but we didn't have time to visit there. We will next time, I assure you.

It's an easy drive from Northeast Ohio to Hershey-Harrisburg-Lancaster. Depending on your desired pace and how many times you elect to stop, it will take about six to seven hours to complete the drive through some pretty Pennsylvania countryside.

The Hershey Golf Collection is part of the Hershey tourist nexus that also features the Hersheypark amusement park, Hotel Hershey and Hershey Lodge.

Although the walk-on greens fees at the Hershey Golf Collection's three 18-hole courses are on the high side, there are stay-and-play packages that bring the cost into the realm of affordable. Go to www.hersheygolfcollection.com and check out the packages.

A golf vacation here is definitely a splurge, but the place has so much to offer it's worth the expense.

DSG's Affordabili-TEES spotlight: Painesville Country Club

2011-07-16T18:41:00.000-07:00

Course: Painesville Country Club

Where:

84 Golf Dr., Painesville, OH 44077

Par, yardages: 71, 4,586 (bronze tees); 5,155 (silver); 5,915 (gold); 6,267 (black)

Greens fees: $15.75 (nine holes, walking) to $40.75 (18 holes, cart); senior rates and specials available.

Phone: 440-354-3469

Website: www.painesvillecountryclub.com

DSG is a simple man with simple wishes.

Sometime before I pass from this earthly orb, I want to knock a tee shot onto the green at the par-3, 203-yard 3rd hole at Painesville Country Club.

Sticking to that timetable, I'm also bound and determined to solve the riddle of the par-4, 402-yard 13th hole.

These are two of many difficult holes at the venerable layout in Painesville Township, overseen for three generations by the Alden family.

Since I'm partial to family businesses and to Painesville CC, I'll keep going back to Painesville Country Club until I get it right on both of the aforementioned holes in the same round. As I'm now 59 years old, I figure I've got some time.

There are many holes at Painesville CC that challenge my modest skills and equilibrium. Comfort is taken in the knowledge I have plenty of company in that regard.

Painesville CC begins and ends with long, tough holes - the par-5 521-yard 1st hole and the par-5, 499-yard 18th hole. In between, there are challenging par-4s and par-3s, some diabolical holes (see above, Nos. 3 and 13) and some funky holes, the par-4, 251-yard, hard-left-turn 16th being the funkiest.

The new 10th hole - par-4, 317 yards - is a decided upgrade on the old 10th. I played it for the first time last week, made a par and am anxious for a return engagement.

My final aside about Painesville CC is a rave for the snack bar's hot dogs and to the old-fashioned split buns into which they nestle.

Does the hot dog make the bun or does the bun make the hot dog at Painesville CC? I'll split the difference, pun intended, and pronounce it this union the perfect marriage of both.

DSG's Affordabili-TEES spotlight: Hemlock Springs

2011-07-16T16:32:00.000-07:00

Course: Hemlock Springs Golf Club
Where: 4654 Cold Springs Rd., Harpersfield Twp., OH 44041
Par, yardages: 72, 5,381 (red tees); 5,990 (white); 6,520 (blue); 6,812 (gold)
Greens fees: Weekdays, $20 (18 holes, cart); $30 weekends
Phone: 1-800-436-5625
Website: www.hemlocksprings.com
As solid values go in local golf courses, they don't come any more solid than a $20 weekday round at Hemlock Springs. We're talking a whole lot of golf for not much green.
Owner and general manager Greg Maruna formerly charged more for a round at the challenging, eye-pleasing track in Harpersfield Township. I know from recent conversations with Greg he wishes he could charge more. But in this economy, you set your greens fees at what the market bears or your tee box turns into a ghost town.
Geography has something to do with the ultra-reasonable. It's a bit of a poke to Hemlock Springs.
The same as all good public course owners, Maruna is a keen observer of the license lates on the vehicles in his parking lot. He'll give you a detailed breakdown of his customers, many of whom are from Lake, Geauga and eastern Cuyahoga counties. Ashtabula County golfers have long been loyal to Hemlock Springs.
From the east, Maruna draws customers from the Conneaut and Erie, Pa. areas.
No matter their points of origin, Hemlock Springs patrons all appreciate the challenges, top-notch conditions and scenic beauty of the course. Friendliness is a big selling point, too.
As far as I'm concerned, there isn't an "easy'' hole at Hemlock Springs. Every hole places a premium on some phase of the game. The putting surfaces are fast enough and fair.
On any fair-minded list of the 18 toughest holes on public courses in Northeast Ohio, Hemlock's par-3, 186-yard 11th hole must be included.
It's been 35 or so years since I first visited Hemlock Springs with my late father and some of his friends. I've posted some bad scores there and some good ones.
Given the quality of this course and my fondness for it, the good scores always feel great.

"Affordabili-TEES'' pro Bryan Huff: Better long iron & hybrid play

2011-07-15T20:32:00.000-07:00

Envision this situation.

You're on a long par-4, 415 yards, having just driven the ball 230 yards into the fairway.

Facing a 185-yard approach, do you go with a hybrid, 3-iron or 4-iron?

Are you as confident over this shot as you would be with a wedge from 100 yards?

Shots with long irons and hybrids are among the most challenging in the bag.

Executed correctly, they look great in the air and give you a chance to make par on the toughest holes.

Misfire, and the ramifications smack you in the face on the next shot and the one after that.

In this three-part lesson, "Affordabili-TEES'' pro Bryan Huff breaks down the fundamentals of long iron and hybrid play.

These videos were shot at StoneWater Golf Club in Highland Heights, where Bryan is an instructor at Jimmy Hanlin Golf School.

To book a lesson with Bryan, call 440-382-5305. His rates are $40 for 30 minutes, $75 for one hour and $200 for three hours. He also offers a special rate for younger players, ages 23 and under

DSG's Affordabili-TEES: "Made in the U.S.A.''

2011-06-27T18:48:00.000-07:00

Clearview putter

Website: www.clearviewputter.com

Price: $149.99

Grip Caddy

Website: www.gripcaddy.com

Price: $19.95

Steve Ross and Jim Rickon are entrepreneurs.

They turned inspired ideas into products that can help your golf game.

Better still, they are having those products manufactured in Northeast Ohio.

Ross, a Medina resident, is the inventor of the Clearview putter.

Rickon, a Hudson resident, is the inventor of a training aid called Grip Caddy.

During a recent interview at StoneWater Golf Club in Highland Heights, Ross said his "frustration with not making putts'' led to the invention of the Clearview putter. Made of acrylic, it features a dual-line aiming system that, when used correctly, gets the head, hands and body into correct alignment down the intended line.

On the video accompanying this blog, Reed discusses his invention while StoneWater pro Jimmy Hanlin rolls some putts with it and breaks down the correct way to use the Clearview.

Reed said "over 3,000'' Clearview putters have been manufactured in Medina.

Rickon is the hitting coach for the Lake County Captains, the Class A farm team of the Indians. He was a standout at Cleveland State who played in the Tribe's farm system before moving on to coaching.

Grip Daddy has velcro strap and is easily attached to the grip of any club, including the putter. Rickon also invented Bat Jack, a similar device that is used on a baseball bat. Both are designed to firm up the grip and improve the user's swing.

DSG has had the Clearview putter and Grip Caddy in his bag for the last six weeks. I've found Grip Caddy to be especially useful on the practice putting green, helping me firm up my stroke with the Clearview putter.

Both products get enthusiastic thumbs-up from this golfer.

DSG's Affordabili-TEES spotlight: Powderhorn Country Club

2011-06-24T15:42:00.000-07:00

Course: Powderhorn Country Club

Where:

3991 Bates Rd., Madison

Township

Par, yardages: 70, 4,881 (red tees); 5,679 (white); 6,004 (blue)

Greens fees: Weekdays, $12 (9 holes, walking); $21 (senior, 18 holes with cart, weekdays); $27 (18 holes with cart, weekdays); $30 (18 holes with cart, Saturday and Sunday); Thursday special, $30, two players, 18 holes with cart.

Phone: 440-428-5951

Website: www.powderhorngolf.com

Powderhorn Country Club is a heckuva nice course and a first-rate value.

If you haven't made the drive to Madison Township to test your game there, you owe it to yourself to do so in short order.

From the tips, Powderhorn measures just a shade over 6,000 yards. At least in my mind, it plays longer than that. Tee-to-green conditions are exemplary for a place at this price point.

There isn't anything I don't like about Powderhorn, save for the fact that a couple of its holes almost always defeat my best-laid plans.

Let's start with the par-4, 423-yard first hole. There is tree trouble left and right on the course's No. 1 handicap hole. Better get your drive out there long and in the right place or your brain will race as you ponder the approach shot over the pond that guards the front of the green.

For argument's sake, let's say you knock it out there 240 yards in the short grass. You are left with a medium-to-long iron shot that places maximum value on distance control. There are only three paces from where the water ends to where the green begins.

A gut-check shot at any point of the round, it's a super-stiff challenge on the opening hole. I've made a couple of birdies on this hole, a few snowmen and more bogies and double bogeys than I'd care to acknowledge.

The par-4, 391-yard third hole is a dogleg left that lends itself to a brains-over-brawn philosophy. Big hitters should leave the big stick in the bag. Dial back to the utility club or long iron, pick a spot and take your chances with a mid-iron approach up the hill to a well-bunkered green. Par here is golden.

Accuracy from the tee is required on the par-4, 365-yard sixth hole. You need to get by the large tree guarding the left side of the fairway to set up the approach shot over a pond guarding the large, sloped green.

As par-3s in this corner of the world go, the 210-yard eighth hole is a knee-knocker from start to finish. Stray left or right with the tee shot, you're in trouble. Missing short between the sand bunkers is good. Missing long, left or right is bad. Leave yourself a long first putt on the wrong side of the hole, and you're staring a three-banger in the face.

Nasty hole all around.

Length and accuracy off the tee are a must on the par-4, 442-yard ninth hole. Shoot your drive into the rough on the left or tree line on the right, and your chances for hitting the huge green in two or finishing the front nine with a par are slim, indeed.

The 460-yard, par-4 10th hole resembles the first hole - green guarded by water in front - and offers every bit as stiff a challenge. The card has this as the No. 2 handicap hole. I say it's no worse than 1A.

"Sneaky'' is the appropriate adjective when applied to the par-4, 378-yard 12th hole. What looks easy from the tee is anything but easy if the drive doesn't finish in the short grass.

The par-4, 248-yard 13th is one of the best holes in Lake County. Do you treat it as a long par-3 and bust the tee shot, aiming to fly it to the elevated green with devilish slope? Or, do you go with a 160-yard iron off the tee and take your chances with a wedge? This is a risk-reward special.

A big gap between front and back tees - 140 to 176 yards - adds spice to the par-3 14th hole. Whichever tee you choose, you're hitting over a gorge to a slippery green.

Big hitters certainly can navigate the uphill climb and reach the green on the par-4, 277-yard 15th hole. Still, I wouldn't call this an easy hole for the average player.

The par-5, 547-yard 16th hole is my personal nemesis. It eats my breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night snack no matter how diligently I work to get my brain in the right place.

Challenges await on the par-3, 165-yard 17th hole. There is plenty of trouble between the tee and green, both elevated. The green is large and loaded with breaks.

Don't hesitate to tee it high and let fly on the par-4, 265-yard 18th hole. This isn't a great finishing hole, but it offers the welcome opportunity to end the round on an upbeat note.

DSG's Affordabili-TEES spotlight: Black Brook

2011-06-10T17:54:00.000-07:00

Course: Black Brook Golf Course

Where:

8900 Lake Shore Boulevard, Mentor

Par, yardages: 71, 3,540 (yellow); 5,015 (red tees); 5,838 (silver); 6,073 (white); 6,320 (blue)

Greens fees: Weekdays, $12 (9 holes, Mentor resident, walking) to $38 (18 holes, cart, weekends); weekends, $14.75 to $41.50.

Phone: 440-951-0010

Website: www.blackbrookgolfcourse.com

Here are some of life's certainties: death...taxes...year-round affordable golf at Black Brook, weather permitting.

But it isn't just affordability and availability that are the best features of Black Brook.

With consistently clean greens and well-manicured fairways, quality is a persuasive calling card of the time-tested track in Mentor's north end.

Bertie Way

and opened in 1929, Black Brook is one of this area's oldest and best public courses. It has loyal customers, a good pro shop, fine snack bar and the reputation of being a friendly golf venue.

Tim Ausperk has been the head professional at Black Brook for 21 years. He's a solid businessman and highly-regarded instructor whose summer youth clinics and leagues have introduced uncounted thousands of young people to golf and golf etiquette.

The same as all area courses, Black Brook got off to a slow start this season when bad weather kept golfers off the course through all of April and most of May. Lousy weather also pushed back completion of the total rebuilding of the practice range.

Last week, the bulldozers were in the final stages of shaping the teeing areas, mounds and target greens that will be the range's efining features when it re-opens later this summer. We'll keep you posted on progress.

"User-friendly'' is the apt description of Black Brook. It isn't a long course, even from the tips, but it's long enough to provide a challenge to the vast majority of golfers. If you shoot a low number here, you'll feel good about it.

Black Brook has plenty of character. The front nine, although by no means a sprayer's paradise, is more open than the back.

The par-4 348-yard first hole is straightforward and generally benign, but it can bite you if you miss the green that offers the first taste of the course's first-rate putting surfaces.

I've always loved the par-4, 366-yard second hole. Most golfers hit their second shots from the top of the hill, over a deep swale with a creek to an elevated green with pronounced back-to-front slop. Throw in some wind, and it's one of the most challenging approach shots on the course.

The par-4 third hole and par-5 fourth hole present chances for birdies provided that drives are hit to the right spots and approach shots are true. On the challenging, par-4 fifth hole, drives must be both long and accurate to keep you in the running for par. Make a birdie here, and you've gained a stroke on most of the field.

Not many courses offer back-to-back par-3s as closing holes. Black Brook does with the 161-yard eighth and 154-yard ninth holes. The eighth faces due west and almost always plays into the wind. The ninth looks easy enough until you miss left or right into trees.

Big bangers can drive the par-4, 284-yard 10th hole. We mere mortals must be content with making sure our tee shot does not stray left toward the 18th hole, where a picket line of mature trees looms like prison bars.

The toughest stretch of holes on Black Brook begins with the par-3, 185-yard 11th. From the back tee, it plays at 200 yards over a swale with water to an elevated green.

Remodeling of the par-5, 484-yard 12th hole has had the desired effect. It looks better and plays better than it did as a non-descript par-4.

The par-4, 352-yard 13th is the easiest hole on the back nine as long as your tee shot is reasonably long and between the trees.

Par is golden on the final fivesome of holes. I suspect better players feel they can have their way with the par-5, 460-yard 16th hole. A deep, narrow, well-guarded green is the separator on the par-3, 159-yard 17th home.

Black Brook saves its best for last. The par-4, 436-yard 18th requires a well-place, long tee shot. Even with your optimal drive of the day, it's decision time on whether to go for the elevated green protected by trees on the left, a creek crossing the fairway and retention basin on the right.

Play this course once and, chances are, you'll come back for more.

Play this course and make a birdie on 18, and your day will be made.

"Affordabili-TEES'' golf pro Bryan Huff:better chipping

2011-06-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

   Bryan Huff's multi-part series on chipping ends with two installments.
   Part III focuses on the importance of body position when chipping from a tight lie.
   In Part IV, Bryan offers an overview of chipping techniques, using three wedges from three positions.
   Bryan is an instructor at Jimy Hanlin Golf School at Stone Water Golf Club in Highland Heights. To book a lesson, call him at 440-382-5305.

Affordabili-TEES pro Bryan Huff: better chipping, Part II

2011-06-02T17:05:00.000-07:00

    Today's chipping tip from Bryan Huff focuses on body position and includes Bryan's tip to think of striking an old-fashioned wooden match while planning a chip shot.
    Huff is a lifelong Willoughby resident and an instructor at the Jummy Hanlin Golf School at StoneWater Golf Club in Highland Heights.
    Coming up Friday and Saturday in Part III: The importance of weight shift while chipping off a tight lie.

"Affordabili-TEES'' pro Bryan Huff: Better chipping, Part I

2011-06-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

   Most days, for most golfers, rounds are made or spoiled by how well they play around the green. A good chipping game often spells the difference between a shooting 90 or 95, 85 or 90, 80 or 85 and on down the line.
   In this opening installment of a four-part series, teaching pro Bryan Huff breaks down the basics of chipping.
   The series was shot at StoneWater Golf Club in Highland Heights, where Bryan is an instructor at Jimmy Hanlin Golf School.
   To book a lesson with Bryan, call 440-382-5305. His rates are $40 for 30 minutes, $75 for one hour and $200 for three hours. He also offers a special rate for younger players, ages 23 and under.
   Today, Part I: The basics
   Thursday, Part II: More fundamentals, including body position and Bryan's tip to think of striking an old-fashioned wooden match while planning a chip shot.
   Friday, Part III: The importance of weight shift while chipping off a tight lie.
   Saturday, Part IV: Bryan offers an overview of chipping techniques, using three wedges from three positions.

DSG's Affordabili-TEES spotlight: Lost Nation

2011-05-26T17:26:00.000-07:00

Course: Willoughby Lost Nation Municipal Golf Course

Where:

38890 Hodgson Rd., Willoughby

Par, yardages: 72, 5,585 (red tees); 6,105 (white); 6,415 (blue)

Greens fees: Weekdays, $10 (9 holes, Willoughby resident, walking) to $26.50 (18 holes, cart); weekends, $11.75 to $37.

Phone: 440-953-4280

Website: www.willoughbyohio.com

There always will be soft spot in my heart for what now is called Willoughby Lost Nation Municipal Golf Course.

In the summer of 1963, shortly after my 11th birthday, my grandfather Johnson "Hank'' Glasier (aka "Bop'') and dad S.J. "Joe'' Glasier took me to Lost Nation to play my first round of golf.

My set of hand-me-down clubs included vintage woods with wood shafts, Sam Snead Blue Ridge irons (3-5-7-9) and a simple blade putter. We went out after Bop and Dad had finished their day's work in Cleveland at the family business, Glasier Caskets.

I'm fairly certain we played nine holes. I absolutely remember walking off the 9th green thinking I'd play the game for the rest of my days.

Dad and Bop and gone now, but Lost Nation is still there and still a big part of my life. With its easy access to my home in Eastlake and twilight special - $8 walking after 6:30 p.m. for all the holes you can play before darkness - I'm a frequent customer.

The place I fondly call "The Nation'' has an interesting history. It opened in 1929 as Lost Nation Golf and Hunt Club. Credit for design of the course was assigned to prestigious British golf architecture firm of Colt, Alison & Morrison, Ltd.

The firm's namesakes were Harry Shapland Colt, Charles Hugh Alison and John Stanton Fleming Morrison.

Colt, Alison & Morrison, Ltd. was quite active in the Cleveland area in that era, having done the designs for nearby Kirtland Country Club (opened 1921) and Westwood Country Club (opened 1926). My educated guess is the original owners of Lost Nation took advantage of the firm's presence here and engaged its services.

Conversations over the years with old-timers who were regulars at Lost Nation led me to believe the essence of the original design has been retained through many updatings and necessary changes.

Playing conditions at Lost Nation have varied throughout the years. They've been really good, good, bad and indifferent. The look of the areas surrounding the course and adjacent Lost Nation Airport has changed, too, with construction of houses and condominiums on the periphery of the course's footprint.

The City of Willoughby purchased the course in 1988 and took over operations two years later. Lifelong Willoughby resident Mitch Allen, a talented course superintendent, has worked at Lost Nation for 21 years. Since 1997, he's been general manager.

With support from Willoughby Mayor (and avid golfer) David Anderson and City Council, Allen has overseen extensive renovations of the course's infrastructure.

The last five years have been an especially busy period with construction of the new clubhouse and maintenance barn, repairing of extensive damage caused by the July 2006 floods, construction of the new driving range and several bridges and the digging of a new irrigation lake astride the 13th and 14th holes.

Allen said the floods of 2006 proved to be a turning point in the course's history.

"Dave (Anderson) and I stood on ground overlooking the 18th green and watched debris float past us on the water,'' Allen said. "We had two choices, fix the course or close it. We decided to fix it.''

Other projects of note have been the re-design and construction of the 2nd and 11th holes.

"We've plowed $3 million back into the course,'' said Allen, who also has overseen the tweaking of many other holes and reconstruction of sand bunkers ruined by the July 2006 deluge.

The new practice range, bounded by the 17th, 11th and 15th holes, is in its second full season of operation. This is one of the best practice areas at public courses in this area. It's also proved to be a money-maker in otherwise lean economic times.

Lost Nation has one great hole in the par-4, 415-yard 15th hole and plenty of good holes. Notwithstanding the sogginess of this spring, the overall condition of the course is good. There still are a few rough spots here and there, but superintendent Greg Hill and his crew are addressing them systematically.

Head professional Brian McCoy and his clubhouse staff handle their business in friendly fashion. The greens fees are reasonable, too.

As soon as this terrible weather gives way to summer, I'll make at least a couple of twilight golf appearances every week at "The Nation.'' With clubs lashed to the pull cart, there will be opportunities to savor an invigorating walk against the backdrops of golden sunsets and deer coming out to graze at dusk.

For sure, as I stick a tee in the ground on the tee or survey a putt on one of Lost Nation's greens, I'll think of that long ago evening with Dad and Bop.

DSG's Affordabili-TEES road trip: Dauphin Highlands

2011-05-08T19:14:00.000-07:00

Course: Dauphin Highlands Golf Course

Where:

650 South Harrisburg Street, Harrisburg, PA

Par: yardages: 72; 5,310 (red); 5,562 (gold); 6,326 (white); 6,756 (blue); 7,121 (black)

Green fees: $45 (Monday-Thursday); $35 (after 2 p.m., Monday-Thursday); $50 (Friday); $40 (2-5 p.m., Friday); $35, (after 5 p.m. Friday); $60/$50/$40, weekend & holiday; $30, senior (55-plus) and military, all times.

Specials: Go to www.golfdauphinhighlands.com, click on special, tee time specials for selected tee time discounts.

Telephone:(717) 986-1984

Website: www.golfdauphinhighlands.com

A quick road trip to south-central Pennsylvania got off to a rousing start Sunday with a visit to Dauphin Highlands Golf Course in Harrisburg, Pa.

Dauphin Islands looked great on its website and even better when traveling companion George Sweda of Concord Township and I arrived at the place Sunday morning.

Carved out of what formerly was an employee retreat for Bethlehem Steel and opened in 1995, Dauphin Highlands is an upscale public course with amenities comparable to a private club. Allowing for the hilly terrain of this part of the country, I'd say Dauphin Highlands is comparable to Little Mountain Country Club or StoneWater Golf Course.

Before teeing off, we had time to chat with head professional Nolan Peterson and course superintendent Jon Szerekes. They're proud of this course and should be. It's a challenging layout in top-notch condition save for patches of poa annua on the putting surfaces and some sand traps that were a bit thin and rocky.

As you stand outside the pro shop looking toward the first tee, you can't help but notice the steam plumes from the cooling towers of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant. Those towers are in the panorama at various spots on the front nine.

My scorecard is full of shorthand notes jotted down while playing on a splendid, sunny day with the temperature hovering around 70 degrees. We played the white tees at just under 6,400 yards. Personal favorites were: par 4, 269-yard 2nd hole (love short 4s!!!), par-5, 500-yard 7th hole (dogleg left, uphill); par-4, 374-yard 11th (stout), par-3, 165-yard 15th (over a ravine); par-5, 525-yard 16th (requires pin-point drive and second shot over ravine); par-4, 365-yard 18th (must favor left side on tee shot to avoid large pond on right).

I'd recommend Dauphin Highlands to any Northeast Ohio golfer who doesn't mind hitting the road to have new golf experiences.

Harrisburg is 330 miles east from the heart of Lake County. It's an uncomplicated drive - six hours-ish - if you use the Ohio Turnpike, I-80 East and PA 322 East. My guess is, plenty of Northeast Ohioans have passed through Harrisburg on their way to vacations in nearby Hershey, home of the famed chocolate company and the Hersheypark amusement park.

Gettysburg, with its storied Civil War battlefield, and Lancaster, famed for its Amish population and crafts, are in the same neighborhood.

Lodging is no problem. All of the major hotel chains are well-represented here. We paid $76 plus tax to stay at a Quality Inn in Harrisburg the night before our round at Dauphin Highlands.

I came home in late March from a longer road trip to western Virginia and central North Carolina feeling as if I'd just scratched the surface in identifying affordable golf courses in those areas.

With one round in the book here and at least two more to come, I feel the same about south-central Pennsylvania.

"Affordabili-TEES pro Bryan Huff: Make those 4-footers!

2011-04-21T18:06:00.000-07:00

    Welcome to the newest feature on this blog.
    Bryan Huff, a PGA member and lifelong Willoughby resident, has graciously agreed to be the "Affordabili-TEES'' teaching pro.
   On a regular basis, videos featuring Bryan will be posted on "DSG's Affordabili-tees.''
   In this installation, Bryan offers tips on how to improve your techniques on 4-foot putts. Because this video was shot almost two weeks ago, you'll hear Bryan make reference to how Tiger Woods' came up short in the final round of the Masters because he missed a number of 4-footers,
   Bryan, 46, is a 1982 graduate of Willoughby South High School, where he played football, basketball and baseball. He played baseball at Kent State and golf at Indian River Community College in Florida before graduating from University of South Florida.
   His plate is rather full these days. Bryan is a teacher at the Jimmy Hamlin Golf School at StoneWater Club in Highland Heights. He operates the Bryan Huff Indoor Golf Academy on the third floor of the Willoughy Coal and Garden Center in downtown Willoughby. He and Hanlin also are co-coaches of the Notre Dame College men's and women's golf teams.
    Bryan previously was head professional at Madison Country Club and Red Tail Golf Club in Avon.
    He lives in Willoughby with his wife, Sue, and their two children, Brandon and Margo.

To make a reservation to use the Bryan Huff Indoor Golf Academy or to set up a lesson, call 440-382-5305.

Affordabili-TEES spotlight: Airport Greens

2011-04-12T11:53:00.000-07:00

Course: Airport Greens

Where: 28980 White Road, Willoughby
Hills

Par, yardages: 70, 4,785 (red tees); 5,690 (white); 6,000 (blue)

Greens fees: Walking, $10 (nine holes) and $18 18 holes); riding, $13 (nine holes) and $20 (18 holes)

Phone: 440-944-6164

The rain had let up but the wind was howling Monday when I pulled into the parking lot at Airport Greens in Willoughby Hills.

This was the first chance I had to play since returning on March 30 from my "Affordabili-TEES'' vacation in Virginia and North Carolina. It also was going to be my first round locally since December, and I was determined to get out there as long as playing conditions were not hideously bad.

David G. Miller, director of golf operations at Airport Greens, cited a recent look at the weather report while suggesting that I pay for nine holes and see how I felt after that before committing to an additional nine holes.

Smart man.

With the bag on my trusty pull cart, an protected against the elements by a rain suit, I headed for the first tee. Into wind gusting up to 30 miles per hour, the 325-yard par-4 opening hole played at least 100 yards longer than that.

The story was the same in every hole except the par-3 sixth hole, where the wind seemed to be helping more than hurting. From the back tee at what my range finder told me was 233 yards, I hit a pretty well-struck 3-metal to the front of the deep green.

Shortly after teeing off at the sixth, I took a detour into the service barn to chat up course owner/operator and do-pretty-much-everything guy Gary LaConte.

He was doing repair work on a mower. Sitting on an adjacent chair was superintendent Dennis Kelly.

LaConte comes from one of Northeast Ohio's best-known golf families. His grandfather, Pat LaConte, helped run the long-gone Tam-a-Rac Country Club in Willoughby before he and Gary's dad, Richard, opened Parkview in Mayfield Heights, another course that has passed into history.

Richard LaConte designed Airport Greens, which opened in 1989 on a parcel of rocky land owned by Cuyahoga County across Richmond Road from the county airport.

"My dad did the design and I did the routing,'' Gary LaConte said of Fairway Pines.

This is year 21 of the 60-year lease the LaConte family has on Airport Greens. Business is down from the times-are-good peak of 31,000 rounds per year to about 21,000 per year, Gary LaConte said.

"We're struggling, the same as everybody in this business,'' LaConte said. "In this economy, the question is, will people take the little extra money they do have and spend it on golf? My feeling is, they will.''

Speaking for myself, I have spent hard-earned money playing golf at Airport Greens in recent years and will continue to do so.

This course is a regular stop for me for various reasons...it is easily reached from my home in Eastlake; the price is right and the test of golf is stiff enough for my game; the course has a links-y feel; it's a good walking track I can get around in three hours or so; sorry about this Gary, but it's usually not that busy when I slip out on weekdays.

Playing conditions have steadily improved at Airport Greens since its opening. First time I played the place, I wrote it off as a rock pile with too many rough edges.

It's in much better all-around shape now. I especially like the way Gary LaConte has dotted many holes with grassy hillocks that penalize wayward tee shots or approach shots.

"You need some level of difficulty out there,'' LaConte said.

There aren't any great holes at Airport Greens, but there are plenty of good ones. The par-4, 250-yard 4th hole is a personal favorite. So are the par-4, 390-yard 7th, the par-5, 485-yard 12th, the par-3, 155-yard 17th and par-3, 190-yard 18th. Moving to back tees increases the degrees of difficulty on the 17th and 18th holes.

Airport Green has a good driving range. Right now, Miller is still operating out of the off-season pro shop near the range. Soon, he'll move back to the ranch home-style clubhouse.

There are some public-course snobs who look down their noses at Airport Greens. It's a free country. They should feel free to play elsewhere.

As for me, I'll feel just as free to continue making this place a regular stop on my Northeast Ohio golf travels.

A final aside....with the proposed expansion of Cuyahoga County Airport now in budgetary and political never-never land, it appears there will be no encroachment on the Airport Green property.

DSG's Affordabili-TEES golf vacation, Day 8

2011-03-30T14:59:00.000-07:00

Course: Asheboro Municipal Golf Course

Where: Asheboro, N.C.

Par, yardages: 9 holes, 35, 2,416 (yellow tees); 2,679 (white); 3,074 (blue)

Greens fees, with riding cart: $18 (9 holes); $25 (18 holes); twilight, after 3 p.m., $20

Website: www.asheboroparksandrecreation.com

Phone: 336-625-4158

Course: Asheboro Country Club

Where: Asheboro, N.C.

Par, yardages: 71, 4,787 (red tees); 5,543 (yellow); 6,209 (white); 6,473 (blue)

Greens fees, with riding cart: $28 weekdays, $32 weekends; seniors, $22 weekdays, $29 weekends

Website: www.talamoregolfresort.com

Phone: 336-625-6810

Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau

Where: 141-B Worth Street, Asheboro, N.C. 27203

Website: heartofnorthcarolina.com

      Phone: 1-800-626-2672; 336-626-0364

      North Carolina Zoo
      Where: 4401 Zoo Parkway, Asheboro, N.C. 27205
      Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
      Admission: $14, $12 (seniors, 62 and over), $10 (Kids, 2 to 12)
      Website: http://www.nczoo.org/
      Phone: 1-800-879-7000; 336-879-7000;

      An enjoyable round of golf at historic Asheboro Municipal Golf Course, a scrumptious lunch at Something Different Restaurant and eye-opening tour of the North Carolina Zoo were the highlights of the final day of the inaugural DSG's Affordabili-TEES golf trip.

Asheboro Municipal Course is a 9-hole track that opened in 1935 and was designed by renowned golf course architect Donald Ross. It's a beautiful, challenging course with a cozy clubhouse that features a shaded back porch with vintage rocking chairs.

The place radiates friendliness, thanks to the people who run the course and local residents who play there regularly.

"The smallness of the place is what makes it special,'' head professional Andy Nelson said. "It's the local hangout.

"I see the same guys every day,'' Nelson added, smiling. "You could set your watch to some of them.''

Nelson said the locals, fiercely loyal to Asheboro Muny for good reasons, don't mind sharing their course with golfing tourists from Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and Canada.

Tammy O'Kelley is director of tourism for Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau. It's her job to make sure people know about Asheboro Muny and all of the attractions in the Randolph County communities of Asheboro, Archdale, Franklinville, Liberty, Ramseur, Randleman (home of NASCAR legend Richard Petty), Seagrove, Staley and Trinity.

She was my tour guide for the day, and a total delight.

For the round at Asheboro Muny, she paired me with Bruce Edwards, an assistant pro at the course, and Felix Ward, director of Asheboro Parks and Recreation, owner-operator of the course.

In the 90 or so minutes it took us to navigate nine holes, I heard many a story about the course and its rich history from these fine gentlemen.

I've always had a soft spot in my heart for 9-hole tracks. When I was a kid just taking up the game, I often played at Vink's (now The News-Herald), across the street at Sequoia (now Johnnycake Ridge Golf Course, Willoughby Golf Center (now a subdivision) and Green Ridge Golf Couse in Wickliffe (still operating).

Years later, I was introduced to Casement Club in Painesville and played there hundreds of times before the flood of July 2006 forced its permanent closing.

When the playing was done at Asheboro Muny, we sat on the back porch and jawboned for a spell before Tammy returned to take me to lunch at Something Different Restaurant.

This down-home establishment is the domain of Sinan Nardali. Tammy said Nardali is an accomplished chef and native of Turkey who came to Asheboro 20 years ago to visit and loved the city so much he decided to make it his home.

Turkey's loss was Asheboro's culinary gain, for sure.

Making efficient use of limited time, Tammy included visits to Asheboro Country Club and the North Carolina Zoo on our itinerary.

There wasn't time enough to even sneak in nine holes at Asheboro Country Club, but I did chat with director of golf Harold Jordan (see the video on www.news-herald.com, Video, Sports). The course looks great, so I'll play it next time through Asheboro.

Tammy arranged a 45-minute tour of the North Carolina Zoo conducted by its public relations manager, Rod Hackney. This is a spectacular zoo, covering 2,200 acres and embracing the philosophy of placing animals in habitats that are as close to natural as possible in a zoo setting.

Rod and Tammy both recommended setting aside a day to experience the North Carolina. They are right on the money. It's an ideal place for a family outing. If you are looking to take an affordable road trip this summer, do some research on the North Carolina Zoo and the Asheboro area.

Asheboro is centrally located in North Carolina on State Route 64. Many tourists and golfers either pass through or make only a brief stop here on their way to Pinehurst or Myrtle Beach. That was me on previous trips.

This time, I made it a point to spend some time in Asheboro. I am so glad I did and will be back soon.

In fact, I've got it my head that I need to come back this fall to see more of Randolph County and the fall colors in the Uwharrie National Forest.

DSG's Affordabili-TEES golf vacation, Day 7

2011-03-28T18:25:00.000-07:00

   Course: Tot Hill Farm Golf Club
   Where: Asheboro, N.C.
   Par, yardages: 71, 4,556 (gold tees); 5,632 (white); 6,214 (green); 6,543 (black)
   Website: www.tothillfarm.com
   Phone: 1-800-868- 4455, 336-857-4455

   All was well that ended well Monday on the next-to-last day of the "Affordabili-TEES'' golf trip.
   The day began on a downbeat note when steady rain, a stiff wind and temperature about 20 degrees below the norm for this time of year in southern North Carolina obliterated plans for a round at Little River Golf Resort in Carthage.
   I began working my way north toward Asheboro, N.C., where plans called for an overnight stay Monday and the trip's final round Tuesday morning at Asheboro Municipal, a 9-hole course that opened in 1936 and was designed by the famous Donald Ross.
   It was about noon when I got to the outskirts of Asheboro on State Route 220 when I saw a sign indicating Tot Hill Farm Golf Course was accessible from the next exit. I was introduced Tot Hill Farm last March. It is one of the most challenging courses I've played, an up-and-down adventure through the rocky terrain of a former farm.
   The rain had stopped but skies were still grey as I left the freeway and undertook the six-mile drive through some pretty country to get to Tot Hill Farm. There probably wouldn't be any golf played, but it would nice to renew acquaintances with head professonial Alan Martini and assistant pro Chad Clark.
   While we were chatting, the clouds rolled off to the east and the sun re-emerged after the better part of two days in hiding. There wasn't time to play 18 holes, but I did enjoy a leisurely spiun around the front nine.
   The walk-in greens fee at Tot Hill Farm is $54, slightly outside the "Afforabili-TEES'' price paramater. However, the price includes range balls and lunch. Check out Tot Hill Farm's top-notch website for information about lodging-golf packages.

DSG's Affordabili-TEES golf vacation, Day 6

2011-03-27T17:59:00.000-07:00

Course: Talamore Golf Club, Resort Course

Where: Southern Pines, N.C.

Par, yardages: 71, 4,977 (red tees); 5,470 (green); 6,025 (white); 6,534 (blue); 6,840 (gold)

Website: www.talamoregolfresort.com

Phone: 1-800-352-6292; 910-692-5884

Comfort Inn, Pinehurst

Where: 9801 U.S. Highway 15-501, Pinehurst, N.C., 28374

Golf package prices: Through May 31, $124.30 (1 round/1 night) to $328.60 (3 rounds, 2 nights)

Website: In search engine of choice, type Comfort Inn of Pinehurst, N.C.

Email: comfortinngolf@gmail.com

Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area Convention and Visitors Bureau

Information about lodging-golf packages

Website: www.homeofgolf.com

Phone: 1-800-346-5362

Weather-wise, I felt right at home Sunday when I awoke in Pinehurst, N.C.

It was raining and unseasonably cold for these parts at this time of year.

A decision had to be made.

Did I make the short drive from my hotel to Talamore Golf Club to keep my scheduled 9:32 a.m. tee time on the Resort Course, or did I pass on playing and go to the course to meet golf pro Jason Aslanian and pick his brain about the highly regarded Rees Jones design?

Even as I pulled into the parking lot, I wasn't sure which way I was going to go.

Then I spotted two foursomes braving the conditions and preparing to tee off. The nutty golfer in my head took over. Real men play on a day like today!

So, I grabbed the heavy wind jacket, pulled it over my head and went inside to tell Jason I was good to go and we'd talk later.

Notwithstanding the cold and intermittent mist, the course was extremely playable. Hey, this area is called the Sandhills for a reason. True enough that rain had fallen throughout the night and early morning, but the sandy soil drains quickly.

Speaking of sand, there are sand bunkers and sand traps on every hole at the Resort Course. I didn't count them, but there are easily over 100. Some are small, some are large, and many are strategically placed in landing areas for tee shots and around the greens.

The Resort Course is pleasing to the eye and easy to navigate. It was cart paths only Sunday, but I didn't find walks to the ball bothersome. The walking made me feel warmer.

As I played back-to-front, I was already as loose and warm as I was going to get when I made the turn to the par-5 first hole. At 609 yards from the blue tees, and playing dead into the wind, I stood on the tee and sensed I could hit what by my standards are three good shots and probably not get home.

Sure enough, I hit three solid blows - driver, 3-metal, 3-metal - and was 10 paces short of the green. I hit a nice bump-and-run chip to three feet and made a workingman's par. It felt like a birdie.

There are a lot of nifty holes on the Resort Course, all of them straightforward and most of them featuring elevation changes.

As is the case with all of the upscale courses around here, Talamore qualifies for consideration by "Affordabili-TEES'' because it is included in many of the reasonably priced lodging-golf packages for Pinehurst-area courses. Check out the websites listed above for the Comfort Inn and Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

NOTES

- This trip is reaching its late stages. Weather permitting, I'll bid farewell to the Sandhills on Monday with a morning round at Little River Golf Resort in Carthage.

From there, I'll lead north to Asheboro to check out some of the courses in that area. On Tuesday afternoon, the clubs will go back in the trunk for good and DSG will be homeward bound.

- In the trip's second dispatch, from Winston-Salem, N.C., I regretted losing the scorecard from the round at Tanglewood Championship Course on which I'd written the full names of playing partners Jacob, Reggie and Edmund.

Yesterday, I got an email from Jacob Davis, who filled in the blanks for Reggie Little and Edmund Harvey.

DSG's Affordabili-TEES golf vacation, Day 5

2011-03-26T19:03:00.000-07:00

Course: Legacy Golf Links

Where: Aberdeen, N.C.

Par, yardages: 72, 4,946 (green tees); 5,551 (gold); 6,021 (white); 6,495 (blue); 7,004 (black)

Website: www.legacygolfnc.com

Phone: 1-800-344-8825; 910-944-8825

Course: Pinewild Country Club, Magnolia Course

Where: Pinehurst, N.C.

Par, yardages: 72, 5,178 (red); 5,566 (gold); 6,234 (white); 6,835 (blue); 7,446 (black)

Website: www.pinewildcc.com

Phone: 1-800-523-1499; 910-295-5146

Comfort Inn, Pinehurst

Where: 9801 U.S. Highway 15-501, Pinehurst, N.C., 28374

Golf package prices: Through May 31, $124.30 (1 round/1 night) to $328.60 (3 rounds, 2 nights)

Website: In search engine of choice, type Comfort Inn of Pinehurst, N.C.

Email: comfortinngolf@gmail.com

Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area Convention and Visitors Bureau

Information about lodging-golf packages

Website: www.homeofgolf.com

Phone: 1-800-346-5362

My first playing day in the golf hotbed that is the Pinehurst-Southern Pines-Aberdeen area of North Carolina was darn near perfect.

I played a morning round Saturday at Legacy Golf Links in Aberdeen, where former Mentor resident Bradley Poplyk is head golf professional.

FYI, I'm saving a fuller story about Poplyk for tomorrow's installment of "Affordabili-TEES'' because the weather forecast for Sunday is bleak. In advance of my scheduled 9:32 a.m. tee time at Talamore Golf Club, I'll head back to Legacy to do a full interview with the native Northeast Ohioan and get him on video.

Legacy opened in 1991 and was designed by Jack Nicklaus II. I liked everything about the place, from its challenging but fair layout to consistent, thorough on-course yardage markers.

I also appreciated being told before I headed to the first tee that the greens at Legacy have some cosmetic issues. Bob Kelley, formerly of Columbus, explained that the discoloration was due to last summer's excessive hot weather in the area.

The owners of Legacy aren't messing around with this problem. From the middle of June until the end of August, the course will be closed so that all the greens can be rebuilt.

For what it's worth, I thought the greens rolled fairly well despite the discoloration and structural issues I'm sure only an agronomist can understand. If you plan to be in the Pinehurst area between now and the shutdown, don't hesitate to play Legacy.

The afternoon round was at Pinewild Country Club's Magnolia Course, a Gene Hamm design that opened in the early '70s. I got in nine holes, playing the back nine. Then the rain arrived, as predicted, and made easy the decision to call it a day.

Based on the quality of those nine holes, and the high level of challenge they present, it's easy to see why Magnolia has hosted sectional qualifiers for the U.S. Open and other regional tournaments.

Saturday's experiences at Legacy and Pinewild bring me to the overriding point about golf in the Pinehurst area and how you can make it affordable.

Travel brochures trumpet the fact there are 40 championship-caliber courses in the Pinehurst-Southern Pines-Aberdeen area.

In most parts of the country, in this economy, the concentration of so many courses in such proximity to each other would produce downward pull on walk-in greens fees.

That's not the case here. Exclusive of twilight rates, none of those 40 courses has a walk-in greens fee that fits "Affordabili-TEES'' profile of $20 to $35 or slightly higher for a premium golf experience with amenities.

Pinehurst is not immune to changed economic realities, however. To maintain acceptable levels of business, the golf courses and area hotels have formed alliances to offer golf-lodging packages that, when you break down the unit costs, are great values given the quality of the golf experience.

That's why I provided contact information for the Comfort Inn, where I'm staying, and for the Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Golf down here isn't cheap, but by taking advantage of the golf-lodging package that fits your budget, it is affordable.

DSG's Affordabili-TEES golf vacation, Day 4

2011-03-25T18:59:00.000-07:00

Course: Meadowlands Golf Club

Where: Winston-Salem, N.C.

Par, yardages: 72, 4,745 (red tees); 5,549 (yellow); 5,842 (white); 6,507 blue; 6,868 (gold)

Greens fees, with riding cart: $39/$29 seniors, women and juniors, Monday - Thursday; Friday, $23 to $41; Weekends and holidays, $27 to 49; twilight rates after 1 p.m. every day.

Website: www.meadowlandsgolfclub.com

Phone: 336-769-1011

The Village Inn Golf & Conference Center

Where: 6205 Ramada Drive, Clemmons, N.C., 27012

Golf package prices: Monday - Thursday), $84 per person (double occupancy); Friday - Sunday, $94 per person (double occupancy).

websites: www.thevillageinn.com; www.haveclubswilltravel.com

Phone: 1-800-544-6416; 336-766-9121

My stay in the Winston-Salem area of North Carolina ended Friday on a decidedly upbeat note with 18 holes at Meadowlands Golf Club. This first-rate track was designed by renowned touring pro and World Golf Hall of Fame member Hale Irwin.

A professional acquaintance who has played Meadowlands sang its praises when I shared with him the list of courses I'd visit during three days in Winston-Salem. Let me now join in that chorus.

Meadowlands is beautiful, challenging and completely playable at yardages from just over 4,800 yards from the forward tees to 6,868 yards from the tips. The greens are smooth and quick for this time of the year, when much of the grass in the rough and fairways in these parts is just beginning its awakening from winter dormancy.

Change of elevation is another feature of Meadowlands. There is just the right amount of water in play. That's especially true on No. 10, a tough par-4 that plays anywhere from 282 yards to 440 yards. If you use the gold or blue tees, there is a forced carry over water on the tee shot.

Even from the forward tees, water is a factor with a pond on the right side that stretches almost the full length of the hole. Throw in a fairway with a pronounced left-to-right tilt, and we're talking about a knee-knocker of a tee shot.

The entry that repeats often in my scorecard notes is "great driving hole.'' Irwin did a fine job overall at Meadowlands, but he was really sharp in setting up the sight lines, landing areas and bunkering for holes on which the vast majority of players will go with "the big stick.''

Meadowlands features a spacious practice tee-driving range and putting green, too.

I want to end the chronicling of my time in Winston-Salem with a shout out to the Village Inn Golf & Conference Center in Clemmons, where I spent four restful nights.

The Village Inn offers an ultra-convenient location at Exit 184 of Interstate 40, clean rooms, friendly staff and a golf-centric business plan spearheaded by golf coordinator and business manager Ashley Seamon. Daily golf-lodging packages are $84 (Monday - Thursday) and $94 (Friday-Sunday).

Visit the two websites noted above to checks out the 12 courses participating in Village Inn packages. You'll also want to get up to speed on the some of the nice extras included in the packages, including a folder with breakfast and beverage coupons as well as driving directions to every course.

There are restaurants galore within a 10-minute drive of the Village Inn. All of the 145 guest rooms are soon to get a complete makeover, too.

Ashley offers still more details about the hotel and its commitment to affordable golf packages in a video interview posted on www.news-herald.com.

If this blog whets your appetite for a Village Inn golf vacation and you make the trip there soon, don't be surprised if you run into fellow Northeast Ohio golf "snowbirds'' during your stay.

As busy as I kept myself while based at the Village Inn, I feel as if I merely scratched the surface and need to play all of the affordable courses in the Winston-Salem area I didn't have the time to visit this time. Sounds like a compelling rationale for a return trip.

DSG's Affordabili-TEES golf vacation: Fine Wine, Delicious BBQ

2011-03-24T21:02:00.001-07:00

The day's "work'' on the golf course was done Thursday when I made the short ride down U.S. Highway 158 to Mocksville, N.C. and RayLen Vineyards & Winery. The family-owned establishment had come highly recommended by Ashley Seamon, golf coordinator at the Village Inn Golf & Conference Center, my home away from home since Tuesday.

Ashley's tip was true. RayLen is an impressive place with a nice selection of wines and a hospitable atmosphere. I'm bringing home four bottles of RayLen reds - two 2008 Carolinius (blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Franc), 2007 Cabernet Franc and 2009 Category 5.

In keeping with the theme of this trip, the price of the wine was affordable (average $15 per bottle).

While at RayLen, I expressed a hankering for some North Carolina barbeque and was told that two miles up the road, on the way back to the hotel, I'd run into Snook's Old-Fashioned BBQ in the small town of Advance.

From the moment I pulled into the parking lot, laid eyes on the Snook’s “complex’’ and caught the first whiff from inside, I knew it was the right move.

Rita Revis owns and runs the place opened 45 years ago by her late father, Charles "Snook'' Williams. Rita works the window, taking orders from regulars who crowd into the small waiting area.

Toiling in the kitchen are Rita's daughter Dana Childress, and Cindy Mock. Rita's mom, Margaret Myers, helps with making the cakes and other of the mouth-watering, home-made desserts that augment the impressive array of main courses.

At the urging of the couldn't-have-been-kinder regulars, who wanted the visitor from "up North'' to have the essential Snook's experience, I ordered the pork platter with barbecue coleslaw, hush puppies and sweet tea.

I'm no food critic, but I am an (ahem) experienced eater. So, let me render this review of my new favorite place in the world: Snook's is a GREAT down-home barbecue joint and certainly the best I've ever patronized.

Affordable golf is what brought me to the Winston-Salem area. Golf will bring me back, too. But every time I am back, sure as night follows day I'll travel down 158 for some fine wine at RayLen and world-class BBQ at Snook's.

David S. Glasier

DSG's Affordabili-TEES golf vacation, Day 3

2011-03-24T20:09:00.000-07:00

Course: Oak Valley Golf Club

Where: Advance, N.C.

Par, yardages: 72, 5,672 (gold tees); 6,036 (white); 6,682 (blue); 7,033 (black)

Greens fees, with riding cart: $38 weekdays, $49.50 weekends; $27 weekdays, $49.50 weekends (seniors, 60 and older); twilight, after noon, $34 weekdays, $39 weekends

Website: www.oakvalleygolfclub.com

Phone: 336-940-2000

Course: Salem Glen Golf & Country Club

Where: Clemmons, N.C.

Par, yardages: 71, 5,821 (white tees); 6,275 (blue); 6,716 (gold)

Greens fees, with riding cart: $35 weekdays, $49 weekends; $25 weekdays, $35 weekends (seniors, 60 and older); twilight, after noon, $27 all days.

Website: salemglen.com

Phone: 336-712-1010

Affordable golf isn't just a catch phrase in Winston-Salem, N.C.

It's a fact of life borne out by the fact you can play two rounds in one day, on top-notch courses designed by Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, for a combined 65 bucks.

I did it Thursday, and it was sensational.

The day started at Oak Valley Golf Club in Advance, a western suburb of Winston-Salem.

From there, it was easy 10-mile jaunt eastward to Salem Glen in Clemmons for an early-afternoon round.

Oak Valley is a Palmer design that opened in 1995.

Salem Glen, a Nicklaus design, opened a few years later.

The former has been the site of qualifiers for the U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Publinks Championship and other national tournaments.

Salem Glen isn't quite long enough to host those events, but it's plenty tough.

The weekday greens fee at Oak Valley is $38. At Salem Glen, the "twilight'' rate of $27 kicks in at noon.

If I'd have reversed the order of play, the total cost would have been $69 - $35 at Salem Glen and $34 for the twilight rate at Oak Valley.

Both courses are stern tests of golf that have water in play on many holes, require course management and have quick, challenging greens.

Oak Valley places more of a premium on length off the tee, but Palmer's design requires equal applications of brains and brawn.

Length matters at Salem Glen, too, but it's the demands built into second and third shots that are the calling cards of Nicklaus' design.

The notes I took during each round share common ground - "good driving hole,'' "elevated tee,'' "water on (left, right),'' "strategically placed bunker(s).''

Randall James, director of golf at Oak Valley, said his track will get much tougher when the now-dormant grass in the rough springs back to life in about one month.

Daniel Byrd, head golf professional at Salem Glen, made the same observation about his track.

The greens on both courses were running quick Thursday with temperatures in the low 60s and a stout wind blowing primarily out of the north. Those surfaces will be even faster in weeks to come.

Admirers of Palmer and Nicklaus, both as Hall of Fame players and esteemed course designers, will find much to like and, maybe, love, at Oak Valley and Salem Glen,

And what’s not to love about the prices.

DSG's Affordabili-TEES golf vacation, Day 2

2011-03-23T20:04:00.000-07:00

DSG's Affordabili-TEES golf vacation, Day 2

Course: Tanglewood Championship Course

Where: Clemmons, N.C.

Par, yardage: 70, 6,014 (white tees); 6,637 (blue tees); 7,101 (gold tees)

Greens fees, with riding cart: $38 weekdays, $48 weekends; $28 weekdays, $35 weekends (seniors, 60 and older); twilight, after 4 p.m., $28, $17, walking

Website: www.tanglewoodpark.org

Phone: 336-703-6420

The weather was darn near perfect in Winston-Salem on Wednesday with a high in the high 70s, plenty of sun and freshening wind. Conditions were right for DSG to go for broke and play 36 holes on the second playing day of his cost-conscious golf trip.

Tanglewood's Championship Course was the choice for the morning round, and what a revelation it was. Opened in the late 1950s and designed by Robert Trent Jones, the Championship Course is one of the many attractions in the 1,100-acre Tanglewood Park owned by Forsyth County and operated by Forsyth County Parks and Recreation.

The park and course are easily found off Interstate 40 at the Tanglewood exit. It was a 10-minute drive from the Village Inn Golf & Conference Center in Clemmons, my home base during a four-day stay in the Winston-Salem area. I'll provide much more information about the hotel and its lodging-golf packages in an upcoming installment of "Affordabili-TEES.''

The Championship Course offers a substantial golf experience for the money. It is demanding enough to have hosted the 1974 PGA Championship as well as the RJR Championship and Vantage Championship on professional golf's senior tour.

With its three sets of tees, it's also extremely playable for amateur golfers of all handicaps.

"It's not a course where you'll lose a dozen golf balls,'' said Mike Wilcox, a PGA member and director of golf at Tanglewood.

Wilcox said Tanglewood at this time of year gets business from snow-weary, golf-hungry tourists from Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and other Midwestern and Eastern states. It's also a favorite of golfers from the Winston-Salem area and central North Carolina, where there are many affordable golf courses.

On Wednesday, I played solo on the front nine before joining up with Edmund, Jacob and Reggie on the back nine. Guys, it was great sharing part of the afternoon with you. I apologize for misplacing the scorecard on which I wrote your last names. Send me an email at dglasier@news-herald and I'll make it right in an upcoming blog.

My favorite holes on the Championship Course included the par-5, 614-yard 5th hole, which, for the heck of it, I played from the tips. Made a par by hitting a sand wedge to 10 feet and canning the putt. Considered the day made with that one. Otherwise, I played the white tees all day.

No. 12, a 182-yard par 3, definitely gets your attention with water to the left of the green and sand traps ringing the putting surface.

Hit a good drive on No. 17, a 500-yard par-5, and for your second shot, you'll have to decide whether to go over or around an imposing array of sand traps guarding the approach to the green.

No. 18 is a 387-yard uphill dogleg to the right offers a nice challenge to end the round.

Wilcox is one of two pros at Tanglewood. The other is Chad Keaton.

The amenties at the Championship Course - pro shop, snack bar, locker rooms, putting green and driving range - are first-rate. Keaton said clinics are offered throughout the season (see the website cited above). Golfers also can avail themselves of a lesson for $50 an hour, a rate that is extremely competitive.

The Tanglewood complex also sports another 18-hole track, the Reynolds Course, an 18-hole par-3 course and a driving range.

Greens fees for the Reynolds Course are $26 weekday/$32 weekend (with cart) and $21/$32 for seniors.

Course: Olde Homeplace Golf Club

Where: Winston-Salem, N.C.

Par, yardage: 72, 5,748 (yellow tees); 6,213 (green tees), 6,515 (black tees))

Greens fees, with riding cart: $30; $24 senior, 60 and older; $20, after 3 p.m.

Website: www.oldshomeplacegolfclub.com

Phone: 336-796-1076

It was about 2:30 in the afternoon when we finished the round at Tanglewood's Championship Course. With the weather forecast for Thursday in these parts on the iffy side, I decided to make the 20-minute drive down I-40 East to Olde Homeplace and get in a second round.

I'd found Olde Homeplace doing web research for this trip and loved the way the course looked on its website. It more than measured up to expectations, both in terms of visuals and the golf course.

Olde Homeplace is pretty, playable and challenging for the average-to-good golfer. The course is open on most holes but requires accuracy, course management and, on some holes, local knowledge.

As luck would have it, I was met on the first tee by Rob Lorber, a 65-year-old Winston-Salem area resident and one fine golfer. We played 18 holes together and had a great time. He had tons of local knowledge and was only too eager to share it.

If ever you are in Winston-Salem to sample the area's array of affordable courses, I urge you to play a round at Olde Homeplace.

DSG's Affordabili-TEES golf vacation, Day 1

2011-03-22T17:03:00.000-07:00

Course: Wolf Creek Golf and Country Club

Where: Bastian, Va.

Par, yardage: 71, 6,020 (white tees); 6,360 (blue tees)

Greens fees, with riding cart: $35 weekdays, $40 weekends; $30 weekdays, $35 weekends (seniors, 60 and older)

Website: www.wolfcreekgolfcourse.com

Phone: 276-688-4610

The first of seven playing days on DSG's modest "southern swing'' got off to a great start with a visit to the course that bills itself as "The Hidden Gem.''

I found Wolf Creek the new-fangled way, on the internet. It is a find, indeed, an affordable gem that gets high marks for playability and hospitality.

When I played the course Tuesday morning, it was in outstanding condition for this time of year. Tees, fairways, rough and putting surfaces are green and groomed. The greens, full of slope and subtle breaks, already are rolling quick. They look good to the eye, too.

Depending on your point of origination in the Greater Cleveland area, the trip to Bastian, in southwest Virginia just inside the West Virginia border, is 340 to 370 miles. The lion's share of those miles are on Interstate 77.

After exiting 1-77 at the Bastian interchange, turn left at the bottom of the ramp and follow the Wolf Creek Golf Club signs to

Grapefield Road

. You'll turn right and travel about five miles down a twisting road through some pretty country until you see the golf course on your left.

"I've heard people say that's the longest five miles they've ever driven,'' said Don Dean, the personable owner and do-everything guy at Wolf Creek. He's pictured above

Take my word for it, the drive isn't that long and you'll be glad you took it.

The main driveway carries you by a large pond and leads to a bridge over a creek. The bridge is designed to carry cars, trucks and golf carts. Bear to the left of the three-story, wood-sided clubhouse and follow the signs to the bag drop and parking lot.

Once you're in the clubhouse and ready to pay for the round, chances are you'll be dealing with Don Dean. He's 60 years old and has owned the course since 1986. He was a coal miner for 15 years before he bought the course with three partners, each of whom he's bought out in the years since.

"This is a working man's course. Ain't no millionaires here,'' he told me, smiling.

The designer of record at Wolf Creek is Maurice Brackett. The original owner and developer of Wolf Creek, the late John Wilkerson, engaged Brackett to convert what had been a private hunting lodge with a six-hole golf course into an 18-hole track.

There are 18 good holes at Wolf Creek. Four of those holes are exceptional.

No. 6, a 372-yard par-4, requires 180 yards of carry and good placement of the tee shot to a raised fairway. The second shot is blind to semi-blind to a green that sits beneath the fairway and is guarded by a pond on the right front. The green has a pronounced back-to-front slope, too.

No. 12, a 388-yard par-4, is framed by a creek on the right and left sides. Accuracy off the tee is at a premium.

No. 13, a par-3 listed on the card at 208 yards, came up as 228 on my range-finder. Into a stiff wind, I figured it to be playing at 240 with the first 120 over water.

No. 17, a 370-yard par 4 with an elevated tee, required accuracy off the tee and steadiness on an approach shot that must clear a creek running across the fairway about 30 yards in front of the green.

Dean said his favorite hole in No. 16, a 150-yard par 3 with a substantially elevated tee that wasn't yet open Tuesday.

Wolf Creek has a pro shop with bags, gloves, hats and other essentials. It also has a nice snack bar that offers tasty at-the-turn fare. Breakfast is served on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

While the course never officially closes, Dean said the heart of Wolf Creek's season is late March-early April through the end of October. This time of year, he gets a fair amount of business from golf "snowbirds'' making trips south from Ohio, Pennsylvania, some eastern seaboard states and Ontario, Canada.

"I get more from Ohio than anywhere else,'' Dean said.

The overall golf experience at Wolf Creek is positive in every way. Dean and his staff take a lot of pride in maintaining the course. Little details like daily raking of sand bunkers attest to that. The yardage markings are OK, with blue (200), white (150) and red (100) ground stones. I would recommend bringing a yardage range-finder.

Be careful on the cart paths, which are bumpy in spots because of spreading tree routes.

With hills and trees framing backdrops on very hole, Wolf Creek is easy on the eyes. I spoke to some of the regulars when I was there, and each of them said the place is spectacular in the fall when the foliage colors are at their peak.

It was just after noon as I was making my way back to I-77. At the end of

Grapefield Road

, in the Bastian Plaza is Pizza Plus, a family-owned franchise that offers all-you-can-eat lunch buffet (salad, pizza, beverage) for just $8. Good food, nice price.

There are no hotels at the Bastian exit. I'd recommend driving 20 miles south to Wytheville (with-vil), where there are plenty of affordable hotels. I booked a room at the Sleep Inn just of I-77 at Exit 41. Taking advantage of an on-line offer that came from Expedia, I stayed for $52.82 with tax. It's a clean place with an acceptable continental breakfast.

There is a Super 8 adjacent to Sleep Inn and a Best Western nearby on the same access road. I stopped at both places and would recommend either.

Sleep Inn is next door to the Sagebrush, a first-rate restaurant that specializes in steaks, BBQ, burgers and basic seafood. Entree prices range from $8 to $21.

Hitting the road next week....DSG's golf season begins!

2011-03-18T13:04:00.000-07:00

This weekend, I'm covering the NCAA Tournament action at Quicken Loans Arena and Cleveland State's second-round NIT game at nearby Wolstein Center.

Come Monday morning, though, I'll hop in a rental car and head south for a 9-day golf vacation that will take me to Virginia and North Carolina. Barring a change in plans or unwanted interference from Mother Nature, I'll play 10 rounds, nine on 18-hole courses and one on the nine-hole Asheboro Golf Club in Asheboro, N.C.

I'll play my first round Tuesday at Wolf Creek Golf Club in Bastian, Va., just inside the border from West Virginia. The course looks great on the website and the weather forecast is OK.

Wolf Creek is a public course located near the Jefferson National Forest. The weekday 18-hole greens fee, with riding cart, is $35. That fee fits the Affordabili-TEES profile. It'll be my first visit there. Can't wait to tee it up and chat with general manager/superintendent Don Dean.

My reports from the road will include photographs and videos.

Looking forward to getting "Affordabili-TEES'' up and running.

Fairways and greens...DSG

The concept is......affordable golf in tight economic times

2011-03-17T20:30:00.000-07:00

   There are many good things in life. For the nutty golfer, few produce as much satisfaction as finding a nice golf course that fits your budget.
    DSG's Affordabili-TEES will spread the word about those kinds of courses in the Greater Cleveland area, in nearby counties and in surrounding states within easy driving distance.
    Devoted golfers are always on the lookout for reasonably priced golf experiences on courses they haven't played before. We're going to find those courses and spread the word about them.
    What are the price paramaters of DSG's Affordabili-ties?
    Most of them will have weekday 18-hole greens fees ranging from $20 to $35. We'll go slightly beyond the $35 mark if the course offers a top-notch experience for the money or includes premiums such as lunch or range balls in the greens fee.
   Northeast Ohio is loaded with courses that fit the Affordabili-TEES profile, so most of the time we won't have to travel far to build profiles that will run in this blog and, periodically, in print editions of The News-Herald.
     Having established that, let me say loud and clear and clear that unlike many folks who live in the eastern suburbs, this golfer doesn't hesitate to "cross the river'' and play courses in western Cuyahoga and Lorain counties.
     As for the travel component of Affordabili-TEES, when we do hit the road, we'll usually stay within a one-hour to 90-minute radius of Lake, Geauga and eastern Cuyahoga counties.
     On occasion, we'll move beyond those bounds to, for example, downstate Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and North Carolina. In those instances, we'll tip you off to lodging-golf packages that offer maximum bang for the buck.
     I'll be going to many of these places for the first time. What I learn, I'll share with you in blogs, newspaper stories, videos and pictures.
     This prolonged economic downturn cuts both ways for avid golfers. The bad news is, we have fewer dollars at our disposal to play the game we love. The good news is, many of the public courses we play have either held the line on greens fees or reduced them to stay afloat.
       DSG Affordabili-TEES welcomes any suggestions you have or information about enjoyable, affordable golf experiences you've had. Get in touch with me by e-mail at dsglasier@news-herald.com. If you'd prefer to drop us a line the old-fashioned way, do so by mail to DSG Affordabili-TEES, c/o David S. Glasier, The News-Herald, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094.