So if you’re wondering… the answer is Yes, I will get to Toledo this year, and weather permitting I will be teeing off at Ottawa Park Golf Course on June 20th. If you’re in the neighborhood please come on by to play a round on this historic track.
Coast to Coast
This year's travels have me starting on the West coast, well it’s more like on an island 90 minutes off the west coast of California. How did we get here you ask, well it was on a winters day and I was planning the up coming golf journey, and I wanted to start playing in March. It kind of locked me into the West Coast or the Deserts in Nevada and Arizona. I had already played the West Coast courses claiming to be the oldest courses West of the Mississippi; Del Monte and Gearhart. I already played rounds at courses that also have the same claim as oldest courses West of the Mississippi one in St. Louis - I see you Normandie, why were you so hard, and two others in Colorado-Overland Park and Patty Jewett, so dark so fast - even if one of those courses were still on the list to play it would be tough to get out in winter condition. I needed to scour the deserts and the West coast for any possible courses I may have missed. I could not find any historic courses in Nevada or Arizona so back to California for another look. While looking at a map of California I noticed a small island off the coast of Long Beach.
Catalina Island is a popular tourist destination perfect for long weekend get-a-ways featuring scuba diving, hiking, dining, and shopping.
In the middle of this island in the middle of the ocean is a nine hole golf course that has a rich history. Catalina Island Golf Course was originally built in 1892 as a three-hole course, hosting the Bobby Jones Invitational Tournament from 1931-1955, and Tiger played here twice, granted he was 4 and then played here again at 14, but it counts!
Next up...I feel like this has been well documented, but…Mid season I will be tackling the second oldest 18 hole golf course to open specifically to the public. Ottawa Park golf Course, enough said...
Wrapping up the travel year I will be on the shores of Maine overlooking the Atlantic Ocean playing two historic gems; Kebo Valley and Grindstone Neck.
The two nine hole courses are separated by the Mt. Desert Narrows, and I can imagine at some point in their long history there were some heated discussions about which course is the best. When I get there in August I will let you all know, however I can tell you already that “both courses offered equally great views and played almost the same, you can’t go wrong with either choice of course”. How’s that for a fair - and safe - review…stand by for the full write up in August.
New Season New Swag
Over the winter I was thinking about commitment, no not like relationship commitment, but golf swing commitment. Making a club choice based on yardage and some other factors and committing to the swing. You can’t second guess yourself, and if you do you won’t swing with enough commitment, which causes all sorts of issues with the shot. My commitment thoughts went from swings to my presence on the course, and how much I should commit to the Fore Stories brand. Most of the time I sort of slide into my historic rounds, most people learn about what I’m doing somewhere around the 9th hole, we talk about it, have a few laughs, and that is the end of it. That is until I write about it here.
This year when traveling Coast to Coast, and playing locally Fore Stories will be well represented. When I step up to the 1st tee on Catalina Island I will be sporting some new branded swag. Yes, I stepped it up a little this year, and I may or may not have gone a bit embroidery crazy, but if you ask me it’s looking pretty good.
See you on the course!