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I enjoyed both books. I have listen to a lot of mental game podcasts and read other mental game books by famous sports physiologists; and tips from those books have help me overcome being bothered by noise chatting during my swing, or letting slow play implode my game; but I never really knew how to deal with the feelings when my game started to fall apart. For me, I think the tools in this book will help with that issue.

Time will tell if I really see an impact. As I mentioned in my last post, in Review — My Golf Goals and Results , I decided to do some research before setting my goals this year. And golf stat experts said to focus on greens in regulation. And, of course, be a great putter. However, what was useful was finding the charts that show various key stats by handicap.

You will see Arccos data mentioned in each area because many articles use them as a data resource. His charts have incredible detail and frankly more data than I need for my goals; also are too large to share in screenshots for this blog post. The screenshot below of Arccos data was in the article. So for example, a 15 handicap when they get on the green in regulation they on average are 33 feet from the hole for their birdie putt.

In , Lou Stagner tweeted a 15 handicap will average 35 putts, see below which was a surprise to me because that was my average and I felt my putting really sucked. Another app for golfers that shares data is SwingU. I found a My GolfSpy article with Arccos data for three-putt avoidance or percentage percentages. Screenshot below:.

Of course, you also need to consider distance from hole and common sense will tell us that the farther way the more likely a golfer will three-putt. Another diagram below from Golf. So I guess 15 handicaps using Arccos are either different golfers from data or perhaps the database in is so large that the data is actually more representative of the larger golf population.

I really could not find any useful data on scrambling. Smart golf bets wordpress Here is the chart direct from the original data. I found articles that talked about the importance of reducing big numbers and strokes over par but I could not find data. I did find some interesting charts. The article also has an embedded Golf Monthly Youtube Video that is fun to watch.

What surprised me is a 15 handicap only makes a birdie once every two rounds based on this data. As handicap increases, this starts to shift, and eventually par 5s have a higher scoring average in relation to pa r than par 3s. Goal 1 Greens In Regulation: Target average of 4. At a minimum I want to maintain my stat. Goal 2 Putting: Targets are 33 putts or less per round and two or fewer three-putts per round.

These were my targets last year. Based on the data above these are definitely stretch goals since these translate to a 10 handicap golfer. So if covert my 1. I would have expected a very different goal. And of course, fewer blow up holes will hopefully lead to more pars. As I mentioned in my review there were a few months last year when I was definitely a head case chipping and putting.

I worked on technique in September before my Pinehurst trip which helped give me a bit more confidence. Of course, I will still listen to her podcast. Hopefully, I will find a process that also provides a way to track progress with the mental game. These are strictly for after round evaluation so I can target my practice each week. So I just decided to work on my full swing since I was frustrated with lack of distance.

In the Spring of I found a new Pro to help me with my full swing and I was diligent in practicing between my lessons. We all know how working on a new swing can be frustrating. I would hit it great in lessons and felt my swing was sporadic while playing a round of golf. I mentally just told myself to be patient because I am making a swing change.

So in I continued to work with my Pro and had the extra motivation that in October I would be going on a bucket list golf trip to Pinehurst. My goal setting process was basically to pick a statistic related to distance GIR and randomly decide on how much I think I can improve. One of my best rounds was late August, with nine GIRs which was amazing for me; and translated to me equaling my best score 84 of the season.

I also noticed that my avg shot stat had greatly improved for Par 5s. So even though in I was still really focused on my full swing, I decided with two years of advanced stats from GHIN, I should set additional goals for The other goals I set were:. So I definitely believe I sacrificed my short game with my intense focus on my distance issue but I am at peace with that decision because I was very happy with my GIR number, reduction in my average over par on Par 5 holes, and also saw fewer double and triple bogies.

Although I will say I did notice my short game became a real mental challenge for me because I would be over a chip or putt and have so many thoughts from technique to memories of missing short birdie putts or thinning a chip across a green. Although I do try to remind myself that when I am putting well it can go very well.

I had a league round in July with only 28 putts which produced a score of I was a bit perplexed by my average score stat being flat Logically I knew my long game improved and shot game suffered. My next blog post will be on setting goals for For example, if I want to consistently shoot in the 80s which I believe would be around a 10 handicap what are the stats for GIR and putting to achieve that goal?

First, for those of you not familiar with South Carolina, there are four regions in SC map below referred to as: the Upstate green , the Midlands yellow , the Peedee tangerine , and Low Country blue. A crazy storm is crossing the United States today January 9, and for us that means a month of rain four to five inches in one day with winds gusting up to miles an hour.

Anyway, sitting here watching the local news has made me reflect on my winter golf the last few years. Our golf courses are open all year and we can post scores to GHIN for handicap purposes all year. However, after living here for a few years I have realized that playing golf in the winter is limited, not because of the cold but because of the rain in the winter.

It does get cold which does create frost delays at golf courses so most days we teed off around 10 am. And last year we had a number of days were it was too cold high in 30s for me to play. On good days it warmed up into the high 40s or 50s sometimes 60s but often times a day in the 60s came with rain.

Turns out the Upstate averages Someone told me we get more rain than Seattle that shocked me but I think the difference is Seattle has dreary light rain for days on end and we can get a day with significant rain often making courses unplayable. I remember last year being so frustrated when a warm day would come and it would rain all day, then a cold front would come and it would be too cold to play for a few days, then it would warm up and yes, rain.

I have never played golf in Arizona so time to do some research. I really enjoyed the format of the event and seeing the camaraderie within and among the teams. Not to mention the fact that there was some great golf played. The format was three days of golf. Day one was a scramble, day two were foursomes alternate shot , and the final day was a modified four-ball where both players tee off, and then they switch balls for their second shots and play that same ball until it is holed.

The lower score of the partners is then counted as the team score for the hole. There were low scores and great shots. The open vegas odds The Canadian team of Brooke Henderson and Corey Conners finished second moving up the leader board by shooting an impressive 9 under, 63 total. For example, the team of Lexi Thompson and Rickie Fowler gave the crowd a fun moment at the Par 3, 16th when Lexi made a hole-in-one.

The best tee shot is just to the right of the tree along the lake on the left of the fairway and will set up a wedge or mid-iron into this large green that slopes back-to-front and is protected by three greenside bunkers. After finishing the 27 holes at Eagle Bend, I was asked by someone what my favorite course in Montana might be. I think out of all the courses I have played Eagle Bend might hold that distinction.

With three different nines to choose from and perhaps the best greens in the state, Eagle Bend is a course I would play every day if I had the chance. This par 3 plays at yards from the tips and is all carry over a beautiful pond that looks like glass early in the morning. Behind the green, the 16 th is protected by a pair of bunkers that will penalize any shots that are too long on this short hole.

Overall, Meadow Lake is one of the most beautiful courses in the Flathead Valley. With half of the holes playing in the open meadow and the other half of the holes playing into the forest. The 1 st hole at Meadow Lake is a yard par 4 that turns slightly right-to-left with a pond running the length of the right side of the fairway. The par 5 3 rd hole is the first on the course to make its way into the forest of pine trees.

Playing yards this tight fairway is lined with skyscraping pine trees and bends to the right before a slightly elevated green is protected by a bunker in the front right. My playing partner for the round at Meadow Lake was my cousin Pat. Earlier in the week before I had s set schedule for Kalispell, Pat texted me and explained he was in Columbia Falls for a swim meet but would like to sneak away to get some golf in during the long days of watching heats in the pool.

One of the best holes on the course at Meadow Lake Golf Course is the uphill yard par 5. A true three shot hole, this uphill monster plays slightly left towards the hole and if played correctly can give golfers a wedge in from a relatively flat landing area on the fairway. This long sloping green is protected by a pair of bunkers in the front left.

In a beautiful setting, this course contours both the meadow and the forest on every hole and leaves you immersed in the round without distractions. Just take a moment when you get to the 16 th hole and watch the reflection of the flagstick in the water. Thanks to Meadow Lake Golf Course for a wonderful day of golf in such a beautiful area.

Promoting golf, a restaurant, and an RV Park, one has to think, what more could you need in Fortine, Montana. For just 15 dollars, that you conveniently pay at the bar, you can head out behind the bar and begin your round on the nine hole Meadow Creek Golf Course. Beginning with a yard downhill par 3 past a tall pine tree on the right from a tee box that is just paces away from the back deck the Meadow Creek Golf Course has something for everybody.

Working my way around the par 3 course in a short amount of time, I finished my round on the yard par 3 9 th which heads up a hill toward the side of the bar. In the wild landscape of northwestern Montana, the Wilderness Club has sprawling fairways cut out of the tall pines and deep bunkers that will penalize errant shots from both off the tee and near the greens.

A few years back I made the long drive north from Great Falls to play the Wilderness Club for the first time and the long day in the car was made worth it by this spectacular golf course. Their recent experience on the course had them prepped and ready to go from the first tee where Landon and I decided to play the tips that stretch the course out to 7, yards.

The opening hole at the Wilderness Club is a yard par 4 that plays up hill from near the driving range and putting green and bends slightly right-to-left. A trio of bunkers occupy the left side of the fairway before the elevated and undulating green that has a pair of bunkers on the right and one in the back left.

The yard 3 rd hole is beautiful as they get. Smart golf bets wordpress The 10 th hole at Wilderness Club is a downhill yard par 4 with a fairway that is shortened along the left side by a deep blue pond that protects the front of a green with steep slopes near the sides. An old dead tree along the right side yards from the tee provides a great visual for this dastardly hole to open up the back nine.

The back nine at the Wilderness Club takes you back into the meadowlands of beautiful countryside outside of Eureka. The finishing hole plays at yards along a lake where canoes are paddled around the calm water to the left of the fairway that slopes from right-to-left for the entirety of the hole. A par 5 that can be reached with a long drive that runs past a hill with bunkers on both sides or can be wisely played out right of lake to make it a three-shot hole.

The 18 th green slopes from right-to-left and from front-to-back with a ridge that divides the green and can make for long and challenging putts to complete the round. The Wilderness Club is a fantastic track in northwest Montana. A unique and challenging course in a gorgeous area this is one of the best around and a refreshing course that anyone can make a tee time and play at.

Thanks to Anthony Sable and to the staff at the Wilderness Club for a spectacular day of golf in Eureka. From the beginning of this trip, I was figuring I would find a golf course that perhaps I had missed during my research. The four of us began our round on the course that plays 1, yards from the back tees on the yard down hill par 3 hole that plays alongside the access road to the RV park and back to a relatively flat green.

The 5 th hole is a yard par 3 that plays past a pumphouse on the right to an elevated green with a rock wall protecting the front of the putting surface. The small course at Buckwood Country Club is an entertaining place for quick nine. Playing the nine holes in about a hour, Scott, Mike, Landon, and I had more laughs than I could count.

The short course proved challenging and exciting for the wager we had put on this round after we picked our partners. Carved out of the pines of northwest Montana, Cabinet View has a reputation for being a challenging track and I put that reputation to test when I played it on Friday. These guys play here every day.

Gary Peck is a bit of a Libby legend and played basketball and golf at the University of Montana in the s. Wayne Haines is a tremendous golfer himself having shot his age nearly times and still playing to a low handicap. Wayne was instrumental in building the expansion of Cabinet View Golf Club from a 9-hole course to a championship quality hole course.

When the back nine was built, Gary worked six days a week and even has a pond on the new nine named for him. The front nine at Cabinet View starts with a yard par 5 that is tree lined on both sides of the fairway. The fairway turns up the hill and to the left past some tall pines before a bunker protects the large sloping green.

The course at Cabinet View is as fantastic as the reputation it has. The best view of the Cabinet View Mountains that sit high above Libby and the Kootenai River comes from the 5 th hole. Slightly turning right from the tee box with the pine trees perfectly framing the green and greenside bunker in the foreground with the mountains in the back, this is a gorgeous yard par 4. Carved out of the mountain hillside by Wayne and others, this course cannot be overpowered but instead must be played.

It is a nine that reminds you of the precision that golf requires. One of the most beautiful holes on the course is the par 3 11 th that plays yards from the tips. A With a small pond to the right of the hole and bunkers on each side of this undulating green that slopes from back-to-front and from left-to-right it is a fantastic short par 3. Throughout the round at Cabinet View, Gary and Wayne told me about the history of the course.

Gary spoke mostly about the front nine while Wayne talked about the back nine he helped construct. In fact, Libby has a tremendous history of golf in Montana. After a long drive up the western side of the state, I pulled into the parking lot at Indian Springs Ranch in Eureka, Montana. Five hours in the car left me eager to get out on this links style course in the late afternoon.

Tall fescue rough and green fairways abound on this links style golf course in northwest corner of the state. At 6, yards, this tight golf course offers up a great challenge to anyone who ventures out to play it. Opening with a yard par 4, Indian Springs Ranch has a narrow fairway with mounds along the right of the rough and fescue lining the second cut on this hole that slightly turns to the left and plays uphill to a green that is two tiered and slopes back-to-front.

Making my way around this challenging course, one of the best views was from the par 3 6 th hole that sits high on the hillside and requires a long tee shot to cover the gully that runs between the tees and the green. A deep sand trap sits in front of this undulating green and anything short of the bunker will be lost to the gully.

The scariest moment of my trip was walking to the par 3 8 th hole from the 7 th green. Walking down the cart path I took a slight shortcut through a small patch of fescue and onto the 8 th tee when I felt something under my foot. Standing on the 8 th tee after my encounter with the snake, I had to take a moment to catch my breath.

Panting and winded, I quickly took an inventory and reassured myself that I was in fact, okay. Calming my nerves, it must have been the adrenaline coursing through my veins that helped me stick an iron close to the downhill yard 8 th hole that has a pond to the left and a green that slopes from front-to-back and from right-to-left and make a very memorable birdie.

My favorite hole at Indian Springs Ranch Golf Course was the par 4 14 th hole that plays uphill for the duration. Playing yards from the tips, a cross bunker sits in the middle of the fairway at yards and another fairway bunker anchors the right side.

A small creek runs the length of the right of the hole and the elevated green sits protected with a bunker in the front left. We talked about our favorite holes, some of the challenges around this track, and how tight of a links style course this one can play like. If you want to be tested by gorgeous links course in northwest Montana, make your way up to Eureka and play Indian Springs Ranch.

Just watch out for the snakes. It was a strange feeling playing a hole without a flagstick, but it might have helped my game. Instead of taking aim at a pin, I had to hit toward the center of the green. This was the case on the 8 th and 9 th holes at Linda Vista Golf Course. With high waters earlier in the year, Linda Vista is recovered from the flooding that affected Missoula quite well.

I set out on to play the par 29 Linda Vista Golf Course on a beautiful morning. Weaving its way back through the low meadow off of Lower Miller Creek Road near the Bitterroot River, Linda Vista plays to 1,yards with two par 4s and seven par 3s. The opening hole at Linda Vista is a yard par 4 that doglegs slightly right past a fairway bunker on the right corner of the hole.

Trees and bushes line the left side of the rough along the hole before a turtleback green that sits protected by a pair of bunkers completes the whole. One of the most beautiful holes at Linda Vista is the par 3 4 th hole that plays yards from the back tees. An over water tee shot awaits the player from the back tee where you must walk down a small corridor through the bushes to find an isolated tee box.

The green on the 4 th is a large surface with a deep bunker in front of the undulating green. It was an interesting feeling on the 9 th tee hitting back toward the clubhouse on the yard hole protected by three bunkers and having to just take a guess at where the hole might be. After finding the middle of the green with my tee shot, I found the hole located in the back-left corner of the green.

Not being able to see the pin on the hole really changes the way you play golf. Thanks to Charles Miller and the staff at Linda Vista Golf Course for having me out to play this great course and letting me get the 8 th and 9 th holes in. Along the beautiful Clark Fork River is a great nine-hole golf course that weaves its way along the river and through the trees and offers tremendous views of the scenic mountain valley that Thompson Falls sits in.

From an elevated tee this hole plays yards and is lined down the right side by pine trees and on the left by the driving range which gives way to the river. Throughout this course, every tee shot requires something different. The 2 nd hole for example is a par 5 begins along the river and then works back up a hill and toward the trees.

On this yard par 5, the safest play is to hit to the base of the hill with an iron and then layup to a wedge to attack this back-to-front sloping green. One of the toughest holes on the course is the yard slight dogleg right par 4 4 th hole. Trees line the left and right of this fairway that bends slowly to a small slightly elevated green.

Sitting in the clubhouse after the round and looking out the window at the Clark Fork River and the high mountain face that watches over the river and the course I visited with the lady working the bar at the clubhouse. I found out that there are two people who would drive a couple of hundred miles to play golf with me last Tuesday morning when my uncle Bill Ryan and Jerry Hystad each met me in St.

Regis, Montana. Early that morning, Jerry drove to Trestle Creek from Helena, Montana to meet up with my uncle Bill and I while my uncle Bill drove from Moscow, Idaho where he was at some work meetings. A photo album sits on the glass-plated countertop filled with golf balls and sand that shows photos of the construction of Trestle Creek in Weaving its ways through the trees, Trestle Creek is a tree-lined nine-hole track.

The opening hole at Trestle Creek is a yard dogleg right par 4 lined by tall pines on the both the left and right side of the fairway that narrows near the green that slopes back-to-front. The 3 rd hole is the one most visible from the Interstate and will make any golf junkie want to take the exit and get a quick nine in while on a road trip.

What better way to stretch the legs on a long drive than to stop and play some golf. The third is a slight dogleg left with trees on the left of the fairway and out-of-bounds along the right. Three bunkers line the landing area of the fairway yards or so off the tee right at the corner of this hole and a large bunker in the front left of the green protects an undulating back-to-front putting surface.

Trestle Creek has an abundance of challenging and scenic holes on the course like the yard par 4 4 th that plays down a tight corridor of a fairway lined by tall pines on both sides and with a pair of pine trees in the fairway down the left-hand side.

A large green that slopes back-to-front slopes away from the players has a bunker on the right completing this challenging par 4. The next memorable hole at Trestle Creek is an over water par 3 that plays yards to a green shaded by a tall pine behind the left of the green and a small flowering tree in the front left.

After our round, Bill, Jerry, and I made our way into the clubhouse and sat down for a beer. Throughout our round we had laughs, told stories, and perhaps hit a few pine trees on this tight course. The stories of trying to carve a ball through the narrowest of windows in the trees made for plenty of material for laughs and storytelling as we sat around a buddy bar.

As my uncle Bill, Jerry, and I said our goodbyes in the parking lot after shooting the breeze we each pulled out of the parking lot and headed down the highway. There are moments on this trip that have stuck with me. On a hot Monday afternoon, I sped up the highway past Plains, Montana and turned down a gravel road just past the large white sign showing the way to the course.

With only one truck on the parking lot, I grabbed my clubs and headed toward the clubhouse to see if I could go out and get nine holes in in the degree heat. I looked around at the trophies and pictures hanging on the wall for a few minutes until I finally heard something coming from the cart shed.

It was the perfect spot where he could stay out of the sun and get a slight breeze to roll through the open garage door. The course at Plains is a beautiful track just to the east of Highway that climbs a high hill and overlooks the town of Plains and the Clark Fork River. Gigantic powerlines hang above the course as they supply power westward.

The opening hole at Wild Horse Plains Golf Course is a yard par 4 that tees off from the hill near the gravel road you travel into the course on. It slightly doglegs right past the row of trees that protect the clubhouse and cart barn and leads to a small turtleback green protected by a small bunker in the front left. The most challenging hole both to walk and to play is the par 5 2 nd hole that clocks in at yards.

An opening shot needs to be in the fairway that slightly turns left to make way for an extremely uphill second shot that must be careful to miss the trees lining the fairway on both sides before the green that sits behind a small hill. With the heat on top of the hill came a spectacular view of the countryside surrounding the town of Plains and the whole valley.

The best view of the valley came from the 6 th tee along the northwest side of the course. From this high vantage point on the par 3 yard hole, you could see almost forever with the only sounds being the popping of the electricity along the power lines. Not wanting to interrupt his programs, I thanked him and walked out the cart barn. I could hear him unmute the TV and rest his feet back up on the chair in front of him as the th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital went back to work.

Starting off our round on the yard par 5, Dillon had made his first swing of the day and hit his golf ball on a bullet like trajectory straight toward a house. The ball hung in the air for what seemed like an unusual amount of time making us think that it perhaps had missed the house. Then we heard the distinct WHACK that comes from driving a little white golf ball right into vinyl siding.

As Dillon and I made our way around the track at Mission Mountain Golf Course we met a 6,yard layout that requires every type of shot. After the opening par 5 that has a row of trees protecting the right rough from yards of the green and three bunkers around the putting surface, we settled in really nicely to our round. One of the best holes at Mission Mountain is the par 4 10 th hole that plays yards.

Slightly doglegging right after the landing area, a downhill second shot awaits players that forces them to fly a cattail lined pond and onto a back-to-front sloping green. Back-to-back-to-back par 4s make up the 12 th , 13 th , and 14 th holes. The 12 th is a rolling dogleg left that plays yards into a green that has bunker on the left.

The 13 th is a long and challenging par 4 that is treelined along the right and has trouble along the left before an undulating green sits protected by a bunker in the front left. The 14 th at Mission Mountain is a very gettable yard uphill par 4 that has a trio of bunkers short of the green that slopes back-to-front forcing players to either try and drive the green or lay up short of the trouble.

The most challenging hole at Mission however, is the par 5 15 th that is rated the hardest hole on the course. At yards this beast of a hole plays between a creek on the left and trees on the right. The creek meanders in front and to the right of the green making it a truly three-shot hole. Surprisingly, Dillon and I finished our round without hitting any more siding and went and grabbed a bite of lunch before heading our separate ways.

Sunday was my birthday. Turning 25 was something that sort of caught me by surprise on this trip. Another surprise of this trip was being able to golf with my friend Dillon Delaney. Dillon is going to school to be a dentist in Minnesota and after 10 months of school in the Land of 10, Lakes, he is finally home to enjoy his summer.

Naturally, he was on the hook to play some golf with me. Dillon was my roommate in college at Montana Tech. We lived in the dorms together as freshmen and then had a house we rented our junior and senior years. In the beginning weeks of school, we both drove each other nuts. When he would be going to bed, I would watch a funny movie late into the night. When I was trying to sleep in, Dillon would make the most noise on the planet while getting dressed.

After about a month, he and I finally figured it out and became great friends. It was wonderful to torment each other on the golf course as well when we played Silver Fox. There was plenty of opportunity to do this on the par 3 course. Starting on the yard par 3 that plays up a small hill with the driving range to the right and a bunker to the left to the green.

The longest hole at Silver Fox Golf Course is the yard par 4 6 th. Interestingly, this was the only hole on the course where I lost a ball. Well actually, my ball was stolen. Dillon and I had decided to let a single play through after hitting our tee shots on the hole with water along the right and a bunker in the middle of the fairway leading up to small green with a bunker in the front left.

After our round concluded at Silver Fox, Dillon and I enjoyed the rest of my birthday by playing at the KwaTaqNuk Casino in Polson and then finished our night fishing up at a mountain lake by his house. I remember playing golf through all four seasons in one day.

Having to clear a path through the snow that had fallen in late April to putt my ball at the Frontier Conference Championships when I was a sophomore in college. The weather was a bit better this time around when I got to play Larchmont Golf Course in Missoula on a hot Saturday afternoon. With temperatures in the low 90s, I met up with someone who remembered the cold rounds at Larchmont just as well as I did, former Carroll College golfer Justin Galiher.

With a father who is the golf pro at Larchmont, Justin knows Larchmont like the back of his hand from countless rounds at this public course in Missoula. Larchmont is usually a busy track filled with foursomes at all hours of the day, but on Saturday afternoon the course seemed uncharacteristically empty.

Perhaps the first hot day of the summer was scaring off some of the usual crowd, or the lakes and rivers of western Montana were beckoning folks to come cool off, but either way Justin and I flew around the course at Larchmont in record time. A fantastic track that plays between 7, and 6, yards from the different sets of tees, Larchmont has grown into a mature golf course.

With wide fairways lined by tall trees, Larchmont is gettable if you stay in the fairway off the tee. Opening with a yard par 5 that meanders past a bank of trees in the right rough just past the wide landing area yards from the tee. An uphill second shot can reach the green if it avoids the twin bunkers in front of this undulating and large green.

We talked about old teams we played against, courses we remembered, and how suspect the weather usually was when you had to play golf in the fall and spring in Montana. While setting our record pace and playing the front nine in an hour-and-fifteen minutes, we teed off on the par 4 8 th hole.

This yard dogleg right is one of my favorites on this great course. A high wall of trees along the right rough forces players to decide whether to play it smart by laying up short of the trees through the fairway with a yard shot just past the corner or to make the riskier choice and try to cut the corner with a tee shot that has to carry the trees.

Another set of bunkers protects this small back-to-front sloping green on this fantastic hole. On the back nine, Justin said his favorite hole was the par 5 16 th. After finishing our round on the yard par 4 18 th hole that becomes tight and tree lined around yards from the tee and with a green with water on the right and a deep bunker on the left, Justin and I grabbed a beer and sat on the patio after our round.

As the heat faded and made for a beautiful late afternoon in Missoula, I was sure that this beat the heck out of playing through a snowstorm so years ago. Tranquil is an apt way of explaining the valley where French Canadians settled in called Frenchtown. The wetland area surrounding Mill Creek is a great place for a golf course with tall cottonwood trees and cattails lining a number of the fairways.

After a tough spring due to the above average rainfall and high-water levels, King Ranch was finally able to open up the old 9 holes on this 18 hole course. Starting on the 10 th hole at King Ranch, Troy, Derek, and I made our way through a few of the holes on the back nine. The yard par 4 hole has a steep left-to-right slope throughout the fairway before the long back-to-front sloping green.

On the 13 th hole, an elevated tee box awaits players on this yard par 3. Midway between the tee and the green sits a cattail lined pond where ducks and geese swim in high volume in front of this wide turtleback green. One of my favorite holes at King Ranch was the very gettable par 5 14 th hole.

The green on the 14 th is a small putting surface that slopes from back-to-front. Throughout the round, the rushing water of Mill Creek and the waterfowl of this low-lying land northwest of Missoula provided a great backdrop for a peaceful round of golf at King Ranch. On a warm Thursday morning, I was a witness. High on a hillside overlooking a yard par 3 at the Ranch Club, I saw my friend Harley Paugh make a one.

With a wedge he landed his golf ball a few feet left of the pin along a little ridge in the green and spun it to the right. With eyes wide, we all saw it track its way toward the hole and teeter on the edge of the cup before dramatically dropping in. Instinctually the yelling and cheering started, creating an epic din that could be heard all throughout the Ranch Club.

High fives were exchanged, quite a few expletives were dropped in disbelief, and we all gut laughed and cheered long after the ball hit the bottom of the cup. The Ranch Club is a links style golf course that protects its greens with deep pot bunkers and long fescue rough. If your tee shot finds the fescue in some of the areas at the Ranch Club, the ball is as good as gone.

The 7 th hole at the Ranch Club is a yard par 5 that seems to have more water than land as you stand on the tee and survey the landscape. A large pond runs the length of the hole and cuts across the fairway midway through the hole forcing players to consistently be wary of the hazard before approaching the large greens of the Ranch Club.

One of my favorite holes at the Ranch Club was the par 4 10 th that plays yards from the tips. A sharp dogleg left, the tee shot needs to negotiate the dangerous bunkers along the right of the fairway and sets up a downhill shot to the protected green that slopes from back-to-front. The par 5 17 th hole at the Ranch Club is a yard hole with a landing area along the left of the fairway on that will shoot your ball down the fairway and bring the green into play on the second shot.

A slightly downhill shot protected by a pond to the right of the green and bunkers surrounding the putting surface faces the golfer if their drive is long enough. After our round, Harley, his buddy Will, and I, had to go into the clubhouse to tell our tale. Each version of the hole-in-one we all saw was even more dramatic than the previous.

Sitting at the bar in the clubhouse of the Ranch Club having a beer compliments of the hole-in-one hitter himself, I even told a tale or two about the epic shot to anyone who would listen. My first trip around the Ranch Club was a phenomenal experience highlighted by seeing someone make a one. This is a fantastic golf course I am eager to play again.

A building with high vaulted ceilings, old stone fireplaces, and old wooden beams, the clubhouse of The Highlands Golf Club is housed downstairs while the restaurant is up above offering amazing views of the whole Missoula valley. The Highlands Golf Club begins with a yard downhill par 4 that turns slightly right-to-left.

With a pair of bunkers midway through the fairway and another bunker farther down the right side this downhill par 4 is a challenging opening hole. The fairways at Highlands are very tough because of the sidehill lies you get on every one of the holes. Another downhill par 4, the 2 nd hole at Highlands Golf Club is a challenging tee shot through a narrow corridor of trees.

This rolling fairway has out-of-bounds to the left of the rough and leads to an undulating and extremely sloped green. Not at all timid these deer would watch you hit shots from within feet away. The 9 th hole at Highlands plays as a par 4 on the front nine but a par 5 on the back. From the tips it measures yards up a steep hill toward a green near the clubhouse.

A steady climb with a pair of bunkers on both sides of the fairway in the landing area. The ninth green is a turtleback with a large ridge running down the middle of the putting surface that also has a pair of bunkers surround it. After we had finished our nine and before Mike and his buddies continued their round we sat on the patio and had a drink to celebrate our round.

As we visited and looked out on the backdrop that is the greater Missoula area, Mike invited all of us over for a 4 th of July barbecue later in the day. In true 4 th of July style, hot dogs and hamburgers were cooked on the grill and beers were put on ice in the cooler. A number of my cousins and extended family showed up and we sat in lawn chairs in the sun on a great day and visited.

It was a great day for golf, for a barbecue, and to see family and friends. East of Missoula, there is a golf course just barely visible from the Interstate. At 80 miles per hour, if you blink you might miss the wide fairways or tall fescue rough that combine to create an amazing golf experience at Canyon River Golf Club.

The fairways at Canyon River are the first part of the course to catch your eye, as these sprawling stretches of green grass seem to meander on endlessly as you stand on the opening tee. There is of course the deep fescue rough at Canyon River that lines every hole and can quickly steal a ball away from you after any wayward shots find their way into it.

What Canyon River also has are gigantic undulating greens, the kind of greens that can leave you with putts of over feet if you find yourself in the wrong quadrant. It is on this gorgeous golf course that is nestled along the Blackfoot River among the mountains that encapsulate this immaculate valley that I met my playing partners just off the 1 st tee Gary Chumrau and Bill Hill.

Gary and Bill were gracious enough to join me on a windy day that made Canyon River an even tougher track rather than go fishing as they had originally planned. The opening hole at Canyon River slightly turns right-to-left past a bunker on the left side of the fairway. A slow rolling hill will catch longer tee shots and bring the ball past the cart path leaving less than yards into a pin that can be tucked behind the deep front right bunker.

This yard hole is an early opportunity to make birdie if your game is strong off the tee to begin the round. One of the most exciting holes at Canyon River is the drivable yard 8 th hole that turns slowly right-to-left past a deep fairway bunker. Staying to the left side of this fairway will also help players avoid the dangerous and deep greenside bunker to the right of the putting surface that will leave you short-sided for this green that slopes away.

This downhill yard par 3 plays a club or two shorter than listed to a green protected by a handful of bunkers left of the subtly front-to-back sloping green. After battling the wind and the fescue at Canyon River Golf Club, Gary, Bill, and I went inside to grab a beer as a reward for finishing our long walk across this great course.

Canyon River is one of the best golf courses in Montana and one of my favorite tracks to play. The 16 th hole at the Missoula Country Club is a historic place for golf in Montana. A white sign with green lettering hangs on a tree behind the green and reads:.

A straightforward par 4 lined by trees on both sides of the rough your tee shot has to be far enough back and favor the right side to be able to dodge the limbs on a tall deciduous tree that hangs over the left-hand side of the fairway the runs up to a green protected by a bunker on the right and one behind the back-to-front sloping green.

Playing with these two brothers was as much fun as you could imagine. Sounds like he has your number. Playing to a distance you practice is surely smart golf. I average about 2 birdies a round. Some times more, others less. I am hitting the ball better than I have in years.

I am definitely liking the direction of my game. It is all fun. Search for:. Like Loading Brian Like Liked by 1 person. Cheers Jim Like Liked by 1 person. Thanks, Brian Like Liked by 1 person. Cheers Jim Like Like. Kevin I average about 2 birdies a round. Leave a comment Cancel reply. Comment Reblog Subscribe Subscribed. The Grateful Golfer.

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