As we flew from JFK airport in New York City 13 hours, it was amazing as we were coming back down to earth, there it was, piercing the clouds and resembling the old fable Jack and the Beanstalk. It was a real wow moment, something burnt into my memory bank forever and ever. I lived in New York City for 6 years in the mid 90s flying in and out of the 3 New York airports always viewing the old twin towers and the Empire State building and in retrospect I took them for granted. This trip to the European Tour, Erik is sponsored by Air Emirates and we came and left Dubai 4 times during the 2 week trip. After having lived in Reston, VA for the past 12 years, I was awed by the skyline and especially with the Burj Khalifa Tower standing 2,717 feet and 160 floors ridiculously high above the clouds and the international city of Dubai below. As an accredited media member, all media was invited for a tour departing the hotel at 8:30am, with the $100 fee to tour the building waived. This all happened on pro-am Wednesday but I had to take off my media hat and don the caddy hat for the 7:30am pro-am start with Erik, missing my one chance to go view this monstrosity. Oh well, I’m kind of scared of heights anyways. So I’ve missed the Taj Mahal twice while playing the Indian Open, however I’ve been up the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Toronto CN Tower, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Malaysia’s Petronas Towers. I guess I’ve seen some things.

Here at the first of Europe’s big money events for the 2010 season, I was involved helping cheerlead, coach and caddy among other things for Erik Compton. The first event was the Qatar Masters. Erik’s golf equipment lost its baggage tag somewhere between Miami and New York and the bags sat anonymously at JFK for 2 days unclaimed and with a ton of investigation and ground work I was able to, with the help of a lot of people, locate and have Erik’s clubs arrive Wednesday night in the nick of time for Thursday mornings’ early start. As Erik’s personal valet I chased down the problem until it was solved. Meanwhile we played a practice round with former British Open champion Todd Hamilton, also a Titleist player, and shared his clubs. Believe you me there is nothing like having your own specs to practice with, especially the first tournament of the year and a huge overseas trip to the Middle East. So after a 24 hour trip and no clubs to practice with, as predicted, we only played 2 rounds sitting out the weekend and our first of 2 potential pay days. We flew back Saturday to Dubai and prepared well for the 2.5 million dollar tournament Dubai Desert Classic. Sunday we played 9 holes with defending champion 20 year old Irishman, Rory McIlroy. This boy can play.  He plays heads up ready golf. See ball, hit ball, chase ball. Great stuff! He does this with a post card perfect swing and demeanor. Since Erik was a sponsor invitee we had dining privileges with the tournament committee and with the other top tour players and invitees such as Rory, Mark O’Meara and Tom Watson. We befriended Miguel Angel Jimenez earlier in the week and told him that he was going to win and he did at that. He won a 4-hole playoff against last years’ “Race to Dubai” Order of Merit winner Lee Westwood. Erik and I were marveling at all the home made swings especially Jeev Milkha Singh’s.

Kelly Murray works the bag for Compton at the 2009 Honda Classic

Our good fortune in week 2 came down to Erik making a 5 foot putt on the 36^th hole Friday to make the cut. We were the first off Saturday playing solo with an official marker and me the 53-year-old speedy caddy, we completed play in 3 hours. Again we were first off on Sunday playing solo, same scenario but this time in 2 hours and 35 minutes. Having made the cut, you are guaranteed a payday. We didn’t make last money and we beat a couple of guys and picked up around 16,000.

Here’s a foursome of young up and comers I recommend you learn and remember their names.They are first and foremost Rory McIlroy from Belfast, Ireland. Spaniard Alvaro Quiros,

Rhys Davies from Wales and Charles Schwartzel from South Africa. If you are in a Masters pool these would be some good bets.

Have a good golf season now that the snow has gone and hopefully some of your rust. Look for me at Algonkian Golf Park and Virginia Golf Center and Academy this year.

p.s. For my Natural Golf students and Moe Norman fans, they are going to start the filming of the Moe Norman movie “Dancing the Green” this July. My friend Barry Morrow who won an Academy Award for the screenplay “Rain Man” has also written Moe’s life story. Stay tuned!

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Olde Mill Resort in Laurel Fork, VA

The award-winning Olde Mill – a resort, residential and mountain lifestyle community celebrating a $12 million renovation – announces enhancements to its Ellis Maples-designed course are rapidly approaching completion.  Hallmarks of the project include adding a wall-to-wall irrigation system, layout changes to several holes and aesthetic transformations by Dan and Bradley Maples.

Pinehurst residents Dan (son of Ellis) and Bradley Maples (grandson) led the renovation of the family patriarch’s 18-hole, par-72, 6,833-yard championship layout and enhancements will grace almost every hole. However, the intent and shot values of Ellis Maples’ acclaimed design will remain intact. Opened in 1972, Olde Mill holds a 4½-star rating from Golf Digest magazine’s “Best Places to Play” (out of five possible stars) and features water coming into play on 16 holes.

“The course at Olde Mill which Mr. Ellis Maples conceived was based in large part on his respect and admiration for the work of legendary golf architect Donald Ross,” says Hagen Giles, General Manager, who has been at Olde Mill for more than 25 years. “Dan and Bradley did a great job helping us bring the course up-to-date without losing those classical, original design principles which have made Olde Mill such a highly regarded playing experience. With our enhanced playability for all types of golfers and upgraded overall layout, we’ve ensured that Olde Mill will continue to shine for years to come.”

The original Maples design stretched 6,833 yards from the tips.  As part of the course renovation the back tees have been lengthened to 7,100 yards to further test better players while seniors, juniors, beginners and less-accomplished players will find the new layout more playable as other sets of tees have been adjusted to best embrace all level of players.

Cart paths were repositioned and bridges were rebuilt as well as all 70 sand bunkers renovated with sand from the Sandhills of North Carolina – adding to the regional flavor of the course. The Maples have been multi-generational Pinehurst residents and, of course, Donald Ross’ legacy there is well documented.

Other changes to the course include the 1^st hole being switched from a par 4 to a par 5, while the reverse will occur on No. 18. Fairway and greenside bunkers were reshaped, removed or added on 12 of the holes. The 9th got new tee boxes and a fairway eight feet higher in elevation with two new bunkers along the left side of the fairway. And the work on No. 15 – which will perhaps be the most dramatic change in the extensive renovation – will include removing trees and bunkers and the fairway being completely repositioned.

Nestled in the serene Blue Ridge Mountains, Olde Mill’s expansive community is an awe-inspiring backdrop for golf, dining, leisure activities and relaxing at home with family and friends. Additional, extensive enhancements are ongoing at Olde Mill, including the addition of luxury yet affordable condos, manors and single-family, custom cottages and estate homes. Real estate prices range from $200,000 to more than $1 million.

Maples Restaurant at Olde Mill and The Tavern at Olde Mill have been completely renovated – including the addition of acclaimed Chef Ed Badgett – and offer culinary options as well as a variety of food, family and entertainment events.

Getting there: Olde Mill is minutes off Interstates 77, 81, 85 and 40; easily accessible from Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee; and roughly one hour from Blacksburg / Christiansburg, Virginia and the Roanoke, Winston-Salem and Greensboro airports.

Click Here to See Olde Mill’s Brand New Website and Featured Video

*OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

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By: Chris Counts.

The Postcard 5th on the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course at Bay Creek

You’ve probably heard of Bay Creek Resort and Club. It’s the home of two of Virginia’s most highly ranked golf courses, one a Jack Nicklaus Signature and the other an Arnold Palmer. But even if you have seen the beautiful pictures of these two gems, you may not know where they are located, or the fascinating chronicle about how Bay Creek came to be. With its world-class golf and great variety of on-site accommodations, Bay Creek Resort and Club is one of our area’s most intriguing Stay and Play, golf travel options.

Though the ending won’t be written for some time. The early chapters already reveal the story of a dreamer, the history of a community and the full account of how two golfing legends, and rivals, were able to work together for the first time, to mold a charming piece of bay-front property into 36 of the most scenic and serene golf holes to be found anywhere.

Bay Creek is located on, what some would call, the road less traveled; the southern tip of the Delmarva Peninsula, in quaint Cape Charles. Surprisingly, many Virginians have never ventured to that area of the state, but those that have know, the Eastern Shore has a look and a feel all it’s own.

There are only two ways to get to Bay Creek Resort and Club. One, of course, is to cross the Bay Bridge in Maryland and drive south all the way down the Eastern Shore, a pleasant route indeed, but offering no competition to the southerly route down I-64 through Hampton Roads, Norfolk and eventually to Route 13, or more commonly known as the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, the highlight of the drive.

A view of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel

When the 23-mile combination of bridge and underwater tunnel was completed in 1964, bisecting the mouth of the bay and the Atlantic Ocean, the structure was named as one of the Seven Engineering Wonders of the Modern World. Driving across the ocean on a two-lane highway is an incredible experience. While there is a fee involved in crossing the bay, it’s evident once you begin your drive across the bridge why Dickie Foster, the visionary behind Bay Creek, refers to the toll as a “serenity tax.”

In 1961, Foster, now a Virginia Beach based developer and entrepreneur, was on the construction team of the bay bridge tunnel. He was involved in creating a link to the land, where unbeknownst to him at the time, he would undertake his most daring venture, some 35 years later.

Dickie describes the experience of crossing the bridge, even today, as “going back in time 50 years.” That is an apt description, as things just seem to move a bit slower on the shore. Just a short distance after you hit dry land on Rt. 13, you will find historic Cape Charles, home to a once thriving harbor and plenty of great stories from the heyday of Chesapeake Bay.

Over a period of 100 years, Cape Charles had run the gamut. When Foster first purchased his land in 1996 he desribed, “the town was dead, but the spirit wasn’t.” A quaint downtown strip of specialty shops, galleries, restaurants and bars sits bay-front and is really a charming place to spend some time. Bay Creek Resort and Club became the heartbeat of the town.

A Bold Shot

Dickie Foster, owner of Baymark Construction, knew what he wanted to do with his new 1800-acre bay-front property. He envisioned Bay Creek, and according to Foster, he went “all in.” It was a risky business proposition for certain, but he had fallen in love with the land and had seen something special in his new purchase. Sometimes, all it takes is a feeling, or as Foster explained, “At some point, it’s not about money, it’s about what have you done?” This, however, was a gigantic undertaking.

Foster would oversee most of the property’s details; the residential aspects, the marina the restaurants and shops, heck, even the landscaping, which he keeps his ever watchful eye on still today. Though when it came to golf he admittedly knew very little and doesn’t play the game. “The sport bores me,” quips Foster. “I really only knew two golfers.”

Foster and Palmer are Old Friends

One of those men was Arnold Palmer. Dickie had worked closely with Palmer in the past on a proposed golf course in Virginia Beach as well as more recently at the Signature at West Neck in Virginia Beach. The two instantly hit it off. So, of course, Arnie was the first name that popped into Foster’s head to design Bay Creek. But little did the King know, that his old friend had an even bolder plan.

The other golfer that Foster knew just happened to be Jack Nicklaus. What are the chances? Dickie asked Nicklaus to shape the remaining 18 holes, without the knowledge that Arnie and Jack, known as the greatest rivalry in competitive golf and the business of golf, at the time had yet to collaborate on a single property. Dickie only knew that he wanted the best and secretly proposed to Arnie and Jack the idea of working together at Bay Creek.

Industry executives and insiders said “You did what?” remarked Foster. But as Bay Creek General Manager Mark Wesolek explained, “He was just following his heart, ignoring and unaware of the industry notion that these two greats, with completely different personalities and design characteristics couldn’t and wouldn’t work together.”

Palmer and Nicklaus each mulled the idea with a bit of trepidation, but to everyone’s surprise soon jumped in full-bore on the project. Even though they both referred to the other as “the other guy,” according to Foster, neither could deny that the property where Bay Creek resided was one of the most beautiful locations that they could have hoped to get their hands on; a golf course architects dream.

Each designer was asked to submit an initial version of plans. Both Jack and Arnie took the liberty of designing the bulk of their particular course on the prime Chesapeake Bay front, though succumbed to a plan that Foster would hatch. Each designer would get nine holes on the bay side and nine holes on the Old Plantation Creek Side. The plan worked.

Dickie let his old friend Palmer have the first crack at the property and the Arnold Palmer Signature Course at Bay Creek opened in 2001. As Arnie, himself, put it, “There’s not a better place in the world to put a golf course and have it work as well as it has … Bay Creek is a fantastic layout, one you’d never get tired of playing — and that’s the true measure of a great golf course.”

The approach to the Par-4 3rd on the Arnold Palmer Signature Course at Bay Creek

Holes 2,3 and 4 of the Palmer Course hug the bay, as you pass by a full-scale replica of the Old Cape Charles Lighthouse. There was an abundance of attention paid to the scenery and sightlines on every hole. The course doesn’t lack challenge either.

The Palmer Course annually ranks as one of the best in the state and along with the Nicklaus Course is ranked as as one of the top environmentally friendly courses in America, according to a recent Zagat Survey, which is key to the delicate Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.

Once Palmer’s Signature18 was in place at Bay Creek, the Golden Bear got his golden chance to make a truly special golf course.

Nicklaus had an equally beautiful piece of land as Palmer, and he also had the benefit of hitting second. In my opinion and from most historical accounts, if Palmer sets the bar, Nicklaus wants to exceed it. That feverish competitive relationship resulted in a huge dividend for Foster and Bay Creek and eventually for the golfer. The two legends dueled it out once again and when Jack was finished the resort featured 36 of the most challenging and visually intensive holes in the Middle Atlantic.

The Par 3 4th on the Nicklaus Signature Course at Bay Creek

Don’t let the serenity of the environment lull you to sleep. Nicklaus’ front nine is a Bear (pardon the pun). The stretch of holes from 4-6 is unmatched anywhere in my opinion. Dickie Foster played a big part in Jack’s design by changing the location of his planned dream, bay-front clubhouse, and envisioning what would become the par 3 4^th , a wonderful par 3 with a water backdrop as far as the eye can see. Nicklaus agreed, it was just too perfect of a spot. Foster’s first foray into golf course design was a success.

Jack also acquiesced, though it was not as if he had a choice, when Dickie constructed one of the iconic images of the property. Jack originally laughed when Foster, the bridge builder, placed a half scale replica of the Cape Charles Lighthouse in the middle of a cart bridge on the daunting par 4 5^th. He called it, “Dickie’s silly little lighthouse.” Foster knew that his “little lighthouse” would turn into a scene that postcards are made of (see lead in photo).

After going “all in,” it seems Foster’s gut feeling that he had something very special, is on the verge of reality. The two championship golf courses are extraordinary, the marina, restaurants and shops are all first rate and the on-site housing options are both convenient and perfectly crafted for any style of getaway or get together. But as GM Wesolek admitted, “Bay Creek is only at about 20% of what it will eventually be.”

Dickie Foster still doesn’t golf, but rides the course everyday to inspect his baby, constantly manicuring ideas for visual upgrades, and, especially tending to his rose bushes. In a way you could call it Bay Creek Gardens, “and you can see it all for the simple price of a greens fee,” closed Foster.

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A view of the second green at the Arnold Palmer Course at Bay Creek

Whether you are looking for a convenient golf trip with your friends or a family getaway, be sure to consider Bay Creek Resort & Club in Cape Charles, Virginia.  Why Bay Creek? Part of that answer you will have to see for your self.   The Eastern Shore is a place with a vibe of it’s own.  Starting when you cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel things move a little slower. Bay Creek is located in the old port town of Cape Charles, now a quaint little village with boutiques, specialty shops, restaurants and bars lining downtown. There is a large marina with plenty of activity and dining options and even two giant vacation/residential communities that can handle any number and type of group getaway.  But the main reason, for me at least, is the golf experience.  That’s the part that you’re going to have to find out for yourself.  But I will tell you that there are two of Virginia’s best courses and definitely the state’s most unique, one designed by Arnold Palmer, the other by Jack Nicklaus. 

In fact, you can read the complete story of Bay Creek Resort and Virginia’s Eastern Shore in the next issue of Pros N’ Hackers Golf Magazine. Coming Soon. 

For now, you can peruse their great stay and play packages for your next trip at www.baycreekresortrentals.com

Coming next week to the PNH Complimentary Member Offers Section. A special offer of 10% off of your next 2,3 or 4 night stay and play package.

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The Grounds at Omni Bedford Springs Resort

The first guests arrived in 1786, to this Alleghany playground, among them the legendary Aaron Burr and his grandson.  They came to see for themselves the rejuvenating powers of the mineral-rich waters of this Pennsylvania resort, which resides between the cities of Washington, D.C. and Pittsburgh.  Known for their healing prowess, word spread and brought the East Coast’s social elite as well as 11 U.S. Presidents. 

Bedford Springs Golf Course, located at the resort, would also bring together three of the elite golf course architects of the time starting with the original design in 1895.  Though they each had their crack at different times, Spencer Oldham (1895), A.W. Tillinghast (1912) and Donald Ross (1923) each played a part in the world-class golf course that sits on the property today. 

In 2007 the course was restored by Forse Design of Pennsylvania.  Not just anyone could be trusted with the historical triangulation of golf’s early triumvirate. Forse was the perfect fit for such a delicate project, as they had redone 36 Donald Ross designs and 14 Tillinghast courses prior to Bedford Springs.  Bedford was restored to it’s original layout.

Each original designer has a par-3, with their own signature.  Number 2 is named, aptly, Spencer Oldham.  It’s been in play since 1895. The hole plays 192 from the back tee. A wide area of wetlands stretches out from a raised tee box.

Three legendary architects collaborated at Bedford Springs Golf Course.

Number 4 is called Volcano, and may be the most famous hole at Bedford Springs. Donald Ross crafted an uphill par-3 of 223 yards. And if the term Volcano isn’t descriptive enough, the green sits at the crest of the hill. In typical Ross fashion, the green is crowned and runs away on every side.

Number 14 is called Tiny Tim, it’s an A.W. Tillinghast classic that he had often replicated at other great courses.  However this 136 yard hole is definitely unique in it’s own right.  It’s a downhill tee shot with a lagoon fronting the green, with a great view of Shober’s Run.

The golf course is the centerpiece of a $120 Million dollar renovation project at Bedford Springs, which included renovated guest rooms and a 30,000 square foot world-class spa and a state of the art meeting and events center.  The golf course should be on your must play list, and the resort, with it’s spa, restaurants and other amenities should bring the grand old feel back to Bedford Springs.

AT A GLANCE 

Who: Omni Bedford Springs Resort

What: One of the oldest golf courses and resorts in the United States. Past summer home to Presidents and legendary confluence of three great golf course architects.

Where: The luxurious Bedford Springs Resort is easy to reach by air or car, located in south-central Pennsylvania just three miles off the Pennsylvania Turnpike at Exit 146, and Interstate 99. 
Bedford Springs is located within a two-hour drive of Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Harrisburg, PA.

From Washington, D.C.:

Take I-270 North to I-70

Take I-70 West to I-76 (PA Turnpike)

Take I-76 West to exit 146 (Bedford)

Turn right onto Business Rt. 220

Go 4 miles to Bedford Springs Resort

From Baltimore:

Take I-70 west to I-76 (PA Turnpike)

Take I-76 to exit 146 (Bedford) 

Right onto Business Rt. 220 

Go 4 miles to Bedford Springs Resort

Why: A $120 Million renovation project completed at resort. Peace, tranquility and a fine golf course. A 30,000 square foot world-class spa featuring restorative treatments from the local mineral-rich waters; incorporating an elegant, relaxing indoor spring-fed pool; creating a new 20,000 square foot state-of-the art meeting and events center, five unique dining venues; 2200-acre grounds including gardens, swimming and recreational facilities, bike and hiking trails and fishing

In our Resorts: 2009 Column, we are highlighting the best options for the traveling golfer in the Middle Atlantic. Stay tuned to ProsNHackers.com in the coming weeks to read about more great local resorts and nearby golfing destinations. 

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When I was a kid, I remember my parents dressing us up on real special occasions like Christmas or for Thanksgiving dinner and most Sundays. My father served in the Navy during World War II and learned the value of pressed clothing and polished shoes. He also taught my sister and I that it was of paramount importance to dress up to 100% of your ability no matter how poor or rich you were.

When I turned pro in 1980, I befriended Moe Norman, the world’s best ball striker and winner of more tournaments than any other man from Canada. But somehow he never picked up on the lesson of putting on your Sunday best. Moe’s hero was Samuel Jackson Snead, winner of 88 PGA TOUR events and over 100 events as a professional. Sam learned the art of the Sunday best and wore it 7 days a week. He typically won the best-dressed award on the tour.

So, I recently traveled to Sam’s hometown where he honed his learning of both life and golf. My first impression of the landscape where Sam grew up was The Homestead, in Hot Springs, Virginia.

Sam was born and raised 1.5 miles from The Homestead. He began his pro career initially by building hickory shafted clubs, and then one day at age 17 when the pro was out, he was asked to give a lesson to one of the owner’s friends. She later reported that it was the best $3 she ever spent.

Sam employed his fine dressing skills at a course that accommodated the rich and famous and he would play a match with anybody that came along. He always had time for special friends like President Dwight Eisenhower or Vice President Dan Quayle. The Homestead is widely known in Virginia to all the top amateurs and feels like their ‘home away from home’ course because so many big time amateur events are played there. The Virginia State Golf Association runs many events there including over time 7 national championships.

I have lived in Virginia for 10 years and, finally this year, golf had taken me to Sam’s home in late June for the U.S. Senior Open qualifying.

Arriving for the Senior Open Qualifier, I was blown away by the hospitality and the service attitude the staff has. I sat down with Director of Golf, 35-year resident pro, Don Ryder, himself a local born product. Ryder said, “Here at The Homestead, we don’t need to teach hospitality. We’re all born with it in our heart.” Don taught me about the courses and I played each of them them with my wife and son. I found The Cascades to be a wonder, designed by Donald Ross with awesome mountain views and ranked #1 in Virginia for 80 years.

Of note, The Old Course, used to be a 6-hole mountainous track that they called the “goat course” where Sam first played a lot of golf. It is the oldest first tee in continuous use in the United States.

Driving up to The Homestead, offers a much cooler respite from the hot sweltering heat and humidity of the D.C. area. This is a place to save up for and remember to wear your Sunday best.

I’ve always wanted to come to Sam’s roots and after spending 4 days competing, trout fishing and a lot of R&R, I was compelled to go another 45 minutes down the road to The Greenbrier to investigate where Sam was head pro for many years.

Both of these courses lie within 4 hours of my home in Reston and have a monumental history both of golf and all the dignitaries and presidents over the last 250 years. It is a trip I would like to make many more times. Both resorts have high tea at 4 pm in their great halls and for one week of my life I was able to dress my best, just like Snead.

Sam grew up in this classy polished world and was well suited after being the head professional and affiliated with The Greenbrier most all of his professional life. This enabled him to head out on tour, equipped in both game and consummate attire.

I arrived at the home of Snead and found a special first class place. So pack up your Sunday best and bring your best game as well. Expect to be tested, and before you go there practice uphill, downhill and side hill lies. These courses will make any other course seem easy. I’m sure that’s what Sam thought as he navigated around golf’s gold trail for 6 decades.

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