The post USGA announces Walker Cup schedule change beginning after Cypress Point appeared first on Golf.

The post USGA announces Walker Cup schedule change beginning after Cypress Point appeared first on Golf.

The Walker Cup will soon have a new home in the golf schedule.

On Monday, the USGA and R&A announced a schedule change that will bring the Walker Cup to even years, an effort aimed at keeping the event from interfering with the remainder of the golf schedule, particularly the Olympics.

The changes will bring one of golf’s most historic events more efficiently in-line with other events on the golf schedule, and will allow the event to return to its traditional timeslot on years opposite golf’s other biennial matchplay competition, the Ryder Cup.

News

“The re-emergence of golf in the Olympic Games has had a ripple effect on the overall golf calendar,” USGA chief championships officer John Bodenhamer said in a release distributed Monday. “This is just the next step in that as we make sure team competitions have a balanced schedule and in this case, encourage participation by the world’s best amateurs without unnecessary conflict.”

The Walker Cup, founded in 1922 as a competition between amateur golfers from the United States and those from Great Britain and Ireland, will play back-to-back years in 2025 and 2026 to enact the change. The final odd-year Walker Cup, in 2025, will be played at the famed Cypress Point Golf Club in Northern California for just the second time ever, and the first time in more than four decades. (Cypress Point ranked second on GOLF’s latest ranking of the Top 100 Courses in the World.)

“We have looked at this carefully with the USGA and believe that this change creates the best schedule for the players and for the Walker Cup Match itself,” said Phil Anderton, the R&A’s chief development officer. “The Walker Cup is at the forefront of men’s amateur golf and we want to ensure that its status is reflected in its position in the golf calendar.”

The Walker Cup will next be contested in 2023, when it follows the Open Championship to St. Andrews for the event’s 49th edition. The United States has won each of the last three Cups — most recently at Seminole in 2021 — and owns an all-time record of 38-9-1 over GB&I at the event.

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The post GOLF’s Subpar: Brian Harman talks playing with Anthony Kim appeared first on Golf.

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Subpar’s Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz are joined by two-time PGA Tour winner Brian Harman who talks what it’s like playing with Anthony Kim and their time as teammates at the 2005 Walker Cup.

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The post Why Rory McIlroy has a new go-to shot shape off the tee appeared first on Golf.

The post Why Rory McIlroy has a new go-to shot shape off the tee appeared first on Golf.

Welcome to Teachable Moments, GOLF’s weekly instruction column that will help you improve your game through the excellence and expertise of the Tour stars of the week. Class is now in session.

Rory’s new go-to ball flight

Rory McIlroy’s bread and butter off the tee has been the towering draw for much of his career, but since teaming up with instructor Pete Cowen, he has been transitioning to relying more on the fade.

As he explained at last week’s Wells Fargo Championship, new driver technology has made it more difficult for him to turn the ball over the way he used to. So, he’s committing to hitting a cut off the tee.

“[The cut] is the most consistent shot that I hit with the driver,” McIlroy said. “I’ve definitely noticed that the ball flight with the driver’s more neutral and I just can’t turn it over quite as much. So, I just have to commit to going down the left side and trusting that it’s going to come back.”

His reliance on the fade is paying off. McIlroy won at Quail Hallow last week, his first win on the PGA Tour since November of 2019. And he did it while ranking 18th in the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee.

Warm up like a pro

One of the biggest differences between pros and amateurs is how they prepare prior to a round. Many ams use their warm-up time to attempt a swing fix, but that’s a recipe for disaster. Range time before the round should be used to get loose and to mimic shots you will need on the course.

Patty Tavatanakit demonstrated this concept in a video this week from the Honda Thailand LPGA. Their social team captured every shot of her warm-up routine and made a one-minute cut that you can view below.

You’ll notice that she hits a number of seemingly unconventional shots, but they all serve a distinct purpose. One-armed pitches give the proper feel of the clubhead releasing through the impact zone, while swinging off one foot helps engage her core and gets her body ready to compete.

Next time you head to the range prior to a round, keep Tavatanakit’s warm up in mind. Every shot should be hit with the purpose of benefitting your game once you get on the course.

How to putt on fast greens

The U.S. took down Great Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup at Seminole Golf Club last weekend and one of the biggest stories was how lightning quick the greens were. Early in the week the speeds were rumored to be around 13 on the stimp, but by Sunday they had sped up considerably. NBC’s Jim “Bones” Mackay even went so far as to call them some of the quickest greens he’d ever seen.

With the surfaces so slick throughout competition, players had to be extra cognizant of every little detail of the diabolical Donald Ross greens. While most recreational players will never have to deal with speeds like the Walker Cup stars did, it’s important to know the strategy on fast greens.

Willam Mouw of the United States said positioning is key. “[The most important thing is] leaving yourself into-the-wind putts or into-the-wind chips,” he said.

And according to his counterparts from GB&I, biggest key is getting as much practice in as possible. “I think personally there’s no substitute for just spending as much time as possible that you have on the greens,” Matty Lamb said. “Just hitting putts, constantly adjusting from uphill to downhill.”

Added GB&I captain Stuart Wilson: “You can’t spend enough time on the putting green. It’s always going to be the one that holes the most putts wins the event.”

Keep these things in mind next time you find yourself on a course with quick greens.

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The post Tour Confidential: Rory McIlroy’s win, ‘super leagues’ and the best U.S. public golf appeared first on Golf.

The post Tour Confidential: Rory McIlroy’s win, ‘super leagues’ and the best U.S. public golf appeared first on Golf.

Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us @golf_com. This week, we discuss Rory McIlroy’s victory, golf’s proposed super leagues, break down our Top 100 Courses You Can Play and more.

Rory! After an 18-month winless drought and long run of underwhelming Sundays, Rory McIlroy shot a closing 68 at Quail Hollow to win the Wells Fargo Championship by one shot over Abraham Ancer. How does this victory change the narrative around McIlroy as we enter the meat of the 2021 major season?  

Josh Sens, senior writer (@JoshSens): With the possible exception of DJ, Rory is the most outsize talent on Tour. And like DJ, he can run hot and cold. Now he’s warming up on the cusp of the PGA at Kiawah, where Rory won in a romp nine years ago. Feels like the stars are starting to align. 

Michael Bamberger, senior writer: I think it’s significant because the story about Rory for a long while has been can he play on Sunday. He can play on Sunday. He can play the other three days, too. So he’s good for a while here, I would think. (And I would hope.)

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James Colgan, assistant editor (@jamescolgan26): This week showed Pete Cowen’s newest client still has what it takes to win, but the cracks of the ‘Old Rory’ were clear as day on the 72nd tee. Can Cowen get the low-heart rate version of McIlroy for 72 holes at a major this year? That’s the narrative I’m paying attention to heading forward.

Dylan Dethier, senior writer (@dylan_dethier): The only downside to Rory’s terrific Sunday: It immediately turns him into the favorite at the PGA Championship! I’m sure he’d rather come in under the radar.

The crowds at Quail Hollow were as big as we’ve seen at any PGA Tour event since the restart last May, which was not lost on McIlroy. “To bring the best out of myself, I need this,” he said of the fan support. What do you make of McIlroy’s dependence on the galleries to fuel him?

Sens: Rory’s not like Tiger. Not the kind of guy to put his blinders up and block the world out. He’s always seemed attuned to what’s swirling around him and sensitive to it. It’s a big part of his appeal. A strength but also at times a vulnerability.

Dethier: I’d argue Tiger also thrives with a crowd, though… 

Bamberger: I think it speaks to his love of football, tennis and other games in the arena. It makes you feel like an athlete, to feed off the crowd. That’s part of Rory’s makeup.

Dethier: To his credit, McIlroy talked about feeling flat all last summer when the Tour returned fan-free. Some people criticized him and said he was using that as an excuse. But I think this is a pretty solid counter-argument.

Colgan: Crowds matter…except when they don’t. The point being: it depends on the player, and also on the scope of the moment.

Not one but two super leagues now appear to be making a run at the world’s best players. From what little we know about this new push and which players have been approached, is there reason to believe super-league golf is any more likely to become a reality than it was, say, this time last year?

Sens: The sums being tossed around are insane. But the old line from the movie Wall Street still applies —how many yachts can you water ski behind? With Monahan laying down an ultimatum that would bring a possible lifetime ban from the Tour for anyone who jumps ship, I’m guessing the biggest names will decide that they have enough yachts where they are. At least for now. 

Bamberger: Well, we’re closer to the end of a pandemic, so in that sense, yes. On the other hand, the world has been turned upside down by a pandemic. Is this really the right time to try to turn the world of big-money elite professional golf upside down? I would think not.

News

Dethier: There’s definitely more smoke than ever. Does that mean there’s fire? Strong reporting from Josh Sens, among others, suggests that some top players are already game to jump ship. But that’s where we hit Newton’s Law of Professional Golf Leagues: The Tour that already exists usually has the best chance of continuing to exist.

Colgan: It can simultaneously be true that a super league has never been more likely and is still incredibly unlikely to come to fruition. As has always been the case, it all comes down to the question of who? If the SGL or PGL can attract a big enough pool of stars — a colossal ‘if’ given last year’s failures — there’s no reason not to believe a new professional league/tour could exist.

According to a Golf Channel report, in a meeting with players last week at Quail Hollow, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said that any defectors to a rival tour would be suspended from the PGA Tour and likely banned for life. European Tour chief Keith Pelley showed solidarity with Monahan and Co., saying in a statement, “We are aligned with the PGA Tour in opposing, in the strongest possible terms, any proposal for an alternative golf league.” Too harsh, or just a couple of commishes dutifully protecting their turf?

Sens: The latter. And clearly they recognize that their turf has some vulnerabilities. Lots and lots of golfers out there and many events, but only a small percentage that really move the needle. 

Bamberger: The commissioner can say what he wishes but the courts will have the final say, I suspect. He doesn’t need to threaten 100+ players. He has to cajole 20 or so to let the whole thing slide.

Dethier: In his role, I don’t see how he could say differently. It’s already confusing enough for golf fans to tell the PGA Tour from the PGA of America or the various organizations that run major championships. The PGL would take a serious slice out of their bit of the pro golf pie.

Colgan: It’s the right tone, but I think it speaks more to the threat posed by a super league, and the weaknesses in the current structure. To borrow a comparison from another sport, the PGA Tour might be starting on the 10 yard line, but it still has to overcome a leaky offensive line.

The U.S. defeated Great Britain & Ireland 14-12 at the Walker Cup at dreamy, windy Seminole, meaning the Americans have now won seven of the last nine editions of the biennial amateur event. Would you like to see the GB&I team expand to include the rest of Europe?   

Sens: Yes.  I can understand the sentimental attachment to tradition, but think of all the fine amateurs we are NOT currently seeing in what broadcasters this weekend took pains to call the greatest showcase of amateur golf talent in the world. That may have been the case when the event was born. Not anymore. 

Bamberger: Yes. It’s a great event but closer outcomes would make it better yet.

Travel

Dethier: For sure. The Ryder Cup for amateur golfers? I’m all the way in.

Colgan: I’ll admit, with this being my first Walker Cup in golf media, I had to pause to research why, exactly, the event didn’t include the rest of Europe to begin with. History and tradition are awesome, but a closer contest would be even better.

On Tuesday, we dropped our 2021-22 ranking of the Top 100 Courses You Can Play, which for the first time included designs in Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean. Dylan Dethier shared 10 key takeaways here — what most jumped out to you about our latest celebration of public golf?  

Sens: That I need to get back to Canada. I love seeing Highland Links returning to our list. If there’s a prettier walk in golf, I haven’t seen it.

Bamberger: That I care more about this list than I do the others, with all those courses 99 percent of all golfers will never see. This list captures the mood of the times.

Courses

Dethier: That there’s more to a great golf course than exclusivity, difficulty and pedigree. There’s some funk on this list. There’s adventure. There’s character. And there’s plenty of fun to be had. Time to start booking tee times.

Colgan: That, for as much as I love bemoaning the hordes of public golfers nabbing tee times on Bethpage every week, those courses are still home to some of the best municipal golf in the world. Oh…and I can’t WAIT to get to Pinehurst this summer.

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The post U.S. holds off Great Britain & Ireland to clinch third-straight Walker Cup title appeared first on Golf.

The post U.S. holds off Great Britain & Ireland to clinch third-straight Walker Cup title appeared first on Golf.

JUNO BEACH, Fla. — As expected, the United States won the 48th Walker Cup. And, as expected, Seminole Golf Club dazzled during its week in the spotlight. But the week was anything but ordinary.

The underdog Great Britain and Ireland team played with an audacity that’s supposed to be reserved for David. A mysterious virus (no, not that virus) ran rampant through both teams. And unlikely heroes emerged and asserted themselves on the national stage.

The lads from across the pond had no business keeping it close against the mighty Americans this week, at least if you go by the numbers next to their names and the pre-event chatter. GB&I had just one player inside the top 20 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking coming into the week. The Americans had nine.

Travel

“The one thing we were kind of using as a little bit of motivation there was a lot of comments about us hanging in well and fighting really hard,” GB&I captain Stuart Wilson said. “Whereas I was more of the opinion we were letting the Americans away with it.”

That motivation helped GB&I push the Americans to the brink. It wasn’t until Cole Hammer — in the penultimate match Sunday afternoon — closed out his match against Ben Schmidt that the result was assured.

“It obviously means a lot,” Hammer said of delivering the decisive point. “When Robby told me that my match clinched it, I got pretty emotional because this event means so much to me.”

The U.S. won 6.5 points in the final session to clinch the cup, and each and every one of them was hard-earned. GB&I proved a formidable opponent, and windy Seminole bared its teeth as the week wore on. The pristine turf went from scenic background to a baked-out, treacherous playing surface.

By Sunday afternoon, the greens were rolling more like pool tables. Chatter early in the week was that the surfaces were stimping over 13. Over the final afternoon that number ballooned to 15.

Shots that were holding early in the week began trundling into bunkers. Lag putts that settled near the hole on Saturday turned into nervy five-footers by Sunday. NBC’s Jim “Bones” Mackay went so far as to call them the fastest greens he’d ever seen.

Travel

“It was a lot tougher than I expected,” GB&I’s Joe Long said. “It was kind of similar to Augusta — the firmness of the greens and how quick they were, especially today. They were just so quick and firm. It was really brutal out there.”

For the Americans, it wasn’t the big names like Pierceson Coody or Davis Thompson who shined brightest but rather newcomers like Ricky Castillo and William Mouw who stepped up when it mattered most. Castillo had a sparkling 4-0 record for the week, while Mouw was called upon at the 11th hour on Saturday when Tyler Strafaci was rushed to the hospital.

Strafaci might have summed it up best when he returned from his hospital visit.

“That’s the great thing about this event,” he said. “It’s about everyone as a team.”

In the end, it took a total team effort to retain the cup.

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The post Tour the Seminole Golf Club men’s locker room, one of the coolest hangouts in golf appeared first on Golf.

The post Tour the Seminole Golf Club men’s locker room, one of the coolest hangouts in golf appeared first on Golf.

Stepping inside Seminole Golf Club‘s men’s locker room feels a bit like walking back in time. The airy space has a classic feel, and the history of the club — the famed Donald Ross-designed golf course outside the clubhouse opened in 1929 — seeps through the walls.

Dan Jenkins, writing for Sports Illustrated in 1965, described the locker room like this: “The décor includes thick gold rugs, cypress clothes closets with intricate designs carved on the doors, overstuffed sofas and chairs, a fireplace, a small bar and the heads of fifteen wild animals, which stare down from the walls. It is quiet, pleasant and elegant — one of the better places in Florida to change your shoes.”

With the Walker Cup visiting Seminole this weekend, here’s a peek inside one of the coolest hangouts in golf:

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The post Inside Tyler Strafaci’s late-night, post-hospital Walker Cup practice session appeared first on Golf.

The post Inside Tyler Strafaci’s late-night, post-hospital Walker Cup practice session appeared first on Golf.

JUNO BEACH, Fla. — In waning daylight, Tyler Strafaci stood on the practice green at Seminole Golf Club armed only with his putter and a small collection of practice balls. One ball after another tumbled along the baked-out turf as the maintenance crew finished their final touch-ups for the night. In golf-speak, he was grinding.

This isn’t a particularly rare scene for high-level golf, but considering where Strafaci had been just hours earlier, it was remarkable.

News

Strafaci is just one of several Walker Cup players who have been stricken with a mysterious stomach virus this week. Just before his scheduled 3:03 p.m. tee time Saturday afternoon, the reigning U.S. Amateur champion was scratched from the lineup. Moments later, he was loaded into an ambulance and taken to a local hospital.

Details on the matter were sparse. “Tyler Strafaci did leave the grounds of Seminole Golf Club and is receiving fluids at a local hospital,” the USGA said in a statement. “[But] there is no additional information available at this time.”

The 22-year-old later revealed to Golf Channel that he’d been admitted for dehydration, and received three IVs. He was discharged from the emergency room later in the afternoon and returned to the course, where he rejoined his teammates to watch the Americans claim a 7-5 lead over GB&I.

When the excitement of the day wound down, Strafaci headed to the practice green unperturbed by the day’s (chaotic) events, and unmoved from his original goal.

“I want to win as bad as everyone else on that team,” Strafaci told GOLF.com. “This event is as meaningful as any other golf tournament in the world.”

As Strafaci continued his routine, Walker Cup stalwart Steward Hagestad approached him. The two chatted for a moment and then the elder statesman gave Strafaci a hug. Hagestad almost surely shared some words of encouragement for what figures to be a 36-hole day for Strafaci tomorrow.

Hagestad played in just one match on Saturday, a foursomes loss to Angus Flanagan and Jake Bolton. But even though the last two men on the putting green didn’t contribute any points on the board on day one, the younger Strafaci still provided some veteran wisdom.

“That’s the great thing about this event,” he said. “It’s about everyone as a team. We have a two-point lead going into tomorrow — that’s all that matters.”

With the sun fully vanished behind the Western dunes, Strafaci and Hagestad walked back toward the pink stucco clubhouse. It seemed like a rough day for the Walker Cup rookie, but Strafaci had a different perspective.  

“It wasn’t a bad day,” he said. “We’re leading. That’s all that’s important.”

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The post 5 things to know after a hard-fought first day at the Walker Cup appeared first on Golf.

The post 5 things to know after a hard-fought first day at the Walker Cup appeared first on Golf.

JUNO BEACH, Fla. — Day one of the Walker Cup is in the books. Team USA leads 7-5 after the first two sessions, setting up what is sure to be an intense final day of matches at Seminole Golf Club tomorrow.

Here are from things to know from Saturday at Seminole.

1. GB&I came to play

Looking at the World Amateur Golf Ranking, the matchup between the U.S. and GB&I (Great Britain and Ireland) is heavily lopsided. The Americans have nine of the top 20 players in the world, while their opposition claims just one. But despite this seeming mismatch, the boys from across the pond came to play.

Through two sessions, GB&I finds themselves behind the Americans by just two points, far from the blowout many predicted coming into the week. Now, the pressure shifts to the Americans to assert themselves tomorrow on their home soil.

2. Strafaci is bouncing back

Just before his afternoon match with Ben Jones, Tyler Strafaci was scratched from the lineup and replaced by William Mouw. Strafaci has been dealing with a stomach bug that has plagued both teams this week, and the ailment was too much to overcome on Saturday.

As more details came to light, tournament officials announced Strafaci was taken to a local hospital via ambulance as a precautionary measure. Fortunately, Strafaci was back on the grounds at Seminole by day’s end, cheering on his teammates.

“It was tough,” Strafaci said. “I wanted to go out and compete. It’s what I’ve been preparing my whole life for. It wasn’t easy at all. Physically I just couldn’t have walked 18 holes today. I was just really out of it, and three IVs in, I feel much better now, so I’m ready for tomorrow.”

3. The stars were out

Seminole was full of stars on Saturday. Yes, golf stars, but other celebs as well.

This golf scribe spotted Larry Fitzgerald (a Seminole member) in the afternoon watching John Pak and Barclay Brown, and also picked out Greg Norman following one of the morning foursome matches.

Among the other marquee names in attendance Saturday were Lee Westwood, Jessica Korda, George W. Bush, Fred Ridley, Seth Waugh and Curtis Strange. Quite the cast of characters.

4. Hammer time

Cole Hammer is somewhat of a Walker Cup veteran at this point after playing on the victorious 2019 team, and he provided a veteran presence Saturday at Seminole. Hammer won both his matches on the day, earning two critical points for the American side. Expect to see the 20-year-old in both sessions tomorrow as Team USA vies for the Cup.

5. Same format tomorrow

Saturday at the Walker Cup is a session of foursomes and a session of singles, and Sunday is more of the same. The only difference between the two days is that on day two, there are 10 singles matches in the afternoon, ensuring that all players participate in the session.

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The post U.S. Walker Cup player Tyler Strafaci a late scratch due to illness, taken to hospital via ambulance appeared first on Golf.

The post U.S. Walker Cup player Tyler Strafaci a late scratch due to illness, taken to hospital via ambulance appeared first on Golf.

JUNO BEACH, Fla. — U.S. Walker Cup player Tyler Strafaci was taken to a local hospital just prior to his scheduled 3:03 p.m. tee time on Saturday. The U.S. Amateur champion and 2021 Masters participant was taken for precautionary reasons, per a USGA spokesperson.

“Tyler Strafaci did leave the grounds of Seminole Golf Club and is receiving fluids at a local hospital,” the USGA said in a statement. “There is no additional information available at this time.”

Although it’s not confirmed what sent Strafaci to the hospital, both teams have been plagued by a stomach bug in the run up to the 48th Walker Cup.

The USGA and R&A released a statement earlier this week, saying: “Over the past 24 hours, a number of players from both the GB&I and USA Teams have been treated for gastrointestinal issues and are currently under observation by medical professionals at the teams’ hotel.”

Strafaci sat out the morning session at Seminole but was slated in the lineup for a singles match versus GB&I’s Ben Jones for the afternoon. He was replaced by William Mouw.

This is the 2020 U.S. Amateur champion’s first Walker Cup.

UPDATE: 7:23 p.m. ET

Tyler Strafaci has returned from the hospital and was spotted on site at Seminole supporting his teammates during the afternoon matches.

“We’re like a family,” Strafaci told Golf Channel. “I wanted to come out and just support everyone here because I know they’d do the same thing for me.”

Strafaci said he received three IVs at the hospital and is planning on being ready to compete tomorrow.

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The post Inside a solo walk around one of golf’s most exclusive properties appeared first on Golf.

The post Inside a solo walk around one of golf’s most exclusive properties appeared first on Golf.

JUNO BEACH, Fla. — There are few clubs in the world as exclusive as Seminole Golf Club. Its hush-hush nature means it’s impossible to quantify exactly how it stacks up against others, and it’s only been featured on TV once in its 92-year history (last year’s TaylorMade Driving Relief Skins Match).

Only about 300 people are members, and the roster is a who’s-who of American elites. Tom Brady and Michael Bloomberg. Mike Davis and Mark Loomis. The names go on and on. Rumor has it Seminole once turned down Jack Nicklaus. How many clubs can get away with that?

The exclusivity is one of the reasons why this week’s Walker Cup is so intriguing. Fans will finally get to see high-level competitive golf played at the same place where Ben Hogan chose to fine-tune his game for the Masters. Augusta National is exclusive, too, but the annual broadcast allows those who’ve never set foot on the grounds to feel intimate with the course. That’s not the case here at Seminole.

I didn’t know what to expect when I rolled up to the pink stucco clubhouse Friday afternoon. Fresh off a plane from New York, I hopped in the rental car and drove up to the gates at one of the most guarded properties in golf. They waved me through, and I felt like a 19-year-old sneaking into a bar for the first time.

I walked to the putting green and faced a sea of blazers and polos indulging in libations and preparing for the opening ceremony. Beyond the crowd was endless acres of Donald Ross’ genius framed by palm trees and sand dunes. Just over the largest dunes on the east side of the property was a small strip of beach and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. This is way better than sneaking into a bar.

Player availability and practices were finished for the day, so I decided to take a stroll out to the course. As I walked past the hospitality areas not far from the clubhouse, I noticed there were no ropes that are traditionally put up at golf tournaments. Music to a reporter’s ears.

As I ventured farther away from the masses, I noticed I was alone. No nosy volunteers, no groundskeepers, no caddies. I had complete solitude.

That’s when it hit me. I was doing something that few ever have the chance to experience. Walking a course as exclusive as Seminole, with no supervision, is unheard of. Even the guests who are fortunate enough to score an invite are accompanied by members and caddies. But on this afternoon, it was just me, the course and the ghosts of some of golf’s greats.

I scouted a peak at the far end of the property and continued my hike. I meandered along the banks of the ponds and made note of a particularly crooked palm tree near one of the greens. I noticed the fairway bunkers were rather shallow, the greenside traps intimidatingly steep.

I captured as many photos and videos as I could. Seminole has a strict no-phone policy, but with the USGA taking charge this week, the rules were a bit more relaxed. When I reached the far end of the course on the 3rd tee box, I turned around and took in the scene. The clubhouse sat on the opposite end of the property with the vast expanse of the ocean to the east. Behind me was a row of shrubs over 20 feet tall to keep out any wandering eyes.

I sat down — a kid from a working-class family from rural Texas that grew up playing beat-up munis — and took inventory.

I’ll admit, I wasn’t awed when I first started walking the golf course, but after a half-hour alone with it, I was enamored. It all blends together in one big golfy mass. You could play Seminole on any number of routings. It’s like a playground with limitless possibilities.

I took a trip up to the secluded 18th tee. Beyond the dunes was a man teaching his son to skimboard on the beach. They were only 100 yards away, but it felt like we were in different worlds. I wondered if they had peered up those same dunes and wondered what life was like at Seminole. I know I would have.

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