Hi, Joe:
My Sunday golf group is planning
to play Wolf Creek in Mesquite,
Nevada. What do you think of it?
James Edwards
Overland Park, Kan.
This is the closest thing to a safe bet in Vegas. Wolf Creek ($175-$195; 866-252-4653, golfwolfcreek.com) is ranked No. 58 on Golf Magazine's Top 100 Courses You Can Play and is a stunner.
The Oasis Golf Club's Palmer course ($80-$140; 888-367- 3386, theoasisgolfclub.com) is a decent alternative, and you can round out the trip with a visit to a nice newcomer, Falcon Ridge ($45- $115; 877-270-4653, golffalcon.com).
Dear Joe:
A bunch of us want to take a road
trip of 150-200 miles from the
Bay Area. Do you know of any
cheapskate specials or even a
place where we could camp
nearby, yet play at a really nice
course that's worth the drive?
Mike Greene
American Canyon, Calif.
Camp among the redwoods at Calaveras Big Trees State Park, then head down Route 4 to Copperopolis to play Saddle Creek ($49-$99; 888- 852-5787, saddlecreekgolf.com). If the call of the wild proves too much, Saddle Creek's stay-and-play packages start at $165 per person.
Dear Joe,
I'm planning a trip to
Cincinnati to celebrate my
dad's retirement with a Reds
baseball game and some golf.
Can you suggest three courses
in the $60-$80 range within a
half-hour of downtown?
Jeremy Biddinger
Columbus, Ohio
Late spring in the Queen City could mean dodging raindrops, but finding quality golf in your price range isn't a problem. My top picks are Aston Oaks ($35-$45; 513-467-0070, astonoaksgolfclub.com), a Nicklaus Design track with nice views of the Ohio River, and Legendary Run ($32-$53; 513-753-1919, legendaryrungolf.com) an admirable Arthur Hills creation. Another sturdy test is the Golf Club at Stonelick Hills($35-$63; 513-735-4653, stonelickhills.com), 15 miles east in Batavia.
What's New This Month?
Indian Wells Golf Resort (Players Course)
Indian Wells, Calif.
Green fees: $110-$185;
760-346-4653,
indianwellsgolfresort.com
Designer John Fought likens his new creation at Indian Wells Resort to L.A.'s fabled Riviera, but while his Players Course lacks the historical pedigree of Hogan's Alley, it does stack up admirably in terms of beauty and brawn.
Fought's design is a new golf course on the site of an old one. He retained many of the old layout's trees, but replaced most of the lakes with what he calls "California-style barrancas," essentially sand-filled dry ravines dotted with small trees and dense vegetation.
The most dramatic barranca hole may be the gargantuan 626-yard, par-5 9th, but for sheer memorability, the downhill 186-yard 12th takes top honors, thanks to its bunkerframed green and its amazing Eisenhower Mountain vista.
Take it From Joe: Ease Into the Season
Most of us are still just easing into peak season in May, so here are five
courses that won't beat you up too badly as you search for your swing.
Coeur D'Alene Resort
Coeur d'Alene, Id.
$150-$270; 208-667-4653;
cdaresort.com
Famous for its floating island-green, Coeur d'Alene is the definition of "sporty resort course." Its brilliant white bunkers, lush green fairways, blazing red geraniums and ice-blue lake backdrops are a visual feast, but the 6,735-yard layout is still conquerable, even from the tips.
Pinehurst Resort (No. 1)
Pinehurst, N.C.
$79-$165; 910-295-6811;
pinehurst.com
Enjoy a romp at this 6,128-yard, par-70 layout, which dates to 1898.With open approaches and one pond, the soft 117 slope is as welcoming as it gets. The 150-yard 18th hole (also the number 18 handicap hole), is a good indication that this is not the Pinehurst course that hosts the U.S. Open.
Mt. Mitchell Golf Club
Burnsville, N.C.
$44-$89; 828-675-5454,
mountmitchellgolfresort.com
With a back tee rating of 70.0 and a slope of 121, there's not too much scary about this flat, 6,495-yard, par-72 western Carolina track.The Toe River and meandering streams influence play at many holes, but from start to finish, Mt. Mitchell is scenic, uncomplicated fun.
Pacific Grove Municipal Golf Links
Pacific Grove, Calif.
$40-$62; 831-648-5777,
ci.pg.ca.us/golf
The "Poor Man's Pebble Beach" boasts a seaside back nine with dunes higher than those at Spyglass Hill. But if Spyglass's challenges achieve grad-school status, Pacific Grove's weigh in at the kindergarten level. At 5,727-yards, Pacific Grove couldn't beat up a fifth grader.
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