Sep 14

Travelin' Joe Must Go

This is the second time in a month that I’m questioning a guy who actually gets paid to do this. If it comforts some of you that I do this for free, I’m a happier man.

This dude, Travelin’ Joe, writes about where to play for a major golf magazine. This month’s paper copy arrived on my doorstep and what do I behold but a review of the Kohler Komplex in Wisconsin. I was agreeing with the dude as he rated Straits first, BR River second, Irish third and BR Meadow fourth, until he finished with this statement on the Irish:

It sports an astonishing number of bunkers, and is overall a superb test of shotmaking that culminates in a great stretch of closing holes.

Never mind the misplaced comma after ‘bunkers;’ this guy is off his grandma’s rocker. After developing a vibe, a groove, whatever at Irish for 15 holes, you get the sense that something is amiss when a pond and some jungle come into view on 16. OK, maybe that’s their reservoir, you say. The pond comes into play on 16 and completely devours the 17th. 17 is like a hole from Golden Tee that you can get over if you hum the rollo-ball enough. 18 is a par five over a bit of the same pond to a hidden fairway. There is no lay-up area shorter than 150 yards, unless you go to the green front, which is mainly rough. In other words, the closing triumvirate leave you asking “why do golf courses have 18 holes, instead of 15?” Undoubtedly the biggest letdown-finish of any almost-great course I’ve played.

Funny thing is, that fourth-rated Meadows Valley course closes unbelievably well after a snoozer of a start. 1-3 on MV are no better than your local muni’s top three holes. 4-18 evoke the same 15-Hole question. MV’s back nine is the greatest roller-coaster ride at the resort, holes that never cease their traverse of always-undulating, often-broken ground.

In other words, if this is what Travelin’ Joe puts in print, what other dark thoughts does he keep to himself? In the interest of salvation, Travelin’ Joe must go.

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16 comments

§ Judge Smails said on : 09/14/08 @ 10:59
Since you criticized the man's comma usage, Ron Mon, I'll point out your punctuation errors. Semi-colons go OUTSIDE quotation marks, not inside. Moreover, you should have used double quotation marks. Single ones are for quotations within quotations.
§ Ron Mon® said on : 09/14/08 @ 11:21
I am so glad that someone was paying attention. However, the fact that I used the single quotation mark renders the semi-colon outside placement immaterial (see anus v. colon and the state of diarrhea, 1869.) I can only imagine how many readings you gave the entry, hoping to find an error. Beyond the dots, what about the text itself? Thoughts?
§ Kiel Christianson® said on : 09/14/08 @ 12:02
I'll agree with you, RM: Those last 3 hole on the Irish are not very Irish at all. I loved the first 15 holes, though, at least, if memory serves. I was the first TG or WG writer to have visited Kohler 7 or so years ago, so I may be a bit fuzzy on details, though. I also liked Meadow Valleys more that Black Wolf Run, actually. (Maybe simply because I played better at the former.)
§ Judge Smails said on : 09/14/08 @ 17:57
Ron Mon,

That's funny. You mention the writer in question's misplaced comma, and then you complain that I'm punctilious.

Oh, and, Ron, I noticed the mistakes right away. I'm a professional writer. You should thank me for such feedback, as today you became better at your avocational craft.

As for the piece, it sounds like the closing holes in question are certainly lacking. But I don't know the course.
§ Brandon Tucker® said on : 09/14/08 @ 21:57
So because he has a difference of opinion, you think he should be fired?

I've met Travelin' Joe. He's a good stick and seems to have a clue with what he's talking about - more than I can say about Ron Mon...
§ Shanks® said on : 09/15/08 @ 07:56
About Meadow Valley: there is nothing wrong with a gentle start to a golf course. Seems like that's how it should be. Besides, every piece of property can't have 18 jaw-dropping, signature holes on it. Pebble beach is a great example of that. MV is a wonderful course but also the least expensive of the four, perhaps due to it's pedestrian beginning. One thing everyone should note is that it has the identical impeccable conditioning of the other three tracks, including some of the best greens you could ever play in your life.
§ Ron Mon® said on : 09/15/08 @ 10:19
Excellent points, Shanks. There is no "resort" course at Kohler, no easy track for chops. If you go, prepare to be kicked in the teeth if your swing is off. As for the conditioning, amen.
§ Ted Cahill said on : 09/15/08 @ 13:37
I agree that the end of the Irish is not as impressive as the previous holes. I feel saying that is working hard to find fault. I enjoy the Kohler courses as much as any I've played (except for maybe Pasatiempo) Hailing from the midwest, I am proud that such a great level of golf exists in Wisconsin. If you haven't played they're yet, you need to go!
§ Ron Mon® said on : 09/15/08 @ 13:56
I can't believe that the end was the only way to route those final three holes. It disrupted the flow into the clubhouse and left me a bit adrift. In contrast, the Meadow Valley course peaks after a slow beginning and remains there through number 18.
§ Shanks® said on : 09/15/08 @ 14:21
The US Women's Open was contested on a hybrid of the Meadow Valley and Blackwolf Run courses. Don't recall exactly which holes from which course were used though.
§ Ron Mon® said on : 09/15/08 @ 14:40
The best part of that was, they used a hole that doesn't exist normally. If you stand on ten green of Meadows Valley and look to your left, you look down a huge hill toward #1 tee at River course. They teed off from River # 1 at #10 MV and the hole was a huge success. It's the ultimate 37th hole.
§ Shanks® said on : 09/16/08 @ 11:02
Nice little nugget there, Ron Monster!
§ Ron Mon® said on : 09/16/08 @ 11:06
I know. The starter at River told us about it, so that when we played MV that PM, we would take a look. Even in a cart, I almost died on those two courses. They wore me down.
§ Shanks® said on : 09/17/08 @ 07:31
My group of 8 played all four courses with Meadow Valley coming last. It played toughest of all, but only because that day the wind was howling at about 2-3 clubs most of the time.
§ Ron Mon® said on : 09/17/08 @ 19:52
You must have seen that huge American flag in Sheboygan flying like crazy that day, right?
§ Shanks® said on : 10/01/08 @ 16:03
Went into Sheboygan one night and hit the wing joint (name?). Vaguely recall the big flag. As I was the DD, I was busy watching traffic while my drunken buddies did all the sightseeing.