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Think golf is crazy in the U.S.? Course architect Ron Garl tells podcast host Dave Berner about the extraordinary lengths that are being taken on a course Garl is designing in China. And by extraordinary, we mean extraordinary.

“We are building the new Great Wall of China in the Pacific Ocean,” Garl says, detailing a 30-foot-high wall actually in the ocean that will have some holes built behind it. But that’s hardly the only uniquely striking thing about this golf course with two and a half miles of oceanfront property some 45 minutes from Shanghai.

The course developers moved 4,000 people at a cost of $80 million to get the precious ocean land in the first place, building many of them new homes elsewhere. “That’s $80 million before we started (on the golf course itself),” Garl said.

Nothing quite that crazy is going on in Traverse City, Michigan, but Brandon Tucker lays out how the area is trying to position itself as a golf destination by offering packages for the first time.

Berner reveals how he had the opportunity to design his own golf hole. “What golfer hasn’t scribbled down his own golf design on a grill room napkin?” Berner asked.

Only Berner actually got to do it. It’s the second hole at Blackstone, a golf course about 50 miles from Chicago.

Author Elliott Kalb comes on to talk about his book, “Who’s Better, Who’s Best In Golf.” Kalb measures the best golfers through the ages against each other and he thinks “who’s best” isn’t even close.

“My opinion - I don’t think it’s premature,” Kalb said. “I think Tiger Woods is the best golfer of all time.” Kalb also notes that many Jack Nicklaus fans “almost think Nicklaus never missed an important putt” as they look back through the rose colored glasses of history.

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