This Week at TravelGolf.com: August 31, 2004

Less than a month away from the Ryder Cup (Sept. 17-19) at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., our event coverage tees off with National Golf Editor Tim McDonald's commentary on the favored American team. For a look at how Oakland Hills is preparing for the event, check out Jason Scott's report from the host site.

Also this week, we recap the impact Hurricane Charley had on the golf scene in Florida and Myrtle Beach. Though Charley knocked down trees on golf courses throughout southwest Florida and also caused significant damage to courses in the Orlando area, its path veered north of many of the region's most renowned and venerable courses.

With the victims of Charley in our thoughts, we move ahead with another full slate of reviews and features this week, plus the latest from LPGA Professional and Contributing Instructor Kellie Stenzel, who offers some helpful tips on becoming a more consistent golfer. As always, your comments are welcome on any topic. Have a great week.

Arrowhead Pointe is most
scenic of Georgia park courses

Elberton, Ga., granite capital of the world, may not be high on your list of golf destinations. But if you ever find yourself in northeast Georgia and wanting to play a round of golf, then check out the course at Richard B. Russell State Park, about eight miles outside of Elberton and 50 miles east of Athens. As Tim McDonald reports, it's not the most challenging of the state park courses but it's definitely the most scenic.

Full story | Georgia Golf Courses

KZG jumps on
utility club bandwagon

KZG, which has a reputation among custom club fitters and high-end pro-shops for producing quality gear, is now offering a line of utility woods. The new "U" Series Utility Woods are the latest offering in the overgrown field of hybrid clubs. Equipment Editor Kiel Christianson reports that while the new clubs' appearance may not inspire you, their performance just might.

Full story | More Product Reviews

Need a good round? Try these
Chicago-area courses to break 80

There's no doubt about it: Golfers of all skill levels need to post a good round now and then to help bolster their enjoyment of the game. In his effort to help Chicago-area golfers achieve that goal, Associate Editor Dave Berner outlines several Windy City courses where breaking 80 is a definite possibility. These courses, including North Aurora's Fox Valley Golf Club, give golfers a fighting chance to post some low numbers.

Full story | Illinois Golf Courses