My Dream 18

Cherry Hills #1 — the opening tee and the Rocky Mountains.

#2 — Whistling Straits, Irish Course, Kohler, Wisconsin

“Giant’s Leap” | Par 4 | 372 yards | Pete Dye

The second hole on the Irish Course is a beautiful par 4 that doglegs left around a pond as you head toward Lake Michigan. It reminded me of the fourth hole at Austin Country Club, although a bit longer. Following my caddie's instructions, I hit a good drive safely out to the right, leaving a 9-iron approach. Unfortunately, I caught the approach a little fat and left it short of the green. My attempt to get up and down was unsuccessful, resulting in a disappointing bogey. Sometimes even a perfectly executed tee shot isn't enough to save you from yourself!

Giant’s Leap — the second hole on the Irish Course.

#3 — Prairie Dunes Country Club, Hutchinson, Kansas

“Wild Plum” | Par 4 | 325 yards | Perry & Press Maxwell

This challenging little par 4 features three bunkers forming a necklace around the front of the green, with a yucca plant perched on the lip of one like a diamond in the necklace. It's a beautiful hole that tempts you to attack. I took the bait, hitting a solid driver that rolled just through the fairway into the first cut, leaving 65 yards and a flyer lie. My sand wedge sailed just over the back of the sloping green. I putted from the fringe, left it short, and missed the par putt. Another bogey after a good tee shot!

Wild Plum — Prairie Dunes #3.

#4 — Spyglass Hill Golf Course, Pebble Beach, California

“Blind Pew” | Par 4 | 370 yards | Robert Trent Jones, Sr.

The fourth at Spyglass Hill features one of the most intimidating greens I've ever encountered: 55 yards long but barely 10 paces wide, squeezed between two dunes. Our caddie warned us how difficult it was to hit, reminding me of the 16th at Flintrock Falls in Austin. After a good drive down the right side, I faced 155 yards into the ocean breeze. I absolutely roped a 6-iron to eight feet, one of the best iron shots I've ever hit. I made the birdie putt, my only one of the day. Laurie promptly birdied the next hole with a deuce, costing me $2!

Blind Pew — the long, narrow green at Spyglass Hill #4.

#5 — Sheep Ranch, Bandon Dunes, Oregon

Par 3 | 180 yards | Coore & Crenshaw

The fifth is the longest par 3 at Sheep Ranch, playing between 165 and 200 yards. The green is considerably longer than it appears from the tee, and the surrounding mounds tend to repel anything that doesn't approach it head-on. The secret is getting an accurate yardage, committing to the shot, and taking your two-putt par. Unfortunately, I didn't follow my own advice. I hit a decent tee shot but underestimated the depth of the green, leaving myself a 50-foot birdie putt. Three putts later, I walked away with a disappointing bogey. Sometimes the hardest advice to follow is your own!

Sheep Ranch #5 — a green framed by the Pacific.

#6 — Pinehurst No. 10, Pinehurst, North Carolina

Par 4 | 437 yards | Tom Doak

The sixth at Pinehurst No. 10 is a long, uphill par 4 with a stream guarding an enormous, undulating green. I hit a good drive followed by a solid hybrid to the front of the green. Unfortunately, my first putt was uphill with a double break, and I grossly underestimated the left-to-right movement near the hole. My caddie was very new and wasn't much help reading the complicated contours. That left me a six-footer for par, which I fortunately made. Two excellent shots, one terrible read, and one clutch putt. That's golf, and a perfect example of Tom Doak's challenging green complexes!

Pinehurst No. 10 #6 — tee shot, approach, and green.

#7 — The Hills Signature Course, Austin, Texas

Par 3 | 155–185 yards | Jack Nicklaus

One of the finest golf holes in Austin, the seventh at The Hills is a beautiful but intimidating par 3. A waterfall guards the front and right side of the green, demanding a confident tee shot. There's a bailout area to the left, but getting up and down from the sidehill or greenside bunker is no bargain. I've made my share of birdie twos here, along with a few ugly fives. No matter how many times I play it, my heart rate still rises when it's my turn to hit. That's the mark of a truly memorable golf hole.

The Hills Signature Course #7 — the waterfall in front of the green

#8 — Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, California

“Wondrous View” | Par 4 | 400 yards | Neville & Grant

The eighth at Pebble Beach features one of golf's most intimidating approach shots, played across a deep ocean chasm to a green perched on the opposite cliff. The tee was moved forward when we played because the AT&T Pro-Am was the following week, and they were protecting the championship tee. I hit a hybrid into perfect position, followed by a 7-iron onto the green and two putts for par. But standing on that cliff looking across to the green was unforgettable. We also walked over to see where Jordan Spieth hit his famous recovery shot. Wow! That must have been terrifying.

Wondrous View — the eighth at Pebble Beach.

#9 — Moose Run Golf Course, Creek Course, Anchorage, Alaska

“The Bear Hole” | Par 5 | 502 yards | Nelson & Haworth

The ninth at Moose Run is known as the Bear Hole, thanks to the black bears that occasionally wander through. Our playing partner showed us a video of a bear stealing his Gatorade and Scotty Cameron putter from his cart behind the green! The day we were there, the hole was playing long in wet conditions, with Ship Creek guarding the approach. I hit a good drive, followed by a 3-fairway metal just short of the creek. A gap wedge safely found the green, and two putts gave me a satisfying par. Between the river and the possibility of encountering a bear, this is one unforgettable golf hole.

Moose Run Creek Course #9 — The tee sign and Ship Creek before the green.

THE BACK NINE

#10 — Industry Hills Golf Club, Ike Course, City of Industry, California

Par 5 | 548 yards | Billy Bell

Industry Hills offered something I've never encountered on another golf course: a funicular railway that transported golfers and their carts up a remarkably steep hillside! The 400-foot railway connected the ninth green of the Ike Course and eighteenth green of the Babe Course to St. Andrews Station, a replica Scottish railway station with spectacular views. I actually rode it, and the experience was unforgettable. The tenth was a beautiful par 5 from tee to green, although I played it so long ago that I can't remember my score. Sometimes the most memorable part of a golf hole happens before you hit your first shot!

The cable car at Industry Hills — an unforgettable ride from the ninth green to the tenth tee

#11 — The Hideaway, Clive Clark Course, La Quinta, California

Par 3 | 155-180 yards | Clive Clark

The eleventh at The Hideaway is one of the prettiest par 3s I've ever played. Palm trees, brilliant pink flowers, and the Santa Rosa Mountains frame a beautiful green, while a waterfall beside the tee provides the soundtrack. A mallard duck paddled nearby, apparently unconcerned with our golf. Playing about 180 yards, I hit a solid 4-hybrid to 20 feet, leaving a downhill birdie putt with a double break. I couldn't quite negotiate the slopes, but two putts gave me a satisfying par. Sometimes the scenery is so spectacular that the score almost becomes secondary.

The Hideaway Clive Clark Course #11 — Waterfalls, flowers, palm trees, and the Santa Rosa Mountains.

#12 — The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island, South Carolina

Par 4 | 412 yards | Pete Dye

The twelfth at Kiawah Island's Ocean Course is a demanding par 4 that plays directly into the prevailing ocean breeze. And when I say breeze, I mean wind! I hit a good drive followed by a decent hybrid, yet still found myself 30 yards short of the green, just outside the bunker on the left. Fortunately, I avoided the sand and managed a beautiful pitch to within a couple of feet. One putt later, I had my par. Pete Dye certainly knew how to challenge golfers, but sometimes a good short game can rescue even the most windblown adventure!

Kiawah Ocean Course #12 — A huge teeing area and a coastal fairway exposed to the wind.

#13 — Arcadia Bluffs, Bluffs Course, Arcadia, Michigan

Par 3 | 140–180 yards | Smith & Henderson

The thirteenth at Arcadia Bluffs is a fantastic par 3 overlooking Lake Michigan, with a huge barranca separating the tee from the green. Although the hole can play between 140 and 180 yards, the sharp downhill drop makes it play shorter—at least until the swirling winds off the lake get involved. Choosing a club can be an adventure all by itself. On our day, I hit a 7-iron safely onto the green and two-putted for par. Between the dramatic carry, the lake beyond, and the unpredictable wind, this is a hole I'd happily play again.

Arcadia Bluffs #13 — A dramatic carry across the barranca with Lake Michigan beyond.

#14 — Bully Pulpit Golf Course, Medora, North Dakota

Par 4 | 401 yards | Dr. Michael Hurdzan

The fourteenth at Bully Pulpit is a spectacular par 4 that plunges downhill into North Dakota's rugged Badlands before climbing back uphill to the green. Unfortunately, I got a little too familiar with the local vegetation, hooking my drive into the cactus-covered Badlands left of the fairway. My uphill second shot, a 6-iron, wasn't much better, finishing right and short of the green. A decent pitch left me eight feet for par, but I missed the putt low and left. Bogey. The scenery was magnificent, even if my golf wasn't. Sometimes the Badlands live up to their name!

Bully Pulpit #14 — The rugged North Dakota Badlands frame a demanding downhill tee shot.

#15 — Fox Run Golf Club, Ludlow, Vermont

Par 4 | 404 yards | Steve Durkee

The fifteenth at Fox Run offers an interesting strategic choice with its split fairway and enormous green. I chose the wider right-hand fairway, sacrificing a shorter approach for a little more room off the tee. My drive found the intended landing area, leaving a longer second shot. I hit a beautiful 5-iron onto the front left portion of the green, then rolled my first putt close enough for an easy par. It's a wonderful example of how good course management can make a challenging hole more manageable. Sometimes the conservative route is the smartest one!

Fox Run #15 — The view from the tee, framed by Vermont hills.

#16 — Blackwolf Run, River Course, Kohler, Wisconsin

“Unter Der Linden” | Par 5 | 560 yards | Pete Dye

Laurie and I were enjoying a wonderful round with a doctor from Chicago and our caddie, Sean, a proud new father of a six-week-old daughter. At the sixteenth, Sean mentioned he'd never had a player make eagle there, although he'd witnessed one during the U.S. Women's Open.

Named for the towering linden tree guarding the approach, this winding, downhill par 5 finishes beside the Sheboygan River. Two excellent shots left me 85 yards from a center pin, safely away from the tree. I struck a crisp gap wedge that landed just short of the hole, bounced past, then spun backward into the cup!

Eagle three! Everyone cheered, the Doctor gave me a high five and Sean finally had his eagle story. Sometimes golf delivers a moment you'll never forget.

Blackwolf Run River Course #16 — The towering linden tree that gives “Unter Der Linden” its name.

#17 — Dragon Ridge Country Club, Henderson, Nevada

Par 3 | 175 yards | Jay Morrish & David Druzisky

The seventeenth at DragonRidge is a spectacular downhill par 3 overlooking the Las Vegas Strip. You park your cart at the bottom of the hill and walk back uphill to the elevated tee, a path I'd rather not negotiate in the rain! Fortunately, we played on an unusually calm day, with virtually no wind. I hit a 7-iron from 175 yards that finished on the fringe, 35–40 feet from the cup. Using my 21-degree hybrid to chip, I knocked the ball to within a foot for an easy par. DragonRidge is a beautiful course I'd highly recommend to anyone visiting Las Vegas.

Dragon Ridge #17 — A dramatic downhill par 3 overlooking the Las Vegas skyline.

#18 — Sand Hills Golf Club, Mullen, Nebraska

Par 4 | 428 yards | Coore & Crenshaw

Standing on the eighteenth tee at Sand Hills, with Ben's Porch visible in the distance, I felt a little sad that our round was coming to an end. It had been a spectacular day of creative shot-making on one of golf's most remarkable courses. The eighteenth is a long, uphill par 4 bending slightly left, with a wonderfully rumpled fairway and bunkers flanking the driving area. From the square tees (Sand Hills uses diamonds, squares, and circles instead of colors), it measures 428 yards but played closer to 460 that day. Interestingly, Sand Hills doesn't publish a course rating or slope. The scorecard explains: “Due to Varying wind conditions and direction, handicap rating is intentionally omitted.” I missed the green with my approach and made bogey. Blake managed the only par in our group, and I finished with a 79. But the score hardly mattered. As we walked toward Ben's Porch, I was already wishing I could turn around and play it all again.

Sand Hills #18 — A rumpled, uphill finishing hole winding through the Nebraska prairie toward Ben’s Porch.

THE 19TH HOLE — SO MANY HOLES, SO MANY MEMORIES

There you have it. Eighteen holes, eighteen different golf courses, and one imaginary round that I'd happily play tomorrow.

And what did I shoot on this imaginary round? 72 on a par-70 course—36 on the front nine and 36 on the back. The highlight was my eagle three at Blackwolf Run’s sixteenth, balanced by a few bogeys along the way.