Fat Guy's Microbrew Golf Trail
Fat Guy Note: First, let me thank Andrew at OOBGolf.com for suggesting this idea, matching some of the best regional beers with the best golf courses in their respective areas. Like a good pairing of an entree and wine, only better, cuz it's beer and golf.
Let me also preface this article by saying that although I am a lover of beer, I am by no means a microbrew aficianado. My beer palate runs to simpler domestic swill, a trait formed when I learned to drink beer on whatever garage case my friends and I could steal from the neighborhood as teenagers, and cemented when I drank nothing but Busch for 4 solid years at college (it was the cheapest keg in town). Bud Light Lime is exotic to me. However, I enlisted the help of some beer aficianado friends, along with some online/golf mag research, to lend some weight to the recommendations below. Special thanks to the guys at Maxim, who seem to be experts on this kind of thing. Cheers!
_____________________________________________________________
Fat Guy Research:
Among varying legends, many say the modern U.S. microbrew/brewpub trend started in Yakima, Washington, with Grant's Brewery Pub. The Scottish-born Grant sold the place in 1995, and it finally closed in 2003. [Wikipedia]
There are three U.S. meccas for microbreweries/brewpubs, so we'll go round-the-horn from beer-crazed Portland, Maine to brewpub-central Philly to hop-happy Portland, Oregon, and a few stops in between.
Microwbrew Golf Trail
Portland, ME
The Course: Sable Oaks GC, South Portland, Maine (www.sableoaks.com). An imaginative shot-makers course with fast crazy greens, and always ranked among the best in the area.
The Beer and The Bar: It's tough to pick just one brewpub in Microbrew-Heaven-East, but there's a strong case to be made for Great Lost Bear Pub. Voted #4 on BeerAdvocate.com's 2003 Top 50 Places To Have A Beer; Beer Magazine called it "our idea of a perfect bar,"; and Gourmet Mag opined, "One of the greatest bars on earth."
For more on Portland Maine's microbrew scene, check out BlogAboutBeer.com's Portland Maine Microbrew page (www.blogaboutbeer.com/beer-cities/portland).
_____________________________________________________________________
Boston, MA
The Course: Stowe Acres Country Club in Stow, MA (www.stoweacres.com, outside Boston). Per TravelGolf.com, the real gem in all of the New England area, and one to definitely check out before the blanket of snow hits in late fall, is Stow Acres Country Club. Roughly 45 minutes outside of Boston, the club’s North Course was recently named the best public course in the state by Golf Digest and hosted the 70th U.S. Amateur Championship. The 7,000-yard track winds through beautiful pine trees and golfers will encounter a piece of the property’s eight ponds all the way around. And the South Course isn’t too shabby either.
The Beer and The Bar: Sam Adams is probably America's most macro microbrew, but they still account for less than 1% of the U.S. beer market. Maxim says, "Sam Adams' founder Jim Koch has long had a love affair with Bavarian hops (he uses them in his signature beer), so it's no surprise JK hooked up with the wizards at Weihenstephan, the oldest brewery in the world (1040 AD, mofo). The result of this malty mash-up is Infinium, a 20-proof, Champagne-like ale that's at once sweet, tart and dry (in a good way). This bubbly even comes in a 1 pint, 9.4 oz bottle with a cork. Its limited run begins in November, just in time for holiday drunkenness. Expect two more beer babies from this Sam-Weihenstephan marriage, both ales: the Valtus and MXL." There's no bar at the Sam Adam's Brewery, but you can take a tasting tour (www.samueladams.com/share-passion/tours.aspx), then enjoy a Sam Adams at nearby Bella Luna Restaurant & The Milky Way Lounge in the Brewery Complex (www.milkywayjp.com).
Maxim also likes Boston's UFO White. Style: Wheat, Brewery: Harpoon. With hints of citrus, this smooth, easily swallowable brew is perfect for pirates worried about scurvy.
________________________________________________________________
NYC
The Course: Dyker Beach Golf Course in Brooklyn, www.dykerbeach.americangolf.com. A recent $1.5 million 2007 makeover added 12 new bunkers, moved a few others and transformed every tee box. The fairways were lush, the sand white and the greens looked like they belonged at a private course. They rolled very true, which is remarkable considering the amount of traffic at the course. While set in the heart of Brooklyn, underneath the shadows of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, Dyker feels like it's hundreds of miles away from the city. But slide a 12-pack of Mermaid Pilsner in your golf bag before you tee off... this is one of the most heavily-played courses in the world, and rounds here can stretch out to the 6-1/2 hour mark.
The Beer and The Bar: Maxim digs Local 1. Style: Pale Ale, Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn. This beer’s frothy head is so tall and inviting you want to thrust at it like a human-size pillow. Resist. Sip, and let its floral top notes dance across your skull as its nine percent alcohol content stomps your brain like a pink elephant. Take a tour of the brewery on weekends only (www.brooklynbrewery.com/about/), but with no bar onsite, pray they serve Local 1 at Dyker Beach's new 15,000 square-foot clubhouse with a huge patio out back for Sunday brunches and Slate, a 75-seat restaurant and bar.
For a great NYC brew for the fridge...
"Shmaltz Brewing is bum rushing beer coolers across the country with its new variety pack of Coney Island suds, which features the delish Mermaid Pilsner, its newest tasty tribute to the freak-filled life along the C.I. boardwalk in Brooklyn. When they first popped up on the craft brew scene, we thought the goofy Schmaltz crew was all gimmick, no guts. Boy, was that dumb. These nuts make some of the wildest, boldest brews around. Plus, they go off on the labels. (Peep the wet, bye-bye-shrinkage sweety above. Sexiest beer label ever? Discuss.) The 12-bottle Variety Pack includes three 12 oz. bottles each of Coney Island Lager, Sword Swallower, Albino Python, and Mermaid Pilsner - all solid summer thirst quenchers. The beers are available almost everywhere at Whole Foods. Drank it!" [Maxim]
____________________________________________________________
Poconos, PA
The Course: Stone Hedge GC, Tunkhannock, PA (Poconos). Per my buddy Scott, this is a great course he grew up on, and a great value. Golf Digest 4 stars. "The area's best course" per the Scranton Times. Golf.com says, "The front 9 is somewhat open, but there are many scattered trees that can alter your shots, and the narrow back 9 is thickly tree lined. All the tee boxes are elevated, and the large greens are undulating and fast. Locals claim that these greens are the best in the entire county."
The Beer and The Bar: Maxim swills Blue Ball Porter, Brewery: Intercourse Brewing Co., Wilkes-Barre, PA. "This quaffable flavored port sneaks up on you with subtle nudges of blueberry and hickory smoke. We want to smother it on pancakes at breakfast, but we’ll probably skip all that and just pull a bottle out from the nightstand drawer and gulp it down on the way to the shower. Good morning, Wednesday!" Intercourse doesn't do brewery tours or have a pub, but you gotta hit their website for one of their "I Love Intercourse" t-shirts (www.intercrousebrewing.com). Fans of The Office will head straight for Poor Richard's Pub. Or, the Philly Inquirer says go for microbrews at Lion Brewery (Wilkes-Barre, www.lionsbrewery.com).
______________________________________________________________
Philly, PA
The Course: Broad Run Golfer's Club, West Chester, PA (outside Philly)- Rees Jones sprawled the brawny layout over two steep valleys, so a cart is a necessity even for the young at heart. Many of the holes run along the ridges of large wooded hills. The constant elevation changes challenge club selection, while the narrow fairways are cut into hillsides. Several tee carries place a premium on driving accuracy, which is a tall order when you're trying to muscle your way around from the Bordley tees or the tips. The 17th is the Mac Daddy of all downhill par-3's, with a 130-foot drop from tees ranging from 140 to 205 yards. The par-5 18th is a strong risk/reward finish. Fairway fingers protrude into a pond which threatens your second as well as your approach, coupled with a backside green drop-off filled with gnarly rough and bunkers. Phenomenal fall hilltop vistas are mildly marred by a surrounding McMansion development, although a good 11 holes are somewhat isolated from the sprawl. Formerly questionable conditions are back on track after the recent ownership and name change, matched with a more realistic, tiered fee schedule.
The Beers and The Bars: In addition to both Portlands, Philly has become a mecca for microbrews with over 30 breweries and 400 beer bars in the region. Maxim recently dubbed it their favorite beer town, surpassing beer stalwart Portland Oregon. And Philly's beer scene is still growing; there have been 4 new breweries (with 4 more on the way) and dozens of new beer bars opening since 2009. Philly has a long history of beer making, thus the section of town still referred to as Brewerytown.
Fat Guy's favorite local microbrew is the Light Lager at Iron Hill Brewery, West Chester, PA (www.ironhillbrewery.com), near Broad Run GC. A crisp, clean, refreshing hot weather session beer with subtle malt and hop flavors. It's served in a colonial college-town brewpub with an aura more professorial than fraternity, popular with the Legal set from the nearby courthouse as well as the renegade cyclists it sponsors.
Maxim did a 2011 feature on Center City Philly's brewpubs (www.maxim.com/stuff/beer/93203/maxim-goes-to-philly-beer-week.html). After they sampled an impressive 19 beers in a single day of pub-hopping, their favorites were the Saison du Potts at Dock Street Brewing Company, a Belgian farmhouse ale, and Monkey Knife Fight at Nodding Head Brewery, as much for the name as the light palate-cleansing classic summer brew, which is similar to a ginger beer.
BeerAdvocate.com ranked Philly's Grey Lodge Pub (www.greylodge.com) as the 25th Best Beer Bar in the country, and Esquire named it among America's Best Bars. They have an ever-evolving list of specialty beers on tap, and their fries also won Best Of Philly.
And who better to rank the Best of Philly's Beer Scene than the guys at Philly Beer Scene Magazine (www.phillybeerscene.com). Their 2011 winners include Flying Fish for Best Brewmaster; Monk's Cafe for Best Euro Beer Bar, Best Bar Food, and Best Beer Bar To Watch The Game; Nodding Head as Best Brew Pub; Standard Tap for Best Classic Bar; The Pour House (NJ) for Best Classic Burbs Bar; Victory for Best Brewery; and Devil's Den for Best Happy Hour.
Other great beer bars in Philly include The Farmer's Cabinet (1113 Walnut, www.thefarmerscabinet.com) for Old World candlelit charm, McGillan's Olde Ale House (1310 Drury, www.mcgillins.com) for an authentic Colonial-era back alley ale house, Brauhaus Schmitz (718 South, www.brauhausschmitz.com) for 20 rotating German taps, Triumph Brewing (117 Chestnut, www.triumphbrewing.com) for craft beers, good food, and live music, 2nd Street Brewhouse (1700 S 2nd), Perch Pub (1345 Locust, www.perchpub.com), the retro-mod Varga Bar (10th & Spruce, www.vargabar.com) with 1940's pin-up style gals painted on the ceiling above the bar, a modern gasropub take on a German beer hall by famed Philly restauranteur Stephen Starr at Frankford Hall (1210 Frankford, www.frankfordhall.com), Sticks & Stones (1909 Passyunk) for some South Philly flavor, National Mechanics (Old City) is housed in a white-columned marble former bank building, Dock Street Brewing's (701 S 50th St University City, www.dockstreetbeer.com) Saison Petite, or hit Yards Brewery (901 N Delaware, www.yardsbrewing.com) for their uber-popular session beer, Yards Brawler, and games of pool on their century-old table that was made just a few blocks away.
More Courses, Beers, and Bars: After a few Monkey Knife Fights, pair your downtown Philly brewpub tour with a round at Scotland Run GC, Williamstown NJ. This visual stunner is more X-Box golf than traditional links. It was routed through an old sand quarry and the New Jersey pine barrens, with architect Stephen Kay's trademark winks to quirky Old Tom Morris designs like Prestwick. Don't worry if you don't clear the carry over the old sand quarry pit on #15 near the old abandoned airplane... there's a 3-story staircase leading down there so you can hit it back out.
Out in the suburbs, Maxim also dug Helios Ale by Victory Brewing, (www.victorybeer.com, Downingtown, PA). "This Quaker-born brew pours out of a mega 22-ounce bottle cloudy but tastes clean. It’s orange in color, orange in taste, and orange you glad you drank it? Don’t like clever wordplay? Well, screw you!" Victory Brewpub is perfect for a post-round brew after playing nearby U.S.-Open-style former-private-club Downingtown CC (www.golfdowningtown.com, 10 minutes from Broad Run), so push it to 36 today (holes, not beers you lush).
__________________________________________________________
Rehobeth Beach, DE
The Course: Baywood Greens, Long Neck, DE (Delaware beaches). One of Fat Guy's favorite modern designs anywhere. Great conditions, geometric design touches, attention to detail, and visual layout trimmings. A very nice layout, flowers everywhere, pretty views from all holes. Super soft sand, take a full hack in the bunkers even on short ones. A thinking man's course. Tightish with water and other hazards, 90% swings and steering the ball all day. #5 is a nasty tough, tree-lined double-dog par 5, bogey's a good score there. The par 4's are either 320 or 400+. The back 9 features some great risk/reward scenarios, including the prettiest island fairway you'll ever see on #14. A nice neo-classical clubhouse features a 2-tier pool where the wife and kids can hang out for a small fee while you hit the links.
The Beer and The Bar: Dogfishhead Brewery & Eats, Rehobeth Beach, DE. Maxim likes their Indian Brown. Style: Brown Ale. "The hop-heads who work at Dogfish have been getting down with this brown for years, and finally, late last year they made it available to national distributors. Its boldness jolts, but the brown sugar and caramel notes make it go down smooth. The restaurant is a cozy place, finished with antique barn wood and great old black & white photos."
_____________________________________________________________
RICHMOND, VA
The Course: Independence GC is a Tom Fazio design. Aside from being the only daily-fee public courses in the state designed by the legendary architect, this state-owned facility is also home to the VA State Golf Association headquarters, a museum dedicated to the history of golfing in Virginia, and an extensive junior golf facility. Fazio's routing is seamlessly blended into the local topography, a mixture of flat and rolling fairways, tree-lined yet wide enough to allow room to breathe. The greens are guarded by well placed bunkers, and water comes into play on several holes in the form of wetlands.
The Beers and The Bars: Legend Brewing's Brown Ale is a full bodied, malt forward British brown ale with mahoghany tones and hints of carmel, toasted nuts, coffee, and molasses, and finally fruity undertones from Legends' house yeast strain. Order one up at Legend Pub and Restaurant (321 W 7th, www.legendbrewing.com) on their riverside patio with Richmond skyline views across the James River. For great microbrews and great BBQ, head out to the western 'burbs for Extra Billy's Smokehouse and Brewery's Pilsner (1110 Alverser, Midlothian, www.extrabillys.com), featuring microbrew taps in the belly of a pig at the bar.
______________________________________________________________
OBX, NC
The Course: Nags Head Golf Links, Nags Head, NC (Outer Banks)- A great little true bayside links, reminiscient of Spanish Bay on an 80% scale. Waterfront holes, sand dunes, sea grasses, great contours, bayside winds, and sculpted green complexes, but the caveat is it's shoe-horned into a McBeach House development. It's still a tough target test, playing to 71.2 & 138 even though it's only 6,126 yards from the tips.
The Beer and The Bar: Outer Banks Brewing Station's Lemon Grass Wheat Ale (Hwy 158, www.obbrewing.com). With a name that conjurs up visions of fescue fields rippled in waves by the wind, this medal-winning zesty golden hefeweizen is infused with a potent smack of Lemongrass. The flavor is crisp, tart, and refreshing. The brewpub was designed as a modern interpretation of a historical Outer Banks Lifesaving Station, and the entire pub is powered by windmills. They recently added a full outdoor area, complete with a pirate ship to entertain the little ones.
_____________________________________________________________
Winston-Salem, NC
The Course: Golf Magazine's Travelin' Joe likes Tanglewood's Championship Course ('09 fees $28-$48) in Clemmons, South Carolina, in the Piedmont Triad near Greensboro and Winston-Salem. A tough 1956 RTJ, Sr. design which made Golf Digest's Top 100 You Can Play list during the late 90's. The Championship course hosted the 1974 PGA when Trevino edged Nicklaus to win, as well as a Senior Tour event. Then play the sister Reynolds course, which is shorter, tigher and cheaper.
The Beer and The Bar: Maxim can't resist a beer named Sexual Chocolate. Style: Imperial Stout, Brewery: Foothills Brewing, Winston-Salem, NC. "Flavored beers are for chicks. But this Nubian queen has three things going for it: (1) It reminds us of Eddie Murphy pre-tranny. (2) It sports the illest label of the year. (3) It gives us an excuse to order beer with dessert. Sip and watch your soul glow." Stop by the brewery for an informal tour (www.foothillsbrewery.com), but for a pint hit The Olde Fourth Street Filling Station (871 W 4th St, Winston-Salem).
_____________________________________________________________
Charleston, SC
The Course: Wild Dunes Links Course, Charleston, SC- Golf Magazine's Travellin' Joe says, "The magic is back at Wild Dunes. The par-5 18th hole of the Links, with the Atlantic hard by the left edge, quickly became one of the most-photographed in golf. Encroaching real estate, a hurricane and conditioning issues knocked Wild Dunes down a few pegs, but the 18th (on a course renamed the Links, following the opening of its sibling, the Harbor, a few years later) always shined — until 2007, when an unwelcome visitor crashed the party: massive waves. Natural beach erosion hammered the 18th fairway for 20 months, eating away at the hole until the resort had no choice but to close it — then re-open it in 2008 as a par-3. Finally, after a comprehensive beach restoration project and assistance from Tom Fazio and his long-time associate Andy Banfield, Wild Dunes' 18th is back in action as a par-5. Once again, Wild Dunes' Links course is a must-play."
The Beer and The Bar: South Carolina's own Palmetto Ale, best partaken at University Of Charleston's version of Coyote Ugly, Market Street Saloon.
___________________________________________________________
Atlanta, GA
The Course: St. Marlo GC (www.stmarlo.com, Duluth GA, near Atlanta). It's a great newish upscale track routed through upscale housing development. Good variety of holes, forces you to make shots. Kinda tight, can't spray the driver all day. Good greens, rolling elevation changes, not alot of level golf here. 4-1/2 stars by Golf Digest. Golf.com says, "Rolling fairways and several elevated tees. No blind shots, however, but lots of trouble. A well-maintained and scenic course. The signature hole is #3, a 442-yard, par 4 dog right to an elevated green, usually playing into the wind."
The Beer and The Bar: Seven Sisters Brew at 5 Seasons Brewing (Alpharetta GA). AccessAtlanta.com says, "Don't use a menu and let Dennis pair up some foods and beer for you." Per AJC.com, beer geeks will gravitate towards the new trend of sour beers like Terrapin/De Proef Monstre Rouge Imperial Flanders Red Ale, as well as New Belgium Eric’s Ale and Jolly Pumpkin E.S. Bam, served at places like Max Lager's Brewpub (Atlanta).
___________________________________________________________
Tampa, FL
The Course: Formerly PGA National (from 1945 to 1962), semiprivate Dunedin Country Club (Dunedin FL near Tampa, $50–$59, 727-733-7836) is a worthy old Donald Ross design.
The Bar: Per TampaBay.com, head for Dunedin Brewery (937 Douglas Ave., Dunedin; 727-736-0606, www.dunedinbrewery.com). "The Scottish regalia is fitting, since the stone-walled Dunedin Brewery looks a bit like a highlander’s castle. Equally breathtaking are the ginormous brewing vats inside, which are known for producing phenomenal, award winning beers like the Redhed Red Ale, as well as a swimming selection of seasonal brews (watch out for the Old Mean Stout). An excellent live music setup is a huge plus — a recent Ramones tribute show with several local bands was a sellout — and dogs are welcome at Suds on Sunday, a dog-washing service that includes a pint with each purchase. Our only knock on the place: It’s beer and wine only, no liquor. If we could just order a slug of Glenlivet with our Pipers Pale Ale ... we might be talking about Dunedin Brewery as our new No. 1. bar in Tampa."
____________________________________________________________
Austin, TX
The Course: Falconhead Golf Club, Austin TX (www.falconheadaustin.com) near Lake Travis offers mesmerizing views of the Hill Country and a cantilevered green at the par-three seventeenth suspended above an artificial limestone-edged pond.
The Beer and The Bar: Hit swanky Austin dive The Bitter End Bistro & Brewery (311 Colorado).
____________________________________________________________
San Diego, CA
The Course: Steel Canyon GC, Jamul, CA outside San Diego, www.steelecanyon.com. Picture a tight, lush golf course routed through the hills from M*A*S*H*, and you've pretty much got it. These same types of typical scrubby Southern California hills doubled as war-torn Korea on the M*A*S*H* set, and for the most part you're going to war at Steele Canyon as well. Target golf, with plenty of surrounding scrub brush and boulders. "Holy-sh!t"-elevation drops from tee to fairway on a few holes. A couple all-you-got tee carries over ravines. Hit-it-and-hope par-3s with gully carries, shallow greens, and canyon winds. The Ranch 9 flattens out eventually, circling a working horse ranch. Gary Player did a great job maxing use of the rugged terrain, although his blind/optical-illusion split fairways may frustrate the first-timer. Don't walk it.
The Beer and The Bar: Maxim says go for a Calico. Style: Amber Ale, Brewery: Ballast Point, San Diego. "Ballast has been churning out great beer for lucky locals for years and is finally selling their house favorite in wide release. This sharp ’n’ sweet potion pairs well with BBQ or pizza or a night by yourself stalking your ex on Flickr." Hit the bar at Redfields, a new-old school room at the waterfront Hyatt.
_____________________________________________________________
Big Island, Hawaii
The Course: Luana Hills CC, Kailua, Big Island, Hawaii. Golf.com says, "This is a prototypical Pete Dye designed target course. The narrow fairways place a premium on shot accuracy. The greens are small, undulating, and sloped. The signature hole is #10, a par 3, requiring a tee shot to an island green."
The Beer and The Bar: Kona Brewing's Longboard Lager, Kona Pub & Brewery, Kailua Kona, Big Island, HI. This lager embodies the spirit of Hawaii, a smooth refreshing beer fermented and aged 5 weeks in cold temperatures, with a delicate, spicy hop aroma complimenting a malty body.
______________________________________________________________
Maui, Hawaii
The Course: Kapalua's Plantation Course, Maui, Hawaii. This is golf on a grand scale: big fairways, big bunkers, big greens, big elevation changes, big ocean in the distance, big winds, and 6547, 71.9, 135 just from the Whites. Great vistas of the ocean and cliffs from almost every hole, although the ocean does not come into play. Great quote on Kapalua from T&L Golf: "Bring your low ball, your lag-putting game, your digital camera, and your Napoleon complex."
The Beer and The Bar: Zane Lamprey of Drinking Made Easy digs the Coconut Porter at Maui Brewing Company Brewpub (www.mauibrewingco.com). And the brewpub is only a couple hundred feet from the ocean. What could be more Hawaiian than that?
______________________________________________________________
San Francisco, CA
The Course: Lincoln Park MGC, Lincoln Park, CA near San Fran, www.lincolnparkgc.com. Lincoln Park Golf Course hosts the San Francisco City Golf Championship, the oldest and largest continuous event in U.S. golf history. San Francisco Parks and Recreation does a barely passable job taking care of the grounds. From the blues Lincoln Park is 5,416 yards, a par 68 with a rating of 66 and a slope of 109. But many tourists play here because of the view and the proximity to the Legion of Honor, the Golden Gate Bridge and the Presidio, just to name a few tourist attractions. Walking is encouraged. 18 holes are $26 weekdays and $31 on the weekend. Carts are available.
The Beer and The Bar: Maxim digs: Brew Free! Or Die. Style: IPA, Brewery: 21st Amendment, San Francisco. This citrusy sucker is the most chuggable IPA on the list. It has a perfect medley of bite and mellowness—an awesome, full-flavored way to earn your bed spins. Chowhound.com recommends the Tee Off Bar & Grill (www.teeoffbarandgrill.com), 5 minutes away from Lincoln Park. "The Tee Off is a total dive bar near Lincoln Park and the golf course, hence the name. It is a neighborhood sports bar that hasn't been updated since sometime in the Reagan administration, except for the food. There is clutter and memorabilia stuck to the walls and filling the shelves (bobbleheads, toys, etc.). A shuffleboard table is pushed against the wall, a 1980s era juke box is pumping out 20 year old songs, the stools are on their 3rd or 4th round of rips and tears, and astroturf serves as flooring. The place is funky, divey, and has all the 'come as you are' casualness of any neighborhood watering hole."
________________________________________________________________
Bend, OR
The Course: Tetherow Golf Club Bend, Ore. 7,298 yards, par 72 $90-$175, www.tetherow.com. What distinguishes Tetherow from other Bend courses is a wildfire that decimated the property's tree cover 15 years ago and opened up views of nine mountains. But it's the ground underfoot that deserves your attention. Architect David McLay Kidd has infused the terrain with a staggering array of humps and bumps, both on the fairways and on the wildly rolling greens. Even so, most memorable is the aerial assault required at the 182-yard, par-3 17th, which plays to a green isolated by sand and scrub. If creative shots and skillful putting are your forte, you'll quickly warm to Tetherow. Play it now while it's still open to the public.
The Beers and The Bars: Green Lakes Organic Ale. Style: Amber Ale, Brewery: Deschutes, Bend, OR. Pacific Northwesterners already know that Deschutes kicks serious ale ass, and this new organic job is no exception. Grassy, hoppy, and thirst-quenching. And, no, just because it’s organic doesn’t mean it cancels out the 18 smokes you had last night. [Maxim]
T&L Golf likes Pine Tavern Restaurant (American) Foot of Oregon Ave, Bend, OR; 541-382-5581.$$$. Overlooking Mirror Pond, Pine Tavern has been serving hearty fare to hungry locals since 1936, satisfying their protein cravings with filet, prime rib, meat loaf, sirloin, OR flatiron steaks, and pepper steak. Get a patio table. They also dig The Blacksmith (www.bendblacksmith.com). Part bar, part lounge, part steakhouse. Grab a Silver Moon Bridge Creek Pilsner, a Czech-style later brewed with European hops and traditional malt and yeast. Crisp and refreshing with a good hop presence. Then order Blacksmith's Rancher's Ribeye, marinated for twenty four hours in Blacksmith’s BBQ rub, served with mushroom-pinto bean ragout, and topped with a tumbleweed onion ring.
TravelGolf.com's Senior Writer Brandon Tucker digs Bend Brewing Company in downtown Bend. "I hadn’t stared blankly at the taps for five seconds before the barkeep realized I was overwhelmed and began pouring me tasters. I settled on a pint of their their IPA. Strong beers, over 6% APV seem typical around here. It seems like drinking lighter beers in Oregon is some kind of sacrilege, or at the very least like going to Omaha and ordering chicken."
_________________________________________________________________
Portland, OR
The Course: Close to the Portland airport, Robert Trent Jones Jr.'s Heron Lakes Great Blue course (Portland; $21–$40, 503-289-1818) is a Scottish-style, largely open, treeless layout emphasizing the "risk" in risk-reward.
The Beer and The Bar: Golf Magazine digs Rock Creek Tavern, one of 23 Portland McMenamins brothers locations (www.mcmenamins.com). With locations all over Oregon and Washington, McMenamins is a legend. No matter if you visit one of their hotels, movie theaters, or restaurants, there is always an excellence in their beers.
Maxim prefers Drifter Pale Ale by Widmer Brothers Brewery, "a light and airy pale, Drifter is like an awesome roommate who pays the rent on time and can persuade any group of hot girls to head back to your place for an after-party. Move this guy into your fridge fast. Your sex life just may depend on it."
Golf Digest digs the Horse Brass Pub for high-alcohol-content microbrews.
Check out the rest of the Portland Oregon microbrew scene at BlogAboutBeer.com's Portland Oregon Microbrew page (www.blogaboutbeer.com/beer-cities/portland-oregon).
__________________________________________________________________
Seattle, WA
The Course: West Seattle GC, Seattle, WA- Built by H. Chandler Egan in 1939, it's one of the best inner city munis in the country. Egan gained fame for reshaping Pebble Beach in 1928 into today's masterpiece. City skyline views dominate the course, which stands to reason that a weekend round here will surpass the 5-hour mark. Weekday rounds zip around much quicker, and it'll only cost you around $23.
The Beer and The Bar: Per Golf Magazine, Seattle brew styles include hefeweizen, pale ale, amber ale, porter, and stout. Try the Brewer's Rack at The Pyramid Alehouse (1st Ave S acoss from Safeco Field) to sample 5 beers of your choosing for $6 ($3 at happy hour). Maxim digs another of Pyramid's microbrews called Haywire. "This American-style wheat ale is light and refreshing, with just faint hints of citrus and caramel—but it ain’t no lady beer. The award winner has a muscular wheat flavor that makes it a suitable accompaniment for manly activities, like tailgating, scrapbooking, and needlepoint."
See Also: For more great microbrew recommendations in a bunch of different places (with way more detail than I have here), go to Zane Lamprey's Drinking Made Easy website (Episode Section), or catch his show on HD Net network.
Know a great brewpub? Send it to me at the Contact Fat Guy link below, and I'll add it to the list.
[Fat Guy Note: I have not taken this trip or explored most of these courses/locations. As always, proper research and reservations are required. I'm just the idea guy on this one.]