Summer may only have officially arrived earlier this week,custom bobbleheads, but the city folk have been heading east towards the beach since the first taste of warm weather. For this writer,custom bobbleheads, this meant a nice long weekend in Ocean City, MD in the beginning of June. It was a great opportunity to visit one of the top courses in the country, the Links at Lighthouse Sound.
The conditions of this course always exceed expectations, and highlights of some of the premier holes and unique characteristics of the design will follow. LighthouseBut part of the incredible experience that Lighthouse provides its players is the excitement elicited even before reaching the clubhouse. Driving from Ocean City, you travel along Route 90 over the Asawoman Bay Bridge. With a watchful eye, you are provided a view of some of the holes from the Front 9 of Lighthouse, immediately triggering memories of off shore breezes and sounds from the bay affecting the trajectory of your golf shots. Your smile only widens as you make the turn onto St. Martins Neck road and approach the course.
The staff and facilities are everything expected of a 5 star golf course. My early tee time made us the first group out in the morning,personalized bobbleheads, and even though the sun had not yet fully risen,Online Gambling Legalize It, we were greeted at the bag drop by a full staff of attendants. The Lighthouse Pro Shop has just about everything and anything a golfer may (or may not) need for their round (NOTE � during the late spring/early summer season, they sell bug spray for a reason,customize bobblehead, so make sure to take notice). The Head Golf Pro was there to check us in, welcome us to the course and provide some updates & advice on how the course was playing. The genuine and passionate nature of the conversation only reinforces that you are in for an incredible golf experience, and you feel like you are walking on air as you head towards the driving range.
With the exception of not having tees at the range (mainly my mistake since I didn�t have any in my pocket), the driving range is in perfect condition. Lush, grass tee boxes and a wide open layout enable you to work on every shot with every club. One of the best features is that the range is less than a Lob Wedge away from the Starter, meaning that you are left alone to practice until they are ready to send you to Hole #1. When your time is finally called,Searching For A Direction,custom bobblehead, your cart is sitting there waiting for you and the Starter makes sure educate you even more about the course. With a final order of �good luck and have fun,� you�re on your way to some of the best 18 holes of golf you�ll ever play.
The first 8 holes are positioned on the Bayside and have a Links style design. Wind is always a factor because you�re so close to the shore; even though you may not feel it on your face, the ball will be affected. Just about every single hole presents a challenge, whether it be hazards off the tee, sloped greens or bunkers scattered all over the place. I mean, I think I spent more time in the sand during the round than the previous day at the Beach!
Hole #5 is a Par 3 that will be burned into your memory. From the Tees we played (definitely not the Tips!) it seems like an average 168 yard, 6 iron for me. Of course, this hole is positioned on the Bay; the water doesn�t come into play, but the swirling winds certainly do. I tested the �breeze� and decided to aim towards the left edge of the green with my 6 iron. Miraculously,personalized bobblehead, the shot went exactly where I wanted it to . . . that is,customize bobblehead, until the wind took hold. The ball ended up moving about 40 yards from left to right and fell 15 yards short of the green. I stood there in awe,customized bobbleheads, and all the rest of the guys in my group could say was,personalized bobble heads, �thanks for going first.�
The 6th is fun because the Bay is in play along the entire right side of the hole. It�s not the most challenging Par 4 on the course, and it seems like the Arthur Hills decided to give everyone a slight break before having to face the long, dogleg right, Par 5 at #7.
Hole #7, Par 5
Hole #7, Par 5
This hole provides just about every single challenge a course can offer � not only do you have to clear a 150+ yard hazard off the tee, but wind is still a major factor that could pull your ball out of bounds to the right. You are in good shape on the fairway, that is, until you try to rip your 2nd shot and it lands in the ravine positioned about 100 yards from the green. Bunkers are scattered 360 degrees around the elevated green, and just like with the other 17 holes at Lighthouse, a 2 Putt is a win. What a hole!
From Front 8 to Back 10, you feel like you�re playing an entirely different course. Part of that is because you travel over the longest golf cart bridge in the world (well, at least it feels like that), but Lighthouse #�s 9 18 are less open, Links style and more tight, tree lined. Basically it�s the same impeccable conditions with a completely different set of challenges.
The 10th is memorable because it�s a short Par 4 that just begs for you to go for the green off the Tee. Now I don�t know who was whispering in my ear that I would be able to drive the ball 270+ yards,personalized bobblehead, but something told me that it would be the right way to start off the Back 9. Fortunately, my aggressive swing resulted in a mild slice, and my ball landed in the rough about 50 yards from the green. Had it gone straight, there�s no doubt that I would have been facing a steep climb out of a trap.
There are lots of individual shots that make you realize how fortunate you are to be playing such a wonderful course, like the creative approach required on the Par 5, #12,custom bobblehead, the long shot from the fairway on the Par 4, #14 to get to the green in regulation, and the blind tee shot on the Par 4, #17. To end it, Lighthouse concedes a short Par 5 at the 18th, and a strong tee shot rewards you with an opportunity to go for the green in two. With the clubhouse visible to your right and the Bay & Ocean City in the background, you take aim at the elevated green, but golfer be ware, landing short presents a tough pitch up the slope and there�s not too much room on the back side.
It was an awesome round of 18, clocked in at less than 4 hours,personalized bobbleheads, and there was cold beer waiting for me in the clubhouse. All in all, the Links at Lighthouse Sound is one of the most enjoyable courses that I have ever played. Make sure to check it out the next time you head down to the ocean; it will not disappoint.
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