Imagine building 26 golf courses at the height of the golf development bubble, with nine figures in public pension money — in an effort that now loses money year after year. Welcome to the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.
In theory, 12-hole designs should be cheaper to play, build, and maintain. But in the staid industry of golf course development, there’s been no rush to test the theory. The minds behind Sweetens Cove are ready to change that.
On an afternoon at the site of the 2022 PGA Championship, thoughts about the sorts of souvenirs you can toss in your golf bag — and the sorts you can’t.
The Refuge in Flowood, Miss., reopened in 2021 after a four-year renovation. In hindsight, though, the renovation appears to have been less about the golf course and more about decorating the new hotel next door.
“I’m more of an endurance golfer: if you give me three or four rounds, I’ll shoot two-under, two-under, and four-under, and wear you down a little bit.”
“There’s some trouble out there on those last couple of holes at Southern Hills, and it’s always in the back of your mind that if you mess up a little bit and make three or four bogeys coming in, you might not have a job next year.”
“People think that print media is declining, but we can tell you from this side that people do still pay attention; we’ve got the physical results of that here.”
In all the youth-heavy field at the Sanderson Farms Classic, you’d be hard pressed to find a more different pairing than Maverick McNealy and Braden Thornberry.
“I really don’t know that it’s that much easier to go out and play on the Web than the PGA. I think good golf translates on pretty much every Tour that I’ve seen.”