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Published: December 3rd 2013
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If you like golf, this entry is pure indulgence....if you don't like golf, don't worry, more diving is on the way.
I went pure "epicurism" over the last few days, it is actually bordering to way too much fun when it comes to golfing. Arizona is a mecca when it comes to golf...and yes, I did play three times the Old course at St Andrews, Scotland! Try to compare Scottsdale in Arizona to St Andrews in Scotland...in November...that's simply not a match!
Remember last Monday...I was indeed somewhere 200km north of Port Sudan in the morning. Then the same day came Port Sudan, transit in Khartoum, Dubai. On Tuesday came...left Dubai, transit in Addis, tried to sort out a messy situation in Joburg...Wednesday was...two meetings in Hong Kong, transit in Shanghai and LAX...and finally got a bed in Phoenix after picking up my little toy, a Mustang for three days. Call this an insane experience...lived in the back of the plane, I have to admit, it was slightly insane.
But indulgence is on the way...and it did happen in Scottsdale. I spent lot of time napping in Sudan...between dives...here...I didn't slept much...at
all! Sunrise is around 7am, but by 6am, my business day is starting with few emails...to end at 7am and ready to ride the wild horse to the first tees of the day...This, three days in a row.
Over Thursday, Friday and Saturday, I play each day 36 holes, combining the two courses each time at Grayhawk, North Troon and Wekopa. These are the three best places to play golf, opened to the public, in the Phoenix area. You speak of over 100s golf courses, and I just play the 6 best courses...in 3 insane days. I know, it's a lot of superlative, but that simply what it was. More on the golf later.
I made it to Scottsdale on Wednesday night, and Thursday, it's Thanksgiving. This is my first ever Thanksgiving in the States. And I'm on to learn a few things. First, belated Thanksgiving to all my friends in the States. Next....well...in the States, if everything is open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day....on Thanksgiving Day, they close....even fast food chains are closed that day. Didn't stop me to have a nice dinner at the bar of the W...with some
nice wine, and pretty fun people to chat with that evening. Good news, golf corses do stay open!
That day was spent like the next two on the golf course. I first play Talon at Grayhawk...impressive tough course...but so beautiful, you speak of a pure desert golf experience, and yes I did lost few balls. Next was the 15 minutes drive up north...to North Troon, and back to play Monument at North Troon. I had last play this two courses back in 2006 and 2008....but this is a first that I do back to back two such amazing courses in a single day. And did shot a nice 83 at Monument.
By 6pm, I went for an experience at Best Buys....yes, nothing to do with any kind of Museum...this is the opening of Balck Friday..the single day the Americans go crazy and go...shopping...you know why these guys do have credit cards...they live on credit! I never saw a crowd of more than 500 people in front of a shop. Well, wrong, I saw that in Moscow at the opening of the first Mc Donald back in 1991. But here, it's suburba North America...and just
being in the queue is an experience. Leslie needed something...and I had the great idea of blowing my laptop screen in the plane from Shanghai to LAX...go figure out how this did happen! So grab one of these cheap laptop...fun to be part of the madness of the moment...and I did enjoy the discount...
Most shops on Black Friday do open either at midnight, or even 6am...but Best Buys and Walmart do start at 6pm on Thursday, Target at 8pm...and it's quite insane...and fun to experience at the same time.
Next day, I would have loved that Golfsmyth could open at 6am, but they did at only 8am, and at 8am, I'm on to play Raptor at Grayhawk. This golf course is not only beautiful, it's tough, it's magical, there are no words. The cool thing about playing those kind of golf courses is also the fact that you only play with...either talented, interesting, successful...call it the way you want...but very entertaining people...who can mostly hit a ball straight and seriously far. Never a boring moment!
Afternoon, it's on to Pinnacle at North Troon. I wouldn't mind to live in one
of those homes on the golf course. Ready to move in if somebody gorgeous is inviting me, but that's certainly not going to happen tomorrow. I then went to do...more shopping....and buy myself a new set of clubs. My current clubs are...21 years old...serious vintage, serious blades...the kinds of clubs that get you some interest....but I'm getting ready for the next 20 years...time to slightly upgrade! Fun to see that inflation has not hit much the kind of golf clubs I'm hitting...so now, I'm ready for the next 20 yeas, and the feeling of those new clubs....felt great!
It was Friday night and I had hoped to hit the road...but my body told me that I needed some sleep, and I went on an early night. Next morning was already calling, and this time it was two rounds on Cholla and Saguaro at Wekopa. Wekopa is in an Indian reserve and is run by Native Americans. The courses are simply fantastic, with a great fact, there are no properties on the golf course. Simply amazing. Saguaro is a little insane, on the same course, they have a par 3 at 255 yards, a par 4 at 497
yards and a par 5 at 631 yards. Simply insane, but beautiful.
It was already time to head back to the airport for my next flight to the West. So next entry coming pretty soon....
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
World traveler
Glad your are enjoying the U.S. again. Happy travels