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Saturday, February 20, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Stalked By Snowmegeddon
So, here's how the story goes: As January closed the golf withdrawal was in full force. Any golf is better than no golf and I've run out of places to hide the bodies - time for an escape I decided I'd do a quick get away to Myrtle Beach. I set my sights on going the weekend of Feb 6th, leaving by car on that Saturday. Alas, weather forecasters informed me my plans would be foiled by an inbound snow storm to hit from Virginia to New England the eve of my departure.
But, undaunted, I moved the date forward a bit and decided to leave Wednesday morning the 10th. At that point, all still looked OK weather wise here in the Boston area; traveling the I95 corridor; and in Myrtle Beach to make a break for it, but the long term forecasted temps had Myrtle Beach in the mid to high 40's whereas beforehand, they predicted mid 50's. For whatever reasons the 50 degree line seems to separate bearable temps from cold temps for my liking. So, not to be outdone, I moved my target to Savannah, where predictions for the area were still seasonably cooler, but holding into the mid 50's. All do-able, to this point.
On Monday the 8th, I learned that a major snow storm was forming up to hit the mid atlantic states, slamming Maryland, DC, Virginia, and into North Carolina - call it Snowmegeddon II. Ha... ya' can't fool me. I knocked my departure back one day to beat the incoming snow storm to the already paralyzed mid atlantic states - But, then I learned that the forecast temps had dropped even more for the region and not only that - but now they were predicting colder weather for the weekend, Friday night into Saturday, maybe a couple of degrees warmer for Sunday throughout the entire southeast region of the country. But, I'lll get to that little diddy in a minute. There was more fun to be had.... just trying to get to the fun itself.
The first snow storm crippling the mid atlantic brought Maryland and DC to a stand still. This actually worked in my favor for the drive because the folks that lived in the area couldn't get to Interstate 95 that had already been cleared. As a result, there were less locals on the road making traffic flow pretty good. The Federal government had cancelled business for a second day also. The downside is that now there were 8 foot snow banks at the edges of the on and off ramps. The local drivers would have to come to a stop before entering the highway, which proved for some interesting surprises for a lot of folks, but not for those of us from Boston. It was just another day in the park. By the time I got to Raleigh NC there were still traces of snow on the ground, but not much. It was towards the end of the drive and a light rain had started which I knew to be the tip of the storm coming in to hit the mid Atlantic states between the eyes again.
I spent the first night in Myrtle Beach at the Doubletree Hotel (Tuesday night) because I had not made any hotel reservations, tee times, nor purchased any packages. That would prove to be a good decision for me later. There was no sense being locked in on packages and losing money with the weather forecasts so unpredictable this time of year.
On Wednesday morning I awoke to 29 degree temps and it was not expected to go much beyond high 30s to low 40s for the day, so I packed the car up and headed Savannah that morning. I was working to squeeze every last degree out of the weather however possible. It was a beautiful drive down the coastal Highway 17, through Charleston and although marginal, the hopes of golf still looked promising for the next day.... until I checked in to the Savannah Hampton Inn - took a warm shower - and turned the weather channel. I then saw two disheartening messages.
First was the fact that Savannah was now expected to feel the cold snap to the tune of the low 40s tomorrow (Friday) and through the weekend. So the trip further south was for not. At this point, I was toying with the idea of heading towards Orlando, which I would later decide was just too risky. My batting average was pretty poor to this point. Whereas I had already single handedly brought Jack Frost to all golf course this side of the Mississippi, I saw no purposes in killing this years orange harvest on top of it, so I blew off the idea of trying to go further south.
Post trip: I saw that the temps there Fla. (at the Champions tournament) was in the low 50s and the players were bundled up for the weekend round, so in essence the little golf to be had on the entire US east coast & Florida's gulf coast was chilly, to say the least.
The second thing I learned on this forecast was that for the first time in ten years, Myrtle Beach itself would get snow, not just the inlands. The entire region was to get hit for a third time with snow. And it did - third time is a charm, but more on that later. I blew off plans to play a few area Savannah or Hilton Head courses and decided to head back north towards Myrtle Beach. My mind set at that point was that if I was going to be stuck in a hotel, in an area where people don't know how to drive in inclement weather, then I might as well be in a place I was familiar with and could make do. I also was not to be denied some form of golf.
When I got into Myrtle Beach that Thursday afternoon it was 46 degrees, but the wind was blowing 25-35 mph, with gusts over fifty as our storm neared. This made it feel like the thirties, but the heck with it. I was at least going to hit a bucket of balls - and I did. In fact, I was accompanied by two other fools who have no greater common sense than I do. And of course, we were straight into the wind. The ball didn't travel too far, that's for sure. I set my sights on the incoming Friday night storm. Friday was to be make it or break it for me to get a round in. Forecasts predicted mid 40s first part of the day, with temps dropping in the afternoon and snow to being near midnight. I had to get some golf come hell or high water - or high snow, as the case may be.
I returned to my ever reliable resort, the Sand Dunes. I've tried other properties, but for five years running, it seems I always return to one of the Sands Resorts. They never seem to disappoint and I've been overwhelmingly satisfied with just about every aspect of my many stays there. It was 27 degrees when I woke up before sunrise Friday morning. By mid morning it was up to 39 degrees. I went to the driving range dressed like an Eskimo (but a fashionable one, of course.) I hit a large bucket and felt perfectly warm. Actually, I was trying out my new rain suit (for thermal) that I got for Christmas and felt comfortable enough to take a crack at nine holes, at least. Bearing in mind that it always feels warmer on the range than the course due to the time between actual shots, I pressed on.
I went to one of my favorite golf courses, Heather Glenn. Again, I was not the only fool with such a thought, but there is not an over-abundance of us senseless bastards - and thankfully so.. I played alone, hit the ball more solidly than I was at the close of last season - and had an excellent front nine with four bogies, five pars - for a 40. I had one double on the back nine. Towards the end wasn't really focusing on much more than getting out of the fast dropping temperatures, but shot no worse than 42. For all the planning, travel, orchestration, weather, and cash investment what I did find out was that if you want it bad enough, even 42 degree cold weather golf on the eve of a snowstorm can be quite gratifying. StormTracker 13 (television) has some video for you.
The course was in tip top shape. And those greens were soft for the approach shots, but lightening fast on the putts. I just couldn't believe how nice the course in general was and how outstanding the greens were at such a weird time of year. The ball rolled true................and rolled.... and rolled. Losing the putting/chipping touch off season is not a surprise. I also made some nice putts too and the chipping, while not up to speed, did not suffer as bad as last off season. It's all a confidence game that close in. And that book I read in the off season by Bob Rotella "Golf Is Not A Game Perfect" was just the ticket.
My hopes (and beliefs) are that I'm in a better position starting this season than any time previous and if I'm to put some low numbers up there at any point in my golfing life, I believe the evidence will present itself early on this year. Conversely, if I'm still stuck at that invisible brick wall, then that too should be easy to tell early on. The corrections I have made have allowed me to lower my ball flight (off the tee) and summons up a draw at will, a hook if i need it, and of course the occasional duck hook that appears whether I want it or not. The trade off is that I can get some added yardage off the tee, shape the shots more on demand, and can adjust better for wind and course conditions.
In the end, it was good to get away and get a taste of swinging the club. Coupled with perceived good potential for the upcoming season, I guess I'd have to say it was worth it at least to the extent of giving me enough of a golf fix to get me into the spring. The withdrawal was going to be a bit more than I cared for had I not gone - so despite the cold weather, record setting snows, and challenging logistics I'd have to deem the trip a success. I have attached for you a picture of the sun, peeking up at me during sunrise, as I drove out of town to head back home and a picture of the snow covered beach & pool area at the hotel.
Never a dull moment............
WR
But, undaunted, I moved the date forward a bit and decided to leave Wednesday morning the 10th. At that point, all still looked OK weather wise here in the Boston area; traveling the I95 corridor; and in Myrtle Beach to make a break for it, but the long term forecasted temps had Myrtle Beach in the mid to high 40's whereas beforehand, they predicted mid 50's. For whatever reasons the 50 degree line seems to separate bearable temps from cold temps for my liking. So, not to be outdone, I moved my target to Savannah, where predictions for the area were still seasonably cooler, but holding into the mid 50's. All do-able, to this point.
On Monday the 8th, I learned that a major snow storm was forming up to hit the mid atlantic states, slamming Maryland, DC, Virginia, and into North Carolina - call it Snowmegeddon II. Ha... ya' can't fool me. I knocked my departure back one day to beat the incoming snow storm to the already paralyzed mid atlantic states - But, then I learned that the forecast temps had dropped even more for the region and not only that - but now they were predicting colder weather for the weekend, Friday night into Saturday, maybe a couple of degrees warmer for Sunday throughout the entire southeast region of the country. But, I'lll get to that little diddy in a minute. There was more fun to be had.... just trying to get to the fun itself.
The first snow storm crippling the mid atlantic brought Maryland and DC to a stand still. This actually worked in my favor for the drive because the folks that lived in the area couldn't get to Interstate 95 that had already been cleared. As a result, there were less locals on the road making traffic flow pretty good. The Federal government had cancelled business for a second day also. The downside is that now there were 8 foot snow banks at the edges of the on and off ramps. The local drivers would have to come to a stop before entering the highway, which proved for some interesting surprises for a lot of folks, but not for those of us from Boston. It was just another day in the park. By the time I got to Raleigh NC there were still traces of snow on the ground, but not much. It was towards the end of the drive and a light rain had started which I knew to be the tip of the storm coming in to hit the mid Atlantic states between the eyes again.
I spent the first night in Myrtle Beach at the Doubletree Hotel (Tuesday night) because I had not made any hotel reservations, tee times, nor purchased any packages. That would prove to be a good decision for me later. There was no sense being locked in on packages and losing money with the weather forecasts so unpredictable this time of year.
On Wednesday morning I awoke to 29 degree temps and it was not expected to go much beyond high 30s to low 40s for the day, so I packed the car up and headed Savannah that morning. I was working to squeeze every last degree out of the weather however possible. It was a beautiful drive down the coastal Highway 17, through Charleston and although marginal, the hopes of golf still looked promising for the next day.... until I checked in to the Savannah Hampton Inn - took a warm shower - and turned the weather channel. I then saw two disheartening messages.
First was the fact that Savannah was now expected to feel the cold snap to the tune of the low 40s tomorrow (Friday) and through the weekend. So the trip further south was for not. At this point, I was toying with the idea of heading towards Orlando, which I would later decide was just too risky. My batting average was pretty poor to this point. Whereas I had already single handedly brought Jack Frost to all golf course this side of the Mississippi, I saw no purposes in killing this years orange harvest on top of it, so I blew off the idea of trying to go further south.
Post trip: I saw that the temps there Fla. (at the Champions tournament) was in the low 50s and the players were bundled up for the weekend round, so in essence the little golf to be had on the entire US east coast & Florida's gulf coast was chilly, to say the least.
The second thing I learned on this forecast was that for the first time in ten years, Myrtle Beach itself would get snow, not just the inlands. The entire region was to get hit for a third time with snow. And it did - third time is a charm, but more on that later. I blew off plans to play a few area Savannah or Hilton Head courses and decided to head back north towards Myrtle Beach. My mind set at that point was that if I was going to be stuck in a hotel, in an area where people don't know how to drive in inclement weather, then I might as well be in a place I was familiar with and could make do. I also was not to be denied some form of golf.
When I got into Myrtle Beach that Thursday afternoon it was 46 degrees, but the wind was blowing 25-35 mph, with gusts over fifty as our storm neared. This made it feel like the thirties, but the heck with it. I was at least going to hit a bucket of balls - and I did. In fact, I was accompanied by two other fools who have no greater common sense than I do. And of course, we were straight into the wind. The ball didn't travel too far, that's for sure. I set my sights on the incoming Friday night storm. Friday was to be make it or break it for me to get a round in. Forecasts predicted mid 40s first part of the day, with temps dropping in the afternoon and snow to being near midnight. I had to get some golf come hell or high water - or high snow, as the case may be.
I returned to my ever reliable resort, the Sand Dunes. I've tried other properties, but for five years running, it seems I always return to one of the Sands Resorts. They never seem to disappoint and I've been overwhelmingly satisfied with just about every aspect of my many stays there. It was 27 degrees when I woke up before sunrise Friday morning. By mid morning it was up to 39 degrees. I went to the driving range dressed like an Eskimo (but a fashionable one, of course.) I hit a large bucket and felt perfectly warm. Actually, I was trying out my new rain suit (for thermal) that I got for Christmas and felt comfortable enough to take a crack at nine holes, at least. Bearing in mind that it always feels warmer on the range than the course due to the time between actual shots, I pressed on.
I went to one of my favorite golf courses, Heather Glenn. Again, I was not the only fool with such a thought, but there is not an over-abundance of us senseless bastards - and thankfully so.. I played alone, hit the ball more solidly than I was at the close of last season - and had an excellent front nine with four bogies, five pars - for a 40. I had one double on the back nine. Towards the end wasn't really focusing on much more than getting out of the fast dropping temperatures, but shot no worse than 42. For all the planning, travel, orchestration, weather, and cash investment what I did find out was that if you want it bad enough, even 42 degree cold weather golf on the eve of a snowstorm can be quite gratifying. StormTracker 13 (television) has some video for you.
The course was in tip top shape. And those greens were soft for the approach shots, but lightening fast on the putts. I just couldn't believe how nice the course in general was and how outstanding the greens were at such a weird time of year. The ball rolled true................and rolled.... and rolled. Losing the putting/chipping touch off season is not a surprise. I also made some nice putts too and the chipping, while not up to speed, did not suffer as bad as last off season. It's all a confidence game that close in. And that book I read in the off season by Bob Rotella "Golf Is Not A Game Perfect" was just the ticket.
My hopes (and beliefs) are that I'm in a better position starting this season than any time previous and if I'm to put some low numbers up there at any point in my golfing life, I believe the evidence will present itself early on this year. Conversely, if I'm still stuck at that invisible brick wall, then that too should be easy to tell early on. The corrections I have made have allowed me to lower my ball flight (off the tee) and summons up a draw at will, a hook if i need it, and of course the occasional duck hook that appears whether I want it or not. The trade off is that I can get some added yardage off the tee, shape the shots more on demand, and can adjust better for wind and course conditions.
In the end, it was good to get away and get a taste of swinging the club. Coupled with perceived good potential for the upcoming season, I guess I'd have to say it was worth it at least to the extent of giving me enough of a golf fix to get me into the spring. The withdrawal was going to be a bit more than I cared for had I not gone - so despite the cold weather, record setting snows, and challenging logistics I'd have to deem the trip a success. I have attached for you a picture of the sun, peeking up at me during sunrise, as I drove out of town to head back home and a picture of the snow covered beach & pool area at the hotel.
Never a dull moment............
WR
Snowmageddon Myrtlle Beach February 13, 2010
It looks to be a decent day on the horizon - now that I am heading out of town early this glorious morning. Ain't it a bitch?
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