Flathead '12 - June visit

I got a chance to head north a couple weeks ago; up to the Flathead to partake in a mini family reunion of sorts. It was certainly nice to see everyone, and to get out of the triple digit heat.




I was fortunate enough to get out for a few rounds of golf with my dad and father-in-law. Our first loop was a morning round at the Polson Bay Golf Club. Temps were cool for late June, and the winds were a bit gusty, but the course was in great shape. Polson Bay is known for having some of the best greens in the state, and that appears to hold true this summer. The lake views and Mission Mountain vistas were as beautiful as ever.




Day two at Polson Bay was still cool, but the sun was out and short sleeves were in order. Unfortunately we didn't get a chance to play the Olde Nine at Polson Bay, as that may be my favorite 9 hole track of all time. No doubt that I will try to sneak it in during my follow up visit later in July.




For our third round, we ended up heading south about 30 minutes to the Mission Mountain Golf Course. If you crave alpine views while you swing the sticks, this place is hard to beat. Mission Mountain is a fun combination of lowland links style holes mixed with elevation changing corner cutters. It's a great value, and usually the course is maintained and in tight shape.



This par three cuts through a small marsh to get to a low lying green. This is the second of two holes at Mission Mountain that force a carry over the thick, watery hazard.




Unfortunately there were a few holes that were in a bit of disrepair, with standing water rotting some areas away, and bunkers overgrowing with weeds. This was a little sad to see, but understandable, as the area has experienced a later than usual golfing season, thanks in large part to higher than average moisture and unseasonably cool termperatures.
Hopefully they can get things spruced up for the busiest months of the year. I look forward to playing it again in a few weeks.
Overall the trip was a great time time with family on the lake, and with the two dads on the course. I lost more balls than I was planning on, but I guess that's why I always bring extra.
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Location:Polson / Ronan, MT

January Golf in the Rockies

It's not often in Montana that you have the opportunity to golf in January. 2012 bucked that trend, as I was able to hit the links on five separate occasions. Last year I was only able to squeeze in four rounds through February, and three of those were on Maui.

The coldest temp I teed up in was 23f, which didn't feel all that bad with a few fleece layers on. Fortunately the sun was out and there was virtually no wind, which is the major factor as far as being comfortable in the cold goes. 20f with no wind feels like a spring day compared to 45f with 20mph gusts.

Since the grass is a nice dormant brown in color, and I like buying shiny new golf balls, I got a couple dozen Srixon Q Stars in a relaxing tour yellow shade. I made sure to hit plenty of shots into the rough in order to test the contrast and visibility of the ball. I can honestly say that the yellow ball has become a must for me during the fall/winter seasons, primarily due to how easy they are to spot against the dull colors. The winter conditions obviously decreased the playability of the ball significantly enough to where a fair review cannot be made at this time.


All things considered, it was an excellent month of golf. Stay tuned here for more musings, reviews, and ramblings as we roll along through 2012!


First birdie of 2012; No 7, PYG

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Location:Billings,United States