|  |     ang,
    
    that's the reason i never go golfing in the spring time on a nice day,
    i wait for a nice 40 degree day, played last week at quashnet valley,
    about 45 degrees, great day, 2 of us played 30 holes in 6 hours (we
    each were playing a two ball scramble), waited twice the whole day.
    
    anyone know what other courses are open (besides cape courses), courses
    a little closer to new hampshire.
    
    peter
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|  | 
     A few of my teacher buddies and I played a course called Willow Bend last
     week.  It's located in Barnstable/Mashpee?  It's another, in the ever
     growing list, of courses now owned by a bank.  I don't know how much
     longer it'll remain public, but I'd highly recommend giving it a try.
     Collectively, we agreed it was one of the finest layouts we'd ever seen.
     (Foolishly) we played from the back tees. It was our first time out, and
     we were walking...and there was a brisk 20-25 mph breeze that seemed to be
     in our face all day.  From the back tees, it's 6600+ of the longest yards
     I've ever played.  I'm used to long courses, but this one forces you to
     hit shots accurately...lots of trouble on practically every hole.
     The course is hilly...especially the back side where it seemed we were
     always going up.  The greens are quite large and well bunkered...both
     with sand and grass bunkers, and generally there's water nearby.  I
     wouldn't characterize it as a tight course, but it is a demanding course.
     Every hole was different...always seemed to have a special gotcha.
     We're not sure who designed the course, but whoever it was did a helluva
     good job using the land (except for the distance between greens/tees!).
     In my book, starting out with a challenging par 5 is a great way to
     begin a round of golf...and this course did exactly that.  But, by day
     end, we all agreed we had been humbled!
     And the best news: $20 green fees (but I don't think that will last long).
     Mike
     
 | 
|  |     Well, after years of resisting, I finally caved in and played a par 3
    course: Blue Rock, in South Yarmouth. I used to play Bass River, across
    the street, many years ago, and had nothing but disdain for a "sissy"
    course, as I imagined a par 3 to be. My wife and I took a mini-vacation
    last week, and more as a gesture to her desire not to tackle a
    full-length course first time out for the year, we went to Blue Rock.
    It was a revelation! The course was in great shape, and there was
    almost no one else on it (this was Wednesday). After a predictably bad
    first, I hit the next four greens, and was foiled in making four
    straight pars by 3-putting 3 out of the 4. Best I've hit my irons in
    years. And, we were able to use almost every club, including the
    driver, on the 249-yarder. All in all, a great start to the season. I
    recommend a par 3 as a very good warmup, and a super way to practice
    the irons.
    
    
    	Frank
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