Mid-south

Jacksonville, AR- Dupree:Begins harmless enough, with some very very short and tight woods holes in land similar to Bandemer, back home. Poorly/not marked, bad tee pads, not in great condition. A few wicked tight doglegs, one is like 100' so it's tough to get a sidearm to turn so fast. Then the back 9, literally beginning with #10, is just miserable and unplayable, the entire fairways are poison ivy. Buggy.

Cabot, AR- Kerr Station:One of the shortest courses on Earth, with the longest hole stretching to 210' and the shortest under 90'. One sign claims 350'- but that was measured around the mowed grass circle, if you throw right at the actual basket, it's about 210'. Do not read the lengths on the signs at all, all off by 100'+. Flat, in a thin stretch of park land near a road and a lake, maybe 3 acres total. Basically throw a putter or a mini, or even a Pringles can lid as soft as you possibly can around 1 tree dripping with large ivy vines, make the 3-inch putt and run to the next tee 20 feet away. Well marked with nice (wrong length) signs though.

West Memphis, AR- MSCC:On the grounds of a community college, playing along a parking lot and entrance and finishing in a field right in front of the main building, which could be in play on #9. Tees are raised wood boxes with astroturf, super grippy wear flat bottom shoes or you can hurt your knee. Well marked, very well maintained and clean. It was extremely windy, and there's nothing to stop it here. Most holes semi-open or lined with some young trees. One is 375' with parking lot on right, a pair of telephone poles to shoot through, and a creek and woods on the left. Again, lengths can be WAY off on the signs- one claims 350' and I overshot in strong headwind throwing a Roc softly, so it's hardly 250'. I wonder if Arkansans? use some other unit-of-measure besides feet that could explain it.

TENNESSEE

Memphis, TN- Shelby Farms:Long and open, over small grassy hills often near the edge of woods and with sparse trees throughout, never in deep woods or very technical. Big arms have big advantage, at least from long tees I played. Do not go in woods. Popular park, it was packed and no one was at any of the other courses today. Bad, poorly marked dirt tees. Often have to walk far up to find the hole. Spray painted directional help left-over from last week's tournament. No water hazards, road OB only a couple of times.

[Becky]

Ben Geren course in Fort Smith is very nice and has a fun one over a creek. I played it 3 times last year when i was there.

[Will Corey]

Ya shoulda played Bud Hill, best course in Memphis

[Greg Simmons]

If your still in west Tn. give me a shout I'll show ya the nice courses.....

[ConniJo]

Ben, so sorry that you played the worst courses Arkansas has to offer. But Arkansans don't really want people to know how beautiful and wonderful our state is (this from a native Michigander, Lansing to be exact), and you missed Russellville, which has non-slippery concrete tees, well-marked signs with next tee arrows, holes accurately measured from 188 in the woods to 600 in the open. Lots of water, lots of beauty, even deer in the morning. Oh, well, maybe next trip?