Wisconsin - Day 2

It never sucks to wake up to cool sweater weather in August to head out for a couple of rounds of golf. Royal St. Patrick and Eagle Creek. Head out to Royal St. Patrick. We always wonder if Monica will get us there, since we seem to be amongst the corn fields in Wisconsin (and chicken and cow farms -- you can smell those!). She hasn't let us down since Erin Hills (and even then, she wasn't "far" off).

Pull in, get our stuff and go to the range to hit a few before teeing off on this links style track. Royal St. Patrick does not disappoint. The greens are slick, but true. The rough -- well, try not to be there -- was solid. The gunk -- well, definitely try not to be there.

Tony's in the game, so that makes a "real trip" -- robins and trash. Tom's few tips to Tony are paying off and we've been generous with the strokes, since Tony doesn't have an official handicap right now. Only fair. No blood on the first robin (Liz/Tony, Tom/Dave). Second robin, Dave and I go down three in a row (ouch), but then win the next two (because we have to) before succumbing to Tom and Tony. No blood on the last robin. Trash is healthy, but not crazy. Tony's the "big winner in the clubhouse" on the first round. Dave and Tom on 18 realize that they don't have enough golf balls if they're going to lose this many. I have lost only one ball since we arrived (shocker). Would definitely head back to Royal St. Patrick's for another round or two.

But, we're running late so off to Eagle Creek we go (crossing our fingers that Monica won't let us down direction-wise) swinging by Subway on our way. Again, we meander through the cornfields and little farmhouse roads until she drops us right at a golf course in the middle of no-where. Before stopping at Subway, we called up to Eagle Creek and asked if they searched food. Based on their odd response, that's why we decided to stop on our way.

Well, Eagle Creek, let's say, um, has some staffing issues. But not all bad ones. We get there and the "kid" at the front desk (who also serves as bartender, and sweeper and cart boy, probably) apologized and said that whoever booked our tee time "couldn't read" since there was a tournament. And, we'd be getting off around 3 pm instead of 2 pm. BUT... the green fees were on the course... and range balls! So, for $15 per person, we're in. Besides, it's nice outside and we've pretty much screeched into the course. So, patio time, practice time for everyone but me. There's some interesting people watching in Wisconsin. I am sure they say the same about our crew when we show up.

Oh, another thing about Eagle Creek. You want bottled water or soda at the clubhouse -- you have to get it through the machine outside, not through the bartender. Weird. I'm sure there's a reason, but not exactly the most efficient way to make money.

So, we're off for another round. Robins and trash again. My driving is way, way off (it's been off and needs an adjustment), but my five iron is behaving. Tony's driving the ball much better with Tom's advice -- but any new swing can result in some "off shots." Eagle Creek does not favor "off shots." It only likes accuracy -- in the fairways, on the greens. Some of the holes -- as Dave put it -- are like circus elephants and camel butts. It's an interesting course, in great condition (greens slower than Royal St. Patrick), but you definitely need to play it a few times to figure it out. The scorecard doesn't really tell the true hole-by-hole story and we all scramble to figure things out. Well, we come to the last hole and Dave and Tom are against me and Tony. Tony and I are down one (guess Dave and Tom are all square in their own little game). And... Tom stuffs one a foot from the hole for birdie, net eagle. Figures, but that's Tom.

Off we head back to Combined Locks. Dinner. Well, Tom and I aren't huge on dinner. But Dave and Tony are. Tony's fine with a bolgna sandwich. Dave, not so much. Monica gives us some selections and since Main Street is usually where "the action is" off we go to a play called Marty's. We can always change our mind.

Marty's isn't exactly "fancy on the outside" -- or "fancy on the inside." Probably hasn't been renovated in 40 years. But -- they have a website: http://www.martyssuperclub.com/ so they at least know what technology is (believe me, you wouldn't believe it when you see the place). Has a "moldy smell" according to Tony, on the inside. We're pretty much game for anything -- worst case scenario is it's a bad experience and we'll talk about it forever. Our waitress is definitely from Wisconsin. We definitely aren't. Order dinner (really inexpensive). They have an appetizer buffet that the boys check out and quickly come back because they "couldn't identify" stuff on the table. Dinner doesn't disappoint. And our waitress is hilarious in a Wisconsin way. She thought Tony was from Australia (well, not quite, but at least she knew he wasn't fronm Wisconsin). She ends by telling us about JDs for ice cream (something about a turtle sundae that sounds a bit like the bear claw at The Bob In).

Back to the farmhouse to shower up, have a quick cocktail on the porch, and then off to bed. I think Tony now knows what we mean when we say we pretty much only play golf on these trips. Even he goes to bed early.

Sunday is Lawsonia. Off at 615 to get there early for "real breakfast" instead of cereal.

BTW, pictures to follow because the camera is still in my golf bag. I am taking pictures.