August 2024 – Was on my way home from a Pittsburgh buddies trip and decided to try Bedford Springs which is right on the way back to Philly about 2 hours from Pittsburgh and 3 from Philly. I’ve been playing so piss poor was simply looking forward to being able to duff away without losing bets and humiliating myself. Played solo and met up with a great couple and really enjoyed the day (perfect weather), the people (a great low pressure round) and the course. While my score didn’t reflect it, I think I’m starting to figure things out. We’ll see because I have a bunch of golf coming up over the next month as I will officially be not working anymore! The time was right for them and me to get out and retire (or semi-retire). Of course, that’ll put me on a fixed income (or as my buddy Andy who retired said, “no income.”) and I might have to cut back on some of the outrageously expensive golf and be a little more frugal, though. But luckily I have more than enough saved up that as long as I can be somewhat conservative over the next few years, I will have enough saved to live better than I am now on interest alone! Not bragging just happy I was able to do it.
Couple things to discuss besides me not working. As preseason is over, here are my NFL predictions. I made these last season in my Somerset Hills review. While I missed the Super Bowl prediction, everything else I predicted either came true or mostly true. So here goes. As I said last year, I thought the Eagles would take a step back in 2023 and they did. I also said I think they will get back in cap shape and win it all in 2024 and I’m sticking to that. LIX will be in New Orleans and I doubt I can luck into tickets so will have to watch from here.
I think the Ravens will finally get over the hump and beat KC in the playoffs/championship game and make it to the Supe. The Stillers will finally finish below .500 and Tomlin will be volunforced to retire. I think the Colts will be the out-of-nowhere team in the AFC and win the division. Bills will be the tallest midget in a lousy AFC East – I think the Dolphins and Jets both barely get to around .500 and the Pats will have the number one pick in the draft. Chiefs win the West. The Bungles, Texans and Chargers will round out the wildcards.
The NFC is wide open this year for the Eagles. I think Dallas will miss the playoffs and boy has Jerry mismanaged the Dak, Micah and CeeDee contracts. I think Dak is gone after this season. The Commanders will be better but not there yet and the Giants will S-U-C-K. Chicago is the out-of-nowhere team in the NFC making the playoffs with the Lions and Packers from the North. Atlanta wins a lousy South. Everyone starts figuring out Purdy and the Niners win the West but barely over the Seahawks. Eagles will beat the Packers in the NFC championship game. Can’t wait to see how wrong I am.
To the course. Bedford Springs is an Omni resort and the starter there was telling me they have a national membership. They actually have some pretty good courses in the portfolio: https://www.omnihotels.com/destinations/golf. I just played Field’s Ranch in Frisco and have played seven of the courses in the group and most are really nice (like Bedford Springs) and right in that 200+/- ranking range. The course fancies itself as one of the oldest courses in the country, with the original 18 completed in 1895. Full history here but if you don’t feel like clicking, the first 18 holes were designed by Spencer Oldham. Tillinghast then turned it into a 9-hole course. And Donald Ross came in and turned it into an 18 again. The holes are all labeled with whether they were an Oldham, Ross, or Tillinghast design. Kind of neat having two design kings work the same course.
So I didn’t really spend much aprѐs golf time in the clubhouse but did kick around a little bit before-hand and had a Miller Lite (actually two) with Mike before jumping back in the car. The range is about a mile away behind the 16th hole. I’m not kidding it is actually pretty far away. Conditioning was great and heard they have some shoulder season deals. As it was, paid a pretty good price for a course of this caliber: $129.
Can’t say caliber without a Dr. Evil meme or image. Anyway, yeah Bedford is a good resort course: a couple of awesome par threes and some long-ass par fives. All in all a great variety of holes. I’ll do a quick description of the holes. I probably took 15 or 16 total photos. I will not give my scores except to say I only had two pars all day.
The opening image is from the 17th tee box looking back down at the end of 18 and the clubhouse.
The routing goes up, out and around the Shober’s Run (creek) that comes into play on quite a few holes. We played the Tillinghast tees: 6,023 yards and 70.2/130 – a 37 on the front with three fives and a 35 on the back with three par threes.
First hole from right fairway. Upper fairway and severely sloping green. Just 300 yards but played longer with uphill approach. This was an Oldham original.
The second is up and around the fourteenth tee and thirteenth green. Kind of weird. 167-yard par three. Oldham original.
Four of the five par 5’s are all 500+ yards. Here’s three and my third shot from the right rough still a good bit out. Note the mounding, obviously Tillie’s hole.
The fourth hole is called Volcano. It is a 200-yard par three and the number one handicap. Don’t leave it short, you’ll need at least two more clubs than the distance and I refused to hit driver and left it short and in the bunker where I promptly had to pick up after three mighty swings. A super unique hole designed by Ross.
Five is a 520-yard par five. This was from where my drive landed. Conditioning as you see was really good. Ross.
Six is a short 313-yard par four. Hit a great drive finally to here. Of course Ross.
The approach on the seventh. Tough creek to clear and wildest green on the course. 338 yards and a Ross.
I missed 8 (a very typical Ross green complex on a relatively short hole). This is 9 which is the shortest par five on the course. It’s called meadow as it is on the meadow-y part of the course and another Ross.
Ten is another of the great par threes here. Only 104 yards and called Gulley. Some of Ross’ greatest par three templates are here.
Eleven is one of the most beautiful holes on the course. 432 yards. Par four. You think once you crest the hill you’ll run down the hill but alas it is rough and you end up with an awkward lie that you don’t want to try and clear the creek to the green. Another Ross and the number two handicap.
The green on the 333-yard 12th. Yes of course it is a Ross.
Thirteen. A Tillie, 545-yard par five called LONG. Yes it was but not even the longest from the Tillie tees.
Fourteen. Tiny Tim. 114 yards and only my second par of the day. A Tillie design that complements the earlier Ross par threes so well.
Fifteen is a super intimidating drive that you have to take over the traps that the further left you go to get closer to the hole, the more trap you have to carry. 338 yards. An original Oldham design and the most strategic hole on the course which is a surprise considering the other designers’ cred.
And here’s the longest hole on the course – a back-breaking 562 yards from the Tillies. A Ross. I skipped 17 which is another long solid par three and a Tillie design.
Eighteen is short but a sandy nightmare off the tee and around the built-up green complex. Naturally a Ross. All in all a great resort golf option if you find yourself in West Bumblefuck, PA.
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