I just spent half an hour stumbling around on Twitter trying to find some inspiration for the opening of this week's preview and came-up with nothing. Then I had this completely random idea of ranking the golf courses located in Maryland's 7th Congressional District because yes there are golf courses there scattered throughout the burning cars and roving bands of flesh-eating zombies and I think I've played them all. Let's go worst to first based on my best guess overlay of a Maryland golf course map with the congressional district map (I actually checked addresses because facts matter).
16. Turf Valley Resort
Despite being a place that no human being would want to live, Maryland's 7th District does have a golf resort albeit not a good one. There are actually two uninspired golf courses which surround lodging that looks like it was inspired by the architectural movement of 1980's mall food court. The highlight of any trip to Turf Valley, however, is an encounter with the never not angry elderly attendants who manage the cart area. It's as if they recruited nothing but bitter retired toll-booth operators who were regularly passed-over for promotion to toll-booth manager. As you have probably guessed by now, I had an incident there.
15. Fairway Hills Golf Club
This is the only course on the list that I've never played so I'm ranking it second to last based on (a) its crappy online reviews and (b) the fact that I've never played it which must mean something. Also, it's in Columbia, Maryland which is known only for overthought sensible civic planning so I'm guessing the same level of creativity was applied to the golf course.
14. Hunt Valley Country Club
This is Baltimore County's answer to Turf Valley. Ask anyone about Hunt Valley Country Club and one of the first three things they will say is "I have no idea how they stay in business." It has to be some kind of front for black market fertilizer. There is no other explanation.
13. Greystone Golf Course
I haven't played Gretystone in over twenty years and the reason is fear. I will always remember it as the most unnecessarily penal course I have ever played and, not surprisingly, the rounds regularly took 5+ hours which is quite a time commitment for a course located 45 minutes from civilization.
12. Diamond Ridge Golf Course
Diamond Ridge is fine but I would challenge you to play it and then describe any hole in detail a week later. It's been awhile for me but I'm pretty sure there was a dog-leg left par four and a . . . no that's all I got.
11. Clifton Park Golf Course
The first of our Baltimore muni-tracks and I'd be lying if I didn't say that I miss playing it. Unfortunately, that comes with the territory when you become a country club liberal. Clifton Park has some fun holes including a downhill reachable par 4. It also gives you cool views of the city's skyline and takes you right across the street of some of Baltimore's more gritty neighborhoods which is part of its charm. If you don't like it, move to Palm Beach.
We're going to break here because I need to get some kind of preview out for the sake of continuing to convince myself that I am writer making a difference in people's lives. We'll pick-up with the top ten next week.
And now this.
GOLFBABES TWEET OF THE WEEK
THIS WEEK'S ANALYSIS
Not much to say about the Wyndham Championship which is probably a good thing because the picks have been absolute dreck lately. Webb Simpson and Brandt Snedeker have far and away the best track records at Sedgefield CC which would indicate that it favors the straighter hitter who has the capacity to get hot with the putter. That would seem to describe all of the young guns these days but I'm going with Viktor Hovland because he's the only one still looking for a win.
In the middle of the pack you have Bill Haas who clearly likes the layout and has shown some signs of life lately. I'm not ready to give-up on Zach Johnson yet. Especially on a course that would appear to suit his game when he's going for a paltry $7,200. And this week's sleeper as he has been several times before is Nick Taylor because eventually a broken clock is going to be right.
One and Done Pick: Webb Simpson
Other Guy I'd Pick: Viktor Hovland
Sleeper Pick: Nick Taylor
DraftKings Top Ten Values
This is clearly not a tournament that a lot of guys like to play on a regular basis as evidenced by the dearth of top tens on the chart but you will find your usual grinder suspects like Bud Cauley and Johnson Wagner down at the bottom with some positive results.
YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT THAT'S A KNEE BRACE IN THE
PICTURE HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE CHART
Email the Fantasy Golf Report at fgr@fantasygolfreport.com.
16. Turf Valley Resort
Despite being a place that no human being would want to live, Maryland's 7th District does have a golf resort albeit not a good one. There are actually two uninspired golf courses which surround lodging that looks like it was inspired by the architectural movement of 1980's mall food court. The highlight of any trip to Turf Valley, however, is an encounter with the never not angry elderly attendants who manage the cart area. It's as if they recruited nothing but bitter retired toll-booth operators who were regularly passed-over for promotion to toll-booth manager. As you have probably guessed by now, I had an incident there.
15. Fairway Hills Golf Club
This is the only course on the list that I've never played so I'm ranking it second to last based on (a) its crappy online reviews and (b) the fact that I've never played it which must mean something. Also, it's in Columbia, Maryland which is known only for overthought sensible civic planning so I'm guessing the same level of creativity was applied to the golf course.
14. Hunt Valley Country Club
This is Baltimore County's answer to Turf Valley. Ask anyone about Hunt Valley Country Club and one of the first three things they will say is "I have no idea how they stay in business." It has to be some kind of front for black market fertilizer. There is no other explanation.
13. Greystone Golf Course
I haven't played Gretystone in over twenty years and the reason is fear. I will always remember it as the most unnecessarily penal course I have ever played and, not surprisingly, the rounds regularly took 5+ hours which is quite a time commitment for a course located 45 minutes from civilization.
12. Diamond Ridge Golf Course
Diamond Ridge is fine but I would challenge you to play it and then describe any hole in detail a week later. It's been awhile for me but I'm pretty sure there was a dog-leg left par four and a . . . no that's all I got.
11. Clifton Park Golf Course
 |
| "What's that city daddy? . . . Do human beings live there?" |
We're going to break here because I need to get some kind of preview out for the sake of continuing to convince myself that I am writer making a difference in people's lives. We'll pick-up with the top ten next week.
And now this.
GOLFBABES TWEET OF THE WEEK
Alisa Diomin: "🍹all summer ‘19." https://t.co/I1hZexvx71 #summervibes pic.twitter.com/MUBIOI7Lex— Golf Babes (@golfbabes) July 15, 2019
THIS WEEK'S ANALYSIS
Not much to say about the Wyndham Championship which is probably a good thing because the picks have been absolute dreck lately. Webb Simpson and Brandt Snedeker have far and away the best track records at Sedgefield CC which would indicate that it favors the straighter hitter who has the capacity to get hot with the putter. That would seem to describe all of the young guns these days but I'm going with Viktor Hovland because he's the only one still looking for a win.
In the middle of the pack you have Bill Haas who clearly likes the layout and has shown some signs of life lately. I'm not ready to give-up on Zach Johnson yet. Especially on a course that would appear to suit his game when he's going for a paltry $7,200. And this week's sleeper as he has been several times before is Nick Taylor because eventually a broken clock is going to be right.
 |
| These are the guys that Sedgefield features on its website to entice you to join. I'm not exactly sure I understand the marketing strategy but I like it. |
One and Done Pick: Webb Simpson
Other Guy I'd Pick: Viktor Hovland
Sleeper Pick: Nick Taylor
DraftKings Top Ten Values
Webb Simpson
|
$11,200
|
Brandt Snedeker
|
$10,000
|
Viktor Hovland
|
$9,500
|
Sungjae Im
|
$8,300
|
Scott Piercy
|
$8,100
|
Jason Kokrak
|
$8,000
|
Bill Haas
|
$7,600
|
Bud Cauley
|
$7,300
|
Zach Johnson
|
$7,200
|
Nick Taylor
|
$6,800
|
This is clearly not a tournament that a lot of guys like to play on a regular basis as evidenced by the dearth of top tens on the chart but you will find your usual grinder suspects like Bud Cauley and Johnson Wagner down at the bottom with some positive results.
YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT THAT'S A KNEE BRACE IN THE
PICTURE HISTORICAL PERFORMANCE CHART
DK Price
|
2018
|
2017
|
2016
|
2015
|
2014
|
|
Webb Simpson
|
$11,200
|
T2
|
3rd
|
T72
|
T6
|
T5
|
Hideki Matsuyama
|
$10,900
|
T11
|
DNP
|
T3
|
MC
|
MC
|
Jordan Spieth
|
$10,600
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Collin Morikawa
|
$10,400
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Brandt Snedeker
|
$10,000
|
1st
|
DNP
|
T3
|
T43
|
T5
|
Paul Casey
|
$9,800
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
T3
|
T18
|
Patrick Reed
|
$9,700
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
T22
|
DNP
|
T24
|
Billy Horschel
|
$9,600
|
T11
|
T60
|
T5
|
MC
|
T47
|
Viktor Hovland
|
$9,500
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Matthew Wolf
|
$9,400
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Chez Reavie
|
$9,300
|
DNP
|
T37
|
MC
|
MC
|
DNP
|
Rory Sabbatini
|
$9,200
|
T57
|
T4
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Joaquin Niemann
|
$9,100
|
T33
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Cameron Smith
|
$9,000
|
DNP
|
T7
|
MC
|
T18
|
DNP
|
Charles Howell, III
|
$8,900
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Alex Noren
|
$8,800
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Lucas Glover
|
$8,700
|
DNP
|
T28
|
T22
|
T18
|
MC
|
Martin Kaymer
|
$8,600
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
T14
|
DNP
|
Adam Hadwin
|
$8,500
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
T33
|
T51
|
DNP
|
Dylan Frittelli
|
$8,400
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Sungjae Im
|
$8,300
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Ben An
|
$8,200
|
DNP
|
MC
|
DNP
|
T18
|
DNP
|
Scott Piercy
|
$8,100
|
T45
|
DNP
|
T63
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Jason Kokrak
|
$8,000
|
T57
|
T16
|
MC
|
W/D
|
DNP
|
Aaron Wise
|
$7,900
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Martin Laird
|
$7,900
|
T45
|
W/D
|
T63
|
T59
|
T14
|
Kevin Streelman
|
$7,800
|
DNP
|
T72
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Russell Henley
|
$7,800
|
MC
|
DNP
|
T46
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Abraham Ancer
|
$7,700
|
T24
|
DNP
|
MC
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Kyle Stanley
|
$7,700
|
DNP
|
MC
|
T14
|
T51
|
MC
|
Bill Haas
|
$7,600
|
T45
|
MC
|
T22
|
T6
|
T2
|
Brian Harman
|
$7,600
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
MC
|
MC
|
MC
|
Doc Redman
|
$7,600
|
MC
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Branden Grace
|
$7,500
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
T47
|
DNP
|
Jason Dufner
|
$7,500
|
T66
|
T14
|
T22
|
T51
|
DNP
|
Russell Knox
|
$7,500
|
DNP
|
T28
|
DNP
|
MC
|
DNP
|
Daniel Berger
|
$7,400
|
MC
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
MC
|
DNP
|
Vaughn Taylor
|
$7,400
|
MC
|
T50
|
DNP
|
T47
|
DNP
|
Bud Cauley
|
$7,300
|
DNP
|
T42
|
T10
|
DNP
|
MC
|
Charley Hoffman
|
$7,300
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Kevin Tway
|
$7,200
|
T11
|
MC
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
MC
|
Nick Watney
|
$7,200
|
MC
|
MC
|
DNP
|
T31
|
T5
|
Troy Merritt
|
$7,200
|
DNP
|
T28
|
74th
|
DNP
|
T51
|
Zach Johnson
|
$7,200
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Corey Connors
|
$7,100
|
T45
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Danny Lee
|
$6,800
|
T24
|
MC
|
MC
|
DNP
|
MC
|
Harold Varner
|
$6,800
|
T53
|
T10
|
MC
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
Nick Taylor
|
$6,800
|
T8
|
DNP
|
MC
|
MC
|
DNP
|
Brian Gay
|
$6,600
|
T6
|
T50
|
DNP
|
DNP
|
MC
|
Johnson Wagner
|
$6,600
|
T33
|
T24
|
T5
|
MC
|
T38
|
Email the Fantasy Golf Report at fgr@fantasygolfreport.com.
