Simply put, there are very few golf courses in thw world that are as unique, and polarizing, as Tobacco Road in North Carolina. Before playing it I had one reader say: “If you like fun golf courses, RUN, don’t walk, to Tobacco Road. You’ll thank me.” Another said: “You’re intereted in playing the Top 100 Public Courses? So that means, you’re playing Tobacco Road, right? You’re going to love it.” In the years since I’ve played this course, I’ve had conversations and debates with over 100 other golfers about this course. Some call it “Mickey Mouse.” Some call it “tricked…
Author: Sean Ogle
Sean Ogle
As the Founder of Breaking Eighty Sean has spent the last 10+ years reviewing the best golf products and golf courses in the world. He prides himself on only writing about products and courses he's experienced first hand, and helping others find exactly what they need to enhance their enjoyment of the game we all love so much.
The small state of Connecticut certainly gets a bad rap in the golf world, especially when it comes to top 100 courses. With the exception of the Golf Course at Yale – rarely do you see other Connecticut golf courses make top 100 lists. That being said, this is not a golf state to sleep on. Some of the top municipal courses in the country reside in Connecticut, one of which, Wintonbury Hills, was built by Tom Fazio. It’s one of the only municipal Tom Fazio designs in the country as far as we know. It’s a fantastic course, full…
When it comes to a vacation in Los Cabos, Mexico you have….options. Like, a lot of options. With dozens of resorts to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which one is right for you. Do you go adults only? Do you choose a family destination? Are you hoping to golf every day? Or would you prefer to just sit by the pool? Do you want to be close to all the action and party scene of Cabo San Lucas? Or do you want to just chill out and relax? These are all things you need to consider when…
For years I’ve been hearing about this mythical golf course down on the tip of Baja Mexico. A course with holes dangling over the ocean, and others carved into the side of a mountain. A track with looks to kill, and comfort stations that will make you forget about the golf altogether. I’m talking about Quivira Golf Club, and after years of hearing stories like this, I finally got the chance to see it for myself. And I’ve got news for you: the stories are true. Arriving at Quivira Golf Club This trip down to Los Cabos was only the…
I started this website nine years ago. For seven of those years, I’ve always published a list of my personal favorite golf courses – until last year. Between COVID and a pregnant wife, I simply didn’t play enough new courses to warrant updating the list. But this year? I’m finally getting back to golf travel, and excited to update our top 100 list for the first time in 2 years. This past decade, I’ve been fortunate enough to play a lot of really good golf courses all over the world. I’ve taken thousands of photos, played thousands of holes, and started…
Every year for 7 years I published my list of my top 100 golf courses. And each year it got more and more difficult. For better or worse, last year was easy: we didn’t update the list. With COVID keeping my travel at bay, I simply didn’t play enough new courses to warrant an update. Fortunately, that’s changed this year. While I’m still not back at pre-COVID (and pre-baby) travel levels, I’ve been able to get out and see a handful of new courses. Can I just tell you how good it feels to travel again? As I began reviewing…
When I visited Reynolds Lake Oconee I was excited to experience all that it had to offer. And for as much as I was looking forward to experiencing the renowned Great Waters course, it was a lesser-known course I was secretly even more excited about. What is it? The Creek Club. The Creek Club is a 2007 Jim Engh design that is the most under-the-radar course at Reynolds Lake Oconee. Why is it under the radar? Because, unlike its five sister courses, The Creek Club is the only course in the Reynolds Lake Oconee community that’s fully private. Because of…
Before my recent trip to Reynolds Lake Oconee, I’ll be honest, I didn’t know much about the area. I knew there was a beautiful lake. I knew there was a Ritz-Carlton resort. And I knew they had a golf course that was supposed to be phenomenal called Great Waters. It’s one I’ve wanted to see for a long time, dating back to my original quest on this site of playing the Top 100 public courses in the USA. I was a little disappointed as early on in the trip planning it looked like it might not happen due to a…
When you live in the Pacific Northwest, Reynolds Lake Oconee isn’t generally the first place that comes to mind when you’re thinking of golf destinations. I’ve heard wonderful things about the golf courses and the Ritz Carlton Reynolds Lake Oconee, but to be honest? I really didn’t know much about the Reynolds community until recently. This is too bad, because I’ve clearly been missing out. I recently spent 4 days experiencing all that Reynolds has to offer. Rather than bury the lede, I’m just going to come right out and say it: Reynolds Lake Oconee exceeded all of my admittedly…
Over the last few years, I’ve had the pleasure of wearing a bunch of different pairs of TRUE Linkswear golf shoes. From the sexy leather OG Premium, to the svelte summer Knit iis – I’ve always been genuinely impressed. Recently, I took a little gamble though. This past week I took my first flight in 20 months to head down to Georgia for half a dozen rounds at Reynolds Lake Oconee and around Atlanta. I brought the new TRUE Linkswear Lux Sport straight out of the box (er, bag as it were). No break-in period. No warming them up. Straight…