The skies were angry that day my friends...

Now that my shoulder injury was confirmed by a real life doctor my Sundays are freed up from the baseball doubleheaders. Today I had two rounds lined up; 9:30 at Virginia Oaks and 2:30 at South Riding...if only the weather had cooperated. It didn't just rain on us...it poured. How wet was it? Ill let the Mutumbo slip and slide tell the story.





While my round wasn't great, I did come pretty damn close to my first ever ace.

As for the second round, we didn't make past the 6th whole before they closed the course. Bummer


~Saps

Cross Pollination

I like golf. I like to write about golf. I also like food..specifically burgers...and I like to write about that as well. Since I really don't have anything golf related to write about this week, I'm going to write about burgers. In particular 2 burger joints worth visiting.

Joe's Gourmet Burgers

6710 Old Dominion Drive McLean Va

My buddy Jody, a fellow burger aficionado, and I first hit up Joe's a little over a year ago as part of our never ending burger quest (you can visit his burger blog HERE). At the time, Joe's was a little hole in the wall located on Old Dominion Drive. When I say it was a little hole in the wall, I mean it was tiny. With seating for around 20, Joe's was always packed. The menu was small but eclectic -- everything from the basic bacon cheddar burger to venison to waygu (aka Kobe beef). My burger came topped with chorizo sausage. It was good...very very good. So when Joe's moved to a bigger place right next door, I was excited. I went out there for lunch one day, but for whatever reason, the burgers were just not as good as they were at the smaller place. The burgers were still good...they just weren't great. They weren't spectacular. They weren't special. I love small local burger joints, and Joe's step backwards made me sad. I'm happy to say after my last visit Joe's wasn't just back up to the level of my first visit, it went beyond! They've really honed in on the "gourmet" in Joe's Gourmet Burgers, and it was special once again.

For a starter we got the chili fries...and after our table devoured the first order, we dialed up a second. Simply fantastic. The chili was the perfect Cincinnati consistency to serve as a topping (Chili will always be a condiment in my book), and the fries were crispy all the way through -- no one got stuck with that soggy fry way down at the bottom.

We then called up an order of THE BEST onions rings I've ever had. For real real....not for play play. The batter was crispy and light - and didn't mask the sweetness of the onion. I ate one. Then I ate another. Then I noticed some chili remaining at the bottom of the fry bowl...so I grabbed another onion ring and ran it through the chili. It was good....oh so good. It was at this point that our waiter came around to take our burger order. Oh &$*#....burgers!!!

I ordered the "Al's Numero Uno" burger, topped with smoked Gouda, a "white bbq sauce", and more of those fantastic onion rings. It was everything a burger should be. Beef was juicy, with just a hint of pepper other seasonings...nothing too overpowering to take away from the savory flavor of beef. The white bbq sauce was more of a smoky mayo, but it complimented the burger well. The onion rings, well, I don't think I can say enough of how good these were. Joe's is a must visit if you're in the mood for a good burger.

The Counter

http://www.thecounterburger.com/

11922 Democracy Drive, Reston VA

The counter is actually a franchise with locations scattered throughout the US -- and abroad with locations in Australia and Ireland. It's a "concept" burger joint, in many ways a contemporary version of "Johnny Rockets" but far more upscale. When you walk in, the first thing you notice is that nostalgic 60's burger joint feel, with patrons sitting at a counter, enjoying burgers and shakes. The second thing you notice is the full bar located directly behind the counter. I should mention the Counter serves "adult shakes." Yum.

The ordering concept is based on a "build your own burger" theme, but the options go far beyond "lettuce, tomato, and cheese." How far beyond? How about 12 varieties of cheese, grilled pineapple, pepperoncinis , green chilies...tzatziki sauce??? Why not!!!

Here's the great thing about this place. My girlfriend's food allergy makes it difficult for us to find places to eat out. Generally our options are limited to vegan restaurants (dairy allergy makes her quasi vegan) or salad bars. You cannot believe how often we've ordered a meal with specific instructions "no butter...I have an allergy," only to see a big ol' lump of butter on the plate. It makes it difficult to trust people, and it makes it even more difficult to find a good burger place (butter is pretty much everywhere). After telling our waiter of my girlfriends allergy, the waiter called over the manager, who personally brought over several sheets of paper identifying every item on the menu with the corresponding dietary restrictions. Without any hassle or embarrassment she knew exactly what she wanted...and so did I. Bacon? Tillamook Cheddar? BBQ Sauce? Yup...that seems like a good test of a burger establishment!

If you're into burgers you know that Ray's Hell Burger is the benchmark. Ray's is flat out the best burger in the Washington / Northern Virginia / Southern Maryland area. Maybe. I'm not prepared to call the Counter's burger a winner, but it gives Ray's a run for the money. It's in the same class - and that is saying A LOT! I need to set up a back to back tasting between Ray's and the Counter, because this really does go down to a taste photo finish. The Counter's burger was juicy...oh so juicy. Cooked exactly as I ordered (medium rare, red but not raw) with a sweet bbq sauce. Just as with Joe's burger, the Counter's burger was peppery, but not over seasoned, allowing the full savory meat flavor to permeate my palate. And thick!! I ordered the 2/3 lbs burger, not realizing the weight is measured AFTER cooking!! I was stuffed!!! How were the sides? Solid. We ordered up some shoe string fries (they also server sweet potato fries) and they were great. We did not but did not opt for the the chili topping, which may have been a tactical mistake. The dudes at the next table ordered the chili cheese fries...and they looked GOOD (I will have to go back).

So there you go, 2 must visits for the burger enthusiast. Both great local spots, and both should be ranked high on any burger list. Just go there and eat a burger. Then play some golf or something....I don't care. I'm hungry. I want another burger.....dammit.....

~Saps

Much anger in you, I see...

To borrow a quote a man far more wise than I:

"Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to Hate. Hate leads to suffering."

For the Jedi, fear is the path to the dark side. For us golfers, our all consuming rage is the path on which the dark side is paved. I just got off the phone with the club repair guy, and for the first time in nearly a year, my round this weekend will feature a 5-iron.

I know rage well.

Nothing angry's up the blood quicker than golf. Maybe this is because golf is the only sport where there is nobody else to blame for failure.

• A good baseball player will fail 7 times out of 10....which is perfectly acceptable when you consider there are 9 dudes trying to make you fail - one of whom happens to be hurling the ball towards you at 90 miles per hour.
• A good running back will average 4 yards per carry. 4 yards?!?! Are you kidding?!?! You know how when you pick your head up mid swing, and you hit a little topper that just kinda rolls in front of you. Then you put your head down, walk a couple steps and try to hit the ball again? Yeah...that ball probably went 10 yards....we're talking 4 yards here! Again, this is perfectly acceptable considering a running back is taking on a bunch of 300 lbs dudes all with intent to do physical harm.
• Tennis players stare down 100+ mph serves and have to wear tight shorts.
• Sky divers have to fight gravity.....gravity! That's like the strongest force on earth!!

Of course, just because we golfers don't have anyone to directly blame for our failures doesn't mean we can't act like irrational jerks.

• Ball lips out of the cup resulting in a 3-putt; "#$@& YOU BALL!!!" (Followed immediately by the long toss into the woods)
• Club hits fat; "#$&@ing CLUBS!!!!" (Followed shortly by either the club toss, or the ever popular 2-handed overhead club slam)
• Ball lands between two clumps of grass; "Piece of @#&$ DOG TRACK COURSE!!" (Usually followed with "The hell if I'm gonna rake these traps....")
• Tee shot slices into woods; "#&$@ those guys in front of us....PACE OF PLAY @$$holes!!!!." (Followed by lots of pouting)

Why is it so hard for us to let go of this rage and accept the fact that golf is just really really hard! Maybe a handful of people in this world can make a golf ball do what they want it to do. They are not of our world..they are aliens. They also practice or play 7 days a week...perhaps more. I'm lucky to get out twice a week. We've also got a lot going on in our lives. We have job troubles, we have girlfriend issues, we have kids. There is no way we can focus 100% of our attention on 100% of our shots. It just ain't realistic.

...and yet the rage is there with every duffed shot and every missed putt. No one to blame but our own lack of skills, lack of focus, and lack of commitment to the game. Nothing to blame...except perhaps for a 5-iron. During last year's Myrtle Beach golf fiasco I was stricken with a case of snap hooks which could best be considered as "soul crushing." Every tee shot -- snap / O.B. Every second shot, snap / O.B. Like Eyjafjallajokull, the rage boiled within, ready to erupt. On the third hole of the second round I blew. With Bos at the wheel, I kicked out the windshield of the golf cart. I mean, I kicked it completely off the cart (we had to borrow a screwdriver from a maintenance guy to put it back in). On the back nine I snapped the ball into someone's back yard, and lost it again. Like a deranged lumberjack I hacked away at my golf bag, snapping the 5-iron in the process.

So why, you may ask, did I wait a full year to repair my club? I actually kept my 5-iron on display...a perpetual reminder of my blow up. Every time I felt the urge to slam my club or kick the cart, I thought back to my broken 5-iron and took a deep breath. I won't say I've been a saint out on the course this past year, but I have significantly reduced the number of eruptions. Sure, I'll still swear like a drunken sailor, but the anger is significantly down and I like to think I'm a little less of a jerk.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a 5-iron to pick up and another 80's round to post. Remember, a Jedi's strength flows from the Force. But beware. Anger, fear, aggression. The dark side are they. Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.

I didn't make that last on up...I stole if from Yoda. Wise in the ways of the Force was he....help you with golf too, he can.

~Saps

Lost Balls Invitational - Games

The 2010 Lost Balls Invitational will distribute total prize money of $836. Winners of the 72 Hole Tournament, Modified Ryder Cup, Closest to the Pin, and daily low net receive payouts. New in 2010 are flights for closest to the pin and low net. Details are as follows:

Tournament Prize Money

The tournament is structured as a 72 hole, handicapped, stroke play championship. The tournament pays 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and last.

• 1st Place - $250
• 2nd Place - $125
• 3rd Place - $50
• Last - $1
  

Modified Ryder Cup

The Modified Ryder Cup is a team game contested over rounds 1, 2, & 3 between the current champion "Team Crazy Horse" and "TeamDerriere's. One point is awarded for wins and a half point for ties with 16 total points available. Team Crazy Horse, the defending champion, retains the cup with 8 points. Team Derriere's takes the cup with 8 1/5 points.

• Round 1 - Two man teams playing match play utilizing their combined net scores.
• Round 2 - Two man teams playing match play utilizing the best net score of the team.
• Round 3 - Individual match play.

Team Crazy Horse Captain - Matt Moden
Team Derriere's Captain - Matt Sapsford

The total prize money is $200 to the winning team.

Closest to the Pin

One closest to the pin, per flight, will be awarded in each of the four rounds. Flights are new for 2010 meaning you will only complete against those in your flight.

• Flight 1 - Lowest 8 handicaps.
• Flight 2 - Highest 8 handicaps.

The holes are yet to be determined. Each closest to the pin winner is awarded $15.

Low Net

One low net, per flight, will be awarded in each of the four rounds. Flights are new for 2010 meaning you will only complete against those in your flight. Low net is your actual score less your handicap.

• Flight 1 - Lowest 8 handicaps.
• Flight 2 - Highest 8 handicaps.

Each low net winner is awarded $15.

Skins

Skins are separate in 2010 and a collection will occur before each round.