Land ‘O Lakes

As we tried to plan a second golfing day in Sunset Beach, we ran into reality - October is HIGH season for golf in the greater Myrtle Beach area (so is March and April).  We got a taste of it yesterday, following a couple of buddy four-somes, most of whom played like they only got to play a couple times a year.  We had to keep reminding ourselves that we were like that a few years ago.

When we checked in at the Pro Shop, we also asked for the property owner rate at Brunswick Plantation, what used significantly less than the regular rate, some small consultation for the annual costs we have of growing pine trees there.  Alas, the owner rate was $75, while the walk-up rate was only $55.  Being high season, $55 was a bargain compared to other courses in the area we usually play.  For several years we had a golf passport that gave us the local resident rate, which is 30 to 50 percent less than the walk-up rate.  As we did not expect to use the passport this year, we let it lapse.

So on to Plan B.  Sprinty followers know we change our plans often - not quite daily, although Kris might disagree.  

Step 1 was to find a place to camp (other than Walmart, Flying J, etc).  A quick check of North Carolina State Parks found they were not available, despite being listed as being open until November.  Seems they are recovering from hurricane and high water damage and were not accepting campers.  A check on the RV park we have reserved for Tue-Fri showed no available sites either.

Thank to the AllStays app, we found the Smith Lake Army RV Park in Fayetteville, NC, an Army recreation area that is part of Fort Bragg.  A small RV campground with only 30 RV sites and 14 cabins, it is open to retired military.  A call to them confirmed available sites - $18 for a nice concrete pad back-in site with water and electric;  $25 for a full hook-up, pull through site.

Step 2.  Next was to find golf options on the way to Fayetteville - we found several, the closest being Land O’ Lakes Golf Course in Whiteville, NC, about an hour away.  An added benefit was traveling the blue highways again.

Waking up to 42 degrees, we did not rush out, hoping for things to warm up a bit before we played golf.  When we arrived at the course, it was still in the 40s and they were in a frost delay.  So we warmed up on the range, and about the time we finished on the range, they sent the first group off.  We were the second group.  Both of us started strong, but Darrell’s two birdies put him up by two strokes after nine holes.  Kris tallied up the scorecard at the turn, and her face took a determined look to it.  She parred 8 of the back nine holes, to finish with a 77, the second time in a week she has shot in the 70s.

Fortunately, there were multiple Starbucks on the way to Smith Lake Army RV Park for Kris to pay up.  And the golf for both of us including range balls was less than the per person rate yesterday.

We arrived at the campground before 3pm, safely in the 3:30 rule (no more than 330 miles a day, checked into the campground by 3:30pm).  

Finding the concrete pad was sloped, we decided it was time to try out the Lynx Levelers we recently got for Sprinty.  A 10 block kit can raise one side about 2-1/2” using 9 of the blocks.