What can I say about Bayside Resort Golf Club? This is one of the nicest golf facilities that I have visited. The cart barn was bigger than most clubhouses. On the back side of the cart barn they have a covered range. There is a huge restaurant and snack shack and a very sizable locker room as well. The carts themselves don’t have a GPS in them so they give you a yardage book with your scorecard. The cart also has a ball and iron washer attached where the cooler usually sits. Before you get to the first tee they have a warm up area with nets and a huge putting and chipping area. This place lives up to the resort portion of the name. The course itself was designed by Jack Nicklaus and is Delaware’s first signature course designed by “The Golden Bear”. In his words “Golfers at Bayside enjoy three distinctly different golf experiences all in one golf course. Some holes are richly tree-lined, others wind though marshland and still others boast wide-open fairways. It is our hope that Bayside is truly a memorable golf experience offering variety rarely found elsewhere.”
The drive took a bit longer than I expected so I once again found myself rushing a bit. The forecast also called for rain in the afternoon so I needed to get started. As I approached the first tee the starter held up two groups that were playing together so I could get out ahead of them, which is always nice because I hate playing though groups and would rather chill and wait once I’m behind you, no rush no fuss! So on the first hole you have about a hundred yards of water to carry and a big old fairway after that. My first drive in front of all those people I had a bit of slice but it worked out perfectly. After a bogey on one I went on a little par run of four holes, then alternated between par and bogey on the front nine.
The one thing about the Delmarva coast (Delaware, Maryland and Virginia) is that the weather can turn super quick or be like a bubble that doesn’t get crazy weather. For example this past winter we had a huge winter storm that covered most of the east coast with snow, but not the little bubble on the coast. So when I made the turn the weather was getting very angry. You could see the dark storm clouds coming, the wind picked up and it was getting colder. I figured I could finish before it got too nasty and if not, well I did just play in the rain at Bethpage.
I got back to back bogeys on ten and eleven. Then I went par par on twelve and thirteen as the weather was getting nasty, but no rain yet. When I got to fourteen I was exposed to the marshlands and the wind was blowing crazy strong. It made the par five that plays tough by the looks even tougher. I got a scrambling bogey as the wind played havoc with my ball. The drive got pushed left, then on the second shot the wind pushed it right. On the approach shot the wind was now at my back and the trees block some of the cross wind. Fifteen was a great looking par three as you are in the forest. As I was putting out the rain started, first it was a couple of drops, which gave me time to get back to the cart and get my clubs covered. Within two minutes I was in a crazy rain storm with thunder and lightning. Rain and wind ok, I can wait that out. When the thunder and lightning starts that’s a no go for me. So I missed out on the last three holes as everyone was rushing in. At one point on the ride back in it started too hail. I was playing really well at that point so I was a bit bummed to not finish. I also missed the bald eagles nest on sixteen.
After my rain debacle of Bethpage I carry an extra set of clothes in the car. The locker room I mentioned before came in real handy as I was able to change and get out of my soaked clothes. It was so windy and rainy my shoes got soaked thru and they would be getting the newspaper treatment again. I can’t wait to go back and enjoy this awesome course again and finish it this time! As always, thanks for reading and don’t forget to follow here and on Instagram for updates on new posts! Once my shoes dry out, I will be back out and I promise to try and hit them straight, but if I don’t I will yell “FORE”!
The High Handicapper
High Handicapper 