Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but where I work, I have to plan well in advance to take vacation, and catching a flight from the European Theater to the US can be tricky, and expensive. Therefore I would like to suggest the following dates for the GGR Invitational; sometime between the 27th of April and the 10th of May, Scott mentioned North Carolina for a possible location, that would be great. Anybody have any ideas?

Bo

Last I checked Scott was in charge of this years Invitational. So Scott, what have you got figured out so far? If I remember correctly, the grass they have in N.C. on the golf courses, doesn't start to green up until later than the dates you suggest. I could be wrong on this, but I believe I heard that from someone that lives in N.C. and that's what they said. I can only assume Scott can set me straight on this if I'm wrong.

Well, Don is correct, we need a couple good hot days to green our bermuda up well. That being said, there are some terrific course this way even in the spring. Heck, the play the masters in April right? (they do don't they???).

So if folks want green lush courses, then we need to go south if we're going to travel that time frame but honestly, late April is not bad at all for me. Early May runs in to a couple things but I can probably manage. Plus, if we go early in the year, then I can still visit Don in Sept/Oct in Denver for some additional rounds and get to try his fantastic breakfast eggs (that's what Laney said).

Bo, if we have that same general time frame, does it matter much if we do NC versus say going a little more South where things might have green'd up a bit? Because if people are ok with maybe not lush green conditions I'd say NC is a great opportunity or we could go south to Florida.

Flying into NC is sort of like flying into Denver, the main airport is in Greensboro which is about 30 minutes from my place. Within an 10 minutes of my house we have 3 great courses, and 45 minutes 1 way we have a SPGA event course and a little over an hour from here we have Pinehurst with all it's luster and glory. So some really great options here.

Others, please chime in. Up for an early spring 2008 GGR?

Hi Scott,

I can make minor adjustments to my schedule. North Cackalacky, South Cackalacky it don't matter, as long as somone knows their way around the area. I don't know what it would be like there in the heat of the summer, but then again people like Bill and Laney wouldn't have a problem with it. Let's see what other have to say about it. The thing is I have to have it planned well in advance as not to disrupt operations over here.

Bo

Well, it's looking like I might be having an extended break from golf, but surely I'll be back up to speed by late April/early May. I have no other particular restrictions on dates. That time frame probably saves $$ for the international travelers. As for location, I want to see Scott's hangouts at some point, but somewhere else is ok. I've heard the Robert Trent Jones courses (in Georgia? or Alabama?) are great, but haven't played them. We certainly need to hear from Fred and Aimee, and any other East coasters.

Agree that weather is likely to be better late April/early May.
Can't say right now if I'll be able to make it, but that time of year is generally OK (no business travel). I'll keep watching the postings.

Well, South Carolina will be in great shape that time of year but EXPENSIVE. That's the high season for them. An example: Playing Kings North in Aug (a premier course) was $79. In Apr-May that same round is $126-$155. That's not to say we can't find some deals, but the Apr-May time is prime time for South Carolina.

But that being said, I know SC pretty well and would be happy to put a package together though it is a bit of a pain to fly into where the major courses are.

NC will be more reasonable dollar-wise since it's a bit before the main season starts. Based on feedback, what if we targeted the week of May 5-10th? And we can work backwards from that as people have more input.

The week of 18 May could also work for me.

Southern California is nice year-round.

We will have to make it out that way too sometime Doc, as I would love to spend a few days playing golf there. And I'd like to make it down to Bill's place as well, but I probably have to save up some $$$ for that one.

Anyone else ahve any thoughts on a spring GGR 2008 get together ?
I just need to work around a May 18-21st meeting in St Louis. Otherwise I'm good.

My spring is getting packed suddenly, but if I can swing it last minute it is driveable to N.C. for me...

Scott, If you have work May 18th to 21th, then just figure on golf the week before that. I think most of the others can work around those dates. What do you other members think of that idea? Let Scott know and he can go from there. And we could still do an early September date for Colorado, if anyone would be interested in that. Let me and Scott know about that time frame.

I'm with you Don, a week prior can work for me, anyone else?
The first week of september September in Colorado "may" also be possible.

Let's hear from the rest of you members interested in getting together and playing some golf and a chance to meet the faces behind the keyboards. Who's up for a little golf?

hmmm. seems pretty quite on the topic of making it over here for some early spring golf. I know Aimee has said things are getting busy in teh spring, and Laney's recovering, but for others, would you be more apt to attend if it was held another time of the year and/or elsewhere? I'll assume those that don't answer this just isnt your cup of tea and that's perfectly fine. seriously.

So I'm fine either meeting Bo somewhere on th East coast for some golf while he's here or for doing a GGR event, though I think it would be great if we could get together for the GGR while Bo's here. But if the majority of folks want to do a GGR thing later in the year, possibly somewhere else, I'm happy to forgo plans for the GGR now and I'll just hook up with Bo (and who ever else wants to join us) for some golf for a few days.

So if the timing/location is the biggest issue speak up. DocT I know you'd like us to come out there and I'm not against doing at some point.

Wade, you ever gonna make a return??????


Bill, Fred, Rancine, Jake, etc....got any thoughts?

Not much going on anywhere on the site today. Must be the cold weather has all the golfers thinking of other things than golf.

My plans for the year is tentative at the moment and dependent if I get laid off from work. I wouldn't mind if we had a west coast GGR event either, since myself and Wade are on this side of the continent. But we need to keep things in perspective with those living on the east coast too.

Hey speaking of Wade, someone call him. My brother's in the hospital in Cary NC so I'm a bit occupied...I found his # going to msn.com and doing a people find on his name which I found in the thread DocT startd on "Who we are"...He came up as the only Wade in LA.

He's the "only" Wade in L.A.? So much for hiding out!

NC in the spring may work for me.. its not too bad of a drive from CT. No cruise this year as funds will be very tight, so list me as "tentative".
Fred

That week in May should be fine for me. I should be healthy by then.

Ok, so tentatively, we're looking at the week of May 11th then. So take a look at your calendars and see how that works. Sounds like those who would possibly attend are: Me, Don, Laney, Bo, Fred and possibly Aimee and Doc though nothing is certain. And spouses/significant others of course.

So check your calendars and I'll start thinking about some possible plans

DocT; Have you heard anything from Wade lately?

Laney: glad you hear you're getting well.

I'm not sure, but Bill might be up for a few rounds of golf in NC if he can get out of Mexico in one piece. Let's hope he can play.

Now that we're back online...

I called Wade and left a message about a week ago. I haven't heard back from him.

I think he got lost in the woods looking for his ball, and didn't make it back.

Hey folks, sorry, I have been a way myself. My brother had open heart surgery last week and had been hospitalized a few weeks before that as they were trying to determine what was going on. So things have been really crazy for me the last few weeks. He's doing ok but still has some lingering problems they are trying to sort out before he goes home. But hopefully he'll be home within a week. Tough thing to have to watch the superbowl from the hospital.

Anyway, I hope Wade finds his way back safely.

Sorry to hear about your brother, I hope everything works out.

Speaking of surgery, I had my left eye operated on last Wednesday to fix a small tear in my retinea. It was off the the side, not in the way, but if it got bigger, fluid could have gotten behind the retina and that can cause a de-tached retina, and that's not at all good. I had it "welded" shut with a laser, and it went pretty well. Still can't see a golf ball on the green much past 50 yards, but at least the tear is repaired.

Makes one wonder how these things happen.., do you box?

Nope, I don't box, never did. According the the doctor, they don't know why it happens or what would cause it. And there's nothing I could have done to provent it. He did ask if I had ever had a concession, but that's a negative as well. I found out that of those that have the condition I have with my right I, only 10 % have it in both eyes. Seems I managed to be in the 10 %, which is not good.

Don, do you have severe astigmatism?
I do, so the doctor checks my retinas very carefully each exam.
With astigmatism, your eye becomes a football shape, which puts stress on the back, causing a tear (in some people). Some people just have a weak spot that tears on it's own.
Luck of the draw. Better that you caught it and fixed it promptly.

I agree with you Aimee, at 40 I got an eye exam every four years,
after 50 I have it annually, one can never be too cautious.

Bo, I go for an eye exam every year, and have done so since I was a kid. Everyone should get physicals, eye exams, dental exams once a year. Waiting longer just lends to the possibility of bad things developing in the interim.
And all of us who spend lots of time under the summer sun playing golf need to watch out for skin cancer, too.
Go to your Doctors, everyone! It's worth a couple of bucks to preserve your good health.

Aimee; I do have astigmatism, but I"m not sure you'd call it extreme. The retinea specialist didn't mention it as being a cause, not that we could do anything about it if it was a cause.

I get mine checked about every 1-2 years, sort of have to if I want to get my contact prescription again... Mine aren't too bad at all, but I do notice I'm starting to have a little problem with depth perception. Oh well, I've never been accused of being too deep anyway..

So, since this is the 2008 GGR thread, we doing anything in May?

My tentative plans are to be in NC during the week of 12-18 May,
would love meet and play a couple rounds with you all.
I sent you a PM Scott.

I don't know what I'm doing come May. It's up in the air at this time. Sorry.

Bo, got your PM. Replied. We'll catch up....Glad you're coming. If anyone else decides to join Bo and I, just sent me a message and we'll coordinate.

I'm checking hotels in the general area, is Winston Salem a good location?
Although I did noticed a couple of hotels in Clemmons, could you give me any
assistance? What about Best Western or Marriot hotels? If you could let me know,
I'll give'em a call and get some details.

Bo, check your messages, I sent you an update.

i would absolutely LOVE to get out there and play some golf in beautiful NC. havent been there since '91!

for me, its simply too soon to be able to make it work. I could possibly do it in the fall, though unfortunately its very hard for me to plan that far in advance.

bottom line is if there is a gathering in fall (wherever it may be) then ill do everything possible to make it work, but if its before then (other than mid to late summer) then unfortunately ill be a no show.

Jake, sounds like this spring gathering will be pretty small. If there are others that would like to do something late summer/early fall, we'll see what we can muster. Doc's been lobbying for some California sun so maybe that will suit folk's schedules better.

i'd be in for a late summer/fall gathering in socal.
my wife has family there, so we'll likely try to get out there anyway, and if others are going to make it then i'll plan a trip around everyone else's schedule.

as long as i have ample time to plan, most any time should work fine for me.