The approach to the 5th green at Tanglewood will set your heart aflutter for a few reasons.

    Over the history of the PGA Championship, the Tanglewood Championship Course near Winston-Salem, NC, has been one of the toughest, tougher on the pros than such legendary tracks as Medinah, Winged Foot and Southern Hills.  When Lee Trevino won the 1974 PGA at the public golf course, set on land granted to the county by the mega-wealthy Reynolds Tobacco family, he carded a four-under-par 276 and beat Jack Nicklaus by a stroke.  Alas, that would be the one and only major tournament that the excellent Tanglewood Championship Course would host.
    Arguably the toughest hole Trevino, Nicklaus and their competitors played was Tanglewood's par 5 5th, an endlessly long, relentlessly bunkered and masterful Robert Trent Jones design.  Played at 614 yards from the Championship tees and a similarly intimidating 575 yards from the "mid back" tees, #5 is rated the number-one handicap hole on the card.
    From the mid back tees (6,600 yards overall), your tee shot must stay left of the huge bunkers that guard the right side about 200 yards from the teeing ground to about 260.  Hit your ball in that direction and you can count on a tricky second shot back to the fairway (and a long third shot).  Even if you find the narrow bit of fairway to the left of the bunkers, your ideal lay-up shot to inside 150 yards, probably with a long iron, will have to avoid another set of three bunkers just to the right of the fairway, as well as the trees down the left.
    As you contemplate the approach shot from 125 yards or so, you won't know whether to shake your head in marvel or fear.  About 70% of the green is protect by four bunkers, including an unusual small one directly in front that runs toward the green, not alongside it.  If you find that little slit of a bunker, you are likely to have an awkward lie against one side or the other and, therefore, an awkward stance.  
    As reward for the golfer who makes the putting surface in three good shots, the green itself is of modest size and offers some pin positions that make birdie possible, if not likely.
    Golf course raters sometimes are biased in favor of the longest holes, forgetting that some par 3s and many par 4s may indeed be the toughest.  But at Tanglewood, the brutish #5 is worthy of its designation as the #1 handicap hole.

 If you push your tee shot just a little right on Tanglewood's 5th, you could wind up in any of three huge bunkers (above), making a play back down the fairway to inside 150 yards to the green very difficult.  The second set of fairway bunkers (below) come into play as well.

What happens in Vegas may not stay there
    It appears we may have more than Angelo Mozilo, Countrywide Financial and their ilk to blame for much of the housing crisis.  According to today's real estate update from the Wall Street Journal, as the housing market started to show signs of tanking, many builders and developers offered incentives so tempting that the housing boom was artificially prolonged.  Some experts believe that may have eventually deepened the crisis.

    Allegedly the developers offered incentives worth up to $100,000, including cars and other toys, all in an effort not to cut prices, something developers live in fear of (imagine what the guy who paid full price the week before will think when his neighbor buys in for 25% less, and imagine the message it sends to the market).  
    The Las Vegas division of giant homebuilder Centex, the Journal reports, paid off car loans, mortgage payments, and credit card bills to entice home owners to purchase Centex homes.  Mortgage lenders knew nothing of these deals.  
    Apparently what happens in Vegas won't necessarily stay in Vegas; the FBI is investigation Centex and others who offered such incentives and deceived the mortgage companies.

One way to Pebble Beach
    For those who want to live in the neighborhood of Pebble Beach for the rest of their lives, the famed "House on the Hill" has come on the market.  Also known as Casa Ladera, the 1930 Mediterranean estate offers a 7,500 square foot home and separate guest quarters with dramatic ocean views, all on three acres.  It is being offered for $17.5 million, but certainly the owners would be willing to knock off a few thousand at least, which you can then parlay into green fees at Pebble (now approaching $500).  No word if the real estate agent with the listing can get you into Cypress Point if you buy the House on the Hill, but let me know if you are interested (insert smiley face here), and I will see what I can do.

Trump's new tenant
    Good news for Ed McMahon, Johnny Carson's famous foil.  You may know that Mr. McMahon's six bedroom, multi-million dollar home in California has been on the brink of foreclosure for months, and that the octogenarian was getting close to being thrown out on the street.  But the good news is that a white knight - well, okay, a blond knight -- has burst onto the scene to save the day by offering to purchase the mansion and lease it back to Mr. McMahon.  The deal isn't quite done, but if all goes well, McMahon's new landlord will be Donald Trump.  Despite Mr. Trump's penchant for doing whatever keeps his name out front, we are willing to say this is a nice thing Mr. Trump has done.  However, the statement from his PR machine is bizarre, puffing up Mr. Trump at poor Mr. McMahon's expense.
    "Even a man who hadn't had such a great career," Mr. Trump said in a statement released by his office, according to the Journal, "shouldn't have this happen to them in their later years."
    Mr. Trump's one hand giveth, and the other hand taketh away.

Caveat emptor
    This year's cycle of LiveSouth shows begins in North Central New Jersey at the Parsippany Hilton September 5 thru 7.  The shows feature dozens of communities in one place, and many of them feature golf courses.  It is a great place to collect brochures and ask a lot of questions about specific golf communities, but not the best place to find totally unbiased information.  The planned communities pay $5,000 or more for the privilege of promoting themselves at the shows, and the representatives are there to encourage you to visit their properties.  Go by all means, but understand that the photographs are beautiful, the sales representatives are enthusiastic, and all the places seem like paradise.  Oh, any if you leave them your name, count on a full mailbox and the occasional phone call.

    If you do visit a LiveSouth show and see some places you like, especially those with golf courses, let me know and I will give you an unbiased, objective opinion (use the Contact Us button at the top of the page).  Upcoming LiveSouth show stops include Reston, VA (9/12-14) and Melville, NY (9/19-21).