09/08/2026
Loyal Screencaps reader Charles K. reports from Big Cedar and Payne's Valley:
"Hope you had a great Labor Day. It is bittersweet as it is the last day pools are open! I know some of the readers are ready for it to be over but not here!
"We’ll still celebrate and respect the best season (summer) for a few more weeks. Just returned from our dudes golf trip (year 22 for my crew) to Big Cedar / Payne’s Valley. This one has been on the list for a while and was looking forward to it given the buzz at the 19th hole from July. We had to sign all sorts of waivers and the 19th hole was as cool as one could imagine and nobody took their cart into the water!
"Buffalo Ridge was just as awesome and as you know they had “the intimidator” hole for Dale Earnhardt Sr. which was a tough uphill par 3 of 200 yards+. I snuck away with a CTP but won’t mention blowing past the hole with an aggressive birdie attempt🤦♂️. I’m sure there is a lot more history to this hole which would be fun to find out.
" but definitely a great place for a dudes golf trip. They catered to the guys group with a personalized sign and were always checking in on us. Has your crew been there? Whenever you got hungry they had bison hot dogs and snickers ice cream bars on every several holes at all the courses.
"A nice thing when you have 36 holes lined up with little time for lunch and on at least one day those dogs were my lunch. Missed the 2 club this year, but hope it will be back on the rotation in future years? After a hip replacement earlier this year and several days of 36 holes for this trip - the body could use a break.
"Thanks for all you do for the best column in America!"
