BY: RORY SPEARS LEAD WRITER AND ASSISTANT EDITOR

Visiting the USGA in Far Hills, Golf House and the USGA Museum.

It’s been a great start to the fall trip, and maybe the best day was yesterday when the clubs didn’t even leave my trunk. Yes I rolled a few putts on the putting green, but a visit to the famed Golf House and the USGA I found to be rewarding.

It’s a pretty “campus” in Far Hills NJ. only about an hour from NY City, headed west. The USGA museum like the PGA Museum in Port St. Lucie Florida, and the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, is a must visit for all who love and play the game. The Jack Nicklaus building is getting built and will be in place soon, it should be a great addition to what’s already in place.

I’ll have a full feature on my visit here after I return from the fall trip, the only downside to my visit was that I missed  USGA Executive Director Mike Davis for an interview, Davis was on the road again helping to make the world of golf a better place.

I had my share of USGA experiences on the trip even before I got to Far Hills. Stop one was in French Lick Indiana at the French Lick Resort. The USGA State Team Championship was there and practice rounds were underway. Congrats to the team from Texas that won the championship. Team Illinois finished 7th a great showing.

Sultans Run a course that has been in the FLR umbrella, will not be much longer. But it’s worth a visit when you’re in the area. The waterfall behind the 18th green adds to great finishing hole.

From Indiana, it was over to Columbus Ohio and Scioto Country Club, where Jack Nicklaus learned the game. Scioto is a great course that tests all of your game, in 2016 it will host the U.S. Senior Open. They have some great history to see in the clubhouse and the Golden Bears presence there is felt. I even got to use the locker of an honorary member, some guy named Archie Griffin wasn’t there so there was room for me. No, i did not find an old Heisman Trophy inside.

Wednesday was a 36 hole day in Pittsburgh, I left town before the the community got deflated by the Pirates loss. But starting at the Seth Raynor design Fox Chapel was nice, I didn’t see my drive land on hole #1 because of the fog. But it did hit the fairway, since thats’ where I found it.

The afternoon was yet another architect Keith Foster renovation, the Pittsburgh Field Club. The club says they have flown under the radar for years, that won’t happen much longer as the word gets around about this club. Foster has hit another home run with his renovation and restoration work.

Thursday was a visit to the Rolling Green Golf Club in the Philly suburbs. The club gets it’s first USGA Championship since the 1970’s, the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 2016. The greens on this old William Flynn classic will give the players fits. Joanne Carner won the U.S. Womens open there with a +8 score. The players couldn’t handle it, will they this time around ?

After the visit to the USGA, todays stop was the Crystal Springs Resort in Hamburg NJ., they have seven courses. The best is the links style Ballyowen course, rated No.1 or No.2 public in the state by multiple publications.

Bethpage Black is on tap for tomorrow on Long Island, the former U.S. Open site now gets a PGA in 2020 and the Ryder Cup in 2024. But the state golf courses of New York got a boost that the county courses of Cook County or City of Chicago could use.

Week No.2 starts tomorrow..I’ll check in when I can. It’s a full week that golfers dream about. I hear snow flakes fell this morning in Chicago, ouch. Hopefully golf season isn’t quite dead yet. When I get home there is more golf to play.

Go play everyone, the fall deals are out there. RS