It's fitting that I spent one of the last days of this spectacular Adirondack summer on the beach.

Unfortunately, it was the kind of beach one tries to avoid.

I'm speaking about the "beaches" on the golf course; the sand traps. And the other day, I spent much of a gorgeous, sunny day sampling every single hazard that the Westport Country Club golf course offers.

TWO balls in the sand trap at the Westport Country Club
TWO balls in the sand trap at the Westport Country Club

Depending on the course, there can be a variety of hazards such as water and sand to defend the hole from your ball. Experts aim their shots and avoid them. I'm far from an expert, but on this particular day it was notable how many of these hazards I did manage to try out; and on my hometown course, of all places.

And I didn't just visit the beaches. Westport's signature hole is #12. It offers a nice opportunity to lose your ball in a well-positioned, free-flowing natural water hazard. I managed to escape only having lost two balls.

My friend - coincidentally named Sandy - and I played all 18 holes with smiles on our faces. After all, it WAS a perfectly nice day, with light winds, comfortable temps, and I got to practice my sand shot. About 36 times.

And practice I'll need, as we've transitioned into my favorite time of year to spend a few hours on a giant, meticulously manicured lawn. It's the first day of fall!

For your convenience, here's a list of the area's championship

golf courses.- they all come complete with pristine fairways and greens, and plenty of hazards. In addition to Westport, I suggest you try the Whiteface Club, Saranac Inn, Craig Wood and the Lake Placid Club courses. And here's the lodging packages, so you can try as many as possible of them on your fall golfing trip.

For MY convenience, (though Sandy is a great golf partner) maybe I'll find a friend named Par, or Eagle, or maybe even Fairway to play with next time. :)

Teeing off on a gorgeous Adirondack late summer golf day
Teeing off on a gorgeous Adirondack late summer golf day

-Kim Rielly is the director of communications for the Lake Placid CVB. She is also a self-described talented golf cart driver.