America’s freeways & greens

Bryce Alderton

The journey began nearly six years ago for Corona del Mar residents

Len and Nancy Hyter.

The husband-and-wife team set out in 1998 to play golf in all 50

states and Puerto Rico.

Well, last October they reached their goal after playing at the

Barton Creek Resort in Austin, Texas.

Both are 73 and have lived in Corona del Mar since 1975. They also

own a home on the island of Kauai, but set out in their motor home to

tour the United States and play some of the best courses around.

“We bought the motor home in 1998 and have been trying to play the

four- and five-star courses,” Len Hyter, a semi-retired real estate

developer, said. “We started marking [the courses] we played on a map

and finally set a goal to [play in all 50 states]. We go out of our

way a bit to play the best. We try to play where we can see a lot of

the countryside.

The Hyters, members at Newport Beach Country Club, usually peruse

golf magazines and books, looking for the top-rated courses, and then

map out their strategy.

“Oh my gosh, some places are in the [outskirts] and we’ve seen

mountain goats from the west coast to the east coast,” Len Hyter

said.

One of Len Hyter’s more memorable experiences came last year when

playing on Mackinaw Island in Michigan.

“You golf nine holes and then take a horse and buggy to the next

nine,” he said. “There are no carts allowed .We had a good time doing

that.”

The Hyters have played Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill and Pinehurst,

and have golfed in Scotland, Fiji and Ireland.

Another favorite is the Coeur d’Alene Resort in Idaho that has a

par-3 which features a floating green.

Len Hyter plays Wednesdays and Fridays with a senior golf group at

NBCC and said his handicap hovers between 18 and 22.

“I used to be a 12 or 15,” he said. “I still hit them far, but not

always in the right direction. I lose concentration. I just try to go

out there, meet people and enjoy it.”

Their strategy the past six years was to set out at the beginning

of August and end in October. They attach a Jeep Cherokee to the

motor home for added mobility.

They play public and private courses and sometimes stay with

relatives when they want a break from snoozing in the motor home.

“Basically, the motor home is our home because it has

self-containment all the way through,” Len Hyter said.

The couple tried to play historic Firestone Country Club in Akron,

Ohio, but was turned away.

Jerry Anderson, general manager of NBCC, writes letters the Hyters

can use in hopes of landing a tee time at a prestigious private

course.

“I tried to get [on Firestone], but you have to play with a

guest,” Len Hyter said. “It didn’t work out, but it’s always fun to

try.”

The Hyters have three children -- all boys -- and 13

grandchildren.

Now that the Hyters have traveled to the 50 states, what is the

next goal?

“Get back to Sea Island, Ga., to the Cloister Resort,” Len Hyter

said. “We have a grandson in Florida, so it would be fun to visit

him.

“It is fun to meet people and travel around. It is enjoyable to

play golf and as long as our health is going, we will do it while we

can.”