Bobby Jones Golf Complex in Sarasota , Florida - How good is it? Round played July 25th 2014

I play Bobby Jones Golf Complex often. As a matter of fact, over the past 4 years I played almost every week one round of golf there.

Bobby Jones Golf Complex is a course with history. It was opened in 1927 and from there on was a place where all kinds of golf greats competed. This history was one of the reasons I actually went there the first time.

It is always exciting to walk a course where you know some of the most accomplished golfers in history have walked.

But back to the course. Yesterday I was back on Bobby Jones yet again for a game which is played there for over 30 years.

The pro shop and sign in:

My first way was to the pro shop. This shop has not the biggest selection of products, but you will find the most needed things for a round of golf. Also some shirts, bags, clubs and shoes. There was no long line, so I was up right away. The staff is a little slow and certainly not cheerful. A smile here and there would be nice, but yesterday I did not find that.

Right now the summer rate after 12 pm is 17 $ with cart. I had my nephew with me and had to pay 10 $ for him riding the cart. A little much for a 13 old who was not playing. The reasoning was that they could rent the cart space otherwise. Nonsense I thought, I would walk if not for my guest. Also, there was about 20 people on the entire golf course and an empty parking lot.

We bought some balls for the range as well. 3 $ for a small bucket is reasonable. Do not expect great balls though.

The Range:

I picked up my cart. The carts are always in good shape and clean. The cart boys are great. Friendly, always a joke on their lips and always helpful.

We drove to the range. A short range ( about 200 yards), mats only, no woods unless you are a short hitter. There is a few target pins. This time I got lucky with the balls. Plenty of lost golf balls of the course. So my warm up was good.

The course:

We played the British Course. This is the longer track ( Blue tees are 6700 yards). I have not played in a few weeks there. The last time I was on the course I was not to thrilled about the upkeep. So My hopes were high. The chipping green was in OK shape and the putting green improved a lot. So there was a good start. Signed in with the starter. All starters are retired staff members. They are friendly. A little more cheerfulness would help though.

On the tee box I noticed that they did put some effort in getting them in better shape. Looking at all tee boxes the staff succeeded on some. Over all they are OK but could use some leveling and seed. You will be able to get a good stand after looking for it.

The fairways were in good shape I though. Grass well grown and for the most part you find good lies. However, there are many sandy spots in front of greens, along cart path and at times in the fairway. Those lies do not help to enjoy the round any more. For the most part you should move the ball to a better lie to actually have a chance for a good golf shot. Some of the areas should be ground under repair.

The greens were mixed. The front 9 greens seemed to be better and in much better shape than just a few weeks ago. Not very fast, but they had some roll. Still bumpy. The back 9 greens were green, but oh boy where they slow. When you walked up to the green you could actually see the grass height. Not sure if they cut them at all on that day. They were all green and looked healthy for the most part, but they were not cut. So we were putting more on a lawn than a putting green.

I was in some bunkers and I think they have partly improved. But the traps are not of great quality. When it is wet, they are not playable. Just not enough sand. The rakes they had need to be replaced. Some of them are broken and all of them are very old.

The landscape on the course was taken care of. There were many nice old trees and bushes which are for the most part seem to be original. Some ponds add to the over all look of the course and a couple of them actually come into play.

I would say the course is not the toughest challenge, but has some very nice holes. It is wide open so it accommodates all kinds of players.

The 19th hole:

After the round we stopped by the restaurant for a drink. They offer all kinds of draft beers, pops, wine and they have a full bar. If you want to snack something, You will find all kinds of things there from nuts to chocolate bars and so on. There was free popcorn as well.

If you get hungry you might consider looking at their menu. We were not very hungry, but I did order some fries. In the past I had some fries which were not exactly tasty and of different quality every time I ordered them. I asked if the current fries are good and was told they were. That is why I ordered them.

This time we got fries which were the same like at Checkers. Brown and crispy. Not very tasty. In short. We did not like them to much. Ok to eat, but not my favorite.

In the past I had chicken wings there and hot dogs. Both I did not order more than 1 time. Self explanatory I guess. Prices for drinks are good. Beer is cold, pop is mixed well and the drinks are good quality. They have a wonderful bartender/server who takes great care of everyone, is very cheerful and always smiles. Very positive.

What I liked most was that you have a nice view of the golf course and putting green. So it is a good place. The restaurant could be improved.

Overall:

If you want to play for a good price, Bobby Jones Golf Complex might the course you are looking for. They offer 2 different courses ( British and American ) and a par 3 course ( which I did not try out yet. The British course is for the most part wide open which allows players with all kinds of handicaps to enjoy the round.

Do not expect top quality. It is a city course and it shows. But it is not in super bad shape either. It is reasonable for the price. The staff and marshals are not the friendliest but do their job. Bobby Jones Golf Complex to me is a good place to pay with your family and kids and a track which I will continue playing as long as summer rates apply.

In season rates go up to app 40 $ to 50 $ and for that price I would not play.

If you are in Sarasota I think you should check it out. The American course is a nice challenge as well, but I have no knowledge about the shape at this point. Same accounts for the par 3 course.

Have you played Bobby Jones Golf Complex? Tell us about your experiences. Maybe you have some older fun stories as well. I will follow up on this round in a few months and see how the course developed.

Rolling Green Golf Club in Sarasota - Review of course and club house

Rolling Green Golf Club at 4501 N Tuttle Ave, Sarasota, FL 34234 10

When I moved to Bradenton, FL about 5 years ago, I was looking to play golf within a 10 I mile radius and possibly finding a club where I can play and practice. Back then I actually stopped by at Rolling Green Golf Club to check it out. I only played once, but used the range several times.

My memories from back then are not very detailed. However I do remember that the course was in OK shape. Last week I had the opportunity to play in a skins game over there and decided to join in and see how the course has developed and if it is worth to spend time there.

I got there at about 6 40 am in the morning as we had an 7 30 am tee time. When I checked out the website I found that they have some green fee specials which would include breakfast, lunch and 2 drinks. So I wanted to try it and learn about the kitchen while I was there.

Arriving at the parking lot I already saw about 15 cars parked. So there was some people out there. A good sign. The parking lot was clean and there was plenty of space. Right away I realized that the club house , cart area, range and chipping area have not changed a single bit from the outside.

All looked exactly the same and was , as it was back then, well taken care off. I entered the club house where I friend Jerry Hinton already was waiting for me. He told me to check in , mention our group rate and make sure I get the food with it.

The assistant professional was on the phone while I was getting there and pretty much did not offer any greeting. While not unfriendly, he was not exactly showing inviting behavior. But I was there for golf and not for making a new friend.

Told him I am with the group. The green fee for that is 22 $ plus tax including the cart. I told him yes and that I also would like the food deal with it. Breakfast, lunch and two drinks.

He told me that this would be 29.63 $ including tax. Right away I thought that this sounds like a good deal, but before making up my mind I wanted to wait for the food.

Sat down with my friend. I ordered 2 Italian sausages, 2 eggs , toast and a coffee. The food came in about 5 minutes and it was very good. I have to say, that the sausage was perfect. Eggs just as I liked them and all was served by a friendly server.

After enjoying the good breakfast I was told I get some free range balls to warm up. I practiced on that range before and was looking forward to find out how the balls were and so on.

The range balls were the same they had 5 years ago. Maybe the added some new balls on top of that. I did not expect brand new range balls but was kind of hoping they improved the quality of the balls. After all they offer extensive range plans. The balls were free and so I was satisfied.

The range is actually pretty nice. They have plenty of targets and you can go deep with your driver ( unless you hit over 270 with the range ball). There is a nice pitching and bunker play area. The green was redone some time ago but still looks good.

The putting green is huge and very well taken care of. It runs nicely, has plenty of pins and you can also use it for chipping. There is plenty of room around it which gives you the opportunity to chip from all kinds of lies.

Tee time came up and we were ready to go. The first hole had a good looking tee box, which I like. It is nice to stand level when hitting the tee shot. Put it in the fairway which gave me a first look. I must say I was impressed. The fairway was nicely grown, no weeds, no dry spots. I had a good lie without clean , lift and placing ( which they do there ). I hit my second shot into the par 5 and made my way up there.

What I found was a good looking green. Also nicely taken care off and when I putted I found it was rolling great. Not super fast, but very nice. No bumps and dents.

The first hole set my expectations high for the rest of the round and I have to say that I was very satisfied with what I found. Most of the tee boxes were in good shape and gave you a good stand for your tee shot. Despite the fact that some fairways were very wet ( because they were close to wet areas or hazards) the fairways were in good shape and you found good lies for your second shots.

I think all greens were nice. That is a huge factor for me when I play golf. I can live with some bad fairways and tee boxes. But I do want some good fairways.

We made it around in a good time, enjoying a well kept golf course.

After finishing with an eagle on 18 I was hungry and looking forward to lunch. When I asked the server the told me that they make fresh burgers there. So I ordered it to find out how good they are.
Only took a few minutes and I got my burger and it was very good. You can see and taste, that it was not out of  a freezer. It was nicely garnished. I had onion rings with it, which was only 1 $ more and they were OK as well.

2 free beers rounded up a good lunch.

So what do I think about Rolling Green Golf Club ?

I think it is a nice little golf course. Not the toughest lay out, but with some challenging holes along the way. The lands cape might not be stunning, but it is nice. There is some residence living around it, but it does not interfere at all with your game. There are two holes along the road, but the road is so far to the right, that you need to hit your worst shot ever to get on to it. The traffic does not bother at all.

They take well care of their course, which gives you good position on the tee, good lies in the fairway and the opportunity to make putts on greens which might be a little slow, but are actually green and in good shape.

The practice area is very nice. You can do all you need to do. The range balls might not be the best quality, but it works fine. I really like the putting green.

The club house is old. However, you find all  you need. Good food for a good value, a little bar with cold beer and a pro shop with the most important things for a round of golf.

Servers and cooks were fun and friendly. The pros shop assistant might have been a little tired still. Not unfriendly but not cheering either. Since you just going to pay there, it does not matter.

The price value is I think OK. That is mainly because of the quality of the greens and the over all condition of the course. In summer time you are able to play country clubs and other good golf courses for less. However, often you find bad greens, dry fairways and so on.

Considering that breakfast, lunch and two drinks were only 6 $ plus tax to add, this is a great deal. You will not get that anywhere else and not of this quality.

Rolling Green Golf Club offers some special deals for golfing and for practice on top of that. Please visit their official site to learn more about that.

Rolling Green Golf Club is a place where you can enjoy a nice round of golf for a good price. So when you are in Sarasota, why not check it out.

Have you played at Rolling Green Golf Club? Have eaten at their restaurant? Did you try the monthly deal they offer? I always like to get comments on that. Keep it positive :)

Video of Rolling Green Golf Club in Sarasota

The Cradlz Smartphone Holder - Is it a good product?

 

 

The Cradlz Smartphone Holder

 

 

Technology in golf is moving on and I now start moving with it. It took me a while to read up on all my options on how to help myself and my game in a professional matter.

There is a few things I integrated in to my practice routine. One of them is videotaping my practice as often as possible.

 

I began with a JVC video cam and was not unhappy with that even though it was complicated. At least I thought it was. Then I learned that there are several sports analysis software applications for Smartphones on the market. After some research I found and purchased one and was pretty excited and looking forward to get to the driving range. Once there and ready to start however, I discovered that I had a challenge.

 

I was alone!

 

This represented a problem. Since I usually used a tripod or had a partner with me. Both were not available. So when coming home I started looking for a solution right away.

On one of my favorite golf shopping websites I found exactly what I was looking for.

The Cradlz Universal Smartphone holder.

 

I purchased the item and within a few days I had it on my doorstep. I unpacked it right away and was on the spot surprised on how solid the item felt. Pretty solid. Instructions were simple. All you need is a practice stick and you are ready to go.
 

Took it out to the range for a first session a couple days later. First I tried it with was chipping. I put the stick in the ground, opened the application, placed the Smartphone in the holder and secured it.

At that point I noticed that the screen was showing towards the back of the holder (away from you). That made not many functions on the screen accessible, but the record button was easily to reach, which is the most important thing.
 

I taped several swings through my application which made the above mentioned challenge even more obvious. Then I taped a couple sequences with my Smartphone camera feature and without the application. For that I was able to turn my phone around and use the front cam which had the benefit that I could see myself. Interesting thing, which I thought will be very useful in the future.
 

I then took the stick and went over to the range. Worked on my driver. First I taped some swings from behind and then from head on. All worked well.
 

The Cradlz Smartphone holder was really easy to operate.
It took seconds to attach it to the practice stick. Clips on really easy. I was able to secure the phone easily and take it out just as easy.

At the end of the day I can say the following about the Cradlz Smartphone Holder.
 

It is light but durable.  You can attach it in any height which enables you to shoot videos even on just over ground level, which is great for putting and fitting.

The cushions on the inside of the Cradlz protect your device. So you can use it with or without your Smartphone protection case ( I find it better without because it fits better and more tight ).
 

They write it fits most Smartphones. I carry an HTC and there was plenty of room for wider phones. I would check before you order it.

Overall I think that the Cradlz  Smartphone holder lives up to what they say it will do and look forward to work with it.

I paid 29.99 $. Not sure if that is the best price you can get it for. Surely you can shop around.
 

Great product. Somebody has the same item in use? Share your experience or opinion.

 

Couple more photos of the stick and the holder.

 

 Cradlz Holder on Practice Stick from front

 Cradlz from behind on Practice Stick

Backside of package with some professionals who used it. Front shows Bill Haas who said he likes it.



Florida State Golf Association - One day tournaments

I am playing tournaments for many years and just about 3 years ago I decided to start again on the amateur circuit and work my way towards other tournaments. There is all kinds of different golf tours I am playing, but today I just want to write a short overview about the FSGA ( Florida State Golf Association).
It was only last year when I first heard about this organization. I think the reason was that I played mainly skins game events in the area for which I never needed a handicap. So the first couple years I actually never signed up to get a GHIN number. Only when I joined the Golf Channel Amateur Golf Tour I got myself a handicap again.
Last year I was not to eager to actually play any tournaments in stroke play format. That changed towards the end of the year and so I decided to actually join the FSGA.
They have different levels of membership which you can find on their official website. I picked the 50 $ a year membership. This level gives you the opportunity to play tournaments and that is all I was interested in. The other membership levels give you other perks, but naturally they have their cost.

It was pretty simple to sign up. Just went to the website and used my credit card to get going. Got confirmed very fast and was ready to sign up.

That is exactly what I did. Signed up for my first tournament at the Longboat Key Country Club, Harbor Side. They had two one day events right after each other and since I only played one of the two courses (Island side) so far I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity.

Entry fees for those tournaments are were 50 $ each. That included play, cart, range balls and prize fund. What a deal. If you sign up after the entry due date, you are charged an extra 10 $ if you still can get in.

Considering the golf courses they play, this is a great price to get into competition, considering that most of the tracks you play are private and pretty expensive. Most of them you can not play at all unless you are a member or a guest of such member. Most of the  time you can play a practice round for cart fee. That is another great bonus when playing on the FSGA. There is however some golf clubs who do not allow practice rounds. Although I think that is strange and there is really no good reason for it, we have to respect the club members wish.

I showed up for my first tournament at Long Boat Key Country Club about 1 hour before tee off. Sign up table was outside and easy to find. Jeff had all the info and I was checked in and ready to go within seconds. Paid money into the skins game fund ( it was and always is a reasonable 10 $ ) and started warming up with my free range balls.

I left my bag on the cart which was actually marked with my name and the name of my cart partner. We were told to be at the cart about 15 minutes before the shot gun start. But we did not have to watch the time since they actually made an announcement a few minutes before that time and again at exact 15 minutes before starting time.

The tournament director then welcomed everybody and shared information  about rules and course rules. It all went down very fast and all was easy to understand. You also get a little sheet with info on it.
Staff members of the golf course then lead all players in direction of their tee box. After we arrived at ours we started right away. There was no horn or shot gun shot.

We got 4 hours and 30 minutes to complete our round. There were times for each hole printed on the score cards.

Penalties were to be given when you were caught causing slow play. Actually the entire group would have gotten a penalty ( I think there is a warning before that, please refer to the FSGA website).

I loved this part. In my mind there is no reason in tournaments like that or any tournament for that matter to play 5 hours  or more. This particular course ( harbor side) we played in 3 hours and 58 minutes. We did not rush at all and took our time when looking for balls, getting ready or putting. It was fun.

Sometimes the FSGA representative checked groups and asked how things are going. I also liked that. They wanted to make sure that the tournament ran smooth and without incidents.

We came in , compared cards and brought it to the FSGA tournament director. The score was posted and even entered into the GHIN system right away. This is exciting. You do not have to do anything other than play golf. Because it was a shot gun start, groups came in pretty fast and all was done without long waiting times. The results were posted clearly on large boards and shortly after they announced the winners and gave out the pro shop certificates and paid out the skins.

All very simple, clear, easy. The second event at Longboat Key Country Club Island side was no different and as professional as the first one. As a matter of fact, the third event I played happened to be at Buckhorn Springs Golf and Country Club and was consistent with the others. I even heard that they offered some breakfast.

The FSGA offers one day events, Championship events and team events for men and women. You play with your handicap and even have the choice to play in the gross division. So there is plenty of opportunity to compete against players of the same ability or better.

If you come to Florida and are interested in playing competitive golf for a good price in a fair and old fashioned matter, the FSGA is a great thing to be part of. FSGA tournaments are professionally organized, not expensive and you get to play on premier golf courses in the area.

I will play on this tour whenever I have a chance and when the events are close to my home or in reasonable travel distance.

Have you played on any FSGA golf tournament before? What was your experience?

If you have never heard of the Florida State Golf Association  and want to check it out visit the official site below.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE FLORIDA STATE GOLF ASSOCIAION

Garmin Approach S2 GPS Watch - a short and simple review by a first time user

Garmin Approach S2 - GPS Watch  ( more photos of features at bottom of article)

I play golf for over 25 years now. Some professional and some amateur golf and I did so using all the basic tools. Golf clubs, balls, clothes and whatever the course offered. That most likely was some distance markers, sprinkler heads with distances and yardage books. Later on I started using satellite imaging to prepare my rounds and then added google earth.

I must say I played well and made my way around the course  in a confident way . playing good scores without caddy.  It was not until 2011 that I decided I will give some technology a shot. So I got myself a range finder A great addition to my game and I  was able to improve my game and learn about my  true club distances. So with  45 I almost got back to where I was in terms of handicap and ability some 20 years ago.

Over the past 2 almost 3 years I was playing well with my gadget and never had any desire to add yet another one. What was interesting to me though, is that most players I was on the course with had a GPS or both  a rangefinder and a GPS . I am talking

about low handicappers mostly. While I was working with pin sheets provided  by tournament organizers most of them seem to use the two gadgets to find their way safely to and on the green. I observed that when in trouble , like trees or similar, those golfers were ready much faster than I was and  seemed to have better results with their shots.

So a couple weeks ago I tried a GPS app on my phone. Free trial. Amazing. Together with my rangefinder I actually played the second best round of the year and that without any practice for 2 months because of a back injury I had to cure.

From there on I checked out GPS products  in stores and online . Funny , but  from the day I had interest in it it seemed to me that on TV they showed nothing but rangefinders The one I saw most often by far, Garmin Approach S 2.  I did not think much about it  and never really got going. 1 week ago though I was sitting with my sponsor talking about how we proceed and what can help me to progress. I  told the story about the GPS golf round after my injury and explained that it seems like that having a GPS in addition to a rangefinder, the yardage book and the pin sheet,  feels like having your own caddie on hand and that not only my confidence goes up when I have better information , but also  I am learning more about my distances with my clubs on the course.

That same evening I looked online for the Garmin  Approach S 2. Found some good reviews and compared to other GPS watches, it came out way ahead.  Checking for prices I found a good offer at Dick’s Sporting Goods online. So we  actually went there right away since I had a tournament round the  next day anyway.

Entering the store, the store professional ,  an old friend of mine, already was at the entrance and he actually had a coupon in hand for exactly what I was looking for. On top of that  the price was reduced another 50 $ . So I ended up getting the  Garmin Approach S 2 for 149  $ plus tax after 50 $ mail in  rebate  and instance store rebate. What a deal . I would have paid 299 $ without even asking and now I paid half.

I was excited to get it ready  to use. The rest of the evening I spend preparing and learning.  It was really easy to go through the manual and learn how the  product works. I charged it  all the way , which took a couple hours or so and then started to check it out. I would say it took me about 15 minutes and I had my new gadget under control .

So, in terms of getting started I have to say, it is easy  and anybody can do it.  Next morning I was scheduled to play a skins game  tournament and  was pretty excited to give this GPS  watch a try. My biggest concern was if I can  handle something  on  my  arm/wrist while playing golf. After all I stopped wearing a watch about 7 years ago  and I  never considered  to wear one again especially while golfing.

So I put it on very early to give it some time. similar to shoes.  Amazingly  I hardly felt it on my wrist or arm. The Garmin Approach S 2 is so light and sits nicely on my  wrist. Felt good  even just wearing it as a watch, which I will do  more often now.

Of I was to the course to give it a shot.  First I thought I might not be able to handle  all the buttons, but I did not have anything to lose.  After all it was a test run.

Coming to the first tee I started my round. It took 30 seconds to  find the satellite and then my course showed up. I selected it and  I was ready to go.   I had absolutely no problem   wearing it. It does not hinder me in any way. Also I had no  trouble  using all the features.

I was able to get all  distances and even checked them with markers and  range finder and they were all very accurate. I used the lay up option  and it is super accurate  and a nice feature to have. It is nice to  know how far you have to move the ball forward to have a 100 yard shot into a par 5 green and it is also nice to know how far you need to move the ball to not overshoot any dogleg. Using the scorecard was easy and actually is kind of convenient. You can even save it on the watch and then print it at home.  I am always skeptical of those things because they mostly distract your game. But this one is so easy to operate, that it had no impact.

One thing which you have to pay attention to is that  the GPS sometimes jumps to a different hole. That is because some of the tee boxes are so close together with greens and other boxes, that the GPS needs to pick one. and at times picks a different one.   But, if you are paying attention  before  you start playing teach hole or each shot this is not a problem. Check the hole and if necessary scroll down or up to the hole you are on.  Not a big deal.

I have to say , it is so easy to use and so  practical, that even after the first round I was  very excited about my new GPS watch. There were several situations I was not able to use a rangefinder and was far away from any distance marker. The GPS told me how far to the front , middle and back and I was able to get the ball to or even on the green even out of trees. Nice.

I did not use the shot measure feature yet.  Just did not want to focus on that.  My focus was more on the game itself. But I will do so this coming  Friday  and I am sure it will work fine and give me some good idea about the true distances of my drives. Also I did not use the Odometer. Again, no doubt it works great and I will try to use it  this coming Friday or Sunday.

When I came home I checked the battery status and found that I used about 50 % of my power. So I think , I can play about 2 rounds with it. That is close to what I have read in reviews about that matter before. Some writers even said you might be able to play 3  rounds. Not sure about that, but I will try it in the  near future.  

So I have to say, the Garmin Approach S 2 lived up to  all my expectations and does exactly what the website tells you it will .You still need to play your ball, but the info you get  can help  you to make better decisions.

Meanwhile I played another round and  this time it was even  better.  Love  this  product.

The fact that I have it on my wrist is actually super positive. I can not lose it, I can  not leave it behind in the cart while going  to my ball and  it is very safe in that place.

In my mind, most amateur players should have a GPS. It would make their round more pleasant and would help regulate speed of play. No more  distance marker searching, yelling, guessing and so on.

A GPS can be bought for as low as 129 $. Prices vary and there is differences  between models. But one thing they all tell is front , middle and back of the green and that is  the most important.

The Garmin Approach S 2 comes in a nice box with manuals in many languages. It

also comes with a USB charging cable which is easy to operate and also  serves as connection to your computer to transfer data. I was a little disappointed that they  did not include a outlet adapter so I would not have to charge it on my computer. But I can live with that and just buy one along the way. It is extremely easy to get started with this GPS  and you are ready  to go  after you charged it all the way.

The numbers are easy to read and  it even has a light feature ( which I will not use much because of power usage). The buttons are easy to press and of good size. The watch sits light on your arm and after a little while I  did not even notice that it was there any more.

The wristband is soft and looks good.  The Garmin Approach S 2 has all the features you really need.

This GPS watch is easy to handle and will help you to  learn about your distances , make better decisions and ultimately play better scores. With over 30000 courses pre loaded and no monthly or annual fee or upgrade fee, the Garmin Approach S2 is simply an incredible machine.

The way it looks I even will wear it as a watch.

I love this GPS watch and think it makes a great gift for any golfer in any handicap bracket.

Hole view giving you hole number, front, middle, back and the little dots show you what is par.

Dogleg lay up view. Shows the end of fairway and a layup distance.

Par 5 lay up view. Gives you different options for laying up a ball to a distance you like. Goes down while you are moving forward.

Score card view. Gives you hole #, par and a box for your score which you can easily move up or down.

Time view. Nice big numbers. Indicator for GPS running and odometer running.

The Garmin Approach S 2 comes in some nice colors. I think there is a color for everyone and I think you can actually buy different wrist bands. But for that you need to go to the official website.

Let me know if you have a GPS watch or GPS and what you think. Always good to hear different stories and opinions.

Eastwood Golf Course in Fort Myers, FL - Driving Range practice on November 18th 2013

 

Eastwood Golf Course 4600 Bruce Herd Ln, Fort Myers · (239) 321-7485

 

(find more photos at the end of article)

 

We are on the road a lot. Mostly for business all over Florida. One of the places we visit often is Fort Myers. Since most of the work is done by my partner, I find time to practice along the way. I try to visit different places to learn more about the golf courses in different cities.
This time I did a online search trying to find a range which was close to our hotel and public.
I found Eastwood Golf Course. We called them to find out if it is public and if I could practice there for a while. We were told that it was no problem to come by and use the range.
I arrived at the course around noon . It was not very busy. Walked into the pro shop and was served right away. Not too friendly and not unfriendly. I was told about pricing and where I could find the balls. I bought two tokens at 3$ each. That gave me about 65 range balls.
The range was wide open. Of the app. 20.stalls only 4.were occupied. I picked one towards the left side or lake side. The boxes had good room. Also they had some plastic stand for clubs and bag. They had grass tees only, which I prefer.
Unfortunately the grass was not in good condition at all. There was some grass, but mostly it was sand and soil. Not very nice for iron practice.
They had about 5 targets of low quality, but at least they had some.
The range balls were old and used. So do not expect to do your distance chart there.
I did a good practice session with what I had mostly working with woods.

After the range I found the putting and chipping green. It was of great size and they had a smaller one a little bit offside the building. I stayed around the bigger one. It had all kinds of elevations, great view on the lake and 6 holes. Spend a good amount of time chipping and there was never more than 3 players. Did some putting as well.

The green looked good and had good speed. You cans do all kinds of practice there. Only the huge presence of ants I did not like at all. They did not do a good job in terms of pest control. But, I stayed away from them and was fine.

They have a snack bar there with hot dogs and refreshments. Since I did not buy anything I can not write about it.

The range is not of best quality and the balls are certainly very old. However, it was nice and quiet and for 3 $ a bucket it is a fair deal. If I am in the area again I will go there again. Next time I pick a different spot and will check out the grape they have for practice.

Worth to be mentioned was the pro shop. They had a good selection of items considering they are a city course. Following are some photos I made.

Eastwood Golf Course Driving Range is nothing special, but it works and the price is reasonable even in season. So I might visit again. Really liked the views around me.

 

That was my view from my tee box on left side of range

Looking to the right from the same tee box

View to the left from my tee box. Pretty nice.

This was my tee box. Not of the best. Mostly sand.

 

View from my tee box to large putting and chipping green

Large putting and chipping green

 

For rates and further info about the course visit the official website of Eastwood Golf Course

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Is the Nike Sport II Golf Bag a good golf bag? - short review on the Nike Sport II Golf Bag

The Nike Sport Cart Bag II

( you find some more photos from my own bag in this short article).

After a few years with a staff bag and then with a cart bag from the company I worked for I was tired of those huge heavy bags. I needed something I can put on a cart and also carry on my push cart. Something light, with plenty of compartments, looking sporty and for a good price.

I got lucky. When playing the Sarasota City Championship I was able to win my flight and win a pretty good gift certificate. When I went shopping there I looked for the bag I wanted and  got lucky again, I found just the bag I needed and described above.

It happened to be the Nike Sport II Golf Bag. I liked it right away. The color, the weight  and all the compartments. Pretty much exactly what I was looking for.

So I decided to get right away and what I deal I got. 139 $ plus tax.  I did check online and found prices from 139 to 169 plus shipping.

It has been a few months now since I got this bag. I play and practice every day. So I can assure you, my bag gets plenty of usage. On the course and on the range. I walk and I ride carts.

First the compartments.

This bag has plenty of them and they are nicely organized. I can hold everything I was holding in my large staff bag with ease. But I make it a point to only take what I really need. What is really nice is, that this bag looks slim ,but if you want to take more stuff  the two large compartments extend and let you put plenty of items in it. I really like the cooling compartment on the side. Also the pencil holders are convenient. I play tournaments often and need to carry enough balls, rain gear, snacks, drinks and so on. No problem whatsoever.

Club area

I always was thinking about getting tubes. But this bags has dividers right build in. So you can sort your clubs nicely. The dividers to not go all the way down. so if you want to really separate your clubs, you need to add tubes. But I am totally happy with the set up as it is.

Weight

This bag is super light. I love it. Many round I actually walk using my push cart and at times it got really heavy. Not with this bag. I can make it as light as I want by not carrying my closet with me. No doubt that I could carry this bag for the entire round.

Looks

I think it looks sporty, fresh and streamlined. Just as I wanted. I like colorful on the course and do not like boring golf bags. This bag you see and it is not imposing.

Quality of product

For the price you get a decent golf bag. Because it is a light sporty bag, the material is thin and it is more build like a stand bag. However, the material they use works for me. It all depends on how you treat your bag. I might play all the time and use the bag all the time and even travel, but I do take care of my bag and do not throw it around and watch where it stored. Also I have a pro travel case to protect it.

The entire bag is made light and not as durable as in the days. But hey, for that price? What do you expect. Some people might have this bag for a couple years and it will be gone. I easily will get 5 years out of it and only have regular wear.

Only thing I could find as not that great was on the small bags where you put your wallet etc. Look at the photo:

    

When you look at the zipper area you will find there is some spots which are frayed. That is poor quality. So I am not to happy about that. But that is the only spot where it occurs.

One thing which really did and does not help me is, that the bag does only stand upright on a very flat service and if not loaded. Otherwise it tips over often.

When I go practice for 3 or 4 hours around the green, I need to lay it down. That is not my favorite here in Florida, with all the ants and stuff. However, I got used to it and can live with it.

I am not sure if I would buy the bag for 169 $. But The Nike Sport II Golf Bag is otherwise a good bag for the player who takes care of his things.

Here are some more photos.

   

Find even more info on the Nike Website