Another week has passed and I played two events this last weekend. One in Vero Beach, FL and one in Naples , FL.
To say I am satisfied with myself would be a straight up lie. While on both days I had my moments and played golf as it should be played. I am far from where I should be. This causes major stress issues which I did not encounter before like that.
On Saturday I had good round, but was not able to sink my putts as I should. It would not be a big deal, if there were not half a dozen putts which were very make able and within 5 feet.
My tee shots were acceptable and my approach shots were not bad. A few wrong decision in terms of club choice or shot choice really caused the biggest trouble. In all, I played a round which just does not reflect my game and my ability. I struggled my way through it and finished OK.
Last Sunday I then played at Esplanade in Naples. Small qualifier for the WGAT USA. My swing was in much better rhythm and my course management was by far better than the day before. Really did not make big mistakes and played along nicely. However, again I struggled to get my putts in and on 2 holes I clearly made choices which cost me an unbelievable 6 strokes! Now that is for sure not acceptable.
Again I have to say that those are mental errors. I am aware that I do not have the perfect swing and for sure I am not working hard enough on my game. However, with my current game I should never use more than 74 to 78 strokes to play the courses I am playing on. at this time
On a good note I have to say that I am able to get out of any crisis situation on the course and come back strong with good shots. Now that is a huge plus. The average player when shooting an 8 or so pretty much is done for the round. For me it is a hole by hole thing. Shoot an 8, follow up with a birdie and a par.
In all I have some positive things which I can take from both golf rounds I played, but clearly I am far away from were I was just a couple months ago. While there is some mental issues which I am not sure yet how I will master them, I know for sure that my daily routine simply is not what it needs to be.
But getting this routine done every day is not that easy. Even though I have plenty of opportunity and options, there is also plenty of other stuff around which continuously throws me off. It is not that those issues are existent, it is how I deal with them.
In other words, I am completely unsatisfied and frustrated with my daily golf routine, practice and play. Also I am not satisfied with my physical progress on top of that.
Here is the thing: I do not practice enough, play enough, work out enough, work on my mental game enough and get easily side tracked by things around me which really have no meaning for my golf future at all.
While you are reading this you now might think that I am on the edge of giving up and let it all go. And you are totally wrong! I am just getting started. But I need to make some serious changes. Changes which might have a profound impact on my life, social life, family life and environment around me. Not all of them will find a warm welcome from others. But that is the least I am worried about.
Right now I am worried that I spend all this time and $ and do not move forward in the right direction.
How shall my days look like? No answer here today. But I will write about it for sure and again will ask for more advice and tips.
I cut my tournament schedule down tremendously already. Not too excited about it, but needs to be done.
Mainly focusing on 2 things for the rest of the year:
1. Win the National Finals of the WGAT USA after winning the Tampa Bay Tour
2. Play the Mid Amateur and Mid Senior Amateur of Florida and get into the World Golf Ranking
In between trying to play some FSGA Events, which are most important for moving forward and some Golf Channel Tour Events, if they are on courses in my area.
2016 is already on the plan and despite I want to play as many events as possible, my focus in the future needs to be official ranking events and National Events. Only with those I ultimately will be able to move forward.
So yes, I am not happy with my current circumstances in golf and frustrated with the way I am doing my work, but all it does is making me more determined and more aggressive in pursuing my goals and my dream. After all my time is running and it is running fast. Now 47, I have 3 years to the Senior Tour and just need to keep going, working and believing ( the last one being my top strength), no matter what!
As always I appreciate comments, suggestions, tips, any info which might help to move the game forward or improve the basis in terms of sponsorship, equipment, travel, events etc.
Thank you for all your nice messages and support. Those alone represent a big help.
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
The Garmin Approach S2 - 18 months in use - is it still working?
In December 2013 I wrote a review about the Garmin Approach S 2. Just go to the archive and take a look at it.
Today I write a short follow up.
I have played well over 100 rounds of golf with this GPS watch. Tournament rounds as well as social rounds. All kinds of courses in different states. Played in good weather , bad weather and very bad weather.
All I can say is that the Garmin Approach S2 worked great every single round I played with it.
But I want point out a few things which you might consider before using it.
1. Accuracy
The Garmin Approach S 2 is accurate to a point. Away from what they say, I figure that I have plus/minus 3 yards, maybe a little less. It depends how good you are to determine the relevance of this distance. To me it is relevant, but I can live with it because I work with a rangefinder on top of the watch and use yardage books. Often I prepare a play book with google earth. I also heard that other watches do the same or are worse. I played with people who had the same watch and there was a difference or used other watches and there was no , small or huge differences.
2. Functionality
My Garmin Approach S 2 worked great (and still does) on every course I played. But I have to mention that there were a few occasions where it did not.
I played courses in several states. The GPS watch was able to find a satellite and give me data. However, here are the few things which did happen:
- a couple of times my watch did not find a signal. Both or all three times that happened we played in extreme weather. Clouds, storms and rain. So I understood and you understand, that the signal just could not be picked up properly
- on a couple of courses the holes were mixed up or the watch jumped to the wrong hole. So you stand on 5 , but get yardage for 8. That is a technical error which is also easy to understand. We are talking about satellites in the heavens and then my tee box is next to another tee box. The simple fix was to just scroll to the right hole
- One or two times I played a track which was not entered into the Garmin system yet. New courses or courses which were altered fall in this category. Champions Gate Country Club being one of them.
There was nothing I could do and there will be nothing you can do. But again, it was not the watches fault.
3. Others
- The loading cable had some issues. When I click my watch on to the loading clip it does not always start the loading process. I always check twice that it works. It happened a few times that I put it on and went to bed. Next morning I woke up and found my watch not loaded at all. So you need to watch that part after a while. Maybe it is dust or fat on the contacts.
That is it. I like the watch. All points above are no big deal. The watch is very durable, easy to wear and it works. That is what you are looking for in a watch.
It is true that they now have watches with all kinds of gadgets. But we need to focus on the game, not on all kinds of other things. For that matter what you need is 3 distances and a range finder.
My suggestion is to start with this watch and then determine if you want to spend more money later.
It would be nice to hear from other golfers about this watch and how they feel about it. Meanwhile I think it is a very helpful gadget for my game.
Did this short article help you? Please let me know. I am trying to create helpful information and am open to suggestions at any time.
Today I write a short follow up.
I have played well over 100 rounds of golf with this GPS watch. Tournament rounds as well as social rounds. All kinds of courses in different states. Played in good weather , bad weather and very bad weather.
All I can say is that the Garmin Approach S2 worked great every single round I played with it.
But I want point out a few things which you might consider before using it.
1. Accuracy
The Garmin Approach S 2 is accurate to a point. Away from what they say, I figure that I have plus/minus 3 yards, maybe a little less. It depends how good you are to determine the relevance of this distance. To me it is relevant, but I can live with it because I work with a rangefinder on top of the watch and use yardage books. Often I prepare a play book with google earth. I also heard that other watches do the same or are worse. I played with people who had the same watch and there was a difference or used other watches and there was no , small or huge differences.
2. Functionality
My Garmin Approach S 2 worked great (and still does) on every course I played. But I have to mention that there were a few occasions where it did not.
I played courses in several states. The GPS watch was able to find a satellite and give me data. However, here are the few things which did happen:
- a couple of times my watch did not find a signal. Both or all three times that happened we played in extreme weather. Clouds, storms and rain. So I understood and you understand, that the signal just could not be picked up properly
- on a couple of courses the holes were mixed up or the watch jumped to the wrong hole. So you stand on 5 , but get yardage for 8. That is a technical error which is also easy to understand. We are talking about satellites in the heavens and then my tee box is next to another tee box. The simple fix was to just scroll to the right hole
- One or two times I played a track which was not entered into the Garmin system yet. New courses or courses which were altered fall in this category. Champions Gate Country Club being one of them.
There was nothing I could do and there will be nothing you can do. But again, it was not the watches fault.
3. Others
- The loading cable had some issues. When I click my watch on to the loading clip it does not always start the loading process. I always check twice that it works. It happened a few times that I put it on and went to bed. Next morning I woke up and found my watch not loaded at all. So you need to watch that part after a while. Maybe it is dust or fat on the contacts.
That is it. I like the watch. All points above are no big deal. The watch is very durable, easy to wear and it works. That is what you are looking for in a watch.
It is true that they now have watches with all kinds of gadgets. But we need to focus on the game, not on all kinds of other things. For that matter what you need is 3 distances and a range finder.
My suggestion is to start with this watch and then determine if you want to spend more money later.
It would be nice to hear from other golfers about this watch and how they feel about it. Meanwhile I think it is a very helpful gadget for my game.
Did this short article help you? Please let me know. I am trying to create helpful information and am open to suggestions at any time.
Thursday, May 7, 2015
The Rookery at Marco - Marriot Golf Resort in Naples, FL - played May 1st,
Playing the WGAT USA has many fun advantages. One of them without a doubt is that we get to play all kinds of private clubs all over the state.
Last weekend I was scheduled to play in the WGAT USA Masters at The Rookery Golf course. The Rookery is part of the Marriott Resort of Marco Island. It is a private country club which too my knowledge allows play if you a member, a resort guest or part of a group like our tournament at that time.
After a two hour drive I finally arrived at the entrance to the property Friday morning at 11 am.. My GPS mistakenly took me past the entrance. So here is a tip for you. When your GPS guides you to the side entrance, which is close to a driving range off Collier Blvd., make sure you take a right into Fiddlers Creek. Although the name will raise questions in your mind, The Rookery is part of a property which has more than one courses.
Since I had a tee time , entrance was easy. I got a guest pass with a bar code for entrance and exit.. The drive to the course already leads you through a well maintained and groomed neighborhood. Right there I was sure that I will find a very nice facility.
Arriving on the parking lot my thought was confirmed. Everything looked immaculate. There was a bag drop and a few cart guys waiting. I did not use this service, but spoke with them briefly and they were very friendly, welcoming and gave me the feeling that they were concerned about me having a good time and enjoying my stay.
First I set my bag on the cart which was marked with my name and ready to go. Stocked with some cold water and ice as well as tees and a towel mine and all other carts were clean and equipped with a GPS system showing not only front, middle and back distances but even the hole layout itself. I liked it (on the course the distances the GPS provided were slightly different than what I got from my GPS watch and pin seeker. But overall they were very helpful).
As always I checked out the pro shop first. Looked nice. Was well stocked. But the pricing was way over the top. Marriott or not. Pro V1 golf balls , for example, should never be 60 $ plus tax. That is just one item, but I assure you , that most items where way over priced. Staff was friendly and asked several times if I needed any help.
The club house was impressive. All very well taken care off, nice restaurant with bar and a nice outside deck with view over the range and the course and many other rooms for other occasions. Restrooms in the club house were clean and well stocked.
I liked the atmosphere and the overall impression of the clubhouse. Next I went to the putting green. A big green with all kinds of breaks. The green was perfectly groomed and fast. I really liked the pitching and chipping area. A nice large bunker, big green with 2 pins and all kinds of possible lies you can choose to warm up.
After spending some time there I went over to the range, which was described as one of the best in the state. Nice range. Not sure if I would praise it that high. Plenty of pins to shoot for, good balls and grass tees in good condition. I could imagine to practice at this facility more often.
Finally ready I headed to the convenience station right behind the range. A small building which I thought had restrooms and a water station. But it had much more. There were restrooms, a water station, a refrigerator with cold wet towels, some chairs to rest and a box with markers, repair tools, score cards and pencils. Really a nice feature I must say.
The entire station was very clean and well stocked. I loaded up some towels and a couple waters. Also I took some other supplies and off I was to the 1st tee.
Right away I noticed that the tee boxes were not only in excellent condition but also level. As a matter of fact, I found them to be very level through out the entire course. I appreciate good tee boxes. Being able to hit your tee shot of a level ground makes live much easier.
My first tee shot was not in the fairway but close to the water on the right. Gave me the opportunity to check out the water, the rough and the bunker next to it. All looked great. My shot out of the rough was good, but I could tell that the rough on this course was not the place to be. While looking light, it was strong and caught my club big time.
When my ball hit the green it did not even make an attempt to stop. It ran right through it. Not unusal when hitting out of the rough. But once I got there , it became clear, that not only was my ball coming out hot out of the rough but the greens where pretty new ( I later found out that they were redone about 6 months ago). In other words: The greens were like concrete. But they were in very good condition and rolled nicely. Very fast and true.
From here on I found great tee boxes on every hole. Most fairways were excellent and all greens were fast, hard and tough to read. All things which I found very enjoyable as a low handicap player. For the beginner or the high handicap player the greens alone could cause some serious issues.
Pretty much every tee shot was intimidating. Much tougher than I expected. Once I got of the tee and could see the hole backwards, it was not all that bad. Good course design. The ideal tee shot would be dead straight down the middle, which made it all even tougher.
There were plenty of hazards, tight fairways and traps ( both: fairway and green side). I found a few hazards and a ton of traps. The reason though why I found those obstacles was not that I hit my balls too long or not straight enough. The reason was that the fairways were pretty hard as well. A couple times I got 30 yards plus roll out of my tee shot or my second on shot on a par 5.
You for sure need to consider that when playing this course. It makes this course even tougher, but at the same time it gives the shorter hitter the opportunity to play some old fashion bounce shots. Be it towards the green or as a lay up on a par 5.
I also learned that being long is a big no - no. If you miss a shot, miss it short. Better short or in a trap than long and in the hazard or in a collection area.
The entire course looks and probably is a sanctuary. We saw many gators, birds and fish. Wonderful. I really liked the landscape they put together there. It was fun to just ride along and look around. Naturally many good looking homes rounded that feeling up. Another positive thing I thought was , that the homes were not too close. You never felt like you had people right in your neck.
It was a tough round, but a wonderful golf day on that course. After the round we went straight to the club house. I wanted to check out the bar and see what food they serve.
No luck with the food though. They stopped serving at about 3 pm or so. They had a full bar there including some interesting drafts. I opted for a draft beer. Good choice. It was cold and fresh. The girl serving at the bar was very friendly and on top of things. Nobody had to ever ask for a drink. She always followed up.
The prices for the beer were a little high. Not a surprise, but I would not go there every day.
Getting off the property was no challenge. The bar code worked fine ( despite some stories I heard that it would not).
Overall : I really liked this golf course. It was tough, but beautiful, challenging but fair. If your handicap is higher, make sure you play it forward. There was no easy hole and in order to have fun you want to hit some greens and hit some fairways which naturally is easier if the hole is shorter.
I certainly was impressed with the practice area and would come back to spend time there any time if I would get an opportunity.
Everybody was very friendly and I felt welcome.
No doubt that I will play this course again soon when I get a chance. Great course, great experience. If you ever get an invite to this place, make sure you make it.
The Rookery at Marco makes my top 20 list in Florida at this point.
Have you played there? What was your experience.
Last weekend I was scheduled to play in the WGAT USA Masters at The Rookery Golf course. The Rookery is part of the Marriott Resort of Marco Island. It is a private country club which too my knowledge allows play if you a member, a resort guest or part of a group like our tournament at that time.
After a two hour drive I finally arrived at the entrance to the property Friday morning at 11 am.. My GPS mistakenly took me past the entrance. So here is a tip for you. When your GPS guides you to the side entrance, which is close to a driving range off Collier Blvd., make sure you take a right into Fiddlers Creek. Although the name will raise questions in your mind, The Rookery is part of a property which has more than one courses.
Since I had a tee time , entrance was easy. I got a guest pass with a bar code for entrance and exit.. The drive to the course already leads you through a well maintained and groomed neighborhood. Right there I was sure that I will find a very nice facility.
Arriving on the parking lot my thought was confirmed. Everything looked immaculate. There was a bag drop and a few cart guys waiting. I did not use this service, but spoke with them briefly and they were very friendly, welcoming and gave me the feeling that they were concerned about me having a good time and enjoying my stay.
First I set my bag on the cart which was marked with my name and ready to go. Stocked with some cold water and ice as well as tees and a towel mine and all other carts were clean and equipped with a GPS system showing not only front, middle and back distances but even the hole layout itself. I liked it (on the course the distances the GPS provided were slightly different than what I got from my GPS watch and pin seeker. But overall they were very helpful).
As always I checked out the pro shop first. Looked nice. Was well stocked. But the pricing was way over the top. Marriott or not. Pro V1 golf balls , for example, should never be 60 $ plus tax. That is just one item, but I assure you , that most items where way over priced. Staff was friendly and asked several times if I needed any help.
The club house was impressive. All very well taken care off, nice restaurant with bar and a nice outside deck with view over the range and the course and many other rooms for other occasions. Restrooms in the club house were clean and well stocked.
I liked the atmosphere and the overall impression of the clubhouse. Next I went to the putting green. A big green with all kinds of breaks. The green was perfectly groomed and fast. I really liked the pitching and chipping area. A nice large bunker, big green with 2 pins and all kinds of possible lies you can choose to warm up.
After spending some time there I went over to the range, which was described as one of the best in the state. Nice range. Not sure if I would praise it that high. Plenty of pins to shoot for, good balls and grass tees in good condition. I could imagine to practice at this facility more often.
Finally ready I headed to the convenience station right behind the range. A small building which I thought had restrooms and a water station. But it had much more. There were restrooms, a water station, a refrigerator with cold wet towels, some chairs to rest and a box with markers, repair tools, score cards and pencils. Really a nice feature I must say.
The entire station was very clean and well stocked. I loaded up some towels and a couple waters. Also I took some other supplies and off I was to the 1st tee.
Right away I noticed that the tee boxes were not only in excellent condition but also level. As a matter of fact, I found them to be very level through out the entire course. I appreciate good tee boxes. Being able to hit your tee shot of a level ground makes live much easier.
My first tee shot was not in the fairway but close to the water on the right. Gave me the opportunity to check out the water, the rough and the bunker next to it. All looked great. My shot out of the rough was good, but I could tell that the rough on this course was not the place to be. While looking light, it was strong and caught my club big time.
When my ball hit the green it did not even make an attempt to stop. It ran right through it. Not unusal when hitting out of the rough. But once I got there , it became clear, that not only was my ball coming out hot out of the rough but the greens where pretty new ( I later found out that they were redone about 6 months ago). In other words: The greens were like concrete. But they were in very good condition and rolled nicely. Very fast and true.
From here on I found great tee boxes on every hole. Most fairways were excellent and all greens were fast, hard and tough to read. All things which I found very enjoyable as a low handicap player. For the beginner or the high handicap player the greens alone could cause some serious issues.
Pretty much every tee shot was intimidating. Much tougher than I expected. Once I got of the tee and could see the hole backwards, it was not all that bad. Good course design. The ideal tee shot would be dead straight down the middle, which made it all even tougher.
There were plenty of hazards, tight fairways and traps ( both: fairway and green side). I found a few hazards and a ton of traps. The reason though why I found those obstacles was not that I hit my balls too long or not straight enough. The reason was that the fairways were pretty hard as well. A couple times I got 30 yards plus roll out of my tee shot or my second on shot on a par 5.
You for sure need to consider that when playing this course. It makes this course even tougher, but at the same time it gives the shorter hitter the opportunity to play some old fashion bounce shots. Be it towards the green or as a lay up on a par 5.
I also learned that being long is a big no - no. If you miss a shot, miss it short. Better short or in a trap than long and in the hazard or in a collection area.
The entire course looks and probably is a sanctuary. We saw many gators, birds and fish. Wonderful. I really liked the landscape they put together there. It was fun to just ride along and look around. Naturally many good looking homes rounded that feeling up. Another positive thing I thought was , that the homes were not too close. You never felt like you had people right in your neck.
It was a tough round, but a wonderful golf day on that course. After the round we went straight to the club house. I wanted to check out the bar and see what food they serve.
No luck with the food though. They stopped serving at about 3 pm or so. They had a full bar there including some interesting drafts. I opted for a draft beer. Good choice. It was cold and fresh. The girl serving at the bar was very friendly and on top of things. Nobody had to ever ask for a drink. She always followed up.
The prices for the beer were a little high. Not a surprise, but I would not go there every day.
Getting off the property was no challenge. The bar code worked fine ( despite some stories I heard that it would not).
Overall : I really liked this golf course. It was tough, but beautiful, challenging but fair. If your handicap is higher, make sure you play it forward. There was no easy hole and in order to have fun you want to hit some greens and hit some fairways which naturally is easier if the hole is shorter.
I certainly was impressed with the practice area and would come back to spend time there any time if I would get an opportunity.
Everybody was very friendly and I felt welcome.
No doubt that I will play this course again soon when I get a chance. Great course, great experience. If you ever get an invite to this place, make sure you make it.
The Rookery at Marco makes my top 20 list in Florida at this point.
Have you played there? What was your experience.
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Eagle Lakes Golf Club in Naples - Played on April 19th 2015
The World Golf Amateur Golf Tour holds events on all kinds of golf courses around Florida. Last weekend I was scheduled to play on the Ft Myers / Naples tour yet again.
Eagle Lakes Golf Club was on the list. I have never heard of the golf course before, but the name sounded interesting since I figured they did not give the place this name without a reason.
I checked out the website before hand. Usually I check if they have a hold by hole description of the course. Just so I get an idea on how to play a course which I did not play before. The website offered all kinds of helpful information. Like a score card, green fees , membership info and some photos.
The hole by hole page however was still not ready at that point. Seemed like they are still working on the website.
After a 2 1/2 hour travel we finally pulled into the community where Eagle Lakes Golf Club is located. As we pulled in we saw a driving range ( Aqua) on the right hand side. At that point we did not think that this range belonged to the golf course.
The club house is only about 1 mile from the entrance. Easy to find. A bag drop is available , but the parking lost is relatively small. So you can just park and carry the bag if you can.
We were greeted by a friendly gentleman who directed us to our cart. Cart was clean and seemed new. Also he told us where we can sign in and where the pro shop is located. That was a good start.
Went around the house and signed in for the tournament. Sign in table was on the front deck. Looked very nice. View on a lake and some homes. There we saw our first eagle. Very nice. When I saw the deck I right away was looking forward to a drink after the round.
Went inside and found a nice looking restaurant and bar area. All seemed pretty new and I thought it was inviting. Because I wanted to get ready to play I did not check the prices , menu or anything in there.
In the restaurant I also met the pro for the first time who helped me find the restrooms. Restrooms in the locker room were clean. Locker room was clean as well.
From there I moved on to the pro shop. They have some selection of product. Nothing special. Everything you need for a round you can get. Pro shop also was clean and organized. I bought some golf tees. Priced like on most golf courses.
Talked to the pro for a little about the course and how to play it. He told me that I should miss to the right when missing and that the greens are pretty flat. Further that I should play half the break I read and that there is water on all 18 holes. Good enough for me. Last I asked him where the range is.
To my surprise he told me that the range I saw at the entrance is the range where I could hit balls, but that it does not belong to the golf course. A separate entity. But I also was told that I can take my golf cart there.
So I went to get my cart and started my way to the range. I found that funny. I was told that I could not take the cart to my car, but I can drive the cart through the entire neighborhood on a regular street to a golf range which does not belong to the golf course.
Oh well. The ride gave me a better view of the community. Seemed like there is plenty of lots empty and the place is still in the growing phase. Made to the range after about 5 minutes. So it is not a very long ride. Just watch for the cars.
Went straight into the shop. Small golf shop with products of all kinds. The place is a golf school, owned by the course but operated by a third party. The person behind the counter was friendly and asked me what I needed. After seeing the pricing I opted for a 20 ball bucket for 5 $. I thought that I medium bucket for 10 $ was pretty hefty. The large bucket was 15 $ and not even close to being a large bucket. On top of it those balls were Aqua Range Balls.
They have grass tees which are in good shape and some targets. Worked out, but was not what you would expect from a golf club. Chipping area was ok. The green was nice and speedy and they had a bunker. I only spend 30 min there. Just did not feel right and the balls were ok , but Aqua Balls are simply not my favorite.
So I drove back to the club house and went on the putting green. Great putting green. Fast, in good shape and large. Many different breaks and you can also chip around the green. That was the better warm up.
The starter came and asked for my receipt. That was strange, because I was in the tournament and naturally the organizer paid. He did not seem to understand that at first. But left me alone. Next I know the same starter was calling for me. 10 min earlier than scheduled. Felt a little rushed at that moment. But not a big deal.
Off we went. I had never played the course and so I decided to follow the pros instructions. Played towards the right side of the fairways and tried to use the hole prints on the back of the card to make my way around.
Teen boxes through the course were ok. Maybe not in the best of shape, but green and I always found a level spot somewhere on that day. They have their boxes numbered 1 through 4 in Latin numbers. So what out what the number says. I almost made a couple mistakes. Colors are much easier to work with in regards to tee boxes.
The Fairways were in pretty good shape. Plenty of grass to play from and they groomed them well. You will get a lot of roll out of those fairways since they are pretty hard.
All greens were in great shape and were running at about 10.5 or so. So that was a nice speed and they were consistent through out the round. Which that is a bonus. Green size is not huge I must say, but they are not difficult greens and relatively easy to reach.
The course layout is what makes it interesting. On every hole water comes into play. Some times on both sides. Some times in front and sides. Behind greens and along fairways. That makes every tee shot more interesting. Although the layout overall is not too challenging , the fact that the water comes into play, makes this course a tough little thing.
We had one long hitter in the group and he was in the water often. So if you are a long hitter. A 3 wood might be a good choice on many holes. To me this all did not present a problem. I am not a very long hitter and even though we played from the II tee box, plenty of the trouble I could have gotten in to was far away. I used my 3 wood a few times.
There was plenty of wind on that day, which made the long par 4s even longer. But if you follow the pros instructions ( miss to the right and play the middle of the green) nothing can happen. Only a few holes have OB and that is pretty far of the line which needs to be played.
Had a few bunker shots and I liked the traps. There was not too much sand and it was a white , shell sand. Easy to hit from. The club does not get stuck that easily.
We played a pretty fast round of golf. 3 1/2 hours. There were not many players out there. Considering that we are still in season I was surprised. However, it was a good thing for us. I was looking forward to have a beer and maybe a snack.
When we came back to the club house however, we found that the club house was closed. And I mean completely closed. No pro shop, no restaurant and not restrooms. Only person left was the friendly cart boy. He cleaned our clubs and helped unload the car.
I was pretty disappointed. After all it was only 5 30 pm. The good news was that there is a toilet on the green side of the cart building. So if you come into the same situation, there is a tip.
Overall I had fun to play the course. I liked that there was plenty of water to challenge us. The greens were in nice shape, rolled nicely and acted as the pro described. Also I was happy with the fairways. Compared to some places we play, they were very good.
Even if you are not excited about water holes you could play there easily. The water is there, but it is not too threatening. Nothing to be too afraid off.
You find the rates on the website but for those rates I probably would not play this course again. However, if there would be another event and I could manage to play, I would.
The staff I met was friendly, club house and grounds were clean. Range and restaurant situation was strange.
The one thing which is really nice are the eagles you can watch there. Large wonderful birds who gracefully fly over those many lakes which are the main feature of this golf course. Have you played there before? What was your impression?
Official website for Eagle Lakes Golf Club in Naples , Florida
Eagle Lakes Golf Club was on the list. I have never heard of the golf course before, but the name sounded interesting since I figured they did not give the place this name without a reason.
I checked out the website before hand. Usually I check if they have a hold by hole description of the course. Just so I get an idea on how to play a course which I did not play before. The website offered all kinds of helpful information. Like a score card, green fees , membership info and some photos.
The hole by hole page however was still not ready at that point. Seemed like they are still working on the website.
After a 2 1/2 hour travel we finally pulled into the community where Eagle Lakes Golf Club is located. As we pulled in we saw a driving range ( Aqua) on the right hand side. At that point we did not think that this range belonged to the golf course.
The club house is only about 1 mile from the entrance. Easy to find. A bag drop is available , but the parking lost is relatively small. So you can just park and carry the bag if you can.
We were greeted by a friendly gentleman who directed us to our cart. Cart was clean and seemed new. Also he told us where we can sign in and where the pro shop is located. That was a good start.
Went around the house and signed in for the tournament. Sign in table was on the front deck. Looked very nice. View on a lake and some homes. There we saw our first eagle. Very nice. When I saw the deck I right away was looking forward to a drink after the round.
Went inside and found a nice looking restaurant and bar area. All seemed pretty new and I thought it was inviting. Because I wanted to get ready to play I did not check the prices , menu or anything in there.
In the restaurant I also met the pro for the first time who helped me find the restrooms. Restrooms in the locker room were clean. Locker room was clean as well.
From there I moved on to the pro shop. They have some selection of product. Nothing special. Everything you need for a round you can get. Pro shop also was clean and organized. I bought some golf tees. Priced like on most golf courses.
Talked to the pro for a little about the course and how to play it. He told me that I should miss to the right when missing and that the greens are pretty flat. Further that I should play half the break I read and that there is water on all 18 holes. Good enough for me. Last I asked him where the range is.
To my surprise he told me that the range I saw at the entrance is the range where I could hit balls, but that it does not belong to the golf course. A separate entity. But I also was told that I can take my golf cart there.
So I went to get my cart and started my way to the range. I found that funny. I was told that I could not take the cart to my car, but I can drive the cart through the entire neighborhood on a regular street to a golf range which does not belong to the golf course.
Oh well. The ride gave me a better view of the community. Seemed like there is plenty of lots empty and the place is still in the growing phase. Made to the range after about 5 minutes. So it is not a very long ride. Just watch for the cars.
Went straight into the shop. Small golf shop with products of all kinds. The place is a golf school, owned by the course but operated by a third party. The person behind the counter was friendly and asked me what I needed. After seeing the pricing I opted for a 20 ball bucket for 5 $. I thought that I medium bucket for 10 $ was pretty hefty. The large bucket was 15 $ and not even close to being a large bucket. On top of it those balls were Aqua Range Balls.
They have grass tees which are in good shape and some targets. Worked out, but was not what you would expect from a golf club. Chipping area was ok. The green was nice and speedy and they had a bunker. I only spend 30 min there. Just did not feel right and the balls were ok , but Aqua Balls are simply not my favorite.
So I drove back to the club house and went on the putting green. Great putting green. Fast, in good shape and large. Many different breaks and you can also chip around the green. That was the better warm up.
The starter came and asked for my receipt. That was strange, because I was in the tournament and naturally the organizer paid. He did not seem to understand that at first. But left me alone. Next I know the same starter was calling for me. 10 min earlier than scheduled. Felt a little rushed at that moment. But not a big deal.
Off we went. I had never played the course and so I decided to follow the pros instructions. Played towards the right side of the fairways and tried to use the hole prints on the back of the card to make my way around.
Teen boxes through the course were ok. Maybe not in the best of shape, but green and I always found a level spot somewhere on that day. They have their boxes numbered 1 through 4 in Latin numbers. So what out what the number says. I almost made a couple mistakes. Colors are much easier to work with in regards to tee boxes.
The Fairways were in pretty good shape. Plenty of grass to play from and they groomed them well. You will get a lot of roll out of those fairways since they are pretty hard.
All greens were in great shape and were running at about 10.5 or so. So that was a nice speed and they were consistent through out the round. Which that is a bonus. Green size is not huge I must say, but they are not difficult greens and relatively easy to reach.
The course layout is what makes it interesting. On every hole water comes into play. Some times on both sides. Some times in front and sides. Behind greens and along fairways. That makes every tee shot more interesting. Although the layout overall is not too challenging , the fact that the water comes into play, makes this course a tough little thing.
We had one long hitter in the group and he was in the water often. So if you are a long hitter. A 3 wood might be a good choice on many holes. To me this all did not present a problem. I am not a very long hitter and even though we played from the II tee box, plenty of the trouble I could have gotten in to was far away. I used my 3 wood a few times.
There was plenty of wind on that day, which made the long par 4s even longer. But if you follow the pros instructions ( miss to the right and play the middle of the green) nothing can happen. Only a few holes have OB and that is pretty far of the line which needs to be played.
Had a few bunker shots and I liked the traps. There was not too much sand and it was a white , shell sand. Easy to hit from. The club does not get stuck that easily.
We played a pretty fast round of golf. 3 1/2 hours. There were not many players out there. Considering that we are still in season I was surprised. However, it was a good thing for us. I was looking forward to have a beer and maybe a snack.
When we came back to the club house however, we found that the club house was closed. And I mean completely closed. No pro shop, no restaurant and not restrooms. Only person left was the friendly cart boy. He cleaned our clubs and helped unload the car.
I was pretty disappointed. After all it was only 5 30 pm. The good news was that there is a toilet on the green side of the cart building. So if you come into the same situation, there is a tip.
Overall I had fun to play the course. I liked that there was plenty of water to challenge us. The greens were in nice shape, rolled nicely and acted as the pro described. Also I was happy with the fairways. Compared to some places we play, they were very good.
Even if you are not excited about water holes you could play there easily. The water is there, but it is not too threatening. Nothing to be too afraid off.
You find the rates on the website but for those rates I probably would not play this course again. However, if there would be another event and I could manage to play, I would.
The staff I met was friendly, club house and grounds were clean. Range and restaurant situation was strange.
The one thing which is really nice are the eagles you can watch there. Large wonderful birds who gracefully fly over those many lakes which are the main feature of this golf course. Have you played there before? What was your impression?
Official website for Eagle Lakes Golf Club in Naples , Florida
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Fort Myers Country Club - April 4th 2015
The WGAT ( World Golf Amateur Tour) USA held an event at Ft Myers Country Club and this time I was able to be there. Drove by this golf course dozens of timesc but never stopped to even look.
My tee time was 2 pm. I liked that. Usually with a late tee time you have time to warm up and check out the clubhouse and all other facilities.
I arrived there with plenty of time. Signed in and right there found out that there is no driving range to warm up. Not a good thing. With Country Club in your name one might expect at least a short range (after the round I then found out that there must be an area where you can hit shots up to 150 yards, but I never saw it ?)
I headed to the putting green. I was impressed by that. The green was of good size and offers a variety of breaks. That gave me some hope because I read that the course is a Donald Ross Design and I was expecting tough greens.
So I spent time putting and chipping.trying to prepare as good as possible. The putting green was in very good shape and of good speed. There is plenty of great chip locations for you to play from.
Just before my tee off I checked out the restrooms which were well taken care off , always a positive sign. Last I checked out the pro shop. Well stocked and in good order. Staff was friendly and welcoming.
On first tee box I turned on my GPS watch and immediately noticed that the distance looked odd. It did not seem to match with the score card I had. But I did not give it much further thought. Sometimes the GPS just does not work too well for different reasons, like we weather, storms beside others.
Finished the first hole with a good two putt and noticed that the greens were pretty fast ( similar to the putting ) and very hard. Not a surprise because I read that they got new greens last November and it takes 12 to 24 month to soften.
Right after the 2nd hole I turned off my watch . The GPS seemed to be confused and the distances I got from my watch just looked wrong and at times were wrong. If you have a pin seeker, use that one instead.
I expected a lot from this golf course, but the truth is that it was not very interesting at all.
The tee boxes were OK , fairways were not in good shape at all (hard as rock, little grass ). The rough was well grown and groomed on some holes and not to find on others.
Best part of the course by far were the greens. They were at times very large and offered many tough breaking putts. But most difficult probably was to keep the ball on the green. Because they are new and so hard balls run off easily.
Best you can do is bounce the ball on and make sure you are short rather than long. When I started playing more this old fashioned way, I had many more opportunities for birdies and did not have to play tough lies behind the green.
Another challenge I found was the fact that there was little signage to guide you towards the next hole, which got us lost once and confused a couple times.
After a tough round I was looking forward to a cold beer in the clubhouse. The outside seating area looked very nice and they had a nice patio bar on the first floor. Very inviting.
I went up there and ordered a beer. The girl was OK friendly. The beer price was very friendly. Guess it was happy hour.
The view from the bar area is great. You over see the tough number 10, 18th green, putting green and first hole. Even from the lower seating area the view is nice. A little bit like in a southern country club. I enjoyed that and it made up for some minuses from the golf course.
My partner ordered some stuffed mushrooms and offered me to try one. Although not hungry I took the opportunity to test at least some of the food. The stuffed mushrooms were excellent. Crunchy with a nicely done filling of crab ( at least I think that is what it was) . Also I was able to try some pizza and I was positively surprised. The Menu looked very exotic but very interesting and prices looked OK as well. Not sure if the Edison Restaurant is run by the golf course, but it seems like a good place to go eat and even if I am not planning to play the golf course any time soon, I would stop at the restaurant for a drink and some food. If I do that, I will add a comment.
Overall I say that the staff was friendly, the course was not great and the restaurant inviting and offered a good menu and nice seating outside.
I would not play the course again other than in a tournament. But I would stop there for a beer and a bite.
Anybody has been at the Edison Restaurant in Ft Myers or played the Ft Myers Country Club? Comments are welcome.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Game Golf - How good is this golf game tracking device and does it work well?
The Game Golf - Digital Tracking System for Golf
Statistics are probably the best and most important indicator helping any professional golf player to see where he or she stands with their game.
Professionals as well as low handicap players keep constantly track of their game. Those statistics can range from 2 or 3 points to a very complex sheet which includes by far more references.
But it does take time, patience and effort to get this done and done correctly. This is where Game Golf comes into play. One of the most interesting devices you can get today.
I myself keep comprehensive stats at all times. The only way to find out the weaknesses and the strengths of your game is to take notes whenever you play and practice. If you do that enough, you eventually find patterns and then can work on specific things. Ultimately leading to better rounds and more fun.
When I heard about Game Golf and what it might do, I was immediately excited. Only took me a little research and I bought myself this brand new tracking system. The price at that time was 249 $ plus tax. However, I received a discount because I am a member of the GC Am Tour and we got a 50 $ of coupon. I saw that the device now is 199 $.
Set up:
It was very easy to set up the device and to attach the transmitters to the clubs. Most grips today have the proper hole in the back. You need to add your clubs to the software online. Identify each club and put the corresponding transmitter on the back. Does not take very long at all. Also I did not think it is invasive at all and does not bother me while playing.
1 hour after charging the device I was actually ready to go.
On the course :
When turning it on the first time, you need to be patient. At times it takes a little time to find a satellite. But most of the time it does not take longer than 2 minutes.
The LED lights will tell you when you are ready to go. There is nothing else to do. The device knows where you are and what course you play.
Once ready for your tee shot, tag the transmitter on the bag of your device to the bottom of the device itself. It will give you a little vibration. That means your device is ready to record the shot. Play your golf shot just as you always do and then continue to your ball.
There you do the same thing again and continue to do so before every shot. Do not worry about double tapping or anything.
I was not bothered or hindered by the Game Golf at all. As a matter of fact, it helped me to stay with my routine. When I was not sure if I tapped it right, I did it again and if I thought I forgot it, I made a note on my score card. ( you do not have to do that, but I like to be accurate and keep some stats anyhow).
Loading data to the website:
Really simple. You connect your Game Golf device and the computer will lead you through all further steps. Once you have an account on the Game Golf website, things go pretty much automatic. You will see the loading bar and it will tell you when your round is downloaded completely.
Final editing of the round:
This is one part I found not to exciting, in the beginning. When I opened my round and then the first hole I found that some of my tagging points where not consistent with my true location on the course at the time of play. Also I had some double tags as well as missed tags. Further I was not sure how to deal with hazard shots or OB balls which I had on other holes. Last , on the putting green many locations where not 100 % correct and at times I did not record putts.
So I had less strokes than I really had. I worked my way through my round. correcting locations as well as strokes and adding penalties etc. Took me a little while to get it right and to figure all things out. But once I was done, it looked great and I had my actual round right in front of me. Pretty exciting.
The second time around I did it in half the time and from there on the entire process only took me minutes. So you must be patient and see the big picture of the entire process and why you are doing it.
I suggest to do the download and edit as soon as possible after the round ( I do it immediately after every round I record). The computer screen picture shows you the holes and where you tagged the device. Your short term memory can help to make necessary corrections.
I used the help section to guide me through the process and also found advice from other users. It was a little different than I though, but again. Once you made it through the first time it gets easier and you start having fun doing it.
Statistics:
Once you have a few rounds in the system, you start to see patterns of your game. It really does not matter how good you edit the round when putting it in. A few yards will not make a different. You will find out some very interesting things about your game. Where you miss when teeing off and how many putts from what distance. Most interesting to me was distance of the tee and on approach shots.
At times I was surprised on how short I was. But in the end, the device seemed accurate. What I really liked what the visual. You see the hole, your shots and locations and you see stats at the bottom of the screen. This is much more helpful than just numbers.
What do I think about the Game Golf?
I love it. It is a great addition to my practice tools. It works well and is easy to work with. the quality of the product is good. The price seems high. But that is a matter of opinion. It all depends on what you are working on and how serious you are interested on improving your game.
Game Golf will help you to learn about your distances and tendencies. After working with it for many months now I can say that the distances I get are mostly accurate. But you will need to pay attention to your round to make sure that you can make final corrections if necessary.
First I thought the 200 $ were to much. After my first few rounds I thought the price is OK.
The Game Golf is a nice and good functioning GPS tracking device which might help you to improve your game. Certainly it will help you to see where on the course you actually play. I am glad I bought and will use it a few times each months to see where I stand with my game.
Note: I dropped my device many times. But it works great even after that. So it is durable. But I did lose the spring which helps the clip to hold the device to your belt and I was not able to put it back on. I will keep working on it and also I wrote to Game Golf asking for advice. But if I can not replace it I am sure I will find a way to get it done so that I can use it again.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Eastwood Golf Course in Fort Myers with World Golf Amateur Tour - March 22nd 2015
The WGAT USA brought us to many courses before this one and I will try to catch up as soon as I can. But first things first.
A couple days ago we were scheduled to play Eastwood Golf Course in Fort Myers. This golf course is run by the city. Based on that my expectations where not exactly high. The fact remains, that city golf courses do not have the funds needed to get their tracks in top condition.
When you go through my reviews you will find that I actually did a short review about the range some time ago. The range did not change at all since then. Almost looked like they did not replace any of the range balls as well. But it was good enough to get warmed up.
The course is easy to find and driving in to the parking lot is actually pretty nice. Lots of trees. Lots of green. Drove straight to the bag drop. Nobody around there to greet nor to provide me with a cart.
I did not stop at the pro shop because I signed in with the tournament director. Nothing I can say about the shop at all. The restaurant was empty. Looked like they have a kiosk where you can buy drinks and snacks. But I did not look any further as well. Looked a little strange and not to inviting.
Because I did not meet any of the staff members at this point I can not even tell if they were friendly or helpful. So let's go to the course.
The tee boxes through our round were OK. Nothing special. But they had a level spot to tee off and were green for the most part. We played the second set of tees , which gave us about 6500 yards or so.
Fairways were in good condition. Not to many brown spots or grounds under repair. For the most part if you found the fairway with your drive, you found a decent lie.
The rough was not too high, but represented a good challenge. Not sure what kind of grass they have there, but it was not the toughest one you can run in to. I think it is save to say, that you have a good chance to get out of the rough and back in the fairway or on to the green ( depending on your location). Now that is from the first and second cut. There was some deeper rough where the ball was sitting down. Yet again , you would be able to get it out.
Fairway bunkers were plenty and in good position. They were not to big and not to deep. So they represented a good challenge, but were not scary or intimidating. The sand was fluffy in general and there was plenty of it in it ( much better compared to most municipal tracks I played before).
What I really liked about the traps was the cut. They were cut, but in a way which made them almost look like in Scotland. A little rough and wild.
The traps around the green were a little more challenging, but not overly deep. There were plenty of them though. The greens were protected nicely by those bunkers.
Once you where on the green a real challenge came right on to you. Slow greens with tons of grain. It was not easy to put on those greens. For the most part I struggled to get the ball to the hole although I was hitting my putts pretty hard. I just could not get adjusted from the fast greens I usually play. On top of that the grain was tremendous. It was difficult to get the break right. Sometimes I even had the feeling the grain was going two ways on one putt.
Chipping was even more difficult. I could not find a way to find a middle between stopping the ball or letting it roll out. The greens seemed to have their own mind.
On a good note: They were all cut and green with no bad spots.
There were plenty of hazard areas on this course. Most of them marked OK. However, some hazard areas were marked so bad, that we did not know where to drop. No lines and the sticks were at times so far apart, that it was hard to find a line.
My favorite feature was the landscape. There is a lot of trees and bushes. Put that together with the water and you have a really nice looking golf course. Almost reminded me on WA at times. The thing is, that all those trees also can give you some headaches. You have to be straight on this track.
Overall I would say that Eastwood Golf Course is a medium municipal golf course which looks nice because of the landscape and plays tough because of the same. The course is not easy to play because you need to be in the fairway and away from trees to get your ball to the green fast.
While not of country club quality, the course is in decent condition to play. I did not pay in the pro shop , so I have no idea about the green fees, but would not think that they are very high. The course was not exactly full and thinking about quality it should be a good price Check out the official website for that part. ( I posted the link at the bottom).
If you are in the area and look for a quick round or some practice Eastwood Golf Course might be an option. I personally would not play this course unless there is an event going on or I have a great deal to play.
Let me know your experience if you played the course.
Official Website of Eastwood Golf Course in Ft Myers
A couple days ago we were scheduled to play Eastwood Golf Course in Fort Myers. This golf course is run by the city. Based on that my expectations where not exactly high. The fact remains, that city golf courses do not have the funds needed to get their tracks in top condition.
When you go through my reviews you will find that I actually did a short review about the range some time ago. The range did not change at all since then. Almost looked like they did not replace any of the range balls as well. But it was good enough to get warmed up.
The course is easy to find and driving in to the parking lot is actually pretty nice. Lots of trees. Lots of green. Drove straight to the bag drop. Nobody around there to greet nor to provide me with a cart.
I did not stop at the pro shop because I signed in with the tournament director. Nothing I can say about the shop at all. The restaurant was empty. Looked like they have a kiosk where you can buy drinks and snacks. But I did not look any further as well. Looked a little strange and not to inviting.
Because I did not meet any of the staff members at this point I can not even tell if they were friendly or helpful. So let's go to the course.
The tee boxes through our round were OK. Nothing special. But they had a level spot to tee off and were green for the most part. We played the second set of tees , which gave us about 6500 yards or so.
Fairways were in good condition. Not to many brown spots or grounds under repair. For the most part if you found the fairway with your drive, you found a decent lie.
The rough was not too high, but represented a good challenge. Not sure what kind of grass they have there, but it was not the toughest one you can run in to. I think it is save to say, that you have a good chance to get out of the rough and back in the fairway or on to the green ( depending on your location). Now that is from the first and second cut. There was some deeper rough where the ball was sitting down. Yet again , you would be able to get it out.
Fairway bunkers were plenty and in good position. They were not to big and not to deep. So they represented a good challenge, but were not scary or intimidating. The sand was fluffy in general and there was plenty of it in it ( much better compared to most municipal tracks I played before).
What I really liked about the traps was the cut. They were cut, but in a way which made them almost look like in Scotland. A little rough and wild.
The traps around the green were a little more challenging, but not overly deep. There were plenty of them though. The greens were protected nicely by those bunkers.
Once you where on the green a real challenge came right on to you. Slow greens with tons of grain. It was not easy to put on those greens. For the most part I struggled to get the ball to the hole although I was hitting my putts pretty hard. I just could not get adjusted from the fast greens I usually play. On top of that the grain was tremendous. It was difficult to get the break right. Sometimes I even had the feeling the grain was going two ways on one putt.
Chipping was even more difficult. I could not find a way to find a middle between stopping the ball or letting it roll out. The greens seemed to have their own mind.
On a good note: They were all cut and green with no bad spots.
There were plenty of hazard areas on this course. Most of them marked OK. However, some hazard areas were marked so bad, that we did not know where to drop. No lines and the sticks were at times so far apart, that it was hard to find a line.
My favorite feature was the landscape. There is a lot of trees and bushes. Put that together with the water and you have a really nice looking golf course. Almost reminded me on WA at times. The thing is, that all those trees also can give you some headaches. You have to be straight on this track.
Overall I would say that Eastwood Golf Course is a medium municipal golf course which looks nice because of the landscape and plays tough because of the same. The course is not easy to play because you need to be in the fairway and away from trees to get your ball to the green fast.
While not of country club quality, the course is in decent condition to play. I did not pay in the pro shop , so I have no idea about the green fees, but would not think that they are very high. The course was not exactly full and thinking about quality it should be a good price Check out the official website for that part. ( I posted the link at the bottom).
If you are in the area and look for a quick round or some practice Eastwood Golf Course might be an option. I personally would not play this course unless there is an event going on or I have a great deal to play.
Let me know your experience if you played the course.
Official Website of Eastwood Golf Course in Ft Myers
Saturday, July 26, 2014
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.
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.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
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
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
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 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.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
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
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
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
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.
Let me know if you have a GPS watch or GPS and what you think. Always good to hear different stories and opinions.
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