Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Monday, November 24, 2014
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Friday, November 14, 2014
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Monday, October 20, 2014
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Friday, October 10, 2014
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Monday, September 29, 2014
Ryder Cup Thoughts--Part 3
Yet again, my mind reluctantly comes to thoughts of the Ryder Cup. I wasn't going to comment about the loss to the Europeans as my opinion is that it is what it is. We lost, It's just that plain and simple. I will give you the simple, unabridged version about why we lost.
The reason we lost has to do with mathematics. Here it is. The Europeans had 161/2 points and we had 121/2. You can discuss it all you want to, but those are the facts. The U.S. Team got beat, and beat bad. That is the bottom line.
I do have to ask a question here. How important were statistics to Tom Watson. What was the criteria that he used to make the pairings? I have to admit that I didn't look at this question very closely, but it did have to come up. I think that Phil Mickelson's comments at the Ryder Cup news conference may have had a ring of truth to them, but I don't know.
Maybe Tom Watson should have used the pods system and broke the competition down into segments. Who knows. Maybe Phil should have played in the afternoon, I don't know. We will never know if this would have changed the outcome. Phil is a tough competitor, and any tough competitor hates to be pulled from the game. Let me share what I do know and that is that Europe is coming over here in 2016, and we will see what happens then.
Please visit some of my sponsor's websites and see what they have to offer. There are some great specials running on Golfsmith right now so check them out. In the meantime, hit 'em long and straight. Don't leave that birdie putt short!
The reason we lost has to do with mathematics. Here it is. The Europeans had 161/2 points and we had 121/2. You can discuss it all you want to, but those are the facts. The U.S. Team got beat, and beat bad. That is the bottom line.
I do have to ask a question here. How important were statistics to Tom Watson. What was the criteria that he used to make the pairings? I have to admit that I didn't look at this question very closely, but it did have to come up. I think that Phil Mickelson's comments at the Ryder Cup news conference may have had a ring of truth to them, but I don't know.
Maybe Tom Watson should have used the pods system and broke the competition down into segments. Who knows. Maybe Phil should have played in the afternoon, I don't know. We will never know if this would have changed the outcome. Phil is a tough competitor, and any tough competitor hates to be pulled from the game. Let me share what I do know and that is that Europe is coming over here in 2016, and we will see what happens then.
Please visit some of my sponsor's websites and see what they have to offer. There are some great specials running on Golfsmith right now so check them out. In the meantime, hit 'em long and straight. Don't leave that birdie putt short!
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| Kind of a Scottish feel to it, eh Laddie? |
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Ryder Cup Thoughts--Part 2
Again, I will be honest with you. I have not been following the Ryder Cup matches that closely. The conclusion that I think I am coming to is that the Europeans are handing the Americans another bitter defeat. This seems to be the rule these days in Ryder Cup competition.
Last night I turned on the Golf Channel to see just what the score was and it wasn't pretty. I didn't catch the score but what I did catch was that The Americans had to win 8 out of 12 matches in today's single matches. I must say that it is not impossible, but a miracle at best. I hate to be a skeptic, but that is WIN 8 matches. A halve won't help. I do wish the American team luck and have them start thinking about two years from now when the Ryder Cup Matches return to the U.S.
I do remember the time when we dominated the Europeans. Our string of Ryder Cup victories was long but so was the America's Cup string of victories which of course was broken. Dominance in sports, any sports is hard to achieve in our times. Eventually, the competition will swing the other way and we Americans will be enjoying a string of Ryder Cup victories. If not a string of victories then at least achieve a balance of wins between The United States and The European Team.
Got to run to church now. So, hit 'em long and straight. Don't leave that birdie putt short.
Last night I turned on the Golf Channel to see just what the score was and it wasn't pretty. I didn't catch the score but what I did catch was that The Americans had to win 8 out of 12 matches in today's single matches. I must say that it is not impossible, but a miracle at best. I hate to be a skeptic, but that is WIN 8 matches. A halve won't help. I do wish the American team luck and have them start thinking about two years from now when the Ryder Cup Matches return to the U.S.
I do remember the time when we dominated the Europeans. Our string of Ryder Cup victories was long but so was the America's Cup string of victories which of course was broken. Dominance in sports, any sports is hard to achieve in our times. Eventually, the competition will swing the other way and we Americans will be enjoying a string of Ryder Cup victories. If not a string of victories then at least achieve a balance of wins between The United States and The European Team.
Got to run to church now. So, hit 'em long and straight. Don't leave that birdie putt short.
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| Go out and play golf today. Good luck USA in the Ryder Cup. |
Friday, September 26, 2014
Ryder Cup Thoughts
I don't know how I feel about this year's Ryder Cup. I have been incredibly busy with all I am doing right now that I haven't had the time to pay much attention to it even though I call myself a golf writer. Quite frankly, tournament reporting is not my cup of tea. I write mostly about travel and golf courses and I feel that is where my stories are. I suppose I should pay more attention, but it is more convenient when the venue is here in the United States. After all, it's 6:00 AM here in California and the coverage is on.
I'm off to the TV to watch.
By the way, my video on Catalina Island Golf Course is up on You Tube and on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com. Check it out, it is a great course in a unique setting. The course also has a very important history as it is the oldest golf course west of the Mississippi. Take a look at the video at http://youtu.be/5QIxV0Oj8dw. Enjoy the Ryder Cup coverage and don't forget to hit 'em long and straight. Please don't leave that birdie putt short. I made two at Catalina Island, YAHOO!!!
I'm off to the TV to watch.
By the way, my video on Catalina Island Golf Course is up on You Tube and on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com. Check it out, it is a great course in a unique setting. The course also has a very important history as it is the oldest golf course west of the Mississippi. Take a look at the video at http://youtu.be/5QIxV0Oj8dw. Enjoy the Ryder Cup coverage and don't forget to hit 'em long and straight. Please don't leave that birdie putt short. I made two at Catalina Island, YAHOO!!!
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| What a great place for a golf course. The course is located in the canyon above the city of Avalon. |
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Friday, September 19, 2014
Coke v. Pepsi...The Controversy of the Ages
As you know, it is always my intention to stay on the cusp of controversy. Today is no different. I am compelled to comment on the Coke vs. Pepsi wars which are dividing our country and the world today. This is serious stuff folks. Families have been torn apart by this war, all because of a couple of stupid soft drinks.
By the way, to add fuel to the fire, let's get our terminology straight and correct. It is not soda, soda pop pop or even tonic. The correct terminology is soft drink, and if you really want to get technical the generic term is flavored non-alcoholic carbonated beverage. So please, if you are going to join this discussion use the correct term of either soft drink or flavored non-alcoholic carbonated beverage.
I will go on record here saying that I prefer Coke, and prefer Coke Zero over the sugar of regular Coke. There can be a controversy over that as well as my wife prefers Diet Coke over Coke Zero. I think that she's wrong, but that is between us and I would never tell her that as I don't want to anger her. She's still wrong though. I will leave the Coke Zero-Diet Coke controversy alone for the time being.
Coke has the better flavor. It is not quite as sweet and the carbonation doesn't hide the flavor of the non-alcoholic beverage. To me, Pepsi's flavor is not based on the recipe of the syrup, but on the amount of sugar and carbonation that is put into the soft drink. Don't get me wrong, if I were stranded on a desert island and the only thing I had to drink would be an endless supply of Pepsi, I would drink it. I don't think I would bathe in it though. That would depend if I was the only one on the island or if Denise were along. Come to think of it, she would have to drink Pepsi as well. Whether or not she would bathe in it, I will just have to ask her.
I'm not a big cola drinker anyway. If I am drinking a caffeinated flavored non-alcoholic carbonated beverage, I prefer Dr. Pepper. I guess Dr. Pepper is now owned by the 7-up company, which is the old Royal Crown Cola Company. Sorry, I didn't mean to confuse the issue but facts are facts. As a matter of fact, I think I prefer Royal Crown to Coke, but it is almost impossible to get Royal Crown anywhere but a small liquor store in remote Manitoba, Canada. I guess Coke and Pepsi had a hand in that, and that is too bad. R.C. was one of the first casualties of the cola wars. RIP Royal Crown.
I have a confession to make. I really don't drink that many flavored non-alcoholic carbonated beverages, especially after my last surgery. I had a bad case of acid reflux, so I had my DES valve repaired in my stomach. I don't get the heartburn anymore, but the surgery has caused some unexpected consequences. If I have gas, that gas has to go somewhere and not up through the esophagus. It goes out the back in the form of a "fart". Yes, I use the word "fart" even though the correct medical term is flatulence. I thought that I would just give it to you as it is and not pull any punches. Not being able to use the word "fart" really stinks.
The bottom line is, I drink a lot of Crystal Light Fruit Punch now. Denise really appreciates that.
So, for me it is Coke by a safety--two points. Excuse me now, I just made a new pitcher of Crystal Light Fruit Punch.
I have another confession to make. I posted this to the wrong blog. This was supposed to go to my DavidRallisWrites blog, but what the heck.
By the way, to add fuel to the fire, let's get our terminology straight and correct. It is not soda, soda pop pop or even tonic. The correct terminology is soft drink, and if you really want to get technical the generic term is flavored non-alcoholic carbonated beverage. So please, if you are going to join this discussion use the correct term of either soft drink or flavored non-alcoholic carbonated beverage.
I will go on record here saying that I prefer Coke, and prefer Coke Zero over the sugar of regular Coke. There can be a controversy over that as well as my wife prefers Diet Coke over Coke Zero. I think that she's wrong, but that is between us and I would never tell her that as I don't want to anger her. She's still wrong though. I will leave the Coke Zero-Diet Coke controversy alone for the time being.
Coke has the better flavor. It is not quite as sweet and the carbonation doesn't hide the flavor of the non-alcoholic beverage. To me, Pepsi's flavor is not based on the recipe of the syrup, but on the amount of sugar and carbonation that is put into the soft drink. Don't get me wrong, if I were stranded on a desert island and the only thing I had to drink would be an endless supply of Pepsi, I would drink it. I don't think I would bathe in it though. That would depend if I was the only one on the island or if Denise were along. Come to think of it, she would have to drink Pepsi as well. Whether or not she would bathe in it, I will just have to ask her.
I'm not a big cola drinker anyway. If I am drinking a caffeinated flavored non-alcoholic carbonated beverage, I prefer Dr. Pepper. I guess Dr. Pepper is now owned by the 7-up company, which is the old Royal Crown Cola Company. Sorry, I didn't mean to confuse the issue but facts are facts. As a matter of fact, I think I prefer Royal Crown to Coke, but it is almost impossible to get Royal Crown anywhere but a small liquor store in remote Manitoba, Canada. I guess Coke and Pepsi had a hand in that, and that is too bad. R.C. was one of the first casualties of the cola wars. RIP Royal Crown.
I have a confession to make. I really don't drink that many flavored non-alcoholic carbonated beverages, especially after my last surgery. I had a bad case of acid reflux, so I had my DES valve repaired in my stomach. I don't get the heartburn anymore, but the surgery has caused some unexpected consequences. If I have gas, that gas has to go somewhere and not up through the esophagus. It goes out the back in the form of a "fart". Yes, I use the word "fart" even though the correct medical term is flatulence. I thought that I would just give it to you as it is and not pull any punches. Not being able to use the word "fart" really stinks.
The bottom line is, I drink a lot of Crystal Light Fruit Punch now. Denise really appreciates that.
So, for me it is Coke by a safety--two points. Excuse me now, I just made a new pitcher of Crystal Light Fruit Punch.
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| Fruit is better for you than Coke or Pepsi |
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
All This, and She Plays Golf Too...Wow!
To many, this may be a touchy subject, but I am going to explore it anyway. Does your wife, girlfriend or significant other play golf? My wife plays, and I am very happy about that.
Before I get run out of town on a rail by a lot of women who play golf out there, let me explain. Most male and female golfers know what I am talking about and understand what I am trying to say, but some don't. Some will take offense to even asking the question, but I will suck it up and summon the courage to ask the question. Once again, does your, girlfriend or significant other play golf? Do you enjoy playing golf together?
I enjoy playing golf together with my wife. I also enjoy playing without her as well. The same can be said for her. Her and I don't always have to play together in order to enjoy the experience of a good, or bad, round of golf. We do enjoy each other very much, and I enjoy watching just how much she gets into the game. For me, that adds to the fun of it. But, we don't always have to be together to play golf.
There are times when she wants to play with her friends in a women only outing. I respect that, just as she respects when I go out with my buddies. The bottom line is that we both love the game of golf. Being able to play together and enjoy the game even more is a plus. She's good, too. I know because I have lost a lot of bets with her. Its still a lot of fun and I don't mind a bit.
Some men feel that it is an infringement on their space when their wife or significant other wants to come along on the golf outing. To a certain extent, this may be true but I think that it depends on the context of the situation. A guy, or gal, needs their space. If that means letting him, or her, off by themselves to go play with their friends so be it. It works both ways.
Golf is a game that can be played by almost everyone, male or female. Spending time together with your wife, girlfriend or significant other is important as is personal space. Try playing golf together. It doesn't have to be all the time or exclusively, but you are spending some quality time together. Its a lot of fun too.
Before I get run out of town on a rail by a lot of women who play golf out there, let me explain. Most male and female golfers know what I am talking about and understand what I am trying to say, but some don't. Some will take offense to even asking the question, but I will suck it up and summon the courage to ask the question. Once again, does your, girlfriend or significant other play golf? Do you enjoy playing golf together?
I enjoy playing golf together with my wife. I also enjoy playing without her as well. The same can be said for her. Her and I don't always have to play together in order to enjoy the experience of a good, or bad, round of golf. We do enjoy each other very much, and I enjoy watching just how much she gets into the game. For me, that adds to the fun of it. But, we don't always have to be together to play golf.
There are times when she wants to play with her friends in a women only outing. I respect that, just as she respects when I go out with my buddies. The bottom line is that we both love the game of golf. Being able to play together and enjoy the game even more is a plus. She's good, too. I know because I have lost a lot of bets with her. Its still a lot of fun and I don't mind a bit.
Some men feel that it is an infringement on their space when their wife or significant other wants to come along on the golf outing. To a certain extent, this may be true but I think that it depends on the context of the situation. A guy, or gal, needs their space. If that means letting him, or her, off by themselves to go play with their friends so be it. It works both ways.
Golf is a game that can be played by almost everyone, male or female. Spending time together with your wife, girlfriend or significant other is important as is personal space. Try playing golf together. It doesn't have to be all the time or exclusively, but you are spending some quality time together. Its a lot of fun too.
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| I'm ready for this. Let's get going! |
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| Yes! Sunk that birdie putt. |
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| That drive was BIG! It went 20 yards past you, Dave. |
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Monday, September 15, 2014
Courses: Love Hate Relationship
There are a few courses that we all play that strike fear in our hearts. We play them only because someone has invited us to play there or our stubborn self says we should so that we can conquer that particular link. Sometimes it happens, most often we finish our round on that particular course and say, "Why did we do that again. I know how much I hate that course." We are creatures of habit I guess. I have a couple of courses that fit that criteria for me. At some time, I will reveal that list, but not today.
There are a couple of courses that I have said that I didn't like, but have changed my mind after playing them and not giving up on them. Two come to mind and they are in the Monterey Bay area. One is Bayonet of Bayonet/Blackhorse and the other is DeLaveaga located in the hills above Santa Cruz.
Both courses at the Bayonet/Blackhorse facility have been redesigned. Before the redesign I played both courses and I hated Bayonet but kept playing it. It is very hilly and I even walked it several times. I remember thinking each time walking up the 18th fairway why did I put myself through this misery again? That also goes to my stable set of mind in that if I kept having such a bad experience there each time I played there, why did I keep playing there? I have been told that the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. I preferred Blackhorse as it was what I thought a fairer layout. Both courses were redesigned, though slightly just a few years ago. Now, I think they did an outstanding job on Bayonet but liking Blackhorse is taking a bit of getting used to.
Bayonet was the tougher of the two courses. It is well known that the designer of Bayonet was the commanding general of the old Fort Ord and Bayonet/Blackhorse is located on the former army base. The general was left handed and had a viscious left-hand slice. All the doglegs go at a severe angle to the left so that his slice wouldn't hurt him. It is certainly pure hell for the right handed player because you run out of fairway on the right and you wind up with a wicked shot our of tall cypress trees lining the fairways.
All that has been change. The greens are still tough to putt but the doglegs have been softened. Don't get me wrong, the course is still a challenge, but it is a reasonable challenge. Blackhorse, on the other hand is a different story. They made it tougher by adding traps and redesigning the greens, which are undulating. I hated the course changes at first, but I am beginning to like the course. I used to prefer Blackhorse, but now I like Bayonet.
I highly suggest you play both courses. Both courses are impeccably maintained and the greens, although difficult, putt fast and true. The views from the course are magnificent because the courses are built in the hills above Monterey. I will say that both courses are demanding and you will be exhausted after you finish your round, but the courses and the views are well worth it. Oh, and stop by the restaurant after your round for drinks or a meal. The food is very good and the staff is very friendly. What a great place to soothe your scars, but I must say you will feel satisfied but tired after playing the courses.
There are a couple of courses that I have said that I didn't like, but have changed my mind after playing them and not giving up on them. Two come to mind and they are in the Monterey Bay area. One is Bayonet of Bayonet/Blackhorse and the other is DeLaveaga located in the hills above Santa Cruz.
Both courses at the Bayonet/Blackhorse facility have been redesigned. Before the redesign I played both courses and I hated Bayonet but kept playing it. It is very hilly and I even walked it several times. I remember thinking each time walking up the 18th fairway why did I put myself through this misery again? That also goes to my stable set of mind in that if I kept having such a bad experience there each time I played there, why did I keep playing there? I have been told that the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. I preferred Blackhorse as it was what I thought a fairer layout. Both courses were redesigned, though slightly just a few years ago. Now, I think they did an outstanding job on Bayonet but liking Blackhorse is taking a bit of getting used to.
Bayonet was the tougher of the two courses. It is well known that the designer of Bayonet was the commanding general of the old Fort Ord and Bayonet/Blackhorse is located on the former army base. The general was left handed and had a viscious left-hand slice. All the doglegs go at a severe angle to the left so that his slice wouldn't hurt him. It is certainly pure hell for the right handed player because you run out of fairway on the right and you wind up with a wicked shot our of tall cypress trees lining the fairways.
All that has been change. The greens are still tough to putt but the doglegs have been softened. Don't get me wrong, the course is still a challenge, but it is a reasonable challenge. Blackhorse, on the other hand is a different story. They made it tougher by adding traps and redesigning the greens, which are undulating. I hated the course changes at first, but I am beginning to like the course. I used to prefer Blackhorse, but now I like Bayonet.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Dear Johnny Miller
Dear Mr. Miller
Thank you for providing some of the best moments in golf history, both on the course and in the broadcast booth. I admire you very much. You are a man of many talents, including designing golf courses.
I have had the pleasure of playing two of the golf courses that you have designed. First, I have played your course at what used to be called Brighton Crest, now Eagle Springs, in Friant California. I live in Fresno, which is close to Friant and get to play the course often. I have also played Eagle Ridge in Gilroy California. Both courses are very beautiful in their settings, but difficult to play for the average golfer.
As I played the courses, many questions cropped up in my head. First, what is the foundation for your love of boulders and where they are placed on the course? Next, it has been said that your putting skills were not as good as they probably could be. I don't fault you for this, my putting skills are not that good as well. However, in many cases the greens on the courses you design are undulating and almost impossible to putt. Is this in retribution and meant as a slap in the face of the golf gods?
I am going to cut to the bottom line here. Keep in mind that I have met you a couple of times and have talked to you. I very much enjoyed those brief talks, even though your end of the conversation most of the time was "I don't have time for you now." You are a multimillionaire with successes in the golf business, including the design of many courses. I am just a poor, starving writer that plays golf. You have earned the right to design golf courses, even though my opinion is not that high of them. They are in beautiful settings, and it doesn't mean a thing that I never play them well. My opinion of them doesn't count much and is not going to contribute to the outbreak of the "Great Apocalypse", otherwise known as the end of the world. Peace in the world is not going to break out, given my opinions on how you design a golf course. I just don't play them well, and truth is I don't care for them much. I still play Eagle Springs occasionally.
Mr. Miller, I truly admire you. I still hate number nine at Eagle Springs. What were you thinking when you designed that hole?
Yours
Dave
Thank you for providing some of the best moments in golf history, both on the course and in the broadcast booth. I admire you very much. You are a man of many talents, including designing golf courses.
I have had the pleasure of playing two of the golf courses that you have designed. First, I have played your course at what used to be called Brighton Crest, now Eagle Springs, in Friant California. I live in Fresno, which is close to Friant and get to play the course often. I have also played Eagle Ridge in Gilroy California. Both courses are very beautiful in their settings, but difficult to play for the average golfer.
As I played the courses, many questions cropped up in my head. First, what is the foundation for your love of boulders and where they are placed on the course? Next, it has been said that your putting skills were not as good as they probably could be. I don't fault you for this, my putting skills are not that good as well. However, in many cases the greens on the courses you design are undulating and almost impossible to putt. Is this in retribution and meant as a slap in the face of the golf gods?
I am going to cut to the bottom line here. Keep in mind that I have met you a couple of times and have talked to you. I very much enjoyed those brief talks, even though your end of the conversation most of the time was "I don't have time for you now." You are a multimillionaire with successes in the golf business, including the design of many courses. I am just a poor, starving writer that plays golf. You have earned the right to design golf courses, even though my opinion is not that high of them. They are in beautiful settings, and it doesn't mean a thing that I never play them well. My opinion of them doesn't count much and is not going to contribute to the outbreak of the "Great Apocalypse", otherwise known as the end of the world. Peace in the world is not going to break out, given my opinions on how you design a golf course. I just don't play them well, and truth is I don't care for them much. I still play Eagle Springs occasionally.
Mr. Miller, I truly admire you. I still hate number nine at Eagle Springs. What were you thinking when you designed that hole?
Yours
Dave
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| This is a real level green. |
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| Number 18 at Eagle Springs. This green has more ups and downs than the wooden roller coaster at Santa Cruz Beach and Boardwalk. |
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| Nice hole and I don't have a criticism of it other than the green is a bit large and can be tricky. |
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| I actually liked this hole which is very pretty. I wasn't exactly happy about the placement of the second shot and the narrow slot of trees to go through to get to your approach shot. |
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Friday, September 12, 2014
Get Fit And Play Better Golf--Part 3
I just got back from the gym a few minutes ago and am now enjoying my first cup of coffee of the day. I feel great and I have lost four pounds since Monday. I know the weight loss is prob ably just water, but it feels good. My blood pressure is also down and I haven't taken my medications this morning. That will come later after breakfast. Life is good and the quality of my life is getting better. My game should improve.
My workout routing as I said before includes cardio, a stretching routine which includes loosening my bad back, crunches and leg lifts with the whole thing finishing up with a circuit training weight lifting component. Later, to reward myself for the work that I am doing I will spend some time in the sauna and the jacuzzi. This works very well for me, and the key is being consistent. I loose weight quickly. The funny thing is that when I work out, I'm not as hungry either, so I do shed the pounds.
How does all of this effect my game. I know what the experts would say, but I want to tell it from my point of view but the experts are very much right. My game improves when I work out.
In my case, I see a marked improvement in my game in four areas. Today I will talk briefly about two of those areas. Remember now, this is a sharing of my experience although I am sure that others have had similar results. I can generate more club speed and have more strength. These two are related in that I can hit the ball farther. I can also say that my stamina improves and my attitude becomes more positive which I will talk about in a later blog.
I can tell that I am becoming a bit more flexible. This translates to swinging the club with more speed without exerting more energy. As my weight goes down and my muscles tone, I don't have as much bulk to move. The energy that I am expending is more efficient and translates into moving the club, not excess weight. Believe me, taking away thirty pounds of "dead weight" fat and replacing it with muscle creates a definitely more powerful swing. The ball goes farther because the club is traveling faster with the energy of the swing being more efficient to the task at hand, that of striking the ball, not clumsily moving dead weight in order to swing the club.
With the toning of muscles comes added strength. The mere fact that you are able to do more because your muscles are working better is very important. You become stronger because you are working your muscles, not sitting at a computer writing a blog or a book all day. I picked up at least 15 yards on my drives and about one club distance in my game after I started working out. You become stronger and the club becomes easier to swing and feels lighter. Since you are stronger and a bit lighter, you can control the club much better. Simple, isn't it?
In Part 4 I will cover the other two aspects of my quest for conditioning. In the meantime, don't forget to visit the sites of my sponsors, they are all good people. GolfSmith has some great deals going on now and you can't go wrong using TripAdvisor. I you could also click on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com, there is a lot going on there too. I am including one of my videos here http://youtu.be/_Kx3Qrv18IE about Stevinson Ranch in Stevinson, California. It is about the tournament I played in using the TaylorMade 15 inch cups. So, hit 'em long and straight. Remember that it is embarrassing to leave a perfectly good birdie putt short. I have on many occasions.
My workout routing as I said before includes cardio, a stretching routine which includes loosening my bad back, crunches and leg lifts with the whole thing finishing up with a circuit training weight lifting component. Later, to reward myself for the work that I am doing I will spend some time in the sauna and the jacuzzi. This works very well for me, and the key is being consistent. I loose weight quickly. The funny thing is that when I work out, I'm not as hungry either, so I do shed the pounds.
How does all of this effect my game. I know what the experts would say, but I want to tell it from my point of view but the experts are very much right. My game improves when I work out.
In my case, I see a marked improvement in my game in four areas. Today I will talk briefly about two of those areas. Remember now, this is a sharing of my experience although I am sure that others have had similar results. I can generate more club speed and have more strength. These two are related in that I can hit the ball farther. I can also say that my stamina improves and my attitude becomes more positive which I will talk about in a later blog.
I can tell that I am becoming a bit more flexible. This translates to swinging the club with more speed without exerting more energy. As my weight goes down and my muscles tone, I don't have as much bulk to move. The energy that I am expending is more efficient and translates into moving the club, not excess weight. Believe me, taking away thirty pounds of "dead weight" fat and replacing it with muscle creates a definitely more powerful swing. The ball goes farther because the club is traveling faster with the energy of the swing being more efficient to the task at hand, that of striking the ball, not clumsily moving dead weight in order to swing the club.
With the toning of muscles comes added strength. The mere fact that you are able to do more because your muscles are working better is very important. You become stronger because you are working your muscles, not sitting at a computer writing a blog or a book all day. I picked up at least 15 yards on my drives and about one club distance in my game after I started working out. You become stronger and the club becomes easier to swing and feels lighter. Since you are stronger and a bit lighter, you can control the club much better. Simple, isn't it?
In Part 4 I will cover the other two aspects of my quest for conditioning. In the meantime, don't forget to visit the sites of my sponsors, they are all good people. GolfSmith has some great deals going on now and you can't go wrong using TripAdvisor. I you could also click on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com, there is a lot going on there too. I am including one of my videos here http://youtu.be/_Kx3Qrv18IE about Stevinson Ranch in Stevinson, California. It is about the tournament I played in using the TaylorMade 15 inch cups. So, hit 'em long and straight. Remember that it is embarrassing to leave a perfectly good birdie putt short. I have on many occasions.
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| Weight loss, strength and greater flexibility would allow me to have a better follow through and weight transfer to my front foot. Hey, I'm working on it. |
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Get Fit and Play Better Golf--Part 2
In yesterday's blog I talked about the importance of improved fitness and how that is important to your golf game. At this point, I want to make it clear that you don't have to become an Olympic athlete, just take steps to improve your health and physical well being. As I said before, this is important. I have taken those steps and even though yesterday was my second workout, I feel great. Yes, a little sore, but it's a good sore.
Right now, my game probably won't show signs of improvement because of my working out. Besides, I'm not playing that much right now, about once or twice a month. Yes, I know that is not enough golf and especially for a guy that is so involved in golf. I should be out playing, but I'm not. At any rate, back to conditioning in golf and what I did.
As I said earlier, I lost 60 pounds. Most of this was done by working out three times a week on a program of stretching, cardio and circuit training. The great part of this was that I did this gradually and my exercise routine caused me a minimum of sore muscles. The goals I set for myself were tone, flexibility and weight loss. During this time I pretty much ate what I wanted and when I wanted but cut down on the amounts. I controlled my portions and consciously left food on my plate. I did change my food choices adding more fruits and vegetables. Sugar was not forbidden, but I made the concerted effort to just not eat sweets and cut down on sugar.
Diet sodas are a waste to me. I eliminated them for one very important practical reason. They just didn't quench my thirst. I would drink one or have a glass of soda, and I was still thirsty. What I would do is make a pitcher of water and add some crystal light to it. I know Crystal Light has Asparatame in it as do diet sodas, but I was told that was ok and I also increased my intake of plain water as well--with lemon juice of course.
How did all of this and the weight loss change my game. I will talk about this in my next blog.
Take some time to look at the sponsors I have on this blog. I am really impressed with Luggage Forward. Wouldn't it be great to have your luggage and precious golf clubs delivered directly to your hotel or cabin door wherever you are traveling? Luggage Forward will do that for you. Take a look at their service as well as the other services.
That's it for now. Hit 'em long and straight...don't leave that birdie putt short.
Right now, my game probably won't show signs of improvement because of my working out. Besides, I'm not playing that much right now, about once or twice a month. Yes, I know that is not enough golf and especially for a guy that is so involved in golf. I should be out playing, but I'm not. At any rate, back to conditioning in golf and what I did.
As I said earlier, I lost 60 pounds. Most of this was done by working out three times a week on a program of stretching, cardio and circuit training. The great part of this was that I did this gradually and my exercise routine caused me a minimum of sore muscles. The goals I set for myself were tone, flexibility and weight loss. During this time I pretty much ate what I wanted and when I wanted but cut down on the amounts. I controlled my portions and consciously left food on my plate. I did change my food choices adding more fruits and vegetables. Sugar was not forbidden, but I made the concerted effort to just not eat sweets and cut down on sugar.
Diet sodas are a waste to me. I eliminated them for one very important practical reason. They just didn't quench my thirst. I would drink one or have a glass of soda, and I was still thirsty. What I would do is make a pitcher of water and add some crystal light to it. I know Crystal Light has Asparatame in it as do diet sodas, but I was told that was ok and I also increased my intake of plain water as well--with lemon juice of course.
How did all of this and the weight loss change my game. I will talk about this in my next blog.
Take some time to look at the sponsors I have on this blog. I am really impressed with Luggage Forward. Wouldn't it be great to have your luggage and precious golf clubs delivered directly to your hotel or cabin door wherever you are traveling? Luggage Forward will do that for you. Take a look at their service as well as the other services.
That's it for now. Hit 'em long and straight...don't leave that birdie putt short.
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| I the short good looking guy on the right, sixty pounds heavier of course. |
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
A Hearty THANK YOU!
This post will be extremely brief. I want to thank all of you for reading this blog. We achieved a milestone today in a fairly short time. Today marked my 3,000th visitor and reader. Again, Thank You very much and I want to say that the best is yet to come.
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| Thank You! Keep coming back, there's more to come. |
Get Fit and Play Better Golf
I know that I am the last person to preach fitness and its importance in golf. It's really funny though that I don't take my own advice. You have to tune up your body in order to play good golf. It is just that simple. Do I do this, no. I have decided that it is time to return to the gym and work out, not only for my golf game but for my overall health.
Three years ago I took up the banner and ran with it. It was time to loose weight and get more fit. Not literally, I am allergic to running and always have been. I'm not built for speed, being a plow horse not a race horse. My PE coach used to time me with a calendar in the mile. I am bulky and built low to the ground. I don't run. However, I don't mind walking on a treadmill for thirty or forty minutes. As a result of going to the gym and taking care of myself, I lost 60 pounds.
I'll have more of this story in my next post. In the meantime, don't forget to go to my website at http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com and check out the site. I am going to be playing Catalina Golf Course on Tuesday of next week and will have a video of it up for you to look at the following week. I am excited about playing there, as you know.
That's it for today. Remember, hit 'em long and straight. Please don't leave that birdie putt short.
Three years ago I took up the banner and ran with it. It was time to loose weight and get more fit. Not literally, I am allergic to running and always have been. I'm not built for speed, being a plow horse not a race horse. My PE coach used to time me with a calendar in the mile. I am bulky and built low to the ground. I don't run. However, I don't mind walking on a treadmill for thirty or forty minutes. As a result of going to the gym and taking care of myself, I lost 60 pounds.
I'll have more of this story in my next post. In the meantime, don't forget to go to my website at http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com and check out the site. I am going to be playing Catalina Golf Course on Tuesday of next week and will have a video of it up for you to look at the following week. I am excited about playing there, as you know.
That's it for today. Remember, hit 'em long and straight. Please don't leave that birdie putt short.
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| Me at 300 pounds before I lost the 60 pounds. I felt great after the weight loss. |
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Friday, August 29, 2014
CATALINA!
It is official!
Twenty- six miles across the sea
Santa Catalina is a-waitin' for me
Santa Catalina, the island of romance, romance, romance, romance
Actually, romance isn't waiting for me there and it is only 22 miles, but golf is waiting. I am finally going to play Catalina Golf Course. Thank you Mark!
You probably didn't know that Catalina Island had a golf course. It does, and a good one at that. It is a 9 hole track, 18 from a second set of tees, set in the canyons above Avalon the main town on Catalina. I have been told that it is the oldest golf course west of the Mississippi River that has been in continuous operation since it was opened as a three hole course. I don't want to totally get into the history of the course, but I do want to let you know that I have been invited to play the course and do a You-Tube video and feature it on my website. I will also let you know what the course was like here on my blog.
Catalina and I go back about 18 years to the first Carnival Cruise I took there in 1996 with my family. Each time I have been there it has been on a cruise ship as a port of call. I have been there several times and have yet to totally explore the island. I'm told that there is a lot to see, especially the buffalo. That's another story. Let's face it folks, I am a golfer, not a naturalist. I tend to focus in on what golf options there are in a location. On this trip we took a golf cart tour and it stopped at the course. at the time I didn't stop in, but I did say, hmmm--I have to play this course some day.
I have been to the course several time and have chatted in depth with Mark the pro there. He is a great guy to talk to. You can tell he really knows his course taking the time to talk about it at great leangth. Every time I go up there, he remembers me and always cordially invites me to experience his course. To this point I have been unable to play the course for a number of reasons while I'm there. I have decided it is time and so in a couple of weeks, again on a cruise I am going to play the course and take pictures. I only hope that what I produce is as good as it can be.
I have some other stories that I will share with you as the time gets closer about my visits to Catalina Golf Course. I have to run now. Don't forget to visit my website, http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com. If you would also be so kind to take a look at my new video about The Golf Course Travel Bag and myself on You Tube, I would truly appreciate it. don't make me beg. Here is the URL http://youtu.be/2VSgOYis-M8
and I hope you will enjoy it as well as my other videos you can find on my website. Just remember to hit 'em long and straight...don't leave that birdie putt short. One last thing, it's only 22 miles.
Twenty- six miles across the sea
Santa Catalina is a-waitin' for me
Santa Catalina, the island of romance, romance, romance, romance
Actually, romance isn't waiting for me there and it is only 22 miles, but golf is waiting. I am finally going to play Catalina Golf Course. Thank you Mark!
You probably didn't know that Catalina Island had a golf course. It does, and a good one at that. It is a 9 hole track, 18 from a second set of tees, set in the canyons above Avalon the main town on Catalina. I have been told that it is the oldest golf course west of the Mississippi River that has been in continuous operation since it was opened as a three hole course. I don't want to totally get into the history of the course, but I do want to let you know that I have been invited to play the course and do a You-Tube video and feature it on my website. I will also let you know what the course was like here on my blog.
Catalina and I go back about 18 years to the first Carnival Cruise I took there in 1996 with my family. Each time I have been there it has been on a cruise ship as a port of call. I have been there several times and have yet to totally explore the island. I'm told that there is a lot to see, especially the buffalo. That's another story. Let's face it folks, I am a golfer, not a naturalist. I tend to focus in on what golf options there are in a location. On this trip we took a golf cart tour and it stopped at the course. at the time I didn't stop in, but I did say, hmmm--I have to play this course some day.
I have been to the course several time and have chatted in depth with Mark the pro there. He is a great guy to talk to. You can tell he really knows his course taking the time to talk about it at great leangth. Every time I go up there, he remembers me and always cordially invites me to experience his course. To this point I have been unable to play the course for a number of reasons while I'm there. I have decided it is time and so in a couple of weeks, again on a cruise I am going to play the course and take pictures. I only hope that what I produce is as good as it can be.
I have some other stories that I will share with you as the time gets closer about my visits to Catalina Golf Course. I have to run now. Don't forget to visit my website, http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com. If you would also be so kind to take a look at my new video about The Golf Course Travel Bag and myself on You Tube, I would truly appreciate it. don't make me beg. Here is the URL http://youtu.be/2VSgOYis-M8
and I hope you will enjoy it as well as my other videos you can find on my website. Just remember to hit 'em long and straight...don't leave that birdie putt short. One last thing, it's only 22 miles.
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| Yes Virgina, there really is a golf course on Catalina Island. Move your finger when you take the picture, will you. Sorry, I'm not used to taking pictures with a phone. Isn't that what a camera is for? |
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
New High Tech Clubs
I finally gave in to the high tech club craze. The last time I played my old clubs, I knew it was time to change to something a little more modern that truly fit my game given my age and strength. The search was on.
I visited a lot of golf stores wanting to find the sticks that fit properly. All the well known brands were in the mix, Taylor Made, Callaway, Nike, Mizuno and I really liked the Adams clubs. What I chose was the most high tech I could get.
These clubs had some very interesting characteristics. They were made out of a new material that is beginning to show up in golf, a polymer that is supposed to help your game. The price was right as well as they didn't cost an arm and a leg, $3.99 at Wal-mart including three brand new balls. Such a deal! These clubs should really improve my game.
I am thinking very seriously of putting together a group of golfers to play together on a trip to a location somewhere in California. I haven't quite come up with the location, and wanted to get some input from you. It will probably happen sometime in the spring of 2015 and will be from three to five days. If you could give me some ideas of where we should go, that would be great.
In the meantime, don't forget to visit my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com and take a look at some great instructional videos as well as some videos of a few outstanding golf courses. Hit 'em long and straight--don't leave that birdie putt short.
I visited a lot of golf stores wanting to find the sticks that fit properly. All the well known brands were in the mix, Taylor Made, Callaway, Nike, Mizuno and I really liked the Adams clubs. What I chose was the most high tech I could get.
These clubs had some very interesting characteristics. They were made out of a new material that is beginning to show up in golf, a polymer that is supposed to help your game. The price was right as well as they didn't cost an arm and a leg, $3.99 at Wal-mart including three brand new balls. Such a deal! These clubs should really improve my game.
I am thinking very seriously of putting together a group of golfers to play together on a trip to a location somewhere in California. I haven't quite come up with the location, and wanted to get some input from you. It will probably happen sometime in the spring of 2015 and will be from three to five days. If you could give me some ideas of where we should go, that would be great.
In the meantime, don't forget to visit my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com and take a look at some great instructional videos as well as some videos of a few outstanding golf courses. Hit 'em long and straight--don't leave that birdie putt short.
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| The new sticks. They should slash strokes off my game. |
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Ten Reasons I Play Golf
I was listening to a radio broadcast last night on my way home from a trip, and the subject was how this generation of children growing up never suffer from boredom. With all digital virtual world that our children live in, there is very little time to just sit there and be bored. There is no "down time" for the brain, and creativity is not given time to grow because their brain is always on. It's an interesting idea, and I don't want to discuss or debate the full intricacies of the argument but the idea has merit. The bottom line was the speakers son took up golf and loved it because it was natural and creative.
This got me thinking. Why do I love golf so much? Here are ten reasons:
1. Golf is natural. You are playing it and it is unfolding as you play. You are not playing a microchip, but experiencing a game that is real, not created in cyberspace. Besides, there is nothing like the natural sound of a club, any club, striking the ball on a good shot. One of the best natural sounds in the world is that of a golf ball dropping into the cup for a birdie. That lake is real, not cyberwater.
2. Golf exercises your creativity and imagination, and in a real way. How do I hit that shot around the tree and get the ball to the green? Believe me, I have had to do that on several occasions. Do I carry out the shot every time, no. I still have to create the shot in my mind. Whether I pull it off may be fantasy, but I still have to think it up. Again, this is all real, not cyberspace.
3. Golf is good exercise. Whether you walk and carry, walk and pull a cart or ride in a golf cart, golf is exercise. There is a lot of physical activity involved in swinging that club. You still have to swing a club and hit a ball. Even if you ride a cart, you still have to get out of the cart and hit the ball and do't forget walking from the cart to the tee, or the cart up to the green and depending on some greens keepers and where they put the cart signs, that can be quite a hike.
4. Golf is played in the real outdoors on some very beautiful pieces of land. This is true wherever the course is. The worst "goat track" still is much prettier than a city alley. It is real as opposed to created in cyberspace. If you have played The Club at Crazy Horse Ranch, Stevinson Ranch, DeLaveaga or Coronado, you know what I mean. Go to my You Tube Video page on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com and see what I mean. These are real sights, sounds and smells.
5. Staying along with #4 I give you this reason. Golf courses are located in some very beautiful places. Have you ever played Trump National Los Angeles or Pacific Grove Muni? You almost can forget your game and slip into the trance of the surroundings. All this beautiful scenery, and a golf course too. Life doesn't get any better.
6. You can travel to the places where the golf courses are located. Yes, you can play your wonderful local golf course or you can go to other places. I can drive to Monterey and play a course there. Not only do I get to play golf, but I get to enjoy what the city of Monterey, or wherever has to offer. How about a box of carmel corn from the pier or a seafood dinner with some exceptional clam chowder. What does cyberchowder taste like anyway?
7. You use real strategy when you play golf. You don't use a controller to hit the ball, you use a real stick to hit a real ball. You get the true feeling of a stick impacting the ball. You get the true emotion of hitting a real shot, not a cyber shot. In this, it takes real skill to hit the ball where you want it to go. It takes real skill to drive, hit an iron, chip and putt. With this real skill comes the real emotion of playing the game that is real. What do I do to keep the ball out of the lake? How do I shape the shot to go around the dog leg? You get real feedback from the real world that is not possible in the cyber world.
8. There is more to golf than just hitting a ball and putting in in the hole. There is the "emotion" of golf. How do you feel after you hit a great shot? What do you you do when you hit a bad shot? This emotion is real, not created in a cyber world. How many of you have lost a $5 ProV1 in a water hazzard because you shanked a shot? You know what I'm talking about.
9. You can get away from the world in a real way for five hours. There are no computers except GPS devices out here. The main computer is left in the pro shop. By the way, turn your cell phones off, please.
Golf can be a refuge from our busy digital world. That is one of the reasons that I think golf will come back. People are tired of the digital world and are searching for a real world. Golf can provide that real world.
10. Golf is meant to be played with friends. What did the first players do when they played? The took a fifth of whiskey and shared it. That is where we get 18 holes, the time a fifth would last share among four golfers. There is nothing like sharing a round with a friend or even making new friends on the course. What about the 19th hole where you swap stories about the round? "Tis a wonderful thing, laddie.
That's about it. I guess that I didn't share how I like that golf is also mano-y-mano as well. You are not playing against someone, you are playing the course. After all this, I think it boils down to one thing as far as why I enjoy golf so much. It is a heck of a lot of fun.
Don't forget to stop by my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com and check out the videos. There will be more soon. In the meantime, hit 'em long and straight, don't leave that birdie putt short.
This got me thinking. Why do I love golf so much? Here are ten reasons:
1. Golf is natural. You are playing it and it is unfolding as you play. You are not playing a microchip, but experiencing a game that is real, not created in cyberspace. Besides, there is nothing like the natural sound of a club, any club, striking the ball on a good shot. One of the best natural sounds in the world is that of a golf ball dropping into the cup for a birdie. That lake is real, not cyberwater.
2. Golf exercises your creativity and imagination, and in a real way. How do I hit that shot around the tree and get the ball to the green? Believe me, I have had to do that on several occasions. Do I carry out the shot every time, no. I still have to create the shot in my mind. Whether I pull it off may be fantasy, but I still have to think it up. Again, this is all real, not cyberspace.
3. Golf is good exercise. Whether you walk and carry, walk and pull a cart or ride in a golf cart, golf is exercise. There is a lot of physical activity involved in swinging that club. You still have to swing a club and hit a ball. Even if you ride a cart, you still have to get out of the cart and hit the ball and do't forget walking from the cart to the tee, or the cart up to the green and depending on some greens keepers and where they put the cart signs, that can be quite a hike.
4. Golf is played in the real outdoors on some very beautiful pieces of land. This is true wherever the course is. The worst "goat track" still is much prettier than a city alley. It is real as opposed to created in cyberspace. If you have played The Club at Crazy Horse Ranch, Stevinson Ranch, DeLaveaga or Coronado, you know what I mean. Go to my You Tube Video page on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com and see what I mean. These are real sights, sounds and smells.
5. Staying along with #4 I give you this reason. Golf courses are located in some very beautiful places. Have you ever played Trump National Los Angeles or Pacific Grove Muni? You almost can forget your game and slip into the trance of the surroundings. All this beautiful scenery, and a golf course too. Life doesn't get any better.
6. You can travel to the places where the golf courses are located. Yes, you can play your wonderful local golf course or you can go to other places. I can drive to Monterey and play a course there. Not only do I get to play golf, but I get to enjoy what the city of Monterey, or wherever has to offer. How about a box of carmel corn from the pier or a seafood dinner with some exceptional clam chowder. What does cyberchowder taste like anyway?
7. You use real strategy when you play golf. You don't use a controller to hit the ball, you use a real stick to hit a real ball. You get the true feeling of a stick impacting the ball. You get the true emotion of hitting a real shot, not a cyber shot. In this, it takes real skill to hit the ball where you want it to go. It takes real skill to drive, hit an iron, chip and putt. With this real skill comes the real emotion of playing the game that is real. What do I do to keep the ball out of the lake? How do I shape the shot to go around the dog leg? You get real feedback from the real world that is not possible in the cyber world.
8. There is more to golf than just hitting a ball and putting in in the hole. There is the "emotion" of golf. How do you feel after you hit a great shot? What do you you do when you hit a bad shot? This emotion is real, not created in a cyber world. How many of you have lost a $5 ProV1 in a water hazzard because you shanked a shot? You know what I'm talking about.
9. You can get away from the world in a real way for five hours. There are no computers except GPS devices out here. The main computer is left in the pro shop. By the way, turn your cell phones off, please.
Golf can be a refuge from our busy digital world. That is one of the reasons that I think golf will come back. People are tired of the digital world and are searching for a real world. Golf can provide that real world.
10. Golf is meant to be played with friends. What did the first players do when they played? The took a fifth of whiskey and shared it. That is where we get 18 holes, the time a fifth would last share among four golfers. There is nothing like sharing a round with a friend or even making new friends on the course. What about the 19th hole where you swap stories about the round? "Tis a wonderful thing, laddie.
That's about it. I guess that I didn't share how I like that golf is also mano-y-mano as well. You are not playing against someone, you are playing the course. After all this, I think it boils down to one thing as far as why I enjoy golf so much. It is a heck of a lot of fun.
Don't forget to stop by my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com and check out the videos. There will be more soon. In the meantime, hit 'em long and straight, don't leave that birdie putt short.
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| Need I say anything more? |
Saturday, August 23, 2014
Money, Money Money Part 4
Are you ready for the solution to the decline in golf? I have already talked about courses closing and the supply shrinking. Remember, water seeks its own level. That is a good thing for the sport, to a point. What that equalization point in, I don't know. The point where the demand for play is stabilized with the number of golf courses to play on will be reached, although I don't know what that point is. I hope it goes slightly in favor of golfers so as to keep green fees down. When there are too many courses, you have a lot of competition for that golfing dollar.
As I have mentioned before in other posts, some private courses have opened their doors to public play. Their membership is dwindling or they are in a cash flow crunch and need the play. I applaud this decision. The Club At Crazy Horse Ranch, formerly Salinas Country Club, has followed this route. I applaud them for that. It is a great course and I hope they keep sharing the course with we in the general public. You can get a taste of Crazy Horse Ranch by watching my video of the course on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com or by going directly to http://youtu.be/ZAF3Ve9VH_A. Madera Country Club has followed the same path.
I want to talk briefly here about the high cost of equipment. You have to ask yourself, do I really need that $300 driver or putter. Will the ProV1 really improve my game. Don't take me wrong, I love it when I come across a ProV1. It probably is one of the finest balls in the game today. I'm sorry, but I just can't afford the $50 price tag for the dozen. I will play a less expensive ball that I like. Same thing with equipment. I will stay with that Nike Sasquatch that I won in a tournament. It works, and for me it's the swing and skill not the club. I don't want to pay the advertising budget of Nike or Taylor Made, and even though I love Phil I don't want to pay his salary or Calaway's advertising budget.
Let's talk about the great big elephant in the room, shall we? Green fees have got to come down. I don't know how that will happen, but it must. The average person at present rates cannot afford to play as many rounds as they used too because it is getting too expensive--period.
Thank God for on-line tee time services such as Tee-Off.com and Golf Now. They started a trend to bring lower cost golf to the public. Courses had unsold times and these companies spotlighted those times and at a discounted rate to the public. That is a great thing. In most cases, you can find a discounted tee time on just about any course you want and save a lot of money.
I am seeing special on tee times. One of my favorite courses in the Monterey area whose rack rate is $120 for eighteen holes and cart during the week is offering specials at $559. I would think twice about paying $120, but for that course $59 is well worth it.
For the longest time, special rates on green fees were almost taboo in the golf industry. That mindset is changing as the industry comes into this time of marketing. Slow dime or fast nickle, that's what it's all about. Do you want to turn dollars and get people on your course to play it, or do you want the course sitting and rotting, not generating revenue in order to pay the bills. Basically, that is what the question is today. Courses have to have cash flow and the way you do that is by reduced green fees to get people on to your course to play it. As far as I am concerned, end of story.
It's Saturday today and I have some things to do so I will end this. Don't forget to check out my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com. I have some great courses featured on the You-Tube page so take a look. In the meantime, hit 'em long and straight...don't leave that birdie putt short.
As I have mentioned before in other posts, some private courses have opened their doors to public play. Their membership is dwindling or they are in a cash flow crunch and need the play. I applaud this decision. The Club At Crazy Horse Ranch, formerly Salinas Country Club, has followed this route. I applaud them for that. It is a great course and I hope they keep sharing the course with we in the general public. You can get a taste of Crazy Horse Ranch by watching my video of the course on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com or by going directly to http://youtu.be/ZAF3Ve9VH_A. Madera Country Club has followed the same path.
I want to talk briefly here about the high cost of equipment. You have to ask yourself, do I really need that $300 driver or putter. Will the ProV1 really improve my game. Don't take me wrong, I love it when I come across a ProV1. It probably is one of the finest balls in the game today. I'm sorry, but I just can't afford the $50 price tag for the dozen. I will play a less expensive ball that I like. Same thing with equipment. I will stay with that Nike Sasquatch that I won in a tournament. It works, and for me it's the swing and skill not the club. I don't want to pay the advertising budget of Nike or Taylor Made, and even though I love Phil I don't want to pay his salary or Calaway's advertising budget.
Let's talk about the great big elephant in the room, shall we? Green fees have got to come down. I don't know how that will happen, but it must. The average person at present rates cannot afford to play as many rounds as they used too because it is getting too expensive--period.
Thank God for on-line tee time services such as Tee-Off.com and Golf Now. They started a trend to bring lower cost golf to the public. Courses had unsold times and these companies spotlighted those times and at a discounted rate to the public. That is a great thing. In most cases, you can find a discounted tee time on just about any course you want and save a lot of money.
I am seeing special on tee times. One of my favorite courses in the Monterey area whose rack rate is $120 for eighteen holes and cart during the week is offering specials at $559. I would think twice about paying $120, but for that course $59 is well worth it.
For the longest time, special rates on green fees were almost taboo in the golf industry. That mindset is changing as the industry comes into this time of marketing. Slow dime or fast nickle, that's what it's all about. Do you want to turn dollars and get people on your course to play it, or do you want the course sitting and rotting, not generating revenue in order to pay the bills. Basically, that is what the question is today. Courses have to have cash flow and the way you do that is by reduced green fees to get people on to your course to play it. As far as I am concerned, end of story.
It's Saturday today and I have some things to do so I will end this. Don't forget to check out my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com. I have some great courses featured on the You-Tube page so take a look. In the meantime, hit 'em long and straight...don't leave that birdie putt short.
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| We play some beautiful courses in this game. It is worth the cost. |
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Money, Money, Money--Part 3
Yes, I am a couple of days late with this post. I took my time and thought about what I was going to write. Do you believe that? Actually, I got caught with some personal business that took a bit more time than I thought. If you can forgive me for that, I would appreciate that. Come on now, I came clean and told the truth. I could have told you that I was abducted by aliens and was studied and operated on in their mother ship, but I was truthful with you so cut me some slack please. Enough fun for the day, let's cut to the chase.
The decline in the number of golfers playing golf is simple economics. Two things have happened. First, supply had outpaced demand and secondly the economic situation throughout the world has changed. With a shortage of courses and demand high, green fees skyrocketed. Put very simply, the boom times of a strong economy are over and they built too many golf courses. With demand high, supply low and a booming economy, people were willing to pay the price to play. The economy goes bust people make choices and golf was a luxury that they could cut out. The same is true for overpriced equipment. To sum it up, not enough money and too many choices for the consumer as to places to play or spend their money on other things in many cases more important.
Where do we go from here as to growing the game again? First, we have to realize that "water seeks its own level". There has been a downturn and I don't know if we have seen the bottom of it. However, I am an optimist and it will come back and grow again. I see some changes being made in the industry that will stop the trend.
Real estate was a problem. Developers saw the growth of golf and the rosy projection as to how the game and economy were going to grow and built developments around golf courses. The bust of 2008 came and there was no money to invest in lands or upscale homes. Buyers for their homes evaporated because of not having the money to purchase. The courses were private and memberships were not sold to support the course and development. In many cases, the house of cards the developers built fell down and the courses closed. This is sad I have to admit, but it is necessary to return golf to health. Just like you prune a tree of limbs for the good of the tree, some courses that can't make it have to close.
I am getting a bit wordy and long here so I think I will stop and continue this in my next post. We haven't explored green fees and the cost of equipment so I will leave that to the next post. I do have a lot to say about that.
One of my favorite things to do is to travel. In most cases, golf is included in those travels. I would like to put together a golf trip to a location in California that is affordable. It won't be Pebble Beach, but it will be a great golf location. I was thinking perhaps the San Diego area, The Monterey area to play a couple of the little known courses such as DeLaveaga or Crazy Horse. We could even include Bayonet/Blackhorse. We could also do San Francisco or some other area. I don't know, what are your thoughts. I would like to center this trip around courses that are not that well known, but are a treat to play. Costs will be kept down. PLEASE give me some feedback on this. I should have more information on this on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com. Check out my You-Tube videos as well. They are on the site as well. I have launched a newsletter to go along with the website so watch out for that.
Hit 'em long and straight and don't leave that birdie putt short.
The decline in the number of golfers playing golf is simple economics. Two things have happened. First, supply had outpaced demand and secondly the economic situation throughout the world has changed. With a shortage of courses and demand high, green fees skyrocketed. Put very simply, the boom times of a strong economy are over and they built too many golf courses. With demand high, supply low and a booming economy, people were willing to pay the price to play. The economy goes bust people make choices and golf was a luxury that they could cut out. The same is true for overpriced equipment. To sum it up, not enough money and too many choices for the consumer as to places to play or spend their money on other things in many cases more important.
Where do we go from here as to growing the game again? First, we have to realize that "water seeks its own level". There has been a downturn and I don't know if we have seen the bottom of it. However, I am an optimist and it will come back and grow again. I see some changes being made in the industry that will stop the trend.
Real estate was a problem. Developers saw the growth of golf and the rosy projection as to how the game and economy were going to grow and built developments around golf courses. The bust of 2008 came and there was no money to invest in lands or upscale homes. Buyers for their homes evaporated because of not having the money to purchase. The courses were private and memberships were not sold to support the course and development. In many cases, the house of cards the developers built fell down and the courses closed. This is sad I have to admit, but it is necessary to return golf to health. Just like you prune a tree of limbs for the good of the tree, some courses that can't make it have to close.
I am getting a bit wordy and long here so I think I will stop and continue this in my next post. We haven't explored green fees and the cost of equipment so I will leave that to the next post. I do have a lot to say about that.
One of my favorite things to do is to travel. In most cases, golf is included in those travels. I would like to put together a golf trip to a location in California that is affordable. It won't be Pebble Beach, but it will be a great golf location. I was thinking perhaps the San Diego area, The Monterey area to play a couple of the little known courses such as DeLaveaga or Crazy Horse. We could even include Bayonet/Blackhorse. We could also do San Francisco or some other area. I don't know, what are your thoughts. I would like to center this trip around courses that are not that well known, but are a treat to play. Costs will be kept down. PLEASE give me some feedback on this. I should have more information on this on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com. Check out my You-Tube videos as well. They are on the site as well. I have launched a newsletter to go along with the website so watch out for that.
Hit 'em long and straight and don't leave that birdie putt short.
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| The seventh hole at Stevinson Ranch. They have some great par threes. |
Monday, August 18, 2014
Money, Money, Money--Part 2
I am a little late with this post. I know that I said that I would write a companion post the day after I wrote Money, Money, Money Part 1, but things got a little hectic around here. Let's just say I went a little off task. I didn't get to play golf either. As a golfer/writer I thought that that would be the key to playing more golf, but what happens is that you become a writer first and golfer second. At any rate, I continue with my thoughts on the game and money as it applies to the decline in players.
In the 90's and early 2000's, golf and the economy was booming. The number of golf courses and the number of new players to the game rose in meteoric fashion. Players were there and money was not an object. New courses were built and the equipment business took off like a rocket. Demand was high, both for places to play and for the new equipment that the manufacturers were developing and marketing. A $350 driver was something every golfer wanted to have because it straightened out a slice or generated ten extra yards on the drive. New balls came out, each with a hefty price tag per ball or dozen. After all, we did want to play the ball the pros play on tour. Never mind that it didn't fit our game. Golf marketing was running amok, and as with equipment "If they built it, We would come". Green fees went through the roof as well, because there were not enough courses and money was plentiful. Golfers would pay, and they had money. They spent money on golf like drunken sailors.
We said hello to 2008. In essence, we went backward. The financial boon that had brought a huge growth in the world economy went bust and with it the expansion in players of golf came to an abrupt halt. There just weren't the financial resources. Let's see, if you have to make a choice between living in a house and paying rent as well as eating or playing golf, what responsible choice do you make. Golf suffered as the result. The money was no longer there. People just didn't have the money for a luxury like golf and left the game. As far as courses and golf real estate, "They did build it, and they didn't come.". They couldn't afford it.
One more thing that is true about this. The 30 something generation seems not to have time for a four and a half round of golf. My opinion of this is simple, I am not exactly sure of the validity of that argument but I'm not going to cover that here. I may talk about that in another post, we will see.
What are the solutions to this? We will talk about this in the next post. The industry is already taking the steps to change this.
My friends at The Club at Crazy Horse Ranch would really like to share their course with you. The course is in great shape and they would like you to stop by and try the course out. It is a lot of fun to play. You can see a lot of it on my YouTube Video which you will find on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com or go directly to YouTube at http://youtu.be/ZAF3Ve9VH_A to see it. The course is very green and the greens play fast and true. With its hills and valleys, it is a great layout and challenging to all levels of golfers.
Hit 'em long and straight, don't leave that birdie putt short.
In the 90's and early 2000's, golf and the economy was booming. The number of golf courses and the number of new players to the game rose in meteoric fashion. Players were there and money was not an object. New courses were built and the equipment business took off like a rocket. Demand was high, both for places to play and for the new equipment that the manufacturers were developing and marketing. A $350 driver was something every golfer wanted to have because it straightened out a slice or generated ten extra yards on the drive. New balls came out, each with a hefty price tag per ball or dozen. After all, we did want to play the ball the pros play on tour. Never mind that it didn't fit our game. Golf marketing was running amok, and as with equipment "If they built it, We would come". Green fees went through the roof as well, because there were not enough courses and money was plentiful. Golfers would pay, and they had money. They spent money on golf like drunken sailors.
We said hello to 2008. In essence, we went backward. The financial boon that had brought a huge growth in the world economy went bust and with it the expansion in players of golf came to an abrupt halt. There just weren't the financial resources. Let's see, if you have to make a choice between living in a house and paying rent as well as eating or playing golf, what responsible choice do you make. Golf suffered as the result. The money was no longer there. People just didn't have the money for a luxury like golf and left the game. As far as courses and golf real estate, "They did build it, and they didn't come.". They couldn't afford it.
One more thing that is true about this. The 30 something generation seems not to have time for a four and a half round of golf. My opinion of this is simple, I am not exactly sure of the validity of that argument but I'm not going to cover that here. I may talk about that in another post, we will see.
What are the solutions to this? We will talk about this in the next post. The industry is already taking the steps to change this.
My friends at The Club at Crazy Horse Ranch would really like to share their course with you. The course is in great shape and they would like you to stop by and try the course out. It is a lot of fun to play. You can see a lot of it on my YouTube Video which you will find on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com or go directly to YouTube at http://youtu.be/ZAF3Ve9VH_A to see it. The course is very green and the greens play fast and true. With its hills and valleys, it is a great layout and challenging to all levels of golfers.
Hit 'em long and straight, don't leave that birdie putt short.
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| Crazy Horse Ranch's Signature Fifth Hole. Par Three and downhill, make sure you don't overclub. |
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Changes--Three Great Courses, Three Great Changes
Vacation is over, sort of. I really wasn't on vacation per se. I have just been so busy with other things that I just haven't taken the time to sit down and write. My golf U-Tube and website business is starting to take off, so I have had to devote a lot of time to it. I do miss sharing with you and will be more consistent posting. The bottom line is that I really enjoy doing this.
Changes are hard in golf. Let's face it, we play a very conservative game that is slow to initiate and embrace change. There have been some evolutions in the game such as changes in the ball, different club heads, and putters but the basic game has not changed much. The idea is simple. Take a ball on a large patch of ground and try to get that ball in a hole several yards away in the least number of strokes possible.
Changes have been made nevertheless.
Three courses that I have played recently have entered the waters of change. All three courses have made some significant changes in different ways for the good of the game in this time of a slight decline in play. I think that the changes they have made are wise and help preserve the game. In the coming weeks, I will feature these courses in detail here on my blog but today I just wanted to mention the changes they are making. I congratulate them for their forward thinking and the changes they are making.
Stevinson Ranch outside of Merced, California has installed the TaylorMade 15 inch cup. Their greens are large and will accommodate two pin locations. At first, I was not a fan of the 15 inch pin, but I played in a tournament there July 4th and it was a kick. Let's face it folks, you still have to get the ball to the hole. In fact, your brain sort of overcompensates for that bigger hole. You have a tendency to leave the ball short of the hole. I know this very well as I missed three birdie putts short of the hole. You can see more of this on my U-Tube Video that I produced called Stevinson 15 (here's the URL http://youtu.be/_Kx3Qrv18IE). Take a look and I hope you enjoy it. I enjoyed the tournament and believe it or not playing the 15 inch hole. I wouldn't want a steady diet of it as I am a bit of a golf snob and purist, but it was fun.
DeLaveaga is located in the hills above Santa Cruz, California. Being on the coast of California it does get a lot of rain and for the most part is very lush and green. With this year's California drought, some decisions had to be made as to the amount of irrigation water to be put on the course and where best that water could be used given the limited supply. Yes, there are brown areas that are not being watered, but these areas for the most part don't come into play--or at least shouldn't-- and the course is in great shape. The landing areas and greens are still lush and green. Overall, they are doing a very good job of water management on a great course. Take a look on the U-Tube video I just did on DeLaveaga to explore more about the course (here's the URL http://youtu.be/pUzEB0tmzMQ).
Just east of Monterey lies the sleepy town of Salinas. My daughter used to live in Salinas and I used to play the public course there called Salinas Fairways. Outside of town was a private country club which I had always heard great things about but was unable to play. Why? Because it was private. I had heard that Salinas Country Club was one of the finest courses in the area. It was kind of the forbidden fruit and I longed to play it some day.
My how things change. Just recently I discovered that Salinas Country Club had opened to the public and had changed their name to The Club at Crazy Horse Ranch. This was done to increase outside play and as such to increase revenues to the course. I finally got to play it last week and what a gem it is. It took a lot of courage from the membership to open this beautiful course up to outside play, but it was a good decision for the good of the game and for the course. I congratulate them for this difficult decision and sharing this course with the public. Crazy horse has some magnificent views of the rolling hills and area around the course. You get a feel about how beautiful the course is on the U-Tube video I did for the course (here's the URL for that video (http://youtu.be/ZAF3Ve9VH_A).
If you are playing golf today, think of me. I am laid up here at home with a bad back, so it will be a while before I can play again. I look forward to that, but until then hit 'em long and straight. Don't leave that birdie putt short and don't forget to visit my website at http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com.
Changes are hard in golf. Let's face it, we play a very conservative game that is slow to initiate and embrace change. There have been some evolutions in the game such as changes in the ball, different club heads, and putters but the basic game has not changed much. The idea is simple. Take a ball on a large patch of ground and try to get that ball in a hole several yards away in the least number of strokes possible.
Changes have been made nevertheless.
Three courses that I have played recently have entered the waters of change. All three courses have made some significant changes in different ways for the good of the game in this time of a slight decline in play. I think that the changes they have made are wise and help preserve the game. In the coming weeks, I will feature these courses in detail here on my blog but today I just wanted to mention the changes they are making. I congratulate them for their forward thinking and the changes they are making.
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| Stevinson Ranch |
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| DeLaveaga |
Just east of Monterey lies the sleepy town of Salinas. My daughter used to live in Salinas and I used to play the public course there called Salinas Fairways. Outside of town was a private country club which I had always heard great things about but was unable to play. Why? Because it was private. I had heard that Salinas Country Club was one of the finest courses in the area. It was kind of the forbidden fruit and I longed to play it some day.
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| The Club At Crazy Horse Ranch |
If you are playing golf today, think of me. I am laid up here at home with a bad back, so it will be a while before I can play again. I look forward to that, but until then hit 'em long and straight. Don't leave that birdie putt short and don't forget to visit my website at http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Money, Money, Money--Part 1
Why the unusual title for this post you may ask? The reason is simple. Golf is on the decline as far is play and there are several reasons as I have talked about before. One of the main reasons for this decline is the cost of participating in the sport. Is golf pricing itself out of the market? I kind of think so.
Golf, as in other things in this world has pretty much forgotten basic economics. What comes into play here is the basic law of supply and demand. As golfers we would like to think that generally the law of supply and demand do not apply to golf, but it does. When the supply of a product goes up and the demand for that product goes down, what do you do to that product. That product has costs associated with it which must be covered, but the product is not being sold. What you do is to lower the cost to the consumer for that product to stimulate purchase or usage of the product or service. It's just that simple. Sorry I'm bothering you with this. I'm into this, I used to teach history.
I used to be in sales. If we had something that wasn't selling, what would we do. Yes, we made a lot of money when we sold a high ticket item with a steep price, but those sales were few and far between. Dollars were not changing hands and we still had the investment of the high priced item. A business is based on cash flow.
We would call this, "slow dime, fast nickel". What this means is you are making a lot of profit on the expensive item, but unless it sells it is a liability. Something that has less profit built into it makes you less money, but your money is being turned. You are generating fast revenue or profit. In other words, you don't make money unless it sells. When something wouldn't sell or was priced to high, we would lower the price or put it on what? ON SALE! Stay with me on this one, there will be a prize at the end.
How does this relate to golf? I will get into that tomorrow. Don't forget to check out my website at http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com. Hit 'em long and straight, don't leave that birdie putt short.
Golf, as in other things in this world has pretty much forgotten basic economics. What comes into play here is the basic law of supply and demand. As golfers we would like to think that generally the law of supply and demand do not apply to golf, but it does. When the supply of a product goes up and the demand for that product goes down, what do you do to that product. That product has costs associated with it which must be covered, but the product is not being sold. What you do is to lower the cost to the consumer for that product to stimulate purchase or usage of the product or service. It's just that simple. Sorry I'm bothering you with this. I'm into this, I used to teach history.
I used to be in sales. If we had something that wasn't selling, what would we do. Yes, we made a lot of money when we sold a high ticket item with a steep price, but those sales were few and far between. Dollars were not changing hands and we still had the investment of the high priced item. A business is based on cash flow.
We would call this, "slow dime, fast nickel". What this means is you are making a lot of profit on the expensive item, but unless it sells it is a liability. Something that has less profit built into it makes you less money, but your money is being turned. You are generating fast revenue or profit. In other words, you don't make money unless it sells. When something wouldn't sell or was priced to high, we would lower the price or put it on what? ON SALE! Stay with me on this one, there will be a prize at the end.
How does this relate to golf? I will get into that tomorrow. Don't forget to check out my website at http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com. Hit 'em long and straight, don't leave that birdie putt short.
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| The first tee at Bayonet. This is a great course in the Monterey area and right now are offering some great specials on green fees. |
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Goodbye Riverbend. I'm Glad I knew You
I am in mourning today. I didn't loose a close friend or relative, but I did loose something that was very special in my life for a very long time. Riverbend Golf Course has been sold and they have changed her name. She is no longer Riverbend but Dragonfly, and it is time to say goodbye to a good friend. With that said I say goodbye Riverbend and may you prosper in your new life as Dragonfly. What more can I say?
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| Goodbye my friend. I will miss you. |
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Another Favorite Course-Coronado
I just got finished producing a new U-Tube video of one of my favorite courses. this course will go on another one of my favorite course posts, but I wanted to share the video with you. Take a look at it. I am also going to post it on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com, so you can see it there as well. I'm proud of my videos. Here's the link: http://youtu.be/hVoPtxKiQJ8
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| The Starter Shack on the first tee at Coronado. |
My "Top Ten Favorite Courses I Have Played" List
You really have backed me into a corner. Many of you have asked me to commit to writing about my favorite ten courses. Let me get one thing straight. All the courses I have played are my favorite. If they have green grass, good greens, a good layout that is fair and some good fairways and I am playing them at the moment, it is my favorite. I know that that is very noncommittal, but sorry I love golf and the courses I play. So, if you ask me what my favorite course is, I would say the one I am playing right now.
I promised you a list of ten. Now remember, these are not in any particular order. Please also keep in mind that these are the courses I am thinking about that come to mind off the top of my head. The list is not comprehensive either. Here is my list.
1. Trump National Los Angeles: The layout of the course and the views of the Pacific Ocean will truly take your breath away. You can see more of this beautiful course by going to my website and reading about it as well as viewing the video. I want to go back and play it, even though the green fee is over $200. Check it out on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com.
2. Pacific Grove, Pacific Grove, Ca.: Yep, this really is a poor man't Pebble Beach. It is short, but can give you a headache if you can't make some shots. Views of the Pacific from the back nine will make you stop in mid round and take in all the beauty. The Pacific Ocean is right across the street and you can literally see and hear the waves crashing on the rocks. The course isn't anything to gripe about as well. It is a lot of fun and challenging.
3. Bayonet/Blackhorse, Seaside, Ca. (Monterey Area): It seems as though many of my favorite courses happen to be in Monterey. I'm sorry for that, but if you have ever been to Monterey and played golf, you know what I'm talking about. These tow courses are located on the former Fort Ord Army Base in the hills above Monterey which has been closed for a long time. The courses are now owned by The City Of Seaside and are open to the public. Both courses have been renovated and offer some great vistas of Monterey Bay. The courses aren't too shabby as well with some lush fairways which are lined by Monterey Cyprus trees and some great greens.
4. Monterey Pines, Monterey, Ca.: Shhhhh!!!!!Don't tell anyone about this one. This course is very well known to golfers who live in Monterey. They know this great track as "The Navy Course" as it is owned by The U.S. Navy and is located above the fairgrounds on the grounds of The Naval Post Graduate School. It is a short course, but very well maintained and tricky. The greens are always in great shape and the fairways are narrow. This course is truly Monterey's best kept golf secret.
5. Moro Bay Golf Course, Morro Bay, Ca.: I really love this course, not because of the beautiful views of Morro Bay and the fact that it is a kick to play but because I have decided that I am a very crazy person. With that said, if you are already crazy this case will not take you there because you already are crazy. It is a great layout, set in the pines above Morro Bay and Morro Bay State Park. I am not sure that there is a level lie on the course but the greens are what sets this course apart. You will be saying things like, "I swear that putt was uphill!" as you ball rolls ten feet past the hole on what was originally a two footer. How about, "Did that break right two feet? There's no way, just look at that. It has to break left.". Prepare for a lot of fun when you play Morro Bay.
6. Metro West, Orlando, Florida: I got to play this course when I was on vacation in Florida. The kids wanted to go to Disney World and I didn't because they wanted to go to a different kingdom than I did. I played golf here instead. I found it by accident. The course had some great greens, which were Bermuda by the way. It is an adventure putting on Bermuda Grass. I enjoyed this course very much and found out that grass grows very quickly in Florida and 85 degrees isn't necessarily 85 degrees.
7. Stevinson Ranch, Stevinson, Ca.: Out in what seems to be the middle of nowhere admidst the farmland, dairies and cattle ranches of the western Central Valley of California lies the little town of Stevinson. Who would of thought one of the best public golf courses in the United States would be located here. It is. Stevinson Ranch is a "links style" course which is a lot of fun to play. Although it is basically flat, there is a lot of areas you can get yourself into a ton of trouble. The greens here are large and undulating. What a kick in the pants. You can see more of Stevinson in pictures and work by going to my website at http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com where you can watch the video I shot there.
8. Ridge Creek, Dinuba, Ca.: Many of you will ask where in the world is Dinuba, Ca? It is a few miles south of Reedley out in the peach orchards. Is there a golf course there? Yes, there is and it is a good wone. It is owned by the City of Dinuba and you just wouldn't think that a smalltown would have such a great course. It does. This is a "links style" course which has the feel of a course in Scotland. Keep the ball on the fairway, and don't get into any of the fairway or greenside bunkers Laddie, or your score will certainly soar. The pro shop staff is very friendly and helpful. Hi Rosa, I'm going to come and take pictures of your course soon and do a video.
9. Sherwood Forest, Reedley, Ca.: Who would of thought that Reedley would have a course, let alone Dinuba. Whereas Ridge Creek is just out side of Dinuba, Sherwood Forest is out of town about 10 miles and set on the Kings River. The River runs though this course which is one of the most picturesque courses in the Central Valley. They built this course in a grove of 100 plus year old oak trees with the river running through the course and in play on several holes. The fifteenth is my favorite. What a beautiful and natural place for a golf course not on the ocean.
10. Riverside Golf Course, Fresno, Ca.: Home, what can I say. When E.T. says, "E.T. phone home." he means another planet. When I phone home, I call Riverside for a tee time. That's not true Denise, but it sounded good. At any rate, Riverside has been my home course for a long time except when I had my membership at River Bend in Madera. I grew up in golf on Riverside, and it is a great "Old Parkland Style Course". You can see more of Riverside at my website in my U-Tube page. Yes it was 108 degrees, but we loved every minute of playing this classic course.
That's basically it for now. You know I can't boil down all the courses I have played to my ten favorite, that is impossible. I haven't even scratched the surface. Stay tuned.
As I have mentioned, these courses are on my website. Some of the courses have videos, so go to my website and take a look. Got to http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com and take a look. Until next time, hit 'em long and straight. Of course, don't you dare leave that birdie putt short.
I promised you a list of ten. Now remember, these are not in any particular order. Please also keep in mind that these are the courses I am thinking about that come to mind off the top of my head. The list is not comprehensive either. Here is my list.
1. Trump National Los Angeles: The layout of the course and the views of the Pacific Ocean will truly take your breath away. You can see more of this beautiful course by going to my website and reading about it as well as viewing the video. I want to go back and play it, even though the green fee is over $200. Check it out on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com.
2. Pacific Grove, Pacific Grove, Ca.: Yep, this really is a poor man't Pebble Beach. It is short, but can give you a headache if you can't make some shots. Views of the Pacific from the back nine will make you stop in mid round and take in all the beauty. The Pacific Ocean is right across the street and you can literally see and hear the waves crashing on the rocks. The course isn't anything to gripe about as well. It is a lot of fun and challenging.
3. Bayonet/Blackhorse, Seaside, Ca. (Monterey Area): It seems as though many of my favorite courses happen to be in Monterey. I'm sorry for that, but if you have ever been to Monterey and played golf, you know what I'm talking about. These tow courses are located on the former Fort Ord Army Base in the hills above Monterey which has been closed for a long time. The courses are now owned by The City Of Seaside and are open to the public. Both courses have been renovated and offer some great vistas of Monterey Bay. The courses aren't too shabby as well with some lush fairways which are lined by Monterey Cyprus trees and some great greens.
4. Monterey Pines, Monterey, Ca.: Shhhhh!!!!!Don't tell anyone about this one. This course is very well known to golfers who live in Monterey. They know this great track as "The Navy Course" as it is owned by The U.S. Navy and is located above the fairgrounds on the grounds of The Naval Post Graduate School. It is a short course, but very well maintained and tricky. The greens are always in great shape and the fairways are narrow. This course is truly Monterey's best kept golf secret.
5. Moro Bay Golf Course, Morro Bay, Ca.: I really love this course, not because of the beautiful views of Morro Bay and the fact that it is a kick to play but because I have decided that I am a very crazy person. With that said, if you are already crazy this case will not take you there because you already are crazy. It is a great layout, set in the pines above Morro Bay and Morro Bay State Park. I am not sure that there is a level lie on the course but the greens are what sets this course apart. You will be saying things like, "I swear that putt was uphill!" as you ball rolls ten feet past the hole on what was originally a two footer. How about, "Did that break right two feet? There's no way, just look at that. It has to break left.". Prepare for a lot of fun when you play Morro Bay.
6. Metro West, Orlando, Florida: I got to play this course when I was on vacation in Florida. The kids wanted to go to Disney World and I didn't because they wanted to go to a different kingdom than I did. I played golf here instead. I found it by accident. The course had some great greens, which were Bermuda by the way. It is an adventure putting on Bermuda Grass. I enjoyed this course very much and found out that grass grows very quickly in Florida and 85 degrees isn't necessarily 85 degrees.
7. Stevinson Ranch, Stevinson, Ca.: Out in what seems to be the middle of nowhere admidst the farmland, dairies and cattle ranches of the western Central Valley of California lies the little town of Stevinson. Who would of thought one of the best public golf courses in the United States would be located here. It is. Stevinson Ranch is a "links style" course which is a lot of fun to play. Although it is basically flat, there is a lot of areas you can get yourself into a ton of trouble. The greens here are large and undulating. What a kick in the pants. You can see more of Stevinson in pictures and work by going to my website at http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com where you can watch the video I shot there.
8. Ridge Creek, Dinuba, Ca.: Many of you will ask where in the world is Dinuba, Ca? It is a few miles south of Reedley out in the peach orchards. Is there a golf course there? Yes, there is and it is a good wone. It is owned by the City of Dinuba and you just wouldn't think that a smalltown would have such a great course. It does. This is a "links style" course which has the feel of a course in Scotland. Keep the ball on the fairway, and don't get into any of the fairway or greenside bunkers Laddie, or your score will certainly soar. The pro shop staff is very friendly and helpful. Hi Rosa, I'm going to come and take pictures of your course soon and do a video.
9. Sherwood Forest, Reedley, Ca.: Who would of thought that Reedley would have a course, let alone Dinuba. Whereas Ridge Creek is just out side of Dinuba, Sherwood Forest is out of town about 10 miles and set on the Kings River. The River runs though this course which is one of the most picturesque courses in the Central Valley. They built this course in a grove of 100 plus year old oak trees with the river running through the course and in play on several holes. The fifteenth is my favorite. What a beautiful and natural place for a golf course not on the ocean.
10. Riverside Golf Course, Fresno, Ca.: Home, what can I say. When E.T. says, "E.T. phone home." he means another planet. When I phone home, I call Riverside for a tee time. That's not true Denise, but it sounded good. At any rate, Riverside has been my home course for a long time except when I had my membership at River Bend in Madera. I grew up in golf on Riverside, and it is a great "Old Parkland Style Course". You can see more of Riverside at my website in my U-Tube page. Yes it was 108 degrees, but we loved every minute of playing this classic course.
That's basically it for now. You know I can't boil down all the courses I have played to my ten favorite, that is impossible. I haven't even scratched the surface. Stay tuned.
As I have mentioned, these courses are on my website. Some of the courses have videos, so go to my website and take a look. Got to http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com and take a look. Until next time, hit 'em long and straight. Of course, don't you dare leave that birdie putt short.
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| The short par four 8th at Stevinson Ranch. And the hits just keep on comin'. |
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