2008 Golf Season

Officially under way with the opening round of the 72nd Master's behind us...not a better time to start talking golf. This season is going to be great...I already have a line up of club reviews planned mainly in the hybrid category and an excellent golf getaway planned for either the #1 golf destination in North America...Vancouver Island or one of my personal favourites the Okanagan. And of course I'll slip in Whistler (don't tell the wife).

King's Links Golf Special

King's Links is offering 4 more days on their special rate of $39.00. The reason for the cheap rate is due to the greens being punched. This special deal is only on from April 14-17. I like this course so much I would even play on punched greens there.

Callaway X Fairway 5 wood review

My 5 wood Callaway X Fairway wood 19 degrees was another great club. This one went directly into by bag. I found it very easy to hit.

This should be considered a neutral club but I pretty much hit a draw with this club. Probably one of only a few summer highlights type shots was with this stainless steel secret weapon….I out drove two buddies and they were using drivers. I rolled out to 245 yards with a nice soft draw.

This club is also on the Golf Digest Hot List 2007.

Club Review: Callaway X-460

My new driver the Callaway X-460 Titanium Tour Driver 9.5 degrees is the best club purchase of the year too date. It cost $238.00 and added approximately 25 yards to my drive...now flying 250 yards and rolling out up to 270-280 yards and this is under winter conditions.

I cannot wait for summer golf and just maybe under the ideal conditions a 300 yard drive...oh ya!!

The first time I used this club was in a fall golf tourney. It impressed my buddy so much he was out buying on Monday morning.

This club is on the Golf Digest Hot List 2007 and is currently selling for less than what I paid.

Morgan Creek

One of my last great golfing times of the summer was at Morgan Creek golf and country club. I happened upon a great deal emailed to me by Last Minute tee times. We were able to play for $58.50 including the pull cart. This was a great deal and couldn't’t be missed.

Morgan Creek is located in South Surrey and is a short drive from the Peach Arch border crossing. The course is situated within a beautiful upscale community. Many of the houses surrounding the course have the extra parking stall built into their houses for their golf cart. How sweet is that.

Morgan Creek is designed by Thomas McBroom and is ranked Top 50 in Canada by Score Magazine. This course is the best course I’ve played in British Columbia hands down. The conditions of the grass were so perfect, I wanted to take off my shoes and go barefoot. The tee boxes were all big and nicely leveled. The greens were blazing fast.

The course is also very walkable for those who enjoy walking, like I do. The staff in the deluxe clubhouse were very nice and they also have cart girls.

Morgan Creek is said to have a state of the art drainage system, so I expect to try some Fall golf on this course.

The end of summer golf.

I haven't been writing for awhile, but its been one busy end of summer and back to school.

I must say I've been playing alot of the same courses also. I have become addicted to the King's Links. Playing a links course is a great challenge and I can't get enough of it. Every time you go play it, its different. Some days you get 220-230yard 4iron shot thanks to the conditions. Other times the wind just works against you and makes you scratch your head.

Another great course I played recently for the first time was Morgan Creek in South Surrey. Overall it was the best course I played all summer. And I got a great last minute tee time to boot. Sign up for Last Minute Tee Times to catch these great deals.

Course Review - Whislter Golf Club

While shopping in Costco I came upon a pass for the Whistler Golf Club. For $99.00 you get your round of golf with no blackout restrictions, power cart and range balls.

My buddy and I decided to take up this deal. After all if its Whistler its got to be good...right?

The course is an Arnold Palmer design and has won many awards like #27 of the top 100 public or resort courses in Canada – Globe and Mail and Top 20 Greatest Golf Destinations – Golf Digest. Unfortunately I'm not so convinced of these accolades. Arnold Palmer should do a review of the courses that still quote his name. He may be disappointed. While the course is nestled within the beautiful mountain vistas with huge cedars, the encroachment of housing all around the course takes away from that overall appearance.

Whilster Golf Club is a totally walkable, flat course. Our round took close to 5 hours to play. We waited on at least 9 of the 18 holes. It could be blamed on a bad combination of rain and very slow players. Speaking of rain - the course will not refund your money due to the bad weather. We wanted to cancel due to the weather and they said they would still charge us for the round with your credit card number which you must give to get a tee time reservation.

The course condition was not the greatest. As usual these courses always fail to warn you when a hole is under construction when you book a tee time. The 18th was closed and there was lots of machinery on the course. We had to end on the 17th par 3, which took away from the overall golf experience of playing a memorable hole 18. Ending your game with a par 3, par 4 and then a par 3 is so uneventful. The fairways had grass clippings everywhere and it was hard to find a level spot on the tee boxes. The greens were nice though.

As for warm up facilities there is a putting green, chipping area and a driving range that uses mats. They give you a shuttle ride over to the practice area. The staff taking you over to the range was a volunteer, who does this to get free playing time.

What was the most annoying was not being able to purchase a beer after the round. The staff told us they were too busy setting up for a wedding. I guess I should have been glad as the price for two beers was $14.00 or six beers for $26.00. In fact everything was overpriced. A warm up coat that was at Golftown for $39.99 on sale was on their rack for $349.00. The only difference was they had Whistler Golf Club embroidered on it.

As much as I looked forward to golfing in "Whistler" I would only ever rate it a 6 out of 10. Next time I drive that long I'll be checking out Big SkyG&CC or Chateau Whistler which I played and loved.

Course Review - Guildford Golf and Country Club

My golf buddies and I decided to try out Guildford Golf and Country Club's weekday special. After 12:00 the green fee is $38.00 with your golf cart. It seemed like a good deal til we started golfing.

If you like a good pre-game warm-up this course doesn't offer much. There is only a putting green and a net to shoot your ball into. If you really want a driving range you need to go directly across the street to Eaglequest at Coyote Creek to hit some balls.

This course took over 5 hours to play. It was hard to get any rhythm going as we had to wait on every hole. Unfortunately we didn't see any golf Marshall's until the 18th hole.

I would rate the fairways as decent and the greens as lousy. They were so slow. And to make matters worse players and grounds crews weren't fixing any of the ball marks on the greens.

Guildford also has large power line towers running through the course. It makes for an ugly view.

Older people may like a cart on this course as there are lots of elevation changes. It's a nice workout if you like to walk.

As for the staff and amenities, they were also poor. I hate when they try to serve me sub par food. Is it too much to have a cooked not raw hot dog?

Sometimes getting the best deal isn't worth it. When it comes to golf you really seem to get what you pay for. It seems Guildford is more interested in having the register ring than catering to the overall golf experience.

Course Review - Hazelmere Golf & Country Club

Hazelmere G &CC is located in South Surrey. This is the course the Greater Vancouver Charity Classic was played at in June of this year. Since such a big tournament was recently played there, I was expecting the course to be in great shape. Boy, was I surprised and it wasn't a good one.

Hazelmere has nice staff and great warm up facilities. The range had grass tees and a covered mat area. There is also a nice putting green to practice on. They also make an awesome Salmon burger inside.

The problem with this course rested in the condition. This is the time of year when you expect courses to be in their best shape, but Hazelmere was a disappointment. All the greens were topped dressed and aerated, unfortunately staff failed to tell us this when booking our tee time. At the very least, courses should give a discount and warning when this is being done. The fairways had grass clippings everywhere and all low lying areas or by sprinkler heads were so soggy the ball would plug.

Hazelemere is very walkable with few elevation changes and it took us about 5 hours to play as we waited on more than 1/2 the holes.

My favourite hole was #18 as I new the round was finally over. Just joking- the best had to be #8. The tee off was a narrow shoot lined with trees. It had a U.S. open feel to that hole until my ball plugged in the fairway off the tee.

The price to golf was $52.70 with a pull cart, but I can't see myself going there anytime soon.

Course Review- Kings Links by the Sea

After watching the British Open, I had to play a links course. Luckily in the Lower Mainland, you can drive to Boundary Bay in Delta and play the Kings Links by the Sea. It's very easy to get to, just on the other side of the Massey tunnel or over the Alex Fraser bridge and up Hwy 99.

I've been hearing about this course for awhile; but have being leery of playing it. The King's Links is owned by the King of Floors. You may have seen his commercial with Sir Scruffy on T.V.

I was pleased when I arrived at the course. It was a true links. Some of the trees were even bent over sideways. Even though the weather was cloudy and looked like it would rain, I couldn't wait to play. After all rotten weather is what makes it an authentic links experience.

The only thing this course was missing was a castle for a clubhouse instead of the portable style buildings. The staff was pleasant and the grounds crew had the fairways and greens in good condition. It should be noted that the Boundary Bay airport is nearby and you do notice the sound of the small planes taking off.

I found this course difficult to play, partially due to the rain and also because the fescue is intimidating and the greens are not level. Luckily the fairways are quite generous in width.

My favourite hole was the 18th. It was 411 yards from the blues and was flanked by water down the right side and bunkers around the green.

I think anyone who wants to challenge their level of play should check this course out. Although it was not my best score, I want to play it again to see if I can do better next time. It took us just over 4 hours to play and the cost was $51.95 for the twilight rate.

Championship Golf Giveaway II

Sharpgolf.ca is having a great contest right now. You can enter to win:
A Sharp AQUOS 46” 1080P LCD TV;
A Callaway Golf Big Bertha 460 Driver, a set of Big Bertha Irons and a Big Bertha Cart Bag;
Flights to Toronto, 2 rounds of golf and accommodations;
Custom fitting at Callaway Golf Canada Performance Centre.
You can also play the weekly putting challenge to win great instant prizes.

The Open inspired me to play the links...

Watching the British Open was very inspiring. So inspiring I went and played a links course on Saturday night twilight. Too add to the authentic feel it started to rain, but our group stayed and persevered. The only group to stay and play I might add. I have a real respect for the players at Carnoustie now. The links is killer. Nearly every hole not only tested your golfing skills but also the imagination.

This morning we watched the open on the edge of our seats. To quote my wife "this has more twists and suspense than my soap opera.." I was bummed for Sergio as he seems to always be a bridesmaid, but on the other hand I loved that an Irishman won the claret jug.
Coming up I'll have a review and some photos of that links course I played - King's Links. Stayed tuned.

Baby laughing at the Wii Golf Game

This video is a great demonstration on why the Wii Golf Game is so cool.

Save the new club for the range.

I learned a valuable lesson today...save the new club for the range.

I just unwrapped my new Callaway FT-5 driver . It looked so good I couldn't resist swinging in my living room.

Crack! I busted the glass shade on my track lighting over the fireplace. Needless to say I'm in the doghouse now. The wifey was not impressed, especially when they had no replacement shade on the net or at home depot.

Betting on the British Open

The British Open is starting tomorrow. Pinnaclesports.com has listed the odds of winning this tournament.

Tiger Woods is of course number 1 on this list. The next few spots are the usual big names including Els, Mickelson and Furyk.

While the odds of choosing a correct pick are extremely difficult, the payout if you can pick that underdog to pull up and win could buy you a new car.

It appears there are only two Canadians on the list being Ames and Weir. I wouldn't put my money on them. For me a long shot pick would be Graham McDowell. A safer bet - maybe Furyk or Harrington.

I must say this is one of my favourite golf tournaments. These courses with the burn and gusty winds put the best golfers to the test.

I was one lazy golfer....

I was one lazy golfer this weekend. I did it all from my couch. It started with watching Phil Mickelson blow his chance to win the Scottish Open. I then played golf on my video games. Believe it not I was golfed out. I had played 7 rounds in 12 days and needed a rest. Besides that my wallet was empty.
I've always been a fan of golf video games. I think my first golf game was Mario golf on the Nitendo. With Nitendo 64 came Wailea Golf and then Tiger Woods golf came out. I've played Tiger Woods on the PC and on gaming systems. It is definately the best in the genre. Customization of characters or using a PGA pro is a great feature. You can even play golf on the handhelds. With the Nintendo DS you take the stylus pen and draw a swoop on the screen to emmulate the golf shot. It can actually be very difficult to master.
I think the new Wii system will revolution the golf game, as you hold the remote like a golf club and actually go through the motion of a golf swing.

Course Review - Green Acres

I golfed Green Acres in Richmond this week. It was a shotgun start at 8:00 o’clock in the morning. They were having a tournament in the afternoon and the course was closed until after dinner for the public. This way they optimize revenue for the day, having two groups on every tee waiting for the 8 o’clock horn to signal the start.

The fairway’s and tee boxes were in good shape, while the greens may have needed cutting since they were quite slow and inconsistent. These greens are usually tougher since they are very small compared to other courses and resemble an upside down plate with everything rolling off the edges, demanding an accurate approach shot. Once on the green the ball was hoping all over the place while moving at a snails pace.

It seems at times Green Acres is located at Grand Central Station; On 7 out of 18 holes, traffic noise can be very distracting. Let’s not forget the overhead traffic from the airport; it seems relentless and at times you think they may be using one of the fairways for a landing.

From the tips it is a short course, measuring just over 6000 yards. The course is definitely walkable as there aren’t any elevation changes on the entire course.

The staff was nice and courteous making sure all the groups got to the proper starting hole as this isn’t always an easy task. Lunch was average as I only had a tuna sandwich and a bottle of coke.

The cost was $48.50 with a pull cart and it was a quick round at 3hrs + 45 min. I shot an 84 and my favorite hole was number 1 since I wasn’t distracted by any of the traffic noises.

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Club Review - Toski T-58

The reason I chose Toski irons was because of the positive experience I gained from my first set. The Toski Catalyst irons; they have oversized cavity backs with an offset and extreme perimeter weighting which allows for forgiveness off mis-hits.

To my surprise all the golf stores I had been to did not carry Toski irons; thank God for the internet. The hunt for these irons led me to Golftech Canada and the master club maker Garry. He not only recommends the Toski T-58 tour irons, he also uses them himself. After a couple of e-mails and an hour and a half fitting session, I soon had my new irons and they were exactly fitted for me – shaft type, flex, length and grip size. You just don’t get this type of craftsmanship and attention to detail buying clubs off the shelf from a golf store.

Golftech ended up costing me $535.00 taxes included for ten clubs (3-sandwedge). This is an excellent value. The Toski T-58 tour irons have a traditional blade profile in a slightly oversized design, with the advantage of game improvement features. They have a channel undercut cavity back with a wider sole for maximum forgiveness and are cast from 431 stainless steel and heat treated for a softer feel at impact. I have since played three rounds with these irons. I shot an 84 at Northview, an 83 at Langara and a 73 at Delta. These clubs are fantastic and have definitely improved my scores. Before going to the golf store and impulsively buying new irons maybe consider having them fitted at Golftech Canada; Garry delivers around the globe. For all the local golfers in the Greater Vancouver area, Golftech Canada is located in Coquitlam, even more savings as there are no shipping and handling fees.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Garry for doing a great job and allowing me to improve my game. Thanks Garry, I look forward to future business with you since I have 3 young ladies needing clubs soon.

Kids Golfed for Free

Yesterday we took advantage of the Kids Golf Free program. We went to Peace Portal Par 3 in South Surrey. We had a great time. The weather was perfect and the course was in nice shape. This Par 3 is great for beginners and kids. There are a variety of tee shots with plenty of elevation changes and some small water hazards.

Vancouver Public Golf Course - Fraserview

This is one of my personal favorite courses, since this is where I started to play golf and have my best score a 78.

Fraserview is a mature course and has been around since the late 1940’s. Once you start to walk the generous fairways it is very easy to forget you are in the midst of one of Canada’s largest cities.

The course is in excellent shape, I don’t remember ever seeing Fraserview look so well maintained. The tee boxes, the fairways and the greens all get the thumbs up. The fairways and the greens are very large with forgiving landing areas. The greens are definitely the most challenging part of the course and require some local knowledge to ensure you don’t lose too many strokes. I ended up with four 3 putts all resulting in bogeys, with at least 5 or 6 lip outs. I was having a tough time with the speed of my putts as the greens were fast and breaking toward the Fraser River.

This course has a driving range, chipping green and a warm-up putting green to prepare you for your round. My favorite hole is #18, a par 5. You will need an extra club on your approach shot to the green as you cross a ravine that doesn’t look like much but the wind races through there at a good clip.

I had a great time golfing Fraserview and I shot an 85. The cost was $63.00 with a pull cart. It took 4hrs and 25 min to complete our round which is a fair time as Fraserview has the reputation to overcrowd the course and it isn’t unusual to have a 5 hour round on the weekend. The staff was friendly and I had an excellent lunch that they made fresh while I waited.