Qwowi.com » Golf Blog

Saratoga Area Golf Courses Offering Fall Discounts

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:54:14 +0000

As most Saratoga area golfers know, when the leaves start to drop, golf course prices almost always follow. Although not every local course has announced discounts, some of my favorites in the area are offering some really great deals. Here’s a quick rundown of what I’ve found thus far:

Kingswood (Hudson Falls)
$25 – All the golf you can play
Includes cart
After 1 PM, Valid 7 days a week

Fairways of Halfmoon (Halfmoon/Clifton Park)
$25 – 18 holes
Includes cart, soup, and sandwich
Valid Monday – Friday anytime

Saratoga Lake Golf (Saratoga/Malta)
$18 – 18 holes
Cart is not included
Valid Monday – Friday

Hiland Park Country Club (Queensbury)
$30 – 18 holes
Cart Included
Valid Monday – Thursday ($40 weekend)

Airway Meadows (Saratoga/Gansevoort)
$32 – 18 holes
Cart Included
Monday – Thursday

Pioneer Hills (Ballston Spa)
$25 – 18 holes
Cart Included
Valid Anytime

These rates are directly from each course’s website. I suspect other courses are offering similar discounts, but for now you’ll need to check fall rates. Van Patten, for example, usually offers fall discounts, however; they have not updated their website since early May.

For those hoping for discounts at Saratoga National; I checked with the Proshop earlier this week, and unfortunately rates are holding steady at $150 (Monday – Thursday) and $130 (Friday – Sunday). Twilight rates kick in at 2PM and are $105 (Monday – Wednesday) and $115 (Thursday – Sunday). While golf rates at National could be better, a little birdie (twitter reference) told me that they will be offering a draft beer and sliders for $10 during any MLB postseason game.

Tark's Indoor Golf Club in Saratoga will feature the area's only SimSurround golf simulator. The SimSurround offers the most immersive, and realistic indoor golf experience available today.

While the bad news is that fall always signals the beginning of the end of the golf season, I couldn’t be more excited about the new indoor golf club opening for play on West Ave. in Saratoga this November. Tarks Indoor Golf Club will initially offer 5 simulators (including the area’s only SimSurround system), each with 48 courses to choose from. Leagues are already forming, so I’d recommend you reserve your spot now. Tark’s is conveniently located just a Par 5′s distance from downtown Saratoga, Tark’s is just a short drive from Albany, Clifton Park, and all points in between. In addition to their website, you can follow Tarks’ on both Facebook and Twitter.

Moonsoons, Ticks, and the Summer of George

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:30:58 +0000

As we learned from George Costanza, sometimes summer doesn’t turn out exactly how we plan…

Seinfeld fans will remember the Summer of George. George had plans to do things his way for an entire summer. Much like they have for me, things didn't quite turn out as planned.

This year I thought maybe, just maybe I’d be able to sneak in the 50 rounds of golf I managed to play several seasons ago. Of course, I think that every year, but with an early Spring that allowed for a handful of rounds before the first of April, I was well on my way. Granted I didn’t card a sub-100 round on any of those early trips to the golf course, but I really felt like my game was close.

I got 4 more rounds in over a 4 day trip to Ocean City, and suddenly 50 rounds seemed easily attainable. Of course, I didn’t break 100 there either, but I still felt like my game was close…really…I mean really close.

Shortly after returning from Ocean City, everything came together. I posted 9 hole scores of 38, 40, and 41. I was hitting fairways, hitting greens (or at least coming really close), my short game was solid, and I was putting extremely well. For a three week stretch, I was playing the best golf of my life…and then it happened. I hit a repulsive little hosel-knocker that ended up in the woods. I dropped a ball and hit another…and then another. Before I knew it, I had a full blown severe case of the shanks.

The shanks aren’t like a cold or the flu. There are no early symptoms, no warning signs. They’re more like a lightning strike. One minute your fine, the next you’re frazzled and fried. For a golfer they’re more debilitating than the yips. What I learned from my first two bouts with the shanks is that for all the recommended cures, the only way to actually cure them is to play through them. So play through them is what I tried to do. After the better part of a month, well over $100 in greens fees, and $50 worth of golf balls, I still had the shanks. I couldn’t sink a putt from outside 4 feet, and to make matters worse, it was raining…and raining…and raining.

This little guy may not look like much, but his bite is the only thing I've found that can actually cure the shanks. Unfortunately he put me on my ass for the better part of a month too.

Things certainly weren’t going as planned with my golf game, and then, almost mercifully, about a month and a half ago (at least that’s my best guess), I was bitten by a tick and infected with Lyme disease.

Now I generally wouldn’t recommend Lyme disease to anyone. Between the chills, the body aches, and the fatigue there really isn’t a ton of fun to be had. While Bell’s Palsy might be the perfect tool for the aspiring pirate (or for those who simply enjoy scaring small children), it’s a condition that makes it extremely difficult to eat and even speak (truth be told, I think my wife enjoyed the quiet). The combination did, however, keep me off the golf course for nearly a month. Just so I’m clear, I am not advocating for Lyme disease, but I must admit, it’s the only thing I’ve found that can actually cure the shanks.

Even with Bell's Palsy I tried to stay positive and keep a smile on my face.

So that’s where we are now, I suppose. We’re a couple flips away from August (Track Season!), but I’m recovered, back on a golf course, and just recently carded a 9 hole 41 (the front 9 was probably a 60, so we won’t talk about that). My short game is still good. I’ve gone back to a belly putter to fix my putting, and I’m going to bring in some professional help to help with the long irons and fairway woods.

I’ve started a new fitness program inspired by Jaacob at Swingman Golf. I’ve got some great new toys like The Original Putt Trainer, and the Swing Fan (thanks to Dane over at GolfTrainingAids.com), to supplement my TourStriker. I’ve got a sweet new set of Mizuno MP-52 irons that I won over at MyGolfSpy.com. The Callaway Tour Van will be in town in a couple of weeks as well, so I’m starting to think it might be time for a new driver. Most importantly though, I’ve committed to playing and practicing more (even if it is still raining).

If there’s a bright spot it’s that I’m less than a month away from what I hope will be the Ultimate Golf Staycation. I’ve got tournament scheduled. I’ve got rounds tentatively planned for Saratoga National and Turning Stone. With some luck I might even get up to the Sagamore. I’m hoping to supplement those rounds with some more affordably priced rounds at courses like Orchard Creek and the Fairways of Halfmoon. I’m totally convinced it’s going to stop raining – if only because it has too. I’ve missed out on a far too much golf this season, and I’ve got some catching up to do. I don’t know if I can reasonably make up nearly 2 months of rain-shortened, tick-infected, golf in one week, but I’m damn sure going to try.

Saratoga National Goes Above and Beyond…for an idiot

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:50:03 +0000

My wife and I aren’t sentimental about things like birthdays and Christmas. Our anniversary usually involves dinner, but for the most part, we don’t do the whole “gift thing”. We’re both pragmatists. Any money for gifts would get pulled from the communal pool, so our thinking is more along the lines of “happy birthday, go buy yourself something you want”. Traditionalists might find our lack of sentimentality abhorrent, but it works well for us. Besides, from time to time, for the sake of surprise, each of us has been known to break our no gifts policy. Such was the case a few Christmases ago when I bought my wife the set of Calphalon pots and pans she’d be lusting for (she loves to cook), and such was the case last December when my wife bought me a gift card for my favorite area golf course; Saratoga National.

I’ll save the full review of Saratoga National for a later date. For background purposes, I’ll just say that Saratoga National offers the finest public golf in New York’s Capital District – actually probably the finest golf between New York City and Canada (although one could certainly make a case for the Donald Ross designed Sagamore in Bolton Landing). Saratoga National is on par with the 3 outstanding Turning Stone courses just 2 hours to the West, but for the trouble of a 15 minute car ride, there’s nothing near me that even remotely compares. National is where I like to play when friends come to visit from out of town…even if it does cost $185 a round during the peak August season. Rest assured, as soon as I come up with $4500 I don’t know what else to do with (or that my wife doesn’t know about), I’ll sign up for one of their preferred customer programs. In the meantime, I play when I can.

So now that you know about my wife and I and our shared lack of sentimentality, and a bit about my favorite local golf course, here’s what happened:

I was checking out the Saratoga National website (my college roommate is coming to town in August, and I’ve got that anniversary dinner past due) when I noticed Saratoga National was on Twitter. Hoping they might use Twitter to offer ridiculous discounts (a boy can dream), I started following them. Not long after that I got to thinking about that gift card my wife bought me back in December (as I said, my roommate is coming into town, so I’m going to need it). I searched high and low in all of my usual stashing places. I checked the junk drawer, the gift certificate pile, even my workbench in the basement where miscellaneous golf stuff sometimes piles up. After more or less ripping my house apart I came up empty. My wife got in on the action; checking file cabinets, folder, envelopes, and the stacks of papers that we probably should have dealt with months ago. She too came up empty. $100 towards a round of golf (or dinner) at Saratoga National was gone. Frustrated, I posted on Twitter, “If you were my Saratoga National gift card, where would you be”? You know…just in case my gift card had its own Twitter account.

Much to my surprise, Kristin, who handles all things social media related for the golf course, sent me a tweet asking about my gift card, and offering to help. By help, of course, I don’t mean she offered to show up at my door to continue the search (that would have been weird, but given my level of desperation, I wouldn’t have turned her down). Nope, instead she asked me for some basic information (purchase date, last 4 or the credit card, etc.). It took a little bit of time (mostly because the search on their involved the Director of Golf, and Claire from the billing department), but much to my awe, a replacement gift card did arrive at my doorstep not too long ago. How awesome is that?

Here’s the thing. I’m an idiot (or maybe my wife is an idiot). One way or another one of us (probably me) lost the gift card. I certainly wasn’t about to call Saratoga National to see if they’d replace it (why would they…they mailed it to me, and then I lost it), so I was completely blown when Kristin reached out, on Twitter of all places, and offered to replace the card. They already had my money. There was absolutely no reason why anyone at National needed to do me any favors. They’re sitting on the best golf course in the area. They’ve got one of the best restaurants in town. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that they’re sitting on the prime real estate that is just about anything in Saratoga come August. Simply put, they’ve got the goods – and they’ve got it regardless of whether or not they replace a gift card that some moron misplaced. And yet despite having every reason do do nothing, Saratoga National made it better than right.

So whether you want to chalk one up to the power of Twitter, or simply comment that customer service isn’t dead after all; color me more than impressed by the staff at the most impressive golf course in town. I’ve commented numerous times on my not so warm and fuzzy feelings towards a few local golf courses where the staff has made me feel like they’re doing me the favor of a lifetime by allowing me to play their $30 a round goat pasture. Having the exact opposite experience from a golf course where it actually feels like a privilege to play, well…wow.

In the past I’ve struggled to find the superlatives to describe the course, and now the same is true of the staff. So to Kristin, Claire, and everyone else at Saratoga National who does more than needs to be done to keep their customers happy, let me just say thank you. I’ll be visiting soon.

Find out more about the golf course and Prime Restaurant at www.golfsaratoga.com

PUMA Golf Announces 2009 Special Edition Collection

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:32:57 +0000

In the span of just a few short months (5 if you’re looking for specifics), I’ve gone from basically not knowing that PUMA even made golf apparel to loving just about everything they make (don’t make me give you a list). I’m a fanboy. Whatever. What’s it to you? Anyway, my buddies at PUMA have just announced the availability of their 2009 Special Edition Collection, which amounts to a fashion-forward study in black and white.

Now I’ll grant you that black and white is often boring (there’s a reason why your TV’s got color), but this is PUMA we’re talking about, and as PUMA fans know, PUMA doesn’t do boring. What PUMA tells me about the Special Edition Collection is that that each piece is “done up in premium fabrics, luxe finishes, and an attention to detail that’s second to none”. Now once upon a time I thought spandex was a premium fabric (it’s so stretchy), and I still couldn’t tell you what a luxe finish is, but what I do know is that the Black & White collection from PUMA is hotter than Tiger Woods after a double bogey -- and I want it -- All of it.

Did you watch the US Open? Did you see Geoff Ogilvy? How about Johan Edfors? Actually, if you did, you’ve seen some of cornerstone pieces of the SE collection. You’ve gotta love the new Invisibonding Polos (see Ogilvy & Edfors), the new Cut Out Belt, and of course, the Swing Crown GTX White (my personal favorite from the collection). Also worth an immediate mention are a handbag for the ladies, and two seriously sexy golf bags (even if it they are $800). Yeah…that’s right, I think golf bags are sexy. Again, what’s it to you?

PUMA apparently thinks you can have too much of a good thing, so the Special Edition Collection is available in limited quantities and only from FairwayStyles.com (my new favorite golf apparel site), as well as in a select group of retailers nationwide, including Olympic Golf (Los Angeles, CA) and Golf Headquarters (Reno, NV).

I’ve attached the full press release below, but before you get to that, check out the PUMA Brigade in action at the US Open. How do I get that job?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=quX-G901nIk

PUMA^® GOLF GOES FROM THE GREEN TO BLACK AND WHITE
Black Meets White On and Off the Green

Westford, Massachusetts – You’ve seen gold in 2007, you’ve seen chrome in 2008, and, in 2009, PUMA^® Golf is stepping it up again. The 2009 Golf Special Edition Collection makes a bold statement in pearlized black and white. Classic and simple, the collection has an “all or nothing” approach when it comes to style.

A study in contrasts, the black and white details of each piece give the collection a luxurious touch. Using premium fabrication and intricate detailing, PUMA Golf continues to produce the lightest and most versatile golf products for on and off the course. With the mix of texture and surface finishes and matte and shine fabrications, each piece transitions easily from the clubhouse to the club.

Key Highlights from the 2009 Special Edition Collection

Footwear
Power through the course with speed and edge. The Swing Crown GTX White features all the benefits of the original Swing style – Smart Quill technology for ultimate traction, comfort and a more lightweight feel – but with an added advantage: the powercage. This extra medial arch support will help shore up your swing; but with its sleek, minimalist design, you’ll barely know it’s there. You can tell your competitors, it must be the magic feet!

Apparel
Play like a pro in the Golf SE Invisibonding Polo, available in styles for both men and women. Featuring PUMA’s innovative new seamless technology, the polo’s unique color contrast is sure to turn heads.

Early morning tee time? Don’t forget to grab the Golf Special Edition Sweater to ward off the chill. The comfortable yet stylish cotton sweater is ideal for layering. Never bulky or cumbersome, it’s ideal for layering with the PUMA Golf Polo. The sleek, stylish lightweight design allows for ease of movement. Ribbing along the hem and cuffs and a PUMA Golf 18-hole graphic tee creates a relaxed but sophisticated look on or off the course.

PUMA’s Golf SE Invisibonding Polo for women offers a longer length body form that creates a streamlined silhouette, allowing for increased comfort. Pleated puff sleeves add a feminine touch, and the top’s bold color contrast will turn heads up and down the fairway.

Accessories
Happy clubs equal a happy golfer. With the bold SE Staff Bag, even the rustiest of nine irons gets a facelift. This Special Edition collection centerpiece commands attention on the course, with a sharp black and white block print and exceptionally durable construction. The bag features a 14-way, full-length divider system with a velvet lined top. With the SE Staff Bag in tow, you’re sure to develop a reputation as a fashion-forward golf guru.

Ladies, get ready to look good on and off the course and push style to the limit with the Golf Handbag SE. This versatile and inclusive design features a two-way zip opening into a main compartment, slip-in pocket and mobile-phone pocket inside. The traditional silhouette is constructed from soft leather in black and white contrasting colors. It’s the perfect accessory for going from the clubhouse to the club.

QwowiGolf’s 2009 Father’s Day Gift Guide

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 10:51:41 +0000

Over the next couple weeks I’ll be rolling out a handful of reviews of golf products; each and every one of which I think would make a totally awesome father’s day gift. The stuff in this year’s guide is so cool it almost makes me wish I had a couple of ungrateful kids of my very own. Of course, I should mention that, while I think everything on this list would make a perfect gift for that golfing dad (or grad) in your life, there’s absolutely no reason why any of these golf goodies wouldn’t make a nice gift for that other special someone; you.

Check back often as new stuff will be added every few days. I’ve gone out of my way to make sure there’s a good mix of the affordable (under $20), the high-end ($300) and some stuff in between. Keep in mind, this isn’t some quick little list full of marketing garbage information. I’ve personally thoroughly tested (although you’ll see the word “tested” does leave some room for interpretation) all of the items in this guide, and they wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think they were good enough for dad.

PUMA Swing Crown GTX

What: High-performance, ultra-light, turf grabbing spikes with classic PUMA style. Seriously sexy golf shoes.

Why: The lightest, most comfortable golf shoe I’ve worn; EVER! Doesn’t dad deserve the ultimate in comfort and style? Hell yeah he does!

Read the Full Review

Cleatskins Golf Shoe Protectors

What: Slip-on protection for your golf spikes.

Why: Dad will never forget his shoes if they’re already on his feet. Golfskins can also increase the life of your spikes and help keep grass, dirt, and other golf course ingredients out of your car and home.

Read the Full Review

Columbia Windcheater Full Zip Jacket

What: Super lightweight and comfortable wind & rain jacket.

Why: Help dad stay dry on the golf course. The Columbia Windcheater is remarkably lightweight, but even more remarkable is the way water beads and rolls off the jacket.

Read the Full Review

A Bottle of Faldo Wine

What: A bottle of wine from the Australian winery of famed Brittish golfer, Nick Flado

Why: Your golfing dad will love the link between one of his favorite drinks and one of golf’s all-time greats. Faldo wine is the perfect way to celebrate a great round, or to help forget a bad one.

Read the Full Review

Calling Shenanigans on Hiland Park Country Club

Thu, 28 May 2009 12:26:41 +0000

Update: Since this post was originally published, the Hiland Park Country Club has updated its website with photos of the actual property.

I was visiting (virtually) a handful of nearby golf courses the other day when I discovered that the folks over at the Hiland Park Country Club in Queensbury had updated their website. The new design is a huge upgrade from the previous design (although it does border on stupid that a simple scorecard is only available in pdf format).

Stone bridges, rolling fairways...my what a beautiful golf course. Please let me know where it is so I can play there.

As you can see from the photo above (snipped from the golf landing page), the Hiland Park Country Club is an exceptionally beautiful and well-maintained golf course. I’ve played Hiland about a dozen times, and for the most part, really enjoy the layout. For my money, there are 2 – maybe 3 holes at Hiland that would easily make my list (If I ever got around to writing it) of the top 18 public golf holes in New York’s Capital District.

My wife and I were married at Hiland, so it holds a special place in my heart – even if I do often refer to it as “the scene of the crime”. I know a handful of members (the Hiland is semi-private), and at one time or another have considered coughing up the cash to join myself. As with some of the other courses in the area that I enjoy enough to play every day, the only thing holding me back is a proximity problem (Hiland is 20 minutes north of my home, my office is almost an hour south). My point is that Hiland Park CC is one of the nicer public courses in the area (even if I think their rack rate is a tad steep).

I haven’t been over to Hiland yet this season. In fact, it’s been over a year since I last played. I do like to play there once or twice a season though, so with a little luck I’ll spend some time there shortly and follow up with a complete review.

So why, given that I’m generally a fan of Hiland, would I be calling Shenanigans? Like I said, I haven’t played it in over a year, so I thought perhaps maybe they made some upgrades over the winter. I spoke with a educator gym coach friend of mine who is a Hiland member, and another friend who plays there quite often. I showed them both the photo, and unfortunately, both confirmed my suspicions. The Hiland Park Country Club is well-maintained (drainage problems aside), and it does offer a great layout. The thing is, what you’re seeing in that picture up there is most definitely not the Hiland Park Country Club.

There are no stone bridges at the Hiland. None…nowhere on the course. Either the photo is of some completely different golf course (it’s definitely not the affiliated Mohawk River course either), or it’s some sort of artistic rendition of what the course might look like if they got the inclination to actually put in a couple of bridges.

I actually held off posting this because I thought maybe…just maybe some work was done of the back of the 12th green (parts of the 13th, 14th, and 15th are all in close proximity, and water does come into play). Maybe…just maybe with the help of a backhoe and some stone masons this could be Hiland. But nope, it didn’t happen.

The simple fact is, however; that photo – the one featured on the “about our course” section of the Hiland website – is definitely not of the Hiland Park Country Club’s golf course. It’s a safe bet that most locals won’t notice, or won’t care. But given that the Hiland is located 20 minutes north of Saratoga, and 15 minutes south of Lake George; it’s ideally situated to draw a large number of golfers during both the Lake George tourist season, and of course, the popular Saratoga track season. Imagine taking a vacation and choosing a golf course (plenty of us make our decisions based on course websites), only to find out that the course you thought you would be playing is little more than a photo fantasy. How pissed off would you be?

It’s not just shenenigans. It’s at best disingenuous and at worst intentionally misleading. Using a photo of another golf course to advertise your own? Seriously, Hiland, wtf? Shame (making finger gestures), shame on you on you.

Ocean City Golf Trip Rewind

Thu, 21 May 2009 15:10:10 +0000

Yeah, I know I promised reviews of the courses I played while in Ocean City last month. They’re coming (beginning tomorrow), although they’re not going to be as detailed as I had hoped. Suspect skies kept the camera in the car more often than the golf cart. If that wasn’t bad enough, I actually forgot to bring it with me on the day we had the best weather to work with. I also didn’t take detailed notes like I probably should have. Still, I should be able to provide an accurate picture of my experiences in Ocean City.

The 8th hole at the Glen Riddle Man O' War course (not my photo). Check back soon for a full review.

With more details coming, for now I’ll just share some general thoughts on the tirp:

Ocean City is dead in late April. Even Seacrets, the most popular bar in the city, is practically a ghost town (the place is big enough to qualify as a town of its own). On the plus side, the beer was cheap ($1.75). If you’re hoping to play golf all day, and then meet that special someone, than you might want to play your trip for a bit later in the season.
Don’t cut corners on the golf. We went with a slightly modified version of one of the cheapest packages available. Most of the courses were nice enough, but given that Ocean City was very likely the only vacation (at least golf vacation) I’ll take this year, I wish I had upgraded the golf. Chances are you’ll leave Ocean City thinking the same thing.
Don’t cut corners on the hotel. I spent 3 less-than-lovely nights living in irony at the Quality Inn Ocean Front suites. To put it as nicely as humanly possible, the “hotel” is a shit hole. The only missing amenities are a police tape and a chalk line. The Atrium Cafe (with it’s open spaces, and tropical birds) looks beautiful in pictures. In reality, however; it looks like a poorly maintained mini golf course. My room overlooked the indoor pool, and while it did provide some interesting views (enough said about that), I wouldn’t say it was a particularly nice, or clean room. I wouldn’t even talk about the curious odor. Even if you’re only planning on being in your room for a couple hours of sleep each night, I was told by one of the local bar owners, that you can do a lot better, for just a few dollars more.

One of two hot tubs the Quality Inn Oceanfront has to offer. Don't you wanna just hop right in?

A view of the atrium from my room. I assure you, it isn't half as nice as it looks from up there.
Consider booking the trip yourself. We went through the Harrison Group, and while they did a good job of taking care of all of the arrangements, the courses in Ocean City are all part of larger conglomerates, and it’s very easy to handle all of your bookings in one place. Obviously you can book your own hotel. That leaves just the meal vouchers. While they were handy once or twice, if anything they limit your dining options. Unless you’re easily swayed by ½ lbs. of shrimp. you’re not getting much added value.
Do eat at the Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse at Glen Riddle. It’s worth every penny and then some.
Bring a warm jacket, or fleece. Yeah…that’s common sense I know, but since I neglected to pack anything warmer than a rain jacket, I figured I’d mention that Ocean City in April can be a bit chilly.
Finally, consider playing Saturday through Tuesday instead of Friday through Monday. Everyone likes to take their extended weekend golf trips Friday through Monday, but playing Saturday through Tuesday you can save a decent amount of money (course upgrades), and play on less crowded courses. Either way you’re probably looking at 2 days out of the office, so what have you got to lose?

Check back tomorrow for my review of the Eagles Landing; the first of 4 Ocean City Maryland golf course reviews.

PUMA Announces the Return of the PUMA Open

Wed, 20 May 2009 10:58:39 +0000

While I’m a bit off a golf purist (there’s no such thing as a mulligan, play it as it lies, etc.), I’m open to the occasional bit of irreverence on the golf course, so long as it’s all in good fun, which is why I’m willing to embrace the return of the PUMA Open. As you’ll find out from reading the press release (attached below), the PUMA Open is far from your average golf tournament. Your 9 holes of PUMA-rules golf is followed by some Vegas-style gaming, a few cocktails, not to mention access to exclusive discounts on PUMA golf gear (why do we always say “not to mention” right before we mention whatever it we’re not mentioning? Anyway…). If you’re lucky, you might even win something too (crossing my fingers that a date with Erica Blasberg is on the prize list). With my luck I’d probably end up with an evening with Johnny Damon instead.

For 2009 PUMA has expanded their Open to 15 cities. I’m actually eyeballing the Boston event (assuming I can convince 3 of my friends to join the PUMA party). If the Scottsdale event is representative of the entire series (and I have no proof that it is), you can expect to pay $75 per golfer to participate. Foursomes are mandatory, and by the sounds of things you’ll probably want to register as early as possible.

In case you haven’t checked the calendar lately, Father’s day is right around the corner. And while the PUMA Open (as it says down below) is not your father’s golf tournament, I’m thinking it would make a pretty sweet gift for the dad (or dads) in your life. It’s almost enough to make me wish I had a couple of generous kids of my very own..

Check out the video, and then read the press release:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hrdt8mm2KkI

THE PUMA® OPEN IS COMING TO A CITY NEAR YOU

PUMA’s Own “Golf Event with an Attitude” Returns for the 3rd Year, Visiting New and Familiar Cities and Hitting the Links with Old Friends and New Faces

April 22, 2009; Westford, Massachusetts – The public spoke, and PUMA® listened! After a successful round of good times on the course and in the clubhouse in 2008, PUMA Golf announces the return of the PUMA Open for the 2009 season, including an expanded list of locations. From six cities across the country in 2008 to 15 cities in 2009 (including an inaugural stop in Canada), PUMA will help golf novices and seasoned players alike look better, feel better and play better – in short, to experience golf “the PUMA way.” Plans are also in the works to expand the PUMA Open’s reach on an international level.

Teeing off from May through October, the PUMA Open is a national series of interactive golf events that shake up the traditionally stodgy sport with nontraditional holes, Vegas-style card games, cocktails, prizes and a serious dose of good, old-fashioned fun. The PUMA Open truly embodies the inclusive spirit of PUMA Golf. Its unique, lighthearted take on the game appeals to both male and female golfers at every skill level — from those who’ve yet to set foot on a golf course all the way up to the pros who’ve been winning tournaments for years.

May:
Scottsdale, May 15 (new!)
Grayhawk Golf Club
8620 East Thompson Peak Parkway

Las Vegas, May 29 (new!)
Rhodes Ranch Golf Club
20 Rhodes Ranch Parkway

June:
New York City
Los Angeles

July:
Toronto, Canada (new!)
Detroit (new!)

August:
New Jersey (new!)
Boston
Chicago

September:
Northern California (new!)
Charlotte (new!)
San Diego (new!)

October:
Atlanta (new!)
Miami
Texas

* Additional dates and locations to be announced.

In the PUMA Open, teams of four compete in a game of nine-hole scramble that tests not only their golf know-how, but also their wit and skill. Open to both men and women over 21, participants must sign up and play in teams of four. The nine-hole scramble includes a mix of “traditional” golf holes and unique twists such as the “Lucky 7,” which challenges participants to play the entire hole with their seven iron, and the “On The Clock” hole, where the team who plays the hole in the shortest time receives a prize and a more favorable score. After a round of golf played the PUMA way, participants will continue their adventure and go “all in” through a series of Vegas-style card games. Participants win a wide variety of prizes for competitions completed throughout the day, while enjoying food and drinks provided by PUMA and event sponsors. A registration fee for each player is required and space is limited.

Don’t have the proper attire? PUMA is happy to help, offering PUMA Open attendees exclusive discounts on PUMA Golf footwear, apparel, and accessories at each course, at area PUMA Stores, and online at store.puma.com leading up to the event. PUMA Golf gear — known for being colorful and fashion-forward, yet technically advanced — will also be sold on-site at each event.

PUMA entered the golf category in 2006, immediately catching the eyes of golfers with the brand’s vibrant, stylish, fun and always classic take on the world of golf. A perfect mix of performance and lifestyle, PUMA Golf offers footwear, apparel and accessories for men and women. Since 2006, PUMA Golf has exploded and continuously expands its product selection to include fashion pieces driven by sport and performance, and always looking to look better, feel better, play better. Today, PUMA golf athletes include top male and female players such as Australia’s Geoff Ogilvy, Sweden’s Johan Edfors and Lotta Wahlin, Japan’s Hideto Tanihara and Miho Koga, and American players Jeff Overton and Erica Blasberg.

The PUMA Open: it’s not your father’s golf tournament. Or your mother’s, either. To register, or for more information, visit www.thepumaopen.com.

Media Contact:
Heather Bouzan – PR Coordinator, PUMA North America
Office: 978.698.1227 / Cell: 978.304.7494
heather.bouzan@puma.com

PUMA is one of the world’s leading sportlifestyle companies that designs and develops footwear, apparel and accessories. It is committed to working in ways that contribute to the world by supporting Creativity, SAFE Sustainability and Peace, and by staying true to the values of being Fair, Honest, Positive and Creative in decisions made and actions taken. PUMA starts in Sport and ends in Fashion. Its Sport Performance and Lifestyle labels include categories such as Soccer, Running, Motorsports, Golf and Sailing. The Black label features collaborations with renowned designers such as Alexander McQueen, Yasuhiro Mihara and Sergio Rossi. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Tretorn and Hussein Chalayan. The company, which was founded in 1948, distributes its products in more than 120 countries, employs more than 9,000 people worldwide and has headquarters in Herzogenaurach/Germany, Boston, London and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit www.puma.com

Golf Equpiment Manufacturers Want to Make a Deal, but Are You Willing to Listen?

Wed, 06 May 2009 11:20:52 +0000

The economy is clearly taking its toll on the golf manufacturers. Not too long ago layoffs were announced at TaylorMade-Adidas, and yesterday came word that Callaway’s first quarter earnings dropped 83%. My suspicion is that other manufacturers aren’t doing much better. What I’m hearing is that golfers are using what little discretionary income they have to actually play golf. Equipment upgrades (which most of us will admit are largely unnecessary) are being put on the back burner until the economy improves.

If there’s a silver lining to the economic crisis it’s that golfers with a little bit of money to spend have a multitude of discounts to choose from.

Buy 1 get 1 Offers

Callaway deserves high marks for not only being the first major manufacturer to offer significant discounts, but also for including their top of the line 2009 equipment in the package. For my money, the Callaway deal is still the enticing.

I already told you about Callaway’s buy a driver get a fairway wood for $1 deal. That deal of course followed on the heals of Callaway’s buy a set of irons, get a free wedge deal. When you think about, it doesn’t really make much sense…spend $800 on a set of clubs and well toss in a $120 wedge vs. Spend $400 on a single club and will give you a $200 club for free. Obviously, the driver deal is way better than the iron deal. Can we get a better deal on irons? Maybe throw in a hybrid…I don’t know, but clearly I digress.

In addition to their iron/wedge, driver/fairway deals, Callaway is offering a free 6 pack of their Tour i golf balls with the purchase of a dozen Tour i or Tour ix balls. Basically Callaway will give you 18 premium balls for the price of 12. Considering the Tour i and Tour ix run about $45 a dozen, it’s about as good of a deal as you’ll find on premium balls (short of ordering from www.lostgolfballs.com).

And speaking of LostGolfBalls.com (my favorite source for used golf balls) is running a BOGO offer on their Onion Sacks (50 golf balls) through 5/11/09. Balls are available from AAA to AAAAA grades. If you’re like me (not opposed to buying and playing used golf balls), this may be your best chance to stock up.

After Callaway’s driver deal was announced, Cleveland Golf got in on the discount action by offering a free matching fairway wood with the purchase of either a HiBore Monster XLS or Launcher Driver. While Callaway deserves a lot of credit for getting the discount train rolling, kudos to Cleveland for also including both of their 2009 models, and for doing away with the “for $1″ stuff. If you want to give me a fairway wood, just give it to me. What’s that dollar thing all about anyway?

Cleveland is also offering a free golf bag with the purchase of their 2009 Launcher irons.

Adams is offering a buy one get one deal as well. They’re throwing in a Speedline Fairway with the purchase of a Speedline driver. They’ll also give you an A4 or A4 OS fairway wood when you purchase a set of A4 or A4 OS irons.

TaylorMade, never one to be left out, also decided to pony up some free stuff. TaylorMade will give you your choice of a 2008 Burner Rescue, or Burner Fairway with the purchase of a 2009 Burner or last year’s R7 Limited driver. Order before 5/15 and you’ll also get a pair of Adidas Powerband Golf shoes too.

While the shoes are a nice throw in (assuming you don’t already have a pair of shoes you like better), overall I’m not a fan of the TaylorMade offer. The 09 Burner may have appeal for some, most of us would be much more interested in the TaylorMade R9 driver. It’s also a bit…well…lame that the best TaylorMade is willing to offer up for free are last year’s clubs. Sure, the Burner fairway and rescue are just fine, but again, with fairway and hybrid clubs available in the R9 series, TaylorMade’s offer isn’t all that exciting.

Buy 2 dozen B330 series golf balls and Bridgestone will give you a wind shirt.

Bridgestone, manufacturer of some of the most unappreciated balls in golf, is offering a free wind shirt with the purchase of any 2 dozen balls from their B330 series. Purchase 2 dozen, e5+, e6+, or e7+, and Bridgestone will send you a golf shirt. Both offers expire at the end of June.

Price Reductions

Price drops are a part of every summer. Once the new product lines have found their way on to store shelves, it’s commonplace to see manufacturers and retailers to drop prices on the old to make room for the new. What’s not so common is to see substantial price reductions on relatively new equipment.

Bushnell is offering a $50 rebate (through June 30th) on all of their rangefinders (although for the price, I still prefer the Leupold lineup).

Nickent has dropped prices on both the 4DX and 3DX series.

Cobra (which like Titleist is a member of the Acushnet family) has dropped the price of the L5V driver from $399.00 to $299.00. The L5V is my favorite of the 2009 drivers that I’ve tried so far, so I’m glad Cobra decided to drop the pricing down to that of the S9-1. Cobra has also dropped prices on most (if not all) of last year’s woods and irons.

Missing the Boat

Inexplicably TaylorMade has so far left the R9 driver out of their discount packages. Without the R9, I'm simply not interested in any TaylorMade has to offer.

So far Titleist hasn’t announced any deals or discounts. Given the Titleist reputation of being serious equipment for serious golfers (there’s certainly an aura of exclusivity about the brand), I’d be a little shocked to see any Buy One Get One offers. My guess is we may see some price reductions in the near future, with the $550 909DCOMP Driver being the most likely candidate. I’m thinking we’ll see at least a $100 discount by mid-summer.

TaylorMade may have offers out there, but until they include their most expensive driver (you know…like your competitors over at Callaway did), they’ve missed the boat. It’s going to take an offer I can’t refuse before I’ll pull the trigger on a new driver this year. Callaway’s offer is damn close to being just that. TaylorMade’s…mmm…not so much, and as I’ve said countless times, I am a TaylorMade driver guy.

Mizuno – Absolutely no deals thus far from Mizuno. What’s the deal with no deals?

Ping – Karsten’s company is quiet…dead quiet.

Nike – Discounts on last year’s stuff. So what.

My Suggestions

As much as I love the L5V, the stock shaft doesn't work for me - and that's a shame.

Hey Titleist, how about a but 2 get one deal on Vokey wedges?

Hey PING, don’t over think it, but you definitely need to get in on this buy a driver get a fairway craze.

Hey Mizuno, I know getting in on all this free fairway wood action might sound tempting with your new MX-700 series and whatnot, but offer a meaningful price drop on a set of MX-200s or MP-52s and you’ve got yourself a customer.

Hey Cobra, the L5V price drop is nice, but how about a free shaft upgrade? The Diamana Red is a nice shaft, but it doesn’t work for everyone (guys like me for example). Offer additional top-notch options at no charge, and I’m probably in.

Hey TaylorMade, R9. Let me say that again; R9.

Hey Nike, do something…anything. Can you seriously compete based on the Tiger brand alone?

My 2009 Truth

The Mizuno MP-52 irons are on the top of my wishlist, but without a meaninful price drop, I, like many other golfers, will be waiting until next year.

I made a deal with my wife just last weekend. I promised her I wouldn’t spend a dime on new equipment (short of the 64° wedge I just bought), unless 1) I have to replace existing equipment that breaks in the line of duty, or 2) somebody (an equipment manufacturer) makes me a deal I can’t refuse. So far I haven’t broken anything, and there isn’t a deal on the table yet I can’t walk away from (Callaway would have had me if I didn’t buy two fairway woods last season).

So what would it take? Quite honestly, there realistically isn’t much that would fall in that too good to refuse category. *If* TaylorMade packaged the R9 driver with an R9 hybrid I’d have to give it some serious thought. *If* Cobra offered to throw in a significant shaft upgrade on the L5V, I’d be on the fence. *If* Mizuno knocked an iron or two’s worth of cost of a set of MP-52s (or MX-200s for that matter), there’s not a doubt in my mind they’d find their way into my bag. Short of exactly the deal I’m looking for, I’m not buying. For those of you looking for something a little less specific, there simply has never been a better time to put new equipment into your bag.

What’s In The Bag – Ocean City Edition (Accessories, Apparel, etc.)

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:04:44 +0000

Yesterday I talked a bit about the clubs, bag, and balls I’ll be carrying in Ocean City. Today I’ll briefly cover some of the accessories and apparel I’ll be carrying with me during my Ocean City golf trip.

Now I realize shirts, pants, and whatnot aren’t all that exciting, but I do have some new apparel for the trip that I think is pretty cool. As I mentioned in the Sunshine & Rain section of my 2009 Golf Gear Guide, Columbia Sportswear (a company I generally associate with winter gear), has released their first ever line of golf clothing called Titanium Performance Golf Gear. The line includes jackets, shorts, caps, shirts, and rain pants. Each one of the pieces has been designed to protect you from one element or another (wind, rain, sun). Equally as important for serious and discerning golfers like you and me, every piece in the collection is designed to fit without impeding the golf swing, and without being overly baggy.

Columbia sent me a couple of their Straight Shooter Polos to try out. The Straight Shooter features Columbia’s Omni-Shade UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) 30 fabric. You can think of it as sunscreen built into the shirt. While I’ve never really thought about such things, it’s pretty cool that it’s there. What matters more to me, however; is that the moisture wicking shirt looks great, and moves with me as I swing.

I’ve worn the Straight Shooter for one round so far. I really like both the fit and the looks of the shirt. I’ll have more to say about the shirts after they’ve been through the wash a few times. A couple of years back I had a couple of Adidas shirts that I really liked too. After a couple of wash cycles the collars were a mess. So for now, I’ll say the shirt looks great, fits great, but any discussion of durability will have to wait.

Columbia also sent me one of their new Windcheater Full Zip Jackets. The Windcheater is made from Columbia’s Water Beater polyester, and is wind, rain, and sun (UPF 50) resistant. Fortunately I haven’t had the opportunity to test the jacket out in the rain, but last weekend I did play in some fairly windy conditions (30 MPH gusts). Playing in heavy wind is seldom fun, but the Windcheater kept me warm and comfortable. What’s truly amazing about the Windcheater is how ridiculously lightweight it is. I don’t have an actual numbers from Columbia or anything, but after wearing it on the course, I went to my local big box sporting goods store to see how other wind/rain jackets for golfers compared. The windcheater was at least half the weight of anything on the shelves. If it holds up as well in the rain, I won’t be impressed; I’ll be absolutely blown away.

For those looking for heavier, warmer gear, Columbia also offers a Match Play Shell (Columbia Interchange System Compatible) and Match Play Parka. The Match Play series also includes waterproof pants; which with a little bit of luck will arrive on my doorstep before I leave for Maryland.

I’ll post full reviews of all of the Columbia Titanium Performance Golf Gear after I get back from Ocean City.

Other clothing-type gear I’ll be wearing is a pair of Nike TW 8.5 shoes, and TaylorMade Targa Tour Gloves.

I am a techie at heart, and to that end I’ll be carrying both my Callaway uPRO GPS, and my new Leupold GX-I rangefinder. It might sound like overkill (in fact it might actually be overkill) to carry both a GPS and a finder, but I’ve found that the uPRO is great for quick readings (and blind shots), but where absolute precision targeting is required, a rangefinder simply cannot be beat.

I’m on the fence about downloading uPRO ProMode courses for the trip. Right now, I’m leaning against it, but I could change my mind once I’m in OC.

My Bushnell rangefinder died last year. After reading a review of the GX-I over at The Sandtrap, I decided on the Leupold GX-I as replacement. Originally I bought the GX-II, but the combination of “factory installed dust” on the inside of the unit, and discovering that I wouldn’t actually use all of the extra bells and whistles as much as I thought I would was enough for me to downgrade to the tournament legal GX-I. It also doesn’t hurt that the GX-I is $100 cheaper, which is $100 I can put towards those Mizuno irons I keep talking about.

Thunderstorms are forecasted for at least one of the days I’ll be on Ocean City, which means I’ll get a chance to test out the Mibrella with the Load-n-go cart holder. Truthfully, I wish I never had a need for an umbrella on the course, but weather being what it is (uncooperative), the Mibrella could turn out to be a day saver.

Attached to my bag (as it always is) will be the Ball Brite ball cleaner. I reviewed the Ball Brite last year and haven’t taken it off my bag since. Apart from being infinitely more convenient than on-course ball washers, I’ve found the Ball Brite to be a quicker, more effective way to clean a golf ball. It just works better. The Ball Brite currently retails for $16.95, which makes it my favorite sub-$20 golf accessory.

Finally…and much less exciting, I’ll be using Stinger tees (as I’ve done for 4 years now) and the GreenFix Wizard divot tool. If you’re still using anything other than a push tool to repair your ball marks, it’s time to make the switch.

Check back next week for reviews of the courses I play in Ocean City, and my overall thoughts on Ocean City as golf vacation destination.