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Thursday, September 30, 2010

How To Plan A Golf, Some Tips To Help



There’s a lot to be said for the organized golf tour or outing. Other than deciding the final destination and which provider to use, there’s not too much to think about. Going it alone, however, offers so much more, including the freedom to come and go as you please, and to choose locations and courses beyond the scope of most tour operators.

Compared to an organized tour, going it alone can be so much more fun. True, there’s extra work involved but even that can be rewarding. Just to contemplate such a trip is a treat. Planning where to go and when, how to get there, where to stay, what courses to play… well, I think you get the idea.

Ok, let's dream a little. Suppose you had an unlimited budget - or even a limited one - and a week to do with as you will. Where would you go? Think about it. How much fun could you have figuring it out, much less heading out the door to play some of world’s finest golf courses? How would you go about planning such a trip?

1: Pick Your Destination: If this is to be the trip of a lifetime, you’ll want to go somewhere really special. How about Scotland? Tight budget? Then somewhere fairly close at hand might be a better choice: in the US the Bear Trace or the R.T. Jones Golf Trail, perhaps.

2: Keep It Tight: Maximum play, minimum travel is the goal. It’s tough to play five courses in seven days, especially when they are more than 50 miles apart. Map the area, choose your courses and then find a hotel that’s central to them. Then you can travel back and forth without constantly packing and unpacking.

3: Book Early: Flights, hotels, rental cars and tee times should all be booked well in advance. Nothing is more frustrating when planning the trip of a lifetime than to find the focus of the tour (the one course you must play) is unavailable.

4: Consider The Weather: Not always easy when planning several months ahead, but do try to take the weather into consideration. Do the research. When is the rainy season? In England, spring and fall are best; in the Bahamas, May is almost always rainy. You’ll increase the odds of a grand time simply by looking ahead.

5: Consider The Needs of Others: If you’re taking family members along with you, make sure they are well catered for. Nothing will ruin an outing quicker than a complaining spouse, or a couple of whining kids. Choose hotels with care. A wilderness location, miles from the nearest shopping mall, is not the way to go. In the interests of peace and tranquility, you should always try to keep your loved ones happy.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Could This Be The Future Of Drivers?

 Thanks to the folks at My Golf Spy, this leaked prototype driver head has been making it's way around the internet. It could be an attempt to try and plan 5-10 years ahead. What do you think?


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Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Jamie Smith and Rick Bidnick Golf Clinic Update


This Saturday we will only have one session and it will be at 10 am-11:30 and we will work on the Driver.
The week after will be the playing lesson. As usual we will offer this on a first sign up basis. Times will be announced. Also the Wednesday night short game clinic is over for the year.


Jamie was out again this past weekend, looking better all the time.. not walking so slowly anymore. He expects to return teaching real soon.

Thank you all, please respond if you plan on attending the Driver class this Saturday.

Rick Bidnick, PGA Professional

I just got cleared to get back to teaching and start low impact working out. I even get to start working on my short game. Dr. says in another two months, I should be back on the golf course playing. Go ahead and schedule lessons when you are ready. With the rain, make sure to call me first. We will probably meet at Lynnhaven golf park.

I will need to get a good count of who will be at the driver clinic on Saturday at 10am so I can see how much help I may need.

Also, as we get closer to the holiday season, don't forget that I do custom fittings and have accounts to get you the right equipment. If there is something I can't get, I have my other contact to get you what you need.

I would like to thank Rick for keeping the clinic alive while I was out.

See you all soon,

Jamie Smith, PGA Professional

Monday, September 27, 2010

Big Jim Gets Big Payday!

Jim Furyk has an $11.35 million day

Sand save on final hole gives Furyk tourney title, FedEx Cup

- The Associated Press
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ATLANTA -- One clutch shot gave Jim Furyk two big trophies Sunday.
He sat between them Sunday afternoon after his dramatic victory in the rain at East Lake, the crystal trophy for the Tour Championship on his left and the sterling silver FedEx Cup trophy on his right.
Which one meant more?

Furyk reached out his right hand and gently tapped the silver cup, which might be more valuable than the $10 million that comes with it.

Clinging to a one-shot lead, in a bunker so deep he could only see the top of the lip, Furyk hit a clean shot and watched it head for the flag. It landed inches from the cup and spun to a stop 21/2feet away for an easy par and a one-shot victory over Luke Donald.

He put his name on a trophy with Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh. He finally won the Tour Championship, giving him three victories in a season for the first time in his career. He stated a strong case - three victories and FedEx Cup champion - as PGA Tour player of the year.

Maybe that explains why his stoic demeanor gave way to a celebration never before seen out of Furyk.
"It just hit me," said Furyk, who closed with an even-par 70. "I was excited and dropped the putter and ... I don't know. I guess at that moment, you're not really responsible for what happens next."

He thrust his fist toward the grandstand with such force that it looked like he heaved his golf ball into the crowd. And he shared a hug with his wife, Tabitha, asking her, "Did I win the bonus?"

Furyk had a pretty good idea when he walked off the 18th tee, and the cheer of the crowd when he tapped in only confirmed it.
It was the kind of finish the PGA Tour had in mind when it created the FedEx Cup four years ago. Six players had a chance to claim the $10 million prize over the final hour at East Lake, from Matt Kuchar as the top seed to Nick Watney all the way down at No. 28.

Then came the final hole.

Donald chipped in for birdie from 100 feet on the 17th hole to keep his hopes alive. Furyk, who had a three-shot lead with three holes to play, made bogey on the 16th and 17th holes and hit his hybrid into a bunker on the 18th. If he made bogey, Furyk and Donald would go back to the 230-yard 18th hole for a sudden-death playoff with $11.35 million riding on the outcome.

Then came a bunker shot that defined a career worth of grit. He was in a bunker nine times at East Lake, and saved par every time.

Donald didn't bother going to the range. He waited in the scoring trailer.

"I didn't feel like going out in the rain and drowning myself even more," Donald said. "So I was just watching the action, seeing if there was a chance I was going to get in a playoff. But Jim made a great up-and-down at the last and deserved the victory."

Furyk finished at 8-under 272 and earned $1.35 million, along with the $10 million bonus, the biggest payoff in golf. He moved to No. 5 in the world ranking.

Furyk was the No. 3 seed when the playoffs began, but was disqualified from the opener when he missed his pro-am time at The Barclays because the battery died in his cell phone, which he used for an alarm. He was No. 11 in the standings going into the Tour Championship, and became the first player out of the top 10 to win the cup.

Turns out he joins Woods as the only FedEx Cup champions to miss the first playoff event - Woods in 2007 because he didn't want to play, Furyk this year because he couldn't.


Friday, September 24, 2010

Vision Golf Ball Test Begins

 I got my "care package" from Boz and Vision Golf Balls Yesterday, just in time for golf this weekend. The package was full of prototypes, inline golf balls, a glove, and some swag from the company. I want to personally thank The Boz for including me in the US testing.



The box arrived, packed very tightly, from the Land Down Under!


Tees, golf towels, hat, stickers, the super tacky golf glove (one the things I can't wait to test out) and lots of golf balls to test.


Opening the the package a little more, you can see the various balls, different colors, and prototypes. The company's balls feature UV coated balls to make them brighter, easier to find in the rough (for me personally I think) and easier to watch the ball flight.

Testing starts this weekend at Cypress Point Golf Club.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

The Dunes Club Continues To Shine

5 Things You Need To Know About The Dunes Club

Waterloo.jpg
The Dunes Club is one of the most popular Myrtle Beach golf courses.
The Dunes Golf & Beach Club is one of the oldest and most storied Myrtle Beach golf courses. There is much to know about the Robert Trent Jones design, but here are five facts you may have been unaware of:

1. The most important Event You’ve Never Heard Of - Sure hosting the U.S. Women’s Open, the finals of the PGA Tour’s Q-School and the Senior Tour Championship were significant moments for the Dunes Club and Myrtle Beach, but arguably the most important event the course hosted is one most people have never heard of. From 1954 to 2005, the Dunes Club hosted the final round of the Golf Writers Association of America tournament. Always held the weekend before the Masters, the event attracted the nation’s best and most influential golf writers, who then spread the gospel of Myrtle Beach golf on the pages of their magazines and newspapers. The GWAA event is often credited with helping grow Myrtle Beach’s reputation as a golf destination.

2. Waterloo – The 13th hole is Myrtle Beach’s most famous. Known as Waterloo, the 590-yard, par 5 plays alongside Lake Singleton and has been ranked as one of America’s best 18 holes by Sports Illustrated. There is a plaque on the tee box memorializing the 27 (no, that’s not a typo) a player made on the hole in the aforementioned GWAA event. Making the number even more stunning, the guy never lost a ball.

3. You Don’t Like the Dunes Club More Than …- No one has enjoyed more high level success at the Dunes Club than Gary McCord. Now known more for his work at CBS Sports, McCord earned his PGA Tour card at the Dunes Club in 1973 and won the Senior Tour Championship in 1999. The Dunes Club provided a pair of nice bookends to his career.

4. The Dunes Club Was Founded Where? –
The second oldest Myrtle Beach golf course, the Dunes Club was founded in a meeting at Chapin Cabin, an old fishing hut located just yards from the nearby Atlantic. Chapin Cabin was located on what is now the 11th tee.

5. Design Counts – The Dunes Club is an old-school design with its rolling fairways, large greens complexes, and the premium it places on shot-making. While the course has ample length, distance isn’t the key to success. Hitting the ball to the right spot in the fairway can generate extra roll and a preferred angle into the green. The course opened in 1949 and the still plays as Jones intended, a testament to the quality of his work.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

My Golf Spy Gives Us A Sneak Peak At The New Cleveland Drivers



First Look at Cleveland Golf For 2011!

Our friends over at GPPGolf.com and GolfSpy X wanted to give the MGS readers the “Exclusive First Look” of the new line-up for Cleveland Golf this year. I think overall they did a nice job with the drivers and the stock shaft offering.  Their sister company Miyazaki will be providing all the shafts for their new sticks which is a nice touch. I got to hit a couple of their new woods and they felt good but even better is the way the shafts are fit for almost every type of golfer out there.  I think it will be a big advantage for the guys in the golf shops to allow them to better fit golfers with little knowledge about their games.  Looking back over the last few years at Cleveland I would say this is their strongest looking release in quite some time.

Putter Sneak-Peek Coming Soon…

Also I think you guys are really going to like their new putter line-up.  Over the next day or so we will be showing you a sneak-peek at one of the new models a little later on…and some of the other Cleveland 2011 gear…so make sure to check back to see what they had up their sleeve.  I think it is by far the best looking putter release from a major OEM for the 2011 season.
P.S. – Sneak-Peek of new putter AND MUCH MORE coming in next 24-48 Hrs!
Cleveland xl 270
Cleveland XL270 Driver
Cleveland sl290 driver
Cleveland SL 290 Driver 2011
Cleveland tl310 driver
Cleveland TL310 Driver 2011

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Jamie Smith and Rick Bidnick's Golf Clinics


 Saturday... the long irons and hybrids. Wednesday night short game... putting and low chip shots, learning to chip with low lofted clubs. I will have 2 playing lesson sessions this week. Tuesday at noon at Bow Creek and Thursday morning at 8am at Kempsville Greens. Please respond to me at pgapro24@yahoo.com to reserve your spots.

Also... Jamie was out and about on Saturday, he is walking like a old man, other than that he looks pretty good, he expects to be back early October.

Thank you
Rick Bidnick, PGA

Monday, September 20, 2010

New Limited Edition SubSeventy Panys For Sale

Funky Golf Clothing

Our huge range of designer golf clothing not only provides a range of options for the actual golfer but also for the person who wishes to buy a gift for that special golfer in their life. We have golf clothing to suit every conceivable taste and budget and as a result you can rest assured that whatever you buy will almost definitely be gratefully received by the recipient. We spend a great deal of time sourcing and designing the most contemporary golf clothes available and we suggest you do the same whilst browsing our site. Finding the right golfing attire is something that should not be rushed so please take your time to take a look at all the stylish golf clothes we stock before making your final choice. Although it is possible to buy golf apparel from more generic suppliers the prospective consumer is often somewhat limited in terms of choice, this is something you will not be faced with when you shop with SubSeventy, if you can find a more comprehensive range of golf clothing anywhere we would be very surprised. We have nearly 1000 options for our bespoke golf trousers and have many stock golf trousers as well ranging from our stylish plain golf trousers right through to the ultra funky tartan golf trousers.

Brand New Limited Edition Pants: 


Thursday, September 16, 2010

Polara Golf Balls ( 75% Straighter than any other Golf Ball)



Polara Golf® innovation creates demonstrably superior products limited only by the laws of physics. Improving your game and making golf fun again is the Polara® way. Thanks to its unique dimple design, Polara’s Self-Correcting Technology™ golf balls reduce those dreaded hooks and slices by up to 75%. That means you play from your fairway, not the woods or the next fairway. Polara self correcting golf balls include: Polara Classic, Ultimate Straight and Super Straight. Polara also dramatically improves your distance with our Absolute-Distance Technology™ Ultimate Distance golf ball.


Ultimate Straight: Limited Edition Pre-Order!
(Box of 12 Balls)

The Polara 2-piece Ultimate Straight golf ball reduces hooks and slices by up to 75%. The first production run of these golf balls are special limited edition balls, printed with the Polara 'No Limits' logo. Each box contains 12 golf balls.

$27.99

Quantity


Improving your game and making golf fun again is the Polara way. Thanks to its unique dimple design, the Polara 2-piece Ultimate Straight golf ball reduces those dreaded hooks and slices by up to 75%. Each box contains 12 golf balls.
The first production run of these golf balls are special limited edition balls, printed with the Polara 'No Limits' logo. Pre-Order your limited edition Polara Ultimate Straight golf ball today! First shipments arrive October 1st, 2010.
1 Quantity Box Contains:
12 Limited Edition Balls
Construction:
2-piece
Ball Size:
1.682 inches
Ball Target Weight:
46.0 grams
Core Material:
Polybutadiene
Core Diameter:
1.535 inches
Cover Material:
Ionomer
Cover Material Thickness:
0.073 inches
Cover Material Hardness:
62 Shore D
Number of Dimples:
386
Ball Flight Characteristics:
Self-Correcting Technology™ 
 

of 12 Balls)

The Polara 3-piece Super Straight golf ball reduces hooks and slices by up to 75%. The first production run of these golf balls are special limited edition balls, printed with the Polara 'No Limits' logo. Each box contains 12 golf balls.

$34.99

Quantity


Improving your game and making golf fun again is the Polara way. Thanks to its unique dimple design, the Polara 3-piece Super Straight golf ball reduces those dreaded hooks and slices by up to 75%. Each box contains 12 golf balls.
The first production run of these golf balls are special limited edition balls, printed with the Polara 'No Limits' logo. Pre-Order your limited edition Polara Super Straight golf ball today! First shipments arrive October 1st, 2010.
1 Quantity Box Conatins:
12 Limited Edition Balls
Construction:
3-piece
Ball Size:
1.682 inches
Ball Target Weight:
47.0 grams
Core Material:
Polybutadiene
Core Diameter:
1.482 inches
Boundary Layer Material:
DuPont HPF™
Boundary Layer Thickness:
0.050 inches
Cover Material:
Ionomer
Cover Material Thickness:
0.050 inches
Cover Material Hardness:
56 Shore D
Number of Dimples:
386
Ball Flight Characteristics:
Self-Correcting Technology™

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Dunes Club One Of The Best In The Country

Dunes Club Ranks Among The Best In Myrtle Beach And America

dunes club1.jpg
The Dunes Club is a Myrtle Beach golf classic
On October 29, 1947, when Myrtle Beach was but a sleepy beach town (on a busy day), several area business leaders gathered in Chapin Cabin, yards from the Atlantic Ocean, to discuss the area’s need for more recreational activity.

The meeting, which surely included lively discussion and a couple cold drinks, gave rise to the Dunes Golf & Beach Club, and the participants wasted little time in setting a course of action that helped make Myrtle Beach golf what it is today. In May of 1948 a corporation was formed to build the Dunes Club, two weeks later a board of directors was established, and on June 22, 1948 a charter was granted.

The club’s first board of directors, in what has to be one of the great land purchases in Myrtle Beach golf history, bought 269 acres for $10, “other valuable considerations,” and a guarantee the course would be open for at least 10 years.

More than six decades later, the course’s opening remains a seminal moment in Myrtle Beach golf history. The Dunes Club was the second golf course built in Myrtle Beach (following Pine Lakes in 1927), and it has been one of the area’s bedrocks.

Robert Trent Jones Sr. was selected to design the layout and less than two years after the Chapin Cabin meeting (located on what is now the 11th tee), the first nine holes opened.  A year later the second nine opened.

Myrtle Beach started booming as a golf destination in the mid-1980s, but the Dunes Club helped provide the area a base with national cache. In the days before title sponsorship and hospitality tents were the determining factors in who hosted high level professional events, the Dunes Club welcomed the game’s three biggest tours.

The Dunes Club has hosted six Senior Tour Championships, the U.S. Women’s Open and the finals of the PGA Tour’s Q-School (Ben Crenshaw and Gary McCord  were among the notables who earned their card there), putting the course and the Myrtle Beach area in the national spotlight.

Dunes Club has been a favorite of golf pundits as well. The layout is currently ranked among the nation’s Top 100 courses by the game’s three most respected sets of rankings – Golf Magazine, Golf Digest and Golfweek.

The reasons for the Dunes Club’s acclaim are many. In era of overwrought design (did anyone watch the PGA at Whistling Straits?), Robert Trent Jones designed a classic golf course that has stood the test of time and thrived.

The greatest testament to the course’s design is how little it has changed. Through two renovation projects, only one hole has undergone substantial change.

“It has stood the test of time,” head pro Dennis Nichol said of the Dunes Club. “I know that is kind of cliché but it really has. A couple tee boxes, holes and bunkers have been tweaked and the greens have been restored to their original size, but other than that the course is as it was in 1949. It’s something special.”

The one exception is the 11th hole. It was once a straight-away par 4 playing 320 yards, but a 1991 renovation turned it into a dogleg right that is among the layout’s most scenic challenges. The 11th plays 370 yards from the white tees into a peninsula green surrounded by the swash. It’s a stunning view and the beginning of arguably the Grand Strand’s best three-hole stretch.

Known as Alligator Alley (it doesn’t take much imagination to figure that one out), holes 11 through 13 are a stunning stretch. The 12th hole is a par 3 that features a green bordered by the encroaching swash, and No. 13, a long par 5 shaped around Lake Singleton, was ranked by Sports Illustrated as one of the nation’s 18 best holes.

Dunes 21.jpg
Dunes Club was the second Myrtle Beach golf course
Alligator Alley, the heart of the back nine, features ample water. The swash gives life to the marshland and Lake Singleton, Myrtle Beach golf’s most famous land-locked body of water, provides the coastal setting people relish.

The front nine is cut through an assortment of pine trees and soaring Live Oaks, and the Dunes Club property has uncommon, natural elevation changes. Jones used the land’s contours to construct a course that rewards shot-making. Playing to the proper spot in the fairway is rewarded with clear angles to the green and, oftentimes, additional roll.

While driving is critical, the Dunes Club is a second shot course. Players that miss greens and find themselves playing from large green-side bunkers are going to struggle to save par.

But a day at the Dunes Club is hardly a struggle. A trip around this RTJ classic is time well spent, and after the final putt has dropped, make sure you have lunch or a drink on the deck and enjoy the view of the Atlantic.

The Verdict: The Dunes Club is one of the best in Myrtle Beach and America. The design is traditional and nothing about the place is overstated, which only adds to its considerable charm. The naturally rolling terrain located so close to the Atlantic provides a unique characteristic and the course is, unquestionably, among RTJ’s best.

Myrtle Beach has many outstanding options, and the Dunes Club is one of the best.