uPro GPS Rangefinder

Some day (ok, year), when I get back into golf, THIS is the best rangefinder I've seen. Complete with video flyovers and really great graphics. (Just saw a commercial for it in US Open wrap-up)

Of course, it's pricey ($399 !!) and the video flyover stuff (Pro mode) has an additional cost.

Callaway uPro | Introducing golf's best GPS Rangefinder

World Golf Tour - Online Game

Stunning online golf game with real camera images of course layout.

Best of all - it's FREE. (Wonder how long that will last?)

World Golf Tour

US Open - Torrey Pines - Amazing Tiger

I'll have to post a bunch more about this "home town" US Open (went to the tourney Thursday and Friday). For now, posting these videos for future reference / enjoyment...

Tiger's best in 3rd round


4th round - Tiger putt on 18 to tie.


Tiger's complete 1st round


Tiger's complete 2nd round


Tiger's complete 3rd round


Tiger's complete 4th round


Phil disaster at 13 on Sunday

Daylight Savings Time JC Twilight Rates

The list of JC resorts courses and they're updated twilight and super-twilight times and rates.

PDF here

Club Achilles - Indoor Golf Experience

We're on vacation in La Quinta this week, and heard about this place on a tv commercial (during Golf Channel coverage of the FedEx cup naturally).

Called them for more info: like the site says, indoor luxury golf club with 7 hitting bays with 53 world wide courses, fitness center, sports bar & restaurant.

Pretty pricey: $30 / hour for hitting bays walking in off the street. $70 / day for full access to the club.

Club Achilles

Free Golf on Birthday

I thought I already had a post about this somewhere, cuz I know a few places in San Diego offer it.

Here's one in Palm Desert:

• Indian Springs Country Club (where we rent house periodically). Info here.
  

Standby Golf

When golfing in Palm Springs a couple years ago, some dudes told me about a way to save $$ by getting a tee time at the last minute (night before). I just came across Standby Golf - which does exactly that. They have a list of courses that they serve, most of which will offer discount tee times after 4pm the day before you want to play. A couple (like Trilogy in La Quinta) show 30 day advance.

Going to the desert on Wed, and may try this out.

Standby Golf

"The Crossings" Grand Opening

Our new local course in Carlsbad (more info here) had it's grand opening today. I hauled the family over there to check it out. We went on a minor little tour of holes 1, 8, and 9 in golf carts - kids loved that. Hot air balloon exhibition was kind of a bust -- too windy.

Later in the day, I went back to walk more of the course. Walked the back 9 (minus #12) and then a few holes on the front 9.

It's looking like it's going to be a challenging course. While most of the fairways are pretty generous in width, they have some slopes towards canyons, and a few carries that will be tough.

Here are some pics of some of the holes.

Measure Hole Layout

Well I thought I would be going over to the new local course in a couple days to map it for iGolfGPS, so I looked up the official way to find the center of the green. How to measure a green.

They denied me access to the course (for now), since there are still a couple holes under construction. More here.

Palm Springs this Weekend

Thanks to Amor!! We're playing a couple courses in Palm Desert / Indio this weekend.

Terra Lago (here)- can't find much info about this, other than the condo associated site for the course.

Classic Club (here) - ahh, a Troon course, probably much like Maderas here locally, and Troon North course in Scottsdale.

Aviara for $130

Heard this on the DSC radio show this morning (they are going there today for Dave's free Thursday golf - lucky bastards):

You can golf Aviara Four Seasons golf course for $130 from now through middle of June (?), seven days a week, after 12pm.

First Round in a While

Arrowood (white): 85

I think the last round I played was in January at Aviara (ahh, yep) and it was a disaster (99). So I'm finally trading in my softball swing for a golf swing, and will try to play a little more often through the summer (have to get good before going to Tulsa this summer and playing a bunch with Scott).

So this round wasn't that bad. I actually drove the ball decently - not great, just decent. When off the fairway, I was usually just off in the rough, not too many penalties. Putting was decent - that's where I game comes and goes these days. I had one disaster green with a 4-putt, but other than that, nothing more than 2, and a couple 1 putts. Bunker play was good too.

Next stop: The Vineyard for Indian Guides tourney.

Celebrity Handicaps

A list of various celebrities and their handicaps...

List After List

Carlsbad Muni - The Crossings at Carlsbad

The Union Tribune today had an article with info about the scheduled opening of our new local Carlsbad municipal course - "The Crossings at Carlsbad".

web site

Grand opening August 1, public opening Aug 4, 2007

Update (07/11/07): Recent plane crash on the 3rd hole has postponed the opening. Opening date TBD.


Prices
Carlsbad resident:

• Weekend - $80
• Friday - $65
• Weekdays - $60 (twilight $40)
  

County residents are + $15 and tourists are + $30
Pretty pricey for a muni to be sure. They've compared themselves against Aviara and La Costa, which is a huge stretch for a muni.

Mandatory carts since it's a 6800 yard course spread over 400 hilly acres, lots of distance between some holes.

article here

Some related news:

• article. December 2006 update on construction. 17 years since first talks, $68 million (up from $7 million original estimate, of course that was 17 years ago)
• article. Carts will be GPS enabled.
  
• article. Fatal plane crash onto the 3rd green on July 3.
• article. "18th hole is every bit as tough as #18 at Oakmont" (recent US Open)
  

Segway X2 Golf Cart

I saw this in the Southwest Airlines magazine on a recent flight. There's a buffed out Segway called the "X2" that holds a golf bag, and is made for taking on the course. There is a resort in Phoenix/Scottsdale that is apparently using it for their golf carts: Westin Kierland Resort and Spa. Their site here.

I definitely have to go play some golf there someday...