GolfsAZ

Just as in the previous post, if you have issues playing slow on the course, following are some tips to help you speed that play up.

When approaching your ball after the tee box, begin focusing on the ball, the distance to where you want to hit the next shot, feel the breeze, and look at where there is trouble on the course.  Remember, play away from trouble. 

If you are looking for your ball, take some time to conduct a deliberate search for the ball.  Scan the area, look in a pattern, and you will often locate your ball.  If, however, after 4 minutes you have not found your ball, proceed to your provisional and begin thinking positively about the next shot and put the other shot out of your mind. 

The Green is probably the slowest play area on the course.  Whether you plumb-bob, walk off the distance, circle the hole or whatever.  Do as much as you can while others are also doing the same thing around their ball.  When it is your turn, get into your routine, block everything out and be confident.  Don’t rush, just be confident.

When you finish the hole, leave the green and proceed to the next tee box area.  Write your scores down there, not next to the green.  Even though this seems insignificant, it isn’t.  That little effort alone can speed up the game by 10 minutes on the round.

Next time you play, have a great game, and help everyone out by being prepared for your golf shot.  No rushing needed.

Probably one of the most frustrating things on the golf course is when play is slow, and especially when the group you are playing with is slow.

I am all too familiar with this, as I have been told many times that my play is slow and instead of walking deliberately to my ball or where I thought my ball went, I lope along enjoying all too much the insignificant things on the course.

Who do you know that irritates you in the golf course with their slow play??? 

Here are some tips for the tee box:

• - Be ready for your turn  - this is important!
• - If you wear a glove, put it on. 
• - If you tee your ball, put tees in your pocket along with your ball. 
• - If your ball needs cleaning, do it before you are asked to “go ahead.” 
• - Look at the score card and see the distance of the hole; Manage the hole, you don’t always have to hit a driver.  When you get to the tee box, step up to it and look down the fairway and visualize where you would like to hit your ball. 
• - If you think that your golf shot may be difficult to find or possibly out of bounds, motion to the next player to “go ahead,” then pick out another ball of a different number or design and call it a provisional and once everyone has hit their tee shot, announce that you are hitting a provisional, call out the provisional ball and number and then go into your routine, stike the ball with confidence and begin praying that you can find your first ball.

Doing all these things will help you naturally speed up your tee box routine.

If you golf in Phoenix, you know that the rates for golf dramatically drop on the 1st of May.  The prices are good in May, great in June and excellent from July through September.

I have been searching websites for Arizona golf and have really found outstanding values.  Courses like the Legacy Golf Resort, Raven at South Mountain, Bear Creek, Poston Butte, Biltmore (both courses), Stonecreek, and more are all at least 40% off the standard rack rate during these steamy months.  There must be at least 200 courses in the Phoenix metro area that offer outstanding rates.

There is a great group of guys that I play with on Sunday.  We play at Falcon Golf Course at Luke AFB.  The courses is in fantastic shape and the rates are excellent.  Military have preference at this course, however the public may also enjoy the course for slightly higher rates. 

There is a new course in the valley that has not really offered a lower rate this summer.  The Raven at Verrado still has its rates at $149 per player and that is the discounted rate!  To get an idea of how ridiculous this is…you can play Grayhawk, Dove Valley, TPC Scottsdale, The Boulders, and the Phoenician for less and oh by the way, you don’t have to drive halfway to LA.

I would really like to enjoy the opportunity to play Verrado, as those whom I’ve met who have played the course do rave about it. I have been told that the conditions are outstanding, and it is very picturesque.  However, even those who have played the course do mention that the cost was a bit unreasonable.

So, to those at Verrado, come-on, drop the price enough so that the golfers who live here can play your outstanding course and spread the positive word to the multitudes of winter visitors when they arrive and look for wonderful courses to play from November through April each year.

I enjoyed a great round of golf at Vistal Golf Club recently. We booked online and received a fantastic rate: $18 plus tax, including cart. 

Formerly called Thunderbird at South Mountain, Vistal is located on south 7^th Street, about 1 mile south of Baseline, right at the base of South Mountain.

The club house is quaint, and the grill has a very nice outside eating area. The Blue Moon Grill serves you there and they always have a meal special.

The Vistal layout is set to support golfers of all ages and capabilities.  There are fantastic views of Phoenix from this golf course.  When you get to the  9^th tee box, to your left you will see a wonderful alter-like platform with a cross at the top.  It has stairs leading up to it from the tee-box area.  I envision renewing my marriage vows there one day, as there cannot possibly be a more beautiful view of Phoenix that is so accessible.

Conditions at the golf course are very good.  The layout is challenging and fair.  The greens receive  the ball well and are not hard like so many others at this time of year.  The greens are a bit bumpy, and would be significantly improved if they were rolled.

The sand traps have very nice sand in them, but as usual, there are inconsiderate golfers that did not rake them after entering them. 

The fairways are in excellent shape, and the drainage on the course is exceptional, especially after receiving an inch of rain the night before.  The 14^th fairway is under repair and requires golfers to stay on the cart paths with the electric carts.  This is the only hole like that on the course.

One thing that needs to be improved is the clearing of all the tumbleweeds.  They are all over the course just off the fairway rough.

The Vistal driving range and putting green is always in outstanding shape.

I must say, Vistal is an outstanding value for golf and I’m looking forward to playing it several more times this summer.

There are a lot of golf sites and golf blogs out there. I know. I’ve surfed ‘em. But one thing I noticed was that 99.9% of those sites were full of marketing copy. Words pieced together by someone paid to paint the prettiest picture of the golf course…not the reality you and I might experience when we actually get out there and play.

Let’s face it. All of us have some type of ability to recognize good from bad.  Some of us are a bit more gullible, and some can see through a line of malarkey a little easier than others.

What you will see in the GOLFSAZ Blog is an avid golfer’s truthful opinion about golf and all that is associated with it. And sometimes you’ll see words like “malarkey” tossed around.

But onto the golf…My first exposure to golf was when I was four years old, and I will write a sad but funny blog about that at a later time. 

I caddied for my father when I was seven.  Played golf with my dad when I was ten, and received my first set of matching golf clubs (driver, 3-wood, 3, 5, 7, 9, PW and putter) when I was thirteen.  That was 35 years ago.   I have enjoyed playing golf in many parts of the United States, and even played once in Garmisch, Germany while on R&R from the war.

I have a great set of friends who play golf and we enjoy getting out at least once a week. So I’ll have plenty of stories of life on the course. 

Keep in mind,  though, that my experiences and opinions in this blog are purely my own. 

I am sure that you will enjoy keeping up with this site, and hope you will recommend it to others.

Enjoy.