Course Finder and more…

Blame it on economic downturn that Tiger’s endorsement with GM is no longer. He now doesn’t have to admit that he drives a Buick. I wouldn’t have known that if it wasn’t for my random search on the internet this morning for a golf course finder. I wanted to know if there was a website I could go to, specify how much green I was willing to put on the table and what the USGA slope and rating was, then have the course finder tell me all the courses in my area that matched the criteria. Well, there is and OOBGolf is it. Take a look at this site and see if you want to sign up. 

First impression of the site: Cool. There is a section for live scoring, not just for PGA play but for average weekend players like us. How it works puzzles me at the moment, perhaps you can sign up and tell me how it works. Then there are reviews, not just golf courses but clothing too. They are reviewing the Adidas ClimaProof 3-way convertible jacket and they seem to like it. There is always a place for you to add a tournament for all to see. This looks like something I can get into, for the addiction of golf that is.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Not so Big Hawaii Golf

Hawaii golf doesn’t have to be expensive but you do have to know where to book your tee times and where to play to get the most value. Most people who plan to play in Hawaii expects to play next to the ocean. If you watch the Mercedes Championship that plays through the Plantation Course in Kapalua every January, it is easy to get seduced by the ocean holes that the TV cameras tend to pan through.

On the Big Island, there are a number of very nice courses to play on including Hapuna Prince, Waikoloa Beach and King Course. To play these courses, be expecting to pay in the upwards of $195 per round. If you have your heart set on playing Waikoloa, plan to play after 11:30am where the sun may be a little hotter but the fees come down to $105. 

The course I recommend on Big Island to play at is Makalei. Its regular rate is $89 per round but on EZlinks, you can sometimes get on for as little as $27.30 per round including a power cart. Playing Makalei is very interesting and scenic. Bring your camera because there are a lot of peacocks and other birdlife there. The course is not close to the ocean but from the highest point (over 2,000 feet above the sea), you can look around the landscape and see the ocean.

After hitting towards the Pacific Ocean from the driving range, hole # 1 is an uphill torture. Luckily you have a power cart, otherwise climbing the first hole will kill you. With a slope of 143, Makalei isn’t a simple course. There are a lot of hazards including lava tubes and cinder cones that will eat your errant balls. And there’s water and foliage everywhere. Make sure you bring your best game there.

Westin Mission Hills – $50 Round?

They say it’s a terrible time to visit Palm Springs (if you’re a golfer) because most courses are overseeding and alot of the preferred courses are closed until early December. I disagree. 

For the average golfer like me, I think it gives you a chance to play some select courses for a substantially low price. For example, the Westin Mission Hills Gary Player Signature course which is the course I am reviewing today. Normally when the course is prime, it goes for a whopping $145 per round. That’s a little too high for my taste. I have a handicap of 23 and as much as I am hooked to the game, I don’t like spending a fortune on golf. During this season, I paid roughly $50 to play this course.

As you can expect, the service is impeccable. When you drive up, your bags are taken from your trunk and onto a cart. The cart attendant brings your cart around the front of the proshop where after you check-in, will send you down to the driving range. I always take note of the brand of balls they use. The better the ball, the better the players they expect will play their course. Here they use Callaway practice balls. There are no mats to hit off from, just plain grass tees. When you’ve had enough, the starter will send you off on your way to hole # 1.

If you are scared of water then hole # 1 will test your skill right away because water comes into play on your left as you tee off. I was hitting it pretty good on the range so I decided to play off the Gold tees. At 6643 yards, I had figured it was going to push me to the limits. I normally like to play at the tees where the par 3’s are makeable with a mid-iron. At Gold, the par 3’s were 160 yards, 156 yards, 130 yards and 145 yards which were all hole-in-one capable. 

If you tend to spray your ball off the tee or can’t guarantee a straight drive then don’t take your driver out on this course. This is a course where multi-million dollar houses line the fairway and you don’t want an errant shot to introduce you to the world of high finance. I personally think houses are too close to the fairways and tee boxes at this course. There are alot of water that comes into play but overall, I managed to lose only 3 balls. 

The course was immaculate, well manicured greens and smooth sand in the bunkers. The greens were hard to judge and made putting a challenge. I scored a 101 but it was not a good round for me. I usually don’t do well at courses where an errant tee shot can easily break glass.