August 7th, 2008 — Lessons Available, NV, Reno, golf courses, public course, restaurant
Washoe Golf Course is located in: Reno, NV
Phone: 775-828-6640
Website: http://www.washoegolf.org
Course History:
Washoe Golf Course is a public course that is extremely friendly and fun to play. No matter what your skill level is, you’ll feel right at home on this great course. It has much to offer, and the prices are truly remarkable. It has a rich history that dates back to the first World War, and it is one of the oldest courses in this area. It’s nickname is the “Shoe” and it has remained incredibly popular with residents and guests since the day it first opened. If you just want to play a simple round of golf in a great environment, this the perfect course.
What You Need to Know:
You can book your tee time by calling the number listed above. This course offers lessons as well as special Ladies and Mens groups that are very popular. The pro shop is surprisingly well stocked given the overall size of the course, and you’ll find pretty much everything you could ever need right there.
If you don’t have your own clubs, they do offer rentals at very good rates. Overall, this is one of the most economical courses in the area that still provides that great traditional golf experience. Odette’s restaurant, located on site is a legend and with good reason. You won’t find better food anywhere else in this area. We really can’t say enough nice things about this great course.
Playing Hints:
The front nine all play very straightforward. This isn’t the most challenging of courses, but it is a great place to really work on your game. Like most courses, accuracy really helps, but this one is a little more forgiving than others. The third hole is a deceptively easy Par Three, but it will take a few times of getting to know the course to par it.
One of our favorites holes on the course is the 18th, which is a very long par five. You’ll have plenty of chances to make up any slack on your score with this hole and you’ve got a great chance of making a birdie, even if you’re a novice.
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Fees:
Summer Rates
Adult
$20.00 - 9 Holes
$30.00 - 18 Holes
Senior (62 and Older)
$15.00 - 9 Holes
$25.00 - 18 Holes
Junior (under 18)
$10.00 - 9 Holes
$20.00 - 18 Holes
Winter Rates
Adult
$20.00 - 9 Holes
$25.00 - 18 Holes
Senior (62 and Older)
$15.00 - 9 Holes
$18.00 - 18 Holes
Junior (under 18)
$10.00 - 9 Holes
$15.00 - 18 Holes
Twilight Rates
Weekdays Noon, Weekends/Holidays 2 PM - Summer
Adult
$20.00 - 18 Holes
Twilight Senior (62 and older)
$15.00 - 18 Holes
Twilight Junior (under 18)
$10.00 - 18 Holes
Twilight Rates
Weekdays Noon, Weekends/Holidays 2 PM - Winter
Adult
$20.00 - 18 Holes
Twilight Senior (62 and older)
$15.00 - 18 Holes
Twilight Junior (under 18)
$10.00 - 18 Holes
Pull Cart
$3.00 - 9 Holes
$4.00 - 18 Holes
Golf Cart Rental (per player)
$8.00 - 9 Holes
$14.00 - 18 Holes
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July 31st, 2008 — CA, Lake Tahoe, george fazio, golf courses, restaurant
The Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course is located in Lake Tahoe, CA
Phone: 888.881.8659
Website: http://www.edgewood-tahoe.com/
Course History:
This is a stunning course that first opened its doors in 1968, and has since gone on to receive numerous accolades and an ardent fan base. It was designed by George Fazio and contains a great mix of hazards and terrain that make it a challenging but fun course to play. The USGA holds several events here and the course also frequently hosts celebrity golfing events. The public is usually not allowed on the course to play, and we’ve noted below which dates are unavailable.
What You Need to Know:
You can book your tee time online or by phone and this is one of the few courses that will let you book six months in advance. Please note that singles cannot reserve a tee time but may play on standby notice. If you don’t call to cancel your tee time, the course will charge you for the full amount, so make sure that if you can’t make it that you do cancel with plenty of notice to avoid this.
This is a very nice course and we highly recommend wearing traditional golf attire. Their pro shop is literally one of the nicest throughout the area and you’ll find plenty of gifts or things for yourself. The Golf Bar and Deck is incredible and well worth the trip out. The food is just about perfect. Overall, this is a course that has everything required for a memorable and fun golf outing.
Playing Hints:
As we mentioned above, this is a challenging course, but novices shouldn’t feel too intimidated. The water hazards will require a bit of effort to surmount, but the key is definitely distance and accuracy. It’s a good idea to perfect the long tee shot before going to this course to increase your chances of staying under par.
The terrain is certainly not level and there may be times that one wrong shot will put you where it’s just about impossible to see the green. This is a challenging area for many players and requires a good iron game as well as being able to hit a long drive. The greens are fast and unpredictable, but this just makes it more fun. Chances are, you’ll want to keep coming back to try to master this course.
Fees:
Cart and Range Weekday Weekend Weekday Weekend
April - May 6
Call for Rates and Availability
May 7 - May 22 $140 $160 $100 $120
May 23 - June 15 $180 $200 $130 $150
June 16 - July 7 $200 $220 $140 $160
July 8 - July 13 Closed Celebrity Golf
July 14 - August 24 $220 $235 $160 $180
August 25 - Sept 21 $200 $220 $140 $160
Sept 22 - October 4 $170 $190 $120 $140
October 5 to Close $140 $160 $100 $120
How to Get There:
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From Reno
395 South to 50 West
Right at Lake Parkway
From Sacramento/San Francisco
50 East to Stateline Casino area
Left after Casinos at Lake Parkway
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July 30th, 2008 — Tips and Tricks, tools
If you are new to this sport, or ready to take it to the next level, club selection has a lot to do with how well you will end up playing. While there is no substitution for technique and skill, having the right kind of golf clubs can have a big impact on your overall score. Here are some tips to help you decide which golf clubs are right for you.
Beginning Players
The most common mistake beginners make is finding the cheapest clubs they can get, and they may not even be the right fit. While it is understandable that you don’t want to invest heavily in equipment if you are not going to end up enjoying the sport, you may never get the appropriate experience if your equipment is substandard.
In this situation, we recommend renting clubs from the course where you play. In many cases, your course will offer a free club fitting. This will help you learn more about the different types of clubs and the lengths you may need. We highly recommend getting a fitting before purchasing any set of clubs, regardless of their price. This can save you a lot of money over time and you’ll be able to find the right clubs for your specific needs.
Intermediate Players
Once you’ve got a good feel for the sport and you start to enjoy it, many players decide to take it to the next level and spend a little more on clubs. Once again, getting a proper fitting is really the key to club selection, but you can also make some decisions on the types of material for your clubs and their specific uses.
For example, let’s say that you are having issues with your overall accuracy. This may be caused by your golf clubs having too flexible of a shaft. Change this and you may experience better control. For those that need more freedom, a graphite shaft is ideal and is quite easy to find.
Advacned Players
At this point, if you have made it this far in the game, you’re going to want a set of clubs that reflect your skill. We highly recommend that advacned players that play frequently get a set of custom made clubs. This allows you the freedom to have clubs that are made of the right materials, and perfectly sized to fit your body. This option also works well for those that may not yet be up to this skill level, but have the money to buy custom clubs.
Remember, your clubs are an investment. If the sticker price is getting to you, here’s a formula to make it easier. Let’s say your new set of clubs costs $2500. You’ll be using them for five years, playing once a week. This boils down to $9 a game. Compare that with what you would spend for rentals or even on non-necessities, and it’s pretty clear you’re getting a good deal.
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July 29th, 2008 — CA, Lake Tahoe, golf courses, restaurant
Coyote Moon Golf Course is located near Lake Tahoe, CA (This is one of my favorite courses… Played it when they first opened before they had their license to sell beer… Beer was free! Water you had to pay for.)
Phone: 530-587-0886
Website: http://www.golftahoe.com/coyote-moon
Course History:
Coyote Moon is a fairly new golf course but it has been incredibly well received and quickly shot to fame. Although it is one of the most difficult courses to master in this area, it is also one of the most enjoyable to play. Professionals will find it challenging, but even novices will be able to enjoy a round without feeling too intimidated. The scenery alone makes this well worth the trip and overall, this is one of the nicest courses in the area.
What You Need to Know:
This course is very eco-friendly and has numerous features that make it a very “green” course. There may be some areas that are parked off from the public and the management asks that visitors observe these rules. That’s a small price to pay considering the overall beauty of the course.
Although no dress code is specified, we highly recommend traditional golf attire since this is a more conservative course. The facilities are definitely top notch and the grill is a definite must-stop-by. They are open every day for breakfast and lunch, and the bar is open until 7pm.
Playing Hints:
The terrain makes for a very challenging round of golf and the management states that you’ll need to use just about every club and every technique at your disposal to beat this course. It’s definitely one of the toughest courses to play and you’ll find that distance combined with accuracy will make your game a lot easier and will keep your scores higher.
The sixth hole is particularly challenging and you’ll be facing a water hazard right from the tee. Keep to the left a little bit and keep in mind that your shot will be pulled towards the water. On the fourteenth hole you may feel as though you’re playing hopscotch, not golf, as you try to avoid the rough. Try to make your tee shot as long as possible and head straight. This should put you in a great position to make it to the green in about another shot with the right club and the right amount of power.
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Fees:
Regular Rate May 23 - October 19 (18 Holes): $160
Twilight Rate $100
Twilight Times
Opening through June 12th: 3:00pm
June 13th through September 7th: 4:00pm
September 8th through October 19th: 3:00pm
All rates include use of warm up station and shared golf car.
Booking Policy
For 8 Players or Less:
Regular Reservations may be made up to 30 days in advance.
Twilight Reservations may be made up to 30 days in advance.
Cancellations must be made 48 hours in advance.
How to Get There:
Reno
Take I-80 West to exit number 184, Donner Pass Road. Turn right onto Donner Pass Road. Turn left at Northwoods Blvd. Course is 1/2 mile up the hill.
San Francisco/Sacramento
Take I-80 East to exit number 184, Donner Pass Road. Turn left and cross over the interstate. Turn left at Northwoods Blvd. Course is 1/2 mile up the hill.
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July 28th, 2008 — Tips and Tricks
If you have ever come up to short or too long on your approach to the green, it’s time to master the art of the flop shot. This is a shot that eludes many golfers, but once you’ve got it down, you will notice that your overall accuracy improves and you’ll be able to get a lot closer to the pin. Here are some tips to help you land that next flop shot.First, it’s important to realize that this shot is nothing like chipping. When you chip the ball, you’re trapping the ball. This gives you either more or less distance depending on how hard you hit it. A flop shot requires you to slide underneath the ball, not trap it. This is the number one problem for many golfers trying to land this shot. Once you have the difference down, you will be able to start making flop shots consistently.
Let’s talk about stance. Your stance will be much like a chip shot. Your knees should be slightly bent, and your arms slightly bent as well. Hold your club as you normally would, and backswing as you normally would. But, as you hit the downswing, the key is to slow down.
Think of it as an arc of power – much like the swing systems on most golfing video games. On the upper end of the swing, you want to give it as much power as you can. Right before you hit the ball, you want to slow that down to maximize the force. It takes a little getting used to at first.
We recommend practicing in your backyard, or even in your living room (without the ball of course) until you get the feel for the swing rhythm. You’re not actually going to be hitting anything yet, but the key is to get the feel for the swing. Once it comes naturally to you, you’ll be able to move onto the next step.
Now, let’s talk about your wrists. You’ll want to hold your hands normally on the upswing, but right when you hit the ball, the key to landing that flip shot is your wrists. This is one shot where you actually want to break your wrists. Imagine you are holding your club and clasp both hands together.
Keeping them together, move both hands sharply to the left, so that your left hand is now facing sideways and your right hand, which is on top, is also facing sideways. Both hands should be vertical. Now, put your arms down like you would if you were holding a club and get a feel for that same movement.
Add in the swing motion and at the last second, break your wrists. Keep going until all the pieces fit together. Then, you’ll be ready to add the ball. Remember, you want open the club face and slide underneath, not hit down. Ideally, your flop shot should pop up and land right where you want it. It takes a little practice, but with time, you’ll be flopping like a pro.
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July 24th, 2008 — Tips and Tricks
No matter how well you can drive or chip, the key to your score often lies right on the green. The exercise of putting a little ball in a little hole is one of the most frustrating known to men and it can be the deal breaker when it comes to getting a great score. If you’re ready to putt like a pro, there are some secrets that you need to know. These will make an enormous difference in the way that you put, and you’ll find that your score improves naturally as you begin implementing them.
The first step is to learn how to gauge distance properly. We don’t really stop to think about how far we are from the hole. We look and decide, too far or not close enough. However, there is a lot to be said to learning how to tell exactly how many feet you are from the hole. You’ll be able to fine tune your swing to reach a set amount of distance after you try these exercises.
First, let’s work on gauging distance. Off the course, set up a little test on your lawn or even in your living room. Measure off a variety of different distances and mark them with chalk, or with pieces of paper inside. Now, remove the measuring tape and try to gauge exactly how far away each one is from you. Work until you can correctly guess each measurement. Try changing it up, and moving things around until your accuracy increases. If you have natural terrain changes in your yard, take advantage of those as well.
Now, let’s work on reaching a set distance. Set up your measurements again and grab your putter and some practice balls. Work on reach the exact end of each measurement until you start to feel in your arms how much strength you need to reach a set distance. There will be some factors here that may change, such as green density and slope, but this will help you start to “feel” distance as well as see it.
After you are successfully reaching the right distance, it’s time to head out to the course and try a few more exercises. You’ll be taking advantage of a practice green in this situation, but if your course doesn’t have one, you can easily take your exercise on to the regular greens. Chip your way up to the green and then try to see how far away you think you are. Grab a measuring tape and check your distance. If you’re wrong, you’ll need to go back and work on seeing distance again. If you’re right, try to putt that correct distance, relying on your muscle memory. If you don’t make it, grab that measuring tape again to see where you went wrong.
By consistently “seeing” and “feeling” distance, you’ll be able to work up to handling terrain changes on the green as well. You may even find that your long game improves as a result of these exercises.
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July 16th, 2008 — CA, Visalia, golf courses
Phone Number: 559-651-1441.
Website: http://www.playvalleyoaks.com
Course History:
This is a stunning course that is incredible to play. It is actually made up of three nine hole course and you can pick your own configuration. It’s almost impossible to get bored with this course and you’ll find plenty of opportunities to challenge yourself. Although the course can be difficult at times, it is not too much for a novice player to handle.
What You Need to Know:
You can book your tee time by calling the number above or they do have the option to book online. The staff here are incredibly friendly and the course is very well maintained. Although they don’t specifically state that there is a dress code, it is best to err on the side of caution and wear traditional golfing attire.
The pro shop is simply the best in the area and they also offer custom club fittings. If you’re new to golf or need some pointers, the pros are very helpful and the lessons are very beneficial. Numerous events are held throughout the year on the course and it has become a local favorite. It is a bit tucked away however, so we included some basic instructions on how to get there below.
Playing Hints:
Each of the three layouts will play very differently. The first, the Valley Course, is a very traditional course that has incredibly narrow fairways lined with trees. You’ll really need to work on your accuracy with this one. Even though the 7th hole is the shortest, it’s also the most difficult. It’s a 200 yard par 3, but you’ll need to avoid the bunkers on your approach. Try to be as accurate as possible since the 45 foot green can easily demolish your score.
The Oaks Course is a great place to start if you’re still working on accuracy. The fairways are a bit wider on this one and you’ll have more room for error. Once again, the hardest hole is the shortest. The eighth hole is a par 3 but it may take a few times around to get that score. You’ll be dealing with trees to the right and a lake to the left. Once you get past these, the sloping green is surrounded by tough bunkers.
The Lakes Course is the newest addition and offers a good balance between the other two courses. The fairways and greens have a bit of a roll to them, but they aren’t too much to handle with practice.
Green Fees:
Weekdays Fees
Regular (18 holes/9 holes) $24.50/16.50
Twilight $16.50
Junior and Senior $16.50
Tournament $24.50
Weekends and Holidays Fees
Regular (18 holes/9 holes) $31.00/18.50
Twilight $18.50
Junior and Senior (after 11:00 am) $18.50
Tournament $31.00
Cart rental (18 holes) $12.00/rider
Cart rental (9 holes) $8.00/rider
Rental clubs $10.00
Driving range
Discount Cards Available
$4.00/token
Directions
View Larger Map
From CA 99, take the Highway 198 exit to Plaza Drive. Bear right, then take a left at the T-intersection, and Valley Oaks is located on your left. Call for more information at 559-651-1441.
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July 10th, 2008 — Tips and Tricks
If you’re having trouble with your game, the first place to look for answers is in your swing. Most players struggle to perfect their swings throughout their entire lives and some may never get to the point of having the “perfect swing.” You don’t need to be perfect, but there are a few things that you can watch out for and correct to see a dramatic improvement in your game.
We highly recommend going to a course that offers a video swing utility, but if you can’t do that, here are some tips to help you diagnose your own swing problems and find the right solutions.
Swinging Too Fast -
This results in a very sloppy swing and you won’t be able to control your aim very well. It’s easy to fall into this trap, especially if you watch a lot of golf. While a swing may appear to be fast on a pro, it’s actually a bit slower than it looks. If you are finding that your aim is absolutely unreliable, you may be simply swinging too fast. Here’s how to break that habit:
Start by imagining that your club is the hands of a clock, with the ground being your starting point. Raise up the club a few degrees and hold it there before moving to the next position. Break down your movements very deliberately. Don’t worry, it’s going to look a little funny at first and it may feel a bit weird, but you’re getting there. Bring up the club slowly and then bring it back down using the same technique.
Now, once you’ve done that a few times, smooth out the stopping points until you have one smooth arc on the way up and the way down. Keep trying it until it feels natural. Remember, slow it down and you’ll have better accuracy. If you feel yourself speeding up your swing, return to your first exercise to break it down again.
Twisting Your Hips -
If your shot pulls a bit, chances are your hips are getting in the way. It is tough to avoid this since it is a pretty natural movement to pull your hips up with your arms. Here’s how to break that habit:
Imagine that you are standing in a turnstile that is very tight, so you cannot move from side to side. Plant both feet and start swinging your arms around first in one direction, then the other. Yes, you’re going to look a bit like a windmill, but this is what you want. You want to train your top half to operate independently from the bottom half. Isolate those muscles in your upper torso on your upswing, and then bring everything together on the down swing. You won’t be pulling your shot, but you’ll have the full power of your hips on that down swing. Keep trying until you feel that magical “click” of everything falling into place.
These are just two easy ways to get your swing back on track and start improving your game.
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