Me and the homies at Seven Canyons
January 2023.
Me and Pops at Chamber's Bay
for his 60th Birthday
June 2019
Me and one of my best friends from growing up at Entrada at Snow Canyon
January 2018
About Me
What makes me qualified to rate golf courses?
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING...other than the fact that I have been very fortunate to play a lot of different, and very nice (about 140) courses throughout the world.
Like many kids, I started playing golf with my dad at a young age and although my golf game is nothing to really brag about (I'm a 12 handicap or so) I do seek exceptional golf experiences.
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I've come to a point where I know I will never be a "great" golfer so I simply try to take in the beauty of the course, appreciate the vision of the architect, and note the care in which the course is kept.
Other than that, I'll try to hit some good shots, score some birds, and get some good photos of my outings while I'm at it.
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I hope you enjoy my insights and can use them when planning your next round.
I'm accessible and also have a background in the travel industry if you ever have questions or want help with planning so feel free to reach out to me directly.
With a very average golf game, perhaps the most enjoyable part of the game is to experience unique course designs and taking photos while on the course.
Our process of creating abstract images from on these photos also adds a fun twist, and makes for great decorations around the home and office, always acting as a reminder of how fortunate I am to have been able to play the stunning courses that I have!
First off, a bit About Me and My Game
Irons
I scored these beauties (Taylor Made P-790, black finish and matching black shafts) at the beginning of this year and absolutely love them. They are a good 10-15 yards longer than my prior irons and the look inspires confidence even when the lie or situation doesn't.
I added the Titleist TS2 Driver (9.5 degree Even Flow White 65 Stiff Shaft) to my bag this summer and it has completely revolutionized my game. I am MUCH more consistent and my misses are no longer hole-ending blowups as they previously were with my old driver.
If anyone is looking for a new driver, I'd almost insist on it!
I have been a Scotty Cameron loyalist my entire golf career and have had the Studio Design 1 (circa 2001) in my bag for many years. A couple of years back I switched to the Phantom X 12 and have been very pleased with the switch as I seem to have gained consistently and reduced the bad misses with a bit more weight and forgiveness of the mallet versus the blade design.
Woods
Putter
Driver
The only staple in my bag is a TaylorMade Burner, bubble-shaft (yes, that old) 5-Wood which I have had since 2000. This is literally my favorite club in my bag. I will not replace it until it breaks, I die, or the world ends--and even then it will be a travesty. No other golf shot feels as good as when I hit this club pure, it is 250 yards on the dot, high ball-flight, and can stick on a dime. I also rarely have a bad miss with it, making Par 5's much more fun and accessible.
Wedges
My wedge game kind of sucks, as I feel I lack the technical abilities and imagination to really execute a lot of the shots I feel I need to hit. As such, I am limited to a lot of pitches with a 50 degree TaylorMade Rocketballz wedge and a 55 degree SW. The good attributes of these clubs, for me, is that they are heavily weighted and have rounded leading edges which helps my game. Despite being shaky now, I was downright atrocious when I had bouncier wedges, and sharper edged faces in the past. My sand game is decent (not great) but I tend to shy away from pitches and chips that need to skip and stick and struggle when I have limited green to work with. Yes, a couple lessons here would be a good investment.
Bag and Swag
If you're like me, looking like "I know what I'm doing" is half the battle. Plus, it's always fun to show up and have cooler gear than your buddies, flexing around the Clubhouse a bit, and having all the accessories to make sure you have a flawless day. Here are a couple essentials, and optional's to keep in or around your bag.
Nothing fancy here but I feel Titleist does a nice job with styling and functionality in their Hybrid 14 bag. Other than the zippers being a little janky, I'd recommend.
This little guy is perfect (and awesome looking) for bluetooth music on the course and clips right onto your bag...I highly suggest the JBL Clip 3 whether you're into smooth grooves or gangsta vibes this is your go-to.
I'm kind of a fan of these Palm Golf gloves, and have bought a couple. You're definitely paying for style as much as quality, but they have held up decently well and are the coolest ones I've seen on the market.
I just donned the Stage V Clinger, magnetic cigar clip (which attaches perfectly to any metal golf cart windshield) the other day and it was perfect!! Highly recommend for anyone who enjoys a stogie on the course
Come on, what's cooler than Michael Jordan golf shoes? In a product that used to scream "nerd" these are pretty revolutionary. Extremely comfortable and durable too!
What else...tees, divot tools, ball markers, lighters, bottle openers, marker, pencil, sunscreen, bandaids...let's go!
Recommended Services
There are probably few companies in the entire golf industry that are going to get a more glowing referral from me than ShipSticks...and this is extra surprising given that the incident that led me to this conclusion easily could have ended in extreme disappointment had they not handled it the way they did.
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Last winter, right before the Holidays I was heading from Colorado to Scottsdale to play some rounds with a good friend. I had used ShipSticks once before and was pleased with the experience so I elected to use them again. The sign up and purchase is easy, and its nice that you can send clubs to the course you're planning to play rather than a physical address especially for an Airbnb in a foreign city where you don't know when they will get dropped off and if they will be safe or not sitting on the front step.
Anyways, I had brought my clubs to the FedEx, and gotten the tracking number which assumed my clubs would arrive the day before I did, and two days before our first tee-time. The morning before I was leaving I saw an unfamiliar number call my phone and then a voicemail. At the same time I got an email alert from ShipSticks and as I listened to the voicemail and read the email I received the same information at the same time. My clubs were not going to make it on time.
I could have freaked out had it not been for the extremely personable, friendly person who left the voicemail and his contact information, assuring me that ShipSticks would do anything they could to rectify the situation. I called the number back and it didn't go to a phone tree, it didn't go to a foreign country, I didn't listen to hold music...I immediately talked to a person...and a very nice person at that.
He apologized up and down for the situation and explained that the reason I was not getting my clubs on time was not because of ShipSticks, but rather because a big storm was impacting all FedEx shipping times. He didn't blame FedEx, he didn't tell me to call and complain to FedEx, he didn't tell me "tough luck" he told me that ShipSticks had an insurance policy and that I had $150 credit to buy or rent ANYTHING I wanted to ensure I had a good round. He said it applied to club rentals, new shoes, balls, gloves, or any other essential playing item as long as I submitted a receipt within 30 days.
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I arrived at the course, got a rental bag, a new glove, the Jordan shoes mentioned above, three sleeves of balls, tees and a ball marker...on the house!
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After submitting my receipt, and just as promised, ShipSticks sent me a check for $150 a few weeks later along with a discount code for 20% off my next shipment, no questions asked.
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That's great customer service and exactly how all companies should do it!
Upcoming Purchases
At one point it seemed that all golf carts had, or were going to have, GPS and since I almost exclusively ride I figured I would be ok without a rangefinder. Lately, I've noticed that it almost seems that the industry has moved away from in-cart GPS and it might be time to get a handheld to eliminate the suspense. Nothing is worse than guessing the distance, loving the feel as it leaves the club face, watching the ballflight thinking you're on the money, only to end up 15 yards short because you had the wrong distance :/
Legacy Items
Jordan OGs
Scotty Cameron Studio Design, Oil Can
To be honest, as long as the course is interesting, I like them all!
It is amazing being on the ocean and watching the waves crash in while spotting the occasional whale breaching like you might at Bandon or Torrey.
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It is equally cool seeing the contrast of lush green grass against the desert landscape like you might see at Wolf Creek, Troon North (pictured above), or Palm Springs.
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I am also a little partial to a mountain backdrops (and the additional distance) of mountain courses like those in Jackson Hole, Banff, or Vail.
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Ultimately, if the course has a lot of elevation change, incorporates some creativity around the natural topography, is well kept, has a good flow, and plays fair--I'm in!!
Personally, I love being the last one on the course as the sun sets and the night begins to fall.
I love the cooling temperatures, the glowing sky, and the serenity of this time of day on the course.
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Growing up, I usually had to wait until after school, or until my dad was done with work, to get out and play and some of my fondest memories of my childhood took place in the waning moments of daylight.
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Now, I feel like its hard to start a day with four hours of golf especially if I'm with friends, where beer drinking is more implied than suggested and the realities and responsibilities of adulthood are always lurking.
Does it help that being the last ones on the course usually leads you right in for cocktails and food after the round?
Perhaps so :)