D. Fairchild Wheeler Golf Club, the Bridgeport owned, 36-hole layout that's located on the border of the Park City in Fairfield, has been around a lot longer than most municipal golf courses in and around our area.
"The Wheel" -- as it's called by old-timers -- and now is being used as a logo, was established in 1932. By comparison, courses like Oak Hills in Norwalk, Sterling Farms in Stamford and Smith-Richardson in Fairfield were without a divot until the mid-to-late 60s.
It was on the afternoon of June 16 that I traveled to the Bridgeport municipal course and picked up a ticket to play 18 holes with a riding cart.
Before getting started, I remembered the course was one of the few that remained open all year through thick and thin in the old days -- at least you could always play The Wheel on days when the temperature dropped below 40 degrees and the rain and snow kept golfers away from most other courses, which would close.
It had been a few years since I played Fairchild, but i didn't fail to remember its hilly terrain. Unless you're young and vigorous, I wouldn't recommend walking -- and that goes for both courses, the Black and the Red.
A handful of golfers were putting on the large practice green outside the clubhouse when I arrived. I didn't bother to work on my putting and, although I had heard there was a driving range down the path, I decided to forgo practice balls as well (in my case it rarely helps.)
I had been unsuccessful in my attempts to obtain a tee time for this piece, so, eventually I wandered up to the starter in the hope of joining up with a local threesome (who might share their "local knowledge" with me.) I got lucky.
The starter put me together with three Bridgeport area residents who play the course more or less regularly. Curtis Wilson, Billy Washington, "Popsey" and I made our introductions and we headed for the first tee on the 6,559-yard Black course, universally considered the better conditioned of the city's two side-by-side courses.
As we stepped onto the tee, I was pleased to see a flower arrangement that hadn't been there before, and, looking around, it was clear there had been a number of recent improvements. Even as golfers plied their way around the course, workmen could be seen cutting and trimming and doing routine maintenance.
Hole No. 1 is a slight dogleg from the tee and appears to be pretty uncomplicated as long as you stay away from that big tree on the left and the woods that seem to infringe on the the fairway from the right not far from the driving range.
I was delighted when I struck a solid drive off the 351-yard hole (middle tee), but it soon became clear I was out of my league. All three of my playing partners hit their shots so hard I thought they'd knocked the covers off, or at least knocked their balls out-of-round -- even if the drives weren't all straight down the middle.
For "weekend golfers" the first hole is always toughest, after all we haven't hit 300 balls a day all week the way pros do. Nevertheless, we got through the first hole without embarrassing ourselves and meandered over to the second tee ready to do battle with the rest of the course.
My partners invited me to join them in a little game of skins, but, fortunately, I was wise enough to decline (I would have lost my shirt.)
You need a solid drive off the second tee if you expect to reach the crest of the hill and roll down far enough to get a flat lie (My drive stayed on top.) If you get out there, it's just a short iron to the green. The third hole is a 125-yard short iron with a bunker short and right and -- Watch out! -- a huge downhill plunge along the left side that you'd better avoid.
If you hope to get a good look at the green with your second shot on the par 4 fourth hole, you need to drill your tee shot long and straight. A grove of trees on the left catches many a ball, so you'd be a lot safer staying a bit to the right.
The next four holes are among the best layouts anywhere. A short fifth hole calls for a drive over an outcropping of trees on the left or straight down the middle and, on the 411-yard sixth, you would be well advised to keep away from the left side all the way down and, on your drive, avoid that bunker with the big magnet in it. By the way, don't overshoot this green.
The seventh is a great 212-yard par 3 from a tee that so elevated it's almost as high as the hole is long, or at least it seems so. On the 451-yard eighth hole, you work your way up the longest hill you'll ever want to see (or walk up) on a golf course.
If you hit a solid shot from the ninth tee, you'll want to avoid that nasty old tree that blocks innumerable wayward pulls or hooks. But the hole can't be all that tough; I parred it myself.
After a brief stop for hot dogs and soda at the Twin Links Restaurant, a nice little place with lots of seats -- and even an outdoor patio -- we headed for the 10th tee. My playing partners were a bit nonplussed to find out from the starter that four slow groups had just gone off the 10th.
It's not uncommon at "The Wheel" for groups to switch courses in midstream, especially from Black to Red, so when this friendly group decided to switch to the Red course, I went along for the ride. Even so, I knew I would miss some interesting golf holes on the Black course, especially the signature 10th, a 408-yard layout from an elevated tee and the recently redesigned 508-yard 16th that demands a long, straight drive down the fairway and a tough shot to an elevated green.
The front nine on the Red course was always the stepchild of the Black course, so I was pleased when the condition of the course, except for the numerous chewed up tees, turned out far better than I had thought. The greens are in good shape and relatively true. And the Red presents a challenge similar to that of the Black. You won't find too many "easy" holes on either course.
On the first hole of the 3,568-yard Red course, you drive from still another elevated tee to a flat area only to have a second shot up and over a steep hill to a flat green. Except for the tee, you generally have a good lie on the fairways. You head back up the hill on the ninth hole -- that is, after a severe dogleg from the tee where you're hitting into the hill. The back nine on the Red course, as I recall, has some interesting layouts as well.
It is my understanding that the city of Bridgeport, through its board of park commissioners, has a long-term lease on the Fairfield property and National Fairways has a contract to run the facility.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=William_Torpey
Friday, October 31, 2008
Sterling Farms Has a Private Club Air
When you stand on the first tee at Sterling Farms Golf Club, one of Stamford's two 18-hole municipal layouts, you get the feeling you're about to play a private course.
Behind you, on the other side of the ticket office and cart shack, the more agile populace compete on six tennis courts while, to your right, golfers try to perfect their putting strokes on a small practice green outside the pro shop.
Further to the right, past the ninth hole and across the parking lot,is a vastly improved and always packed green-carpeted driving range, where hackers and low-handicapped golfers alike take advantage of the 25 stalls to warm up.
I had arrived early for my 12:33 p.m. tee off time on a recent Friday so I could get acquainted with my playing partners -- Patricia McGrath, a Stamford Golf Authority member, Don Hill and Rose Palladino, three Stamford residents. I hoped they could show me the ropes to the 5,922-yard course (from the White tees.)
On the way in from Newfield Avenue, I took note of the two restaurants on the course. The Fairway at Sterling that features fine dining and the Tenth Tee Grill, where golfers can sit and enjoy a sandwich or hot dog and a cup of coffee before, during or after a round of golf.
As I gazed down the first fairway, driver in hand, I was disappointed to see that the old battered tree that for years had challenged golfers by overhanging the fairway was gone, a victim of too many stray golf balls. In its place stands a grove of small trees.
The first hole is a short, easy par 4 (easy, that is, if you don't top your tee shot the way I did) that calls for a long iron or wood down a narrow fairway followed by a short-iron down a steep incline to a relatively flat, unguarded green.
Stepping onto the second tee is a genuine treat. This hole is one of the best -- on a course that can boast more than a few really nice layouts, where the fairways are well manicured, the greens are fair and true, and the challenges are substantial for us weekend hackers.
A 499-yard downhill par 5 demands a good drive from an elevated tee with out-of-bounds on the left, trees on the right, and a strategically placed bunker on the left side of a fairway that doglegs left-to-right. If you're out far enough on your drive, you can try to go over a small watery channel to reach the green; otherwise, you need to lay up, use a short to mid-iron and avoid the bunkers guarding the greens, front left and middle right.
The third hole is a short par 4 that requires a straight, but not long, drive and short iron, avoiding the out-of-bounds on the left and water on the right, if you're short.
My playing partners informed me that the really long hitters still cut the dogleg on the 333-yard fourth hole, but for most of us it's a medium iron over a drainage ditch and uphill to the green. The fifth hole is a nice, 198-yard par 3 from an elevated tee to a green guarded by water long and to the left.
The par 5 sixth, Sterling Farm's signature hole, is only 415 yards, but it's up a steep hill that rises dramatically over the last 100 yards to a green whose surface is not visible from the fairway.
I was particularly glad that I was riding a cart as we worked our way up the sixth, and McGrath informed me that a study by The Northeast Golf Company commissioned by the golf authority offers a complete, hole-by-hole enhancement plan that will be used as a guide to changes in the course as funds become available. The plan suggests dramatic changes in the sixth hole, from tee to green. (I hope they know what they're doing!)
The last three holes on the front nine comprise a challenging dogleg right from an elevated tee (seventh); a straightforward, uphill long iron or wood to the eighth hole, and a longish, uphill fun-to-play par 4 ninth that takes you back to the clubhouse (just aim for the American flag.)
Hill and Palladino, accustomed to playing only nine holes, said their goodbyes and after a quick snack at the grill, McGrath and I mounted the 10th tee to attack the back nine. It begins down a steep hill -- dreaded by those among us who tend to hook the ball because the building that houses the grill, on the left, seems to jump out at you.
The 11th runs along the valley where you hit from an elevated tee (or a challenging new back tee) to a flagt fairway. The green is guarded by a ditch that catches more than a few short shots. Then you work your way back uphill on the 12th, trying to skim the left side (or drawing it into the hill) while avoiding the trees on the right.
The 13th is a long par 5 dogleg to the right that requires a long drive to reach the bend before working your way uphill to the green.
The last five holes are a pure delight. On the 14th you drive from yet another elevated tee down a hill to a flat surface, or, if you're really long, you may want to cut the dogleg left by landing on the narrow fairway between two ponds. It's a routine second shot to the green.
After a 140-yard, uphill shot to the 15th green, lyou hit from the last of the elevated tees on the 16th to a flat area, staying away from the old cemetery, then it's an easy pitch to a slightly elevated green. The 17th is a challenging, 217-yard par 3 guarded by a large tree on the right, another on the left, and a greenside bunker on the right.
The 465-yard par five 18th, where a large tree used to frustrate quite a few hackers, plays really long for everyone but the longest hitters, but it's a great hole that runs parallel to Newfield Avenue.
Walking off the 18th, I bid adieu to McGrath and pledged that the next time I wouldn't wait so long before trying my luck again at Sterling (if I can save up the out-of-town greens fee.)
Manager Paul Grillo, a Norwalker, says that 70,000 rounds a year are played on the course, now in its 26th year -- about 15 percent of that out-of-towners.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=William_Torpey
Behind you, on the other side of the ticket office and cart shack, the more agile populace compete on six tennis courts while, to your right, golfers try to perfect their putting strokes on a small practice green outside the pro shop.
Further to the right, past the ninth hole and across the parking lot,is a vastly improved and always packed green-carpeted driving range, where hackers and low-handicapped golfers alike take advantage of the 25 stalls to warm up.
I had arrived early for my 12:33 p.m. tee off time on a recent Friday so I could get acquainted with my playing partners -- Patricia McGrath, a Stamford Golf Authority member, Don Hill and Rose Palladino, three Stamford residents. I hoped they could show me the ropes to the 5,922-yard course (from the White tees.)
On the way in from Newfield Avenue, I took note of the two restaurants on the course. The Fairway at Sterling that features fine dining and the Tenth Tee Grill, where golfers can sit and enjoy a sandwich or hot dog and a cup of coffee before, during or after a round of golf.
As I gazed down the first fairway, driver in hand, I was disappointed to see that the old battered tree that for years had challenged golfers by overhanging the fairway was gone, a victim of too many stray golf balls. In its place stands a grove of small trees.
The first hole is a short, easy par 4 (easy, that is, if you don't top your tee shot the way I did) that calls for a long iron or wood down a narrow fairway followed by a short-iron down a steep incline to a relatively flat, unguarded green.
Stepping onto the second tee is a genuine treat. This hole is one of the best -- on a course that can boast more than a few really nice layouts, where the fairways are well manicured, the greens are fair and true, and the challenges are substantial for us weekend hackers.
A 499-yard downhill par 5 demands a good drive from an elevated tee with out-of-bounds on the left, trees on the right, and a strategically placed bunker on the left side of a fairway that doglegs left-to-right. If you're out far enough on your drive, you can try to go over a small watery channel to reach the green; otherwise, you need to lay up, use a short to mid-iron and avoid the bunkers guarding the greens, front left and middle right.
The third hole is a short par 4 that requires a straight, but not long, drive and short iron, avoiding the out-of-bounds on the left and water on the right, if you're short.
My playing partners informed me that the really long hitters still cut the dogleg on the 333-yard fourth hole, but for most of us it's a medium iron over a drainage ditch and uphill to the green. The fifth hole is a nice, 198-yard par 3 from an elevated tee to a green guarded by water long and to the left.
The par 5 sixth, Sterling Farm's signature hole, is only 415 yards, but it's up a steep hill that rises dramatically over the last 100 yards to a green whose surface is not visible from the fairway.
I was particularly glad that I was riding a cart as we worked our way up the sixth, and McGrath informed me that a study by The Northeast Golf Company commissioned by the golf authority offers a complete, hole-by-hole enhancement plan that will be used as a guide to changes in the course as funds become available. The plan suggests dramatic changes in the sixth hole, from tee to green. (I hope they know what they're doing!)
The last three holes on the front nine comprise a challenging dogleg right from an elevated tee (seventh); a straightforward, uphill long iron or wood to the eighth hole, and a longish, uphill fun-to-play par 4 ninth that takes you back to the clubhouse (just aim for the American flag.)
Hill and Palladino, accustomed to playing only nine holes, said their goodbyes and after a quick snack at the grill, McGrath and I mounted the 10th tee to attack the back nine. It begins down a steep hill -- dreaded by those among us who tend to hook the ball because the building that houses the grill, on the left, seems to jump out at you.
The 11th runs along the valley where you hit from an elevated tee (or a challenging new back tee) to a flagt fairway. The green is guarded by a ditch that catches more than a few short shots. Then you work your way back uphill on the 12th, trying to skim the left side (or drawing it into the hill) while avoiding the trees on the right.
The 13th is a long par 5 dogleg to the right that requires a long drive to reach the bend before working your way uphill to the green.
The last five holes are a pure delight. On the 14th you drive from yet another elevated tee down a hill to a flat surface, or, if you're really long, you may want to cut the dogleg left by landing on the narrow fairway between two ponds. It's a routine second shot to the green.
After a 140-yard, uphill shot to the 15th green, lyou hit from the last of the elevated tees on the 16th to a flat area, staying away from the old cemetery, then it's an easy pitch to a slightly elevated green. The 17th is a challenging, 217-yard par 3 guarded by a large tree on the right, another on the left, and a greenside bunker on the right.
The 465-yard par five 18th, where a large tree used to frustrate quite a few hackers, plays really long for everyone but the longest hitters, but it's a great hole that runs parallel to Newfield Avenue.
Walking off the 18th, I bid adieu to McGrath and pledged that the next time I wouldn't wait so long before trying my luck again at Sterling (if I can save up the out-of-town greens fee.)
Manager Paul Grillo, a Norwalker, says that 70,000 rounds a year are played on the course, now in its 26th year -- about 15 percent of that out-of-towners.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=William_Torpey
Oak Hills - Jewel in Norwalk
A foursome was just teeing up on the signature 13th hole at Oak Hills Golf Course as I turned off Fillow Street recently and made my way up Charles S. Marshall Drive to a crowded parking lot at Norwalk's "crown jewel."
It was a sunny, mild, spring day and I was looking forward to joining three Norwalk (Conn. ) old-timers to try to tame the 18-hole, 5,920-yard course (that's from the white (middle) tees. It's 6,307 from the blues.
As I approached the area where players drop off their clubs before parking their cars, I noticed there was no longer a practice area where golfers could hit their golf balls against a target. The two practice greens were still there, however, and I found out later they are used alternately on odd-and-even days. More importantly -- for us chow hounds -- there was a small food cart adjacent to the putting greens offering such fare as hot dogs, soda, candy and coffee.
I dutifully arrived 15 minutes before my 12:42 tee time, as required by the starter, recalling that, in the late '60s, I was a member of the Norwalk Jaycees when that civic organization played a small role in supporting the creation of the city's only public golf course. I first played the course in the early '70s, when the old Oak Hills Commission was almost psychotic about the possibility of anything going wrong because of a scandal that occurred back then surrounding it first chairman, having something to do with a lawnmower and criminal charges that didn't pan out.
Things seem a lot more relaxed and friendly these days. I was thinking along those lines when I met and shook hands with my playing partners for the day: Frank Lapolla, Ed Seferian and Don Shanks. We agreed to play the white (not so demanding) tees. As it turned out, it was a really good decision, based on the way we played that day.
Anyone who's ever played Oak Hills has to be aware that making a good score for the day often depends on how well you do on the first six holes -- they're all pretty short and if you can finesse them without landing in the two ponds and escaping out-of-bounds, you're off to a great start. If you're not on the ball, however, you may feel like walking home instead of past the pro shop on your way to the seventh tee.
Our foursome had a little (?) trouble getting started. The first hole isn't really tough if you play a decent long iron or three wood. But you have to remember there's no warm-up area at Oak Hills -- and the first six holes call for finesse, not power.
Frank and Ed and Don outplayed me on Hole No. 1, but I may have outwitted them by taking a riding cart (they were walking, dragging their clubs.) You may have difficulty remembering how you played the first hole at Oak Hills, but, if you're walking, you're not likely to forget dragging those clubs up that humongous hill en route to the second tee.
The second hole, a par 4, is only 295 yards from the whites, but weekend golfers (that's us duffers to the uninitiated) have a demanding second shot to a small, elevated green. That's probably why the hole is followed by a particularly easy, 109-yard par 3 (This hole was definitely carved out to soothe the egos of those bruised by the second hole, even though there's a tiny pond that collects golf balls from many poor souls.)
The par 4 fourth hole runs from an elevated tee down the fairway to an elevated green. Nothing complicated. The fifth hole, a par 3, 174-yard shot over a big pond is fun if you miss the water that protects three sides of the green. The sixth hole, a short par 4, also requires a tee shot over water and then meanders past some overhanging tree limbs to an elevated green.
On the seventh tee, your main objective may very well be not to hit anybody around the snack bar up the hill and to the right, near the 10th tee. Then it's a challenging second shot, for most of us, from the top of the hill to a green on the left side (I'm not going to mention those big hitters who drive it down the hill in pitiching iron range.)
Most golfers, I think, are genuinely happy to reach the eighth tee: For some of us, it's as if we were just starting the round because finally, for the first time, you can whale away with a driver and forget trying to finesse the darn ball. Same thing for the ninth and 10th holes.
The ninth is by far the toughest hole for us short hitters, a 440-yard par 4 more like a par 5 for us. There's also a risk of hitting one of those power lines that run through portions of the course -- as happened to one of my partners the day we played. The frustrating thing is that the ball never hits the wires unless you've hit one of your best shots.
I grabbed a hamburger and Yoo Hoo at the shack at the 10th tee, but my walking partners played on without any refreshments.
The back nine, like the front, is a par 36, also with two nice par threes and two wicked par 5's. The 10th is a long (528-yard) par 5; the 11th is a short par 4 dogleg left, the 12th a long, interesting par 5 (501 yards), the 13th is a 154-yard par 3 that long ago, I remember, was only about 90 yards. The 14th hole is a challenging par 4 with another elevated green.
The signature 15th hole is fun to play. A small pond near the tee shouldn't come into play (so they say) and Charlie Marshall's drive runs along the entire left side of the fairway and catches more than a few balls. If that isn't bad enough, there are two bunkers on the left and short of the green and more water on the right.
The 16th and 17th, 342 and 336 yards respectively, are difficult par 4s for us hackers, particularly with that sunken ditch that runs between them. One of my partners said the 16th is the one that haunts him the most. By the way, it's on that level patch of land (level, that is, if you don't count the elevated green on the 16th) that the Oak Hills Authority plans to put a driving range. The 18th is a relatively easy par 4 that mercifully allows you to finish on a high note.
Between shots, my playing partners told me they weren't so much interested in the Authority's plans to build a driving range as they were in a sit-down restaurant where they could stop for a drink and a sandwich. The consensus was that some West Norwalk residents have been overreacting to the proposals.
Greens fees at Oak Hills are competitive with other muncipal courses in Fairfield County. Residents pay $14 on weekdays, $15 on weekends. If they want a riding cart, two partners usually share the $25 fee (plus $2 returnable deposit.) Guests (often out-of-towners) pay $32 weekdays and $37 weekends, plus the optional cart fee. Pull carts cost $3 plus a $1 deposit. The course is supported by fees and city money; ever since it was completed, state and federal money was neither sought nor received.
Members no longer have to wait for tee times in the early morning hours. They get their time a week in advance, and are required to pay the entire fee when the time is reserved. Weekday tee times are made a week in advance by telephone. For weekend times, there's a lottery, members show up Tuesdays at 7 for Saturdays and at 7:30 for Sundays.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=William_Torpey
It was a sunny, mild, spring day and I was looking forward to joining three Norwalk (Conn. ) old-timers to try to tame the 18-hole, 5,920-yard course (that's from the white (middle) tees. It's 6,307 from the blues.
As I approached the area where players drop off their clubs before parking their cars, I noticed there was no longer a practice area where golfers could hit their golf balls against a target. The two practice greens were still there, however, and I found out later they are used alternately on odd-and-even days. More importantly -- for us chow hounds -- there was a small food cart adjacent to the putting greens offering such fare as hot dogs, soda, candy and coffee.
I dutifully arrived 15 minutes before my 12:42 tee time, as required by the starter, recalling that, in the late '60s, I was a member of the Norwalk Jaycees when that civic organization played a small role in supporting the creation of the city's only public golf course. I first played the course in the early '70s, when the old Oak Hills Commission was almost psychotic about the possibility of anything going wrong because of a scandal that occurred back then surrounding it first chairman, having something to do with a lawnmower and criminal charges that didn't pan out.
Things seem a lot more relaxed and friendly these days. I was thinking along those lines when I met and shook hands with my playing partners for the day: Frank Lapolla, Ed Seferian and Don Shanks. We agreed to play the white (not so demanding) tees. As it turned out, it was a really good decision, based on the way we played that day.
Anyone who's ever played Oak Hills has to be aware that making a good score for the day often depends on how well you do on the first six holes -- they're all pretty short and if you can finesse them without landing in the two ponds and escaping out-of-bounds, you're off to a great start. If you're not on the ball, however, you may feel like walking home instead of past the pro shop on your way to the seventh tee.
Our foursome had a little (?) trouble getting started. The first hole isn't really tough if you play a decent long iron or three wood. But you have to remember there's no warm-up area at Oak Hills -- and the first six holes call for finesse, not power.
Frank and Ed and Don outplayed me on Hole No. 1, but I may have outwitted them by taking a riding cart (they were walking, dragging their clubs.) You may have difficulty remembering how you played the first hole at Oak Hills, but, if you're walking, you're not likely to forget dragging those clubs up that humongous hill en route to the second tee.
The second hole, a par 4, is only 295 yards from the whites, but weekend golfers (that's us duffers to the uninitiated) have a demanding second shot to a small, elevated green. That's probably why the hole is followed by a particularly easy, 109-yard par 3 (This hole was definitely carved out to soothe the egos of those bruised by the second hole, even though there's a tiny pond that collects golf balls from many poor souls.)
The par 4 fourth hole runs from an elevated tee down the fairway to an elevated green. Nothing complicated. The fifth hole, a par 3, 174-yard shot over a big pond is fun if you miss the water that protects three sides of the green. The sixth hole, a short par 4, also requires a tee shot over water and then meanders past some overhanging tree limbs to an elevated green.
On the seventh tee, your main objective may very well be not to hit anybody around the snack bar up the hill and to the right, near the 10th tee. Then it's a challenging second shot, for most of us, from the top of the hill to a green on the left side (I'm not going to mention those big hitters who drive it down the hill in pitiching iron range.)
Most golfers, I think, are genuinely happy to reach the eighth tee: For some of us, it's as if we were just starting the round because finally, for the first time, you can whale away with a driver and forget trying to finesse the darn ball. Same thing for the ninth and 10th holes.
The ninth is by far the toughest hole for us short hitters, a 440-yard par 4 more like a par 5 for us. There's also a risk of hitting one of those power lines that run through portions of the course -- as happened to one of my partners the day we played. The frustrating thing is that the ball never hits the wires unless you've hit one of your best shots.
I grabbed a hamburger and Yoo Hoo at the shack at the 10th tee, but my walking partners played on without any refreshments.
The back nine, like the front, is a par 36, also with two nice par threes and two wicked par 5's. The 10th is a long (528-yard) par 5; the 11th is a short par 4 dogleg left, the 12th a long, interesting par 5 (501 yards), the 13th is a 154-yard par 3 that long ago, I remember, was only about 90 yards. The 14th hole is a challenging par 4 with another elevated green.
The signature 15th hole is fun to play. A small pond near the tee shouldn't come into play (so they say) and Charlie Marshall's drive runs along the entire left side of the fairway and catches more than a few balls. If that isn't bad enough, there are two bunkers on the left and short of the green and more water on the right.
The 16th and 17th, 342 and 336 yards respectively, are difficult par 4s for us hackers, particularly with that sunken ditch that runs between them. One of my partners said the 16th is the one that haunts him the most. By the way, it's on that level patch of land (level, that is, if you don't count the elevated green on the 16th) that the Oak Hills Authority plans to put a driving range. The 18th is a relatively easy par 4 that mercifully allows you to finish on a high note.
Between shots, my playing partners told me they weren't so much interested in the Authority's plans to build a driving range as they were in a sit-down restaurant where they could stop for a drink and a sandwich. The consensus was that some West Norwalk residents have been overreacting to the proposals.
Greens fees at Oak Hills are competitive with other muncipal courses in Fairfield County. Residents pay $14 on weekdays, $15 on weekends. If they want a riding cart, two partners usually share the $25 fee (plus $2 returnable deposit.) Guests (often out-of-towners) pay $32 weekdays and $37 weekends, plus the optional cart fee. Pull carts cost $3 plus a $1 deposit. The course is supported by fees and city money; ever since it was completed, state and federal money was neither sought nor received.
Members no longer have to wait for tee times in the early morning hours. They get their time a week in advance, and are required to pay the entire fee when the time is reserved. Weekday tee times are made a week in advance by telephone. For weekend times, there's a lottery, members show up Tuesdays at 7 for Saturdays and at 7:30 for Sundays.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=William_Torpey
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
How to Stop Coming Over the Top in the Golf Swing
Many different people enjoy the sport of golf today. It's no longer for the rich and powerful, but rather a game which everyone enjoys. Whether it's the high-powered business associate or the weekend golfer who enjoys it only as a pastime or hobby. Whoever you are and however much you play, one thing is certain, you want to be the best golfer you can be. Part of this is learning how to improve your game and identify when you are "coming over the top", a common handicap which plagues many amateur golfers. Learn how to stop coming over the top in the golf swing and take back control to improve your game and get the end over your opponents.
Our physical body plays a huge part in the way we swing our club. It's all about being as powerful and efficient as we can, which can be an extremely complicated thing to execute, but once you get it down not so much. Many golfers are older in age and limited as to what they can do physically which of course effects their game, a perfect example of how our bodies have an impact on the game we play. As long as you do the proper exercises and take care of yourself by making sure your body is strong and flexible, then you will ensure a better golf game despite your age. Never let anyone tell you that you have to quit playing your best because of how old you are.
Exercising is the first step to taking care of yourself and improving your overall game. This isn't weight lifting or strenuous training of any sort, it's all about doing simple stretches to take care of the muscles needed in golfing on a regular basis. If you fail to do these exercises regularly than you shouldn't do them at all because it completely defeats the purpose. To strengthen any muscle in your body it must pushed and exercised on a regular basis, not just when you feel like it. You are making an investment in your golf game by doing this as well as your overall health.
If you're struggling with your golf game, I completely understand how you feel!
It can be so frustrating watching ball after ball kick up sand as they land in the trap or make that familiar *splash* as they fall into the pond.
There are a lot of products online claiming to be able to help you improve your game. I've bought a whole bunch, and most of them SUCK!
I don't want to see golfers like you being suckered into wasting money on products that don't deliver on their promises (like I was!)
That's why I've hand picked and reviewed the 3 golf products that helped me improve my game more than any others, and I know they can do the same thing for you!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Bronson
Our physical body plays a huge part in the way we swing our club. It's all about being as powerful and efficient as we can, which can be an extremely complicated thing to execute, but once you get it down not so much. Many golfers are older in age and limited as to what they can do physically which of course effects their game, a perfect example of how our bodies have an impact on the game we play. As long as you do the proper exercises and take care of yourself by making sure your body is strong and flexible, then you will ensure a better golf game despite your age. Never let anyone tell you that you have to quit playing your best because of how old you are.
Exercising is the first step to taking care of yourself and improving your overall game. This isn't weight lifting or strenuous training of any sort, it's all about doing simple stretches to take care of the muscles needed in golfing on a regular basis. If you fail to do these exercises regularly than you shouldn't do them at all because it completely defeats the purpose. To strengthen any muscle in your body it must pushed and exercised on a regular basis, not just when you feel like it. You are making an investment in your golf game by doing this as well as your overall health.
If you're struggling with your golf game, I completely understand how you feel!
It can be so frustrating watching ball after ball kick up sand as they land in the trap or make that familiar *splash* as they fall into the pond.
There are a lot of products online claiming to be able to help you improve your game. I've bought a whole bunch, and most of them SUCK!
I don't want to see golfers like you being suckered into wasting money on products that don't deliver on their promises (like I was!)
That's why I've hand picked and reviewed the 3 golf products that helped me improve my game more than any others, and I know they can do the same thing for you!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Bronson
How to Get the Right Forearm on Plane in the Golf Swing - It's Easier Than You Think!
In golf there are so many different factors that can either force a golfer to win or lose, perform poorly or great. The key to a perfect game is understanding these factors and utilizing them to your advantage every time you go out on the green. Pro golfers and amateurs alike have questions about how they can improve their game and create a better winning streak for themselves. One of the most popular questions a golfer asks is how to get the right forearm on the plane in the golf swing. This is a critical part of golf, as there is so many, but key to winning and doing well.
First of all you'll want to know that you cannot achieve the proper forearm position if your right shoulder is restricted and won't turn in the appropriate way. When on plane your right forearm is in a unique position to hit the ball, placing the club in a great way to hit the ball and let it travel far in the downswing. When it comes to how accurately you hit the ball your body is everything, so you want to make sure it's able to do everything that is demanded of it. Because of this your main restriction is yourself, so make sure you are in shape. The real key to hitting a ball correctly is to make sure all of the muscles you use in hitting a ball are properly stretched and exercised. Most golfers miss this aspect of golfing.
It's happened time and time again, a golfer attempts to do a full backswing but his body just won't allow him. It's pointless to try if your body can't perform the tasks it needs to. This is key to hitting the ball correctly and to having a good game. And it's the same thing with your right forearm when you swing the club. To swing properly, your right shoulder should be externally rotating and allowing your forearm to be on the plane. It's important that you can perform this essential function in golf or else you're already sunk.
If you're struggling with your golf game, I completely understand how you feel!
It can be so frustrating watching ball after ball kick up sand as they land in the trap or make that familiar *splash* as they fall into the pond.
There are a lot of products online claiming to be able to help you improve your game. I've bought a whole bunch, and most of them SUCK!
I don't want to see golfers like you being suckered into wasting money on products that don't deliver on their promises (like I was!)
That's why I've hand picked and reviewed the 3 golf products that helped me improve my game more than any others, and I know they can do the same thing for you!
Click below to read my reviews of 3 top golf products
=> Read my reviews <=
Seriously, stop throwing your money away on products that simply don't work.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Bronson
First of all you'll want to know that you cannot achieve the proper forearm position if your right shoulder is restricted and won't turn in the appropriate way. When on plane your right forearm is in a unique position to hit the ball, placing the club in a great way to hit the ball and let it travel far in the downswing. When it comes to how accurately you hit the ball your body is everything, so you want to make sure it's able to do everything that is demanded of it. Because of this your main restriction is yourself, so make sure you are in shape. The real key to hitting a ball correctly is to make sure all of the muscles you use in hitting a ball are properly stretched and exercised. Most golfers miss this aspect of golfing.
It's happened time and time again, a golfer attempts to do a full backswing but his body just won't allow him. It's pointless to try if your body can't perform the tasks it needs to. This is key to hitting the ball correctly and to having a good game. And it's the same thing with your right forearm when you swing the club. To swing properly, your right shoulder should be externally rotating and allowing your forearm to be on the plane. It's important that you can perform this essential function in golf or else you're already sunk.
If you're struggling with your golf game, I completely understand how you feel!
It can be so frustrating watching ball after ball kick up sand as they land in the trap or make that familiar *splash* as they fall into the pond.
There are a lot of products online claiming to be able to help you improve your game. I've bought a whole bunch, and most of them SUCK!
I don't want to see golfers like you being suckered into wasting money on products that don't deliver on their promises (like I was!)
That's why I've hand picked and reviewed the 3 golf products that helped me improve my game more than any others, and I know they can do the same thing for you!
Click below to read my reviews of 3 top golf products
=> Read my reviews <=
Seriously, stop throwing your money away on products that simply don't work.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Bronson
Monday, October 20, 2008
Why You Should Pay Attention to the Physics of the Golf Swing
Golf is not a sport that you can master in just a matter of days. If you want to master the game, then you would have to be ready to exert the needed time, effort, patience, determination, and perseverance. You see, golf is not like majority of the sports, which concentrate more on the physical aspect. Golf is more of fluidity in motion, and this is very clear in the swing itself. So, if you really want to see significant improvement in your game, then you should pay attention to the physics of the golf swing.
At first bat, the game of golf would actually seem pretty easy to play. When you see professionals playing golf matches on TV, you cannot help but think to yourself, "Hey, I can do that, too!" There are even a lot of people who see the sport as all too simple, especially when compared to the more physical sports of basketball, football, and even tennis. Little do these people know that golf is just like any other game. There is still a certain science that has to be applied each time you take your stance for your shot. Just like the typical game of billiards or pool, mechanics, mathematics, and physics are involved with every shot you make.
Of course, you cannot expect to change the game's fundamental scientific principles because these are the principles behind the very game after all. All that can be done is to adjust certain aspects of the game, just like the way you would adjust certain variables a scientific equation would have. You do the necessary adjustments to make your game either easier or harder. Being the beginner, you would naturally make the adjustments to make it a whole lot easier.
So, how do you apply physics to the game? The success of your golf swing would surely have something to do with your own physical strength. This is because you can only hit your ball with just the strength that you are capable of. Physics enters the picture in the sense that your fulcrum would actually be your club when it is countered with your swing's motion and the power that comes with it. This power and motion actually comprise the torque that you can use in driving and directing the ball to where you want it to land.
In this aspect alone, the physics of the golf swing would surely be beneficial. Understand the concept behind this and you can certainly further your game.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sean_Bailey
At first bat, the game of golf would actually seem pretty easy to play. When you see professionals playing golf matches on TV, you cannot help but think to yourself, "Hey, I can do that, too!" There are even a lot of people who see the sport as all too simple, especially when compared to the more physical sports of basketball, football, and even tennis. Little do these people know that golf is just like any other game. There is still a certain science that has to be applied each time you take your stance for your shot. Just like the typical game of billiards or pool, mechanics, mathematics, and physics are involved with every shot you make.
Of course, you cannot expect to change the game's fundamental scientific principles because these are the principles behind the very game after all. All that can be done is to adjust certain aspects of the game, just like the way you would adjust certain variables a scientific equation would have. You do the necessary adjustments to make your game either easier or harder. Being the beginner, you would naturally make the adjustments to make it a whole lot easier.
So, how do you apply physics to the game? The success of your golf swing would surely have something to do with your own physical strength. This is because you can only hit your ball with just the strength that you are capable of. Physics enters the picture in the sense that your fulcrum would actually be your club when it is countered with your swing's motion and the power that comes with it. This power and motion actually comprise the torque that you can use in driving and directing the ball to where you want it to land.
In this aspect alone, the physics of the golf swing would surely be beneficial. Understand the concept behind this and you can certainly further your game.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sean_Bailey
Impact Position Golf Swing - What is it and How to Achieve It
It is indeed true that there are no two identical golf swings. Well, there may be players who can execute pretty much the same type or flow when it comes to golf swings; but we can never disregard the fact that golfers have their own styles and preferences when swinging their balls onto the green. Thus, the existence of individual golf swing styles. However, even if this is so, there is still one common position that so many golfers share. In fact, most golfers - if not all - just might have learned this particular position as beginners. This is what is known as the impact position golf swing.
So, how does a golfer attain this position? Your forehand would actually be bowed here while your backhand is flexed. This is so as to allow your hands to be front row and center when you hit the ball. This forward position that your hands take is also known as the late hit, although some prefer to cal it the clubhead lag. All of the top players are fond of this position because this allows them to produce much speed, torque, and power for your contact with your ball.
The impact position swing is actually a series of sequences that are played out in mere minute intervals just before contact with the ball is established. To execute the swing more flawlessly, you have to hold your club by the fingers, and not your hands. When you use your hands, you would just be gripping your club a little too tightly, and this would result in an awkward swing. It is so much better to grip your club by the fingers, since this allows you to have a more flexible grip. Your wrists are then made more ready to do some flexing of their own as well. So, how do you know that you are gripping your club by your fingers, and not by your hands? Just check out your back hand when you do your swing. If you can see two or more of your knuckles, then you are using your fingers and not your hands.
With the impact position golf swing, you also allow your wrists to assume a naturally hinged position. This way, you can then create your late hit, which is very much needed when you aim to produce extra power or force for your swing. A more consistent drive - and a long one at it - would certainly be in line here. Perfecting this type of swing can take much time and patience, but your efforts will be well worth it since it would bring much improvement in your game.
If you truly want to learn Impact Position Golf Swing you should be ready to exert the needed time and effort to perfect this feat.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sean_Bailey
So, how does a golfer attain this position? Your forehand would actually be bowed here while your backhand is flexed. This is so as to allow your hands to be front row and center when you hit the ball. This forward position that your hands take is also known as the late hit, although some prefer to cal it the clubhead lag. All of the top players are fond of this position because this allows them to produce much speed, torque, and power for your contact with your ball.
The impact position swing is actually a series of sequences that are played out in mere minute intervals just before contact with the ball is established. To execute the swing more flawlessly, you have to hold your club by the fingers, and not your hands. When you use your hands, you would just be gripping your club a little too tightly, and this would result in an awkward swing. It is so much better to grip your club by the fingers, since this allows you to have a more flexible grip. Your wrists are then made more ready to do some flexing of their own as well. So, how do you know that you are gripping your club by your fingers, and not by your hands? Just check out your back hand when you do your swing. If you can see two or more of your knuckles, then you are using your fingers and not your hands.
With the impact position golf swing, you also allow your wrists to assume a naturally hinged position. This way, you can then create your late hit, which is very much needed when you aim to produce extra power or force for your swing. A more consistent drive - and a long one at it - would certainly be in line here. Perfecting this type of swing can take much time and patience, but your efforts will be well worth it since it would bring much improvement in your game.
If you truly want to learn Impact Position Golf Swing you should be ready to exert the needed time and effort to perfect this feat.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sean_Bailey
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