Playing At The Arizona Biltmore Golf Club - The Links Course

Now that The Waste Management Phoenix Open is over (congratulation to Mark Wilson) I finally had a chance to get in a round. What made this round special is that I finally got a chance to play with "The Doctor's" dad (also a doctor), the man who gave me my first set of clubs.

We played the Links Course at The Arizona Biltmore Country Club located in Phoenix just off the base of Camelback Mountain. The course was in excellent condition and with picture perfect weather, we were in for a great day. 

Playing a new course is always tough for amateurs. This course is very fair though. It can be enjoyed by both low and high handicappers alike. There are enough challenges for the better golfer so that they do not get bored, but not so difficult that the average hacker never wants to return again. I do recommend that you get a yardage book or play with a local because there are some areas of the course that you can get into trouble if you do not know what is around the corner.

One of these holes is the short par 4, 12th hole. It only played to 282 yards on this day. What makes this hole so tricky is that there is a lake which guards the front of the green. The GPS indicated that the water was 217 yards away so I took out my 22 degree hybrid which I can usually only get out there to 200 yards.

The Doctor warned me, but I decided to choke down a little and swing the club anyway. I took a smooth swing and the ball flew of the clubface straight as an arrow and it disappeared over a little mound in the middle of the fairway. I thought I had hit the perfect shot, but when I got up to where my ball should have been, it was not there. One of my best swings of the day and I had to take a penalty.

As I looked around, I realized why The Doctor had cautioned me on club selection. The terrain sloped downwards towards the water over that little mound that I mentioned, and with the wind at my back and the lighter air, my ball was swimming with the fishes.

The signature hole on the course is the beautiful 183 yard par 3, 15th. We were playing from the whites, but The Doctor insisted that we had to tee off from the back tees for this hole. We were not disappointed. The elevation change from tee to green is about 100 feet and with the mountains in the background, it is as pretty as any hole I have ever played.

Overall I played alright. Shot a 91. Besides not knowing the course, I had trouble putting on these greens, mostly because I am not used to playing greens this good. They were a lot faster and smoother than any surface I had ever putted on. This makes me think that I would really have a difficult time putting on PGA tournament ready greens.

The pin placements made putting an adventure as well. A lot of the flags were on the front of the greens. With most of them sloping from back to front, if you are not careful, it is easy to putt your ball right off the green, which I did a few times.

We are supposed to play there again on Saturday so we will see how I do the next time around. With a little course knowledge and a some pre-round practice on the putting green (I was rushed so I only took three strokes before this particular round), I expect to do better.

If you ever get to visit Arizona, I recommend playing this course. The staff is very friendly in both the pro shop and dining area. They have a full driving range, chipping area, and two practice putting greens. If it were closer to where I live, it would definitely be a good place to practice.

Look for more posts like this one. Now that I am in Arizona, I will be doing more course reviews from the amateur perspective. Hopefully these entries will give you an idea of what courses to play if you ever venture to "The Valley Of The Sun." Arizona has so many great courses and I plan to explore them all. I just hope I can keep my ball on the fairways and out of the neighbors yard. Have a great round and always hit your target.

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91
Arizona Biltmore Golf Club(Links Course)	Tees: Regular, Slope: 117, Rating: 67.0

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Links Front Nine Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Out Par 4 5 3 4 3 4 4 3 5 35 5 6 4 8 3 5 5 5 6 47 FIR: # Putts: 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 1 16 GIR: Back Nine Hole 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 In Par 5 3 4 4 4 3 4 4 5 36 5 4 6 5 4 4 5 5 6 44 FIR: # Putts: 2 1 2 2 2 2 3 2 3 19 GIR:

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Pars: 3 Bogeys: 12 Doubles: 2 Other: 1

Par 3 Avg: 4.0 Par 4 Avg: 5.3 Par 5 Avg: 5.8

FIR: 4 / 13 GIR: 5 / 18 Putts: 35 Putts per GIR: 2.4

Scrambling: 0 / 13 Bounce Backs: 3 / 14

Some Of The Sights And Sounds Of The Waste Management Phoenix Open

So...I don't know if I was at a golf tournament or a huge party. Saturday at The Waste Management Phoenix Open certainly doubles as both. The party starts before you even get to the entrance of TPC Scottsdale. I have never been to the Masters but I am sure you would never see some of the sights and sounds I witnessed at the Greatest Show On Grass.

Leading up to the entrance, there is a row of apartments that are rented out for the weekend. There was a group of guys(Arizona State University fraternity brothers most likely) camped out on one of the balconies. They had number signs, like the ones they hand out to fans at an NBA dunk contest. They were not rating dunks but rather, the young coeds that were passing by. In an effort to secure a 10, one young lady flashed her breasts, which caused a Tiger-like roar equivalent to when he made a hole in one on the 16th hole some years ago. Is this spring break or a golf tournament? I guarantee you will not see that at any other event.

Patrons of this tournament are more into the social aspect of what it has to offer. The day before the Superbowl routinely draws the biggest crowd. Much of the time, walking the grounds, especially near the hospitality tents is like standing in the middle of a huge outdoor club.

While I was enjoying all the fun that surrounds this event, I still paid attention to what the pros were doing on the course. These guys are really that good and everyone should attend a tournament at some point to get a feel of what these players can do on a golf course.

After the round was done I was able to get some footage of some of the players as they worked out some of the kinks in their games. After a round I am usually ready for a snack and a nap. Not these guys, and this is why they are so good. They are always trying to improve. Always tinkering with some aspect of their game.

It looks like it is shaping up to be an exciting finish with Tommy Two Gloves Gainey looking to earn his first PGA tournament win. He is very unorthodox in all aspects of the game. He wears gloves on both hands and his swing is one that I think most instructors would not have us emulate. Yet, it is effective and he is in contention.

Here's some of the footage with some of the players post round. My Kodak PlaySport came in handy as I was able to get a look at what they work on before they pack it in for the day. Have a great round and always hit your target.

-Lucas Glover and his new beard working on wedges after his 2nd round.

-Long hitter Dustin Johnson works on his short game.

-Vijay Singh uses a two tee drill to work on his putting.

-Tom Lehman uses the Momentus IDL Stroke Putting Track to work on his putting stroke. Even on the practice green the fans will boo or cheer you.

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From The Airplane To The Waste Management Phoenix Open

I made it. And just in time for The Greatest Show on Grass. I am officially a resident of the state of Arizona. I can not lie. I am going to miss Miami, but I think I made the move for all the right reasons, and I am looking forward to what the future brings.

After I finish this post I will be heading out for the second/third round of the Waste Management Phoenix open. Due to cold weather during the first two days, the tournament has been delayed and will have a Monday finish. Saturday rounds always attract the most spectators, and the fact that the temperatures will be warmer today will help to ensure a good turn out.

The plan is to spend most of the day at the par 3 16th, the only fully enclosed golf hole on tour. If you remember this post, you know how wild it can get on the (in)famous hole at TPC Scottsdale and this year should be no different. The crowd will swell to over 20,000 rowdy fans ready to boo or cheer depending on the result of the shots taken by the competing golfers. 

I like the atmosphere that surrounds the 16th hole. I grew up playing sports such as baseball and basketball. The 16th hole gives golf fans that stadium feel and the opportunity to act like they would watching their favorite sports team.

Besides raising a lot of money for local charities, this tournament has taken a greener approach to hosting a golf tournament. Waste Management has turned this into an all around green event. Beside sponsoring the tournament, they are educating the public about ways they can help to preserve the planet.

I will have more about the tournament in my next post. I was supposed to play a round on Monday, but with the weather delays, the final round will be free to the public. Who could pass up a chance to watch some of the greatest players at no cost. Have a great round and always hit your target.

Photo found here.

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Miami Gives Me A Going Away Present In The Form Of A Free Golf Lesson

I am always on the first tee no matter what I am doing. I often catch myself practicing my one-piece takeaway in random situations. On the weekends I work at one of the local hot spots on Ocean Drive, South Beach. I picked up a shift for one of my co-workers on Tuesday who needed the day off. I need extra money for my move to Arizona, so I was happy to oblige. Little did I know what was going to happen.

Towards the end of my shift, three gentlemen came up to the bar to get drinks. The transaction went as normal. They were very laid back with a kind of laissez-faire attitude. I love these kind of customers. Makes the day a lot more enjoyable.

They hung around for a for a while and then one of the guys came back and ordered another round for the crew. After I made the drinks, I put the money in the register and instinctively went into my address position. I took my backswing to waist high. Checked the position, continued the backswing, and then followed through.

I started to repeat the drill again, and I heard someone say, "Hey, I usually don't do this, but come see me and we'll work out that swing of yours." He pulled out his card, which read Michael Hunt, Lead Master Instructor, Miami Beach Golf Club.

I told him that I wish I had met him earlier because I was leaving in two days for Arizona. He thought for a second, going over in his head his schedule for the following day. Mike told me to come by around 12:30PM and he would have time to take a look at my swing. Sweet!

I had never taken a formal lesson before this. Mike Southern has helped me tremendously and is my coach online, but I have never been face to face with an instructor. I have to admit, I was a little bit nervous, but any nervousness I had went out the door as soon as Mike Hunt picked me up from the driving range.

Mike H. looks as though he would just as comfortable on surf board in Hawaii as he is standing over the ball on the tee box. He has been an instructor for seventeen years, spending fourteen years as a teacher at the Jim McLean Golf School in Doral, Florida before moving over to Miami Beach Golf Club. His teaching style is a direct reflection of his laid back attitude. I felt comfortable and he made everything easy to understand.

Mike had me take a few swings with my six-iron so that he could get a feel for what I might need help with. After a few swings, he asked what type of shot I like to hit play. I would like to hit a soft draw, but I told him because of my coming over the top, I tend to be inconsistent.

Mike pulled out his camera and filmed me from the target view and the face-on view. After a few more swings, he told me to keep swinging and he walked over to load the footage into the computer so that he could show me what my swing looked like.

When Mike was ready, he had me come over to see what I was doing in my swing. He asked me which PGA pro I tried to emulate. I told him I like Hunter Mahan's swing. He seemed pleased, telling  me that Mahan has a great swing to follow because it is so simple, yet effective.

The film revealed the same thing that Mike S. saw after he watch the latest footage of my golf swing. My takeaway is great, but then as I continue, I roll the wrist, which causes my club to be flat at the top of the swing. Mike H. did a side-by-side comparison of my swing and a few of the pros. The wrist hinge that the pros use is what generates their power. Something I was lacking.

Mike H. had me take my address again, then had me stop at waist high and then he physically hinged my wrist. This is the same drill Mike S. had given us in this post. The advantage to having someone there with you is that they can actually put you into the correct positions so that you can feel it.

Mike H. stuck a tee into the butt of my club and showed me a drill I could work on. He laid down a shaft for alignment and had me take my swing to waist high, hinge the wrist, and then stop. The tee should be pointing at the ground just inside of the shaft. Without the proper wrist hinge, my shaft was nearly parallel with the ground.

Mike H. then took my swing to the follow through position at waist high and then had me stop. He explained that at this position, the tee should be pointing at the ground just inside the shaft as well. My tee was pointing towards my body, which caused my slices.

Mike teed a ball up and had me take a few swings while he filmed me. The difference was night and day. I hit the ball a lot more solidly as a result of the proper wrist hinge.

The last thing he pointed out was in my setup. I had too much forward shaft lean which opened up my upper body. I was instructed to start with the butt of the club just left of my belt buckle. This would help to keep my shoulders square at address.

Overall, it was a great experience. Mike H. explained the whys and whats of golf. He wanted me to know why I was making the mistakes in my swing and what to do to remedy the problem. He told me, as long as I am hitting it great, do not change a thing. But when I start to struggle, I need to know why I did it so that I can change it before my next shot.

Here's a list Mike H. gave me to work on in practice.

1.Hands Centered/Shoulders Square

2.Use wrist to get the club light(When I'm flat at the top, the club becomes heavy, and I have to fight to get it to impact. The wrist hinge helps to keep the club light into transition.)

3.Tee Drill - Both Sides

I would like to say a sincere thanks you to Mike Hunt. He took time out of his day to help out a complete stranger and for that I will be forever thankful. If you are ever in the Miami Beach area, be sure to visit Mike and the friendly staff at Miami Beach Golf Club. You will not be disappointed. Have a great round and always hit your target.

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Golf Tips & Quips Makes The "10 Facebook Pages Every Golf Enthusiast Should Follow" List

So I was browsing around Facebook, doing a search using the keywords "golf tips" to see how our fan page ranked. We're doing alright. Our fan page comes up near the top. Pretty cool. No a big deal though. I currently have around 870 "likes", a far cry from say the fan page of The Golf Fix which has a Facebook fan base of over 16,000 and growing.

I scrolled down to the bottom of the page and noticed an article from "All Facebook, The Unofficial Facebook Resource." It is titled 10 Facebook Pages Every Golf Enthusiast Should Follow. And guess which page was included on that list. You guessed it. Golf Tips & Quips. How cool is that? 

I had never heard of All Facebook or the author of this article Brian Ward before this, but apparently the site is a well known "all things Facebook" resource with 277,251 "likes" of their own at the time of this publication. This is how they describe their service.

AllFacebook.com is the online guide for everything related to Facebook. We provide everything from tips to how-tos, and the latest news for Facebook users as well as brands, marketers, and anybody else looking to take advantage of Facebook.

I am surprised that this blog is included with the likes of the others on this list. Here is a rundown of the other pages.

PGA Tour Golf Challenge - The PGA Tour’s official page on Facebook.

ages which Ward featured (I don't think this was intended to be a ranking. Just a list. After all it is an unofficial resource, but we'll take it, right).

PGA Tour Golf Challenge - The PGA Tour’s official page on Facebook.

Golf Digest - What golfer hasn't heard of Golf Digest.

Golfsmith - One of the biggest online retailers(btw, my virtual swing coach, Mike Southern has around 40 articles featured in the Golf Tips section of their website). Here's one of them. 
The Itinerant Golfer - One man’s journey to play all of the top golf courses in America. I need to hook of with this guy.

TravelGolf - Travel advice, course reviews, etc.

Golf Babes - Covering the women who love the sport of golf.

Golf World - Another of the big golf publications.

Golf Tips & Quips - That's us!!! And when I say us, I mean you and I. This is your blog as much as it is mine.

Golf Channel - Duh!!!

Golf Magazine - Yet another of the mainstream golf magazines(btw, I have subscriptions to all three of the magazines listed. I can't get enough).

This is just motivation to continue writing and to keep working hard. I am certainly not looking for accolades. All I want to do is get better at golf. If you read this blog you know that I share the good and the bad. When I have a breakthrough, I tell you about it. When I am struggling, you hear about that too.

Hopefully when a fellow amateur reads about my exploits, they will be inspired to get out there and practice. And because golf parallels life in so many ways, someone may be inspired to follow any dream they may have even if it is not golf related. Whatever we do, our aim should be to become better. Have a great round and always hit your target.

Photo found here.

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So What's Next For Dex?

If you remember this post you know that I am getting married at the beginning of April. The original plan was to leave for Arizona where my fiancee lives at the end of February, but plans were moved up a little bit. I will be leaving for the desert at the end of this week.

So what's next for Dex? I will be looking to get into the golf industry in some form or fashion full time. I will continue to publish this blog, sharing my progress towards my Pipe Dream. I have really grown attached to this blog and have made some really good friends because of it.

My swing and this blog for that matter would not be what it is today if not for a ruthless blogger named Mike Southern. When I was a frustrated beginner golfer looking for a quick fix, Mike taught me that there are no quick fixes and the only way to get better at golf is to learn the swing one-piece at a time.

I want to continue to build relationships like this. Golf is a sport which brings people together more so now than ever. It is fast becoming global, with young stars emerging from all parts of this great planet. Once we as golfers step on the course, all that matters is getting that little white ball into the hole. How we get it there, and the amount of strokes varies depending on an individuals skill level, but what we really cherish are the stories that follow. The woulda, coulda, shoulda's of golf are what draw us back to the links to try again.

I have to admit that I am a little nervous about the move, but the transition will be easier due to the fact that one of my good friends from college, "The Doctor", is already out there. He was the one who introduced me to the game about four years ago. When he left for Arizona to work in the pediatric trauma room, I was left to figure out this game on my own. How selfish of him huh?

The Doctor loves to play as much as I do and when he is not trying to save lives, he figuring out ways to save strokes on the golf course. I am working on a project for the two of us, of which I will keep you posted, but I think it is going to be fun and allow us an opportunity to play a lot of different courses. While I work on that, it is finding some way to get my foot in the door.

I have never worked in the golf industry but the passion is there. I caddied for one summer when I was 13, but that is about it. The bags were heavy and I was more focused on playing baseball than lugging around some old guys clubs. I was thinking about trying to volunteer at a few courses, or with an organization like The First Tee of Phoenix. I just want to learn as much as I can and if I have to volunteer at first. So be it. 

The ultimate goal goes back to that Pipe Dream I referred to earlier. In order to make it to the Champions Tour in fifteen years when I turn fifty, I need to play a lot of golf. The only way to play that much golf is to somehow be apart of the golf industry or have the means to where I do not have to work and can practice eight hours a day. At the time, I do not possess those means, so I have to be creative.

I will miss Miami but the show must go on. New challenges must be faced so that new chapters can be written. The good thing is that I am the author of this story so I get to be whatever and whomever I want to be. Everything I do from now will be so that I can eventually call myself, Dexter, Professional Golfer. But first...I have to make one more trip to to where this dream started...Have a great round and always hit your target.

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