Does Golf Need Another Expensive
Gadget?
We don't see it happening very soon on Sullivan County or
area golf courses but there is a new trend in golf carts that might be exciting
to watch.
What once was a futuristic dream of the space age,
hovercrafts have been ordered and will be appearing at a golf course in
Springfield, Ohio.
The Bubba Watson hovercraft golf cart could get golfers
excited but the bottom line for this new golfing extravaganza is that to own one
it's going to cost you a solid $58,000.
Wow.....and for that burdensome price you also get a trailer
to tow it to your favorite golf course.
OK so what's the details about the golf cart
Hovercraft.
This is a golf cart that glides over hazards on a cushion of
air as easily as it does over fairways and the rough.
Powered by a 65-hp twin cylinder Hirth engine, its
nine-blade axial-flow ducted fan propels the craft up to 45 mph and nine inches
off the ground without touching the grass.
Can you imagine crossing a pond or steam to follow-up a
cross water shot?
The claim is that the fan's streamlined design minimizes
noise while carrying two golfers and their caddies beneath a lift-up roof and
two golf bags in an open rear compartment.
Motorcycle-style handlebars steer the craft while a
fly-by-wire reverse thrust system provides braking and backwards hovering up to
25 mph.
Golfers who have tried this golf cart say that the low
profile aerodynamic design minimizes air drag and maximizes stability in
crosswinds.
The golf cart's outer surface is made out of fiberglass
composite and urethane foam composite.
The Windy Knoll golf course in Springfield, Ohio just bought
two of them and is the first course in the country to have them....cost to rent
this cart is $230 a round and they will have a 30-minute course that each person
will have to take prior to driving one.
While discussing this new style golf cart with fellow
golfers questions included how the cart would handle on the small steep hills of
a golf course environment, will it blow golf balls around, are they too noisy
for golf courses and are there problems getting in and out of the
craft.
The company building this new golf cart is Indiana-based
Neoteric Hovercraft.
Chris Fitzgerald, president of Neoteric Hovercraft said, "at
first, they were just looking for a way to promote Bubba Watson," and eventually
it was about the hover golf cart.
The BW1 model is named after Bubba Watson's
initials.
Local Tarry Bray golf professional Glenn Sonnesnschein
when asked about the Hovercraft golf carts said, "I'm not familiar with them,
but the last thing golf needs is another expensive gadget."
Ed's Outlook
Phil Mickelson did what Phil
Mickelson does best.
The British Open champion birdied
four of his last 6 holes and called the last 18, "the best round of my
life."
Phil really stepped up and proved
himself a winner on the links style courses with back to back wins (The Scottish
Open and now The British Open).
This was Phil's fifth major and he is
now one more away from a career grand slam. Next year's U.S. Open will be an
exciting time for Phil and gives him the opportunity to win the career grand
slam.
The U.S. Open will be played at
Pinehurst, where we remember the putt on the 18th hole by Payne Stewart to
defeat Phil.
Phil has turned out to be one of the
best golfers to ever play this game and he certainly has his game pretty well
figured out now.
A great win......to come back from so
many shots back starting the day was magnificent.
Ed Townsend is a PR consultant to the
sport of golf. Ed writes and compiles the information for this column. If you
have league and tournament information, shoot a hole-in-one or even shoot your
age, let Ed know at 845-439-8177, email at edwardctownsend@hotmail.com or fax at
845-205-4474. View this column and all of Ed's pictures at
http://bght.blogspot.com We are also on Facebook.
Golf Tip
By
Robert Menges
Managing a loss is one of the more
important skills golfers must learn.
Let's face it....everyone
loses.
Golfers must learn to manage losses
over the year they compete in this great game.
No one wins every match or tournament
and all who play this game have to learn how to digest a loss and not let it
damage his or her confidence or mood.
A loss does not define who they
are.
Problems occur when the loss causes
the golfer to make inappropriate and
unnecessary swing changes in the stroke.
After a defeat, golfers often become more
swing-focused rather than game-focused. That can lead to a tight swing which can
quickly turn into a slump.
To properly manage a loss you need a
way to ventilate the feelings you have about it so that is can be put
behind you. A support system is helpful and could include help from a
professional, seeing as swing coach or even a sport
psychologist.
Find someone you trust and let
yourself air out your feelings.
Talking it out with someone will help
you relax and once again return to your target awareness.
Robert Menges is the head golf
professional at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club on Mt. Hope Road in Swan
Lake. He is available for private lessons and if you have a question or subject
you would like covered, he can be reached by telephone at 845-292-0323 or via
email at menges@hughes.net
The Putting Tip
By
Joe Bermel
How important is putting to the
overall game of golf.
As I have stated previously
statistics show putting is 40-43% of the average golf score.
In putting, I link organization with
strategy.
The strategy component is easier than
you might think.
It involves:
1. Picking a distance based on the
current realistic skill from which the golfer can reasonably attempt a
one-putt....say 10-12 feet.
2. With all putts longer then 12 feet
the thought is to get the first putt close enough to the hole to get a two-putt
result.
Remember..... two-putting is good
putting for the average golfer.
Organization decisions are made when
you read the putt. Will the ball move left or right or vice versa. Is the putt
uphill, downhill or flat, the distance between the ball and the hole and
deciding on the correct strategy and never second-guess your first
decision.
Joe Bermel is available for private
lessons, group, corporate, organization and golf shows-tournaments. His special
edition DVD "How To Putt Well" is available by calling 631-589-1384, at his web
site www.ThePuttingDoctor.com or by email at
joe@theputtingdoctor.com
The Bubba Watson hovercraft golf
cart.
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