Course Reveiw - The Avocet at Wild Wing.

Hello, today we'll take a look at the Avocet course at Wild Wing Plantation. Wild Wing is located on Hwy. 501 between Myrtle Beach and Conway. You can get more information about Wild Wing, including directions, rates and tee times at http://www.wildwing.com/ Wild Wing offers a wonderful training/practice facility. Pictured below (to the right) is the enormous putting green.

Wild Wing is a 27 hole facility. The Avocet has 18 holes and The Hummingbird has 9 holes. Wild Wing was at one time, a 72 hole facility.

History of Wild Wing Plantation.

The origin of Wild Wing Plantation dates back to 1991 when the Wood Stork course was opened. A second course, The Hummingbird was opened in 1992, and in 1993 and 1994 The Avocet and Falcon were opened. The facility was the largest in the area and was well known for it's great turf conditions, great customer service and tournament administration. In December of 2005, Wild Wing Plantation was sold to a group of local businessmen, who pledged to maintain the quality golf and commitment to service but also create a first class residential neighborhood, with fantastic golf and social amenities. The Avocet will remain as the focal point for golf and The Hummingbird will offer a 9 hole golf experience to compliment it. Development of the real estate began in 2006. Personal Note: It ended soon after. For more information, please see http://www.wildwingmb.com/

Course Review - The Avocet.

Today's review is provided by Lori's Golf Shoppe Facilities Manager Bob "Rocco" Desi. He is one of the few Sugar Gang golfers to brave the inclement weather.

Pro Shop -4 Pro Shop staff was friendly and shop was well stocked.

Outside Staff - 4

Tees - 4

Fairways - 3 Fairways were wet from recent rains. No fault of the golf course.

Greens - 5 Bob said they were the best he's played on recently.

Rough - 4

Grill/Snack Bar - 4 Great prices and each golfer received 1 token for a free draft.

Overall - 4 Bob suggests this course for all. I need to get out there, as it has been 5 years since I played there.

The Yardage.

Tips. Dark Teal - 7127 yds. Rating - 74.6 Slope - 133

Magenta - 6614 yds. Rating - 72.4 Slope - 124

White - 6028 yds. Rating - 69.1 Slope - 116

Forward Teal - 5298 yds. Rating - 70.4 Slope - 118

Hope all is well, God Bless, Sugar.

Course Review - The National Course at ChampionsGate

Hello again. I hope all of you enjoyed the Super Bowl. What a great story, and how precious were Drew Brees and his son Braylon. Okay here we go. Today we'll be reviewing The National Course at ChampionsGate. You can do a visual tour (animated) on their website, http://www.championsgategolf.com/ ChampionsGate Resort is located about 25 miles SW of Orlando, Exit 58 off of I-4.

The hole pictured below, is the par-3 #14. A tough hole, playing 152 yds. on the day we played it. We took the picture because it was attractive and looked difficult. It proved not to be that difficult for me as I have a natural fade built into my golf shots. A well struck 7 iron flew over the marsh, slid gently under the branch, spun back about 10 ft. and left me 30 ft. below the hole. With the hard work done, I just put a good stroke on the putt, and it found it's way to the bottom of the cup. It was my only birdie of the day.

Course Review. The National Course.

The National Course was my favorite of the 2 courses. The first 2 holes and the last 2 holes are on the clubhouse side of the road (no trees.) Navigating the tunnel under the road brings you to the #3 tee box. The change in the golf course is awesome. You are now surrounded by Live Oaks covered with Spanish moss.
The contrast from the International Course is very significant.

ChampionsGate will be included on my agenda for next years trip. I've also began hinting to Lori that it might be a great place to retire. The National stretches out as such: Tips - 7128 yds.

Blue - 6427 yds. White - 5937 yds. Red - 5150 yds.

The Review.

Pro Shop Staff - 5 Say hello to Vinny when your there. He's a former Myrtle Beacher.

Golf Staff - 5

Food and Beverage - 3 Beverage Cart service was good. Restaurant Staff (breakfast) needs work.

Tees - 4

Fairways - 4

Greens - 4

Rough- 4

Overall - 4+

The 15 holes across the street (collectively) were some of the most aesthetic and natural golf holes that I've played. I thoroughly enjoyed these 2 Norman designed golf courses, and would highly recommend them when visiting Central Florida. I'm looking forward to "getting after" the International. I played it in 30 mph winds, and it was a beast. I played well on the back, after I put the driver away, and started punching the 1 iron.

Hope all is well, God Bless, Thank a Vet, Hug a Soldier, Sugar.

PGA SHOW - CHAMPIONSGATE

Hello Everybody! Please let me apologize for my recent blogging hiatus. I have been in Orlando with Lori, attending the PGA trade show. The show is where we go every year to find all the new products for you to see in our shops. And as you can see from the photo (above), it' also a place to meet good looking women. The photo includes, from L to R, yours truly (Sugar), Lori, from Lori's Golf Shoppe, Chris Chapman, and Robin Ince. All of us were staying at The ChampionsGate Golf Resort via an invitation from one of our apparel vendors,
Izod G/Tehama. Chris and Robin were representing Robin's company, Mrs. Golf, out of Kansas City. I was asked by our rep. if I wanted to play with the pros, the answer was no. How good was my decision? Check out the picture. And people say I'm not that smart. You should have seen me strutting around the other golfers (male), chest out, head nodding, smiling. That's right boy's, this is how Sugar rolls. The Fat Guy and three good looking women. Okay, let's talk about the golf course now.

ChampionsGate Golf Resort. The International Course.
ChampionsGate, (yes it's spelled that way) is located just off of I-4, exit 58, about 25 miles southwest of Orlando. CG has 2-18 hole courses, The International and The National. It is also the home of The David Leadbetter Golf Academy. Let's cover The International! The International is a Links course, with absolutely no trees. The day we played it there were 30 mph sustained winds, with gusts to 45 mph. The International stretched out as such: Tips (black,) 7363-yds. Ouch! Blues at 6792-yds. Still too much for me. Whites at 6239-yds. Okay, I'll play from here. Gold (forward) 5618-yds. Lengthy! Don't forget the wind.

Review.
I would like to preface the review by stating that in my 30 yrs. of working in the Hospitality Industry, ChampionsGate's staff provided, by far, the best customer service I have ever received. Props to all!!
Ratings are 1-5, 1 is poor, 5 is great.
Hotel Staff, includes, Valet, Bell, Front Desk, House Keeping and Shuttle Service. 5
Golf Staff, 5
Restaurant, 3 The food was excellent! 5 minutes to be seated (empty dining area,) 20 minute ticket time (time from ordering to served.) This would have been a 1, but the food was awesome.
Golf Course,
Tee's 4
Fairways 5 This is based on the 2 or 3 that I hit.
Green's 4 Rolled excellent. There were a lot of ball marks. Bring your ball mark repair tools people.
Rough 4
Overall Rating 4 Awesome experience! I would suggest this course to all that visit Central Florida.

My next blog will review The National Course at ChampionsGate. Until next time, Peace, Love and all of the Above. Your lovingly dysfunctional blogger, Sugar.

The Pearl Golf Links. Myrtle Beach Golf Course Review.

Hello everyone! I would like to extend my apologies for the recent, dormant blogging period. I would like to say that I was doing something exciting, but that's not the case. Lori and I have been preparing for the PGA trade show. The show begins next week (Jan. 27-30), in Orlando, Florida. The show provides us the opportunity to order apparel and new product for our golf shops. You can check out the new stuff (in a couple of weeks) on our website http://www.lorisgolfshoppe.com/

Myrtle Beach Golf Review.

Today's course review will be on The East Course, at The Pearl Golf Links. The Pearl is located in Calabash N.C. Calabash is the first town that you come to when leaving coastal S.C. The physical address for The Pearl is 1300 Pearl Blvd. S.W., Sunset Beach, N.C. 28468. It can be found off of Old Georgetown Rd. (actually a continuation of rt. 179), just north of the city of Calabash. Today's guest reviewer is Bobby Lee. Bobby is a member of the Italian Open. The Italian Open is our social group, there's not a whole bunch of rules, it's a "just have fun and talk alot of smack" group. As I am the Junior member, Bobby is the senior member (80+ ish). He's an elegant, humorous, southern spectacle. He is the I.O.s Commissioner of Podiatry, a.k.a. The Southern Gentleman, The Southern Lawyer, Lori's boyfriend and The lesser half of Gloria. I let him slide on the Lori's boyfriend thing, because there's no way he would give up his beautiful wife Gloria. Here's a few facts that I found at http://www.mbga.com/ on The East Course at The Pearl:
Architect - Dan Maples
Course Type - Public
Slope - 135
Walking Allowed - No
Coolers Allowed - No
Year Opened - 1986
Rating - 73.1
Par - 72
Greens - Bent
Sunday Alcohol - No
Spikes - Soft

Here's Bobby's Review.
Staff - 4
Pro shop - 3
Tees - 4.5
Fairways - 4.5
Greens - 5 Bobby said they rolled better then he's ever seen them.
Rough - 4 Dormant Bermuda
Snack Bar/Grill - 3 The group goes to the local V.F.W. Post when playing close to home.
Rates fell into the groups desired rate of less than $40.00 per.
Overall Rating - 4 Bobby was extremely happy with the conditions. He said that the course was in the best shape that he's ever seen it in his 6 years of playing. He absolutely, 100% would suggest it to others. So if your in the area, check out The Pearl. The Pearl also has another course, The West Course, which the guys will be playing next week.
Until next time, Peace, Love and All the Above, Sugar.

Myrtle Beach, Course Review

Hello everyone! With the weather beginning to break, one of the Sugar Gang members finally got to knock the little white nugget around. Bob (Rocco) played with his Monday group at the Myrtle Beach National Complex. Myrtle Beach National is located on hwy. 501, which runs from Myrtle Beach to the city of Conway. M.B.N. has 3 courses at their main facility. The Kings North (my personal #1 on the beach) is their premium course. The 2 other courses are, the West Course and finally the SouthCreek Course. Today we'll review the SouthCreek course.

Here is the description found on www.golfholiday.com SouthCreek is an Arnold Palmer signature design and the favorite among it's members. Finesse is required by every golfer with it's guarded bent grass greens and protected waste areas, as it winds through wetlands and hardwood forests. A distinctly different design than M.B.N.s other 2 courses, SouthCreek provides it's own unique round of golf. In 2004, this spectacular blend of natural and man-made challenges was voted among the "Top 100 in America" by Golf for Women.

Here's is Bob's review. Ratings are 1-5 with 1 being poor and 5 being excellent.
Tees - 4
Fairways - 3 Fairway's were in good shape, but no roll, wet. Course played longer. Bob's short.
Greens - 3 He must not have putted well! Balls rolled well, tough pin placements.
Rough - 4 Dormant Bermuda.
Pro shop - 5
Staff - 5
Grill/Snack Bar - 1 Because of prices. One of his guys had a Hole-in-One and got his wallet hurt. 12 oz. beer (3.50) Hot Dogs (3.50) Mixed Drinks (6.75)
Overall ranking - 3.5

The greens fees for Bob's group were $30.00 per person. That price was for a local group of 24 players and included golf and carts. Bob said it was an enjoyable round and looks forward to playing there again. You can find all of the other Myrtle Beach National courses at www.mbn.com .

Here's a few golf quotes that you might enjoy.
* I did not want to turn to golf because golf is about as much exercise as shuffling cards. ~ Bill Cosby.
* The fun you get from golf is a direct ratio to the effort you don't put into it. ~ Bob Allen.
* The golf swing is like sex. You can't be thinking about the mechanics of the act while you are performing. ~ Dave Hill.
* He's nice to people and animals.... But you oughta here him talkin' to a golf ball. ~ Dennis the Menace.
* The difference in golf and government is that in golf you can't improve your lie. ~ George Deukmejian.
* Give me golf clubs, fresh air and a beautiful partner, and you can keep the clubs and the fresh air. ~ Jack Benny.

Okay, that will be all for today. Hope all is well!! Peace Love and all the Above, Sugar.

Inside Info for Golfers

Hello. Having been involved in all aspects of the golf industry, I would like to point out some things that might go unnoticed to visiting golfers. Since moving to the Myrtle Beach area (Jan. 1997) I have worked in numerous positions in the golf industry. Including: pro shop desk clerk, bartender, cart attendant, ranger, and starter. I have also played golf from Maine to Florida. Here are a few things to remember when you visit a golf course. First and foremost, know what your group(s) name is, what course your playing, and what your tee time is. You would think that is just common sense, but it's not, just ask any cart attendant. If you are here on vacation, relax, the course you're at is staffed to accommodate you and your guests. If you're playing where there are multiple courses at the same location, identify where your course is and pull up to that bag drop. Put your shoes on at the condo/hotel or in the parking lot. Putting your shoes on at the bag drop blocks traffic and puts a halt to the bag drop procedure. I have had to diffuse potential altercations between guys with one shoe on and the golfers waiting behind them. Please think before you ask a question. Dealing with 2-3 thousand people per week, we hear numerous dumb questions. Please limit your dumb questions to 2. More than 2 dumb questions means that there will be no tip for the cart attendant. Some dumb questions I have been asked:

?- Do you have a clubhouse? Answer-Let me check my GPS Sir. Yes Sir, (pointing) 3 story building, on top of the hill.

?- (Excited golfer) We're the Simpson group, we have 8 guys, how are you going to put us out? Answer- Here at Smith C.C. we put 8-somes out 3-2-3, you should have seen the look on his face.


?- What's the course record and where's the first tee? Answer-The course record is 2 hours and 15 minutes, and the first tee is still occupied.

?- Is this course nice? Answer- No it's awful, I'm surprised we did 30 thousand rounds last year.
Most of my replies are received as intended, sometimes the person will seem upset, but calms down when he realizes all of his friends are laughing.

Food for thought. Tips for cart guys has been 1 dollar per bag for 40 years. How about we bump that up to 2 dollars per bag. The attendants are well worth it. If people knew what the guys/gals have to clean out of the carts, they would have a different perspective. Some of the things I have seen or handled include: bloody band aids/tape, tissues with "nasty" in them, a used/chewed wad of tobacco, and even a soiled adult diaper, C'mon people. All of that for minimum wage + gratuities. Another thing that should be noted, the people that you deal with are not the ones who make the policies. When a starter or cart attendant tells you that you can't take your cart to the driving range or to the parking lot, live with it, they are just doing their job. Translation, if your upset with something that happens during your golfing experience, don't beat up the little guy. You can ask them for the name of the manager or director of golf. When booking your tee time over the phone please get to the point. The fact that your down here visiting your aunt, who lives with her cousin at the beach, and you will be playing with your brother, who you have not seen since your Uncle Rocco's wedding is not relavent. The line of people waiting to check in will appreciate it. If you do run across someone who is rude or cannot perform their job to an acceptable level, please inform someone, proshop or manager. I thoroughly enjoy meeting new people. It is amazing how many times complete strangers will know someone that you know or lived on the same street as the guy working with you. So let's all relax, enjoy each other and have fun. Hope to see on the links! Peace, Love and all the Above. God Bless, Sugar.

Hooties Monday after the Masters tournament.

Here's a great event that's worth making the trip to Myrtle Beach. Each year Darius Rucker, leader of Hootie and the Blowfish, (who now has a very successful country career) sponsors a great charity tournament. The tournament raises a massive amount of money for the South Carolina Junior Golf Association and children's education through his Hootie and the Blowfish Foundation. The tournament is held the first Monday after the Masters, April 12th, 2010, at The Dye Club at Barefoot Resort, North Myrtle Beach S.C. Tickets will be available at the end of February, 2010. This year will be my 5th visit to the tournament. It is the best 10 dollars you can spend in Myrtle Beach. The tournament is loaded with celebrities from pro sports, tv, movies, recording artists and touring golf pros. There is a guy at the first tee box that announces each group, the amateurs, the celebrities and the pro. He has great interaction with the crowd, providing a great time for all that attend. If your at the event, look for the fat guy wearing Loudmouth Golf attire. I usually sit right next to the #1 tee marker. Some of my favorite characters are:
* Dwight Clark, retired NFL great. He is remembered for "The Catch".
* Alice Cooper, legendary singer, Calloway spokesman, who will be styling in his Loudmouth pants.
* John Elway, NFL all-pro QB.
* Chuck Finley, MLB all-pro pitcher.
* Ric Flair, "The Man" pro wrestler. Woooooooooo!!
* Ken Griffey Sr. Baseball Hall of Famer, Ken Griffey Jrs. Dad.
* Jim Kelly, NFL great. All-pro QB.
* Johnny Lee, recording artist. Sang "Looking for love in all the wrong places". He is crazy and extremley funny!
* Dan Marino, NFL QB, Hall of Famer.
* Samuel L. Jackson, Hollywood star actor.
* Jim McMahon, NFL star, he's a nut case and plays barefoot.
* Meatloaf, former recording artist. Legendary for "Bat out of Hell" album.
* Gayle Sayers, NFL Hall of Famer. All around great human being. Subject of the movie Brian's Song. It was the first movie that made me cry.
* Bill Murray, Actor, star of Caddy Shack.
* Mickey Tettleton, All-Star catcher for the Detroit Tigers. He's a nice guy. Very personable.
There are alot of touring pros that attend, Most notably, John Daly, Annika Sorenstam, Lee Elder, and Ricky Barnes. Tiger Woods played in this event. You can access more information by going to www.hootiegolf.com.

Hope you have enjoyed! God Bless, Sugar.