Boy, does it pay to do a little research. My recent interest in golf is tempered by only two things - time and money. When I can find the time to play, I like to get the best prices possible (who doesn't?).
I found a web site for golf tee times and it had some of my local courses listed. So I signed up (for free), filled out my profile and looked at some prices. It has a two-tier pricing system where you can pay a higher price to reserve a tee time but pay at the course, or pay a lesser fee and use your credit card online. (Impulse buyer's discount?)
I was ready to take advantage of the lower priced fee and decided to call the course before I clicked the mouse. Their price was a full $5 cheaper than the cheapest online price. Plus, I was told about the 'senior' rate (over 50) which saved me another $4. No mention of the senior rate with the online system. A $9 savings for picking up the phone and making my own reservation.
I completely understand that the reservation web site has to make money, too, and that there has to be some kind of fee to either the golfer to the golf course (or maybe both). But a $5 difference seemed high to me. I'll check around with some other courses and see if this was an exception, or the rule. After all, $9 will buy a modest lunch and a bucket of balls at the driving range.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Golf Bug Bites Hard
Last year I finally succumbed to golf. I had played in a couple of outings (with borrowed clubs) some 30 years ago and never found a thirst for the game. I could watch it on TV, be amazed at the skill of other golfers, but never had the urge to play. That changed last year.
I took four lessons in March & April of 2008, bought a starter set of clubs at the end of April and played my first round at a scramble outing in mid-May. I played a fair amount of golf last year (once a week, sometimes twice) and decided to join a league this year.
As I play more, I want to play even more. Of course, that's not possible since I still work. But I do have a certain latitude with my hours and an early morning tee time allows me to play 9 holes and still begin work before 9:30 or 10am. I like to hit a couple buckets of balls each week, too.
Some days I go to the driving range and hit a bucket of balls instead of eating lunch. Actually, I think that's been good for me as I notice lately that my belt is being fastened at the end notch, a place I haven't been for some time!
As I hit better shots more often, I want to hit better shots all the time. Not realistic since even the pros blow a shot now & then, but hey, it's a goal to work towards. There are a lot of great courses here in Livingston County, and long-time golfers tell me golf has not been this affordable for a many years.
Some of my favorite places are:
Chemung Hills Golf Course. Beautiful, but tougher with a lot of water hazards and subtle, tricky greens. If you can putt here, you can putt anywhere. A big bonus for those living nearby is the best driving range prices I've found at $3 for a small bucket and $6 for a large bucket of balls. Also a very nice club house and good food. I've used their banquet center a couple of times, too, and it's first-class.
Faulkwood Shores, not far down the road, is a great value (see their website for monthly specials) and challenging in a different way. Narrow fairways penalize those who hit 'banana' balls but it is still a 'fair' course, even for golfers of my limited ability. Greens are usually very fast, too.
The Jackal, at Mt. Brighton, is scenic - and tough! I had no business playing this course last year, but I did anyway. (I still have no business playing it, by the way.) I lost a lot of balls, but it was worth it. Elevated tees on various parts of the downhill ski slopes, plenty of water, wetlands and woods to challenge you, but overall one of my favorite courses. Very good food in the lodge and convenient to an I-96 interchange to make it convenient for your friends to play.
Huron Meadows, part of the Huron-Clinton Metropark system, is perhaps the best maintained course on which I've played. Granted, Metropark fees are a little higher, but everything is in great shape from the tee boxes to the greens. Their carts have little 'perks', too - a combination club and ball washer, and a flip-down cleat cleaner on the rear! I love this course. And you don't need a metropark pass to enter if you're paying for golf, so don't let that park fee stop you.
There are a lot of other great golf venues within a 30 minute drive of the Brighton-Howell area, and just because they're not mentioned here doesn't mean they're not worth playing. If you're a golfer with suggestions, leave a comment with your suggestions.
I took four lessons in March & April of 2008, bought a starter set of clubs at the end of April and played my first round at a scramble outing in mid-May. I played a fair amount of golf last year (once a week, sometimes twice) and decided to join a league this year.
As I play more, I want to play even more. Of course, that's not possible since I still work. But I do have a certain latitude with my hours and an early morning tee time allows me to play 9 holes and still begin work before 9:30 or 10am. I like to hit a couple buckets of balls each week, too.
Some days I go to the driving range and hit a bucket of balls instead of eating lunch. Actually, I think that's been good for me as I notice lately that my belt is being fastened at the end notch, a place I haven't been for some time!
As I hit better shots more often, I want to hit better shots all the time. Not realistic since even the pros blow a shot now & then, but hey, it's a goal to work towards. There are a lot of great courses here in Livingston County, and long-time golfers tell me golf has not been this affordable for a many years.
Some of my favorite places are:
Chemung Hills Golf Course. Beautiful, but tougher with a lot of water hazards and subtle, tricky greens. If you can putt here, you can putt anywhere. A big bonus for those living nearby is the best driving range prices I've found at $3 for a small bucket and $6 for a large bucket of balls. Also a very nice club house and good food. I've used their banquet center a couple of times, too, and it's first-class.
Faulkwood Shores, not far down the road, is a great value (see their website for monthly specials) and challenging in a different way. Narrow fairways penalize those who hit 'banana' balls but it is still a 'fair' course, even for golfers of my limited ability. Greens are usually very fast, too.
The Jackal, at Mt. Brighton, is scenic - and tough! I had no business playing this course last year, but I did anyway. (I still have no business playing it, by the way.) I lost a lot of balls, but it was worth it. Elevated tees on various parts of the downhill ski slopes, plenty of water, wetlands and woods to challenge you, but overall one of my favorite courses. Very good food in the lodge and convenient to an I-96 interchange to make it convenient for your friends to play.
Huron Meadows, part of the Huron-Clinton Metropark system, is perhaps the best maintained course on which I've played. Granted, Metropark fees are a little higher, but everything is in great shape from the tee boxes to the greens. Their carts have little 'perks', too - a combination club and ball washer, and a flip-down cleat cleaner on the rear! I love this course. And you don't need a metropark pass to enter if you're paying for golf, so don't let that park fee stop you.
There are a lot of other great golf venues within a 30 minute drive of the Brighton-Howell area, and just because they're not mentioned here doesn't mean they're not worth playing. If you're a golfer with suggestions, leave a comment with your suggestions.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Sports Interest and a Down Economy Link?
It seems as almost everybody I talk to lately has a major fascination with either the Red Wings or the Tigers. It's always great to go to the game in person, but we're able to watch our teams on television or certainly hear them on the radio. I wonder if people are looking for distraction from the economy, looking for something to cheer about, or if they're really die-hard fans. In any case, it's great to see the interest for our local teams. The Red Wings tied up Round Two play against the Anaheim Ducks last night at 2 games each. Tigers are one game over .500 at 14-13.
It's sad to see local shops go out of business. One goes, two seem to pop-up, though. Take the closing of Taorello's Market in Brighton. Sure, it was upscale, but I thought it filled a definite niche in the area. They're gone now, but an Aldi's opens at Grand River and Golf Club Rd in Howell and a new fruit and flower market is coming to the old Steve Brown used car site on Grand River, just west of National.
The old BP Gas station and Munzell Engineering building on Grand River and St. Paul St. in Brighton is being transformed into a new gas station and retail strip. Tim Horton's will be one of the businesses there. I always thought it was strange that Brighton had a Tim Horton's Regional Office but no retail stores (and I love their coffee). I'm glad they'll be a new face in town.
In Howell, rumor has it that the OfficeMax store in the Grand River Plaza is closing at the end of June. It's a pretty large store with a lot of product and an attractive layout. Hopefully that space will be filled again soon, but even as an optimist I have to admit that it's likely to be vacant for quite some time. Of course, this scenario gets replayed in towns and cities throughout Michigan on an all too regular basis.
Charity poker rooms seem to be popping up all over, too. Howell has had one for quite a while, Brighton now has two or three and there's also one in Whitmore Lake. What's the attraction? For poker players it's a low-cost tournament entry without having to drive to either Detroit or Mt. Pleasant to get to a casino. You don't have to worry about blowing the rent money to play and it gives you a chance to hone your skills with new players. Or it can just be a one-time diversion, something different to do. If you're a good enough player, you can consider poker a competitive sport. If you're a casual player, it's a diversion.
Area golf courses are open, trees and flowers are beginning to blossom and we're into that beautiful Spring weather right now. As I was out yesterday, I took time to make a couple of brief stops and take pictures. The visual of bright redbuds and various colored flowering fruit trees was too much to resist. Luckily I had my camera with me. The picture at left was one of about a dozen that I took just before the light rain started.
Monday, April 20, 2009
The Beard is Back!
Well, in my case it will be 'The Beard is New'. My wife and I went to Saturday's Round 1 Game 2 of the Red Wings vs. Columbus Blue Jackets. What a great game! The Wings look hungry and after a slow start they turned on the afterburners and are now 2-0 going into Columbus for games 3 & 4.
Sweep? I hope so! Goalie Chris Osgood has a NHL-leading GAA of 0.50 and save % of 0.978 as of this writing.
Other than the traditional hunting/camping bout with no shaving, I've never had a beard. Since I hadn't shaved since Thursday morning (the day of the first victory over Columbus), I decided not to jinx the boys and save a few bucks on razor blades, too. (Hey, you've got to pay for those tickets somehow!)
And speaking of tickets - wow. I called mid-week to get the Saturday seats. The only two that were next to each other were $40 each. I figured they'd be decent since prices were $30, $40, or $50. Guess what? WRONG.
We were in Sec 226, row 26 - about as high as you can go. The only saving grace was that we could sit on the seat backs and not block anybody's vision and that there was a little empty space next to us where we could stand up and stretch. We were so high up that the beer guy only made one appearance the whole game. (and it got pretty warm up there, too)
Even the lo-o-o-ong post-game line for the People Mover didn't daunt us after that game. Bob's tip for pre-game food: visit the Greenwich Time pub on Cadillac near Randolph for the best corned beef sandwich and potato salad you'll ever find in a restaurant. Then, go to another bar with shuttle service to the Joe and forget about the People Mover. Getting there is easy, getting back requires the patience of a saint. We were fortunate that it was a balmy evening and didn't have to deal with adverse weather.
Go Wings! And guys, grow a beard!
P.S. - I have 6 extra People Mover tokens that I'll mail to you on a first-come, first-serve basis (limit 2/person). Drop me an email and be sure to include your mailing address.
Sweep? I hope so! Goalie Chris Osgood has a NHL-leading GAA of 0.50 and save % of 0.978 as of this writing.
Other than the traditional hunting/camping bout with no shaving, I've never had a beard. Since I hadn't shaved since Thursday morning (the day of the first victory over Columbus), I decided not to jinx the boys and save a few bucks on razor blades, too. (Hey, you've got to pay for those tickets somehow!)
And speaking of tickets - wow. I called mid-week to get the Saturday seats. The only two that were next to each other were $40 each. I figured they'd be decent since prices were $30, $40, or $50. Guess what? WRONG.
We were in Sec 226, row 26 - about as high as you can go. The only saving grace was that we could sit on the seat backs and not block anybody's vision and that there was a little empty space next to us where we could stand up and stretch. We were so high up that the beer guy only made one appearance the whole game. (and it got pretty warm up there, too)
Even the lo-o-o-ong post-game line for the People Mover didn't daunt us after that game. Bob's tip for pre-game food: visit the Greenwich Time pub on Cadillac near Randolph for the best corned beef sandwich and potato salad you'll ever find in a restaurant. Then, go to another bar with shuttle service to the Joe and forget about the People Mover. Getting there is easy, getting back requires the patience of a saint. We were fortunate that it was a balmy evening and didn't have to deal with adverse weather.
Go Wings! And guys, grow a beard!
P.S. - I have 6 extra People Mover tokens that I'll mail to you on a first-come, first-serve basis (limit 2/person). Drop me an email and be sure to include your mailing address.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Real Estate, Poker and Head Colds
Here I sit at my computer. A long and productive day behind
me. A closing tomorrow. Two offers in negotiation - and
likely closings ahead. I'm working too many hours and have been
giving a lot of thought to local politics. I've been following the
Hamburg Township nonsense for months. Now it seems the
Hartland Township leadership wants to play, too. Today's
papers remind me of Detroit's dysfunctional politics where
the citizens get shorted and it makes me mad.
An impending foreclosure listing, fruitful progress on
another deal. Three others in 'the hopper'. Many typical
communications, good office interaction. My new assistant is
a quick learner and I'm very happy. I'm playing online poker
and listening to Paganini's Violin Concerto No. 1 in D by
Hilary Hahn on Accuradio.com - which I really endorse, by the
way.
I started a tournament with 227 players, now down to 18 and
I'm in 6th place. No, make that 4th place.
Fighting a cold for the last 3 days I am definitely sleep
deprived and getting nourishment from a lunch-time bowl of
soup, and a light dinner. I just sent off my last email and
will now enjoy the rest of my awake time playing poker and
relaxing. A bad read on an opponent at a new table just took
me down to 8th place. The tournament pays out to 10 and
there are now 16 players left. Make that 14 players
remaining.
I'm in 9th place now with 13 players. I can 'coast' into the
winners circle. But I'm only going to play semi-conservative.
Poker is about (excuse the term) playing 'ballsy'.
Beethoven's Symphony 8 is now on. A wonderful opening
movement. It counteracts the cold medication that I've been
taking for three days and literally jolts me awake. I bet
the bottom pair on the flop and the turn gives me two pair.
Betting the pot, I take it in and move to 7th of still 13
players. I just betted aggressively with one of the worst
starting hands (8-3 offsuit) and took it down.
I'm now 8th of 12 players and pretty sure I'll make the cut.
Good cards in early position, pocket 5's. But my only caller
has two Q's and I'm behind in this hand. I've hit a set
(three of a kind) on the flop and prevail. I finish in 4th
place of 10 places paying out.
After 2 hours and 6 minutes (some of it 'sitting out' to
spend time with my wife), I have won an entry into the WPT
(World Poker Tour) Boot Camp qualifier on 2/27 and the winner
of that gets a WPT boot camp of their choice for 2009.
Not bad for a guy drugged on too much cold medication and a
couple of glasses of red wine. By the 27th I should be
'cured' and ready to play for real. I *think* that I'm a
passable poker player, I'd love to make it to a high place in
a big tournament, at least once.
Tomorrow is a busy day and I need to get some sleep
(hopefully). But first I'll finish listening to the third
movement of Brahm's Symphony 3.
me. A closing tomorrow. Two offers in negotiation - and
likely closings ahead. I'm working too many hours and have been
giving a lot of thought to local politics. I've been following the
Hamburg Township nonsense for months. Now it seems the
Hartland Township leadership wants to play, too. Today's
papers remind me of Detroit's dysfunctional politics where
the citizens get shorted and it makes me mad.
An impending foreclosure listing, fruitful progress on
another deal. Three others in 'the hopper'. Many typical
communications, good office interaction. My new assistant is
a quick learner and I'm very happy. I'm playing online poker
and listening to Paganini's Violin Concerto No. 1 in D by
Hilary Hahn on Accuradio.com - which I really endorse, by the
way.
I started a tournament with 227 players, now down to 18 and
I'm in 6th place. No, make that 4th place.
Fighting a cold for the last 3 days I am definitely sleep
deprived and getting nourishment from a lunch-time bowl of
soup, and a light dinner. I just sent off my last email and
will now enjoy the rest of my awake time playing poker and
relaxing. A bad read on an opponent at a new table just took
me down to 8th place. The tournament pays out to 10 and
there are now 16 players left. Make that 14 players
remaining.
I'm in 9th place now with 13 players. I can 'coast' into the
winners circle. But I'm only going to play semi-conservative.
Poker is about (excuse the term) playing 'ballsy'.
Beethoven's Symphony 8 is now on. A wonderful opening
movement. It counteracts the cold medication that I've been
taking for three days and literally jolts me awake. I bet
the bottom pair on the flop and the turn gives me two pair.
Betting the pot, I take it in and move to 7th of still 13
players. I just betted aggressively with one of the worst
starting hands (8-3 offsuit) and took it down.
I'm now 8th of 12 players and pretty sure I'll make the cut.
Good cards in early position, pocket 5's. But my only caller
has two Q's and I'm behind in this hand. I've hit a set
(three of a kind) on the flop and prevail. I finish in 4th
place of 10 places paying out.
After 2 hours and 6 minutes (some of it 'sitting out' to
spend time with my wife), I have won an entry into the WPT
(World Poker Tour) Boot Camp qualifier on 2/27 and the winner
of that gets a WPT boot camp of their choice for 2009.
Not bad for a guy drugged on too much cold medication and a
couple of glasses of red wine. By the 27th I should be
'cured' and ready to play for real. I *think* that I'm a
passable poker player, I'd love to make it to a high place in
a big tournament, at least once.
Tomorrow is a busy day and I need to get some sleep
(hopefully). But first I'll finish listening to the third
movement of Brahm's Symphony 3.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Signs Of A Down Economy?
I've been keeping my eyes open as I get around Livingston County. As bad as things are supposed to be, I do see signs of growth and potential.
There seem to be new restaurants popping up all over the place. Pi's asian cuisine in Brighton (on Cross and 2nd), a new asian restaurant coming to Main Street in Brighton, new owners taking over the old Fire Rock on M-59 and Old US-23 (now called Grille 23), India Gate at Grand River and Chilson in Howell, the New Century Buffet on Grand River just east of Latson (in the strip mall by Los Tres Amigos), and even the old Prairie House is living a new life as TJ's River BBQ (in front of Walmart in Howell).
It's been a great winter for outdoor sports, too. I've seen tons of snowmobile tracks on the rural roads, there are always a lot of ice fisherman on the local lakes, and everytime I've driven past Mt. Brighton in the evening, the slopes are full of skiiers and snow boarders. After so many disappointing winters, it's great to see them doing well.
Speaking of Mt. Brighton, they've entered into an agreement to lease space for a new charity poker room. The Shark Club in Howell has been doing this for quite a while, but it looks like the market is still open for more of this type of recreation. I know, some will say that it's not recreation, it's gambling. And yes, there is always a gamble when you play cards.
Not-for-profit groups can apply for a four day State Millionaire's Party License under their Charitable Gaming Regulations. Tournaments are conducted with approximately 80% of the money being paid back to the top tournament finishers. The rest is split between the charity and the group running the poker room. They provide professionally trained dealers, all of the equipment (tables, chips, cards, etc.) and have consistent rules of play.
The group that oversees the poker room at Mt. Brighton is Premier Poker Lounge (http://www.premierpokerlounge.com/PPL/). They just finished their first 4-day set of tournaments at Mt. Brighton and they did have enough players to make for a competitive set of games. Tournaments are popular with players because you pay a flat amount, usually $25 or $30, to enter. The winnings are based on the number of total players and dollars in the 'pool', but if you've watched poker on television and wondered how you might stack up this is a cheap way to find out.
My article word count just clicked over 400 words, and I'm trying to keep blog posts around that limit, so I'll wrap this one up now.
There seem to be new restaurants popping up all over the place. Pi's asian cuisine in Brighton (on Cross and 2nd), a new asian restaurant coming to Main Street in Brighton, new owners taking over the old Fire Rock on M-59 and Old US-23 (now called Grille 23), India Gate at Grand River and Chilson in Howell, the New Century Buffet on Grand River just east of Latson (in the strip mall by Los Tres Amigos), and even the old Prairie House is living a new life as TJ's River BBQ (in front of Walmart in Howell).
It's been a great winter for outdoor sports, too. I've seen tons of snowmobile tracks on the rural roads, there are always a lot of ice fisherman on the local lakes, and everytime I've driven past Mt. Brighton in the evening, the slopes are full of skiiers and snow boarders. After so many disappointing winters, it's great to see them doing well.
Speaking of Mt. Brighton, they've entered into an agreement to lease space for a new charity poker room. The Shark Club in Howell has been doing this for quite a while, but it looks like the market is still open for more of this type of recreation. I know, some will say that it's not recreation, it's gambling. And yes, there is always a gamble when you play cards.
Not-for-profit groups can apply for a four day State Millionaire's Party License under their Charitable Gaming Regulations. Tournaments are conducted with approximately 80% of the money being paid back to the top tournament finishers. The rest is split between the charity and the group running the poker room. They provide professionally trained dealers, all of the equipment (tables, chips, cards, etc.) and have consistent rules of play.
The group that oversees the poker room at Mt. Brighton is Premier Poker Lounge (http://www.premierpokerlounge.com/PPL/). They just finished their first 4-day set of tournaments at Mt. Brighton and they did have enough players to make for a competitive set of games. Tournaments are popular with players because you pay a flat amount, usually $25 or $30, to enter. The winnings are based on the number of total players and dollars in the 'pool', but if you've watched poker on television and wondered how you might stack up this is a cheap way to find out.
My article word count just clicked over 400 words, and I'm trying to keep blog posts around that limit, so I'll wrap this one up now.
What The Blog Is About
I'll make occasional posts here on Livingston County or Southern Michigan topics. I have a Real Estate blog already (http://www.livingstonre.blogspot.com) so this blog will be for other interests.
Have an idea for a blog topic? Send them along (not that I don't already have a long list of my own!).
Have an idea for a blog topic? Send them along (not that I don't already have a long list of my own!).
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