First Look: 3Bays GSA Putt Analyzer

Written by: Tony Korologos | Friday, March 6th, 2015
Categories: Apps • Golf • Golf Instruction • Instruction
Tags: 3Bays GSA Pro

Yesterday I posted the first look of the 3Bays GSA (golf swing analyzer) Pro. It is a small bluetooth device which attaches to a golf club and sends data to a smartphone or tablet running iOS or Android. The smartphone/tablet contains software which analyzes the swing data and produces all sorts of useful graphics and technical data on the swing.

3Bays also has a putting analyzer called the GSA Putt. Like the GSA Pro, the Putt unit logs lots of great putting stroke data and displays it on the smart device (2nd image). Below is the sensor unit attached to my recently cork gripped putter.

3Bays GSA Putt

And a sample screenshot of one analysis screen.

3Bays GSA Putt Analysis

Weather permitting I’ll be working on both my 3Bays GSA Pro review and 3Bays GSA Pro Putt review and posting as soon as possible. Stay tuned.

First Look: Beltology Silver Spoon Belt

Written by: Tony Korologos | Friday, March 6th, 2015
Categories: Golf Apparel • Golf Gear
Tags: Beltology • Golf Belt

Life is good. Today is yet another day I can confidently say I will not get caught with my pants down. Today is my first round of “testing” the new Beltology Silver Spoon belt. So far my pants (actually shorts), are perfectly situated!

The Silver Spoon belt features a waxed cotton material that’s slightly stretchy. It has leather trim and a polished nickel buckle. I really dig the stretchy part, and the fact that you can secure the belt on any size, rather than being limited to where the hole punches are. After a 12″ italian sub, or three days of constipation, it is nice to be able to take the edge off a bit.

TMI?

Stay tuned for my full review of this nice belt soon.

First Look: 3Bays GSA Pro Golf Swing Analysis for Android or iOS

Written by: Tony Korologos | Thursday, March 5th, 2015
Categories: Apps • Golf Accessories • Golf Gear • Golf Instruction • Instruction • Site News
Tags: 3Bays GSA Pro

I can’t wait to see how the new 3Bays GSA (Golf Swing Analyzer) Pro handles my dual chicken wing granny over the top epileptic seizure massive weight shift outside in but clubface square mega steep golfer’s elbow causing golf swing. The GSA Pro is a device that attaches to the end of the golf grip and through bluetooth sends swing information to a smartphone or tablet. That information is then used to show swing data which is useful for the golfer.

3Bays GSA Pro Golf Swing Analyzer

Below is a pic from 3Bays showing some of the data as it is displayed in the app:

Swing Analysis

It is awesome to see where technology has gone with regards to things like this. 10 years ago a swing analyzer might have cost $30,000. Now a better system is under $199!

I’ll be starting up my review process soon. Stay tuned for the full article.

Got Excited About My Most Popular Twitter Tweet Ever, Until I Did Some Research

Written by: Tony Korologos | Wednesday, March 4th, 2015
Categories: Boneheads • Miscellaneous • Site News
Tags: Twitter

A few days ago I did a “first look” post for Cork Tree, a company that makes some cool cork putter grips. I do these first look posts to help get the word out about the products I receive, very quickly after I receive them. I often take quite a long time on my reviews, since I take them seriously unlike other fly-by sites. So the reviews can take a while. The first look gives my readers a teaser to spark some interest, and gives the company that sent in the product some web juice while I’m doing my more lengthy review process.

As usual, I distribute links to the posts on all the social networks I have, including Twitter. I was thrilled to see that my retweeted first look tweet (yes sounds ridiculous) had some 1,400 favorites and 1,400 retweets.

Those numbers blew away my previous best, which were maybe just 100 or 200. I thought it was a little funky that this tweet had so much action though. The tweet is from Cork Tree’s twitter, and they only have 227 followers as of today’s date. How could a Twitter account with 227 followers generate such interaction?

Out of curiosity I looked at a few of their other tweets and noticed a very interesting pattern. Many tweets would have no action, or perhaps 3-4 retweets or favorites. Then there would be a tweet with 1.4K favorites and 1.4K retweets. Hmmm. A little fishy. The numbers of retweets/favorites on these “popular” tweets is almost always 1,384, or 3-4 tweets above that. This smells as fishy as Ian Poulter’s five balls in the water last week.

Magic number 1,384

I’m not going to say that Cork Tree is engaging in some kind of social networking fraud. I don’t care. Maybe some bot or some hacker who is trying to help them is behind this.

Either way, I’ll be reviewing the Cork grip soon. Can’t wait to see how many retweets that one gets.

My guess is it will be 1,384.

Review: Balcomie Golf Links, Crail, Scotland

Written by: Tony Korologos | Tuesday, March 3rd, 2015
Categories: Course Reviews • Golf Course Architecture • Golf Courses • Golf Life • Golf Lifestyle • HOG World Tour • Olympic Golf • Reviews • Travel
Tags: Balcomie Links • Crail • Scotland

Not far from the Old Course in St Andrews, Scotland is a fabulous, authentic, old-world links course in the town of Crail called Balcomie Links. Balcomie Links is one of two courses on the property. The other course is Craighead Links which opened in 1998. Craighead Links was designed by Gil Hanse, one of today’s most popular golf architects, and the architect of the 2016 Rio Olympics golf course.

Old Tom Morris is the architect of Balcomie Links. Old Tom finished up Balcomie the same year he finished up the “New Course” in St Andrews, 1895. The course plays to a par of 69, and a total yardage of 5,861. If you are a yardage snob you’ll have to adjust a wee bit. Once you do, you’ll truly appreciate the splendor of this course and the overall par and length will matter not.

Fantastic Balcomie Golf Links in Crail, Scotland

Perfectly Understated

The personality of Balcomie Links is fantastically understated. The pro shop has to be the coolest shops I’ve ever seen. I imagine golfers sitting on this bench as children, learning to golf from mom and dad. They grow up sitting on this bench. They grow old sitting on this bench, and life is good for them. I’m envious.

Coolest Pro Shop in the World!

Location

Located a 20-30 minute drive from St Andrews, Balcomie Links is located on an unbelievable stretch of land which borders the North Sea. I can’t think of more than one or two holes which don’t have a view of the North Sea, and most of the holes are right on the water. If this course was in California it would give Pebble Beach a run for its money.

Pebble who?

In fact, the whole time we played the course my group of pals kept playfully looking around and saying “Pebble who?”

Tee

Tee shots at Balcomie Links are so enjoyable and fun. Tom Morris was quite creative with the layout, and there are tee boxes in some very interesting places. Some tee boxes are by old buildings (below), while others cross holes. Some are by mortar and rock OB walls that must be hundreds of years old.

Par-5 2nd Tee – “Ower The Knowe”

Fairway

The fairways at Balcomie links welcome golf shots and don’t provide too much penalty if they’re not perfect. The wide fairways provide an enjoyable walk, but on rare occasions present challenging angles and blind shots if the ball finds the wrong resting place.

Fairway approach to the double green on the 11th

Some fairways, in old Scottish links golf style, cross each other. Keep a keen eye open for other players and rest assured the locals who know the course will do the same for you.

Green

Due to typical high winds, the greens at Balcomie Links only run between a seven to a nine on the stimpmeter. In other words fairly slow. American golfers may be used to faster greens, so it takes a few strokes to get used to whacking putts that hard.

Forced carry to an elevated green with the North Sea in the background. Fabulous!

The greens are not severe, but are tastefully protected via bunkering and other hazards, like the North Sea! A few holes feature some strong elevation change approaching the green.

Crail Golfing Society

The town of Crail is the home of Crail Golfing Society, the 7th oldest golf club in the world. The clubhouse overlooks the links, with the beautiful blue water in the background. Crail Golfing Society was kind enough to allow us to enjoy their fine food and a wee pint following our round. One of the best meals I had on my last Scotland trip was accompanied by one of the best views, as seen below.

Room With A View – Crail Golfing Society – click for more

Final Thoughts

When trying to come up with words to describe the experience at Balcomie Links the first two which came to mind were “authentic” and “true.” Golf here is authentic, as are the people. There’s nothing gaudy or commercial here. Balcomie Links is about TRUE and traditional Scottish links golf and is uninfluenced by the outside world.

Boy is it a world I’d love to live in.

Related Links

See the whole gallery of Balcomie Golf Links images!

Carnoustie Golf Links Review

Kingsbarns Golf Links Review

Ardgowan Hotel St Andrews Review

Fairmont Hotel St Andrews Review

Older posts

Newer posts

« Previous 1 … 47 48 49 50 51 … 59 Next »