Welcome to the New Bonneville Golf Course

Written by: Tony Korologos | Tuesday, October 6th, 2015
Categories: Golf • Golf Courses • Golf For Women
Tags: Salt Lake City • Utah Golf

Pop quiz: What’s the first thing golf courses who just switched to a new automated sprinkling system do?

Answer: Over-water.

For decades Bonneville Golf Course here in Salt Lake City, Utah has been the most popular public course in the state and for good reason. It is awesome. For decades the course has been known for being a “hard and fast” course which calls for the player to accurately calculate approach shots, landing them at just the right place. Some shots needed to hit short and bounce up in order to stay on the putting surface.

Commonplace at Bonney now… bring your divot tool.

Over this summer the course has switched from manual, hand-watering to a new automated irrigation system. The change is done and the new sprinklers are working, really well. The course is as green as ever but it is very, very different. The greens are no longer the fast and hard greens I’ve grown to love (and hate in a good way on some days). They’re country club soft. Shots which once would bounce over the green when hitting the front half are now backing up. On the 3rd hole, a green which is very hard to stick, I hit a wedge to the middle of the green and spun it back off and down the hill. On #10 I did the same thing, hitting the middle of the green then spinning entirely off the surface.

Some shots this softness has helped though. I hit an 8-iron to the par-5 first, a back pin. My shot flew to the back pin, hitting about a foot short of the flag. Normally that shot would bounce over the green and leave an impossible downhill chip. Instead, I had a 15″ eagle putt.

The speed of the greens is considerably slower right now. This could of course be a factor of the blade length of the mowers, or it could be that they’re just slower because they’re more moist. Those of us who are used to “Bonney” speed and the fine and tough breaks those fast greens produces are now befuddled by putts which come up short and don’t break.

I’m not saying the change is good or bad. It’s just, “different.” The strategy has changed. Rather than hitting shots with the goal of hitting the front or even in front of the green, one must think pin high and go even longer than that. I’m finding that any club less than an 8-iron requires getting the to-the-pin yardage and aiming 10-15 feet past it.

Welcome to the new Bonneville.

It’s Presidents Cup Week But Do You Care?

Written by: Tony Korologos | Monday, October 5th, 2015
Categories: Golf • PGA Tour • Pro Golf
Tags: Presidents Cup

Yay! It’s Presidents Cup week. This event is a competition between a USA team of golfers pitted against an international squad of players who are not Ryder Cuppers. So it’s basically the USA versus anyone but europe.

I’ve been waiting all year to watch this event. Okay, maybe not. I actually have no interest in this event whatsoever. I’m curious to know if any of you HOG patrons out there do care about this event? After all, the USA team has won it every time since the inception of this red-headed stepchild of the Ryder Cup, except for 2003 when the event was tied.

Actually I think the 2003 Presidents Cup was the last one I watched.

College football season is here (as is pro football of course) and that’s where my interests lie at this time of year, especially since my Utah Utes are now ranked #5 in the country.

First Look: Sun Mountain Club Glider Suitcase

Written by: Tony Korologos | Monday, October 5th, 2015
Categories: Golf Accessories • Golf Equipment • Golf For Women • Golf Gear
Tags: Golf Travel • Golf Travel Bag • Sun Mountain

I reviewed the Sun Mountain Club Glider Journey golf travel bag a while back. The Club Glider series features FOUR wheels, two of which are retractable. The system makes lugging golf club bags and clubs around airports as easy as can be. Now Sun Mountain is putting that same four wheel setup into luggage.
Sun_Mountain_Club_Glider_Suitcase_02
Soon I’ll be putting this bag to the test and posting my review. I’m thinking perhaps a trip to the Bahamas would be a good test for this bag… Stay tuned.

For now you can see a few more photos of this piece by visiting the Hooked On Golf Blog Sun Mountain image gallery.

Bolle’ Ransom Sunglasses Review

Written by: Tony Korologos | Thursday, October 1st, 2015
Categories: Golf Accessories • Golf For Women • Golf Gear • Golf Lifestyle • Reviews
Tags: Bolle • Golf Sunglasses

The sun always shines when you’re cool.

I’ve had the pleasure of wearing the Bolle’ Ransom golf sunglasses for a while. These glasses are best fitted for a larger head, like mine. One must have a large head to hold as much golf knowledge as I do.

Bolle_Ransom

Let’s take a look at the Bolle’ Ransom, or should I say look through them…

Features

Thick, stylish, unique frame design
The B-Clear lenses are anti-glare and produce colors and highlights well suited for the golf course
The lenses are as clear as glass but considerably lighter
The “Oleophobic/hydrophobic” lenses repel grease, dirt, and water spots
High strength nose pads and rubber gripping to keep glasses from slipping
100% UVA and UVB protection
Nice case
Cleaning cloth included

On The Course – On The Beach

My on-the-course portion of this review is a little tough. I wear prescription sunglasses which really help me see the ball far away. I’m nearsighted, so reading greens, standing over the ball, and short range stuff is great. But long range, seeing a ball from 150+ yards was tough.

That said, in my good range I loved the clarity of the lenses, the colors, and how I could easily see the contours and slopes of the course.

I sport these shades in far more places than just the golf course. On my recent trip to southern California I thoroughly enjoyed sitting on the beach and soaking up the rays in the comfort of the Ransoms.

Other situations where sunglasses are great and the Ransoms have shined include outside parties, walks around the neighborhood, hiking, spending time at the park with my little boy.

On or off the course the style is fantastic and the comfort is as good as any shades I’ve reviewed.

Conclusion

If I had a prescription version of the Bolle’ Ransom they would be my gamer sunglasses on the golf course.

They’re certainly my gamers for many other sunny outdoor activities.

I’d Rather Play Golf Than Watch It

Written by: Tony Korologos | Monday, September 28th, 2015
Categories: (British) Open Championship • FedEx Cup • Golf • Hackers • Jordan Spieth • Miscellaneous • Pro Golf • Rory McIlory • The Masters • Tiger Woods
Tags: Jordan Spieth

Jordan Spieth

Anything interesting happen in professional golf over the last few weeks? Actually, I wouldn’t know much other than Jordan Spieth set the record for most prize money ever, at somewhere around $22 million. He won the ~~FedEx Cup~~ Reset Cup. When I saw him play as an amateur at the age of 16 (picture) I was sure he was amazing, but had no idea anyone could rake in that kind of dough in prize money in one year.

Yes, a great year. Player of the year for sure. I have/had no interest in the Reset Cup.

Recently Comcast, or as I like to call them “Crapcast,” doubled my TV bill. That was the deciding factor in my cutting the cable and going to NO TV. None. No golf. Nothing. It has been quite nice.

Though I’ve attended and covered many professional “tour” events, I find it quite uninteresting to watch other people play golf, as good as they may be. I’ve watched many greats up close and personal including Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Tom Watson, Jordan Spieth, Fred Couples, Rory McIlroy, Chi Chi Rodriguez, John Duval (I know what I’m typing), Lee Trevino…. dozens of others.

The pros are great but after I watch them hit a few shots in person I realize one thing:

I’d rather play golf than watch other people play it.

There are some occasions where that’s not the case. The Masters? I’d rather watch it. British Open? Watch it. U.S. Open? Maybe. PGA Championship? Meh. Presidents Cup? Not interested. Ryder Cup? Okay, I watch that…

Where am I going with this drivel? This is a blog. I don’t have to go anywhere. As much as I’ve struggled this year with my game and my attitude, I’ve not watched much golf nor played as much. My last round, one of those nuggets the golf gods throw struggling golfers, might keep me in the game for a bit. Even par. Kind of like making a blackjack on the last hand in Vegas, that round will get me coming back, but golf hasn’t fooled me this time.

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