Memories of a Lost Golf Buddy

Written by: Tony Korologos | Monday, October 30th, 2017
Categories: Golf • Golf Life

I’m moving in 8 days. HOG World Headquarters is being packed up now. It’s hell. I have a mind-boggling amount of “stuff” to go through, so many golf items. Going through lots of old stuff stirs up old memories, good and bad. The new HWH is going to be nice, but with no basement to store the tons of extra stuff, I have to purge quite a bit.

During this evening’s purge I found this golf ball:

I was playing one of many hundreds of rounds that I’d played with buddy Dave Shields. Dave and I were regulars at River Oaks for a period of time. I was the club president and as such had playing privileges. Dave worked for the course and did as well. He and I played almost every evening for years.

On the 8th hole Dave made a hole-in-one on March 25, 2008. He proceeded to tee off with that ball on the 9th. I stopped him and inquired why he wasn’t saving such a special ball. He didn’t care much about that. So I took it from him and said I’d keep it. I wrote the date, hole and info about the ace on the ball and took it home.

Things changed at the course. I retired from running the league after 7 years and Dave moved on. Four years after the ace I got the terrible news that Dave passed away around November of 2012.

So hats off to you Dave. I still have this ball and I’ll keep it as one of many great memories of our time on the golf course together. FORE!

Review: La Cana Golf Club, Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is the golf capitol of the Caribbean with roughly 30 courses, fantastic weather all year (barring a few hurricanes), and great resorts. The Dominican Republic is a perfect recipe for a golf buddy trip or golf stay and play vacation.

La Cana Golf Club

Location

La Cana Golf Club is located on the east coast of the Dominican Republic, a short drive from the Punta Cana International Airport. La Cana is a P.B Dye design, the son of famed architect Pete Dye. There is a heavy Pete Dye influence of course, with some unique architectural twists. With several other Pete Dye courses on the Dominican, the island could be called “Dye Island.”

Overview

La Cana Golf Club is a 27-hole facility. The three 9-hole courses are named “Tortuga,” “Hacienda,” and “Arrecife.” I was able to play 18 when I was there, the Hacienda being my front nine and Tortuga the back nine. There are five sets of tees at La Cana, with the longest tee (black) tipping out at 3483 yards for Tortuga, 3768 yards for Hacienda, and 3676 yards for Arricife. This is not a short course from the tips, especially at sea level. Course ratings and slopes will vary depending on which nines are combined for the 18.

Tee

There’s quite a variance in tee shots at La Cana. Some are quite basic, what you see is what you get. Some have some deceiving hills and mounds which can hide the fairway or landing areas, making things seem different or tighter than they really are when you arrive to the landing area. Below is one of the more basic tee looks.

And below one of the more deceiving views, a short par-4 with huge dunes/mounds which hide a sharp dogleg left and wide open approach look at the green, from the right. That approach is much easier than if the golfer were to take a line at the green off the tee, as it takes the water out of play. Also notice the small bunker at the bottom of one of the mounds. It has the look of a Pete Dye “volcano bunker,” as I’ve found on the Pete Dye course at French Lick Resort.

Overall, driving on the Tortuga/Hacienda 18 is not overly difficult unless the shot is so errant that it finds waste or native areas.

Fairway

The fairways at La Cana are fairly forgiving. There are many of the typical Dye waste bunkers that run the length of a few holes as seen below.

In some cases the sand is so hard in the waste areas one could use that to a strategic advantage. One time I intentionally drove my ball down the waste bunker on a short par-4 and nearly ended up pin high after a long amount of roll.

As mentioned in the tee commentary, most fairways are straight forward with a little movement, but there are a couple of very “quirky” or experimental ones as well. This is very “Dye-like,” on the Dye courses I’ve played, whether they be P.B Dye or Pete Dye.

Below is another “experimental” section, a large area of mini-dunes. Somehow I ended up in here. The lies and stances are quite funky.

If the area above was shaved more like a putting green and not the rough, it would be a carbon copy of the Himalayas putting course in St Andrews.

Green

The green complexes at La Cana present a wide variance of design styles, from the Donald Ross upside down soup bowl type to islands in the sand/water. The bunkering around the greens flows nicely and provides for some challenging mid-range bunker shots if the green is missed. Below is a combination of both the wrap-around and soup bowl.

I do like how there are areas around the greens which provide the golfer different and creative ways of getting up and down. While the shot above may call for a lob wedge, there are run-up areas and collection areas which give the golfer other options, like the Texas wedge (putting off the green) or hitting lower, bump and run type shots.

Above, the obligatory “beautiful green with palm trees and the Caribbean in the background” shot. There are plenty of great views like this.

The most notable and photo-worthy hole of my round was definitely the par-3 5th hole on the Tortuga nine. The entire hole runs along the blue Caribbean waters and the green juts out a bit. I found this hole design very similar to the 17th at Edgewood Tahoe and the 15th at Scotland’s Kingsbarns Golf Links. Those are two of the best par-3’s one might ever play.

Final Thoughts

There are some very strong holes at the P.B. Dye designed La Cana Golf Club in the Dominican Republic. The course flows well and has a very nice feel to it. The ocean views are great and the inland holes are all interesting, with a wee bit of that quirky “Dye” experimental flavor.

Next time you are planning a golf stay and play or a golf buddy trip, consider the Dominican Republic and be sure to put La Cana on the docket. When you are looking for a place to stay nearby, consider the all-inclusive Secrets Cap Cana Resort and Spa.

First Look: Ecco S-Drive Golf Shoes

Written by: Tony Korologos | Monday, October 16th, 2017
Categories: Golf Apparel • Golf Gear
Tags: Ecco • Ecco Golf

This one is going to be tight. I just received the new Ecco S-Drive golf shoes for review. The golf season here is winding down and I’ve already gotten my skis tuned and my ski boots refitted. I hope the weather holds out long enough for me to put these new S-Drives through the rigorous HOG review battery before the snow flies.

These are quite unique looking. Check out the laces and top of the shoe.

I hope to get my review done in the next few weeks. If not, you’ll know I’m enjoying some deep Utah powder and the review will come in the spring. For now, check out the press release from Ecco, detailing some of the S-Drive’s features.

From Ecco:

ECCO S-DRIVE represents an entirely new take on golf footwear. Drawing inspiration from the running market, the bold, athletic styling is matched with a simple, yet highly-technical asymmetrical last to enhance both fit and feel. The result is a lightweight, agile design that still offers the comfort, stability and performance golfers demand. ECCO S-Drive highlights the company’s commitment to innovate, through a unique set of performance and comfort properties, including:

An asymmetrical closure system enables a revolutionary, close to the foot fit, resulting in excellent support and stability.

Soft mesh upper for a comfortable feel, and bonded with microfiber for optimal support and stability. Treated with HYDROMAX® for superb weather and perspiration resistance.

A removable Ortholite® inlay sole offers long-term cushioning, enhanced breathability, antimicrobial function and the option of extra width.

Wrap up on the side of the midsole adding support during golf swing. Direct-injected TPU outsole featuring E-DTS® technology for excellent grip, traction, durability & flexibility.

Bermuda Sands Woodland Golf Polo Review

Written by: Tony Korologos | Friday, October 13th, 2017
Categories: Golf Apparel • Golf Gear • Reviews
Tags: Bermuda Sands

It wasn’t quite Bermuda, but I last wore this fantastic Bermuda Sands Woodland Polo while playing golf in the Dominican Republic. I thought it was fitting, pun intended.

Bermuda Sands Woodland Polo

Woodland Polo Overview

The Woodland Polo is part of the Bermuda Sands fall collection. The materials in this polo are 92% polyester and 8% spandex. No cotton, which is good! These fabrics are so much better than cotton because they breathe, flex, resist wrinkling, don’t shrink, and are easy to care for.

The Woodland’s fabric has a striated heather look (I had to google it to see what it was). It’s a pattern in the fabric, like grainy or lined look. It’s very popular these days in golf apparel.

Colors/Sizes

The Woodland is available in five colors: purple (shown here), green, red, gray, blue.

Sizes range from small to triple-extra-large.

On The Course

I’ve worn the Woodland in some very different conditions with great performance and comfort. Here in northern Utah I’ve worn it in 50 degree fall temperatures. In the Dominican I wore it in 90 degrees with super-high humidity. In both situations I was very comfortable. The Woodland’s moisture wicking fabric really helped.

The fit of the Woodland is great. There is no binding, pulling, stretching, or limiting of my rotation in the golf swing.

Final Thoughts

The $75 retail Woodland is a classy, stylish, comfortable, and high performance golf polo which competes against polos costing much more. I highly recommend trying out the Bermuda Sands Woodland. Upgrade your apparel scripting.

10 Worst Golf Course Review Clichés

Written by: Tony Korologos | Wednesday, October 11th, 2017
Categories: Boneheads

I started blogging golf course reviews before most current day golf bloggers or golf journalists were off the first tee. Now golf course reviews are more common than sour kazoo notes at a Kenny G concert. More common than selfies on Paige Spirinac’s instagram. More common than unfixed ball marks on the local muni’s greens. More common than… I think you get it.

The problem with these reviews is they all sound/read the same now, stamped out of the same old same old mold and using the same worn out clichés. I’ll admit I’ve probably used some of these at some point so before you get on my case about it, I admit it. But I vow to not use any of these overused phrases again, and for Pete’s sake golf bloggers and writers you should do the same.

Great Track

“Great track” has to be one of the worst and most overused golf clichés in history. I have to hold back my vomit every time I read or hear it. First off, a golf course is not a track. Tracks are where they race horses, dogs, cars etc. Perhaps saying “great tract” is better, as in “tract of land.” Resist the temptation to use this filler. It’s barely worthy of putting on the bottom of a bird cage.

Hidden Gem

Oh. My. God. If I hear this phrase one more time I might have to wrap my 4-iron around someone’s neck. Hidden gem? Really? How original. For fun, let’s Google the phrase and see how many results we get… 1,770,000 results. Stop it. Please. Too bad they hid the course. Imagine how successful it would be if people could find it!

Crown Jewel

What the hell is it with gems and jewels anyway? Crown jewel? So this course is the same as regalia and vestments worn by kings and queens at their coronations? Got it.

Signature Hole

Straight out of the cookie cutter. Try something more creative, like, I don’t know… anything.

Great Layout

I’m trying to think of a phrase more vague than “great layout.” Hmm. Nope. Can’t think of one. Stop writing it. Stop saying it. What makes it great? Let’s start with that and see where we go.

Renowned Course

Coooookie cutter!!! Gag me.

Championship Course

What exactly is this supposed to mean, “championship course?” What championship? Any course can hold a championship. The muni down the street with the broken down car on the 7th fairway could. Golf courses and golf PR and advertising companies are just as guilty of using this one as writers and bloggers.

It’s Right There In Front Of You

WTF is that supposed to mean? It’s right there in front of me? What if I play it facing backwards? Is it still right there in front of me or would it be right there behind me then? What if I play the course facing at a 90 degree angle to either side? Would it be “right there beside me?”

Classic Layout

I think my head is going to explode. This one gives “great layout” a run for it’s vague money.

Fair Test

“The course is a fair test.” How many times have you heard that one? What makes it fair? Who judges what is fair and what is unfair. Do I have a vote? Can a course be a fair test for one golfer but unfair for another? Is there such a thing as an “unfair test?” I think I’d rather play a course that presents and unfair test than a fair test. It would probably be more interesting.

Must Play

You know what would be better and more informative in course reviews? A must not play! “You must not play this course. It is terrible and their range balls suck!”

ALL TOGETHER NOW – Can I get them all into one run-on sentence?

“A hidden gem, this renowned championship course is a great track and classic layout which is a fair test that’s right there in front of you, a must-play crown jewel topped off by its signature hole.”

I did it! I should just make that be my whole review for all my golf course articles from this point on! BOOM! #WINNING #thisonegoestoeleven

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