Golfers and Non golfers alike will appreciate this info.

No one has a swing speed of 150 mph, including Tiger Woods who is just under 130 mph. I had no idea the golf ball compresses this much.

But first a little history:

1- The Pro V-1 golf ball by Titleist is actually a three part ball, but you have to have a club head speed of at least 100 mph or more to be able to compress all three stages…If you don’t the ball never fully compresses and you don’t get the distance out of it that the pro’s do.

2- Most golfers, will get more distance out of a ball that only has two stages of compression…

Like the Titleist NG Tour. It is more suited to most golfers swing speed and we can compress it upon impact and can hit it further than the Pro V-1 ball.

3- So the secret is not to buy the most expensive balls out there because you are actually decreasing the distance you can hit the ball, unless your club head speed is over 100 mph, which unless you are a single digit handicap and young, it isn’t going to happen!!!

Watch this video, this shows what a golf ball goes through when hit at 150 mph…it’s amazing to me how long these balls last. Maybe that’s why the Pro’s use new balls ever time they play….

70,000 frames per second.

Tags: Golf Facts and figures, Random Golf Info by admin
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A very interesting article was published yesterday in the local newspaper, The Myrtle Beach Sun News.  It speaks about the length and depth golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area have to go to, in order to keep playing conditions up to par…no pun intended.

The entire country has experienced record heat.  For the month of June South Carolina averaged 6 degrees warmer…it was the warmest on record….funny since we had the coldest winter as well….which makes you wonder about the whole global warming thing.

Anyway,  the article in the sun news talks about what golf courses are doing with different types of grass to keep optimum conditions.  It’s definitely worth the read and may give you a better appreciation for maintenance.  Let us know what you think.  As always our Golfmasters are always a good local source of information.

Here is a link to the article:  Myrtle Beach Sun News Golf Article

Tags: Golf Facts and figures, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Reviews, Myrtle Beach Golf Packages by admin
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Most Avid golfers are always interested in aerification, or the process in which golf courses aerate their greens.  Even with a golf course being in the best possible condition, aerification is necessary to preserve the conditions of the greens.

Typically golf courses in Myrtle Beach aerify Spring and fall to ensure healthy turf conditions.  By punching holes in the greens, in sizes varying from a dime to a quarter, it enables the overall health of the putting surface.  It prevents compaction and enables the greens to be soft and forgiving.  It also promotes healthier root growth, which makes it more drought and heat resistant.  The 3rd thing aerification does is allow water penetration.

While it’s no fun to play on greens that have been recently aerified, it necessary to keep the golf course up.  Your Golfmasters here at Golf Trek are constantly on top of Myrtle Beach golf course conditions so that we can ensure our customers do NOT play courses that have recently been aerated.  Fortunately most golf courses in the myrtle beach area schedule their aerification around non peak golf periods.  This minimizes the impact on the traveling golfer.

Here is a very interested video put out by the Pearl golf course about how they go about the aerification process.  I hope you enjoy.  The Pearl definitely is a course you should check out next time you are planning a trip to Myrtle Beach.

Tags: Golf Facts and figures, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Info by admin
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Looking for a little game to play on your next Myrtle Beach Golf Vacation? I am not advocating gambling no, no, no not me but if your looking for a little game to play with your “FOUR” you may want to play 66, and 6, the “Devils Game” This is pretty much a basic format for gaming among 4s and there are many versions and adaptations. The general concept: You rotate partners ever 6 holes. We pick partners by draw as “Carts” “Driver”s and “Others” I have a little sheet with all the combos on it and one of the other picks a number and the teams are set. You could just toss a tee! Write it on the card as “CDO” “ODC” or what ever it is because we are old now and you’ll forget the teams by the second hole. Play is based on individual scores but you can do it anyway you want. We play “high/low” so it’s one point if your team gets the low score and and one point if the other team has the high score. Example: Team “Tom and Gary” score 3 and 4 while Team ” Wally and Gerald” score 4 and 5 . Team “Tom and Gary” receive 2 points for that hole since they had the low score and the other team had the high score and so on. Each 6 hole match is worth a fixed wager, lets say $5.00, PLUS THE SPECIALS, Ahhh the specials, we play both team members receive a special even if just one team members got it. Specials are also based on a fixed amount lets say $1.00. The specials we play are birdie, sandy (par out of any defined sand bunker ), chippy ( par or better from off the green) penalty par (par on a hole which you received a penalty), greenies, (closest to the pin on par 3’s with par) , and double par. (when both partners get a par or better). OK Tom and Gary won the first 6 hole match and Gary had two birdies and Tom had a sandy. Tom and Gary win $5.00 for the match and they had a total of 3 specials so they each receive $3.00 for the combined total of specials. Tom and Gary are up $8.00 going into the next 6 hole match.

Like I said, there are lots of variations to this game just make sure everyone knows what the game is before you start.

What do you play? Let us know, we are always looking for a new game to play !

Tags: Golf Facts and figures by admin
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Can Juniors play golf free?  Yes, 1 junior can play free at most courses with 1 playing adult, however, tee times can be restricted to afternoons. Many of the Myrtle Beach Golf Courses that restrict junior play to afternoons will have a reduced rate for morning play from $ 10.00 to $ 25.00 or cart fee.

Age limits? Age varies from course to course. For most the age limit is 15 and under and some the age is 16 and under.

Can Juniors drive the golf cart? Yes, IF the junior has a valid driver’s license otherwise the adult must drive.

The following is a list of available courses with junior rates, free or minimum charge:

Aberdeen Arcadian Shores Arrowhead Black Bear Blackmoor Burning Ridge
Crow Creek Crown Park Farmstead Glen Dornoch Grand Dunes Heather Glen
Indian Wells Indigo Creek International Club Kings North Litchfield Long Bay
MBN Southcreek MBN West Course Meadowlands Myrtlewood Palmetto and Pine Hills Pawleys Plantation Possum Trot Prestwick River Club River Oaks Rivers Edge
Sandpiper Bay Sea Trails (Byrd - Jones - Maples) Shaftesbury Glen Thistle Tidewater
True Blue Waterway Hills Wedgefield Wicked Stick Willbrook

This list is subject to change in 2009.  Always call your Golfmaster for the latest information regarding Junior policies.

Tags: Golf Facts and figures, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Info by admin
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Why is a golf course 18 holes? 18 shots in a Scotch bottle? Nope , it’s just not as cute as 4 Scottish sheep herders running out of Scotch after the 18th hole. According to the Scottish Golf History web sight the reason for 18 holes has no rhyme or reason, it just kinda evolved into 18 holes. Prior to the mid 1700s it was typical to find golf courses with 12, 14, 15, or 22 holes. In 1764 St. Andrews converted from 22 to 18 holes. Why ? SGH says it was because 18 holes was easier to maintain then 22 but it was also common for clubs to use land for other reasons and add and subtract holes as issues arose.

SGH states that 18 holes did not become the standard until the early 1900s but from 1764 on, courses copied the St. Andrews 18 hole format. In 1854 the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews issued new rules, one of which was, that a match would consist of 18 holes unless other wise stipulated. From that point on courses that were not 18 holes began to convert to 18 holes. It is the current 19th hole where the bottle of Scotch comes into play!

Chip Shot- Golf was originally and primarily a winter sport; they didn’t have lawn mowers to cut large areas of grass.

Tags: Golf Facts and figures by admin
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Many group leaders over the years have stated :

1) I don’t care where I stay.
2) I want the cheapest possible golf package.

R E A L L Y ! CHEAP LODGING… Having owned hotels, motels and real estate companies and been chairman of the board of the Myrtle Beach Hospitality Assn, I can state unequivocally without any reservation whatsoever that a minimum of 40 % of the local lodging are substandard…. many are very substandard. Don’t assume that you
are getting nice clean lodging in a safe location. Your chances are 60-40 at best. All of my properties were AAA RATED. GOLF TREK only represents accommodations with a minimum of a 3 diamond rating.

CHEAP GOLF… Many golfers have stated to me over the past 31 years that ALL of the golf courses on the Grand Strand are better than their home courses. Every area has Top 10 and Bottom 10 courses. Guess which courses charge the least ? The Grand Strand does have a few poorly maintained courses. If you prefer CHEAP, I hope you won’t get stuck with 1 star rated courses when you could get top notch 4 star
courses for maybe $ 5 more. Many times that’s all the difference you’ll have to pay to play better golf and improve your golf package.

INTELLIGENT ANSWERS to your golf questions….M A Y B E . 90 % of the people booking golf at the beach have never played the game we love. They get their canned golf info from a 19 ” inch screen in front of them. Their mission in life is to rent their rooms. Golf is an afterthought. If you know exactly the courses you want, then anyone can be an order taker. There are hundreds of order takers booking golf at the beach.
However, if you want course knowledge and advice, then you need to speak with golf experts who know the lay of the land and the rub of the greens. Many golf leaders find out too late that their carefully planned golf outing has turned into a disaster.

Tags: Golf Facts and figures, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Info by admin
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GOLF - DO YOU PLAY BY THE RULES?

A lot has and is being made of by pro golfer J.P. Hayes disqualifying himself from participating in the PGA Tour’s recent qualifying tournament. What happened? He played with a nonconforming ball. Huh?

If by chance you missed what happened, here it how the story was reported by the Associated Press. He was on the tee box of the par 3, 12th hole of the first round of the Qualifying Tournament when his caddy tossed him the fateful ball. He hit his tee shot and missed the green, chipped on, marked the ball and then realized it was not the ball he started his round with. He called over an official, told him what had happened and took the 2 stroke penalty that applied. He then proceeded to finish his round with the ball he started his round with and finished with a 74. The next day he carded a 71 and was in position to make it through the final stage of Q’ school (from where the top 25 get exempt status on the PGA Tour for 2009). That night after the second round while he was going through his golf bag in his hotel room, it was at that point he realized the ball that had cost him two strokes already, was a prototype ball and not approved for tournament play. This is where the “personal self-policing” aspect of the game of golf came to the fore. He called a PGA tour official and explained the situation.

Well the result of the call was that he disqualified himself from the tournament. The disqualification now results in his not being able to reach fully exempt status and have the ability to play on the PGA tour in 2009. His decision could cost him some 6 figures of income in 2009. Quite a possible high price for game integrity. He said it was the right thing to do.

Here’s my two cents: We don’t have refs on the course making sure we play by the rules. We are suppose to call penalties on ourselves. Now, generally speaking, most of us don’t even come close to knowing all of the rules or even understand most of them. We play for the enjoyment (and to settle a few side bets I’m sure). We aren’t getting paid to play. Our livelihood doesn’t live and die with our round of golf. However, most of us do try to play by the rules (at least those we know).

My point is this: we need to keep in mind we, like the high percentage of people on the course, are there for the fun and comradery. We need to apply the rules of golf as we play but we needn’t go overboard with imposing rules violations. On those occasions where those that are playing their round “strictly by the rules” need to do so with some level of common sense. For example, it makes more sense that if you hit a ball that is headed for OB, you should hit another ball as a provisional then and there. Don’t go looking for the first ball, find it OB and then have to head back to where you originally hit from to re-hit. Another one: if your ball is in a sand bunker, take the rake with you. We know you really aren’t “testing the sand” by dropping the rake next to you, You are just speeding up play and can better rake the trap as you leave.

The time that it takes to play a round in a resort area like Myrtle Beach can be long enough as it is without having to endure another’s inability to manage course play. I’m not saying don’t play by the rules. I’m saying just be practical about it. “Common sense” and “ready golf” as two phrases we need to keep in mind on the course. This is my opinion. I’m sure there will be those that agree and those that disagree.

Tags: Golf Facts and figures by admin
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Slow Play - One Reason No One Ever Talks About

We’ve all been subject to those rounds of golf that seem to last an eternity whether it be 4 1/2 hours, 5 hours or heaven forbid, even longer. Why do rounds take longer than the anticipated 4 hours or so? Let’s see: golfers who look too long for balls, play from tee boxes beyond their skill level, don’t play ready golf, fish for balls (other than their own) out of lakes, move like snails, never have the right club with them, etc. I’m sure you can think of many other reasons. However, one reason which never seems to come to the fore happens before the golfers tee off. What is it?

THEY DON’T GET TO THE COURSE ON TIME !!!!

On time should mean being at the course a minimum of 30 minutes before the schedule tee time. Why at least 30 minutes? It allows sufficient time for dropping off the bags, getting on the shoes, checking in, getting the cup of coffee (or whatever), making that needed pit stop, doing whatever stretching is needed…… Generally speaking, the cart should be loaded and golfers ready for play 10 minutes before tee time so the Starter can do his thing.

When a group is not ready to tee off as scheduled, it creates a gap between them and the group ahead right from the first tee box. Strangely enough, that gap never seems to close but rather widen thus making everyone behind them endure a longer round than needed. Sometimes the Starter has to juggle the schedule.

OK, things can happen that can’t be avoided. That should be the exception, not the norm. If a group is going to be late, call the pro shop so they know and can alleviate impact of the late arrival by moving those groups up that were on time and have been there to tee off a few minutes earlier. Then when the “late” group arrives, the squeeze to get them in to the tee time schedule (if at all possible) isn’t as difficult.

Being on time helps everyone to at least start out the round on a happy note. What happens during the round - well that can be a different result.

Tags: Golf Facts and figures by admin
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When preparing for your Myrtle Beach Golf Vacation you may need to be aware of when the sun sets. This will be very important for those golfers trying to play 36 , those that want to keep their budget in check by playing an “after 12 PM ” , aka “afternoon special” and those golfers whose mothers/wife’s told them to be home before dark. This chart should help you determine how much golf is feasible and what time to set up your t-times.

Important notes-

#1 T-times are FIRST COME FIRST SERVE , get your t-times early especially if planning a trip in March or April. If you think you might be 12 but not sure, we can reserve 12 and reduce it later if you get some “back outs”. We can also reserve your t-times with your initial deposit, please contact your Golf Master for details.

#2- I did not include sun rise times since courses don’t start their t-times at sun rise. Start times will vary a bit according to the season and the course, please contact your Golf Master for details.

Sunset Times PM

* 12/31/08- 5:18

* 1/31/09- 5:46

* 2/28/09- 6:12

* 3/8/09- 7:18 Spring ahead change your clocks

* 3/31//09- 7:36

* 4/30/09 - 7:58

* 5/31/09- 8:21

* 6/30/09- 8:30

* 7/31/09- 8:17

* 8/31/09- 7:42

* 9/30/09- 7:01

* 10/31/09- 6:24

* 11/1/09- 5:23 Fall back change your clock

* 11/30/09 5:07

* 12/3109 5:18

Tags: Golf Facts and figures, Myrtle Beach Golf Course Info by admin
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