Walking the Walk

Well, it is almost April and I haven't made it onto the golf course yet. I did hit a bucket of balls about two weeks ago. But more importantly, I have been walking about twice a week for the past four weeks. Tonight, even though it was cool and windy, I walked around Abraham Lincoln High School, which is 2.5 miles. When the weather hasn't permitted walking outdoors, I have been walking one-and-a-half laps around Franklin Mills Mall. This is helping me build up some leg strength, which is important for the golf swing, as well as preparing me for walking the course in the very near future. And believe it or not, I am actually considering trying to do some light yoga a couple of times a week as well! This should supplement my fitness, as well as provide me some flexibility, which is also important in the golf swing.

Hitting the First Balls of the Year

Burholme Golf Center
401 Cottman Avenue
Philadelphia, Pa
215/742-2380

Wednesday night I headed to Burholme Golf Center and hit my first bucket of balls this season. Since this was my first time out, I decided a small bucket for $5 would be sufficient. This gave me about 35 balls to hit. I stretched and swung my SpeedStik to warm up, then hit a few wedges. After that, I hit my 7-Wood, 4-Wood and Driver. Towards the end of my session, the twilight sky made it darn near impossible to see where I was hitting the ball. The young kid in the stall next to me had a large bucket and offered me some of his balls for a few minor tips I gave him. I took about 10 and hit them with my hybrid. Overall, it just felt good to be hitting golf balls again!

Photos by The Muni Golfer

An Afternoon at the Victory Golf Show

This afternoon I attended the Victory Golf Show at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, Pa. This show was very different from the Greater Philadelphia Golf Show I attended last month. Today's golf show featured exhibits from many more local golf courses and golf destinations than the GPGC. There seemed to be fewer equipment vendors, but those that were there offered much better merchandise.
Everyone entering the Victory Golf Show, with the their paid admission, received a one-year subscription to Golf Digest, a $20 gift card to Chesapeake Bay Golf Club a $10 gift card to Horsham Valley Golf Club and a $10 gift card to Golfdom Golf. There was also a goodie bag that contained coupons for several area courses and Dicks Sporting Goods, an offer of a free sand wedge from SMT Golf and a free hybrid from Magique Golf, information about the PGA's Play Golf America Day on May 9, information for junior golfers and junior tournaments, and the spring issue of Eastern Pennsylvania Golf magazine.
The Victory Golf Show also featured free lessons from local PGA professionals, skills challenges, putting contests, a closest to the pin contest and a demo range to test some of the latest equipment. There were also rules seminars and golf instruction lectures, comedic entertainment, and celebrities such as Philadelphia Eagles mascot 'Swoop' and Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders.
As I mentioned earlier, numerous local courses, golf academies and golf getaway packages were represented at the Victory Golf Show. Many were distributing coupons for discounted green fees or 'three pay four play' deals. Among the courses I collected info from were Ron Jaworski's Valleybrook Country Club and Riverwinds Golf Club in South Jersey; Brandywine Country Club and Rock Manor in Wilmington, Del.; Northeast Philadelphia's Island Green Country Club; The Hershey Hotel; Baywood Greens and The Rookery--two favorites of The Muni Golfer--in the Lewes/Rehoboth Beach area; Ocean City, Md's Eagles Landing; The Links at Brigantine Beach--still on my golfing wish list--just outside Atlantic City; Tyoga Country Club in Wellsboro, Pa.; and Lehigh Valley golf. One bright note, I learned that Ron Jaworski has recently acquired Riverwinds, so we should see that links style gem along the Delaware River being returned to its previous luster in the very near future.
One section of the show that was pretty impressive was the area devoted solely to kids and golf, where they had lessons, contests and a putting green.
As with the previous golf show, I was looking more for golf accessories--gloves, apparel, headwear and Wilson Staff products--than I was for golf clubs. But I also kept an eye out for a bargain that might be too good to pass up. I didn't find any Wilson Staff equipment, but I did pick up a brand new Sonartec SS-07 4-wood with a Grafalloy ProLite shaft for $50 from the Golf Tour Trailer at Westfields. Although Sonartec is no longer in business, it was once a highly regarded fairway wood on the professional tours and is still in the bags of several Tour Pros. In addition, I picked up a Victory Golf Pass wind shirt/pullover from the Philadelphia Section PGA Pro Shop for $19.99.

Photos by The Muni Golfer

Victory Golf Show

This year's second golf show, the Victory Golf Show, will be held this weekend, March 6-8, at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, Pa. I attended this golf show last, and will be heading to this year's show on Sunday. As with the Greater Philadelphia Golf Show last month, I'll again be looking more for accessories than clubs. I hope the vendors at this show have more products from the Wilson Staff line than what I found at the previous show. It will also be interesting to note, given the current economy, how many vendors and exhibitors attend this show. Maybe I'll see you there on Sunday.