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Course Review: Kilkarney Hills Golf Course

Western Wisconsin is known for rolling hills, mature trees and expansive scenery. Kilkarney Hills Golf Course in River Falls, Wisconsin fits this description. Less than ten miles south of I-94, it is surrounded by rural Wisconsin cornfields, and comes upon you suddenly so watch for the turnoff.

The course facility is very compact and tightly put together. It’s a very short walk to the clubhouse, the driving range and the first tee. At only 6500 yards from the tips, it is well within the grasp of most golfers and even being a risk-taker by cutting the corner (like on #12), may have its rewards. As short as the course might be, it still is not for walkers because some of the hills are more like mini-mountains.

The course has few hazards thus allowing for the potential to score well, except for a couple of holes where the green is partially surrounded by water. For an average golfer, the course lends itself to safe drives and approach shots. For better players, this course probably won’t provide the challenge they’d be looking for.

One thing that was very surprising was the absolutely awful bunkers. Although limited in number, they looked like Army tanks had driven through them. The person responsible for their maintenance appears to need a refresher course in bunker raking and doesn’t do a much better job with the cart paths. These oversights are in contrast to the fairways and greens which appeared to be in good condition.

Where this course shines is with its clubhouse and reasonable rates. The clubhouse has a full sitdown bar with hot food options from the kitchen, flat screen TVs, video games, a wonderful balcony that overlooks the course, and a very large event center that can accommodate up to 350 guests. The facility seems to know that its golf course isn’t its strongest suit so it really tries hard to make the experience enjoyable by offering low greens fees, excellent customer service and some of the least expensive memberships around ($699/single).

For a quick and inexpensive round of golf that is likely to boost your golf ego, Kilkarney Hills is a short drive from St. Paul. After your day on the course, you might have enjoyed it so much your stay at the 19th hole might be longer than planned.

Kilkarney Hills Golf Course
River Falls, Wisconsin
800-466-7999
www.kilkarneyhills.com

Excerpt from Hacker’s Guide to Twin Cities Golf (c) 2008-2009
www.hackersguides.com

Tee Times Article: A Golf Cart Isn’t Just for Golf Anymore

Golf, or a game similar to golf was first played by the Dutch in 1297, but it wasn’t until the late 1940s that the first golf cart rolled across the links. Before WWII, golfers had to either have a caddie carry their clubs or shoulder the burden themselves and drag them to the next hole. Anyone who has played on a hot Minnesota afternoon in August is reminded why the golf cart was invented.

The first golf carts were gas powered and made for people with disabilities. Then in 1951, Merle Williams founded his Marketeer Company to produce electric golf carts in 1951. Very quickly, competitors began the production of competing electric golf carts; LEKTRO and E-Z-GO in 1954, Cushman in 1955, Club Car in 1958 and even Harley-Davidson got in the game in 1963. I wonder what those carts sounded like?

Some of the firms that began in the industry forty years ago are still around; namely Club Car (owned by Ingersoll Rand) and E-Z-GO (owned by Textron since 1961). In Minnesota, Versatile Vehicles based in Savage, is one of the nation’s largest distributors of E-Z-GO golf cars in the nation.

Founded in 1985 by Mike and Stan Malone, Versatile Vehicles always knew that just selling to golf courses couldn’t sustain the business. So in 1997, the Malone’s sold a 50% interest to Gabby Accad, at the time their general manager. Mike Malone then started to focus his energy on building the Ridges at Sand Creek Golf Course in Jordan, Minnesota and Gabby Accad became the company’s new president and turned his attention to growing the golf cart business. His efforts have paid off nicely.

“When I first started in the business, golf cars were thought to only be for a golf course. Today, our customers use our golf cars for business, the cabin or as personnel carriers. Eighty percent of our retail sales are for non-golf uses like shopping centers, schools, apartment complexes, the DNR and even sports teams like the Minnesota Vikings use an E-Z-GO,” says Accad.

Working with industry leading E-Z-GO has been beneficial to Versatile Vehicles because in 2005, when E-Z-GO decided to close its factory store and service center, they sold the territory to Versatile. Now the company is both a distributor and dealer for the entire state of Minnesota, North Dakota and Western Wisconsin and has locations in Savage and Brainerd.

As the largest manufacturer in the industry, E-Z-GO is also the most innovative. There are now 45 different models available, from the traditional golf cart to people movers and utility cars, industrial vehicles that can carry up to 3,000 pounds and food service carts with built-in coolers. When asked what is the most popular model sold by Versatile Vehicles, Accad said “we have the most requests for a modified golf car where we remove the golf bag rack and add two more seats. It makes a very cost-effective mode of transportation.”

When Gabby Accad first joined the company, a golf cart was just a golf cart. Today they have moved from the golf course into the mainstream. Ever since the National Highway Traffic Safety administration allowed low speed vehicles such as golf carts, to travel up to 25 mph on roads with speed limits up to 35 mph in 1998, golf carts have been slowly moving off the golf course and into people’s garages, with sales to individuals growing each year.

“Increasingly, people are using an E-Z-GO golf cart as a replacement for their second car. We are finding that short trips to the store or working around the house is a perfect use for an electric golf car. A new golf car doesn’t use any gas so it makes it very cost-effective to operate,” says Accad.

If you are in the market for a golf cart, used ones can be found for as little as $1500 while a new one starts around $4500. The batteries last 4-7 years, get 5-15 miles on a single charge and require very little maintenance. Those found on golf courses have a top speed of 14 ½ MPH, while those suited for driving on city streets, typically race along at 25 MPH, but do require an additional investment to make them legal. You will need to add seat belts, safety glass and a license before you hit the road.

When asked what has made Versatile Vehicles successful, like a proud papa Accad says “I know it sounds like a cliché’, but the real reason I think that we’ve been so successful is our employees. They really care about satisfying the customer. It’s what has worked for us for more than twenty years and we’re not going to stop now.”

In today’s challenging economic times, maybe we don’t need to buy that fancy new Toyota Prius Hybrid just to go to the store. A $5000 E-Z-GO golf cart may do the job just as well thank you.

I’ve been a contributing writer for the Minnesota-based publication Tee Times Minnesota Golf & Living magazine. www.teetimespress.com. This article appeared in the June, 2008 issue.

Course Review: Logger’s Trail Golf Course

A visit to Logger’s Trail Golf Course in Stillwater, Minnesota is like a step into the country. Only thirty minutes from downtown St. Paul, it is surrounded by hobby and horse farms and feels more like a course that might be a few hours North. Upon arrival, seeing the links style layout may fool you because it has tight fairways and narrow greens, making this course harder than it looks.

You might think that 6,383 yards is a short course , but spend a little time on it and you’ll know that if you can’t control your ball, it will feel 500 yards longer. The lack of trees may also fool a golfer into thinking that they can spray their tee shots with impunity, but they would be sorely mistaken. Compensating for a lack of natural hazards, the course designers have added numerous strategic bunkers and berms to thwart off-target drives.

The berms are a unique feature, but hitting into them leaves your ball in dry and weedy areas, making a recovery shots quite a challenge. Also, hitting out of them makes for blind shots and difficulty assessing distance. The on-course signage is very limited with yardage markers just large discs embedded in the course so expect some searching to determine what club to pull out next.

Playability and challenge are this facility’s strengths, but as any hacker knows, there is more to an enjoyable golfing experience than just the course itself and that is where Logger’s Trail seems to fall down. The facility’s layout is very compact and tightly organized, with only a short walk from the parking lot to the first tee, yet the practice facilities are small and the clubhouse is just a converted trailer.

If you choose to play cart golf, the paths are excellent and nicely integrated into the course. If you are a walker, this course is compact enough that you won’t be exhausted by the end of your round. Before your round though, be warned that the practice putting green is only postage stamp sized and the driving range requires most golfers to hit over water (we know what hitting over water does for our nerves). Also, food offerings and the pro shop are very limited so stock up before you head out to the first tee.

If you are looking for challenging golf, Logger’s Trail is a stiff test. If you are looking forward to the 19th hole after your round, the clubhouse doesn’t do the course justice.

Logger’s Trail Golf Course
651-439-7862
www.sawmillgc.com

Excerpt from Hacker’s Guide to Twin Cities Golf (c) 2008-2009
www.hackersguides.com

Course Review: Columbia Golf Course

Urban courses are often at a disadvantage because the land was acquired long before high-performance golf balls and 7,200 yard championship courses. Columbia Golf Course, located in Northeast Minneapolis, is actually the second oldest course in the Minneapolis park system. Founded in 1919, it has evolved over the years and continues to a very busy and popular golf course. At 6371 yards from the tips, it is well within the capabilities of most golfers.

Shoehorned by the city, the course tries to overcome its limited length with mature trees, strategically placed bunkers, hazards and changing elevations. On certain holes, hitting into the side of a hill isn’t necessarily a bad thing and will generally give you a good lie. Although very compact, there are still some decent walks that must be made between a few holes, reminding you that you should have rented a cart.

The clubhouse has a country club feel with a small pro shop and a nice eating area with flat screen TVs. Upstairs is an event area and when we were there a retirement party was in process. The facility is nicely organized with parking only a short distance from the first tee. One major drawback is that although they have a nice practice center (Columbia Driving Range), it is not within walking distance and is situated on the opposite site of the course. A golfer who wanted to hit a few balls before his round would need to add at least 30 minutes to his day.

Unlike many overly busy urban courses, the staff, from the food counter to the starter, was all very pleasant and efficient. Where the course seemed to need some help was maintenance. Although the day the course was rated the weather had been dry, the course seemed to have a number of fairways and a couple of greens with brown or dead spots. This could be partially attributed to the weather, but other courses rated at the same time didn’t seem to have this problem so it doesn’t appear that this is the only reason.

For the average golfer, you can’t beat the value. At less than $30, you can play this urban course and not have to make an hour’s drive to get there. The course seems to mirror its working-class urban location, so if you are looking for a fancy, well-manicured track, this isn’t your course. If you are looking for a chance to score well where the staff is pleasant, the course should give you a shot at lowering your score.

Columbia Golf Course
612-789-2627
www.minneapolisparks.org

Excerpt from Hacker’s Guide to Twin Cities Golf (c) 2008-2009
www.hackersguides.com

Special Olympics Minnesota Interview

Shane Kiesner, Sports Education and Competition Director
www.specialolympicsminnesota.org
Special Olympics Minnesota believes that through sports training and competition, people with intellectual disabilities benefit physically, mentally and socially; families are strengthened; and the community at large, both through participation and observation, is united in understanding people with intellectual disabilities in an environment of equality, respect and acceptance.

Click the play button below to listen to the interview.

Will It Blend? Let’s Try Some Golf Balls

This is a classic YouTube sensation. A small company in Wisconsin with no media budget wants to get the market’s attention. How do they demonstrate their industrial strength blenders? Grind things up like pop cans, iPhones, rakes, hockey sticks and golf balls. With almost 4 MILLION views on this video, I’d like to be so smart.

John Daly Shirtless Video Clip

You gotta love John Daly. Aside from being a redneck, he somehow thinks that playing on his own course entitles him to play barefoot and shirtless. The reporter is a good sport, but must have thought that John Daly was an idiot.

The Demise of Golf for Women Magazine

On its own, Golf for Women is a great publication and it covers the world of women’s golf better than anyone else. It is actually shocking that there hasn’t been an immediate backlash in the golf world, especially from women, that their magazine is being killed off.

How then does a publication that is the largest player in its niche and has 600,000 subscribers, end up on the magazine scrapheap? Was it bad management? Poor editorial? The economy?

I’m sure it might have been some of those factors, but on its surface it seems like a boneheaded move. I understand the economics of magazine publishing; ad sales support the editorial. That’s been a reality since magazines were invented. Conde’ Nast owns some major titles like Vogue, GQ, Architectural Digest, Gourmet, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, and the list goes on and on. They also own the two largest golf publications Golf Magazine and Golf Digest.

What I don’t understand is why they wouldn’t sell off a title that had 600,000 readers? So it doesn’t fit into their strategic plan, but wouldn’t it fit into someone else’s? There must be value in a publication that’s been around for 20 years.

Conde’ Nast is getting the brunt of the bad press on this, but it is really the S.I. Newhouse family that has controlling interest in the holding company Advance Publications that ultimately owns Golf for Women. Clearly they’d rather kill off the magazine than have someone else try to run it.

Let’s look at the economics. According to the Magazine Publishers of America, Golf for Women’s sales in the 1st Quarter of 2008 were down 26.4% and the ad page count was down 34.9%. Not very pretty. Golf World, a similar publication is down 9.3%. Golf Digest is up 4.6% and Golf Magazine is up 0.3%.

Across the board, magazines are down a modest 0.4% and ad page count is down 6.3%. Some publications with sales drops of more than 20% are Yachting, US News and World Report, Scientific American, Rolling Stone, Reader’s Digest, Newsweek, Cycle World, Coastal Living, Autoweek and the ABA Journal . So it isn’t exclusively a Golf for Women problem. Then why sacrifice it?

For a couple of reasons. Conde’ Nast didn’t have an effective online strategy and doesn’t know how to leverage it’s titles on the Web. A recent New York Times article said as much.

“Analysts and competing publishers say that Condé Nast under-uses extremely well-known brands that could draw more Web traffic. Some executives have argued that the company should invest more online and move faster. One of those was Mitchell B. Fox, a former senior executive at Condé whose concerns about the company’s Internet strategy contributed to his departure earlier this year.”

Another reason it folded is that the publishers didn’t understand the female golfer. They know the fashion-conscious female, but not the female golfer. Complaints about the magazine were that it was too focused on fashion and spas and not enough on basic golf (tips, technique and training). In spite of having a female editor, it seemed that it was really being run by men. It was treated like a sport-specific Vogue, or a Golf Digest with more photos of women, than a unique standalone title.

Third, Golf for Women was a drop in Conde’ Nast’s golf ad sales. Combined, Golf Digest and Golf Magazine pull in $74 million in ad revenue; Golf for Women a mere $2.7 million. It was continually propped up by it’s bigger brothers in a similar fashion as the NBA supports it’s little sister WNBA.

Ultimately, Conde’ Nast used the economic downturn as an excuse to throw in the towel. The publication has always struggled, but Golf for Women is a different magazine than it’s larger siblings. It’s readers don’t want to be constantly bombarded by ads and articles about sinking more putts, driving it farther and a fixation on the latest PGA stars. Also, running ads that might be appropriate in Golf Digest, are not going to interest the female golfer.

According to the National Golf Foundation, female golfers are one of the few growing segment of the golf population and represent approximately 24% of golfers. That’s more than 6 MILLION golfers out there that aren’t being adequately served by the current crop of golf magazines.

Conde’ Nast’s closure of Golf for Women is a loss to golf, and female golfers. Clearly a monotonous stream of articles on equipment, playing techniques and fashion isn’t what the female golfers wants to read about. Golf for Women’s demise leaves a big hole in the market that should be filled by another company that better understands the female golfer.

Is there a savvy publishing company out there willing to take a chance on women’s golf again?

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