Playing golf in Vancouver Canada (NO POLITICS!)

[bekgolf]

1 hour ago, Shushwap said:

On a sad note... Looks as though golf is done for the year for me... I am dropping my clubs off at the course tomorrow and having them shipped off to ping to check loft and lie and clean them up...

Everything I read up on ping says they do amazing work...

Has anyone here sent in irons to ping for a refresh ? There g410

Hoping to have them back by xmas just incase I decide to sneek away to phoenix in Jan or Feb

 

A number of years ago I sent a set of Eye 2 irons in to be cleaned up and changed from red dot to black dot.

 

Turn around time was fairly quick and the work was spot on.  This was around 2007.

[myspinonit]

3 hours ago, Shushwap said:

On a sad note... Looks as though golf is done for the year for me... I am dropping my clubs off at the course tomorrow and having them shipped off to ping to check loft and lie and clean them up...

Everything I read up on ping says they do amazing work...

Has anyone here sent in irons to ping for a refresh ? There g410

Hoping to have them back by xmas just incase I decide to sneek away to phoenix in Jan or 

 

So you aren’t worried about return times since you you might go away, maybe play what you are used to.  Then you still probably have time to get them tweaked by Ping and tested before the real season starts in the Okanagan. Plus you avoid the possibility of sand damage on the reworked clubs on a short trip if you go to Arizona. 

Edited November 1, 2022 by myspinonit

[Shushwap]

4 hours ago, myspinonit said:

 

So you aren’t worried about return times since you you might go away, maybe play what you are used to.  Then you still probably have time to get them tweaked by Ping and tested before the real season starts in the Okanagan. Plus you avoid the possibility of sand damage on the reworked clubs on a short trip if you go to Arizona. 

I do have my old irons in storage I think... I guess I could always dig them out... I would love to drop my irons off at ping hq to have them re done...

Curious if they ship them from Canada to phoenix or if they are done in Canada

Edited November 1, 2022 by Shushwap

[myspinonit]

6 hours ago, Shushwap said:

I do have my old irons in storage I think... I guess I could always dig them out... I would love to drop my irons off at ping hq to have them re done...

Curious if they ship them from Canada to phoenix or if they are done in Canada

I've always found Ping Canada good for info and advice by phone :

Tel: 905-829-8004
Toll Free: 800-341-7464

[The Beav]

On 10/30/2022 at 6:05 PM, Golfnuck said:

I know its kinda off topic but really points out the potential future of recreational costs / demands going forward.

 

I just brought my boat in for winterization.  Usually the owner of the shop just wants me in and out cause he is full of other, more profitable work.

 

Well this year he talked to me for over a hour suggesting what else I could do with my boat from a cut polish to bring back the shine, new canvas, modernize my electronics etc etc.

 

I have known him for over 10 years so I asked him what was up.  He stated flat out that he thinks business will slow down this winter and he is just filing his book with potential work.

 

Golf courses raising rates and expectations that they will have a similar year to the past two years ........... maybe they should think again.

Interesting.  

I know multiple local developers/builders are postponing some 2023 projects due to slow sales in '22.  Granted, the construction industry here could use a small slow down - but if it slows down too much there will be pain with a capital P.

[Shushwap]

Salmon arm has the festive passes on sale for 2023 season... 74 tax in

I called the okanagan club to inquire about a 50 corp pass and it worked out to 112 a round...

I guess we know where I will be playing most of my rounds again next year

Shuswap national was 65 plus tax last year... I would assume they will copy salmon arm pricing

[myspinonit]

Played Langara today in light showers that started maybe an hour and a half in (finished before the heavy rain hit).  The drainage work that is still in progress is obviously working.  I know we had a few days of sun after the last deluge but the course was very playable and I can't say I had one lie that even bordered on being squishy.

[mukster]

Played hooky on Wednesday and played Semiahmoo. Course was in good shape. First time across the line since before the pandemic hit. It was cool, but weather was great otherwise. 
 

Gonna spend the evening with a merlot, digging out my golf boots and Gore-tex apparel. Also need to stop by my ball guy Mario and buy several dozen used neon Supersofts. 

Bring on the winter golf…….
 

 

[myspinonit]

1 hour ago, mukster said:

Played hooky on Wednesday and played Semiahmoo. Course was in good shape. First time across the line since before the pandemic hit. It was cool, but weather was great otherwise. 
 

Gonna spend the evening with a merlot, digging out my golf boots and Gore-tex apparel. Also need to stop by my ball guy Mario and buy several dozen used neon Supersofts. 

Bring on the winter golf…….
 

 

1. I imagine you you were guest of  a member? I thought had heard one of the two courses (Loomis?) was going private. But looking at the website now it only mentions one course and I don't see any public play access other than as a guest of the resort "Semiahmoo Golf & Country Club is a private golf club. As a guest of a member, or as a guest of Semiahmoo Resort, we welcome you.."

2. Winter balls... You probably  know that I'm  a  modest speed senior player. My ball of choice the last few years has been the Srixon Q Star Tour and I did play the Soft Feel at least one season exclusively before that.   Every so often I try the Supersoft or Srixon Soft Feel (winter or other) and have some fresh and current models, (at least Soft Feel is the latest), in the closet.  But every time I try them now I feel I'm losing a lot of touch around or particularly on the green, especially with the Supersoft. But one of my pals who is slower than me swears the Soft Feel ball I gave him recently has added needed yards.  Maybe I'll give 'em a shot again  and at least save a few  bucks. 

But probably I won't try a different ball in December...after some on again, off again plans we just booked a condo today for all of December in Palm Springs. It's too late to cancel and get a refund, so the trip and desert golf is a go. Yay!

 

 

.

[Phireside]

The supersoft is a great ball. I really like the feel off the clubface right through the bag. 

 

Don't sleep on the Wilson Staff Fifty Elite for Winter play. If you like the feel of a soft ball this could be one for you. I do lose distance with the woods, it just can't generate the ball speed, but I find no loss with the irons. 

[The Beav]

Had a perfect morning out at Morgan Creek today.  Sun & blue skies with some gusty conditties and the whole group was vibing.

If that's how we end the season I'm a happy man.

[myspinonit]

10 hours ago, Phireside said:

The supersoft is a great ball. I really like the feel off the clubface right through the bag. 

 

Don't sleep on the Wilson Staff Fifty Elite for Winter play. If you like the feel of a soft ball this could be one for you. I do lose distance with the woods, it just can't generate the ball speed, but I find no loss with the irons. 

Maybe i just meed to practice  more with the SS and/ or Soft Feel. I do have a putting mat that is going to get some time this winter.  I have a stock of QST and Soft Feel  and maybe a doz SS, so maybe they all deserve a turn.  I just need to feel comfy for different short game feel. Hats off and envy to guys I know who have the short game confidence whatever ball they use…they don’t overthink I guess.

[Phireside]

5 hours ago, The Beav said:

Had a perfect morning out at Morgan Creek today.  Sun & blue skies with some gusty conditties and the whole group was vibing.

If that's how we end the season I'm a happy man.

We cacelled out time at MC for this morning as the predicted "feels like" temp was lower than we wanted to tempt. Instead I woke up with power and by 10am had the power go out in Lynn Valley only to get it back about 30 min ago.

[IcemanYVR]

Just now, Phireside said:

We cacelled out time at MC for this morning as the predicted "feels like" temp was lower than we wanted to tempt. Instead I woke up with power and by 10am had the power go out in Lynn Valley only to get it back about 30 min ago.

Wow. That’s a long power outage. We had ours go out in last November’s Storm, but it was out for 26 hours. Which is an incredibly long time for downtown and a condo. Glad you got it back on before night time. 

[mukster]

23 hours ago, myspinonit said:

1. I imagine you you were guest of  a member? I thought had heard one of the two courses (Loomis?) was going private. But looking at the website now it only mentions one course and I don't see any public play access other than as a guest of the resort "Semiahmoo Golf & Country Club is a private golf club. As a guest of a member, or as a guest of Semiahmoo Resort, we welcome you.."

2. Winter balls... You probably  know that I'm  a  modest speed senior player. My ball of choice the last few years has been the Srixon Q Star Tour and I did play the Soft Feel at least one season exclusively before that.   Every so often I try the Supersoft or Srixon Soft Feel (winter or other) and have some fresh and current models, (at least Soft Feel is the latest), in the closet.  But every time I try them now I feel I'm losing a lot of touch around or particularly on the green, especially with the Supersoft. But one of my pals who is slower than me swears the Soft Feel ball I gave him recently has added needed yards.  Maybe I'll give 'em a shot again  and at least save a few  bucks. 

But probably I won't try a different ball in December...after some on again, off again plans we just booked a condo today for all of December in Palm Springs. It's too late to cancel and get a refund, so the trip and desert golf is a go. Yay!

 

 

.

My friend is a member there. I have actually played there quite a lot of the past few years. Loomis Trail used to be part of the package. They sold that a few years ago and it is now a public course.

[myspinonit]

On 11/5/2022 at 6:47 PM, myspinonit said:

Maybe i just meed to practice  more with the SS and/ or Soft Feel. I do have a putting mat that is going to get some time this winter.  I have a stock of QST and Soft Feel  and maybe a doz SS, so maybe they all deserve a turn.  I just need to feel comfy for different short game feel. Hats off and envy to guys I know who have the short game confidence whatever ball they use…they don’t overthink I guess.

I played this morning at Langara (nice it that only was 3.5 hours).  7 temps though.  I took the opportunity to try the Supersoft again and the Soft Feel, and my usual Q Star Tour.  With my shoulder hurting and the cold I chose to play the "reds" (tee 3), not realizing the number of temps. So it played quite short and the irons turned out to be pretty much just short irons or wedges even though everyone was adding at least half  a club with the cold. 

I confirmed once again that the SS is just too soft for me to have any sense of feel including putter. The Soft Feel still had the sense of not sure how I had hit it, but I had fairly good distance and distance control and easy height, including half wedge distances. I over-cooked the draw with the driver a few times,  but that was probably operator error.  Q Star Tour is fine too, and better feel sense, but it did feel harsher today in the cold. I think the SF performed better. (Of course there is the urethane vs surlyn difference, though the compression isn't dramatically different- 72 vs 60 I believe).

 

Played most holes with the Soft Feel, and my shoulder actually is less sore than before I started today so that maybe is a good indicator. I think I will make it my ball for any rounds before the end of November,  before we head to Palm Springs.

I guess I'll take at least a couple of sleeves of the SF there to try vs my QST. I did play the SF for about a year before I switched to the QST, and that was maybe five years less into my senior years so definitely worth another good look. Anyone wanna buy about 5 or 6 doz new Q Star Tour? (lol)

Edited November 11, 2022 by myspinonit

[mukster]

Looks like I’ll get out tomorrow. Will play at Meadow Gardens. Today would have been a good one, but I had chores……

 

 

[The Beav]

Played yesterday at Morgan and it was a lovely morning.  A little range time with the kids today was fun too, but man do they go through 100 balls in a hurry haha!

[IcemanYVR]

2 minutes ago, The Beav said:

Played yesterday at Morgan and it was a lovely morning.  A little range time with the kids today was fun too, but man do they go through 100 balls in a hurry haha!

thats why when I go to the range with my kids we just use one stall and take turns, the balls last much longer 😉

[The Beav]

30 minutes ago, IcemanYVR said:

thats why when I go to the range with my kids we just use one stall and take turns, the balls last much longer 😉

THIS is a good idea.  We will implement this into our travelling circus next time.

[Shushwap]

Talking rock Holiday passes are up again 

Salmon arm festive passes are  up as well 

Edited November 15, 2022 by Shushwap

[mukster]

Played Meadow Gardens yesterday. Amazing day. Started off quite cool and foggy, then the sun came out and it was gorgeous. 
Time to get used to no roll and all the clubs going far shorter. The max I could skull my lob wedge was 160 yards🤬

[myspinonit]

Congrats to Adam Svensson.  Would be nice to know it was the same young guy with ambition I played with about ten years ago in a twosome at Riverway in the Fall. Anyone know if his parents owned a gelato or ice cream shop in White Rock? I've been Googling that for a while as his career progressed but no luck. 

 

For years I've thought that it was him that I played with both both physicality and from the few personal details he shared.  He's 28 now.  The guy I played with around 10  years ago  had recently graduated from high school, was working at his parents ice cream (or gelato) shop in White Rock. Was gearing up to qualify to the Canadian Tour. 

 

The shots were amazing, but he didn't know Riverway. He  was playing there as his usual course was closed for maintenance.

 

 

 

Edited November 21, 2022 by myspinonit

[mukster]

Played this morning. Tee’d off at 0912, still pretty frosty. The first 8 holes were temp greens, not ideal, but it was nice to get out. 
It was hilarious not being able to get the tees in the ground for the first few holes.😅

Needless to say, all approaches were hit short and allowed to bounce on. 

Gotta get out while you can. 
 

[myspinonit]

14 hours ago, mukster said:

Played this morning. Tee’d off at 0912, still pretty frosty. The first 8 holes were temp greens, not ideal, but it was nice to get out. 
It was hilarious not being able to get the tees in the ground for the first few holes.😅

Needless to say, all approaches were hit short and allowed to bounce on. 

Gotta get out while you can. 
 

Nothing new here probably but I often keep one of these (from Amazon I think) for the range if I can't find the proper height one for me. Your own tee slides into the holder and adjust to desired height.

More recently one is back in the bag for winter golf situations like you encountered.

 

Edited November 21, 2022 by myspinonit

[Shushwap]

Vancouver Park board 

 

Edited November 25, 2022 by Shushwap

[Shushwap]

[myspinonit]

4 hours ago, Shushwap said:

I guess it Is from the Red Book?   I can't find it anywhere what I see on the Vancouver Parks golf website. Nor on the VanGolf app and I also get their newsletter email. Their marketing still stinks.

Edited November 25, 2022 by myspinonit

[Shushwap]

20 hours ago, myspinonit said:

 

That was a snap shot of a email that I was sent.. I couldn't find it online anywhere either 

[myspinonit]

On 11/25/2022 at 3:32 PM, Shushwap said:

That was a snap shot of a email that I was sent.. I couldn't find it online anywhere either 

 On refection the range ball deal I MIGHT have seen on a Parks Board email but deleted it and forgot about it  as the range ball # and $'s is way beyond any possible use by me.

 

If anyone has the full text and source of that snapshot Shuswap received please PM the details to me.  I might send a note along to the newly elected  Parks Board members, with some of the points below (cleaned up).

 

Blows my mind that I can see nothing about that offer on their website or the VanGolf app.

 

Same for why nothing is on the website for newsletter archives or the fairly new Golf Canada rated combo tees (that they have chosen not to include on their scorecards or at least signage at the Proshops.  Some (all?) of the threes courses put out signs about playing the right tees, somrthing like "If you shoot 90 play X tees etc" . 

 

They could easily amend those signs to include the combos, (though the current standard now is generally accepted as not your total score but how far you hit the ball based upon 5 iron distance}.  Lack of of movement in combo tees reflects on  the local proshop managers/pros too re commitment to promote these changes. 

 

This season at least one  pro shop employee  replied to questions from my senior group members about what holes to use  for "R/W" combos. The employee said to play the (equivalent tee #) for White on the front and (equivalent tee#) for Red on the back. That actually has some merit if it was McCleery (I think it was), but that is not how the course was rated. 

 

 One of the pros told me months ago he was going to

send " a note" to his Parks Board contact about promoting the new combos with signage etc. He agreed with my points about more interest and enjoyment with playable tees and for pace of play. No change seen though.

 

???- a local pro cannot initiate promoting Golf Canada rated tee options on his own hook in his own proshop?

 

Mind you,  nobody seems to listen at PB, at least in the past. For several years I complained on the annual survey email about the one ply TP and dispensers that pulled it out less than an inch wide. Included my name and contact info.  Even sent a direct email and with no reply, a voicemail  to the employee I was advised to contact.   No change, no reply to VM or email. Pack "wipes" guys and don't feel guilty about the sewage treatment issues. 😊

 

Unfortunately the manager at Musqueum Golf was not successful at the recent election for Parks Board ....she gets it. Hopefully the elected ABC ones will get it too.

Edited November 27, 2022 by myspinonit