Virtual Golf

We recently bought our way into the virtual golf arena by purchasing a golf simulator. The equipment is really pretty simple. Well let me take that back a bit...it is simple to use, but the set up and configuration was quite a bit of work for our IT staff to tweak and perfect. The final results are spectacular. We will be able to utilize the equipment during our rainy season, trade shows, and various events in which we participate.

There are a number of courses that an individual can play as well as a great practice demo that helps by showing graphics and information that depict your impact positions. The club face angles related to your target and trajectory are nice information to have as well as ball speed, trajectory (high or low), spin rate, clubhead speed and a number of other factors that determine the overall result of your ball flight.

Below you can see photos of our first use at an event, which was the SLO Farmer's Market on Thursday nights in downtown San Luis Obispo. The event was a hit and we gave away buckets of range balls to each participant and our contest was a closest to the pin on the 6th hole at Pebble Beach. The winner was actually a young man visiting from Germany as he knocked the 140 yard shot stiff to within 2 feet. Not bad for his first swing of a golf club ever! Kent Lauble our head pro gives some mean lessons as he instructed the new golfer on how to hold and swing the club. So if you are looking for a new coach give Kent a call. All in all it was a great event and fun was had by the Farmer's Market patrons and our staff alike. Click on the link below and you can see a video of the simulator in action!
http://youtu.be/hB9ljmjFsig

Here Donovan Romero(right), our Pro Shop Manager at Morro Bay, assists one of our
participants hit into the 7th hole at Pebble Beach

Here you can see the screen with the clubface characteristics
and ball information from his previous shot.

Work day #2 was a success

Last Month the Morro Bay Golf Club held their first club work day and we planted flowers and afixed yardage plaques to the cart paths. Those plants are thriving and the plaques are adding to the experience of our customers by providing them with yardage reference points throughout the course and some color to the landscape other than the typical green you will find on every golf course.

This month we are attempting to add more yardage reference points by placing yardage plaques on the irrigation heads. The club members broke into groups of two and headed out with GPS devices, clipboards, and paint pens in hand to record the gps guided measurements for each individual irrigation head 250 yards or closer to the greens. We had the assistance of 8 members this month and each group recorded the measurements for three holes each, so we were able to finish 12 holes leaving us with 6 more to complete the course.

For the time being the yardages were written on the heads with the paint pens, but that will not last very long (maybe a month). We will finish these measurements with our staff or during the next work day scheduled for September 27th. Albert and I will be researching the most cost effective way to attach these distances to the heads and possibly taking donations to help defray the cost of the materials and production. I have attached some pictures below that show the process and results of the work by these dedicated members.

Mike and Larry are maximizing their efficiency by slitting up and and each taking a different task.

Bill and Jim are working more as a team and contemplating whether their GPS is providing the proper measurements based upon our current yardage placement efforts.

Here Les is showing off his caligraphy skills by writing a temporary yardage on the head.