Saturday, May 17, 2014

2014 HP Byron Nelson Championship Predictions - Weekend Update

The cut has now been drawn at the 2014 HP Byron Nelson Championship at 1-over (+1). Here is how our predictions stand. Also, the leader going into the weekend rounds is Brendon Todd at 8-under (-8).

1) Louis Oosthuizen T15 at 4-under (-4)
2) Graham DeLaet T2 at 6-under (-6)
3) Aaron Baddeley T31 at 2-under (-2)

It's also worth noting that Graham DeLaet is a Canadian from Weyburn, Saskatchewan. Also, fellow Canadian and Master Champion Mike Weir is also at T2. It's good to see Weir back on top given all that he's been through with injuries and such.

For now, let's hope one of the Canadians can win it,

-Nick
Toronto Golf Reviews

(Click for PGA Tour Leaderboard)
http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html

Thursday, May 15, 2014

2014 HP Byron Nelson Championship Predictions

So the first round of this years HP Byron Nelson Championship in Irving, Texas is in the books, with Peter Hanson of Sweden leading the field at 5-under. After a quick look at the players competing in this year's tournament, here are my predictions for this year's winner, in no particular order.

1) Louis Oosthuizen
2) Graham DeLaet
3) Aaron Baddeley 

Stay tuned to see how these players fare as the week progresses,

-Nick
Toronto Golf Reviews

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Banty's Roost Golf and Country Club Review #1

http://torontogolfreviews.blogspot.com/2014/05/bantys-roost-golf-and-country-club.html


Name: Banty's Roost Golf and Country Club
Location: Caledon, Ontario (~45 minutes north-west of Toronto)
Type: Public with membership options
Holes: 27 (3x9)
Length and Par: 4845-6866 yards / 72
Tees: (Shortest to Longest): Red, White, Blue, Black
Website: www.http://bantysroost.com

Course Layout:
Pace of Play:
Staff:
Value:
Course Conditions:

Price:
Difficulty:

Overall Rating: 4.7 out of 5


Banty's Roost is probably one of the best all around courses for a medium to high handicapper (don't worry, it also accommodates lower handicappers). It simply has everything you want and need from a course. Off the course, services include a very good driving range, well kept practice/chipping greens, excellent clubhouse services such as a lounge area perfect for after rounds, indoor and outdoor dining areas, and a variety of excellent food. The staff is also worth mentioning, hands down they are the friendliest staff I've ever encountered at a golf course. They make you feel welcomed regardless if you're a longtime member or first-time player. All of these things, I find, put you in a good, positive, energetic mood that'll make you excited to play the course.


The course itself is made up of  three sets of nines, White, Blue, and Red, with longer holes on Red and White, and more water hazard holes on Blue and White. Each hole however is laid out nicely, and on only a few holes do you get the impression that a bad slice will end up in the adjacent hole's fairway. The course itself is very open which allows for easy ball recovery if you end up in the rough of off the hole. Despite this, each hole remains separated and on its own, via the use of hills and slopes to separate holes.


One thing that is common amongst all three sets of nines is the diversity and depth of each hole; each hole is different from the next in terms of layout and design and no two holes are the same. All the holes are laid out and designed well and are visually pleasing and fun to play (It's not made up of your typical straight and dogleg holes, but rather holes influenced by elevation and hazards. Due to this, the course changes drastically as you move forward or back tees. Add in weather conditions and you'll get a different course every time you play it. It's these factors that prevent the course from becoming boring after playing it multiple times. Some holes of note are White #6, an uphill hockey-stick-shaped left 219-306 yard par 4, with a tree-protected green, and over a 50-yard pond, Blue #7, a 269-324 yard straight par 4 that dips down to a green partially protected by bunkers and a pond running across the hole, and Red #1, a short downhill 85-122 yard par 3 over water (my personal favourite hole). The course also plays relatively fast and is not usually too busy.


Prices are also reasonable, with an average 18 hole walking round costing $40 from Mon-Thurs and $50 from Fri-Sun, with power cart rentals at 20$ (taxes included). Very reasonable specials are also offered, such as $56 for 18-holes and a power cart, and around $30-$40 for a walking 18, during the spring. You'll also find that this course opens for the season earlier than most courses


Overall, Banty's Roost is an all-around excellent course for golfers of all skill level and offers everything you need exceptionally well. I would highly recommend you play it, if you ever get the chance to.

 
-Nick
Toronto Golf Reviews

**NOTE** 
If you are googling the location of this course, the first location Google will say is that this course is located in North York, when it is actually located in Caledon. There is no Banty's Roost located in North York, despite what Google says, so be cautious about this.

 
 

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Zero Friction/Pronged Tees Review

There's definitely some hype and buzz about pronged tees, such as those made by Zero Friction, on the golf course. I know people who complain every time someone tees a ball up with one, saying that they're useless and just for looks. I also know people who swear by them, any only use those kinds.

My first experience with these kinds of tees was when I received a pack of them as a gift, 5-pronged wooden ones to be exact. At first, the tees seemed practical more than anything, as I found it easier to tee the ball up and easier for the ball to stay teed up, even during harsh winds.

According to manufactures such as Zero Friction, these kinds of tees should allow you to hit longer and straighter drives, adding that extra bit of fine-tuning to your game. As a higher handicapper, it wasn't too clear if using these tees was actually benefiting my golf game or not, mainly due to my lack of consistency; For lower handicappers who are more consistent, using these tees may have a more pronounced effect on their game.

ZFVictory™ 5-Prong Tees by Zero Friction (Click for more info)


What I have noticed about these tees though is that they allow for cleaner contact between your club and the ball. I've noticed that when you strike the ball with your club you feel less of the tee hitting the club.

As for durability, this will probably vary between wooden and plastic pronged tees. For the wooden versions, I've found them to be pretty durable. Over the year that I've been using these kinds of tees, I've found that it's not too often that the tees snap in half. At most, one of the prongs will chip away, but this is all right, as there are still several other prongs that will hold the ball perfectly fine.

To sum it up, higher handicappers may find a more practical use for zero friction/pronged tees in areas such as durability and convenience, whereas the true potential of the tees may become more pronounced to golfers of lower handicaps.

-Nick
Toronto Golf Reviews

We're Back!

After a small hiatus from posting, we're happy to announce that Toronto Golf Reviews will become an active blog again just in time for the start of the golfing season, with upcoming course and equipment reviews, as well as PGA tour coverage!

Stay tuned to see what's coming up!

-Nick
Toronto Golf Reviews