Why GPS?, 16th at Scottsdale, Course Updates

WHY GPS

This is a great picture and it really tells the story.  With one stroke your Sunday round can cost you an additional $200. Choosing the correct club is really important and unless you are always in the fairway with marked sprinkler heads, your ability to know your distance is limited.  

WHAT IS THE STATUS OF GOLF?

This week, the PGA tour stop is TPC Scottsdale' Stadium Course (Zip code 85255) and the 'Loudest Hole In Golf'  None other than the 16th, where this year there will be over 30,000 fans in the only fully enclosed hole anywhere in the world.  The Saturday round will be attended by over 150,000 spectators, and over the course of the entire tournament, somewhere between 300,000 and 400,000 people will walk the course.   This is the anti-tournament, and the 16th is certainly the anti-establishment hole.  Do good and the crowd roars, flub a shot and you will hear groans, boos and heckling every year until you make a great shot.  

A question for the GolfTraxx community.  Should the rest of the pro golf tours add a few holes like the 16th at TPC Scottsdale?  Would this increase fan involvement, increase interest by the younger crowd, bring more new golfers to the sport?  Given the pulling of sponsorships by banks, real estate and automobile companies, what changes does this game need in at minimum keep the status quo?

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

The development efforts here at GolfTraxx are moving along fast with the integration of Google Earth/Maps on our website.  YES, you can also review the Google maps and the placemarks for Front, Center and Back on your smartphone or PDA device.  GolfTraxx has also added a published Facebook application that will allow you to post information from your round to your Facebook profile [see the Facebook app here].

COURSE UPDATES

With this update the UK shot to the lead with 10 of 18 international courses!  We also welcome Malaysia as the newest country to the GolfTraxx community

Course City   State  Zip/ Postal code   Country
Hurstville GC Peakhurst NSW 2210 Australia
Blackwood GC Cherry Gardens SA 5157 Australia
Riverside GC Edmonton AB T5J2G7 Canada
Chateau-Monthety GC Ozoir-la-ferriere 77330FR France
Templer Park GCC Rawwang 48000 Malaysia
Mearns Castle Golf Academy Newton Mearns G775RR Scotland
Blue Valley Estate GC Centurion 1685 South Africa
GC de Artxanda 48960ES Spain
Ashridge GC Gaddesden HP41LY UK
Breadsall Priory GC Morley DE76DL UK
Calcot Park GC Calcot RG317RN UK
Camberley Heath GC Camberley GU151JG UK
Forest of Arden GC – Arden Warwickshire CV77HR UK
Ganton GC Ganton YO124PA UK
Pannal GC Pannal HG31ES UK
Royal Blackheath GC London SE95AF UK
Tadmarton Heath GC Wigginton OX155HL UK
Wetherby GC Wetherby LS224JF UK

Domestically, California added eight new courses doubling both Arizona and Virginia.  Virginia is quickly becoming an outstanding location to use GolfTraxx and we greatly appreciate everyone's efforts.  

Gold Canyon-Dinosaur Gold Canyon AZ 85219
Legacy Golf Resort Phoenix AZ 85042
San Marcos GC Chanlder AZ 85225
Toka Sticks GC Mesa AZ 85212
Lakewood CC Lakewood CA 90712
LaMirada GC La Mirada CA 90638
Monarch Dunes GC-Old Nipomo CA 93444
Moreno Valley Ranch GC Lake-Mountain Moreno Valley CA 92555
Rancho Solano GC Fairfield CA 94533
Rancho Vista GC Palmdale CA 93551
Tahquitz Creek GC-Legends Palm Springs CA 92264
Tierra Rejada GC Moorpark CA 93021
Ft Collins CC Ft Collins CO 80524
Oxford Greens GC Oxford CT 6478
Daytona Beach GC – North Daytona Beach FL 32114
Daytona Beach GC – South Daytona Beach FL 32114
Stoneybrook GC Bradenton FL 34212
Georgia National GC McDonough GA 30252
Mueller's Valley View Farms GC Saginaw MI 48609
Southmoor GC Burton MI 48529
Sky View GC Sparta NJ 7871
Wells College GC Aurora NY 13026
Pinnacle GC Grove City OH 43123
Forest Ridge GC Broken Arrow OK 74014
Lake Hefner GC – South Oklahoma City OK 73116
Southmoore GC Bath PA 18014
Bridlewood GC Flower Mound TX 75028
Northern Hills GC San Antonio TX 78217
Repuplic GC San Antonio TX 78222
Colonial Heritage GC Williamsburg VA 23188
Cypress Creek GC Suffolk VA 23430
Golden Horshoe GC – Green Williamsburg VA 23185
Kingsmill GC – Plantation Williamsburg VA 23185
Kingsmill GC – Woods Williamsburg VA 23185

New Website Features, GolfTraxx can Map Your course, Tour Updates

New Website Features:

2009 is shaping up to be a great year for the GolfTraxx community. We have started major changes to the website, are finalizing some great features to the next releases of the GolfTraxx application and (if that wasn't enough) are building some really cool tools to allow the GolfTraxx community to participate in our growth.

This week we integrated Google Maps into the GolfTraxx website. Now, in addition to getting course information and the scorecard, you can now get each tee information (yardages, ratings, slope), directions to the course, and even view mapped courses hole-by-hole. By clicking on the View Hole button on each hole of the online scorecard, you will see the green for the hole, plus the other placemarks that were submitted for the hole (Front, Middle, and Back of Each green, plus the Tee Target). Looking at each hole this for each of the courses you have submitted will give you feedback on how you did mapping the course. It may provide an opportunity for you to improve the mapping that was completed on the course.

GolfTraxx can Map your Course

We've now added the ability to map courses for the community. Yes, now you can have one of our experts map your favorite course, a course that you will be playing while on a business trip, or while on vacation. Simply order the course via the NO TIME TO MAP link here, and we will keep it up in the Quick Notes section on the right side of the blog.

Quick Online Course Review

Speaking of hole-by-hole course views. You can now review your local course to make sure that the green centers are pretty much correct on the GolfTraxx website. By clicking on the View Hole button on each hole of the scorecard, you will see the green, plus the placemarks that were submitted for the hole (Front, Middle, and Back of Each green, plus the Tee Target). If the placemarks are not positioned correctly on the green centered in the picture, let us know! Send a note including the Course and the hole so we can check it out.

Pro Tour News

The PGA tour is still in Hawaii ( I bet most of the GolfTraxx community wishes they were there too) this week. While many on the mainland are fighting temperatures that are 20, 30 and even 40 degrees below zero, the Men's tour is playing in howling winds and rain on the Waialae Golf Course (zip code 96816). And, for those on the East coast, now might be a good time catch a round at the Lake Nona Golf & Country Club (zip code 32827) where high profile resident Annika Sorenstam recently got married. Tiger Woods, another resident of Lake Nona gave the couple a "really big bottle of wine" and no one is saying if he was in attendance. (Our bets are a “Yes” on that.) The LPGA and Champions tour are still off for their Winter breaks.

Course Updates

The new year has started strong with an additional 90+ courses! Internationally, we welcome three new countries with the addition of courses in St. Kitts, Aruba and the Philippines. The UK took the top spot this update with seven new courses, edging Australia by one and a VERY strong performance by Mexico.

Tierra del Sol GC ARUBA Aruba
Kiama GC Kiama Downs NSW 2533 Australia
Mona Vale GC Mona Vale NSW 2103 Australia
Woolooware GC Woolooware NSW 2230 Australia
Blackwood GC Cherry Gardens SA 5157 Australia
Tirhatuan Lakes GC Rowville VIC 3178 Australia
Lakelands GC Gnangara WA 6065 Australia
GC Haugschlag Haugschlag 160 Austria
Gof d'Albi – Lasbordes Albi 81000FR France
Beaverstown GC Donabate IRELAND Ireland
Marco Simmone GC – North Guidonia 00012IT Italy
CC de Saltillo Saltillo 25900MX Mexico
CC Las Misiones Santiago 67321MX Mexico
CC Monterey Garza Carcia 66267MX Mexico
CC Valley Alto Monterey 64989MX Mexico
Club de Golf La Herradura Monterey 64821 Mexico
Forest Hills GCC – Nicklaus Anipolo City 1870 Philippines
Club Deportivo del Oeste Cabo Rojo OOO623 Puerto Rico
Royal St Kitts GC STKITTS St. Kitts
Carlisle GC Carlisle CA4 8AG UK
Coombe Hill GC Kingston-On-Thames KT2 7DF UK
Huddersfield GC Fixby HD2 2EP UK
Leeds GC Leeds LS8 2LJ UK
Prestbury GC Prestbury SK10 4BJ UK
Selby GC Selby Y08 9LD UK
Shrigley Park GC Shrigley SK10 5SB UK

Within the US, Florida continued its dominance of new courses with 12, beating Texas with nine and Virginia with seven new courses. The weather has been brutal across much of the US, so lets all hope for some milder weather.

Paradise Valley GC Fayetteveill AR 72704
Arizona Grand Resort Phoenix AZ 85044
Course at Wente Vineyards Livermore CA 94550
El Prado GC – Chino Chino CA 91710
Harbor Park GC Wilmington CA 90744
La Purisima GC Lompoc CA 93436
Fairchild Wheeler GC – Black Fairfield CT 6432
Bardmoor GC Largo FL 33777
Buffalo Creek GC Palmetto FL 34221
Clearwater CC Clearwater FL 33755
Imperial Lakewoods GC Palmetto FL 34221
Mariners Sands GC – Gold Stuart FL 34997
Mariners Sands GC – Green Stuart FL 34997
Miccosukee GCC – Baraccuda Miami FL 33183
Miccosukee GCC – Dolphin Miami FL 33183
Miccosukee GCC – Marlin Miami FL 33183
Orange Lake CC – Legends Kissimmee FL 34747
Orange Lake CC – Resreve Kissimmee FL 34747
Plantation Palms GC Land O Lakes FL 34639
Jones Creek GC Evans GA 30809
Pheasant Run Resort St. Charles IL 60174
Saukie GC Rock Island IL 61201
William Sahm GC Indianapolis IN 46250
Alvamar Public GC Lawrence KS 66047
Oak CC DeSoto KS 66018
Tomahawk Hills GC Shawnee KS 66217
False River GCC Ventress LA 70783
Pelican Point – Links Gonzalez LA 70737
Bay Hills GC Arnold MD 21012
Eisenhower GC Crownsville MD 21032
Loon Lake Public GC Jackson MN 56143
Rolling Hills GC Westbrook MN 56183
Windom CC Windom MN 56101
Starkville CC Starkville MS 39760
Kilmarlic GC Powell's Point NC 27966
High Bridge Hills GC High Bridge NJ 8829
Walkill CC Franklin NJ 7416
Beekman CC – Highland Hopewell Junction NY 12533
Beekman CC – Taconic Hopewell Junction NY 12533
Beekman CC – Valley Hopewell Junction NY 12533
Pinnacle GC Grove City OH 43123
Hillcrest CC Bartlesville OK 74006
Lincoln Park – West Oklahoma City OK 73111
Westwood GC Norman OK 73069
Chehalem Glenn GC Newberg OR 97132
Talamore at Oack Terrace Ambler PA 19002
Ft Jackson GC – Old Hickory Ft Jackson SC 29207
Ft Jackson GC – Wildcat Ft Jackson SC 29207
Hickory Knob G McCormick SC 29835
Twelve Stones GC Goodlettsville TN 37072
Atascocita CC – Pinehurst Atascocita TX 77346
Atascocita CC – Point Atascocita TX 77346
Atascocita CC – Shores Atascocita TX 77346
Bear Creek GC – East Dallas TX 75261
Bear Creek GC – West Dallas TX 75261
Gateway Hills GC San Antonio TX 78236
Hidden Hills Public GC Pampa TX 79065
Lone Star GC El Paso TX 79925
Oak Creek CC Greenville TX 75402
Algonkian Regional Park GC Sterling VA 20165
Bow Creek Muni GC Virginia Beach VA 23452
Golden Horshoe GC – Gold Williamsburg VA 23185
Honey Bee GC Virginia Beach VA 23456
Kempsville Greens GC Virginia Beach VA 23462
Stonehouse GC Toano VA 23168
Stumpy Lake GC Virginia Beach VA 23456

If you sent in a course in the past two weeks and it is not on this list, let us know. We probably have been trying to reach you, so check your bulk mail folders!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!, NEW GOLF SEASON STARTS THIS WEEK, NEW COURSES

Happy New Year

I have heard the term "Turing over a new page" referring to next month of a calendar. This got me to thinking that at the end of the year we don't really turn a new page at all. Rather, we get a brand new, blank set of 365 pages at our disposal. What we do with all those days is what's important. Will you play more golf? Practice more? Get that set of new clubs you have been eying all season? The choices are endless. While I generally don't do a "New Year's Resolution" I have decided that I will walk the course more times than not, I will play more times in 2009 than I did in 2008 and most importantly, I will focus on each and every shot. What is your golf goal in 2009? Let the community know by posting it as a comment below.

We at GolfTraxx are REALLY looking forward to a great 2009 and have a ton of ideas that we want to bring to our community. We are working on a major site update, new/updated versions of GolfTraxx, and as always getting as many golf courses GPS mapped as possible. So, bring it on, send us your favorite courses. Our resolution for 2009 is to provide you the best user experience we can.


New year, new Season.

Wow, it is just two weeks into Winter and the men's PGA Tour will start up this week. Granted, a couple weeks in Hawaii is a tough life, but who is complaining? The Kapalua Resort (zip code 96761) will host the Mercedes Benz Championship starting on the 8th. This annual season opener brings together only tour event winners and we get to see how the Pros shoot after a few weeks to a few months away from top level competition. Next week, the Sony Open will be played at the Waialae Country Club (96816), just outside Honolulu. The Champions, the LPGA and the Nationwide Tours will start in a few more weeks.


Course Updates

In the past couple weeks we completed 69 new and updated courses. We welcome Fiji as our newest country to the GolfTraxx community and also give a welcome to Puerto Rico as a new member of our international community. Australia once again lead the international with 15 new courses. It is always a G'Day down under for golf.

Bunbury GC Bunbury WA 6233 Australia‎
Glenwaverley GV Glenwaverley VIC 3150 Australia
Indooroopilly GC Indooroopilly QLD 4068 Australia‎
Kooindah Waters GC Wyong NSW 2259 Australia
Magenta Shores GCC Magenta NSW 2261 Australia
Massey Park GC Concord NSW 2137 Australia
Maylands Peninsula GC Maylands WA 6051 Australia
Rockingham GC Rockingham WA 6168 Australia‎
Sanctuary Golf Resort Bunbury WA 6230 Australia
Sandringham Golf Links VIC Cheltenham 3192 Australia
Secret Harbour GL Secret Harbour WA 6173 Australia‎
Thirteenth Beach GC – Beach Barwon Heads VIC 3227 Australia
Thirteenth Beach GC – Creek Barwon Heads VIC 3227 Australia
Wollongong GC Wollongong NSW 2500 Australia
Wembley Golf Complex Floreat Forum WA 6014 Australia‎
Denarau Golf Resort FIJI
Golf de Saint Cloud-Parcours VertGarches 92380FR France
Golfanlage Kallin Bornicke D-14641 Germany
Coamo Springs GC Coamo PR 00769 Puerto Rico
Lee Park GC Gateacre L27 3YA UK
Stonebridge GC West Midlands CV7 7PL UK
West Sussex GC Pulborough West Sussex RH20 2EN UK

Within the US, FLORIDA provided a strong showing during the past two weeks with 10 courses, followed by California and Texas. I know TX has a few in the queue, so the next update might see a change once again in top submitting states.

Las Sendas GC – EXTRAS Mesa AZ 85207
Balboa Park Muni GC San Diego CA 92102
Buena Vista GC Taft CA 93268‎
Carlton Oaks CC Santee CA 92071
Hansen Dam GC Pacoima CA 91331‎
Links at River Lakes Bakersfield CA 93312‎
Menlo CC Woodside CA 94062
Mission Trails GC San Diego CA 92119
Oakmont GC Santa Rosa CA 95409
Santa Barbara GC Santa Barbara CA 93105‎
Bay Palms GC – Palms MacDill AFB FL 33621
Biltmore GC Coral Gables FL 33134‎
Granada GC – EXTRAS Coral Gables FL 33134‎
International Links Miami FL 33175‎
Lake Venice Golf Club Third Nine (Holes 19-27) Venice FL 34285‎
Links at Greenfield Plantation Bradenton FL 34212
Miami Shores CC Miami FL 33138
Miami Springs GC Miami Springs FL 33166‎
Orange Lake GC – Legends Kissimme FL 34747
Winter Park GC Winter Park FL 32789
Country Club of Gwinnett Snellville GA 30039‎
The Creek at Hard Labor Rutledge GA 30663
New Ewa Beach GC Ewa Beach HI 96706
Iron Horse GC Leawood KS 66224
Sleepy Hollow GC Prospect KY 40059
Shaker Hills GC Harvard MA 01451
Lincoln Hills GC Birmingham MI 48009
Pine Valley CC Willmington NC 28312
Valley Brook GC Blackwood NJ 8012
Las Vegas Paiute Golf - Snow Mountain Las Vegas NV 89124
Las Vegas Paiute Golf - Sun Mountain Las Vegas NV 89124
Las Vegas Paiute - Wolf Las Vegas NV 89124‎
Page Belcher GC - Olde Page Tulsa OK 74132‎
Page Belcher GC Stone Creek Tulsa OK 74132‎
Northampton Valley CC Richboro PA 18954
Crowfield GCC Goose Creek SC 29445
Houston National GC Houston TX 77095
Kingwood Cove GC Kingwood TX 77339
Los Rios CC Plano TX 75074‎
Tangle Ridge GC Gand Prairie TX 75052
Woodbridge GC – Extras Wyle TX 75098
Aeropines GC – Hornet Virginia Beach VA 23460
Aeropines GC – Tomcat Virginia Beach VA 23460
Bide-A-Wee GC Portsmouth VA 23701
Pleasant View GC Lake Middleton WI 53562
Pleasant View GC Wood/Prairie Middleton WI 53562