In for review is the Chase54 Charter Polo. This is the first Chase54 piece to arrive at Hooked on Golf Blog World Headquarters and I’m excited to check it out.
From Chase54
The Charter polo features a modern-classic rugby stripe design combined with stretch material for freedom of movement and comfort. The brand’s signature DryFuze fabric technology is specially designed to transport moisture from your skin to the clothing’s exterior to stay dry during even the hottest rounds. UPF 40+ is added for sun protection.
Unfortunately right now I’m not able to take full advantage of this polo as the courses are closed and the high temperatures are double digits below freezing. This polo isn’t designed for winter. I will not be able to post my full review right away. Stay tuned come spring. Let’s hope for some heat soon!
In for review is a “Jet Pack” from GolfJet. No I’m not going to be flying around on a jet pack, or riding around in a private jet. Coach for me unfortunately. The Jet Pack is a high end package containing some premium golf balls, tees, a glove, ball marker, and a mobile app for yardages and score keeping.
GolfJet – Jet Pack
From GolfJet
GolfJet gives subscribers the Tour pro treatment, providing them with a set of new premium golf balls, a fresh cabretta leather glove, and detailed knowledge about the course ahead of them — before each round. Think of us as your personal sponsor. Our products will help take your game to the next level. Meanwhile, the GolfJet Connect smartphone app will immerse you into a golf experience with detailed personalized numbers and data. It’s your personal digital caddy that even connects all of your friends into your own personalized tour.
Jet Packs can be purchased as one-offs, or even more fun by monthly subscription. Just when you thought you were going to run out of Golf Jet Jet3 or Jet4 golf balls, a new box arrives on your doorstep, assuming the porch pirates didn’t get to it first.
The Jet3 is a 3-piece construction ball with urethane cover. As you guessed the Jet4 is a 4-piece golf ball, also with a urethane cover. Urethane is the secret to “tour” spin and feel around the greens.
When the winter temperatures permit, I’ll put some of these jet balls and tees into play and see how they fly. Stay tuned for the full review.
This was one of those special years where I had some tremendous courses in the running for the Hooked on Golf Blog 2017 Best Golf Course award. In fact, I had to create a special category in order to award the two most deserving courses. The 2017 HOG Best Golf Course award goes to a new course in the Dominican Republic, designed by Jack Nicklaus. Drumroll please…
Punta Espada Golf Club
I was stunned by the beauty, flow, and atmosphere of Punta Espada. The golf course is located on the east coast of the Dominican Republic. If that location isn’t paradise I have no clue what is. The water is the most amazing color of blue, the waves crash near most of the holes, the white sand bunkers and the deep green grass of the course provides a brilliant aesthetic balance.
This piece of land is as amazing as any waterside course I’ve stepped foot on, and I’ve been on many of the world’s best. I can’t stress enough how well Punta Espada utilizes the land. Where most waterside courses have a few holes on the water and many more inland, Punta Espada is the opposite.
Playing the course was extremely fun. It wasn’t a monster. It didn’t beat me to death but it did provide plenty of opportunities to challenge it, test my skills and test my nerve.
Far More Than I Expected
Having played many Jack Nicklaus designed courses I had a preconceived idea of what the architecture and the course would offer. I expected another “Jack course.” I didn’t get one. It wasn’t like the other Jack courses I’ve played. This was the most mature, natural, unforced, beautiful, mature Nicklaus design I’ve ever played. I knew the location would be great, but the architecture made it even better, in a natural way.
Congratulations Punta Espada and Jack Nicklaus
Major golf publications like Golf Digest and such have rated Punta Espada as the #1 course in the Dominican Republic and Latin America, and for good reason. It is truly a special place. I’m sure Punta Espada and Jack are happy about such recognition. But today I award them a far more distinguished and rare award, the 2017 Hooked on Golf Blog Best Golf Course.
Well done. Tip of the hat.
If you’re looking for a golf getaway or golf buddy trip, get to the Dominican and be sure put Punta Espada on the playlist.
Related
Punta Espada Golf Club Review
I had a dilemma for this year’s Product of the Year for “Best Golf Course” award. This award goes to the best course I’ve played/reviewed in the previous calendar year. Typically the award is an easy one to choose, like last year’s winner Cruden Bay, in Scotland. This year’s award came down to the two best courses I played, The Loop at Forest Dunes and Punta Espada Golf Club in the Dominican republic. They’re both so different and have such different unique qualities that I couldn’t find a way to leave either one out of receiving an award. So what was my solution for this problem? Create a special award for this year which falls in the Golf Course Architecture category. This year’s winner for Product of the Year in Golf Course Architecture is… the envelope please…
The Loop at Forest Dunes, Michigan
One of my most favorite golf architects is Tom Doak. Doak is one of the most respected and famous course designers of the modern era, and he’s a bit of a mad scientist. The first Doak course I played was Stone Wall in Pennsylvania a long time ago. I loved the rugged, minimalist design and the fact that I had to play creative shots to get the ball close to the hole. Sometimes hitting a green meant aiming 20 yards left of it, or short. A few years later I had the pleasure of playing the Doak designed Ballyneal in a remote rural area in eastern Colorado on the Nebraska border. What an experience.
Years later and many Doak courses later in 2017 I played the newly opened “reversible” course in Forest Dunes, Michigan called “The Loop.” The Loop is two 18-hole courses, the Red and the Black course, but one set of 18 physical golf holes. What a fantastic and special experience.
Reversible
The reversible holes were extremely interesting and ingenious. While playing one direction the player sees a certain look from the tee, and certain hazards, bunkers and sight lines. When playing the other direction the hole looks nothing like it’s opposite. Those bunkers and features which appeared going the opposite direction are completely different, and often not even visible. Instead, a new set of bunkers, features, and sight lines is presented to the player.
Hats Offf to Tom Doak and Forest Dunes
I salute Tom Doak for executing an amazing concept which had yet to be done in the U.S.A. I suspect we’ll see more reversible courses, or courses with interchangeable holes. It’s a great way to use one piece of land to offer many different playing options. And hats off to Forest Dunes for pulling the trigger as well. What an effort. I can’t wait to get back for a 2nd round on both courses!
Conclusion
Playing the Red and the Black was literally playing two different courses, each with its own personality and style. And they’re two very good golf courses to boot! Truly amazing and worthy of a special Hooked on Golf Blog Golf Architecture Product of the Year award.
The week between Christmas and New Years I post the Hooked on Golf Blog Product of the Year awards. We’re about halfway so far. Today’s award is in the “golf equipment” category. The golf equipment category can be anything from golf clubs to golf balls to…. golf bags. I typically choose a product that stands out the most and/or the product I’ve used the most in my gamer setup during the calendar year. Without further ado, the envelope please…
OUUL Super Light Python Series Golf Stand Bag
I’m still gaming my Super Light Python Series Stand Bag by OUUL. OUUL is a new company that launched this past year.
OUUL makes golf bags and accessories which are a little more high end or boutique style, and don’t have obnoxious branding or logos all over them.
My OUUL stand bag is solid, easy to carry, light, and durable. I’ve been using it all of 2017 and it still looks brand new. I posted my original review on January 10th and I’m still using it.
Some stand bags wear quickly in the legs and get more and more unstable over time. Not with my OUUL. The stand still springs out and provides a solid base.
I’m able to easily put in clubs and take them out, and the pockets are all easy to zip and access.
The large carry bar/skeleton on the top (above) makes grabbing, loading, lifting, moving my bag easy.
Hats off to OUUL for winning the 2017 Hooked on Golf Blog Golf Equipment Product of the Year!
Related
OUUL Super Light Python Series Golf Stand Bag Review
OUUL Super Light Python Cart Bag Review
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