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Golfanlagen Gross Kienitz

Yesterday I played at Golfanlagen Gross Kienitz for the first time this year together with Mario, an old friend from my hometown near Stuttgart.



Mario plays an impressive 8.6 handicap. Playing with single handicappers is always very fascinating to me as you can pick up very much from them and their approach to the game. Mario showed his class already at the first hole, shooting a birdie at the par 4 with a sandwedge from the fairway at 20m from the pole.



Gross Kienitz offers the 18-hole Robert Baker Course, the public 9-hole Sunset Course and a 3-hole practice course for beginners. So far I only played the Sunset Course, in my opinion a pretty interesting course: the first 4 holes are a good warmup, the most interesting holes are the par 4 fifth, the par 4 seventh and above all the par 5 eight. Water hazards are there when you don't need them, the fairway gets narrow in places where you'll land your tee shot. Quite a challenge for the beginner and also a good excercise for the advanced player.

The course was in a very good condition, the semirough was extremely thick, giving me some trouble where I didn't make the fairway. It is better to play the course this time of year, as they don't cut the rough too often. In the fall, the rough sometimes stands more than 50cm tall, so a ball in the rough usually is a ball lost.

Greenfee is reasonable, we payed 15,00 € on a thursday. During other weekdays, you pay 20,00 €, on weekend the fee is 24,00 €.

After Work Golf Hamburg

On Tuesday I played with the After Work Golf chapter at the Treudelberg Golf & Country Club in Hamburg.



We played some relaxed 9 holes with interesting people, the guy watching me putt in the picture above is fotographer Jay Ullal. Maybe that was the reason we had such brilliant light.

Thanks to Martin for introducing me to this round and thanks also for the pictures.

Golfer's Individuality

For those who want to distinguish themselves from other golfers and have the necessary pocket money, go visit the Individual Golf Website, they have such exquisit things for you such as a putting module in mahagony priced at € 179,00. And guess what, it matches their livingGOLF furniture series. Well, one thing less to worry about.

From Racing to Driving

BMW-Williams F1 driver Nick Heidfeld went from racing at Barcelona on Sunday to driving off the tee at Wentworth Golf Club, this years host to the BMW Championship.

I am pretty sure, that Nick's dresscode did not quite apply to the regulations of the club.

Golf Weather today

Chancing conditions today gave us some brilliant skies today:





(The purple was added by my cameraphone somehow.)

Airport Golf Berlin

The one driving range in Berlin I didn't know so far I visited today: Airport Golf Berlin. The name is justified, it is as close to the airport as can be, you drive your balls towards the airport tower as you can see below.



The range offers 100 practice bays - 16 thereof are covered - putting- and chipping green, sommer terrace on top of the 'clubhouse'. Everything in very good shape and very convenient. Prices are a little bit higher than at the driving range in Berlin-Mitte for example. One token gives you 20 balls and comes at the price od EUR 2,50. You can get a bonus card starting at EUR 15,00/year that gives you discount on the balls, club rentals and the lessons with the on-site pro's.
As a special offer you can rent the location for your business and private events including catering and cocktailbar.

I enjoyed my practicing there, the airport atmosphere was unique - the noise and the smell of kerosene may not be everybodies choice, but I liked it.

Pimp my Golf Cart

Finally, the accessory we've all been waiting for:
chrome rims for your golf cart!

Statistics of the average golfer

Just read this interesting article about the statistical analysis of the average golfer.

An often encountered discussion is about the question, what improves your game most: long game or short game. Certainly improvement in both do, but to what extent? In an analysis made by Alastair Cochran the score of amateur golfers was examined in terms of the statistical correlation of different parameters and the score played.

The most important factor was the ability to hit the greens in regulations, in my opinion the result of a good long an short game. Second most important factor is the ability to hit the ball far.

The development of my game reflects this also: the first thing that stabilized in my first season last year was the ability to hit the green from a below 80m radius. What helped my game even more was the addition of the 5 and 7 wood to my golfbag. This added the necessary length from the fairway to produce a good second shot to get you onto the green or into the 'hot zone' for a good third or fourth shot onto the green.

Prices compared: Tchibo vs. Capital

Reading the current issue of Capital, I also read about the cooperation they have with the Golf & Country Club Fleesensee. They offer different packages like a one-week beginners course or an advanced course. Reading the descriptions of the packages, they sounded somewhat familiar.
A quick cross-check showed: Capital is offering exactly the same packages as Tchibo, but with a different price tag.

The beginners package is starting at EUR 799,00 at Tchibo, the Capital price tag is starting at EUR 1.049,00 - a EUR 250,00 difference. Same thing with the advanced course. The only thing priced the same at EUR 499,00 ist the one year membership at the Golf & Country Club Fleesensee.

So, if you are a label shopper, go with the Capital offer. But, as a Capital reader I know where to put my money and save it, I'd go with the Tchibo offer.

Global Golf Berlin

The newest golf facility in Berlin is being built right in the middle of the city, just south of Potsdamer Platz: Global Golf Berlin. Behind the project are golf pros Paul Kilner and Rick Frazer, they are planning a driving range with 27 teeing grounds and a club house. Membership is expected to be 220 EUR, offering you reservation of tee times, lessons with the pros Kilner and Frazer and club and shoe cleaning. There will be a public area also to attract newbees to the sport.

I just dropped by there and took some pictures of the adjacent Gleisdreieck parking garage:





Find out more in todays article of the Tagesspiegel.

Capital Golf

The german business magazine 'Capital' plans special golf offers for their readers:

"Das Wirtschaftsmagazin 'Capital' erweitert seinen Geschäftsbereich um exklusive Produkte. Zum Start mit der Ausgabe 10/2005 (EVT. 28. April) gibt es 'Capital Golf'. Dahinter verbirgt sich eine Kooperation mit dem Golf & Country Club Fleesensee, die unter anderem eine Golfclub-Mitgliedschaft mit einer weltweiten Spielberechtigung und Sonderkonditionen für Golf- und Wellness-Anlage umfasst."

Just read that in w&v.

Prenden Golf Course

After all the international golf courses presented here so far it is time to go back to the homebase. Although my wife and I play already since 2003, we didn't discover the Prenden Golf Course until some four weeks ago. And we we're very pleasantly surprised.



Prenden is situated north of Berlin and it takes a 30 minute drive from Berlin Alexanderplatz to get there. From our place it is even closer than Kallin, where we played most of last year (review to follow). You get off the Autobahn A11 at exit Laake and you are there.



Prenden offers you a 27 hole golf course designed by Thorsten Gideon. The 18 hole championship course resembles scottish links courses. The 9 hole course is also 'fully grown' and one of the most interesting in and around Berlin.



The practice area is pretty big and offers driving range, chipping and putting greens. Apart from the courses, Prenden surprised me with a very friendly and helpful staff. Yesterday we played there for the third time and despite being a sunny weekend day, the course was not crowded at all.

As we will play Prenden more often this year we bought the so called 'Prenden Card', giving you 50% off all green fees. As the card itself is prices at 120 EUR, it pays off after your sixth weekend round, normally priced at 42 EUR. Apart from that, the Golf Fee Card will give you 20% off on weekdays and 15% on weekends.

AC Nuevo Portil Golf

Located in Cartaya near Huelva on the spanish Costa de la Luz, the AC Nuevo Portil Golf is a 69 room hotel with adjacent 18 hole golf course. The hotel was built in 2002 and is surrounded by a newly built residential area. When we stayed there in February 2003, construction still was going on, resulting in construction noise disturbing the peace from time to time.



Playing the 18 hole course was somehow strange, as it is situated within the residential area. You play narrow fairways guarded by high fences protecting the neighbours from your slices and hooks. Also, you have to leave the golf course three or four times to pass the roads through the residential area to proceed to the next tee. Despite that, the course offers an interesting layout. Beware of the geese on the lake on the 14th, they might steal your ball.





The hotel itself offers a nice colonial architecture and comfy rooms. What it lacks is nice personnel and acceptable prices for the food. Room service is not recommendable. For my next vacation I'd rather choose the nearby Algarve (see Castro Marim and Parque da Floresta below).