Hold on, I have to check my yardage
Golf rangefinders and GPS systems have been in place for years and now the technology has reached (not surprisingly) your cell phone.
Verizon introduced GPS GolfShot last week and after a quick download, I played nine holes with it Monday night at the newly opened Edgewood.
A quick review
(Pros):
- It's affordable. No longer do golfers have to buy a separate hand-held system in the $300-$400 range. The GPS GolfShot is $1.99 per round or $3.99 per month for unlimited use and a yearly fee is also available. You will use your data minutes without an unlimited feature.
- You'll probably never forget it at home
- Accuracy? It's supposed to be dead-on accurate. I thought it was very true. The only problem is, for example at Edgewood, the front nine and back nine are reversed since the course changed the order a couple years ago and this GPS system doesn't reflect that yet. (10:42 p.m. update: The software techs informed me that this has been now changed.)
- It gives you distance to front, middle and back of green, with a speech option (see con)
- It allows you to measure shot distances from Point A to B, so you can measure your mammoth drives and save them into the phone.
(Cons)
- If you must take a phone call (how dare you on the course!) it'll interrupt your GPS and you'll have to relaunch it. Add about 30 seconds here.
- Most phone screens are unable to be viewed clearly in direct sunlight. I played a dusk and had no problem, but a day-time trial run showed its flaw. Again, the "voice" should help (or squinting at it under your cap), but it doesn't "say" the distance front or back, just middle of green.
- While the program touts itself as reading more than 10,000 golf courses, some smaller courses in the area are not GPS-ready. Some GPS systems allow the golfer to "program" any course but this one does not yet have that capability. The manufacturer's Web site does allow for users to request golf courses to be professionally mapped.
From a first-time user standpoint, I'd give it 4 stars out of 5. Some could argue different types of golf measuring devices (lasers and true GPS golf devices) are better, but hey, can you order a cheeseburger on the 8th hole with them? In terms of using your phone and the fact that you're going to save a decent amount of money, it's a handy option.
Posted by: Beers on 6/18/2009 at 12:28 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Tags: golf
Talking Dragons, talking Favre
Word has it there could be some interesting news coming out of Dragonland today involving the hockey talk. In a few words, it'd be great to get it but as it's been reported and speculated, it's an incredible hill to climb.
I have a love/hate relationship with MSUM. The school and the individuals there gave me an opportunity to land a decent career and live in a city where, besides the flooding and the extreme weather, is pretty decent, too. But MSUM as a whole is somewhat of a PR disaster, much to do with athletics, going back a couple decades.
Full disclosure: I played golf for the Dragons beginning in the late 80s and had a first-hand account of MSUM as the school newspaper's sports editor for three years. Times were a little different back then and the perception of MSUM being somewhat close to NDSU's athletic persona today is simply nonexistent.
President Edna Szymanski knows this and I think she and the school have made some strides, but they're only at mile 4 of a 100-mile marathon.
Even if the school finds a magical way to land a Division I hockey program and gains entry into the WCHA, how many miles would they gain? 20? 30? 70?
It's not to say that MSUM hasn't had or will enjoy success. It really has nothing to do with that. It's more NDSU's "fault" that the Bison have increased their stock to nearly a monopoly in Fargo-Moorhead. And this area just isn't a two-horse town.
MSUM has it's loyal followers and donors, for sure. The problem MSUM is going to have is that they'll likely have to try to sway some of those loyal folks who have joined the Bison bandwagon in recent years. Or sway those who have been indifferent in giving MSUM a few bills from their wallets. If people can see the final product off the assembly line, that's a different story. But for now, it's still the cart before the horse and that's an extremely hard sell right now.
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About Brett Favre: Sign him. Just sign him. I do enjoy the daily soap opera and it makes for good newspaper and talk-show fodder, but seriously, Favre is doing more now to hurt his legacy than throwing 20 picks a season. Now he's starting to look like a fool.
Posted by: Beers on 6/09/2009 at 3:44 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Tags: dragons, favre, msum, vikings
Seeing through the rain
I haven't posted in a while. I was sort of waiting for something to really drive me bananas before I got back into it.
I realize that we are some pretty tough folk in this neck of the woods. We can drive through a foot of snow without it bothering us too much. We can start our cars when it's 20 below and still get to work on time and still find ways to find peace and quiet when the afternoon winds crank up to 35 mph.
But what got to me today - and most every day it rains - is the stupidity by some who fail to turn their lights on in a downpour.
Now, not every car has daytime running lights or lights that turn on when the wipers are running ... I realize that. But it's just common sense, let alone as major help to other motorists, to turn your lights on when its raining. They might not help you see any farther, but it'll help your vehicle been seen, from the front and the back.
I was driving through today's rain on eastbound Interstate 94 and my quick guess is only 40 percent of the drivers cared to turn their headlights on. Through the rain, I'm guessing visibility was down to about a quarter-mile or so.
Minnesota requires the use of headlights if the rain is heavy enough for you to turn your wipers on. I'm sure it's not high on law enforcement's list, but the point is, there's a reason we should turn our lights on whenever conditions warrant. Flip 'em on.
Posted by: Beers on 5/16/2009 at 12:17 AM | Comments (1) | Permalink
More water
I quick check Easter morning showed that there's some seepage in our basement, a small 3 foot-by-3 foot area as another lake becomes unveiled in the backyard as the snow melts. We're undecided about putting in drain tile, perhaps optioning for a second sump pump.
When I bought my home eight years ago, some flood protection was put in in 1997. A "beaver dam" was put in the basement around the exterior walls of the basement, above floor level. I thought my home was going to be watertight, but I've had some water at least four times as its owner. The problem is, the sump pump is absolutely in the wrong corner of the house and i'm not certain if there's any or much drain tile that diverts water there. My sump is running about once an hour, so I assume it's getting fed, but we're looking at doing some drastic measures down there so we can resume the basement as a permanent place to hang out.
I guess my wife and I want to be sure what we do will work. We could add a second sump, hopefully catching some water in that area, reslope the landscaping and replace the gutters - all for less than adding full exterior drain tile. So it's a big decision. Perhaps we won't see water anyway for the next couple years if we're all lucky, but something has to be done to help out the resale if we ever decide to move.
I'm curious if anyone knows much about the pre-development west of Concordia before the 1950s. I've heard my neighborhood was a slew back in the day and with my house sitting about 420 yards from the Red (thank you Google Earth), I'd assume the water under the house is trying to meander its way there.
On Saturday, I drove south of my home along the river and was greatly amazed at the amount of clay levees put up by the city. Then the mind wanders to the homes and people on the other side if the Red plowed through the first layer of protection.
Unfortunately, those choices all over the F-M area had to be made. Before the first crest, I wondered if the city considered those levees, and Mayor Mark Voxland later said that the city just didn't have the time.
With the latest forecast showing a 39-foot second crest (doesn't seem like much now does it?), my block sits anywhere between 41 and 42 feet, as does much of the neighborhood west of the college. I have to believe the Seventh Avenue are is a bit lower in parts, but I don't mind the dikes. If we were to get a heavy rain and the river has 41- or 42-foot possibilities, keeping hundreds of homes dry from floodwaters is the right decision.
Big choices and big concerns. Let's hope Crest 2 doesn't greatly affect anyone.
Posted by: Beers on 4/12/2009 at 9:50 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Tags: flooding moorhead
Recovery
A commercial cleaning company and a Moorhead city inspector have dropped by our home this week. In a nutshell, anything touched by water should go.
I use the word water loosely since we did have some storm sewer backup. I mean, I didn't see the brown solids some people had, but the water definitely wasn't clear and the house had "that" odor the first two days last weekend before settling in to just a damp, wet smell.
I have a crew of people coming by tomorrow to help us. I don't know exactly what to do. I've taken photographs, documented as many things as possible and I guess I hope that someone picks up the tab.
It isn't easy. I've heard stories (though unconfirmed) of insurance policies dodging the issue. Have storm sewer backup? Have coverage? Denied, because it was a "flood" that caused it and since you didn't have flood insurance, you're SOL (sorry for the pun.)
Some neighbors of mine have already tore their basement apart and the discarded items are on the curb.
Problem is, Friday's news of a high or higher second crest isn't sitting well with anyone. Will it do any good to clean this mess up only to have possibly more damage in a couple weeks?
This isn't fun and while most give you a straight answer, it isn't always the solution. We did, however, have a great conversation with the city inspector today who was about up front as anyone could be.
I've been told that since the water came up 1-2" that my carpet, walls (or at least 2 feet) have to go, plus I should replace my water heater, too. Our basement is finished and again, while I feel very fortunate compared to some homeowners, this recovery process isn't going to get any faster. And maybe not even better.
Has anyone had great success so far receiving help? Or are we looking too fast? It is the insurance companies and government after all.
Posted by: Beers on 4/03/2009 at 10:25 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Tags: flooding moorhead
Flooding
I have some storm sewer backup in my basement, but just puddling of water. I feel so fortunate compared to many others in my neighborhood and the entire F-M community that either lost their homes, basements, or other belongings.
The incredible spirit shown by F-M is overwhelming. Our family is receiving help from our fellow worshippers at our church to help monitor our home while our family is mainly away from our house.
I'm still working as much as I can, even beyond my own home problems. I heard word today that storm sewer or sewer backup has greatly affected homes right next to mine in Moorhead.
My mission, along with my fellow co-workers at The Forum, is to bring people the most up-to-date and accurate information to help soothe fears, offer assistance and alert the nation who are hitting our Web site (www.inforum.com) of our plight.
This community and every individual who has helped out with sandbags, brought food to those in need, offered help plugging drains, transferring generators and other help makes me feel proud to live in a community where we fend for ourselves as the push for permanent flood protection must increase.
Posted by: Beers on 3/29/2009 at 3:39 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Tags: flooding moorhead fargo
NDSU game-winner sights and sounds
Check out ESPN's highlight reel:
Posted by: Beers on 3/15/2009 at 2:51 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Bison simply destined
It's 2 a.m. following the the Bison's big Summit League championship victory and I think I've seen Ben Woodside's game-winner 14 times, perhaps, already on television. (Live, replay a couple times, local news, SportsCenter highlight, Play of the Day #3 highlight. RInse. Repeat.)
Wow. And wow! This is great stuff.
I haven't been this excited since perhaps the Twins' first World Series victory in 1987. This ranks No. 2 on my list, with No. 3 being the 1991 Twins title. And No. 3 is pretty distant.
Isn't it refreshing, just for once, a team that is expected to win actually does? This is no "take-a-knee" game, no bobbled pass, no fluke 3-pointer at buzzer (although Oakland's final shot at buzzer was only inches off) and no choke for the ages. Simply destiny.
There's no telling the scope of the celebration in Fargo tonight if the weather didn't shut everyone in.
I'm back playing the on-the-fence journalist the rest of the week. But tonight, just for a moment, it was hard not to act like a fan, if just for a while.
Posted by: Beers on 3/11/2009 at 2:49 AM | Comments (0) | Permalink