Sebring’s Citrus Golf Trail, located just 60 miles south of Disney World, is a collection of great golf courses that offers incredible value, great history, fantastic golf, and the friendliest service anywhere. Dubbed the “Value Golf Capital of America,” the Sebring area is one of the most affordable golf destinations anywhere in the country, even in peak season, where golfers can stay and play for as little as $99 per person per night including room, golf, and complimentary breakfast. 
Participating Citrus Golf Trail courses for 2020 include:

• Pinecrest Golf Club
• River Greens Golf Course
• Sebring International Golf Resort (formerly Spring Lake Golf Resort)
• Sebring Municipal Golf Course
• Sun ‘N Lake Golf Club Deer Run
• Sun ‘N Lake Golf Club Turtle Run
• Inn on the Lakes (Hotel Partner)

With courses that build on the natural beauty of South Central Florida (picture moss-covered oaks, orange groves, freshwater lakes and preserves that provide a picturesque backdrop), golfers may find it difficult to keep their eyes on the ball. Wet and dry, sandy and woody conditions combine to create challenging and fun courses for any skill level on Sebring’s fairways. 
In the Sebring area, you’ll find 100+ crystal clear lakes for fishing and boating, more than a dozen of Florida’s most affordable golf courses, one of Florida’s oldest state parks, and a reminder of why everyone loves authentic Florida. Our gently rolling hills, orange groves and charming small towns make this a relaxing country getaway with a great central Florida location. For more information, www.CitrusGolfTrail.com or call (800) 545-6021.

Stop! The Shaft in your Putter is Your Enemy!
The fairway wood, hybrid or utility club, you more than likely have one in your bag that is your go to club. You're sitting with an uphill lie and about 180 yards to the pin. The wind is howling off the Atlantic, the flag is flapping, and more than likely the little voice in your head is screaming, “just grab a 5 iron and swing and hope!”

But wait. The fairway wood, hybrid or utility club, you more than likely have one in your bag that is your go to club in situations just like this. For me it's my Adams Tight Lies Ovation 3. She's never let me down and been in my bag for years.

Adams Golf stormed onto the golf market in the mid 1980's and left an indelible impression upon many golfers improved game. The brain child of a scientific mind, Barney Adams, Tight Lies went on to change the game for recreational golfers and Pro's alike.

Barney was an engineer by trade and then through life's magic carpet ride; he became involved with Dave Peltz. The rest is history.

But ridding off into the sunset wasn't on the horizon for Barney. No, a lifelong golf and with the mind of Thomas Edison, over time his imagination began to focus on the putter. Moreso, the shaft in the putter.

Now as the 21st century has emerged Barney Adams and his creative mind just may have revolutionized golf once again. His latest creation, “The Stability Shaft” by Adams Golf


I had a chance to speak with Barney recently and was thrilled to do so. The first thing I told him was of my old trusty buddy the Ovation-3 wood in my bag. He was pleased to be talking with a appreciative fan no doubt.

Our talk was filled with a lot of technical talk. But, in the end I had Barney explain it to me in, we terms a Neanderthal like me would understand. Simply put, steel shafts in putters are inexpensive and mass produced. One problem, FLEX! When the steel shaft impacts the ball it moves, oscillates, twists and turns just before impact. Thus, your putter clubface, well baby it simply ain't dead solid perfect!

Barney has been quoted as saying, “It delivers the face more square at impact, for improved accuracy and solid feel. Plus it has a lower launch for a predictable roll and better distance control. I’ve never seen a product that can improve someone’s putting so quickly.”

“The Stability Shaft” by Adams Golf simply makes sense.

I can tell you first hand that it works! I had the Stability Shaft installed in my putter, and within the first putt I knew their was a major difference. Touch and feel are so important to a golfer and it all begins in your hands. You feel as if you, your arms, your hands, the grip, the Stability Shaft, the club head and ball are all connected as if one unit! Bottom line, say Goodbye to the dreaded three putt!

From Breakthrough Golf Technology website we read. “For more than 50 years, the putter shaft hasn’t changed -- it essentially has remained a steel pipe. Yet putter head designs have evolved and gotten dramatically heavier. The result; Shafts that are neither stable nor strong enough to keep these advanced putter heads from oscillating, twisting and turning during the stroke. In fact, the strongest part of the putter shaft is right underneath the hands, where it does the least good; the weakest part is near the head. So why would any golfer having a better option trust their putter to a cheap steel shaft? After all, they use their putter nearly twice as much as any other club.

That’s why industry veteran Barney Adams has returned to golf, with Breakthrough Golf Technology’s Stability putter shaft. Bearing a scientifically advanced multi‐material design and new geometries never before used in putter shaft design, this product has a great look, solid feel and a traditional steel putter shaft's weight. But it's way better.

“At 37 inches long, 125 grams and bearing an ultra-stiff flex, it’s designed to improve any golfer’s game,” says Adams, who serves as owner and founder of Breakthrough Golf. “ My team found the weakest point of a steel putter shaft. They used computer analysis to place a flex-resistant insert at this weak point on the Stability design. It not only greatly increases stiffness but also adds the benefit of improved feel. Golfers will feel and see the difference from their first stroke with it.”
Four components of the Stability shaft work in concert, to greatly improve putting performance. This Advanced Materials Integration consists of:
A 7075 aluminum connector that helps to reinforce. This versatility allows attachment to any tip diameter of any putter, regardless of the bend profile.
Stainless steel tips with extremely consistent wall thicknesses are coated with a smoke PVD finish to add further protection from corrosion and rusting.
Eight layers of high modulus carbon fiber that are specifically layered, wrapped and widened, with a no‐taper design to greatly reduce torque.
A lightweight, 22‐gram aluminum insert that was developed and precisely located to reinforce flexural rigidity.
The Stability shaft retails for $199.
Breakthrough Golf Technology is based in a Dallas suburb. It was born in 2014 but already has 100 years of experience. A state-of-the-art facility uses the latest technology for development, and is spearheaded by Adams, who has always had a unique ability to see what’s truly missing in golf equipment. His team of award-winning engineers thought outside the box, to come up with the game-changing Stability shaft. It will undoubtedly become iconic.”
If you care about your game and every stroke counts, then the Stability Shaft must be considered the next new CLUB in your bag!


Check out their website @ https://breakthroughgolftech.com/
​

GOLF IN KENT: THE CROWN JEWEL OF ENGLISH GOLF
By Mike May
World-class golf and tourism opportunities abound in England’s county of Kent. That’s the best way to summarize my trip to play golf in England’s country of Kent – located southeast of London. While in Kent, I played eight rounds of golf, visited two castles, saw one cathedral, toured Britain’s oldest brewery, and dined in a very, very old pub. It was an amazing trip that got better by the day.
While in Kent, three of the rounds were on championship links courses, which have all hosted past (British) Open Championships – Royal St. George’s (the site of The Open in 2020); Royal Cinque Ports (hosted The Open in 1909 and 1920); and Prince’s Golf Club (venue for The Open in 1932). A fourth course that I played – Littlestone Golf Club – is also a championship links course and has served as a qualifier for The Open.
I was welcomed with open arms in all parts of Kent during my visit, which began at the Hever Castle Golf Club in Edenbridge.
Golf arrived at Hever Castle in the 1920s when a private nine-hole course was built north of the Hever lakes where today’s championship course now lies. It was created for the personal enjoyment of the then American owners (the Astor family) their friends and business contacts.
The Hever Castle Golf Club, featuring an impressive Tudor-style clubhouse, is less than a mile from the entrance to the grounds of Hever Castle. The golf course features an 18-hole Championship Course, a nine-hole Princes course, and a nine-hole Express course, which is less than 800 yards long, which is geared to new golfers. The Championship Course, which opened in 1992, truly deserves the championship moniker.
There’s a certain amount of symmetry to the Championship Course at the Hever Castle Golf Club layout. This 18-hole, par-72 design opens and closes with a par four, while par fives mark the end of the front nine and the beginning of the back nine.
Combined, the 11th, 12th, and 13th holes are called ‘Amen Corner’ because water and slick greens are the focal point of three holes. If you can emerge from that trio of holes with three pars, it’s worth saying “Amen.”
The 11th hole at Hever Castle, a downhill par four measuring less than 400 yards from the tips, can best be described as tropically exotic. The presence of a greenside pond is accentuated by a variety of leafy trees and flowering plants which make it very appealing to the eye as you approach the putting surface.
The short par three 12th hole has the look and feel of the 12th at the Augusta National GC in Augusta, Georgia. Like its Georgia ‘cousin,’ reaching the putting surface at Hever Castle’s 12th requires a short iron shot to a shallow green whose protective sentry in front of the green is a small pond, very similar to Rae’s Creek that protects the entrance to the 12th green at Augusta National.
Water impacts play from the beginning to the end at the short, par four 13th hole. Avoid water along the left side of the hole on the tee shot. Your approach to the green must cross a small canal. Concentration, focus, and club selection are the keys to avoiding a watery grave in the final leg of Hever Castle’s own ‘Amen Corner.’
The actual Hever Castle was built in 1270. It was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII.
During my one night at Hever Castle, I slept in the Pippin Room of the Anne Boleyn Wing of Hever Castle.
While there, I was given a personal tour of Hever Castle and its majestic gardens. The entire experience, beginning with a first-class breakfast, was stunning from beginning to end.
When you take a tour through Hever Castle, you’ll get a chance to visit Ann Boleyn’s bedroom, as well as other parts of the castle where her family dined, read, slept, listened to music, and entertained guests.
While touring the gardens, make sure that you enjoy the fragrance from the 4,000+ roses in the Rose Garden, stroll through the Italian Garden, visit Blue Corner, allow your children to play in the Tudor Towers, and make the trek to the Japanese Tea House. But, please, don’t get lost in the 100-year-old Yew Maze.
On day two of my trip to Kent, I played nine holes at the nearby Leeds Castle Golf Club near Maidstone and I spent the night at the Stable Courtyard Bed & Breakfast at Leeds Castle, located next to 900-year-old Leeds Castle, known as “the loveliest castle in the world.” The castle and its vast moat sit adjacent to the 5th, 6th, and 7th holes of the Leeds Castle Golf Club. The view from the 5th tee downhill to the 5th green with Leeds Castle in the background is nothing short of stunning. It’s almost too good to be true. When you dine in the Castle View Restaurant, you’ll get spectacular views of the adjacent Leeds Castle.
On day three, I played 18 holes in the morning at Littlestone Golf Club near Romney Marsh and 18 holes in the afternoon at Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, close to Deal.
Littlestone, which overlooks the nearby English Channel, was one of the final qualifying venues for the 2011 Open Championship. If you conjure up images of what a true links course would look and play like, Littlestone (www.littlestonegolfclub.org.uk) fits the bill. It’s a course that is as fun to play as it is demanding to handle. Opened in 1888, you sense the historic atmosphere at Littlestone, as soon as you step foot on its premises. -- one of England’s finest and most unheralded championship links courses. Littlestone’s current layout is a reflection of the design expertise of its three experienced golf course architects – the original architect William Laidlaw Purves, James Braid, and then Alistair McKenzie.
Royal Cinque Ports, located in the coastal community of Deal, hosted The Open Championship in 1909 and 1920.
At Royal Cinque Ports, all 18 holes are in close proximity to the English Channel, though you don’t get a full view of the sea until you step on the 4th tee to play the shortest par three on the course. The degree of difficulty of this mesmerizing layout is largely tied to the intensity and direction of the winds off the nearby English Channel. Yes, the wind is an ever-present component of the Royal Cinque Ports experience.
You won’t be disappointed at Royal Cinque Ports because it’s the real ‘deal.’
On day four, I experienced another 36-hole day, starting with Royal St. George’s Golf Club in the morning followed by 18 holes that afternoon at Prince’s Golf Club.


Royal St. George’s, the site of The Open Championship 2020, was founded in 1887. It is a mesmerizing golf course, as it offers stunning views over Pegwell Bay and the adjacent English Channel. The tallest and deepest bunker in Great Britain is located on the 4th hole at Royal St. George’s which has hosted more Open Championships (14 Opens to date) than any other golf course in England. I’m delighted to report that I avoided that massive trap on the 4th hole.
Playing Royal St. George’s with a caddie was an unforgettable experience. Before the round, Sean Meleady, the caddiemaster at Royal St. George’s, said our two-ball would play millionaire’s golf that day. By that, he meant nobody would be in front of us and nobody would be behind us. He was right.
Throughout the round, my caddie, Gary, who has been affiliated with Royal St. George’s for 50 years, shared his advice and stories about the course, which made it one of the most memorable rounds of golf that I have ever played. While standing on the 18th tee, Gary delivered the following message to me, “Mike, you need a (par) four to win The Open.” I did as I was told and made my par, but, sadly, there was no Claret Jug for me in the clubhouse, but I did feel like the Champion Golfer of the Year!
Prince’s, which hosted the British Amateur in 2013, boasts 27 holes of championship links golf in three nine-hole loops: The Shore, The Dunes and The Himalayas. Each loop has its own unique characteristics. The most famous of Prince’s many revetted bunkers is the now-famous Sarazen Bunker, which sits next to the 9th hole of The Himalayas.
While in Sandwich, I stayed in The Lodge at Prince’s – the ideal base for golfers playing Prince’s, Royal St. George’s, and Royal Cinque Ports. The Lodge, which overlooks both Prince’s and Royal St George’s, is also just a few miles from Royal Cinque Ports. The well-appointed Lodge has unobstructed views over the adjacent English Channel and offers a fine dining restaurant, The Brasserie on the Bay, on site.
Before departing The Lodge at Prince’s, I received a personal guided tour through The Gallery, located at The Lodge. The Gallery is a small museum which contains old letters, pictures, trophies, old clubs, and memorabilia that are connected to golf at Prince’s. The focal point of The Gallery is the original sand wedge which was created by Gene Sarazen, who won the ’32 Open at Prince’s. I was privileged to hold that sand wedge, but did not swing it.
While in Kent, make time to visit the Canterbury Cathedral, one of the oldest Christian structures in England, in the medieval city of Canterbury that oozes charm and quaintness.
On day five, I played 18 holes at the North Foreland Golf Club near Broadstairs. Founded in 1903, this clifftop gem, with its many views over the English Channel, is another course that has hosted final qualifying for The Open.
Breathtaking is the best way to describe the views of the Channel from the majority of the holes at North Foreland.
If you like drinking beer, set aside time for a tour of the Shepherd Neame Brewery in Faversham, home to Britain’s oldest brewer. Of course, at the end of the tour, you’ll get a chance to sample six different brews. That’s a fun way to spend half a day.
I then headed for the exclusive London Golf Club, located in northern Kent, which has the look and feel of an American country club. The club has two 18-hole golf courses – the Heritage and the International courses. The Heritage was designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus whilst the International was created by Ron Kirby, under the Jack Nicklaus Design banner. The London Golf Club has hosted numerous tournaments on the European PGA Tour.
I played the International course which was a true treat and provided wonderful views of the Kent countryside. Every par three at the International was a memory maker. Those one-shot sensation can also possibly be scorecard breakers. Ron Kirby designed a jewel.
During this trip, I dined at one of Kent’s top pubs, the George & Dragon in Sandwich. This ancient pub first opened for business in 1446, 46 years before Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492. The George & Dragon – a traditional pub with an open fireplace, low beams, and a range of local ales – has great food and a wide variety of draft and bottled beers and ales.
In addition to staying in one castle (Hever Castle) and adjacent to another (Leeds Castle), I spent one night in an old-style seaside hotel, The Marine Hotel in Whitstable. It was clean, comfortable, and quiet. The views out to sea, while enjoying a delicious Full English Breakfast, were nothing short of jawdropping.
Once American golfers get to experience Golf in Kent (golfinkent.co.uk), the word will spread about the outstanding golf opportunities in this part of England.
Suffice it to say, it was not easy leaving Kent and its many golfing, dining, and tourism opportunities, but it will be easy making plans for a return trip to this strip of coastal England.

Just thirty-five minutes from Orlando and roughly one hour from Tampa, Mission Inn Resort offers the perfect play and stay golf getaway in Central Florida.  Along with 2 world class golf courses, Mission Inn provides a variety of getaway options ideal for weddings, corporate outing or a simple romantic getaway. I was recently excited to experience two of the Top 25 rated courses in the US when I played El Campeon (rated #9) and Las Colinas (#3) while recording for a future episode of Golfin Around.


 
To begin, I was immediately greeted with 1,100 acres of rolling hill, groves of orange trees, lakes and the elegant Spanish Colonial architecture of the Mission Inn Resort.  The accommodations available include Golf Resort Villa as well as deluxe hotel accommodations which in single and double rooms as well as a variety of suites. I was fortunate to stay in a one bedroom suite that had a separate living room, full kitchen and dining area, screened in porch and elegant bathroom.  The amenities at Mission Inn were not only beautiful but they were beyond what I needed. I was able to cook myself breakfast before hitting the course and cook myself dinner once I returned as well as sit at a comfortable desk and work on my computer or sit on my balcony which overlooked the El Campeon golf course.
 
  ​Along with access to 2 world class golf courses, guest have access to try trap & skeet shooting, freshwater fishing, hike nature trails, take a tennis clinic, enjoy a day in at the pool  or bicycle throughout the resorts’ 1,100 acres.
 Day one, I was able experience the beautiful El Campeon Golf Course. The El Campeón 18-hole championship course was designed by Chicago-based course architect, George O’Neil and built in 1917 – with further enhancements in 1926 by Charles E. Clarke of Troon, Scotland. El Campeon is one of Florida’s oldest golf courses and has elevation changes up to 85 feet over it’s rolling fairways and greens. This course’s signature hold is the par 5 of #17 which is a double dogleg with more obstacles on it then some entire courses!
 
Las Colinas is considered to be a more classically designed course than El Campeon.  Designed by architect, Gary Koch, Las Colinas which is spanish for “the hills” was built in 1992 and has received recognition for “Best New Resort Course,”  “Best Places to Play,” and “Top Fairways” by Golf Digest and Golf For Women. This 18-hole course was designed with wide open fairways, rolling hills and undulating greens that provide a variety of challenges along the way.  The signature hole at Las Colinas is called “Alligator Alley”. The 12th hole is a par 5 that spans 493 yards along a tree-lined fairway and demands complete accuracy from the tee box to the flag in order to be successful.

 If you’re looking for a beautiful resort and golfing opportunity easily accessible from many large cities in Florida than the Mission Inn Resort is a wonderful idea. 

If there’s a golfer in your life—or if you’re a player—then you know how important it is to constantly improve the golf swing. The new Swing Coach training club is the ultimate training aid—and the only one necessary—for helping any golfer, at any level, who wants to get better fast.The new Swing Coach is simple to use: It looks like a golf club and you swing it like one, which propels a real golf ball attached to the special cradle in the club head. Make a swing, watch how the ball flies, and immediately know what is right and wrong with the swing.
Swing Coach will teach you to make the right swing at every speed, from pitch shots to drives, all with the same club.  The secret to Swing Coach is its patented cradle technology.
Developed with guidance and collaboration from the world’s top golf coaches—led by Dean Reinmuth, who has coached numerous tour players including Phil Mickelson and is both a Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher and Golf Digest Top 50 teacher—Swing Coach promotes making the proper smooth, accelerating swing by removing the urge to “hit” the ball.
Swing Coach is supported by a web site and full platform of instructional videos by Reinmuth, as well as simple explanations for analyzing ball flights and their meaning.
Just 15 to 30 minutes of practice with Swing Coach is all that’s necessary to see real improvement in golf swings and develop the muscle memory necessary to make perfect swings over and over again. It works for new and developing golfers as well as better players.
And if your game starts to slip, Swing Coach is in the bag to get you back on track in just a few minutes. No need to wait for an appointment with a teaching pro, get wired up, or stand still for video analysis. All you need is Swing Coach and your eyes and you’ll immediately know what you’re doing wrong.
Suggested retail price is $129. Swing Coach is available starting November 15, 2016, via online orders or at major golf retailers starting in 2017. For additional information, access the web site at www.swingcoachclub.com.

Tour Edge Rally Wedge Designed for Exceptional Versatility
​Hit the shots you’ve been dreaming about. I have been a Tour Edge guy for years now. Tour Edge has been in my bag since I found one of their fairway woods over ten years ago. They are a small boutique manufacturer who crafts with care. Now their newest offering is the “Rally Wedge”. Tour Edge Golf introduces the new Rally wedge designed to give players the freedom to be creative around the greens. If an approach shot leaves you with a challenging up-and-down, the Rally wedge will get you back to the green, no matter what kind of lie you have.  Tour Edge engineers took great care in formulating the shape of the Rally wedge. The Rally’s high-toe allows players to open the head for high, soft-landing flop shots. The cambered sole is more rounded for minimal turf interaction regardless of lie conditions. Maximizing versatility, the concave flange incorporates a medium bounce angle for any turf or sand conditions. The Rally wedge is available in KBS Tour Black Nickel shafts, $79.99, and UST Mamiya Recoil shafts, $99.99, standard with a Lamkin UTx grip. Featuring four lofts: 54° with 13° of bounce, 56° with 13° of bounce, 58° with 10° of bounce, and 60° with 10° of bounce. Left hand is available in 56 and 60 degree models. All Rally wedges are 35.25” in shaft length with a 64° lie.