Golf Review: TaylorMade Rescue Mid Hybrids- 6/30/08

Review: The Taylor Made Rescue Mid hybrids that I have are the second set of hybrids that I have had. At first I was using the clone hybrids from Pinemeadow and then decided to upgrade. I chose the Taylor Made Rescue Mid since the price at the time (2006) was decent since Taylor Made just released the more update Dual Rescue hybrids.

I currently play the 3 and 4 hybrids with regular flex, steel shafts and I do have to say that they are outstanding clubs for the price. When hit they project a nice steel click and fly decently. I am able to hit the 3 hybrid around 165 yards and the 4 hybrid at 145 yards. The clubs do show some slight ballooning and even with the 3 hybrid tend to pop up in the air easily. This is great when not a strong hitter, not that good for trying to blast a long shot from under a tree.

The grips are nice standard Taylor Made sleek and smooth style. The hybrids come with an easy to pull on and off cover with a detachable chain to call out the club number. You can routinely find these clubs brand new for under $90.00 these days, even lower for used version since it is now a couple generations old with the Rescue Dual and now the Burner hybrids proliferating the market.
These clubs provide a lot of forgiveness for me and am able to drive the ball further compared to when I hit long irons such as a Callaway 3-iron, Dunlop SST 5-iron and maybe even my new Ben Hogan Edge CFT (haven’t hit it yet) 3-iron.

CLUB	LEFT-HANDED	LOFT	LIE	HEAD VOLUME	CLUB LENGTH	SWING WEIGHT
GRAPHITE	2	No	16°	59°	105cc	41"	D3
	3	Yes	19°	59.5°	107cc	40.5"	D3
	4	Yes	22°	60°	110cc	40"	D3
	5	No	25°	60.5°	113cc	39.5"	D3

Score: 4 out of 5

Golf Course Review: UPDATED David L. Baker Golf Course, Fountain Valley, CA Golf Course- 6/28/07

Review: David L. Baker Golf Course in Fountain Valley, CA. Game played on Saturday 6/28/08. Played a game at David Baker around 10:00 a.m. and the course was pretty light on golfers. I have never seen David Baker so sparse especially on a Saturday. I’ve seen the course backed up 3-4 teams deep, even during the So. Cal fires last year when the air was smoke-tinged and the course still had back-ups. Don’t know if the heat warnings earlier this week scared players off or people cutting back due to the economy, but we were able to complete the course in under 3.5 hours. We could’ve finished in about 3 hours but we did encounter a slight slowdown due to some five-somes on the course reading the greens pretty slowly.

The course fairways finally had some green color to it, still brown in some areas but betting then I’ve seen it in a year. After the first few holes the greens are fast and smooth, only on the first front nines are their outstanding divots and patchy colors.

The sprinkled ponds on the course took four golf balls from me that day, water color ranged from the normal green tinge to some weird looking brown murkiness. If you can still get on the course without traffic, then the $27.00 cost is reasonable. We did see around the early afternoon a group of three golf carts playing the first hole that looked like a golf class starting play that significantly causes a back-up on the course, so pick your tee time wisely.

Score: 3.25 out of 5

Goodwill Store: Color Tag Sale- Week of 6/27/08

Goodwill Color Tag Sale for the week of 6/27/08 through 7/3/08: 50% off Orange item tagged merchandise.

*Orange County, CA locations only.

Golf Review: Youth Nike Golf Clubs and Stand Bag- 6/23/08

Review: Nike Golf sells a line of off-the-rack golf clubs and equipment for kids. I just went to the Nike.com site and I couldn't find a set description so they may be tweaking it still, a British site though as some item features.

For the aspiring young golfer, Nike offers sets of equipment based on their height. You can choose between Par Red, Birdie Blue, and Eagle Silver- tagged equipment for little tykes up to tweens. I will be reviewing the Blue color equipment since based on the color range only certain clubs are offered. The taller you are the more clubs to choose from.

The Nike kids driver (blue) looks like the previous 2004 adult Ignite driver, comes with graphite Nike shaft and steel club face. The driver has a nice pop and I've seen it pop balls around 125 yards, I do believe that the club should have a larger face since the version here is very shallow. The shaft also is very stiff and I wish Nike offered a more flexible version, why do kids with low swing speeds get stiff flex?

The hybrid club is approx. a 3- iron club and along with the mid iron and pitching wedge come with graphite, regular flex shafts. The hybrid is nicely weighted and offers good distance. The two irons offered in the Blue set are decent, though distance is not as long or forgiving as the prior clubs. An offering of a sand or lob wedge would have been nice to help out kids launch into the air balls from a deep bunker.



The Nike putter is the one color length that did not match up with the user. The steel shaft and half-circle mallet design in the Blue color was very short so the putter length had to be moved up to the Silver color selection, while a bit longer than needed, it at least wasn't as extreme as the short length of the blue. Putter comes with a soft polymer-like insert. Nice feel, though some grass chips do sometimes get caught in the edges where the insert in the face and body of the club meet.

Last but not least the golf bag, this one was also chosen to be the Silver instead of blue tag since the Silver offered more room. The bag is very light, comes with dual shoulder Izzo strap system and four pockets and four club dividers.

These clubs were previously picked up over a year ago during the yearly golf clearance at Target stores so some items like the bag was purchased for $15 compared to the usual $40-$50. Sports Authority stores also sell this line along with Nike kids golf shoes, golf towels, kids golf balls and gloves. Some of the club appearance have been changed in the current product line, the putter sold now looks more like the adult Ignite line with the triangular shape.

For an off-the-rack kids golf equipment and decent price the Nike line is a fine choice. The selection is nice is that you can buy just a few items (putter and iron) just to see if you kids likes the sport instead of have to plunk down a lot more buying a full array of equipment like the Callaway, Ping, Cobra, or La Jolla packages.

Score: 3.25 out of 5

Goodwill Store: Color Tag Sale- Week of 6/20/08

Goodwill Color Tag Sale for the week of 6/20/08: Blue items and Pink tag merchandise.

It looks like Goodwill Stores in Orange County, CA came to their senses and ended their short-lasting test of only having the color tag 50% off sale from Sundays through Thursdays.

For some reason they instituted several weeks ago that they would not offer the usual 50% off color tags on Fridays and Saturdays, i don't know if the bright reason for that was those days were their high traffic days and that they could bring more cash flow by not discounting items on those days. Well I'm guessing that that trick did not happen since in the stores I went to when they had the limited days, store traffic died down and these are stores that you do not go to splurge but to save money.

Thankfully it looks like the Goodwill stores came to their senses and brought back the color tag discount throughout the week with the sale items starting on Friday and switching at the end of Thursday. It was a rumor I overheard last weekend, I wish they announced it since there was a dvd set that had this weeks colors that I was waiting on to get discounted, but alas it was gone on Saturday.

A big yay for bringing in the old promotion back. I'm also hoping they're keeping the two-color discount together with one general color item 50% off any item (clothing, books, movies, accessories, electronics, etc.) and a second color just for merchandise. I think it will help drive additional sales if customers can expect to buy more items instead of waiting until a particular item's color is chosen.

I do have a suggestion for Goodwill which I think can bring it some additional revenue as well as make some shopping bargain hunters happy, offer discount code coupon books. For example for $10.00 a customer will receive a Goodwill store booklet with coupon discounts good for 50% any one color item, 25% off blue color clothing, 15% orange tagged books, etc. Buyers would buy this so they can buy on the spot an item they'd like to purchase at a discount and not have to wait, Goodwill can make some extra cash by selling a routine item for goods that may sit around for long periods (increased cash flow).

I'd also like to note that the San Diego Goodwill stores have a different pricing and merchandise strategy from Orange County stores. The one Mr. Monster visited in North County had hand labeled color tags, but the store did not have discounts based on the color (maybe it's only on certain sale days). The store was a lot smaller, but the selection of goods had more retail store clothing that had tags still attached such as Dockers, Banana Republic, etc. that were not the usual Target store overstock/return merchandise.

I wonder of the San Diego branches get donated items from mall/retail stores directly since I saw some with tags from Marshalls and TJ Max. The store even had a section on the clothing racks labeled New Items for the women's side, I guess so you don't have to spend too much time looking through for recently stocked items.

Golf Review: Nike Dri-Fit Golf Gloves- 6/21/08

Review: I have been using the Nike Dri-Fit golf gloves for the last couple of years on and off. For the price they sell around $10.00. These are synthetic gloves and have held up longer than some other name brand gloves I have used in the past.

I did choose this Nike version since I was looking for black golf gloves and the Nike Dri-Fits were the most readily available at a good low price. They also come in a nice vented hard plastic case which helps keep them in shape instead of throwing them crumpled into the side pockets of your golf bag.

I have regulated this version of the glove to mostly practice and driving range so it's been going on almost a year for me. The last version I used during play laster about six months before rips appeared. This one I use for practice and sometimes play, the only wear showing up is that the synthetic leather around the thumbs and wrist area are rubbing off and exposing the lycra fabric.

The fit is good for a ML and breathes well without any major discomfort notice. Plus since this is a black colored version, dirt and stains are hard to notice. Major pluses for the glove holder.

Score: 3.5 out of 5

Golf Review: Neoprene Golf Iron Head Covers- 6/20/08

Review: When I first got into golf I started noticing on my sets of irons that they were getting scratched up and dinged, and not just from hitting the ground during my horrible play!

Carrying your irons around in your bag during a typical day of play or even dragging it out to the driving range does cause the clanging of the clubs to happen at they batter themselves in your bag.

I decided then to try and keep my irons in nice condition as long as I can since I don't apply to the terms that certain golfers have in the thought that having scuffs and scrapes on your irons is a normal part of the game and a good "game scar" to show. Well, this can be applied to you car as well, it gets dings and bumps as well during normal use and if I see a horrible dent in it then I would get an auto body shop to fix that big dent on my car, that why I try and keep my car in a garage or not parked in tight spaces... I like keeping my things in good condition.

Still, not wanting to spend too much money I decided on neoprene covers. They're low-priced, easy to put on, and light. I got these shown in the photo from Walmart for less than $10.00. They had labels from 4-SW. I do wish they had eliminated the 4 or had one blank or "x" since I would have liked to use on on my lob wedge, so instead I place the 4 on it.

My other friends have variations on the materials for the head covers, some expensive like the Club Glove version and some with the old-school hard plastic material. These have kept my irons in good condition, though I do take them off completely during games since I do not like spending extra time putting them on and off during course of play as well as the possibility of losing them moving around the fairways.

I recommend getting them for as low-priced as possible around $10 since the more expensive versions you can instead get extra golf balls. Mine have started to rip a bit after almost 2 years of play, but only a little. Check out your local Walmart, Target, Big 5 or Sports Authority store for them locally.

Score: 3 out of 5

Movie Review: The Happening (2008)- 6/19/08

Review: Another new hyped film by M. Night Shyamalan. The reviews haven't been kind and I'd have to agree. I liked the Sixth Sense and Signs (except the water deus ex machina), flat on Unbreakable, haven't seen The Village fully (kinda boring in the parts I've seen on cable), and don't want to watch Lady in the Water (read the spoiler and plot and it was ridiculous).

The premise to The Happening seemed interesting. People killing themselves from out of the blue and the rest of the populace trying to figure it it out and running outta the way. Well if you've see the recent horror film The Ruins, there's the plot twist inserted into this movie. The acting and actors were flat and the premise ridiculous when halfway through the movie a side character brings out his theory on why people are dying.

The studio keeps bragging on how this is the first R rated movie from M. Night and the scenes that should be enacted on screen to showcase the horror of the deaths are all shown IN THE TV COMMERCIALS. That's right, if you watch the trailer then 90% of the "gruesome" deaths are already shown to you.

The ending is a big let down with after 3 months post-mini apocalypse everyone seems all honky-dory and then another outbreak appears elsewhere. Beejezus! My main problem was how characters who seemed smart make really bad decisions: Leaving a Hummer behind when running away, not stying together or letting each other know they're moving, and the most problematic for me was escaping the root of the menace by closing door and windows...when the toxic "thing" should already be part of the oxygen based on where it's coming from. Beejezus Part II!

Score: 1.5 out of 5

In honor of M. Night's movies and the twists he put on them, here's a link from Yahoo! exposing the Top 20 movie plot twists!

Golf Review: Spalding Leather Golf Cart Bag- 6/18/08

Review: I was able to pick up this Spalding Golf Cart Leather Bag at a thrift store for cheap, less than $10.00. The only problem at the time was that it was in bad shape, gum/tar marks, dirt, and regular wear. But seeing that it was a nice retro-looking bag and made of genuine leather, I wanted to give it a try since I did like the red with white trim look. After using cleaning agents to remove the gunk and a lot of elbow grease to remove all the dirt and such I was able to get this in pretty pristine shape.

This Spalding cart bag has four pockets. Two pockets in the front and one large side pocket and one small valuables pocket in the other side. The bag has three dividers and the strap is still in good shape.

All in all it is now in good shape and I bring it out on courses where I do not need a stand bag such as when the courses we play are cart-only. It's fun coming to courses having this old school bag in play.

Score. 3.5 out of 5. High rating since I bought it at such a low price.

Golf Review: Golf Digest Pull Cart- 6/17/08

Review: Picked up this Golf Digest brand pull cart from Target and have had this in use for just under two years and it's holding up well. I paid $30.00 for it though it's sometimes on sale at the store for $25.00 when their golf clearance happens.

Here are some features:
• Lightweight pull cart has removable wheels
• Designed to fit any standard golf bag
• Lightweight, compact design for easy storage
• Convenient score card holder
• 20.47Hx30.7Wx45.6D"

This pull cart is pretty light and I'm able to carry it one handed up and down flights of stairs. The two golf ball and four tee holders are handy. More expensive carts have additional water bottle holders and larger score card holders, but then you pay for the price, if you do get the three-wheeled cart at least. The wheels, though plastic, have not had any significant problems or break-downs.

The downsides to this cart are as follows: 1. Having to tighten the wheels during the start of each game since they do loosen up throughout a game., 2. The pencil holder is hard to accommodate certain pencil sizes and ends up getting lost during a game. 3. Trying to keep the front of the bag facing forward does not work well since the bag tends to turn sideways throughout the game. I've had to either leave the bag facing sidewards (leaving one side of the bag and pockets inaccessible) or at times drilled holes and inserted screws into the top holder to keep the bag from turning.

For the price though at around $30.00, this is the lowest price pull cart you can find new. Sometimes Sports Authority has a three-wheeled version push cart on sale for $50.00 to $60.00 which is a good price. My golf buddies who have the more lavish Bag Boy three-wheeled push carts end up skipping on bringing them along since they take up a lot of trunk space while I am always able to take this version since it does fold easily into my car's trunk.

Score: 3 out of 5

Golf Review: Fila Sunday Golf Bag- 6/16/08

Review: Picked up this Fila Sunday Golf Bag to replace my previous Wilson Sunday Golf Bag. I was looking for a Sunday Bag that was weighted at the bottom so the bag did not tip over when loaded with golf clubs like the lighter-weight Wilson golf bag. The Fila golf bag has one front golf pocket, one side valuables pocket, a mesh pocket, a clip ring, and one large side pocket.

The top section of the bag is cloth-lined so there is no need to worry about scuffing the shafts of the golf clubs. The should pad holster is pretty padded and holds the bag up well. I like that the Fila logo plays throughout the bag and even the zippers have the logo molded into them. There is an internal frame skeleton within the bag to keep the structure sound, I don't know if it's just my bag but the frame in mine twists easily making it seem broken but I cannot find within the seems a broken rod.

Overall it's a nice light Sunday bag which you should be able to find low-priced in the secondary market.

Score: 3 out of 5

Movie Review: Shutter (2008)- 6/15/08

Review: If you've seen The Ring or The Grudge or the countless other asian remake films Hollywood has put out, then you've seen Shutter. If you'd like to see Pacey from the Dawson's Creek t.v. series get his due, then this is the movie for you. Standard fare for horror.

A newlywed couple move to Japan where the photographer husband is schedule to shoot. Strange appearances and ghostly images start to appear on film, windows, reflective things etc. so the wife starts to investigate. There's a small plot twist in the end that I saw a mile coming. There's maybe a couple jumps but nothing out of the ordinary.

There are tons of similarities to The Ring movie (which the American film I find the pinnacle of the u.s. remakes) with the dead girl, plot twist at the end, fly, appearing in media, etc. A good dvd rental or catch on HBO but nothing too spectacular or original.

Score: 2.95 out of 5

Goodwill Store: Color Tag Sale- Week of 6/14/08

Goodwill Color Tag Sale for the week of 6/14/08: Blue

Since I haven't seen posted on any other websites or even noted in the Southern California Goodwill stores, I will be posting what color tags are being used for the specials of the week.

For those of you who don't know, every week the Goodwill Stores here in Southern California place certain items on 50% discount. Items in the store usually have colored price tags on them such as green, blue, pink, and purple.

At the beginning of the week (Depending on how it changes, either Friday or Sunday) one of the colored tags are chose and any items displaying that color becoms 50% off the listed price.

Now the 50% off is good for some items that form some reason Goodwill marks pretty high. Some of the electronics such as t.v.s and stereos they actually mark higher than new flat screens at retail stores or even tagged new items from Target which are out-of-season or returns but are not used at all are sometimes priced at Goodwill higher than the actual store price tag!

As noted in postings, I check out Goodwill for golf items sometimes such as getting Nike One Platinum golf balls for a dollar each (they were new in sleeves but the boxes were dinged), or buying old putters and wooden clubs for fun.

So check it out, maybe you'll find something good. It's also for a good cause.

Golf Review: Top Flite Golf Shoes- 6/14/08

Comments: Picked up these Top Flite sneaker golf shoes at clearance at Target a while back. I wanted a golf shoe that was more inclined for walking the golf course than my previous Dunlop Sport saddle shoes so when I saw these sneaker types on sale I grabbed them.

Nothing too fancy about these Top Flite golf shoes. Mainly white with navy blue trim and the bottom has orange accents with stabilizers. Comes with meal thread Top Flite branded spikes. After I wore the spikes down I replaced them with Pulsar spikes but one thread on a spike from the originals has worn down so I could not rip it off at all. So the bottom of one shoe has all but one new spikes on it.

Cleaning is easy, just wash and scrub with a brush, I did add in gels for the long walks since the padded insoles were thin for me. It's not water proof so be careful on wet and muddy courses. The shoe has held up for me with only one cut inflicted on it after two full seasons.

Score: 2.75 out of 5. Lower rating because of the defective spike thread and limited water proof abilities.

Golf Review: Dunlop Sport Saddle Golf Shoes Golf Shoes- 6/13/08

Comments: I purchased these Dunlop Sport saddle golf shoesand wore them for about 10 rounds of golf and I can attest that they feel very comfortable.

As you can see from the photos, the shoe is in good condition, spikes are original Dunlop spikes. There are scuff and marks on the toe of the shoes as well as on some sections of the heel area since I used these shoes when I rode golf carts and I tend to scuff my shoes on the pedals.

I do wish there was more cushioning in the show, I had to add in some gel pads for walking rounds so I usually kept these shoes as backups for when I rode golf carts and switched to my more sneaker-like Top Flite shoes for walking. I did get this shoe back in Maui at the local Walmart there for a low price and brought it back to So. Cal as my first official golf shoe. A good beginner's shoe for the price, less than $30.00 retail, but it does scuff easily.

Dunlop Sport Features & Specifications

Lace up these lightweight shoes for a day on the course. Maximum comfort comes from the cushioned footbed and rubber outsole. Synthetic leather helps with breathability and supports all ranges of motion. Get ready for tee time.

Dunlop Sport Shoes Product Details:

-Comfortable golf shoes with brown shoelaces
-Synthetic leather upper
-Cushioned footbed
-Lightweight rubber outsole
-Original Dunlop spikes with one Softspikes replacement
-Care: Wipe clean

Score: 2.75 out of 5

Golf Review: FootJoy Impulse Golf Shoes- 6/13/08

Comments: The FootJoy Impulse shoes are made on a low-profile last featuring a modified oblique-toe design, which is a very popular look in casual shoe styling.

The FootJoy Impulse golf shoe is built for the green or even the red carpet. A combination of great metro styling with great fit, comfort and support. Soft full grain leather uppers. Low profile EVA midsol.

I just purchased this FootJoy Impulse shoes and wore them for just one round of golf and felt very comfortable. I have to say from just wearing it for one round compared to my previous Top Flite golf shoe, the Impulse is very light and padded so well that my feet and legs did not get as tired as with my previous shoes.

FootJoy Impulse Golf Shoe Features

Inspired by the spirit of the younger golfer - and to help score with a younger demographic - FootJoy introduced a new shoe line called Impulse that offers the unique "metro styling" seen in the trendiest areas of the world. The FootJoy Impulse shoes are made on a low-profile style featuring a modified oblique-toe design, which is a very popular look in casual shoe styling. The new category represents a fresh new attitude in men's golf shoe fashion.

The Impulse golf shoes are made using fashionable full grain leather uppers with a waterproof membrane, allowing the shoe to have limited waterproof ability. The shoe also features super thick PU-cushioned Fit-Bed and soft PU linings for comfort and improved cushioning. The outsole incorporates a TPU lateral stability bridge and a DuraMax rubber outsole for maximum durability.

Upper Technology
- Soft & fashionable full grain leather uppers
- 2-yr ltd. waterproof warranty

Outsole Technology - DuraMax rubber outsole - Pulsar cleats In- shoe Technology - Dual density PU Fit-Bed - Dri-Lex moisture wicking linings - Slip last construction - New low profile Driving Last

Score: 3.5 out of 5

Movie Review: The Incredible Hulk (2008)- 6/13/08

Comments: I thought the movie was so-so, the handling of the Abomination at the end was not thoroughly explained. Once the solider changes he starts thrashing the city and so they have to let Banner take him out?

This one played more of a cat and mouse thriller than the Ang Lee psychological version. Too me it felt more like a beefed up version of the Bruce Bixby show, still I did like some of the homages to the t.v. and comic sources. There are about three main action scenes with the Hulk and only one where he has some problems (the fight with The Abomination monster). There was never a sense of danger for Banner in the movie for me, not even at the end when he throws himself out of a flying helicopter. I do like how the super soldier is shown juicing up to match the Hulk, though adding extra screen time for his character would have been better than the scenes with Banner and Betty Ross which was standard movie fare and didn't add a real romance aspect to the story.

I liked Ang Lee's version for the more insightful dealings with Banner's psyche and where the Hulk comes from in his mind. This 2008 version I dig for the more closely comic book related origin and homages. Gonna have to watch Lee's version again to compare. I do prefer Eric Bana and Jennifer Connelly's representation for their character's and Norton's and Tyler's seem comic-lite.

Not as good as Iron Man though, time to see if Dark Knight topples it as the comic movie of 2008.

Score: 2.75 out of 5

Golf Course Review: UPDATE Casta Del Sol Golf Course, Mission Viejo, CA- 6/11/08

I've just received this email from Casta Del Sol Golf Course in Mission Viejor today announcing their new tiered greens fee program. Prior to this Casta Del Sol in my opinion was the best deal for a short, but full 18 hole golf course in Orange County.

After 1:00 p.m. you would pay only $12 to walk the course which usually take 3-3.5 hours to complete. That cost was even cheaper than paying the $12-14 to play at the nearby 9-hole Lake Forrest Golf Center (underwhelming if you ask me and overpriced).

Now the new fees at Casta Del Sol you can pay the $12.00 only after 4:00 p.m. I wonder if it's the economic slowdown, need to generate more cash, or to break the pace of play from so many people playing during the twilight rates. I'm guessing it's #2 since so many people play during twilight (1:00 p.m. and after) before that the course was routinely backed-up a short bit so increasing the fees should hopefully liven up the pace of play.

It's fair enough for the 4:00 p.m. players to pay $12 still and should still be able to finish the full 18 holes during the long Summer hours. The $9 for post 6:00 p.m. is a joke though, you'd be lucky to get 5-6 holes in Summer.

New Casta Del Sol Twilight Tier Rates for June 2008
Valid Monday-Friday, until June 27th, 2008

2:00pm-3:00pm $17.00 Walking
3:00pm-4:00pm $14.00 Walking
4:00pm-6:00pm $12.00 Walking
After 6:00pm $9.00 Walking

Add a 1/2 Cart Fee for $10.00 from 2pm-6pm and an $8.00 Fee after 6:00pm.

Movie Review: Kung Fu Panda- 6/10/08

Comments: I didn't have high expectations from this movie but after reading some positive reviews I decided to check it out. It's a pretty funny and light-hearted romp in animal-infused China with a hilarious Po the Panda by Jack Black. All-star voice cast lends it's talents to this fast-paced film, runs about 88 minutes so there are not a lot of slow meandering moments.

A DreamWorks Animated Film, I didn't like their recent Shrek 2 or 3 movies so I was pleasantly surprised at the subtle jokes and kooky plots that didn't have to rely on crude humor like the Shrek series has become. The story is pretty standard hero comes from unlikely background then learns martial arts after a hilarity-infused training and defeats the bad guy.

I do wish they delved more into the background of the main bad guy (I think he was a snow leopard) and the Five Masters. Still with the brief running time you'll barely have time to use the bathroom during the film, so go beforehand!

Score: 4 out of 5

Book Review: Small Is the New Big: and 183 Other Riffs, Rants, and Remarkable Business Ideas- 6/10/08

Comments: "Small Is the New Big" is another business marketing book by Seth Godin that I've read. A pretty light and quick read that explains streamlining your marketing business by simplifying and bringing your message to the masses by staying small and keeping ideas fresh and innovative.

I did have some problems with some of the author's view points where it seems like he does think pretty full of himself and his ideas (he's started his own companies, worked at fledgling Yahoo!, etc.) that I've found some of his examples full of holes and easily explainable outside his own thoughts.

What's missing here is that the author doesn't try and challenge his own ideas or try and be his own devil's advocate (a basic rule of thumb) and that's what ultimately brings his ideas down a notch in my viewpoint. He also seems to point out the same websites or companies as examples in his books, especially his own company Squidoo (which according to him is the best thing since processed cheese and I think is another social bookmarking site with no big whoop to it).

Overall still the notes and examples are interesting and this book can help you think of new or reinvent your marketing ideas.

Score: 3 out of 5

Book Review: Winning Results with Google AdWords- 6/10/08

Comments: I've never worked directly on online media except for past site buys in the old online ad banner trade. Now with even more specific marketing channels and the influx of targeted search marketing with companies such as Overture (Yahoo) and Google dominating the market, it was time for me to learn.

For those out of the loop on how those text ads you see on Google show up during a search work, this is a great book with a very simple and easy walk-through on the background of AdWords as well as examples of parlaying it into your own use.

Prior to reading this book I really didn't fully understand the difference between AdWords and AdSense or Overture, now I do. So if you're game in playing the media channels for your business to drive traffic outside the "natural search" parameters, check out this book and see if Google's AdWords can drive your business to higher sales in a relatively targetable media.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Golf Review: Deluxe Sunday Golf Bag by Wilson- 6/10/08

Comments: Deluxe Sunday Golf Bag by Wilson. Convenient Lightweight Golf Bag. Ideal For The Golf Range Or "Pitch and Putt" Courses.

The Wilson Sunday Golf Bag is of durable lightweight, black nylon construction with adjustable shoulder strap and convenient zippered ball pouch. Perfect for the golf practice range or short yardage courses.

* Durable lightweight construction
* Weighs less than a pound
* Convenient zippered pouch stores balls and accessories
* Includes adjustable shoulder strap
* Easily holds up to 7 clubs

I bought it at Sports Authority for less than $20.00. It's super compact and fits in the little box in the photo so you now that this bag folds up well and is able to be carried almost anywhere for those quick games without lugging your large golf bag.

The shortcomings to the bag is that it only has one small pocket which can at most hold six golf balls or your wallet and keys, not much room for other accessories. I routinely kept my glove case in the main club pocket for room. Also, when carrying clubs the bag becomes top heavy so it tends to want to topple forward since there is no weighting to the bottom of the bag. So at times when I'm carrying the bag and do not want it to topple, I'd reverse the clubs and have the heads of the clubs facing inward into the bag.

If you just want a light and small carry bag for trips then this is it, if you tend to carry many items or a lot of clubs, then you'd best pick a more fuller Sunday bag.

Score: 2.50

Movie Review: One Missed Call- 6/8/08

Comments: Another Japanese horror movie turned into an poor American remake. Think of this movie as a poor man's The Grudge but with a substandard plot based on haunted cell phone calls instead of watching a haunted video.

Here's the whole plot: College kids get mysterious calls from themselves in the future with their last sentences spoken before dying (repeat), then storyline jumps where the protagonist is not who you thought it was (Think The Grudge), movie ends... no real closure.

The deaths are unimaginative, the scares and jumps are easy to predict and the actors not compelling enough to pull it off. Skip this unless you're bored at home and it's playing on cable.

Score: 2 out of 5.

I'm giving it a 2 instead of a 1 since at the beginning of the movie I got a laugh when the "ghost" abducts one of the college kids....and then her cat!

Golf Course Review: Willowick Golf Course in Santa Ana, CA- 6/7/08

Comments: The Willowick golf Course in Santa Ana, CA is a pretty simple and straight forward golf course that should draw players looking for a full Par 72 course that they can bomb & gouge to their hearts content without the fear of hazards such as ravines, lakes, hills, eco-areas, etc. The majority of the terrain in Willowick is flat with minimal topography features, you'll experience straight fairways the majority of the holes with only about two holes showcasing dogleg turns.

To combat the fairly straightforward fairways, the designer placed some tough and tall bunkers smack dab fronting the green. A good majority of the greens have a huge sand trap right at the front making sure you do not try to lay up your shots, and if you try and blast it over prepare for a good many sloping areas around the green that will frustrate you to no ends when you place a good shot in the green and watch the ball roll a foot into the fringe and then roll down a hill 20 yards down hill. The greens at the time we played in the afternoon had many "scar" marks from previous punches of the hole. The value was decent for $35.00 smack-dab in the middle of Santa Ana.

For some reason our threesome was paired with two other walk-ons. We could've done with one, but at least the two guys were amicable and were just a touch better than us. The course also has a small driving range for players to warm up. Be careful in this course, I would rank this the most dangerous course in So. Cal since many of the tee off areas and greens are right next to each other so you can get pummeled by players are you tee off. There's also a lack of nets or trees/brushes in areas to protect the tee off areas from wayward shots, the day we played we saw many close-calls.

Summary: All in all Willowick Golf Course was a decent average course with no wow factor but if you're new or just looking to wail away on your shots then this is a good course to choose. Only full 18-hole, par 72 where I have not lost one ball. Simple layout but you still better play well if you want a good score.

Score: 3 out of 5

Golf Thoughts: Mega Demo Day at Roger Dunn Golf Shops in Long Beach- 6/6/08

This Saturday, the Roger Dunn Golf Shop in the Long Beach, CA location is having their multi-vendor demo day.

Expect Nike, TaylorMade, Callaway, Cobra, Titliest, Mizuno, Cleveland and more there. This is a great chance for you to try out the new 2008 equipment and products like I did in 2006.

I wish they promoted it more, just learned about it today. Too bad I have a game already scheduled for that day or I would've gone to check out and try some items.

Golf Review: Sales on Wilson Staff 50/50 Golf Balls at Target- 6/1/08

I've also just seen at Target this week the Wilson 50/50 golf balls on sale for only $11.98.

Great price for a dozen balls under $1.00 a piece.