December 4, 2015 Posted by Matt

Bears Paw Reopens! Bears Paw Country Club, the first Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course in Southwest Florida, completed its renovation and reopened in November. Nicklaus, who designed the original layout in 1980, led the $4.8 million redesign in preparation for the club’s 35th anniversary.

Last year members of Bears Paw Country Club voted overwhelmingly to have Nicklaus Design restore the Signature Course.  Using Nicklaus’s original drawings, the restoration and renovation of the golf course included re-grassing of fairways and roughs, rebuilding all 18 greens and all bunkers, the installation of a state-of-the-art irrigation system, concrete cart paths, and new comfort stations on both nines.  Additionally, the golf club restored the practice facilities.

Bear’s Paw Country Club is a private Naples golf community located in Naples Florida.  The club has a limited membership of 297 members which is  one of the smallest memberships in Naples. One of the benefits of a smaller membership is it is easy to get on the course as often as you like.

Single family homes within the community range from $750,000 to $1,100,000 and condos start at $239,000.

If you are interested in exploring real estate in Bears Paw or another golf community in Naples, let me be your guide!  I will help you start down the path of owning your own piece of paradise.

Homes for Sale in Naples, Florida:

• View Homes for Sale in Bears Paw

About Matt Klinowski ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

December 3, 2015 Posted by Matt

Plan your entry point on breaking putts.  If you have a putt that will move left or right toward the hole, you need to visualize an entry point for the ball to drop into the cup.  The middle of the hole is not a good choice for breaking putts, as you will tend to miss on the low side.  Determine your line to the hole and concentrate on the part of the hole where it will have the best chance of going in.  You may select seven o’clock or nine o’clock as your target entry point.  This will narrow your focus and help you to better determine the amount of break in your putt.

December 2, 2015 Posted by Matt

A great shot to have around the green is the cut flop.  You will often see this shot from the players on the professional tours.  If your ball is in the rough near the green, take a lob wedge and open the face so that it is almost flat along the ground.  Aim the leading edge at your target.  Take the club back low to the ground, and then swing aggressively through the grass, so that the club slides under the ball.  Hold your finish low to the ground and just a foot ahead of your ball.  The ball will pop out and should have a good deal of spin on it.  Practice this cut flop, as it will save you many strokes around the green.

Photo Credit: www.golfwrx.com

December 1, 2015 Posted by Matt

Naples, Florida is among the top 10 places to spend the holidays by TravelandLeisure.com.  Coming in #5 out of 26 cities in America.  Here is what they said about Naples, FL:

This Florida town lacks snowman-building material, but the snowbird-style winter wonderland still lures holiday revelers with its luxury stores, cool boutiques, and festive ambiance. Third Street South is the headquarters for the official tree, evening “snow” showers during Thanksgiving week, and gorgeous window displays, like those at department store Marissa Collections in the Old Naples Historic District. Continue shopping along Fifth Avenue South, and check out whimsical clothing and gift shop Wind in the Willows, whose window won Best in Show at the 2013 local holiday decorating contest. Of course, the holidays are about more than retail; catch the Naples edition of the worldwide TUBA Christmas, a concert on Fifth Avenue South’s Sugden Plaza featuring brass tubas, euphoniums, and baritones.

Top 10 Places to Spend the Holidays:

1.  Aspen, CO
2.  Vail, CO
3.  Ogunquit, ME
4.  Nantucket, MA
5.  Naples, FL
6.  Breckenridge, CO
7.  Lewisburg, WV
8.  Beaufort, NC
9.  Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
10.  Park City, UT

Credit:  www.thirdstreetsouth.com

View the full list of 26 cities

Or, maybe you’d like to just spend all year here! If you do, let me help you find your new luxury home in paradise!

 View Single Family Homes for Sale in Naples, Florida:

• Less than $250,000
• $250,000 – $499,999
• $500,000 – $749,999
• $750,000 – $999,999
• $1,000,000 – $2,499,999
• $2,500,000 – $4,999,999
• $5,000,000 – $9,999,999
• More than $10,000,000

About Matt Klinowski ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

December 1, 2015 Posted by Matt

Missing those short putts and ending up with a bogey can be so frustrating after you’ve played the rest of the holes well.  The keys to making these short putts are aim and speed.  First, set the putter behind the ball and aim it to the hole, then take your stance by stepping in and having your body parallel to your target line.  Second, make a rhythmic putting stroke that goes back smoothly, makes a slight pause, and then accelerates through the ball.  This will ensure that the ball rolls crisply to the hole, and holds the line.  If you slow down the forward stroke, the putter face will open or close, and the ball will miss the hole every time.

November 30, 2015 Posted by Matt

When you practice, always use alignment rods.  If is difficult to align ourselves correctly by just using our eyes.  Most players aim to the right of the target naturally.  When you go to practice, always use alignment rods or old shaft to point just left of your target.  When you set up to the ball, make sure your fee, hips, and shoulders are parallel to the rod.  By doing this in practice, you will get a better sense of what it feels like to be square to the target.  This method will help train your eyes to know when you are aimed correctly.

Credit: cheapestgolfequipment.com

November 30, 2015 Posted by Matt

Marco Island home sales dipped during the month of October compared to the same time last year.  The number of single family home sales fell from 30 in October of 2014 down to 26 in October of this year.

Condo sales were up slightly compared to last year.  There were 37 sales in October compared to last year when there were only 35 condo sales.

The total value of Marco Island home sales was $54 million dollars in October, compared with  $63 million in September 2015 and $50 million in October 2014.

About Matt Klinowski ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

November 29, 2015 Posted by Matt

Existing home sales are up nationwide by 3.9 percent year-over-year according to the latest Existing Home Sales Report released by the National Association of Realtors (NAR).  Overall prices are also up, increasing 5.8 percent over last year.

Some Additional Existing Home Sales Highlights:

• The annual adjusted sales are currently at a 5.36 million pace.
• 14,684 homes sell every day in the United States.
• October marked the 44th consecutive month of price gains.

View full Market Report

About Matt Klinowski ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

November 29, 2015 Posted by Matt

Load and coil for more power.  To create more power in your golf swing, you should feel as if you are coiling back like a spring and then releasing it through the ball.  To get this feeling, avoid lifting your arms up in the backswing; rather, feel your weight load into your back butt muscle as your legs support the backswing.  From this position, shift your weight to your front foot, uncoil your shoulders, and swing your arms through the ball.  You should feel no effort in manipulating the club with your arms and hands.  Let them whip through impact as a result of your shoulders unwinding.

November 28, 2015 Posted by Matt

Focus on your right knee during practice.  One important key is to set and move your right knee properly during the golf swing.  On the backswing, keep a little flex, or bend, in the right knee, to receive your weight and enable yourself to make a weight shift to the front foot.  If you straighten the knee, it will make it difficult to get your weight moving forward and often leads to a reverse pivot.  Then, move the right knee toward your target; do not jut it out toward the ball.  This will ensure that you are swinging with power from your feet up.  Have a friend or professional check your right knee during the swing to see if you are executing the moves correctly.