November 2, 2015 Posted by Matt

To hit good bunker shots you need to rotate your shoulders.  Many players dump their green-side bunker shots back into the sand because they lack speed in cutting through the sand under the ball.  Swinging with your arms and hands will not allow you to propel the ball up and out consistently.  When you have a bunker shot, turn your shoulders to 90 degrees on the backswing so you can generate power for the club head to fire through the sand.  When you swing with force, you will cause the sand to lift the ball up and create spin to stop it on the green.  Practice making aggressive bunker swings with a good shoulder turn and you will make good bunker shots.

November 1, 2015 Posted by Matt

If your ball is just off the green, you need to make a decision whether to chip or putt.  If the grain of the fairway grass is against you (the blades point toward your ball), it is better to putt the ball.  If you try to chip, the grain might catch your club and cause you to stub the shot by stopping it in the grass.  If the grain is flowing with you, then you have the option of putting or chipping the ball depending on the slope of the green ahead of you.  Chip it uphill and putt it downhill for better distance control.

October 31, 2015 Posted by Matt

What if your lie is “too good”?  If you have a pitch or chip shot where the ball is sitting on top of the grass in the rough, you need to be careful.  While the ball is sitting up nicely, there is a very good chance that you will come under the ball with your club and strike it on the top of the face.  This will cause the ball to come up very short of your target.  A better way to  play this shot is to hover the club head on top of the grass and take it back and through low to the grass level.  This way, you will strike the ball in the middle of the face for good results.

October 30, 2015 Posted by Matt

If the ball is below your feet, concentrate on balance.  Hitting a ball that’s below your feet is one of the most difficult shots in the game.  Many players will miss this shot badly because they lose their balance during the swing by falling forward as the club comes down to the ball.  To help hit this shot properly, set your weight more toward your heels, and lower your rear end more than usual.  When you make your swing, keep your legs and feet as still as possible, and swing with your upper body only.  Grip the club toward the end of the handle.  The ball will start left and curve to the right, so allow for it by aiming well to the left.  Take a few practice swings first, to see if you remain in balance during the swing, and the step up and make the shot.

October 29, 2015 Posted by Matt

Swinging your arms for long putts.  On long putts, you should avoid trying to make a putting stroke that uses only your shoulders while keeping your arms and hands still.  While this works well for short putts, you will not have a good feel for distance on longer ones.  Swing your arms and let your hands and wrists move a little as you would on a chip or pitch shot.  This will allow you to generate more force to get the ball rolling on a longer putt, while still giving you a feel for distance.  Relax and use a light grip.  Think of making a flowing stroke to roll a ball.

October 29, 2015 Posted by Matt

October events in Naples come to a close with a fantastic list of Halloween activities downtown Naples this weekend.

Third Street South Farmers Market – 31st
7:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Behind Tommy Bahamas
More Info call (239) 649-6707
www.thirdstreetsouth.com/

Monster Mash – 31st
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Venetian Village
More Info call (239) 961-2975
www.venetianvillage.com/

Halloween Spooktacular – 31st
4:30 PM – 9:30 PM
Fifth Avenue South
More Info call (239) 692-8436
www.fifthavenuesouth.com/

As we head into season check out a full list of events for November.

October 29, 2015 Posted by Matt

Naples has been named one of Conde Nast Traveler’s Best Small Cities in America from its 2015 Readers’ Choice Awards. Naples came in at No. 15, behind Santa Barbara, California.

Here’s how they described our small Southwest Florida town:

There’s no shortage of beautiful beaches in Naples, Florida, but locals head to the white sands of Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park to spread out their blankets and catch some rays. Other popular activities in this upscale southwest Florida town include hitting the links (try LaPlaya Beach and Golf Resort), splurging on high-end shopping, and spotting dolphins offshore on an eco-tour.

Conde Nast Traveler’s Reader’s Choice Awards are tabulated from more than 128,000 responses from a voluntary questionnaire. Candidates must receive a required minimum number of responses to be eligible for an award, and individual candidates are judged on a set of criteria relevant to their category, based on a standard five-point scale: excellent, very good, good, fair, and poor.

Top 15 ‘Best Small Cities’

1. Charleston, SC
2. Santa Fe, NM
3. Park City, UT
4. Aspen, CO
5. Savannah, GA
6. Telluride, CO
7. Sedona, AZ
8. Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA
9. Asheville, NC
10. Newport, RI
11. Napa, CA
12. Taos, NM
13. Laguna Beach, CA
14. Santa Barbara, CA
15. Naples, FL

Looking for a great place to buy a second home?  Or perhaps you are looking to relocate.  Naples offers luxury homes, beachside condos, attached villas and single family homes throughout the area.  Let me be your guide.

Start your search:

• Single Family Homes for Sale (Naples, FL)
• Single Family Homes for Sale (Bonita Springs, FL)

Matt Klinowski – Golf Community Real Estate Expert – 239-370-0892

October 28, 2015 Posted by Matt

Ever wonder how the pros create spin on a pitch shot?  Sometimes, you will have little green to work with on a pitch shot, and you will need to fly the ball to the hole and make it stop quickly.  To hit this shot, use a sand wedge and open the face, so the heel of the club is pointing toward your front foot.  Play the ball slightly back of the center of your stance.  Hold your hands so the face remains open throughout the swing and points up at the finish.  Do not take a divot, but pick the ball off the grass by sliding the club along the top of the grass.  The ball should float high and spin to a quick stop.  This pitch shot requires practice, so give it some time before you try it on the course.

Photo provided by golftec.com

October 28, 2015 Posted by Matt

The new Pelican Bay clubhouse will be completed in July 2017. Pelican Bay has 27 holes designed by Arthur Hills and is one of the very few golf communities located on the west side of U.S. 41. Pelican bay offers both resident and non-resident golf memberships.  The initial membership fee is currently $100,000 with annual dues of $11,125.  There is a cap of 480 members.

The Club at Pelican Bay is nestled with the overall Pelican Bay community which Bay is a master-planned community that has 65 different neighborhoods located along the gulf coast.  The Strand neighborhood includes Gulfside mansions.  The only thing separating the remaining 54 communities from the gulf is a beautiful forest of mangroves and Clam Bay.

High rise towers along the western edge of the community offer stunning views of the Gulf of Mexico, mangroves and Clam Bay.  The interior properties include mid-rise buildings, attached and detached villas, garden condos and single-family houses that surround the private, 27-hole Pelican Bay golf course.  Single family homes start at $925,000 and go up to $19,900,000.  Pelican Bay Condos range from $395,000 to $6,200,000.

The neighborhood is governed by the Pelican Bay Foundation, which maintains two beachside restaurants, tennis facilities and the Community Center, which includes meeting and social rooms and a business center.  The hub of the community is Artis (Formerly the Philharmonic Center for the Arts), which hosts world class performers and artists. The Waterside shopping center includes internationally known stores such as Saks, Polo, Gucci and Tiffany as well as popular restaurants Brio, Bricktops and California Pizza Kitchen.

View properties available in Pelican Bay