September 5, 2015 Posted by Matt

If you come to a hole where there is plenty of fairway and you need to hit a long drive, make a few adjustments.  First, move your back foot back a few inches to widen your stance and tee the ball up high.  Make a long and wide backswing and then come into the ball as if you were throwing an uppercut punch.  Feel as if you are coming in shallow and then have the club head just rise up and smack the ball.  The ball will fly high and long.  Avoid this swing on narrow holes, as distance is your objective here and not pinpoint accuracy.  Practice this swing on occasion to be able to bring it out when you need it.

September 4, 2015 Posted by Matt

A great way to sharpen your putting skills and simulate on-course conditions is to play nine-hole matches on the practice green against a friend.  Place a small wager or a beverage on the results and play nine holes, putting to holes of different distances and breaks.  Go through your routine and line up each putt.  Putt all balls out with no “gimmies” to sharpen your short putt skills.  After practicing in this manner, you will get a better sense of putting under pressure and how to focus on the green and ultimately shoot lower scores.

September 3, 2015 Posted by Matt

Are you so focused on the ball while your getting ready to put that the tension of being ball bound paralyzes you?  If you tend to stare at the ball when putting and tension builds, try this little trick.  Instead of looking at the ball, look at the spot just one inch in front of your ball on your intended line.  Keep your eyes focused on the spot and stroke the ball so you watch the ball roll over your spot and then your putter chasing it.  This will not only break the tension of being ball-bound, but it helps you start the ball on the correct line every time.  Many top players use this method as their everyday routine.

New Construction in Lee County

What indicators can you look at to determine the availability of new construction homes in an area?  One way is to look at the number of permits requested by contractors to build new homes.  During August, contractors pulled 81 permits to build single-family new construction in Lee County.  The collective value of those permits was just shy of $18.5 million.  In comparison to last year, there were 94 permits issued in July and 85 issued in August 2014, according to the Lee County Department of Community Development. Although single-family permits were down in Lee County, there was an increase in building permit requests for multi-family unites which includes condos.  In August there were 136 multi-family units collectively valued at more than $10.7 million were permitted which is up from 62 in July and 12 in August 2014.

Are you considering purchasing new construction in Lee County?  Or perhaps Collier County?  There are still a handful of golf communities in Naples and Bonita Springs where you can purchase new homes.

Golf communities now offering new construction include:

• Bonita National
• Esplanade
• Fiddler’s Creek
• Golf Club of the Everglades
• Grey Oaks
• Lely Resort
• Mediterra
• Quail West
• Spanish Wells
• Talis Park
• The Colony
• The Quarry
• Treviso Bay
• Twin Eagles

There is no cost to you to work with a local Realtor.  In fact, oftentimes I can save you money.  I would be happy to share how I’ve assisted other clients and how I may be of assistance to you if you are looking for new construction in Lee County or Collier County.

September 2, 2015 Posted by Matt

September 2, 2015 Posted by Matt

Should you lift your left heel on the backswing?  There is often debate as to whether the left heel should be lifted in the backswing, and there are good arguments on both sides.  Jack Nicklaus lifted his heel, while Tiger Woods keeps it in place at the top of this swing.  Lifting your heel will give you power from a longer arc in your swing, while keeping the heel on the ground lets you go wider and create more coil in your shoulders.  You may try both to see what works for you.  You might ask your pro to advise you if you are thinking of making a change on way or the other.

September 1, 2015 Posted by Matt

Look at the hole to practice your chipping.  A great way to get a feel for chipping accurately is to take the flagstick out and look at the hole while you chip.  Set up to the ball as you would normally do, with your weight on your front foot, but look at the hole.  Chip the ball while keeping your eyes on the target.  You will be surprised that after a few strokes, you will become very accurate.  Start with twenty-foot chips and try to make them drop in the hole.  Your eyes will help you to both judge distance and accuracy.  Try different distances and see if your success continues.  After a while, go back to your normal way of chipping and you should have a greater sense for the shot.

August 31, 2015 Posted by Matt

What should you do if you have a blind golf shot? Many courses will feature holes in which you have to hit a shot to a target that you cannot see.  This is a blind golf shot.  To make this shot easier, be careful to get the correct distance to the target.  Then go to a point where you can see the target and your ball.  Find some marker such as a tree or bush that will serve as a good aiming point for you.  If you are near the green but cannot see the hole, you may ask a fellow player to held the flagstick up high for you.

August 30, 2015 Posted by Matt

The difference between an average golfer and a good golfer is how they approach the game after a bad round.  The average player will feel angry and defeated.  The good player will analyze the round and figure out what can be learned from the bad round.  A good golfer will try to figure out if they need to change to improve their game for the next round.  Do they need to change their strategy, choose different clubs, use finesse when putting instead of trying to force putts, or many other things in the game.  If you are an average golfer who just accepts a bad day as  what you deserve, consider looking back at your round and asking “what can I do differently the next time?”.

August 29, 2015 Posted by Matt

According to the recently released BMO Harris Bank Home Buying Report, 52% of Americans say they are likely to buy in the next 5 years. Americans surveyed for the report said they would be willing to pay an average of $296,000 for a home and would average a 21% down payment. The report also had other interesting revelations.

Those Looking to Buy

• 74% of those looking to buy a new home will consult a real estate agent
• 59% said they will visit online real estate websites
• 37% will seek recommendations from friends and family
• 78% plan to get pre-approved before seriously searching for a home

Those Who Already Own

• 75% of current home owners set a budget before looking for a home. 16% ended up spending less while 13% went over their budget.
• 63% of American homeowners spent under six months looking for a new home before they made a purchase.
• 8% bought their home without participating in an active real estate search – or even any plan to buy at all – because a specific property caught their attention.

The last point is very interesting: Of those that purchased a home, 8% bought “without any plan to buy at all”. A property caught their attention and they acted on it.

Why are More People not Planning their Next Move?

Why are people that are considering a move not putting their home search to a plan, and instead, buying only when a property catches their attention? A recent article by Fannie Mae may give us that answer, there is evidence that a large numbers of homeowners are dramatically underestimating the equity they have in their current home. The report explains:

“Homeowners may be underestimating their home equity. In particular, if homeowners believe that large down payments are now required to purchase a home, then widespread, large underestimates of their home equity could be deterring them from applying for mortgages, selling their homes, and buying different homes.”

Bottom Line

Perhaps it is time to sit with a real estate professional to determine the actual equity you have in your house and take a look at the opportunities that currently exist in the real estate market. This may be the perfect time to move-up, move-down or buy that vacation home your family has always wanted.

Are you interested in golf communities in Naples FL?  Or perhaps Bonita Springs?  Contact Matt Klinowski at 239-370-0892 for more information.

August 29, 2015 Posted by Matt

The modern professionals almost all use the same putting method.  They use their shoulders to tilt their arms and hands back and through to putt the ball.  Think of the tips of your shoulders and your hands on the putter as making a triangle.  Simply try to move the triangle back and forth without flipping the hands and you will make a solid, simplified putting stroke.  Using this method takes the hands and wrists of the putting stroke and allows you to become much more consistent by having a stroke that repeats itself time after time.