Golf Digest Rates Pinecrest Public Golf Course

Every once and a while, something comes along that reminds you of your youth. Sometimes it is even good. I got my August issue of Golf Digest yesterday and as I read the article about the top public courses that opened my gate to memory lane. Pinecrest Golf Course in Idaho Falls, Idaho was ranked the best muny in Idaho and the 8th best bargain in Public Golf in the US! Not bad for a 72 year old course near downtown.

While I took up golf seriously only about three years ago, as a kid I would golf on this course with my father, brother, uncle and grandfather. My brother and I would caddie for one of them and search for unbroken tees and balls. For a few years, we worked for the pro, Mike Taylor at the tournaments for $10 a day. Lots of money for a 10 year old in 1978.

A beautiful, tree-lined course, I have wanted to go back and play many times but now rarely get up to Idaho Falls...and when I do, don't seem to have enough time for golf. I need to make sure to get there, and soon.

Fred Ball...Speaks on TowCaddy

Transcript from KSL/Zions Bank Speaking on Business; June 4th, 2009:

Click here to listen to the spot.

This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.

When Howard Fullmer took up golf a little more than three years ago, he couldn't have known the changes it would create in his life.

Howard only lives four miles away from the Hobble Creek Golf Course in Springville. He enjoyed being so close to the course but hated having to load his clubs into his car and drive such a short distance, especially with high gas prices. He figured there had to be a more economical way to transport his clubs.

One day, as Howard was looking around his garage, his eye fell on the trailer that could be attached to a bike to transport a child. This gave Howard the idea to create a device similar to the trailer that could be used for hauling his golf clubs. After several months of experimentation, Howard created the TowCaddy.

Like a trailer, the TowCaddy is designed to attach to a bike for transport and then detaches so it can be pushed or pulled around the golf course. With rugged all-aluminum construction for strength and large diameter wheels for easy rolling over potholes and speed bumps, the TowCaddy is ready for the challenges of the road. It's also light enough to pull smoothly as golfers walk along the fairway. Once a golfer returns home, the TowCaddy folds up so it stores easily.

Howard tells me the TowCaddy has been warmly received since its release in January 2009 at the PGA show in Orlando, Fla. He is already developing a number of alterations and attachments to make the product more versatile so it can be used to haul anything from groceries to books to musical instruments. The TowCaddy is even safe for children to use when going to and from the golf course.

TowCaddy is headquartered in Springville, and Howard says the product is manufactured right here in Utah. His company is the only one he knows of that allows its customers to safely ride a bike to the golf course instead of driving.

For Zions Bank, I'm Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.

TowCaddy LLC 928 N. 700 East Springville, UT 84663 801-822-7799 www.towcaddy.com email: info@towcaddy.com

The Long Ride to the Long Day

We're back from the Long Ride to the Golf Wasatch Long Day Challenge. It was a great trip and tournament (though a little wet on Saturday). At 7120ft (2170m), climbing Parley's Summit was the high point of the trip (pun intended)! The ride from Uinta Golf to Mountain Dell was a nice hour and a half. I had assumed with the climb, it would take longer. It was a little overcast and cool as the rain flirted with falling for most of the ride. Thanks to Mike Brinley, the Pro at Mountain Dell for letting us play. Next time, we will need to bring more TowCaddys as there was an opportunity to sell some of them photos of Mountain Dell soon.

Day two started us off at Park City TV with on air personality Scot before heading over to Park City Golf Course where we averaged 11 minutes a hole on the back nine. Craig Sanchez is the pro there and the municiple golf course is really well kept. You can check out PCTV's YouTube video of the golf online or attached to the blog. The golf was a lot of fun and afterward, we had a lot of people looking at the TowCaddy, wanting to know more and wanting to demo it. There were a couple of kids who rode up on thier bikes, bags on their shoulders. It could have been better had we planned it as their clubs feel out of their bags while they tried to get off their bikes. Then, as they were trying to keep their clubs from falling, they got tangled up in their bikes and began to tip over. Next time I see them, I will have to slip them some cash for the advertising.

After the golf we ate at the great Flippin' Burgers while watching the US Open. Then it was back into our biking gear for the trip to Midway for the next day's Golf Wasatch Long Day Challenge. The 17 mile ride to Zermatt resort took just an hour and a half. Not bad for towing a bag full of clubs and balls. There we met our families, got set up for the tournament and relaxed a bit. Special thanks go to James Brown and Zermatt Resort for setting up our stay! It is a little slice of Europe and the perfect place for a family! If you travel to Utah any time soon (or later) or if you are heading out here to ski, avoid staying at Park City and visit Zermatt. You will only be 20 minutes or so from the backside lift at Deer Valley and you will be staying in a much better location.

Some special thanks go out to Mizuno for the Aerolite bags that save a lot of weight climbing those mountain passes. Also, Alpine Innovations for the CaddyCloth golf towel. These towels fit into at small neoprene bag so that they didn't flap in the wind as we rode. Dixon Earth Balls let us use their 100% recycled golf balls for the trip. They are a great ball with a nice, soft feel. I give them all the credit for the 35 foot par 3 birdie put I made at on the Wasatch Mountain Course. In fact, Golf Mesquite's team also used the same ball. Finally, Delta 7 bikes were the perfect ride for the trip. Light and responsive, and cool as anything you have ever seen, we love riding them.

From Uinta Golf to Zermatt Resort

We are prepping for our ride to the Golf Wasatch Long Day Challenge. In the mean time, we thought we would fill you in on our plans. They are ambitious but we have the legs for it. We will launch our ride Thursday, June 18th at Uinta Golf, 560 E 2100 S in Salt Lake City Utah. Uinta will be stocking TowCaddy at all their stores soon so start asking for them.









We will ride up Parley's Canyon, then on to Park City before finishing up at Friday evening at Zermatt Resort in Midway for reception and check-in for Saturdays Long Day Challenge. The ride: 40+ miles total (uphill – hauling clubs)! Sounds tough but along the way, we will be golfing at Mountain Dell Golf Course in Parley's (not sure if we're on the Canyon or the Lake course yet) and Park City Golf Course (and you thought all they do in Park City is ski). None of us have golfed these courses (or Soldier Hollow, Wasatch or Homestead for that matter) before so we'll give you the low down on them soon. I have visited each course though and if scenery is a benchmark, they are tough to beat.

I have stayed at Zermatt Resort though. Several times before with my family. One word...gelato (Try the blood orange if they still have it, the only other place that compares is this great little place in Sienna, Italy.) Of course, everything else there is amazing too! They have a real carousel for kids, great atmosphere, authentic Barvarian and Swiss food at the restaurant, swimming, tennis, biking and golf. And that is just during the summer.


Also check us out on Park City TV Friday morning. We will be with in studio with Host, Jen Hardman of the Mountain Morning Show (M - Su, 7-9am, re-aired at 9am) and then we are taking her riding and golfing!

Long Ride to the Long Day

TowCaddy is going to go on a long ride to the Long Day! The Golf Wasatch Long Day Challenge is held June 20th, the Saturday before the Summer Solstice (longest day of the year) and TowCaddy is going along for the ride (and the golf)! The tournament is a top notch 4 man scramble that covers three championship courses in Heber Valley. 18 holes each at Wasatch Mountain, Soldier Hollow (biatholon location of the 2002 winter olympics) and a nine hole playoff at the Homestead Resort.

We'll ride all the way to the tournament. Beginning our ride in Salt Lake City, 40 miles away and wrapping it up at the opening reception for the tournament. Along the way we will golf then ride up Parley's Canyon, visit Park City TV and take Jen Hardman golfing, and maybe even pull our carts alongside those Tour of Utah Riders who will be racing in Heber Valley on Saturday. We will be posting a map and a detainled schedule in the next few days.

This year we are setting the standard but for all of you bikers/golfers out there, we are throwing out our own challenge. Next year, TowCaddy will be riding our bikes to the Golf Wasatch Long Day Challenge. If you can do a longer bicycle ride to the Long Day Challenge then we do (pulling your golf clubs), we'll pay part of your tournament registration fee. (We'll figure out the official details later and post those on our towcaddy.com.)

In the mean time take a look at these photos of some of the most spectacular environments for golf that you could hope for.

TowCaddy and Southern California Jr PGA

We've joined up with the Southern California PGA Jr. Tour! This is an region that is perfect for the TowCaddy (though we like to think everywhere is), state that is green, likes their golf and is warm...mmmm warmth. Our partnership with the SCPGA is centered on trying to player development, getting more kids on the course and contributing to the bigger picture.

I wasn't a very good golfer as a kid, mostly because with two parents who worked, it was tough to get to the course, much less pay when I got there. But I had good grades and wanted to go to college. In the spirit of this, we have worked with the SCPGA to create an Annual Scholarship which takes into consideration financial need and grades as the only qualifying criteria. So play hard and study even harder! Grades are so important to us (let's face it, there are more scholarships in academics than golf) that we've committed to give discounts on TowCaddys based on GPA. Buy a cart online then send us a copy of your receipt and transcript, signed by your counselor, and you will get back a buck for every 10th of a grade point, translation: 4.0 gpa = $40 rebate, 3.2 gpa = $32 rebate. Under 2.0 is full price, but your receipt is good for one year. Raise your grades and get the rebate when you do! Email us at: info@towcaddy.com to learn more.

TowCaddy spot from NBC Sports

It is finally here for all you unbelievers (and you believers who trust me when I tell you these things). TowCaddy was featured on NBC at the Accenture Match Play Championships! Jimmy Roberts made all the arrangements and Holly took care of all the logistics! Thanks guys!

Here is the video of it all! Enjoy! Then feel free to pick one up at TowCaddy.com and be a little more green! (I know, isn't that tacky to schlock product so shamelessly?!)