Islewood Golf Range and Learning Center Review
I recently played in a golf tournament - an 18-hole two-man scramble - and one of the other team's players asked me where I practiced.
I told him that Islewood is always my preference.
"You're kidding!? That place is for hackers and homies!" he nearly choked he was laughing so hard.
I was incredulous, "hackers maybe, homies maybe, but at least you're hitting off grass all the time and there are five full size holes you can play (to hone your skill,)" I barked back.
That kinda shut him up but the fact that my partner and I proceeded to blow past his twosome's score also added to his rapidly souring mood.
As we shook hands after the match, he apologized for his denigration of Islewood.
I told him I wasn't offended, "practicing there is so much better than hitting off mats.
It's not a country club but who needs a country club if you just want to get better?" And that's it in a nutshell.
Islewood Golf Range and Learning Center in Fresno, CA is very "Tin Cup-like.
" It is certainly not a country club.
It doesn't claim to be.
It's located right on the San Joaquin River and offers a full sized, lighted range, five full sized holes ($1 per hole or $10 for all day play), a nine hole pitch and putt course, practice bunker, chipping green and some of the prettiest natural surroundings this area has to show.
The club house is really nothing more than a place to pay, have a club fixed or sold on consignment and somewhere to get a can of soft drink or a bottle of water (cheaper than any store!).
It's not unusual to see bobcat, deer, rabbits, geese, cranes, hawks, eagles, coyotes and more.
Islewood sits in the middle of a preservation area and has a special use permit to even exist there.
It was actually wiped out completely a dozen years ago in a flood but the then current ownership rebuilt and reopened (it's changed ownership since then).
As good as Islewood is, it's not perfect.
The balls are not replaced as often as they should be so compression on 80%-90% of them is terrible.
But they are good enough typically to get a good idea of how good your shot was or could've been.
Besides you don't need plus balls to groove your swing.
The grass can be problematic at times during the year as during winter the range gets soggy and doesn't dry.
During summer its just the opposite, too dry and not enough water (even though the San Joaquin River is yards away from the range).
These problems can be dealt with because every course and range has their idiosyncrasies and it's good to know how to make each shot on every type of surface.
The single most obvious reason that Islewood has any drawback however is the resident teaching "pro.
" To hear this guy tell it, he's the most unbelievable coach and teacher in Fresno if not California and the world! Apparently he owns the rights to the PGA of Mexico or something (no kidding - it's one of his favorite stories!) and has been nominated to the 100 Top Teachers in the World (That claim is even on his business card - but I'd like to know When? By whom? and Which magazine or organization was he nominated?).
He talks incessantly on the range - loudly - sometimes on his cell phone if he's not "teaching.
" He's always done something before someone else or has done it better and he'll tell anyone within earshot.
He played at a local high school and University but wasn't the top golfer at either (one who was, went on to have a pretty good PGA career).
What I can't fathom is why someone with his self-promotion and ego would think anyone with his supposed resume would be teaching golf at a small golf range in Fresno, CA.
He's not the coach of any USGA, PGA or LPGA pro.
Anyway, as much as he's a pain in the ass on the range, he is a fairly nice guy though one with a huge ego.
Fortunately after a few visits to the range you'll learn to check out where he is and situate yourself appropriately to be as far away as possible.
The guy does have a wealth of knowledge and he can really hit the ball...
but really when you take a lesson do you want to hear how great the teacher is or learn how to fix your swing? THAT - or more accurately - HE is main drawback to Islewood Golf Range and Learning Center.
However, even with his presence, Islewood is still better than hitting balls at the local courses since many times you're hitting off mats.
And you can't beat the scenery and calm! There are three sizes of buckets of balls - small (about 40 balls), medium (about 80) and large (200 or so).
They run $5, $7 and $14.
Chipping range is free with purchase of any size bucket or play.
Islewood hosts a demo day produced by a local major company golf chain each April that features all the major makers, contests, free food and drinks and a helicopter ball drop that benefits youth golfers in Fresno.
I told him that Islewood is always my preference.
"You're kidding!? That place is for hackers and homies!" he nearly choked he was laughing so hard.
I was incredulous, "hackers maybe, homies maybe, but at least you're hitting off grass all the time and there are five full size holes you can play (to hone your skill,)" I barked back.
That kinda shut him up but the fact that my partner and I proceeded to blow past his twosome's score also added to his rapidly souring mood.
As we shook hands after the match, he apologized for his denigration of Islewood.
I told him I wasn't offended, "practicing there is so much better than hitting off mats.
It's not a country club but who needs a country club if you just want to get better?" And that's it in a nutshell.
Islewood Golf Range and Learning Center in Fresno, CA is very "Tin Cup-like.
" It is certainly not a country club.
It doesn't claim to be.
It's located right on the San Joaquin River and offers a full sized, lighted range, five full sized holes ($1 per hole or $10 for all day play), a nine hole pitch and putt course, practice bunker, chipping green and some of the prettiest natural surroundings this area has to show.
The club house is really nothing more than a place to pay, have a club fixed or sold on consignment and somewhere to get a can of soft drink or a bottle of water (cheaper than any store!).
It's not unusual to see bobcat, deer, rabbits, geese, cranes, hawks, eagles, coyotes and more.
Islewood sits in the middle of a preservation area and has a special use permit to even exist there.
It was actually wiped out completely a dozen years ago in a flood but the then current ownership rebuilt and reopened (it's changed ownership since then).
As good as Islewood is, it's not perfect.
The balls are not replaced as often as they should be so compression on 80%-90% of them is terrible.
But they are good enough typically to get a good idea of how good your shot was or could've been.
Besides you don't need plus balls to groove your swing.
The grass can be problematic at times during the year as during winter the range gets soggy and doesn't dry.
During summer its just the opposite, too dry and not enough water (even though the San Joaquin River is yards away from the range).
These problems can be dealt with because every course and range has their idiosyncrasies and it's good to know how to make each shot on every type of surface.
The single most obvious reason that Islewood has any drawback however is the resident teaching "pro.
" To hear this guy tell it, he's the most unbelievable coach and teacher in Fresno if not California and the world! Apparently he owns the rights to the PGA of Mexico or something (no kidding - it's one of his favorite stories!) and has been nominated to the 100 Top Teachers in the World (That claim is even on his business card - but I'd like to know When? By whom? and Which magazine or organization was he nominated?).
He talks incessantly on the range - loudly - sometimes on his cell phone if he's not "teaching.
" He's always done something before someone else or has done it better and he'll tell anyone within earshot.
He played at a local high school and University but wasn't the top golfer at either (one who was, went on to have a pretty good PGA career).
What I can't fathom is why someone with his self-promotion and ego would think anyone with his supposed resume would be teaching golf at a small golf range in Fresno, CA.
He's not the coach of any USGA, PGA or LPGA pro.
Anyway, as much as he's a pain in the ass on the range, he is a fairly nice guy though one with a huge ego.
Fortunately after a few visits to the range you'll learn to check out where he is and situate yourself appropriately to be as far away as possible.
The guy does have a wealth of knowledge and he can really hit the ball...
but really when you take a lesson do you want to hear how great the teacher is or learn how to fix your swing? THAT - or more accurately - HE is main drawback to Islewood Golf Range and Learning Center.
However, even with his presence, Islewood is still better than hitting balls at the local courses since many times you're hitting off mats.
And you can't beat the scenery and calm! There are three sizes of buckets of balls - small (about 40 balls), medium (about 80) and large (200 or so).
They run $5, $7 and $14.
Chipping range is free with purchase of any size bucket or play.
Islewood hosts a demo day produced by a local major company golf chain each April that features all the major makers, contests, free food and drinks and a helicopter ball drop that benefits youth golfers in Fresno.
