Tulsa Golf Course Renovations

Tulsa golf course, Woodbine at Mohawk Park as well as Old Page at Page Belcher will be closing on Friday - at least long enough to get the renovations they have needed for some time. Both have bent grass greens that will be replaced. A Bermuda grass that has been cultivated and is smaller than the typical Bermuda grass will be used. Another Tulsa golf course, Tulsa Country Club has closed nine of their courses and will close nine more on Monday to undergo a course renovation.

The course was originally designed by A.W. Tillinghast and will be restored by architect, Rees Jones reinstating the original design. This will not be the first course designed by Tillinghast that Jones has restored. Baltusrol and Bethpage Black have both been restored by Jones. Baltusrol, in particular is one that has many of the same features as the Tulsa Country Club course.

The bunkers, fairway grasses, the irrigation, the enlargement of some ponds and some tree removal will be the focus of the renovation for Tulsa Country Club. A few of the holes will be lengthened while some are shortened. Planning on the greens being sprigged in the spring, the Tulsa Country Club will not open before July 1st. If they are sodded the opening may be in June.

The courses at Woodbine and Old Page will not take as long. They will be sprigged within ten days and opening is hoped for in October barring any problems. Tulsa has not had Bermuda greens on their courses recently although they have been used in the past. These changes have the capability of saving as much as $100,000 per year.

The general manager of both of these courses, Tom Wolff hopes that the summer months will increase revenue even more with the number of people enjoying the warm weather. Extensive renovations performed at Stone Creek and Old Page in 2005 and 2007 respectively were expected to help and they did until this summer’s intensive heat.

Early in July due to the application of potassium at the wrong time, the greens turned brown. The intensive heat has made the problem worse. Stone Creek and Page Belcher greens have also had some problems this summer, however Stone Creek will remain open through the winter months and workers will try to save the bent grass greens.

Depending on the outcome, the officials will then decide whether the need and the funding is available to change the greens at Pecan Valley and Stone Creek to Bermuda greens. The beginning cost of changing the greens is approximately $100,000. The funds for this will come from golf course operations money and not the city.

If you would like more information about the Tulsa golf course, please give me a call at 918-231-5734 or visit my Contact Us page and send me a quick message.  I’ll respond right away!

Tulsa Dining - Best Places to Eat in Tulsa

• Blue Dome Diner & Route 66 Mother Roadhouse - Yes, this one is a mouthful to say, but didn’t they say that this was uniquely Tulsa? Don’t let the name throw you off - this is one of the best places to eat in Tulsa if you want a good dinner even if the combinations are a little off. You won’t go away hungry.

• Caz’s Chowhouse - One of the best places to eat in Tulsa is Caz’s especially if you have a hearty appetite. Serving all the great comfort foods that you remember from when you were a kid, there are monster burgers for those who really love burgers! There are a number of sandwiches and entrees of every type. For down-home cooking, you cannot go wrong here.

• Cosmo Café - Tulsa may be known for strange names for their restaurants but one thing is certain you will not feel hungry when you leave. This restaurant has a cosmopolitan sandwich that compliments the coffee drinks you will find here. Cosmo’s also has a full-service bar and WiFi for those who cannot go without the Internet for more than an hour.

• Lava Noshery - One of the best places to eat in Tulsa, which earned them the title of Tulsa’s Best New Restaurant of 2007, Lava Noshery, has a contemporary cuisine. They are located in the Center 1 Development on Peoria and are one of the top spots to find a great meal.

• Lola’s at the Bowery - Lola’s is quite popular with the local neighborhood in th e Brady District of downtown Tulsa. The restaurant has terrific food, such as burgers and tapas, organic greens, fresh baked bread and scrumptious desserts. This is one place you find terrific food if you are here for a week or here to stay. Don’t forget they have cocktail and martinis as well. 

• McGill’s - A fine dining establishment featuring seafood, steak and prime rib, McGill’s offers visitors a unique experience in upscale dining. The customer at McGill’s is always treated like the VIP he is and they have several locations throughout the Tulsa area. If you look, there is probably one near you.

• Palace Café - When it comes to finding the best places to eat in Tulsa, Palace Café, located on Cherry Street, which is one of Tulsa’s most historic streets, is where you will find the best seasonal delights. The only restaurant in Tulsa that features a Bento’s menu, the choice of vegetarian, seafood or beef are just a few of your options.

• Wild Fork - You can be amazed while you eat. This restaurant has a collection of artwork displayed on their walls. They are changed and replaced with new every few weeks so you get to see the widest variety of regional artists in the area. Add the vast selection of cuisine you will find here and you have the best of the art and the dining world.

• Wilson’s BBQ - The best BBQ in town comes from Wilson’s and you will enjoy the ambiance as well. The log cabin décor will be a change from the ordinary and the BBQ is quite messy. But messy means finger-licking good so if you are in the mood for the smokey barbecue flavor Wilson’s is famous for, you have come to the right place.

If you would like more information about the best places to eat in Tulsa, please give me a call at 918-231-5734 or visit my Contact Us page and send me a quick message.  I’ll respond right away!

Owasso OK homes – New or Used?

Family Things to Do in Tulsa - River Parks

The Patriot Golf Day at the Patriot Golf Club - September 3 - 6, 2010

The Patriot Golf Club in Owasso, OK is another design by outstanding golf course designer, Robert Trent Jones Jr. In forty years, Robert Trent Jones has designed over 245 courses. They range from courses in more than 40 countries and span six continents. The honor of having 33 courses listed in Golf Digest’s Best Courses in 18 nations includes having the number one course in 10 nations and 28 of these courses are listed in the top ten. The Patriot Golf Club is another fine example of Jones’ award-winning designs.

“The Patriot provided the canvas and my job was to discover her secrets and reveal them,” says Jones, stating in addition that the Patriot Golf Club is “truly of the earth.” The course was designed over a two year period and covers four diverse features of the land in this area. The lowland marshes, high prairies, dense woodlands and limestone canyons are all a part of the Patriot Golf Club course.

There are views that are 30 miles in some areas, forests in their natural state and limestone walls that are more than 150 feet high. Incorporating many of the natural features of the land into his courses, Robert Trent Jones is an amazing designer of golf course and the Patriot is no exception.

Patriot Golf Day 2010 will be held over Labor Day weekend and is a fundraiser for the Folds of Honor Foundation. This foundation is a non profit organization providing postsecondary scholarships for spouses and children of those who were disabled or killed while serving in the military. Patriot Golf Day is an effort that is also supported by the United States Golf Association and The PGA of America.

During the Labor Day weekend, all across the country, golfers are asked to contribute an extra dollar to the green fees they pay to support the Folds of Honor Scholarships. The official beginning of Patriot Golf Day was in 2007. The founder was Major Dan Rooney who is a PGA Professional, F-16 pilot and USGA member. The first year this was started resulted in over $1.1 million raised from 3200 golfing facilities. Over the past 3 years over $5.3 million has been raised by golfers across the nation on Patriot Golf Day.

Patriot Golf Day is always looking for new participants to join their mission to help military families with opportunities to receive an education. Those PGA Professional who join this deserving cause, host an event for Patriot Golf Day and send the funds collected to the Folds of Honor Foundation will be recipients of two MSR Credits.

If you would like more information about the upcoming Patriot Golf Day or The Patriot Golf Club, please give me a call at 918-231-5734 or visit my Contact Us page and send me a quick message.  I’ll respond right away!

Owasso, OK Master Planned Community - Stone Canyon

The Pros and Cons of Buying a Downtown Tulsa Condominium

The prospect of buying a downtown Tulsa condominium appeals to a large percentage of people. This is why there are many buildings being remodeled and constructed to meet this demand. A downtown Tulsa condominium provides time-saving access to jobs meaning it does not require a commute each day. Professionals especially like the idea of living in the downtown area for the amenities that are easily accessible. There are, of course the advantages of not having maintenance to worry about and they do not have to spend their Saturdays mowing the lawn.

Living in a downtown Tulsa condominium means that people have more free time to do the things they want to do. They do not have to travel a long distance to go to social attractions or shopping. Going to a movie in the evening is just a matter of minutes. The option of dinner after work and a quick shopping trip is much more viable if you are not worried about the long drive home.  Downtown Tulsa condominium living allows owners to have their own home without the worry of keeping up with the lawn maintenance, the painting or pressure washing, the repairs and all everyday things that crop up for homeowners to attend to.

In addition, many are adding fitness centers in the building when they convert or construct the condos. All residents have to do is get in the elevator and go to the center whenever they need to workout. This is another advantage for those who are living in the downtown area. When you have to drive for an hour to go to your gym and then drive another hour back home, you will often put it off rather than spend the time it takes to go back and forth.

When you work all week long and drive to and from work, on the weekend the last thing you want to do is be in the car for a long period of time fighting traffic. Living in downtown Tulsa, you can catch a bus or a taxi and be at your destination in no time. Condo living gives you a little more freedom to do the things you choose in your free time rather than the things you feel you need to do.

If having a yard is important, this is one of the disadvantages of living in a condo, however sometimes a balcony or a patio area can make up for this. The condos that have lawns are shared by all residents so you will not have a private yard. Living in such close proximity to others is sometimes hard to get used to if you have lived in a single family home all your life.

Remembering that you have neighbors above or below you is going to be essential to being a courteous neighbor. If you are used to coming home in the evening and turning your music to the limit, you might want to invest in headphones because this can be annoying for many people. You may not agree with all the rules and regulations that have been established by the condo association, so looking these over before signing your contract will be a wise move. Then you can see if there is anything that you strongly disagree with and if so, you should shop around to see if there are others that have more lenient rules. 

If you would like more information about buying a Downtown Tulsa condominium, please give me a call at 918-231-5734 or visit my Contact Us page and send me a quick message.  I’ll respond right away!

Tulsa Convention Center - Another 2010 Tulsa Award Winner

Broken Arrow, OK Home Buyers Given $8,000 Tax Credit

Tulsa OK Homes Area Attractions Wins Again - BOK Center

The Tulsa Convention Center and BOK Center are the proud recipients of the 2010 Prime Site award. Tulsa OK homes area facility, the Tulsa Convention Center received the award from Facilities Magazine, the ultimate source for professional planning of special events, entertainment, meetings and conventions. This is the second consecutive year the Tulsa Convention Center and BOK Center have won the award. Chosen from thousands of contenders in Canada and the U.S., those who oversee these facilities are proud to be recognized for the service and amenities they provide to clients.

The Tulsa OK homes area facility, the Tulsa Convention Center received the number of votes necessary to qualify as a Prime Site winner. The awards are voted on by the readers of the magazine which is over 51,000 Association and Corporate Meeting Planners. The criterion that is considered when voting consists of:

•   Location

•   Quality of Staff

•   Technical Capabilities

•   Food and Beverage

•   Access/Egress

•   Lighting, Sound and Staging

•   Other Amenities

The BOK Center (Bank of Oklahoma Center) is located in Tulsa OK and is the multi-purpose arena for the area. The facility has 19, 199 seating capacity and was designed for concerts, basketball, hockey, arena football and events similar in nature. The cost was $178 million from public funds and $18 million from private funds.

On August 30, 2008, the ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening was performed by Hanson and Garth Brooks. The first event, a community choir was held on August 31. The center is part of the Tulsa County Vision 2025 initiative for long term development. The Bank of Oklahoma is the namesake of the center, having paid $11 million for the naming rights.

There are several permanent residents including the Tulsa Oilers, Tulsa Talons, Tulsa Shock and plans to attract the national and regional sporting tournaments are ongoing. The BOK Center has the amenities to handle additional events. The center has 37 public restrooms, dressing rooms with lockers, a player’s lounge, game officials locker rooms, hydrotherapy and workout rooms and offices for coaches as well as trainers and equipment managers.

Fourteen concession stands are located within the facility and seven of these are partial branches of Tulsa-area restaurants. The general concessions serve traditional arena food - hotdogs, corndogs, chili fries, chicken tenders, Mexican food and desserts.

The hanging scoreboard is a highly advanced version weighing 50,000 lbs. and uses four HD screens that are 8 feet by 14 feet, four that are eight feet by eight feet and an HD screen that is a wrap around that is nine feet plus a wrap around that is three feet. The system cost $3.6 million which was funded by private donations.

Former tax packages for arenas had always been rejected by the voters until Tulsa mayor Bill LaFortune took office in 2002. He held a municipal planning conference during which several projects throughout the county were proposed. This was where Vision 2025 came into the picture. Raising sales taxes only by six-tenths of one cent over a period of 13 years was approved and construction began on the center in August 2005.

Three years later the first concert was held on September 6, 2008. The Eagles were the featured entertainers. Since that time there have been several famous performers at the center including Brad Paisley, Celine Dion, Nine Inch Nails, Metallica, AC/DC, Elton John and many more.

The Oklahoma City Thunder played the Houston Rockets on October 13, 2008 which was the first major event in sports to be played here. The BOK Center is also the host for the Tulsa Oilers ice hockey team and the Tulsa Talons. Upcoming events for the center are:

Justin Bieber - July 6, 2010
WWE Monday Night Raw - July 19, 2010
Rascal Flatts - July 23, 2010
The Jonas Brothers - August 2, 2010
Celtic Woman - August 6, 2010
American Idols LIVE! Tour 2010 - August 8, 2010
Sean Hannity Freedom Concert - August 20, 2010
Women of Faith - August 27-28, 2010
John Mayer - September 3, 2010