Author: staff

Sports

Tiger Woods’ PopStroke Orlando a present-day putt-putt rooted in golfer’s past

Tiger Woods’ late father Earl encouraged his son to putt to the picture, a visual cue the boy would use to win quarters from his “pops” long before becoming a golfing legend.Woods recalls those days fondly and aims to provide a similar experience for the masses as a partner with Greg Bartoli, founder of PopStroke. A fourth location opened Monday in Orlando to offer a sophisticated, present-day spin on traditional putt-putt and an entertainment option accessible to people of all ages and degrees of golf interest.AdvertisementPopStroke, a technology-infused golf entertainment venue, that today opened its Waterford Lakes location, on Monday, June 13, 2022. (Orlando Sentinel)A sign sharing Woods’ vision greets guests arriving at the two 18-hole, par-45 putting layouts ― the Tiger Red and Black courses.“Some of my happiest memories are spending time with my ‘pops’ on the golf course having putting contests,” reads a sign quoting the 15-time major champion. “I’m looking forward to others enjoying time with their kids at PopStroke.”AdvertisementBartoli, who made his fortune on Wall Street before relocating in 2013 to Jupiter, has witnessed PopStroke’s universal appeal — from fathers and sons to mothers and daughters to 6-year-olds and seniors. Out-of-towners on buddy trips or weekly foursomes can stop by to grab a post-round meal and continue the competition.Putting is the primary drawing card. Two eye-catching courses designed by TGR Design — Woods’ company — capture the imagination and test all skill levels.PopStroke has recast the traditional miniature golf setup.View of the Tiger Red Course, looking at the Restaurant and large scoreboard. (Orlando Sentinel)Hilly terrain dotted with palm trees and native foliage surrounds putting surfaces featuring challenging breaks and ample undulation. Greens built on sand rather than concrete and covered in high-quality synthetic turf instead of carpet provide a true roll not found at most putt-putt courses.“Something different than windmills, waterfalls and alligator mouths,” said Wes Abbott, the general manager of the east Orlando site.Even so, those with limited if any golf experience are able to participate, compete and enjoy themselves.Meanwhile, TopGolf — a highly popular golf entertainment option — requires patrons to pick up a club and swing it.“Putting is the one universal element of golf that everybody can do,” Bartoli said. “It’s not intimidating.”AdvertisementBartoli’s idea for PopStroke dates to family trips as a child to Myrtle Beach, S.C., where putt-putt courses still abound on Kings Highway featuring names such as Captain’s Hook, Shipwreck Island and Jungle Safari.Left to Right, Quran, 11, and DeMarcus Clark, and Aminah, 4, enjoy a game at PopStroke, a technology-infused golf entertainment venue, that today opened its Waterford Lakes location, on Monday, June 13, 2022. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)A commercial property investment in Jupiter he made while living in New York City allowed Bartoli to put a personal spin on miniature golf and family entertainment.The result was Lighthouse Cove Adventure Golf. Located on Highway A1A, the facility features two 18-hole courses with waterfalls and caves common to traditional putt-putt along with a restaurant, sports bar, playground and tropical aquarium.“I was blown away by the impact it had in bringing people together, whether you were 5 years old, 25 on a date night, a 40-year-old couple with their kids or a group out on senior night having a glass of wine enjoying some putt-putt,” Bartoli said.Bartoli, a savvy investor for Credit Suisse First Boston and later JP Morgan after graduating from Boston College, saw an opportunity to improve on a good thing. This ultimately lead PopStroke Port St. Lucie to open in April 2019.A friendship with Jupiter resident and longtime TGR CFO Chris Hubman soon led to a conversation about involving Woods — golf’s greatest showman and clutch performer of the modern era.Advertisement“Having the greatest putter in the history of the game involved certainly adds to our credibility and the power of what we’re trying to deliver,” Bartoli said. “At the same time, you also have to provide a great experience. If you don’t, people are not going to come back no matter who’s involved in it.”PopStroke strives to keep everyone engaged.Patrons enjoy PopStroke, a technology-infused golf entertainment venue, that today opened its Waterford Lakes location. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)Fees ranging from $25 for adults to $15 for young children provide all-day access to the two courses, along with Cornhole, Ping-Pong, Foosball and a playground. The facility features a full-service restaurant, three bars, an ice parlor featuring 24 flavors and event space.Bartoli said his three children, ages 10, 12 and 14, give PopStroke an enthusiastic thumbs-up.PopStroke clearly is catching on. A new facility recently opened in Sarasota, joining locales in Fort Myers and Port St. Lucie. Tampa, Delray Beach, Houston and two Phoenix area locations are in the works for 2022.Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach and Winter Garden in west Orlando are slated for 2023 while a Gainesville site has been discussed.Advertisement“How can you not like craft milkshakes and 24 flavors of premium ice cream and a playground and mini-golf and cheeseburgers?” he said. “We like to say we have something for everyone. A lot of this concept and the vision for this was created with families in mind and what can you do to bring people together and reconnect people and get them off their iPads for a little while.”Bar and outdoor play area at PopStroke, two 18-hole putting golf courses that includes a restaurant, bar, outdoor play area, ice-cream parlor, event space, and a playground. (Orlando Sentinel)Long before iPads and when ice cream came in vanilla or chocolate, people have bonded standing over a little white ball, holding a putter and hoping to sink a hole-in-one.Woods and his father’s competitions helped light the fire in a future legend. For others, it’s a fun, competitive way to spend a few hours.“People have been putting for years,” Abbott said. “My grandparents went to putt-putt for dates. We’re for anyone, 3 to 93.”PopStroke OrlandoWhere: 321 N. Alafaya Trail in Waterford Lakes Town Center (near Regal Cinemas)AdvertisementWhat: Two 18-hole courses, full service restaurant, bar with on-course service, 25 TVs, Jumbotron (with digital scoreboard), ice cream parlor (24 flavors), outdoor gaming and a playground.Hours: 9 a.m. midnight, 7 days a weekCost: $25 all day, seniors (60+) $20, children (6 to 12) $18, children 5 & under $15, military/UCF/Valencia College $20Specials: Monday, Seniors Day, $15 all day; Tuesday, Kids Day, $16 all day; Wednesday, College Day ($15, college ID required)Reservations: None. First come, first served.Website: https://popstroke.com/orlando-waterford-lakes/AdvertisementThis article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Edgar Thompson at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @osgators.

Lifestyle

Ask Amy: Husband worries about in-law’s largesse

Dear Amy: I have a very supportive family, but they are not able to be financially supportive of me as an adult.I am very proud that I am about to pay off my student debt. My wife and I, both employed full time, are looking to buy our first home.AdvertisementMy wife’s family would like to help us out financially, which is kind but unnecessary.They called my wife to offer money, and she refused.AdvertisementIt became an argument, and they responded by threatening to deposit money into an account in her name.I know I feel more strongly about doing this without their help than my wife does.Her parents will not bring this up when I am there (they told her that they know how I feel, so they decided to talk to her alone).Her parents mean well but have a pattern of ignoring “no” when they feel like it, and I have felt violated in their efforts to “help” several times before.My wife and I agree when they have overstepped, but we haven’t always agreed about what to do when it happens or how to change their behavior.The idea of being ignored and the thought that these conversations are done intentionally without me being present makes me very angry.Any suggestions for if I can say anything directly, or how to keep calm about this?I would really appreciate an outside perspective.Advertisement– Upset HusbandDear Husband: First of all, there is nothing wrong with graciously accepting a gift. Some prosperous parents are choosing to essentially spend down their inheritance during their lifetimes.You should ask yourself if your refusal is a result of you being too rigid or possibly as controlling as these parents seem to be. (I’m not saying you are, but you should explore this honestly.)Your wife has the right to accept money from her folks, but she should also understand the ramifications in terms of ceding control over to them.Their disrespectful response that they will open an account in your wife’s name (I don’t think you can do this) is … significant. That sound you hear is them leaping over your backyard fence.You and your wife are supposed to be partners: Emotional, relational, and financial.AdvertisementWhen you married, you decided to form a family together, with the two of you in the center of your family. Both sets of parents should respect your partnership and take one giant step back.While any of us might not want to look a financial gift-horse in the mouth, the way you describe these elders and their refusal to take “thanks but no thanks” as an answer makes them seem both interfering and controlling.I can imagine that this makes your wife feel quite conflicted and sad, but if you two can agree as a couple on a specific and consistent response to this, she will feel empowered, and you will be able to keep your cool.A relationship counselor could help you two to agree on basic parameters.Dear Amy: I have a friend whom I’ve known for decades.My friend has a 16-year-old child who is shy, quiet and smart, but who can’t get a word in edgewise when we three are together.AdvertisementIs there a way to suggest to the parent that this friend takes all the air out of the room?It might help the child to be able to say what they want, but I don’t want to lose a friend.How should I approach this?– Attentive FriendDear Attentive: Speaking for a child is a habit that many parents have; for some, this may start when their child is very young, quiet or shy. The parent jumps in to relieve the child of the pressure to speak. Once the parent does this, it’s hard to stop.(How do I know this? Because I did it!)AdvertisementWhen you are with the parent and the teen, you can ask a question directly to the teen. When the parent jumps in, interrupt gently and say, “Hold on a minute – I’d love to hear [your child’s] answer.”Ask AmyDailyNo-nonsense advice for better living delivered to your inbox every morning. For a limited time, sign up for the Ask Amy newsletter and get the book “Ask Amy: Essential Wisdom from America’s Favorite Advice Columnist” for $5.Dear Amy: “Estranged in-law” excessively worried that his young son would wonder why he didn’t have contact with his grandfather. Thank you for encouraging these two dads to give their child a simple and truthful answer.Parents often hand their drama over to their children.– Been ThereDear Been There: Children can understand that no two families are alike – and that’s OK!Got a question for Amy? Enter it here and we’ll send it to her.AdvertisementSign up here to receive the Ask Amy newsletter to get advice e-mailed to your inbox every morning, and for a limited time — get the book “Ask Amy: Essential Wisdom from America’s Favorite Advice Columnist” for $5.©2021 Amy Dickinson.

Sports

How a new slider helped Eric Stout earn a call up to his childhood-favorite Chicago Cubs: ‘It’s a tribute to why he’s up here’

There were times over the last four years Eric Stout thought about walking away from baseball.His big-league experience — three games in 2018 with the Kansas City Royals — left him wanting more. But his path back to the majors tested how badly he wanted it.AdvertisementStout spent the last three offseasons pitching in the Puerto Rico winter leagues. He made nine appearances with three different teams in the independent leagues over the previous three years.Signing a minor-league deal with the Chicago Cubs in March at least united Stout with the team he grew up rooting for. On Monday, his big-league dream was again fulfilled. The Cubs called up the left-hander from Triple A and designated left-hander Sean Newcomb for assignment.AdvertisementStout took a moment to soak it in Monday afternoon when he stood on the Wrigley Field mound.“I would probably say it’s better than my first call up with the Royals in 2018 — it’s something I’ve always dreamed of,” Stout said. “It looks the same distance between home plate and the mound in Iowa and everywhere else I’ve been, but just a couple more seats in the stands. So it’s very, very cool to be on the field rather than the stands.“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet, honestly.”Chicago Cubs reliever Eric Stout, left, warms up before the game against the San Diego Padres on June 13, 2022, at Wrigley Field. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)Stout, 29, grew up in Glen Ellyn where his parents and grandmother still live. He was expecting a lot of family and friends from high school and college in attendance and was most excited about his 91-year-old grandmother attending Monday’s game against the San Diego Padres. Stout said she hasn’t seen him pitch since he was in college at Butler.Stout had only been at Wrigley twice before Monday: a ballpark tour when he was about 10 years old and a predraft workout.Cubs manager David Ross said Stout’s journey around baseball is a strength.Said Ross: “The guys that have some adversity and have the up-and-down track record a little bit and then they go to winter ball or they go to the minor leagues and they continue to have that much love for the game and continue to work to get better, there’s something really powerful in that. “When you take your downtime, your winters, your off time and you’re still working at your craft and competing in maybe the most not ideal circumstances, that just shows how committed they are to their craft.”AdvertisementStout’s challenging journey back to the big leagues can be traced back to a spring training dinner three months ago in Mesa, Ariz. He met with Cubs assistant pitching coach Daniel Moskos, a relationship that dates to working together at Driveline.That established trust led to a dinner conversation during which Moskos simply asked Stout, “How’s your slider?”Stout explained he never really trusted the pitch because it often was hit or miss for him.Moskos then inquired about his curveball, which Stout loved and had a grip-it-and-rip-it approach. With that groundwork, Moskos suggested a new slider grip.“We didn’t even have a baseball,” Moskos told the Tribune. “The genesis of this came from literally, like, mimicking seams with my other fingers and showing him where his hand needed to go. But the concept for him is really easy.”Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Having looked at Stout’s repertoire, Moskos believed Stout needed a better off-speed pitch against left-handed hitters to generate more whiffs. Because of Stout’s mechanics, Moskos explained the new grip required him to throw the slider like his curveball.Advertisement“I reemphasized it, like, ‘Look, this is a curveball, do not try and make this sweep,’” Moskos recalled. “‘It will not work if you try to make it sweep. You have to try and create top spin.’ And so, obviously, it was very easy for him. He really took it and ran with it.”Added Stout: “I felt like that put me on the map.”The next step of Stout’s progression with his new slider is learning how to consistently throw it in and out of the zone as needed as well as figuring out the best way to utilize it against right-handed hitters.“He’s only been throwing it for two months, and he’s got great results on it,” Moskos said. “Obviously we’d maybe like to be in the zone a little bit more with it. But for it being just square one with this pitch I think it’s incredible. It’s a tribute to why he’s up here. He’s got this slider and it’s hopefully going to be a weapon we’re able to leverage.”Stout’s effective slider helped him post a 3.94 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 29⅔ innings. He has noticed, dating to last season, that the Cubs give guys shots at the big-league level when they perform at Triple A. Right-hander Matt Swarmer and catcher P.J. Higgins are among those call ups making the most of their opportunities with the Cubs.“My mentality was go out and have fun and what happens happens,” Stout said. “It just gives you more hope. You see that they’re getting called up and they’re doing well. So it’s like, alright, well if I go out and put up some numbers my shot might come.”