Hacker's Guide Has Surpassed 400 Members Willing to be a Part of Team Hacker and Rate Golf Courses

    MINNEAPOLIS, MN, August 03, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Hacker's Guide to Twin Cities Golf Courses, recently introduced in the Twin Cities, is the first in a planned series of golf course guides that have gotten the attention of rank-and-file golfers across the Upper Midwest. Average golfers, those that represent 80% of the golfing public and are fondly referred to as "hackers", have flocked to join the growing army of golf course raters that are instrumental to the success of Hacker's Guide (www.hackersguides.com).

"When I first started this concept in 2008, I never expected the level of interest we are now experiencing," said Bruce Stasch, founder and publisher of the Hacker's Guide. "We've had over 400 golfers express interest in joining Team Hacker and they will gladly travel up to 100 miles to play a new course. Golfers receive no compensation except for free tee times, yet they still sign up. It validates my initial assumption when putting this guide together. That the average golfer ("hacker") wants to learn about new courses that they've never played before."

Hacker's Guide golf course ratings are a totally new rating system and are completed by regular golfers that love the game. In preparation for the second book in the rating series, Hacker's Guide to Minnesota & Western Wisconsin Golf Courses, more than 400 golfers have signed on to be a part of Team Hacker. These golfers have volunteered to visit all of the 18-hole public golf courses in Minnesota and western Wisconsin (310 courses).

The Hacker's Guide is the brainchild of Stasch, a self-described "hacker" who noticed a lack of good local golf guides for the average golfer. Each golf course in the guide is assessed on forty different factors in five unique categories--hospitality, playability, facility, usability and value. These categories look at a golf course from the standpoint of a positive golfing experience for an average golfer, not the difficulty or popularity of a course like other guides.

According to Team Hacker member Dennis Delmont, "I read several national golf magazines and cannot relate to the $200 greens fees and $300 a night resorts that they feature. Being a retired police officer, I have the time to play now and, as a member of Team Hacker, I have the opportunity to play courses that are available, affordable and playable for someone with my limited skills and budget."

Even golf courses seem to like the Hacker's Guide. "The guide is really accurate and a good reflection of our course," said Beth Bloomquist, clubhouse manager of Viking Meadows in East Bethel, Minnesota. "It gives people access to our course so they have an idea of what they can expect when they get here. Playing for the first time is no longer intimidating."

The next guide, now in the planning process, will be the Hacker's Guide to Minnesota & Western Wisconsin Golf Courses which will include a total of 310 course reviews near cities like Duluth, St. Cloud, Mankato, Brainerd, Rochester, Red Wing, Eau Claire and La Crosse. In addition, there will be bonus content on the history of Minnesota and Wisconsin golf and the many prominent golfers, architects and personalities that reside in these states.

"We love our Team Hacker members and they have become an integral part of what we are trying to do. As we grow into new markets, it will be exciting to work with golfers all across the country that respect the game as much as we do," stated Stasch.

About the Hacker's Guide
The Hacker's GuideTM is the first complete state-by-state golf course rating system since the United States Golf Association established par and slope ratings. Starting with the Twin Cities Metro area as a test market, the Hacker's Guide is being rolled out to eventually include a review of the close to 16,000 golf courses nationwide. Future markets under consideration are eastern Wisconsin, Illinois, Texas, California and New York.

The Hacker's Guide to Twin Cities Golf Courses is being distributed by Adventure Publications from Cambridge, Minnesota, the region's leading distributor of local titles, and can be found at major retailers like Barnes & Noble, Borders, Nevada Bob's, Holiday Stationstores, Love from Minnesota, online at Amazon.com, area golf courses or www.hackersguides.com. The guide retails for $14.95. www.hackersguides.com

About Hacker's Guide Founder
Bruce Stasch, is the founder of Apex Golf Enterprises and originator of the Hacker's GuideTM a rating system which has been created to rate all eighteen-hole public golf courses in the country and eliminate the mystery of choosing a golf course appropriate for a golfer's game. In addition, he operates a blog and podcast about golf and equipment called Golf Gear News, and he is a frequent contributor to Tee Times Minnesota Golf & Living, Worldgolf.com and Minnesota Meetings & Events. He lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with his wife Eve and two dogs BJ and Annie.

Apex Golf Enterprises is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Apex Mountain Holdings Corporation, and publishes the Hacker's Guide, a golf course rating system, and operates websites, blogs and podcasts related to golf industry.

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