High safety standards, clear safety protocols that are well enforced, pleasant (and interesting!)…read moreoffice personnel. Far more realistic place to train than inside a tidy little box indoors, too! I booked time for a private lesson with Mike Pressley. After spending 40 years as a teacher of both sports and academic things, I have to say that Mike is one of the best teachers and coaches I've ever had the pleasure to study and practice with. His instructions were paced with patience to how I could learn best (aka, ve-e-e-e-e-e-ry slowly, lol). I'd grown up firing long guns with great precision in different scenarios still and moving but that was decades ago. More recently, I'd had some lessons in short gun but from someone I thought was a not-so-great teacher a few years ago, so I asked Mike to start from scratch as if I'd never held a gun before. The more he taught me, minute by minute, the worse that other teacher seemed, and by the end, I knew he'd been a rotten teacher. That's despite the fact that he was a veteran of many years in the police including S.W.A.T. and special operations, but high skill levels do not always equal great teaching ability, do they? By contrast, Mike's instructions were clear, precise, patient, kind, and constantly adapting to the microns of progress I made with each round of five. By the end of our lesson, all my shots were in the center, and for someone who scored a D- in high school geometry, that was darn close to a miracle! Or great teaching. Yep, it was that one, great teaching. I'll be practicing most weeks at this range, and will study again with Mike soon.

So i bought a new pistol after several years of not buying anything and really wanted to test it…read moreout. I remembered one of my coworkers telling me about a Range in Sophia he wasn't sure the name but remembered triple, so i googled it. Headed down on a sunday , enjoying the drive through the country. Down a long gravel road was I found the check in office, I was met by two Friendly and welcoming people. They assisted me getting checked in/ paying and such and explained the range rules after asking what i would be shooting. They explained in good detail where to head. I headed to the pistol range and showed up at a great time because the range was currently cold and was able to hang my target and converse with some other patrons. Shot some decent groups at 20 yards after not shooting a pistol for 12 years. At check out i was again greeted kindly, i inquired about the ccw classes and went ahead and signed up for that. I will definitely be coming back and can't wait till then.

Very impressed with the knowledge he had and he sighted my rifle at a 100 yards in 4 shots.read more

Back to Holly Ridge in Archdale. Putting greens and driving range are under construction. There…read moreis a large stinky fish kill in one of the lakes. But otherwise we had a good day on the links. They have an inside golf simulation room , restaurant and full bar.

Course is in good shape. A little pricey for Senior rates. The greens are way too tricked up for…read moreamateur golfers. You'd have to play the course 4-5 times just to get used to them.

I've been a to a few axe throwing establishments by now, and was excited to try a pretty local one…read morerecommended by a coworker. If you're familiar with Kersey Valley, they have a broad selection of activities throughout the year, and in this case offer both indoor and outdoor throwing. Our group couldn't get together until the evening, and I was excited to see 8pm on a Wednesday as an option. Online booking was easy, though i did find it frustrating that the minimum number of tickets is 3, which prevents this from being a couple's date night activity. No bother for us, we had three anyways. The instructions in the email said to meet by a light pole with a sign that says "escape rooms meet here". From the parking lot, that made absolutely no sense, and I did not see any signs to guide us. At 8 PM on a Wednesday, the place is vacant and it almost felt like trespassing. But we did find one random person who told us to walk past the ticket booth towards some picnic tables, and we eventually found the sign. When our "Axepert" finally found us, he made it comment that he was expecting us to be in the parking lot. This could stand to be clarified on both ends of the table. The two guys we worked with (one was in training) were professional and very friendly. They walked us down to the axe throwing area and talked about other activities offered at Kersey Valley during the walk. If we were to do it again, it seems like the outdoor axe throwing activity is the better option (more space and variety), but because we could not come until the evening we were limited to indoor for this adventure. The location of the indoor axe throwing is a relatively small building with only two lanes. There is limited seating on the other side of the chain-link fence for a few other people. You're not going to be bringing a big group here. I do appreciate that there was air-conditioning in the space on a hot Summer day. While I know that the focus is on maintaining safety, and that they want to teach you how to do the sport, at times it felt like a bit too much handholding and close direct observation. There were times where that was nice, but eventually it would be nice to allow our group to just enjoy the activity, even if we're not that good at it. I would have preferred about 10 to 15 minutes of instruction, and the remaining hour to be left as free throwing time. Overall, we had a good experience. The staff were friendly. That said, I feel like there are better options in the area which are larger spaces and allow more independent time to play. If you were already doing another activity at Kersey Valley, this would be a fun addition. But I wouldn't make a special trip just for the axe throwing.

I had my first official golfing experience at Oak Valley and it was amazing…read more I've been on many golf courses - as a volunteer, working for a sponsor, networking and conferences, and as a spectator, but I've never actually golfed. This course was beautiful and play was very reasonable priced given the quality of the course. The carts were quiet and comfortable. The holes were well-labeled and the course was easy to follow. The staff was welcoming and kindly directed us to our first hole and cart. I really enjoyed this experience and appreciate Oak Valley for making my first golfing experience really great!

Always in great shape. It's a very unique, fair golf course. Wide variety of holes. Doesn't break…read morethe bank. Service is good too. My favorite course in the area.

Professional and polite. I will definitely be revisiting…read morethis place. Wonderful atmosphere, outstanding cigars.

I've very recently started dabbling in whiskeys and cigars as a man in my 30's trying to find new…read moreand more sophisticated ways to spend time with friends. The days of pounding shots in bars are long behind me and not fun anymore. But a cigar lounge and a glass of whiskey feels relaxed and more sophisticated. The Smoke & Oak has been on my wish list list for a while and I'm happy I finally went! The location is nondescript, looking like a normal house from the street were it not for the sign. Street parking was not difficult to find. Inside, the ambiance is great. Soft warm lighting, ample plush leather chairs for seating, attractive displays of cigars and a huge selection of whiskeys. The staff are passionate, knowledgeable, and friendly and made great recommendations. Walking in as a complete novice felt intimidating, and they made it much easier than I expected. I was taught basic terminology and options on pairings. Pricing felt reasonable and fair. The atmosphere was extremely laid back and relaxing. Socializing and networking with the other men was fun. I'll absolutely come back and you should too.

First time playing at Jamestown Park and will definitely be back. The layout is scenic, simple,…read morewith tree lined fairways, and variety with holes. The staff was nice and genuinely seemed happy we were there playing. The clubhouse isn't flashy but it's comfortable and has everything you need. Overall, great course - affordable, enjoyable, and well cared for. New carts!

Three years since my last review, and there is not a ton new to say here. I still play this course…read moreregularly, and right now in the fall of 2025, it might be in the absolute best shape I have ever seen it. Not much in the way of dead patches except where course turns to woods, kind of expected. Greens are in excellent shape, but I will say on my last round, LIGHTNING fast. Hole number 6 needs to be fixed. There is no way to stop your ball even if it lands in the fairway, from rolling all the way down the hill to the right. The grass there won't stop it, and it will likely end up lost in the brush by the small drainage creek. I don't like losing balls on good golf shots. I would really like to see railroad ties, or some kind of barrier installed to stop this. I'll hit from down there, fine, but losing a ball every time is not my idea of fun. This is why I can't give the course 5 stars. At least hole 2 has improved. Prices remain very affordable to ride 18. This is also a nice place to come and practice. They have a practice green, chipping range, and a full service driving range. I do wish they had a medium size for range balls, as the gap between the small and large bucket is vast. I often wish I had something in the middle. Overall, I consider this my "home" course, and it is the one I play most often as it's fairly easy to get onto. I recommend this for anyone that is looking for a decent challenge at a laid back course. This is not the place to come if you want premium amenities and rangers that police the course a lot.

Two important notes 1) Address states 200 Biesecker Rd,…read morewhich is Pickett School. Park is behind the school, on Mize Road. Parking is on Mize road. 2) During school days, park opens at 3 PM. This is a city park, just used by the school during school hours. Park includes a playground for the kids, short walking trails, soccer field, and a tennis court. The playground equipment is pretty decent (3 1/2 stars). Park is dog friendly, but dogs must be on leash. Pros of this park are - Never crowded, unless some event is going on - Large mature trees providing shade - Playground equipment is decent, but note there is some wear and tear - Safe area Cons - Have to work around school hours - No restrooms