Welcome from Alabama. I am sure you will get a few responses to your question. I would also go to Shakespeare Fishing Tackle and check their website for frequently asked questions or take it to your local bait and tackle shop.
Here is their section on fishing rods. Shakespeare Fishing Tackle
The rod is a telescoping style in 4 sections down that collapses to a length of 28". The rod is rigged through a single guide on the fluorescent colored tip. Some other rods I've seen run the line through the center of the pole and out the tip for better sensitivity. That may be an improvement -- sensitivity seems fair to me on this rod. And having the line rigged out side lets you control the line in a sort-of fly fishing manner.
The line keepers are spaced so that you can easily count off line in 1 foot lengths. Most recommendations says it's easiest to manage a straight pole like this with a length of line equal to the pole. In this case, with about 10 foot of line stripped off.