Greg D'Andrea

Is Golf Equipment on your Holiday Wish List?

December 11, 2018 | By Greg D'Andrea | 1 Comment

Some golfers love receiving golf equipment as gifts, while others prefer to purchase their own clubs; balls; etc. Take our poll and let us know what your preference is!

Are golf items under your tree this year?

Every year around the beginning of December, my wife asks me what I want for Christmas. This season, I asked for a forged set of…wait for it…J.A. Henckles. In case you’re not familiar with this German company, they make forged culinary knives, not forged golf clubs.

The funny thing is, I’m not much of a chef. I do make a mean salsa, but it’s not like I blog about my cooking skills. Golf, on the other hand, I do blog about. But the thought of asking my wife for golf clubs, or even a new golf bag, has never even crossed my mind.

To go a step further, I don’t even remember a year in which something golf-related was on my wish list! I’ve never really thought about it until now, but I guess most of this boils down to two reasons: First, I’m very particular about what I buy myself for golf. I have to get certain clubs, certain balls, etc. But secondly, I guess I’ve always thought of golf as my personal hobby.

My wife doesn’t play golf. So when I make a golf-related purchase, it’s something I’ve researched, tried-out and saved up for. Golf equipment has never been something I’ve left up to others to get for me.

Thus, my Christmas list has always consisted of things like a new watch; new shoes; or like this year, forged knives – not golf stuff. Oh don’t get me wrong, I’ve received golf gifts that I haven’t asked for – some of which have been helpful and others that you simply won’t believe!

Anyway, what about you? Are you receiving fabulous golf gifts from your significant other this holiday season? Or like me, would you rather buy your own golf stuff? Take the poll below and let me know. Who knows, maybe I’m missing out!

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Take The Mystery Out Of Choosing Your Golf Balls With Forté

October 24, 2017 | By Greg D'Andrea | 6 Comments

Most golf balls on the market are for the pros. Australian company Forté Golf does something different – it helps recreational players find a golf ball designed specifically for them. Never mindlessly grab a box off the shelf again.

Recently, the good folks over at Forté Golf sent me several boxes of golf balls, which I promptly handed out to fellow recreational golfers of various skill levels. Of course, I kept a box for myself too. And I decided on which box to keep by getting custom fit directly from the Forté website: https://fortegolf.com.au/pages/golf-ball-fitting.

Below are a few stinky golfer reviews stemming from my handouts:

Stinky Golfer Matt – El Dorado Hills, CA. Handicap: 10

I normally play Bridgestone 330 RXS’s, so that was my point of comparison. Overall, I’d give solid scores across all categories for the Forté (maybe 4 out of 5 for distance, feel, and

Forté Golf’s Six-Layer Ball

performance). I’d give them a 5 for durability though. Not one scratch on any of them, and I gave them plenty opportunities to get scuffed up. It had a unique (but not bad) feel. Kind of dull, but not in a bad way. The one other thing I noticed that may or may not bug someone – the logo on the side of the ball is in cursive, so depending if you use that logo to line up and/or use it as a general line to where you’re putting, it’s not the easiest on the eye. All in all, I’d play them again.

Stinky Golfer Walt – Philadelphia, PA. Handicap: 25+

Used the Forté balls [during my round] today. Like other reviews said, they feel harder and do make a click sound. I didn’t mind it though. And I do have to say, when I had a good swing and struck it clean they take off. And I want to say that they did fly a bit straighter. I’ll try them again.

Stinky Golfer Greg – New Haven, CT. Handicap: 18

Forté APEX 6 Golf Ball

Boy did I play well with the Forté golf ball – in fact, it was one of my best rounds ever! Of course, it’s impossible to say my golf ball was the main reason. But my drives, irons and putting were all on target that day, which is a rarity. Plus, I too agree with Stinky Golfer Matt that the balls are extremely durable – my ball survived all 18-holes without scuffing! And while I realize this was only one round, I’ll certainly be playing the Forté ball again.

So the results are in from three varying levels of recreational golfer and all give a thumbs up to the Forté Golf ball. Which, I’ll admit had me a bit surprised – it’s not often you can get golfers to agree – especially on their choice of ball. For me, at least, I’ve found my new golf ball for the foreseeable future.

How To Stay Protected Out On The Golf Course

July 10, 2017 | By Greg D'Andrea | 3 Comments

Golfers are more at-risk for sun-related diseases. Do you apply sunscreen before and during each 9- or 18-hole round? If not, you should and here’s why.

SKIN Sunscreen GOLF — A golf bag necessity: Use sunscreen both before and at the turn of every round!

Now be honest, do you liberally apply sunscreen before every round of golf? I certainly didn’t. My first decade on the links was largely sunblock-free.

My neck suffered the most. It would inevitably burn at some point during the summer and then turn a deep tan. And once it had tanned, I figured, why should I apply sunscreen now?

Most of us who enjoy the game end up having the “golfers” tan. You know; your arms from the elbows down; neck; and legs from the knees down to our ankles are tan but nothing else. We joke about it, but it’s no laughing matter.

The Facts Are Scary

A 2014 PGATour.com article highlights how golfers are at a greater risk for sun-related diseases:

Golfers spend a significant amount of time outdoors so they’re definitely at a higher risk than the average person…We see a lot of golfers and tennis players. They have signs of more damage than the average patient and it manifests itself at an earlier age…Treatment of non-melanoma skin cancers increased by nearly 77 percent between 1992 and 2006 and one in five Americans will develop some kind of skin cancer over the course of their lifetime.

The Solution – Apply Sunscreen!

Just after we tied-the-knot, my wife shared similar stats around the dangers of prolonged sun exposure and sunblock quickly became part of my pre-golf routine. And I urge you to do the same.

Because golfers are at a higher risk, there are sunscreens specifically for them. As such, the good folks over at SKINSunscreen GOLF sent us some samples to try-out. Their formula is non-greasy; sweat and water resistant; provides UVA/UVB protection; and is Oxybenzone free.

From their website:

As we demonstrated the need for awareness for sunscreen to young golfers and their families, it became apparent to us that this proactive measure – applying sunscreen — is every bit as important to the outdoor athlete as is the warm up on the driving range or stretching before your round.

I can apply SKIN Sunscreen GOLF to my neck, ears, face and arms right on the first tee and not have any greasy residue left on my hands to mess with my grip. They even sent along a sunscreen lip balm to boot! And the stuff really works – at spf30+, it keeps you protected while you’re out on the links (doctors recommend reapplying all sunscreen brands every 90 minutes – or if you’re like me, just reapply at the turn).

One of the great things about golf is it’s a game you can play well-past retirement age. Protect yourself and get the most out of it!

Hit ’em Long; Yell FORE; Apply Sunscreen Liberally!

POLL: Does the Type of Putter Matter?

March 31, 2017 | By Greg D'Andrea | 7 Comments

Are all putters basically the same or does the tech behind the design matter? (photo by Greg D’Andrea)

I’ve always held firm that you could hand me a sawed-off broom stick with a block of wood nailed to the bottom and it would work as effectively as the most expensive putter on the market. But am I right?

I’ve had one golf buddy tell me you should never spend less than $100 on a putter! He would go on and on about how the putter is the most important club in your bag. And who knows, maybe he’s right?

I actually completed a round putting with a 3-wood one time because I broke my putter across my knee after 5-putting a green. And though I couldn’t really tell the difference, I can’t imagine that would be as accurate as using an actual putter.

These days I’m using a “Condor” Balata putter from Connecticut-based golf company NGC. Now over the years, NGC has had a tendency to bend the USGA equipment rules. But since I live in CT, I see my purchase as supporting a local golf business. And even though NGC claims the Condor “can double your putting accuracy,” I still don’t see much of a difference with my results.

Of course, I simply may not be a good enough player to notice. I mean, golf pros will tell you the right putter will be the difference between making a 10-footer or missing by a quarter-inch. I suppose that could be true and my green-reading skills are just atrocious.

But I also think that putting has a lot to do with the look and feel of the putter you use. In other words, if you think you’ll putt better with it, you probably will. You can apply this argument to the rest of your clubs too, but the style of putter seems to be of particular interest to golfers. That being said, perhaps you just need to find a putter you like and not worry about the cost?

So are all putters are basically the same and it’s just a matter of personal taste? Perhaps we golfers just like to spend money thinking we are getting a fancier, more technologically advanced piece of equipment? Or does golf tech really make the difference between sinking a putt and missing by a quarter-inch?

Take the poll below and tell us if the type of putter matters and feel free to elaborate in the comments section.

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Use This 1 Tip To Get More Enjoyment Out Of Golf

February 26, 2017 | By Greg D'Andrea | 6 Comments

As frustrating as golf can be, don’t give up on finding enjoyment in it (photo by Tom Treloar)

Without question, golf can be a frustrating sport with very little enjoyment. After all, there is a fair-amount of athletic ability involved. There’s also a fair-amount of mental focus involved too. And on top of that, there is very little margin for error.

Those of us who don’t golf for a living know this all too well. You step-up to the par-4 1st looking for a good start to your round. You also hope not to embarrass yourself in front of the starter and two foursomes waiting behind you. In this moment, you not only have to execute the proper athletic swing, but also clear your mind of any negative thoughts.

For many of us weekend hacks, it’s pure luck our ball lands in-bounds, let alone in the fairway. Heck, some of us will settle for just hitting it past the ladies tees (after all, there is no greater shame than not hitting past the tee box in front of you).

But let’s say you do clear your mind, execute a solid swing and end up roping one straight down the middle. Do you know what happens next? Of course you do. You promptly flub your approach, shank your chip and 3-putt your way to a double bogey 6. This my friends, is average hack golf in a nutshell.

So what can we weekend golfers do about it? Well, we can take a lesson; spend more time on the range; even buy new equipment or try out the latest swing gadget or gizmo. All solid ideas that may actually help pare-down those bulging handicaps we drag around with us.

But all of the aforementioned things take time, effort and money. I don’t know about you, but I have a job, kids and a wife that are all vying for my time, effort and money already. For most of us, golf is what we do in our spare time and on a spare dime.

That being said, how wonderfully obvious is our predicament then? The vast majority of us out on the course have carefully found an elusive window on our calendar. We’ve prepped our significant other and set the expectation we’ll be out for at least 4 or 5 hours. We have withdrawn the greens fees (plus money for a couple beers in the 19th) from our own personal savings account. We’ve done all this to just have some fun. But then expect to play like a pro (or even just a decent golfer)? That’s a bit preposterous, wouldn’t you say?

And now knowing this makes it seem even more ridiculous that we’re actually out there cussing and throwing clubs, doesn’t it? I mean, what sort of masochists are we weekend golfers anyway?

We should be enjoying golf to its fullest, regardless of how we play. Not getting frustrated that we didn’t hit a green in regulation. And therein lies our tip for today. It’s perhaps the most cost-effective and time-conscious thing you can do to enjoy yourself more out on the links.

It is to simply forget about your scorecard.

Now I said this would be cost-effective and time-conscious. I didn’t say it would be easy. But if you try, it can be a game-changer out there.

Play a few rounds without keeping score (no keeping score in your head either). Set-out that day to play simply to have fun. Don’t bet on your round. Just go and enjoy being outdoors on a beautiful day with good friends playing the game you love. Appreciate the exercise; take-in the scenery; embrace the camaraderie. Bad shots will still happen, but that’s normal – after all, you’re a recreational golfer, not a scratch golfer.

Simply relax and enjoy.

Now while it’s quite possible this no-care attitude will actually help you shave a few strokes off your game, that’s not the point. The point is just getting out and playing golf is always secondary to your score. And until you quit your day job to dedicate 6-hours-a-day on the range, just being out on the course will be all that really matters.

Golf is not our job. It’s our hobby; our passion; our release. It’s why we set-aside those few precious hours to play once a week (if we’re lucky). It’s why we have our own personal savings accounts in the first place.

If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it 1,000 times: Golf is a game; you should have fun playing it. Write that phrase under the brim of your cap; down the shaft of your putter; where ever it takes to remember why you play.

And finally, once we’ve learned that enjoying ourselves is all that really matters for weekend hacks like us, our scorecards can become relevant again. And hopefully by then, writing down that double-bogey – while still disappointing – won’t be nearly as devastating as it used to be.