Health & Environment

Is Golf exercise? Does walking the course help keep you in shape? Can you golf eco-friendly? What are courses doing to help the environment? You've got questions, we've got answers.

The Golf Stinks Organic Dairy-Free Power Smoothie

April 24, 2013 | By Greg D'Andrea | 3 Comments

GolfPowerSmoothie — This protein- and fiber-packed smoothie will get you through the front 9 and then some…

So about eight months ago, I realized I needed a change for breakfast. I was sick of cereal and breakfast bars and eggs took too long to make during the work week. I needed something I could whip-together fairly quickly, yet still have it be healthy at the same time. Perhaps most importantly, it needed to keep me satisfied (unlike a piece of fruit) until lunch (or about 4 hours).

I’ve always enjoyed smoothies, so I set out to create the perfect breakfast concoction. I initially used the following ingredients: Milk; Peanut Butter; Bananas; and Honey. After fiddling with the measurements of the recipe for a few weeks, I was able to perfect the consistency – not watery, but not too thick either – it was just right!

Having achieved what I thought (at the time) was the perfect smoothie, I began realizing I could probably make it better – using higher-quality, more nutritious ingredients (like going organic; removing the dairy; and adding greens)! That led to the breakfast drink you see pictured above. It is (as of this writing) quite simply the best breakfast I’ve ever made – and I look forward to it every morning!

Not only have I not grown tired of this smoothie (not even after months of drinking one on 5+ days a week), but it also satisfies me till lunch – in fact, I found I was able to push-on an extra hour or so after lunch to boot! As a result, this smoothie eventually replaced my bacon, egg and cheese pre-golf sandwich. I must say, not only does its color remind me of the course (yes, this smoothie is light green), but it keeps my hunger in check for all 18-holes!

So at this point, I figured why keep this little breakfast gem all to myself? It’s time to share it with the rest of you – that being said; I give you…

The GolfStinks Organic Dairy-Free Power Smoothie

6 ice cubes (standard ice-tray size)
1 cup of unsweetened organic almond milk
1/2 cup of no salt added organic smooth peanut butter
2 cups of fresh organic spinach. Place spinach loosely in a liquid measuring cup until it fills up to the 2-cup line (don’t worry, you won’t taste this ingredient – it’s added for its nutritional value and the cool golf-like color it provides)!
2 organic bananas (about 6-8 inches in length each)
1 to 2 tablespoons (depending on your sweet tooth) of organic raw blue agave nectar (agave nectar is low-glycemic and a great alternative to honey)

Rinse spinach thoroughly in cold water. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend using the “liquify” or “smoothie” setting for about 15 to 20 seconds (or until all ingredients are mixed completely).

Pour and enjoy. Makes about 32 ounces. Feel free to alter the ingredients as you see fit and let me know your results in the comments!

Shoveling Snow Helps Your Golf Game.

March 8, 2013 | By Pete Girotto | 1 Comment

Actually, I’m not really sure if it does or doesn’t help but this is more of turning a negative into a positive. Nobody I know likes to shovel snow but it’s inevitable living in the Northeast. At some point or other we will have to face these crystallized flakes of water and it sucks knowing I have to shovel water.

So where’s the positive? Well, it’s no secret it’s a physical activity that uses a majority of the muscles in our body. What it comes down to is us making the most of the situation and maximizing the benefits of the opportunity. Our good friend Jim over at thegratefulgolfer.com posted about this a couple months ago. He discusses the importance of your legs in a golf swing (and shoveling snow) and touches upon the use of arms too.

The important thing to keep in mind is moderation and performing within your limits. We golfers in the northern parts of the U.S. might slack off a bit during the winter months. Here’s a great chance to get outside and use those dormant golf muscles. Again, I can’t stress enough the importance of using proper technique and not over doing it.

The more I think about it the more I can see similarities between the two. Before we golf or shovel we should do a little stretching and warm up. We usually think before swinging, right? We have a general idea of where we want the ball to land. It usually doesn’t happen but when we shovel we also have an idea of where the snow is going to go. Tossing that crap around randomly gets us nowhere. Finally, we approach the task with a game plan of getting it done as efficiently and with the least amount of shovel-fulls (or strokes) as possible.

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!!

Disclaimer: We are NOT trainers, doctors or in any way certified to give workout advice. Also, shoveling snow can be potentially dangerous. We do not condone shoveling snow and actually dislike it…a lot.

An Indirect Golf New Year’s Resolution

January 2, 2013 | By Chris Chirico | 4 Comments

Is it time to make some indirect changes to your golf game?

For the past two years I’ve gone against my better judgement and made some golf related New Year’s resolutions. I say against my better judgement because I already knew there was no way I was going to follow through. I never do.

But each time, my resolution was fairly simple and very attainable. All I resolved to do was play golf more often…that’s it! But each time, it simply didn’t work out. As usual, things just get in the way. So this time I’ve decided that I’m going to try something not really golf related. But at the same time, it somewhat is. I’m going to resolve to take better care of myself.

See, especially over the past several months, I’ve noticed some changes in my physical condition, and not for the better. It became pretty noticeable during and toward the end of the golf season. I noticed toward the end of the round I was more tired than I would normally be. And it wasn’t just golf – it was in other routine activities as well. I just felt a little more worn out than previously. Like it was becoming more of a struggle toward the end.

So now maybe it’s time to go back on some things I once said I would never use as a New Year’s resolution. I probably still won’t join a gym. But I am going to have to seriously start working on my weight and obviously watching what I eat. And that hurts because I love to eat!

But, besides the obvious health benefits, I think getting myself into better physical condition will also benefit my golf game. Again, I’m not so concerned about my final score although I’d like to do better. I’m more concerned with feeling better at the end of my round and not dragging my ass from holes fourteen on. And if I feel better once I hit the 19th hole, I’ll care even less about the three-digit score at the bottom of my card.

Swing ’til you’re happy!

Why I Like Walking the Golf Course

December 12, 2012 | By Greg D'Andrea | Leave a Comment

Walking the golf course offers more than just exercise (photo by Greg D’Andrea)

I’ve been doing allot of walking lately, which was brought on by my car’s transmission deciding to conk-out after 140,000 miles. While we still have my wife’s car in the family, she’s at work during the day (I work from home) so my legs are my primary mode of transportation from 9AM to 5PM, M-F.

So I was walking to the post office on my lunch break yesterday (about a mile) and realized there are details along that route that I had never noticed before – even though I had driven that same route many, many times.

That reminded me about why I like walking the golf course instead of riding. This past season, I rode most of the time. This was a detraction from my normal routine, in which I typically walk the course. But the main reason I kept riding this season was the fact that I wasn’t laboring towards the end of my round – my feet didn’t hurt and I had more energy down the home stretch (16, 17 and 18).

But the interesting thing was despite my lack of fatigue, my scores didn’t really improve. And as I was walking back from the post office, I realized why. When you ride in a golf cart (or “buggy” for my friends in the UK), the time it takes to get to your ball is greatly diminished.

While golf courses like this because you ultimately play faster, it can have an adverse affect on your game. For example, while you’re walking to your ball, you have time to consider your next shot: Which club you will play; where the pin location is; what the wind is doing. Of course, all of these things can be ascertained upon getting out of the cart, but with much more haste – which can lead to a wrong club selection or mis-calculation of the wind.

What’s worse, sometimes your cart-mate will drop you off at your ball so they can go find their own. Now you’re left with a quick decision on which club to grab. Or perhaps you went with them in the cart to play their shot first and then scooted across the fairway for your shot. Mentally, you’ve observed the path to a ball that was not yours and then took an irrelevant path (the cut across the fairway) to your own.

I use the term “irrelevant path” because when you walk the golf course, the path you take to your next shot is usually a direct line between your ball and the flag stick – thus mentally preparing yourself for all aspects of your next stroke. When you ride, that mental aspect has been hindered – either by the quickness it takes to reach your ball or the irrelevant path you take to get there (or both).

But improving my game isn’t the only reason I like to walk: It’s good exercise too. Now I know there are people that will say walking a golf course is not good exercise – in fact, my doctor is one of them. Well, my doctor should read THIS post. In short, a recent study proves that walking the golf course is indeed good exercise (time for a new doctor)!

And there’s one more reason I like to walk the golf course – for that I’ll relay another story from my lunchtime walks in my neighborhood. On the way back from one of my recent walks, I noticed a sign posted a few yards into the woods. It was all about a glacier kettle that was right in front of me through the trees and something that I’d never noticed before.

You see, walking allows you slow down and notice interesting things that you would never see zooming by in a car – and the same is true on the golf course. In addition to improving your game and getting exercise, you have more time on your hands to appreciate nature. After all, the great outdoors is perhaps among the most rewarding aspects of golf.

Does Golf Relieve Stress?

November 30, 2012 | By Pete Girotto | 3 Comments

Many choose golf as a form of relaxation, but is it? — Many think golf is a form of relaxation, but is it?

For as long as I can remember people have told me they use golf to relieve stress. I just don’t get it. I mean, I get it but it just doesn’t work with me. When I think of ways to reduce stress things like meditation, yoga, tai chi and a little couch time come to mind.

Now, some might prefer to go for a walk and see what nature has to offer and others might get involved in sports or an activity. Golf isn’t one of them, for me at least. It’s made up of different elements known to be stress relievers like walking outside or being with friends and even a little physical activity but when you add it all up, the sum doesn’t quite deliver.

Everybody that has played golf can agree that it is frustrating and and could be a little taxing on us mentally. We go through a roller coaster of emotions when we’re out there. When we tee off and land two fairways over – stress. When it takes us 3 or 4 strokes to get out of a sand trap – more stress. When we’re on in 2 and shoot a 7 – not a happy camper. See where this is going?

Let me also add that most golfers will say their worst day on the course is better than their best day at work. True but that’s because roughly 80% of us are dissatisfied with our jobs. My solution to this problem is simple, we must revel in our crappy golf play. Golf stinks, knowing that have some fun!