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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.

Golfing Thanks

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November 20, 2011 - Leaner, Hairier and Thankful.
November 20, 2011 – Leaner,
Hairier and Thankful.

I was eating dinner at a restaurant in Cancún, México one Thanksgiving (I know…of all the sacrilegious things an American can do) when a middle-aged English chap at the next table blurted-out in my direction; “I can tell by your accent that you’re American, right?”

When I responded in the affirmative, he proceeded to ask the following question: “What’s this whole Thanksgiving thing about anyway?” My tongue-in-cheek response was that we (Americans) were celebrating getting away from you (the British). On that note, we all had a quick chuckle, another sip of our Mojitos and then promptly got into an argument over turkey.

You see, he claimed that turkeys were native to England since (obviously and logically) “people have been eating turkey dinner on Christmas in England for hundreds of years.” I, on the other hand, explained that turkeys were from the Americas and were brought over to England in the early 16th-century. On that point, we agreed to disagree.

But being away for Thanksgiving that year got me thinking about what this holiday really means. Sure, we all are thankful for our health, our family and the ability to put food on the table – these are all obvious things to be thankful for. But I’m not sure it really hits home until your health, someone in your family or that steady job goes away.

This year I’ve had some (albeit minor) health issues, to which I’ve taken steps to correct. But those issues kept me off the links for good amount of time – enough time to realize that golf (for me anyway) is a little bit of therapy – It’s a reminder of all that’s good in this world and if you can get yourself back out on the course, the healing process is complete (I’m sure Stinky Golfer Pete, whose health issues this season were far more serious than mine, would agree).

This past weekend, my healing process finished – I played golf for the first time in months. I played with my father, who at 76, hadn’t hit the links in two years and wasn’t sure he’d even be able to finish our 9-hole round (he would have been content to quit when he got tired and follow me in the cart for the rest of the round). Well, I’m happy to report he not only finished all 9-holes, but played better than expected to boot. As for me, I walked all 9 sans any gout pain in my foot. And I too shot better than expected (not my best round ever, but it could have been far worse).

So, as I settle in tomorrow to eat, drink and watch the Packers crush the Lions (and hopefully my Dolphins sneak past the Cowboys); I’ll be thankful. Not just for my health or my family or even for golf. I’ll be thankful for all of it.

Happy Thanksgiving.

And to our readers in the UK: Turkeys are as American as Pumpkin Pie (yes, pumpkins are from here too…).

Golfercising

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Now that our golf season is pretty much over (in the Northeast at least), what can I do to keep myself in golf shape? I’m glad you asked. I’ve gathered some info from a couple trainers on a few exercises to keep fit in the cold winter months. Ironically, most golfers I know are in shape…that being of the “round” sort but hey, round is a shape.

If you breakdown the mechanics of the whole golf experience, you have many different movements affecting almost the entire body – such as the swing. This involves rotating of the upper body, use of the arms and shifting balance between the legs. For the most part, the better fit and trim you are, the more fluid and easier the swing is to perform. Insert John Daley joke here.

PLEASE NOTE: Do not, I repeat do not attempt the following exercises without consulting your physician. There…it’s officially posted for any moron that said we told them to do this.

Here’s a few routines to keep us strong and flexible and work those golf muscles:

Push-ups (and these aren’t your normal gym class push-ups buddy so pay attention):

Begin in a regular push-up position. As you push your body up, rotate your upper body and bring your right hand up behind you stretching to reach the ceiling so that your hands are in a vertical line. Simultaneously, bring your right knee as close to your chest as possible. Return to the push up position. Do a push up and repeat with your left hand. Try doing 3-4 sets till failure within 2 minutes

If this is too difficult, leave out the knee part and work up to it. If you are ambitious, use dumbbells.

Lunges:

Cross your arms to form an “X” across your chest as you stand with feet shoulder length apart. Step forward as you would with a normal lunge. As you lower your body, twist your torso to the right, straighten out and then return to a full upright position. Repeat with the other leg. As you get stronger and your balance develops, hold a weight across your chest to make it more challenging.

Do as many as you can in 1 minute intervals with a 15 second break in between for 5 minutes. Or do what you can and work up to a goal.

Cardio:

When it came to this area, I was told to “get my fat ass on a tread mill for good a 35-45 minutes or so.” If you don’t own a tread mill then get to steppin’ outside. What’s that, you can’t bear the cold winter weather? Suck it up, Sally! Dress in layers. They really stressed a good cardio workout at least 3-4 times a week. Make it a goal to be able to walk/jog 2-3 miles comfortably…more jog than walk though.

If you really can’t get outside and you don’t have a treadmill, be resourceful, use the stairs in your house and do a few sets up and down those. A good 20 minute romp on the staircase goes a long way.

Good luck!

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!! Stay healthy.

You Golf the Way You Eat

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Is this your mid-round golf snack?
Is this your mid-round golf snack?

About a year ago, I asked what you eat at the turn. In my research for that post, I discovered that eating at the turn is only half the battle. It’s also about what you eat before your round (and the snacks between holes) too. Like most nutritionists say about all sports; Eating well leads to playing well.

But is this really true for golf?

Physically fit golfers are a rather new anomaly on the pro tour. Remember a few decades ago? Think about Jack Nicklaus, who until he trimmed-down for the 1970 season, was the subject of “fat” jokes. Or more recently, John Daly. I think those guys proved you don’t have to be in top shape to play great golf.

OK, I know what you’re thinking: “But those guys are far and few between – most golfers are thin.” Perhaps, but let’s forget about the pros for a minute and concentrate on the average weekend hack. Many of us stop at Dunkin’ Donuts or McDonald’s to grab a coffee and breakfast sandwich before our round.

Well, according to the vast majority of nutritionists out there, chowing on a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich before your round is disastrous. It may give you an initial boost of energy but by the back nine, you’ll be dragging ass. I have to admit, I’m usually pretty tired for the last three holes…perhaps it’s that Egg McMuffin coming back to haunt me. Or, perhaps it’s because for the last 3 hours I’ve played 15 holes of golf!

Anyway, let’s get back to whether eating “right” before and during a round matters or not. Consider the title of this post: “You Golf the Way You Eat.” Well, I have fun eating and I have fun golfing. So I guess that statement is true.

OK, I know what you’re thinking again: “That’s not what that statement means!” No? Hmmm. I’m not sure what else it can mean. For me, I golf to relax…To unwind and have some fun. Why ruin it with a special golf diet?

Now I’m not telling everyone to eat comfort foods while playing golf…But I am saying: Do what makes you happy. Who cares if that hot dog and beer at the turn costs you a couple strokes on the last two holes? Unless I’m playing for money, I’d gladly give up the strokes for the dog and brew.

Now, I realize not everyone is like me. But if you’re an average hacker and are forcing yourself to eat a specific way in hopes of lowering your score…consider this: You’re not going to make the PGA tour. Ever. Not gonna happen. Not a chance. Pigs will fly first. Hell will freeze over and the sky will fall before you make a living playing professional golf.

But, I digress.

See? I bet that beer and hot dog are looking better already.

Despite the fact that Stinky Golfer Greg writes for this popular golf blog, he is in no way, shape or form qualified to be giving nutritional advice. Always check with your physician before altering your diet.

Can Worm Turds Save the Golf Industry?

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zerowaste 007
Worm turds in action (Photo courtesy of Green Golfer Foundation)

Right now, as I pen this post, people knee-deep in worm feces are revolutionizing the future of golf courses – and quite possibly saving the golf industry to boot.

That’s right – worm crap. Or, more politely; worm castings. When utilized properly, this poop can save golf courses big money. And when courses save, golfers, golf retailers – in fact the entire golf industry, benefits. All from worm feces.

As absurd as this sounds, it may actually be pretty accurate. You see, worm dung, when brewed into a tea-like liquid (trust me, this isn’t your pappy’s sun-brewed iced tea) can be used as a decent substitute for chemical fertilizer and pesticides.

Less chemicals means less pollution run-off into streams, rivers and oceans. But what it also does is save the course from spending on said costly pesticides and fertilizers. In addition, using this worm castings tea can “reduce water usage by 30-50 percent” – see where this is starting to make sense from a golf course perspective?

So how do golf courses do this? I mean, is it really that feasible? What about costs? Well, one course in California has implemented this process and it hasn’t costed them a dime – not in equipment, labor or worm poop.

The trick is capitalizing on the green movement that’s been sweeping the nation over the last several years. There are many non-for-profit eco-organizations out there more than willing to fork over cash in return for a better and safer environment. Such was the case in California – when Dairy Creek Golf Course, in conjunction with the Green Golfer Foundation received a grant from multiple state-funded eco-organizations to fund their “ZerO Waste” initiative.

In a nut-shell; you get the worms (in this case, they were provided free of charge by another eco-organization), put them in worm bins (built by volunteers from the Green Golfer Foundation) and then watch them multiply exponetially in just a few months. Then you get all your leftover restaurant waste (which is free anyway) and let the worms chow down. They start pooping and you brew said poop in a 500 gallon compost brewer (assembled for free from the good folks at Green Golfer Foundation) and begin spraying the tea on the course.

Not only are you saving costs in fertilizer and pesticides, but you’ve just created one of the world’s first zero waste golf courses. Yell that out the pro shop window and watch those lovable tree-hugger groups (cash in hand) come running!

But all joking aside, this concept is working at Dairy Creek Golf Course – a zero waste solution with no cost to the course. In fact, Dairy Creek is actually saving money by limiting the use of fertilizer, pesticides and water. The Green Golfer Foundation is looking for members willing to implement similar systems on golf courses all over the country. If you’re interested in helping on a golf course in your area, please email them at: richard@environmentalprotectionassociates.com.

Hacks, Snacks and Six-Packs

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Summer is obviously in full swing for us in the northeast. And especially after getting bombarded with snow this past winter, I’m not minding the heat that much…to an extent that is.

Still in the recovery process and the only golf I get to experience is on TV, I’ve been doing some research on what golfers might consume during a round. It’s definitely not approved by the American Heart Association.

A lot of us average golfers have been stereotyped as a hot-dog-devouring (or two), beer-guzzling, lazy-so-I’m-taking-a-cart weekend warrior. All in all, it’s safe to say there are probably more out-of-shape golfers (including me) than in-shape ones on the course on any given day.

What can be done you ask? Well, some simple changes to the ol’ diet and the pounds will start to fall off. Throw in a little exercise and you are on the way to a new you! For example, the cooler you usually load up with a 24 pack can be reorganized. Leave some cans out and use the space for some water and healthier snacks.

Some of the best snacks for you are fruits and vegetables. They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and low in calories. A lot of fruits and vegetables can be easily taken with you. Something easy to grab and eat like apples, bananas, grapes, berries or carrot sticks.

You can also throw in a couple pieces of cheese or string cheese. Maybe some almonds, pecans or sunflower seeds as well. In moderation these are a great source of vitamins, minerals and protein.

Now, don’t get me wrong I’m not saying your fat or anything…I’m just giving an alternate to the traditional golf course cuisine. Hopefully, some find this useful…or you can just tell me to take my alternate snack ideas and go mow the sand trap.

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!!

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