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Golf On Super Bowl Sunday?

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Well, that was my favorite day of the year. People always ask others, “What’s your favorite holiday?” Generally I answer with Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas, depending upon…well, actually I don’t know what it depends upon. My answer just tends to change. But I think I’m going to start being more consistent with my response. From this point on, my answer is going to be Super Bowl Sunday.

After all, I think more people celebrate, or gather for Super Bowl Sunday than any other holiday. People of all race, religion and sex celebrate the championship game of the greatest spectator sport going. Even people who aren’t really into football are there for the celebration! And whether the game is competitive or not, it doesn’t make a difference. My eyes are pretty much glued to the TV until the final whistle…and then some.

But even on Super Bowl Sunday, I’ll still make some time for another love – golf. Not a real round, it’s too cold for that and it takes too long. I can’t have any potential interruptions to either the game or the preparations leading up to it. I’m talking about indoor golf. Or, more specifically, the golf simulator.
,br>Now, I’ve mentioned before that I believe the simulator is more of a giant game video game than it is a useful tool. It’s inaccurate distance-wise, doesn’t have a real “golf course feel” obviously, and I’m not sure how accurate it is a far slices and hooks. But that doesn’t make it any less fun! And much like regular golf, that’s all I’m really there for. So when the invitation was extended earlier in the week, I was in immediately.

But I think using the simulator is more than just a game too. It’s a way to get a few swings in over the winter. It will help me to stay in “golf shape” so I don’t hit the course next season looking like I’ve never swung a club in my life. But then I think to myself…”Who am I kidding? I don’t really give a crap about that. I just want to play a big video game!” I’ve still got a whole lot of kid in my heart, so the simulator is right up my alley…and I’m not going to pass up the opportunity.

But…the tee-time was beginning to cut things a little close. After all, it is Super Bowl Sunday still. But for the golf simulator I’m willing to risk cutting into a little bit of prep time. We had to change the tee-time twice. One more change and I may have had to backout. I have also mentioned before, for me, golf takes a backseat to football. And that’s real golf! The simulator has no chance!

But I was there. I was there on Super Bowl Sunday. On the greatest day of the year for sports fans, I made sure to squeeze in a little bit of golf. Even if it was just a video game, nonetheless, I was there…

Swing ’til you’re happy!

Golf Simulators: Good Practice or Giant Video Game?

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Stinky Golfer Chris letting it rip in the golf simulator (photo by Greg D'Andrea)
Stinky Golfer Chris letting it rip in the golf simulator (photo by Greg D’Andrea)

This past Friday night I got a text from Stinky Golfer Greg asking if I can hit the indoor range Saturday morning. Unfortunately, due to my kids basketball playoff schedule, I’m unable to commit to it because I don’t know how far the team is going to advance, so therefore, don’t know when I’ll be free. We plan on trying again in a couple of weeks.

However, it turns out they don’t advance very far, getting knocked out in the first round. This now frees up the afternoon. Still with the indoor range on my own mind, the kids remind me that I promised to take them to the indoor spot to use the golf simulator. So it looks like I’m going after all. I call ahead to make sure a tee time is available (yes…you need to make a tee time), and we’re off.

Now I’ve used the simulator before, so it’s not new to me. I take it as just an opportunity to get a little swing practice in. But for the kids…this is a giant video game! And after listening to their excitement and the way they are looking at it, I start to realize that their right. It’s just a giant video game. But never did that become more apparent than when I absolutely crushed a beautiful drive off the tee to the tune of…156 YARDS?!

OK, I’m not saying I’m capable of hammering out 300 yard drives on a regular basis. But I certainly am capable of of driving farther than 156! So I put it behind me until it’s my turn to tee off on the next hole. Once again, I hit it pretty solid. The result…163! What is going on??!! Now it’s no longer a game. I realize this is pretty inaccurate and go back to focusing on my swing.

This experience got me wondering – Is the golf simulator a useful tool? Or is it just the giant video game my kids view it to be? I guess the answer is.., it’s both. I’m not playing out on an actual course, so course and weather conditions never came into play. Also, you don’t putt on the simulator, so my semi-normal three-putts never come into play either (you always one- or two-putt, based on distance from the hole). But at the same time, the inaccurate readings of distance certainly did force me to concentrate more on my swing. After all, I certainly can’t allow a 10 and 12 year old to out-drive me!

In the end though, I got both a little bit of fun and a bit of practice out of the simulator. The inaccuracy of the simulator did force me to focus more. However, it was a rainy day in early March – not typical golfing season or weather…but there I was (according to the simulator anyway) in Myrtle Beach at Arrowhead Country Club (kids choice).

Oh yeah, and just to prove how inaccurate the simulator really is…I shot an 89. My twelve year old…a 91. And my ten year old….95 (including back-to-back birdies). In reality, I have never broken 90. But you know what? The three of us had a damn good time. And if it did something to keep their attention on the sport, even if it was just a video game, then that’s just fine with me.

We swung ’til we were happy!

Home, Home On The (Indoor) Range

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Is the simulator an adequate stand-in for golf? (photo by Greg D'Andrea)
Is the simulator an adequate stand-in for golf? (photo by Greg D’Andrea)

For anyone reading this who does not live in the northeast, you may or may not be aware that it’s been snowing here recently. I could go ahead and say there’s been a hell of a lot of snow…and that would be an understatement.

It has snowed so much, and been cold enough for very little of it to melt, that we are simply running out of places to put it! Honestly, the snow from two storms ago is still buried underneath the more recent nor’easters! And there’s even more expected this week!

So with all the snow and tough driving conditions it creates, it’s understandable that there seems to be a case of cabin fever spreading throughout the area. And it was never more evident than today at the indoor range.

Despite temperatures in the low to mid-teens, the weather was relatively nice this past weekend. So it seems, once the sun comes out, so do the golfers…myself included. Though it’s certainly still too cold (for me anyway) to head to an outdoor range, even a heated one, I’m willing to brave the cold for my first opportunity of the year to hit the indoor spot. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one. I guess it’s due to the recent weather conditions, but I have never seen this place so packed! I’ll tell ya…for five months out of the year, this place is a gold mine!

Now, not only is the trip to the indoor range an opportunity, obviously, to keep my game in relative order during the off-season, but it’s also an opportunity to keep my boys interested in the game. Though it’s certainly not the same as being out on the course, my boys love the indoor facility. And that’s good news for me. For a mere $20, the three of us can spend as much time as we’d like, with a bottomless ball basket, driving, chipping, putting and hitting out of the sand. And if I can keep their interest during the off-season, all the better when the temps begin to rise.

But of course, it’s on the way past the lobby and into the facility itself when they spot the golf simulators. Lucky for me, these things require a tee time, so I’m able to save myself a few bucks today, but not without the promise of a return trip.

Like I’ve mentioned previously, I’m not a big fan of practice (insert Allen Iverson impressions here). So I’m going to look at this as more of a mission to keep my kids interested in playing golf. I mean, I had fun, they had fun…we all had fun! So how could this possibly be practice? We’ll see how I feel about it next time.

But seriously, for those in the northern half of this country who are frozen off the course for the next few months, I recommend looking for an indoor golf facility. You can work on all areas of your game for the price of about two buckets of balls at your local range…and it’s warmer! Just don’t think of it as practice and it’s even better!

Swing ’til you’re happy!

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