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Why I Can’t Wait to Start “Cheating” at Golf!

April 30, 2014 | By Greg D'Andrea | 1 Comment

polara golf

I was reluctant. Even if you offered to pay me, I wouldn’t test out Polara Golf’s driver or golf balls. I had my standards and what I felt was outright cheating crossed the line.

Polara Golf doesn’t just sell illegal equipment (nonconforming drivers and balls that take away your hook or slice), but the company (at least in my mind at the time) was also sending the wrong message: That you have to cheat to enjoy golf. After all, the GolfStinks ethos is to enjoy golf in spite of your score. It doesn’t matter if you stink; what matters is you’re outdoors with good friends, playing the game you love.

So how is it that as I type this, I can’t wait to receive my box of Polara Golf balls in the mail? How is it that I am really excited to get out on the course and play a round with them?

Simply put:

“Because golf is more fun from the fairway.” – Dave Felker (CEO, Polara Golf)

I spoke with Mr. Felker for nearly an hour last week. Though my stance toward Polara had softened a bit leading up to our chat, I was still reluctant to actually use the equipment myself. But, I was willing to hear him out.

Mr. Felker, (who by the way has a PhD in engineering and was formerly the vice president of research and development for the company who makes Top Flite golf balls), argued some good points in favor of the average golfer using nonconforming equipment:

1. It’s not cheating if everyone knows.
I questioned Mr. Felker on that fine line between bending the rules and breaking them. For example, taking a Mulligan or awarding a gimme putt might be acceptable for most recreational golfers, but playing with illegal clubs and balls crosses the line for many. His response kicked it up a notch: He countered that the real cheater is the golfer who drops a ball to pretend he found his errant drive, or knowingly puts down 4 instead of 5 on his scorecard. However, playing with non-sanctioned equipment is only cheating if you don’t inform your playing partners ahead of time.

In fact, when Mr. Felker shows up at a tournament, he will tell them he has two handicaps: the first is when he plays with USGA-sanctioned equipment and the second is when he plays with Polara equipment. He then asks tournament organizers to decide which handicap they would like him to use – and they will most often choose the lower one (thus allowing him to use his nonconforming equipment).

2. The USGA rulebook isn’t for recreational golfers.
I mentioned in a post recently that there needed to be a simplified rulebook for casual golfers. Mr. Felker agrees and suggests that one of the rules in that simplified book allows for use of nonconforming equipment. He points to the USRGA rulebook (the United States Recreational Golf Association). The rulebook, co-written by Mr. Felker, is specifically for recreation play.

What Mr. Felker has done by creating the USRGA rulebook is provide justification for average golfers to use nonconforming equipment. Whereas the USGA rules are fine for specific tournament play (including the pro tours) and also from the standpoint of helping to identify the best golfers in the world, the USRGA rules are instead geared for the rest of us.

He told me a story where he was speaking about his products to several golfers at a trade show. Everyone was eager to try the Polara balls until one member of the audience asked if they conformed to the USGA rules. When he answered “no” the crowd’s anticipation turned to disappointment…Until, that is, Mr. Felker said: “But they do conform to the United States Recreational Golf Associations’ guidelines.” At which point the audience’s excitement returned. “People are looking for permission to use this equipment,” he told me.

3. It’s like training wheels for kids.
One thing that didn’t sit well with me was what type of message Polara sends to kids? Are we willing to teach golf newbies that the game is so hard, we have to cheat to enjoy it? But Mr. Felker provided a familiar analogy to address this issue: He likened someone learning golf using a Polara ball to someone learning how to ride a bike with training wheels – it highlights how much fun it could be instead of how difficult it can be.

In this regard, more children exposed to the activity will keep at it. And once they appreciate golf (while learning the proper grip, swing, etc.), you can take the “training wheels” off so that these kids can get a sense of where they stand in terms of competition (and then as they get older, let them decide on their own if they want to go back to nonconforming equipment).

4. Golf is more fun from the fairway.
Perhaps the most influential comment Mr. Felker made to me was that golf is simply more fun from the fairway. When I thought about that, this whole nonconforming equipment thing started to make sense – after all, how much more fun would it be if we average hacks weren’t always hitting out of the rough or out of the trees? How much more energy would we have over the last few holes? How much more time would there be to converse with our buddies (because we wouldn’t all be off in the woods somewhere looking for our drives)? It seems playing from the fairway (or at least much closer to it) can benefit more than just your handicap.

So now I wait with great anticipation for my nonconforming golf balls to arrive at my doorstep. It’s funny that I’ve made a complete one-eighty. As I mentioned, I was already softening a bit to Polara in regards to others using their equipment. But now Mr. Felker has not only convinced me, but has me excited to try it for myself.

Will I switch completely to the Polara ball? I have to admit that notion has crossed my mind. I guess it depends on how effective the ball is at keeping me in the fairway (and ultimately, if I’m having more fun on the course because of it). Only time will tell. Meanwhile, I plan on playing a few rounds with the Polara golf ball and sharing my experience on this blog.

Stay tuned…

Filed Under: Stinky Golfer Paradise Tagged With: david felker, polara, polara golf, rgaa, top flite, USGA

Golf Ball Hell

December 9, 2009 | By Greg D'Andrea | 3 Comments

100_0231You can have a nervous breakdown trying to pick out golf balls. I hope I’m not alone in this assessment, but I can literally stand in front of a wall of golf ball boxes for like an hour, trying to figure out which ones I should pick.

Newbies to golf typically will purchase the cheapest options – Top Flite or the like, where $10 can buy you 20 balls. I envy those new golf hacks – the choice is easy for them. $10 for 20? That’s a no-brainer. They figure the balls are destined for the drink or lumber yard anyway, so why spend more?

However, I’ve been playing golf for 20 years. I know why I won’t spend $10 for 20 Top Flite’s. I’d like to have my ball last more than a hole without scuffs on it, thank you very much. And I’m not a terrible golfer either – I understand what “feel” means when it says “better distance and feel” on the side of the box – I want it to land softly and “hold” the green.

But I also know I’m no “player.” I don’t “work the ball” too often, I don’t really “cut it,” or intentionally draw or fade it with much success…So I don’t need to spend $45 on a dozen three-piece balls like the Titleist Pro-V1. Yes, I’ve narrowed it down to the $20 to $30 range for a dozen balls. That’s where I’m most comfortable – where I get a decent ball for a decent price. But there are so many options in that price range – which inevitably leaves me standing for an hour in the golf-ball section of my local sporting goods store.

To make matters worse, I just realized there are now more options for me to choose from…Options that I previously ignored when I was shopping for balls: Recycled golf balls. Most golfers intentionally overlook recycled (or refurbished) golf balls for various reasons, but my main reason was that I always heard once balls were submerged in water or out in the elements for a while, quality and distance would be hindered. But a new study done by GolfBallTest.org says otherwise. In their tests, there was virtually no difference between new and recycled balls of the same brand. This is intriguing.

After reading the white paper on the study, I picked up a dozen recycled Nike One balls at Target for $9.99 and played a few rounds with them. I have to say, I was impressed with them – impressed to the point where I will probably buy another box next season. If this study gets some publicity, it may change the golf ball industry!

But another new discovery has me ever more intrigued. There are companies out there that will actually custom fit you with a golf ball…and do it all online no less. GolfBallSelector.com touts “a mix of quantitative and qualitative measures to generate precise [golf ball] recommendations.” For just $19.95, you get a one-time fitting to match you with your balls. Interesting. You’ll find a similar site at TheRightBall.com. So there’s two ways you can look at these golf-ball-fitting sites: Either they’re a rip-off and not worth considering; Or your days of wondering what golf ball to use are over.

While one day I may fork-over the 20 bones and take the Golf Ball Selector test, I think for now I’m gonna stick to my recycled Nike balls…at least until another study comes along and shoots the GolfBallTest analysis out of the water. Until then, I am glad to report less of my life will be wasted on choosing golf balls. Hmmm, this post has me thinking – I wonder what grips I should put on my clubs for next season?

Filed Under: Golf Life Tagged With: golf balls, GolfBallSelector.com, GolfBallTest.org, Nike, Pro-V1, recycled golf balls, refurbished golf balls, Titleist, top flite, used golf balls

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