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A Glimpse Into The New Golf Season

March 10, 2014 | By Chris Chirico | Leave a Comment

Almost golf season!
Almost golf season!

Well, we made it.  We went all of last week here in CT without a snowstorm.  That’s the first week without a snowstorm in, I believe, the past seven.  As a matter of fact, this past Saturday, the temps reached up into the low 50’s…golfing weather!  Unfortunately, we dipped back down on Sunday into the mid- to upper-30’s…so golfing is right back out the window again.  But it is a step in the right direction.

With the recent weather slowly giving a glimpse into the upcoming spring, for the first time this off-season, I’m starting to get the golfing itch back.  Slowly but surely, the weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer and I’m even starting to see some grass as the snow slowly melts away!  Even though they are talking about a little more snow for Tuesday, my optimism cannot be swayed.

The only problem with all of the snow we had now melting is that it’s going to over saturate the courses.  So even though the temperature had reached the 50’s on Saturday, I wouldn’t have played because stepping on the course would have been like playing in quicksand.  Every swing would spray mud fifteen yards out.  Tee boxes would be destroyed, balls would be plugged in the middle of the fairway and greens would have more dimples that the golf ball itself.  And even though I would love to get back out on the course, I still remain one of those golfers who really prefers to play in optimal conditions.  And having your golf cart stuck like you took it out mud-bogging is not what I would call optimal.

My point here is, the weather is improving, it’s light out for a longer period of time and the temperatures are rising.  This all points to the golf season getting closer and it won’t be long now before it’s in full swing (see what I did there).  And that is music to our ears.

Swing ’til you’re happy!

Filed Under: Golf Life Tagged With: golf season, golfing weather, snow, snowstorms

Tiger: Hurt, Injured or Neither?

March 3, 2014 | By Chris Chirico | Leave a Comment

I’m lucky enough to be pretty healthy.  I don’t have any ailments, other than being a bit overweight…but I’m working on that!  What I mean is, I’m healthy all-around.  Like all of us, I have days where I may be a little under the weather.  But it’s very rare that I actually get “sick.”  Rare enough that my boss probably wouldn’t believe me if I was to call out of work for the day.  I’ve been with my company for about four years and have yet to take a sick day.  Well, that’s not entirely true.  I did take one.  But I used it to play golf on a Monday.  And my boss was well aware.  So I can understand him not believing me.

What I don’t understand is why people don’t believe Tiger Woods when he says he’s hurt.  He’s the #1 player in the world.  It takes work and talent to get there.  So when he pulled out of the Honda Classic, why, instead of understanding that he was struggling due to a known back injury, did many people react like he was full of crap?  I began seeing all kinds of “Tiger is a baby” comments (along with various other descriptions I won’t say here) popping up on social media right away.  Why the animosity?

Is it because he is the worlds #1 ranked player?  That could be.  I mean, the #1 always has a target on their back.  And it seems to be the American way to build someone up only to tear them down.  Or maybe it’s because people still hold a grudge against him for the past mistakes in his personal life?  I suppose that’s a reason.  Because he’s a celebrity, everything he does wrong stands out more and is remembered for a longer period of time.  Or maybe it’s simply because people just genuinely think he’s full of crap.  They think he genuinely faked an injury because he wasn’t playing well and had no chance.  I suppose that’s possible.  After all, it’s not like he needs the money.  He can walk away from a tournament and it certainly won’t hurt his wallet any.

It seems as though many people have these thoughts in the back of their minds and aren’t taking into consideration that he may actually be hurt.  But hurt enough to not finish the last five holes?  I don’t know.  I’m not even going to form an opinion on it.  But I will say this – There’s a difference between being hurt and being injured.  You play when you’re hurt.  And when you walk away with only five holes remaining after having a bad round…well, you can see how certain opinions can be formed.  One can only hope that he’s not using the injury as an excuse for poor play.

Swing ’til you’re happy!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: golf stinks, golfstinks, Honda Classic, PGA TOUR, tiger woods

The Golf “Gimme” In Competition

February 24, 2014 | By Chris Chirico | 2 Comments

I’m not a good enough golfer to be playing anyone for money.  That being said…it’s never stopped me.  When the opportunity comes along to make a little cash via competition, then I’m all in…as long as I know who I’m up against.  I won’t allow myself to be hustled.  So I stick to a few bucks here and there among friends or other golfers of whose skill level I am aware.  The other stinky golfers with whom I usually play have been playing the game longer than me, and I have no problem admitting they are better than I am.  However, I can hold my own when I put my mind to it.  Winning a little something here and there is not entirely out of the question.

However, when I am playing for money (or even food or beer), I apologize but, some aspects of sportsmanship go right out the window.  So when Sergio Garcia conceded an eighteen foot (or seventeen…or twenty, depending on what you’ve read) putt to Rickie Fowler at the WGC-Match Play Championship, I was dumbfounded.  Me?  Once money becomes a factor, I will not concede even a three-foot putt…I’ve seen way too many of those missed.  And I’m only playing for a few bucks.  But the WGC?  We’re talking a $9 million purse!  And you are going to concede a putt that is far from a gimme?!

I have two main problems with this situation, besides the stupidity of it.  First is that everyone is looking at it as a show of good sportsmanship.  OK, I guess besides the stupidity of giving someone a gimme from eighteen feet away, there is a hint of good sportsmanship in there.  But you know what I think there is an even higher level of?  Cockiness.  I can’t believe that nothing I’ve read about this so far even hints at it.  Sergio said he felt bad because of a delay on a ruling at a previous hole.  Really?  This is golf…half the game is a delay!  I think he knew he had a lead and felt he had it in the bag.  And if he won, he was going to play it as “See what I did there?  I pretty much gave that hole away and I won anyway.”  Well, so much for that!

Second is the fact that something like that can happen anyway.  And in the grand scheme of things, the fact that a “gimme” exists in the rules of golf at all is just plain ridiculous.  For a sport filled with such strict, annoying rules to begin with…that they will let someone just pickup a ball without actually finishing the hole is asinine.  And where exactly is that “gimme” line drawn?  Can you imagine if in football, a guy ran a kickoff back to the 1 yard line and was tackled, but rather than send the defense out onto the field, they just said “Ok, close enough…you can have that one.”  Or if in basketball, a guy misses a dunk, but the other team just lets him take the two points anyway because he was so close.  It’s ridiculous!  This is a competition with $9 million dollars on the line!  Make the putt!

Swing ’til you’re happy!

Filed Under: Stinky Golfer Paradise Tagged With: golf betting, golf stinks, golfstinks, PGA TOUR, Rickie Fowler, sergio garcia, WGC-Match Play Championship

Will This Brutal Winter Delay Golf Season?

February 17, 2014 | By Chris Chirico | Leave a Comment

Time for snow golf?
Time for snow golf?

Living in CT all my life, I’m just used to the snow.  Be it three inches or three feet.  When you’re a New Englander, you accept that you’re going to have this kind of weather, so you don’t complain when it happens.  You just accept that your garage or tool shed will include either a snow-shovel, snow-blower or both.  You accept that you will need to carry a snow-brush and ice scraper in your car.  But what you don’t expect is to have to replace these things due to overuse in one season!  So coming off another winter storm, a storm which covered the snow from the last storm which was already covering the snow from two storms ago, you begin to wonder…when exactly is golf season going to begin this year?

I know it’s a bit early still – I normally don’t play my first round of golf until April at the earliest.  But here we are in mid-February.  We’ve had six snowstorms in the past six weeks and talk of a seventh this week.  So when exactly are the courses going to be ready to play?  I mean, if the famous Eisenhower Tree at Augusta National has been lost to ice damage, and that’s down south, what kind of damage are we going to be looking at here in CT?

If old Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction is correct, then we’ll still be seeing snow well into March.  Heck, wasn’t it just last year when we were still getting snow in April?  So who knows what to expect?!  All I know is, for one reason or another, my golf season gets started later and later every year.  I was hoping to put an end to that trend this season, but with no end in sight to the winter combined with the groundhogs input, it’s anyone’s guess as to whether or not that will actually happen.

So what to do?  Wait it out until the conditions are optimal?  This would be preferred.  Or do I head out to the course and play on a wet, muddy, sloppy course where my ball is going to get plugged after every iron shot and a divot as deep as the abyss will be left after each stroke?  I hate playing when the course is like this.  Not to mention, it does too much damage when the course probably has enough problems already.  Maybe I’ll just take an early golf trip until conditions here are better suited for a round?  Now that sounds like a plan…if finances allow.

Swing ’til you’re happy!

Filed Under: Golf Life Tagged With: augusta national, Eisenhower Tree, golf season, golf trip, New England, snow storm, winter storms

Accessorizing For The Upcoming Golf Season

February 10, 2014 | By Chris Chirico | Leave a Comment

I’m not the kind of person who has to have the latest and greatest of anything.  No, I’d rather wait for a while until I can find a better deal or the prices come down from the intro of a new product.  Some examples – Of all the cars I’ve owned, I only purchased one of them brand new.  It’s just not a good investment considering you lose a minimum of 30% of the value as soon as you drive it off the lot.  I’d rather buy a car used and let some other sucker take that hit.  Electronics/computers/phones?  Forget it.  With the way electronics are pumped out of factories these days, what you buy is practically obsolete in less than a year.  So to me, overspending on a laptop, tablet or cell phone (which have all become practically disposable) is not exactly a wise decision either.  Even when the PlayStation 3 came out years ago, I held out until I felt like I was missing out on something.  And by that time, the price had dropped about 25% as well.  There’s something to be said for waiting.

But one place where I’m a little different with my thinking is when I’m purchasing golf accessories.  I’ve only owned two sets of golf clubs, one off-the-shelf and my current set which were custom-fitted.  Neither were bought used.  I’m not sure what it is, but I don’t know if I could purchase a set of used clubs.  Although my putter was used, but it was free…so that doesn’t count.  I don’t buy my golf clothes used either obviously, but I will look at discount department stores rather than golf specialty shops or sporting goods stores with the latest fashions for about triple the price.  Same goes for clothing accessories like hats and sunglasses – a nice new pair of Oakleys from Blackleaf never hurt anyone.

Also, I find that purchasing your accessories and equipment in the off-season can certainly save a few bucks as well.  Clothing will be on clearance, as will balls, tees, gloves…whatever, all in anticipation of newer products stocking the shelves.  Granted, the selection might not be as great as at the beginning of the season, but all the money you’ll save can be put toward the courses you want to play during the season.

Hey, golf is an expensive sport.  We have to do what we can to save our pennies where ever possible.  If cheaper clothing, less expensive balls and buying things in the off-season will allow me to put more money into playing more or nicer courses, then as an alternative to winning the lottery, I’ll keep it up!

Swing ’til you’re happy!

Filed Under: Stinky Golfer Paradise Tagged With: Blackleaf, golf accessories, golf apparel, golf season, golf stinks, golfstinks, oakley

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