GolfStinks

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Food Is The Way To A Golfers Heart

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Golf courses should give a little to get a little...
Golf courses should give a little to get a little…

It’s funny…there are sometimes places I just don’t want to go and people I simply don’t want to go with.  Sometimes it’s a person or a couple that you know well enough to feel that you just can’t tolerate spending any significant amount of time with.  Maybe it’s a person or a couple that you don’t really know, but know enough about to already feel like you’re going to have a miserable time.  It may even be a person you’ve never met, but you just don’t want to deal with entertaining a new person.  Do you know what I mean?  I feel that way a lot, in both my personal and professional life.  If I don’t want to go spend time with this person or people, then I’m not going.  Unless there’s food.  The idea and the chance that there may be good food can convince me to go almost anywhere and give almost anyone a chance.

Now this doesn’t work only for me.  This is also very common in my professional life, as well as many others who work for a living.  My job occasionally requires me to go to a “networker” or that type of event.  I’m not going to say I “hate” going to those things, but I will call it a strong dislike.  My boss can tell me he needs me to go because he can’t make it.  I’ll hem and haw a bit, but then he’ll tell me…”They always do a good job with the food there.”  OK…I’ll go.  “Open bar” works just about as well.  Whatever venue holds the event, or whichever organization hosts it, is happy to provide the food in the hopes that some of the attendees will be returning.  Wouldn’t it be nice if golf courses did the same?

Yes, I know there are plenty of tournaments where the post-round spread is a large part of the event.  But I’m talking about more of a course “open house” if you will.  Why not use this type of thing to get some people out to your course?  Give the people an event.  Not an event for the people who are already members.  Put out an open invitation to non-members so you can attempt to make them members.  And if not members, then at least a few daily fee players.

Some years ago, I remember some of the reps of a nice local course coming into my office looking to sign my company up to a corporate membership.  They were friendly, nice people and had some nice very colorful brochures with great pictures of their course and clubhouse.  After they left, I mentioned to my boss that I had played the course and it was pretty nice.  But my boss, as well as his boss, didn’t even give it a chance.  But perhaps an invite to a free round would have helped.  Maybe one of those non-member events could have helped as well.  Well, in hindsight, anything would have helped since the course has now been out of business for roughly ten years and is now a nature preserve.

So again, maybe another idea to help some course pump a little life into the stagnant state of golf.  Throw a little party for some non-members.  Maybe you can bring in those new members you’re going to need when the old crew decides to hang up their spikes.  Maybe you can recruit a few new daily fee players who don’t necessarily have the money for a membership or don’t want to be tied to one course, but like your course enough to drop $50 on a round a couple times per season.  Or maybe you can find a company who would like to rent your facilities for some of their corporate events or outings.  Do you have banquet facilities?  People hold wedding receptions at golf courses you know.  The courses maybe just have to not be afraid to give away a round here and there or spend a little marketing money in a different way.  After all, it takes dough to make bread.

Swing ’til you’re happy!

Mother’s Day Golf

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Well, I’ve said it a few times, and it remains true – Life gets in the way of golf.  This time, it’s Mother’s Day.  Now, please understand, I am in no way advocating blowing off your mom to go sneak in nine, or even eighteen holes.  I certainly didn’t, nor would I.  I’m just using it as an example to prove my point – there’s always something to pull you away from the course.  But maybe I’ve come up with a bit of a solution.  Maybe the trick simply is – If you can’t beat ’em, make ’em join you.

I remember when I was just a kid that my mother and father both had a set of golf clubs, but I never saw either of them actually go out to a course and play a round.  I once asked and they both said they gave it a try, but they just didn’t really care for the game.  So the clubs just hung from a wall in the garage for years until my mother finally sold them at a yard sale.  But maybe the time has come where I can try to get her to give it another try?  After all, she’s been retired for several years and is still pretty active.  A relaxing sport like golf, carts and all, may be worth a second look.

Ok…I think it’s clear what I’m doing here.  I have an ulterior motive and I’m probably not doing a very good job of hiding it.  As a matter of fact, I’m sure I’ve fooled no one.  Look, it’s not that I don’t want to celebrate Mother’s Day with my mom.  It’s not that I don’t want to gather with my family for brunch.  I love doing these things!  But you know what else I love doing?  Golfing on a glorious, cloudless, 78 degree, spring day.  See what I’m saying?

I’m thinking that if I can convince her to take up golf again, then I can spend time with her on Mother’s Day, still have that brunch that I love and get out on the course without feeing guilty.  How could I feel guilty if she’s right there with me?  Does this sound shady?  I have to admit, it does a little bit…even to me.  But on the other hand….you’re just jealous that I thought of it first.

Swing ’til you’re happy!

Why Not Little League Golf?

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There's no doubt little league encourages a love of baseball - could it work for golf?
There’s no doubt little league encourages a love of baseball – could it work for golf?

My kids sports schedules are out of control.  I have no idea how we ever get anything done outside of run all over God’s creation to get them where they need to be when they need to be there.  My oldest plays baseball – practice is everyday after school with at least two games during the week and every other Saturday.  The middle child plays lacrosse – practices are three nights a week with a game or two on the weekends.  The youngest does gymnastics, which is by far the easiest schedule-wise – her practices are twice a week with a meet once a month.  These schedules require either my wife or I to leave work early on a pretty regular basis.  It’s like they don’t remember that most parents work.  But I don’t mind.  It’s what the kids want, so we make it happen.  As a matter of fact, if one more sport was included, I could live with it.  But that sport would have to be golf.

I’ve wondered for years why little league golf hasn’t really caught on.  I certainly understand there are several roadblocks which stand in the way – cost, a course in town, getting times on the course, etc…  Lets just say the conditions are not favorable.  But with the state in which the game stands – fewer younger people taking it up – courses may want to start considering rethinking their current practices for the benefit of the future of the game.

We all know the game ain’t cheap.  So there’s one roadblock right off the bat.  It’s not just the equipment – equipment isn’t cheap in many other sports either.  Trust me…see the first paragraph.  But further standing in the way are greens fees and range time.  Neither are inexpensive.  This is somewhere where courses could step up and help out a golf little league organization.  I’ve yet to play a twilight round at any of my local courses and see the range crowded.  Letting a little league golf team use the range and putting green free, or at a handsomely discounted rate, would certainly help.

The rounds themselves are a different story.  Obviously this can’t be done at no charge.  However, discounting the fees for the local little league teams could only benefit the courses in the future.  Problem is, obviously not every town has a golf course.  But if there is one in somewhat local driving distance, then towns can combine with surrounding towns to create their little leagues.  This would also make the tournaments conveniently at one course as well.

Of course, always in the way is the cost to simply get involved in the game.  Polo shirts, golf shoes, clubs, balls, etc.., it’s never ending.  Some costs are unavoidable.  But again, the courses can certainly help out with many of these – discounts in the golf shop, especially on used equipment, would certainly help.

In the log run, donating some range time and equipment, discounts, and a little cooperation from courses themselves would certainly help to get younger kids introduced to, and involved in, the game.  And, in all likelihood, it would also create future customers, maybe even members.  A little help for a future golfer in the beginning could pay off down the road, both for the course and the game itself.  It’s something to consider.

Swing ’til you’re happy!

Another Golf Milestone (Memory) Reached

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What happens the first time he beats you at golf (photo via Pixabay)

There have been a few milestones achieved in my so-called golf career.  The first time I was fitted for custom clubs.  The first time I broke 100.  I’m still working on breaking 90.  92 is my best yet.  For a lot of us, the first time we broke 110!  But some milestones are more bittersweet.  Maybe they are more golf memories than milestones.  Maybe they involve you losing to your opponent.  Maybe they involve you not playing such a good round.  Hey, it happens.  Such was my most recent milestone.

Last weekend, my two boys and I headed out for a quick nine-hole round.  As usual, I’m writing down the scores but not really paying them much mind.  We’re more playing for fun, like we always do.  But after the seventh hole I start to realize, after my youngest got the best score on the hole, I’m not playing so well.  Well, not that I ever do.  So I should say, I’m playing worse than usual.  So out of curiosity, I check the scores.  Uh-oh.  Two holes left and my oldest is five strokes up on me!  Now what?

Again, it’s not a competition.  I never look at it that way…unless there’s money on the line.  Or food.  Or beer.  But you know what I mean.  And there’s never money on the line with my kids.  I mean, really now…what kind of person bets money with their kids knowing they have the clear advantage?  Plus…my kids don’t have jobs.

Needless to say, five strokes in two holes was a bit too much for me to make up.  And despite my valiant effort, I still lost by four.  So the milestone?  First time my kid beat me.  Bittersweet because I don’t like that I lost, but happy for him to have beaten me.  Granted, I played one of the worst nine-hole rounds in memory…but that doesn’t matter.  A loss is a loss.

So now I have a little something more to look forward to when I hit the links with my kids.  Not only is a quality time spent with the boys, but from this point on there will also be a level of competition added to each round.  I’m not going to forget him beating me…and I’m sure he won’t let me either.  Now…if I can just get him to find a job…

Swing ’til you’re happy!

No Tiger, No Fans?

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I think we can all agree that when we are watching the PGA Tour, we are watching the highest level of professional golf we are likely to see.  And that probably goes double for a major.  Face it, the absolute worst player on the tour will still wipe the floor with most any of us.  These guys are simply the best.  So why is it that so many viewers need to have Tiger Woods there, or they’re not interested in watching?  Is a large collective of most of the best players in the world not good enough?

Obviously, I’m referring to The Masters and the fact that Tiger Woods did not play due to surgery (as well as Mickelson not making the cut).  The result?  The lowest ratings for a Masters tournament since 1993.  I wonder why this is?  I get that he is certainly the most popular player in the game, as well as arguably still the best.  But are that many people electing not to tune in if he’s not there?  What about all of the other great golfers who are there?  No love for Bubba?  Fowler?  McIlroy?

This is the reason why the PGA needs to do a better job of hyping more players on the tour.  Once the most hyped player doesn’t participate, despite the fact he hasn’t won the tournament since 2005, too many people no longer care.  So again, these are the greatest players in the world…but no one cares.  When there’s an NFL game in which Tom Brady or Peyton Manning isn’t involved, people still watch, right?  Why is it different for golf and golf tournaments?  Take a look at the numbers.  When you really look at final scores and the total number of strokes, the difference between first and thirtieth is only a matter of about three strokes per round.  Is that really much of a difference form a skill level standpoint?  I’m sorry, but it’s not.  So what exactly do these so-called fans think they’re missing?  It’s as if they are more caught up in the off-the-course Tiger hype than what he should be known for, which is golf.

Speaking of so-called fans, I saw an idiotic comment on another post proving my point.  This person claims they would rather watch Tiger shoot 74 than a “no name guy” shoot 70.  So basically you’re telling me, just because a specific golfer is playing, you would rather watch bad golf than a lesser named player having a better round?  I’m sorry, but that means you are not a fan of the game.

If anything, this should be an eye opener for the PGA.  After all, Tiger is not going to be around forever.  And if this is a sign of things to come when he does decide to hang up his spikes, then the tour is going to be in some real trouble.  They’d better get to work sooner rather than later.

Swing ’til you’re happy!

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