Greg D'Andrea

5 Ways to Start a Fight on the Golf Course

August 21, 2013 | By Greg D'Andrea | 3 Comments

I’ve never seen anyone go full-on fisticuffs at the golf course, but I’ve witnessed a few close calls (most of which happened following one of the 5 events below). You wouldn’t think the course would be a setting for a throw-down, but when tempers flare, anything is possible.

And in golf, tempers most certainly can flare. Imagine this: You’re having a bad round; 4-putted for triple bogey on the previous hole; hooked your drive OB on the current hole and then…

#1 – Someone hits into your group.
I actually hit into the group ahead of me last week. Now in my defense, I wasn’t trying to hasten their pace, rather I didn’t see them in the woods on the left. After a quick apology shouted down the fairway, all was forgiven. But it could have easily gone the other way. Hitting into the group ahead of you can definitely send the wrong message. I remember once we had mistakenly hit into the same group twice.

Though a mistake, I can understand why they took offense. It had been a long, slow round and everyone was annoyed. So when we roped one by them for the second time, the shouting began. We apologized; they didn’t really accept it; and when we drove up behind them to wait on the next tee, words were exchanged. Though tempers eventually cooled, hitting into the group ahead of you is perhaps the easiest way to start a brawl on the course.

#2 – Someone steals your ball (or purposely misplaces it).
We’ve all claimed to have this happen to us at one point or another; “I swear it was right here…someone must have picked it up.” Perhaps, or perhaps your drive wasn’t as good as you thought. But when you actually witness the thief in the act, that’s another story completely. You see them heading to your ball from 200 yards away and you immediately know they are going to take it – “Hey!” you yell, “That’s my ball!”

What’s worse, they flagrantly steal your ball because you’ve hit into them! I’ve witnessed this on multiple occasions. I’ve seen people kick balls into the woods or a sand trap for being hit into. And when things like that happen, you’re one step away from a melee.

#3 – Someone steals your club.
A couple of rounds ago, I found an 8-iron on the tee box of a par 3. Obviously, someone brought two clubs with them to tee-off and left behind the one they didn’t use to hit. Now, I did the proper thing. I asked the group ahead of us and when it wasn’t them, I left it with the clubhouse manager after our round. But what if I didn’t do the “proper thing?” What if I needed an 8-iron and decided to claim that club as my own? Well, one time I witnessed a confrontation in the course parking lot where one guy spotted his club in another guy’s bag.

Clearly you can assume the guy with the club planned on taking it (after all he was already at his vehicle with his trunk open). The two exchanged words with the accused using the excuse that he simply “forgot” to leave it at the clubhouse when he finished (which was possibly true). But I remember thinking “this could get ugly” until the club was handed over to its rightful owner who then, after a few more choice words, headed back to his car. Remember, if you find a club, do the right thing.

#4 – Swindle someone out of money.
If you’ve ever played for money, you’ll know there are certain things that cross your mind: Are they cheating? Should you cheat? Will they pay up? Remember, when money is on the line, so is your credibility. And if you prove not credible, then you might have to pay the price (one way or another). Keep that in mind the next time a few skins are on the line.

#5 – Continually pointing out what someone is doing wrong.
One time years ago, when Stinky Golfer Chris was just beginning, he was having a difficult time in the trap. After flubbing a couple, the rest of our foursome (including me) started giving him advice. After each of us served up a bit of knowledge (which was promptly followed by yet another flub), Chris finally had enough: “EVERYBODY JUST STOP WITH THE F*$%ING ADVICE! IT’S OBVIOUSLY NOT F*$%ING HELPING!” Now Chris is a good friend, but at that moment, I think he may have been ready to go 12 rounds with all three of us! Fortunately, we’ve all remained good friends. Unfortunately, Chris’ trap play still needs work (see video here).

Back Pain and Golf

August 7, 2013 | By Greg D'Andrea | 2 Comments

It was the end of my senior year in high school. I was 17 years old and had never felt any back discomfort in my life whatsoever. But after golfing everyday for most of April, May and June for my high school golf team, along with practicing my chips and putts for many additional hours on top of that, something finally gave way.

I woke up one morning and literally couldn’t get out of bed. My lower back, right hip and a bit down my right leg were stiff and painful. I finally was able work myself into a sitting position and remember barely being able to walk to the car for my doctor’s appointment. One I reached the car, it was nearly impossible for me to sit inside!

According to the doc, it was my sciatic nerve acting up. He prescribed an anti-inflammatory and plenty of rest. Two weeks later, I felt back to 100 percent, but I wasn’t going to let that happen again. I began a stretching routine before each round, which I continue to this very day.

Fortunately, the issue has never cropped up again. Of course, I don’t play as much as back then, but that doesn’t mean I won’t ever run into problems. Now pushing 40, I realize I’m more susceptible to aches and pains – as well as easily aggravating old sore spots.

According to recent statistics, more than half of all male golfers (and nearly half of all female golfers) suffer some sort of lower back pain. If you play a second sport besides golf (like softball or even bowling), your chances for back pain increase by an additional 40 percent! And the risk goes up the older you get – especially for those over 50.

Want more bad news? Most recreational golfers (like many of us), work full time jobs where we sit at a desk for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. This puts us even more at risk for back problems! So what can we do to help avoid these lower back flare-ups (besides popping multiple doses of ibuprofen or acetaminophen or both)?

Well, according to this article from sportsmed.org, warming up before the round can lower your risk by more than half! Their study found that lower handicap golfers were also twice as likely to warm up for 10 minutes or more before each round (I warm up for probably 2-3 minutes)!

In addition to warming up before your round, it is strongly recommended you incorporate some sort of exercise program into your general life – especially one that helps strengthen your core, since a strong core can help stabilize you during a golf swing.

A few years ago, GolfDigest published this article specifically targeting exercise programs for golfers – and strengthening your core muscles was very important. According to the author, utilizing his golf exercise program three times per week will not only help rid you of pain, but also help improve your golf swing!

How about a massage? Did you know there were massages geared specifically for golfers? Not only that, the massage therapist actually massages you with…wait for it…golf balls! These types of massages, like the ones from SPABallMassage.com, make the following claims:

“Remarkably therapeutic, deeply relaxing, and essential to help golfers stay flexible and injury free. It combines smooth compression strokes with the therapist’s hands and forearms, deep trigger point and cross-fiber work with the SPAball Kaddy™ and golf ball, as well as performing essential stretches that every golfer needs to stay in top form.”

Now, I’ve never received one of these types of massages, but I’m definitely willing to give it a try! The bottom line is back pain is a reality for half of the golfers out there – and we weekend hacks are at even higher risk. At the very least, stretching before the round can help. But working in some sort of exercise – especially one that targets your core – can not only help you be pain free, but also can help your game to boot.

As always, check with your doctor before implementing any stretching or exercise routine. But in the end, staying healthy can allow you to play this game well past retirement age – I know that’s my goal!

Golfing with a Twist

July 31, 2013 | By Greg D'Andrea | Leave a Comment

One of the great features of golf (and there are many) is the camaraderie you experience by being together with like-minded individuals – having a good time while doing something you all want to do is good in and of itself. But what if you were able to incorporate another passion into golf? What do I mean? Well…

Let’s say you and your friends are also nudists. Wouldn’t it be great if you could enjoy both being a nudist and playing golf at the same time? Fret not my pants-less friends because there’s a course in France that allows you to do just that: La Jenny Nudist Golf Course.

La Jenny might only feature a 6-hole course, but it’s the only place in the world where nudity is a requirement. Now I’m no nudist, but I surmise if I were one, I’d want to visit La Jenny – it would be the best of both worlds for someone into both baring it all and hitting the links.

Perhaps you’re not into nudity but do enjoy history. In fact, you like history so much, you fantasize about playing golf with old wooden clubs and dressing in golf attire from a bygone era. If that sounds up your alley, then you would probably be interested in the Society of Hickory Golfers.

This organization, which prides itself on “preserving the traditions of the game” is a group dedicated to sporting clubs made of hickory and donning knickers and knee-socks whilst on the links. The Society of Hickory Golfers can help you find and register for golf tournaments around the globe that require traditional equipment and apparel – many featured at historic golf courses to boot!

Finally, let’s say you’re a golfer who fancies winter weather – perhaps you’re even a skier? Well, the country of Greenland (which is mostly ice) has a tournament for you!

It’s called The World Ice Golf Championship and we’ve written about this before. Located more than 370 miles north of the Arctic Circle, you can walk fairways surrounded by giant glaciers and huge ice bergs. But you don’t have to travel to Greenland to partake in what has become known as “Snow Golf.”

Alpine Meadows in California touts itself as the only “top-to-bottom”snow golf course, featuring 9 holes of downhill fun! If you do decide to play, just remember, the greens are not called that in Snow Golf – they’re called “whites” and they’re made of ice!

If you know of any other societies, leagues or tournaments that feature golf with a twist, please let me know – I have a feeling there will be a part 2 to this post!

Is it Ever Too Hot for Golf?

July 24, 2013 | By Greg D'Andrea | 1 Comment

Is the temperature ever too high for golf?

For the last few weeks here in the northeastern part of the United States, it’s been downright disgusting. In the mid-90’s with high humidity, when we did get a recent day in the high 80’s, it felt like autumn was upon us.

I don’t have to tell you this is not ideal golf weather. In places like southern Arizona, summertime is golf’s off-season – where 100+ temperatures force golfers indoors, waiting in anticipation for the winter months (which are typically in mid 60’s). But in places like Connecticut, where golf courses are generally covered in snow a portion of the year, one feels like they can’t waste a perfectly good sunny (albeit hot) day on the links.

It was that mindset that almost did me in a few years back when we decided to play on a scorching-hot day. Around the 16th hole, me and another one of my golf buddies almost bit the dust. We literally had to stop, sit down in the middle of the fairway and put a wet towel over our heads.

About five minutes later, we were back on our feet and ultimately were able to finish our round. But that was a wake-up call for me. As we were driving home that day, we passed a bank that had the time and temp displayed on it’s parking lot sign: 3:35PM, 103 degrees.

103 degrees. That’s nuts. But there we were – out on the course…playing 18-holes no less! Now I’m not saying I would never play golf when the temperature is over 100 again. I’m just saying I’d be more prepared – drinking more water and slowing it down a bit.

And this leads me to today’s poll. At what point is it too hot to play golf? 100 degrees? 90 degrees? Never? So let us know when you’d throw in the towel (if ever).

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What’s Most Important in a Golf Course

July 17, 2013 | By Greg D'Andrea | 2 Comments

Several years ago, I began playing a different golf course every time out (which was initiated through a quest I was on to play every public 18-hole golf course in my state). Anyway, after visiting about 20 or 30 (there were over 60 total), they all began meshing together in my mind – I couldn’t distinguish one from the next.

So, I began rating them on five criteria:

Difficulty
Layout
Grooming
Hospitality
Scenery

I felt that the five criteria above, when taken as a whole, produced the best way to ascertain how “good” a golf course is. For example, nice grooming or beautiful scenery might entice me to remember a particular course and convince me to come back again. Whereas an extremely difficult course or one with poor customer service might convince me to stay away.

Ultimately, it was these criteria that found their way into the rating system on Golfstinks.com. It’s true – you can become a member (for free) and start rating all the places you’ve golfed using our database of over 18,000 courses!

But periodically, we like to know these criteria are weighted properly. And to that end, we would like you to help us establish what is the most important feature on a golf course. By taking the poll below, you can help us do just that! And to make things even more interesting, we’ve added one more criteria currently not included in our rating formula: Price.

So, take the poll and then login to Golfstinks to start rating and reviewing the golf courses you’ve played – with a little help from golfers like you, we can create the best golf course review and ratings database on the web!

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5 Ways to Start a Fight on the Golf Course

Back Pain and Golf

Golfing with a Twist

Is it Ever Too Hot for Golf?

What’s Most Important in a Golf Course

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