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4 Reasons To Take Golf Lessons

November 1, 2014 | By Pete Girotto | 2 Comments

smiling-golfNormally it is not our thing to give tips, advice or promote some crappy game improvement gadget. In fact we have been known to poke a few light hearted jokes at that sort of stuff. That said, we do want everyone to enjoy their round of golf and speak positively about the game. Through the years of hacking up these courses, I’ve noticed a good 95% or more of the people I’ve played with could use a lesson or two, myself included.

After doing some research, I’ve taken the liberty and compiled 5 reasons why we should take golf lessons. When I speak to other golfers about taking lessons the general sentiment is they’re expensive and not necessary. These two reasons are obvious indicators that no research was done. I would suggest taking a few moments and look into finding a good golf pro in your area that offers his or her services. So here we go…

  1. It’s an investment – Think of it this way, the money spent now will have a good ROI in the many years ahead. You can always refer back to what was learned to help shoot a better round.
  2. Short game techniques – Learning how to perform approach shots, chipping and pitching is perhaps the most important part to your game besides…
  3. Putting – Let’s face it, a 3 putt sucks and is very frustrating. Getting some insight on this boosts our confidence and could put a couple extra dollars in our pockets…but I never said that.
  4. Makes our round more enjoyable – As with anything, knowledge and experience gives us the advantage to do whatever task is at hand. And whenever we are prepared it’s a lot easier to have fun.

There you have it. Don’t be afraid to to spend a little of your hard earned money on something that will keep giving back to you. The object is to have a good time on the course. Even if you only take a couple lessons it’s worth it. Heading to the 19th hole in a good mood because we played well and not because they serve alcohol is a great feeling. Now go get learned!

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!!

Filed Under: Golf Life Tagged With: #enjoygolf, enjoying golf, golf lessons, golf pro

Gamesmanship For Hacks

October 24, 2014 | By Pete Girotto | Leave a Comment

gamesmanshipLets start off by defining gamesmanship. The dictionary says it is 1) the use of methods, especially in a sports contest, that are dubious or seemingly improper but not strictly illegal and 2) the technique or practice of manipulating people or events so as to gain an advantage or outwit one’s opponents or competitors. As you can see it is not cheating, technically, because cheaters never win. Well, they actually do win but are losers in life. At least that’s what I told as a kid growing up.

You see, nobody likes losing or performing poorly and that especially rings true on the course. Now, here’s the catch 22. We want to win and shoot a great round but we don’t have the time or money to practice and get better. As a hack, I tend to make myself believe I’m out there to have fun. Yeah, right. Who wants to be the one with the worst score in a foursome? Better yet, how do I prevent being last? Glad I asked – gamesmanship!

For example, a cheater would yell in the middle of someone’s swing deliberately trying to mess them up. A complete scumbag move and obviously this scumbag deserves to lose. A gamesman’s strategy would be to yell in the middle of a swing because they thought the golfer on the next fairway over was a distraction to the person hitting the ball. An honest mistake, honestly.

Ok, that might be a little harsh and pushing it a bit but you get the point. Gamesmanship is based on the “getting into someones head” theory. This couldn’t be more of a  perfect set up for us hacks. It’s not like we’re going to hit the links every morning to practice. With that in mind we don’t have to necessarily improve our game,  just make sure theirs isn’t quite up to par.

Hey, say what you want but if you think the golfers on tour aren’t gamesmen you might want to take a closer look.

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!! Cheaters never win and winners never cheat but they are quite the gamesman.

Filed Under: Stinky Golfer Paradise Tagged With: cheater, cheating, gamesmanship, sportsmanship

Baba Booey & Having Fun On The Course

October 17, 2014 | By Pete Girotto | 1 Comment

Somehow Baba Booey has become part of golf... (photo by Genevieve / CC BY 2.0)
Somehow Baba Booey has become part of golf… (photo by Genevieve / CC BY 2.0)

It never fails, the gallery quiets down as (insert favorite tour pro here) sets up for his or her shot when from the crowd someones yells “Baba Booey!” Now, I’m not really sure when Gary Dell’Abate (aka Baba Booey) from the Howard Stern show became such a hot phrase to yell. And since we’re on the topic of yelling crap out at a golf tourney, we can put “mashed potatoes” in that category too.

Back to Mr. Booey, apparently it has ruffled some golf pro feathers. I personally think it’s hysterical, but I also could see why some of the older players on the tour get a little worked-up about it.  But when younger players are complaining, come on. Please remove the stick that has found its way up your bum and relax. The more you fight it the more it will present itself. However, I do agree with respecting the players and not yelling during a swing, but before or after…fair game in my book.

Last time I checked we live in a free country. Let’s enjoy the fact we have this luxury and have fun. Another great example is Rory McIlroy’s recent left handed shot. His drive off the tee box put him in some trouble and he had two choices 1) take your next shot from the water or 2) stay dry by inverting your club and swing lefty. By all means his left handed shot was terrible but he showed there is a  lighter side to some of the tight-assedness (yes, I just made that up) surrounding golf.

Good for you Rory and you too Baba Booey. Keep golf interesting, unpredictable and fun. You never know you might even attract some new fans. It’s no secret the slump golf is in since the post-Tiger era has started. Go ahead, be creative and yell some wild, zany s*** or take a chance and hit a nearly impossible shot. Just remember to respect the players and the game, it’s cool to be “the guy” just not “that guy”

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!!

Filed Under: The Pro Tours Tagged With: baba booey, gary dell'abate, howard stern, rory mcilroy

5 Ways To Not Stink At Golf

October 10, 2014 | By Pete Girotto | 4 Comments

Winning Putt
One of the most “staged” golf photos ever! (photo by Greg D’Andrea)

At some point every hack has to come to the realization that their golf game could use some help. If you haven’t, you are in denial and that’s ok. We’re here to help! The golf industry is flooded with gadgets, videos, apps and whatever else geared towards improving your game. We’ve all heard the b.s. these golf aids proclaim. ” Gain 50+ yards on your drive!” or “Lower your handicap instantly!”…you know the drill.

I have taken the liberty and put together 5 straight forward ways to help us not stink at golf. It really comes down to common sense and not a plastic contraption made in China. So, no catches and best of all it’s absolutely free because we like to help…here we go!

  1.  Use More Club – If you’re 175 yards out and think you can get there with a pitching wedge, think again. You see, our pride and the fact we want to impress our buddies somehow clouds our logic. Don’t worry, grabbing that 6 or 5 iron won’t make you less of a golfer.
  2. Use Less Club – As we step onto the tee box with driver in hand and all that separates us from the dance floor is 300 yards, we think “I can make it in there in one!” What happens next? 4  strokes later we find ourselves half way to the green and dropping because of the donations we made to the lumberyard. Keep the driver in the bag (or home) and hit something more controllable. It’s ok to get there in 2 or 3. Don’t worry, less club doesn’t make you less of a golfer.
  3. Aim For The Cup – When we do make it to the green and are setting up to putt, aim right for the cup. Again, a little common sense goes a long way. We can leave all the geometry for the pros and their caddies. Don’t worry, getting close to the hole doesn’t make you less of a golfer.
  4. Drink – If you hadn’t noticed, the common sense thing has and will be a common thread through out this post. Be responsible, a pop or two is proven to be effective in relaxing us. When we are relaxed we tend to enjoy ourselves more and have better judgement. Of course, there is a fine line here between relaxed and tanked. Common sense people and don’t worry, drinking responsibly doesn’t make you less of a golfer.
  5. Cheat Like A Motherf***er – just kidding…Have Fun – It’s all about our mindset. Forget about impressing anyone, use the right club not the one we think “should” work, aim for the cup, have a libation and play your game. Dont’ worry…you know the rest.

There you have it. From one hack to another, get out there and enjoy yourself.

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!!

Filed Under: Stinky Golfer Paradise Tagged With: game improvement, golf gadgets

Fall Ball & Reflection

October 3, 2014 | By Pete Girotto | Leave a Comment

paulbunyan_babeNow that I am in the transition period of replacing the swing of my golf club for that of a splitting axe, it’s a good time to think back about this past season. Besides capitalizing on the great golf weather these next few weeks have in store for us up here in the northeast, I also like to take a few moments to be appreciative and thankful for the opportunities I did have on the course. It may sound a bit corny but when I check out the news and see the crap that’s going on in the world…I’m pretty lucky.

At any given moment I could have just grabbed my sticks and shoes and hit the links. Something we take for granted but I could never imagine it any other way. It just sucks to think that there are countries where their daily decisions involve which child to feed, forget about what course to play. I’m thinking that quadruple bogey on the 9th really shouldn’t have consumed me that much. Great, I just made myself feel shallow and selfish for playing golf.

When the season began, I had it all planned out. The annual “I’m going to play more than I did last year” pre-season declaration surfaced it’s worn out head and just like last year, I somehow played less. Granted there was some wedding planning, a wedding and a honeymoon that threw a wrench into my golf schedule but I reached deep down and unleashed my Darwin-esque instinctual survival skills to adapt to whatever stood between me and the course. And if your definition of adapting is not playing then we’re on the same page. There’s always something, right? Just kidding honey…

The most important thing to take with us from every golf season is not just the memories of the great shots, putts or not so great shots but who we shared them with. The camaraderie is what truly makes a round that much better. Plus it gives us ball breaking gold to remind a buddy of how he spent more time in the woods than Paul Bunyan. Unless, of course, that blue ox named Babe belongs to us.

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!!

Filed Under: Stinky Golfer Paradise Tagged With: fall ball, golf season, paul bunyan, reflection

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