GolfStinks

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Golf Could Use A Derek Jeter

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Will golf ever have an ambassador like Derek Jeter?
Will golf ever have an ambassador like Derek Jeter? (photo by chris.ptacek / CC BY-SA 3.0)

As we bid farewell to the Yankee’s captain and think back about all his memorable moments, you can’t help but give this guy the respect he deserves. I don’t care if you are a die hard Boston Red Sox fan, there’s a spot for him in our hearts somewhere. Besides his storied career on the field, this future hall of famer has quite an impressive résumé off the field too!

Whether it’s his Turn 2 Foundation, his annual golf tournament or the countless hours and donations to charities, the dude is a class act through and through. With all the bad press baseball was getting for a while, Mr. Jeter was an ambassador of what’s good about the game or any sport for that matter. Now, when we look at golf (a sport traditionally considered a “gentleman’s” game), I can’t quite recall anybody in recent years that embodies the golden boy characteristics Jeter does. Tiger was sort of on his way but, well…we all know what happened there. Certainly no one from the U.S. comes to mind anyway – heck even betting sites aren’t giving the USA team a chance this weekend at the Ryder Cup.

But other than Americans, some might argue Rory McIlroy is in line to fill that role (which could very well happen hopefully). Time will certainly tell. Even so, and no offense to Mr. McIlroy, there’s that certain quality Jeter has that McIlroy hasn’t quite developed yet. Many call it the “It” factor, I think in the ol’ Capitan’s case it’s just being genuine. As simple as that sounds, being yourself isn’t always that easy. I mean, look what happens when John Daly is himself…ba dum…I’m only joking with you J.D.

Granted, a player like Jeter only comes around once or twice in a lifetime but for golf’s sake they sure could use one in this lifetime. As we speak, golf (along with our economy) is in a slump. If ever there was a time that golf needs a squeaky clean face, it’s now. You know what…f*** it, I volunteer to be that person! Oh wait…you have to be good at golf. Oh well, a hack can dream, right?

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!!  Thanks for the memories Jeter!

Golf’s Birthplace Making History

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R & A golf clubIt’s good to see some positive news being made amongst the crap that has been in the headlines lately. In particular, some attention has been brought to golf’s hometown in regards to their recent vote to remain in the United Kingdom. Scotland has been part of Britain for the past 307  years.And now this vote has caused some serious arguing between fellow Scots all the way down to the friend and family level. In fact, it was almost a 50-50 split but the unionist’s won by a slight margin to keep Scotland in the UK.

So where’s the good news? Well, amidst all the hoopla of independence another story has surfaced. A once male-only golf club has come to grips with the times and decided to open it’s doors to female members. The Royal & Ancient Golf Club  has reversed it’s 260 year old policy and apparently it was quite an overwhelmingly large vote to do so. Not too shabby for 2400 male member organization.

It’s reported that a good three-quarters of the members voted with 85% of them in favor of letting females join. So, that means roughly 270 members voted against this change. Hmmmm…I mean, come on guys it’s 2014. I’m wondering if these 270 guys would have voted the same if each of their decisions were made public…probably not. Who wants to be “that guy”?

Regardless, the majority won and it’s about time. Hey, I’m all for hangin’ with the fellas and what-not but our “no girls allowed” secret fort closed it’s doors when I was 10. You follow? Bravo R & A!

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!!

Sign Of The Times?

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obama shhhLabor Day weekend has come and gone and with that we prepare for fall and winter. For most of us hacks in the Northeast that also means our golf season is winding down. Now is the time to enjoy the perfect golfing weather and get in a few last rounds before tucking away the ol’ sticks. There are many courses offering up some fall ball specials and we should take advantage of them.

We all deserve a break once in a while to shoot a round of golf, especially on a holiday weekend. Speaking of breaks, it seems as though President Obama couldn’t catch one this past Labor Day. Apparently, he was hoping to hack up one of Westchester’s (NY) high end tracks but they had other plans in mind. Mr. Obama was rejected by all courses including Winged Foot and Trump National.

This seems very strange, or does it? Obviously, if he was to play, it is required that the course shuts down and doesn’t let any members or guests play or even be there. Not a smart move financially especially on a holiday weekend. Another rumor being tossed around was how Obama has lost his star quality. With some of these uppity places, if you are not A-list, you are S-list…or S*** list.

It’s pretty much a given that he wasn’t getting a tee time at Trump National because well, Donald is not a fan of Obama. Actually, I take that back. Mr. Trump did offer the president free golf for the rest of his life but there’s a catch…he would have to resign, now. Oof! Times are a changin’…

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!!

Is Being On The Tour Worth It?

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expensivegolfAt some point in our career as a hack the thought of being a tour pro has presented itself. Let’s face it, we all dreamt about making our way down Augusta National, conquering Amen Corner and donning the green jacket. It’s only natural to dream but is a life on the tour all it’s cracked up to be?

Thanks to the media, we primarily only see the good s***. Who topped the money list or how much this person made on endorsements. Do they ever come out and say last year’s last place golfer made $6370 all year? If we take the average tour pro’s salary, it probably falls in the $800,000-900,000 range. Normally we would tend to believe it’s a pretty good living, no?

Here’s the reality, that number is an average. That means some, more like a few, are raking it in and a bunch are squeaking by. The bottom 35 fell under $50K for the year. A few seasons like that and you might want to entertain a career change. Between the cost of traveling and paying bills, that money disappears quick. For example, 2014’s #1 Rory McIlroy played in 15 events and made roughly $7.3 million. Edward Loar (#233) played in 19 events and earned $29,958 so far…ouch!

Not to mention, I didn’t factor in the time and effort put into honing their craft. It’s a gamble and takes a lot of balls to become a pro, no pun intended. The way I see it, us average joe’s have a pretty good deal. When we head out to the course it’s for fun and if we have a decent job we’re doing better than a good chunk of the pro’s who are trying to make a living on the links. Stinking at golf ain’t so bad…

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!!

Golf: Art Vs. Science

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Is golf hard because you use both halves of your brain?

In the culinary world, it is said that cooking is an art and baking is a science. In the past decade or so some chefs have achieved levels of rock star status by letting their creative side run wild whereas any chance for a baker to be successful they primarily have to rely on precise measurements and formula-like recipes. Shifting this notion over to the golf world, would we consider golfers more like artists or scientists?

I believe the answer falls right in the middle. A great golfer has the ability to find a balance between both worlds. A long time ago, I met an older gentleman who owned/ran a driving range and gave lessons as well. He always stressed the importance of balance in golf and that has stuck with me throughout my years of hacking up fairways. Granted, while my balance has had some rather unspectacular moments, I do recognize the importance of it.

So what about the art/science thing? Pro tour players are some of the best examples to look at. Let’s take one of my personal favorites – good ol’ lefty! Phil Mickelson is known to be pretty crafty with his wedges yet he is also one for keeping with tradition and playing it where it lies as seen in his recent unsuccessful beer tent to bunker shot. He could have easily listened to the logical right side of his brain and took the drop but hey…a true artist understands risk-reward.

As with everything, the balance between art and science in a golf sense is relative. Although our intuition might lead us to believe 50-50 when we think balance but actually the ratio varies drastically from golfer to golfer. Looking at players like Vijay, Rory, Phil or Tiger, we can see the calculated scientific approach to their shot making. It’s just when the ball doesn’t end up where they intended that the transition to creative shot maker kicks in and a true master piece is painted. Those tricky little devils…

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!!

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