Golf Life

Keep up on the trends and news surrounding the golf lifestyle.

Lightning Strikes: How at Risk are Golfers?

May 7, 2014 | By Greg D'Andrea | 3 Comments

We’ve all heard stories of golfers being stuck by lightning out on the course – heck, we may have even known someone who was hit. And with thunderstorm season upon us (May-September, peaking in July) it might be a good time to remember we golfers are at a higher risk.

But the good news is, we seem to be more conscientious of this fact than those participating in other outdoorsy-type activities. According to a recent study from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 64 percent of lightning fatalities occur while folks are partaking in leisure activities. Of those activities, golf places 5th behind fishing, camping, boating and (of all things) soccer for lightning-related deaths.

From 2006-2012, there were only eight reported fatalities due to a lightning strike on the golf course. According to NOAA, this represents a 75 percent drop for golf-related lightning deaths. NOAA attributes the drop to their awareness campaign specifically targeted to golfers.

The vast majority of lightning victims are men ages 20-29 and this indicates some sort of “machismo” thing going on. “The dark clouds are way over there” or “That thunder is miles away.” But NOAA likes to remind everyone that lightning can strike up 10 miles away from where the storm is. And if you’re standing in an open field with a metal stick in your hand, trust me, you’re at a higher risk.

NOAA theorizes fisherman and boaters might react too slowly toward a gathering storm, which is why their fatality percentage is higher. Once the storm is over them, they don’t have enough time to make it ashore.

Golfers need to remember to react quickly too. You might be several hundred yards from shelter at any given time, so NOAA recommends suspending your play the second you hear thunder. And of course, standing under a canopy of trees isn’t going to cut it. Golfers should get back to the clubhouse or find an on-course rain/lightning shelter till the storm blows by.

I’m sure we all love being out on the golf course, but the lone exception should be during a T-storm. It seems nowadays many golfers are well-aware of that fact – let’s keep up the good work!

Another Golf Milestone (Memory) Reached

April 28, 2014 | By Chris Chirico | 4 Comments

*_{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!

Are Golf Tournaments Getting Too Pricey?

April 23, 2014 | By Greg D'Andrea | 6 Comments

Do you expect tons of food at a golf tournament?

So I’ve been wanting to play in my college alumni golf tournament for the past few years. But each spring the tournament comes and goes without my taking part.

This year I had decided I was going to play in it for sure. I put the little postcard reminder they sent me aside and planned on signing up online ASAP. Long story short, as I went to sign up yesterday I was stopped dead in my tracks…not by a scheduling conflict, but by the price: $395.

WTF are they smoking?

I had to check to make sure I wasn’t looking at the foursome price…nope, that was $1,580. Somehow, I just assumed it would be around $175 per person (I swear that’s what it was last I checked two years ago). Granted, it’s being held at a rather upscale public course where fees typically surpass $150, but $395…really? Needless to say, I won’t be playing this year either.

What the hell goes on at these tournaments, anyway? I spoke to someone recently who said a raw bar is a necessity at local tournaments nowadays. Really?

“If there’s not an oysters, clams and quahog spread behind the 18th green, then I’m out.”

A three-course meal after the round with a raw bar and free drinks? Is this a golf tournament or a wedding? Look, I’m all for supporting a good cause – be it your alma mater or a local charity, but isn’t $400 pushing it a bit too far?

But perhaps I’m crazy. Maybe I’m just out of touch with how much people typically pay to play in a local golf tournament these days. That being said, I offer the poll below – so you can tell me what you typically pay when you hit the links for a good cause.

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Life Continues To Get In The Way of Golf

April 14, 2014 | By Chris Chirico | 1 Comment

I’m in no rush to get any older. I mean, I’m pushing the big 4-0 now. I figure it’s likely all downhill from there. But one thing I am looking forward to….retirement. It’s not that I don’t like working. What it really comes down to is, not working will give me more time to golf. For instance, I had every intention of golfing this past Sunday. But as usual…life just got in the way.

Picture this….Connecticut….2014. It’s mid-April and it’s the nicest weekend of the year so far. You’re faced with a choice – hit the links on a beautiful afternoon or go into work and bust your hump for six hours doing someone else’s job. Oh, and might I add that you’re doing it unpaid. Seems obvious, right? Wrong. For reasons that I won’t get into, heading into the office to do another persons job, unpaid, was about as close to necessary as can be without actually being necessary. I could have chosen to play golf, but I would have paid for it over the next several days at work. So you can see the dilemma.

It seems for me that things are always getting in the way of a nice round of golf. Between work, sports and activities with the kids, etc.., it’s a guarantee that I’m going to have to bail out on at least a few rounds of golf per season. So how bad of a sign is it when I have to bail out on the very first one?! Is this a bad sign for the remainder of the year? If I can’t even get out of the gate without incident, then what next?

I guess I should be used to it by now. It happens to the best of us and I’m sure it will continue to do so. So again…I’m not looking forward to getting older, but I am looking forward to having more time to play golf. I’m looking forward to the day when there is no going into the office on my day off. I’m looking forward to the day when there is no longer “work.” Now that I think about it, I guess in a roundabout way…I am looking forward to getting older.

Swing ’til you’re happy!

Be Like Mike.

April 11, 2014 | By Pete Girotto | 1 Comment

KeeganBradley — Keegan Bradley (photo by TourProGolfClubs / CC BY 2.0)

The 2014 Masters is in full swing (pun intended) and with that companies like Puma and Nike have unveiled their new threads like it’s fashion week in Milan. It seems as if the Masters is becoming more of a runway for new scripts than a tournament for golf. For those that don’t know, a script is pretty much an apparel line…I just learned that too.

So, now that I know what Nike’s players will be sporting every day of the tournament, what if they don’t make the cut? All the hoopla about what they’re wearing…what about how they’re playing? Oh yeah! I mean it’s only a major we’re talking about. Hey, at least they’ll look good.

Speaking of looking good, I knew it was only a matter of time before the golf shoe industry embraced the “Jumpman”. It’s no secret Michael Jordan is a fan of golf and even though Nike has been in the golf shoe business for a while, it’s a little different now that the Jordan brand is involved. There is almost an exclusivity factor that a lot of sneaker freaks understand.

With players like Keegan Bradley rocking his Air Jordan spikes at the Masters, this could parlay into something bigger. If Jordan brand golf shoes see a fraction of the frenzy over getting a pair of Jordan’s newest basketball shoes, Nike will corner yet another market. Oh man, I guess it really gotta be the shoes…

Lightning Strikes: How at Risk are Golfers?

Another Golf Milestone (Memory) Reached

Are Golf Tournaments Getting Too Pricey?

Life Continues To Get In The Way of Golf

Be Like Mike.

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