Golf Life

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Golfer’s Almanac

January 6, 2012 | By Pete Girotto | 1 Comment

Technically, the “Golfer’s Almanac” is a book that compiles lists of records, award winners, stats and all that other stuff. What I’m looking for is a golfer’s almanac based on the Farmer’s Almanac. I’m not knocking the original “Golfer’s Almanac”. I’m pretty sure a lot of research and work went into it but I need something geared for me. I don’t know, something that deals with the weather maybe?

At the end of this past golf season, I buried my clubs so deep in the cave, a.k.a. my garage, that I’ll need to send a canary in to make sure it’s safe to retrieve them. Why? I’ll tell you why. After last years brutal winter and record breaking snowfall, I figured if this year is half as bad there’s no chance I could squeeze in a winter round. I know, I know…rookie mistake.

Now, here it is almost a week into January and I could have been playing all along. WTF! I can’t win. Today for instance, it’s gonna be about 50 degrees…that’s like 85 degrees in Florida. You kidding me?!?! A northeast winter day that hits 50 degrees is shorts weather and tomorrow is going to be the same if not warmer. I really screwed myself.

Not to mention I could have put one of my Christmas gifts to good use. My brother, the thoughtful person he is, got me the Kooler Klub. Yes, you all know the one I’m talking about. The thermos that looks like a wood and holds approximately 48 ounces of your favorite libation. It would have been perfect. A little holiday “spirit” to help me get over all the snowmen.

I can’t blame El Niño, his sister La Niña or even the 30% accurate weather man for this mild winter. Gut instinct told me it would be mild but, nooooo, I let outside sources (i.e. the significant other) influence me. Now, I spend my days staring at the garage door like it’s the entrance to Narnia. F@$% it! I’m going in…where’s that canary?

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!!

Another Shot At My New Year’s Golf Resolution

January 2, 2012 | By Chris Chirico | Leave a Comment

Well, it’s that time of year again – New Year’s resolution time. A time of empty promises. A time of hollow intentions. Approximately a month away from a time of letdown. It’s nothing new. Same thing year in and year out.

Last year I made the mistake of going against my “No New Year’s Resolutions” rule when I made a silly resolution regarding my golf game. No, it had nothing to do with game improvement. It was simply a resolution to play more golf. But, like all other New Year’s resolutions I’ve made in the past, it fell flat. I didn’t play any more. As a matter of fact, I may even have played less!

But did I learn my lesson? No, of course not. I’m making the same golf resolution as I did last year. I resolve to play more golf this coming year. But I think this time I can make it happen.

So why is this year going to be different? I don’t know. I just have a good feeling about it. No specific reason. It’s just that I know how I felt this past year when I didn’t get much chance to play. It was terrible. Especially considering I had that shiny new set of clubs to use for a full season. A year later, they’re almost as shiny as when they were brand new. That’s a terrible feeling! It’s like playing a game of football and leaving with a clean uniform.

With that said, what am I going to do to make it happen? After all, I said the same thing last year. Well, I’m going to have to start by trying to plan further ahead of time. Maybe if I set aside a few weekends specifically for golf, that could help. Possibly another golf trip – it’s been a while since I’ve done that!

Well whatever methods I choose to instill, I’m determined to make it happen. Even if it’s just one more round this year than last. Hell, I’ll even settle for just nine more holes, as long as I play more than last year!

Swing ’til you’re happy! I resolve to do so!

Golf Clubs?! I Got Your Golf Clubs Right Here…Merry Christmas!

December 23, 2011 | By Pete Girotto | Leave a Comment

*A uniform set of golf clubs can make all the difference*

In my post a couple weeks ago, I broke some balls about getting fitted for clubs. It was an attempt at being funny about shooting poorly and blaming it on my golf clubs. I know, I know…I won’t quit my day job. Comedy’s not my schtick. All jokes aside though, having a set of clubs that you are comfortable with definitely benefits your game. The only problem was that I had to figure it out the hard way.

Growing up with non-golfers, my only exposure to the game consisted of maybe catching Watson, Norman, Strange or Stewart on TV for a hole or two on Sunday afternoon. Oh, wait…I can’t forget my mother’s cousin, Vincenzo from Jersey, who traveled around with a nine iron in the trunk of his Lincoln Continental. Never quite understood that…nor do I want to. Nevertheless, that little taste of golf was enough to spark a curiosity. The problem was, how do I get started in this game?

Enter Stinky Golfer Greg. He pretty much gave me my first set of clubs. You see, if I asked for a set of clubs for Christmas…well…read the title. Basically, I was on my own. Fast forward 12 years or so and I’m glad it worked out this way. You don’t want someone who has never played golf to buy you clubs. Especially me, I’m a lefty. And Greg just happened to have a left-handed friend who bought a new set a few years earlier, but he wasn’t using them. That made all the difference for me. Instead of a mix-match set of garage sale clubs, I had a complete set of cavity backs.

Now, in the beginning, your clubs might not make a difference, but as your game develops they will. I’m not saying you have to spend a fortune on clubs, but if you are going to play on a regular basis, I would consider investing in a set and not necessarily settling for a set. Hey, it’s the holiday season. Treat yourself or a loved one to the fine game of golf.

Hit’em long…yell Fore!!! Happy Holidays!

Is Golf Still Fun When it’s Freezing Out?

October 31, 2011 | By Greg D'Andrea | 7 Comments

An early end to the golf season this year?

So it’s Halloween and as I pen this post, there’s 3 inches of snow outside. As some of you may know, the Northeast got hit with a pretty big snow storm Saturday (where I live, the snow drifts reached a whopping 5 inches)!

OK, so I realize that’s not a lot of snow for Connecticut. But for October, it’s a tremendous amount of snow. In fact, I don’t ever remember this much snow prior to Halloween…ever. Temps are supposed to rise a bit this week and my guess is the snow will be melted by tomorrow, but that’s too little too late for me.

If you follow this blog regularly, you’ll know (well, first that this is Stinky Golfer Chris’ day to post, but he’s still in the dark after major power outages swept the area due to the storm)…but you’ll also know my golf has been limited this season.

That being said, I actually had plans to play this weekend (albeit only 9-holes, but plans nonetheless). Needless-to-say those plans were squashed by the inclement weather. But all this snow got me thinking about golfing when it’s cold. I’ve always held the position that if I can’t get by with a Polo shirt over a thermal, then it’s too cold. In other words, if I have to wear some sort of coat (which may hinder my swing), then the game is no longer fun.

Stinky Golfer Chris takes it a step further – he flat out states he won’t play golf when the temp drops below 50 degrees (10 celsius). But don’t tell any of this to golf retailers. You see, it seems they think we can (and should) be playing till the temps sink below freezing!

Why else would I have received a Golf Galaxy mailer pushing winter garb for the course? Golf Galaxy is dead serious. So, apparently, is Footjoy, who is providing the WinterSof gloves on the guy at the far right. But at what point is all this pointless? Isn’t your game going to suffer with all the extra layers? How about our friends up north in Canada – are they even still playing when the temps are hovering around freezing? Or is this all a ploy to get golfers to spend more money?

Perhaps.

But perhaps I’m thinking about this all wrong. Maybe it doesn’t matter all that much if your score goes up. Maybe, if you’re playing on a brisk winter day, you shouldn’t even keep score. Maybe you should just enjoy the fact that you’re outdoors and playing the game you love. Canadians, am I right?

Wow – this is exciting! I believe my golf season just got longer! Now, if they only gave out those gloves tonight instead of candy…

Ghosts, Goblins and Golf

October 28, 2011 | By Pete Girotto | 1 Comment

There are a few times in golf when you might have the crap scared out of you.

1. Hitting a shot and then realizing it is headed right at another golfer.

2. Being on the receiving end of #1.

3. Playing on a haunted golf course.

With the latter in mind and being in the Halloween spirit, I thought it would be interesting to explore some more haunted golf courses. Last year, Stinky Golfer Chris covered some with his frightening post and this year I wanted to continue. We’ll go from the U.S. to overseas and take a look at some of these spooky tracks.

Many consider New Orleans to be a haunted city and what a great place to start. City Park Golf Course in N’awlins has seen its share of apparitions and ghosts. Stinky Golfer Chris mentioned the paranormal activity on the 18th green of the East course but, how about the the spirit of a murdered woman on the South Course? The next time you hear “Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?” Think twice…

Moving around the south we encounter courses that were built on old plantations and perhaps slave graveyards. Not to mention possible native burial grounds. These sacred final resting spots should have been left alone but the chance to make a buck over-ruled, such as Willow Brook Plantation in South Carolina.

Across the pond at perhaps the most famous golf course in the world, St. Andrews is also home to Martyr’s Monument. The site, right behind the 18th green, on the Old Course where five Protestants were burned at the stake some 500 years ago. Was that cool breeze you just felt coming off the North Sea…or was it coming from something else?

Moving on to the land of kangaroos and shrimp on the barbie, we come to Mt. Lawley Golf Club in Perth, Australia. This course has a hole named “Satan’s Elbow”. And somewhere around that area a man named Michael Oakleigh, as legend has it, committed suicide. Double whammy, not only is the hole named Satan’s elbow, some guy offed himself there too. I think I’ll skip this hole.

This next story is a dead on (pun intended) match for Golfstinks.com! Apparently, Grande Oaks Golf Club (the old Rolling Hills Golf Club where they filmed Caddyshack) and some other South Florida courses seem to be the place where golfers are encountering the ghost of Ted Knight, a.k.a Judge Smails.

How great is that? If I had to go to a haunted place, I would want the ghost to be Judge Smails. Gambling might have been illegal at Bushwood but no one said anything about haunting it…

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!!

Golfer’s Almanac

Another Shot At My New Year’s Golf Resolution

Golf Clubs?! I Got Your Golf Clubs Right Here…Merry Christmas!

Is Golf Still Fun When it’s Freezing Out?

Ghosts, Goblins and Golf

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