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A Holiday Gift Guide for the Average Golfer

November 28, 2016 | By Greg D'Andrea | 4 Comments

Stinky Golfer Chris on the golf course (photo by Greg D'Andrea)
Your average golfer will love these gifts! (Photo by Greg D’Andrea)

Need to shop for a golfer this holiday season? Well, don’t waste your money on golf clubs, apparel or even golf balls. These items can be pricey and besides, most golfers are very particular about their golf equipment and clothing choices. Plus non-golfers have a hard-enough time deciphering between a putter and a driver, let alone a Pro V1 and a Top Flite. Our two-cents is to just steer-clear.

Game-improvement items are also not a good idea. Swing gadgets and gizmos will only increase the average hack’s frustration out on the links, causing them to rue the day they received your gift.

So, what should you do?

Well, we here at GolfStinks suggest you buy things to help them relax instead. Allow them to appreciate the golf lifestyle they love and forget about their wretched play during the season. And with that in mind, we’d like to present a more realistic golf gift guide…

  1. LIQUOR
    Golf and the hard stuff go together like bacon and eggs. Nothing will let ’em forget about that bulging handicap like Scotch whiskey (or bourbon, or rum, or…). Flaviar is our go-to for home liquor delivery. Gift your golfer a year’s worth of tasting boxes (see HERE) and watch their mood increase exponentially as soon as that first bundle of joy hits the doorstep! Flaviar does it right – each box arrives handsomely packaged with a flavor-tone card and tasting instructions. A GolfStinks team favorite – you can gift your membership HERE.

    tastingboxflaviar
    Flaviar.com/sample-tastingset
  2. SMOKES
    If golf and liquor go awesome together, then golf and cigars aren’t far behind. And since Flaviar is already providing the libations, Famous Smoke Shop can help you match your spirit with a cigar. Their Cigar Pairing Guide (see HERE) needs answers to just three questions before suggesting a perfect cigar/drink pairing.  And yes, it works with beer too. Your golfer’s swing might not be getting any better, but their sophistication-level sure will be!

    https://www.famous-smoke.com/cigar-pairing
    Famous-smoke.com/cigar-pairing
  3. BOOKS
    Forget about books teaching swing technique or how to stay “in the zone” – those will leave your golfer feeling more confused and frustrated than ever. Instead, we here at GolfStinks recommend the following two books:

    • How to Quit Golf; A 12-Step Program
      From the GolfStinks review: “How to Quit Golf is a wonderfully hilarious and disturbingly accurate critical analysis of both golf and golfers – especially those who take the game too seriously. And while some of the imagery contained in the book is slightly exaggerated (purposely and for effect), it is nonetheless one of the most well-constructed and unabashedly genuine compositions about the realities of being a golfer.” (See our full review HERE and purchase it on Amazon.com).

      How to Quit Golf
      How to Quit Golf
    • Psych-Out Golf
      From the GolfStinks review: “[The Authors] have brilliantly put together countless ways to get the best of your opponent on the links – from making subtle yet mentally debilitating statements to getting them a bit tipsy, Psych-Out Golf is packed with ways to win a hole or round without actually playing well yourself!” (See our full review HERE and purchase it on lulu.com).

      Psychoutgolf.com/
      Psychoutgolf.com
  4. THERAPY
    Trust us, every golfer needs some sort of therapy. We play (and enjoy) an excruciatingly frustrating game that is mastered by only a very small group of elite players. But your run-of-the-mill shrink isn’t going to help here – what you need to get the golfer in your life is a membership to the GolfStinks Newsletter (subscribe HERE)! Our #enjoygolf ethos helps take the frustration out of the game and it’s far cheaper than a visit to the psychiatrist (it’s free). Why not give the gift that reminds them why they love this game in the first place?! (See below to print, cut and present to your golfer).

Cut along line and present to your golfer!So when considering a gift for the weekend golf hack in your life this holiday season, remember: Relaxation over frustration!

Filed Under: Golf Life Tagged With: #enjoygolf, book review, cigar, drinks, gift, holiday

Book Review: You! A Golf Guru!

July 7, 2015 | By Greg D'Andrea | 2 Comments

You! A Golf Guru! by Philip Rennett / 2015
You! A Golf Guru! by Philip Rennett / 2015

As usual, the books we read here at GolfStinks are not intended to fix your grip, swing or putting stroke. Rather than tell you about the latest gimmick or trick to lower your handicap, we are hell-bent on helping you have more fun playing golf…regardless of how you score.

One such publication is; “You! A Golf Guru!” – a book that was recently written by Phil Rennett in the UK. Mr. Rennett took-up golf in his 30’s and over the course of the last 20 years, he has figured out what most golfers never do: That to truly enjoy this game, you have to be at peace with your score and find the real reasons you play golf.

Mr. Rennett is quick to point out the book isn’t an instructional manual. As such, he devotes a good portion of its pages to the many pleasures of golf beyond just playing well – highlighting the chance to get out in nature and converse with friends.

This relatively short (103 pages) book is packed with advice that will teach you to see the good through the bad. For example, don’t let a poor shot get into your head – instead, “relish the opportunity to create a memorable moment for yourself with the recovery shot.” As Mr. Rennett pens at the very beginning of the book: Always walk off [the 18th] with a positive.

Perhaps most appealing is his “Lessons for Life” chapter towards the end of the book. There, Mr. Rennett reminds us to not worry; be patient; and accept the skill set we have. Only then can we see golf (and maybe even life) in a new light…and begin to find true enjoyment in the game.

Mr. Rennett’s book resonates a message we’ve been shouting here at GolfStinks for years: That golf is a game and you should have fun playing it! Go HERE to get your copy of “You! A Golf Guru!”

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: book review, golf book, you! a golf guru!

How to Quit Golf; A 12-Step Program

December 17, 2014 | By Greg D'Andrea | Leave a Comment

How to Quit Golf
How to Quit Golf is now an e-book!

“How to Quit Golf; A 12-Step Program” is a book written by Craig Brass – a self-described problem golfer who is trying to rationalize why anyone in their right mind would ever want to play this game. His most logical conclusion? No one who plays golf is in their right mind. In fact, he likens golf to an addictive drug that is impossible to quit and will ultimately consume your entire life!

As such, each chapter of the book is one of twelve steps that Mr. Brass has carefully thought-out to help get golfers on the road to recovery…with the end-goal of never stepping foot on a golf course again!

But don’t let this premise deter you – How to Quit Golf is a wonderfully hilarious and disturbingly accurate critical analysis of both golf and golfers – especially those who take the game too seriously. And while some of the imagery contained in the book is slightly exaggerated (purposely and for effect), it is nonetheless one of the most well-constructed and unabashedly genuine compositions about the realities of being a golfer.

It is without a doubt a book every average golfer should read – from the 28-handicap hack to the single-digit handicapper who probably takes himself too seriously. This book will get you thinking – not necessarily about quitting golf (I mean, how realistic is that anyway) but rather about your place in the game and the game’s role in your life. I would be hard-pressed to find another book out there that is more closely aligned with GolfStinks’ message: Golf is a game; you should have fun playing it.

Originally written in hard copy format by Mr. Brass more than a decade ago, we are now treated to this updated e-book version (with forward by actor Jeff Daniels). It is a great last minute holiday gift for any problem golfer in your life! Highly recommended; average golfer approved!

The e-book is available at the following retailers:

  • Amazon
  • iBooks
  • Kobo
  • Google
  • Barnes & Noble

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: average golfer, book review, golf books, quit golf

Book Review: Psych-Out Golf

July 9, 2014 | By Greg D'Andrea | 1 Comment

product_thumbnailBeing that we’re not your average golf blog, we typically don’t review your average golf book. And nothing fits the atypical golf book mold better than Psych-Out Golf. They say golf is half mental. If that’s true, this book can help you in ways you could have never imagined!

Written by a father/son team (Todd and Judah Domke), the recently published Psych-Out Golf has ten chapters and none of them help you shave strokes off your game. Instead, this book helps you add strokes to your playing partner’s game – genius!

Messrs. Domke and Domke have brilliantly put together countless ways to get the best of your opponent on the links – from making subtle yet mentally debilitating statements to getting them a bit tipsy, Psych-Out Golf is packed with ways to win a hole or round without actually playing well yourself!

Now the authors do point out this book is really for those of us who like to wager on the course. That’s when the pressure is really on, and subsequently when a good POG (psych-out golf) will work its magic. But it can be utilized in other situations. As one of their POG “Commandments” states: “Thou shall not practice Psych-Out Golf unless money or pride is at stake. Or if the opponent is a jackass.” Beautifully said if you ask me.

So what are some of these POGs? Well, let’s take the chapter on putting, for example. Messrs. Domke and Domke give you plenty of ammo for launching an all-out assault on your opponent whilst on the greens – from not granting that 18-inch gimme when skins are on the line (after you’ve been granting them the rest of the round) to saying something like “Those [short] putts kill me. The hardest putts can be the easiest” just before your opponent’s seemingly easy putt. While you’re not saying anything flagrant, you are definitely getting into his head!

But the aforementioned POGs while putting are just the tip of the iceberg. There is a chapter on using the rangers or MOFOBETEs to make your opponent nervous; a chapter on citing rules to incite mental disruption in your opponent; and there’s even a section on how to use the (motorized) golf cart to your advantage!

Now I have to admit, I don’t bet too often on the course. But I do like to have fun out there so I’m anxious to put some of these POGs to the test! And who knows, if they seem to work, maybe a friendly wager will be in order!

Psych-Out Golf is a rollicking guide to winning a few skins on the course while driving your playing partners batty – and it’s all in good fun. You can purchase your copy of the book HERE. But as always, the Domke gentleman have graciously provided us with a copy to giveaway to one of you! Simple head on over to our Facebook page, find the “Psych-Out Golf” post on our wall and tell us why you can’t wait to psych-out your golf buddies! That’s it – we’ll choose one winner next week!

Good luck!

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: betting, book review, golf book, psych-out golf

Book Review: I Married A Nutritionist; Things I’ve Learned That Every Golfer Should Know

May 14, 2014 | By Greg D'Andrea | Leave a Comment

IMarriedANutritionistWhen the co-author of this book emailed me to write a review, I jumped at the chance – not just because the book’s topic was interesting and rather refreshing (proper nutrition geared towards the average golfer) but also because I had my own story to tell.

Up until fairly recently, I was like many other American males when it came to health: Overweight (by 30+ pounds); out of shape (which affected me both on and off the course); and too ignorant about proper nutrition to do anything about it.

I didn’t have the benefit of reading “I Married A Nutritionist” – if I had, I may have gotten healthier a long time ago. Instead, I ended up reading several books (not diet books, rather books on the food industry and how human beings should really be eating) over the course of several years, which led to me ultimately changing the way I eat and live.

What took me years to wrap my head around and apply to my daily life has been put inside a nutshell in Steve and Karen Roth’s book, “I Married A Nutritionist; Things I’ve Learned That Every Golfer Should Know.” Mr. Roth, a writer and golfer and Mrs. Roth, a certified nutritionist with a masters degree in holistic nutrition, tag teamed to write this book in a conversational style that the average person can truly comprehend (and trust me, understanding which foods are good for you and which foods are not can be very complicated).

This book literally teaches you how a person should eat – especially how to navigate in today’s world of processed foods; artificial flavors and colors; and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). From why eating grass fed beef is healthier to why buying “real” food should matter to everyone, “I Married A Nutritionist” is like having a chat with your own personal nutritionist (which was obviously the intention of the book).

But Mr. and Mrs. Roth don’t stop at what foods you should eat and why – they also provide recipes and meal prep tips along with advice to rid toxins from your life (both from the food we eat and the non-food products we use everyday).

The book’s subtitle (Things I’ve Learned That Every Golfer Should Know) is a little misleading because it’s really for everybody – not just golfers (it should be noted this is the “golfer’s edition” of the book, which was originally marketed as “Things I’ve Learned That Every Guy Should Know”). But in this edition, the Roths’ do try and highlight how their topic relates to golfers – especially in an early section of the book that covers what you should eat before, during and after your round.

The book is also unique in how it’s written – each chapter is literally a conversation between husband and wife – she the educated specialist and he the comedic golfer who uses clubhouse humor to put things in layman’s terms. Their back and forth banter might get a little corny but there were multiple times I laughed out loud – especially the part about preparing a whole chicken to cook in a crock pot.

But let’s get back to my personal story for a moment: As I mentioned above, I have read several books on the current food industry in this country and what human beings should be eating to live healthy. I don’t subscribe to any particular “diet” but I have learned good practices. Those practices allowed me to lose 40 pounds over the past two years. Later this year, I turn 40 and I can honestly say I’m in the best shape of my life (starting to sound like a late-night infomercial now, huh)?

My point in telling you this is that all the stuff I learned (and then some) is covered in “I Married A Nutritionist.” Being healthy doesn’t have to be hard – all you need is a willingness to change your eating habits and a guide on how to do it – the latter of which is this book.

“I Married A Nutritionist” is the perfect book to get you on a path to changing how you eat for the better. Eventually you might want to do some deeper dives on the subject, but this book will certainly get you started. And if you’re a golfer, you will definitely appreciate a few of the references within its pages.

If you have a willingness to change the way you eat so you can be healthier, then head on over to our Facebook page where you could win a copy of the book. Simply find and “like” the post on our wall for “I Married A Nutritionist” and that’s it – we’ll choose one winner next week!

If you don’t end up winning, you can always purchase a copy of “I Married A Nutritionist” HERE. It’s a great way for you or that golfer in your life to finally eat healthy and stay healthy!

Filed Under: Health & Environment, Reviews Tagged With: book review, food, golf book, health, i married a nutritionist

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