caddyshack Archives • GolfStinks

Should A Caddie Get A Jacket Too?

September 28, 2015 | By Pete Girotto | Leave a Comment

With golf participation being roughly between 25 – 30 million players in the U.S., it’s probably pretty fair to state that a very low percentage of this number have or use a caddy. Pretty much pros on tour. We can argue private clubs too but they are technically considered “independent contractors” (not to get overly p.c.).

Moving forward with the tour caddie…These select few people that make it to this level do so because they take their trade seriously. Their advice and research could be the difference of where a pro ends up on the money list. Not to mention it’ll help pad their pockets as well.

What kind of recognition do these guys get besides their pay and a little notoriety if the golfer is very famous? I think there should be something for the caddie as well. They are pretty much a golfer’s advisor/friend/coach/therapist while on the course.

Maybe a jacket is a little bit of a stretch but jeez, give the guy something. A vest, sash, beret, pin…something. Apparently, there is a caddie hall of fame but if I’m not mistaken Bill Murray has been inducted for his role in Caddyshack. Great movie and all but, come on! How about a little time to shine for the folks on the bag.

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!!

The World of Golf Collectibles

January 28, 2015 | By Pete Girotto | Leave a Comment

CHASPHS008006_zoom_IMAGE1_407375 — Non-pro-tour golf collectibles (like Caddyshack memorabilia) exist and are available via companies like Steiner Sports

I’m pretty sure the words golf and memorabilia are something primarily spoken by a few super dedicated golf collectors and pro tour fanatics. As far back as I remember, I can’t recall at any point going out of my way to get an Arnold Palmer rookie card. In all due respect, I’m pretty sure it didn’t exist but, you get the point. I wonder what a Tiger rookie goes for these days?

But up until recently, I didn’t even consider golf memorabilia – I mean, I don’t really consider myself a lover of the pro tours. But hanging a photo of Ty Webb and Al Czervik (autographed by Chevy Chase no less) in my den? I’d be all over it! Golf collectibles such as this really do exist (see HERE). And now I can proudly display my love for golf, without visitors thinking I’m some sort of golf snob!

And these are great gift ideas too. Especially if you have trouble getting something for the golf enthusiast in your home…problem solved! Actually, now that I’m thinking about it, maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea if golf were to have trading cards? What’s that? They actually do?

Indeed – turns out that Arnold Palmer rookie card is going for just under $3,400 on eBay. And the Tiger one? Oh, that one is only going for like 35 thousand dollars. WTF??? Talk about golf snobs! I think I’ll stick with the Caddyshack memorabilia.

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!!

Golf Clips In The Flicks

October 13, 2014 | By Chris Chirico | Leave a Comment

Golf has been the subject of many movies. Some of them comedies (Caddyshack, Happy Gilmore) and some more serious (The Greatest Game Ever Played, The Legend of Bagger Vance). In each of those movies golf played a major, or at least significant role. But it’s funny, for a game that’s always taken so seriously, I’ve noticed many films or television shows that use golf as somewhat of a comic relief. Perhaps it’s the writers taking a bit of a shot at the seriousness of the sport? What do I mean? Well, here are a few examples:

How about this scene from The Walking Dead (season premiere last night!)? In this scene from an otherwise dark and somewhat disturbing show, The Governor and one of his henchmen stand atop a makeshift wall, launching drives at aimlessly wandering zombies. It’s a funny few seconds from an otherwise, unfunny show. Now, did anyone watch Lost?

If so, do you remember this scene? Again, not a funny show. These people are trapped on a mysterious island, smoke monsters chasing them and no idea where they are or how long they’ll be there. So what to do to let off a little steam? Find a set of golf clubs from the plane wreckage and build a makeshift golf course. Complete that with a fat guy and a skinny guy gyrating by the pin to distract the guy teeing off? Now that’s how you put a smile on someone’s face. Speaking of smiles, what about another classic, funny scene from an otherwise unfunny movie…

A great scene where a couple of FBI agents are watching Nicky (Joe Pesci) from a circling airplane only to run out of gas and are forced to land on the fairway. As Nicky and Ace watch the agents hurry away, Nicky gives one of many great lines – “$100 whoever hits the plane.” And while on the subject of mob movies…

Just one of many great scenes from a great show, The Sopranos. In this one, Tony is trying to fit in with his neighbor, like a regular guy. But on the course, he quickly realizes he is being treated as more of a circus freak than one of the guys. So for their entertainment, he tells them a story about John Gotti, to let them know what kind of a guy he is. It’s not exactly a funny scene out of context. But in relation to the rest of the episode, it is.

Point here is, as I mentioned earlier, golf is often times used as some type of comic relief in otherwise serious times. Kind of funny considering how serious many golfers take their sport. Maybe we can all take a hint from the movies and TV and take it a little less seriously ourselves. You’ll probably enjoy it much more!

Swing ’til you’re happy!

Are Golf Courses a Waste of Space?

May 22, 2013 | By Greg D'Andrea | 8 Comments

Do you have any idea how many golf courses there are in this world? Or how much land they use – especially when compared to other recreational sports fields? As golfers, perhaps we could use a little perspective.

Do statistics show golf courses are taking up too much space? (Photo by Greg D’Andrea)

I tell ya, golf courses and cemeteries are the biggest wastes of prime real estate!
– Rodney Dangerfield (as Al Czervik) in Caddyshack

Is it bad when one of the most beloved characters in golf movie history thinks golf courses are a waste of space? We love Al Czervik – we all do. But the fact remains he wanted to buy Bushwood and replace the course with condos. Granted, his motivation was purely for profit, but nonetheless he wished there were less golf courses in the world. And so do many other people.

Some real estate moguls see golf courses as an encroachment on their piggybank; Some environmentalists view golf courses as an encroachment on the natural habitat of wildlife; and some non-golfers see golf courses as just a waste of space that could have been put to better use.

Whatever your viewpoint might be, one can’t deny golf courses take up a good amount of space – to the tune of 2.24 million acres¹ in the US alone. That’s a lot of real estate. Another mind-boggling stat is just how many golf courses there are in this country: More than 16,000. Let me put that in perspective for you: There are only 12,800 McDonald’s restaurants in the US. This means when you’re driving down the road craving a BigMac, you’re more likely to find a golf course before a Mickey D’s. I’ll give you a moment to digest that.

It’s also true golf takes up more space than other recreational sports. Baseball, softball, soccer and football fields take up 1 to 3 acres² each while basketball and tennis courts much less still (0.1 – 0.6 acres respectively). This is a far cry from the average amount of acreage needed for a golf course (140 acres).

Even a golf driving range (15 acres²) takes up more than each of the non-golf fields combined! So from a space management standpoint, you could have youth baseball, softball, soccer and football games all going on at the same time in one park (and a tennis and basketball court to boot). Or, you could have one facility to practice (not even really play) golf.

Now my point in telling you all this is to give you the perspective of the non-golfer. If you’re a non-golfer and read those stats, you’d think; “Wow, that’s a lot of space for one sport that not everybody plays.” And based on that, you can begin to see why so many people have a hard time with golf and the land it requires (see comedian George Carlin’s famous take on this here). Furthermore, many courses are private – meaning vast tracts of land are set aside for only a very select few to enjoy.

As golfers, we may have never even thought about how many golf courses there are in the world (34,000). For us, there can never be too many courses. But when we look at the stats, it’s kinda crazy. That’s a lot of land, water, fertilizer, pesticides, etc. just so we golfers can play our game. Sure golf is doing more to lessen its environmental impact these days, but that’s just scratching the surface. So this brings me back to the original question: Are golf courses a waste of space?

For the avid golfer, they certainly aren’t wasting space. But the non-golfers have valid points – especially on the topic of if there are too many courses. This is a real concern and one the golf industry (at this point at least) might have a hard time rebutting. I’ve posted about there being too many courses before and tend to agree the herd could use a little thinning – especially in this post-Tiger era when golf participation is on the decline.

However, if a course is operating at sustainable levels and putting forth a decent product (they don’t have to be lush green mind you), then in my opinion, it’s hard to argue there would ever be a better use for that land.

Notes:
¹See page 3 of the Golf Course Environmental Profile: Property Summary.
²See the appendix of the Reusing Cleaned Up Superfund Sites report.

The Fashion Runway Leads To The Golf Links

March 25, 2013 | By Chris Chirico | 1 Comment

I remember when I first started playing golf – I’d just throw on any pair of pants or shorts, pull the first polo I saw out of the closet and off I went. No real regard for anything other than to at least not look like I got dressed in the dark. But sometime between then and now, things have changed in the golf world. Technology seemed to become incorporated into golf apparel rather than just the equipment. This was soon followed by new looks and colors. Before you knew it, something fresh came to the world of the everyday golfer…updated style.

Gone are the days of the silly outfits of Al Czervik (unless you’re John Daly of course) and mono-tone look of Judge Smails. Replacing these looks are vibrant, bold colors, oversized logos, graphic fronts and mesh backs. And remember wearing your cotton polo on a hot day? By the end of the round it looked like you spilled your drink on your chest, back and armpits. So replacing the standard cottons are moisture-wicking and dry technology. No more sweat marks like you just lost a water-balloon fight. Heck, we’ve come so far that some of these shirts and outerwear make it feel like you’re not even wearing anything!

But outside of seeing the pros on TV, especially the younger ones, many of us can only see a small sampling of these new styles and advancements in the golf apparel industry by visiting our local shops and sporting goods stores. Enter Onlygolfapparel.com.

Now I’ve said before that I’m not a big fan of purchasing golf equipment on-line, but golf apparel is a different story. And for those of us who are either limited to big box stores or don’t necessarily have a close-by choice with good variety, www.onlygolfapparel.com is a fantastic option! The variety they have for all things golf apparel is quite impressive. From big names in the industry to some smaller up-and-comers, they leave little to be desired.

But you’re not just looking at pictures and purchasing based on the look. There’s plenty to learn about the brand as well as each individual style. You can find information on the cut, the material, the blend and, on several items, even the weight! But this information isn’t available only on the shirts and pants. You can find it on everything – shoes, hats, bags…even socks! It’s a treasure trove of info!

So the good people over at Only Golf Apparel sent us a sample of their inventory to try out – a new Nike Tour Performance Dri-Fit polo. But being that the temps here have yet to crack the 50 degree mark so far this year, I haven’t had a chance to give it a try out on the course. However I did make it to the range, and I have to say…this is the best golf shirt I have tried so far. It’s light, easy to move in and fits well. All around, it barely feels as if I’m even wearing a shirt at all.

Now these same generous folks were kind enough to offer a second shirt for us to give away to one lucky person. After all, we shouldn’t be the only ones to get the good stuff. So as always, all you have to do is head over to our Facebook page and like this post. We’ll choose one random winner next week.