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5 Reasons They Think Golf is Stupid

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golf in the rain
Rain or shine, golf is still golf. But some folks will never understand why we love this game…

Without question, there are those in this world who cannot see the point of golf. The thought of chasing a little white ball around hundreds of acres of land is the most ridiculous thing they’ve ever heard.

And from their completely superficial viewpoint, you can (sort of) understand where they’re coming from. To the outsider, some things about this game are, well…stupid. Here are five of them I tend to hear over and over again…

1. Golf is stupid because we really do chase a little white ball around. In the very simplest of terms, we golfers hit a ball, walk after said ball, and then hit it again. Taken on its own, I could see how this is mind-boggling to the non-golfer. But we golfers also know there’s so much more to this game than chasing balls. First of all, hitting that ball where you want it to go takes a whole hell-of-a-lot of skill. But beyond this, golf is a very complex and thought-provoking game. And of course there’s the camaraderie aspect of it and the “walk in nature” aspect, etc. Taken collectively, golf is a wonderful game. And speaking of taking a walk in nature…

2. Golf is stupid because you shouldn’t have to pay to take a walk in nature. Again, taken on its own, one shouldn’t have to pay to walk in the woods. But golf courses need to be maintained in order to play the game properly and that maintenance costs money. We golfers will gladly pay a greens fee to putt on a smooth green.

3.Golf is stupid because it wastes valuable space. Golf courses and cemeteries, right? At least according to Al Czervik and apparently many others. Now I will admit there are probably too many golf courses out there – I mean you’re more likely to run across a golf course before a McDonald’s restaurant here in the U.S. But a complete waste of space? Not if people are enjoying themselves. Plus, many courses preserve wildlife habitat and invest and care for those areas far more than they would be if the course was not there.

4. Golf is stupid because of the clothes. OK, it’s hard to argue with this one – when the sport’s primary style is the clothing of choice for retired men everywhere, you might not be on the cutting edge of fashion. But nowadays more athletic gear (and less old man garb) is becoming more popular (and acceptable) on the course – so things are slowly changing for the better.

5. Golf is stupid because most people play even though they’re not any good at it. Guilty as charged. And I should add I’m totally fine with that. Where does it say you have to be great at something in order to love it? And golf is scaleable – the handicap system helps you compete against anyone no matter their skill. And you can even compete against your previous score. There’s so much to appreciate about golf regardless of your level of play.

So with the exception of the clothes we wear, anyone who tells you golf is stupid are they themselves probably a bit, well…stupid. If you don’t fancy golf, that’s cool. But to call it stupid when you don’t fully understand it? Well, let’s just say that leaves more tee-times for the remaining 30+ million folks out there who do.

Dressing for Golf in the Bitter Cold

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From left: Stinky Golfers Chris, Greg & Tom bear the bitter cold at Fenwick Golf Course (November 2013)

Who Plays Golf in the Bitter Cold? I guess I do…or at least I have. That photo above proves it. That was last November and I remember it well: The course (Fenwick in Connecticut) is right on the water (Long Island Sound) and it was pretty damn cold – low 40’s (4 to 6 degrees Celsius) with fairly gusty winds (which made it feel at or below freezing).

You can easily spot me because I’m wearing shorts. SHORTS! What was I thinking? I was freezing! But in the coziness of my bedroom that morning, wearing shorts seems like a good idea. After all, I was trying to layer: I had a thermal long-sleeve base-layer on, with a quarter-zip sweater over that. I even had a winter hat on. OK, so I knew my legs would be cold but what I underestimated was that my upper body would be pretty cold too.

Anyway, now that the cold weather has returned to much of the U.S., I’m considering how I could do things differently this year (aside from not playing in the cold at all). The trick to golfing in cold weather has always been the balance between keeping relatively warm while not sacrificing the mobility needed for a normal swing. For my round at Fenwick last fall, I failed. I was too cold to effectively produce a fluid swing!

For starters, long pants would have helped (and I purchased a pair of long johns to wear under my pants this year too). But I really think I needed a heavier thermal base-layer shirt (and still wore the quarter-zip sweater). I could have tired a fleece (like Tom did) but most fleece pullovers don’t stop wind and the bulkiness could hinder your swing.

I should also invest in a pair of winter golf gloves since your hands are among the first to be affected by the cold. I remember years ago we were playing in the late fall somewhere and the proshop guy gave us Hot Hands hand warmers. While those are good in theory (and they did stat warm for most of our round), it wasn’t very practical to hold them in your hands all the time (in golf, you’ve always got either your club, ball or the wheel of the cart in your hands).

Now that I’m thinking this through, I guess the hat is the only thing I got right from last year. So for this year, the hat stays and I will add long johns and long pants; winter golf gloves; and a heavier thermal base-layer shirt. Of course, after it’s all said and done, how many rounds can I expect to get in before the first major snowfall ends golf till spring?

In any event, if you do decide to venture out in the bitter cold to play golf this season, remember to dress warm, but avoid bulkiness that could affect your swing (and take comfort in knowing that you probably won’t be the only nut out there)!

And just to give you an example of the windy conditions at Fenwick from that day last November, below is a video of Stinky Golfer Tom teeing-off on a par 3. What’s great about this clip though is if you listen closely at the end, you can hear his ball knock-off one of the million-dollar waterfront homes on the course!

Accessorizing For The Upcoming Golf Season

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I’m not the kind of person who has to have the latest and greatest of anything.  No, I’d rather wait for a while until I can find a better deal or the prices come down from the intro of a new product.  Some examples – Of all the cars I’ve owned, I only purchased one of them brand new.  It’s just not a good investment considering you lose a minimum of 30% of the value as soon as you drive it off the lot.  I’d rather buy a car used and let some other sucker take that hit.  Electronics/computers/phones?  Forget it.  With the way electronics are pumped out of factories these days, what you buy is practically obsolete in less than a year.  So to me, overspending on a laptop, tablet or cell phone (which have all become practically disposable) is not exactly a wise decision either.  Even when the PlayStation 3 came out years ago, I held out until I felt like I was missing out on something.  And by that time, the price had dropped about 25% as well.  There’s something to be said for waiting.

But one place where I’m a little different with my thinking is when I’m purchasing golf accessories.  I’ve only owned two sets of golf clubs, one off-the-shelf and my current set which were custom-fitted.  Neither were bought used.  I’m not sure what it is, but I don’t know if I could purchase a set of used clubs.  Although my putter was used, but it was free…so that doesn’t count.  I don’t buy my golf clothes used either obviously, but I will look at discount department stores rather than golf specialty shops or sporting goods stores with the latest fashions for about triple the price.  Same goes for clothing accessories like hats and sunglasses – a nice new pair of Oakleys from Blackleaf never hurt anyone.

Also, I find that purchasing your accessories and equipment in the off-season can certainly save a few bucks as well.  Clothing will be on clearance, as will balls, tees, gloves…whatever, all in anticipation of newer products stocking the shelves.  Granted, the selection might not be as great as at the beginning of the season, but all the money you’ll save can be put toward the courses you want to play during the season.

Hey, golf is an expensive sport.  We have to do what we can to save our pennies where ever possible.  If cheaper clothing, less expensive balls and buying things in the off-season will allow me to put more money into playing more or nicer courses, then as an alternative to winning the lottery, I’ll keep it up!

Swing ’til you’re happy!

Post-Golf Season…Season.

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golfbag sledFear not my lost and wandering golf souls for this great game has not completely migrated to the warmer climates. The golf gods have brought forth desirable news that can lift the heaviest of hearts. This winter when the greens beckon us like moths to a street light we can respond “Hell mother***in’ yeah, I’m playing! I don’t care if it’s only 15 degrees outside…”  Well, maybe not so enthusiastically but you get the point.

Through this wonderful research tool called Google, I was able to find some local tracks that will be open in the winter. A couple courses feature an “inside nine”, which are the nine closest holes to the clubhouse and some are wide open. How cool is that? The downside…be prepared to walk and yes it will be cold. That being said, you should probably avoid being on the very short list of people that have been frostbitten playing golf.

What to wear, what to wear…The whole layer thing might be the way to go if you don’t mind lugging around extra stuff. Maybe some warm golfing jumpers ideal for winter. We might want to stay away from that goose down parka. Yes they are quite toasty, but if you want to be able to grip the club with both hands – leave it home. Oh, don’t forget proper footwear and this includes socks. Remember…frostbite bad.

So, this post-golf season season will be a chance for me to make good on my pre-golf season plan to play more this year. Hopefully, the weather will permit a few outings. However it goes down, I’m glad to know that my golf season isn’t entirely over. There’s still a chance to get out there and play. Now where’s my ball warmer…?

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!!

Finding the Perfect Sunglasses for Golf

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golfstinks-oakley-promotionI spent 15 years playing golf without sunglasses. Why? Well, I’m not really sure – I hadn’t really given it much thought. I tend to be one of those people who have to be told the obvious sometimes.

Like when my friend and golfing buddy pointed out that he was surprised I didn’t wear sunglasses since I had blue eyes. He claimed that lighter eyes needed more protection from the sun. While I’m not sure how accurate that statement is, it sounded plausible and anything to help the old golf game was worth a shot. And so, sunglasses became a constant accessory of mine out on the links.

At first, I purchased a pair of $50 sport-sunglasses and wore them for a few years until they got a scratch on the lens. I tried to keep wearing them, but seeing that annoying scratch in my peripheral vision was keeping me from tracking the ball’s flight path.

After discarding my scratched pair, I bought inexpensive sunglasses from a stand at a highway rest stop. Don’t laugh, those actually lasted several years (though I did feel they weren’t quite as effective on the golf course). Flash-forward to about a year and a half ago, when I actually received (via a promotion through this golf blog) a free pair of off brand sunglasses that were polarized – a feature specifically geared toward golfers. And while these glasses were better at helping me track and see the ball in the fairway, they weren’t the highest quality shades out there.

Still on the hunt for the perfect pair of golf sunglasses, I was excited when someone from Ads Sports Eyewear reached out to me regarding their latest promotion featuring Oakley Sunglasses and Prescription Oakley Sunglasses. After all, Oakley is a popular brand not just for pro golfers, but for all pro athletes in any sport.

Long story short, I was sent a pair of Oakley Half Jacket 2.0 – Polished Rootbeer XL G30 Transitions Lenses (a mouthful, I know). But there are a few things golfers should take note of in that lengthy name: First, they are the Half Jacket – which is somewhat smaller than the “Jacket” line Oakley offers. I found this a plus during my back swing, since there is an unobstructed bottom side view.

Next, the lenses are extra large (hence the “XL”) – meaning despite the smaller frame, you still get full-lens coverage. In addition, the lenses normally have about a 30% light transmission, which is helpful when hitting from shady areas (like from the woods, if you drive the ball like I do). But in full sunlight (like say on the fairway), the lenses will transition to about 16% light transmission – it adjusts automatically so you’re only left with the best possible view of the fairway, green, pin and/or ball flight path.

Finally, the lenses have a rose tint (you macho guys stay with me here). While it took me a second to adjust to this hue, it really was helpful in providing contrast on the course. For example, it allowed me to read the green better for putts and pitch shots.

Overall, these are the best sunglasses I’ve ever worn for golf (see photo of me wearing the glasses at top). They are feather light – I literally couldn’t feel them once they were on – and the lenses are a perfect combination of light filtering and view enhancement – specifically designed for the golf course. The only complaint was from my wife, who doesn’t particularly like the sport sunglass style in general. But that’s not what these babies are about – they’re about helping you perform better on the golf course…period.

Now these shades aren’t cheap, but you know the old saying; you get what you pay for. Of course, I didn’t pay anything. And on that note, why should I get to have all the fun? As our fans know, we here at GolfStinks go to great lengths to ensure they too can benefit from our product reviews. As such, the good folks over at Adseyewear agreed to provide a $150USD gift certificate to one lucky GolfStinks fan towards the purchase of your own sweet golf sunglasses on adseyewear.com!

Here’s how to enter: Go to the GolfStinks Facebook page (facebook.com/golfstinks) and comment on the post on our wall entitled “Win the Perfect Golf Sunglasses” (it would help if you provide a good reason as to why you need new golf sunglasses)! That’s it! We’ll choose one winner a week later!

Good luck!

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