GolfStinks

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What Is It About The Masters?

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In most sports, the most important or biggest game of the year usually happens at the end of the season.  The NFL puts the Super Bowl at the end of the year.  The NBA Championship, the Stanley Cup, March Madness…they all come at the end of the season.  OK, so there was a point during the 90’s when the NFC Championship was considered to be the “real” Super Bowl.  Those games between the Cowboys and 49ers were epic.  But in golf where, for some reason there is no actual championship, they’ve decided to do things differently.

Instead of a championship game, golf does majors – four tournaments that are “more important” than other tournaments.  And still…none of the four is an actual title match.  Oh sure, many of these tournaments are called the “Blah-blah-blah” championship.  But that’s nothing more than a title.  However, there is one tournament that gets more press and more attention than any other tournament – The Masters.  And yet in still, it’s not a championship match, nor is it at the end of the season.

So what is it about The Masters?  What is it that makes this one tournament stand out above the rest?  Now right here, I’m sure you’re expecting a history lesson on The Masters, but no way.  I actually want to ask and learn.  When did The Masters become the big deal that it is and why?  Is it because of the exclusive private country club?  Is it the course itself?  Maybe the traditions such as the green jacket, the honorary tee shot or the par-3 contest?  Is it because of the international flavor that started in the 80’s?  Or was it because there was only one player from outside of the U.S. to win it prior which at the time made it a truly American tournament?

See, I honestly don’t know.  And no matter what I do, I can’t wrap my head around the idea that a sport which has no actual championship match, has the most hyped tournament of the year right in the beginning of its season.  That tells me that it’s all downhill from there.  Sure, there are still three other majors along with numerous other tournaments throughout the rest of the season.  But that’s like putting the Super Bowl in October and then playing a bunch of playoff games throughout the rest of the season.

But, I guess we’ve all grown used to that now.  Golf just seems to do things differently than most other sports.  No actual championship, biggest match comes practically at the beginning of the season, leaders are based on money…I guess I just don’t get it.  But hey, that’s OK.  I’m not here to figure it all out.  I’m not here to say what’s right and wrong, although I’ll try.  But for the most part, I don’t care about any of that stuff.  I just want to play.

Swing ’til you’re happy!

April Brings Fools To The Golf Course

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You know what’s funny?  Some of the tall tales you hear out on the golf course.  Seriously, many of the stories and claims I’ve heard from golfers/friends I know, I half-expect the words “April Fools” to follow.  So what is it that compels golfers to make up these stories?  What is it that makes a golfer feel like he or she needs to tell stories (i.e. – lie)?  Does it make them feel superior to other golfers?  If that’s it, then what’s the reason for needing to feel superior?  Can’t you just admit that you stink?  What’s so bad about stinking at golf?

Let me give you a few examples of some stories I’ve heard from friends/golfers which I feel were worthy of an “April Fools” follow-up:

1.  While standing in front of a 380-390 yard par-4 – “I drove this green a few times.”  I’m sorry, but who do you think I am?  You do remember that we’re friends, right?  I’m not a complete stranger ya know.  You swing a wiffle bat with the same speed as if it’s a 40 pound log, and you sure don’t swing your golf club much faster.  I’m not 100% sure I’ve ever seen you hit even a 300-yard drive, but you drove this green a few times?!  Please say “April Fools.”

2.  “When I used to play regularly, I hit 320 yard drives all the time.  I probably averaged 320-330.”  OK, as of this very moment the longest average drive on the PGA Tour is 307.2 yards.  But you…somehow you are out-driving the longest average hitter on the tour….THE PGA TOUR!  You know, where the professional golfers play.  Again, please say “April Fools.”

3.  “I’m pretty close to being a scratch golfer now.”  OK, you play golf once a week…tops.  We play together several times a year and I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve seen you break 90.  Now I know you’re pretty good…much better than me, but somewhere between the last time we played and now, you’ve managed to shave about 20 strokes off your game?  You’re good.  But again, I’m going to require you to say “April Fools.”

So again I have to ask, why the stories?  Does claiming you’re a better golfer than you actually are somehow make you feel superior to others?  Even if you’re full of crap?  Do the people who lie about their golf games lie about other things in their lives as well?  Are they able to cook their dinner better/faster than they actually do?  Does their car accelerate quicker than it actually does?  Are they able to send a fax quicker than everyone else at the office?  Let me try.  I once shot a 71 at Bandon Dunes.  I won a long drive competition against John daly once.  Last year, I was happy when I broke 100, but I’m shooting pretty close to par just about everywhere I go.

Nope, that’s not working for me.  I just don’t feel good lying about my game.  Oh, wait….April Fools.  There, that’s better.

Swing ’til you’re happy!

The Fashion Runway Leads To The Golf Links

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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.

Swing ’til you’re happy!

Will Dropping A Few Pounds Drop My Golf Score?

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Off the top of my head, I can’t think of many sports (or many activities for that matter) where being out-of-shape can be beneficial.  OK, there’s Sumo Wrestling.  And there are belly-flop contests.  But outside of those, I’m at a loss.  So one would think that being in good physical condition could help with any sport.  But what about golf?  In a game that really demands more of a good technique and good mechanics than it does top physical condition, does being in good shape really matter?  Well, even though the sport does require more of a mechanical skill, I just can’t see how being in good shape can’t help.

With that being said, I’m planning to find out for myself.  See, I’ve begun to realize that I’m not getting any younger.  As a matter of fact, there have even been some times where, physically, I feel older than I should.  That’s not a good feeling.  So I’ve begun to do something about it.  Recently, I’ve started exercising a bit more and eating a bit less.  It’s amazing – by simply getting a bit more active and cutting out some of the foods and drinks I’ve had, or reducing the amount of them anyway, I was able to drop thirteen pounds relatively easily.  So I’m going to keep it up and see where this takes me.

But besides the obvious health benefits, one of my hopes is that there is some parallel between my weight and my handicap – both of them dropping.  And I don’t see any reason this wouldn’t happen.  By losing weight I would think this would help to sharpen the technique for a golf swing.  If the body mass is cut down (and by that, I mean the gut shrinks) naturally you would have to figure the swing would simply become more smooth.  It doesn’t stop there though.   By dropping weight and improving my condition, I should have more energy for the round.  So that feeling of fatigue that hits at some point on the back nine should be minimized, if not eliminated altogether.

I shouldn’t be looking at this from only a golf standpoint, and I’m not.  It’s important to take care of oneself, and I’ve neglected to do it as well as I should.  But it’s never bothered me much before.  However, recently I’ve started noticing that I get tired a little faster and some formerly easy task become more of a chore.  So if this works, and I can improve my health and golf game at the same time, then why not keep up the effort?  For the time being, overall health improving – golf game is yet to be seen.  Stay tuned.

Swing ’til you’re happy!

Would Sex Sell The LPGA?

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As a lifelong sports fan, I can understand what it is about women’s sports that most fans don’t particulary enjoy.  Let’s face it, the speed, power and physicality of women’s sports are simply no match for the men’s games.  I’m not in any way trying to disrespect what these women do.  They are fantastic athletes; are great at the sports they play; and deserve all the credit and any attention they get because if it.  But in comparison to their male counterparts, outside of tennis, it just doesn’t match up.  That being said…I don’t understand why the LPGA doesn’t get the same recognition as the PGA.

A perfect example is probably the WNBA.  Have you ever watched a WNBA game?  These women are great basketball players and great athletes.  But when compared to the speed and physicality of an NBA game, the women’s game seems to look just a bit dull.  But it’s not just basketball.  The same can be said about women’s softball vs. baseball, women’s hockey, boxing and what seems to be the newest fad…women in UFC or MMA fighting.  Again, outside of tennis, no matter the sport, the women’s version just doesn’t seem to match up.

But lets look at golf for a second.  The game is slow.  It doesn’t much require the player to be a superior athlete.  And the only time any real power is demonstrated is off the tee, and that really only matters if you’re a spectator live at the event witnessing it first-hand.  On TV, you can’t tell.  You can’t judge the power of a golf swing via your flat-screen.  The only reason you know how far a ball went on TV is because the announcer told you.  The women of the LPGA are just as skilled as the men.  They are just as accurate.  They have as firm a grasp on the game as the men do.  They just don’t have the power that the men do.  But if that isn’t translated through TV, then what’s the problem?  What does the PGA have that the LPGA doesn’t?  Just the longer drives as far as I can tell.  So what would make the LPGA more attractive?  Or…did I just give away the answer?  Attractiveness.

It seems to me that, especially in recent years, when you want to promote anything related to female athletes, you sell the women…not the athletes.  Is it shallow?  Absolutely.  Do I like the idea of it?  Not even a little bit.  Does it work?  Well…that can be argued, but lets just say it doesn’t not work.  Look at the previously mentioned tennis.  It’s quite possibly the only sport where fans care just as much about the men as the women.  There are some examples to learn from here.  It started long ago with the battle of the sexes between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King.  It continued when, forgive me as I’m not a tennis fan and don’t remember the year, Wimbledon somehow allowed “commoners” into the stands and the men began hootin’ and hollerin’ for, I believe it was Gabriela Sabitini.  Fast forward to an average player on the tour becoming the most popular player in the world (albeit for the wrong reason)…Anna Kournikova.  And next thing you know, every tennis player promoted is either named Williams or is a blonde-haired beauty.  Convenient, right?

So does the LPGA need to take that route?  Should the powers-that-be in the LPGA come to Natalie Gulbis and say “A little less MasterCard, a little more Maxim.”  Now I know that some female golfers are no strangers to a swimsuit, but maybe that’s just not enough.  Sponsor exemptions are there for what reason?  To get their “hot” property out in front of a few cameras.  Again, I don’t like the idea.  I want to see good athletes compete for their athletic ability, not for their looks.  But if it’s their looks that bring attention to the game, then who am I to say what’s right and what’s wrong?

All I’m saying is that it has worked to bring some attention to other sports.  It most definitely is a shallow way to do so.  But in the end, it could possibly bring the viewership for which the sports are looking.  If it brings in new fans, great!  But if it doesn’t, or if those new fans don’t stick around, does it leave a black eye on the sport?  Well, it sure didn’t seem to for tennis…quite the opposite actually.  But that doesn’t automatically equal success for the LPGA.  Maybe they just wait on another phenom.  Maybe a new star will rise and not decide to take on the men of the PGA before she even has any success on the LPGA Tour.  Or, maybe they just start a lingerie golf league.  Want to talk about shallow?

Swing ’til you’re happy!

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