Murder on the Links!

In the spirit of Halloween, we've decided to publish a feature on golf mystery novelist, Dr. Roberta Isleib. The article was written a few years ago for Golfstinks by our friend Victoria Opton - We finally have an outlet for it Vicky!

There are very few things in this world I am certain of, and here they are: Friends will help you move if you offer beer or chicken wings; love can keep you warm at night while clearing a car of snow in sub-zero temperature; and Dr. Roberta Isleib is a pretty cool lady.

For those of you unfamiliar with whom she is, let me introduce you: Isleib is a doctor of psychology who not only plays golf, but she's an author to boot! She doesn't write in journals about Jung or Freud (well, maybe she does, I forgot to ask) but this Doc writes murder mystery novels whose main character, Cassie Burdette, is trying to make a career playing on the LPGA tour - while also trying to avoid being killed or convicted of murder!

Isleib first took up the game when her husband said he was going on safari in the arctic (she thought it sounded like a perfect place to tan and joined him). Once out on the tundra plains, the Isleib's happened upon an executive par-3 ice course where penguins earned money as caddies. It was here Isleib fell in love with playing golf, and even though she realized her passion for the game, she knew she wasn’t bound for a second career playing on tour. From what she told me of her handicap, she was, in my estimation, a true stinky golfer!

But she decided not to hold up others on the course with poor play (well now, that’s just good golf etiquette) and began to search for a personal golf guru. Isleib says, "You have to find the person who understands you." Ah, truer words were never spoken.

So after many lessons, Isleib lowered her scores with psychology, practice and playing from the proper tees. Oh, and it also helped that she'd play 2-3 times a week (nothing like a little consistency to improve course management)! All this time on the golf course, coupled with the cash spent on lessons, led her to a realization that maybe she could find time to play and get paid to do it...Enter Roberta Isleib the novelist.

"Writing mysteries kind of evolved. There was so much time, energy and money learning to play, I wanted something that would make all the effort worth while…[and] that's when the idea came up." Isleib added, "I wanted something everybody could sink his or her teeth into."

So what makes a good murder mystery on a golf course? Isleib shared with us: "One is characters that you can be interested in and root for. I try to have a balance…[something] for the golfers and [something] that the non-golfers wont glaze over [reading]. I also hope that golfers who aren't mystery fans still enjoy the story."

And so the character Cassie Burdette was created. Now Cassie is no star of the LPGA. She’s a struggling rookie/pro who has a distant father, misguided mother, and always seems to stumble upon a murder mystery à la Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) in Murder She Wrote.

What's interesting is that initially, what Isleib pitched to book companies wasn’t Cassie the pro, but Cassie the caddie: "One year of rejections and six months to find a publisher," Isleib said. "And when I did [find a publisher], they wanted me to write a whole new book where Cassie was playing, not caddying." Ah, loopers, they never get any respect!

So Isleib wrote a second novel entitled "Six Strokes Under" and that was published as her first. It also was nominated for some literary type awards (Best First Mystery and Best First Paperback). Since then, Isleib has penned four more novels in the Golf Lovers' series: Putt to Death, A Buried Lie, Fairway to Heaven - and in March 2006, Isleib’s fifth novel was released...Final Fore...a title her minister came up with! But, rest assured, Roberta has told me that I could name future novels (Oh Boy)!

For more info about Roberta Isleib, you could check out her site at www.robertaisleib.com. You could also buy her books. I personally thought her novels were pretty fun and a great way to spend time away from the course (or during the off-season).

Stinky Golfer Vicky spoke with Roberta at great length and was also able to learn that in between writing her novels, she does her research by going to Q-School, Pinehurst and even the LPGA’s US Open (She’ll also schmooze with other mystery writers and play a round or two here and there). More recently, Isleib has penned a new set of non-golf-relalted novels - the collection is called the Advice Column Mysteries. Meanwhile, Isleib's Golf Lovers' mysteries have been nominated for both Agatha and Anthony awards.

Golfing in Arizona

Golfing in Arizona is the most amazing thing this time of the year.

The weather is perfect. No one is passing out from 115-degree temps. The snowbirds have not yet arrived so the courses are not crammed with oldsters. Prices are extraordinary. You can get green fees and a cart at public courses for $35 to $45--and cheaper depending on the course.

I played Mesa del Sol in Yuma on Friday and had a great time except that my driver totally bailed on me. Generally my driving is the best part of my game. But I couldn't get anything off the tee box. My timing was a total wreck. But my short game showed up out of nowhere. I was plunking greens from 100 yards and inside with ease--not my usual chunking and skulling.

So I ended up shooting my standard 101. It goes to show that this game is as fickle as anything.

Reflections on another Stinky Golf Season

No matter how bad you play, your worst round is still ahead of you. Golf is a game of numbers and since the numeric system is infinite you can always pick your head up after shooting a 153 and say "Could of been worse, coulda' shot a 154..." Albeit if you shot a 153 - I'm sure somewhere along the line you cheated and should have a 163. Just saying, I've done it...I mean I never shot a 153 but...Ok! Ok! I've had scores that equalled the top speed of a Porsche...happy now?

What is it about this game that keeps me coming back though? Is it that one nice drive I had? Or that birdie on the 18th hole? Does my geographic location come into play - unlike warmer climates where you can play year-round, do I dream about playing during the off-months? Yes, yes, yes and also, for me, golf is a chance to get together with friends and for those few hours I don't have to worry about anything. A chance to act like a child, within moderation of course, have a few laughs (and beers) and go home* (*home is the secret word for the closest bar, wink, wink).

That being said, I guess it's nearing the end of the golfing season here in the northeastern part of the US, and all that's left are memories of this past year. So, not trying to be sentimental and what not, I'll miss heading out in the middle of summer where the humidity is so bad you ask yourself "Why am I here right now?" I'll miss hitting a great shot and follow it up with four or five not so great shots and still have to chip to get on. I'll miss pulling the old "unhooking my playing partners' golf bags from the cart so when they take-off, the bags fall off" gag.

I envy golfers that live in warmer climates and can hack year round. Well, actually that means I have a better chance at shooting a crappier round more frequently. Remember it's a game of numbers. Throughout the years of my golf "career" I've heard some funny sayings and one that stuck with me goes right along with the "numbers" thing. What other game can you yell "Fore", shoot a six and write down a five? So the game of numbers goes on. My number now? That would be 6. Six months till the 2010 season! Man, I love this game!

Autumn on the Links of Connecticut

There's something rather majestic about the autumn - something about the atmosphere. The smell of fallen leaves, the crisp air, the feeling that you should enjoy these last weeks before winter takes hold. Perhaps it's a New England thing (I grew up in Connecticut), but walking down a tree-lined fairway, branches ablaze with orange and gold, makes me stop and think, "You know, I may stink at golf, but God I love this game."

In the spirit of the season this year, I wanted to share some course photos I've taken over the years - all during the autumn, on courses "you can play" in Connecticut.

Click image to enlarge

From top down (starting with the text inset photo): Richter Park (Danbury), Great River (Milford), Sleeping Giant (Hamden), Great River (Milford), Sleeping Giant (Hamden), Tower Ridge (Simsbury), Fairview Farm (Harwinton), Fox Hopyard (East Haddam), Simsbury Farms (West Simsbury), Lyman Orchards (Middlefield)

Golf Gadgets; WTF? (Part 2)

Ok, round deux! This just gets better...I think I'm in the wrong business. Everybody wants to lower their score and will do anything (including selling their soul to the devil) to improve the ol' handicap. Maybe I should design something that incorporates all of these devices. Something along the lines of a suit with all the gadgets attached...Damn man, you will definitely get all the chicks!

What they say: The Helicopter is a simple concept that has proven to be very effective. Just line up the red blades to the target line in all positions and follow the easy to understand steps and you will hit the ball straight...it's that simple!




What I Say: Weeeeeeeeee! Look at the colors go round n' round...



What they say: The Power Wrist™ is a new easy to use self-training golf aid that teaches golfers how to have the proper positioning of the wrist and arm during the entire swing. What I Say: The Power Wrist™ helps with your swing? I'll tell you what a powerful wrist helps with...trust me...I know.



What they Say: Protator kills any slice! What I Say: Protator looks like it belongs in a proctologist's office...ouch! And what's with the stance...



What They Say: Loosen up before your golf round, build golf muscles, straight and flexibility, and even hit balls to identify and fix golf swing flaws with this golf club weight. What I Say: Holy crap, this shaft warmer does all that? Shaft warmer...



What They Say: The Swingscope is the first of its kind swing teaching device and uses direct Bio-Feedback to guide the golfer to utilize the proper golf specific muscles in order to ingrain the correct muscle memory with respect to coil, lower body resistance, stability and the dynamic relationship between a fundamentally sound hip and shoulder turn. What I say: Hey now! An automatic reach-arounder...who would have thought? Ladies, flip it around and use it as a chastity belt!



What they say: With the Whippy TempoMaster® you will learn to:

• Relax your hands and arms and swing the club head with incredible speed and control
• Strike the ball using the large muscle that runs along the left side of your back (the lattismus dorsi muscle)
• Swing hard without using your arms or hands to initiate the force of the swing
• Keep your left arm connected to your rib cage
• Transfer your weight from one side to the other correctly and smoothly with rhythm
• Drive the ball really far, time and time again

What I say: HAAAAAAAAA! Whippy Master?!?!?!

• Da da da da da...Crack that whip!
  
• When a problem comes along...you must whip it!
• Now whip it!
  
• Whip it good

Related Posts: Golf Gadgets; WTF? (Part 1)

How Dangerous Can Golf Be?

A real life Chubbs Petersen. How many times have we heard that in the past week? Some poor guy gets half his arm bitten off by a gator and no one feels bad for him. All we can do is make jokes and call him “Chubbs.” Well, I think it’s time we said enough is enough and realize this guy could have been killed. But I’ll get to that right after this joke:

This guy is staying at a tropical resort and decides to head out to the club course. He’s set-up with a caddy that carries the bag over one shoulder and a rifle over the other. Feeling a little nervous upon the site of the gun, he hooks his first shot into the rough. When he went to take his second shot, an alligator charged him. But right away, the caddy shot and killed the gator.

On the second hole, the drive again headed into the rough. While setting up for his next shot, another gator comes out of the water. Again, the caddy shoots and kills the gator.

On the third hole, the shot lands in a muddy area right next to a sleeping gator. The guy looks at the caddy who still has the rifle over his shoulder. The golfer says “Aren't you going to shoot that gator?” The caddy shakes his head and says “No extra shots on a par-3.”

From what I understand this happened on a par-4, so was he not using the right caddy?

But seriously, I have played golf in South Carolina (Hilton Head specifically) and have whacked my ball to within fifteen feet of some relatively large gators. It’s nerve-racking, but I walked up and hit my ball anyway. In hindsight, it probably wasn’t the safest thing to do, but I didn’t have a rule-book with me and didn’t know if I would have to take a stroke or not if I left it there. Not wanting to risk a stroke, I risked my life instead. Ahh to be young and stupid again...

Although gator attacks on humans are very rare, there are many other accidents which occur on golf courses throughout the country, many on a regular basis and some fatal. As a matter of fact, according to a 2008 University of Alabama report, throughout the United States there are slightly over 1,000 golf-cart related injuries per month! I’m sure anyone who has ever driven a golf cart, recklessly or not, can imagine some of the accidents which can, and do, occur. For instance, back in August of this year, a 46-year old TD Bank executive fell from a moving cart on a New Jersey course and died of head trauma.

Considering the amount of golf-cart related injuries, according to a study by E.G. Kelly, most are not fatal. In his study, “Major Injuries Occurring During Use of a Golf Cart,” only 4 of the 111 cases studied resulted in a fatality. However, golf-cart injuries are only part of the story. Freak accidents occur almost as often.

Less than two weeks ago, a 61-year old Texas man was killed when he fell head-first down an embankment while attempting to retrieve a ball.

In Scotland, a 66-year old woman was killed when she was struck in the head by a golf ball. What makes this story more disturbing is, according to some reports, the ball that struck her was hit by her playing partner...from the teebox...which both players were standing at the time! Obviously the ball was mis-hit at just the right (or wrong) angle.

One of the more publicized accidents occurred back in 2005. A man was teeing-off and could see his father about 150 yards down the fairway hiding behind a tree. The ball just happened to ricochet off of a branch on that very tree and hit his father in the back of the neck. A few minutes later his father collapsed. He died the next day of a cerebral hemorrhage (this story was featured on a 2009 Golf Channel episode of Golf in America).

These are just a few examples, and many more can be found just by doing a simple internet search. Like most accidents, many can be prevented by simply paying attention to your surroundings and using better judgment. And for goodness sake, if you’re playing in South Carolina and your ball goes in the water...just leave it there.

A Golfer's Dream: How A Regular Guy Played Golf Digest's Top 100

About five years ago, I set-out on a quest to play every 18-hole golf course in my state that granted tee-times to non-members (there are 66 of them); I still have one to go, but have been dragging my feet because the course is semi-private and only allows non-members to play a few rounds on weekdays.

Nevertheless, having undertaken my own quest, I was excited to read Larry Berle's 2007 book: A Golfer's Dream - How a Regular Guy Conquered The Golf Digest List of America's Top 100 Golf Courses. But now that I've read the book, not only does my own quest seem rather inconsequential, but the fact I haven't completed it seems utterly ridiculous.

Over the course of ten years, Mr. Berle networked, charmed and sweet-talked his way onto the greatest golf tracks in the country - and he had a blast the entire time. Now don't get me wrong, he never finagled his way onto any of these courses (Mr. Berle does not strike me as a man of deception) but he used every honest means possible to gain access and was usually successful...and sometimes lucky.

The web of people Larry needed to accomplish his quest was vast - and sometimes hard to follow, but it was amazing reading his colorful tales on how he came to play each course, while thanking those who helped him along the way. On many private courses, he was required to play with a member - and normally this was someone he had never met before - yet these people were gracious-enough to sponsor him after hearing of his quest through a friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend.

Interestingly, one of Mr. Berle's more useful connections was a man from New York he called "John." John was a member at a few extremely exclusive clubs - ones that he unlocked for Larry to play on. But John wished to remain anonymous in Mr. Berle's book - never wanting fellow members to know he was helping an outsider gain access to these courses. And he never met Mr. Berle either, instead orchestrating Larry's tee-times over the phone.

Mr. Berle played 24 of the top 100 courses with his wife, Annie, including Spyglass, Pebble Beach, and Whistling Straits. He played several with his pal Jeff, who had his pilot's license and flew he and Larry to some of the courses in his 6-seat, prop-plane. And he played only a couple with his close friends - playing many alone or with no-one he knew at all. But he seemed fine with that - he became a connoisseur of golf course architecture (he has grown rather fond of Tom Fazio designs) and learned how to be a very gracious guest (which was something he took great pride in when meeting new golfers willing to host him).

I had the opportunity to speak with Larry recently and asked him what his favorite course was on the top 100 - you know, the one that slows time, brings you to that special place and makes you think "yeah, this is why I play this game." Without hesitation, he named Cypress Point. And in talking to Larry, you realize this accomplishment is something that defines his very character. He lights-up like a kid in a candy store when talking about his adventure. He remembers details most golfers would never remember on a course, and he himself looks back in disbelief that he actually completed such an undertaking.

A Golfer's Dream is a heartening story of personal accomplishment and strong perseverance. As golfers, we've looked at the top 100 lists and dreamt about playing them all - Augusta, Pine Valley, Winged Foot - and then brushed the notion aside, labeling it a pipe dream. Kudos to Mr. Berle for proving us wrong, and kudos to him for sharing this triumph with golfers everywhere.

As for me, there's the matter of one golf course left to play - this one's for you, Larry.

You can purchase "A Golfer's Dream" by Larry Berle HERE.

Teaching Golf to the Next Generation

I don’t know about you, but I hate that guy who lives vicariously through his kid. You know the guy…he’s relentlessly pushing his kid to do something that he never did or never could do back when he had his chance. He played baseball in high school so his kid has no choice but to play also. And not just play, but play better than he did. The kid could throw a two-hit shutout and strike out fifteen batters, but all his father can say to him is, "What happened? How did you give up those two hits?"

This is the type of parent who is convinced that his son, if pushed hard enough, is the second coming of Cy Young. He's the type of guy who helps you to understand why there are fights between little league coaches and parents. You just want to say to him "Hey buddy, you’re kid’s not the next Ted Williams. But he’s going to be the next Ted Bundy if you don’t let up on him a little!"

Being a big sports fan myself, I was excited when my boys started showing interest in competitive sports. We started with basketball, moved on to football, they both seemed to have ignored baseball for some reason, and are now back to basketball, at which they both seem to excel. I don’t push them hard and I don’t expect perfection. But I do expect them to try hard, listen to their coaches and show good sportsmanship. I keep in mind they are kids, and I let them be kids. And now my oldest (11 years) has shown an interest in golf.

For most of my life I lived within a couple minutes of a golf course, but I was never very interested in the game. It may have been because my father didn’t play. It may have been because I was interested in faster-paced, contact sports and golf was just too slow. Whatever the reason, golf just didn’t interest me. It wasn’t until I was in my mid- to late-twenties that my golf-playing buddies finally convinced me to give the game a chance, and I’m glad they did. I only wish I had started sooner. So a few months before his eleventh birthday, my oldest son was telling friends and family he wanted money in lieu of presents. He was planning on using the money to purchase his own set of golf clubs….which he did late in the summer.

It was a bit too late in the golf season here in the northeast to give him enough practice time to get him out on a course right away. But that didn’t deter my excitement, or his. We have spent plenty of time just working on his swing. We’ve spent a good amount of time at the local driving range. I’m sure by now he’s sick of hearing me tell him everything he’s doing wrong. But I try to explain to him there are so many things involved in a swing that so many things can go wrong. He gets frustrated because he is pretty athletic and he expects to get it right. But at the same time, he understands that it takes a lot of practice. I’m proud of him because, at this age, I know how I would have reacted at this point – I would have dropped the clubs and picked up a basketball. But to his credit, he hasn’t done that. He’s trying and he’s trying hard.

With the off-season just about upon us, I’m hoping to keep his interest throughout until the spring comes around again. There’s a pretty nice indoor facility where my buddies and I will head a couple times throughout the winter. I’m looking forward to taking him there and he’s looking forward to going. Granted, I had to mention the several golf simulators in the facility…but like I said, I want him to hold interest until the spring. If it takes a giant video game to help do that, then so be it.

I’m glad to see him starting early. I’m glad to see him trying hard. But most of all, I’m glad that he’s showing the interest to begin with. I’m happy to watch him hit a perfectly straight shot, and even happier to see his smile afterward. And in a strange way, I’m glad to see his reaction when he screws up his next one. It tells me that he’s taking it seriously and he’s serious about getting it right.

But I’ll tell you one thing I’m not too happy about…at this early start, one day soon he’s going kick my butt up and down the fairway. Then maybe I’ll wish he stuck to the other sports!

Home on the Range (Golf Range that Is...)

By definition, a golf driving range is a practice facility usually consisting of an area to drive/lob/chip balls at various targets denoting distances in order to get an idea of what each club is capable of doing. It is a place to work on consistency, accuracy and "proper" form. The driving range has also been used as a place for dates (that's pretty sad actually), child activities and various other recreational stress relievers by golfers and non-golfers alike.

My time at the range is initially spent in frustration. I get my token, put it in the ball machine and for the life of me can never seem to get the right size bucket. All of a sudden there's balls going all over the place and I'm chasing them down like an idiot. You know, ducking backswings and the inevitable; having to look like a squeaking cheap bastard because one them rolled near someone else's stash and when you go over to pick it up it looks like you're stealing a ball. Obviously, a confrontation ensues and it turns into a friggin Seinfeld episode because you have to explain yourself. All of this over a range ball.

When I finally get to an open driving bay, I have a nervous breakdown trying to find the right tee...those big, stupid rubber tees! I have better luck finding a four leaf clover than finding one the right length. It's like I either need Huggy Bear's platform shoes or I'm driving from the mat. Well, I fixed their asses...I grabbed the longest one I could find, cut it to size and took it with me (I sure showed them).

Now as with any public place, there are a variety of people and a variety of stereotypes to go along with them. There's the guy that dresses like he's on tour - has the real nice expensive bag with all the fixins' and exaggerates his nice swing so everybody sees him and oooh's and aaah's. There's the guy that brings all of his clubs but only uses the driver. And then there's the guy that should have a sock in his mouth because his cursing and swearing upsets everyone.

I also crack-up whenever I see people at the range who insist they are good, but slice so much they should be an Iron Chef. Sometimes you can hear them talking to themselves (in a looney bin kind of way). And once, I could of swore I heard "I'll never make it in Q school." It's safe to say the only tour that guy will be making is the Culture Club re-union.

Now, as much as I would love to improve my game and be consistent with my irons and all that other jazz, I thoroughly enjoy driving balls at the ball retriever vehicle thingy. Especially when I'm in the company of a like-minded friend or fellow range neighbor. The fun really begins when the betting starts: "Five bucks if you hit the cart...$50 if you somehow hit the driver..." We all know that the cart is wrapped in golf ball armor and it is virtually impossible to pose any threat to the driver but, we still try (I know, we're sadistic bastards). It should be noted that some behavioral psychiatrists believe that we have a natural morbid curiosity with seeing death, trauma/gore or just all around destruction. Since we are somewhat civil and haven't been raised by wolves or apes, we tend to control that curiosity...or not.

Anyway, as my last ball careens toward the ball-retriever cart, I'm left wondering about the people who only know golf by what they see and do at the driving range. You know, those people who have never set foot on a golf course but still think the range is "fun." Sometimes I envy them - their idea of golf is far less complicated than mine. It's much easier to hit mindlessly at the range cart guy than aim for the pin. Hmmmm. do you think the MOFOBETE snack cart should have a giant target in it's roof? Better yet...where's the ranger's cart?!?

Hey, Do You Want to Make This Round More Interesting?

Several years ago a threesome of us stinky golfers were paired-up for nine holes with somewhat of a local sports celebrity - the first baseman for one of our in-state minor league baseball teams. Being baseball fans, as well as fans of the team, we were excited for the opportunity.

Now this was a pretty big guy and I clearly remember watching him hit some drives like they were hanging curve balls. I mean, he was crushing these things. It was something to remember. But that's not what I recall most about the round. The memory that still pops up most often is not his drives, but my introduction to golf betting games.

Somewhere around the 12th or 13th hole the big guy asks us if we'd be interested in playing for a little money. "Sure, why not?" So he proceeds to explain to us a game called "Wolf." This game was completely foreign to us, and to this day I'm not sure if we were playing 100% correctly. But we played anyway, and I'll admit...the prospect of winning or losing (especially losing) a few bucks sure did add a whole lot of intrigue to the round, and it sure did make me try harder.

Thinking about it now, it made me wonder how many of these betting games there are and how many people actually incorporate them into their round. Turns out, there are literally dozens of these games, and according to a 2006 Golf Digest poll, 93% of golfers bet on their rounds at least "some of the time." Ninety-three percent is a pretty big number, so I decided to take a look into the most popular of these games. Here are what I found them to be:

#1 - "Nassau" (aka "Best Nines") - Probably the easiest bet to remember how to play, which may be why it's the most popular. This one is basically three games/three bets in one - best front nine, best back nine and best eighteen played in any format (stroke, match, scramble, best ball, etc...).

#2 - "Wolf" (aka "Ship, Captain & Crew", "Boss" and "Pig") - Players rotate being the wolf on each hole. The wolf can choose to partner with another and play the hole 2-on-2 or play the hole 1-on-3. Obviously the low score, or lowest total score if played with a partner, wins the hole. If choosing to go 2-on-2, the wolf must choose his partner immediately after that player's drive. If he doesn't choose any of the drives, then the wolf plays the hole 1-on-3 and can either win or lose double the bet. The wolf can also choose to go "Lone Wolf." He must do this immediately after his own drive. This way, the wolf can either win or lose triple the bet. One addition to this game is, if the Wolf is overly confident, he can choose to go "Lone Wolf" before he even hits his own drive. If this is the case, the Wolf can then either win or lose quadruple the bet. Tied holes can be carried over, but are normally erased.

#3 - "Bingo Bango Bongo" - This game is based on achievements and being the first to do something on each hole. The first player on the green gets a bingo. The closest to the pin when all four balls are on the green is a bango. The first in the hole is a bongo. Each one is worth a predetermined amount (maybe $1 each from each player). If one player does all three first, then that player wins double. The best thing about this game is it keeps with the golf etiquette side of things. Also, it gives the players who may have screwed up their drive and hacked their way down the fairway a chance to make up for it with a chip or a putt.

#4 - "Aces & Deuces" (aka "Acey Ducey") - Another simple one. The low score on each hole wins a predetermined amount from each of the other players. The high score on the hole loses a predetermined amount to the other golfers. This can be played alternately so the high score has to pay the low score an additional amount. Obviously, this can get expensive if you are clearly the worst golfer in your foursome.

#5 - "Las Vegas" - This one must be played as a foursome since it is played as two teams of two players. Each team plays for a team score, but the score is not totalled. Rather, it is paired. If one player scores a 3 and the other a 4, the score is not 7 - it would be 34. The lower score goes first unless one player scores a 10 or more in which case the higher score would be put first. The difference in the team score represents the predetermined amount won or lost on each hole. Example - if the bet is $1 per stroke and Team A scores a 45 and Team B a 56, then Team B owes Team A $11 on that hole. Obviously, this is another game that can get quite expensive if the bet amount is high enough (hence the name Vegas).

#6 - "Chicago" (aka "Thirty-nines" or "39's") - Golfers begin their round with negative points. Points start at -39 and is adjusted based on your handicap. If your handicap is 12, your score starts at -27. If your handicap is 28, your score starts at -11. This continues up to -3. Points are gained based on the following:

Bogey is 1 point

Par is 2 points

Birdie is 4 points

Eagle is 8 points

Highest point total at the end of the round wins. Total winnings can be based on point differential or a predetermined amount.

Aside from the dozens of games themselves, there are also alternate rules to each. Combine that with the amount of the wager, and there can literally be an infinite amount of golf bets!

Upon learning about some of these bets and games, as well as experiencing it for myself, I can understand why so many people place wagers on their rounds, whether they are good players or not. It adds another dimension to the game. It adds another layer of competition as well as another layer of fun. It also helps you to raise your level of play. Maybe your game is not quite at the level you would like? Put some money on it. I guarantee you'll focus a lot harder.

First of All, You're Swinging From the Wrong Side...

Yeah, like I never heard that before...you unoriginal bastid! All my life I grew up swinging a bat and hockey stick left-handed while actually being right-handed.

It never occurred to me how fairly uncommon that is until I started playing golf. I remember walking up to the first tee and setting up and hearing: "Wow, you're lefty?" WTF is that? Why not just put me in a cage somewhere and draw a crowd? "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls I present Lefto the amazing right-handed lefty! Watch as he writes his name right handed and then swings a club left!" Whoopty-Freakin'-Doo! And what's with the lame ball-breaking comments? Hey Mr. Golfer Person-Who-Thinks-He/She-Is-Funny: you and your wise cracks can go kick rocks!

Everybody knows golf courses were designed for righty's (probably not true but I'm going with it). Try finding left handed clubs...fuhgedaboutit! Don't get me wrong, they exist (obviously) but have a very limited selection. For instance, try walking into a golf store and search for their left handed section. It's like all the way in the back of the store in a corner behind some boxes waiting to be brought to the dumpster. And then the selection! My oh my, what a selection they have...maybe two new sets from last year that are demos and a used set that was pieced together by someones uncle back in the 80's.

Now here's what else I noticed: Righty's can go into a store, try-out a set and then go purchase them online cheaper. We lefty's (at least me) do not have that luxury (Is that why I couldn't find that left-handed Chi Chi Rodriguez wood driver)?

I understand the right-handed to left-handed ratio is about 9:1 (except in Canada where it is about 7:3...perhaps thanks to ice hockey)? But does that make us any less of a consumer of golf products? Hey, we put out a few greats: Bob Charles, Mike Weir and Phil "FIGJAM" Mickelson. Maybe we should start getting some respect! Just my $.02...