Golf Questions Answered...Part Dos!

After receiving such positive feedback from my previous post "Golf Questions Answered...The Golfstinks.com Way." It's only right that I continue to help my fellow hacks with a follow-up and answer more of your questions. I'm so glad that my vast knowledge is coming in handy once again.

Let's get it on!

Q: What degree wedge should I play with?
A: You should really avoid playing with wedges at any degree...mild, moderate or severe. They are intrusive, uncomfortable and can cause chafing. Thank you Caddyshack 2...

Q: What's the best hybrid?
A: That's kind of a subjective question. The best thing is to figure out how much you want to spend and then take one out for a test drive. I'm liking the effort to go green man.

Q: I just got into an argument with a buddy of mine over this: Is it illegal to pick up your ball, clean it and replace it while on the fairway?
A: Dude, hell yeah it's illegal! Ummm, hello? I believe that's called public indecency. Scrub the fellas in the privacy of your own home please.

Q: Would you recommend a Medicus?
A: No, I would recommend a doctor-us. Roman empire-era medical practices are a little barbaric. Stupidus questionus.

Q: How can I tell if my shaft is stiff enough?
A: Well, your shot distance and club head speed will dictate where you need to be. Your golf pro would be better suited to help with that. Or...ask your significant other ;).

That wraps up round 2. I hope you all found this to be a nice learning experience. Thanks again for the support and I'm looking forward to round 3!

Hit'em long...yell FORE!

Golf Comes to the Masses: India

It's not lost on most economists that India is an emerging market. In fact, the second largest country (based on population) is undergoing an amazing transformation - many of its citizens are about to make the leap from lower class to middle class status:

"[The middle-class] is almost a third of India's population today, up from 8% in 1980. Since reforms in 1991, India has become the world's second-fastest-growing economy, and the middle class is expected to become 50% by 2022." - The Wall Street Journal

Not to completely trivialize this historic Indian development, but I couldn't help but wonder what that would mean for golf. After all, many parts of the country were, at one time, under British control. And out of this British control came, among other things: The East India Company; IPA (India Pale Ale); and, of course, Indian golf courses.

Image courtesy of golfinginbangalore.com

To that point, golf was actually being played in India long before it was being played in the United States - the first golf course outside of the British isles was...yep, you guessed it...in India (built in 1829 - which is prior to St. Andrews I might add). And since then, many more Indian courses have been developed.

But according to Sumit Rathor (who is the Client Services Director of Rathor Associates in Bangalore and also an avid golfer), many of these courses were historically private, "with limited memberships and a waiting list that sometimes [was] as long as 50 years."

In an email response regarding the growth of golf in India, Mr. Rathor thinks the future looks bright:

"I’ve been playing golf for nearly thirty five years now - I started playing when I was five years old. And if I were to sum up the new horizon on golfing in India, its bright and futuristic. More people are taking to golf at a very young age, because today you have a very scientific approach to coaching. I am also happy to see more women golfers in the circuit, which is certainly an encouraging trend."

And, new course construction is always a good sign to boot. According to Mr. Rathor:

"Another encouraging trend in India is the entry of private enterprise to invest in golf courses along the outskirts of major cities. Bangalore has three new courses coming up and many more happening on the drawing board. These new courses will offer open access to virtually anybody who wants to learn or play."

One such course (Prestige GolfShire) can be seen in the photo above. If courses like Prestige keep popping up, it won't be long before golf catches on in a big way with the general public. And that means growth in the entire golf industry - not just in India, but with retailers here in the States too. Today, there are roughly 30 million golfers in the U.S. (which is basically 10% of the total U.S. population). Should that same trend catch on in India, it would add approximately 120 million new golfers to the world - or 4 times what is in the U.S. now! I'm sure I don't have to point out all the sales potential for U.S. companies (just food for thought for those who think we're losing too many jobs to India).

And let's not forget about golf tourism. Golfers seeking an exotic locale to tee-it-up will no doubt begin considering India. And India isn't just a weekend trip - it's a 10- to 14-day adventure of awesome culture, sites and food (imagine - chicken tikka masala in the snack shack at the turn)! Anyway, all this will boost travel sales both in India and here in the States (on that note, flights in my area to Bangalore start at $1,300...guess I better start saving my pennies).

So needless to say, I'm excited about the growth opportunity for golf in India. Not because American companies can take advantage of a new market, but because an entirely new group of people will be introduced to this great game. And when that happens, it bodes well for golf in general.

"Are You Kidding, I Play For Fun!"

The words above were the actual words spoken by a guy I work with during our last conversation about golf. Such a simple statement, but yet so appropriate for the stinky golfer attitude. And it's funny because I thought I was a stinky golfer. But my co-worker has got me beat.

Now this guy, he's a married father of two. Monday-Friday are wrapped up in a relatively demanding job. His weekends are pretty much occupied by his wife and kids. Free time for him, apparently, is a rarity. So when he gets the chance to play golf, it's a luxury. It's a treat. It's his fun time, and he plans on having some fun!

He pretty much summed it up for me in that recent conversation. I was talking about the new golf shoes I had purchased, or more specifically, the reason I purchased them. "My shoes were terrible" I said. "My feet would be hurting by the 11th or 12th hole." He gave me a look that I can only describe as confused astonishment. "You walk when you play?" he said to me. I said that I try to as much as I can because it's good exercise. His response? "Are you kidding, I play for fun! Exercise! #$%& that!" I laugh, but for the most part I agree with him. He goes on to say, "I bust my ass and get tired all week! Why the hell would I want to do it when I'm supposed to be having fun?"

I started thinking about my answer to this question. Do I say that it's better exercise? No, I'm not out there for exercise. Do I mention how I can get a better "feel" for the course if I walk it? What am I a PGA pro?! I couldn't even explain how a course feels if I laid down naked in the middle of the 15th fairway. So I can think of no other response other than to agree with him. After all, I actually do agree with him!

So I begin to think to myself, how is this not my mentality? I want to play well, but I am also out there to have fun! Why am I exhausting myself? Why am I making stupid excuses? I work hard and get tired all week and it's no fun. I don't want to do the same things out on the golf course. I want to relax and enjoy myself. I don't want to get tired of the game. But if the game turns into work, that's exactly what's going to happen.

But now I wonder further, is this part of the reason I've had such a lax attitude toward the game this year? I didn't play nearly as much as I could/should have this year. The opportunities to play were there, I just didn't purse them. Is it because I'm looking at the game with the wrong attitude? Am I starting to look at the game with less fun than I used to? Did the idea of doing things to try to improve my game, such as the custom-fitted clubs and a balance bracelet, take some of the fun out of it for me and put more of a focus on improving my game? If so, then in my mind I'm heading in the wrong direction with this game.

I never wanted it to be this way. I just wanted to have fun. I didn't want it to become work. I didn't want it to become anything more than a good time with my buddies. I think I'm going to have to rethink my feelings toward this game. Is it possible that I've begun to take this game too seriously? No, that's not it. Maybe just a little more serious than I ever wanted to.

Swing 'til you're happy!

Grand River View On The Rolling Hill Golf Course.

No, that is not the name of a golf course. It's a stereo type of golf course names. This past week I was checking out how a majority of golf courses use a facet of nature in their name. It's almost an attempt to mislead you into believing these courses are something mother nature birthed. Bull crap.

Don't get me wrong there are definitely a bunch of eco-friendly courses popping up but they are still a minority. I could get into the whole debate of "Are golf courses bad for the environment?" but I'll save that for a later date plus Stinky Golfer Greg covered that in a previous post. See that? We're all over the pertinent golf issues.

Everybody knows that courses were created by developers and architects but, as for naming the track, Here's where it gets tricky. You see, I've discovered the secret formula for naming a golf course so please pay close attention. Ok, what you do is take one of the items from column A, combine it with one from column B, slap Golf Course on the end and voilá!

A B

Lake Creek

Forest Valley

River Springs

Fox Park

Eagle Pine

In all fairness, I should also mention that there are some courses out there with pretty cool names. For example, Rogue's Roost in New York or the very manly Studley Wood Golf Club in England (plus check the first article I linked above for more cool names). In the end, it's just a name. Get out there and play...even if the course is called Rotten Crotch Ridge.

Hit'em long...yell FORE!!!

Gaga, Golf and Gout...

One of few times I teed-it-up this season.
Notice the gut, which is 8 pounds less now.

Seven times. That's it. That's all the times I've been out on the golf course this season. And of those seven, only one has been 18 holes - the rest have just been nine.

For someone who typically plays 30 times or more in a season (many of which are of the 18-hole variety), just seven rounds through the end of September is a pathetic display of golf neglect. Now I realize that for some of you, seven rounds in one season is actually a good amount of golf. But for me it's like I didn't play at all.

Keep in mind that I'm the guy who played all the 18-hole public courses in his state. I'm the guy who writes for a golf blog. And I'm the guy who co-owns a social media site about GOLF! In some way, I feel like I've let you all down.

So how does something like this happen? How does a self-proclaimed lover of golf manage to only play a mere seven times in one season? Well, for starters, I got a late start. In fact, most of my golf buddies did too. It was May before we stepped foot on a tee-box.

Perhaps this was mostly my fault. You see, I'm usually the tee-time organizer - calling everyone to make sure they were "in" for a particular Saturday and then booking the time. But this year, I wasn't doing much organizing. Instead, I was busy playing with blocks; changing diapers; and trying to turn the words "gaga" in to "mama" or "dada."

My son was born last October - perfect timing (if you asked me at the time), since golf season was basically over. And I wasn't kidding myself either - I knew once springtime came, I'd be playing less golf because of the new bundle - I even prepared to play half of what I normally would. But so far, I've only played a quarter of what I normally would. I'm hoping next year I'll play a few more rounds, but who knows? Life has changed.

But the baby isn't the only reason my time on the links has dwindled. Last month I was diagnosed with gout (a build-up of uric acid, typically in the joint of your big toe - and it had me hobbling around for days). I'm 36 years old. What the hell am I doing with gout? Old guys get gout. Ben Franklin had gout. But someone in their 30's? Come on! (Though it does happen to people younger and in better shape than me).

The Doc says I drink too much beer. Who doesn't? And, I'm about 30 pounds overweight. Who isn't? He put me on an anti-inflammatory and told me to alter my diet. After missing two perfectly awesome golf weekends in the past month, I've dropped 8 pounds and the hobbling has dissapeared. But it can come back if I'm not careful, and I really don't want to go on a uric acid-reducing drug for the rest of my days. Again, life has changed.

It's been an interesting year to say the least: The baby has been an unbelievable joy; the lack of golf, a disappointment; and the gout, a wake-up call. But there's still at least a month left in the golf season up here in the Northeast. My son's first birthday will take up one of those weekends, but let's see if I can squeeze in a round or two before the last leaf falls.

You know, it's years like this that make you appreciate every time you're out on the golf course.

Are Kids Sports Becoming Too Demanding?

It's Saturday morning. I'm up early, I'm showered, I got my stuff together and I'm ready to go. I jump into my car and I'm off. Am I headed out for a round of 18? Nope...not even a round of 9. Instead, I'm headed to my kids soccer games.

That's right...another season, another sport. In the winter, it's basketball. For the spring and summer, it's baseball. Now the fall comes...and it's soccer.

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that my kids want to participate in sports! It's much better than them sitting around the house everyday playing video games or doing nothing at all. But I wonder to myself if some of these little league sports are going too far. Now I don't wonder if the kids are going to far. They want to do different things and play different sports, which is great! What I wonder (and worry) about are the sports themselves. Specifically the schedules.

Last year I wondered whether I should get my kids involved in golf due to the opportunity for a college scholarship. But now I'm not so sure. I mean, maybe they can wait until high school before they start playing anything else competitively.

Did you play little league sports? I did. Baseball and basketball. When I got to high school I traded those in for football and track. But it wasn't until high school that I remember my sports schedule ever being what it is for my kids! When I played little league baseball, I remember playing games on Saturdays and having, maybe, a practice a week...if that. Basketball was the same...a game on Saturday mornings with practice one night per week. But these days? These kids should be getting paid for the amount of time required to participate in these sports. Or maybe the parents should anyway.

The schedule can be bad enough with just one kid, but two or more? Insane. I'll show you what I mean:

Lets start with basketball. Once again, when I played it was one game on Saturday mornings and practice one night a week. This stays pretty much the same, but with two kids. Therefore, we have practices two nights a week in two different locations and games are again every Saturday. However, the first game can fall anywhere between 8:30-11:30 am, while game two can fall anywhere between 1:30 and 4:30 pm. And of course, the times change every week.

Let's move on to baseball. Luckily for my wife and I, this is not so bad because our boys played on the same team. But they won't next year. So we have to enjoy the games on Sunday mornings or afternoons and practices at one location two days per week. Next year, who knows? Practices as much as four days a week and games on Saturdays and Sundays?

That brings me to soccer. Practices are every Monday and Wednesday originally scheduled "from 5:30 until it's dark." This has since been revised to end at 7:00. But games are every Saturday AND Sunday! Really? Is it really necessary to play games on Saturdays and Sundays? See, this is why Americans don't like soccer. Right from the start, it's just a pain in the rear. Well, that's not really true. Americans don't like soccer because it's boring.

But far and away the worst was, of course, my favorite sport...football. For the entire month of August, practice is every night Monday-Friday. Every night. Once the school year starts, it's down to three nights per week with games every Saturday morning. What's worse is, while in all of the other sports the competition is entirely in town, the football games are played against other rival towns. This at times requires travelling up to an hour away to play the game.

Now, I have no idea what a golf schedule for kids is like. I never looked into it. I didn't play myself when I was a kid. I didn't even play in high school. But if it's anything like these other sports, I'm not sure how we would be able to handle it!

But, it's a fun sport. It's a safe sport. And it's a sport you can play for pretty much the rest of your life. So if adding this to the list of sports the kids choose to play is necessary, then my wife and I will do what good parents are supposed to do. We'll suck it up for the kids and find a way to make it happen. But I gotta tell ya, these little league sports are getting a little bit out of control...

Swing 'til you're happy...if you can find the time!

Golf Questions Answered...The Golfstinks.com Way!

Fellow golfers, it is only natural to have questions on game improvement. As they say "There is no such thing as a stupid question." So, I have decided to offer my expertise on many questions plaguing us hacks. We, at golfstinks.com, are all for the average golfer and with that in mind...let's begin.

Q: I'm traveling to (insert your destination), what courses are in the area?
A: Just head on over to golfstinks.com, sign up (it's free!) and have access to one of the best golf course database in the nation. You can search by city, state, course name...you get the point.

Q: What can I do at the gym to better my golf game?
A: Gym?!?! Wtf is that? To better your golf game you need to play, a lot. Period. So don't get down on yourself, just get out there and have fun!

Q: I'm looking for a new driver, any recommendations?
A: Absolutely! I recommend a professionally licensed and insured driver. This way you don't have to worry about accidents and stuff.

Q: When I set up for a shot, what is the best way to prepare mentally?
A: My routine begins with a prayer and is followed by "DUCK MOTHERF#@$ERS!!!" or "Fore!" whichever comes first.

Q: What game improvement videos or books would you recommend?
A: Next question.

Q: How can I fix my slice?
A: If I could answer that we wouldn't be called Golfstinks. Try leaving the driver home... :)

Well, I hope that helps. Stay tuned for more questions answered the Golfstinks way.

Hit'em long...yell FORE!!!

POLL: Is Golf a Sport?

The dictionary defines "sport" as: "an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment." The dictionary defines "golf" as: "a game played on a large open-air course, in which..."

Notice I stopped in the middle of golf's definition. Some will tell you there's no need to read any further - that my question (is golf a sport) has been answered. Right there, after the indefinite article "a" is my answer - it's the word "game" and that, they will tell me, is what golf is.

Well, I beg to differ.

You see to many, golf couldn't possibly be a sport...Where's the physical contact? Where's the offense and defense? And, perhaps the most commonly cited reason why golf is not a sport: You can be out of shape yet still play it. There you have it - apparently to play a sport, you must be physically fit.

Again, I beg to differ.

Let's examine the definition of "sport" a bit further. The dictionary uses the phrase "an activity" to describe it. To be sure, golf is also an activity, isn't it? And it does involve a fair degree of "physical exertion and skill" does it not? And would I be incorrect to suggest you play golf as an "individual or team" and you compete "against another or others for entertainment"???

Hmmm, that sounds exactly like what golf is to me. It doesn't say anything about having to be in shape. And it says nothing about bashing each other's brains in let alone an offense and defense.

This all being said, could it be that society has come to think of sports as all physical exertion and little skill? As if machismo is the only requirement - that the physical exertion part has to include some sort of impact with another player. Perhaps this is why so many are quick to exclude golf from the "sport" bucket? Golf to these folks is far too benign to be a sport.

But in my opinion, golf transcends the term "sport" and the term "game" - it meets all the defined criteria of a sport, yet includes no physical contact with other players (actually, it's quite the opposite: It encourages camaraderie with your fellow competitors)! It requires minimal physical fitness, yet can be extremely good exercise. And it's competitive as hell (ask any golfer), yet can be enjoyed solo.

But, perhaps I'm putting too much thought into this. What do you think?

Is Golf a Sport?

The Beginning Of The End To My Golf Season

It's already begun. This past Thursday night Stinky Golfer Dog shows up at my house, beer in hand, ready to watch the first NFL game of the season. This will be the official start to my favorite time of year...football season.

Every year, immediately after the Super Bowl, I find myself already anxious for the start of the next season. It's not just the fact that I love the sport itself. It's everything that goes along with it. Getting together with friends to watch the games, the fantasy football leagues, maybe a few pools here and there...and of course a Super Bowl party.

However, I guess the start of the football season is a bit bittersweet as well. As much as I love it, it also means my golf season (as little as I played this year) is coming to an end. Football marks the nearness of autumn, with winter soon to follow. And being that here in CT we've already had a few sub-70 degree days, winter may be here sooner than expected.

But it's the fact that this weekend, the first of many this this season that a few buddies will head over to my place to watch the games and stuff our faces rather than playing golf on a Sundays, tells me something about where golf stands in my sports life. As far as my buddies and I watching football, I've mentioned before that we don't get together to watch golf .

When it comes to fantasy sports, I've been participating in fantasy football for over 15 years now. But fantasy golf? I took my first shot at it this year and was bored with it by week 3. I don't really know enough of the players on the tour, and I don't follow the tour closely enough to care. So fantasy golf quickly becomes dull.

But what about a pool or some type of wagering? That always makes things much more interesting. Well, it simply isn't common enough for golf. I'll get into Super Bowl pools as well as some regular season pools or random wagers. But golf...no one cares enough. And if someone approached me about a golf pool, I'd probably do it. I bet on everything. Hell, I even put a few bucks in on the Home Run Derby this year! But no betting equals no additional interest.

But obviously, the most important part of football season is the games themselves. I desire enough to watch the games that, from this weekend on, golf is now limited to Saturdays only. If golf is going to be played on a Sunday (and that's a BIG if), it will be limited to nine holes only and must be played locally or early enough that I can be home in time for the start of the games.

I love playing golf. But one of the things I love most about it is the camaraderie with my golfing buddies. Just hanging out with my friends on the course, having a beer and some grub afterward are part of what's great about getting out and golfing. But watching the games with my friends provides the same camaraderie and includes the non-golfers. Not too mention the other factors mentioned earlier and even more excitement and interest is provided.

But as much as I love football, it can't actually take the place of being out on the golf course with my pals. Well, on Saturdays anyway...

Swing 'til you're happy!

Real Golf News...

Golf, according to the USGA, consists of playing a ball with a club from the teeing ground into the hole by a stroke or successive strokes in accordance with the rules.

News, according to Merriam-Webster, is a report of recent events, previously unknown information and/or something having a specified influence or effect.

Why is it when the words "golf news" appear together, we automatically think "Who did what on the tour" or "What is Tiger Woods doing now (or who...ba-dum)?" Yes, those very thoughts did cross my mind and I'm sure a majority of you also. So, why doesn't "golf news" live up to its name and report golf related stuff that is recent, unknown or possibly influential? Who knows. Here's the part that hurts...something I missed.

As the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, I sit back and think about how I, as an American and a golfer (and I use the term 'golfer' loosely), missed an event back in May that should have made "golf news" in a major way. The FDNY's 9-11 Memorial Golf Outing. Why didn't this get some sort of top billing on the golf news circuit? Oh wait, the Crowne Plaza Invitational was going on.

BULL F$%#ING S$%T!!! It's the 10th anniversary! Dude, tell me the Crowne was so big that it extended over 29 golf courses. No? It didn't? Well, I could be wrong but the FDNY's 9-11 Memorial Golf Outing did. How come we never really heard much of that? That's a golf tournament of serious magnitude. I'm sure some of you might have heard about it but I'll bet the majority did not.

Enough of the venting. This weekend let's just remember and celebrate the lives of those who paid the ultimate price for our safety and freedom. And by all means, if you know of any 9/11 memorial tournaments or fundraisers going on please comment below with the information.

Hit'em long...yell FORE!!! Always remember...

You Golf the Way You Eat

About a year ago, I asked what you eat at the turn. In my research for that post, I discovered that eating at the turn is only half the battle. It's also about what you eat before your round (and the snacks between holes) too. Like most nutritionists say about all sports; Eating well leads to playing well.

But is this really true for golf?

Physically fit golfers are a rather new anomaly on the pro tour. Remember a few decades ago? Think about Jack Nicklaus, who until he trimmed-down for the 1970 season, was the subject of "fat" jokes. Or more recently, John Daly. I think those guys proved you don't have to be in top shape to play great golf.

OK, I know what you're thinking: "But those guys are far and few between - most golfers are thin." Perhaps, but let's forget about the pros for a minute and concentrate on the average weekend hack. Many of us stop at Dunkin' Donuts or McDonald's to grab a coffee and breakfast sandwich before our round.

Well, according to the vast majority of nutritionists out there, chowing on a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich before your round is disastrous. It may give you an initial boost of energy but by the back nine, you'll be dragging ass. I have to admit, I'm usually pretty tired for the last three holes...perhaps it's that Egg McMuffin coming back to haunt me. Or, perhaps it's because for the last 3 hours I've played 15 holes of golf!

Anyway, let's get back to whether eating "right" before and during a round matters or not. Consider the title of this post: "You Golf the Way You Eat." Well, I have fun eating and I have fun golfing. So I guess that statement is true.

OK, I know what you're thinking again: "That's not what that statement means!" No? Hmmm. I'm not sure what else it can mean. For me, I golf to relax...To unwind and have some fun. Why ruin it with a special golf diet?

Now I'm not telling everyone to eat comfort foods while playing golf...But I am saying: Do what makes you happy. Who cares if that hot dog and beer at the turn costs you a couple strokes on the last two holes? Unless I'm playing for money, I'd gladly give up the strokes for the dog and brew.

Now, I realize not everyone is like me. But if you're an average hacker and are forcing yourself to eat a specific way in hopes of lowering your score...consider this: You're not going to make the PGA tour. Ever. Not gonna happen. Not a chance. Pigs will fly first. Hell will freeze over and the sky will fall before you make a living playing professional golf.

But, I digress.

See? I bet that beer and hot dog are looking better already.

Despite the fact that Stinky Golfer Greg writes for this popular golf blog, he is in no way, shape or form qualified to be giving nutritional advice. Always check with your physician before altering your diet.

Another Future Golfer's First Time On The Course

So, how many of you have ever been out on the course with someone who simply wasn't ready to be out there? I'm sure most of us have been in that position before, right? I would think that, out on the course, there couldn't be anything more annoying than to play, or.., try to play with someone who has almost no idea what they are doing.

No shot is a good one, they play too slow, they don't know any of the rules of etiquette...just awful! Why would anyone subject themselves to this? Any golfer would just be miserable. But not me. Not this time. This time we're playing slow for a reason.

Last year I posted about taking my oldest kid out on the course for the first time. Well this past weekend, it was time for my second oldest to get out there. And I admit, I didn't believe he was quite ready to be out there yet. He hadn't been to the range enough, hasn't really started to develop a decent swing and pretty much, all-around, had no game. But he wanted to play, and that's good enough for me. I mean, he has to start somewhere sometime, right?

So I suggested we go in the mid-afternoon since I knew we'd be moving slowly and traffic on the course would be at a minimum. We went to the same 9-hole executive course which I took my oldest last year. We lined up on the first tee and wouldn't you know who hit the best ball? Yup, you guessed it...the new guy.

But it wasn't all gravy all the way. We took took a good 30 minutes to play the first hole. Luckily, there was no one behind us all day! So after looking at my watch a few times, a few lessons on the rules of etiquette quickly ensued.

But at the end of the day, the final numbers didn't look so bad! Obviously, I took it easy on him and didn't hammer him for a stroke on every drop, mishit or silly mistake. But even taking that into account...it was much better than expected! And with a little more practice, I'm sure it will improve even more next time.

So despite taking way too long to play nine holes, the day was great all around. I got another kid out to the course, interested in the game and wanting to give it another shot. With school starting this week, I'm sure our time this year will be cut short. But that leaves us an entire off-season upcoming to work on the fundamentals. And I figure with enough practice, I'll soon be worrying about another kid who is soon to be a better golfer than me!

Swing 'til you're happy!

Life Without Golf

Okay, so maybe I've been overdoing this whole " I had surgery, poor me, and can't golf" thing for the past few months. Hey, take it easy...it was heart surgery for Pete's sake. In all reality, the violins have run their course. No more sad music for me. Yes, golf was out of the equation for the last few months but now...it's game on.

Hurricane Irene, better yet Tropical Storm Irene, ruined my chances last weekend but this weekend the weather looks clear. It's time to wreak havoc on the ol' track. I can't believe I'm actually going to get out there and play! Although, as silly as it may sound, I'm a little nervous about it. It's like my first time, again.

The whole summer without golf had me thinking; what if golf never existed? What would fill that void? Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Sammy Snead, Jack Nicklaus all the way to Greg Norman, Freddy Couples, Phil Mickelson, Tiger and Rory (and every other pro for that matter) would be ordinary people. Unless they excelled in other areas.

Our website would be www.____stinks.com. That would really stink! Perhaps the word "golf" would join the ranks of the other four letter words we hack's abuse. "Get the golf outta here!" I don't know...that just doesn't seem to cut it. It doesn't flow. "Ah golf, in the drink again!" Nope, definitely doesn't work as an expletive.

What would 30 million golfers do? "Hey honey, me and the guys are going to take a 4 and a half hour walk...be back by noon." Just think, golf tournaments would be a bunch of people wandering around outside in a field getting drunk...wait a minute...that is a golf tournament!

See you out there...

Hit'em long...yell FORE!!!