Golfstinks' Top Posts (thus far) of 2010

Can you believe half of 2010 is already gone? Man time flies! Anyway, twice a year, we here at Golfstinks like to recap some of our most popular blog posts of the previous six months. Being that tomorrow is July 1, it's time for our mid-year review!Below are the top 10 posts from the first half of this year, ranked by page hits. If you're new to the Golfstinks blog, perusing through these will give you a good idea of what we're all about; And for those of you who already crack a sly smile whenever you hear the phrase "golf stinks"...enjoy reading them all over again!Here we go...#10: Ten Sure-Fire Signs You're In for a Long Afternoon on the Golf Course - Stinky Golfer Greg points out observations that should make you think twice about teeing...

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Custom Fitting Golf Clubs: Worth It?

I'm approaching a very special time in the career of a golfer, and I want to share it with everyone. It wouldn't be fair to keep such a joyous occasion to myself. I need to tell everyone about the next step in my golfing life.You see, I'm finally putting down my off-the-shelf clubs (the same set I've been playing with since I took up the game), and getting myself fitted for a new set!Once again, I have my wife to thank. For the umpteenth time, via the benefits of her place of employment, she has come through with something to benefit me. You see, I've mentioned previously that she works for a company that manages or owns several golf courses throughout the state. So I'll be headed to their top course to meet up with the pro who will promptly...

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Softball is Killing My Golf Swing...and I'm Cool With It

My softball team stinks. Seriously, we have just one win on the year compared to 8 losses. Last night, we had our proverbial asses handed to us 22 - 0 by the third-place team in our league. Twenty-two to nothing! How do you not score a run in softball? Mercifully, we were mercy-ruled in the fifth inning.In the fourth, the other team scored 11 runs (which made it 22 - 0). The second-to-last batter up that inning actually tried to get out on purpose! He lazily swung at the 0-1 offering and tapped it back to our pitcher...who promptly let it slip through his legs.During that fourth inning, I stood there at shortstop, vaguely aware of the train of players running past me to third and then to home. I was zoning out; my mind elsewhere as a Keystone-Cop...

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The Lazy Person's Ideal Golf Course

Do you find yourself taking the elevator instead of the stairs even though the building is two floors? Will you watch something on TV you don't want to just because you're on the La-Z-Boy and the remote is out of reach?As America gets lazier (so says medical and health officials) and technology improves, I figured I would present a few ideas that would make a lazy golfer's round more accommodating by combining technology with laziness. 1. Concierge - What other amenity adds class and lets you be carefree than a concierge? You call them, tell them you want to play at whatever time and voila, easy as that. They make sure every thing is ready when you come, such as... 2. Curbside Check-In - part of the concierge's duties is to have an attendant...

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Do Starters Hate You? Golf and Being Late

I'm not going to lie to you; I try to arrive at the course with as little time to spare before my tee-time as possible. I have to admit, this approach has gotten me into trouble in the past. To make matters worse, I play different courses all the time, so I'm never quite sure how the course employees are going to react. I once arrived 10 minutes before my time and was grilled by the pro-shop attendant that I should be waiting on the tee 10 minutes before my time instead of just walking in to pay my greens fees!There's also been numerous times when I've called the pro-shop from the road to let them know I was going to miss my time. In most cases, the courses accommodate my belated arrival by letting a few groups go ahead of me. But other times...

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What's Your Favorite Golf Experience with Dad?

With all the wisdom of being an adult, it's so easy to see what golf and Father�s Day have in common. Take a second and think back to the days when you were little; Remember the times you spent with your father? Did you feel a closeness to him? Did he engage you with that fatherly camaraderie? I hope the answer is yes.When I was young, dad introduced me to the game of golf in style: I got my own 30-year-old clubs with a 50-year-old bag that smelled like moth balls, exhaust and mildew (fairly typically, no)?I would proudly pack my ancient tools in his trunk and he'd drive us to the local golf range. We'd split a bucket of balls and I would make a game out of it; seeing how many I could hit in a row, or how far I could hit them. I would run up...

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2 Days Left on our Caddyshack Blu-ray Giveaway on Facebook!

During the commercials of today's coverage of the US Open, hop over to Golfstinks' Facebook page and enter to win a free Blu-Ray DVD of Caddyshack! All you have to do is put your favorite Caddyshack quote on our Facebook wall and you're automatically entered to win!We're not just giving away 1 or 2 Blu-Ray DVD's - nor just 3 or 4 either. Nope, you have the chance to win one of 5 Caddyshack 30th anniversary Blu-Ray DVD's!Enter to win HERE and enjoy the Op...

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U.S. Open...For Business?

O.K., normally I don't write much about what's going on with the pro tours, but after a quick look at the leader board for the U.S. Open, the top five names threw me off a bit. I double-checked and made sure it was the U.S. Open Leader Board, it was, and then it hit me - I know these results were only through the first round, but is this a sign of change?Don't get me wrong, I know Tiger is very well capable of coming from behind (no pun intended) and winning. And Phil, man what's happening? Here's a quick look of the top five so far:1. Shaun Micheel USA2. Paul Casey ENG3. Brendon de Jonge ZIM4. Alex Cejka...who? GER5. Ryo Ishikawa JAPDoes this look like a U.S Open leader board? Will the fave's make the cut? I'm really looking...

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Caddyshack turns 30! Enter to Win it on Blu-ray DVD!

I don't know about you and your foursome, but ours can't go a few holes without someone inevitably quoting something from Caddyshack. If a player is taking too long to hit: "Let's go, while we're young!" or "100 bucks you slice it into the woods!" Which, without fail, leads to: "Gambling is illegal at [insert name of course here] sir, and I never slice!"Without a doubt, Caddyshack is one of the most quotable movies ever and when you're on the golf course, it's hard to resist bringing it up. On an important putt: "Oh Billy, Billy, Billy. This is a biggie..." Walking to the snack shack at the turn: "I'll have a Hamburger, no...a cheeseburger...[interrupted by another player]...You'll get nothing and like it!"Heck, even off the course the quotes...

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The PGA Tour Decides To Get More Fan-Friendly. Gee...Thanks.

I checked out a Devil Ball post a few days ago regarding the PGA deciding to make some "fan-friendly" moves. While I believe that any sport making an attempt to become more fan-friendly is great, I can't help but to think to myself - "Yeah, we'll see."Fact: No major sport is more out of touch with its fans than PGA golf. See that picture of Lefty? It's him and a handful of other guys (if even that many) who show any real appreciation for the fans that show up to the events. What is the PGA planning to do about that? What good is trying to get a few more big names to some smaller tournaments if they are just going to ignore the fans there also?Few sports put the spectator closer to the competitors than golf. But there is so little fan...

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Risk-Reward

We've all heard of this before, just ask Phil Mickelson. For those not too sure of the meaning, it derives from Wall Street. Investors risking potential losses (the risk) in order to gain higher returns (the reward). On the golf course this means challenging a hazard or taking a tough shot, and risk losing a stroke, to potentially gain a stroke. With that said, let me give you my twist on the ol' double "R".Stinky Golfer Greg and myself recently went and played a quick nine at a local track. As we butchered our way through while donating balls, we joked about how you always hit your best shot into the foursome in front of you. It never fails. If you are 240 yards out and there is a foursome on the green, it is inevitable, you will hit a perfect...

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Digging for Gold on the Golf Course

They're out there and you may even know one. The phrase "for the love of the game" means as much to them as a barber means to the Dalai Lama. They own golf clubs for one reason and one reason only: Networking at golf tournaments.They're Tourney Golfers and the summer months on their calendars are spattered with local charity golf events: Shotguns, Best Balls, Scrambles - it doesn't mean a thing to them - as long as they get to mingle after the round while bellied-up to the raw bar.They're not there to grip-it and rip-it, they're there to grip and grin; and market themselves or their product. Think I'm crazy? Let's look at one such person (for the sake of anonymity, we'll call him Tourney Golfer Bob).Anyway, Bob and I (along with two others)...

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Did Someone Say Golf Is Supposed To Be Fun?

We all recognize the golf course as a place for camaraderie, competition and challenge. But many of us also recognize the course as a place for memorable, humorous moments, jokes and some good old-fashioned ball-busting. Be it a one-liner after a wicked slice, a tee tossed just in front of a lined-up putt or an emphatic "Good luck!" an instant before the strike of the ball on the opening drive. Yup, the golf course offers up many memories just waiting to be made.Now you hardcore golfers, who have it in your head that you're on some kind of tour, probably just read the previous paragraph and cringed. "Talking during the swing? Well I never..." That's because you never played with me and you're not part of our regular golfing circle. I pulled...

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Golf Genie is Genius

We here at Golfstinks don't typically review golf products - in fact, we tend to poke fun at all the crazy gadgets out there. So when we post a review of something, it's because we feel it can serve some use to the average weekend golf hack.That being said, a few weeks ago I was contacted by someone over at Golf Genie who asked me if I would be interested in receiving their product - the Tee to Green Pocket Guide. Not being able to pass up something for free, I decided to see what this pocket golf guide had to offer.First, let me tell you this is no zany golf gadget - it's a practical, quick reference guide to pulling-off all the different golf shots you may encounter out on the course.A few years ago, I read a tip in a golf magazine that actually...

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Can I Get A Ruling?

Recently, I played nine holes at a local public course with a few friends. We weren't able to tee off until noon because of a tournament they had running that weekend. No problem, I know the men's or women's association get dibs on the course, tee times, tourney's etc... Now, what I don't get is; Do these associations trump a paying non-members rights when they are on the course playing? Here's what went down. We are on the 8th hole and making our approach to the green. My ball is the only one to stay on and is about 15-20 feet from the pin. The others either roll onto the fringe or end up a few feet off in the rough. As were are heading to our balls these two guys pull up, one with a hole cutting tool and the other with the cup tool. They...

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Working In The Golf Industry

My wife and I have both recently started new jobs. Starting a new job is always exciting, more so when both you and your spouse are doing so at the same time! A new company, new position, new responsibilities...there's much to look forward to especially considering we are both moving into industries completely foreign to both of us. One of us is taking a position in, for lack of a better way to explain it, the "relocation" business. The other in the golf industry. Any guesses which of us is taking which position?Yup, you guessed it. My wife, who couldn't possibly be less interested in the sport, is now working in the golf industry. That's right, while I'm worried about coordinating delivery of furniture into an apartment complex, my...

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