Why Did You Take Up Golf? - Tell us and WIN!*

Perhaps the more appropriate question would be "Why would you take up golf?" Anyone who has been golfing for more than a year (and hasn't given it up yet) knows this is a game of mixed emotions.

On the one hand, there's excitement, jubilation and self appreciation when you make great shot or have a milestone round. On the other hand, there's frustration, anger and self depreciation when you whiff on the first tee, or have matched the course record...by the 9th hole.

I've been golfing for over 20 years and I have had my share of all these emotions (mentally, the good shots and rounds tend to outweigh the bad, which is a plus since I personally know there have been a ton more bad). Anyway, back to my original question - Why did you take up golf? For me, it was either golf or tennis.

I was 14 years old and was about to begin that all-important summer between my freshman and sophomore years in high school. My mother, God love her, I'm sure wanted me out of the house as much as possible for those few months. And since my Babe Ruth baseball league had ended in the middle of June, she decided to give me an option: Golf lessons or tennis lessons.

The thing was, neither of those two options appealed to me very much. I had just completed a rigorous (or what I felt was rigorous at the time) first year of high school and had every intention of slacking off till September. Yes, in my mind, this was going to be a summer of waking up in the early afternoon, riding bikes with my friends and eating junk food as much as possible.

The thought of being confined to a tennis court or a golf course for hours every day was not only uninviting, it was wasting valuable months that I could be doing nothing. Doing nothing. Think about that for a second - At 14, I'd rather be doing nothing than anything at all! How things change when you grow up - now I play golf to avoid doing nothing.

Nevertheless, my mom was adamant - I was going to take either golf lessons or tennis lessons and I was going to like it. A week went by. Then another, and I still hadn't decided which one I was going to take up. I was stalling of course (the deadline for sign-up was July 1), but she was in no mood to play games. My mother took it upon herself to decide for me: It was golf. Her reasoning? I was an only child (can't you tell) and with tennis you always need someone else to play, which is not the case with golf (actually pretty decent reasoning).

This did not change the fact that I still didn't want to go. I tried to logic with her: "But I don't have any clubs!" A neighbor's garage sale changed that almost immediately. So being all out of excuses, I reluctantly packed my 1927 clubs in my mom's trunk and got in the car. We pulled into the course parking lot and I still refused to go. I threatened to not get out of the car (remember, only child). But she gave me that look that only mothers know how to give and I subsequently dragged myself to the clubhouse with as much enthusiasm as a dead man walking.

Thus my golfing career had begun. I went 3 times a week with a group of other similar-aged kids. I was (sort of) enjoying myself. But on the last day, they held a 9-hole tournament for all of us and I came in second (shot a 58). I got a shiny golf trophy (still have it today) and something about this game began to appeal to me. Fast-forward 21 years and here I am, writing a golf blog and rushing out to the course the second I realize I have nothing to do.

*Why did you take up golf? It doesn't have to be a long story, just post your comment here and we'll randomly choose one person to win a $25 gift card to Golf Galaxy!

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A Golf Course Is Like Pizza...

I don't know how anyone else feels about this, but to me there are certain foods of which a good meal isn't much different than a bad one. Chinese, especially take-out, comes to mind. A bad plate of Gong Bao Chicken and a good plate of Gong Bao Chicken are not all that different.

Mexican is another. Now don't get me wrong...I've had some really bad Chinese and Mexican dishes, and I've had some really good Chinese and Mexican dishes. I'm saying, in general, there's not a big difference.

But even though you know of a certain restaurant that may serve up some of those below-par dishes, you still go to them in a pinch. For me, it's pizza. I love pizza. I can have pizza three times a week and it's OK with me. But unfortunately, since I moved out of the New Haven, Connecticut area, I just can't find a good pie anywhere locally. I apologize to everyone around me now, but the pizza places you've recommended to me with that "great sauce" or "good pepperoni" - I'm sorry and I'm sure I've been spoiled by being so close to the famous Pepe's and Modern pizzerias for years, but...your recommendation? It sucked.

But I have kids. And packing them into the car to drive 40 minutes for pizza every time we want it? It's just not realistic. So we settle for the crappy pizzas we find around here. They're not good, but they're good enough to satisfy a craving.

For me, golf is the same way. Sometimes, I just want to play. Yeah, I want to play a nice course whenever I can. But at the same time, I don't always have the time or the money to play the nicest courses around. So, I settle for playing some courses that wouldn't be considered top-tier. But, like the pizza, it's OK because I'm still playing golf.

That's what it's all about. I don't so much care where I play, I just care that I do. Of course I'd prefer to play the nicest courses all the time, who wouldn't? But for most of us, that's just not possible. It costs more money to play the nicer courses. For some of us, it takes more time because these courses may not be local. I have a nice course only ten minutes away, but it's pricey...so I won't be there all the time (not that I want to play the same course all the time anyway).

But the bright side to this is the chance to discover and play a wide variety of courses throughout the state. Unheralded courses. Courses that fly below the radar. Courses that I would normally never play if I just focused on certain others. Some may not understand this. Some may not understand why anyone would want to play these courses when there are better available. And that's fine. I just prefer the variety. I prefer playing different courses. This is why I'm not a member at any one.

Yeah, sometimes I have to settle. But am I really? Sure, I'm not at the greatest course in the world, but I'm doing what I set out to do...play golf. Maybe I'm not being waited on hand-and-foot, but I'm here to play golf...not to pass out tips and have my ass kissed. Maybe the scenery isn't as great as it could be, but I'm not exactly looking at a demilitarized zone either. I'm playing golf, and that's all that I set out to do. So I'm happy.

So how is a golf course like pizza? Even when it's bad...it's still pretty good.

Swing 'til you're happy.

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Why Golf, Why?

Ok, so I have another issue with this torture-inflicting game called golf that I love so much - our relationship. It's true, we are suckers for abuse. The worse you treat us the more difficult it is to stay away.

You know that friend you may have secretly liked but they were so wrapped up in a crappy relationship with an abusive a-hole and everybody saw it except them? Well, I'm the friend and golf is the abusive a-hole.

I went and checked out some classic signs of a bad relationship and it's just as I suspected:

• Lack of Trust - How do you trust someone (or thing) that lets you down a lot? Hey, I know I could practice more but, WTF. How about showing some love once in a while? Maybe a kick towards the fairway instead of the woods.

• Disrespect - Not treating the other person like they are important. Golf, do you know how it feels when all I do is try to take care of you and in return you do stuff like give me 10 on a par 3?

• Fear of Change - I can't change now. I've invested too much into this already, plus softball messes with my swing.

• Physical or Emotional Abuse - Do I need to go here?

But wait, there is good news! With a little help, we can develop a healthy, happy relationship with golf once again. It may take a little time but we can do it. Get back in that driver's seat and own what's yours! Who wears the knickers in this relationship...? That's right - we do!

Personally, I look to players like Phil Mickelson and John Daly for inspiration. These guys have had their share of ups and downs. They should be counselors with all the real life experience they have. If there's one thing I can take away from all of this - it's to have fun. Don't sweat the small stuff and enjoy your time together.

Hit'em long...yell FORE! Don't get whipped...

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Screw Nutrition; Put Food Trucks on Every Hole

So I'm standing in line at the chicken and rice cart on the corner of West 45th street and 6th Avenue in midtown Manhattan.

It's lunchtime and that awesome smell from the truck is wafting down the street towards my office. Yes, I know it's street meat. But in New York, street meat is king...and cheap. For 4 bucks, you really can't beat it.

Anyway, while I'm standing there, it dawns on me that when I make the turn on the course, it's usually around lunchtime too. That got me thinking about what I eat at the turn - and the funny thing is, I normally don't eat much. Somehow, I feel if I eat a burger or dog, it will slow me down on the back nine (strange how I never seem to worry about slowing down when a stack of work is waiting for me back at the office).

You know what I normally have at the turn? Nothing. Yep - water is usually the only thing I swallow (other than my pride) during an 18-hole round. Is this bad? Should I change my ways? Well, I did some research on the subject - turns out nutritionists have infiltrated the golf industry as well (don't take Mulligan's; spend more time at the range; eat healthy - as much as we want this game to be fun, people keep finding ways to make it a pain in the ass).

As I investigate further, I realize that nutritionists want to initially discuss what you ate for breakfast (yep, we can't get an answer on what to eat at the turn without first changing the rest of your life). The general consensus is breakfast should be eaten a full 90 - 120 minutes before your tee-time. And this can't be an Egg-McMuffin or breakfast sandwich from Dunkin' Donuts either - nope, this will just make you "crash" on the back nine. You need to eat some whole grain bread with peanut butter, or cereal with nuts, etc.

Now then, once breakfast is out of the way, make sure you've got good snacks to nibble on during the round - nuts, banana, apple, peanut butter crackers, etc. And...well, the web is filled with advice on how to eat and what to drink before, during and even after a round of golf - it's rather overwhelming. Do a Google search for "golf nutrition" and you'll see what I mean. There's even a book written on the subject entitled "Nutritional Leverage for Great Golf" and more directly, an energy bar created specifically for golfers.

Look, I get it. I understand that I should be eating healthy; that healthy eating will probably give me more endurance during a round; and that extra endurance will probably lead to better scores. But I'm also trying to eat healthy in my general day-to-day life as well - and if you're like me, you cheat "once in a while" (e.g. chicken & rice cart). For me, golf happens "once in a while." That being said, I think I'm going to start eating hot dogs and drinking beer at the turn (now if I can only convince a food truck to set up shop on the 10th tee...).

Despite all my rhetoric, I really do want to know what people eat at the turn. Take the poll and let me know (if your choice isn't listed, feel free to leave a comment):

What do you eat at the turn?

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In Case Of Emergency, Pop Trunk

So if you're like me and you drive a smaller sports car, you understand trunk space is at a premium. I remember one occasion when I was picking my wife up from the airport. She had two bags with her (Insert your favorite mother-in-law joke here).

Problem was, I forgot to take my golf clubs out of the trunk. Uh-oh. There's no way the larger of the two bags (Insert your second favorite mother-in-law joke here) was going to fit. Luckily, I do have a backseat. It's a bit of a tight squeeze, but it is a backseat nonetheless. So after a bit of a fight with the larger of the two bags (again...joke) we were on our way home; disaster averted.

My wife doesn't understand why my clubs were in the trunk anyway, considering I hadn't played recently and had no plans to play again soon. I try to explain to her that you never know where you're going to be when a round of golf breaks out. So it's best to be prepared. She thinks I'm an idiot. She's probably right.

Now when I say my trunk is small, I mean it's small. It's so small in fact, there is actually a diagram on the underside of the trunk lid showing how to fit two golf bags in there! I guess somehow the great minds at Infiniti must have know this car would eventually find it's way into a golfers driveway!

But the fact that a diagram showing golf bags in my trunk exists at all is what I find astonishing. The diagram does not explain how to fit luggage in the trunk, although I wish it did. Instead, it shows two golf bags. So obviously, some research went into finding out how many people travel with golf clubs in the trunk. And considering the diagram found its way into my car...I guess it was a relatively high number.

Now it's not just the clubs themselves that take up the space - it's the shoes, the umbrella, a couple of boxes of balls and whatever other random things are in there. Throw all of that crap into one small space, and you can see how disorganized it can get. Anyone else have this problem? Well how about this for a solution - don't pick your wife up from the airport!

Sorry honey; just kidding. Seriously though, finding a solution to this problem would be pretty great, right? Finding it cheaply would be even better. But finding it on a website better known for selling dining tables would be completely unexpected! But sure enough, here it is:

Pretty sweet, eh? I can squeeze just about every golf accessory I have, short of my clubs, into that one convenient package. And no kidding...it's just a click away while surfing http://www.diningroomsdirect.com/.

See, that site is a branch of http://www.csnstores.com/. They have just about everything you can shop for on that site - furniture, household goods, clothing and yes, golf accessories. If you're on the dining room site, you just click the tab at the top that says "view all 200 csn stores" and then search "golf trunk" on that page. I've done it for you HERE.

Not bad for under $60! But you know what could make it better? What if it was free?! Well, for one lucky Golfstinks reader, it can be. As with all of our great Golf Stinks blog giveaways, simply head over to our Facebook page and "like" us. That's it! That's all you have to do to enter! We'll then randomly choose one lucky winner, and we'll be in touch!

One warning though - once you have this thing, you no longer have any excuses for allowing your trunk to look as bad as it does. You no longer have the ability to say "I'm sorry honey, there's no way that will fit in my trunk. We'll have to take your car." And you will certainly have no excuse for leaving any bags (you know what to do here) sitting on the airport curb.

Swing 'til you're happy!

*Update - In response to the comment asking if the diagram on the inside of my trunk actually exists, here you go! I couldn't believe it when I saw it either...

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Golf for Free?

With a steady decline of tee-times being filled and empty courses during the week, it was only a matter of time before the ol' proverbial "For Sale" sign would hang on the front lawn of our beloved local tracks.


I'm sure the recent rise in unemployment and this f%$#in' "recession" might have something to do with it. You would think if you're not working than there's more time to golf, right? Well, last time I checked I think you need money to do that.

So, as usual I strapped on the thinking cap and charged it with beer...I mean "smart juice" - a whole twelve pack of it. For some reason, the more I drink the smarter I get...or at least I think I do. Moving on, I did some research and found out that, just like in the housing market, some golf courses were being repossessed and up for public auction while others were having short sales. Could this possibly be a good time to invest?

Basically you would have to weigh the pro's and con's. Obviously, a pro would be that you golf for free. If you're able to grab a golf course for half-a-mil or less and figure the average round costs $45, it would virtually pay for itself in like...11...thousand...rounds...yeah...right. Ok, maybe I would have to invite some friends or something. Whatta you know, another check in the pro column - I would be the coolest friend in the world!

Supposedly, as of a few years ago there were around 200 courses for sale. That's a lot of land! I wonder what would happen if this trend keeps up? I do know a lot of courses have been cutting their greens fees significantly, as well as reducing membership dues to attract more members. If I had the money to invest in a course I definitely would. My justification would be part financial strategy and part love for the game. So any uber rich golf lovers - please take note: The idea of an empty and weed infested golf course just doesn't sit well with me.

Hit'em long...yell FORE! Save a course.

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Do you want your Driver? No, he's not my Type.

The last time I carried a driver in my golf bag: Bill Clinton was impeached, Titanic was number one at the box office and Seinfeld's famed last episode had just aired. The year was 1998. I was a young, strapping 23-year-old and my driver was a Taylor Made Bubble Burner (see stock photo to the left).

I remember spending at least $300 on the club. I walked into the local golf store, pulled it off the rack, made sure it was right handed and walked to the checkout line. Hey, everybody knew Taylor Made produced quality clubs - that was all the justification I needed.

When I hit it correctly, I could launch one about 280 straight down the fairway (perhaps 300 with the wind at my back). The problem was, hitting "correctly" calculated out to about one shot in every ten. With those odds, I was losing balls by the boat-load.

After just one season, I sold it to an acquaintance...Come to think of it, I don't even remember who it was. Anyway, for the next 11 years I teed-off with a myriad of clubs: 3-woods, 5-woods, 2-irons, 3-irons and most recently a 17-degree hybrid.

I've probably had the most success with the 5-wood and the hybrid. But both of those clubs left me with a long approach on many par 4's and getting home in two on par 5's was completely out of the question. So last season I realized I had enough...I was tired of handicapping myself. Thus, I decided that 2010 would be the year I went back to using a driver off the tee.

Spurred on in part by Stinky Golfer Chris' custom club fitting, I decided to get fitted for a new driver. Unlike Chris however, I didn't have a sweet deal to get fitted at a local pro shop gratis. Instead, I was going to take my chances on a major retail chain. But as soon I stepped in the simulator at Golf Galaxy*, the annoyance started. The 20-year-old employee doing swing analysis could care less about helping me - he just wanted me to buy his favorite club. After I hit a few balls at the screen, the kid moved me aside so he could show me HIS swing. Now, why would I care about HIS swing? Was I going to pay HIM to tee-off for me on the course? The fact that he was hitting it 330 down the middle was enticing, but more annoying than anything.

Needless to say, I left there and headed up the street to Dick's Sporting Goods. That's where I met Ralph. Ralph's a PGA Professional and works in the golf department at Dick's (now Dick's is not paying me a cent for this, but it was really refreshing to learn there's a PGA/LPGA Pro in all of their stores). Anyway, Ralph put me in the simulator and watched me hit a few balls. Soon, I was trying two or three different clubs and after about 10 minutes, Ralph prescribed a driver with a stiff-flex shaft and a 10.5 degree loft. And about 10 minutes after that, I had found my club.

Funny. The club I hit the best was a 2009 Taylor Made Tour Burner - I had come full-circle. But would it perform out on the course any better than my old Bubble Burner? Well, since it was last year's model, it only cost me $150 (50% less than my previous driver), so I've got that going for me already.

But the best news is I've played about 72 holes with it so far and I'm hitting the damn thing pretty good! I'm in the fairway about 30% of the time and just missing (short rough) about 40% of the time. That means I'm in play about 70% of the time - and that's saying allot for me! I've lost some distance over the years (knocking it out there about 265-275, depending on the wind) but I'll take accuracy over distance any day.

So after years of saying "no" to my driver, It seems I've got a renewed relationship with one. But like all romances, only time will tell if it's a keeper. Thanks to Ralph over at Dick's Sporting Goods for the advice and patience - while I still stink at this game, he's helped me stink just a tad bit less.

*It should be noted that Golf Stinks is an affiliate of Golf Galaxy (see their ad in the column to the right). This does not change the fact that we here at Golf Stinks call it like we see it. This one particular employee of this one particular Golf Galaxy store was a complete douche. However, in no way does Stinky Golfer Greg mean to imply that all Golf Galaxy employees are douches.

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From Greens To Gridirons

This is my favorite time of year. The days are getting cooler and more comfortable. The nights are becoming, what I refer to as, "sleeping weather." Soon, the leaves will be blazing with the foliage of another beautiful Connecticut autumn. It doesn't get any better than spending a few hours out on the course on a Saturday morning in September or October. But not Sunday! Why not Sunday? Well, becaue of another reason this is my favorite time of year. It's football season!

Since I began playing golf, I try not to let much get in the way of being on the course. Sometimes I can't help it. Things happen. I can't control the weather. And with my wife being a photographer, sometimes her appointments, sessions or weddings get in the way. But hey, it's better for her to be making us money, than for me to be spending it, right? But the one thing that I will always allow to get in the way of golf is the NFL. I will put away my putter in favor of my Patriots.

I have long been a fan of football. Ever since I was just a little kid and my dad would keep me up at night to watch Monday Night Football. Nothing has changed since then. As a matter of fact, I find myself doing the same thing with my boys now. The minute the Super Bowl ends, I long for September to come around again. I want to spend my Sundays lounging in front of the TV with a beer, eating chips and wings. I'll play golf on Sunday, but I have to be home by 1:00.

However, as much as I love football and look forward to the start of the season, I guess it is a bittersweet feeling as well. Because when the football season is just starting up, that means golf season is winding down. So I begin to reflect on another season of golf. I look back on another season in which I didn't get to play nearly as much as I would have liked. I don't really reflect on my performance all that much. For me, it's more about quantity than quality. I think back on some of my favorite rounds. I look back and appreciate playing a course I've never played before, or one I haven't visited in a few years. I try to remember the good rounds and forget the bad. There's usually not a whole lot of good rounds for me to remember!

But along with the disappointing feeling of another golf season coming to an end, is the feeling of knowing I am also entering my favorite part of the golf season! Often times, we will try to save some of the best courses for last. Courses we know have the best views of the changing leaves. The prettiest courses in autumn. There's nothing like standing at the top of an elevated par-3, hitting your ball into a sea of reds, oranges and yellows, followed up by searching for the ball in the woods while the fallen leaves crunch beneath your Foot-Joys. How about playing a course with a few holes that wind around an orchard right when the apples are in season. There's nothing like eating an apple picked right off the tree. And it's even better when I can simply drive my golf cart right up to the tree, and pick out the best one I can find. Now that's great golf.

So let's all enjoy these last few weeks of the season. Forget your score for a while. Don't try so hard. Don't take it so serious. Enjoy the beautiful weather and comfortable temperatures. And if we're lucky enough to have that "golf weather" last deep into the year, then let's just enjoy the fact that we're out on the course at all! Just not on Sundays after 1:00.

Swing 'til you're happy!

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A Fitting Farewell To A Golf Buddy

Recently, a friend of mine (and fellow hack) had unfortunately lost his father. You see, his dad was an avid golfer and the game was a big part of their lives. Not only was he his father, he was also his first and best golf buddy. A lot of their issues were discussed and resolved on the course. Needless to say, it was almost therapeutic for them to be out there together.

As an advocate for the game this means a lot. This is something that goes above and beyond winning a tournament. The more I thought about it the more I realized that a loss of this magnitude is life changing. Don't get me wrong, if there was a slight a chance that I could win the Masters that too would be life changing but, I'm referring to something that is much more significant than a green jacket.

When my buddy's dad would hit the course, it was "Big Bird" and "Lady Luck" that would come through for him in the clutch. "Big Bird" was his Big Bertha driver and "Lady Luck" was his lucky #7 iron. According to him, these were his essential clubs that he relied on so much almost like a safety blanket. He was confident with those two clubs.

I'll never forget my friends ultimate tribute to his dad and favorite golfing buddy. A couple days after his father passed, we took him out for a quick round to help him get his mind off of what was going on. As he placed his bag on the cart, we all noticed something different...there stood "Big Bird" and "Lady Luck".

Hit'em Long...yell FORE! Enjoy the game.

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Indoor Putting; Who Gives a Sh*t?

I haven't putted in my house in more than 8 years. The photo to the left is the reason. That's my dog, Eleanor. She has a thing for spherical objects (and pork, but that's another story). With her around, my putts never even get close to the plastic target. Instead, she knocks them off course with her snout and then proceeds to chase them around the room for the next hour (usually digressing after I wrestle them away from her).

But you know something? I don't miss putting indoors on my carpet. For one, does it really help your putting on the course? I don't know too many living rooms that have breaks in them. I mean seriously, all winter long you're putting them in like a madman and then comes spring, a real green, and BAM - your ball moves to the right because of a break. But this article suggests it helps: "...anything is better than nothing. Just getting a putter in your hands and making some putting strokes is going to help. Practice makes perfect!"

Practice does indeed make perfect. I know plenty of VP's who have a putter and fake plastic hole stashed behind their office door. "Give me a minute, I'm on a conference call!" Conference call my ass (of course, they could be on the conference call at the same time). Does it help? Funny, they can never break 100 at the annual company golf outing.

But indoor putting is big business. Got floor vents? If so, you my friend, are in luck. For only $19.95, you can have a "real golf hole in your house" (and if you putt it too hard, you have a real wall to automagically stop the ball). This ingenious putting aid is called Puttacup, and it will start shaving off the strokes in no time!

OK, this is my favorite part about Puttacup - once they realized that average floor vents are too small to fit a regular sized golf hole, they turned this adversity into marketing genius: "The advantage of this is that while you practice your putting at home, you are practicing into a cup that is a little smaller, so once you get out onto a real putting green, the actual hole will appear much bigger." Brilliant! Too bad I don't have floor vents.

This leaves me with very few options. Enter Truline Indoor Putting Greens. These beauts are "tour speed" and will "putt at a stimpmeter speed of approximately 13 feet." Few things here: 1) Aren't you always putting slightly uphill on these mats? 2) Not sure about your course, by the courses in my area rarely sport 13' on the old stimpmeter. And 3) My wife's an interior designer. There's no way that thing is staying out in the living room for any length of time. Soon I won't want to set it up and then it will just be collecting dust in the attic.

OK, I know I'm sort of going off on a tangent here. So let's hear from you - do you find yourself putting indoors? Take the poll and let us know.

What Are Your Thoughts on Indoor Putting?

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Judging My Custom-Fit Clubs

Finally. For the first time since I received my new custom-fit clubs, I actually got out and played a round of 18! So now the new clubs have 27 holes, plus some range time, logged on them. I still don't think it's quite enough, but I'm going to try to make a fair judgement as to the added value of a custom fitting. You asked for it, so here it is.

Firstly, in fairness to my clubs, I stink at golf. I understand there are many golfers who are worse-off then me, but I'm still pretty freakin' bad. No club is going to make a real significant impact on my game. Stinky Golfer Greg has pointed out previously that the way to get better at golf is to play...constantly. Well, I don't have that kind of time. So I play as often as I can, which is not nearly as much as I would like, and nowhere near enough to show any real improvement. The point I'm trying to make here is, I don't get to use the clubs as much as I should.

That being said, let's move along to the clubs themselves. Obviously being custom-fit, the clubs are tailored around my swing. So one would have to imagine there would be immediate benefits to having a club built to strike the ball where it should be struck and hit the ground where it should be hit...And one would be correct. Thing is though, I didn't realize how much it would affect the result of the swing. Due to the new found distance these clubs seem to provide, it looks like I'm going to need a bit more range time. After overshooting a couple of greens which I had no business overshooting, along with reaching a few traps I had no business reaching...this became quite clear.

So I need to work on my distances. But what about accuracy? Well, that's another thing I'm going to need to get used to. I've spent the past twelve or so years with a swing that, I didn't realize at the time, was compensating for my clubs. But now that the clubs are in order...my swing isn't. I can feel when I hit the ball correctly. And when I do, the shots are great. However, right now, those don't come as often as I would like. But once I get used to the clubs and stop swinging like it was my cheap, old, off-the-shelf set, I think I'll be fine. But in the meantime...it looks like I'll be spending a little while at the range working on that also.

In the end, I can tell the idea and the process of custom-fitting will be time and money well spent. Obviously I have some work to do and adjustments to make. But I know once I work out the kinks and get used to them, the new clubs will make a noticeable difference in my game - even though this past weekend produced one of the worst golf scores I have posted in my life, there were upsides and, even better...legitimate excuses!

So if you're in the market for new clubs, I definitely recommend the custom-fitting process. I already can't wait until next year when I can spend an entire golf season with the new sticks! If you've never done it before, but you're going to spend the money on a new set, then you might as well spend the extra time (and cash if necessary) to make sure the clubs you're getting will be of some benefit to you rather than just some shiny new showpieces. Just be prepared for the adjustments you'll have to make.

Swing 'til you're happy!

Related Posts:

Custom Fitting Golf Clubs: Worth It?

The Process Of My Custom Club Fitting

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Cover Stories and Unhappy Endings

We've all hit pretty bad golf shots. Admit it. We've sliced, shanked, hooked, flubbed and skulled our way through many rounds of 18. We've hit trees, wildlife, carts, sides of barns, even other golfers!

Oh well, no one's ever gotten hurt...not seriously anyway. So we keep playing. But I remember the first time I legitimately thought I was going to see some actual damage as the result of a bad shot.

Playing down in Hilton Head, one of our FORE!some hooked his drive directly at a fairway condo. We all watched in horror, knowing exactly where the ball was headed. It could hit anywhere on the backside of that house...but it won't. We all knew that ball's only intention was to hit that sliding glass door. And we helplessly stared, tracking the balls flight for what seemed like hours, waiting for the inevitable sound of shattering glass. But it never came. By some minor miracle, the ball bounced off the glass and ricocheted around the deck five or six times, sounding like an episode of This Old House, before it disappeared in some tall grass, never to be seen again. A collective sigh of relief filled the tee box, and down the fairway we went.

Now had the ball actually broken that glass, while making for a great golf story, it would still pale in comparison to this guy (thanks for the link Jay). A 25 acre blaze. From the spark created by a metal club hitting a rock. Now THAT is a disastrous golf shot.

While there has been some speculation as to the truth behind this story (I, for one, believe the fire was much more likely started by a cigar or cigarette, but why would he ever admit to that?), it's likely going to be recognized as the most disastrous golf shot, or at least one of golf's tallest tales, of all time.

This gets me thinking about what other golf shots wound up in catastrophic results. So I need some help. What is the most unfortunate result of a golf shot you have ever hit or witnessed? Let's even take it a step further. In the spirit Mr. California Wildfire, what is the best cover story you've ever heard or taken part in due to the result of an unfortunate golf shot?

So let's hear from everyone! Oh, and by the way, if necessary...feel free to post anonymously.

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Time To Make The Doughnuts...

"Americans hate their jobs more than ever before in the past 20 years, with fewer than half saying they are satisfied." - msnbc.com

A few years ago, msnbc.com posted this article about how much Americans do not like the careers they are in. Crazy ain't it? Actually, they also mentioned in the same article that careerbuilder.com did a survey and found that 4 out of 5 U.S. workers do not have their dream job. This is not good. I once heard a saying: "If you like what you do, you'll never work a day in your life."

So my fellow hacks, I have done the math and that means there are approximately 20 million (+/- 5 million) golfers not enjoying their jobs. This is probably why we also use golf as a way to relax and get away from our everyday routines. How can we change that statistic? It sucks to know that over 50% of our community dreads their 9 to 5.

Here's what I propose; Get a job in the golf industry! Maybe being closer to that game we like will positively change our mental (and physical) well-being. Check out this list of careers in the golf field courtesy of golfutures.com:

• Golf Course Ownership/ Leasing
• General Manager Resort
• Hotel Operations Manager
• Director of Golf
• Head Professional/Manager
• Head Professional/Superintendent
• Head Golf Professional
• Corporate Golf Professional
• Food & Beverage Manager
• Director of Golf Instruction
• Collegiate Golf Coach
• Teaching Professional
• National Sales Manager
• Product Line Manager
• Golf Distributorship
• Golf Administrator
• Country Club Membership Director
• Manufacturer's Representative
• Independent Sales Rep
• Golf Shop Merchandiser
• Assistant Golf Professional
• Caddie Master
• Site Manager Trainee
• Entry-Level Golf Assistant

Now there has to be some sort of career in this list that is similar to what we are doing now. Teachers, trainers, managers, sales - even golf course turf management is available. I used to love playing in the dirt as a kid and I've been told to "go watch grass grow" before. It's a match! Maybe my future career is in keeping those fairways lush and the greens fast.

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

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