Could The Future of Golf Rely On Video Games?

I grew up playing video games.  I distinctly remember me and my friends from the neighborhood gathering at each others houses to play Atari, Intellivision and Coleco as soon as one of us got a new game.  I remember the craze when Nintendo first hit stores, and I remember being the first of my friends to have it.  It was like Christmas for everyone in my neighborhood! 

All these years later, things aren't so different.  I still play games myself sometimes, although my Playstation 3 is used equally as much by me for Netflix and Blu-Ray movies.  But my kids...that's another story.

They love the video games just as much as I did when I was a kid.  I have three different gaming systems in my house right now, not including anything portable.  Seems silly, right?  Well, not really.  Each of them serves a bit of a different purpose.  Besides a game system, my PS3, as mentioned earlier, is a Blu-Ray player and Netflix streamer.  The Wii is for the more "active" games and is probably the most fun of the three systems.  The XBox 360 is pretty much strictly for gaming.  But I'll tell you what else the games are - the Wii specifically, was used as a tool to get my boys interested in the game of golf.

People freak out and think that video games have a negative effect on kids.  Many people feel if kids see violence in a game, they're going to think violence is OK in real life.  Well, I'm not saying these people are wrong, but if your kids play Grand Theft Auto for a few hours, then go out and steal a car and beat up a hooker...sorry, but it's not the game.  You're failing as a parent.  You've got bigger problems than video games. 

Me, I've used my Wii to influence my kids.  No, I didn't buy Call of Duty so I can get them to buy guns...although, it seems to have influenced me a bit.  Rather, it started out with Wii Sports (a "sampler" game that comes with the Wii).  Included in this game is a cartoon-like 9-hole golf course.  But the idea that you use the controller as a club is what intrigued my kids, as well as myself which is why I bought the system to begin with.  And guess what...it helped!   

My boys had no interest at all in watching golf on TV.  And even though I play golf, they didn't really seem to share my interest.  That is, until they swung the controller on the Wii.  Somehow, that seemed to open the door.  Next thing you know, they want to go to a real driving range.  Soon after, my oldest uses his birthday money to buy a starter set of clubs.  The next season, we're out on the course.  Now, my youngest boy is interested in buying his own set of clubs!  And I have to say, a golf video game is partially responsible for this.

So what could this mean for the future of this sport?  Could golf video games help influence kids to pick up a real driver rather than just a virtual one?  Should the USGA or PGA take this into consideration and do more to work these games into the sports promotion?  I don't have any real proof or statistics to show that a video game can influence this behavior, but I do know of two instances when it has.

Now it remains to be seen if golf does continue to hold my boys interest.  For now, basketball is still first on the list for both, as well as baseball for one and soccer for the other.  But the golf seed has been planted.  And if it's true that video games do have this "effect" on kids, then why not use it to your advantage rather than just complain about it?  Get them influenced by something positive rather than some "shoot 'em up" game.  You never know, you may end up with a future playing partner for years to come!

Swing 'til you're happy, even if it's with a virtual club!          

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A New Way To Spark The Golf Economy

I don't feel like getting into the mathematics or science of it, but lets just say the golf industry is continuing to struggle.

According to the last Rounds Played Report from the NGF (2009-2010, because 2011 is obviously not over yet and therefore cannot yet be analyzed), the number of rounds played in the U.S., including both public and private courses, dropped by 2.3% - the largest drop since 01-02 (3%). This marks the fourth consecutive year, as well as the seventh of the past eight, that rounds played has dropped.

Again, I'm not going to attempt to explain the math, but according to the numbers I've looked up, these drops in rounds have worked out to an average loss per course throughout the country of $48,000 per year. All total, you're looking at a loss of roughly $117 million dollars per year being spent on rounds of golf. With numbers like that, it's no wonder private courses are going public and publics are going under.

So what can be done? Well what if there were more opportunities to play? What if you just had a little more time to play? Take for instance the Thanksgiving holiday. Many people had a four-day weekend (not me, but many). Now, a four-day weekend is pretty rare. But even the occasional three-day weekend provides ample opportunity to gain an extra day of golf during the year. Problem with Thanksgiving is, it's usually too cold here in the northeast to get out and play at all.

It seems what's needed is a new three-day weekend. One to take place during golf season. And being that the state of the game is what it is, the USGA may want to lobby for this as well. Personally, my vote would be for August. I know June doesn't have any three day weeknds either, but with Memorial Day occuring late in May and Independence Day falling at the beginning of July, I can make it through June. But with the gap between the 4th of July and Labor Day, that's a much longer period of time to go without a day off.

So, now that we've established August, what exactly are we going to celebrate? Well, there are several birthdays which occur in August that are worthy of some notoriety. Francis Scott Key for instance was born on August 1st. Three former presidents (Benjamin Harrison, Hoover and LBJ) were all born in August as well. Mother Teresa for cryin' out loud! Surely Mother Teresa deserves a holiday in her name!

But I think there are two people who's August birthday's could be celebrated together. Two important Americans whom we all learned about while we were children in elementary school. Two people who's names have become synonomous with searching for lost golf balls in the woods. Who are they you ask? None other than William Clark and Meriwether Lewis AKA Lewis & Clark.

Think about it. How many times have you seen your golfing buddies, or some people from another group ahead of you wandering the woods searching for their ball - "We'd probably have teed off by now if it wasn't for Lewis & Clark searching for their balls in the woods." Or "Check out Lewis & Clark mapping a trail to the green."

Surely two great American pioneers together are deserving of one day to celebrate their accomplishments. After all, if not for Lewis & Clark, we may still not have discovered Omaha! And consequently, we may have never tasted those fantastic steaks! Culinarily speaking, where would we be then?!

Being that their birthdays fall on August 1st (Clark) and August 18th (Lewis), it seems to me like a good day to celebrate would be somewhere in the area of August 9th or 10th, with the actual observed holiday falling on the Monday or Friday closest. And just like that, we've given golfers an extra day of golf every summer.

So look what we've done here. We've gained an extra day off for our hard-working Americans, some recognition for two great pioneers, and an instant spark to the golf economy. What more could you ask for?

OK, we'll work on June as soon as we get the one in August.

Swing 'til you're happy!

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POLL: How do you Cheat at Golf?

What's that? Cheat you say? Well I never!

Oh really? Ever take a mulligan? Ever decide to drop a ball near where you lost one, rather than take a provisional from the tee? Ever allow yourself a gimmie putt (even if it was "just on the lip")?

Some of you may not have considered the aforementioned cheating, but trust me - they are not in accordance with the USGA rules. Yet, they happen all the time out on the course, don't they? "Oh don't worry about it, Bob, it's the first drive of the day. Go ahead and take a mulligan." Or: "Hmmm, that may be lost. Well, I'll just drop a ball down there."

Many of us don't even give these phrases a second thought. Yet technically, they constitute cheating. But here's the thing; for those of us who play this game for fun only, there's really a couple levels of golf cheating (bare with me for a second here):

1. I'm a Rule Bender
So you take a first-tee mulligan...big deal. Maybe on one hole you don't feel like walking back to the tee to hit a provisional - instead, you take a stroke and drop a ball as if you were in a lateral water hazard...if I were playing with you, I wouldn't complain. And perhaps you lip-out and pick-up, rather than tapping the last putt in - It wouldn't be any skin off my back. This isn't the tour - we're here to have fun.

2. I'm a Rule Breaker
You regularly employ winter rules, the toe iron, the hand wedge or any of the other tactics that are found in this post we did a couple years ago.

3. I Don't Bend or Break the Sacred Rules of the USGA
Well, OK...I guess this is possible. It's also possible these people are liars. But if not and they are truly USGA rule book thumpers, then I hope they either (a) play golf for a living; or (b) are in therapy.

So, which are you?

How Do You Cheat At Golf?

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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...

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Why the Polara Ball will Hurt, Not Help Golf

Last week, The New York Times published an article about a golf ball that doesn't slice. I'm sure you probably read about it - there was much re-posting going on in the golf blogosphere.

The basic theme of many blog posts regarding the new ball was: "This is great - a ball that flies straight! The only catch is it's not sanctioned by the golfing gods. But [they ask as a devilish smile widens across their face] should we use it anyway?"

Obviously, professional golfers won't be using this ball. So that leaves the rest of us. In fact, "the rest of us" is exactly who the developer had in mind when marketing this illegal orb:

"It�s for the other [non pro] golfers, the ones who rarely hit it straight...It�s for people who want to be embarrassed less, play faster and enjoy it more. I respect the U.S.G.A., they help identify the best golfers in the world, but what about the rest of us?"

The audacity of this company to assume that deep down, "the rest of us" are all just a bunch of cheaters. You see, it's this kind of crap that's killing golf. It's been emblazoned into our ethos...right down to the molecular level - that we're failures if we're not good at something. Golfers are self-conscious about their swings and their high handicaps. They're self-conscious about flubbing one when everyone is looking or missing a 1-footer for par.

Marketers love the idea of the self-depreciating golfer. They think: I know what we can do...let's produce a product that breaks the rules to make all these golfing failures feel better about themselves! That'll really sucker them in!

Ah, but they're missing one major point: Golfers don't really quit the game because they're poor players. I mean, when was the last time you heard something like this: "I've had enough! After playing this game every weekend for 40 years without much success, I'm quitting!" The truth is, you just don't hear stuff like that. And you don't hear it for one reason: People play golf not because they are good at it, but because they love it.

Don't believe me? Then ask yourself why high-handicappers still play. Why do golfers that have averaged in the 90's or higher their entire lives continue to hit the links? Why go through the agony of another embarrassing flub? I think it's obvious: We play this game because we love it - regardless of whether we're good at it.

But what this Polara ball will do is diminish the game's integrity by fueling the following notion: That the ultimate goal of recreational golfers should be to get better. And since golf is so hard, you're going to have to cheat to do so.

Look, if you really want to change the way you golf, change your mental approach to the game. You don't have to make the main focus about getting better - instead make it about having fun; or being outdoors; or spending time with friends; or just the fact that you are out doing something you love to do. And if you really need a ball that only flies straight to attain that satisfaction...then you, my friend, are no lover of golf (or any other sport for that matter).

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POLL: U.S. Open...Public or Private?

Fellow Americans, is this not land of the free? So, why is this years U.S. Open being held at a private course? I understand it's at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda but that doesn't make it any better. In fact it makes it worse. Let me break this down...

Last time I checked "U.S." meant the United States, our country. This should be our tournament. In the past they have held it at municipal courses and that's the way it should be.

Diving deeper into this I realized that hosting tournaments at muni's gives the game of golf such a unique position in the world of sports. What other sport allows regular old hacks, such as you and I, to play where the pro's play. I really don't see the Yankees letting the ol' local Bronx beer league have their Thursday night softball games there. Never in a million years plus the beer can pyramid on top of the dugout might not bode well.

I think a lot of golfers would enjoy playing where their favorite golfer has played. I know I would. Not to mention it would probably attract more golfers and help out the declining golf market. According to the National Golf Foundation (NGF), they found that 37% of public courses have had to lower their course maintenance standards, and 71% have had to defer capital improvements in recent years due to financial considerations.* In a nutshell this means the courses are not kept as well as they should be...damn recession.

So what do you think?

Where should the US Open be played?

*Click here for the NGF story

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The Top Golf Stinks Posts of 2010!

We don't know about you, but 2010 seemed to go by faster than a ball headed for OB! Nevertheless, here we are at the end of December - a time to reflect back on all the fun times during the year. And that's precisely what we're going to do here - list our top 10 blog posts of 2010 (based on page hits)!

So enjoy re-reading these (or if you're new to our blog, enjoy reading them for the first time)! And don't forget about our giveaway at 11:59 tonight on our Facebook page - hey you never know...you could win a $50 gift card to Golf Galaxy!

OK, here we go...from #10 all the way down to our most frequently read post of the year at #1:

Number 10

Stinky Golfer's Wives; We Do Exist - Back in July, Stinky Golfer Chris' wife commandeered his laptop and penned her own blog post about life as the wife of a stinky golfer!

Number 9

Why I Love Taking 5 Hours to Play Golf - Last month, Stinky Golfer Greg got both cheered and jeered after explaining he thinks it's OK to play a round of golf in 5 hours!

Number 8

These Raisins Put it Down the Middle Every Time... - In August, Stinky Golfer Greg shared his favorite new commercial with us!

Number 7

Pimp My Golf Cart (Redux) - Continuing on the success of his first post about tricked-out golf carts, Stinky Golfer Pete revisited the world of pimped EZ-Go's and this time included a couple of video clips!

Number 6

Throw, Throw, Throw your Club like an A-Hole on the Green... - Earlier this month, Stinky Golfer Greg offered his thoughts on golf club throwing...and conducted a poll to see how you felt about it too! There's still time to add your opinion on the not-so-graceful art of golf club tossing!

Number 5

When is it Too Hot to Play Golf? - In July, Stinky Golfer Chris explained that some people will play in any heat...But not him!

Number 4

The Truth About Walking the Golf Course - October is a great month to walk the golf course - and Stinky Golfer Greg highlights a study that proves golf can equal exercise!

Number 3

The Economics of Golf - In this eye-opening breakdown of golf's contribution to the U.S. economy, Stinky Golfer Greg examines a study that shows how and where the golf industry makes its money...and you may be surprised!

Number 2

Custom Fitting Golf Clubs: Worth It? - In June, Stinky Golfer Chris was approaching a golf milestone - he was about to be custom fit for new clubs! In this candid post, he ponders if it will all be worth it.






and finally...

Number 1

Is USGA Membership Worth It? - After years of trashing his annual membership form, Stinky Golfer Greg explains why 2010 may be the year he finally joins the USGA!


So here's looking forward to another year of stinking at golf! Bring on 2011!
-Golfstinks Team

Related Posts: The Top Golf Stinks Posts of 2009!

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Sorry, You're Banned From the Back Tees

The view always seems better from the back tees, doesn't it? I've played at some fantastic locations over the years and it never fails - the scenery just seems to "pop" more from back there.

I've photographed most of the courses I've played. I'm not much of a photographer, but I've taken a few winners in my day and it's usually on the back tees where all my best photos are captured. I'll try and snap a few from the middle tees, but I always end up walking back for a better view.

The fact is, when you stand at the tips of a course, you're seeing what the course architect intended you to see - how the hole is "really" supposed to look. Leave that championship tee box and the view, the hole...the entire feeling just loses something.

And what of the challenge? A golfing buddy once told me: "You have to play from the tips because if you don't, you're not really playing the golf course." Is this true? It sounds reasonable - I don't think many architects design a course from the greens back. Typically, they design it from the tips forward - positioning the middle and forward tees somewhat after the fact.

This all seems logical to me. Screw it! I'm playing the back tees from now on! I'll take-in all the best views and test my metal on the true course layout! Boy, this is gonna be great! That is, of course, until I realize none of my tee shots are finding the fairway because A) they're either not long enough to make it over the caliche from back there or B) I couldn't successfully play a fade or draw around a corner to get it to the fairway.

You see, the reality is I have no business playing from back there, and neither do many of you. Yet I see it all too often. A couple of clowns who barely know how to hold a club are teeing it up from the tips. The result? A long afternoon on the course. Look, unless you know the course well, most average hacks should be teeing-off from the middle tees. For one, you won't get frustrated because you shot 10 strokes over your average. Second, you won't be holding up everyone on the course because of your struggles.

Heck, the USGA even came up with a rating system to help you decide which tee box you should play from. It's called the Slope Rating. Want to learn more? Read my post from last year called "What the Crap is a Slope Rating?" This is something our pal Tom over at the golfnoise blog should have done before he and his buddies let the way they were dressed get in the way of which tee-box they played from.

So, should average golfers never get to experience the course the way it was intended to be experienced? Not necessarily. Last week I wrote about the joys of playing golf when very few people were out on the course. I mentioned that if no one is behind you, it's OK to slow down and take in more of the scenery.

Next time there's plenty of room between you the group behind you, this is a perfect time to try playing from the tips. If one group starts to catch up, let them play through. The less stress you put on yourself, the better you'll play. Of course, don't say I didn't warn you when you shoot 10 strokes over your average from back there.

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The Christopher Columbus of Golf

In fourteen-hundred and ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue. And found this land, land of the free, beloved by you, beloved by me.

Actually, I have no idea if those are the correct words. Everything after "blue" is pretty much a mystery. No one really seems to know the exact words. But that's OK, everyone knows the basic idea and the basis of the story.

But I want to look at things on a much smaller scale. We know, for the most part, what it was that Columbus brought to this country. But in the spirit of the holiday (a day which I do not have off from work by the way), I was interested in finding out who brought golf as we know it to this country. Who is the Christopher Columbus of golf? Well, on the 18-hole scale anyway, it's a man named Charles MacDonald.

First off, I was surprised to find that 18 holes of golf is a relatively new concept in the United States, especially considering its roots, according to some research, date back as far as the mid 1300's. But Charles MacDonald, who was born in Canada and raised in Chicago, is responsible for building the first regulation 18-hole golf course in 1893.

His story, golf-wise, starts in 1872 when at the age of sixteen he was sent to school in Scotland...so you can see where this is going. He took up golf, played as often as he could for two years, then moved back to the United States where he....did not continue to play golf.

By the 1880's, immigrants began bringing the game to the States. So in 1892, McDonald and his associates opened a nine-hole course known as the Chicago Golf Club. One year later, nine more holes were added and, boom!...the first eighteen-hole golf course in the United States was born. The course still exists today and is now know as Downers Grove Golf Course (The exclusive Chicago Golf Club moved to it's current location in 1895).

But bringing 18-hole golf to the United States is not MacDonald's only claim to fame. He is also largely responsible for the formation of the USGA and is a former vice-president of the organization.

Additionally, MacDonald took to golf course design. Looking to bring challenge and variety to golf courses here in the U.S., he took cues from his experiences in Scotland and designed several of the most noteworthy courses in the country. Included among these courses are, the Chicago Golf Club of course, National Golf Links of America, Yale University golf course and The Greenbrier. For his contributions to the golf world, McDonald came to be known as the "Father of American Golf Architecture."

So how about that? Eighteen hole golf courses are only 117 years old in the U.S. I don't know about you, but considering Europeans have consistently been coming to American shores for over 500 years now, I would have guessed the origins of American golf to be much older.

Good thing Charles MacDonald came around when he did. Had he not, our excuse to our spouses for getting out of the house on a Saturday would only cover half the time!

Swing 'til you're happy!

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Proof I Joined the USGA (unpacking photos)!

Back at the end of April, I posted on how I may actually fork over my $10 to become an official USGA member. One of the things we pride ourselves on here at Golfstinks is we don't BS folks.

That being said (and to show I'm not a cheap bastard), I'd like to offer some proof I indeed joined the USGA. I have to tell you, I was more excited than I thought I would be when the package arrived at my doorstep. Now I realize I poked fun at the amenities one receives upon obtaining membership (the rule book I don't need since I have the app, the God-awful US Open hat, etc.).

But much to my surprise, I did enjoy emptying the contents of the package to reveal my "officialness" to this legendary organization (OK, maybe they missed the apostrophe and capital "A" in my name...no big deal). But besides the enclosed goodies, I can take comfort in knowing I've helped support golf at the grassroots level.

Below are the unpacking photos and I must admit, the hat (though it's going straight to my father) is not as bad as I thought. I'll pass along the rule book to someone who doesn't have the app version, and I know in my original post I mentioned those USGA bumper stickers - well guess what? No more stickers! One photo of note is the "tips" on the back of your name tag (it appears slow play is the biggest issue with golf today)...










If you haven't already, consider USGA membership - if not for the amenities, for how it helps the game.

Related Posts:

Is USGA Membership Worth It?

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Golf Stinks Top Blog Posts EVER!

So we here at Golfstinks have been posting this crap for a whole year now. For us, it seems like just yesterday we started this blog (of course it may feel like too long for you) but nope, our first post was on August 14, 2009 - one year ago tomorrow.

Anyway, in celebration of a year's worth of unorthodox golf insight, content and opinion, we felt a mighty THANK YOU was in order to all those who spend a smidgen of their day reading our prose. Seriously, y'all inspire us and are very much appreciated.

As a thank you, we've decided to repost all your favorites - our top 5 all time blog posts (based on page hits). Enjoy.

#5

Pimp my Golf Cart - Stinky Golfer Pete pulls together an awesome collection of tricked-out golf cart photos...plus, he tells you where to get one of your own!

#4

Is USGA Membership Worth It? - After years of trashing his annual membership form, Stinky Golfer Greg explains why 2010 may be the year he finally joins the USGA!

#3

Do you Play Golf by the Rules? - Stinky Golfer Chris unearths a few of the more "interesting" rules in golf!

#2

Male-Only Golf Clubs; Sexist Bastards or Constitutional Right? - Stinky Golfer Greg opens up a can of worms with this post on the rights of private clubs vs. the sentiments of the 21st-century.

#1

Hey, Do you Want to Make this Round More Interesting? - Hey, betting makes everything better! That being said, Stinky Golfer Chris takes a look at some of the more popular golf betting games.






So here's to another year of complaining about a game we thoroughly suck at, yet still love with all our hearts.

Hit 'em High, Hit 'em Far, Yell Fore.
-Golfstinks Team

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Are USGA Rules Taking It Too Far?

Back in April of this year, Brian Davis- fairly new to the tour, loses his chance to win the Verizon Heritage and $400,000 because he ticked a reed during his backswing while in a hazard.

He didn't intend to touch the reed to improve his chances. And I'm pretty sure that didn't give him any advantage. Brian, sorry to see you concede your first possible victory in such a crappy way. At least you can say you came in second to Jim Furyk.

There should be a referee out there with instant replay that could make a better call than some rule taken to the highest level of anal retentiveness. Seriously, he barely nicked a dead reed...A DEAD REED! Everybody knows that contacting a dead reed in your backswing makes you play better. The best part is that if he hit it on the downswing there's no penalty. I understand moving a low hanging branch or stepping on a bush to improve your shot is a penalty but, come on!

So what if I'm in really tall grass, like heather, and in my backswing I contact a loose dead piece of heather? It impedes on my shot...it's friggin' tall grass! Normal fairway grass gives me agita* sometimes. Does that mean I get taxed 2 strokes? Great, now I have to inspect my surroundings for any loose blade of grass that could interfere with my takeaway.

Now that I think about it, I need to go back and readjust all of my scores. Better yet, I'll just start my rounds with + 8. That should cover the penalties I would incur so I don't have to explain that during my backswing somehow the O.B. marker and the rock in front of my ball got relocated roughly five feet behind me. Are we really supposed to follow the rules to that degree?

Hey, there's a way to really mess with your foursome. Keep a copy of the rule book turned to Rule 13.4 stating that it is a two stroke penalty moving a loose impediment in takeaway. I'll bet you set your buddies back a few strokes every round. I should also mention that the extra strokes added to their score will somehow correlate to the amount of strokes they administer on your face in the parking lot.

Hit'em Long...yell FORE!!

*Agita: (AH-GEE-TA) Heartburn, acid indigestion, The word is Italian-American slang derived from the Italian "agitare" meaning "to agitate."

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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 off that day!






#9: The Lazy Person's Ideal Golf Course - Stinky Golfer Pete envisions a technically advanced golf cart that will take golf into the future while driving humanity into the past!




#8: Open Letter/Pitch to the Golf Channel - Stinky Golfer Chris offers the Golf Channel a new show idea to help add some flare to their mundane programming.




#7: Did Someone Say Golf is Supposed to be Fun? - Stinky Golfer Chris reflects back on some of his more memorable golf moments.






#6: Variations on the Game of Golf: Disc Golf - As part of his ongoing series on golf spinoffs, Stinky Golfer Chris examines the unique and popular idea of playing golf with a Frisbee.




#5: Can I Get A Ruling? - This is one of the more bizarre things we've heard of happening on the course...and Stinky Golfer Pete was there to witness it!








#4: The Most Versatile Athlete of All Time was...A Golfer? - Stinky Golfer Chris highlights the extraordinary life of Babe Didrikson Zaharias.








#3: Would You Play A Brown Golf Course? - Stinky Golfer Greg explores the practice of overseeding; why it's declining; and why it's OK to play on a course that's not necessarily green.








#2: The Economics of Golf - In this eye-opening breakdown of golf's contribution to the U.S. economy, Stinky Golfer Greg examines a study that shows how and where the golf industry makes its money...and you may be surprised!





#1: Is USGA Membership Worth It? - After years of trashing his annual membership form, Stinky Golfer Greg explains why 2010 may be the year he finally joins the USGA!

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Is USGA Membership Worth It?

So I got my annual letter from the United States Golf Association in the mail the other day, begging me to renew my membership. Funny thing is, I've never had a USGA membership - in fact, I'm quite positive I've never paid them a dime. Nevertheless, I received the renewal letter, along with my complimentary 15-page (I counted them) notepad and my sweet USGA bumper sticker.

You know, I see those bumper stickers on many cars around town, but I wonder how many of those people have actually paid for a membership? I'm not innocent either - while I have a thing against putting bumper stickers on cars, I use the notepad every year. I'm not sure how they got my name, but it's probably from a magazine subscription list (seeing as I subscribe to a few golf-related publications).

This year though, I'm actually thinking about forking over the $10 to become a member. So I decided to read the "annual member benefits" listed on my "renewal" form to see what my membership would include:

1) Advance priority to apply for U.S. Open 7-day ticket packages. Let's see, I live in New England and the tournament is in California. That sounded like a good deal until I realized it would cost me well-over a grand to just get there and have a place to stay. Oh, and I don't get a discount on tickets, I just get the chance to buy them before other people do.

2) 2010-2011 edition of The Rules of Golf. Not bad, except I already downloaded the app for $3.99 so I no longer had to carry the hardcopy around in my golf bag.

3) Official copy of the U.S. Open Program publication. This would be a nice keepsake...if I actually was going to be attending the U.S. Open (see #1 above).

4) Special USGA Member only discount on the 2010 TROON Golf Card. Not bad if you live in Arizona, California and Florida (the states with more than three Troon courses featured). The closest course for me would be Lake of Isles and even with the discount, I'd have to pay over $100 per round!

5) Special Member discounts on USGA catalog merchandise and USGA Photo Store. Which really amounts to U.S. Open and USGA gear. But I really can't see myself forgoing a $9.99 Champion polo at Target for a $39.99 Cutter & Buck polo on there.

7) Personalized bag tag Just in case I forget which bag in the foursome is mine.

8) The USGA Insider monthly e-newsletter. Why don't they just say "more inbox clutter" instead?

and finally...

9) 2010 U.S. Open Hat. See photo of 2009's version. Enough said.

OK, so now that I came up will all these reasons not to spend $10 to become a USGA member, I'm going to reverse course on you. You see, I'm really missing the point in all this. The membership is not about the member benefits at all, it's about the benefits to golf itself. If you notice, I skipped number 6. Number 6 was the opportunity to participate in USGA Member Education Series events.

This is what the USGA does best - beside managing the rules, maintaining the handicap system and funding research for environmentally-friendly turf - the USGA "assists organizations that introduce the game to people who would otherwise not have the opportunity to play." Over the last 12 years, the USGA has dedicated more than $63 million to golf-related charities - mostly through its "For the Good of the Game" grants initiative. And getting more people to play golf will only help golf in the long run. So this year, rather than placing my "renewal" letter in the circular file, I think I'll pay my $10 membership fee and start earning those 15-page notepads.

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Proof I Joined the USGA (unpacking photos)!

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Public Golf Courses Get A Bad Rap

In 1895, two great things happened to the game of golf: The pool cue was officially banned for use as a putter by the USGA; and the biggest city in the country established the first public course in America: Van Cortlandt Golf Course in the Bronx, NY.

Soon after opening, the course was suffering from all the stereotypical things we hear about public tracks today: "Poor playing conditions, unmanageable crowds, and a general lack of golf etiquette." But within three years, the grounds were cleaned-up, playing rules were established, and the number of holes increased from 9 to 18. As a symbol of its longevity, the course is still open today - accepting tee-times from Wall Street bankers and sanitation engineers alike.

Unfortunately for golf though, the stereotypes of public courses still exist. The notion that if you play a daily fee or (God forbid) a municipal course, you're in for bad grooming, waits on every tee, and worst of all: you've got to deal with the average slob who doesn't know how to conduct himself like a gentleman.

Ah but the reality is much of this is exaggerated. Let's examine each of these stereotypes in more depth...

Public Courses have Bad Grooming: I've played 18-hole, daily fee courses (both expensive and inexpensive alike) all over this country and have not found many in complete shambles. Sure, a few need some help, but these are by far in the minority. These days, increased knowledge in course architecture, seeding and sprinkler systems, and better grooming equipment have made it hard for public courses to fall into utter disarray. While it still happens on occasion - especially in tough economic times - the majority of public courses are lush and playable (especially the tee-boxes, fairways and greens). Don't get me wrong, not many can compare to Augusta, but then not many private courses can either.

Public Courses have Long Waits on Every Tee: I'm not going to lie to you, there may be times when you will wait on every tee. While this is annoying, it is also rare and usually avoidable. The reality is there are some courses that will squeeze in too many groups in an effort to capitalize on profits. There are also some courses that fail to employ enough rangers to manage the slow pokes. But in either case, these courses are most likely repeat offenders and golfers usually know what to expect before even pulling into the parking lot. But the majority of public courses get it. They understand how to space foursomes out so backups don't occur. They also understand how to manage a slow group holding others up. And most courses usually have a strict tee-time policy, which is a good thing - it ensures there's not a backup on the first tee. While there still can be an occasional backup on one or two tees, backups on every hole are very infrequent.

Perhaps the real concern is how long it takes to play an 18-hole round on a public track? Well, let me ask you this: How long do you expect 18-holes to take? It seems to me my private club friends are always bragging about how quickly they can finish a round. "Oh, I finished 18 in 2.5 hours yesterday!" WTF? That's not golf, that's insanity. Where the hell is the joy in that? Look, four hours is normal. But on a public course, expect it to take five hours. You have to realize that people play golf for enjoyment - thus they are going to chat, have a dog and a beer at the turn, and lose a few balls here and there - and usually, these people are keeping up with the group in front of them! These days with how popular the sport has gotten, you can't sweat-it if it takes five hours to finish a round on a public course - in fact, you should plan on it.

Public Courses Attract Un-Gentlemanly Golfers who Don't Know Etiquette: It stinks that a small few can give public courses a bad rap. Truth is, all it takes is one golfer who is ignorant (or indifferent) to the etiquette-side of the game, and the hold-up begins. But again, this is usually the exception during a round, not the norm. Occasionally, (usually while on the same courses that allow on too many foursomes, I may add) you may get stuck behind a newbie who doesn't know when to pick-up and move-on. You can decrease your chances of this happening by playing a course that has a strict tee-time policy (since many newbies and hacks are walk-ons who've decided last minute to dust-off the old clubs and play). And making an early tee-time is even better - when there are more serious players out on the course. But again, it's extremely rare I get paired-up with someone who is clueless about etiquette - most public golfers know these unwritten rules quite well and play rather efficiently.

So it seems public golf courses have been given a bad rap. But the reality is the game of golf has changed. Regular Joe players are starting to see golf as relaxation rather than a competitive activity. Sure competitiveness is fun, but it's more about spending time with their friends, away from their everyday lives. Five-hour rounds (e.g. a day at the course) are becoming the norm and veteran golfers are beginning to adjust to this.

Meanwhile, public courses already outnumber private clubs two-to-one and that ratio is growing due to this down economy - which means the bulk of golfers play on public tracks...which also means if so many of us are going to be playing this game, we need to take public golf courses for what they are for: Leisure, fun and enjoyment.

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