POLL: Is Golf Stuff On Your Holiday Wish List?

Every year around the beginning of December, my wife asks me what I want for Christmas. This year, I asked for a forged set of...wait for it...J.A. Henckles. In case you're not familiar with this German company, they make culinary knives, not golf clubs.

The funny thing is I'm not much of a chef. I do make a mean salsa, but it's not like I blog about my cooking skills. Golf, on the other hand, I do blog about. But the thought of asking her for golf clubs, or even something golf-related, never even crossed my mind.

To go a step further, I don't even remember a year in which something golf-related was on my wish list! I never really thought about it until now, but I guess much of this boils down to two reasons:

First, I'm very particular about what I buy myself for golf. I have to get certain clubs, certain balls, etc. But secondly, I guess I've always thought of golf as my personal hobby. My wife doesn't play golf. So when I make a golf-related purchase, it's something I've researched, tried-out and saved up for - it's never been something left up to others to get for me.

Thus, my Christmas list has always consisted of things like a new watch, or new shoes or forged knives - not golf stuff. Oh don't get me wrong, I've received golf gifts that I haven't asked for - some of which have been helpful, and others that have been, well, re-gifted (I've heard through the family grape-vine that I'm set to receive a telephone in the shape of a golf bag this December 25th from a cousin on my wife's side...I can hardly wait).

Anyway, what about you? Are you receiving fabulous golf gifts from your spouse while I'm too anal to even put them on my wish list? I don't know, but somehow, I feel as if I could be missing out.

Is Golf Stuff on your Holiday Wish List?

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It's Not The Clubs, It's The Player.

What a huge, steaming pile of hypocritical bull excrement! I hear that statement a lot and it always made me wonder. I mean, I'm pretty sure if you give a pro a starter set he or she will still shoot well. My issue is the whole up selling when it comes to buying clubs. I also understand the sales people need to make a living too...but to what extent?

You never see a golf club ad or commercial showcasing it's bottom of the barrel clubs. It's always the pro they sponsor smashing the ball into outer space because they are swinging the newest product. Then there are some of the golf pro's that sell clubs out of their shops. Try to tell them you want to take up the game and are looking for an inexpensive set.

The next thing you know this guy has you trying out different clubs and measuring you for a custom set. I thought "it's not the clubs, it's the player..." Yeah but their answer to that is "You can grow into these clubs." What the f%$# does that mean? I bought a nice set a few years ago with the whole "growing into them" theory and guess what...I still suck. Grow into them...I got something to grow into them.

What I want to see is a tour pro walking down the fairway while his caddy is carrying his bag full of old rusty clubs because..."It's not the clubs." That would be the best to see Tiger bust out a 3-wood with duct tape on it or even Rory have an old tube sock as a head cover. Nonetheless, whether your clubs cost $100 or $1000 just get out there and have fun.

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

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My Balls are Freezing

So my father-in-law was visiting from out of state a couple of weeks ago. One of the days during his stay, I began explaining some of the things I do to prepare for the start of the golf season (keep in mind this is a man who's never played golf in his life).

In the middle of this conversation, he walked over to my refrigerator, opened the freezer and began looking inside. After staring at him for a few moments (wondering if my golf talk was boring him), I asked if he needed something. Here was his reply:

"No, I was just looking for your golf balls."

WTF?

Me: "Pop, why would I keep my golf balls in the freezer?"

Him: "Well, I've always heard if you freeze your golf balls, they go farther. So I assumed all golfers froze their balls."

Just then my wife came in the kitchen and our conversation about frozen balls ended. But for the rest of the day, I couldn't shake the notion of golfers everywhere (save for me) having an unfair advantage all these years because they've been freezing their balls.

That night, I decided to do a little research on this frozen ball theory. Turns out, my father-in-law isn't the only one who had heard of this little trick. A Google search returned many people asking the same question: "Does freezing your golf balls make them go farther?"

Man, what people will go through to add a few extra yards to their drives. And with such an easy solution (after all, most of us have freezers), it's no wonder so many were interested in if this trick was fact or fiction.

I'm not sure how many of you have heard about freezing golf balls, but my research has led me to believe this is pure fantasy. In fact, studies have shown the exact opposite is true: Cold balls will actually travel a shorter distance (on average) than warm balls! Check out the video below from FSN Sports Science:



So I guess freezing your golf balls isn't a good idea. But what about freezing your golf clubs? Sound ridiculous? Well, don't say that to cryogenic expert and founder of the Cryogenic Institute of New England, Robin A. Rhodes:

Using a process called Nitrofreeze Cryogenic Tempering, Rhodes deep-freezes golf clubs at 300 degrees below zero inside a 24-cubic foot chamber in his Cryogenic Institute of New England office at 60 Prescott St. Deep-freezing of metals, a process first used by NASA in the 1960s, changes their microstructure, relieving stresses and producing a more consistent and uniform material, Rhodes said. As a result, the company claims that golfers get a better feel, less shaft twist for improved accuracy, a larger sweet spot and more distance.

The price tag to give your set of clubs a deep freeze? $230. Hey, it's a small price to pay for adding some distance and feel (I just don't want to know what late, great actor my clubs were cryogenically frozen next to)! You can read the full article HERE.

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Counterfeiting Golf Clubs (Follow-Up)

A little over a year ago, I posted about the growing problem of counterfeit golf clubs. But recently, Callaway has come forth with a new innovation to help combat this problem.

According to a company press release, its new labeling system (which has been rolled-out only in Australia and New Zealand thus far) will require a polarized film to view the authentic label (see picture at left). Callaway says this safeguard will provide consumers a guarantee of authenticity (I hear you, it would suck to buy a set of clubs for $500-plus and find out they are fugazi's).

Apparently, club counterfeiting at this level is something that has been going on for a few years now. Back in 2007, the folks at globalgolf.com, along with WRAL, did a story on phony clubs (check it out HERE). And then there's this great video from last year explaining how to spot a counterfeit (will the beginning golfer be able to tell?):



This makes me wonder; if these counterfeiters put the same effort they exerted in counterfeiting into something legit, they would probably be doing just as well. Needless to say, they also wouldn't have the stress or fear of getting caught lurking over them. But, I guess if this world didn't have counterfeiters, we wouldn't know what's real.

Hit'em long...yell FORE!!! Use a real club...

Related Posts: Counterfeiting Golf Clubs?

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Prepping for My Golf Season (Not that it will Matter)

A brand new year. Yep, this is the time during the winter when I begin thinking about my upcoming golf season. Up here in New England, it starts to get pretty cold in November. By Thanksgiving there could be snow on the ground and by the holidays, you've already forgotten what the trees look like when they have leaves and what it feels like to step outside without a coat and scarf.

Come January 2nd though, I'm ready for the winter to end. As far as I'm concerned, two months of frozen weather should be good enough. I just ate my ass off, drank too much beer and champaign and used up all my vacation time. If I've gotta go back to work on January 3rd, the ground better be thawing out and the crocuses better be coming up.

Inevitably, the realization that we have 3 more months of this shit hits me while I'm scraping frost off my windshield at 7 AM Monday morning. But instead of slumping into a wintery depression, I begin thinking about what I need to do to get prepared for the upcoming golf season.

Keep in mind that very little of this involves me actually practicing. No sir. Every year around this time, I will finally remove my clubs from the trunk and bring them inside to warm up. Stupid, isn't it? It's like I've felt bad for them the past two months...out there freezing their grips off.

I'll bring them inside and clean them. I'll rummage through my golf bag, remove all the scuffed-up balls and throw away greens fee receipts. I'll check to see if I'm running low on tees and find a couple scorecards I wish remained unfound. When I'm finished, I'll set my bag down next to the table in the dining room and let it stay there. My wife will eventually ask why my golf clubs are in there and I'll tell her I'm putting them up in the attic. A few days will go by. She'll ask again..."Yeah, sorry. I'm getting around to it." A few more days pass. I'm looking at them right now as I type this at my dining room table. My new Burner driver is beckoning me to take it outside and smash one into the woods across the street.

Around the beginning of February, I'll finally put them in the attic. And right after I do, I'll head back out to my trunk and grab my two pairs of golf shoes. You see I've just returned from the golf store with brand new soft spikes (I had to bring one of the old spikes with me to make sure I bought the right ones). The ensuing two hours will be spent hurting my fingers with that stupid metal tool while trying to loosen the old spikes. Nevertheless, it puts me in a golfing mood.

Finally, around the end of February, I make my annual off-season golf purchase. Last year it was new grips and this year I need a new pair of golf shoes. Next year is the biggie and I hope I follow through on it - new clubs!

Sure, I may hit the indoor range once or twice between January and April, but it's all the little things that really get me chomping at the bit to play again. And though none of this will ever be reflected on my scorecard, it's nice to have something to look forward to after you realize the long, cold, winter has really just begun.

Happy January, February and March everyone!

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