Precise Ladies SLR Complete Golf Club Set (Right Hand Golfer, Purple)

Buy Precise Ladies SLR Complete Golf Club Set (Right Hand Golfer, Purple) review for shop online By : Precise | Go to store List Price : $399.99 Our Price : $227.42 (as of Dec 23, 2011 04:29:37) You Save : $172.57 (43%) In Stock You can't find a better set then this. The Precise SLR club set includes everything you need to hit the tee's. Not only does this set include the newest technology in golf but it's also the best looking set. Massive 460cc Driver, #3 wood, 24* Hybrid, # 6-SW Irons, Putter, Deluxe Stand Bag and Bonus 3 Head Covers All Graphite Shafts for the Woods and Irons Brand New Complete 14 Piece Ladies Matching Set with Bag and Headcovers Sand Wedge Included Stylish Deluxe Stand Bag

Samsung Propel Pro (AT&T) first look Video Clips. Duration : 2.83 Mins.

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Precise Ladies SLR Complete Golf Club Set (Petite Right Hand Golfer, Purple)

Best Buy Precise Ladies SLR Complete Golf Club Set (Petite Right Hand Golfer, Purple) review for shop online By : Precise | Go to store List Price : $399.99 Our Price : $227.51 You Save : $172.48 (43%) In Stock You can't find a better set then this. The Precise SLR club set includes everything you need to hit the tee's. Not only does this set include the newest technology in golf but it's also the best looking set. Massive 460cc Driver, #3 wood, 24* Hybrid, # 6-SW Irons, Putter, Deluxe Stand Bag and Bonus 3 Head Covers All Graphite Shafts for the Woods and Irons Brand New Complete 14 Piece Ladies Matching Set with Bag and Headcovers Sand Wedge Included Stylish Deluxe Stand Bag

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Home, Home On The (Indoor) Range

For anyone reading this who does not live in the northeast, you may or may not be aware that it's been snowing here recently. I could go ahead and say there's been a hell of a lot of snow...and that would be an understatement.

It has snowed so much, and been cold enough for very little of it to melt, that we are simply running out of places to put it! Honestly, the snow from two storms ago is still buried underneath the more recent nor'easters! And there's even more expected this week!

So with all the snow and tough driving conditions it creates, it's understandable that there seems to be a case of cabin fever spreading throughout the area. And it was never more evident than today at the indoor range.

Despite temperatures in the low to mid-teens, the weather was relatively nice this past weekend. So it seems, once the sun comes out, so do the golfers...myself included. Though it's certainly still too cold (for me anyway) to head to an outdoor range, even a heated one, I'm willing to brave the cold for my first opportunity of the year to hit the indoor spot. Apparently, I wasn't the only one. I guess it's due to the recent weather conditions, but I have never seen this place so packed! I'll tell ya...for five months out of the year, this place is a gold mine!

Now, not only is the trip to the indoor range an opportunity, obviously, to keep my game in relative order during the off-season, but it's also an opportunity to keep my boys interested in the game. Though it's certainly not the same as being out on the course, my boys love the indoor facility. And that's good news for me. For a mere $20, the three of us can spend as much time as we'd like, with a bottomless ball basket, driving, chipping, putting and hitting out of the sand. And if I can keep their interest during the off-season, all the better when the temps begin to rise.

But of course, it's on the way past the lobby and into the facility itself when they spot the golf simulators. Lucky for me, these things require a tee time, so I'm able to save myself a few bucks today, but not without the promise of a return trip.

Like I've mentioned previously, I'm not a big fan of practice (insert Allen Iverson impressions here). So I'm going to look at this as more of a mission to keep my kids interested in playing golf. I mean, I had fun, they had fun...we all had fun! So how could this possibly be practice? We'll see how I feel about it next time.

But seriously, for those in the northern half of this country who are frozen off the course for the next few months, I recommend looking for an indoor golf facility. You can work on all areas of your game for the price of about two buckets of balls at your local range...and it's warmer! Just don't think of it as practice and it's even better!

Swing 'til you're happy!

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Shut Up And Play Your Own Game!

Sometimes it seems to me that many golfers are more concerned with the etiquette and/or actions of other golfers than they are with just golfing themselves. Am I imagining this? I don't think so.

It seems it never fails. We'll be out on the course, and some yahoo we get paired up with begins droning on about how someone in the group ahead of us is pissing him off because he's doing something "wrong." It's after about three or four holes of this that I want to wrap my nine-iron around this guy's neck.

I wonder how many golfers are like this. How many golfers take this game so serious that they actually get visibly angered by the play of other golfers. I understand if someone is just deliberately slow. But to get that angry about it? Come on now.

Some people complain about the most ridiculous things on the course. Sometimes these complaints may even have nothing to do with, or have any effect on, the round they are playing. So I get to thinking about some of the most ridiculous complaints I hear from other golfers. Let's take a look.

1. The guy who needs absolute silence, even when he's not hitting his shot - Mr. Anti-social. Look, one of the main reasons I play golf is for the camaraderie. I want to have conversation. I want to make jokes. I want to have a good time out there. But you have a guy who is taking his game so serious that you'd think he was on the back nine on Sunday within two strokes of the lead! Dude, lighten up. If you need silence at all times and can't be social with the people you're paired up with, then wait for the chance to play by yourself. As a matter of fact, with that attitude, I can understand why you showed up alone to begin with!

2. The guy who takes offense to your betting. Hey pal, mind your business. Why is this any of your concern to begin with? What does my $2 Nassau have to do with your round. Now, I understand if we're talking about the bet during your swing. And I understand if we're holding up the round because we're trying to figure out who owes who what money. But if that's not the case, and we're just betting because we want to bet...then how is this a problem for you?

3. The guy who is worried about another golfer's appearance. Again, how does this have any affect on you or your game? Why do you care if the guy in the group ahead of us is not wearing a collared shirt? Did you shank that last drive because you were distracted by that guy's cut-off jean shorts? I don't care if the guy is in his pajamas! He's playing golf. We're at a golf course. Seems OK to me! So what if he's wearing a pair of Chuck Taylors rather than Foot-Joy's! As a matter of fact, the more ridiculous someone looks, the more entertaining it is for me and my buddies!

4. The guy who doesn't understand the difference between slow play and poor play. If the group in front of you has a guy who takes his time getting to his ball, and when he finally gets there he takes a little while to decide which club to use. Then he has to take eight or nine practice swings, address the ball, step away, take a couple more swings, etc....then go ahead and complain. But if the person just isn't a good golfer, but he's trying...then shut your pie hole. None of us are born golfers. It takes practice. You know, at one time, you sucked also. And it's even worse when the complaint is about a couple of senior citizens who don't quite move as quickly as they once did. Hey buddy...you'll be lucky to reach that age someday and still be able to come out here and play. If you do, do you want people complaining about you? Didn't think so.

5. The guy who calls you out for a gimme or for using your toe iron. It's not a competition pal and I don't take it all that serious. We're not playing against each other. If we were, then go ahead and say something to me. But if I give my ball a little nudge out from behind a rock...it's not your concern. I didn't change the numbers on your scorecard. I didn't move your ball. I didn't cause you to lose a bet, did I? Of course not...because you're offended by my wager to begin with!

There are many more, but I think I've made my point by now. All I'm trying to say really is, don't be "that guy." Just enjoy the game for what it is. Relax. Have fun. Don't be in such a hurry and don't worry about what everyone else is doing. Just play your game and have a good time. If you were that great at this sport, then trust me....you wouldn't be paired up with me and my golfing buddies in the first place.

Swing 'til you're happy!

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My Job Is Interfering With My Golf

It's that time of year again. We're in early May. The weather is getting consistently nicer. The temperature is rising. Leaves are on the trees and the grass is green. It's the beginning of golf season and I'm looking forward to spending more time out on the golf course. But there's one thing that's getting in my way....my job.

As some of you may already know, I've been out of work for a pretty long time now. But, those days are long gone. By the time you read this, I'll be in the midst of my first day at the new job.

Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to get back into the swing of things. I'm looking forward to a fresh start. But the problem is....the timing. I'm starting this job right at the beginning of golf season! The timing couldn't be worse!

The hours are normal and it's a Monday-Friday gig so my weekends are still free. But imagine going into golf season with all of your days open. And you're not even retired!! I've been looking forward to this all winter. Then the time finally comes and...BAM! I get a job. My dream golf season is over before it even got started. Imagine, I went from having all of my days free during the winter when I couldn't do a thing, to feeling I'm going to have the same free time in the summer. Then, it's all just stripped away from me in the blink of an eye.

Well, I guess the job is more important...for now. But it sure would have been nice. For one winter, I was able to almost understand what it feels like to be retired and a golfer. It was so close that I could just about taste it. It was right there!

I guess if there's a silver lining to this cloud, it's the experience I had. The feeling I was given. The hope I felt. I now have something to look forward to in my golfing future. I will work that much harder toward retirement. I need to know if it's going to be as good as I had hoped it would. I'll get there. It's just a matter of time.

But right now, it's time for bed. You know, with tomorrow being the first day of work and all.

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First Time On The Golf Course

A few months ago, late last golf season, I wrote about teaching the game to my oldest son. He purchased his own clubs with his birthday money and we hit the range a few times to get some work in before he hit an actual course. Unfortunately, there just wasn't enough time left in last year's golf season to ever make it out. So we hit the range a few more times, went to the indoor facility, and worked on our swings over the winter in anticipation of getting out on a course next season. Well, a few days ago, the time finally came.

However, I wondered where and when I was going to take him. Knowing his skill level, it didn't seem like a great idea to take him out on a weekend morning where we were going to slow down everyone around us. Also, taking him to play 18 on a course with a few 500 yard holes didn't seem wise yet either. I really wanted to avoid a par-3 course because I wanted him to have some variety on the holes and keep him from getting bored with the game. Then it came to me - an executive course! It's perfect! I have one right in town. It's nine holes, none longer than 290 yards but much more variety than a par-3 course. But now the question is, when do we go? Again, I'm trying to avoid slowing down all the golfers around us.

Fortunately, he's not only a pretty good athlete, he's also a pretty good student. So after receiving honors at school for the second time this year, I used that to reward him with a day off during the week and a round of golf. His mother wasn't too happy about him missing a day of school for golf, but I explained that I'm taking him out no matter what. I told her the choices were either we golf or go to the "gentleman's club." OK, before anyone freaks out, that's just a joke. So Friday morning around 11:00, we teed off for the first time.

His opening drive, of course, slices directly into the parallel fairway. We laugh it off and I tell him not to let it bother him - I promised he'll get to see me do that a few times today also. And I delivered on my promise.

It was amazing to see him progress from hole #1 to hole #9. It was like he was improving right before my eyes. By the time we hit the seventh, his slice was almost gone! There wasn't much distance to his shots, but they were pretty straight for the most part. His putting left something to be desired, but there's plenty of time to work on that.

As the round went on, I made sure to teach him not only the rules of the game, but the unwritten rules of etiquette as well. Not wanting to overwhelm him, I tried to fill him in on as we moved along. Simple things like staying quiet during someones swing, not stepping in someones line, etc...

By the end of the round it was clear this is another sport at which, if he sticks with it, he will excel also. Obviously, I gave him some mulligans and didn't count a drop here and there. But nevertheless his final score, not that it matters, wasn't too bad. He even managed to beat me on the eighth hole!

The best part about seeing him play, for me anyway, was that he never took it too serious. He didn't get upset with himself after a bad shot and he didn't let a bad shot affect his next one. He smiled and laughed throughout the round. He played the game exactly as you would expect a kid to play it, while still trying to do well. As a matter of fact, the most serious I saw him the entire day was when I let him drive the cart for two holes!

We wrapped the day up by talking about the round over a large pizza and a few sodas. We both looked forward to playing again and will certainly do so for, hopefully, many more summers to come. Although, I did let him know, I'm not always going to be easy on him. Mulligans, believe it or not, aren't an actual part of the game.

Truth is though, I'm going to have to be hard on him to keep him from beating me soon. But something tells me there's not much I'm going to be able to do about that.

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I Dream of Golf

I�m in a frenzy! I�m running late and the chances are 50/50 that I make my tee-time. I�ve got a 35 minute drive to the course I�m playing this morning and I can�t afford any delays! I overslept. I didn�t have breakfast. I�m not wearing pants. I don�t have time to stop for a coffee. I can�t�.wait, what? Holy crap!! I�m not wearing pants!! How the hell do I leave the house without pants on?!

OK, no time to question that right now. If I push down a little harder on the gas, I�ll have a second to stop by my mother�s house which is right around the corner from the course. Surely, for some unexplainable reason, she�ll have a pair of pants for me to use. But to my disappointment, I find that all of my pants are dirty and wrinkled. I don�t stop to try and understand why my dirty pants are here in the first place considering I no longer live here and my old bedroom has been turned into an office. But now, thinking about it further, not only do I no longer live here�neither does my mother. However, we�re here now and that�s all that matters.

So pantsless, I dig through drawers and closets in an effort to find something to wear over my boxers. My mother is no help. She just can�t understand why I�m so frantic! Funny thing is she doesn�t even question the whole no-pants thing. It�s almost like it�s happened before.

And then, right in the middle of a red-faced, half-naked rage....I woke up. What was all that about? As far as I know, I�ve never left the house without pants. Well, not that I know of anyway. I was known to sleep-walk as a child so anything could have happened back then.

But as ridiculous as this dream was, it wasn�t THAT ridiculous. Some parts of this dream correlate well with reality. For instance, in the dream, the course I was headed to was the actual course I was playing the next morning. Also, I�m always running late. Ask anyone. And in a very strange coincidence, I did oversleep the following morning. I didn�t have time to eat breakfast. And I didn�t have time to stop for a coffee. But I did have time, and remembered, to put on pants.

Although I�ve been playing for twelve years, this is the first time I remember dreaming of anything golf related. It was a fun dream, and a few parts of it actually went on to happen!

Now surely I'm not the only one so enamored with this game that I'm dreaming about it, right? Got a good golf dream? Share it with us!

Me, I�m going to try really hard next weekend to dream of breaking 90! Wish me luck!

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The Golf Channel's Newest Offering is Really Nothing New

It can be argued in many different ways, but the simple fact is, golf is NOT a growing sport. The statistics show it. Even though there are currently about 450 more courses in the U.S. than existed in the year 2000, over the past several years, more courses have closed than opened. What's more alarming is, despite these additional 450 courses, fewer rounds are being played every year.

According to reports from the National Golf Foundation, 2009 marked the fourth consecutive year in which total rounds of golf decreased from the previous year. As a matter of fact, it was the eighth year out of the past nine in which a decrease was shown. In 2000, roughly 518.4 million rounds of golf were played in the U.S. But by 2009, that number had dropped to 481.5. That's almost 37 million fewer rounds (a little over 7%) per year. So where is this growth?

Yeah, you can blame some of it on the economy. But that's really only that past two years. What about the seven years previous? That is another topic which can be debated. But I have my opinions - several of them (greens fees continuing to rise, cost of equipment, etc...). But right at the top of the list is simply the old golf stereotype - it's a rich man's game. For too many golfers in the new generation, as well as your average weekend hack, this decreases their overall interest. They see the game as too expensive and too serious. What they don't see, and are sometimes never introduced to, is simply the fun of the game. But what is the golf industry in general doing to fix this? Apparently, nothing.

Example, The Golf Channel's latest offering - Donald Trump's Fabulous World of Golf. In a time where interest in the sport continues to decrease, the belief in the stereotype continues to rise, the biggest star in the game has lost some of his shine, golf courses are closing and people aren't playing because they can't afford to play...The Golf Channel gives us...Donald Trump.

As if we haven't seen enough already, this show gives us more celebrities, more excess and more outrageously priced and/or private courses. Yeah, just what the sport needs right now. Fuel the stereotype why don't ya? Do the good people at The Golf Channel think this is helping? Are they in the dark and don't understand this is not what the sport needs? Maybe they don't care and they're just hoping for ratings.

Speaking of ratings, one of the funniest things I had seen and heard was on a promo video on the show's website. If you can find it, there was a clip of The Donald sarcastically stating this show was going to raise The Golf Channel's ratings. Isn't that great? Even The Donald knows this channel needs help!

See, we've said it before, and we'll continue to say it. This sport needs a shot in the arm. It needs a change. It needs to make itself relate to the average guy and girl who play the sport for no reason other than the fun of the game. It does NOT need more celebrities. It does NOT need to promote more private courses. It does NOT need to promote more rich guys playing the game in a place 99.9% of us (if not more) will never see.

As entertaining as I occasionally find him to be....the sport does NOT need Donald Trump right now.

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Are There Too Many Golf Courses?

Now that The Masters is over I have to tell you, I am all golfed out. Honestly, I may have watched about a half-hour, in total, of the tournament. But between all of the coverage on ESPN and various other sports networks and news shows, specifically the Tiger coverage, I feel like I was in the galleries all four days! I don't think I can watch another five minutes of a tournament for the rest of the year!

However, that does not curb my desire to get back out onto the many courses which my home state of Connecticut has to offer. But a couple of stories in my local news lately have me wondering...are there too many golf courses?

The obvious answer for one who loves to golf, especially those of us who enjoy playing different courses all the time, is "not a chance." How can you have too many golf courses? After all, the old saying "variety is the spice of life" indeed equates to your golf life also. Maybe the more appropriate question wouldn't be to ask if there are too many golf courses, but instead to ask, is a new golf course really necessary? Or, is there a better use for that land?

In my current hometown, a town of about 45,000, we currently have two nine-hole courses. Recently, the idea to use a piece of undeveloped public land to build another nine-hole course, was proposed by a local developer. The Economic Development Committee approved the proposal, but many spoke out at a recent Common Council meeting. In favor of the course were some local business owners hoping the course brings more people into the city. However, many spoke out against the course. Some concerns were tax and rent payments (or lack thereof), privatization of public land, outside investors and the plan meeting environmental standards. However, one major concern asked, what if the course fails? You are left with nothing more than carved up land, which would make later development more challenging, and the city expected to foot the bill. One can see where the concern would be.

My personal opinion? There are already two nine-hole courses in town. Additionally, there are four eighteen-hole courses within ten miles. Is another nine-holer necessary? As for bringing people into the city, how many golfers regularly travel to other towns to play nine-holes, especially when the surrounding towns have eighteen-hole courses? Add to that the fact there are already two nine-hole courses in this town, then how much more business is the course actually going to generate?

This reminds me a bit of a situation from the town in which I used to live. My former hometown, population of about 60,000, was home to one eighteen and two nine-hole courses. But when the idea to build a new middle school on the grounds of one of the nine-hole courses was proposed, it was met with some hostility. The course in question was, to put it lightly, a bombed-out disaster of a mortar range which I had the displeasure of playing exactly once and swore to myself to never play again. It was in fact, with no exaggeration, that bad.

But, the course was very popular with the senior crowd. It was flat, wide open and an easy course to walk if you chose. And not too mention, cheap. Due to its low (if any) maintenance costs and the popularity with seniors and first-timers, I'm sure the course made some money for the town. But the question actually was: what's more important, keeping this crappy course around to satisfy a few people who have other options, or building a new, better, safer school, in a better, safer neighborhood for 1,200 students year-in and year-out?

To me, the answer here seems obvious - kill the course. But I guess there are some of us who believe the future of our children isn't as important as having to spend an extra six bucks to play a different nine-hole course.

Now don't get me wrong, being a golfer, I'm always looking forward to a new course and feel a new course is usually a great idea. But, we also have to consider the cost. Be it a risky investment at the cost of the taxpayer, environmental issues or the future of our young students. All of these issues, and then some, have to be addressed before we can truly learn the value of a golf course.

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Are You Betting on Tiger to Win The Masters? Or Just Betting?

Are you like me? Do you think a little wager makes every sport a bit more interesting? No? Well, you're wrong. It does. Let's say you're watching a football game between the Browns and Rams. Unless you're a fan of one of the two, most people don't care about the result, right? Well, put $50 on it. Now what?

Throughout every individual sport's season, there are all kinds of games that don't matter to a casual fan. But once the chance to win some money enters the equation, suddenly an all new interest becomes apparent. Think about the Super Bowl. The boxes get passed around the office and even the people who think the Lakers played the Yankees in the Stanley Cup Finals last year are scribbling their name into three or four empty slots. They're dropping $20 or so, on a game they don't know the first thing about, in the hopes of winning a couple of Franklins. NCAA tournament time is another great example. I don't follow college hoops all that closely, but year in and year out, I'm filling out at least one bracket! Between all the boxes, brackets, pools and, who could forget, fantasy sports, a little wager makes watching the game(s) all the more interesting.

However, some of the greatest wagers you'll find come from Vegas around Super Bowl time. Fun, out of the ordinary bets such as, "Will the Colts and Saints combine for more points than the New Jersey Nets?" or "Will Kobe Bryant outscore the Colts?" or "What color hat will Peyton Manning wear on the sideline, blue or white?" Some of these bets have almost nothing to do with the game, but they simply provide some fun to either a fan or non-fan. It gives everyone at least a bit of a reason to tune in.

Sparked by the return of Tiger, some of these off-beat wagers are now becoming popular in the golf betting world. According to Bodog Sportsbook Manager Richard Gardner, betting on the Masters has doubled from last year. Included in all of those extra wagers are not only the old "Who will win The Masters?" and "Where will Tiger Woods finish?" Now we're seeing wagers a little more, dare I say, fun? Let's take a look at some examples:

What color hat will Tiger Woods wear in Round 1?

Black 5/4
White 7/4
Red 7/2
Blue 11/2
Any Other Color 8/1

Will Tiger Woods be Heckled after Addressing the Ball and Step Away?
Yes -120
No -120

Will Elin Nordgren be Seen on Camera?

I hope you already placed your wager on this one since Tiger has already given away the answer.


Will Tiger Woods cry during his acceptance speech if he wins?

Yes -120
No -120

Thank goodness for the world of sports gambling. Without it, for many people who aren't all that interested in the PGA Tour and have lost interest in the Ringling Brothers & Tiger Woods circus, this is just another golf tournament. But for people who partake in the gambling side of things...there's more to it than the tournament itself. There's the prospect of winning (or losing) some money. There's the idea of looking at things in the tournament that, normally, you would pay little to no attention. And the PGA should be happy also, as this brings in more viewers who normally may not have paid any mind.

Don't get me wrong, the amount of wagers is not exactly approaching Super Bowl standards. But to have the amount of wagers double, that alone shows, thanks to Tiger, the amount of interest generated for this years Masters. Me personally, I never do much more than quickly peek in to see what's going on. This year will likely be no different. Although, I'll most likely be peeking in with the hopes Tiger dons a red hat on day 1.

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The Most Versatile Athlete of All Time Was...a Golfer?

A golfer was the most versatile athlete of all time you ask? That's right...she was a golfer. Wait...what? I know...you're having a hard enough time getting by the title as it is. And then I go and throw in "she."

Now you're completely thrown off! I'm obviously a few fries short of a Happy Meal. I'm sure I've even lost some credibility (what little I have) with many sports fans. Well, trust me, I would never have thought I would feel this way before I really looked into it.

But, maybe you'll even agree with me afterward. Maybe you might even consider dropping "most versatile" from the title and replacing it with, simply, "greatest." After all, being a great golfer on top of numerous other athletic accomplishments, some at an expert level, deserves a little bit more attention than being a standout at only one sport, no?

If you haven't already guessed who I'm talking about, it's a little lady by the name of Babe Didrikson Zaharias. Most people who know anything about her know the obvious - she was the greatest female golfer of her time (and one of the greatest of all-time). She was a cofounder of the LPGA. She excelled in other sports besides golf and was voted by ESPN's SportsCentury to be the 10th greatest athlete of the 20th century. While many people are aware she had other athletic achievements, I don't think most realize exactly how amazing an athlete she was. Quite honestly, she was great at everything she attempted.

Professional golf came relatively late in life for Babe. After high school, she didn't attempt to play competitively again until she was 24, which makes her golfing achievements all the more impressive. However, seventeen consecutive amateur wins later, a feat still unequaled to this day, she was ready to turn pro. Over the following eight years, Babe went on to win 41 tournaments including ten majors despite playing the final three years of her career while being treated for cancer. Even more amazing was, in 1954, just one month after surgery for colon cancer, she won the US Women's Open - her final major victory. She was also the first woman to compete on the PGA tour, missing the cut in her first attempt. It would be the last cut she would miss.

But most of us are already aware of her golfing accomplishments. What about the rest? What are the other examples which make her such an amazing athlete? It starts with basketball. Her team won an AAU championship in 1931 and she was an All-American hoops player three times.

You may have also been aware she was an Olympic athlete and participated in the 1932 games. But did you know she actually qualified in five different events? However, due to the rules of the time, being a female she was only allowed to compete in three. And compete she did, taking home two gold medals (hurdles and javelin) and a silver (high-jump). Additionally, she set world records during the Olympics and qualifying tournaments in the 80m hurdles, javelin, high jump and baseball throw (which was an Olympic sport until 1957).

Babe was also a competitive player to a lesser degree in billiards, baseball, softball and bowling. She even won a sewing competition at the Texas State Fair! When not on a competitive playing field, she somehow also found the time to sing and play the harmonica. She did this well enough to record for Mercury Records. Is there anything this woman couldn't do?

So let's look at the tally. She's one of the greatest golfers of all-time. She was an Olympian who took home three medals and set five world records. A three time All-American basketball player. She also competed in baseball, softball, billiards and bowling among other sports. For what reason would she not seriously be considered as the greatest athlete of all-time?

Now, being ranked 10th on the list of greatest athletes of the 20th century does confirm she was at least considered to be listed at number one. But I have to admit, I have a hard time taking the SportsCentury list seriously considering three of the 100 athletes are not even human (they're horses). I have an even harder time with this list when I see one of the horses (and a jockey for that matter) is ranked 37 places higher than Bo Jackson, an all-star baseball player AND pro-bowl NFL player! Jackson, I might add, could also have been a track & field star, but gave it up to focus on baseball and football. But a guy who rides a horse while beating it with a whip is somehow a better athlete? You get my point.

#1 on the list is Michael Jordan who is widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all-time. But does that make him the greatest athlete of the 20th century? Is being the best at one sport a greater feat than excelling at almost every sport you take on? Hard to say.

Considering all of the accomplishments and accolades acquired by Zaharias, I wonder the reason why she wouldn't be ranked higher on the list. I can only come up with one idea. Maybe you can help me out. If all of these achievements were accomplished by a male, would he be ranked higher?

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Golf Course Gripes

A week ago I was excited to get out on the course. The weather was great. It was the first round of the year. It couldn't be a better day. Even though I played like crap (as usual), it couldn't possibly ruin my excitement. As a matter of fact, the course could have been a mortar range and it wouldn't have mattered. But that was last week.

Now that the weather has once again returned to what is expected of a typical early spring in New England, it got me thinking about some of the things out on the course that can, and eventually will, ruin the day. Once in a while, no matter how nice the course is, how much the greens fees are, or what the course's reputation is, there will be something to leave you with a bad taste in your mouth. Here are a few of my gripes...

1. The guy in the pro shop has a stick up his ass - Ever run into this one? I don't know about you, but it takes a great course and a fantastic remainder of the day to make me forget about this guy. If my first experience at a course turns out to be with someone who treats me like my money doesn't deserve a bit of hospitality, then my first experience also may very well be my last. Just to clarify, I have noticed this very rarely happens. Almost all of the courses I have played, the employees seem very happy that I have chosen to plunk down my hard-earned greenbacks (or plastic) at their course. But every once in a while, you come across that one jerk. He's not even looking at you with so much as a fake smile. He takes your money, gives you your ticket and doesn't even give you a chance to pick it up before he's shouting "Next!" while looking annoyingly around you to get to the next guy. I'd like to replace that stick with my golf umbrella...and then open it.

2. The starter and the guy inside are sharing the same stick - I understand that your job as a starter may be boring, but try to show at least a bit of enthusiasm! Cut away from the conversation your having with your buddy for a few seconds and acknowledge me. Say good morning. Make a comment about the weather. Ask if I've ever played here before. Tell me something about the course. What's the pin placement? Anything specific I should know? Got any tips? Something! Again, this is pretty rare, but it happens.

3. A lack of water on the course - Look, golf is obviously a summer sport. In the summer, it's hot and often humid. I bring a bottle of water or a sports drink with me every round. But depending upon how hot and humid it is, that drink may be gone by the fourth or fifth hole. The least you could do is, every several holes or so, put out a big container of water. Let me refill my bottle as often as possible. Don't force me to spend money at the turn on something you should provide for free. I mean, I'm not asking for an 800 ml bottle of VOSS here! Just fill up a container with some ice and tap water, and that's good enough to get me through. I promise I'll spend money on beer in the 19th hole!

4. Where the hell is the MOFOBETE?! - This one is almost as bad as the lack of water. Normally, I don't purchase anything from her anyway, unless we're plagued by gripe #3. But it annoys the hell out of me when the first time I see the MOFOBETE is on hole #15. I want to start screaming - "I'm almost done now! Where have you been all day?! There's no freakin' water out on this course! I could have used you eight holes ago!! It's 97 degrees out here!! We started out as a foursome but two of our guys passed out on the eighth tee from heat exhaustion and dehydration! I swear I'm going to go inside and report this to the course mana...hey, are those Hondurans?...I'll take two...and a Miller Lite."

5. Somebody get me a ranger! - I'm not one to complain all that much about slow play...as long as it's not TOO SLOW. I'll never quite understand the huge rush to get your round done. I mean, golf takes some time to play, it's not a race. Relax and enjoy the day. I don't need to finish my round in under four hours. If I do, that's great. But if not, it's OK - as long as I'm not sitting and waiting on every hole. But inevitably, at some point you're going to catch up to the group in front of you. And every once in a while, you'll come across the group looking to get into the Guinness Book for the longest golf round ever. And, of course, a ranger is nowhere to be found. Stinky Golfer Greg often says people just taking up the game should be taught golf etiquette before they are taught the actual rules. This group is living proof of that statement. All it takes is one or two guys to keep an eye out and make sure golfers aren't simply wasting every one else's time. If they spend ten minutes looking for their ball in the trees, that's eight minutes too many. Taking too much time to fish their balls out of the water? Hey, move it along pal. He doesn't need to be R. Lee Ermey, but there needs to be a ranger or two who can, at the very least, keep the game moving.

6. What's with the chain-link fence? - For your own purposes, the fence can be replaced with basically any eyesore. The point here is, I can be playing a great round on a beautiful track with fantastic views. But there's going to be something that sticks out like a sore thumb that you'll remember more than any of the good stuff. Be it a chain-link fence, some power lines running over a fairway or a giant net from the driving range running parallel to the second hole. Either way, it'll leave you wondering where the design flaw was. Did the designer take a day off? Did he leave that part to the intern? Whatever the case may be, I'm sure it could have been a little more well though out.

Again, chances are none of these are going to ruin my day. But they will often times leave a bad taste. Especially if I'm spending well above average money. I understand that, most times, you get what you pay for. So when these occurrences happen at some of the more hi-end courses, it sure does put a damper on the round.

What about anyone else? Speak up. Let's here some of your gripes. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way...

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Help! I Need New Golf Clubs!

So I have this set of golf clubs, right? Thing is, I've had these golf clubs for some time...going on twelve years now. Actually, it's the first set of golf clubs I had ever purchased when I was originally introduced to this great game.

The set came with irons three through nine, three woods (driver, 3 and 5) and a pitching wedge. Two of those woods (the driver and the three) are long gone...as is the wedge. The driver was once replaced with a nice Callaway Big Bertha. I lost the ability to hit that straight and it no sooner found its way to eBay. I replaced the wedge with one I received as a gift and added another one later.

Putters have come and gone. Bags have done the same. But what's remained consistent through all of the change surrounding them are my original irons and trusty five wood. They do the job, and my five wood off the tee is probably the most consistent club in my bag.

I want to sit here and say I have this emotional attachment to my clubs, and that's why I still have them. I want to say they are good enough for me and new clubs aren't going to make me any better or improve my game at all. I also don't want to lie. Neither of the two previous statements are true. I want new clubs. I need new clubs. I just can't friggin' afford them!

Now I know some of you are probably saying to yourselves the same things I've said to myself. "I don't need to spend $1,000 to get a good set of clubs" or "Just get a decent set of irons for now and worry about the driver and other stuff later." I've got that down. I've tried a bunch of clubs and have pretty much narrowed it to a few relatively affordable sets. The problem is...I still just can't friggin' afford them!

So my new quest has been to discover WHY I can't afford them. I've narrowed that down to three issues:

#1 - My own foolishness with my money:

A few years ago, I got into a car accident. I was uninjured, but my car was totaled. The other guy's insurance company however, did not want the car. So they offered me a nice amount of money to just keep it - an offer which I gladly accepted. The car was drivable, just a bit unattractive. But hey, it was paid off and the insurance company gave me more money to keep driving it! So I have this nice sum of money now. But instead of doing something responsible with it - like buying a new set of golf clubs - I decided to purchase a sports car that I had wanted for a few years. So now, terrible gas mileage, many high car payments and expensive maintenance bills later...I have no new golf clubs. Good job Chris.

#2 - My wife:

Hey guys...do any of these look familiar to any of you?

Well, for your sake...I hope not. But unfortunately, I'm sure they do. My wife calls them purses or pocketbooks. I call them the bane of my golf existence. My wife somehow believes they are necessary. I can understand they are necessary...in limited quantities. I do not understand why so many are necessary! At any point in the day, there are at least two of these in her car, several more in our bedroom, maybe one or two in the family room, and who knows how many in random closets throughout the house! The cost of these things interferes with the cost of my new clubs! How do I know how much they cost? I don't. But what I do know is I have to order Rosetta Stone to pronounce the names! That makes them too expensive. Honey, if you're reading this....we have to suspend your next purchase or two. You have enough. I need clubs. I'll bet if my clubs were made by some famous Italian fashion house I would have them by now! Of course, if that was the case...she would have taken up golf already.

#3 - My job:

See, the problem with my job is...I currently don't have one. I guess I don't really need to go into much detail here. The fact that I don't currently have a job is explanation enough. But, since roughly 1 out of 7 people in the country play golf, and 1 out of every 10 adults in the country are unemployed right now...I'm sure I'm not the only golfer currently dealing with this problem.

So there it is in a nutshell. Three reasons I have not purchased new clubs, and may not purchase them anytime soon. Getting a job would help. So if anyone is hiring, please hit me up. I'm willing to do just about anything if the pay is good enough, as long as it involves keeping my clothes on. It's not that I wouldn't take my clothes off for money....it's just that you don't want to see it. Trust me.

I just want new clubs.

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