Golf On Super Bowl Sunday?

Well, that was my favorite day of the year. People always ask others, "What's your favorite holiday?" Generally I answer with Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas, depending upon...well, actually I don't know what it depends upon. My answer just tends to change. But I think I'm going to start being more consistent with my response. From this point on, my answer is going to be Super Bowl Sunday.

After all, I think more people celebrate, or gather for Super Bowl Sunday than any other holiday. People of all race, religion and sex celebrate the championship game of the greatest spectator sport going. Even people who aren't really into football are there for the celebration! And whether the game is competitive or not, it doesn't make a difference. My eyes are pretty much glued to the TV until the final whistle...and then some.

But even on Super Bowl Sunday, I'll still make some time for another love - golf. Not a real round, it's too cold for that and it takes too long. I can't have any potential interruptions to either the game or the preparations leading up to it. I'm talking about indoor golf. Or, more specifically, the golf simulator.
,br>Now, I've mentioned before that I believe the simulator is more of a giant game video game than it is a useful tool. It's inaccurate distance-wise, doesn't have a real "golf course feel" obviously, and I'm not sure how accurate it is a far slices and hooks. But that doesn't make it any less fun! And much like regular golf, that's all I'm really there for. So when the invitation was extended earlier in the week, I was in immediately.

But I think using the simulator is more than just a game too. It's a way to get a few swings in over the winter. It will help me to stay in "golf shape" so I don't hit the course next season looking like I've never swung a club in my life. But then I think to myself..."Who am I kidding? I don't really give a crap about that. I just want to play a big video game!" I've still got a whole lot of kid in my heart, so the simulator is right up my alley...and I'm not going to pass up the opportunity.

But...the tee-time was beginning to cut things a little close. After all, it is Super Bowl Sunday still. But for the golf simulator I'm willing to risk cutting into a little bit of prep time. We had to change the tee-time twice. One more change and I may have had to backout. I have also mentioned before, for me, golf takes a backseat to football. And that's real golf! The simulator has no chance!

But I was there. I was there on Super Bowl Sunday. On the greatest day of the year for sports fans, I made sure to squeeze in a little bit of golf. Even if it was just a video game, nonetheless, I was there...

Swing 'til you're happy!

Read more »

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!

Read more »

Black Friday

Now that we've given thanks, our attention has turned to the next big event - Black Friday. Not for nothing but, what a dismal name to unofficially kick off the holiday shopping season. I mean it sounds like a cursed day. No? I'm sure there are a ton of people out there shopping right now that think so.

Black Friday means more than watching two people fight over the last half priced Gucci scarf. Although it is quite entertaining, just like watching those midnight shoppers come out of the store at day break looking like extras from "Dawn Of The Dead". There is more to this day than just shopping, for me at least. It marks the end of my golf season here in the northeast.

I vote that this day be celebrated. We celebrate "ends" for other things i.e. Thanksgiving. Whereas if you didn't know, celebrates the harvest which is the end of the growing season. We celebrate retirement, the end of our working days (for the most part). We also celebrate New Years. Sure you can say that it is a celebration for the new year but we celebrate it on the last day. The end of the year. The New Years anthem, Auld Lang Syne, is written in past tense and doesn't really mention what's to come rather what has happened.

Golf courses should follow in the Black Friday tradition and offer great deals. Oh I don't know, greens fees half off maybe? Buy a round get one free perhaps...which is pretty much the same as half off. But you get the idea, right? There could be a closing ceremony in the 19th hole with ridiculous drink and food specials. A crazy band playing, people dancing on the bar, a few nut bags streaking on the 18th green. Oh man, it's gonna be great! Weather permitting of course. Who's with me?

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

Read more »

Golfing Thanks

November 20, 2011 - Leaner,
Hairier and Thankful.

I was eating dinner at a restaurant in Canc�n, M�xico one Thanksgiving (I know...of all the sacrilegious things an American can do) when a middle-aged English chap at the next table blurted-out in my direction; "I can tell by your accent that you're American, right?"

When I responded in the affirmative, he proceeded to ask the following question: "What's this whole Thanksgiving thing about anyway?" My tongue-in-cheek response was that we (Americans) were celebrating getting away from you (the British). On that note, we all had a quick chuckle, another sip of our Mojitos and then promptly got into an argument over turkey.

You see, he claimed that turkeys were native to England since (obviously and logically) "people have been eating turkey dinner on Christmas in England for hundreds of years." I, on the other hand, explained that turkeys were from the Americas and were brought over to England in the early 16th-century. On that point, we agreed to disagree.

But being away for Thanksgiving that year got me thinking about what this holiday really means. Sure, we all are thankful for our health, our family and the ability to put food on the table - these are all obvious things to be thankful for. But I'm not sure it really hits home until your health, someone in your family or that steady job goes away.

This year I've had some (albeit minor) health issues, to which I've taken steps to correct. But those issues kept me off the links for good amount of time - enough time to realize that golf (for me anyway) is a little bit of therapy - It's a reminder of all that's good in this world and if you can get yourself back out on the course, the healing process is complete (I'm sure Stinky Golfer Pete, whose health issues this season were far more serious than mine, would agree).

This past weekend, my healing process finished - I played golf for the first time in months. I played with my father, who at 76, hadn't hit the links in two years and wasn't sure he'd even be able to finish our 9-hole round (he would have been content to quit when he got tired and follow me in the cart for the rest of the round). Well, I'm happy to report he not only finished all 9-holes, but played better than expected to boot. As for me, I walked all 9 sans any gout pain in my foot. And I too shot better than expected (not my best round ever, but it could have been far worse).

So, as I settle in tomorrow to eat, drink and watch the Packers crush the Lions (and hopefully my Dolphins sneak past the Cowboys); I'll be thankful. Not just for my health or my family or even for golf. I'll be thankful for all of it.

Happy Thanksgiving.

And to our readers in the UK: Turkeys are as American as Pumpkin Pie (yes, pumpkins are from here too...).

Related Posts:
Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Thanksgolfing
Turkey on the Table and Clubs in the Attic

Read more »

Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Thanksgolfing

I love Thanksgiving. I love spending time with the family. I love stuffing my face so much that I struggle to keep my eyes open at the dinner table. I love no longer struggling to keep my eyes open on the couch after dinner. I love having turkey sandwiches for the next couple of days. It's an all around great time of year. The time of year to give thanks and appreciation to your friends and family.

But today I want to take the time to give more specific thanks. I want to take a moment to give thanks to everyone in my golfing life. I'll start with my wife.

I have many things for which I should give thanks to my wife. First off, thanks for using your work hook-ups to get me my new golf clubs! I'm looking forward to the chance to use them more often than I did this year.

Second, thanks again for using your hook-ups to get me and my buddies on to a few courses for some sweet discounts! There's nothing like playing a nice course for less than half price!

And third, thanks for not busting my stones when I golf rather than clean out the garage, mow the lawn or any other household chore that I should get done.

Thanks to Josh, my oldest, for using his birthday money to purchase his own set of clubs. By doing this, it gave me the chance to take him out for his first round. I hope it's the first of many.

A long overdue thanks to stinky golfers Greg and Dog for introducing me to this game all those years ago. If it wasn't for you guys, I may have never taken up golf and consequently, I would never have known what I was missing!

And last but not least, thanks to everyone who takes the time to read the ramblings we post here. Whether it's serious, comical or just downright nonsense, we thank you for appreciating and/or understanding exactly what we here at golfstinks are trying to do. Without you, there is no us.

This will be my last post before the holiday, so Happy Thanksgiving everyone, and thanks again for your much appreciated support.

Read more »