Book Review: Straight Down the Middle

Within the confines of our own minds, a whole bunch of sh*t can happen to screw up your golfing ability. It is within this realm that Josh Karp writes Straight Down the Middle, his new book from Chronicle Books LLC.

The author tells me; "The basic idea is, can inner peace lower my handicap, or will lowering my handicap help me find inner peace?"

You may have heard of this mystical golf notion before - if you're familiar with books like "Golf in the Kingdom" or movies like "The Legend of Bagger Vance" - that we all have our real (or authentic) swing hidden inside us somewhere, and we just need to step aside (mentally) and let it take hold. If we can achieve that, *POOF* we become better golfers. Sound ridiculous?

Well, a few years ago, Mr. Karp decided to embark on a two-year journey he hoped would not only help him find his authentic swing, but perhaps his spiritual path to boot. Married and in his late thirties, with 3 kids, another on the way, and a handicap pushing 20, Mr. Karp was a anxious man wrestling with his own thoughts.

His free time was consumed with baseball stats (hugh White Sox fan), golf and finding ways to channel his mental activities so he could relax. Convinced his worrying (a constant struggle to accept his own mortality) was affecting his golf game, he enlisted the help of various golf gurus that had backgrounds in (mostly) Zen Buddhism. Straight Down the Middle is about this journey.

Like many journeys, it's filled with success, failure, frustration, and jubilation (after more success). I rejoiced every time Mr. Karp's game improved after visiting a golf guru...and felt utterly disappointed when that initial success was short lived. I admired his openness to learn unique and sometimes unorthodox techniques and sympathized with his struggle to overcome his own internal demons.

There were times in the book when I'd become frustrated at Mr. Karp's overanalyzing of what seemed like every situation; his terrible habit of worrying about...well, everything; and his overall anxiety in general. But when I finished the book, I realized those passages were necessary to show just how far he had come to finding inner peace both on the course and in his daily life.

Straight Down the Middle is well-written, humorous and extremely fascinating. But what's great about Mr. Karp's book is it's applicable to any golfer at any skill level. You don't have to be a Buddhist (or be in the process of converting to one) to appreciate and apply some of the ideas (and they're mostly ideas, not swing tips) you'll find within its pages.

Thus, when I played my first round after reading it, I found that Straight Down the Middle had given me a very refreshing ability: I seem to no longer fret over my duffs and shanks and flubs. What's more, it helped me cut through all the BS and let me just play. It's all clear to me now: Golf is a game that can provide unlimited happiness in your life...if you'd just let it.

You can purchase your copy of Straight Down the Middle by Josh Karp HERE.

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When Is It Too Hot To Play Golf?

Monday afternoon, stinky golfers Greg, Pete and I were making our way through a round of 18. We're somewhere on the back nine when Pete, after pushing a putt left of the cup, exhaustively states "It's too hot to miss."

Too hot to miss. That statement got a chuckle out of Greg and I. But, after I thought about it for a second, I came to realize that, at the time, truer words had never been spoken.

Here in Connecticut, we are in the midst of a record-breaking heat spell. We're talking triple digits here. I'm not sure what the "official" temperature was, but I know the thermometer in my car hit 100 around 4:30 that afternoon, and the thermometer outside a local bank read 102 about the same time of day. So what could the temp have been around 1 or 2 o'clock? Bottom line, it's hot. So, as far as Pete's comment, is it too hot to miss...maybe it's simply too hot to golf?

There comes a time every golf season when the mercury drops a bit too far down the ladder for golf. It's an individual preference, but for me, that point is about 50 degrees. Once the temp drops below that 50 degree mark, golf will not happen that day for me. But I never thought about the other end of the spectrum. At what point is it too hot for golf?

Normally, I don't take a cart. I like to walk the course. But I've made a personal rule; at 90 degrees, I take a cart. At that mark, I've decided, it's too hot to walk. However, I've never set a mark where it's just too hot to golf at all. Though I may have reached that point yesterday.

Riding the course sure does take a load off. But on a 100-degree day it made almost no difference. By the time I was midway through the back nine, I was toast. I stayed hydrated - two 20 oz. Gatorades and three 20 oz. waters - but I would immediately sweat out everything I put in. The only cure would have been an IV. But has anyone ever tried teeing off with a tube in their arm? Me either, but I'd imagine it's pretty challenging.

So I'm implementing a new personal rule. I now have a 50 degree temperature range within which the sport of golf will occur in my life. I'll call it "The 50-degree rule." When the temperature drops below 50 degrees or rises above 100 degrees, I will not golf that day.

Does anyone else get this idea in their head? At what point is it too hot or too cold for your golfing preference? Or, does it not matter to you? Will you play in freezing temps if the opportunity is there? Would you carry a personal air conditioner if you could just to play golf that day?

Let us hear from you. How does the temperature affect your golfing decisions?

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The Declaration of Golf Independence

When on the golf course, it becomes necessary for average hacks to reject the madness of traditional golf doctrine, and to assume among the powers they have within themselves to cast-off the shackles that cloud their judgement on the first tee, a decent respect to the opinions of fellow golfers requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the rejection.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that not all golfers are created equal, that some are endowed by their Creator with certain unimaginable talents, that among these are scratch handicaps, 300-yard drives and backspin on the greens. Because some golfers were born with these talents, it does not mean anyone can derive awesome golf powers merely on the advice of a superior player. That whenever any golfer (or equally, any golf publication) becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the average hack to ignore it, and to institute his or her own golf philosophies, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety (as well as the safety of those in their foursome) and most importantly, their happiness.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that long established golf traditions should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that average hacks are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the zany golf gadgets which are forced upon them.

But when a long train of tips and swing advice, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a feeling of insurmountable odds, it is the average hack's right, it is their duty, to throw off such golf rhetoric and confusing nonsense, and to provide new ideals for their future golf contentment.

Such has been the patient sufferance of many average hacks; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to stray from their former sources of golf incertitude in an effort to obtain golfing bliss. The history of traditional golf opinion is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over so many golfers across the globe.

We, therefore, the representatives of average hacks everywhere, appealing to the golf masses of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good golfers of these lands, solemnly publish and declare, that average hacks are, and of right ought to be free to stink if they want to; that they do not always have to keep their heads down; and that they may take as many Mulligan's as they wish (so long as they do not hold up the group behind them). Thus, average hacks have full power to enjoy golf in whatever form they desire, and to do all other acts and things which independent golfers may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our camaraderie, our greens fees and our sacred honor of hitting it straight when everyone is watching us on the first tee.

Play Golf, Be Happy, Yell Fore.
-Golfstinks Team

Note: Obviously, this is a golf parody of the original Declaration of Independence. We thought it prudent to publish such a parody on this July 4 to help speak for the so many frustrated average golfers out there who are overwhelmed with golfing tips and swing advice. Golf doesn't have to be frustrating and it's OK to stink - trust us, you're not alone. Happy Independence Day.

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Golf Dude In The Basement

In my pursuit to find anything unorthodox and interesting in the golf world, I've come across something that normally we do not write about - swing/golf lessons.

You see, Golfstinks' mission is to unite the average golfer and provide a community for them, not necessarily tell them what they should do on the course. In this instance though, Golf Dude In The Basement presents helpful insight to improving your golf game without really telling you what to do. Weird, I know.

GDIB's approach to game improvement takes a different angle than the keep your back straight-shoulder facing the target- knees slightly bent- BLAH BLAH BLAH generic formula to play better golf. One of the Dude's (as he refers to himself) theories is to hit the ball the way you want to hit it. In one of his episodes he talks about Ben Hogan and his swing. He said Ben Hogan swung the way he did out of motivation...he had to make a living. Hogan didn't work on his swing for hours and hours. He hit balls for hours and hours with his swing because that's what worked for him.

Very interesting, just get out there and play. I can dig that! If Ben Hogan supposedly had the perfect swing than how does someone like Jim Furyk with his funky swing play on the tour and win? Because Furyk's swing works for Jim Furyk. He hits the ball the way he wants to hit it. The more I think about it the more I like the concept. A simple no BS way to attack the game.

When you get a chance, head on over to Golf Dude In The Basement and check him out for yourself. As always, hit'em long...yell FORE!

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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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Custom Fitting Golf Clubs: Worth It?

I'm approaching a very special time in the career of a golfer, and I want to share it with everyone. It wouldn't be fair to keep such a joyous occasion to myself. I need to tell everyone about the next step in my golfing life.

You see, I'm finally putting down my off-the-shelf clubs (the same set I've been playing with since I took up the game), and getting myself fitted for a new set!

Once again, I have my wife to thank. For the umpteenth time, via the benefits of her place of employment, she has come through with something to benefit me. You see, I've mentioned previously that she works for a company that manages or owns several golf courses throughout the state. So I'll be headed to their top course to meet up with the pro who will promptly measure me up! It's a combination Fathers Day/Birthday gift...and a damn good one at that!

Now, as excited as I am for this, I also have no idea what to expect or what to look for. I'm sure the pro is going to help me understand those things, but it's still a funny feeling. So I have a few questions with which some of you in the golf blogosphere may be able to help me out?

1. What exactly am I looking for? What I mean by this is, how do I want to feel with these clubs in hand? Should I feel like I'm holding something as light as a feather or something of significant mass? Should I feel like I'm holding anything at all or should I feel as if it's simply an extension of my arms?

2. In my club shopping, swinging and testing-out of clubs, I've become a bit partial to a brand or two. But what happens if I've tried out a few and decide on one, but once it's custom fit to my specs, I no longer like the feel of it? Is there a possibility of that happening? One would have to think so. It's like if I was to test-drive a new car, decide I like it, and have something on it customized. Then, once I get it out on the road, it feels different due to the customization and I don't like it as much. Has anyone ever heard of this happening or experienced it for themselves?

3. Is it worth it to do this at all? I mean, I'm getting a relatively large break on the cost of all of this, but it's still not going to be cheap. Is a nice set of custom-fit clubs that much better than a nice set of off-the-shelf clubs? Especially considering I'm a stinky golfer? It's something to think about.

Keep in mind, if not for my wife's connection, this is something I likely would never do. I honestly never really cared about getting custom-fit clubs. As a matter of fact, I find it quite humorous that so many people who are not professional players, and never will be, spend the money to do this. So for a player of my caliber...I find it to be absolutely absurd!

I suppose I don't understand it because I don't take the game as seriously as many others do. Now don't take that statement the wrong way. I very much enjoy playing the game. I also very much enjoy playing softball every Tuesday night, but I'm not about to go spend several hundred dollars on a custom bat, or have a custom glove tailored to my hand! So why do it for golf?

Well, the answer is, I wouldn't. But I have the chance to do it now for less than what I was planning on paying for a nice set of off-the-shelf clubs. So that puts me in a different position. I would almost be foolish to NOT do this, right?

So next weekend holds the big day. Provided I can find a bit of free time, I'll be in the pro shop, likely asking these same questions. If anyone can give me any insight before going in, it would be very much appreciated!

Afterward, give me some time with the new clubs and give me a chance to see how much difference they make and if they are, in fact, worth it. I'm sure I'll then follow up with my verdict.

Related Posts:
The Process Of My Custom Club Fitting
Judging My Custom-Fit Clubs

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Softball is Killing My Golf Swing...and I'm Cool With It

My softball team stinks. Seriously, we have just one win on the year compared to 8 losses. Last night, we had our proverbial asses handed to us 22 - 0 by the third-place team in our league. Twenty-two to nothing! How do you not score a run in softball? Mercifully, we were mercy-ruled in the fifth inning.

In the fourth, the other team scored 11 runs (which made it 22 - 0). The second-to-last batter up that inning actually tried to get out on purpose! He lazily swung at the 0-1 offering and tapped it back to our pitcher...who promptly let it slip through his legs.

During that fourth inning, I stood there at shortstop, vaguely aware of the train of players running past me to third and then to home. I was zoning out; my mind elsewhere as a Keystone-Cop routine was unfolding among my teammates around me. While they were chasing, booting and dropping softballs all over the field, I was two days in the future; in the middle of a fairway staring-down a 130-yard approach to a small green and well-positioned pin.

It was a happy daydream...until I took my swing. For some reason, I was using a baseball grip and I lined the ball into the left woods. No doubt it would have been a sharp single in the game I was actually playing, but in my golf dream-sequence, it was OB and a two-stroke penalty.

Now don't get me wrong, I like softball. But I couldn't help thinking in that moment; is it worth ruining my golf swing over? I was asked to join this softball team mid-season last year and only played 6 games with them (they were terrible then too). I played baseball as a kid, but stopped after Babe Ruth league so I could join my high school golf team. When I got older, I always avoided playing softball in fear of it screwing up my golf swing (though Stinky Golfer Chris has played softball for years and doesn't really complain about it messing with his swing).

Anyway, I threw caution to the wind and decided to play a full softball season this year. After all, I hadn't noticed much of a change on the links at the end of last season, but this year my golf game has really slipped (my average is down about 4 or 5 strokes). I can't help but wonder if it's all due to my softball swing? I've searched online for an answer and the majority of people say the two swings can have adverse effects on each other (coincidentally, serious softball and baseball players worry that golf will damage their baseball swings).

Here's the thing though; I'm not sure I care anymore! Sure I want to play better golf, but let's face it; I'm not qualifying for any tours in the near future. I've spent most of my adult life playing one sport; never letting myself indulge in any other sport in fear I may compromise my golf game in some way, shape or form. Well, not anymore. I think I'm just going to have to deal with losing a few strokes off my golf game - or, if it really matters to me, start going to the range more so I can curb the effects from my baseball swing.

I love golf, but we've all heard the saying "act your age." That being said, I think it's time I started acting like the average hack that I am - which means not taking my flubs and duffs too seriously and for goodness sake, not worring about losing my golf "touch" on the softball diamond (even if my team is the Bad News Bears reincarnated).

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The Lazy Person's Ideal Golf Course

Do you find yourself taking the elevator instead of the stairs even though the building is two floors? Will you watch something on TV you don't want to just because you're on the La-Z-Boy and the remote is out of reach?

As America gets lazier (so says medical and health officials) and technology improves, I figured I would present a few ideas that would make a lazy golfer's round more accommodating by combining technology with laziness.

1. Concierge - What other amenity adds class and lets you be carefree than a concierge? You call them, tell them you want to play at whatever time and voila, easy as that. They make sure every thing is ready when you come, such as...

2. Curbside Check-In - part of the concierge's duties is to have an attendant ready with a golf cart at your spot in the parking lot. Who the heck wants to walk to the club house anymore? How can you avoid going into the clubhouse to check-in and pay? Technology, my friend, something along the lines of this...

3. Golf Cart 2.0 - You've parked and there waits for you a technologically advanced cart with GPS and a touchscreen display on a secured wireless network. From this display you can pay for the round and it's a digital scorecard to boot. It would be silly if that's all this thing did...glad you asked. Here's what else:

• Order food or beverages from the touchsreen display and have the MOFOBETE deliver it to wherever you are. Thanks GPS!


• Want a cigar or sun tan lotion? No worries, just like the food and drinks, order it on your wireless touchscreen display and within minutes the delivery hits your cart. GPS, you're the best!
  
  
• Left a club, club head cover or your weed stash behind? Fear not! Punch that in to GC 2.0's computer and out come the hounds. Soon enough a Go-Fer will show up with your belongings. Unless some greasy scumbag behind you scoops your goods. GPS...you got the picture.
  
  
• And yes, this will also give you distances to the green and what not. Hey, maybe even the pro's tip for that hole.

We could go into further detail but that would require more work (hence making me a hypocrite seeing that this is about being lazy). Not for nothing but I think I'm on to something here. It's kind of funny though, working so hard to design something to be so lazy...

Hit'em long, yell Fore!

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Do Starters Hate You? Golf and Being Late

I'm not going to lie to you; I try to arrive at the course with as little time to spare before my tee-time as possible. I have to admit, this approach has gotten me into trouble in the past.

To make matters worse, I play different courses all the time, so I'm never quite sure how the course employees are going to react. I once arrived 10 minutes before my time and was grilled by the pro-shop attendant that I should be waiting on the tee 10 minutes before my time instead of just walking in to pay my greens fees!

There's also been numerous times when I've called the pro-shop from the road to let them know I was going to miss my time. In most cases, the courses accommodate my belated arrival by letting a few groups go ahead of me. But other times I'm not so fortunate - forced to wait (at least on one occasion) for more than three hours till the morning times had all gone off.

Stinky Golfer Chris (a self-proclaimed king of tardiness) makes me look like an early bird. Many times Chris will come strolling down the cart path to the first tee (much to the chagrin of the annoyed starter) just as the group ahead of us is about to hit their second shots in the fairway. I think I'll start bringing extra cash to pay for Chris so he can bypass the pro-shop altogether (don't worry, I'll make sure he pays me back; unless of course, he wins the Nassau bet).

This all being said, I rarely have time to putt on the practice green (much less hit balls on the range). Sometimes my greens fees include a bucket of range balls. On these rare occasions, I'll try and get to the course with enough time to take advantage of this freebee - but I probably shouldn't even bother; it never seems to help me anyway.

The putting green evokes similar apathy. If I show up with more than 10 or 15 minutes to spare, I will reluctantly pull out a few balls, extract my putter from my bag and wander over to it unwillingly. I'm apathetic because I know this will inevitably screw up my putting (after playing for over 20 years, my putting stoke mostly works from memory - any tinkering usually results in only short-lived success).

Anyway, I've been around the game long enough to realize golf and being late don't mix. Yet, my foursome continues to push the patience of starters and pro-shop guys everywhere. Are we bastards? Probably. But for the most part, we arrive with enough leeway to tee-off at our assigned time (stress and anticipation of when Stinky Golfer Chris will arrive aside). Is that bad?

So let's have it - tell us when you arrive at the course:

When Do You Arrive at the Golf Course?

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What's Your Favorite Golf Experience with Dad?

With all the wisdom of being an adult, it's so easy to see what golf and Father�s Day have in common. Take a second and think back to the days when you were little; Remember the times you spent with your father? Did you feel a closeness to him? Did he engage you with that fatherly camaraderie? I hope the answer is yes.

When I was young, dad introduced me to the game of golf in style: I got my own 30-year-old clubs with a 50-year-old bag that smelled like moth balls, exhaust and mildew (fairly typically, no)?

I would proudly pack my ancient tools in his trunk and he'd drive us to the local golf range. We'd split a bucket of balls and I would make a game out of it; seeing how many I could hit in a row, or how far I could hit them. I would run up to the ball and swing as hard as my little body could swing the club...only to see the ball bounce five feet in front of me! But that wouldn't faze me - with a smile on my face I would look up at him and say, "Hey dad, I hit the ball!" and his response was nothing but pride; "At 'a boy son."

When I got a little older, dad would help me with my swing, and teach me all the rules and etiquette. I remember one Father's Day in particular, when I asked dad to go golfing with me. It was a warm, sunny day - probably around 80 degrees with a slight breeze and (can you believe this?) no one on the course! When is there ever no one on the course? On a Sunday? On Father's Day no less???

Well, it truly was my father's day that day - he shot par; knocked in a shot from 50 yards; and sunk putts from 20 and 30 feet like he was a pro! Needless to say, he beat me by multiple strokes. After that, he took me out for food and ice cream. I may have been young, but I realized that day my dad was someone special - regardless of the fact he played so well. It's a realization that's never left me, and I'm glad golf was able help reveal it to me.

Happy Father's Day, and please share with us your favorite golf experience with dad.

- Tom Treloar, Co-founder: Golfstinks, LLC

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2 Days Left on our Caddyshack Blu-ray Giveaway on Facebook!

During the commercials of today's coverage of the US Open, hop over to Golfstinks' Facebook page and enter to win a free Blu-Ray DVD of Caddyshack!

All you have to do is put your favorite Caddyshack quote on our Facebook wall and you're automatically entered to win!

We're not just giving away 1 or 2 Blu-Ray DVD's - nor just 3 or 4 either. Nope, you have the chance to win one of 5 Caddyshack 30th anniversary Blu-Ray DVD's!

Enter to win HERE and enjoy the Open!

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