From Fiat to Ferrari Part 4: How Much Is That ProV In The Window?

     I have to play ProV Titlists in order to play my best. At least, that's what the TV advertisements tell me. I have to do everything the TV tells me to do, right?  Do I really have to answer that?
     Yes, I have played ProV's and don't get me wrong--they are a fantastic ball and given the choice with unlimited amount of funds I would play them all the time. But, there is just something about playing a five dollar golf ball and losing it in the trees or in the lake. That concept just doesn't sit very well with me.  In fact, that bass that you hit on the head in the water hazard isn't very happy either.
It is my intention to stay out of bankruptcy court based on the golf ball I play.
     That is the great thing about golf.  There a lot of options out there in which to choose from. Titlist has a number of balls they make that are a whole lot less expensive than ProV's with similar play characteristics. I like the NXT Tour, although I have tried the Velocity and like it as well. It too is a less expensive ball. Besides, Titleist is not the only ball manufacturer. You don't have to stick with Titlist. Nike and Callaway have a fantastic line of golf balls and compare in price to Titlist. There are many outstanding golf ball manufacturers out there such as Bridgstone. Costco even has a new golf ball that is supposed to play like the ProV.  I have in fact played the ball and liked it. Needless to say, it is a whole lot less expensive than ProV's and cost about $15 a dozen in a two dozen pack.  Don't spread this around or say too loud, but I am kind of hooked on Precept Laddies.
      If you are new to the game, try the Top Flite brand or one on the less expensive brands.  There are many out there and most sporting goods stores have house brands. These brands will fit your needs quite nicely. I still love Maxfli, although the brand has been taken over by Dick's Sporting Goods. The bottom line is that most of these are great balls. You may also want to dive into the "used ball" or reconditioned ball barrel at your local sporting goods store or pro shop. I have found gold in these buckets.
      Golf is not expensive and you can have Fiat funds and still enjoy the game. Remember, golf is for everyone.

The tenth tee at Morro Bay. The course is not as expensive as Pebble Beach.

From Fiat To Ferrari--Part 3

     Will somebody please answer me this question? Does TaylorMade have to come out with a new $400 driver that's really not that much different from the one before every six months?  Do they have to do the same thing with new sets of irons with price tags in the thousands of dollars? The fact of the matter is that you don't have to have the newest and or the best to truly enjoy the game. As far as equipment is concerned is as expensive as you want it to be.
     I play with a Nike Sumo square driver, which I got as a tee gift when I played in a tournament. I was playing an Orlimar that I think I paid $100 for at golf pro shop and to me that driver was the greatest thing since sliced bread. But you never want to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially when that horse had a Nike driver in that mouth.  There is a back story to why I chose the Nike driver, but I won't get into that here but I did think that if I didn't like the driver I could always sell it on Ebay. I still am still after seven years playing that Nike driver. It works and I still hit it a long way. Free is good by the way.
     About twenty years ago I found that I was not playing as much golf as I used to. I decided that my MacGregor stiff shaft blade irons were becoming harder to hit. At that point, I made the decision to go to a mid-size headed iron which were more forgiving. They still had stiff shafts however as my swing speed didn't change that much. I had those irons for a very long time until my bad case of sciatica flared up. The time had arrived to look into graphite shafted irons which were supposedly easier on your back. Seven years ago I bought a new graphite shafted set of irons from a club maker I know. Guess what, those irons are still in my bag, except for the original seven iron that I lost. They are serving me well, so why change. The irons cost me $200 not the $800 Nike wanted or the $950 that TaylorMade wanted.
     By the way, if you do want to spend that kind of cash on TaylorMade or Nike check out the golf shops or sporting goods stores. You can find some great bargains on new clubs that were last month's model. Its kind of like going to a car lot and buying that BMW you always wanted but couldn't afford the newer model. You can get a great deal on last year's model at a fantastic discount. Oh, and don't forget Ebay or Craig's List.  There are some great bargains on clubs out there if you know where to find them.
      As I have said in Parts 1 and 2, its your option as to how expensive this game is to play.  Its totally up to you and you can stay within a reasonable budget. There is much more that can be said about the game and how expensive it can be but doesn't have to be. The choice is your's my friend. I will have more about this in my next post.

Yep, that's the old Orlimar. I gave it to my son-in-law. Hmmm...I was a bit heavier there.

From Fiat To Ferrari--Part 2

    Golf is too expensive, or so the critics of the game say.  That may be true to some extent, but it truly depends on how you look at the game and it's costs. The choice is your's my friend. The good news is that you don't have to buy the Ferrari or settle for the Fiat. Where you play and how much you pay in green fees is a big part of golf's expense.  You don't have to play an expensive golf course to enjoy playing the game.
     I generally play at a good municipal or nearby public course. My green fees rarely exceed $40, even for weekend play. Watching the tee time booking sites such as GolfNow can also reduce the cost of the game as far as green fees. Most courses have email mailing lists which let golfers know of reduced green fees and other specials. If you watch and pay attention, finding a course to play that is fun can challenging can be very reasonable.
     By the way, not all golfers play at private country clubs. Speaking of country clubs, membership pricing can vary as well depending on the membership you want. Yes, this is the "high end" of the spectrum as far as play is concerned but even this varies. Shinnecock Hills in the New York area carries a higher cost of membership than does Merced Country Club in Merced, California. There is no way I can afford The Olympic Club in San Francisco, California but I can almost swing Belmont Country Club in Fresno, California. Location is very important and private clubs do have different membership plans should that be your choice.
    For the longest time when it was just me playing golf in my family, I was very happy playing the local muni. It is a great track and very challenging test of golf which given the amount of play it gets it is always in great shape. My daughter took up the game as did my son and it became cheaper to join a local semi-private course. For me, given the costs involved it was more cost effective to join the semi-private club. This was a matter of choice and not a matter of status. As far as the quality of golf and the service, if it was just me playing I would have been very happy to have stayed at the muni.
     Variety is also the spice of life. As a golfer I have played a lot of courses, from the very inexpensive to the very cheap. Each was an enjoyable experience mostly. Yes, I admit to playing Trump National Los Angeles--OK, I admit to cheating on that one because the round was comped and I was on assignment with a golf magazine--but I have also played Fresno Airways which is an inexpensive muni. Each course I play has it's own quirks, character and charm and although some were designed by the same designer they are all different as well as unique. They don't have to be expensive either.  
     I am very fortunate to live in a part of California that is rich in golf courses.  There are several fine courses within forty five minutes to an hour from my home and the Monterey area is only two hours away. Yes, I do take that two hour drive maybe twice a year to enjoy the courses in the Monterey area.  I can't affort the $600 green fee at Pebble and there is no twilight rate.  However, I can play either Bayonet or Blackhorse for around $70 during the week, and they occasionally run a special. If that is too rich for my blood, I go to "The Poor Man's Pebble Beach" and that is Pacific Grove which sits directly on the ocean and green fees are below $60 with cart even on the weekends. If I am still in a budget crunch and want to play in Monterey, I play Monterey Pines which is a wonderful course that is always in excellent shape and the green fees are generally under $40 even on weekends.  Pacific Grove and Monterey Pines do have twilight rates which makes the courses even more affordable.
     The bottom line is that the golfer can choose how expensive or how thrifty they want to be as to the green fee. There are some great courses out there with a whole spectrum of green fees from the extremely expensive to the downright cheap. By the way, some of those "cheap" courses can be as exciting, fun and beautiful as the expensive ones so please keep that in mind as well. The options are endless and can range from Fiat to Ferrari. I'm kind of a Chevrolet man myself.

Paso Robles Golf Course has some great holes like this par 3. It is an inexpensive course and fun to play.

From Fiat To Ferrari

   Golf is an expensive sport.  Sure golf is expensive if you are buying ProV1 golf balls, playing top of the line TaylorMade or Nike clubs and Pebble Beach is the only course you play. But golf is not like that. It may seem so to the average non-golfer, but we who play our sport know better. In fact as far as costs, golf can be very affordable.
     Most critic's exposure to the game is from television and tournament golf. They see the well manicured courses which few of can play by the way because they are very exclusive. On stage are the touring pros, dressed in their expensive golf attire, which they don't pay for and is supplied by their sponsors.They play top of the line expensive equipment and balls, also supplied by their sponsors. What critics don't  realize is that this is just a small snippet of what golf truly is.
     Golf is a game of options, especially in the realm of costs. You don't always have to go for the most expensive or that which is advertised the most. There are always an options. Whether it is equipment, clothing or courses you always have many options from extremely expensive to downright bargain basement--literally. The most expensive may not always be the best.
     You can go to the pro shop at Pebble Beach and buy whatever you need to play the game.  I will let you in a a secret.  You are going to pay a premium price.  Another option is to go to Good Will or ther thrift stores and search for you golf needs. It can be done. Granted the merchandise is going to be used but it all depends what you are looking for. What is great about this game is you can find what you need to play this game at just about whatever price point you want or can afford.   I have purchased expensive souvenirs from the Pebble Beach Pro Shop but I have also searched Good Will for hidden treasure and have found some. There are a lot of options depending on what you want to do. The game doesn't always have to be expensive.
     The same holds true for golf courses and the places you play the game. It was my pleasure to be able to play Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles. It was a beautiful and scenic course overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Palos Verde, California.  Yes, it was expensive at $395 for green fees--I cheated and played it for free because I was on assignment from a magazine.  It would have been worth the $395 just for the views and the course wasn't that shabby either. It's not something I would do everyday because of the expense.  I play at my local course where the green fees are much more reasonable and the course has a $15 twilight rate.  I think that you may agree that green fee is very affordable.  Again, its a choice and the game can be very affordable.
     You really do have options in golf that are from Fiat to Ferrari.  Join me in my next post as I go into this with more detail.

Trump National Los Angeles--Definitely a Ferrari

In My Opinion: Addendum

 You probably saw the golf balls in my last post that were skydiving. If you noticed, none of them had parachutes.  Think about that for a minute. I want to say that none of the golf balls were hurt in any way and are now having a beer in the skydiver's lounge. Remember, golf balls bounce and even from the altitude that they jumped out of the helicopter, they bounced when they hit the ground. That is part of the fun for them. So those of you who are golf ball protectionists, don't get angry. The balls do this all the time. Here is a picture of them returning to earth.

See, they bounce. They also land on nice soft grass.

Why I Am Not Playing Golf Or Posting Tomorrow

     Golf is one of my fondest passions.  The game is part of me and has shaped much of my life.  I have learned many lessons from the high and low points that make up the golf experience.  Most of us who play know that it is more than a game, it is a metaphor for life itself. There is much that I have said and written about the game.  There is much more to come, but not tomorrow. I am not going to be playing golf tomorrow nor am I going to be able to post an entry to this blog. I will be doing something much more important which will totally take up my time tomorrow.
     Tomorrow is Tuesday, November 8th. It is the second Tuesday in the month of November and in most years that is not very special a day.  Most years it is just another Tuesday, just like the Tuesday before it.  This year things are different. This is Election Day, the day here in the United States of America we go to the polls and cast our votes for our elected officials and this year the vote is even more special because it is a Presidential Election Year which only rolls around every four years. Most Americans know this as do many around the world.  What many Americans don't realize is just how special this process is. They also don't realize the importance of this action and just how special a process this is. We get to vote, and I hope that if you are an eligible voter you have either cast an early ballot or are going to go to your polling place and vote on Tuesday.  I am.
     Tomorrow, I am not going to be playing golf nor am I going to be able to post.  I am posting this today because I am going to be a bit busy all day, beginning very.early in the day.  I am taking the voting process one step further. For the first time in my life, I will be working at a polling site assisting voters and insuring the voting process is kept free of corruption and working to keep the total integrity of the ballot kept intact. This is a very important piece of the elections puzzle as there is much work to be done running an election. Its easy to cast your ballot, but what happens to your ballot after it is cast is important and your vote must be insured its integrity. I am excited to be a part of that process, my participation in the voting process being more than just going to the polls and voting. I have volunteered to be a poll worker.
     This election is historic, for a number of reasons. We will be electing a new President here in the U.S. and the world will be watching. Who I support for that office is basically none of your concern and I get to choose. That is the beauty of all this. We do this individually and in secret. This election is not only who will be President, but who we elect as our leaders from the national scene--President and Congressional-- all the way down to the local levels of Mayor. In California, we have a direct say as to how the state is governed through our ballot initiative process and there are some very important ones on this year's ballot.
      If you are an American citizen exercise your number one right and VOTE!

VOTE!

In My Opinion-You Wanted It, Now You Got It

  I have thought long and hard about what I am going to comment on.  I have been given a very important task, commenting on an issue that effects our game. Are you ready for it.  I want you to read my words and contemplate what I have to share with you. Think long and hard on this friends. The opinion I am about to express is directly related to the very foundation of our game. Here it is.  The golf ball is very important to our game. That's a pretty profound statement, isn't it?
     Without the ball, our game would be nothing. When the game first began over 500 years ago, it was little more than shepherds on the coast of Scotland would hit rocks around pastures with sticks and try to get that rock into a hole a distance away.  It was found that rocks were very inconsistent in their size and shape, as well as their tendency to break the favorite "goff sticks" of the shepherds. Not only that, they didn't roll well on the beautifully manicured greens.
     Something had to be done. Let's see, what do we do.  I know, let's take a small leather pouch and fill it with a top hat full of feathers then sew the pouch up and hit the crap--uh, feathers--out of it. That makes a lot of sense. I always wondered how they got all those feathers into that pouch. This was the introduction of the golf ball.
     The ball evolved from that leather sack of feathers. A rubber ball was introduced.  Knobs were added to the ball to give it a better flight. The ball's design changed and became a true ball that had a small liquid or solid center that was wrapped in rubber bands with a thin rubber outside cover with dimples to make it fly better. These balls had very good senses of humor and were very quick to detect bad swings. After about four holes the showed that sense of humor by smiling back at you. I think I still have a couple of those balls and they are still laughing at me.
     Then came the ultimate design, the solid ball. In my formative years of playing golf, I used to play solid balls and was laughed at. Now, that is the way the ball is designed. They can make a solid ball behave anyway designers want it to with their three, four, five, six or twenty-eight layers using different types of high technology polymers. I think I even saw a ball sing a Willie Nelson tune they are getting that technologically diverse.
      In my opinion, a ball has to be round, hard and have dimples.  The ball is a key part of our game. Now there, is that enough of an opinion for you.

All those balls that were laughing retired and took up skydiving.

In My Opinion

  My partner says that he wants a more content rich posts from me.  He would like me to write more about significant issues that face our wonderful game and what my opinion is toward that issue. He knows that I can do better than writing the drivel that I have been posting so I have decided to take up his challenge. Here goes.
      Let's see, what do I write about?...Hold on, I
hope you are patient.  This may take a while.

I'm thinking long and hard on this one.