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 seing speed didn't change that much. I had those irons for a very long time until my bad case of sciatica flared up. I looked into graphite shafted irons which were supposedly easier on your back. About seven years ago I bought a new graphite shafted set of irons from a club maker I know. Guess what 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.
     There is much more that can be said about equipment and how expensive it can be but doesn't have to be. 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.
     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.
     The bottom line is that the golfer can choose how expensive or how thrifty they want to be as to the green fee. Those 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.

     
   

Golf Is Not Dead, It Is Surely Alive!!

     Golf is not dead.  Those that gave the game a premature funeral and thought that it was finished were badly mistaken. Golf is truly alive and well, as witnessed yesterday by Jordan Speith's win in Atlanta and his winning of the FedEx cup. After all, he is only twenty two years old.
     The game is on fire! There is a distinct youth movement in the game that will infuse the game with a new excitement. As I was watching the tournament yesterday at it's conclusion the commentators on NBC put up an interesting graphic. The top four players in golf today--Jordan Speith, Jason Day, Ricky Fowler and Rory McIlroy--are all under the age of thirty, with Speith being the youngest. That speaks very well for the game and how it is going.
     I remember yesterday one particular moment that occurred late in the tournament.  It didn't involve Jordan Speith.  Ricky Fowler, resplendent in his bright orange Sunday outfit, was playing a pitch shot from of the green. The shot he made was just short of a miracle and he pulled it off. The crowd went wild. What was fun to watch though was the crowd. The camera caught a young fan behind Fowler after Fowler had made the shot. The fan was no more than fourteen or fifteen years old dressed totally in burnt orange and wearing a Ricky Fowler orange Puma hat. After Fowler made the shot, the boy did a dance complete with the obligatory fist pump. It was quite a sight to see and after watching the telecast you couldn't help but notice the number of younger fans around the course accompanied by older adults together enjoying the action. There was an electricity in the air among the fans. This speaks volumes as to the health of the game.
     I remember quite clearly that before Tiger Woods burst onto the scene, critics were also saying that the game was dead and the game would never recover. They kind of got the reading of the tea leaves a bit wrong. With the Tiger Woods years golf saw probably the biggest world wide growth the game had ever seen.  He was young, and brought new life into the game as well as a player the likes of whom the game had never seen for quite some time. There were other stars as well such as  well such as Phil and Payne Stewart. The game was flourishing.
     Unfortunately Tiger has tarnished and has been found to be human.  Phil is getting older and we lost Payne in a horrible accident. We do have Bubba, but how exciting is Billy Haas? Enter Jordan, Jason, Ricky and Rory and the game once again becomes exciting. These guys are good, and there really isn't a dominant player like there was in the Woods era. Jordan Speith is on top, but he has some stiff competition.
     I apologize to the Christian Rock Band Newsboys for the shameful takeoff on the title of their hit "God Is Not Dead" but Golf is not dead, it is surely alive and well.

Rocco Mediate talking to and signing an autograph for a fan. This is great for golf and the new stars are good at this. 

From Fiat to Ferrari Part 1

     Golf is an expensive sport.  Sure 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 golf is expensive. 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, golf 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 by the way and is supplied by their sponsors, playing 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 is always an option. Whether it is equipment, clothing or courses you always have options. The most expensive may not always be the best.
     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

   
   
 

The Golf Course Travel Bag: Riverside In The Heat

Who Plays This Game Called Golf? Part 2

     Golf is a game for old rich white men--oh really? Come with me to the course where I play and it may change your mind.
     I play at a local course owned by the City of Fresno and operated by a golf course operations firm. There is nothing upscale here other than some great golf. It is an old "park style" course that was designed by William Bell, the same man who designed Torrey Pine in the San Diego area.  If fact, I have played Torrey Pines and it had the same kind of feel as does Riverside which is my home course.
     Riverside is an old course which opened in 1939 and is situated on the bluffs above the San Joaquin River outside of Fresno, California. The greens are very small and well bunkered with the fairways lined by tall mature trees. To play the course you will need every shot in your bag as the fairways are mogeled.  There is a huge lake that comes into play on the par four fourth hole and the par three fifth hole. Course maintenance keeps the course in very good condition for it being a municipal course and the amount of play it gets. Its a working man's course with green fees under $40 with cart but a good layout, fun to play and challenging to all players at any level.
     Who plays here?  It is a diverse bunch of men and women, boys and girls.  There is a huge group of Hispanic men--and women--who play Riverside. In fact, I have been asked many times to join the local chapter of MAGA--The Mexican American Golf Association--but haven't because of my health.  A good number of the players here are Black.  I have played in a couple of the money games that the Phillipino group plays, but I just can't afford the losses. That is a group that will make you laugh throughout the round as they quietly go about taking your cash. Many seniors play here as well, and the ladies group is alive and flourishing and just don't get into a money game with these fine ladies. Seniors, Juniors Ladies, Boys and Girls are welcomed enthusiastically.  
     Right now, it is the season for Girl's Golf in this area of California.  Many of the teams have their matches here and practice here as do the Boys during their season. Of course Riverside has a junior green fee as well as a senior rate and is the headquarters for the First Tee Program of Central California.

     So, do you really think that golf is a sport for old rich white men?  Come to Riverside and your perceptions and ideas may just be changed, and in a very big way.  Keep in mind that this is what golf really is all over the country.  Golf is for everyone!

The tenth at Riverside. As far as the back nine is concerned, let the fun begin!

Congrats Team USA In The Solheim

     I wasn't going to post today, but I wanted to congratulate Team USA in winning back the Solheim Cup.  Way to go ladies! It was a magnificent come from behind win and I am proud of the character of the US team, especially after yesterday's incident on #17 in the Pettersen-Lee match.
     I have a few things to say about that match yesterday. First, Suzann Petersen was well within her rights to challenge Alison Lee. Let's face it, the putt was not holed and there was no evidence that the putt was conceded. I feel sorry for Lee, but she is competing on a world wide, all the marbles stage and should have understood the consequences.
     The putt may have been conceded by the Europeans but there is no evidence that it was. Lee said that Pettersen had in fact conceded  and the putt was good, but again there is no proof. At an early age I was taught not to assume anything, especially in a world class golf match. Why didn't she just stop Pettersen as she was walking off the green and ask her if the putt was good. It only would have taken a moment.  In that case there would have been no doubt whether the putt was conceded.  The record would have been clear--case closed.
      I have played in many match play tournaments and have been called by my opponents on many things relating to the rules resulting in  lost holes because of this. It is part of the format. You have to be aware of your game and what is going on. If a putt is conceded or if there is any question on rules or whatever, you make sure you and your opponent are in agreement. A putt is not conceded unless you get a firm verbal agreement from your opponent. Alison Lee says that Pettersen conceded the putt. We will never know if that was the case. Isn't it better to ask your opponent and get a firm and confirmed answer to remove all doubt that to leave things open to discussion which cannot be confirmed?  Pettersen would have waited and the whole controversy would have been avoided.
     I feel sorry for Alison Lee, but she should have stopped and made sure. Again, Congratulations to the US Team on their victory and bringing the cup back home.

Short But Sweet

      I am sorry that this is not going to be a long post.  I will get right to it and here it is. I'm running late for my Saturday tee time so I have to run.  If you are playing today, enjoy your round and if you are not going to find yourself on a course, I feel for you. Golf is for everyone. I will have a post for you on Monday. See you soon and hopefully our paths will cross on the course.

I am ready to go back very soon.

The Golf Course Travel Bag: Castle Air Museum Open Cockpit Day

Who Plays This Game Called Golf?

     You don't know how many times I have heard critics who don't play the game say that golf is a game for old rich white men with too much time on their hands. It is very easy to criticize when you are on the outside looking in. Maybe television golf has perpetuated this by the tour playing on exclusive golf courses that the average person cannot play, and the athletes being mostly white.What critics don't realize is that TV tournament golf is only a minute fraction of what golf really is. Golf is a whole lot more than that and golf is for everyone.
     I recently visited with my daughter.  She plays golf and is in fact trying to get into the golf management program at The University of Nevada at Las Vegas. She is, and I am proud of this, an as we call in the game a "stick".  In fact, she is a big reason why my game is in shambles right now. She is 5'3" and pounds the ball. I try very hard to out drive her but I just don't hit the ball 270 plus. More and more women are taking up the game.
     My daughter used to work at a local driving range before she moved to Las Vegas. When I asked what she wanted to do during our visit she said she wanted to go to the range where she worked and hit a bucket as well as visit with old friends that worked there. Most of the people I also knew so we went to the range. It was like old home week. The owner of the range is an Asian fellow.
     I couldn't hit balls because of a temporary back problem, but my daughter did.  As she was hitting balls I took a look down the range, which was very busy on a Saturday afternoon by the way. Who was hitting balls practicing?
     As I looked down the range I was encouraged not only by the number of golfers, but by who they were. It was an extremely diverse group of people. Hitting next to us was a man and his girlfriend. The guy was an accomplished golfer but his girlfriend was a beginner.  There was a black man hitting about three stalls down, and in fact there were many black guys and a couple of black ladies practicing. Further down was another couple, who were hispanic hitting balls together. Both seemed to be very good as their swings gave them away and they were really clobbering the ball.    
     The number of kids on the range was a good sign to me.  There were boys and girls, with and without their parents. Some of the parents were also practicing, a couple of which were ladies that were without their husbands or were single.
     Many people criticize the game of golf as being a white elitist sport which is dying. These criticisms come from those who have never played the game or just don't get it. I totally disagree. The sport is alive and may be in a short pause, but it is not dying and is ready to explode again. It has been played for more than 400 years and will continue to be played.
. Golf is for everyone.  

It doesn't get any better.

We Are Up And Running!

     Golf is for everyone!  Welcome to the first post of our new blog site "Golf Is For Everyone". I am truly excited about this with our mission being very clear. We will grow the game of golf any way we can because golf is for everyone.
      Golf is a magnificent and ancient game. It has a rich history and is full of traditions that have lasted for centuries. It remains a challenge and unlike many sports, is ore than just a game. We will be focused on welcoming players to the game no matter what their level of play from beginner to seasoned pro. The game is for everyone, junior, families, seniors, adults, men and women as well as the disabled.
      I will cover all aspects of the game. Instruction will be a key part of this, as it is always great to learn how to play the game better. I travel a lot and play some great courses. My aim is to bring some of those courses and their beauty to you in word and pictures. There are a lot of human interest stories in the world of golf that need to be told. A great deal is happening now as far as golf news that is important to the game and the player. No matter what the topic, you will find it here.
      So, come help us grow the great game of golf because--Golf IS for everyone!

It doesn't get any better!

The Golf Course Travel Bag: Castle Air Museum Open Cockpit Day