Golf, A Game or a Sport?

That's the question.

Depending on who you are and how you think, you could answer either way and probably be right. Don't believe me? Well, let's look at both separately.

What is a game?

Most people look at a game as an activity of some sort that is a fun an enjoyable experience to share with others so something like that anyway...right. Disagree? Comment!

Here is the actual definition of a game:
a competitive activity involving skill, chance, or endurance on the part of two or more persons who play according to a set of rules, usually for their own amusement or for that of spectators

Interesting...the definition almost sounds like a sport.

Now, what's a sport?

I would say a sport is something definitely competitive and requires athletic performance. By athletic performance, I'm talking about a level of performance that not everyone can just decide to get off the couch one day and poof they're an athlete. I'm talking about athletic training, endurance, agility, etc.

Let's see what the actual definition of a sport is:
an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.

Ha ha...even more interesting. Golf is one of the activities actually listed in the definition itself.

I've always leaned more on the side of golf being a game rather than a sport. But....but...I would have to say that it does take an element of physical prowess referred to in the sport definition. And you do see the pros go through some athletic training and injuries and recovery from playing their "game". It's not a clear cut case I don't think.

What do you think?

WTF...Par 3 Biatch?!

So, I played 9 holes at an 18 hole course. Standard 72 par course. I scored a 49 on the front 9. Nice! It felt good too. Let me tell you. The problem is this...I went to a par 3 course a couple days later which are typically 9 holes as well. Hehum...I shot a 46. WHAT!!! A 46? On a par 3 course?

For those of you that aren't so good at math, allow me.

Par 3 course = 3 shots per hole with 9 holes total.... 3 x 9 = 27. To par the course, I would have had to shoot a 27. I shot a 46. That's not so good. Yuck!

Now, if we look at a typical 72 par course and I hit the front 9 holes. Assuming the front and back nine are scored the same... 72/2 = 36. To par the front nine, I would have had to shoot a 36. I shot a 49. Not great for some....but for me it's good.

It was a very disappointing day at the par 3 course to say the least. But, let's stay positive here...

The 18 hole course I played was Foster Golf Links. I did end up playing with my good friend who had never played before. She was soooo nervous going out there. I remember my very first time on the golf course. I was petrified too. Especially on the first tee. They call your name, and usually there are other groups waiting for their turn watching you with all their eyes watching every move. Ew! Shivers down the spine. But...we had all the odds in our favor. We were not paired up with anyone so that helps releave some of those nerves. And, there were no other groups standing by staring us down. Another huge help for the nerves.

First tee: I went first...hooked it. :( I dropped another ball and...hooked it again. Damn it! Perfect way to start off a day of golf. The friend bravely stood up to the tee box, placed her ball neatly on the brush tee, grabbed the driver and swung. Wholy freakin' shit! It went straight...right down the middle. Are you sure you haven't done this before...jerkface? JK. Love you T. :)

Okay so maybe I just needed to get warmed up. Ya, that's it. Warmed up. MmmmHmmmm. We found my balls, turns out they weren't so far gone. I recovered nicely and went on to have a pretty damn good golf experience. Sunk 2, count them...1.....2.....seriously long 1-putts. I didn't take out my measuring tape so I don't know exactly how long but one of them was in the rough grass surrounding the green. Yup....a ways. It was close enough to the green so I just whipped out my putter and went to it....oh my gosh....it's rolling straight for the hole....oh my... !@# it went in. Or, it almost went in. Well, the stupid flag was still in there so it ended up bouncing off of the flag and resting right by the damn thing. We counted it as going in...so there!

Here are a couple pictures. This is my first timer friend. Looks like she got the hang of it.

Here is some of my handy work. It was actually a good drive. It just took a few minutes to find the tee because it came up with the divot and flew about 15 feet landing upside down.



Here's me and my lovely set up.

Lovely Golf

My first real golf outing of the year and it was LOVELY. I admit it fully right here and now...I love golf. I love everything about it.

1. I love being outside on the beautiful courses.
2. I love the sparrows dive bombing me in the spring.
3. I love the frosty ground in the early spring and late fall.
4. I love the sweaty golf in the summer when I get to wear my golf skirts. Yes, I have golf skirts. I love those too, and my golf shoes and gloves and especially my fancy ball marker.
5. I love the trees changing.
6. I love the tiny bit of anxiety you get when you step up to the first tee box and are being watched by others standing by waiting for their turn.
7. I love the flask of Jameson that resides in my golf bag.
8. I love the psycho golf nazis that feel the need to dictate how everyone else plays their games.
9. I love that sweet sound you get when you smack the shit out of a ball straight down the fairway.
10. I love the sound of the ball falling into and circling around the bottom of the cup after a very successful putt.
11. I love losing balls in the water hazards so I can go hunt for them with my fishing pole.
12. I love finding other balls that have been long abandoned by their owners.
13. I love marking my balls before I start. I always write "Golf Happy" on my balls because every time I flub it or top it or whatever and get frustrated, I pick up my ball and see that and somehow it makes me feel better.
14. I love the mind games I play with myself.
15. I love the amount of patience and peacefulness I have to harbor to have a successful day of golf.
16. I love watching others as they golf. The grandfathers and grandkids playing together. The husbands and wives. The lady golfers. The one woman invading in on the boy's golf day. The boy's club with their beers and cigars. The people that have spent way too much money on all their golf stuff so everyone else will think they know what they're doing. The first timers that look around to make sure no one is watching them before they take their shot. I love you all.
17. I love the sand traps. Yes, you heard me right. I love them. It's good practice and it breaks the monotony of grass, grass, and more grass.
18. I love the drink cart girls driving around with all their alcohol and snacks for everyone.
19. I love the course marshalls that wonder around and offer up little tidbits of advice for those they deam worthy.
20. I love putting practice.
21. I love waiting around for my name to be called to the first tee box. It's like I'm the chosen one every time. Gotta love that.
22. I love playing different courses to meet new holes and hazards.
23. I love playing the same courses so you get to know all their bumps and bruises and stories of past lovers.
24. I love playing in the rain, hail, frost, wind, sun, and snow. Yes, I've played in all of the above as well as thunder and lightening but I didn't enjoy that one.
25. I love the sit down with a beer and your golf buddies after a round is over. At that moment, you all realize that you just shared a bonding experience with each other. It's like going to camp or war with someone. You can't help but feel some sort of bond with them after sharing that experience whether good or bad or indifferent.

Driving Range

If you've never been to the driving range before, prepare yourself. If you go regularly, you'll have to think back to when you very first started golfing. I haven't been to the driving range in several months before this adventure. I don't even remember when it was so it was definitely a while ago. Well, after going to the driving range and swinging some clubs for an hour or so, you will get tired. I mean, you use muscles that you aren't really use to using so a day or two afterward you can feel it. It's not necessarily painful but you might feel a slight ache that you don't recognize. Well, after not going for a few months, I was concerned about this phenomenon. I was expecting it. I wasn't disappointed. Ouch!

I am left-handed in most everything except sports. I started learning to golf a couple years ago as a left-hander but found every book I read and every instructor that I met were use to talking to and for the right-handed player so everything for me was backward. And, clubs and gloves are hard to find for the left-hand dominant player. So, I decided to switch and learn to play as a normal righty. It made things much easier. It's not the first thing I have learned to do to fit into the right-hand society and probably not the last. Don't ever accuse me of being inflexible. :)

Okay, so here's how I typically do it. Yes, I have a method to my driving range practice sessions. Deal with it! I grab a bucket of balls. I find a stall away from those people that think they just have the awesomest clubs and swings ever that just must be in the first couple stalls where everyone can see just how awesome they are in all their awesomeness. I hate those people. Get some self esteem...Losers! Anyway...I find a stall somewhere away from those grunting idiots. I set up just like all normal people. The first club I pull is my 8 iron. It's my happy club. When I'm feeling inadequate or stressed out, I know I can hit some good shots with my 8. It's good for me to start off with. I swing a few times. Actually, I like to hit 3 perfect shots in a row with my happy club before I decide to move up. To me, moving up in my clubs means less loft. So, once I get a few good hits on my 8i, I move to my 6 or 7 iron. They're still easy swingers but give me a bit more distance so I can get a good feel for distance and consistency. When I hit 3 perfect shots with one or the other or both sometimes, I move up to my hybrids and woods.

I still have a Prince starter set that I bought a few years ago when I was taking my very first lessons ever. Last year I said I would buy some good clubs this year if I play as much as I did last year. That didn't happen so I still have my starters. Well, my starters came with the normal wedge, 9,8,7,6 irons, putter of course, and my woods which consist of 1,3,5,7,9. Yes, I have a few hybrids. So anyway, after hitting my irons, I'll grab my 7 wood and swing it a couple times. I don't put much stock on it though because it is my nemesis. I hate my 7 wood. Or maybe it hates me. I just don't know. Our relationship has been blurred over the past couple years. As a matter of fact, last year, a golf pro friend of mine gave me a new Callaway 7 wood for a birthday present because he knew just how much my relationship with my Prince 7 was strained. It's a lovely Callaway. Sweet. When I can make it sing, it's beautiful. The problem with my new 7wood though is that it's for normal sized women. I'm 5' tall though so I need short girl clubs and my beautiful Callaway 7w is just too damn long for me. When I choke up, it's lovely but I feel like I'm abusing it when I do that. Well, now I have two 7woods that aren't so good for me. As if one wasn't enough. So, I typically end up feeling not so happy after hitting one or both of my 7woods. But, I do my best to get 3 good swings in. Then I'll pull my 5w. Now my 5w is a trusty companion. It's like a booty-call, friend with benefits. You don't really have a deep relationship but when you need it, it comes for you. When I'm not sure about my distance and accuracy, somewhere 120+ yards out from the green, I can pull my 5w and it usually delivers a warm fuzzy feeling in my toes. I love my 5w. A few practice balls with my 5w is a good recovery from the disaster of my now multiple 7woods. Then, I pull my 3w and eventually hit a few with the big dog. I don't really like to practice my drives though. I usually choke on them at the driving range which makes me feel inadequate when I get to the tee box for real. I find that if I just tee up and go for it, I'm good to go without practicing the failure at the driving range. Works for me. Then I'll pull out my wedge and practice accuracy for pitching and chipping. I always feel like I'm wasting my balls and money at the driving range for chipping practice though so I tend to limit my practice there with that club.

This particular trip to the driving range was especially good though. My friend who has never been golfing before decided to join me with her boyfriend and my husband. We all decided to give her our individual tips for proper grip and stance and many tidbits of advice for perfecting her underdeveloped golf practice. You never know how someone is going to take 3 different conflicting suggestions from 3 different people but I was pleasantly surprised. She handled herself very well. :) The boyfriend was probably the most interesting of the 3 of us though. I have decided to refer to him as the golf whisperer now. His voice so soothing in her ear, his touch so light and loving upon her grip, his direction so sensitive. He may be more likely to put a new golfer to sleep than to teach them to golf but hey...whatever works right. Whatever we told her though...WORKED. She started smacking the shit out of some balls, making us all look bad of course. I love it when that happens. She was doing very well which was exciting because it built her confidence enough to agree to go to an actual golf course with me. Stay tuned for that story. :)