Confessions of a Golf Addict

Inspired by a conversation with a non-golfing friend last week, who has never seen the "point" of playing golf and as a nice segue into introducing myself through the ESG network, I thought I would share my feelings towards this great game.... 

When I was asked to partner with the Eat Sleep Golf network, it was a no brainer. Not only do I eat and sleep golf, but I drink it, gym it, write it, breathe it, fantasize about it, play it, and find that my life often to a scary point is purely for it…Have Golf? Will travel!

For I am a self-confessed golf-aholic and I will never be cured! There are no 12 steps for me to follow. There is no serenity prayer for me to learn (apart from the ode to golf of course). Nor is there a patch or gum to cure me of my affliction…But frankly my dear, do I look as if I give a damn?!

As we enter the cold, dark days of this winter, I begin to find myself with sweaty palms and uncontrollable shakes as I fear if I will be able to survive until next year’s golf season. Already, I write this now with butterflies in my stomach, my left leg jiggling with my mind racing full of dreams and goals for 2013, and an anticipation for the winter to be over so I can get back out on the track to get my fix.

Fellow golfers, I think will know what I am talking about. But for those of you who have not yet been ‘bitten by the bug,’ then you may just think that I am just stir-fry crazy. However, do allow me the opportunity to try and explain how the game can draw you in, spit you back out, and leave you craving and wanting more!

It is my belief that golf can truly be an addiction and like any drug, it can leave you with an empty bank account, troubled relationships, disappointed or mentally drained. But, all that is worth it for the high and the endorphin rush you feel when hitting that long straight drive, striking the ball with perfection, winning your first tournament, achieving your lowest scoring round ever or even hearing that ball rattle into the back of the cup for an eagle.

Every golfer has his or her special reason why they love golf. For me, it’s more than just a game. I find the sport so spiritual as I strongly believe it truly is a metaphor for life. In fact, a round of golf is a life lesson in itself. It builds character, by putting yourself at your most vulnerable in front of others. It teaches you to visualize the future by seeing the ball going towards the hole in your mind’s eye. You learn to accept not so great situations that are not your fault, such as when that perfectly hit shot bounces sideways into the sand trap…And it helps you drive yourself forward by letting go of the past, when one walks off the last played hole scoring a crowd-pleasing, 9!

And that is just for starters!!!! Now bring in the camaraderie when playing with friends…The competitiveness when you are in a tournament and your nerves are at their most raw..The pursuit of mastering perfection in an imperfect game…The satisfaction and joy when you achieve what you set out to do, and even down to the plain old fact that you are outside in God's great room for 4.5 hours rain or shine…Lets not also forget about the fabulous golfers tan that gives you the white forehead, the permanent white socks, and the unmistakable Michael Jackson one glove look!!

Still haven’t convinced you? Well, then my final reasoning is that when it comes to addictions, it’s quite a healthy one. Not only that, it’s a great excuse to leave the chores until tomorrow and go out and enjoy mother nature followed by a few beers with your mates!

Got a golf addict in your life or are one yourself? Would love to hear your stories and thoughts on the game that you are willing to share. Here are five top warning signs that this beautiful game has you hooked.

•              You take your own putter to play mini golf.

•              All of your pants have tees in the pockets.
•              One hand is clearly more tanned than the other.
•              When traveling, you are more excited to see a golf course than unusual wildlife.
•              You are known to practice and work on your swing in the middle of conversations

12 Days of Golfmas Contest

To celebrate the holidays, Here at Eat Sleep Golf we wanted to give you the opportunity of filling your stocking a little bit fuller this year by giving you the chance to win some golf goodies, courtesy of Golfsmith and Golf Town.

 

Our contest Eat Sleep Golf – 12 Days of Golfmas is giving away over $1,000 in golf prizes. Prize packs include (1) Puma High Performance Polo Golf shirt + (1) Dozen Srixon Tour Yellow Golf Balls + (1) Cleveland 588 RTX CB Wedges!

 

The contest runs from December 1^st to the 12^th with an opportunity to “Caption the Photo” with a new photo upload each of the 12 contest days. You can enter once per day, so click on the link in the sidebar, get your imagination juices running and good luck!!

Experience the Life of a Pro on the Golf Channel Amateur Tour

Ever dreamt of living the life of a touring Pro playing in local tournaments, 2 day major national tournaments and being given VIP treatment at some of the nation’s top golf resorts? Well stop dreaming because you can, by signing up for the Golf Channel Amateur Tour, that allows you to play competitively nationwide no matter of your skill level.
 

I am writing this, full of nervous excitement at the airport before catching my flight down to Tampa for the tour’s first Major 2 day tournament of the 2013 season at Copperhead at Innisbrook golf resort this weekend, home of the PGATransitions Championship





But let me warn you that these tournaments are not for the faint of heart. The nerves can cave in as you step onto the first tee after your name has been announced by the starter in front of the crowd. Unlike your Sunday four-ball with your mates; there are no “gimmes”, no mulligans, and certainly the foot wedge is not allowed out of the trees for this is not golf….This is Tournament Golf! However there is no feeling like it as you arrive at the course with the Amateur Tour flags waving and knowing the next 4.5 hours of your life is going to be super fun, but extremely pressured as you compete with your new found friends and seek to win that trophy...

The Golf Channel Amateur Tour (GCAM) is a national tour, with ‘chapters’ across the United States and Canada. We are lucky here in the NYC Metropolitan area, as we can find ourselves on a weekly basis competing in the New Jersey tour, the NYC/Hudson Valley tour, and the one I belong to, the New York Long Island Tour playing on the great golf courses across the tri-state area. As well as the local events, then the tour hosts many “Majors”. These are two day tourneys on some of the famous courses across the nation such as Copperhead, Pinehurst, PGA West and TPC Sawgrass to name but a few.

Succeed in winning three local tournaments, or positioning yourself in the top 3 in any of the majors, or finding yourself in the top third of your Order of Merit, and then you qualify for the National Championships. This is a 4 day event held at the end of the season at a prestigious location that is nothing short of an incredible experience.

All of these tournaments are organized at the upmost level of professionalism, as you would expect with the Golf Channel and Golf Galaxy associated with the tour. You really are treated like a member of the PGA tour, and by golly, you really do begin to believe it, as you find yourself surmounting even more pressure on yourself to boom it 300 yards off the tee, and sink that snake-like 20 footer!

With 6 flights, Competion is fraught at all Skill Levels

This tour is open to all level of golfers. With 6 flights, and also senior flights for the more seasoned amongst us, then anyone of us has a chance of winning if we can keep nerves of steel and produce fewer mistakes than our competitors. Fear not of sandbaggers out there either. The organizers are quick to find them and bump them up to the next level before you can call them a ‘bandit’

Since joining the tour in the latter half of 2010, then I have found my game improving considerably. Yes, I will be the first to admit, that the nerves got to me to begin with. I have choked; I have walked off the course in disappointment. However, once you have learned to control these emotions, then it really is a sure fire way to enhance your focus and game. I started off within the “Hogan” flight (8.0 – 11.9 Handicap) and after enjoying a few successes in 2011, then I have been playing this year in the Palmer flight (4.0-7.9 Handicap). Now with the additional drive to be competitive at this level, then I know I will be playing better than I ever did before.

 

Finally, let me mention the camaraderie on this tour. Never have I ever met such a friendly, great bunch of guys. We come from all walks of life, and if nothing else, then the tour has given me the opportunity to socialize, and hang out with fantastic people that I would never have met if it wasn’t for the GCAM tour.

Everyone is incredibly supportive of each other with numerous texts and well wishes as you compete which really is a great feeling.

So, if you want to improve your game, play some fantastic courses, taste the experience of what it must feel like to be a Pro, and meet some brilliant people then sign up today. Good luck, and I hope to see you out there!!

To sign up, check out the link below
http://gcamtour.com/

 

 

Marine Park Golf Course Review

The 9th Hole at Marine Park Golf Course

Yardage: 6,866 yards (Back Tees)
Par: 72

Course Rating: 72.2/123
Open to the public: Yes
Green Fees: From $22-$46
Phone: 718.252.4625
Driving range: Yes
Restaurant: Yes

Book Tee Times Here

Website: www.golfmarinepark.com

The Marine Park Golf Course situated in southern Brooklyn is quickly becoming one of my favorite public New York City (NYC) Metro Golf Courses for many reasons. Located on Jamaica Bay, the Marine Park Golf Course offers a challenge for golfers at varying skill levels. The course offers nice and wide fairways with little trouble off the tee and as a result, driving accuracy is not a major contributing factor to low scores. This allows the track to be enjoyed by the recreational golfer who need not be fearful of losing golf ball after golf ball and keeps the pace of play of the course to a comfortable level. However, let me not lead you into a false sense of security by saying this course is easy. Like many links style courses, the strong winds coming off the bay, the long yardages of many of the holes especially off the back tees, and the heavily undulating greens are still going to challenge you to make a reasonably good score.

It can be clearly seen that a lot of financial and emotional investment has been thrown into the course over the last six months and this enthusiasm is now slowly paying off. Over the winter 2012, the course was under a great deal of construction to build large mounds alongside many of the fairways and repairs to some of the tee boxes. Some of these modifications are still in the works, but do not have an impact to the current playability of the course. Once completed and the fescue has fully grown on these mounds, then some of the holes will become a little bit tighter than the ones we enjoy today which will add positively to the courses design. The operators of the club have a 2-3 year plan to continue to work on the course design, maintenance and numerous facility ideas to make Marine Park the “Go-To” course for the NYC Golfer.

The greens are certainly one aspect of the course that do not need changing. They are in immaculate condition and in my honest opinion are the nicest, smoothest running greens I have seen in the local area both on Private and Publically owned courses. They are fast too! To score well you need to make sure you are below the hole for birdie chances otherwise, you will find yourself 3-putting more times than not! The staff of Marine Park are very proud of their greens, and they have every right to be!

 

Marine Park's Iron Only Range

Marine Park boasts a great practice area. Their Putting Greens and Chipping Greens are well worth visiting before a round so you can be accustomed to the speed and read of greens before heading out. Although the operators are aware that the bunkers are in need of repair on many of the holes and they are on the list of future projects then the practice bunker is also worth a visit to hone in on your feel escaping the sandy/soil hazards out on the course. The practice range is also very well-manicured, but unfortunately due to a lack of distance it is an irons-only facility. I very much hope that there is a future plan to extend the range, as the driver is your main club for most of the holes on this lengthy course.

A TrackMan Driving Lesson

 

As well as the usual golf clinics, private golf lessons and a junior academy, Marine Park is also now equipped with the latest technology in golf swing and ball fight analysis… TrackMan. TrackMan has been made popular and seen through the Golf Channel TV coverage that use the technology to show the PGA professionals ball flight on screen. The mechanics of TrackMan have been adopted from the US Department of Defense Missile technology. TrackMan will identify your golf patterns so you will understand what happens in your unique golf swing. Real-time assessment/feedback will assist with your ball going longer, higher and further with each club.

To summarize then, Marine Park Golf Course is fast becoming a fantastic NYC Golf facility. At my last visit the staff were incredibly friendly and accommodated our every want and whim. Throughout the round, it was great to see numerous player ‘s assistants surveying the course to ensure a great pace of play. We managed to complete our round in less than 4.5 hours on a Saturday which is unheard of for a city course. The course is slowly but surely improving, and considering the state of this course a few years ago and where it is now, then I am excited to see where it will be in the future. I will definitely be keeping a close eye on the progress and will be playing this course often in the meantime. With all this said then, I hope you see why this is one of my favorite NYC city owned golf courses…As always, you can book all your tee times through EatSleepGolf-GolfNow Online Tee Time Booking system.

Marine Parks Golf Courses officially website can be found here. http://www.golfmarinepark.com

McIlroy & Nike Reach Deal

Rory McIlroy has completed a deal that makes him Nike’s biggest new star,FoxSports.com reported Friday.

McIlroy’s new deal is estimated to be worth at least $200 million, and possibly as much as $250 million, over 10 years, according to the report.

The news comes after Titleist and McIlroy announced earlier this week that the world's No. 1 ranked golfer would not renew a deal. FoxSports.com also is reporting that McIlroy has already filmed his first Nike television commercial, which Nike plans to air next year. The commercial also will feature Tiger Woods, who appears to have helped in the recruiting of McIlroy to Nike.

The commercial will feature McIlroy and Woods “bantering” and “marveling” while hitting Nike’s new red driver, according to the report. Nick Watney and Kyle Stanley are also reported to be in the commercial.

Neither Nike or McIlroy’s representatives have yet confirmed the deal. Nike representatives have repeatedly told GolfChannel.com that they will not comment on speculation.

NY Islanders Moving to Brooklyn

Since hockey is kind of like winter golf, I thought some folks might be interested in this... 

NEW YORK (AP) — Mike Bossy's fondest memories of the New York Islanders will always have Nassau Coliseum as the cherished backdrop, no matter where the team calls home.

That doesn't mean the Hockey Hall of Famer isn't embracing the team's big move to Brooklyn.

Since the day the Islanders entered the NHL in 1972, Nassau Coliseum has been the place for them. It's where they grabbed the hockey spotlight, outshined the big, bad Rangers, and won the Stanley Cup four straight times from 1980-83 in establishing one of the greatest dynasties in sports.

But on Wednesday, the future became all about Brooklyn.

After seven months of negotiations, and offers to move the team out of New York, club owner Charles Wang said the Islanders will relocate to Brooklyn once their lease at Nassau Coliseum expires after the 2014-15 season.

"Today is today, yesterday was yesterday," said Bossy, a top star during the Islanders' glory years. "I have trouble sometimes putting myself in the shoes of the guy who won four Stanley Cups and who scored as many goals as I did because I've moved on and I do other stuff now.

"We did what we did where we did and now that is changing. It doesn't take anything away from what we did. If they would've built a new arena in Nassau County, the Coliseum would've been gone anyway. I always say that whatever you did is always in your heart and in your memories."

The move is hardly shocking and not even unprecedented. The old New York Nets left Nassau Coliseum way back when, relocated to New Jersey, and have moved into their new Brooklyn home — the sparkling Barclays Center that will also house the Islanders beginning in 2015.

Unlike the Nets, who changed their logo and added Brooklyn to their name, the Islanders are sticking to their heritage through and through.

That is important to Bossy, now the Islanders' vice president of corporate partnerships.

"Absolutely," he said. "Charles' main goal was to keep the team local, and he succeeded in doing that. As much as people may be upset because it's not going to be in Nassau County they should be happy because he kept the team in New York."

The Barclays Center sits across the street from the site Brooklyn Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley hoped to put a baseball stadium on to keep his club in New York. He was unable to pull it off, so the Dodgers left Brooklyn for Los Angeles in 1958 and left the borough without a pro sports team until the Nets' arrival this year.

Coincidentally, the Nets hosted the New York Knicks in an NBA preseason game at Nassau Coliseum on Wednesday night.

Real estate developer Bruce Ratner, a minority owner of the Nets, was instrumental in getting the Barclays Center built and paving the way for Brooklyn to re-enter the world of sports in a major way. The building is the main part of a $3.5 billion complex called Atlantic Yards that was built by Ratner's company.

Ratner gave the credit for the Islanders' move to Wang.

"He got offers to move the team out of state — good offers — but Charles wouldn't do that," Ratner said. "Charles is the real hero here today."

Wang wanted to keep the team in New York despite failing to get the Lighthouse Project built on Long Island. That grandiose plan would have included a new arena for the Islanders, but it never got the necessary approval for construction.

Both Wang and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman stated in the past that the Islanders wouldn't play in Nassau Coliseum one day longer than they had to. Wang said he had serious options to move the team far away, but stuck to his desire to stay.

"We came to the right conclusion," Wang said. "We had many offers that we looked at, but our first priority was we wanted to stay in Nassau County and then in New York."

The Islanders hope this move will help them on and off the ice. The team hasn't reached the playoffs since 2007 and hasn't won a postseason series since 1993.

Wang started Wednesday's festivities in the lobby of the new arena with a bold proclamation of "Hello Brooklyn!"

He will have to wait a few years to finally see his team hit the ice in the intimate building that is expected to hold between 14,500 and 15,000 for hockey. Wang said he has no intention of trying to get out of his Long Island lease early.

Once the Islanders settle into Brooklyn, they will begin a 25-year lease at the Barclays Center.

"The Islanders, I believe, will be strengthened because they were playing in an inadequate facility, and the fan experience here will be much better," Bettman said. "If a franchise is strengthened, that's good for everybody."

And the NHL is certainly looking for any positive news it can get as the 39-day old lockout casts a pall over the hockey world. Bettman couldn't avoid questions about the seemingly imminent announcement that regular-season games will be canceled for good.

Bettman set a deadline of Thursday for a new collective bargaining agreement to be reached with the players' association that would allow for a full 82-game season to be played beginning on Nov. 2. With no negotiations scheduled, and a divide between the sides seemingly growing wider, Bettman conceded that a shortened season is the most likely scenario.

"It looks like the 82-game season is not going to be a reality," the commissioner said

Officials in nearby Nassau County, N.Y., have struggled for years to come up with a plan to either renovate or build a new arena to replace the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which opened in 1972. Wang, the founder of a computer software company, presented a plan in 2003 for a privately funded multibillion-dollar development of housing, retail and a new arena on the property, but the proposal foundered amid community opposition.

Wang had long threatened to move the team from its home in Uniondale after the club's lease expired. He complained that the dilapidated building is unsuited for a professional sports franchise.

"I am disappointed, too, but we're here, we're home," Wang said of the decision to leave Long Island. "It's a new place and it's only 35 minutes away by train. Come and join us and see hockey.

"I think fans want a good experience. It's not just about watching hockey it's also the whole ambience of coming to a place where you can get good food and you can see. We have Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn fans. Westchester might be a little bit harder, but we have them all over the tri-state area."

The Barclays deal took seven months to complete and was finished Tuesday night, according to Wang.

"Brooklyn is big time and now we have the big-league sports to prove it," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

As recently as April, Bettman said Brooklyn might not be a viable destination for the Islanders because it's hard to reach for the team's fan base in Long Island and Queens. However, the team's announcement of a news conference at the Barclays Center trumpeted the fact that it is located "atop one of the largest transportation hubs in New York City ... accessible by 11 subway lines, the Long Island Rail Road, and 11 bus lines."

"It took us 25 minutes to get here today," Islanders general manager Garth Snow said. "We didn't turn our back (on fans). This announcement has shown that the key is that we stayed local and we got a first-class facility. We're happy that our fans are still able to come and watch us play as the New York Islanders."

Last year, voters overwhelmingly rejected a referendum — backed by Wang — that would have allowed Nassau County to borrow $400 million to build a new hockey arena. Earlier this year, county officials announced they were seeking proposals to open the 77-acre parcel to any developer interested in proposing new ideas for the site. An announcement on those proposals was expected to be released any day.

County Executive Edward Mangano backed the referendum as a way of keeping the hockey team from leaving, along with spurring economic development and job growth. In a statement, Mangano said an economic team will be formed to redevelop the area around the old arena. He didn't specifically comment on the Islanders.

"I am disappointed to learn of the Islanders' plan to relocate to Brooklyn," Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray said. "They've been a valued part of this region's identity, and we wish the team great success in the future. We hope Long Islanders will continue to cheer for the team."

Long Island fans seemed resigned to the move for a team that won the Stanley Cup every year from 1980 through 1983 but missed the playoffs last season.

Michael Callahan of Huntington said it was a sad day for Nassau County, but "I will probably go to Brooklyn for a game. It is easily accessible by mass transit; that is a big plus. That is also one of the shortfalls of the Coliseum; there is no close train system. That is a big plus; Brooklyn is easy to get to."

Associated Press Writers Jennifer Peltz and Frank Eltman contributed to this report.

Fourth Alligator Discovered at L.I. Golf Course

CENTEREACH, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – There’s a snappy mystery still unfolding on Long Island. Someone has been dumping gators in several neighborhoods.

Yes, gators, as in alligators. And the thought of them roaming free has residents a little skittish, CBS 2’s Jennifer McLogan reported.

The fourth alligator found roaming free on Long Island in five days was found on Friday. It was spotted on a Wading River golf course, captured and carefully removed to the aquarium in Riverhead.

Animal experts said they are concerned for the safety of the community.

“It’s an illegal creature to own in New York State, and for good reason. They get over 10 feet long and 600-800 pounds when they’re fully grown,” Jungle Bob’s pet store naturalist Robert Smith said.

A special permit from the Department of Environmental Conservation has been granted to show the gator for educational purposes.

“These guys make good ambassador animals, good outreach animals, getting the message out there about why they make such terrible pets,” said Justin Ansell of Atlantis Long Island Aquarium.

Naturalists believe someone is purchasing them illegally — as tiny exotic pets — for as little as $25 on the Internet, and when they grow too big for a residential home are dumping the gators where they can attack innocent citizens or are leaving them to suffer or die.

When asked if charges for the perpetrator could be criminal Suffolk SPCA Chief Roy Gross said, “That’s correct: abandonment, endangering the public, and also negligence — three charges they could actually go to jail for.”

Two of the four gators are now being held by a wildlife expert. They are set to be shipped south where they can be supervised on Florida alligator farms. They were found blocks apart in Baldwin, just off Grand Avenue in a supermarket parking lot. Witnesses said they will never forget the sight.

A fourth gator was wandering on a front lawn of a Mastic home. It is now being kept by a licensed handler in a large glass fish tank with special simulated sunlight and special rocks that provide heat. When the gator reaches 5 feet in length, it will be shipped to an alligator sanctuary.

Police said the $2,000 reward to catch the gator dumper is expected to increase if additional alligators are set free in Long Island neighborhoods.

The week’s gator-wrangling total comes to five if you include New York City. On Monday, a Brooklyn couple was charged with harboring a prohibitive animal in New York City when officers found a 3.5-foot gator in the couple’s home while executing a search warrant.

The Suffolk County SPCA warns that exotic animals make bad companions. They may pose serious health risks.

You Must Try To Avoid These Common Golfing Mistakes

From my earliest beginnings as a know-it-all teenage golfer to my present position of Expert Golf Pro who really does know almost all there is to know about golf, I have seen people make bad shots and dumb decisions, I have heard about them, and I have done them myself. Every one who ever steps foot on a golf course has made at least one of these common "boners" and usually more than one on any given day. Because golf is an unpredictable, subjective, and tricky sport, these mistakes are more common than most golfers want to admit.

Keeping in the "expert-helping" mode, I have gathered what I think are the 10 most common errors made on the golf course and a little advice on how to avoid them:

- The False Step . This is when you position your feet wrong as you address the ball causing your swing to be off and the ball to take all sorts of unexpected and unwanted directions when you hit it. If your feet are not squarely planted equi-distant from the ball in a straight line and just a little wider apart than your shoulders, then your ball will do "The False Step" and you will likely fall on your face, figuratively speaking.

- The Bobbled Grip. This is when you place your hands wrong on the club's grip or when you hold it too loosely or too tightly resulting in everything from a hook that sends the ball into the woods to a flying weapon that almost takes the heads off of your partners. Don't forget to hook the little finger of your non-dominant hand around the other hand and settle both hands into a comfortable and firm grip.

- The Howler . This is when you swing the club too hard - so hard it howls through the air. It's a common mistake to step up to the ball thinking more like a baseball player trying to send the ball out of the park than a golfer trying to reach the green in two strokes. Concentrate on striking the ball firmly and following through, letting the club lift it and speed it on its way.

- The Slip-Up. This is when you slip your head up just as or before you hit the ball so you can see where it's going. Of course, what really happens is you break the hand-eye connection that allows you to hit the ball squarely with the clubhead instead of grazing the top of the ball, which then just trickles along the ground. That's called a "Muff." To avoid them keep your head down.

- The Miscalculated Shot. This is when you use the wrong club for your shot. Just because your partner can reach the green on a 3-par hole with an 8-iron doesn't mean you can. The wrong club will inevitably cause you to either hit the ball too hard to get the distance or just over-shoot your mark. Study the course and choose wisely.

- The Misread Lie. This is when you fail to take into account the up-hill or down-hill lie of your ball, the break in the green, or the depth of the leaves at the base of the tree. Hitting the ball without this information is like walking to your car without noticing the ice on the ground. If you take for granted that your ball is on level ground because it looks like it is when you stand over top of it, you could easily put your next shot into the lake, the woods, or even OOB! Observe and evaluate your lie before hitting the ball.

- The Bungled Blunder. This is when you hit the ball into the woods, a sand trap, or  on the edge of the lake. That's the Blunder. When you get fancy and try to hit the ball around the tree instead of just hitting away from the trouble spot and maybe taking an extra stroke, you run the risk of either hitting the tree thus sending your ball deeper into the woods. Then you're likely looking at a triple or quadruple bogie.

- The Missed Green. This is when you either leave your shot short and do not make the green as you intended or overshoot the green and end up on the short side of the flag. Either way is sure to add at least one stroke to the hole. Choose the correct club for the distance remaining to the center of the green.

- The Fumble. This is when you try a tricky shot that you have never even tried before, much less perfected. Chips or wedges can be disastrous if you don't know how to hit the ball with a slanted clubhead. You'll either sail over the flag, the green, maybe even into the next fairway, or you'll stay in the trap or under the lip of the green. Practice is the only way to a good chip shot; the pros make it look so easy, we forget how many times they have practiced that same shot before they attempt it.

- The Illusion. This is when you go out on the course with a dream instead of a plan. Thinking you will get through a whole round of golf without a bad shot, without any of the above goofs, or without even a bad lie is an illusion that will quickly get you into trouble as you tend to let down your guard when you're not expecting trouble. At the first hint of a slice or a topped drive, your illusion will fly away like your errant shot and you will be left to play a terrible round of golf just like you expected11Thinking you can navigate a 68-par 18-hole course with soaring drives, long irons, and accurate putts is closer to being a "delusion of grandeur" than just an illusion. Remember: you are not a pro playing the Masters.

These are the most common mistakes made by golfers everywhere; without them I'd be out of business. The bottom line is there will never be a perfect anything, much less a perfect golfer. Of course, there are many pros who strive for perfection. There are a lot of struggling amateurs who would like to reach perfection just long enough to break into the professional ranks. Then there are the countless impatient and frustrated "weekend" and occasional golfers who dream of the perfect shot, hole, round, anything that will give them status in their local golf club and the envy and respect of their fellow golfers. All of these people who walk and ride around golf courses around the world know in their hearts that there is no such thing as the perfect shot, hole, round, or anything else in this game. But still they strive for perfection.

This can be hard on the self image, not to mention the blood pressure if one lets the striving become an obsession and take over the game so that it is no longer a game but an addiction. That being said, there is something inherently good about this need and desire for perfection. Kept in its proper perspective, our quest for the hole-in-one, dead-on 30-foot putt, and perfect drive gives us the competitive edge necessary to improve our game. If we had no desire to be a perfect golfer, none of us would ever take a lesson, read an eBook, practice chipping and putting, or use a driving range. We would all be satisfied with our less-than-perfect status quo.

What a boring game golf would be! This is why I write these posts, answer your questions, give you tips, and encourage weekend golfers, especially young people - to make the game of golf challenging, fun, and possible for everyone who likes a sport that does what golfing does. If you are one of those, it gets you outside, provides you with spectacular moments with the natural world as well as opportunities to build up stamina and strength by walking through some of the most beautiful and inspiring real estate there is anywhere, and it challenges you to be the best you can be!

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This article was written by Keith Matthews.  Keith is keen to share more of his golfing tips and experience so sign-up for his free weekly emails at TopGolfTipsHQ.com.

Golfing with Graeme McDowell and Guinness Black Lager

This past Monday I had the opportunity to play golf with Ryder Cup European team member Graeme McDowell at The Glen Club in Glenview. My new friends at Guinness Black Lager and Graeme were our hosts for the day, where we were treated to 18 holes of championship golf on one of Chicagoland’s best courses.

The outing format was quite unique and featured many gimmick holes throughout the round, including our 17th and 18th holes – played entirely in the dark. Aided only by glow sticks in the fairway and surrounding the green, we were tasked with launching a glow-in-the-dark golf ball toward an illuminated flagstick. Following the round, Graeme invited us back to the 17th tee for an impromptu ‘closest-to-the-pin’ contest’.

Forever the opportunist, McDowell showed us all how this game should be played and stuck his shot to three feet.

Guinness Black Lager is a new lager that perfectly combines the refreshing taste of lager with the unique character and flavor of Guinness. The Guinness Master Brewers have used the finest lager hops, yeast and traditional cold brewing methods, with their signature roasted barley, to create a truly original black lager with deliciously distinctive flavor and deeply refreshing taste.

The deep, dark color of the beer is one that tradition Guinness fans will recognize and have grown to love. However, this is not your grandfather’s stout beer. Instead, Guinness Black Lager is a cool, refreshing beverage that can be enjoyed year-round and especially on the golf course.
The taste is also unique: light and crisp from the start, quickly revealing a subtle sweet malt and roast character with a pleasant slight hop finish that invites the next sip. Overall, a taste that is uniquely flavorful yet deeply refreshing.

Guinness Black Lager retails for just over $8 a six-pack is available nationwide and can be found wherever Guinness products are sold.

This article was written by Chicago Duffer.  Check out other great articles at Chicago Duffer.

Golf Digest Job Posting

This will be an amazing opportunity for the applicant who successfully lands this position. Conde Nast is the parent company of Golf Digest. Have a look at the details below...

Account Executive
Description
Condé Nast is renowned for provocative, influential, award winning content-across brands, across platforms, and across continents. We’re committed to attracting new talent to keep us at the top of our business. If you are looking to be part of a culture of excellence marked by journalistic integrity and superior design, we invite you to explore this career opportunity and see how your talent and aspirations might fit within Condé Nast.

Account Manager

Golf Digest
Condé Nast seeks an Account Manager for a full-time staff position.

Overview
Primary Responsibilities:

The Account Manager generates advertising revenue by identifying prospects, identifying influential touch-points and contacts, developing strategic plans, preparing presentations, negotiating rates and schedules, and communicating results or problems to management. The Account Manager maintains and expands the advertising client base in a variety of categories such as: consumer electronics, business financial, food and other b2b accounts. S/he is responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with key advertising decision makers. This individual represents the company at trade shows and industry events to promote business, where appropriate, and completes all forms and processes paperwork for assigned accounts. Minimum of 3-5 years of sales experience required.

Condé Nast is home to some of the world’s most celebrated media brands. In the United States, Condé Nast publishes 18 consumer magazines, four business-to-business publications, 27 websites, and more than 50 apps for mobile and tablet devices, all of which define excellence in their categories. The company also owns Fairchild Fashion Media (FFM), whose portfolio of brands serves as the leading source of news and analysis for the global fashion community. Condé Nast has won more National Magazine Awards over the past ten years than all of its competitors combined. Visit CondéNast.com and follow us on Twitter @CondeNastCorp and @CondeNastCareer.

Condé Nast is an equal opportunity workplace.

Duties and responsibilities may be adjusted based on years of experience.

Salary is also commensurate with experience.

Job: Sales
Primary Location: New York
Schedule: Full-time

Apply for this position online

Woods and McIlroy Face Off at Bethpage

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy playing in the same group. Bethpage Black, a notoriously tough track on Long Island made even more famous by the two U.S. Opens it has hosted in the last decade.

As the playoffs for the FedEx Cup get under way Thursday at The Barclays, the buzz is bigger than usual.

"Playing here at Bethpage Black is incredible," said Woods, who won his second U.S. Open title on this public course in 2002. "Two U.S. Opens here, and this is all the golf course you want. It's a great venue, great fans, and just a great environment to compete at. You know, it's basically like a U.S. Open."

It doesn't look much different from three years ago, except that only a few hundred fans were at the far end of the course watching the pro-am on Wednesday. And the sun was shining, a change from the rain that interrupted the U.S. Open in 2002 and forced a Monday finish in 2009.

The course also is playing to a par 71, with the seventh hole returned to a par 5.

The Barclays is the first of four tournaments in the playoffs, when the field (125 players qualified for the opening event) gets whittled down each week until only 30 reach the Tour Championship, and the winner walks away with a $10 million bonus.

Even so, this one has a different feel.

Part of that is because of the golf course.

"The whole place is just big," said Zach Johnson, who will join Woods and McIlroy as the middle man of the top three players from the FedEx Cup standings. "I mean, the property is big. Everything about it is just big. Elevated tee shots, uphill tee shots. I think it's great. It's right out in front of you. It's not hidden. There's certain holes you've just got to get off with a great shot, starting at the tee box through the green. And that's what separates a championship course from an OK course.

Celebrity - Amateur Golf Tournament

Samuel L. Jackson and David Feherty Co-Host Celebrity Roast of Boston Celtics Legend Bill Russell as part of 2nd annual MENTOR’s Champions Golf Challenge at Friar’s Head, Long Island

Riverhead, NY (August 7, 2012) – Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell along with Wall Street leader Geoff Boisi will host some of the greatest champions in sports, entertainment and business in the 2nd annual MENTOR’s Champions Golf Challenge on September 9 – 10 on Long Island. This exclusive two-day event will feature a Celebrity Roast of Bill Russell. The roast will be hosted by actor Samuel L. Jackson and Golf Channel’s David Feherty and will take place on the evening of September 9th. Expected participants sharing their stories of Bill include NBA greats Julius Erving, Alonzo Mourning, Football legend Jim Brown and many others.

This special celebrity-amateur competition will be held at spectacular Friar’s Head located on Long Island Sound. Friar’s Head is the 23rd rated golf course in America and 32nd in the world, and was designed by Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore the premiere golf course design team.

“I am very proud to have many of my friends join me at our golf tournament to support mentoring,” said Bill Russell. “They are still some pretty competitive athletes but more importantly they are donating their time and effort to reconnect with the youngsters of the country and that’s what mentoring is about.”

Among the participating legends and celebrities will include: NBA greats John Havlicek, Clyde Drexler, Sam Jones, Rick Barry, George Gervin, Artis Gilmore and Bruce Bowen; Sports personality Ahmad Rashad; Baseball Hall of Famers Joe Morgan, Reggie Jackson and Jim Rice ; and football legends Steve Largent and Jim Brown, the greatest athlete to come out of Long Island. Brown has dedicated much of his life to helping inner city youth through education and mentoring.

“The MENTOR’s Champions Golf Challenge this year will take its place as the signature celebrity amateur golf event in the New York Metropolitan area,” said Geoff Boisi. “MENTOR has helped establish affiliates in 27 states around the country and impacted more than 3 million kids. Bill Russell has been a world class leader inspiring kids and the mentoring movement his entire career.”

Proceeds from the MENTOR’s Champions Golf Challenge will benefit MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, the lead champion for youth mentoring in the United States, which Boisi founded with Raymond G. Chambers 20 years ago. Bill Russell has served as a Founding Board Member. In addition, the tournament will benefit MENTOR’s local affiliates: the Mentoring Partnerships of Long Island and New York City.

The MENTOR’s Champions Golf Challenge is sponsored by Ernst & Young, LLC and Roundtable Investment Partners, LLC.

“To have so many leaders from finance to the sports and entertainment worlds participate with their time and financially speaks volumes about Bill Russell’s catalytic leadership and dedication to our nation’s youth,” said MENTOR President and CEO David Shapiro. “We are thrilled to have Ernst & Young and Roundtable Investment Partners return for a second year as the co-presenting sponsors as this event provides critical resources and attention for our work to expand mentoring opportunities for our nation’s youth that will widen pathways to successful adulthood.”


About MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership

MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership (MENTOR) is the lead champion for youth mentoring in the United States. MENTOR’s goal is to help children by providing a public voice, developing and delivering resources to mentoring programs nationwide, and promoting quality for mentoring through standards, cutting-edge research and state-of-the-art tools. MENTOR works closely with State Mentoring Partnerships and more than 5,000 mentoring programs and volunteer centers throughout the country, serving more than 3 million children in all 50 states. There are currently 18 million children in America who want and need a mentor, but only three million have one. MENTOR’s mission is to close the gap so that every one of those 15 million children has a caring adult in their life.www.mentoring.org.

Golf Gamebook: USA vs. Europe Golf Challenge

The future of golf tournaments is here; for the first time all golfers in the USA and in Europe can enjoy golf together, regardless of age, gender or HCP. The six-week GameBook Cup, is open to all golfers from the two continents and can be played on any course in the world. With the help of the latest mobile technology, the GameBook Cup offers a more social and equal way of experiencing golf. Join Here

Inspired by the legendary golf tournament the Ryder Cup, the GameBook Cup launches as the first transatlantic golf challenge of its kind ever. All golfers from the USA and Europe are invited to play in the fun and friendly golf challenge. Experienced team captains have been nominated; Team USA has British Open Champion Stewart Cink as the Captain, and Team Europe is led by European Tour golfer Johan Edfors.

“I think this is a wonderfully innovative idea. In honor of the Ryder Cup year I think it is appropriate to expand the joy of golf with a truly global approach. And, I think that GameBook team’s creativity in utilizing social media and the latest technology is exceptional. Golf tournaments are fun and social, but they can be so much more with this new golf app. I will do my best to build to great Team USA.”, praises British Open Champion Stewart Cink.

“I had an opportunity to test this golf concept last year in a tournament between two nations, Sweden and Finland. It was very engaging and an extremely fun experience. I will recommend my fellow pros to join this contest. My vision is to have a diverse Team Europe, professionals and amateurs playing together.” says Johan Edfors, Captain of Team Europe in the GameBook Cup and three-time winner of European Tour events.

“Both in the US and in Europe we value the important landmark tournaments. The encouraging and inspiring culture deserves to be further embraced, and that’s what we are doing. GameBook Cup differs only by the fact that anyone can participate. And to make things more interesting, we will throw some nice prizes to random participants each week.” says Mikko Rantanen, CEO of GameBook Inc.

“We have managed to fine-tune our golf app and the supporting mobile technology into such good shape that we decided to put it to a real tough test. And of course, we wanted to offer an unforgettable golf experience to all golf lovers in the USA and in Europe.” says Kalle Väinölä, Founder of GameBook, PGA pro.

“The only thing a golfer has to do is to play a round of golf anywhere in the world and enter his or her scorecard using Golf GameBook. We will automatically include all scores from golfers who are registered respectively in the USA or in any European country”, continues Kalle Väinölä.

The world’s largest golf challenge will be held between July 30th and September 9th, 2012, and it is free for golfers and golf clubs.

For more details about the GameBook Cup http://www.golfgamebook.com/cup

About Golf GameBook

Golf GameBook has provided live scoring and leaderboards at hundreds of events in Europe and the US, including the 2011 HP Byron Nelson Championship Pro-Am.Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus have hosted their own events with Golf GameBook Live Scoring; Arnold Palmer’s Kingdom Cup (2011 and 2012), and Jack Nicklaus International Invitational (2011). The Stanford Men’s Golf team used Golf GameBook for living scoring at its recent Amer Ali Invitational event in January. Golf GameBook was featured recently in the Apple iTunes App Store Highlights section in the Nordic region, a position that has only been achieved by a relative few Nordic companies, including Rovio, publisher of the popular ‘Angry Birds’ franchise.

Livestream to Broadcast Open Championship Live

NEW YORK – July, 11, 2012 – Market leader for live event coverage, Livestream, today announced that it will broadcast live coverage of the R&A’s behind-the-scenes channel, @TheOpen LIVE from this year’s Open Championship, golf’s oldest Major. Royal Lytham & St Annes host the 142nd Championship, where @TheOpen LIVE coverage will begin on Wednesday, July 18th, broadcasting for 6 hours each day through the end of play on Championship Sunday. The action will be broadcast on http://new.livestream.com/theopen event page and will be streamed live on Opengolf.com, Facebook and Livestream.com, as well as The Open’s iphone and Android applications. Viewers will enjoy live video with real-time chat, photo, social media and text updates, all of which will contribute to the ultimate golf viewing experience.

@TheOpen LIVE produced onsite at Royal Lytham & St Annes will give audiences the chance to instantly interact with presenters and guests as they go behind the scenes at golf’s oldest Major. Livestream and the R&A are partnering to provide viewers with a unique glimpse of the atmosphere of The Open, wherever they are in the world. Coverage will include post-round press conferences, exclusive interviews and access to never-before seen elements of The Open. The comprehensive production will result in a total of 30 hours of live material from this year’s Open Championship.

R&A Chief Executive Peter Dawson said, “Building on the success of last year’s production, we are again delighted to bring worldwide golf fans an enhanced opportunity to interact with, and enjoy the game. Livestreaming the on-course play, as well as the behind-the-scenes action provides a 360 degree view of the game that is very compelling to our viewers.”

“This broadcast provides golf enthusiasts who want to see more of the event exactly that – more golf, more exclusive interviews and more access. The livestream offers them a chance to feel part of the action with our HD quality video and interactive features,” said Max Haot, Co-founder and CEO of Livestream.


About Livestream

Livestream (Livestream.com) is the market leader for live event coverage. With simple to use technology, our service allows anyone to broadcast live to the web, as well as being the top destination for live content from around the world. Our content partners include Facebook, The New York Times, ABC News, CBS News, Associated Press, HBO, AT&T, PepsiCo, Electronic Arts, Adidas, The Academy Awards, Warner Bros. Records, and Paramount Pictures. Livestream operates with over 120 full-time staff members in 4 offices—in New York, Los Angeles, Bangalore and the Ukraine. The service is available for free (advertising-supported) or as a feature-rich, monetizable, premium subscription for business. The new.livestream.com is an innovative new platform, available in beta, that combines live event coverage with real-time photos, text, and video clip updates posted using web browsers or mobile devices. The technology supports live blogging, live and on-demand HD video powered by Akamai HDNet, and real-time posting tools.

ESPN Live on Slacker Radio

BRISTOL, CT / SAN DIEGO – June 11, 2012 – Slacker, Inc. today announced the availability of six new national, regional and Spanish language ESPN stations dedicated to live streaming of ESPN shows and sporting events. Slacker subscribers can now access the live ESPN content on the web at www.Slacker.com and through the free Slacker Radio application on all major smartphone platforms.

The live ESPN Radio stations on Slacker include the ESPN Radio and ESPN Deportes Radio networks, which stream sporting events and hosted programs, as well as four regional stations featuring programming for New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas. 

For the next 30 days, all six live ESPN stations will be available to all Slacker Radio listeners. After this period these stations will be available to all Slacker Radio Plus and Slacker Premium Radio subscribers. The previously released interactive ESPN Radio station will remain free and available to all Slacker listeners. 

“Giving sports fans the freedom to enjoy their favorite team and events when they’re not in the stadium or in front of a television is very important to us,” said Traug Keller, Senior Vice President, Production Business Divisions, ESPN, Inc. “Offering live ESPN Radio programming to sports fans through Slacker gives listeners an extremely flexible option for custom listening on-the-go.” 

Upcoming programming includes: 

· All NBA Finals Games beginning on June 12, 2012 

· U.S. Open Golf tournament beginning on June 14, 2012 

· Euro 2012 soccer matches including today’s matches: France versus England and Republic of Ireland versus Croatia 

· NBA draft on June 28, 2012 

· MLB All Star Game on July 10, 2012 

“ESPN Radio is the most well respected source in the nation for sports coverage,” said Jonathan Sasse, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Slacker. "Adding live ESPN Radio programming to the Slacker lineup enhances the wide variety of content we’re offering with customized listening for the sports fan, setting the Slacker Radio experience even further apart from anything else out there.” 

In addition to live ESPN content, Slacker is also the first digital radio service to feature ESPN Radio in a personalized context, with up-to-the minute coverage of all major sporting events and top news stories on both a local and national level. The interactive ESPN Radio stations on Slacker offer access to content from multiple ESPN programs and platforms, including Mike and Mike in the Morning, SportsCenter, The Herd with Colin Cowherd and more. 

The complete Slacker Radio experience includes more than 200 expert-curated music stations, customizable programming from ABC News, comedy, custom artist-hosted showcase stations and leading music festival stations along with the ability for listeners to create their own personalized radio stations from a music catalog that is more than 10 times larger than Pandora. Slacker has three complementary service tiers, from the entirely free Slacker Basic Radio and the ad-free Slacker Radio Plus to the on-demand access of Slacker Premium Radio. 

Pricing and Availability 

ESPN live shows and sporting events are available starting today on the web and all major smartphones. The ESPN Radio station is free for all listeners, while Slacker Radio Plus and Slacker Premium Radio subscribers have access to the full ESPN experience, including all ESPN Live stations. Slacker Radio Plus is available for $3.99 per month and Slacker Premium Radio for $9.99 per month at www.Slacker.com or billed directly to your Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile USA or AT&T account from within the Slacker application on Android and BlackBerry smartphones. 

About ESPN Radio 

ESPN Radio is the country's largest sports radio network, providing more than 9,000 hours of talk and event content annually to 24 million listeners a week on more than 700 stations, including owned stations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas, and more than 350 full-time affiliates. ESPN Audio’s event programming features the NBA (and The Finals), MLB (and the World Series), college football (including the BCS and regular-season schedule) the USGA’s U.S. Open, and the 2014 FIFA World Cup. 

Weekday studio programming includes: Mike and Mike in the Morning (Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic) 6-10 a.m.; The Herd with Colin Cowherd 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; The Scott Van Pelt Show 1-4 p.m.; and The Doug Gottlieb Show 4-7 p.m. ESPN Radio also offers the only all-sports Spanish radio network, ESPN Deportes, which has 42 affiliates with stations in eight of the top 10 Hispanic markets, including owned KZMP-AM 1540 in Dallas. ESPN Deportes Radio programming features top soccer events and leagues such as Copa America, Spain’s La Liga, MLS and also Sunday Night Baseball. For additional information, visit www.espnradio.com. 

About Slacker, Inc. 

Slacker offers the world’s most complete range of radio services, from millions of songs to custom content from ESPN Radio, ABC News and much more. Whether it’s the award-winning free Slacker Basic Radio, the fully-loaded Slacker Radio Plus, or Slacker Premium offering on-demand access to Slacker’s music catalog, listeners enjoy a unique, custom listening experience. Slacker enables music lovers to play highly personalized music online at the Slacker web site, in Ford vehicles with SYNC AppLink, on connected home devices or on-the-go with free Slacker Personal Radio applications. Slacker mobile applications are available for iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry smartphones and more. For additional information visit: http://www.Slacker.com/about.

Zach Johnson Reflects on his Recent Win

It was an amazing feeling to raise the trophy at Colonial as Crowne Plaza Invitational champion. My game has been really strong and I've taken advantage where it's been appropriate to attack the course. This is a good time to be playing well, carrying positive momentum into the U.S. Open.

Another highlight this year has been joining GolfLogix. On the PGA Tour we are fortunate to have caddies and detailed yardage books for every course. You have a tool that's just as good, with aerial flyovers, club tracking, precise distances to the pin or other key points on a hole and the ability to write digital yardage book notes. I've really enjoyed using these tools within the coolest app in golf.

In addition to the app itself, getting to know the GolfLogix leadership and interacting with the community has been outstanding. The team in Scottsdale is smart and innovative, creating incredible technology that we all enjoy to play better golf.

I've also received generous support from many members, who have sent me Twitter messages about their GolfLogix experiences and my performance on Tour. Believe me when I say that I read them all. Thanks for your encouragement. Keep it coming!

Hope you're all in full swing with your golf seasons. If you haven't yet tried the new GolfLogix features, check them out. They'll have a positive impact on how you play.


Thanks,

Zach

Click here to see my entire round, hole-by-hole in the GolfLogix online community!

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