golf review

“Blog Entry Week Thirteen”

Review

            In reviewing my favorite thing to do, I realized an epiphany right away; it is no longer my favorite hobby. Mentioning the actual activity will shock you, yes it is golf! I have been playing the sport for over sixteen years. When I first started the game, it actually saved my life in more ways than one. The game does wonders for people when there in need for peace and serenity. If you can block out the frustrations of the actual playing side of it and enjoy the ambiance of nature that is.

Golf is an individual sport, but it is played with a group of others which you compete against. However, if you just manage your own game and not think of your opponents you’ll be better off. Furthermore, there is a psychology side of the sport comes into play. Not only is the game very tough to play physically, the mental aptitude it takes to concentrate and stay focused for four to five hours is intense. Golf is simple yet very complicated at the same time. There are eighteen holes with a variance of yardages and certain par scores to each hole. Golf courses averages are 18 holes with a total par of 72 to finish.

Now here’s the complicated part, since each person has a different skill level, there is a handicap system set in place to help even things out. People who are less blessed in the talent area get extra strokes per hole. This adds as a buffer so to speak to aid them in competing to win. For example; if a person is a handicap of 2, this means he can shoot a score somewhere between 72 and 74 pretty consistently. Now another person with a handicap of 16 is way out of this guy’s league, so he gets 14 additional strokes for the round to even out the difference. Without this amazing system golfers would never compete and would eventually quit the game.

Here is where I’ve come to the reality check of why golf is no longer my favorite hobby. People have become sandbaggers as we like to call them in the sport. For instance, when a golfer tells you he is a 15 handicap and he shoots a round of 70, this is a sandbagger. His score should be closer to 85ish, if his handicap was true of what he stated. Otherwise, now he’s known as a liar, a cheater and a low down scoundrel. These are the kind of people that make the game ridiculous and no fun.

The reason I am so adamant on stating this kind of cheating is, because the game insists on an assortment of gambling side games to create competition. Gambling is just second nature to this game; there are dozens betting games that can get out of hand if your game is off that day, or if there is a sandbagger in the field.

Not only does it take hours of practice to stay on top of your game to be consistently good. The money to play the game is outrageous, costing now upwards of $100 to play one round. Now these fees aren’t so bad if your game is good enough to earn money in the gambling side to supplement playing often.

Finally, if you do have the time, money, talent and mental capabilities to concur playing this sport then by all means go for it. However, if you’re not good at the sport and you want to save money, frustration and time doing other things then I highly recommend doing that instead.