Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with golf

Golf! On the internet! Now!

ignignokt — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:25:41 -0800

Help My Parents With Their Inexplicable Obsession Filter: Is there a way to watch the Golf Channel online for free or cheap? My parents pay for cable TV just so they can have the Golf Channel. (Yeah, I don't get why they love golf so much, either.) My dad wants to use this Internet thing to get around that. Is there a way? So far, I see that certain golf events are streamed on ESPN, but what they're looking for is to be able to just turn something on at any time and see more or less original golf content.

An alternate source of streaming golf video content will probably work, too - it doesn't have to be the Golf Channel.

Shoe bee, do we do?

SquidLips — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:53:01 -0800

Do golf shoes really make a difference for a 21 handicapper? I'm a bit of a hacker... breaking 100 from the white tees makes me happy. Oobgolf.com says my handicap is about 21. My buddy was ecstatic our last time out because he had a whole round of avoiding double-digit holes. (he has the max men's handicap.)

We go out mostly to have fun, hang out, spend some time outside, and relax a bit. Lately, we've both been golfing quite a bit more than normal, and have been getting noticeably better (him more than me), and we're starting to enjoy the game even more to the point of maybe investing a little more into the game - I've been surviving on my circa 1980 irons and fairway woods, and a $30 driver from Wal-Mart.

New clubs aside, the less obvious addition to our equipment would be golf shoes. We've both been in our tennies all this time. Would an investment in golf shoes really have that much of an impact on our game? Would they realistically shave a couple strokes off our game, or should we save our money?

Obviously, this summer has proved to us that going at this regularly is the largest key to improvement - but pros don't walk around in sneakers. We're just curious if golf shoes will help at this stage, or if they won't do any good until we improve some more. If you made the shoe plunge, we'd love to hear what it did to your game.

Giant golf syringe?

Marky — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 10:52:47 -0800

Watching the golf today, they showed a greenskeeper taking water out of a hole. He used what looked like a giant syringe. What is this tool called, and where can I get one?

Golf course etiquette

chickaboo — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:29:40 -0800

Can i play golf alone if I suck at it? I'm trying to learn golf... and I think the best way will be to just go out there and do it. But they don't let you play by yourself, usually they pair you up with someone. This someone is likelier to be better and or faster than me. What is the best way to handle this - warn him in advance that I am not going to be a good playing partner so he can play through, play with him and be excrutiatingly embarassed while I shank balls all over the place, or??
Also I'm concerned about the amount of unsolicited, possibly unhelpful advice. Do I grit my teeth and take it in the spirit it's meant? Cause some people can go ON and ON with advice that I don't necessarily want to hear all of.
What is the best way to handle these social situations?

Why do golfers sometimes place a token or coin on the green?

markjamesmurphy — Sat, 02 May 2009 14:44:58 -0800

Why do golfers sometimes place a token or coin behind the ball? I know almost nothing about golf, but I've started watching it on a new HDTV as I find it beautiful to watch in Hi Def. I just watched a player putt to within 5-6 feet. He put a token on the green right behind the ball, picked up the ball for a second, then replaced the ball where it was, removed the token and made the putt. What is the reason for this?

Where can I get golf lessons in Toronto?

jmmpangaea — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 07:33:28 -0800

Where can I take beginner golf lessons in Toronto? I'm 38 yr old guy that plays about once or twice a year and would like to get better at the game. Ideally, I'm looking for group lessons, not private 1 on 1 in order to keep the cost down. Alternatively, if someone knows of a beginner league/club, that would be good too. Thanks.

Too many balls, what to do?

deepscene — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 12:28:06 -0800

What are some interesting or useful things I can do with about 100 golf balls? I have a big basket of golf balls of varying quality, brand and weight (is that what the numbers on the balls mean?). I found them all in my back yard, so they are all 'used'. They are mostly white in color, a few yellow and one hot pink.

I'm moving soon and would like to do something interesting with them before I move so I don't end up throwing them away. I'm located in Northern Virginia and not a golfer. I would prefer not to give them away or sell them because, well, finders keepers.

I'm open to anything, but my goal in life is to make my wife laugh so the wackier the better.

Juggling is out, I can only do three at a time.

Tiger Woods v Barry Bonds

ian1977 — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:16:00 -0800

So, which would go further, a golf ball hit by a world class baseball hitter with a baseball bat, or a baseball hit by a world class golfer? Details about type of bat, club, specific golfer/batter are up to you. Basically I need to know the general best case scenario for each. Physics majors?

Downloadable golf highlights?

Umhlangan — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 09:50:05 -0800

I would like to download from a free or pay source the latest PGA action for someone who is in hospital without television access. My wife's grandmother is in hospital (amputation unfortunately) and is suffering from withdrawal because she cannot get her daily dose of PGA golf. Unfortunately it seems that a TV in her room is not an option nut I've been told a portable DVD player or laptop would be acceptable for an hour or so at a time. Is there anywhere I can download (pay or free doesn't matter) the latest highlights for her? I can then pop it on my laptop and take it to her. It'll make for a very happy old lady.

Obviously I know nothing about golf so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ta

Golf Clubs: New Clones or Used Name-brand?

chndrcks — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:03:26 -0800

GolfFilter(Part2): In my previous golf question, I mentioned that I would be looking for clubs of my own soon. I've started looking, and I have some questions. The main question is: new clones or used name-brands? I have about $500 to spend. I figure my choices are used name-brand clubs or quality clones.

I was researching online and I came across Gigagolf and Pinemeadow, both of whom seem to have reputations for quality clubs and customer service.

At Gigagolf, I can get X-18 clones (made with 17-4 stainless steel) for just over $100 (for the irons). A complete set of clubs (including 2 hybrids) would cost around $300.

The other nice thing about the clone companies is I can get the right shaft length and lie adjustments.

The other option is buying used name-brand clubs. This is the option everyone keeps telling me to do, but I have a few concerns.

The first is that they seem to be pretty expensive still. I looked at callawaypreownedgolf.com and a set of Hawkeye irons (1999) in average condition (their lowest) runs $250. That seems like a lot for 9 year old clubs.

It's also hard to find used clubs that are customized to my specifications. I'm 6'0-6'1 and have a wrist to floor length of 36". Which (according to all the online tools I've seen) indication I should have a shaft about 1/4" longer than std. and a lie angle of +1degree. How important is this?

I'm a beginner, but would like clubs that I could use for the next 3 years while I improve. I took a few lessons, and the instructor said I get enough loft on the ball (with my dad's clubs from the 60s) that I shouldn't go for something like the big bertha irons. He thought the X-18s would be good.

There aren't a lot of golf shops around here, although I intend to hit the ones there are to see what their used selection looks like. I do have family in Chicago and San Diego, and they could look there for me, although some of them don't know anything about golf.

Thank you as always Metafilter

Where should we go fore our trip?

um_maverick — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 08:06:55 -0800

I have the week of 9/29 off between ending one job and starting the next. I want to take a quick golf trip with a friend - 3 or 4 days, 18-36 holes a day. Where should I go? Additional pertinent details inside. I'll be leaving from Boston, my friend from NYC. We have enough frequent flier miles to get anywhere we can get to on Delta or American, and enough Starwood points to stay at any Westin/Sheraton/etc. Main requirements for the trip include a plethora of (hopefully cheap) golf options, similarly cheap food and non-golf entertainment, and warm (but not scorching) early-October weather. In addition to Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, and various Florida retirement communities, what should we consider? Closer is better, but we're willing to fly for good times.

As always, thanks!

Golfclubs as gift

chndrcks — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:50:58 -0800

Looking for recommendations for golf clubs for my recently retired father (preferably around $400 new or used) (I've read the previous golfclub questions, but I haven't quite found the answer I'm looking for)

My father retired this month and has expressed an interest in starting golf again. He says he used to be pretty good, but the last time he played was around high school. The clubs he has are in good condition, but they're from 1960.

My siblings and I would like to get him some new clubs as a retirement gift, but we're limited to a budget of about $400. I think we're all willing to go used too.

What I'd like are any suggestions askme has on this purchase. A few questions I have just from researching:

-Graphite or steel shafts?
-Senior or regular flex (he is 65, but he's in decent shape)
-Should we look for irons with hybrid 3/4s?
-Where's a good place to find used/new clubs in Chicago (or possibly San Diego, but we'd have to ship them back)
-What brand names should we go for? (especially if buying used)
-What brand names should we avoid? (new or used)
-We'd like to get them by the end of August (his birthday's then), but we could wait if there are going to be some end of season sales.

As a bonus, I want to start playing too, and I'm borrowing his old clubs to take a few lessons. Assuming I get hooked, I'll be looking for clubs of my own, so if some of your advice is good for a 65 year old, but not a 25 year old, I'd like to hear why.

Profitable Golf Course or Sub development?

CWitt — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:08:13 -0800

How profitable is a golf course? I love playing golf and would love to own a golf course. However, with the price of real estate the way it is, I wonder if it is even really profitable? Is it more profitable to buy couple hundred acres and put a course on it or put some homes down? I would think that it would be more profitable to put homes down, because the course would take several years to get out of the red.

Should I (try to) learn to play golf?

taubman — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:13:52 -0800

Should I (try to) learn to play golf? I'm starting to find that not being able to join in the ritual of the business meeting on the golf course is hindering my ability to advance in my career. I'm often invited for golf outings which I have to turn down- apart from mini-golf, i've never picked up a club in my life. At age 40, would it be reasonable to think I could acquire a golf game that didnt embarrass me or my colleagues on the course?

Name our attorneys' golf team!

estherbester — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:11:50 -0800

Asking for a friend: If you were the captain of a golf team full of lawyers, what would you name your team?

an offer I can't refuse

Scottk — Tue, 13 May 2008 06:18:58 -0800

Nearly two years ago, a guest at the hotel I work at offered me something. Two years later, I'd like to take him up on it. What etiquette is involved? This gentleman was the key financier for a very private, upscale golf and residential development. We spoke briefly about the development and he gave me his card and told me to contact him if I wanted to play the course.

Well, two years later my brother is graduating college and my uncle and dad are coming up to visit and we are planning to play a round of golf, as the four of us are rarely together. Playing this course would knock all of our socks off and be a memorable experience.

I know this gentleman is extremely busy running a real estate development company and I feel I am making the situation even worse by doing this on such short notice (the set date to play is May 16).

Anyone been in this situation before? What is the protocol here?

How do I fix my VW golf stereo?

ethel — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 12:28:04 -0800

How to unlock my VW golf car stereo? I have a 1994 VW golf III gl, and the battery was disconnected (my car alarm was going off because my door was a bit ajar on a busy street and a neighbor disconnected it to save his/her sanity).

When I tried to turn on my stereo after the battery was reconnected, there is nothing in the field that usually says the station - and when the battery is reconnected after being disconnected, it normally says "SAFE" to keep the radio from being used (by someone without the code to turn it back on). I have the code that I am supposed to input, I just can't seem to get to the "SAFE" display where there is usually a procedure to input that code (which I, uh, also can't remember).

So, my question - why is there no SAFE mode displayed? Is the battery not connecting to my stereo somehow? Am I screwed because of this? And is there another procedure to get my car stereo to work?

thanks all!

p.s. If there's a "car repair" or VW forum you recommend, where I can pose the same question, would appreciate that too..

Des Moines Public Golf Courses

rme014 — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:40:00 -0800

I'm looking to plan a golf trip to Des Moines this summer and I need some advice on where to play. I'm looking to spend around $40 to $50 per round. I'm looking for public courses pretty close to downtown. Any advice???

Help me get a 93' Club Car working...

itheearl — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 08:00:21 -0800

My dumbass friend bought a well-used golf cart. Without a charger. or working batteries. Help us get it running. One of my college-age friends is notoriously bad with money, always making crazy impulse purchases - never thinking about total cost of ownership.

Anyway, he bought a 93' club car, a 36 volt V-Glide. (it matches the wiring diagram at http://www.lvssales.com/Cart/88-03_vglidecoil_36v.php )

According to the previous owner the cart "was working", but the batteries were dead and there is no charger.

From what I've read online, leaving lead acid batteries fully discharged for an extended period of time is a very bad thing.
To further ensure that the batteries were dead, my friends pulled them out, charged the 6-volt batteries one by one with a 12-volt car battery charger, and then re-installed them without paying any attention to the positive and negative markings on the batteries.
Not only that, but they didn't even manage to hook them up in series.

At this point, I stepped in and got everything properly installed again. We can crawl forward a few feet or hear the reverse buzzer.

My friend wants to, and probably will, replace the batteries and buy a lift kit (!?) for the cart. Since he already has a fairly large car battery charger, he's convinced that he doesnt need to go out and spend a few hundred dollars on a 36-volt charger - he will just find some way to hook the 12-volt charger up to the charge plug on the golf cart.

So I guess my question is, is there some magical cheap way to charge the batteries in series that won't damage them?
If not, help me convince my friend that this is going to ruin his batteries.

Also, charger recommendations would be appreciated.
It would have to be relatively cheap, but also bear in mind that my friend will probably never do any maintenance on the batteries - so something that can be left plugged in all the time may be in order. Perhaps something with a built-in float charger? Would just using a 36v float charger work if he didnt discharge the batteries too far?

500,000 trees on a golf course?! No way.

sir_rubixalot — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 00:31:43 -0800

There's apparently a golf course near San Jose, CA., well it actually may be closer to Milpitas, but it supposedly has half a million trees. I can't seem to find anything about it or if it even exists. This information is coming from my father who played at this course many years ago (maybe 10-20). Any other recommendations for great golf courses near San Jose also appreciated.

VW Golf wants to stall after A/C repair. Fixable?

odinsdream — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 06:10:12 -0800

After having the A/C compressor replaced in our VW Golf, the engine idle speed drops way down to near-stalling whenever the clutch is released while driving. It pops right back up, but it's a bit unnerving. Last week the A/C stopped blowing cold air. I took the car to our local mechanic who suggested replacing the expansion valve first, then the compressor if that didn't fix it. After the operation, I have a new expansion valve and compressor.

When we first got the car I noticed the idle speed was a little low and jumpy, but it wasn't anything unnerving. Now, though, whenever you cut the A/C on the engine idles extremely low. The especially disturbing part is when driving around and pressing the clutch to shift. When you press the clutch, the engine drops down in speed, of course, but instead of hovering around 1200, it drops all the way toward zero, then bounces back up to jump around 1000.

All of this goes away when the A/C is turned off. What's the problem? Can I have it adjusted or fixed? What can I suggest to the mechanic on Monday?

What is a "Reverse Miracle Putt"?

britcoal — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 12:45:14 -0800

What is Miracle Chosuke's "Reverse Miracle Putt", exactly? There was a game called Lee Trevino's Fighting Golf for the 8-bit Nintendo. There were four "characters" you could play and one of them, Miracle Chosuke, was able to perform a "reverse miracle putt" (a specialty).. I've played too many holes of golf on this game in my life but I have no idea what that shot actually entails.

Buying golf clubs online

gatorbiddy — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 12:22:30 -0800

Need advice buying golf clubs online After the club head of my beloved 9 iron went flying off of the shaft last time on the course, I've concluded that it is time to replace my aging 10 year old golf club set.

I am looking for advice on buying golf clubs on the cheap. Ideally, I would like to pay $200-$300 for a complete set of new irons and woods. I know there are a ton of overstock or discount golf warehouse sites online these days, but I get bogged down in the myriad of choices. I'm a heavy researcher before I buy things, and the selection at these sites and on EBay is overwhelming to me.

So, does anyone having experience buying golf clubs at a great price online? Which sites do you use? How do you research your club sets and avoiding paying $500+ for a set? EBay might also be a good way to go, but I have an impossible time sifting through all of the models and options. Specific sites, brands, or generally online purchasing experiences would be welcome. Is it better to do this at a store, or go at least go to a store to try out different styles, then buy online? If so, store suggestions in the SF Bay Area?

I'm a casual golfer (read 6 pack in the bag), really enjoy the game, generally shoot about 15-30 over par. Right handed, 28 yo male, 6 foot, probably golf about 10 times a year. Could go used or bump my limit to $400 if it made sense.

Thanks!!

Make this game less annoying!

mrunderhill — Tue, 08 May 2007 18:51:58 -0800

I'm tired of being a crappy golfer. I'm 21 and have been playing for about 5 years. My hdcp is 18 and I would like to get down to single digit. Are there golf training (2-12 weeks) camps for adults? Where? Other ideas? I have the time and cash and I don't mind traveling.

Where's the Masters' cams?

Thorzdad — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 10:16:12 -0800

Can anyone find any of the live webcam links on the Masters.org site? According to this page on the Masters website, there's supposed to be, at the very least, a live cam at the practice tee daily. But damned if I can find any links to cams anywhere.