Yesterday I played a round of golf at one of my all-time favorite courses here in northern Utah, Valley View Golf Course. Valley View is a tree-lined course, always plush and healthy, with a lot of very interesting elevation changes. It’s a fairly difficult course as well.
I’ve been struggling so bad with my game lately that I’ve been fantasizing about quitting golf. As a (now former) 1 handicap I had some real struggles and couldn’t even break 80 for a whole month. Very frustrating, and I was beginning to feel like I was wasting my time on the course.
Then out of the blue yesterday at VV I shoot an even-par 72, including a double bogey on the par-3 16th. I made birdie on the 18th to get it back to even. The only other real booboo besides the 16th was making par on the par-5 2nd, when I was chipping from the back of the green for eagle, about 20 feet from the pin. A bad chip led to a par.
So I shot even par. I guess that means I won’t be quitting the game this week. I feel like the game knows your state of mind, and throws you a little tiny nugget at just the right time. It’s like gambling in Vegas. You lose your ass and that one small win keeps you there, giving you hope.
So I’ll be staying in the game this week at least but you can’t fool me, golf. I know what you’re doing.
I’m changing my tune a bit regarding tunes on the course, but with some limitations. I really can’t stand it when someone I don’t know has a speaker on during their golf round playing Coldplay or some other wrist-slit-inducing music I don’t want to hear. The one way to get me to wrap my 460cc driver around someone’s head is to play Margaritaville, for the billionth time.
But if I’m playing golf by myself or practicing on the range I’m totally cool with playing some tunes. That’s when I use THE BEACON bluetooth speaker. This this is a badass and it lasts forever.
THE BEACON From X18 Features
- Drop proof up to 1.2 meters (so be sure to measure the distance to the ground before you accidentally drop it)
- Water resistant
- Internal battery lasts up to 15 hours at FULL VOLUME. And a former rock and roll drummer like me needs full volume.
- Dual 400mm speakers
- Dual passive radiator for enhanced bass and superior sound quality
- Rated power 6W
- 360 degree surround stereo sound
- Frequency Response: 90Hz-20kHz (90Hz isn’t terribly low, but you can’t change the laws of physics. More speaker area is needed to produce super low bass)
- Doubles as a boat bumper
- Top hook and carabiner allow unit to be hung from golf bag or in other suitable places for tunes
When not hanging from my golf bag or my boat as a boat bumper, THE BEACON from X18 sits by my Mac Mini and serves as my speaker for listening to tunes while blogging about golf and drones. I take it into the garage to listen to music in there, or in the basement lab where I build my drones or work on my putting stroke. I’ve even taken the unit to the beach and with a 15 hour battery life I had power to last longer than the sun was shining.
The sound quality of this unit is great. I prefer to pump in an equalized signal though as the un EQ’d sound is a little off to me. But once I have the tone tweaked THE BEACON is great.
Retail price on this great bluetooth speaker is $99, but I’ve seen THE BEACON as low as $65 on Amazon.
Conclusion
Enjoy the great sound and convenience of THE BEACON on and off the course. Stay clear of me if you intend to pump Hootie and the Blowfish, Coldplay, or any of that other sappy yuppie music.
Heavy metal? Come on over, and TURN IT UP.
Related Links
Home site for THE BEACON is at Xone8.com
PGA TOUR
BMW Championship
Dates: Sept. 17-20
Venue: Conway Farms Golf Club, Lake Forest, Ill.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 3-7 p.m. (Live) / 8 p.m.-Midnight (Replay)
Friday 3-7 p.m. (Live) / 8 p.m.-Midnight (Replay)
Saturday 3:30-6 p.m. (Live) / 9 p.m.-3 a.m. (Replay)
Sunday Noon-2 p.m. (Live) / 7 p.m.-1 a.m. (Replay)
Tournament Airtimes on NBC (Eastern):
Saturday Noon-3:30 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 2-6 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Final opportunity to qualify for next week’s TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola: The top-70 in the FedExCup standings are in the field this week, and at week’s end players in the top-30 in the standings will advance to next week’s TOUR Championship in Atlanta and earn a shot at winning the $10 million FedExCup prize. Players sitting in the top-5 following Sunday’s final round will put themselves in position to automatically take the FedExCup with a win at the TOUR Championship next week.
Horschel defends: Billy Horschel finished two shots ahead of Bubba Watson outside of Denver for his second career PGA TOUR win.
Headlining the field: Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson, Zach Johnson, Jim Furyk, Dustin Johnson and Jimmy Walker.
LPGA TOUR
The Solheim Cup
Dates: Sept. 17-20
Venue: St. Leon-Rot Golf Club (St. Leon Course), St. Leon-Rot, Germany
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday Solheim Cup Opening Ceremony 11 a.m.-Noon
Friday Solheim Cup Day 1 2 a.m.-Noon
Saturday Solheim Cup Day 2 2 a.m.-Noon
Sunday Solheim Cup Final Day 4:30-11 a.m.
Broadcast Notes:
Format: This is the first Solheim Cup being contested in Germany (previous European host countries include Scotland, Wales, Sweden and Ireland). Four foursome matches and four four-ball matches will be contested on Friday and Saturday, with 12 singles matches to be played on Sunday. Europe will need to win 14 of the 28 points available to retain the Cup, while the United States will need to earn 14 ½ points to take back the Cup.
Europe defends: Europe won the previous contest 18-10 at Colorado Golf Club for their second consecutive Solheim Cup victory. Leading by a single point following the first three sessions, Europe swept the Saturday afternoon four-ball session to take a 10 ½ – 5 ½ lead into the final day. The United States leads the all-time series 8-5, although they have lost the last two editions. Nine of the 12 members of the 2013-winning European team return, while the United States returns 11 of the 12 members from its 2013 team.
United States Team: Stacy Lewis, Lexi Thompson, Cristie Kerr, Michelle Wie, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel, Angela Stanford, Gerina Piller, Alison Lee, Lizette Salas, Brittany Lang, Paula Creamer, Juli Inkster (Captain), Pat Hurst (Assistant Captain) and Wendy Ward (Assistant Captain).
European Team: Suzann Pettersen, Gwladys Nocera, Charley Hull, Melissa Reid, Anna Nordqvist, Azahara Munoz, Sandra Gal, Carlota Ciganda, Karine Icher, Caroline Hedwall, Caroline Masson, Catriona Matthew, Carin Koch (Captain), Sophie Gustafson (Assistant Captain) and Annika Sorenstam (Assistant Captain).
WEB.COM TOUR
Small Business Connection Championship at River Run
Dates: Sept. 17-20
Venue: River Run Country Club, Davidson, N.C.
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 12:30-2:30 p.m. (Live) / Midnight-2 a.m. (Friday replay)
Friday 12:30-2:30 p.m. (Live)
Saturday 7-9 p.m. (Tape delay) / 3-5 p.m. (Streaming on Golf Live Extra)
Sunday 2-4 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Web.com Tour Finals continue: The four-event Web.com Tour Finals continue with its second leg this week, as eligible players finishing 126-200 in the PGA TOUR FedExCup standings and players finishing 26-100 on the Web.com Tour season money list compete for a chance at securing one of 25 additional 2015-16 PGA TOUR cards up for grabs at the conclusion of the Web.com Tour Championship. Players having finished in the top-25 on the Web.com Tour money list already having secured their 2015-16 PGA TOUR card also are eligible to complete in the Web.com Tour Finals to try and improve their playing status for next season.
Headlining the field: Jason Allred, Tommy Gainey, Oliver Goss, Cody Gribble, Lucas Glover, Billy Hurley, Sam Saunders, Scott Langley, Aaron Baddeley, Trey Mullinax and Robert Allenby.
EUROPEAN TOUR
Italian Open
Dates: Sept. 17-20
Venue: Golf Club Milano, Monza Park, Italy
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 5:30-7:30 a.m. / 9:30-11 a.m. (Live)
Friday Midnight-2 a.m. (Saturday tape delay) / 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Streaming on Golf Live Extra)
Saturday Noon-3:30 p.m. (Tape delay) / 7-11 a.m. (Streaming on Golf Live Extra)
Sunday 4-6 p.m. (Tape delay) / 7:30 a.m.-Noon (Streaming on Golf Live Extra)
Broadcast Notes:
Otto defends: Hennie Otto won by two strokes over David Howell for his third career European Tour win.
Headlining the field: Martin Kaymer, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke, Matteo Manassero, Danny Willet, Y.E. Yang, Bernd Wiesberger and Hennie Otto.
This time of the year my game is usually as dialed in as it is all year long. By now I’ve overcome spring rust and had tons of rounds and range sessions over the summer to fine tune my swing and my feel. This is also the time of year I whine and snivel about the pending winter snow, and the following several months in which golf in my area (Salt Lake City) is closed or just too damn cold to play.
This year it is different.
My game is not at that fine tuned level this time around. I’m shooting my worst scores of the season, struggling to play to the level of a 15-handicap, not the usual 1-handicap I’ve been for a couple of decades. Despite feeling like I have as much power as ever and despite feeling like I’m hitting solid shots, I’ve been very disenchanted with my game. In fact, I’ve become disenchanted with the game of golf. During my struggles and rounds over the last couple of months I’ve found myself fantasizing about quitting golf, entirely. Forever.
In order to play at a level in which I can feel somewhat satisfied I need to play golf four to five times per week or as Tiger would put it, get in my reps. I’ve been fantasizing about all the things I could do instead of all that time spent hitting a ball with a stick–all the ways I could be more productive in my work or have fun with my family. I’ve been fantasizing about doing something different than golf, like my latest passion of building and flying drones and aerial photography/video.
This year as winter comes around the corner, I I’m welcoming it. I’m frustrated with my game and deep down know I can’t play any better than I currently do, given that I only have the time to play 18-27 holes per week. When I do play I become frustrated and emotionally fragile, with the smallest mistake or penalty able to crush what little confidence I have.
This year is different.
I’m at a crossroads in golf I feel. I’ve loved the game for many years but the realist in me knows the game can’t be mastered and it is not likely for me to get better without making a serious effort which I’m not sure I’m able to make. I’m also feeling a bit of a grudge toward the game. I’ve put so much into golf over much of my life, but the game relentlessly beats me up and will never ease up. I nearly walked off the course a couple of times in the last month or so, out of frustration. I’ve been close to selling my gear on ebay and shutting down this blog. 10 years has been a good for HOG run no doubt. I’m what I would call an “absolutist.” If the day comes that I do quit, that will be the end.
This weekend I had a small glimmer of hope, like the flat part of the golf course with the flag in it Robin Williams talks about, “just to give you hope.” I have some new irons which I feel better about and have tried to lower my expectations and accept what state my game, my psyche, and my emotions are in. I also have been trying to be less hard on myself for my mental mistakes and physical errors.
Right now I’m in a fog, or as snooty Californians call it, a “marine layer.” Perhaps the fog will clear, just in time for winter. Perhaps not. Maybe it will get worse. After all, in golf no matter how bad it gets, it could always get worse.
My frustration in the game has made it harder for me to get excited about blogging about golf. I must be interested to keep doing this. Plus, changes in Google and the SEO the big golf media outlets have implemented have knocked my revenue from this blog down to nothing. So I’m back to deciding whether I keep doing this for the “love of the game.” It sure as hell isn’t for the money.
Maybe the five-hour rounds, the difficulty of the game, and the cost are finally getting to me. Or maybe my golf fog is a reflection of my personal and work life frustrations. What came first, the chicken of the egg? Maybe it’s time for a midlife crisis and I should go buy a Porsche and get it over with. Hell. I don’t know and I’m not sure it matters. I’m golfing now almost out of habit, and wanting to still be with a couple of my golf friends who I normally would not see. Most of my competitive groups have dissolved. People have quit, died, moved away.
Golf Media
I’ve become very jaded and tired of the standard golf media as well. It’s an endless stream of hot tour wives and girlfriends garbage along with stupid initiatives to “grow the game” which will never work.
Gear wise I’m really tired of the equipment release cycles too, and “this is our longest driver EVER!!!” advertising campaigns. Really? Why don’t you tell me EXACTLY HOW MUCH LONGER IT REALLY IS then?
Just like my fantasy of quitting golf, I dream of unplugging Facebook and Twitter and turning off the endless drivel coming out of the golf world. I get as excited about a new “longer” driver as I get about a new brand of laxatives. In fact, at my age the laxatives might just be more interesting and are certainly more useful than spending $499 to gain 100th of a millimeter in distance.
Hooked On Golf Blog insiders have sent me a photo of the newest, LONGEST DRIVER EVER. This unique driver is an industry first, with three golf companies teaming up and implementing all of their technologies together. TaylorMade, Cobra Golf, and Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG) will soon be releasing the KINGPXGM1-MEGA driver, guaranteed to be the longest driver ever created. It is longer than the longest long one….. ever. Featuring newly co-developed “RFL” technology, this driver is REALLY EFFING LONG!
The New KINGPXGM1-MEGA Driver
KINGPXGM1-MEGA DRIVER FEATURES
- Movable Weights
- 30 weight/screws which don’t appear to do anything
- “Space Port” which opens up and shows fun messages on the inside of the driver like “I’m afraid I can’t do that” and “What are you looking in here for?”
- The Space Port features 17 movable weights
- Adjustable loft, lie, length, closed, open, high, low, left, right, slice, hook, fat, thin
- RFL technology which is “Really Effing Long”
- 1456 shaft options
- Guaranteed to be obsolete tomorrow when the KINGPGXM1-MEGA Driver “PRO” comes out tomorrow
- Retail price to be a factor of 1700 times what it cost to make in China
The release date is yet unknown. When more details become available I’ll post right here at Hooked On Golf Blog.
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