Alright Look Around Golfers!

Thursday has nearly come and gone and I thought I would start with something(a little golf tip) I overheard at my local golf shop the other day.  Besides being a shinning example of the “old school” way of business it really struck to my core (nice pun right).

The basics are a Teen golfer was looking to pick up some new golf balls for the round he was going to play this weekend. He asked the shopkeeper what he recommended. The golf shop owner asked two very important questions, both of which help us evaluate our golf game at its very basics.

1: Hows your swing?

2: How much money do you want to lose?

Two seemingly simple questions that at the core really sum up how you golf. If you want to play along and evaluate your game its quite enlightening…The young golfer calmly replied that he had a decent swing. He was hitting in the high 90′s no Tiger Woods but certainly a more than respectable score. The man said buy the cheap ones. The young golfer was a little taken aback…”my game deserves more than a Wal-Mart ball”. The owner just laughed and restated…buy the cheap ones.  The young golfer quickly replied I want the ball that will help improve my game. Again the reply was “buy the cheap ones”. The young golfer finally gave up and asked…what we have all been wondering…why? Well hence my second question…how much money do you want to lose?

The owner then gave up a few pearls of golf tips that every young golfer should memorize and most every golfer should reflect upon.  Roughly stated, unless you are a Tiger Woods who is getting the most out of his swing on a regular basis, you don’t need anything but a cheap one. The new technology is great for profits and for pros, but doesn’t do a thing for you besides help you get an extra ten yards and cost more money. You are still hitting the ball off center and off balance with probably a bad form and occasional bad reads. So what, the ball goes 10 yards farther into the trees or water or maybe the fairway. Its still your golf fundamentals that needs work. So think about it this way, If you buy the $15-20 set of balls instead of the $50,  that’s $30 you can put to another round or even a golf lesson from a course pro. The experience and lesson is gonna be worth more to your game than the extra ten yards!

For all you hardcore golfers out there, think about it this way. If you are like me, you on average lose about 4-6 balls a round. If its less, good for you but I find that its at least normally a sleeve, and on a bad day or on a tough course I’m flirting with 2. So if we break down that cost difference of $30 divided by 12 we get $2.50 a ball difference.

Really want that to hit home? Next time you go golfing, every-time you lose a ball pay yourself. Every two balls you lose, take a $5 out of your pocket and put it in savings. Then use that money to either, A spend some on the wife to make her forgive you for spending the better part of your marriage on the course (I love you Donna), or take that money and use it to pay for lessons. As so well put by the golf shop owner. Lessons or ten yards son…that’s the question.

So boys and girls…lessons or ten yards?

Till next time,

General Albatross