Sleek SPIbelt Handy on Golf Course 

When I first saw the name “SPIbelt,” immediate images of James Bond came to mind. But reading a bit further revealed the true meaning of this very functional golf gift: SPIbelt is short for Small Personal Item belt. Ladies, you will love this!

This functional carrying pouch was developed a few years ago by Kim Overton, who was out on a run one day. With her keys tucked into her bra, she thought, “there’s got to be a better way!” That night, she went home and sewed the first prototype SPIbelt. The company has been growing steadily ever since.

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For readers looking to lower their golf handicap, “Golfweek’s 101 Winning Golf Tips” just might hold the answers to your prayers. Written by veteran golf writer John Andrisani, Golfweek’s 101 Winning Golf Tips is now in its second edition. Much of what Andrisani learned during his travels interviewing and observing players is found in this book, along with his own shot-making tips based on 50 years of personal playing experience.

Each of the 101 golf tips is broken down into three elements: Situation, Strategy, and Shot-Technique Tip. For example:

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My recent course visit of Morningstar Golf Club started like any other. I met the vice president of sales, hit a few balls to warm up, then off we went. On this sunny morning in Parksville, British Columbia, Mike Loftus and I began on the 10^th hole, due to the annual Black and White women’s golf tournament that was shot gunning on the front nine. After several holes and lots of chit chat, Mike and I had created a nice rapport. 

Then, while heading to the 16^th hole, a pair of concerned-looking women golfers drove up in their golf cart and shared that someone had collapsed on the 10^th hole. Mike and I raced in our golf cart back to where we began our round. Instead of the bucolic setting I had experienced less than an hour prior, the 10^th hole fairway was occupied by four aid vehicles, lights flashing, and several concerned golfers huddled together in small clusters offering support.

I had taken a first aid course several months prior, but could not believe what I was witnessing. I had only practiced CPR on a dummy. But seeing a real person being administered CPR was more than an eye opener. Right there in the middle of the par 5 10^th hole fairway, 68-year-old Carol Durant needed much more than a miracle. I watched as paramedics continued CPR for almost an eternity, which in reality was about 30 minutes. Sadly, that wasn’t enough. She peacefully passed away right there in the fairway, the placed she loved: Morningstar; doing the thing she loved most: golfing with her friends.

Life’s lessons sometimes arrive without fanfare, while other times they pound you incessantly on the shoulder. Carol’s passing was as subtle as a whisper and smooth as silk with no good byes, no farewells, and no regrets, though she probably wished to share all three before passing.

We all try to imagine “how it will be, how we will depart this world.” Reflecting back on Carol and how she departed that sunny day in July, I can only hope to be as lucky when the Golfing God summons yours truly through the pearly gates.

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With France recently awarded the 2018 Ryder Cup, it’s clear that golf in Europe continues its popularity. In neighboring Germany, who was also in the running to host the coveted Ryder Cup, visitors will find about a thousand courses to choose from.

One of the first things you notice about golf courses in Germany is they seem to play a lot farther than the score card indicates – and there’s a reason for that. Courses in Germany, and for Europe in general, are measured in meters, not yards. Thus, that 522-meter first hole on the Arnold Palmer Platz just outside of Berlin was actually 571 yards. If you’re a low handicapper, that makes a world of difference.

This mathematical challenge while overseas can be easily overcome. Basically, just add about 10 percent to the distance on your shot and you’ll be fine. If deciding whether or not sun block is needed and you’re confused about Celsius temperature, you can easily convert to Fahrenheit by simply doubling the Celsius reading and adding 30; that puts you within a degree or two on the Fahrenheit scale.

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If you watch professional golfers on TV, the one thing they each do without fail is the pre-shot routine. The pre-shot routine is just as important, if not more so, than the grip, swing, and follow-through. Golf is a mental game, and even if you have all the skills in the world, your mind needs to be focused on the upcoming golf shot.

Over the last few months, I actually started using a pre-shot routine. It’s made a world of difference in my game. For years, I eschewed the benefits of doing the same little routine just before every shot. What a waste of time, I thought. But, this mental part of the game will truly make a difference in the resulting swing. It keeps you in the moment, and helps you remember the thought processes needed to successfully execute the golf swing.

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Alright, say good-bye to macho play and get ready to Tee It Forward. The PGA of America and the United States Golf Association have proposed that during the period of July 5 - 17, all golf courses across the nation have players tee their ball from a forward tee. The idea is simple: If, for example, your average drive is 225 yards, it’s recommended that you play 18 holes between 5,800 – 6,000 yards. See the chart below for your recommended yardage.

Tee It Forward

Guidelines for Selecting Tees

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With the recent passing of baseball hall of famer Harmon Killebrew, I reflected back on a visit to Cooperstown, home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum. Killebrew was enshrined at the Hall in 1984. Located just over 200 miles north of New York City, Cooperstown is also part of a marketing effort on the golf front. The New York Golf Trail (http://www.nygolftrail.com) is a collaboration of several highly rated upstate New York golf clubs, restaurants, and hotels clustered around six of the state’s most popular vacation destinations, including Cooperstown. Other destinations on the trail include Lake Placid, Saratoga, Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley, and central New York.

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Still wondering what to get the man in your life for Father’s Day. SensoGlove is a worthy last minute gift idea for golfers. There’s a small computer attached to the backside of the glove that monitors grip pressure. Trying to self-correct the “death grip” on a club has been the bane of most golfers at one time or another. SensoGlove will help alleviate that problem.

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I recently visited the Ozark Mountain region of Missouri in the southwest corner of the Show Me State. And though golf was the reason for my visit, my reflections now take on a more somber note. Joplin, Mo., a town of roughly 50,000, and home to many fine golf courses, was steamrolled a few weeks ago by a powerful tornado. It has resulted in 142 deaths to date. Some of those who lost their lives were avid golfers.

One of the lucky ones who escaped relatively unscathed was the Rev. Justin Monaghan, a 70-year-old pastor at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. The church, however, was flattened during the tornado’s onslaught, which cut a path one-and-a-half miles wide, while leveling a third of the town’s structures.

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 As if it was made for the convenience of RV golfers, a company has developed the 33-in-1 Golf Club – an iron that adjusts to 33 different lofts, enabling golfers to carry more than twice the allowable number of clubs in one hand. “Not only does the 33-in-1 Golf Club eliminate the need to shoulder a heavy golf bag, but it retracts to only 19 inches long for ease of portability during travel or on the golf course,” explained Hammacher Schlemmer’s general manager Fred Berns. Hammacher Schlemmer, a mail order dealer, has been selling eclectic items from its Niles, Ill. headquarters since 1848.

With the 33-in-1 Golf Club, you can say good-bye to your caddie. There is a gear system inside the heel that allows you to tilt the clubhead into a variety of increments that includes five putters, two drivers, three fairway woods, 14 irons, or nine wedges – all with the simple twist of a dial. The club itself has the look and feel of a classic iron, but can quickly be changed into a 64 degree super lob wedge or vertical putter.

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