Thursday 28 June 2012

Golf and Loss Aversion

Hazards of Egyptian golf

There's a really interesting article on Aussie Golfer about why golfers sink more par putts than birdie putts, when the putts are the same length.
(Aussie Golfer has consistently great golf blogs.)
Here's an extract from the Aussie Golfer article.

Israeli psychologist Daniel Kahneman released a book late last year called "Thinking, Fast and Slow" that outlines the problems with human reasoning. In the book he hints at why golfers miss many more birdie putts than par putts of the same length.
In the book (that has spent a considerable amount of time on the New York Times best sellers list) he cites a study published in 2009 by Pope and Schweitzer that looked at 2,525,161 putts attempted by 421 PGA tour players between 2004 and 2009. The results showed a significant increase in putts made for par than for birdie.
"When golfers are “under par” (e.g., shoot a “birdie” putt that would earn them a score one stroke under par or shoot an “eagle” putt that would earn them a score two strokes under par) they are significantly less accurate than when they attempt otherwise similar putts for par or are “over par”."
The reason expanded upon in Kahneman's book is that we are hard wired to worry more about loss than gain, and the performance (or in this case, the putting) gets better when you are trying to avoid failure. This, despite the fact that a birdie putt or a par putt are of equal value and are only differentiated because of the par assigned for the hole.
"Pope and Schweitzer theorized that players would try a little harder when putting for par to avoid a bogey than when putting for a birdie. They analyzed over 2.5 million puts in exquisite detail to test that prediction. They were right. Whether the putt was easy or hard, every distance from the hole, players were more successful putting for par than for a birdie.
The study looked at professional golfers but I'd be inclined to think a similar result may also be seen for amateur golfers with club handicaps who are putting for par equivalent or less on a hole.

It's a beautiful day here on the Kapiti Coast so when I play golf this afternoon, I'm going to change my thoughts when I'm standing over a birdie putt. Instead of "Good Lord, I've hit a hole in regulation! Birdie would be nice but 2 putts will still give me par" it'll be "I want birdie".


Agonising Golf and More Agonising Golf ebooks available
from smashwords.com

Tuesday 26 June 2012

Detox Trundler Seat for Golfers

I read in our local paper about a wonderful new cushion for sale which, among other things, claims to "allow the lymphatic system to flush toxins easily through your body ... improve core strength ... help you lose weight by keeping the enzymes that burn fat working."
Sounds ideal for the modern golfer, I thought. I could adapt it for a trundler or a golf cart. With a round of golf taking up to six hours, a lot of that time's spent sitting. Why not use it to 'get healthy'?
So, a cushion that can do all this ... is there a special way of sitting on it? Do I need better balance than I manage through my golf swing? Do I need to keep my head down?
Nope, nothing that complicated. You just have to jiggle. A bit. Every now and then.
Every time I see a product advertised which either 'burns' or 'rids the body of toxins' I have to fight an overwhelming impulse to hurl at the ground whatever it is that I've read the offending advertorial in.
(Indeed, sometimes I suffer from 'toxin burning' flashbacks on the golf course when I hit a shot, obviously full of toxins, and I have to fight really hard to hold on to my golf club.)
After further research, I've concluded that the best way for a golfer to rid themselves of toxins is to have a couple of lessons.
There's nothing like a well-hit shot to expel anything toxic.

Agonising Golf and More Agonising Golf ebooks available
from smashwords.com

Sunday 24 June 2012

Protect Our Fish From Off Target Golfers

Golf course superintendants who are in charge of golf courses with ponds and creeks on them, be warned.
There's a very strong lobby group, Protect Our Fish From Off Target Golfers, who are gathering a huge force behind them to have your course closed.
Armed with photos, such as the shots below, they are organising petitions worldwide to insist that either the golf courses errect protection over the waterways or they shut down. 
As protection would not only be too expensive but would also be aesthetically unacceptable, the POFFOTGers know that closure is the only option, if they get their way.


According to POFFOTG, the fish in the pictures have been hit, time and time again, with golf balls.


(Those who believe in reincarnation think the fish were soccer players in previous lives, specifically those who would 'take a dive'.)
Unfortunately, the POFFOGT has teamed up with an equally strong group, Protect Our Fish From Club Hurling Impatient Golfers - POFFCHIG. They have collected data to show that out of every 20 balls that are hit into the water, 4.5 of the offending clubs end up in there too.
The bumps certainly look like injuries but there's another group, Protect Our Courses From Idiots - POCFI, who insist that these fish haven't been hit by golf balls or clubs. Their studies show that these fish are just myopic and bump into rocks or submerged branches or even the pond/creek edges.
Another group, POGCFWICL - Provide Our Golf Course Fish With Ideal Contact Lenses, (made up of Beauty Pageant competitors who saw this as a way to help achieve world peace) hopes to help solve the problem.
The fact that golf courses provide the best photo shoots for beauty queens is purely coincidental.

Thursday 21 June 2012

Golf Swings Match Personality

Have you ever noticed that golfers' swings match their personalities?
People who talk fast and walk fast always swing fast. And slow coaches not only take forever to get to their ball but, once they get there, they fluff around adjusting their glove and take ages to select a club.
And then change their mind and put it back.
(Don't get stuck behind these golfers when they're queuing for food. Especially if they've just been to the toilet - they never use tongs.)
So, does this mean that your personality has doomed you to always underclub? (Ultra-careful person who never takes risks.)
Or, you're just going to have to accept that every round will include a couple of quintuple bogies, because you're incapable of playing percentage when in trouble. (Stubborn person who refuses to alter their views.)
Or else you may not be able to 'restrict the damage' because you think you can pull off that one in a million shot. (Delusions of grandeur.)
Up until this year, the answer would have been 'yes'.
But, fortunately for you, Agonising Golf and More Agonising Golf (links below) will help you overcome all these maladies.
Here are a few tips to tide you over until you've read the ebooks.
You walk fast and swing fast?
Wear gumboots (one size too big) and heavy wrist bands. Guaranteed to give you time to complete your backswing.
Too slow?
Give the person who's marking your card an electric cattle prodder. (Test it on the neighbour's straying dog ... or the neighbour ... before playing. Guarantee your marker won't even have to use it.)
Can't stop a little trouble turning into a lot?
Carry a copy of your credit card statement and look at the interest charges before you attempt that 'one in a million' shot. (This personality type never pays off the total at the end of the month.)
With Ms Kallas-Way's techniques, you can be a better golfer.
Agonising Golf and More Agonising Golf ebooks available
from smashwords.com

Monday 18 June 2012

Why do Golfers Wear only One Glove?

I have recently delved into the history of the golf glove, as I've always wondered why golfers, apart from Tommy Gainey, only wear one.
Personally, I don't wear a golf glove. You can get a reasonably quaffable bottle of wine for the same price as a glove, and there's no doubt which one I would rather have.
To solve the mystery, I had to go back to the invention of golf, which I've proved occurred way back in the neanderthal period.
(There is some disagreement on whether the naenderthal was a golfer or just a particularly bad tempered individual who enjoyed whacking stones and nuts at people. I believe cave drawings confirm the golfer hypothesis.)
Anyway, a close study of fossils and caves show that even back then, neanderthal golfers only wore one glove.
Why?
Could it be because a neanderthal golf pro had lots of beginner golfers order golf gloves and, to avoid looking incompetent because he'd run out, he told them they only needed one? Left or right didn't matter.
Perhaps, with neanderthals being so strong, if they used a two-handed swing the nuts/stones went too far so the single glove was a reminder to only use one hand.
A popular theory is that due to their large appetite, neanderthals were often tempted by edible animals on the course, which they pursued and thumped with their clubs. This made rounds of golf interminably slow, so wearing a glove was a constant reminder to play, not slay.
I now know that all those theories are wrong.
The unequivocal reason why golfers from all epochs wear only one glove is ... it's really hard to pick your nose with a glove on.

Agonising Golf and More Agonising Golf ebooks available
from smashwords.com

Sunday 17 June 2012

Mud Golf Tips

Golf is a winter sport in New Zealand so here are a few tips to help you enjoy your game.
1. Think positive swing thoughts i.e. mud is good for my complexion.
2. With the greens so soggy, it's your best chance to make your shots to the green stop like a pro's.
3. If you're on a hilly course, your 8 & 9 irons make good ski poles.
4. If you're a jabby putter, don't clean the mud off your ball - just distribute it evenly.
5. If the course allows placing, often you'll find a muddy lump or divot to tee your ball on.
6. In which case, remember, mud is good for your complexion.
7. Mud in your eye makes your shots look better.
8. Practice swings towards your opponent make them look better.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Saturday 16 June 2012

From Practice Fairway to Course

Had a very satisfying one and a half hours on the practice fairway today, working on the lesson I had a week ago. Hit the ball well with irons and woods so decided to play a few holes.
I wanted to see if my swing was transferable from practice to serious.
Drove well and took my rescue club for my second shot.
Nutted it.
Then hit my third skinny and right.
Alas, my swing is like a crossed cheque.
Non-transferable.
This happens time after time. I hit the ball nicely on the practice fairway but can't do it on the course.
I need some way to turn the course into the practice fairway.
Maybe I could go out before everyone starts and hide the flags...




Agonising Golf and More Agonising Golf ebooks available
from smashwords.com

Wednesday 13 June 2012

Golf Terminology Origins

Have you ever wondered how golf shots got their names?
Wonder no more.
The first widely recognised name for a golf shot was the shank and it has a logical origin when you know the story.
Many, many years ago, a few years after golf was invented, a man named Hank decided to take up the new sport. He drove the ball well but his second shots were dreadful.
In fact, he hit so many shots sideways that he injured every golfer he played with. Other golfers always knew when Hank was on the course because they'd hear yells of, "Shit Hank, are you trying to kill me?"
Not wanting to catch Hank's dreadful golf meant everyone who wasn't in his four gave him a wide berth.
At least three fairways.
This meant they couldn't hear the yells quite so clearly so instead of "Shit Hank..." it sounded like "Shank!"


Agonising Golf and More Agonising Golf ebooks available
from smashwords.com

Sunday 10 June 2012

Putting Improvement

Drive for show, putt for dough, the old saying goes.
That makes more sense to me now than it did 35 years ago ... and the fact that I'm getting outdriven more often now has nothing to do with it.
Acutally, it's good news because, when you think about it, putting is a much easier part of the game to fix than driving.
You don't need to be tall, or strong, or super-flexible to putt well. All it takes is a lesson with a pro, to make sure you've got the fundamentals right, and then practice.
Even the practice is easier. You seldom need to walk further than 40 paces, unless you have a really, really bad case of the yips. The backswing is shorter, so there's less likelihood of 'swinging off plane'. You can even practice in the comfort of your own home.
(If you're a club thrower, you might want to practice in the garage instead of the lounge.)
When watching golf on TV, it seems that the pros sink just about every putt within 10 feet. While they are very accurate on the 3 footers, here are the PGA 2010 putting stats - distance of putt and percentage holed:

2 ft - 99%;  3 ft - 95%;  4 ft - 86%;  
5 ft - 75%;  6 ft - 65%;  7 ft - 56%;  
8 ft - 49%;  9 ft - 43%;  10 ft - 38%

Having done a scientific survey on club golfers (I observed the other 3 golfers I played with last week and recorded their putts) I can confidently state that when it comes to amateurs, these are the figures:

2 ft - 80%;  3 ft - 60%;  4 ft - 40%
5 ft - 20%  6 ft - 10%;  7 ft - 5%
8 ft and over were only sunk if the golfer shut their eyes before they putted. Praying made no difference. Nor did swearing.

(A really good exercise to improve your putting, especially rhythm, once you've got the fundamentals mastered is this: Take 3 golf balls on to the practice green. Putt the first one while looking at the hole. Putt the second one with your eyes closed. Putt the third one normally. I bet you're surprised at how well you putt while looking at the hole.)
The PGA stats also show that even the best players in the world only make 38% from 10 ft and 22% from 15 ft.
So, spend more time practicing your putting and you'll shave a considerable number of shots off your game. 

Friday 8 June 2012

Five Best excuses for Poor Putting

1. "That bloody worm raised its head and knocked my ball off line."
2. Short putt - "The uphill slopes on this course are the most subtle in the country."
3. Long putt - "The downhill putts on this course are the most subtle in the country."
4. Left putt - "The break on this course is the most subtle in the country."
5. Right putt - "Pushed it." Cardinal rule with excuses - don't overdo them.


Agonising Golf and More Agonising Golf ebooks available
from smashwords.com

Thursday 7 June 2012

Golf Photos

It seems that no matter what golf tournament organisers do, they will never stop fans from taking photos of the pros while they're mid-swing. It's even more of a problem now that just about everyone has a phone which doubles as a camera.
If they're photographing Kevin Na, this isn't a problem, as his mid-swing lasts a long time. They'll have ample time to get an action shot without disrupting his final pass at the ball.
However, if it's Phil Mickelson, they'll need to come up with some sort of subterfuge to get away with it.
I have the perfect answer and am waiting to hear back from the top-selling cell phone manufacturer who, I'm sure, will want to patent my idea. However, as I know my readers can keep a secret, I'll let you in on it.
I have recorded 567 different bird calls from all over the world. When a fan wants to take a picture of a pro, he selects a bird from the local area. When he takes his photo, instead of a 'click', everyone around will hear a bird call.
If only this had been available when Steve Williams used to caddy for Tiger.

Tuesday 5 June 2012

Vasodilation and Golf

In the interests of golf research, I've been conducting studies of the best method of vasodilation for playing golf in cold weather. (vasodilation - expanding arteries and veins to promote warmth)
I've used the strictest scientific approach, i.e. it sleeted this morning so I went to the neighbour's empty section and practiced my wedges, imbibing a different vasodilator after every 25 shots.
The first vasodilator I tried was brandy, followed by whiskey, rum, gin, and vodka (all alcohol was taken double-shot and straight, so as to rule out the effect of mixers). I measured vasodilation by the rosiness of my cheeks and accuracy of my shots. And whether or not the club stayed in my hands.
Conclusions:
1. If you're prone to shanking, don't imbibe anything because there's nothing like a frozen body to prevent shanking. 
2. Brandy works pretty well. Cheeks had a wee tinge of red. Managed to hit 25 pretty good shots, with a high degree of accuracy, without shivering too much.
3. Whiskey works pretty well. Cheeks definitely rosy. Managed to hit some good shots, never shivered.
4. As expected, rum works brilliantly. Cheeks rosy red, only managed to hit half the balls but that was okay because suddenly I had double the targets I'd started with.
5. Gin, yep, can see how the Brits managed to conquer so much of the world with it. There won't be any more unrestrained dogs around this neighbourhood again, no sirree. Not too many restrained ones, either, if those skinny shots over the fence are anything to go by. Cheeks glowing, nose glowing, ears glowing ... not sure what I'm hitting any more but they looked a bit like golf balls.
5. Vodka!! Yep, this one's the best. Should've known the Russians would provide the answer. Yep, no doubt about it ... What was the question?

Sunday 3 June 2012

Core Rotation

After shooting 90 twice in a row, on two separate courses, I'm now desperate enough to book another lesson. Now I'll worry for the next three days because I know that Geoff will look at his notes from my last 27 lessons and every single one of them will say 'No core rotation'.
So I'll feel like a complete idiot because I just keep repeating the same fault over and over again. I can rotate my core fine when I'm having a lesson but as soon as I step on to a golf course, the only core that gets rotated is my apple.
See, even my core rotation jokes are weak!
What happened to those carefree distant days when everything tilted and rotated without my thinking about it?
Loss of confidence - that's what happened. Instead of merely stepping up to the ball and thinking about my target, I think about all sorts of technical stuff. And then my tempo goes as well.
For goodness sake, I tell myseft, it's just a game! World peace will not be threatened if I hit this shot poorly; I will not lose my life's savings if I pull this iron; a poor bunker shot will not result in debilitating injury.
Actually, a poor bunker shot could result in that. A couple of weeks back a friend hit the side of the bunker and it rebounded on to her eye.
I need to find some way to get back that carefree feeling. Some way that doesn't involve drugs or alcohol.
Hmm, maybe, if I could play that bunker shot so that it hit a little higher up...

Saturday 2 June 2012

Novel Cover and Blurb, Version 2

Here's version two of the novel cover.
Name changed from Out of Bounds to Mountain Mayhem.


The blurb now reads:
Mt Ruapehu erupts, providing Jane Walters with excuses for her golf and Elwood Thomas, an American vulcanologist, with clues to solving the question - are we alone? Elwood must persuade a reluctant Jane to help solve the enigma on unstable Ruapehu before the CIA catches up with them.

What sort of novel does the blurb indicate?
Does the cover grab your attention?
Does the title work?
Any other points?

Thanks for your help.


Best Beer Bar in Wellington


Fork and Brewer bar
New Zealand must be one of the top beer countries in the world, when it comes to variety and excellence.
If you're a beer connoisseur, go to the Fork and Brewer in Bond street in Wellington. It must have the greatest range of beer in the city.
After attending Brew NZ 10 years ago, I discovered dark beers. I also discovered a number of NZ boutique breweries, many of which have grown and prospered over that time.
That was in the days when the Brew NZ festival was a lot more fun. Bars and restaurants would 'adopt' brewers and feature their beers, often matching them with food. You'd take your map and make your way around as many establishments as suited. (Being Wellington, you could walk around most of them so there were no worries about drinking and driving.)
We found the people behind the bars as passionate about the beer as the brewers, and would often spend more time at the places where the staff took the time to discuss the brewing process and the ingredients.
You'd have a couple of free tasters and then buy a glass of whichever one took your fancy.
At one bar we talked with a couple of Aussie brewers and ended up going to several bars with them. It was a great evening's fun and walking around the various venues helped you sober up between drinks.

Fork and Brewer taps
Now the Brew NZ is held at one large venue and I've stopped going because it's just not fun any more. You have to pay to get in, then you have to pay for samples and some of the brewers are in a hurry to move you on so they can get the money from the next punter.
And they've changed the name to the ridiculous 'Beervana'.
That says it all.
But I digress. This is supposed to be about the Fork and Brewer, who have 40 different beers on tap. And very original taps they are, too. A whisk, a flute, a roller skate. Several that I couldn't name, and it looked like every one was different. All placed on what looks like a very large wooden barrel.
My personal favourites include Tuatara Porter and Yeastie Boys 'Pot Kettle Black'.
Most of the beers are made in NZ but I did notice one Aussie beer, and it's a good one. Fat Yak pale ale. Having despaired of ever finding a decent Aussie beer in Queensland, last year we found Fat Yak. We've even bought it here in NZ - it's a great drink on a hot day after a round of golf.
We asked the barperson's opinion on the best beer and she pointed to a blackboard that listed all the staff picks. One of them was the Epicurean 750ml bottle of Coffee & Fig Imperial Oatmeal Stout. It sounded wonderful but when she told us it cost $35, we decided to wait for a special occasion.

And these days, with brewers producing such flavoursome beers, why wouldn't you celebrate with a special beer, rather than champagne?

Rest room gets 10/10 for originality
Very apt toilet sign for a beer bar


Agonising Golf and More Agonising Golf ebooks available
from smashwords.com