Category: golf

If you love the game of golf and want to be around it full-time, there are a large number of jobs you can look into applying for, from just a simple maintenance worker to being a Tour Pro. Becoming a Tour Pro is not something that will happen overnight, though; we’ll get to that in a little bit.

Working in golf is great if you love the game. For starters, if you work on a course, you usually get a discount to play on the course you work on. Not a bad deal, especially if you’re young and want to play a lot but don’t have the money to do it. Secondly, if you work on a course, you get to spend a lot of your time outside in the air and walk around instead of being locked up all day in an office.

That’s great for most of the year, although July and August in Florida may not be the most enjoyable job for that. But there are three other seasons to enjoy it. California, however, is perfect almost 365 days a year.

The pay in the golf field can range anywhere from low to high, depending on the job you want. Here’s a look at some of the more popular jobs in the field and what their salaries are:

Working in Maintenance

According to Indeed, the average salary of a golf maintenance worker is $14.62/hour. Keep in mind, these can be lower for beginners just starting out to a lot more for those who are further experienced and have worked on a course for years.

Maintenance workers do a variety of things, such as mow the fairways, rough, and greens, keep the course clean after storms and windy days, repair tee boxes and holes, drain water off the course after a rainy day, fertilize the greens and fairways so they don’t get too brown and dirted up, repair golf carts, and help with the renovation of different holes.

Most times, maintenance men are outside and doing manual labor. It’s a great job for anyone who wants to work in maintenance for a living or for someone who is eager to move up and become a superintendent or Tour Pro one day. Many golf superintendents start out with this job before working their way up.

Golf Sales Representative/Pro Shop

Working in golf retail is perfect if you know a lot about the equipment. You will need to talk to customers about different types of equipment, balls, bags, and other items that are typically sold. Working as a sales representative or pro shop assistant will earn you a typical retail job salary in your area, but if you stay on long enough, you can become a manager.

The difference between a sales representative and one that works in the pro shop is that sales representatives can work in stores such as Dick’s Sporting Goods or Tec Golf whereas those who work in the pro shop work will likely work at a golf course or driving range. The goal for a sales representative is to one day become a pro shop manager.

According to Zip Recruiter, pro shop managers make upwards of $33,000/year on average. Pro shop managers traditionally have an office and are in charge of working with customers and also spend time ordering equipment and making sure things are running smoothly as far as tee times go.

Golf Club Superintendent

If you’re successful working in maintenance and are able to educate yourself and work your way up, you can one day make it as a course superintendent. Course superintendents make an average of over $90,000/year, according to the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. Private course superintendents make upwards of $103,000/year and nationwide superintendents make almost $400,000/year.

Superintendents basically run a golf course; they are in charge of the design of it and any changes that take place as well as the overall structure of it. They are the supervisor to the maintenance crew and oversee the quality of a golf facility.

Teaching Professional

Are you really good at golf but may not have the skills to become a professional? You can still get a license and become a teaching professional. Teaching professionals work on a golf course and/or a driving range and manage the lessons and sometimes the pro shop. According to Payscale, the average salary for a teaching professional is around $66,000/year.

In order to become certified, there are steps you need to accomplish. You will need to study and know all about the rules of the game and pass a certification exam. Secondly, you will also need to pass a physical exam illustrating you can shoot under 80 two consecutive on a selected golf course. If you are able to accomplish these and you have prior experience in golf, you can become a teaching pro.

Tour/Club Professional

Ahhhh….everyone’s dream. It’s the ultimate goal. Becoming a Tour professional all starts with one thing: skill. Basically, it follows the same rules as becoming a teaching professional but here you will have the opportunity to play tournaments and earn a salary week to week depending on how you place. You can start entering into small tournaments and work your way up. Salaries all depend on how you finish in each tournament, but obviously the bigger the tour, the more the money.

There are also club professionals who are basically teaching professionals. They play in tournaments as well but usually not PGA Tournaments, but rather Club Professional tournaments. Club professionals make an average salary of $55,000/year with more money that can be made in tournaments that they enter.

Other jobs in Golf

There are many other jobs in golf besides just these. Here’s a list of some jobs that you can get along with their average salaries, according to Payscale:

• Full-time caddy at a country club, $37,000/year.
• Golf Marketing Director, over $100,000/year (depends on who you work for)
• Golf Club Technician, $39,000/year
• Golf Ranger/Starter, $26,000/year
• Golf General Manager, $58,000/year

The Final Verdict

Being in golf is like being a teacher: You have to love it to want to work on it. People who work in the industry love the job because they enjoy being around the game. Most youngsters love it because they want to be a golfer when they grow up and this gives them more exposure to the game. It’s worth the investment and time if you are a golf fan like me and have aspirations one day to make it to the top, or at least further up the ladder.

The biggest myth in golf is that in order to become a scratch golfer or even a Tour Pro, you need to take lessons in order to improve. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Don’t believe me?

Well then, try this on for size: Bubba Watson, a two-time Masters champion, never took a lesson in his life. Bobby Jones, an owner of seven major championships, also did it all on his own.

So how did they do it? Trust me, it wasn’t easy. It takes a lot of hard work. But the good news is if you want to bypass lessons and learn on your own, it’s much easier today than it’s ever been before. Technology has given us a gift and the ability to learn from professionals through apps like YouTube and The Golf Channel. Hundreds upon hundreds of golf professionals give lessons on YouTube. It just takes a simple search.

All this being said, here are some things you need to keep in mind if you want to try and become a scratch golfer without ever having to take a golf lesson.

1. Spend a LOT of time on the Driving Range

By a lot, I don’t mean an hour or two before the heat withers you away. I’m talking a full eight hours or more. During the broadcast of the Charles Schwab Challenge, we found out that Patrick Reed spent at least 12 hours a day on the range when he was 10 years old trying to get better. Vijay Singh would practice on the range from sunrise to sunset every single day. It worked. It earned him three major championships and a spot in the PGA Tour Hall of Fame.

Find yourself a good facility where you can work on a variety of different skills. You don’t want to just spend 12 hours a day hitting balls off a tee, you want to also spend it putting, chipping, and hitting sand shots.

2. Work on Different Skills One Day at a Time

Feeding off the previous point, you should spend your time on the range focusing on a wide variety of skills, but split your time up between hitting balls, chipping, and putting. Also, when you’re hitting balls on the mat, spend most of your time trying a specific shot. There are so many different types of golf shots, from fades and draws to stingers and knock-down shots. Spend your full time working on a specific shot.

The same goes for putting and chipping. Focus on short chips one day, flop shots another, low spinners the next day, and so on.

As a scratch golfer, I can tell you that spending three hours on the range and trying to hit just 10 wedges, 10 9-irons, 10 8-irons and further on down the line isn’t going to get you very far. I try to spend four hours doing nothing but hitting pitching wedges one day and then cool down with hitting some other shots. Then another day, I’ll start with those pitching wedges and then move into a heavy dose of working on my drives. It’s almost like how you’re taught in school. You’re taught one lesson a day, and then the next day you review that lesson before moving into the next one. Golf is the same way.

Also, the most important shot you can master is the shot from 100 yards and in. This is going to be your go-to shot that you should consistently hit on the green nearly 100% of the time. No matter how much you practice your 5-iron, even the pros have a hard time getting these on the green. But they never miss a pitching wedge.

3. Work at Home

Unless you get free golf balls every day, spending a day on the range won’t be cheap. Regardless if you get to hit for free or have to pay, you should spend time at home working on things as well. Spend some time on the computer looking at YouTube videos from professionals.

However, a word to the wise: when you’re first starting out, find one you like and can relate to. Then focus on watching their videos on how to improve. The reason is all instructors are different and will teach you different ways to hit a shot. This can confuse you and throw you off track.

After watching the videos, just go outside and work on some practice swings. Maybe you have a yard or a park nearby where you can just hit a few balls and work on things. You could also watch the videos and then go up to the range and hit balls, taking in what you learned.

Additionally, invest in a putting mat. You can get these fairly cheap online or at discount golf stores. Putt as much as you can in your free time working on specific skills, such as keeping the putter head straight, strengthening your grip, and keeping your head down while you putt.

4. Don’t Take for Granted the Pre-Swing

It’s true, it’s not good to play super slow and hold people up. However, it’s also not good for your game if you try to speed through a round. Before each shot, you need to concentrate and practice your routine in full. Take pre-swings on how you’re going to hit your shot because you’ll find yourself using that pre-shot swing in your actual swing.

Watch the pros. See how they concentrate before each shot and go through a pre-shot routine. Every single one of them goes through practice swings before they hit the ball. Especially focus on what you feel is your biggest weakness and really try and focus on doing that in your pre-shot routine. For me, it was always focusing on keeping my head straight and down through the entire shot. After constantly doing practice swings before each shot, I was able to master the skill and lower my score.

5. Practice, then play

Practicing is great, but doing nothing but practicing is like having a football training camp and then not playing any games. You need to go out at least once a week and play a full round of golf.

This is imperative to improving your golf game. By playing a round, you get an idea each week where your strengths and weaknesses are. Then you go back out to the range and focus on those skills the next time you’re out.

Also, plan out your week each day after your round of golf. So if you play on a Wednesday, go on the computer Wednesday night and schedule your week ahead. Make a chart of what you’re going to focus on each day and how you’re going to do it. Every good golfer is organized and has a schedule they keep. You need to be able to do this.

The Final Verdict

Don’t listen to those who say it can’t be done; you need lessons. That’s a myth, especially in a day and age where you can let the lessons come to you through YouTube and other outlets. Be your own coach. However, don’t think it’s going to come easy. You may have to put even more time in training yourself than you would if you have a coach. But with enough practice,

All this being said, have an open mind. If you’re spending hours upon hours a day trying to fix a hook and you just can’t, don’t be afraid to call an instructor up and ask them for one lesson. It doesn’t mean you have to go through lessons each week, but sometimes an instructor can be there for one hour and fix what you can’t fix in 40. Usually, a hook can be fixed with one little tip from an instructor and you can be back on track working towards progression.

There is no Fail In Golf Fail. That’s the lie we tell ourselves each time we fall over after a swing – which, let’s face it, is way too often! It’s how we keep brave after the ball ricochets off a tree and knocks us out cold. Let’s face it, at Grumpy Gopher some of us handle our golf fails better than others. This toddler’s tantrum about missing his put is pretty standard for me. Like us, he just wants to live to be an old man. How can that happen so long as we play this cursed game?

Fail Indoors

Okay, so this kid is not failing per se. In fact his swings look pretty good. But what you don’t see is that his balls are hitting precious valuables and his dad in the face.

If He Can Do It

So can you. It’s just a putt.  So we’re classifying this as a fail because we know this dog has a better short game than most Grumpy Gophers. But if you practice your short stroke like Rex here does and you’ll be sinking putts in no time. The best part is that you’ll do it without ever having an accident on the green. (If we can’t trust you with that, let’s have a talk after the show.)

Make It Funky 

If there just can’t be two of you, you’ll have to make that bold impression all by your sweet self. One of the best ways to do that is through an amazingly garish golf outfit. You’ll be the talk of the club, and might even make some opponent have a seizure. Hey – it’s all about winning!

Don’t Let the Water Intimidate You

via GIPHY

While we’re at it, don’t let the high grass bother you, either. Either way, if you can’t find a way to keep your composure, at least try to keep your balance. You’ll play better golf when you’re not a Grumpy Golfer, and going face-first into the mud never helped out anybody’s mood.

 Just Be Sure To Steer Clear 

via GIPHY

You don’t want one of those bargain basement store, off-the-shelf golf carts with the Dummy Steering Wheel, like these poor sub-mariners. Run silent, run deep!

Sometimes You Gotta Go Gangsta

via GIPHY

After an especially bad shot, why not let your driver take the heat for the fact that you suck at golf? It’ll show your passion, and everyone will be impressed.

Hold On Tight! 

Sometimes passion for the game has nothing to do with your flying club. Golf and fried chicken for lunch: two good

When The Going Gets Tough 

via GIPHY

Maybe badminton is your game.

Golf is one of the fastest-growing outdoor sports in the world. If you love the game of golf but do not know where to book your next golfing getaway, the United States boasts over 50 percent of the world’s top golf courses. These lush green fairways are beautifully constructed to attract everyone from novice players to retired professional golfers.

To narrow down your choices, here are ten of the most elite golf resorts in the U.S. that cater to golfers willing to spend the money on an expensive golf course.

Cascata

Designed by Ree Jones, Cascata is a magnificent oasis featuring a 418-foot waterfall that streams from the overlooking mountains into a river that runs through the clubhouse. Located in the picturesque foothills of the River Mountain Range in Boulder City, Nevada, this tranquil setting frames 800-acres of natural rock formations and fabricated garden and water features.

Cascata offers golfers a memorable experience with its 400-acre course, 37,000-sq. ft. Tuscan themed clubhouse, and PGA tour-class caddies who accompany players on the golf course. Clubhouse amenities include a gourmet restaurant with a full bar, men and ladies’ lounges, and a fully stocked golf shop. Standard pace of play is four to five hours.

• Rates: Green fees are $395. Golf club rentals are $100 per set.
• Caddies fees: Caddies are required, and the $50 fee is additional to green fees.

 

Rosewood CordeValle Luxury Golf & Spa Resort

Located in Northern California’s wine country, avid golfers and wine aficionados will appreciate Rosewood CordeValle’s 260-acre, 18-hole championship golf course designed by award-winning golf architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. Nestled among winding creeks, perennial sycamores, narrow valleys, and wide meadows, this PGA Tour-quality course promises to excite and challenge with each round of play.

Amateur and experienced golfers will be impressed by the level of professional services. The Jon Horner golf school is staffed with certified instructors to help improve anyone’s game, and the advanced practice grounds contain an area for chipping, pitching, and putting. Each golfing guest is assigned a caddie and golf butler to enhance the guest’s experience.

• Rates: Packages start at $565 for one round of golf and one night of accommodation, but there are a variety of golf packages to meet guests’ individual needs.
• Caddie fees: Not listed. The suggested gratuity is $50 per bag.

 

French Lick Resort

Host site to the 2018 Senior LGPA, the French Lick Resort in Indiana offers golf enthusiasts three PGA-tour style courses to choose from. The Pete Dye Course is known for its narrow fairways and rough terrain. This course includes a majestic view of the southern Indiana countryside, man-made lakes, and sand-filled “volcano” bunkers.

The Donald Ross Course is a par-70 course constructed by Donald Ross in 1917. The course underwent a massive renovation to restore its bunkers with flat bottoms and rectangular designed rolling greens. The Valley Links Course is a nine-hole that was designed for families. The course features Scottish-style fescue grasses and tee markers for experts, beginners, and children.

• Rates: Golf resort packages start at $284. Public golf rates for daily unlimited play start at $350. Regular season rates for one round of play is $125 before 3 p.m. and $75 after 3 p.m.
• Caddie fees: Forecaddie fees for the Pete Dye Course start at $30. Forecaddies and fees for the Donald Ross Course must be requested in advance.

 

Kiawah Island Golf Resort

Ranked as the best golf resort in South Carolina and host to the 2021 PGA Championship, the Kiawah Island Golf Resort offers golfers five championship courses to test their skills. Totaling 90 holes of championship golf, the courses designed by Pete and Alice Dye, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio, Gary Player, and Clyde Johnston highlight panoramic views and stimulating greens. The Ocean Course is a walking-only course until noon and has more seaside holes than any other golf course in the world. The Osprey Point course is notably the most popular course with resort guests. Each course is an 18-hole, par-72 course that offers an unforgettable experience.

• Rates: Prices vary for each golf package and can be customized for each guest. The Villa Golf Package starts at $223, and public tee times start at $232 per player.
• Caddie fees: There are no fees for caddie services, but gratuities are recommended at $100 per golfer for a walking caddy and $50 per player for a forecaddie.

 

Pebble Beach Golf Links

Pebble Beach Golf Links is a public golf course located in Pebble Beach, California. A popular attraction among professional golfers and host of five U.S. Open Championships, this course is rated the No. 1 public golf course in the U.S. This impressive course consists of sloping greens and cliff-side fairways. The California coastline is in full view as golfers tee off on wide-open vistas.

• Rates: Currently, golf fees are $525 for resort guests. Non-resort guests pay $525 and a cart fee. From December through March, golf fees are $495 for resort guests. Non-resort guests pay $495 plus a cart fee.
• Caddie fees: A walking caddie is $80 plus $50 suggested gratuity

 

Pinehurst No. 2

Since its inception in 1898, Pinehurst has hosted more golf championships than any other golf club in the country. Designer Donald Ross considered Pinehurst his favorite course and “masterpiece.” The current course has been renovated to include tree-lined fairways, naturally positioned bunkers, and an array of wire grasses. Pinehurst No. 2 is one of nine Pinehurst courses.

• Rates: Golf packages vary according to accommodation requirements and can cost an upwards of $1884 for a single occupancy. Guests are charged a $195 premium to play Pinehurst No. 2. An upgrade to unlimited play is $175.
• Caddie fees: A single caddie is $90, and a double bag caddie is $65 per person. A forecaddie is $30 per person. Gratuity for a walking caddie is $30 and up per bag, and a forecaddie is $20 per bag and up.

 

Shadow Creek Golf Course

The Shadow Creek Golf Course is located in North Las Vegas, Nevada. This 18-hole golf course was designed by Tom Fazio and features a layout of over 200 types of imported trees, man-made waterfalls, hazards, exotic birds, and rock bed streams. This expensive golf course is set on 350-acres with an additional 7-acre short game facility that has four synthetic target greens and a putting green. Golfing guests of MGM Resorts International are shuttled by private limousine to their tee times and greeted by their personal caddies.

• Rates: The fee to play at Shadow Creek is $500 per golfer Monday through Thursday. The course is only open to invited guests Friday through Sunday.
• Caddie fees: A walking caddie is $100-150 per bag. The price for a forecaddie is $40-50 per bag.

 

TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course

Built in 1981 and designed by Pete and Alice Dye, this course is open to the public. Tucked away in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, TPC is an 18-hole, par 72 course on 7,215 yards of Bermuda grass. The course is famous because it is home to the PGA Tour headquarters and hosts The Players Championship every year. TPC is noted for its “stadium seats” made of mounds of grass. The signature hole is the “Island Green,” which consists of 78 feet of green fairway surrounded by trees. The putting green is completely surrounded by water.

• Rates: Green fees range from $399 to $549 for one round of golf, depending on the season.
• Caddie fees: A walking caddie is $50 per player, including tip. A forecaddie is a $200 flat fee plus tip.

 

Whistling Straits

Built along the Michigan shoreline, The Straits is a 36-hole walking only course that is one of two golf courses owned by The American Club luxury golf resort in Kohler, Wisconsin. Called the “flagship” course, The Strait was constructed with three stone bridges, deep bunkers, grassy dunes, and grazing sheep. The difficulty of the course is heightened by the high winds off Lake Michigan. The Straits has hosted four major golf championships and is set to host the 2020 Ryder Cup.

• Rates: Green fees vary but typically cost $385 per round.
• Caddie fees: A mandatory $65 fee is required with a $50 per bag suggested gratuity. A nine-hole caddie fee is $35 per player. The forecaddie fee is $35 per player and $30 per bag suggested gratuity.

 

Wynn Golf Course

The Wynn Golf course is located in Las Vegas, Nevada right off the Las Vegas strip. Designed by Tom Fazio, the Wynn course is an 18-hole, par-70 course built on Bermuda grass. The course offers Fazio’s signature rolling greens, white-sand bunkers, and winding streams. Wynn is a public golf course that has a course rating of 73.9 and a slope rating of 124.

• Rates: Green fees during the off-season are $300, but in-season rates are $500 for one round.
• Caddie fees: A walking caddie is $100-150 per bag. The forecaddie fee is included with booking, but the suggested gratuity is $50 per bag.

Read more about: El Cariso Golf Course

What keeps you going throughout a golf course with the least strokes- your favorite clubs or healthy snacks and fluids? Depending on who you ask, you will get mixed answers to this question.

Golfers nowadays are obsessed with golf technology. Everyone wants to have the latest golf technology in their bags: from clubs that maximize accuracy and distance to balls that travel further and land softly.

Even touring pros nowadays need some tutoring on how to use golf technology. Computers provide useful stats to help amateurs swing like pros. But technology has brought with it a confusion that even touring pros need tutoring to understand.

But is the technology the way to success?

Research has shown that having the latest technology in your bag on the golf course is not enough to swing like a pro. Golf nutrition guidelines 2012 by Golf Canada suggests good nutrition is important for golfers.

It is noted that golfers of average skills give more attention to their clubs than to nutrition. Ignoring what you eat or how you eat it can have a negative impact on your golfing career.

Golf Nutrition Tips

Below are tips to help you eat healthily:

Energy Demands

An average golf round lasts 227 minutes. As a player, you will cover at least 9,000 meters.

Most of your time is spent on exercise (84 minutes average). During this period, your heart rate is between 50% to 74%. The gap between maximal and average heart rate is wide, a signal that your body has physical demands. The demands are considerably temporal in nature.

Playing a round will see you lose 1.2 kilograms (or 2.5 pounds). Research by RCGA shows that a player burns 2000-2500 calories per round.

Nutritional Importance of What You Eat

Regardless of being a seasoned golfer or a recreational player, research suggests that what you eat and your eating routine can have a positive impact.

To enhance your sports performance, consumption of carbohydrates and water is essential. Players who have prolonged exercises that last past 45 minutes should take plenty of water and carbohydrates.

Pre-Game Meals

Pre-exercise time is generally described as three or four hours prior to the exercise. This period is perfect for the digestion of meals (especially large meals).

You should have your meal three to four hours before heading to the golf course for play or practice. Make it a habit of consuming snacks an hour to time to boost your energy levels.

Your nutrition should be monitored throughout the round because you need enough energy levels at the end of the game.

How Does a Good Pre-Game Meal Look Like?

-High carbohydrates to refill glycogen stores.

-Low fiber and fat for minimal gastrointestinal distress

-Medium in protein

-Familiar and tolerable

3 to 4 hrs Before Practice, Training or Play

According to research studies, eating meals having carbohydrates of between 140-330 grams should enhance your athletic performance. Meals should be eaten 3-4 hours before practice, training or play to allow digestion. The smaller the meal, the quicker the digestion.

There is no measure for the right amount of food per person since our bodies differ when it comes to tolerance. You can have a balanced meal with carbohydrates, protein, and fats to avoid getting hungry during the game. Experimenting with different food is allowed to see what gives you more energy on the course.

The more likely formula for improved performance is maintaining levels of blood glucose. This can be achieved through increased liver glycogen and muscle.

Examples of a Nutritious Meal

-Wheat spaghetti with meat sauce and tomato

-Toast with Omelets

-Chicken sandwich and soup

1 Hour To Play

It had once been speculated that eating one hour or less to play could affect your game. Research has shown there is no link between the two. It isn’t necessary to have a meal an hour to play, but neither is it harmful to do so.

If you decide to have a meal an hour to play, ensure that it is a light carbohydrate snack that is easy to digest. You can decide to experiment with different snacks to see which one works for you.

Good Snacks 1 Hour to Play

-Nuts & fresh fruits

-Fruits and yogurt

-Cereal having skim milk

Do not begin your practices early without eating. Having low blood sugar leads to fatigue.

Hydration Before and During Play

Keeping your body hydrated is important when you are a golf player. Remember that you will have to spend the day under the hot sun which can drain your energy.

Hydration Before Play

Take 500Ml of fluid 2 hours before practice or play. Another 250Ml 30mins to time, and a further 250Ml 15mins to play.

Hydration During Play

Athletes should stay hydrated throughout playtime on the course. Not staying hydrated has repercussions on your performance. Losing 1% of your body weight during play strains your heart’s ability to pump blood. 3% weight loss will badly affect your play. Further losses beyond 3% will result in health complications.

You should consume at least 100Ml at 10-minute intervals of play.

Importance of Carbohydrates

Your body’s carbohydrate reserves are normally low than required in most athletic events. As a golfer, you have to warm up to an event, spend almost five hours on the course, walk close to 7KM per round, and practice between rounds. If you are competing in a tournament, this routine can last days. If you don’t have enough carbohydrate reserve, you will lose a lot of energy.

Consume enough carbohydrates to have enough energy. One research suggests that eating a combination of proteins and carbohydrates immediately before play increases levels of amino acids received by your muscles.

Do’s During Play

-Eat carbohydrates- 30-35gms per hour ( crackers, whole wheat, fruits).

-Drink fluids- Take as much as you can to recover fluid lost through sweating.

-Sports drink- drinks with 4-8grams per 100ml carbohydrates are perfect for golf athletes. The drink should include sodium as an ingredient.

After-Game Meals

After a game of golf, your body is exhausted and in need of nutrients. Here is what to eat:

-Proteins (quarter of daily your needs)

-Carbohydrate

-Water

Technology plays a crucial part in golfing. But to utilize technology, you must have your body in good shape. Combining technology, gym exercise, field exercise and healthy eating will give you optimal performance. The right meals will stock your energy stores and practice and tools will help improve your playing skills.

It takes eating healthy and enough exercise to make a good athlete.

Easy Trek Remote Controlled Electric Golf Cart

Hand operated golf carts have come a long way in the past 20 years or so. Once upon a time, hand-operated carts were two-wheeled devices that had to be tilted back before they could be pulled along the turf. They worked – but not very well. They didn’t have storage capacity, they were difficult to move up and down hills, and they wouldn’t always stand up properly on uneven turf. Looking back, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that they were never that popular.

Of course, times have changed. Today’s fleet of pushcarts are beautifully designed with plenty of user-friendly features. They have wide tires to make them easy to roll, they have brakes to keep them in place while parked, there is usually some storage available, a cup holder is present, and much more. Simply put, they are a far cry from the carts of years gone by, and they are now a very attractive addition to your collection of golf equipment. However, while the basic push cart is now a great product to consider, the Easy Trek Remote Controlled Electric Golf Cart has taken the whole concept to another level.

 

Check out our list of the best golf push carts here

 

Hands Off!

Rather than having to push your clubs around the course, you can allow the Easy Trek to do the work for you. This cart, from Spin It Golf Products, is powered by dual 200W motors which do the job of taking your clubs down the fairway with ease. The cart runs on a 12V – 33AH SLA battery, another the unit can be operated like a traditional push cart if you choose to switch the power off. Airless rubber tires minimize the impact that the cart will have on the turf of your favorite course, and you will receive a remote control through which you can manage the movement of this device.

Needless to say, this is a product that is going to turn some heads when you hit the links. As you walk down the fairway – with your bag driving itself several yards ahead – you are going to get some attention. It isn’t about attention, however, as much as it is about convenience and saving your body. It is easy to wear yourself out over the course of a full 18-hole round, but you will stand a much better chance to stay fresh when you only have to drive your clubs with a remote control rather than pushing them or carrying them around. For the golfer who likes to walk the course but doesn’t want to exert too much along the way, the Easy Trek is a great compromise.

One Motivation

There is really only one reason to opt for this kind of cart to add to your golf equipment – to save your body. If you are trying to make playing golf as easy as possible from a physical perspective, using a powered cart such as this can make a lot of sense. Walking the golf course is one of the favorite parts of the game for many people, so switching to a riding cart may not be an attractive option. As a middle ground, you could pick up the Easy Trek Remote Controlled Electric Golf Cart to make it easier for you to get through 18 holes without having to carry or push a heavy golf bag.

Many Drawbacks

Unfortunately, beyond the motivation of saving your body during your round of golf, there are plenty of drawbacks to be found with the use of this kind of cart. First, there is the weight of the unit. Batteries are heavy, meaning the cart itself is going to weight significantly more as a whole than a traditional powerless push cart. While you might not care about this point on the course – since the cart will be driving itself – you will certainly care about it when you are loading and unloading the product from your car. Also, if you should happen to run out of juice in your battery halfway through your round, you will be stuck with a power-free push cart that is suddenly extremely hard to push through to the finish line.

Another drawback with this kind of product is the many ways in which it can go wrong over the years. With a traditional push cart, there isn’t much that can go wrong. Most have airless tires, so the tires aren’t going to go flat. Unless you have an issue with your brake cable or something like that, your experience in owning a basic push cart is likely to be maintenance-free. With a powered cart, however, there is plenty that can go wrong. You could have electrical connection issues, you could have problems with the motors, and you would have trouble with the remote control. There is a lot that goes into making this kind of product work, and any of those pieces could fail at some point down the line.

The Price Tag

Finally, we come to the cost. A cart of this type is going to cost between two and three times as much as a traditional push cart. That means you are going to have to make a significant investment into your cart, in addition to having the possibility of repair costs down the line if something should go wrong with the unit. Batteries are also quite costly, and you may need to replace yours at some point down the line.

So, in the end, the Easy Trek Remote Controlled Golf Cart is a product that offers a unique golf experience, but it will likely only appeal to a small set of golfers. If you are a player who wants to walk the course but no longer has the physical capability to push or carry your clubs, you might want to take a close look at this product. Otherwise, you will probably be better served to look at a less-expensive, traditional push cart model.

Walking the golf course is one of the best experiences in the game. While there is nothing wrong with riding in a power cart from time to time, or all the time if your physical condition demands that you do so, there is just something special about being able to walk the course. The game goes by at a nice pace when you walk along, and there is plenty of time to think about your next shot (or anything else that happens to be one your mind) as you make your way up to the ball. If you don’t already have a push cart, we put together this buying guide of the best golf push carts on the market.

Of course, while walking can be a fun experience, carrying your bag probably is not. Golf bags can get rather heavy when they are loaded down with clubs, balls, clothes, snacks, drinks, and more. In addition to the weight of carrying the bag down the fairway, you also have to pick it up and put it down between each shot. To lessen this burden while still enjoying a nice walk, a push cart is a great choice.

Modern push carts have come a long way from the early models. Most of the options on the market today have three wheels which are designed for all-terrain use, they have a parking break, a drink holder, an umbrella holder, and more. Additionally, some are even designed to fold up tightly for easy transport between your home and the course. If you like to walk the golf course but would appreciate the opportunity to save your back, a push cart is a wise investment.

 

The Economics of Owning Your Own Golf Push Cart

The carts we suggest below range from $140 to $220. For most golfers, this is a significant investment.  You can find a decent Caddy Tek push cart on Amazon for as cheap as $80. A cart like this will serve you just fine, but we’ve selected a few more expensive options because of their durability, storage size and features.

Every course varies with how much they charge to ride, but generally, you will find that a course charges a $10 to $20 fee for using a golf cart. If you play at a course that has push or pull carts for rent, those will be cheaper but still cost $5 at least in general

That means even if you buy the top of the line push cart we recommend below (Clicgear 3.5+) for $220 it will only take ~11 rounds before you recoup your money. If you’re serious about golf, 11 rounds is nothing. That means if you use your personal push cart once per month you will make your money back in less than a year.

If you’re paying 25 to 50% of the amount for golf, how more likely are you to play? The less you pay the more you can play. For most golfers, the more you play the better you will get at golf.

I’m not saying that buying a push cart will make you better at golf, but it sure can’t hurt your game or your health.

 

Health Benefits of Using a Push Cart

I’m guessing most people reading this could walk a bit more and a push cart will help.

A golf course typically averages around 6500 yards. There 1720 yards per mile which works out to being roughly 4 miles of straight-line walking.

Let’s face it, you aren’t walking in a straight line while you golf. We’ve tracked our walking on the course using a Fitbit and find walking a round typically works out to be 8 or 9 miles. Nine miles sounds crazy, but it really isn’t bad when you’re having fun and it means you can get some exercise while you’re enjoying a round of golf.

 

Below we’ve compiled a list of the best push carts on the market today.

Clicgear 3.5+ Golf Push Cart

Clicgear has quickly become one of the leading names in the golf cart business, thanks in large part to the way these carts can fold up into a small package. Despite offering you a full-size golf cart when unfolded and in use, the Clicgear is actually only 13’’ by 15’’ by 24’’ when it is folded up and put away.

This is great news for both travel and storage, as you aren’t going to have to dedicate a significant portion of the garage to this item. Once you get the hang of folding and unfolding the cart, you will be able to do so in just a matter of moments.

Turning to performance, you will likely find that this cart meets or exceeds your expectations in just about every way. The aluminum tubing that has been used in the construction of the cart is durable sturdy, and the airless tires will allow you to play round after round without ever having to look for a pump or an air compressor.

Your bag is strapped securely into place while you play, and there are some nice accessories included such as a cup holder and mesh bag storage area. Also, there is a front wheel lock built-in to the design, so you can keep the cart in place even on those tough side hill lies. It is easy to see why this cart has become a favorite of many players, and it is certainly deserving of your consideration when you set out to buy a push cart of your own.

Features:

• 3 wheel design
• Easy-Clip Bag Strap System that will help attach and secure your bag to the cart
• Accommodates any size golf bag
• Umbrella storage clip
• Large storage area in cargo net
• Folds to 13” x 15” x 24”
• 18 lbs.
• Easy to use hand brake
• Slightly heavier when pulling than the average model

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CaddyTek Superlite Explorer 4-Wheel Golf Push Cart

While most of the push carts on the market today feature a three-wheel design, this option from CaddyTek goes in a different direction by adding a fourth wheel. The stability of this cart is hard to beat thanks to its four-wheel design, and it also has most of the other features that are found on competing carts. With airless wheels, a strap to hold your bag in place and a mesh net to hold other accessories, you should have everything you need on this cart for a great day on the links.

Despite the addition of an extra wheel, this cart is actually able to fold up to dimensions that are very similar to those from the Clicgear cart above. You will find an umbrella holder that can come in handy when the rain comes in halfway through your round, and there is a scorecard holder as well. Additionally, this is one of the least expensive push carts you will find on the market, so you have the opportunity to get plenty of features and performance for a modest price.

Features

• 4 wheel design
• Folds to 15.75” x 13.4”x 24”
• Weighs under 14 lbs.
• Aluminum frame
• Airless wheels (to help with not needing to fill up)
• Easy to assemble/disassemble (2 steps)
• Distance to front wheel can be adjusted to fit larger or smaller golf bag
• 25/5″ wide body for pushing ease
• Comes with scorecard holder, storage compartment, beverage holder and mesh net

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CaddyTek EZ-Fold 3 Wheel Golf Push Cart

When you arrive at the course, you don’t want to waste any time before you head to the first tee. With that in mind, the CaddyTek EZ-Fold 3 Wheel Golf Push Cart is a great option thanks to its One-Click system for opening and folding the cart. The cart folds up into a compact shape when it is not in use, but it can be opened back up with just the push of one button and the completion of a couple steps. It is never fun to be wrestling with your push cart in the parking lot while your friends are walking to the tee, so pick up this cart and be ready to play at a moment’s notice.

One of the nice touches that is present on this bag which you might not find on others is a cooler bag which has been designed to fit nicely on the cart. It is always a good idea to have a cool beverage available while you stroll the fairways – especially when playing under the hot sun. The cooler bag on this cart is the perfect way to improve your hydration from round to round. If you are looking for an all-around push cart with all of the features you need to enjoy yourself on course, the CaddyTek EZ-Fold should be on your list.

Features:

• 3 wheel design
• 31″ wide body
• Folds to 16.5”W x 14.4″L x 28.4”H
• Weighs less than 18.5 lbs.
• Push brake (foot brake)
• Includes cooler, umbrella, scorecard, and beverage holder
• Folds with extreme ease (one click technology)
• Option for an added seat
• Option for an added carry bag
• Aluminum frame

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Spider 3-Wheel Golf Cart with Seat

Most golf courses have benches available for players to use while waiting – often, those benches are placed near the tee of each hole. However, what if you have to wait when you aren’t on the tee, such as while you are standing in the fairway waiting for the green to clear? When that happens, you will be happy you have purchased the Spider 3 Wheel Golf Cart with Seat. As the name would indicate, this is a push cart that comes complete with a seat mounted to the side of your bag. No longer will you need to look for a bench when you wish to sit down for a moment – you will always have a seat available with the rest of your gear.

Along with the seat, the Spider also includes the other features you will be looking for in a push cart such as a stable 3-wheel design, a brake, compact storage size, drink holder, and more. You won’t have to sacrifice any features when compared to other push carts in order to add a seat, so many golfers will view this product as a win-win situation.

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Features:

• 3 wheel design
• Foot brake
• Folds to L x 80 cm W x 60 cm H x 40 cm
• Weighs 19.1 lbs.
• Comes with padded seat
• Can adjust height to accommodate golfer’s height
• Elastic bag strap to secure golfer’s clubs so they do not fall out
• Comes with scorecard holder

There is no doubt that owning a push cart can make walking the course far more enjoyable. If you would like to walk the course regularly and you want to avoid putting the strain of carrying your clubs on your shoulders, consider picking up a push cart from our list of quality options above.

To say that golf has changed in recent years would be a massive understatement. Sure, the basics of the game are still mostly the same – there are 18 holes in a standard round, you can carry 14 clubs in your bag, it is still scary to face a downhill three-footer for par. However, thanks to the incredible new technologies that have flooded into the game, just about everything else has changed in one way or another.

One of the changes that you can take advantage of in an effort to lower your scores is the availability of swing analyzers that you can use on your own. No longer it is absolutely required to work with a teaching professional in order to refine your technique – with the assistance of some impressive tech, you just may be able to make those changes all on your own.

Of course, when the tech doesn’t quite get the job done, a lesson with a good teaching pro still may be in order. Below we will take a quick look at some of the best golf swing analyzers on the market today. Put one or two of these devices to use in your game and you just may be on the path toward lower scores.

 

Zepp Golf 2 3D Swing Analyzer

One of the most popular products on the market is our starting point for this list of golf swing analyzers. The Zepp Golf 2 3D Swing Analyzer is a tool that measures a number of aspects of your swing simply by clipping on to the back of your golf glove. Among the various pieces of information that you can obtain through using this product include swing speed, club plane, backswing length, rhythm, and much more.

You can even review your swing in 3D after you have recorded the information through this impressive piece of technology. With the ability to view results right on your smartphone, you won’t need to even leave the driving range to check out what is going right or wrong within your technique.

While it is great to gather information about your swing, that information is only going to be valuable if you know what to do with it. To assist on that point as well, the Smart Coach feature included with the Zepp Golf 3 3D Swing Analyzer will help you pick out specific parts of your technique that need improvement. You can easily waste your time on the driving range if you don’t know what you are trying to fix, but that won’t be a problem when you have this device working for you.

Features:

• 3D swing analysis measures club speed, club plane, tempo, backswing length, etc.
• Personalized training programs, based on your data, from PGA/LPGA players and Tour instructors
• View your swing in  360 degree mode
• Can compare your swing directly to professionals
• Course mode enables you to break down your swing on the course and how it transfers from range to course
• Batteries are required

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SkyGolf SkyPro Swing Analyzer

You probably associate the SkyGolf name first with GPS distance measuring devices, but this brand also has a presence in the world of swing analyzers. The SkyPro Swing Analyzer is another piece of technology that sets out to capture as much information about your swing as possible while you are practicing. Unlike the Zepp unit, which attaches to your glove, this product is attached to the shaft of your club just below the grip – and it can work with any club in the bag, including the putter.

The inclusion of putting analysis with this product is one of the points that you may be specifically interested in – especially if you tend to struggle on the greens. There is plenty of putting information provided by this unit, including the direction of your path and the length of your stroke. Refining your putting stroke is one of the fastest ways to lower your scores on a consistent basis, so you should think about using the SkyPro to your advantage in that way. This unit can work with both iOS and Android devices, where a free app will tell you everything you need to know about the data that was just collected from your previous swing. Once you understand which parts of your swing need correction, and which points to look for within the data, you just may be able to coach yourself to better performance.

Features:

• 8 hour battery life
• Automated sleep mode
• Golfers can customize their groove targets for their swing unique to them
• Ability to customize the swing library with unique tags, etc.
• Ability to analyze swing speed throughout swing and not just at impact
• Built-in rechargeable battery
• Fits putters to drivers
• Data automatically switches to your devices and does not require a download
• Can share swing with friends and instructors for further feedback

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3Bays GSA – Zone Swing Analyzer

With this next unit, we find yet another deviation on the same theme. This time, you are going to take the golf swing analyzer and place it into the butt end of the grip on your club – using the opening in the grip to secure the unit in place. Just as with the previous two pieces of technology we highlighted, this product will transmit information to your mobile device where it can be stored and viewed at your convenience. Your swing is displayed in 3D, and you will be able to gather plenty of information in order to improve your technique over time.

One of the best target markets for this kind of product is beginning golfers. If you are just getting started in the game, you likely have a lot to learn about your swing and your overall mechanics. There is nothing wrong with that – golf is hard, and it takes time to learn how to play at a consistent level. Rather than guessing at what mistakes might be taking place during your swing, you can simply place this device on any of your clubs and find out exactly how you are doing. Over time, that information is going to help you move in the right direction, and you should see your scores begin to fall.

Features:

• Stats are easy to understand and designed with beginners in mind (also has more complicated abilities for more advanced golfers)
• Comes with instruction and advice from pros built in
• Data is real time so you can watch as you practice
• Specifically emphasizes measuring and viewing the top of backswing, club head speed, carry distance, and identifying the power zone
• Also shows 3D swing path, shaft lean, face angle, and tempo
• Can view in frame by frame or full speed
• For putting focuses on showing the golfer their swing time, swing path, impact speed, and tempo
• Also shows putting face angle and attack angle

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Arccos On-Course Stats Tracking System

For the last item on our list, we are going to stretch the definition of ‘golf swing analyzer’ just slightly. Rather than analyzing your swing specifically, this piece of technology aims to analyze your game as a whole. It is a GPS system which tracks how far you hit each of your clubs, how accurate you are with those clubs, and much more. There is a sensor attached to each of your clubs while you play, and they are linked to your phone where the GPS capability of your mobile device is used to track all shots.

Features:

• Ability to make your phone a GPS and give you yardages on over 35,000 courses
• Live shot tracking which enables you to use it as you play
• Hopes track statistics live including GIR, miss zones, proximity to hole, total putts, putts per hole, longer drive, average drive, and much more
• Comes with one sensor per club
• Includes software and app technology
• Shows misses left, right, long, short for approach shots
• Calculates different handicaps for different parts of your game
• Calculates your overall handicap based on strokes without you entering your score after every hole (does so by monitoring your strokes)

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The benefits of this kind of automated system are obvious right from the start. You will be able to see how far you are hitting the ball rather than just guessing at your distances. Also, you can make observations about which clubs lead to good results and which ones seem to put you in trouble. Of course, you will need to have your phone nearby and on during your rounds of golf, so make sure that isn’t going to be a problem for you before getting started with this innovative product.

Using a golf swing analyzer is one of the best ways to leverage technology on the course. You used to have to turn to a golf pro to get any kind of information about your swing, but those days are long gone. Today, you can use one of the devices on our list above to gather information about your performance on the course – and that information can lead to lower scores and more fun in the near future.