Bucks Up in Canada / Put Yourself in the Position to Win / Misery / Startling Revelation About Bras / Leave America if You Want to Live Longer
Daddy Warbucks Is Canadian
Nothing seems more American than Daddy Warbucks in the Little Orphan Annie comic strip that was made into a fabulous Broadway hit and excellent full-length feature movie. But wait a minute. American big bucks Warbucks, statistically is no more, at least for the time being.
Watch out for your Canadian playing partners wanting to up the ante on the golfing bets. If they’re strong players, hold your bets down because they are in a position to “out-bid” you. If their game isn’t that good and you think you can take them for a ride, squeeze some more betting money out them.
Here’s why: they’ve got more money than us now! “Because of the housing crisis, for the first time the net worth of the average Canadian household is greater than that of its U.S. counterpart,” claims Time Magazine (July 30, 2012).In U.S. dollars, the average Canadian household net worth is $363,202 versus the American household net worth of $319,970. Warbucks, greenbacks, flatbacks.
John Cook Says, “Put Yourself in a Position to Win
I am a big Aaron Rogers fan for the same reason I’m am a fan of Brett Favre and Joe Montana. I like Aaron’s casual personality combined with his unsurpassed athletic talent. Mix in a down-to-earth sense of humor and the ability to laugh during a game while tacklers are trying to decapitate you, and Rogers, Favre and Montana are my kind of athletes.
In a recent Sports Illustrated interview, Dan Patrick, Patrick asks the MVP quarterback, “Did you learn something from your idols Michael Jordan and Joe Montana?”
“I always paid close attention to how they acted on the field,” said Rogers. “I always loved how Michael wanted the ball in his hands down the stretch. And Joe’s last-second comebacks. All my favorite players wanted the ball in their hands down the stretch.”
Rogers’s attitude reminds me of something Champions Tour star and GolfNews Magazine columnist John Cook has told me on more than one occasion, “When competing in a golf tournament, I want to put myself in a position to win on the final day.”
What Cook is saying is filter into your psyche all the prior experience you’ve had to get you where your are; the hundreds of thousands skillful shots that have led to your success. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot early such as making careless shots on day one, day two or day three. Put yourself in a position to win coming down the stretch and have the confidence to finish the deal.
That’s what QBs Montana, Favre, and Rogers have been able to do in their careers. And, wouldn’t you know it, another quarterback has done it, too, but in this case he’s done it by riffling dimpled balls rather throwing spirals. John Cook played quarterback for Miraleste High School in Rancho Palos Verdes.
The Misery of Getting Beat Miserably
Have you ever lost a golf match unmercifully? Just gotten the crap beat out of you! Doesn’t feel very good, does it?
At least in Little League and some college games, there are “mercy rules” that go into effect when one team is 10 or more runs ahead or some other insurmountable agreed upon measurement is triggered.
But too bad for Savannah State this year in its first football game of the season that some kind of “enough is enough” rule didn’t go in effect. No, Savannah State didn’t lose by a score of 52 to 0. Nor did they get tromped 66 to 0. Try 84-0! That’s right, 84-0. Can you imagine getting beat 84-0? Savannah State is trying to forget. Victorious Oklahoma State continues to remember.
Before There Were Golf Bras
Being a male and not overly fashion conscious, I’m not even sure there are “golf bras” per se. Of course, there are bras women wear when they’re playing golf, but whether or not the bras are “golf bras” is open for interpretation.
However, for everyone interested in the subject of bras, here is a startling revelation:
The history of the bras has been shaken from its straps! Researchers at the University of Innsbruck have discovered medieval bras; bras worn over 600 years ago. Archaeologists, while recently digging in an Austrian castle, found four linen bras from the Middle Ages. Before the discovery, the bra had been thought to be about 100 years old.
The find increases speculation that aliens did exist in medieval times because the so-called “linen” had to be made of space-aged technologically advanced materials to last over six centuries. In a top-secret laboratory jointly sponsored and financed by Claudette, Calvin Klein, and Playtex, the bras are being analyzed by state-of-the-art processes to identify the molecular structure of the bras.
It has been reported but not yet confirmed that Wonderbra has offered the archeologists $100 million (USD) for the branding rights. Clearly, if the materials turn out to be indestructible, Wonderbra surely would be the appropriate name for the newly found mammary gland space-aged care takers.
Live for Golf, Golf To Live… But Not In America
If you want to live longer to play golf, get out of the United States, that’s at least what worldwide statistics imply. In 2007, the U.S. was ranked No. 42 in life expectancy stats. A baby born in the U.S. in 2004 will live an average of 77.9 years, according to the U.S National Center for Health Statistics. In 41 other countries, babies will live longer.
More recent stats are even more discouraging. In 2011, the United States dropped to No. 49 (78.37 years) in life expectancy, the average lifespan increased less than a half-year compared to the 77.9 average lifespan in 2004.
Who’s beating us out? Monaco. Those living in Monaco live to an average age of 89.73 years. The top 10 after Monaco are No. 2 Macau (81.41 years), No. 3 San Marino (83.01 years, No. 4 Andorra (82.43 years), Japan (82.25 years), Guernsey (82.16 years), Singapore (82.14 years), Australia (81.81 years),and Italy (81.77 years).
Tragically, African nations dominate the bottom. The top 10 nations with the least life expectancy are all on the African continent and range from 50.4 years (Somalia) to Angola 38.7 years.
What’s going on in America that one of the richest countries in the world is producing diminished lives? Obesity is a key factor. Americans are getting fatter and, thus, sicker thanks to a food industry that continues to pour corn syrup, artificial ingredients, and saturated fats into our foods and drink, and thanks to a lazy citizenry that doesn’t take individual responsibility to what kind of garbage they’re putting into their bodies.
For those of us that love golf, we owe it to ourselves to eat healthy, stay in shape, reduce stress, and control vital signs that indicate heart disease including but not limited to blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar intake.
MY GUARANTEE OR YOUR MONEY BACK
Well, 4 more years of Obama. And…guess what, I guarantee the world won’t fall apart. Same exact guarantee if Romney would have won.
This doesn’t mean I’m not passionate about politics. Even with widespread opportunity to be cynical and disappointed about the vast majority of politicians that run for office and an electoral system that is very broken and in dire need of revision (i.e. a limit on private funding of candidates running for office, legal and financial consequences for those candidates that lie during political campaigning) etc., I for some reason unknown to me haven’t given up. The fact is: whether Obama was re-elected or Romney elected, the end of the world would not take place the next day or the day after or any day within in the near future.
Fatalism has no place in our individual psyche if we want to live productive, happy lives. Fatalism has no place in our societal lives if we want to remain part of a country that thrives on democracy and rebels against indecency.
Rarely do you see husband and wife, boyfriend or girlfriend, or significant others kissing and cuddling on the golf course. They’re too busy focusing on golf and trying to score with a different partner—the golf course!
However, the chances are off the golf course, kissing and cuddling goes on. At least, let’s hope so. And that’s a good thing according to the June 2012 issue of Prevention magazine, where it’s written: “Couples who cuddle and kiss regularly are 8x less likely to feel stressed or depressed than those who kiss only during intercourse.”
So golfers and non-golfers, get those lips and arms moving and let that stress just float away.
Eating breakfast at the clubhouse before a round of golf or lunch afterwards is usually enjoyable, but it would be nice to know exactly what’s in the food?
I happend to see Dr. Oz’s Show today and a very alarming thing was revealed. There is an indication that labels that indicate “artificial ingredients” of any kind may contribute to the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Artificial ingredients have components that apparently disrupt and even destroy protective layers of a person’s neurons in the brain. Without the protective “shield,” memory loss is the result.
So, I did some research on an ingredient I found on a no stick spray product (the kind of product you use to spray on a pan so the food your cooking doesn’t stick). The ingredient is DIMETHYL SILICONE. Below is one description I found of DIMENTHYL SILICONE. It is a fricking oil alright, the kind of oil you put in your car that has no business whatsoever to be put in your body.
This kind of thing has to stop. The food industry has to be held more accountable for the lives being destroyed because of the chemicals put in some foods.
Dow Corning Molykote 111 Lubricant and Sealant for Valves
You’re at the turn at your favorite golf course or country club, you order two 16-ounce Cokes or Pepsis, and the order taker says, “Sorry, you know the law. One drink per person.”
Ridiculous you say? New York, a few weeks ago, passed its now famous ban on large amounts of sugary drinks, changing “soft” drinks into “hard to get” drinks in the Big Apple. The law, putting a 16-oz size limit on cups and bottles of non-diet soda, sweet teas and other calorie-packed beverages, goes into effect March 2013 and applies to fast-food joints, movie houses and most other places selling prepared food, but does not apply to supermarkets and most convenience stores. This gives the law plenty of time to be debated and, no doubt, legally challenged.
The motive behind the new law is noble: fight the obesity epidemic in America. The criticism of the law is obvious: how dare the government tell me how much or how little non-alcoholic drink I can put in my body. It’s my body; my choice; totalitarian government stay out!
Should Americans have the right to be fat if they want to?
Should people be allowed to eat what they want to, regardless if what they choose to eat is unhealthy?
Dan Poppers is Editor-in-Chief, Publisher and Founder of national award winning print publication GolfNews Magazine, established in 1984.
GolfNews Magazine’s website is golfnewsmag.com.
“We dare to be different not just to be different,” says Poppers about his approach to publishing GolfNews Magazine. “I always say to readers and advertisers, you will read something in every issue of GolfNews Magazine that you will not read in any other magazine. In almost 30 years of publishing, no one has come forth and refuted my claim.”
“My goal in this blog is to chat with you in such a way that the conversation is unique and one-of-a-kind. We might not always achieve that but it’s a worthwhile endeavor.
Poppers holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from UCLA in Political Science and Education, respectively. He also holds a second master’s degree from San Francisco State University in Psychology.
He was fortunate to be a Washington D.C. intern twice — one summer for the US House of Representatives (“when they actually did something,” Poppers adds) and the following summer for the US Department of Commerce.
His athletic background includes:
• Started playing golf at age 9 (“should be better than I am by now” adds Poppers)
• Lettered in baseball, track and basketball; and tied with Dan Millman as The Most Outstanding Senior Athlete at John Marshall High School in Los Angeles.
• All-League high school shot-putter and participant in the L.A. All-City track meet.
• Holds school record for longest shot put in his weight classification which is unbroken and remains in effect for over 50 years.
* Invited to try out for the Dodger Rookies (“didn’t make the team,” says Poppers)
• Lettered in UCLA Frosh baseball; last one to be cut off UCLA varsity team (says Poppers,”Wow, what a disappointment; I was the only player without a scholarship, went into the coaches office to ask for a scholarship; before I could say a word, he cut me”
• UCLA Varsity Football — Poppers was bold enough or foolish enough depending how you want to look at it to walk on the 1964 Bruin varsity football team during spring practice. Poppers lasted two weeks. Within 2 days, he had a serious ankle sprain. In week 2, he had a complete A/C shoulder separation (“operated on the next day at the UCLA Medical Center — I have a huge scar zig-zagging down my left shoulder to prove it, this is before arthroscopic; the surgeon actually used a knife on me and cut me! Ouch!”)
The Bruins went on to win the Rose Bowl (when the Rose Bowl was the grandaddy of all bowl games before the BCS was born) that year beating Michigan (“I believe Michigan and not Michigan State” says Poppers) 14-12; Gary Beban won the Heisman; Mel Farr Sr. went to the Detroit Lions and won NFL Rookie of the Year; end Dick Witcher signed with the San Francisco 49ers; and Poppers football career was quickly over after 2 weeks of being a walk-on.
“I wound up being a wounded Bruin — the football door had quickly closed, fortunately, the academic door opened,” Poppers says.
Poppers’ article on the Tiger Woods/Fuzzy Zoeller controversy won the Golf Writers Association of America Honorable Mention Award, he was the only regional writer out of a total of over 400 total writers considered that won a GWAA award that year.
Poppers lives in California, has two grown children, one grandchild and one more on the way. His interests include all sports, reading, learning, writing, Philosophy, Psychology, current events, plants, animals, and optimism for the future wellbeing of man and womankind.
Poppers has recently finished his first full-length non-fiction book titled (working title): BOBBY WINKLES: From the Cotton Fields to the Major Leagues / Perspectives on Baseball and Life. Included in the book are exclusive interviews of Tony LaRussa, Nolan Ryan, Joe Torre, Jim Leyland, Reggie Jackson, Rick Monday, David Dombrowski, Roland Hemond, Sal Bando, Jerry Reinsdorf, Mike Gallagher, Al Michaels and a host of others.
“It’s a story of an amazing life that has never been told in its entirety,” says author Poppers. “This is the first book ever written about Bobby Winkles. The New York Yankees offered Bobby a signing bonus and contract to play baseball and the 18-year-old Winkles was broken hearted when his father emphatically said, “No, you’re not signing with the Yankees. You’re going to college.”
Winkles went on to be a star athlete in baseball and basketball at Illinois Wesleyan graduating with a degree in Philosophy. He signed with the Chicago White Sox and played minor league baseball for 7 years.
While playing minor league baseball, the love story between he and wife-to-be Ellie unfolds and continues to this day in its 60th year; he gets drafted into the Army; and he (and Ellie) earns his master’s degree from University of Colorado.
Winkles subsequently is hired to be the Arizona State University baseball coach; he’s loved by his players that include Reggie Jackson, Rick Monday and Sal Bando; his teams win three national championships with five years; he becomes a legendary coach “sharing the same qualities that Coach John Wooden had,” says one of the most respected sports announcers of all-time, Al Michaels.
Winkles accepts an offer from the California Angels to be their coach; he quickly becomes the Angels manager; moves on to the Oakland A’s as coach and eventually manager for eccentric A’s owner Charlie Finley; is hired by the White Sox, mentoring the the third winningest manager in history— Tony LaRussa; moves on to be the Montreal Expos coach; and finally retires after a 40-year career in professional baseball.
Bobby confronts Six Detours in his life; two that are horribly tragic. For five of the six Detours, his wife Ellie is by his side.
“This is a life worth reading,” says author Poppers. “It definitely was a life worth writing about. I hope all of you find the book entertaining, meaningful, humorous and inspiring.”
Distance? Don’t Forget Our Two Most Important Levers
Longer courses, manufacturer’s ads, and that human desire to see the ball soar over that fairway bunker and past our playing partners have created today’s golf atmosphere of more distance, more distance and…more distance.
Technology, Fitness, Rotate
One (if not the) main request from the individual taking a lesson is to be able to hit the ball longer. The modern answer of the last few years has been three fold. First, pursue the latest technology with the skills of a qualified club-fitter thrown in. Second, join the wave of being more physically fit and your golf will benefit also. Third, from the swing mechanics side is the invocation to turn, turn or rotate. All three have merit, but in the third area we may be not seeing the forest for the trees.
Scientists tell us the biggest source of club-head speed is the “double pendulum.” This is the combination of our two most efficient levers, our left arm and wrist hinge working together to multiply clubhead speed. The distance we can swing the left arm back (Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods in their prime swung the left arm back almost 180 degrees) while still keeping our lower half stable can create tremendous leverage. Combine this with a full wrist hinge and our potential to “multiply” our clubhead speed is great.
Conquer These Two Challenges
There are two areas that have their pitfalls. First, the left arm and club must swing together in path or plane. The wrist hinges as if it is part of the arm so the left wrist is flat and in a line with the left arm. A good grip certainly also has to be a component here. The second key is the angle between left arm and the club remaining constant as we shift into the forward swing. This retention of wrist angle is referred to by the scientists as “conservation of angular momentum” and is a major source of clubhead acceleration.
Coupling arm swing and angle retention to get the benefit from our “double pendulum” is tricky business, so seeking the experience and the trained eye of your local PGA Professional will be a huge help.
On the other hand, this is one area where all of us, without special athletic skills or cutting-edge equipment, can gain significant yardage. So give your major power sources a tune-up and carry that fairway bunker that was unreachable before.
Fred Elliott is PGA Director of Instruction, Rosewood Lakes Golf Course& Teaching Professional Hidden Valley CC, Reno, Nevada. Email: LTurf@charter.net
Oh My Gosh! Alabama Lost!
Oh My Gosh! Alabama Lost!
Oh My Gosh! Alabama Lost
FORE—Notable Quotes
Golf Ball Has Become Goof Ball
“Hell, yes. I have a letter written in 1923 by Donald Ross, who said the ball was getting out of control. That’s 89 years ago.”
—89-yr-old legendary golf course builder Pete Dye, when asked: Does the golf ball go too far; should it be rolled back?”
How to Find the Character of a Person
“If you really want to find out the character of somebody, there are two ways to find out. One, sit with them in a fishing boat all day, I’m an avid fisherman. The other one is play golf with them. You’ll soon find out what kind of person they are.”
—Former Palm Desert mayor Dick Kelly.
“Golf’s a game you’re never on top of. I can look like Lorena Ochoa on one hole, then suddenly Bozo the Clown shows up.”
—Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State and current Stanford University professor.
HEART AND GUTS
“Competitive golf is about your heart and stomach. I don’t care if you’re a Tour pro with a textbook swing or a 15-handicap. The bottom line is unless you’re willing to trust yourself and risk everything on a a single shot, you’re never going to have the heart and stomach to win a big match.”
—Peter Kostis, golf guru, de-prioritizing the golf swing.
Didn’t Make a Lot of Friends
“I was an anomaly, a young kid competing against women who could be my mom. I didn’t make a lot of friends.”
—Hall of Famer Amy Alcott reminiscing about how she was looked upon by others in 1975 birthday after winning her first LPGA tournament at age 19.
Spitting His Whole Life
“I’ve always done it. I’ve been spitting my whole life. Off the course, walking down the course, I’m spitting. My mom would yell at me my whole life.”
—PGA Tour star Keenan Bradley, who finally quit spitting on the golf course after seeing a tape of himself winning (and spitting during) the 2012 PGA Championship.
What Shots to Practice
“Practicing your short shots helps in all phases of the game. Practicing long shots only helps the long game.”
—Harvey Penick in FOR ALL WHO LOVE THE GAME
A NEW YORK YANKEE KEEPS HIS WORD
When I was about 10 or 12 years old, Andy Carey was working out off season at Griffith Park in Los Angeles, very close to where I lived. I was at the park one day and this man in a traditional undergarment baseball shirt was taking batting practice. It was just he and his pitcher.
Andy came up to me, introduced himself, and said, “Would you like to shag balls for me and I will pay you?” Wow, I thought. Pay me? Why in the world would someone pay me to shag balls? So, I said “Sure.” Afterwards, as I remember, he gave me a buck and half or so (that was good money fifty-five years ago for shagging fly balls for a couple of hours). Then he said, “How would you like a signed baseball with all the New York Yankees on it? I responded, “I sure would.”
Two weeks later in the mail, I got the signed baseball from Andy with all the NY Yankees original signatures and a signed, autographed picture of Andy thanking me for helping him out. Wow, I was in heaven and to this day I appreciate what Andy did. He kept his word to that little boy. And to top it off, the ball was signed by the Yankee team that won the World Series highlighted by Don Larson’s perfect game! I’ve always wanted to thank Andy Carey for making a little boy’s dream come true. If somehow Andy you read this, thank you from the bottom of my heart.
-
WHAT’S YOUR THOUGHTS AND INTUITION ON THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION?What’s your thoughts and intuition on the Presidential election that’s taking place in three days? Who is going to win? Who needs to win for the betterment of this country?WHAT IS BEST FOR THE COUNTRY?
I know the question above is philosophical. What is best for this country is in the eyes of the beholder. The business-minded might think Romney is the man to lead this country, however, the stock market Dow-Jones Index has virtually doubled in value since Obama took office and there are enough other statistics indicating the economy is rebounding i.e. home prices increasing, home sales increasing, consumer spending etc.IS OBAMA THE RIGHT MAN?The humanistic-minded might think Obama is the right man for the job and he should continue for 4 more years. His commitment to health care for all, affordable education for the masses, government support for the auto industry and auto workers etc. reveals a predisposition toward government strategies and incentives to directly affect the lives of individual citizens rather than prioritizing business as the end-all as the indicator of America’s progress as a nation.NO DOUBT THAT ROMNEY CARES ABOUT THE INDIVIDUALYet, there is no doubt that Romney cares about the individual in America. His “universal” state-wide health care program that he implemented as governor proved that. His Mormon religion emphasizes the welfare of individuals and that we should be concerned and compassionate about our fellow man and woman.IT’S TIME TO DECIDESo, it’s time to decide. Who do we want to lead this nation for the next 4 years? Though the election of one man over the other will radically affect the direction our nation will take, there is evidence that each cares about the importance of business and the individual citizen. One way to look at the decision to vote for one or the other is the degree each candidate will commit to when it comes to devoting time and energy to each endeavor–supporting business, supporting humanistic endeavors. Each of the two areas are not necessarily mutually exclusive but sometimes one of the categories takes “a hit” when the other is supported.GOOD LUCKGood luck in your voting decision. I’ve made mine and I’m very content with my decision. I hope you are content with yours.
Some are saying that this 2012 Presidential election coming up in a few days is the most important Presidential election in decades? Do you agree or disagree, and why?
golfnewsmag 