Desert Golf: Yes, It Is Hot (Part Three)

So, you ask.  How do I deal with playing Desert Golf when there is so may hassles involved?  I was wondering if you were ever going to ask.   I am sure there are many experts out there, who I invite to chime in, who have played much more desert golf than I, but let me run down for you how I deal with desert golf in the summer.

First, before I leave town, I made sure I have gathered up a few supplies.   I make sure I have two pair of golf gloves for each hand.  Not that I might need them both, but there is always some rookie who will be wallowing around in a fairway bunker that I need to offer a pair of golf gloves to use. 

Then I go by and get a jar of pure Vitamin E lotion and some tubes of sunscreens.  I get a 5pfc that has some sort of moisturizer in it, a 50spf oil free cream that has aloe in it and a 45spr spray (it is new on the market, but the spray really works well since it forces the sunscreen into the skin.)    I make sure I have enough to last twice as long as my stay.  I am serious; you can never have too much moisturizer or sunscreen in the desert.

Next, I get ready for dehydration and dealing with the aftermath of being in the heat for several hours.  I stop by my health store and pick up a packet or bottle of 1000mg B12 sublingual tablets.  What are these for? Energy.   The heat is going to sap you of energy.  And it is going to take all of the fun out of all of the after golf activities if you don’t prepare for recharging or keeping your energy up.  Don’t get me wrong.  There is nothing wrong with taking an emergency nap.  I have a few of those already scheduled for my trip…hey, it is a vacation. 

But even with shutting down your body for a while, your body is going to need to replenish its electrolytes and vitamins and minerals it burned off out in the sun.  Your body really works hard battling that heat, so take care of it because you have to live in it a long time.

Now, I make my travel plans to arrive the afternoon before my rounds of golf begins.  This provides me time to gather up all of the survival gear I did not want to pack and carry with me.  Remember, find that Wal-Mart or whatever convenient store they have available at your designation.  Stock up on bottle water to have in your room and with you all the time you are awake.

Of, course, I hit the internet and gather Intel on what restaurants are available.  Make sure you eat healthy.  Have at least one descent meal each a day.  The hamburgers and fry’s are OK, but man they really don’t look very well spewed all over the 16^th TeeBox when it is about 105 degrees in the shade.  I think you get the picture on eating well.  Remember, your body is going to need all of the help it can get fighting off the heat.  Don’t load up on greasy food.  It doesn’t help you body if it has to spend the entire night fighting a greasy Mexican dinner when it should be pumping nutrients out to your tired muscles.  I don’t care how young you are…the heat of the desert will wear you out.  And I have been there when ‘Mr. Macho’ buckles at his knees because he can’t play golf without at least two beers a hole and a chili dog at the turn…

Get your TeeTimes as early as the course will let you.  You might have to call a month ahead, but what ever it takes; start as early as you can stand it.   I don’t really recommend playing desert golf in the afternoon in the summer and some courses will not let you.  But, t if you have to for some sort of weird reason, then double the preparation for an afternoon round of desert golf.

I lather up the sunscreen before I leave for the course.  For the best coverage I put on the sunscreen and lotions before I get dressed.  First, I wet my skin with water before putting on the lotion.  Then, I put a layer of Vitamin E location on all parts of my body that is going to be exposed to the sun and wind.  This helps keep the skin moist during the round.  The skin soaks up the ‘E’ quickly so don’t worry about the initial greasy look.  It will be gone before you get to the next step.  On top of the E I put the 5spf with the moisturizer on my face and the back of my neck.  Then I get with the 50spf.  Depending on how dry my skin is or burn it is from the previous day, I usually will trowel it on my arms and legs.    Now, I am ready and I get dressed for battle.

I wear white or as light of colors as I can.  I leave all of the dark colors for the evening.  Wear a golf shirt a size too big.  Don’t worry, you still will look sharp.  Just make sure it is a light weight material made of cotton.  Don’t do the spandex ‘Sergio’ look in the desert.  

Even wear light colored shoes.  The last time I went to the desert I wore my black FootJoys and my feet cooked inside the shoes.  I got a pair of white shoes this time

OK, if you have done all of the above you am ready to enjoy your  time on the course.  Now it is time to get your equipment ready.  First, take four or five golf towels with you.  You will use them for all kinds of reason.  Mainly to keep things cool while you are on the course.  Get a big towel and keep it soaked with cold water at all times. Use it to put over your head periodically.  Keeping your head cool is very important.  Put the towel around your neck while driving from shot to shot.  The wind generated hitting the moist cool towel will refresh you for that next shot.   Every water bucket you see, soak it down.  It will probably be dry by the time you get to the next bucket.   

Use another towel to shade your clubs.  Drape it over your clubs when you are not using them.  Carry a towel with you if you are carrying more than one club out on the fairway.  Wrap the grip of the club you are not using with a towel.  This will keep the grip from getting real hot when it is lying on the ground.  I can’t tell you how many times I have seen Mr. Macho take a cut with his wedge he laid on the ground and the grip stays in his hand the club goes flying over the pin.  The heat will loosen up the adhesive tape on the grips.  So keep the clubs cool.

And of course, keep a towel hanging on your bag that is soaking wet so you can not only wipe off your clubs, but use it to wipe down the grips periodically so you can get the sunscreen off and keep them cool.

Electrolytes:  There are several products out on the market you can use to keep your electrolyte level up in your body.  Don’t just rely on drinking water.   Of course the favorite most drink is Gatorade.  But there are some powders out now that can be poured into a bottle of water that works just as good if not better.  Take a look at these at the store when you are getting your water.

If you do all of this, I know you have a better chance surviving golf in the desert.  

After Golf Aftermath:  I suggest you schedule some POOL time for after golf.  If you are staying a few days to enjoy a few rounds of golf in the desert I suggest a dip in the pool right after each round of golf.  It refreshes your skin and muscles and cools your body down. 

If you can’t do the pool I suggest taking a shower right afterwards.  Start off with a light warm temperature and then gradually take it to as cold as you can stand it.

Hit the back of your neck with the nozzle.  That is where your bodies’ thermostat is located.  This will relax you and let you sleep better.

Ok, you went to the desert to play golf and to have fun.  If you follow my suggestions you will definitely have a better chance of accomplishing your mission than if you did not take my warnings seriously.

Even with the most preparation, sometimes the heat will get to you.  If you start to feel light headed or nauseated, make sure you let one of your playing partners know.  Do not shake off those symptoms as being part of your hangover from the previous night.   It could be that you need to cut that round of golf short and get to the air conditioning.  Don’t be thinking you will beat the heat of the desert just because you are strong and healthy. The cemeteries are full of strong macho type people who tried to play desert golf like regular summer golf at home.  Desert golf is a whole lot different that playing golf anywhere else.  Play it smart and take precautions.  Remember, stay away from the beer and alcohol, save it for when you are telling the story of the rattlesnake you saw trying to find your ball in the desert..  

Have fun and be careful.  I hope all of this helps.

Scot Duke,  President of Innovative Business Golf Solutions, provides over 31 years of corporate management experience to helping small businesses improve their marketing strategies. As author of: How To Play Business Golf, Mr. Duke outlines the steps to sucessfully using golf as a business tool.  To learn more about Mr. Duke, IBGS or to purchase How To Play Business Golf visit  www.innovativebusinessgolf.com

 

Golf Equipment: What Is The Goal? (Part Two)

In part one I explained what should be considered when purchasing golf equipment.  So, let me continue with this thought.

 

What it gets down to is ‘Feel’.  Yes the feel of a good golf shot and a bad shot.  And the feel a beginner golfer experience when hitting a golf shot is a lot different than what a touring pro feels.  The beginner is struggling getting their muscles to all coordinate at once particular second to hit the back side of a golf ball squarely.  Where as the tour pros can hit the ball squarely blindfolded ten times in a role because their muscles are finely tuned and are orchestrated by the brain to do whatever the player wants to do. 

So, there are definitely two very extremes of the feel of a golf shot.  For a beginner to judge from a TV or magazine (or worst an internet) commercial on the feel they are going to get out of a club doesn’t make a lot of sense.

What it gets down to is quality.  And, like in everything else in life, quality costs more.   But, which manufacturer really cares about the quality of its equipment? 

If you have spent a moment on the internet you have seen that there are literally hundreds of golf equipment manufacturers.  You have on one end your Ranger Rick standing in his garage hammering out a new putter he wants to sell to Tiger Woods and on the other end you have Titleist who produces some of the finest quality golf equipment you can buy off the shelf.  And there are manufacturers all in between who mass produce or build one club at a time.  Yes, the quality is all over the board.  

Deciding on which club manufacturer to go with is what makes learning the game of golf so much fun and a great big hassle at the same time.  It makes it even tougher to be a beginner golfer and having to make these decisions since they have probably not had the opportunity to ‘Feel’ a good golf shot.  Picking a golf club that ‘Feels Good’ is impossible for a beginner because they have not learned what that means. So, most beginners usually default to the cheapest and that is the worst decision to make.  Remember, the ‘Feel’ of a good shot is not produced by a low quality club.  And cheap equals low quality.

Your questions should be, ‘How do I know what manufacturer will produce the best feel most often?’  The answer is simple.  If you go with the best quality from the beginning you are starting with a better chance of finding what a good golf shot will feel like from the beginning.  And with that you will not have the need to change clubs as frequently.   So, go for the best quality of club you can afford and you will come out a head in the long run.

Most beginners are instructed to just go out and get a set of clubs to hack around with because they are going to out grow the clubs.  Or, that the higher quality golf clubs are made for golfers who have developed a higher level of skill or swing than a beginner.  Now, I am not a golf professional, but I have spent 15 years on the ‘Lane of Pain’ (driving range) hammering out golf balls with almost ever club made.  And my experience has developed me to realize that: First, if I had started with a set of fitted quality golf clubs from the very beginning I started to be taught golf, I would have found out sooner than I did what a good golf shot felt like.   But I didn’t and it was not until I went through three sets of low quality golf clubs before I got my first set of used quality irons that allowed me to get close to producing the golf swing needed to hit the back side of the ball squarely.   

And Secondly, I would not have had to spend the thousands of dollars I spent on golf clubs as frequently as I did before I finally golf some fitted quality golf clubs.  Ever since I was fitted in my last set of irons I have not had to even think about anything other than change worn out grips.   My friends who started with me have had three sets of irons since I got the set I have now.  How much more money would I have spent to get to where I am now…Thousands, guaranteed.

If I had just faced the fact when I started and gotten fitted to quality I would have started with the best in quality and only traded up when technology changed to make hitting the ball easier.  Which looking back would have been three times in fifteen years has technology changed to make playing golf easier.  Like larger club heads on woods and forged cavity back irons. 

All of this is why I cannot agree with those golf professionals and instructors who tell beginners to run out and get any ol set of clubs.  Because as they will admit, that beginner golfer will run right over to Wal-Mart and pick up a set of the cheapest clubs they can get.  And what do they have, something they will have to throw in the trash in a few weeks (if not days) when they can’t produce a good swing that produces the golf shot.

Yes, it is not the equipment but the swing that creates the good golf shot.  But, only good equipment produces a good swing.  Even if it is physiological, it is a fact that if there is something in your mind that you can reason is he cause for your not being able to hit a good golf shot then that is what will keep you from hitting the good shot.

Even a professional, or a person who can hit a golf ball with a Dr Pepper Bottle on a stick will tell ya that they can Feel the difference and find it much harder to produce the Feel of a good shot with a lower quality made golf club.

The bottomline here is:  Golf has never been so easy to learn to play.  And it will only get easier if golf manufacturers open up and face the fact that making the game easier is in their best interest.  To play golf a golfer has to invest into their golf that gets the ROI which is Feel. 

I can tell ya, there is absolutely nothing outside of sex that feels as good as hitting a quality golf ball with the sweet spot of the quality golf club and watching the ball go further than you have every hit it before. Or better yet, go where you wanted the ball to go

If you are just starting, stay with it.  Get those spear chunking muscles tamed down to working together, get some quality equipment and in time, you will find out what I am talking about.

The goal of golf equipment manufacturers should be focused on making learning golf easier, not how good golf can make you look…that comes from hitting a good golf shot. 

 

About The Author:  As President of Innovative Business Golf Solutions, Scot Duke provides over 31 years of corporate management experience which he now is using to helping small businesses improve their marketing strategies and business development.  In his book, How To Play Business Golf, you will learn everything needed to make golf an effective buseinss tool.  To learn more go to www.innovativebusinessgolf.com.