Robot Carts in Japan

Following my post related to golf carts, David from Golf Crisis community talked to me about a very found a very unusual way of playing golf…

The robot golf cart!

The Showa-no-mori Golf Course in Akishima, Japan offers to their golfers the possibility to put their golf bags on the cart and it follows the golfers on the course.

The Windsor Golf and Country club in Tomobe, Japan use carts about the same size but with traditional wheels. The cart picks up the radio tags buried in the ground and follow that as you walk around the course with a corresponding "beeper-like" device.

Did you see other unusual features in a golf course or golf gears? Let us know!

Thank you David for your sharing!

Source:

Japanese golfing gadgetry

Keep Golfing!

Rule 25-1: What to do if your ball is inside a bunker filled with water?

Let's discuss about a very sensitive subject among golfers...

What to do if your golf ball is inside a bunker filled with water?

Some golfers will say... Take a free drop out of the bunker (not nearer to the hole of course...)

You can do this only if you're willing to take a one stroke penalty...

"If your ball comes to rest in casual water within a bunker, you may drop without penalty at the nearest point of relief within the bunker, no nearer the hole. That applies no matter what the condition is of the rest of the bunker.

If the rest of the bunker is dry, great. But even if the entire bunker contains water, the same rule applies. According to the USGA Web site, "the player may drop the ball in the bunker at a point that provides maximum available relief (i.e., in 1 inch of water rather than 5 inches)." Alternatively, the player may take a one stroke penalty and drop outside the bunker."

Source:

Rules FAQ: Do I Get to Drop Out of a Bunker that's Filled with Water?

Rules of Golf - Rule 25: Abnormal Ground Conditions

Keep Golfing!

Avoid any kind of hazards with these Magic balls!

I just discovered this amaaaaaaazing (just funny, really) golf product...

Just look at the following from their website

"Surprise your friends with these amazing golf-balls. The logo indicates what hazard you want to avoid, and our technology, combined with your golf game, will make your next golf stroke an exciting and successful addition to an already satisfying game."

or

"All golfers agree that golf is more fun in the fairway. Stay there with NoWaterBall brand golf balls. Now 50% more reluctant to go into water."

and even better...

"Developed with weapons grade guidance and tracking technology. Moisture avoidance coating. Space-aged polymers used by NASA. These balls have none of those things. But that would be cool, wouldn't it?"

I love the ad on the top right "Number of hazards avoided: 32,496,260"

Do you have any experience or input related to this product?

Keep Golfing!

P.S. This is just for fun, I do not recommend you to buy these balls in any way!

Etiquette: Golf Cart, the 90 degree rule

Last week, I saw an ad related to 90-degrees rule and I wondered if Golf Crisis readers know about this.

90-Degree Rule In Effect

The "90-degree rule" means that the golf course is allowing carts onto the grass - but only at 90-degree angles from the cart path. In other words, don't drive the golf cart up the middle of the fairway from the tee box to your golf ball. Stay on the cart path until you are parallel to your golf ball, then turn off the cart path and drive straight to the ball.

The "90-degree rule" minimizes the time a golf cart spends rolling over the grass, while still allowing convenience for golfers.

Source: Golf Cart Rules and Etiquette

Keep Golfing!

Jesus shot!

Wow

Watch this Amazing water slide trick shot by Tiger Woods

Even his golf balls are walking on water!

Another super shot not from Tiger woods... Most Amazing Golf Shot In The World

Keep Golfing!

Golf is good for the heart

Are you a golfer and little bit overweight? In such case, this advice is perfect for you!

Golf is a sport that has the characteristic of lowering the risk of cardiac events by practicing it regularly.

The American Heart Association stresses the importance of practicing these exercises periodically. They warn of risks of obesity, increased blood pressure and risk of physical inactivity. All the benefits are visible to all people, young men and women, young at heart ...

Walking, jogging, gardening or cycling for 30 minutes a day also brings its benefits.

Regarding golf, if you walk let's say 5000 to 6000 meters you can burn up to 1100 calories.

Therefore enjoy walking while playing golf and definitely ban Golf Carts.

Keep Golfing!

Tiger Woods golf swing in slow motion

Watch this amazing video… 

Tiger Woods golf swing in slow motion

1 minute 07 seconds of pure poetry!

On a funny note... players got Tiger Woods to stand on a rock. He's really bendy in this game :)

Keep Golfing!

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More than 1,000 golfers are now following Golf Crisis... YOU SHOULD BE PART OF IT! :)

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Golf Divots: why use sand or green mix stuff?

Did you ever asked yourself the question: why do they use sand or green stuff to repair golf divots?

If you put back the divot directly, the grass will die. But if you put some sand or sand mixed with seeds, the grass will grow back.

I found some articles that is in relation to this mystery...

"All depends on the grass type used on the fairway and tee box. If the grass is Bermuda, you would not seed, just sand to level the divot. Bermuda grass "creeps" (grows horizontally) and needs a soil/sand base to grow effectively."

"In most cases the divot mix is used to fill in the divot so there will not be a depression in the fairway or tee. The divot is usually not deep enough to kill the grass. Also, the grass has stolons or rhizomes, which when the plant is damaged will start the regeneration or spreading of the grass plant."

Source: Golf Business - Divot Repair Mix

Keep Golfing!

Golf Swing: 1.5 seconds of thoughts

Just found this very interesting drawing about a golf swing.

You may need to enlarge the picture to see clearly the text. 

This is everything you have to think in just 1.5 seconds (the time to execute a swing).

Amazing no? Let me know what you think!

Keep Golfing!

Bingo, Bango, Bongo Golf

Dear all,

David, our fellow Golf Crisis community member located in Japan wants to share with us a new way to enjoy golf for players who have high handicap difference.

Thank you David for sharing this with us :)

"Bingo/bango/bongo is a great game that makes it easy for both beginner golfers and experienced golfers to have a bet that everyone has a chance of winning. In Japan, you usually see bets placed on long drives, nearest to the pin on par 3's and lowest scores. It almost leaves the beginners with no hope.  This game is an equalizer and keeps everyone in the game.

Bingo/bango/bongo can be played in two different ways. A bet on each of them, or as a total score. It goes like this....

Bingo....

First player on the green wins the bingo.  Generally the better player will have the longer drive, but he is going to have to play last. The guy further back, if only by a few yards, has a bingo chance. You can drive it 300 yards, but the guy with a 200 yard drive still gets the chance before you. In fact, he can duff it 2 yards behind your ball and he still gets the bingo chance.

Bango...
Once everyone is on the green, the person closest to the hole wins the bango.

You can hit the green from 200 yards out, but the guy that puts it on the fringe, then putts it closer than you, wins the bango.

Bongo...

First in the hole. Now Bango has a disadvantage. Everyone putts before him.

Wonderful betting game for players with large handicap differences. You never know who is going to come out ahead. Final score means nothing."

Keep Golfing!

Tiger Woods: At the age of three he was playing golf your level

As a golfer, you surely think: THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE...

Well, watch this video: Tiger Woods hitting a driver at the age of three

For the record, Tiger Woods at the age of 3 shot a 48 over nine holes at the Navy Golf Club in Cypress, California.

Keep Golfing!

Rule: 13-1 Golf ball hit the fairway and lands in a divot

Some of my friends asked me the following question on the course:

If a golf ball is hit onto a fairway and lands in a divot, are you allowed to move it out of the divot without a penalty?

And the cruel answer is: of course not!

See rule 13-1 of USGA rules of golf: The ball must be played as it lies, except as otherwise provided in the Rules.

However, some golfers want this rule changed whenever the ball land on a divot...

See A Needed Rule Change in Golf (The Ball in the Divot Scenario)

"From a purely logical standpoint, why penalize a player for hitting the ball down the fairway?  If golf, in all of its majesty and historical significance, is a game of individual accomplishments where excellence is judged by the physical execution of the golf swing and the positive outcome resulting from those actions, why should a player be penalized for the actions of another player (the player who made the divot)?  If the ball lands on a sprinkler head in the middle of the fairway or in an area soaked with water, the ball is moved, albeit no closer to the hole.  Why not afford a player the same consideration for a condition on the course not cause by them?"

"It's time for another change – divots in the fairway should be considered ground under repair."

And you, what do you think about it? Give us your opinion!

Keep Golfing!

Golf Etiquette: Things you should never do with a golf cart

Find below a couple reminders of things you should never do in a golf cart:

Never drive the cart within hazard boundary lines, or within about 10 yards of water hazards or bunkers, or within about 50 yards of greens (unless you're on a designated cart path, of course). These areas are especially susceptible to damage by the wheels of golf carts. Never drive onto or close to tee boxes, either, unless on the cart path.

Never drive the cart through mud, on or off the fairway.

Never drive through casual water on any part of the golf course (unless it's a little bit of water over a paved cart path). The wheels of the cart can do serious damage to the turf, including leaving ruts, in wet areas.

Never go joyriding in the golf cart. In other words, don't act stupid! People do get injured in cart accidents.

There is also some other rules related to golf carts:

• Cart Path Only
• 90-Degree Rule In Effect (see my previous article)
• Cart Path Only on Holes X and X
• No Carts Beyond This Point

Source: Golf Cart Rules and Etiquette

Keep Golfing!

Night Golf

Last week I went to play night golf at Windmill Golf Course in Bangkok, Thailand.

I was with a friend and we enjoyed a lot playing in the dark.

Fortunately, the lighting of the golf course was good enough to play in a normal condition

They use massive lights projectors to light the fairway and some zones of the rough.

(if you slice a bit with your driver, you may not have the chance to find your ball in the dark zones...)

The atmosphere is completely different compare to playing during day-time:

• The surrounding is very quiet
• Many mosquitoes are present to bite you
• You see different animals compare to day-time... bats, fishes, insects, etc
• The grass is very soft and it is a pleasure to hit the ball
• The lines on the green are pretty hard to read because of the lighting
• You need to be extra careful when you hit the ball... any big mistake can lead to a lost of ball

I really enjoyed it so... give it a try, start golfing at night!

Keep Golfing!

How to repair a golf divot

According to some golf club rules, "players are required to REPLACE DIVOTS, rake sand traps, repair ball marks on greens and help maintain the condition of the course. It is the players' responsibility to see that such repairs are made."

How to Correctly Repair a Golf Divot?

1. Follow the flight of the ball to where it lands.
2. Look in the general direction of the golf ball - the divot will usually be 5 to 15 yards ahead of you.
3. Walk up to the divot, pick it up and return to the spot where you hit the ball.
4. Keep in mind that sometimes the divot can break into five or so different pieces of grass or dirt.
5. Match the grass and dirt back together like a puzzle so the divot is in one piece.
6. Place it on the spot where it was torn from.
7. Step on the grass that you've replaced until the surface is smooth with the rest of the grass.

Of course in Asia and some areas in the world, you got a caddie who does this job for you :)

Keep Golfing!

Source:

How to Repair a Golf Divot

Phil Mickelson's famous backward shot and more

Okay, now we talk about an extra terrestrial golf shots...

Let's watch this video: Phil Mickelson's Famous Backward Shot

See also Phil Mickelson's unbelievable save at Colonial '08

Simply magic!

And to prove that Phil Mickelson is a human like us after all...

Phil Mickelson 13th Hole US Open 2008 Disaster (+4... a lot of golfers would get a mental breakdown for this!)

Keep Golfing!

Are you an environment friendly golfer?

When I play golf, I always find plastic objets on the golf course.

The picture above shows the number of objects I collected after walking 200 m...

Let's take action together to protect our golf environment!

As a benefit, you will have a great feeling and you will play on clean golf courses.

What you can do to protect the environment on a golf course:

1. Put all plastic and wastes in dedicated bins (there are plenty on the course)
2. Collect plastic items you find while walking and put them in the bin
3. Throw your cigarettes in the sand bins
4. If you buy second-hand balls, throw your plastic bag in the bin
5. Put your used and damaged tees in the bin (they still have paint on it that can damage the environment)
6. Respect the animals: birds, squirrels, ants, fishes, etc
7. Respect the young and old trees (even if they grab your balls sometime, they are not your enemy! :) )
8. Do not hesitate to explain other golfer why to respect environment is important

Now let's take action a golf course point of view...

What are golf's potential environmental impacts?

• Pollution of ground water and surface water caused by the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and other contaminants
• Poor stream water quality due to eroding shorelines
• Withdrawal of large quantities of water for irrigation
• Degradation or loss of natural areas
• Health hazards from chemical handling and applications
• Negative impacts of chemical use on "non-target" wildlife
• Unsound turf management driven by increasing and unrealistic golfer expectations and demands

"Environmental researchers can't say for sure how long it takes a golf ball to break down, according to the New York Times. But that hasn't stopped them from guessing about the potentially negative ecological impact that the millions of dimpled spheres rotting in ponds, wetlands, and woodlands might produce." See Tiger Woods' wayward golf game may harm the environment but it's a boon for lost-golf-ball business

What are golf's environmental opportunities?

• Provide needed wildlife sanctuaries
• Preserve natural areas within urban environments
• Support plants and wildlife native to the area
• Protect water resources
• Filter stormwater runoff through golf course wetlands and turfgrass
• Rehabilitate degraded landscapes
• Promote physical and mental well being, reducing stress for more than 25 million U.S. golfers
• Improve air quality and moderate temperature
• Educate golfers and the general public about the nature of the game and promote environmentally-sound management

See what St Andrews Old Course is doing for the environment... it is simply amazing!

What are the benefits of environmental performance?

Image and Reputation

Good environmental performance can help you differentiate your course from others in a crowded market and add value by improving public relations and marketing opportunities that attract new golfers or club members.

 

Customer Satisfaction

The nature of your course can enrich golfers' experience of the game.  Surveys have shown that golfers report that playing quality is maintained or even improved as a result of steps taken to manage a course in harmony with the natural environment.

 

Financial Performance

An effective golf course environmental management program can result in reduced insurance premiums, as well as reduced costs for energy, water, pesticides, or fertilizers.  

 

Worker Safety and Reduced Liability

Best practices for chemical management reduce exposure and liability risks from storing, handling, and applying chemicals.

 

Improved Efficiency

Sound environmental management cuts down on waste and promotes efficient operations.

See some examples of golf courses who took action to protect the environment and got great results: Ways Golf Courses Can Help Protect the Environment

See also the Seven Most Gorgeous Eco Friendly Golf Courses (Yes, Golf Courses Can Be Eco)

And last but not least, you could win a golf date with Bill Clinton, help save the environment

Keep Golfing!

Sources:

Potential Impacts and Opportunities of Golf

What are the benefits of environmental performance?

Rule 26-1. Relief for Ball in Water Hazard

Ok, now let's talk about a point of rule that few golfers actually know: the relief of a ball in water hazard.

We will see in this article specifically the rule 26.1 / 2. (I put the essential part in red)

A normal water hazard is marked by yellow stakes. 

26-1. Relief for Ball in Water Hazard

It is a question of fact whether a ball that has not been found after having been struck toward a water hazard is in the hazard. In order to apply this Rule, it must be known or virtually certain that the ball is in the hazard. In the absence of such knowledge or certainty, the player must proceed under Rule 27-1.

If a ball is in a water hazard or if it is known or virtually certain that a ball that has not been found is in a water hazard (whether the ball lies in water or not), the player may under penalty of one stroke:

1. Play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5), or
2. Drop a ball behind the water hazard, keeping the point at which the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind the water hazard the ball may be dropped; or
3. As additional options available only if the ball last crossed the margin of a lateral water hazard, drop a ball outside the water hazard within two club-lengths of and not nearer the hole than (i) the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or (ii) a point on the opposite margin of the water hazard equidistant from the hole.

When proceeding under this Rule, the player may lift and clean his ball or substitute a ball.

As a summary, If this happens there is a one shot penalty. You take the ball out of the water and you drop it either two club lengths away from the edge of the hazard on the line you entered.

Red stakes are used to mark a lateral water hazard. A lateral water hazards is exactly the same as a normal water hazard - and in some cases may be a different stretch of the same stream. But instead of running across a hole, a lateral water hazard runs towards it.

The rules for playing and dropping the ball are the same as for the normal water hazard except in one regard.

Special case for casual water, GUR and abnormal ground conditions - If your ball is in casual water, ground under repair, a hole or cast made by a burrowing animal (eg rabbit), you may drop without penalty within one club length of the nearest point of relief not nearer the hole.

Keep Golfing!

Sources:

Rules of Golf - Rules 26: Water Hazards

Basic rules of Golf

What happens in golf when you hit your shot into the water?

Tiger Woods plays on Water

Do you play Golf video games?

A glitch in the game "Tiger Woods 2009" (the player could play ON WATER) made EA sport to react to this bug with the real Tiger Woods.

Watch the original video from a gamer: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 Jesus Shot

and watch the response from EA sport: Tiger Woods 09 - Walk on Water

In fact, Tiger is REALLY able to play on water!

"It's not a glitch, he's just that good" :)

Keep Golfing!