WAM Golf

Top 10 Golf Moments of 2011 (1-5)

With just two days left in 2011 I have joined the masses in counting down my top moments of the year. In my previous article I began my countdown of the top with spots ten through six featuring various golf products and experiences throughout the year. As we approach 2012, here are the top five moments of 2011. 

(I took two trips to Ocean City, Maryland in 2011.)

 5. Golf in Ocean City, Maryland: In March I took a trip with my buddy from 999 Places to visit the Harrison Group in Ocean City. The experience was incredible and when it came time for our group to take the annual golf trip we decided to return. If you haven't been to Ocean City to play golf, I highly recommend it. The picture above is from the 17th hole at Eagle's Landing. 

4. The Golf Club Radio Show: This happened just days ago but was easily one of my favorites of 2011. I was invited by Danielle Tucker (@TheGolfClub), host of The Golf Club Radio Show, to be on her Christmas Eve show celebrating their 14th Anniversary. While I was thrilled to talk Social Media and golf, the real treat was to be on the show with some great guests. The list included PGA Tour winner Gary Woodland (@GaryWoodland), Back 9 Network executive John Raser (@JohnRaser), and Texas Links Magazine editor Mark Button (@Mark_Button). It was a great experience and hope to be invited back in the future! 

3. Luke Donald Retweets My Article: In an effort to give fans a say on who should be Golf's Player of the Year in 2011 I turned to Social Media. Votes poured in through Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and my blog and eventually Luke Donald was crowned champion earning 57% of the votes. As I shared the results via Twitter, Luke Donald (@LukeDonald) was kind enough to retweet it. It was great of him to share it with his fans and it was fun for me to see how powerful a retweet can be. 

2. Quoted In The USA Today Cover Story: This is related to WAM Marketing Solutions more than WAM Golf but being quoted in the cover story of USA Today is worthy of making the Top 10. Most people will be surprised that it's not number one but I have my reasons. While I'm thrilled to be quoted in the article, to have one of my clients, Jacobs Realty Group (@JacobsRealty), featured in the article brought just as much pride. I'm not sure how to top this in 2012 but I look forward to the challenge. You can read the article here in the WAM Enterprises Newsroom.

1. Carrano Scholarship Fund Golf Outing: I'm told the biggest challenge in starting a charity golf outing is getting people to attend the first year. When I was named chairman for outing, I took this concern very seriously and through the efforts of the golf committee and advisory board we managed to have 142 golfers sign up, nearly selling out our first event. Temperatures reached 105 degrees at Grassy Hilly Country Club (@GrassyHillCC) but they were incredible hosts and helped guide us to a successful first year. It's amazing what passionate people can do when they work towards a common goal and I look forward to the 2012 outing and beyond.

 What was your top moment in 2011? What are you looking forward to in 2012? Leave a comment! 

 

Top 10 Golf Moments of 2011 (6-10)

As 2011 comes to an end I'll join the list of websites offering the top moments of the year. It seems like just a few weeks ago I was anticipating the start of the 2011 golf season while now I'm left to enjoy the memories and look forward to the start of 2012. I never know what opportunity awaits around the corner but it's exciting and I look forward to sharing it with my readers.

(The Mastercard Priceless event at The Stanwich Club made the Top 10 of 2011.)

10. The U.S. Open: As a 30th birthday present my cousin and friend of 999 Places got us all tickets to the U.S. Open at Congressional. It was the first major event I had ever been to and the first professional golf tournament in years. It was an amazing experience and one I will never forget for a variety of reasons including Rory McIlroy's record setting victory.

9. 2011 New Equipment & Apparel: In an effort to improve my putting I switched to the Axis1 Umbra Putter and shaved two putts per round off my game. In an effort to find more comfort I jumped to Ashworth Cardiff golf shoes and have never been more comfortable. It was a great year in discovering new golf "swag" such as my Photo Ball Markers, The Swinkey, and Pro Compression Socks. I'm excited at the opportunity to try them all and I look forward to sharing more golf products in 2012.  

8. Mastercard Legends of Golf at The Stanwich Club: I'll call this the best $200 I spent on golf in 2011. A round at The Stanwich Club in Greenwich, CT, a hole with Curtis Strange, the round with a my good friend JP and former New York Met Lee Mazzilli, and I broke 80. Should this be number one? Here's my tip to any golfer in the New York metro area for 2012, keep an eye out for the Mastercard Legends of Golf Experience packages... it's money well spent. 

7. Working at the New York Golf Center: How could a job be in the top 10? As you know I love small businesses and the New York Golf Center continues to battle the big golf chains head on. It was only part time but the people who work their make it great and taught me a lot about the golf industry. It also helped that it's one of the largest golf shops in New York City with two floors, one for clubs and one for apparel, accessories and shoes. If you're in "The City", check them out. 

6. Golf & Social Media: Two of my passions and I was able to bring them together when I golfed with Stacy Solomon (@Golf4beginners) and Patricia Hannigan (@GolfGirl) this season. They have been great to connect with on Twitter and even more fun to connect with in person. Social Media is great but it's even better when used properly to develop new relationships. 

Up next... my Top 5 of 2011!

WAM Golf On The Golf Club Radio Show in Hawaii

Mike Wolfe, the founder of WAM Golf and President of WAM Enterprises LLC, will be on The Golf Club Radio Show on Saturday, December 24th. The show is hosted by Danielle Tucker (@TheGolfClub) and is celebrating its 14th year on the air. 

 

Saturday, December 24th Show

Celebrating their 14th year in the air, The Golf Club Radio Show is giving away a trip for two to San Francisco including round trip air fare via Hawaiian Airlines, a round of golf for two at the Harding Park Golf Course, and four nights in the Galleria Park Hotel. That's what I call a Christmas present! 

I would like to say Mike is the featured guest on the radio show but it would be a lie. I'm fortunate enough to join some really great people. The show on Saturday will feature:

• PGA TOUR member Gary Woodland is the featured guest. He won the 2011 Transitions Championship in March and added five top ten finishes to his resume. He is ranked 52nd in the Official World Golf Rankings and earned almost $3.5 million on The Tour last season. 

• John Raser of the The Back 9 Network. I wish I knew more about the Back 9 Network but from what I can tell they are a new Golf TV Channel launching in 2012. They have a great startup cast and since they are based out of my home state (Connecticut), I have a soft spot for them.  Any time you combine golf and technology I'm interested and If you have not been to John's website, check it out. He's an interesting guy! 

• Mark Button is the editor of Texas Links magazine and recently came out with a new book "Finding Ti Ming & Tem Po, Legends of the Golf Gods". In 2010 Mark was the recipient of the Southern Texas PGA/Media Public Relations Award. You can follow Mark on Twitter: @Mark_Button. 

The Golf Club Radio Show airs every Saturday from Noon to 1:30pm EST. The show is broadcast live on several stations throughout Hawaii and can be listened to live via the internet here. 

 

A Gift For The Golfer Who Has Everything: The Swinkey

When I worked in the golf shop people came in every day looking for gifts. I immediately asked what their budget was and once we had a number in mind, I would begin suggesting items. I estimate 8 out 10 people would say to me "they have everything" or as we went through the list, they would say "they already have that". So what do you get the golfer who has everything?

The "Golfers Tool Box". Why is this the perfect gift for the golfer who has everything? Because The Swinkey actually does everything! Okay, almost everything, it can't hit the ball for you but who knows what they will roll out for the future models. It's incredibly functional soe every golfer will find a way to benefit from it. 

The Swinkey is a one-stop tool for anyone looking to improve their golf game. They call it the "Golfers Tool Box" because you can use it for almost every aspect of your game including travel! A few of the uses are:

• Camera Mount (my personal favorite)
• Fitness/Stretching
• A weighted swing trainer (adjustable)
• Swing plane training
• Putting Training 
• Driver Protection

The video below does a better job explaining it than I can....

 

Why I Love The Swinkey

With so many uses for the Swinkey it's difficult to pick just one reason I like it, so I'll give you two. First, I like to use it as weighted swing tool. Prior to each round you can find me on the range or at the first tee swinging two clubs to loosen up before tee off. As I swing and my clubs clang together, I cringe. The Swinkey allows me to loosen up before the round without having to rattle my five and six iron. 

The other reason I love the Swinkey is it acts as a camera stand. I'm often on the road writing about golf courses by myself and with no one to take pictures or video, I often miss a couple of great shots. The Swinkey allows me to mount my camera or iPhone (they have a separate cradle for the phone) so I can take video or pictures throughout my round. It's a great tool for me but also for anyone who wants to get video of their own swing. 

With only a few days to go, The Swinkey makes the perfect last minute gift for any golfer and at only $99, you don't have to break the bank. It's a unique, useful and durable so your golfer will have it for many seasons to come. 

 

Why Golf Is Declining In The U.S.... and How To Fix It! (Part II)

In Part I of this series I talked about an article in Golf Week showing the decline in the number of rounds of golf in 2011. It marked the 5th consecutive year rounds of golf have declined in the United States, a streak everyone is anxious to put an end to. 

It's easy for me to sit here and point out the flaws in the system but as someone who wants to see the game grow, I think we need change. These suggestions won't be popular with everyone but my goal is to create a discussion and action so we can get the game of golf back on track. 

(A picture of the group in front of me waiting to tee off. That means I was waiting too.)

The five five points in my previous article were: Pace of Play, Intimidation, Price, Time and Experience. The goal is to combat these, and other issues, to help develop growth for our great game.

How To Improve and Grow Golf

I think it starts from the beginning, every golfer should have a handicap. Having a handicap shows a commitment to the rules and etiquette of the game. The majority of clubs, even those online, provide a newsletter, tips, and rules advice for golfers which will help new golfers feel less intimidated when they tee it up. The first time you golf isn't easy, it's scary. The perception non-golfers have is that we all are good at golf. We're not. We love the game, follow the etiquette and have fun, that's what golf is all about. It would be up to the golf courses to check handicaps or maybe you would need to write down your GHIN when you check-in for your round. Regardless, I think people should have it from the beginning.

Pace of Play and Price are two of the hottest topics. A solution for both of these is to eliminate golf carts. You heard me, get rid of golf carts. I believe golf carts slow the round down, they don't speed them up, ESPECIALLY when it's cart path only. I know golf courses are looking for the extra $15 but it's ridiculous. I truly do not believe golf carts speed up the game, I think they do the opposite. In my opinion, golfers are likely to take two whacks off the tee if they have a cart to go pick up one of the balls. They sit in the cart and wait for their partner to hit before going to their own ball to hit. This all takes time. I'm not being heartless, if there is someone who needs the cart, they should obviously be allowed to take it but for the most part, walking will save time and money. 

At. St. Andrews in Scotland, the birthplace of golf, it's required you have a handicap. To play the Old Course, men need a handicap below 24 and ladies below 36. Golfers are likely to return if their first couple of rounds are enjoyable. Bringing a new golfer out to a course with a 145 slope is setting them up for failure. Part of it on the individual (new golfer) but the other part is on his friends who are already golfers. If you're taking someone new out on the golf course, find a nine hole or executive course and show them the game. People come back because of the good shots they hit, not because it took five hours and they lost 17 recycled golf balls. 

The weekends at public courses are often backed up from early morning through the middle of the afternoon. My final two suggestions aim to help bring in new golfers to the course and keep low handicap golfers happy. Reserve the earliest tee times for lower handicap golfers. I don't know what the cutoff is but let's say 12 index and under. A set number of tee times are designated for this group so they can play their golf from the back tees with minimal waiting. At a certain time, reduce price by a few dollars and open it up to the masses and remove the back tees. This helps save new golfers money and prevents them from being intimidated because they won't be paired with a 6 handicap. It prevents the low handicap from being held up by the high handicap. If a higher handicap chooses to play later in the day he can but he knows what he's getting into. I regularly play in the afternoon to avoid the morning chaos and the course is often empty. 

I love golf the way it is and fundamentally don't think it needs much change. Simple commitments by the USGA, golf courses and golfers would make the game better for everyone. At first there would be a backlash, there often is with change but in the end the game would grow and ultimately, that's what we are looking for. 

 What do you suggest to help grow the game of golf? Leave a comment!