The Breakfast Ball

Let me first start off by asking myself one simple question. Do I recommend this class to anyone interested in golf? A resounding YES. After just three weeks in the course, I have played multiple competitive 9 hole rounds of golf and have made tons of new friends. The only sad part being that I am the only freshman in the course, and all of my new friends will soon be leaving me. The class has also paired up with the Professional Golf Management students here on campus so we can both work on our game and teaching skills.

ROUND 1:

Round one, which was April 6, was a fun game in which I had never played. It was a game where all four of your partners were working together to play a sleeve of yellow balls. Each hold was already predetermined to have a certain player use a yellow ball on the course and record their score. Then the rest of the team participated in an organized scramble against the other teams in the class. In the next class the teachers tabulated the scores and the winners received prizes ranging from free golf balls, free rounds, and even free rounds with carts.

On top of that, we also participate in fun sports betting events where we each are given a sheet of the entire field of a golfing tournament. Each student is given the chance to circle three players and hope that they make the cut. Making the cut just means when they decide to move onto the next round in the tournament, only the best players advance and that is called making the cut. For the first outdoor class we circled 3 names we thought would make the cut and who we thought would win and with what score. Once again, we also took a guess as to the winning score if there were any tiebreakers.

 

ROUND 2:

Most recently, we played a two-man scramble with an opposing team that played with us. Winners of that scramble advanced to the next round and will play against the other winners.

So far this class has brought me great value and I have really been working on my swing, not just having fun. But who isn’t to say you can’t do both at the same time right? Professor Hughes is very instructive and I have already learned so much. Can’t wait for Tuesday’s class about driving.

Let me first start by saying, if you ever have the opportunity to take KINES29B, enroll in the course. It is such a fun course, that sometimes I forget I am actually in college. It is not a course that is going to get you into medical school or law school if you perform well in it, however, it is a course that is going to help relieve stress, learn about the game of golf, and continue to make yourself a better player.

The first part of the class started out like any other with a few quick introductions and whatnot, but as we dove deeper into the course we learned more about the game, and I quickly understood what passion professor Hughes has for the game. He takes the rules very seriously, like any golf professional wood, and he makes sure to articulate that love and passion for the game to his students. Our second class, that I had attended was all about rules. In my personal life I obviously have a general understanding of the rules, but would always shave off some strokes in my personal game with rules I felt was silly, or I just did not know. I don’t expect my score to improve because of a deeper understanding of the game of golf, but I will play with more pride knowing that my score could be professionally scored the same as I play.

With a deeper understanding of the rules, I would want to join leagues this summer where I am golfing against other people who take the game just as passionately and seriously as I do. I never thought about it, but when playing basketball, if you miss a shot, you don’t count it as if it went in. While in golf if you shank a shot, or receive a bad lie, you cant not count it, as I do sometimes. If something doesn’t go your way, you play it anyways and reflect it in your score.

I’m so excited to continue to enroll in this course and play this game. Over Easter break, I am going to go to the driving range and practice my swing for our first outdoor class this next Thursday. Yes, I know next Thursday is before Easter break, but all the same. I’m excited for the future of the course and I can’t wait to get out in the warm weather and play some golf.

As we inch ever so closely to the beginning of the spring season, I have set some goals for myself. First I want to enjoy this season. I usually find myself getting very angry and upset when I’m on the course because of my play and sometimes even my friends around me. When I am playing badly, my attitude is a reflection of that, and I want to change that. I want to drive to the course with an open mind and be happy I’m playing.

Besides the mental game, I want to improve my score! The driving range at PSU opens soon and I have a free pass due to my class. I want to use this class as an opportunity to make my swing superior to my comrades. When I schedule a business meeting, I want to make sure that I am the best player there. As of the time of writing this post, I shoot a 95 on average and want to lower that to the mi ’80s this season. For those who are unfamiliar with the game, shaving strokes off of your game is difficult. Not only because it takes time to prepare yourself to hit longer drives and sink your putts, but to do it consistently is what is hard.

Finally, this Golf season I want to change the course I play at. I have been a respectable member at Sinking Valley Country Club for the last 3 years. However, this season I want to transmission to a new course. Somewhere I don’t know the course. Why don’t I want to know what the course is like? Well for starters knowing a course is a huge advantage because you know where the trees lie and where they don’t. You know the water and even know the cart path. This season I want to go to the Summit. A nice course in the Hollidaysburg area that has the chance to give me a new course to learn and play at as well as meet some new friends.

Maybe this spring I will meet some new friends, achieve some new golfing scores, and maybe hit a hole in one. As always, thank you for tuning in to another blog post of the breakfast ball. Once the season starts this blog post will be much more interesting with updated games and new achievements for the game of golf. See you next time.

Living in Central PA gives you a pretty lackluster all year golfing experience. It’s rainy, in the spring, super hot, cold in the winter, and everything in between. Are there great days? Of course. The type of days you don’t want to stop being outside and after 18 holes decide you want to play some more. However, all good things come to an end, and that means golf weather will come to an end. Enter Top Golf. The outdoor driving range opens every month of the year through all seasons and all the weather. I’ve recently been to the Topgolf in Bridgeville, PA (Pittsburgh) and had a great experience.

To start my review I would like to start by saying any outdoor golf experience is worthy of a 5-star rating given the weather. It was probably 30-40 degrees in late October, and I had skepticism about how things would work out. This skepticism was quickly put to rest when I was led to my bay filled with couches, a bar, outside heaters, and a full club set. It was a golfers heaven. Our bay was on the third level too, so we were elevated enough to see the entire playing field. The playing field is a massive area, probably the size of 10 football fields, filled with targets that you aim at. There are countless game modes that you can play with your party that is all scored by the computer system and it makes for an absolute blast. The picture below is a perfect representation of what everything in my experience looked like.

If you are interested, see the buyers guide here.

I won’t get into the prices, but just know they are expensive. In a party of two, with dinner and some fountain drinks, we were well into the hundreds of dollars. Which begs the question. Was it worth it? Well, let’s think about it. In the summer your avid golfer golfs 3-4 times a week, and on average spends 20 dollars a round with cart fees, food, and drinks. Also restocks on balls, tees, and a new glove every week or so. If your getting the all-inclusive experience for a few hundred dollars one time in the winter, when the weather prohibits any golf anyway, makes it worth it enough for me.

Topgolf is well worth the price, and I will be returning soon. Maybe not this winter since golf season is right around the corner, but soon.

breakfast ball – Mulligan or Breakfast ball. This is the practice of getting a “free hit” or “free swing”, which is also referred to as a “breakfast ball” when used during early morning rounds. It is against the rules and draws a penalty if used in competitive play.

I golf, a lot. I’ve played at a handful of courses, and have shot scores ranging from 130-83. Golf, although cliche, is a passion of mine. Although I would describe it as a love-hate relationship. Depending on the day, I can love golf, but catch me on the tee box after a triple bogey, and you would think I am the most miserable person on the course. The best representation of my attitude on a course is best described in this YouTube video by Dude Perfect. Scroll to 1:53 for an accurate representation of myself.

I didn’t play my first round until I was 15, something I regret not starting earlier, but in retrospect, I got in the game early. I find that many people don’t pick up a set of clubs until they are in their late 20’s. I should be years ahead of my local competitors in years to come. My favorite part of golfing is probably driving the cart, followed by lunch afterward with friends. Playing the actual game is fun too.

My bag consists of Srixon 765 Forged Irons (shown below).

A Cobra Fly Z XL Driver (Soon to be replaced)

A Ping Odyssey, O-Works, Putter

https://www.golfmagic.com/reviews/equipment/odyssey-o-works-putter-review

And a Titleist Vokey 60 Degree

I have a few more interchangeable hybrids and woods, but they are nothing worth sharing. This blog will consist of course reviews, tips and tricks on how to play, personal experiences, club reviews, and much more. I am also currently enrolled in KINES 29B. A class dedicated to playing golf at the Penn State Blue and White courses every Thursday. To say I am excited for that would be an understatement.

The last thing I will say about the breakfast ball is a preview of next week’s first entry. A review of my hometown courses, and what I think of them. We will look at the price, value, difficulty, and even accessibility. My hometown is Altoona, PA, so if you are a golfer and any of the courses interest you, feel free to reach out to me and we can play anytime when the weather breaks. Until then, have a good one.