Go Girl FUD

I recently read a blurb in Golf Digest about a female urination device (FUD) made by Go Girl.  It is a product that a woman can use to urinate without having to squat. You use an FUD while standing erect.   It is shaped somewhat like a funnel and “directs” the urine away from the feet in a similar fashion as our male counterparts.

Yikes. 

Now,  in the element of full disclosure I will admit I have NOT tried a FUD so I have no experience to base a decision on whether or not this is a product that would work for me.  I will say, I’m a little wary about it and I’m probably not rushing out to buy one.  It just seems…………messy.   

There probably isn’t a woman out there who plays golf, or any other active sport,  who isn’t somewhat envious of men who can use a private little space on the course as a bathroom.  We’ve all seen men take a little trip into the woods only to return looking less frantic and very relaxed.  I’ll admit, when I need “relief”, I can barely concentrate on anything else:  where is the next porta potty or bathroom?  How many holes do I have to play before I get to it?  It affects my whole game.  The same thing happens when I’m hungry – I can hardly keep it together.  And yes, I have been known to find that private little space on the course when waiting is just not an option and yes:  squat.  However, that can be difficult and sometimes even impossible.

But a FUD:  I’m just not sure.  I was curious enough about the Go Girl that I went to Wikipedia  to learn more – and there was much more to learn, for sure!  FUD’s were patented back in 1922, are used in France and the Netherlands and there at least seven manufacturers of them. Who knew????!!!!   

I’m really curious if anyone has ever used one.  I know the Go Girl device includes a little bag that you place it in when you are finished and you can use it over and over. You can even wash it in the dishwasher. Maybe I’m doing myself a huge disservice by NOT trying one immediately. Maybe a FUD is something that once I use it, I’ll wonder how I ever lived without one.

Consider the possibility that you may be far more able than you think and that when you let go of self-interference and increase your awareness, you will see exceptional ability emerge.

-Fred Shoemaker, Extraordinary Putting

 Jayn Krasco Stillson is a Financial Coach who’s been playing non-competitive golf for more than 20years.   She developed Wicked Easy Golf as a means to spend more time on the golf course, apply her coaching skills to the game and teaching women how to play golf with ease. Below is a blog she wrote about her own personal experience.  Very interesting!!

 I played a charity event last week with two of my nephews: Nick’s 18 and just graduated from high school and Billy’s 37 and getting married this summer. What a treat – pure delight for Auntie Jayn to spend a day playing golf with two of her favorite golfers. But the interesting part was what happened to this coach who says she doesn’t like to compete when she saw a potential opportunity to win.

 Our fourth was a friend and colleague, an accomplished golfer, a great asset to our team. The field at the outset looked easily beat-able.  Although I did not play up to my ability, we played well collectively – the bliss of the scramble format.  We bogied only two holes, coming in at four under par. The winners came in at five under par. I feel uneasy just thinking and writing about it, the frustration of playing well and still not winning. I remember how it felt throughout the round that we had a shot at first place and then losing by only one stroke.  What did it matter if we won ? The prize was a trophy – not cash, not anything really useful. Didn’t matter; I still wanted to win.

 It took me a couple days to shake off the loss.  I kept replaying the par three that we bogied in my head, wishing that I would have hit the green that not one of us hit.  Making par on that hole would have shifted our score by two shots and we would have won the tournament; true ?  Maybe not.  Maybe just purchasing the other two mulligans that we were entitled to would have made the difference.  Or maybe there was nothing we could have done to win that event.  Maybe the other team was going to outplay us no matter how well we played.

 So, what is interesting to me is that even though my game has progressed to a point where I believe that I can be part of a winning team, I still would have had a much better time if I had not let my thoughts go into a competitive mode.  If I could have stayed in a place of simply being thrilled to be spending the day with my nephews, I would have enjoyed myself so much more.  And I think I would’ve played better.  Maybe I would have made that shot on that par three………..

Before yesterday, the only thing I knew about Ben Crane was that he had a rep for slow play on the golf course. He’s not one of those players that stands out: no wild outfits, no exotic swarthy looks, not a particularly muscular body. He is rated 33rd in the world – not bad for sure – but not getting concentrated Sunday afternoon coverage either. Kinda average and vanilla. Well, that has all changed.

Ben Crane has started making these crazy videos! This one is “Golf Boys” including Bubba Watson, Ricky Fowler and Hunter Mahon. Ben has two other spoofing videos under his belt: a workout video and one about his rep for slow play. After watching “Golf Boys” I immediately found the other two and literally laughed out loud! This guy is a WHACK JOB – in the best of ways!! In all of the videos, Ben sports a red wet suit, pink socks and a helmet.

Golfers, in general, are not known for eccentric behavior but Ben wanted to lighten up his image a bit and decided use some comedy to do it. Well, he certainly has achieved his goal! Who knew that Mr. Vanilla could be so funny.

BUT, there is more to these videos than just Ben Crane exploring his comic desires. Ben and his wife Heather, along with Dowd Simpson (wife of TOUR player Webb Simpson) and Athena Perez (wife of TOUR player Pat Perez), went on an eye-opening journey to Southeast Asia (Cambodia, the Philippines and Thailand). They were accompanied by Rob Morris and Lamont Hiebert, co-founders of Love146, an international group whose mission is to end the sexual exploitation of children.

The charitable proceeds of all the i Tunes downloads and YouTube hits of “Golf Boys” will support Ben Crane charitable initiatives, specifically Love146. To date, Golf Boys has had over a million hits. What an awesome way to have fun and make a difference.

And, yesterday I was at the US Open at Congressional and while it was fabulous to see all the pros, I LOVED seeing Ben!! I never really paid attention to him before and how he has my full attention and my fan ship!

 Get ready for a major dose of adorable!  A Women on Course friend found this  cute little fawn on the 11th hole at Steeplechase Golf Course in Mundelein, IL while looking for an out of bounds ball.  I can’t even imagine charming that would be.  I usually only find poison ivy and thorn bushes!!

Pack Your Summer Golf Bag

As temperatures soar this summer you may be temped to skip a few midday rounds of golf, but don’t miss out until fall.  As you stand over your July tee shot it’s easy to get distracted from your game.  With slippery hands from a fresh application of sunscreen, and those pesky gnats zooming around your head,  no wonder the ball is going anywhere but on target. With a little advance preparation, make your summer golf outing more enjoyable, and save a bundle buying last minute supplies in the pro shop. Every summer golf bag should be stocked with items to help keep you cool and comfortable during your round.  And speaking of bags, consider swapping out to a lightweight bag with a built in cooler for beverages.

 Sunscreen:  Never leave home without it!  It is recommended that you apply a sweat-resistant sunscreen for every hour in the sun.  Protected skin will feel cooler then burned skin.  Spray applicators will to keep your hands dry when you reapply.

 Spray Bottle/Portable Fan:  Create your own ‘beach effect’ with a small spray bottle and a hand-held battery-operated fan.  If you feel overheated, spritz some water into the fan and cool your face, arms and legs.

 Hats:  It’s amazing how much cooler a hat will make feel without the sun beating into your eyes and face.  For double duty comfort, spray a bit of Bug Repellant on the brim of your hat to ward of insects. 

 Hydration:  Be sure to drink plenty of water, which will be chilled if your golf bag has a handy cooler built in.  Sorry, alcoholic beverages don’t count as a hydration choice.  It is recommended to have at least one bottle of water for each alcoholic drink.

 Snacks:  Pack some light snacks such as water heavy fruits (grapes, watermelon, peaches) as well as nuts and energy bars to help keep you from feeling sluggish.  Be sure your trail mix is chocolate-free which will quickly melt in your golf bag.

 Umbrella:  Shady spots can be as much as 15 degrees cooler than the sun, and not all courses are lined with trees.  If you’re spending time walking or waiting on the course in the blazing sun, an umbrella will provide yourself some instant relief.

 Grip Lotion:  For an alternative to a hot leather glove, pack a bottle of a no sweat grip lotion.  Spray on your hand and it quickly turns powdery to give your hand a nice dry grip on your club.

 Make Your First On Course Experience Successful 

 Prepare and Prepare Again:  Many women do not realize all the rules, etiquette and skills necessary to have fun on the golf course.   The golf course (and your fellow players) expect you to have mastered a certain degree of knowledge and skill.  Be sure you have the appropriate equipment, basic knowledge of the game and hours logged at the practice range before you venture onto the course.

 Play Golf with a Mentor:  It seems so easy on the driving range, but once you get on the course there are layers of rules and etiquette expected of you.  Bring an experienced golfer to help you navigate the course and keep a proper pace of play.  Look for Women on Course Mentored ‘Nine & Wine’ Events (link to http://www.womenoncourse.com/events.php) which are designed to help golfers become course ready.

 Book a Late Afternoon Tee Time:  Summer means longer days and more available tee times.  Many courses offer lower ‘twilight rates’ when you book tee times in the late afternoon.  Not only will you save a few dollars, but typically courses are not as crowded so you might not have golfers playing right behind you, which can feel intimidating for the new golfer.

Bring a Dozen Golf Balls:  Not all new golfers realize that this game often requires more than one ball to play a round of golf!  Searching for lost balls and fishing them out of the water takes up valuable time.  Best to bring at least a dozen and hope for the best.

And I bet alot of you are too!  I asked Kevin Tanner, our wonderful contact at Golftec to give us some good advice on how to take our FABULOUS driving range game to the course.  AND, notice *WOMEN ON COURSE members, June is FREE LADIES GOLF LESSON MONTH @ GolfTEC-North Bethesda.  If you are interested in a FREE 30 Minute Lesson please contact us at 240-715-0291.

How to Take Your Range Game to the Course – Better Practice Habits by Kevin Tanner, PGA

If I had a dollar for every time that I heard someone tell me that their “range game” was better than their “golf course game” I would be a rich man.  In this BLOG I will cover a few tips that will help you take your game on the range to the course.

 In recent years there have been some great studies published about how individuals learn and acquire new skills.  The overall consensus is in order to learn a new skill faster you must RANDOM practice.  To keep things simple there are two main ways to train someone a new skill.  You can BLOCK practice; this is repeating the same technique over and over until the new skill is acquired.   Or, you can RANDOM practice; this is constantly changing the stimulus while trying to learn the new skill.  Let me explain a few examples.

In golfing terms, a form of BLOCK practice would be hitting a 7-iron at one target over and over trying to produce one specific result.  While, RANDOM practice would be never hitting the same club more and one time at any one target.  Here is an example of RANDOM practice, hit one shot with a 7-iron at the 130 yard target…switch clubs, hit a 9-iron at the 100 yard target…switch clubs, hit Driver and try to have it land in between two targets imagining that you are hitting it into a fairway…switch clubs hit a short pitch shot…etc., you get the idea.  It takes a great deal of patience and diligence to do this while practicing and if you can make it through a few RANDOM practice sessions you will quickly see a change in your consistency. 

Now there is definitely a place for both forms of training in the game of golf.  BLOCK practice is great when trying to understand a certain movement or understand the feeling you must have to accomplish a certain skill.  However, after you have the feeling it is time to start RANDOM practice!

So if you want to take your “range game” to the course, try RANDOM practice for a few weeks to start hitting the ball better and more consistent. 

 To round out the post today I will leave you with a few great quotes I have heard along the way, I don’t remember who said them but they have always resonated with me.           

 “Always practice with a purpose. “

  “Practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect.”

GolfTEC Certified Personal Coach
GolfTEC – North Bethesda
5056A Nicholson Lane
North Bethesda, MD 20876
www.golftec.com

Kevin is a PGA Teaching Professional at GolfTEC – North Bethesda , in Maryland.  For more information on lessons or club fitting contact Kevin at ktanner@golftec.com or call the Improvement Center (240) 277-3150.

Also check us out on Facebook – www.facebook.com/GolfTECMaryland