I’m not one to typically trumpet new gains in subscriptions or followers, but the newsletter saw the biggest growth this week since I launched it.

So welcome to the newbies. You won’t regret it.

Thanks to the oldies for reading and spreading the word.

Let’s roll!

Before jumping into the really important stuff, I think this side-by-side of Anthony Kim from “then” and “now” is maybe the best representation of how much time has passed since he was relevant.

This boils it down nicely, too

He shot a 76 in his first competitive round this morning in Saudi Arabia and is in last place. Golf is hard, so I’m not going to hate on him for it. In my mind, he has this competitive season to prove himself.

Ok, onto the serious stuff…

Golf as Social Infrastructure

On late Sunday afternoon, I decided to pop onto the Internet and see if I could find a tee time for this coming weekend. The long-range forecast looked promising, 50 degrees and dry. March usually comes in like a Lion, but this seemed like Lamb behavior if you ask me.

The courses most convenient for the group of golfers I was trying to round up were all booked; not a single tee time was available for three or four people.

I wasn’t surprised. I was more annoyed that I hadn’t tried earlier in the morning. Most courses release their times a week in advance, and Sunday afternoon with the promise of good weather seven days later was too late when every course isn’t open yet.

Last week, I learned that there are more golf courses than McDonalds in America. Which I found incredible given the task it has become to make weekend tee times. I even have one friend who hired a person in a different time zone to make a Sunday morning tee time for his group every Sunday. They couldn’t or wouldn’t stay up past midnight like a Taylor Swift fan refreshing the page before a flood of tee times filled the screen.

Instead, they had someone do it for them.

That’s 4D Chess right there.

According to the Plain English Podcast episode, “Why Americans Stopped Hanging out - And Why it Matters,” America kinda stinks at building social infrastructure.

The British Academy’s definition of Social Infrastructure:

Coffeeshops, libraries, parks, theaters, malls, and churches are just some of the places people seek and find social connections. As we consume more and more on the Internet, this infrastructure can break down and impact our well-being as individuals and as a community.

Golf, I believe, has become a vital piece of social infrastructure for many people. They are places people can go alone and meet new people, or they can go with friends and spend four (5? 6?) hours with them.

This isn’t a new idea, the pandemic boosted golf because of the social aspect, and it was outside. This made it stand out from some other versions of social infrastructure.

Another term for these places is “third place.” Home and work are the first two places we spend time, and then there are the third places that give us social connection, some golf courses are trying to attract more than golfers. I see a spot like Green Harbor in Marshfield, Mass., hosting trivia nights and music nights in their restaurant called Winslows. You don’t even need to bring your clubs to hang out at Green Harbor.

Golf has always had this quality; it’s not new. But I think it’s heightened by the fact that other social infrastructure is crumbling around it or, at the very least, is less appealing to people. They would rather hang out in their homes where they feel safer and more comfortable.

Building those connections within a community helps people live longer, healthier lives. It’s just another reason that I bristle when I hear about golf courses closing to become shipping facilities, solar fields, and housing developments.

So as the season approaches and you start to feel excited to get back out and chase a little white ball around, enjoy it for what it truly is - a chance to connect with people and live a healthy life, even after your heartrate spike after making three straight double bogeys.

Enjoy the weekend. If you’re teeing it up… I’m jealous.

Double Click(s)

I’m going to use this section to “Double Click” on something I discovered or thought about this week.

The Match…

I forgot The Match with Rory McIlroy, Max Homa, Lexi Thompson, and Rose Zhang was airing on Monday night, but tuned in to catch the last six holes. The world needs more 12-hole golf courses. The Park isn’t a 12-hole course, but I like that they’re playing 12 holes in these events more often. It’s a great length for a day on the course. I’m sure we’ll find a way to turn 12-hole rounds into 5-hour adventures…

The mix of PGA and LPGA players was great, and we need more of it.

One unoriginal thought: these don’t need to be live. Golf under the lights looked sick, so watching it at night while the players played at night was cool. However, the entire thing could be packaged into an hour-long YouTube event. This is what Good Good, Bob Does Sports, and No Laying Up do to great success. The problem is they want to include live gambling, which is, in my estimation, stupid.

I find myself scrolling through YouTube on my TV nearly every day. I’d absolutely watch a 45-60 min. video of The Match, especially if it didn’t include DJ Khaled.

Talor Gooch…has never had a top 10 in a major…

I’m sure everyone has heard and adjudicated the Talor Gooch statement about putting an asterisk next to Rory McIlroy's career grand slam if he wins The Masters without some of the LIV boys (namely Gooch) in the field.

Cool, Talor.

Kudos to McIlroy for not adding fuel to the fire when asked about it (and also about going to LIV).

Let me remind you that Talor Gooch is an idiot… when he initially left for LIV in 2022, he had no idea he’d be banned by the PGA Tour. Some quotes that National Club Golfer pulled together from a Sports Illustrated article (I don’t think it was generated by AI…)

He also claimed to be a “dumb golfer” when he was asked about the Saudi Arabian connections to LIV.

Let’s take Talor Gooch at face value from now on, please?

Free community golf

Last week I wrote about free golf spaces and that we need more of them. This connects a bit with the social infrastructure I wrote about above, too.

One reader sent along a little information about Cornelia Warren Park in Waltham. A quick Google search revealed this picture. Apparently, it’s a free, rather large, astroturf putting green.

Pretty Sick.

If you want to head farther away for some free golf, another reader sent this little gem my way…resort golf for free in Colorado from November to April.

Full Swing 2

This trailer for Full Swing 2, paired with some positive things I’ve heard on the Internet, has me excited for March 6.

Merch Table

One way to help support me in my quest to play every course in the Bay State would be to spend a little money on some Bay State Golf swag. I always need gas money! Check it all out here.

When I’m not golfing…

I’m reading…

• I’m kind of digging the new Clippers branding. Zach Lowe goes deep into the process as the Clippers get ready to move into their new stadium next year and create a new look.

• Remember when LaVar Ball was everywhere promoting his boys like Don King? Then… he disappeared. Caleb Williams is the next star with a dad who might be scaring off franchises.

I’m listening to…

• As referenced way at the top, this Plain English pod is outstanding about Americans hanging out less.

• Tapping into my college self, I popped on some Kings of Leon this week because I saw they released a new single called “Mustang”(which is not as good as their old stuff… yes, I’ve reached the age where some of my favorite bands now stink in the present but rock in the past.). Start with Young and Young Manhood and Aha Shake Heartbreak

• I always love listening to Chuck Klostermann talk about stuff. He joined Bill Simmons this week to talk about Wemby, Taylor and the Beatles, Women’s College hoops, and more. Listen here.

I’m eating…

• Trader Joe’s Ice Cream “Chipwiches” are delicious.

• Area 4 pizza remains undefeated. One of the best in the Boston area.

• Attended a chili cook-off this weekend. Chili is always good, but someone had the Wegman’s cornbread. Strong rec.

I’m watching…

• We’re hunting for something new to watch, so in the meantime, we’re diving into mini-series about crime. We watched Can I Tell You a Secret and started American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders.

PLUGS

New stuff:

• Over at New England Golf Journal, I rounded up the USGA qualifying sites that are in New England this spring and summer. It’s a paid site, but if you’d like to subscribe it would help me out a lot!

• I picked out nine courses north and west of Boston that have the best Bang for your Buck. Listen here. The YouTube video has some images and videos of the courses, too. As always, would appreciate it if you subscribed, liked, commented, and reviewed!

Old stuff: 

I'm (shamelessly) plugging...

• A list of golf courses open in the winter.

• Bay State Picks: Best courses you can walk for less than $60.

• Bay State Picks: Nine-hole courses to play before or after work

• Bay State Picks: 18 public golf that is worth your time

• Bay State Picks: Easy 18-hole public walks

• Bay State Deep Dive: Myopia Hunt Club

   

• "On Course" New England Journal Podcast

  • LISTEN HERE (and subscribe!)

  • WATCH HERE (and subscribe!)

• Amateur Golf Podcast

  • LISTEN HERE (and subscribe!)