Golf Or Geocaching?

April 5, 2006

Golfing is a very challenging game/sport that you may spend a lifetime playing but never can master. The majority of amateur golfers rarely score below 90. It’s the thrill of trying to improve your game that keeps one coming back for more. Not too different from Geocaching once you have been bitten by the game. I work part time for a golf course so I can play for free so the money aspect doesn’t affect me. I thoroughly enjoy both of these games at this time in my life. Who knows what may happen ten years from now!

April 6, 2006

Nice question!!!!

Played golf all the time just before starting caching. Used to regularly shoot in the low to mid 80s. Started caching and sort of blew off golf and scores quickly rose to upper 90s. Last year I played more golf again and actuall got into the 70s. Not sure what I am going to do this year. Since I just got hammered by taxes I am guessing that I'll be out in the woods caching.

3.9k · April 6, 2006

. . .So is geocaching. Personally I don't get people who are obsessed with either.

Same here. I cannot get obsessed about anything.

April 6, 2006

Golfing is a very challenging game/sport that you may spend a lifetime playing but never can master. The majority of amateur golfers rarely score below 90.

Actually, the statistics show that only about 10% of golfers worldwide can break 100. As you say, it can take a lifetime to master even. High 70's low 80's is the best I can do after **years (not going to admit THAT many ). I am in awe of those who can break 70. I have no idea how they can play that well. 90 is lightyears from 100, as 80 is from 90 and 70 is amazing. You have to be very talented to do that. As for exercise, 18 holes walking will on average use up about 2400 calories or the normal daily intake for a man. It can be phsycially exhausting as a game as though of you who have played know.

But I'm also a geocacher and love doing it as well. But as others have said, if I did either too much I would get bored. I wonder at the people who I know who play golf every day and the cachers who do the same. I'd burn out on both.

So, yep a golfer and love it.

JDandDD

April 6, 2006

I shot a 69 today.

(once around on a nine hole course)

April 6, 2006

I must ask, now that you've brought it up - does a typical 18 holes of golf really require a 4 mile walk? Or does that distance just apply to people who have a really powerful, yet uncontrolled swing?

OK, now *I* have to ask - when you hit the ball, do you suppose you just magically get teleported to it's new location so you can hit it again? It doesn't matter how powerful or accurate you are, you still walk (at a bare minimum) from the tee to the pin on every hole, so your minimum walk is the course length. Add distance to that for errant drives, having to go out of bounds, etc.

Actually, it's more than the course length, because the course length is the sum of all the hole distances - it doesn't include the additional walk from each hole to the NEXT tee box.

If you've never been to one, a golf course is a very large place.

1.5k · April 6, 2006

OK, now *I* have to ask - when you hit the ball, do you suppose you just magically get teleported to it's new location so you can hit it again?

Of course not! Magical teleportation is used when people find geocaches in 5 non-adjacent states in the same day. To get around a golf course, you drive one of those little carts, which, from what I've read here so far, is much more fun while consuming vast amounts of an adult beverage which has been purchased from a female vendor commonly referred to as "Beer Girl". Assuming that you're really out for the exercise and not riding in a cart, then you'd have to walk across the course (whether or not you employ a caddy for the heavy lifting is another subject). From what I've seen while driving by, golf courses are rather large, however I assume that the holes cross each other or are somehow arranged so that (unlike many multi-caches I've done) your walking is minimized between stops?

I just thought 4 miles (or roughly 7000 yards, as you put it) seemed like a long distance to travel for one game of golf. Not being a golfer, I've no idea how much traveling you must do for 18 holes, but I would not have guessed 4 miles worth. If the distance truly is 4 miles, then golfing definitely requires a little more exertion than I thought. Granted, you're walking 4 miles over mostly flat, grassy terrain, but still, the distance has to count for something. And there is always the added danger of a rogue gopher hole that could be stepped in, or worse yet, driven over causing your beer to spill.

April 6, 2006

"Beer Girl"? In golfing the correct term would be "Beer Wench"!

7000 yards is longer than most people would play. Usually more like 6500 yards. But that would be in straight line. Think of taking a dog for a walk. The dog runs over there, then over here and then back over there again. That's pretty much how a lot of golfers would be on the course! The proper term for this kind of golfing is "Army Golf" or "Battling Golf".

April 7, 2006

Just to stir up a little discussion, I'm wondering whether there are any golfers among us? Personally, I don't golf. Never been good at it, and being a "leftie" I can't even borrow clubs to try. Not really interested in it anyway, cause I'd much rather go caching. But I have friends who live for their golf... it's almost as much of an obsession for them as caching is for me. When I think of some of the adventures I've had caching, golf seems way too tame.

So, is it just me? Am I the only cacher who views golf as a completely unadventurous waste of time and money? Is it really a great sport/hobby that I'm completely missing out on? Or would you agree that, compared to caching, golf just doesn't provide the necessary adrenaline rush to satisfy the typical cacher?

Anyone do both? Which do you prefer?

Just curious. Let the games begin.

Ha !

Just before I read this, I was thinking what I was going to do on Sunday. I said to myself, let me check out some Geocaches in the area, then I remembered I have a 1:30 tee time.

I do both, enjoy both, and obsess about neither. One thing that I do not like is courses that MAKE you rent a cart. I prefer to walk. As for exercize, not only is it walking, but go to a driving range and hit 50-60 balls and depending on your overall shape, you may find your shoulders/back a little stiff. Hit 100 or more and you will feel a little something.

Interestingly, I am the oppsite of what other people have mentioned. Golf is my "social time" and most of the time Geocaching is my "alone time" - not anti-social but I just happen to like caching alone (or with my 7 year old, but then that's "bonding time")

-dave

Edited April 7, 2006 by Phonedave

2.6k · April 7, 2006

I love to golf and spend many days a year in the SC/VA area golfing. However, during those golf vacations I also cache. I guess I have the best of both worlds.

April 7, 2006

What is this golf that you speak of?

April 8, 2006

Just to stir up a little discussion, I'm wondering whether there are any golfers among us? Personally, I don't golf. Never been good at it, and being a "leftie" I can't even borrow clubs to try. Not really interested in it anyway, cause I'd much rather go caching. But I have friends who live for their golf... it's almost as much of an obsession for them as caching is for me. When I think of some of the adventures I've had caching, golf seems way too tame.

So, is it just me? Am I the only cacher who views golf as a completely unadventurous waste of time and money? Is it really a great sport/hobby that I'm completely missing out on? Or would you agree that, compared to caching, golf just doesn't provide the necessary adrenaline rush to satisfy the typical cacher?

Anyone do both? Which do you prefer?

Just curious. Let the games begin.

April 8, 2006

I geocache as a family activity. I enjoy hiding them more than I do finding them I think. I really like golf and I don't even think you can compare the two. With gas approaching the $3 a gallon mark in my area, it's becoming cheaper to pay greens fees than to take a 100 mile round trip to find the closest cache. I enjoy both. If you pressed me to choose, I'd rather be golfing.

April 8, 2006

I'm an avid golfer who just got hooked on geocaching this past November. I'm not one of those crazed golfers who spends hundreds of $$ on getting all the latest, greatest, best equipment. I try to do my best and improve my game, but I'm out there to enjoy myself. And I always do. I would play every day if I could, but here in Michigan, that's not an option, so geocaching is the perfect hobby/sport/addiction for winter. As for the spring/summer/fall, there's no reason why I can't enjoy both. I can go out and walk 9 holes of golf in about an hour and half; and still have time to go caching. I like the bad weather days for caching: not many people around, so stealth isn't such a problem! And, bad weather days aren't as good for golf.

Of course, I never get anything done at home any more, because there's no "down time" part of year for me now! Oh well. <_<

April 12, 2006

OK, now *I* have to ask - when you hit the ball, do you suppose you just magically get teleported to it's new location so you can hit it again?

Of course not! Magical teleportation is used when people find geocaches in 5 non-adjacent states in the same day. To get around a golf course, you drive one of those little carts, which, from what I've read here so far, is much more fun while consuming vast amounts of an adult beverage which has been purchased from a female vendor commonly referred to as "Beer Girl". Assuming that you're really out for the exercise and not riding in a cart, then you'd have to walk across the course (whether or not you employ a caddy for the heavy lifting is another subject). From what I've seen while driving by, golf courses are rather large, however I assume that the holes cross each other or are somehow arranged so that (unlike many multi-caches I've done) your walking is minimized between stops?

I just thought 4 miles (or roughly 7000 yards, as you put it) seemed like a long distance to travel for one game of golf. Not being a golfer, I've no idea how much traveling you must do for 18 holes, but I would not have guessed 4 miles worth. If the distance truly is 4 miles, then golfing definitely requires a little more exertion than I thought. Granted, you're walking 4 miles over mostly flat, grassy terrain, but still, the distance has to count for something. And there is always the added danger of a rogue gopher hole that could be stepped in, or worse yet, driven over causing your beer to spill.

Even if the holes crossed each other (which they do not - you really don't want to be walking across a fairway that someone is hitting onto) - you STILL have to walk the length of every hole. You start on a tee. You hit the ball, say, 270 yards. Regardless of which direction or the arrangement of holes, you must now walk 270 yards to hit your ball again. You grab the 9 iron and sent it 60 more yards up onto the green. Guess what? You now have to walk 60 yards to get to your ball and hit it again. Repeat this until you're finished the hole. Now, you must walk from the 1st green to the 2nd tee box. These are generally relatively close together, but get this - this distance is NOT included in the course length, so you can add 18 green-to-tee walks to the 18 length-of-hole walks to EASILY get over 4 miles, no problem. This is a course map for a typical course - the yellow line is the path that you would have to walk to play the course. As you can see, it is a considerable distance:

April 12, 2006

My only complaint would be...

Only one set of bathrooms?!

April 12, 2006

I love golfing! I'd golf 36 holes a day if I could afford it and had the time, so I settle for about once a month on average in the winter months and about 6 times a month in the summer. I find both to be enjoyable and have wanted to start combining both and putting caches on golf courses. This would up the difficulties for non-golfers. As for frisbee golf, not really my thing. It's ok, but seems to go hand in hand with tye-dye clothing.

9.5k · April 12, 2006

There's nothing wrong with pitching sod farther than I can hit the ball. At least that's what they keep telling me.

2.2k · April 12, 2006

looks like a nice course but there's something missing.... saw the pro shop. where's the bar? got to have a pint and a sandwich after a game. tradition isn't it?

April 12, 2006

Golf is LAME and that's all there is to it. I tried doing it many times, to make my dad, grandfather and uncles happy, but couldn't stand it. They all do it as a day out together so that's why they wanted me to get into it. Now that a lot of my male cousins are older they're all golfing to so they all keep asking me start up. I just tell them that I'll start golfing if they start mountain biking with me. That ended that quickly.

Krazymtbr

April 12, 2006

(snip) This is a course map for a typical course - the yellow line is the path that you would have to walk to play the course.

And that's only if you manage to hit the ball straight up every fairway and then straight to the green. Most of us end up in the woods/brush/weeds on either side of the fairway at least half of the time! That adds a few hundred more yards to the length of the walk. Army golf: left, right, left, right...

April 12, 2006

My only complaint would be...

Only one set of bathrooms?!

The bathrooms on that course are an actual building. A lot of courses just have a couple portables out; one near the midpoint of each 9. That one probably has a couple portables in addition to that building. Gotta give people a place to make more room for those adult refreshments!

April 12, 2006

While living in MD, definitely prefer golf. I have yet to be inspired by any of the local caches in my area. I'm moving to Georgia though, where I hear the caches are plentiful and inspiring! May have to try to fit caching in between the golf rounds whenI get down there! :lol:

April 12, 2006

My only complaint would be...

Only one set of bathrooms?!

The bathrooms on that course are an actual building. A lot of courses just have a couple portables out; one near the midpoint of each 9. That one probably has a couple portables in addition to that building. Gotta give people a place to make more room for those adult refreshments!

And of course if no one is looking, there's those big blue things too

After all, someone has to put the "hazard" in "Water Hazard".

April 13, 2006

My only complaint would be...

Only one set of bathrooms?!

The bathrooms on that course are an actual building. A lot of courses just have a couple portables out; one near the midpoint of each 9. That one probably has a couple portables in addition to that building. Gotta give people a place to make more room for those adult refreshments!

And of course if no one is looking, there's those big blue things too

After all, someone has to put the "hazard" in "Water Hazard".

Yeah, but not all of us came equipped with the quill...some of us just have an inkwell :lol:

April 13, 2006

Hummm....When I golfed(before shoulder injury) it was harder than geo caching...heheheh

I would hit the ball and then spend 15 minutes hunting for it......

Dave from Team_Talisman

:lol:

1.5k · April 13, 2006

Hummm....When I golfed(before shoulder injury) it was harder than geo caching...heheheh

I would hit the ball and then spend 15 minutes hunting for it......

Dave from Team_Talisman

Actually, in that sense, golf could be like geocaching... hit the ball, go find the ball, hit the ball, find the ball.... maybe these two activities have more in common than I thought.....

Except if you do really, really really good at geocaching, no one gives you an ugly green jacket to wear. :lol:

April 13, 2006

I'm an avid golfer who just got hooked on geocaching this past November. I'm not one of those crazed golfers who spends hundreds of $$ on getting all the latest, greatest, best equipment. I try to do my best and improve my game, but I'm out there to enjoy myself. And I always do. I would play every day if I could, but here in Michigan, that's not an option, so geocaching is the perfect hobby/sport/addiction for winter. As for the spring/summer/fall, there's no reason why I can't enjoy both. I can go out and walk 9 holes of golf in about an hour and half; and still have time to go caching. I like the bad weather days for caching: not many people around, so stealth isn't such a problem! And, bad weather days aren't as good for golf.

Of course, I never get anything done at home any more, because there's no "down time" part of year for me now! Oh well.

Good point! I too have this exact problem...weed the gardens, paint the house, clean out the garage or Geocache or golf? Seems the mundane activities of maintaining the humble abode are taking a serious beating to the back seat. Perhaps when the house begins to fall down around me I will start backing off on one of these activities!

April 13, 2006

Ok, here are the main outdoor activities I participate in, currently:

Geocaching/hiking

Scuba diving

Golf

Of the 3, geocaching is far and away the least expensive (I own all my own equipment for everything), but I enjoy all 3 about the same. Each has their pluses, and each has their minuses (Diving can be tougher to organize and takes a fair amount of prep work for a relatively short amount of time underwater; whereas geocaching and golf give me a both a sense of accomplishment and frustration).

But whatever; I'd rather have a bad day outside doing any of those rather than a good day inside at work. That's what counts, right?

Golf Or Geocaching?

Recommended Posts

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Join the conversation