by guest blogger David F. Cline

Storing Your Cigars

So – your family and friends got you some cigars for Christmas, and while you were able to smoke one or two with the garage door open, the cold winter is preventing you from lighting up as much as you would like. What to do?

First of all, make sure you keep your cigars stored properly. If you don’t have a humidor, get one. The initial cost is worth the investment, and you will have peace of mind knowing you can keep your cigars stored for weeks at a time without them spoiling, drying out, or losing their flavor.

If you don’t have a humidor yet, get one. In a pinch, your local cigar shop will probably have plastic bags lined with a humidifying agent - that will work for the short term. Your best bet, depending on how many cigars you plan to keep at a time, is to invest in a good quality humidor. They are available online, and all good cigar stores should stock them. The key to a good humidor is properly seasoning it, then keeping the element moist. There are many options to choose from, from water pouches to crystal-filled tubes to the elements that come with most humidors. Find what works best for you, and check it periodically to make sure the inside of your humidor is not drying out.

As nice as it is to have a well-seasoned humidor full of cigars, that really is not the goal. After all, why have cigars if you don’t plan to smoke them? Ah, the chill of winter … but all is not lost. If your stogie preference is for a torpedo or robusto – five-inch or longer cigars with a ring gauge of 50 or 52 – you may want to get a few coronas of the same brand. Coronas are shorter and have a smaller ring gauge, so they won’t burn as long as other sizes – an advantage for cold weather days. Cigars with larger ring gauges allegedly have a deeper, richer flavor, but remember that each cigar has the same blend of tobacco. In other words, A Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Corona has the same blend as a Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Torpedo. The only difference is the size.

Speaking of Rocky Patel, have you taken part in any cigar auctions yet? I just picked up a 14-stick Rocky Patel sampler for $55 – less than half what I would pay in a cigar store. Give the auction sites a try – I think you will be pleased with the results.

Golf Themed Chess Set Pieces

Ridiculous Golf Item of the Week

When I turned on the Golf Channel this afternoon to watch the Phoenix Open, one of the first things I heard was that the round likely would need to finish on Friday. That’s because play was delayed for an hour in the morning due to frost.

Nonetheless, Ryan Palmer leads with a -7 64, and Webb Simpson is a stroke behind. The leaderboard shows that Bubba Watson, Spencer Levin and Jason Duffner still have a chance to get into the lead. Watson and Levin are at -5 after 15, and Duffner is at -4 through 13. Bo Van Pelt also is still on the course at -4 through 14. Finally, Seung-Yul Noh is at -4 through 12.

I’d really hate to be one of the guys who has to sit around all night and think about finishing the round in the am, and then turn around and play again later that morning.

Bubba Watson has released a new video of his drive to the course in the General Lee, which he recently purchased.

Bandon Dunes

Here’s an event I’d like to attend: A golf and wine tour at Bandon Dunes. The cost of the trip is $4,750 based on double occupancy and includes: four nights’ lodging, four rounds of golf as well as a round on the new Par 3, all meals, four evening winery dinners, all wines, gratuities, and much more.  Reservations are limited to just 20 participants on a first come/first serve basis.

There’s a terrific book on the building of the Bandon Dunes complex. You can read my review of Dream Golf here.

True Linkswear, who produce some of my favorite golf shoes, offers limited edition sets throughout the season. The first are in—a pair designed for the Phoenix Open. If these don’t strike your fancy, stay tuned. I’m sure there will be more. I particularly liked last year’s white with green soles Masters’ offering.

You can read my review of the Stealth model here.

And you can get True Linkswear at GolfBlogger sponsor GolfLocker.

Donald Trump contemplates selling cemetary plots at his high end Trump National Golf Course. Memberships for the living there cost $500,000. There’s no word on what it would cost for a plot on the proposed 1.5 acre cemetery. Golfers also may be able to have their ashes spread on the course.

As a (probably cheaper) alternative, a cemetery in Washington State has a design for a golf themed memorial park.

I actually think that there’s an additional revenue stream here for many golf courses. Many wouldn’t want graves alongside the fairways, but I should think charging people a fee to scatter their ashes on the course would be in the realm of possibility. Local ordinances probably would require permits, but I can’t imagine that would be a big issue. I’m sure that there are many golfers who would like to spend eternity on their favorite track. Courses could also put up a wall with plaques on it to commemorate the golfers whose ashes were scattered there. As the median funeral cost is around $6,500, that would be a great deal for many courses.

Seriously.