Wired Magazine has an article this month on the golf cart culture of The Villages—that huge retirement community in Florida that boasts “free golf for life” in its cable television advertising.

Interestingly, the entire development was built around the idea of golf cart mobility. Retirees can take quick jaunts from their homes to the local course, WalMart, drug store and so on. Since a cart gets around 40 miles to a charge, it’s all most need.

We stayed in a hotel at The Villages on our way to Disney World this past summer, and I was astonished at the vast fleet of carts buzzing around. Now I know why.

I can’t see this catching on everywhere, however. Open golf carts, with their light weight and lack of traction will never work in a foul weather climate like Michigan. In addition, the batteries will quickly lose their power in the cold.

And if we all go to electric cars, I wonder where all of that electricity will be generated. The power has to come from somewhere. If its not being generated by individual cars with internal combustion, it’ll have to be generated at plants, and then transmitted to homes and charging stations. That’s going to require an enormous amount of infrastructure. Nuclear plants are theonly way to go. But the same people who are working to get rid of the auto also have effectively killed the nuclear plant.

A group of doctors writing in the British Medical Journal have claimed that repeated use of titanium drivers can damage the hearing of golfers.

Here’s an excerpt from the BBC:

Ear specialists suspect the “sonic boom” the metal club head makes when it strikes the ball damaged the hearing of a 55-year-old golfer they treated.

They outline the details of this case in the British Medical Journal.

The man had been playing with a King Cobra LD titanium club three times a week for 18 months and commented that the noise of the club hitting the ball was “like a gun going off”.

It had become so unpleasant that he decided to ditch the club, but by this time he had already suffered some hearing loss.

Doctors at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital carried out tests on the keen golfer after he attended their clinic with unexplained tinnitus and reduced hearing in his right ear.

The tests confirmed that his hearing problems were typical of those seen with exposure to loud noises.

In tests of six drivers, the researchers found that the Ping G10 was the worst offender, creating a 130 decibel bang.

The researchers also suggested that players use earplugs when playing.

I don’t even know where to begin with this story. When I first read it, I had to check to see if the dateline read April 1. But they apparently are at least semi-serious.

Still it doesn’t make any sense. A driver just can’t be loud enough to do that sort of damage—especially as the sound is dissipated in the open air. Just for comparison’s sake, the 130 decibel Ping driver would be nearly as loud as a jet engine at 100 feet (140 db) and is louder than a pneumatic riveter at 4 feet (125dB), a rock concert (115dB) and a snowmobile (100dB). Physical pain is caused by sounds over 125dB, so that Ping might cause players to flinch every time they swing—which can’t possibly be good for driver accuracy.

It’s only a matter of time before someone calls for golfers to wear helmets because people have been seriously injured when they were hit, or safety glasses because a tee popped up and scratched a retina.

When I read the story to the thirteen-year-old Thing One, he pointed out another problem with this story. Wearing earplugs on the course would only create an additional hazard, since you wouldn’t be able to hear someone shout FORE! to warn you of an incoming ball. Smart kid.

A health spa is offering Dads a heated golf ball massage.
No, I have no idea.

Like so many Americans, I’ve been seriously considering trading my my larger vehicle (an Oldsmobile minivan) for a smaller one. But I’ve grown accustomed to having space in my car to store my golf bag, my Sun Mountain Speed Cart, and a small duffel with golf clothes, shoes, extra balls, etc. I can easily carry all of those things, and still have room for a pair of boys.

Still, with gas heading for $5 a gallon, a change makes a lot of sense.

The question for me is “what small cars are the most golf friendly?” Which ones have a trunk (or hatchback area) large enough to carry my clubs, cart and duffel? I don’t want to have to keep one of those items in the shotgun seat.

Making a small car golf friendly ought to be on the designer’s specifications.

Any suggestions? I have a couple of criteria:

First, it ought to get 25+ in the city (My van currently gets around 21 or 22 in the daily drive to work). And second, it has to have sufficient storage.

I also vastly prefer to drive American or perhaps European. Toyota, Honda and Mazda are definitely out of consideration. (GolfBlogger headquarters is, after all, in Michigan).

I’ve had the idea that the Pontiac Vibe might be the right size (I get the family discount on GM products, so I’m looking there first and foremost). I’ve even visited a Pontiac dealer. But I’m not sure.

Let me know your opinions. Leave a comment below.

For many, golf is as much a lifestyle as a sport. For them, the ancient game exudes an aura of tradition, refinement, etiquette and culture that carries over into many other aspects of their lives.

Bowmore, makers of a fine single malt whiskey, are aiming for just that sort of market with a new series of videos called The Bowmore Way. The online streams cover skills such how as to checkmate in just four moves, how to cook porridge to perfection, how to tie a bow tie; lighting a cigar; and shucking an oyster. They also offer information on whisky making by showing how to cut peat; turn barley and nose whisky. 

Their golf video is below: