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What Is Flinggolf?

What is fling golf? That is the most common question I hear working behind the counter at the American Classic Golf Club as golfers check in and notice the unique New Swarm Sports FlingSticks hanging near the counter.  When asked that question, I enjoy explaining what fling golf is and encouraging people to give it a try. It is always great to see people interested and excited to give it a try sometime.  I also get a laugh seeing just how shocked people are to find out you only use one club, the FlingStick, when playing and can avoid the full set of regular golf clubs.   

FlingGolf, created by Alex Van Alen, is an innovative sport which combines aspects of lacrosse, baseball, and hockey with golf.  The game can be played on any golf cours e, and to play FlingGolf all you need is a FlingStick and some golf balls.  Your FlingStick will act as your driver, irons, woods, wedges, and putter, so there is no need to lug around a full set when playing this sport.  To fling the golf ball, simply load the ball up into the channel at the end of the stick and throw the ball from the tee to the green.  Around the greens, there are many chipping techniques and putting is done with the striker pad on the head of the stick.  There are also many different styles that can be used to fling the ball, and you will find the shot that works best for you as you play more often.  

Here at the American Classic, we offer FlingGolf and have rental FlingSticks in which you can rent out for your round. FlingSticks can also be purchased at flinggolf.com if you want your own stick.  Since FlingGolf can be played alongside regular golfers, I feel that this is a great way for non-golfers to get out onto the course and have fun with their golfer friends.  The fact that fling golfers will only use the FlingStick and not a full set of clubs allows for pace of play to be kept up with anybody. 

I love regular golf and will always play as much as I can, but I also truly enjoy FlingGolf.  FlingGolf is a nice way to get out onto the course and chuck some balls around, and I have fun trying to improve and increase my fling distances off the tee.  Sometimes I like to bring a FlingStick out onto the course with me during my regular golf rounds to throw a few for fun (or when my regular golf game is lacking).  Bringing out the FlingStick can be a great way to find a fairway and change things up on the course.    

The last few summers here at the American Classic we have organized a laid back summer fling league on Friday evenings, and it was nice to see many new people out on the golf course for the first time who wanted to get out but struggled to pick up regular golf.  We will be bringing the league back this year and I cannot wait to see everyone out flinging again! We are also very excited to announce that we will have fun food and drink specials, making the fling evenings even better!  

Before the FlingGolf Fridays return, we will also be hosting a great FlingGolf fundraiser event to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on May 14that 6:00 PM.  No FlingGolf experience is required, and $15 dollars will cover the cost of your round and rental stick. All greens fees purchased will go to LLS!  Sign up HERE

Hope to see you all flinging this year! 

– Sam Cresta, Assistant Golf Professional at American Classic Golf Club

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Golfing With The Glass Half Full

Are you harder on yourself than anyone else? Do you consider yourself to be a very inconsistent golfer? Have you thought, “Why do I keep doing this to myself?” Well luckily for you, so is everyone else!

One of the most enjoyable aspects of golf is when you finally connect perfectly on a shot that shows you what you are capable of. On the flip side, it can also be frustrating to know what you can do, but wonder why you can’t do it every time. I’m here to tell you that every.. single.. golfer.. goes through this rollercoaster of emotions that you are on. However, I want to tell you why you need to play golf through a lens of seeing the glass as half full. 

Did you know that the average score for an 18 hole round in the United States is 102? Yes, that means that if you shoot a 101 you are an above average golfer. See, doesn’t that make you feel better already?!? For a 9 hole round, this would mean that the average score is around 51 for those of you who love to play your rounds here with us at American Classic.

From a mental state though, it’s so important to play golf with confidence. Now we all can agree that this is the most humbling sport on the planet, but it’s extremely important to go into every shot with the confidence that you are going to hit it exactly where you want to. Instead of getting mad though when you miss your line, try to find the positive in the swing and build off of it. 

For instance, when you blade one off the tee and it rolls for 50 yards, be happy that it stayed on the fairway and at least was heading towards your target. More times than not, this means that you were set up correctly but maybe you rushed your swing or got a little antsy and looked up before connecting with the ball. When it’s a minor swing fault like that, there’s zero reason to beat yourself up about it and instead, use it as a learning experience to adjust for the next swing.

If you are unsure of what you did that caused you to miss your line and target, don’t be afraid to take a golf lesson. When someone inquires about lessons, their number one request is to be more consistent. Of course you can watch endless videos and read several articles, but every swing is different and having someone physically present to teach you about your swing can make all the difference. If you feel and know that you have it in you to play golf, there’s so much knowledge and experience to gain by scheduling a lesson to help your ball striking.

Now that we gave you our sales pitch on why you should take a lesson with one of our golf pros, we want to stress the importance again of playing golf as the glass is half full. In the history of golf, no one has ever mastered how to hit the ball perfectly straight every time and if you watch the tour players, they too have their share of chip shots out of the bushes and trees (Thank you Phil). That is why it’s important to learn from every shot, and allow them to help those bad swings be fewer and far between. Plus, golf is much more fun to play when you aren’t afraid to fail and learn. Learn from every shot, play with confidence, and always look for the positives in your round.

-Austin Ebersole, Head Golf Professional at American Classic GC