Intermittent Watching, Binge Doing

Yet another reason the pandemic needs to end is that there is nothing left to watch on TV. I spend more time looking for content than watching it. There is not a movie that I haven't seen that I actually want to see; This is despite subscribing to Spectrum Cable (haven't cut the cord yet!), Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, and have access to literally anything/everything I want through Apple TV. In fact, when I do find a new show or new season of one I have been watching is released, I tend to do the opposite of binge-watching, intermittent watching. That way I can savor the show and consume it like it's a rare delicacy. As useful and general pop culture knowledge obtained from popular shows is, it's hard to describe it as improving your life. Therefore, I encourage everyone to binge on things that improve their life.

This week's Loupe is dedicated to binging on activities that may improve your life, at least lower your frustration level.

Trackman 4
Entertainment

There are other things one may do besides binge-watching television. Imagine that! It's a new year and with every new year, I think about what I hope to accomplish and how I can make myself better. This year golf has made it on my list. Clearly, I am not playing outdoor in the cold weather. Therefore, indoors is the answer. I have used a variety of golf simulators and think that Trackman is the best; Fullswing has a better spokesperson, Tiger Woods, but I think the offering is less robust. Let's be clear, the equipment is horribly expensive. You also need a lot of room in your home/apartment to accommodate. But the amount of statistics to perfect your swing and ball flight is astounding, almost overwhelming. Further, you can play some of (most of) the best courses in the world from the comfort of your own home. I would suggest less expensive alternatives like the Bushnell Launch Pro or Garmin Approach R10, but less accurate measurements, less robust offering, and the Garmin has been sold out for months.

Top Golf
Entertainment

If you can't afford your own Trackman (space and/or money) then there are plenty of options to play outside the home. First, you need to decide the atmosphere you are looking for: quite social, foursome social, and solo (focus on your swing). Top Golf has done an amazing job creating a social spot where there is a variety of golfers and non-golfers hanging out. It is as much of a restaurant & bar as it is a golf experience. Unfortunately, there isn't a location in Manhattan...yet. If you want a slightly more golf-focused experience, bring your own foursome, you may consider slightly less social 5 Iron Golf; the music is lower and the bar is less vibrant. And last, there is a variety of experiences where it is simply a golf simulator, like LoftLinks on the UES. This is a perfectly fine simulator experience with no other frills. My advice is to figure out what you want and book at least an hour, as 9 holes in the simulator still can take over an hour to play, despite not walking to your ball...maybe it's all the eating, drinking, and socializing.

(Custom) Golf Balls

Golf balls are expensive. Therefore, if you are going to have golf balls, you may as well have unique golfs balls. I have to admit I truly enjoy finding other balls when I am searching for mine in the fescue, tree line, or out of bounds. What I enjoy about it is not schadenfreude, but rather s sense of belonging to the errant shot club! I also enjoy seeing the initials or logo and trying to figure out who's ball it is. With my Katana balls, there should be no mistake when you find one...it's mine! Get your balls before the Spring so you a ready to go IRL (in real life)!

Stop binging TV and get ready for the golf season now and consider TrackMan, Top Golf, and GolfBalls.com Found!