(for historical purposes only. the new barrio golf blue print is: https://ian-crystal.blogspot.com/2022/04/barrio-golf-blueprint.html)
table of contents
I. introduction
II. youtube channel contents
A. motivation and inspiration
B. introduction to golf
C. safety rules and reservation procedures
D. how to play barrio golf
i) regular mode
ii) 2 clubs mode
iii) skills challenge
E. fun challenges and tournaments
F. golf for uncoordinated people
G. how to make the hitting cage and source equipment
i) complete barrio golf facility
ii) mastering golf at home for just P500
H. health and life coaching sprinkles
III. contact info of potential cast/vlogger recruits
IV. adopt a barrio program and school curriculum
V. scripts for the barrio golf youtube channel
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I. introduction
the purpose of this blue print is so that in case something happens to me (e.g. motorcycle accident or disease), anyone can continue this project.
after you read this blueprint, i am confident you will be blown away and convinced that barrio golf has the potential to be popular around the world. anyone can play barrio golf, regardless of economic status. it could also be a fun rewarding indoor sports you can play at home during the long snowy winter season.
if you master barrio golf, you will master the difficult skills in golf such as directional accuracy. there are a few skills you won't learn in barrio golf such as club selection, distance control and speed control on the greens. but these skills are easy to learn after just a few rounds on the golf course.
i even think barrio golf is a better training tool than a golf simulator. the putting in a golf simulator is vague and confusing. barrio golf hones your putting skills, sidehill shots and even bunker shots which you will never learn in a golf simulator.
there were 3 major problems i had to solve that were obstructing the goals of barrio golf. first, fishing nets used for the hitting cage quickly wears out and are expensive. fishing nets will start to tear around the target area after only 2 weeks. but i discovered that rice sacks, which cost only P10 ($0.20) are even more durable and could last for 6 months. fishing nets will still be used all around the cage, but the front wall will be re-enforced with rice sacks.
the 2nd major obstacle was inventing a reliable target. i tried 2 ropes hanging 1 foot apart from each other. unlike tennis where there is a line judge, the players in barrio golf would be constantly arguing if the ball went in the target or not. luckily, i realized that i can insert a rice sack in between the ropes and just let it protrude at the back so if the ball goes in the target, the ball will get caught inside and just roll down. it's like a baseball glove catching a baseball so let's call it the catcher. if the ball only grazes the catcher and hits the front wall of the hitting cage, it's considered a MISS. the ball can only touch the front wall after bouncing off the floor. both ropes of the catcher will be tied down to a motorcycle tire on the floor.
the following photo shows a prototype of the catcher i constructed in the tesla lab. to prevent the sack from sliding down, i hanged each layer of rice sack by poking a hole at the stitched end of the rice sack and inserted the hanger rope. then on the column rope i split the braided nylon strand to create a small hole, inserted the hanger rope then just created a knot at the end of the hanger rope to prevent it from slipping off.
note that if you do the math, hitting a target 1 foot wide from 4 yards away means you will hit inside an 8 yard wide target 100 yards away, a 12 yard target 150 yards away, a 17 yard target 200 yards away, and a 21 yard target 250 yards away. note that average greens are 28 yards wide and average fairways are 35 yards wide. this means hitting the 1 foot wide target 4 yards away inside the hitting cage means you really are on the green or fairway.
in case you are curious, the formula is target width = ((6 inches / 144 inches) X D) X 2. where D is distance to the target and 144 inches = 4 yards. we can simplify the formula to:
target width = .0833 (D)
the 3rd challenge was that the ShotVision app requires a paid subscription to compute and report the distance. the free version only gives you the speed in miles per hour (mph). luckily, i realized that we can just use mph. example, instead of a 550 yard par 5, we can use the rough equivalent 350 mph par 5. if the player's first shot is 150 mph (around 250 yards), the player has 200 mph to go. if the player hits another 150 mph, the player has 50 mph to go. the rule is that the player can go over the target mph as much as he/she wants to. so if the player's 3rd shot is 75 mph, he is over the required 350 mph hole and is on the green.
the ball speed readings in the shot vision app can vary up to 30% for the same actual ball speed depending on the amount of lighting. when it was bright and sunny, my drives were registering 155 mph (250 yards). when it became cloudy, it only registered 125 mph (200 yards). but it's the same in real golf where inconsistent course conditions such as wind and rain can affect the ball distance.
after i solved these 3 literal game stoppers, i felt barrio golf would one day become a popular game.
even before the pandemic, i already noticed the physical and MENTAL health of society was deteriorating and entering dangerous territory especially on our valuable workforce. this could eventually affect everyone because it can affect the economy and peace and order. the mission of barrio golf is not just about golf. the barrio golf youtube channel will also be used as a vehicle for health awareness messages that are simple and easy to follow yet very effective and could have a big impact on individuals and society as a whole. i'm not an expert on anything. my source are the experts and scientists in the TED talk channel in youtube.
barrio golf and my golf tutorial will be part of an ECOSYSTEM that would help hundreds of millions of people around the world.
the ecosystem will have an international movement similar to the JKA (japanese karate association) or the boys/girls scouts where there will be clubs and chapters in schools. just like in JKA where we recite the dojo kun, or in scouting where we recite the scout oath (in, my honor ...), the barrio golf club will also have an oath to refrain from processed sugar, make sauerkraut, exercise regularly, help the unfortunate, etc ... there will also be like an international jamboree where club equipment and ball manufacturers will sponsor representatives from each club for the expenses. but instead of a SEA of TENTS that you see in jamborees, it will be a SEA of HITTING CAGES.
the ecosystem will spread to barrio golf bars or night clubs to become the next karaoke bars. the waiters and waitresses in the barrio golf bars can sideline as GI or golf instructors to tourists and call center agents. they will be the next DI (dance instructors) that helped alleviate the economic sufferings of many of my dear friends a few decades ago.
II. youtube channel contents
the youtube channel won't be a subscriber model. the plan is to create the 50-100 videos. then go to a few barrios, install a hitting cage and donate the golf clubs and balls to the barrio officials. the hitting cage will have a big sign showing the youtube channel they can go to learn everything they need to get started and play barrio golf. no need for repetitive demos and face to face tutorials. god bless the internet !!!
my game plan is to create a temporary youtube channel where it's just me in all the videos. i will do 1 temporary channel in english and 1 temporary channel in bisaya. for the fun challenges and tournaments, i will do like a mock re-enactment of dramatic scenes that need to be included. then i will assign the videos to my vloggers for them to produce.
A. motivation and inspiration
my vloggers will tell stories of gangster rappers such as macklemore who won a grammy award but then got into drug problems. but when he tried golf he got addicted to golf and reformed his life.
my vloggers will explain why golf is important or how golf satisfies our hunting instincts. they will show a simple timeline of human's 2 million years of existence and it's only in the RECENT 0.1% of man's existence where we didn't have to hunt food anymore therefore our hunting instinct is still strong in our blood. just like many of us will feel lonely and sad if we don't find love or a partner to produce and raise children with, many of us will feel discontent if we don't satisfy our hunting instincts.
instincts are programmed in our genes to cause us pain and misery if we don't satisfy those instincts. it's natures way of forcing a specie to survive and not become extinct. humans become so happy when going out on a date because humans will become extinct if we don't have sex. during the 99.9% of human existence, if we don't hunt and catch food, we will die so maybe it's the reason why the richest people in the world enjoy golf so much. golf is like hunting. you have to be accurate and focused. it explains why golfers go crazy when they miss a short putt because signals in their subconscious will warn them their family will go hungry if they don't hit the deer with the bow and arrow. just like we become broken hearted if we get dumped by our crush. this explains why people who have everything in life - private jets, luxury yatchs, sports cars, enjoy golf the most. this explains why steph curry is a golf addict. michael jordan even said that even during his playing peak, he enjoyed golf more than basketball.
the motivation videos will explain how barrio golf will increase the probability of finding exceptional talents that can win a gold medal for our country in the olympics or asian games.
the motivational video will also mention employment and career opportunities in golf. as filipinos climb up the economic ladder, call center agents, nurses, cops, etc ... would prefer simulation golf. with rising demand, the cost of simulation golf bars will decrease and grow like weed all over like karaoke bars. those who master my tutorial and work as waiter's/waitresses in simulation bars can sideline as a GI (golf instructor) just like the DI (dance instructors) in the previous decades. golf simulation bars will provide a nightlife alternative to dance clubs and karaoke bars. china will start mass producing affordable golf clubs and golf balls. or with the advent of 3d printers, golf equipment making cottage industries can sprout around the country and boost our economy.
if you plan on starting a barrio golf bar or beer garden, note that you will need a high wattage spot light pointing on the ball because the ShotVision iphone app requires good lighting for it to correctly detect the ball speed. because barrio golf hitting cages are very cheap, you probably don't need to charge your customers when they use the hitting cage. you can already make good profit on the beer sales alone.
a rising tide lifts all boats therefore high end brands such as titleist and taylormade would benefit from the cottage industries because as barrio golfers move up the economic ladder, they would prefer better brands. simulation golf tournaments can draw in huge price money from corporate sponsors such as trackman and nike.
those with exceptional talents will be sponsored by the government or olympic committee to play in military golf courses.
if my golf tutorial turns out to be unprecedented, game changing and revolutionary, maybe include in inspirational talks that only 2% of golfers break 80 but if they follow the tutorials in the videos they can easily kick the butt of 98% of the golfers after just 1 year. this would be very empowering to barrio folks because imagine golf is suppose to be a sport for the rich and powerful and poor people are suppose to be ignorant about golf but now they have an opportunity to kick the butts of golfers who's been playing for decades even after playing barrio golf for only a year. maybe mention that my tutorial is the first in history of golf that can transform any uncoordinated golfer to break 80 and is invented by a fellow filipino.
and of course include success stories of filipino golfing legends such as yuka sako, frankie minoza, etc ...
B. introduction to golf
a golf course has 18 holes. the objective is to put the golf ball inside the hole of all 18 holes with the least number of strokes. so the lower your score, the better.
you can have at most 14 clubs in your golf bag. the clubs have different lofts and length which determines the trajectory and distance. example, a driver will go low and far because the shaft is long and the loft is low. example, if a golfer can hit the driver 200 yards, usually that same golfer can only hit the 9 iron around 110 yards because the 9 iron has a higher loft and shorter shaft.
clubs are numbered. the lower the number, the lower the loft and the longer the shaft. which means the ball goes lower and longer. the higher the number, the higher the loft and the shorter the shaft. which means the ball goes higher and shorter. example, my 3 iron usually goes 170 yards but my 9 iron only goes 110 yards.
the clubs in a typical bag are driver (1 wood), 3 wood, 5 wood, 3 iron to 9 iron, pitching wedge, sand wedge, and putter. woods are longer than the irons. irons are longer than wedges.
each hole will have a tee box. the tee box is where a player hits his/her first shot for each hole. the tee box is the only place where a player is allowed to put the ball on a tee. between the hole and the tee box is usually a fairway. the hole is always located on a putting green. when the ball is on the putting green, the player uses a putter when trying to put the ball in the hole.
holes have different distances ranging from 100 yards to 600 yards. a hole that is 250 yards or less is called a par 3. a hole that is between 250 and 450 yards is a par 4. holes longer than 450 yards are called par 5s. scoring a par on a hole means your score is the same as the par category for that hole. example, in a 150 yards par 3, if you score a 3, that means you parred the hole. a par is a good score. if you score a 4 or 1 over par (+1), it's called a bogey. a bogeys is still ok. if you score a 5 or 2 over par (+2), it's called a double bogey. a double bogey is bad. if you score a 6 or 3 over par (+3), it's called a triple bogey. a triple bogey is very bad. if you score a 2 or 1 under par ( -1), it's called a birdie. a birdie is very good. if you score a 1 or 2 under par ( -2), it's called an eagle or hole in 1. a hole in 1 is very rare.
here's another example. in a 475 yard hole, if you score a 5, it's a par. if you score a 4, it's a birdie. if you score a 6, it's a bogey. if you score a 3, what is it called?
here's an example of how to play a hole. let's say the hole is 350 yards. that means it's a par 4. the player hits a driver from the tee box and the ball ends up on the fairway 200 yards away. this means the player only has 150 yards left to the hole. the player knows his/her 5 iron goes 150 yards so the player uses a 5 iron. however, the player makes a bad shot and the ball goes out of the fairway and into the water. the player cannot hit the ball because it's impossible for the player to go in the water and hit the ball. the player will need to drop another ball near the area where the ball went in the water and get 1 stroke penalty. let's say the player has only 50 yards left to the hole. the player uses a pitching wedge and hits the ball into the green. it takes the player 2 putts to put the ball in the hole. this means the player scored a 6 which is a double bogey or a +2.
"on the green on regulation" means you are on the green after "par minus 2" or less shots. example if it's a par 5 and you are on the green after 3 shots (5-2 = 3) or less, it means you are on the green on regulation. if it's a par 4 and you are on the green after 2 shots (4-2 = 2) or less, it means you are on the green on regulation. if it's a par 3 and you are on the green after 1 shot (3-2 = 1), it means you are on the green on regulation.
C. safety rules and reservation procedures
1) only do full swings in the hitting cage. except putting and short chips, the ball should always be inside the hitting cage.
2) always check if someone is near you or approaching you before swinging the club. the safe distance is 7 feet.
3) stay at least 7 feet away from a person who is swinging a club
4) immediately replace a rice sack or catcher that has a hole. it's ok to wait for a rice sack to have a hole before replacing because the target wall has 2 layers of netting.
5) immediately replace a net that is brittle or worn out. nets can last for many years but it's good to inspect once in a while.
procedure for reserving the hitting cage and golf clubs would differ for each barrio. instructions will be posted at or near the hitting cage.
D. how to play barrio golf
barrio golf is played inside a hitting cage that's 12 feet (4 yards) long, 9 feet wide, and 9 feet high. the reason for the length specification is lumber yards sell 12 feet coco lumber so it minimizes the cutting and connections required. the reason for the width and height specification is that fishing nets are sold 6 feet wide so we can simply wrap the hitting cage with just 4 strips of net and still allow 1 foot overlap on each side of each strip. 2 strips will cover the ceiling and front wall (7 yards each) and 2 strips will cover the sides and front wall (11 yards each). this means the front will have 2 layers of netting which is what we want. the total 6 feet wide net needed is (7 X 2) + (11 X 2) = 36 yards.
there will be 9 holes. just like in real golf, each hit counts as 1 stroke. a player finishes a hole from drive to putting before another player takes his/her turn.
the free ShotVision iphone app will be used to measure ball speed in miles per hour (mph). ball distance will not be used because ShotVision requires a paid subscription of $7 a month ( to enable distance reporting and the goal of barrio golf is it should be affordable for the barrio people. the iphone has to be at least iphone 6s for ShotVision to work but nowadays, iphone 6s is very common in the barrio. the iphone 6s is considered ZERO COST because many folks in the barrio already have it for their ride sharing and food delivery jobs. and during the pandemic, the iphone 6s technology was the minimum requirement for students in the barrio to attend their online class (unless the scholars i sponsored tricked me so they can have an iphone 6s).
new apps and gadgets might be available in the future that is more suitable for our purpose. so for the purpose of this document, i will just refer to the ShotVision app as simply the app.
all participants of a game or tournament should use the same gadget and app. the gadget has to be placed at the most optimal location recommended by the manufacturer. example with the ShotVision app, the middle of the iphone lens has to be 4 feet behind and 1 ft 3 inches to the left of the ball and around 3 inches above the ground.
since the lens of an iphone 6s is already 3 inches from the bottom edge, a stand should be used instead of a tripod. do not bother looking for the stand in the stores. you can only buy it in lazada. it's P5 each but the shipping is P85 so just order in bulk and share it with your friend who is also making a barrio golf facility.
you can also make your own stand made of cardboard:
to speed up play, the required gadget location will be marked at the right handed side and left handed side of the hitting cage.
for par 4s and par 5s, the ball needs to go in the 1 foot wide target or catcher for the entire mph reading on the iphone to be counted. let's call this the primary catcher. if the ball bounces off the floor or ceiling of the hitting cage and goes in the catcher, then it's still considered in. there will be a secondary 2 feet wide catcher at the back of the 1 foot wide catcher. let's call this the secondary catcher. if the ball goes inside the secondary catcher, 25 mph will be deducted from the speed reading. the secondary catcher simulates a rough on the fairway. both catchers should extend all the way to the floor.
there will be 2 modes of playing barrio golf: i) regular mode and ii) 2 clubs mode
i) regular mode
to simulate a par 3 island green, the catcher for one of the par 3 holes will be 2 feet wide suspended 5 feet above the floor. let's call this the island green catcher. this would simulate going in the water if you top the ball. the island green catcher is 3 feet long, which is conveniently the length of a standard 50 kilo rice sack. it will be beside the primary and secondary catchers.
in one of the par 3 holes, the player will have to tee off with ball-above-feet by placing the hitting mat on one of those standard 18 inch green stools common in karinderias and pungko pungkos. another stool will be needed to place the mph gadget.
in another par 3 hole, the player will have to tee off with ball-below-feet by standing on top of the 18 inch stool. ladies and seniors will be allowed to just stand on the ground.
the target for the ball-above-feet and ball-below-feet par 3's will be the secondary catcher. there will be no 25 mph deduction which means there is no difference between the primary and secondary catchers.
if the player misses the required catcher(s), 50 mph will be registered for that shot. that means a player can still reach the green on a 350 mph par 5 in 7 strokes even if the player never hits any of the catchers. this simulates a real golf course where no matter how bad a player is, the player will always reach the green at some point. without this rule, a player who has difficulty hitting any of the catchers might take too long to finish a hole and the other players will be bored waiting.
if the player hits the required catcher(s) but the app fails to register a reading, the player needs to hit again. if the player misses any of the required catcher(s), it won't matter if the app fails to register a reading because a miss will always result in an automatic +50 mph advance.
all mph readings will have to be rounded off to the lowest whole number. example. 69.9 mph will be recorded as 69 mph. 120.1 mph will be recorded as 120 mph. in other words, just drop the decimal part.
only the first stroke of a hole can be teed up. players can bring their own hitting mat that should be 1 ft. X 2 ft. there is no regulation on the thickness and materials. i will give suggestions on how to make cheap hitting mats in the "how to build the hitting cage" section of this blueprint.
to speed up play, hitting matts will have to be placed inside a designated or marked box. there will be a designated box for the lefties and right handed golfers.
there will be a standard score card which anyone can download and print from the facebook page of barrio golf. the back of the scorecard will contain the basic rules.
the mph numbers are blue-white-red tees respectively. white tees are always 90% of blue while red tees are always 80% of blue.
hole 1: par 4, 250-225-200 mph ~ 415-373-332 yards
hole 2: par 3 island green : 85 -76-68 mph ~ 140-126-112 yards
hole 3: par 5 : 300-270-240 mph ~ 504-453-403 yards
hole 4: par 4 : 200-180-160 mph ~ 327-294-262 yards
hole 5: par 3 ball above feet : 80-72-64 mph ~ 130-117-104yards
hole 6: par 5 : 350-315-280 mph ~ 588-529-470 yards
hole 7: par 4: 225-202-180 mph ~ 373-336-298 yards
hole 8: par 3 ball below feet: 75 -67-60 mph ~ 122-109-97 yards
hole 9: par 5: 325-292-260 mph ~ 536-482-428 yards
putting will be on a 3/4 inch plywood with 8ft X 4ft dimensions. this is a standard size you can buy from the lumber yard so there is no cutting needed. the target will be a golf ball placed at the other end. the putt is considered GOOD only if the target ball falls outside the board. if the target ball stays on the board, it's considered a MISS even if the ball grazed the target ball.
when attempting to complete an 8 foot putt, the player will first putt from the other end of the board 8 feet away. if the player misses the 8 footer, the player will putt again but this time from 4 feet away. if the player misses the 4 footer, there will be a 1 stroke penalty for a total of 3 putts.
the putting board does not have to be on a very flat ground and may have slight deformities and rough surface. the player will simply have to putt hard enough to neutralize the tilt and rough surface. directional accuracy is the difficult component in putting. reading the greens and speed control can easily be learned by practicing on an actual putting green.
to prevent the player from getting too dependent on the board boundaries as guide lines, there will be 9 different 8 foot putt angles, 1 for each hole. each angle will be marked and labeled 6 inches apart from each other. from left to right, the arrangement will be hole #2, #4, #6, #8, #1, #9, #7, #5, #3.
to increase the life span of the putting board, only 1 foot of the player is allowed to step on the putting board when putting. this means during the 4 foot putt, the ball will have to be placed near the edge of the board. the player can choose either side of the board to accommodate left handed players. this means the 4 foot putt will only have 2 angles, one on each side of the board.
to stabilize the ball placement on the board or prevent the ball from accidentally rolling, a small hole will be drilled at the points on the putting board where a ball will need to be placed. the hole should just be wide enough to prevent the ball from accidentally rolling.
if the player is 1 mph to 50 mph from the green and the player is still WITHIN REGULATION (meaning the next shot can put the player on the green in regulation), the player can just hit a regular shot using the primary/secondary catcher as the target. example, if the player has 35 mph left to the green in a par 5 and the next shot is the 3rd shot, the player will try to hit the primary/secondary catcher. if the player hits 78 mph and hits the secondary catcher, that's 78-25 = 53 mph so the player is on the green in regulation. or if the player hits 40 mph and hits the primary catcher, it also puts the player on the green in regulation. the best play here would be for the player to hit a conservative shot to the secondary catcher in order to get on the green in regulation for a birdie opportunity. if the player misses both the primary and secondary catchers, the player is on the green because of the automatic +50, but NOT IN REGULATION.
if the player is on the green but not in regulation, the player will need to complete two 8 footers.
if the player is on the green in REGULATION, the player will need to chip into the putting board and hit the target ball at the other end of the board. so the target is the same as the putting target. the hitting mat should be 1 yard away from the putting board so the player will also need to clear the gap with a wedge or iron. if the chip is GOOD, the player does not need to putt and is considered finished on that hole with a score of BIRDIE. if the the player misses the chip, the player will need to complete one 8 footer. if the player makes the 8 footer, it's a par. if the player misses the 8 footer but makes the 4 footer, it's a bogey. if the player misses the 4 footer, it's a double bogey.
if the player is 1 mph to 50 mph from the green but NOT IN REGULATION (example it's a par 4 and after 2 shots the player is not yet on the green), the player will need to chip or hit a bunker shot. the yardage and target will depend on the mph left to the green. if the player's chip or bunker shot is GOOD, the player only needs to complete ONE 8 footer. this gives the player an opportunity to save par. if the player MISSES the chip or bunker shot, the player will need to complete TWO 8 footers.
example, if the player is only required to complete one 8 footer and makes the first putt, that's 1 putt. if the player misses and also misses the 4 footer, then the player ends up with 3 putts. another example is if the player is required to complete two 8 footers and the player one putted both 8 footers, that's only 2 putts.
if the target is a motorcycle tire, the OUTER diameter of the tire should be between 19 to 22 inches and the thickness or height should be between 3 to 4 inches. a chip or bunker shot is considered GOOD if the FIRST BOUNCE of the ball hits any part of the tire or the ground INSIDE the tire.
yardages are measured from the middle of the target to the ball. markers will be placed just like in tee boxes where the ball is not allowed to go past the marker.
the players might argue if the target got hit or not. but just like calling foul in basketball or judging if the ball touched the line in tennis, subjective calls are part of sports. this is where sportsmanship comes into play.
1) 41-50 mph to the green:
the player will have to hit a bunker shot. the bunker is a motorcycle tire fastened on top of a 3/4 inch board. the middle of the tire is filled with sand from the beach or sand and gravel supply store (WARNING: despite the fact that dolomite material is typically considered non-toxic in the construction industry, some studies have linked high levels of dolomite dust exposure to respiratory diseases. although dolomite could be just like ordinary dust which gives me asthma). the bunker should be at least 5 yards away from the middle of the target. the target will be 4 motorcycle tires in quadrant formation placed at the left corner end of the hitting cage. hitting anywhere between the tires is also considered GOOD.
a drum will need to be placed in the middle between the bunker and the target to simulate the bunker having a lip. this will force the player to do an actual bunker shot and not just do a low chip by slightly topping the ball. the drum obstacle is the same drum used for the 21-30 mph chip target.
2 rice sacks will be laid in front of the bunker to catch the sand that splashes out. especially uncemented hitting cages where it will be difficult to sweep the sand and put it back in the bunker.
2) 31-40 to the green:
the player will have to chip from at least 5 yards away into a drum with a 17 inch INNER diameter and 21 inch height. it's the standard medium size drum sold in hardware stores. the drum should be placed at the right corner end of the hitting cage. the drum should be removed from the hitting cage when not in use to keep it safe from errant shots.
if a bunker is not available (maybe because the hitting cage owner is in barangay jail for illegally collecting sand from the beach), the same target drum used here will be used for the 41-50 mph target but it will be from 7 yards away.
when playing barrio golf, do not use a titleist pro-v1 because it has a very low trajectory so it will be much harder to hit the chipping targets and you might end up fixing something in your swing that is not broken. use a high trajectory ball. usually high trajectory balls have a sharper pinging sound when you bounce it on a cement floor. however when playing on the golf course, it's better to use a titleist pro-v1 because although it has a lower trajectory, it also has a higher spin so you get the best of both worlds where your ball goes far and less affected by the wind but at the same time it will bite more on the green because of the higher spin. note in barrio golf, spin is not a factor which is ok because i never heard a golfer worrying about ball spin.
3) 21-30 mph to the green:
the player will have to chip from at least 10 yards away. the target is the 4 motorcycle tires (same target as bunker shot).
4) 11-20 mph to the green:
the player will have to chip from at least 5 yards. the target will be a single motorcycle tire placed in the same location for the target drum (right corner of the cage).
5) 1-10 mph to the green:
the player needs to chip to the putting board to hit a water bottle (filled red horse) 3 inches in diameter and 10 inches in height (the usual 1 liter water bottle). the water bottle is to be placed in the middle of the putting board. the front end of the hitting mat should be at least 1 yard away from the putting board. this would require the player to use like an 8 iron to jump across the 1 yard gap. whoever loses the game will have to drink the red horse :-) cheers !!!
ii) 2 clubs mode
2 clubs mode is similar to the regular mode except:
a) only 2 clubs are used (a putter and 6 iron is recommended)
b) the player has the option to tee up all the shots, not just the tee shot (in case the other club is a driver)
c) only the primary and secondary catcher is used, even for par 3s. the par 3 catcher will not be used.
d) there will be no chipping, no bunker shots, no ball above feet, and no ball below feet shots. the player simply targets the primary/secondary catcher until the player reaches the green.
e) when the player is on the green, the player only needs to complete one 8 foot putt.
just like in regular mode, players can share clubs. the purpose of 2 clubs mode is to address the lack of equipment. a person who masters the 2 clubs mode would master pretty much 90% of golf and it's just as fun as regular mode.
ever since golf was invented, the greatest players and top coaches in the world climbed dangerous mountains and fought 3 headed monsters to search for the reason why we sometimes get that super annoying electrocution feeling when hitting irons with the ball tee'd up high. after lots of experiments, i found out that the electrocution feeling happens when the ball hits above the sweet spot. this explains why the electrocution feeling never happens when the ball is not tee'd up. so don't think that allowing the player to tee up the ball in every shot will spoil the player. if the vertex of the swing path is behind the ball, instead of a chunk, the player will get the electrocution feeling and the ball won't go far.
iii) skills challange
the room for CREATIVITY is endless. it's easy to invent short and super fun games. example, have a contest on who hits the most shots inside the 1 foot wide target above 100 mph. you can adjust the ball speed requirement according to the level of the players. slow hitters can be given lower ball speed requirements. you can do something similar but in putting, chipping, and even sidehill shots.
E. fun tournaments and challenges
there will be fun tournament and challenge videos. example, my caddie in buffalo golf course (ecotec) named junilo, a 9 year old slum urchin challenging my huge korean friend named jake in simulation golf. if jake wins, junilo will have to wash jake's car for free. if junilo wins, jake will have to give him P1k. the video will be very empowering to the kids in the slums because they will think "junilo is just like me. if he can destroy a big korean guy who's been playing golf for 30 years, so can i".
the hitting cage should be easily assembled and disassembled so it can quickly be transported on a multicab or on top of a car to a tournament venue. the ideal place for a big tournament would be a barangay gym or basketball court. a basketball could fit 5 hitting cages. for bigger tournaments, a soccer field would be perfect.
barrio golf is very good for character building. to promote barrio golf to young girls, some videos will feature ladies tournaments. i hope lady golfers will join the tournament to inspire young girls in the barrio to take up golf.
F. golf for uncoordinated people
G. how to make the hitting cage facility and source equipment
i) complete barrio golf facility
the videos will also include how to make the hitting cage, where to get the materials, cost info, etc ... so that barrio golf can spread to other barrios all over the country without my involvement. just like the movie field of dreams - "IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME".
the estimate total cost of materials of a barrio golf facility including the hitting cage and paraphernalia is P8,898.
1) hitting cage
materials:
a) 12 pcs 2"X2"X12ft coco lumber, P132 each = P1,584
b) 42 pcs bolts and nuts, 4.5" long, 1/4" thick, with 2 washers each (84 pcs)
- cebu bolt center in m.j. cuenco, P6/set = P252
c) 36 meter fishing net, 1/2" eye, 6ft wide
- cebu: edsan fishing supply, 78 lincoln st, (park your car in carbon market), P75/meter = P2,700
- lazada, P1,390 for 50 meters including shipping. WARNING: make sure to choose the 1 inch hole by 6 feet. the default is 2 inch hole by 11 feet. it is easy to make a mistake because even if the default option is 2 inch hole by 11 feet, the title would still say 1 inch hole by 6 feet.
d) 200 meters, 4 mm (#10) nylon rope
- edsan, P2.12/meter = P424
e) 40 meters, 8 mm (#16) nylon rope
- edsan, P8/meter = P320
f) 47 pcs, rice sack, 50 kilo size,
- cebu taboan market, P7/each = P329
you can buy 50 piece bundle for P350 in cebu taboan market. it's surprisingly small and light you can carry it on a motorcycle. it's hard to believe there are 50 pieces in the bundle:
* 6 of these rice sacks will be used to catch the sand during a bunker shots. when the catchers or target wall get worn out and needs to be replaced (usually after 6 months of daily use), these will be used as replacement and the worn out ones will be used to catch the sand.
g) interior tire strips for the ties. cost is free because most motorcycle owners have lots of these
h) masking tape to wrap the tips of nylon chords so it's easier to work with (1 inch wide) = P30
i) black or blue pentel pen to label the parts for easy assembly and disassembly = P50
the following will be needed to store and transport the hitting cage to tournament venues:
a) 4 pcs 5-10 kilo rice sacks. these will be used as container for the nets. the catchers will be rolled and tied with interior strips. the sacks will be labeled accordingly for easy identification during assembly and disassembly. cost is free if you regularly buy rice in 5-10 kilo sacks
b) 1 shoe bag to store the tire interior ties and 10 and 11 mm socket wrench. the bolts/nuts/washers will be placed in an ice cream container and stored inside this shoe bag. cost is free because many golfers have lots of shoe bags from tournament giveaways
c) 4-5 gallon paint drum to store the sand for the bunker, cebu taboan market, = P50
cost estimate: P5,383
tools:
- tape measure
- power drill with 1/4" drill bit
- saw
- cutter
- 10 and 11 mm socket wrench (will also be needed for assembly and disassembly)
procedure:
a) cut 6 pieces of 12ft coco lumber into 9ft. do not cut the 2 remaining 12ft coco lumber. keep the 3 feet cut outs because they will be used as brackets. cut 2 pieces of the 3 feet cut outs into half (1.5ft). so you should have 4 pieces 3ft and 4 pieces 1.5ft.
b) drill 1/4" holes at the end of ALL pieces of coco lumber including the cut outs. the hole should be 7/8" from the edges (because the 2"X2" coco lumber is really just 1.75"X1.75" and the middle of 1.75" is 7/8").
c) connect the frames and brackets according to the following photos. you will need to dill more holes to attach the front and back beams and the brackets.
(-photos
d) weave a 3/16" rope on all the sides of the 4 strips of net. leave 1ft extra at each end.
(-photo
e) cut (- tire interior strips
f) install the nets according to the following photos.
(-photos
g) install the sack barriers according to the following photos
(-photos
h) make and install the catchers according to the following photos
(-photos
2) hitting mat: P700 in lazada including shipping or you can make your own:
materials:
a) 1ft X 2ft X 3/4" board
8ft X 4ft is P1,300 and you can make 16 of these = P82 each if you share the cost with others who are also making a hitting cage at home
b) 1ft X 2ft x 3/8" hard rubber mat
4ft X 7.5ft is P370 and you can make 14 of these = P27 each if you share cost with others
- cebu progress marketing, p. lopez, a. borromeo st.
- in lazada 2ft X 2ft play mats cost P220 for 4 pcs so you can make 8 pcs = P27 each
(-photo collage
c) 1ft X 2ft artificial turf
2m X 1m is P1,400 and you can make 9 of these = P156 each of you share cost with others
- cebu progress marketing, p. lopez, a. borromeo st.
- in lazada artificial turf cost P500 for 2m X 1m and you can make 9 of these = P56 each
(-photo collage)
d) 1 bottle rugby = P80
- cebu progress marketing, p. lopez, a. borromeo st.
e) for the tee just cut from a water hose 1" in diameter. i prefer 1.75" height tee. just tie a chord so you can anchor the chord beneath the hitting mat so the tee won't go far
cost estimate: P345
tools: tape measure, saw, scissors
procedure: cut 1ft X 2ft board, hard rubber mat and artificial turf then rugby together. apply rugby on both sides sand wait 30 minutes before sticking together.
3) putting board
materials:
4ft X 8ft X 3/4" plywood
cost estimate: P1,300
tools:
pentel pen, drill or big nail
procedure:
the purpose of creating a small hole with a nail or drill is to prevent the ball from accidentally rolling off because it's not required the putting board has to be level. at one end of the board, create the small hole at the middle. on the other end, create 9 holes and label from left to right with a pentel pen: #2, #4, #6, #8, #1, #9, #7, #5, #3. also create the small hole at the middle of both sides for the 4 foot putts
4) bunker
materials:
a) 2ft X 2ft X .5" plywood
4ft X 8ft is P1,000 and you can make 8 of these = P125 if you share cost with others
b) 1 meter 3/16" nylon rope
c) used motorcycle tire with 17" inner diameter
d) 3 gallons of beach sand
cost estimate: P125
tools:
saw, 1/4 drill, masking tape
procedure: watching this video should give you an idea: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ty1ei6dOFRw
5) chipping/bunker targets/sidehill lie stools
materials:
a) 5 used motorcycle tires, 17" to 22" diameter
- most vulcanizing shops give this away for free
b) plastic drum, 21" height and 17" inner diameter
- cebu taboan market = P480
c) 1 litter water bottle
d) 2 stools 18" height
- sun gold, P286 each = P572
cost estimate: P1,052
6) sourcing golf clubs and balls for donation
the older the golf club, the better. the objective of barrio golf is to produce better golfers, not produce better scores. it's true that the newer golf clubs gives you a better advantage in terms of scoring but it can also spoil you. anyway, when an exceptional talent from the slums is discovered and sponsored by ICTSI, he/she will be provided with the best equipments.
in the beginning, i can go around garage sales in america collecting old 80's or even 70's golf clubs that americans don't want anymore and maybe a senator can sponsor a shipping container to be free of customs tax. a shipping container full of golf clubs is probably enough to supply the barrios and slums all over the philippines. most golfers in the philippines have lots of old golf sets they don't use anymore just collecting dust and would be happy to donate to free up space in their house. 1 golf set per barrio should be good enough.
ii) mastering golf at home for just P500
i envision barrio golf national tournaments sponsored by big companies like smart or globe. just like there are many events in olympic swimming, there can also be a champion for 2 clubs event. the 2 clubs will have to be a 5 iron and a putter.
anyone in the barrio can practice everyday at home to master the 2 clubs mode for just P500. lazada sells rio PGM iron sets for P2k which already includes shipping. 4 people can share by chipping in P500 each and each take home one of the #4-#7 irons. they can also exchange once in a while to get used to differnt irons.
at home, they can already master the full swing and putting. they can create a hitting cage at home using rice sacks as the walls/ceiling and the frame is made of bamboo. the front wall will simply need to be double layered for safety. refer to the previous chapter of this barrio golf blueprint for the details on how to layer the rice sacks.
to master putting, they just need to make their own putter. a 20 foot square tube 1mm thich is only P350 and they can make 50 putters out of this using a wooden mop or broom handle as the shaft. they can just tie the shaft and putter head with tire interior strips they can get for free from most vulcanizing shops. it took me only 5 minutes to make. i tried hitting a strip of duct tape on the wall 9 feet away and after hitting 10 accurate putts in a row i got bored and changed the angles. i even tried to hit really hard but i still hit the bulls eye. click on the following link to watch the video:
they can even use a simple block of wood as the putter head.
they say it's the indian, not the arrow. i say it's the tutorial. they just need to go through my tutorial to rapidly learn the techniques not just putting but all the skills needed to break 80 in a real golf course.
if they don't have a smooth enough floor to practice at home, they can just buy a 4'X8' plywood 3/4" thick. it's P1,300 but 4 people can share by cutting it into 4 pieces 1 foot wide each.
they don't need a hitting mat. they can just tee it up using a water hose cut out and just lay down a few layers of old cloths to protect the club. they can also make their own hitting mat that costs only P350 which i detailed in the previous chapter of this blueprint.
if they master the 2 clubs mode of barrio golf, they pretty much mastered 90% of golf. they can even master chipping but they will have to take turns with the pitching wedge they bought from lazada. the 2 clubs tournament is good enough to discover the barrio phenoms that the government or ICTSI can sponsor to train for the asian games or olympics.
the golf craze coupled with the revolutionary health awarenes and life coaching tips via the barrio golf youtube channel will lead to a healthier and stronger society which will benefit everyone including rich people.
H. health and life coaching sprinkles
if someone wants to learn barrio golf, they will have to watch the 50+ videos in the barrio golf youtube channel i will be creating to learn safety rules, golf fundamentals, sign up sheet system to borrow/reserve the equipment, barrio golf rules, etc ... my team of vloggers will SPRINKLE my health awareness messages in these videos. my bloggers will also sneak in my life coaching tips for barrio folks such as knowing your work stamina level and working only part time if you have low stamina (https://ian-crystal.blogspot.com/2020/03/part-time-opportunity-law.html). my bloggers will also promote my gig economy ideas and other life management tips similar to jordan peterson's 12 rules for life.
i strongly feel the health and life expectancy of my generation have drastically deteriorated. this is just based on my personal observation, not on any scientific or statistical data. too many of my close childhood friends in the philippines have passed away even before the pandemic. we also have a drug epidemic. i'm not an expert, but based on expert information i've learned from trusted sources such as TED talk, i think processed sugar is the biggest cause of physical and mental/EMOTIONAL health deterioration in the philippines. this problem could get worse and eventually affect the valuable work force and peace and order of our country. even if this problem does not affect you now because you and all your love ones are healthy, a deteriorating economy and peace and order will eventually affect your kids and grandkids.
for me, there is no point in living a long life if you can't enjoy sweets such as ice cream. but sweets from unprocessed sugar (muscovado or kamay) and fruits are actually not bad for your health as long as you don't already have diabetes.
gut bacteria produces 95% of our serotonin, a hormone that basically keeps us happy and energetic. it's a big factor in our emotion and mental health. gut bacteria also strengthens our immunity. scientists are even collecting feces of tribes in africa who are not yet exposed to processed sugar and antibiotics and literally implanting the feces into the stomachs of patients with severe diseases related to gut health.
processed sugar and antibiotics destroys the beneficial bacteria in our gut. it's feasible to reduce our processed sugar intake because muscovado is affordable and will eventually be less expensive than refined sugar if demand keeps increasing.
i dream of a society where all restaurants, coffee shops, dessert and pearl tea outlets provide an option where the customers themselves put the sweetener so customers can be assured it's muscovado and not processed sugar. ice cream and cake will be tough though. maybe open their kitchen or factory to anyone who wants to inspect that the muscovado choices or options are truly only using muscovado.
however, it's not feasible for the filipino masses to reduce their antibiotic intake from farmed pigs and chickens because antibiotic free meat is too expensive and can't be economically mass produced. fortunately, probiotics such as sauerkraut can replenish our gut bacteria. there are many kinds of probiotics such as kimchi and yogurt but only sauerkraut is feasible for the filipino masses because it only takes less than 10 minutes to make and cabbage is quite affordable. filipinos will also love the taste of sauerkraut because it TASTES LIKE GREEN MANGOES WITH SALT. you only need to make sauerkraut once every 3 months if you have a fridge. for those with no fridge, you only need to make sauerkraut once a month.
ever since i was a kid, i would get sick almost every month with soar throat, sinusitis, asthma and flu. i was always fatigued and depressed. but in the past year, i never got sick and i always feel energetic, healthy and HAPPY. all i did was follow the simple advice of experts and scientists in TED talk. i refrained from processed sugar. i ate sauerkraut after eating pork and non native chicken, i exercised by walking 1 hour and 30 minutes at least 3 times a week, and i ate prebiotics everyday such as sweet potatoes, oatmeal, banana, grapes and other fruits and vegetables. i did not have to refrain from my favorite barbecues, lechon, bacon, etc ... scientists say it takes around 6 months for your gut microbiome to be repaired so you need to be patient.
i know lots of friends especially in the slums who are suffering because they don't have the health and energy to work. aside from poverty, this can lead to other domino effects such as low esteem and substance abuse.
i also found a miracle prevention for my sinusitis, allergies and asthma. whenever i start to feel a slight irritation in my sinus and throat, i would keep a tiny chunk of raw garlic in my mouth (1/4 clove). garlic is also a top prebiotic.
at first i thought maybe it was just a coincidence or placebo effect. so i drank soft drinks and sweetened juices everyday just to experiment and after a few days, i started to feel tired, depressed and my garlic therapy started to be less and less effective.
i know the psychology of barrio folks. i know what makes them laugh, how to earn their trust and how to keep them interested in a supposedly boring topic. they hate virtue signaling and boring sermons. this blue print will include jokes and gimmicks i thought off that would help in relaying my health messages. example my vloggers would say crazy things like, "staying healthy is selfish because it is bad for society. if too many people live long, the government will go bankrupt paying for pension and benefits. lots of people will lose jobs if you stop drinking softdrinks. if you drink softdrink everyday, you are a hero. you will suffer from diabetes and die early but the government will save lots of money and you will be helping the economy and providing lots of employment in the insuline and softdrink industry. what's good for you is bad for society. what's good for society is bad for you. example, being a soldier is good for the country but you can get ambushed by rebels. if our country is invaded and you hide in the mountains instead of fighting in the war, it's good for you because you are preserving your life but it's bad for the country".
my gut health advocacy sounds like just another diet or herbal fad. but this is different. therefore i will invite UP professors to talk in one of the videos of the channel and testify that numerous scientific studies have CONCLUDED that staying away from processed sugar, eating probiotics and prebiotics, and regular exercise can have a HUGE IMPROVEMENT IN YOUR HAPPINESS AND QUALITY OF LIFE. the UP professors will also testify that even multivitamin supplements are not proven to be effective and might even be harmful. many doctors still take multivitamins but it's mostly based on faith, not solid science. and of course the video will stress that any doctor's advice always has to trump any health advice in the barrio golf youtube channel.
III. contact info of potential cast/vlogger recruits
barrio folks are a diverse group of people. each personality type will have a likeable vlogger or cast member in the youtube channel they can relate to or represent them. this blue print will contain the names and contact info of my potential cast recruits who got very excited when i told them this idea. imagine, if barrio golf and simulation golf bars becomes popular all over the philippines, their youtube videos can have millions of views and they can become rich. all the profit will go to them. i don't have any monetary interest in this project. my goal is simply to help people. anyone who wants to learn barrio golf will have no choice but to watch their videos. imagine if a kid from tondo wins an olympic gold medal and when asked how he/she got started in golf, he/she would say, "i saw the video of coach raul", or "saw the video of ate apple" in youtube.
the english version of the barrio golf youtube channel has the potential to become a template for different languages which will REVERBERATE TO THE SLUMS OF AFRICA, ASIA, SOUTH AMERICA AND SHAPE THE COURSE OF HISTORY.
apple garbo sombilon (works in mactan golf course snack bar)
jill (works in mactan golf course registration)
junilo (caddie in buffalo golf coure in ecotec lahug)
coach raul (coach in camp lapu lapu driving range)
apple sombilon and jill will be the eye candy of the channel. they will wear sexy mini skirts or shorts. i know it sounds sexist, but it's for a good cause and it's just the reality of life.
coach raul will do most of the health and life coaching rants. because anyway i always hear him ranting about his life philosophies to his golf students in the driving range.
you will need to coach the main cast of bloggers on leadership. these are the main points you will need to explain to them (in their local dialect of course):
1) making videos can be tiring and time consuming. it requires sacrifice. the more sacrifice you make, the more successful the project becomes. example if you have other priorities and the project gets delayed, it's possible someone else will thing of this idea and you will have more competition.
2) it's not guaranteed this project will succeed. the chances of success is 50-50. what's important is we all have fun so it won't matter if the project fails or succeeds. if you are not having fun, or if you are just doing this for the potential income, it's better to delegate your role to someone else and you just play a limited role. sometimes it's all about attitude and mindset. always find a way to have fun with what you are doing.
3) never work on this project if you feel stressed or tired. that means if you are busy with other stuff, you will need to prioritize and sacrifice the other activities. if you can't do that, you need to be honest up front and just choose to play a limited role.
4) one way to get motivated and excited is to think about the potential. if this project takes off and becomes viral, imagine the millions you will be helping not only to learn golf but also to improve their lives in general. it can open up other opportunities such as product endorsements or being guests at popular talk shows. imagine if a kid from tondo wins a medal in the asian games and is interviewed in TV and asked how he/she got into golf when golf is suppose to be only for the wealthy, he/she would mention your name.
5) do not hesitate to bring in more cast members or video editors who can improve the quality of the videos. you might get a smaller share of the pizza pie, but if the pizza pie grows very big, then you will end up with more income. example mark zuckerberg created facebook by himself. he could have easily just owned facebook 100% but facebook would not have grown very big. so even if mark z owns 100% of facebook, if the value of facebook is only $1 billion, then mar z would only have $1 billion. but because he gave ownership to other experts and investors who can help him grow facebook, facebook is now valued at $410 billion. so even if mark z only owns 10% of facebook, he is now $40 billion richer even if he only owns 10% compared to if he owned 100% of facebook.
6) last but not the least, a leader's role is to resolve personal conflicts and misunderstandings within the team. nobody is perfect. everyone has strengths and weaknesses. your role as a leader is to utilize a team member's strength to benefit the team and find a way to manage their weakness. you have to make sacrifices and not take things personally.
IV. adopt a barrio program
you can adopt a barrio by simply donating the hitting cage, balls, and your old golf set. if you live in the states, you can buy 1 or 2 golf sets from a garage sale. those old 1980's or even 1970's golf sets are ideal because they are more challenging and thus ideal in honing the skills of any potential phenom that could represent our country in the asian games or even the olympics. anyway after they are discovered the government or ICTSI can sponsor them to have the best equipment.
just hire someone to make the hitting cage. it should be very easy they just need to follow the DETAILED instructions in the barrio golf blue print on how to make the hitting cage which includes tips on where to get the materials.
you can also hire your golf coach or caddie to introduce barrio golf. all they need to do is point the barrio folks to the youtube channel where they can get all the info and motivation they need. the name of the youtube channel will also be posted in the hitting cage. all you probably have to do is coordinate with the barangay captain.
imagine a year later when you visit your home town for vacation the entire barrio is now crazy about barrio golf all because of you. the barrio would also be much healthier because of the health and life coaching tips sprinkled all over the youtube channel. imagine there will be 2 drunk barrio golfers having a big bet and arguing over the rules and they end up stabbing each other. knowing that someone died because of you is the greatest feeling in the world.
what if for many people, the instinct for GOLF is just AS POWERFUL as the instinct for the ARTS such as music? my golfing buddy elmo nazareno used to be the keyboardist for the most popular local band in my hometown called 40 the band. they were so big there is even a youtube video of one of their concerts where security guards had to kick out some crazy fans trying to climb on stage. yet ever since elmo touched a golf club, he quit music. all he does in his free time is play golf. so maybe if barrio golf is offered as an elective PE subject or club in all public schools just like music and arts, it would benefit society.
V. scripts for the barrio golf youtube channel
the following is the link to the article containing the scripts:
(for more of my knowledge bombs, click the "ian's knowledge bombs" banner at the top of this article and choose any article in the table of contents that piques your interest)
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