NatNews

Good news: You don’t need to be a member of an exclusive country club or a protégé of Scottie Scheffler or Annika Sörenstam to take to the fairways.

According to the National Golf Foundation, a total of 48.1 million Americans ages 6 and older played golf last year—including 29.1 million individuals who played on actual golf courses and 19 million who participated exclusively in off-course golf activities (e.g., traditional and tech-enabled driving ranges, indoor golf simulators, and golf entertainment venues).

Dallas resident Kevin Roberts said he typically golfs three times each week, usually on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Although he was introduced to the game as a young kid, he became a much more avid player later in life.

“I’ve always loved sports,” he said. “I got my first clubs in the fourth grade but really didn’t start playing regularly until I was in my 40s. I didn’t start playing as much as I do now until I retired three years ago.”

For Roberts, there are several appealing reasons he keeps returning to the course week after week.

“I love the challenge,” he said. “I love seeing the ball in the air, I love being outside, and I love competing with friends.”

Dallas-area resident Becca Finke gets in approximately three rounds each month. She said she wishes that she could play more, but doing so can be challenging with a toddler and 2-month-old. The sport has been a part of her life for many years, though.

“My dad got me lessons when I was 12 years old,” she said. “I played on my high school golf team and have been playing recreationally ever since.”

Finke said what she loves most about golf is that it’s an individual sport.

“I am very competitive,” she said. “Golf is the perfect sport for competitive people because every round is a challenge against yourself. There’s always something to improve—your swing, your score, your mental game, your consistency.”

Dallas resident Chet MacArthur said he goes to the driving range roughly once a week and plays an actual round two to three times each month.

“I initially learned how to golf at the end of high school,” he said. “Some friends invited me to be a counselor at a local golf camp for kids, and I ended up learning the basics by being a counselor there. Then, in college, I hardly played and ended up picking it up a year or so after college when some friends I knew got into it.” 

MacArthur said he appreciates the social opportunities being on the golf course provides.

“My favorite thing about golf is that it’s a way to spend time outdoors with friends,” he said. “It’s also a great way to meet new people.”

For many individuals, sports and exercise can serve as somewhat therapeutic experiences, offering escapes from obligations and responsibilities for brief periods of time. Spending time on the golf course can provide such peace for some people and potentially reduce stress and benefit one’s mental health.

Roberts noted that time spent on a golf course can certainly be a calming time to allow one to disconnect from chaos and decompress for a bit

“Even though golf can be extremely frustrating, it is perfect for getting your mind off of other things,” he said. “There are so many swing thoughts, so you can go four hours without thinking about that email that needs to be returned or anything else that might be bothering you.”

Like Roberts, Finke also said she thinks that playing a round can be a time when a person can step into an inviting environment free of the usual hustle and bustle and pressures one might face.

“A round of golf takes about four hours—all outdoors on a green, lush, typically beautiful course,” she said. “It is a great time to unwind, have fun, and relax with friends or even yourself. I find golf to be very peaceful, as long as you aren’t too hard on yourself if you’re not playing well.”

This is not the case for everyone, though. MacArthur said he wouldn’t necessarily describe golfing as a relaxing activity for him personally, as he is a highly competitive individual, though he acknowledged that he understands how it can be a mellow experience for many people.

“I would call it satisfying more than I would call it relaxing,” he said. “It’s only peaceful because you are in nature and with friends. I wouldn’t call the sport itself peaceful.”

And whether for stress-relief, pure enjoyment, or to fill one’s competitive spirit, Finke said golf is a sport most anyone can play, regardless of skill level, as long as one is able to keep up with the pace of play.

“There are several unwritten ‘golf etiquette’ rules that keep the game respectful and enjoyable for everyone,” she said. “Pace of play is one of those unwritten rules—it is important not to hold others up. You can hit 40 terrible shots on one hole, as long as you do it in 13 minutes.”

MacArthur also believes that there’s no skill requirement to be able to tee off, but like Finke, he acknowledged that there are certain expectations.

“The one caveat is that there is a really big jump from learning to golf and getting good enough to play at a reasonable pace on an 18-hole course,” he said. “In my opinion, the most fun thing about any sport is getting better, and as long as someone is willing to put the time into golf, they will improve.”

MacArthur also noted that some individuals might be concerned with the costs associated with playing golf, though he said there are some helpful resources available for those looking to ball on a budget.

“There are tons of used sets of clubs on Facebook Marketplace that beginners can get for very reasonable prices,” he said.

Roberts said golf has an incredibly steep learning curve and is rather time-consuming, so it isn’t necessarily for everyone. It simply depends on how much patience and potential willingness to set aside one’s pride a person is willing to have.

“I think if your time is limited and your hand-to-eye coordination is non-existent, it might be better to try something more like pickleball,” he said. “That being said, if you don’t take it too seriously and are willing to pick up the ball after a certain number of strokes and just move on to the next hole, there are definitely things about the sport most can enjoy.”

Emus have two sets of eyelids—one for blinking and closing the eyes entirely and the other to keep dust and debris out.

What started as a small grocery store offering laid-back vibes and a tropical trading-post environment in Pasadena, California, in 1967 has become a well-known chain hoping to provide its many customers with enjoyable adventures and a true sense of community.

With more than 630 stores in more than 40 states throughout the U.S., Trader Joe’s continues to find ways to successfully gain and retain customers.

Dallas resident Alivia Brown said Trader Joe’s is the main place she shops for groceries and does so once a week.

“I think Trader Joe’s has done an excellent job branding itself as a homey, fun, and community-oriented grocery store,” she said. “The team is known to be very friendly, there are a lot of ‘Trader Joe’s exclusive items’ you cannot find anywhere else, and it is small enough not to be overwhelming.”

The store also offers plenty of options for individuals with dietary needs and restrictions. As someone with celiac disease, Brown noted that the main aspect of Trader Joe’s that keeps her returning on a regular basis is its gluten-free items.

“I like the prices and variety—they are much more affordable (gluten-free bread is $10 at most stores but only $5 at TJ’s), and there are way more options for me to choose from,” she said.

There are also individuals who are more sporadic customers of Trader Joe’s. Dallas resident Erasmo Estrada said he shops at the store occasionally, estimating he does so once or twice each month, as it’s a little farther in distance than several other grocery store options closer to his home. When he is able to make it to Trader Joe’s, though, he said he enjoys what it offers its customers.

“It simplifies the grocery experience,” he said. “The footprint of the store is smaller, there aren’t 100 different types of pastas to choose from, and it has unique snacks and options.”

And the snacks are what Estrada said appeal to him most.

“Even though they hurt my tum-tum, there are these chili and lime tortilla chips that are really good,” he said. “I also like the frozen orange chicken for a lazy dinner night.”

Like Estrada, Southern California resident Khuyen Vu doesn’t shop at Trader Joe’s as often due to the lack of location convenience. Because she doesn’t live near one, she is only able to be a customer there once or twice a year, but she said she appreciates those rare experiences.

“Trader Joe’s makes shopping easy,” she said. “The labeled aisles make it easy to find things, it’s aesthetically pleasing, and the prices are always reasonable.”

Vu said she especially enjoys going to Trader Joe’s to customize flower bouquets.

“The flowers are always fresh and beautiful,” she said. “There’s a wide selection, and my bouquets always come out gorgeous.”

Shoppers aren’t the only ones who experience positive feelings when they step inside Trader Joe’s stores—individuals who work for the grocery chain also often give off the vibe that they are genuinely happy to be there. Dallas-area resident and Trader Joe’s employee Gabriella Bennett said what she enjoys most about working at the store is the overall culture.

“I absorb so much goodness at work,” she said. “The bosses are amazing—they treat us with so much respect. It’s a really fun environment, too, and every hour, we change jobs. I might be on the register for one hour, then I might go stock the frozen section for one hour, and then I’m off to something else. It also seems to attract really happy people. Shoppers seem to always be happy and excited to be there.”

Bennett noted that she believes that Trader Joe’s is a sought-after place for many people to shop not only because of the items they can buy but also the environment they enter when they walk through the doors.

“Our products are often kind of unique, maybe even whimsical,” she said. “We offer a lot of standard staples but also some really fun things. Our ingredients are clean, and our prices are really good, too. And I have had several customers say they always feel happy when they are in the store. It’s just a happy place to be—people can feel the magic. We are the Disney World of grocery stores.”

It’s also not uncommon for Trader Joe’s products—including totes, mini totes, and insulated mini totes—to trend suddenly to the point that they sell out more quickly than expected. Bennett said she thinks that much of such occurrences are the result of social media.

“Some influencer picks up on something, and it goes viral worldwide,” she said. “We have tour buses from the airport come loaded with international travelers who have long layovers. They buy totes, seasonings, hand creams, gummy bears—anything that travels well. They buy a lot.”

Brown acknowledged that the general branding of Trader Joe’s is likely what appeals to its customers most, comparing people’s love of it to their love for Apple, Nike, or Patagonia products.

“People are proud to have the Trader Joe’s logo on things because they love what it represents,” she said. “Other grocery stores have not achieved the same reputation and don’t have as strong of a brand.”

Vu doesn’t necessarily understand or immerse herself in the crazes that many others have, though she said her sisters waited hours to ensure that they were able to become owners of the mini totes, which Vu admitted that she thinks are “pretty cute.”

“I think Trader Joe’s does a great job with marketing, they have a good following of customers, and I love their chill vibes,” she said.

For those who are not as concerned with the brand name and want to be able to purchase items that are more mainstream and not specifically from Trader Joe’s but also still want certain products exclusive at Trader Joe’s, it can be frustrating to be required to shop at multiple stores.

In addition to carrying only Trader Joe’s products, Estrada noted that another common practice of this grocery store can be found outside of its actual buildings.

“Having tiny parking lots is also their thing,” he said.

And while Bennett said she honestly isn’t sure why someone wouldn’t want to shop at Trader Joe’s, she joked about a potential solution to Estrada’s point.

“I know some people get upset if the parking is difficult, so maybe free valet parking would help,” she said.

And while Bennett is aware that some individuals might wish that they could order groceries from Trader Joe’s online and pick them up, she said Trader Joe’s will never do that, as the company values the customer experience far too much.

“We have this amazing opportunity to connect with each shopper, and we intentionally try to make their day better, however we can,” she said. “I think we really shine in that area. We get emails and phone calls all of the time about the huge impact one of our employees made in someone’s day. That’s everything. We live to make people’s day.”

WEEKLY PHOTO OP

Like the construction behind us, we’re all works in progress

Monday, June 1: Dallas Wings vs. Seattle Storm at College Park Center; Free Cult Classic Movie Monday — Wayne’s World at Sundown at Granada
Tuesday, June 2: National Rotisserie Chicken Day
Wednesday, June 3: Global Running Day; An Evening with Shawn Colvin at The Kessler Theater
Thursday, June 4: Cool Thursdays — Blonde Ambition (Madonna Tribute) at the Dallas Arboretum; Frisco RoughRiders vs. Springfield Cardinals at Riders Field; Candlelight 90s — Hip-Hop on Strings at Irving Arts Center
Friday, June 5: Yellowcard at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory; Le Freak at Legacy Hall; Gabby Bryan at Dallas Comedy Club
Saturday, June 6 WRRC Saturday run from Taco Joint; The Boho Market at Community Beer Co.; Yung Gravy at Village Beach Club; Frisco Margarita Festival at Rollertown Beerworks; Irving Taco Festival on the Plaza at Toyota Music Factory; Nate Bargatze at Dickies Arena
Sunday, June 7: Rangers vs. Guardians at Globe Life Field