Golf for Dummies (2003)

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General		Extras
Category	Sports	Main Menu Audio & Animation Gallery-Photo
Rating
Year Of Production	2003
Running Time	55:01
RSDL / Flipper	No/No	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	1,2,3,4,5,6	Directed By	None Given
Studio Distributor	Visual Entertainment Group	Starring	Brett Ogle
Case	Amaray-Transparent-Secure Clip
RPI	$29.95	Music	None Given

    The Dummies set of instructional DVDs mirrors much of the format and content that has made the books a runaway success story all around the world. Written in plain easy-to-understand language with no jargon, plenty of helpful hints and tips, and with a non-condescending tone taken throughout, books and DVDs have been released that aim to teach people just about any topic imaginable. We have previously taken a look at Learning Guitar for Dummies and 15-minute Workout for Dummies. This is another title in the series and is dedicated to that most frustrating game of all - golf.

    What we have here is a 55 minute instructional video hosted by former tour professional and now golf commentator Brett Ogle. Ogle has won some 13 golf tournaments around the world and is currently the pro at Bonnie Doon Golf Club in New South Wales - so it's fair to say he knows his subject.

    For this video Ogle is filmed on location at the new National Golf Course outside of Melbourne. He takes the novice through the many aspects of the really quite difficult game beginning with club and other gear selection. He looks and demonstrates some of the warm-ups that should be used before commencing a round, before getting into the detail of stance, grip, and swing. This is where the bulk of the running time is dedicated, before Ogle rounds out with a brief look at the art of chipping and putting.

    So, I hear you ask, is an instructional video for a game that takes place outside any good? Well, Ogle does state fairly early on that this is merely one method of gaining some insight into the game. Books are another option, but obviously the only true method of learning this difficult game is real practice on the course or at a driving range. The addition of lessons from a pro is also suggested as the ultimate way to learn. What this video does have going for it is the ability to reinforce many aspects of the game that are critical and do not need to be practiced on the actual course. Warm-up routines, and the intricacies of grip, stance, and swing are all explained in great detail and Ogle provides many tips and tricks that can easily be practiced in the lounge room. Speaking of lounge rooms. I liked the way Ogle suggested that you move any furniture in the room that you may hit before starting any of the practice routines. I can just imagine someone firing a golf ball into their widescreen plasma panel before realising they should be doing this outside!

    Thankfully this video doesn't resort to the quick and often condescending tone taken by many instructional videos. There is very little footage of Ogle quickly running through a series of checks and then standing on the tee and belting the ball some 300 metres, all before exclaiming "see - it's easy". We all know he can do it, so instead he spends a lot more time explaining set up and stance that you, the novice, should practice without the need to see him showing off.

    This is probably aimed at the golfer who has had some sort of basic initiation into the game and is looking to reinforce some of the base elements in the correct manner. It is probably not aimed at the complete novice who has absolutely no golfing knowledge at all, since it jumps into the technical detail of stance and swing very very quickly.

Video

    While most of the people that buy a title such as this will be worrying about far more important things like bunkers, hooks, and slices rather than artefacts, noise and pixelization, we should still examine the finer points of the transfer to make sure it performs as required.

    This is a reasonably new video transfer (filmed in late 2003 as I understand) and benefits from modern equipment being used.

    The material is presented in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1 and is not 16x9 enhanced.

    Almost the entire video has been filmed at the new National Golf Course just outside of Melbourne, on a nice fine day, so there is no trouble with clarity or brightness of the subjects.

    The colours are well rendered and bright, with no bleeding evident. Skin tones are spot on.

    There are no compression artefacts present. Other artefacts are also thankfully absent. This is a fairly clean image.

    There are no subtitle tracks present.

    A one hour feature fits happily on a single layered disc and as such that is what this is. There is no layer change.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
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Audio

    As expected a fairly basic audio selection graces this disc. We get an English Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack as the only option.

    Dialogue is pretty much all this is about, being a narrative instructional video. This is handled well with no obvious problems. There are also no audio sync issues.

    There is no surround or subwoofer use at all.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Main Menu Audio & Animation

Photo Gallery

    This is a very well hidden extra that I almost stumbled across by accident. Go to the chapter selection menu and select chapter 24 which is a stills photo gallery containing some 25 behind-the-scenes photos of the making of this video.

      It's important to note that while this disc is coded for all Regions, it is the Australian Edition of Golf For Dummies (a small label on the front cover denotes this). There is an identical looking Golf for Dummies available in Region 1 hosted by CBS sports commentator Gary McCord that obviously still focuses on the basics of the game, but is entirely different to this version. Being locally produced, with a local golfer hosting it, I would easily recommend this Region 4 Australian version for all Australian and New Zealand consumers.

    Golf For Dummies is another in the series of Dummies instructional DVDs. This one contains a 55 minute overview of the basics of golf and is very much aimed at the eager novice to the game. Thankfully it's not too basic, but it's also not overburdened with too much technical information about grip and swing. Hosted by golf professional Brett Ogle, most of the important factors of the game are discussed and aimed at a level that most should be able to follow.

    The video and audio transfer are fine for the nature of the material.

    There are no extras.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall