by Viggo Ekman
Golf is a game of focus. Being able to block out distractions and concentrate is a big part of success in the game. But that’s also true when it comes to research.
There’s an almost limitless amount of content out there when it comes to golf, from course descriptions and reviews to tips and tutorials to the endless stream of new products being released.
And where there is information, there will also be advertising.
Many websites run on advertising, but nothing breaks your focus more than a flashy pop-up or video, complete with audio. After all, a good ad is designed to get your attention. Intrusive ads slow down your Internet and get between you and the information you’re trying to discover.
It doesn’t have to be this way. A powerful ad blocker can enhance your browsing experience and help you learn without being bombarded with annoying advertising.
Let’s take a look at how an ad blocker can improve your golfing research.
How Ads Interfere with Online Golf Research
Advertising is one of the most common ways to make money online, but it’s also one of the most irritating. Research suggests it only takes eight seconds to break someone’s focus, and the average person is exposed to more than 10,000 ads per day.
It may only take a couple of seconds to break it, but it can take around 23 minutes to regain your focus. So, all those online ads can seriously negatively affect your concentration.
Plus, the more ads a page has, the slower it is to load. Some pages have so many ads that the content you’re trying to access is hard or impossible to read. Then there are those annoying autoplay videos that get in the way.
Excessive ads can drain your bandwidth, too. This is especially true if you’re on mobile Internet looking things up on your phone, perhaps on the golf course itself. Many cell phone providers have strict bandwidth limits, and you don’t want it eaten up by advertising.
Finally, there’s the issue of privacy. Many advertisers track your online behaviour, even after you’ve left the site they found you on. These trackers can further slow down your device as they follow you from site to site. Besides, it’s no one’s business what you do online.
Solving the Problem with an Ad Blocker
The easiest way to solve this problem is with an ad blocker.
As the name suggests, ad blockers block all kinds of advertising on the Internet. They work by consulting massive lists of servers that advertisers use and preventing interaction between those servers and your device. An ad blocker will stop most ads from loading, protecting your privacy, preserving your bandwidth, and helping you browse quicker.
A good ad blocker will block ads, including banner ads and pop-ups, as well as tracking scripts. This helps to keep your browsing history out of the hands of advertisers.
Some ad blockers can be part of your browser, while others come bundled with security tools like VPNs. A reliable and robust ad blocker is a great way to improve your Internet browsing experience. It lets you focus on getting the information you want and not waste time being sold to.
Benefits for Golf Enthusiasts
Focus isn’t just for the golf course. An ad blocker helps streamline the process of researching courses, golf tips, tutorials, and equipment. That means you can spend less time browsing the Internet and more time out on the course.
Fewer distractions
- A good ad blocker lets you read gear comparisons, review tips and tutorial videos, or look up course breakdowns without interruption. You can get advice on a specific course as you play it without wasting time closing ads.
- Get straight to the information you need. No more scrolling past irrelevant ads for the top 10 clubs when you only want to get straight to real user reviews.
Faster page load times
- Ads, especially video ads, can slow down your browser significantly. If you just need to find information quickly and get on with other things, an ad blocker can help pages load faster.
- Reducing ads also lowers the bandwidth a site takes up. This is especially useful if you use mobile data or golf course Wi-Fi, which is often slower than at home.
Better privacy
- Choose an ad blocker that prevents trackers from logging your behaviour. These trackers can often slow down your Internet even as you visit other sites, and you never know what they might do with your information.
- Protect your search history so that advertisers can’t target more ads at you. The less advertisers know about you, the less able they are to zero in on what you do online. That means fewer distracting ads.
Better experience across devices
- A good ad blocker can work on desktop, tablet, and mobile. This is especially important for golfers who often use the Internet on the course or while out and about. You can find whatever information you need without navigating a labyrinth of ads.
- An ad blocker can also help preserve your battery life. Serving up all those ads, especially video ads, takes a toll on your phone’s battery. Blocking them can help your battery last longer while you’re out on the course.
How to Set Up an Ad Blocker (Step-by-Step)
When it’s time to choose an ad blocker, you have plenty of options. Many browsers, including Chrome and Firefox, have their own ad-blocking software, and you can also use a private company with an extension for your browser to protect yourself.
Use built-in browser settings (Chrome)
- Open Chrome and go to Settings > Site Settings > Ads.
- Toggle on “Blocked on sites that show intrusive or misleading ads.
Safari
- Open Safari and go to Settings > Safari.
- Go to Block Pop-ups and toggle the switch.
Install an Extension
Chrome: Go to the AdBlock Chrome extension page and click “Add to Chrome”.
Firefox: Go to the AdBlock Firefox extension page and click “Add to Firefox”.
Edge: Go to the AdBlock Edge extension page and click “Add Extension”.
Use a VPN
A Virtual Private Network, or VPN, offers the ultimate in online privacy and protection. You can activate this protection across all your devices within your VPN control console.
Focus on Your Golfing Experience
Whatever you need to research to improve your golfing experience, you’ll have a much easier and more enjoyable time if you’re not bombarded with ads. A good ad blocker takes less than five minutes to install. But it can protect your privacy, preserve your bandwidth, improve your device’s battery life, and have a more efficient online experience.
Use ad blockers to enhance your golf research. This will allow you to spend more time golfing and less time navigating annoying ads.
