Golf ?

[bill2ski]

After bemoaning the virtue of the game for the first 39 years.
I've been bitten !
Is there a cure ? ( i hope not )
Are others similarly effected so suddenly ?
Now, I'm not talking about you folks, who have or haven't played for years, and suddenly had a newfound love of the game. We see um' all the time in snow sports. I'm talking about the confirmed bachelor, getting hitched, type of turnaround, that makes, close friends and family, start using terms like "midlife crisis" behind your back.
Why would anyone, in their right mind, subject them self to the fundamentally simplistic, yet, utterly humbling game ,that golfing is.
The answer, is simple.
It gives me a chance to challenge my ability's, and to improve upon them.
No crisis necessary.
Any thoughts ?

 

[Trekchick]

I did this three years ago.
I fought the idea of picking up the game, but once I took a double dog dare, I knew I was doomed to love the game(and hate the game)
My best advice, Lessons!
I took a 5 lesson series, and it was the best investment I could have imagined.

 

[riverc0il]

Yikes! Except for the "midlife crisis" part, I could have written that post word for word. I tried golf when I was in middle school. Took a driver and an iron down to the local elementary school with a friend, hit a few dozen balls, and was pretty bored with the whole thing. The culture of golf always bothered me, especially the whole private versus public thing and dress codes. The whole thing seemed very hoity-toity and snobby. Least of all did I ever think I would be pulled into the activity out of necessity due to business demands.

Well, I am eating my words. Last summer as part of a sponsorship for the local Chamber of Commerce, our business sponsored a team and even though I didn't golf, they had an opening and I tagged along. Shotgun start four people per team with carts at a beautiful course with really nice views of the south western whites. I begrudgingly admitted to having a good time, took some putts from the green with borrowed putters, and then left pretending the whole thing never happened.

Sure enough, another summer and the benefit tournaments are lining up like crazy. So I figure I will borrow or rent some clubs and play the newb role on the team. Decided to at least make and effort and went to the local driving range after having watched some online how to videos on basic stance, grip, and swing mechanics. Had an awfully frustrating though quite addicting time trying to get the whole thing to work and managed to nail a few balls way further than I had expected on a half dozen or so clean swings. Next thing I know, I decided that doing a few 18 hole shotgun tournaments each summer might actually be fun. Playing at $70-80 day courses for free and getting paid to do it and not work for the day? Sign me up!

I just bought a $200 starter set. I doubt I will get overly involved as I really have my eye on kayaking being my summer and fall outdoors passion. But the local driving range is 10 balls for a buck (less prepaid in bulk) and lots of local courses have $15-20 mid-week after work rates. Doesn't have to be too expensive and it is one more outdoors activity I can enjoy. Especially considering how big the activity is up here, also opens up some social opportunities I am looking for.

 

[drjeff]

I unfortunately(or fortunately depending on how you look at it) started both my skiing and golfing addication during the same year. That was 1979 Basically in my book, golf and skiing have a symbiotic relationship. Golf gets me between ski seasons and skiing gets me between golfing seasons. Either way it gives me a sport that I love deeply and can partake in 52 weeks a year.

Golf wise, I've had my handicap as low at a 1 (currently at a handicap index of 7.2) and have a career low round of a -3, 69 which I've shot on 6 different occasions and at 3 seperate courses.

Basically, golfing wise, once you have something that resembles a repeatable swing, the game goes from being more of a physical challenge (the repeatable swing) to much more of a mental challenge. The key atleast for me of first concurring the physical aspect, was a combination of practice to build the muscle memory, and then just trying to keep my brain focused on as little as possible during the swing. Basically I try and limit my thought process during the swing to just one thought. The last thing I want to be doing during my thing is trying to in the course of the less than 2 seconds it takes to make a swing, be having thoughts like, grip the club firmer, keep my feet still, turn my shoulders fully, extend my left arm, keep my head still, turn my belt buckle at the target on the follow through, etc - way to much to think about and successfully complete a swing. Keep it simple.

Once you have a repeatable swing (and it doesn't metter if you consistantly hit it hig/low, left or right, just that it's generally going the same way), then you can start mentally dissecting the hole infront of you to make it work for you. Basically, when I'm playing a hole, I mentally play the hole 1st from green to tee, and by that I figure out where I'd ideally like to have the ball to give me the best chance of hitting it close to the hole. Sometimes that means do I want the ball on the left side or the right side of the fairway, or sometimes it means that I need to figure out what club to hit off the tee to leave me a certain basic length of shot left to the green(like a driver might leave me 75 yards to the flag stick, but I'm a better player from 100 yards away than 75, so I'd hit my 3 wood instead of my driver). This type of concept is explained really well regularly on a show on The Golf Channel, called "Playing Lessons" where basically a PGA Tour pro and in some episodes an amateur or two are playing a round the the PGA Tour is basically giving strategy to either the amateurs or exactly what's going through his mind as he's playing the hole - it's a really good mental lesson for golf.

 

[Philpug]

I enjoy even going to the range and hitting a bucket. For some reason, I am just not making the time to go out and hit the course. I used to play 2-3 times a week and hit the range another 2-3 times a week. Unless I was that commited I find that I just don't play well and knowing that unless I get into the 80's, I will fustrate myself.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

After bemoaning the virtue of the game
Any thoughts ?

I've been playing golf for nearly two decades. I've only been out twice so far this summer and I shot a 93 and an 80(an easy par 68 course)..I'm playing in a four man scramble on Sunday. The fact that I'm fatter than I used to be means I hit the ball much farther and I don't have a left to right fade anymore. My short game has improved as well. No it's not skiing in terms of an adrenaline rush but golf isn't as bad as the public makes it out to be. My Dad is a die-hard golfer and he plays at least 3 times a week..and on trips down south during the winter. I used to ski with my Dad but he quit about 8 years ago due to hip problems. His last ski run ever was at Whistler so he at least ended on a high note.

Golf is something I can do with my Dad..plus he pays so I get to play at lots of really nice courses. I've played golf in Vermont, Bermuda, Hawaii, the Adirondacks and the Jersey shore. In a month when my family goes to Lake Anna Virginia..my Dad and I are going to play this one course that has an 800-something yard par 6..the longest golf hole in the USA...Once it gets to be around Halloween and the ski areas start blowing snow..I totally forget about golf.

 

[campgottagopee]

Golf, ah yes, golf and thoughts on golf. I come from a golfing, skiing, bowling family so each of those I started at a very early age and still do today. I carry an index of 7.4 and play a lot of competitive golf in my area. At my club we have a huge skins game every Sunday and have a standing match we play on Tuesdays not mentioning all the tourneys and Pro-Ams I play in with our Pro.
That’s my day to day with golf. I love the game because (as doc said) after a point the game is played between the ears. It’s so mental that some people explode, I’ve seen it, done it and it’s not pretty. If you have a twisty 18 inch putt to win your Club Championship, Member Guest, Sunday skin or 50 bucks off your pal, well that’s pressure. How you deal with that pressure is what I like. I’ve always said if you want to get to know someone go play a round of golf with them because everyone’s true thoughts ad actions will come out.

 

[ComeBackMudPuddles]

I like golf, but am really bad. I play enough for my friends to have given me a nickname: "divot boy".

Usually, 18 holes are too much for me, both physically (bad swing/hunting for balls/fatigue from hitting the ground often with the head of my club) and mentally (see the previous paranthetical), so 9 holes is more my style.

 

[Greg]

I worked at a driving range one summer during college. I used to listen in on the pro lessons and when it was slow would whack a few balls. I've golfed probably about 20 times in my whole life, but I can definitely see the appeal. I'll go once or twice this summer, but I can definitely see myself doing it more once I have some more discretionary income and time. I'm still waiting to break 100. Actually, breaking 110 might be nice. :razz: Golf, like skiing, takes a lot of dedication to get halfway decent at. You really need to go every week, at least, to be respectable.

 

[campgottagopee]

I'm still waiting to break 100. Actually, breaking 110 might be nice. :razz: Golf, like skiing, takes a lot of dedication to get halfway decent at. You really need to go every week, at least, to be respectable.

Your not alone!!!! It's fact that if amature golfers were to play by the RULES only 90% of them would break 100.

 

[campgottagopee]

paranthetical

Great SAT word

 

[Greg]

Your not alone!!!! It's fact that if amature golfers were to play by the RULES only 90% of them would break 100.

I'm sure you're right. I always take my drops and whatnot.

 

[Trekchick]

Your not alone!!!! It's fact that if amature golfers were to play by the RULES only 90% of them would break 100.

I have found that, when I play in a group of men(most of my girlfriends don't golf) I can get a better score if I wear a golf skirt and a halter top.
That's perfectly legal, isn't it?:lol::lol::lol:

 

[drjeff]

I have found that, when I play in a group of men(most of my girlfriends don't golf) I can get a better score if I wear a golf skirt and a halter top.
That's perfectly legal, isn't it?:lol::lol::lol:

And I bet that they'll just about always walk around behind you to survey their putts(even if their line is nowhere near yours) as you're bending over to line up your putt. Yup, been there done that, and I'll likely do it again in the right circumstance!

 

[Trekchick]

And I bet that they'll just about always walk around behind you to survey their putts(even if their line is nowhere near yours) as you're bending over to line up your putt. Yup, been there done that, and I'll likely do it again in the right circumstance!

Hey, have you been talking to the guys that play golf with me?:lol:

Not that I'd take advantage, just sayin...............ya know?

 

[drjeff]

Your not alone!!!! It's fact that if amature golfers were to play by the RULES only 90% of them would break 100.

I'm really going to get a kick watching in a few weeks the event on NBC where they're taking a couple of celebs(Matt Lauer, Carson Daly and Justin Timberlake if I recall) that are decent golfers (10 handicaps and less) and 1 amateur that was selected(Iraq war vet with I believe a 7 handicap), and having them play 18 at Torrey Pines just before the US OPEN in full US Open conditions with a gallery present. I'd be real impressed if any of them can break 100. Unless you've seen a US OPEN course in US OPEN conditions in person, you can't fathom how tough they are

 

[campgottagopee]

I'm really going to get a kick watching in a few weeks the event on NBC where they're taking a couple of celebs(Matt Lauer, Carson Daly and Justin Timberlake if I recall) that are decent golfers (10 handicaps and less) and 1 amateur that was selected(Iraq war vet with I believe a 7 handicap), and having them play 18 at Torrey Pines just before the US OPEN in full US Open conditions with a gallery present. I'd be real impressed if any of them can break 100. Unless you've seen a US OPEN course in US OPEN conditions in person, you can't fathom how tough they are

I can tell you this, I didn't!!! I played Bethpage Black right after the open was help there (thru a mutual frien I know the super there) and shot 102. Felt like I was under par!!!!! There were 2 holes that I couldn't even reach the fairway off the tee!!!! Still have nightmares about it

 

[campgottagopee]

I have found that, when I play in a group of men(most of my girlfriends don't golf) I can get a better score if I wear a golf skirt and a halter top.
That's perfectly legal, isn't it?:lol::lol::lol:

Is at my club just not enough of it

 

[2knees]

I love golf but my I just dont play enough anymore to keep my scores where i would like them. I used to shoot (legitimately) around 88-92 on a regular basis but i'm not sure if i even broke 100 last summer. Its a tough sport to feel somewhat accomplished at if you're not playing at least weekly, in my opinion. The frustrating thing for me now is that i can have both a banana slice and a power hook in the same round. Try to play that one, lol.

 

[2knees]

Unless you've seen a US OPEN course in US OPEN conditions in person, you can't fathom how tough they are

what's so tough about 8 foot high rough, concrete greens and 470 yard par fours?????