Any golfers on this board?

[jssailem]

I've tried all of those... maybe i'll do 2 of them again one day.

Which ones.

1. wearing a skirt in a cold climate, and
2. being an OCDhouse cleaner

It was fun to crack that white orb apart, unwrapping the rubber band and playing with the hard rubber ball in the center.
Never did come up with a use for all the rubber bands. They would just break when stretched.

 

[Terry Cox]

Many years ago tried my hand at golf. Bought a used set for $25 from a friend. Even hired a pro for lessons. Each time I had a wonderful feeling walking out onto the course to tee off from the first hole. At the end of nine felt ready to break every club over my knee multiple times. Some enjoy the sport, here not so much.

 

[Mike4116]

Golf is the reason I sail. If I sail the way I golfed I would run aground or broach the boat every 15 minutes. When you're bad (really bad) at something and not having any fun then find something else to do. Replaced golf with sailing in 1992 and never looked back or lost a ball since.

 

[Kermit]

Each time I had a wonderful feeling walking out onto the course to tee off from the first hole.

Maybe that was my problem. I teed off from the tee box. Teeing off from the hole sounds much easier.

 

[Rick486]

It really is a great game. I have played for around 50 years now. I started out graded as "Beginner". After a number of years I was promoted to "Terrible", and I was pleased. After two new sets of clubs and around 20 years of practice, I found I had progressed to "Mediocre", and I was pleased. Then I stayed away from the game for about 10 years and I found that I had regressed back to "Terrible". Recently, over the last 10 years I have been playing again but it now seems that "Mediocre" is out of my reach. Why, you say? Well, back in the day when I was "Mediocre" my body was considerably more flexible and stronger, which is important. Alas, it doesn't affect my enjoyment of the game. The beauty of the course and the shot by shot, hole by hole challenge keeps me in the game. It really is a wonderful game. However, guys or gals beginning to play later in life must realize that they will never be very good at the game as measured by ball striking, or worse yet, scoring. Play the game with friends and rejoice in the occasional good shot, or sunken putt, and don't focus on scoring.

 

[FDL S2]

It really is a great game. I have played for around 50 years now. I started out graded as "Beginner". After a number of years I was promoted to "Terrible", and I was pleased. After two new sets of clubs and around 20 years of practice, I found I had progressed to "Mediocre", and I was pleased. Then I stayed away from the game for about 10 years and I found that I had regressed back to "Terrible". Recently, over the last 10 years I have been playing again but it now seems that "Mediocre" is out of my reach. Why, you say? Well, back in the day when I was "Mediocre" my body was considerably more flexible and stronger, which is important. Alas, it doesn't affect my enjoyment of the game. The beauty of the course and the shot by shot, hole by hole challenge keeps me in the game. It really is a wonderful game. However, guys or gals beginning to play later in life must realize that they will never be very good at the game as measured by ball striking, or worse yet, scoring. Play the game with friends and rejoice in the occasional good shot, or sunken putt, and don't focus on scoring.

The best golf for me now is with friends with similar abilities where we don't keep score.
When I was in my 20's I golfed a few times a week and actually progressed to OK-I assume that's the next step up from mediocre on your scale. Nowadays, I golf a few times a year in charity or work outings and I am again terrible, but show flashes that I was once OK.

 

[AlastairLC]

That’s the ticket. Keep your expectations low and you won’t be disappointed.

 

[GorillaToast]

Many years ago tried my hand at golf. Bought a used set for $25 from a friend. Even hired a pro for lessons. Each time I had a wonderful feeling walking out onto the course to tee off from the first hole. At the end of nine felt ready to break every club over my knee multiple times. Some enjoy the sport, here not so much.

It really is a great game. I have played for around 50 years now. I started out graded as "Beginner". After a number of years I was promoted to "Terrible", and I was pleased. After two new sets of clubs and around 20 years of practice, I found I had progressed to "Mediocre", and I was pleased. Then I stayed away from the game for about 10 years and I found that I had regressed back to "Terrible". Recently, over the last 10 years I have been playing again but it now seems that "Mediocre" is out of my reach. Why, you say? Well, back in the day when I was "Mediocre" my body was considerably more flexible and stronger, which is important. Alas, it doesn't affect my enjoyment of the game. The beauty of the course and the shot by shot, hole by hole challenge keeps me in the game. It really is a wonderful game. However, guys or gals beginning to play later in life must realize that they will never be very good at the game as measured by ball striking, or worse yet, scoring. Play the game with friends and rejoice in the occasional good shot, or sunken putt, and don't focus on scoring.

I don't see anywhere in yours, or any other post that taking as series of lessons from a PGA professional was tried.
I suppose you could learn to read by just picking up a book and trying over and over to read it without any outside help...
Your final sentence is the most important.

 

[jssailem]

Golf explained. By Robin Williams.
Language is real rough as he recounts the making of golf by a drunk Scotsman.

Funny.

 

[Rick486]

I don't see anywhere in yours, or any other post that taking as series of lessons from a PGA professional was tried.
I suppose you could learn to read by just picking up a book and trying over and over to read it without any outside help...
Your final sentence is the most important.

Sure I took lessons. That was one reason I was promoted to "Mediocre" back in the day. Lessons are less useful as one ages however.

 

[TomY]

I played golf too hard. Starting early in life, a group of us grew up on the local public golf course. By the time we were in Junior HS, we were playing competitively (we won the state titled eventually). All through those high school years I played competitively in local tournaments. It was a way of life, all consuming. You worked on your game on the practice tee and green. I wasn't as good as the best in our 'group' but we were all low(to scratch) handicappers. My game was very rewarding at times and equalling frustrating at other times.

One day I just walked off the course (so friends say). My life had changed, I had changed.

I've sailed on and off, all my life. Sailing became more of a focus with a family. I've gone in an out of things in my life, sailing is one of those things that seems to stick, for life.

Nothing wrong with golf. It's a good game. Play it for fun.

 

[GorillaToast]

One of the biggest problems with golf, as I see it, is that equipment manufacturers need to create an incentive to sell us all a brand new $500 driver and $1500 worth of irons every year to retain their profit margins. To do that they try to convince all golfers that they can be just as good as Tour Pro A, or Tour Pro B, if only they would play the latest/greatest gear.
Unfortunately, unless you are a superior athlete, adn are willing to dedicate your entire life to mproving your scores, you don't stand a chance of mastering the game. We've been convinced that "par" is an achievable goal on every hole when, in fact, the USGA defines "par" as the score an "expert" should expect to score.
The PGA has vainly tried to convince us that golf is a recreational activity that should be fun for the whole family which is an attitude that is diametrically opposed to the goals of big name equipment companies.
But, if I'm playing golf with my friends and family just for fun, I can do it just as well with my 20 yr old equipment.
$0.02

 

[Rick486]

I agree 100%. I am now playing with clubs I purchased in 1997. I did move up to a new driver about 10 years ago however. When we play I strive to play "bogey" golf. I play par 3s like they were 4s and so forth. I may actually try for a green in 2 on a very short par 4, but only rarely. And I also bring my dog along. We have a great time. This time of the year is best, during the week. Very uncrowded. Yeah, I don't know about the PGA advertising that says "...golf is a recreational activity that should be fun for the whole family...". Maybe individually, dad with his buddies (or his dog), mom with her girl friends, and the kids maybe with school friends, but it's a real stretch.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

While lots of the advertising is misleading (no surprise there), don't dismiss the so-called game improvement clubs. They are neither intended for or designed to improve a pro's game but in many cases, they do allow mediocre players to regain some distance and precision on miss -hit shots.

The market plays to the delusion that new clubs can change your game, however, many ladies key hybrids can make it more enjoyable for the average golfer.

 

[AlastairLC]

What keeps golfers coming back is the occasional well hit shot (usually by chance). This leads to the common misconception that he can do that every time. (Kind of like the guy who brags that he can drive the ball 280 yards because he once did that, downhill with a 30 knot tail wind).
One of my frustrations when I played regularly with visiting tourists was that most of them played from the wrong tees. This meant they almost always needed three shots to get near a par four green. Ego gets in the way of realistic assessment of abilities.

 

[Rick486]

While lots of the advertising is misleading (no surprise there), don't dismiss the so-called game improvement clubs. They are neither intended for or designed to improve a pro's game but in many cases, they do allow mediocre players to regain some distance and precision on miss -hit shots.

The market plays to the delusion that new clubs can change your game, however, many ladies key hybrids can make it more enjoyable for the average golfer.

For sure. The entire golf equipment industry is extremely technology driven. Manufacturers spend money on R&D to improve hackers' and pros' scores. Witness the incredible distances the top pros hit the advanced technology golf balls. I see them hit 7 irons on par 3s over 200 yards. While conditioning and strength play a part, there is no doubt about how good the golf balls are today. Alas, however, for me it makes no difference whether I play a $1.50 ball from the clubhouse reuse tub, or a six dollar top of the line Titleist

 

[Rick486]

What keeps golfers coming back is the occasional well hit shot (usually by chance). This leads to the common misconception that he can do that every time. (Kind of like the guy who brags that he can drive the ball 280 yards because he once did that, downhill with a 30 knot tail wind).
One of my frustrations when I played regularly with visiting tourists was that most of them played from the wrong tees. This meant they almost always needed three shots to get near a par four green. Ego gets in the way of realistic assessment of abilities.

One of the courses I play has a special "senior's tee box", which just a bit behind the "lady's tee box".

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

One of the courses I play has a special "senior's tee box", which just a bit behind the "lady's tee box".

Welcome to my world. Every course here has those and they are the most used by most of the people I see here playing. . And it seems I'm always in the group behind them...

 

[Rick486]

Welcome to my world. Every course here has those and they are the most used by most of the people I see here playing. . And it seems I'm always in the group behind them...

We recently sold a home in Naples after 9 winters. Golf was very difficult during the "season" with the crowds and sky high greens fees. But the courses are beautiful and we always had plenty of time to appreciate the beauty. And the gators.

 

[jssailem]

I see them hit 7 irons on par 3s over 200 yards.

They do do this, but their 7 iron is not set up the same as an off the shelf 7 iron. All clubs can be tweeted so that you hit the ball higher or lower, based on your swing speed and contact with the ball, farther. So that 7 iron that is pulled out of a pro’s bag may have the mass of a 7 iron but the loft and lie of a 5 iron. So if you can hit a 5 iron 180 it would be nothing for a pro to hit the 7 iron set up like a 5 iron 200.