Do you play golf?

[Auggie]

Poll question: Do you play golf?

I'm curious who plays? And for how long? What's your story?

I do. Since about 12 or 13. My grandfather taught me. He was a scratch player -- maybe could have been pro -- but a lousy teacher. So I was a lousy golfer for many years -- until I took lessons from a PGA teacher. Made a huge difference in my swing. I go to the driving range often to hit but don't play that regularly, so there's no telling if I could improve from lousy to mediocre. But I love the game.

[JonLP24]

1. No

Unless you count the few times I played miniature golf. I'm so bad I couldn't even hit under par.

[joeybee12]

5. Same here...and God only knows how long it was since I played

miniature golf.

[lazarus]

2. yes, but

only on the Playstation. I shot a 54 at Bethpage Black a few months ago.

[trumad]

3. Yes--

My profession has me client golfing quite often...plus living in Central Florida, you've got a course every 10 feet.

Oh and BTW--- I still suck.

[Auggie]

4. Doesn't hurt to let the client beat you either

[El Supremo]

6. How's Rush's game?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[sixstrings75]

37. Ditto. My job keeps me on the course sometimes...

Love the game. Love how it is JUST YOU - do not have to rely on teammates...

I played hockey my whole life, so swinging the clubs is just totally different from the 'teammate' perspective...


I drive the ball 280 yards - straight everytime.

It's my putting that will drive me to drink...

[El Supremo]

7. Where's the bowling poll?

[ProfessorGAC]

10. I Do That Too

Do you? It's my winter time thing since we can't play golf here from December to the beginning of March. I love to bowl, too.
GAC

[fishwax]

8. It's been several years since I played

I used to go to the range pretty regularly to hit, but it's been a few years since I've even done that. Back in junior high I was pretty good for a teenager who was fairly new to the game, and I got better in high school and the early years of college.

The last time I played an actual round, though, I was in my mid-late 20s ... and I was pretty good for a teenager who was fairly new to the game. :)

[ProfessorGAC]

9. I Play A Lot

I used to play a lot of basketball, but after the MS i couldn't because i lost all my quickness and leaping ability. Besides, guys my age playing basketball is just a knee injury in waiting.

I play to about a 3 handicap (maybe 3.5). I hit it straight, i do that a lot, and i can putt a little.

The game is zen to me, because for the 6 or 7 seconds it takes to swing and watch the result, i don't feel the pain in my legs. It's the only time i don't feel it. So, it's pretty cool for me. I just worry about each shot as an indepndent event, and enough good ones result in good scores. The score isn't the thing; it's the combination of the good moments.
GAC

[trumad]

11. LOL--- Is there an opposite to Zen?

The 3 seconds from when I begin my swing to actually hitting the ball is pure terror...especially if I'm hitting over water.

[PVnRT]

12. Those three seconds usually go like this for me:

"Oh, fuck, don't go right. You fucking goddamn fucking whore, if you go into that valley I will burn this fucking course to the ground. Shit. Fuck. Shiiiiiiiiiiit."

[trumad]

13. Snarf...

When there's water my mind is thinking---shit...just pick the ball up and throw it in the water.

[cherokeeprogressive]

32. The difference between a bad golfer and a bad skydiver.

Bad Golfer: WHACK... FUCK!

Bad Skydiver: FUCK... WHACK!

[Forkboy]

33. .....

:spray:

[Auggie]

35. +1

[SidDithers]

14. Used to play a lot...

was a 6 handicap in University. But then, life.

Still get out a few times a year, but it's not fair to my family if I were to disappear every weekend. I can only get away with "OK, honey, see you in 7 or 8 hours, have fun with the kids" a couple of times a year.

Sid

[Iggo]

15. Oh hell no.

[never cry wolf]

16. I still play

I am in a Tuesday night twilight league, we start tomorrow. I started playing at about 12 I am now 55. Used to be an 8 or 9 handicap but am a 16 or so now.

Growing up, my best friend and next door neighbor had a putting green his dad built in his back yard. His dad flunk Q school a few times and worked as a printer for the Chicago Tribune but was a golf nut. Our parents got us yearly passes to the local muni course and we'd spend the summer playing 36 holes a day.

[flvegan]

17. Yes.

Off and on since college. I have a nice set of Ping Eye 2 clubs. I play something like Happy Gilmore. My tee game is superb. My short game is horrible. When I say horrible, I mean it's just rubbish. I took lessons and everything. The teacher (former pro with a name I don't remember) guessed from my first swing that I had been a baseball player. He couldn't fix me.

[bigwillq]

18. Mini

:P

[Forkboy]

19. Yes, but not overly well.

I'm damn good with the irons, but I can't drive to save my life. And due to budget constraints I don't get any playing time anymore. :(

[madinmaryland]

20. No selection for "Miniature Golf"

:D

[Auggie]

22. Because we are not a forum of small minds...

give or take a few.

[madinmaryland]

24. Heh! Are you sure!

[CatholicEdHead]

21. Not in five years or so

and not likely to do so soon. I still have my clubs but green fees are too expensive in this economy.

[Auggie]

23. I hear that

We have a decent city course -- $25 for 18. Where else can you get 4-5 hours of frustration for so little a price?

[Condem]

25. Nixon played golf.

But over in Scotland, they call it 'goff'.

[PVnRT]

28. If there's nae wind and nae rain, it's nae goff

[madinmaryland]

34. I played miniature golf with Nixon years ago!

ZombieNixon!!

Herk-on, Dude!!!

[Awsi Dooger]

26. I've played for more than 40 years

Since I was a kid. I was a good player as a junior, #1 on my high school team with a 2.5 index, medalist often and plenty of junior trophies. But I got the yips very young, and also broke my elbow smack on the joint in two places while playing outdoor basketball. It never healed perfectly and impacted my swing, not as much arch.

Now I struggle to break 80, playing an average of twice per week. I've lost distance with the driver but not with short to medium irons. Today was ridiculous, 5 birdie putts from 6-12 feet and I missed every one. It had me literally looking at long putters on ebay tonight, for the first time. I can putt smoothly lefty but the angle looks weird and I can't seem to hole anything, the cup the size of a dime.

At least I've been hitting some excellent shots recently, playing in brutal South Florida afternoon winds. Today the memorable one was a Callaway 9 wood into a stiff breeze to 6 feet from 187. It never left the pin. I put the 9 wood in the bag today after Gary Player said on a Golf Channel show that he would have won more than 3 Masters if he'd had a 9 wood instead of a 3 iron.

As much as I struggle out there, every day on the course is a joy. I've been watching a family of ducks at one pond for at least a month -- mom, dad and 5 ducklings. They wander around including on a nearby tee box and green. I always hope they'll be intact instead of only 3 or 4 little ones. There are predators nearby. Today was the first day the babies bloomed into the same color scheme as the adult flock.

[wilt the stilt]

27. did you ever try one hand putting

I always find that it is a great practice drill and I swear sometimes I actually putt better one handed.

[wilt the stilt]

29. Yes I play

I didn't start until I was 37 and I think by and large it's a game you have to start young to really drive the ball long. I have moved to the white tees and the game is much more enjoyable from there. I belong to the same club as Stewart Cink and our greens are the best in Atlanta and that includes East Lake(which I have played and AAC). Stewart joined our club for the greens. Pro speed(12 and firm) I was pretty darn good at basketball but this game is extremely difficult. One bad shot into the woods(which we have plenty) will cost you 3 strokes. I hit the ball last Sunday really well and I couldn't score. There is a difference between hitting well and scoring. When Phil won the masters it wasn't the 6 iron that won it. It was saving par on 9,10 ans 11 that won the Masters.

[MrSlayer]

30. I play minature golf.

That's fun. Real golf is boring.

[cherokeeprogressive]

31. Started at 26 while in the Navy.

I worked the graveyard shift and three of my co-workers were looking for a fourth. They couldn't find anyone after calling other friends all night long. Since I played baseball for most of my childhood and swung a bat pretty damn well, I told them I'd play if I had clubs. Two harumphs and one not on your life is what I got in return. Long story short, they never did find a fourth so I got invited by default. Using crappy clubs rented from the clubhouse on the Navy course I shot a 102 and beat two of them.

Needless to say I was hooked.

Now I play with childhood friends and a couple of years ago was treated to a set of Calloways including a Great Big Bertha and I have to agree with what I've always heard: Clubs really do affect the game. Before that I had always used off the shelf Wilsons bought from Target or Sears or whatever. These were fitted.

Still can't break into the 70's though. My best is an 82. I can drive the ball 250 on the fly, to lots of ooohs and ahhhs from the fellas.

There's nothing like being alone with my buds on a sunny Sunday morning... The quiet, the beautiful landscape, the birds, squirrels, ducks, and a few good tokes followed by maybe a couple of cold ones on the back nine.

Strange thing about golf though... I can't remember my worst shot from week to week but I can remember that Eagle putt from ten years ago. The Bad Shots fade away, the Good Shots get burned into your mind.

[TZ]

36. Ha! Finally a place for my favorite Mark Twain quote....

"Golf is a good walk spoiled"......:rofl: