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How did you get introduced to this great game?

warbirdlover

Ender of all threads
Supporting Member
Jul 9, 2005
19,151
5,601
central Wisconsin
Country
United States United States
When I was just married my "new" brother-in-law had me buy some used clubs and go with him. Man, I hacked and chopped for a long time.

A few years later I got some better clubs and started going with a former college golfer, scratch player who taught me the basics and got me going. He was a salesman for the heat treater we used and would pay my way on some nice courses. Got to golf for free and be taught at the same time.

:laugh:
 

MGP

Clubmaking Ho
Supporting Member
Apr 21, 2007
1,996
24
I grew up in a small town in Michigan. Our house sat on about 3 acres of land and our neighbors across the street the same. The neighbors had two kids (boy and a girl) about the same age as me and my two younger sisters. I was in 4th grade then, about 1970 or 1971. The son was hitting golf balls around their yard and invited me to hit with him. They had a membership at the local golf course and invited me out to play with them shortly after that. I was hooked. The neighbors on the other side of our property also played golf and the three of us boys would pedal our bikes about 2 miles to the golf course, golf bags on our backs and play all day. I'm not sure how it worked out but I don't ever remember actually paying to play golf back then. Those two summers were great times.

For most of that summer and the next, we made a little 4 hole par 3 course around our two yards. Nothing longer than about a 5 iron for us kids but it was great fun. I put together a cheapie starter set of Sam Snead Blue Ridge irons (3,5,7,9) and driver, 3W plus a wilson blade putter. I think I got them at a garage sale in like new condition for about $15...

Hoing begins at a young age. :laugh:

We moved to Nebraska for a couple years after that, then to Minnesota. I kept playing all through junior high, high school and college. Still playing, doubtful I'll ever quit.
 

Bravo

Well-Known Member
Aug 27, 2004
5,822
15
My dad played golf so I expect it was natural for my brothers and I to follow in his footsteps.

My first memory of anything to do with golf was when I was about 4 or 5. My dad had gone into the clubhouse (obviously for a few pints) and left us outside. My brother and I wandered over to the 18th green. I remember disticntly playing marbles and were trying to roll them into a hole with a flag.

Next thing I remember men screaming at us to "gte off the green" and people furiously knocking the windows from the club bar indicating that we should move.

We moved pretty quickly, knowing that we had doen something wrong but not sure what. I remeber our dad shouting at us. We had no real idea what the hell was happening, but that was my introduction to golf.

I started playing when I was 9 or 10. We lived very close to the golf course so I spent most summers playing 36+ holes a day. Started playing with a junior Dunlop BlueFash 4 wood, 4,6,8,PW (my mum's Patty Bergs split with my brother) and a basic mallet putter.

The rest, as they say, is history!


IG:

Your story reminds me of one....not related to how I started but related to raising the ire of the adults....

I was about ten....had just started playing and was putting on the practice green which at that time was located only about six feet away from the golf shop - which is wall to wall glass....

I had putted off the green and was in the rough next to it....took my putter back to about 9 o'clock and smacked it....

Right through the golf shop glass wall....shattered a single piece of glass about six feet wide and 8 feet high....the concussion/report could be heard all over #1, and #9, as well as the adjacent swimming pool.

Needless to say our pro- Mr. Jack Murphy came rushing out of the shop - completely redfaced, veins on his forehead sticking out.

I trembled in my little golf shoes as he screamed at me for about five minutes....then called my mom to come pick me up....
 

fuzzyjr

Well-Known Member
Oct 17, 2007
83
1
We moved into a country club when i was about 14 or so. I had never swung a golf club until my father took me after a year or two living there. I never had the desire to play until he took me the first time, I think i shot about 135 or so and thought i was the chit. He later bought me my first set of clubs they were called Pal Joey. A little year later I was playing for my high school at a 13 handicap, with my best 9 holes in match a 41. By my senior year i was at a 7 handi. I played the game for a long time until some leg problems and now i am back playing once a week or more. Love this game..........
 

MCDavis

The Plaid Duffer
Staff member
Moderator
Oct 19, 2006
13,633
5,195
Sanford, NC
Country
United States United States
IG:

Your story reminds me of one....not related to how I started but related to raising the ire of the adults....

I was about ten....had just started playing and was putting on the practice green which at that time was located only about six feet away from the golf shop - which is wall to wall glass....

I had putted off the green and was in the rough next to it....took my putter back to about 9 o'clock and smacked it....

Right through the golf shop glass wall....shattered a single piece of glass about six feet wide and 8 feet high....the concussion/report could be heard all over #1, and #9, as well as the adjacent swimming pool.

Needless to say our pro- Mr. Jack Murphy came rushing out of the shop - completely redfaced, veins on his forehead sticking out.

I trembled in my little golf shoes as he screamed at me for about five minutes....then called my mom to come pick me up....

And thus, "Assclench Forever" is born! :laugh:
 

Sgt.Hulka

Well-Known Member
Nov 10, 2005
35
0
In H.S., I had a friend on the golf team. He was always talking about golf. Figured, I would give it a try. Started playing and renting clubs...each time I went. Finally my Dad brought home a cheap set in an old bag. Man I thought those were the best. Got absolutely hooked. Played for about 3yrs or so. Then, just stopped for about 15 yrs. I have been back playing for about 2-3 years and some people say it's an obsession.
 

KallawayKid93

Well-Known Member
Nov 5, 2007
7
0
One time, when I was about 10 years old, I rode in the cart with my grandpa and his friend, and watched them play. from about 50 yards on one hole, I dropped a ball and hit it with a 5 iron. I really didn't know what I was doing. The ball landed within a foot of the cup, and I decided this was my game. Little did I know this would lead to anger and frustration. It's too addicting to quit. I went to the driving range with my dad a few times when I was about 11 and I was able to hit the ball about 150 yards, and now I can get the ball up to around 280 on a good day, but of course I screw up many of my shots. That's how I was introduced to golf.
 

utahgolf

Just Getting Started
Nov 4, 2007
196
1
Northern Utah
Country
United States United States
I was introduced to this crazy game by my Dad and Grandpa. When I was about 5 years old I went with my Dad to the driving range to watch him practice. After watching for a minute I decided to grab one of his clubs and give it a try. I made decent contact and like the challenge, so my Dad went home and cut some clubs down to size for me. We started going every other day until I was hooked and have been ever since.
 

Jules150

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2006
631
0
Im not really sure how i got started. About 2 and a half years ago i started caddying at a local club and i think i figured that if i would be a caddy i would play. Like everyone else here i've been addicticed ever since!
 

ezra76

Well-Known Member
Feb 5, 2006
12,412
16
I'd played a couple times when I was younger but never really got into it. It was more like hit and hope to find it after... although some days it's still like that. :laugh:

I was actually incarcerated for 2 years in my early 20's. I got back into playing sports and working out, wanted to continue to do so when I got out. I used to work in the kitchen and one of my jobs was to unload the food trucks and take out the trash. There was a par 3 course and I could see a tree, a pond and this beautiful green out there beyond those 3 barb wire (middle electrified, or so the rumor was) fences. Once in a while I'd see people playing on it, I used to tell the guys "when I get out, I'm going to learn to play golf and I'm going to play that hole and be on the outside looking in."... and I did.

I recall watching golf on TV in there and this Tiger Woods guy was so impressive. I loved watching him just crush the ball and then slam his club and swear when he hit a bad shot. I'd have to say he had a big influence on me taking up the game.

My dad would come to visit me and I asked him "Dad, you think you'd be interested in taking up golf again when I get out. I'd really like to learn to play and spend more time together.". He was all for it and we played a lot together the first few years I was out.

I remember the first trip to the golf shop and purchasing this brand new Taylormade 360XD driver. It was like the end of January and I would go to the indoor golf dome and hit 2 buckets of balls smack into the back wall no more than 150yds. away. I couldn't wait to get out on a real course and try it. I recall the first round. I played with my dad and my stepbrother. I lost a few balls and shot 122 but I had a great time. I loved hitting that driver and I could just smoke it. That first year I had a pretty poor game but the amazement of guys I played with at my length kept me enthused despite poor scores. I remember some guy walking off a drive I'd hit and saying "Do you realize that's 304yds.? If you could do that every time..." I've lost distance since then, along with about 45lbs of that muscle I'd spent 2yrs. building but I'm as enthusiastic about the game as ever. In a way the game of golf has played a pivotal role in my staying the straight and narrow while many, if not most, of the guys I knew got out and went right back. I'm still serving out my 10yrs. probation and 10yrs. suspended sentence but I've got.... let's see... 370 days left as of today. I plan to play or practice a lot of those days and even if I'm not, I'll be on here talking to you nerds about it. lol.

So that's my story.
icon10.gif
 

mddubya

Hybrid convert
Nov 6, 2007
6,029
2
how I found the game

My dad started playing years ago with some guys he worked with. he bought me a set of Ram's and in no time I was beating him and all his freinds. However, this was PT, PreTiger, before golf was cool, and I gave it up after a few years of getting ribbed by my freinds for playing an old man's game. Guess what, they have all been playing for years now, and I'm just taking it back up. But I live on a golf course and play for free if i walk. I work nights, so when I get off I play 9 holes 3 times a week, and 18 on the weekends. My game is coming back to me quickly because of this and I'm totally hooked.
 

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