How did you get started?

[PiKapp23]

In talking with golfers, I hear so many different ways that they got started in game, ranging from father got them started to just decided to take the game up on their own.

My parents divorced when I was 7 ( ). At that point my father had only played golf very casually a few times. He moved into a house just off a golf course and fell in love with the game and became a member. To make a long story shor(er) he got pretty good quickly and when he lost his job at a plant in town, the course (a low end country club) hired him and he began his apprenticeship toward becoming a PGA Professional. Starting my 14th summer I would spend a lot of the summer with my Dad playing golf at the club, when he wasn't giving lessons or doing his part as head professional. I didn't really have a lot of choice because golf is what he did. He gave me a set of Ping knockoffs and we spent several days during those summers on course. Those were the best times ever with Dad. This lasted until I was about 19 and in college. Since that time I have not played with him at all. College, girlfriends and jobs took up my time after that. About 6 years ago I got back into the game heavy and haven't looked back since. Heck, I might even play with Dad again this coming Spring.

[Shanks-a-lot]

My dad always played while I was growing up, but I was too busy playing "real" sports at the time like football, basketball and baseball. Got to college took a golf class for an easy A to get my gpa up and keep my scholarship and just kept on playing after that. Now every holiday I go home it's pretty easy to spend 4hrs alone with dad. Side note...golf is probably the hardest sport for me to play b/c you actually have to have some skill and knowledge of the game...no hustle points here.

[schapman]

I got into it when quite young because my older brother was. We did a summer course in golf and played a fair bit. I ended up losing interest at some point for some reason and didn't play again for years. Early this year I was getting married and my brother (who still golfs a fair bit) planned my stag which was camping + a round of golf with the boys an a cheap executive course. I right away remembered the fun of it and have been hooked again since. I even sold off most of my videogame equipment to fund the iron set in my sig. Now I'm at the range 3 times a week and can't wait for next season and getting my skills good enough to upgrade to new irons again :)

[FortAsel]

My father took some lessons when I was about 9/10 years old. One time, he took me and his instructor gave me a junior club (which I still have). A blade 5 iron. But somehow, I could hit that about 100 meters down the fairway pretty damn straight. To this day I still think that that range was miss-mesured. Thats my story.

Funny thing, I bet that almost 90% os uf took the game from our father's/brother's...

[superotto80]

Here is something different. My girlfriend got me into golf!! This summer she worked as a beercart girl at a local course and she really wanted to actually try the game. I was very hesitant at the start because i was one of those guys who thought golf was to boring. Well after some serious harping from the gf we decided to try this summer. All it took was one time and i fell in love with the game. As for her, well she hates it. But its funny how things work because if it wasnt for her i would have never got into this great game.

[paqnheat]

starting playing with my dad and brother..

[CMobley]

Guys at work got me started last year (I'm 29), and now I'm hooked. I got alot of golf stuff this year for Xmas.

[cigarnut81]

Tiger Woods got me into the game.

[Dub]

Growing up I though the game was stupid.

My father thought it a complete waste of time...so did my grandfather. We just laughed at the golfers we saw.


Granddad retired and picked up the game unkown to either my father or I. He moved to the coast and played daily at the island's only country club.

My father started taking lessons and joined an upscale country club in our hometown that same month.

Within a couple of months....unknown to either of them I started playing munis and country courses with some guys from work.


It took almost a year before my wife let it slip to my mother that I was playing....


After about two years we started playing together. Those rounds turned out to be the most fun we ever had together....certainly the most time we've ever spent with each other...4-6 hours at a time. Wouldn't trade them for anything in the world.

My granfather passed away...but not before we spent many hours together playing golf. My young son has now begun. He's visiting with my father this week and I'm sure they will find some time together on the golf course.

[uttexas]

Was a good athlete growing up. Due to injuries, couldn't play the other sports at previous high level. Golf was the only sport I could play pain free. I found that it suits my personality better than any other sport. Wish I had picked it up earlier.

[Pinseeker81]

My dad doesn't play, and I have no brothers. I have no friends that play either.
How the heck DID I get interested in this anyway? lol

I guess my first exposure to golf was from my grandfather. He used to play all the time, and when I was little he gave me a video called "The Best of Harvey Penick's Little Red Book". He lived out of state and I never played with him. He gave my 6' 4" dad an old set of his clubs that my dad gave to me cause they were too short (and he didn't play anyway). I hit those wooden woods better than anything since, lol.

[hackerandloveit]

Couple buddies of mine dragged me out when we were in the military and I have been hooked ever since. Played a lot till I got and then took a 3 month vacation. Played atleast 2 to 3 times a week. Was getting pretty good, then had to get a job and slowed down to once a month or two, and have started back up again. Try to go atleast once every week or two. My daughter has started with lessons now as well. Can't get the wife into it though.

My best friend that took me out the first time still flies out to Arizona to go golfing every now and then. My wife thanks him everytime I spend more money on golf stuff. LOL.

[silentfink]

I worked as a greenskeeper on a rather upscale private course for 3 summers while in college. It didn't pay all that well, but I was allowed to play after work as long as I didn't hold up play. Well, there weren't that many members playing at 4 in the afternoon so I played just about every day of the week. My equipment stunk, I couldn't afford lessons, and my I had to give way any time the upper crust came around. It didn't matter. It was amazing. I got to play on a perfectly manicured course, hitting 3 balls on every hole, and it cost me absolutely nothing. Best job I ever had.

[jcorfive]

My dad helped get me started. He was an avid golfer able to shoot in the low 80s. I think he only broke 80 3 or 4 times ever though, even though he golfed for many, many years. I would sometime get dragged to the driving range with him and the course on occasion. However, I don't think I went more than 7-8 times to an actual course with him. I also was conned into going to see a Porter and Ryder cup along with some various other tournaments. Those could have been the only two, though. Its hard to remember. I do remember bringing a club and putter along so we could sneak on after the last guys passed whatever hole we were watching. That was pretty cool Unfortunately I didn't care for the sport a whole lot and wasn't that enthusiastic about it.

Then, one day in July this past year I decided to grab his clubs and head out there. Fell in love instantly. Made me wish I could have appreciated what my dad was trying to get me into when I was younger. I went out pretty much every chance I could from July to the end of September and got to sneak in an unusual November outing when the weather was awesome. Now all I want to do is golf. And I'll tell ya, once I broke 100 for the first time every other time I didn't break it I was terribly disappointed. I did manage to break 90 once (89) which was wholly satisfying. Hopefully next summer I can see consistent sub-100 rounds.

[Ryanrocksfender]

My father got me into it i dropped it for a few years and just now started getting back into it

[ctmurrray]

My dad played with me a few times (he let me tee up the ball in the fairway - what a great dad!) but I became serious in graduate school when every guy in the program was a golfer. A close buddy was very good and he gave me playing lessons over 4 years of rounds together. Then we all got jobs at the same company after school and still play together - 25 years later. I think finding this sort of a regular group where you can semi-regularly get into a foursome really keeps up your skills and interest in the game.

[Mr Eagle]

At the age of 45 my body finally told me my sporting days were over,years of soccer and athletics had taken there toil,Mrs Eagle was overjoyed,no more Weekends alone while I attempted to eke one last game out of my ageing legs only to return home unable to walk.All those DIY jobs that had been neglected would finnally be done,She would have her husband back,a shopping partner,strolls in the countryside,wine in the garden,life would be bliss..............It was then I discovered golf

[tbirdscbrad]

Our neighbor got me swinging a club when I was a kid (10-14) in the backyard in Ohio then we moved to Florida and there is a course in just about every neighborhood and I always said I wanted to learn to play. My neighbor was having a garage sale and was selling some clubs for a friend of theirs and I was asking about them saying I wanted to learn and she gave me a set (I'm 31 now). It wasnt the greatest but it worked I got 3 old drivers the best one being a Knight a decent set of irons and a couple wedges. Me and a buddy went to the driving range and had a blast I got a letter to try one of the nicer course in the mail and we went for the first time with his mom who golfs I shot a 140 and that was a year ago this week. I got to go back this summer and shot a 104 so I've gotten better and I love it I even got my wife into it and we go with the neighbors its a blast.