Non playing friends?

[Hardballs]

Does anybody have non playing friends who refuse to "get" golf? The majority of my closest friends play golf and have done so on & off for some time! But I have 2 friends who simply cannot understand the attraction! If we're together and start talking about our recent games, they start moaning, saying its the worst sport ever and the thought of playing bores them to death! Ive invited both to give it a go, but Neither of them are willing, we're all at an age now (approx40) where we can no longer play soccer and we all just instantly switched to playing golf. This last couple of years there's quite a lot of other people I know, a bit younger than me, who have also now taken up this wonderfull sport, yet there's still these 2 particular friends who indist its a lisd of shut and blatantly refuse to even try it! Ill keep inviting them though, as I suspect that if can drag them out for 9 holes and they hit a couple of sweety's, they'll soon get hooked like the rest of us!

[newtogolf]

I know a few guys like that and actually used to be one of those guys.

I didn't get the attraction to playing golf, seemed like a stuffy old mans game that people played when they could no longer play real sports like racquetball, flag football, softball, etc.  I was wrong and most likely my buddies and yours will eventually catch the bug and get hooked just like I did.

[David in FL]

Really only one. We're working on him. ;-)

[Lihu]

Really only one. We're working on him. ;-)

I was that guy :-) :-) :-)

[jamo]

Most of my friends don't play golf. I can usually drag a few of them to a course once a year, and maybe a couple driving range visits.

[Roblar]

Hah!  I started playing golf after the umpteenth sprained ankle from soccer.  (Ended up needing surgery to repair the ligaments.)  It took me about two years - maybe three before I even gave golf a try.  As soon as I did, I was hooked.  Just keep asking.  Eventually, they'll say, "Yes." and if they have a bit of athletic ability, chances are they'll hit one or two shots well and be hooked.

[Zeph]

I got nothing but non-playing friends. I got one that played a little casually, but we're talking a few rounds a year.

When I've had people I play regularly with, it was after meeting them on the course.

[clutchshot]

I had friends that played golf at one point in their life and friends that never played. When I started playing, I asked them to play, now I get calls all the time "you wanna golf today?" I think once you go out and play, you are hooked.

[TourSpoon]

Does anybody have non playing friends who refuse to "get" golf?

The majority of my closest friends play golf and have done so on & off for some time!

But I have 2 friends who simply cannot understand the attraction!

If we're together and start talking about our recent games, they start moaning, saying its the worst sport ever and the thought of playing bores them to death!

Ive invited both to give it a go, but Neither of them are willing, we're all at an age now (approx40) where we can no longer play soccer and we all just instantly switched to playing golf. This last couple of years there's quite a lot of other people I know, a bit younger than me, who have also now taken up this wonderfull sport, yet there's still these 2 particular friends who indist its a lisd of shut and blatantly refuse to even try it!

Ill keep inviting them though, as I suspect that if can drag them out for 9 holes and they hit a couple of sweety's, they'll soon get hooked like the rest of us!

Do you have any friends that are endurance athletes? They remind me of golfers. They too have friends that refuse to "get" it. I don't think it's any different with guys getting past the age where the sports of our youth take too much of a toll on our bodies. Its about opportunity, exposure, and then a desire. Comradery is the key to get them out, and many will get bit. I got bit by the endurance training and it was a lot like golf in the aspect that it is you against yourself and that desire to learn and improve. Thankfully, I came to my senses and got back to golf. Now I see the value of training as a way to benefit my golf game, but getting out there is a different story. Keep on offering and maybe they will drink the Kool Aid.

[Yukari]

I was one of them.  When my dad tried to get me out on the golf course, I told him that it was an old men's sport and that I will try it when I retire.

Then one day, when I was living in the East Coast, my parents came to visit.  Since they were both fanatic golfers, and wanted to play courses near my home, I made the reservation and went out with them.  That was all it took.  Just one outing and one purely hit 5-wood 220 yds (out of 110 or so total strokes).  I was hooked after that and the rest, as they say, is history.

Bottom line, no matter how many times you invite them, they won't go unless they have nothing better to do.

[Wally]

All of my close friends play. One of the reasons I picked it up years ago again is because some of my friends play. Heck, I met and became friends with one of my best friends because of golf.