Birdie: A Golf Odessy

Greetings Sandtrappers,

I have been playing golf for just over 3 months after accepting an invitation (My first invitational!)  to a 9 hole golf course by my father in law for my 35th.

I'm very competitive by nature but not against others, mainly against myself, so you see I was in deep personal anguish as I hacked my way to 10+ stroke finishes - leaving a wake of destruction behind me. But I was also highly amused at the same time, I've never laughed so hard as I did standing there in the middle of the 1st hole fairway, air swinging consecutive times trying to launch that little white ball up to the green!!

Most people would have gone home, cracked a beer open, turned the telly on and never set foot on a golf course again. But something happened to me that day, I changed, I got this mission burning in my psyche that I was going to be able to hit the ball and hit it well.

Suddenly golf took over my life (my wife is worried). I started to google courses, golfers, swing videos. I now know who Ben Hogan is, Rory MclReoy, Nick Faldo, Jack Nicalaus (but I can't spell their names!). I know the difference between a draw and fade and what causes both, what standing at the address means and why you can't feed your family with a one piece takeaway.

I practiced with an old set of hand me downs clubs (1950s East Brothers), practicing chip shots in the park, then I went to the range for the first time and started to get some consistency with my swing - getting around 150 yrds with my mid irons and 200 yrds with and old 3 (real) wood. I began with lot's of pull hooks and progressed to slice and now working on something in between.

I gave myself a month to either give up or if I was still keen to ditch the old clubs and get serious. I got serious. I purchased a set of Callaway Irons (Diablo Edge), a nice putter (SLK) and Callaway 3 fairway wood (My nemesis, we are locked in mortal combat) and an awsum Callaway Black Razr X Driver (fell in love with this baby, but dont tell my wife!!).

In three months I've managed to go from hack, to plucky neewbie, I've played two rounds of golf since (9 Holes) and scored 67 both times with par my best score. I had two birdie chances (shot bogies) after my first ever GIR on a par 3 (Nice 8 Iron straight up and down) so I feel I've come light years since this June and I've loved every minute of it.

My next step is to play 18 under 100, I reckon by December (I'm just so keen)  I will make it happen.

That's my story!!

Great story! Sounds like you've got the bug alright. Also nice to see someone who practices and gets an understanding of the game rather than just heading out to the course and hacking it around constantly. Good luck with your goal of breaking a 100. I'm sure it won't end there.

Cheers mrdb!!!