Why You Love Golf

[Golfingdad]

Interesting.  This thread is a really good idea, and I can't imagine that it won't get a lot of responses.  I'm intrigued because it's probably the oldest thread I've seen.  It's dated January of '05, and the OP (read: founder of the site) "joined" in November of '04.  I'm wondering if there was only 6 members at the time, and that's why it had so few responses?  Otherwise, can't figure it out.

Here's a list of 10 ...

1.  Fresh air

2.  Time with old friends

3.  Meeting new friends

4.  Practicing and getting better

5.  New courses

6.  New clubs, balls, and gadgets

7.  Shooting really good scores

8.  Playing poorly for most of a round (as in, "I should give up this game") then finishing strong to remind yourself that "Oh yeah, I effing love this game!"

9.  Making the occasional birdie, and the really occasional eagle!

10.  My absolute very favorite part of the game is playing a "perfect" hole.  As in, visualizing the tee shot and executing it just as planned, then likewise with the approach shot, and then giving the birdie putt a good roll right on my intended line.  If it falls in, great, but even if it doesn't and it leaves me a tap in par ... those are the most satisfying times for me on the course.

[jetsknicks1]

Because you never know what's going to happen and every round is different. Two weeks ago I nailed my driver and irons but my wedge disappeared and I shot 97. Last weekend I fought my driver but my wedges were dead on and I shot an 88. Hope springs eternal.

[noSnowman]

My younger bro got me playing. Don't remember if we hit balls...I might of though. It was ugly and for me I said what a stupid game. Then my brother says u got to hit balls and play a par 3 track until u can get better. Oh gee did I start hitting balls. Wore my hands out. My two fav. courses in So Calif. so far is Los Verdes for its beauty. and peacefullnes/ no traffic noise (Shh fore on the T me )..definitely..not easy with many above but mostly below your feet lies for a right hander. Maybe there are some pics on line. Sky Links..its a shot makers course ....love the GPS system on there carts...best I have seen.. Golf to me is you against nature and some greens keeper trying to keep you from getting birds.

[rehmwa]

nope - it's a stupid and frustrating hobby.  Clearly it hates me and hate it....

well....better go get a tee time and practice a bit.  Can't wait to play again.

1 - Time alone

2 - time with friends

3 - learning the mechanics of the swing is very nice challenge

4 - fresh air

5 - I do NOT think it's exercise, but it is a nice activity just in terms of motion

6 - techie stuff

7 - the only activity that, occasionally, one can actually hit the shot a good pro would

8 - cheaper alternative to my other hobbies

9 - different every time

10 - will be able to do this into old age

[RetroJFrancisco]

The feeling you get when you hit an iron right, nothing really compares.. Being off 1 I hit the ball pretty decently, good mechanics ect, but there is always one or two irons a round that really feel like butter.

Also nothing better than being out on a beautiful warm still morning with the birds.

[mrwaltmitty]

The smell of cut grass and being outside

Spending time with friends or being alone

The Challenge of a new course or a new skill learned

Being able to work on my game on my own and most anywhere I can swing/putt (an actual club or mythical)

Seeing your hard work pay off

Bombing a drive off the tee, nailing an approach, running in a long putt

A beer on the course is very refreshing

And most that know me would laugh but I actually like getting up for an early tee time. Normally, if I am up early I haven't been to bed (or at least that was me before my daughter was born). There is just something about getting up in the morning and getting out there on a course.

[PirateJim]

1 - I love that golf is the hardest game man has yet conceived that can nonetheless be played by the young and old alike.

2 - I love that golf is a competition against the course and my own skills and inner demons.  The course just sort of sits there laughing at me, and my abilities are my own to master if I can.

3 - I love that I can play with a good friend or a total stranger, doesn't matter, they are out there too, but not really part of the game, just company along the road.

4 - I love the personal integrity the game anticipates in players.  It's no wonder so many business deals are won (and lost) on the golf course.

5 - I love the complexity, the club choice and shot decisions.

6 - There is no number six.

7 - I love the beauty of the game.  Every golf course, even the 'goat farm' tracts have their pretty views and are worth seeing. Many courses are really stunning.

8 - For some reason, I love going home thinking about the stinky shots I had and plotting out how I will practice to improve on those.

9 - I love the history of the game and hearing or reading stories about the game in times past.

10 - I love how good even crappy beer tastes on the 19th hole.  (This spot is available for good looking beer cart girls if the courses I play would get with it!)

[jefkve]

...the fresh air, the smell of the trees as you walk up to the tee box. The challenge of attempting to determine all the factors that will affect this next shot and how you will play it. The relaxed tension as you address the ball, and the sweet feeling of a smooth swing with good contact. The sight of the ball rising into the sky and the ansious aticipation of where its going....the joy and terror as you oscilate between "perfect" and "oops"....the joy of watching it land where you wanted, and the pleasure of strolling up to it while your good frineds head off into the woods....

Heck, and that was only 1 shot. I fear I may enjoy this game too much....

[gosly]

The feeling of a great shot is just too addictive .  Every rocket drive, every great approach, every smooth up and down, every ten foot putt.  I just need one more hit!

[Chanceman]

1. A good reason to get up every day.

2. Gets the blood running

3. Trying to get the best out of myself

4. The pure challenge

5. The occasional one great shot

6. Banter with the mates

7. The sheer beauty of most golf courses.

8. Playing a game that is hundred of years old

9. That you can play the same fairways and greens as Bobby Jones

10. It's a game I can share with my wife and son but unfortunately not my dad.

[dak4n6]

Never before have so few responded to a topic so deep for so long...

My main addiction is as a bunch of others have said - the sight, sound, and feel of a pured shot is simply the best in all of sports. It simply kicks the sh!t out of a double in the gap, a touchdown pass, a 3 pointer, a strike, a triple-20, an ace down the T, a personal best 10K, etc....hands down no contest. Score takes a back seat to this pursuit, I don't care if I lost $25 to my competitors, if I hit the ball pure during a round I'm at peace.

Plus, the connection between good ball striking and the condition of the mind/body/spirit (colloquially known as mojo, confidence, momentum, etc.) is mystical, alluring, compelling, and ungraspable (sorry my brain under the influence of 3 glasses of wine couldn't come up with anything better than ungraspable).

[SoundandFury]

My younger bro got me playing. Don't remember if we hit balls...I might of though. It was ugly and for me I said what a stupid game. Then my brother says u got to hit balls and play a par 3 track until u can get better. Oh gee did I start hitting balls. Wore my hands out. My two fav. courses in So Calif. so far is Los Verdes for its beauty. and peacefullnes/ no traffic noise (Shh fore on the T me )..definitely..not easy with many above but mostly below your feet lies for a right hander. Maybe there are some pics on line. Sky Links..its a shot makers course ....love the GPS system on there carts...best I have seen.. Golf to me is you against nature and some greens keeper trying to keep you from getting birds.

I'll agree that Los Verdes is by far the prettiest munie in LA, but good christ it's impossible for me to enjoy. Fivesomes, teeing off 25 mins after my tee time, people who don't speak English who could care less about making you wait 20 minutes per hole...I've played 4 times and I've never seen holes 11-18. Harding and Wilson have similar issues, but no where near as bad IMO.

[noSnowman]

Book Los Verdes earlier on golfzing and you will finish. I eagled 7 there driver 6 iron . Has some hard finishing holes 17 & 18 I think I heard lately, its at least a 6 hour round. Everyone I know don't like the course because of the sidehill lies and what you mentioned ;-) so its been about 2 years or more since I played it. I play heartwell par 3 track and on the weekend's its 5 hours so don't feel bad. I played with 5 people and we got done in 2 hours at heartwell.threw me off , I am not use to playing so quick

[JonMA1]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

8.  Playing poorly for most of a round (as in, "I should give up this game") then finishing strong to remind yourself that "Oh yeah, I effing love this game!"

10.  My absolute very favorite part of the game is playing a "perfect" hole.  As in, visualizing the tee shot and executing it just as planned, then likewise with the approach shot, and then giving the birdie putt a good roll right on my intended line.  If it falls in, great, but even if it doesn't and it leaves me a tap in par ... those are the most satisfying times for me on the course.

Exactly!

Also, learning the game and improving. Last year I wondered how better players can get so good that they know what club to pull and get the yardage they expect from it. I remember thinking, I'll never be able to do that. This year I'm finding out that it works even for a high handicapper if you have a decent swing.

Making those one or two shots per round that a pro would be satisfied with.

[inthehole]

From Iacas list:  1, 2 and 5 for me.     I'll add its the only sport I can still be respectable at with my bad back & blown out knees...

[inthehole]

Originally Posted by RetroJFrancisco

Also nothing better than being out on a beautiful warm still morning with the birds.

... except getting to the lake before first light, launching the boat & coasting into your favorite spot with the sun just peeking up over the horizon & mist rising on the water.    You just can't wait to throw that topwater bait (zara spook or buzzbait in my case) & wait for the pending surface explosion in the otherwise silence of the morning.      Too bad there's just not enough saturday mornings for both fishing and golf ...

[JZartman20]

1. Keeps your ego in check

2. Course architecture

3. Watching others

4. The apparent "simplicity" of the game

5. Good time with good people

> Top  reason - On the course, nothing else in life matters. All life's stress goes away standing on that first tee

[Meltdwhiskey]

I think because it is such a simple concept but so hard to do.  It really gives you something to work on and be into - if that's your personality.  Every sport has 'the zone' you can get into, but it seems magnified with golf.  When you've got it, you've really got it. And when you don't, it is terrible.

And the cart girls.