getting your wife/gf involved...

[-BAMA-]

i took my wife to play a quick 9 with me last week because i had nobody else to go with me (it was midweek) and she has never played and we were both off work so i figured.. why not??

i mainly just let her drive the golf cart... well when we got to my 2nd shot on the 6th hole, we were about 90 yards from the front of the green and she asked if she could "try" to hit one...

i figured since the course was deserted (it was cold and during a weekday) i'd let her have at it... gave her a 9 iron and walked her through the steps to a proper swing..

she addressed the ball.. took the ugliest swing i have ever seen in my life (reminds me of a 2 year old swinging a plastic club) and knocked the ball all the way to the fringe.

she got so excited about it that she now wants to take up golf and play with me more during the summer.

we went to target to look for her a set of cheap starter PINK clubs... she actually seems very interested in it... shes already talking about buying some "pretty" golf shoes and a "cute" golf outfit to wear on the course...

have i made a mistake here?? or will it pan out allright? have any of you guys gotten your wives involved in this sport?

keep in mind i dont play golf to get away from her.. i play cause i love to play.. i would love her to come with me sometimes but her swing is so ugly shes bound to get discouraged if she doesnt do well on a full round of golf... i will get her some lessons.. but i think the main reason she wants to play is so she can dress like paula creamer and hang out with me more often...

[Bo the Golfer]

Just having my wife dress up like Paula Creamer would get a quick go for it out of me....yummy!

[M2daRizzle]

my girl did the same thing. Im pretty sure she only did it for the close and her pink clubs and bag. Shes actually getting a lot better and already beat one of my buddies on a par3 course and she has also gotten her first par since starting back in august. I have fun with it and dont mind her playing with me at all.

[PiKapp23]

Oh, what a path you're about to embark on...

I have tried to teach a few girls to play over the years and it has never gone well. There is a fine line between 'teaching' and 'arguing'. Definitely get her a lesson or two immediately. Then provide input and help, but not too much. Don't criticize - try to always be positive, but at the same time don't become condescending.

A husband and wife I play with a lot get along great on the course as long as he is playing well - at that point he just lets her play and helps when she asks. However, when his game tanks he becomes a real SOB to her.

Probably the best thing you can do is find either a couple that plays or a group of women that she can play with so that she has peers to play with besides just you. It will be good for your relationship. When you play with her just be patient and positive and remember that her idea of fun on the course may not be the same as yours.

I've played with a number of ladies over the years and enjoy it a lot. They often seem to have more fun and just enjoy the experience more than most men.

[scottevans77]

A little advice, DO NOT try to teach her yourself. Get her some lessons. I've taken my wife to the range with me a couple of times and she always has fun, but she hasn't expressed a desire to take the game up herself. She does say she wants to go watch me play, which is fine, could use the company on those rare days when I can't find one of my friends to play with.

[-BAMA-]

i see what you're getting at and that wont happen with me. i never get aggarvated on the course.. even when im playing awful.. it still beats sitting at home watching tv.

and i will get her some lessons.. im in no shape to teach her how to play...

my best friend's mom and dad play together every weekend.. i'll probably call them up and have my wife go along with us so she can see how she plays.

[scottevans77]

Sounds like you've got it all laid out pretty well. Good luck. If it works out well, you've got yourself a playing partner for life.

[og512]

I tried it wth my fiance. She was making a concious effort to spend some quality time other than dinner and movies and being at home. She went to the range a few times and enjoyed herself. I tried to teach her some basics and fundamentals but we both got frustrated and it seemed like she was having more fun just hacking away and that's what was important. So I got her a loaner club and let her be.

I got her to hit the course with me a few times. She didn't want to hit any balls but she liked driving the cart did want to putt. So I got her a putter from Wal-Mart and when I get on the green. She'll grab a ball and toss it on the green and putt from whereever it lands. She's actually a pretty good putter, much better at it than I am.

Good luck and most importantly, have fun.

[Doctorfro]

When weather is not too hot or cold my wife will walk 9 with me once a week (sometimes twice). 16 years ago she hit a hole in one so she holds that over my head. She is not bad for someone who doesn't work at it at all. She hits a power fade (my son likes to call it that although sometimes it's a slice). But every once in a while she'll catch one on the screws and straight and that's enough to bring her back. We are really encouraging her to get some instruction. I think with a little help she could get fairly decent. Never give your wife advice or try to teach. That's a recipe for divorce court. Having your wife/gf play is not a bad thing.

[Surefire]

No reason it won't pan out just fine!

Watch out in the golf store if she gets into it though. You'll go in to buy a pack of tees and come out with some tees and a complete outift she bought, including new shoes and socks, because "the old ones won't match this outfit!"

I know what you mean about the pink too. My Mrs has a pink and silver Nike back, Cleveland CG pink irons, and a Yes putter complete with pink grip and headcover, not to mention the various bits of clothing and shoes!

Maybe I'll put a pic up of all the pink one day.

[watso1tr]

this was my girlfriends first summer of consistantly golfing. our club offered a couples league so we signed up. dispite playing with a lot of "older couples" we both had a great time, although she was frustrated most of the time, she took it upon herself to go to the range to practice more. we're looking forward to it again next year to defend our title!

[imtomtomim]

I'm not as lucky as you guys as to get the lady out there. She's come to try to play with me 2 times, only once, she made it around 9 holes. The first time, she actually walked around the whole course with me, hit the balls and played the game but she was so discouraged that she had trouble hitting the ball. The second time, she teed up on the first hole, duffed it, and then said she didn't want to play and decided to go to the gym. I'm pretty regular at the course so I didn't pay yet and he told me to stop in after the round so I didn't lose her green's fee. I really wish she had a chance to learn how to swing which would let her enjoy the game so much more. It's also tough because I've only been playing for close to a year now and developed a pretty athletic and consistant swing (all due to my obsession of the sport) fairly quickly, which is pretty discouraging for her to be playing with. I can only dream that I get a chance and the time to teach her the love for the game and take her along. For now, she'll have to remain a golf widow.

[meenman]

we went to target to look for her a set of cheap starter PINK clubs... she actually seems very interested in it... shes already talking about buying some "pretty" golf shoes and a "cute" golf outfit to wear on the course...

word of advice - do NOT buy the pink clubs. It only took 2 months for my wife to decide that she needed some *real* clubs and that it was a mistake to buy the pink ones.

[clubhousehero]

I've taken my gf onto the course twice for an employee outing and the range a few times before each outing and once or twice just to get out. she seems to like it and gets real excited when she hits one good so i am hoping she takes it up seriously. right now, on the course, i just hand her a 6 iron and play my ball while she hits her ball about 50 yards at a time down the fairway. It's really no slower than walking, maybe faster because she will never lose/look for a ball that way (unless she has to carry water).

She does enjoy putting though.

[Surefire]

word of advice - do NOT buy the pink clubs. It only took 2 months for my wife to decide that she needed some *real* clubs and that it was a mistake to buy the pink ones.

You can get *real* pink clubs, just like the Cleveland CG Pinks (Basically womens versions of the CG Red or Gold with pink insert instead of red or gold) I mentioned in my earlier post, and the womens Yes putters have an option with pink grips and headcover.

[flap]

About 10 years ago I put the both of us in the Pinehurst golf school for a week.They taught her the basics of the game and got her hooked.We wound up golfing partners every week and all our vacations are golf vacations.So yes by all means get her hooked and you will not regret it at all.

[drewdown]

I wouldn't want my wife involved, golf is my thing that I do with my friends and my dad. Not my wife or my mom. She understands that and has no desire to play.

[MonkeyClaw]

My wife ended up with a lot of pink things too, just because that's what's available to women. It's like there's a bunch of male designers who decide everything for the ladies must be pink.

Now that she's outgrown the ladies clubs, she can't get ANYTHING in pink. There aren't a lot of regular or stiff shafts in pink, and the standard 'ladies' clubs are only good for slow swing speeds.

My wife and I play as much as possible, sometimes as much 72 holes in a weekend in the summer. It's a great way to spend time together.