What kind of golfer are you?

[k-troop]

I'm new here, but from the looks of things we have weekend hackers, good amateurs, golf-industry folks, aspiring tour pros, and teachers on this forum.  Take a few minutes and tell us what kind of golfer you are.

I started playing golf with my dad when I was 11.  Started beating him when I was 12.  Became obsessed with the game when I was 13 or 14.

Played in highschool.  We had a decent team that competed at region and state level every year.  I was always a solid #2 or #3 on the team.  Was on a college golf team for 3 semesters, but I was never really good enough to play with those guys.  I hated the experience of failing miserably every day at a game that I had been obsessed with for most of my life, so I quit at 20 and didn't touch a club for 3 years.  My first round back--true story--was with my dad at Cedar Creek in San Antonio, and I shot 74.  Why the heck had I stayed away so long???

Now, at 36, I'm obsessed with golf.  My best buddies are all golfers.  We take trips together to Cabo and for watch-and-play weekends at major championships.  I spent a year in post-grad from 2009-2010 and I played 120 rounds that year.  Since I got married (2 years ago) and had a baby (8 months ago) I can only play about once a weekend, and it kills me.

I think about golf most of the week, and replay shots and holes--good and bad--for days after.  If I shoot a good score, I'm immediately text my buds and tell them all about it.  I've told five-minute stories about a single golf shot.  My buddies rip me about it but I just don't care--none of those dudes can beat me anyway.

[GJBenn85]

Currently a weekend hacker but making efforts to improve.  When I really focus, I can often place the ball where I want it.  Biggest problem is my mental game which is very easily influenced by distractions, bad shots, etc.

I only started playing in February of this year so I do not have much of a story, but I'm not that much worse than many other people that have been playing their entire lives.

[RPMPIRE]

Right now, I'm a weekend hacker, but with an injury and a new baby with another on the way, I'm merely a golf fantatic with aspirations to continue playing.

I started playing golf in my junior year of college when I started taking a class and was hooked immediately. Bought my own set, kept making shadow swings at home and went to the range everytime I can while playing a 9 or 18 hole round when I could afford it on my college budget.

After a couple of years and dropping my paintball hobby, I focused mainly on golf and even tried a few handicap flighted tournaments. Won my first one and came in second and fourth place in my next two tourneys. I had aspirations of advancing to amateur tournaments, with small aspirations of turning pro or even becoming an PGA instructor, until I was injured with a bulging disc middle of 2010. Since then, I've been nursing the injury and even after I healed up, I was blessed with a new baby boy and my focus turned mostly to my family. Right now, I've only played about 5 or 6 rounds since the birth of my son early this year and with an upcoming baby, looks like the rounds will dwindle a little next year. I still love golf and still work on my swing, but I look forward to teaching golf with my son and new one on the way. Maybe I'll work on getting a 3rd child so I can have a full foursome in a decade...

[wildebeest]

I'm brand-spankin' new to the game, having started about a month and a half ago, but I feel like I'm taking to it quite well. I try to play at least twice a week and get to the range whenever possible. It helps that we have a heated and covered range here in town so I can hit when all the courses close down. I'm trying to use the rest of this year as practice and experimentation to see what works and what doesn't, then apply that in the Spring so I can work on becoming a legitimate player. Right now I'm sitting at a 14.9 index, which I assume is on the good side of average after reading some posts here about it. I played baseball and ice hockey for most of my life and I took golf up as an individual pursuit since the town I currently live in doesn't have a rink within 100 miles and the MSBL league is jammed full of players and has no room for a decade-removed-from-juco-mediocrity utility infielder. It's nice to be able to pick up and play whenever without having to rely on teammates or pickup players showing up.

I walk the course whenever possible since I feel like it gives me more time to think about my next play and it helps me really get a feel for the course. The few times I've carted it, it seems like I went into jackass mode and it sped my process up and it made me lose focus. Plus, walking 3 miles with 40 pounds of equipment on your back is decent exercise.

[GaijinGolfer]

Id describe myself as a, "good amateur".  I play golf for fun and for the challenge but Im not at a level where I depend on playing well to put food on the table.  I work on my game almost every day, play golf at least 3 times a week and I can shoot pretty low when I get hot and I do play in some local tournaments from time to time but by no means do I think Id last 5 minutes on tour.

[sean_miller]

http://thesandtrap.com/t/33228/golf-resume-whats-yours

[BuckeyeNut]

die hard

[zipazoid]

Incurable.

[Otis32]

Prodigal son.

Returning to the game after a 20-year stint in purgatory where I was lucky to play 3 or 4 rounds of scramble golf a year. Rediscovering the game and all that is good about it. Got in 20+ rounds this year. Broke 90 several times after mid-summer and despite a lot of inconsistency peaked with a solid 84 a couple weeks back. Intend to double my rounds next year and hope scoring in the 80's becomes the common theme. Ultimate goal is to break 80 in the next 18-months before I turn 50.

[awmgolfer]

Can't get enough. I played casually up until 4 years ago when I got hired to coach the varsity golf team. Since then I have become very serious. Next year I plan to start competing in some state amateur tournaments, don't have the handicap to win one yet but should get down a few more points next year and that will put me being competitive which is all I want, just to have a good time playing at a decent level. I also spend a lot of time coaching and working with our golf pro so I do a fair amount of instruction, mainly with youth. Overall as my wife would say I am a golf addict...and proud of it..lol.

[Divotmaker77]

Started in my late 20's and have been playing for around 6 years now.  Practice often and play 1-2 times a week.  Just love to challenge myself in a sport that I can play as I age more and is sort of my new athletic conquest since my other sports days are behind me.  Have made remarkable improvement the past 2 years after years of bad golf. Have shot in the high 70's and then turnaround and shoot in the high 90's. Mental part of my game is weak and I struggle with my shortgame (mainly chipping).  Really learning how to manage a course and realizing how important short game skills need to be.  All in all, I am addicted and always come back even when I feel like quitting.  Goal is to get into the single digits possibly at the end of next year. For anyone who is new or struggling to score better, WORK ON YOUR SHORTGAME and do not make the mistake I did and spend 90% of your time on the range.

[SpannersReady]

I'm a football golfer. (soccer if you must)

I started as winger in my teens with bags of pace. Then I settled into a striker role with shorter burts of speed. as injuries from sport and military service piled up I found myself dropping into a more midfield role into my mid twenties. suddenly in my late 20's I found that the young footballers suddenly had far more pace so I got pushed into a more defensive midfield role and then centre back. This year just before turning 31 I found that really my correct position is on the golf course.

Started in July and I can't believe I only just discovered this game. I've never liked a game so much. just broke 100 this month and done it once more since. However my last round was 109. sad face.

[inthehole]

Been playing a bit over a year now - started at 46.     Totally obsessed - played 71 times this year to date + countless range sessions.     I like how measurable improvement is in golf ... I think thats what appeals to me.      In golf, rewards are epic, failures are fleeting ... I think thats what draws me to it.     Like you, I log my stats & ponder them for days trying to figure out what I did right & wrong ... and where I need improvement (being an engineer doesn't help).

[Bo the Golfer]

Weekend hacker. Love the game but with wife, full time job, and 8 & 2 year old daughters I only play 9 holes a week. I try to get to the range a couple of nights a week. Shoot everything between 42 and 50 for 9 and 85 to 100 for 18 so I know the potential is there I just clearly need to play and practice more.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by wildebeest

I'm brand-spankin' new to the game, having started about a month and a half ago, but I feel like I'm taking to it quite well . . .

Umm, yeah no kidding. I'd never have guessed you were that new to the game when looking at your "my swing" thread. Kudos!!

[wildebeest]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Umm, yeah no kidding. I'd never have guessed you were that new to the game when looking at your "my swing" thread. Kudos!!

Thanks! I hope I keep improving... hopefully I don't plateau at 15

[TourSpoon]

Golf addict...

Started playing in college, worked in the industry for a golf sportswear company, was laid off as company liquidated, went to grad school and worked at course with my brother.  Joined PGA Apprentice program as plan B, finished grad school and went to work as brother became asst. pro, applied for amateur status, ran a summer golf camp for 3 years, was asst high school golf coach for 2, took 10 years off to raise kids, came back a few years ago and hung around a couple of months, came back 18 months ago and have been pretty serious. Moved handicap from 8.3 to a low of 4.9, still trying to get one of my kids to want to play (they are both hard core jocks, daughter plays volleyball, and son is a lacrosse beast).  This morning I practiced short game at a course on the way to work, haven't worn a glove since 93 when Tour Wraps came out, obsess about specs and loft spacing, bent my short irons one degree weak to get gaps right, just picked up a new 3 wood, thinking about a Winn lite grip for the driver ski can get more swingweights, can't help myself, office has pictures, 2 Bens, 2 Jacks, 1 Greg with Jack, 1 Freddy, and a Tiger, probably need medication!

[Shot 1]

I started hacking at it at the age of 5, (1958). I was lucky that my Uncle worked or hung out ALOT at the muni course, so I was with him most of the time and learned the game.

Played off and on thru the grade school yrs and then quit totally until college. I was on football scholarship and got hurt and ending my dreams of making alot of $. I took up with the "golf professor" and got back into the game with a passion. Played in SE area tourneys and did ok for awhile but lost the passion, ( burn out was my generation's term).

Quit playing again until after marraige. Started back playing 2-4 times a week with my buds for many years ...until mid life showed up and I quit for 10 yrs. I played once a yr at a reunion tourney.

After this passed I picked them sticks up again and play couple times a week now. I shoot in the 50ties to 60ties ....any colder than that and I stay at home....{8^ ].

I presently carry a 7.4 hdcp, and  ENJOY  every game......good or bad. I figure the rest of my Life is gettin to short to be gettin my blood pressure up over a game!

I'll Hit'em till I pass on out of this world.............Happy Holidays