Does Life Ever Get In The Way of Your Golf?

[Topper]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

Unless you play golf for a living, golf is recreational activity that ranks below family and career which seem to have a way of taking up most of the time you are awake and even some of while you sleep.  If you plan to have a career and a family that you're a loving part of get used to life getting in the way of golf.  I'd guess that's why most people take golf up seriously when their kids are grown and they are close to retirement.

TRUTHINESS!

I had to take a 1/2 day vacation on Friday to get my first full round in almost 6 weeks.  We had another typical weekend, 2 birthday parties on Friday night, First Communion on Saturday morning (normally soccer), family brunch most of the afternoon (about 100 people) , Sunday morning Church service, Sunday afternoon choir performance for one of my daughters.  Maybe next weekend?

[k-troop]

Is it wrong if I talked my wife into having only one child because I don't want to trade tee times for youth soccer practice?

I kid.  Sort of....

[newtogolf]

Not wrong if you both agreed to it and are happy with the decision.  I have a lot of respect for married couples that are honest enough to admit they are selfish and choose not to have any kids.  I love my children and enjoy the time I spend with them immensely but not everyone is meant to be a parent and I'd rather see people opt not to have kids than to have them and resent or abuse them (no reference to k-troop here at all).

Originally Posted by k-troop

Is it wrong if I talked my wife into having only one child because I don't want to trade tee times for youth soccer practice?

I kid.  Sort of....

[Valleygolfer]

Well I am going through a divorce, happily. It does free me to play more golf, I still spend half the week with my daughter and I have more sex now. I have to say being married is only for some people and there are others like me who are much happier on there own. I get in 9 holes sometimes 18 if I get to the course by 5-530 MWF and almost always play 18 every Sunday. I think that is enough but somehow I think I would like to play more....

[caniac6]

I get to play nine holes a lot during the week, and only play weekends if we don't have any plans. If I do play on the weekend, I only play one day. I love golf, but golf never comes before family.

[AmazingWhacker]

Classes and tests!  Holy cow man - you have no idea what's in store for you, lol.

Between my job, my wife who makes plans for every weekend and my 2 year old daughter - I am lucky to play once a month.  I put up a net in my garage just so I could swing my clubs on a regular basis.

I never blow off family for golf but work - sometimes yes.  At least a few times a year I blow off work and go play golf.

[GJBenn85]

All the time.  Between classes, work, other interests, and other obligations, I rarely have time to golf.  I have averaged one round per month this year and only been to the range about 4 times.  The only reason I am even able to take lessons right now is the fact that I am only able to take half of my normal course load due to my remaining courses not being offered every term.

[Topper]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

Not wrong if you both agreed to it and are happy with the decision.  I have a lot of respect for married couples that are honest enough to admit they are selfish and choose not to have any kids.  I love my children and enjoy the time I spend with them immensely but not everyone is meant to be a parent and I'd rather see people opt not to have kids than to have them and resent or abuse them (no reference to k-troop here at all).

Exactly.

I love my family for sure, but my wife and I admit that "us" time and "me" time is extremely limited.  You need to appreciate the trade-offs that are necessary to be responsible parents.  Although my wife isn't that into golfing, she certainly has other interests that she wishes she has more time to do.  Although I don't consider myself a "slouch" with respect to being a father, my wife is absolutely amazing in her dedication as a mother.  Probably only fitting to acknowledge that given it's so close to Mother's Day.

I will keep fitting golf into my busy schedule as best I can.  Who knows, maybe one of my daughters will take an interest in golf?

[inthehole]

So far, golf gets in the way of my life.    House is a mess, laundry is piling up, lawn needs mowed BAD, couple tree's need cut down, eating out too much ... golf obsession involves 2 or 3 nights a week & weekends ... everything else is going undone.    All this and fishing season hasn't even started yet ...

[aconder]

Originally Posted by Topper

My busy schedule is one of the reasons that I prefer golfing in bad weather...wind, rain, or cold.  Bad weather keeps the "light-weights" off the course so I can play more golf in whatever amount of time that I have.

Topper - I can't agree more with this statement.  I can't' remember the last time that I played on a day that was perfect for golf.  I too try to find days (or they are the only days I have available) where the weather is cloudy and cooler or it is so blazing hot that no one else is on the course.  I can make it around the course faster and that is usually the only way I can play 18 holes.

[Aquaguru]

Yes, going to grad school to get my doctorate in physical therapy is pretty demanding, plus the family and fiance.  We always have atleast one event going on every week.  Luckily though the guys get to go out every Sunday for the most part and play 18.  Very thankful for this because it just makes for a good rest of the week.

[walk18]

Not wrong if you both agreed to it and are happy with the decision.  I have a lot of respect for married couples that are honest enough to admit they are selfish and choose not to have any kids.  I love my children and enjoy the time I spend with them immensely but not everyone is meant to be a parent and I'd rather see people opt not to have kids than to have them and resent or abuse them (no reference to k-troop here at all).

That's a bit harsh to call childless couples selfish. As you even went on to say, it's certainly not for everyone, and we are all entitled to live our lives the way we choose. My wife and I have agreed we'd be miserable raising kids, so why would we? Depending on the context and point of view, it can be argued that having kids is selfish. I'm not taking either side, but it's good to look at things from different perspectives sometimes.

[newtogolf]

I didn't mean selfish in a bad sense and apologize if I offended anyone.  I meant selfish in the sense that they know what they want and that kids don't fit into their plans.  We're all selfish to a degree so no way was I saying those of us with kids are less selfish.  My best friend and his wife chose not to have kids and they are the most generous people I know.  They just decided that they wanted to do a lot things in their life and being parents wasn't one of them.

Originally Posted by walk18

That's a bit harsh to call childless couples selfish. As you even went on to say, it's certainly not for everyone, and we are all entitled to live our lives the way we choose. My wife and I have agreed we'd be miserable raising kids, so why would we? Depending on the context and point of view, it can be argued that having kids is selfish. I'm not taking either side, but it's good to look at things from different perspectives sometimes.

[Topper]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

I didn't mean selfish in a bad sense and apologize if I offended anyone.  I meant selfish in the sense that they know what they want and that kids don't fit into their plans.  We're all selfish to a degree so no way was I saying those of us with kids are less selfish.  My best friend and his wife chose not to have kids and they are the most generous people I know.  They just decided that they wanted to do a lot things in their life and being parents wasn't one of them.

I knew what you were saying!

On another note, I was taking my kids to school this morning and it was 57F with a light, steady rain.  One of my daughters says in a nonchalant tone, "Dad, it's a good day for golf."  It made me laugh because she was right.

[NM Golf]

Originally Posted by walk18

That's a bit harsh to call childless couples selfish. As you even went on to say, it's certainly not for everyone, and we are all entitled to live our lives the way we choose. My wife and I have agreed we'd be miserable raising kids, so why would we? Depending on the context and point of view, it can be argued that having kids is selfish. I'm not taking either side, but it's good to look at things from different perspectives sometimes.

I don't think it's selfish at all. All people should have the right to figure out what is important to them. If kids do not fit into the lifestyle you want to live then don't have any. It's not wrong to not have children. I hate the thought that all families have to be the Cleavers. I hate the thought that you have to get married, have 3 kids, and then spend every waking moment either working or doing family things for the next 40 years or you are a deviant. Different strokes for different folks.

While I wanted children I did not want more than one because I knew more than one child would mean an end to my golf game or my children would suffer. My mother and father made the same choice, they were busy people so they only had one child. Its a trade off, I have enough time to be a good father and a good golfer. I also chose a profession that was golf friendly. No 60 hour weeks for me, I am a teacher/administrator. I am off by 3 during the school year and have summers and weekends free to play. I can make every soccer game and still have time to get in at least 18 holes. I know it seems odd to some that I made so many life choices with golf in mind but that's the way I am. I love golf, I would not be happy being a "recreational" once a month player.

My first wife gave me an ultimatum to play less golf or she was leaving, I showed her the door. My current wife is much more understanding of my golf, although she knows what happened to wife #1.

Like I said in my first post I have given up everything in my life but family, work, and golf. I do nothing but those three things, and I am a happy guy ans so is my family.

[bwdial]

Originally Posted by sebsmash

I HATE it when life ruins my fun.

For instance, none of my friends want to go golfing with me this month because they all have the same important tests that I do next week and would rather be on facebook than study all week so they can't golf with me on the weekends.

Another, rather more annoying event occurred recently, today at 10:42 AM to precise.

I have been saving up for new set of irons for a while and this morning I got to my car at lunch and guess what I found?

I nice  ing parking ticket! I guess I am waiting an extra week for my new clubs.

I hate it when real life ruins my fun!

Does anyone else have similar stories?

Hope its not just me.

-Seb

I'm currently working as a freelance writer, which sounds great, except that my wife works full time, so I have to watch our nearly eleven month old daughter during the day.  Sure, we could send her to daycare, but that would be an unnecessary drain on our finances and to date, she's only been sick once.  Right now, I'm in graduate school to get a masters in teaching.  Oh, and we've got triplets on the way.

Yeah... it's not just you.  But, I wouldn't trade it for the world.

[Topper]

Originally Posted by NM Golf

Like I said in my first post I have given up everything in my life but family, work, and golf. I do nothing but those three things, and I am a happy guy ans so is my family.

Nothing wrong with that!  Same here although I'm in a squeeze for golf time.

I'm a little excited because I'm scheduling our family vacation because my wife and I are both a little burned out from work and family stuff.  I've picked a secluded lakeside cottage in the Adirondack Mountains with crappy cell phone coverage (intentional!) and a short drive to two very nice golf courses.  She already knows I'm golfing every morning.  After that, I'll do whatever the kids want....except horseback riding.   I don't care too much for large farm animals.

Damn.  I noticed the cottage doesn't have air conditioning.  That won't fly with the wife and kids whose idea of camping is the Marriott.  No problem....a portable AC unit will fix that.  I'm hiding in the Adirondacks and golfing every day during vacation and no stinking air conditioning (or lack thereof) is getting in my way.