When and/or How Did Golf Become A Passion For You?

[Golfingdad]

So I'm totally plagiarizing a post from another thread that gave me the idea for this one, but what the heck ....

Originally Posted by iacas

How did it become a passion for you?

Cuz here's my story: I went with my cousin to his little nine-hole course when I was with my grandma for a week. I "drove" using an old 5-wood down the first fairway. I'm sure I whiffed, topped, and thinned several, but all I remember is seeing the ball fly. Then I chipped and putted, and I'm sure I hit poor shots there too, but I remember the good ones.

I was 14.

Mine goes something like this:  My dad took me to the pro shop of a local course when I was 9 or 10 and bought me a beginner set of Ram clubs.  It was the whole deal; woods (driver and 3 wood), irons (5, 7, and 9), a putter, and a tartan bag.  (I still have a couple of those clubs too ;))  I was so excited for everything.  A bag of tees, a sleeve of bright orange balls.  My dad didn't actually play back then, though.  My youngest memories of playing golf were at the local 9 hole, par 29 course with my mom and a friend of hers.  I can't say I remember any specific shots or scores from back then, but I remember the course itself, which was demolished a long time ago, very well.  From then on, my passion for the game fluctuated a bit here and there along with my skills, however it always trended upward, and somehow continues to do so.  (I'm scared of what may happen when my game starts to go south, but I'll not think about that now ;))

I'm curious to know everybody else's stories, and to see if, perhaps, there is any common thread there.

[Hammer 4]

Back in the early 90's. To give an idea just how much of a golf freak we were, my boss and I took the day off of work. We started at 8:am and played every exec, or par 3 course we could until 4pm. We have a bunch of those courses near by. Anyhow, IIRC we played 4 or 5 courses that day. And yes, I got payed for the day...lol

We would have done this every day if we could have, that's just how much we loved the game of golf. also back then I played at least 3-5 times a week, 18 hole courses though.

[RH31]

I broke my ankle and could no longer run well enough for softball,football,etc., and my brother got me into golf. I loved it from the start and played every chance I got from my mid

20's until about age 40 or so. My interest in playing the game left for the better part of a decade. I'm nearing retirement now and starting to get back into it.

[saevel25]

My dad started to take me and my brother out golfing every once in a while. I was about 13-14 years old at the time. I would play with a set of cut down irons and woods. From there it just grew into something I really liked to do with my dad. My dad and I would go golfing when we went down to Myrtle Beach as well. That use to be our yearly go to vacation spot for a good stretch during that time. It wasn't until high school when I wanted to make the golf team that I got serious about golf. That is when I got my Ping Eye 2 irons, started taking a few lessons, and really started practicing. By practicing I mean hitting LOTS of golf balls with out much specific intent on what I was working on. From there I developed my own consistently bad swing. Which was good enough to let me to shoot in the mid to upper 80's consistently. I was able to make the golf team my second try. It wasn't until these past 4 years that I really took to improving my game. Mostly because I was playing in golf leagues at work and wanted to get better. Really these past 4 years my drive for the game has only gotten stronger. I think the people here at The Sand Trap for that as well.

[MS256]

At 48 years old and having spent most of my life on a baseball field my son wanted me to go play golf with him. I had absolutely no interest in it and knew absolutely nothing about it so I made up the excuse that I didn't have any clubs.

A friend who happened to be at my house at the time chimed in and said he had a set of clubs in the trunk of his car that I could have. Fresh out of excuses we went out in the yard and hit some balls down across the hayfield.

Then we went over to a little rinky dink 9 hole course near our house and "played" my first ever round of golf. Hitting a ball that would go that far was a blast, and I was much better at it than I should have been, so I was pretty much hooked from the start.

I had no clue that the game was supposed to be hard (figured that out much later). I fully expected to be the best player out there after a few "practice sessions" and fully expected to be able to at least shoot par within a few weeks. That mindset made me feel like a total spastic every time I didn't make a par and also gave me the motivation to still be hitting balls out in the barn at midnight every night.

After all I knew some people that were good golfers, that shot around par, that had never beaten me in any sport we had ever played our entire lives. No way I was going to let them be better at this thing than I was. My mission in life became an obsession with shooting par and every single moment that I was awake, and not at work, I was either playing or hitting balls.

Looking back there are a million things I would have done differently with learning what a "golf swing" should look like topping the list. It was a fun ride just the same.

[cipher]

I was 10 years old when I first played.  My grandmother actually took me for the first time.  I loved it but I really never got the chance to live out the passion until a few years ago at the age of 30.  At 30 was when I really started to live out the passion and play the game more often.

[Hardballs]

I used to a play pitch and putt as a kid, then when a bit older friends and I would go to this 9 hole par 3 course, just for something to do, there was tons a of bad shots but the occasional good shot kept you coming back for more! Then when in my early 20's I tried a full size course, and really enjoyed it, and so it became a twice a month hobby for us all! Then in my mid twenties as my children were popping out, I really got into it! I just couldn't wait to leave my kids and their mum and just go out for a day golfing! It quickly became an escape route of an unhappy home life, I hated the woman I lived with, and golf made me forget what a miserable bitch I'd ended up with! I then played for 10 years once every wkend, it was bliss, I never had lessons, so didn't improve fast, but the freedom of being outdoors surrounded by beautiful scenic greenery was a huge contrast the dog face lazy bitch that sat in my home moaning about **** all! Eventually I left home, met a beautiful new wife, fell in love, and stopped playing for a few years, our baby was born nearly 2 years ago, and I was as happy as I've ever been! I started golf up again last year, and now regret getting married and having another child, they take up too much time! How am I suppose to improve when I gotta bath the baby most nights or cook dinner when I get home from work! Life sucks! But golf is the ying to that yang!

[Gerald Fritz]

I was about 14 years old, and my dad found me a set of golf clubs at a garage sale for $7. (Bag, driver, 3-wood, 3,5,7,9 irons and a putter. He took me to the driving range a couple times, and then to a small 9 hole course one summer and I really enjoyed actually having something that me and my dad could do together. I would usually play once or twice a year. Wasn't until I started working with a bunch of die hard golfers that I started getting really passionate about it. I will be turning 32 on April 26, and all I think about is golf. The old golf clubs Ive had are no more, and have since bought myself a complete set of Taylormade clubs. Now I got the gear, just need the game. Finally broke 100 last year, and after having lessons my confidence has gotten a lot higher. The one thing that saddens me now, is that my father is now disabled and can not play anymore. But he enjoys hearing me tell him about how I shot, the good shots, and loves hearing about my horrible shots (unfortunately thats what i talk about the most).

[rightdraw]

My dad took me out when I was pretty young 8 or 9, that I can remember. I started to really enjoy it when I was around 12 years old. I still played with my dad for the most part. He involved me any time he could. In my home town there was a back road to the course that I would ride a 4-wheeler to with the clubs strapped to the back so I could go play/practice. I used to shoot low 80s high 70s back in high school, but life events prevented me from playing and practicing a lot. I've recently been able to spend more time practicing and joined this site, so I guess I would call that my second time i've really gotten a passion for the game.

Really being able to spend time with my dad and have that common interest is what sparked my passion for the game, also those shots that just "suck you back in". The last few times I've played in my monthly league I've birdied the first hole. It just keeps sucking me back in.

[billchao]

From day 1, when I was 23. My mother-in-law's ex introduced me. He had been playing the game for a few years and wanted me to play, so he bought me an old set of Tommy Armour irons he found at a garage sale and brought me out to the driving range with him. That first range session went about as well as one could expect, but I flushed one or two balls that day and that was enough. I practiced a lot, read books and websites, and pretty much just dove right in after getting my feet wet. Funny thing is, my aunt and uncle out in Houston (when I lived there briefly) tried to introduce me to golf when I was 19, but I didn't even try one swing. I guess I was too busy worrying about looking like a fool to discover something that I would develop a true passion for. Talk about foolish. I have long since passed along that old set of clubs (4-PW, SW, putter, and a driver that someone else gave me) to a friend of mine to get him hooked, but to date, we have played five rounds in three years. I keep trying, but I guess not everyone catches the bug.

[boogielicious]

Similar to @MS256 ,

I started playing for real at 49 after years of bike racing (10+ years) and then coaching my sons teams (another 10+).  My body can't take the high intensity sports anymore.  I've always liked the sport, but played once every 5 years or so before that.  I joined my company league and got hooked.  Now I can play with my wife and friends too, which makes it a family sport.  Bike riding and racing are harder to do if your family doesn't like it.

[phillyk]

I have no idea when my dad first put a plastic golf club in my hand, but it was when I was 5ish.  The first time that I really started playing on teams was a pre-high 9-hole team that I joined when I was 13.  So, I definitely played before then but very occasionally.  Through high school, I got passionate enough, but only to a certain level since I was still learning my capabilities.  I was denied from college golf for reasons I don't want to go into here, but it gave me motivation to be better than they thought I was, and I hope to prove that to them soon.  Yes it's an immature grudge, but I'm mainly motivated because i know I can be a fantastic golfer.  I see the potential progress i make everyday!  My next HC handicap update will be around a +2, but I can feel that it's only the beginning.  So, I guess at 23 (what I an now) is when I've truly built a passion and love for this game.