Been a really, really long time since I played, and am nervous to just go out on busy course and swing away (and messup horribly). Advice?

[HawkNballs]

That's a great idea, Dicej.  It doesn't get any cheaper than that!

[mdlee3]

Don't worry about keeping score the first few times you play. It may work to help relieve any pressure you might unintentionally place upon yourself while you're getting used to moving the ball down the fairway again.

And don't feel bad if you play bad.

I've been playing off and on for 20 years. I've yet to break 100 but I still go out there and have a good time. (Lessons are in the works for this winter hopefully)

Stick with it and you'll eventually break 100. I've been playing for 15 years and before this year had only broken 100 twice, both times were a 96. This year, I changed something with my swing and I'm hitting the ball a lot better and I've broken 100 in 12 straight rounds now. My best is a 94 and my worst is a 99, but I made a beautiful approach shot to save bogey after a penalty to break 100 that round.

[Joe Mama]

Don't take lessons. Don't buy new clubs, yet. Buy a 5 x 5 hitting mat ($400, the cost of a couple of new clubs) and an 8 x 10 net for your garage. Buy a five dozen 40-cent balls. Watch videos online that you found by googling topics such as golf grip, stance, backswing, whatever. Take what you learn to the garage or driving range. Go to a golf course that offers an all you can hit range plan. At any point while you're learning, go to an 18 hole course to play; take the cheap balls with you. Rent a cart, because it will take up to much time to travel to all your mis-hit balls if you walk, and your playing partners will be annoyed. Tell your playing partners you plan not to search for balls that travel into problems areas, that you will drop one nearby on the fairway, and that you will pick up your ball whenever your stroke count on any hole reaches eight. This way, you will never have to be shamed by delaying the game, and your playing partners will in its you back.. Don't take lessons. Most instructors just talk, rather than show. You can learn most of what you need by teaching yourself with the aid of Google, and by watching better players at the driving range.

[Joe Mama]

Replace your 3-6 irons with hybrids. They are more forging than irons.

[late347]

maybe replace 1-4 irons with hybrids

9,8, are pretty much short irons as they are defined.

7,6,5, are pretty much mid irons as they are defined

you can hit mid irons and short irons, hopefully.

[Joe Mama]

I meant "forgiving," not "forging." Darn auto spell check and correct.

[Joe Mama]

I meant to write, "your playing partners will ask you back," not "will in its back." I will try to proof read more carefully in the future.

[Divotmaker77]

Repeating others here, but most folks I know do not mind playing with a bad player or someone who has not played much as long as that person has fun and does not take themselves too seriously.  More importantly, play fast and pick up your ball when it is time to.  Nothing worse than playing with someone who thinks they should swing like Tiger and moan and groan all over the course all the while playing 10 shots per hole.  Some of the funnest rounds I have played are with folks who stink at the game but have a lot of fun and they know when it is time to pick their ball up.

Golf is a very tough game and I think most reasonable folks know that not everyone has the time or money to go to the range all the time and play 3-4 times a week.  I do know some who are golf snobs and refuse to play with anyone that is not a single digit player but I hate playing with those folks anyway because they take themselves way too seriously and are not as good as they think they are.