OK... so I am one of "those guys" who made fun of the game my entire life. After playing football, baseball, rugby, tennis, racquetball and sailing for almost my entire life, I just couldn't see what the big deal about hitting a little white ball could be.
It didn't help that my little sister (10 years younger) is an LPGA teaching pro- as she loved to tell me that the game was much harder than it looked, and I was afraid to find out!
Last summer, I was coaxed into playing a high school reunion golf tournament (35th!!!) and bought a cheap set of lefty clubs. I figured that since I hit lefty in baseball (although I am a natural righty) that I would hit with more power. I could. Only as you can guess...my three trips to the range before the tournament yielded lots of length...with NO CONTROL!
My sister convinced me to play righty (she is a natural lefty who plays righty), so I traded my crappy used lefty set, for a crappy used righty set, and played the tournament...thankfully it was a 4-man scramble...so I couldn't really hurt anyone. Had a blast.
Cut to Christmas...my wife and kids decided that I am hard to shop for, and rather than get me books or tools or clothes, got me a gift certificate for clubs, lessons and all other sorts of golf stuff at our local (and amazing) pro shop, Fiddler's Green.
Bought some clubs...took some lessons...spent the first month at the range five days a week...bought some more clubs...started hitting the course 4-5 times a week...and am now compeletely addicted.
I have continued the pace of 4-5 times a week since March...and have whittled my handicap down to a 17.9. As we live in Oregon, I am already dreading the long, cold, wet winter....and have stated that I am not going to be one of "those idiots who golfs in rain storms," but fear that I may have no choice but to become a "range rat" that pops out every time the sun shows it's face, or at least breaks the clouds enough to coax me from my office.
What a wonderful game! I only regret I didn't start sooner...although I'm not certain I could have afforded the time or expense when I was younger.
Nice site! Nice place to hang when I can't be outside playing!