How did you get started in golf?

[Liberty Ball Markers]

I recently had the opportunity to give a little bit back to the game, and it brought back a lot of good memories from when I started. I thought this might be a good place to share how we got hooked.

 

I was in high school - 1986. A good friend of mine lived on the country club, played on the school golf and tennis teams, and drove a nice car. I drove an old clunker, and grew up in an $8000 house. Not a typo - $8000.

 

So... Chad asked if I would like to learn to play. Of course, I had no equipment, nor any money to buy it. We were at his house at the time, and his Dad overheard. He said "we have a family membership at the country club - I'll tell Mike (the pro) to add you to it. I just got new clubs, so you can use my old ones. If you like 'em, keep 'em." They became my 1st set - Wilson FG 17 blades.

 

That weekend, Chad was going to take me to the course to play my 1st round of golf. I got to his house in jeans and a t-shirt (all I had). Again, his Dad chimed in "you'll need slacks and a collared shirt to play - gonna need shoes, gloves, and other stuff too." Before I could chime in with a response, he said "Chad, just take him to the pro shop and get a few outfits and some shoes - have Mike put it on my tab." I told him I couldn't afford all this stuff, and he said "it won't cost anything - they'll just put it on my tab."

 

So, we go do some shopping, and I spent the next 3 years posing as part of their family at the nicest course in town without paying a dime for any of it.

 

Needless to say, I was hooked, and would have never been able to start if they hadn't helped.

 

30 years later, after playing during my college years, quitting to raise kids, then getting right back to it, I finally have the chance to help the golf team at a local high school (mostly low-income kids who want to play but can't afford equipment). Being a putter ho, I've been able to build up some custom putters for them, and being a ball hunter, I've been able to donate about 1000 balls to practice with. Once they have a final team assembled next week, I'm going to make a personalized ball marker for each of them.

 

 

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[tony@CIC]

What a great story and experience.

 

I started playing at 63 - wish I started at 6. We live adjacent to the club and when they're hosting the annual women's collegiate golf events we host some of the ladies at our house. It's a great experience especially since some of them are from Thailand and English is not their first language.

 

 

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[Liberty Ball Markers]

I wish I hadn't taken such a long break myself! No regrets, as work and kids had to come 1st.

 

I'm one of those 'holic guys. If I'm gonna smoke, it's 2 packs a day. Not a 2 beers after work guy either... couldn't have played golf once a month, just a disaster waiting to happen - I just can't work that way.

 

At least I'm all clear now, so my golf addiction can thrive!

 

I'm also glad to hear that you are able to give back. I believe that we all have our own ways to help others and share this game that we love.

 

 

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[Kenny B]

I was on a 2-week business trip in 1990 near Pleasanton, CA, and we had the Sunday before the second week off.  Several of the guys I worked with played golf and they had 7 players; they needed one more for two 4-somes.  Nobody had clubs so we all had to rent clubs.  The course had 8 sets but one was left-handed, and nobody was a lefty.  We had to rent it anyway, and we used clubs from the other bags.  I beat the ball around the course, had a lot of fun, and when I got home, I started looking for a place to play.  I was playing competitive volleyball and softball, but at 44 I was getting pretty sore after each game.  I thought golf would be a lot easier on the body.  I didn't take up the game until a year later.  I wish I had started with the game when I got out of school.

[BIG STU]

I was lucky I was born into it. My Dad ran a course and we lived literally in the middle of it so I have been around it all my life. Alien that is a wonderful story. My Dad did the same thing for kids running a public course he would donate equipment to under privilaged kids.

Your story reminds me of a story recently I was involved in through my church. there was a kid whose family does not have a lot of means for him to play golf. Everyone at the Church knows me and I was approached to see if I could help. Of course. I had his Dad bring him over and I set him up with a set of clubs that I fitted for him new grips and all. Well while they were here a friend of mine that is very wealthy and retired was here. He asked the kid what size shoes he wore and they wore the same size. He gave the kid 3 pairs of brand new FJs and about 6 brand new gloves. I gave him the set of Infiniti 302s that I built up for him along with a set of Adams woods I had. Set him up with a carry stand bag. Of course I gave him hundreds of tees and a 5 gallon bucket of balls no joke. With my contacts and my buddy's contacts we got him on several courses to play free. I also got another friend who is a great teaching pro to mentor him some for free. I also made some calls and he can go to a couple of ranges near him to hit balls for free---- I am thinking about setting up a golf program for kids through my Church 

[Liberty Ball Markers]

That is awesome!

 

I wish I could afford to buy a little 9 hole course and make it accessible to local kids. Maybe a work exchange where they get unlimited play in exchange for a few hours a week helping tend to the course.

 

 

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[Jmikecpa]

Started playing with the greatest influence in my life and best man I will ever know my Grandpop. He retired right after I was born and had been playing for years and somehow convinced my Grandmom to take up the game. I started going to the course with them at age 2 and hitting balls and by 10 I was beating them fairly regularly. Played golf with my Grandpop for almost 30 years until he gave the game up and now he will ride with me while a play. He taught me the game of a lifetime along with a lot of valuable life lessons on the course. It is also because of him that all three of my children have been exposed to the game at a very early age.

 

 

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[ole gray]

My Dad started playing golf when he retired and I went out with with him one time prior to being drafted into the Army. When I came home from Vietnam I stayed with my parents until I could get settled into an apartment. My Dad gave up golf as he was more into growing vegetables and stuff so he gave me his clubs. I think they were a set Sam Snead Wilson Blue Ridge Irons and woods. Anyway the love of the game grew out of that one time with my Dad.

 

There are some awesome stories in this thread!

[4Left]

Grudgingly for me. I felt I had to learn to play for work tournaments so I wouldn't make a fool of myself. Then a few buddies started playimg and dragged me along. That's when I realized why people were so passionate about the sport and that's why I'm here now

 

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[sixcat]

I grew up in a rural area and didn't have a lot of positive influences around. My dad was never really in the picture. He lived a mile away but we saw him maybe once a year, if that. He was an alcoholic and drug addict so, it wasn't like we wanted to see him anyway. Lots of alcoholism and drug abuse not only in my extended family but throughout the region as well.

 

My mom did the best she could to raise two boys alone. Most days were a challenge for her just to keep us healthy. When I was 13, my brother and I were in the ER simultaneously following separate incidents, causing DSS to open an investigation into our household and my mother. We were dirt poor and she worked three jobs most of my childhood. Needless to say, we were left alone alot.

 

In an effort to keep me out of trouble, my mom bought a set of Tommy Armour's at a yard sale for $20. I chased balls around the farmland where I grew up for the next few years.

 

By the time I stepped foot onto my first actual golf course, I had been playing "golf" for 6 years.

 

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[sixcat]

I grew up in a rural area and didn't have a lot of positive influences around. My dad was never really in the picture. He lived a mile away but we saw him maybe once a year, if that. He was an alcoholic and drug addict so, it wasn't like we wanted to see him anyway. Lots of alcoholism and drug abuse not only in my extended family but throughout the region as well.

 

My mom did the best she could to raise two boys alone. Most days were a challenge for her just to keep us healthy. When I was 13, my brother and I were in the ER simultaneously following separate incidents, causing DSS to open an investigation into our household and my mother. We were dirt poor and she worked three jobs most of my childhood. Needless to say, we were left alone alot.

 

In an effort to keep me out of trouble, my mom bought a set of Tommy Armour's at a yard sale for $20. I chased balls around the farmland where I grew up for the next few years.

 

By the time I stepped foot onto my first actual golf course, I had been playing "golf" for 6 years.

 

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I really should clarify the "incidents" resulting in my brother and I being in the ER. I was at a school function while my brother was at a friend's house. Our mom was at work, as usual.

 

I had to get 14 stitches in my face and neck due to 14 (typo) 13 year old boys being boys. My brother wrecked a bicycle and needed 12 stitches in his chin.

 

Hospital staff overreacted to us being brought to the ER separately at the same time and with similar injuries. Me by the school principal, my brother by the mother of his best friend.

 

DSS had a good laugh and we all went back to our version of "normal".

 

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[cnosil]

Don't really remember how I got started.   I know i started when I was about 14 (1979ish).  I took lessons at a local course and teenagers could play 9 holes for like a quarter and had a starter set.  Played through high school by stopped once I started college.   Didn't start back until after college and have been playing regularly ever since.  

[Big money]

Real similar backgrounds to all that posted in this thread.Tried a lot of sports in my youth.But golf was the only one that I was decent at.Either I was too short or too slow for anything else.I started early 80's and been at it ever since.Some years I will play 150 plus rounds.Other years I'm not as active and played less than 20.Nothing beats being on the course

[Rockit_Sauce]

when i was a kid, my grandfather (who was a scratch golfer) always had clubs lying around his house. id take them out in the yard and swing them. he said i had a nice natural swing. he eventually started taking me to the range, then we'd go to a local par 3 course, and the addiction just grew from there. 48 years later i'm still hooked

[Dopds]

I started as a kid with a 7 iron that we hit from the bicycle racks to the back stop of the ball field and then to the big tree in our school yard, That was our 3 holes. When I went to High School, I bought one of my teachers old set of Wilson Staffs that I played for many years.

 

 

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[Eseay32]

My whole family was a golfing family. Grandfather was the best junior player in town, won every tourney there was. His brother was the 2nd best in town. Went to AF and won military tournaments too. Came home and dabbled in some events before settling down and being a Pro. My uncle comes along and is even better. Big time junior player. My dad was a baseball player (he was the odd one). Cousins/great uncles were all very good. I was a baseball player growing up and never much played. My baseball coach was also a good golfer, obviously knew my family and asked if I wanted to play on the middle school team that he was trying to get going bc his son was very good. So I did. I was AWFUL. We played points system (3 for par, 2 for bogey, etc). I might score 6-8 points per round. That summer, I remember this so vividly, my grandpa looked at me and said "do you enjoy playing golf on your team?" And I said I did and I wanted to play next year. He said "well, you can't play golf like that and keep using our last name" lol. That summer every single day he took me to the course. I went to his course when he was working 3 days a week and played, practiced, played more and the other two I played with his buddies. It was amazing. 8th grade year I was scoring 20-30 pts per 9. Basically did the same summer routine for the next few years playing into high school and was fortunate enough to play college. Grandpa was my swing coach at every stop. One phone call and he'd get me right. I owe my baseball coach a lot of credit for getting me into though

 

 

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[Shankster]

Thanks for giving back aliens8mycow. This is what is all about!!

 

I started out because we moved to a golf course community, and Tiger Woods was making a HUGE deal out of golf. I had posters of him, Jack, and Arnie, along with the 3 Stooges golf in my room in 7th grade. I ended up working at the golf course and got some wilson blades to play with. Finally made the golf team in HS and cut the following week. Been playing since I was 10-11, and took a 6-7 year break. Getting my kids interested isn't as easy as it was for me, not many big things getting done on tour lately. Not like Big Cat anyways.

 

 

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[TSauer]

One of my best friends, who has played his entire life, talked me into getting some clubs a few years ago. He said we would always go play together at our local course. I didn't really like golf at the time, never got into it. However, that all changed once I got my first set. I got addicted. And I am now out playing more than my friend who introduced me. I typically play 4-5 times a week, and I don't ever plan on slowing down.

[Wedgie]

I lived around the corner from a public course. I had to walk thru the course to get to baseball practice and there was never anyone there around 5:30 when I headed out to baseball. I dug up some golf clubs in the basement and took them to practice and would play a holo or two on the way. When I told my friends about it we would play a couple holes on the way to practice. The catch was you could hit the golf ball with a golf club, an Easton aluminum baseball bat or throw the ball. Throwing a golf ball up and hitting it with a baseball bat was by far the most effective way of getting it close. Throwing the ball was better than my putter.

 

 

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[MattM11]

My late grandfather invited me out one morning when I was 9'yrs old and the rest is history.

 

 

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[Smalls1588]

Nobody was big golfers in my family except for my grandfather, and he passed away before I could ever play with him. I started going to a camp once a week every summer but the golf swing and baseball swing didn't mix too well. I fell in love with the game when I gave up baseball and fell in love with the process of getting better. Fast forward to now and my handicap continues to drop every season and my family is now more heavily involved in the sport, including two younger brothers who seem to want to follow in big bro's footsteps.

 

 

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[Smalls1588]

Thanks for giving back aliens8mycow. This is what is all about!!

 

I started out because we moved to a golf course community, and Tiger Woods was making a HUGE deal out of golf. I had posters of him, Jack, and Arnie, along with the 3 Stooges golf in my room in 7th grade. I ended up working at the golf course and got some wilson blades to play with. Finally made the golf team in HS and cut the following week. Been playing since I was 10-11, and took a 6-7 year break. Getting my kids interested isn't as easy as it was for me, not many big things getting done on tour lately. Not like Big Cat anyways.

 

 

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I too idolized Tiger while getting into the game. Every week was an exciting one when he was out there. Regardless of what he's gone through, I'll always look at him as a role model.

 

 

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[Big money]

Some great stories here

[RexS]

Way to go man, props on giving back.

 

I played 1 time in high school as a P.E. assignment.  Never played again for about 10 years. A Navy co-worker (friend) was looking for someone to play with on a regular basis but, we worked these weird rotating schedules making it hard for him to find a regular group. So, since we worked the same shift together, he ended up dragging me out there after back to back 12 hour mid night shifts.  After a few rounds and starting to hit the ball pretty good, I was hooked. That was about 30 years ago and still can't get enough.  Except last week in Myrtle Beach, 7 rounds in 4 days, I am still recovering......lol

[MDGolfHacker]

...along with the 3 Stooges golf in my room...

Well this explains a lot ... Ha ha ha love me some three stooges!

 

MDGolfHacker

[Sparksjr]

Summer before my junior year of high school we took a trip to the beach and my dad took me to a par 3 course one day.  I ended up going there probably every day that week.  I had always loved putt putt as a kid but I played baseball so golf wasn't ever in the picture.  after that i hit the range pretty hard and was able to make the high school team (we weren't very good) my senior year.  I would shoot in the 90's but it was so much fun.   I was fortunate to have a family friend who owned a driving range near my house and I got to hit for free.  Add that to a course nearby with a great short game area and a few summers later I was able to break 80 while playing with my dad.  It was pretty memorable.

 

I wish I had started earlier in life but I'm grateful my dad took the time to take me to that par 3 course that week.  he didn't even play golf and I honestly don't know why I wanted to go or why we even went but we did, lol.

 

My son is 12 and I have taken him to the range a few times.  right now video games are his passion but he enjoys the range and I hope that I am at least planting the seed so that if he doesn't take it anywhere now, he may later in life like I did.   I'm unable to play golf with my dad so I really hope one day my son and I can make up for the time that was taken with my dad.

[Canucklehead]

Never even thought about picking up the game until the summer I was 12. Painted a fence for a friend of my mom's. It was 90* that whole week.

 

She paid me $500 and gave me a set of her (barely used) McGregor clubs Driver-PW with a bag, and took some wedges from her 6' 4" husbands bag that he didn't want anymore (I believe the were Callaway Hawkeyes).I had to choke down just a little with the wedges. The next weekend my parents took me to get a putter and 2 mesh bags of used balls.

 

Middle of September (about the end of ths season in my neck of the woods) my mom took me out with a friend of hers, who's about a 10 cap, and we played this little course in basically a glorified cow pasture. I think I shot about 130, but I was hooked after the first hole!!

 

The next weekend an older gentleman down the street from my parents had a garage sale and I bought a bag of probably 25 or so clubs, no 2 of the same brand. I dug a little hole about the size of one on a course in the backyard which my dad gave me sh!t for when he got home from work! But I used a 9 iron I got from that bag I bought and practiced chipping with it constantly. The hole has eroded away to be about 6 inches wide now. I would also take pinecones and sit them up on the grass a little bit and hit them down the length of a yard. That stopped though once I could clear the fence at the back of the yard.

 

Since my first round, so many things about this game keeps me coming back. I love the challenge of trying to shoot better every time you go out. I love the feeling I get when I mash a driver, the pressure I feel when I have to drain a 5-10' putt to shoot a personal best. Or sticking it close on a par 3. Or walking in a long putt when the ball is only half way to the hole. I love it all. The Euphoria I feel when something like that happens is just like a drug and I keep coming back to get just a little bit more of a hit.

 

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[cpsekhon]

Wow! An amazing story! Thanks for sharing! Firstly, kudos to your friends dad and your friend!! Secondly, kudos to you Sir!! The most important thing is to remember someone's kindness and give it back to lesser privileged ones when you can!! That's the best way of repaying the kindness.Thanks for sharing such an emotional and inspiring experience!!!

 

 

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[TheWahoo]

My entry into golf could be called a business decision or career move that evolved into a dedicated personal pass time.   Upon my discharge from active duty, my first civilian job was with the consulting branch of what was then known as one of "the Big 8 ".   It didn't take long to see the relationship between golf and business.  So I got a starter set of clubs (Wilson Blue Ridge), took a lesson in order to play in scramble events in which the firm participated.   It took a bit longer before playing straight up with clients.   At some point, it was no longer just about business or a career, I found an activity that I truly enjoyed, a venue for forming friendships and meeting genuinely nice people.

 

My wife's niece recently graduated with a business degree, she asked me for some advice--my response--learn to play golf, more business deals are formulated at the 19th hole than in any board room.  So our graduation gift to her, was a set of clubs and a package of lessons.  I'm happy to report that she, like I did, is playing in company sponsored scrambles and is enjoying the game, but not quite addicted at this point.  

[Camcmart]

Getting into golf was pretty much inevitable for me. I'm a college student so a few years back, I started working summers at a local country club on the grounds crew so constantly being on the course and learning more about what went into making a course look great just sparked my interest in golf itself. So I started playing and now I'm just hoping to get better with each season since I'm still pretty new to the game. I can't play too often since I don't bring in much dinero but every chance I get, I'm either at the range or playing whatever course I can with some backyard chipping practice in between. I'll be an RN in a year, so hopefully I still have time to play golf when that happens and I know I'll still be a member of this awesome forum.

 

 

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