How old were you when you started playing and who influenced you to try?

[RetiredBoomer]

Not that I went very far in amateur baseball, but my baseball stroke (Science of Hitting by Ted Williams) would never interfere with my golf swing. 

For one thing, I was far too terrified to stand in against same side pitching so I switch hit from the age of eight.

I shudder to think how that would work in golf.

 

[revkev]

3 hours ago, GG194 said:

Bowling Green, about sixty miles inland from you. Orange groves and alligators but not a lot of traffic. 

Be sure to look me up when you come down next year and we will play. 

[billybogey]

21-22 yrs.old. Somewhere around there. Queen Mother was a good Amateur. Since She made me laff; took up game & got a HDCP down to Single Digit. Was a long time ago!! 

Yea; was kind of Stupid along the way too!!

[Big Z]

Started playing really young, maybe 5. My dad initially got me into golf, but watching Tiger and all the other big names in the early 2000's instilled the passion for the game

[Julius]

I was about 26 or so.  When I bought my first house my neighbor and I hit it off, and our kids were about the same age.  We decided to go golfing, he had a friend who was a low handicapper and so did I.  In those early years I learned a ton. I started with my father in laws actual WOODEN clubs and shabby irons.  After the first year I bought a cheap set from Dick's and used those a few years.  We played a public course for $20 and walked it, lost a ton of balls but we had fun.  I am 60 now and had a few years when I had to stop (places I moved to for work internationally didn't have a course), but have been back playing the game for some years now.  My friend has passed away a year ago sadly, BUT - a wonderful story - his youngest son, who he got hooked early, went to university on a golf scholarship, graduated, is now a CPA an plays golf with a 4 handicap!!! I had the pleasure of playing with father and son on trips back to the States and it was such a joy to watch the kid hit the ball, so smooth and fun to play with!! All because me and his old man started chipping around in the backyard +30 years ago and started to play.  

[RPBRENNAN]

I was about 11, started going to driving range with my Dad. I'm 64 now and had to give game up for about 15 years due to school and then new family obligations.

Back in now and loving every chance I get to play with my sons now.

[itsteetime]

In 1986, I was 36 when I became curious about golf. My fiance and her family played and I felt "left out" when they played. My future mother-in-law paid for my 1st lesson series ... she took me to play several times afterwards.

I was hooked after my 1st round ... my softball team played a 9 hole round as part of our end-of-season celebration. I shot 81 and just knew that I was better than that. The next day, my fiance and I played 18 holes and I played much better with 141 score. 

I have been a golfaholic ever since!

[PlayBadFast]

37 years old and an invite to a corporate tournament at Midpines in Pinehurst, NC. Perfect weather, fun playing partners, and a course in phenomenal shape. I’m hooked!

[Headhammer]

My BIL dragged me kicking and screaming when I was 27, I'm serious I had absolutely no interest in golf. I hit a hundred and nineteen terrible shots and then nutted a 5-W to the 18th green and was instantly hooked.

[trike11]

14, my mom and dad decided I needed something to do in the summer instead of lying around the house all day plus the club close to my house. Sodus Bay Heights Golf Club was $190 for the whole summer at the time. I had to play after 2 on the weekends, but I played 4 or 5 days a week to start.

[Pinetree]

I was around 12 or 13 when my brother and I started hitting golf balls at the football field in the little town in Ohio I grew up in.  The next summer we got a membership at a local muni course where mom would drop us off and we would spend the day golfing and digging golf balls out of the ponds!

I took a few years off to play softball in my 20's and I have been golfing ever since, currently in my mid 60's

[Golf2Much]

I was a senior in high school.  My graduating class size was 46.  Needless to say, in a small school you have challenges filling sports teams.  One of my friends approached me and asked me to join the golf team with him.  I didn't have any clubs and only had played a par 3 a few times prior.  His biggest selling point was that we could get out of school early to go and "practice."  Being a senior with my college plans set, I jumped at the chance of getting out of school early!

Another friend said he had a Wilson Sam Snead starter set with a bag that he'd sell me for $10.  In 1974, $10 was still pretty cheap.  It was a driver, fairway wood, odd irons and a putter.  I remember each club had a reminder grip installed.  I told my friend I'd take it and I played with that set until after I graduated from college (six year plan).  

I never took a lesson, but was able to get to play in a handful to high school tournaments.  

[Mosb6384]

I was 7 years old when I started going out with my parents and brother.  My brother switched schools to play on the golf team in high school and I stayed and played baseball.  Would go out every now and then, but when I started leading the team in strikeouts dad said enough - no more golf.  Picked golf back up after high school and have played ever since!

[UDUB1861]

I was in my 30s when I first started. A friend invited me to play. Thought for sure I would hate it. I shot around 130 and loved it. I've been hooked ever since. 

[alii1959]

While I had dabbled a bit in my 20s, it was while I was in college (in my 30s) I met my best male friend who invited me to play along.  My first round:  160.  It was awful.  I did however hit a few good shots....no good putts however.  His encouragement, and my wife's desire for me to "find something to do", were enough to set me on this journey.  I was around 34 when I really started.  From 160 to a 4.5 handicap it has been quite an adventure.  I have played around the country, to include Hawai'i (my wife is Hawaiian).  I cannot imagine my life without golf.  My friend and I will meet up here next week to play in Texas.  I can hardly wait.

[alexchung]

I would have been about 10 when I first started playing. A friend got me interested one summer and that was it. I got my dad interested about a few years later and we have been playing the game on and off ever since then.

But I did get exposure to the game before then as when I was younger, I had a red sports bag that had the logo from the 1984 Open at St Andrews but didn't think I would be playing it years later.