Seven years ago my brother-in-law convinced me to take up golfing.  I did.  In fact, for a few years I played 3 to 4 times a week.  I can still remember when I was hitting a good game.  Then for about two years I was working so much that it cut into my golf time.  [pissed]  In fact, for the past two years I golfed 3 times a year.

On Saturday I played my first game since July of 2001.  I was on a four man team in a best ball tournament.  We came in third - but not due to my contributions to the team.

I think the golf bug has bitten me once again.  Last night I had another golfing dream... it's going to be a long summer!

I haven't played for two decades, never was that good, and I'm signing up for a fun tournament to take place in a few weeks.

Planning to take some lessons, but do you have any tips?  I'm doing this only if I can get in a foursome that I will not be an impediment to.

According to the form, "The format this year will be a four person SCRAMBLE and is a team format with blind bogey scoring"

What the hell does all this mean?  My only competitive golf was on the high school team.

I used to make fun of golfers for some reason.

Game just looked stupid to me.............then I swung my first club and I was hooked.................or was that sliced?

Oh well................I got so into it that I played at least 2-3 X per week.............some saturdays and sunday afternoons as well.

After the first divorce (yes, there has been more than 1) I kept my clubs and a change of clothes at work and left every day to play 9.

On 9 my game got so damned good............regularly scored in the mid to low 40s......even birdied a few times.

Then........after getting re-married (should have stuck with golf) I played little to none.

In fact, the last time I played was Nov 1999.

Nice clubs (Ping), nice bag, nice Nike white leather shoes............what a waste.

Maybe this summer I'll get back into it.

It may be a frustrating game but not nearly so as women me thinks!!!

If I'm not shooting or making dust on ATV's, you will find me on the links !!! Golf is year round here, and some of the best courses in the world. I am slowly getting the wife back into golf, she is pretty good but does'nt play too much lately. My 14 year old and my 8 year old are hooked too, 2 more to go after that [:D] It is a great family sport, you get to spend quality time outdoors doing something you love with good friends and family. Sounds alot like shooting huh !!!

[url=http://www.coffeebreakarcade.com/games/minigolf2/instructions.htm]Nabisco Mini Golf[/url]

For me, the only way to cure the addiction was to change careers and work in the industry.(I'm a golf course superintendent)  Now I'm outdoors at the golf course every day and I never feel like I'm working at all!  I do play more golf too although mostly early spring or in fall when things slow down at my course.


BTW:  any AR15.com brethren who may visiting the east end of LI are welcome to come take advantage of my facility anytime.  Just let me know and I'll hook you up!  [beer]

Some of my co-workers kept bugging me to play golf with them after work. I kept resisting and making excuses. They eventually broke down my resistance and I went with them.

At first I thought I could just play socially. What harm was there in that. It got worse and worse. Soon I was playing on my own. I was up to three times a week, sometimes skipping work to play golf.

Finally I just decided to quit cold turkey. Sold my clubs and bag. Never looked back. After I started feeling better I took my AR-15 to the range for some blasting. The range officer asked where I had been for the last couple of years. I said I had been sick.

My parents ran Golf Clubs in the U.K. for more than 30 years, but, I was never particularly interested in the game.

However, my father-in-law (a Scot) had his first heart attack one day on the 9th hole, but continued on to the 14th hole while waiting for the ambulance to turn up (no joke)! Now that's what I call a real golf fanatic – amongst other things!

Golf junkie here.

When the weather is warm I play.   When not I don't.  That simple.

I really like playing in Thailand.  The caddies and atmosphere make it something else entirely.

Oh, Meshuggah, a scramble is where all four of you hit a tee  shot.  You select the best tee shot and all four of you hit your second shot from there.  And so on until your team is in the hole.  In other words, if you have a couple better players on your team you might not need to or be able to contribute many shots.   Typically, these events have a minimum number of tee shots per player.  This forces you to hit some good shots.  If handicap is a factor, a higher handicapper (you) can help the team simply by adding team strokes.   In the end though, ANYONE can help a scramble team if they practice PUTTING, and if they putt first GET THE DAMN BALL TO THE HOLE.  This way the better players know how the putt breaks.  Still, if you haven't played recently I would make sure it is a "fun event" in the minds of your teammates.

James

Let's see....

Bowhunting
going to NASCAR races
photography
shooting
drinking beer
sleeping late

...I can't afford any more hobbies.

Golf is a helluva waste of good pasture land.

I just knew you were gonna have an opinion on this [:D]

This sounds similar to a "Best ball" tournament, but maybe there's some differences.

Thanks for the tips - I will head straight to the practice green.  I better get to the driving range, too and start stretching.  otherwise 18 holes is gonna kill me. I can swing my irons OK, but my woods are the weak part of my game.

To me, the practice greens tend to be flat and level, at least at the driving range.  I need to find something with typical breaks to it.

If I can get there early, I might get some practice in the day before.

[Flame Suit On]
Amen! I've been talked into wasting My time trying this "Sport" several times in My life. I just don't get the attraction to it!?! Chase a small ball all over "Hell's half acre" while cursing that You can't get 14 axis of rotation to align well enough to hit the ball where You want it to go....on a chunk of land that would be better used for parks, shooting ranges, or anything else.... after spending god knows how much $$$$ on all of the "Equipment"... Thanks, I'll skip it. Here in Michigan We have so many damn people wanting "More" golf courses that My city has taken City parks and fenced them off to make more ^%$(*)&%$! golf courses. Friend don't let Friends play golf!

[/Flame Suit Off]
Tall Shadow

I'm too young to golf (42).

Meshugga,

Not quite the same.  A Best Ball is all four of you play your own ball for the hole, and the best score of the four is your team score.  In a scrammble, you all hit from the best previous shot.  So, if you slice your tee shot into neverneverland, you can play from the middle of the fairway where your partner hit it.  

Tallshadow,

And people get HURT playing golf.  Whacked by golf balls, falling into bunkers.  Heck, even an occasional death when a club snaps and the shaft pearces their heart.  I say BAN IT.  DO IT FOR THE CHILDREN.

James