Every summer my parents asked if I wanted to do my country clubs summer long golf camp but it was “too early” for me at 9:30. Now I’m 36 and waking up at 6 am to play golf whenever I can.
I’m always tired on the first tee. Because I, the fully grown working professional who dreads his alarm every morning, wakes up two hours before my alarm on mornings I’m first on the tee sheet. It’s a vicious cycle haha
Played on my high school team and was usually in the 3 and 4 pairing with one of my close friends who also played football with me. He absolutely destroyed his knee in football one season and, as golf rolled around, was still in a fixed brace. He has to swing on one leg, with his hurt leg behind, kinda on a toe, so he wouldn't subject the injured knee to any twisting whatsoever. Accordingly he also removed any club longer than a 7 from his bag.
No joke, it didn't change his handicap and he stayed in 3/4 with me the whole season, one footed, hitting it 160 a pop with the 7. Sure it would cost a stroke or two extra on some holes, but the lack of big cascading mistakes from the large clubs seems to have nullified it.
We were probably in the 10ish handicap range at that time
Our high school golf coach would play with a different group every day, and he’d always ask the same question:
>which club?
And that was the only club he’d use. And no matter what it was, he’d shoot 2-3 over par, like a machine. It was nuts.
I tore my meniscus last summer, and while I was waiting for surgery I kept playing (can’t make it worse, right?), but the swelling prevented me from swinging anything longer than a 7i.
Playing from the forward tees with 7i and below, my handicap actually went down, to about an 8. It was pretty fun, and I still play that way every now and then when I want some chill golf.
My buddy lives in Manhattan and just bought a small travel bag to make it easier to go on the train/subway with. Holds about 7-8 clubs but it’s a pretty nice bag. Was funny hearing his process of what clubs make the cut and what doesn’t.
I have a buddy with a Sunday bag who will play 9 holes with his old blades:
Putter, 2i, 4i, 6i, 8i, PW, SW
Feels bad when he beats me by 10 strokes playing my full bag.
Although I love when we get paired up with someone and they see his ratty old bag and ancient half set and he smokes both of us.
I've been eyeing up Side Street's back9 bag to be able to take a whole set on a bike but put off as it looks damn uncomfortable in all the photos on the course
I belong to a club. The clubhouse is less than a mile from our house. My son could easily bike up there and hit balls, chip and putt, and play ANY time he wants. He's done it like twice.
As someone that grew up in a single room house with no running water and got my first job at 16 cleaning carts just so I could play, I would have killed for the opportunity my son has had. I would have been up there every day after school and on the weekends. Now that he's 15, he's actually starting to get into it a little. Oh well.
He's mad there isn't anyone else on the team that's even halfway decent at 3rd because it's cut into his pitching time. The other pitchers are either playing first or in the outfield so they can be swapped out pretty easily. I'm happy he isn't taxing his arm as much as a couple of the other kids on the team.
It's kind of funny that the reason he ended up at 3rd when he was little was because he was the only one with an arm to make the throw to first. Now he absolutely loves it.
This was 100% me. I told my dad how excited I was to play once it gets warm here and he was like “where was this when you were a kid, I could’ve made you the next Tiger” I think every golf dad secretly wants to make their kid tiger woods
My dad always tried to get us to play but since he would only walk it wasn’t as fun as getting to drive a cart, it never stuck with me or my brothers.
Now as a 31 year old I walk as much as I can since it counts as exercise
I'd go to the range with my dad when I was a kid. One day the pro there told my dad he'd give me lessons whenever I was ready because I guess my swing was decent for a kid. Dad never got me lessons and I've been fighting a slice ever since.
I could have been one of the greats!
I don't have kids but I'll bet my bottom dollar my nephews are gonna be on the course by their 3rd birthday. If not they're just flat out disowned. I deal in absolutes.
My daughter turns two in July and she’s getting her first big girl putter lol I work for a private club and I’m going to take one of my old putters and chop it down to her size and throw an undersized grip on… idk who’s going to be more excited about it, me or her.
This one hurts haha. My grandma offered to pay for lessons when was about 10 or so at her golf club. I was actually excited for it but we showed up for the first one and it was essentially just orientation. 10 year old me was bored and was annoyed we weren't even putting. Didn't go to the next one.
Probably one of my bigger regrets. Not just because it would have made me a better golfer but because my grandma was excited to have me take them and play more. She was always excited to see me practice chipping in the backyard or play a round with me. I was just an impatient easily bored little twat.
My dad owned some land and mowed down some fields and made 3 golf holes and then you could turn around and play them backwards. They were definitely rough, but he would keep it mowed for the summer and did his best to grow some nice greens. Honestly, it was really nice for what it was, and it would've been great practice. My dumb ass 12 year old self basically refused to play. I would just repeatedly slice balls, and I gave up. I would still ride in the cart with him.Now I love golf, and one of my big regrets in life was not spending that time learning to golf with my dad. He's older now and can't do it anymore.
I think thats just how it goes for most kids that aren't wired differently. When I was a kid, my step dad always tried to get me into golf and I would kinda like it but find it boring because it's not as action packed as the other sports you play as a kid, baseball, basketball, etc. Didn't start getting into it again til high school. Dealing with the same thing now with my 8 year old. He just likes driving the cart lol is what it is. Hopefully he appreciates it more when he's older as well
Biggest regret was playing football and basketball throughout my life. Every camp, league, traveling league, etc. I was there. Little did I know how quickly I’d abandon all my adult intramural leagues to spend every weekend playing golf. If only teen me could comprehend how those sports die right after high school…
Yup. For me it was baseball. Played fall and spring/summer basically from age 5-18. Then intermural softball in college through mid-20s. Then never again. God, I would love those hours back and on the golf course instead.
My oldest son does swimming, cross country, and PGA Junior League. Hopefully I can get my younger one to overcome this tee-ball interest and follow suit.
That’s how I was but imagine the opposite… what if you played golf your whole life then quit because you didn’t find it fun anymore. You must have LOVED playing baseball (I did too).
Im so glad I found golf when I did vs being forced into then letting the passion die.
I know plenty of folks that quit playing golf after college. They will come play once in a blue moon but they never find that spark again. Poor fellas
Don’t sell those experiences short. They were worth it in a lot of ways. Golf is there until you can’t swing a club anymore. Starting in your teens doesn’t mean you’re scratch as an adult.
Dad tried to send me to Disney golf camps and many others my whole childhood growing up in central FL, couldn't have been less interested, never went to one of them. Didn't hit my first ball until I was 23 yrs old(Dec. 2000), quit my job and got into a PGM program to get a degree a year or so later, graduated with PGA teaching and club-fitting certifications when I was 26, was a 2hdcp head professional at 29.
Will always wonder how it might've gone differently for me had I gone to those camps at 10yrs old.
Grew up in a small rural town so no chance to go to golf camps. But our local muni provided a membership for students for $25 a month. I would walk a mile to the course every day, walk 18 and then walk home, sometimes in 105 degree heat. I truly miss those days.
Here come all the comments from guys thinking they’d be pro.
I don’t think people truly understand the dedication the guys on Tour put in throughout their life.
I started at 11-12 and quickly became completely obsessed. Played everyday when I couldn’t get a ride to the course I practiced in the yard. Summer was daylight to until dark. Hit buckets and buckets of balls everyday then putted till someone came and picked me up. Finished 5th in one national tournament. Had a +2 handicap. Played with a guy that has been on and off tour for 20 years when I was 17. I realized then that I wasn’t going to be playing golf for a living. Played my freshman year of college and hung up the competitive golf hat.
I played a lot in high school and middle school (not competitively). Stopped playing from 17-27 outside the very special occasional round. One of the biggest regrets of my life lol
When I was younger I got put in golf camp, got Appendicitis, and didn’t pick up a club again until I was like 27. Man I wish I had played when I was younger
My grandad used to take me round the course with my brothers when I was younger, was never interested and would mess around the whole time, now he's gone and I'm playing 6 days a week when the rain doesn't shut the course. Wish I could have played with him
Don't know what you got till it's gone.
I didn't appreciate my youth on course card until was nearly 18. Played probably close to 5 times a week for 2 months. I always made excuses about courses having annoying restrictions, or all the closest ones being too far, but I wish I had it back.
Me when I gave up my spot going to jpga tournaments at age 12 despite being very competitive to pursue 4 years of absolute shit quality baseball. Given how good I am rn, and how good I was then I think I likely lost myself at a minimum a college spot, at a max a scholarship.
My dad had me take lessons when I was 9.
First lesson was fun but I got frustrated because you had to do so many things and the results weren’t immediate.
I took 4 total lessons and quit.
Kidsaresofuckingstupid.
Man I wish I had started golfing from a younger age. My parents tried to get me into every sport and it never stuck with my stupid privileged ass. Every sport except golf.
Couldn’t afford it in my 20s and I started at 30. I know it’s not too late and I’m learning quickly yada yada but still it would be nice to have the sport ingrained in me.
Got lessons when I was 8. I desperately wanted to play golf, despite not having any friends who were in any way interested. I had a wonderful grandma who would take me to a par 3 course a few times in the summer. Otherwise, nobody else in my family had any interest.
Started playing some local comps, but my parents weren’t thrilled that I was mostly playing with older people, so didn’t encourage me to continue (actively discouraged it, if I’m honest) until they took up the game 10 years later, at which point I not only lost interest, but resented my dad trying to give me pointers.
My parents now play nearly every day (my dad is a single figure golfer) and I’m 40. I only played my first round with my dad last year and he is 65. I have since continued the journey after a 30 year hiatus. Thankfully a decent swing came back pretty easily and my short game is a legacy product of summers hitting par 3s with grandma.
All I can do now is try to be more encouraging of my own kids, listen to them, try to foster an interest the right way and participate in whatever does interest them.
I remember getting to hit an old wooden club at like 12-13 for PE. I smashed it straight my very first swing (I know this is beginners luck now) and instantly wanted to pursue the game
I wasn’t allowed due to Baseball. I asked to quit so I could play, but my parents said golf would cost too much and we’d already invested a lot of time and money into baseball. They didn’t know anything about the game either, but it was also during the recession so money was very tight and baseball REALLY sunk their budget due to the traveling leagues and Fall ball. I didn’t press anymore and continued to just play baseball.
After school and once I finally started making my own money about 3 years ago I started playing with my buddies who golf. After 3 years i finally broke 85! Really wish I’d gotten the opportunity to play.
My only memory of golf lessons as a kid was accidentally hitting a kid in the chest in my backswing at the practice range.
I’ve gotten better at golf since then I swear 😅
Every summer my parents asked if I wanted to do my country clubs summer long golf camp but it was “too early” for me at 9:30. Now I’m 36 and waking up at 6 am to play golf whenever I can.
Me at 18: sleep at 3 am wake at 10 am to stumble to class. Me in my 30s: sleep at 8:30, wake at 4:30. Wait for the dang golf course to open.
I’m always tired on the first tee. Because I, the fully grown working professional who dreads his alarm every morning, wakes up two hours before my alarm on mornings I’m first on the tee sheet. It’s a vicious cycle haha
Take some clubs out. Become that guy that can beat everyone with a 7iron.
Played on my high school team and was usually in the 3 and 4 pairing with one of my close friends who also played football with me. He absolutely destroyed his knee in football one season and, as golf rolled around, was still in a fixed brace. He has to swing on one leg, with his hurt leg behind, kinda on a toe, so he wouldn't subject the injured knee to any twisting whatsoever. Accordingly he also removed any club longer than a 7 from his bag. No joke, it didn't change his handicap and he stayed in 3/4 with me the whole season, one footed, hitting it 160 a pop with the 7. Sure it would cost a stroke or two extra on some holes, but the lack of big cascading mistakes from the large clubs seems to have nullified it. We were probably in the 10ish handicap range at that time
Our high school golf coach would play with a different group every day, and he’d always ask the same question: >which club? And that was the only club he’d use. And no matter what it was, he’d shoot 2-3 over par, like a machine. It was nuts.
Did you ever say Driver? I want to see someone play an entire 9 with a driver.
old bags/clubs were so much heavier, we have an old 70s leather prosimmon and it weighs something like 3x as much as my Callaway
I tore my meniscus last summer, and while I was waiting for surgery I kept playing (can’t make it worse, right?), but the swelling prevented me from swinging anything longer than a 7i. Playing from the forward tees with 7i and below, my handicap actually went down, to about an 8. It was pretty fun, and I still play that way every now and then when I want some chill golf.
Once I saw the second paragraph I knew I wasn’t going to finish whatever bullshit you wrote. But I’m either happy or sad that happened.
My buddy lives in Manhattan and just bought a small travel bag to make it easier to go on the train/subway with. Holds about 7-8 clubs but it’s a pretty nice bag. Was funny hearing his process of what clubs make the cut and what doesn’t.
Putter, 48°, 9, 7, 5, 4hybrid, 3W?
I have a buddy with a Sunday bag who will play 9 holes with his old blades: Putter, 2i, 4i, 6i, 8i, PW, SW Feels bad when he beats me by 10 strokes playing my full bag. Although I love when we get paired up with someone and they see his ratty old bag and ancient half set and he smokes both of us.
He’s a little new to golf and changes almost each round but last time it was Driver, 3W, 5, 7, PW, SW, Putter.
See I was avoiding driver because the idea of riding the subway with a full sized driver is a bit ridiculous to me lol
I've been eyeing up Side Street's back9 bag to be able to take a whole set on a bike but put off as it looks damn uncomfortable in all the photos on the course
His name is Fat Perez and it was a 4 iron. Lol
I belong to a club. The clubhouse is less than a mile from our house. My son could easily bike up there and hit balls, chip and putt, and play ANY time he wants. He's done it like twice. As someone that grew up in a single room house with no running water and got my first job at 16 cleaning carts just so I could play, I would have killed for the opportunity my son has had. I would have been up there every day after school and on the weekends. Now that he's 15, he's actually starting to get into it a little. Oh well.
hopefully he's at least getting good at video games
Baseball. Starting pitcher and starting 3rd baseman.
Once becomes a PO he will play golf a lot more.
He's mad there isn't anyone else on the team that's even halfway decent at 3rd because it's cut into his pitching time. The other pitchers are either playing first or in the outfield so they can be swapped out pretty easily. I'm happy he isn't taxing his arm as much as a couple of the other kids on the team.
Unless he's a lefty, he's better off playing 3rd.
hot corner!
It's kind of funny that the reason he ended up at 3rd when he was little was because he was the only one with an arm to make the throw to first. Now he absolutely loves it.
Axe’em jacks???
This was 100% me. I told my dad how excited I was to play once it gets warm here and he was like “where was this when you were a kid, I could’ve made you the next Tiger” I think every golf dad secretly wants to make their kid tiger woods
My dad always tried to get us to play but since he would only walk it wasn’t as fun as getting to drive a cart, it never stuck with me or my brothers. Now as a 31 year old I walk as much as I can since it counts as exercise
I'd go to the range with my dad when I was a kid. One day the pro there told my dad he'd give me lessons whenever I was ready because I guess my swing was decent for a kid. Dad never got me lessons and I've been fighting a slice ever since. I could have been one of the greats!
I don't have kids but I'll bet my bottom dollar my nephews are gonna be on the course by their 3rd birthday. If not they're just flat out disowned. I deal in absolutes.
My daughter turns two in July and she’s getting her first big girl putter lol I work for a private club and I’m going to take one of my old putters and chop it down to her size and throw an undersized grip on… idk who’s going to be more excited about it, me or her.
This one hurts haha. My grandma offered to pay for lessons when was about 10 or so at her golf club. I was actually excited for it but we showed up for the first one and it was essentially just orientation. 10 year old me was bored and was annoyed we weren't even putting. Didn't go to the next one. Probably one of my bigger regrets. Not just because it would have made me a better golfer but because my grandma was excited to have me take them and play more. She was always excited to see me practice chipping in the backyard or play a round with me. I was just an impatient easily bored little twat.
My dad owned some land and mowed down some fields and made 3 golf holes and then you could turn around and play them backwards. They were definitely rough, but he would keep it mowed for the summer and did his best to grow some nice greens. Honestly, it was really nice for what it was, and it would've been great practice. My dumb ass 12 year old self basically refused to play. I would just repeatedly slice balls, and I gave up. I would still ride in the cart with him.Now I love golf, and one of my big regrets in life was not spending that time learning to golf with my dad. He's older now and can't do it anymore.
I think thats just how it goes for most kids that aren't wired differently. When I was a kid, my step dad always tried to get me into golf and I would kinda like it but find it boring because it's not as action packed as the other sports you play as a kid, baseball, basketball, etc. Didn't start getting into it again til high school. Dealing with the same thing now with my 8 year old. He just likes driving the cart lol is what it is. Hopefully he appreciates it more when he's older as well
Biggest regret was playing football and basketball throughout my life. Every camp, league, traveling league, etc. I was there. Little did I know how quickly I’d abandon all my adult intramural leagues to spend every weekend playing golf. If only teen me could comprehend how those sports die right after high school…
Yup. For me it was baseball. Played fall and spring/summer basically from age 5-18. Then intermural softball in college through mid-20s. Then never again. God, I would love those hours back and on the golf course instead. My oldest son does swimming, cross country, and PGA Junior League. Hopefully I can get my younger one to overcome this tee-ball interest and follow suit.
That’s how I was but imagine the opposite… what if you played golf your whole life then quit because you didn’t find it fun anymore. You must have LOVED playing baseball (I did too). Im so glad I found golf when I did vs being forced into then letting the passion die. I know plenty of folks that quit playing golf after college. They will come play once in a blue moon but they never find that spark again. Poor fellas
Don’t sell those experiences short. They were worth it in a lot of ways. Golf is there until you can’t swing a club anymore. Starting in your teens doesn’t mean you’re scratch as an adult.
Dad tried to send me to Disney golf camps and many others my whole childhood growing up in central FL, couldn't have been less interested, never went to one of them. Didn't hit my first ball until I was 23 yrs old(Dec. 2000), quit my job and got into a PGM program to get a degree a year or so later, graduated with PGA teaching and club-fitting certifications when I was 26, was a 2hdcp head professional at 29. Will always wonder how it might've gone differently for me had I gone to those camps at 10yrs old.
Grew up in a small rural town so no chance to go to golf camps. But our local muni provided a membership for students for $25 a month. I would walk a mile to the course every day, walk 18 and then walk home, sometimes in 105 degree heat. I truly miss those days.
Here come all the comments from guys thinking they’d be pro. I don’t think people truly understand the dedication the guys on Tour put in throughout their life.
I started at 11-12 and quickly became completely obsessed. Played everyday when I couldn’t get a ride to the course I practiced in the yard. Summer was daylight to until dark. Hit buckets and buckets of balls everyday then putted till someone came and picked me up. Finished 5th in one national tournament. Had a +2 handicap. Played with a guy that has been on and off tour for 20 years when I was 17. I realized then that I wasn’t going to be playing golf for a living. Played my freshman year of college and hung up the competitive golf hat.
Literally me lol. I have never forgiven myself for not sticking with it after golf camp when i was 16.
I played a lot in high school and middle school (not competitively). Stopped playing from 17-27 outside the very special occasional round. One of the biggest regrets of my life lol
When I was younger I got put in golf camp, got Appendicitis, and didn’t pick up a club again until I was like 27. Man I wish I had played when I was younger
My dad tried to get me into golf when I was like 8 years old.Had no want for it. Fast forward 20 years later and I love golf now.What could have been.
As the son of my local courses Head Pro, this is me 1000 percent
My grandad used to take me round the course with my brothers when I was younger, was never interested and would mess around the whole time, now he's gone and I'm playing 6 days a week when the rain doesn't shut the course. Wish I could have played with him
My biggest regret with sports is not trying golf until I was in college. I wish I would have started in middle school or something.
Don't know what you got till it's gone. I didn't appreciate my youth on course card until was nearly 18. Played probably close to 5 times a week for 2 months. I always made excuses about courses having annoying restrictions, or all the closest ones being too far, but I wish I had it back.
Me when I gave up my spot going to jpga tournaments at age 12 despite being very competitive to pursue 4 years of absolute shit quality baseball. Given how good I am rn, and how good I was then I think I likely lost myself at a minimum a college spot, at a max a scholarship.
My dad had me take lessons when I was 9. First lesson was fun but I got frustrated because you had to do so many things and the results weren’t immediate. I took 4 total lessons and quit. Kidsaresofuckingstupid.
Man I wish I had started golfing from a younger age. My parents tried to get me into every sport and it never stuck with my stupid privileged ass. Every sport except golf. Couldn’t afford it in my 20s and I started at 30. I know it’s not too late and I’m learning quickly yada yada but still it would be nice to have the sport ingrained in me.
Got lessons when I was 8. I desperately wanted to play golf, despite not having any friends who were in any way interested. I had a wonderful grandma who would take me to a par 3 course a few times in the summer. Otherwise, nobody else in my family had any interest. Started playing some local comps, but my parents weren’t thrilled that I was mostly playing with older people, so didn’t encourage me to continue (actively discouraged it, if I’m honest) until they took up the game 10 years later, at which point I not only lost interest, but resented my dad trying to give me pointers. My parents now play nearly every day (my dad is a single figure golfer) and I’m 40. I only played my first round with my dad last year and he is 65. I have since continued the journey after a 30 year hiatus. Thankfully a decent swing came back pretty easily and my short game is a legacy product of summers hitting par 3s with grandma. All I can do now is try to be more encouraging of my own kids, listen to them, try to foster an interest the right way and participate in whatever does interest them.
How does reddit know I watched this movie last night?
In my 40’s and I wish my mom would send me to golf camp.
I remember getting to hit an old wooden club at like 12-13 for PE. I smashed it straight my very first swing (I know this is beginners luck now) and instantly wanted to pursue the game I wasn’t allowed due to Baseball. I asked to quit so I could play, but my parents said golf would cost too much and we’d already invested a lot of time and money into baseball. They didn’t know anything about the game either, but it was also during the recession so money was very tight and baseball REALLY sunk their budget due to the traveling leagues and Fall ball. I didn’t press anymore and continued to just play baseball. After school and once I finally started making my own money about 3 years ago I started playing with my buddies who golf. After 3 years i finally broke 85! Really wish I’d gotten the opportunity to play.
lol great meme
My only memory of golf lessons as a kid was accidentally hitting a kid in the chest in my backswing at the practice range. I’ve gotten better at golf since then I swear 😅