Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Thinking bout golf....

I never really golfed before but in the last month I went 4 times or so. Hate to admit it but its getting kind of addicting - I find myself jonesing to go everyday.

Been doing the rental thing and hitting by friends Ping G5 clones (rather ok from what others tell me -- for some reason I slightly slice everything but the 3I and 7I -- those are arrows!)

To be honest I can see myself picking up this game in a serious manner. Has me concerned -- the only other person in my family that golfs is a scratch golfer and he spends a ton of time at it -- I am worried bout becoming addicted and there goes my weekends <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

My son likes golf and to be honest I can't figure out why - he watches it on TV and such - been thinking bout getting him a Jr set (he is 6).

Of course now I am kicking myself - I lived in Monterey, Ca for a year -- went out to Pebble and Spy Glass just to say I was on the track. Had I signed up to work the Pro-Am I probably would have weasled my way into a free roud of golf. I kinda knew it was a big deal but now wish I would have taken the oppertunity. IIRC A round on Pebble is 450 and Spy Glass was 350.
Now it would cost me - figures.

I guess my question is - who here swings the sticks and should I run away from the game and save frustrations?!

I've played golf off and on since the mid 60's. It is addictive. I've laid the clubs down a few times but have always gone back especially since my son retired from the army and came back. He has never cared for shooting even though he's gone to some big benchrest matches with me and shot very well. I built him a custom 7-08 when I first started but he cares nothing for hunting...so we golf.

The new hybrid clubs are nice. We have Ping irons and I have Ping 'woods'. My wife has Ping clubs and loves golf. It's a great game.

The greatest golf bargain on the continent is the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail from one end of Alabama to the other. The courses are as nice as any the pros play and are plenty demanding.

One bit of advice is to go to a pro and let him get you started correctly. I can promise that it will save you a lot of grief. It's a game of honor even though you'll see some play who have no personal integrity. I probably admire Tiger Woods above all others right now. He has tons of class. By the way, the game the pros play is not the same game that I play even though it may appear the same.

Like hunting and fishing it's outdoors and much fun with friends. You will remember the good shots. Go for it if you like it. -- no <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Good advice. And there are tons of new course in my area.
I think I have the best deal ever. A course two miles from my hunting area. We hunt in the morning, spend the middle of the day golfing, then return to an afternoon hunt.

pepaw

Someone once remarked a long time ago on Shooters that a lot of potentially good rifle ranges were being wasted as golf courses.

'Bout sums up my sentiments.

Yea - the first time I was on Texas Golf Club - All I could think about was setting sporting clays targets there. We'll see where it goes from there.

2 reasons I don't play. I like to be good at what I do and I didn't have time to get good, therefore it wasn't pleasant to play. At the time I put the clubs down for good, the first reason, and the fact I could afford this new "habit" are what made me put them down. Nothing against golf. I just choose to not play for the foregoing reasons.

I love golf. I even make my own clubs from components. I don't expect to be challenging Tiger Woods to a match anytime soon, but golf is challenging, good exercise, gives one a chance to be outdoors, and can be great for social contacts.

Golf is addicting .... and I love it ... haven't been able to play much as I'm working on my dissertation, but am going this week-end. I like to play twice a week, once during the week-day, and one on the week-end, with a couple trips to the practice range in between! Hopefully when grad school is done I can get back into that routine!

1. Spend the money for a few lessons, its money well spent, I played for a few months before my first lesson and unlearning my bad habits was hard.

2. Custom fit clubs are worth the money!! High handicappers benifit more than the better players, confidence in your clubs is very important! That doesn't mean you have to spend a mint on clubs!! Some of those clone companies make a decent product and you can get static fit online. Since you probably don't have a constant swing, dynamic fitting is worthless!! Also Callaway Pre-owned is a great place to shop for good used clubs and they will static fit those for a small premium.

3. You don't need a $400 driver, there are $150 OS Ti drivers out there that will serve you well!!! Again, used is good!!

4. Most importantly ..... Have fun!!! When I first started I was like 280Rem above ... I wanted to be good and got frustrated. One day I was playing with a co-worker, who was worse than me but took it too seriously. I vowed never to be like that. Since then golf has been a lot more fun, errant shots are forgotten and nice shots remembered. For me its those perfect wedge shots or the 260-270 yard drives that have that perfect little draw that keep me coming back! I sliced everything for about my first year .... ITS NOT YOUR CLUBS!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Good Luck!! Its a wonderful sport in which you can bond some serious long term friendships through, great day to spend a summer afternoon!!!

Thanks - when I went - lets just say there was a lot of zig zaging across the fairways !

I am not serious about it and to be honest when we go golfing - the thing I like the least is the game itself.

Friends (all guys), adult beverages, go-karts (golfcarts), the outdoors and then the game. Of those the game comes in last. Maybe I need to simplify things -- just get a cheapie driver and hit the range to get out frustrations.

I was playing with a friend once and not having a particularly good day. After scoring a double (or triple) bogey on a hole my friend's comment was, "Your cost-per-stroke is a lot lower than the average golfer's."

My dad used to golf 2 times a week when we lived in MI. When we moved to TN, he laid off a bit, but has been playing alot lately.

He shoots a Callaway Big Bertha Driver
I think a Callaway 3 Wood of sorts
Full set of Taylor Made Irons
I forget the wedges and Putter, but they're mid/mid-high quality as well.

He has a buddy that runs a Pro Shop In Kentucky, and makes it up there every once in awhile for a good deal or 2 <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Andrew

I hate that game!! Two or three good shots mixed in with too many of the other kind! I've cut back to only 3 or 4 times a week now. Holding a 12 handicap, but at times can better that significantly. Trouble is the other times, wish I could be more consistant. It gets too hot here to do much shooting in the summer, and my brother doesn't shoot, but likes to bet on our golf rounds. He buys many of my components! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Golf is a great game, every time i play I do something sp4ectacular and something terrible. I have been playing of and on for 30 years, most years about 12 rounds, the last two since my wife started playing 35. I would advise also to get some lessons, a better idea than clones are nearly new used high end clubs on ebay. I just boght Ping G% irons and got custom fit for the first time after 309 years of playing standard length and I don't like them, my clevland TA7's may yet go back in my bag. MC was right it's a game of honour, I count everything, count the proper penalty for lost balls etc, i play in a couple of club tournaments each year and even won my flight last year. The game is addictive, we have a short season this far north, and as soon as i am legally allowed tocarry a gun in the bush my golf game goes to sh!!t.

George, odd you should mention it's not the clubs. I have five full sets of clubs and none hit straight. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Have several drivers, (wood and metal), some small and some large and since this sick spell they all just hit 100 yards. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Like you I hope to get back into playing soon. -- no

I was always the kind that thought "it was not the wand, it was the magician". Well, I bought a Taylor Made 580 driver last year and found I added 25 yards to my drive. That means I don't have to try and hit as many big irons. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I caught the previous year's model on sale and it is worth every penny in my book. Hard to miss it actually.

pepaw

Sonnie,

Yeah ... fortunately I've used mostly Callaway the last couple years, They offer a trade-in program, otherwise I would also have 2-3 sets. Lets not count Drivers!!! I now have two, standard 11 degree and my "girlie" driver, its a Big Bertha 13 degree driver. On days when the slice comes back, I pull out this driver, it my feel good find the fairway driver. I typically use a 454 with a little lead tape on the heal. Typical drives are in the 200-225 range, I usually get one or two a round that go 250 or more and sail real nice. Then I also get some in the trees, but not as many as I used to!

I Worry the golf stores here are going to go outta business!! I haven't bought any new clubs for over a year now. Settled on Driver, 5,7,9 and 11-woods 5-9 irons, P,G, and sand wedges along with a putter. The 5-iron and 11-wood overlap, so if I'm feeling Frisky I'll pull the 5-iron and put in the 3-wood.

Here's hopin' you kick what got you and get on out to the links again!!!

Given the number of ground hogs, tree rats and such we see on courses around here, I always thought the clubs were missing out by not combining golf with small game hunting. Talk about shootin' a birdie. Prolly have some legalities to clear for that though. It would be a good time though.
steve99

Teal, if you want my advice... RUN LIKE HELL. A few decent shots when you first start is all it takes. After that you just assume that everytime you play you will gradually get better. This will lead only to frustration of the MF'er kind. ONLY if you have the proper amount of time and money would I suggest going any further. All my closest buddies play and as of the last couple years, without me. They call stress the silent killer, and his accomplice is golf.


What about guns, when do we get guns?