Retirement Golf

[geonuc]

According to the retirement instruction manual, I'm supposed to play golf. I believe it's not optional, but I could be mistaken.

Anyway, I've been golfing for a year and a half now very sporadically, mostly by myself but also with a friend who kindly invites me to join his group occasionally. And you know what? I'm actually good at it. No, I'm not threatening to play the senior tour or to even break par but I do pretty well.

Today I played an 18-hole course with the group (my first 18 hole course in over twenty years) and I had the low score. I found that I could hit a driver fairly well. Not long, but mostly straight.

I'm pleased. I'm also a little sore.

[Thumper]

I like being outside out on the course, hanging with friends. I'll never play enough to be any good. Every once in an while I hit a good shot which is kind of fun. When I go into the woods, and rough looking for my ball, I always end up with more than I started with.

[Swift]

I'm glad you are having fun.

Golf is in the same category for me as wearing a hat while I'm driving - my wife has strict instructions if she finds me doing either she is to take me out to the backyard and Old Yeller me.

[Thumper]

Who cried when Old Yeller died?

[SciFiFisher]

Who cried when Old Yeller died?

It would be a much shorter survey and easier to count if you asked who didn't cry when Old Yeller died.

[geonuc]

I'm glad you are having fun.

Golf is in the same category for me as wearing a hat while I'm driving - my wife has strict instructions if she finds me doing either she is to take me out to the backyard and Old Yeller me.

You're not retired yet, so according to the rules, you're not allowed to take up the game yet anyway. I'll check back with you in a few years.

[Thumper]

Who cried when Old Yeller died?

It would be a much shorter survey and easier to count if you asked who didn't cry when Old Yeller died.

Sorry, just quoting Bill Murray from Stripes.

[squ1d]

I took up golf this year too, getting lessons here and there and trying to play at least once a week. I'm (*#&$*#@ terrible, but I love it!

[geonuc]

I took up golf this year too, getting lessons here and there and trying to play at least once a week. I'm (*#&$*#@ terrible, but I love it!

Accepting mediocre play is important in this game - no one can play it well just starting off.

[squ1d]

Have you joined a club yet?

Do you have a handicap?

[geonuc]

Have you joined a club yet?

Do you have a handicap?

No and no. I don't think it's typical for people of my caliber to join clubs. There are tons of public courses around here.

And I only just started keeping score. Before that, I just tried to play well - the final score wasn't important.

[squ1d]

I'm pretty much in the same boat. Golf clubs are declining a bit in Australia (in terms of numbers) so fees have come down a bit in some places, almost to the point where I would consider joining my local club. I'd like to get down to a 15 or so before bothering with that though.

Have you splurged on clubs, or did you get some handmedowns? Cavity backs or blades?

[geonuc]

I have a set of Arnold Palmer Tru-Matic irons that I bought off a friend 25 years ago. He was a scratch golfer, so I think they were decent clubs for their time. They're not really cavity-back, but they do have a cavity. The set came with four persimmon woods but I got rid of those and bought a Calloway Big Bertha driver. Since taking up the game again, I have bought a TaylorMade 3 and a couple of fairway metals, all used. For sentimental reasons, I use my dad's putter, although that's probably not doing my game any favors. What clubs do you have?

I'm not sure how the handicap system even works. So, if you're a 15, does that mean you're expected to score 87 on a par 72 course?

[squ1d]

I inherited some ratty old cavity back irons by Wilson, not sure about the model #, they're about 10-15 years old and currently sitting in my mates house so I can't check.

I bought a new Taylor SLDR driver.

Once my swing is decent and consistent I'm going to get a fitting with my golf instructor for some new clubs.

[squ1d]

Oh, and yes, essentially that is how the handicap system works, but it accounts for the difficulty of the course (slope rating) you're recording your scores on, etc.

[Parrothead]

I haven't been out on a course in a good 10 years. Used to have a membership at a club, which had three 18 hole courses. Slowly getting back into the game, started off just hitting wiffle balls in the back yard and going out to a driving range, this past Summer. I still use the clubs I bought 30 years ago, 11 pc set by Dunlop and an Optic IV putter.

These days, I mostly I play golf on the computer.