Golf: Waste of time or path to enlightenment?

[BUTCH1]

Waste of time.

It is but if I took you to the range and put a 3 wood in your hand and you hit one, just one solid 200+ yd shot, BAM your hooked....

 

[zinfamous]

Golf is a blight on this planet.

for many reasons.

One golf course is, oddly enough, a larger environmental disaster than any kind of oil spoil. (Fact--the oil spills at sea tend to fix themselves, naturally, if left undisturbed.)

 

[coldmeat]

One of, if not the only, unmasterable sport. For those with even a sliver of competitiveness in them, the alure is too great.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moe_Norman

 

[SolMiester]

It is but if I took you to the range and put a 3 wood in your hand and you hit one, just one solid 200+ yd shot, BAM your hooked....

+1

 

[SolMiester]

Does it have a restraining order on you? No? You have work to do...

The wife does!....LOL

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

It is but if I took you to the range and put a 3 wood in your hand and you hit one, just one solid 200+ yd shot, BAM your hooked....

It's kind of like crystal meth in that regard...

 

[Muse]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moe_Norman

Interesting. I'd never heard of Moe Norman. I'm going to have to see if I can find a Youtube of his obviously very exceptionally effective (and clearly quite unconventional) swing.

 

[spidey07]

It is but if I took you to the range and put a 3 wood in your hand and you hit one, just one solid 200+ yd shot, BAM your hooked....

Nothing like a 3w off the fairway and watching it sail. Most beatiful shot in golf.

The sound. The flight of the ball. Beautiful.

 

[Muse]

It's stupid as hell, but I might just be saying that because I spent a buttload on new clubs a few weeks ago and had a terrible week at the range.

Watching golf is, seriously, the worst thing ever. My brother did nothing but watch the TV guys gush over Rory all of Saturday and Sunday and absolutely nothing exciting happened. Shoot me now.

That would probably be pretty much the truth if you are not into playing yourself.

Like Arnold Palmer said in his 495 Golf Lessons, don't watch untalented golfers. If you do you are apt to pick up bad habits, and those you don't need if you're serious about improving your game. But if you watch the PGA Tour on TV, you are watching the best golfers in the world. They are that because they have great swings, are diligent students of the game and you can learn a ton watching them if you are observant and care... which I am!!! Also, all the commentators (with the possible exception of one) are usually past professionals who have a great love of the game and love to share their knowledge and make appropriate commentary on the intricacies of the golf they are showing as it is unfolding.

 

[highland145]

Well I just spent 7 years waiting on that so I guess I could watch some golf.


Or paint dry...and peel.

 

[dasherHampton]

Golf is fun when you have no expectations. Just a great social activity.

As soon as you start to figure out a little bit how to play frustration inevitably will start to seep in. That's the mental game. I've never taken a lesson in my life but I got good enough to shoot par a few times on easier courses I'm really comfortable with. I usually shoot in the 80s.

The only thing you REALLY need to have fun playing recreational golf is a solid way to get off the tee. If you can consistently drive at least 200-250 yds the rest of it barely matters after a few brews. There is no greater torture than playing golf sculling an iron 90 yds every time you step into the tee box because you're scared of using a driver. For you and for everyone playing with you.

 

[Red Storm]

It's a sport involving a ball for people who can't play the main sports involving a ball.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Golf is fun when you have no expectations. Just a great social activity.

As soon as you start to figure out a little bit how to play frustration inevitably will start to seep in. That's the mental game. I've never taken a lesson in my life but I got good enough to shoot par a few times on easier courses I'm really comfortable with. I usually shoot in the 80s.

The only thing you REALLY need to have fun playing recreational golf is a solid way to get off the tee. If you can consistently drive at least 200-250 yds the rest of it barely matters after a few brews. There is no greater torture than playing golf sculling an iron 90 yds every time you step into the tee box because you're scared of using a driver. For you and for everyone playing with you.

That is completely, unbelievably, unfathomably bassackward wrong. The one thing you need least is the ability to drive the ball. A decent player will hit driver maybe 8-10 times a round on a typical course. It can be played around EASILY by anyone that can hit irons solidly and on some courses that are firm or tight like this years British Open it's best left in the bag by even good players because they can score better without it. It's the idiots club because it's the easiest one for hackers to hit somewhat competently. The head is the size of a Volkswagen, the ball is on a tee so the player doesn't need to develop the downward blow necessary for the rest of the game, it's unshankable and distance control isn't important. That's why you see the worst players on the driving range hitting nothing but drivers, it's the only club that chops can hit and ironically the one they need least. That's why they're chops and that's why they stay chops forever. If you learn to hit irons crisply and somewhat consistently you can play anywhere. Even the most brutal par 4s can be played 5-iron, 5-iron and wedge by mediocre players and you make mostly bogeys, save a few pars. The guy that can only hit driver can't play an enjoyable round anywhere because no matter how well he gets it off the tee he's still facing a series of shots that he sucks at. You can't play the game until you learn to hit the ball off the ground.

 

[gorcorps]

It's enjoyable here and there, but I don't care to play every week, and I've never played more than 18 holes. Some of the guys at work have trips every year where they go to some fancy course and play at least 36 holes for 4 days in a row.

Fuck that, I'd be worthless after the first 3 hours.

 

[WelshBloke]

I don't need an excuse to go for a walk or drink beer all afternoon!

And if I'm going for a walk in the country I'm going to find some better scenery than a golf course! Ideally it's going to involve walking between drinking and eating establishments!

And golfs a game not a sport. That's why you see sso many fat old people playing it! Like darts or snooker!

WTF! Necro!

 

[dasherHampton]

That is completely, unbelievably, unfathomably bassackward wrong. The one thing you need least is the ability to drive the ball. A decent player will hit driver maybe 8-10 times a round on a typical course. It can be played around EASILY by anyone that can hit irons solidly and on some courses that are firm or tight like this years British Open it's best left in the bag by even good players because they can score better without it. It's the idiots club because it's the easiest one for hackers to hit somewhat competently. The head is the size of a Volkswagen, the ball is on a tee so the player doesn't need to develop the downward blow necessary for the rest of the game, it's unshankable and distance control isn't important. That's why you see the worst players on the driving range hitting nothing but drivers, it's the only club that chops can hit and ironically the one they need least. That's why they're chops and that's why they stay chops forever. If you learn to hit irons crisply and somewhat consistently you can play anywhere. Even the most brutal par 4s can be played 5-iron, 5-iron and wedge by mediocre players and you make mostly bogeys, save a few pars. The guy that can only hit driver can't play an enjoyable round anywhere because no matter how well he gets it off the tee he's still facing a series of shots that he sucks at. You can't play the game until you learn to hit the ball off the ground.

Wow. I don't know what your golfing experience is but it's not normal. Not even close.

I've played hundreds of rounds with hundreds of different people, and I've NEVER met a person who can play a decent round of golf with irons alone who cannot hit a driver. NEVER. Anyone who can't hit a driver can't hit long or medium irons either. Getting lucky on the occasional 5 iron doesn't count.

Duffers who can't get off the tee is by FAR the #1 problem in recreational golf nowadays. They are extremely fortunate to hit their tee shots 50, 75, 90 yds, and even when they can't they insist on playing that skull 25 yds down the fairway behind the tree in the the right rough where it lies. You know - like a professional. Their 15 yd topped second shots are awe inspiring.

It can take an idiot foursome 15 minutes to reach the green. I haven't played a public course in at least 2 years thanks ton these morons. I don't need anymore of that shit.

 

[IronWing]

Golf is playing fetch without the dog.

 

[Red Squirrel]

A bad day of golf is still more fun than a good day at work.

Been a long time since I golfed, my dad gave me some old clubs and we both went to Canadian Tire to buy some balls, Ts etc with intention of going this summer and never went. When he retires (soon) we'll get more chances though. I have a job where I get a decent amount of time off.

Downside of golfing is I'm rather susceptible to sun burning so it's kind of a bad environment for me to be in. It's best to try to go on an overcast or cloudy day. Still have to wear at least SPF 60 but at least I won't burn if it's not full blown sun.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

The thing that makes golf a waste of time isn't the game, it's the batshit crazy players who are addicted to it. The self entitled assholes who believe it's their God given right to play anytime they want and demand others support them with services while they do it.

 

[Muse]

And golfs a game not a sport. That's why you see sso many fat old people playing it! Like darts or snooker!

WTF! Necro!

The fat old ones don't walk, they ride in carts. I regard cart paths as pollution on a golf course, but I have to put up with them.

Necro? Well, golf hasn't changed, this thread's reason for being hasn't changed, it's as valid as ever. I can't imagine why anyone new to it wouldn't want to read the earlier posts. I'm the OP, I read into the thread today because it's been years and wanted to see the posts again and decided to comment on a post. Necro, so what? I think a lot of threads are OK to revisit, this included. And the thread title was/is perfect and remains perfect.

And your claim that golf is a game not a sport is preposterous. Golf is an athletic sport, just about all of which are games.

 

[Red Squirrel]

They should have golf courses where there are no carts.

Then have golf courses that have carts but with off road tires and dirt roads that you can take jumps and do burn outs in.

Both could allow and provide alcohol. I feel they would both have different levels of entertainment. The first one is if you just want to play Golf.

 

[Muse]

Downside of golfing is I'm rather susceptible to sun burning so it's kind of a bad environment for me to be in. It's best to try to go on an overcast or cloudy day. Still have to wear at least SPF 60 but at least I won't burn if it's not full blown sun.

I've been playing around 2x/week for around 6 weeks now. I'm teeing off at the crack of dawn, even before like today. The rounds are taking less than 4 hours, so I'm finishing over two hours before solar noon. So, I'm not wearing sun block. Also, I'm wearing a broad brimmed hat, much broader than the one in my avatar!

 

[Muse]

The thing that makes golf a waste of time isn't the game, it's the batshit crazy players who are addicted to it. The self entitled assholes who believe it's their God given right to play anytime they want and demand others support them with services while they do it.

Interesting this post. My first contact with golf was miniature golf and you are handed a putter and you traverse a little Disneyland of holes, really fun for a 10 year old. A few years later I used to go to the 3 par course near me with some friends and again borrow clubs and have fun. The longest holes were maybe 120 yards.

At around 20 years old I bought a set of used irons and a set of used woods (persimmon!). I would go to the driving range every single day and hit a large bucket of balls and then practice my putting. I borrowed Ben Hogan's "Five Lessons" from the library and mastered it as best I could. I got pretty good at the range and then played Rancho Park in west Los Angeles. That was the busiest public course in the USA!!! But it was the only public course I knew of reasonably close to where I lived. It was hard as hell to get a tee time. I think there was one day a week when you could call the city of Los Angeles and request a tee time, and they started taking calls at 6:00AM IIRC and I'd start dialing that number until someone would answer. This was in the days when you had to twist the dial and the phones didn't have redial. I'd do this for 20 or more minutes and get busy signals.

Point is, I didn't take my right to play golf for granted! Anything but. I still regard playing golf as a great privilege even though I can just walk into the pro shop at my current home course and get on (I go early!). I get excited before I play, usually have trouble sleeping I get so excited. I try not to damage the course. I replace my divots, fix ball marks on greens, even ones I didn't create. I even pick up other people's trash a lot of the time.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Interesting this post. My first contact with golf was miniature golf and you are handed a putter and you traverse a little Disneyland of holes, really fun for a 10 year old. A few years later I used to go to the 3 par course near me with some friends and again borrow clubs and have fun. The longest holes were maybe 120 yards. Around 20 years old I bought a set of used irons and a set of used woods (persimmon!). I would go to the driving range every single day and hit a large bucket of balls and then practice my putting. I borrowed Ben Hogan's "Five Lessons" from the library and mastered it as best I could. I got pretty good at the range and then played Rancho Park in west Los Angeles. That was the busiest public course in the USA!!! But it was the only public course I knew of reasonably close to where I lived. It was hard as hell to get a tee time. I think there was one day a week when you could call the city of Los Angeles and request a tee time, and they started taking calls at 6:00AM IIRC and I'd start dialing that number until someone would answer. This was in the days when you had to twist the dial and the phones didn't have redial. I'd do this for 20 or more minutes and get busy signals. Point is, I didn't take my right to play golf for granted! Anything but. I still regard playing golf as a great privilege. I get excited before I play, usually have trouble sleeping I get so excited. I try not to damage the course. I replace my divots, fix ball marks on greens, even ones I didn't create, I even pick up other people's trash a lot of the time.

Didn't mean to attack your enjoyment of the game, I was thinking mostly of club members and their addiction.

 

[Muse]

Didn't mean to attack your enjoyment of the game, I was thinking mostly of club members and their addiction.

I've never belonged to a club. Funny thing is when I took up golf I lived on Club Drive, on the side with the old houses. The other side of the street had newer homes that replaced the country club that had been there. I think it used to be a golf course, IIRC, but I never saw that, it was gone when we moved in there.