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If you could go back in time would you tell yourself not to take up golf?


2bGood

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> @jdl said:

> > @BicknellCC said:

> > Nope, I would tell myself to quit the track team, and focus on golf. I think I might be a better player now if I had started learning in my teens, instead of my forties.

>

> Same here, except it was tennis, not track.

 

I planned on giving up track for golf when I started my freshman year......then they dropped the golf program.

 

 


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I actually would have played more.....

I was always surfing weekend mornings when my dad was playing golf at Montecito CC.

I told him I'd play more if you guys played later in the day, surf's glassy until 11am.

 

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I would have gotten more committed earlier. Played the first time at 10-11 with ladies clubs. Started for real at 14, got to the 80’s at 16 and was a 5 hdcp at 18. Didn’t take many lessons early and just developed a swing without good fundamentals. Got older, married, kids, work and game sort of regressed to a mid 80’s shooter.

 

Found more of a solid game in my 50’s (today’s equipment helps) and am now a 65 y/o 7 hdcp that is not afraid to play competitively. Used be terrified and nervous to play tournaments or match play. Now I am my clubs current match play champion.

 

My dad got me started but always looked at it as pure recreation and thought I took it to seriously as a teenager. Wished he would have pushed me a little bit back then. Who knows?


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Looks like I will be one of the few to say yes...I would tell my 12 year old self to run away and don’t look back. While golf has brought me some positives and on occasion I still enjoy it now - on balance, over the years, it’s been a major time and $ suck and a borderline addiction I can’t seem to shake...

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> @Nessism said:

> > @2bGood said:

> > So if you could go back in time, would you warn your younger self, not to get the golf bug?

> >

> Of course not. I would do one thing different though: get lessons from the very beginning. I was able to get to single digit within a few years but my swing is not optimal and puts my back under more stress than a necessary. At this point it's too late though.

>

>

 

First reply nailed it.

If I could do it all over I wouldn't get fooled by the quick improvements any beginner gets with his lousy swing.

In the best case scenario I would take lessons and practice properly from the outset as a 14 year old but since that wasn't really practical I would go to a good teacher first thing when I start over at age 27 after a seven year hiatus, instead of waiting to 32.

 

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After how long does being "out of form" turn into "a bad golfer"?

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I would have taken it up sooner... and really tried to improve quickly early on.

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Golf has improved my home/work/life balance. I was playing tournament softball in my 20s and early 30s and that was tough on the wife/kids. I do wish I could go tell younger me to lay off the beer and sweets that are giving me knee problems now.

But to play devil's advocate, I'd be retiring a few years earlier if I had spent my golf time on building a side business or just saving/investing the golf money.

Overall I guess I can't complain about golf, it has given me a reason to set personal goals, compete, make good friends, and get some exercise and fresh air. My wife is a therapist and says I get grumpy when I don't play, so I guess it has been good for my mental health.

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  • 2 weeks later...

No way. I would have told myself to take up the game sooner. Seek lessons early and start playing competitively. Are you kidding me. Imagine your job is to play golf and your office is the golf course.

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No. I’d give up football, baseball etc,.. and played golf at a young age. I was over 30 before I caught the bug.

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  • 3 months later...

My only regret / do over would be to start younger.

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Like many, I wish I would have started younger. I was 35 when I decided there was actually normal people that played golf and not just snobby idiots.

 

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So if you could go back in time, would you warn your younger self, not to get the golf bug?

No. I didn't start playing until I was 50, when my doctor said I needed fresh air, sunshine, and exercise. Golf seemed to be the way to go as it would keep my outdoors for an extended period of time, while getting a good long walk in. I am now in better shape at 64 than I was at 50. In addition, golf has kept my sanity intact...for the most part.

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Started messing around in the yard with an old 6 iron I found in a bargain bin when I was probably 8-10 years old. Would go to the driving range every now and again, and played a local pitch and putt a couple times a year with my dad. Really enjoyed it and played pretty well for a kid my age with no formal instruction. Then I started playing baseball and focused most of my time on that, played little league all the way up through high school, also played football in high school. Never really took golf seriously till I was in my mid-late 20’s.

If I could go back and do it all over I would’ve focused completely on golf. Would’ve saved so much wear and tear on my body caused by baseball/football.

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I'm 38 I just got bitten by the bug about 6 months ago. If I could go back in time to my early 20's I would tell myself to go play golf. I would love to know how much better the more athletic version of myself would have played the game, and how much better I would be at 38 if I had started all those years ago.

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If anything I would have wish I picked the game up earlier and started young. I would have sacrificed all the sports I played in school for it had I known what I know now. Picked it up Junior year of High School and didn't get good until Summer after graduating. Would have loved to have had the opportunity for College offers and playing alongside other great amateurs. Still get to during the Summers in great AM events but the team aspect is always cool and is an experience I wish I had

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No way. I actually wish i was introduced to the game earlier in my life. Started up the game after working at a golf shop during my senior year in high school. Then Tiger Mania happened and that was it for me.

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The way I look at it I never had a choice. I was addicted to golf from Day 1. I started at 16 when I garbage picked an old set of irons. I still to this day practice 20 hours a week and play at least three to four nines a week. I still compete in the state am series and local district events. I'm 56 now and have been a 2 handicap for 30 years.

I never get bored hitting golf balls. I spent 10 hours on a driving range twice last summer, LOL I had no idea what time it was and I just get lost hitting balls.

I never lost my desire

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