G-O-L-F ... the sport, not the car

[trinacriabob]

Every once in a while, fleeting mentions of golf and golfing come up on the site. Yes, I see how it would nice be to walk scenic manicured courses as you go out to a golf outing. But that's where it stops. I've never really had an opinion of golf (other than indifference), but that's changing.

Sorry if I seem blunt, but the whole experience and the accoutrements that go with it seem so "packaged." I wonder if people REALLY like it, or if it's something they do to be "one of the boys." I mean, it offers little in the way of exercise value.

The reason I bring this up is that about 5 months ago, I got a new boss. In the last week or so, it crystallized that he is totally worthless and that he adds nothing to my (learning) experience at this firm (especially since I didn't even have a boss before...I just worked on my own projects, which I liked better). However, this dude merged his firm into ours and brought in some bigger projects which require somebody to run them (me) while he....well, GOLFS. First of all, the fact that he golfs is so inconsistent with his overall demeanor which is kind of pissy. He is not at all a back-slapper. From what I can tell, I do that better than everyone in our firm...but I couldn't name a single article in a golf bag. And I'm single and I don't belong to Rotary or any of that stuff.

Let's face it, there's enough written about (glass) ceilings. I once read that a single male makes 5 to 11 % less than his married counterpart for the same job. If I get wind of that in a job setting, I check out and start looking for my next job.

Back on track, what's your thought of the whole golf scenario? Do you partake? Do you think that a lot of the people that are TOO into it tend to be clones of each other? The whole experience seems way too uptight for my taste.

Share your stories and thoughts.

[Cory Wolfe]

My dad golfs, as does his brothers. I don't see it as uptight, more or less I just see it as boring. I mean, competition always makes something worthwhile, and I could see myself enjoying it like that... and I have. I'm just not good at it. So yeah... totally boring if you're always losing.

[Nick]

I enjoy it every once in a while...I like going to the driving range too (buddy works there so free clubs and balls FTW). Heh...hitting the guy in the cart on the driving range is great...So are the drunken shenanigans that ensue on the driving range...I gave my buddy a nice sized welt on his thigh with a driver.

My dad has been playing a whole hell of a lot lately...shmoozing with clients and management and such...

[trinacriabob]

My dad has been playing a whole hell of a lot lately...shmoozing with clients and management and such...

206724[/snapback]

Yeah, that's what I am talking about, it's almost something you have to do in certain jobs. I mean...I could get by without doing it and I won't. I just think that the whole golf experience cranks up your client roster a whole other notch.

What does your dad do? Keep it general without being too specific (as you sometimes are...j/k) that he has to schmooze a little bit?

Admittedly, I have tried it a time or two and DID NOT like it AT ALL. On the other hand, I picked up a tennis racket and liked it instantly without any pressure to like it or not. I just did.

Edited October 20, 2006 by trinacriabob

[Northstar]

I played golf for three years in high school. It does get boring after a while, at least for me, but I enjoy it most of the time.

I don't think all of the people that play are clones of each other. Maybe the really good ones (I was better than average but not great) are somewhat similar, but their are lots of different personalities from what I gathered. Some people care, some people don't, and some people get pissed off if they make a double bogey.

Lots of business deals are made on the golf course, so it's certainly not a bad thing to do.

[loki]

haven't played it in a long time (4 years?), it's a sport that if you take seriously , the only competition is yourself, and if it's for fun... well it's for fun..

i liked playing it when i did... prolly still would. just a reason to get away from the "town" and out to a quieter area, walk and swing clubs at balls

[american_revolution_2005]

All I can say is I play like Happy Gilmore lol. My grandpa also died while golfing. And no it wasn't from me golfing lol. Sadly it was before I was born and I never met him. No man on my dad's side makes it pass age 60 or 65 if you are lucky. It is in the genes and it has carried down to me as well probably. Well, that's just great. Our family just isn't a golfing family.

[Nick]

Yeah, that's what I am talking about, it's almost something you have to do in certain jobs.  I mean...I could get by without doing it and I won't.  I just think that the whole golf experience cranks up your client roster a whole other notch. 

What does your dad do?  Keep it general without being too specific (as you sometimes are...j/k) that he has to schmooze a little bit?

Admittedly, I have tried it a time or two and DID NOT like it AT ALL.  On the other hand, I picked up a tennis racket and liked it instantly without any pressure to like it or not.  I just did.

206726[/snapback]

My dad is in sales or something like that at IBM. (general enough for ya? )

See, I'm the opposite...I can't stand tennis...I played it a bit. I usually end up hitting the balls way to hard and they go right over the fence or I'll just start smacking my friends or something stupid...I dunno, it was just never my thing. The good thing about it though is that tennis is still good business recreation, like golf.

[scharmer05]

I golf....didn't get too into it until about 5 years ago when I started going with a buddy of mine. I now can consistently shoot 5 or so over par. I just picked up a set of Callaway clubs last week when one of the local golf shops was going out of business a few weeks back, so I am excited to be able to use them next year. I have a membership to the public courses here in Fargo, and one at a private course over by the lake. I go every Sunday morning, at 8 o'clock, when im at the lake, and I go almost every Wednesday night here in Fargo with a group of guys. I really do have a lot of fun doing it, but I'm not one of the guys that will go out by himself and golf, just to golf. I have to go with someone otherwise it bores the hell out of me, and I could probably do without it, so I guess that it is just something I do to hang out with the guys. But as long as everyone wants to keep going, I'll keep going too.

[Satty]

I dont take golf too seriously, but I do have a set of clubs and used to try to go to the driving range a couple of times a week and hit a course at least once a month. My life has been hectic the last few months, so I haven't gotten much in, but it'll come back. I cant drive worth a $h!, but I can hit the short shots and putt like a mofo.

[the_yellow_dart]

I think of golf a lot like I think of bowling.

They're great fun, but I don't expect to ever take either of them seriously. Bowling is a sport that's fun to do with people of roughly the same skill level, and it's relatively easy to do and doesn't take long. Golf is like that too, but you can only do it when you have a bit more time and money. I find it more rewarding as well though, so it's worth it.

[Justin Bimmer]

I golf quite a bit. Unfortunately for me, I was not very coordinated in HS so I was not as good as I am now. With as rarely as I play and I am about a 12 handicap (Shoot around 84) My dad, who was a coach for a long time and very frustrated with my inability in high school says that if I played more I would be real good.

My brother, who is in high school, is really good and my sister played on the UCLA team and won a national championship a few years ago.

I have all the best stuff too.... Titleist Driver, Orlimar Metalwoods, an awesome Taylor Made Cleek, Ping I2 irons, cleveland and titleist wedges, and a Ping Putter that i got from my sister after she got a Scotty Cameron studio edition that she actually got to watch him buld.

[ocnblu]

I find the sport to be extremely irritating. The damn water wheel always trips me up.

[trinacriabob]

The damn water wheel always trips me up.

207132[/snapback]

you back-slapping political animal, you...

[z28luvr01]

I had to play golf for two weeks in P.E. in high school. I hated it, and never picked up a club again.

Mini-gol is fun, though.

[trinacriabob]

I had to play golf for two weeks in P.E. in high school. I hated it, and never picked up a club again.

207430[/snapback]

I had a similar experience in ATL when I moved there between undergrad and grad...I tried it and HATED it...I was thinking ``What are these people thinking``...not about me, necessarily, but as to why they thought it was such a great sport...or facsimile thereof...