A serious question: how do you find the time?

[bluewolf]

I moved away from golf when my kids were born. Now that they are both at school/nursery, coupled with the fact that I work nights, I have plenty of time to play. I still sacrifice though. In order to play, I have "learned" how to cope on less than 5 hrs sleep per night.

With regards to the car situation, I can only echo what other forumers have suggested. Join a club with a locker, and either walk or cycle there. Or try to meet people who can pick you up. I do this for one of my playing partners at the moment. I don't mind doing it as I would be playing on my own otherwise..

 

[barrybridges]

Thanks for all your thoughts guys. I definitely think the solution is to find a club with a locker - and get the 5 day membership going.

I can definitely squeeze a round in pre-work, as I run my own small business and can therefore be pretty flexible on timings. And I'm sure my wife won't mind me making Wednesday nights 'bazza time' (she can go off and do womanly stuff at that point, whatever that involves!).

Re: playing on my own - interesting to hear other people's views. Up until now I probably play on my own for 90% of the time. I quite like it, but I really get the impression that it's not an acceptable thing to do. Not socially, but because whenever I'm a single player I sense from others we're taking up a slow that would be better allocated to a group - plus it's disruptive in that I'm a quick player and always having to be played through the groups in front.

Playing with Oddsocks didn't put me off - it was a good laugh! The only problem was it was absolutely freezing and a pretty depressing day. The low point for me was hitting what I thought was a pretty sweet par putt, lipping out only to realise the 18th green actually had two holes in it and I'd be lining up for the wrong one.

Anyway, summary is: join Edenbridge on 5 day, be nice to wife in return to 1 weekday evening + before work, and maybe squeeze a round in at the weekend if I'm lucky.

 

[Oddsocks]

Sounds like a plan, a way to get around her is allocate her 1 day during the week where it's her night, me and the wench do it. It's one day a week we make sure no plans are made and take turns in cooking for that day, it scores mega brownie points....... Who knows you may even get a bit of hows your father

 

[USER1999]

Lockers are often like rocking horse poop. Every body wants one, and there are never enough. Hope you strike lucky.

I have never understood how people need to be with their other half so much. Mrs Mogs and myself have always enjoyed our own space, and had our own hobbies. We cook and eat together most nights, and eat in the dining room, not in front of the telly, so we can talk. But at weekends, we are both out and about, me at golf, and her at tennis, gym, swimming, running, lunching, what ever it is she does. In the summer we both get in late most nights, but still find time to cook and eat together.

Not sure I'd fancy spending all weekend together. Sounds claustrophobic to me.

 

[Oddsocks]

Not sure I'd fancy spending all weekend together. Sounds claustrophobic to me.

You must have one of these new age independent women murph, some of us got lumbered with old stock traditionalists that by tradition are a pain in the backside.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Barry, Why cant you nick the car when she is working from home, and rather than go down the range, go play golf

Ask the pro to place you with another single player or 2 and before long you will have a few mates who you can call on to play and maybe even give you a lift to the course

Sorted
Fragger

 

[Liverbirdie]

Who knows you may even get a bit of hows your father [/QUOTE]

LOL, did you write the scripts for "only being served".

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Barry, I'm in a similar position as we only have one car. HID doesn't put any restrictions on me and will take me to the course, drop me off and pick me up later. She gets the car to go swimming, shopping with her mum or out with her mates, I get to play and enjoy a a laugh afterwards and everyone is happy. Similarly if I want to practice she'll drop me off and pick me up and can nip to her mums (near the range) or pick up shopping or whatever.

Worls perfectly for us. I tend to play Saturday am in the roll up and so we have the afternoon and evening free for "us" time. Same on a Sunday as I try and get an early time in any comps. I'm also lucky that I have a locker so in the summer I can my clubs up and leave them and commute straight through to Ascot station, jump in a cab and be at the course by 6.00 (£6-7 depending on traffic but £3.20 as soon as he puts the meter on). I'll rotate some shoes so they don't stink the place out and then I can play or practice as often as I like in the evenings. Of course not having kids helps.

Hope you find a solution to the problem though

 

[mouth]

Shift work is my friend. When I'm on lates with a 3-4 pm start I can get a full round in before work. By God does it make the evening drag when working till midnight but ultimately a happy feeling. It's the same when on early. A finish time of 1 or 2 pm lends itself to some great twilight prices in the Summer.

Range sessions - sometimes I'll be cheeky and pop one evening in the week. The Mrs has just started Slimming World and conveniently (for me at least) they have their meetings at the local golf club. Unfortunately the range isn't covered or floodlit or in any way 'luxury' - think rubber mat in field but will be ok for a basket in Summer. Also the Pro says it'd be ok for me to use the putting green whilst I'm waiting for her. I also take my little (EDIT: big) one to the range at weekends - a great excuse.

I make the effort to play every event in the society calendar from work. One or two of the top bosses are also members so this helps greatly with days off or changing shifts and stuff.

HID works in a school so when I do get a day off in the week as opposed to the weekend my time is essentially my own as long as I get home for dinner. We also have only one car (which she uses every day) but I'm surrounded with a great great bus service (which I travel on for free since I'm a bus driver) and there are plenty of courses within a few minutes walk of the nearest bus stop. It adds on to travelling time but lets face it - it's worth it. If/when I do join a club it'lll have lockers and a bike rack.