Golfing Inspirations

[HomerJSimpson]

Its that time of year, now the leaves have turned brown and the clocks have changed that I often reflect on my golfing career not only over the season just past but usually remembering old, perhaps funny instances from long ago.

It got me thinking who inspired you to play the game? Did you want to be like your hero on the TV? Did you want to beat your best mate/brother/dad? Did you have dreams of being a contender.

There are 3 people who inspired me. Firstly and unashamedly by dear old dad, sadly not with us anymore. He was a member at our local club and as a kid could never understand why he was never around on a Saturday morning. One day (I was about 10) he came home with a new set of irons and asked if I wanted to go to the range. He let me just hit a few and I was hooked.

Although money in our house was tight he managed to find enough to get me a junior half set of Petron's a bag, cheap shoes and some balls

He arranged for me to get proper coaching at Sandown Park (middle of the racecourse) which comprised of 5x1 hour lessons one week in the school holidays. Once I could hit the ball he got me into his old club (sadly work meant he gave up his membership so no father/son competitions for us) and would listen as I recounted every shot after every round. He never tried to tweak my game but was always there for advice.

The second inspiration was my first club pro Jeff Jukes. He gave me a job as his assistant and taught me so much not necessarily about golf. As a 15-16 year old he showed me so much about life in general. Dealing with the memebers and public gave me a solid grounding and I use to enjoy those halcyon summer days. He taught me the discipline of always hitting some balls before going out to play and that it is not the long shots that need the mosat work but those little testers on and around the green.

Finally we have my wife. With the patience of a several saints she still encouragrs me every time I go out to play be it in a friendly 4 ball or a major open competition. She listens to my post round analysis and always manages to find the words of comfort if it has gone poorly or is made up if I do well. She lets me practice if I need to and always lets me go and play. She even tried to learn herself but sadly couldn't get the bug.

So there we have it. Three people who have left an indelible mark on my life as a golfer and as a person. They have inspired me to always play to win but to lose with good grace. It is only a game.

I'd love to hear who inspired you.

Happy golfing
Homer

(sorry for the length but had this topic inside me for a while trying to get out!!)

 

[thebelgie24]

Nice one Homer
as with you my old man was my main inspiration,my mates when we were very young in a competitive way and watching tv 1st Tom Wieskof then Sev
wish my girl was as understanding !

 

[madandra]

HJS,

That is the kind of encouragement I want to give my 4 year old daughter. In my instance golf was out of bounds for financial reasons until I was 21. However my dad is my hero and also got me hooked on something .... Greyhounds or as the old men at Carfin Dog track called it 'the dugs'

Me and my dad would leave the house at 5am every morning with 4-8 dogs in hand. It was amazing just walking with yer da' and even though you maybe didn't talk all the way round the walk you were 'together'. The walks were very calm and theraputic until the dogs caught sight of a rabbit them in was street surfing.
Back to the golf. My brother in law was a player off 5 and he was my golfing inspiration. It took me 6 years to get to a level I could compete with him and recently he had a bad bike accident so I am looking forward to playing against him soon.

 

[thebelgie24]

What while hes still in plastercast Maddy !!!

 

[madandra]

Nah, he is healing now but I will still open a can of whoop ass on him once the glove is on.

 

[thebelgie24]

GOOD MAN !

 

[mass]

Got my first sticks when i was about 10, it was my grandad who got me into it. Summer holidays were spent on the local 9 holer, clubs on the back and pushbike 3 miles uphill. Unfortunately when i got my driving license the sticks got abandoned for the next 15 years, then last year he sent up his old dunlop blades as he was finished playing, my buddie gave me a shot of his old driver and off to the 9 holer again. Went round 14 over after 9, was hitting the ball well just my putting had left me, and that was it hooked again.
At this point i warned my girlfriend she would become a golf widow," that is ok as long as you are doing somethng you enjoy"
Ha that has gone out the window now!! she didnt realise what she was saying.

Unfortunately my grandad past away in August, so i have to try and do him some justice and get my hcp down.

 

[shanker]

Great stories. I was the same. My Dad used to play and would go off to play with his pals at golf courses in the Glasgow area. Often they'd be there before dawn, book a time or put a ball in the chute as they did then. Off for breakfast and then back to the course to shoot 120-125. Then home to watch Celtic in the afternoon.
That got me and my brother started at 13/14. Never looked back. Starting golf was a good move. Can't say I know many ex-golfers!

 

[pingpal]

Bill Murray in Caddyshack. His 'Cinderella story' always cracks me up. This link to youtube -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bg8lSyGavc4

explains all -enjoy

 

[RGuk]

My grandad was a pro before he joined the army....he tried to get me to play, but I wasn't interested. I had his clubs when he passed away and went and had a go on a 9 hole. I was so, so bad. I stepped onto the first tee, saw S.I. 4 written on the stone and pulled out a 4 iron, I thought S.I. meant Suggested Iron!!

Keen to understand more, I watched some golf (Ryder cup 1993 - did we lose?) and went for a few lessons and finally broke 100. I also played Golf on a SEGA gaming system.

I moved city and found a pro who had been learning to play and teach with Dennis Pugh, who had worked with David Leadbetter. I broke 80 in just over a year with this pro coaching me, and watched endless golf (Monty, Faldo, Olly, Davis Love (who played Tommy Armour clubs), Nick Price, those early 1990s guys) until Sky moved in on the scene and BBC golf went all "occasional".

Then it all ended as quick as it began, until now......

So, for me, the inspirations were 1) my grandad 2) the great players on telly in the early 1990s and 3) a great pro who believed I could be good. He went abroad to an exclusive club, a week after he left, I shot 4 74s in a row.....not bad for a poor sportsman.

Dave

 

[RGuk]

Bill Murray in Caddyshack. His 'Cinderella story' always cracks me up.

Good call.....I must get round to seeing it again!