Golf is my favorite bougie sport
Let's face it, golf takes money to start playing and getting good. But once you get it, it's pretty gratifying
This past week, for the first time this season, I had a chance to go out and hit some golf balls on just, a really beautiful day in Charlotte, North Carolina.
There was not a single cloud in the blue sky. The sun was out and it was warm, neither hot nor humid, and a light, gentle breeze blew in every 5 minutes.
It was perfection.
Golf is one those bougie sports that people continue to try and make accessible to the masses, but unfortunately the learning curve and the barrier to entry, i.e., the steps to become “decent,” are fairly high.
I would put it up there as one of the more expensive sports to get into, along with skiing or snowboarding, or scuba diving.
Or even equestrian activities at the top, if you want to throw an animal into the mix.
(I’m excluding sports that require big machinery, like racing or sailing, because those are obviously in a different category.)
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Get the clubs
First, there’s the equipment, a set of golf clubs.
You can find these used if you’re lucky, but eventually you’ll need to get fitted for a set if you want something that feels good and grows with you.
Get the gear
Then, there’s the proper golf attire like clothes and shoes.
Ladies’ golf clothes are the worst.
Okay, okay, so they are slowly getting better in terms of style, colors, and fit, but for a long time it was hard to find cute women’s golf clothes that were flattering, and not oversized and frumpy.
Get lessons. Please
Then there’s the lessons.
Trust me, you’re gonna need ‘em if you want to at least look like you know what you’re doing without hurting yourself (this is important because you can injure yourself), and if you really want to improve and make it look pretty.
It is however, a perfect game if you have no ego and no shame.
Get access to play, at public or private courses
Then there are the fees to access the clubs and courses to play.
These can vary anywhere from $30 for a tee-time at a public course, to hundreds of thousands of dollars if you’re a member at an exclusive golf, lawn, or country club.
Anyway, I’d argue that once you pursue any sport at a higher or competitive level, then the investment for instruction, coaching, gear, and equipment can add up to an astronomical number.
I mean, you can choose to ride a $1000 bike, or you can upgrade to a Bianchi or Pinnarello bike 12x that, if you’re serious about having the best of the best in cycling and road racing.
I started playing golf as an adult
But of course, it’s the entrée into golf that perpetuates its bougie-ness.
Because it’s an expensive sport to get into, a whole lifestyle and social raison d'être is built around it.
How much of that you wish to participate in is up to you.
May I just make a plea however, that you men stop wearing golf shirts as fashion when you’re off the course and out in the wild?
Like, if you’re not going to or leaving a golf course anytime soon, then please stop wearing golf shirts as acceptable lunch or dinner or anytime clothing.
Please. I can see the sheen of that polyester from across the restaurant.
That’s what any style of men’s polo or linen or collared shirt is made for.
Anyway, my penchant for golf came at a young age; I was always eager, but I wasn’t able to get into the game until I was an adult and had the resources to start taking lessons and practicing and playing regularly.
Very important for your game: Someone who can play with you
Having a partner who was willing to play with me also helped; I started playing at the Atlanta Athletic Club, where my ex-husband was a member.
This was a traditional club in, yes you guessed it, Atlanta, where I lived for 7 years.
May I also point out that your romantic partner or spouse is not allowed to offer unsolicited coaching, tips, or improvement advice while playing, unless he asks to do so first.
“May I make a suggestion…?” works just fine. And you can say NO.
Otherwise, giving or receiving constant golf correction out on the course will lead to total and utter resentment, hatred, and probably a huge fight about the dog.
The AAC was also golf legend Bobby Jones’s home club (at its original location, which is now East Lake golf club).
I took lessons each week with the fantastic golf pro Mike Berning, whose humor and easy teaching style made golf super fun and way less embarrassing.
Along with weekly coaching, I expanded my play by participating in the Ladies 9-Hole Golf Association.
One year I was nominated as the group’s “Rules & Etiquette” chair, which meant I had to put on a golf clinic for 200-ish women.
I almost protested because I was one of the few ladies who also had a 9-5 at the time, but I accepted my post and took it as an honor to be included.
So there I’d be every Tuesday morning, usually the youngest in the group by a lot, playing with 3 other ladies of leisure who were a total hoot and usually buzzed on booze by 11am. Not bad.
And here’s where you can get really good: When you bother to get out onto the golf course frequently, and actually play rounds to experience what match play is all about.
Teeing up, playing from different “lie” conditions, putting, chipping, and getting yourself out of treacherous spots (okay maybe treacherous isn’t the best word because even the muckiest pond is still fairly nice because let’s face it, you’re in a container of manmade nature)…
Only then do you start getting “good.”
The best analogy I can think of is scuba diving.
You’re not really scuba diving if you’re just in a pool. You’ve got to get into open water.
Okay, I thought of another analogy: playing violin.
Violin also requires lessons and lots of practice to look and sound good.
Better yet if you can take it to a public forum like recitals, symphonies, and concerts. The stress of being in front of others adds to your expertise.
Otherwise, you’re not really playing golf if you’re just hanging out on a golf range hitting balls.
At some point you’re going to have play a cute par 3, and then 9 and 18 holes on a course.
I prefer 9 holes because really, who the fuck has time for 18 holes anymore?
And I play fast.
But not as fast as these guys. I do want to try speed golf though, were it not so dorky.
There were days, however, when things would go haywire and I’d try instruction from different coaches, little tweaks here and there, only to play as if I’d never held a club before.
That will happen. But don’t be discouraged.
Because nothing feels as good as hitting a ball beautifully, straight and far.
Those are the amazing shots that keep you coming back.
If you’re at the range and you hit one of these kinds of shots and you have a couple of balls left, just leave on a high note.
Eventually you’ll find your grip and style, you’ll improve, and it will stick in your muscle memory.
In fact, after leaving Atlanta, I didn’t play golf for years.
Almost a decade.
Divorcing my golf-playing husband and choosing partners who didn’t play golf also didn’t help, and neither did living in cities where courses were hard to get to.
I got lazy.
But when I did eventually pick up a club again, the muscle memory was there.
After a few practice swings I was mostly back in the swing of things.🙄
I’m really grateful to have gained entrance into this world.
I worked hard to get here, and put in the time, effort and dedication to the sport…including making enough money for myself to be able to play consistently, years later.
I’m proud of that.
Like anything, it’s never too late to start any skill or sport.
Just commit yourself to learning and practicing and doing what it takes to keep at it, and join the club.
You’ll get to a point where you’re happy where you’re at, and ready for more.
What about you?
Is there something you always wanted to do, but couldn’t until you were an adult and had the means to pursue it?
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Until next time,
Shindy
On Instagram + TikTok
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Ron says the same exact thing! Nine holes only or the whole day is gone!!!!!
When people always asked me if I played, I’d always said could you really see me in those fugly golf lady clothes!!!????🤣🤣🤣🤣
I love your style, as always of course!
You’ll definitely have to play Ron and his “nine hole only” friends.
I meant to mention last week what a pro you are snowboarding!!!!!
I’ve never known anyone who is stellar at everything!!!!!!