I have been playing golf for the better part of 2 years now. I'm horrible. But I have fun with it and can see myself slowly improving. I took a golf class 6 years ago as my last class in college. I learned a lot but didn't play much after that. Some of my buddies have been golfers for years and have been playing more and more and asked me to tag along.
The game is not as easy as it may appear. It's also not as boring as it appears either. Typically it takes about 4 hours to play. It moves rather quick unless you're stuck behind a slow group.
I also like being outside. It's also a good excuse to drink beer, though it can inhibit your game. Riding around in the cart is fun too. The courses are typically very nice.
The catch is this isn't a cheap hobby. Clubs are pricey. A round of golf is sometimes an absurd price. However it has become more affordable recently. Still not cheap but you won't break the bank either. I think with the economy a lot of courses are hurting. A lot in my area (north Florida, south Georgia) have had deals where you can play a round of golf with the cart included for $20-$30. That's a great deal. A lot of courses will also have the occasional groupon or living social deal. The equipment is another issue.
If you're starting out, checkout a sports store like Sports Authority or something similiar. You can find a starter set for a reasonable price. I think I got my set of clubs with a bag for $150. But keep in mind this is not a top brand. I'm ready for an upgrade which is pretty pricey. However you can find some good brands used on ebay. Websites like the Golf Warehouse are good places to look as well. I have purched a bag, shoes, and recently two wedges from golf warehouse. Golf balls are expensive as well. The solution is to by recycled balls. THese are the ones that are found at the bottom of the lakes on courses, cleaned and then resold. Typically they're in good shape and look new.
An issue for me that is easy to overcome, is I'm left-handed. Left handers, I've read, only make up about 10% of the population. So shopping town for left-handed golf equpment is near impossible. There just isn't a huge selection of it. So I have to get a lot of what i need online, and even then there's not a lot out there for left handers.
Finally, if you want to play I suggest taking a class. It's more you have to pay but you get an idea of the basics. And then practice. Go to the driving range, if they have a putting green even better. Hitting the ball far is good but developing the short game is the best. If you play around go with friends that are decent. I'm not at a point where I can play around alone. You at least need to be with others that can keep you moving. You don't want to slow down some course regulars while you're searching for you ball. I've been told that if you want to play a round alone you need to be breaking 100. I'm not there, yet.
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