Learning to Golf

So it took me 33+ years, but I have finally started golfing. I am a complete and total idiot for not listening to the dozens of friends that have been trying to convince me to play for the last ten years. It is amazing fun and paralyzingly addictive. I played for the first time in January of this year at my friend Kelly‘s 40th birthday party on the Balboa Golf Course in Encino, CA. At the end of January my dad had some business in Vegas and he flew me there for the day to play the Las Vegas Golf Club. I’ve played about 10 or 15 rounds since then and am hooked.

In early June dad had another business trip on my coast and we played a municipal course in Chula Vista, CA, where my grandfather lives. Dad gave me a set of his old clubs while I was there and I bought a slick Nike bag to hold ’em. The next day we played with Guy Denniston, the president of American West Worldwide Express, at Tijeras Creek in Rancho Santa Margarita. A few days later dad was here in LA and we played the Malibu Country Club with Kelly and Eric Clarke, the president of Four Truckers (photo).

The day before my birthday I played the Studio City public course with my friend Rick. I had my first par on a par 3 there. The following Friday I snuck away from work at lunch and played Knollwood Country Club with Kelly, Rick, and Bill.

On the second weekend in July my dad flew me to Rhode Island as a belated 33rd birthday present and we played Newport National with Eric Clarke on Saturday. Dad and I played another round there on Sunday.

Then a few weeks ago I attended the American Home Furnishings Alliance conference in Myrtle Beach, SC with my dad. My dad’s in freight billing and logistics and I was not about to ignore the opportunity to travel across the country. We played in the AHFA tournament at Arcadian Shores on Thursday with Mike Caldiero and Patty Toler of MGM Transport. On Friday I played in a foursome (photo) with Eric Clarke, Jerry Rudisill, the president of Rudisill Transportation, and Chuck Melton, the president of Melton Technologies on the Davis Love course at Barefoot. Dad played with T. J. Alfuth, president of Milwaukee Delivery Service in a different foursome. (photo) Then Dad and I played Tidewater on Saturday. It was a blast.

This past weekend I took a lesson with one of the pros at the Rancho Park Golf Club and learned a few things which have tremendously improved my swing. Rancho is literally five minutes from my house; that’s the driving range I’ve been hitting on the weekends. I’m not quite good enough yet to have a handicap or, to be honest, to even keep score when I play. But I’ve had two pars now and am getting better every time. I can’t believe how long I lived in Florida and never played. It is ridiculously fun.