Merry Christmas, Senior types.

profsmitty · December 10, 2012

Just wondering. Does anyone have a golf/Christmas memory to share?

Golf and Christmas really don't go together in about 2/3 of the United States. Snow, ice, freezing cold weather sorta' take the opportunity to development a warm, fuzzy Christmas memory, I guess.

I did get my first set of clubs on a cold Christmas morning in Lubbock, Tx in 1960 or 61. It was a red plaid vinyl and cloth job with one pocket. My dad bought a Women's beginner set of Wilson Crests: 3,5,7,9, Spoon, Driver, and putter at a pawn shop. I didn't know they were Women's clubs for years. I'm sure I wouldn't have cared what they were though. To me, they were the most wonderful present I could have ever gotten. They meant that one day I would play golf with my dad instead of pushing the cart. They meant that one day I might be able to hit a ball as far and as controlled as he could. It meant that one day I might be a grown-up man.

I carried those clubs until I started high school. I can't even count the number of rounds I played with my friend Freddie at the wonderful Elm Grove Golf Course carrying those clubs. It was $3 for all the golf you could play. Two peanut butter sandwiches and a quarter for a couple of cokes and you were set. Thirty minutes or so hawking balls along the OB fence and the edge of the irrigation pond, a second or two looking for a non-broken tee on #1 tee box, and we were set for a day of rock hard fairways, rough that existed only in theory (it looked just like the fairway), and greens that were the only green thing on the course.

It all began on that Christmas morning, 50+ years ago. It was the only Christmas I actually remember from my childhood. That morning literally changed my life forever. I'm still waiting to be a grown-up.

Sean2 · December 10, 2012

Nice memory professor. :-)

Speaking of 50, that's when I picked up the game.

Merry Christmas!

guisician · December 10, 2012

profsmitty,

That's a wonderful memory. As for growing up, no rush; I hear it's overrated!

memphishorn · December 10, 2012

Back in the mid 80's my father in law lived in Miami and called us on Christmas day around noon to wish the family a Merry Christmas. He had already played 18 that morning in 80* weather while it was 26* in Memphis that morning. I remember telling how much I hated him!!

I also remember in the late 90's getting a brand new Tight Lies for Christams and going to the local course on Christams morning to play the 1st hole, a par 5. It was in the 30's and I think the ground was frozen. Needless to say it was not a great test of the new stick. (BTW, remember what a hot club that was)

Bobtrumpet · December 11, 2012

My first year living in the Dallas area (1985), I was playing golf 2 days after Christmas. I swore I would never move any further north than this!

Johnny Hack · December 12, 2012

1977, Home on leave for Holidays, Christmas morning at 730 AM, Willowick Golf Course in Santa Ana California, Course was closed but the owners leave the flags out and come and unlock the gates at 6 AM to let any who want to play, made my first ever albatros on #10, 485 yard par 5, jarred a 4 wood (persimmon) from 220 yards out, never forget that one.

Hateto3Putt · December 12, 2012

1977, Home on leave for Holidays, Christmas morning at 730 AM, Willowick Golf Course in Santa Ana California

Hey, I played there! After yanking my drive on 1 into the driving range fence, I had one of my many "one more roll and it's an ace" shots on #2.

made my first ever albatros on #10, 485 yard par 5, jarred a 4 wood (persimmon) from 220 yards out, never forget that one.

That's a GREAT number on any par 5, especially that one! (is that the one with the dried up river down the left?)

Due to all the family fun on the radar, about the only golf around here on Christmas day will be played on my phone. But, if the stars align we do have a skins game semi-scheduled for Saturday!