Always liked it–the whole business of one person challenging nature, the course, and other players to win tournaments.
I really got interested in golf in grade 5 and 6, initially playing with 2 very old woods and 2 old mismatched irons. The 7 was my club of choice until I finally bought a Spalding starter set in grade 6 from my paper route money ($30?); had a 1 and 3 wood, 3, 5, 7, and 9 irons and a flat head putter. Went out to Bannatyne schoolyard and batted balls around; fortunately never hitting any houses. (My mother knitted 4 green wool head covers for my now 4 woods.)
Got interested, at about the same time, in the Kirkfield Park miniature golf course which had a mini-tournament I played in, finishing in 3rd (won something like $5-10). My older Wallasey Street acquaintance, Ted Rich, who played real golf finished first; he also joined once or twice on the Bannatyne field. We were both living in the shadow of popular Canadian pro of the day, George Knudson, who had been at Bannatyne School some years before me.
Our family was car-less so one Saturday morning I finally travelled with 2 or 3 friends via bus from Wallasey to Assiniboine Park to play on an actual course. Then we crossed the bridge and walked all the way through the park to Tuxedo Golf Course. My shoes were quickly soaked from the dew and I sky-ed my first shot. Overall, it was a long wet walk duffing our way around 18.
(Pamphlets similar to the ones I wrote away for from the local newspaper. I still remember learning his grip.)
Arnold Palmer was an inspiration back in those days and I used to imagine myself as one of ‘Arnie’s Army’ when I saw him play on tv.
Anyway, in the next three years, came girls, music, The Beatles, and learning to play guitar, followed by university and work. Trying to keep up this sport became impossible for years.
I played a couple of rounds on dirt greens up near Cold Lake (1972-73). And I played in some staff tourneys, again with those same old clubs. And played with my father-in-law a few times in the ’70s at Riverside, a nice Edmonton valley public course near the school I used to teach at. But it was hard to walk the courses, especially after work!
Eventually, I discovered the Kinsman Pitch and Putt in the river valley, which was a lot nicer course than the Stanley Park pitch and putt I played in gr. 5 (But it was a kick a few years back to revisit that memorable Vancouver course). I would play it by myself or with kids on early fall mornings. That was probably the most fun I ever had.
There still is a driving range near home which I would occasionally practice swing at in the early 2000s. With early retirement in 2002, I bought a new set of clubs, bag, and my first cart, but, by this time, I was ‘feeling it’ more in my back and so forth, so I officially retired and later sold the set at a garage sale. (I believe my daughter still has the original set.)
And I still watch some of tournaments and the BIG Ones–Masters, PGA, British Open. The viewing habit dies hard. I still remember the Big 3: Palmer, Nicklaus and Player. The sport remains interesting and there’s nothing quite like an unbelievable great shot or putt, or a tight tournament finish. Golf has definitely been an activity I’ve enjoyed and still take an interest in.