Here at Golfstinks, it’s generally assumed that any special occasion is to be celebrated, at least partially, with a round of golf. And this past weekend, the crew did it again. This occasion was a milestone birthday…my 40th. So some of the other stinky golfers pitched in and made a weekend out of it – golf at Lake of Isles, some casino time at Foxwoods, food, drinks, cigars…the whole package! It was a great weekend; we played a great course, ate some fantastic food and had an all-around good time. We discussed doing something like this more often. Not just for a special occasion, but three or four times a year – just friends getting together, hanging out, doing something we all enjoy doing. So it immediately begins to cross our minds – why don’t we?
Just my opinion, but to me, a round of golf is great bonding time between friends. But a golf trip, now that’s a different story. As we get older and our list of commitments, be it to our families or our jobs, continues to grow, the time to hit the links with our buddies becomes fewer and far between. We no longer have the time to get out on the course every weekend, or every other weekend. Heck, it’s not even once a month anymore. I’ve managed to squeeze in a couple of nine-hole rounds this year, but nothing more. So taking a weekend golf getaway can certainly be the remedy.
OK, so it’s not always convenient to get away for a weekend. Commitments with the family and the job don’t always allow for disappearing for a couple of days. And sure, it ain’t exactly as cheap as your regular eighteen hole round. But if it’s only, what, twice a year? Then how does that not make up for it? Consider if you are at the point where you’re getting together with your buddies less than once a month to play a round. Then one or two golf trips per season can possibly even end up saving money vs. what you were previously playing. Further, the weekends away obviously create better memories than just heading over to your local track. When I think back on my best golfing memories, they’ve all occurred on trips, if not specifically golf trips.
Look, if you work hard enough and dedicate as much time as you do to your job and, most importantly, to your family, then you owe it to yourself to give yourself a break. And not for nothing, but your job and your family owe you the time to yourself as well. Why not use that time to create more good memories for you and your friends while still holding onto something that you love, but don’t get to do nearly as often as you once did? Take the trip…you owe it to yourself.
Swing ’til you’re happy!
Golf trips require companionable company to be successful.
Solo golf trips typically suck. I’ve made THAT mistake a few times and hoping that ‘maybe’ the resort pro-shop can fix you up with playing amenable partners just doesn’t typically work. They already have their twosome or threesome…and you’re the odd-man-out intentionally or unintentionally. Even if the on-course comfroery is good, you still typically get left alone after leaving the bar since they have to catch-up with their WAGs* or the family for dinner.
About the only exception to that is when you go to a good-quality golf school where they both keep you busy all-day, and you can strike-up friendships with your fellow students for after-links drinks and dinner later. Plus, at a golf school there’s more likelihood for golfing singles…especially during the week…traveling without WAGs or family attendant unless you’re at Disney or some major tourists destination. Plus at a golf school, you’re often paired-up with a golfer of similar playing capabilities so you have plenty of similar golfing-tales and interests to share. And few people like to sit in a nice restaurant afterwards for dinner by themselves, and meeting for breakfast before the next day’s school-session is a nice way to start a sociable morning.
* – Wives and Girlfriends.