How long have you been playing?

[4Tay]

Looks like a lot of you are shooting sub 90's each round.

My question is, how long have you been playing golf, what's your average score, and what tee box do you play (or average length).

I've been playing for 4 years, usually either a round per week or every other week (May-Sept). I average around 105. A good round would be breaking 100. A bad round would be anything higher than 110. My goal this year is to break 90. I usually play the tee box that's at least 6000 yards.

[esad]

20+ Years

Started when I was 13. Was breaking 90 by 15 and breaking 80 by 17. Completely self-taught never had a lesson through this period. Got side-tracked and gave up golf for a few years after getting good enough in my teens to play with people who were really good.

Now, just play for fun. I can shoot 78 one week and 98 the next. Don't play or practice enough to keep a consistent swing. Used to play/practice 5 days a week as a teen.

I generally choose a length between 6400 - 7000 yards. I've never been a really long hitter, so playing 7000+ plays too long to be fun.

[AndysDaddy]

Since 1988. First round ever (at the age of 22) was in 104 degrees (if any of you remember the sweltering we endured in the midwest that year). Had a birdie putt on my 7th hole ever. Three putted and didn't make a par for almost a year after that.

Not counting the first couple of rounds, started out in the 110 range. Slowly working that down ever since, including dropping mulligans at the 100 mark or so. Now I keep it under 90 most days, with 78 (+7) for a career best.

I play in a weekly nine hole league in the summer, and one or maybe two 18 hole rounds per month. Mix in the occasional (once per year) off season golf trip (Played 54 in Vegas last March) and that's about it. It used to be more, but then marriage and kids took away most of the time.

I usually play in the 6000-6500 yard range, which is almost always the white tees. The nicest thing about living in here in West Michigan is the plethora of decent, cheap public courses. Average cost to walk 18 at a decently maintained course on the weekend is $25. For more of a CC atmosphere (and the better conditions / higher challenge) you'd average maybe $35. Top of line is $65-85, but that includes the mandatory cart.

[CalledDownLight]

15 years. 20 right now and started when I was about 5 although I never made it onto a real course until age 8 when I played from the women's tees. Peaked at about 15 after my second year of HS golf where I had been practicing every day in season and playing about 5 times a week that summer. Two years into college I play maybe once a month on average, but a little more over the summer and a little less during school.

I'm pretty unhappy if I don't break 90 although thats not necessarily realistic with my lack of practice, but I had come to expect it every round in HS. I probably average right around 90 now. I play different tees depending on who I'm playing with. Several of my buddies play college golf so I play the tips with them (6800-7200+), but if I play with either or my grandpas or my dad or a couple of my other friends who aren't as good then I'll play 6300-6800. I'm pretty much right in the range of being bad enough to play white tees, but having the experience and having been in competetive golf for 12 or so years to play the back tees.

Edit: Like esad, I have never had a lesson (learned mainly through my dad (mid 80s player) when I was younger and then some better friends/teammates when I got into HS. Most of the reason I never had a lesson when I was younger had to do with baseball though as my baseball coaches hated me playing golf period because they thought it messed up my swing (I was a decent little league player, but dropped it in HS to play golf) and golf coaches refused to give me lessons because I was playing too much baseball for them to feel it would be productive at that age.

[jupiterpig]

about 5 years...as many here also self taught but I was a 3 sport athlete in high school so learning was not really an issue. I shoot between 85 and 95 usually...maybe once in a while ill get 83 ish but other than that nothing special...I drive the ball far since i have the muscles for swinging from baseball but I also have the quick hips from baseball that cause me to slice. So although I have played for 5 years and feel like I play ok, the one thing I enjoy the most is that there is always something to make better.

[MightyA6]

Too long to suck.
Started when I was 7-9 something, and got a member of the club at the age of 10. (long waiting line)

Now I'm 17 and I still suck.

[JTrout]

I've been playing 31 years. I started when I was 10, and played practically every day for 24 years.
I never had a lesson till I got to college, but I read old Golf Digest magazines I got from the barber shop. Picked up some good pointers.
I don't play as much anymore (18 rounds so far this year).
I shoot around par and prefer the back tees.

[Sluss]

I've been playing about 15 years. I used to play a ton when I was in high school and college and used to be in the mid-high 70s. Was the poor after college and didn't play too much.

Just started playing more these last few years and now I'm a mid 80s, high 80s golfer depending on the course and what tees I'm playing off of, which changes with each negotiation.

[dug]

5-6 Years. Played some before that, but was mostly a beer drinking contest. Got a membership almost six years ago, couldn't break 90. Usually mid 70's (index is 4.9) and play from blues 85%, back tees 15%. Good idea for a topic 4Tay.

[ghostface]

Started at 15, broke 80 in 6 months.

Now I shoot from 70-80 normally. Much better if I get to play more than twice a week. I always play the black tees at the courses around here since they are all <7000 yards.