Deciding to Give It a Shot
So last Tuesday I woke up itching to swing clubs. Heard Van Cortlandt’s this historic public course, right? Google said beginners can play there but I was sweating bullets anyway. Grabbed my $80 beginner set from the garage sale and drove over.
First Impressions at the Course
Parked near the rickety clubhouse around 7am. Place felt more like community center than country club vibe – total relief! Paid $45 for weekday walking rate. Starter guy named Ray took one look at my rusty irons and goes “Newbie huh? Relax kid, half my regulars duff shots worse than you will.”
Surviving the Front Nine
First tee box had me shaking. Topped three balls into the woods before one actually flew. Groups behind just yelled “Take your time rook!” instead of getting mad. Fairways were patchy but wide enough for my ugly slices. Got stuck in wet bunkers twice – took me five whacks to escape once! Pro tip: bring extra balls. I lost six before hole 5.
My Lifesaver Moves
Figured out three things that saved my butt:
- Putting is your friend – Greens were slower than I expected. Started getting pars just by not three-putting
- Leave driver in bag – Used 5-iron off tee after hole 3. Still went 150 yards but straight!
- Play worst ball – When nobody was behind me, I’d hit two shots. Kept the less crappy one. Saved my mental game.
Final Tally & Verdict
Finished 18 holes in 5 hours. Shot 122 with a dozen lost balls. Back felt like hamburger meat. But you know what? Nobody kicked me off, no club snobs glared, and the hot dog at turn was killer. Absolute beginner friendly if you:
- Go weekday mornings
- Don’t pretend you’re Tiger Woods
- Keep moving when groups behind show up
Worth every penny just for practicing without pressure. Gotta go ice my shoulder now!
