G’day Guys,

I just wanted to introduce myself as I’m new to these forums. I actually came across them some time ago, but for some weird techy reason they would never load on my home PC. We’ve just moved recently, and with a new ISP, they now load fine! So I’m happy about that! 

A Little about me: I’m 36, 6’4 tall (and wide these days) so I’m a big bloke. I’ve had a full knee reconstruction on my right knee, a severe dislocation of my left knee, a bad ankle from many severe sprains (basketball)and a bad back. So I’m definitely not the fittest bloke in the world. I started playing golf as a tall skinny school kid as a part of school sport at the age of 16. My first set of clubs back then were a $50 set of cheapies out of the trading post. Looking back, I now know why they were so terrible to hit. They were some Gary Player blades, and knowing what I do now about clubs and what is suitable for certain players, I can only laugh at how wrong they were for me! We started off the school sport with 3 lessons from a pro over at Victoria Park GC. This was way back in the late 80, long before any of the current upgrades there had even been thought of. I’m very glad for those lessons at the start of my golfing life as they gave me a decent understanding of how to swing a club properly. Being that I was reasonable athletic as a youngster, I picked up the basic fundamentals of the golf swing (as taught in those days) fairly well. After the first 3 lessons we went around the course one afternoon a fortnight playing a kind of school comp. My handicap started at about20 odd if memory serves me correctly. But by the end of year 12 (we started in year 11) I had it down to 11. I have to say though, that as a teenager, impressing my mates was far more important than any integrity required to play golf properly. So much of the scoring done by all of us in those days was very…creative. We never were taught the rules, however the friends I played with had all played golf prior to our school sport, so I learned what I could off them.

I continued to play golf on and off after the completion of year 12. I sustained my major knee injury at the age of 21. Basketball was my primary sport from age 11 and I was taking it very seriously at the time, playing some senior semi professional competitions. Within a few years, I was playing basketball with some of my mates and not taking it seriously anymore. I had also started playing Gridiron which left very little time for golf after including the hours I spent working several different casual jobs. Before too long, golf was almost forgotten about. It wasn’t until the middle of last year (2007) when my work roster had changed so that I would get a full day off midweek. I thought this would be a great opportunity to get back into golf. I planned to go back and get some lessons, get some new clubs and get back into golf with a renewed vigor. Now married and without any kids (yet) my wife also showed an interest in taking up golf. It was when we were looking to get her a budget cheapie set of clubs that we were both sold a set. A very slick salesman was able to take advantage of the enthusiasm both my wife and I showed in selling us both a cheap set of clubs that had just been superseded. How many times has he used than technique I now wonder… LOL.

Anyway, it was about this time that I was buying stacks of golf magazines and read about getting clubs fitted properly. And started thinking about the $500 we wasted in new found in our new found golfing excitement. I was pretty angry at myself, realizing what had happened, as neither of us were fitted at all. Knowing this, was probably more of an issue and the clubs actually were. I had this notion that we HAD to get our clubs fitted properly, and for some reason I wouldn’t be happy, or feel comfortable until we had the right sticks in our hands. So we both agreed to bite the bullet, accept that we’d been suckered and move on. It was going to cost us more money, but it would be worth it in the long run. I also decided to start looking into the reviews of many clubs that interested us as I wanted to know as much as I could before making any more purchases. I was reading lots about the new drivers and high MOI, all that stuff. Some of the reviews I really were really interesting and very informative.

We found a great shop in Brisbane that had one particular staff member who was absolutely awesome. The kind of salesman who is motivated by getting everything right for you, and doing whatever he can to help you as opposed to just racking up sales. We both did the whole club fitting thing and came out with some bright shiny new clubs. Unfortunately, it was around this time that my work roster changed again, and I was back to working 5 days a week. Damn that bloody Murphy and his law!!!

Having had a few lessons right at the start of my golfing life, I insisted that my wife, who’d never played before get some herself. Blowing most of our doe on the new clubs didn’t allow enough leeway in the budget for both of us to get lessons. So I’m continuing on the best I can. The salesman I mentioned earlier who has some coaching ability has been helpful with a few small key things which have helped me significantly. The technology in the new clubs is doing its part too, I’m sure. But I’m still just a hacker who loves to get out and play. Both my parents took up the game a few years ago, and we all love to get out and have a hit. My wife is really struggling with the game at the moment and keeping her composure on the course is the biggest hurdle to overcome. But it’s great for us to get out there together. I certainly need the exercise!

Nice to meet you all and Thanks to those of you who actually read all of the essay!

Welcome to the forum golfinator. That was some essay. Im sure you will find some good info on here with the fellow golf nuts.

Indeed welcome to the funny farm. Enjoy yourself in here.

That,s quite an Introduction would have taken me an hour to type that. Welcome to our little Forum. We usually have a little fun here & welcome to our obsession to both you & your wife. If you don,t mind me asking Where are you playing your golf at the moment.

Thegolfinator,

1. When you playd gridiron, who did you play for?
offense or defence (lineman)? Offence is a thinking mans spot as
opposed to the nutters playing defence

2. if you are in melb, womans golf Vic (i think) have packages of
lessons for ladies. Usually at Bundoora and Sandringham.

3 enjoy the golf and the posters

Welcome to the forums as every one has said you’ll enjoy it so get posting lots of friendly people willing to help :-)

Pom he’s probably from Narangba :-))

Thanks guys,

Pom: I mostly play Ashgrove/Keperra whenever I do get the time to play. But I’m the kinda guy that’s more interested in playing many different courses than the same one all the time.

Kiwi: I played Gridiron around the mid 90’s for the Brisbane Bulldogs and Pine Rivers Pirates, and then about 2002-4 for the Rhinos. I also represented Queensland a few times. I played Tight End, where my Basketball skills and height were a big advantage. And obviously, I live in Brisbane. :)

Welcome to the forums as every one has said you’ll enjoy it so get posting lots of friendly people willing to help :)

Pom he’s probably from Narangba :))

That thought did occur to me Sarg, but surely not.There must be Golfers in some of the other suburbs.;-)

welcome golfinator, haven’t been here long myself. this forum is very funny, very informative and very addictive!

watch out for the golfnuts they’ll sneek in with the humans

cheers smooth

Welcome golfinator, it is a good place to visit with the majority being good people.

and don’t worry about the humans, we’ll weed them all out eventually.

Didn,t know there was any left.

Hi Golfinator,
Welcome to the forum, thats one hell of an intro I couldn’t read it all, I’m 52 and don’t have enough life left so I’ll wait for Spielberg to turn it into a movie lol.

I completely understand Hybrid, if it does become a movie I’ll send you some tickets to opening night.

I love the ball in the Avatar Golfinator. I reckon Boz will want one when he sees it.

Pffft nah, Boz’s balls are much brighter than that one, I know, I’ve seen them first hand!

I believe thats one of the balls they use for night golf (if night golf is still played). It’s a clear ball with a luminous stick that inserts into the center, as you can see.

My first avatar was a dude hitting bslls through the Stargate from the TV show. I thought that was kinda cool, bit it lost some quality through the resizing unfortunately.

surprised no one pulled you up here on being a “tight end”

surprised no one pulled you up here on being a “tight end”

“Gotta put dole forms in”

He’s only new Kiwi, give it time…. Welcome to the world of ISG Golfinator.

surprised no one pulled you up here on being a “tight end”

“Gotta put dole forms in”

Yeah my wife would always joke about that one. So it certainly wouldn’t be anything new. I was certainly expecting something to bubble to the surface though…