Golf: Best Enjoyed with Others
Do you remember your first day of high school? For most people it’s a nervy experience that only starts to feel comfortable when you’ve found your group.
Golf is not so different. While you can enjoy it on your own, it’s much more fun once you’ve found your crew.
Golf Tribes – A Partial List
This is by no means a comprehensive list – I don’t think one could be written – but it’s a small sample of some of the tribes of golfers I’ve come across.
Gear Heads – Golfers who are obsessed with the equipment. Some would rather peruse eBay for rare finds than actually play.
Minimalists – These are the guys carrying seven clubs in a Sunday bag.
Hickory Players – Believe it or not, there are golfers who play some or all of their golf with antique equipment (or clubs made in that style). Mitch Laurence, one of my favorite people, is one of them.
Historians – These guys can rattle off every major winner from the last 50 years and give you a bio of every significant golf course architect, too.
Architecture Enthusiasts – Do you know the difference between a Cape and a Redan? You might find a home in this tribe.
The “Serious Players” – Regardless of their handicap, these people are keeping strict score, demand quiet on the tee box, and may lose their mind when the round goes south.
Golf Fashionistas – Players for whom golf is really just an excuse to dress well. Loaded with takes on the outfits of PGA Tour players.
Swing Theorists – Would you rather debate the importance of wrist flexion or watch lessons on YouTube than golf? You’re probably a Swing Theorist.
Tour Junkies – Folks dedicated to the PGA Tour. Strong opinions on favorite players and who’s going to win every week. Probably devoted to fantasy golf.
Travelers – For this group, the phrase “home course” means nothing. If they’re not on the road checking out a new course, golf is an afterthought.
Brand Loyalists – Whether it’s Team Titleist or TaylorMade for life, these guys ride or die with their favorite OEM or clothing brand.
Don’t Limit Yourself
In writing that list, I noticed just how much overlap there is between many of those groups. You may have recognized yourself in more than one, as well. And that’s not a problem, that’s wonderful!
There’s no reason in the world why you should limit yourself to one thing. I frequently say that the best thing about golf is that it can be enjoyed so many different ways. There’s no reason not to sample them all.
Find Your Tribe
We can lament the evils of social media, but it does make it much easier to find people who share your interests. Throw a hashtag like #GolfTravel into Instagram and you’re going to find dozens of accounts focused on just that. Follow them, or, better yet, reach out and connect with them. Strike up a conversation. See if they live near you.
The odds are really good (like, 100% good), that if someone started an account to post about golf travel, they’d love to make friends with someone who also likes golf travel. Regardless of how you enjoy your golf, you’ll enjoy it more with others.
Evolve!
Because golf can be enjoyed in so many ways, it allows for endless evolution. I started out as an intense gear head. I became a swing theorist. Now, I still love gear, but I’m a bit of a minimalist who dips his toe into architecture and travel. Where will I end up in five years? I don’t know, but I’m excited to continue playing and expanding my tribe.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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Just want you to know you have the only emails I enjoy getting. They are short but to the point and reviews are excellent not sales pitches keep up the good work
Ken,
Thank you so much for that. We really appreciate it.
-Matt
Thanks Matt. The asterisk in the subtitle made commit to reading the article. I wonder if you find better compatibility by related Venn diagrams, even if you don’t have the exact matching tribes.
Another tribe or subtribe could be stat trackers.
I always get my clubs at Callaway Pre-owned. These clubs have been used as demos, they look brand new at fantastic prices. And I love PGA Fantasy Golf. I enjoy the game very much, handicapped at 19, and not a serious player.
Matt, is it possible to compare the KBS TGI iron shaft to the UST Recoil ES smacwrap?
MJ,
I can’t offer a comparison because I have virtually no experience with the Recoil shafts.
Best,
Matt
How did you leave off “walkers” or “push carts?” :)
Oh man, now I’m on the Push Cart Mafias hit list for sure. :)
-Matt