Okay, so I wanted to try this “Nick Bienz golf” thing I heard about. I saw some stuff online about a guy named Nick Bienz who works at Golf Galaxy and shot a 65 in some qualifier, which sounded pretty impressive. So I figured, why not give it a shot? I mean, I’ve never really played golf before, but how hard could it be, right?
First things first, I needed to get some gear. I didn’t even know what I needed! I went to a sports store and just kind of wandered around until I found the golf section. There were so many clubs! Drivers, irons, putters… it was overwhelming. I ended up just grabbing a set that looked decent and wasn’t too expensive. I also got some balls, tees, and a glove, all based on recommendations from a person at the store. I felt pretty silly, but hey, gotta start somewhere.
Next, I had to figure out how to actually play. I watched some videos online, trying to understand the basics. They talked about stance, grip, swing… it all seemed so complicated! I tried practicing in my backyard, swinging the club and trying to hit the ball. Let me tell you, it’s a lot harder than it looks. I mostly just ended up hitting the ground or missing the ball completely. My neighbors must’ve thought I was crazy. I made so many divots in the lawn!
Getting on the Course
After a few days of embarrassing myself in the backyard, I decided to try a driving range. This was a little less intimidating since there were other people there who were also learning. I watched how other people were swinging and tried to copy them. I still wasn’t very good, but at least I was hitting the ball more consistently. Baby steps I suppose.
- Find a good spot: I found a stall that was away from the pros, so I didn’t feel too self-conscious.
- Set up: I tried to remember what I saw in the videos, teeing up the ball and getting into the right stance.
- Swing: I focused on swinging smoothly and not trying to kill the ball.
- Repeat: I kept practicing, trying to get a feel for the different clubs and how far they would hit the ball.
Finally, I felt brave enough to try a real golf course. I went with a friend who had played before, which was definitely a good idea. He helped me with the rules and etiquette, which I had no clue about. It was a lot more fun playing with someone else, even though I was still terrible. I spent most of the time in the rough or the sand traps, but I did manage to get a few decent shots in.
Overall, it was a humbling experience. Golf is way harder than I thought it would be. But it was also kind of fun, in a frustrating way. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be as good as this Nick Bienz guy, but I might keep at it. Maybe one day I’ll even break 100! Who knows. This whole experience taught me that I definitely have patience, or I am a masochist. Not sure which one yet.
