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FOR MARRIED MEN GOLFERS ONLY
"Playing golf with your wife on a golf course runs about as great a marital risk as getting caught playing with someone else's anywhere else."
The subject that I am going to try to explain to you is one that sooner or later you are going to have to face. For your future in golf, it can become a life or death matter. It is about having to play golf with your wife.
When you are young and single you don't even think about things of that nature. In the case of most young men, the charm and beauty of one of the opposite sex makes one forget about the fact that there are other things in life. It was no different in my case. At one time a particular young lady had the ability to momentarily erase the thoughts of golf from my mind. (especially in the winter time up north). On the other hand when the grass was green and golf was in full swing, she had a serious problem combating her enemy, golf. She fought a gallant battle against a stubborn adversary, and she was making serious inroads and came very close to eventually making the remainder of my life miserable. The only good thing about World War II was that it saved me from that fate.
After the war I went back into the golf business and resolved not to get married until I had a Head Pro job. As a rule it is not a good policy for a club, especially a Private club, to hire a young single golf pro, as his wife usually has to play an important part in many of the club functions. Luckily the owners of a small Private club were interested in me strictly as a golf pro. A couple of years later a Private club in Florida was looking for a golf pro with a wife for a Pro-Manager position. It was an outstanding job and I wanted it badly. Having anticipated this sort of situation eventually happening, but not expecting it happening quite so soon, it caught me unprepared. I had several young lady candidates in mind, but had not really finished with my researching of all of the necessary qualifications of these candidates. One was gorgeous, one was a great cook, and the third was a little older and a little desperate. In my haste I picked the wrong one. It was not until after acquiring the position as Pro-Manager of this club did I find out that my new wife, not only did not know anything about golf, but above all she was cursed by being a left handed woman. At that time ladies left hand clubs were non existent. Finally I made her a set of clubs, and got some additional experience in teaching a left hander, but some years later her clubs were stolen. It was just too much trouble to make another set, so bless her heart , I had to let her go. (Don't be concerned about her , as she later remarried to a non-golfer who had money)
Once you become married there will be a period of time when you young men will have to concentrate on the new responsibilities that you have taken on. Golf will have to be put on the back burner for awhile. After a few years the novelty has worn off and you will begin to yearn for the old camaraderie you used to enjoy with your old buddies. Eventually you manage to get together with them for a round of golf. It will not be too long before the rounds of golf become more frequent.
By this time, in conversations with your buddies, your wife will be referred to as,” the old lady,' "the little woman," "the wife", etc. It is also at this point the conversation at home will be centered around the fact that, "You are playing too much golf." "We work all week and on the weekend you are out playing golf." Now you are in big trouble, so what to do? She may suggest that she should take up the game so that she can play with you. You, being of devious mind, will think that may be just a temporary reprieve and before long you will be back with the boys again----wrong. You will have to try to teach her, and that is one of the quickest ways to end the golf for both of you. Your best solution is to get her to get with one, or more, of her friends and sign them up for some professional lessons. This will give them more interest in the game and take you off of the hook. Later on, when she becomes more proficient, you probably will start playing together and enjoying some little club events. A husband trying to teach his wife how to play golf on a crowded weekend course with people pushing you from behind is the furthest thing from fun imaginable. In the beginning stages of playing together, try to play late in the afternoon or when it is not too crowded. After golf you should take her out to have a bite to eat. If you can get with another couple and share this experience, it will do wonders appeasing the little woman.
Some men, on the other hand would say, "Stick to your knitting woman. Golf is a mans game. Leave us men folks alone!"
The bride came down the aisle and when she reached the alter the groom was standing there with his golf bag and clubs by his side. She said, "What are your golf clubs doing here?" He looked her right in the eye, and said, "This isn't going to take all day, is it?"