[airair]

I think learning to play golf well as a kid would make the game much easier in later years -- at least they play by feel and seldom get in their own way trying to think their way through a swing while on the course.

I learned to play in college -- very different proposition from my view. I was always a good athlete growing up -- show me the motions and I can pick up most things. A good instructor would have helped for sure -- a TGM instructor would have been a godsend. But, learned on my own and developed the habits (compensations) that I now have.

With that compensated swing, I've played even par for nine holes and shot an 82 on NCR South here in Dayton on greens that had to be a 12 on the Stimp.

But, I never, ever truly trusted my swing. I for sure didn't know exactly what I was trying to accomplish and for doubly sure didn't know the physics and geometry I was trying to use to get that little white ball (okay, sometimes yellow and sometimes orange -- it was the 80's) from tee to hole in the fewest strokes.

TGM holds the keys to a very elusive thing -- mastery of something...namely, YOUR golf swing. (Not THE golf swing, as we all know, but knowledge of how it all fits together.)

I wonder if that's something all the hardcore TGM'ers share -- inquisitiveness about HOW things work versus just the desire for results. Be interesting to see all our Myers-Briggs personality types...

My experience is very similar to yours, but even worse. I hit my first golf ball when I was 41 years old - 21 years ago. And then I got the great idea to ask Yoda to help me get out the mess I had got into swing wise. And as I have written about before: He did.