I love being a 'golf wife' and riding with my husband while he plays. It's not as boring as it sounds — and I've learned a lot.
- I don't golf, but I enjoy being a "golf wife" and going with my husband when he plays.
- I've learned how to keep score, who the big players are, and all sorts of golf lingo.
Before I met and subsequently married my husband I knew nothing about golf.
I had had no exposure to the sport growing up and only generally knew that it took a long time to play and that men who played often could be borderline obsessed with it.
My husband definitely falls into this category. He loves playing, watching, and talking about golf — and his wardrobe consists primarily of different golf polos.
Before he met me, he usually found a way to golf two to three times a week. That's dwindled to two to three times a month now that we have two kids, but he still tries to play as much as he can.
Early in our relationship, I figured out that a surefire way to his heart was learning about the sport he loves. So, I did. I still have no interest in playing golf, but I like spending time with him while he does.
It might sound boring to ride a golf cart around for five hours and never swing a club, but I've learned a lot. It's a great way to connect with my husband, and it's time off from the kids for me, too.
I know how to keep score and can talk the lingo
Being a "golf wife" means that I'm subjected to watching tournaments every weekend, listening to golf podcasts on road trips, and hearing him talk about how various rounds went.
I could choose to ignore all of the information, but golf is such a big part of my husband's life that it's been important for me to learn about it.
I've picked up some things on my own, like which players to root for in the tournaments, but my husband has taught me other things.
He's taught me how to use a scorecard to track his putts, fairway and green shots, and overall performance for each hole. I've learned about birdies and par, how a handicap is calculated, how to play out of a sand trap or the trees, and what a "breakfast ball" is.
It makes me feel connected to him that I can understand what's going on and talk with him about it. And he appreciates that I've put in so much effort with golf — it's another way I can show him I care.
A day out on the course is relaxing for me, and it's fun quality time with my husband
Some dads who golf get a bad rep for having a hobby that takes them away from their family duties for so long — it's typically a four-to-five-hour activity.
I don't have a hobby that takes up as much time, but when I ride with my husband, I also get the benefit of a long break from the kids.
Plus, a golf course is typically a nice place to be. It's a quiet, picturesque place to ride around with a cocktail in hand.
Golf moves pretty slowly, so there's still plenty of time for me to chill if I'm keeping score for my husband. Other times, I sit shotgun, read on my Kindle, and just poke my head up when he's taking a crucial swing.
Either way, I leave the course feeling relaxed and like I've spent good quality time with my husband.
We've made some great memories together, like the time we avoided a baby alligator that had wandered up onto our course and experienced my husband's first round under par as it came together.
I've embraced being a "golf wife" and getting out on the course. One day, maybe I'll try playing, but for now, I'm quite content to just ride along.