Finding golfing partners
I moved to a new country a couple of years ago and left my solid network of golfing buddies behind. Since moving overseas I have found it very difficult to find golfing partners that are keen to play anything close to seriously.
I have work mates who like to go to the driving range or to the par 3 9 hole course which is over in the blink of an eye. One of them is still learning so trudging around 18 holes with par 5s is outside his ability at the moment. It’s cool hanging with them but I can’t play any competitive golf or a longer course with them.
I have had the advice “join a club” but I’ve always found that people who join a club are more often than not joining with a friend at the same time. So they’re not alone as newbies on their own looking for someone or a group to join in with.
I have a mate here that likes golf but he appears to be pre-occupied with his wife and kids at the weekend. Any attempts to arrange golf at the weekend hit a brick wall.
I do know a club golfer here - I played with him once with his not so welcoming mates and every time I meet him he says we’ll get a game arranged but I never hear from him. He has his own arrangement where he plays with the same guy every weekend and they give off a very cliquey vibe.
People have said to me to play on my own and I’ll meet people at the course or range. I’ve been on the driving range and practice range at the course and barely anyone speaks a word to me. I’m really not the type of person to walk up to a stranger and try to make small talk as I don’t know if they’re receptive to it or not.
There’s a Golf Buddy Finder website here in (Western) Australia but I think it’s abandoned as anyone I’ve messaged on it has never replied.
I play off 14, or at least I did when I lived in Scotland, so I’m not a complete hacker but I’m not going to be tearing up the course either.
I’m starting to get to the point where I feel like I’ve walked away from a sweet network of golfing buddies that I can’t ever get back where I live now.
Does anyone have any advice on how I can get back into the game a bit more?