Okay, so today I decided to give this “Stark Golf” thing a shot. I’d heard about it, seen some stuff online, and figured, why not? I’m not a golfer, not even close, but it looked interesting.
First, I had to, you know, actually figure out what it even was. I did some digging, found a few explanations. It’s basically a simplified version of golf, played with minimal equipment, usually just one club and a ball. It’s supposed to be about precision and course management more than blasting the ball a mile.
Getting Started
I grabbed an old 7-iron from my dad’s garage – dusty, but it would do. And a couple of beat-up golf balls I found in a bucket. I didn’t want to lose any good ones on my first try.
Next, I needed a place to play. No fancy golf course for me. I headed to the local park, the one with the big open field where people walk their dogs. Plenty of space, and hopefully not too many people to judge my terrible form.
The “Course”
- Hole 1: I picked a tree about 100 yards away. My goal was to get the ball as close to the base of the tree as possible.
- Hole 2: A park bench. A bit shorter, maybe 60 yards.
- Hole 3: I used a discarded frisbee I found as the “hole”. Even shorter, around 40 yards.
I didn’t keep score or anything, just tried to get a feel for hitting the ball with one club and trying to control the distance. I was not trying to hit it as far as it can go, but try to get it to stop close to my target “hole”.
The Swings
Man, it was harder than I thought! Controlling the distance with just one club is a real challenge. My first few shots were all over the place – too short, way too long, off to the side. I was slicing, hooking, topping, the whole nine yards of bad golf shots.
But, slowly, I started to get a little better. I focused on my grip, my stance, and just tried to make solid contact. I experimented with choking down on the club for shorter shots, and taking a fuller swing for longer ones.
It’s all about feel. I realized I had to really concentrate on how hard I was swinging, and visualize where I wanted the ball to go. Easier said than done, of course.
The Results
I didn’t magically become a golf pro. But after a couple of hours, I was definitely hitting the ball more consistently. I even managed to get a few shots pretty close to my “holes.” I even found out that it was hard to get the ball to stop close to my target.
It was actually kind of fun! It’s a different way to think about golf, more about strategy and finesse than pure power. Plus, it was a good workout, walking around the field and swinging that club.
I’m definitely going to try Stark Golf again. Maybe I’ll even make my own little course in the park. It’s a cheap, easy way to get some exercise and work on my (very amateur) golf skills. No pressure, just me, a club, a ball, and the great outdoors.
