The start of the golf relationship

Like so many others my golf relationship began in a barn off the beaten path that sold "experienced" clubs from a far bygone era. As a twelve year old on vacation, my father asked me if I wanted to go check out a nearby barn that had golf clubs for sale. I felt like an elementary schooler on Christmas eve as I walked into the dark dusty barn. Who knew that this simple trip would lead to a serious addiction? The first step was to grab a bag...but not just any bag I decided that I wanted the red vinyl plaid colored bag. Then it was on to the clubs, all of which had more rust than shine but were nonetheless beautiful. I grabbed a wooden driver and three wood that my father told me was probably older than he was, then a 3, 5, 7, and 9 iron all covered with a patina that could have been from St. Andrews sacred soil for all I knew (not that I knew what St. Andrews was then). Finally I grabbed my pitching wedge, with its bamboo shaft and leather wrapped grip that was slightly pulling apart as if displaying the love and experience that the wedge had seen. Altogether I paid 5 dollars for each wood and 3 dollars for each iron and wedge for a total of 25 plus another 10 for the classic vinyl bag coming to a grand total of 35 well spent dollars. I did not realize at the time that I would someday buy a single club for almost 10 times as much, but it didn't matter, These were now MY CLUBS!! For the next week all I did was swing that pitching wedge. Sure it looked more like a little league baseball swing of a 3 year old with a broken arm but in my mind I was golfing. This was the start of my relationship with golf. Since then I have played probably a thousand rounds or more and have been to places all over my country and also in other countries. No matter where I golf in the future or where I have been since that day at the barn, it all started with those clubs.