In February 2013, David had just come home from a business trip and he told me that he wanted to learn how to play golf. Since we have on hobbies together I said I would like to take lessons with him. In the past I did not think I would have the patience to chase the little white ball around a huge field and try to put it into a little cup.....boy was I wrong. I had no idea how serious this game was going to become for us and how much exercise this sport actually is.
In March David and I started taking lessons twice a week at Vanco driving range, we had an awesome PGA Instructor named Jack. He was very patient with me and would laugh at all the excuses I had for not being able to hit the ball. On the days we did not have lessons David and I would go to the driving range to practice. All of the guys in the pro shop would tell us that we were doing good and that by the end of May we would be able to hit the course...hahaha I was thinking it would not take that long. I was really the most excited about getting my new golf bag, clothes and accessories and to be able to use colored golf balls.
The month of April was all about getting fitted for clubs, getting our bags and accessories in preparation for when we will be ready to go out and play. We even joined a player development program at Tri-Mountain golf club. This is a program that for $30 a month we could hit as many range balls as we want, use the chipping and putting trees for free and then after twilight we could play 18 holes for $12 each with a cart.
Here is my bag and custom fit clubsBy May we were frustrated and decided ok we might as well venture out and try the course. Although we knew we would be horrible we were never going to know until we got out and tried it. Our first course was at a small Par 3 on the other side of town called Pine Crest. We played at this course quite a few times and found that we were really having a fun time.
David getting ready to Tee off
As you can see it was a wet day in May
Nice wooden benches to wait for your turn
Me getting ready to Tee off
Walking up to the green
David chipping it to the hole
A pretty picture of the fairways
More of the fairway
Me getting ready to chip obviously on another day 
David teeing off
Our bags waiting for us to hit
A few weeks later my co-workers and I were talking and they wanted to know if we had played Fairway Village which is nestled in the middle of a retirement community. Of course we hadn't we had only been playing at the one course we knew we could play at without many people. However one evening after work we all went out to Fairway Village and that was our start of venturing out. This is a house and tree lined 9 hole course that has some Par 3's but mostly Par 4's.
Here is David practicing before we head out as you can see there are houses and trees, both were new for us.
Yep those are ducks more hazards on the course
Our first water - and yes you can believe I hit into it
David waiting to hit and note more houses.
A look at the fairway on 5
David and I happy to be out on the course
This is a picture of the fairway on 8.
Well as time went on we decided that we should go out to Tri-Mountain and see if we would handle the larger course. This course is mostly Par 4's with a couple Par 3' and Par 5's. On this course it was the first time that we experienced riding in a golf cart, playing farther holes and playing 18 holes of golf.
The driving range at Tri-Mountain you actually hit into the water, where there are ducks floating around.
This is a picture of the first tee box, looking up with hill with no hole in sight.
David and I in the cart waiting to tee off for the first time on this course.
This is the back of the tee box on 3
The water hazard on hole 3, and yes I have hit many balls in there too
One of the great thing about this course is how well marked all of the holes are and how pretty the course is 
This course is named Tri-Mountain because on a clear day you can see Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams and Mt. Hood. This is a picture of snowy Mt. Adams.
One of my awesome shots..lol, not really this is David's tee shot ...nice greens huh
David getting ready to put it in
David's first birdie
A picture of Mt. St. Helens
A picture of another fairway
More water along the course
Another glimpse of the mountain from the cart path
A view of Mt. Hood in the distance
Lot of tall grass makes this course at time challenging because once it goes in there it is very hard to find it again to get it back.The first week of July David and I took a few days of vacation and so we decided that we would head on up to the Beacon Rock golf course in the beautiful Columbia Gorge. This is a 9 hole course that you can play 18 on by circling back around. To be honest as pretty as this course could have been it was not one we wish to play again. Being new we like to know what is going on and to follow the path, this course goes back and forth and people were crossing over into everyone else's fairways. Being apprehensive about how we hit we had a hard time being comfortable with this.
A picture of the gorge mountains from the first tee
Lots of trees for hazards
This is a picture of the 4th tee which is also the 13th so when people are teeing off they are hitting into the same place - very confusing.
More fairway and views of the mountains.
As you tell my blog is going to be about new adventures and right now our current adventure is golfing, this sport is a ton of frustration, fun and exercise. David and I want to explore lots of golf courses all over the US so this should keep us busy for quite a long time. I have to say this idea was a fantastic one that gave us something to make our marriage even better because we have a hobby that we can do together and have fun at. I hope you enjoyed catching up on our golfing adventure and look forward to seeing pictures of the next course....which this weekend will be two new courses.
Pennisula Golf Course, Long Beach WA
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| A picture of me on the course |
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| David Teeing off |
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| A look back at the first hole |
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| Waiting out turn |
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| Wooden course markers along the route |
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| One of the fairways - a little or a lot brown |
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| A look at the club house when we were making the turn |
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| I'm still having fun on the course as you can see it's wooded and a dirt trail |
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| A look at one of the tee boxes and fairways |
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| A look at the fairway and heading back to the club house |
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| Propane tank that my nephew Clark put in that looks like a golf ball on the course
Overall Peninsula Golf Course is a fun little course to play while at the Long Beach if you need something to do. It's not the best kept up course but it provides a nice day to hang out and play.
Punta Cana Dominican Republic
This was one of my favorite courses that we played in the last year, not only were we in paradise but the course was well maintained, it was challenging and we got to play with some great people. The only things I would change about this course is how long it took us to play (over 7 hours) and how hot it was out there, but it was beautiful.
A view from the clubhouse
 
Beautiful island flowers
   
Here is the practice range where you can go hit balls before you start.
 
Pictures of David and I before we started the day.
           
Tons of trees, birds, ponds, foliage, houses and things to look at on this course. There is so much to see that there is plenty to do while you wait for others to play. As you can see from the next few pictures that I had plenty of time to wait...lol.
 
Fairway pictures of the course in various places.
       
The course was well marked with lots of signs.
          
This course is so beautiful and led for a great day. Certainly if we go back to Punta Cana we will be going golfing here again.
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