FORE Magazine

Top Menu

  • About Me
  • Contact Us
  • Home

Main Menu

  • Current Issue
  • Profiles
  • Sustainability
  • Travel
  • 19th Hole
  • Classic Course
  • FORE Her
  • More
    • Know the Rules
    • Handicap Hints
    • SCGA Junior
    • Where Are They Now?
    • News
    • Public Affairs
  • scga.org
Sign in / Join

Login

Welcome! Login in to your account
Lost your password?

Lost Password

Back to login

logo

FORE Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Profiles
  • Sustainability
  • Travel
  • 19th Hole
  • Classic Course
  • FORE Her
  • More
    • Know the Rules
    • Handicap Hints
    • SCGA Junior
    • Where Are They Now?
    • News
    • Public Affairs
  • scga.org
FORE Her
Home›FORE Her›My Experience with Golf

My Experience with Golf

By Jill Painter Lopez
September 27, 2016
5697
0
Share:
My Experience

As a kid, I was a big sports fan. Growing up in Colorado I ran track and cross country, played basketball and softball. I went to Denver Broncos games since my family had season tickets, and became a crazed football fan.

I never imagined that one day I’d be chasing a white ball around the golf course. Or sometimes, a pink one.

The first time I played golf was in Hobbs, N.M., where I landed my first professional job as a sports reporter. To be honest, there wasn’t much to do there. Golf was a hobby that many of my co-workers loved. I was invited to play in a tournament at night with glow-and-the-dark golf balls.

It probably wasn’t the best decision to play without ever having hit balls, but I sure had a blast. And I wanted to play more.

At that time, Ocotillo Park GC had tee times for $4 after 4 p.m. on weekdays and $5 after 5 p.m. on weekends. It’s been 20 years, and I still remember those deals. I covered sports for the Hobbs News-Sun, and our editor was a golf fanatic. I told him I was learning how to play and asked him for advice. He said: “More golf, less talk.”

He knew me very well.

I would’ve never expected that my start in golf would later turn into me covering golf as a sports writer as explained by TimberStone Golf Course.

When I worked at the Los Angeles Daily News, I was asked to become the golf columnist. I was told no one else knew much about golf. It was an opportunity that led to me covering dozens of awesome events. I loved it. I had much to learn and still do, but I’ve had the pleasure of covering everything from high school golf tournaments to four U.S. Opens and the Masters. I’ve met a ton of wonderful people along the way.

I’ve played in many charity golf events and watched first-hand how a golf tournament can raise an astounding amount of money for a great cause. And participants have fun doing it.  I’ve called on my golf contacts to help my own charity of choice, the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, and they’ve responded. Every year I host a charity poker event and auction. My friend Rachel Rees, who I met covering golf, works for Puma and Cobra, and donates items for my auction and raffle.

Scott Medlock, the talented artist from Moorpark, runs the Scott Medlock-Robby Krieger Celebrity Golf Invitational benefiting St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. He often emails – unsolicited – asking if I’d like a painting for the charity poker auction. We’ve auctioned his paintings of Jack Nicklaus and Phil Mickelson, and those are always favorites.

I’ve played Sherwood CC and Riviera CC for media days. I’ve played La Costa and so many others. I enjoy working on my short game at par-3 courses like Van Nuys GC.

Recently, I’d stopped playing golf. It wasn’t a planned decision. My driver and I were no longer friends, and I’ve never had much patience to practice. I couldn’t believe it had been almost two years since I’d played when Medlock asked me to play in his tournament in August. I wanted to get back out on the course, and this was a great reason to do it. I didn’t even go to the driving range beforehand.

I had the opportunity to play with my friend and fellow golf writer Bob Buttitta. Also in our foursome was a sheriff and a man responsible for helping engineer the chemicals between the bag that goes in sunscreen spray bottles and the edge of the container. I look at sunscreen bottles differently now, and that was all made possible by meeting new people on a golf course. How cool is that?

I’ve had so much fun driving golf carts similar to an Icon golf cart powered by golf cart batteries. I enjoyed talking and laughing and having snacks at the turn. I’ve lost a million golf balls. I played in a charity tournament run by an Italian, and we putted with frozen meatballs. What a blast. I’ve watched people have meltdowns and tried not to laugh. In one such case, a fellow golf writer took off his socks and shoes and played every shot the rest of the round with a 7-iron. Golfers are funny.

I played golf with Fernando Valenzuela once for a story. He was a 2-handicap at the time. I’ve never registered a handicap. Almost every time I see Valenzuela in the press box of a Dodgers game, he mentions my golf game. Anything I can do to entertain people.

Most people know I’m not a good golfer, and they still enjoying playing a round of golf with me. I love the people who don’t mind, those who have fun and don’t let my golf game affect them. And why should it? I have good golf etiquette and always keep up the pace, even if that means I pick up my ball. Remember, I never record my scores.

I love walking golf courses like Riviera and Pebble Beach and Augusta National and Torrey Pines. I think it’s more fun to cover tournaments and walk inside the ropes than to play, but that’s just me. You see amazing golf swings up close, hear the banter between golfers and caddies and have beautiful scenery as your office.

I watched Tiger Woods win the U.S. Open in 2008, the last time he won a major, hobbling around the course on one leg. He and Rocco Mediate went to a 19-hole Monday playoff. I never thought I’d say any sporting event would compare to Denver Broncos playoff games, but golf has taught me that some of the greatest duels happen on a golf course standing over 3-foot putts.

After playing at North Ranch CC for Medlock’s tournament, I got the golf bug back. I’ve talked to a couple of friends about playing soon and heading to the Rancho Park double decker driving range. What a fun place.

I ran into friend and broadcaster Ross Porter at a Chaminade High School football game recently. Two days later, he called to invite me to play in his tournament, the 11th annual Ross Porter Celebrity Golf Classic benefiting Stillpoint Family Resources in November. I’d played once before.

Of course, I said yes. It will be a chance to see old friends and make new ones while helping a wonderful cause.

I never would’ve thought golf would become such a big part of my life. But the best things in life aren’t planned.

Previous Article

Recipe for Success

Next Article

The Rewards of Giving Back: For One ...

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Jill Painter Lopez

Related articles More from author

  • FORE HerSCGA Junior

    SCGA Junior Scholars: First All-Female Graduating Class

    July 24, 2018
    By Jennifer Seislove
  • FORE HerSCGA Junior

    13-year-old Vanessa Already Has A Teaching Resume

    December 19, 2018
    By Hailey Tucker
  • EquipmentFORE Her

    KINONA: One Size Does Not Fit All

    July 24, 2018
    By Madison Lomas
  • FORE HerplusFORE

    Can Women Rescue Golf? An SCGA Roundtable Discussion

    November 14, 2016
    By Ted Johnson
  • FORE Her

    The Multi-Tasker

    November 23, 2016
    By Jill Painter Lopez
  • FORE Her

    My Story and Lessons Learned From Golf

    June 15, 2017
    By Jentry Fields

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Recent Posts

  • At The TurnFeaturedWinter 2023

    Pins & Needles: An Ancient Remedy for an Age-Old Problem

  • FeaturedGolf GroupsWinter 2023

    Club Spotlight: FOREGALS Golf

  • FeaturedProfilesWinter 2023

    Unbreakable Spirit: The Amazing Journey of Tracy Drake

  • FeaturedProfilesWinter 2023

    A Modern Throwback: Cole Young Calls his Own Shots

  • 19th HoleFeaturedWinter 2023

    Best Ball Bar & Grill: Woodley Lakes GC Gets a Big Culinary Upgrade

FOLLOW US

Facebook 0Fans
Twitter 0Followers
Instagram 0Followers
Youtube 0Subscriber
  • Recent

  • Popular

  • Comments

  • Changing of the Guard: New Galleri Classic Set to Debut in the Desert

    By Judd Spicer
    February 7, 2023
  • New Year’s Daze: Looking Forward and Looking Back at your Handicap

    By Kevin O'Connor
    February 7, 2023
  • Grass by Design: Pure Research Yields New Strains of Drought-Tolerant Grass

    By Craig Kessler
    February 7, 2023
  • Best Ball Bar & Grill: Woodley Lakes GC Gets a Big Culinary Upgrade

    By David Weiss
    February 7, 2023
  • Making a Future in Golf a Reality: Skylar Graham and the Pathways Internship

    By Ken Van Vechten
    February 7, 2023
  • The Diva Golfer

    By Azucena Maldonado
    January 31, 2017
  • The USGA’s Major Proposed Changes to the Rules of Golf

    By admin
    December 14, 2017
  • Stand By Me: Temecula Native Joe Skovron On Life As Rickie Fowler’s Caddie

    By Jonathan Coe
    October 26, 2016
  • Watching the Tiger Watchers

    By Andy Brumer
    February 20, 2018
  • Remembering Jim Murray: Best of the Best

    By Bill Dwyre
    February 14, 2017
  • Julie
    on
    November 13, 2022

    The Single Life: The Simple Pleasures of Being “That Guy”

    Thanks for this. I ...
  • free proxy list
    on
    December 5, 2018

    Top 4 College Golf Names You Need To Know

    Hello,I log on to ...
  • Adela C. Garcia
    on
    November 17, 2018

    Revolutionizing the “Ladies Club”

    Azucena Maldonado is a ...
  • Rose Sauceda
    on
    November 15, 2018

    Revolutionizing the “Ladies Club”

    Congratulations my lovely Amiga ...
  • Judy Carls
    on
    November 15, 2018

    The Gilded One: Eldorado CC

    Excellent magazine..thank you Judy Carls LPGA ...

RECENT COMMENTS

  • Julie on The Single Life: The Simple Pleasures of Being “That Guy”
  • free proxy list on Top 4 College Golf Names You Need To Know
  • Adela C. Garcia on Revolutionizing the “Ladies Club”
  • Rose Sauceda on Revolutionizing the “Ladies Club”
  • Judy Carls on The Gilded One: Eldorado CC
© 2016 FORE Magazine About Us | Contact Us | Advertise