I voluntarily played golf on Tuesday and not only did I play, but I had a blast.  Anyone who knew me in high school would be absolutely shocked by that. 

To back up, I should give you my golf backstory. My dad worked in the golf industry so I spent my whole life on or around golf courses. Because of my proximity to the sport, there was no question that I would play. I even joined my high school’s golf team. But because I was a bratty teenager, I hated playing. So after one year of playing on the team, I hung up my clubs and refused to pick them back up. 

As I’ve aged, I’ve come to appreciate the sport from afar but I wasn’t brave enough to give it another try, until Tuesday. 

Two of the wonderful sales team members at the Tribune, Tierney McKool and Casey Lynch, told me about Girls on the Green, a “women’s golf social club at the lake.” The club hosts a monthly Nine & Wine game at Lake Tahoe Golf Course. I was promised the events were low pressure, high vibes events for women golfers of all skill levels. So, I decided to dust off my clubs (actually, I borrowed my mom’s because my parents understandably got rid of mine) and gave golf another try. 

I’m so glad I did. I showed up to the golf course and found my name on a golf cart with a personalized goodie bag waiting for me on the seat. There were more than 30 women in attendance and every one of them that I met was so kind and welcoming. I got my free drink, included in my entry, from the bar for a bit of liquid courage. Then Tierney and I took off to Hole 16 where we were assigned to start. 

Lining up for my first drive was the most nervous I’ve been in a long time and I was fully expecting to whiff it. But I didn’t; in fact, I hit a somewhat decent drive, and I felt like maybe I did actually belong there. Then I hit my second shot right into the water. But the encouragement from the other ladies gave me the strength to shake it off and keep going. 

I had some great shots throughout the evening and some headshakers but the other ladies celebrated my wins and refused to let me get down on myself for my losses. 

I’m nowhere near my former glory but I didn’t play as terribly as I thought I would. However, the evening was less about the golf and more about the experience. Lake Tahoe Golf Course has some fun holes and beautiful views, the fall weather was amazing and, as promised, the vibes were high. 

I can’t wait to get back out there for the next Nine & Wine, and I’m so grateful to my coworkers for giving me the confidence to try it again. 

To learn more about Girls on the Green, visit https://www.girlsonthegreentahoe.com/.