A Special Golf Teacher

In my last round at Exeter Country Club, it came up in conversation that I learned the game of golf from my Grandmother.  Later in the round as I chipped up to 3 feet from the hole for another par I was asked, "you really learned from your Grandmother?  What's her handicap, must be pretty low?"

My Grandmother, aka Golf Grammie, has never been a low handicap golfer. She has shot in the 80's before, but for the most part spends her time in the 90's.  My response to the above question was that there is a lot more to learn about the game of golf then swinging a club. What I learned from Golf Grammie was how to act like a gentleman on the course, be considerate of other players, and always follow the rules.  Anyone who has ever played with Golf Grammie knows that when you are playing with her, there is no such thing as a gimme; if you hit into a hazard you score card better reflect the extra stokes, and if you don't know the rule, ask. In her bag is always the latest edition of the "Rules of Golf."  When her knees are feeling well, she'll often moonlight as a rules official for the junior golf competitions in southern Maine.

My final thought is that being a good golf teacher does not necessarily mean you need to be a low handicap golfer.  Golf Grammie still continues to introduce young children in the woods of western Maine to the great game of golf.  From her "Just a Field Golf Teaching School," she teaches all the things I had the pleasure of learning growing up.  The town is lucky to have her and I feel lucky to have had her as a golfing role model in my younger years.  

To the folks out there in greater world, who was the first person to teach you the game of golf and how do those first teachings affect how you play today?

Cheers to All!