"Miss it Noonan, miss it!!"

Golf. This four letter word (I'm convinced those cray cray Scots who first invented the game did not make the word four letters by accident) conjures images for pretty much everyone. For people who don't play the sport, they imagine sportscasters whispering under their breath while a man in odd attire tries to put a little white ball into a hole. For those of us who do play, it can easily become an obsession, one of the most frustrating things in your life, or simply a much needed escape out of doors.

To add a little background, my family plays golf. And I mean, my whole family. All five of us, plus my grandparents, my uncles, and probably 13 out of about 20 cousins. 

I mean, seriously. You couldn't make up this kind of family bonding. (Carmel, CA circa 2009)

I started playing in college because I wanted to impress a boy (yes, I'll admit it). But then I found I could hit the ball pretty well. Plus, any "sport" where you can day drink and get a tan is fine by me. One of my favorite parts is the "etiquette" that comes with playing golf. Like unspoken rules of a game, they become almost as important as the official guidelines.

Such as tending the pin... 

...and waiting your turn to putt...

...and learning not to break a club by bashing it against a tree when you shank your drive. That one took me a few years (no picture for this one, thank goodness).

But after those awkward moments of said club-breaking, my favorite part about the game is that you are never really playing against anyone (unless there is betting involved). So it's not difficult to go out there with people who are not of your skill set. Then you end up just enjoying each others company while being outside. I really recommend trying it out. You won't be sorry! In the words of Carl, "gunga galunga...gunga-gunga lagunga."

Do you play golf? If so, what is your favorite part about it?