Golf and Tennis

[ajay]

I had been following golf for long time, but I had never played golf in my life earlier. But this year I decided to know this game little more and hit the golf range. First day was a disaster as I just could not hit the ball properly. How demoralizing it is when you give a full swing with the goal to send the ball 150 yards +, but see that you didn't make the contact and the ball is still there right under your nose. Or sometimes you get a touch and ball just goes maybe 10 yards. Well, I didnt give up and next time signed up for some coaching. After few weeks of practising and soem coaching, I did improve and started swinging much better, but still there is no consistency. But now my golf is off and my tennis is on.

Compared to golf, I had played tennis much more and I'm quite comfortable. I learnt my tennis during my undergraduate years, way back in IIT-Kanpur. I've been playing recreational tennis on and off, but never played it regularly. This year for the first time, I'm playing tennis very regularly as I joined club tennis league where I mostly play doubles. And today I'm getting an opportunity to play with Texas A&M University players. I'm quite exicted to get this opportunity to measure up my tennis against college level players. By the way, don't expect me to report how did my day go. It may be too embarassing 

[PKBasu]

Three cheers for tennis, Ajay! I've been playing tennis and cricket since I was a boy, but golf (after a few valiant attempts over the years since some lessons in 1996) is strictly limited to about once a year. A frustrating game for a beginner, and too time-consuming. (Of course, cricket also consumes time -- and much more physical effort -- but I still usually have something to show at the end of the day by way of performance!). Tennis is tops for enjoyment, though! 

[gbelday]

I joined club tennis league where I mostly play doubles.

Good stuff Ajay.  But what is with Indian dudes playing only doubles ?  BTW, I play neither tennis nor golf.

[BSharma]

Good stuff Ajay.  But what is with Indian dudes playing only doubles ?  BTW, I play neither tennis nor golf.

Perhaps Indians are one of the few ethnic groups that truly have the double helix in their DNAs.     May be, it has more to do with our lack of physical fitness although we like to believe that Indians are born with soft hands at the net.    (Soft hands in doubles and softness in our attitude towards sports.  )

[ajay]

I made that post half a year back. Now I've been playing regular tennis for almost a year and I have played more tennes in one year than probably what I played in previous 20 years.

May be, it has more to do with our lack of physical fitness

I don't have any problem with my physical fitness except my asthma. I actually enjoy returning near unreturnable balls after chasing them. I'm playing doubles in this club, because here we only have doubles league. I play singles too whenever I get a chance.
But doubles is really a lot of fun. I love volleying in tennis, and in singles, ofcourse you don't get to volley much. But if the intention is to burn some callories while playing, then one has to play singles.

No golf for me right now, but I plan to return back to it sometime later.

[BSharma]

May be, it has more to do with our lack of physical fitness

I don't have any problem with my physical fitness except my asthma.

Ajay,

The bolded comment was a general statement I made mainly about Indian pro-tennis players and upcoming junior players.  Of course, it applies to many recreational players (both Indians and non-Indians) also as physical fitness (stamina) required to play singles starts to go down with advancing age.  It is a reason why many tennis clubs in USA have more doubles leagues (for older players) than singles leagues.  I am happy that you do not have fitness issues to play singles. 

As you correctly stated, the skills required to play singles and doubles can be quite different and I have reached a stage where I enjoy playing doubles more than singles. Occasionally when we have a fourth player missing, we play two-on-one and we rotate after each game and keep individual scores.  The person playing singles gets to serve. 

[punarayan]

Doc, Not many older Indians play singles, because of a general lack of interest in being in shape - it is just not important enough. But if one perseveres, one can handle singles even at an advanced age, especially on clay.  Your choices of shots just change - you are better at the lob and the drop shot!  THese people know how to win.  Nothing makes me feel more youthful than playing singles.  I play against a fellow Indian who's off-spring were members of Ivy-league track teams!  So you can imagine Dad!  Its like playing against Nadal!

Golf is great, but Tennis is more like a youth elixir!

BTW, if you play Golf, you would be excited for me- I shot a hole-in-one today and had to tell somebody!  173 yards with a 4 iron. The after glow is quite intoxicating.

[BSharma]

Golf is great, but Tennis is more like a youth elixir!

BTW, if you play Golf, you would be excited for me- I shot a hole-in-one today and had to tell somebody!  173 yards with a 4 iron. The after glow is quite intoxicating.

Congratulations!!!  A hole in one is every golfer's dream and you did it today. 

Somdev deserves the Star of the Day of Sports-India (players category) for winning two titles today and punarayan wins the Star of the Day (members category) for his awesome achievement.

Watch punarayan . . . oops . . . Tiger Woods hit a hole in one. 
Hole in One

[PKBasu]

Congratulations, punarayan!!!

There is no buzz that can quite match a big sporting achievement! And a hole-in-one is right up there with the best.

You seem to be quite a sportsman. I love those stories about playing tennis singles. I know I am nowhere near your level, but I enjoy some of the same things with intermediate club-level players...

Great that you came here to share your achievement. This is what makes us a wonderful family! I have had happy dreams about smaller sporting achievements for days (or rather nights) after the achievement. So many happy dreams ahead, punarayan. You deserve it!

[jaydeep]

Heartily congratulation punarayan!!!

Hole-in-one, wow ... Thanks for sharing this ur wonderful achievement.

Jaydeep

[suresh]

Congratulations punarayan on a singular achievement 

[punarayan]

Doc,PKBasu,Jaydeep & Suresh,  Thanks for the nice words.  Watching the video that Doc took the trouble to dig up, I know I have to work on my fist pump!  I was in a daze and forgot to do it.  I guess for Tiger it is just run-of-the-mill.  I'm just your garden-variety week-end hacker and just love sports and the human saga that goes with it.  I am decent at many sports, but not an athlete and I'm wise enough to know the difference.  They are a different breed!  I think there is very good writing that is overlooked just because it is about sports, but I love reading a well written column on sports.  Recently Selena Roberts was very good in the NY Times, but she has moved on to more prestigious pastures.  Anyway,  thanks again and I enjoy this forum immensely and I am always amazed at the dedication here.

[beval]

Hello,

Golf is a precision club-and-ball sport, in which competing players (golfers), using many types of clubs, attempt to hit balls into each hole on a golf course while employing the fewest number of strokes. Golf is one of the few ball games that does not require a standardized playing area. Instead, the game is played on golf "courses", each of which features a unique design, although courses typically consist of either nine or 18 holes. Golf is defined, in the rules of golf, as "playing a ball with a club from the teeing ground into the hole by a stroke or successive strokes in accordance with the Rules." Golf competition is generally played for the lowest number of strokes by an individual, known simply as stroke play, or the lowest score on the most individual holes during a complete round by an individual or team, known as match play.

Thanks!

[inline url to a betting site removed. Inline url's are discouraged here. You mod, Jay]

[batman21]

gold and tennis are both gentleman sports,love to watch not to play.