Snow or no snow, it’s always fun to find a new golfer to tee it up with.

That’s what I learned again this past Sunday when I dared the falling snow and frigid temperatures to get my second round of the year in. I’m determined to play 20+ rounds this year and that may mean playing in inclement weather. Ever since I moved away from Salamanca, NY and Elkdale Country Club, I’ve struggled to play 10 in a given season.

Why have my rounds per year dropped? The answer comes in several parts.
A) I moved away from the friends I used to play with.
B) Cost of rounds and not having a regular course.
C) It’s not easy to find new people to golf with.

This Sunday I played 18 holes with someone I never played with before and enjoyed it. The fact that they too were hearty enough to tough out the snow was a good sign.

It’s interesting the bonds golfers share. Having worked at a golf course for much of my youth I saw all the familiar foursomes. There’s the early morning guys who play with the same people every Saturday or Sunday. There’s the couples groups who swap playing partners every other week. There’s the guys who play in league who’ve known each other forever. There’s others who simply show up and play with anybody.

I grew up playing with the same guys, the same faces and the same bad swings. Ever since I lost them, I lost the game a bit too. Sometimes we love the people we play with even more than the game itself.

So part of Operation Don’t Suck is also Operation Get Back Out There. Playing more means forging new friendships and playing partners. It means new friends, new faces and hopefully better swings.