A golf blog for people who caught the bug later in life.

Hi, I'm Steve

I'm the person behind Golf Onset.

I'm a software engineer with a B.S. in Computer Science from UC Davis, which is a very official-sounding way of saying I have spent a lot of my life thinking through systems, patterns, feedback loops, and why something that worked perfectly five minutes ago is suddenly broken.

So naturally, I became obsessed with golf.

I started playing at 30. Not as a former junior champion. Not as someone who grew up striping 7-irons before middle school. Just as an adult who found the game later, got curious, hit a few shots that felt way better than expected, and then slowly realized: oh no, I think this is going to become a thing.

That thing became Golf Onset.

Why this site exists

Golf can be intimidating when you are newer to the game.

There are a lot of rules, a lot of clubs, a lot of opinions, and a surprising number of people who seem completely comfortable saying things like "just flight a little knockdown draw in there" as if that sentence is supposed to help.

Golf Onset is my attempt to make the game feel a little more approachable.

This site is not written from the perspective of someone who has golf completely figured out. It is written from the perspective of someone who is learning, improving, overthinking, laughing at himself, and trying to understand why one pure shot can make an entire frustrating round feel worth it.

The goal is simple: help newer and everyday golfers catch more of the joy of the game, without pretending the frustrating parts do not exist.

What Golf Onset means

The name comes from the moment golf truly becomes part of you.

For me, the onset was not just wanting to play another round. It was thinking about golf daily, looking forward to the next tee time, and realizing the game had become one of the healthier obsessions in my life.

Golf got me outside. It gave me quiet mornings on courses full of greenery, a gentle breeze in my face, and those small peaceful moments that stay with you long after the round is over.

Sometimes it is the pleasant view of a hawk perched in a tree, staring down at your ball like it knows exactly what kind of shot you are about to attempt.

That is the onset: the golf bug becoming part of your day, your imagination, and the way you look forward to being back on the course.

For me, that has been the fun of it. Golf is hard, humbling, calming, occasionally ridiculous, and somehow still one of the most rewarding things to chase. I like that improvement comes in weird little flashes. I like that the game can be technical, social, peaceful, competitive, frustrating, beautiful, and deeply unserious all in the same afternoon.

What you'll find here

Useful golf writing for curious golfers.

Golf Onset is for golfers who are curious, especially newer golfers and adult beginners who want to understand the game without getting buried in jargon.

You will find articles about clubs, practice, golf fitness, course strategy, trip ideas, gear questions, beginner mistakes, and the mental side of trying to get better at a game that refuses to be mastered on your preferred timeline.

Some posts will be practical. Some will be personal. Some will probably begin with a question I had after a bad shot and end with me realizing the answer was more complicated than I hoped.

The site will always try to keep the same basic promise: be useful, be honest, and keep the joy of golf near the center.

What this site is not

This is not here to make golf feel more exclusive.

Golf Onset is not here to make golf feel more complicated than it needs to be.

It is not about pretending every golfer needs tour-level equipment, a perfect swing, or a complete understanding of launch monitor data before they are allowed to enjoy the game.

I like learning from better players, coaches, pros, and gear experts. But I also think there is room for golf content that speaks to the person who is still figuring things out and wants a straight answer without feeling like they walked into the wrong clubhouse.

That is the lane Golf Onset is trying to live in.