Nicola Mascello, a metalworker with a handicap of 54, wrote a letter to Golfando. He talks about how his coworkers stare at him when he talks about golf, why he hasn’t competed in six years and how much he loves our sport.
And why, precisely because of this, he gets angry.
Nicola Mascello, statements
“I’m Nicola Mascello, one of the many Italian golfers (although always few so close to our Ryder Cup). I’m writing to give you my impression of what I see around in the various communication channels, whether it’s the web, TV ( free I would like to clarify, therefore not Sky or Discovery), social networks or other.
I think I’m part of what would be called “the belly” of the population. I’m a metalworker: working in a factory, football clearly wins over everything. I tried and even more than once with colleagues more or less my age (I’m 36 years old) to convince them to come and try.
I wanted to change their mind, change their perception that golf is NOT a sport for out of shape seniors or wealthy managers. With golf you have fun, at any age and social status. The answers are always the same: that no said as if I were proposing to sell a kidney in exchange for fried air or whatever.
That looking at you as if you were an alien, that saying between giggles “eh but that’s a sport for gentlemen with money…”. Proud supporters of falsehoods, even though they know a colleague of theirs is playing and having fun.
One day a colleague of mine (also a close friend of mine) told me he was going to try padel: I was very disappointed. I love golf like my life: I’ve been playing since 2017/18 although I’ve never dropped since 54. Someone would tell me I’m not good at it but for me golf isn’t about scoring, it’s not about doing 250 matches a year.
I admit that I haven’t even done one in a race, but – you see – this is how I enjoy it. Even if I hit a decent shot every 15 it’s a satisfaction for me to go to the tee and try it, it’s a kind of revelation! I love him so much that for me he is like a loved one: and for loved ones you would like the best.
For me, golf is not about scoring I keep wondering if it was enough to bring the Ryder Cup to Italy to do what was done first with skiing, then with tennis. The various golf courses in the square are welcome, but who goes to try golf? Are they those who know a golfer? Are we sure that’s enough to make it known? Personally, I went alone to my first club (Reggio Emilia Golf, a small nine-hole course on the Via Emilia between Reggio and Modena).
After meeting him playing a game on the phone, I wanted to try live golf. What if this is the real secret? Bringing people from nowhere, to increase their curiosity and desire? But how could this be done? So many questions, the answers to which… well, just turn on the TV, the one usable by everyone to get them.
On Raisport they give the fourth day of the Italian Open from 1 in the morning onwards: there’s no need to add anything else. Our guys win on the Tours, look at Migliozzi winner of the Open de France: That day was NOT news on the various national news (not even sports).
As if there was a general disinterest in talking about it (already serious in itself, it becomes even worse considering the imminent Ryder Cup)”.
