After wearing contacts for over 30 years, I did the Lasiks procedure back in '00. It's worked out very nicely. No regrets whatsoever. Unfortunately, old age mandates the need for reading glasses on occasion especially with the fine print.

Right now I'm playing to about an unsanctioned 15. For years, I was in a 16 player group that played $2 skins, polees, sandies, and other various and sundry games which ended up shooting my course management to hell. I often took risky and otherwise dumb shots just to win a skin and I sandbagged on holes that I knew I was going to lose just to add to my handicap. I started to lose my appreciation of golf, so I ended up quitting the group.

Now a days, I'll often play as a single at the local course during twilight hours when there's nobody around, when it's just me, the course, and the little white ball.

I've considered laser correction but I'm too fond of reading without reading glasses. I use contacts for golf primarily. Around the house and when I'm working on the computer I wear glasses. When I'm reading I take them off.

I agree it's fun to go out on the course on your own. Sometimes I play by myself with my mp3 player and sometimes without it.

The bet we have on my regular Saturday group is minimal and the big expense is the food and drinks. We play a game where the high net score on a hole gets a "nacho" and a natural birdie gets you "anti-nacho". You can use your antis to cancel out any nachos you get. With the remaining nacho holes, we roll the dice to determine who pays. You can be medalist and still have to pay for the food and drinks

For member tournaments, there will always be sandbaggers. If I play with my group in one of those, it's just for fun.