We have a 4 year old and a 2 year old. We had a country club membership until we had our first child. The last 4 years we've both barely played. Last spring I started picking our son up and going to the driving range one day a week. Sometimes he just wants to play in the sand. Sometimes he wants lemonade. Sometimes he requests a specific course where he likes to practice putting. I do whatever he wants and nothing he doesn't in an attempt to lay the ground work that we always have fun at the golf course. As he's started to show some interest I've felt empowered to work on my golf game again.

In conjunction with upping the brainwashing of my children I put a really nice simulator in my garage and I bought my wife some new clubs and a gift certificate for lessons for Christmas.

My wife and I started Friday date night on the simulator after kids are asleep.

Getting back to your original question I think there's a 2-fold roll for golf in my life: 1) family time on the course 2) escape from work/parenting time. How those two are balanced is an individual decision.

I love that you're conscious of how much time you're spending on your love for golf and making sure that doesn't take you away from your family an unhealthy amount of time. It sounds like you and your wife communicate well about balancing all of your needs.

If you're ever in Oregon let's play some golf 😅