I grew up across the street from a golf course. I started working as a caddy, and as soon as I was old enough, worked as a greens keeper. My job was to get up at five in the morning, cross the street, and place sprinklers on the greens, let them run for a couple of hours, then shut them off and put them away before the golfers arrived.
As an employee, I got to play for free. I never became good at it, and haven't played since I graduated from high school.