Golf--just a hobby or your unpaid 2nd job?

It seems that many people start out playing golf as a hobby, but then end up turning it into an unpaid 2nd job. Does golf often stress you out and feel like work? Do you actually think it's it's supposed to be like that? Do you find yourself using the words "have to" rather than "want to"? I wonder how many people are really enjoying themselves, and how many people are actually paying to work for free.

I work a lot on my game but I enjoy doing it. If I ever stopped enjoying it I would stop playing or at least take a break.

Golf is what you want it to be.

For me, I like to go out with my friends weekly and play a round outside, have a couple beers, and enjoy each others company. I try to go to the range once a week and get lessons as seen fit. And my current game shows this.

For some, I'm sure beating balls at the range is therapeutic like the gym is for me

I work very hard on my game...and occasionally get frustrated by my lack of progress. IF golf was a second job, I no doubt would have been fired already.

That said, overall golf doesn't feel like a job...it's too therapeutic to be considered one. :-)

I think addiction is a better word. Its definitely nothing like a job, I do it because I love to do it, even the practice part. But its way past being a hobby!

Gotta agree with Dave above. It is an addiction, but has been stressful at times when preparing for an event or tournament. However, I did take up Hickory and that has brought a new focus and new attitude to the game.

I just came in from playing in a snow squall. I’m so cold, my teeth ache. I didn’t have much fun, but I can’t not play. It’s an addictive job. Or a sickness.

I want it to be a hobby but it is more than a hobby for me. I am not as bad as the others here but bad than the regular weekend golfer.

Golf is for me what alchemy was to Isaac Newton (except he was waaaaay better at science). I wouldn't be surprised if it eventually contributed to my death.

Just a hobby and entertainment. It's fun, but lots of things are, and once you realize the amount of time required to get really good (I'm good enough @ 4 hdcp) you also realize not a good idea to quit your day job.

Besides, it's much more fun playing for fun, with others who also play for fun.

Main goal is to make birdies or better every round, last week I had 4, could have been a few more but not all putts dropped.

Golf is definitely not work, but it is an enormous challenge. Of course, that's what makes it so rewarding when you play well. Why do some people like to try and solve puzzles?

For me, the worse I play the more desperate I am to get out and "fix" whatever went wrong. When I'm playing good, I'm much more tolerant of my real life getting in the way of my golf.

I'd be much less addicted to golf if it was easier.

As I explained to my then girlfriend, now wife, golf starts out s a game you play, but it can quickly become your religion.

Definitely an addiction for me but unlike my previous addiction, this one is all things positive and non-destructive...aside from my finances.

I can't imagine ever growing tired of it or unappreciative of the ability to play while my body allows.

I was playing with an older guy recently who said "i pay to play golf. I don't get paid to play golf"...but that was just excuse to cheat and improve his lie nearly every shot.

If it was a job, I would be able to expense all of it off.

Golf isn't like fishing. My Dad used to say, "fishing doesn't take away from a man's life." Golf has definitely shortened mine...?

No to every question posed. If you really feel everything you questioned you might want to find a new hobby or perspective. Golf no matter how well or poorly I play is simply a respite from the real world. More people need to view it as such IMO.

Years ago, when I was playing on an Am Tour, it was definitely a second unpaid job. I was constantly grinding. Every round was a serious round, regardless if anything was on the line or not. I was at the course 3-5 days a week, on the range or playing (most days both). I started to lose a lot of the enjoyment that got me hooked on the game in the first place. Then I had surgery and stepped away from tournament golf. That was 8 years ago. I went through some other issues, got remarried and my wife now plays golf with me.

Golf for me now is one of the most enjoyable activities we do. It is a time of bonding with my better half, and a true leisure activity. We play most of our golf at one of those stereotypical down south good ol' boy country munis. It's a BYOB course, no dress code other than "wear some clothes", there's music coming from just about every cart, and people are out to enjoy themselves and not take life so seriously for a few hours. The pro shop is probably all of about 400 sq/ft, a few pairs of shoes, a couple of shirts, a rack of cheap snacks and some soda/gatorade. No grill, no bar. It's about $30 peak weekend rate (cart included), no tee times, and it never takes us more than 3-3.5 hours to play. It's the course my uncle taught me to play on, and now I'm teaching my wife to play there, and when we have grandkids that get old enough, I plan to teach them to play out there as well.

It was literally a second job for me for number of years. Now that I don't work in the business I joined a club. It fills a social void for me after my wife died (at 54) a couple years ago.

It's a great pastime.

I love to play and practice when I am playing well. It is also without a doubt the most frustrating thing I do when I am playing poorly. I probably take it way to seriously but holly cow does bad golf piss me off.

It's a game that I enjoy. although a slightly costly one. It's like reffing. When it no longer becomes fun I will just walk away and sell everything.

I am fortunate to have two hobbies that have become passions: golf and fly fishing for trout and neither have ever felt like a job. I have been playing golf for 28 years and fly fishing for 47 years and it is not likely that I would ever tire of either passion. At age 68 because of logistics I devote much more time to golf and enjoy playing and practicing.

Both involve gravity, so there is that. :-)

Amen. :-)

I am retired -- so my current job is being a Professional Amateur Golfer.

for me a divorced guy intent on not getting hitched again... it's the ultimate 2nd job/occupation. lol don't go to dating sites, don't go on dates..i play golf..best girlfriend ever

It use to be a 2nd job, then I had to take a break because the stress of "working on my game" and how it translate to the course was just getting to the point where I wasn't enjoying playing anymore. Once I stopped caring too much and just went back to the original reason why I enjoyed golf (being able to get away from life for a few hours), the game became more enjoyable and everything in my game started to click more.

tldr: if you get stressed out while playing/practicing, time to take a break and go back to the fundamentals. Or something like that.

If it ever felt like a job, I would need to step away. While I am completely addicted, it is still my escape from work/adulting and a great chance to spend some quality time with family and friends. Late during the fall 19 season, I found myself hesitating to play as I wasn't playing my best (high 80's-low 90's) and became so consumed by my score. I lost focus on why I was playing a really had a had time finding any joy in playing.

Luckily, the cold hit and I had no choice in whether I could play or not. I started to get that itch weekend after weekend I couldn't play and jumped on every weekend where I could. During those rounds I was able to forget about the number I was putting up or how my swing felt, just got back to having fun (even if it was in the low 40's and windy). Wouldn't you know, I was hitting the ball and scoring like I was during the summer (high 70's-low 80's).

Even when we get back to normal conditions, I am just as excited as ever to get back out there as much as possible! Mindset and outlook can go a long way in rekindling the love for the game.

Yeah, but golf can be cruel mistress, huh?

For me, it's the challenge. I'm only in my 3rd year of actually trying.

My job is not challenging. I'm a high school teacher and can do everything on autopilot. I was a wrestler in the past and coached for 12 years, competition is in my blood. The challenging things in my life were things I couldn't control. But I managed some way to figure it out. My wife and I tried to have kids for 10 years. We spent a heck of a lot of money trying and because of that I created a successful business on the side that I could cash flow. We now have a 3 month old little girl. Even things I don't really have control of I eventually figure a way out. Golf is that thing that most people that play struggle with.

But I refuse to fail. It's that type of competition within myself that drives me.

I realized a couple of years ago that I'll never be able to put the time in to be truly good at golf, so I brush off my bad play and just enjoy being outside and ho'ing clubs