Confession - (Vent)

[Exactice808]

Hey Gang, My second Family I must say.... I have a confession........ Golf has left me, sorta......... Gone... and when I mean gone? Last year I averaged 1 round a week, I have logged on my phone app 74 rounds of golf for 2018 (52 weeks every Thursday, a once a month Sunday group and sporadic business tournaments) . As of 2019 I have 3. Yes you read that right. 3. My normal group that I have played every Thursday for the last 5 years has decided to take an extended break. (Injury, and the rest of us have been kinda sucking bad) , My once a month Sunday group, I have found every excuse not to play, (Kids, wife has to work etc).

 

I currently lost all drive/want to play. BUT!!! And this is a big but, I moved, and that means closer to a driving range ( 5 minutes away) so I now get to the range every other day or every couple of days, 1 basket of hitting for about 30-45 minutes and then go home. YET I just lost the want to go on the course

 

I have spent the better of the last 2 months completely overhauling my WHOLE golf swing to actually swing correctly, oddly its feels good, NOT course shooting good, just it feels like I am moving in a totally new golfing direction YET... have not been on the course in a month, nor do I feel the excitement like I used to.

 

Im so torn, I used to come on the forums religiously..... I used to look forward to every Thursday to play..... Now Im kinda happy to be at work, Kinda happy not spending $200+s every Thursday (golf, bets, food, drinks) This is a Bitter sweet feeling I dont know what to do, if I should forego my friends and maybe just walk 9 by myself twilight..... But its fading and fading fast......... Yikes my golfing family Yikes!!!!!

 

miss the Forums though and excited to see the new layout as it unfolds! (Thanks GolfWRX for all your hard work transitioning!)

[braincramp52]

That's too bad. Hope your love of the game comes back. About 5 years ago the same thing happened to me. I played 5 rounds the whole year. Now I can't play too much.

[SBH9458]

Good luck and I hope the burn comes back for you....I think everyone can reach saturation with 'nearly' any activity. When that happens, you have step back and assess why that has happened and choose what to do next. Sometimes, those Thursday rounds have become and obligation rather than something for which to look forward....and then it stops being as much fun. I didn't get to play nearly as much as I wanted to last year, and hope to play more this year....with that said, the operative in that is 'get' vs 'have' to play. Just my thoughts on it.....hope you bounce back!!!

[Evan B.]

The fact that you're sticking to practicing and working at the game, makes me believe that there is still some passion there. Maybe its the social aspects of your regular playing that's keeping you from doing it? I had this from time to time. Often directly related to being super busy or stressed in the rest of my life. I've found that, for me a little break is necessary. And then when I come back, only do rounds by myself until I find the passion again. Sometimes its the very first round sometimes it takes a few. Maybe try your 9 hole rounds by yourself for a month or so and see where it takes you. Should be much cheaper than the $200 Thursday night round, right? Good luck and hope you find what you're looking for!

[cardoustie]

Ebbs and flows are normal ... there are times during the year where I also prefer range time

[Ferguson]

It could be a glandular thing?

Might be a good idea to have the doctor run few tests to check the pituitary, thyroid and the cowpers.

[MelloYello]

Sometimes when I spend too much time beating balls my desire shifts from wanting to play when I have free time towards wanting to just go hit another couple bags of balls. It's easy to fall into that trap. Maybe you've done just that?

 

Being a range queen isn't exactly an accomplishment either. Nearly every player that spends an inordinate amount of time making full swings from level lies will eventually work towards a point where they feel like they're killing it. That's what makes the range so addictive. The challenge is to actually play and post a score though. So if you can't take it to the course, it's all kind of pointless other than as some weird form of meditation.

 

Earlier this year I was "practicing" 3-4 times per week hitting 5-10 bags of balls. At the same time I'd play maybe 9 holes max. I recognized that was getting absurd so I made a concerted effort to go play. Now I'm spending equal time doing both and I've been quite surprised how quickly the desire to play returned.

 

All it takes is a single stretch of good golf and you'll get the bug again.

[dropkicked]

Take some time away from the game.. Try an entire year and see if they passions returns. :) Godspeed

[Swisstrader98]

You are WAY over engineering and over thinking this thing. Just get out there and play!!

 

If you have to think that much about something you’re passionate about, then just keep moving.

[vtpachyderm]

74 rounds in a year?!?! WOW! Living in Norway with a short season (June - September), I'm very content if I can get about 10 -13 scoring rounds (18 holes) in that time. I hit the range or play 9 in between around 10 times (1.5 hours max) by myself and coupled with my rounds, I'm very content and not really wanting more. Perhaps you should try a less is more and give yourself an offseason with no golf but some other sports just so you don't get over saturated (that's what it sounds like?).

[toc]

Got any clubs for sale?

[DLiver]

I've been going through the same thing. I've had little desire to play. I still like to hit balls from time to time, but not grinding away like I used to. The last few years, I have tried to play less in the winter (I am lucky enough to live where I can play all year). This winter, I was cutting back, and then I got hurt. I haven't played in two months, and won't be able to play for at least a few more weeks. In the past couple weeks, I have been dying to get back to the range and work on my game.

 

Take some time off. If the desire comes back, great! If not, you'll know it's time to move on to something else.

[Conrad1953]

Exactice old buddy......................I think you may have gotten into a rut. It's good to kinda mix it up with

who you play with. While your friends are busy recuperating, etc. go out and tee it up with some fresh

faces who also have a passion for the game. Sometimes that will reignite the fire. Go try some different

courses if you can, too.

[vtpachyderm]

> @Conrad1953 said:

> Exactice old buddy......................I think you may have gotten into a rut. It's good to kinda mix it up with

> who you play with. While your friends are busy recuperating, etc. go out and tee it up with some fresh

> faces who also have a passion for the game. Sometimes that will reignite the fire. Go try some different

> courses if you can, too.

 

This is great advice - vary it up both with courses and people. The social side of golf is vastly underappreciated (at least here in Norway) and I think that's a shame.

[MelloYello]

You know, we see these sorts of threads pretty regularly. Maybe there should be a sub-forum here aimed specifically at the mental side of golf: handling stress, staying positive, finding inspiration, etc.

[3jacker]

I have the unfortunate affliction of also being a fisherman and hunter. Like golf, these can take up a lot of time, $$$, and passion. I tend to cycle thru them over the course of the years. I don't fight it, I just go with it. Of the 3, of course only golf can induce the mental anguish that we have all come to know and love.

[Exactice808]

WOW! couple days away and BOOM you guys come out in support man I love you guys & gals. With that thanks all for the suggestions. Much touch certain points, but I guess to clarify.

1) I absolutely love my Thursday group. I have had some amazing time with them and I WANT to play with them. so surely not an issue with them at all =)

2) I do have other hobbies as well that I change up, But I probably would NOT enjoy or have a "passion" to go to the course by myself or play by myself. Its always kinda fun to play golf with someone but that just me.

3) You nailed it, IS till have some what of a little fire, that is why I still go to the range to fix my swing... But just the drive an want to setup a tee time and take a 4-6 hours out of the day to golf is NOT driving me like I used to.

 

ODDLY our Thursday group MIGHT play tomorrow. Second time this year, I wonder this MIGHT be the "primer" to get it back going who knows. I wonder though how we will play! LOL.... any ways Thanks again I love the GolfWRX family

[Exactice808]

Well Fate deals in VERY mysterious ways...

 

1) Per Above ^^ my Thursday group did end up playing..... It was a spur of the moment, got a call that evening that we were on.... well the round to say the least HAD little expectation. BUT with that, came just a pure enjoyment of the game.....I was 2+ over after 8 holes... going into the 9th I hit a 3 wood on a par 5 to a second shot of 180yards (Short Par5 and wind switched for the day, normally heavy into the wind) I proceeded to take a 9....... 43 Front...and that was it ended-up shooting 51 back. BUT I ENJOYED the round. Learned a lot about this new swing of mine... (the 51 was because I was flying greens with my LW, i am not hitting about 1-1/2 clubs longer than normal....PW normally is about 125-130max, I as hitting them about 145...yeah STUPID, LW is normally about 80yards, hitting it about 110...... ANYWAY golf was done, but had fun and actually alot of fun.

 

2) Now fast forward to last week, It was SO much fun this past week... We decided ok lets try again... see if we can get back on the horse? Well I took a Double on the first hole..... and the then proceeded to shoot 5+over total to the 17th hole. I sprayed driver right and was walking down to the ball..... I saw the cart path had the pegs and string blocking it and "Tried" to jump over it.....landed funny and ended up dislocating my ankle , as I dropped to the ground in pain it popped back in..... Ankle is busted shooting a 5+ over par....Not wanting to give up...and in ridiculous pain I finished the last 2 holes like a moron.... +3 for a total of +8... missed 70's by one...... now sitting behind the computer sidelined for at least 2 weeks....

 

Golf Gods said.... NO you will NOT shoot 70's and NO you will not play consecutively..... Unbelievable no? I cant make this up..... Not sure what to do or how to react...... someone or something is saying.... take the break the long extended one LOL!....