Bored with golf...

[jonnygrouville]

Bear with me. Some context is that my life is chaos at the moment. With that in mind, I am bored with golf!

 

Normally when I am not playing, I'll be thinking about some swing stuff, chasing down old clubs, projects in the workshop, there is always something.

 

Per point one, I don't have a workshop at the moment, no leads on any clubs and am swinging well enough to not be worrying about anything there either. I have read and re-read books and articles and run out.

 

Is this how everyone else finds golf?! Those not into swing theory, old clubs and stuff? They just leave the course and it is not a hobby until they are back on the first tee? Pretty dull!

 

Suggestions of anything else to read or whatever welcome. Otherwise I'm in danger of watching television or something boring like that. Game of Thrones? Dragons? Really?!

 

[birly-shirly]

[...] am swinging well enough to not be worrying about anything there either. [...]

 

Can't be having that. Proceed directly to The Golfing Machine.

 

Alternatively, maybe the most interesting thing I've seen lately that's swing related is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZz06H-3SSA, and lots of interesting looking related links to other speakers. Kind of like TED for golf geeks.

[baudi]

care for you. it is a boring old mens game in the end.

may be learning a left handed swing when you are right handed if you are looking for a new discipline.

[scomac2002]

This is why I appreciate the finality of seasons and what that brings -- closure of the golf course in late fall; closure of the curling rink in the early spring. The two go hand-in-hand quite nicely which allows for periods of intense participation -- if that is what you fancy -- without running the danger of it getting stale, even after several years of this particular routine. You always look forward to the start of the season while never quite lamenting the end of the season as a change is welcomed.

[jonnygrouville]

The Golfing Machine is a great call! By the end of winter could have myself absolutely paralysed with pressure points and not able to hit the side of an effing barn. The last thing I need is a full swing rebuild so why the hell not eh?!

 

Left handed is a good idea too. I play guitar left-handed and I have (obviously) tried putting left handed. All makes me out to be far better than I am, but far cheaper than the therapy I so obviously need...

 

 

[Blade Junkie]

Try and shoot Par or better with a ladies set and a pink ball ?

[Shallowface]

Bear with me. Some context is that my life is chaos at the moment. With that in mind, I am bored with golf!

 

Normally when I am not playing, I'll be thinking about some swing stuff, chasing down old clubs, projects in the workshop, there is always something.

 

Per point one, I don't have a workshop at the moment, no leads on any clubs and am swinging well enough to not be worrying about anything there either. I have read and re-read books and articles and run out.

 

Is this how everyone else finds golf?! Those not into swing theory, old clubs and stuff? They just leave the course and it is not a hobby until they are back on the first tee? Pretty dull!

 

Suggestions of anything else to read or whatever welcome. Otherwise I'm in danger of watching television or something boring like that. Game of Thrones? Dragons? Really?!

 

Any love affair/marriage has its ups and downs, ebbs and flows. With the other things going on in your life, your passion for golf is down at the moment. Mine is too right now as a matter of fact. I always thought I would like to be able to play year round, but the fact is I'm enjoying this off season. A little too much, and frankly that's a bit scary. But, this has happened to me before, and it will come back.

 

I'm just grateful that it's just the winter blues and nothing more in my case. I had a forced layoff in 2004 due to back surgery. Didn't know if I'd be able to play again. Couldn't watch golf on TV because it set off uncontrollable bawling. That is a place I hope I never have to visit again.

 

All the best to you, jonny.

[Juice__25]

Bear with me. Some context is that my life is chaos at the moment. With that in mind, I am bored with golf!

 

Normally when I am not playing, I'll be thinking about some swing stuff, chasing down old clubs, projects in the workshop, there is always something.

 

Per point one, I don't have a workshop at the moment, no leads on any clubs and am swinging well enough to not be worrying about anything there either. I have read and re-read books and articles and run out.

 

Is this how everyone else finds golf?! Those not into swing theory, old clubs and stuff? They just leave the course and it is not a hobby until they are back on the first tee? Pretty dull!

 

Suggestions of anything else to read or whatever welcome. Otherwise I'm in danger of watching television or something boring like that. Game of Thrones? Dragons? Really?!

 

Any love affair/marriage has its ups and downs, ebbs and flows. With the other things going on in your life, your passion for golf is down at the moment. Mine is too right now as a matter of fact. I always thought I would like to be able to play year round, but the fact is I'm enjoying this off season. A little too much, and frankly that's a bit scary. But, this has happened to me before, and it will come back.

 

I'm just grateful that it's just the winter blues and nothing more in my case. I had a forced layoff in 2004 due to back surgery. Didn't know if I'd be able to play again. Couldn't watch golf on TV because it set off uncontrollable bawling. That is a place I hope I never have to visit again.

 

All the best to you, jonny.

 

Yup, circle of life. I had to walk away from the game once too so I appreciate it more now than ever. However there will always be highs and lows. Right now my fancy is playing as many sets as possible and in different ways at that.

 

Next month I plan on doing strictly one club rounds. That should keep me entertained for a while.

[Eidolon]

Go play 9 holes like the old Scots.

6 or 7 clubs, couple of balls, bottle of any Scotch you like.

1 tee shot and 1 shot of scotch per hole.

Even if your still bored, you won't care much.

[jonnygrouville]

That very much describes my golf at the moment. My issue is the time between games. Suppose I could just use scotch...

 

[stixman]

Time to re-invent yourself, Jonny. Rock up to Jockland and get yourself a caddy bib!

[mickeytbones]

Try and shoot Par or better with a ladies set and a pink ball ?

 

My little girls bought me some pink balls. I play them when I am able to get 9 in by myself (which is getting more rare as the 3rd child has taken up a lot of time).

 

I may have played my best ever 5 hole stretch with that pink ball, but don't have the cajones to play it regularly (my business gives me logo pro v1's--I pay for them, as I am a partner).

[Sean2]

I am 61 and obsessed with the game. I played 250 rounds last year, practice at least 1.5 to 2 hours a day. After I leave the course I can't wait to get back out there...or the practice area.

[smorg]

Bear with me. Some context is that my life is chaos at the moment. With that in mind, I am bored with golf!

 

Normally when I am not playing, I'll be thinking about some swing stuff, chasing down old clubs, projects in the workshop, there is always something.

 

Per point one, I don't have a workshop at the moment, no leads on any clubs and am swinging well enough to not be worrying about anything there either. I have read and re-read books and articles and run out.

 

Is this how everyone else finds golf?! Those not into swing theory, old clubs and stuff? They just leave the course and it is not a hobby until they are back on the first tee? Pretty dull!

 

Suggestions of anything else to read or whatever welcome. Otherwise I'm in danger of watching television or something boring like that. Game of Thrones? Dragons? Really?!

Go "Old School" and get a copy of Raymond Floyd's book "From 60 Yards In" and commit yourself to learning to chip with a 6, 7 or 8 iron, instead of using the latest high tech gizmo wedge.

[jonnygrouville]

Great book. I'll chip with anything. Wedges more of an issue having grown up playing on firm links turf.

 

More thinking about the Bobby Locke route of learning to play everything with a sand wedge, intentional ducks hooks that run like six irons...

 

[birly-shirly]

If you want to learn chipping tricks, there are videos online where Phil Rodgers is teaching Steve Elkington. At one point, I'm sure I remember Phil laying the club down flat to hit hooking chips and standing it upright to hit fades. Great stuff - but way above my talent grade.

[jonnygrouville]

That's the stuff! Yes please!

 

[Texsport]

This is one reason that big golf resorts are adding par 3 courses.

 

These days, nobody can be without their cell phones for 5 minutes, much less long enough to play 18 holes on a full length course.

 

Besides being more time efficient, par 3 courses are much more player friendly to beginners, kids, ladies, the elderly, and families, generally encouraging more play.

 

Tiger Woods design at Bluejack National is in a family community, and includes a great practice area + a par 3 course.

 

Resorts recognize the need for 2nd rounds on days spent there, besides an attraction for the whole family.

 

Texsport

[jmck]

There are some great posts in this thread--too many for me to quote here.

 

I don't know where the OP lives, but personally I think if I lived in Florida I'd get bored of golf pretty quickly. Or of life too I suppose. I need all four seasons. I also need a variety of courses to keep me interested. I regularly play an ancient 6000 yard hand-built course that doesn't take credit cards, a modern 7500 yard brute that hosts tour events where I need to dress fancier than I'm usually inclined to do, and everything in between. I also have a half dozen full bags that I can just grab and go which range from hickory shafts, up through the golden age of made in the USA blades, to the finest JDM stuff of today. Variety man--it's the spice of life.

 

If you're looking for something to read, start with A Season in Dornoch. If that doesn't rekindle your love of the game than nothing will. Besides from that, go and play a course you've never played before. Take seven clubs instead of 14. Chaos comes and chaos goes. Sometimes the course is where you go to escape the chaos, sometimes the course is where you go to wallow in it, and those are both equally valid things to feel, depending on the day. Doesn't matter how you do it, just don't give up!

[TimV]

Late to this topic but here's my 2c...

I started playing in 1980 but being a working stiff and living in the upper midwest I only played a handful of rounds a year. That picked up to around 20 rounds the last couple years before we moved to South Florida 7 1/2 years ago. The first 3 years here that jumped to 50 to 60 rounds a year, then 90. 2 years ago 125 rounds. Last year 135. I may make 150 rounds this year. We'll see. I started doing Club work about 15 years ago. 5 years ago I added selling used clubs to that. The club work and used clubs helps keep me from getting bored but I honestly believe that what really keeps it interesting for me is that...

1. I play a huge variety of courses along the interior southeast coast of Florida. If you look at a map I play from basically my south end being Hollywood FL to my north end being West Palm Beach. I live in Margate just off St Rd 7 / 441 which is a major north and south corridor. I seldom play the same course more than twice a month and never more than 3 times.

2. I play courses that offer a lot of various terrain, layouts, and hazards, and I play both Championship Courses and Executive Courses. I play Links Style Courses and Classic Florida Style Courses.

3. I play all these courses with a variety of different Golf Clubs. For the last couple years that has basically meant that during "on season" from around November to April I play modern clubs (currently Ping G10's.) In the Spring and Fall I play Classic Clubs which has been my Mizuno Cimarron blades the last couple years. During the heat of summer I play full old school which was 60 Wilson Staffs with custom Stan Thompson persimmons last year and will most likely be next summer as well. I'm pretty happy with this rotation. The modern clubs do speed up my pace and increase my distance during our busy season down here. The Mizuno blades are a nice transition as I slow down and focus on ball striking and placement and serve as a bridge to the old Wilson Staffs that force concentration and proper tempo. I then bridge back with the Mizunos in the fall as I pick up my pace and, well, you get the idea.

Variety is the spice of life. This is how I keep golf interesting for myself anyway.

Fairways and Greens my Friends!

[TheCompleteHacker]

I openly admit that I have felt much of the same lately...

 

Here in Louisiana we don't really have an off season. The only time that you don't play is purely due to choice. Most of the courses stay open, and the only thing that might limit you from being able to play is the occasional cold days and rain. I fully intended to play much more this winter, but for some reason for the last 3 months I just haven't felt the urge. It's really been quite peculiar. I went from hitting at least 10 -15 balls a day/everyday all the way up into late fall, and playing every weekend (sometimes even three rounds a weekend)... To hitting November and kind of just not caring. I think it got this way for me for a number of reason...

 

1.) I was finding it quite difficult to really find quality golf partners that I fit with.

 

- In the last 18 months I've been playing, my go-to partner has been a cousin. He's younger, cockier, and a bit more athletic. For a while there we practiced together most every afternoon, a good 100 plus balls between the two of us. Well as the last season went on, he kinda just became less of a joy to be around. It went from a fun, slightly competitive rivalry, to really only wanting to play to show him I'm making progress in my game, and to show him that he's really not as great as he makes out. He's really quite notorious for being the type of person to try to coach your every swing, dog you on your misses, and all around generally imply that you're failing to improve at the sport -- all while at the same time, continuously talking during your backswing, rushing play beyond the normal means, and then posting a score that is only 4 strokes better than your own. There were a number of times that rounds nearly lead to physical altercations simply because of his poor attitude and general disregard for the sportsmanship that is expected with this game.

 

- My dissatisfaction with him as a partner lead to me trying to find additional partners to play with. I reached out to an acquaintance I met through mutual friends. We had bumped into each other at a local course a few weeks prior, and I rotated into his threesome to make it a foursome. I found that the general attitude of his group was much more lax and enjoyable. So, I reached out to him a few times through the Fall to arrange additional golf outings. These outings that were meant to be 2-somes or maybe a 3-somes always ended up being 5-somes that became scrambles. They were fun for a bit. Everybody encouraged one another, made compliments, offered advise...everyone in the group generally had something they were good or great at, and those rounds often ended with a group score that was rather low. This was fun and encouraging, but at the end of every round I kind of felt let down. I think I kind of subconsciously felt like I wasn't being true to myself by posting these group scores. I wasn't having the opportunity to mark true scores on my rounds and wasn't really being honest with myself about my abilities and weaknesses. And after a while these individuals just didn't really want to play as frequently. They're kind how the OP described it, as the other golfers who only enjoy or focus on the hobby when they're on the course...

 

- After this, I reached out to a few other acquaintances I knew that played. I even reached out to the local golf shop owner and the coach he has on staff, stating that if they knew of individuals who were looking to pickup additional players for groups, "to let me know." None of these efforts ever materialized into anything. So, I kinda ended up finishing out the season playing all by myself. Which is fine. Most days it's nice to just be out on the course and let go of all the stress of my personal and professional life. But after a while, playing all by yourself leads to lonesomeness in a sense. There is no one there to be competitive with, no one to use as a measure against your performance... So, I kinda just got to the point where I started saying, "oh, I think I'll go play this weekend" and then never getting up and going to do it.

 

2.) Equipment purchases kinda over burdened me.

 

- I kinda went from this attitude of, "well, I want to try that putter" or "this new driver will help fix (something that's really a swing problem)", to then thinking "well damn, money is tight, and why am I spending all of this on modern clubs that are gonna only retain 30% of their original value at the end of the year." So, then I started looking into vintage equipment.

 

- I realized, like the majority of us will attest to, that older equipment can play just as well as modern stuff (sometimes even better) and at a fraction of the cost. Well the only problem with that is, after a while of buying enough stuff, you find yourself over burdened by the number of projects you've got in your mind and sitting before you on the bench. I've got 9 sets of irons. All of which I'd like to reshaft. Well, I've only really got 3 sets of shafts I like that I currently have enough of to make sets. I don't have the tools needed to build my own clubs, but I don't have it in me to pay what local guys want to half a** an assembly job. So, I've struggled to try to make some of my own tools. I'm in the process of the DYI shaft puller. I've got supplies to do regrips and enough grips to do 2 sets. I've kinda just bit off more than I could chew, but can't stop myself from picking up classic blades when I see them for cheap at the thrift/mission store.

 

3.) I kinda found renewed interest in other hobbies during the winter.

 

- I became interested in folding knives again, and kind of got it in my mind I'd do some tinkering on cheap knives. It all came to me after watching a YouTube video a knife reviewer had uploaded. He was reviewing a mailing list/subscription product that someone had purchased him for Christmas. He's sitting there, going on and on for 10 mins, about how this subscription cost the buyer $60.00, but he could tell from the quality of the packaging that it was crap items, made of crap materials, and he wouldn't have wasted his money on it... "So, I guess thanks to the person that paid to sign me up, but you wasted your money..." So, I was kind of just sitting there thinking, "Well geez, instead of being so ungrateful, why don't you take this as a challenge and see if you can make something great from something cheap.." So, I guess after that I had it in my mind that it would be nice to take nice quality knives from a somewhat reputable manufacturer and see if you can make them high performance, high quality pieces... So, then I bought up some stock in that, and then I kind of just lost traction...

 

 

I'm definitely not the normal golfer. I don't think about golf just when I am on the course. I often take additional smoke breaks at work just so I can step outside and practice my swing. I try to hit a minimum of 10 balls a day so my swing doesn't get "cold" between rounds. I use to carpet putt daily. I think about it constantly. I think about grip and lag. I think about shots for certain holes at certain courses. I read about the clubs of yore, and attempt to educate myself about clubs that were built before I was born.

 

I love the game. I love playing it. I love the camaraderie. I love this community... this specific one right here in the Classic Golf section.

 

But I just haven't been able to find the drive to go out and play.

 

I'm back to hitting balls, and I'm back to practicing my swing when work is slow...

 

I guess it's just growing pains of a young (new to) golfer.

[Juice__25]

Good post hacker. If I lived near you I would be your golf buddy.

[cardoustie]

i enjoy the winter "downtime" as well

 

When I play a lot from mid April to mid Oct .. I truly get burned out

 

This winter I have had a blast playing sim golf with 4 to 8 guys once or twice a week. Classic courses and good comraderie

 

Winter has become my working out time and tinkering time .. trying loads of shafts that I have in different heads. Keeps me into golf without playing a lot

 

Find some cool books (the match Hogan and Nelson played against Venturi and his partner at Cypress is awesome)

 

Learn about golf architecture

 

Play classic courses in your area

[augustgolf]

Try and shoot Par or better with a ladies set and a pink ball ?

 

Been there...done that

[cwglum]

I've been less excited the past few seasons as well, and frankly, could go for another 4wks of skiing truthfully.

 

Completely burned out of group from previous 8-10yrs, became more about betting and money for them than the actual golf. Not buying a membership this year for the 1st time in over 15 yrs. Going to log some rounds by myself at sunrise or sunset this season, see if I can get back to actually enjoying the game ... not the 'money' game.

[augustgolf]

I openly admit that I have felt much of the same lately...

 

Here in Louisiana we don't really have an off season. The only time that you don't play is purely due to choice. Most of the courses stay open, and the only thing that might limit you from being able to play is the occasional cold days and rain. I fully intended to play much more this winter, but for some reason for the last 3 months I just haven't felt the urge. It's really been quite peculiar. I went from hitting at least 10 -15 balls a day/everyday all the way up into late fall, and playing every weekend (sometimes even three rounds a weekend)... To hitting November and kind of just not caring. I think it got this way for me for a number of reason...

 

1.) I was finding it quite difficult to really find quality golf partners that I fit with.

 

- In the last 18 months I've been playing, my go-to partner has been a cousin. He's younger, cockier, and a bit more athletic. For a while there we practiced together most every afternoon, a good 100 plus balls between the two of us. Well as the last season went on, he kinda just became less of a joy to be around. It went from a fun, slightly competitive rivalry, to really only wanting to play to show him I'm making progress in my game, and to show him that he's really not as great as he makes out. He's really quite notorious for being the type of person to try to coach your every swing, dog you on your misses, and all around generally imply that you're failing to improve at the sport -- all while at the same time, continuously talking during your backswing, rushing play beyond the normal means, and then posting a score that is only 4 strokes better than your own. There were a number of times that rounds nearly lead to physical altercations simply because of his poor attitude and general disregard for the sportsmanship that is expected with this game.

 

- My dissatisfaction with him as a partner lead to me trying to find additional partners to play with. I reached out to an acquaintance I met through mutual friends. We had bumped into each other at a local course a few weeks prior, and I rotated into his threesome to make it a foursome. I found that the general attitude of his group was much more lax and enjoyable. So, I reached out to him a few times through the Fall to arrange additional golf outings. These outings that were meant to be 2-somes or maybe a 3-somes always ended up being 5-somes that became scrambles. They were fun for a bit. Everybody encouraged one another, made compliments, offered advise...everyone in the group generally had something they were good or great at, and those rounds often ended with a group score that was rather low. This was fun and encouraging, but at the end of every round I kind of felt let down. I think I kind of subconsciously felt like I wasn't being true to myself by posting these group scores. I wasn't having the opportunity to mark true scores on my rounds and wasn't really being honest with myself about my abilities and weaknesses. And after a while these individuals just didn't really want to play as frequently. They're kind how the OP described it, as the other golfers who only enjoy or focus on the hobby when they're on the course...

 

- After this, I reached out to a few other acquaintances I knew that played. I even reached out to the local golf shop owner and the coach he has on staff, stating that if they knew of individuals who were looking to pickup additional players for groups, "to let me know." None of these efforts ever materialized into anything. So, I kinda ended up finishing out the season playing all by myself. Which is fine. Most days it's nice to just be out on the course and let go of all the stress of my personal and professional life. But after a while, playing all by yourself leads to lonesomeness in a sense. There is no one there to be competitive with, no one to use as a measure against your performance... So, I kinda just got to the point where I started saying, "oh, I think I'll go play this weekend" and then never getting up and going to do it.

 

2.) Equipment purchases kinda over burdened me.

 

- I kinda went from this attitude of, "well, I want to try that putter" or "this new driver will help fix (something that's really a swing problem)", to then thinking "well damn, money is tight, and why am I spending all of this on modern clubs that are gonna only retain 30% of their original value at the end of the year." So, then I started looking into vintage equipment.

 

- I realized, like the majority of us will attest to, that older equipment can play just as well as modern stuff (sometimes even better) and at a fraction of the cost. Well the only problem with that is, after a while of buying enough stuff, you find yourself over burdened by the number of projects you've got in your mind and sitting before you on the bench. I've got 9 sets of irons. All of which I'd like to reshaft. Well, I've only really got 3 sets of shafts I like that I currently have enough of to make sets. I don't have the tools needed to build my own clubs, but I don't have it in me to pay what local guys want to half a** an assembly job. So, I've struggled to try to make some of my own tools. I'm in the process of the DYI shaft puller. I've got supplies to do regrips and enough grips to do 2 sets. I've kinda just bit off more than I could chew, but can't stop myself from picking up classic blades when I see them for cheap at the thrift/mission store.

 

3.) I kinda found renewed interest in other hobbies during the winter.

 

- I became interested in folding knives again, and kind of got it in my mind I'd do some tinkering on cheap knives. It all came to me after watching a YouTube video a knife reviewer had uploaded. He was reviewing a mailing list/subscription product that someone had purchased him for Christmas. He's sitting there, going on and on for 10 mins, about how this subscription cost the buyer $60.00, but he could tell from the quality of the packaging that it was crap items, made of crap materials, and he wouldn't have wasted his money on it... "So, I guess thanks to the person that paid to sign me up, but you wasted your money..." So, I was kind of just sitting there thinking, "Well geez, instead of being so ungrateful, why don't you take this as a challenge and see if you can make something great from something cheap.." So, I guess after that I had it in my mind that it would be nice to take nice quality knives from a somewhat reputable manufacturer and see if you can make them high performance, high quality pieces... So, then I bought up some stock in that, and then I kind of just lost traction...

 

 

I'm definitely not the normal golfer. I don't think about golf just when I am on the course. I often take additional smoke breaks at work just so I can step outside and practice my swing. I try to hit a minimum of 10 balls a day so my swing doesn't get "cold" between rounds. I use to carpet putt daily. I think about it constantly. I think about grip and lag. I think about shots for certain holes at certain courses. I read about the clubs of yore, and attempt to educate myself about clubs that were built before I was born.

 

I love the game. I love playing it. I love the camaraderie. I love this community... this specific one right here in the Classic Golf section.

 

But I just haven't been able to find the drive to go out and play.

 

I'm back to hitting balls, and I'm back to practicing my swing when work is slow...

 

I guess it's just growing pains of a young (new to) golfer.

 

Too bad I'm so far away...sounds like we could/would enjoy walks around the course....talks off...and, seeing each other's projects, and feed off one another's thoughts and ideas

 

Always feel free to shout at me for any reason....even if just to say "hey"

[HoldenCornfield]

Good post hacker. If I lived near you I would be your golf buddy.

 

+1

[jonnygrouville]

Good stuff. Thanks.

 

A "knife reviewer"?! Wow. I'll give it a nine out of ten for slicing, eight for dicing, but it stabs like a wet sausage.

 

Going to read your posts very carefully if you have just got a new set of blades...

 

I play the vast majority of my golf on my own. Our schedules always match!

 

Not for everyone, just right for me at this stage in my life. Very much appreciate where you are coming from though.

 

[sbboudreau]

I have a really interesting project for you. Do you have a little land? A 1/4 acre or less? Built a putting green or if you have enough land a par 3. You won't be bored anymore and it will take you a year or so to get it just right and then it's yours to enjoy any time you want. I want to do this in my backyard myself. Though I don't have enough for a par 3 but a nice chipping area and a green I can do.

https://www.Not allowed because of spam.com/how-to-build-putting-green/

[jonnygrouville]

If I ever get it finished, I'll be moving to a house right next to a golf course, so nice idea, but will shortly have 36 greens in my back garden!

 

Will also leave me as poor as a church mouse.

 

Do have enough room for a petanque piste though...