We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Lost Desire To Golf

Craig Mac

Craig Mac

_____________________
Joined
Oct 8, 2008
Messages
4,067
Reaction score
87
Location
Hampton Roads
I have always considered myself a year round golfer and have played through summer days of 100+ degree weather and winter days when temps have been in the teens and even through snow some days. My last round was played on November 28, 2009, for me not to play since then is an eternity!

I want to start by saying that I don't enjoy playing golf when every step you take gets your shoes wet. I don't enjoy chunking shots or mud flying after every shot and would rather just not play until weather is better. The hampton roads area was plagued with bad weather at the end of the year with back to back Nor 'Easters in November and December causing severe flooding which kept most golf course saturated for the better part of two months. Then after that we had 2 weeks of snow and cold temps which helped keep the all ready saturated courses wet for a few more weeks. The weather has finally started to break and the courses are coming around. Of course now work is picking up for me and I have had to work the last couple weekends preventing me from getting out.

I know everyone gets too busy or even just feels like they need a break from the game every now and then. But this was more of a break due to the weather being so bad. I know I could have just gone out and played in less than desirable conditions, but the fact I don't enjoy that makes me think it is a waste of money to do so. With my upcoming work schedule and the fact I may be picking up another job working nights and weekends I have been wondering lately when I will make it back out again. I have a brand new driver from Xmas I haven't even hit yet.

I feel like if I had a day off I would rather spend it taking it easy rather than getting out and playing golf. Maybe I just need to take a bit of a longer break from the game until I "feel it" again. Or maybe I am just in a different routine now because I haven't been able to play lately. I can imagine that it will only take a few good shots to get my desire to get out there regularly again, but the hard part now is finding the time or desire to get back out on the course.....

My questions in all this is would be, What is the longest break you have taken and why? Have you ever just lost the desire to play? What did you do to get back in golf mode?
 
CM,
I went through this exact same thing about a decade ago. I did not care about playing anymore. I was so career focused that the thought of spending 4 hours away from other things just to golf actually bothered me. I could not afford to play the courses I wanted to at the time, so I just packed it in. What was funny was that I did not miss it much and did not play for a number of years. Then it hit me when a friend was up at the driving range and I went to see him. He was hitting and I was just standing there. Not really doing much and I asked if I could just hit a ball or two.

It was as if I was struck by lightening. A surge went through me and I realized how much I missed it. I still did not get right out and play, but did eventually later that year and since that time I have been hooked again. Not sure it will ever happen to me again, but if it does, I think I can live without it if I need to.

A small story. My father was an avid golfer growing up in MA at a course called Blue Hills Country Club. He took the game pretty seriously back in the 50s and 60s (his teens and early adult years) and even when my sister was born in 69. He was always more career focused than anything else despite carrying a low handicap. When I was born he quit playing. His excuse was that financially there was more to life and back then golf was a very expensive sport (still is to some extent). He did not pick up a club for 25 years and then it hit him as well. As he got older in life in his 50s, he wanted to give it a try again. He too was hit with the surge and has been playing 3 days a week for close to 20 years now (he is 70) and ironically picked up where he left off.

Knowing you like I think I do, I believe there will come a point in time when you will be back out there. We have played together and you enjoy yourself a lot on the course and I look forward to the day when my friend and I can play a round of golf at an amazing course (at my pace...hehe) and just enjoy the game. Golf is a game that is supposed to be enjoyable and not just time consuming and right now for you I think it is the latter. I hope that changes, I really do. But until that time comes, I just want my friend to enjoy his life. The time will come where the 9 iron will come knocking and I know you will answer it.
 
I used to play regularly, almost every week back in 1991-1995. I do not really recall why i slowly stopped playing as often but eventually I quit playing all together from '96-'03, in '04 played a couple of times for fun in a company or industry tournaments. Finally in late '05 I started playing once every couple of months with friends. In Mid '06 I switch companies I worked for and there were a few more golfers there so I in turn started playing more and in the last 18 months really got hit with the bug and going back out with much more regularity.
 
That's a HOF post right there JB. Great perspective! CM- keep plugging away and if you have tio take a break then do it. Like JB said, just be sure to answer the door in case the TM R9 9 iron knocks on the door asking 'Can CM come out to play?'
 
Back in the mid 80's I quit for a couple of years. The weekends were the only time I could get out due to work and the courses were so crowded a 5 1/2 hour round was normal. I joined a tennis club and started playing tennis. I did not miss golf in fact one of the guys I use to play with had also quit golf because of slow play and he was a 2 handicapper. I retired in 1990 and started playing again. There have been times during the last 20 years where I was playing every day. One 3 year period I played over 1000 rounds of golf. Yet I still have times when I think about getting away from the game because I am playing poorly and get depressed because of that and poor playing conditions. My suggestion would be to lay off for awhile and see how you feel about the game in a couple of months.
 
I think a big part of it is the fact that I feel I haven't been able to play due to the weather. Since 1995 I have pretty much played at least once or twice a month, so this break is the longest I have taken since then. I watched the last half of the final round yesterday and that was pretty much the first time I had even watched golf over the last few months. I do enjoy getting out and spending the afternoon on the course with buddies almost more than anything and I think a lot of my friends have felt that same way about playing this winter as I do. Maybe getting to watch the Masters this week may inspire me to get back out there again.
 
I've been playing on and off for almost 20 years, sometimes golf just takes a back seat to other hobbies, work, other things.....

I've gone from playing a couple times a week when I'm really into golf, to only playing a couple times a year when I'm not really into it

there's always something about golf that keeps me in touch with it even when I'm busy doing other things,

I think any person who's been doing something for a long period of time will naturally have varying interest levels in the game, I think sometimes we need to take a bit of a break in order to really appreciate our time on the course when we go back out again later.
 
Craig Mac said:
I feel like if I had a day off I would rather spend it taking it easy rather than getting out and playing golf. Maybe I just need to take a bit of a longer break from the game until I "feel it" again. Or maybe I am just in a different routine now because I haven't been able to play lately. I can imagine that it will only take a few good shots to get my desire to get out there regularly again, but the hard part now is finding the time or desire to get back out on the course.....
Click to expand...

Ive been going through the same thing Craig. I went from playing 3 or 4 rounds a week to about 8 rounds in the last 8 months. Part of it is from the amount of rain we got and that I have been busy at work. I used to wake up at the crack of dawn to get in a round before heading to the office or on a Saturday morning but now I prefer to do some work around the house or hang out with buddies. I have a 3 day Member/Guest coming up at the end of the month that I hope will get me motivated again but we will see. Ive even bought new wedges and a driver to get that spark but nothing. Im going to try and walk 9 tomorrow evening and see if that helps.
 
The longest I have had to stay away was two weeks because of a back injury. I even then cheated a bit and played through the pain.

I have lost the desire to golf before because of bad play but I know golf is going to be with me forever, and just taking the initiative to get to the course and play again is going to get me hooked.
 
CM,

I stopped playing a couple years after I graduated high school. College life (partying, studying, girlfriend at the time) really took its toll on what time I could devote to my game. Prior too I was playing twice a week and practicing a lot. I didnt know you could lose the game so fast. After playing from my first long break, I was horrid. Summers in Arizona are not kind and when your are shanking shots in 110 degrees, you just hate it. And pretty soon you can only remember what it feels like to play in that weather and the bad shots. At that point I figured why even bother.

I started to play again about a year or so ago because I needed a break :) For whatever reason, I decided to visit my local pro shop. Hitting the new equipment gave me hope again. One or two good shots got the desire back. Busted out with some old notes and I was off.

Hopefully the Masters does bring some of the desire back, but if not most likely time away will. I don't really know you at all buuuuuuuuuuuut I hope whatever you decide to do, works out !
 
I'm with you CM. I played virtually everyday back as a kid, quit for a number of years as my family and job took over, started again with time hitting it harder than ever and once again quit as a new job took off. I am finally back at it. Life takes hugh swings and what's important at that time will prevail. I hope to balance work with golf for a long time, I just hope the grand kids love it.
 
I have only been playing golf for about a year and a half since I retired so golf is still pretty exciting to me so I haven't reached that point,yet. But I recently read a book relating to that topic, " Extraordinary Golf" by Fred Shoemaker. He grew up an avid junior golfer, got a college golf scholarship, became quite good and then one day lost the desire to play golf and quit for a period of time. Basically, it's a story of how he regained the desire to play again by asking himself some questions on what does he want from the game of golf. He is now a successful golf instructor and travels the country lecturing on Extraordinary Golf. It's an introspective look at why we should play golf and it's much more than lowering our handicap index.
I'm no book critic but I hope it made some sense.
 
Hang in there CM, the nice weather is coming if not already starting to show up. You'll get that driver out and you'll be as hooked as you ever have been.

See every year we're forced to take anywhere between 3 to sometimes close to 5 or even 6 months off for winter and that is the worst. When you want to play and you just simply can't it really changes how you approach it in the time that you are actually able to play. Basically from April til October there is not a time that passes me by that I am not thinking about my next round. I'll stop off on the way home from work and hit the driving range, or just walk a few holes. I know that I have to take advantage of every chance I get because before I know it we'll have snow all over the place and I'll be on another forced hiatus from the game.

So hang in there CM, soon you'll be right back to your old self and dying to play each and everyday!!
 
I don't ever play from October - March. I am pretty much 6 months on, 6 months off. I don't like playing over the winter when the weather is bad. I don't see much point in spending $30 to go out and freeze. I miss it some, but it is nice to take the time off. Come March, I am itching to play. I don't even play that much over the summer, maybe 3-4 times a month on average. With family, financial, and work responsibilities I feel fortunate just to get out that much. That being said, I can't think of a time when I feel burned out. I played for the first time since September just this past weekend. Hit a bucket before the round and I was ready to go.

For me, when the weather turns and the conditions are much better, I really want to play. I would bet that when you get a few warm, dry days in a row, if you get out to the range and hit some balls, then play a round or two, the desire will come back.
 
im feeling your pain CM... i live in hampton roads also and this past winter was brutal...
i work at a course and would usually play before or after work but when the course is literally underwater... it tends to be a bummer...
usually my hcp doesnt fluctuate too much from season to season cuz its pretty tolerable playing here in the winter... but with the weather/lack of playing/practice time/and a massive swing overhaul... i went from low 80s last season to not breaking 100 the past few rounds... and man do i feel like taking a break from the game... but i know thats just gonna kill me...

i just say take a break... get everything you need to get in order... then when you feel you have time... get a casual round in and you might catch lightening
 
Sometimes I think life and work can get in the way of enjoying a round of golf. The little annoying things like slow play and mud become magnified and it's difficult to see past them to the wonderful things. Golf is like most things - you just need to shake yourself off, say screw it and go have fun. Call your best golf buddies - you know the ones who will love you no matter if you suck or if you beat them, choose a fun course - one that isn't too difficult, but is still a challenge and give it your best shot.
 
Breaks are good, CM.

I only started playing two years ago, and had rapidly gotten better over a year span (shot a 76, however mostly in the mid-high 80s). Last summer I went through a rough stretch and it was just so hot and it wasn't fun anymore. I took a 6-7 month break and now I'm back it at.

After a break from golf you really do realize how much you love it. If you need one, take it.
 
I hear you Craig, the weather here has been prefect yet I have only played 2 rds of 9 holes in the past 3 weeks. Just no real burning desire right now, add that in with i'm more interested in vacation next week & golf has taken a major backseat.
 
In 2001 I was assigned to work in Kosovo. Then A few years in the Sahara and then Algeria. 5 years passed with no access to golf at all. I didn't get back to a place with a golf course until 2006 when I moved to Cambodia. By then the equipment I had from 1997 was in pretty rough shape and I didn't even think of golf. Wasn't until my last year there (2008) that I started to hack around at a course there with someone. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed playing.

But 7 years was a long break......
 
I think part of it also is the fact that our yearly April golf trip to Myrtle Beach fell apart this year. I would usually start playing to be prepared for that due to the fact I wanted to play well. With no trip this year I haven't been making that effort to get my game in shape.
 
I have felt that way too but it always seems to pass. Don't force it. Usually I will get interested in something golf related and it gets me going again.
 
I played from age 11 - 17. Caddy free golf on Monday and we would sneak on after 5:00 PM all summer. Stopped in college and during my football years never had the time.

Started playing at 31. Loved until I had a frozen shoulder 3 years ago. Rehab, golf lessons, maturity, and I like golf better than ever. I think the time away from it helped me enjoy it more.
 
I just recently started back playing after a five year absence, and actually this is my second return. At 20 I started playing regularly with my father and grandfather. However, age and medical problems caught up with each of them respectfully and I lost the interest to play alone. At about 24 I decided I loved the game too much. But my clubs had been stolen and I didn't have the money for new ones. After buying some old Snake Iron homemades fo $100 from an old man in my grandfathers retirement home I went at it again. Just when I started getting myself back into golf shape I was hit with a bout of kidney stones. I wound up having three surgeries over the course of six months. During that time I had stints placed in my ureters going from the kidney to bladder. When I would go to the range or the course I would come home with terrible pain and would urinate blood the first few times I visited the restroom. I just couldn't take it anymore. So I quit in mid 2005. I started thinking about getting back at it after the stints were removed the final time, but the fact that I wasn't happy with the equipment at my disposal and the conditioning I had undergone to expect pain and blood following a round just kept me from it. Crazy thing is ever since I started playing 10 years ago when I go through periods of not playing I have reoccurring dreams about golfing. So this past January I just couldn't resist anymore. I finally decided to let student loans buy my clubs for me. I just got my swing back in the groove after starting again in January. For me golf is an addiction and I can really say my life is somehow less complete when I am not playing. I think if you really love it like so many of us do you will find your way back to it in no time.
 
Craig, at the very least a round of golf is an excuse to smoke your largest cigar. Otherwise the weather is always nice around here. And whe it rains it's only for a few days, and we get rainy day speacials.
 
Leaving work late tonight I drove by a cheap little course near my house and looked over and no one was on the back nine... was tempted to stop, just too damn tired.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top