Is It Ennui?

[Diane]

I've been thinking about something Dyna said the other day. He didn't play poorly, but wanted to quit anyway. This surprised me coming from a guy who was back on the course within weeks of open heart surgery. I've heard it from others though. I know people want to quit when they're not playing well or when they've played too much, but what else does it? Is it when you've become stagnate or feel that you've reached a plateau? When you go out and keep shooting that same score - even if it's not a bad score, do you just get tired of the same old thing?

 

[C-Tech]

I've been thinking about something Dyna said the other day. He didn't play poorly, but wanted to quit anyway. This surprised me coming from a guy who was back on the course within weeks of open heart surgery. I've heard it from others though. I know people want to quit when they're not playing well or when they've played too much, but what else does it? Is it when you've become stagnate or feel that you've reached a plateau? When you go out and keep shooting that same score - even if it's not a bad score, do you just get tired of the same old thing?

I call it the "Here I go again" syndrome. If I have been playing poorly and my practice seems not to be paying off, I sometimes feel like just chucking it all and going back to fishing. At least I could blame the weather or the fish for my poor performance. I suppose it is the plateau effect. Golf is so odd, I spend so much time feeling like I am just on the cusp of moving to the next level. I go forward three steps and then back up two. It is so frustrating that I do sometimes just want to quit.

 

[GolferGal]

There have been a few times where I have just wanted to give up. However, every time I start to feel that way I make an incredible putt, or hit an amazing shot, and my faith in myself and this crazy game are restored.

 

[provisional]

"Quit" is a relative term. Are you going to quit forever, a week, 10 days, after 8 holes, 16 hours, the next tee box. "Done for a while" might be a better term.

I shoot scores when I really focus on what I am doing in the high 70s, to low 80s about 95% of the time...........except when I am in FW Texas on those Rockwood greens. I tend to golf too much. By that I mean I let other things go, that I should be doing. Yard work, home maintenance, car stuff, and a slew of other "honey do this" things. Once I get a pile of undone stuff, I don't golf again till I get caught up. Family, and pet stuff are my first priority, personal health is second, and golf/hiking are third. Everything else has another place in line.

If I am golfing, having a bad round, I will finish it, and not give it a second thought. I found out a long time ago that dwelling on the bad, only made the future worse. How I might finish a poor round, becomes the new focus. One time, what ever the reason, my PW was giving me fits, costing me strokes through 5 holes. I played the remaining 13 holes with just my PW. I even putted with it. By the time I was on the 12th hole I was hitting it pretty well again. The folks I was golfing with thought I was nuts, until I won a few holes. The other day I bought a bucket of balls. After warming up (it was a 104* already) I found I was not hitting anything good. No progress what so ever. Not quite the shanks, but in that family of bad shots.. After about 20 balls, I gave the remaining 40 balls to the guy next to me. Went to the 19th, had a drought beverage, and watched Watson play some great golf. Next day I shot a 77 for 18 holes.

Playing golf is not a life or death thing, although one could say it does add to one's life. If a person makes it that important, and does not already know how to play well, or is not learning to play well (improving) then that person should probably take up another sport, or hobby. Now if a person is a 15 hdcpr, knows that is as good as he/she will ever be, and is happy with that, that's good thing. That person knows how to enjoy the game:clapp:

 

[dynarider]

For myself it was just a combination of things, not all golf related. I have been hitting my driver well, the hybrids are working great & my pitching & chipping have been great. It's the mid irons I am really struggling with right now, used to be from 150-160 yds out I could nail the green every time. Now I am either hitting it super fat or topping the ball & it's getting frustrating. My 3w decided to turn against me as well & that has always been my "can't miss" club.

 

[ClairefromClare]

For myself it was just a combination of things, not all golf related. I have been hitting my driver well, the hybrids are working great & my pitching & chipping have been great. It's the mid irons I am really struggling with right now, used to be from 150-160 yds out I could nail the green every time. Now I am either hitting it super fat or topping the ball & it's getting frustrating. My 3w decided to turn against me as well & that has always been my "can't miss" club.

Well, the cure is easy, Dyna. Spend lots of money and buy more clubs.

 

[dynarider]

Well, the cure is easy, Dyna. Spend lots of money and buy more clubs.

Nah, don't need anymore clubs...well I do need to tighten up the head on my putter.

I am actually considering some lessons to help me with the long iron game. I am just not driving down into the ball like you should be doing. Not sure I can teach myself the correct method either.

 

[Diane]

I am actually considering some lessons to help me with the long iron game. I am just not driving down into the ball like you should be doing. Not sure I can teach myself the correct method either.

I think that's a great idea Dyna. You just need a little nudge in the right direction.

 

[Blue Arc]

My 3 wood is my "save my butt get me out of this" club too. Usually if I start topping or plowing with it, I just slow down my tempo. especially my back swing and it straightens it out. In my case when I start swinging bad it's because I let the distances on the course mess with my head and I try to over swing and muscle the ball to the green. I slow it down and it comes back. I, like Prov, get frustrated in a bad round but when I walk off the 18 I'm like ha!. That was fun. Never wanted to quit yet. In golf it's the journey to our best round that keeps us coming back so seeing as how IT IS A JOURNEY...enjoy the ride. Ha!

 

[MO_Hacker]

I'm at the point of quitting the game again myself, I quit playing 11 yrs ago and didn't pick up a club again until last June. The last two weeks have been terrible, I can't hit anything consistently. I thought it was all coming together earlier this month but it has gone down hill instead. I either need to take some more lessons or sell all of my gear and find a different hobby.I love the game but playing bad golf just isn't fun.

 

[Blue Arc]

May be that's why I'm not all broke up about my game. I haven't played any good golf yet so I don't expect too much right now!:laughing:

 

[Smallville]

I'm at the point of quitting the game again myself, I quit playing 11 yrs ago and didn't pick up a club again until last June. The last two weeks have been terrible, I can't hit anything consistently. I thought it was all coming together earlier this month but it has gone down hill instead. I either need to take some more lessons or sell all of my gear and find a different hobby.I love the game but playing bad golf just isn't fun.

You played pretty good when I saw you MO, only advice I can give is, "move up a set." At least until you start breaking 90 all the time.

Although lessons is not a bad way to go either!

 

[MO_Hacker]

You played pretty good when I saw you MO, only advice I can give is, "move up a set." At least until you start breaking 90 all the time.

Although lessons is not a bad way to go either!

I played pretty good for about a week after that round and then hit the wall.

Unless they have a set of tees that starts at 100 yds. it won't matter. I can't get off the tee box without being in jail and can't hit a mid iron to save my life.

 

[julie_m]

I have walked off of a driving range or cut a day short (like skipping the repeat of the exec course) when I'm doing very poorly. I once took a voluntary hiatus for a few weeks. If I'm doing poorly, really REALLY poorly - one, it's not fun, and two, I don't want to drill in any bad habits. I'd rather come back fresh.

 

[Johneli]

I have never walked off or quit. I still get butterflies and get really excited every time I walk up to the first tee. And who knows.......you might have quit just before hitting the shot of a lifetime.

 

[Hanks]

There have been a few times where I have just wanted to give up. However, every time I start to feel that way I make an incredible putt, or hit an amazing shot, and my faith in myself and this crazy game are restored.

I'm with ya GG...we were just talking about this on the course yesterday. You'll have a bad round or a few bad holes and then you hit that insane shot or just own a hole and you're feeling back on top of the world and love the 'stupid game' all over again!

 

[OrlandoGolfBlog]

I still get butterflies and get really excited every time I walk up to the first tee. And who knows.......you might have quit just before hitting the shot of a lifetime.

Love it, great quote! There's only been one time when I felt bad enough about a round to consider quitting, the front nine was beautiful, everything was going where it was supposed to and I was putting like a madman, then the back nine just blew up. Shank after shank after shank... It was such a demoralizing round that for the first time I really considered quitting. Then the next day, went to the range and continued the struggle.. I love this sport

 

[LBlack14]

I'm usually happy 14 or 15 holes a round, it's THOSE 3 or 4 OTHERS where I wanna quit.

 

[Blue Arc]

I have never walked off or quit. I still get butterflies and get really excited every time I walk up to the first tee. And who knows.......you might have quit just before hitting the shot of a lifetime.

I just stand there and look around at the first tee at all the green and think whoa...this is going to be great. Butterflies? I guess that's what it is. That's what I'll call it. I believe this though...if the game isn't fun for you then you should quit. If it eats you up with agony when you play it then why do it when you just plain don't have to?

 

[Diane]

As much as I love Autumn golf - I think a break is in order.

 

[Sean]

I'm focusing more on the swing and less on the score, i.e., can I develop an effective, repeatable swing? If I can do that, the score will take care of itself.