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What's the longest break you've had from golf?

camden_kid

camden_kid

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Folk often mention here how they used to play golf and then gave it up for a reason and then got back into it. If you have done the same how long was the break and how did it feel to start playing again?
 
When I was on sea duty for the Navy, I would have to go pretty much a year at a time without playing, but since 2015 when I transferred to shore duty, nothing more than a couple weeks. This period I am in now will be my longest break in years, as my daughter's schedule is so busy along with other things in life (i.e., visiting family I haven't seen in over a year and a half due to covid). I played last Friday 5/21 and it will be the first week of July before I am able to get to a course again. Sucks, but I needed the reset as my game is complete trash right now. Once I come off the break, I am starting lessons as well. Hoping things go well. When taking a break though, it's like riding a bike for the most part. Game is usually rusty a bit the first couple of rounds and then it starts to get back to normal.
 
I once quit for about 10 years. Starting again felt like meeting an old friend. It was different the second time, though, because my approach to the game changed. Less stress, more relaxed. I enjoy it a lot more now than I did back then.
 
I stopped "playing" golf after high school and didn't pick it back up again until 2020. I played a handful of charity scrambles over those 15-16 years, but that was it. I caught the fire again and had the time/money to join the country club. I have had a blast. I've met new people and formed some great relationships that wouldn't have been there without golf. As for my game, it's very frustrating. Knowing that I just can't consistently hit shots like I once did is very frustrating. Going from scratch or 1 back to a 5-6 is a little tough on the ego. I will say, my mental game is much stronger than when I was young and dumb.
 
From 2009-2015, I played once a year in a charity scramble. Other than that one day, I played no golf during those 7 years. I returned to golf in 2016.
 
When my second child was born I went from playing once a week minimum to a few times a year for around 8 years. When I returned to regular play it gave me a regular break from life that I need.
 
A little finger vs. lawn mower incident had me miss 6 weeks a month ago of prime spring golf. Playing just as good (and bad) with 9.5 fingers as I ever did with 10... otherwise I don't play in every month every year, but have played in every month of the year here in southwest Ahia... and always March thru November.
 
I gave up playing for probably 12-13 years when I was a kid just due to logistical issues, then took it up again for about 5 years until organisational restructures moved all of our regular group away from each other, and it was probably about 5 years until I started playing again properly

Now that Jen plays as well, I don't tend to go more than a couple weeks max without playing
 
About 20 years. 13 where I never even really picked up a club. Starting to play again was like coming home after 13 years to a bed that no longer fits, is frustrating and uncomfortable, hurts your body, and somehow still makes you really happy. :LOL:

I'm just grateful to be playing again. I let life get in the way long enough that I truly forgot how much I enjoyed it. Plus, I'm way better at it now, so that's nice. :p
 
I played 4 times from 2018-2020 and those were only in benefit tournaments. I just wasn't enjoying playing in 2018, was playing like crap the entire year. I hit a hole in 1 in July of 2018 and said "I've beat golf, I'm retired." lol. I'm not even sure why, but in February this year I got the itch again... Now I'm back to doing something golf related 4 days a week since March 3 and may be playing the best golf I ever have.
 
Probably 10 years for me. From 2008 to 2018. I probably played 2-3 rounds, with zero practices during that stretch.

I had other things going on in my retirement, and the nearest golf course 70 miles away.

The time away from golf cost me 8 strokes on my current handicap. Lost a lot or distance too. 30-35 yards on my driver alone. Consistent accuracy also suffered. My swing muscles deteriorated. I became "golf swing" soft.

For the past few years, I have been swinging clubs on a more regular basis. The covid shut down was a set back on actual play, but I still managed to swing clubs.

Right now I play slightly, above average golf. I can break 90 most of the time. On a my familiar home courses, low 80s are doable.

I'm now a par/bogey 1 golfer for the most part. Very few birds on my score card these days.
 
Probably 4-5 years... I got my Drivers License and found that waves, beer, girls and some other 'recreational pharmaceuticals' were a much better way to spend my time... I was breaking 80 consistently with the odd even par round thrown in before I took a break. Once I got a 'real' job and had to grow up a bit, I picked it right back up and within a season was right back where I was before.
 
About 4 months in past 53 years....including a broken wrist which made me play with just one arm for over a year.
 
a couple of years at most.
 
I started playing 8 years ago and just ended my longest layoff of 13 months since then. I injured my knee back in Feb 20, then had surgery on it Jan 5 this year. I played for the first time since Apr 2020 yeserday.
 
I've had a couple times where Im about 6-ish months from playing at the end of the season to the start of my next season. But during the year I often go 1 month without a round unfortunately :(
 
I quit playing for 8 years. Picked it back up in my late 30’s and haven’t missed anytime since then.
 
I took two months off this year to rest my golfers elbow and nearly went crazy not playing!
 
Damn near 20 year, sadly.

life and a change of career affected my ability to get out. Only twice in that 20 year span. Still in the same industry(which I love) but I am making a diligent effort to set aside time to get out.
 
I’m coming off of a three year complete hiatus. Just played my second round since coming back in the past week. Surprisingly hitting the ball straighter and longer than I ever have before.
We’ll see how long that lasts.....
 
I basically stopped playing from the mid 1990s until 2017. I bought a new set of clubs around 2005 but I played less than one round a year until 2017. Then I decided to start playing regularly again.
 
I went a full year without touching my clubs mostly due to a lengthy illness. The 10 years before then I only played golf for work never at home but I played 5-15 times a year depending on a number of things.
 
I did not play from about 2003 until I took the game back up in 2019. I was on a rural town high school team my senior year to try and learn the game. played maybe 3 times a year after that. even less through grad school. Stopping al together around 2003.
 
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