Have You Ever Walked Off the Course During a Bad Round?

[ChetlovesMer]

I was playing earlier this week with a neighbor. He and I were paired up with a couple of other guys. They were perfectly nice guys. One of them, lost a ball on the first hole. Oddly, we all thought he striped it down the middle of the fairway, but we couldn't find it anywhere. Anyway, he went back to the tee, hit a drive into the rough, hit an approach into the bunker, blasted out, 2 putted for a triple bogey. He parred the next 3 holes. Made a birdie on the toughest hole on the course (hole number 5). Then par, par, par. Before making another triple on hole 9. He finished the front 9 with a 5 over 41. Which he said was disappointing. I could see why. The triple on the first was bummer (a lost ball we all thought was down the middle.) The triple on the last was one of those hit it into trouble, tried to make the heroic save, got in more trouble, kind-of-deals. 

The back nine, all of us parred hole 10, a par 5. (I was disappointed on this one as I reached the green in 2.) 3 putts suck! He topped his drive on 11. He saved bogie. Topped another drive on 12, saved par. 13 is a longish (188 yards) par 3. He topped another tee-shot this time with an iron. Then he hit into the bunker, knocked it out, 2 putted to a double bogey. 

Then he took his bag off the cart and walked back to the club-house. He told his partner, he was losing his game and knew it wouldn't come back. So he just left. 

His buddy told me and my neighbor that he plays with this guy all the time and that he can't remember how many times this guy has just given up mid-round and walked off. I guess it happens all the time. 

We all spent the final 5 holes discussing whether it was better to just "walk off" the course when you don't feel you are playing well. Or to stick it out and try to recover. What do you all think?

[TN94z]

Unfortunately, I have walked off before.  I have usually only done this if I feel that something in my swing is way off and I do not feel like I can get it back on track. These were just casual rounds and we are members so it's not a big deal for me to walk off. If I am paying to play 18 at a different course or something, I will stick it out and just play whatever game I have because I am a tightwad with my money...haha

[mcanadiens]

I've only walked off in the middle of a nine due to injury or severe weather. However, I'll often head home after nine and it doesn't even need to be just when I'm playing badly.  My membership makes it pretty easy to play as much or as little as I want and I find myself playing more nine hole rounds than I ever have before. 

That said, if the spray gun is in full evidence, hole #10 will not be seeing me.

[pganapathy]

I have never walked off because of a bad round.  I only leave if I or somebody else isn't well or tired.  These days I play with my dad and he sometimes can't finish the 18.  Father Time 🤷‍♀️

[Zippo]

I don't quit the course when I'm playing badly. I suppose if my sense of self worth and attitude depended upon how well I was playing it might be different but I also play golf because I enjoy my companions, the laughter, and my time on the course out in the fresh air and "nature". I also need the exercise so it's either golf or the treadmill and the treadmill is much more boring than bad golf, to me.

[NM Golf]

I used to be a bit of a hot head and I walked off the course on several occasions. I have since seen the error of my ways and I haven't done it in 10+ years. To be honest it just makes your look like an idiot, at the end of the day its still just a game and even playing like shit beats sitting on the couch, or even worse doing honey-dos. 

[DaveP043]

Its possible I've walked off because of my own poor play, but if so I can't remember it.  I've certainly been frustrated, but I won't just quit.  There's a lot more to a round of golf than just the golf.  

[boogielicious]

When I have a bad round going, I just think of the rest as practice. We did stop after 12 holes a few weeks ago, but that was because my friends back started hurting and the round was very slow. Even when I’ve been hurt, I try to finish the round and just ease off the rest of my swings.

I was playing with @billchao in Maine a few years back and my left leg stopped working due to a meniscus injury. I was wear a brace at the time too. We still finished though.

[colin007]

If by "bad" round you mean "slow" round, then yes. I've never walked off because of my play. I quit once because I got sick mid round.

[dagolfer18]

I have only once walked off the course because I was playing badly, and I’m ashamed of it. I’ve shared the story before, but it suits this topic well so I’ll share it again:

Two summers ago, I was playing a round about a week before a tournament I played in at Pinehurst No. 7. I got to the short par-5 ninth needing only a par to make the turn under 50. Well, I bogeyed for a 50, and I walked to the tenth tee hot, tired and frustrated at my game because nothing was going well, and I was on the brink of completely losing it.

I remember the moment like it was yesterday: two practice swings with the driver, then a hard slice OB. I walked to the bench adjacent to the tenth tee and tried hard to regain my composure, but it was too much. I put my clubs in my trunk and left.

Had it not been for the tournament just around the corner I probably would’ve fought on, but that one shot just sent me over the edge. However, I have since learned my lesson and have gotten better at staying with it after a poor start.

Edited October 22, 2021 by dagolfer18

[billchao]

I think I’ve done it before, so I voted as such. There are many times on the course when I’ll say “I quit golf” or something to that effect, but I’ve played enough rounds to know that sometimes things turn around dramatically. The last time I can remember walking off a course though was after a 3 hour front nine and it had nothing to do with how I was playing.

4 hours ago, boogielicious said:

I was playing with @billchao in Maine a few years back and my left leg stopped working due to a meniscus injury. I was wear a brace at the time too. We still finished though.

I remember that. It was the first time we met in person. I’ll still tell people that it only took watching me play 12 holes to leave you battered and broken.

[cdb]

 I never have walked off the course because of playing poorly, but I'm sure people I have played wish I had.😄

 

A few weeks ago I was paired up with a threesome. All younger than me, good gear, polite, friendly etc. Three of us tee off, my drive was just off the fairway left, the other 2 guys just off the fairway right. Last guy tees off, tops it off the tee. Tees up another ball, goes short left. We all go down the hill to our balls, but guy #4 can't find his. He drives his cart back up the hill, I assumed to tee off again. But no, he quit after the first tee, drove back to the clubhouse. His friends tell me he does this often and is kinda "weird."

[WillieT]

8 hours ago, ChetlovesMer said:

We all spent the final 5 holes discussing whether it was better to just "walk off" the course when you don't feel you are playing well. Or to stick it out and try to recover. What do you all think?

Good question - I answered that the only time I've left early was when life came pressing in and I needed to be somewhere else.   I have had a good number of rounds where I would have been better served to maybe quit, but I also had inside me that maybe/just maybe there is a good shot/hole just ahead.  Today, one of the course employees was playing with my son and I.  He will admit he struggles, but has the wisdom to know that in his struggles he learns.  Too often I believe we quit too soon rather than stick it out and see that next shot go in.  

[iacas]

I walked off once, in a tournament. I felt I was being a bother to my fellow competitors.

I will not do that again.

I will walk off a casual round if I'm playing badly, though that hasn't happened in a decade… I have left the course mid-round if play gets bogged down too much. Often I make the turn in 90 minutes, and see three groups on the 10th hole, and just go home.

[caniac6]

I've done it, and wished I hadn't. I'm a pretty good player, but not good enough to get really pissed. 

[The Flush]

I have never walked off, but I have quit keeping score or playing by the rules (mulligans, etc). Such as my last round I played.

[phillyk]

I walked off once when I was younger. Playing with my dad at our typical track. I was in the trees punching out and my iron snapped over a branch. I had already been playing badly and this tipped me over the edge. I walked back in. It felt horrible and I apologized to my dad after. Should never have left.

It really shouldn’t be that important. I make my living from the game, but I can’t let myself get that upset on the course. I’ve definitely been in a lot more control of my emotions recently. 

[bkuehn1952]

If I stop a round, it is typically for more than one reason..  For example, a couple years ago I was playing as a solo and nothing was going right.  In addition, what appeared to be a fairly open course that day was actually filled with people playing even worse than I. The pace of play was pathetic.  I bounced around a bit and then took off when I was near the clubhouse.  I won't quit a round if I am playing with other people unless I have a physical issue.