Why You Quit Playing Golf (2022)

[Opoponax]

I quit for somewhere between 15-20 years. 

I was a terrible player (still am), but loved playing. I worked so hard at the game, but never seemed to get that much better at it. I took lessons, did my best to practice those things, but ended going from one instructor to another. Each seemed to tell me something different and it all just became a confused mess.

One day I woke up, didn't feel like going to the range, and that was it. I didn't touch another club and had zero desire to play golf. I don't even know what happened to my old set of clubs. 

Then about 5 months ago I got back into it and I'm really glad I did. It's been good for my mental and emotional health--it's such a great distraction from the type of work I do. When I'm at the range or on the course, there's what seems like an almost physical barrier that keeps my concerns away. 

What's also helpful are all the quality instructional videos available nowadays that simply didn't exist back then.  Because of that, I'm usually (but not always) able to self-diagnose and therefore have a well defined purpose when I'm at the range, which keeps things interesting. My first game back I must have shot a 140, but now I'm down to around 100 each game with a couple disastrous holes per round preventing me from consistent mid 90s. 

I think when I quit I was just burnt out on playing often, but not making any progress. So I'm mindful to not overdo it. 

[Nave]

3 hours ago, billchao said:

I’ve also discovered that I like golf course architecture and learning design aspects.

That is interesting. Do you think that this helped your game in any way? I’d imagine that having a better understanding of a course/hole layout helps to plan shots better.

[billchao]

7 hours ago, Nave said:

That is interesting. Do you think that this helped your game in any way? I’d imagine that having a better understanding of a course/hole layout helps to plan shots better.

A bit, maybe, but you still have to execute the shot.

At the very least it's more rewarding to identify a contour and then use it successfully to your advantage.

[David L Yskes]

I first got the golfing bug, in 1995, my boss at the time was a golfer, and had a friend who owned a Golfing Equipment store, way before all of the PGA Superstores / Golf Galaxies and such became the norm..   Well i told my boss that i had always wanted to play golf, but didn't know anything about clubs and stuff...   So my boss is like yea just go in, tell him you work for me and he will hook you up..    Well i stop in one day and 400$ later i have a set of clubs and a bag and i am off to the golf course lol...    well a couple months later, i was in the Marines..  didn't golf again till maybe 99, 

But then in the spring of 2000 a bunch of the guys i was working with at the time wanted to start golfing, so they all went out and bought golf clubs and we started golfing once a week at different courses..   well that lasted for about 2 years..   but after that i'd maybe golf once or twice a year..    

in 2008 i got back into golfing because my brother and dad was golfing at the time, but even then i was only golfing sporadically..

in 2013 i really got back into golfing because i stopped playing softball, and was able to go out golfing whenever i wanted too, snagged a nice set of irons off ebay, and was spending a bunch of time on the range and at the golf course..  but that all stopped the following year when i moved.. but i was still golfing when i could on a day off..   

moved again in 2015, and in the summer of 2016, i started golfing once a week with my dad,  didnt golf in 2017 because my dad was building his man cave ( literally ) but in 2018 we golfed once a week during the summer time.. 

then stopped golfing after 2018, and picked it back up again this year...    

So usually my reasons for not golfing are life, or the people i am golfing with stop golfing  

[CarlSpackler]

For me it’s

• Injury - I’m likely having knee surgery this winter. It was supposed to happen last winter, but life happens. 
• Courses near me closed and others going to 💩 

[Nave]

16 hours ago, CarlSpackler said:

Injury - I’m likely having knee surgery this winter

Sorry to hear that. Wishing you a full recovery soon.

[roejye]

I quit because I have to. It's kind of difficult to golf through 3 feet of snow. Right now my issue is a lot of family demands and very little light. Also I often have issues with heightened expectations when I haven't been playing great as of late. 

Since becoming an avid golfer, I haven't really quit golf, I've just put it on pause.

Edited October 3, 2022 by roejye

[NM Golf]

Quitting golf!? Surely you jest. I certainly don't see that ever happening to me. I get depressed when I have to take a week off. Perhaps I am a golf fanatic, but I can't imagine my life without golf. Heck I took my clubs and played golf twice on my Honeymoon...without my wife!

Reasons why I play and would never want to quit:

• All my friends I met at the golf course
• As a lifelong athlete, I like the competition
• I am good at it
• Exercise- I walk every round
• It's a lifetime activity. There are several guys in their 90's that play regularly at my course.
• It's my job. I have worked at a golf course for 20 years as a second job. When I retire from my main job here in a few years, the golf course will be my main job.

It's my only hobby. In order to play as often as I do, it's all I do. I don't play fantasy football, I don't go to the pub with the boys, I don't even hunt anymore. I work, play golf, and have family time. 

[Nave]

47 minutes ago, NM Golf said:

It's my only hobby. In order to play as often as I do, it's all I do.

Solid statement there. I actually like that. For too long I’ve had too many hobbies (mentoring, other sports, video games, …) Although those experiences are valuable, I think that going forward I’d prefer to focus on one hobby and do that well.

Edited October 3, 2022 by Nave

[Double Mocha Man]

1 hour ago, NM Golf said:

I don't go to the pub with the boys...

Ya gotta figure out a way to work that in, with your golf buddies.  😀

[rod7515]

Great thread here. The subject of quitting hits close to home for me. I’m 63 and my game has been up and down over the last 10 years. I have played most of my golf over the last 10 years at the beach (Md) where I had to meet people to play. I was lucky and found a group that needed a 4th person. As the years went on they added a 2nd 4 some and we swapped who we played with. Then a 3rd 4some and now we had many different personalities and talent levels. One of the newer guys was a 1 hdcp from the blues while everyone else was 8-14 from whites. 
This changed our group and playing wasn’t as much fun for many of the group including myself.

I retired this year and joined a club here in my home state (Pa). The differences from the flat courses at beach to the hills and uneven ground here in Pa was a game changer. My hdcp fell almost 4 strokes from where it was. Depressing. I tried everything from clubs, lessons and practice. At my age it’s very difficult to make change. I’m struggling to break 90. My swing seems to change halfway thru every round. There’s no consistency at all. Makes me want to quit so often. 
Why don’t I? Because I know I’m better then I play. I enjoy just seeing the green grass at the course. I love the challenge. The guys I join up with are super nice people. The exercise from walking is good for me. 
 

Again, great topic. Stick with it. This game is frustrating but good for you 

Rod

[colin007]

Golf is like sex, even when it's bad it's still pretty good.

[Bucki1968]

Not sure if this applies to the topic but I spent about 10 years in the golf business as assistant professional. I have always loved the sport. But after about 8-9 years I realized that I was not really playing that much golf (maybe once every couple weeks).  When I was done working, I didn't want to be at the golf course. What added to this new development was the fact that my girlfriend/wife was also a golfer and likes to play so she would always want to go out to the course and play when I was off (and I just didn't want to). So I figured I would find something else to do that paid very little and have more time off so maybe I would start "wanting" to play again. So, that's what I did. It's worked out great. Golf is now really my only hobby also (as stated above) so I enjoy it much more when I get to do it. I never really "quit" but I certainly didn't have the desire to play. Too much of a good thing? 

 

I should add this in.  When I was working in the business, I only had one day off a week. And when I did work, it was never an 8 hour day (usually 10-12 most of the time).  Plus I worked almost all the major and minor holidays. That may have also had something to do with "golf burnout".

Edited October 4, 2022 by Bucki1968
Disclaimer

[Elmer]

2 hours ago, colin007 said:

Golf is like sex, even when it's bad it's still pretty good.

And yet no matter how much I practice my putter still cant find the hole!

 

[NM Golf]

17 hours ago, Nave said:

Solid statement there. I actually like that. For too long I’ve had too many hobbies (mentoring, other sports, video games, …) Although those experiences are valuable, I think that going forward I’d prefer to focus on one hobby and do that well.

Golf is all I really like to do. I used to hunt, and I enjoyed it, but all my hunting buddies either moved or died.  Played senior league baseball for a while, but I kept skipping games to play golf. 😝 

16 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

Ya gotta figure out a way to work that in, with your golf buddies.  😀

I got into a little trouble with that, I have a tendency to over indulge. It's best for everyone if I steer clear of the 19th hole. 😉

[mcanadiens]

2 hours ago, Bucki1968 said:

I should add this in.  When I was working in the business, I only had one day off a week. And when I did work, it was never an 8 hour day (usually 10-12 most of the time).  Plus I worked almost all the major and minor holidays. That may have also had something to do with "golf burnout".

I see the time my guys put in at the home course and am sort of surprised they have any energy left to sneak time in on the range or actually play a round. 

Glad you are happy with your change.

[Nave]

I just realized that I have actually quit playing golf in the past. Used to work in Seoul - Korea for a few years and the green fees were ridiculously expensive. A round on a mediocre course would cost at least $250. Additionally, the courses are usually about one hour outside of town because there is limited space in the city. Most of the time the folks I’d play with would want to go for Korean BBQ after the game. Fuel, food, and caddy tips included you can easily end up paying $400. Nine out of ten times, the courses were fully booked and the t-times tightly managed (caddy) with the next group breathing down your neck. So, no thanks!

$250 Clarification: Most courses required you to hire a caddy and pay for the cart.

Back then I was new to the game of golf, scoring in the 90s and 100s and having to pay $300-400 for it made no sense. Furthermore, the caddies really did not like beginners and they were vocal about it, unless you tipped them extra. Consequently, I did not play in the last few years of my stay in Korea.

[CarlSpackler]

22 hours ago, NM Golf said:

Quitting golf!? Surely you jest. I certainly don't see that ever happening to me. I get depressed when I have to take a week off.

That was me not too many years ago.