Is golfing more enjoyable when you're a high handicapper?

[wannabe]

I absolutely love playing golf. I have so much fun on the course. Even my bad shots are fun. And I totally suck at this game.

So here's the question. As my handicap eventually improves, will my enjoyment of the game stay the same, get better, or get worse? What have you found?

I ask this because it seems like often I'm having more fun out there than the other guys I play with who are typically better players than me.

Or maybe I'm just better at having fun in general than these dudes.

[FFemt5287]

Even though I only have played under a dozen rounds of golf, I find myself getting harder on myself every time i botch a shot I know I should've hit well and have hit well in the past and at the range. I play for one good shot/hole per round to keep my clubs off of ebay.

[Leftygolfer]

no.

The better you get the more fun it is. As long as you keep a good attiude. I am more addicted than ever, been playing for 8 years, couldn't break 100.

The only thing that isn't as much fun is when you are playing really bad. But you have to be able to enjoy the bad round too.

[kris]

I'm glad you have fun out there. If you're like me and you get better, you'll get angry at yourself occasionally because you know you could have done better. I do this often but it doesn't mean that I still don't have fun on the course. I love being out on the course playing golf despite what random people may think if they see me get mad after a certain shot. they may see this and think I'm a nut who can't play golf, when in reality it's just part of the ebb and flow of a round. in the end, I still love being out there and I don't think that will change for me personally no matter what my handicap is.

[sp33d]

I think it depends on your goals, I pretty hard on my self. But I strive to be the best that I possibly can. I enjoy the game so much, but I also play alot and practice a lot. If I shoot a 45 on 9 holes I feel like I never want to play again. But I shoot in the 30's and I'm happy but its still not good enough. I shot a 38 on Monday, which was botched by horrible greens not being taken care of, it should have been lower.

I dont think I enjoy the game any less than I did when I was a 20-30 handicap years ago, I probably enjoy it more. When I hit GIR now its whoopy doo, years ago I would be very happy. If I dont drop the ball 5' from the hole I'm not impressed with my self. So I guess the answer would yes and no.

[GaijinGolfer]

IMO, as long as you stay realistic about your abilities, golf is just as fun now matter how good (or bad) you are at this game.
Most people run into trouble with being frustrated with golf when they have a little success and then they expect to make birdie or par all the time and they become obsessed with constantly shooting lower and lower scores.
If you go into it expecting to become the next Tiger Woods, you likely arent going to have fun. If you just go out and have fun on the course knocking some golfballs around and dont let it get to you when things dont go perfectly and dont expect to become great at this game overnight, you will have fun.

[sooperstring]

I think it's important to distinguish between two kinds of "fun."

The type that you're talking about is go out with your friends, mess around, don't take it seriously fun. This is the type of fun you have access to regardless of if you're good or bad.

The other type would be more aptly called "satisfaction" - as you get better (and I am by no means a scratch golfer), what you can get out of the game is not the goofing-off, have a 6er while you play fun, but more the type of enjoyment you might get out of fixing a car or other skill-based pursuits.

The problem comes when you can't do the first, I think - the guys who ONLY want to get better, and can't kick back with their friends and just let it go. Those are the guys who eventually want to quit and forget that sometimes, it's fun to see if you can hit crazy shots, even knowing you might (*gasp*) get a double bogey.

[iacas]

No.

And to expound on that, well, the guy above me already did. So, ditto.

[Zeph]

Definately not. The better I get, the more I enjoy a round of golf.

[psuh]

From the words of Charles Barkley, "if I wasn't rich and good looking, I would kill myself" HAHA. It comes to a certain extent, when you have been golfing as much as your friends, but somehow your friends are 10 strokes better, it kind of pisses you off. I enjoy the game regardless, but I'm so competitive that I want to get better and better.

[pittpanther]

So here's the question. As my handicap eventually improves, will my enjoyment of the game stay the same, get better, or get worse? What have you found?

What have I found?

- I have found that if you play with 3 guys that are seriously better than you, and you have any bit of pride, you will eventually become embarrassed when you play with them. Especially if you are trying to improve. It's no fun when the three of them tee off 250 yards, and then you duff yours to the ladies tee. - I have found that those three guys will eventually stop asking you to play with them, and will find another "fourth". It's no fun for them to be on the green in 2 or 3, while it takes you 5 or 6. - I have found that as a high-handicapper, you can only play SO badly. Whereas as you improve, your expectations also improve. So your worst rounds FEEL much worse as your HC improves. In other words if your average is 120, and you shoot a 130, who cares? You still suck. But if your average is 85 and you shoot a 95, you will feel terrible and every missed shot will be burned into your memory (If it wasn't for..., If only I didn't..., etc).

[Mr. M]

No, it's just less frustrating when you are a high handicapper, like pittpanther was saying.

[Kcas77]

Golf is definatley more enjoyable when you play with people who are better than you but are able to still compete with them.

[Doctorfro]

I've played some recent rounds with my son and we've been playing behind some groups of really bad golfers and he says to me, "If I were that bad I would not be out here playing. As a matter of fact I would quit." In a way I have to agree. Playing like that cannot be fun.

[imtomtomim]

I demand a lot from my game. I go into each shot expecting an outcome and yeah, it stirs me up pretty good when I don't follow through, especially when it's way off. BUT, even if it's shot after shot of duffs, I'll try to forget it before I swing again. That way, if a good one actually comes out on that horrible day, I feel great!

A bad day of golf is better than a good day at work eh?

[Taylor Shrake]

Unless I'm practicing for an upcoming tournament, game, whatever. Or playing a competitive round with some buddies, I don't even keep score. Its a sport and you should be having fun more than anything after all.

[Fourputt]

I absolutely love playing golf. I have so much fun on the course. Even my bad shots are fun. And I totally suck at this game.

It's entirely up to you. I almost always have fun when I play. Granted that it's harder to find the pleasure when my overall game just isn't working for a round, but I don't revile myself for the occasional bad shot. Some people take it too seriously, some don't take it seriously enough. You need to strike a balance that works for you.

For what it's worth. I can tell you that I have more fun as an 11 handicap than I did as an 18. The game is just more pleasurable if you know most of the time that your swing is going to give you a reasonable result. Not perfect, but reasonable.

[ks8829]

Can you image how much Tiger enjoys golf.

1) When you practice and see the results in your score
2) Hitting a solid irons approach that you convert into a birdie
3) make a difficult downhill breaker to tie your friend under pressure

Golf is enjoyable at every level but when you hit the solid shot or putt there is no better feeling.