I think I need to take a break from golf.

[Sherlockian]

After months of working hard on my swing, putting, course management and fitness; I have reached a plateau. I think I need to take a little break from the game. I had gotten my index down to 11.2 and broke 80(short course) a couple of times. Now I am starting to shoot in the upper 80s and around 90 again. Due to work(working on a promotion) and my kids activities, I am only getting to the course once every couple of weeks and my range time is even less. I had to take my beloved Titleist 990s out of the bag and put the Dunlops back in. Has anyone else ever experienced this? I know in other sports, the season ends and you take a break. Maybe a break will give me some relax-time and I can refocus when Spring rolls around.

[MiniMoe]

sometimes a break is all you need.

[kennay92]

  MiniMoe said:

sometimes a break is all you need.

or it will make you worse... like i just got off a sickness of 7 days today and went to the range most of my irons were good, but good lord i came out slicing up anything with my driver...i got to be a butcher for day....i hated it.

[ks8829]

You don't have to play a round of golf but stay sharp by putting and chipping when you have an hour before or after an appointment, keep a couple of wedges, putter and a shag bag in your trunk.

[ddalet]

  MiniMoe said:

sometimes a break is all you need.

A break from ballstriking, yes.

A break from putting and chipping has never helped me however.

[Sherlockian]

I think the biggest problem is that the "fun/enjoyment factor" is gone. It is more like work. Yesterday, I shot a 45 on the front and I was so frustrated that I put my clubs in the car and didn't play the back. I remember not too long ago shooting a hi 80, had "fun", and couldn't wait to get back. Now I kind of dread going back to the course. I think my small amount of free time this fall and winter is going to be spent on the trout streams of East Tennessee(I have a nice little St. Croix 3wt rod that hasn't seen any action yet).

[jmoc]

When it's work, and a 45 pisses you off, it's time for a break. My game has always looked like a graph from a lie detector test. I'll shoot 41-46-43-42-37-47. Up until 2 years ago, I carded every round, fairways hit, distance, green hit, putts, everything. Then, one day, my son said that I played "angry". The next day my wife's first question to me was what my score was, because she said "that tells me what kind of mood you will be in". The next outting, I played just to play, have fun, no scorecard with me. I'd never done that in 8 years of playing golf. Now she asks "How'd you play" because i've realized my score is not the be all end all. I love to play the game, move the ball forward, put it in the hole and move on to the next tee. I still keep my scores, but it's more about the striking of the ball than the strike of the pencil. Hope that helps, good luck to you... jmoc

[NormH3]

Maybe a little change to mix it up. Play an easier course using only a handful of clubs. Don't worry about score so much, but just try to hit a target each time you hit the ball.
If there is a pitch and putt close buy...might be another way to go.

Next time you shoot a 45..I'll take it.

[GaijinGolfer]

If your schedule is crazy right now and you dont have time to devote to practice, you arent going to improve.
If shooting lower scores all the time is your idea of fun in golf, I could see why the fun is gone for you.
Perhaps you do need to take a break but then again perhaps you just need to rethink what "fun" golf is. Perhaps instead of thinking about score and handicap you need to just go out, have fun, think of one shot at a time and not worry about how well you are playing.