Taking a break from golf to "reset your mind"?

[PingGKEN]

Simply put, I'm not having fun anymore. Playing OR practicing! I used to have tons of fun when I first started 5 years ago. I developed some wacky homegrown swing that worked for me and kept me in the low 90s. That was acceptable and fun for me.

Then, one day, I decided I would try to get better. (Big mistake?) Started taking lessons, reading tons of articles, watching instructional videos, researching different methods, etc etc. Turns out, I got WORSE! This summer was an absolute complete wash. I invested so much time and money last year into "getting better" that I felt if I did not see results on the course, that everything I worked on would have been a waste. Hundreds of dollars of lessons, range balls, etc. It has gotten to the point where I don't play because of the fear that I would further confirm that all my efforts are indeed a waste. Go ahead, laugh, I know that is probably the stupidest thing ever written here, but its true.

I've got so much useless info in my head I just want to flush it all out and go back to having fun with a semi-crappy swing. Is that possible? If I just try to forget about golf all this fall/winter and maybe pick it up next spring?

[alf174]

Sounds like it was about unfulfilled expectations, I can empathize with you on that. Take a break, remember why you originally chose to take up golf (fun), and know that improvements can take time (if they take at all). That's what keeps me in it.

[Kieran123]

Simply put, I'm not having fun anymore. Playing OR practicing! I used to have tons of fun when I first started 5 years ago. I developed some wacky homegrown swing that worked for me and kept me in the low 90s. That was acceptable and fun for me.

You think you're gonna get better by not playing?

If I was you, I would practice my ass off all winter. Go back to fundamentals. It will give you a fresh start come Spring.... I couldn't imagine quitting the game because I wasn't making progress....that should push you to actually GET better, not give up. Golf takes time, the more you put in, the more you get out. i understand it may not be fun, but it will be fun if you put some hard work in, then come Spring really see some progress.

[delav]

There was another thread recently that was pretty similar.

Perhaps this advice may miss the mark, but I'll chime in anyways. When I was a freshman in high school I had been playing for 5-6 years, and finally to the point where I had a repeatable (but bad) swing and a decent knowledge of the game. Like many, I'd read articles, take infrequent lessons, and beat range balls rather pointlessly with little improvement. After 5 years I was still struggling to keep the ball in play and break 100. It was absolutely frustrating.

Wanting to help me improve, my dad and I went to Mesa, AZ for a 5-day John Jacobs golf school. It was a great experience. The 5-day course included several daily range and lecture sessions, short game practice, and on-course playing lessons, with ample time to play for fun in the evenings. I remember working via video and teaching tool with the instructors; the day after day instruction really helped to build in new fundamentals. The program helped me develop an in-to-out swing and a solid release at the age of 14, and it never really left my game. Not only that, it was one of my more memorable trips with my dad too.

I'm 26 now and although my understanding of the game and my golf swing are vastly improved, I do think the school may have been the turning point in my game. The concentrated methods and continuity of instruction at a multi-day golf school is very different than the piecemeal methods that many golfers choose to learn proper mechanics.

Here is a link to the John Jacobs schools. I am hoping their instruction is still considered relevant and valuable:
http://www.jacobsgolf.com/index.php

[newtogolf]

Maybe you need to go back in time to when the reason you played was to have fun, enjoy a day on the course and wern't so obsessed with improving your handicap. Don't discount the impact your mental state can have on your swing. I just started reading "Fearless Golf: Conquering the Mental Game" by Dr. Valiante. In it he goes on to explain how our mental state can cause us and pros to release hormones which cause muscle tightness and can play havoc with our swing mechanics.

I could be completely wrong in your case, but you might want to grab a few non-competitve friends and go out and play a round for fun where you don't sweat all the technical stuff, and see how it goes. Maybe you'll find your swing and love for golf again.

[Chief Broom]

I couldn't imagine quitting the game because I wasn't making progress....that should push you to actually GET better, not give up.

Not necessarily. If the information you're getting to make you better is bad your game will worsen. There really isn't much more frustrating than putting in the time and money on your golf game only to see it devolve to the point of where you can't even break a 100 anymore. To be honest I have a hard time understanding what people who can't break 100 see in this game. There is nothing worse than playing with someone who you have to help look for their ball after every shot. Actually the one thing that is probably worse than playing with that guy is being that guy.

To the OP I'd suggest you abandon everything you've been taught and just go back to playing your own game. Try to recapture what you had and then take your time and find a good instructor to help you with your game. Talk to all the good golfers you know and get some recommendations from them for good instructors and then go and talk to the instructors prior to paying them anything. See who impresses you the most and put them on the spot regarding their ability to help you improve. Right now the economics of golf are in your favor. Instructors are looking for students and you can use that to your advantage (also an instructor who is busy may be so because he or she is good). Good luck and while it might be hard to believe right now you can get better and play golf at a level that will allow you to enjoy the game.

[qtong]

Well I think the key is to find an instructor that fits you. I have gone a few before I found the one I stuck with. I think a week break should be more than enough, I feel like quitting after every time I go out and shooting 89+ and swear I'll sell ever pos golf club I own but next thing you know, I'm on the range the next day practicing. One thing that keeps me going is finding one thing that good about my game, like yesterday, everything was terrible but my wedge game was immaculate. But most importantly find an instructor that fits you. That's the most important part.

[zeg]

Taking breaks from any activity is crucial to mastering it. Like you've found, you'll reach a point where you feel like you're in a rut and it's more frustrating than anything. Continuing to force yourself to do it, in my experience, won't get you out of the rut. Take a vacation, don't think about it for a while, then come back. You're not going to forget what you learned, but you will forget what it was that was keeping it from being fun. You may be a bit rusty when you first get back, but after a short time you'll be back where you were, and in my experience (not with golf, but with a number of other skill-based activities), you'll pretty quickly find yourself better than when you left off.

[TN94z]

I actually took about a 5-6 month break recently. My breaks are mainly just go out and play once or twice a month just messing around and keeping a little muscle memory. Basically last year I focused on lessons, range time, and playing to get ready for tournaments. I kind of got burnt out and took a little break. My game didn't suffer as bad as I thought it would.

Anyway, one thing you have to realize is that if you have ingrained some bad habits (homemade swing) then once you start taking lessons and have to start doing things differently, you probably WILL play worse. I made my way to a 3-4 handicap on my own and then hit a plateau. My goal was to get to scratch and I realized that I needed help to get over my plateau. I started taking lessons and my handicap has gone up to a 6.3 now. I am not frustrated though because I expected this to happen. Golf is not a game you can master over night.

My advice is this: If you decide you want to take lessons and get better fundamentally, then you should expect to get worse before you get better. If you decide to just go out and play for fun and don't really care if you get better, then just go play. Don't think about swinging this way or that. Just hit the ball, and have fun.

[Varsity_Golf]

I did this inadvertently by getting sick recently, and have had a long layoff (for me) of 13 days. MY varsity season starts tomorrow, so hopefully some time off will let me play well. I had been struggling a bit, shooting around 45-46, when I should be 41-43. We'll see!

Varsity

[The Flush]

Quit keeping score for a while and just play.

[Space Cowboy]

I think your thinking about it too much. I've golfed for 15 years and never broken 90. About 2 years ago I decided to put alot more effort into getting better, but I realize that I'll never be one of those twice a week plus range time golfers so I'm only going to get so good. Golf and practice as much as you want the results are what they are. You could sit and do nothing instead!

[TN94z]

but I realize that I'll never be one of those twice a week plus range time golfers so I'm only going to get so good.

I very rarely go to the range. I think practice and range time (while very good) can be over rated...that's just my opinion though.

[jamo]

Taking a break from the game is like dehydration. Just like how if you feel thirsty you're already dehydrated if you feel worn out from golf you are overdue for a break. Do not force yourself to play when you aren't having fun, and just take some time off. The best part is that after a little while you'll get that itch, and the game will be even more enjoyable.

[Ben]

Sounds like it was about unfulfilled expectations, I can empathize with you on that. Take a break, remember why you originally chose to take up golf (fun), and know that improvements can take time (if they take at all). That's what keeps me in it.

Yeap.

I took a break from the game last month. Not for the whole month mind you, but a break non-the less, 10 days. I didn't hit the range, nor the practice green, and played 9 holes maybe three times. The day I returned to the game was a tournament. I shot 3-under 69 and tied for first. So yes, give you mind and spirit a rest.

[MJP]

Great point Ben.

From an improvement to your swing stand point, as long as you are practicing the correct things you can't really practice or play TOO much. Practicing also includes rehearsing and studying swing mechanics. It will just ingrain in your muscle memory that much more. Unless you physically need a break because you can't swing the club without tightness or pain, you probably aren't playing too much.

I practice slow motion take aways, p1 to p2, p1 to p3, p1 to p4 in front of the mirror probably as much as I actually go the to the golf course at all. I can't help it, I need to pick up a club almost everyday and try to ingrain improvements to my swing that don't feel natural.

However, the mental side is completely different. You may be expecting the results to come far too quickly due to the amount of time you spend at the course. This is likely causing you to forget about how fun the game is and is also draining on your confidence. You need confidence to play the game well.

I just got back from a 12 day "break" where I only hit the range and practice facility twice. I just didn't have the desire to go out and keep grinding away at improvement due to expecting too much out of my game and getting down on myself for seeing any regression.

What I realized after taking a break is, everyone has to deal with regression in the short term. As long as the long term trend is improvement nothing else matters.

I'm hitting all my clubs 20 yards farther now. PW went from 120 to 140 and 8i from 140 to 160. I even hit a few that reached 170 today. No wind, range balls. Deep hands, steady base, holding my wristcock as long as possible, and really de lofting the club. Also moved the grip a little higher up in the fingers. I know there's a lot I'm missing but those are what I really focused on. Plus today I was thinking about hitting down on the FRONT of the ball and the ball was LAUNCHING off the face with much longer divots. Obviously my low point of the swing was much more in front of the ball. I sure hope this keeps up because what I feel my game has been lacking is distance.

In that 2 week lay off I still probably made at least 500 practice swings in front of the mirror and rehearsed swing mechanics. See the club laying around the house and go spend 10 minutes in front of the mirror every now and then.

The break has certainly seemed to be nothing but a positive to my mental and physical game.

edit: I always feel the need to give as much information as possible for some reason that escapes me, so i'm sorry if this post was too long haha

[PingGKEN]

Thanks for all of the replies, guys. It really helps. I think I am going to break for a while. If (when) I get the itch again, I am going to remind myself why I got into this game in the first place. I just got so caught up in mechanics and positions that I lost all feel for my own swing.