How many times a week do you get to play golf?

[geno929]

We have been so lucky here in the midwest this fall. It was 60 degrees yesterday and will be in the mid 60's today. Woo Hoo. So, I have been getting out twice or maybe three times a week. Playing today at 10:30 with my buddy Billy. Wish us luck!

[BuckeyeNut]

Quote:

Originally Posted

2012 looks more dismal in terms of golf since we're expecting another baby in March. Can't wait till this phase passes.

This does not compute to me.  What does having a child have to do with playing golf?  I see the above comment all the time and it's lame. Do you expect to stay home 24/7 because you have kids?   Does your wife not let you leave the house???

I've been married 20yrs.... I don't buy it..

[RPMPIRE]

Finances is a big reason why with baby supplies, daycare, and also purchasing a house and a car in the same year. Also, taking care of a baby is tiring especially when your wife is 7 months pregnant with our second child so I would have to take care of a few more things compared to her. Right now, I'm putting my family in front of golf, as it should be, but that doesn't mean I'm going to drop it entirely. I still get to work on my golf game at home through some means. I just won't be able to get out onto the course as much but I'll still make the occassional trip to the range.

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNut

This does not compute to me.  What does having a child have to do with playing golf?  I see the above comment all the time and it's lame. Do you expect to stay home 24/7 because you have kids?   Does your wife not let you leave the house???

I've been married 20yrs.... I don't buy it..

[Roblar]

Quote:

I'm on this kind of old and I'm lucky if I get to even play once a month. 2012 looks more dismal in terms of golf since we're expecting another baby in March. Can't wait till this phase passes.

Quote:

This does not compute to me.  What does having a child have to do with playing golf?  I see the above comment all the time and it's lame. Do you expect to stay home 24/7 because you have kids?   Does your wife not let you leave the house???

I've been married 20yrs.... I don't buy it..

It computes to me -- and I don't get how anyone wouldn't get it.  If you add a second little one, you'll spend more time with the family and that leaves less time for golf.

My 'sitch':

-Kid #2 is due at the end of July.

-Kid #1 is walking and and needs pretty constant looking after.

-The wife is suffering from pretty miserable morning sickness.

-That leaves dear-ole-dad to look after Kid #1 a bit more than in the past.

-More time with Kid #1 means less time doing what I used to --- including golf.  And I still have to work, so...

-After Kid #2 is born, the wife will be extra busy leaving me to look after kid #1 more than I used to.  Again, more time with Kid #1 means less time doing what I used to --- including golf.

I used to play a bit more than once per week.  Now I play just a bit less than once per week.  After Kid #2, I'm guessing it will be closer to three times a month.

I don't know. Maybe if you pay someone else to look after your kid(s) most of the time, or if your wife does all (almost all) the child-rearing you wouldn't notice much difference.  But the dad is expected to carry quite a bit of the child-raising load these days --- at least, in a progressive household anyway.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Roblar

Quote:

Originally Posted by RPMPIRE

I'm on this kind of old and I'm lucky if I get to even play once a month. 2012 looks more dismal in terms of golf since we're expecting another baby in March. Can't wait till this phase passes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNut

This does not compute to me.  What does having a child have to do with playing golf?  I see the above comment all the time and it's lame. Do you expect to stay home 24/7 because you have kids?   Does your wife not let you leave the house???

I've been married 20yrs.... I don't buy it..

It computes to me -- and I don't get how anyone wouldn't get it.  If you add a second little one, you'll spend more time with the family and that leaves less time for golf.

My 'sitch':

-Kid #2 is due at the end of July.

-Kid #1 is walking and and needs pretty constant looking after.

-The wife is suffering from pretty miserable morning sickness.

-That leaves dear-ole-dad to look after Kid #1 a bit more than in the past.

-More time with Kid #1 means less time doing what I used to --- including golf.  And I still have to work, so...

-After Kid #2 is born, the wife will be extra busy leaving me to look after kid #1 more than I used to.  Again, more time with Kid #1 means less time doing what I used to --- including golf.

I used to play a bit more than once per week.  Now I play just a bit less than once per week.  After Kid #2, I'm guessing it will be closer to three times a month.

I don't know. Maybe if you pay someone else to look after your kid(s) most of the time, or if your wife does all (almost all) the child-rearing you wouldn't notice much difference.  But the dad is expected to carry quite a bit of the child-raising load these days --- at least, in a progressive household anyway.

Nobody says your current routine will be unchanged. Some guys laid down their sticks for the better part of a decade and say that's just the way it goes. No it isn't necessarily the way it goes. If you want to do other stuff, go for it.  I mean, who wouldn't prefer coaching their daughter in T-ball to playing a Sunday round on an overpacked muni with 3 cussing hackers? I do. But that doesn't mean a person never gets to play golf. When my wife was extremely pregnant I took her and my daughter for lunch and dinner a few times at the course (nicest patio in town tbh) and those brownie points made up for playing Wednesday golf league and stopping for a few twilight 9s (we get daylight past 10PM in the summer). Twilight rounds are also faster and cheaper. You gotta pick your spots.

[TourSpoon]

I average once a week, with one or two days practicing. I too took ten years off from any real golf because of family. I could have done the once a month thing, but I didn't want to play unless I could play consistently. Now that my kids are in high school I have more time to play closer to the way I want to play.  I don't regret not playing for the reasons others have given, because those were important years.

[JerseyThursday]

Originally Posted by TourSpoon

I average once a week, with one or two days practicing. I too took ten years off from any real golf because of family. I could have done the once a month thing, but I didn't want to play unless I could play consistently. Now that my kids are in high school I have more time to play closer to the way I want to play.  I don't regret not playing for the reasons others have given, because those were important years.

My sentiments exactly (including the part about the time off during the kids’ younger years).
Golf is more fun the better you play. The more you play the better you get, on and on.
Thus when I scaled way-way back when my kids were young I didn’t miss golf as much as I thought I would, because I knew I would be inconstant from lack of regular play.
There are only so many hours in a day and family came first...

[BuckeyeNut]

....married 20yrs and easily average 100+ rounds/yr...I play early on the weekends and often complete 27 holes before noon.  I also play 18 twice weekday evenings during daylight savings time......I still partake in kid activities, sports, etc, etc......

when I read a post about "I can't play golf anymore". ...I'm having a baby....it makes me cringe....I've been there done that.....that's BS.............If it's an affordability thing, I understand, but it's BS otherwise......I'm working on a 150'ish round 2011...LOL

My advice:  Play early on weekends...............and the wife will be happy to have you out of the house 2 weekday nights.

My 2 cents...LOL

.........it's just a lame excuse for not playing, IMO.  I don't mean to be harsh, but I need to call it as I see it.

PS...I played golf on the day when my first-born child was due....LOL  that was so long ago, I carried a pager!!  hahaha... We both knew it would be late......my daughter was finally born nearly a week late...

[Roblar]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNut

when I read a post about "I can't play golf anymore"....I'm having a baby....it makes me cringe....I've been there done that.....that's BS.............If it's an affordability thing, I understand, but it's BS otherwise......I'm working on a 150'ish round 2011...LOL

.........it's just a lame excuse for not playing, IMO.  I don't mean to be harsh, but I need to call it as I see it.

Call it as you like, but I completely disagree with you.  It's not a BS excuse at all - it just reflects priorities, and some people put family before golf. And $$$ and things like whether you have family or a decent support network around you obviously plays a role too.   If there is nothing more important to you than golf, it seems pretty obvious that you could play 150 rounds the year your second child is born (or whenever).

Just because you were able to play the same amount of golf when you had kids doesn't mean that someone else will --- every situation is different ($$$, support network/daycare, priorities).  So if someone says they expect to play less golf than before because they're expecting a child this year, I would think that would be easy to understand.  To say that anything other than $$$ is a BS excuse for playing less golf isn't "harsh" it's just unimaginative (at best).

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNut

I played golf on the day when my first-born child was due.

That kind of says it all doesn't it.

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Nobody says your current routine will be unchanged.

Right.  And that makes it more difficult to do the things you used to do - like golf.  If you're willing to make drastic changes, you can even play over 150 rounds a year.  More likely though, you'll play less, have to spend extra time earning 'brownie points' for the rounds you do play, and have to resort to 9-hole rounds etc. (as you point out).

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Roblar

Quote:

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Nobody says your current routine will be unchanged.

Right.  And that makes it more difficult to do the things you used to do - like golf.  If you're willing to make drastic changes, you can even play over 150 rounds a year.  More likely though, you'll play less, have to spend extra time earning 'brownie points' for the rounds you do play, and have to resort to 9-hole rounds etc. (as you point out).

I actually preferred 9-hole rounds before kids too. That's how I started playing - on 9-hole courses.

[Roblar]

Quote:

I actually preferred 9-hole rounds before kids too. That's how I started playing - on 9-hole courses.

I wish I felt that way about 9-hole rounds, but I don't.

Typically, if I have a chance to play, but not enough time for 18, I go to the range ---- which I actually enjoy quite a bit.

[BuckeyeNut]

I guess that's what separates the recreational golfer who plays 20 times a year and those who are passionate about the game.  The recreational players find reasons not to play because the game doesn't mean much to them.  With that said, there is always plenty of time for those who are passionate about the game.   Play early on SAT-SUn....be home before 11am. 1 to 2 weeknights is doable for most....... Do that and you're at 100+ EASY.

[Laws of Woo]

I regularly get one day a week in which I can golf. Every now and then I'll get 2. So unless I want to play a couple rounds in 1 day (which I do from time to time), It's just once a week. Long work hours prevent me from getting in more rounds.

[Roblar]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNut

I guess that's what separates the recreational golfer who plays 20 times a year and those who are passionate about the game.

Pretty condescending to imply that someone who only plays 20 rounds a year isn't passionate about the game. You can be passionate about more than one thing you know.  And just because golf isn't your #1 priority doesn't mean you aren't passionate about it.

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNut

The recreational players find reasons not to play because the game doesn't mean much to them.

You like to make things black and white don't you.  While there may be recreational players that don't care much about the game, there are also recreational players for whom the game means quite a lot.

Does it mean the same to them as it does to you? Doesn't seem so.  But it's not nearly so black and white as you paint it.

[BuckeyeNut]

sorry if you take offense, but there is a big difference between recreational "joe's" who play a few times a year and those passionate about the game.  It's not a knock.....it's just what separates the occasional golfer from dedicated players.(aside from handicap) There's nothing wrong with being a "JOE" ....it's not his passion.  Maybe he likes to race cars or fish on his spare time.  (nothing wrong with that)

There are players and there are those who arent.....In a Joe's mind, he can't play this summer....gettin' married next year ya'know...he'll be too busy pleasing the wife 24/7 and all..ya know!! ......no time for golf....no time to leave the house!..LOL There is no way she will allow a 630am tee time saturday morning because she may need me?....LOL

You're either a player or you aren't...... there is no shame in being the occasional golfer.  Just don't pretend to be passionate if you don't really play the game regularly. There is no shame in being a JOE.....I'm just not that guy.  Believe it or not, it's possible to be a 1HC and have a family life too.....

[dbwood]

I play twice plus getting to the range a couple of times during the mild months.  During the winter I just get out when it's tolerable.  This winter has been a welcome change from the last 2 seasons, I was out last week twice and it looks good for wed & thur this week, (my days off).  I don't hit off of mats so no practice during the winter.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by Roblar

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNut

I guess that's what separates the recreational golfer who plays 20 times a year and those who are passionate about the game.

Pretty condescending to imply that someone who only plays 20 rounds a year isn't passionate about the game. You can be passionate about more than one thing you know.  And just because golf isn't your #1 priority doesn't mean you aren't passionate about it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNut

The recreational players find reasons not to play because the game doesn't mean much to them.

You like to make things black and white don't you.  While there may be recreational players that don't care much about the game, there are also recreational players for whom the game means quite a lot.

Does it mean the same to them as it does to you? Doesn't seem so.  But it's not nearly so black and white as you paint it.

Congrats on having your priorities straight.

[R11driver]

During the season, twice a week is my goal. I'll usually play once during the week in the golf league and then once on the weekend at various courses.