Quitting golf

[$2 Nassau]

I'm not quitting!!! I figure instead of throwing a temper tantrum on the course I would be better off to do it on a message board.

And yes, I have played twice since I "quit."

Someone mentioned to me that I have a "long thumb" so I "shortened" it a bit and the results have been suprising good. Such a subtle change can make a big difference. Not sure if this is one of those band-aid fixes that will only work for me for 2 weeks. But the grip is fundamental so I figure I can't go wrong by making it better.

For anyone else interested in the "long thumb" here's a little article by Butch with a few pics to illustrate his point.

http://www.golfdigest.com/harmon/ind...tchbasics.html

[Cleveland Gunmetal]

I'm not quitting!!! I figure instead of throwing a temper tantrum on the course I would be better off to do it on a message board.

That's exactly what I thought you were doing...

[Jeepthrills]

Someone mentioned to me that I have a "long thumb" so I "shortened" it a bit and the results have been suprising good. Such a subtle change can make a big difference. Not sure if this is one of those band-aid fixes that will only work for me for 2 weeks. But the grip is fundamental so I figure I can't go wrong by making it better.

Great article. I just wish I had a club here with me so I could grip it to determine if my thumb is too long. Of course I will most likely get to the course tonight and try to figure it out on the first tee. This will likely result in brain fereeze. Oh well, it won't be the first time.

[golfgolfer]

For anyone else interested in the "long thumb" here's a little article by Butch with a few pics to illustrate his point.

Great article and it sure looks very familiar. This may just be the cure to my current problem.

Thanks... cheers

[WhiteSoxFan]

I just used a pen here at my desk. Not a true substitute for a club, but I was able to just do my "normal" left hand grip without thinking about it to see what my thumb position was like. I was good (short / neutral) btw - thanks to my buddy Ben Hogan.

[$2 Nassau]

I noticed mine was long, but not directly on top of the club, so I was about half way there. I simply "retracted" my thumb, it automatically placed the grip more in my fingers with lighter grip pressure.

While doing a Google search for "long thumb" I ran across this, apparently someone feels very passionate about the "long thumb." Enough to write a poem about it:



"It’s stretched out long and mobility is lost,
The left thumb’s wrong and lack of length’s the cost,
Down the middle of the grip - Oh! Dear me,
But a little to the right lies length and accuracy,
Don’t forget to keep it short - retracted’s the name,
The problem’s overcome to the good of your game."

[dzclarkcpa]

Have made a promise to myself. If I ever play one round where every shot I hit is bad, I promise I will never play again.

I have played 17 holes as bad as any human can, get to the green and make a 60 footer for double or hit that approach shot (the 6th shoot) so pure, I am convienced I have it all figured out.

It is nice to see though, that I am not the only head case out here!

[ckelly06]

Quitter's never prosper.

[lamebums]

I quit about once per round. But then I crank a 300 yard drive down the middle or hole a 30 footer, and I keep playing.

[WhiplashSmile]

I did in fact quit for about seven years. Only this year did I take up the game again. Well, I played in two outings for work last year and started to get the bug again. I played absolutely the worst I could imagine at the first outing. However, I drained some very nice puts. On 18 I sunk a 53' put right in the heart of the cup. I should have seen it comming.....

Yesterday was one of those days when I thought about quititng again. I hit the range (there was a 25 mph wind in my face...but that shouldn't matter right?) and hit only a handful of 'decent' shots. I just received my irons from Callaway bending them up 2* and had to try them out. The only problem is that I have played a lot with my old irons that do not fit me. I suppose it will take me a little while to stop compensating for the ill fitting irons.

Anyway, it's my opinion that golf is the most difficult game on Earth to master. I spent about 10 years shooting competition sporting clays and shooting a 110mm clay disc flying at 40mph from 45 yards is childs play compared to holding my golf game together for a single round. Hell, putting two or three holes together is a chore for me. I suppose the frustration is that when I hit a dissapointing shot I have to accept that it is all me. I can't place blame on the trapping throwing the target, my team mate for passing the ball into traffic or anything else. It all boils down to the fact that I did not achieve my goal. That's the thing that is hardest for me. However, I believe I may have found nirvana... Since I began running again I seem to be able to put things into perspective a little more. Like someone said, you just have to let it happen. Recently I've been putting with my eyes closed and not opening them until I hear the ball fall into the cup. I could not believe it the first time I sank a six footer and opened my eyes to find my ball at the bottom of the cup. However, it's one of the hardest things I've done...just trusting myself and letting it happen.

OK, I'm going to get my golf pass and find a new course to play this morning.

Cheers!