Help! I've realised golf is actually quite dull

[rap5000]

Hi I have played now three times a week for over five years I'm a member of a good club and won a couple of comps. My holiday is usually golf inspired, my clubs are good and I have all the gear I need. I fluctuate around12 handicap I'm a popular approachable committee member too. The thing is for two to three years now I have struggled with liking golf. I can't watch it on tv it's too dull, old fashioned and mainly about covering tiger or putting. As far as playing is going its too long and not exciting anymore to be fair I don't think it ever was exciting. I like holiday golf which is at odds with everyday golf. I m sure everryone goes through this but no one seems to talk about it. I would like to see an honest review on golf and find out how to get through this because if I don't fix it I'm not going to renew membership . Whats your thoughts fellow golfers?

[boogielicious]

Hi

I have played now three times a week for over five years I'm a member of a good club and won a couple of comps. My holiday is usually golf inspired, my clubs are good and I have all the gear I need. I fluctuate around12 handicap I'm a popular approachable committee member too.

The thing is for two to three years now I have struggled with liking golf. I can't watch it on tv it's too dull, old fashioned and mainly about covering tiger or putting. As far as playing is going its too long and not exciting anymore to be fair I don't think it ever was exciting.

I like holiday golf which is at odds with everyday golf.

I m sure everryone goes through this but no one seems to talk about it. I would like to see an honest review on golf and find out how to get through this because if I don't fix it I'm not going to renew membership .

Whats your thoughts fellow golfers?

TV golf can get repetitive. Even switching between European Tour and PGA may not spice it up that much. There are times when I don't watch at all.

That being said, after the nasty winter we had and the shortened season, I still find it exciting to get out and play.

Perhaps a change in venue would help you. If you played a few different courses, it may help.

[Mr. Desmond]

I use television golf to mostly sleep by. There are occasions when it's dramatic, but..

It depends upon you and how you challenge yourself, and your objectives.

I spend hours on the range to improve, and that gets old, although gaining greater consistency with a good instructor is encouraging.

Playing is fun for me. It's like a chess match if you can place the ball. I find creating shots makes the game more interesting. I choose to add versatility to my short game... practice outlandish greenside shots as a personal challenge.

And it gets me outside.

[Hatchman]

Hello. I was a member at my condo's beautiful championship bent grass course for two years but felt the need to change and went to a more difficult brumuda grass course with better practice facilities for a weekday membership. I wound up playing just to play and not for purpose so I wouldn't waste my first membership. I don't have current memberships but rotate play at courses and play league, and the fire is returning. At the first course where I live, I am playing again and the players have seen an improvement based on thier comments I think from the practice facilies I enjoy, rotational play with others, and medical treatments. When you plateau maybe a shake up is needed.

[David in FL]

Hi I have played now three times a week for over five years I'm a member of a good club and won a couple of comps. My holiday is usually golf inspired, my clubs are good and I have all the gear I need. I fluctuate around12 handicap I'm a popular approachable committee member too. The thing is for two to three years now I have struggled with liking golf. I can't watch it on tv it's too dull, old fashioned and mainly about covering tiger or putting. As far as playing is going its too long and not exciting anymore to be fair I don't think it ever was exciting. I like holiday golf which is at odds with everyday golf. I m sure everryone goes through this but no one seems to talk about it. I would like to see an honest review on golf and find out how to get through this because if I don't fix it I'm not going to renew membership . Whats your thoughts fellow golfers?

Life's too short to spend too much time doing something you're not truly passionate about. I'd honestly recommend cutting back on the everyday golf, and find some other fun activity to try. You may find a new passion, or you might reignite your love of golf.

[Patch]

Boredom can be relaxing. I golf to relax, and just to be outdoors a few hours each a week. Growing up I was pretty good at most sports, and baseball paid my way through college. Of all the sports I played, golf was by far the toughest for me to become even remotely good at. During my working career, golf was a good place to make business agreements. The game was a whole lot less stressful than a stuffy boardroom. I can still shoot baskets with youngsters, and I still  play a pretty good "old man's" slowpitch softball game. However, golf has been, and always will continue to be my favorite game. It still a  tough game to good at, and that is just fine by me. If it were easy, it would be less than boring.

I don't watch much TV golf, unless it's a highlight of the day's play, or a major. The idea of a commentator telling me what I just saw, has never really appealed to me. When I do watch a tv sporting event, I usually do so with the mute button on. In the game of golf, there is just not that much to report about. The golfer either hit's the ball well, or he/she doesn't. They either make the putt, or they don't. One golfer goes home a winner, and the rest leave as losers.  I don't really care about the pro golfer's personal life, and I think there are more than a few pro golfers on tour who are not "fan friendly". I do watch some golf events just to see the background beauty of the golf course. The Masters, and Open Championship are my most favorites. I watch some of the US-O because of it's difficulty, and the way some of the pros piss and moan about that difficulty. That 4th major I don't pay much attention to. Don't get me started on the pros wanting a 5th major.

When I need to recharge for golf, It is usually just a matter of putting the sticks away for a few days. When I get complacent, is when I know it's time to take a break from the game. Maybe a week or so at the most.

The person who coined the phrase "golf should be played, and not watched" got it right.

[newtogolf]

I'm not there yet (and doubt I ever will be) but I'd guess golf can get boring if you become content with your game and aren't striving to improve in some area or playing more challenging courses.  You may need to create some new "golf goals" and challenge yourself to improve.

[Grinde6]

I think most people give up when they aren't improving.  If you don't put in the time practicing chances are you aren't going to improve much. I usually put in about 6+ hours per week of just practice.  Going to the range after work to practice shot shaping so when I need to hit a certain shot I know I have done it before and I have more confidence to pull it off when it counts.  Spending some time chipping and putting as well since this makes up most amateurs scores.

Don't just go to the range to beat balls, go there with a purpose (when I leave the range I want to be able to hit a 15 yard cut shot consistently on demand or whatever your situation may be).

Play games when you chip and putt, try to get all the balls within 10 feet at the chipping green, and for every one that isn't you have to redo, or something like that.

Putting green if it has 9 or 18 holes, try to play a little 9 or 18 hole game going from pin to pin with varying distance putts and try to do it in 18 or under for 9 holes and 36 or under for 18...

Incorporating games into your practice makes it more fun, and also gives it some purpose...im sure you can google or look on this forum for even more little games to play when practicing to make it fun...don't give up on this game.

I know a guy that had some health issues and his handicap had gone up and he wasn't playing very well because he couldn't hit the ball like he used to be able to...that went on for 2 years and I just talked to him the other day and he had lowered his handicap 5 strokes this year...said he is having more fun than ever.

just my .02

[GolfLug]

Life's too short to spend too much time doing something you're not truly passionate about.

I'd honestly recommend cutting back on the everyday golf, and find some other fun activity to try. You may find a new passion, or you might reignite your love of golf.

Winning answer, IMO. Truly you cannot force passion. Walk away from it. Let her fly away. If she truly loves you, she will come back. Last thing you want to do cure a burnout is try to burn it longer.

My guess is in due time you will hear that song again one morning and she will be right back in your arms where she belongs.

[rkim291968]

Like you, I belong to a club, play 2 - 3 times a week, combine travel with golf, play some tournaments, and practice most of the week.   It has become a routine.  Until I find a better routine, I will probably keep at it.

But I don't like watching golf on TV.   These days, I tend to watch only the final few holes on Sunday.  If tournament is already done (someone is leading by 5 with 5 holes to go), I don't watch it at all.  It seems to cool my golf obsession a bit.

[JazzFatCat]

As far as playing is going its too long and not exciting anymore to be fair I don't think it ever was exciting.

Maybe only play 9 holes? I'm lucky that the course I usually play has 9, 13, and 18 hole rates. I usually find that 13 holes is the perfect amount of golf. After 13 holes of carrying my bag and dealing with random bad shots I'm usually pretty tired physically and mentally. 18 holes usually is a bit of a slog.

Golf is a good excuse to get outside and its a good challenge but it definitely isn't exciting.

[kpaulhus]

I think most people give up when they aren't improving.

This is when I gave up two years ago. The fire comes back if you're truly a golf nut. Just let time take its course and try something else for a hobby. (I went to weight lifting)