I Quit College Golf

[MasonAsher2014]

And I don't miss it at all. Some of you may remember me from the year's prior as I would go hole-by-hole through each tournament round that I played because I enjoyed doing that I would do school tournaments and summer events that I played in. Then after our last event last year I was frustrated that I wasn't getting better. (Doesn't help when most people on this board know more than our coach.) 

So, I quit. My last round was on October 1st. I was spent grinding over trying to play well when I really had no direction on the team. The most instruction that I got was on this board over the last few years and I still got down to a 2.2. I want to go out and have fun while I play. Even summer events, I did those just for fun and not to necessarily win. Now that I am back caddying and working at Crooked Stick, I want to play more golf. Not necessarily like I used to every day but I really wouldn't mind going out an shooting an 80 if it meant having fun on the course again.

I am the most competitive player I know and I want to win everything that I played in, but there comes a time where you just burn out. The moral of this rant? is that you aren't truly playing golf until you're enjoying yourself and having fun.

[Patch]

Yeah, well, being burnt out does not mean you are permanently burnt out. I am also going to assume you just quit college golf, and not your college studies. 

The common cure for "burnoutitis" is to step back, and recharge one's competitive juices. How long that recharge takes is a personal issue. 

Playing golf for the fun of it, is a good thing for most folks. That's what I do now. I have accepted the fact I will never be a single digit capper again. However, I can still scare the hell out of 80 on ocassions. A 2.2 is not most folks.

Getting down to 2.2 is a very rare accomplishment in golf. That took some hard work, and dedication on the OP's part. I would hate to see all that hard work go to waste. Yeah, a 2.2 is pretty "fraking" good in my book. 

Edited May 19, 2018 by Patch

[gregsandiego]

37 minutes ago, MasonAsher2014 said:

And I don't miss it at all. Some of you may remember me from the year's prior as I would go hole-by-hole through each tournament round that I played because I enjoyed doing that I would do school tournaments and summer events that I played in. Then after our last event last year I was frustrated that I wasn't getting better. (Doesn't help when most people on this board know more than our coach.) 

So, I quit. My last round was on October 1st. I was spent grinding over trying to play well when I really had no direction on the team. The most instruction that I got was on this board over the last few years and I still got down to a 2.2. I want to go out and have fun while I play. Even summer events, I did those just for fun and not to necessarily win. Now that I am back caddying and working at Crooked Stick, I want to play more golf. Not necessarily like I used to every day but I really wouldn't mind going out an shooting an 80 if it meant having fun on the course again.

I am the most competitive player I know and I want to win everything that I played in, but there comes a time where you just burn out. The moral of this rant? is that you aren't truly playing golf until you're enjoying yourself and having fun.

Interesting post. I hear some mixed messages. Mostly your are frustrated because you can't reach some very high level I think.

I'm not sure the coaching was the real issue. I do believe you feel burnt out. 

The last statement is most interesting. I wonder if the pros feel like they are "having fun". Except for the few at the top of the leader board I bet it feels more like pressure than fun. Maybe playing a fun game and a "career game" (PGA) are two different things?

I don't know  - just some observations. I appreciate your post and hope you take a break and give it another shot.

 

[MasonAsher2014]

30 minutes ago, Patch said:

Yeah, well, being burnt out does not mean you are permanently burnt out. I am also going to assume you just quit college golf, and not your college studies. 

The common cure for "burnoutitis" is to step back, and recharge one's competitive juices. How long that recharge takes is a personal issue. 

Playing golf for the fun of it, is a good thing for most folks. That's what I do now. I have accepted the fact I will never be a single digit capper again. However, I can still scare the hell out of 80 on ocassions. A 2.2 is not most folks.

Getting down to 2.2 is a very rare accomplishment in golf. That took some hard work, and dedication on the OP's part. I would hate to see all that hard work go to waste. Yeah, a 2.2 is pretty "fraking" good in my book. 

Thank you. I appreciate your comments and tend to agree with you. I finished school, just not my senior golf season.

12 minutes ago, gregsandiego said:

Interesting post. I hear some mixed messages. Mostly your are frustrated because you can't reach some very high level I think.

I'm not sure the coaching was the real issue. I do believe you feel burnt out. 

The last statement is most interesting. I wonder if the pros feel like they are "having fun". Except for the few at the top of the leader board I bet it feels more like pressure than fun. Maybe playing a fun game and a "career game" (PGA) are two different things?

I don't know  - just some observations. I appreciate your post and hope you take a break and give it another shot.

 

I think it was a combination. We didn't have a coach who knew what he was doing so trying to reach what I thought my potential was, under no guidance, burnt me out. 

I think the PGA and us as casual golfers are separate. If you're on the PGA, it's a grind. But if you are playing well, then you are able to make it fun. You shouldn't play if you don't have fun.

[SmiterofPV1x]

I get it for sure. Back when I was 18-19 I VERY briefly considered making a run at going pro. About the only thing I had going for me was CHS. I could get into the low 140's and typically hit it 60-80 yards past playing partners. Truth was I was better suited to the LD Tour and did ok in a couple LD amateur events I played in. The rest of my game was crap but always being the best golfer in any group I played in made me feel like it was better than it was. If you took away my distance and the short 6k'ish yard courses I usually played I was an average weekend hacker. If I hit it the usual 220 that most did I was a 85-90 type golfer. I usually flirted with Par as everything I played was drive/chip/putt. Pretty easy to make par most holes when you're just off the green in one on a par 4. I entered a couple legit amateur type events and was still the longest in my group every time, but from 7500 yards even being really long I had more than a chip into most holes. Found out I was really good at making 4 from 100 yards out and that was that. 

I'm now almost 40 and have bled swing speed the past couple years. I'm still in the mid 120's but I can't get spin under control, which might have always been a problem, I just never knew it back in the day of no launch monitors. Ive always hated hitting into any wind so it probably was. Now that I'm almost 20 SS down, it's much more glaring. I used to get so upset over every shot that wasn't perfect. I now have accepted my limitations and just live for the good shots. 

So if you are comfortable with your decision, I'd like to welcome you to the failed Dream club, lol. I hope you continue to enjoy the game and play at a semi high level for the rest of your life! That's what I've settled for. I enjoy it a heck of a lot more now than I did back then. 

[Patch]

Just re-reading the OP's post and saw the part about Crooked Stick. Perhaps there is an instructor of sorts, where you caddy at, who can help you lower that 2.2?

Earlier this this year I played 4 rounds of golf at Bandon. I had the same caddy all four rounds, plus we played the par 3 a couple of times together....for beers. I learned  some things from this caddy, that really helped my game. I relate this to you, because as very good golfer, perhaps there is some latent swing guru talent you have, that can help others. Just a thought.

[iacas]

19 hours ago, MasonAsher2014 said:

So, I quit. My last round was on October 1st. I was spent grinding over trying to play well when I really had no direction on the team. The most instruction that I got was on this board over the last few years and I still got down to a 2.2.

Most DIII college coaches aren't really "golf people."

[jamo]

Keep your options open, but good for you. I’ve been playing less and less competitive golf the last few years because it stopped being fun for me. Even in the men’s league matches I play in (I’m one of the better players in the league by a lot and give up 6ish strokes in most matches), I get very nervous and anxious before the matches. I had a really strong “I should just quit forever” feeling st the end of last year. 

[MasonAsher2014]

On 5/19/2018 at 6:45 PM, jamo said:

Keep your options open, but good for you. I’ve been playing less and less competitive golf the last few years because it stopped being fun for me. Even in the men’s league matches I play in (I’m one of the better players in the league by a lot and give up 6ish strokes in most matches), I get very nervous and anxious before the matches. I had a really strong “I should just quit forever” feeling st the end of last year. 

I agree. Now that I am back working at the course I have been getting the itch again to play at a high level. I never would really get nervous expect before right before the first tee ball. Even my younger teammates I always said that it is okay to be nervous as hell up until your tee ball on #1, but after that, it's just a round of golf.

On 5/19/2018 at 9:49 AM, Patch said:

Just re-reading the OP's post and saw the part about Crooked Stick. Perhaps there is an instructor of sorts, where you caddy at, who can help you lower that 2.2?

Earlier this this year I played 4 rounds of golf at Bandon. I had the same caddy all four rounds, plus we played the par 3 a couple of times together....for beers. I learned  some things from this caddy, that really helped my game. I relate this to you, because as very good golfer, perhaps there is some latent swing guru talent you have, that can help others. Just a thought.

I agree. There is, but they are all so busy and I am not allowed to get on the range out there so it is tough. I am pretty close with one of the pros so maybe we can go play sometime and he can help fix my troubles.

On 5/19/2018 at 12:16 AM, SmiterofPV1x said:

I get it for sure. Back when I was 18-19 I VERY briefly considered making a run at going pro. About the only thing I had going for me was CHS. I could get into the low 140's and typically hit it 60-80 yards past playing partners. Truth was I was better suited to the LD Tour and did ok in a couple LD amateur events I played in. The rest of my game was crap but always being the best golfer in any group I played in made me feel like it was better than it was. If you took away my distance and the short 6k'ish yard courses I usually played I was an average weekend hacker. If I hit it the usual 220 that most did I was a 85-90 type golfer. I usually flirted with Par as everything I played was drive/chip/putt. Pretty easy to make par most holes when you're just off the green in one on a par 4. I entered a couple legit amateur type events and was still the longest in my group every time, but from 7500 yards even being really long I had more than a chip into most holes. Found out I was really good at making 4 from 100 yards out and that was that. 

I'm now almost 40 and have bled swing speed the past couple years. I'm still in the mid 120's but I can't get spin under control, which might have always been a problem, I just never knew it back in the day of no launch monitors. Ive always hated hitting into any wind so it probably was. Now that I'm almost 20 SS down, it's much more glaring. I used to get so upset over every shot that wasn't perfect. I now have accepted my limitations and just live for the good shots. 

So if you are comfortable with your decision, I'd like to welcome you to the failed Dream club, lol. I hope you continue to enjoy the game and play at a semi high level for the rest of your life! That's what I've settled for. I enjoy it a heck of a lot more now than I did back then. 

I never was wanting to go pro. I know that there is a huge gap between me and even sniffing professional golf. I appreciate the story, and I know how tough it is having caddied for a few pros in events (local pro tour). It is definitely a game that you must enjoy.

[p1n9183]

Go out and have fun, play important am tournaments just for fun and not to win.

I do exactly that. After compiting a lot in my teen years now i just play for fun, and sign in for am tournaments just to be among the best player, but just for fun not to win. You are not going to shoot 80+, like riding a bike just playing one or twice a week you can be a  5 index.. or maybe reach 2 index like you were before.

As a teen i reached handicap 2, now i´m at +1 without practice, just having fun playing on weekends. 

[jsgolfer]

On 5/19/2018 at 6:18 PM, iacas said:

Most DIII college coaches aren't really "golf people."

Even for a DI school, the coach's weren't golf people either.  When I played UMaine back in the 90's, the golf coach's were the following.

Journalism Professor 

Asst. Hockey Coach - Only cool thing about this was that Scott Pellerin played on the golf team (He played Hockey for the St. Louis Blues), very cool guy.  Man could he hit the ball a country mile at the time.

Asst. Pro from one of the local courses took over my last year. 

But there really wasn't any direction, other than the best players played.  Wasn't a lot of coaching going on, that's for sure.  

[iacas]

9 minutes ago, jsgolfer said:

Even for a DI school, the coach's weren't golf people either.  When I played UMaine back in the 90's, the golf coach's were the following.

Journalism Professor 

Asst. Hockey Coach - Only cool thing about this was that Scott Pellerin played on the golf team (He played Hockey for the St. Louis Blues), very cool guy.  Man could he hit the ball a country mile at the time.

Asst. Pro from one of the local courses took over my last year. 

But there really wasn't any direction, other than the best players played.  Wasn't a lot of coaching going on, that's for sure.  

I think that for D1 that may be more the exception than the rule.

Or maybe it's improved over the years, too. But yeah, if a school doesn't prioritize golf, you'll get "leftovers." Just like at D3 schools that care, you'll get good "golf people" in the coaching spot.

[SmiterofPV1x]

11 hours ago, MasonAsher2014 said:

 

I never was wanting to go pro. I know that there is a huge gap between me and even sniffing professional golf. I appreciate the story, and I know how tough it is having caddied for a few pros in events (local pro tour). It is definitely a game that you must enjoy.

I found out very quickly the same thing, lol. Hearing everyone I played with tell me that I should go pro made me think I was better than I was. There was a whole lot of difference between shooting -2 on a 6200 wide open no trouble course than there was with shooting a 65 on a pro level 7400 course. I never really sniffed Par past 7000 even with my length. What really dissuaded me of the notion, I met and started playing with a guy that was 49 and preparing for the senior tour (he never made it either). I blew it by him by 60+ yards and still lost to him virtually every time. He was so dang consistent, best golfer I've ever played with. I don't think I ever saw him shoot ever 74, even on hard courses. He'd hit his 5i closer than my PW. He'd also almost never didn't  get up and down on the rare occasion that he missed a green, and if I ever saw him take a double bogey I certainly don't recall it. Don't think I ever saw him 3 putt, he either holed it or had a tap in. If that guy wasn't good enough for the senior tour, no way was I going to be good enough for the regular tour. 

I hope for you that you consider all angles of this. As I tell my kids all the times, don't get to my age and have any regrets. If you truly think this is the best course for you and you won't regret it in 20 years, absolutely go that route. You don't get do-overs in life and I hate for anyone to do something they'd regret. At any rate, good luck with your decision. 

Edited May 23, 2018 by SmiterofPV1x
English should be my first language. I butcher it worse than I butcher my short game.

[MasonAsher2014]

Just a quick update:

 

I have been working a ton and have been playing golf about once a week. I have started to get the itch to go back out and play competitively in local tournaments. I am not going to this year due to funds, but more likely next year. I played the last three days actually shooting 68-90-76 so although I'm no longer consistent, I can in fact play well. I just enjoy the game more so now. 

[Vinsk]

26 minutes ago, MasonAsher2014 said:

I played the last three days actually shooting 68-90-76

Your low is waaay better than I can dream of. However, would you mind explaining what the big difference was from these rounds? 

[Shindig]

39 minutes ago, MasonAsher2014 said:

I can in fact play well. I just enjoy the game more so now. 

I'm glad you're having fun.  Best of luck in your upcoming rounds.

[MasonAsher2014]

13 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

Your low is waaay better than I can dream of. However, would you mind explaining what the big difference was from these rounds? 

Well, my driver has always been a huge indicator of how I play. The 68 I was stripping it, and hitting my wedges close. This was a 6800 yard course at 72.1. 

 

The 90 was on a 73.3 course at 6700. I was hitting the ball solidly, just couldn't get my distances on my wedges and wasn't hitting fairways, although I wasn't putting myself in a ton of trouble. I just wasn't feeling it that day and had five doubles and no birdies.

 

The 76 was actually my best ball striking round. Caught a few bad breaks and didn't really have all that many awful shots. Struggled early on but made putts and had five birdies including 3 in a row on the back. Just was hitting it well.

 

Now, there honestly wasn't too much difference between the rounds except that I was dialed in with wedges and drivers on the low rounds and was slightly off on the 90. I hit it well to be honest and it felt like I had shot 80. 

Just now, Shindig said:

I'm glad you're having fun.  Best of luck in your upcoming rounds.

Thanks!

[MasonAsher2014]

1 hour ago, Vinsk said:

Your low is waaay better than I can dream of. However, would you mind explaining what the big difference was from these rounds? 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WGFqki2d1fUZr9Uggxlw_iIX51UDfTVs9puqcv6GdH0/edit?usp=sharing

 

Here's my round today...as you can see crazy good with the putter and wedges saved me.