Why Do You Play Golf? A Two Option Poll

[iacas]

20 minutes ago, mchepp said:

I am a little confused why one can't desire to do both?

Nobody is saying that, Michael. The poll simply asks which means MORE to you.

[phillyk]

Even when I play crappy, I'd rather be golfing than doing other activities.  Golf is fun regardless of how well I play.  Obviously I want to play well, but having fun is 1st priority even in big tournaments.

[GolfLug]

52 minutes ago, iacas said:

Pretty sure you had fun at Dormie Club… man.

...and then there was this round at Dormie last year..! 

Yeah, the fun was entirely unrelated to my score...😊 and 100 percent related to the company and the uniqueness of the course. I've had a few! Streamsong was another one (although it was a much cleaner round- 81) last year, and Mid-South the year before with @DaveP043 and our wives. Scores could not have mattered less. Outliers though.

But honestly I feel like I can't accept that many misses in a single round in my normal weekend league. Not that I would walk around pouting but it wouldn't make the cut for a fun round.

[iacas]

9 minutes ago, GolfLug said:

...and then there was this round at Dormie last year..! 

Yeah, the fun was entirely unrelated to my score...😊 and 100 percent related to the company and the uniqueness of the course. I've had a few! Streamsong was another one (although it was a much cleaner round- 81) last year, and Mid-South the year before with @DaveP043 and our wives. Scores could not have mattered less. Outliers though.

But honestly I feel like I can't accept that many misses in a single round in my normal weekend league. Not that I would walk around pouting but it wouldn't make the cut for a fun round.

Fair enough. 🙂

[HJJ003]

I feel like scrambles or best ball matches with my buddies are great examples of enjoying the game without it necessary being tied to my score/our score. Yes we want to play well and I want my team to win or place or whatever but in truth even the matches where we don’t win or have no chance to place in a scramble I am still having fun. The post round banter over a good burger is always a good time. 

[Missouri Swede]

Fun.

Shooting a lower score is a goal that never ends. But some days that doesn’t work out for me. 

But many days I have one or two shots that make me glad I came and keep me coming back for the next round. Or seeing a playing partner shoot a hole in one (not his first, but the first I had seen)—nothing to do with my score, and I don’t even remember how well I played that day.

That’s fun. 

[boogielicious]

4 hours ago, GolfLug said:

Fun for me is shooting lower scores.

Exactly my thought.

[MacDutch]

Shooting lower scores. The fun is there allmost allways, its allmost a certainty. The low scores are the driving factor for me.

But I would stop playing golf if there was no fun in it anymore. So maybe my answer to the poll was incorrect.

[bkuehn1952]

I enjoy playing golf so I chose "having fun" versus shooting low scores. As I age, the "low scores" are harder to achieve and fewer in number. Still, the game is fun despite the slow erosion of my game.

[dennyjones]

I always want to shoot lower scores, always but if it wasn't fun, I'd find another hobby/sport/event.   I enjoy being outside, friends, the challenge of hit a good shot, etc.   It's euphoric to hit a good shot but only because I find it fun.   

[Carl3]

I am not having fun when shooting high scores.

[jimnm]

Over the past couple of years, I would say lower scores.

When I think of "having fun" I think of playing with family and close friends. And I have a blast when I do. It's some of the best of times regardless of how I score. However, my old golfing crew has either lost interest, had other priorities take over their life, or no longer live close enough to play with me regularly. Out of my last 10 rounds, I've only played 2 rounds with friends/family.

Playing mainly as a single, I would say the majority of joy I get from golf is challenging myself to improve with lower scores. The better I shoot, the more enjoyable golf is.

I don' t play as often as I'd like. Maybe once a month. Twice if I'm lucky. This makes me always anxious to play. My anxiousness is driven by me wanting best my prior score regardless of whether I'm coming off a bad round or a great round. In between rounds I practice at minimum twice a week and will often have a lesson or two. Both efforts bring me joy, but again, that joy is driven by trying to become a better player.

I think if I had a regular group to play with again, my answer might change to "having fun". I also think my scores would take a hit due to the alcohol! 🙂

[Vinsk]

I simply can’t imagine shooting low scores and not having fun. Whatever made it ‘not fun’ I would’ve overcome and still manage to shoot a low score. And that’s fun. The only time I don’t enjoy golf is if I’m playing poorly.

[Club Rat]

I voted to shoot lower scores. All games whether be a team game or individual, everyone plays to win. 
With that said, I know the game is hard and harder to maintain a level of ones expectations.
But, I have always enjoyed the game and have always had fun playing.

[gbogey]

7 hours ago, GolfLug said:

Fun for me is shooting lower scores.

Ditto on this one.  I don't think I would play, or at least enjoy playing so much, if keeping score wasn't part of the game.  

[iacas]

2 hours ago, MacDutch said:

Shooting lower scores. The fun is there allmost allways, its allmost a certainty. The low scores are the driving factor for me.

But I would stop playing golf if there was no fun in it anymore. So maybe my answer to the poll was incorrect.

Sounds like you voted incorrectly, yes. But you can change it any time.

Those of you voting for "lower scores because that's fun" are under-valuing the fun part, and I suspect many of you should change your votes.

The poll asks which is MORE important.

So if you could only have one, which would you rather have: fun or lower scores? You don't get to say "lower scores because that's fun." The poll asks which is MORE important.

[Yukari]

I play to have fun, but it is definitely more enjoyable when I shooting a low score.

[DeadMan]

Having fun for me. I tend to have the most fun when I shoot low scores, but I'd much rather have fun and shoot a high score than shoot a low score and not have fun.