thinblueline

Go buy a Ping Rapture V2.

I'm the OP, and just wanted to add that it appears several of the posts on this page 3 are questioning my thoughts and character, which is fair enough when a guy starts a thread like this, but it also appears the writers of these recent posts did not read my follow up on page 2, which might have given the newest posters some insight on my latest thinking.

I almost always walked, except for scrambles I played in, until two years ago when I had a rather complex left ankle surgery that begins to pain me after walking a few holes and hitting enough golf shots. So in my early 40's now, I'm shifting to riding carts, and in my case, I don't think I should feel guilty or ashamed about riding when there is an injury or arthritis or something similar involved. Before, I felt kind of funny on those occasions when riding, and always thought I should be walking, but not anymore.

Well, these are fair questions. My career is going pretty good and I'm in a decent financial position, when compared to much of what the middle class is going through all over the country, so I am thankful for that. I'm not wealthy by any stretch. My wife and I drive paid off vehicles that are 11 and 12 years old, but we'll still be paying on a house for the next 15 years. My oldest son joined the army and is leaving in about 6 weeks for boot camp, so Uncle Sam will take over caring for him, which frees up some money. I'm not mechanically inclined at all, or have any type of constructive skills to pursue side businesses. My only skills are what my dad passed on to me, which is hunting, fishing, and golf. As far as this thread goes, with all it's many great points that everyone has made, I think the most important thing that has been pointed out, that I have sort of lost sight of in pursuit of getting better at golf, is the human relationships that are formed and developed through golf. Although I have always known this, sometimes we just need reminding, and you guys have reminded me, that when it's all said and done, scores, shots, trophies, tournament winnings, etc... will all be forgotten, but the relationships are what is important and the only thing that is lasting. This thread has jolted me into looking back at the friendships I have made through golf and the enjoyable times, conversations, and jokes I have shared with people on the course. One other comment that gave me a "V8" moment was the fellow who reminded me that nobody really cares how I perform on the course, whether I'm an amateur that can occasionally shoot in the upper 60's, or regularly shoots in the upper 90's. Outside of my dad, who always seems to take an interest in my game, there really is nobody that cares. That's not to say that people haven't taken notice of the fact that I can hit a long ball, so I have been invited to play in a lot of scrambles, but at the end of the day, I was just a pawn for the team, and nobody cares that a third of my drives in the scrambles were never found again. So I guess I have decided to stay the course, no pun intended, and keep at my golf game, with a new perspective on what is really important, and take some of the pressure off myself to always do well. I'm a public course player by the way in northeast Wisconsin. Thanks again everyone.

"To the OP: I hope something that someone said in this thread helps you enjoy the game more." I actually gained a lot from the many thoughtful responses. I appreciate all of your feedback, even the guy who called my post a big whine, which I guess it kind of was in a sense...LOL. You guys have provided some very interesting perspectives on the game of golf, much of it I really enjoyed and needed to hear. Thanks again for participating in this great golf site and taking the time to type to help out a complete stranger get some new ideas in his head.

You guys have made some good points, and asked some questions I should respond to when I get a chance, but I have to go to work...work the midnight shift (maybe that's my problem!).

I dabbled in golf with my dad as a teenager, but didn't get serious about it until my mid 20's. I'm in my early 40's now, and I am at a point where I am really reflecting on whether or not the time and money I pour into this game is a worthwhile endeavor. I have all the shots in golf but rarely put them all together in a complete 18 hole round. My scores average from the high 70's to low 80's, and it doesn't seem I get much better or worse, regardless of the amount of time I spend practicing, because I always seem to have 2 or 3 "key" horrible shots that lead to disastrous scores on those holes. I have spent a lot of money on clubs, balls, shoes, gloves, range balls, greens fees, a few lessons, tournament fees, etc... over the years, to say nothing of the incredible time spent on this game on the range, at the course, and travel in between, and I'm really wondering what I have to show for it. What gets me is, even if I was finally able to break through and shoot scratch to mid 70's...so what. A million people can shoot scratch to mid 70's. What does that do for me that has any lasting value. It's unlikely I will ever make money in this game so the time, money and effort to shoot lower scores just becomes some kind of bragging rights thing. I know every hobby costs time and money, such as hunting and fishing, but even hunters and fishermen have their harvest to show for it and enjoy with the whole family at the dinner table. I just kind of feel I am at a crossroads with golf. I'm at the mid point of my life and I'm really wondering if I should continue to spend the time, money and effort in pursuit of perfection in golf for the last half of my life, or give it up and pursue something else in my spare time that is more meaningful and valueable. I will say, to not practice at all and to play only sporadically will likely have me shooting in the upper 80's to low 90's, and when I'm doing that, to be honest, I'd rather be doing something else. I guess I've kind of lost sight of what I'm doing out there, so I thought I'd ask fellow golfers if they've ever experienced similar feelings, and how they've handled them, or what new goals have rejuvenated them. Sorry to be a downer for everybody, but looking forward to hearing some feedback. Thanks a lot.

You can call someone fat and ugly, which might be true, but you're still disrespecting them. The point is, to actually announce to reporters you just whipped the entire field with something less than your A game, while probably true, is still disrespecting the entire field by pointing that out. I make this point just to counter the idea that Tiger has never disrespected another player, because he has.

To the guy who has twice now commented that Tiger has never disrespected another player, I'd like to remind everyone how Tiger disrespected the entire field of golfers a number of years ago when he won one particular tournament, and proclaimed afterward that he didn't have his A game that week. I'd call that disrespecting everybody in one sentence.