Anyone Else Ever Lose Interest?

greyc

For about 20 years I was a member of a golf club, about 20 minutes drive from where I live. During that time I played at least twice a week, and maybe a third time during the summer. In 2012 I decided to leave and join a club which was literally 3 minutes door to door.

However during that year I quickly started to lose interest in the game. I didn't enjoy the course and I disliked the fact that they had very few singles competitions, in fact between June and September I think there were only 3 singles on a Sunday, the rest were either 4 balls or 4 person team events. Between June and the end of October I played 10 rounds of golf.

I played to an ok standard over the years, generally having a H/C between 8-10 and when I last played in October 2012, I was off 9.

In the 18 months since then I haven't even held a golf club and tbh I haven't missed it at any time. Recently however I've been thinking of maybe re-joining my old club as they usually offer 18 months membership for the price of 12, but I'm not sure if I should commit to such an outlay, especially if I go back and discover that I still haven't regained the enthusiasm or interest that I had before.

Has anyone else ever felt this way, and if so, how did you find getting back into it again?

Rikand

Longest i ever lost interest was 3 weeks and getting back into it was awesome.

hope this helps

mags1962

I spent 3 years out of golf sick with many months and weeks in hospitals, some overlooking a golf course and believe you me there was no better feeling than going back to playing and I could not stop smiling all the way round for many many weeks.
Appreciate it while you have the chance because come the day you can't you will regret it.

Wichita Lineman

No, never ever ever, not even when I was playing absolute cack. I just wish I had taken the game up earlier.

kingcobra

There's been times, ie. long periods of time, where I just haven't been bothered going out to play, but never quite 'losing interest.' I usually just don't force things and wait until I get the desire to play again.

For your situation I think you should join back with your old club, or at least a different club. You've said yourself that you don't enjoy the course at the club you're at so it seems like your pretty much flogging a dead horse. Plus, you're getting a good deal with your old club! :P

fatherted1969

Used to be a member for a couple of years like yourself but also lost interest. Only play once or twice s year now and it hasn't rekindled an interest at all

mjsc1970

I've been playing at best , mediocre stuff, for about 3 years and used to play to a reasonable standard. Most time I ever went without playing was about 3-4 weeks. Duffing pitches that used to be bread and butter, unexplained home runs now when i used to be able to keep it in play. Ok i don't have time to practice anymore, and I often lost interest, but regardless of poor golf I'd deffo miss the open air and the craic with the lads.
I'd give it a go again if I were you.

greyc

Thanks for the replies. Maybe I'll get the clubs out of the shed and hit a few balls on the driving range and see how I feel. My best friend was a keen golfer but has been ill for the past 4 years and can't play, so I know I may regret not getting back into it while I still can.

ShriekingSheet

Yeah, I played a lot for 10 years and then gave it up altogether for 3, for a combination of reasons including other interests, social life and playing not playing well.

Went back to it when I felt like it, and now play regularly and competitively again, possibly at a better standard than before too. Best advice I can give is that it can be far better to take a break than to continuously try and grind out a better performance from a bad spell. And then don't go back playing until you really want to. That feeling of being obliged to play because you probably should is nonsense. You need to feel the enthusiasm first.

Rippeditup

ShriekingSheet wrote: »

Yeah, I played a lot for 10 years and then gave it up altogether for 3, for a combination of reasons including other interests, social life and playing not playing well.

Went back to it when I felt like it, and now play regularly and competitively again, possibly at a better standard than before too. Best advice I can give is that it can be far better to take a break than to continuously try and grind out a better performance from a bad spell. And then don't go back playing until you really want to. That feeling of being obliged to play because you probably should is nonsense. You need to feel the enthusiasm first.

I am similar.. I played for years as a kid to a decent level and until I was about 22 and then stopped playing (mixture of work impacting on how often I could play and as I was a low handicapper I found it hard to keep playing to that standard and social life took over) got back playing for about 18 months when I was 27 but gave it up again at 29 as I work just wasn't letting me get out enough and I was living in town. Now I am 33 I am back playing as I have bought a house in Rathfarnham and allot more settled (less partying) and I gave up the football so hoping to get back playing decent golf again over the next year or so. Back to 7 so on the right track but I have to say I have always missed the golf and kept upto speed on all events.

TheDoc

I took a break for a good 3-4 years, even longer I think.

I'm playing golf since 11 (26 now) where I used to just follow my Da around and every now and again have a bang of his pitching wedge. As I kept it up got into some pitch and putt, but mostly par 3 golf. Eventually the club my Da joined introduced a Junior membership and I signed up at about 14.

I absolutely loved golf. There was a great bunch of friends made, great laughs and our club was really open to junior golfers. I was able to play in adult competitions, represent the club on teams and was playing so much that I was getting better and better. I was playing of six at 16 after stating with a 33 hanidcap two years earlier when I first joined.

Then "it" happened. All the signs were I was going in the right direction. Friends I'd been playing with in the club were getting lower and lower, picked and selected for prestigous teams and the signs were I was to follow.

I took a short break as normal over winter, coming back February as I always did. Except this time...it was gone. I just didn't feel right, my swing felt odd, my putting went hayward. My entire game just disintegrated.

The worse it got, the more I played, the more I practiced and the more things got worse. A year later at seveteen, my handicap had drifted out to ten. The following year, I closed the season playing off 15.

As things got progressively worse, a serious issue with anger and rage on the course came along which then made me difficult to play with. When it came around to renewing at 18, I paid my subs but played two games that year.

It was only two years ago now, my Da, still an avid golfer, knocked to the house and asked did I want to go out for nine holes, just a bit of messing. After some convincing got brought out. My clubs were still in his house, rusted and in bits, so I took my putter and said I'd use his clubs.

And after so long dormant from golf, it's like it just clicked again. I shot a 3+ gross on the front nine we played. I was gobsmacked. Everything felt right again, it didn't feel awkward. And most of all I enjoyed it.

That was October two years ago. Within a week I'd cleaned my old clubs and sold them, and was buying new irons. At the time I thought the problem was the irons I had. When I got down to six a pro advised I move to semi/full blades to kick on to the next level. I guess it was an easy excuse to say I never adjusted and they caused the downfall, but now looking back it was most likely burnout.

I'd had two preliminary interviews for golf scholerships, that when it came to the practical I totally blew it due to my piss poor form. So I think there was also a sense of disappointment and frustration there, that I'd failed, and I didn't want to play golf again.

I bought a new set of irons from the club pro, and over the course of that year started to rebuild my kit with new additions. Technology had come on in my absence, so I needed to catchup. Luckily for me, my renewed eagerness and love of golf helped me play better, more relaxed. I was winning a rake load of vouchers for the shop and spending it on new equipment.

I'm back two years now. When I came back they gave me a handicp of 12, I'm now playing off 7. I feel my game is stronger then every before, but I need to tie it all together into consistent showings. My aggression and violent snaps are all gone, and people are happy to play with me again. I'm having great laughs on the course.

I got picked to represent a club team last year after a lengthy hiatus, and even some doubts over how I'd perform in that environment now. Went on to win the two matches I was involved in (away) comfortably and gave me massive confidence.

I guess the point of the long post, and something I appreciate now, is that golf is a game for life. You'' play for decades, going through good spells and bad spells. I stopped for 3-5 years, and that was time I could hve turned it around. I could have taken a few months to step back and breathe, instead I let five years slip by. It's taken me 18 months to get back to the level I was at, and I'm still not there.

I guess the point of the post is that I felt more shattered about golf then most, it wasn't being bad in sunday comps or on a wednesday evening, I messed up two great opportunities to go abroad on scholerships and be coached at a high level, I dropped out of all the selection panels, at a young age I didn't take it for granted, but I never thought it would just go with the click of a finger.

I'm not the only one its happened to and it wont be the last. But I wish I could go back to tell myself to just relax, take a little time off and come back fresh, but not years.

Ciaranra

Prob not a lack of interest but playing in 2 club teams.
Between matches and practice away from home im not enjoying as much.
Would love to just get out and enjoy a game and leave my brain at home

Dolph Starbeam

Yep, started playing when I was 8 or 9 and played nearly every day of the summer until I was 17, still kept at it playing weekends and the odd round for a couple more years, but once I went to college and started working I just didn't want to play, from 20 to 25 I'd say I played no more than 5 rounds each year and only watched the majors on tv. I had always planned on getting back into it when I had more time though and I am loving the game now, I definitely needed the break.

Seve OB

do i ever loose interest in golf?

on the contrary.... my interest in the game just grows and grows and grows

so much so, i joined a second club yesterday

FixdePitchmark

Cool post TheDoc.

It seems to be a recurring male condition - regrets about a sport you played or something you felt you could have been good at.

I had an unusual experience with golf. Never really joined a golf club. And was self taught on a field. As strange as it sounds to kids today - my family had no car for most of my childhood.

I wish I had of got into a club as a young lad. I'm just looking at my own son and daughter and - I'm not one to push a sport on a kid - But , they are basically sure to be single figures or lower if they want.

Education and college and all that goes with a job , kids etc , got in the way of years I now wish I had been playing golf more seriously. This was a good 10 -15 year period.

So 3 1/2 years ago - my wife got very sick - very. The only thing that kept me sane (and it didn't even) was golf. It was an escape from the day day nightmare I was in.

So we got out the other side - and I got a single figure handicap out of it - a bizarre twist in my golf tail.

So - not sure where I'm going next. I can't see golf being as manic or busy as it has been - but I know, as you said it is for life now. I'm glad , I've tried to play golf more serious. I didn't realise how bad I was at golf and I also didn't understand how hard it would be to improve.

Even , If I didn't improve - golf provided something to me , that I needed in a part of my life.
I'll be forever grateful to it for that. I've played incredible courses , met amazing people, seen beautiful parts of the country - I know I would not have come across the people or places in my normal non golf - day to day life.

Basically , I've played most sports - got to a good level in most, a high level in some - but there is just nothing like golf.
I'll be playing golf for life, maybe in and out in phases. But - I'm a lifer now.

The thing I've sort of realised about golf - is, to a degree setting goals and targets , is a little pointless - there is no end point. If anything it is a bit damaging to something you love. You have to sort of go with the flow, you can , and I've seen people eat themselves up over golf.
It really is only a game - there are far more important things, than a score or how you are playing.
Many occasions you are in a stunning location , with great facilities, some of your best friends.

I've now entered a new phase, where - I'm getting my friends to play - we have a society a trophy etc. The highest handicap in society is 36 (lol) - this weekend rather than going to the pub in Cork - we are playing Fota with a few who are playing to an ok level now. We are all so excited about it. Like kids in a way.

So another phase - this game , if you treat it well - never stops giving back.