Golf - a game for life?

by raycastleunited Wed 14 Aug 2013, 6:53 pm

A post from another thread (from a former prolific 606 poster) got me thinking about the importance of golf in my life. I used to love playing cricket, as a teenager I used to play 4 times a week, but dropped it as soon as I went to university and found other distractions. I love playing football, but age is catching up with me and I recognise that I am one injury away from retirement. But I can't ever see myself giving up golf. Sure there are times when I'll go a month without a game, and work / family means I will never play as much as I want or reach the standard I am capable of, but it feels like golf will be a constant feature of the rest of my life.

Whether it's the camaraderie, the competitive edge, the challenge to improve yourself, the escapism, or even just a walk in pleasant surroundings, I can't imagine ever giving up the game.

So how long can you play golf for? At what point do you stop? Has anybody here ever given up the game? What was the reason? Did you miss it? Did you come back to it?

by goldwolf Wed 14 Aug 2013, 11:00 pm

Hi ray, how's it going?

I'm currently on a break from golf, after playing week in week out for just under 30 years. It's been a combination of things that all happened at the same time that meant I just didn't have the time or money for golf any more. At the end of 2011 season (my best season come to think of it), all my regular group left for another club, more exclusive and way out of my budet. But I stayed on at my club but it wasn;t the same playing with complete strangers every week, I found myself not looking forward to that Saturday morning game as much. Then my job got relocated I now have to travel a long way by car, where I used to bike to work in 20 mins, so time and money on petrol has pretty much taken all of my golf kitty away.

So I didn't renew my membership for 2012, went to the range to keep my hand in but it became more of a chore, and stopped playing altogether now. I've come to realise I'm an all or nothing guy, just playing now and then and not being able to play to the level I know I can doesn't interest me one bit.

I miss it like hell to be honest, especially on Saturday mornings, I don't doubt I'll get back into it one day, but don't tell the wife that!!

by McLaren Thu 15 Aug 2013, 5:50 am

I am currently on the 2 month mark in terms of time without a round and would really like to put that straight soon. I have been to the range once in this time but all that does is confirm you can still hit the ball. Until I hit the course there is no way of knowing how you will play.

In terms of a game for life I really hope golf turns out to be that way for me. I know my father went many years when I was a child without playing the game more than couple of times a year, but now he is on the course almost every day.

I am not all that fond of competitive golf, although really I mean club competition golf as making a game with friends competitive is very much a lot of fun. Even without the need for handicap improvement it is hard to shake the feeling that you could always have played better, and this is where golf starts to become rather addictive.

You either want to feel that perfect shot again or you want to play more often in order to get better at the game. I guess no round of golf can ever go entirely to plan given the numerous chances of error so no one can ever feel like they have cracked the game.

This coupled with playing on great courses means I find it hard to see a time when golf will not interest me.

by super_realist Thu 15 Aug 2013, 7:51 am

McLaren wrote:I am currently on the 2 month mark in terms of time without a round and would really like to put that straight soon. I have been to the range once in this time but all that does is confirm you can still hit the ball. Until I hit the course there is no way of knowing how you will play.

In terms of a game for life I really hope golf turns out to be that way for me. I know my father went many years when I was a child without playing the game more than couple of times a year, but now he is on the course almost every day.

I am not all that fond of competitive golf, although really I mean club competition golf as making a game with friends competitive is very much a lot of fun. Even without the need for handicap improvement it is hard to shake the feeling that you could always have played better, and this is where golf starts to become rather addictive.

You either want to feel that perfect shot again or you want to play more often in order to get better at the game. I guess no round of golf can ever go entirely to plan given the numerous chances of error so no one can ever feel like they have cracked the game.

This coupled with playing on great courses means I find it hard to see a time when golf will not interest me.

Bus pass run out?

by Roller_Coaster Thu 15 Aug 2013, 8:28 am

Had 10 years off from 18ish usual tale of pubs, women, football etc. but got back into it and have been back on regularly for the last 10.

Find it so varied every time that I can't see the game being any reason I'd give up again. Not sure, however, how I'll react to the inevitable decline in ability as I get older...

by McLaren Thu 15 Aug 2013, 8:41 am

Instead of having a pop at me, why don't you participate in the thread super?

by super_realist Thu 15 Aug 2013, 8:46 am

Come on Mac, you set yourself up but if you insist.....

LIke Roller I gave up golf at around 14. Picked it up again around 29, got my first adult handicap of 7 and rapidly got it down several shots.
Lost interest in serious competition, but still enjoy playing and as long as my mates stay in the area/stay alive through our advancing years and if I can still play at a decent level I'll continue to play until I drop.
However if I turn into a hacker I've no interest in the game.

by JAS Thu 15 Aug 2013, 9:32 am

I played from about 12 until I was about 17 but never serious. Never had an official handicap back then but I remember being invited and given 28 for a works Society outing to Girvan. Despite going 5 off the tee at the 1st I ended up with a net 58 and was given a slow handclap at dinner afterwards. As a teenager I railed against the stuffiness of golf at the time and sold my clubs when I was about 18, never thought I'd touch the game again.

On holiday 9 years ago the resort we were staying at was organising a golf scramble, so we signed up just to have a go at something different. It only took a couple of flushed irons on the practice range and some complimentary comments from the Pro who was overseeing the event to make me think...why did I ignore this for 23 years??

After hiring clubs for a couple of rounds on subsequent holidays I took the plunge and bought my own about 8 years ago. I started with an Internet handicap of 12 in 2006 and played works Society events. Joined my current home club and put 3 official cards in at the back end of 2006.

7 years on I'm down to 6 and its bordering on obsession, I've retired from Martial Arts, don't get much chance to go surfing any more due to golf commitments and worst of all, I can't be arsed looking for a partner as I know there's a high probability that she'd curtail my golf. Sick...I need help!!

by raycastleunited Thu 15 Aug 2013, 11:34 am

goldwolf wrote:Hi ray, how's it going?

Hi Goldie!

Yes it was obviously your return which prompted me to think about the role of golf in my life.

I can very much empathise with the time restrictions in your life. In terms of cost, if you played a twilight round once a month at a local public course I'm sure this would not break the bank, but could you live with playing at a lower standard?

I understand the "all or nothing" thing as well. It is incredibly frustrating to play poorly, much worse than you know you are capable of, and then not have the opportunity to do anything about it, so you know you will do the same thing again. I am playing once a fortnight at the moment, and I know that I wil have a poor front nine and then get it together on the back nine. I keep convincing myself that an improvement in my game is just round the corner, but with a busy job and 2 kids I just don't have the time to practice.

Hopefully you'll be able to get back into the game in a couple of years. Try getting the kids hooked on golf and then the wife will have to let you on the golf course!

by McLaren Thu 15 Aug 2013, 11:42 am

raycastleunited wrote:I am playing once a fortnight at the moment, and I know that I wil have a poor front nine and then get it together on the back nine

I have been there a few times myself this year. Front nine 45 back nine pretty much par.

by puligny Thu 15 Aug 2013, 11:53 am

A few points:
I came to golf late (mid 40s) and joined a club as a present to me and Mrs on my 50th. Great that she plays and is almost equally obsessed!

As a youth golf was inaccessible. E.g. when went with a few pals to a local club to enquire about caddying we were told to b....r off and not come back! Well i didnt for approx 35 years, although now play off single figures!

I was interested in golf for a long time but didn't consider playing until injuries put an end to other sports.

If I don't have something competitive I get very grumpy. So while I hear people saying they don't like competitions I don't understand. Competition is why I play. Always enjoy friendly competition and banter with pals, but nothing like real competition!

Golf is for ever. There is just so much to it, archticecture, world wide, fancy trousers and it is playable well in to old age. Lady at my club in her 90s plays at least 3 holes every day unless weather awful. Sadly there used to be 3 of them, now only one left but plenty more coming through!

Finally Alistair Mackenzie used to prescribe golf for patients frequently visiting his medical practice, and swore that those who took it up didn't visit as before!

by Diggers Thu 15 Aug 2013, 12:02 pm

I don't think golf is forever as for me it doesn't work as a game/hobby when you have young kids. I cant justify taking nearly two full days out of weekends over say a month to play...and that's not including practise time.
Could get away with playing some when I just had the one rugrat but with two its not worth the grief really, will just accept I might get the odd round in and that's about it.
I can't say I miss it though really, if I have a few spare hours now I don't think I'll pop to the range or play 9 holes, Id rather get my bike out and go for a spin on that.
But I guess the good thing about golf is I might have more time I a few years and then I can start again whereas we have some 5 a side arranged for a stag do on the Bank Holiday and there is every chance I could die on the pitch. Clearly death by lap dance a few hours after the footie would be the preferred way to go......

by kwinigolfer Thu 15 Aug 2013, 12:20 pm

Good thread, ray.
Played all other sports growing up, especially the far more time-consuming four-matches-a-week cricket until mid-thirties - sadly not much of that over here.
First played golf in late 20's, didn't play seriously until well into thirties, played/practiced avidly until marriage and children scuppered it all.
Started playing again with my son (best parenting experience possible) and still play regularly, if not frequently, in mid-sixties, always walk, always carry my bag. Great exercise, great companionship, sh1t handicap, but who cares.
Would say that tennis can fill the same criteria and try to swim quite a bit still.
But hope to play golf until the legs give out - hopefully the exercise gained will make that a distant proposition.
Good luck, ray, many years to go yet!

by **navyblueshorts** Thu 15 Aug 2013, 12:30 pm

Diggers wrote:...whereas we have some 5 a side arranged for a stag do on the Bank Holiday and there is every chance I could die on the pitch. Clearly death by lap dance I few hours after the footie would be the preferred way to go......

by George1507 Thu 15 Aug 2013, 8:51 pm

Years ago we discovered the exact point, the dead center of middle age. It occurs when you are too young to take up golf and too old to rush to the net.

Franklin Adams

by oldshanker Thu 15 Aug 2013, 9:12 pm

It has been pretty well documented on here that I started at about the age of 5, but only messing about then. Played more seriously in my early teens (once toyed with the idea of turning pro - club pro that is).

Then the same as most people, girls, work, drink, nightclubs etc.etc. all came on the scene, together with a wife and 3 children. This somewhat curtailed my golf for a period, but what did stop it for over 20 years was a bad back!

I thought golf put a greater strain on my bad back, but it turns out that it doesn't and 6 or so years ago, I was persuaded back into the game by Steve (get well soon Steve, he's still struggling to get over a severe stroke in October last year and hasn't set foot on the course since then).

I do not have a competetive bone in my body and apart from the junior comp I won at Radcliffe on Trent, I have always played golf for the sheer enjoyment of spending time with like minded individuals in lovely surroundings. I am now 61 years old and see no reason for changing that philosophy.

However, I am in the process of changing how I hit the ball. I have to remember I am no longer 18 years old and sometimes trying to hit the ball like I was, HURTS!! Yikes

Take 1 club longer and accept that with an old mans three quarter swing, you will be outdriven by the young bucks you play with most of the time. Just annoy the heck out of them by hitting the fairway 9 times out of 10 and kill them with you second shot. Oh and that low punch shot that takes a 6" divot........thats the one that hurts.

My ambition in golf?

To become the hacker at 80 and be in front of SR. laughing

by George1507 Thu 15 Aug 2013, 9:39 pm

Years ago we discovered the exact point, the dead center of middle age. It occurs when you are too young to take up golf and too old to rush to the net.

Franklin Adams

by BlueCoverman Thu 15 Aug 2013, 9:45 pm

And old age occurs when you forget what you did in the last hour George... Wink

by **navyblueshorts** Thu 15 Aug 2013, 10:26 pm

BlueCoverman wrote:And old age occurs when you forget what you did in the last hour George...

by **navyblueshorts** Thu 15 Aug 2013, 10:29 pm

I certainly hope it's a game for life. Not too energetic so should be able to play long into the dotage. Reckon there'll still be satisfaction hitting a nice wedge or holing a good putt long after being able to stripe a 2-iron has left the system. A pity about the length of time for a typical round though.
Still have visions of being able to shoot my age at some point - don't think it'll happen but would be something!

by incontinentia Thu 15 Aug 2013, 11:02 pm

Perhaps clubs should add 'senior citizen' tees in order to make the game more accesible for those 70+.

by super_realist Fri 16 Aug 2013, 7:02 am

Why dont they just refer to the ladies tees as forward tees inco and there you have it.
There are plenty men of all ages who shouldnt be playing off the yellows or whites and plenty women who are too good for the reds.

by McLaren Fri 16 Aug 2013, 7:18 am

For variety we should all play our regular course from different tees, probably not for whole rounds but for individual holes.

It is easy to move it forward on par 4's to make short drivable par 4's

or on Par 5's play it forward to create a long par 4.

Indeed any way you can think of to mix things up a little.

by **navyblueshorts** Fri 16 Aug 2013, 9:47 am

super_realist wrote:Why dont they just refer to the ladies tees as forward tees inco and there you have it.
There are plenty men of all ages who shouldnt be playing off the yellows or whites and plenty women who are too good for the reds.

by **navyblueshorts** Fri 16 Aug 2013, 9:48 am

McLaren wrote:For variety we should all play our regular course from different tees, probably not for whole rounds but for individual holes.

It is easy to move it forward on par 4's to make short drivable par 4's

or on Par 5's play it forward to create a long par 4.

Indeed any way you can think of to mix things up a little.

That's a pretty good shout Mac. Think I might suggest that for the next friendly 4-ball...

by gaelgowfer Fri 16 Aug 2013, 9:53 am

super_realist wrote:Why dont they just refer to the ladies tees as forward tees inco and there you have it.
There are plenty men of all ages who shouldnt be playing off the yellows or whites and plenty women who are too good for the reds.

Indeed s_r. They don't call them ladies' tees on the continent so why does it still persist here? Perhaps a change of colour might do the trick not to mention making the forward teeing area a lot larger.

by shclaff Fri 16 Aug 2013, 9:55 am

I've only really caught the bug over the last 5 years or so, but very much hope to play in to old age. Just hope my back can handle it.

I played with a member at our club last year who's 68 and plays off 9. He can hit it about 230 off the tee, plays a slight draw. His ball striking is good and he has a decent short game. He plays within himself and he's obviously worked hard on his technique and his flexibility. I would be very happy to play to his level when I'm his age.

by raycastleunited Fri 16 Aug 2013, 10:38 am

shclaff wrote:I've only really caught the bug over the last 5 years or so, but very much hope to play in to old age. Just hope my back can handle it.

I played with a member at our club last year who's 68 and plays off 9. He can hit it about 230 off the tee, plays a slight draw. His ball striking is good and he has a decent short game. He plays within himself and he's obviously worked hard on his technique and his flexibility. I would be very happy to play to his level when I'm his age.

There's a 68 year old at my club who plays off 4, about a year ago he was still playing off 2. He hits it well over 250 off the tee with a lovely draw. Beautiful ball striker, just effortless. Would love to hit it like him now, let alone when I'm his age. Mind you his putting is dreadful, he could still be scratch with a decent short game.

by barragan Fri 16 Aug 2013, 10:45 am

There's a scratch handicap golfer at our club in his mid-late 60s. Plays most comps too so hardly protecting it either.

by raycastleunited Fri 16 Aug 2013, 10:47 am

super_realist wrote:Why dont they just refer to the ladies tees as forward tees inco and there you have it.
There are plenty men of all ages who shouldnt be playing off the yellows or whites and plenty women who are too good for the reds.

Very good point. There's a girl at my club who's off +2. Whenever I see her on the course she's playing off the red's... she's the best golfer at the club but plays the course 800 yards shorter than the geriatric old hackers who can barely swing the club back.

I don't think there are many men who could handle the dent in their pride of playing from the Ladies tees (even if they are not branded Ladies tees). The same way that many men think letting a faster group play through is an insult to their virility.

by busted Fri 16 Aug 2013, 10:54 am

incontinentia wrote:Perhaps clubs should add 'senior citizen' tees in order to make the game more accesible for those 70+.

Couldnt agree more. My dear old mum (whos 82) and used to be a 10 handicapper is really struggling to enjoy the game now. She hits it tops 150 yds off the tee and her rescue goes max 100. Shes just hitting wood after wood just to get to the normal length par 4;s.
A lot of her tee shots dont even reach the fairways - so she even misses out on getting any run.
It would be so much more interesting for her to compete with the other oldies if there were OAP tees way shorter.

Its not exactly difficult to set up , and Im sure theyd be happy just playing off a fairway tee, no need for a 'proper' one.

by barragan Fri 16 Aug 2013, 11:10 am

to be fair there are plenty of oldies at our club who play off some of the red tees. remember it came up at the agm, they requested if it was ok for them to play off 3 or 4 of the red tees for their own bounce games, where there is a longish carry to the fairway or a long walk back from the previous green and they were told 'of course you can'!

as for competitive ladies - it's difficult as their handicap system is based on the ladies sss, which at our course is the same as the back tee sss despite being miles shorter. if ladies were given handicaps based on the exact same criteria as mens handicaps (eg. red tee sss became 67/68 instead of 72), then you'd have a more adaptable situation. problem is, i guess the ladies playing off scratch don't want to suddenly become 4 or 5 handicappers all of a sudden! i was fortunate to be involved in a scratch match v the lothian ladies team earlier this year against a pair of 2 handicappers. bit of a bizarre experience having to nip 150 yards down to the back tees on some holes. would have been better if we'd met in the middle off the yellows. surprisingly we (as two 5 handicappers) prevailed by a hole in the end despite the distance and apparent handicap disadvantage. very enjoyable.

by kwinigolfer Fri 16 Aug 2013, 1:08 pm

On so many courses there are few tee-box options between the "mens" and the "ladies". Ours is a classic example:
6,800 - 7,000 yds from the tips.
6,600 from the whites (mens)
5,800 from the juniors
Something shorter from the reds.

At the age of 65 I've migrated to the 5,800 yard set-up, but that produces some funky design aspects - tee-boxes not really where they were designed to be. Usually find about 6,200 is about right.

I can assure those of you in your under-forties that 60-or-70-something doesn't seem that geriatric if you've kept yourself in reasonable nick. The ball may not travel quite so far, but course management experience compensates for a lot of that except in the lowest handicap ranges.

Plenty of 70-y-o's at the courses I play are still scoring surprisingly well - until you play with them and their skill and experience make it not so surprising after all.

by puligny Fri 16 Aug 2013, 1:59 pm

Using different tees is a great idea - they do it all the time in pro events after all. We very often play casual games where the men play off three different tees to ensure everyone enjoys the game. Can be more difficult for competitions as to rate the SSS the course has to be measured etc, and consequently any course made up of composite tees would need to be assessed.
On the question of age, I play lots of seniors events, most of which are age over 55 but with further break points at 65, 70 etc. There are some amazing golfers around. Chatting with one chap recently, a bit upset that at age 72 his handicap had just gone up to 1 (0.5) after 52 years at scratch or better! Scratch, 1and 2 handicaps are not unusual, and it is a pleasure to play with some who have for example played international amateur golf at every level, or spent some time as pros before reverting. You young 'ns have it all to look forward to!

by goldwolf Fri 23 Aug 2013, 11:24 am

Hi ray, yeah I could get out the once a month, trouble is that would just fuel my desire to play even more, it would kill me!

by kwinigolfer Fri 23 Aug 2013, 12:01 pm

I tried playing once a month when my children were born - hopeless, swing went south and scores sky-rocketed. A couple of drinks later I'd get slagged off for being out for six hours and the whole thing was just not worth it - might just as well have been pursuing a more Tiger-like agenda and got home much quicker.

Fortunately my son's enthusiasm for the game got us back out on the course before he was four - even if I was carrying his clubs and playing just with a wedge and a putter to keep level-ish with him!

Played off the forward tees last week, shot the front nine as if I was still in my thirties, the back as if I'd fast-forwarded to my eighties.
The joys of getting old.

by goldwolf Fri 23 Aug 2013, 12:07 pm

Unfortunately kwinI my son has little interest in golf any more, but then I can't afford to take him all that regular so it would be hard for him to get much of an appetite for it. Still kept our club's in the cupboard if he shows willing in the future!

by kwinigolfer Fri 23 Aug 2013, 12:14 pm

gw,
We were lucky, got him started at a friend's course so we'd just go out for free when it was quiet. Perfect! Burgers afterwards were the best and perhaps that was the real attraction for him!!

by goldwolf Fri 23 Aug 2013, 12:19 pm

Ha ha yeah I can see that would tempt my lad straight away, an I would have to give to him of course, ahem!

by oldshanker Fri 23 Aug 2013, 10:09 pm

kwinigolfer wrote:Played off the forward tees last week, shot the front nine as if I was still in my thirties, the back as if I'd fast-forwarded to my eighties.
The joys of getting old.

I understand that quote totally Kwini.

The number of times I play beautifully for 9 holes then a load of 'poopie' for the rest, or it could be the in 9 that is good or the middle nine.

Seems like I can no longer string 16-18 good holes together on the same day. picard

by dynamark Sun 25 Aug 2013, 4:57 pm

Could I refer to our old friend Boa well into his seventies and buys a new driver every month.
Game for life for sure little bit frustrating now loosing a few yards with all clubs but short game is always there .Lovely four ball yesterday with two guys I hadn't really met before and a young man who is hoping/planning to make his mark in the game.Im sure Ive said this before but a 7.30 tee off sat/sun morning and home for 1 ish should not be upsetting anyones partner in particular if you've been at work all week.Overall cost still an issue as a full club member but weekday fees usually excellent value.

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