Getting old and giving up

[louise_a]

last season aged 70, I reached my lowest handicap, this year I have no consistency and worry that I have peaked, and its all increasing handicaps from now on, that said I will take the extra shots and play as long as I can get around the course

 

[bobmac]

Someone once said to me

''Golfers don't give up golf because they get old, they get old because they give up golf''

Seems true enough

 

[Lord Tyrion]

A friend of mine continuously mutters about giving up if he ever gets past a 15 hc, he was single figures in the past. I always ask what he will do instead, he is early 60's. He never has an answer and rejoins his club each year .

It isn't just the golf, it's the social aspect, the purpose to do something.

For those other good golfers who can't bear the thought of declining, do you have an alternative lined up? Maybe it's another sport, bowls, cycling, walking as examples. Could you do nothing?

 

[Voyager EMH]

A friend of mine continuously mutters about giving up if he ever gets past a 15 hc, he was single figures in the past. I always ask what he will do instead, he is early 60's. He never has an answer and rejoins his club each year .

It isn't just the golf, it's the social aspect, the purpose to do something.

For those other good golfers who can't bear the thought of declining, do you have an alternative lined up? Maybe it's another sport, bowls, cycling, walking as examples. Could you do nothing?

I don't have an alternative lined up and I do not like to think about not wanting to playing golf.

However, I do like the famous quote,

"Sometimes I sits and thinks. Other times I just sits."

 

[HeftyHacker]

Many ex-golfers make excellent bowlers. Hell, it took me 3 years to become club champion at bowls, the best I ever achieved at golf was a hatful of seconds.

I'm a similar vein, my dad is hopeless at golf but bloody good at bowls. However, his green reading skills at golf are superb as a result of the bowls. The few times he's joined me for the walk in an evening I've had him reading my putts and he had them pretty much perfect every time.

If I ever get near a 36 holer in one of the majors at our club I'll 100% have him on the bag for the second round.

 

[TigerTime]

I want to join in on the giving up, although I am only in my 30's.

From two 79's a few months ago to not being able to break 90 again . Actually regressed so much in a few months and it's not showing any signs of getting better either. Noticed today on the course my confidence is more or less gone at this point and I suppose most importantly I'm not enjoying it as much anymore. Don't expect to be at my best all the time of course and my expectations are fairly realistic in the sense that I might shoot 80-odd one day and 90 the next but every single flippin round is just dreadful. I'm just massively regressing in every area.
Mostly hitting fades off the tee all day, step up to the par 5 tee expecting a fade so played for that and I somehow managed to hook it into some thick juicy rough which took 2 shots to get out of. 4th shot and about 180yards left to the green I then topped my 5 iron about 50 yards. My next shot then came up short of the green. Chipped and then 3 putted for a 10 (TEN) ffs. Handicap from 14-18 in the space of a month or so and all my good scores dropping off the index at speed. Confidence has just been eroded completely and I have zero faith in qualifying for club champs this year. Qualified last year but had to withdraw because my flight back from Dublin got in 1 hour after my tee time for the first round so been really looking forward to it this year but at this rate I'm not even going to qualify. It's genuinely so flippin deflating and I can't even enjoy a casual knock with my mates anymore because of how bad it's got. When I'm not enjoying the game I guess that's time to take a break or go take up water polo.

 

[bobmac]

Mostly hitting fades off the tee all day, step up to the par 5 tee expecting a fade so played for that and I somehow managed to hook it into some thick juicy rough which took 2 shots to get out of. 4th shot and about 180yards left to the green I then topped my 5 iron about 50 yards. My next shot then came up short of the green. Chipped and then 3 putted for a 10 (TEN) ffs. When I'm not enjoying the game I guess that's time to take a break or go take up water polo.

Golf is all about how you hit it and where you hit it, it seems you're having problems with both.
But don't panic...all is not lost.
If you are hitting a fade all day, your swing is probably quite consistent although a bit out to in. Most of the time the clubface will be open a touch, causing the fade. But....sometimes, the clubface squares up or closes which causes the hook.
That suggests to me you have issues with your grip causing the inconsistency in direction. Get it checked would be my advice. Golf is much more fun from the middle of the fairway.

As for the topped 5 iron, it sounds like there's a bit of a sway going on. Try and turn better and sway less, that will improve your consistency of contact. You may also be hitting it too hard. A 180 yard shot with a fade is tough (depending on your lofts). Maybe back off the power and hit a smooth 4 instead.

And for the chip and 3 putts, get a short game lesson and practice, that can help enormously.

So check the grip to hit it straighter
Turn, don't sway to hit it better
Work at your chipping and putting

This drill may help...
Try and hit the ball under the shaft. When you get it right, the ball will go over the shaft.
Note the high backswing and low follow through.

 

[Voyager EMH]

In the comp at our club yesterday, a chap I've known for many years who must be around 70 years of age had two birdie 2s and a hole in one. We have five par-3s.
Thanks to a PCC of +2, he reduced his HI from 4.9 to 4.4.
That makes him 0.1 lower than me - the blighter! (Very happy for him - really I am)

Now I have two chaps older than me with lower handicaps.
This won't do - it really won't do at all.
I must improve.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I don't have an alternative lined up and I do not like to think about not wanting to playing golf.

However, I do like the famous quote,

"Sometimes I sits and thinks. Other times I just sits."

BIB…soon after I started my first job way back then, I stuck my head round the door of my boss. He was probably about age I am now. He was sitting in his chair gazing into the distance, then with a start he spotted me and said “sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits”.

I’ve kept that thought with me for near 40yrs now, as sometimes my head can become a washing machine of thoughts and it’s good to switch the washing machine off - and on the golf course by myself I can do that.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

BIB…soon after I started my first job way back then, I stuck my head round the door of my boss. He was probably about age I am now. He was sitting in his chair and with a start he spotted me and said “sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits”.

I’ve kept that thought with me for near 40yrs now, as sometimes my head can become a washing machine of thoughts and it’s good to switch the washing machine off - and on the golf course by myself I can do that.

I recall a business development meeting and the lecturer saiid....

'Don't dismiss the guy who does little and stares out the window.
It could ne Richard Dyson thinking about making a better Hoover.'

 

[clubchamp98]

A friend of mine continuously mutters about giving up if he ever gets past a 15 hc, he was single figures in the past. I always ask what he will do instead, he is early 60's. He never has an answer and rejoins his club each year .

It isn't just the golf, it's the social aspect, the purpose to do something.

For those other good golfers who can't bear the thought of declining, do you have an alternative lined up? Maybe it's another sport, bowls, cycling, walking as examples. Could you do nothing?

I can’t ever imagine a day I would give up playing.
I hovered around 4/5 cap most of my life.
I am 66 soon and off 7 now but shot 68 net yesterday.
in my head I can shoot level gross maybe I might give up if I start thinking I can’t.
I do cycle a lot , but would not count walking as a sport.

I just love the banter between the lads, ironically the only thing I miss about work.!

 

[williamalex1]

Ethan will be interested in this thread

 

[Tashyboy]

Always find it interesting when folk stop playing because they are not as good as they used to be when they were younger. Does that not apply to all sports. Fitness levels drop, ability to be as flexible as we used to be drops. It’s a natural thing to happen. As has been said numerous times. The mental health and physical exercise benefits are massive in later years. Something that is not a priority in our younger years.

 

[jim8flog]

Always find it interesting when folk stop playing because they are not as good as they used to be when they were younger. Does that not apply to all sports. Fitness levels drop, ability to be as flexible as we used to be drops. It’s a natural thing to happen. As has been said numerous times. The mental health and physical exercise benefits are massive in later years. Something that is not a priority in our younger years.

Having been on the handicap committee for a number of years I have had several players say to me that they would give the game up if their handicap was increased by much more.
I know I gave up snooker in my late 30s as I was fed up with the deterioration in my game.

 

[jim8flog]

One thing I have been saying a lot in the past year is that I wish a round of golf was only 15 holes. By the time I get to about 14 the anti-inflammatory drugs have worn off and I do not like taking another when I am not eating.

It was not so bad when a round of golf took less than 3 hours but now 4 hour rounds seem to be the norm it is another thing.

 

[Crazyface]

My HC has shot up to 18 this year, the wife says it's because of the various bits of sh one t ive had to deal with, but I'm finding this has increased my enohljoyment of the game. I've a shot in every hole. Wahooooo. Give up the game my eye.

 

[chrisd]

I was fed up with my handicap rising, my shots getting more erratic etc etc and, whilst I liked to play in the main club comps as well as the vets comps when I could, I was brassed off playing much worse golf than that I knew I was capable of, especially after winning the first main club comps of the year.

Having reached 71 I decided to go to a golf school and have a couple of days tuition ( detailed in the Post a review thread). Having worked on the swing and ridding myself of the bad stuff I'm really looking forward to next season and the opportunity to reduce my handicap back to a level I feel content with.

 

[Skytot]

I was fed up with my handicap rising, my shots getting more erratic etc etc and, whilst I liked to play in the main club comps as well as the vets comps when I could, I was brassed off playing much worse golf than that I knew I was capable of, especially after winning the first main club comps of the year.

Having reached 71 I decided to go to a golf school and have a couple of days tuition ( detailed in the Post a review thread). Having worked on the swing and ridding myself of the bad stuff I'm really looking forward to next season and the opportunity to reduce my handicap back to a level I feel content with.

Be interested to hear how your season goes..

 

[Yorkshire Hacker]

Started golf at 51. Now 20 years later, I am playing to my lowest ever handicap of 8.4. I have a new knee, and plenty of metal in my body, but golf is the one sport that drives me to keep fit. I still enjoy it, and I reckon that if the day came that I wasn't enjoying it, I would find another sport. I have always thought from the day I started that golf is an amazing sport. As has been mentioned a few times on this thread, what other activity sport can you compete fairly with different ages and abilities thanks to the (much discussed) handicap system?

 

[mikejohnchapman]

When Covid hit I decided that my golfing expertise had already peaked and chasing distance with the latest technology was basically a waste of time (and money). I decided to concentrate on putting and improving my scores on the greens. Phil Kenyon's Putting Academy was my chosen means of surviving lockdown and it did make a noticeable difference. I have continued to use the drills and techniques ever since.

It has been an enjoyable journey and kept me enthusiastic about my golf rather than just getting depressed about my inability to hit the ball as far as I did 20 years ago.