Golf and Kids....

[ev123uk]

....anyone else have any experience of thier golf game going to pot after having their first child? i have a two month old daughter....2 months that have co-incided with the worst golf ive ever played!! I've heard many stories of people giving the game up for a few years sfter the birth of thier kids but i dont really want to do that although i'm losing the will with the game at the moment, mainly due to being too tired to play and the knock on effects it has on concentration. Just wondered if anyone esle had gone through this and what you did?

 

[brendy]

Yup I think it definately doesnt help, played of 6 when my first was born, now playing of 9 though the good lady now reminds me I can take the eldest (now 5) to the range with me which is cool as she has a couple of clubs and a pair of footjoy juniors
This year the game has become a little less frustrating and I think mellowing out a little is helping. Still cant wait for each saturday too!

I know of a couple of young lads who were looking really promising then found girls and drink, they are still pretty good but dont practice as much now.

 

[Macster]

Its called 'life'.

I took the game up 20yrs ago, shortly before we had our 2 children, and had to sneak in practise after they went to bed etc.
Hardly ever played at weekends either, duties as a parent outweighed the Golf i'm afraid, as it should.

Accept that you arent gonna have the time you want for it, but try and plan some time for yourself, and your wife too, but it does get easier as they get older.
Mine are 18 & 16 now, and quite frankly, Ive got more time than ever for the game now, and playing off the lowest H/C Ive ever been too.

If you try and remain obsessed with the game, your home life will suffer, so accept the limitations and your responsibility, and enjoy it when you can.

 

[AndrewG]

I would have liked to have take it up properly a lot earlier, and now, finally, I just about have enough time to get a game in weekly, or fortnightly (my daughter is now 3). I'm not going to win any tour spots, but if I can keep my game ticking over, I'll be happy. The nice thing about golf is that you can play it all your life, and I play with a bunch of single figure hcap 50 and 60 somethings to prove it...

 

[Mike_j_golf]

Hi,
Have a 5 week old and the golf went to pot for 5 weeks just have to try and drink lots of coffee and red bull the days u are able to play to try and keep awake.
Mike

 

[haplesshacker]

Yep. It does.

I have a 2.5 year old and a 14 week old. I really suffered earlier this year, due to lack of sleep and patience being pushed to the limit at every moment. It really doesn't help the concentration, or the feeling of relaxation.

AS someone's already said. That's life.

You're perfectly normal.

 

[birdieman]

For me it hasn't got worse, this season I've improved a little.

I can't play as many matches each season and I'm playing next to no Opens (I used to play quite a few).
I dealt with this by practicing more and playing less. I can hit 80 or 100 balls in 45 minutes. Nipping out for under an hour is way way better than disappearing for 5 hours when the Mrs needs some help with the kids.

Your golf doesn't have to suffer but you need to plan better, change course time for range/practice area time.

Get a grandparent to help on the morning your medals are. Also make a point of giving the Mrs time away to do her thing by looking after wee ones one day of the weekend at least.

Bottom line is kids and family come first. However most partners will realise as a bloke you need that blokey escape time to play golf. Just keep it within reason.

 

[wrighty]

On the bright side, because of my little angels waking up so bloomin' early, I can arrive at the course just as they're opening up, have the practice range to myself, warm up properly and still tee off at 0730 feeling fresh as a dasiy because I've already been up for 2 hours!!!

(N.B. works summer months only and is wife dependant....)

 

[vig]

My golf went south, I didn't play for years

 

[stevek1969]

Always tried to play as early as i could so then the wife could go out in the afternoon to get time to her self , now mine are 14 and 10 its not so bad they come with me in the summer at nights and to the driving drange in the winter ,happy days.