Walked off the course as I had imploded, right or wrong?

[Mark_G]

I was really looking forward to todays round, hadnt played for a week and had played ok last time, but today after a reasonable opening few holes I completely imploded, unable to hit anything straight or with any consistent strike at all. I decided to leave the two chaps I was playing with on the 7th as I was holding them up and the following groups were starting to close up too much. I went straight to the Academy course and practised my swing for the next few hours with a pitching wedge (obviously improving as I added 30 yards onto my normal distance, with great accuracy). What I want to know is, was I correct in walking off the course to practice? I think I was, but the chaps I play with wanted me to carry on. I think my head had gone, are there any techniques to get back in the zone whilst battling on?

 

[robbest3offthetee]

Mark, Think you may have been wrong, Even if your having a mare, which I was today (29 points), Have never walked off, Your game can come back as quickly as it goes, you just have to plug away....

 

[Digging a hole for myself]

Personally, I don't think you would have done yourself or your friends any favours by playing on when you were seeming so distraught. I've done the same myself once before and I would do it again.

The only caveat I would make is that it can only be how you walk off that matters - in a huff isn't really cricket, whereas with dignity, apologies and possibly an offer to buy your partners a pint back in the 19th is the way I would play it.

 

[Mark_G]

Quite agree DHM, I apologised to the chaps, shook hands and told them that I was going to practice, if I was not slowing the others and the rest of the course up I may have struggled on, but if I ruin my game then thats my fault, but if I ruin other peoples enjoyment, and hold up the whole course, that's just not fair. Rob, I havent done it before, and hope I don't have to do it again, I think a club could of been snapped if I continued though.

 

[BTatHome]

Competition rules at our place would mean you will get banned for next two comps, for walking off the course.

 

[Ethan]

Competition rules at our place would mean you will get banned for next two comps, for walking off the course.

Really? I think that is rather an over-reaction. No rule of golf saying you can't walk off the course. What is the difference with finishing but not marking the last whatever number of holes?

 

[JustOne]

Walking off is not big deal... just don't do it in a comp (....he says after having done it twice himself)

Sometimes it's worth just staying for the sake of trying something different or just to see if you can figure out what you're doing wrong.... but it's really up to you if it's just a friendly game. If it is a comp and you're score is already fecked then you might just aswell carry on, you're already going up by 0.1 so it's hardly going to matter even if you hit 9-iron off every tee after that.

 

[Mark_G]

Something to bear in mind BT, hadnt even considered that, hence the questions. First competition is next week.

 

[MikeySQ]

If its not going well just focus on something you want to work on through the rest of your round..

 

[BTatHome]

We had a spate of people having a bad day and simply giving up, signing their card and then walking in. It could easily ruin a good day for the other members of the groups,particularly if one them then has an injury and has to withdraw for good reason, leaving the last player with nobody to mark their card.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Only walked off once in a social game and that was because I'd stopped enjoying it and to be honest I don't think the others were enjoying it either. Have never walked in on a comp round although I did NR a few weeks back when the back went. If its a comp then I'll set myself mini goals (buffer zone, breaking nett 80, breaking 90 then 100 gross etc) to try and give myself something to focus on. If you are really struggling then I guess 6 iron off the tee, another forward another on and then try and 2 putt is the only way to go.

 

[Smiffy]

Walking off is bad enough. Walking off to go and practice??? Stinks to me (personally).
If you are walking off because you are playing so badly, then go home and kick the cat or put the clubs on ebay fair enough.

 

[chrisd]

If you walked off due to poor form playing with me, that would be the last time you would get the chance. For me, and I'm sorry if it offends you, but the game is not about you and you owe it to the others you are out with to act with manners and good grace.

Injury or sickness are pretty much the only valid reasons for walking in, but to go and pratice??

 

[ScienceBoy]

I have no problems at all with someone leaving a friendly game, that's what it is.. a game! Real life gets in the way, not having fun, not really feeling up to it etc are all fine. If you are not having fun why be there, if you leave to go practice and for the benefit of others in the friendly game that's fine too.

In a competitive game you better have a darn good reason, bad illness, injury or some family emergency are fine as real life does take precedence in importance but just because you are having a bad game... NO EXCUSE!

As you can see I draw a clear line here between leaving a round in a friendly game or in a competition (society games count as competition!)

 

[paul1874]

If you walk off that's your choice....you don't need the approval of others

 

[chrisd]

If you walk off that's your choice....you don't need the approval of others

No you dont, but I bet you would find it more difficult to find playing partners as you build a reputation for doing it!

 

[Essex_Stu]

Came very close saturday to walking back to the car and putting the clubs away. Couldnt stop shanking with my irons over the first 9(10 points) and I was getting mentally and physically annoyed which cant be pleasant for anyone else. We were stuck behind members from the same swindle in a four ball who had lost at least 3 holes on the previous 6 3 balls from the swindle. Offered at the 9th to just walk the course and mark the card as it got that bad but the others wanted me to carry on. Hit my only decent iron shot of the day on 11 to birdie a hole I hadn't before but still only came back with 10 points. The back 9 I treated as a laugh and didnt worry about the score. The golf didnt improve but my metallity did and was glad I played on.

 

[patricks148]

Only ever walked off once in a medal.

shot 28 over for 8 holes, didnt miss a fairway with the driver either.

Sherman on pretty much every iron shot , lost a shed load of golf balls too.

It was doing my two playing partners no good watching this and having to look for balls in the right hand rough and gorse.

depends on what#s gone on, on the course really.

 

[Mark_G]

Thanks for the replies gentlemen, I appreciate the responses. I would like to point out a few things, not as excuses, but to explain my reasoning to go and practice away from everyone. It was a friendly game, the course was very busy, and I was slowing my playing partners up a lot, and this wasn't playing badly, it was complete meltdown. I appreciate my actions may have been a mistake, but my concern was holding up following groups. I would have quite happily skipped a few holes, but didnt feel it fair to my friends. I hope I never am in the same situation again but if I am, I will bear your comments in mind.

 

[CrapHacker]

I'm with the stay and suffer brigade.

Golf isn't an easy game, and suffering will make you stronger in the long run. It's about finding something that works on the day, not only playing when it's all going good.

If you walk off once because things are soooo bad, then what happens next time things are sooo bad? Then the time after when it's only soo bad??

I had a game when I was playing bad, and it steadily got worse and worse But the time I reached the tenth it got to soooo bad I could hardly move the ball forward two yards at a time.

At the end of the 11th I decided to play as if I had just been warming up, and I was just walking out to tee off for the first time that day. Purely mental trickery, but it got me round the last 7 holes.

I've never played that bad before, and never want to again. But walk off?

Never.