walked off the course like a ? end

[Bamberdele2.0]

It’s finally happened. A last minute decision to play with my social group and a rush to get to the tee off in time. First hole 3 off the tee, 3rd hole 4 putt. 4th hole thinned from 60 yards over the back never to be found. Stepped on to the 5th. See you later. 3 off the tee onto the 4th fairway.

An apology to my PP’s and made a sharp exit. We were a 3 ball so I wasn’t leaving anyone hanging.

Headed straight onto the range where the clubman (currently in process of getting his coaching badges) took some sort of empathy towards me and offered to give me a lesson out of his own generosity. Left feeling good.

Not something I am proud of and I am genuinely embarrassed for doing so but every man has their breaking point. And all this comes off the back of shooting one of my best scores at the weekend winning a society day.

From hero to zero within a couple of days.

Rant over.

Anyone done anything similar recently to make me feel less like a ? end ?

 

[theoneandonly]

I fear the usual faces will give you a bit of a bashing for the above...
I personally DGAF if someone leaves as long as they actually do it and don't spend the entire round telling me they've have enough and are going to walk soon ?

 

[Voyager EMH]

Me, no, never. Doesn't bother me at all if others do it. Their decision that they are free to make.

I step onto the first tee to play 18 holes and I see it through to the bitter end no matter what garbage I play.
I consider it to be a test of character in those circumstances.

Next hole, fresh start, can I make par even though I'm playing crap?
Same question to ask yourself every hole.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger - some truth in this with regard to "character building".

Serious problems with swing etc - leave them until tomorrow, off the course.
Often I have found that all I need is a good night's sleep.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

I’ve only ever walked off once in anger, these days I wouldn’t unless injured.

I’d use the time to try and work my way out of it. The next shot might just be the one to snap you out of a slump.

That said. I have played with people and wished they would call it a day after spending a lot of time looking for balls are waiting for them to hit another provisional.

 

[JonnyGutteridge]

I have done it once, I have probably posted about it previously. I don’t judge you, and I think it’s acceptable providing it’s a one off/extreme circumstance.

First hole, tee shot went down the right hand side into the heather, but not terrible. Neither playing partner watched the shot. I hit a provisional down the left into the rough, neither of them watched it.
Both balls were not found, so I ran back to the tee. They then found my ball whilst I was running back, but told me they thought it was >5 mins (old rules) so my 5th shot off the tee had to be the ball in play. I made a 9 - all shots gone on the 1st.

I proceeded to try and pull it together but struggled with my game, and compounded it with some 3 putts by desperately trying to hole putts from everywhere to save my score.

Similar scenario happened again on the 7th where they didn’t watch my shot or even help me look. I eventually found it, went to take my medicine with a wedge and failed to get out of the heather. The wedge was snapped promptly across my knee, and at the turn I walked in - citing that the round was doing more damage to my golf game as well as my bank balance.

It was just destructive, we are all out there to enjoy it and I’ve never enjoyed 9 holes less. Why stay in that circumstance?

 

[Orikoru]

I've never walked off due to playing badly, I don't think. Usually I go through something similar to the stages of grief. Denial and anger until the point where I think a good score will be impossible; bargaining and depression as I feel sorry for myself briefly, but then acceptance when I decide "oh well, the score is dead, let's just try and enjoy for what it is now, a day out in the fresh air with some like-minded people". Usually after reaching this stage, I start playing better golf as if by magic. As we all know by now, the key to playing great golf is to stop caring about the crap golf.

Another factor is, when I have played badly my overall feeling is that I want to get back out on the course ASAP to right the wrongs and play properly - so walking off in the middle would be completely counter-intuitive while there are still more holes to 'put it right'.

 

[Rlburnside]

No never walked off if I’m playing badly it’s not the end of the world and I will try to finish the round better.

I’ve only been close to walking off once that was because of my brother who’s sadly not with us now, but he was the worst person to play with if he got the hump.

But many other great memories playing with him.

 

[Deleted member 23344]

I’m like Orikoru. Also, if it is only a social game, I pointedly tear up my card and play the rest of the round for fun. It’s surprising how often that makes me play better … I guess that when the pressure of the score is off, one relaxes and so plays better.

 

[Swango1980]

Years ago I played a morning round with 3 mates. I had been playing badly, but on last tee my swing was so steep and fat that the clubhead bounced over the ball, air shot. I picked ball up and didn't play the hole.

However, we were then playing a 2nd round about 30 miles away in the afternoon. Drove all the way there and teed up on the 1st. I did exactly the same type of air shot on the tee. So angry, I picked ball up and walked off. I went to the practice area angrily, just to try and see if I could hit a ball. Calmed down after a bit, and the car park was conveniently next to the 3rd tee box. I saw my mates finish the second, and then joined them again on the 3rd. After the 3rd, I was 2 points ahead of last place in that group

 

[Imurg]

The day after H4H at Tandridge a couple of years ago.
We were at Hankley Common and there was a biblical amount of rain overnight..so just so that roads were flooded and it was touch and go as to whether we'd get out at Hankley.
Wed stayed the night at the purple Palace in Aldershot and my room overlooked the back door of a supermarket who were taking in deliveries all night.
I don't sleep well at the best of times so got, maybe, an hour or 2 at most.
Got to Hankley not feeling great and fully expecting to not play due to the rain
Eventually they said we could go and, it seemed, I was rushing around getting ready and getting out to the tee - shotgun start and we had to drive to a car park in the middle of the course..
Feeling even worse now I played the first 3 or 4 holes...badly, teed up on the next and hooked it into Hampshire, made my apologies and went....
Head was totally gone and I wasn't helping the 3 others I was playing with..can't have been nice for them.
Felt better off out of it.
We do this for fun
As long as you're not leaving anyone in the lurch, if you're feeling that bad....get out.
It's a game
It's not life or death.

 

[funkycoldmedina]

I never have until a few weeks ago. I'd been fighting the unmentionables for a month. Did lots to try and sort it out and the game was excruciating every time I went out. Then I lost 10 balls in 7 holes, all socketed straight right. Had to apologise and walk off, I was clearly making things worse. Didn't play for 3 weeks as I needed a mental reset

 

[Bamberdele2.0]

If I played a social round with PP who would be constantly looking for their ball on every hole I do not think I would discourage them in the slightest if they decided to call it a day. Nor would I judge. If I’m honest I would probably be a little relieved to see the back of them lol

 

[Baldy Bouncer]

I never have until a few weeks ago. I'd been fighting the unmentionables for a month. Did lots to try and sort it out and the game was excruciating every time I went out. Then I lost 10 balls in 7 holes, all socketed straight right. Had to apologise and walk off, I was clearly making things worse. Didn't play for 3 weeks as I needed a mental reset

Do you mean the SHANKS?
Nothing to be scared of by saying or typing Shank.

 

[Bobthesock]

Walking off is giving up. You will never become a player by giving up

 

[Backache]

Don't recall ever walking off a course other than for bad weather.
I've had a couple of folk walk off during medals but always with an apology and redoing the marking, no complaints better than playing with someone in a foul mood.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Closest I’ve been to doing it due to rubbish golf and my head gone was some years ago when I was deep in darkest Shankland (being that dark place where doth live the evil beings that are the Shanks).

Playing a medal I had already hit a few but was just about hanging together as I played our par 4 9th. Hit perfect tee shot down middle…ended up holing out for 12 having explored fully the right hand side of the hole and the rough and bushes it contained. I said I really couldn‘t continue, and that I’d walk in. My playing companions encouraged me to keep going, that I’d work through it. I did, and that round I didn’t. It was close.

Me and a mate as a two ball did once walk off a medal round as it had taken us over two and half hours to play nine. We just couldn’t be bothered so we jointly tossed in the towel and escaped the frustration.

 

[Jigger]

I’m like Orikoru. Also, if it is only a social game, I pointedly tear up my card and play the rest of the round for fun. It’s surprising how often that makes me play better … I guess that when the pressure of the score is off, one relaxes and so plays better.

I’m personally hoping your football team crumbles under the same pressure on Saturday ?

 

[Deleted member 23270]

I've walked off, not in a huff though. We are amateurs and we play for fun. If it's not fun then what's the point. I politely made my apologies and wished the guys the best for the remainder of the round.

 

[Backache]

Actually amendment to the above post I have walked off when it’s just been unbearably slow.

 

[HeftyHacker]

I've never walked off the course but I have got to the point of throwing and snapping before. Weirdly both instances that stick in my head were when I was a much higher handicapper than I am now when bad shots/holes/days were pretty much a given.

Nowadays I think I'd laugh it off and resign myself to one of those days at the office and either NR and just use it as a bit of practice or try and redeem myself.

I played at fairhaven recently in a club match and didn't even attempt a putt for 4 holes i was that bad... my partner probably felt like I'd walked in that day.

I parred the 18th to halve the match and he said "bloody hell you are here, I thought you'd left after 9!"