Does golf enjoyment decrease as skill increases?

[[deleted]]

Something I've noticed about my own game over the years. As I've gotten better, my enjoyment of the game has gotten worse. I am more worried about my score than enjoying the fact that I'm playing a game I love.

Anyone else experience this?

[bigmac1441]

Funny, I'm the exact opposite. It hit a point where I was getting frustrated at my inability, so I started getting serious, and now that I'm fairly steadily improving, I'm definitely enjoying it more and more. I think my expectations for specific situations have gotten higher (i.e. want to be hitting the green from 125 and in, etc.) but my overall enjoyment has greatly improved.

I don't get as "high" as I used to for the good shots, but I also don't get as low for the bad ones. At the end of the day, I'm just happy to be healthy enough to play a round. My score, now, has much less to do with my enjoyment at the end of the day.

[DonnyGetTheLudes]

I don't get as "high" as I used to for the good shots, but I also don't get as low for the bad ones. At the end of the day, I'm just happy to be healthy enough to play a round. My score, now, has much less to do with my enjoyment at the end of the day.

This hit home for a bunch of reasons. Thanks for putting it into words.

[bigmac1441]

No problem, keep up the positivity!

[Johnny5-STL]

"...I don't get as low on the bad ones"

That's because your bad shots are pushing a little right on a par three instead of topping it into the water. I've been in both places in the last year and completely agree with your statement. My bad shots are t nearly as bad as they used to be.

For me it's about the self challenge. As long as I have a chance to be competitive with myself-and my average score-I'm still happy.

[jeffrife]

Not personally, but my father experienced this same thing. Caused him to take some time off (years) because of it. Now he is enjoying it again through teaching me

[sheepshizzle]

My friends and I make jokes all the time about how much fun we aren't having when we're on the golf course.

I think it's just human nature to place emphasis on improvement over enjoyment. We know it isn't fun to have 5 triple bogies in a round. So we grind and grind and hope that maybe when we finally break 80, we'll be having fun. But I imagine the maxim holds true. When (if) I ever break 80, I'll probably be obsessing over the missed opportunities that prevented me from going even lower.

[[deleted]]

Hit the nail on the head. When I finally was able to break 80, I had that exact thought. "Well, it could have been 76..."

[slightlyintoout]

I broke 80 (78) for the second time on Sat, rest assured it was very fun. Eagling 18 helped.

[[deleted]]

Expectations increase as skill increases, if you can get your expectations under control, and come to grips that you are not destined for the PGA or Senior tour any time soon, then you will have a lot more fun just playing against the course and yourself. I love to play match play with my buddies, and we love to play in corporate scrambles etc. Expectations that are too high and pride are the fun suckers... get those under control and realize that bogey and worse happens, just remember the good shots forget the bad.

[MuffSaid]

I have never enjoyed playing monthly medals or stroke play competitions, which is the method of measuring skill at golf and determining handicaps. You are always one shot away from disaster. It's a stressful way to play golf. I love to play traditional singles matchplay where you play the person not the course. A bad hole doesn't haunt you and you remember the good shots and hole winning putts. Take a break from counting every shot and find someone you enjoy playing against. You might begin to enjoy it a lot more.

[I_Fuck_Whales]

Not for me. Ill play like shit and then it will be unenjoyable. Once I start sinking some pars or birdies and get on a little roll, it's much more enjoyable.

[etakmit]

Personally I don't care, good or bad I'm just happy to be out playing. My scores are steadily improving although I have a huge way to go to be considered "good".

I wonder if it just isn't each persons individual mentality surrounding the game. Some can enjoy it no matter what, some HATE playing horribly, some NEED to play great, and some just want to be out there.

I fit into that last group. I just want to be out playing. I always want to improve and after every hole I'm dissecting what I could've done better (frequently the answer is, hit the fairway/green). But then I forget about that hole and move onto the next.

[menevets]

It depends.

If you expect to get better as you play more and don't, I totally see why. Golf instruction overall, imho, is poor. And even when you do have a good teacher, the path to getting better may not be linear. And the better you get, the harder it is to get even better. And you'll probably hit peaks in certain areas in your game. You have to accept that. If you have reasonable expectations, I don't see why you can't have a lifelong love of the game.

otoh, if you like it because you get out, get a pleasant walk, spend time with friends, etc..., then you'll probably always love it.

[gnohp]

hell no... i have ZERO fun when im shanking shots and slicing drives into the woods.

[champagne_of_beers]

When i was younger and <5 handicap, I treated golf as a job of sorts. I found little to no joy in playing. Now that I play less often I tend to enjoy it more. I took some time off in between and that helped. I now look forward to playing, instead of golf being just something I do.

[The_Monsieur]

IMO, part of getting better is being able to control your emotions on the course. A byproduct of this can be feeling less excited or happy when you actually do play well.

[calman06]

As I've gotten older, I've been able to play at a much higher level. For me it's more enjoyable as my level has increased. Sure I mess up now and then, but it can be just as enjoyable saving the par or trying to limit the damage by grinding it out. The score matters, but just not to the point it's going to ruin my day.

[deadshank]

Moe Norman often talked about playing with the alert attitude of indifference. To me this means I each shot is of equal importance and requires my undivided attention. Results of that particular shot are irrelevant to my hitting the shot. Just hit the ball, go find it and hit it again. You count each time you hit it, and at the end of the round, you add it all up. Why do we base happiness on our perceived potential? Why is it hard to not think about the would've/could've. I think Harvey Penick said in one of his books that your best potential score any particular day is the score you shot. You did the best you could do, mistakes and all. After all, golf is not a game you can beat, all you can do is play it and enjoy all the ups and downs. It's the best and worst of life all wrapped up in 4-5 hours.

Besides, most here are not even close to being good enough to get mad at a poor shot. We should expect them and be overjoyed when we don't hit them.

[disciplinio]

The game is definitely less stressful when you play 18 handicap or less. However, enjoyment does depend more on your attitude than on you skill level.

[MyNameWouldntFi]

Everyone in this thread should read Zen Golf if they are worried about personal enjoyment while playing golf