David,

It's the latter.  If you've got kids and less time then you had when you were a single digit, you can't be so hard on yourself.  Everyone's got priorities and if you chose golf over your kids you'd have a different mental problem.  I'm sure once I have a kid my cap will skyrocket... and to be honest with you, nobody cares what you shoot except you.  Embarrassing shots happen to the Pros, they just happen to us mere mortals more often.  Just laugh off your misses and try to make the next one.  Unless it pays your mortgage, golf is all about fun.

Also if you're noticing that you don't 'find' your swing till the sixth hole, I'd suggest spending a bit more time warming up.  Even if it's just 10-20min.  Hit a small bucket before you tee off and find out what swing you'll be working with and play it.  One morning on the range I could only hit a draw that moved about 15 yards (weird for me).  Instead of trying to fix it, I just aimed everything to the right.  It was awkward but it worked, and I shot one of my best rounds of the summer.

Your AP2's are fine and you're good enough to hit them.  Just go into your next round with a bit more warmup and no expectations- except to have fun.  

I couldn't agree more with Josh.....have fun, and focus on the days in the future when you can work on your game more, with the kids...!! Some of our most fun was the early evenings when my boys (now 33 and 35) were 6 and 8, and we'd go over to the club and chip and putt until it got dark.....

                                                           B.P.

Josh G replied to Re: Not playing well right now... in General.

David, It's the latter.  If you've got kids and less time then you had when you were a single digit, you can't be so hard on yourself.  Everyone's got priorities and if you chose golf over your kids you'd have a different mental problem.  I'm sure once I have a kid my cap will skyrocket... and to be honest with you, nobody cares what you shoot except you.  Embarrassing shots happen to the Pros, they just happen to us mere mortals more often.  Just laugh off your misses and try to make the next one.  Unless it pays your mortgage, golf is all about fun. Also if you're noticing that you don't 'find' your swing till the sixth hole, I'd suggest spending a bit more time warming up.  Even if it's just 10-20min.  Hit a small bucket before you tee off and find out what swing you'll be working with and play it.  One morning on the range I could only hit a draw that moved about 15 yards (weird for me).  Instead of trying to fix it, I just aimed everything to the right.  It was awkward but it worked, and I shot one of my best rounds of the summer. Your AP2's are fine and you're good enough to hit them.  Just go into your next round with a bit more warmup and no expectations- except to have fun.

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David,

I agree, I think it is the second one. I think your expectations are a bit high relative to how much you are able to practice and play.

It is very hard to score well only playing a dozen times a year and practicing rarely.

The good news is, you still have the putting touch.

I would guess your chipping and short game are a bit rusty sadly. But I would use my practice time on the long game just to get back "into the game".

I would suggest, if possible, to get to the practice range once or twice a week (for even a half hour) and try to hit balls within days before playing a round. Also, as suggested, try to hit some balls on the range before your round.

Finally, keep your expectations low and have fun. I know it is hard but since a round is rare and so precious you might as well not worry too much about score and just enjoy hitting some good shots etc.

Hopefully the kids will get interested in the game as they get older and you'll be able to spend time with the kids and play more golf and play it well.

I know it is hard and not a lot of fun given where you were but hang in there and enjoy your rounds. Best of luck.

Welcome to the club!  Young kids are great to have around (I have a 2 year old and a 7 year old myself) but they can certainly have an impact on your golf game (and add a few more strokes to your handicap)!  At the end of the day, there will be more time later on in life to work on your golf game.  To be honest, this sounds more like a personal (mental/physical/whatever) issue as opposed to an equipment issue.  For now, I would recommend just getting out and having fun.  If you are not consistently playing or practicing, the fact that your golf scores are going up is normal.  Just go with it, enjoy the good shots, and leave the bad ones behind.  As Josh brought up, most of us don't do this for a living (which is a good thing because most of us would probably starve to death) and we actually play this game to relax and have fun!  Take it for what it is and your game will surely come back once you can devote a little more time to it.

Mike C replied to Re: Not playing well right now... in General.

Welcome to the club!  Young kids are great to have around (I have a 2 year old and a 7 year old myself) but they can certainly have an impact on your golf game (and add a few more strokes to your handicap)!  At the end of the day, there will be more time later on in life to work on your golf game.  To be honest, this sounds more like a personal (mental/physical/whatever) issue as opposed to an equipment issue.  For now, I would recommend just getting out and having fun.  If you are not consistently playing or practicing, the fact that your golf scores are going up is normal.  Just go with it, enjoy the good shots, and leave the bad ones behind.  As Josh brought up, most of us don't do this for a living (which is a good thing because most of us would probably starve to death) and we actually play this game to relax and have fun!  Take it for what it is and your game will surely come back once you can devote a little more time to it.

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A few weeks back I shot a personal best, and broke 90 for the first time in my life.  Hit 88 at my local course.  Followed it with a 92, then an 87 a week later!  I felt great and was very confident in my swing and getting on the green with a chance a par, if not birdie.

My last few rounds I have shot 94, 96, 113, 104......just terrible.  I can't hit anything but my 3W off the tee right now.  Several holes I was inside 120 yards off the tee and took 3 more strokes just to get on the green.

My instructor reminded me that you are only going to shoot your handicap 1 in 10 times.  He also reminded me that a few months back RM shot a 63 and followed it with a 78 the next day.  If he can have a 15-stroke swing, don't you think us mere mortals will have some bad days!

I agree with the others, warm up before you play and relax and have fun.  If we were all as consistent as be believed we think we should be....well...we wouldn't be paying to play golf anymore!  

Hey David,

I'm with you 100%.  I have 2 kids, 5 and 3 and it's been tough to get out myself.  My last few rounds have been horrendous (by my standards).  I agree with you that it can be embarrassing when you go high but I've come to realized i just don't get out enough...   I have the same mental thoughts at times about going out and shooting low..  Then reality hits..   If i go low, great, if i go high life goes on and they'll be another time.  I'm just blessed I'm able to get out when i can.

When i do play though, i always try to hit a small bucket at the range if there is one..   

So don't be hard on yourself, i think it's the mental part.  Just have fun when you're able to get out and if the course is not busy and not holding anyone up, hit a few more and enjoy those AP2s. 

On a different note, not sure how old your kids are but right now i have a net in my yard so me and  the boys love going out and hitting some balls..   That could be one way/excuse to keep practicing :).   I'll be honest though, i rarely get to hit any b/c i'm having too much fun watching my boys hit..  Life doesn't get any better than that and wish they could stay young forever.

Here's a pic of my oldest hitting...  He doesn't always swing like this but this one time he had the perfect backswing.. And he loves being recorded :)

I wish you all the best David, keep plugging away and have fun! 

Cheers!

P.S.  Kudos to Josh, you're right on the money bud..  Well said...   

thanks to all that replied to "not playing right now"....i will try to (won't be ez) to be well a little easier on  myself....it sounds like i am not the first family guy to choose kids and kids activities over golf rounds then to find out  that now my golf is not that good anymore. i don't do much social media-   facebook, twitter, etc... but this site i like a lot b/c of the smart replies i get when i need some help with something.

thanks!!

David

The last 5-6 years before I retired, I was swamped at work and only played 2-3 times A YEAR!!, due to the position I was in. Needless to say, my game suffered tremendously. Now in retirement, I play almost at will ( I still have a wife, you know ). The point is weather it's work, kids, or both sometimes golf time will suffer. Play when time allows and enjoy it. Eventually more golf time will come.

                                                                                          Frank P

I will agree with all the responses every one has posted I have been there my self 5-6 years ago if I shot above 78 I was very mad, then came the 80's and even a few 90's it was very hard after having  a +2 handicap to dipping in the 90's a few times a year and all the guys asking what is wrong. The only advice I can really give is stay with what works best we can all hit 300 yard drives and high flop shots into tight pins over bunkers but not playing or practicing 3-4 times a week the odds go up to maybe 1 in 20 or so and that just leads to doubles and worse. One thing that really helped me was finding control and hitting easy 7 irons 155-160 instead of trying to hammer one 175-180. This year for me has been about making a bogey my worst score and trying to get up and down from 50 yards instead of flying it high over a tree to a tight pin and hitting 3 wood to find a fair way instead of driving a green and to be honest I have had 2 of my lowest rounds ever and I am playing more consistent golf than I ever did when I was a lower handicap. So find what every one calls there money shot stick to it  and just face facts that your not gonna work the ball both ways hit it as long as you used to and just stay with control and what works best. Hope this helps and like I said we have all been there it will work out for you and best of luck sometimes our egos get in the way of a good round and once I got past mine the game got a lot better lol lol .

Don't beat yourself up too bad David, life gets in the way sometimes, and with little ones in the house, that is the big thing.  Family always comes first, so don't worry about that.  You will have plenty of time to play when they get older, and if you can, get them involved as much as possible so you all can do it. 

I have been out of the golf world for over 20 years, and finally picked the clubs up again in March of this year....talk about a disaster, but I love to play....I only play 2-3 times a month, but mess around chipping in the yard and stuff all the time.  I usually hit in the mid to upper 90s and I am happy with that, although this weekend I had an absolute melt down and hit well into the 100s....

My point to this whole thing is, play when you can, enjoy the game and the time with the guys or whom ever you play with, and don't worry about the score, and much as improving your mechanics or whatever you decide to do. 

Good luck and hit em straight!!

Hey, Dave!

Relax, dude!  20 rounds per year?  what if you went to work 20 times a year?  do you think you would be successful?  I've played over 1,000 rounds over the last three years.  That's not 100.  That's ONE THOUSAND!  You wanna get better?  Practice.  Play.  Practice some more.  Play some more.  

WOW! THAT'S A LOT OF GOLF. OUT OF MY 7 RDS THIS YR I DID SHOOT A  A FEW GOOD ONES TOO-  IT WAS JUST THE LAST TWO THAT SENT ME OVER THE EDGE....YOU JUST MADE ME FEEL A LOT BETTER VURICH..... I   IS 1000 RDS IN 3 YRS  EVEN POSSIBLE? 

GOOD FOR YOU  VURICH AND THANKS FOR CHEERING ME UP!

DAVID.

Welcome to TT David. You've received a lot great advice from some great people. Permit me to add one more idea. BH, during our first meeting in 1982, asked me if I owned a "heavy club", one that would allow me to keep the swing muscles strong and flexible. I made one to his recommendation. However, you might consider getting a "Momentus Swing Trainer" and trying to get in 25-30 swings per day, wherever you can.

Fred C replied to Re: Not playing well right now... in General.

Welcome to TT David. You've received a lot great advice from some great people. Permit me to add one more idea. BH, during our first meeting in 1982, asked me if I owned a "heavy club", one that would allow me to keep the swing muscles strong and flexible. I made one to his recommendation. However, you might consider getting a "Momentus Swing Trainer" and trying to get in 25-30 swings per day, wherever you can.

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