Is golf your main hobby, or just one of many?

[Sluggo42]

I think part of the reason I never got really good at the game was a lack of dedication due to other interests. I was into playing in my rock and roll bands, and my bass fishing, so I had to divide my available time into thirds. I’ve pretty well hung up the rock and roll as the hours and lugging gear became a bigger hassle than it was worth.

but, now my tournament fishing season starts in a few weeks and that takes up time too. Sometimes I wish I could hit balls every day, but I’m afraid I would get burnt out. I just don’t seem to have that killer instinct that the really good players have.

just how dedicated are you?

[Shankster]

Main Hobby as of recent.

I tried guitar, sucked.

Tried fly fishing, sucked.

Tried woodworking, I’m too much of a perfectionist and can’t get my hands to do what my mind is thinking.

Used to love working on cars... then I became a mechanic.

Running is my side gig right now. Getting me by for winter.

Getting back into photography, going to try and mix that with golf more.

[cnosil]

Golf is pretty much my only hobby.  Have thought about trying other things,  but never get really motivated to do anything.  

I play once a week and spend a bunch of other time testing for MGS.  I will probably spend more time at the range over the winter and into the spring to try and improve.   I really enjoy learning about new equipment,  how all the tech works, and trying to get better.  

[RickyBobby_PR]

It’s one of a couple but the one that gets the most attention 

[Mr. 82]

You're a 1.7 handicap and you'd rather be fishing?

I'll give it to you straight.  I'm 51 years old and I can honestly say I'll probably be no better than a 6 handicap no matter how much blood, sweat and tears I give golf.  I live with lower back pain that reminds me every day I'm no longer in my 20s when I could free wheel it and do whatever stupid crap I wanted to to my body and it would never complain.  I found out a few years ago I can't even hit off of mats for more than about 30 iron shots or I'd develop pain in my pecs that would last a week.

I'd give 100% of my time to this game, and I doubt it would matter honestly.  Some people have a natural gift to blast it 300 yards effortlessly, and develop a short game that makes shooting 68 a frustrating round because more putts didn't drop.  Frankly I wouldn't know.  I've shot 71 three times, and every one of those times it was a miracle.  But then I see some 15 year old kid outdrive me by 50 yards and walk off the course shooting 74 and not even trying.  Meanwhile I limp home to that frustrating 82.

Maybe I'm just in the winter of my discontent, but this last year I gave a ton of time and effort to this game, and didn't do much else, and frankly golf is a thankless game.  I have to work a 40 hour a week job, so I try and squeeze in practice when I can.  But then you show up at the local muni on a Saturday afternoon only to have the guy in the pro shop tell me I can't go out even as a single, because the local club pro has his school of 30 juniors who just took the next two hours of tee times.  Sure, let the kids play, but those of us older guys are screwed and just go home without hitting a shot.

I've got a call list of a half dozen guys who play golf somewhat normally or on a somewhat regular basis.  But I bet if I tried to schedule a tee time with any of them for next Saturday that all six of them would have something else going on, and even if one of them was half interested, the only way I'd get him to the course is if the round was free to him.  This is hypothetical of course, but the point basically is that no one that I know truly gives a crap about golf, at least not even semi seriously.  And the one guy who is as serious as I am is a member of the private club around the corner from my house that I can't afford and could never join and still make my bills.

I honestly don't know what prompted this rant, but I just get so sick of putting my heart and soul into golf and having it slap me in the face in about 10,000 different ways.  But what other hobbies do I have?  I can only play so much piano, and singing in the choir only takes up so much of your time.  I'd play more ping pong, but you need someone to play against, because unlike golf, you need a playing partner to actually play ping pong.

Life was a lot easier when we were kids.  I had my younger brother who was usually around to go hit the links with.  Now everyone is busy with 10,000 other things.

[tony@CIC]

Same here, it is primary at least for a while.


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[deauxrite]

Golf is my only hobby.  I have tried fishing, hiking, wood working, and enjoyed them all...but I always come back to golf.  It has something to do with the combination of fellowship and the challenge.  I have decided that whether I get better or not, I am going to enjoy every round, good or bad.  My goal is to become a better putter..we can all be good putters if we work on it and I am going to spend time this winter seriously working on it.

[GB13]

I'm 100% committed to golf. 

Yes, I play guitar and run, but those are just side interests. I'd never give up a round of golf to run or play guitar. Simple as that. 

[Charli]

Fishing hunting racing cars lifting weights softball football snow boarding really anything..... fishing done hunting I try to go on 1 trip a year with my dad. Racing cars got too expensive. Football tired of getting hurt.  So Softball lifting weights and golf is it for me now and snow boarding during the “offseason”

[tommc23]

Dog training and hunting are by far my priorities golf is something I do to get away from that during the summer and spring because I can spend all my time and effort on my dogs.

I play hockey again after a few year hiatus because of said dogs. Hockey is something that I can get into and it takes less time and money than golf plus I get a better workout with it. Golf is something I do to get away and do something that is just me and the course or one to two other people.

[deejaid]

Golf, Guitar, and woodworking are my 3 main hobbies and they’re all about equal. I’ve sort of combined them all really. I have been building guitars for about 5 years now and have begun refinishing persimmon golf clubs so I get to spend a lot of time at my workbench which is my favorite place to be.

I love playing golf, but as a stay-at-home dad with 3 kids ages 4, 6, and 8, it’s hard to get out for a round a lot of times.

And while I love playing guitar with others, I don’t have the time to play in a band, not to mention I have no desire playing in a bar at Midnight on a Saturday night anymore.

Building guitars and refinishing golf clubs give me a creative outlet and I can enjoy all three of my hobbies without leaving the house.


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[Flipper554]

I play a lot of golf but it is not number one on the list. Oil painting is what I really like to do, when I get on a creative streak I just walk away from golf. I started playing too late in life to be any good at it but I do enjoy playing with new people and spending time in the great outdoors.

[Sluggo42]

I’m liking responses here, it kind of gives a little insight into everyone a little bit, besides about their golf game. Keep em coming!

[Kenny B]

At this stage of my life there is nothing other than golf.  It's something I can do (and have done for the past 25 years), that is challenging and holds my interest.

Things I have done since school in no particular order, but haven't done recently:

mountain climbing
fly fishing
car racing
softball (slo- and fast pitch)
volleyball
sailing
 

[Big money]

Nope. Really dropped down the list

[Reesedw]

So for me it's Hunting, photography, and golf.. and I have combined Golf and Photography....And Family.. 

I used to be a competitive shooter. I used to race Quads and Dirtbikes, that really took it's toll on the body, Bunch of broken bones and hospital stays.. I do hike, usually take my camera or my gun... Love hanging out with friends, which gets hard since we all have gotten other things to do most of the time.. 

So yeah for me mostly Golf Spring and summer, Hunting fall and Photography all year... 

[russtopherb]

During the late spring/summer it's my main hobby, but year round? Nope. I do a lot of music production work throughout the year (mixing, recording, providing drum tracks, etc) but that tends to be in fall/winter the most. In late summer/fall I'm heavily involved with our town's national champion marching band, and then all winter it's our indoor percussion group. So lots of prop building, designing, and moving all the stuff we built around at competitions. 

[MattF]

If I could golf and salt water fish a few times a week I'd be one happy person, but work and geography get in the way.

In my younger days I raced cars in Sydney, started racing my Uncle's Datsun 510 and then built my own Mazda 626 sports sedan, that took almost all of my spare time and I loved it.

However, racing is now a past glory and I love golf and would classify it as my main hobby along, to a lesser degree, working on cars and doing household repairs.

[TR1PTIK]

At this point in my life, golf is pretty much my only hobby.

In the past I've rode BMX, I played guitar, and I used to build custom computers. Golf was there all that time and has outlasted all of them. It used to just be a way for me and my dad to spend some time together, but now it's all I want to do (and getting my dad on the course can be rather difficult).

I would like to get into MTB, but I don't currently have the money to get a decently spec'd entry-level bike. With my BMX background, I need something that can take a little abuse and anything shy of at least $1200 simply won't do. 

[PMookie]

Yeah, it’s about all I do other than “work” and “family”. I don’t get to spend the time on it like I did in my previous job, so it’s frustrating.


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[Angry Yeti]

Family, work and Golf. In that order

I do other things to relax when I get smaller windows of time, but as of this year I've really made an effort to narrow my efforts (and expenses) to places I want to make the most progress. 

[PING Apologist #9]

I generally immerse myself into whatever the hobby is that I do. I mean 100% full on. Golf is no exception. All other hobbies/sports have basically been put on hold so that all my time, money & effort goes toward it.

Used to ski and lived for it, 100% in.

Bird hunting was the same. 100% in, reloading, trap shooting all year, planning trips, camping, etc.

Archery, again the same. 100% in, tons of practice, trips, camping, etc.

When I was competitively shooting...100% in. Best equipment, reloading, constant practice, travelling all over the region for matches, etc. Now all that stuff collects dust after I "retired".

Fly fishing is always my default though. Fishing is in my blood and is ever present as an activity. Whether tying flies, or fooling big browns with a tiny dry fly, I'll drop almost anything to do it. Now last year was an exception...heck I didn't even get a license. Right now I'm 100% golf.

[TheWahoo]

Now that I am days from my retirement, for me, it is my hope that golf will not be a hobby, but a lifestyle, in a manner of speaking.   No longer having professional commitments, I hope to play more golf and enjoy the game with my fellow "old coots".   Moreover, it is my intent or hope to find a role of some sort within golf, either at a course or shop.   Not only do I love the game, I love being with and around my fellow golfers.   While my age and health may limit my ability and opportunity to play, such a role will keep me around the game and my fellow golfers.    To me, that is just as important as playing.  

 

[tony@CIC]

I’m liking responses here, it kind of gives a little insight into everyone a little bit, besides about their golf game. Keep em coming!

I'll second that.


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[Kenny B]

6 hours ago, MattF said:

In my younger days I raced cars in Sydney, started racing my Uncle's Datsun 510 and then built my own Mazda 626 sports sedan, that took almost all of my spare time and I loved it.
 

Nice!  The Datsun 510 was a great race car!  I raced a '72 Datsun 240Z.  

[THEZIPR23]

I have had many other hobbies, however right now it is only golf. Hunting and skiing were 2 that always were part of my life. Now I haven't hunted or hit the slopes in 2 years. I want to get to back to being a competitive golfer as well as get to scratch. Last fall I got rid of everything else to focus on this. With time and money constraints it is what has my focus right now. 

[chisag]

... I played football, basketball and baseball in high school and it occupied all my time, other than girls of course. After playing football (and freshman basketball) in college I started my radio career and basketball became my passion when I wasn't working. Played in the Robert Macadoo summer league and then started radio station basketball teams in every market where I worked. By the time I got to Chicago I found tennis and played in some travel leagues and even strung my own rackets. I found a Tennis Pro that traded me lessons for DJ LP pressings and tickets to concerts.

... Then I found golf and emersed myself into every aspect with the same passion I played other sports. Within 10 years I was teaching 5 nights week. I went to the PGA Show and talked OEMs into letting me review their products. And 35 years later I still have the same passion as I did when I started. I played 40 out of 42 days last spring in Phoenix and was bummed when I had to drive home. One of the allures of golf is every day is different. The weather, the course, the people I play with and how I am playing on any given day. I am an extrovert and love meeting new people on the course. I just cannot see myself ever getting tired of the game, the courses, the equipment and the people because at 65 I am still playing at a very high level but as my ability to hit the ball decreases, I will embrace the challenges of aging and how to play my best golf into my 90's. My son once told me "Dad, you aren't addicted to sports, you are addicted to competition". Hard to argue. 

[PlaidJacket]

Golf is my main hobby now days. When I was younger I played everything.

Most of what Chisag said in his second paragraph above pretty much sums it up for me too. I love the competition. I rarely just go out to just beat it around. I've got to be playing for something. A purpose of winning!

[chisag]

... Amen Plaid! I was playing horse with my 27 yr old and his friends this summer and only lost once. That was when I said I still really  love basketball and he said "No Dad, you love winning. If we were kicking your a$$ every game, you wouldn't even be down here playing with us". LOL ... maybe the kid did learn something in college. 

[Jmikecpa]

Golf became my main hobby about five years ago.  Can't play baseball or softball after 19 knee surgeries, my wife decided drag racing and riding Harleys were too dangerous after we had kids and I lost the urge to hunt or fish.  I do enjoy my toy and do a little bit of racing with it and actually just picked up a guitar this week for the first time in almost 20 years so I am trying to expand my interests beyond golf.