What Are Your Hurdles/Excuses For Not Practicing?

[acatalano32]

Money is definitely a big hurdle, and practice facility quality. I wish there was a place that had better practice facilities.

im sure if i could join a country club that would change lol 

[HHIWildcats]

4 letter word. WORK

 

 

[Skrizan]

Kudos to everyone putting family/kids first.  You hear that time flies, but never really believe it until you are in your late fifties, and it seems like it was yesterday that you were raising your little ones...

Even for us with a lot of time, you need to decide how much time and money do you really want to spend to get better?  We would all love to be scratch, but for most, that will never happen. So we need to be realistic and just enjoy the game.  I used to be happy with bogey golf, sometimes breaking 90.  But with more time, the internet and video, now I am trying to break 80 instead of 90.  I say I would be happy with that, but obviously I would just want to get better.  So I enjoy the good rounds, and shake off the bad ones.  Life is too short, so maybe we should play much more than we practice.

[tristar rick]

When living in Michigan we are only afforded so many days of golf weather. And at 64 years old you wonder what are you practicing for. Practice now is playing multiple balls while out walking the course as a single.

[Girldad18]

Work for one. Kids and Family.  Two of my girls play volleyball, one of them plays basketball and softball with that too.  Keeps us busy and usually the weekends are tied up with that or it decides to rain when we don't have anything.  And after having a week of running around, sometimes you just don't want to do anything.  Seems boring, but you gotta recharge somewhere and if I go play somewhere, I can count on it being a half day from heading to the course until I get back home.  So I practice when I can, here and there.  In the past when I have been selected a tester, it gave me an excuse to go out, which is a good thing for me.  My wife and kids are supportive of me playing and want me to, but sometimes you just can't.

[Fatshot]

I actually LIKE to practice (hey, it's golf after all!), so I make sure I get to the range once a week.   It helps that I'm retired, so I have all week to play my rounds (twice a week), get the yard work done and any "honeydo" projects my wife has for me.   So, I usually practice one of the weekend days, while the working guys are out there playing.

I'm lucky in that the course where I practice is close to home, and has an excellent facility:  chipping green, putting green, and full range.   So, I can work on all aspects of the game every time I practice.....esp. the short game!!!

[Mr_BogeyPro]

For me, I do not have any hurdles. I work from home and can go to the range at least twice a week. I normally hit driver and an iron, but I think I need to work on a better routine. I started to hit the putting green as well and it showed this weekend some improvements in my game.

[Placasse61]

It used to be work, family, 2nd job, kids' schedule's, projects etc. Now it is projects, track, and my inability to practice without hitting a ball. So that leaves me with the range, simulator, or playing. For the cost I choose playing every time.

[VernL4]

TIME. 

If and when I do have some free time, I would rather be on the course instead of practicing in any way. Being on the course is more enjoyable (even if I don't play well).

[gingerbeast87]

My dog looked sad, and there was an aggressive looking pigeon at my garden gate

[Headhammer]

My body hurts

It's too cold

It's too hot

It's raining

For 2 days after the rain stops- The ground is too wet

I can't practice I worked out today and I'm too stiff

I have yard work 

I can't leave the house because I'm in 30-tweet argument with some idiot on why Cobra Golf is superior to PXG

[tdc1]

Simple:  I would rather just be playing.  If I have the time and the weather is good, I'll take 6-9 holes over a large bucket of balls.  [Note:  I also don't have access to a "short game practice area" or practice bunker.]

[Jim Shaw]

5 minutes ago, tdc1 said:

Simple:  I would rather just be playing.  If I have the time and the weather is good, I'll take 6-9 holes over a large bucket of balls.  [Note:  I also don't have access to a "short game practice area" or practice bunker.]

I hear you.. When I was working and was lucky to get out twice a week I would play instead of practice, our course didn't have a driving range just a 100 yd practice area and it was a bit of a walk from the club house so I didn't do much warming up.

I will seque to the Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite story from Harvey Penick who coached them both, Ben liked to play and Tom liked to practice, Harvey was adamit that Ben didn't listen when he was coaching Tom and vice versa, I believe you can learn as much if not more by just playing, again it usually comes down to time...

[tdroma98]

Definitely work has cut into practice time. 
Regular job & part-time weekend job, even though my weekend job is at a golf course, I don't get to practice as much.  My practice time is to take the opportunity to walk 18 holes 2-4 mornings a week.  
One little issue also has cut into practice the past 2 months, sore left elbow. Limit my playing golf to walking 18 holes.  

[goldfinger007]

I live on a golf course and for the past couple years when the weather permits I'll try and walk the back nine in the mornings.  For about the past 6 months I've taken 1 or 2  clubs with me on my walk.  The first few holes I never strike the ball well but usually by the end of the walk I am.  So now I just walked the first three or four holes and then start hitting balls. 

The point of this is that one of my hurdles is frustration would you hit the ball poorly you get frustrated and doesn't make you want to continue so for me I have to warm up before I start striking balls.

Slow is smooth and smooth as fast

 

  

[KCEE]

I do have pretty good excuses: 2 hour round trip commute 3 days/week, wife just had 3rd foot surgery (also a stroke before that), taking care of elderly parents, et al. I thought with the last kid in college now I would have so much more free time, but I have less than ever. I will say that when I get out to play I fully enjoy every second of it no matter what I shoot though and that wasn't always the case.

Parts of my game are ok. I have a RukkNet I use in my garage and in the backyard. Just focusing on tempo and contact without knowing where the ball is going seems to have helped my swing in some respects. I swing a rope and weighted clubs a # of times each week too. I have nice putting setup in my home office that also seems to have helped my stroke. I use various things like an Eyeline mirror, thin metal ruler and a target that requires speed and line be correct. I may hit balls in the net for up to 20 minutes, but usually practice is 5-10 minutes. I do miss short game practice on a real practice green and when I play that shows lol.

[DanJ33]

The weather for actual outside practice and life gets in the way / it’s not a habit for indoor practice 

[Marcelr19]

Mostly work, business travel makes it difficult to make time to practice. 

[Ed the FD]

Work, kids, kids' sports, ND weather, and lack of facilities. We used to have multiple driving ranges that were easy to get to and were usually not super busy. Now we have 2 in our area that are always busy and you have to walk a 1/4 mile to get to the range from the parking lot. One of the ranges you cannot hit your driver due to the fact that there are people on the opposite side hitting back towards you. If you can drive the ball over 225, your rolling up to the other people, and if you hit 250 your landing on them. I've also been told that practicing my chipping while at baseball games/practice or soccer games/practice is frowned upon by powers that be.

[ZackS]

I use the same logic as George Carlin with how my things are stuff and other peoples things are s***. So mine are all hurdles and everyone else's are excuses 

[flsw19]

It's to cold (under 70) or raining or might rain, the wind is blowing at least 1 mile per hour, or just lazy.

[GingerWisdom]

One thing that makes practice hard for me is setting goals and remembering to practice around those goals.

I.E. I want to get better at my approach abilities. So I need to remember to focus on that at the range. 

Luckily my kids love beating balls so I have access to a good range session at least every week. 

[FallenSaber]

Work and kids. I'll sometimes try to go to the range on my lunch break but I usually eat lunch at my desk. I do pick-ups so I get home with the two boys, then let them play a little outside. I'll sometimes have a club in my hand and just practice going through the motions. Then it's time to make dinner.

I'm also training for a marathon so my weekend mornings usually involve long runs. My wife is training with me so one day on the weekend, she'll do her long run, then I'll do mine on the other day.

[Yankees802]

For me it is my dogs, they love chasing my clubs and the ball.  I have a hitting net in the backyard.  The thought of hitting one of them in my downswing-tough to concentrate.

[Jeremy Meyer]

Mostly the same as everyone else - work + kids = lack of time. We just welcomed our second child, so I’m lucky enough to be on paternal leave, but my toddler’s daycare decided to close for spring break . So, currently chasing him around while changing the others diapers. 

My wife also likes making plans for us with friends and family, and strategically tells me about said plans when I try to hit some balls… Weather has also played a factor as we’re getting to the time of year here in the Midwest where we can see all four seasons in a matter of a couple days. 

All that said, I have a net and small mat, but haven’t set it up. I can definitely mix in laziness in there with time and kids.

[Donn lost in San Diego]

5 hours ago, tristar rick said:

When living in Michigan we are only afforded so many days of golf weather. And at 64 years old you wonder what are you practicing for. Practice now is playing multiple balls while out walking the course as a single.

Move to Calif.  S Diego area.  Ignore the political mess here if necessary, play golf 6 days a week, plenty of ranges, too many golf club companies.

[Donn lost in San Diego]

2015: torn muscle.  2017: re-injured the tear.

2020: worked 6 days a week during the virus.

2021: knee replacement surgery.

2022: thumb arthritis surgery.

2023: shoulder injury.

2024: toe arthritis surgery.

Edited March 26 by Donn lost in San Diego
knee surgery year is 2021 not 2012

[mackdaddy]

I play golf for fun!  Every round is practice for those rounds I play for money.  

Each year around this time I go out and play with intent for tracking and figuring out my yardages for the new year.   I use the entire card for this.  In the top corner of the score bax I indicate the club I teed off with ie a d in the corner.  When I shoot the yardage for the next shot I finish the box this the yards left to the flag.  I then mark the club I will hit in the box below. If I mis the green or hit it I mark the next shot distance from the hole.  I note SL for short left lr for long right and so on.  The box below has club on the green would be P off the green would give wedge loft, on green distance is in feet off is in yards.

Mishits I make a small dot in a corner of the box.  Side hill lie I mark a diagonal hash mark in the corner.  Chocked down or knock I make a dot on the left edge of the box.  The score I mark in the bottom row - for par 1 for bogie and a circled 1 for birdie. 

Doing this enables me to figure out the distance range for each club.  I also do this if I am struggling to score.  My warm ups mostly entail hitting lots of chips and putts before the round.  I use three balls and hit my lob wedge from the same area to the same flag Stock then High then low.  I then go putt the results like I am in a round.  I hit long 50 yards and short wedges green side.

Just going to the range and hitting balls almost never happens and by choice.  I would rather go play 9.

[Donn lost in San Diego]

4 hours ago, tdroma98 said:

Definitely work has cut into practice time. 
Regular job & part-time weekend job, even though my weekend job is at a golf course, I don't get to practice as much.  My practice time is to take the opportunity to walk 18 holes 2-4 mornings a week.  
One little issue also has cut into practice the past 2 months, sore left elbow. Limit my playing golf to walking 18 holes.  

see a doctor or physical therapist, prevent a little soreness from becoming a major nerve or tendon problem. I had 2 surgeries  on rt elbow and 1 on the left, for nerve entrapment.  I went from 3 yrs on disability, couldn't use a steak knife, back to playing golf with no pain.  A little bit of targeted exercise can do wonders.  I do tricep curls 1st and foremost for elbow, and straight arm raises.  

[nijguy]

Definitely just the regular ol' life challenges. Business from work, family, etc., on top of choosing to play a round, rather than practice, which sometimes isn't the best for my game!