Re: After playing for 20 years I've played my last round today.

Hei "played my last round" -

Thought about you yesterday. Played 18 holes with my buddy, started terrible. Managed to fade my drive into the rough, got close to the green, and tried to open my 60 degree wedge to "drop" it on the green. Shanked it 45 degrees to 1 foot from some water, then I really needed to open the face to get over a bunker.

Chilli-dipped the pitch 6 feet into the bunker.

I was so mad, I just hated golf, and thought "that´s it. I´ve played my last round after 20 years!" Then I had to think about you, of course. We were playing points for fairway, green hits, longest putts, etc, so I was down 5 right away, and after all my efforts at golf, I couldn´t see any reason to play lousy golf any more.

So I fumed and boiled into hole 2, where I lost more points (what a relief I didn´t hook my ball OB on my drive), then I started thinking:

Golf is fun. Everything you do out there is for fun, and the betting and competition is only to enhance the fun! The only thing you HAVE TO DO on the golf course, is ENJOY IT!

It doesn´t matter if you play well or not, win or lose, as long as you enjoy every shot.

Anyway, my partner was (mercilessly) pointing out that at this rate, he would win by 45 points, so I made it my goal to keep him from getting to 45.

You know what? I played better and better, started making some pars, birdied a long par 5, ENJOYING the h*ll out of it, and by God, I turned the match around and won by 9 points before it was all over. (no more shanks, either...)

I know it is a subtle difference, but you really MUST decide to enjoy every shot - it´s all there for fun, - and yes, I know how incredibly easy it is to slip into "now I HAVE to make this shot", or "now it´s serious", or "I´d better start showing results after all this effort" or "now they´re watching me", etc.

I started with one of the most miserable rounds of my life, and ended with one of the best rounds of my life - my score? 81, on a par 69 course. Not impressive, not my best score, but I left that course completely satisfied.

I know everyone hates the shanks. But I´m telling you, HAVE to enjoy every shot. When you can enjoy the challenge of golf when you shank, you are on the path to curing your shanks, believe me. You will be willing to try different things to fix the shanks, think about it, and fix it, rather than "trying harder", struggling with frustration, and losing all the fun.

My words of wisdom today (I´probably be throwing clubs next weekend, but I´m telling you guys I´ve understood the point this weekend).

BR
Charles

Re: After playing for 20 years I've played my last round today.

Yggdrasil,

I think you make a great point. Believe me I have tried to go out there and 'just enjoy every shot'. When I set up to the ball I really try to imagine the ball flying high and straight to the target. I have tried to laugh off a shank. Honestly I have.

But, there is only so long you can continue laughing at yourself before you become a laughing stock for everybody.

Yesterday it was a beautiful day here in Manchester, England; Really warm for this time of the year and not a cloud in the sky. (Global warming is good for winter golf in the UK). Sundays are our comp days at my club. Normally I would have been up early, looking forward to playing in a stableford comp and fancying my chances of winning. I stayed in bed until 10 a.m. then mowed the lawn.

I am going to go to the club later today and hit some balls and I will try to remain positive. GregJWillis has given me a drill to practise and I'm actually looking forward to trying it.

Whilst I'm here I will admit that I came to this site simply to post my own golfing obituary (the original post in this thread) but the lovely community of golfers on this site has tempted me to postpone my golfing funeral and I am now looking to see if I can bring my game back to life.

Thanks to everyone, especially Greg.