8 Signs You’re About to Give Up on Golf- And the Quick Fixes to Turn it Around

Last Updated on July 17, 2024 by Britt Olizarowicz

Are you feeling that mid-summer disappointment in your handicap? Was the goal to get it to 15, and you are still at 19, wondering how it’s even possible? We’ve all been there, and golf is one of the most frustrating (if not the most frustrating) games there is. Take a close look at these 8 signs you’re about to give up on golf, and make sure you address these fixes ASAP.

The Bunkers Are Destroying Your Score

Taking swing after swing out of a bunker is just frustrating. If you are still struggling to escape bunkers, it’s time to solve this problem once and for all.

For most players, the issue is the setup.

Try opening your stance, playing the ball forward, and aiming to hit a couple of inches behind the ball.

If you struggle to open the clubface without throwing off your alignment, try opening it first and then gripping the club. It’s much easier to understand and to execute.

Lost Yardage Is Making You Angry

Anger can increase your drive. My husband and I play enough golf together to prove this. All kidding aside, we laugh when there’s a disagreement, and every once in a while, I unleash one on one.

However, the solution for lost yardage is not to get mad and try to kill the ball.

Instead, you want to ensure you are playing with the right equipment. Also, take a look at your pivot. Is it efficient?

If you are slipping and sliding around, you won’t have much consistency in your strike, which leads to a loss of distance. Golfers who hit the furthest shots hit the sweet spot with speed.

Tired of Slow Play – Enough to Make You Walk Off?

I’m a fast golfer, so I get it. However, if you are playing during prime time, you must give up on fast golf. Start looking at non-peak times to play, first thing in the morning and later on in the day. Get through the heart of the season like this, and when everybody is over golf (at the end of the summer), hop back on the course during those prime times.

Don’t be afraid to ask the pro shop about pace of play policies. If the slow group in front of you is a problem that is continually occurring in a league or at a club, they may not be aware of it.

Cart Fees are Eating Into Your Budget

Cart fees just keep going up. At the risk of sounding like I was walking up the hill to school both ways, I think it’s worth a story here. When I played college golf, we had to play 36 holes at times, waking and carrying the bag. I’m sure as I get older, I’ll feel this more, but it was exhausting and not ideal for scoring.

Walking now is different. These carts are so easy to push (some even follow you on the course), they have all the gadgets, and you can take a more direct route to your ball than the cart.

If you aren’t sold on walking, try it the next time your course is on a cart path only and see what you think.

Your Chips Are Going Back and Forth Over The Green

The short game requires a lot of work if you really want to start identifying your issues and how you can fix them. However, if you are simply ready to be done because your chips are going everywhere, just stick with the pendulum stroke chip.

Take out your pitching wedge. Grip the club and pay attention to the triangle that your arms make as you set up.

Swing the triangle back, brush the grass, and swing it through.

Work on this chip until you can hit long, short, and mid-length ones, and then expand from there.

Although this is not the best technique for every lie, it may make you less likely to give up on golf.

If You See One More Sliced Tee Ball . . .

The slice is one of the most frustrating shots in the game. A persistent slice can cost you up to 5 (sometimes more) strokes per round. If your slice is an issue, here are a few things to try.

• Make the grip a little stronger
• Check the extension you have in your lead wrist at the top of your golf swing; if it’s a lot, you may want to consider flattening that a bit.
• Put a towel under your right armpit (right-handed golfer), and don’t let it drop when you swing through the golf ball.

When You Step Up To A Putt, You Know It’s Not Going In

I’ve been there. I won’t tell you, but it made me think about quitting golf, but it certainly didn’t help me want to go out and play.

If you are missing short putts, mid-range putts, or the long, you have to change your technique in some way.

Putting is so mental, and the only thing that can take you back to the basics is to make the change.

Start by changing the grip. There are several options to try, and maybe you will even end up back at your original, but at least you will experience a slight change.

Narrow or widen the stance and see what that does.

Always focus on keeping the head down a little longer through impact; that can help.

You Are Losing More Balls Than There Are Holes On The Course

Guess what? A dozen golf balls should last you many rounds, not just one. If you are constantly losing golf balls, your course management may be the issue.

What are you aiming at?

Do you know how to aim properly?

There is a lot of fairway out there. To make sure you are giving yourself the best chance to hit it, try to incorporate a pre-shot routine into your golf game.

The pre-shot routine helps check in on your fundaments and ensures you are ready for the strike.

In the end, if you are going to give up on golf, there probably won’t be much that can stop you. However, if it’s one of these things, hang in there because you may be a few good shots away from your best round. Golf is funny like that.