When is it time to quit?

[Tom Huckaby]

Oh, I don't think it's a phenomenon at all.  I don't need an opponent.  Hell, I hardly every gamble or play a game unless it's against guys I've known for years.

And I've seen what you describe many, many times.  I've always admired it.  I remember playing with an older fellow during a beautiful clear, crisp day in the fall maybe 20 years ago and this guy just picked up a leaf from the fairway and stopped and stared at it for a few minutes.  And I thought to myself "that's so cool - that old guy stopping to ponder nature - I wonder what he's thinking about?".  I thought it was a beautiful moment, so much so that I still remember it.  I not only get it...I love it and revel in it.

I am gonna regret this I'm sure....

But if you do love it and revel in it, why all the questions today? Mental masturbation?

[Anthony Gray]

How many basketball players keep playing basketball when they can't get the ball up to the hoop?

How many baseball players keep playing baseball or softball when they can't run, hit, field or throw anymore?

How many bowlers keep bowling when they throw gutter ball after gutter ball?

How many NASCAR drivers keep driving cars when they crash them all into the wall?

How many fishermen keep on fishing when they can't land a fish?

Why is golf the only game that you're expected to keep playing long after it's painfully clear that you suck at it? 

  How many people that are horrable spellers and dyslexic still post on CGA?

  Anthony

[Tom Huckaby]

Because golf courses are not the exclusive province of such moments.

OK... that is obvious.... just didn't know you were picking up the Erhu...   

So how about a straight answer?  Are you really quitting the game?

I'm a Caveman.  Youre fancy legalistic phrasing and speaking in riddles frightens me....

 

[Bob_Huntley]

Last week I had the pleasure of playing with three GCA'ers, all University of Santa Clara alums. There was 5 hdcp Huckaby of the straight and narrow and adequately long. Joining us was Steve Pierachi(sic) another 5 handicap who is seriously long and to top it off, there was the scratch-man, John Spaulding who is monstrously long.

It wasn't the fact that my drives finished in a different ZIP Code than their balls,  but it was my ineptitude to use guile and cunning to overcome their brute force and ignorance in making it to the green.

The sclaff of fifty yards and the lofted drive to the ladies tees some hundred yards ahead was particularly humiliating. As little as a year ago I could give these guys two a side on the putting surfaces, as only Benham will confirm, but that joy has long since been silenced.

I tried to make an appointment with Doctor Bob Rotella for some psychological input but someone on his staff had been prepared for my call and advised that the good Doctor was "OUT."

Someone mentioned that they could not imagine despairing over one's score, I don't, however Dave Schmidt got it right when he said it is the crappy shot followed by yet another that destroys the charm of the game.


Bob

[Tom Huckaby]

Last week I had the pleasure of playing with three GCA'ers, all University of Santa Clara alums. There was 5 hdcp Huckaby of the straight and narrow and adequately long. Joining us was Steve Pierachi(sic) another 5 handicap who is seriously long and to top it off, there was the scratch-man, John Spaulding who is monstrously long.

It wasn't the fact that my drives finished in a different ZIP Code than their balls,  but it was my ineptitude to use guile and cunning to overcome their brute force and ignorance in making it to the green.

The sclaff of fifty yards and the lofted drive to the ladies tees some hundred yards ahead was particularly humiliating. As little as a year ago I could give these guys two a side on the putting surfaces, as only Benham will confirm, but that joy has long since been silenced.

I tried to make an appointment with Doctor Bob Rotella for some psychological input but someone on his staff had been prepared for my call and advised that the good Doctor was "OUT."

Someone mentioned that they could not imagine despairing over one's score, I don't, however Dave Schmidt got it right when he said it is the crappy shot followed by yet another that destroys the charm of the game.


Bob

Bob:

I understand all of that.  Truly I do.

HOWEVER... you still came in 2nd place in the Wolf game.  You still showed all sorts of cunning and guile to make that happen.  You still hit many shots that I was envious of, and I am a man 34 yrs your junior; particularly many running fairway wood shots that I sure as hell couldn't have done... getting you to places that did manage to piss off your Wolf opponents.....  You still putted damn well relative to the rest of us mortals.  You also have a venue for play that is the envy of the world.

As I said, relative to what you once were, the play last week had to be frustrating.  Though I cannot directly relate (I have never been as good as you once were), I do get it.

But no one is that good of an actor.  If you were neither charmed that day nor enjoyed the effort, then screw Slumdog Millionaire and all things cinematic - we have a new Best Actor award to give.   

But anyway Bob you know the answer here - heck Tom Doak nailed it in so few words.  When it ceases to be fun, you quit.

I just have a hard time seeing you as NOT having fun.  Perhaps LESS fun at times.... but none?  Perish the thought.




Dave:  shoot if turning down invites is the criterion, I quit 20 years ago.  But I get you too...

I just don't understand why anyone would want to quit a game that gives joy such that he seeks it out in mid-winter.  Some crazy stuff must have happened in your life since then.  When you get the itch back, let me know.

And by the way.. I likely don't need to tell you this... but you were never THAT good.  You know guys who were/are.  That's the false rabbit.  You know it.  Surprises me you're basing qutting the game on this, the greatest delusion of all.  What happened to the guy who played horribly at Pasa, laughed uproariously about it, and was so praised for said attitude?

I miss that guy.  I hope he comes back.

TH

ps to Bob - I can attest to your fine putting.... Benham especially can true, but said skill lightened my wallet too many other times as well. And that puitting is not at all far gone.

[Kalen Braley]

I think golf is kinda like sex, no matter how old you are, you never stop thinking about at least attempting it even if you are past your prime and you've gotten pretty crummy at it.

No matter how bad I'm striking the ball, I always look forward to the next time I can get there and tee it up and give it another shot.

As a side story my buddy used to have a warehouse job for summer work when going to school.  He told me there was a guy he worked with who drove the fork-lift and was always bumping into stuff/running stuff over. So one day this guy wipes out a whole rack and it falls over and someone blurted out, "You drive like old people f$%&!!!".

[Anthony Gray]

I think golf is kinda like sex, no matter how old you are, you never stop thinking about at least attempting it even if you are past your prime and you've gotten pretty crummy at it.

No matter how bad I'm striking the ball, I always look forward to the next time I can get there and tee it up and give it another shot.

  Life imitating golf once again.

  Anthony

[Jed Peters]

Bob:

You should quit April 3rd.

Best,

Jed

[Bill_McBride]

Last week I had the pleasure of playing with three GCA'ers, all University of Santa Clara alums. There was 5 hdcp Huckaby of the straight and narrow and adequately long. Joining us was Steve Pierachi(sic) another 5 handicap who is seriously long and to top it off, there was the scratch-man, John Spaulding who is monstrously long.

It wasn't the fact that my drives finished in a different ZIP Code than their balls,  but it was my ineptitude to use guile and cunning to overcome their brute force and ignorance in making it to the green.

The sclaff of fifty yards and the lofted drive to the ladies tees some hundred yards ahead was particularly humiliating. As little as a year ago I could give these guys two a side on the putting surfaces, as only Benham will confirm, but that joy has long since been silenced.

I tried to make an appointment with Doctor Bob Rotella for some psychological input but someone on his staff had been prepared for my call and advised that the good Doctor was "OUT."

Someone mentioned that they could not imagine despairing over one's score, I don't, however Dave Schmidt got it right when he said it is the crappy shot followed by yet another that destroys the charm of the game.


Bob

Bob, just curious.  Who won the money?

Experience and guile will win out over youth everytime.......assuming the strokes are properly distributed!   

[Tom Huckaby]

Bill:

Would I be so gracious and magnanimous if it were anyone other than me?

But INSERT LIGHTBULB... this must be it.. FINALLY losing relative to me (though his wallet did not need to open) has Bob ready to quit the game.

It makes so much better sense now.

TH

[Bill_McBride]

I replied before I read your post, so it's obvious I understand the reason for Bob's question in this thread.

HE IS WORKING YOU GUYS FOR MORE SHOTS!!! 

[Charlie Goerges]

When is it time to quit reading? When is it time to quit going for a stroll?

My answer to the thread title is the same as the two previous questions.

Never.


When I can no longer see to read, I'll get someone to read to me. When I can no longer walk, you can be damn well sure I'll be cajoling my two daughters (now 1 and 3) to push me in my wheelchair. When I can no longer hit the ball out of my shadow, I'll be playing somewhere I don't need to hit it out of my shadow.

[Tom Huckaby]

I replied before I read your post, so it's obvious I understand the reason for Bob's question in this thread.

HE IS WORKING YOU GUYS FOR MORE SHOTS!!! 

He need not try this hard.  But it is a fine gambit.

 

[Bill_McBride]

I replied before I read your post, so it's obvious I understand the reason for Bob's question in this thread.

HE IS WORKING YOU GUYS FOR MORE SHOTS!!! 

He need not try this hard.  But it is a fine gambit.

 

To be henceforth known simply as.....The Huntley Gambit! 

[Lyne Morrison]

Mike Cirba - this is a fine post that brings everything into perspective.

Thank you - Lyne


.....There was only one other person on the range...a slight, elderly man who looked about 80 years old, and who was hitting an iron from an artificial mat, with his ball teed up.

He had a short, but unhurried swing, and ball after ball sailed out about 80-100 yards.

I took my Gorilla driver and about 30 yards downrange proceeded to swing wih the same type of ease, finding to my surprise that it suddenly became a whole lot easier to hit the ball on the sweetspot.

I was probably only carrying the ball a little over 200 yards, but my shots were straight, and true, and probably 80% of them landed in the same neighborhood, which is quite unusual for me.   I also became very cognizant of the fact that I normally swing at about twice that effort, with certainly not double the success!

After a bit the pro who runs the range stopped back and started to speak to the older fellow, who it appeared he knew.

In response, I heard the mechanized voice of a man who obviously had his trachea removed at some point, and saw him covering the hole in his throat that provided him with something approximating auditory abilities.

Here I was, feeling a bit sorry for myself and the condition of my golf game with my hand still too slowly recuperating, and it suddenly occurred to me that here is a guy who probably will never hit a golf shot 200 yards again, but would probably never stop trying.  It also occurred to me that it's likely this fellow had many other challenges in his life that made hitting a golf ball probably one of his most precious day-to-day moments.'

[Tim Bert]

Dear Bob

If I had to base my skills off of Pieracci's game then I would probably quit tomorrow too. I can only imagine throwing Huck and Spaulding in the mix.

I have a cure for your ills in June in the form of more realistic competition.  I saw no indication of a man not enjoying himself last year at KPC.

 

[James Bennett]

Similar to Kalen ....

Probably time to quit when (if?) I lose interest in women.

Otherwise, perhaps the 29th of February, in any odd-numbered year.

James B

[Jeff Doerr]

I had the great pleasure of playing a number of 9 hole rounds with Ozzie. He pulled a cart and could still get his 5 wood in the air and down the fairway. He was 93 at the time and had a diagnosed aneurism on his aorta. The doctor said they could not operate because of his age, but he could do whatever he wanted except drive.

He died late in the afternoon one day. He'd played 9 holes in the morning.

That would be "when" for me.

[Bill_McBride]

I replied before I read your post, so it's obvious I understand the reason for Bob's question in this thread.

HE IS WORKING YOU GUYS FOR MORE SHOTS!!! 

Bill, expected more from you...

With all due respect, what in God's Green Earth do you think I've been doing for the last two pages of this thread? 

I guess you were too subtle for me..........

[John Kirk]

Bob,

I'm sorry to hear that playing with Huckaby, Pieracci and Spaulding made you want to quit the game.

There are no rules in life, and a thousand pleasures to enjoy.  Find something you like better and walk away.  You've had a wonderful career in the game.  But if you do walk away, make sure to get plenty of exercise, as golf is the "career extender".

[Bradley Anderson]

If scoring is important to you so that you can't enjoy the game anymore because of age, that's when its time to teach future champions how to play competitive golf.

The game really really needs seasoned people to take young people out to play golf.

So you can't quit if you really care about the game. You just experience it in a new way.

[RJ_Daley]

Sir Boab, I think your answer lies somewhere near the story about H. Longhurst's taking up the carafe of water, bottle of aspirin, and bottle of Glenfiddich to his personal favorite place of peace, thinking that is where he'll find the ultimate ending time.  But then, he realized in his sedated second dose that the peace and joy he found there at ye olde happy place was too good to purposely leave behind.  And besides, aspirin and single malt is about as effective as aspirin and Coca Cola, wouldn't you agree? 

Jest fieynd yer gaeme mahn an do it whih yer own kiendt, an pla' it til yer rrrhedie ta rrreelie quit laddie,  whih'out uwl this silf icseminaishunating and interaspectable mesterbaishun...

[Mark Arata]

Bob, you will be fine by May 20th, since you will have probably beaten me twice by then!

I have pretty much stunk since the day I picked up a club, but as long as I can swing it without injuring myself (notice I didnt say 'without pain', that ship has sailed....), I'll keep playing......

(PS, I meant pain to myself, watching my swing has caused pain to Mr Kelly for years now......)

[Bob Jenkins]

Kalen,

Rumour has it there are little blue pills you can buy to improve your crummy game.

Bob H,

Only you know when you are not getting enjoyment out of the game and if it is not there, you decide. However, there are a lot of people on this site, and I am sure a lot of others, who hope you never give it up.

Bob J

[Patrick_Mucci]

DSchmidt,

You're looking at this from the wrong perspective.

Scoring is merely a function of ability, the great "game" of golf isn't about ability, it's about overcoming a lack of ability.  
Therein lies the exquisite challenge.

The ultimate challenge is to overcome your lack of ability.

To produce shots and scores that are beyond your ability, that's the fun and excitement of the game.

Everyone makes a two inch putt.
Where's the fun and excitement in that ?
There is none.

Golf is an inherent challenge presented by the impediments crafted by the architect and nature that constitute the playing field on which we aspire to overcome our lack of ability.

It's facing and accomplishing shots beyond our ability that thrills us, and, even if we fail, attempting those shots provides a thrill of its own.

If, instead of you "giving up" the game, I deprived you of playing it, wouldn't you want to play it all the more ?

So, if I or forces beyond your control deprived you of the abilities required to produce superior shots and scores, wouldn't you still clamor to execute those shots and scores beyond your newly diminished abilities ?

I would .... and did.

I loved the game knowing that I couldn't hit my best tee shot 180 yards.
I loved the game knowing that I couldn't get the ball decently or sufficiently airborne.
I loved the game because new or more influencial impediments presented themselves to me.

My abilities were diminished and substantially limited, yet, I loved out thinking the architect and nature.  I loved executing alternate plans from tee to green.
I loved bunker shots, chips and pitches, my new allies.
I loved tacking my way around the golf course attempting to produce shots and scores that were well beyond my ability.
Many times I succeeded, other times I failed.  
If I succeeded, I raised my expectations.  
If I failed, I maintained my expectations relative to my abilities.

If the game was fun for you when you were eight years old and had limited ability, why wouldn't it be fun for you at eighty eight years old with limited ability, but, you'd be armed with a cannier, craftier mind borne of experience ?

Golf is a game for the ages.
It's a game centered in the heart, mind and soul, not the thighs, wrists and bicepts.