Golf’s ‘essential existential question?’ Here’s how I tried to answer it

I let my spouse down. I know that. She is aware of that. 

She tried, although. Lord, did she. But I had damaged a promise. And I failed. 

I … 

Hadn’t gone to the driving vary sufficient.

I hadn’t gone to the driving vary sufficient? It’s true. As is that this, although it’s clearly clear: My spouse is a saint. And a motivator. A get-off-your-seat-and-do-somethng-about-it kinda gal. 

After all, she had needed me to see what precise golf work after precise golf instruction would do to my faux golf sport. 

Again, she’s a keeper. 

All of this began slightly below two years in the past now, in February of 2022, when I had gotten my first-ever golf classes. To that time, I’d been self-taught, and my swing was an eccentric combine: a baseball-like backswing and a dippy downswing, with ideas from magazines, web sites, tv and varied muni taking part in companions sprinkled in. But I’d gotten by. I may even break 80 a handful of instances a yr. Not dangerous! But yeah, not adequate. I’d hit my ceiling. You know that feeling. It’s why golf is kinda like a on line casino to me: It retains us coming again for extra. For that breakthrough. For that second when it all clicks. Is all of that pleasurable? Maybe. Is all of that an dependancy? Perhaps. These are ideas for an additional day, although. 

So I requested my new instructor this: Make me over. Top to backside. And man, did he ever. Backswing. Hip flip. Follow-through. And with largely all the things completely different, the outcomes had been naturally vile. Shanks. Almost each one. 

Almost. There was one. Ooh, this was so cool. My ball began low, ascended, floated like a balloon, then descended. And I puzzled: Could I do that once more? But it would wish work. Maybe a yr. Maybe extra. I would have to unplug and reboot.

For solely a hope.

It won’t work. It would wish dedication, too. I’d in all probability have to surrender taking part in. Or a minimum of the considered taking part in properly.  

Oye. 

What’s a golfer to do?

Good query! In this area final yr, that’s precisely what I requested. To my golf buddy. To my sister. To my nephew. To you, the reader (extra on that under). Colleague Josh Sens labeled it golf’s “essential existential question.” Sens may be very deep like that. I additionally requested the query to my spouse. She responded this manner:

“You know what you should do; I’ve been telling you for weeks: Commit to the new swing! You might still get all crabby in the middle of a round, but at least it will be for a new reason.”

And quickly after, as a Christmas reward, she gave me a driving-range move. Work at it, an accompanying observe stated. As typically as you want. See what occurs.   

I had no excuses. 

But the place this story is headed. 

I went the second week of January. OK. I went the final week of January. Yeah, that’s not sufficient. I went as soon as in February. Yeah, I’d already failed. I watched faculty basketball in March. I went again to my previous swing in April, when I performed my first spherical of the yr. 

I let my spouse down. 

Sort of! It’s right here the place I’ll simply observe that my spouse truly simply laughs in any respect of this and calls me a bum, and to that, I can’t disagree. 

Anyway, I dedicated extra to what I was doing mistaken with my previous swing. I wasn’t going to go New Nick, however possibly I may go Old Nick with a coat of paint. Why was I topping the ball? My setup was off. (I typically was taking part in the ball too ahead in my stance, and I typically stood too far again.) Why was my brief sport inconsistent? I’d skinny chips — so I adjusted my footwork there, too. Why was I lacking putts? I wanted to play the ball extra off my dominant eye (my left one). Why did errors compound themselves? I’d rush after dangerous pictures. Bandages. I pieced collectively some scores this yr, too.  

And right here we’re, again the place we had been final yr. I hope this helps. And but … 

I’m considering once more. 

As I write this, as I replicate upon the yr, as I look forward, I’m nonetheless questioning. It gnaws. There’d be instances this yr the place I tinkered — and LOL’d at how superior the best transfer felt. On event. Then once more, I in all probability take pleasure in golf probably the most for its social facet. For its scorching canine and beer. 

Then once more: No regrets. No what-ifs.

I know what my spouse would say.

But this yr, I even have this: 

I know what a few of you’d say, too. 

When I wrote final yr’s piece, I received dozens of responses. I assume it was therapeutic for people to write. I assume it was therapeutic for me to hear. I realized I wasn’t alone within the thought. I realized there have been different methods to take a look at it all.  

In the approaching days, I’ll share the messages. They’re considerate. Revealing. Better written than the nonsense above. They deserve their very own area on this website. (And in case you’re so inclined to share your ideas now, don’t hesitate to attain out, both by way of e mail (nick.piastowski@golf.com) or Twitter @nickpia.)

In the meantime, what I’ll be doing:

Checking to see if I can return to the vary in 2024.  

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Nick Piastowski

Golf.com Editor

Nick Piastowski is a Senior Editor at Golf.com and Golf Magazine. In his function, he’s liable for enhancing, writing and creating tales throughout the golf area. And when he’s not writing about methods to hit the golf ball farther and straighter, the Milwaukee native might be taking part in the sport, hitting the ball left, proper and brief, and consuming a chilly beer to wash away his rating. You can attain out to him about any of those subjects — his tales, his sport or his beers — at nick.piastowski@golf.com.