It’s hot here in Scottsdale. I mean really hot like 115 degrees hot! And I will tell you it’s hard to be motivated to do any activity let alone going to the driving range to hit a bucket of ball or putt for 45 minutes.
In other areas of my life, I’ve realized that I can’t accomplish things on my own; I need a team of people to empower and support me. However, in golf, it often feels like I don’t have this support system. Golf is an individual sport, and while I can play with others or play league, finding people to meet up at the range and practice for an hour, especially in this sweltering heat, is not easy.
So, how do I stay motivated? That’s the million-dollar question that has been on my mind this summer. Since recovering from my back injury, I’ve been taking it easy. I haven’t been consistent with gym workouts or range sessions. Despite almost reaching a year of striving for a lower handicap, I’m no closer to that goal than I was a year ago. Yes, my game has improved in other ways, but lowering my handicap remains my primary focus. I know I’m capable of being a better golfer than my current 18.1 index.
Now, I find myself lacking the motivation to continue practicing and training as I did earlier in the year. Perhaps it’s because there are no tournaments until October, or maybe I’m subconsciously being cautious about my back injury. It could also be that I don’t care enough about lowering my handicap. It might be a combination of all three.
It’s not that I don’t love golf anymore; in fact, I’ve come to love it even more in recent months. I’ve learned to embrace the journey, the process, and the small victories that keep me coming back. I’ve learned to lean into discomfort on the course. If I hit a bad shot, it’s not the end of the world; I simply focus on the next shot. I’ve also adjusted my expectations, playing to my handicap rather than putting excessive pressure on myself to par every hole. Shooting bogey or better, or even double or better, has become a more reasonable mindset.
But why am I still struggling to find motivation to practice? Maybe I shouldn’t overthink it. After all, golf is a hobby, not a profession. My life has become fuller in the past few months, and sometimes golf doesn’t fit into every aspect of it. And that’s okay. It’s just difficult for me to accept that I won’t be able to maintain the same golf routine I had in the past.
