Golf Forums - WALKING OFF THE COURSE HALFWAY THRU THE ROUND

What is it that makes people pack up there clubs and walk off halfway thru the round.Is it frustration,ignorance,or what i dont understand it,i look at it this way,golf is a hobbie and time to relax with friends or with other golfers is a passion,a sport we all love to play,good or bad,rain or shine.So why do people feel the need to walk off and leave ther playing partners bemused,bewildered angry, in ther actions to stop,come on this is supposed to be a social game even competitive golf...If the round is going bad so what ..............

Anything other then a Two ball -

May be they are really not enjoying the round (good or bad), not enjoying the company, fed up with playing with people who might not adhere to the rules or etiquette of the game, maybe they just don't want to be there.

I have been playing a round and even though playing/scoring well, felt so bad that I just did not want to be there, to the point of feeling sick............. its a form of depression. Same thing that Ronnie O'Sullivan suffers from, it affects me every now and again and not just when playing golf.

I have walked in for all the above reasons whilst playing "competitive golf" and have seen plenty do the same.
I have also played in competitions and wished that one of the group would pack up and walk in because they are playing so bad, cursing/swearing,having a hissy fit and throwing the odd "club" out of the pram.
(not a bad sign if it is a foursome/fourball and they are on the other team)


I would not hesitate to walk and would not blame anyone I was playing with from doing the same if that is what they decide.

Golf is a hobbie, how can you relax if your playing so bad you are forever apologizing to the people your playing with and feeling even worse because you know your affecting their game as well.

As for passion and love of the game, rain or shine............. I know plenty who pack up the clubs as soon as the first rain drops land, ........by the time they have walked the next hole on their way in, chances are the shower has stopped, but if thats what they decide fine.


How many times in some PGA tour event do you see some pro suddenly become injured and withdraw, usually when they are +6 or more.

Or are you really saying, regardless of how the person is feeling within themselves they must continue the round so as not to upset you ?

As you finish with a "so what" !

So what, just carrying on,  play your own game and enjoy the round with the other partner/partners.

 If I am having a particularly bad round (Happens occasionally!)  I try and pull my game together by changing things (Grip, stance,attitude, trousers!)  I usually get to a stage where I know I am not going to win, or even get any Order of merit points.  So I completely think outside the box.

Use it as a practice round to improve faults.  
Do the stuff you have read & seen on video, but only ever tried on the range.
have this thought ' i know this drive will go in the rough, but it doesn't matter because I am alive and playing the game I love (albeit badly!) 
Walk a little faster to get your heart rate & adrenaline up.
set a target number of shots to finish the round, then reward yourself if you beat it.  (new golf glove?!)
Ignore how well everyone else is playing, because next week they will be you! (Playing badly)

I must say I have never walked off, but can understand that sometimes it might be for the best.

Good golfing

I am in the gang of walking off only in club competitions and not in a two ball. Not very often but if im having a nightmare and i think im spoiling other peoples game by them continually looking for my ball i would decide to go for their benefit´as well as mine. Never in a four ball match as im prone to just picking my ball up to stop the pain and hoping my partner selection was the correct one on the day

PS got my first eagle last week after 20 years of golf. 120 yard shot to the green, straight in. Down side was i never saw it as i was way below the hole. Never crossed my mind to walk uin then though. Isnt golf funny!!

Frankly, I feel that walking off half way thru a round is not on! The whole point of the game, in my opinion is to gain control of your emotions, and play the best you possibly can. Heaven knows I have had a strop on occasion, and immediately regretted it....haven't we all...but walking off IMHO is the ultimate strop.
If you can't lose with grace, or accept that today isn't your day, then you should not be playing the game.

This is not really a tough question to answer.  Walking of the course, except in exceptional circumstances, is just not accpetable.  I have had my share of bad days but never failed to finish the round.  SH

i could not agree more,you really have to enjoy the moment whatever it holds

We have a few youngsters that play in our Saturday swindle,
Unfortunatly some of them can't handle a bad front 9 and walk off sulking breaking up a fourball.
Result = One month ban from the swindle.

I've walked off before finishing only twice:  Once when I injured my back, and was in horrible pain;  and the other time it was raining so hard I couldn't see 5 yards in front of me.

If I have a horrible front 9, then I just use the back 9 as a practice round - trying out various shots that I might not ordinarily try if I were scoring well.