Instruction
Don’t ruin golf forever: 7 ways to avoid getting burned out

As most of my regular readers know, I started playing golf as a kid and was lucky enough to play all through my teenage years, into college, and professionally after that. Golf was not only my passion, it WAS my life. In fact, if you ask anyone that I grew up with about my overall work ethic — whether it was golf, study or life — they will all say the same thing… no one worked harder.
From a young age, I wanted to become a professional golfer on the PGA Tour and thus the practice wasn’t really work; I couldn’t get enough of it. Nights couldn’t end fast enough so the sun could come up and I could begin to practice once again.
Does this dedication, or maybe obsession sound familiar?
Later in life, I fell into a trap that I will discuss with you in a second, and it’s one I see happening with golfers everyday. I’m sad to say that I fell into this trap years ago, and it’s one from which I’ve never recovered. I feel it can happen to each and everyone of us if we’re not careful, and I especially worry about the kids coming up today in golf’s ultra-competitive environment. So what am I talking about? Complete and total golf burnout, and an overall loss of the love for the game that makes someone start playing golf in the first place.
So there you have it; I am burned out. I don’t enjoy playing golf for the “fun” of it anymore, and haven’t for at least the last 10 years, maybe longer. You see, I treated golf as my life and as a job, not a way to enjoy my day. How many of you do the same thing? Fortunately for me, I found teaching golf to be my passion and I am still lucky enough to stay around golf, but for most people in the world that isn’t an option.
If you possess the ultra Type-A personality that makes you do everything to the Nth degree, then you better read carefully or you might end up in the same boat as I am right now. Please remember, if you are not a golf professional, teacher, or professional golfer, then golf should be treated as a way to get out of the house, away from the office, or a unique way to enjoy the day. In fact, the phrase, “playing golf” should remind each of us that it is play, not work. When you treat it as work, as your life, you are setting yourself up for burnout and the loss of love for the game.
Here are seven ways I’ve used to make golf fun again.
Second-hand hatred
Re-examine the people who you tend to play golf with on a weekly basis. If you have a group made up of guys who have temper tantrums, gripe about everything on and off the course, or are just miserable people in general, then it’s time to find a new group before the game consumes you, too.
Tee it forward
With your buddies, mix up the tee boxes you play to get rid of the monotony and maybe even cut some strokes off your score. There’s nothing worse than always shooting a score that tends to aggravate you, especially when you’re playing the same course day after day. Why not play a few tees forward and laugh while you try to drive par 4s and reach par 5s in two?
Not your normal bets
Have you ever had “fun” bets with your buddies? Not the ones that involve money, but ones that make the entire group laugh? What about carrying around the rubber snake for the last guy to three putt? Who has to wear the big straw hat for being the shortest driver in the entire group all day long? These are ways to make your time out there more enjoyable and allow you to hear more laughter than cuss words.
Practice somewhere different
When you practice, make it fun, not work. At places like Top Golf, you can work on your swing and have fun in the process. Or you can set up different games in your backyard or local park. Ever tried working on your flop shots by hitting shots into a bucket or garbage can? How about getting a pack of wiffle-golf balls and playing imaginary holes around your house, hitting big fades and hooks? Switching it up can keep your golfing mind entertained.
No time? No biggie
If you miss a day or two of golf because you want to do something else that weekend, it’s OK! Don’t feel pressure to go to the course or the range every day you can. Remember, you don’t have sponsors to please and families to feed based on your performance in your weekly game like the pros do.
Make an equipment change
Nowadays, there are endless options on the equipment market to make the game easier for you to play, so don’t make the game harder than it needs to be. If you’re still hanging on to your 2, 3, and 4 iron, maybe it’s time to replace them. Or go the other way. Get rid of your hybrid or 5 wood and have fun hitting stingers with a 2 iron or driving iron again. Switch from a mallet to a blade putter, or from your blade to a spaceship-sized mallet. The options are endless.
Do something random and fun
Let’s say it’s a Saturday and you’re heading over to the course. Instead of playing 18 holes and beating balls until you’re beat, how about you play a few holes or hit a few balls and then do something totally random like hitting the batting cage or going fishing. Make your day fun from sunrise to sunset instead of making golf a day-long grind.
Please take the time to heed my advice, because I don’t want you to end up where I am; in a place where you seldom want to play golf. It’s not a fun place to be, and I only wish I had understood this lesson sooner.
Instruction
The Wedge Guy: Beating the yips into submission

There may be no more painful affliction in golf than the “yips” – those uncontrollable and maddening little nervous twitches that prevent you from making a decent stroke on short putts. If you’ve never had them, consider yourself very fortunate (or possibly just very young). But I can assure you that when your most treacherous and feared golf shot is not the 195 yard approach over water with a quartering headwind…not the extra tight fairway with water left and sand right…not the soft bunker shot to a downhill pin with water on the other side…No, when your most feared shot is the remaining 2- 4-foot putt after hitting a great approach, recovery or lag putt, it makes the game almost painful.
And I’ve been fighting the yips (again) for a while now. It’s a recurring nightmare that has haunted me most of my adult life. I even had the yips when I was in my 20s, but I’ve beat them into submission off and on most of my adult life. But just recently, that nasty virus came to life once again. My lag putting has been very good, but when I get over one of those “you should make this” length putts, the entire nervous system seems to go haywire. I make great practice strokes, and then the most pitiful short-stroke or jab at the ball you can imagine. Sheesh.
But I’m a traditionalist, and do not look toward the long putter, belly putter, cross-hand, claw or other variation as the solution. My approach is to beat those damn yips into submission some other way. Here’s what I’m doing that is working pretty well, and I offer it to all of you who might have a similar affliction on the greens.
When you are over a short putt, forget the practice strokes…you want your natural eye-hand coordination to be unhindered by mechanics. Address your putt and take a good look at the hole, and back to the putter to ensure good alignment. Lighten your right hand grip on the putter and make sure that only the fingertips are in contact with the grip, to prevent you from getting to tight.
Then, take a long, long look at the hole to fill your entire mind and senses with the target. When you bring your head/eyes back to the ball, try to make a smooth, immediate move right into your backstroke — not even a second pause — and then let your hands and putter track right back together right back to where you were looking — the HOLE! Seeing the putter make contact with the ball, preferably even the forward edge of the ball – the side near the hole.
For me, this is working, but I am asking all of you to chime in with your own “home remedies” for the most aggravating and senseless of all golf maladies. It never hurts to have more to fall back on!
Instruction
Looking for a good golf instructor? Use this checklist

Over the last couple of decades, golf has become much more science-based. We measure swing speed, smash factor, angle of attack, strokes gained, and many other metrics that can really help golfers improve. But I often wonder if the advancement of golf’s “hard” sciences comes at the expense of the “soft” sciences.
Take, for example, golf instruction. Good golf instruction requires understanding swing mechanics and ball flight. But let’s take that as a given for PGA instructors. The other factors that make an instructor effective can be evaluated by social science, rather than launch monitors.
If you are a recreational golfer looking for a golf instructor, here are my top three points to consider.
1. Cultural mindset
What is “cultural mindset? To social scientists, it means whether a culture of genius or a culture of learning exists. In a golf instruction context, that may mean whether the teacher communicates a message that golf ability is something innate (you either have it or you don’t), or whether golf ability is something that can be learned. You want the latter!
It may sound obvious to suggest that you find a golf instructor who thinks you can improve, but my research suggests that it isn’t a given. In a large sample study of golf instructors, I found that when it came to recreational golfers, there was a wide range of belief systems. Some instructors strongly believed recreational golfers could improve through lessons. while others strongly believed they could not. And those beliefs manifested in the instructor’s feedback given to a student and the culture created for players.
2. Coping and self-modeling can beat role-modeling
Swing analysis technology is often preloaded with swings of PGA and LPGA Tour players. The swings of elite players are intended to be used for comparative purposes with golfers taking lessons. What social science tells us is that for novice and non-expert golfers, comparing swings to tour professionals can have the opposite effect of that intended. If you fit into the novice or non-expert category of golfer, you will learn more and be more motivated to change if you see yourself making a ‘better’ swing (self-modeling) or seeing your swing compared to a similar other (a coping model). Stay away from instructors who want to compare your swing with that of a tour player.
3. Learning theory basics
It is not a sexy selling point, but learning is a process, and that process is incremental – particularly for recreational adult players. Social science helps us understand this element of golf instruction. A good instructor will take learning slowly. He or she will give you just about enough information that challenges you, but is still manageable. The artful instructor will take time to decide what that one or two learning points are before jumping in to make full-scale swing changes. If the instructor moves too fast, you will probably leave the lesson with an arm’s length of swing thoughts and not really know which to focus on.
As an instructor, I develop a priority list of changes I want to make in a player’s technique. We then patiently and gradually work through that list. Beware of instructors who give you more than you can chew.
So if you are in the market for golf instruction, I encourage you to look beyond the X’s and O’s to find the right match!
Instruction
What Lottie Woad’s stunning debut win teaches every golfer

Most pros take months, even years, to win their first tournament. Lottie Woad needed exactly four days.
The 21-year-old from Surrey shot 21-under 267 at Dundonald Links to win the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open by three shots — in her very first event as a professional. She’s only the third player in LPGA history to accomplish this feat, joining Rose Zhang (2023) and Beverly Hanson (1951).
But here’s what caught my attention as a coach: Woad didn’t win through miraculous putting or bombing 300-yard drives. She won through relentless precision and unshakeable composure. After watching her performance unfold, I’m convinced every golfer — from weekend warriors to scratch players — can steal pages from her playbook.
Precision Beats Power (And It’s Not Even Close)
Forget the driving contests. Woad proved that finding greens matters more than finding distance.
What Woad did:
• Hit it straight, hit it solid, give yourself chances
• Aimed for the fat parts of greens instead of chasing pins
• Let her putting do the talking after hitting safe targets
• As she said, “Everyone was chasing me today, and managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch and hit a lot of good shots”
Why most golfers mess this up:
• They see a pin tucked behind a bunker and grab one more club to “go right at it”
• Distance becomes more important than accuracy
• They try to be heroic instead of smart
ACTION ITEM: For your next 10 rounds, aim for the center of every green regardless of pin position. Track your greens in regulation and watch your scores drop before your swing changes.
The Putter That Stayed Cool Under Fire
Woad started the final round two shots clear and immediately applied pressure with birdies at the 2nd and 3rd holes. When South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim mounted a charge and reached 20-under with a birdie at the 14th, Woad didn’t panic.
How she responded to pressure:
• Fired back with consecutive birdies at the 13th and 14th
• Watched Kim stumble with back-to-back bogeys
• Capped it with her fifth birdie of the day at the par-5 18th
• Stayed patient when others pressed, pressed when others cracked
What amateurs do wrong:
• Get conservative when they should be aggressive
• Try to force magic when steady play would win
• Panic when someone else makes a move
ACTION ITEM: Practice your 3-6 foot putts for 15 minutes after every range session. Woad’s putting wasn’t spectacular—it was reliable. Make the putts you should make.
Course Management 101: Play Your Game, Not the Course’s Game
Woad admitted she couldn’t see many scoreboards during the final round, but it didn’t matter. She stuck to her game plan regardless of what others were doing.
Her mental approach:
• Focused on her process, not the competition
• Drew on past pressure situations (Augusta National Women’s Amateur win)
• As she said, “That was the biggest tournament I played in at the time and was kind of my big win. So definitely felt the pressure of it more there, and I felt like all those experiences helped me with this”
Her physical execution:
• 270-yard drives (nothing flashy)
• Methodical iron play
• Steady putting
• Everything effective, nothing spectacular
ACTION ITEM: Create a yardage book for your home course. Know your distances to every pin, every hazard, every landing area. Stick to your plan no matter what your playing partners are doing.
Mental Toughness Isn’t Born, It’s Built
The most impressive part of Woad’s win? She genuinely didn’t expect it: “I definitely wasn’t expecting to win my first event as a pro, but I knew I was playing well, and I was hoping to contend.”
Her winning mindset:
• Didn’t put winning pressure on herself
• Focused on playing well and contending
• Made winning a byproduct of a good process
• Built confidence through recent experiences:
- Won the Women’s Irish Open as an amateur
- Missed a playoff by one shot at the Evian Championship
- Each experience prepared her for the next
What this means for you:
• Stop trying to shoot career rounds every time you tee up
• Focus on executing your pre-shot routine
• Commit to every shot
• Stay present in the moment
ACTION ITEM: Before each round, set process goals instead of score goals. Example: “I will take three practice swings before every shot” or “I will pick a specific target for every shot.” Let your score be the result, not the focus.
The Real Lesson
Woad collected $300,000 for her first professional victory, but the real prize was proving that fundamentals still work at golf’s highest level. She didn’t reinvent the game — she simply executed the basics better than everyone else that week.
The fundamentals that won:
• Hit more fairways
• Find more greens
• Make the putts you should make
• Stay patient under pressure
That’s something every golfer can do, regardless of handicap. Lottie Woad just showed us it’s still the winning formula.
FINAL ACTION ITEM: Pick one of the four action items above and commit to it for the next month. Master one fundamental before moving to the next. That’s how champions are built.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” on RG.org each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more Tips!
Dave R
Aug 31, 2016 at 11:47 am
Great article and agree stay away from #1
asmith
Aug 23, 2016 at 9:46 pm
I’m 58 and have been playing since I was 10. I stopped for the most part in 2012 due to being out of shape and golf playing havoc with my back (thankfully just the muscles, not the spine). But that’s not the real reason. I’m a competitive person and when I couldn’t compete anymore, I lost interest, e.g. my nephew is 16 years younger than me and the last 2 times we teed it up for more than grins, he beat me 66 to 74 and 70 to 80. I was being out driven by 40+ yards and 2 clubs on approaches. It wasn’t fun for me and he was too old to really enjoy taking a bite out of me since his competitive days are over too (we’ve been playing together for 25 years).
But…
I got a call out of the blue to play in a scramble by a friend last week since there was a last minute cancellation I played a total of 18 holes in the last 3 years and reluctantly said yes as I was assured no one would care how bad I played. Not only did I hit every fairway with respectable distance, I hit every green but one, and won the group 2 par 3 circle bets and made 2 20’+ putts. We didn’t win but finished with a respectable 60. No, it wasn’t an overly long course, but it was as much fun as I’ve had on a golf course in the last 15 years! So, it just goes to show you, you never know what’s going to happen when you tee it up.
Fredo
Aug 22, 2016 at 1:31 pm
Thinking back on my jobs I can truly say that I loved to work, but did not necessarily loved the company I worked for. I think it’s about enjoying the process for me. I have always enjoyed everything about all the sports I have played especially gearing up for an outing like waxing and tuning my skis, or cleaning the clubs and checking the golf bag for supplies. I do confess that it’s a grind playing with clowns that are downers and complain about everything, but after the 19 hole it’s all good 🙂
John
Aug 19, 2016 at 10:28 pm
I am 54 and have been playing since I was ten. I have always played alot of golf averaging 3-4 times a week or 70-80 rounds a year. I read about golf, watch golf, coach HS golf and sit on the board of our district golf association. But I still love the game and can’t ever remember feeling burnt out. This article made me think about why that is the case. I think it is because I live where we have winter for 5 months year and can’t play. Maybe this break (which I always hated) is a blessing in disguise. It always keeps our appetite alive for the next season and we also appreciate those last days of the season when we know the end is coming each year.
Richard Head
Aug 19, 2016 at 7:55 pm
How not to burn out by the guy who is burnt out. Those that can’t do teach. How to stop drinking by a stoned drunk alcoholic.
ders
Aug 19, 2016 at 5:57 pm
I’ve played my best rounds when one of my group was having a full on rage attack. Its funny and makes it easier to shrug off your own bad shots.
Burner
Aug 19, 2016 at 12:02 pm
@marmooskapaul, Ha! I am opposite! Been playing golf, got burnt out, started fishing last year and am hooked (no pun). Went from 3 rounds per week to maybe 4 per month. Buying a new Bass Boat in October!
CJ
Aug 19, 2016 at 11:57 am
Great article Tom — well said!!
James G
Aug 19, 2016 at 9:11 am
My contemplation of quitting golf now centers on the fact it seems more like a chore these days with age and arthritis setting in. Teeing it forward and all the other things didn’t make it any more fun. I haven’t quit as yet but my rounds have dropped dramatically from 10+ a month to maybe once a month or even less of late.
8thehardway
Aug 19, 2016 at 6:34 am
I was burned out on my wife so i re-read your column substituting “marriage” for “golf”. I found someone who doesn’t gripe and we played different games – I had her carry the ‘rubber snake’ around wearing nothing but a straw hat, got some wiffle golf balls and played imaginary holes around the house, things were great. But then she read your article and wanted to make an equipment change from my Bullseye blade putter to a big, honkin mallet. So now I’m lonely but knocked six strokes off my handicap – any advice?
Fok
Aug 19, 2016 at 11:47 am
Yes. Learn to be funny. Go back to school to learn to tell better jokes. And also learn to talk to yourself in the mirror and to leave the good people alone on websites like here.
Fok = wet blanket
Aug 19, 2016 at 12:53 pm
Lighten up…8thehardway is just having fun with it. Were you taught to tell jokes in school? I’m guess you studied stand-up comedy in lieu of grammar.
fok = wet blanket
Aug 19, 2016 at 1:02 pm
*guessing
Fok
Aug 19, 2016 at 8:34 pm
Well done on that grammar of yours. Thanks for that laugh. We all had a good one.
Square
Aug 19, 2016 at 4:32 am
I’ve read the article twice and pondered why I’ve never truly been burned out. Started at 14, played high school, competed at the amateur level and contemplated a career as a professional. Today I’m 47 and a +2 handicap. I play about 25 times per year and practice once a week. I love it nearly as much as the day I picked it up. My wife has even stated what a blessing it is that I have something which holds my interest as much as the day she met me. For me, I think the key is that I never entered the Golf industry as a profession as someone has documented earlier. I also, kept improving ever so slightly which kept me coming back for more. If I had continually gotten worse over the years, I think I would have stepped away. Thanks for the article Tom, it was an interesting subject.
Double Mocha Man
Aug 18, 2016 at 7:43 pm
You would.
KK
Aug 18, 2016 at 7:20 pm
Thanks for sharing. A round of golf has the potential of being 4-5 hours of pure frustration because of unrealistic expectations or just an off swing. Keep it classy and it’ll be better for everyone.
Bert
Aug 18, 2016 at 6:52 pm
I believe it happens even if you don’t work in the profession. I go to the course every day, do allot of tournament volunteer work, and spend many other hours supporting the game. Last year I noticed I was just going through the motions. I mean I juts hit the shot and put little thought in executing it, or for that matter really cared about the results. I’m trying to get away from that attitude, but playing the same course with the same golfers can get you in a rut, or careless routine. I notice when I travel and play I get excited again, or when I enter competitions, similar results. Good article and well worth the read.
Jamie
Aug 18, 2016 at 4:19 pm
Do something long enough and anything can feel like a job.
ZJohnson
Aug 18, 2016 at 3:24 pm
#1 way to avoid getting burnt out is to not work in the industry. Ask 95% of the people who have worked in golf for a living.
Fok
Aug 18, 2016 at 3:52 pm
That’s the same as any job, doofus. But if somebody makes millions from it, they’re fairly OK with it
ooffa
Aug 18, 2016 at 4:47 pm
Fok, you sound burned out on life.
Fok
Aug 18, 2016 at 6:01 pm
No, I make millions, so I don’t know what burnout is.
Fok
Aug 18, 2016 at 6:05 pm
I go play golf whenever I want and money makes itself while I tool around the golf course laughing all the way to the bank and home
Ryan Lochte
Aug 19, 2016 at 4:08 am
You are a cool dude!! (Sarcasm)
Certain industries are more attractive than others. Experienced this working at a golf course as a teenager.. verified as a “strategy consultant.”
Appreciate my friends in the golf industry, because it’s not always very lucrative, but its the folks I enjoy spending some of my free time with.
Dave
Aug 19, 2016 at 7:19 am
Since when is money the be all and end all as you seem to allude.
Bob
Aug 19, 2016 at 9:59 am
Remember what they say, “Money can’t buy you happiness but it can sure rent some really good times” 🙂
Fok
Aug 19, 2016 at 11:49 am
Exactly. Money helps me not worry about the petty stuff, it helps me get outside and just go play and do what I want and have fun
cwt
Aug 18, 2016 at 12:42 pm
Had this problem after high school. Practicing everyday and playing competitively weekly can lead to burn out. Hasn’t been a problem since my back gave out in my mid-thirties. Not sure I could play more than twice a week and still walk, or sit for that matter.
In fact, playing only nine holes helps too. Just enough to keep up the enjoyment, but not so much that my back gives out.
Greg V
Aug 18, 2016 at 11:44 am
Harvey Pennick: Eat dinner with good putters.
Double Mocha Man
Aug 18, 2016 at 7:44 pm
I took my old Ping Anser to dinner last night. We had drinks, too.
Ryan Lochte
Aug 19, 2016 at 4:17 am
Hahaha
carl spackler
Aug 18, 2016 at 11:31 am
#8 Don’t play for money
For most people they wouldn’t take is so seriously and it would take care of #1
dsd
Aug 18, 2016 at 10:47 am
#1 is huge. Stay away from negativity on the course, it is a killer.
marmooskapaul
Aug 18, 2016 at 10:21 am
Had the same thing happen to me with bass fishing. After doing it since I was a child…I lost the ability to give a sh##…so I took up golf at 39…and hardly ever get the boat out anymore. Don’t think it can’t happen…because it can.