Tips for getting back into playing

[displayname]

I’m not naturally good at golf, but I’ve always enjoyed it since I learned to play back in college. For a few years I was at least hitting balls a couple days a week, and playing about once a week. In my peak I was hitting low 90s-upper 80s regularly. 

 

The past couple years I’ve had a lot of life happen: got married, new house, 2 job changes in a year. It’s been busy, but all good things. In that time I’ve only been able to play a handful of times, and obviously my game has suffered. Putting has held together decently well, but anything above a 7 iron has really fallen apart. 
 

Any tips for coming off a hiatus? I plan to try to play more regularly in the coming year, but I do feel somewhat like I’m starting over. Trying to get my feel back, plus I’ve put on a little weight and lost endurance to walk a full round easily. Obviously nothing really beats repetition, but if anyone has any tips from when they came back to the game I’d love to hear them! 

[jordan2240]

When I was working and raising kids, I was lucky to play a couple times a year.  There were periods where I'd go a few years without playing at all.  In retirement, I play a lot more, but in your situation, where the time to play might be difficult to come by, my first tip would be to simply go out and have fun, and not expect much.  I walk almost exclusively because that's how I get the most enjoyment out of being on the golf course, but also because, even if I don't play well, I know I'm at least getting some significant exercise benefit, so I'd also suggest getting a lightweight carry bag, loading it with 7 or 8 clubs, and walking whenever you can.  If you have trouble with 18, don't hesitate to play 9.  I used to hate playing just 9 holes, but it's grown on me, and isn't so bad.  Welcome back.

[vtpachyderm]

I was in the same situation - stopped in 2002 when I left the US, 10 year hiatus, and then started playing again in 2012. By that time had a family so time was still an issue, and I felt like I was starting from scratch, but had very low expectations for that first year. Didn't invest heavily in gear - got decent stuff on the used market. Had about a 4/5 month window in which to play due to the weather here in Norway. The key for me was range sessions followed by a nine hole round i.e. not worry too much about playing 18. Think I played 4-5 full 18 hole rounds, but the rest was about 3 hours of time with about 1 hour on the range and putting green and then a 9 hole round on a short course. By the end of the season, felt a lot better about my game. So my advice - treat that first year as just getting reacquainted with your swing the game etc.

 

It's a bit funny since the offseason is pretty long here (October - Early May), so that first couple of rounds outside feel like you're starting from scratch again but ever since we got a pretty sweet indoor center here in town, it's been a bit easier to practice swinging. Even so - I don't start really getting upset at my game until about a month into the season by about my 3rd or 4th 18 hole round 😅

[lefthack]

I went whole hog. I played in college ('88-'90) but didn't play more than once every so often (every couple years maybe) because kids. Now all my kids are grown and COVID made me stir crazy. I bought a ton of fresh used gear, paid a membership and started playing 4+ days a week. 

 

18ish months back in it, my swing has come a long way. Paid for a driver lesson to help and am just burning now. Playing 3-4 days a week at least at 5 different courses near by. I've gone through a couple different bags, 4 drivers, 5 sets of irons, a fist full of fairways and hybrids just trying different things. I'm having a blast.

 

 

[displayname]

Thanks for all the advice! Playing 9 more often is a great point that I regularly overlook. I wish more courses did 9-hole rates. Or better yet, I wish we had more 9-hole courses. We still have a few around, but most are a decent distance. Luckily we have one course semi-near the house that is cheap enough that I don’t feel like I’m wasting money if I only play 9. My biggest deterrent from 9 has always been paying the same as 18. Just hurts my cheap soul, lol. 
 

If I’m lucky our weather will be warm enough to play the week after Christmas so I can jump start the year. I know fresh gear jump starts my motivation, so I’m very excited to that I’ll have a new push cart to take out. 

[vtpachyderm]

21 minutes ago, displayname said:

Thanks for all the advice! Playing 9 more often is a great point that I regularly overlook. I wish more courses did 9-hole rates. Or better yet, I wish we had more 9-hole courses. We still have a few around, but most are a decent distance. Luckily we have one course semi-near the house that is cheap enough that I don’t feel like I’m wasting money if I only play 9. My biggest deterrent from 9 has always been paying the same as 18. Just hurts my cheap soul, lol. 
 

If I’m lucky our weather will be warm enough to play the week after Christmas so I can jump start the year. I know fresh gear jump starts my motivation, so I’m very excited to that I’ll have a new push cart to take out. 

It’s easy to get variety on the same track - play from different tees, play with a half set, treat it as a par 3 course by playing your first shot from 160 and in etc etc. If you treat the 9 as a very specific training session it doesn’t have to feel monotonous. 
 

Nowadays I forgo the range for the most part and just play 9 which takes about 75 mins. 

[jordan2240]

12 hours ago, displayname said:

My biggest deterrent from 9 has always been paying the same as 18. Just hurts my cheap soul, lol. 

I feel your pain.  Around here, all of the courses have a 9-hole rate, but it's about 2/3rds the price of the 18-hole rate, so somehow you feel like you're getting cheated, and when you aren't playing very often, you tend to want to do 18.  Nonetheless, I probably could have played a lot more when I was younger if I didn't have the aversion to playing 9 holes.  I'm surprised the courses around you don't have a 9-hole rate though.

[lefthack]

I guess it's just how it is around here, but I have a bunch of 9 holes to choose from. I rarely play 18 due to the time required. I can bust 9 in 2 hours or less and That's easy to pull off before or after work. 18 would be tough.

[displayname]

10 hours ago, jordan2240 said:

I feel your pain.  Around here, all of the courses have a 9-hole rate, but it's about 2/3rds the price of the 18-hole rate, so somehow you feel like you're getting cheated, and when you aren't playing very often, you tend to want to do 18.  Nonetheless, I probably could have played a lot more when I was younger if I didn't have the aversion to playing 9 holes.  I'm surprised the courses around you don't have a 9-hole rate though.

I think enough courses have closed that they aren’t bleeding money anymore. The public courses in the city stay busy. We used to have a few 9 hole courses that weren’t too far, but they have all been sold off. The real estate just became too valuable to keep to going. 
 

We still have a few 9 hole courses and courses that do 9 hole rates around the metroplex, but if I’m driving 45 minutes each way just to play 9, it kind of eats up the time and cost savings just sitting in the car. I guess I should just be glad we still have affordable courses around. 

[Zitlow]

Don't restrict your lower body. 

[Barfolomew]

Starting over is a great place to start... 

 

While golf is a physical sport it can truly benefit from a positive mental approach. 

 

Bad shots and Good shots aren't so different when it comes to how you react to them.... So many over celebrate good shots or throw a pity party when they suck... even minded while enjoying the process will be helpful

Edited December 27, 2021 by Barfolomew

[MC21]

I just came off a 10 year hiatus, so I think I can offer some pointers.

 

Fundamentals are by far the most important thing - grip, posture, setup, alignment, etc. Spend most of your time practicing in the beginning making sure these things are all in check. If they're not you have no chance of consistently improving.

 

Do not try and focus on more than one or two things when working on your swing. Since it's been so long, most things will feel unnatural. Focus on addressing one thing (takeaway, tempo, weight shift, etc.) and move onto the next thing once the other has improved.

 

Be athletic and focus on playing golf and not "golf swing". If your fundamentals are good, you will have far more success and enjoyment trying to hit the ball to certain parts of the course instead of trying to feel certain things in your swing. Stay loose and focus on tempo and rhythm. This will help put you in good position to hit the ball where you are focusing. Keep the other stuff for the practice range and try not to clutter your mind with a million instructional videos or articles. 

 

 

[PeterPing]

If you walk get a pull cart. No need to carry a bag in your back. 

[dogsbe]

Guys, I absolutely feel your pain.  Playing 18 holes of golf regularly jeopardizes family life and career prospects in today's modern life.  Golf participation research is showing that the 30 to 55 year old golfers are leaving the game and only returning back after retirement.  Golf is a lifelong pursuit, period!  

 

Like yourself, the daily pressures of life and paying relatively extortionate prices per round, i.e. £400 per round.  Because I was playing rusty, I was shooting big numbers.  I was not enjoying myself, I was off in the woods looking for balls.  

 

In my eyes, you are playing golf when at least 95% of the holes played are +/- 1 shot, there is a bit more variation for a bogey golfer.  As a bogey golfer, this means realistically there are 3 possible outcomes on every hole, a par, bogey or double bogey.  Absolutely forget about birdies, these actually occur setting up a number of chances and a putt here and they actually fall.  I also don't want you to get anything more than a double bogey on your card.  Double bogeys happen when you hit your ball out of position, i.e. in the woods, in the lake or out of bounds.  

 

I have not seen your game, but what I have read, try and play 9 holes with your lowest club being a 7 iron.  So on a par 4, it will take you 3 to reach the green and and par 5, 4 shots to reach the green.  So on almost every green, you have a fighting chance to make a par, most likely you will make a bogey and if you did something stupid, you will make a double bogey.  

 

So forget about your gross score, look for a way that you can play +/- 1 shot on the vast majority of holes.  

 

To be very clear, to consistently hit a wood off the tee and find the fairway takes regular practice.  Most golfers actually tend to get along with their 7 iron, so they can still make good progress if they are rusty.  If you can find some time to practice, just work in your short game.  If I am right, you will enjoy the game more and shot similar scores.  

[BB28403]

Just show up at the course with your clubs and 2 Benjamin’s pinned to your shirt.

 

The course staff will take care of you.

Edited December 29, 2021 by BB28403