How much does tiredness affect a "new" swing.

[ScienceBoy]

So I have taken a bit of time off golf, cold turkey since Aug last year until a few weeks ago.

Since my return I have been unsurprisingly inconsistent.

I can happily stand on the course (albeit a 9 holer) or the range and hit shot after shot out the middle of the club with a lovely slight draw.

A few balls later I $h@nk 10 in a row then go back to nailing them again.

I had a fun evening tonight, had 58 balls, hit 50 beauties playing a pretend course on the range and hitting at a few targets. Was nailing a 3 iron with a lovely high draw and peppering a flag with my wedge.

With my last 8 balls I suddenly couldn't hit the ball for toffee. I just could not close the club face and everything was a high slice. I did stop after 40 balls for a brief rest, went back to nailing them then suddenly lost it!

I blamed it on tiredness and retired home for dinner, I had forgotten my lunch and only had a cuppa soup for lunch after a normal breakfast.

I am putting it down to tiredness and having to force myself to swing inside as since last year I have started swinging the club on the outside massively when I do it wrong, perfectly on the inside when correct but that takes a little concentration still.

It is disappointing as last year I was down to 12 with a swing befitting an even lower handicap.

Was it tiredness and lack of concentration? I really hope so!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think that is the biggest problem with practice either at a range or on the practice ground. You tend to hit a lot more balls at full pelt than you would in a round and usualy are focussing hard on the the technique and it does take its toll. I tend to stick to a maximum of 50-80 balls these days and will spend about 40% of the time hitting pitches and chips rather than bash ball after ball. I do try and drink as well like I would on the course as dehydration is a killer for fatigue and losing concentration

 

[G_Mulligan]

Absolutely. Your golfing muscles and flexibility are bound to suffer with so much time off. Nothing in a regular day to day life will replicate a golf swing and so muscle fatigue will play a big part of your inconsistency over the next couple of weeks. Swaying and turning instead of pivoting and coiling could be the main problem as your body struggles to get into the correct back swing position.

Stick at it and make sure you stretch effectively before and after or switch to wedges and putter when you feel tired and you will be fine.

 

[DaveM]

I do think it is tiredness, be it an old or new swing. I'm coming back after along lay off. Still not played full round. Just adding holes as my stamina is getting better. But towards the end it can and does often go to pot. Had a drink made up by a nutritionist to help with energy/concentration. Seems to help, may all be in the mind though. Plus I don't have a clue whats in it, but it tastes great lol.

 

[ScienceBoy]

I do think it is tiredness, be it an old or new swing.

I did not realise how tired I was that day, I think it was lack of food and I went to bed quite early in the end.

I will go tonight AFTER dinner for another bucket of 50 in preparation for Sunday.

I do remember the back end of last year I could hit 100 balls with ease but that was golfing 3-4 times a week.

Now I have SHOULD have a break before I get to 30 or so or I start messing it up!

How I wish to have the trust in my swing I had last year, currently I feel hitting a golf ball is impossible and I am surprised anyone can do it!

 

[birdieman]

I would only hit 50 at a time and make plenty of those pitches, ease into it. Trouble with range is you think you're not reaching your distances so you start to swing harder, swing harder usually equals poorer results.

Get a speed stik or something similar to swish away at home to get the muscles toned and stretched a bit.

 

[ScienceBoy]

I would only hit 50 at a time and make plenty of those pitches, ease into it. Trouble with range is you think you're not reaching your distances so you start to swing harder, swing harder usually equals poorer results.

Get a speed stik or something similar to swish away at home to get the muscles toned and stretched a bit.

Thanks for all the great advice, I used to be measured in my range time, usually focusing on shorter shots and not hitting a lot of longer ones. Now having not golfed a lot all my shots are with a 7 iron and above. 50 of those is like condensing a round and a half into about 40 mins with nothing else.

I will go tonight AFTER dinner with a more measured approach to prepare for Sunday.

Thanks again guys

 

[DAVEYBOY]

Probably explains why I tend to have a shocker after weight training sessions LOL the club feels like a feather and I swing way too fast.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Good "sesh" in the end, did not feel tired but struggled with grip issues so a lot of slicing.

All sorted though, it does seem like as soon as I learn one skill again I forget something else

My body is battling with what it thinks it used to do and what it should do

 

[DaveM]

I know how you feel. My lay off was about 4 yrs, though injury. I was in single figures at one time, with a swing that people complimented me on.

Thought it would be no problem starting back again. Oh how wrong I was. Having to relearn from the ground up. It was as if I had never played before. The only good side was that I understood the swing and knew what to do when I hit the bad shots.

Its all coming back now. Can get round to about 14 on a good day. But its been 6 months of solid practise, practise and more practise.

What I think I am trying to say is you will get back in the swing. It just might be harder than you though it would be. Its just a matter of getting it grooved again. Gook luck.