In anticipation... tips for the return to golf

[Curls]

Anyone got any advice for those returning after a long lay off? Other than “just enjoy it and be grateful you are fortunate enough to be out there”, which is tip #1 with a bullet.

Here’s mine. Call it tip #2

Forget your yardages.

Sounds odd, one of the most important things to know is how far you carry the ball on average (not your Total distance, nor Sunday best, neither will help determine if you can carry that hazard).

I usually hibernate in winter and last year realised that many of my faults on returning were down to me artificially trying to increase my clubhead speed to the level I was previously comfortable with in high summer. Needing to see my usual carry yardages my grip would become strong - really stupidly strong. Id sway like mad on drives and take stupidly short, fast backswings, all of which are subconscious reactions to wanting the club to move faster than it is.

It is not high summer. Your golf muscles have atrophied. Take an extra club and swing easy until you are playing/practicing regularly and all your strength and flexibility comes back.

And if it all goes wrong, see tip #1 and have a big smile on your face.

 

[Imurg]

Don't take the first 2 or 3 rounds that seriously.
We'll be playing in 2 balls and only playing 9.
Thats barely enough time to get going let alone perform..
Coming out of LD1 I think I had 6 points on my first 9.
By the time we got back to playing 18 for a few weeks, I was back to playing around handicap
Just enjoy being out there to start with.

 

[IanM]

I've got a weighted club with an over whippy shaft. I've started to make sure I swing it each day. My arms ache from too much sitting at laptop.

I've got a sports massage booked for the next 3 Thursdays get these creaky old bones moving again.

The net is coming out next weekend as the monsoon is due to stop this week.

Then, just play for the sheer fun of it

 

[Imurg]

I'll probably try and get a PM time then I can go to the range first thing to attempt to loosen things up a bit...

 

[backwoodsman]

All a bit serious eh, what?

Ok, three tips..
Remember not to shake your mate's hand.
Remember not to touch the flag
Remember to have a laugh

So, put your ball down, hit it and go.

 

[Curls]

Tip 1: stop being such a wuss and just get back playing.

Tip 1 is taken but you sort of have the vibe. ?

 

[3offTheTee]

Don't take the first 2 or 3 rounds that seriously.
We'll be playing in 2 balls and only playing 9.
Thats barely enough time to get going let alone perform..
Coming out of LD1 I think I had 6 points on my first 9.
By the time we got back to playing 18 for a few weeks, I was back to playing around handicap
Just enjoy being out there to start with.

Was that the round when your big brother advised everybody how poor you were. Think it was the one and only time he managed to beat you!

 

[D-S]

I would recommend some serious finger exercises as the biggest challenge is going to be getting a tee time!

 

[IanM]

Tip 1: stop being such a wuss and just get back playing.

its more about the padlock on the gates than any wussery

 

[Imurg]

Was that the round when your big brother advised everybody how poor you were. Think it was the one and only time he managed to beat you!

To be fair he did beat me a couple of other times as well....but we did play 4 times a week for nearly 2 months...

 

[jim8flog]

After the first lockdown my first round was really good. It all went downhill from there.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Erm best case scenario is we resume playing in March which is still off season. Plenty of time to get a few rounds under the belt before it matters.
Bit of a strange thread.

 

[BubbaP]

I'm in the hit it, smile, find it and hit it again camp.

Depending on the actual date, I'd put the leccy away for winter so whether to continue carrying for a bit or not ?

 

[Curls]

Erm best case scenario is we resume playing in March which is still off season. Plenty of time to get a few rounds under the belt before it matters.
Bit of a strange thread.

Fair enough. Background is I was talking to a regular playing partner who was saying how weird it’s going to be, he has played 3/4 times a week for decades including winter. Like I say I usually take winter off so figured I’d warn people off making a mistake I made several times without realising it. Doesn’t apply to many folk I’m sure, wish someone had posted it and I may have avoided thrashing at the ball trying to hit my yardages on return in years past.

 

[SatchFan]

As someone who normally has to do a bit of fair practice to keep things going, when we came out of lockdown 2 I just got to the first tee, took two practice swings and off I went. Played surprisingly well.

 

[Boomy]

The best tip is to be flexible with your tee time.... if it’s anything like the last unlocks the “seasoned old pros” will be on the booking system quicker than even the booking system can understand how they did it!

 

[Sats]

We've been cooped up for so long with no golf, so enjoy the fresh air, the sunshine (all digits crossed!),the limited company, the good shots, the bad, the meh, enjoy the beer that you brought from Tescos to enjoy on the round, the lack of worries save how many bogeys are on the horizon and simply enjoy it.

 

[MarkT]

I always think there's a three-round window where you play with no expectations to when they start kicking in so just enjoy it, I'm just looking forward to having an extended chat with a good mate or whoever. My main concern is managing my Voltarol intake

 

[hairball_89]

I've got a 5 wood I bought at some point in nov/december. It arrived the day after my last range session before everything closed. I'm hitting it off the first wherever I play. Probably for the 2nd shot too!

Tips? enjoy it. I certainly will.

 

[Orikoru]

After the first lockdown I came back and was immediately playing better than before it. Had no idea why but I hope that happens again! I might get the old practise net out of the shed once in the next few weeks just to have a swing again before teeing off for real.

I'm not bothered about how I play though. My main concern is to play as much as physically possible before renewal date of May 1st so I feel like I didn't completely waste my money by joining around Christmas time.