Playing frequency

[JV24601]

Hi all

I'm a golfaholic. No doubt about it!
Most days since the end of April I've either had at least 9 holes or had a solid 2 hours on the practice facilities. Progress has been rapidly slow and I even thought I was going backwards.
I have come down from 27 to 12 in 4 years but hit a wall in the year I was expecting single figures.

Now recently I've had quite a bit of time off the course due to life getting in the way, and I've found that my golf has really picked up and I'm getting my game back.
I seem to be getting 2 or 3 days off between picking a club up and it's working well.
Do you think that's due to the time off?

The only problem is, now I'm free lots again, I want to just be there at the course, but I don't know whether it'll hinder me.

Any thoughts?

 

[duncan mackie]

Any thoughts?

play or practice because you enjoy it - if improvement is you only measure of enjoyment then find another sport; at some point everyone stops measurably improving.

 

[jamielaing]

Hi all

I'm a golfaholic. No doubt about it!
Most days since the end of April I've either had at least 9 holes or had a solid 2 hours on the practice facilities. Progress has been rapidly slow and I even thought I was going backwards.
I have come down from 27 to 12 in 4 years but hit a wall in the year I was expecting single figures.

Now recently I've had quite a bit of time off the course due to life getting in the way, and I've found that my golf has really picked up and I'm getting my game back.
I seem to be getting 2 or 3 days off between picking a club up and it's working well.
Do you think that's due to the time off?

The only problem is, now I'm free lots again, I want to just be there at the course, but I don't know whether it'll hinder me.

Any thoughts?

It could just be that you have been overdoing it and with that can come the over analysing and before you know it you have so many swing changes you don't know what's going on. Sometimes your handicap becomes the be all and end all and that really is when it will suffer.

 

[JV24601]

play or practice because you enjoy it - if improvement is you only measure of enjoyment then find another sport; at some point everyone stops measurably improving.

I've definitely got more room for improvement. I think I can realistically get down to 5 as I have the time and the desire to do so. Rounds last year prove I can get the scores too, having had 3 x 4 over rounds with mistakes in.

I love it, but I want to love it even more by improving, so to find another sport just because of hitting a plateau would be a bit silly.

 

[JV24601]

It could just be that you have been overdoing it and with that can come the over analysing and before you know it you have so many swing changes you don't know what's going on. Sometimes your handicap becomes the be all and end all and that really is when it will suffer.

Good point Jamie, I can relate to that over analysis and overdoing it. All I've been thinking about is how much a certain round will take off my handicap and I've probably took my mind off the actual game.

 

[jamielaing]

Good point Jamie, I can relate to that over analysis and overdoing it. All I've been thinking about is how much a certain round will take off my handicap and I've probably took my mind off the actual game.

I've been very guilty of that too. String together a few good holes then before you know it you are counting then wondering what CSS will be and going- that's a 1.5 cut. Always leads to a crumble!

I think that sometimes if you play all the time then you start implementing unnecessary swing changes and small things like that. Before you know it there are 10 new swing thoughts which you will not remember and are impossible to do.

 

[3puttmaster]

I don't think it'll hinder you but what I would advise is that you need to measure the quality of your practice. If you are just standing there thrashing balls aimlessly then it won't do you any good at all. I was guilty of this a few years ago and it took reading an article and a few words of wisdom from my PGA pro to sort me out.

If, for example, you are working on your pitching, give yourself points depending on how close you finish to the hole and keep a record of it. Don't just hit to one flag though, hit alternate shots to different flags at different distances with different clubs; that'll sharpen up your game. The same can be done with chipping & putting to different holes. Always keep score though and measure your improvement.

I'm sure you get the picture but you have to make the practice sessions fun so your interest will remain but you bring your game on at the same time.

If you are playing a round or 9 holes, try playing with a half set. This will improve your creativity too on shots where you have to decide whether to grip down on clubs, hit 3/4 punch shots etc. Hope you find this useful

 

[duncan mackie]

I've definitely got more room for improvement. I think I can realistically get down to 5 as I have the time and the desire to do so. Rounds last year prove I can get the scores too, having had 3 x 4 over rounds with mistakes in.

I love it, but I want to love it even more by improving, so to find another sport just because of hitting a plateau would be a bit silly.

I must have written my previous post badly - I wasn't suggesting that you couldn't improve from you current point at all. I was highlighting that if your only enjoyment was from improving you will eventually (at some point) struggle to enjoy golf.

 

[JV24601]

I must have written my previous post badly - I wasn't suggesting that you couldn't improve from you current point at all. I was highlighting that if your only enjoyment was from improving you will eventually (at some point) struggle to enjoy golf.

Yes I suppose that's true in a way. But realistically I'll only stop improving when my body will not be able to do the things it once could - which is hopefully a long way down the line.
When that happens it will be a case of trying to improve again via a different swing, or maintain the handicap!
I for one could not enjoy golf if my game was awful. I'm not one of these people who does it for fitness and to be out and about, I enjoy it because of the satisfaction a good round can bring. The other advantages are simply a bonus!

 

[JV24601]

I don't think it'll hinder you but what I would advise is that you need to measure the quality of your practice. If you are just standing there thrashing balls aimlessly then it won't do you any good at all. I was guilty of this a few years ago and it took reading an article and a few words of wisdom from my PGA pro to sort me out.

If, for example, you are working on your pitching, give yourself points depending on how close you finish to the hole and keep a record of it. Don't just hit to one flag though, hit alternate shots to different flags at different distances with different clubs; that'll sharpen up your game. The same can be done with chipping & putting to different holes. Always keep score though and measure your improvement.


I'm sure you get the picture but you have to make the practice sessions fun so your interest will remain but you bring your game on at the same time.

If you are playing a round or 9 holes, try playing with a half set. This will improve your creativity too on shots where you have to decide whether to grip down on clubs, hit 3/4 punch shots etc. Hope you find this useful

I'll give it a go 3Putt. I've actually got some drills and games to practice with. Cheers.

 

[Rooter]

2 or 3 days? LOL. I went to the range yesterday for the first hit of a ball in about a month! Actually was striking the ball really well, but infrequent golf (and practice) is stopping me reducing my handicap. I play to enjoy a few hours peace with mates though, a cut would be nice though!

 

[JV24601]

2 or 3 days? LOL. I went to the range yesterday for the first hit of a ball in about a month! Actually was striking the ball really well, but infrequent golf (and practice) is stopping me reducing my handicap. I play to enjoy a few hours peace with mates though, a cut would be nice though!

Fair do's Rooter!

We all have different availability and different reasons for playing.

 

[Hobbit]

Once you've established a fairly repeatable swing, which it sounds like you have, and have less time than a pro, which is all of us. Make sure your practice is quality not quantity.

You're at the point where you have to physically save shots rather than rely on your handicap quite so much.

Long game is sorted. Practice, practice, practice your short game. And for that you don't need oodles of time.

 

[Lambchops]

2 or 3 days? LOL. I went to the range yesterday for the first hit of a ball in about a month! Actually was striking the ball really well, but infrequent golf (and practice) is stopping me reducing my handicap. I play to enjoy a few hours peace with mates though, a cut would be nice though!

This for me as well - get a game in once a week and that's it, no range nothing else - last 5 comps I've hit my handicap or buffer - would love a cut. New baby and work commitments haven't half curtailed my time on the course

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I tend to play/practice most days. I try and vary it and make sure I'm trying to work on the right things and not ingraining bad habits