Skills Deteriorating: How to Fix?

I can appreciate your POV but from a slightly different perspective. I started golfing in 2012 after experiencing burnout with endurance sports. I still bike and run but my numbers (mileage, time...and body weight) are laughable compared to what they used to be. I still enjoy both activities but it required a mind shift. Racing isn’t on the radar, right now, so I identified new goals which are primarily based around enjoyment and fitness. It sounds like you have some alternative golf goals in mind and I wish you well on developing your personal action plan.

FWIW - my golf plan includes a big FU to Father Time and my repaired knee. I’m working hard to improve which means lower scores and hitting the ball farther!!

Insert Jimmy Valvano gif here (Don’t Ever Give Up!) ...


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badolds;n8881524 said:
JB we NEED you. I have had the same job for over 30 years and I go through periods of burnout. If you get burned out with golf you would have to fake it so to speak on here and that would not be good for you or us. Your love of equipment and tech is infectious but without the game and playing it what is your motivation? I believe that you playing rounds is more important than anything else in your career.

I’m not burnt out.
And I strongly disagree to the last sentence.
 
JB;n8881537 said:
I’m not burnt out.
And I strongly disagree to the last sentence.

I hope I did not upset you as that was not my intention. I seem to put my foot in my mouth from time to time.:bashful:
 
JB;n8880777 said:
This will be a lengthy post, but more cathartic than anything. 10 years ago I was playing to just around a 6 handicap and loving the game. 8 years ago, it was .9 and the best I had been to date. Slowly age, injuries and time allotment have eroded the game to where it is and the last couple of years have been tough. Currently playing to between a 9 and 10 handicap and it could go either way any time out. The last few rounds have been with THPers, so the fun has been in place, but the game is a shell of what it used to be.

Limited to 10 rounds or so each of the last few years it has made me cherish my time on the course. I do so only with THPers at THP Events it appears and luckily at some pretty special places.

My question to THPers who have gone through something similar is really twofold.

1. How do you cope with the deteriorating skills compared to where they were just a few years ago? Do you enjoy the game the same?

2. Have you found ways to get them back without marring up your current schedule?

I have quite a bit of golf scheduled for later this year and next. Working on some absolutely ridiculous things for THPers for next year and I want to be able to take part in the joys of them. Seeing my local pro seems like a simple fix, but without the time to engrain the items taught, I am unsure that is the best avenue, rather than just working on my short game, where I made my mark previously to the point that it is not entirely detrimental like it is now.

So I turn to you, THPers for your guidance of those that have been through this before.

i don’t know how you can live golf without playing golf. like a starving person forced to serve food at a michelin star restaurant.

while my game is ok, i am feeling the effects of age as i cannot do what i want to do. i’m still young by many standards, but i can feel my body working against me. i’ve been exercising to try to combat that.

the enjoyment thing is something i’ve often wondered about. living where i do, i see a lot of elderly people on the course. often they cannot get the ball very high in the air, it doesn’t go very far, and they have little to no chance of scoring well from any set of tees. i’ll watch them and wonder how they can have fun at all. but i guess it’s a different mindset. i’m playing to try to achieve my best i can be; they are playing for the enjoyment of being on the course, with a club in hand, still upright. so my answer to your first question is, if it were me, i would have to reassess why i play the game.

for the second question, i’m kind of doing this now. a set of lessons with a pro to tune up my game for the grandaddy. it’s been almost a decade since i last worked with anybody, and it’s taken about that long to undo a lot of damage from an ill-advised swing method. but after one lesson, i’m already seeing big strides.

i think you and i are similar in that we can make good swings, but we may not know exactly why we aren’t making good swings anymore. so a pro can give you a single thought, and your talent and abilities can lead to fast gains without a ton of practice time. someone lacking fundamentals or having never been in the single digits may be forced to spend more time ingraining the changes.

i’ve had the good fortune to play golf with you. the talent and skill are absolutely there. i think a few lessons with a pro, and being honest about your end goals, would pay big dividends for you!


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badolds;n8881545 said:
I hope I did not upset you as that was not my intention. I seem to put my foot in my mouth from time to time.:bashful:

Not at all.
 
McLovin;n8881546 said:
i don’t know how you can live golf without playing golf. like a starving person forced to serve food at a michelin star restaurant.

while my game is ok, i am feeling the effects of age as i cannot do what i want to do. i’m still young by many standards, but i can feel my body working against me. i’ve been exercising to try to combat that.

the enjoyment thing is something i’ve often wondered about. living where i do, i see a lot of elderly people on the course. often they cannot get the ball very high in the air, it doesn’t go very far, and they have little to no chance of scoring well from any set of tees. i’ll watch them and wonder how they can have fun at all. but i guess it’s a different mindset. i’m playing to try to achieve my best i can be; they are playing for the enjoyment of being on the course, with a club in hand, still upright. so my answer to your first question is, if it were me, i would have to reassess why i play the game.

for the second question, i’m kind of doing this now. a set of lessons with a pro to tune up my game for the grandaddy. it’s been almost a decade since i last worked with anybody, and it’s taken about that long to undo a lot of damage from an ill-advised swing method. but after one lesson, i’m already seeing big strides.

i think you and i are similar in that we can make good swings, but we may not know exactly why we aren’t making good swings anymore. so a pro can give you a single thought, and your talent and abilities can lead to fast gains without a ton of practice time. someone lacking fundamentals or having never been in the single digits may be forced to spend more time ingraining the changes.

i’ve had the good fortune to play golf with you. the talent and skill are absolutely there. i think a few lessons with a pro, and being honest about your end goals, would pay big dividends for you!


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The better analogy would be serving food at that same restaurant, let's call it a pasta place, but you can't eat carbs right now. Make sense?
 
wubears71;n8881089 said:
I’m going through this right now and honestly I just cannot enjoy playing right now. Unfortunately for me it’s not from lack of playing - I just have some serious mechanical issues that crept into my game.

Good luck with your journey and your game.

I sympathize, it’s challenging to have fun when suddenly you have a stretch of rounds scoring much worse than your “normal” ones. I went through maybe my worst slump of the last 30 years earlier this summer where suddenly most of my scores were about 5 strokes higher than what I was used to. I was playing a lot and my game got worse and I could no longer put a decent 9 together - multiple double and/or triple bogies found there way into each round. . It lasted about 6 weeks when I finally got back to basics after taking 10 days off to decide if I even wanted to play golf 10+ days each month anymore. More boating, paddling, and cycling seemed like a better used of my time during these short MN summers, lol!

I got to the range determined to get my swing back and along with some alignment sticks and V1 golf app, I figured things out after a few days. My posture, grip, stance, and weight distribution at address had all gotten out of whack. My scores came back down and 10 of my last 13 rounds have counted towards my index. Honestly, I understand why people like my father gave up the game(him not until age 82) when they can no longer execute a basic golf shot like they used to. I do take the game way less seriously than I did 30 years ago and certainly have fun even when I’m scoring 10 shots over my index, but it is way more satisfying when the good shots outnumber the bad ones.
 
My question to THPers who have gone through something similar is really twofold.

1. How do you cope with the deteriorating skills compared to where they were just a few years ago? Do you enjoy the game the same?

I don't enjoy it as much. How can playing golf worse be just as much fun? It's not, for me. I've yo-yo'd up and down the handicap ladder peaking at a 5, then up to 8-9ish and nearly giving up the game, back in and down to a 6-7 and back up to where i am now, 10. I know I'll never be the same kind of player I was as age and injuries have taken their toll. I can still hit a bag of balls and play a round or two each week if I want to, but it does get harder to want to put the time in. I did buy a new driver(Taylormade) and the most forgiving irons that Ping makes, so that helped some. I play with an older gentleman thats stiffer and weaker(physically) than me. He hits solid shots that go where he's looking and chips and putts lights out. I keep telling myself if he can do it, then so can I. I guess that's my current way of coping.

2. Have you found ways to get them back without marring up your current schedule?

My schedule is wide open, so take this advice or leave it. Practice your short game whenever and wherever you can. I putt and hit 8iron putt chips in the living and that helps some. On the course, focus on keeping the ball in play and giving yourself any kind of chance to make par or birdie. Maybe you'll eventually find a way to be happy shooting just an OK score. It's extremely hard for anybody to be a low to mid single digit handicapper playing 10 times a year. Good luck!!!

p.s. I also bought a net I can hit tee shots into. I only hit 10-12 balls at a time, but that does help with timing a little bit.
 
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Unfortunately, there's no fix. There is either adaptation, abandonment, or acceptance.
 
Hamfist;n8881727 said:
Unfortunately, there's no fix. There is either adaptation, abandonment, or acceptance.

I don't believe that honestly.
 
For me, I play the best when I'm in better physical shape. The older that I have gotten, the more nagging aches and pains get, and these nagging injuries if you will affect my game ability to play to my capabilities.

If it's a swing related issue, a range session with this always helps:
19ELGUSPDTRP20WSPTRN
 
JDax;n8881741 said:
For me, I play the best when I'm in better physical shape. The older that I have gotten, the more nagging aches and pains get, and these nagging injuries if you will affect my game ability to play to my capabilities.

If it's a swing related issue, a range session with this always helps:
19ELGUSPDTRP20WSPTRN

Right now I would destroy that death contraption in 3 swings.
 
JDax;n8881741 said:
For me, I play the best when I'm in better physical shape. The older that I have gotten, the more nagging aches and pains get, and these nagging injuries if you will affect my game ability to play to my capabilities.

If it's a swing related issue, a range session with this always helps:
19ELGUSPDTRP20WSPTRN

Wow .... guess you're not attacking that thing from the inside!
 
It is funny, I never thought I would be okay with my skills deteriorating, but I have found it doesn't really bother me. Just a few years ago I was so enamored with the newest clubs and playing as much as I could, I really think I burnt myself out.

Over the past 2 years I have played less than 10 rounds of golf just because I had zero desire. I have sort of found a new outlook on the game and have gotten out a couple of times over the past month, and have really enjoyed myself.

Keeping perspective is a bit difficult, but I think that is really what it is about. My goal for this year and next is to just enjoy each round and try not to focus on the results, but moreso enjoying the game for what it is to me... Something to get me out of the house and away from work.
 
JB;n8881812 said:
Right now I would destroy that death contraption in 3 swings.

You can move the red posts around or off...
I’m not at home but I’ll post a pic of mine when I get home, if I haven’t cracked mine it can’t me done. Lol


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Good thread here. I’ve also not had nearly as much time as I used to when I started golfing, so I can relate.

To answer the question, I’m ok with #1 happening. Simply bc I don’t put in the work so my expectations are lower. And I love being out there on the course no matter what. I also know I will improve when I get some more time, and that process is something I look forward to.

#2 - Most of my rounds have been 9 hole rounds. Really the only way in my schedule I can get golf in anymore. I’ve joined a club this year and have done a few 7 hole rounds where I just pop onto the course for about an hour and work on hitting multiple balls from various spots. And, I’ve been trying to go to the range once or twice a week early in the morning just to get my swing in shape and have noticed vast improvements. Having a homemade putting green in my backyard has helped keep my putting sharp. It’s been a fun family activity. And something I can do while grilling or just out in the yard. Even if it’s just 10 minute increments. Lately, I’ve started just chipping golf balls in my back yard 20 yards or less to different targets, and my dog fetched them for me. 10 minutes a day and I’ve seen big improvements. And it’s a great workout for him!

Hope you can find something that works for you to incorporate golf a little more but also keep that vital work/life balance.
 
I’m just going to rebuild my clubs. That will fix it.
 
Eat better... certainly starts with nutrition. Staying limber with flexibility routines / exercises also goes a long way.

I have a close friend who used to be REALLY good but his John Daly ways caught up and he sweats putting a tee in the ground. The reality is if golf was 7 holes he’d be a multiple PGA tour winner but he simply can’t last 18 holes, never mind walking ... I’m talking in a cart.


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JB;n8880777 said:
1. How do you cope with the deteriorating skills compared to where they were just a few years ago? Do you enjoy the game the same?

2. Have you found ways to get them back without marring up your current schedule?

To answer your questions: I have gone through this similar thing. I used to play 50 rounds a year and got down to about 5 or 6. I was grumpy those 5 or 6 rounds because I remembered what it was like before and was chasing it. Until this year, I also struggled with motivation because I didn't have any fun groups to play with. That changed around January and then I also found this place that increased my enjoyment for the game. Specifically:

1. I coped with deteriorating skills by developing new ones. I will never be back to hitting the ball as far as I once did off of the tee, but I decided to just get better at my short game which was never good before.

2. See above: you don't necessarily need to chase and regain what you have lost. Focus on chasing new things and you may even see some of your old skills come back. My distance went way down with my driver when I quit playing. As I started back up, and continuously struggled with driver, I decided to learn how to make more consistent contact with my irons. While it is always a constant battle, I have gotten better with contact. That in turn led to me regaining some distance off of the tee. When I just focused on not being able to hit the ball off the tee, I was miserable and in physical pain trying to regain that skill.

I also started reading golf books. I never did that before, but it fits into my schedule much better than time on the course or the range. Not all books have helped me, but I enjoy reading them nonetheless. Read "Be a Player"; I tell everyone I know to read this book. It helped remind me that golf is an athletic game and what I should focus on while playing is vastly different than what I should focus on while trying to improve. Play the game and have fun when you are playing a round; improve when you are practicing. I have ruined too many fun rounds by trying to improve while playing.
 
JDax;n8881741 said:
For me, I play the best when I'm in better physical shape. The older that I have gotten, the more nagging aches and pains get, and these nagging injuries if you will affect my game ability to play to my capabilities.

If it's a swing related issue, a range session with this always helps:
19ELGUSPDTRP20WSPTRN

That has broken wrists, plastic shards in my shins and soiled pants written all over it for me.
 
JB;n8880777 said:
........ Seeing my local pro seems like a simple fix, but without the time to engrain the items taught, I am unsure that is the best avenue, rather than just working on my short game, where I made my mark previously to the point that it is not entirely detrimental like it is now.

So I turn to you, THPers for your guidance of those that have been through this before.

I think seeing the pro would be a good idea. Pros don't play much, don't have much time to practice, are busy with business, very similar to your situation as I understand it. Maybe he can give some pointers, some things he focuses on with limited time, that help keep his game as sharp as possible. Maybe he can show you a go to shot or method that helps with a shot or two.
 
KEV;n8881996 said:
That has broken wrists, plastic shards in my shins and soiled pants written all over it for me.

a359eba126dd071ed2567a942777a823.jpg


I haven’t been able to break it yet... And as you can see, I’ve tried...



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golfinnut;n8881814 said:
Wow .... guess you're not attacking that thing from the inside!

yea I was thinking the same thing. But I suppose all you have to do is simply turn it a little to an inside/out swing path.
 
JB;n8881732 said:
I don't believe that honestly.

Ok. Besides accepting the current state of your game, adapting it to your limited time, or kicking it to the curb, what other avenues am I missing?
 
Hamfist;n8882301 said:
Ok. Besides accepting the current state of your game, adapting it to your limited time, or kicking it to the curb, what other avenues am I missing?

Finding a solution that creates betterment with what I have to work with. Stagnancy is not my cup of tea...
 
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