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How long of a layoff until you're affected?

Jericho

Jericho

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I have a new baby and understandably so my playing time has dropped considerably (3 rounds in 9+ weeks) with my practice time having gone to nothing. I haven't picked up a club going on 20 days, but am excited about an upcoming round this weekend. I was making strides by leaps and bounds just prior to her birth (figures right lol) and now I've kind of leveled of and it got me wondering..."How long of a layoff can you take before your game begins to suffer?"

I've more of less stopped tinkering with my swing so really the only part that is affected is confidence, and I'd say that my confidence immediately drops if I don't play for 1 week.
 
Never really had an issue with this fortunately. I was out for 3.5 months with injury and first two rounds out were 82 & 73. As long as I properly warm up, I think the rest takes care of itself. At least for me personally. For those that golf and their swing relies mostly on timing, they will struggle quite a bit getting into the swing of things.
 
Good thread.

For me it's about a month first my wedges begin to lose their bite and then distance gets squirrely, after 2 months my irons begin going right of the target by about 15 yds and after 3 months I can still get around the course but my scores go dramatically up.
 
I'll let you know soon! It's been 5 months for me and I'm going to give it a try this week.
 
For me, it's a few weeks and it takes a bit to get the crispness back to the shortgame. Any longer than that and there are some issues that have to be worked out on the range.
 
How long of a layoff until you're affected?

Hadn't played since November and 1st three rounds of the year were right where I left off last year.
 
I was out for three months after knee surgery and actually hit the ball better than I had hoped for. Less annoying pain I was suffering pre surgery may have helped the cause. :thumb:
 
I get a 6 month layoff every year.
 
Some of my best rounds have been after a long layoff. That tells me that I am probably out there reinforcing bad habits on a weekly basis.
 
I hope a long layoff does not effect my game. I got the clubs out last week and I'm hitting the course for the first time since the end of July last year so its been about 8 months. I'm sure it will take me a few weeks to get some rust out but I plan on hitting the range several times a week on my lunch break to get that worked out quickly.
 
I guess it didn't really bother me this year. My last round at my home course last October was an 87 and after 5 months of not touching a club, I shot an 89 at a more difficult course that I was playing for only the 2nd time... and that was with greens that were bumpy from being recently punched.
 
I have the advantage of not really having an offseason, especially this year, but I feel like anytime I go about a month without at least getting to the range, it's going to take more than loosening up to feel comfortable on the course again.
 
JB said:
Never really had an issue with this fortunately. I was out for 3.5 months with injury and first two rounds out were 82 & 73. As long as I properly warm up, I think the rest takes care of itself. At least for me personally. For those that golf and their swing relies mostly on timing, they will struggle quite a bit getting into the swing of things.
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This is why (I think) I've always struggled so much with even relatively short layoffs. Something I'm trying to get rid of.
 
Just had 6 months off over the winter and last season cut short for an elbow injury. Only thing I did for six months was putt and chip in my house for the last month. We went to a course I didnt golf over 80 on last year(at least 15 rounds) and I hammered home an 88...OUCH...Many variables in this(clubs and weather), but for the most part it was mental mistakes trying to overdue it that cost me 6 penalties on 3 holes and a +12 over those few holes....other 15 holes I was 4 over...mental for me I think

JB hit the nail on the head with the timing swing...simple swing is simple to find again
 
Living in Nebraska we sometimes see a rather lengthy winter break, this year lasted almost 5 months off the course, and I did see my first few swing a little flat and out of position. However, by the 4th hole or so I had things smoothed back out and shot 86. I repeated that score on my 2nd round. Round 3 I shot a very cool 77 and 78 on round 4, so my swing seems right back in the game if not a little better than I ended last year.
 
Last year I went from the end of July til early September without playing hardly at all. Game suffered immensely. Wont ever let that happen again. Add that to a crappy winter and it leads to massive catching up to do
 
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It is about 3 weeks for me. I don't lose much, but my feel around the greens takes a few swings to get back and I have a hard time getting loose my first round, or two, back from a layoff.
 
I had a 30 year layoff, so I guess I would represent the extreme example. In 5 range sessions I went from total disaster to hitting the ball pretty consistently. But a lot of that was practicing and learning, so not sure how much was working off actual rust. I have not adjusted my swing any, just grip, posture and alignment, so the same basic swing from 30 years ago is still there. Total adjustment took 2 months.
 
think three months is the magic number for me.
 
Hawk said:
This is why (I think) I've always struggled so much with even relatively short layoffs. Something I'm trying to get rid of.
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I'm the exact same way. It was painful in March playing a couple of rounds after not playing over the winter. That's why I've committed to making swing changes this year to get away from having to rely on timing.
 
arydolphin said:
I'm the exact same way. It was painful in March playing a couple of rounds after not playing over the winter. That's why I've committed to making swing changes this year to get away from having to rely on timing.
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i also try and make sure i get 3 weeks(2-3 times a week) of practice before i even step on a tee box, this year i could not do that, and it showed.
 
The longest layoff i have had is 1 week in the last two years so i am not sure how i would be effected but my wife is have twins in a few months so i might be in a similar situation soon
 
The first few weeks after winter I usually struggle with my short-game touch. But as far as my swing goes, I generally hit it the same at the beginning of the season as I do at the end of it.
 
Only thing that ever take a hit is my short game. I lose my feel. But i went almost a year without playing and still shot in the 80's my first time out which is about average for me.
 
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