How long of a layoff does it take to impact your game?

[gkeller813]

I usually have a few months off during winter, so I come off a long break each year. That first round back though it usually pretty good, all things considered. I think it's because I have no expectations, nothing I'm trying to fix, so my swing thoughts are almost non existent. I'm less robotic, and just go out swinging.

 

[blugold]

I get a 6 month layoff every year.

 

[ArmyGolf]

Anything more than 14 days and I lose sharpness. It seems like chipping and partial wedges up to 90 yards are the first thing to go.

 

[Acesteve]

several months but more of it relates to being overly excited then loss of stroke. I do more golf centric stretching, balance and practice swing drills in winter that keeps me sharp. I spent about 1 hour working on my putting setup this morning and actually found some subtle details that I think helped me produce more pure roll

if I remove drills and swinging or holding a club I'm sure decay would be rapid.

 

[maxw72]

The Utah winter is just about right for me. Except this year has been a bit tame. The basement finishing has hit my opportunity to go out and play this winter though

 

[Tenputt]

Short game goes first after a couple of weeks. Then it seems like putting. Hitting driver I seem to always be ok.

It is interesting what goes. Like @OldandStiff, my putting does not leave from a layoff. It is either on or off. I putted great after a month and a half of no gold. Like you, my driver seems to stay solid. Everything else suffers.

 

[Templet0n]

It is interesting what goes. Like @OldandStiff, my putting does not leave from a layoff. It is either on or off. I putted great after a month and a half of no gold. Like you, my driver seems to stay solid. Everything else suffers.

I think it is really touch and feel that leave. That’s why the driver does ok. It is always full bore. Putting, wedge play etc. all touch. So you lose the feel of how to play those odd distances..

 

[Duffer Seamus]

I have no idea. This winter was the first break I've taken since I took up the game. Between my last game/range session, and going out back to hit a few off the mat last week, I learned how to greatly correct my swing. So, oddly enough, after a six week hiatus of not hitting any balls at all, I did as well as or better than I ever had with a 7i. Go figure. I've been practice putting regularly, so I'd guess my putting game is ok. Perhaps even better than it was. My chipping game has probably suffered the most. That had the most to lose, as that was the best part of my game. I have no idea where my driver game is.

I'm taking off season training from True Motion. I expect I'll come back stronger in spring than where I left off this last fall.

 

[djt311]

I take weeks or sometimes a month or two off every winter unless I have a golf trip planned. I will try to get to the indoor ranges in Feb/Mar to hit some balls and sometimes hit better than I do when playing all the time in the summer. This past year one of my opening rounds after the winter and not swing much at all had one of my best rounds of the year. Seems taking some time off does help me sometimes however I have also had some pretty terrible rounds after some time off. So just like everything else in golf it changes daily.

 

[olperfesser]

I am not good enough to notice a difference. Maybe my putting gets worse after a month or so, but the rest of my game is mostly the same.

 

[Scott F]

If I miss more than a week, I start backsliding.

 

[Templet0n]

Funny this came up. Tried to hit some balls and it was pretty bad today. Almost felt like I had never swung a club before haha..

 

[Campbell Toe]

I do not think I have gone more than 2 weeks without playing in the last dozen years. I have no other hobbies....

 

[Scorp]

Layoffs help my game. My slice goes away.

 

[HarlettoScara]

Just a week or so at the moment. I'm working hard on grinding out a couple of changes in my swing, and if I go any length of time without hitting a ton of balls at the range I start creeping into bad habits and almost need to start from scratch again. My course has been shut for about 6 weeks now due to ice, so the range time is the only chance I have to work on stuff.

 

[thewilderside]

I'd say a month is the number where it's going to take me multiple swings to find what passes for my swing again Just had that at the LGS last week. First time swinging in a month and it was a show for the first 15 - 20 swings.

 

[jfrigo1003]

I would say 1 1/2 months to 2 months and I lose everything.... My last round was 3rd week of October. Hit the range twice in November

Went and hit balls at an indoor simulator last week and either shanked or completely bladed about 60% of balls. it was bad!

 

[Chef23]

I generally hit it pretty solid after a layoff. My short game might be a little goofy but my ball striking is usually pretty solid.

 

[Badger_Golfer]

I really kind of struggled after a month and a half layoff. How long before all of you feel its effects?

It usually takes me 2 or 3 rounds and even then, its really more short game and putting touch the I lack.

 

[jim54]

Looks like I am going to be a couple of weeks with the knee, I had hoped to bounce back quickly but so far that is not happening. Had to get the crutches out to get around the house safely. So we will see how it comes back, the game was in the crapper before the surgery so I am hoping for a big improvement once it heals up.

 

[BigMac]

Short game starts deteriorating quickly, within two weeks I can see a noticeable difference. Putting stays decent, and sometimes a layoff actually seems to be good for my tee/iron game - maybe it makes me forget some of my bad habits or something.