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Why do I play better golf in the afternoon / evening time?

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GolfingDawg

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I have noticed that my scores and ball striking is better after noon time. Have no idea why. I play with a group every Saturday AM, 8:30 and my scores are 5 or more strokes higher than if I play the same course later in the day. I even make sure I get to the course early enough to warm up and hit a bucket of balls. Anybody else notice they play better certain times of day?
 
Same for me.

The real question about my game isn't why do I play (and enjoy playing) more in the afternoon than in the morning. That is what it is.

The question is, why have I played 90% of the rounds in my life teeing off before 10am? Why, why, why?
 
You're warmed up and looser having moved around all day.

At least that's why I play better later. I need time moving around. I have enough trouble just getting out of the bed, I don't need to go try to swing a club.
 
This is 100% me also. I have never been a morning person and now that I’m older I’m really stiff after I wake up. So I’m not waking up at 6 to do stretches so I can play at 8. I pay to play not the other way around.


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I'm also the same, I think it's because you're already warned up. However my life style gives me more mornings available then evenings so I still play between 6 and 7am for the majority of my round starts.
 
Greg Kulbick said:
You're warmed up and looser having moved around all day.

At least that's why I play better later. I need time moving around. I have enough trouble just getting out of the bed, I don't need to go try to swing a club.
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Agreed on the body movement. Maybe you could try getting up 30 minutes earlier and going on a walk around the neighborhood, @GolfingDawg
 
For many years I've played better late in the day after the dew/irrigation water all dries off and the ground firms up. Golf's just easier and more fun when the course is dry.

But once I got in my 50's and now 60's there was an added benefit of my body functioning much better in the middle of the day. It's funny, I feel OK mentally and can do work stuff pretty soon after I get up (usually a little before 6am). But physically I am stiff and weak until nearer to lunch time.
 
I often play my best golf in the afternoon when I putt better because I think less. The reason is simple, I often have a beer or two during afternoon/evening rounds and I don’t drink during the morning rounds. Unfortunately, 85% of my golf is played in the mornings, lol. I could lower my index a stroke or two if I was willing to start drinking in the a.m.:)
 
Usually by then, I've sobered up from the night before. d.

For you? No idea.
 
tahoebum said:
I often play my best golf in the afternoon when I putt better because I think less. The reason is simple, I often have a beer or two during afternoon/evening rounds and I don’t drink during the morning rounds. Unfortunately, 85% of my golf is played in the mornings, lol. I could lower my index a stroke or two if I was willing to start drinking in the a.m.:)
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Follow Hammy's recipe of staying up all night drinking. It will help.
 
I am the same way. I rarely tee off before noon. I greatly prefer playing during the warmest part of the day, during all seasons. The hotter it is, the better I seem to play. Not playing before noon means that I am moving around for at least 5 hours prior to going out to swing a club. Being in my mid 50s, that is not a bad thing.
 
tahoebum said:
I often play my best golf in the afternoon when I putt better because I think less. The reason is simple, I often have a beer or two during afternoon/evening rounds and I don’t drink during the morning rounds. Unfortunately, 85% of my golf is played in the mornings, lol. I could lower my index a stroke or two if I was willing to start drinking in the a.m.:)
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All I'm seeing here is a lack of dedication to the game.
 
Greg Kulbick said:
You're warmed up and looser having moved around all day.

At least that's why I play better later. I need time moving around. I have enough trouble just getting out of the bed, I don't need to go try to swing a club.
Click to expand...

I think this is totally the reason. When I play early I have to get up at least 30 minutes earlier so I have time to warm up and do some back, core and hip mobility to I can hit the golf ball.
 
It's ok to admit this is how you feel in the morning.

 
I am very similar. I play much better after getting my body up and more engaged for the day. I am not a morning person at all, so I take a bit of time to get warmed up.
 
I also seem to play better if I have a later tee time, but there is a breaking point. When the Texas summer hits and it’s 100 degrees by 10:00, starting early works much better. Getting 6-9 holes in before the sun starts sucking the life out of me makes a difference during that part of the year.

For me I think it’s just a matter of time of day. I don’t do anything well in the morning. I’ve always been a naturally late riser. No matter how long I work a regular daytime schedule, I never get used to it. I’m a miserable human in the mornings, and don’t fully wake up until about 11:00.
 
I am in the camp of you have been moving all day and are looser.
Maybe do some stretching before going to the course and then a little more once you get there?
 
I'm the opposite. I love early morning golf. Nice temps, receptive greens and no wind. I wouldn't call myself a morning person, just prefer morning golf.
 
Lot's of reasons IMO. Many are already stated here. A big one for me though is the dew everywhere. The rough is heavier and the ball just does not spin as much off the face of the club so accuracy is compromised. Also in the afternoon rounds the greens are the same speed the entire round so you can dial in your putting stroke whereas in the morning the go from slow to fast as you play which is another source of inconsistency. The funny thing to me is pros almost universally play better in the morning than they do in the afternoon because they attack this softness in the course.
 
Prob due to just being more awake, aware and your body is warmed up a bit more, ready for athletic motion.
 
I'm a much better player after 10am.
Doesn't matter if I hat a small bucket to warm up, stretch or not, If I tee off before 9 or 10 it take's me 3-4 holes to get going.
For some reason, after midmorning I don't have that problem.
59 years old probably has something to do with it. Weird, because I'm otherwise an early morning person....
 
Morning person here so I prefer morning rounds. Usually more roll in the afternoon so just allow either way. At my age I'm probably never as loose as most.
 
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