First Round Back After COVID-19 Layoff: Did You Hack?

Where I live, we are supposed to have Shelter-In-Place orders, but word on the street was that one of the local munis is closed, but everyone is sneaking on (fugitive golf) and playing anyway. The muni is located in a shady part of the hood where the local police are understaffed, and the course is not gated off in any way, and access is easy. The pro shop is closed, and there are no flagsticks on the green, and the superintendent is still working, cutting fairways and greens and doing basic maintenance. The city police chief as well as the county sheriff are both avid golfers and very sympathetic to us, so what they have been doing is what appears to be closing the golf course and kicking people off, but only half the course; for the other nine they are looking the other way. My buddy told me about this and invited me to come play with him and his son. After six weeks of doing nothing I decided to grab my kit and give it a try.

When I arrived at the golf course I saw the police car and a cop blocking the entrance to the back nine. However, the front nine is clearly in plain view across the street and when I pulled up into an adjacent parking lot that services a baseball park, there were some teenagers who came in from the side of the ninth green out of of the view of the pro shop. They had just completed their rounds and told us that the course looks great, and we are free to play, walking only, and without flagsticks. Good Gawd! I am finally playing golf again in six weeks! My buddy and I walked straight to the first tee, and in plain view of the cop guarding the entrance to the tenth, who didn't pay any attention to us.

Stepping up to the tee, it was the first time I would swing a club in six weeks. This is my first time knowing what an east coaster or midwest guy goes through at the beginning of every golf season, but for me living in California, it is my first experience. I honestly thought I was going to hack, and I told my buddy I was going to hack, and he just told me to relax. While stretching on the first tee, I did a few drills, reviewed my positioning, took a few practice swings. My buddy, who has been doing this for the past week, told me to relax while he striped his tee shot 260 down the right center. I wasn't nervous, because in my mind I knew I was going to hack, so I had the attitude of I don't give a puck. Went through my preshot routine and when I struck the ball it went 250 dead straight! My buddy's son, playing with me for the first time, loved my swing and said, "Nice shot!"

The tee shot was down the left center and I had about 120 left. Pulled the shot in the bunker, and had an awkward feeling of playing a bunker shot without a flagstick. The hole was back center and my bunker shot was a tad strong and finished to the back edge of the green. Here is where the layoff shows. I took a few practice strokes with the putter and made so bad a pass at it, the putt started three feet right and the distance was horrible. Two more putts and a double bogey.

The second hole I pulled my tee shot, hacked it out oft he woods, played a third shot long, and again my bunker shot was too long and had a poor chip shot for the same reason--no feel. Triple bogey.

By the third tee I just gave up and stopped caring. However, that was when I rose from the dead: my ball striking and my chipping and putting came back. Missed the third green short right, then chipped to four feet and made the putt for par. Next hole played steadily, hitting the green in regulation and two-putting. Fifth hole bunkered my approach and got up and down for sandie. Sixth hole (long par 5) was a good drive, a thin 3 wood that rolled farther than I deserved, and a good long iron shot to the middle of the green ten feet away. I was too excited to make the putt, so I was happy with the par. Next hole was the long par 4: driver, pulled long iron to pin-high left and lob shot downhill to four feet and made that putt for par. Eighth hole is a par 3 175 over water and my thin tee shot found the front of the green where I two-putted from twenty-five feet. The final hole of the day was dogleg right where I overfaded my drive, but from the rough hit a good middle iron to the back of the green and two-putted for a 41. Not bad at all!

I honestly thought I wouldn't even shoot my weight given the six-week layoff, but I guess my fundamentals were good enough to survive a six-week layoff. However, I do have to say that for the first two holes I had absolutely no touch around the greens. I felt very uncomfortable over the ball on my short-game shots and I had neither focus nor resolve. I felt like a zombie trying to play. Maybe because my life routine for the past six weeks had nothing to do with golf, and it was hard to get back into that groove for the first two holes. I'm glad that it suddenly came back to me.

Is this what you east coasters and midwesterners go through every spring?

Played my first round since November yesterday

the front 9 might have been the worst I’ve had in 3 years. Shot a 62. It was like I had forgotten everything. Pulled it together some on the back 9 and shot a 50.

putting feel was completely off

Is this what east coasters go through every spring? Yes, except it's usually 45F, the ground is sopping wet, and we have 5 extra pounds of winter fat.

I forgot to mention that! When I put on my golf pants, they felt a little awkward. I don't know if I have a tire because I don't think I put on much weight (I ate less each day), but it is because I have spent too much time at home here in pajamas and shorts.

Yes, when this Dark Age ends, I suspect that a lot of folks will feel weird getting back into work/regular clothes. My uniform over the past 5 weeks has been old jeans and vacation t-shirts. You're right. Getting dressed to go to the course will be a little different.

I haven't hit a ball in almost 2 months. It's the longest i've gone in 15 years without doing it. Im considering changing my handicap to "unknown"

We're still awaiting information on whether clubs can open here

In the meantime i go out jogging every day through parks with 500 people in them

Last Sunday I got out for the first time in 6 weeks. Course was a bit soggy and soft in places and greens were furry, but I was happy to be there.

Swing felt different. I was half a club short with irons and was 15-20 yards short with driver. I played what I had and the results were steady, if not good. 9 of 14 fairways, only 2 bad misses (but still had a shot) and greens missed were typically in comfortable chipping locations. Mostly it was a fiat round but ball striking didn’t feel as solid. Chipping was fair, putted better than expected (31) and enjoyed a day in the sun on a beautiful landscape with friends. 41-42 was better than I expected.

I was a bit sore later in the day, bit happy to have played.

Played yesterday & today for the first time in maybe six weeks. Not too bad at all.....yesterday long game was good, putting was awful. Today,long game was decent, short irons good, putting better, but needs work. Easy enough things to fix with just playing more. I was pleased overall. I paid attention to a few tips I think I learned on this site for short irons (don't try to hit the ball too hard, keep hands low, & soft right hand)....worked like a charm.

I played 9 holes for the first time in nearly 2 months, It was chucking it down with rain but I've never felt so happy to be on a golf course ! I shot 46 normally 39-42.. My irons were Ok but I kept pulling everything with the driver. I didnt exprect too much and it really wasnt about my score today at all. This lockdown has really put things into perspective for me and I now know what freedom really means.

I only played 9 myself. 9 over. Lost a lot of feel. Didn’t hit any range balls or practice putting...that would have helped A lot for sure. The course was at its best. Fairways were amazing. No one playing for all most 2 months was really good for the course.

My first round actually went very well, and was about three weeks ago. I had been hitting lots of balls into the net at home, but you can never really tell until you get to the course. My expectations were low and I committed to just trying to keep it safe off the tee, and played to the middle of the greens. I shot my low round on this particular course (79) which I had played several times last season. I went back out last week feeling more confident and shot an 83.

I haven't played golf since December (Walt Disney's Magnolia Course), I am in Afghanistan, so no golf for me until this travel band is lifted, hoping to go home for vacation before the warm weather goes away, that said, I will probably hack it all over the place, but I will not be complaining at all, just be back out there will feel amazing!!!, and who knows I might play that magical round, probably not!!!!, just might hit a few good shots, but that's ok, again it will be better than being here!!!!

I played once in early March on a nice day before everything shut down, and bought a net when it became clear this was going to last for a while, so I'd swung a club a few times recently. I've jow played 3 times since courses opened near me, and the first round out was the best I've scored. That round, I struggled off the tee, but was fortunate to at least have a shot to recover most of the time. Iron game was very solid, and I made a few putts, and shot a score that I'd be happy with in the middle of the season. The next round, I hit it better off the tee, iron game was similar, but didn't make any of the putts outside 10 feet that helped me the previous round, and I was one shot worse. I played yesterday, and the driver continued to improve, but almost every time I missed a fairway, I found myself in jail (its a course where there's trees scattered about, and there's a lot of randomness to whether or not you have much of a shot), and was 5 shots worse than the round before. I honestly don't feel like I hit the ball much differently between the three rounds, and my iron game has been better than I'd expect, given the cool, breezy conditions. I've just been happy to be able to get back out on the course.

I have played four rounds since last November...the most recent was 9 holes in mid-March. Courses are still closed in MA, so it's been around seven weeks since I hit a golf ball...I occasionally hit whiffle golf balls in my back yard, but I am not sure how useful that is. I will have no expectations the first time I get to tee it up. I will just be glad to be back out on the golf course. The SIP is getting more and more difficult as the weather if finally starting to get decent.

Hack would be an upgrade.

Played three 9s in early March and today was my first round since March 17.

It was an empty course, 46 degrees and with a slight breeze from the northeast.

As usual for me after a long layoff, I was quite good.

Two birdies made of 25 and 10 feet and a 16 foot bogey save on #9. Left the 22 footer for birdie on #8 right on the front step.

Despite playing only 9 holes, it was my first round with two birdies since 2017.

Total of 39 and played in a civilized 72 minutes.

Might need to take another 7 weeks off.

You guys talking about a month or two lay-off like it’s a long time. I played my first round today since October. For the record, I put on an absolute stripe show, because my body is healthy and limber for the only time it will be for the rest of the season, like every golf season for me.

When you live in Canada, you learn what drills to do inside in the off season so that the moment spring hits, you are ready to go. You guys need to embrace the Bruce Lietzke school of thought. Embrace the lay offs. You’ll still know how to swing a club when you get back if you don’t let your brain get in the way.

Still Closed here in Maryland, have only played one round this year, and but have gotten some wedge and putting practice in. I'm sure however, I will hack it up when I finally do get out there.

For whatever reason golf courses are open in NJ but driving ranges must remain closed. I played the other day without touching a club in over six months. I did par three holes but hit six balls into the woods, three putt half the greens, and had a terrible approach game. About what I expected and was thrilled to be out again.

Hit a not so great tee shot on my first hole back. Par 3 160 yards into the wind, missed left, hit a tree and dropped down. Ended up ~15 yards from the green with a good line. Could have been much worse.

Overall had a below average round, but not terrible.

I played my first round of the year last Friday (May 1st) and it wasn't pretty. Driving was poor, irons not solid until late in the round, short game was alright (not great but not real bad) and putting was average due to very slow greens from what I am used to. I played my home course so I know how to navigate around without generally blowing up. I took an extra club on each shot because I knew my ball striking wasn't great. Chipping saved me a few strokes and putting didn't cost me any, I just didn't gain. I made a birdie and missed on a couple of other birdie opportunities late in the round. The birdie I made was a thin 4 iron from 200 yards (par 3 and at 5,000 feet elevation). The ball rolled, and rolled and ended up about 18 inches from the cup. Blind Squirrel found a nut! LOL. I ended up scoring 82 so I wasn't displeased with my first round but wished ball striking was better. This was my first round since the late September. My body hurt, legs, hips (especially right hip) shoulders, back. I went back out on Sunday and followed it up with a better round, driving really came around on hole #9 and continued all through the back 9. I missed only two fairways and one I just drove through it, the other was too quick of transition. Irons were struck more solid but pitching/chipping (my usually strong suit) remained so-so with mixed results. Good was very good, poor was really poor. Putting was a bit better but the greens on my course were still slow from what they usually are. In the city practice facilities are closed.

First round yesterday since lockdown, had to cross State lines to play since MA is still closed.

I was 1 under through 6, which is not the norm for me, then the wheels fell off on the last 3 holes because I started thinking about it.

On the 7th tee the shanks hit, 2 shots went dead right, I knew my great round was over at that point carded an 7.

Ended up 3 over for 9.

Our governor still has our state in lockdown. His target date is May 18th. I truly miss going to the club.

Indeed - pretty sure my pants will have mysteriously shrunk a bit. Weird how they'll do that after sitting in a drawer for a month or two.

Our course opened on Monday and I was happy to get back out there! I have been hitting balls every day so my ball striking was okay. I started out double, triple and then went 2 under on the next seven holes LOL situation normal! My lower back tightened up on 8 and I should have quit after 9 but kept playing and now I am out of action until I heal up. It is not my swing that got me but the walking. Just goes to show you if it ain't one thing it's another...

Is this what you east coasters and midwesterners go through every spring?

Hahaha, that's cute. You haven't been able to play for 2 months. Up in NY we have to endure 5 months off every year. Only 2 months off would be incredible to us.

So you can imagine our feeling when we were FINALLY getting into actual golf-able season, and they came along and said they were shutting things down until further notice. Every season I dread the long winter, and then around March/April I get some hope because I can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. And then this %$*# happened. It's like having your soul sucked right out of you.

Luckily, they have since re-opened courses. Because sitting inside, looking outside at the first gorgeous weather of the year and not being able to golf BLOWS.

dusting off the clubs for two rounds friday and saturday. Much need after weeks of sunshine here in California. Dont have any expectations other than putting a decent swing on the ball and reconnecting with some golf buddies and drinking some cervezas. Probably gonna shoot in the mid 80's and be okay with it.

Dude, I heard Chicago has the worst golf season, with only five months and not even April is good in most years. I can't imagine a layoff that long.

Forced break might have some of us finding our 'bad habits' in our swing have been forgotten.

I've lived in NY all my life, so it's hard for me to want to pack up and move south. But it's tempting around Nov-March.

My wife and I think the solution is to plan a golf trip in early spring each year. Which we've done the past two years to Kiawah, but this year's plan for Pinehurst got derailed for obvious reasons.