12 years later, back in the game...

[Lenny7]

Not sure what section something like this goes in, if this isn't it, mods, please move.

Well, I haven't played golf in about 5 years. Haven't played consistently in 12. Burned myself out playing more golf than I care to admit. Been doing other hobbies over the last several years, but golf is calling me back. My current set is Titleist DCI 981. Yeah, almost 20 years old. They came on the market about 2 years after wooden shafts went out. I'm looking at new clubs. Should have something soon. At my best I was a 7-10 handicap. Still hit my 9 iron 150. I'm curious what that will translate that into with todays technology? Maybe 150.5? Technology is funny. I remember in high school I would walk 54 holes in my leather wing tip footjoys that had to weigh 7 pounds a piece. Now, golf shoes are like slippers.

I thought I would start this thread to document my journey back into golf. Would like to get back in the single digits with lots and lots of practice with the occasional round thrown in. A few things I want to change/improve: I don't waggle. Not sure why, but when I learned to play I just never did it. I want to add that to set my swing in motion instead of from a stagnant start. Also, in my young days I would swing out of my shoes. In control but the kind of swing that would give most golfers back spasms just watching it. If I was in between clubs I would club down, get out on the end of the shaft and blow out my C7 to get it there. Now that I'm in my 40's, I want a to slow things down and work on tempo. Anyway, I want to update this from time to time as I learn to play again. Cheers!

[kevin2]

Welcome back! Exciting...

 

Phil Michelson said his stock 9 iron goes 145 tonight on the Feherty show. So, 150 is pretty maxed out under nornal conditions, I'd think.

[Qqq123xx]

Yep remember heavy shoes, shoulder dents from the non light bags, and swinging outta my arse. Now I need the emergency room just typing previous sentence.

 

And of course good luck on your quest.

[Neverfadeaway86]

I am in a similar situation, although I was never any good before lol. I played some golf with my buddies when I was in school but hadn't picked up a club in 12 years till last July. I am basically starting all over and loving it !

[golfgirlrobin]

Just a word of caution, but don't go overboard. Injuries crop up a lot faster in your 40's and pounding a million golf balls because you're excited to be back at it is a recipe for problems.

 

As I've gotten older, the concept of practicing "smart" has become a lot more important.

[Matchplay10033]

Just a word of caution, but don't go overboard. Injuries crop up a lot faster in your 40's and pounding a million golf balls because you're excited to be back at it is a recipe for problems.

 

As I've gotten older, the concept of practicing "smart" has become a lot more important.

.

 

This is very true! I played a ton in my early 20's worked at a course, hit balls 2 times a day, played everyday and felt great. In my mid 20's stopped trying to improve and only played a handful of times a year. At 35 decided I wanted to see if I could get back to scratch or better so I started hitting balls Every day and playing. I overdid it and quickly developed golfers elbow and tendinitis in my shoulder.

[2putttom]

Just a word of caution, but don't go overboard. Injuries crop up a lot faster in your 40's and pounding a million golf balls because you're excited to be back at it is a recipe for problems.

 

As I've gotten older, the concept of practicing "smart" has become a lot more important.

But your facebook page say's your 39? :taunt:

[golfgirlrobin]

Just a word of caution, but don't go overboard. Injuries crop up a lot faster in your 40's and pounding a million golf balls because you're excited to be back at it is a recipe for problems.

 

As I've gotten older, the concept of practicing "smart" has become a lot more important.

But your facebook page say's your 39? :taunt:

 

It also says I weigh 125. Both are equally true.

[Sean2]

Welcome back to the game!

 

The PGA Tour average with a 9-iron is 148...so you are doing pretty well. :-)

[jacot23]

I went through what your going through last year. Welcome back and good luck! Hit em' straight! or at least don't pull hook em' off the planet! :taunt:

[Lenny7]

Welcome back to the game!

 

The PGA Tour average with a 9-iron is 148...so you are doing pretty well. :-)

really? Seems like I see guys hitting a 6 iron 230 and crazy stuff like that. Maybe I'm only watching D Johnson.

[Sean2]

Welcome back to the game!

 

The PGA Tour average with a 9-iron is 148...so you are doing pretty well. :-)

really? Seems like I see guys hitting a 6 iron 230 and crazy stuff like that. Maybe I'm only watching D Johnson.

 

You might find this interesting: http://www.pgatour.com/stats.html

[RecidivistGOLFER]

I came back to golf @ 2 years ago after an even longer layoff (15-16 years without a single round.) Also 40 (almost) but never had anywhere close to your handicap. The best piece of advice I can give is work on your body. You don't have a distance problem, but for me getting back in shape helped me tremendously with my golf game, and I just feel better in general.

Your DCI 981's are still fantastic clubs. I have a set of 962's that truly play about as well as anything I've tried. You owe it to yourself to check out some forged Mizuno's though if you haven't done so already.

[Lenny7]

Welcome back to the game!

 

The PGA Tour average with a 9-iron is 148...so you are doing pretty well. :-)

really? Seems like I see guys hitting a 6 iron 230 and crazy stuff like that. Maybe I'm only watching D Johnson.

 

You might find this interesting: http://www.pgatour.com/stats.html

 

I'm going off the pins at my driving range. So, I may be off on the 150 thing. It may be closer to a 8 iron these days. Haven't gotten in a round yet.

 

I came back to golf @ 2 years ago after an even longer layoff (15-16 years without a single round.) Also 40 (almost) but never had anywhere close to your handicap. The best piece of advice I can give is work on your body. You don't have a distance problem, but for me getting back in shape helped me tremendously with my golf game, and I just feel better in general.

Your DCI 981's are still fantastic clubs. I have a set of 962's that truly play about as well as anything I've tried. You owe it to yourself to check out some forged Mizuno's though if you haven't done so already.

 

i'm in pretty good shape, workout 5 days a week. I really want to focus on my short game. That was always the worst part of my game, plus that will be easier on my old body.

 

I picked up a set of Taylormade RSI2's. I tried them out and liked them. They seemed to be a good mix of game improvement and player irons.

 

I

Thanks everyone for the advice and encouragement.

[Conrad1953]

You can do it Lenny. I played from the 70s til the mid 90s and never took it seriously. Mainly it was

time spent with my dad and we had a lot of fun. Didn't play at all from the mid 90s til 2006. Came

back in 2006 and took the game seriously for once in my life. Got down to a single digit within a

few years but now playing time is again seriously curtailed so I haven't been playing much. Hope

to change that in the next year and get some game back. Gotta be positive!

[Tcann32]

Wait, people around here still felt good in their twenties? I'm 27 and feel like I got hit by a bus every morning, and I don't even drink! lol

 

Welcome back OP. You escaped the grip of this game once.. are you sure you wanna get back into it? lol

 

Sounds like you hit the ball far enough and won't have to worry about chasing distance, so swinging smooth and hitting accurately will be your mainstay. Don't ask or search out JDM equipment. Nothing will be good enough until you pay twice the price.

[Tcann32]

Welcome back! Exciting...

 

Phil Michelson said his stock 9 iron goes 145 tonight on the Feherty show. So, 150 is pretty maxed out under nornal conditions, I'd think.

 

This was a trick post. Phil Mickelson doesn't have a stock shot. That's interesting that he said that though. Not talking about crazy conditions, I've seen him hit his 9i 170 and 130. A pro's stock shot is much different than that of an amateur golfer. That means if he wants to make precision contact, (which must not happen often) not "well, I can swing this hard, and I always swing that hard, so that's how hard I'll swing and how far I'll hit it."

[StratoKing]

Welcome back. I quit for about 10 years and just got back a couple of years ago. I am having more fun playing now than I did then. Although my game is not as good, for some reason it is more enjoyable.

[Lenny7]

Well, I got me a golf net for the back yard and I try to make it to the course a few days a week for short game work. I'm really trying to change my swing mentality. Been using a 3/4 backswing. I've been hitting it more solid with the abbreviated backswing. I might be losing a few yards but not like a full club. Also, my transition from backswing to down was very rushed causing me to be jerky and make stuff move in directions you don't want it to move. I'm trying to have a smoother transition of power. Really focusing on short game, chip and putt more than anything lately. Still haven't squeezed a round in. Back in the day, I played way too much and didn't practice enough. I'm trying to reverse that. Hope to play some next week though.

Thanks again everyone.

[acemandrake]

Right on with the short game practice...it doesn't take long to see improvement & you'll fairly quickly "own it".

 

It's just boring :lazy2:

[BIG STU]

You can do it Lenny. I played from the 70s til the mid 90s and never took it seriously. Mainly it was

time spent with my dad and we had a lot of fun. Didn't play at all from the mid 90s til 2006. Came

back in 2006 and took the game seriously for once in my life. Got down to a single digit within a

few years but now playing time is again seriously curtailed so I haven't been playing much. Hope

to change that in the next year and get some game back. Gotta be positive!

LOL do not try to BS a BSer--- You are fixing to retire and I know you will be at it everyday and when you come down here you will have to give me strokes. :taunt:

[Carolinascrub]

Good luck it's all muscle memory right shouldn't be too bad?

[Lenny7]

Well, I played my first 18 since being back in the saddle on Saturday. It was a rude awakening. I've been hitting them good on the range and really practicing my short game. However it was a nighmare. I probably hit 3 decent shots all day. Didn't make a putt all day and I shot a 95. This is a real bad score for me. I would come back after a layoff and shoot 82 back in the day but I'm not 28 anymore. Wind was blowing 30-35 and that was worth a few strokes but all in all it was a gross round. Excited to get back to the grind this week and work on some things.

[auburngolfer]

Damn, i took a few months off and that killed me, couldnt even imagine taking 12 years off