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

[wattage]

Played at Metropolitan in Alameda with my brother at 6:09=sunrise. It was glorious!!!

They had raised cups which feels like cheating, shot 68; 4 birds no bogeys. I attribute the good ball striking to my backyard net, it has allowed me to keep my swing in a good place. With a 4yr and 5 month old I for-see the net keeping me in the game going forward. Just hitting 3-5 shots a few times a day helps my mental sanity as well as golf game.

I debated on posting the score but read an article from USGA encouraging posting so I did.

[Warrior42111]

Had a little over a month lay off and ball striking was surprising good for me. One ugly hosel rocket, and short pitch over the bunker I dropped in the bunker. (touch is usually first to go and last to come back for me). Was playing a 2 man scramble match play so it was tough to gauge what I actual would shoot. I would think low 90s taking in account any missed greens on my part and doing a chip and 2 putts.

 

[Roody]

The raised cups do feel like cheating. My home course isn't raising the cups, but instead they just have the pool floaties in the bottom of the cup. But I went out to play with a couple friends this past Wednesday at a different course that was doing the raised cups. I just putted harder at the cup, and took most of the break out.

[Pearson10M]

I could only walk 4 holes yesterday since I am recovering from major leg surgery (75 stitches) and literally laid up for 3 weeks. Massachusetts just opened yesterday, but only for walking. All my swings were 3/4 and I tested a new 3W and 3H. Love the new clubs. All things considered, played well Can’t wait to full strength.

[Rambler1277]

I played for the first time in about a month yesterday (courses have never been busier in Houston during this entire ordeal) with some buddies and it felt sooo good to be out. My driving was great, but I made the mistake which I knew would happen, of swapping out my irons right before the round and had about the worst approach game I can remember. Airmailing greens, massive towering hooks 20 ft left, it was nuts. Lots of wind, but no excuse. Even with all that I didn't care, it was great to be out.

Plus with a tailwind on a par 4 I had a gap wedge in where I'm normally hitting a 4 iron or worse. That was awesome.

[dcfas]

We have a hiatus every year; it’s called winter. Lol. But, yes, mixed first round. Couldn’t stop yanking it left. Hip flexors. Been reading up on drills to get my hips out there before my arms cause OTT. Chipping is brutal. Absolutely no feel in the hands yet. Otherwise great! Just happy to be out there.

[el_hefty]

Yesterday was my first round back after 6+ weeks and it wasn't too bad. Weirdly my putting was probably the worst part of my game and that's the only thing I've been working on in lockdown! With a putting mat. Go figure. I mean, some of it was bad lag putting which i can't work on at home, but even from 6' in I was struggling.

[Showtime9]

Shot 87 with a couple of penalty strokes. Irons are really good right now but definitely have to find a way to find the short grass off the tee.Just happy to be swinging the sticks again

[BeerPerHole]

My club is near the house and I've used it to save my sanity during this work-from-home period. Went from being a 90s shooter to threatening 80. Lots of TPI exercises, short game practice, and shagging my own balls on our range (course is mowed but club has been closed). My life has been like that old movie "The Omega Man" if the main character was an avid golfer. Nobody around. Just me, a shag bag, and my clubs. My game has improved a lot. Probably not the norm.

[SnapHooker_307]

First round back, I was absolutely striping the ball. Even my pitch shots and chips were looking great. My putting game looked like I had never golfed in my life. The greens were sandy but they always are in the spring, that is when my course aerates the greens. I noticed that the stupid pool noodle in the hole bothered me tremendously, not sure why that is because I got used to putting with the pin in last year, but I whiffed on so many 3 foot putts that it was disgusting. Hopefully that gets cured.

[DrOldSchool]

Been able to play a couple rounds, but living in the mid-upper 80s (4.5 handicap as of today). All have the same problem: I've got a hook with long clubs and a straight pull with short clubs I cannot tame. Ball is going further on approach shots too, which is nice but messes with my head. I usually envision a draw with the driver and longer clubs, but it's really exaggerated now for some reason.

[elwhippy]

Nope. Hit it surprisingly well for first game since 20th March. Course has been packed but everyone getting a move on. All bunkers GUR as no rakes allowed and greens staff will be able to do more work from yesterday as England Golf had set strict essential maintenance only rules. Biggest issue is lack of rain, and none forecast, very little growth. Back again tomorrow as our club is limiting members to three games a week to ensure everyone can get a time.

[andrue]

I did okay actually. It was twilight and I was on my own which cost me two balls (one of which I swear was striped down the fairway). Lost another in the long grass that the course has allowed to grow out during lock down. But my garden practice seems to have had a positive effect and I was still hitting the ball well. I also got four pars which is more than normal. My putting was a little off but again the greens have been allowed to grow a bit so the balls were clearly not rolling entirely true.

Overall I felt confident and if I'd had someone with me to help track/find the lost balls I think I might have posted a good score.

[TerpFangolfer]

Played yesterday in Md.

Had been able to play 6 rounds in Jan (went South) + 4 in late Feb/March.

Swing had been really good, and was supposed to head to Palm Springs for 5 days in late March - canceled of course.

So hadn't picked up a club since March 5. Typical as coming back from a winter lay-off - hit it ok, a few wayward drives...but couldn't score at all. Short game & putting both mediocre. Shot 81 on a course where normal for me is 75-77. Lucky we don't have raised cups, they have inserts in the cups. Didn't deflect any balls or have any impact.

[compton1977]

Are you finding your course is getting booked up? Same rules (3 x per week) at my club though they haven’t had the traffic as originally thought. Been quite easy to get a time and even tomorrow still has places left. We all thought it would be a bunfight for the tee times but this hasn’t happened.

[Sparklestone]

New member here & first post. 5.4 hdcp now...used to be scratch but that was a long time ago.

Anyway, first round once golf course opened in my area (northern NJ) I shot a 42/39 = 81. Driver/fairway/hybrids real good. Mid-short irons inconsistent. Short game kept the score what it was. I'll try to get out again this weekend if wife lets me. She's hyper-panicked over me catching CV-19 and bringing it home. I've told her golf is about as socially distant a sport as there is but she doesn't believe me.

[jholz]

I was able to get out yesterday. Very enjoyable round, but my game was pretty weak. 51 on the front and 45 on the back for a dismal 96. Hit my driver and wedges well, puttted ok (they have the pool noodles here, which I like). But, I couldn't hit an iron to save my life. Fat and thin all day long. Lots of contact out on the toe. Pretty horrible.

 

Oh well, it can only get better and it was wonderful to be out on the course.

[Golfer4years]

Shot 1 under and enjoyed getting outside again after recovering from elbow surgery six months ago. All the hard work in physical therapy was worth it. Sometimes a long layoff clears the head and helps you goes back to the basics and not get caught up in the technical weeds. However, that first shot on the range was a little skittish.

[Z1ggy16]

Shanked 2 balls, so... basically. My short game is honestly the most rusty.

[Makuakane_Bear]

Not a bad 9 for me. I did the SuperSpeed training protocol during quarantine and saw my swing speed increase quite a bit (Driver SS with the radar was 105-108mph to start and after 6 weeks it went to 118-122mph). The speed was also Trackman verified as well. Pretty impressed with the training program. I ended buying new shafts for all my clubs (except for wedges and putter).

Played 9 and was hitting 1-2clubs less than normal and drives were pretty straight and much longer than I was used to. My putting was atrocious. Overall, the round was encouraging and excited to relearn my game.

[andrue]

Today was a bit uglier. Not sure why. Lost four balls on the front nine to the long grass. Still had some good shots but definitely felt messy. Hopefully tomorrow's game with my mate will be better.

[jvincent]

Yes, I hacked. Sooooooo many bogies. Only 3 pars. A couple of doubles.

Who'd have thunk sitting around on a couch for two months working from home would cause the golf game to go south?

At least we're golfing though.

[nitram]

Shot a smooth 80 (38/42) with 28 putts. Not a bad effort after 64 days from playing.

[GooseHook]

I posted a 41 on my front nine yesterday, but my game was severely exposed on the back. Lack of conditioning broke my concentration and I made a few really bad swings, compounded by a really rough short game. My putting was surprisingly OK though. I was pretty much alternating routine pars with atrocious numbers hole to hole. No birdies to show for the effort.

Today was a mixed scramble at the club, so it was nice to play pressure free golf and get the exercise. Now I'm chugging Pedialyte to rehydrate from the last two days of fatigue.

[SNIPERBBB]

Never had a covid break, courses here were only closed for 48 hrs to covid,just hadn't played since October as I've got other stuff to do till April. First round was a 73 from the senior tees. Hacked up the 80 yards in shots.

 

Month later, read today,shot a 66 from the senior tees. Still hacked up the 80-in shots.

[cardoustie]

Chop city today, all my Jan - mid March mojo from Florida is hiding

[golfinrig24]

Played my 1st round of the season may 10th. Lockdown didn't close the course as there was touch snow still on it. Course was spend May 9th. After a long winter and uncertainty was glad we are able to get out and golf this year. Course wintered much better than years past. The maintenance crew did a great job keeping the ice from building up and eliminating the damage that ice can do hats off them.

My first round was enjoyable tough to not have a few range sessions and some short game practice, as those areas were kept closed so went trunk to tee after 6 months off. Drove ball well irons were crisp and wedge game and chipping were surprisingly great. Made my playing partners quite upset when I hit 2 from around 80 yards to within a foot and had a chip in. Got around in +1 73 and won a beer on credit for when the clubhouse is able to open and we can sit in the lounge.

Play safe out there and enjoy the 2020 golf season!

[beandogg]

Pretty terrible, but I kept saying to myself how amazing it was to be out.

 

[naj959]

Snap hooked almost every ball with the exception of a drive on number 3 and a handful of wedge shots. The whole swing felt incredibly foreign despite making tons of swings in the backyard during the shutdown. I didn't think rust was a real thing but I felt like a noobie hack who had never swung a club; all arms. Despite the proliferation of "others" on the card, I thoroughly enjoyed being outdoors in the fresh air.

[Thinnedit]

2 months without taking a divot was hard but I feel hitting into a net in the backyard helped keep my swing intact to some extent. Played Saturday competition at my club and shot 2 under my HC to win my flight.

Followed on the Sunday with a late afternoon 9 at a public course and shot my best 9-hole score ever, 38 (+3)

Feeling pretty good about golf at the moment but it's all down hill from here haha