Over Practicing?

[A.Princey]

I know there’s serious merit to practicing, but when it comes to on-course results, a little rest before playing a ‘real’ round is good, imo. I’ve noticed when I hit balls the day(night) before a round, I almost always struggle with consistency on the course. Is it possible my body is being overused?
 

My last two great rounds came with 2 or more days of not touching a club. I think that lots of practice helps groove mechanics, but too many swings can hurt your “readiness” to play at times. What say you, any similar experiences? 

[Tax77]

Of course, muscles need recovery time. Since I ocd on golf way to much I once took a video of myself butt a** naked taking a swing to see what my hips were really doing.  Every muscle from my calves up to my shoulders flexed during the down swing. Do that over and over again your gonna wear out. 

[A.Princey]

It’s almost like a fatigue of sorts that you cannot feel, but manifests itself in poor shots. 

[jc4birdie]

Agree 1000%.  It is just a minor degree of "misfire" where you are a bit fatigued, but that is all it takes to get your timing off.  I've done it, and I think the over-practicing is a culprit (too much full swing work), particularly as you age.  At 56 yrs of age, I'm gonna back off the Friday full swing work prior to Saturday rounds, starting this week....I MAY go to short game-only work on Fridays, but maybe just entirely rest.  I know that my progress has slowed in the last 6 weeks or so....I will play an awesome 9 on Thurs. evening, diligently work on the range on Fri., and then be not sharp on Saturday gameday.  I also do Mon/Wed. range sessions too, full swings and short game.  Too much, but I'm hopelessly addicted to range-work....honestly, I enjoy practicing golf as much or more than I do playing it.

Edited December 15, 2020 by jc4birdie

[msg]

I have experienced this before. I usually join an annual tournament that I really take seriously. Last 2017 I practiced everyday at the range hitting a bucket or two, going through all the clubs in my bag to prepare for the said tournament. Not sure why I did that back then, I usually just play once and go to the range maybe max of two the weekday before the tournament and by Thursday, I am well rested and just do some putting and chipping work. By the time I played the tournament, which was a Saturday and Sunday, I can feel that my body and mind was already out of it. I was exhausted. It was like torture, playing with that feeling or being tired and sore all over!

 

This year, I joined a club and I have a trend that when I play a lot, say three straight days, I usually would suck big time at the third game. I also have a home made practice area at home, that also does not help my cause because I noticed that it hurt my game when I over do the practice time. I noticed based on my game logs that I usually play better when I take 3 to 5 days off from playing. I just feel so excited and refreshed compared to when my body is so beat up from the games and the practice time. 

 

Another good example this year is I sold my driver, M4, just because I wanted a new one. Nothing wrong wit it. It was a stupid move on my part. Usually, when I get a new driver, it takes me a while to get adjusted to it. I got a G410 and it was right off the bat, automatic and easy to use. It only took me a single range session to get comfortable with it. Then I sold it because I could not get past the turbolators. And so I got another driver. The new driver I got, I could not agree with it even if it was ok when I was at the hitting bay. I was practicing and trying it to work for about one week. When I decided to give up, I can feel that my body was so sore. My actual games for the week really suffered. Imagine hitting driver shots for who knows how many per day. Sometimes twice or thrice per day. And oh, I sold the driver which was a TS2 and got another G410 hahaha. I also actually messed up my swing by practicing too much and tinkering with the TS2. It was just recently when I got back the old swing. I won't be changing drivers any time soon, that's for sure. 

 

This year, I have played and practiced so much, that for the first time in 8 years since playing golf again, I am shutting it down this weekend. I won't play the last two weeks of October. I am in Canada, so the courses here usually close on the first or third week of October. I am just that tired of golf overall. Haha. 

 

Edited September 21, 2020 by msg

[Nebraska]

A little background I didn’t grow up playing golf in my 20’s and 30’s I would go out 3 or 4 time a year and play a round with my dad.  Did really take up the game until I was 50.  Now 63 my typical round this year was between 80-85 my low round this year +2 73.  Until this year I struggled to play bogey golf and on a bad day to break 100.  
 

I use to practice a lot always trying to get better.  This year because of covid the driving range was closed while the course was open.  What happened for me was my swing became more consistent. I think because I was not tweaking it on the range.  I had fewer swing thought again because I was trying to improve my swing I found MY swing.  The change in my scores was so dramatic I did go back to the range this whole season.  I shot that 73 just two weeks ago.
 

You don’t mention how many balls you are hitting or your general physical condition but as a read this and reflected on my own experience wonder if it is the swing thoughts of what you are trying to accomplish the night before that are interfering with your swing not a physical response to the exercise.
 

 

[Chief Penguin]

I think there's a real question of frequency vs amount.  I heard a teacher say once that with practice, like medicine, you want the minimum effective dose.   Every time I go to the driving range a the muni near my house, I see guys pounding literally hundreds of balls, and I don't think they're doing themselves any favors, especially when its just ball after ball.  

 

I hit 35-70 balls in most (4-6 times a week) practice sessions and try to spend a lot of time rehearsing parts of the swing or feels I'm trying to achieve.  Those slow movements also don't cost your back anything.  

[jc4birdie]

The frequency vs. amount question is a good one.  I think more brief practice sessions are better than fewer epically long sessions.  Just less wear and tear on the joints and body in general. 

[mikpga]

Rest is important.  Need to find the correct balance to optimize your performance...

[Barfolomew]

If it is truly fatigue then yes for sure you need to be "fresh" to play good...

 

but if its not really physical fatigue then hitting the night before or even hitting a bucket right before you play should not hurt your play......... if its in your head then its a mental thing you need to get over and learn to make a practice sesh help you play even better. 

 

There is a toughness needed to play golf as it takes friggin 4-5 hours and sometimes in bad weather.  Or you start off poorly and you gotta grind to steady the ship... but grind doesn't mean tension it might mean relaxing

Edited December 16, 2020 by Barfolomew

[swagee]

On 9/20/2020 at 8:57 PM, A.Princey said:

I know there’s serious merit to practicing, but when it comes to on-course results, a little rest before playing a ‘real’ round is good, imo. I’ve noticed when I hit balls the day(night) before a round, I almost always struggle with consistency on the course. Is it possible my body is being overused?
 

My last two great rounds came with 2 or more days of not touching a club. I think that lots of practice helps groove mechanics, but too many swings can hurt your “readiness” to play at times. What say you, any similar experiences? 

I reckon it depends on how u practice. 
If u practice light daily then it won’t affect ur on course performance. However, if u have an intense practice session while trying to change ur swing mechanics, then it’s best to have some rest days for recovery and for ur muscle memory to register new changes.

I’ve been there.

Cheers

 

 

[Zitlow]

Golf is mental imagery (visualization). Maybe your mental practice is better than your physical practice. 

 

"Michael Jordan started to practice the mindset of visualization, imagining himself making the game-winning shot well before he stepped on the basketball court. Jordan's imagination fueled his confidence, drive and belief in himself."

[nitram]

If you're "practicing" for confirmation and skill development on a swing issue you've been working on, your frequency and amount of balls are a fine line between improvement and fatigue.

 

But if you're like most who go to the range with one thought in mind and after a dozen or so swings/balls it doesn't work, you try this and that until you stumble across something that works good enough you think you've found it. You then hit a few more and finish for the day. You come out the next morning to play a round and you're starting the process all over again. Sometimes you're fortunate enough to find "it" and well sometimes you don't. 

 

It's like Groundhog Day every day when you tee it up.

[naval2006]

Theres always a personal balance between how much you play and practice and playing good rounds. You’ve got to find out yours.  And if you can, stick to it.   Hitting loads of balls can be addictive. But it puts a lot of pressure on the course. Two very good players I know only practice on the course, old school. They only hit balls if they’re trying to fix some big swing issue.