First time playing in 10 years

[DPaisley]

Hello Fellow Golfers,

I have not played golf in about 10 years. I used to be an avid golfer but for financial reasons I had to step away from the game for a while. Last summer I started really getting into golf Youtube, this refueled my interest in Golf again. After saving up some funds I bought me some new clubs to update my bag and started going to the range here and there. I am thinking its finally time to get back out there and play some rounds. I am planning to have the mindset that I am not going to play well due to my time away, to help encourage my self to walk away happy no matter what. I am wondering if I should go with a buddy or just keep it solo after this whole time. 

[Puttersaurus Rex]

Go have fun!  True friends won't care how you hit them. 

[AmateurAmateur]

Hey man you’re not Anthony Kim by any chance are you? 

[Jeff58]

Finding like minded friends to play with when you are regaining your playing ability is a major advantage. As you say, you are looking to both improve and have a good time doing so.

 

 If you’re paired with the “serious player”, your scoring, rules violations, etiquette, equipment, etc. will be under scrutiny.

 

If you’re paired with casual, partying, or totally incompetent individuals, focusing on improvement can be challenging.

 

The Goldilocks solution is a friend who is competent and supportive while not being judgmental about your own game. Such people are out there, but being paired with them by random chance isn’t too likely.

[Murphy76]

 

Ignore the score (or don't even keep score)  Just enjoy the process. 

 

One good shot out of twenty will keep you coming back.

 

Gooble-Gobble Gooble-Gobble

One of us!

One of us!

 

[bobfoster]

As ELP said (old guys will remember this), "Welcome back my friends, to the show that never ends, so glad you could attend, step inside, step inside".

 

Always good to hear someone coming back to the game. I personally have cycled through multiple periods of playing a lot and playing very little. Golf is a lifetime sport.

 

So far as your first time back, solo vs. buddy? Kinda depends a lot on your buddies. Some may actually see it as quite an honor to get you into the game again (I know I would if one of my friends approached me) - would only not be irritated by the performance of a rusty golfer getting his swing back, but actively helpful. However, depending on who you are, you might prefer to play your first couple rounds alone. 

 

But regardless, I do remember some sage advice from someone here on WRX, heard it years ago, and it has always stuck with me: No one cares how you play, they only care how you are to play with. I've played with scratch golfers that are an incredible pain, and with groups that barely break 100 that are thoroughly fun to play with. 

 

In your first few rounds back after ten years off, with completely different clubs, you are likely to completely suck. But when you think about it, this really simply doesn't matter. Have fun and put no pressure on yourself:

 

 

 

Edited March 1 by bobfoster

[Klubster]

You may be surprised.  Due to college, work and marriage, I once had a 6 year hiatus from golf.  A co-worker invited to play at a fairly challenging course.  My only thought was to keep the ball in play.  I shot a 79.  Keep expectations low and you will exceed them. 

[Maine Golfer]

Welcome back I took HS end 06 till 2022 off. Its not ether or, golfing alone or with friends is fun. I say do both. I was really happy with my game improvement irons early when I came back, easier that the clubs I had growing up. 

[stephenmatt]

Welcome back to the game!

[ZonaHooker]

OP, just have fun. It’s one of the hardest sports in the world. May as well make it easier on yourself and just enjoy the journey, regardless of how you play. May be more fun with a friend, share some laughs. And beers!

 

I have a somewhat similar story to you. I just got back into golf in January after about 18 years. Grad school, work, kids…time flies by.
 

Now that my young kids are playing, I started back up. My mindset now is to get as good as I can so that I can put up a fight against my kids when they start whupping me up and down the course haha sharing the golf journey with them is a neat experience. Hopefully as they get older, they want to go golfing with me, and take it easy on their old man.

[Mikey_HACKilroy]

Don't keep score to start out. I'd say, don't keep score until you've gotten to a point where you're getting more and more good shots. Enjoy yourself, and don't take it so seriously that the focus on how it "should be" starts interfering with how it is.

Don't get caught up in "Golf Data." Don't worry about swing speeds, spin numbers, and all of that stuff. Focus on actual ball flight, behaviors, and your process. When you're not swinging, enjoy the scenery. (Even when those pesky squirrels squeal whilst your trying to swing the driver.... the jerks... No lie!) But by all means, don't be hard on yourself.

 

I spend way too much time playing the self sabotaging game of expectations and then doubt. If Yoda was a Golf Coach he'd say.... "Expectations turn into fear... fear turns into doubt.... and DOUBT..... turns to DUFFERING!!!!"

Too much? Ok, I'll see myself out.

But not before saying good luck and enjoy the journey. 🙂 

 

[bobfoster]

3 hours ago, ZonaHooker said:

OP, just have fun. It’s one of the hardest sports in the world. May as well make it easier on yourself and just enjoy the journey, regardless of how you play. May be more fun with a friend, share some laughs. And beers!

 

I have a somewhat similar story to you. I just got back into golf in January after about 18 years. Grad school, work, kids…time flies by.
 

Now that my young kids are playing, I started back up. My mindset now is to get as good as I can so that I can put up a fight against my kids when they start whupping me up and down the course haha sharing the golf journey with them is a neat experience. Hopefully as they get older, they want to go golfing with me, and take it easy on their old man.

Happy to hear your kids are starting to get into it. 

 

My Dad took me out for the first time when I was eight years old. Played our last round together when he was in his late 80s (a decade after we stopped playing tennis due to his knee and joint problems). No other sport like it. 

 

Never mattered who won the round. We both won in the bigger picture.

Edited March 3 by bobfoster

[elwhippy]

Welcome back. WRX members will now baffle you with science. 

[Mikey_HACKilroy]

On 3/3/2024 at 4:42 AM, elwhippy said:

Welcome back. WRX members will now baffle you with science. 

Is that what the stuff happening here is really called? 😄 

[DPaisley]

On 3/1/2024 at 12:52 PM, Klubster said:

You may be surprised.  Due to college, work and marriage, I once had a 6 year hiatus from golf.  A co-worker invited to play at a fairly challenging course.  My only thought was to keep the ball in play.  I shot a 79.  Keep expectations low and you will exceed them. 

I actually went and played and had this same thing happen. I shot way better than I ever expected. I hit my driver farther than I used to somehow!

[jkman]

Welcome back! 

 

I'm in similar shoes, back into golf after a long break 🙂

[Sir-Shanks-A-Lot]

Welcome back! 

 

I was in exactly the same situation last summer, coming back off a break of 7-8 years. Started going to a course near me just to practice on the range and figure things out again. I was pretty self-conscious and actually declined a couple of invitations to play from friends. Eventually booked a time as a single and paired up with three randos on the first tee. Played like canine fecal matter but had a great time doing it, and the good shots I did pull off on the course did more for my confidence than any amount of time grinding at the range. Main thing I learned from my comeback season is that, aside from keeping up / keeping pace, your playing partners could care less about your play because they're too busy worrying about their own game. 

 

Bottom line: accept all invites, play terribly, and have a great time doing it! 

 

Cheers!

 

Edited March 29 by Sir-Shanks-A-Lot

[charliebrown]

On 3/29/2024 at 9:55 AM, Sir-Shanks-A-Lot said:

Welcome back! 

 

I was in exactly the same situation last summer, coming back off a break of 7-8 years. Started going to a course near me just to practice on the range and figure things out again. I was pretty self-conscious and actually declined a couple of invitations to play from friends. Eventually booked a time as a single and paired up with three randos on the first tee. Played like canine fecal matter but had a great time doing it, and the good shots I did pull off on the course did more for my confidence than any amount of time grinding at the range. Main thing I learned from my comeback season is that, aside from keeping up / keeping pace, your playing partners could care less about your play because they're too busy worrying about their own game. 

 

Bottom line: accept all invites, play terribly, and have a great time doing it! 

 

Cheers!

 

My hero. Back this year after not touching a club since 2017.  It is "interesting". I decided not to hit more than a small bucket on the range...and only once a week or so. There are 2 muni courses here that I can play 9 holes on. I much prefer that to range time...it's practice. If I get into triple bogey territory, I pick up and let the others in the group finish so as not to slow up play. My good shots? They're good. My bad shots? I don't dwell on them as I used to. Everyone hits bad shots. Clear those from my brain and move on. Golf is a great game. It's fun. My random playing partners have all been great, btw. 

[jbob]

started up again about a year ago after about 25 years of playing once or twice a year and it's been great.  Being alone or with others you know has it's merits.  

 

I've been taking notes on various shots where i don't feel comfortable vs. when I do.  

Like when I first started up again, anything less than 80 yards and I was a mess so I spent some time on that and have it dialed in now.  

 

Basically, like a plus minus system for practice later.  which will also help motivate you to improve and give you specific things to work on.  

[Sir-Shanks-A-Lot]

19 hours ago, charliebrown said:

My hero. Back this year after not touching a club since 2017.  It is "interesting". I decided not to hit more than a small bucket on the range...and only once a week or so. There are 2 muni courses here that I can play 9 holes on. I much prefer that to range time...it's practice. If I get into triple bogey territory, I pick up and let the others in the group finish so as not to slow up play. My good shots? They're good. My bad shots? I don't dwell on them as I used to. Everyone hits bad shots. Clear those from my brain and move on. Golf is a great game. It's fun. My random playing partners have all been great, btw. 

 

Welcome back! 

[Sp4zRX]

Go play some Par 3s to start getting back into the swing of things. 

[charliebrown]

2 hours ago, Sp4zRX said:

Go play some Par 3s to start getting back into the swing of things. 

Excellent advice. More fun/realistic than driving ranges. I can always manage to hack a drive on par 4s and 5s to have a shot toward the green. Short and mid irons are what I need to dial in. A friend turned me on to what Lee Westwood does. He uses a Sharpie to write the distance on his irons - how far he reliably hits each...rather than looking at the number on the sole.  Imo, that's brilliant. 

[Sp4zRX]

21 hours ago, charliebrown said:

Excellent advice. More fun/realistic than driving ranges. I can always manage to hack a drive on par 4s and 5s to have a shot toward the green. Short and mid irons are what I need to dial in. A friend turned me on to what Lee Westwood does. He uses a Sharpie to write the distance on his irons - how far he reliably hits each...rather than looking at the number on the sole.  Imo, that's brilliant. 

I came back to the game after a 10+ yr hiatus about 4 years ago. Playing par 3s is what I did to get comfortable again. I had forgotten all my distance and was actually hitting them further. My first hole back was a 105yrd par 3. I thought it was a perfect pitching wedge. I took a wack at it and flew the green and almost hit the group ahead of me on the next tee box. Oops! 😳 It was a slightly embarrassing moment. 😅