Before retiring 16 yrs ago, we lived in upstate NY, which had an optimal golf season from April through mid-November. Retiring to Hilton Head, SC means you play golf all year round. The groups I play with don't want to hear about not playing unless it's below 45 or above 95. I find now that when I do not play for any extended period of time (2 weeks) I return to a vastly improved game. Improved driving, iron play, chips and putting. These breaks from golf are the only part of snow country that I miss. This just seems inconsistent, whd'ya thunk?

    Bigborgel That's understandable. Playing too often makes it very easy to just turn up and hit the ball without concentrating on scoring well, especially if you're playing the same course. We all tend to just keep hitting the same shots with the same clubs and can end up falling into some bad habits.

    12 of us have just come back from a golf trip to Pattaya, Thailand where we played 10 different courses over 2 weeks. Playing different courses makes you concentrate but even then after 2 weeks I was totally golfed out!! There are some great course in Thailand, and it's very cheap.

      I have been retired since 1990 and have played most of that time 3--4 times a week. I did play for a three year period everyday and by the end of that time I was burned out on golf. About 12 years ago I went back to three times a week. This is about right for out group. Mon, Weds Fri we play. In the winter months we sometimes miss a day or two but 3 times a week if plenty for us now. We are all in our early to mid 70's.

      Retired, and for the last couple of years have averaged somewhere around 125+ rounds per year, which represents April through November on average. The last couple of seasons I've found myself playing more out of an obligation than truly wanting to play much too often. Those days/rounds were fairly obvious based on my scores for those rounds... interesting in that when I really wanted to be out playing and enjoying the entire experience - my scores reflected it.

      No, you're not going crazy BB....

      Even with something as trivial as golf, there is this thing called balance. Balancing your time, your desire to play, your downtime, your time spent on things that enable you to go play those days without focusing so much on things outside of golf.

      Not to mention the bad-habit aspect. I play a lot of tournaments per year, and just trying to get my game ready for tournament competitions borders on burnout stage. I've been fortunate in that I've somehow found my game/putting peaking at the right time to remain competitive, but funny how when the tournament portion of my season is over - I struggle. Not because I've stopped putting in the time to play and work on my game, but basically because I'm golfed-out and honestly play more out of obligation than a genuine desire to be out on the course. Take several days off, maybe even a week? Much sharper and more focused.

      Moderation is never a bad thing.

      I play probably 2-3 9 hole rounds a week and practice on the other days. End of April - November. Good enough for me.

      How often one plays a week is probably best viewed from the perspective of the cost of one's membership in a Golf Club. With green fees in Auckland hovering around the NZ$60 to NZ$80 a round, I'd need to play at least once a week to justify my membership cost: any less than that and I'd be better off paying green fees.

      But the reality is in summer, we play a minimum 3 times a week which more than makes up for the times in winter when we can't be fucked getting cold and wet!!

      Just ended my 2nd year of retirement. I have been playing about 120 rounds a year. In 3 leagues in FL (Nov-APR) so 3 to 4 times a week is normal. In VA (May-Oct), I get out about 2 to 3 times per week. MANY of those rounds at 9 hole rounds. I do need to take a week off now and then just to renew the desire and kick some bad habits that are forming.

      When I worked, I swore I'd play every dam day when I retired. 16 yrs into it, 3 times a week is too much, physically and mentally. I not enjoying it and my scores are reflecting that. I'm going to throttle back to 2x pw and see how that works. Maybe I'll stay home and watch the soaps with my old lady in my newly found spare time....

      Bigborgel

      It's the senior syndrome.

      Your body recovered during the off time so you played better after it had a chance to recover.
      Unless you work out on a regular base, it's hard to play more than half the days in a calendar.

      Too much of anything is not good for you. Even having steak for dinner everyday.

          I like to play one round a week and count score and one round (afternoon when course is empty) and hit a few balls a hole and work on diffent shots and mechanics. I get nothing out of the range, practicing on the course keeps me sharp.

          I have played as many as 320+ times a year, but now I play three times a week all year round, but with the weather here there will be days I can't or will not play. It it is blowing over 20mph with cold temps under 40* and raining I will pass. As I get older I find I just won't play in foul weather.

            letthebigdogshunt I have played as many as 320+ times a year,

            That's more rounds per year than the work days on the calendar. Lucky dog.

              In 1982 my wife and I took a one years sabbatical and went down to San Diego for five months, Hawaii for two weeks and then to Napa for the rest of the time. We played 4-5 times a week and when we were in Napa spent a lot of the rest of the days at the wineries tasting their wines. Spent a lot of money then as well on wine. After the year was over we decided to make plans to be able to retire by 1990 and we reached those goals and retire March of 1990.

              I have been retired for 13 years now. As I live in SC we can play year round. I have also become spoiled in that I will not play when the temp is below 50. I usually play on Tue, Fri, and Sun unless it is cold (below 50) or brutally hot (over 100). Thus I probably average 2.5 rounds a week.

              I moved here from up north and one thing I realized is when one can play year round, they are more casual about playing as in they do not need to get rounds in when the weather is good. If bad weather, then simply wait a few days and it will be fine to play.