Low Maintenance or High Maintenance?

PA-PLAYA

During the month of August, I played 6 times, for various, unforeseen reasons.

My lowest round was 76, while my highest scoring round was 86. I began the month as a 3 index (trending upward) and my handicap adjustment back at the end of August was adjusted to 4.9.... which reminds me that I'm not one of those players who can average little more than 18 holes once-per-week and maintain my current handicap.

So the question is this:

How many rounds/range sessions do you feel you need per week to maintain your current index? Are you a low-maintenance player, or (like me), a high maintenance player who requires more than a once-per-week level of activity to maintain your current handicap (or average scoring level of play, if you don't track a handicap)?

For me - I think I need at least 2 rounds per week at a minimum. And even then, I feel that I need to to get to the range at least once per week to simply maintain the feel for my golf swing.

Weirfan

PA-PLAYA

Definitely high maintenance these days. I play once a week on average and cap has hovered between 10.5 and 12 , currently 11.4.

In past When I played as a low single digit (4) played 5+ times a week....never was much of a practice guy. Was able to sustain a 7-9 for a few years when only playing a couple times but no longer the case.

I've recently come to the realization that I am experiencing on course performance issues that are not ability related but mental. I have super great warm up and ball striking sessions , accurate , pure on the range and putt fantastic before the round but cannot bring it to the course. Once it goes it gets worse as confidence falls and tension and overthinking takes over. Will occasionally play well , have had a couple 78's and had 2 - 82's in Phoenix, but too few and far between.

mikeintopeka

I'm low maintenance...I can go several weeks without playing and generally still score within a small range of what I was posting before I could get back to the game. I started the year (March 1st) as a 13.5 index, ballooned to 14.3 while recovering from a hernia repair, and I'm back to a 13.2 today having playing at least 1/3 less rounds this year than a typical season.

DC300

mikeintopeka Same here, though if I play more, my scores go down. Pretty much regardless of what I play, I shoot mid 80s. When I played more that was mid to high 70s, that was 12 years ago now haha. So yeah, I'll be in the same range first and last time out in a year generally.

darpar

I thought this was going to be about a woman/wife! 🙂

Martee

Good question, given my current state and trending (going north), I would be in another category, too much. I am at the couse at least 6 times a week. PlaY minimum 5 full rounds and often play 2 split 9's, where I have before and after range time (includes short game).

Usually I can count on 80 plus/minus 2. Lately it has been a range of 74 to 86. I probably need a break. But on the other hand my traveling score is just under an 80 average, whereas my home score is bit higher.

Definitely I am a work in progress.

Typhoon

Low maintenance. August is crazy for me as well and I haven't played much but my scores are the same. Sometimes the more I play the worse I score due to lack of focus. Most of my rounds are 9 holes due to time. I don't go to the range much but I try to get to the putting/chipping green 3-4 times a week for an hour just to pass the time and be outside.

sdandrea1

Low. I have laid off for as much as 12 weeks for surgery and seem to arrive back where I left off. I have been shooting a spread of scores between 76 and 86 for several decades now. I do not practice, but now in retirement I do play 3 to 4 times/week. I think I might get better if I stuck with one set of clubs for more than a week,..........nah.

rsvman

low, for sure.

At one point a couple of years ago I shot exactly 84 ten rounds in a row. On some of those rounds, my front nine was 45 and on some my back nine was 45, but they all ended up 84s. I can't play more than about 3 rounds a month because of my work schedule. I have never gone to the range to practice until this season.

professor

LOL No maintenance this year. I believe Neil Young wrote a song, "Rust Never Sleeps". He was correct!!! Maybe next year I can become high maintenance again... Oh, joy...

PA-PLAYA

My high-maintenance game shot 45-38 for 83 yesterday. 7th round in the past 6 weeks, handicap has gone from 3 at the start of the season to 6 currently.

I guess it's time to get back into the swing of things, because no matter how good my good shots are, or how nicely I rebounded yesterday to salvage a respectable score with a decent back 9 - my bad shots continue to kill me.

I need to get back into the routine, so those bad shots aren't quite so bad.

Tired of standing over 10 footers for par.... after reasonable tee shots, no less. 🙁

Par4QC

Low maint. here. Don't touch a club from Nov.-May, most years due to where I live. Only got 16-17 rounds in so far this season. Most times I'll shoot the same score in May that I shot the last round in Oct., and continue to shoot within a couple of that score the whole season. I consider that kind of good being I play a lot of different courses during the season, and do mix it up from the reg. tees to the Sr. tees--depends on the course length. Never really been one to hit the range as I have no idea how to swing properly anyway. Plus, as my late brother used to say....."I've only got so many swings in me!!" Save 'em for the course.

johnnydoom

I never have played enough to really know the answer. In general, the more I play, the better I score. I know that layoffs always cause my body to stiffen up and my score to go up as well. If I'm playing weekly or bi-weekly I shoot in the 80's, less often than that and I'll be north of 90. At the end of a winter layoff, I need at least 4 or 5 rounds (or the equivalent range practice) before the joints in my body associated with a smooth swing will loosen up enough for me to start hitting the ball with any consistency. Just started back last month after not playing more than 2 in any year for several years in a row. No 80's yet, but my contact on full shots improved considerably yesterday and so I know I'll be there soon.

PA-PLAYA

It typically takes me roughly 8-10 rounds after the winter layoff before I feel like I'm hitting the ball and scoring like I did prior to the season ending several months earlier. So we're talking mid-Mayish for me. And even at that - I need some range time and putting practice between rounds.

In general, I think the lower one's handicap is - the more reliant they are on short game and putting. And that is usually the last thing to come around for me after a long layoff.

bigshank

Definitely low. I barely get out during winter months and when I get going it's once a week typically and no range time. Shoot anywhere from 75 to 85. I usually start out better in the spring and go the wrong way in the hot part of the summer and take a little break. Get sharp again about September just in time to put the clubs away for winter in October. Started in march as an 8 got up to 10 in late June and back to an 8 again now.

letthebigdogshunt

I no longer keep a handicap, but when I did keep one I was playing 3 times a week and hitting balls at the range and practicing my short game 2-3 times a week as well. I could not keep a single digit without all that.

Bill

I used to think it was high maintenance until recently. After a couple years of not touching a club I went right back to my usual shitty game. It's nice to know I can still shoot 92 without even thinking about golf for that long. I might be able to bring that down to 90 if I practiced or played regularly. 😑

mikeintopeka

Weirfan - were your best rounds during Desert Storm in the money rounds/organized team competitions? I've found if I have something riding on a round, even if it is for a quarter or a buck a hole best ball, I tend to focus more, have better course management, and will score better.

PA-PLAYA

Weirfan

I hear ya. Pretty much described the last 5 years of my game.

I don't mentally implode, but there's no denying that my bad shots really suck. My good shots are still relatively good... but the so-so missed shots that used to keep me within par range are now relegating me to best-case bogeys and much-to-often doubles.

And although I've never been one to give up, the really sad thing, I guess, is that I've pretty much come to accept it.

Maybe my best years are officially behind me.

But I'll still keep trying nevertheless. Nothing much else for me to do in my spare time, might as well see if I can pick myself up off the ground one more time heading into next season.

Weirfan

mikeintopeka

normally I rise to the occasion and play very well with something on the line . At previous DS events and tournies up here that was the case. Not this year 🙁.....have pretty much sucked in all my competitive events other than coming first of 104 guys in my men's night year round scoring title ( Callaway system scoring was used)