Over 40 Crowd: How often do you practice?

[jbest]

I play a couple rounds a week.  I try to get to the range 4 days a week for at least an hour, work permitting.  It shows on the score card but wondering if I should play more and practice less...getting concerned with joint aches in hands and left ankle, as well as lower back issues immediately after practice.  I rarely get after effects from a round of 18.

Looking for advice from others in the age group...

[lugonza_2001]

Due to long working days, I just can practice once a week. I hit 80 balls and then practice some pitching and chipping. I wish i could practice more, but all i can do from monday to friday is take a 5 iron after dinner and practice my stance and backswing in my living room, and some putting swings as well.

About playing in the golf course, It costs me 51 euros ($68) to play 18 holes here so i just can afford to play twice a month.

[Golfingdad]

I will let you know in a couple of months :(

[Mr. Desmond]

If you want advice, I'd say one less day of practice and add one more round.

At the range, I'd probably advise more drills and less full shots. Do some drills, hit a few mid-irons, and then go back to drills. Drills are usually less than full swings, and I get more from them than banging balls. They add to your endurance, too

[David in FL]

I turn 55 in a month. I play twice a week. I almost never practice.

[Blade Runner]

not much these days. I do not really compete anymore and my schedule is kind of tight. I only get out and play every couple of months. What little practice I do is at a nearby park where I just mess around with the wedges.

[Brakkus]

Well I've played sport all my life but family and job have slowed me down to a bare minimum. However I still workout at home with resistance bands because its important that my body can handle my swing. I also do short bursts of practice everyday if possible. That might be chipping,pitching,putting, or full swing work. Perhaps 10 mins- 30 mins depending on time. I made a conscious effort to make the game simple for myself. A stock swing and I have mid handicap irons so I don't worry about shaping. That cuts the amount of swing maintenance down. I hit to distance without having to worry about getting to tucked pins. That leaves me free to develop creativity with wedges, I practice different shots on my own land and putting practice is mainly indoors. Unfortunately I don't get to play much maybe once a month or twice but it doesn't matter because I can play without expectations

[boogielicious]

I played and practiced more last year and my HC went down.  This year, due to time, I played 1 - 2 times a week and only practiced at most once per week. I'm the type of player that needs reps, on the course and off.

[PirateJim]

I'll be 60 in a few months.  Currently I'm hitting the range most days for some sort of practice.  I have been spending a good bit of time on the short game the last couple of months and that is helping, but I hit my share of full shots too.  On average I am playing two full rounds a week and probably two or three 9 holers after my range time. (I practice less if playing 18; the heat in Florida takes it out of you, but I like to warm up at least a bit if possible.)  I am fortunate to live very near a pretty decent little public course that has very fair summer rates, so this doesn't break the bank.  Come the winter it will get busy and I'll spend even more time on the range I expect.

To try to address the question of whether to spend more time on the course instead of the range; only you can decide, and the right answer may well change from week to week.  If you enjoy banging balls down the range, than that is reason enough (golf is a game).  If you don't, but enjoy playing the course, then the answer is play the course more.  However, if the objective is to improve your game a mix of the two is no doubt best, but only you can really determine the proper mix.  Productive time on the range has to be focused and have a purpose, not just raking the next ball over and banging it away.  For me, time spent on the course is generally an opportunity to identify what I want to practice on the range next.

[rkim291968]

I play a couple rounds a week.  I try to get to the range 4 days a week for at least an hour, work permitting.

Ditto.

Looking for advice from others in the age group...

I will take occasional day or two off if any part of my body gets too tired.   It will substitute it with indoor practice that does not take too much strain on my body.

[TourSpoon]

I play once a week and practice 2-3 times a week. I may add a round in the weekday pm soon. I don't overdo anything and the only thing that hurts are my hands.

[GangGreen]

This past summer I was typically able to get out to the range 2-3 times a week with one round of 18 each weekend. Have to say, though, my left should has really taken a beating this year so I'm probably going to need to scale back the full swing sessions at the range for a while and replace it with more work on my putting and chipping at home until I'm more comfortable with the shoulder.

[Clubchucker]

Last year I decided to see how good I could get with a lot more practice.  My normal schedule was 9 hole league once a week and then usually 18 on the weekend, or if I was lucky played both Sat/Sunday.  Decided to join the range program at a course right by my house (flat fee for all the range balls I want) and believe me...got my moneys worth.  Luckily I work from home, so I would run over on my lunch hour to hit a bucket, chip and putt...whatever I was working on.  I tried not to hit balls more than 2 days in a row just because...well, I am getting older, so sometimes I'd just go over and chip and putt for an hour.

Long story short: ended up taking 3 strokes off my handicap last year.  I'm just one of those people who have to keep my swing "grooved".  It was a lot of work but I did reach my goal of becoming a single-digit handicap.  This year I didn't go to the range quite as much (because of weather) and I've kind of fluctuated in handicap.  Usually once posting season hits here in Ohio, I've had time to work out the kinks at the range...but this year early spring was crap.  So I got a late start and it showed in my scores, but I have gotten the handicap back down.

Main thing I try and do is practice with a purpose.  I'm usually working on one or two keys when I hit balls-not just hitting balls to hit balls so to speak.  But I do try and listen to my body; if it saying "take a day off" I do.

[Dave2512]

I practice nearly every day. As mentioned I get more out of drills than banging balls at the range, which I rarely if ever do. It doesn't require hours to get something out of drills. Usually I hit 8-12 balls each morning mixed with different drills, the drills come first and the balls and slo-mo swings are the end of what takes about 15-20 minutes. Though I find I get just as much if not more from exercise and stretching.

[JKolya]

One of the things I have started doing is going to a 9-hole par 3 course regularly. It allows me to practice 110 yards and in shots, and change up practice (from the range), while not paying for a full 18. If you have one in your area (especially if its a single price for unlimited play), then you can go play 18 in less time than a full course 18, with less stress on your body, and work on game scenario short game shots.

[inthehole]

48 years old here ... I've only been playing 3 years, so I'll never be a tournament player - I just enjoy playing more than practicing (unless there's something serious going on in my swing that I have to work out, or work on like moving the ball left to right - so much fun working the ball).    Play at least 3x a week - all the usual aches and pains ... knees are bad, shoulders get stiff, lower back, feet, and far and away the worst is arthritus in my left index finger - recently forced me to go with a grip change - from overlap to interlock (finger out straight, so I'm playing with 9 fingers) - so far the transition hasn't cost me any strokes - it's really taking a toll on my guitar playing though - that sucks worst of all.    Sux to get old ...

[hacker101]

I am 50 and play every weekend wish it was more. We will play 9 or 18 some times both,  Sat and or Sun does not matter as long as I play.

I take a lesion once a month some times twice, if I find i am sliding on some part of my game or can not figure out what may creep in.

Hit the range once if not twice a week, like the range. I can bang some balls, work on a club that gave me an issue do some drills. Some time I just putt and chip while my son is at the range working on his swing.

But I can tell you that my right index finger is sore all the time now days. i just suck up Advil and go on with my day.

[rustyredcab]

Last year I played two rounds a week and git another one or two sessions of practice. Not all range practice. Some short game, some putting. And, as others said, drills. This year it is all a bit less.

If your range work is leaving you with aches and pains, try hitting less balls and make each one count more. Perhaps add some video work -- hit, review, repeat. Practice with a purpose.

I'm 54 and pretty out of shape. Beating too many balls on hard dirt has caused some elbow pain this year. I should have done as I did in years past and made each range session count more and keep them shorter.