After break from golf, short game is good, long game is bad?

[bones75]

Anyone have this happen to them?

Been about 5 months since I swung a club.  Was about a 12-14 index before the break (lowest ever index was an 8 which I've hit twice in the last 10 years).  Have played 3 times since the break, and can't hit a driver, wood, long or mid iron.  But my wedges are ridiculous accurate, and I'm getting up and down like crazy from anywhere within 100 yards (short full wedges, pitches, chipping, putting and even flopping!).  My short game was always a strength in my game, and I've never been a long hitter, but not too short either, driver is typically 225/250 (carry/roll).

I know typically the short game goes away after a break, but for me this has happened a few times in my golf career (have taken 3-12 month breaks from golf fairly often).  

I don't think it's a gigantic mystery needing to be solved, but am curious if this happens to a lot of other people too.  And if they have thoughts on what it means for the golfer, i'd be interested to hear it.

Edited May 10, 2016 by bones75

[Patch]

I always believed the short game was the easiest to learn, and the last to go sour after a lengthy layoff, when compared to one's long game. Since (imo) it's easier to learn, that makes it quicker to re-learn after a layoff. 

I believe the long game is tougher to learn, and keep control of, which makes it tougher to re-learn after a layoff.  Since the golfer is dealing with longer distances, any swing mechanics lost after a lay off means bigger misses due to the longer clubs, and distaces associated with them.  It will take one's long game longer to recover than one's short game. 

When I came back after a 3+ year lay off, I started my golf game recovery with my (very) short game. As I progressed through my short game ,  I used those shorter swings to make my longer swings easier to re-learn. 

[bones75]

That makes a lot of sense, but I've always heard that adage that you can't putt/chip after a long break, but you can still do decent on a regular swing.  That seems to be the case of what I see in other people more often too (e.g. playing w/ friends who haven't played in awhile).

[Patch]

5 hours ago, bones75 said:

That makes a lot of sense, but I've always heard that adage that you can't putt/chip after a long break, but you can still do decent on a regular swing.  That seems to be the case of what I see in other people more often too (e.g. playing w/ friends who haven't played in awhile).

Some folks can get their long game back faster than their short game. The old " different strokes for different folks" saying works quite well in the game of golf.  I was just posting what I have seen before and what I believe can work with anyone making a come back. 

It also depends on the reason for the layoff. When I started back with my golf game, there was no way I could physically make full swings. I was pretty much put back together with pins, screws, plates and super glue. Heck, they might have even used some bailing wire in a few places. So, I was some what forced to start with the shorter stuff. My putting led to chipping, which led to pitching, which led to longer approach shots, which eventually led me back to the tee box. 

What ever works. 

[awmgolfer]

Due to our winters I am not able to play a round for about 6 months. My contact usually is much to be desired which I was out working on today. My woods are usually fine, just a little short for a couple weeks as I build back up. My irons I usually tend to catch a bit heavy in the first few weeks back and my short game is usually fine but my yardages and feel take a few weeks to return. Today I was routinely coming up 5-8 feet short or long on my chips and pitches but the contact was usually good. This is my standard winter rust which usually takes about 3 weeks to shake off, depending on when the grass part of the range opens up. 

[CCC]

Hmmmm....

After taking many years off from playing. I'm talking around 8 of them.

I have finally found my driver. I'm driving like I never have before (220 yards). Hitting the fairway woods too (3, 5, 7, hybrid).

Short game is rusty, but it is still there - from 50 yards in. Putting? Not bad. Yeah, I'm the guy looking at the hole when I putt. So far - so good. :)

What is so frustrating for me, is my full swing with the irons. My fairway shots (150 - 125 yards) are killing my score. Topping and fatting. Not any fun. And my left wrist hurts after hitting balls on the range (Not good). Hey, I'm trying to practice???

Still breaking 100. Playing the ball down, of course.

I'm thinking my swing will return, after a while (months with lessons). I'm thinking positive.

Rust never sleeps (Neil Young).

 

Edited May 12, 2016 by CCC

[Fourputt]

On 5/10/2016 at 10:45 AM, bones75 said:

Anyone have this happen to them?

Been about 5 months since I swung a club.  Was about a 12-14 index before the break (lowest ever index was an 8 which I've hit twice in the last 10 years).  Have played 3 times since the break, and can't hit a driver, wood, long or mid iron.  But my wedges are ridiculous accurate, and I'm getting up and down like crazy from anywhere within 100 yards (short full wedges, pitches, chipping, putting and even flopping!).  My short game was always a strength in my game, and I've never been a long hitter, but not too short either, driver is typically 225/250 (carry/roll).

I know typically the short game goes away after a break, but for me this has happened a few times in my golf career (have taken 3-12 month breaks from golf fairly often).  

I don't think it's a gigantic mystery needing to be solved, but am curious if this happens to a lot of other people too.  And if they have thoughts on what it means for the golfer, i'd be interested to hear it.

That's typically been my experience.  If you have a decent short game it comes back faster because it's simply the easiest part of the game.  For me my putting has always been solid right out of the gate, even on my longest total golf drought which was 16 months.  Getting back to the game after 2½ years of almost no play has taken me a year to get back close to my old swing.  Still working on chipping, but my putter is rock solid.