Can playing too much make you worse?

[Bahlahkay]

Does anyone else play worse if they play multiple days in a row? I recently played 3 days in a row and my scores got worse as the days went on.

Note: my putting did not change

Day 1: 87 (first time breaking 90 had some pars and even a rare birdie)

Day 2: 93 (had 2 more penalties from my driver and a few scuffs from the irons that went a few feet)

Day 3: 107 (driver started giving me trouble from the start. My fairway wood shots were hitting the dirt which never happens and is probably my best club. Irons weren't getting the distances they were supposed to and to top it off i bladed a chip)

I feel like it's because as a new golfer      (6 months) I start to overthink multiple things

My wrist starts to get sore and I get lazy not bringing it back enough at the start.

very minor aches and pains make me feel like my I'm trying to swing around them without realizing it. (Changing my swing so I won't feel the ache)

I start to think about every nook and cranny about my swing

I take a lot of time in my stance before I swing (this is a sign for me that I'm about to shank lol)

I start to leave my eye off the ball to soon

My tempo starts to go haywire because I have my focus divided into so many things.

Overall I'll become very frustrated

I don't think this is a problem for low handicappers because they have played for so long that they have a stronger mental game than new players.

Just my 2¢ as a new golfer.

[iacas]

Yes. Playing too much can make you worse.

As with most things, it's about finding the right balance. That "right balance" is often different for different people, too.

I suggest you find a good instructor and begin working with him or her. The things they'll give you will take time to implement, so you don't need to take lessons every week or anything like that.

[paininthenuts]

Yep, easy to play to much, and your age determines this. I am retired and would love to play every day, but I can't. I now playabout 45 holes a week, and this is a struggle. If I play 3 days on the trot I can assure you my worst round will be the third day. Like everyone will tell you, it's a balance, and the only person to find that balance is YOU

[Hacker James]

Frequent play benefits me and I usually see consecutive improvements. Excessive practice sessions OTOH has diminishing returns. I can feel like I make really good contact, but after a while, its a total train wreck. Not unlike Kid Kaleen in the movie Cat Balou, where Lee Marvin, can draw and shoot a knats eye, taking a swig of whiskey after each shot, then can't even stand up much less hit the broad side of a barn.

[march11934]

Most important is figuring out why. If it's a physical limitation due to age you might need to change your approach to each round. Overswinging can take a lot out of you especially after a few days.  Be honest with yourself if you are swinging too hard. I would recommend going to the range for a few days and dialing in an 80% swing for each club. This can go a long way both within a single round from start to finish as well as over a 3 day run. You may also find the swinging 80% goes about as far as hitting it with everything you have cause the quality of the hit is generally better with a little less effort. 

I used to shoot in the 90's. I shoot a bit lower now. One of the things I observed with fellow golfers that still shoot in the 90's is they generally swing harder as each hole progresses increasing their mishits and bogeys become triples , etc.

Tempo and course management were two of the biggest advances in my scoring game. I wish I would have figured that out sooner. 

 

[uitar9]

One of the things I try to do when I'm golfing and feeling a little tired or sore, I try to stop thinking and slow my swing down a little. I try not to think of the outcome. 

[Patch]

If you are not in playing shape to playing multiple times a week, then yes playing to much will hurt your swing. 

As the body tires from over exertion, it compensates to stay up with whats going on. I would imagine a golfer's body which is tired/sore from too much play, will make negative swings compensations to allow the golfer to continue to play. Those poor swing compensations might be tough to get rid of during the golfer's journey. 

I spend a lot of (non golf) time keeping my legs, and feet in shape. I hike, and ride a bike. It's my opinion that my legs are more important to my golf swing than my other body parts. 

Two or three times a year, I will play 4 straight days, on 4 different courses just for the heck of it. It's a variety thing for me. A way to test my over all game. When I am done with the 72nd hole, I am tired, both mentally, and some what physically. I usually don't pick up a club again for a week after those 4 rounds. My scores suffer, but it's usually the 4th round where my score really takes a hit. I usually play my best during the 2nd, and 3rd rounds. 

[Buckeyebowman]

Don't really know much about your game. but yes. If you play too much when an obvious swing flaw has worked it's way into your swing, then you need to take a break, reassess, maybe get some help, practice, and then get back out there.

Believe me, if you've only been golfing for 6 months, and could shoot an honest 87, you're ahead of the curve! Just keep working at it.

[march11934]

Do you document your rounds?  You might want to keep track of gir, fairways hit, and total putts. Helps you see what part of your game is falling apart. I shot an 82 one day keeping track of those specs and was surprised how bad my putting really was. I putted 39 times that day. If I had two putted every hole I would have been in the 70's. stats don't lie.. 

[GangGreen]

Too much play definitely negatively effects me but it's more physical vs. mental.  I find as I get more fatigued I lose all fundamentals and my swing gets very vertical, long, and "armsy".  With my schedule I usually only get to play once a week on the weekends but the wear and tear from the range sessions in between do add up.  I find I play my best golf early in the season after my body has had a chance to recover over the winter, by the time the fall rolls around the swing starts getting a little sloppy (doesn't stop me from going out, but I can tell the difference).  As @iacas noted, the key is finding the right balance. 

[Groucho Valentine]

Depends on your attitude. If you're playing just to be out there and play, then you probably cant play enough! Lol. But if you're worried about scores and swing stuff, playing too much can be bad for you. A tired body can lead to you ingraining some bad stuff. 

[graham57]

Last year on vacation, I played 10 days in a row and towards the end it just got worse and worse ... I usually find I need to take about a 2-week break to reset my mind and then I play really well for a few rounds. Unfortunately, the same applies to practice: if I go to the practice ground and - say - pitch 10 balls onto the green, I will get them pretty close to the pin. 2nd to fourth time round I'm getting less and less consistent. I'm pretty fit so I don't think it's necessarily physical, just a kind of mental fatigue. Whatever, slowing down your swing is good advice, even on the very first round!

[BuckeyeNut]

just a thought.........

Playing a few days or every day in a week in a row should under no circumstances be considered playing too much to make your worse.   The only way to get better is to "PLAY A LOT OF GOLF".  

 

Can a golfer that plays a lot and get into a slump?  Yes.....of course!  What is playing a lot also means different things to different people.   To me, 100 rounds per year is a minimum requirement.  With that said, playing a lot is an unconditional and absolute requirement to become a better golfer.   

Edited January 6, 2017 by BuckeyeNut

[Pendragon]

Yeah, I think it can. For the last 30 years that I worked, I played religiously twice a week. I'd squeeze in a few extra rounds on holidays, vacations, etc., but I averaged twice a week. When I retired in 2014, I immediately jumped to 4 or 5 times a week. I mean, why not? The wife was still working full time, and she rarely left any "honey do" lists. And it wasn't long before the 4 to 5 rounds a week turned into 6...in 2015, I posted 246 rounds, and that was actually at least 275 when you factor in club events like scrambles, alternate shots, etc.

Now the old lady is retired, too (she doesn't play golf!) and I'm smart enough to have figured out that 4 days a week is pretty much my limit. Last year there were a few circumstances that contributed to playing less (2 weeks in Alaska, at least 3 weeks off due to medical issues), but I posted 184 rounds. My goal in 2017 is 200. That's plenty! 

 

[Piz]

Everything in moderation...including moderation.  Yes you can play too much.  Playing twice as often doesn't make you twice as good.  Stopping to smell the roses doesn't destroy your game.  Nobody feels like playing every time they play; but who is going to turn down the opportunity?