Is Being 'Over-Golfed' Real? Why Playing Every Day Can Backfire
From physical burnout to ruined swing mechanics, here are 5 reasons why playing less golf could transform your game
I met a beginner a few months back who has got the golfing bug - she’s playing every day! I understand how easily this game can get a grip over you, especially when you are learning and have the time and the inclination to practice and improve. But I’m certain that she’s doing the wrong thing by spending so much time on the golf course. Even tour players have days off. Here are five reasons why being over-golfed won’t actually improve your scores.
Your Technique Will Suffer
If you play golf all the time you’ll leave little opportunity to work on your swing mechanics, short game technique and putting stroke. These skills can only be mastered on the driving range and taking a course of lessons from a golf professional is only productive if you then go and practice the changes in between lessons.
I meet so many women who take what I call ‘Elastoplast’ golf lessons for a quick fix, knowing full well that they are unlikely to put in the work to make the changes permanent. They simply want a quick fix to cure a bad shot tendency. They then go out on the golf course expecting a miracle!
This is so counter-productive in my opinion. Rather than playing golf in the days and weeks following a lesson, you should set time aside to hit a few baskets of balls on the golf range. Go and chip, practice your putting. Changes will then take effect. If you want to improve and get more enjoyment from playing golf, then play fewer rounds and practice more.
Physical Exhaustion
If you play too much golf you’ll be pushing your body to its physical limits and putting strain on your muscles, risking injury. Tour players only get away with this amount of golf because they have a whole support team around them in the background, from personal trainers giving them gym routines and exercises to strengthen and prevent injury, to physios who are on-hand after each round to administer sports massage.
Play too much golf and you may develop calluses on your hands and unless your golf shoes fit like a pair of slippers, you’ll probably get sore feet or blisters. The body needs time to rest and repair between rounds, so building days off into your schedule is vital.
Mental Burnout
Being golf-obsessed can be a huge drain on you emotionally, especially if you are not shooting the scores you want and getting the results you were hoping for. It can also become easy to lose focus and you might just end up in a state of mental burnout when playing golf becomes a chore.
Taking time out will allow you to press the re-set button. Doing something else away from the course will allow you to come back for your next game with a renewed vigour, focus and enthusiasm for golf.
Golf Stops Being Fun!
The luxury of getting to play golf every day sounds like a wonderful lifestyle, but it’s surprising how many women I play golf with who don’t actually seem to enjoy their golf, simply because I believe they play too often. A game of golf is no longer as much fun as it should be.
I remember having a full-time job in an office full of golf-mad journalists when I was younger and we were all so excited that after our once-a-month planning meeting we had a fun team game of golf. At the time I wasn’t getting to play much competitive golf outside of work and the anticipation of that outing made the day so much fun!
Nowadays, if I take a non-golfing holiday for a week or two, when I return I’m so excited to pick up my clubs again and get back out on the course. It’s ok to be golf obsessed, but don’t take it so far that playing golf becomes monotonous. Keep the passion for playing by taking time out from your favourite pastime, so that when you come back you’ll appreciate time on the golf course even more.
Life Imbalance
If you play too much golf it may take over to the extent that it has a detrimental effect on your social life, relationships and pastimes outside of golf. This can be particularly true for golfaholics whose partners don’t play golf. It can definitely cause friction and arguments in a relationship, which is understandable if you are allowing golf to take priority over everything else. It leaves little time for any other activities.
I’ve seen women take up golf simply because they are fed up with hardly ever seeing their husband at weekends and wonder what all the time away on the golf course is all about. The ‘if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em attitude’ sometimes works, but can also result in marriages breaking down, so be warned!
