Getting back in the game

[kingjames1014]

I've been out of the game for almost 2 years due to relocation, injury, and work schedule. Watching the Bowling Green ams has revived my desire to play again. I feel that I may have to learn the game again from the ground up. My question​ is have any of you had to "relearn" the game and what should my expectations be moving forward? Thanks and I appreciate your help.

 

[DavidSauls]

It comes back quicker than you'd think. The finesse game---midranges and technical woods shots---perhaps the hardest. Oh, and your discs won't fly the same as they did when you set them down, at least for a while.

I've gone through a number of long injury layoffs, including surgery, nothing like 2 years, but a half a year or more.

 

[Dr.Smooth]

Nearly a ten year hiatus...It was my dark years of dg. Yeah it is hard to believe that when i think of it.

It was mostly due to burn out, doing other things in life and well maybe just a long break..

So, it is never to late to get the old discs out and give them a whirl.

 

[McLovin]

I guess it all depends on what level you were at before your time off. I took over 10 years off, but I was also just a chucker before I quit. After starting up again it was completely addicting. It was no longer let's go throw some discs, it became I want to throw all the time, & I want to throw better every time.

 

[TimSyl]

Started in 2007, got to around 920, then didn't play much from 2010-2015. Rating is around 875 now. Don't know how old you are, but I have found distance has been reduced by about 30-50', and long forehand shot is gone. I think age and the layoff both affected my game. I suppose the point is, don't expect much.

 

[bnbanbury]

It may end up being a real blessing. I haven't taken that much time off but I did make the decision to start over with my throw and rebuild it from the ground up. Scoring suffered for a while but now in my 30s I am throwing better than I ever have. Take it as an opportunity to forget some bad habits you had when you were playing.

 

[Broken Shoulder]

Yes, I had to basically completely relearn how to play golf. I was 950-something rated a couple years ago, predominantly RHBH with a somewhat useful, occasional forehand.

Dislocated my throwing shoulder for the 7th or 8th time 2 years ago, and went in for my second surgery. So I had an open Bankhart revision (labrum repair) and a rotator interval closure, which severely limited my external range of motion. I also have a lot of arthritis in that shoulder, and if I was 55 instead of 35, it would already be replaced.

So, I will never throw backhand again. Admittedly, that is probably more a mental thing than a complete physical inability to do so, but I now throw exclusively forehand, and it's a weird abbreviated motion at that due to the limited external ROM. Coming back to throwing after surgery and rehab, I could literally only throw about 40 feet. And putting was almost impossible because I could not raise my arm above chest level. Now finally, two years and a deltoid injury setback later, I can putt pretty well out to 25' and on my best throws I can flirt with 300 feet. My expectations are completely different, and sometimes, it's difficult to be out on the course with my new ability when I think about what I could do before. To be honest though, I'm having more fun now and taking it less seriously, which I think has been good for me.

Not sure what your injury was, but I wish you luck in coming back. If it wasn't overly serious, I think things will come back pretty quickly.

 

[dbaledge]

took 6 months off due to a shoulder injury. putting took a hit.

 

[VictorB]

I've been out of the game for almost 2 years due to relocation, injury, and work schedule. Watching the Bowling Green ams has revived my desire to play again. I feel that I may have to learn the game again from the ground up. My question​ is have any of you had to "relearn" the game and what should my expectations be moving forward? Thanks and I appreciate your help.

After I had knee surgery in 2013 I took 2 years off, played very little in that time frame. So not completely out of the game, but it takes a long time to get the rust knocked off. I'm feeling much better about my physical skills now, just over a year after returning to competitive golf, I just have to recapture the mental aspect of the game I used to have. That's been the biggest struggle for me.

 

[Basshunter]

I faced a year off due to elbow tendinitis, severe enough that a DGing physical therapist I know told me not to throw until I had a few months pain ad inflammation free. So I taught myself to play lefty. It was like learning to throw a disc again. But slowly, over a week or two of just throwing daily, my mind was able to adapt and the physical aspects became more natural. I played all of 2016 lefty. I'm healed, and now play ambidextrous. I'm about 75/25 RHBH vs LHBH, but the lefty throws come in very handy. I'm consistent enough to have faith in it, and just need to close my eyes for a moment and think flight patterns in reverse. When life gives you lemons...blah,blah,blah

Point being...if your mind is open to it, you will relearn quickly. Good luck ����

 

[elmexdela]

If throwing max weight is a issue, I recommend 150 class.

Actually I would recommend 150 class to anyone.

 

[Hampstead]

Looks like I just lost The Game....

 

[kingjames1014]

There are some great instructional videos out now. I've watched a few and got some good ideas to try when I get ready to start again. It has me hopeful.