HOME

Dear Lucy: My golf game seems to be suffering these days. Is it possible that going through the change (menopause) could have anything to do with the slump I'm in? —Teed Off

Dear Teed Off: Lucy's been known to hit the links from time to time, so she found your question quite intriguing. Slumps can be so frustrating, so inexplicable, and so hard to shake off. And as a woman of a certain age, Lucy had to wonder if you'd hit on an excuse she might borrow: Another double bogey? Blame it on the change!

Unfortunately, according to the specialists Lucy consulted, it may not be that simple. "Perhaps the real question is whether one's physical abilities, stamina, and coordination change at menopause," speculates MIT Medical gynecologist Dawn Anderson, M.D. "The answer to that question would be 'maybe.'" Though menopause should not change your physical abilities, Anderson explains, it might have affected your sleep patterns. "A number of women experience sleep difficulties at the time of menopause," Anderson continues. "Many women find themselves waking much earlier than desired, and then they feel tired throughout the day. Some women also report memory and cognitive changes, in terms of attention." Tiredness or distractibility could certainly affect one's golf game on any given day, but, Anderson feels, it would be a bit of a stretch to blame a prolonged slump on menopause.

Weekend golfer and chief of MIT Medical's Mental Health Service, Psychologist Alan E. Siegel, Ed.D., concurs. "When people go through significant transitions in life, it is natural to feel a bit 'off,'" he notes. "In sports that require great concentration, small changes in one's attention can have a huge effect on performance. In golf, a small change in one's ability to concentrate could have a big influence on the subtleties of swing, resulting in hooks, slices, and less overall consistency."

Siegel's prescription would be to eat well, get plenty of sleep, do other types of exercise, and generally try to take good care of yourself. "And if things don't improve, any mental health clinician could talk with you about this important time in your life," Siegel says. However, he adds, it's important to realize that every athlete experiences slumps from time to time, and often there's no medical or psychological explanation. Speaking as a golfer, Siegel recommends spending some time analyzing your game to see if anything has changed. "You may not need a medical clinician or mental health professional to deal with your slump," Siegel comments. "Sometimes a golf pro will have the cure."

Lucy hopes this helps, and while she's disappointed to have lost a potential excuse for her next bad shot, the good news is that we women of a certain age should be able to keep enjoying this game and other kinds of physical activity for many years to come. Fore! —Lucy

Information contained in Ask Lucy is intended solely for general educational purposes and is not intended as professional medical advice related to individual situations. Always obtain the advice of a qualified healthcare professional if you need medical diagnosis, advice, or treatment. Never disregard medical advice you have received, nor delay getting such advice, because of something you read in this column.