Grails: can I make a validator apply to create only (not update/edit)

Question

I have a domain class that needs to have a date after the day it is created in one of its fields.

class myClass {
  Date startDate
  String iAmGonnaChangeThisInSeveralDays
  static constraints = {
    iAmGonnaChangeThisInSeveralDays(nullable:true)
    startDate(validator:{
        def now = new Date()
        def roundedDay = DateUtils.round(now, Calendar.DATE)
        def checkAgainst
        if(roundedDay>now){
            Calendar cal = Calendar.getInstance();
            cal.setTime(roundedDay);
            cal.add(Calendar.DAY_OF_YEAR, -1); // <--
            checkAgainst = cal.getTime();
        }
        else checkAgainst = roundedDay

        return (it >= checkAgainst)
    })
  }
}

So several days later when I change only the string and call save the save fails because the validator is rechecking the date and it is now in the past. Can I set the validator to fire only on create, or is there some way I can change it to detect if we are creating or editing/updating?

@Rob H I am not entirely sure how to use your answer. I have the following code causing this error:

myInstance.iAmGonnaChangeThisInSeveralDays = "nachos"
myInstance.save()
if(myInstance.hasErrors()){
  println "This keeps happening because of the stupid date problem"
}

Answer 1

You can check if the id is set as an indicator of whether it's a new non-persistent instance or an existing persistent instance:

startDate(validator:{ date, obj ->
   if (obj.id) {
      // don't check existing instances
      return
   }
   def now = new Date()
   ...
}