# What do you do when your game falls apart?



## rudebhoy (Apr 20, 2018)

Played absolutely awful this morning. Driving completely gone to pot, and shanking just about every wedge shot. The only club which worked for me was the hybrid. 

Said to my partner on the 6th that I was going to pack in after 9 if it didn't get any better. Then played 7, 8 and 9 well so carried on. Sure enough, come the 10th, it was back to being awful and continued that way until the end.

The really annoying thing is I have been playing consistently well (by my standards) for the last month or so, scoring in the 30s most rounds. Then today I played like someone who had never seen a golf club in his life. The harder I tried, the worse it got. One of the nicest days of the year, and I hated every single minute of it. 

Confidence is at an all time low, playing Monday and Tuesday and dreading it.

Has this happened to you and if so, how did you get back from the abyss?


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## J55TTC (Apr 20, 2018)

Last weekend was dire, I couldnâ€™t do anything right, 13 points on the front 9 but from the turn to 13th it was like Iâ€™d completely forgotten how to golf. Playing partners were similar and we decided to call it a day. First time Iâ€™ve walked in since I was a kid and only then it was due to lack of light most likely 

I was going to do a bit of practice on Wednesday but went out with a couple of chaps, no warm up nothing and shot a blinding front 9 of +2 gross, back 9 wasnâ€™t wonderful (our 10-18 difficult by comparison to 1-9) but shot 84 and was well chuffed!

cue another dire round this weekend but I hope not!!!


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## Coffey (Apr 20, 2018)

This happens to me every so often. Feels like everything is going against you as well, when you hit a good shot you get a terrible lie or something similar.

For me, I try and put it behind me. Make the next shot a good one and focus on one shot at a time. If the card is gone then I try and play the next few holes in X over par or whatever. Try and take something good from the day. I played a stroke comp recently, was playing really well in the rounds before and felt like I could shoot low. Before I knew it after 4 holes I was 9 over par and thought the card was gone. Tried to calm down, relax and take each shot at a time. Managed a 2 over par back 9 for 16 over total (only 1 over my handicap). What I took from this round was that nothing is ever over and you can pull it back. 

I also normally find the issue is something small like setup or grip. Before each shot make sure they are correct as it could be your grip is slightly out. Some days you just have a bad day. It is how you pick yourself up from that which makes a difference. Get out and practice to get some confidence back.


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## Lord Tyrion (Apr 20, 2018)

Not happened for a while mate but I have been there in the past. For me, deep breath, go back to basics. It will be different for each person but go back to a lesson that you have had previously and think what were the two main points. Nothing more, those two points. Carry that out, shorten the swing and swing slowly. I found that the worse I played the faster and bigger the swing became. I needed to reverse that for starters.

If that means 7 iron off the tee for a couple of holes then do it. Anything where you go back to getting a good connection. Once you hit a few good shots then move up the bag.

What is your trigger will be different but that is what I did and it would tend to right the ship. 

I'm sure you will sort it.


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## Imurg (Apr 20, 2018)

Bad rounds happen. One bad round doesn't make you a bad player.
2 consecutive bad ones can happen
3 bad ones and there's something going wrong...

The main thing is to remember that this is a game. None of us rely on golf to pay the bills, it's something we do for fun.
Yes it's annoying as hell when you play badly but the sun will come up tomorrow, there will be more beer to drink..


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## User 99 (Apr 20, 2018)

I tend to stay away from the game for a period then when you go back you have no swing thoughts.


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## NorwichBanana (Apr 20, 2018)

BLAME THE COURSE


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## thesheriff (Apr 20, 2018)

When I used to play really bad I remember trying to:

1) Enjoy being out in the fresh air
2) Look at the flowers and the birds
3) Remember its only a game
4) Enjoy the company of my PPs

Now I skip all that nonsense and proceed to despatching the offending clubs into the nearest gorse bush and vow never to return to the god forsaken place.


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## ademac (Apr 20, 2018)

If my game is poor in general then I try and just take a week or two out and forget about golf for a bit, it is only a game after all and I soon realise that I am just lucky to be able to play the game at all.
If however my game takes an unexpected turn for the worse mid round, I always take an extra club for each shot and try to slow the swing down and not knock the cover off the ball.
Seems to do the job for me.


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## ADB (Apr 20, 2018)

Sounds like you need lots of new clubs, that always works.


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## Marshy77 (Apr 20, 2018)

Happens all the time but only for a couple of holes. I never seem to have a full 9 bad holes, unfortunately a mate of mine does and he can't seem to break it if it happens. If it's within the group of 3 of us then we'll try give an opinion of how each other is swinging - over swinging, too fast, too far/close to the ball etc. We are all high handicappers so it's just a basic visual view rather anything technical. 

Sometimes you have to laugh at yourself to get yourself back on track, once you start over thinking I think that's when it starts to go wrong, well for me it does. Just start at the basics and try keep scoring even if it is hitting the most reliable clubs in your bag and go from there.


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## Cherry13 (Apr 20, 2018)

Lord Tyrion said:



			Not happened for a while mate but I have been there in the past. For me, deep breath, go back to basics. It will be different for each person but go back to a lesson that you have had previously and think what were the two main points. Nothing more, those two points. Carry that out, shorten the swing and swing slowly. I found that the worse I played the faster and bigger the swing became. I needed to reverse that for starters.

If that means 7 iron off the tee for a couple of holes then do it. Anything where you go back to getting a good connection. Once you hit a few good shots then move up the bag.

What is your trigger will be different but that is what I did and it would tend to right the ship. 

I'm sure you will sort it.
		
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This for me, and its something i discuss regular when getting lessons.  My go to thought changes depending on what is going wrong, but in the main its two thoughts.  Swing as far right as possible, and feel all the weight on the inside of my right foot.... these are obviously extremes, but tend to get me back swinging ok.  The other thing iâ€™ve Learnt is when to ditch the driver off the tee.


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## Crow (Apr 20, 2018)

I've been playing like this for a few years now, occasionally scrape into the 30s Stableford but usually less. 

I've just got used to it now and treat it as the norm, played 9 holes yesterday and scored 51 gross, 8 Stableford points. 
Had 3 or 4 shanks and a few scabby drives and couple of duffed chips, typical of my golf these days.

One thing I wouldn't advise is to start changing things mid round to try and self correct, check that you're doing the fundamentals right but nothing more.

If it continues for a few weeks I still wouldn't recommend changing things unless you're certain where the fault lies, instead I'd suggest going to see a Pro. 

I've tried the self analysis route and I think that's where half my troubles stem from, my swing is never the same from one round to the next.....


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## patricks148 (Apr 20, 2018)

Thats golf for you, no matter what your handicap is you will play poorly now and again.


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## JamesR (Apr 20, 2018)

patricks148 said:



			Thats golf for you, no matter what your handicap is you will play poorly now and again.
		
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Amen to that.

When I was going through my recent rounds to see what my handicap would be under the new rules, if they were in place now, and my last 20 rounds varied between level par and 16 over par.


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## jim8flog (Apr 20, 2018)

Think to myself

" I am glad that I'm not doing this to earn a living"


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## Carpfather1 (Apr 20, 2018)

Thatâ€™s golf for you ,solider on through the bad and treat the next round as a fresh one .


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## williamalex1 (Apr 20, 2018)

Live in hope, but sadly the bad rounds are happening more as i get older and stiffer.


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## Hobbit (Apr 21, 2018)

Mid round, I just accept that my timing is out on the day. If it runs to several rounds; a visit to the practice ground and just hit 3/4 7 irons, concentrating on contact through the ball. Once I'm hitting good, consistent 3/4 shots I slowly ramp up the speed and start swapping to longer clubs. Never fails me.


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## srixon 1 (Apr 21, 2018)

Imurg said:



			Bad rounds happen. One bad round doesn't make you a bad player.
2 consecutive bad ones can happen
3 bad ones and there's something going wrong...

The main thing is to remember that this is a game. None of us rely on golf to pay the bills, it's something we do for fun.
Yes it's annoying as hell when you play badly but the sun will come up tomorrow, there will be more beer to drink..
		
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Is the correct answer.


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## srixon 1 (Apr 21, 2018)

Did anyone see Sergio yesterday when his game fell apart. Launched his nice new Callaway driver into the woods.


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## bobmac (Apr 21, 2018)

Self analysis.

If you are duffing/thinning/topping, you're swaying.
Keep your head still.

If you are having problems with direction, your swingpath/clubface are wrong.
Check your grip and swing more smoothly.

If its both of the above, go fishing with Smiffy


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## Capella (Apr 21, 2018)

I have a few "emergency measures" that sometimes fix my swing on the fly: keeping my backswing shorter often helps, slowing the swing down, or concentrating on keeping the upper body still and focus just on the ball strike. If everything fails, I just stop keeping score (unless I am in a comp, in which case I somehow ride it out) and try to enjoy the occasional good shot or the weather or the company.

If the problem persists over several rounds, I film my swing and usually I can see that one of my familiar long term issues has crept back in. Once I know what it is I am doing wrong, I am usually able to fix it.


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## pauljames87 (Apr 21, 2018)

Iâ€™ll use my 4 hybrid more and more. Just know I can get most kinds of shots from it and go from there .. Try to max my points


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## clubchamp98 (Apr 21, 2018)

Back to basics was the best tip.

If you play bad itâ€™s only one game.
go back to alignment, posture and tempo.


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## Carpfather1 (Apr 21, 2018)

Ive had 3 stinker rounds on the bounce,but Ive kept soldering on and then today bang shot a 78 =2 under my handicap so landed,could play tomorrow and be awful again but thatâ€™s golf


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## HomerJSimpson (Apr 21, 2018)

Had low 20's in the roll up the other week. Every part of the game out of sorts but kept ploughing away. It happens (more than I'd like) but as long as the company is good and it isn't pouring down then there are worse things to do at a weekend. If one area really falls away, I would go and get a lesson but as I understand my swing better now I can work it more and I'm trying to reduce my lesson time and work with what I have, and on what I was shown by Paul Foston now I'm injury free and in better health. Tried some of the points warming up and was going well but couldn't take it on the course. That for me is always the issue


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## USER1999 (Apr 21, 2018)

Played an absolute mare today. Nothing working. Threw my driver up a tree on the 12th tee. Sad thing is, it fell back down. 

Bombed it down the long par 4 14th. 52 degree wedge in. Cue fat, thin, thin, thin, putt, pick up.

Finished birdie, par, par.

It happens.


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## SwingsitlikeHogan (Apr 21, 2018)

Press the reset button.

But only if your game has gone completely humpty-dumpty and you need all the king's horses and all the king's men to put it back together again.

Which is what I am in the prcess of doing (starting year 3 of it)

But on a day-to-day basis if it goes a wee bit wonky I tell myself to 'trust my swing' because when a shot goes horrid wrong I know that I will have forced something because I wasn't trusting my swing (and the club).  And that is working for me at the moment (well it did today)


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## USER1999 (Apr 22, 2018)

Played rubbish again today. Going to bin it off for a couple of weeks.


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## SwingsitlikeHogan (Apr 22, 2018)

SwingsitlikeHogan said:



			Press the reset button.

But only if your game has gone completely humpty-dumpty and you need all the king's horses and all the king's men to put it back together again.

Which is what I am in the process of doing (starting year 3 of it)

But on a day-to-day basis if it goes a wee bit wonky *I tell myself to 'trust my swing' *because when a shot goes horrid wrong I know that I will have forced something because I wasn't trusting my swing (and the club).  And that is working for me at the moment (well it did today)
		
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And today I did *this *all the way round from the word go - and yup - 'no nasties' and 35pts.  That the three doubles I had in my 9 shots dropped were down to poor decision making and a couple of slices of rotten luck rather than poor shots was good.  I'll take the three doubles as I know I can eradicate them - and if I just play as I did the rest of the round - steady not dramatic - then portents are good for the summer and getting down to 6.  And that is from the verge of chucking it 3 years ago as things were just soooo dire....


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## HomerJSimpson (Apr 22, 2018)

Swung so poorly today. Tempo shot from the outset and so many moving parts. Managed to get it round which is something I don't always do and played within my limitations. It was ugly and frustrating but functional. I selected the easiest shot possible even if that was a 9 iron to move it 120 yards onto the short stuff. It's something I'm starting to learn from the better players who post an ok score when they aren't playing well


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## DRW (Apr 23, 2018)

I just carry on, try different thoughts out whilst swinging and if that fails just swing as hard as I can to get the frustration out !

Also helps to believe your next shot will be your best shot ever.


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## lex! (Apr 23, 2018)

I thought I played my best ever 3 weeks ago or so, for 37 points, where one mistake in that round prob cost me the win. Then scored 20 points in a recent comp. Mostly rubbish.

Far too many swing thoughts, all about what arms and shoulders and wrists, should be doing, instead of remembering that it's a bat on ball sport and you have to hit one with the other.

So I go back to left arm only swings, feeling club head weight, returning club to start position at impact and seeing the bat ball contact.


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## Roops (Apr 23, 2018)

Totally lost my mojo with my new irons. 3 great shots will be followed by 5 shockers, 1 good one, 3 shockers and so on. Every part of the club face except the middle, just horrible. Have booked a lesson with my club fitter/pro to see if we can sort it out, all the fixes I have tried are providing no consistency. Interestingly I have always had an issue with getting good weight transfer, and now I think I am probably overdoing it, so casting to try and hit the balls as I am too far past it. Anyway, we will see.


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## bobmac (Apr 23, 2018)

Roops said:



			Totally lost my mojo with my new irons. 3 great shots will be followed by 5 shockers, 1 good one, 3 shockers and so on. Every part of the club face except the middle, just horrible. Have booked a lesson with my club fitter/pro to see if we can sort it out, all the fixes I have tried are providing no consistency. Interestingly I have always had an issue with getting good weight transfer, and now I think I am probably overdoing it, so casting to try and hit the balls as I am too far past it. Anyway, we will see.
		
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From post no.22

If you are duffing/thinning/topping, you're swaying.
Keep your head still.


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## rudebhoy (Apr 23, 2018)

Was back out this morning, first time since Friday's horror show. Glad to report I played what was mediocre golf but a long way removed from last week's total ineptitude. Scored 25 points which I would normally have been gutted about, but was actually quite pleased in the circumstances


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## rudebhoy (Apr 27, 2018)

This is getting painful.

Went to the range yesterday afternoon. Trying to make some changes to swing path to hit better drives, on the whole worked well. Hit 100 balls from driver to 9 iron and was happy with 90% of them.

Played this morning, duffed 9 tee shots in a row trying to deploy the new technique. The rest of my game started falling apart after about 4 holes, in sympathy with the tee shots. Duffed my drive on the 10th, and was on the verge of slinging my driver into the trees. Walked off to leave my 2 mates to it.

Totally pig-sick and haven't got a clue where it's going wrong. Think a lesson is my only hope.


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## Curls (Apr 27, 2018)

rudebhoy said:



			This is getting painful.

Think a lesson is my only hope.
		
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Ouch, that's rough man but listen it could be something really simple and a good pro will have you back to hitting it wel again. If you were hitting it on the range it can't be that far away. One tip I heard recently to take you range form to the course which has worked for me is "Turn". I tend to get quick and not turn my body in the early tee shots, it isn't til Ive loosened up/relaxed into the round that I start doing what I'd normally do at the range. The early tee shots are all arms and result in hooks usually. Small trigger and you'll be back, no panic.


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## rudebhoy (Apr 27, 2018)

Curls said:



			Ouch, that's rough man but listen it could be something really simple and a good pro will have you back to hitting it wel again. If you were hitting it on the range it can't be that far away. One tip I heard recently to take you range form to the course which has worked for me is "Turn". I tend to get quick and not turn my body in the early tee shots, it isn't til Ive loosened up/relaxed into the round that I start doing what I'd normally do at the range. The early tee shots are all arms and result in hooks usually. Small trigger and you'll be back, no panic.
		
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thanks for the advice. as you say, if I was hitting it well yesterday, it must be there somewhere!


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## HomerJSimpson (Apr 27, 2018)

I'll let you after tomorrow. Going in with a positive mindset, done some good short game work this week and just going to play with a head devoid of swing thoughts and just hit it, find it and hit it again. What can go wrong?


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## PNWokingham (Apr 28, 2018)

peroni


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## HomerJSimpson (Apr 29, 2018)

HomerJSimpson said:



			I'll let you after tomorrow. Going in with a positive mindset, done some good short game work this week and just going to play with a head devoid of swing thoughts and just hit it, find it and hit it again. What can go wrong?
		
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Predicted perfectly. A woeful weekend, especially today. Started with a birdie, which seemed to be fatal and it crumbled from there. Abject but I can say I tried on each shot today as we have a "bitch" in the Sunday roll up who acts as the drinks waiter for the group, especially the winner and is whoever comes last. Missed it by two points. Onwards though and try again next weekend. The simple answer to the OP's question is to keep trying as best you can, not get too stressed and enjoy the company and the scenery. It's not the be all and end all


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## Dasit (Apr 29, 2018)

Since being cut to 13 I have not been able to put a round together.

Last week I shot a 2 over front 9 for 23 points, it felt like I could every club as hard as I wanted and contact and direction were spot on.

Then the back 9 I fell apart and feel like I can barely hit the ball. Have to scrap together points by hitting knockdowns and rely on up and downs. Finished with 34 and just sit in club house feeling gutted.

Same thing this weekend, 21 out then 14 back, truly frustrating, golf is the weirdest game


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## Slab (Apr 30, 2018)

After shooting a new PB at the end of the year I really thought things were moving

Picked up an injury a couple weeks later resulting in nearly 3 months with no golf
Been back â€˜playingâ€™ for about a month mostly pain free but just canâ€™t get tee shots in play with any kind of regularity (most due to a huge slice but not unknown to putting it straight left when I over compensate and then actually manage to nail one)

Normally when I lose my drive or some other issue a range bucket or two sorts it out again when Iâ€™ll remember what I stopped doing in my swing, but so far not this time

Iâ€™ll keep playing & going to range because as frustrating as it is on my scores/lost balls I know itâ€™ll click again at some point. In the meantime Iâ€™ll keep enjoying the company & the sunshine and just play 2nd hand balls


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## BrianM (Apr 30, 2018)

After playing well last few weeks and â€˜thinkingâ€™ Iâ€™m getting there, I had an absolute shocker yesterday, had no answer on why I was playing so badly, just wanted the ground to swallow me up, yet no one else was bothered.
Had a few malts last night to ease the pain ðŸ˜‚


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## patricks148 (Apr 30, 2018)

BrianM said:



			After playing well last few weeks and â€˜thinkingâ€™ Iâ€™m getting there, I had an absolute shocker yesterday, had no answer on why I was playing so badly, just wanted the ground to swallow me up, yet no one else was bothered.
Had a few malts last night to ease the pain ðŸ˜‚
		
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go see party marty


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## Patster1969 (Apr 30, 2018)

I just try to have one main thought - game is not good when I go out with lots of swing thoughts. Also, I tend to take one club more and swing easier, as it's very easy to try & smash everything


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## BrianM (Apr 30, 2018)

patricks148 said:



			go see party marty

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Away back to work on Wednesday so will be seeing him when Iâ€™m home ðŸ˜€


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## bobmac (Apr 30, 2018)

BrianM said:



			After playing well last few weeks and â€˜thinkingâ€™ Iâ€™m getting there, I had an absolute shocker yesterday, had no answer on why I was playing so badly, just wanted the ground to swallow me up, yet no one else was bothered.
Had a few malts last night to ease the pain ï˜‚
		
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See post no.22


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## OnTour (Apr 30, 2018)

Keep smiling be happy and get through it had a shocker #ScratchEvent +9 front nine with 3 pars to end. game over before you start shot 86 never got any ryhmn and then 2nd 18 it clicked shot 79 tough day and holed nothing just shows its mearly one of those mysteries. 

I like taking the P1ss out of myself kinda helps keep me sane


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## IanM (Apr 30, 2018)

Remember that I was a very decent cricketer who only plays golf for the "_fun"_ of it!!


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## garyinderry (Apr 30, 2018)

play a manageable big slice with the longer clubs and scramble like a gooden. 

hold on, thats my normal game.  damm.  haha


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## SwingsitlikeHogan (Apr 30, 2018)

...mine has almost - and so on Friday I had a lesson in our Swing Studio.  Swing was videod - and golly - first time I had ever seen me swing a golf club.  Swing looked better than my gut...

And as I suspected there is a significant flaw in my swing that I have to sort as it causes me to shank-it.  To the untrained eye my swing looks good...but...

So I have a few things to work on to stop me doing what I am doing (it is on the downswing).  A couple I can put into play - others are just for the practice ground.

What is seen from the vids of a very goodie and a very baddie is that the backswings and body strike positions are very similar - it's the path the club handle is taking immediately after the strike that is the give-away - momentarily it's going away from my body rather then tucked close and round - and I never knew...and I have a sway going back - not a big one - but enough...when linked with the other stuff.

Blimey - sorting the swing get's complicated when tech is watching you.  Clever tech mind.


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## Capella (Apr 30, 2018)

BrianM said:



			After playing well last few weeks and â€˜thinkingâ€™ Iâ€™m getting there, I had an absolute shocker yesterday, had no answer on why I was playing so badly, just wanted the ground to swallow me up, yet no one else was bothered.
Had a few malts last night to ease the pain ï˜‚
		
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Same here. I blobbed four of the first five holes and made nett bogey on the fifth, so had one stableford point after five holes. It was as if I was cursed. I could not hit a shot ... no matter if it was a full shot, a chip, a putt ... it was as if I had never even touched a golf club before. I was that close to walk off the course ... It did get a little bit better after that, I managed to hit a few nice shots later and even made par on one hole, but I blobbed another four holes on the back nine and ended up with 22 pts.  I felt so deflated. Like a rubber duck run over by a bulldozer. But I didn't even come last (not that it would have mattered that much) and actually two of the other three guys I was playing with also ended up with 22 pts. But once we had all come to terms with the fact that we would not get a score together (probably after all four of us had blobbed the 4th hole), we started to see the humour in it and actually ended up having a really good time.


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## Fish (Apr 30, 2018)

I hit the &#127866;&#127866;&#127866;


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## HomerJSimpson (Apr 30, 2018)

Fish said:



			I hit the &#127866;&#127866;&#127866;
		
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I did manage a couple of beers to lighten the mood after the round yesterday. In fact it was a pretty good couple of hours regardless and one of those days where the scores and golf were secondary to good conversation, and a damn good laugh.


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