2017 - lost the ability to hit a golf ball!

[kevster84]

Since the new year I have played once and been to he range twice. Cannot hit a ball for toffee. I'm a 22 handicapper but hit a few mid 80 rounds in the lead up to Christmas so was confident of lowering my handicap this year. My first comp is Sunday and I'm thinking of withdrawing. The iron shots are all tops or shanks! No confidence over the ball and questioning everything! Only two weeks ago my ball striking was the best it's been!! What has happened!!!

 

[SteveW86]

swings and roundabouts, I'm sure all on here have had a similar experience after a spell of hitting the ball really well, I know I have. When it happens to me, i leave the clubs for a week, then come back to it. Or have a range session with just wedges, which seems to really help me.

 

[pendodave]

I always revert to feet together if it all goes south. Takes a lot of variables out of the equation and gets me round without bleeding to death.

It never bothers me playing rubbish in a comp anyway, you never know when that .1 might be the difference between winning or not later in the season!

 

[kevster84]

Tried the feet together trick which normally works and still tops/shanks!!!!

 

[SaintHacker]

I rarely bother with the range any more as I get terrible 'range shanks'. If it helps I had a dose a couple of season ago and the advice I was given, and it worked, was to stand feet together as pendodave says, and just hit a load ofquarter swings, then half swings and build it up from there

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Peaks and troughs and probably a case now of trying too hard and being too perfect at the range. My tuppence worth would be to scale the range work, get out and play with not swing thoughts and just relax. If you struggle in a few weeks, why not get invest in a lesson

 

[Alex1975]

You psyched yourself out, chill, enjoy.

 

[Craigg]

I think this has been mentioned before in another thread, but when I have a meltdown, it's usually my left arm collapsing. I'm not even aware it's happening as there's so much stuff rattling through my head. As has been mentioned, feet together, big hip turn and smooth half swings usually calms it down. Try not to lose your balance in the follow through.

 

[kevster84]

Left arm breaking down is a possibility as had problem with that before but think it's more than that. I think as frustration sets in I try hitting it harder, casting club etc. Thanks for your tips!

 

[turkish]

In all honesty mate if you can afford it I'd be going for a 30 minute lesson... a good pro would instantly recognise what you're doing and give you one or 2 feelings to help it. Feel vs real usually different

 

[bobmac]

Have you changed the ball position at all?

 

[Capella]

Don't get worked up on this. It is winter. Golf in winter sucks. It's just a fact. Chances are, all the other players in the comp will be struggling as well. Cold temperatures and moisture take off distance. The ground is either muddy or frozen, so every weakness in ballstriking shows much much more than under good conditions in summer. Precise short game is almost impossible, because the ball will take unpredictable bounces. And I am not even going to start on putting and the conditions of the greens. Extra layers of clothing impede your movement ... the reasons are mannigfold. Just don't get stressed over playing badly in winter. It is not worth it. It will come back to you when the weather improves. Up until then, just continue playing without putting any stress on yourself. I normally don't even bother to keep score when I go out during winter.

 

[Craigg]

Don't get worked up on this. It is winter. Golf in winter sucks. It's just a fact. Chances are, all the other players in the comp will be struggling as well. Cold temperatures and moisture take off distance. The ground is either muddy or frozen, so every weakness in ballstriking shows much much more than under good conditions in summer. Precise short game is almost impossible, because the ball will take unpredictable bounces. And I am not even going to start on putting and the conditions of the greens. Extra layers of clothing impede your movement ... the reasons are mannigfold. Just don't get stressed over playing badly in winter. It is not worth it. It will come back to you when the weather improves. Up until then, just continue playing without putting any stress on yourself. I normally don't even bother to keep score when I go out during winter.

Crikey that's a bag full of excuses there

 

[kevster84]

Don't think it's ball position as went back to basics checking stance, grip, ball position etc.

 

[kevster84]

Will hit a few balls tomorrow before the comp and it's poor see if a pro is free to see if any obvious flaws!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Will hit a few balls tomorrow before the comp and it's poor see if a pro is free to see if any obvious flaws!

Warming up will help but make it just that. Don't make it a practice session and start thinking about swing techniques. Don't get stressed if you hit some bad ones. Relax, get loose and then go out and have fun

 

[Craigg]

Will hit a few balls tomorrow before the comp and it's poor see if a pro is free to see if any obvious flaws!

Wouldn't bother with the pro just before a comp. That's just going to put more stuff in your head. Get up, resign yourself to having a bad day, take the 0.1, go out and hit the ball, have fun and anything is a bonus. Book a lesson afterwards if you need to.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Wouldn't bother with the pro just before a comp. That's just going to put more stuff in your head. Get up, resign yourself to having a bad day, take the 0.1, go out and hit the ball, have fun and anything is a bonus. Book a lesson afterwards if you need to.

Definitely agree. Anything the pro says will confuse you on the course. Go out, trust what you've worked on, and see what happens. Relax and good or bad have some fun.

 

[graham64]

Had the exact same before our Xmas comp. For weeks before hitting it fine thought I'd mastered golf the week before the comp couldn't hit anything so went to the range and got worse. The day of the comp 1st hole awful so decided not to over complicate it to much walked up settled over the ball and all seemed fine ended with 32 points. All seems back on track now

 

[MadAdey]

Since the new year I have played once and been to he range twice. Cannot hit a ball for toffee. I'm a 22 handicapper but hit a few mid 80 rounds in the lead up to Christmas so was confident of lowering my handicap this year. My first comp is Sunday and I'm thinking of withdrawing. The iron shots are all tops or shanks! No confidence over the ball and questioning everything! Only two weeks ago my ball striking was the best it's been!! What has happened!!!

Your thinking too much and getting too carried away after a couple of good rounds. You had a couple of good rounds and it got your confidence up, but then you hit a couple of bad shots and that confidence went away, or you wouldn't be posting this. Forget about the bad shots and go back out and enjoy yourself like you did when you had those couple of good rounds. You had a couple of good rounds that were 8-10 shots better that your handicap and felt really good. You then went out and had a crappy round, forget about it and enjoy your round. I guarantee that you will have another good round if you stop stressing about it.