Am I Overthinking Things?!!?

[YesEvil]

Hi,

Newbie to the forum just after some advice/reassurance/words of wisdom!!!!

I have been playing now for about 18 months and have had 3 lessons (can't afford anymore at the min due to impending arrival of a baby!). At first my lessons really helped, I was getting great loft on the ball and distance wasn’t too bad, my scores weren’t coming down but that didn’t really bother me as I was striking the ball better than I ever had.

A few more months down the line and my scores have got worse!! Regularly play a par 3 course nearby (par 27) and had been shooting between 39-43 which I was pleased with, but past few times has been in the mid high 50's. Can’t get any loft on the ball, sometimes take too much ground or the ball flies off the heel of the club.
My pitching is terrible and just cannot get comfortable over the ball at all. The only area of my game that has remained consistent is my putting, which is generally very good.

The main things I was told to concentrate on during my lessons were:

1. Having the ball further back in my stance
2. Having the handle of the club further forward (so it is over the ball if you are looking head on)
3. Adjusting my weight so it is 60/40 in favour of the front leg.
4. Having the handle of the club inline with the belt buckle area.
5. Finally – making sure that my arms stay attached to my torso (if that makes sense!) so that I swing round rather than up.

Now I try to do this on every swing but rarely hit the ball like I did after my lessons. This is starting to really frustrate me and I often wonder why I bother playing.

I’m wondering if I am over thinking things too much as I adjust my set up several times before I swing at the ball making sure that I am doing everthing. Should I just get down over the ball and swing with what feels comfortable. Every now and then I’ll strike the ball sweet (I love that faint ping and fizzing sound you get when you know you have hit the ball well!)

Not sure if anyone can offer any help or assistance or whether I am just ranting and trying to release some frustration!!

 

[duncan mackie]

welcome

it is likely that you are over thinking it given the 18 months and 3 lessons - by now the elements you highlight should be second nature and be what feels comfortable to you!

it's also possible that items such as No 1 have led to you taking an increasingly extreme stance ie ball further back than where? where you think you last had it, where it is now? etc You should avoid such in favour of 'ball there...' where ever that is being taught by your pro.

it's also easy to get caught up in trying to hit it better and better - and ending up missing the whole focus of the game; to shoot a lower score. this leads to poor concentration and club/shot selection in the round - all of which leads to poor performance.

refresh you attitude, "just get down over the ball and swing with what feels comfortable." and focus on the score...maybe it will all come good again

 

[Evesdad]

The other thing that can happen over time is the new things you've learnt merge with the old or get distorted and so don't work like they should! Trust me I know!!

 

[Foxholer]

You very probably are thinking too much - the paralysis by analysis syndrome.

Don't panic. It happens a lot. Tension, or incorrect application of it, tends to be the cause. Try this drill: Stand upright with you feet in the position for golf swing (just outside your shoulders), arms in about the position for a swing, but hands at face level - so you could hold a golf club in he crook of your elbows (you may even find it helpful to do that. Now, simply turn you body to the right (rightee) sufficient to point the club 45* or so, then back again and through to the left - but try to extent the club to nearer 90*. You may find that the left heel comes off the ground when turning to the right (but drops back when returning to the left) and should find that that the right heel comes off the ground when you swing fully back to the left. No need to think about that though.

Now, if you do that a few times, you should find that it's quite a relaxed movement. This 'Danse du Golf' is your basic swing rhythm and will almost certainly have the correct amount of tension - there has to be some tension in order to move! Now all you need to do is drop your hands, pick the golf club up, grip it as you've been taught, and swing the arms with a similarly relaxed, 'flowing' action and that's your (excess tension-free) golf swing!

When you come to hit the ball, you will almost certainly automatically add the correct amount of tension (in left wrist and forearm) to HIT the ball, rather than swinging through it a bit weakly (like kids do).

Good Luck
And Welcome to the Forum btw.

 

[JustOne]

The main things I was told to concentrate on during my lessons were:

1. Having the ball further back in my stance
2. Having the handle of the club further forward (so it is over the ball if you are looking head on)
3. Adjusting my weight so it is 60/40 in favour of the front leg.
4. Having the handle of the club inline with the belt buckle area.
5. Finally – making sure that my arms stay attached to my torso (if that makes sense!) so that I swing round rather than up.

That sounds familiar... perhaps it's how YOU have interpreted those things that is the issue... are you over doing them? eg: if you're conciously moving the ball back in your stance just HOW FAR are you doing that... combine that with having the handle of the club further forward and you're already going to EXCESS and the shot will likely become harder to hit.

If you consider having the ball back in your stance (an inch or so) and the handle a bit forward... and inch or so, and you're starting to get to where you're supposed to be.

I'd be tempted just to ask your local pro (whilst you're in the shop) to just give you a quick pointer as to how your set up looks :thup:

hope that helps.

 

[Minhoca]

A poor grip leads to all kinds of issues so id check that first. Also you might be taking your eye off the ball during your swing. Its easy for the eyes and concentration to drift. Make sure you focus on the label on your ball throughout your swing. This reduces head movement and should help you find the ball with the clubface more consistently. And Simplify your pre shot routine, it sounds long enough for tension to creep in.

Sometimes its the simple things you overlook

 

[Phil2511]

That sounds familiar... perhaps it's how YOU have interpreted those things that is the issue... are you over doing them? eg: if you're conciously moving the ball back in your stance just HOW FAR are you doing that... combine that with having the handle of the club further forward and you're already going to EXCESS and the shot will likely become harder to hit.

This makes the most sense to me and is something I've done myself. Not even realising either.

For example recently I had a lesson as was having a few issues after not playing for a few months.

I had my grip strengthened and instantly started hitting the ball great. So I knew the feeling I wanted in my grip as it felt different(slightly uncomfortable) and each time I played I was looking for that feeling. Until today when out for a few holes with the pro and I was hitting it badly. He said my set up had gotten terrible and I had developed a high left shoulder.

Basically I had been getting used to the feeling of the stronger grip as it became natural but mentally was still looking for the slightly uncomfortable feeling that I had initially and in trying to recreate the original feeling had overdone things causing my left shoulder to rise as my left hand became too strong and causing my right shoulder to drop and I was getting trapped.

I've had the same issue in the past with having the ball too far forward and then overdoing it on moving it back in my stance after a lesson.


A good way to see if the ball is in the middle of your stance is to lift the club and your arms up in front of you to shoulder height and then drop them back down and see where the club head sits in relation to the ball position. You should be able to tell whether the ball has moved too far back from there based on where your pro had it placed.

Hope this helps.

 

[YesEvil]

Many thanks for the replies and guidance guys, much appreciated.

I plan on putting some of the ideas into practice on my next round (tomorrow - if the weather holds!! Playing Duxbury Park in Chorley). Especially the drills to relax my swing.

I look forward to picking your brains more over time and contributing more to the forums myself.

 

[1664louis]

For me, when im on the coarse i cut out all the swing thoughts and just swing to a target nice a loose.

But when im on the range thats when i start using drills and teachings from my local pro. At home I drill a certain swing though or problem i have with my swing so when im out on the coarse it should be muscle memory.

Hope that Helps, Good luck!