Bad patch

[AliB]

The pattern of my golf is that it usually goes downhill in winter, and it looks like his year is no exception. Until january things were okay - dropping a couple of shots on my handicap but hey, there's the weather and the fact that the winter tees usually disadvantage me (some are equivalent to whites!)
Have been trying to focus on keeping a good swing and not thinking too much about the score, but for the last 2 weeks things have gone from bad to worse. There doesn't seem to be any one particular problem. I still hit some crackIng shots, but the consistency isn't there. I have worked on my chipping which was better today, but I wouldn't want to reveal my score, so you can guess it wasn't good.
Mr B has been having similar probs then played a cracker today, so I am feeling mighty sorry for myself, though I did manage (with difficulty) not to actually blub on the course
Thought I'd consult you good people for some encouragment or advice (or just a good kick up the ...) before I pull the duvet over my head and give up golf FOREVER.
throwing myself on your communal mercy

Ali B

 

[Tommo21]

Ali, listen up mate. I’ve played some rubbish in my time and the better I get the more rubbish I play. Confused, it’s just that as you get that little bit better you physiologically raise the bar and expect better from yourself, which is fine, but you feel bad when it falls apart again.

Last weekend I played some of the worst golf I’ve played in years, snap hooking all over the shop. I put on a brave face, trying to hold it together, but it was terrible. At this moment I’m wondering what to do to stop it.

I play off 6 and after playing for 30 odd years I still wondering how I’m going to hit the ball the next time out. The only thing to do is go play to find out.

Keep going.

 

[John_Findlay]

Anna,

It's a game of peaks and troughs. Usually mine are 9 months of troughs and 3 months of tremendous peaks. That's why I continue to play.

I've thought about giving the game up every year of the last 3, despite having the best scores of my life in that time.

Plug away. It'll be back. You don't become a bad golfer overnight. We all have months of bad golf in a row.

Hope it comes back for you soon, though.

Cheers

 

[DCB]

AliB
Don't get too down on yourself about the winter and it's effect on your golf. Look on it as a chance to get out and keep the swing going a bit. I don't take winter golf too seriously at all, aiming to be able to start the season after a few rounds more easily than if I didn't play from Oct - Mar. Wait for spring to take hold before worrying about consistency etc. My wife plays and hardly touched a club Nov-Mar it takes her about 2-3 games to get back into the swing and then she's happy playing at or aound handicap.

Summers the time for playing our best golf I think.

As J-F says, nine months of normal three months of good golf ( hopefully)

Don't give up it's an addictive game!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

AliB

Welcome to my golfing world. I can't string to consecutive shots together at the moment and have been struggling to get it off the tee at all.

Having a break from playing this week (all my regular partners are in Dublin for the rugby anyway) and so I'm planning to go on the practice ground and hit shots from <100 yards in and get some feel. Sunday I've got a lesson booked.

Don't worry. The warm weather will soon be here and the ball will run and run. Don't get too dispondant and try and make any major changes. It is only a passing phase (hopefully). If it all gets too muc h I'd suggest a lesson

PS
I'd make the other half sleep in the spare room for treating you so badly and having such a good game!!!

 

[RGuk]

Ali......I suggest you go for a lesson and find out what's going on. I play off 12 and wouldn't have fancied that recently with my game. I went for a lesson and within 100 balls felt that 12 would be easy-ish (as long as the rest holds up!) I'm now thinking I could get back to just under 10. In reality, I was practicing crazily but actually making myself worse with one or two nasty habits that I hadn't spotted in amongst my endless drills and obsessive regime.
I could have sworn things were moving in the right direction, but casting a fairly experienced eye over my videoed swing wasn't nearly as useful as the keen eye of a good pro. If you are having lessons right now, work harder or find another teacher!!!!!

 

[Leftie]

The pattern of my golf is that it usually goes downhill in winter, and it looks like his year is no exception. Until january things were okay - dropping a couple of shots on my handicap but hey, there's the weather and the fact that the winter tees usually disadvantage me (some are equivalent to whites!)

Come on Ali, keep your pecker up. We all have mare rounds, particularly at this time of the year - winter tees, temporary greens, not knowing if the ball is going to plug or take a ridiculous bounce, wearing so many layers of thermals and waterproofs that we look like Michelin "persons" (just in case there are any PC forum members).

At this time of year just get out there whenever you can, enjoy the walk, the company (even if it is Mr B ), don't worry about the score as in the overall scheme of things it doesn't really matter in Febuary through to April, and don't beat yourself up over a poor score. At least you have got out there and had a round.

Play as often as you can off the back tees, you will be a force to be reckoned with when the summer comps start.

Just enjoy yourself as there's no point in playing otherwise, and share your good rounds with us in our virtual clubhouse after the game.

 

[billyg]

To draw a comparison- sometimes I come home from work and swing the guitar over my head, switch the Marshall on and play like a rock god! Can't miss a note, a run, fingers like a surgeon- play like the twin brother of my avatar name here- Billy Gibbons.

Other times I've got fingers like sausages, sound like a badly strung bathtub and play like a drunken breeze block.

no rhyme, no reason- doing exactly the same licks n' tricks but somehow doesn't seem to gel.

I switch it off and walk away, try not to analyse it and do something else until I get that feeling I gotta play for the love of it no matter how cr@p it is.

Bingo.

Golfs the same for me.

 

[USER1999]

I seem to be the odd one out here, as I generally play my best golf in the winter. Completely useless, as there are no qualifying comps, so I can't get cut. May be this is why I can do it. Who knows?

Mean while, chin up, summer will soon be here. For those whose game improves in the sun, it is just around the corner. For me, prepare for the nightmare of summer golf.

 

[TonyN]

I feel like i dont even know how to hit a ball anymore, last two weeks have got me in a mess. Everythin has gone from bad to worse, i am putting it down to concentrating to much on my driving and forgetting everythin else. But i know its just a bad patch so i will keep plugging away. If you do the same ali am sure sooner or later your gonna come good again, and wonder why you ever thought about pulling up that duvet!

 

[mickytwodesks]

Ali at least you have good rounds! my best round so far is 110. I played last weekend on a frozen course, managed to hit a decent 5 iron off the winter mat, hit a lovely pitch onto the green only to watch it bounce like it had hit concreate miles past the hole. i never recovered mentally and proceeded to top and fat shots all over the show. i can say the frustration brought me close to tears. but i parred two holes and i can recall a few lovely shots which is what i try and focus on post round. Ali you're a good player and summer is just a few months away...

 

[Mr_Top_Shot]

Mate if it makes you feel any better i had the worst round of my life last weekend and shot 126. Now i know you can't be any worse than that. I am sure things will get better, just try to concentrate on the good shots you have played and try to push the bad ones to the back of your mind. There is no point beating yourself up over it. The game is meant to be fun.

 

[USER1999]

126? Flipping heck. And here's me getting pissed at not breaking 80 often enough. didn't know there was that much room on the score card.

Keep it up top shot, one day it will come good.

 

[mickytwodesks]

Murph, my first round was a staggering 164. i think it shows real strenth of charactor to come back from that score

 

[Mr_Top_Shot]

126? Flipping heck. And here's me getting pissed at not breaking 80 often enough. didn't know there was that much room on the score card.

Keep it up top shot, one day it will come good.

Hahahaha cheers for the encouragement. I am currently having lessons and am getting much more practice in. Hopefully the score will fall in the next month or 2, but even if it doesn't i am pretty sure i will still play.

 

[billyg]

126? Flipping heck. And here's me getting pissed at not breaking 80 often enough. didn't know there was that much room on the score card.

Keep it up top shot, one day it will come good.

Hahahaha cheers for the encouragement. I am currently having lessons and am getting much more practice in. Hopefully the score will fall in the next month or 2, but even if it doesn't i am pretty sure i will still play.

That's the spirit! Nothing in life worth having comes easy.....apart from a lottery win.... or booze

 

[AliB]

Hi Murph
I can see I'm not the only one with problems! Actually, I do know someone else who likes winter golf, claims that greens hold and with less roll it's easier to choose a club.
And the course is quieter.
Pesonally, I like that roll!

AliB

 

[AliB]

thanks to the rest of you for cheering me up and reminding me I am not alone. Sounding off here should save me from taking it out on my partners next time (or someone closer to home).
Thinking positive
- a tweak to my swing is definitely helping my fairway woods (mainstay of my game)and I need to practice it at the range
- have mastered new chipping action and am starting to get some feel with it
Stayed home today but will be 'back on the bike' tomorrow.
Hope to say report something positive before too long.
Homer - I'm letting sleeping dog lie for now (I mean one day I could be the one showing him up!)

aliB
-

 

[HomerJSimpson]

AliB

You are too good to him

 

[viscount17]

I'm so glad I'm not alone. My irons have turned to rats at the moment, swing is awful to behold. I know what I should be doing but it feels awkward and stiff when I do.

I have a game fixed up for tomorrow at a new track and at one point I was close to calling it off. Glad I didn't though, just grin and bear it if it goes wrong while hoping for a minor miracle. A bit of sun wouldn't hurt.

(I also have a lesson booked for next week. The game had been fixed earlier so I've got them the wrong way round.)