One Planer
Global Moderator
Something I posted on Twitter last night, lead to some fantastic replies (Thanks Brendy, Fragger, Imurg and Fish :thup: ), so decided to post up the topic on here for discussion, but more to gauge general opinion.
For the last 5 weeks (... A week before my last lesson) I've been playing some pretty shocking golf. Shocking when you consider that from the turn of the new year to the 2nd week of February I didn't have a round in the 80's. Every round I had was somewhere between 73 and 79.
Since then, it's got progressively worse
Not something I can put my finger on, but it seems every aspect of my game has, well, gone to pot. Driving has been erratic, iron play poor, even my putting (... Usually the strongest part of my game) has been dire. Over the last 5 weeks my confidence has been completely eroded, now to the point where I simply have no confidence standing over the ball. I've tried laughing it off, smiling as I walk after a poor shot, even giving myself a stern talking too while walking the fairway, but to be honest, none of it's worked.
Played after work last night for 9 holes, to what I thought was, again, poor golf. With no end to my slump in sight, I decided that I would take a little break away from the game to try and get my head back into the right place.
Cue the pearls of wisdom from the aforementioned folks.
Some of the things that were said really gave me a fresh outlook on the game and how to cope with going through the worst slump I've known. After I'd finished reading and replying, I went back over my round in my head counting up my shot's I'd taken.
1st - Bogey
2nd - Par
3rd - Bogey
4th - Bogey
5th - Birdie
6th - Par
7th - Double
8th - Bogie
9th - Par
5 over for 9 holes.
I thought I'd played terrible and, I suppose by some on here's standards (Cat 1 players), I had , but if I'd continued in the same vein, which (Above) is roughly how I've been playing of late, I'd have finished 4 under my handicap, playing to 10, despite feeling like I was playing terrible.
I'm now left with the dilemma. Do I continue with my sabbatical as planned or continue to play?
The way I see it, which is probably wrong, is I can't fix what's wrong with my swing by not practicing and playing, but my current mental attitude and confidence make it difficult to trust my swing and subsequent outcomes. It's almost like a vicious circle. You need at least some confidence to make a good swing and get a good/decent result, but when the outcome isn't as desired (... Or you hit and absolute honker) you're back to square one again.
Before anyone says it, I'll get in there first. Yes! I know it's only a game. Yes! I know it's only a hobby (Aren't hobbies supposed to be enjoyed?) and NO!, you can't have my driver/irons/wedges or putter :thup:
I know I need to break the mental/confidence circle I'm locked into, it's just how I go about doing it. Taking a break vs playing through with more practice (... FWIW I have a lesson booked next Wednesday).
Any comments, thoughts, criticisms, insights or suggestions on the above all welcome :thup:
P.S - Apologies for the rather long post
For the last 5 weeks (... A week before my last lesson) I've been playing some pretty shocking golf. Shocking when you consider that from the turn of the new year to the 2nd week of February I didn't have a round in the 80's. Every round I had was somewhere between 73 and 79.
Since then, it's got progressively worse
Not something I can put my finger on, but it seems every aspect of my game has, well, gone to pot. Driving has been erratic, iron play poor, even my putting (... Usually the strongest part of my game) has been dire. Over the last 5 weeks my confidence has been completely eroded, now to the point where I simply have no confidence standing over the ball. I've tried laughing it off, smiling as I walk after a poor shot, even giving myself a stern talking too while walking the fairway, but to be honest, none of it's worked.
Played after work last night for 9 holes, to what I thought was, again, poor golf. With no end to my slump in sight, I decided that I would take a little break away from the game to try and get my head back into the right place.
Cue the pearls of wisdom from the aforementioned folks.
Some of the things that were said really gave me a fresh outlook on the game and how to cope with going through the worst slump I've known. After I'd finished reading and replying, I went back over my round in my head counting up my shot's I'd taken.
1st - Bogey
2nd - Par
3rd - Bogey
4th - Bogey
5th - Birdie
6th - Par
7th - Double
8th - Bogie
9th - Par
5 over for 9 holes.
I thought I'd played terrible and, I suppose by some on here's standards (Cat 1 players), I had
, but if I'd continued in the same vein, which (Above) is roughly how I've been playing of late, I'd have finished 4 under my handicap, playing to 10, despite feeling like I was playing terrible.I'm now left with the dilemma. Do I continue with my sabbatical as planned or continue to play?
The way I see it, which is probably wrong, is I can't fix what's wrong with my swing by not practicing and playing, but my current mental attitude and confidence make it difficult to trust my swing and subsequent outcomes. It's almost like a vicious circle. You need at least some confidence to make a good swing and get a good/decent result, but when the outcome isn't as desired (... Or you hit and absolute honker) you're back to square one again.
Before anyone says it, I'll get in there first. Yes! I know it's only a game. Yes! I know it's only a hobby (Aren't hobbies supposed to be enjoyed?) and NO!, you can't have my driver/irons/wedges or putter :thup:
I know I need to break the mental/confidence circle I'm locked into, it's just how I go about doing it. Taking a break vs playing through with more practice (... FWIW I have a lesson booked next Wednesday).
Any comments, thoughts, criticisms, insights or suggestions on the above all welcome :thup:
P.S - Apologies for the rather long post
