Doing my Head in

[User 105]

My golf the last 3 weeks is doing my head in.

I've been playing really consistently all summer and as a result I'm sitting top of our clubs OOM. 1 comp left next weekend, I might scrape it but probably need a few extra points to seal the deal.

But for the last 3 weeks since I've got back from holiday I just can't put a decent round together (comp or otherwise). Most of the guys I play with regularly have commented how unlike me my game is. I'm usually Mr Consistent.

I'll be going along nicely then out of nowhere will come a shocker of a hole usually resulting in a triple bogey or worse. Then I'll be fine for the next few holes, then same again, shocker of a hole and another triple+.

This is happening 2-3 times a round and killing my scores.

But it never seems to be the same shot or holes that's a problem. Sometimes I'll snap hook a drive OOB or thin a chip shot OOB, fat two chips in a row, 4 putt a green from nowhere. That kind of thing.

If it was consistently one thing I'd know what to work on, but it seems to be a bit of everything for that hole. Then it's fine for the rest of the round.

I stick to a strict pre-shot routine. I'm not trying miracle escapes and getting myself in more trouble. I'm playing enough (2-3 times a week) and on the range 2-3 times a week as well for it not to be out of practice.

It feels like a mental problem rather than swing related. I don't think it's pressure related as I don't tend to get that stressed when I play. And once the nightmare holes is over I'm fine again for 3-4 holes.

Before if I got myself a bit out of position I'd escape with a bogey, double at worse. But recently those doubles have turned into triples or worse. But I'm still getting roughly the same number or pars and birdies a round.

I've been sitting here all day after a repeat performance in todays comp scratching my head wondering what to do.

I have a feeling this is something I'm just going to have to play through.

Any ideas ?

 

[griffgolf]

Westy,

You are not on your own matey.

I have suffered from this ALL year, I should be picking up the trophies for 4 or 5 events this year but the same dreaded situation hits me every time!!!!

Birdies and pars no problem then from nowhere double / triple bogey.

Unexpected bad drive....thinned 80 yard pitch from middle of fairway......fatted lay-up.....3 or 4 putt.

You name it I do it and it does your head in.

I just got down to 9.4 handicap but play to 5 all day long then the dreaded comes along!!!!!!!

I do not see what anyone can say constructively to help.

 

[pokerjoke]

Thats a difficult one as its not just one thing,maybe try going back into your memory bank and visualise how you did it before your holiday.Focus only on the positives.Im sure you will turn it around sooner rather than later,good luck.

 

[robbest3offthetee]

Westy, i am the same mate,comp on sunday was only 2 over through 13 holes then proceded to double bogey 14,triple 15 and bogey 16,then parred 17(hardest hole on the course)and 18,so still played under my h/cap of 11.Anytime you play too or under your h/cap you have to be happy but always think what might have been,so keep at it and it will come no doubt...,Sorry mate meant to say that the double on the 14th had a impact on the tee shot on the 15th,instead of playing a iron i hit a wood without thinking therefore making the triple so it might be worth taking a few deep breaths while walking to the next tee....

 

[User 105]

Thanks guys.

Pokerjoke. Good advice. It is something I try to do as part of my pre-shot routine. Visualize my shot, try to recall when I hit a similar shot well. Try to think positive outcomes.

robbest3offthetee, It's odd, a bad hole for me doesn't seem to have an effect on the next hole. The bad one just comes out the blue.

Example. Birdy on 7. Triple bogeyed 8 from the middle of the fairway. Easy 5 iron into the green went off at right angles and ended right under a tree leaving me no shot (Punc out, then a duffed simple chip and a few putts later ), then par on 9.

Same on 12. Took a 6 on a par 3. Was side of the green after the tee shot, thinned chip, duffed chip and a 3 putt from 10 feet. Then par on the tough 13. (Nailed drive, nice 8 iron into the green and an easy 2 putt tap in for par). Then Birdy the par 5 14th.

 

[robbest3offthetee]

Westy, if you ve played the shots before ok,but what i find if im struggling is try to get it on the green or in play using what iron is easier,eg chipping from just off the green with 7,8 or 9 instead of trying to lob wedge(less margin of error),same with approach shots,just get it on the green.(then 3 putt lol)......

 

[MashieNiblick]

Westy, you could be describing my game! Definitely a situation I recognise and has been a feature of my game for years. Loads of people have said I should be safe single figures, and I would be if you could take your best 15 or 16 holes, but in golf all 18 count and there's always a couple of doubles or triples (or an 11!) that ruin my score.

In time I've had to accept it as part of my game. I have played with others of various handicaps who suffer the same way, so we aren't alone.

I think you are right that it's mental. For me I think it's "nerves" rather than "pressure". It's usually simple shots that cause the damage. I'll thin a wedge over a green having hit 2 great shots on a par 5 or carve a 6 iron miles right on a simple par 3. It doesn't matter if I've been hitting my wedge or 6 iron sweet all day it'll still happen. What they have in common is that over the ball I often, from nowhere, loose my confidence that I can hit the next shot and start thinking about hitting it bad, which of course becomes self fullfilling. I've read some mind games books (e.g. Alan Fine) but on the course it just happens.

Like you these holes are usually isolated and don't necessarily affect how I play the next, and this happens to me in friendlies as well as major comps. The shots are always really destructive, ball goes OOB or lost or into deep doo-doo, not just a bit short or off line.

I have never really got rid of it and now I rarely manage to get round without something like this happening. I often now expect it to happen, which makes it more likely of course.

I wish I knew the answer. Somehow I think I need to just detach myself from what I'm doing but those thoughts just get in there.

Good luck mate.

 

[User 105]

Sounds very similar and I might just have to accept it.

I've had similar comments. My pro says with my power and accuracy I should be able to get to low single figures in time and most of the guys I play with have made similar comments.

I think you may have hit something there with the simple shots. Now I think about it a bit more, it's not always the simple ones, but in general I do think it's shots where I feel less pressure. That easy little chip or pitch from off the green, the easy 100 yard wedge shot, the drive to a big open fairway etc. I may be taking them for granted and subconsciously not really giving them the same respect as the tougher shots.

Note to self for next round. 'Give every shot the same respect'.

 

[Region3]

Is it possible that the little men in your head are saying things like "sooner or later you know you'll mess one up!" which puts more pressure on each subsequent shot.

Once you do mess up, the voices go and you get back to your proper game because you know the bad hole is out of the way.

 

[User 105]

Is it possible that the little men in your head are saying things like "sooner or later you know you'll mess one up!" which puts more pressure on each subsequent shot.

Once you do mess up, the voices go and you get back to your proper game because you know the bad hole is out of the way.

I think there could be a bit of that as well. At least now. Probably not a week ago, but definitely on Sunday there were a couple of occasions when I was walking to the next tee and that thought popped into my head.

From what I can recall the times that I did think that it didn't cause a problem. But the thought is definitely there now.

I think it's one of those things. The longer it goes on the more this type of thought is going to creep in.

I don't think this is an issue at the moment but I can certainly see this type of negative thought causing problems the longer this goes on.

It's like one of those rounds where you keep leaving yourself 3-4ft putts to save par or make bogey. You just know sooner or later you gona miss one. :-(

 

[MashieNiblick]

Region3, In my case that's about it. Eventually of course, with that in my head, it has to go pear shaped sooner or later. As I say, often on the simplest shots. E.g. 8 iron off perfect lie, half way back little voice says "you're going to duff this you plonker and it's so easy!"

Funnily enough I can often pull off the tricky stuff no problem, hence the "you should be off single figures" comments.

 

[User 105]

I've decided to go play 9 after work each night this week as the other half is on late shift to try to get this out of my system.

Every shot tonight I gave equal focus. Really approached everything with a positive frame of mind.

So
1st - Par - ok drive. fairway finder. Great 7i from 160 into the green. Missed the 6ft birdy, but had tap in par
2nd - Huge slice 3 wood. Great 3h recovery to 15 yards in front of the green. Ok chip to 5 ft. 3 putt for a 6.
3rd - dropped my 7i into the water on the par 3. Chipped on. and another 3 putt from about 15ft.
4th Par - Fairway, green, 2 putt. Simple
5th Par - Pulled teeshot slightly, good 3 wood, dropped my 9i into the right bunker, almost holed the bunker shot. Tap in par.
6th Par. Fairway, green, 2 putts.
7th par. Ditto
8th feeling full of confidence. But still concentrating. Snap hook into the worst possible trouble. Get lucky with the lie and hit a great 6i to 50 yards out. ok chip and 2 putts for a bogey. I'll take that.

So after 8 I've fought back and am now level with my handicap. Easy 140 yard Par 3 to come. yeah right.

Hit what I think is a peach of an easy 8i, loose it in the dark but walk up expecting it to be middle of the green. Nope, short right in the bunker.

That's ok I like bunker shots. Duffed it just about got it out. Over hit chip and a 3 putt from no more than 15 ft again for another 6 on a par 3.

So finished with a 44 and 2 over my hcp and more than a little annoyed right now.

Putting really let me down, but there are some good signs.

But that little voice in the back of my head is getting loader 'you're gonna keep screwing this up aren't you'

Out tomorrow after work and I'll play the back 9 and see what happens.

I think I just need to string a good 9 together to get some confidence back.

 

[Region3]

I'm probably going to sound like a fruitcake now, but this is advice from a book on the mental game I have.
I'd be very interested to hear whether or not it works if you try it.

There's 2 parts.

Firstly, when any negative thoughts pop into your head, don't try to fight them. Don't give them any power by thinking about them. Just notice they're there, then move on.

Also, just make a mark on your scorecard (or anywhere) each time it happens. Make the mark then forget about it. Don't judge yourself for allowing the thought, just notice it, make the mark, then forget about it.

 

[User 105]

interesting. I'll give it a go.

Sounds like one of those things if you try to ignore it, it won't go away, but if you accept it for what it is then you forget about it.

Bit like if you wake up in the night and have something on you're mind. If you write it down on a bit of paper you're mind lets go of it and you can go back to sleep.

I've studied a little NLP and might see if I can have a read of one of my books and come up with something that might help.

 

[User 105]

Couldn't play yesterday as it was chucking it down. But managed to get 9 in tonight.

Big difference.

Shot 40 for the front 9. 2 under my handicap and nothing worse than a bogey on the card.

Couple if silly mistakes, but I recovered well both times.

Drove the ball ok, didn't hit that many fairways but wasn't off by much. Irons were solid but chipped and putted like a demon.

I tried an NLP visualization technique that amplifies the positives and another one which dims the negatives. I've used it before for other things and it seems to work.

I just felt so confident, which as we know is a big thing for us golfers.

Lets see how long it lasts

See if I can get another 9 in tomorrow.