Ever had a total meltdown?

[rudebhoy]

Went for a round this afternoon with another forum member. Was fine for the first 4 holes, driving a bit haphazard, but hitting my irons really well, long and straight.

Got to the 5th, first drive OOB, second one pretty reasonable, but next shot was a complete mishit, went low and right. As was the next, and the next. Ended up picking up. Next two holes, exactly the same, every iron shot, from 5 iron to wedge, was a mishit, going low, way right and not very far.

My confidence was totally shot, and I was going to walk off then, but I soldiered on until the 10th thinking it will get better, but it didn't. Apologised to my partner who was playing well despite my antics, and walked off.

I don't think I have ever hit a ball so badly since I first started playing last year. It was awful.

I have no idea what happened. I do tend to think too much about my swing when I am playing, and I did have something in the back of my mind about trying to keep my arms straight and cocking my wrists rather than bending my elbows. I might have overdone that a bit, I honestly don't know.

I went to the range afterwards and hit 50 balls, I gradually started hitting the ball better, but still nowhere near as good as I have been doing.

Has this kind of meltdown ever happened to folk on here, and how did you get through it?

 

[pokerjoke]

Went for a round this afternoon with another forum member. Was fine for the first 4 holes, driving a bit haphazard, but hitting my irons really well, long and straight.

Got to the 5th, first drive OOB, second one pretty reasonable, but next shot was a complete mishit, went low and right. As was the next, and the next. Ended up picking up. Next two holes, exactly the same, every iron shot, from 5 iron to wedge, was a mishit, going low, way right and not very far.

My confidence was totally shot, and I was going to walk off then, but I soldiered on until the 10th thinking it will get better, but it didn't. Apologised to my partner who was playing well despite my antics, and walked off.

I don't think I have ever hit a ball so badly since I first started playing last year. It was awful.

I have no idea what happened. I do tend to think too much about my swing when I am playing, and I did have something in the back of my mind about trying to keep my arms straight and cocking my wrists rather than bending my elbows. I might have overdone that a bit, I honestly don't know.

I went to the range afterwards and hit 50 balls, I gradually started hitting the ball better, but still nowhere near as good as I have been doing.

Has this kind of meltdown ever happened to folk on here, and how did you get through it?

Pretty easy explanation you just cant play golf with those many swing thoughts going on.

 

[anotherdouble]

More than once and no doubt it will happen again. You don't want or mean it to happen. Dust yourself off and get back out there.

 

[power fade]

Check strike pattern using sticker or footspray. sounds like you may be hitting it out the socket

 

[Lwatson-jones]

On the course? No

In the clubhouse, got very close. The owner of a previous club decided to have a proper rant at both my wife and myself after a competition.
I decided discretion, scooped up my family and walked out of the club. Resigned my captaincy and will never set foot in the place again.

Like is to short and full of other life stresses to melt down

 

[Rumpokid]

No...Frustrated yes.We all have bad rounds/shots etc, but let it go.Never let it eat away at you.

 

[ScienceBoy]

I had a low point where the game wasn't fun anymore. I took some time to think about it, set some new goals and ended up getting better in a short space of time.

It was a motivation thing, I lost it as I acheived some goals and then slipped off my game. All it took was asking myself the question "do I want to be be here or not?"

 

[huds1475]

Dave, all the time. Even at practice the other night!!!

I over think way too much and it's really holding me back. I know this but it's really hard to close out.

In some ways it's natural as we're both learning and want to become better, but taking it onto the course is destructive. I'm in a situation now where it's a vicious circle.

Last lesson I had my pro asked me to set up then talk him through what I'm thinking about through my swing. It lasted two minutes, sounded ridiculous and we both fell about laughing. Recommend you try it

It hasn't cured me yet but has brought home how I can't possibly compute all those thoughts and leave some space to for my brain to drive a golf swing as well.

Cheers,

Craig

 

[trevor]

I had a meltdown last Monday, lost a ball every tee shot for probably 10 holes. They were wild shots going everywhere except straight. The more I played the worse it got. Put it down to the heat on Monday, it was about 32 in the afternoon because I was back to normal the next morning. By the way on the Monday i scored 9 on the front and 4 on the back. The next day scored 35.

 

[Face breaker]

Yep, had one when out playing in the early evening a couple of weeks back, done the front 11 then decided to go and do the first 4 again just to finish the evening off, I got down the 2nd, Tee'd off and then proceeded to have a complete car wreck, took 9 balls out of the bag and mis-hit the lot, everything and I'm mean everything from shanks to tops to scuffs, the works, Christ knows why, I picked up and went home...

 

[davemc1]

It sure is no fun when it goes belly up. I had chipping shanks a few weeks back, just turned up on 16, 17 an 18. Thankfully next time I played theyd disappeared as easy as they came. Horrible horrible shot.

So how do you clear the mind then? Seems its a problem a few of us suffer from

 

[Odvan]

In answer to the OPs subject header...

Not really, but I've seen one particular forumite do many a strange things over and above the usual club helicopter down the fairway when things weren't going well on the course. A psychological meltdown, you could say.

He once went off for a walk (literally) in between a green and the next tee on a forum meet in to some thigh length grass in the opposite direction he should have been going where he then proceeded to mumble and shout at himself before practising his swing in said grass, checking his club face position behind him. I guess you had to be there but it was very, very Partridge.

The same individual on a very recent BIG forum meet, and at one of the most famous golf courses in the world, decided that after playing another woeful shot rain covers weren't his favourite thing. What followed next was nothing short of bizarre, eccentric and hilarious.

For the next 30yrds, said person viciously assaulted his rain cover with a headcover in the style of typewriter slapping, whilst shouting various expletives at the rain cover. Yes, a serious and prolonged attack on a rain cover like you could never imagine possible. Basil Falty, Partridge, Rolled into one. And none of it was for attention.

Playing with him is great because he's a cash cow and the crappest player I've ever played with. Combine that with high quality, free entertainment and what's not to love.

Utterly superb. Makes for compelling viewing so I say long live the psychological golf course meltdown.

I can't imagine for one minute anyone guessing who it is....

Love you, 'MATE' xxx :thup:

 

[Face breaker]

I just pick up and go home but then I only play for fun, I don't do comps or nowt like that, a few months back I drove all the way to the course got meself all sorted and played the first 4 like a complete novice, picked up on 4 and went home, no point in carrying on...

:whoo:

 

[Beezerk]

Kind of meltdowns recently but more a major lack of form mid round to be fair. At the same time I think I'm better than i am and as such consecutive bad shots bother me.
Sit back, chill out and don't get too hung up, at our level really good rounds are like rocking horse poo, so celebrate them rather than dwelling on the bad ones.

 

[Beezerk]

BTW I wouldn't pick up and go home, play it like stableford, pick up when required and start again on the next hole.

 

[xcore]

Came very close when I thinned every single chip shot one round, spent the next day at the practise area and found the reason and cure

 

[Face breaker]

BTW I wouldn't pick up and go home, play it like stableford, pick up when required and start again on the next hole.

Sorry mate but I flat refuse to risk playing 18 holes like a complete novice, once when I first started playing I got as far as the 8th before giving up, if I start off like a complete spanner and things ain't improved by the time I've got to the 4th then I'm off home, simple as...:thup:

 

[Sparky76]

Lie I said on course I've had few nightmare rounds. Rounds where I've played the odd air shot!

maybe your mind was cluttered with thoughts on your swing?? You hit a few nice irons before it went tits up.

 

[selwood90]

Definitely had some nightmare rounds. Hitting thin shots and topping the ball 80 yards. Usually tends to happen to me when iv played really well the last time out. Expect too much of myself after a good round and wonder why I can't perform like that all the time. But just try not to let it get to me, never gone home early yet. When things aren't going right for me I take a deep breath take a look around and ask myself where I would rather be than on the golf course. Nowhere. But never nice to see someone else have a bad round, chin up chest out and get back at it.

 

[Capella]

I had some really bad rounds (actually, now come think of it, I probably had way more really bad ones than really good ones ), but I never walked off. If I am not in a comp, I just stop keeping score at some point and just hope for a few good shots that make me feel better about myself. The first three comps I ever played were all 9-hole comps. I was off -54 at the time and everyone had assured me: "Oh, you will get your handicap cut for sure" and had been telling me about the spectacular results they had shot in their first comps. So when I came off with 13 Stableford points on the first one, I was very frustrated. But at least, I asserted myself, it could get only better from there. Well, it didn't. I got 8 Stableford points in the second one and 6 in the third, a couple of months later. So I was not only playing some of the worst golf anyone could imagine, I was also getting worse each time. It really destroyed my confidence and I was quite happy that winter came along and I had an excuse not to try again for a while.