Fallen out of love with the game!

[colinq]

About 2 years ago my golf game started to deteriorate. I practised more, went to various golf pros for lessons but my game got worse. In trying to find a solution I read "The golf of Your Dreams" by Bob Rotella. The key message was to to commit to a major gof improvement programme, find a good teaching pro who you believe in and consistently practice what he teaches you. This I have done for the past 8 months, I have remodelled my swing, changed my grip, my ball position and got myself a new set of forged irons. I have religously followed the practice drills I have been given, the net result is that my game is even worse. I am thoroughly depressed. It is soul destroying to have to put so much time, effort and money in with absolutely nothing to show for it. I used to regularly shoot low 80's with a best competition score of 76 and best bounce game score of 71, now I can't even break 90!!!!!! Has anyone else been through this mental torture and if so how did you get out of it?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Welcome along to the forum. Shame the first post is a tale of woe. Where do you play?

I'm in the same boat. Playing off 13 (soon to be 14) I was having lessons with a guy over the last 3 years. We were working on a lot of changes so knew it would be a long term project. Some good days but a load of bad ones. In the end I thought we had started to stagnate and I couldn't see any forward movement. I worked hard at the drills, read a lot of the Rotella stuff etc and couldn't get down. I booked a lesson with a guy at a local range on recommendation. He has transformed my swing and rejuvinated my enthusiasm. It isn't right yet and is a long way from being trustworthy.

My short game has been in crisis and I'm hoping I've takne baby steps to improve this recently. Bunkers are next on the hit list along with working on the new swing. I'm prepared to hit the 14 barrier and accept that sometimes we need to go backwards first. I know once I can start making up and downs, and trust the swing to work without conscious swing thoughts I'm going to score well and come down again quickly. Its a case of dealing with all the 0.1's the lack of progression, self doubt and disappointments thats so hard to handle

 

[thecraw]

we've all been there, stick it out. It'll come back especially when you have already proven what your capable of.

 

[jammag]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Out of interest do you always go out with a card in hand? Do you always feel like you are competing against yourself in trying to better yourself. One thing I have been told through a different sport is to not set unrealistic targets and never try to beat yourself in a game or practice routine. For example if you was playing a round, say you want to 2 putt 6 holes, keep this target until you complete it and complete it regularly, you get the satisfaction of completing the target. Also on a round go without a scorecard just go with you and the clubs play each shot hit some short irons a lot to plot your way round, try take the scoring pressure off yourself, I am sure you enjoyed the game when you first started and was shooting scores of a 100 so there must be a way to find that enjoyment again from within.

 

[colinq]

I only have a card when I'm in competition, but have stopped playing medals as I now cannot break 100. Two years ago I would have been disappointed not to break 80. I did set some small achievable targets eg 9/14 faiways (achieved on last 3 rounds and an average of 8.9 for the last 7 rounds) Greens in regulation 9/18 ( not achieved, best of 8, with an average of 5.7 for last 7 rounds. Ridiculously easy target of less than 36 putts per round, or so I thought. (not achieved, averaging 37.8!!)

 

[colinq]

Thanks for responding. I play at Goodwood GC, yeah you're in the same boat, hoping to find someone who been thru it and come out the other side.

 

[SocketRocket]

The mainstay of golf is the ability to hit a powerful shot that holds the line you wanted. Secondary is the ability to hit the ball close within 50 yards and finally to hit a confident putt.

Most aspiring golfers struggle at the first hurdle and the answer to this is understanding how to present the clubhead to the ball in a way that will result in the 'powerful shot that holds the line'

The move from the top of the backswing to the point of 'delivery' is the most crutial move in golf. Understand this and you will have the basis to become a better golfer.

 

[Foxholer]

It is a really frustrating game. However:
1. Sack your Pro and find another! You might like/have to tell him that he and you have not clicked, so you have to try something else! If he's really professional, he will accept it; if he doesn't accept it, then he's not a real Professional! Remember that Rotella says 'that you get on with'. From the results, it doesn't seem that you really click as a team, unfortunately!
2. Start playing the game for FUN! Enjoy it for all the other things it gives - wonderful scenery, great company, the best sort of fat-burning exercise (if you avoid the 19th!).

Oh and try to be less negative than Homer. He's on 13.2 currently (and might get 0.1 back) ans he's already anticipating 3, maybe 4 shite rounds that are going to send him up another shot! That's almost as bad as missing out on a prize even though you had the best result!

 

[CMAC]

Instinctivegolf.co.uk have a look, might be what you need.

Disclaimer: I have no connection whatsoever with them except about 9 years ago I used them when I couldn't do anything right and within 24 hrs had a great round around a very tough track.

 

[Imurg]

Get on the practice putting green.
If you've shot mid-low 70's before and now you're averaging over 37 putts per round you need to fix that one first. Get the putts down to nearer 32 and you're already 5 less - obvious I know but it's a good start.
You're hitting a reasonable number of greens and fairways so to my mind it's the whole of the short game that's letting you down.
Focus on that.
And stop worrying. Laugh off the bad shots rather than beat yourself up.
Once you start playing with a smile on your face the rest will fall into place.

 

[Down_The_Middle]

Know just what your are going thru. Last year was shooting mid 80s but not enjoying the game. Had a break from it for a month to see if that helped. It did for a while. Nearly didnt renew my membership this year but did. I'd hit the range a couple of times a week to keep the swing ticking over, but dont find the range all that enjoyable now ,where as before I couldnt get enough of it. Just recently I find myself questioning what I'm doing out on the course after a few holes reguardless of how I'm playing. It all came to a head in a stableford comp 2 months ago. Teed of on the first that was ok. 2nd shot went in a bunker got to the ball thought nothing of it just a routine shot out, fluffed the shot so still in bunker, something flipped in my head and I walked off.After this I had a mind game session with my pro. That helped for a few rounds . But now I dont really care about playing . Lost a lot of enthusiasm for the game in recent weeks. Looking for other things to do on weekends now.At one point I used to love practising and everything else.

 

[Matty]

Could it be that you are trying too hard and creating too much pressure on yourself now?

I guess it must be difficult to shoot in the 100s when you've played to 80s but you are maybe going out with an expectation of hitting 80 and therefore mentally punishing yourself after each bad shot and this is unraveling your round.

I try to NOT set a target score at the start of a round so I can instead focus on each shot and the game rather than the score. Have you tried this approach?

 

[Junior]

I know its difficult, but relax, try to just have 1 swing-thought on the course and go out and enjoy yourself. Maybe mix it up a bit and go play a few different courses...... Never played Goodwood but from what i have read its a tough track so pick some easier (but nice) courses and go let rip.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Its all in your head, you are probably far better than you are scoring but you don't play to your strengths.

Do you ever lay up purposefully on par fours? I am a firm believer in playing to my strenghts, my wedge play. I lay up when the chance of getting in birdie range is less than 80%. I do all my attacking from within 120 yards and lay up so I can do that.

I can hit long irons really well but just no where near as consistent as my 8 iron and below!

My other biggest problem has been beliving myths (some "home made"). My biggest one was having an "anti $h@nk" movement that made that happen! I just belived it didnt as when I corrected for it at the top it hit a lovely draw. That movement was just not consistent as pressure threw my timing.

Forget all the myths, forget all the quick tips and fixes and just simply present the club to the ball, get it up there safe then let the short game score for you.

Just like me you will never be Bubba, there is only one and let him be that! All you have to do is make sure you take two shots less than par to get within 120 yards then let the short game do the scoring!

 

[papyt]

sorry to hear your tale but i can sympathise with you as i have been there myself.I like many golfers strived to get better and spent hours and thousands of pounds trying to achieve my goals and became a golf junkie,played 4-5 times a week bought dvd's and books on technique had hundreds of lessons even caddied for my local pro just to be around and get first hand knowledge.I got my h/c down to low single figures then hit a wall and started to hate the game and in the end just stopped playing as it was destroying my home life and it was the reality that i was never going to achieve my aim that hurt me most,i never touched a club for 5 years and only started playing again as my son was interested in going and now i enjoy the game again BECAUSE i now play for fun and haven't got any real ambition or goals only that it should be fun and enjoyable.So my friend take a step back and tell yourself you play the great game for fun does it matter in the scheme of things if you shoot 100 or 70 not really and always remember why you started playing and take the pressure off yourself and enjoy.

 

[ash01]

Sad to hear of your tale.

It sounds to me that when you are out there you are constantly thinking of past scores, shots, angles and from this you are trying to force a score out of the bag and worst of all the course.

My advice would be.......

Throw the books out, forget the drills, stop the lessons and stop thinking too much about it.

You need to get back to basics and remember that it is just a game and it is meant to be alot of fun.

The quicker you do this it will be the turning around you need and you will begin to take those scores down.

Too much thinking can get you in alot of trouble.

Ash!!

 

[colinq]

Thanks for responding, You're right Goodwood is a tough track. Its over 6700 yds and in the club ch'ships last year only 2 players out of an entry field of seventy, broke 80!

 

[colinq]

Thanks for responding. I played yesterday with the aim of enjoying myself. I did not have a score or target in mind ( I rarely do these days). Simply to enjoy playing, the exercise, the company of other golfers and the fine weather. I started off well with one of my playing partners commenting on how well I hit my irons, with my new FG Tours. Unfortunately after 10 holes I'd had 4 three putts and a lost ball, at this point my enjoyment started to wane. When I came off the course I did not know what I had scored only that I had played badly again and and not enjoyed it. When I got home I totalled it up and it came to 95! This caused me to find a golf forum to get some advice.

 

[shivas irons]

This sounds just like my game,after just 3 years of taking up the game I was shooting mid low 80`s and loved the game,watching golf on TV all the time, changing gear, buying Mags,vids I couldnt get enough.Then around 10 years ago my game collapsed and like you I couldnt break 90.like everbody else I did the lesson and hitting thousands of balls at the range thing but my game still didnt improve so I gave up it up.I still used to go to my old club and have a coffee in the clubhouse because I still loved to be around the game but could not put up with the stress of not being able to play to my once previous potential.Anyway one evening after work I was watching the local news and on the sports section they did a preview of a forthcoming Euro Seniors Tournament at The Stoke By Nayland course near Colchester,Essex,I remember they interviewed Constantine Rocca and some others and then made a plee for caddies as they were short of them,I phoned the club straight away and got paired with a player.After caddying a few more tournaments one day I found myself wanting to hit the ball that was sitting on the fairway when we got to it ,well that was my cue to play again I couldnt get back on a course playing quick enough and have played ever since.The point i`m trying to make is that if you love this game and fall out with it leave it,give yourself some time and the eagerness to want to play will i`m sure come back as it did for me and has done for others,dont keep plugging away and getting totally stresssed if theres no improvement as it really can affect your life off the course.Nowdays I dont score as well as I used to but do have my moments,just take the game for what it is and enjoy it as you can drive yourself crazy with this game like no other game if you get negative with it

 

[colinq]

I understand where you are coming from but how on earth do you get enjoyment from hitting lots of bad shots?