from bad to worse- what now?

[AliB]

Hi guys - It's been a while,
For the last 2 years I have got from 23 to 20 and hoping for 18 this year. I am known for my steady golf. I go to regular roll-up lessons at the local range and sometimes splash out on a private lesson or two. My swing has been in what I consider to be decent shape. I sometimes play in my club ladies team. Yay, I am a golfer - or I was.
This week I had a very dodgy round, followed by one that was much worse than anything I have done in a couple of years. I then popped down to the range and hit most balls okay.
Thinking this was a blip I went out yesterday and it got 'worser and worser' - few clean contacts, no decent shots, by 14 I was ready to pack in but was in a team thing so had to continue. Nothing improved. By the end I was a golfing carcrash.
I could go down to see my pro but think I may have caught some kind of total golf yip disease and would be better staying home for a while. (a bit awkward as a number of matches are looming)
Have you been where I am? Any advice?
(right now not paying next year's hefty subs does not seem like much of an idea!)
sorry to spoil a sunny day with negative thoughts. but I am desperate!

Ali B

 

[Andy]

What was the problem? Driving, fairways, irons, wedges? Putting?

Catching them thin, fat?

PS It aint sunny up here lol

 

[pokerjoke]

I feel your pain Ali.
You sound at the end of your tether,however my suggestion is go to the range or course alone
and work it out.
Start at the basics and just hit balls with a nice tempo.
Im sure after a few hits you will be right as rain.

 

[Khamelion]

As Andy writes above where was it you were going wrong, there's plenty of advice within the forum walls from some very knowledgeable people who should be ale to help you out.

We all go through the golfing yips as you put it, yesterday I had a lesson in the morning, then went out and played the worst golf I've played I a long time. I put this down to me trying to put my lesson into practice rather than just play golf. Once I forgot about my lesson and just played golf I played a lot better.

 

[AliB]

Thanks PJ - I think alone time is definitely needed, maybe a new venue eg par 3 course at local golfcentre, take my time, start with irons and see how it goes.If I'm stilll psyched out (pretty much a mental thing now I think) I'll have a chat with my regular pro - and withdraw from club friendly match on Thursday. Pressure /audience is last thing I need!!

 

[AliB]

Hi Andy = sorry about the weather!I think it began with driver/fway woods then spread to everything else (chipping and putting not completely lost cause) Hit some good rescue woods before the complete meltdown set in. Couldn't quite see one problem - tendency to sky the ball off the tee but hit it into the ground off the deck (weeps)
Probably need to start with things I can do (LOL - mark my ball?) - eg shorter irons and then progress to the most problematic stuff when I feel better, Ali B

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I would get a quick 30 minute lesson. Chances are it's a tiny fault that's afflicting the swing as a whole and can be easily fixed.

 

[JCW]

I played today in the Monday roll up , 9 over after 17 holes , 18th was closed when we got up to it as the greens staff were working in the area . The way I was hitting the ball I was glad to walk in as at 201 yards par 3 the 18th is not easy . I did not mind really as I was only saved today by my putting . Top my 1st drive and 2nd shot , miscued most of the time today , too many swing thoughts , so I know where you coming from .a lesson is all I can suggest ....................................EYG

 

[the_coach]

Hi guys - It's been a while,
For the last 2 years I have got from 23 to 20 and hoping for 18 this year. I am known for my steady golf. I go to regular roll-up lessons at the local range and sometimes splash out on a private lesson or two. My swing has been in what I consider to be decent shape. I sometimes play in my club ladies team. Yay, I am a golfer - or I was.
This week I had a very dodgy round, followed by one that was much worse than anything I have done in a couple of years. I then popped down to the range and hit most balls okay.
Thinking this was a blip I went out yesterday and it got 'worser and worser' - few clean contacts, no decent shots, by 14 I was ready to pack in but was in a team thing so had to continue. Nothing improved. By the end I was a golfing carcrash.
I could go down to see my pro but think I may have caught some kind of total golf yip disease and would be better staying home for a while. (a bit awkward as a number of matches are looming)
Have you been where I am? Any advice?
(right now not paying next year's hefty subs does not seem like much of an idea!)
sorry to spoil a sunny day with negative thoughts. but I am desperate! Ali B

Put this up a few times lately, if you can get the drill down and spend some time quietly working through it, guarantee it will help you too. Print the drill off take it with you find a quiet spot & just work though it bit by bit and it should get you back in sync.

Many ways this sort of thing happens, though often spells like this can be traced back to 'swaying right' at start of backswing, instead of gently moving the club and your arm triangle by the 'turning' of your upper body against a 'still flexed' right leg, as well as and/or coming out of your posture (spine angle) going back. So you lose sequencing and rhythm, balance & timing.


Often good if/when this happens to you to go back to an old drill.


Just have your 7i a short tee and bunch of balls.
Put short tee right into ground up to the 'cup', this will take an anxiety about fat shots away.


Check your grip is correct, more in fingers not in palm of either hand, and that the left hand isn't too 'weak', neutral grip, 2 to 2&1/2 knuckles at address, right palm then should be parallel to left palm grip, both 'V's pointing at center-ish right shoulder.


Get an image of your ball target line and make sure your shoulders, hips, knees, feet all parallel left to your ball/target line.


Your stance for this drill will be your heels being only 3" apart, your swing speed for it will only be at 55/60% of your normal 7i swing.


The length of backswing is just back to when your left arm is parallel to the ground at this point left arm is also parallel to your toe line & to your ball/target line, the angle between your left arm and shaft should be 90 degrees.
At this point the butt end of club should point at your ball/target line, the club should also feel quite light, & balanced, these things indicate the club is on plane.


Remember as you do this you "turn" not sway, any swaying with this narrow stance will cause you to lose balance easily.


As you make this backswing and turn, keep your spine angle and your posture height, don't allow your right leg to straighten.


Once in this "L" shape (the end of your backswing position for this drill) start back by your left foot gently pressing some weight downwards into the ground to start transition and your downswing.


Swing through impact, head remaining behind the ball(keeping posture and balance) and when your now extended right arm is parallel to the ground in the through swing the angle between right arm and shaft should again be 90 degrees.

You should feel as you do this your right foot roll inwards through impact, roll towards the left so the whole length of the inside of your right foot remains on the ground while the whole of the outside of your right foot is just off the ground.


Keep posture until this point then just relax up out of posture as your chest finishes facing at or slightly left of target.


This drill swing finishes when your hands reach just above your left shoulder in height (your not swinging right through to the normal shaft behind neck position for this drill)
So your arms & club will still be more in front of you as a finish position, chest turned through to face target or slightly left of that.


This drill should help you to get your swing co-ordination, rhythm and balance back.


When you can hit 15-20 centered strikes with the drill with this narrow stance in total balance.


Keep the balls on tee, but put your feet back to normal 7i width and gradually at 60% speed lengthen the swing so your hands in the backswing 'feel' as if they are level in height with your shoulders (feeling this in actuality will mean you'll really be in a perfect slightly short of parallel position at the top) and again swing through to a full finish in balance.


When you can achieve 20 or so like this, just then hit some at what you feel is 70% then 75% then 80% at this point you'll more likely be back to the speed you use normally and hopefully all in balance, in rhythm and in sequence and ..... hopefully all back & good

 

[Tashyboy]

Don't think for one minute it's just you, it's not. After nine holes and 52 shots and 14 points last week i shot 44 on a harder back nine for 22 points. What the heck is that all about. I had a lesson today and it's a wonder I have ever managed to hit a ball now ave been show what I was doing wrong. I was far to inconsistent.

 

[woody69]

It will probably be something incredibly minor and easy for a pro to spot. Something as simple as poor grip or ball position. Get a 30 min lesson and I bet it is spotted, corrected and you'll be back to your level of confidence in no time. It's amazing the number of times I appear to have completely lost the ability to hit a ball, when a simple observation from a pro has corrected it. And the good thing is, if it starts to happen again you can go back to the basics and you start to find it easier to correct your own faults (and introduce new ones!)

 

[CMAC]

sounds like total swing disintegration- John Jacobs calls it that.

No amount of goodwill and well meant 'instruction' or advice on here will help as no-one can see your swing nor know any details of the errors.

So as has been said before, get to your local pro, sign up for at least one lesson, ideally a series and let him rub you out and start again, its the best way.

Good luck.

 

[Tashyboy]

sounds like total swing disintegration- John Jacobs calls it that.

No amount of goodwill and well meant 'instruction' or advice on here will help as no-one can see your swing nor know any details of the errors.

So as has been said before, get to your local pro, sign up for at least one lesson, ideally a series and let him rub you out and start again, its the best way.

Good luck.

Yeah that above. I have been struggling with my game and had a lesson yesterday, and he put me right on a few things. I am fortunate that my playing partners don't give me advice, and there in can lie a problem. The advice a pro will give to you is all about your swing,hack,chop or what ever it is at the mo. I mentioned to one of the lads at work about me lesson and told him that fortunately no one gives me advice and for that am grateful. He then proceeded to give me a free 10 minute lesson on what to do. Ah cud of ******* him. Best thing is he plays off the same as me with the help of tippex. See yer pro.

 

[AliB]

Hi again - thanks for the stympathy and tips. What I did during last week was to have two short sessions at the range ( 2 different ranges!) on my own, starting with a 1/2 swing and only using irons. On both occasions hit the ball pretty well so felt there was no huge problem going on in my swing. When I progreses to woods there was less consistency but nothing in disaster mode. Still did';t seel up to anything competetive but played 18 yesterday with Mr B. Hit the ball reasonably but did not really score - got a bit down on myself but realised I should not have even been thinking of the score, just hitting ball and tryng to enjoy it. .I did finish with 3 net pars which cheered me up. So there is hope but also a way to go.
I now plan to go to my regular roll-up lesson and see what my pro has to say. I think the problem is two things, yes, something wrong with swing, (as Homer says) - I'm probably reverting to old faults and the-coach's drill sounds like a good idea. Also a question of confidence and of course the two go hand in hand. I shall let it be known my game is off the boil and try to get out of inter-club match next week, but gradually up my practising until I get over it.
Ali B

 

[macca64]

I would sympathise, but 1st comp of the year on sunday hit 23pts, don't like stablefords, thought it was a medal,no excuse though,my golf is shocking at the moment.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I would sympathise, but 1st comp of the year on sunday hit 23pts, don't like stablefords, thought it was a medal,no excuse though,my golf is shocking at the moment.

First comp of the year and it was medal. Net 82. Oh dear. Bet my golf is more shocking that yours!

 

[macca64]

First comp of the year and it was medal. Net 82. Oh dear. Bet my golf is more shocking that yours!

OH no its not! thing is I only missed one fairway,

 

[Scrindle]

I recently went through something similar (check my thread called 'My game...' or something similar) stemming from not having played over the Winter and falling into some really nasty bad swing habbits as a result.

I went to see my pro almost immediately and I'm now happy as Larry, with a reworked grip and a corrected backswing. I've also gained some distance out of it so I'm pretty chuffed, generally.

 

[LUFC 1972]

Could have saved myself £20 this is exactly what my pro did in my lesson.. problem was all down to my grip too much in my palm.. made a great positive impact on irons and hybrids... just cant hit my driver now.. so listen to the_coach !!