Getting out of a slump in form

SaintHacker

SaintHacker

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How do you do it when it happens to you?
I'm going through a real bad spell of form at the moment, after tearing it up at the end of last season I'm now struggling to hit the ball. Not just with one club, its with the entire bag and its hammering my confidence. This Sundays medal was a new low as I went round in 106, yes, one hundred and six shots.:mad: Can't really afford lessons although I'm not sure that will even do any good as its not a specific fault, its my entire game has gone to pot. Thinking about taking a few weeks away from comps and just play some pressure free practice rounds to try and find a swing again.
Any suggestions?
 
I remember having a bit of a melt down two years back. In semi final and final of a all Ulster comp. Was at the point were people were coming to watch us to support us and the club.

Never played as badly still hurts me to the day.

I must have hit a 1000 balls in the weeks between the comps. It got to the point were I couldn't hit the ball out of my way. (really)

In the end up I had to pull myself out of the second leg in the final. Wanted to play so badly but a 20 handicap would not of helped me.

Anyways was going to see a pro after everything was over and try and fix whatever had happened me.

Then in one of my many driving range sessions trying everything lol. A mate came to me and said here hit my 7 iron. He's like 6'3 and his clubs are like 3degree upright and extra half inch on them. At the time I was playing with 1degree flat. I told him no way you want to finish me off altogether.

He said look I seen something just hit it and see.

So I picked up his club and hit it. And it went down the middle I was all to him WTF. What you see.

He turned to me and said all in your mate. You trying to hard to fix things trying to hard to perfect your game. Just hit the ball.

Never looked back lol tho I remember it like yesterday
 
Put the clubs away for a week or two,then have a few friendly games.
That's what I'd do anyway.
I tend to start over thinking things when playing badly.
 
It does seem the harder you try the worse you get sometimes. Last Saturday was a prime example. Was really relaxed on the front 9 not really keeping score other than shouting out numbers for the chap actually keeping score. Got to the tenth tee, he told me I'd shot 41 front 9 and the pressure just hit me. I was all over the place and shot a 52 back 9.

Went out today again with a I'm here to practice attitude and shot a 42 front and 44 back.....

just relaxing seems to help help a great deal.
 
Don't play in another competition until you have hit or beaten your handicap again.

Reset your goals and build back up to competition again when you are ready.
 
SaintHacker said:
How do you do it when it happens to you?
I'm going through a real bad spell of form at the moment, after tearing it up at the end of last season I'm now struggling to hit the ball. Not just with one club, its with the entire bag and its hammering my confidence. This Sundays medal was a new low as I went round in 106, yes, one hundred and six shots.:mad: Can't really afford lessons although I'm not sure that will even do any good as its not a specific fault, its my entire game has gone to pot. Thinking about taking a few weeks away from comps and just play some pressure free practice rounds to try and find a swing again.
Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

Mate,

You need a game with me. I can not hit anything apart from my driver at the moment. I hit a lovley drive on a par 4 the other day, left me 110 in and proceeded to hit 8 iron shots and only just made the green. Walked off with another 10.
 
Midnight said:
Mate,

You need a game with me. I can not hit anything apart from my driver at the moment. I hit a lovley drive on a par 4 the other day, left me 110 in and proceeded to hit 8 iron shots and only just made the green. Walked off with another 10.
Click to expand...

You used to beat me when I was playing well, what happend? I rarely recall 10s back then!

IIRC I was playing just a wee bit over my handicap and losing, you might have been off a higher hdcp back then?
 
Midnight said:
Mate,

You need a game with me. I can not hit anything apart from my driver at the moment. I hit a lovley drive on a par 4 the other day, left me 110 in and proceeded to hit 8 iron shots and only just made the green. Walked off with another 10.
Click to expand...

I'll take you up on that mate, we can try to out crap-shot each other!
 
I'd just keep playing. Not necessarily in comps if you don't have the confidence but it's something we do for "fun". I've had to readjust my own goals this year with ongoing health issues and simply go out without any expectations and just enjoy having the chance to do so. I still enjoy working on my game. Perhaps that's the answer and just try and work it on the range/practice and find some tempo, which I suggest is getting too quick, and what is and isn't working. I hope it gets better for you soon
 
Practice,little and lots. Not big 2 hour sessions doing the same thing.
Also, take your time and try to remain calm. We've all been there, getting frustrated and swinging at the ball as if you're going to murder it.
Start with 3/4 swings, get your swing back and then build up to full swings.
 
I've been struggling for weeks. Feeling really uncomfortable over the ball and keep pulling shots left with anything lower than an 8 iron. Figured I must have had a closed stance so I lay a club on the floor on a tee box to check my alignment and I was way out. Also the ball had been creeping back in my stance which i had never realised.
Once I realised what was wrong I tried to put it right but it felt awful. Been out tonight and taught myself to feel comfortable with a neutral stance and the ball little forward of centre in my stance and I have hit the ball lovely.

I guess its trying to workout what has changed for you. its probably only something slight. Moving the ball forward 2 inches and my left foot 2 inches back has made a massive difference for me. Until I had a good look at myself I never realised what I was doing.
 
As a quick fix on the course, I've played with my feet together. Seems to take out the worst rubbish and at least gets me back to the clubhouse with pride and clubs intact.
 
Take a little break, just long enough until you start missing golf and really wanting to get back out there. If that's now, then don't take a break!

When you do go back, focus on the fundamentals - setup etc, nice easy swings, and take it from there.

You haven't become bad at golf, probably just need to get out of your own way and stop trying.
 
Take some time off, or if you have to be out on the course, don't bother keeping score. A slump in form can often mean you are trying too hard and trying to force the shots to happen

Unless you play golf for a living, don't worry about it, just go out on the course with friends and have a laugh instead of trying to put a score together
 
would try to focus on good posture and take the club away smooth by rotating torso & shoulders weight staying on inside of trail foot - not by any lateral movement off the ball weight goin to outside trail foot
smooth 'lazy' transition to accumulate speed in the downswing - not apply speed straightways from the top -
a rotation of the hips & body delivering the arms & club

'feeling' through the motion that vertical posture height is maintained with no lateral move off of the ball - so no 'slide n' rise up' going back, no big 'sitdown then stand up' into the ball

at driving range with say a 7i, ball teed up a good half to three quarters inch with an L backswing length (lead arm goes back to horizontal to ground shaft at 90º) through to full balanced finish position that can be held for count of 3
monitor that the weight is finishing on the lead leg
work to deliver a level centered strike through the ball at 70% speed not full speed swing motion
not so easy a drill to accomplish but worth the effort

- get that goin good for bunch of consecutive strikes then tee ball down to normal low height and repeat

hopefully the swing sequence should return and the extraneous movements been removed
 
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