How can you lose a swing so easily????

[dufferman]

I write this out of frustration.

I have been cut to a 12 handicap recently, with a great run of golf over a 3 month period. That included a nett 63 in May's medal, and a 4 over par round with my family in April. To say I was on cloud 9 was an understatement.

Last few weeks, it's gone. Shanks, duffs, fat chips, hooks, slices. Last night I played and was 18 over after 16 holes, I stopped scoring the last 2 holes, it was woeful. I took 3 tee shots on the par 3 18th, all were slicey 4 irons ending up right & through the green.

How can you go from 3 months of playing fantastic to effectively losing it?

What's worse, is I was just getting to the point of treating myself to some new irons to replace my game improver irons. That's out the window now, believe me.

 

[hovis]

i always say that a good swing has a shelf life. it happens to everyone. its usually when something bad starts to creep in but your mind and body can compensate and hit the required shot. this "bad" gets worse and worse and you continue to compensate and play well.
until one day you reach a tipping point and you simply can't recover.

it feels like your swing has gone overnight but in reality it was keeping up behind you all along

 

[Capella]

It is probably something really minute. Your grip changing slightly without you noticing it, some subtle change in your backswing or something like that. Do you have a pro who knows your swing? In that case, just go and have a lesson, he will probably be able to spot it and point it out to you in no time. (Even if you haven't had regular lessons before, just having one now might help you). You can also try to film your swing. Maybe you can spot what's going wrong yourself, if you see it from the outside.

 

[dufferman]

It is probably something really minute. Your grip changing slightly without you noticing it, some subtle change in your backswing or something like that. Do you have a pro who knows your swing? In that case, just go and have a lesson, he will probably be able to spot it and point it out to you in no time. (Even if you haven't had regular lessons before, just having one now might help you). You can also try to film your swing. Maybe you can spot what's going wrong yourself, if you see it from the outside.

I don't have lessons no, possibly filming my swing would be a good idea. I just feel a bit lost!

 

[road2ruin]

It is probably something really minute. Your grip changing slightly without you noticing it, some subtle change in your backswing or something like that. Do you have a pro who knows your swing? In that case, just go and have a lesson, he will probably be able to spot it and point it out to you in no time. (Even if you haven't had regular lessons before, just having one now might help you). You can also try to film your swing. Maybe you can spot what's going wrong yourself, if you see it from the outside.

I would tend to agree with this. A couple of years ago I had a brilliant season, cut from 19 to 12 and was competitive in almost every comp I played. Had been having regular lessons but decided to stop for a period as I was improving and felt I had enough to work on. I then started to notice my draw getting more powerful and a pretty destructive hook appearing but I couldn't see any changes in set up, swing etc etc. I'd finally had enough after a particular stableford that resulted in 18 points and when to see my pro. He diagnosed the issue within 30 seconds, my grip had changed without my noticing. Right hand had got much stronger and was causing the issues. I have now got back to a more neutral grip and golf is better so I'd probably have a lesson and see if there is something immediately obvious that you cannot feel/see.

 

[bobmac]

It is probably something really minute. Your grip changing slightly without you noticing it, some subtle change in your backswing or something like that. Do you have a pro who knows your swing? In that case, just go and have a lesson, he will probably be able to spot it and point it out to you in no time. (Even if you haven't had regular lessons before, just having one now might help you). You can also try to film your swing. Maybe you can spot what's going wrong yourself, if you see it from the outside.

I agree.
One question though.......
Do do consciously drive onto you front froot to a nice balanced position at the end of the swing?

 

[Dan_]

I can relate to this. Was playing the best golf of my life towards the end of last season and got cut to 10, continued playing through the winter and was consistently playing to 6 or below (albeit off yellow tees) and even carried it on to the start of this season only for it to disappear what feels like over night. I'm now in that horrible cycle thinking about everything and it is only making it worse, everything is high starting right and moving even further left to right. I walk off scoring okay (short game is really propping me up) but feeling like I have struck the ball awfully and generally not enjoying it. Confidence is shot.

First lesson in a couple of years booked for Tuesday, let's hope that can sort something out :thup:

 

[Orikoru]

I'm pretty sure my swing is different almost every time I play. :lol:

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I want to know how it can go in the middle of a round. Play a good nine, get to the turn in confident mood and then it's as if I have lost the ability to hit a golf shot of any substance. Failing that you start like a lemon, sack off a competition card by the turn and then come back under full sail. How much is to do with the mental side? Surely the majority of us can hit a ball to a competent degree especially in practice and warm up and then go out and have two or three good days, hopefully getting cut, go back and do everything we'd done in the previous weeks and get on the first and as the OP says, it's melted like an ice cream in the recent heatwave

 

[Tashyboy]

Played last week and felt I was ready to smash it and to an extent I did. But over the last week my head is spinning with personal matters. Played in a medal comp on Tuesday and it is the worst round I have played in living memory. It was woeful. Trouble is as well I did not give a toss, that night I was proper narked with myself. After all no one dragged me there against my will.
It is our 3 rd annual Thoresby Winners Trevs & Andys Shield comp tomorrow. ***** for short. I run it and me game at the moment Is dire. Been to the range this afternoon after a 380 mile round trip to Gatwick and me swing was all over the place. Tomorrow could well be a painful day.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Played last week and felt I was ready to smash it and to an extent I did. But over the last week my head is spinning with personal matters. Played in a medal comp on Tuesday and it is the worst round I have played in living memory. It was woeful. Trouble is as well I did not give a toss, that night I was proper narked with myself. After all no one dragged me there against my will.
It is our 3 rd annual Thoresby Winners Trevs & Andys Shield comp tomorrow. ***** for short. I run it and me game at the moment Is dire. Been to the range this afternoon after a 380 mile round trip to Gatwick and me swing was all over the place. Tomorrow could well be a painful day.

We all know some of the crap you're having to deal with and so it's understandable you're head's mashed. My advice would be go tomorrow, have a blast and use it as escapism for a few hours and don't give a toss on how good or bad the game is. It's hard enough to play well when you're mind is on it and impossible when you've got stuff to deal with

 

[the_coach]

double post - see following

 

[the_coach]

I write this out of frustration.

I have been cut to a 12 handicap recently, with a great run of golf over a 3 month period. That included a nett 63 in May's medal, and a 4 over par round with my family in April. To say I was on cloud 9 was an understatement.

Last few weeks, it's gone. Shanks, duffs, fat chips, hooks, slices. Last night I played and was 18 over after 16 holes, I stopped scoring the last 2 holes, it was woeful. I took 3 tee shots on the par 3 18th, all were slicey 4 irons ending up right & through the green.

How can you go from 3 months of playing fantastic to effectively losing it?

What's worse, is I was just getting to the point of treating myself to some new irons to replace my game improver irons. That's out the window now, believe me.

often times see this happen when folks have had a decent spell but them become a tad 'ball' bound because the start 'lookin' to hit the ball even better

meaning the focus has shifted to hitting the ball - in trying to improve strike - the ball has become the sole target
this kinda sends a picture to subconscious that once the club head arrives at ball the job is over

this for sure is a real quick ways to mess with any decent tempo or rhythm the swing may have had

try putting the ball low down on a short tee to take ground out of the equation in practice with a 7i or 8i

then put the focus on making a rhythmic swing (no hit 'at' - trying to improve strike)
so the club head is just 'passing' though where the ball happens to be on the way to turning through to a good balanced finish you can hold to a count of 3 - no stepping sideways or backwards after the contact

{before you start attempting this just put some alignment sticks down to check body/feet lines - check ball position - if range has any mirrors check the dtl view of posture & how far the hands & handle are away from the body checking neither too crowded hands too close or over-reaching arms too extended}

 

[dufferman]

often times see this happen when folks have had a decent spell but them become a tad 'ball' bound because the start 'lookin' to hit the ball even better

meaning the focus has shifted to hitting the ball - in trying to improve strike - the ball has become the sole target
this kinda sends a picture to subconscious that once the club head arrives at ball the job is over

this for sure is a real quick ways to mess with any decent tempo or rhythm the swing may have had

try putting the ball low down on a short tee to take ground out of the equation in practice with a 7i or 8i

then put the focus on making a rhythmic swing (no hit 'at' - trying to improve strike)
so the club head is just 'passing' though where the ball happens to be on the way to turning through to a good balanced finish you can hold to a count of 3 - no stepping sideways or backwards after the contact

{before you start attempting this just put some alignment sticks down to check body/feet lines - check ball position - if range has any mirrors check the dtl view of posture & how far the hands & handle are away from the body checking neither too crowded hands too close or over-reaching arms too extended}

Thank you for the advice!

I hit the range and I *think* my swing has become a little too in-to-out, and I'm coming over the top to compensate in the down swing. Trying to bring my backswing out a little, and the strikes seem to be getting better. 18 holes tomorrow, see if it will last for the whole round!

 

[Khamelion]

probably down to over confidence and exuberance the "I finally nailed it" thought getting into your mindset. Easier said than done, but just forget about it, you are already looking to over analyse your swing. You written perhaps I need to film my swing, others have suggested this that and the other.

Go out, have bounce game with mates or some alone time and just swing, you know you have a good game, you're down to 12HC, so just do what you do, don't think about it.

 

[xcore]

Just got back from a 2 week holiday, went straight down the range, it's like iv never swung a club before!

 

[dufferman]

I have been to the range almost everyday this past week, with 9 holes booked tonight since I'm off on a 3 day golf weekend Friday.

I think I have found the issue, my backswing has become so far in to out that I'm well coming over the top to accommodate.

Fingers crossed I'll keep the feeling for the weekend ahead at least!!

 

[Curls]

Read an excellent GM piece recently about a Challenge Tour pro and his advice was "When you're on the course don't think about your swing, think about rhythm". He said if youre focussed on rhythm your bad shots wont be as as bad as if you were focussing on your swing. I reckon there's something in that...

 

[dufferman]

Read an excellent GM piece recently about a Challenge Tour pro and his advice was "When you're on the course don't think about your swing, think about rhythm". He said if youre focussed on rhythm your bad shots wont be as as bad as if you were focussing on your swing. I reckon there's something in that...

You're not wrong. When it starts going wrong often it's down to me swinging at 200 miles an hour!!

 

[Curls]

You're not wrong. When it starts going wrong often it's down to me swinging at 200 miles an hour!!

You can sing it brother. Sometimes I wonder who is at the controls and what has he taken. Hope the big golf weekend goes well, rain should have passed by leaving receptive greens behind. Thats the theory anyway