How to get out of a golf slump

[Oddsocks]

When I was in that position (went from 7 back to 12) I was down and didn’t play for a few months. Got dragged out by a mate on a freezing drizzly morning with no card in hand just for a walk.

After a bacon bap & 45mins of banter, 4 hours of brutal golf and banter, and then another half an hour in the bar complete with all the banter known to be thrown, I couldn’t tell you what I shot but that round was exactly what was needed.

Screw the card up and just enjoy it!

 

[Deleted member 25172]

I'm in the same position as yourself. Started last year at 5.1, now up to to 8.4 and further rising, with 4 last cards 9.5, 11.2, 14.7 and 16.3.

Miss used to be a big push slice with the driver and iron shots just sort of drifting to the right as the ball loses power. Tried to correct that, and a year and a half later I've now have every miss in the catalogue. Still the big old push slice, for the next shot to be a straight off pull, to the next shot being a pull hook, duff, thin etc etc. You name the miss, I've got in in the arsenal. Probably lose somewhere between 3-5 balls per round.

Confidence at an all time low and I'm usually quite weak mentally in the best of times, so don't know why I keep showing up at the golf course at the moment as it's mainly just a ball losing exercise.

 

[Backsticks]

Try to get back to whatever your stock shot was, avoiding any attempts to shape the ball. Its an idea of the past even at the most elite level. Honing one stock shot type and making it as repeatable as possible seems to be the curreent thinking. Tinkering shot to shot risks upsetting a delicate balance that was working for you.

 

[Kennysarmy]

My handicap isn't as low as yours but I've found myself in a similar situation often. When it's going wrong for me I have a 2 way miss with the woods and a mix of push, slice and push/slice with the irons. For me the reset is to try hit a draw with every club other than driver for just about every shot. By slightly closing the face and setting up for a draw I know that the worst result is probably a push. The reason I choose draw are 2 fold 1) it's not a shot I can hit by "mistake" (my mistakes are are missing right) I have to set up correctly for it. 2 ) I also get more distance and run from a draw - this means that when I miss (and push it) I end up short of my target distance - often still in the fairway or in the semi.

Thanks - might give that a go on Wednesday evening.

 

[Jigger]

Lessons or range time to get a single shot pattern.

Remember you are playing golf for enjoyment so don’t worry about your handicap so much. It’s there to reflect your game and make competitions competitive across abilities.

Register for something like hack it out podcast or read the four foundations of golf. Each have stats that make you realise your golf is actually ok.

 

[adasko]

have a look in to golf psychology, nice example how it works in this video

 

[Kennysarmy]

have a look in to golf psychology, nice example how it works in this video

Thanks will watch later.

 

[Hobbit]

I’ve got out of a slump by not playing for a few weeks, and I’ve got out of a slump by going to see a decent pro. New irons also worked for me as I would spend a lot more time on the practice ground. Always thoroughly enjoyed the new irons option.

 

[PJ87]

I find just go out and "enjoy" golf for a few rounds

im hopefully on the tail end of a slump atm and what did me was the constant putting in of cards we always do.. the worry after 2 bad holes oh there we go my great score from 20 rounds ago is going to drop off etc etc

my handicap has rocketed back up

i found to start just enjoying the game again to go out and not put in cards for a little bit.. enjoy the course.. hit some shots.. if they go wrong? so what doesnt matter

going in to the 9 hole comp tomorrow to see how it goes

Returning back to this after the comp, didn't score amazing but you know when you feel the games better and the scoring was just silly errors (couple of wild tee shots) rather than battling all the way round to put together something

I came off the course thinking right tighten up the tee shots and the second shots are ok.

I'd defo recommend just going out and enjoying some golf again. Ignore the card and score for a bit and just get some rhythm back and your mojo

 

[JonW]

My advice would be first to check and then double-check your fundamentals (grip, alignment, posture, ball position, etc.) and make sure they are all correct for a week or two.

After that, if you’re confident they’re all good, then go to see a professional with some decent kit (TrackMan, etc.) and see whether there is a consistent path and/or face angle issue that they can help rectify.

Potentially start tracking your stats using strokes gained (via ShotScope, Arcos, etc.) to see exactly where you’re losing shots. It may be that the area you perceive to be most problematic isn’t what you need to work on the most.

Also accept that golf shots are more of a shot gun than a sniper rifle. They’re never going to be perfect. Keep the ball in play and aim for the middle of greens.

Think how good your recovery shots and short game will be once your game does return!

 

[Jason.H]

Best thing is to go back to basics. Grip, posture, ball position, swing path ect. Don’t go beating range balls thinking it’s suddenly going to get better.

 

[Robster59]

I think the lower your handicap, the more you tend to beat yourself up, or try to change and improve, and find yourself in a vicious circle.
I would agree with those that say go back to your normal game, try to stop fiddling to much, and just try to enjoy it.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I just accept that I'm an amateur golfer that doesn't have time, and who's back's too knackered, to practice.
Sometimes you'll play well, other times you won't.

Even Pro's go through the doldrums, and they have every chance, opportunity and all the help required to improve.

If your handicap goes up, great, go and win some stablefords (it's possibly your only chance)

 

[Imurg]

This has been my game for 30 years...a few weeks of making golf easy followed by a few weeks of misery.
If you've got down to a decent standard then it's not about ability.
Something's just not clicking somewhere.
I just tend to play through it, knowing that it'll come back soon. It always has.
Coming out of a slump right now...I've been playing awfully but the last couple of rounds show signs of recovery.

 

[Kennysarmy]

18 holes yesterday afternoon, I did still do a general play card but really tried to loosen up on the tee, really tried to grip a lot lighter and trust my natural shape would prevail.
Score Diff was 8.3, lowest of last 5 rounds.

Had FOUR birdies, three setup on par 4's where I nailed the drive!

Sadly I also had FIVE doubles.
1. Came about from hooked 5 wood in to trees left off the tee - even though plenty room down the right! (But hole shapes R->L which suits my natural shape with 5W)
2. Came about from poor 2nd shot selection in trying punch low under tree branch from RH first cut and just didn't get the ball far enough - then 3 putted on a tricky green (Par 5)
3. Came about from 3 putting on a tricky green (Par 4) where getting on in two is very difficult - low SI hole, 4 I think)
4. Came about from slicing off the tee to OOB on a hole which suits a fade off the tee (natural shape with Driver) but starting line was wrong :/
5. Came about from missing fairway left leaving no shot to green, third then overshot the green from 50 yards away, so I was 4 on with 2 putts!

Stats from Garmin watch were:

Fairways hit 3/14 - work to do there!
GIR = 6/18
Putts = 29 - Scotty saved my bacon a few times.

 

[Captain_Black.]

Personally, I'd take a break from qualifiers as the bad rounds will knock your confidence.
But, whatever you do, keep playing & practicing, I've had slumps & it's surprising how quickly during a practice round you'll happen upon a fix that works & you will start playing great golf again.

I'm not a fan of ranges & only use them during really bad weather.
Nothing beats getting out on the course when it's quite, playing 9 holes & trying different things to iron out issues.

 

[Deleted member 25172]

Played 18 holes on my own last night just trying to enjoy the walk and hoping that playing by myself, no card, no scoring, would ease things and to find some enjoyment again.

I said played 18, but actually walked back to the car park from the 16th tee after slicing the first shot off the planet, following it up with a pull hook into the jungle. That was my 7th and 8th lost balls for the 16 holes.

Have enquired for lessons at the club and hope they get back swiftly.

Unless something changes, I don’t really seeing myself playing golf next year. If it wasn’t for the fact that it was only a week ago I paid the membership, the clubs would probably be up for sale by this point. Lowest of the low since I started playing golf.

 

[Kennysarmy]

Saturday round was a strange one, front nine on the whole was there or there abouts but could just not catch a break or make a score at all.

Back nine a few things clicked. My 75 yard gap wedge approach on 18 rolled up to the hole and lipped out for a tap in birdie 3 with a few watching from the patio!

 

[RichA]

Also had a strange round on Saturday in a Stableford board comp, in which my CH was 17.
After 7 holes I had only 6 points with 4 blobs and pretty much gave up trying.
I then played the next 9 holes in gross level par and found myself on 32 points with 2 to play. At this point it dawned on me that I was actually doing ok so, predictably, I hooked my drive on 17 OoB for a blob. Finished on 34 points.
Weird when golf can be so very easy and so very hard within the same round.
My style of golf seems to be very much or bust.

 

[Bdill93]

Played 18 holes on my own last night just trying to enjoy the walk and hoping that playing by myself, no card, no scoring, would ease things and to find some enjoyment again.

I said played 18, but actually walked back to the car park from the 16th tee after slicing the first shot off the planet, following it up with a pull hook into the jungle. That was my 7th and 8th lost balls for the 16 holes.

Have enquired for lessons at the club and hope they get back swiftly.

Unless something changes, I don’t really seeing myself playing golf next year. If it wasn’t for the fact that it was only a week ago I paid the membership, the clubs would probably be up for sale by this point. Lowest of the low since I started playing golf.

I feel for you mate! Got everything crossed for you that a few lessons get you back on the straight and narrow!

Its a beautiful game but one that really can break you mentally. When you hit a real slump in form its so hard to recover, the worst thing is it just stays there in your head between rounds and does not leave!- but a pro has fixed me numerous times and I'm sure one can do the same for you and start to bring some enjoyment back.