Less is more?

[AmandaJR]

Ok. So this year so far has seen me working hard on my swing ready for the season. Lessons, range sessions and course practice with the occasional competitive round.

I felt on the cusp of really having a robust swing I could rely on and I quite liked how it looked.

For the past few weeks different/new flaws have found their way in - duck hooks seemed the start point but thought I'd sorted those out. Weekend before last I simply couldn't hit a ball - seriously was barely making contact with my irons and woods not much better. I just felt all wrong from half way on the backswing and couldn't figure why nor how to get the club from there to the ball in any decent shape. Had a lesson and we worked on changing things up and fading my irons and something felt back in place. Played ok for a few days with the occasional "where's my swing gone again" moment and then on Sunday played our final 7 under and on top form apart from one swing on the 15th which was dire. This week has seen 18 holes on Tuesday sandwiched between range and 18 holes. Suddenly in the lesson I hit shank after shank which is a new one! Wednesday was range, 9 holes, range and started dreadfully but by the end of the range session things were improved. Yesterday was range, 18 holes, and range by which time I was in such a deep hole I could seriously have wept. Sweating buckets and digging a deeper and deeper hole for myself

Hands hurt (probably gripping too tight with fearful panic!), body hurts, mind hurts and feeling sorry for myself.

So am thinking about just not picking up a club and addressing a ball for...a period of time - not sure how long that will be but maybe I just need to walk away, regroup and perhaps in a more relaxed state I'll rediscover how to swing a golf club and hit the pesky ball.

Any thoughts for those who may have been through something similar? Did the break work? How long was it? Short game practice only for a while - etc etc?

I need a plan - something to work towards that can stop my head whirling around for a while!

Edit - this all depends on whether my call to the captain this morning (sleepless night) gets me out of the Daily Mail team for Sunday. If not then I simply have to hit balls til my hands bleed!!

 

[pokerjoke]

Most peope on here when they make a major change to there swing,talk about getting
worse before it gets better.
One thing i picked up from what you write,is the thought about your swing half way back
on the backswing.
Imo you shoudnt be having those kind of thoughts at that stage.
A thought you might want to get into your head is maybe Tempo,or smooth.
Sooner or later all the changes you have made will click into place naturally,however while
you have a lot of thoughts going through your head it will probably be longer.
Try to enjoy and not put yourself under pressure,if you can.

 

[AmandaJR]

Most peope on here when they make a major change to there swing,talk about getting
worse before it gets better.
One thing i picked up from what you write,is the thought about your swing half way back
on the backswing.
Imo you shoudnt be having those kind of thoughts at that stage.
A thought you might want to get into your head is maybe Tempo,or smooth.
Sooner or later all the changes you have made will click into place naturally,however while
you have a lot of thoughts going through your head it will probably be longer.
Try to enjoy and not put yourself under pressure,if you can.

Thanks. I have never had to think about my take away or backswing as it happened naturally. We have been working on my top of backswing position as my left arm collpased at the top. I'm now aware that something feels wrong at the top (by halfway back) but cannot feel what it is nor where the club is. Sure as hell doesn't feel like my swing at the moment apart from about 1 in 20 which are stunners but can't determine why

I agree though I have too many thoughts whirling around as I'm desperate to figure out what's wrong and fix it. I start to feel a single thought works (say hip rotation/weight transfer) and believe in that then it all goes wrong again...

This game...

 

[pokerjoke]

Dont forget these changes you have made are unatural to you.
Once the thoughts go they will become natural.
You have already talked about 6 or 7 thoughts and things you are working on.
That is far too many.
Try once again to have only one or two at a time and work on them first.
You will definately come out the other side soon,and im sure it will be for the better.
Good luck

 

[AmandaJR]

Dont forget these changes you have made are unatural to you.
Once the thoughts go they will become natural.
You have already talked about 6 or 7 thoughts and things you are working on.
That is far too many.
Try once again to have only one or two at a time and work on them first.
You will definately come out the other side soon,and im sure it will be for the better.
Good luck

Thanks again. Need to come down a level in terms of intensity for sure and then swing a club relaxed which has to help. Very disappointing though as the swing change felt natural and I was hitting the ball beautifully just a few weeks ago...

 

[sona]

I've been there ( soaking hands in hot water to be able to bend my fingers ) and know what you must feel like. The layoff only made me feel worse, I checked my setup was right and shut out all thoughts except to swing smooth.

 

[DaveM]

This may sound daft but it works. It sounds to me as if you are thinking to much about the bad shot, the way the ball is reacting to the swing. Then getting strung up about it. Have you tried getting some of those practice balls that dont go very far and get blown all over the place. That way it stops you thinking about ball flight etc. Just have a bit of fun swinging and hitting them. You will find it relaxing and before long you will be swinging freely with little or no thoughts. The pressure will be off as you will have no expectations as to what the ball is doing. Just try it. I know it sounds daft but it can work.

 

[AmandaJR]

This may sound daft but it works. It sounds to me as if you are thinking to much about the bad shot, the way the ball is reacting to the swing. Then getting strung up about it. Have you tried getting some of those practice balls that dont go very far and get blown all over the place. That way it stops you thinking about ball flight etc. Just have a bit of fun swinging and hitting them. You will find it relaxing and before long you will be swinging freely with little or no thoughts. The pressure will be off as you will have no expectations as to what the ball is doing. Just try it. I know it sounds daft but it can work.

I like that idea and had thought about then dismissed hitting some in the field behind us as I wouldn't see the ball flight and get information about the strike...turning that around to being a positive is an excellent idea.

Perhaps something in a day or two though as these hands are not wrapping themselves round a golf club just yet!

 

[JustOne]

I've been playing too much, my head is full of thoughts and I'm not even fixing those thoughts by being on the practice ground and working through them, as soon as someone turns up without a partner it's out for a nippy 9 holes at least. Body is sore and tired... I'm having a day off tomorrow... and Sunday... Monday I'd like to do an hour on the practice ground or some chipping and putting... I'm all played out right now.

In an ideal world I'd make up a flask and some sarnies then take 50 balls out to the practice ground and try chipping them into a bucket from 10,20,30yds, before maybe hitting a volley of 9-irons, it'd probably help me more than trying to lash a driver when I'm tired. Balanced practice and playing is essential.... I think. 9 holes on Wednesday or Thurs is my plan for the next time I play on the course. Although I'm playing poorly and feel exhausted, the practice that I did last week is really helping... I should do it more often!

I wouldn't say that less is more.... practicing is more, playing is LESS. Like you I practically have to drag myself off the course though... even when I can hardly stand up straight!

 

[SocketRocket]

When I get into a state where I am suddenly starting to make poor ball contact and can't seem to figure it out, I go to the range and take a 7 iron and a tin of marking spray (On Spot) I spray this onto the clubface then start hitting balls and see where the impact mark is. When I get off form it will normally be hits towards the hozel and maybe a little low down on the clubface.

The problem will normally be associated to body movement, I will be moving in a way that is pushing or pulling the clubface off centre at impact. I had a spell of this a week ago and found that I had started pushing out my right knee towards the ball too much in the downswing, this had the effect of pushing the club away from me and also making me lift up due to my tush line pulling in. 40 balls later it was sorted.

Your problem may be completely different but checking out exactly what type of impact you are making will clarify what has gone wrong and give you a clue why.

 

[JustOne]

I had a spell of this a week ago and found that I had started pushing out my right knee towards the ball too much in the downswing.

You identified this with some spray on the clubface?

 

[AmandaJR]

I did use some impact tape - 4 lots in fact and each one said the same story:

Toe
Heel
Barely even on Toe
Hosel so not even on tape but nasty blemish on club
Middle but low - no compression
Middle and middle (rare)...

So on it went and by the time I escaped I was soaked in sweat and ready to jump in the lake - sort of.

I'd forgotten one of my running mantras which popped into my head and made me smile...

FORM IS TEMPORARY, CLASS IS PERMANENT

Must repeat that on the hour every hour :clap:

 

[Wolfman]

Hi Amanda

I have been in this situation often as mentioned by others after lessons

Seems like the more you practise the worse it becomes !

My advice is to relax more and stop thinking about swing thoughts while playing and for practice spend time chipping and putting instead

When you go to play next enjoy the day and play a laid back game and think only where you wish to play the ball too and not how to swing the club.

You are sending so many mixed messages to your brain its no wonder you feel the way you do.

Its often said you play the best game ever after a lay off or a very relaxed no pressure game because you stop analysing your swing each shot

Dont let it get you down

 

[AmandaJR]

Hi Amanda

I have been in this situation often as mentioned by others after lessons

Seems like the more you practise the worse it becomes !

My advice is to relax more and stop thinking about swing thoughts while playing and for practice spend time chipping and putting instead

When you go to play next enjoy the day and play a laid back game and think only where you wish to play the ball too and not how to swing the club.

You are sending so many mixed messages to your brain its no wonder you feel the way you do.

Its often said you play the best game ever after a lay off or a very relaxed no pressure game because you stop analysing your swing each shot

Dont let it get you down

Very sensible, sound advice. Thanks very much and I'm hoping a few days trying not to think about the swing will relax my poor brain so I can swing relaxed...

 

[daymond]

From several of your recent posts you have had a lot of good rounds.Following those it could be that you have been trying to hit a bit further/faster and your earlier rhythm has gone.
If your hands are in the state you say they are you must be playing and practicing too much. A tired body and mind - bad golf.
If all else fails line up on a distant target and only think of that when you swing.

 

[Wolfman]

Next time you play be careful not to try and not think about the swing if that makes sense

If you make your mind think i must not think about the swing guess what it will think about the swing, a bit like mustnt hit the ball into the pond, what happens next in the ball goes !

You must focus on seeing the ball in your mind fly to the hole or landing place and keep this clearly in your mind and let your natural swing do its thing

Good luck and hope your next game is what you wish it to be

 

[Artoist]

I find if things are going a little astray ,I focus on Grip,Posture and Alignment and try to dismiss any other swing thoughts altogether ,before too long I am striking the ball much better and then try to build up thoughts to improve consistancy.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

This may sound daft coming from me given the amount of lessons and range work I do but is it not simply a case of too much. I think you are hitting balls in what they call the conscious competence phase where you are reasonably proficient but have to think about it all the time. You never switch off and just hit the ball. Perhaps the only time you have truly let go was the back nine on the course where it clicked.

It just sounds to me as though you are thinking about every thing in infinite detail and you have so many swing thoughts in your head its impossible to focus. I was in the same position until about three years ago when the collective masses on here told me the same thing. Now I tend to have just one thought in my head and trust the range work I've put in and rely on my swing. Granted my handicap is still rising but 80% of that is the short game demons (mental again although the technique was flawed too) and the ball striking since I went to the new teacher before Christmas is more consistent.

I still have rounds like the roll up last week where I couldn't find two swings the same and had a real bad day but there was still some good in there to take away. I guess KISS (keep it simple stupid) is apt for the both of us

 

[SocketRocket]

You identified this with some spray on the clubface?

Yes, thats what I said.

I use my Engineering brain in such circumstances. There is a cause to every effect, it's the central law of the universe. Once you understand the output then you examine the inputs and find a pattern that fits. It's not 'Socket Rocket Science'

 

[CrapHacker]

Yes, thats what I said.

I use my Engineering brain in such circumstances. There is a cause to every effect, it's the central law of the universe. Once you understand the output then you examine the inputs and find a pattern that fits. It's not 'Socket Rocket Science'

I thought the central law of the universe was "no hands until invited"



I've never been arrested for sticking my knee out too far.