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Lost my mojo

In my old sport of sailboat racing, I used to take a season out about every 7 or 8 years. Best thing I did. Each time I went back to it fresher and revitalised, and often up another level.

It's about periods of improvement and periods of plateau's. We all get frustrated at something that we've spent so long on. For me it was 30 years of racing. The last time I took a break was a couple of years ago. I've not been back since, but I am tempted to go back to a bit of dinghy racing as a bit of fun. But no more. (It'll never happen, I'm far to competitive!)

Perhaps you should try a more 'seat of the pants' approach to your golf, as opposed to the analytical approach. But a short break is almost a must. Hide the bats away, don't watch it on TV, even give the forum a bit of a miss for a little while. Go and spend a few weekends with HID. After a week or two she'll be dying for you to get back out on the course :p

Golf for me is my escape from the rigours of looking after two young children all week and running the business. It doesn't really matter if I play well, get any better (though obviously I want to), or just hack it around. It's great just to be away for a few hours once a week. It's my downtime.
 
I'd take a couple of weeks out, then the important bit...grabs some young kids, and go have a bash at a nice pitch and putt.
(make sure you know the kids, and you're not a catholic priest) :)
They'll show you how to have fun on a golf course again.
 
Either take a break as suggested or just play with no worries about anything - use old balls and just hit it, go find it and hit it agian. Don't try to be technical and smile if it goes wrong and think "Yeah, figures".
That's what I did. Last summer I was awful, absolutely horrendous. I just took the attitude that I was playing badly and that's life. It all came back after a few weeks and then I was playing better than ever.
 
Homer,

Plenty of good suggestions on here and hope you find the answer.

My idea is, go and play some different courses, there must be quite a few in your neck of the woods. Badger a few forummers for a game - sure you'll get plenty of takers. Just chillax and enjoy the surroundings, oh, and no practicing for a while! :D I agree with others, take a 2 week break first.

When I next have a free weekend, (from comps etc.) gonna arrange a game with JustOneUK - perhaps at Copthorne. Come along, and you never know, we might be able to get Smiffy to join us too. A round with JustOneUK and Smiffy :eek:
Just what you need :cool: :)

Will keep you posted.

Golfmmad.
 
what about finding something (short term?) so you can't play golf (my wife & kids?!)
It's hard work for me to fit in 3 games a month, sometimes i have no choice but not to play for 4 weeks. Then I really can't wait to play, and can even resort to quite underhand tactics to create some time to play!

Golf to me is an absolute pleasure, whether its bouncing down freezing cold & I'm mis-hitting the ball, or... well that's it usually.
 
Think you should just stop playing until you really feel you want a round again. Whether that's 1 week or 6 months.
Golf is there for your enjoyment. It's not an obligation.
 
go shopping with the wife mate when it is beautiful outside and there is a comp on at the gc, then decide if you would rather be in tesco/asda/someothers or on the course!!

Good luck with it, I know what I would choose... I had plenty of time off over the winter with family,work and weather, so i am chomping at the bit atm!!

Also, it doesnt matter what you are hitting it like, there are no pictures on the scorecard! getting in the hole ugly is just as effective.

JT
 
Looking forward to playing on Friday at Sand Martins. Got a deal on the freen fee (thanks to HID) and its a decent set up. Good practice facilities and a well kept course (they did all the bunkers over the winter). We'll see what happens and have another think.
 
Homer never mind the practise facilities it always comes up in every one of your posts,go to the first tee and hammer it same again on every tee, get the negative thoughts out the head, do something else go watch Fulham for christ sake.

Playing some place else is also good for your game ,playing your own track however good it is produces staleness,and complete boredom of golf, even if its a goat track.

You seem to live your life around golf with the time on here and your blog ,take a break it will do you good, i've been in your shoes many times over the years ,now i ain't bothered,life's to short.
 
I'm thinking

Play the course differently to how you usually play it. Take a 3w or a hybrid off the tee for a change.

Don't use a full swing for the first 6 holes, just take a 3/4 swing until you ae completely flexible and warmed up.

Practise hitting to the 80 - 100 yard areas so you can work on your pitching and putting.

Basically, do what you do, just do it differently.

Work on a different, but ultimately simple swingthought. Maybe forget everything except a totally balanced followthrough to a nice high finish. Or just think tempo.

Make the game as simplistic as you can, with as little expectation on yourself that you can impose on yourself.
 
HomerJ,

Consensus here is obviously to take a break. Have to agree as that'll serve a couple purposes.

One, when you return, you'll have no expectations regarding score or level of play. In fact, whatever expectations you do have will be low.

Two, whatever nasty habits have crept into your swing will dissipate. Of course, they'll eventually resurface, most likely, but their brief absence will give you a chance to develop some positive feelings and, hopefully, renewed confidence.

Best,
Sean
 
Just an observation and, possibly, wrong!

You mentioned that you haven't been taking practice swings before each shot. I find that if I'm not confident and start to cut out my pre-shot routine, things go from bad to worse.

I'm tense, my alignment can go slightly awry and I try to smack it too hard. Then the wheels come off properly and my head's totally gone.

I think there's plenty of good suggestions here but I wouldn't sacrifice your pre-shot routine.
 
Homer, you go from one extreme to another.
Practice like mad and full pre-shot routine to nothing....go out and give it a bash.
As far as others have said, have a rest for 2 weeks ?...that isn't you in my opinion. you need to be out there.
To stand over a ball with 12 thoughts in your head is wrong, so is no thoughts in your case.
I suggest you
1. work out what the problem is ie contact or direction
2. have ONE swing thought on each swing NO MORE AND NO LESS
3. dont chop and change...find a swing that works and stick with it.

You have had a few lessons recently so are in-between the old swing and a hard place atm and you've just lost a bit of confidence, that's all.
If you can find ONE swing thought that works, you will start to hit better shots, confidence will improve and you will start enjoying golf again :)
 
Do some extra shifts at work on a Saturday & Sunday Homer.

Nothing like being at work when the sun is shining to make you want to be back on the golf course.
 
Is Homer actually Rory McIlroy? ;)

Seriously though, the biggest improvement in my game over the winter was training myself to have no swing thoughts in my mind after address, and only what the ball flight and landing is going to look like. Doesn't work every time, but then again, I'm not a pro, and I'm never, ever going to hit every shot perfectly every time - none of us are. Accept that, and you're getting there.

Oh, and I'd take a couple of weeks off too :)
 
Homer, it sounds to me like you need another interest in your life mate. Not instead of golf, but as well as. Something simple that you can fall back on that doesnt' require hours of practice to get it right. Something simple like cycling, or running or swimming. Or maybe even something like photography (although that can be a bit more distracting). Just something to get your mind of the game of golf for a while each week - as far as i can tell, all you seem to have is golf or work and nothing else... could be wrong, but that's how it comes across on here.
 
I feel your pain Homer.....i'm a practice nut like you and i was in exactly the same situation last year.
I sat down and had a long chat with my teaching pro who assured me all had gone well with swing changes and lessons through the winter and that i should clear my mind and trust what i've learned and take it to the course!
As i said last year was awful, but we worked together on my swing through this winter (weather permitting) and mindful of last year and what my pro had said i got stuck into the course and club comps early this year.
To date i've had my best start to the season with two medal wins and two cuts to my handicap!!!
This have given my confidence a massive boost and i feel i'm flying now!
What i'm trying to say is the season has started so you need to play more than practice now.....it'll come back i'm certain!
What's the old football cliche.....form is temporary, class is permanent! :D

P.S. Don't give up....i still owe you a round at our place....shall we have a tenner on it??? ;)
 
2. have ONE swing thought on each swing NO MORE AND NO LESS

If you can find ONE swing thought that works, you will start to hit better shots, confidence will improve and you will start enjoying golf again :)
Click to expand...

That was what I said. Only it made sense when you said it.

:(
 
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