Madandra has lost his Mojo ......

madandra

Money List Winner
Joined
Mar 3, 2007
Messages
5,536
Location
The land of the Jock Frock
Visit site
Well folks, this is officially the WORST start I have ever had to a season and to be honest I am at my witts end. I have absolutely no drive or enthusiasm to get up to the course and play as I know it is going to end in me being angry and depressed about the state of my game.

There is no part of my game that gives me any hope. I was always a steady putter and my wee wand (CG11 56*) is running cold at the mo. I played yesterday and I was standing over the ball wondering how to swing the club.


I have no timing or tempo and feel like I have never picked a club up before !!


Can anybody help me as I am ready for putting all my gear on ebay and chucking it all in. I have also considered trying a sports shrink as I am sure it is all in my head.
 

rgs

Tour Rookie
Joined
Mar 14, 2007
Messages
1,493
Location
Dublin Ireland
Visit site
Manandra-but lose hope-i am sure the good vibes will return soon. Think positively, forget about the score on a given hole just concentrate on striking the ball and i am sure the timing will return in no time.

We all go through this phase.
 

TonyN

Money List Winner
Joined
Jan 24, 2008
Messages
6,012
Visit site
So many of us going throgh this lately.

Mad my advice would be just have a week off. Negative thoughts are no good and if your game is way off, ya dont want to ingrain any flaws.

Watch some golf before the end of the week and you'll be desperate to get back out. Hopefully, muscle memory will wake up and you'll be back into the swing of things in no time!

I find when tempo is gone. Its always good to watch someone with a good, controled swing before you play!
 

Tommo21

Tour Winner
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
4,678
Location
East Lothian Scotland
www.royalmusselburgh.co.uk
Been there done it a hundred times. I’m in a slump myself at the moment, my HC went up to 7, so I went to see the pro just last Friday and within half an hour he had me creaming the ball. Transferring it to the course is a different thing but it’s important to know the reasons why we’re doing things wrong even when it’s difficult to right that wrong.

It doesn’t matter what level you play at, it happens to us all. Just take a look through “How did I do” pick any golf club and look at the scores. It’s an eye opener as most of us very rarely play to what we think we should.

When things don’t go the way I want I just think of absent friends the many people who cant be on the golf course but would love to.

Andra, keep going, and we need you at North Berwick. :)
 

HTL

Tour Winner
Joined
Apr 18, 2007
Messages
3,464
Location
Surrey
Visit site
Take a week off and write down every thing that's getting you down at the moment. Try and not stress about the golf and enjoy the evenings your not at the range / course.

When you feel ready slowly break each thing you have written down into small tasks that you can solve little by little. For golf this could be getting your putting rhythm back.

If you want to discuss some Sports Psychology methods I will get my books out at work tomorrow and PM you with some methods to get you over this?
 

RGuk

Tour Winner
Joined
Aug 19, 2007
Messages
3,437
Visit site
1) take a short time off
2) go for a lesson, see if there is something horrible going on.
3) next time out, set yourself a manageable target and just enjoy it. my plan a.t.m. is simply to make 6 pars (which would give me my 12, if I can keep doubles of the card, which I can't because my short game is letting me down; not terribly, but enough to take 4 from the old 3-at-worst distances).
4) try to take something good out of small challenges; when the tempo/timing is messed up, give yourself a pat on the back when you middle one, even if the result is wayward...direction can be fixed quite quickly compared to a drastic swing flaw.
 

HomerJSimpson

Hall of Famer
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
73,206
Location
Bracknell - Berkshire
Visit site
I know and feel your pain. Been down the range every day this week as I couldn't use my course (some sort of race meet going on at Ascot apparently!). It started last Sunday when I lost my singles knockout on the 19th and to be frank it was a game that was there for the taking except for my putter and wandering mind.

My swing was a mess on Monday with the ball going straight but low with no power and by Wednesday I was close to kicking the bucket as far onto the range as possible with the balls still inside.

HID arranged a lesson for Thursday with a guy I've not used for many years (except for a short game lesson) and to be honest I remember why. He showed me what I was doing wrong (weight not moving across as I turn = reverse pivot + excess lateral movement to get to the ball). He then set about trying to change my swing and posture. By the time I finished and went to hit some balls after the lesson I was more confused and hitting worse than ever and close to tears.

My mate had booked a game for Saturday at Temple costing £50 and I couldn't even hit a wedge straight of more than 60 yards. I went back on Friday morning with renewed vigour having looked at online videos, my tutorial DVD's and my favourite magazines teaching sections (yes it was GM!)

By Friday lunchtime when I met HID that was it. I was going to put the clubs in the backroom and leave them to rot. My mate could take a hike about playing at Temple (frankly I 'd have been an embarrasment). I watched the golf Friday afternoon and decided to go back one more time for happy hour (120 balls for one token).

After hitting a few duff sand wedges and generally warming up I started with a few wedges. A shank and a top was followed by one out of the middle that travelled at least 70 yards - Wooo hooo. Then HID pipes up "I don't know if it helps but when you swing you are turning your shoulders but your hips aren't moving"

Eureaka. A few practice swings to try and get everything turning in synch and I hit another wedge. OK it was about 10 yards left of target and would have been in a greenside bunker but it had flown high and easily out to the 100 yard marker.

As I worked through my lower irons it suddenly became easy again. The swing was less jerky, there was less moving parts and I was hittin it further with less effort. All thanks to HID who has no idea about swing mechanics.

The moral of this is that you just need to persevere and wait for that eureka moment. It will come. And if not then I'm sure a man with your playing ability will only need a quick lesson with a pro for it to slot back into place.

Keep the faith and you will be rewarded
 

AliB

Q-School Graduate
Joined
Jun 20, 2007
Messages
876
Location
West Country
Visit site
Madandra
sorry to hear you are in the bad place - not so far away myself right now.
'Go for a lesson' says mr b.
'Not a good time' says I (since other life things are messing with my head) but thinking about it, can it do any harm?
In my case, focussing on one problem might make the others fade into insignificance ..?

Only other option is to take a break.
Whichever you do, best of luck in getting some enjoyment out of your game

AliB
 

theeaglehunter

Tour Winner
Joined
Jan 7, 2008
Messages
2,527
Visit site
I have been going through this as well and am hopefully about to turn the corner and finally close the door on this less than impressive period of play. You are clearly still quite upbeat and quite a light hearted person (see post in 'sexiest irons' thread!) so just try and enjoy your golf and take the pressure off. We all know that eventually you will get out of the bad spell and start enjoying it again and when that happens the hard grind that takes place during these dark times seems worth it. Keep getting yourself to the course and perhaps treat yourself to some new gear or something to try and encourage this. Most of all go back to the basics and get your strike going strong- go to the range and don't worry about where the ball is going, once your strike is back you can straighten things up. Perhaps find a similarly humorous friend to go to the course with so you can have a laugh during your round making it seem less of a chore. Keep it going though fella, there's no point giving up, best of luck with the rebuilding. Just remember: it WILL return.
 

USER1999

Grand Slam Winner
Joined
Mar 9, 2007
Messages
25,671
Location
Watford
Visit site
Mad - You never know with golf, you play rubbish for weeks, then brilliant for no reason.
On Saturday I lost 4 balls, DNFd 7 holes, shot 17 points stableford for 18 holes (easily my worst score in memory), then went out on Sunday (reluctantly) and shot 82.
Keep at it, and you will get through it.
 
B

birdieman

Guest
Stick at it, just slow everything down for a while, timing will return.
I was slapping and fatting my irons yesterday in the Club Champs - very disappointing having struck it well the previous Wednesday, no idea why the change in form...such is golf I'm afraid.
Never mind there is always next time!
 

billyg

Q-School Graduate
Joined
Jan 7, 2008
Messages
906
Visit site
Mad A,

FWIW stay off the course for a bit and go get a video lesson booked. It's a good bit of fun and will reveal at the very least one thing you didn't know about your swing.

Dipping into the the mental game for a moment it might be worth sitting down and writing a list of the things on your mind in your life at the moment- the good and the bad. Also a list of reasons why you play golf and what you want out of golf in the short, medium and long run.

I can't help feeling sometimes on here (and out there) there seems to be so much emphasis on knocking 0.1 off a handicap when the reality is that none of us are ever going to make a living out of playing the game so why don't we just get on with enjoying the ride?

Swinging a club should be fun. Walking a fairway should be fun. An approach shot should be fun. Trying to get a little ball in a little hole on a wonderfully mown bit of turf should be fun.

If it's not, why not? After all that's why we started doing it in the first place wasn't it?











...and FGS don't sell the clubs - yet :rolleyes:
 

Smudge

Assistant Pro
Joined
Jan 17, 2008
Messages
132
Location
Kent
Visit site
Stick at it mad at least you are able to get out on the course!! Whatever you do dont stick the clubs on ebay!!! some of us here may be interested!! lol
 

Junior

Tour Winner
Joined
Apr 1, 2007
Messages
5,115
Visit site
It seems like yesterday I was reading about your birdie blitz in the GM challenge !!!

Stick with it, Play a few friendly rounds , slow the swing down and enjoy the surroundings of where your playing.
 

Imurg

The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
Joined
Mar 15, 2008
Messages
37,653
Location
Aylesbury Bucks
Visit site
After my terrible weekend I had a good think last night - the footie was sooo dull - and I've decided that we all think too much about this game we love so much.
If we just walk up to the ball, decide on the first club that feels right and then just hit it, I'm sure we'd all do better. There are way too many things going on in our heads.
Clear your minds and just hit the ball - go find it and hit it again...
 
Top