One of those days you want to quit!

[iku]

Day off work yesterday. I don't have much people to play with as I started playing last winter and the guys I usually play with were all at work.

Anyway, I decided to go to the range in New Malden and hit few balls. Well, I wish I had not done it! Almost everything went wrong: my 3 wood was going much further than my driver. I was hooking with the irons! Never happened before. I was used to slice a lot when I started but my pro fixed that and my shots were quite nice, maybe not that long but straight and consistent.

I don't expect to get everything right because I am still a very bad player but yesterday it looked like I had never taken a club in my hands before and I've been playing for 9 months now.

Long story short, out of 360 balls I probably hit 20 decent ones and 3 good (to my standards) ones.

The strange thing is that I never get frustrated on the course. On one of my first rounds it took me 5 shots to get out of a bunker but the thing just made me and the other lads laugh.

The driving range instead has sometimes the power of making me hate golf. I really don't know why.

I am sure that playing 9 holes tonight will calm me down and bring the love back.

 

[Aztecs27]

I think it's because the driving range is so monotonous.

I used to love going to the driving range in the winter, but I'd much rather go for 9 holes after work now it's light enough to be able to.

Don't let it get you down. I played two balls on most holes last night. On the last hole I hit my first tee shot with my 3 wood, creamed it, right down the middle of the fairway.

I then hit my next drive with my driver. Identical distances, my driver just trickled into the rough, which probably robbed it of a couple of yards..But I'm not sure what to make of it.

I'm certainly thinking about leaving the driver in the bag tomorrow in the club champs if it doesn't behave!

 

[Jabba]

Don't worry about it. Some days we're like Lee Westood, some days Vivienne Westwood

 

[robbest3offthetee]

You can leave it in my bag if you like !!

 

[Aztecs27]

You can leave it in my bag if you like !!

Just a blip I'm afraid. Usually the case that either the irons or the driver is working, never both together! Seems to be the irons currently!

 

[john0]

Long story short, out of 360 balls

360 balls do you think that fatigue may have been a problem?

 

[G_Mulligan]

you said you went to the range to hit a few balls and end up hitting 360. Would you have hit that many if you were hitting it well? If you are hitting the ball that badly it may be best to just walk away and forget about it, practice your wedges or putting. Probably something small has changed like grip or posture and you will just ingrain the mistake. Maybe ask your coach for a 5 minute check up before hitting any more balls.

 

[iku]

I agree. I normally don't hit more than 120 balls and the only reason why I got so many yesterday was probably the fact that I couldn't get it right and couldn't accept it.

I'll see how it goes tonight.

Thanks for your support guys

 

[robbest3offthetee]

Just go out tonight,dont think about it,and it will come,you have obviously hit it well before,so its just a glitch,dont put to much pressure on yourself,go and enjoy..

 

[G_Mulligan]

I agree. I normally don't hit more than 120 balls and the only reason why I got so many yesterday was probably the fact that I couldn't get it right and couldn't accept it.

I'll see how it goes tonight.

Thanks for your support guys

I know what you mean and it is easily done but tired, angry, & frustrated is not the best way to hit golf balls. Just forget about it and swing free & relaxed tonight

 

[Piece]

you said you went to the range to hit a few balls and end up hitting 360. Would you have hit that many if you were hitting it well? If you are hitting the ball that badly it may be best to just walk away and forget about it, practice your wedges or putting. Probably something small has changed like grip or posture and you will just ingrain the mistake. Maybe ask your coach for a 5 minute check up before hitting any more balls.

a BIG +1

It takes pride and big kahunas to walk off the range early, but sometimes you must!

 

[ScienceBoy]

I went on the range, for the first time since my lesson a few weeks back. I have played a lot, some good golf infact so felt it would be a breeze to just whack a few and gain confidence.

I was warming up 30 mins before a 4BBB thursday team league match, 9 holes stableford, winner gets 3 points, looser 0 and the stabelford points are the "goal difference" used to rank teams on the same points in the league".

I shanked every wedge and hooked every iron, as the captain this was even worse as I should be leading the way! I gave up after about half a bucket, gave the balls to a kid and wandered off to putt for a bit.

I stood on the tee and pretended I had never been to the range just before... the result I was two over gross after 5 holes and then my partner took over the pars on the last 4 as I posted bogeys. The team scored nothing worse than a 2 pointer on 2/3 handicap!

We posted the highest score of all the teams on the night and took away a box of balls each as the prize!

Can anyone explain this to help the OP?

 

[G_Mulligan]

I think you explained it quite nicely yourself. Mind over matter you made a conscious effort to forget the bad shots and played very nicely.

People forget they have control over their emotions and frame of mind, myself included.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I can hit it great ont he range warming up and fifteen minutes later hit one off the first like I've never swung a club. Other times I can shank better than Murph warming up and then hit it pretty well going round.

360 balls is Timgolf country and way too many. Even I as a "dedicated" practicer wouldn't hit anymore than two buckets (160) in a session and even then a lot of those would be <100 yards at specific targets

 

[Imurg]

On the last hole I hit my first tee shot with my 3 wood, creamed it, right down the middle of the fairway.

I taught him that one!!