Struggling - moan alert!

[birdieman]

Have returned eight cards this season and have eight 0.1's for my trouble. Never had a run as bad as this. From finishing last season nearly at 3 I am now back at 5 which is really disappointing.
Hitting the ball well enough but there are lapses in there that just weren't there last year. Keep thinking it's early season but it's nearly June now!
Not sure how to turn this around, left shoulder issues are making the swing feel tight and I've lost some yards off the tee from it but the scoring lapses are more from silly 3 putts and the not infrequent hooked tee shots that I thought I'd got on top of last year.
If things don't turnaround soon my interest in golf for this season is going to evaporate.

Now where's my fishing gear?

Some inspiration please!

 

[Imurg]

Hey Birdieman

You're obviously a good player if you can get to 3. ITs a blip - ok a longer one than you would like but a blip. Maybe the run of .1's is putting more pressure on you. Easy to say relax a little and go with the flow but stay chilled and I'm sure it'll return.

 

[madandra]

Stu, there have been 7 medals so far this season .... but there are still almost 20 to go so keep the faith and I am sure you will agree that it will probably strighten itself out in its own time.

Have you started using a DMD/GPS?

 

[pokerjoke]

As your handicap is way lower than mine i dont think i should be giving you any advice as im sure you will sort it out,hope its sooner rather than later.As for the season theres a long way to go anything can happen,happy golfing

 

[19th]

I would suggest you have been playing in conditions comparable to winter golf up to last weekend.

Greens, in the main, do not reflect normal May end condition, despite all the hard work by the greenkeeping staff, so do not be too hard on yourself.(The hook is your problem I'm afraid but I bet it is more likely to follow a three putt!)

 

[birdieman]

Kind words 19th, hopefully true. Actually after a 3 putt I tend to drive ok, a bit of fire makes me commit to the shot. I think the odd hook comes in when I hold off, trying to play for a safe position rather than just length, hang on my right side a little, body doesn't turn through the shot but the arms keep going. Yesterday I was hanging about my buffer zone as I'd birdied 14 to get to +4 but on 15 hooked one left OOB, provisional also went left into trees and I ran up a 7 = game over. Just a lack of commitment or focus or something I need to resolve.

 

[bobmac]

A couple of questions if I may?
Does your driver have a stiff shaft in it and would you consider adding a 15/16 deg hybrid for those narrow holes with OOB left?

This is your line up as it stands

Titleist 907 D1 10.5 deg driver
Cleveland Launcher 15 deg 3w
Cleveland Launcher 19 deg 5w
Nike CCi irons 4-PW
Progen 49 deg wedge
Titleist 54 and 60 spin milled vokey wedges
Taylor Made Rossa Daytona putter

As your Nike Wedge is 47 deg, I wonder if there is a need for the progen 49?
I would drop the progen and borrow a 1 or 2 utility and see how you get on for a few games.

 

[TonyN]

I feel for you birdieman, I had a similar blip, not so long though. I turned up to my last comp with the thought of just going all out for the score with no holding back, i didnt want to let doubt get the better of my game.

I thought of my round like a long putt, 'If it doesn't get there it never has a chance of dropping' If I dont go for the green in two, I wont make my pars.

I often lay up on the long fours or fives hoping to put a wedge on the money and hole the single putt. The way I see it now is if i do shoot long and miss the green its just the same as laying up, only I might have an easy chip or actually make the green for the chance of two putts.

I now tee up the driver on the reachable par 4's and often find myself putting/chipping for eagle.

Best of luck with whatever is holding you back, I am sure you'll find form soon.

 

[birdieman]

Hi Bob,
I am playing stiff but its less stiff than the one I had earlier this year. Driver is generally going well.
Re the 49 progen the Nike CCI's are the cast version and the PW is 45 degrees, that was the reason for acquiring the 49. That is working out quite well.
As I say I'm hitting the ball quite well but I'm taking 3 or 4 too many per round from silly mistakes so its not a million miles away but frustrating nonetheless.

 

[bobmac]

Apologies. I thought a good player like you would be using the forged version
In which case, I guess it's just old age thats the problem.
Good luck

 

[birdieman]

Cast/forged - I have tried various sets of both down the years and can't say I notice that much difference. As long as the ball goes a consistent distance per club that's good enough for me.
The Nike CCI's were cheap from Golfbidder, thats was the main reason for trying them as I decided my MP32's with S300's were for a better ball striker than me. Didn't cost me anything to change. Wanted to try dynalite steel shafts in regular flex for irons (getting older!) and these Nike's have them. Quite enjoying them, reasonably easy to hit and distance is good (stronger lofts of course). Find mid and long iron play is easier now. My struggles this season have been more round the short game with the odd hooked tee shot creeping in, not the irons.

Old age is probably right!

p.s. one new trick I have started this year is the topped fairway wood, never was a problem in past years but every round at the moment I will throw in one, sometimes 2. Don't know for the life of me why that is. Any ideas - would a weakness in the left shoulder contribute to that?

 

[HTL]

Think you have it bad try going from 15.8 to 17.3!!! Playing with mates I reguarly go round between 9 - 12 over, get in a medal and I score 100+. Golf really is the most stupid game in the world. Im in the same negative place fella and know how it feels. Bad Times! But all it takes is one of those rounds and ill be back loving it.

 

[slugger]

Pedro2... go for a pint before your round and relax a little... someone scoring 9 - 12 over in bounce games should not be taking 20 shots more just because there's a card in his hand!!!!

 

[viscount17]

must be something in the air this year, I've just not managed to get off the mark at all. My game seems to depend on me getting off the tee reasonably, if I do that then I have a chance though I always could screw up the second shot. This year I've spent so much more time in the bundoo and under trees that my repertoire of recovery shots has increased enormously.
it's got to the point where I'm automatically tensed up on the first tee and that doesn't help what passes for a swing lately.

of course it doesn't help that I've also forgotten how to putt

 

[bigbiffa]

dont know if this helps, but i started the season at 8.9, ten 0.1's later was up to 9.9, first cutter last week got me back to 9.3, my point is, we are amateurs, not blesses with the consistency of the elite amateurs/pros. unfortunately the nature of the beast is this....you go up you go down, ive found over the past 3 seasons it does to to level out, but i feel your pain m8, i do!

 

[vig]

Stu
Having played with you at nairn ooh er!, not a lot wrong with your game.
Probably lacking confidence if you're that concerned about your game.
Relax a bit and don't beat yourself up about a bad shot. [****] happens!. I know you are striving to get low and keep low but it will come.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Playing with mates I reguarly go round between 9 - 12 over,

He still takes a drink off you after for winning without a second glance. And just every once in a while he does need his wingman to come in and take the strain (usually only about one hole every 4 rounds mind)

 

[birdieman]

Finally turned a corner this season, hit it much better in a doubles match on Wed and then today played decent again and came in nett 3 under SSS so hoping the CSS doesn't come down so I can get 0.3 or maybe more off. Whatever the CSS I'm back on 4 hcap and heading in the right direction at the 9th attempt this season. Missed a ton of short putts too but jarred a couple of longer ones and caught a couple of good breaks in the rough too so over the piece luck evened out. Happy golfer again.
Funny how a decent score gets the enthusiasm going again.

 

[thecraw]

Well done Birdieman, its my turn to feel the pain that is my golf!

 

[jammydodger]

Well done BM looks like we've both come through the dark times are seeing the light again.