Totally lost my game......

[groundskeeperwilly]

Wondered if anyone else has been through a similar 'phase' to where I am right now as I'm mighty frustrated!

Early last year/season I played quite a bit, posted quite a few decent medal scores, was in single figures and playing to it 99% of the time. Middle to end of the year I didn't play so well and gradually crept back up to current handicap of 10. Took some time off playing over Christmas/New year due to holidays, weather, new role at work etc etc.

Have now started to play again and I am playing worse than when I was a 'beginner'! Can't get the ball off the tee, have a 2 way miss with all clubs bar wedges, even on good swings my previous 'controlled fade' is verging on a wild cut or a massive pull left.

I had an informal lesson and was absolutely ripping it with irons and 3 wood and respectable with the driver (which is my usual let down). Got back on the course and all went to pot, lost balls, fat, thin......

Played my first event of the year last week on a challenging course where I played at this same stage last year - shot 30 more than I did last year! Have another event tomorrow and I'm wondering if I can keep the score respectable!

Not sure what the point of the post is but feeling a bit frustrated with the game/myself!!!

 

[Deleted member 15717]

These things happen. Just don think about anything technical and see target, hit target. Recover the enjoyment and just play

 

[Imurg]

My game regularly goes on holiday for a few weeks, some parts of it for longer than others.
It all comes back eventually...

Just not all at the same time....😖

Go back to basics and don't try to rush things..

 

[Tashyboy]

Since I got back into golf my game has always been peaks and troughs. When it has been in a trough, it has just been a case of trying not to beat myself up to much, and try to course manage a bit better.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

Yes. This time three years ago was the start of a great run for me.

I improved drastically and went from a 20 handicapper struggling to break 95 to a 12 handicapper that was always in the mid eighties. This happened in the space of 6 months and lasted for a year.

Then, something happened and I just could not get off the tee. Humongous slice like a 28 handicapper or an over compensating miss left.

It made me really not enjoy playing for near enough 12 months. If I can't get off the tee, I don't really enjoy it.

It didn't fix itself. A couple of lessons didn't really help me. In the end I spent time practicing and getting to better understand my golf swing and what I was doing wrong and feel that I've come out of the other side a better player. Mentally a bit tougher but also I now understand my own swing a lot better.

Impossible for anyone to tell you what will get you back on track, but I'm sure pretty much everyone will have some similar tale of woe.

Good luck, keep going, you'll get there.

 

[bobmac]

Do you have a nice balanced position at the end of your swing up on your rear toe?

 

[need_my_wedge]

Wondered if anyone else has been through a similar 'phase' to where I am right now as I'm mighty frustrated!

Early last year/season I played quite a bit, posted quite a few decent medal scores, was in single figures and playing to it 99% of the time. Middle to end of the year I didn't play so well and gradually crept back up to current handicap of 10. Took some time off playing over Christmas/New year due to holidays, weather, new role at work etc etc.

Have now started to play again and I am playing worse than when I was a 'beginner'! Can't get the ball off the tee, have a 2 way miss with all clubs bar wedges, even on good swings my previous 'controlled fade' is verging on a wild cut or a massive pull left.

I had an informal lesson and was absolutely ripping it with irons and 3 wood and respectable with the driver (which is my usual let down). Got back on the course and all went to pot, lost balls, fat, thin......

Played my first event of the year last week on a challenging course where I played at this same stage last year - shot 30 more than I did last year! Have another event tomorrow and I'm wondering if I can keep the score respectable!

Not sure what the point of the post is but feeling a bit frustrated with the game/myself!!!

I didn't realize I had posted this...... under someone else's name!!!

Am in exactly the same boat. Had a really good season last year, handicap cut 6 shots at the start, played to it all year, then just before Christmas, woods and hybrids went out the window, and game has flushed round the U-bend, and am considering quitting comps and swindles for purely social golf.

Had a lesson last Saturday and now know where it's gone wrong. Not sure why it crept in out of the blue, but sub consciously was trying to get a bit extra unneccessary turn, which causes me to lift up my shoulders and move my head, resulting in all kinds of missed contact with the heavy metal. Irons were not affected so much as I keep that swing reasonably tight. Short of it for me, focus on keeping the head still, and shortening my back swing with the woods. Had a couple of range sessions to try and grain it in, certainly an improvement there, we'll see how it goes over the next round.

 

[lukeysafc100]

Sounds as though its the 6 inches between your ears that are letting you down!

 

[Foxholer]

Time for a playing lesson?

Could simply be the soggy ground - as opposed to 'clean' mats - combined with swinging too fiercely.

Hope you work it out soon!

 

[Nickrat]

I recently had a similar problem, was doing really well at the driving range then when I got on course it all just went to pot. I think because I'd had a few bad rounds I'd got nervous and started to tighten up, was rushing my swing and trying to smash it too far.

Went for a round the other day and just concentrated on a shorter slower back swing and tried not to destroy the ball. Was hitting it a lot better and the confidence came back.

Golf really is a mental game!

 

[User 105]

Go through this quite a bit. Can last for months at a time. Used to get really fed up, close to quitting type of thing, but I know my game will come back again so just stick with it until it does.

But when it goes off it goes off in a big way.

Tried all sorts. Lessons, no lessons, more practice, less practice, stop playing, play more. Nothing really changes things. I just have to stick with it and hope my game comes back sooner rather than later.

 

[Sweep]

I had a similar experience. I went for a lesson and the pro tried to change everything. By the end of the 45 mins I couldn't get the ball in air. I tried forgetting what he had "taught" and going back to what I did before, but couldn't. I tried for weeks until my hands were blistered. I had to cancel a golfing holiday.
A few weeks later I was hacking around the course and my PP said just forget everything and swing slow and smooth. I remember I hit 6 iron and the relief I felt as it soared into the air. After that it all got better.
During that time the best advice I received was from a young pro, who looked like he was just out of school. He told me to just keep hitting golf balls, it will come back, strange things happen like this in golf.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

I would say play target golf, relax and enjoy whatever it throws at you, laugh it off and come back again and hope the best, that's what I do. I had about 7 months at the back end of 2015/ beginning of 2016 where I didn't play to my handicap at all, some of the golf I played was embarrassing, but I kept laughing and enjoying it, if only for the walk sometimes.

We are some of the luckiest people who are living and have the option of playing golf. You only live once, get out there and hack that course up :thup:

 

[patricks148]

Wullie, despite what some on here would have you believe, everyone struggles now and again no matter how low the handicap.

Go out and enjoy it and no doubt your game will come back

 

[Sats]

Totally with you on this, two years ago had a lot of time to practice and play at least 4-5 times a week and went from an 16hcp to a 5hcp. Since then work, family and not being a member have meant playing 1-2 a month with sporadic lessons. Played yesterday at Woldingham and was atrocious, sliced, fatted, topped, hooked and duffed my way around the course. With rare glimmers of my previous ability. What was worse was with new playing partners who, no doubt ably were expecting a good player to turn up!

 

[groundskeeperwilly]

Thanks to everyone for replying, really appreciate the positive comments.

I played again today and prior to the round did a bit of thinking, went back to basics, focused on smooth swinging and decided to ditch the driver....

and took 20 fewer shots than last outing (still some way over handicap but a good improvement). This round also included several tops off the tee, a 4 putt and several 3 putts, chunked chips and one hole of ping pong in some trees....

While it's great to shoot a vastly improved score the real bonus I took from it is that there's game in there somewhere!

Now if I can just cut another 20 off next time I play I reckon I'll be ready for the Masters in a few weeks....

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Time for a playing lesson?

Could simply be the soggy ground - as opposed to 'clean' mats - combined with swinging too fiercely.

Hope you work it out soon!

Sound advice. A lesson will spot any issues but the wet ground we've got will exacerbate any faults. Still Spring is coming so a lesson now, work on the changes and hit the new season in fine fettle and we can watch the OP getting his handicap cut over and over

 

[Scozzy]

Been there done that many times! For me it's tempo....if you've been to single figures you won't be far off finding it again regardless and when I do I always find tempo lets you get away with more and helps you find your swing again,just think Freddie couples before every swing!

 

[GreggerKBR]

Ah man I feel for you, poor bugger!
It happens, merciless game when it's like this.
Keep on going buddy, clearly you have heaps of ability. It will come back.

One of my favourite quotes for times like this
"Tough times don't last but tough players do"