when do you say enough is enough?

[pierreman]

Been playing since October following some lessons. Things had been pretty level, playing terrible and hitting the ball all over the show. Then about a month ago I played well for each saturday of the month.

However, for the past two weeks the wheels have totally come off, cant hit anything straight, top every other ball, cant even hit it right at the range.

At what stage do i say enough is enough, pack everything up and flog it all on ebay.

When do i say enough is enough?

 

[Sam]

It happens and is as rare as the runs after a curry! Next week you will wonder why you asked - keep at it

 

[HomerJSimpson]

There is a time to say enough is enough...... when you can no longer draw breath and are on the way to the great 19th in the sky

It doesn't matter how many times the wheels, chassis and whole damn suspension falls apart the game is in the bloodstream.

It may be a simple as getting a refresher lesson. It is a good idea to give your swing an MOT (antime between six weeks a 3 months is a reasonable time frame - of course that is dependant on your wallet, desire to improve and committment to practice what has been taught).

It might also be that now you know you can play well you are trying to hard which is bringing tension into your swing. Then once it starts to go wrong you get more tense, try harder, hit it worse and it becomes a self-perpetuating circle of destruction.

When you are out on the course and you feel like a hacker, try and relax. Enjoy the banter and your suuroundings. You'll be surprised how well you hit it without worrying about it. We have all had a shocker in a competition and once we realise we can't play to our handicap (or win if you are one of the more competitve amongst us) we mentally right the round off and then lo we begin to hit the ball well again

 

[RGuk]

Pierreman, we've all been there. What's the point in climbing the mountain if it isn't a path of up n down, success and failure?; it's the detemination to get better that makes it so addictive.
f.w.i.w. I took up the game in Autumn 1993 and started to play OK. I took a few weeks off in the winter snow season 1994(Feb/Mar) and then stepped on the tee early April confident about breaking 100 (or nearly). Didn't happen.....not even close......122......
Some days it's just not meant to be. Go for a lesson....

 

[haplesshacker]

If it were up to the wife it would be 'now'.

Going through a bit of a torrid time myself, but it's been incredibly windy and wet. I'd say that if you enjoy the inevitable good few shots that you have in a round, then it's worth sticking with. If you truly hate it all the time, then find something else. Life's to short etc.

 

[barb]

Try not to get too disheartened, the more you think about it the worse it will get. It happens to most of us (well for me it does anyway ) but we still plug away at it and that 1 great round makes up for all the bad ones.
All of a sudden you will find everything just clicks in to place and your on your away. Believe me, been there and done that.
Keep on golfing, it can only get better.

 

[RGuk]

If it were up to the wife it would be 'now'.

me too

 

[pierreman]

Cheers for all the above. Coming back from the driving range which is what pushed me into asking. Would appreciate some consistency of a reasonable level. Do love a good shot but I'm so frustrated its unbelieveable, missus is avoiding me because my mood is so bad. I have been to the range 2-4 times a week and its all going downhill. Perhaps a visit to the pro is required, mot the swing as homer says. lets hope it works.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'm with you on this Barb. It only taked one good shot to have you coming back for more. I haven't played anywhere near my handicap either socially or competitvely (26 points int he January stableford being an all time low) but each week I peg it up knowing I've put the practice in.

Have to say last weekend I had 3 birdies and there are definite shoots of recovery. Just need to stop the 6 doubles !!!

 

[RGuk]

I can only speak as I see. Often, when things are extraordinarily cr**, the best cure is to find one small thing to concentrate the mind and banish the mental demons.
If I've gone for a lesson and my pro gives me one main thing and one/two small ideas, I go to the range determined to do the main thing....because whatever it is, I trust him to have spotted something which can produce dramatic improvements. The shots tend to be a disaster for a while, then the improvement clicks in and I can enjoy the session for it's own sake, even if I've not got the whole swing back.

 

[GB72]

I went through a similar patch and a lesson with my pro certainly gave me more hope and been improving ever since. The problem now is that I have not been putting the practice in but starting a new regime of going to the range every other night.

There is light at the end of the tunnell and it will come good eventually. Had a horror round the other week for the first 11 holes and hooked my drive onto the neighbouring fairway on the 12th. Followed that with a towering wedge over trees to within 3 feet and sunk the putt for a birdy. The condfidence that that one shot gave me lifted my game for the rest of the round.

 

[Leftie]

I have been to the range 2-4 times a week and its all going downhill. Perhaps a visit to the pro is required

Ranges are ok for grooving your swing. If however you have a fault in your swing and nothing to work on to correct it then you will be grooving that fault.

See a pro and have a lesson or two. The pro will give you routines and positives to work on.

Oh. And b.t.w., check out the signature.

 

[RGuk]

Leftie, you and I have been "ships in the night" since the last thread! BUT, hooray, I agree with you.....100%.

Range practice is DEADLY without something to work on.....your advice is......

SAGACIOUS...

thanks to J_F for the word....

 

[viscount17]

pierreman, you're not alone in this. I'm in the process of completely reconstructing my swing after it fell apart. The odds are you've picked up some simple fault that the pro will spot in minutes - and if you're topping a lot it could be that you aren't transferring your weight forward.

you can hit all the balls you like in the range but unless you see a pro you'll just groove the fault.

 

[TonyN]

4 times a week? how many balls are you hitting per session?

You may be over golfing and grooving a swing fault into good old muscle memory, I would echo the voices of reason on here and go see ya pro.

But dont worry about it, we all go through patches, bad and terrible. I went for a quick round today and played the worst i have ever played! Seriously did not hit one decent shot all evening. I felt like calling it a day, but you just have to put that out of ya mind!

 

[OldWindy]

Spot on Leftie. I fell into that trap a while back but a refresh from the pro sorted it - well, at least I can hit the darned thing again!

 

[Page]

hi mate,

sorry to hear you feeling a tad negative about this game. the advice i would offer is quite simple: if you ain't enjoying it then don't do it. however, don't sell the clubs too quickly. a little time away from the game may make you see it from a different perspective. this in turn may lead you back to playing. if however you quit and never think about it again then perhaps it's time to fire up ebay...

 

[RGuk]

I quit because I got frustrated and couldn't play well on little practice (job, kids, life!). Another reason was that I had got almost as far as I could with my physical talent.
I kept my clubs and am glad I did. I think it all depends on whether you enjoy it regardless of bad playing/frustrating problems. No-one likes playing poorly and finding it hard to get round without every shot being poor in some respect. If you have the dedication to go to the range, then make it worthwhile and go for a lesson, please.
At my first "proper" lesson, a year (?) after the initial 3 on G.A.S.P. I topped/fatted 6 7 irons, sliced 2 3 woods about 150 yards off the course and pulled a few wedges 30 yds left of the flag at 100 yds......My new pro must have thought "no way, jose!"......but he just did the lesson in professional stlye. Within 3 or 4, he was looking forward to it as much as me, because I was a practice machine and stubbornly persevered. I went and found him one day after scoring 89 in a Medal and gave him a bottle of champagne.
Two years later (and 1 lesson every 2 months or so) I 'phoned him up "short notice" with a wicked slice. He put me out on the range at 5.00 pm after the lesson, and had to throw me off at 9.00 when they turned the lights out. Two days later I played for the club and scored a 75 (net 65) to win the last match for our team.
"In the fading light, there were 30 or so players standing round the 18th green, watching the last matches come home. I stuck my 2nd shot in the bunker and needed an up n down to be in with a chance at the net (so I thought). I did it.....and it raised a few cheers....but not as many in my head....I felt amazing.....what a moment." Playing the odd miracle and beating the can't-seem-to-get-better blues is why I do it. And for the relaxation, and the friends....

Keep at it.....

 

[pierreman]

Gents,

Thank you. Leftie, you're just right. Feel refreshed and with a renewed sense of determination. Going to book a lesson tomorrow for the weekend.

I still enjoy it, nothin beats a weighty straight drive or a nice pitch onto the green, although they are so far between its hard to remember them.

i think you are probably right re the wrong groove at the range and just repeating it.

Here goes. I'll let you know if the pro sorts it out.
Thanks

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Golf is a sensual temptress but a fiendish mistress. If you feel that bad have a break. You'll still have the game in your blood but I think once you have the lesson you will be flying