When it all goes wrong......... What do you do.

[Oddsocks]

Ok lads with the risk of this becoming a sympathy seeking me me me thread, I can honestly say after Sunday I'm very close to giving up. Now for those that know me this isn't me at all as I'm too stubborn but in my current situation I'm really struggling to find any kind of drive to solider on.

Last year I played my best golf, had a great season with most finishes being in the top five of every comp I entered and constantly buffering, I see a 30% ish drop in he and walked away with three major board comp wins so all in all was a happy socks.

Around the end September my golf got a bit hit and miss and instead of doing the sensible thing and booking a lesson I tried to play through it self diagnosing which proved to be the biggest mistake I could have made.

A year down the line and it's a serious car crash and despite lessons, range time, a different approach and even backing off how much I'm playing and practicing I can't seem to clear this area and see any light at the end of the tunnel. I've seen my pro, worked on drills at home, incorporated them into my pre shot routine, yet when a club is in my hand I lock up, snatch at everything with no tempo, rythm and go to pieces. When I say it's got worse in a recent bounce game around what I would describe as an easy course I walked off with 24pts in the morning and 19pts in the afternoon, so as you can see something has to give.

I've tried the couldn't give a hoot go out for the banter but with some of the best playing partners I just can't get past it,

What tips do people have for someone at the edge of a cliff ready to throw the clubs off the edge.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Look at your 2015 aim - to find enjoyment. It's clear you aren't. Clearly you are getting too stressed on the course and trying too hard. I don't know the answer but if you aren't enjoying perhaps a break is the answer. I hope you find the mojo again soon

 

[Oddsocks]

Look at your 2015 aim - to find enjoyment. It's clear you aren't. Clearly you are getting too stressed on the course and trying too hard. I don't know the answer but if you aren't enjoying perhaps a break is the answer. I hope you find the mojo again soon

Stressed is maybe the wrong word, disappointed is probably closer to the truth. Over the years I had built up the ability to clear my head even during rocky times and power through it, but every trick from the past has been tried and failed. I've tried just having a laugh but deep down in side for a competitive person this just isn't enough.

My pro bless him has the patience of a saint, but it's just not going anywhere and at a total dead end. I see what your saying homer but truth be told a break could see it being long term and not short term.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Stressed is maybe the wrong word, disappointed is probably closer to the truth. Over the years I had built up the ability to clear my head even during rocky times and power through it, but every trick from the past has been tried and failed. I've tried just having a laugh but deep down in side for a competitive person this just isn't enough.

My pro bless him has the patience of a saint, but it's just not going anywhere and at a total dead end. I see what your saying homer but truth be told a break could see it being long term and not short term.

That's a shame. Perhaps have a chat about de-cluttering the head with him. I could suggest a flick through NGT but you clearly have had the tools before to do the job and it probably wouldn't add too much. I'm a little like you and have to try and shoot my best score every time and it's an open book on here that in the past I've too intense, done too much practice and tried too hard on the course. Hope it gets sorted

 

[pendodave]

If it's rhythm and tempo, why not try the old feet together drill.

I was chopping it round in the most terrible way recently and reverted to this to get me round the course. It's almost impossible to have bad balance or tempo when you do it, because you fall over if you do. And because the body doesn't like falling over, it makes you swing properly instead.

It doesn't look pretty, but once I started getting around the course in a forward direction, the game became a lot more fun. All it did was knock a club length off most shots.

The hardest thing is to try and incorporate all the good bits back into the 'real' swing, which does make me wonder if I should even bother. I'm off 12 incidentally, so not a complete hacker.

I know a lot of guys in one of the other threads were saying how they enjoy their golf whatever the state of their game. Must all be saints. I have every sympathy with you if it's all gone a bit Pete Tong, it's bloody miserable...

 

[One Planer]

Take a break.

Put the clubs away for 7-10 days and let your mind settle.

Come back and hit a few balls with little focus at the range and build yourself up from there.

 

[Oddsocks]

I wouldn't say I expect to shoot my best scores weekly, but my general consensus is 30-32 points was an ok day , 33-35 was there or there abouts, and anything else was a good day. The problem is when your looking at people you would normally be 40-50 yards ahead of and your now being out driven by 20-30 yards you can see it's a total derailment.

Sunday was the straw that broke the camels back. Our 3rd is 139 down hill and was playing into a medium breeze, now from the whites which is around 150 yards last year I was hitting an 8i to front pins and smooth 7i to the back, Sunday off of the forward tees to a front pint I hit what I thought was a smooth 8i which was way over clubbed to miss the green short by 20 yards.

Maybe it is a case of a cluttered mind, but on average I'd say I'm around 30-40% down on any distance I had last year. It may not see my tha bad to most. But when your hitting 4 clubs more into the same green as you did last year on the same hole your already beaten,

 

[One Planer]

Sounds like your not comitting to the swing and focusing on the result before you've hit the ball.

 

[Craigg]

I wouldn't say I expect to shoot my best scores weekly, but my general consensus is 30-32 points was an ok day , 33-35 was there or there abouts, and anything else was a good day. The problem is when your looking at people you would normally be 40-50 yards ahead of and your now being out driven by 20-30 yards you can see it's a total derailment.

Sunday was the straw that broke the camels back. Our 3rd is 139 down hill and was playing into a medium breeze, now from the whites which is around 150 yards last year I was hitting an 8i to front pins and smooth 7i to the back, Sunday off of the forward tees to a front pint I hit what I thought was a smooth 8i which was way over clubbed to miss the green short by 20 yards.

Maybe it is a case of a cluttered mind, but on average I'd say I'm around 30-40% down on any distance I had last year. It may not see my tha bad to most. But when your hitting 4 clubs more into the same green as you did last year on the same hole your already beaten,

Are you still hitting them straight, or are they high fades?

 

[Oddsocks]

one planer, this is exactly the issue. The pro has given me the drills which feel 100% natural without a ball in front then I just lock up.

Craig no straight flight, a massive high weak fade.

As the pro said I've stopped any hit turn on the ward back which in turn has limited my shoulder turn. We have a drill which has me releasing my trailing hip on the back swing resulting in a full 90* shoulder turn and what's more it's more on plane than it's ever been as I've always had a slightly flatter shoulder turn.

Give me 10 pre shot shoulder / hip turns and it's perfect, totally natural, yet the minute I stand over the ball the right hip locks, the shoulder turn is barely 45* and 60% in length and then it's all arms with a massive throw to try and regain power from the top and and huge cast with a mega out to in path.

What's more frustrating is normally I'm given drills, two / three weeks in and I'm clear, yet almost 5-6 months of constant grinding and I'm no further forward,

 

[One Planer]

one planer, this is exactly the issue. The pro has given me the drills which feel 100% natural without a ball in front then I just lock up.

Going through the drill is fine, but if when you're over the ball you're focused on what you 'think' the ball will do in a negative manor, you've already lost.

End of the day Baz, we're club golfers who don't hit anywhere near enough balls to be overly consistent.

Back yourself to play your shot and give it your focus. You'll have plenty of time to diagnose a poor shot after you've hit it while walking to it.

As someone far more knowledgeable than me said, "I've known many a good round of golf contain a bad shot. I'm yet to see one contain a bad attitude"

 

[Oddsocks]

Focusing and committing is the hardest thing knowing that based on your last year the outcome is going to be total toss, that's the truth of it. I used to be able to power through, but with the long term spat that has killed me it's getting over this that is my biggest block,

When playing give me a wedge or low loft club and ask me to play a flop, nice pitch , bump and run and it's fine, but any full shot I can't play, it's like I have developed a fear so to speak,

 

[patricks148]

get grip man.... as the Guv would say.... "Snap out of it, you nonce".

golf is all about enjoyment. i have played some pretty awful golf this year along with some great golf, ive enjoyed the highs and lows.

 

[Oddsocks]

Sounds like the gov Is a big meanie!

Normally I don't wallow in pity Patrick, but 12 months of cack will do that to a man!

 

[user2010]

Sounds like you`ve got some form of the Yips going on,...........Delc, if you would please

 

[One Planer]

Focusing and committing is the hardest thing knowing that based on your last year the outcome is going to be total toss, that's the truth of it. I used to be able to power through, but with the long term spat that has killed me it's getting over this that is my biggest block,

When playing give me a wedge or low loft club and ask me to play a flop, nice pitch , bump and run and it's fine, but any full shot I can't play, it's like I have developed a fear so to speak,

Simple question Baz.

Last year when you were striping it and hitting it where you want. What were your thoughts stood over the ball?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

When it goes wrong -

Smile

Tee it up and hit it again

It's only a game :thup:

 

[Oddsocks]

There was no thoughts, my trusty PSR cleared my head allowing a thoughtless smooth swing, but even this same PSR is broken.

Simple question Baz.

Last year when you were striping it and hitting it where you want. What were your thoughts stood over the ball?

 

[Imurg]

Leave the drills, leave the lessons
Stop trying to think about what you're doing and just do it
Hum a tune to yourself, anything to stop thinking.
The fact that you played well before means you can again
Lower expectations, hum a tune and just swing the club.
Your mind is tricking you into thinking you're a Pro and should be burning up the course.
Just swing.....

 

[Oddsocks]

Just swing.....

Got ya, :thup: