When things are going really bad in your game what do you do?

[turkish]

This year I’ve had more lessons than any other year. I’ve had about 25 x 30 minute lessons all in and my game has regressed to the point where I can’t score at all.

I’m missing all over the place, hitting wild shots-
Snap hooks, followed by wild slices. Tonight I tried leaving the driver in the boot and the 3 wood wasn’t any better.

Thinking of just taking a break altogether but then not sure how not swinging a club for a few weeks can really help.

 

[User101]

Got a mate like that just now, pulled out of an outing this weekend, walked off a lesson during the week. He just can't get it together, does have a horrible swing mind, think he's taking a couple weeks away.

 

[HankMarvin]

This year I’ve had more lessons than any other year. I’ve had about 25 x 30 minute lessons all in and my game has regressed to the point where I can’t score at all.

I’m missing all over the place, hitting wild shots-
Snap hooks, followed by wild slices. Tonight I tried leaving the driver in the boot and the 3 wood wasn’t any better.

Thinking of just taking a break altogether but then not sure how not swinging a club for a few weeks can really help.

Doesn't say much for the guy who is giving you lessons, find someone else

 

[shortgame]

This year I’ve had more lessons than any other year. I’ve had about 25 x 30 minute lessons all in and my game has regressed to the point where I can’t score at all.

I’m missing all over the place, hitting wild shots-
Snap hooks, followed by wild slices. Tonight I tried leaving the driver in the boot and the 3 wood wasn’t any better.

Thinking of just taking a break altogether but then not sure how not swinging a club for a few weeks can really help.

Feel for you - can't be nice - never is

That's a LOT of lessons - is it trying to rebuild a swing from scratch or are there some things you just 'can't get?'

Don't think I'd be going back to a coach who got me in that mess

 

[MadAdey]

You can try and change too much in one go and your head gets messed up with too much to think about. Look at the pros, they will spend a couple of days on making a small swing change with their coach and hit about 500 balls doing it. We try and do it with a 30 minute lesson and a couple of buckets of balls. Not enough to make a change and then go and change something else a week later

 

[User101]

Doesn't say much for the guy who is giving you lessons, find someone else

It's up the the student to do what he's being taught, a pro lesson is no guarantee if you don't go away and work on what you've been taught, which is probably the reason why I've never taken a lesson.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Take time off the game. As a nomadic player I can take weeks off without feeling guilty.

 

[mteam]

What do you take away from these lessons? Do you have an understanding as to what is causing these bad shots

 

[williamalex1]

You hit the ball well and quite a distance when we played a year or so back.
A bit wayward the odd time, but i thought your main problem then was swinging far too fast, it was just a blur .
Hope you get sorted mate , you've got the talent :fore:.:thup:

 

[Robster59]

You're thinking about it too much and trying too hard.
I think you need to step back for a bit and enjoy your golf. Get out on the course, play the game without thinking about your swing and just try to have some fun. The course is in great condition, just go and hit a few balls with the sticks.
You've progressed pretty well so far, won a few comps but now it's time to stop and breathe.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Slow it down, until you can control the clubface.

If that means swinging like at 50% do it, I was amazed when I pulled my muscles and was swinging at around 70mph at how accurate I could be, bit boring but keeps the ball in play. Then slowly build back the speed.

If you have been doing that speed training that you posted about a while ago, it can take time for the timing to come back and get the same dispersion back(took me about a year btw)

 

[virtuocity]

Most of us on this site are just too **** at golf to care too much whether we shoot 80 or 100. You need to find a reason to enjoy a round, even if playing utter guff.

As soon as you can accept your limitations, the better. This also has the added benefit of affecting your course management. Used to be that I'd try to go for every par 4 green in two shots. Now, you're lucky if I'm not deliberately laying up on the majority of approaches > 180yards.

You have always struck me as someone really driven to master this game, with endless lessons, absorption of every Youtube video available, keeping the bag fresh and buying all the popular teaching aids. I do fear that this has impacted on your expectations when pegging it up. You have the brain of a scratch golfer, with the skill of someone in Cat 2. Your mind might just be impeding your own progress.

Personally, I think you need to find a new reason to love the game- the score will look after itself. Let the shoulders relax, listen to your breathing, enjoy the view.

As Willie says- you have the talent. Let it come through- stop getting in its way.

 

[User 105]

So if my maths is right you have a lesson every week !

That's ok if you continue to work on 1 thing until you embed it then move onto the next thing, disastrous if you working on different things each lesson.

I went through the same and had too many lessons and made too many changes and it messed me right up. I went and saw another pro for a second opinion and he watched me hit about 5 balls and said every swing I made was different. I had to stop having lessons, went and hit lots of balls on the range and just go play. I had to reset my swing and then slowly start to make changes.

 

[pendodave]

some good thoughts from Virtuocity there.

I seem to remember you referenced the 'on the mark' podcast previously. I've just listened to one with Zane Scotland (crazy name, crazy guy...). There's nothing technical in it, but there's lots of good thoughts about just playing golf with what you have, and accepting that if your game is a bit meh you should just use what works that day and not what you feel you ought to be able to do. Sound advice. On most courses at the moment, you could probably knock it round in <100 with a putter, so it's a good time to just chop it round and have fun.

 

[Robster59]

Most of us on this site are just too **** at golf to care too much whether we shoot 80 or 100. You need to find a reason to enjoy a round, even if playing utter guff.

As soon as you can accept your limitations, the better. This also has the added benefit of affecting your course management. Used to be that I'd try to go for every par 4 green in two shots. Now, you're lucky if I'm not deliberately laying up on the majority of approaches > 180yards.

You have always struck me as someone really driven to master this game, with endless lessons, absorption of every Youtube video available, keeping the bag fresh and buying all the popular teaching aids. I do fear that this has impacted on your expectations when pegging it up. You have the brain of a scratch golfer, with the skill of someone in Cat 2. Your mind might just be impeding your own progress.

Personally, I think you need to find a new reason to love the game- the score will look after itself. Let the shoulders relax, listen to your breathing, enjoy the view.

As Willie says- you have the talent. Let it come through- stop getting in its way.

I'd agree with all of these comments. It doesn't all happen straight away and we all have times when we don't play to our expectations, and the harder you try the worse it gets. Just enjoy your game this year.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

This year I’ve had more lessons than any other year. I’ve had about 25 x 30 minute lessons all in and my game has regressed to the point where I can’t score at all.

I’m missing all over the place, hitting wild shots-
Snap hooks, followed by wild slices. Tonight I tried leaving the driver in the boot and the 3 wood wasn’t any better.

Thinking of just taking a break altogether but then not sure how not swinging a club for a few weeks can really help.

Funny enough, I've cut right back on the instruction I receive and have spent more time on the course playing, usually nine holes after work. My handicap stubbornly refuses to move but I am learning how make a score. I've had some real shocking starts at times, including 2 points after 4 holes but have somehow found a way to stay more patient and try and tip toe back towards the buffer.

That said, there are days like today where it simply won't happen and I just accept it's not going to be my day and try and find a way to get it round. In current conditions I was able to hit a four iron off a couple of tees, knock one towards a hundred yards out and get it on the green. Not what I'd usually do but kept the points ticking along.

It sounds to me as though you're simply getting lessons and then not giving yourself time to work the changes through on the range or practice ground and so when you hit some bad shots your head gets filled with technical thoughts and you don't swing with any freedom and you speed up. It's hard when you're trying to make changes. All I can offer is try and stay positive, go back to your pro and explain what's happening when you play, see what they say and try and work the changes in, stick with them and wait for the game to improve to a better level than it was before

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

As mentioned in my thread about the unmentionables - I generally just face my demons and get on with it. I can still take something out of a round of golf even if the golf is terrible. And for me that something is a gratitude that I am blessed in being fortunate to be able to afford to be a member of a club like mine - with the friends that I have there - and the beautiful surroundings in which we play the game.

 

[HankMarvin]

Just try a little harder it's not rocket science

 

[shortgame]

Funny enough, I've cut right back on the instruction I receive and have spent more time on the course playing, usually nine holes after work. My handicap stubbornly refuses to move

Not sure how to read that

Are you saying you've got the balance too far the other way now (too much course time / not enough instruction)

 

[shortgame]

So if my maths is right you have a lesson every week !

That's ok if you continue to work on 1 thing until you embed it then move onto the next thing, disastrous if you working on different things each lesson.

This.

I'd be interested in the how, why and what ofnthe weekly lessons and what'd they entailed (apart from paying for the Pro's foreign holidays)

Most Pros I know advocate lessons every 3-4 weeks, any more and I question the motives