Why is this game so cruel???

[medwayjon]

Really down today as all of a sudden my driving has gone to pot for no identifiable reason.

I had been hitting the ball very well, had a week off and then bang, its all gone to rat [****] and left me on the very pissed off side of things.

Just seems so cruel as 2 weeks ago I really thought I had built a decent game of golf and today it feels like I have taken a mighty leap backwards.

All I can do is see the pro and practise hard I suppose.

 

[bunkered]

Med, thats why we are handicap golfers, if i had to go to a pro every time my game was off he would be very rich and i would be very poor, does not matter what level you play at you will always get days like that, everybody gets them.

 

[pjaz]

MWJ - you are not alone, though my problems were at the opposite end of the hole, see my post above yours.

 

[Basher]

I feel your pain.

Played a round yesterday and it was terrible. Hitting 6's and 7's on par 4's, 5's and even 6's on par3's!
Felt I couldn't hit the ball off the fairway without fatting it big style.
Came home and felt depressed all night.

The thing is I have my first competition ever on Saturday and as things look I'm not very confident, it's just been shattered.

I won't have the chance to get any grass playing preactise in, just maybe a session down the range.

I just can't seem to stop hitting fat shots. Anyone have any tips or drills to get me out of the habit please, I'm getting desperate!

 

[nackanut]

this game is so cruel because it can be MWJ. but that is the reason we keep coming back. two weeks ago i was really driving well and shot 3 sub 90 rounds, great i thought ive cracked this now, lets move on to the next level. now i couldnt hit a barn door. wayward off the tee although i arent doing anything different to what i had been two weeks ago. it is all down to tempo, it has to be, i know i can play well below my current handicap but can i do it consistantly? too bloody right i can this cruel game aint got the beating of us yet!!! keep at it MWJ dont let the B******* grind you down!

 

[MVP]

On the contrary jon tonite i hit every club in the bag like a champion believe!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I feel your pain MWJ. As someone who hasn't come close to playing to his handicap in competitions and is being fleeced by his higher handicap mates every weekend I know how much of a pain playing badly is.

I think I have it cracked on the range or after a lesson and may even start of well but sooner or later the same old faults will creep in and the game will fall apart.

Stick with it. It will get better.

 

[brendy]

If things have gone a bit pete tong, get to the range and start again from scratch. By this I mean rebuild your swing by how you think it should be working ie your takeaway, straight left arm, weight to the back foot, no over swing, then concentrate on how you intend to hit the ball coming back down, left arm straight again with weight shifting to the left and allowing a little lag and remember to hit through the ball, dont quit..... maybe this will remove the issues that may have crept in. A lessonmight not go amiss either.

 

[rgs]

MWJ-know the feeling-played Sat and yesterday-On sat hit every possible tee shot,(except a straight one)from slice to pull and even 2 knockdowns which only went 30 yds into trouble.

Yesterday front nine reasonably okay but played back nine in five over and hit 5 of 7 fairways.

MMJ just remember next week is another day and another chance to get the game back on track.

 

[GB72]

You have my sympathies. My scores have been creeping up recently. Every week there is always one area of my game that fails totally and it changes weekly. Last week it was my wedges, the week before my putter and this week I literally forgot how to hit a fairway wood. Was taking wild swings and topping it every time. I long for the day when all aspects work, even if it is for just one day and for long enough to beat my brother at this game.

 

[Sam]

I religiously follow the advice often given here to forget your bad shots and move on positively. Works very well - I haven't started playing golf yet!

 

[TonyN]

Just stick with it mate. Get it in to your head that you are a good driver of the ball, If you let the demons creep in (the ones that say, this is going no where) then it probably wont. Leave all those bad shots behind and start a fresh. You know you can drive well so let your self. Put a lid on the last week and call on your good stuff.

Forget about ditance and concentrate on hitting straight. When this is back, then open up the valves and give it some steam.

DONT let the mental game beat you

 

[BunkerMentality123]

Jon,

I know where yr coming from mate!

On Saturday I played with 3 guys I've never met before, and I played like a demon (probably down to the fact they were all good players 10hcp or so). I drove well, and more surprisingly my wedge play was really on song, and as a result I posyed a very decent 82 (4 under hcp).

On Monday however completely different story. First 8 holes playing really well, down the middle, very safe etc.

Stood on the 9th tee, 3 wood in hand and ballooned the ball in the air. No bother I thought, take a little 7, proceeded to fat it. No worries I thought little wedge knifed it along the floor stright across the green.

The next 3 holes were a complete disaster, four 7s on 3 par 4s ans a par 3.

Confidence at an all time low, I stepped up to stroke index 1, absolutely smashed my drive down the middle, 5 iron to about 3 feet, birdie.

Finished the round level par for the remaining holes.

There was no reason for the bad spell, in my head I was swinging normally, but obviously I was a bit nervous thus game went to pot.

It came back with one good shot, which clamed me down and off I went again.

Keep with it mate, good things will come.

 

[medwayjon]

Some excellent comments here. I think I will give the range a swerve and wait until I tee it up at 15:00 tomorrow.

Hopefully things will have improved.

I reckon I must have been making a technical error as my chest muscles hurt like buggery today, don't usually tweak anything when hitting it well so perhaps there lies the answer?

 

[muttleee]

Harvey Pennick once said something like, "If you play badly once - forget it. If you play badly twice, think about your grip, alignment, stance and posture. If you play badly 3 times, have a lesson."

Wise words, mate.

 

[fade_away]

I/we feel your pain. I have been remodelling my swing (with the help of my local pro) and have recently been much more consistent. Until last weekend when it all exploded into a shocker of a round. Fat shots, skied drives, 3 putting. We won the match and I contributed nothing. I was embarrassed shaking hands with the opposition.
I did hit one excellent mid iron though and I suppose that is what will force me back out next week!!!!!
Bleeding game!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'd be inclined to stick at it and try an play your way through it. However if it become abundantly clear that a major error has crept in a lesson will soon get you back on track.

You know you are a good player. We know you are a good player. Get out there and prove it to us big man