What do you do when your game falls apart?

[Petunia Sprinkle]

I just switch to another swing from my vast collection.

[cjcollas]

I try and remember I'm playing a game and there will be another 18 holes next time.

[JMarq83]

Cry

[boatrightgolf7]

It depends on how much you play and who your playing with. For me I play alone a lot and I often just go back to the first tee and start over. You would be surprised that it's often just mental mostly. Of course you can't start over on hole 7 in a foursome so just get in a mind set to start over and make some good swings in control and see what happens om the next hole.

[Irishgolfer99]

Write down everything you do when you play well. Your fundamentals. When you're playing bad just go back to these fundamentals. The worst thing you can do when you're playing bad is spend hours on the range. Step back and reassess, then go back with what you know works.

[golfandfishing]

I just switch to another swing from my vast collection.

 

Yeah, this too for me anymore. I have a Hale Irwin move, an Oosthuizen move, a Sergio Garcia move when I'm feeling loose and a few others. Used to not think of any but my own but once practice went out the window 10+ years ago I guess I had to steal some swing thoughts. Method works horribly.

[ImAPrettyGoodPlayer]

Back to the basics.... Grip, posture, stance, alignment, etc.

[maverick]

It depends on how much you play and who your playing with. For me I play alone a lot and I often just go back to the first tee and start over. You would be surprised that it's often just mental mostly. Of course you can't start over on hole 7 in a foursome so just get in a mind set to start over and make some good swings in control and see what happens om the next hole.

 

Recently I have been playing alone a lot. Now when I play with someone else I get tight and don't play like I know I can. I have started to play with others and slowly I am getting more and more relaxed but still find it is a work in progress. To me the key is take it one shot at a time and try and concentrate on what I am doing. I ignore or try not to get involved in someone else's play.

 

In the past when I had a regular foursome to play with it was no problem. Teeing off with the starter and two foursomes all watching your first drive can be stressful. I used to just trust my swing and would get off to a good start with a good drive. I need to re-learn what I once knew. BTW IMHO there are some very good posts in this thread.

[golfinray]

Go hit PW with a 3/4 swing and try to hit them about 80 yards.

 

In other words, slooow down everything.

 

Make sure your alignment and posture are good and you should find you timing soon.

 

If that doesn't work, cuss more.

[stuboy]

Ernie Ells obviously hasn't been following this thread...

:russian_roulette:

[Jasonic]

Ernie Ells obviously hasn't been following this thread...

:russian_roulette:

 

Yes he did....he played pretty good after the first hole.

[forgedblades]

Original post deleted. Unsure how another members post showed under my profile!

[Hilts1969]

 

I had another disastrous range session yesterday where I managed to shank approx 95 out of 100 balls before going home in a foul mood. I tried my usual 15 different swings all to no avail. Went back today thinking of nothing but head back and lead with the right elbow Shanked one the few others were open club face heel strikes.

 

I grabbed my driver for a bit of relief and hit it well. I always put the club head back away from the ball. For the sheer hell of it I picked up a 9 iron and did the same, club face slightly back slightly in, pure as the driven snow, right out of the middle. Did t** with every club in my bag and the results were excellent.

 

In future when my swings starts to fall apart on the course I will be moving my club head and not messing about with my swing.

[forgedblades]

I gave up golf for several years simply due to frustration. I returned to the game three years ago and began studying my own swing mechanics. I studied and documented what I personally did to create constant desired ball flights. This culminated in the publishing of a book on how to find and use your perfect swng, not what anyone else tells you is the "correct" way to achieve a desired goal. I hated it when someone told me how to correct a swing flaw. I documented what worked for me. I've always believed that the sharing of knowledge is most important in life. I now carry these notes with me, and look at them frequently to remind myself on how I personally achieve the desired flight paths. The practice sessions are essentially studying for a test. With your notes in your back pocket, the actual round is then an open book test and you have all the answers! Anyway, hope this insight helps.

[Tanner25]

I gave up golf for several years simply due to frustration. I returned to the game three years ago and began studying my own swing mechanics. I studied and documented what I personally did to create constant desired ball flights. This culminated in the publishing of a book on how to find and use your perfect swng, not what anyone else tells you is the "correct" way to achieve a desired goal. I hated it when someone told me how to correct a swing flaw. I documented what worked for me. I've always believed that the sharing of knowledge is most important in life. I now carry these notes with me, and look at them frequently to remind myself on how I personally achieve the desired flight paths. The practice sessions are essentially studying for a test. With your notes in your back pocket, the actual round is then an open book test and you have all the answers! Anyway, hope this insight helps.

 

Agreed. Here are my notes of a life time...that can always be tweaked. But, there are many here that won't change.

Swing - turn shoulders/hips on the BS and ground up on the through swing

Chip - kick start (swing trigger)

Sand - soft hands, 3/4 swing and through

Tees - 3/4's white Wal Mart tees

Grip - Gray Crossline Ace 3GEN standard two wraps

Ball - Chrome Soft 15, now Vibe

Take one extra club

Play for the fat part of the green

[Sir edward of putternut]

This happened to me last week. On an easy par 3 hole, I couldn't hit the ball to save my life. I hit 3 into the water and one about 70 yards. This hadn't happened to me since I was 12. I literally could not hit the ball.

Picked up, next hole. Driver into the dirt. W.t.f!

I stepped back. Went back to my old, old ,old routine.

One one thousand backswing, etc....dirt again.

I decided to pull out my 8 iron. Hit onto the fairway, or short of, with that, played the hole with an 8 iron. Next hole, 7 iron. Fortunately I was the pretty much on my own and let people pass. It actually became alot of fun.

Took a week off. Really thought about my swing. Played fine today. I think sometimes we play so much that we get lazy with the fundamentals and need to just step back and start over.

[WayRight]

go home...and have sex with the wife. Seems to make me forget about other things.

I'm worse at that than I am golf. My wife is like the Russian judge.

 

I've been practicing hitting a half swing knock down shot.

 

It seems like (at the range only so far) an easy shot for me to hit. Ball launches much lower, but I get more roll out. It's easy to keep straight though. I probably lose 10-15% of my distance.

 

When I initially read the thread title, I was thinking more in terms of what you do during the round.

I never read through the topic until today, but reading the title made me start thinking about getting an appropriate shot for when I lose my swing on the course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DTXgolfer12]

First and most importantly i try to identify what i'm struggling with. I think identifying the problem is what a lot of guys fail to do.

 

Then i might take a week or two off. Spend more time at the range until i feel it's improved.

[Nomad Golfer]

go home...and have sex with the wife. Seems to make me forget about other things.

I'm worse at that than I am golf. My wife is like the Russian judge.

 

I've been practicing hitting a half swing knock down shot.

 

It seems like (at the range only so far) an easy shot for me to hit. Ball launches much lower, but I get more roll out. It's easy to keep straight though. I probably lose 10-15% of my distance.

 

When I initially read the thread title, I was thinking more in terms of what you do during the round.

I never read through the topic until today, but reading the title made me start thinking about getting an appropriate shot for when I lose my swing on the course.

if it helps, when my swing goes pear shaped I remind myself to keep looking at the ball and not lift my head, this seems to be the root of all problems. At the range, try hitting a dozen balls and don't watch where the balls goes on any of them.

[gice]

I had the yips in my later junior years. Couldn't shake it off.

 

Quit golf for 10+ years only playing a round or two per year until last year.

 

Starting playing more seriously again last year. Playing better and having more fun than ever

[ago33]

I go back to focusing on the target and hitting it there

[jpbouffard]

On the course? Geez I wish I knew. I like to think I'm level headed, adult, mature enough to be able to get through difficult rounds and so forth, but I am not good at this. Recently I was playing a round and was striking it well. Two over after 5 holes, but these are difficult holes on our course. The 6th hole is probably the hardest on our course to hit the GIR, and I was 15 feet from the hole in regulation. I three putted. I was pissed. On the next hole, I three putted from about the same distance. You can guess what happened next. Two more GIR's followed by three putts.

 

I tried just as hard on those as any others. I tried to do everything the same. I felt a little more nervous maybe than usual as the three putts mounted, but it's not like I was shaking or was afraid of the putts. I know the course and the greens. I. just. screwed. up. I have no explanation.

 

Technically, I've had success in recent years where when my striking goes off, usually I can fix it in between rounds. I try three different things: Sounds simplistic, maybe, but the first thing I do is check my grip, play with it a little. Often I will do something like regrip at address or something and end up where the face is shut or close to it way to early, and I don't notice it, and start making compensations and end up lost. Often it will start to feel "comfortable" to grip it too strong, or too much in the fingers, or too little in the fingers, or too tight, etc. I work on this without a ball and then with and I force myself to swing with what I know is a correct grip for me. Often this fixes everything.

 

Second - and granted you can't really do this in a round - I dial back the swing as far as possible until I can hit solid shots. On the range I might start hitting chip shots.

 

I think for most people, we can hit the ball solid when the swing stays low, before the club comes up and the wrists hinge. It's simple enough with a little swing like this to keep the club on plane, etc. I start hitting little chips and pitches and get good contact, and then gradually lengthen and speed up the action and usually this gets me striking it well.

 

The last thing I do is have a look at what I'm doing in the mirror, or have someone take a quick cell phone video. Just like with the grip, sometimes I'll notice on video I've started to address the ball weird, change ball position, have the club way across the line at the top, or some other thing.

[mx6262]

How do you get out of a rut / bad place on a day when your game falls apart? How do you shake yourself back into focus and get over a bad shot?

 

When I come of the rails I simply try to remember the basics of my swing. I slow down, I have a smoke. I try to block distractions out. One shot at a time.

 

 

The other day my pal and I were playing a round at the simulator (its cold up here in 'sota) and about halfway through he totally fell apart. To his credit this has happened to him before on epic proportions. Once he loses it, its over and there is no getting it back. He would be best served to head to the clubhouse for a sandwich and a beer. At the end he kept saying, "I just wish this was over."

 

4 days later we attempted the sim again, after 3 holes he tapped out. Swing and confidence utterly destroyed.

 

I think for most of us our first instinct is to give advice when something like this happens but it rarely works for the person at the time.

 

What helps you when it falls apart and how can I best help someone else?

 

 

Its always mental, but that turns into a bad swing, setup , or both. But it starts in the brain. If that's solid a good day cometh....

 

Its always mental, but that turns into a bad swing, setup , or both. But it starts in the brain. If that's solid a good day cometh....

[elwhippy]

Guinness is my cure. Seriously it is usually through injury and lack of practice. A break and some physio then back to the basics like ball position. My biggest sin is aiming too far right so I go out and try to fade everything.

[Exactice808]

So.... Something new happened for me yesterday in relation to keeping calm and mental control.

 

I was having a decent start yesterday for my round, then I take a double..... not uncommon, but little did I know this would turn to be the best round of my life. So after that double Im 3 over after 4 holes........ The stress stated to build.... but instead of worry about the score, the round...everything... I focused on 1 thing and 1 thing alone... A simple swing thought......"My Chin on a Fence" from there I fire off 4 straight pars...... So now Im 3over after 8. Mind you last week, I took a triple on 7 (same course) as I whiffed off the tee and dunked a ball in the hazard 15ft in front of me........But all I kept thinking of was my swing thought...."Chin on a Fence"

 

I come to the 9th reachable par 5 but my ratio is probably 2/30 attempts and 0 eagles......... come up to my second shot, 3 wood 230 cross wind....."Chin on Fence" I stuff the shot to 3ft bottom side of the cup, semi kick in eagle......37 front....

 

Back Nine was the same.... stress building up.... wondering when I was going to collapse....but stuck to my thoughts single swing thought.....thought nothing else, thought not of my score, my playing partners ..... finish up with a 39 for a 76, lowest score ever!

 

All thanks to keeping the mind occupied by 1 thought alone.......

[1puttTUT]

Drink a lot and try not to ruin everyone else's day. There's always tmrw to play better.

[4thand11]

Someone upthread mentioned hitting with feet together for a while. Helps on the range and I've used it on the course also when the swing is falling apart. Quite often the problems come when I start thinking/trying too much and this almost always leads to balance issues... reverse pivot, weight too far forward, head dipping too low, etc... so feet together helps cure some of those problems. Combine that with a half-swing or even just a punch to get the feeling of hitting the ball solid again. It takes a few solid hits for the brain to reset itself and stop the downward panic "I've lost it" spiral.

 

Likewise with the driver I just try to take a half swing and pretend I'm just trying to punch it out there about 150 yds. I often have my best swings this way and the ball ends up going just as far as when I try to kill it.

 

Bottom line is not to panic and realize that a few solid hits resets the crossed wiring in your brain and before you know it it's all a hazy memory.... until next time lol.

[Nomad Golfer]

Head still watching the back of the ball and delay looking to see where it goes - works for me :)

[forgedblades]

So.... Something new happened for me yesterday in relation to keeping calm and mental control.

 

I was having a decent start yesterday for my round, then I take a double..... not uncommon, but little did I know this would turn to be the best round of my life. So after that double Im 3 over after 4 holes........ The stress stated to build.... but instead of worry about the score, the round...everything... I focused on 1 thing and 1 thing alone... A simple swing thought......"My Chin on a Fence" from there I fire off 4 straight pars...... So now Im 3over after 8. Mind you last week, I took a triple on 7 (same course) as I whiffed off the tee and dunked a ball in the hazard 15ft in front of me........But all I kept thinking of was my swing thought...."Chin on a Fence"

 

I come to the 9th reachable par 5 but my ratio is probably 2/30 attempts and 0 eagles......... come up to my second shot, 3 wood 230 cross wind....."Chin on Fence" I stuff the shot to 3ft bottom side of the cup, semi kick in eagle......37 front....

 

Back Nine was the same.... stress building up.... wondering when I was going to collapse....but stuck to my thoughts single swing thought.....thought nothing else, thought not of my score, my playing partners ..... finish up with a 39 for a 76, lowest score ever!

 

All thanks to keeping the mind occupied by 1 thought alone.......

Does the mental picture of "Chin on Fence" help keep your head up and prevent fat shots? I've found and taught about pointing the chin to the trail foot to help prevent thin or topped shots. I'll try a combination of the two and see how it works. Perhaps that should be our take away from Moe. Do not try to emulate others, but instead, try what they found and if it works, put it in the bag. If not, leave it in the sand. Just my thoughts.

[elwhippy]

It's lesson time laydeez and gennlemen! Was averaging 76. Then a 74. Last 4 comps.....80, 84, 79, 85 (3 greens in reg!). I have no idea where my irons are going, what flight they will produce and worse how far they will travel. Struggling to get grip comfortable in my right hand and zero confidence. Will take 2-3 days off and then go for advice.