What do you do when your game falls apart?

[juliette91]

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?

 

Well, your swing does not change dramatically from good shot to bad shot. That's the beauty and the difficulty with golf. You really can be mostly pretty consistent but the level of consistency required to execute good shots repeatedly is v e r y high and most of us do not have those chops. So if your results suddenly get very crummy (I like the idea of results more than "swing") then something is a bit off somewhere---but the point of my reply is that it is a bit off somewhere.

 

It does not require you to take your swing down to the studs and rebuild the darn thing and in my opinion that kind of response will more often than not lead to golf misery.

 

Usually the swing does not really change much at all. What changes more often than not is the sequence and so I find that teeing up a 7 iron, putting my feet vey close together and hitting the ball does wonders for my tempo and is even better for the sequence. Try that.

[honestveek]

I generally just fall apart. I get to the 17th hit a few good shots and think why am I such a big tart! Then spend all week in work wishing I was playing golf.

[elwhippy]

I find Guinness is a good cure.

[honestveek]

After reading through the stuff on here I really applied myself today. Three birdies and won the money in our fourball. Much better mentally.

[blum81]

I usually quit for 2-3 weeks.

 

That usually gives me enough time to forget what ever bad habit I picked up and my game is somewhat back to normal. Although my game since moving to Asia has gone downhill due to the fact I don't get to go to the driving range at all.

[JonnyKrasnodar]

The proper destructive rounds have gotten less and less but if I have a bad hole or two I tell myself I'm NR'ing and it frees me up and I get back to playing better.

[Greasegun]

In the short term I try to go thru the fundamentals and make sure there isnt something out of whack in my setup. If it drags on for a week or more Ill go see my golf pro and get a lesson.

[QuieTSToRM33]

Slow it down.

[platgof]

I forgot to add a great tip I seen years ago, and I bit a lot of you have seen it as well. If you get tight your game is in the dump. Take a driver and grasp the head end and try to swing it fast. if you can't your nerves are beat, and you will have to relax to get it to whip through. When I feel like a wimp, I do this drill to find out what is going on.

[joeylough]

It's difficult to change the mindset when on the course, but I have noticed that I seem to play my best golf in match play. This seems to be by the fact that not every shot on every hole counts. I start match play on the basis that I will lose some holes, but overall I have confidence that I will win.

 

But give me a card in my hand and ask me to score for each hole....I feel the pressure. I have NR on a couple of comps early on, but then finished out the round, picking up my ball if it was contributing to slow play, but generally by the end of it, my game would have come back to life.

 

The thing I always have to fall back on is that I play golf for enjoyment, it is not my job so I use it to relax and have the fact that being a 17 handicapper I have shots to use!

[Texsport]

Reinforce some basics-

 

Stand closer

Widen stance

Stand taller

Connect and relax arms

Swing like I'm throwing a baseball sidearm

 

Texsport

 

[mocokid]

hit REALLY short shots, club going back no further than parallel with ground.

[Nomad Golfer]

hit REALLY short shots, club going back no further than parallel with ground.

That does it for me, short back swing long forward swing plus relaxing to the point of a little floppiness, soft grip etc.

[Rookie1422]

Go to the range and swing your most confident club, keep hitting it till it feels right. Work your way through the bag. Confidence is big.

[John L.]

My game has gone south more times since my return than I can count.

 

Two steps forward, and one step back.

 

Beer is the great equalizer if things go too badly. ;)

[hammer45]

when things go south for me I send a video to daniel carraher and he turns me back north.....always works....

[burkmi08242012]

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?

 

This is a great area of discussion @ShawnPaul. As a competitive player who thrives on minimizing mistakes, the best token of advice I can give anyone regardless of ability is to always have a "band aide" go-to plan. When things go awry for me, I will lean towards utilizing a cutting shot shape and use my strongest club off the tee. Also, I will "up club" for approach shots to alleviate the stress of full swing errors, with iron and approach shots my "stressful" situation is always the 3/4 shot because it is a slower, shorter swing. I always keep in mind, particularly in a tournament that I have to allot myself a certain number of misses and bogies, also accepting that bogies do happen. For example, a 10-handicap theoretically will have anywhere from 7-13 holes of bogey or worse. Bogies are manageable but the doubles or worse are what get severely deflating. Staying focused on one hole at a time is helpful too. I used to get lost in the big picture too much and it derailed me early in rounds. There are 18 holes and I have to play all of them, so just because one is bad (even triple bogey) doesn't mean I can't have 17 more that are played alright.

[Shawn Paul]

I love checking back on this thread from time to time.

 

Some common themes are beer, slow the swing down, 3/4 swing and default to the club or clubs you hit best.

 

All great advice.

[xflex]

During the round i don't change a thing. I try to hit the shot that give me the best opportunity to make a score. if i'm not playing well, yes i'll sometimes pick a more conservative line. Or i may lay up more often instead of risking it. But for the most part i pick a shot and hit it. The MOST IMPORTANT thing for me is to identify what the pattern is. What shot isn't working and where is the miss? And if possible what is the reason (this isn't always easy to do). So on the course nothing....maybe take some notes on what i think that's about it.

 

I think the golf swing is a series of habits. And the only way you break the bad ones is by creating good ones on the driving range.

[Hogan9]

I noticed that when my rounds starts heading the wrong way, I'm usually too much in my head, thinking about mechanics. When I catch myself, I come back by taking a deep breath and enjoying the scenery and what's around me. This sounds lame but I try to become one with my surroundings. (This is one of the main reasons I started walking the course vs carting it. Playing the game the way it was meant to be played.). Once I come back to nature, I focus on my target. Once I start focusing on my target and not on my mechanics, my body starts to feel the shot that wants to be played.

 

Tl:dr: I enjoy the natural environment, count my blessings and play the game.

 

This is good advice. I had a bad day yesterday and became so frustrated, I quit after nine holes. I'm 67 and my game is starting to show it. I've lost distance with all clubs but especially the driver. My hdcp has gone from 8 to 11. I recently retired and I'm playing three to four times a week. I usually shoot between 80 and 85,but I've had a few 88s and 89s of late. I think i'm over-analyzing things instead of enjoying still being able to play fairly well at my age.

[Nomad Golfer]

I noticed that when my rounds starts heading the wrong way, I'm usually too much in my head, thinking about mechanics. When I catch myself, I come back by taking a deep breath and enjoying the scenery and what's around me. This sounds lame but I try to become one with my surroundings. (This is one of the main reasons I started walking the course vs carting it. Playing the game the way it was meant to be played.). Once I come back to nature, I focus on my target. Once I start focusing on my target and not on my mechanics, my body starts to feel the shot that wants to be played.

 

Tl:dr: I enjoy the natural environment, count my blessings and play the game.

 

This is good advice. I had a bad day yesterday and became so frustrated, I quit after nine holes. I'm 67 and my game is starting to show it. I've lost distance with all clubs but especially the driver. My hdcp has gone from 8 to 11. I recently retired and I'm playing three to four times a week. I usually shoot between 80 and 85,but I've had a few 88s and 89s of late. I think i'm over-analyzing things instead of enjoying still being able to play fairly well at my age.

My brother who has just turned 80 is playing to a 12 hcp. He was playing up to 4 x 18 hole rounds a week and his game turned to custard. He is now only playing once or twice a week and his game has turned to roses. I believe you can have too much golf.

(he still beats me anyway)

[PaulGT3]

I just won a 2 man scramble. I was using my bandaide plan B to play well. So yesterday I go to trying to play inside out and made a mess of the front nine and shot a 53!! Got some back and hit some nice shots on the back for a 43. Today I go out and from the range I start topping shanking and just sh*t. So I figure it will be better on the course. (**OH LET ME MENTION my clubs are being reshafted and I am playing with other clubs**)

and I had to pick up. I was going to record these rounds and its just a mess.

I think you CAN PLAY TOO MUCH, and I think BEER is important because during the tournament my partner and I drank a six pack over 18.

So I am going to wait till I get my clubs back on Thursday before I quit all together.

[KYMAR]

[ULMgerman]

Focus on tempo, breath and slow down. Maybe swing with 20 percent less.

[Nomad Golfer]

I just won a 2 man scramble. I was using my bandaide plan B to play well. So yesterday I go to trying to play inside out and made a mess of the front nine and shot a 53!! Got some back and hit some nice shots on the back for a 43. Today I go out and from the range I start topping shanking and just sh*t. So I figure it will be better on the course. (**OH LET ME MENTION my clubs are being reshafted and I am playing with other clubs**)

and I had to pick up. I was going to record these rounds and its just a mess.

I think you CAN PLAY TOO MUCH, and I think BEER is important because during the tournament my partner and I drank a six pack over 18.

So I am going to wait till I get my clubs back on Thursday before I quit all together.

Is that quitting playing or drinking?

[Shawn Foley]

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?

 

Check out my store if you want to take a look at some simulators for unlimited practice!

 

I am a big proponent of: when times get tough on the golf course, go back to the mental game. Start to pay more attention to visualizing yourself hitting great shots over and over again. What typically happens when the scores start to creep up a bit is that your most recent memory of golf shots include negative visualization. Make things simple again, picture yourself hitting great golf shots, and then you will be surprised by how quickly things turn around!

 

Hope this helps!

[RBImGuy]

the modern golf theory swing cant have the same timing in each swing, its main reason you loose the game now and then and cant get it back.

never have that issue myself.

[LUMA]

I was just about to post something like this. I am a low single digit HC. Today was like any other day off. Hit the range to warm up before a round but all the sudden I literally could no hit a ball. It was worse than somebody who has never played before. I hit massive chunks, thin, shanks, ground before ball topped shots. My swing felt like it was weak and without control. Arms were like noodles and lower body was out of sync and doing all kinds of randomness. I've had bad days but this one was new. I just went home. I felt like I wanted to cry cuz I didn't know what was happening.

 

I know this is a mental situation but I don't know what it is or why it happens. I felt as if it was impossible to work through how bad things were so I just went home and started drinking.

[joker2]

I just move on to the second tee.

[juliette91]

I was just about to post something like this. I am a low single digit HC. Today was like any other day off. Hit the range to warm up before a round but all the sudden I literally could no hit a ball. It was worse than somebody who has never played before. I hit massive chunks, thin, shanks, ground before ball topped shots. My swing felt like it was weak and without control. Arms were like noodles and lower body was out of sync and doing all kinds of randomness. I've had bad days but this one was new. I just went home. I felt like I wanted to cry cuz I didn't know what was happening.

 

I know this is a mental situation but I don't know what it is or why it happens. I felt as if it was impossible to work through how bad things were so I just went home and started drinking.

 

Yikes, and you're not just making this up as a joke either? That's quite a turnaround in lack of proprioception for a low single digit handicapper (brain knowing where the ground is.) There is a ton of good advice on this thread and what you did sounds less like a cop out and more like a good break from the monotony of terrible ball striking. All I can add is something I've said before, which might work for you since it's likely all in your head anyway: your swing does not dramatically change from swing to swing (without consciously making it) So take heart that a day or two off golf could re-stimulate your golfing brain.