Speed without yanking the handle?

[crapula]

Sounds like you could read some books.

 

Golf is Not a Game of Perfect

Putting Out of Your Mind

Every Shot Counts

Every Shot Must Have a Purpose

The Game Before the Game

Zen Golf

 

 

I go back and read one of these any time I struggle. Everything by Bob Rotella is good, How Champions Think is great too.

[ebrasmus21]

Sounds like you could read some books.

 

Golf is Not a Game of Perfect

Putting Out of Your Mind

Every Shot Counts

Every Shot Must Have a Purpose

The Game Before the Game

Zen Golf

 

 

I go back and read one of these any time I struggle. Everything by Bob Rotella is good, How Champions Think is great too.

 

Just started Zen Golf. Thanks for the recommendations!

[ferrispgm]

Sounds like you could read some books.

 

Golf is Not a Game of Perfect

Putting Out of Your Mind

Every Shot Counts

Every Shot Must Have a Purpose

The Game Before the Game

Zen Golf

 

 

I go back and read one of these any time I struggle. Everything by Bob Rotella is good, How Champions Think is great too.

 

Just started Zen Golf. Thanks for the recommendations!

 

For me the hardest part is just clearing your head and focusing on the shot instead of what you're working on in the swing. It's easy to let mechanics creep into your round, especially after a few bad shots. On Saturday, my best shots all came when I didn't have a single mechanical thought...just see target, set up, and swing. Every time it was flushed. Then I would get a shot I was slightly uncomfortable with and start thinking about "make sure to flex my lead leg" and end up chunking it or hitting a pull long and over the green.

[ebrasmus21]

Sounds like you could read some books.

 

Golf is Not a Game of Perfect

Putting Out of Your Mind

Every Shot Counts

Every Shot Must Have a Purpose

The Game Before the Game

Zen Golf

 

 

I go back and read one of these any time I struggle. Everything by Bob Rotella is good, How Champions Think is great too.

 

Just started Zen Golf. Thanks for the recommendations!

 

For me the hardest part is just clearing your head and focusing on the shot instead of what you're working on in the swing. It's easy to let mechanics creep into your round, especially after a few bad shots. On Saturday, my best shots all came when I didn't have a single mechanical thought...just see target, set up, and swing. Every time it was flushed. Then I would get a shot I was slightly uncomfortable with and start thinking about "make sure to flex my lead leg" and end up chunking it or hitting a pull long and over the green.

 

Certainly not my strong-suit.

[ferrispgm]

Sounds like you could read some books.

 

Golf is Not a Game of Perfect

Putting Out of Your Mind

Every Shot Counts

Every Shot Must Have a Purpose

The Game Before the Game

Zen Golf

 

 

I go back and read one of these any time I struggle. Everything by Bob Rotella is good, How Champions Think is great too.

 

Just started Zen Golf. Thanks for the recommendations!

 

For me the hardest part is just clearing your head and focusing on the shot instead of what you're working on in the swing. It's easy to let mechanics creep into your round, especially after a few bad shots. On Saturday, my best shots all came when I didn't have a single mechanical thought...just see target, set up, and swing. Every time it was flushed. Then I would get a shot I was slightly uncomfortable with and start thinking about "make sure to flex my lead leg" and end up chunking it or hitting a pull long and over the green.

 

Certainly not my strong-suit.

 

Mine either....I'm a head case lol

[wmblake2000]

Sounds like you could read some books.

 

Golf is Not a Game of Perfect

Putting Out of Your Mind

Every Shot Counts

Every Shot Must Have a Purpose

The Game Before the Game

Zen Golf

 

 

I go back and read one of these any time I struggle. Everything by Bob Rotella is good, How Champions Think is great too.

 

Just started Zen Golf. Thanks for the recommendations!

 

For me the hardest part is just clearing your head and focusing on the shot instead of what you're working on in the swing. It's easy to let mechanics creep into your round, especially after a few bad shots. On Saturday, my best shots all came when I didn't have a single mechanical thought...just see target, set up, and swing. Every time it was flushed. Then I would get a shot I was slightly uncomfortable with and start thinking about "make sure to flex my lead leg" and end up chunking it or hitting a pull long and over the green.

 

Certainly not my strong-suit.

 

I have come to think that no way I’m able to not have swing thoughts at the stage of the process. But that doesn’t mean I can’t also stay centered and focused (with some diligent efffort)

 

But I’m like you. I get teaching pros where I practice tell me ‘great swing’ and then I go out here and stink up the course.

 

What are you gonna do? ‘Golf is hard, keep working’ (message to 3 jack par from his teacher and 3 jack is a beast on the course!)

 

This is why it’s fun. It’s like that damn mechanical rabbit at a dog track.

[Rohlio]

When you have been playing golfswing intensely for too long you often struggle to play golf.

[ebrasmus21]

When you have been playing golfswing intensely for too long you often struggle to play golf.

 

I have been playing golf swing for sure. Now that I’m over my pity party I’m excited to keep gaining confidence in my swing so I can feel more comfortable playing the game.

[Ray Jackson]

When you have been playing golfswing intensely for too long you often struggle to play golf.

 

This is my biggest issue when under pressure. Right now I cant help myself at those moments. Instead I should visualize the shot I want to hit and get as specific as possible with target and shot shape.

[wmblake2000]

When you have been playing golfswing intensely for too long you often struggle to play golf.

 

I have been playing golf swing for sure. Now that I’m over my pity party I’m excited to keep gaining confidence in my swing so I can feel more comfortable playing the game.

 

Question: how many things did you change in your swing over this year ( or thereabouts)?

 

Reason I ask... so at the range, I am nails. First 3-6 holes, incredible. But as I get more tired (I always walk) and more wrapped up in the game, it starts to go south. Old habits take over even though I keep trying to do the same thing, but even the clarity of my intended swing kinda dissolves.

 

My conclusion: stay the course. Keep working the core fundamentals because they work. Just repeat and refine the feels. Think about 2 yrs from now... that nice swing becomes consistent better golf.

 

I actually think the don’t play golf swing is kinda bullsnot. Sure, if your swing is well-learned and you trust it. But if you’re changing it, there has to be this time where you have to play golf swing (think mechanics).

[ebrasmus21]

When you have been playing golfswing intensely for too long you often struggle to play golf.

 

I have been playing golf swing for sure. Now that I’m over my pity party I’m excited to keep gaining confidence in my swing so I can feel more comfortable playing the game.

 

Question: how many things did you change in your swing over this year ( or thereabouts)?

 

Reason I ask... so at the range, I am nails. First 3-6 holes, incredible. But as I get more tired (I always walk) and more wrapped up in the game, it starts to go south. Old habits take over even though I keep trying to do the same thing, but even the clarity of my intended swing kinda dissolves.

 

My conclusion: stay the course. Keep working the core fundamentals because they work. Just repeat and refine the feels. Think about 2 yrs from now... that nice swing becomes consistent better golf.

 

I actually think the don’t play golf swing is kinda bullsnot. Sure, if your swing is well-learned and you trust it. But if you’re changing it, there has to be this time where you have to play golf swing (think mechanics).

 

2018 I changed: grip, posture, pivot/pressure shift and most currently my wrist action.

[wmblake2000]

That’s my point. All that has to take root... and only time does that

[ebrasmus21]

That’s my point. All that has to take root... and only time does that

 

Can I take golf steriods to speed things up?

[wmblake2000]

Haha. I’ve thought about it this way... if the option is improve slowly or not at all... what do you prefer? Beside what better way to completely absorb your attention? I mean, who doesn’t like getting on an elevator rehearsing a swing?

[ferrispgm]

Haha. I’ve thought about it this way... if the option is improve slowly or not at all... what do you prefer? Beside what better way to completely absorb your attention? I mean, who doesn’t like getting on an elevator rehearsing a swing?

 

HAHAHAHA i literally do this every morning when I leave my apartment and on the elevator at my office.....that's hilarious.

[Rohlio]

I have two deliberate states of being

 

1. Golfswing

2. Golf

 

I try not to confuse which one I am doing. So much so that if I am engaged in 1 or 2 months of golfswing, I either don't play tournaments or if I do I literally expect to be terrible.

 

If I have a tournament I care about I stop practicing 2 weeks before. Lock in mentally whatever technique I currently have and only hit enough range balls to warm up prior to rounds (less than 20 typically) and play a lot of golf focusing on the game itself. That gets me into "Golf" mode.

[wmblake2000]

I have two deliberate states of being

 

1. Golfswing

2. Golf

 

I try not to confuse which one I am doing. So much so that if I am engaged in 1 or 2 months of golfswing, I either don't play tournaments or if I do I literally expect to be terrible.

 

If I have a tournament I care about I stop practicing 2 weeks before. Lock in mentally whatever technique I currently have and only hit enough range balls to warm up prior to rounds (less than 20 typically) and play a lot of golf focusing on the game itself. That gets me into "Golf" mode.

 

Interesting... ok so if you’re in mid-process of a new motion and you do what you describe, then you just accept whatever swing you have when you don’t try to do the new motion you’re working on?

[Rohlio]

I have two deliberate states of being

 

1. Golfswing

2. Golf

 

I try not to confuse which one I am doing. So much so that if I am engaged in 1 or 2 months of golfswing, I either don't play tournaments or if I do I literally expect to be terrible.

 

If I have a tournament I care about I stop practicing 2 weeks before. Lock in mentally whatever technique I currently have and only hit enough range balls to warm up prior to rounds (less than 20 typically) and play a lot of golf focusing on the game itself. That gets me into "Golf" mode.

 

Interesting... ok so if you’re in mid-process of a new motion and you do what you describe, then you just accept whatever swing you have when you don’t try to do the new motion you’re working on?

 

I try not to make any big changes until a time of year when I have nothing coming up so I can go full "Golfswing" mode.

 

Sometimes it is unavoidable though that the timing doesn't work out or a change takes me longer to get than I expect. In this case, yes I do exactly what you say. 2 weeks prior I stop "trying" to do anything physically during my swing. Just pick a target, a shape, a club and play the game.

 

The goal of "Golfswing" is to ingrain a move such that it feels normal. If you are trying to do a move while playing golf (which means it still doesn't feel normal to you) you will never score to your potential. That is way too much internal focus. Michael Jordan wasn't thinking about his left elbow position while trying to make a shot during a championship game.

 

In unimportant events (weekly men's club stuff, scrambles, bullxxxx games)I just accept that I am going to be a bit of a wreck if I am in golfswing mode, but who cares?

[llewol007]

I play to a four and reading your post, you have hit what I call the fork in your golf game. To be a weekend warrior and not want to practice is exactly me. Well in honesty, I do hit a small bucket of balls and work on my short game. First and foremost, friends giving advice can be a dangerous thing. They might be right and they might be way wrong so be careful on that one. Leads me to a story about a series of lessons on the advice that I was crossing the line with my driver. Sure enough and thank God the instructor was a stand up guy asked what are you try to change because the ball went where it is suppose to go and your numbers are right in line with anything a great player would want. Nice enough guy refunded me the remainder of the lessons I bought. What you are asking for to get to scratch or close to it is really up to you. When you do not play regularly and on top of that, do not even hit the range, your body will forget how to swing or it will take a couple of rounds to remind itself that it can swing. If that makes sense. It is a good idea to get lessons but make sure the guy is on the same page with what you are trying to accomplish. If you hear the guy say he is going to build your swing from scratch or do something to that nature, watch out. It can ruin your swing. Second thing is, go to the range at least once a week. Even if it is to hit some short irons, it helps in keeping the muscle memory in tact. Third thing is that going for scratch is doable but the focus of your game really needs to be your short game. And to back that off even more, from say 100 yards in. That will ultimately decide whether you reach your goal in my opinion. The long clubs in the bag are distance clubs. The approach shots are your money shots since it is going to decide where and how far you will be putting from. I played a practice 9 hole round yesterday and to say that I had putts from within 10 feet on 8 out of the 10 greens was great for me, and I ended up shooting 1 under. The main difference was I was so confident in my short game that I was firing at the stick full force rather than hoping to hit the green because I knew that if at chance I did miss or come short, that it was an automatic up and down. And sure enough they were. Good luck to your thread. Should be a good one to keep up with. Im im the Bay Area if you are anywhere near there. We should tee it up. Always up for a round.

[wmblake2000]

That’s a lot like how Jim Waldron looks at it, too, and makes sense to me. Big diff between me and you is my ‘old’ swing sucked for so long I’m still not really to trust what just shows up. Which is how I see ebrasmus dilemma, too. But it’ll get there. The major overhaul for me is done - the basics are in place. Now it’s just about getting this new set of motions to feel ‘normal.’

[Rohlio]

That’s a lot like how Jim Waldron looks at it, too, and makes sense to me. Big diff between me and you is my ‘old’ swing sucked for so long I’m still not really to trust what just shows up. Which is how I see ebrasmus dilemma, too. But it’ll get there. The major overhaul for me is done - the basics are in place. Now it’s just about getting this new set of motions to feel ‘normal.’

 

I went from 18 at 29 to scratch at 31...

 

My old swing sucked for plenty long!!! The truth is this. It doesn't matter if your new swing is solid enough, ingrained enough, pretty enough, etc. If you show up to a tournament trying to do something different you will shoot a worse score than you could have that day. I don't know anybody who can handle internal pressure plus external pressure plus a swing focused mind at the same time.

 

I finally quit fighting this when I got tired of watching people with clearly inferior mechanics crushing me on the card when it counts.

[rich_s2]

Yup, I agree with the above. We have some crazy swings at my club that are scratch or slightly above. They own their swings and practice a lot. I am getting to that point myself. I have a bad looking swing but it gets the job done most of the time. Its time for me to have an insane short game and I think I will be where I want to be.

[ebrasmus21]

I play to a four and reading your post, you have hit what I call the fork in your golf game. To be a weekend warrior and not want to practice is exactly me. Well in honesty, I do hit a small bucket of balls and work on my short game. First and foremost, friends giving advice can be a dangerous thing. They might be right and they might be way wrong so be careful on that one. Leads me to a story about a series of lessons on the advice that I was crossing the line with my driver. Sure enough and thank God the instructor was a stand up guy asked what are you try to change because the ball went where it is suppose to go and your numbers are right in line with anything a great player would want. Nice enough guy refunded me the remainder of the lessons I bought. What you are asking for to get to scratch or close to it is really up to you. When you do not play regularly and on top of that, do not even hit the range, your body will forget how to swing or it will take a couple of rounds to remind itself that it can swing. If that makes sense. It is a good idea to get lessons but make sure the guy is on the same page with what you are trying to accomplish. If you hear the guy say he is going to build your swing from scratch or do something to that nature, watch out. It can ruin your swing. Second thing is, go to the range at least once a week. Even if it is to hit some short irons, it helps in keeping the muscle memory in tact. Third thing is that going for scratch is doable but the focus of your game really needs to be your short game. And to back that off even more, from say 100 yards in. That will ultimately decide whether you reach your goal in my opinion. The long clubs in the bag are distance clubs. The approach shots are your money shots since it is going to decide where and how far you will be putting from. I played a practice 9 hole round yesterday and to say that I had putts from within 10 feet on 8 out of the 10 greens was great for me, and I ended up shooting 1 under. The main difference was I was so confident in my short game that I was firing at the stick full force rather than hoping to hit the green because I knew that if at chance I did miss or come short, that it was an automatic up and down. And sure enough they were. Good luck to your thread. Should be a good one to keep up with. Im im the Bay Area if you are anywhere near there. We should tee it up. Always up for a round.

 

 

007 - not sure if you're just speaking in generalities or if some of your comments are specifically directed at my journey. I play and practice regularly/weekly - I know I won't get to scratch otherwise. The reason I have gone to Monte and Dan is specifically because they don't try to recreate the wheel - in my experience they tend to work with what I have to offer from a physical/athletic/talent standpoint. Thanks for checking out the thread and maybe we can get a round in sometime this summer!

[ferrispgm]

Yup, I agree with the above. We have some crazy swings at my club that are scratch or slightly above. They own their swings and practice a lot. I am getting to that point myself. I have a bad looking swing but it gets the job done most of the time. Its time for me to have an insane short game and I think I will be where I want to be.

 

Don't worry about how your swing "looks"...worry about it's effectiveness. The swing is all about matching up different parts/movements in order to hit the ball. It looks the way it does because you have learned how to match and offset certain parts in order to make contact. Do you think Jim Furyk worries about how his swing looks? What about Daly? What about Berger?

[ebrasmus21]

That's a lot like how Jim Waldron looks at it, too, and makes sense to me. Big diff between me and you is my 'old' swing sucked for so long I'm still not really to trust what just shows up. Which is how I see ebrasmus dilemma, too. But it'll get there. The major overhaul for me is done - the basics are in place. Now it's just about getting this new set of motions to feel 'normal.'

 

I went from 18 at 29 to scratch at 31...

 

My old swing sucked for plenty long!!! The truth is this. It doesn't matter if your new swing is solid enough, ingrained enough, pretty enough, etc. If you show up to a tournament trying to do something different you will shoot a worse score than you could have that day. I don't know anybody who can handle internal pressure plus external pressure plus a swing focused mind at the same time.

 

I finally quit fighting this when I got tired of watching people with clearly inferior mechanics crushing me on the card when it counts.

 

Your posts are interesting info - thanks for sharing. Because I'm at information overload and I probably over analyze things to death I'm not going to try not to ask questions.

 

My dilemma is kinda what Blake is saying.... I've had some huge mechanical overhauls going on for the past 12 months and I don't own the new move yet. Once I own the new move, or at least trust it I'd like to exit the golfswing mode and just play.

[Krt22]

Yup, I agree with the above. We have some crazy swings at my club that are scratch or slightly above. They own their swings and practice a lot. I am getting to that point myself. I have a bad looking swing but it gets the job done most of the time. Its time for me to have an insane short game and I think I will be where I want to be.

 

Don't worry about how your swing "looks"...worry about it's effectiveness. The swing is all about matching up different parts/movements in order to hit the ball. It looks the way it does because you have learned how to match and offset certain parts in order to make contact. Do you think Jim Furyk worries about how his swing looks? What about Daly? What about Berger?

 

I guess it depends on what you are "looking" for. I look for positions that I know are generally more conducive to making consistent contact, less so about pure aesthetics. Yes it's about match ups, but certain positions/moves make matching up consistently much harder than it needs to be. I've said this in another thread and will say it here too, comparing certain positions of pros doesn't make much sense since your average amateur doesnt have the same amount of time or talent, so why make it harder than it needs to me for the sole sake of "swinging your swing".

[Rohlio]

 

Once I own the new move, or at least trust it I'd like to exit the golfswing mode and just play.

 

My point is that most of us think that we will eventually "Own our move" and then focus on golf...but that is not how it works in my experience and in my conversations with better players.

 

You never own a golf swing it is always in flux. You will fall somewhere on a spectrum of "Trust <---------------------------------------------->Distrust". I agree completely that you need to practice enough and work into being close to the trust side of the spectrum or you are correct you will never be able to play golf, but you must realize that golfswing is a component of golf. You cannot conflate the two or you will never actually arrive at a real game that is authentic to you.

 

At some point you actually have to deliberately learn to play golf. Look at it this way: Golf is a game made up of many parts viz. golfswing, putting, chipping, pitching, bunker play, mental focus, confidence, strategy, emotional reaction to highs and lows, response to pressure, expectation, technical knowledge of the rules etc.. If you conflate one part of it "the search for my swing" with the whole of it you will never get what you want. Which I presume is to score to your potential under pressure. You will never accidentally end up being able to "just play" you actually have to cultivate that skill.

 

You have been through a massive transformation of a part of your golf game over the last year and that is awesome. You are totally on schedule for where you should be in terms of being able to put it all together. You will need to actively begin to work on the totality of golf at some point in order to get what you really want. You have done the necessary part but learned that it is not sufficient. The good news is that it appears your ceiling is high enough in terms of one of these fundamental parts to actually be really good which is awesome. Enjoy the rest of the journey.

 

Some of the best advice I ever got to help me deal with tournament nerves was "Try to realize that a tournament round is simply a celebration of the hard work you have put in to arrive on the first tee."

 

Cheers and best of luck, you have arrived at what I think is the really fun part.

[ebrasmus21]

Once I own the new move, or at least trust it I'd like to exit the golfswing mode and just play.

 

My point is that most of us think that we will eventually "Own our move" and then focus on golf...but that is not how it works in my experience and in my conversations with better players.

 

You never own a golf swing it is always in flux. You will fall somewhere on a spectrum of "Trust <---------------------------------------------->Distrust". I agree completely that you need to practice enough and work into being close to the trust side of the spectrum or you are correct you will never be able to play golf, but you must realize that golfswing is a component of golf. You cannot conflate the two or you will never actually arrive at a real game that is authentic to you.

 

At some point you actually have to deliberately learn to play golf. Look at it this way: Golf is a game made up of many parts viz. golfswing, putting, chipping, pitching, bunker play, mental focus, confidence, strategy, emotional reaction to highs and lows, response to pressure, expectation, technical knowledge of the rules etc.. If you conflate one part of it "the search for my swing" with the whole of it you will never get what you want. Which I presume is to score to your potential under pressure. You will never accidentally end up being able to "just play" you actually have to cultivate that skill.

 

You have been through a massive transformation of a part of your golf game over the last year and that is awesome. You are totally on schedule for where you should be in terms of being able to put it all together. You will need to actively begin to work on the totality of golf at some point in order to get what you really want. You have done the necessary part but learned that it is not sufficient. The good news is that it appears your ceiling is high enough in terms of one of these fundamental parts to actually be really good which is awesome. Enjoy the rest of the journey.

 

Some of the best advice I ever got to help me deal with tournament nerves was "Try to realize that a tournament round is simply a celebration of the hard work you have put in to arrive on the first tee."

 

Cheers and best of luck, you have arrived at what I think is the really fun part.

 

Nicely put, thanks for the kind words and advice.

[wmblake2000]

That's a lot like how Jim Waldron looks at it, too, and makes sense to me. Big diff between me and you is my 'old' swing sucked for so long I'm still not really to trust what just shows up. Which is how I see ebrasmus dilemma, too. But it'll get there. The major overhaul for me is done - the basics are in place. Now it's just about getting this new set of motions to feel 'normal.'

 

I went from 18 at 29 to scratch at 31...

 

My old swing sucked for plenty long!!! The truth is this. It doesn't matter if your new swing is solid enough, ingrained enough, pretty enough, etc. If you show up to a tournament trying to do something different you will shoot a worse score than you could have that day. I don't know anybody who can handle internal pressure plus external pressure plus a swing focused mind at the same time.

 

I finally quit fighting this when I got tired of watching people with clearly inferior mechanics crushing me on the card when it counts.

 

Your posts are interesting info - thanks for sharing. Because I'm at information overload and I probably over analyze things to death I'm not going to try not to ask questions.

 

My dilemma is kinda what Blake is saying.... I've had some huge mechanical overhauls going on for the past 12 months and I don't own the new move yet. Once I own the new move, or at least trust it I'd like to exit the golfswing mode and just play.

 

I have read others who think like Rohlio - so I am sure they are telling the truth. I have to tell you, when I play with the swing that just happens and think about target or whatever, I play worse.

 

However, I think the end of the phase I am in is nearing.... I am pretty content with the basics I have in place. They are pretty limited but substantial. I am just going to work them and work them and work them. Having a very limited number of the same feels/motions that I practice is nice.

 

What i am seeing right now is I play the first few holes great. I hit the ball so solid and straight. But then as I get tired (I am a walker, play hilly courses) that still pretty new swing and my clarity of its feels sort of melts. (and last lesson was a week ago where input on pivot tied everything together, so this is very new). Which I am sure is what would happen in competition, too.

 

The good news is, my good swings are really good. Not what they look like but what happens to the ball. To be sure, if you see my swing, it's not gonna wow anyone. But it's pretty solid now and I have a LOT of faith in it.

 

I really think the key for me is getting rid of a million possible options so that the whole thing gets simple. Putting got this way. I have made the same stroke now for a while and it works. I went from awful to not bad at all. Once I get some real confidence in things, there's just no reason to chase something else. I think some people think people like me are chasing a pretty swing for its own sake. Not true.

 

I am probably going to start a thread on this, but I was listening to the golf Sirrius station last night with Tyler Ferrell. He was asked what the biggest myth he sees. I was thinking he's say "Keep your head down" or something like that. Nope. It was the whole "hold the lag" idea which he said causes people to pull arms down, get the shaft vertical, and early extend to cope, stall and flip. My original swing in a nutshell.

 

So fixing this was about trying to hit the ball solid more consistently.

 

Be fun if all of us Monte guys could play together some day.

[wmblake2000]

Once I own the new move, or at least trust it I'd like to exit the golfswing mode and just play.

 

My point is that most of us think that we will eventually "Own our move" and then focus on golf...but that is not how it works in my experience and in my conversations with better players.

 

You never own a golf swing it is always in flux. You will fall somewhere on a spectrum of "Trust <---------------------------------------------->Distrust". I agree completely that you need to practice enough and work into being close to the trust side of the spectrum or you are correct you will never be able to play golf, but you must realize that golfswing is a component of golf. You cannot conflate the two or you will never actually arrive at a real game that is authentic to you.

 

At some point you actually have to deliberately learn to play golf. Look at it this way: Golf is a game made up of many parts viz. golfswing, putting, chipping, pitching, bunker play, mental focus, confidence, strategy, emotional reaction to highs and lows, response to pressure, expectation, technical knowledge of the rules etc.. If you conflate one part of it "the search for my swing" with the whole of it you will never get what you want. Which I presume is to score to your potential under pressure. You will never accidentally end up being able to "just play" you actually have to cultivate that skill.

 

You have been through a massive transformation of a part of your golf game over the last year and that is awesome. You are totally on schedule for where you should be in terms of being able to put it all together. You will need to actively begin to work on the totality of golf at some point in order to get what you really want. You have done the necessary part but learned that it is not sufficient. The good news is that it appears your ceiling is high enough in terms of one of these fundamental parts to actually be really good which is awesome. Enjoy the rest of the journey.

 

Some of the best advice I ever got to help me deal with tournament nerves was "Try to realize that a tournament round is simply a celebration of the hard work you have put in to arrive on the first tee."

 

Cheers and best of luck, you have arrived at what I think is the really fun part.

 

I am sure you're pointing out a big thing... I fully take your point. I am just not there yet.

 

PS: "Try to realize that a tournament round is simply a celebration of the hard work you have put in to arrive on the first tee." EXCELLENT!