What to do when it do falls apart?

[i*windows]

Last year I  was at 10.1 and played some great golf,really thought I was heading toward 9. This season started 91,95,95 and it's like I've never played before, thins, pulls slices things that aren't normally in my bad shot pattern. It's pretty depressing, but hopefully just a blip. What do you guys do when it all goes to cr@p?

[Socrates]

See a good golf professional for some lessons.  I was/am having issues after a long layoff and it boils down to one thing - swaying.  Fix that and it fixed a lot of things.  Now I just have to implement the fix so that it becomes real on the course.  Without a proper diagnosis, I would have been bumbling down the self-fix rabbit hole.

[596]

I go 100% back to basics.  Set up and alignment to start.  1/2 swings in slow motion. 1/2 swings such as an 8 iron to the 100 yard marker.  Then slowly and I mean over weeks slowly back to full swings.  It's a process!

[i*windows]

6 minutes ago, 596 said:

I go 100% back to basics.  Set up and alignment to start.  1/2 swings in slow motion. 1/2 swings such as an 8 iron to the 100 yard marker.  Then slowly and I mean over weeks slowly back to full swings.  It's a process!

Good idea, 3 weeks til next comp so fingers crossed I'm not crying then.

[ferrispgm]

Either go to a qualified instructor in person or online; or go back to basics.  Whenever I start struggling badly on a consistent basis I go to the range and just hit small shots making sure my setup is correct.  When I say small shots, I mean my 160 club and hitting it like 100 yards and focusing on solid contact.  Once I starting hitting it solid consistently, I increase speed.  This has worked for me 100% of the time.  After a couple range sessions I find I get back to normal again. 

 

It's easy to start hitting it poorly and then your mind does gymnastics trying to figure it out.  It's hard to slow down mentally and back off.  The same goes for during rounds as well. 

[Pepperturbo]

Can't say I've experienced the same stuff, but will offer crap that fits my game.  LOL 

 

Since covid typically I tee off and go about finding that day's swing.  It ordinarily takes 3–5 holes and make up for bogies scoring birdies on the back nine, which keeps my score in the normal range.

 

Last week, suddenly found myself scrambling on most holes with lots of worrisome mumbling.  Score can say decent day, but how we feel about our ball striking is something else.  I came to realize I played 17 holes with a chicken wing; which all but makes a good swing into an ole man swing that felt like sh**.   

 

For some reason, on 18 tee I felt compelled to consciously steer clear of a chicken wing.  I wasn't sure that was the culprit but any port in a storm.  Even though I felt miserable thinking I was losing my game, that's when I reminded myself to NEVER GIVE UP.  I had one hole left to pull a rabbit out of my a**.  When stuff like this happens, I leave the driver and 3wd in the bag and use long irons.

 

On a long Par4, using 2 iron hit the first absolutely pure strike of the day.  The ball flew nicely down the middle right of the fairway, still well short of the dog leg right, so once more, using 2i off the deck, smacked a mighty bullet baby fade around the dog leg ending inside the fairway, yards short of the green; two of the best shots of the day.  Then baby wedge to pin, made putt for a satisfying Par.  I walked off 18 knowing I never let my mind quit on me.

Edited May 10 by Pepperturbo

[phizzy30]

I take a couple weeks away from golf when poop hits the fan.  A hard reset usually does the trick and the old bad habits/movements disappear, for awhile anyway.  If things really get bad, I have my brother take a look at my swing, record then make suggestions.  Last resort is a lesson. 

[MattM97]

Back to basics and grind it out things will turn around, it does suck but all athletes go through this. 

[moostache]

I find the days I'm struggling to be the most insightful. Making sure you can score somewhat ok when things aren't going your way or don't feel quite right is a sign to me that I'm working on the right things.

[i*windows]

Thanks every one for the feedback, after a couple of nice glasses of red wine and looking back to when I played well in pretty sure that my issues are down to poor rythem tempo and a lack of a good preshot routine. When I play in competions I rush everything because I don't want to hold people up or be seen as a slow player. If I play by myself I'm much more relaxed do 3 left hand only swings before every shot and then have a fluid swing, in the last three rounds I didn't even take one practise swing before addressing the ball, and then just rushing. I'm not sure why this has crept in, but I'm sure it doesn't help. 😅

 

For us who can shoot in the low 80s or technique is usually OK, and as others have said the basics matter as does a positive Mental attitude 😇

[ChrisSP]

1. Focus on balance and tempo.

 

2. Hit golf shots (high looks, low cuts, knockdowns, etc.) instead of trying to make golf swings.

[SNIPERBBB]

I think most golfers, especially ams that fony see coaches often, should keep a swing journal and develop a checklist of swing keys to go over when your on the range after things go awry. Have some videos saved of good swings to refer back to abd compare current vs old swing 

[Canada8888]

Grind

 

Focus on every shot.  Keep your attention on what matters.  Be 100% present for the shot at hand.

 

 

[Mikey_HACKilroy]

Break your clubs over your knees and give it up in favor of another expensive hobby.

 

Like building a time machine so you can go back in time and stop golf from being invented... then again when some other idiot gets the idea of inventing golf.

 

Or,  just take a break and clear your head.  Then return with a clearer mind ready to focus on your game instead of every bad shot.

 

Take a month off. If that puts you back to square one,  then it's better that way and you can get lessons and start fresh. But you shouldn't forget all of what you've learned in a month.

Edited May 11 by Mikey_HACKilroy

[Nels55]

Funny how forum members are advising someone who just played their first 3 rounds of the season to take some time off!  Seems like maybe the long layoff is actually the problem?

[Jugs]

On 5/10/2024 at 3:55 PM, i*windows said:

What do you guys do when it all goes to cr@p?

 

Holes aren't for falling in but for climbing out.  Keep hammering.  

[Mikey_HACKilroy]

4 hours ago, Nels55 said:

Funny how forum members are advising someone who just played their first 3 rounds of the season to take some time off!  Seems like maybe the long layoff is actually the problem?

Well now that you mention it; probably is a result of some playing year 'round golf without really thinking about it advising time off after he already took time off...... 😛

 

But I was serious about the time machine business. 🤣

[Nickb333]

Hitting some balls easy with your feet together can solve a lot of problems. 

[i*windows]

back to Malaska L to L, and things seem to be better. thanks for the feedback 🙂