What do "you" do when you game goes south?

[Jay845]

I am in the middle of a pretty big swing change. I am your classic open clubface over the top player.

I have purchased and viewed NSA and Confessions on numerous occassions. I have spent approximately 20 hours on the range working on my swing slowly things are coming together, however I have yet to enjoy an actual round of golf this year due to huge inconsistencies in everything except my shortgame.

My tee shots are all over the map (high slices, pull hooks) resulting in many penalty strokes. My irons are weak high fades, to pull draws. I have lost all confidence in my game at this point and golf isn't very fun (my handicap has gone from a 9 to 12 since May).

My question is, if this has happened to you, how have you kept you interest and motivation to continue. Also, in mid round, if things go bad how do you turn things around.

I am at my wits end...........

 

[spktho]

If at all possible, get a lesson with Brian. If not, see if you can get a recommended instructor from Brian in your area. I too had to make swing changes because the slice and pull hooks were too much for me to handle, so when Brian came to my area I jumped at the chance to get a lesson from him. In an hour lesson, I was hitting the ball at the target the majority of the time.

The videos are great tools to use, but, a personal lesson by Brian is simply amazing and the best way to go. He will get you hitting the ball better and with much better accuracy in just one lesson and that will keep you wanting to play the game.

If a round is going bad for me, I try to just have one or two swing thoughts changing something that I find I'm not doing correctly. I can only identify what I'm not doing correctly because of the lesson I had. The big ones for me are maintaining the twistaway at the start of the downswing and the correct hand rotation through the finish. The pull hooks happen for me when the shoulders turn first on the downswing, but that is not too often.

 

[Erik_K]

I am in the middle of a pretty big swing change. I am your classic open clubface over the top player.

I have purchased and viewed NSA and Confessions on numerous occassions. I have spent approximately 20 hours on the range working on my swing slowly things are coming together, however I have yet to enjoy an actual round of golf this year due to huge inconsistencies in everything except my shortgame.

My tee shots are all over the map (high slices, pull hooks) resulting in many penalty strokes. My irons are weak high fades, to pull draws. I have lost all confidence in my game at this point and golf isn't very fun (my handicap has gone from a 9 to 12 since May).

My question is, if this has happened to you, how have you kept you interest and motivation to continue. Also, in mid round, if things go bad how do you turn things around.

I am at my wits end...........

Take 1-2 weeks off. No range, and no playing. No need to get upset, it's just a game.

When I am really struggling, I like to work on the short game. Lots of crisp chips and pitches help me a lot. Then I might head to the range and practice some 100 yard pitches - slow, half speed swings. I might only hit 20 balls or so. Take your time here. Look at the divot and ball flight.

Focus.

I also recommend getting a lesson soon for a tune up, or give Brian a call.

Erik

 

[c21heel]

I stop reading golf magazines and get back to basics. I work on grip, aim, stance, and posture. Most of the time for me, it's bad aim or grip that sends my game south.

 

[fronesis]

My problems are with setup 9/10 times, so I focus there first. If I'm having serious problems, then I go back to a Manzella pattern (it used to be NSA, but will likely be SD for now and into the future).

It sounds like you may just need to keep working on the fundamentals (grip and setup) and on the NSA pattern until it starts to feel normal, comfortable, natural. Given the misses you've described, it sounds like you haven't quite got hold of the clubface control that NSA teaches.

Keep working at it patiently and I'm sure you'll get there. But in the meantime, my suggestion would be to focus on nothing else except what Brian teaches in NSA.

 

[curtisj76]

Yep, check the basics. Normally for me it's bad setup and/or a bad pivot.

PS Keep your head up man! This game is SOOO frustrating at times. It makes no sense that 1 day you're hitting it the best ever and the next you're hitting it the worst. Happens to the most of us. Good luck!

 

[curtisj76]

Also, in mid round, if things go bad how do you turn things around.

PS Sometimes when you're hitting it bad all you want to do is get off the course as quickly as possible. Not only from frustration but also embarrassment. But try to SLOW your pace down. Relax, take a deep breath or 2 before each hit. Don't stray away from your pre-shot routine if you have one. If you don't, get one.

 

[needham]

PS you want to do is get off the course as quickly as possible.

nothing is better than this right here. unless you are in a money game. but even then just pay the entire bet off and LEAVE.
Go to the range and work it out. I used to leave the course after 3 bad shots. whether is was on the 2nd hole or the 15th. just leave the course. The worst thing you can do is "play" a new swing fault into your swing all because you want to finsh a round. REMEMBER..............GARBAGE IN GARBAGE OUT

 

[holeout]

nothing is better than this right here. unless you are in a money game. but even then just pay the entire bet off and LEAVE.
Go to the range and work it out. I used to leave the course after 3 bad shots. whether is was on the 2nd hole or the 15th. just leave the course. The worst thing you can do is "play" a new swing fault into your swing all because you want to finsh a round. REMEMBER..............GARBAGE IN GARBAGE OUT

If you're into the game just for the fun of it, fine. But if you want to learn to put a round together, you can't continue doing this. You'll also piss off your playing partners.

It's essential that one learns how to hit very poor shots, and then follow them up with better ones. You'll never play this game at a high level if you refuse to learn how to do this.

 

[jimmyt]

Sorry I can't get on board with walking off the course. I suggest you slow down really focus on short game which you said was a strength......a good short game can save a round...focus on that and worry about the mechanics when your done....so when it goes bad get back to the basics and make your strengths even better...

 

[suns11111]

Take a break, however long you need. Set some moderate goals (allowing a set amount of misses and don't care when your within reason). Finally try a whole new preshot routine, remember its a mental game. Try for example using just your right hand to place the club behind the ball check alignment and let your breath out and fire away.
SD tip- watch where your grip handle is pointing, get it in some kind of routine before the tee box. Tee boxes are known to give mental blocks lol.

 

[curtisj76]

nothing is better than this right here. unless you are in a money game. but even then just pay the entire bet off and LEAVE.
Go to the range and work it out. I used to leave the course after 3 bad shots. whether is was on the 2nd hole or the 15th. just leave the course. The worst thing you can do is "play" a new swing fault into your swing all because you want to finsh a round. REMEMBER..............GARBAGE IN GARBAGE OUT

Just to clarify. I said "want" not "should" get off the course. I've never left the course although I've "wanted" to. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[otto6457]

You could do what I did.

Withdrew from State Am qualifying, put the clubs in my trunk a month ago. Haven't touched a club in the mean time. No putting, no chipping, no endless range sessions. The calluses on my hands don't hurt anymore. I haven't even watched golf on TV.

I refinished a chest of drawers for my oldest daughter. I cleaned every inch of my house including the ceilings. I had a mammoth garage sale and sold everything I don't need. I got rid of several putters that didn't make putts.

I can honestly say, my golf game has never been better.

I might play this weekend......I might not.

It's just golf.

 

[MrMichael]

I normally work on my tempo.... and break the shaft out of a gap wedge...

 

[curtisj76]

It's just golf.

Otto, have you always looked at golf this way? Or have you worked on it? My wife tells me I'm obsessed with the game and to just have fun. My problem is that when I'm not playing well I'm not having fun.

 

[Jay845]

Great tips guys. Here is my plan:

No time at the course or range for 3 days (big layoff for me)
Review NSA and check grip and alignment
After 3 days resume chipping and pitching, for 2 sessions
Head back to the range, hit 40 balls (3 sessions)
Head back to the course.

Jay

 

[needham]

If you're into the game just for the fun of it, fine. But if you want to learn to put a round together, you can't continue doing this. You'll also piss off your playing partners.

It's essential that one learns how to hit very poor shots, and then follow them up with better ones. You'll never play this game at a high level if you refuse to learn how to do this.

holeout you are right, so I should clarify. I do not do stuff "for fun", everything I do I am pretty serious about. I have no issues with walking off.

The times I will walk.........
1. 3+ horrible non executed shots in a row. IE. 3 dead pulls, shanks whatever in a row. THEY MUST BE IN A ROW.
If I paid ALL bets off as if I lost the TOTAL amount noone has ever taken issue with it.
I refuse to play a bad habit into my swing........its already bad enough!!!

With that being said...........you are right to put together a round sometimes you have to work through it. BUT....if you are truly trying to build something then backing off and going to the range is the more proper plan. Hence I only play golf when I feel my swing is MORE THAN semi tight.

Even TGM says you assemble it at the range and TEST it on the course. I can tell early in a round if I am failing that test, and I feel better working it out over a bucket than the remaining holes. I have never seen the point of shanking it around the course just to finish a round. TRUE...a bad shot is a bad shot and you have to recover...... but I think finishing the round for finishings sake is killing the goal.....which is the uncompensated stroke more often than not.

but to each his own.

 

[suns11111]

Jay-

Agree with your post, even try hitting balls after the round no matter how good or bad your round was. Jot down a few notes / successes. Then do something else besides golf. Study too much my brain gets scrambled.

 

[holeout]

holeout you are right, so I should clarify. I do not do stuff "for fun", everything I do I am pretty serious about. I have no issues with walking off.

The times I will walk.........
1. 3+ horrible non executed shots in a row. IE. 3 dead pulls, shanks whatever in a row. THEY MUST BE IN A ROW.
If I paid ALL bets off as if I lost the TOTAL amount noone has ever taken issue with it.
I refuse to play a bad habit into my swing........its already bad enough!!!

With that being said...........you are right to put together a round sometimes you have to work through it. BUT....if you are truly trying to build something then backing off and going to the range is the more proper plan. Hence I only play golf when I feel my swing is MORE THAN semi tight.

Even TGM says you assemble it at the range and TEST it on the course. I can tell early in a round if I am failing that test, and I feel better working it out over a bucket than the remaining holes. I have never seen the point of shanking it around the course just to finish a round. TRUE...a bad shot is a bad shot and you have to recover...... but I think finishing the round for finishings sake is killing the goal.....which is the uncompensated stroke more often than not.

but to each his own.

Understandable I suppose. I can tell you this though:

The only way you will ever learn to follow up a triple bogey with a string of birdies is by actually doing it on the course. Experience is the only reliable teacher when it comes to actually playing the game.

 

[dashfan87]

This is going to sound funny guys... But it works for me. Usually, if Im having a really bad day, I think of what really makes me happy... Could be anything, my motorcycle, my girlfriend, whatever... Then, I work on three things, keeping my head still, eyes on the ball, and tempo.

if you have a semi solid swing, and bad shots are out of the ordinary... working on those couple of things, I feel, let your natural good swing come back, without getting over technical.