What the ....? Part 2

[Ty Webb]

Why is it that I play rounds where my swing is okay and created without thought and one bad swing creeps in and stays for the rest of the round? No matter what I try, it won't go away.

I go to the range the next day and it is gone and my old one is back. It is like a short circuit or something. Does this happen to anyone else? Will this happen forever? Thank God for alcohol.

Ty

[Chieflongtee]

Why is it that I can hit a perfect straight ball on one shot and then slice the %%% out of the next one? Good question but I think it's part of golf and happens to all of us including pros. Only thing you can do is forget the bad shot and play one shot at a time.

[Ty Webb]

the problem is that the bad swing persists. It is not one, once in a while. That would be far less frustrating.

[Hank Hill]

I hear you man. A couple of weeks ago I was stepping confidently to the tee, looking down the fairway and then blasting the ball down to where I was looking. Lately, I have been stepping up to the tee going through all the same pre-shot routine and then duffing it or slicing it two fairways over. Then you kind of think, "hmm did i swing out-to-in, maybe my grip has changed etc", now every time I step up to the tee i'm guessing and thinking about the mechanics of the swing. I am swinging with fear. I've had a couple of terrible rounds lately and badly need to hit the range to get my swing back on autopilot, get my confidence back.

[jvincent]

Like they say, this game is played mostly between the ears.

The key for me if I hit a bad shot, is to just forget about it. If you start to over analyze a bad shot, or start thinking about the mechanics of your swing, you are dead.

What often happens to me on the tee when things go badly is I start trying to "steer" the ball. It never works. To get out of it, I just get up there and give it a rip.

[Pinshark]

I agree. get past it and RIP ONE!!!!

["Richard"]

I bought the inside aproach and the swing guide (little yellow thing you put on your grip and stops you from going past parallel) and its helped so much. I take 100 swings with it each night before I go to sleep and maybe in the morning if i have time before work. Its really brought my scores down. You are more than welcome to come and give it a try, I'm in town until wednsday

[Golfpeasant]

Your post answers your question, Ty. This game is extremely complex because you can have a great physical ability at golf, but the brain can destroy it easily (look at David Duval...thats completely mental).

The recommendations are great, and practice practice practice...

[byerxa]

I used to have the mystery swing problem as well. Some days good, other days horrible, with no real clue as to why. And when it would go in the dumper, that was it for the day! I finally broke down last year and took lessons (including video). I was over the top, out to in, bad posture, poor lower body mechanics, the usual junk. With the lessons I've got the swing plane in the ball park, posture and setup are better, etc. I am hitting the ball better than ever with every club. However, the best thing is that I now have a visual to go along with the feel due to the video work. And there is no longer any mystery. Because a mechanically sound swing is so much more simple than a flawed swing with its associated corrections, there are only so many fundamentals that can go wrong. I immediately know what I did wrong when I make a bad swing (typically not getting my weight to my front side on transition and/or too quick). Can I fix it on the next swing? Not always, but it is getting better and better as I practice and play. And no longer is a round trashed completely - I may revert for a hole or two, but can usually get back on track fairly quickly. Also, a sound swing is so much more tolerant to "sub-standard" swings, which in itself is a positive feedback loop because you worry less about screwing up and focus more on making a confident swing.

I takes time (it has been 1 1/5 years now since I started this, lots and lots of range time), but it is paying off.

[Agent99]

“This game is mostly played between the ears.” That’s one of the reasons I love golf so much; when my thoughts are free and clear it just comes naturally, effortlessly. There are no "bad" lies on the course, just challenging opportunities! Hazards? I don’t see any, I see beyond them to the target.

When something happens that could potentially make me feel sad, I remember to think ‘bear unavoidable misfortune unemotionally’. I don’t want to ruin my round. More than that, I don’t want to ruin my playing partners round.

"A smooth sea never made a skilled mariner" so chin up. Relax your shoulders and just exhale. Let it out. Whatever “it” takes, whatever “it” is inside interfering with you having anything but a great round, whatever clutter might be lying around robbing you of free and clear living space up there...let it go...

99


“Focus is a matter of deciding what things you're not going to do.” - John Carmack

[Golfbum]

the problem is that the bad swing persists. It is not one, once in a while. That would be far less frustrating.

Try this, when you are swinging poorly.
Get on the tee, pick a spot where you want that ball to go, line up, and just rip it. I find most of my bad shots come from negative thoughts which leads to bad swings. Don't look at the trouble, look at the landing area.

With your irons, try taking one less club and hitting it hard.

Example: Yesterday on the par 3 8th at my home course, 186 uphill a little. There was a little wind behind us. I stepped up and hit 7 iron pin high. Normally I hit a 6 or 5 iron on this hole depending on the wind and pin placement. My friend tried to ease a 6 iron and was in the front trap. I watched his swing, he did not finish it, he told me he figured he had too much club.

On the back 9, 17th 144 yds, pin on the top shelf of a two teired green. I hit 52 degree wedge with the wind behind me. Pin high. Now I normally hit that club 110 yards. But I just thought "I am going to hit this hard, because if I try easing a wedge up there I will end up miss hitting it" Worked out just fine.

Now sometimes this doesn't always work! But at least you will put a solid swing on it. A lot of Amateur golfers do not see the fairway when they stand on a tee, they see the OB stakes, the trees on the right, the bunkers, etc etc. Block those out and swing away with a full finish, do not try steering the ball.


Positive thoughts lead to positive shots

[oldmaninblack]

Why is it that I play rounds where my swing is okay and created without thought and one bad swing creeps in and stays for the rest of the round? No matter what I try, it won't go away.

I go to the range the next day and it is gone and my old one is back. It is like a short circuit or something. Does this happen to anyone else? Will this happen forever? Thank God for alcohol.

Ty

You are describing my biggest problem exactly. I shoot in the mid 70's but can easily blow up to the 90's. The negative picture of the bad shot sticks ... the fear of repeating the bad swing is a self fullfilling prophecy

I know the problem is mental. For example, on a hole with trouble on the right I aim left ... if I also am thinking "left" I'm very likely to hit a hook ... but if I'm thinking "don't go too far left" I will hit a block and probably end up in the trouble I was aiming to avoid.

The solution is to stop thinking. Look at the target, visualize the straight shot to the target, swing easy, stay loose ...

Some days I can and I shoot low 70's, some days I can't and I shoot big numbers