The more I play, the worse I get!!!!

[Hardballs]

Been playing 3-4 times a week recently, started improving, hit a few rounds in the late 80's! (That's good for me) But then I started to get worse and was hitting mid to high 90's! Then I had a couple of weeks off due to that work thing, bought a new hat, played 9 for 42, then 18 a week later and got my personal best of 84 with 10 pars (and 2 of them were nearly birdies) Does anyone else find their game suffers when playing too much? Or a short break makes ya play better? Or has a new Bridgestone hat improved your swing?

[APrince]

all i know is my swing feel apart during 9 today and i couldnt get it back. i guess it sucks not warming up - i never do.

i know i havent played for almost a week.. it made my swing feel lost

i have a driving range date this sunday, then next wednesday and thursday on the course, so hopefully ill shoot better than sh*t next week.

[Hardballs]

If this hat worked for me,..Maybe changing ya avatar would help?

[liquor box]

I think if you play heaps you tense up due to expecting to play better. Relax and you will play better

[PirateJim]

Since taking this silly game back up I have been a regular on the range, and have been working very hard the last couple of months at focusing on the shot while on the course and saving working on the swing for the range.  (i.e. not thinking too much about swing mechanics on the course.)  However, I do find that if I'm playing much without hitting the range in between I will end up focusing more on the swing which seems to mess me up.  This probably happens after a couple of bad shots, and though I can't see into your head I would guess something similar may be going on.  Taking a few days off sort of resets my brain, so yes I do often play better after a short break.

The only hat that ever did my game any good is my black Titleist ball cap.  I won't wear a black hat in the sun this time of year though, so my game is on its own 'till fall.

[APrince]

Originally Posted by Hardballs

If this hat worked for me,..Maybe changing ya avatar would help?

the mods added my avatar since i left it blank, but yeah, it needs changed to anything other than that.

[Hardballs]

Tonight you could be golfing like its 1999!

[dfreuter415]

Hardballs,

I don't think that playing more frequently drastically effects your golf game one way or the other.  Although it makes sense to think that the more you play, the better you should score.  However, this may not be true, especially if you reinforce bad swing mechanics during your time of more frequent playing.

What I have found in playing this crazy game for the last 50+ years is that there will be good streaks and bad streaks. This is not unlike the major league baseball player who hits .330 in April and .240 in May.

However, if you would like to score more consistently , I believe the formula for most is fairly simple:

1) Take lessons from a quality teacher

2) Practice at the range on a regular basis

Keep the faith.

[WUTiger]

IF you're playing a lot while trying to improve your game, you get your brain overloaded with so much how-to you start to confuse yourself. Think of a week off as "rebooting the computer."

When I'm having a swing breakdown, I take off a few days. Then, in my first bounceback practice session, I often figure out what I was doing wrong by the fifth ball.

[colin007]

Buy another new hat?

[Hardballs]

Well tonight I cleaned all my clubs, bought some new shades, cleaned out all my bags pockets, rearranged stuff and put my best balls in! Tee of at 6:30am! New hat and shades!!! I'm expecting big things to happen! I'll keep ya posted!

[rkim291968]

Originally Posted by Hardballs

Been playing 3-4 times a week recently, started improving, hit a few rounds in the late 80's! (That's good for me)

But then I started to get worse and was hitting mid to high 90's!

Then I had a couple of weeks off due to that work thing, bought a new hat, played 9 for 42, then 18 a week later and got my personal best of 84 with 10 pars (and 2 of them were nearly birdies)

Does anyone else find their game suffers when playing too much?

Or a short break makes ya play better?

Or has a new Bridgestone hat improved your swing?

I once had an yearly all-you-can-play-green fee membership.  For a stretch of a month, I played almost every day and improved.  But I found that I get into bad habits if I don't practice between rounds.     You can also get hurt or fatigued playing too much.   So, yeah, I believe playing too much can hurt your game.   It can also make you get tired of golf eventually - a too much of good thing (sex, fine wine, chocolate candy, etc) can be bad for you .

[Valleygolfer]

I experience this myself. I don't know if it is mental fatigue or what but I often get off my tempo when I play a stretch of golf every day. Matter of fact I am at that point now. I shot my lowest round of 9 this year only to follow it up with 2 really poor rounds. To my defense I have been hitting the gym harder than I had and have been a bit stiff and sore. I will be hitting the range tomorrow....maybe....or maybe I will wait and just play my round Sunday fresh...

[Kevin04]

How did you do, Hardballs tonight? I hope it went well with the new shades, hat - if it didn't at least you look the part ;)

Are you being too hard on yourself mentally? I noticed a while back I was playing almost everyday and there went a period when I was going backwards almost (duffing it, slicing my driver) I was putting too much pressure on myself, as if I had a bad round the day before, I was focused on doing better and if I ever hit a 6/7 it would knock my confidence and end up getting frustrated with myself inside but without showing it.

I cut all that out and decided to focus on one shot at a time and I can't change the past and I've noticed my consistency has improved tenfold. I also find by marking my scorecard, but not really counting it out until the turn or 18th as I don't get too bogged up with numbers and just focus on hitting the ball.

I know it's a bit of a tired old cliche, but one shot at time really is a great attitude to take. Today, my first shot (par 3 - 160 yards) looked great but got caught up in the wind and dropped 40 yards away from the flag - instead of thinking ''oh crap! I need to get very close to now get par''. I just tried to forget and told myself, even a bogey is an ok start, I can't change the past, and just keep hitting one shot at time - I cannot do anything about that last one, just focus on this one and even if it's a 4 or worse, there are 17 holes, there are easier/shorter par 4s/3s to make these back and the sun is shining, I'm on the golf course and I actually hit the ball great just didn't take into account the wind.

Sorry for going on, but good luck buddy and all the best. Keep at it and don't beat yourself up too much. I was +28-30 for about 18months ago and sure I've gotten better at hitting the ball and fixing my short game or driver, but so much of it is down to my head and taking it easy. I always try to look to Mickelson as a bit of a hero golfer to follow - nothing seems to bother him, he just plods his way around the course and if he's -15 or +7 he just goes around.

[Hardballs]

Lets just say I looked better than I played! Driving was excellent! So at least I looked good from the clubhouse on the 1st & 9th ;-)

[Dave40]

Same thing happens to me if I play or practice too much.  I think it gives me too many swing thoughts.  If I stop for a couple of weeks, then just step up to the ball and hit it, I do fine.   Take a break.

Different hats work too.  Try different color golf ball if the hat lets you down.

[colin007]

Here's what you do. Play your ball, cleaning it after every hole, until you hit a good shot. IMPORTANT - Do not clean the ball after the good shot, it now has positive mojo. Play your dirty ball until you hit a bad shot, and then clean the bad mojo off.

[Mr. Desmond]

Play is good, but it's also good to practice after a round. Hit the range and work on the rough spots you noticed during the round.