Someone talk me down

[deafheaven]

I'm so discouraged. This game has not been fun so far this year.

I played in a scramble today if you can call it playing. Only way I can describe my play is to say it was not better than someone who has never played the game before. Couldn't get the ball in the air with my driver, my irons, my woods... nothing. I lost count of how many times I barely made contact with my driver. And to make it worse I took the time to warm up before the scramble and took the time to go to the driving range the day before.

I've never been a great golfer but with much work I got to the point where I was routinely in the mid to high 80's to the low 90's pretty routinely. Today, were it not a scramble, I would have been like 120.

I've always been short on all my clubs but generally pretty straight, particularly with my driver. I would say my driver last year was typically about 210 yards and about 75% of the time in the fairway.

I don't know. I was embarrassed today. Ready to toss in the towel. I don't feel right. I feel weak. Somethings not right. Today I hate golf.

[meenman]

It happens - last month I shot a net 100 and net 89 in the club championship.

Laugh it off - it happens to all of us.

[Marmitetoo]

Yes I agree. Just try and see the funny side of it. Laugh it off.
What I always find works, is a quick trip to my local park. Just take a couple of short irons and play a little target practice with nice easy swings. Get back to a nice relaxed pressure free hitting.
I may be wrong but it seems like the adrenalin and pressure that you put on yourself was the problem.
Why not get out for a round on your own, with no peer pressure or expectation. I'm sure you'll reignite your love for the game....
I hope so anyway.
Best Of Luck!

Steve

[deafheaven]

I've been laughing it off but this has gone on for the entire golf season so far. Not quite as bad as today but bad.

[deafheaven]

Yes I agree. Just try and see the funny side of it. Laugh it off.

Thanks for that. I will say I didn't really feel any pressure out there today. The guys I was playing with were long bombers and I was in no way trying to match them. I was (I thought) just playing my own game.

I did get laid off from work a couple of weeks ago. I was looking towards golf as a way of relieving stress, not adding to it. Even though I'm not consciously focusing on the negative going on in my life right now, maybe it is having some subconcious effect out on the course.

[Mizzou12]

It's easy to get discouraged in golf. I would know because I am not too good! I notice I get in trouble when I tell myself that I am sucking which causes me to keep sucking. If I look at the positives of a swing that didn't go the way i wanted, I find I stay more relaxed which allows me to play better.

[dukeofism]

When I'm feeling discouraged, I try to look for any positives. I played miserably today, with only 2 shots with my driver hitting fairways. It was really bothering me, so I just cast that aside and focused on my chipping/ pitching, which has always been a trouble spot of mine. That shift in focus really helped me put my chipping/ pitching in the right place, as I hit almost every pitch beautifully.

[RCF]

Hi Deaf Heaven,

After reading your first post I thought you were just being too hard on yourself. Then in third post you mentioned you were laid off a few weeks ago. I think there is a connection between getting laid off and your game.

I'd bet you are punishing yourself. I was laid off in January and subsequently saw a psychologist. He said that getting laid off is a tremendous blow to anyone's ego. You can't blame yourself for this economy which is already the second most worst in modern history. It's not your fault.

Stay with the game, even if it means just going to a driving range. If you can afford it, take a lesson. I was lucky in that a close relative bought series of 3 lessons for me.

[lumpuckeroo]

Thanks for that. I will say I didn't really feel any pressure out there today. The guys I was playing with were long bombers and I was in no way trying to match them. I was (I thought) just playing my own game.

I have actually been laid off a couple of times, when that happened my game suffered, greatly. But in the long run it was a positive, after not getting to play for a couple of seasons, my excitement for the game was even higher. I have a much better attitude when golfing, just happy to be out playing again, don't lose my temper or complain about a bad shot. Hang in there things will turn around!!

[TN94z]

Don't worry man, it will all come back. We all have those days. As a matter of fact, a couple of weeks ago I felt the exact same way. I played a round and couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. I got discouraged and what got me through it was picking out any positive things I could about the round. That usually helps me out of the frustration slump. Hang in there!!

[flopdarock]

ive shot a 78 with just a stranger as my witness... then the very next day with my brothers shot a 104 on the exact same course... dont sweat it

the season is still young... the range opens early... and there are plenty of pure shots in the future... dont let it get you down...

[iWALK18]

I can relate completely. I have been practicing really really hard the past 6 months on my short game. I had a set of 3 rounds in a row where I was worse than I've ever been in that area, and I really felt like quitting. 3 chipping onto greens, missing 3 footers, sculling pitch shots, hitting 3 inches behind the ball. It was really really bad.

The best advice I can give is to change your goals when you're having those kind of streaks. I try to go out and instead of trying for a low score, I try to go and see what good shots i can hit.

I think of the round as a series of opportunities to hit some good shots. Then if i hit a bad one it doesn't matter at all, because my goal is not par, its a good shot and I have a bunch more chances to do that. And if you hit a bad shot and put yourself in trouble: even better! You now have a fun chance to hit a fun shot!

I got laid off my very first job out of college last year exactly a week and a day into the job (my whole department got wiped out, so apparently I did nothing wrong.), and it was absolutely shattering. My game and life went to hell for a while, but it comes back. I played a lot by myself and that helped me get some mental release.

Good luck.

[deafheaven]

Thank you everybody for your support.

It's such a weird thing. I guess mentally I'm messed up and it's become far too easy to feed the negative. I'm usually pretty much in control. I'm a very patient person. This going on for weeks now and culminating in such a disastrous outing kind of drove me over the edge. You'd like to see your patience pay off at some point rather than things getting worse.

I think I'll take some advice here and go out by myself a couple of times, headphones on, and just relax. Never played a round with headphones on before although I have done it on the driving range. Maybe a little Sinatra or Bennett will help me find some tempo.

Thanks again.

[deronsizemore]

If you cannot get the ball airborne, chances are that you're attempting to lift it instead of just letting the club too the work.

Also, scrambles aren't the place to really try to find your game. Most people try to do way more than they're capable of in a scramble format to pull off the hero shot and help their team win. You start swinging harder and trying things that you're not really capable of, but being it's a scramble, you try anyway (been there done that).

Whenever my game seems to fall apart, I try to go back to basics and ensure I'm not over swinging and my tempo is good. In a game like golf where everything happens in a split second, it doesn't take much to throw it all off. Just start with the basics and work your confidence back up.

[1par2win]

Thank you everybody for your support.

The summer wind, came blowing in. From across the sea. It lingered there, so warm and fair, to walk with me All summer long, we sang a song, and strolled on golden sand. Two sweethearts, and the summer wind. It is a proven fact you can't listen to Summer Wind and not feel good! Good luck man. Your not alone.

[-BAMA-]

i know how you feel... i'm where you're at now.

ive lost my swing completely.

went from shooting in the 80's every weekend to a 96 last week. went to the range today and couldnt hit a ball to save my life. i think im gonna take 2 weeks off.....

[Marmitetoo]

Yes you see Deafheaven,
You've unleashed a side discussion here. That is that, I believe that stability in the other parts of our lives, absolutely, directly affects stability in our games.
I too at one time was struggling a little financially. It really took it's toll on my game. I remember wandering around the Golf Course, feeling guilty that I was paying to play, when at the time I my wife and I were struggling with some of the bills.
Without a doubt, a settled and consistent environment is a solid foundation for your golf game.

Steve

PS I sympathize with any of you out there that are being 'Hit' by this recession. It really sucks!

[deafheaven]

Yes you see Deafheaven,

Makes you appreciate what Phil Mickelson is going through. And Tiger when he was going through a tough time with his dad.

My username, btw, is taken from a sonnet by Shakespeare which reads, in part... "When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast state. And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries. And look upon myself and curse my state.'' and then later goes on to state "With what I most enjoy contented least". That, to me, is what golf sometimes becomes... with what I most enjoy contented least.