What do you do when everything goes wrong?

[Jcp907]

Please refer to name

Drink!!

It's been almost two years since I drank. I had to stop drinking and tobacco for health reasons. Finding a hobby that didn't include drinking wasn't easy, but this game is it! So, I need to find some other method to relax and enjoy myself.

Heimer, I hear ya, last week I felt that I didn't want to play anymore either. As others have mentioned, relaxing and focusing on the successes of the round can turn it around. Although, this takes a while to turn around for me.

[Jcp907]

Everyone has times when nothing goes right. That's part of the game. Take this time to learn to have fun and learn as much as possible from the misses.... especially around the greens. Learn what your tendencies are when you miss putts. Do you read too much break, not enough, or is the speed not right for the amount of break you are playing? It's when you are playing your worst that you learn to get the ball into the hole and score anyway. This is also when you learn course management. You have to learn to play your misses or play around them. Instead of hitting driver, hit the 3 wood or iron off the tee. Instead of hitting a full 8 iron to a green, go ahead and hit a small 6 iron to learn feel. There is so much to be learned when things aren't going well. Take it in stride so when you do get your game back, you have grown as a player.

MiniMoe,

I took your advice the other day, and wow...it helped me a ton! Thank you! I went to a 9 hole par 3 course, and hit my primary choice club, then clubbed up 2 clubs and tried to hit to the same place. I didn't keep score, and learned! It was nice because the course wasn't busy. Thank you!

Something about your mechanics has changed. You are doing something you didn't do even recently and it is messing everything up. Go through your checklist of key positions and make sure you're getting there. Mine are stance/address, grip, hip/shoulder angle and release + follow through position and also tempo. If any one of these isn't functioning a good chance a flaw will emerge and I fix it. Luckily when 1 is failing I've learned to identify the type of error that emerges. And luckily they don't fail often.

Enduro, for me, when I am in the slump and I try to focus on process, things get worse. Much worse. I am analytical by nature and am probably over-correcting. Compound this with the fact that I am new to the game so I don't have the knowledge or experience to properly identify the cause of a fault.

If it might inspire :

You have inspired! I have jotted notes in the past, but they were usually mechanical in nature, such as "able to swing from the inside today, and struck the ball well, etc. I need to start jotting down the good shots!

That is so true. When my swing goes south, it usually is one of the basic fundamentals has changed without me even knowing. For me, it is usually the position of the ball. Even though it feels same, the ball seems to creep ever so slightly to the right--leading to fades and slices when my usual shot shape is a slight draw.

I will try the flashcard idea once I am able to identify my faults and fixes. I have a lesson next week where I can work on this.

Thank you for the input!

[cfuller03]

I just had one of those days.

Last Friday, I shot my best score on a full-18. Today, I shot my worst score (since keeping track) on the same course. I lost 3 balls, hit into a hazard, had many 3-putts and have never been so bad with my wedges. The worst part of it was, when I did hit a good shot, I landed in a muddy-but-playable spot, bad lies in the fairway, hit to a bad part of the green, etc. Even when I was in the bunker, they must have just put some water in there because it was, well, muddy!!

Some days are better than others on the course, but I think these can be a good learning experience - keeping you grounded. When stuff like this happens, I just try to build momentum one shot at a time. Take a step back and play more conservative. Do what you have to do to keep it in the middle and just build from there.

Now I'm just going to bury my score, forget about it and get back out there tomorrow!!

[jaragon126]

Take a lesson

If you felt like your last instructor wasn't good, then find another one. I have taken lessons from bad instructors before I found a good one. Seek out someone that helps you out ...

[cody west]

when im playing bad and its not a tournament i just stop trying all together. il jsut do drills, like i drop about 10-15 balls at 100 yards, 150 yards, and 200 yards (if you can reach).
it usually boost confidence too. when i do it i usually hit 100% from 100 yards, about 14/15 from 150, and about 10/15% from 200 yards

just work on key distances. golf courses are made to give you a certain distance into the green. where i play the course is built so no matter how far you hit the ball you will have about 150 in to alot of holes because there are alot of doglegs. just focus on the key distances.

just practice when you play bad. plus if you start hitting greens from longer distances your score will drop so fast

[Black Hulk]

I have been known to leave the course entirely! But all jokes aside I usually think there is always the next round!