inconsistent golf?

[tfauss]

Am i the only one who feels like i can only play good golf for about 2 weeks before i develop new problems. why is my swing so inconsistent. for example, the last 4 days i went 38,40,40,42(this is great for me) and then i practiced tonight and couldn't hit a shot. my drives weren't solid. my irons where all fat, when they weren't fat i didn't hit them solid. This was all after i had a good day of golf too.

Why is my swing so inconsistent and what can i do to STAY good. this has happened to me so many times, i am sick of it. I will feel like i am finally getting it and then the next day i am back to trying to figure out what is wrong. Please help me get more consistent.

[CG031]

I've found the biggest reason why people are really up and down is for one main reason: their golf swing isn't fundamentally sound. I am NOT calling you out by any means because I have never seen your swing, set up, or fundamentals, so I have NO CLUE. I am just basing this off the assumption at my golf club where I play. The players who are very fundamentally sound in their set up, grip, posture, etc. etc. tend to not be "up and down" players as often as those who are less conventional in their golf swing and play.

Now, with that said, EVERYONE goes through bad stretches and rounds of their game. If you think it's just you...ohhhhhhh, think again.

[CG031]

I've found the biggest reason why people are really up and down is for one main reason: their golf swing isn't fundamentally sound. I am NOT calling you out by any means because I have never seen your swing, set up, or fundamentals, so I have NO CLUE. I am just basing this off the assumption at my golf club where I play. The players who are very fundamentally sound in their set up, grip, posture, etc. etc. tend to not be "up and down" players as often as those who are less conventional in their golf swing and play.

Now, with that said, EVERYONE goes through bad stretches and rounds of their game. If you think it's just you...ohhhhhhh, think again.

[ks8829]

How often do you practice?
How often do you play?
How long have you been playing?

I did not have a good feeling about my swing until recently and thats after 21 years of playing.

Do you know your swing?
Are you able to make changing during the round to correct any problems?
Do you take lessons?

How do you practice?
Is your inconsistent golf because of your score?
How is your short game?
Do you practice 90% of the time on your short game?
How many putts per round?
How many up and downs to one putt for 18 holes?

If you want to be scoring consistently you have to have a short game from within 100 yards. this is where 70% of your scores comes from.

Some will say that its hitting fairway and greens are important but if you practice your short game you will also benefit and improve your overall golf swing because it you are focusing on the impact area or zone.

[JML22]

Actually i think most from inconsistent tempos to be honest.
I just had a terrible round on a very hard course but half way through i realized i was swinging a lot quicker than i normally do, i wasnt swinging nice and easy.

[The Recreational Golfer]

I think it's because you really don't know what you're doing when you hit good shots. You fall into a good phase without knowing why and fall out, again not knowing why. That might sound like a restatement of your problem, but it's not. There are a few few things that make your swing work and the rest is irrelevant. Once you find out what those few things are (lessons will speed that up tremendously) you'll know what to practice in order to stay in a good groove and at least have your falling out periods be playable.

[sean_miller]

I think it's because you really don't know what you're doing when you hit good shots. You fall into a good phase without knowing why and fall out, again not knowing why. That might sound like a restatement of your problem, but it's not. There are a few few things that make your swing work and the rest is irrelevant. Once you find out what those few things are (lessons will speed that up tremendously) you'll know what to practice in order to stay in a good groove and at least have your falling out periods be playable.

+ several

You have to know what works to be able to keep it going. And work on your fitness: 4 hours is long time to do any activity with consistency.

[Yukari]

For me, my fundamentals breakdown--slowly. This is also true for the pros. That is why they have the swing coaches look at their swing. It's because some part of their fundamentals breakdown.

Speaking personally, typically my set-up changes ever so slightly. Typically it becomes just a tad open when my swing goes out of whack. Also, I get lazy in my back swing in that I stop turning my shoulders too soon and start picking up the club.

If you have a sound fundamentals, check to see what fundamentals start to break down when your swing goes south.

I know mine is (1) slightly open swing and/or (2) lack of full shoulder turn on the back swing. Knowing the problem makes it a lot easier to fix my swing. Before, I wouldn't have a clue why my swing would go south. Now, it takes me one round or one driving range session to fix my swing when it goes south. Makes the a lot more enjoyable

[CarlSpackler]

For me, when I start to get cocky and assume that I am going to play well, I loose focus on fundamentals, tempo is off, and don't strike the ball very well. I play best when I am casually confident and approach each shot with confidence that I can hit it well and focus on my target, not the result (i.e. - I can shoot X if I par this hole or make this putt). It is usually death for me if I start a round or hole with a score in mind.

[Bullitt5339]

I can relate to your problem. I do notice that I shoot worse when I'm coming off of a great round. I guess I get too overconfident and don't focus on the fundamentals. 3 days ago, I shot the best round of my life, an 87, this morning I shot a 94. I thought I was where I needed to be, and was paying less attention to what I was doing. I caught myself on the back 9, and ended up shooting a 44 on the back, which is harder than the front, just because I slowed down and thought about what I was doing again.

[extremeld]

You want to work on a solid practice routine on the range and on the course, if you can isolate each shot as one shot then hitting a cut 3 iron on the range should have the same approach as a 9 iron on the 17th when you are on a good score.

k

[TourSpoon]

Even the best players have bad days...here are some things to help.

Maintain focus...4 hours is a long time but your good players have solid routines and fundamentals, posture and alignment.

Develop a good short game...it can and will save you when you are not striking it well. Getting up and down is key whether it is to save par or save bogey. Getting up and down is a huge confidence booster and frees your mind to make a better swing.

My 2 cents...

[Cornbread]

the biggest reason why people are really up and down is for one main reason: their golf swing isn't fundamentally sound. The players who are very fundamentally sound in their set up, grip, posture, etc. etc. tend to not be "up and down" players as often as those who are less conventional in their golf swing and play.

An absolutely inaccurate statement IMHO. Uhh...remember Dustin Johnson - 2010 US Open shooting from 66 to 82 ?

Their are many many factors contributing to inconsistant play... including mental , physical abilities and even age. As the posters age is 54, I dare say that may be a portion of the problem. Mental & physical facultities lessen with age, as does vision. Over-concentration can also harm a persons game. Some of my best under-par rounds came when I decided to play a very very quick round, not even paying attention to fundamentals nor alignment. People often tense-up or over-think during a swing.

[jamo]

An absolutely inaccurate statement IMHO. Uhh...remember Dustin Johnson - 2010 US Open shooting from 66 to 82 ?

DJ's swing is about as handsy as can be, and more hand action (using the small muscles to control the clubface) you use, the more susceptible you are to inconsistency. Especially under pressure. On the chat on this website for the final round I actually called before he tee'd off that I thought he would struggle because of the handsy-ness of his swing. I didn't think he would shoot 82, but I thought the pressure might bet to him.