Overthinking the game!!?!?

[8.5_Drive]

So a few weeks ago i broke 80 for the first time.. i was improoving at a good rate.

Now all of a sudden my game has gone.. Ive gone from fixing my hook, to hitting slices.

Pitching and putting has been off aswel.

I played in my first comp a few days ago aswel, played pretty bad tbh.

Is this just a confidence thing? Before i didnt really have any expectations and was more relaxed. Now im tending to overthink WAYY too much...

GGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

[TourSpoon]

You are now ready for the next level...the mental game. Pick up a copy of Golf is not a Game of Perfect and start your journey. You have the ability, now it is all between your ears.

[WUTiger]

If you're adjusting your swing AND playing a lot, things can go haywire. ... old swing creeps back in when you get excited during a good round.

Take a week off, and then go to the range. With a clear mind, I can pinpoint most of my problems halfway through a small bucket of balls.

[soloredd]

Yup, this happened to me. Instead of continuing with the swing that got me results I went and made a small adjustment - which led to many adjustments and disaster. I played last week and was absolutely terrible, everything from tee to green. I've gone to the range twice since then and was unable to correct it. Then this morning I went to the range and started swinging a bit better, making improved contact. Got to my driver and was doing the same thing - duck hooks, topping, pushes, worm burners. Finally I decided to just roll through a bucket without thinking.

And then it clicked!! Somewhere along the past 2 weeks, my grip changed. I got much stronger with my left hand and was holding the club in a much different part of my hand. This led to crazy swing paths and inability to hit down on the ball like I would. So, once I figured that out I was just raking again. Pure shots, all clubs. It felt so damn good! I have a bad habit of doing this, making changes when things start to go a bit bad but I need to just stick with it and it will work itself out. Funny game.

[Stretch]

Yeah, my wife put her finger on it the other day when I bought a new flat stick and told her I was sinking all kinds of putts with it. "Don't worry, you'll soon train yourself to miss again."

Beeotch.

[Fourputt]

So a few weeks ago i broke 80 for the first time.. i was improoving at a good rate.

It's very easy to let your head get in the way of your swing. I find that when things go bad on the course, the cause is most often just thinking too much over the ball. Now I try to completely empty my head of any thoughts except keeping my eye on the ball during the swing and I seem to get mostly back on track. I deliberately do all of my thinking before I step up to the ball. When I address the ball, I just set and pull the trigger... not even a two second delay. My subconscious seems to know how to make a swing... my conscious mind does not. So I find that if I speed up the process, then my conscious mind doesn't have time to get in the way. I don't swing faster, I just start the swing sooner.

[8.5_Drive]

Yup, this happened to me. Instead of continuing with the swing that got me results I went and made a small adjustment

Thats exactly what i have done!!!!

I started off hitting decent drives, but prone to a hook. So i fixed my hook and i was hitting perfect drives 9/10. Now something has changed. I am slicing ALOT! And i have NEVER had a problem with slicing, only hooks. 3Wood it is then ;(

[shankalots]

Yeah, my wife put her finger on it the other day when I bought a new flat stick and told her I was sinking all kinds of putts with it. "Don't worry, you'll soon train yourself to miss again."

God our wives must be related.

[$2 Nassau]

Sounds familiar...broke 80 a couple times and was down to a 9 hdcp last year...thought I was on my way. This year has been a disaster.

[homerun79]

Can't say enough good things about the book Golf Is Not A Game of Perfect... I just shot the best round of the year, and maybe all time because of that book. I finished the book 2 months ago, but today was the first time I was able to stick to my strategy of trusting my swing, but more importantly, focusing as hard as I could on my target.

On tee shots I would zone in on the 150 barber pole as hard as I could, even during the practice swing, then I would just stare right through the ball, while focusing on that target, almost like i was looking at it, while obviously looking at the ball. My swing fell into place perfectly, and other than a few stray shots, mainly due to bad or tricky lies, I was striping everything. My confidence built and built, to the point where i was telling myself I was going to hole out anything inside 50 yards. This also translated into great results with putting.

Stare down your target on the green as much as you can, to the point where the swing becomes automatic, and your mind will deliver the result you are looking for much more often!

Curious to hear others feedback on their results from mental focus, and the book itself!

Cheers

btw shot 4 over 76, with a double on an island par 3... taking one more club next time I play that hole...

[andymane]

Ahhhh, the old voice in the head! i for one struggled a great deal with this back when i was a teenager, i expected nothing but the best from myself and anytime i didnt produce a quality shot, the voice started. these days i still expect exellence from my self on the golf course but failure to produce a quality shot does result in more poor shots. now i simply shake it off, might drop a few 4 letter words here and there. but everytime i want to throw my club or burry the head of my putter in the green, i just say "gotta make that one up later" and MOVE ON!


p.s. this does not work if money is at stake! lol

[buzz57]

Although I haven't read Golf Is Not A Game of Perfect... I do incorporate much of what homerun79 is talking about into my game. I have to have complete focus to score well, and I achieve that by focusing on the ball and target exclusively. By doing that, it seems to eliminate doubts or second thoughts about my swing. Your post has convinced me to buy the book.

Mental focus is a personal thing - while I prefer to 'get in the zone' through concentrating on the outcome I want to achieve, others such as the OP may prefer to be more relaxed. Certainly most of the guys I play with prefer the relaxed approach. Either way, try to avoid swing thoughts cluttering your mind as you stand over the ball. I've only been playing for a short time and am a long way off being a good golfer, but I know if I concentrate on the wrong things during the swing, I won't achieve the desired outcome.

To the OP - I understand your frustration. You obviously have the ability to score well, but golf 'form' is such a fickle thing and it can be hard to get your confidence back when things haven't been going well. Trust yourself, trust your swing and you will rediscover your form.

One of the best insights into the game that I've come across is from Padraig Harrington:

"I've often seen a player hit down the right on the first, get a nice kick, land in the light rough, hit an okay shot out and hole the putt and think he's playing great. He goes on and has a great week.
The following week he hits the same tee shot, but instead of a good kick he's in the rough and has a go for the green, but it's in worse trouble, chips through the green and then makes a double bogey. He hasn't swung any differently, but one week he's thinking 'this is my week to win' the next he can't wait to get on the plane and go home after two days. The same swing caused both shots."

I have found Padraig's comments useful for putting things into perspective after a poor round.