Roller Coaster of a golfer

[Jwat381]

I've heard many people say it, but what the hell is up with the inconsistency of golf ability? One week I have it and feel like I'm on a fast track to shooting 80, then the next week I literally cannot hit the ball correctly to save my life. It always seems to happen. I take a few days off then sorta work my way back into it, but I'd like to be able to golf consistently for more than a month at a time. Any help, advice, stories, or sympathy??

[ndb8fxe]

Originally Posted by Jwat381

I've heard many people say it, but what the hell is up with the inconsistency of golf ability? One week I have it and feel like I'm on a fast track to shooting 80, then the next week I literally cannot hit the ball correctly to save my life. It always seems to happen. I take a few days off then sorta work my way back into it, but I'd like to be able to golf consistently for more than a month at a time. Any help, advice, stories, or sympathy??

As you are aware, the golf swing is a finicky process.  I come across the same problem as you - I can be on fire one moment and not so great the next.  For me it can happen mid-round.  Yesterday I played a bunch, 2.5 rounds.  My irons were not working until the last 9 holes.  It wasn't that I was hitting them that bad, just slightly lean mostly.  Something clicked and my irons were on fire and I shot +3 on the last 9 that I played.  I don't know what to do about it, but for me I think it's a tempo thing.  Timing gets slightly out of whack.  I know it's not much help, but I feel for you.  I think there are many out there like us.

[Jwat381]

Just reassuring to know I'm not alone lol It really does put a damper on things though. Two weeks ago I was playing the best I've ever played, and now, possibly due to my new job that's a little more physically demanding, I just can't swing. My short game is still relatively fine, but I can't get off the tee box to save my life. Par 3's, Par 4's and Par 5's are all giving me fits because I can't routinely hit any club in my bag this past week. I agree that tempo has a lot to do with it. It also seems to be a lot about weight transfer and commitment to the shot, amongst a number of other things. Still workin to get my game back...

Originally Posted by ndb8fxe

As you are aware, the golf swing is a finicky process.  I come across the same problem as you - I can be on fire one moment and not so great the next.  For me it can happen mid-round.  Yesterday I played a bunch, 2.5 rounds.  My irons were not working until the last 9 holes.  It wasn't that I was hitting them that bad, just slightly lean mostly.  Something clicked and my irons were on fire and I shot +3 on the last 9 that I played.  I don't know what to do about it, but for me I think it's a tempo thing.  Timing gets slightly out of whack.  I know it's not much help, but I feel for you.  I think there are many out there like us.

[newtogolf]

Definitely not alone.  I find out of nowhere I'll develop some minor swing change that will throw off my entire swing.  If I'm at the range when it happens  it will take a few shots with my PW to work it out, on the course during a round it can ruin the entire round.

[Dave2512]

I wish I knew. Comes out of nowhere. Last Sat everything I hit from the tee was a nasty low hook. By Sun it was gone.

[VoidOfEnigmas]

its all about your core strength, Want more consistency in golf, get your core strong. Its when you get tired that you get inconsistent.

[Jwat381]

That may very well be true, and I will take your advice, but I already have pretty good core strength and my problems have been arising, whether tired or not. For me it's mental and maybe some more muscle tightness that suits no one on a golf course. [quote name="voidofenigmas" url="/t/59271/roller-coaster-of-a-golfer#post_726151"]its all about your core strength, Want more consistency in golf, get your core strong. Its when you get tired that you get inconsistent. [/quote]

[VoidOfEnigmas]

Originally Posted by Jwat381

That may very well be true, and I will take your advice, but I already have pretty good core strength and my problems have been arising, whether tired or not. For me it's mental and maybe some more muscle tightness that suits no one on a golf course.

Do you stretch before your round? I have had a few students buy the mental coach that's been getting advertised like crazy on tv and have had good results with it. Check out a few reviews, I find if i'm not careful to keep limber through out the round and dont drink a lot of water I will get tight and start having shots go everywhere on the back 9.

[Dave2512]

Not sure I buy into the core strength theory. I don't doubt that being tired has an affect, especially mental fatigue. My level of fitness would be considered above average and it's helped my game but I don't think it prevents bad days. Even Tiger's regimen hasn't made things automatic for him.

[Jwat381]

Do you stretch before your round? I have had a few students buy the mental coach that's been getting advertised like crazy on tv and have had good results with it. Check out a few reviews, I find if i'm not careful to keep limber through out the round and dont drink a lot of water I will get tight and start having shots go everywhere on the back 9.

I definitely need a solid stretching regimen! That's good advice.

[VoidOfEnigmas]

Originally Posted by Dave2512

Not sure I buy into the core strength theory. I don't doubt that being tired has an affect, especially mental fatigue. My level of fitness would be considered above average and it's helped my game but I don't think it prevents bad days. Even Tiger's regimen hasn't made things automatic for him.

nobody can be perfect, but its a proven fact that fitness level helps you have a more consistent game.

[VoidOfEnigmas]

Originally Posted by Jwat381

I definitely need a solid stretching regimen! That's good advice.

:) One of the most overlooked warmups :)

[Dave2512]

Originally Posted by voidofenigmas

nobody can be perfect, but its a proven fact that fitness level helps you have a more consistent game.

Absolutely and that's pretty much what I said. Just commenting how it affects me in a relative way. My level of fitness is high, competitive cycling, work out 6 days a week, clean eater etc. It helps me in everything I do. Unfortunately I can't blame my bad days on lack of fitness.

[ndb8fxe]

I'm not in the best shape, but not the worst either.  While I'm sure strength, core and otherwise, is a great benefit I'm not sure it plays a major role in the "shanks."  As posted above I didn't hit the ball well for 36 holes and the last 9 I hit fantastic.  For me I think its a tempo thing and it took me that long to get settled in.  I was definitely fatigued when I started hitting well.

[Righty to Lefty]

My enjoyment of my good AND bad rounds has come when I finally accepted that no matter how good or bad I feel on any particluar day... I am equally capable of playing my best or worst round and I can't expect anything to be the same for my next round of golf.  Just because you shot you're best round the day before doesn't mean that you are going to do it again the next time and vice versa.

In accepting this I looked for things that I could control:

1. Learning how to get my ball position setup the exact same way every time to give myself a chance to execute my intended shot.

2. Learning what tempo (I use a metronome app on my Ipod) I swing at so that I can have a baseline for my warmup.  Some days it feels fast and some days it feels really slow, but I know that it is correct for me regardless.  I practice at a slower tempo because my tendancy is to speed up on the course a lil bit but slowly over time I am noticing much more consistency.

3. React to the shot after impact

Analyze it - Was my setup correct, tempo, balance, level of tension, shot shape, launch, quality of impact, i.e

Move on to the next shot and adapt what I learned from the previous shots in my archive into the next one

4.  When I practice I am not playing, and when I'm playing I am not practicing.....This is very important to me because on the course the ONLY thing that matters to me is the target focus and how it should feel for me to send the momentum of my swing to that target (Important to note that the target focus is very very rarely the flag, and is often right or left of the flag unless you hit a dead straight ball which 99.9999% of golfers do not.)  I do try to simulate on course expectations into my practice always unless I am working on a particular aspect of my swing. Impact takes care of itself if the setup is correct.

5. Understanding the laws of ball flight so that I wil KNOW exactly why each and every shot I struck flew the way it flew and why it always will.

6. Keep a log of all my rounds so that I can monitor my progress

All golfer's have a roller coaster look to each round, and all of their rounds as a whole and this is evident even at the pro level so why should I not expect for my own game to have the same look to it.  You see it all the time where a pro golfer will win a tourney, and then miss a cut the next week.  I saw where on pro shot 62 to win a tournament, and then the next week shot 79 to miss the cut!!! That's a 17 stroke swing from a pro....so why should my game be any different....The trick is to accept it and learn from it.

[Righty to Lefty]

It is amazing what happens when you stop trying to force results and simply try to let them happen.  It isn't your job to hit the golf ball...it is your job to place the momentum your swinging of the momentum of your club such that it happens to strike a golf ball on it way to an intended target.

[GreenFlag]

Beware of the "this one thing" will fix your golf game - because it won't.

Fitness and eating right are obviously good for you but the only thing consistent in golf is inconsistency. Your swing WILL come and it WILL go. My handicap index has varied by 5 in the last year alone. Re-read Righty to Lefty's post because it is loaded with great information (especially #3). You have to be able to recognize what is going on with your swing and why the ball is reacting in the way it is so YOU can make the corrections.

Other than that - practice your short game religiously. Short game comes and goes too but at a far less extent than your full swing. Don't spend all of your practice time on correcting your full swing because you WILL correct it and hit the ball great only failing to break 80 because you 3 putted 7 times (been there, done that) or shots inside 80 yards weren't even on the green! I play my best when my practice time is 70% or greater short game.

Finally, the mental aspect of this game is gigantic. Not just a "positive attitude" but going back to Righty to Lefty's post. You must be able to understand what is going on. This takes time.

[Jwat381]

Wow, incredible advice. Thanks, GreenFlag and RigthyLefty.