How to develop consistency?

[Artimas]

I play about 3-4 times per month, which is not really a lot. I find that my round to round consistency kills me. For example, last week I had a good round, hit the ball well and lost no balls. This week on the same course, I lost 4 balls, didn't strike the ball well, and my short game was awful.  I felt well before both rounds.

The difference in my score was 11 strokes, and this happens to me all the time. I never know which one of me is going to show up.

Any tips for improving consistency, other than play more, which I'd like to do but so far can't?

[Stewie007]

I am having the same issue, but the trend is toward improvement.

How have I done it?

I stopped worrying about which golfer inside of me showed up and just played the round. :)

I still have issues at times where I walk up to a tee and there is a feeling that "I don't really know what is going to happen."

That is mistake number 1. You have already given up on yourself and you have no faith in your ability to swing the club. Mistake number 2 is going ahead and hitting anyways. Sometimes you just have to step back and clear your mind. The final mistake is when you inevitably hit a bad shot. That is, you worry now about what score will be on the card after this hole.

Its a cascading failure that leads to poor rounds. And it is all linked to the fact that you just have to practice and take the individual shots seriously, but not the game so much that you are getting angry at bad shots.

I've done a lot to get rid of my anger after bad shots. As a result, recoveries from the utter crap that I landed in have improved and even the stroke penalties have less impact. I remember getting angry many times after hitting it in the water or out of bounds. I then proceeded to angrily duff the next 2 shots for an embarrassing "up in 5 on the par 4, when I could have saved par or at least got a single bogey. Instead I also botched my putting and got an 8 instead of a 5 or even 6.

Its only one possibility, but I've slowed down with the anger and my scores have actually become a bit better.

[cooke119]

The bad golfer showed up today!!!! I don't understand it either.

[Lihu]

Finally can hit the ball straighter and actually have a reasonable distance associated with each club with a normal back-swing (used to turn so far that the club was in front again).

How does one maintain the swing once we get it, again? I lost it many times in the past. Thought I got it, only to be frustrated the next day sometimes.

This time I have kept it for 4 straight weeks. The longest streak, yet.

Is every swing new and different? That is, do you need to "re-learn" the swing every time you setup? Right now, it seems like I need to re-learn every subtle movement: the amount of takeaway; the light wrist action; the shoulder turn; the hip twist during the release; knee flex; bending the lead knee; etc. for every single shot. Does this sound right? Is there a way to commit this really complicated sequence to muscle memory? If so, how?

[Jeffrey71]

As for myself, I have recently taken a big step in the direction of lowering scores. The last 3 times I played my scores ended up being 2 over on 9 holes, 4 over on 9 holes, and 19 over on 18. The first 2 I remember being very relaxed ( I was walking) and as someone said earlier, every shot was important. The most important thing I noticed was that I didn't get too emotional, I was in control of my emotions. I would hit a bad shot; so what. I would hit a good shot; so what. I didn't get too upset with the bad or too excited with the good; very neutral.  Now as far as the 19 over, I had worked all week and even the morning of the afternoon I played. I was tired and really didn't want to play, I wanted to rest, but played anyway. I don't play well when I'm tired. My job is very physically demanding. I am learning to cut myself some serious slack. I'm learning that "my game" is NOT the score, but all that goes into leading up too the swing. Sometimes the round starts days prior to me even getting to the course. It's easy for me to get wrapped up in all that goes into golf and forget that enjoying myself should be #1 priority.

[AmazingWhacker]

2 thoughts:

The first thought is that this is just part of golf.  Some days you hit it better than others - I don't think there's anything you can do about that.  With practice, though, it gets better . .so let's say that you have an 11 stroke difference between a good and bad day . .as you get better that 11 strokes will go down and down.  Other than swinging bad on some days, tt has a lot to do with playing shot to shot and not making cascading bad decisions.  I have had days where I felt like I didn't hit a single good shot - but had a reasonably decent score anyway because I punch out of trees instead of trying to go over them and putt from way off the fringe when my chipping is not working, etc.

The second thought is with regard to how to get your swing back when you lose it.  The answer is video.  Work video into your regular practice and you'll always have a reference point to return to.  Nowawdays, I try to spend 30 minutes in my garage practice area before I go play a round.  I will hit some shots to warm up - then take and review a video - hit some more shots based on what I see in the video . .and then go play.

Since I've been doing that - my scores and consistency have gotten better and better.

[BuckeyeNut]

Nobody plays consistent golf...........not even the worlds best players.   The best you can hope to do is improve your average.

[Lihu]

Nobody plays consistent golf...........not even the worlds best players.   The best you can hope to do is improve your average.

Judging by your handicap, you appear to be very consistent. I am not asking if a person can hit a perfect shot every time, but just the mind set or physical training drills that can help me become more consistent. What thoughts do you have for each shot? And what kind of drills do you do for physical training?

[Pakoh]

Originally Posted by Lihu

Judging by your handicap, you appear to be very consistent.

I am not asking if a person can hit a perfect shot every time, but just the mind set or physical training drills that can help me become more consistent.

What thoughts do you have for each shot? And what kind of drills do you do for physical training?

he plays golf everyday!  ;)

[Artimas]

I've been playing a bit more this summer. I feel that I have become a bit better ball striker, and my short game is a little more consistent. It's frustrating, though, because my putting is still bad, I'm still wildly inconsistent, and my scores haven't changed significantly.

I feel like at some point I'll turn the corner and start scoring better, but it sure has been a difficult road.

Appreciate the replies and any tips (other than playing more) for developing a more consistent game.

[bigwave916]

Play one shot at a time.

There will be good days and bad days.

When the shots aren't going where you want them to go, back off, ease up, hit one more club, shorten your backswing.

I've changed my swing 100 times. I have found the secret to playing better 100 times 100. I am still not a single digit handicap.

It just boils down to hitting one shot at a time and realizing that golf is not about how good your good shots are, but how bad your bad shots are, and how many.

The definition of a double bogey is hitting a bad shot and then hitting a stupid shot to try and make up for the bad shot.

"Down the middle, down the middle until it goes in the hole." Shared with me at the Homestead in Virginia by an old gentleman in a wheelchair who was past his playing days but not beyond his days giving sage old advice.

"MIddle of the fairway, center of the green, top of the flag, bottom of the cup" advice given by a competitor in the World Handicap Championship when I had a chance to win going into the fourth round.

Everybody has days when they can do no wrong and they don't know why and the same people have days when they can do nothing right and they don't know how to fix it.

[BuckeyeNut]

Originally Posted by Pakoh

he plays golf everyday!  ;)

LOL...yea, playing every day helps the average!

To the other guy asking the question...Am I consistent? NOT .........I can go out on monday and shoot 82 and follow it up with a 72 on TUE..  Just like tiger can shoot a 66 on THUR and follow it with a 75 on friday.   This is the nature of golf......  This is why you see big name players competing on sunday for a few weeks.....and then they completely disappear for months.