Why do we lose our swings?

[SoundandFury]

And what can we do to fix it?

A few weeks ago I made a pretty big improvement off the tee. I was hitting high draws with my driver like it was nothing (i've never been able to consistently draw my driver).  In one particular round I hit 13 of 14 fairways and every single ball turned right to left.

Starting about a week ago however, the ball stopped turning over.  Over the course of two rounds and a few range sessions, the ball flight started straightening out, then a lit cut spin, and all of a sudden i'm back to missing right.  I'm still hitting over 50% in the fairway, but they all have some cut spin on them, and as a result i'm 15+ yards shorter.

Of all the frustrating shit about this game, this is the worst.  I don't feel like I'm doing anything different.  I follow the notes I took down from when I was hitting the ball the way I wanted and it doesn't make a bit a of difference.

I'm sure this happens to everyone at one point or another.  My question is what do you do about it? I've been trying to hit my way out of with bucket after bucket but that's clearly not working.  I'm considering take a few days or a week off and hoping to "reset".

[GaijinGolfer]

We dont ever, "lose" our swings.  Its just a matter of golf requiring such precise timing that for most of us, if we are even a little bit off, its like we've never hit a ball before.  Then, we get frustrated and start doubting and self-diagnosing ourselves on the course and our heads are full of so many swing thoughts and random golf tips that we've heard over the years that it only makes us worse.

Once you learn to just show up with whatever swing you have that day, trust that swing and get out of your own way; golf becomes much easier.

[inthecup]

When something starts to go sideways like that my go to thoughts are shorter swing, slower swing.  It happens to everyone.

You didn't say out loud "I figured out the driver" did you?  If so it is the golf gods exacting a punishment on you.  The next thing to say after that is that I have not gotten a speeding ticking in x years.

[Zachari208]

you don't lose your swing, only your mind on occasion.

[Motley01]

Oh I've lost my swing (and mind) plenty of times. I took two weeks off. Then just went to the range. Things worked themselves out.

You'll be fine.

[boogielicious]

Tension plays a part as well as any minor injury or tightness.  I know when I start doubting where the drive will go, it will always be shorter and miss left or right.

[saevel25]

Feel isn't real

basically our bodies change. Anthony Kim talked about this when he did a session with Tiger, giving golf tips, discussing the golf swing. He said that his ball position would change from day to day, sometimes his swing would bottom out further back or forward, so he just adjust. He would hit balls and see if he hit a fade or a draw that day and play that for the round. What the body does, what positions your in through out the swing can change over time. A lot of times it happens slowly, maybe a few shots a round will go straight instead of push, then suddenly you start hitting cut shots.

this is why its always good to look at your swing in a video camera, and compare to when you were playing good, and work on getting the feel back. A lot of professionals have swing video going back more than a decade. It allows them to regain there swings, as they change over time.

[Hacker James]

I lost my swing once......unfortunately I found it again next time out.

[NuclearMike]

I took time away from golf and come back with a totally different swing that I'm still trying to learn.  When I'm off of my game, which is more often now than 12 years ago, a shorter, slower backswing can make all of the difference in my comfort level.  Where I get my swing screwed up is when I take the club back too far and then try to reroute the club for the downswing.  I now try to take the club back until my left shoulder touches my chin and no farther.

[Brakkus]

One thing to consider is that your body maybe is different over time. You may be tense with stress or tired and that tightness transmits to your swing. When we swing out of our minds its because were relaxed and happy and it just happens. In practice I would start missing the sweet spot and begin questioning my mechanics but now I don't. I just go back to my routine and can find my swing very quickly as long as I don't panic and clutter my mind up. Try to dismiss the thought that anythings wrong your best swings are a look into the kind of golf you are capable of all the time. A deep sense of belief can grow by resisting the need to change our swing.