In a Slump

[adlynch31]

Hi this is my first real post on The Sand Trap. Im a 16 year old high school golfer. On 4/7, I had my first match of my high school career. I ended up surprising everyone by shooting a 41 and medaling the match. After this match, I was pretty optimistic for the rest of the season and I could see myself succeeding in the future. Ever since that match I have been in a pretty bad slump. My best round was a 95 in a tournament. Besides that, I don't think I have broke 50 more than once, and I play about 4-5 times a week. I shot a 55 on Sunday at my home course where I normally average low 40s. My team has also had matches the past 2 days and I shot 53 both times. I have lost my rank on the team and I am now the #6. This is exactly what I did not want to happen. I cannot seem to pin point the reason behind my slump. There's nothing going on in my personal life that could cause it. Also, I am never doubtful of what I am able to do on the golf course. I never go into a round or a shot with a negative attitude. I know I can perform well, it's just a matter of doing it. I believe that I can get my spot back and return to where I was during the beginning of the season. It is just a matter of simply doing it. I don't know what is causing this slump though. Nothing besides the play of my golf game has changed. I do not get frustrated if I mess up because I understand it happens. I have a match tomorrow and I plan to perform well. My coach hasn't addressed my slump to me, so I figured I would come here for advice. How can I get out of this slump? Thanks.

[Tgb02]

I am also a high school player who is a Junior and had my first year of golf this year and I started off shooting 92 and 97 in a two day tournament and I did not break 100 after that. I think part of it was I didn't play smart and I thought too highly of my abilities. I can go shoot a mid to high 80 on most courses in my area on any given day but tournament golf is different. Just play to the best of your ability and don't try and do too much. I shot a 103 the other day but would of easily shot a low 90 if I would of just hit hybrid off the tee more and not got an 11 on a hole. So just have fun and do your best I don't have anything else to really say.

In the future though try and make your practice rounds a lot more serious and tournament like and get a go to shot. Also read lowest score wins and all.

[Strandly]

When you play well once it's easy to take things for granted and assume you're better than you really are.  I don't know if I would call this a slump so much as a humbling experience.

[adlynch31]

I mean I know my abilities and where I can/should be scoring wise. I would normally shoot 44 or so at that course and I have broken 40 almost 10 times. I don't expect a 41 every round or anything, but I expect at least under 50.

[boogielicious]

  adlynch31 said:

Hi this is my first real post on The Sand Trap. Im a 16 year old high school golfer. On 4/7, I had my first match of my high school career. I ended up surprising everyone by shooting a 41 and medaling the match. After this match, I was pretty optimistic for the rest of the season and I could see myself succeeding in the future.

Ever since that match I have been in a pretty bad slump. My best round was a 95 in a tournament. Besides that, I don't think I have broke 50 more than once, and I play about 4-5 times a week. I shot a 55 on Sunday at my home course where I normally average low 40s. My team has also had matches the past 2 days and I shot 53 both times. I have lost my rank on the team and I am now the #6. This is exactly what I did not want to happen.

I cannot seem to pin point the reason behind my slump. There's nothing going on in my personal life that could cause it. Also, I am never doubtful of what I am able to do on the golf course. I never go into a round or a shot with a negative attitude. I know I can perform well, it's just a matter of doing it. I believe that I can get my spot back and return to where I was during the beginning of the season. It is just a matter of simply doing it. I don't know what is causing this slump though. Nothing besides the play of my golf game has changed. I do not get frustrated if I mess up because I understand it happens. I have a match tomorrow and I plan to perform well. My coach hasn't addressed my slump to me, so I figured I would come here for advice. How can I get out of this slump?

Thanks.

Welcome to the site.

I think it is best to understand where you are losing strokes and then work on improving that part of your game.  Most mid and high HC players lose strokes off the tee and then on approach shots.  So we should spend more than 50% of our practice on the full swing.

Analyzing your game and your typical miss will help you manage your round better. I really recommend the book, Lowest Score Wins .  It will show you how use your current game to score the best and how to work on improving your weaknesses.

In addition, there is lots of good information in the Swing Thoughts section of this forum.  Lastly, if you post of video of your swing in the Member Swings section, you will get free advice on improving from instructors and other good players who have worked on the same thing. The Sand Trap forum members really want to help each other out to improve.

You can post videos of fulls swings, chips, pitches, sand shots, anything you want to improve on.  Improving at golf is a journey and it will have its ups and downs.

Best of luck.

[tomvk77]

All i can say is just don't pressure yourself what i read is you try to hard, just enjoy yourself more on the course and don't try to focus

on scoring.

[dfreuter415]

Greetings adlynch31,

Welcome to TST.

I coached high school golf for more than a decade, specifically JV golf, and saw many golfers with similar problems.

#1) Young, inexperienced golfers will be subject to highs and lows. I love your positive attitude and work ethic, so hang in there.

#2) You stated, "I don't know what is causing this slump though...  My coach hasn't addressed my slump to me, so I figured I would come here for advice. How can I get out of this slump?" Personally speaking, high school golf coaches most times are not golf professionals. They generally are fairly good golfers who know the basics of golf, but cannot break down a swing. I encouraged my serious golfers to take lessons from a PGA pro to maximize their game.

#3) Finally, I would have my team read Dr. Bob Rotella's, "Golf is Not a Game of Perfect," and would encourage you to do so, if you haven't done so already. My players found that Chaper 8: Your Rod and Staff (which deals with preshot routines), and Chapter 11: Golf is Not a Game of Perfect (which deals with accepting your shots), to be most useful.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/935617.Golf_is_Not_a_Game_of_Perfect

Best of luck and remember golf, much like life, is a journey not a destination. Don't forget to stop and enjoy those special moments on the course.

[SavvySwede]

I guess I'll ask the obvious question, where are all the extra strokes coming from? Bad driving, short game, duffing irons, three putts, etc? If it seems like everything is off it is probably a mental issue. Junior golfers tend to over correct every time they hit one poor shot instead of playing with the game they have. You may want to read this just to get some perspective, a real eye opener.  http://thesandtrap.com/t/80211/a-golfers-good-and-bad-swings-look-the-same-theyre-repeatable-and-consistent

[JP golf]

  SavvySwede said:

I guess I'll ask the obvious question, where are all the extra strokes coming from? Bad driving, short game, duffing irons, three putts, etc?

@adlynch31 Vince has a good point here.

Additionally, when you get in trouble have you changed your strategy?  Sometimes pitching out to the fairway is the best option. - How many penalty shots do you have a round?  Find out where you miss most often and play for your miss.  If you do that, you can learn to eliminate most hazards and shave those penalty shots off and avoid big numbers.

@dfreuter415 had some good points too (#3 specifically)..

Most of all, don't get too frustrated with your scoring.  Learn from it and take the experience.  I've talked before about breaking the course down into sets of 3 holes...  it worked for me in tournament golf and took the focus off of my total score.

Good Luck!  Hang in there.  Learn to be confident and believe in your shot then commit to hitting it.