Range-->Course

[Effington]

Hey guys,

I'm usually not much of a sharer, but thought I'd indulge with my latest experience.  I'm sure this is nothing unique, but I'd like to hear how others have resolved the issue I've encountered.

A brief background: I don't get on the course much, but I've been hitting the practice range regularly, and was able to craft a swing that consistently got my 7i to travel about 150, and my 30 degree hybrid to go roughly 160-170 (my two favorite clubs), with a slight turn to the left.  I have a driver but am not consistent with it, so it usually stays in the bag.  I played 18 once this year on a short course and shot 118.

Anyway, I took the day off to play 18 on my local & very short course.  I started off by hitting a small bucket off grass at the driving range, and it was wonderful.  Everything was exactly as I hoped; in fact my clubs were traveling slightly further than I expected (I typically practice indoors with a Trackman, which isn't always calibrated well.)

Off the first tee, things started out perfectly.  Dead straight down the middle of the fairway, solid contact, the exact distance I was hoping for and next thing I know, was putting for par.  On hole two, another par 4, I actually hit the green in regulation.  I did a dance; this was well beyond expectation.  Through six holes, I was +9, with solid contact all the way through, hit every fairway, and on my way to destroying my personal best by a large margin.

Hole 7 was a par 4 with a very wide fairway, so I thought, it's now or never to try out the driver.  I topped it and it rolled on the ground about 100 yards.  I thought, no big deal, I tried it out but let's go back to what was working.  Then I hit the hybrid thin...twice.  It took me five just to get near the green, and a lucky chip at the hole gave me a 7, but it was downhill from there.

The entire rest of the round, I hit maybe 2 or 3 shots with solid contact.  I had completely lost the feel of what a good swing should be, and made it difficult to enjoy the round.  (I had to keep repeating to myself, this is my day off and I'm playing a game for fun, and with perfect weather.)  Despite the blow-up starting on 7, the front 9 was actually a personal best of 53, but the back 9 was simply a disaster.

So my question is, how do you avoid this?  After hole 7, it's like I forgot how to swing.  Another mention of note, on the first 7 holes I had no one in front of me and was playing very fast, on pace to finish in 3 hours flat.  At about 7, I caught up to a pair that was playing at regular speed, which is paced about 4 hours 15 for the round.

After the 18th, I went to the pitching green and was instantly pitching fine; solid contact and just like the range.  Left me flabbergasted.

Cheers and looking forward to insight that will change my life forever.

[dennyjones]

29 minutes ago, Effington said:

Cheers and looking forward to insight that will change my life forever.

I don't believe there is one answer in golf that can fix your game.   Don't get me wrong, I don't mean "your" game personally, but any golfer.    

I'd like to make a couple of suggestions.   First, post a swing video.  There is a lot of great support here that will not be judgmental but helpful and it's free to get some great help.  Second buy the book "Lowest Score Wins".   The information in the book can and will be game changing.   

Good luck in your golf endeavors.       

Edited August 17, 2017 by dennyjones

[pganapathy]

For me this seems to be an issue that is more mental than physical. As long as you are on the course and don't have anyone holding you up or pressing you to speed up your tempo is exactly that which you need and are comfortable with. Which explains why the range and the 7 holes without anyone around me was fine.

i would suggest learn a pre-shot routine you are comfortable with for every shot and this problem will resolve itself 

[Piz]

Could be you are trying to give it a bit "extra" when you are on the course.  That upsets the proverbial apple cart and causes all manner of difficulties.  The range is flat and the course, quite often, is not.  Swinging extra hard, from an uneven lie, is an extremely difficult task and usually results in poor contact.

[JonMA1]

13 minutes ago, Effington said:

So my question is, how do you avoid this?  After hole 7, it's like I forgot how to swing.

I wish I knew the answer. There are a few rounds per year when I hit certain clubs well throughout the round - like my irons or my longer clubs. But rarely am I hitting them all of well start-to-finish.

I know that feeling of "losing it" with the full swing. It sucks. It makes scoring pars an almost impossible task.

There are those days when I can get through a patch of hitting a few shots poorly and then seemingly get back on track to finish the round well. It's cool when that happens.

[Effington]

11 hours ago, dennyjones said:

I don't believe there is one answer in golf that can fix your game.   Don't get me wrong, I don't mean "your" game personally, but any golfer.    

I'd like to make a couple of suggestions.   First, post a swing video.  There is a lot of great support here that will not be judgmental but helpful and it's free to get some great help.  Second buy the book "Lowest Score Wins".   The information in the book can and will be game changing.   

Good luck in your golf endeavors.       

Thanks for the suggestions, I appreciate it!  Regarding a video, I may do this one day, but don't have a good camera and still have a lot to work on.  I was at the range yesterday and what's amazing is that the employee there asked me, "What are you working on?" and I realized I couldn't give him a good answer--it was mostly about determining the cause of poor results.  He took a look at my swing and gave me something to work on.  So I need to improve the way I practice, clearly.

 

Regarding that book, a quick google search tells me the author is the owner of this website.  Are you getting any kick backs on this?

11 hours ago, pganapathy said:

For me this seems to be an issue that is more mental than physical. As long as you are on the course and don't have anyone holding you up or pressing you to speed up your tempo is exactly that which you need and are comfortable with. Which explains why the range and the 7 holes without anyone around me was fine.

i would suggest learn a pre-shot routine you are comfortable with for every shot and this problem will resolve itself 

Thanks, this is great advice!  I agree that it is definitely a mental thing, but saying that and fixing it are two different things.

I will look up pre-shot routines and see if this helps out with the mental part.  I never really thought that slow play would effect me.  I know that fast play would hurry me and cause problems, but I wasn't feeling rushed.

10 hours ago, Piz said:

Could be you are trying to give it a bit "extra" when you are on the course.  That upsets the proverbial apple cart and causes all manner of difficulties.  The range is flat and the course, quite often, is not.  Swinging extra hard, from an uneven lie, is an extremely difficult task and usually results in poor contact.

Thanks, this is quite possible.  I kept trying to tell myself to keep my swing slow and relaxed, but trying and succeeding are often two different things.  Any tips on how to do this best?  This was a priority for me as I have definitely overswung and ruined rounds in the past, and focused on this, but possibly without any positive results.

[Grizvok]

You don't need a good camera to get some decent video. I'm taking video with my iPhone 6s and it looks plenty decent enough to get feedback about my swing.

And the second part is just silly...you don't want to post video because you have a lot to work on? Why do you think we are pushing you to take and post video? It's BY FAR a better method of understanding what is happening with your golf swing and if you are serious about getting better you'll do it.

Also yes, if you can't answer very specifically what it is you are working on then you aren't practicing even close to optimally.

Edited August 17, 2017 by Grizvok

[Effington]

1 hour ago, Grizvok said:

You don't need a good camera to get some decent video. I'm taking video with my iPhone 6s and it looks plenty decent enough to get feedback about my swing.

And the second part is just silly...you don't want to post video because you have a lot to work on? Why do you think we are pushing you to take and post video? It's BY FAR a better method of understanding what is happening with your golf swing and if you are serious about getting better you'll do it.

Also yes, if you can't answer very specifically what it is you are working on then you aren't practicing even close to optimally.

Ha, I suppose I'll clarify.  I am taking lessons and my instructor always has plenty to talk about.  I don't have enough lag in my swing, it's too much arms and not enough lower body weight shift, and my wrists sometimes move in ways they shouldn't.  These are things I'm working on.  I'm seeing some improvement and am happy with my results on the range.

 

My concern is that my range results are not even remotely recognizable compared to how I play on the course; that is the origin of my original post and what I was hoping to gain clarity on.

[Rykymus]

I'm having a similar experience on a fairly regular basis. I just started playing a couple months ago, and am restricting myself to the 9-hole par 3 course nearby. (Which I'm playing at least 4 times per week.) 

I generally play well for the first 6 holes, shooting mostly 3s and 4s, but then I start to fall apart around the 7th hole, shooting 5s, 6s, and 7s. I know it's not the holes, because I have shot well on each of them at least once before. (Just not all in the same round!) I'm properly fueled and hydrated, and I don't really feel fatigued. (Although it is usually in the 90s by then.) My brother suggested that I switch to Gatorade, which I'll try, but I have my doubts.

I honestly wish I could play the course backwards a couple times, just to see if it's fatigue or just a mental issue. I'm surprised at how much of a mental game golf really is. 

[dennyjones]

4 hours ago, Rykymus said:

I'm having a similar experience on a fairly regular basis. I just started playing a couple months ago, and am restricting myself to the 9-hole par 3 course nearby. (Which I'm playing at least 4 times per week.) 

I generally play well for the first 6 holes, shooting mostly 3s and 4s, but then I start to fall apart around the 7th hole, shooting 5s, 6s, and 7s. I know it's not the holes, because I have shot well on each of them at least once before. (Just not all in the same round!) I'm properly fueled and hydrated, and I don't really feel fatigued. (Although it is usually in the 90s by then.) My brother suggested that I switch to Gatorade, which I'll try, but I have my doubts.

I honestly wish I could play the course backwards a couple times, just to see if it's fatigue or just a mental issue. I'm surprised at how much of a mental game golf really is. 

To try and help determine if it is mental, try to play the 9 hole course as three separate courses of 3 holes each.   Sometimes after a bad hole (we all have them) it is difficult to refocus on the task at hand.  With the 9 holes broken into three separate rounds of three, you may see a difference.

[Rykymus]

I usually play in the morning, before it gets hot. Of course, everything is still pretty wet. Today, I went in the mid afternoon, even though the temps were in the 90s. I figured the afternoon breeze would make it comfortable, and I was right.

Surprisingly, I played my best round yet, shaving 6 strokes off my average score and scored 2 strokes lower than my best score ever. And I didn't even hit any warmup balls. Just paid my money, stretched a bit, and went to work. Everything was nice and dry as well, and I had the whole course to myself. Shot par on the first two holes, then bogey'd the rest. Even had 4 G.I.R.s.

I also took a ten minute break after every third hole, but I don't think that was what made the difference. I think I'm more awake, and my body is more warmed up in the mid afternoon. I'm sticking to playing in the afternoons from now on!

[Patch]

Sounds to me like you just became tired, and lost your focus. Imo, it's easy to become fatigued, with out actually feeling tired. Taking one's range game to the course, in a back to back manner,  can lead to early fatigued on the course. 

Another possibility is maybe you were not properly hydrated for your golf plans that day. Again, you may feel fine, but your hydration is not optimal for the task at hand, and gets worse as you are playing. 

Myself, prior to actual course play,  I will putt a few balls to get some idea what the greens might be like. After that,  I might warm up a little more with a 7 iron. Maybe 5-6 balls. The last thing I do is hit a few balls with what ever club I plan on using on the first tee. Maybe 9-10 balls there. Out of those 16 +/- balls, I have only used my on course, full swing 5-6 times. This gets me ready for the course, with very minimal energy used up. 

Of course there are other times, where I just pay the fee, and go straight to the first tee, with no warm up. Those are usually on those triple digit hot days, when reserve energy is most important.

As for my hydration process I start the day before getting ready. Since I play most of my rounds in the desert southwest, proper hydration is even more important. 

[Jack Watson]

The range is level lies all the time.  The course is not except tee shots.

[saevel25]

6 hours ago, Jack Watson said:

The range is level lies all the time. 

You haven't been to a few ranges I have then. Sometimes you are searching for a flat lie ;)

On ‎8‎/‎16‎/‎2017 at 8:49 PM, Effington said:

So my question is, how do you avoid this?  

If you shoot 118 on a pretty easy course then your handicap will be pretty high. Sorry to say this, but you didn't forget how to swing, you just ran into what happens to high handicap golfers. They have a lot of variance in their game. They can get on a stretch where they match up the clubface to the swing path to produce serviceable shots. Their swings are such that it doesn't let them continue it for long. It just how it is.

If you want to avoid this then improve your swing.

[iacas]

On 8/17/2017 at 10:15 AM, Effington said:

Ha, I suppose I'll clarify.  I am taking lessons and my instructor always has plenty to talk about.  (1) I don't have enough lag in my swing, (2) it's too much arms and (3) not enough lower body weight shift, and (4) my wrists sometimes move in ways they shouldn't.  These are things I'm working on.  I'm seeing some improvement and am happy with my results on the range.

That's about three too many things.

[gregsandiego]

18 hours ago, saevel25 said:

 

If you shoot 118 on a pretty easy course then your handicap will be pretty high. Sorry to say this, but you didn't forget how to swing, you just ran into what happens to high handicap golfers. They have a lot of variance in their game. They can get on a stretch where they match up the clubface to the swing path to produce serviceable shots. Their swings are such that it doesn't let them continue it for long. It just how it is.

If you want to avoid this then improve your swing.

This is somewhat circular reasoning. It's like saying if you want to get better get better.

Maybe explain what you mean by this "variance" and what causes it.

[Valleygolfer]

Among the other flaws in your swing which will generally result in poor shots, the extra gas on the fire is tension in your swing that comes on with forcing shots. Then your confidence in yourself is also an issue.

It's a pretty normal day for someone at your skill level. The scores aren't as bad for better players but the frustration and tension is similar. Getting past this is easier the more competent you are with the golf swing. Easier but easier said than done. 

Had you not had the seed of doubt with the driver, you might have been able to get through the round with acceptable ball striking but it is still unlikely. You will have good and more bad holes. Sometimes they are all in a row just to tease you. Just accept the round and try to remember the good shots and keep trying to improve.

[Grizvok]

12 hours ago, gregsandiego said:

This is somewhat circular reasoning. It's like saying if you want to get better get better.

Maybe explain what you mean by this "variance" and what causes it.

It's actually a pretty good answer for what happens to the high handicap golfer. His point is stuff like when you are playing in the day, hydration levels and all of this somewhat extraneous crap isn't what needs to be focused on but the swing itself.

The variance in the swing is essentially a product of not enough repetition doing some thing which can eventually lead to a breakdown of mechanics where a previous hitch in the swing may find its way back into that players motion.