About a year or so ago I posted a thread on THP about my problem in pulling the trigger. I still have the problem, so it was with equal parts empathy and sympathy I watched Kevin Na's struggles at The Players'. It was frustrating to hear the commentators say that the problem must be Na's lack of confidence in the swing he's trying to make. If Na's problem is anything like mine, that's not it at all.
Though I'm no threat to join the tour anytime soon, by most standards I'm a good golfer. I currently carry a 3 handicipap, and if this year is like any of the past several, I will be playing to a scratch by mid-summer. My last round was a 69 on my home course that carries a rating of 70.7 and a slope of 132.
The problem isn't lack of confidence. I have confidence in the shot I'm trying to execute, and more still in my ablity to pull it off. The hesitation doesn't come from lack of confidence, but rests entirely on flipping that mental switch that says "swing." I've told people it's as if there's a brick wall behind the club. I don't do the waggles that Na does, or the grip changes of Sergio; for me it's incessant pumping of the feet. I CAN'T get them to stop until I start taking the club back, and I can't take the club back until that brick wall is gone, and the brick wall doesn't come down until the mind's switch flips, and the swtich won't flip until blah, blah, blah.
I've tried many, many different ideas in order to flip the switch quicker, but nothing seems to work long-term. I can be going along ok, and then for no reason at all, the brick wall returns. It doesn't have to be a shot of any particular consequence, and really, for basically a weekend player who only plays the occasional tournament, what really is a "shot of consequence"? A skin here or a greenie doesn't really matter that much, not even to me. But I tell you that brick wall is as real as if a layer has mortared it up behind me.
The problem is sometimes at its worse when I'm out alone on the course. If it's not busy I'll often play two balls at once in made up matches like Prov1 vs. Penta. The failure to launch is just as likely to happen in these solo low key affairs as any time else. I've even had it happen in them middle of hitting a bucket of balls.
My problem isn't so bad that people won't play with me. No one has actually ever said anything to me about it, but I know they know. They'd have to. I try to speed up in other ways, usually starting my process when someone else in my group has already addressed their ball. Last Saturday our usual walking foursome cruised around in 3 1/2 hours, which is typical for us. In all other matters golf I consider myself to be a fast player, but I know that I often take too long after I've addressed the ball, and it's frustrating as hell. At least when I'm doing it I know there's not million of people watching it on tv, commentators talking about it, and dozens in the gallery yelling at me to just "swing the club."
I didn't start this thread for suggestions; I've tried them all (or a least think I have). My only purpose was to try and lend a kindred soul's perspective on what plagued Na this weekend.
Though I'm no threat to join the tour anytime soon, by most standards I'm a good golfer. I currently carry a 3 handicipap, and if this year is like any of the past several, I will be playing to a scratch by mid-summer. My last round was a 69 on my home course that carries a rating of 70.7 and a slope of 132.
The problem isn't lack of confidence. I have confidence in the shot I'm trying to execute, and more still in my ablity to pull it off. The hesitation doesn't come from lack of confidence, but rests entirely on flipping that mental switch that says "swing." I've told people it's as if there's a brick wall behind the club. I don't do the waggles that Na does, or the grip changes of Sergio; for me it's incessant pumping of the feet. I CAN'T get them to stop until I start taking the club back, and I can't take the club back until that brick wall is gone, and the brick wall doesn't come down until the mind's switch flips, and the swtich won't flip until blah, blah, blah.
I've tried many, many different ideas in order to flip the switch quicker, but nothing seems to work long-term. I can be going along ok, and then for no reason at all, the brick wall returns. It doesn't have to be a shot of any particular consequence, and really, for basically a weekend player who only plays the occasional tournament, what really is a "shot of consequence"? A skin here or a greenie doesn't really matter that much, not even to me. But I tell you that brick wall is as real as if a layer has mortared it up behind me.
The problem is sometimes at its worse when I'm out alone on the course. If it's not busy I'll often play two balls at once in made up matches like Prov1 vs. Penta. The failure to launch is just as likely to happen in these solo low key affairs as any time else. I've even had it happen in them middle of hitting a bucket of balls.
My problem isn't so bad that people won't play with me. No one has actually ever said anything to me about it, but I know they know. They'd have to. I try to speed up in other ways, usually starting my process when someone else in my group has already addressed their ball. Last Saturday our usual walking foursome cruised around in 3 1/2 hours, which is typical for us. In all other matters golf I consider myself to be a fast player, but I know that I often take too long after I've addressed the ball, and it's frustrating as hell. At least when I'm doing it I know there's not million of people watching it on tv, commentators talking about it, and dozens in the gallery yelling at me to just "swing the club."
I didn't start this thread for suggestions; I've tried them all (or a least think I have). My only purpose was to try and lend a kindred soul's perspective on what plagued Na this weekend.
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