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What do you do when your game is in a slump?

Jody Keith Wong

Jody Keith Wong

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Jan 17, 2013
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Location
Houston, TX
Handicap
14.7
What do you do when suddenly your game is in a slump?

My game was really coming around then all of a sudden 4 or 5 bad rounds in a row. Grip feels funny.... ball flight is way off my norm...

I'm sure my game will come back around but what do you guys normally do when your game is just off?
 
I try to refocus on fundamentals. And when that doesn't work I schedule time with my teaching pro.
 
My game went to hell in a handbasket last summer, so I moved forward. Shot a couple of mid 70s from the gold tees and then moved back. Got my confidence back and had a good rest of the the year. Ended it with my lowest handicap season ever.
 
I start back with the fundamentals. Grip, posture, alignment and ball position are good places to start. If I am off then it is usually one of those things.
 
Full 7i swings going only fast enough to hit the ball 100 yards. Just to feel the swing positions and tempo.
 
I had a little slump right around the Adams event this year and was not sure why my irons were not working as well as they had been--my short game would sometimes save me, but it was a couple of weeks of stalling out. For me it was a tip from the Panda where he saw I was overusing my right arm (using too much hand power). This got me back to the fundamentals and then working with some video and the orange whip I was able to get the rotational power back versus being so handsy and the game started improving again.
 
I'm not sure my game has ever not been in a slump. Flashes of brilliance surrounded by a lot of mediocrity and bad play. Never consistent enough one way or another to be "hot" or in a "slump." I'm pretty sure it's mental.
 
I guess even more specific of an answer is having someone that knows the golf swing look at it objectively.
 
I usually feel like I'm always in a slump lol. But I usually pinpoint the issue and avoid it for a few days. I find that for me, trying to fix an issue that isn't there 100% of the time is just breaking it more. Basically chalk if up to a bad run and it fixes itself.


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I try and get back to the basics, even if it means getting around the course on low punch shots.

Find the fairway, find the green. Do anything you need to in order to build up some confidence and find your game again.
 
After posting my second century score in as many tournaments I took a break. I worked par 3's and confidence courses to get my mental state back. I recently broke 80 for the first time on one of the courses I posted 101. Just my two cents.
 
drink...
 
Barberakb said:
drink...
Click to expand...

This.... I don't drink on the golf course normally but if my first 9 is over 50 I grab two beers at the turn and just relax.

Now if I am playing at purgatory I grab a triple jack and coke at the turn even though I was around 46 or so :). Mentally draining course


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Double up on range sessions
 
I quit trying to flog a dead horse and take some time off from the game. When I start playing again I play only a few holes after a short range session and go from there. I find if I try and force good play then I do more damage than good, mentally more than anything.
 
Jody Keith Wong said:
What do you do when suddenly your game is in a slump?

My game was really coming around then all of a sudden 4 or 5 bad rounds in a row. Grip feels funny.... ball flight is way off my norm...

I'm sure my game will come back around but what do you guys normally do when your game is just off?
Click to expand...

I just keep playing.......
 
Light a cigar, enjoy the day. Though I would oove to shoot sub par evwrytime I wonder on the course, my game isnt there. So even if im having a bad day its still fun to be playing golf.

Then on the next range session I just relax and see if I can fix it.
 
For me, I just play a round or two without keeping score. I've done this a couple time, then run through the round in my head, and realized that I ended up shooting at or around my average.
 
mpeterson said:
For me, I just play a round or two without keeping score. I've done this a couple time, then run through the round in my head, and realized that I ended up shooting at or around my average.
Click to expand...

This so much! The first thing I do is take some time away from the game. Maybe a week or two and just not even think about the game. Then when I do decide to play, I don't keep score. If your not out there enjoying yourself, it's a waste of time and money.
 
Try to focus on the fundamentals and GPA. Normally I will find something obscure in that area and readjust and I'm back to normal. If the slump continues it's a break in the action for a week or so.
 
I take a break for a week per two. Won't pick up a club besides my putter! I give my full swing a break, let the muscle unlearn all the bad habits and when I get back at it I start with the basics and build on it
 
Talk to mward and after a thorough berating that makes me question my mere existence I realize I have nowhere to go but up.
 
fupresti said:
Talk to mward and after a thorough berating that makes me question my mere existence I realize I have nowhere to go but up.
Click to expand...

We fall so we learn to get back up.
 
Range session with a small bucket and lots of focus on posture, grip, and alignment. Many practice swings.

Also time chipping to feel lots of good contact.


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Smallville said:
My game went to hell in a handbasket last summer, so I moved forward. Shot a couple of mid 70s from the gold tees and then moved back. Got my confidence back and had a good rest of the the year. Ended it with my lowest handicap season ever.
Click to expand...
This is what I've done as well. Coming from playing all the time, then playing in college and two years as an Assistant Pro, it was easy to keep my swing in good shape. Playing from the tips was a normal thing. Then life happens, not playing at least once a week. Not practicing happens and your swing gets rough.
So, I moved up a set of tees, sometimes two. I score better, don't get myself into as much trouble off the tee and I'm happier about me game.

I'd suggest doing that as well. As for practice, work on your short game. Nothing will help you get your game back in check faster than improving from 120 yards and in.
 
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