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What do you do when your swing falls apart?

Shepx13

Shepx13

Cleveland Baseball Nut
Joined
Nov 26, 2020
Messages
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Location
Tyler, TX
Handicap
25+
My mid-irons had been the best part of my game the last 8-12 months. I broke 90 for the first time a couple months back and could have easily scored in the low 80’s if I didn’t leave a few easy shots out there.

Since that time, I have regressed quite a bit. And as my woods improved, I’ve watched my irons slowly fall apart. I used to be able to self-diagnose and correct my mistakes with some practice time, but I’m just continuing to get worse. The coach I used to see has moved away, so jumping in for a quick lesson is not in the cards till I find someone I trust.

So back to the thread title: when you are in a funk, what do you do to get back on track?
 
Figure out what you've changed from the symptoms - fat, steep, slice, hook. I usually go bad when I watched a youtube article and try it out or I am tired and my body gets lazy (little turn on downswing) Then I go back to what I was doing before.

Generally, think about what's happening, take your time. I take a GW or PW and go more slowly. Loosen the grip and relax the arms.
 
I check video/trusted eyes to see what's changed if I have 'em, and/or reign everything in. Shorten the swing, limit some movement, focus on tempo and contact, and gradually build it back up to a little short of full. Then I pretty much keep it there until it stretches itself out just through comfortability and confidence.
 
Hey....I like that previous answer. I’m in my late 60’s now and I’ve played a lot-o-golf. It’s such a “fine line” game with so many idiosyncrasies....that you rarely have the same exact swing as you did the previous round. While in most cases you can work out the kinks during the round - I’m a firm believer in using what you have on a particular day. Some days my swing just produces a strong fade all day....and if I can’t correct it early I just allow for it. We have all kinds of things going on with our bodies, too. Some days the back is just tighter. But, if I can’t get to my chiropractor before playing - I’ve just gotta go with what I’ve got.
 
l am a long time player and , aware of what happens with my swing when a shot / stroke fails and it because of my strike not course related or other source …. Sounds like it not a sudden onset but gradual deterioration of swing , which may or may not be relative to what your instruction has been . If the fixed parts of the game haven’t changed , then it only variables , would imagine that changing lots of things will completely throw whole game out . Isolation and diagnosis of the issue is best otherwise you chasing things that are fundamentally sound . If you have any vision of your swing prior to issue side by side comparison with current swing maybe really useful to see that way you could , fix it quickly if you can see the issue also .
 
OldandStiff said:
I check video/trusted eyes to see what's changed if I have 'em, and/or reign everything in. Shorten the swing, limit some movement, focus on tempo and contact, and gradually build it back up to a little short of full. Then I pretty much keep it there until it stretches itself out just through comfortability and confidence.
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Agree completely.

OP, I also relax and feel what my body is doing. I have a tendency to exaggerate instruction. For example, getting into the ground - back foot, front foot and push off. But that focus can also disrupt your swing. I go back to feeling the body and relaxing the tempo, like throwing a baseball, and good things start happening. The other tempo thing is waiting at the top while your lower body is doing it "thing" on the downswing. Be patient and relaxed. Feel it, don't think it when swinging.
 
Shepx13 said:
My mid-irons had been the best part of my game the last 8-12 months. I broke 90 for the first time a couple months back and could have easily scored in the low 80’s if I didn’t leave a few easy shots out there.

Since that time, I have regressed quite a bit. And as my woods improved, I’ve watched my irons slowly fall apart. I used to be able to self-diagnose and correct my mistakes with some practice time, but I’m just continuing to get worse. The coach I used to see has moved away, so jumping in for a quick lesson is not in the cards till I find someone I trust.

So back to the thread title: when you are in a funk, what do you do to get back on track?
Click to expand...

Work 80 hours a week and worry about golf the next year? 🤣

That’s been my plan this year, lol. Somethings been broken on me all year so it’s made it easier not to golf much. Finally healed and clinics are ramping back up, which whether I volunteer or am voluntold, it doesn’t really matter. Someone has to be at the physical site and the clinic site. There aren’t many of us, lol. Main team of three including me. Two of us are always working at minimum anymore. Except at 3am on the weekend. They give me that time to myself, 🤣.
 
I take some time off and use it to study fundamentals and practice the fundamentals. typically it starts with my setup and grip and the first first few moments of the backswing.

what I've learned to avoid is excessive play. Seems I can continue to go south to the point of anger with myself if I just think it will magically go away.
 
Shepx13 said:
My mid-irons had been the best part of my game the last 8-12 months. I broke 90 for the first time a couple months back and could have easily scored in the low 80’s if I didn’t leave a few easy shots out there.

Since that time, I have regressed quite a bit. And as my woods improved, I’ve watched my irons slowly fall apart. I used to be able to self-diagnose and correct my mistakes with some practice time, but I’m just continuing to get worse. The coach I used to see has moved away, so jumping in for a quick lesson is not in the cards till I find someone I trust.

So back to the thread title: when you are in a funk, what do you do to get back on track?
Click to expand...
 
OldandStiff said:
I check video/trusted eyes to see what's changed if I have 'em, and/or reign everything in. Shorten the swing, limit some movement, focus on tempo and contact, and gradually build it back up to a little short of full. Then I pretty much keep it there until it stretches itself out just through comfortability and confidence.
Click to expand...

Love this advice. I do the same and hit the range with a shorter swing with a 7 or 8 iron and focus on contact. I’ll often narrow my stance so my feet are almost together which will eliminate any sliding off the ball. I’ll focus on tempo and when contact improves, slowly increase the length while going back to a normal stance width.
 
Plant your feet to the ground.
 
Shorten my swing, take an extra club and swing at 50% effort until the contact quality returns. If that still doesn't do it, then

 
I would say when everything is struggling try choking down and clubbing up one club. And swinging a little softer.
 
I have had that completely lost feeling lately. I lost about 70lbs this year and obviously my swing has completely changed. It is hard to keep it consistent currently and my handicap has gone up about 5 strokes. I've lost speed, I assume not because of the weightloss but just from having a different swing I am still not familiar with and at times less efficient into the ball. On the course, it hasn't been as a noticeable but yesterday at my clubs Titliest day my 7iron swing was only around 80 mph down from 90 mph normally. Ball speed was down too. Made me feel completely lost.
 
I agree with what changed. If you were swinging good and now something is wrong, then something changed and that is the area that needs looking into.
 
hate my life and play through it...


 
Super hard to answer that.

For irons, I tend to spend a bit of extra time on the range to get back into he slot I expect to be in. More time there means I don’t make those on-course auto corrects that are so bad.
 
Alignment, setup and ball position. Make sure those are all good. Once I am good with those I focus on a slow smooth backswing.
 
Slow everything down especially the backswing. See yourself contacting the back of the ball. Once you feel comfortable speed up the downswing but keep backswing slow. Try and maintain same speed on the downswing from the top thru contact and finish your swing. This works for me over the years.
 
Band-Aids baby! Faldo had his chicken-wing swing that he could rely on in any circumstance. My favorite band-aid move is to take a little more club, choke up, play the ball back in my stance, and play little trap-draws. Many times, that'll get me playing better immediately and get me back to my normal swing within a hole or two. Other times, I'll play out the whole round that way.
 
What? you mean since about 1995? I just hope it returns to the form I had before all hell broke loose. Somewhere in my brain and muscle memory, it's there, waiting to show up.
 
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I hope that my short game and putting are are good.
 
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