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How Long is Your Break? Mentally/Physically?

CobraX51

CobraX51

F-ck Yeah Baby!
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Alright so Golf this year has been pretty fun, up until recently. I've broke 80 twice, have been hitting the golf ball well, bringing my average score to around 85, haven't seen my coach for a lesson since like April since things have been going well, even dipped below 11 for the first time after a PB but expected to see it rise back up when I went back to my normal scores.

I played 8 rounds of golf last month, which is the most I've ever played. I've been wanting to get out each chance I get since things have gone well, I also continue to be diligent with my weekly night at the range just to stay on top of things. Since that PB I've gone 87-88-90.........98.

4th of July was supposed to be an enjoyable day at a course I've never played at. Hole 1 I topped a hybrid just past the Junior tees. Laid up with 8iron. Then stuck a 7iron inside 5 inches for a Tap in Par from 155 out. Ok cool. Hole 2 a Quad 9 on a Par 5, Par 5s have been disastrous for me. Hole 3 a 10 footer for birdie. Then the wheels came off.

Par 3 164 shank into the water. Re-tee shank into the water. Drives going 190 yards. Hybrid hosel rockets. Hybrids going 140 yards. Topped fairway woods. Just a horrible day. I somehow managed 3 more Pars to finish because my wedges and short game were decent. I haven't even THPed the last couple of days because when you're in a funk of bad golf why do I want to talk golf? Stupid reason but that's just how I felt.

It got so bad that I was going to a 10-finger baseball grip on the Back 9 just to square the face better, but the loss of distance was horribly visible, not that I cared because luckily the 3 people I was with were cool with it and it didn't affect their play as they all shot in the low 80s, thankfully. I was so out of sync, so fidgety with my grip, had my right thumb on the left side of the shaft then back on the right side, no rhythm, no composure, frustrated, it all just fell apart. The fact that I mustered up a 46 on the back losing 1 golf ball while changing my grip was a minor miracle in and of itself haha.

I texted my coach what happened and said I am taking this weekend off despite being asked by 3 friends to play but I just am in no mood to play. My coach said to immediately get off that 10 finger grip and stick with my overlapping grip and to see him next weekend which I am.

So I'll be taking a full week off, I have a fun summer of golf planned and really don't want this setback to be prolonged. The only thing I'll be doing from home is just re-gripping the club with my natural overlapping grip because more often than not I've been changing my grip for no good reason. I don't even want to think about my grip when I setup, I just want to swing.

How long is your mental/physical break from golf when things go south? Few days? Week? 2 weeks? Month?

-End rant. Thank you for reading. :banghead:
 
Two full weeks is my medicine. Basically two weekends off to relax.
 
Sounds like you're dealing with a bit of burnout. Back off, take a deep breath and remember that Golf is fun!
 
1-2 weeks is my layoff if needed, but one bad round isn't usually enough to set me off on a break. Sounds like you have a plan, but don't be too hard on yourself for having one bad round out of a solid streak of good golf.
 
When I have taken a break, a week usually does the trick!
 
Keep in mind, you've made tremendous strides over the course of the last year. Look back where you were at this time last year, compared to where you're at overall and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with just how well you've done. If you want to play- go find a goat track as you refer to them, leave the score card in the pro shop and go have fun. Hit a couple off the tee, then a couple from your 2nd shot (assuming no one is behind you) and just get the "oh i'm going to make a bad shot" thought out of your head.
 
Having just gone through this (maybe still in it?), about a week to reset. I also got my swing on video and did a little analysis and comparison to when I was playing better. I have a catalog of my swing every few months or so as a check when things go downhill. Something to think about if it helps.
 
I have never taken more than a week off. The biggest hurdle is you have to be able to clear your mind and forget about those shots, (I know it is harder than it seems) but when you learn to do it it will make things easier. Took me a long time to do that part of it.
 
Right now, 2 weeks..... but playing so little (once a week) generally has me ready to go again after a couple days of thinking about it.
 
A couple days for me
 
My story sounds just like yours. Playing the best golf of my life right now. 4 rounds in a row sub 90 with 2 sub 85. Went to the range at night with a buddy who got new irons and I no lie shanked 95% of a medium bucket. No idea was was happening. Went home and drank a beer in the shower while trying not to cry. I've taken 2 full weeks off now and will try and jump back on the saddle next week and hope it was just a one time fluke.
 
I have yet to take a break after about 12 straight years. When it gets bad I get more determined to get it fixed.


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A weekend. (Keep in mind I play every weekday, weather permitting.)
 
Sorry to hear cobra... Maybe the MILF juju wore off since the Grandaddy.

In all seriousness, this happened to me in February/March. Took a week off between rounds, then took a 3 week break at the end of April. It really reset me, made some minor tweeks, mainly I was standing to far from the ball, which was creating a ton of topped balls, and massive banana slices.

Obviously your game is there. Maybe a break is not such a bad thing either. You have been pounding balls for a year straight since you got news you were heading to the hideaway.

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We need to get out with Ethan and Mike and have a fun round. It will come back, good golf comes and goes, just need to shake it off and let it rip.

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Thanks for the responses. I think clearing the mind is the biggest thing. We are all passionate about golf but damn I would look forward to my weekend of playing 1 or both days when it rolled around.

After Wednesday, this weekend will be the first one in awhile where I am content with just doing something else. Going to the beach? A movie? Whatever. Just something to avoid the golf course, which sucks because I want to be out there but know right now it just isn't good.

Putting things in perspective to where I was a year go to now also helps, about 5 strokes lower, but when everything goes haywire, panic sets in.

My cartner was the guy I shot 77 with and even he was like "You just aren't having fun today." And how could you have fun when you're spraying hybrids off the ho-zel 30 yards?

Thanks for the support, that's one of the many things THP is great for, bad rounds and bad days happen, but it's nice to vent to people who provide feedback on their own experiences.

For those getting out this weekend, hit them well!
 
My typical break is planned for a week, usually only lasts 3-4 days. I'm actually on one right now, and I'm thinking I'm going to go golf tonight.

Sometimes, I think we chase too much, rather than just let it happen, and our minds get filled with swing thoughts and ponderings. Sometimes you just have to step back, clear your mind, and swing away.

~Rock
 
Well my friend, you sound like you're going exactly through what I went through 3-4 weeks ago. I also tied my personal best with a 74 and my next rounds were something like 82, 85 and then an 88 at our Club Championship. I took about a week off and didn't touch a club and found other things to take up my time. It was probably a week and a half before I actually stepped foot on a course. It seemed to do the job and the game is coming back it seems.
 
Once I learned to enjoy the process and the chase more than the result, I haven't needed to take a break due to any burnout whether it be mental or physical.

Heck, I just smashed my PB two weeks ago, followed by an excellent stretch of good play. And then yesterday it took me 3 shots to get out of a darn bunker, also suffered 3 straight double bogies.

No fun at all but by the next tee, I shrugged off the horrendous bunker play, laughed it off a bit too. Focused, and hit my 164 yd par 3 approach to 10'.

Although the day was a struggle and I'm not at all happy with my score, I was (as always) committed to not letting any of it get to me.

To that... mission accomplished.
 
Go to the range, put your feet together and hit punches with your 7 iron... Once you can do that with feeling the ball compress. Start hitting 3/4 shots. You will be fine.


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I feel your pain buddy, you played with me in Tampa, I was in a serious funk. Have been off and on for a while, but I know the less I care the better I’m gonna play usually. Take your short break and just try to relax a little more next time you go out. Maybe have a beer or two...;-)
 
No matter how bad it gets you can’t start messing with your swing on the course. That never helps. Stick it out with the swing that was working for you and eventually you’ll dig yourself out and string together some golf shots. Good luck next time out.
 
I had this happen yesterday!!!! (and a more than a few times before that)

I'm going out to the range for an instructor supervised practice session tomorrow. I find that really helps. First, it takes the pressure off the shots, then I usually figure out that I'm moving some part of my body I shouldn't (or not moving some part I should), or sometimes that I'm trying to kill the ball, I stop, and everything comes back together for me. If I can't sort it out than the instructor is sure to do it.

What you are experiencing is likely some little bad habit you popped into, (compounded by frustration), and you can pop out of it just as easy.

Whiskey
 
After a 2 week layoff after the worst range session in 5 years for me, things were looking much much better. Pretty much figured out what was going on and was able to fix it. Sometimes you just gotta step away.
 
I normally dont take a break. I just let it go and keep grinding. It sounds to me like the problem isnt your swing, its your mind. It kind of seems like you are putting so much pressure and expectation on yourself that you cant get out of your own way.
 
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