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What Happens From One Day to the Next?

GolfLivesMatter

GolfLivesMatter

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Can someone explain the phenomenon (for lack of a better term) of going out one day and having a great round, maybe 4-5 strokes lower than normal, hitting fairways and greens, then the next day imploding to appear like you're a beginner? Do these wild swings happen to others? It's so maddening.
 
Happens to me. Tension and unsound fundamentals are my culprit.
 
Fatigue at times, and sometimes trying to "feel" the same way you did that last round and you forget to swing?
 
Good question. I went a few weeks shooting consistent low 80s and was on the verge of breaking 80 in several of the rounds, then all of a sudden I was shooting high 80s and into the 90s, and hitting my clubs like it was the first time I'd ever played golf. Absolutely maddening.

I shot an 86 yesterday and was hitting the ball much better overall, and the one thing I did notice was that it felt like my tempo was back and I was swinging a lot smoother. So a possibility I'm considering is that when I started playing better and reaching for those lower scores, I got more confident and started swinging harder, which broke stuff in my swing. It certainly wouldn't be the first time I've done that.
 
Fatigue, mental and physical. Trying to hard is a big issue.
 
In my completely unqualified and unprofessional opinion, one cannot achieve the low scores without having the occasional on-course implosion. It is a simple yet unexplainable phenomenon.
 
Happens to me quite frequently, but less so lately.

I think it's more mental than anything else.
 
Trying too hard, especially as the higher handicap player I am, absolutely throws me off. I've found that, especially if I'm missing to the right, that I focus in on one culprit and try so hard to fix the perceived problem that I miss the other culprits to my problem. This is one reason I've moved away from all the solo golf I used to play when I was younger. It's nice having someone who can point something out that I would certainly miss.
 
somedays its like night and day, golf is hard..
 
For me it’s fatigue, stress, weather... and sometimes it’s from over-concentrating. I need to feel good while playing and let things happen naturally.
 
Snowman said:
Good question. I went a few weeks shooting consistent low 80s and was on the verge of breaking 80 in several of the rounds, then all of a sudden I was shooting high 80s and into the 90s, and hitting my clubs like it was the first time I'd ever played golf. Absolutely maddening.

I shot an 86 yesterday and was hitting the ball much better overall, and the one thing I did notice was that it felt like my tempo was back and I was swinging a lot smoother. So a possibility I'm considering is that when I started playing better and reaching for those lower scores, I got more confident and started swinging harder, which broke stuff in my swing. It certainly wouldn't be the first time I've done that.
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I get that golf is variable, but why SO variable? It doesn't make sense to hit great 60* wedges on Tuesday, then shank them on Wednesday. However, some may be right that fatigue sets-in and "those muscles/tendons" aren't ready the next day. I truly don't think it's "mental", at least to a degree of simply imploding on "day 2".
 
If you find the answer, I would love to hear the fix.
I experienced this myself this weekend.
Friday I went out and shot a 3 over round of 75.
I then played in a fun couples tourney with my wife and she had to carry me the whole weekend.
I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn the next 2 days.
 
I think there are too many variables. We stand there and swing the club to hit the ball. We're never in the same spot twice. Or the same position. Everything changes with every attempt.

My game is normally crap-swing, crap-swing, crap-swing, crap-swing, missed-putt, missed-putt, missed-putt, next hole same thing. Rarely there's the "Where did that come from!!!" followed by crap-swing, crap-swing, ad nauseum.:)
 
Last 6 rounds
+4 75
+29 100
+5 76
+ who cares, match play-but ugly
-2 69 (best round since summer 2018)
+ who cares started with 2 doubles and just decided to have a fun round with THp’ers. Only score I wrote down the rest of the time was one I could circle.

So yeah, I feel your pain. My biggest problems are two fold. One, medical. There are days I’m not in good shape and I never play decent those days. Or even ok. There are days I struggle to make contact due to it. Throw in losing Major CHS from an accident and it’s not bomb and gouge anymore even on my best days.

Two, from a consistency standpoint, I can occasionally play to the level I did 20 years ago. Most of the time I can’t. I need to find that out earlier in rounds and once the bogey/double/other train starts, realize that I’m not playing well and just play for par/bogey. Even if it means hitting 6i off of every tee.

The problem with 2 is that’s not fun golf for me. I’m more of a “hold my beer and watch this” sort of guy. Unless the score matters I’d rather hit 5 great shots than 25 avg shots.
 
In golf the last thing we learn is the first thing we forget.
 
GolfLivesMatter said:
I get that golf is variable, but why SO variable? It doesn't make sense to hit great 60* wedges on Tuesday, then shank them on Wednesday. However, some may be right that fatigue sets-in and "those muscles/tendons" aren't ready the next day. I truly don't think it's "mental", at least to a degree of simply imploding on "day 2".
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As I age, I notice things more. Even barometric pressure can have an effect on me. We are human and 95% water. Every day is kinda squishy. :unsure:
I wonder if we pay attention to post round nutrition and recovery and good excercise everday like the pros? Probably not. We're human. Damn....
 
Unless you are playing day in & day out, unexpected swings in the game have to be accepted. I have those types of days more often than not. Just part of the game.
 
Its been like a rollercoaster for me this summer. 80's one week 90's for most of the summer then 105 last week. It just seems like you forget how to swing and then you try so hard to recreate it that your swing becomes unnatural. I can go to the range one day and stripe the ball and then next day on the course its nowhere to be found. I guess were always learning this game and just when we think we have it figured out the game says "not so fast!"
 
Snickerdog said:
Fatigue, mental and physical. Trying to hard is a big issue.
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This covers all of my bases. If I have a great round, I'm usually eager to get back out and follow it up with another great round. That inevitably leads to swinging too hard on top of fatigued muscles/back.
 
Part of it may be that after a good round or two my expectations are simply too high thus tension builds without knowing, and/or (as some folks said) the idea of "Ahhh, I Got This" kicks-in and everything gets sloppy because my fundamentals are not really fundamental.
 
I wish there was a good answer for this as it happens all the time to me driver and irons working great Friday but chipping and putting just ok. Go out on Saturday chipping and putting are great and iron not so good and driver is erratic, rarely do all things seem to work together at once.
 
You aren't alone. Last week, I played 3 days at CDA. First day was a travel day and after 14 hours, I kicked off my round and quit after 14 at +6, headed for a really good round. Next day, well rested and looking forward to a fun, productive day and I shot +20, following day, felt exactly the same, shot my cap +13. Golf is fickle.
 
thewilderside said:
It's nice having someone who can point something out that I would certainly miss.
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My wife is there to point out anything I do wrong the rest of the day. You're suggesting this would benefit my golf round? :laughing:
 
millsan1 said:
You aren't alone. Last week, I played 3 days at CDA. First day was a travel day and after 14 hours, I kicked off my round and quit after 14 at +6, headed for a really good round. Next day, well rested and looking forward to a fun, productive day and I shot +20, following day, felt exactly the same, shot my cap +13. Golf is fickle.
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And a very cruel and capricious god.

But damn, it sure is fun.
 
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