Hitting the reset button

TIGolfer1996

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Had one of the worst rounds I can remember today, lost at least a ball on every other hole. Couldn’t hit my driver straight to save my life, slicing everywhere off the tee. Upside is my wedge game and putter saved me and somehow I managed to break 50 on the front nine.

Might’ve tweaked something in my left ankle and shoulder in the warmup on the range. I picked up and stopped after my sliced tee shot on 11 and got a rain check of half off my next round.

With a mixture of 75% the way I was playing and 25% the possibility of turning something minor to something major injury-wise, I waved the white flag and went home.

Any tips to help me reset mentally and not slocr and play like crap? (Besides the ol’ “Take three weeks off and give it up for good.”)


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My favorite way to reset is to just take a break. Put the clubs in the closet for a little while. Sometimes for me it's a few weeks. I'm not sure how much you play so it can vary but a total reset is just to forget about it and then go out in due time. I seem to always play a little better after a reset.
 
If you don’t want to take a break, maybe move up a set of tees or don’t worry about taking score for a few rounds .

Put some fun back in the game
 
I have had this happen. Even recently. Typically, it's a one off terrible round. The worst thing you can do is dwell on it. Take it for what it is. A fluke round. Try to go a few days without thinking about golf. No need for an extended break. I know it's frustrating and human nature is that you need to fix it somehow. Don't get too technical and try to change anything in your swing as that can cause things to get even worse.
 
Best way to reset for me is to go to the range. I don't typically like to spend a ton of time on the range, both because I tend to start doing stupid things with my swing and because I'd rather spend my time playing. But the exception is when I have one of those rounds like what you described. Then, a little range time helps me regain confidence and start feeling like I can swing again instead of heading straight back to the course and being tentative because I'm worried about hitting the horrible shot.
 
Well, I always say I'm going to take a week off. During that week, no watching golf, or playing golf video games. I just hang out with the wife and kids and do other things. Typically, the 'week off' only lasts 3-4 days, but that's because I've reset mentally and I'm ready to go again.

Plus, I always remind myself that my wife probably won't divorce me if I have a bad round. She hasn't yet anyways.

~Rock
 
I had a very similar experience to yours just the other day.

With my first THP event coming up I am trying to get out a bit extra to not look bad. However, the other day at the range I just couldn't hit anything and felt like I was Tin Cup when going thru the shanks scene.

I just decided that taking a little break and get golf off my mind and relax would be the best option. I think sometimes our head gets in the way of us realizing a bad day of golf is still a great day. The frustration sometimes gets the best of us. Just go out have fun with friends and laugh off the bad shots. It's all about having fun anyway.
 
I know exactly what you mean and we've all been there.

I hate telling this story since it's also close to being the 1 year anniversary of my meltdown, July 4 2018.

A monster 98 with the shanks. I was changing my grip mid round, I was bunting the ball, slicing the ball, pulling the ball, I had nothing that day.

I put the clubs down for a month. No lessons. No range. Just took a mental break.

Since then things have gone on the up & up.

Stick with it. A break is always good. Hit the beach, play some Call of Duty, pickup another hobby like fishing or basketball, etc.
 
My favorite way to reset is to just take a break. Put the clubs in the closet for a little while. Sometimes for me it's a few weeks. I'm not sure how much you play so it can vary but a total reset is just to forget about it and then go out in due time. I seem to always play a little better after a reset.

Once a week if I can help it. I may put in range time tomorrow. It’s just frustrating is all. I’ve had some friends suggest cleaning my clubs.


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I have had this happen. Even recently. Typically, it's a one off terrible round. The worst thing you can do is dwell on it. Take it for what it is. A fluke round. Try to go a few days without thinking about golf. No need for an extended break. I know it's frustrating and human nature is that you need to fix it somehow. Don't get too technical and try to change anything in your swing as that can cause things to get even worse.

If I wasn’t a recent grad I’d put money into a one-off lesson with the local pro. I’ll probably just have a cider and a Guinness or four and clean the sticks. I hate quitting in the middle of the round but if I’m not enjoying it why not put that rain check coupon into the next round and play 18 for half off?


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If you don’t want to take a break, maybe move up a set of tees or don’t worry about taking score for a few rounds .

Put some fun back in the game

This is what I used to actually do when I played HS. We had a local nine hole dog track muni where I lived in where you could play 9 holes walking for $7 after student/resident discount.


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Best way to reset for me is to go to the range. I don't typically like to spend a ton of time on the range, both because I tend to start doing stupid things with my swing and because I'd rather spend my time playing. But the exception is when I have one of those rounds like what you described. Then, a little range time helps me regain confidence and start feeling like I can swing again instead of heading straight back to the course and being tentative because I'm worried about hitting the horrible shot.

I may do this tomorrow.


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I’ve totally submersed myself in the mental aspect of the game lately. My advice would be to make sure you’re healed before pushing it and start reading some good books on the mental side of the game. Looking at your bio I see that you’ve played at a high level. I’d say you might be getting in your own way with high expectations. I’d lose the expectations. Read some Rotella books. Might be a game changer for you.
 
I think a little bit of a break can help. It did for me after a 99 earlier this Spring that took making a 10 footer to break a hundred. I ended up only taking a few days off and when I came back, I did what @Mikeg_74 suggested above, I didn't keep score. I tried to focus only good contact. I'd drop balls wherever to try different shots. Not hero shots but just hitting a solid shot to get from point a to b. If it took me 4-5 shots, so be it. Or, I might try different clubs to get the ball there. Just something to get a good feeling on the course again.
 
I’ve totally submersed myself in the mental aspect of the game lately. My advice would be to make sure you’re healed before pushing it and start reading some good books on the mental side of the game. Looking at your bio I see that you’ve played at a high level. I’d say you might be getting in your own way with high expectations. I’d lose the expectations. Read some Rotella books. Might be a game changer for you.

“High-level” being used loosely. Only broken 80 twice. I was a good JV ringer but couldn’t do anything on varsity. Doing some recovery stretches makes me feel like I probably overextended something. It’s an old hockey injury that usually feels better next day or two with ice.


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“High-level” being used loosely. Only broken 80 twice. I was a good JV ringer but couldn’t do anything on varsity. Doing some recovery stretches makes me feel like I probably overextended something. It’s an old hockey injury that usually feels better next day or two with ice.


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Do you have expectations when you play or is your enjoyment based on how you’re scoring?
 
Hit the range and get back your confidence. For me, my tee shot is my weak link. I had a nice round going yesterday, was +1 after 4 holes and then I followed up with a couple of horrid tee shots and triple bogies on the next two par fours, then bogied the last three holes. Was glad I was just playing 9 holes and maintained my composure. Went to the range today and just worked on my setup and follow through, hopefully i have it ironed out.
 
Had one of the worst rounds I can remember today, lost at least a ball on every other hole. Couldn’t hit my driver straight to save my life, slicing everywhere off the tee. Upside is my wedge game and putter saved me and somehow I managed to break 50 on the front nine.

Might’ve tweaked something in my left ankle and shoulder in the warmup on the range. I picked up and stopped after my sliced tee shot on 11 and got a rain check of half off my next round.

With a mixture of 75% the way I was playing and 25% the possibility of turning something minor to something major injury-wise, I waved the white flag and went home.

Any tips to help me reset mentally and not slocr and play like crap? (Besides the ol’ “Take three weeks off and give it up for good.”)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Warning: I play off a 19 and my game is ****.

But it's such a nice summer. I'm gonna tell you some stuff some old pro who was about 85 years old was trying to tell me when I was taking lessons and I was getting my head filled with crap about angles and positions and other cowflop. But the guy had such an abrasive personality I brushed it off. I guess when I'm 85 I'll have an abrasive personality, too. Thing was he saw I had a modicum of talent for my age and wanted to pass on some wisdom. My loss. I thought I was doing pretty well hitting the ball. But that was the problem. I was hitting the ball, not swinging the club. I was getting decent drives. It was all about distance for me, right? Because come on, you know it has to feel good to out drive the men your age in your HC range by about 30 yds. off the tee.

Coaches told me to make sure I had one swing thought - the thought of the thing you're working on. Good. What's that gonna get ya? I'll you what it's gonna get ya: tension.

I bet your practice swing is perfect. I bet your real swing is full of faults. The difference? The ball. You think there's consequences to this swing.

So instead of going to the golf course yesterday I took a range session. I said to myself, "You know I'm gonna try what that old guy said. Grip the club, relax my arms until they're noodles, and swing it. Feel the club head." I also remembered what Jim McLean said about guys who swing a hammer. They don't think about it. They take it back in an arc and just swing it and they never miss. Kind of like chopping wood. When I had a fireplace in my last house, they'd deliver logs and I'd have to split some of them. Swing an axe. I never thought about it. I'd just pick up the ax and swing it. I never missed. Is the golf club any different? Not really. So at the range, I tossed all that crap about angles, keeping the hips locked, torque, and positions, and all that other stuff that's enough to drive you mad out the window. Oh, and I didn't worry about keeping my left arm straight either. Or over swinging.

Go and find your natural swing. The one without tension. Golf is not as complicated as they're teaching it these days. It's swinging a club and making it strike a ball. Swing the club. Feel the rhythm of the club head. You won't feel it if you're tense. Back and forth. Back and forth. Your weight shift will be natural even if you keep your body more or less centered. Back and forth. If you can't get it, buy an Orange Whip. But no one wants to be seen swinging one of those things. Their loss. They're heavy and you can feel the where the club head is. And no one plays with alignment sticks, so why practice with them? I guess if that square mat is messing you up on picking a target you might need one to line up with it, but if you can break that mentality, you'll be better off. You won't hit every shot well at first. But you'll get better. Learn to trust yourself. See there's all that crap in our heads, but this way we only have one thing to think about. Back and forth. It's like breathing. The back and forth will become your practice swing. Don't be afraid to lift your left and right heels.

Result of the session: after 120 balls I was hitting any shot I wanted. I got 225 carry with my driver - I never get that.... and straight - sure I hit a couple of fades and a couple of overdraws, but most of the time they would have been "in play." Short irons (well they're One Lengths so not really short) were fine. My "long irons" were going further than ever. Basically I was getting more club head speed than I'd ever gotten and I was on target. Yes, I hit some **** shots, because I play to a 19 so take all of this for what its worth. Probably crap.
 
Warning: I play off a 19 and my game is ****.

But it's such a nice summer. I'm gonna tell you some stuff some old pro who was about 85 years old was trying to tell me when I was taking lessons and I was getting my head filled with crap about angles and positions and other cowflop. But the guy had such an abrasive personality I brushed it off. I guess when I'm 85 I'll have an abrasive personality, too. Thing was he saw I had a modicum of talent for my age and wanted to pass on some wisdom. My loss. I thought I was doing pretty well hitting the ball. But that was the problem. I was hitting the ball, not swinging the club. I was getting decent drives. It was all about distance for me, right? Because come on, you know it has to feel good to out drive the men your age in your HC range by about 30 yds. off the tee.

Coaches told me to make sure I had one swing thought - the thought of the thing you're working on. Good. What's that gonna get ya? I'll you what it's gonna get ya: tension.

I bet your practice swing is perfect. I bet your real swing is full of faults. The difference? The ball. You think there's consequences to this swing.

So instead of going to the golf course yesterday I took a range session. I said to myself, "You know I'm gonna try what that old guy said. Grip the club, relax my arms until they're noodles, and swing it. Feel the club head." I also remembered what Jim McLean said about guys who swing a hammer. They don't think about it. They take it back in an arc and just swing it and they never miss. Kind of like chopping wood. When I had a fireplace in my last house, they'd deliver logs and I'd have to split some of them. Swing an axe. I never thought about it. I'd just pick up the ax and swing it. I never missed. Is the golf club any different? Not really. So at the range, I tossed all that crap about angles, keeping the hips locked, torque, and positions, and all that other stuff that's enough to drive you mad out the window. Oh, and I didn't worry about keeping my left arm straight either. Or over swinging.

Go and find your natural swing. The one without tension. Golf is not as complicated as they're teaching it these days. It's swinging a club and making it strike a ball. Swing the club. Feel the rhythm of the club head. You won't feel it if you're tense. Back and forth. Back and forth. Your weight shift will be natural even if you keep your body more or less centered. Back and forth. If you can't get it, buy an Orange Whip. But no one wants to be seen swinging one of those things. Their loss. They're heavy and you can feel the where the club head is. And no one plays with alignment sticks, so why practice with them? I guess if that square mat is messing you up on picking a target you might need one to line up with it, but if you can break that mentality, you'll be better off. You won't hit every shot well at first. But you'll get better. Learn to trust yourself. See there's all that crap in our heads, but this way we only have one thing to think about. Back and forth. It's like breathing. The back and forth will become your practice swing. Don't be afraid to lift your left and right heels.

Result of the session: after 120 balls I was hitting any shot I wanted. I got 225 carry with my driver - I never get that.... and straight - sure I hit a couple of fades and a couple of overdraws, but most of the time they would have been "in play." Short irons (well they're One Lengths so not really short) were fine. My "long irons" were going further than ever. Basically I was getting more club head speed than I'd ever gotten and I was on target. Yes, I hit some **** shots, because I play to a 19 so take all of this for what its worth. Probably crap.

That was an entertaining read. And you’re right about all the head stuff.
 
Do you have expectations when you play or is your enjoyment based on how you’re scoring?

Not necessarily. If I’m playing bad but it’s a mild day with friends or good company I can muscle through it, but today I just had too many things going on upstairs.

If I’m playing bad overall but hitting good shots it’s tolerable. My expectation is below 90.


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Maybe just a WooSahhh moment is needed ... then realize it's just a game. Forget about the bad round & get after it again the next time.
 
Not necessarily. If I’m playing bad but it’s a mild day with friends or good company I can muscle through it, but today I just had too many things going on upstairs.

If I’m playing bad overall but hitting good shots it’s tolerable. My expectation is below 90.


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Have you read any Rotella stuff?
 
Warning: I play off a 19 and my game is ****.

But it's such a nice summer. I'm gonna tell you some stuff some old pro who was about 85 years old was trying to tell me when I was taking lessons and I was getting my head filled with crap about angles and positions and other cowflop. But the guy had such an abrasive personality I brushed it off. I guess when I'm 85 I'll have an abrasive personality, too. Thing was he saw I had a modicum of talent for my age and wanted to pass on some wisdom. My loss. I thought I was doing pretty well hitting the ball. But that was the problem. I was hitting the ball, not swinging the club. I was getting decent drives. It was all about distance for me, right? Because come on, you know it has to feel good to out drive the men your age in your HC range by about 30 yds. off the tee.

Coaches told me to make sure I had one swing thought - the thought of the thing you're working on. Good. What's that gonna get ya? I'll you what it's gonna get ya: tension.

I bet your practice swing is perfect. I bet your real swing is full of faults. The difference? The ball. You think there's consequences to this swing.

So instead of going to the golf course yesterday I took a range session. I said to myself, "You know I'm gonna try what that old guy said. Grip the club, relax my arms until they're noodles, and swing it. Feel the club head." I also remembered what Jim McLean said about guys who swing a hammer. They don't think about it. They take it back in an arc and just swing it and they never miss. Kind of like chopping wood. When I had a fireplace in my last house, they'd deliver logs and I'd have to split some of them. Swing an axe. I never thought about it. I'd just pick up the ax and swing it. I never missed. Is the golf club any different? Not really. So at the range, I tossed all that crap about angles, keeping the hips locked, torque, and positions, and all that other stuff that's enough to drive you mad out the window. Oh, and I didn't worry about keeping my left arm straight either. Or over swinging.

Go and find your natural swing. The one without tension. Golf is not as complicated as they're teaching it these days. It's swinging a club and making it strike a ball. Swing the club. Feel the rhythm of the club head. You won't feel it if you're tense. Back and forth. Back and forth. Your weight shift will be natural even if you keep your body more or less centered. Back and forth. If you can't get it, buy an Orange Whip. But no one wants to be seen swinging one of those things. Their loss. They're heavy and you can feel the where the club head is. And no one plays with alignment sticks, so why practice with them? I guess if that square mat is messing you up on picking a target you might need one to line up with it, but if you can break that mentality, you'll be better off. You won't hit every shot well at first. But you'll get better. Learn to trust yourself. See there's all that crap in our heads, but this way we only have one thing to think about. Back and forth. It's like breathing. The back and forth will become your practice swing. Don't be afraid to lift your left and right heels.

Result of the session: after 120 balls I was hitting any shot I wanted. I got 225 carry with my driver - I never get that.... and straight - sure I hit a couple of fades and a couple of overdraws, but most of the time they would have been "in play." Short irons (well they're One Lengths so not really short) were fine. My "long irons" were going further than ever. Basically I was getting more club head speed than I'd ever gotten and I was on target. Yes, I hit some **** shots, because I play to a 19 so take all of this for what its worth. Probably crap.

One thing I used to tell my teammates who struggled was “It’s just about getting that little white ball from point a to point b.”

Sound advice. Went out in the yard and chipped for an hour (highly recommend it, it may seem insane but you generally develop a good touch hitting near your house. Plus, hitting out of all that fescue makes fluffy and even tight lies seem like cake. Got some of my confidence back by using alignment rods as goalposts and chipping through them at various distances


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I have not but I need to.


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Start with “golf is not a game of perfect”. Download it, read it and really try to apply his principles. Might clear the upstairs for you. It’s more about the process than the results.
 
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