We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Absolutely no confidence

ShotScope
D

DylanMT

New member
Joined
May 15, 2013
Messages
98
Reaction score
0
Location
Montana
My apologies if this is in the wrong forum. Please move accoridngly

So this year I started getting lessons with a pro here. It has helped immensely on the range. I now have a great looking swing that produces consistent shots.... on the range. I usually go to the range to hit at least 3 times a week and the days I don't go I spend a lot of itme just working on the drills he has giving me in my living room or outside. My swing looks great and feels great. Very effortless and when done correctly I really strike the ball well and pure.... on the range.

Everytime I go to the course and play I strike the ball horribly. I have no idea why. I'm not nervous, I'm not with a cloudy mind. I feel like I am doing everyting mentally and physically that I do on the range. But it is absolutely horrible. After about 12 holes today I just quit keeping score. The only reason I want to go back and work on it again is that on the 18th I hit a hybrid into a 220 yard par 3 that landed 3 feet from the hole.. the only GIR all day.

Does anyone have any sort of tips. I honestly feel like my mind isn't cluttered or different on the tee box but it has to be that. Is my body not trusting the swing that it produces on the range? Sorry for the long rant. It's just frustrating when all my waking up early to practice before work and practicing at home is doing absolutely nothing on the actual course.
 
Please don't take this the wrong way, but stop thinking on the course.

I suffer from the same problem. When things are going well on the range, it's because I'm reacting to the shot ad not thinking about what I am trying to do. Try it maybe when you are on the course? You know how to do it, so just make the shot.

JM
 
You have to practice with a purpose. It took me a long time to really understand it. On the range there are no pressures of good shot / bad shot. Entire range is a big target. Pick specific targets as if that's a green, take time to build a preshot routine. Don't spend the entire range pounding balls with same club. Loosen up, get a feel for the swing then mentally play holes from tee to green. For ex. Driver (struck well on target), then hit a club you would hit for approach and so forth
 
I was in the same boat as you. If this is working on the range, why isn't it working on the course. You just need to remember that while on the course, you are hitting off the same lie every single time. You will not have that "luxury" on the course. When on the range, all I work on is what my pro tells me and to warm up before a round. Once I get on the course, I just play. Don't worry about keeping score, that will just add frustration that you don't need. Toss the scorecard and celebrate the simple thing. "Hey, that was great ball contract", "hey, perfect club selection", "hey, that was a nice pitch". Keep the range on the range, ditch the scorecard, and celebrate the little things.
 
kc720 said:
You have to practice with a purpose. It took me a long time to really understand it. On the range there are no pressures of good shot / bad shot. Entire range is a big target. Pick specific targets as if that's a green, take time to build a preshot routine. Don't spend the entire range pounding balls with same club. Loosen up, get a feel for the swing then mentally play holes from tee to green. For ex. Driver (struck well on target), then hit a club you would hit for approach and so forth
Click to expand...

^^THIS^^

When I'm on the range, there is no pressure. I just hit to loosen up and I don't over do it. Once I feel loose, I'm ready for the first tee box.
 
I should have mentioned before that my range sessions are very methodical. I warm up with a few drills to get me in the right state of mind and then every shot has a target set out. After I warm up a bit I never hit the same club twice in a row or the same target twice in a row. Unless I'm attempting to see how something specific does to the ball, I never take a shot without having a plan of attack for that shot. I rarely get over 40 balls at the range just because I feel my 40 balls are more methodical than the guy next to me hitting 100 balls. My friends and I even play games to see who can get closest to this or that target.

I suppose the underlining problem is even on the range if I mess up, it's fine. If I have a target picked out and I miss it by 100 yards, it's fine. There is no score. But on the course there is a score.... maybe I hsould try playing for awhile without keeping score.

Thanks everyone for your input.
 
On the course stay in the process and accept the results of each shot and move on. Don't dwell on bad shots or a bad hole. Don't be mechanical and mental on the course but go with muscle memory swings and not a bunch if swing thoughts.
 
Can I ask, how do you know your swing looks great? You mentioned that twice. And how do you know the shots you are seeing on the range are pure? Is someone there with a video camera or telling you it looks great?
 
Tadashi70 said:
Can I ask, how do you know your swing looks great? You mentioned that twice. And how do you know the shots you are seeing on the range are pure? Is someone there with a video camera or telling you it looks great?
Click to expand...

Probably the pro he is working with would say something like that.
 
To the OP: Can I ask what you mean by "horribly"? Off on the distance, off on the direction, fat, thin, slice? To state the obvious: There is a reason, it might be between the ears but it might be your stance, your grip, etc. What kind of bad shots do you hit? BTW: Do you go to the course right after the range? Are you tired (don't laugh)?
 
After every range session, go home, write down every good shot. Describe what you hit, how far, draw/fade, landed right at target, felt good, felt powerful, felt effortless, etc. Just keep doing that, and it will follow you to the course.

Also, pre-shot routine on the range, and same pre-shot routine on the course.

~Rock
 
I know where your coming from as I've flip flopped so many times with my play it isn't funny.

On the range your making a swing on the course your trying to get x yards out of y club. For me thinking this way makes my swing break down and then I loose confidence when it goes wrong.

Pick the club that goes x yards and then make the swing the ball will go where it needs to and the yardage it needs to go more times than not. It's a mental fight that you have to win to play well and it ain't an easy one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hello Dylan my name is jrod and I believe we are twins.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
DylanMT said:
I suppose the underlining problem is even on the range if I mess up, it's fine. If I have a target picked out and I miss it by 100 yards, it's fine. There is no score. But on the course there is a score.... maybe I hsould try playing for awhile without keeping score.
Click to expand...

Conversely, you can keep score on the range.

Take a scorecard for a course you know well, and play it in your mind. Tee off, play your approaches, etc. If you hit a shot that you know would be OB or in a hazard, take the respective penalty and hit your next shot. Guesstimate your approaches and find targets to hit toward. If you miss the target sufficiently, chip/pitch to a closer target. Once you're "on" give yourself a one or two putt based on how close you got to the target and move on to the next hole.

It still can't replicate rough, bunkers, and uneven lies that you will encounter in a real round but it will at least work you mentally.
 
kc720 said:
You have to practice with a purpose. It took me a long time to really understand it. On the range there are no pressures of good shot / bad shot. Entire range is a big target. Pick specific targets as if that's a green, take time to build a preshot routine. Don't spend the entire range pounding balls with same club. Loosen up, get a feel for the swing then mentally play holes from tee to green. For ex. Driver (struck well on target), then hit a club you would hit for approach and so forth
Click to expand...

I agree and maybe you should see if your teacher will do playing lessons. I've had many over the years and they helped and my wife has been working with a PGA Pro this year and she gets more from her playing lessons than from the range lessons.
 
Maybe play some rounds without keeping score and see if you play better. Also, perhaps you can try to fit in a few holes after work every now and then, so you can drop an extra ball or two after a missed shot.
 
There are a lot of great suggestions on here, I'll ad my . $.02. Since you seem to work well with pro, get a playing lesson. Let him see what you are doing oncourse. Maybe his presence will be just what you need to turn the corner.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top