85 to 135 - isn't that the wrong way?

Rob Owens

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In the last two months I'm back playing golf after a six year break, previously played off 14. I invested in some new clubs, joined my local club and was doing ok, too me a few attempts to get back below 100, but then slowly brought my score down to mid 90's, then high 80's then mid 80's - this is were the trouble started I went on holiday for two weeks, came back and booked a lesson I was awful, very tense, poor posture, shanking 70% of my shots.
My original plan was to ask the pro to concentrate on putting as that's were I was struggling (average around 38 ppr) but there I am at the range getting a video lesson and I couldn't hit an elephant from 10yards. The pro shows me my posture and swing on video, I'm too stooped over the ball and too close, my swing plane is too flat, my hip rotation is non existent, I'm dipping into shots, basically it's a mess - how I ever shot 85 two weeks previous I'll never know!
Since then I've had two more lessons and on video my swing looks a lot better and my posture is pretty good however my ball striking is terrible, I'm still hitting a lot off the hozel, to be fair the pro has advised the clubs need extending by 1/2" and this is a big problem with the contact I'm making with the ball but I still really concerned about how badly I'm playing, my last three rounds have averaged 135!!! the majority of shots lost lost in iron play - i was 9 off the tee on a par three, 2 in the lake, 2 out of bounds all shanked, then I smash a six iron to hole side bunker, chip out to 2 foot and make the putt!!

Has anyone else experience this kind of dramatic decline in ability? I'm sure some of it is club length, the different (but correct) posture and swing plane are also factors but to go from mid 80's to mid 130's!!!
 
I've never had it happen to that extent but my man, I believe you might be experiencing paralysis by analysis. Don't get me wrong, the amount of technology used today to instruct and teach the golf swing is great, but it may cause one to get to obsessed with mechanics (think Tiger Woods) as opposed to the simplistic goal of a golf swing: square club face on the ball at impact.
 
I've never had it happen to that extent but my man, I believe you might be experiencing paralysis by analysis. Don't get me wrong, the amount of technology used today to instruct and teach the golf swing is great, but it may cause one to get to obsessed with mechanics (think Tiger Woods) as opposed to the simplistic goal of a golf swing: square club face on the ball at impact.

Very sound advice here TC. That's pretty close to what Ted at SeeMore told me was hindering my putting at one point.

Tap,Tap,Tap
 
When things are going really bad for me I revert to my practice swing. It's much shorter, but it always hits the ball forward and in the air.
 
I've never had it happen to that extent but my man, I believe you might be experiencing paralysis by analysis. Don't get me wrong, the amount of technology used today to instruct and teach the golf swing is great, but it may cause one to get to obsessed with mechanics (think Tiger Woods) as opposed to the simplistic goal of a golf swing: square club face on the ball at impact.

Thanks TC, sound advice and I'm sure it's a big part of it, I'd never seen my swing before the lesson so I didn't think about the faults because I didn't know about them I just got on with swing I had which had it's inconsistencies but overall it
worked most of the time. Now I know what is wrong compared to a pro's swing so i'm now approaching a shot with all these swing thoughts and ever decreasing confidence in my ability to perform them ;) I'm determined to let this new swing become natural as on video it's clear it's better even to me, I guess I'll just have to struggle on.
 
I went 75 to 110, no averages though. Just a round or two.

Thanks Thainer, the fact that I've shot around 135 for the last 3 rounds is the worrying issue as it's consistently very poor, with very similar faults that is shanking irons right.
 
Happened to me also, not quite as dramatic but close. I took a couple of lessons about a year and a half ago and things started to go down hill. My putting was saving me from huge scores. Then I forgot all I had learned in the lesson and my ball striking got better but I was struggling with my driver so I went to get a lesson on my driver. I did not state that to the pro that I was looking for a lesson on the driver and he stated that he never lets his students hit drive the first lesson, HUGE MISTAKE ON MY PART. So he gave me a lesson hitting only an 8 iron and totally screwed up everything. I have been trying to put the pieces back together ever since. I think you really need to know what type of swing you want to go with and then find someone knowledgeable in the swing and you should be better than ever.
 
This tends to happen to me moreso in competition than just playing golf. Anytime there is a tournament or I'm playing in an interclub match my swing will occassionally leave me. The scariest part of it all is to me my swing feels normal and like it always does but the results are horrific. It's always something minute that turns my swing into something seen on America's funniest home videos and I do what Tom suggested, I club up 2 clubs and swing smooth and easy until I gradually start staying down and through the shot. The way I figure is if I can make a par by staying in play then my confidence will allow me to let the club go again and I will start recovering. It doesn't happen much but when it does it makes you want to quit the game, good luck.
 
When you're going through a major swing change via lessons, I would not even attempt to keep score. I would just go to a practice area or get on the course and consider it just practice until you work it out. I went through a decline in my game last fall that lasted months (I was also taking lessons) and my instructor told me to quit worrying about score. I finally worked my iron swing out after realizing I was going too far inside in an effort to properly turn. I started swinging a little more upright (was too much at first then not enough) and finally started making consistent contact.
 
I had huge spikes in my scores after lessons and also after I "figured" something out during a practice session. I would shank a shot, and then the pressure builds up for the next shot (most likely under trees) and everything just goes downhill from there. What I realized is that I don't have stand a consistant distance from the ball at setup and hence the shanks. I then developed a pre-shot routine that actually measures my distance from the ball with the club in hand (instead of going by 'feel') so I would end up getting decent contact even when I feel that I'm standing too far/close from the ball - the club never lies.
 
I had huge spikes in my scores after lessons and also after I "figured" something out during a practice session. I would shank a shot, and then the pressure builds up for the next shot (most likely under trees) and everything just goes downhill from there. What I realized is that I don't have stand a consistant distance from the ball at setup and hence the shanks. I then developed a pre-shot routine that actually measures my distance from the ball with the club in hand (instead of going by 'feel') so I would end up getting decent contact even when I feel that I'm standing too far/close from the ball - the club never lies.

Thanks wawabu, don't think it's the distance from the ball, I use a few methods to determine that....letting my right arm hang and it swings naturally to the correct position on the club, using my right hand span between thigh and club, lining the ball up with my torso rather than feet, I think it's more the swing plane change and upright posture but thanks for the suggestion
 
When you're going through a major swing change via lessons, I would not even attempt to keep score. I would just go to a practice area or get on the course and consider it just practice until you work it out. I went through a decline in my game last fall that lasted months (I was also taking lessons) and my instructor told me to quit worrying about score. I finally worked my iron swing out after realizing I was going too far inside in an effort to properly turn. I started swinging a little more upright (was too much at first then not enough) and finally started making consistent contact.

Good idea KellyBo, it's so disheartening when I've been writing down 10 and 11's because I've shanked 3 balls OB or in a lake! Think I'll be staying off the course until the swing is more consistent
 
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