Early Peak, Late Valley

[jambalaya]

Golfed on Friday and for the first six holes it was golfing nirvana. I was hitting the ball as solidly as ever. The ball was smoking off my driver. Approach shots were flying high then landing on the green. But then as suddenly as the great swing came, it went. Not completely but the wild inconsistency that has plagued me the last ten years, returned.

Now I certainly have been going to the range and working on the fundementals of the swing. I have been doing mirror practice at home. But the initial results were far greater than any in recent memory. So was I doing things right or was I hitting the ball great despite a fundamental swing flaw. I always feel these days that I am standing on the edge even when I am hitting well. One little bobble and the shot goes to hell.

An instructor told one of my golfing partners to not work on his swing when playing a round. But how can one do that. When I am going along good and hit a really bad shot I have got to figure out what I did wrong and make an adjustment. Is that bad?

[gord962]

Re: Early Peak, Late Valley

It sounds like you have been practicing all the right things, you just need to keep working on it. You old swing just snuck back in during your round. This is not uncommon while working on a new swing. Your body is just reverting back to what it knows. After working a while longer with the new swing and having a good positive re-enforcement like you described, it will be easier for your brain to accept the new swing and soon all will be right with the world, well at least your golf world.....

[Ian Hancock]

Re: Early Peak, Late Valley

Gord is spot on with the advise about your swing changes, just to pick up on your last point about working on your swing during a round.


From a psycological point of view you should accept the swing you take to the course......some days we feel different maybe pyhiscally tied if we work out, overworked, lack of sleep, even the beer or wine the night before can affect your game the next day.................. no matter what you try to work on during a round it will inevitably end in disaster,,,,,,,,,,,, "Why"

If you are any of the above then you cannot change the way you feel and make yourself feel better then suddely hit the ball better (i.e, it not a swing fault), once you work on one suspected fault in your swing another will appear and so on untill you can't hit the ball at all, this happens because there isn't a swing fault just a lazy/tied swing.

My advice is to accept the swing you have don't compensate for it in any way, i.e start aiming left because your fading the ball instead of your usual draw............just keep to your usual game plan, pre shot routine and rhythmic swing....you will be suprised by resisting the temptation to tinker in any way you can still put a good score together.


Hope this helps



Ian.

[pnearn]

Re: Early Peak, Late Valley

I used to do what you describe and agonise over a bad shot on the course. There had to be a reason why it happened, what if I change this and that, what if I change my swing thought

BY FAR the best thing you can do is forget it. Everyone bar none hits a duff shot now and then ( look at Tiger in the Masters!). The best you can do is laugh at it, forget it, remember the great shots you hit on the first 6 and hit the ball. Its probably your head filling up with swing thoughts and negativity that makes you tense. Then the problem just snowballs....

The other thing Ive learnt is everyone has bad rounds .. it happens.. just think your out the house, the wife isnt moaning at you, the kids arent yelling and theres a cold beer waiting at the end !

[Ian Hancock]

Re: Early Peak, Late Valley

Pnearn,

Just reminded me did you see Poulters (two) shanks, one off the fairway and one off the tee.


WOW


Ian.

[kiwi]

Re: Early Peak, Late Valley

Fatigue?
6 holes thats roughly one and half hours how long since your last drink or a bite to eat? 2 maybe 3 hours?
Fatigue plays a big part in concentration as well as the mechanics of a swing. Try to eat something small every four holes and have a little drink atleast every two holes. Cheap to do and the results could amaze you.

Brian

[jambalaya]

Re: Early Peak, Late Valley

I saw the one off the tee Ian. A shot very familiar to me. Boy what a difference for Darrin Clarke (sp?) from the first two to the last two rounds.

And thanks for the responses everyone.