Lost in frustration - please help!!

[brenlong]

I'm a 21 handicapper.
At the start of the year, I got some lessons which I must admit dramatically improved my game. From the end of January to the beginning of May, I consitantly came in with a good round (sub 90).

After a brief few weeks away from golf (bad weather & vacation), I recently returned to the game.
Now, what I find is that I get off to a great start, then my game completely collapses.
For example, yesterday, I started off with 4 pars, then scratched the next 7 holes, followed by bogey, scratch, double bogey (index 1), and finished up with 4 scratches. Last Friday was almost the same result on a different course.

When I go to the range, everything hits nice and straight, with great distance and accuracy.
As soon as I go to the course, it's a different matter.
Anything from within a 7 iron distance to the green isn't really a problem.
Anything from a driver to 6 iron just falls apart.
Take my driver. Two months ago, I could hit it relatively straight, and with a nice enough distance (250 - 280).
Now, all I get from my drives is an horrific slice that sends me in to the water, OB or heavy rough. It's embarrassing.
Fairway wood and long irons used to be sweet for me. Now, they do one of the following - slice badly, hit the ground before the ball, top the ball or hit sweetly (a rarity these days).

Basically, my long game has gone to pieces. But I'm approaching each shot exactly how I would at the range.
I'm not able to give myself a good scoring chance from the tee, and by the time I get within a 7 iron or shorter, I'm scrambling to save whatever points I can. Half the time I'm down to only a 1 putt opportunity to claw back a single stableford point.

I'm certain that I'm still doing what my pro instructor showed me (as the four starting pars would suggest), but now I'm at the stage where I'm just so frustrated with my inconsistant game, that I'm on the verge of walking off the course during every round!

Where do I even begin to get back to enjoying a good round with a decent score??

[Ian Hancock]

Re: Lost in frustration - please help!!

Brenlong,

Apart from the obvious lack of confidence there doesn't appear to be anything wrong, if can hit the ball well then you are just panicking when the long game is needed.

I suggest your next couple of visits to the range consist of one club, I discovered this by mistake, sneeking out of work at lunchtime to hit a few balls, I just stuck one club in the car.

Back to the job in hand" Take say a 4 iron only to the range and hit 50 balls with it, by the time you have finished you will be able to hit it, high, low, left or right. By doing this a few times with different clubs it will bring confidence back into your long game.

Trust me if you take more clubs you will change when the ball doesn't go where you want, so just take one and stick with it.


Hope this helps


Ian.

[Mr_Change]

Re: Lost in frustration - please help!!

I am a big believer in 1 club at the driving range. but sometimes it does pay to mix them up. I agree with the confidence. trust your swing. you hit it well in the past so you can hit it better in the future.

[TeachingPro]

Re: Lost in frustration - please help!!

Man, these sorts of posts give me nightmares because they are so difficult to help on yet the problem seems so simple. Practicing on the driving range is all together different from playing a result-driven game of golf on the golf course. Even if you are the most disciplined practicer, it still remains different.

Now, what's happening to you is you are changing your swing when you get to the golf course because each swing has a result and from the sounds of it, they are bad results. You can't just take another ball and try again ...

So, what I suggest you do is what I often do when students come to me with tears in their eyes and they are ready to give up the game because it's become too much. This is what I suggest you do:

Give up result-driven golf for a while. Practice at the range and practice all your clubs but have fun. Practice shouldn't be work, you're not earning a living from it - the guy at the range is making a living out of you so you might as well enjoy the service he is providing you.

Take your time and forget the golf course for a few weeks. Get some fun back into your practice by getting some good results at the range. Imagine for a few week, driving range golf is as good as it gets.

Once you've got some fun back in the game and you've got some confidence through getting good results at the range and you a certified range rat, then we go to stage 2.

I don't want to write a book here so I'll outline the further stages briefly and if you like, I'll send or post more detail:
Stage 2: Play golf with as many "mulligans" or "kick outs" as you like
Stage 3: 18 holes with mulligans or kick outs on seriously bad shots
Stage 4: Start scoring again over 18 holes with only 1 mulligan or kick out per hole
Stage 5: Score over 18 holes with mulligans and kick outs only for disasters.
When you can get through stage 5, move on and score without help but if you're having a tough day - go back to stage 5 and finish your round of golf. Don't be afraid to use the saftey net!

During the stages, keep on practicing with the same objective: fun and ball striking. Don't worry about measuring against par, against your friends or anything else ... forget result-driven golf.

If you feel that you need to go back a stage, go back and give yourself more opportunities to achieve positive results and enjoy the time and effort you expend on golf. Even if you need the saftey for 1 round or a stretch of holes ... use it.

There is no time frame, there are no standards you measure your golf or progress by other than how much fun you are having and how your ball striking improves. From stage 1 to 3, you don't even keep a score card it's about geting results without having the pressure. You have saftey net like you do on the range ... take another ball and try again.

Encourage your friends to help you by giving you the time and opportunity as well to re-establish the positive results, fun and confidence building excercise. I'm sure its not much for them to see you fall apart at the seams and getting frustrated either.

If you need help with the program, please post again or e-mail me. Okay?

[brenlong]

Re: Lost in frustration - please help!!

Guys,

took your advice and just played at the range for a couple of weeks.
In fairness, it did build back my confidence, and I managed to iron out some faults with the long irons & woods.
Went back out on a course (not my home club) on Saturday and came in with a good score (including pars on index 1 & 2), which I was quite pleased about, considering recent form.

Confidence is back, long game is looking up, and I'm enjoying it again.

Thanks for the help.

Bren.