Confidence Problems

Hi

Ok here comes a long story so hope you are still awake by the end

History

About 6 years ago i was a keen footballer but suffered a ankle injury which has stopped me playing  competitively.

I am a very competitive person and I was lost not having the release you get from football

So last year I thought I would get into golf as the walk would be good for exercise and would also release some of that competitive streak in me

Golfing History

Been playing 12 months every week in all weathers and conditions

Started of going round in roughly 110 -120 shot

Then after 4-5 months I was playing consistantly in the 90's even getting down to high 80's a few times.

However since the weather has changed and the ground has got softer and less roll my score started creeping back up to high 90's low 100s - This was not an issue for me as I put it down to the conditions

However last couple of months I have really started to struggle going into 115+ often and getting very frustrated. I couldnt hit 2 decent shots in a row

So I decided to get some lesson which i found really useful and tighten up my swing and in the range i had not many issues

But as soon as i get out onto the course it just all falls apart - i cant hit the ball smoothly and my swing at times feels lumpy and twisty and then frustration kicks in as i cant hit the ball at all well

This weekend topped it off where I got off to an ok start but after a few poor hits i just went to pot and gave up on the 12th and just hacked round with my 7 iron

I am now at the point of dispare and not enjoying myself no longer and have not for the last few round due to my comeptitive side and not being able to hit the ball clean or go round with a decent score.

I am at the point of think is it time to quit.

My question is...................has anyone else gone through this and can there be light at the end of the tunnel as the 1st 9 months i loved the game

Thanks for reading

Kris I think we all go through good times and bad in golf. It sounds to me that maybe something has crept into your game that is causing you grief. Possibly a graduation of ball position. When you have a bad day are you consitantly having the same bad shots? Thins, fats, tops ? or is it just all to pot. Over the winter my ball position gradually crept forward so I could scoop the ball off the frozen ground as it was hard to get ball then turf with hard fairways ( for me ). The ground is now ok and I didnt adjust my ball accordingly and was thining nearly every shot 2 rounds ago. I have since adjusted and my last round out was a credible 85 and hitting the ball alot better. ( 3 birdies ) Dont give up!

Dave CAC handed Geordie.

kris, i too have been playing for about 12 months and have a similar problem. but i tend to fall apart in comps (which i was going to start a topic on but you beat me to it)  shooting in the low 90s when i practice i shoot 10-17 oveer. i also try to imagine myself in a bubble and only have one swing thought. hope that helps.

Yes, been there a couple of times. The first time was after I'd been playing about 10 years. Stayed off the course for a month, and spent quality time of the practice ground.

The 2nd time was about 10 years ago, I'd been playing over 30 years at that point. Not only couldn't  hit a fairway I was lucky to hit the course. Had a couple of lessons, then a few weeks away from the course practicing. Sorted.

Golf comes and goes. One day you don't feel right but score well and on another you feel on top of things but score badly.

Always concentrate on the shot in hand and nothing else, hit the bad shot then forget it.

TheLyth 

Like Lyth says, you can only do something with the next shot, not the last.

Taking divots before the ball and topping the ball are both caused by the same thing. Assuming you are right handed, you are leaning onto your right foot as you swing, try to put more weight on your left foot as you hit the ball. Hope this helps !

I am 65 and try to be competitive. I have good rounds and bad, the bad I just laugh off and next time go out there and give it my all. As for the golf range find one that you can play off grass, I find these much better and give you a better opportunity to correct those faults. When all said and done it is only a game and your life does not depend on it. 

I've just had the same problem.

Got my handicap down to a 12 and then found out I couldn't hit the ball!

It's been about three or four months where I was having a disaster.

Then I had a few rounds where I played well apart from two or three holes (8, 9 or 10 shots!)

Went to Portugal with the GolfShake Gangsters last February and played well.

I've played three or four times a week for the last three weeks and managed to finish 4th in our midweek medal.

Hitting the ball well and even shaping my driver.

One thing I did do was to get down on the practice ground and hit balls.  This will get you some confidence back.

Keep going as your game will come, it's just a case of plodding on and your game will return to you.

Russ

Kris, your tale could have been written by me. I've been going slightly less then 12 months and I've had lessons recently which always go well, followed by time at the range, which always goes well. Went out on Saturday, hit 50  balls on the range, long and straight, 10 in a row with my 5 iron to almost exactly 170 yards. Got onto the first tee, sliced my tee shot (with my 5 iron) then shot 119 with a couple of tens and almost every other ball pulled to the left. The week before I went round the short course (par 27) in 34 and felt like Tiger. I guess that's what make this game so fascinating. I'll keep at it if you do!!

Kris

good to see that you want to get your game back and not sell your clubs !

Like everyone else, i have gone through the same feelings ( and fairly recently )

I went back to an old coach that i got on well with and asked him to look at my swing.

To cut a boring, long story short, he has not only regrooved my swing but got my enthusiasm back for the game.

Seek out a pro that you trust and get on with. It will really help.

Don't go on the range and just wack away at balls.

Think every shot you do. If it's rubbish then try and think what you might have done wrong.

First slow everything down, there is no use in trying to reach the green on a par five, think the course, I think you are lifting your head as you are topping the ball. Keep your eye on the ball no matter where it goes. golf is rythm repeated time and time again, I reckon you should always practice with every club. Alaways have a session on the range and the putting green before going out.

I know the theory but I'm still useless as well, this last year I have got a 90 and have got a 120. Ha ha

I've been playing 6 months and have had a similar issue.

What i found was range time but played like a course. I was frustrated since at the range i could hit 10 in a row perfectly well. However, perhaps the first shot with each club wasn't great, and that is exactly where you stand on the course. I went to practicing as i would play a hole, driver/3 wood, then long iron then short iron, repeat till you are out of balls.

Whilst I may not have improved too much, it has certainly improved my understanding of where I am. Hitting 10 balls in a row with any club will invariably lead to 8-9 good shots which will make you believe you should reproduce those stats on the course. You will actually only reproduce the first of those 10 shots on the course.

Slowing everything down is the worst advice anyone ever gave me, I started off great when i took the gane up a few years ago but fell to peices and played some horrififc golf for about 18 months. I'd go for lessons and do everything they said looking great, practice great on the range but fall to pieces on the course especially in comps. All because I was trying to slow it down.

I then got given the best piece of advice anyone evergave me, swing the head and not the grip. In trying to slow everything down I'd just get my body way out of sync i was way infornt of my arms and struggling to hit the thing. Now I just hit the ball I knew from the lessons and the good days that the technique was there just seemed so inconsistant with what I did, now i trust what I'm doing and just rember to hit the thing rather than concentrate on my swing.

This happens to everyone, look at my scores generally over the last year and you'll see I still struggle for consistency. You've got to make sure in your head that a really bad shot is the exception, and that the good ones you pat yourself on the back for.