What a Frustrating Game.....

Swinging Looney

Well, as another summer comes to a close (or was that a second winter we just had, I'm not sure) it's close to the time to think about taking stock of the years golfing and decide on what to work on for the winter so that I'm ready for next season.

What a frustrating season this has been. I began with a handicap of 19 last summer, got down to 15 by year end, was at 12 by the middle of this summer and now I am watching my handicap slowly climb back up again. Where once I was averaging rounds of about 80 to 84 and was waiting patiently to break 80 for the first time, now I will shoot anything from 85 to 99. I haven't played to my handicap in weeks and weeks!!!

Looking back, I think my main problem was a complete and utter overload on adjustments and tweaks to my swing with all clubs including the putter. Isn't it amazing how you can feel that you really have much more potential than you currently show and this belief makes you try everything and anything to get it out of you! Only to find that you start going backwards!

All that combined with a few disjointed lessons from a pro who seemed to forget what he had been working on with me during my previous lesson and would suggest something completely different second time around.

Mind you, I have probably played about 40 or 50 rounds so far this year, despite the weather so I won't complain too much!

So, how have you all been progressing this year? I be interested to hear everyone elses stories of woe or wonder!!! :rolleyes:

slingerz

I've been terrible and i'm off 21. Played a comp yesterday at my home club and was beyond bad. Went and played the back 9 again and was only 4 over par the second time round. Whats that about like!!

I know i could be a lot lower than 21 i just cant do it when in matters in a competiton

ShriekingSheet

Swinging Looney wrote: »

Where once I was averaging rounds of about 80 to 84 and was waiting patiently to break 80 for the first time, now I will shoot anything from 85 to 99. :rolleyes:

Expectation is the cause of much frustration in golf, I've learned. Whether it's external, like joining a new club as a young low h'capper, or internal, like your comment above.

Stating your average score (even if it's just to yourself) as something that's above average or, in your case, 80 is actually your best ever score (i think?), is only going to cause further frustration.

I was the same until recently. Two things changed it for me. I read a Rotella piece on leaving your expectations on the practice tee when you go out to play. Expectation takes your mind away from where it should be, in the present, focused on the shot in hand.

Secondly, I kept an exact record of my home course scores and stats. I've come from 9 down to 5 this summer. Do you know what my average score was in my last 10 rounds? 80.1 . And if I was to go back earlier in the summer it'd be at least 82 which is 10 over.

Granted, I play on a Par 72 with an SSS of 72 but when I saw you state your average as 80-84, although it might be on a Par 70 or 71, it immediately occured to me that you're estimating what an average round for you should be as opposed to what it is. Like, that's averaging 38/39/40 pts per round!

My point being that by coming from 15 to 12 h'cap (which is no mean achievment) your average is likely to be higher than 80-84 but most importantly, by having this inflated expectation in your head, you're putting pressure on yourself.

It's helped me no end. I used to get p*ssed off shooting 79. Now I shrug it off as improving my average slightly- an attitude which gives me much more chance of shooting a better score again the next time.

kingshankly

Shrieking sheet are you bob rotella in disguise

ShriekingSheet

kingshankly wrote: »

Shrieking sheet are you bob rotella in disguise

Na I just regurgitate what I read

madds

This should prove to be a good thread Swinging Looney. I had great plans for this year but they quickly fell apart.

Jan/Feb: playing off 11 (10.5 exact) I had been scoring very well in the 9-hole Winter comps averaging above 20 points for most rounds.

Mar: with the start of the 18 hole competitions again, my scores began to suffer and I quickly realized it was due to the fact that we were now playing to full greens and not the temp ones. Therefore instead of having at worst a 7-iron to a temp green, I was now on average faced with longer approach shots which resulted in missed greens and higher scores.

April: recognizing my inconsistency with longer irons and that my swing plane was too flat and the clubhead was not always square at impact, I decided to get a lesson from a pro in Carton. 1 lesson and 3 practice sessions later I was really beginning to see results as I started to hit the ball much higher due to the steeper angle of attack of the downswing and also more power. The wheels fell off when I started into trials for the various club teams - Metropolitan Cup and Jimmy Bruen - when I was caught between using the new or old swing.

May/start of June: confidence dipped as I decided to go back to my old swing. I twigged that April was too late in the year to implement such drastic swings changes if I wanted to make any of the club teams. Broke the shafts (something I've never done before) in my 8-iron and PW within 2 weeks of each other as I got majorly frustrated with my game.

Mid June: got a few tips from my bro in Carton one evening and started to hit the ball more consistently. Within a week I was back to my old self, got cut .8 to 9.5 after having 40 pts in a Singles comp, and was selected for the Metro team in our 1/4 final match against Roganstown. Unfortunately, I was beaten on 18 in the deciding match in R'town. Was delighted to be back hitting the ball with confidence and played reasonably well for the rest of the month.

July/Aug: like most other posters, the last 8 weeks have been a washout. Am into the semis of the club foursomes with my partner who plays off 6, so happy with that.

Winter 08/09: Looking forward to starting work on my swing in October in preparation for next year.

Swinging Looney

Wow! At least we know what Mr Rotella's online chat name is: Shrieking Sheet!

Great post Shrieking!! I think you have likely hit the nail on the head on most points.

Like you, I have, up until recently, been keeping stats on my scores. I really should start doing it again in earnest so I can start identifying what to work on. I didn't keep madly detailed stats, just hole scores, %fairways, %GIR and putts.

Up to the end of last year my average 18 hole score was 93.0. I averaged 37.7 putts per round too. All based on Par 72.

Up to beginning of June this year my average 18 hole score was 86.3 (average of 13 rounds) with putting down to an average of 35.5 with a best of 32 putts for my first round of 80. I have since managed 80 twice more shortly afterwards - just before everything started going downhill!!

Within the next 3 or 4 weeks I had rounds all within the range of 80 to 84. Reading your post now, I would certainly think that expectation go the better of me!

It was about this time that I started tweaking with various parts of my swing to try to get a little more consistency. Most of the tweaking was self diagnosed and self appointed. A recipe for disaster if ever there was one! :eek:

In between my embarassingly poor rounds these days, I have little glimmers of brilliance which show through. It is almost as thought the Golfing Gods are teasing me. If I listen carefully I think I can hear them laughing! Last week, I parred all holes from 8 through to 16, missing three makable birdie putts along the way. "Finally!" I thought. "It's all coming together!". The next day, I went out and shot 94.

One thing I have heard that is very, very true. On every single poor round you play, there will generally be just one great shot that will make you come back and try again!!!

Swinging Looney

Just while I think of it: One great bit of advice I heard recently:

The real difference between good players and great players is in their bad shots. The great players bad shots are better than the good players bad shots. Other than that, it's hard to tell them apart.

I have started to focus a little more on things that will help make my misses not quite as severe as they have been. Apart from anything else it certainly helps you accept them when they happen on the course.....

stringy

i agree with shrieking, don't put too much pressure on yourself with expectations.

4 yrs ago i was off 15, got cut to 12 fairly quick and people were saying oh you should be off 8, then i was off 9, got to 8 end of last year. I decided to relax and enjoy it, play my golf, hit good shots and accept the bad, what's happened?

down to 6 now and still enojying it, what's my next step? who knows, maybe 4/5 will happen next year or the year after, am I goin to force it? probably not.

practice short game, practice short game again. have confidence in my putting. practice short game again. maybe get some lessons on swing. and enjoy it and yes enjoy it some more.

happy golfing

Swinging Looney

stringy wrote: »

practice short game, practice short game again. have confidence in my putting. practice short game again. maybe get some lessons on swing. and enjoy it and yes enjoy it some more.

Perhaps the best advice anyone could give...........