Psychologist or lessons?!

Nuser

Hey all,

Just looking for some advice re. my game. Been playing for around 2 years or so and was really enjoying it up until around 6 months ago. I was progressing along nicely (no lessons just kind of picked it up) to the point where I was confident of picking up two or three pars and a few bogies per round - a standard I was happy with. I was playing around 4-5 times per week. My strong clubs were 3,4,5, 6 and 7 irons. Could never use woods or drivers or putt but figured I could sort the putting once I was able to dedicate more time to it and I was happy with the distance I could get with the 3 iron off the tee.

The day after my best round I topped the ball off the first tee and continued this for the entire round! Since then, for the next two months, I couldn't hit a thing, hooking everything to the left and about 100 yards in length. I decided to give it a break until last week. Went out to the range every night for a little while and ended up sorting it out, was hitting the 6 and 7 iron lovely and thought I had it sorted. Ended up going out to my local course, bogied the first par 4, made a par on the second par three and bogied the third par 5 - was delighted! Then it fell apart again, couldn't hit a thing and this happened again yesterday. This time I was skitting the ball about 100 yards out to the right.

So long story short, I know that I have the shots but can't do it consistently - would lessons be worthwhile or is this in the head?? The clubs feel alien in my hands after a few bad shots and I wonder how anyone can even hit a ball! I don't want to waste money on lessons in case I revert back to my old bad habits straight away. Does anyone have any hints on how to transfer how you hit the ball in the range to how you can hit it whilst out on the course?

Anyway, thanks for reading and any advice is appreciated!

Cheers.

FANTAPANTS

happend me last year felt like i wasr re-griping try this out...... stand with your two feet about 1 foot apart and use your 9 iron to hit it see if that works then as time goes on in your round widen your stance and use diff clubs just to get in a rythem

matt-dublin

sounds like more of a mental issue than anthing else, IMO you should get a lesson, Pros are usually quote good at picking up psycological elements of the game along with any physical issues with your swing.

Maybe get an on course lesson?

Nuser

FANTAPANTS wrote: »

happend me last year felt like i wasr re-griping try this out...... stand with your two feet about 1 foot apart and use your 9 iron to hit it see if that works then as time goes on in your round widen your stance and use diff clubs just to get in a rythem

Cheers,

Would you believe I tried that yesterday on my da's advice but with a pitching wedge instead. Was hitting it great but as soon as i pulled out a different club for the next tee shot it went mad again! Once I think I have it sussed it all goes awry again!

Is that how you sorted your own swing?

Nuser

matt-dublin wrote: »

sounds like more of a mental issue than anthing else, IMO you should get a lesson, Pros are usually quote good at picking up psycological elements of the game along with any physical issues with your swing.

Maybe get an on course lesson?

That's great.

Hadn't actually thought of an on course lesson - not too familiar with lessons and stuff so wasn't even aware you could do that.

I was worried about hitting it perfectly for the person giving me a lesson out on the range but then heading out my own and everything going mad again!

Cheers Matt

spacecoyote

Yeah i'd agree, a lesson or 2 is probably the best idea.

Then maybe read a bit of Bob Rotella or try some yoga...anything that will help clear your mind on the course

matt-dublin

one of the things i do is when warming up on the range or on the putting green i usually listen to the same song over and over on the ipod, somethig mellow, (mumford and sons at the moment) and i usually thing about the song during my preshot routines and swing.

this takes out any thinking about your swing such as weight transfer, what my hands should be doing, what i should be looking at. It certainly makes me not think if that makes sense so its more of a walk up and hit the shot.

Nuser

Space Coyote and Matt,

Thanks for the advice - will give it a lash tomorrow. Am going to go out to the range and hit a few.

The advice you both gave rings true, the range is no bother then 101 things are running through my mind as I go up to the ball and can't remember what I am supposed to do when addressing the ball. Was chatting to a fella out at the range the other day and he said the same, he said he plays off a 16 (I don't even have a handicap!) and said that lately he is beat before he hits the shot due to what he is thinking of!

harpsman

This is definitely a technique problem and has nothing to do with psychology. Like alot of people,myself included, you started playing with a self taught swing. Its easy enough to get to certain level and hit short irons with a terrible technique but as youre finding out now when it inevitably goes wrong it does so spectacularly.
TBH if you never were able to hit woods despite playin 4 times a week youve obviously got problems.

Do yourself a favour-go to a go to a good pro and get yourself sorted out. Read Bob and take tips from here if you like,just dont expect your golf to improve from it.

stockdam

Go for lessons and get the basics right. It's generally quite easy to see what another person is doing wrong once you know what to look for.

Leave the psychology to the pros who already have very good technique.

Nuser

harpsman wrote: »

This is definitely a technique problem and has nothing to do with psychology. Like alot of people,myself included, you started playing with a self taught swing. Its easy enough to get to certain level and hit short irons with a terrible technique but as youre finding out now when it inevitably goes wrong it does so spectacularly.
TBH if you never were able to hit woods despite playin 4 times a week youve obviously got problems.

Do yourself a favour-go to a go to a good pro and get yourself sorted out. Read Bob and take tips from here if you like,just dont expect your golf to improve from it.

Cheers,

It has went spectacularly wrong in fairness. With regards to hitting the woods, I had originally intended to get lessons shortly after taking the sport up so only tried hitting those and the drivers a few times then left it as I didn't want to get into bad habits straight off the bat. I didn't follow up on the lessons as I was happy to the standard I had got to but unfortunately the wheels have came off.

I suppose I was veering away from thinking of it as a technique problem due to being able to hit the ball well on the range but not being able to transfer this to the course.

Looks like I'm going to follow up on the lessons at this stage anyway so any advice for a good pro in the midlands area would be appreciated!

Nuser

Just for the sake of clarity, I wasn't actually contemplating a psychologist! Was just trying to highlight the madness that goes on when thinking about hitting the ball! I'm only starting out at the game (well 2 years) so will probably have loads more mishaps.

Thanks for the replies.

Villain

Get a few lessons and read Dr. Bob Rotella's book "Golf is not a game of Perfect" then you have both covered

Dammo

Lessons will be a waste of money. You're clearly as mad as a brush. Psychologist all the way.

goodgolfer64

karl morris helped me go from 2 to +2.....not hitting it any better,,,,

NapoleonInRags

One word answer:

Lessons

harpsman

Nuser wrote: »

Just for the sake of clarity, I wasn't actually contemplating a psychologist! Was just trying to highlight the madness that goes on when thinking about hitting the ball! I'm only starting out at the game (well 2 years) so will probably have loads more mishaps.

Thanks for the replies.

No worries.

Obviously, there is a huge mental side to golf-even Tiger Woods struggles to bring it from the range to the course. Its just that like any discipline if you have the basic fundamentals right you will be able to repeat it more easily under pressure, and more importantly your bad shots will be less bad.

Good luck

THEIRISHMOB

NapoleonInRags wrote: »

One word answer:

Lessons

Lessons are not enough.
Golf is 60% swing and 40% mind. The lower the handicap the higher % of mind control comes into play.

We have Anne Duffy attending our 2012 Amateur Team World Cup of Golf event in Kerry from the 11th-14th of June.
She is one of our Official Sponsors listed below: http://www.worldcupofgolf.com/sponsors.html

She will be available for group or private sessions and I would be more than happy to offer anyone from Ireland playing in the event a FREE session with Anne. Just contact me directly ian@worldcupofgolf.com

Golf involves 2 things. Control of your body and control of your mind...correct?

THEIRISHMOB

ACTUALLY BOARDS GOLFERS:
If you are interested in the drive down,
I will organise a group session with Anne for anyone that is interested free of charge, and that offer is open to all golfers, playing in the event or not.

If you are interested post here and I will confirm a day and time if there is enough interest.