golfrewind.com

This is something entirely new to me...I have lost the ablility to hit the ball...my ballstriking has been in decline over the last 6 weeks, but this week culminated with two 100+ rounds, slicing and shanking everything when over the last year I have been fighting a hook, and two unsuccessful visits to the driving range to sort things out...very puzzling and discouraging as I have revisited the basics, checked grip, stance, posture, tempo, etc...everything is as it should be except for two things...I can't feel the club at all when I am swinging, and I am second guessing myself silly with alignment...I was working on improving alignment and aim by way of changing ball position prior to my collapse, and unfourtunately now nothing "feels" right as I moved things around so much...sharing my misery but I know the answer is to go see a pro...have to find one as the last two seemed to do more damage than good... I am hangining them up until I am able to hit a ball straightish again...can't believe I am saying that...

Sorry to hear your problems. The fact that you are slicing and shanking it would suggest that the club is coming into the ball from outside the line to inside, which may mean you are coming over the top. A video may give people an idea whats going wrong (without everyone getting too technical).

Just remember that the swing is best kept simple, just two turns of the body where the ball just happens to get in the way. As you said a visit to the pro may be your best bet?

Thanks for the advice, but I am unfourtunately a bit beyond all that; you better believe I am coming over the top but the question is why? I have a long list of why's right now, and try as I might with all the drills to dumb down the game and make better contact not one is working worth a darn...my contact is waaay off, fat, top, shank...there is no rhyme or reason, just horrible swing that has had the wheels come completely off...a little comical in a way...hit driver last round and made contact on top of the club on the hosel...how does someone miss that badly with a 460cc club swinging within themselves? I also left two putts about 15 feet short of the hole...considering I started from 20-25 feet out I would call that poor esp. after hitting the green for about 4 hours of short game work this week...I do know I am pretty tired overall and could use a break...holidays are killers for Chefs but it is still a bit puzzling how it could all go sooooo wrong...make my own little off season and take a step back, see if that helps...

Sorry to hear that. FWIW, I've quit 20 or 30 times! Maybe just lay off for a few weeks? Found when that(losing it) happens, this works best for me. When I come back, I don't have a bunch of swing thoughts interferring. I get the shanks real bad at times. Right now I am addressing the ball with my club head "inside" the line It's working for now anyway Sidenote here guy: I see you are a chef. Trying to make my own prime rib this week. Any tips/fav recipes?

Well, I not a very good golfer or a psychiatrist but remember, you just found out you're going to be a Dad for the first time, and you quit smoking a few days ago too. Not like you don't have a lot on your mind right now!

Maybe you just need to take the rest of the year off, take a break, come back at it after the new year.

my suggestion is to take a couple of weeks off to clear the head. now, as mentioned above, keep it simple, remember two things, stay connected (arms to chest), and shorten the swing up just a little.

I hate to make excuses (see my post a couple of days ago), but I think you are right...that along with the various buffets, course menus, cocktail parties -working, not enjoying- and balancing that with family obligations isn't helping, neither is the fact that my regular playing partner has found a way to a 71 and two 72s this week...Wouldn't hurt to back off for awhile and squeeze in a little more wife time despite the hormonal rollercoaster she's riding (which means we'reriding!!) I'll see if I can stay away from the clubs for a week!

I know what you mean. I'm fairly new to the game but I really started to hit the ball well on the golf course this past Fall. Now I can't seem to hit anything well except my hybrids. My tee shots have gone way down hill; I am weakly hooking them almost everytime.

Of course, my putting has been superb! But getting to the green has been a nightmare. It got so bad that I played a round yesterday and walked off on the 4th hole b/c I did not hit one solid ball up to that point. The range has not been working for me either.

I just bought a house and am majorly stressed out but can the golf swing be that tempermental??? This game is funny; when you need it most to help relieve outside stress, it probably won't be there for you.

I'm actually glad the really cold weather is approaching b/c it will keep me away so I can recharge the batteries.

Another thing is your "self"! You change everyday. Pros do too. Thats why Love is 8 under one day and 10 over the next I change minor things each day to fit that day, then the next, they don't work. I may keep the change though, and now I am whacked out. Back to fundamentals! Take a break!

Bigvivec,

TAKE A WEEK OFF...seriously. I had the same issues about 6 months ago, and the only thing that got me back on track was the time off. When you come back, go to the range and start out slow with some half swing shots and get your feel back. Believe me, once these bad swing thoughts get in your head, it's all you think about and it will drive you crazy. Take the days off, and come back fresh. I'm also sure it's an "over the top" issue, so when you come back to it, work on dropping that club down on the inside path, and you'll be back in business. Good luck man, I feel for ya.

Taking some time off might help, as has been suggested. However, I know how difficult it is to stop doing something that you enjoy for any amount of time, because most of us are eager to play whenever the opportunity comes.

I would like to offer you a different perspective, however. Golf is truly a game of opposites. Swing hard, ball goes short. Swing easy, ball goes far. Aim left, ball goes right. Aim right, ball goes left. Hit down on ball to make it go up. Hit up on ball makes it go down. You get the point... It also is very much that way with the mental game. The more you "search" for your swing, the less likely it will appear. Just about EVERY good result that happens with a golf club does so NATURALLY. Hard to find that natural swing with so much clutter in the mind.

So if you opt to not take time off and you play tomorrow.... and you do find that your swing is nowhere to be found, try this:

Regardless of the hole, no matter if it's a 450 yard par4, or a 500 yard par5, pick the ONE club out of your bag that is easiest to hit and play the rest of the round with that one club (except around the greens, obviously). Usually, a short iron of choice is the best option. What this does is it gets you back to the basics of swinging a club confidently, and allows you to find rhythm and confidence. If you're like me, you get to the point to where score doesn't matter any longer. You just want to hit a solid ball and make good contact. Do yourself a favor the next time you struggle, lighten the grip pressure just a tad and try this method. It works.

The more you fight your swing, the harder it becomes to control it. A game of opposites, it is...

^^^^ Good advice there....I like that alot.

I hate it when that happens. I occasionally lose most of my power, but I can usually get it back pretty quick. A few suggestions.

1. Take a 1 week break.
2. You said you did a lot of drills already. Did this include the constant-grip-pressure 'awesome drill'? If that one doesn't work, then definitely take a break!
3. Have a practice session or two just swinging a club or other long-ish object (without hitting any balls). The exercise is to get a good swoosh-sound (back) in your swing with minimal effort.

Yeah, everything that normally puts me back on track wasn't working at all, and like Pa Playa said, the harder I tried the more elusive the swing was...as much as I'd like to do what playa was suggesting, I was hitting pw and gw, which are my two go to clubs, at right angles to my target line for no reason apparent to me so as to preserve the shreds of confidence that I do have I think a break is in order...I was swinging in the mirror in my living room last night and a tweak in my setup wrist angles had me woooshing the club again with a nice controlled feeling, but jeez, it's christmas...maybe I will sneak off to the range this afternoon!!!

You need to completely walk away from the game for at least a week!

I've seen many of your posts here and you are a pleasure to read, but maybe too many golf thoughts have you questioning everything.

When you get back to the game, just swing and not care about the results. You will find your way back one step at a time.