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I have developed a problem about 1 year ago that has continued even to today because I played golf today and it is still there. I freeze over the ball and just about can't take the club away. I can take a practice swing with no problem but when I am over the ball, I absolutely freeze. It is worse with the woods and long irons, not chipping or putting. On the practice tee, I have litte or no problem at all. I have been hypnotized 2 times (by a sports hypotherapist) with little
improvement. I have purchased many self hypnosis and relaxation tapes also with little or no success. Been playing golf over 40 years, have played good for the years but this problem has just about destroyed me and my golf game.Please give me any advice because I am willing to try anything.
HELP!!!!!!

I honestly don't know what to tell you, but the best thing I can do is explain my feeling before I'm about to hit a shot. When I'm over the ball my mindset is that of nothing, a clear mind. I'm not thinking of what I want to do with my ball flight or swing. I just let my body take over and do what it has be trained to do. I see people come out and stand over the ball for 10 or 15 seconds and top the ball. You have to go out there aim your shot and let it rip, don't let one piece doubtful thought enter your mind.

What are you thinking about when you're over the ball? What thoughts are going through your mind when you set up? I agree with PingPlayr......just clear your mind and rip it!

Does this happen at the range?

Shade

Shade
It does not happen on the range. Nice fluid swing with no freezing. But get me on the first tee and it starts. Played golf 40 years with no problem, started May 2003.

OK, now we got something to work with...you must, and absolutely can, defeat this gremlin. Let's try this. Normally you want to think only positive thoughts (if any)...no negative vibes. But your situation is dire so it calls for a dire solution. The reason you're freezing is because your unconscious mind is going over all the bad things that could possibly happen, especially with this dam long iron or driver. What if I hit a banana? What if I thin it?, boy, now would be a bad time for THAT to happen. If I hook it with this right-to-left wind, boy is THAT gonna kill this hole if not the rest of the round! They call it the unconscious because we're not overly aware of all the "what if's" that are going on in there, right?

But we can overcome it.

It's really crazily simple, but it'll take some time. Go play golf. Against someone. Friendly bet, a coke or beer or something you can afford to lose. Now go ahead and let your mind go over every bad thing that could happen in executing this drive. Think of the very worst, and I mean THE WORST thing that could happen, be it cracking it straight out of bounds to flat whiffing it. Now, accept the worst...say to yourself, "Well, I have, in my mind, already hit the worst shot I can possibly hit, and I have accepted it, truly accepted that the worst has already occured, so no matter what I do, no matter how ridiculous this shot comes off, it can't be worse than what I have already conceived, so I surely can accept whatever the outcome may be, even if it does turn out to be the worst. Therefore I won't be disappointed in the outcome. I have, in fact, already accepted that. Now, here goes. Oh well, out of bounds just as I thought...so what? I bet I don't hit it OB on every dam drive...maybe, but I doubt it, 'cause I know I'm better than that. But even if I do hit it OB on every drive, I don't care. I'll keep doing it until I lose my anxiety over the possibility of it happening." The real goal is losing your anxiety...when you do that, you'll find your old game or maybe even a better, new one on the course. It's a stupid little mental trick to assuage our monkey-brain fears that we're not even conscious of.

Now this may sound like hooey but, even though our brain will put up a fight at first, it will respond to persistent suggestion. I call it facing the devil. Expose the dirty gremlin...make him put up or go away. Call his hand. You must do this in competition...the range don't count. You know you can hit range balls with no problem...so does the devil. Meet him at the first tee. I had to meet him over a four-footer. I spent many hours on the putting green thinking I could defeat my fears by drilling one four-footer after another. But, even though that did help a little, he always showed up when it counted out on the course. That's when I said enough is enough...I don't care if I lose this hole, I don't care if I lose this match, I don't care if I knock the dang thang all the way into the bunker...I will not be scared of a silly four-footer even if I six-jack. And I did...for a bit. The fear subsided in time. I still have to use this trick, tho, when I haven't been competing for a while and I start to lock up over clutch putts because I know that for a putt to come off well I must be confident and relaxed. I accept a three putt as the probable outcome so oddly that frees me up to relax and make a decent effort at holing it, after all, what have I got to lose, right?

Now I know that normally you want to see the shot in your mind's eye and execute the shot the way you imagined it. You want to see it landing in the middle of the fairway or going in the center of the cup. Once you conquer the devil, you will naturally gravitate back to this thought process. But first you must keep an appointment with a very wily fellow.

Only you know if this is the solution to your dilemma. You may have already paid an analyst to receive this same advice, I don't know. I may simply be way off base, I don't know that, either. I have other unfreezing tricks but they are for less severe cases...this is the one I think will serve you. Let me know. Oh, and one last thing...enjoy your round. :)

Shade

The first tee is when your nerves will be at their worst! - Always!

Everyone watching you as you address the ball right? - Thinking you're going to slice the **** out of the ball.

Try some simple breathing techniques while you're addressing the ball.

I don't think enough golfers breathe properly, most tend to hold their breath while swinging, breath slow and deep and picture yourself belting a 300+ yard tee shot!

I agree. Breathe.

After set-up, exhale completely. Slowly inhale as you take away.

Pull the trigger when the lungs are full and exhale.

Shade
I appreciate your time in offering your ideas to my problem. I have tried all of the positive actions (hypnosis, self hypnosis, think positive,etc) and none has worked to any great extent. I will try your suggestions, they really do make sense and I will keep you informed as to how I am progressing. Thanks again for your thoughts and time in giving me your suggestions.
Bill

It will work, amigo.

El Shado

Hi, bcoons52, and welcome to GolfRewind! As you can see, this is a decent place where people are civil to each other. Lots of things for you to think about, and shaderunner's contribution was just amazing. [Extra credit for you, shade!]

I can think of only a couple things to try that may or may not help. First, I'd repeat the advice to get onto the course more, even if it's only a 9-hole par-3 course. Just get out there and "desensitize" yourself to the idea of hitting the ball when it counts.

Also, when I'm anxious, sometimes it helps me to play with an old ball, preferably one I found that has an ugly logo or something. A ball I don't care about losing. That seems to take some pressure off.

Finally, maybe this is dumb, but it occurs to me that you can only freeze if you first let yourself come to a complete stop. So, in your pre-shot routine, is there some way you can keep some motion going somewhere (even if it's a little motion like a waggle)? Maybe it would be easier to get the swing going that way.

Keep us posted. We like to hear each other's stories. Yours will have a happy ending, I predict! :)

Freezing over the ball

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