As I've gabbed about incessantly, my golf buddies and I are going on our yearly golf trip this weekend. We leave Friday at the crack of dawn and play four rounds in three days.

To prepare for the trip, I've been practicing more than ever. I can't go to the range every day, but I've been hitting 20+ practice balls in the back yard every day instead. The results have been positive, as my swing had become a little more natural and easier to replicate. In the last two rounds I've played, I've hit my irons better than at any point previously.

Yesterday, however, I took my seven iron out to the back yard and horrible things happened. I was slicing, duffing, and hooking the ball all over the place. I went out today and it was a little better, but my swing just felt a little "off".

So, here's my question to you oobers: Do I work harder in the short time I have before we leave, in an attempt to figure out what's wrong, or do I chalk it up to overdoing the practice and just let the clubs rest until Friday morning when we start our first round?

personally, I'd just let it go....but this is coming from a guy that never practices.....

Have one more practice session and stop when you have made 2 consecutive decent swings. Set aside the clubs on a positive note.

Take video!

Seriously....

I say work through it. That's exactly what I have to do when things go south. I may have mentioned that I developed a duck-hook with my driver a few weeks ago. I spent about 3-4 total hours on the range before I would even step back onto the actual course.

Just relax. Take a whole bunch of practice swings. Try closing your eyes and hitting the ball. Seriously, this stuff works for me. It seems when I close my eyes, I become more in tune with my surroundings and stop worrying about the stupid little ball so much.

Thanks for all of the opinions. I'm still considering. Right now I'm leaning toward just letting the clubs rest. I'm recalling that I didn't play for about a month back in the spring, and when I finally came back to the game my drive was as good as it ever was. Obviously 1.5 days isn't a month, but maybe a little rest from the daily practice will do me some good.

I'm with Gil, I say let it rest.

Especially since you have been practicing so hard. Last thing you want is to get yourself all twisted with swing thoughts going into a big golf weekend.

When I take breaks, I usually come back and play ok. Put it this way I can't remember a break ever hurting my game. People like us, are probably our own worst enemy when it comes to swing thoughts so the point of diminishing returns is probably nearer than we all think it is.

legitimatebeef wrote:

Especially since you have been practicing so hard. Last thing you want is to get yourself all twisted with swing thoughts going into a big golf weekend. *snip* People like us, are probably our own worst enemy when it comes to swing thoughts so the point of diminishing returns is probably nearer than we all think it is.

This is all so painfully true. I'm convinced. I'm not going to pick up the irons, woods or hybrids for the rest of the day today or at all tomorrow. Might pull out the putting mat and set it up in the air conditioning inside, though

Well. I did it ... sort of. I did pick up my nine iron this afternoon and do a few swings in the side yard. I was just doing a little exercise I learned called "turn, brush, finish" that helps me remember to stay down on the ball and not try to muscle it. With this exercise, you do NOT use a ball. The clubs are now zipped up in my bag and ready to be loaded into the car as soon as it cools off a bit. Wouldn't want the grips to melt

as previous posters have said, one more practice session with two good shots per club then let it rest.

You might be overthinking yourself, I know that I am guilty of this many times over. just play the game and try and forget about shot that you have hit. Many of times shots that I have hit have affected shots that I am about to hit and in golf that is a deadly combination.