Just a couple of short years ago, I was on my way towards a single-digit handicap. I was playing well and now I just flat out suck. My handicap is up to a 17.5 and, if I even continue playing, will go up to a 20 or so. I simply do not enjoy playing this way. It is time and money I could spend on something else that does not bring me down the way my golf game is doing now. What do you think I should do. How have you dealt with this? Any feedback is appreciated.

I've got a few ideas. I have no idea if they will work, or not, but it's what I do when I get into a funk.

1. Take a couple weeks/a month, away. Put the clubs away. Don't look at them. Don't think about them.

2. Move up a set of tees.

3. Find an easy course, or a course you're really comfortable on, and play. Don't keep score.

4. Go to the range. Get the biggest bucket of balls they have. Take your driver, and just swing it. Don't pay attention to where the ball goes. Don't watch it. Just swing the club.

When it all goes south, for me, I just think about how much excercise I'm getting.

Hey, good question. I've been sucking a little bit lately too. Whenever this happens its time to get real tough with myself. Grab myself by the scruff (figuratively) and say "Hey. I SAID HEY!!!--quit being a *****. Get over the GD ball, commit to a GD shot and let it rip. Whatever happens will happen--it's just a golf shot." When things get ugly I try to enjoy the struggle. "OK fine, my swing is not working right--let me just top this ball to somewhere near the green, where I can try to chip it tight." Grind over every freakin shot--not trying to make a perfect swing, but just trying to move that ball along. If I can manage a par somewhere, doesn't matter how ugly, it's like a glimpsing a tiny shaft of light. Grim determination--just try to square the clubface and keep the ball on the planet. You can do it. If I can do it you can do it. I'm a single digit and if some of you bogey golfers saw some of my ugly sub-90 rounds you'd say "Sheeeit, I can do that".

nice pep talk, beef.

i looked at your charts and looks like your handicap has gone up 3-4 strokes over last few months, but the only thing that stands out is the number of blowup holes/penalties. looks like you're still hitting greens, getting a decent # of pars and putting fairly well. i'm inferring a lot from just looking at the scores, but my only advice is, like beef said, 'will' yourself to play well, be confident over the ball and know that you know how to play. all things being equal, even if your mechanics aren't there, if your mental state is, the overall results will be far better. if you go out there with the mindset about not f-ing up and thinking that you suck, you'll play horribly. now if i can only take my own advice on the greens.

I am gonna attribute part of the problem to recent lessons. I suppose that making any changes (even to fix bad habits) will cause strife. But man, I am really tired of this.

You look like a young man. From an old codger that has pretty much seen it all, don't sweat it. Until you have gone through patch of sh---ing every shot you hit or have suffered a with the worst case of the putting yips man has ever seen nothing you are doing is a big problem. If you basically are like the rest of us and you enjoy the game you have to find a way to rid yourself of the pressure of playing to a handicap. Relax, smell the roses, find pleasure as it happens.As you get older ,nature will make the game more difficult but not less fun. Take what the golf course gives you and enjoy!

Wes11point5 wrote:

I am gonna attribute part of the problem to recent lessons. I suppose that making any changes (even to fix bad habits) will cause strife. But man, I am really tired of this.

In my experience (which, granted, is short when it comes to golf) you always get worse for a little while after lessons or a swing change, while the changes sink in. Once they're fully implemented, the improvement begins.

What I do when everything goes south is to just shorten the backswing until I can get everything under control. I lose distance, but distance doesn't matter if every ball is in the woods, brush, pond, creek, etc.

SteveMM wrote:

In my experience (which, granted, is short when it comes to golf) you always get worse for a little while after lessons or a swing change, while the changes sink in. Once they're fully implemented, the improvement begins.

Than get yourself a better pro! Mine always says he failed if things go worse after a lesson (even if it's just for a short while). So far he's got it right, It usually takes a couple of balls on the DR to remember what changes he suggested but when I do remembers them they always seem to fix things. A lesson is not complete if "changes need to sink in". YMMV of course.

Anyway, I think just focussing on other parts of the game just may bring back the joy of playing. I've had the "I suck and now I stop playing this stupid game!" periods before, but just being outside and enjoying the game from others did wonders in the end.

Well, it happened today standing in the bunker on #16 at the Sandpines (en route to another triple digit score). I actually arrived at the point that I no longer want to play golf. I don't know how I got here but I no longer enjoy playing the game. I can't abide playing like I am and do not savor having a 20 handicap which is where I am heading. This has happened to me in the past and I have ended up taking multiple-year breaks from the game. I don't think I am coming back. I, unfortunatley, have one more tournament that I have to play in because I have already paid. However, that is it. I am done!

Now that you have taken the pressure off by deciding you will no longer play the game, you will likely play well in the tourney. If so, will you still quit?

My suggestion, if you don't quit, is to get some PLAYING lessons with a qualified pro. Standing on the range banging balls in front of a pro will only address a couple problems. PLAYING lessons will address your whole game and definitely give you enough new tips to help move your scores down. Don't give up.

I don't know if this will help or not, I was once scratch, now my handicap is climbing due to not being able to play alot. I still love this game, I enjoy it more now than I did when I played all the time. I'm relaxed when I am on the golf course, I can laugh at some really bad shot, I can look at a shot and say I can remember when I used to be able to hit that shot. LOL I just love the time outside and I love some of the people I meet on the course. JMO but I don't play golf to compeat anymore, I play it for what it gives me. It's a game I can play with my 9 yr old daughter or her grandfather, there aren't to many games that you can do that with. You might want to try to enjoy the round regardless of the final score. I like the journey myself.

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Wes11point5 wrote:

]Well, it happened today standing in the bunker on #16 at the Sandpines (en route to another triple digit score). I actually arrived at the point that I no longer want to play golf. I don't know how I got here but I no longer enjoy playing the game. I can't abide playing like I am and do not savor having a 20 handicap which is where I am heading. This has happened to me in the past and I have ended up taking multiple-year breaks from the game. I don't think I am coming back. I, unfortunatley, have one more tournament that I have to play in because I have already paid. However, that is it. I am done![

]

Dude you beat your handicap a couple of weeks ago. How bad could things be. But I get it, if you're not having fun then what's the point. If that's the case sounds like an indefinite break is in order. Hope you at least find some fun things to do with all the time and money you will be saving.

Wes11point5 -- nice 90 today, good number of pars in there, that had to be fun? Plus maybe a putt or so here and there and down in the 80's, right?

I got very aggravated with it myself last winter. I got to the point that I was frozen over the ball at address, so much doubt in my mind because the ball striking went from pretty good to very random and bad. But I decided to buckle down and give it one more year, working hard on it and have started having fun again.

Things happen, if you do retire don't think anyone would blame you. But on the other hand, its just a game and you clearly have skills.

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jfurr wrote:

]Wes11point5 -- nice 90 today, good number of pars in there, that had to be fun? Plus maybe a putt or so here and there and down in the 80's, right? I got very aggravated with it myself last winter. I got to the point that I was frozen over the ball at address, so much doubt in my mind because the ball striking went from pretty good to very random and bad. But I decided to buckle down and give it one more year, working hard on it and have started having fun again. Things happen, if you do retire don't think anyone would blame you. But on the other hand, its just a game and you clearly have skills.[

]

Thanks! I took a lesson last Friday from the head pro at the course near my house. As it turns out, I was dipping my head in the backswing which makes it impossible to hit the ball. That one hour has made a ton of difference. Hopefully, the handicap will improve from here on out.