Why Playing Good Golf Consistently Is Hard
Golf might just be the hardest sport to play well on a consistent basis. There are so many elements, so many variables. It’s easy for a little fault to creep into your game unnoticed.
You can be playing nicely, then you gradually become aware that something doesn’t feel quite right.
A few bad shots happen out of nowhere.
A bit of tension and anxiety affects your rhythm and timing.
You start trying to make alterations but tinkering just makes things worse.
Before you know it, your game has gone, and you have no idea how to put things right. It can feel very personal.
I know. I’ve been there.
Start With The Basics
I hope you will look back and see this article as a turning point. The moment where a better level of understanding led to a simpler approach to the game.
Preventing those frustrating slumps in form is a process of elimination. The following paragraphs will explore some key variables to help you narrow down the list of possible problems.
The first thing to check are your basics of the setup. Your grip, posture, alignment and ball position. A loss of form is most commonly caused by overlooking something simple as you are setting up to the ball.
If you haven’t already done so, check out my Online Learning Program ‘Prepare Like a Golf Pro’.
The lessons provide a step by step guide to getting your hands on the golf club properly and standing to the ball in good order to make your swing.
Even if you have been through this process in the past, it’s easy for little faults to creep in.
It’s hard to play consistent golf if your setup is wrong. Most Tour Players check their fundamentals on a weekly basis.
You will find a link to the online course in the Action Steps at the bottom of the page.
Timing is Everything
The next thing to become aware of, is that you are swinging the club with good rhythm and timing.
It’s very easy to lose your feel for the tempo of your swing, especially if you start trying to hit the ball too hard.
It’s a common trap that even the best players in the world fall into from time to time.
You’re playing well, swing the club freely and the ball is coming consistently out the middle of the clubface.
You come to a Par 5, or a long par 4, and the thought pops into your mind,
‘I’ll just give this one a little bit extra’.
You start down from the top of the backswing a fraction to early, lose your feel for where the clubhead is and the ball sails off miles to the right.
You take a provisional, and deliberately try to swing slower.
But that doesn’t feel right either and the ball squirts off to the left.
We all know that rhythm and timing are crucial elements of the swing. But we take them for granted when we are playing well and overlook them in favour of more ‘technical’ solutions when we start playing badly .
Don’t fall into that trap!
Being aware of your rhythm and timing will get you back swinging with freedom and playing your best golf again. Another simple thing you can eliminate from your list of possible problems.
Is The Problem Technical, or Mental?
A good setup and great rhythm and timing are the foundations of your game.
If you get them right, you will hit consistently good golf shots.
However, it’s easy to overlook these simple fundamentals and get distracted by thinking about the outcome of the swing, rather than the process of making it.
It’s a good idea to get into the habit of checking them regularly, rather than waiting until your game goes south.
If you have checked your basics, and things still aren’t turning around, there’s a chance you might be overthinking things and getting in your own way.
Have a look at the article in the Action Steps listed below for a more in depth guide to learning more about diagnosing the real issue.
Action Steps – What to do Next
1. Getting your game back on track is a matter of elimination, of subtraction. Start by checking the simple things before you look at the complicated stuff.
Check out the Online Learning program that will help you set up to the ball like a tour player.
2. If the basics are all OK but things aren’t turning around, it’s probably a good idea to get some help. Follow this link to book a discovery call where we can discuss your game in more depth
3. If you’d prefer to try to figure things out on your own, this article will help you get to the key issue.