When your swing feels foreign

[MCB14230]

I took about 5yrs off from the game but have slowly been getting back into playing regularly over the last couple of months. On the good news front my 4.5 hc only slipped to 9.5 but what has me reaching out today is the gross inconsistency. I am getting about one range session and one round per week. Last week was a fairly simple 82 that should have been a 79 apart from one horrendous drive. But yesterday was something i havent felt, maybe ever. it was like someone else was swinging the clubs. I had no feel and thinned nearly every single shot. its a testament to my short game that i salvaged a 92. But i left the course scratching my head trying to figure out why my swing felt so off. Any one else go thru this? do i just rack it up to the vagaries of golf. I honestly felt as if something were physically wrong with me even though I am quite well and healthy. 

I'd love to get everyone's take on this. 

[cnosil]

My opinion is that this is just how golf works.  Some days things feel good and some days they don’t.  No one has their A game every time they play.

[RickyBobby_PR]

It’s golf. The one range session and play once a week is typically my golf season unless I can get two range sessions in.

This becomes one where you have to get the swing into a groove. Most seasons I play so so early until things sync up a bit thru repetition then by summer I’m playing my normal golf. Rinse and repeat the following year.

One thing I tried to do was make better use of my range time and split it ups typically I would be at the range for 60-90 mins after work. Split it up into thirds where the first third is just working on a drill or two for what I want my swing to be doing. The second third would be hitting full shots starting with wedge and go up every other club thru the bag for 3-5 swings. The last third would be to play the first 3-4 holes of whatever course I’m playing on the weekend setting targets on the range for the fairway and greens if the pins didn’t match up distance wise.

[BMart519]

Welcome to golf. There are some days where I can't find a grip that feels natural on the club and it takes a conscious effort to try and setup correctly, let alone the swing. 

[GolfSpy TCB]

As Roy McAvoy said... "My God, My swing feels like an unfolded lawn chair".  That happens to me more often than I care for..  I have had a very similar experience as you... down to a 5 hc, took several years off for work/family reasons - back to playing again and have been struggling to play to my current 8-9.  The best thing for me was to stop trying to live up to that guy I was several years ago... the basics are there, maybe hit it a little shorter, certainly not as consistent in contact department.  The former I have learned to accept, the latter I can work on using focused practice sessions.  Plus a lot of time from 100-in to help save those days when things goes awry.  It takes time to develop those good swing habits again (though it seems like the bad habits are always there and never go away).  All that, plus scramble your a$$ off when you are hitting it all over the place.  

[MCB14230]

2 hours ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

It’s golf. The one range session and play once a week is typically my golf season unless I can get two range sessions in.

This becomes one where you have to get the swing into a groove. Most seasons I play so so early until things sync up a bit thru repetition then by summer I’m playing my normal golf. Rinse and repeat the following year.

One thing I tried to do was make better use of my range time and split it ups typically I would be at the range for 60-90 mins after work. Split it up into thirds where the first third is just working on a drill or two for what I want my swing to be doing. The second third would be hitting full shots starting with wedge and go up every other club thru the bag for 3-5 swings. The last third would be to play the first 3-4 holes of whatever course I’m playing on the weekend setting targets on the range for the fairway and greens if the pins didn’t match up distance wise.

I think for most casual golfers the hardest thing is turning hitting balls into real practice. I like the way you have yours designed, but thats probably another huge topic for all. 

 

[RickyBobby_PR]

8 minutes ago, MCB14230 said:

I think for most casual golfers the hardest thing is turning hitting balls into real practice. I like the way you have yours designed, but thats probably another huge topic for all. 

 

For sure and I fall into the beating balls category sometimes especially the last year or two. My practice time was limited so I wasn’t in the mindset to work on my swing, so it was let me just find a feeling that works and get reps in with that. 
 

definitely a huge topic 

[MCB14230]

1 hour ago, Riverboat said:

You are about my age, and I have to say that as I've added daily meds to my life, my consistency has suffered. Don't discount this as a possibility if you are in the same boat. On the plus side, my patience and attitude are better. I've accepted that some days are better than others, so I learned to enjoy all the things that go with golf more. 

I really tried to laugh it off as much as was possible on the course. but seeing things you have never seen is hard.  I'm lucky in that i dont have any meds yet but for sure fitness and weight are different and that has certainly affected my speed and turn. I keep thinking that if i practice enough my speed and rotation will return. I suspect that's wishful thinking and the only cure is getting back into the gym and working on Shoulder and spine mobility

[Blueberry_Squishie]

I find if my swing doesn't feel weird (particularly setup) I've gotten too comfortable and I'm sliding into bad habits. If I'm setting up correctly, I feel like my right elbow is incredibly bent and I'm twisted up behind the ball. At the top of my backswing it feels like the butt of the club is pointing at someone standing at 45° to the right of me.

 

Get a camera out and it looks textbook.

[THEZIPR23]

2 stories about crazy swing days. 

I was playing in the NORCAL JUCO championships in 1997, I think. I was a drawer of the golf ball, still am but way worse then. The only time I would hit a ball that went right of target was when the ball would for some reason hit the hosel. For whatever reason that day, single isolated day, every shot I hit moved left to right. 36 holes I shot 99 & 98, I had 27 penalty strokes in 36 holes. Needless to say it was an embarrassing bus ride home.

May of 2020 I played Pebble and Spyglass on back to back days, handicap was right around 0 at that time. On the range at Spyglass I was literally flushing every shot, couldn't miss, one of the best range sessions of my life. Guy on the range next to me actually stopped hitting balls and brought his middle aged son over to watch me hit balls (ended up they were playing in my group). By the 4th hole the lug nuts were getting loose and I couldn't fix it. By 6 I was on 3 wheels. By 8 I was playing on the rims. I was ready to quit by 11. I finished the round and added them up. Smooth 86. 

It's golf, it happens. The best thing you can do is try to learn something from it and move on to the next round. 

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

For me it always felt like 1 facet of my game week to week felt foreign. One week could be lights out hitting off the tee and a disaster putting. Next week could be flipped. Its just golf. Over the past 3 years (coincidently since really diving into MGS) it has been a heck of alot more consistent.

2 years ago I had an absolute "what the hell is happening" rounds like everyone does. Was playing for the first time with a few MGS members and shot a 103! At a time where I was very consistently shooting low 80's. Couldn't do a thing that day, I cant tell you how many times I had to yell fore!...I ran out of balls....Felt like I had never swung before and looked like a complete jokester. Next round I shot an 83 with those same guys at a, for me anyway, more difficult course. Thank goodness I didn't look like a liar of how I play twice!

Long story short, golf is hard and sometimes when things are going downhill ya just cant right the ship.

[Hickory4ever]

I agree that there are going to be days that it seems you forgot how to play. On another front, as we age, there is a tendency to believe that we can maintain our tempo like we were younger. Truthfully, once you are in your 50’s or after a significant injury, facing reality and making a few adjustments can help you maintain your scores.

I did not age gracefully on this front. I was in good shape for my age but still tried to swing as hard as I used to. It did not work. Once I made a conscious effort to slow my swing down to a sustainable tempo, my scoring improved. Chasing distance in my opinion is not the way to go especially over 50. I am now almost 68 and in season play almost everyday. Playing within myself has kept my scoring in the same ballpark as 20 years ago, one tee forward. I have a better short game to compensate for shorter length. Trying to swing to hard is the easiest way to go off the rails in my opinion.

[GolfSpy BOS]

If my swing is ever off that bad on the course I just really try to simplify my game.

Off the tee I'll eliminate as many swing thoughts as possible, I'll swing hard (that usually helps me stay more in sync) and right before I set up to the ball I'll say (sometimes out loud) "Hit a cut" and that's the final thought.  It's been surprisingly effective in at least resulting in good fact contact.  

For approach shots I'll generally take an extra club and make a smoother swing and just make sure I'm feeling the club in transition.  

If the short game is wonky I'll use a bump and run style or even just putt.

If my putting leaves me I'm screwed.  

[russtopherb]

I have a couple of those rounds every year. When it happens I just play punch shots until I can start feeling "normal" again... and sometimes that doesn't even work. But it helps me get around the course.