Getting out of a slump


All golfers experience periods of poor play…times when they feel they will never escape from high scores, lack of confidence and no trust in their ability to perform even the simplest golf stroke.

The usual remedy for this situation is to overwhelm your system with an array of technical instruction. The belief is that if you keep trying…eventually you’ll find the cause of your problems and your ‘normal’ golf game will be returned.

However this rarely happens…

This deep rooted belief that more technical golf instruction is going to see you escape from the depths of golfing despair is usually the culprit in the first place.

Let’s have a look at this in some more detail…

A golfer who has lost all confidence in his game will normally jump from tip to tip. He will try anything that he believes will help him find a better score…and the golf industry is happy to oblige by providing mountains of quick-fixes to feed the need.

Eventually something will work. At least for a short time…until the magic has worn off and then the golfer has no choice but to find another swing thought, tip or instructional advice that will get him back on track.

This continual searching… trying to find the magic pill… is the reason many golfers never experience the real enjoyment that the game has to offer.

Their golf game lacks flair and any natural rhythm.

When one is always searching, always trying to fix their swing it is impossible to achieve anything but an inconsistent and horrible game.

What other options are there?

The first step is a change of attitude.

If you’re in a slump you need to commit to stop working on your swing (at least for a short while).

When you’re not consciously controlling every inch of your swing you give your subconscious a chance to take over and this is what will allow you to climb out of the doldrums.

Your subconscious performs all of those daily tasks that you do without a care in the world.

• walking
• talking
• riding a bike
• throwing a ball
• etc

You want to stop your mind spinning. Relax and don’t try and analyze every aspect of your swing. To get out of a slump you need to give up some control. This may feel uncomfortable…but it is the only way.

So ignore all of the noise from within and on the outside. Quick-fixes, golf tips and the vast majority of conventional golf instruction is the major cause of this noise pollution. It’s easy to be distracted so you’ve go to be strong.

The second step is to give yourself a break.

Don’t try and bash and hit your way out of a slump by playing more and more aggressively. This is a recipe for disaster!

Take a back seat and hit the club you are most comfortable with. This could be a seven iron or your five wood. It doesn't matter what the club is, just be honest enough to choose a club you know you can hit with some sort of success.

It's also a good idea to play a little conservatively. This means aiming away from trouble and for the fat part of the green. There's no point shooting at all the flags and trying to smash every drive past the 300 yard marker - it's just not going to happen.

And thirdly

Have some fun. Stop being so serious and enjoy yourself. Play a round or two and forget about your score. See how much fun you can have swinging freely and without concern.

I'm sure you'll surprise yourself and get out of your golf slump!

Cameron Strachan

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