Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Hotsauce — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 02:10:31 GMT

I've found a very simple alignment/ swing thought that works for me if the game goes south. Once I commit to the target I align my club to noon and my body to 11 O'clock. I focus on visualizing my shot, grip lighter than normal, pull my take away slower, and then think "swing to 1 O'clock". More times that not it produces that little draw that I love to hit. It's also helped for first tee jitters and pressure packed drives (the tee ball is the worst part of my game). I think getting back to basics and keeping things simple helps when you're swing takes a vacation for a hole or two.

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Rob Dowling — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 21:33:21 GMT

Vin sounds like to need to find a fitness coach, last year i missed Q school final stage because I was soooooooo tired i couldn't hit it , ran out of gas, I have been training with a TPI fitness coach and ready to give it a try again. just something to think about, fitness is very important, yes even in GOLF

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Vincent M — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 22:48:27 GMT

It happens every round to me and most of driving range practices.

I appreciate the other posters' tips. I need to keep fortified water and a snack with me.

When this happens my woods leave me first. Not much for me to do but work my way back to the longest club that I CAN hit. The last round it was my 31 degree 6 iron. Used it off the tee and all approach shots at 120 yards or over for the rest of the round. Then I just make up the difference with a shorter shot to the green.

I prefer a 9 hole round. I really get too tired toward the end of a full 18 hole round.

Jacob L — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:43:45 GMT

I just make sure my tempo is good. I'll try to feel the way I want to swing the club in my practice swing then try to execute it. Notice I said FEEL not think. Thinking will kill your game on the course.

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Hotsauce — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:25:47 GMT

"Like water off a duck." I try to just roll with it when I hit a terrible shot for no reason. Sometimes it's fatigue sometimes is poor mechanics, but if I'm playing well, and feel like I lose my swing I'll just step back and think of the next shot as a chance to do something perfect rather than focus on technique.

In the past when I've felt like my swing is all out of whack I would toil about it, and take a turn to negative town. Now I just roll with it like water off a duck. It works better for me, and I tend to find my groove again

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Lou G — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:08:59 GMT

[quote user="Cody D"]

Love this topic because yes, of course it happens. It happens with pros too. Just watch them blow up off the tee. I have found that most of mine has to do with fatigue during the round. When its 90 degrees with humidity its tough when you are walking. Another thing is slow play might have something to do with it becuase some many find that getting into a rhythm can be tougher to maintain. I know that is the case with me. I just try and go back to basics and keep stretching. I agree with some of the other threads about doing something different to take your mind off of what you normally do. Shocking the body with something other than the normal wont hurt.

[/quote] My biggest thing that happens during a round of golf is that I start out hitting slightly left or dead straight and somewhat of a lower trajectory with the woods and end up with a high fade slightly right toward the end. My short game usually starts out a bit slow and I may hit short or off more than I want but by the time I get to the end of the round, I am often one putting. The biggest thing I have to avoid is the tendency to take too long of a backswing or getting into "grip it and rip it" mode. If I start seeing things like banana balls with woods or starting to chunk shots, I have a "fatigue" swing ready - I take a much shorter backswing.

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Cody D — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:43:31 GMT

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Owen E — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 13:36:00 GMT

When I get tired my discipline breaks down, just like Lombardi said! My routine goes out the window and along with it my swing. Then I get over arms focused and bad things happen. Working on it now!

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Lou G — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 04:19:43 GMT

The loss of balance is the big thing, especially if you start getting into "ripping it" When you start loosening up, sometimes you over swing (taking the BIG 90 degree backswing) and that also throws you out of balance (you shift too much to the back foot and it gets stuck on the downswing). I've pretty much eliminated it by taking a more compact backswing with a minimal weight shift going back.

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Hotsauce — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 20:40:47 GMT

I'm sure it has more to do with what's in-between my ears than anything else. Rarely do I hit an awful shot with a 6 iron or less. Sure I've chili dipped a wedge and bladed a ball 120 yards out of a bunker, but those are things I can shake off pretty quickly. It's when my swing feels good and the ball goes nowhere near my target is when I get worried. I tend to over think, tense up,lose balance, and it just goes on down the bag until I hit a pure whatever iron or get my head on right.

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Lou G — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:40:29 GMT

It doesn't happen on the golf course to me nor if I am at the park. It generally happens when practicing for 40 minutes or so (or hitting a bucket of golf balls) - a shank will pop up without warning on short irons and a banana fade on woods (if I am assuming a low flying left to right slice). What often triggers it is after hitting woods for some time, I pull out an 8 iron and, sure enough, the hips refuse to turn and the right foot gets stuck. I'll get the 8 iron working after a couple swings and then switch back to the woods. I'll get a banana fade for 1 or 2 swings and then it'll be normal. The worst is when the swing loss is so bad that you can't even hit a chip shot. Before, I would have to walk away. The other thing that triggers it is a club that you don't hit well normally. Another sign of its trigger is a severe pull on a pitch. I believe there are two things that cause it..... loss of balance because of excessive body motion and a muscle tightening up. The golf pros are at a loss as to why it happens.

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Hotsauce — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:39:10 GMT

I feel you pain. I had a round recently that started out great warming up on the range, but when I pulled out my driver to hit the last few shots I starting hitting a banana fade. After a couple of adjustments I hit a few straight ones and off to the first tee. I aimed to the left side of the fairway thinking I would slice a bit and hit the first snap hook of my life. Next hole I hit the banana fade again. I benched the driver and did pretty well. After a couple of nice easy slow practice swings on the 10th (including a Dog and a brew) I figured I would pull out the big stick again, and wouldn't you know I started hitting my nice little controllable fade.

I guess if I feel like I can't hit the driver (always my iffy club), I'll just bench it until I can relax. I'd rather lose 20 yards and be in the fairway than be tree-bashing in the woods. A couple of nice controlled practice swings really helped me cure the mid round swing loss.

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Craig E — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:47:50 GMT

I went through what I thought was a shanking issue before this season started when practicing my iron shots. I hit constant shanks in a driving simulator, hitting the right side wall, and totally missing the 18 foot screen 10 feet in front of me....how embarrassing. I even had three different golf galaxy workers watch my swing and they couldn't see what I was doing wrong. After the 6th time going back, (about to give up golf) I found out my left arm was staying bent. Whew, that was exhausting!!! I am a right handed golfer and a 7 handicapper. Anyway, when I find myself starting to lose shots I go back to the thought of keeping my left arm straight and throwing the back of my left hand towards my shot.

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Lou G — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 12:51:21 GMT

Sorry about that.... got off on a tangent (got this post and another one mixed up). The "approach wedge" hybrids are about impossible to shank and are a help in re-establishing a rhythm.

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Lou G — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 01:06:13 GMT

I also have this wonderful thing called a "approach hybrid" - I have had one since 2007. I currently carry a 34 deg persimmon club from Louisville Golf (it is quite a conversation piece on the golf course since just about nobody carries a persimmon wood, let alone one that is a hybrid). It is a backup club to the 6-9 irons and comes in handy for hitting out of thick grass or fairway bunker. They are almost impossible to miss with and all you have to do is meet the ball. It originally came up when I was having trouble hitting the 7 iron (I had a Snake Eyes Q3A 34H initially and constructed the 38H in 2008). Also found out they get tremendous distance and are rather heavy. I also had unexplained occurrences of shankitis that would pop up in the middle of a round and this club would help me re-establish my rhythm and balance (have to remember the 34H is the same length as a 5 iron). There's nothing that says one has to carry the standard 1-3-5 wood, 3H, 4-PW, 56, 60 golf setup (nor do you really need 14 clubs). Even Gary Player admitted that he would have won another Masters with a 9 wood in the bag. At this point, my bare minimum setup is 1-3-7 woods, 5H, 6-PW, 54-11 and 62-07 (I've progressed to the point where I can hit a 4 or 5 iron but am a bit spoiled with the 5H) and I round out the set with the 34H and and a 2 way chipping iron (for under trees and left-handed shots). Lesson learned - don't scoff at some old guy that carries up to a 13 wood and 8-SW (I saw this in my caddie days in the 1970s). My stepmother is 77, carries a 7H and manages to beat quite a few men in the process.

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

phillip H — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:00:38 GMT

Lately I have been playing pretty consistant, with the exception of 1 or 2 holes. My problem is mental - losing focus either due to a bad shot or just my mind wandering. Slightly off-topic (but not really), how about the "post-Birdie" holes? Mine usually happen 2 holes later.

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Hotsauce — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:57:03 GMT

Gotta love this game huh Dog?

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

DOGLOSKI — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 20:04:37 GMT

ALMOST DAILY JOSH.I EITHER START WITH IT AND LOSE IT OR I FIND IT ABOUT HALF WAY THROUGH.GUESS THAT'S WHY I'M A 12 HANDICAP,,,,,,,,,,,,,LOL,LOL,LOL.

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Lou G — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:57:37 GMT

When you swing too hard you get off balance. Sometimes fatigue causes things like the back foot not coming up on the downswing.

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Scott O — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 02:38:37 GMT

When this happens to me it's usually because I'm swinging too hard. I tell myself to relax and then concentrate on loosening the muscles in my hands, up thru my arms, into my shoulders, neck and jaw. Then I just try to hang on (barely) to the club and swing.

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Lou G — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:58:17 GMT

What also causes "apparent" shankitis is a club that is too flat. You start standing too upright and get toe hits. Proper fitting clubs reduce the instances of "losing your swing" mid-round.

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Lou G — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 05:43:43 GMT

It used to happen and no one could tell me why. 1. I would be practicing my short game for about 45 min to an hour and a sudden case of shankitis would occur and the only way to fix it was to STOP - it would get so bad that I couldn't hit a chip shot. 2. Same thing with driving range - start out hitting short irons fine, work up to woods, and then 45 min later try to hit a 9 iron - shankitis. 3. I would be going along merrily until the 9th hole and then a meltdown would occur with 2 double bogeys and an 8. I caught up to a group on #9 and that is when it happened. What I did was sit at the 12th hole and let them move on. Got 3 pars in a row after that. 4. Got to the 16th hole one time and my shankitis got so bad that I couldn't hit a thing and had to walk in. The above happened 3 years ago. I attributed it to muscle fatigue and the right foot getting stuck on the ground. The main issue, as I found out later is you get way off balance if your swing has excessive motion and then your upper body starts getting ahead of your lower body. You do things like speeding up your swing and you start cranking and, before you know it, your're way out of whack. I've pretty much cured it by keeping the front foot planted on the backswing (I, like a lot of others, would lift the front foot on the backswing) and taking a shorter backswing, along with standing a little bit farther from the ball. If you swing easy, you'll hit it farther. The reason people slice is they try to swing too hard and come over the top. Keeping your head behind the ball and eye on it from the backswing to making contact helps also. I never had a problem with hybrids or woods with an onset of shankitis. At one time I carried a 38 degree hybrid. If my swing got whacked, I would hit partial shots with it in place of the 8-PW and eventually my rhythm would return. Hitting too many balls on the driving range is also detrimental. If you get into a shot-cranking mode, your balance gets whacked. I would go to the park after a driving range session and it would take about 15-20 min to re-establish a good rhythm. I limit my practice to short sessions (maybe 15 min at the range, 15 min at the pitching greens). Before playing golf I would go to the local park and hit a lob wedge for about 10 min. You need to warm up to get out the kinks.

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Matt B — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 01:31:43 GMT

I play forged irons so it is easy for me to feel when my swing is starting to get loose before i totally lose it. It seems when i tend to lose my swing its more of a timing & tempo issue. I usually start the round fairly smooth then after a few holes when i get settled in my round, I get a little aggressive with club selection and my swing tempo speeds up, then lose my timing. I just slow things back down by taking 1 more club then needed and swinging 3/4 pace shots, this also helps me relax my hands, arms & body, also i know if i swing normal speed i will fly the green. I will find my timing then solid contact & control again. It's also important to practice this at the range, i will practice flushing 7 irons to 150 marker vs my 165+ full swing!

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

Hotsauce — Wed, 11 May 2011 12:28:04 GMT

It's definitely a mental thing. I've been trying to let my mind go blank after I decide what I want to do and it's been working. I finally broke 80 for the first time this season. When I hit a bad shot, I try to do what you said Owen. I also remember an old Titleist commercial- the most important shot is the one you're about to take.

Re: Anyone ever just... lose your swing mid round?

James B — Wed, 11 May 2011 02:39:23 GMT

Start of the round , mid round , end of the round .... That pretty much covers my game lately .... LOL