Frustration can accumulate during a vicious cycle. Here’s how to get rid of it.
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I was playing a charity champ recently when my game took a turn for the worse, but luckily I had a few tricks up my sleeve to help me salvage my round. And now, I share my tips with you. Use these helpful keys the next time you find yourself struggling to recover from a bad cycle.
1. Practice endurance
It is always noticeable if someone quits during the cycle. It usually starts as changes in your behavior, negative self-talk or poor posture. Over time these small changes can snowball into big numbers, and it can feel like your game is wandering.
But you can regain control by making an active effort to stay in your circle. This can be something as simple as staying committed to your process, completing your entire pre-shoot process and avoiding unnecessary risks.
You might even try to shift your focus from the overall result. See if you can double putt the next hole, or hit the next fairway and green. This will help you stay present and in the moment.
2. Pay attention to your misses
Ever wonder why Tour pros watch their mishits so carefully? It is because they study the flight of the ball so that they can identify the cause of the outside strike. If they know what caused the miss, they know what adjustments to make so they can get their game back to normal.
This is something you can do in your game. I suggest working with a coach to understand what is causing your most frequent misses. Find out if it’s your setup, alignment, clubface position, or something else. Then work with your instructor to create a ‘band-aid’ or temporary fix for this omission. That way, the next time you play and that unfortunate miss comes back into your game, you’ll know what you’re doing and how to fix it.
3. Choose clubs you know you can hit
If things aren’t going well, one surefire way to turn things around is to hit clubs that you know will hit hard. This could mean giving up your 3-wood for a more forgiving club like a 7-wood, or hitting a shorter club designed to get the ball in the air. Choosing a club that is easy to hit will give you a good boost and build your confidence.
4. Set small goals
When I’m having trouble on the course, I like to focus on an easily achievable goal like hitting the center of the clubface. I find that small wins change the momentum of a round quickly, and I encourage my students to use this strategy to get their game back on track.
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5. Join each other on your way
Having communication problems? It’s always smart to take an extra club on your way onto the green. This gives you a better shot at leaving these key shots close enough to make an up-and-down, two-putt or worse, bogey.
However, there are a few situations where leaving the gun for too long can get you into more trouble, so, before choosing your club, ask yourself three questions. Where is the pin? How much green do I have to work with? Are there hazards around the green?
6. Focus on controllable things
It’s natural to get frustrated when your cycle doesn’t go as well as you’d like, but instead of letting that anger take over, try to focus on the things you can control. This will help you avoid explosions that bring you and your team down. Plus, it’s a constructive outlet for your frustration, so you’ll likely snap yourself out of your funk quickly.
7. Cultivate better feelings through practice flexibility
Changing practice is a great tool to use in a lesson if you are trying to improve your hearing. Sometimes I use them to practice certain moves in my swing, while other times I try to keep it simple and focus on getting the grass clean. Regardless of the purpose, I always find that a few extra practice changes help me regain confidence in my game.
8. Remind yourself, it’s just golf
When things seem bleak, I find it helps to remind myself that golf is a tough game and no one gets out unscathed.
Even the best golfers in the world have bad days on the course, so chances are your playing partners can relate to what you’re going through. Just remember that they have been there too and you have to be able to keep your head up throughout the cycle.
9. Support your teammates
If you want to grab a future invite with your teammates, don’t forget to recommend their games. Many times, I’ll see golfers get so caught up in their game, especially when things go south, that they forget to hang out with the club.
Your score won’t matter once you’re out of the parking lot, so try to support your teammates as they navigate the course alongside you.
10. What can you do to improve?
Like any sport, golf is a sport that is earned and given. On certain days when your game is really struggling, try to write down your mistakes or areas of weakness in your game. Instead of viewing your rotation as a bad day on the course, change your perspective. Look at it as an opportunity to test your game and create a more productive practice schedule the next time you hit the range.
Try these the next time you struggle in a lesson. It may be just what you need to maintain your cycle.
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