Swing Your Way Out of the Golf Slump: Tips and Tricks to Get Your Game On!
Dean McHugh Photo by Robert Ruggiero on Unsplash
Do you need to know how to shake off a golf slump and get your game back? Don’t worry; we have tried and tested suggestions to cure the worst slump and have you back to winning ways in no time.
A golf slump is no different from any slump or off period; it refers to when you’re not playing or scoring as usual; you’re off your stroke and down on your luck. A golf slump is not like having a bad round or an off day; it’s a selection of bad days that run consecutively for a long time. It’s then you know you’re really slumping.
The good news is you’re not alone; it happens to all golfers, even pros. Look at Rory McIlroy in 2013 when, at the height of his career, he suffered a terrible slump. Despite winning multiple events in 2012, McIlroy has struggled to compete for titles and has not been the same player in the first six months of the 2013 PGA Tour, finishing outside of the top 25 in five out of 10 tournaments and only placed in the top five once.
To make matters worse, he did not perform well in his first two Major title attempts in 2013, finishing 25th at the Masters and 41st at the U.S. Open. So what was the problem? McIlroy attributed his struggles to switching to Nike and searching for the correct weight driver.
McIlroy’s slump didn’t last; he returned in 2014 to win the PGA Championship. More recently, Jordan Spieth walked off the 8th tee during the 2022 Valero Texas Open’s final round, citing the GS as the reason for his early exit.
So, how do you tackle a slump? What can you do to ensure your golf slump isn’t the end of a promising career? We will do our best to tackle the slump and address how to get out of a golf slump before it takes you out.
Identify your Opportunities and Obstacles
When the slump hits you, the first thing to do is identify your strengths and weaknesses, your opportunities and obstacles. The first thing to do is look at your game. Do this away from the best golf course; don’t do it in the bar; analyze your game at home, where you can think without interruptions to analyze how to get out of a slump in golf.
Look at what might be contributing to higher-than-expected scores. Look at your handicap versus your average score. The biggest mistake golfers make, and even pros do this – is thinking they must smash their handicap every time.
Smashing the handicap is an unrealistic expectation and unwarranted pressure. Best golf ball for high handicap is a potential score and NOT your average score. The way to calculate is to take your best score, not a running average of all the scores.
Once you consider your handicap against your average score, you can work out what’s holding you back. It’s a question of self-analysis, think, golf slump what to do, and you can take this one step further by asking yourself the following:
- What is the best part of my game? Where do I excel?
- What’s the worst part of my game? Where do I let myself down?
Be honest with yourself, and if you’re having trouble identifying your best and worst, ask your golfing buddies. Most people play with the same group of friends, and these people may be able to shed some light on your slump.
Photo by Cristina Anne Costello on Unsplash
Tackle Your Problems One at A Time
Once you have the possible answers to reasons for golf slump and have analyzed your game, identify the one area that is holding you back the most. Break the problem down into the following categories:
Driving
Approaches
Short Game
Putting
Then, spend some time addressing each issue. Why not record yourself? That way, you can see for yourself where the problems might lie.
Driving
Start with driving. If your tee box is off, you’re facing a non-starter. Check your tee box strategy; you might find you’re not picking a target or using the right club. It might sound basic, but your problem could be a difference between a driver and 3W.
Don’t forget practice makes perfect; focus on hitting one shot repeatedly until it’s perfect. Whether that’s a draw or a fade, stay with it until it feels natural.
Approaches
Once you’re back in the driving seat, look at your approach. Like the tee box strategy, picking the right wood and target for your shot is vital. If you’re unsure which club to use, take them all; after all, what’s the point of your clubs collecting dust in your garage?
The problem might be your grip, posture, or alignment. Film yourself; it’s the quickest way to determine where you’re going wrong.
Short Game
If your short game is off, look at your tempo. Is it lacking? If the answer is yes, address it by practicing more. There are all sorts of apps that you can use to help you speed up your tempo, but nothing works better than practice.
Putting
Putting is the least and also the biggest part of your problems. Sort your driving, approach, and short game, then putting will fall into place. Remember, people on vacation putt, it’s called crazy golf, so putting like a pro isn’t a problem for you – do the work and remember, you’ve got this!
Photo by Jason Pofahl on Unsplash
Embed a Great Pre-Shot Routine
Many golfers neglect their routine and wonder why their shots are everywhere. A routine is a fantastic mental trick and will help you hit every shot confidently; you will forget the foul shots quickly. Humans love routine; it is how our brains work.
A pre-shot routine will deal with your nerves, speed up the pace, and help you play your best golf shot. Working on your routine is working on your mind, and when the two are working in harmony, you can’t lose.
Take a Break
We can analyze all we like, but sometimes you need a break from your game. Do something else, tennis, darts, swimming, but don’t use the slump to be lazy. Your brain must think about other things and tactics rather than playing through a golf slump.
So play your best game of tennis while working on a swimming challenge, take up soccer, or try darts, anything that keeps your mind busy and your body active. You will be surprised how a change of scenery can help shake you out of your golf slump.
Author Bio-
Ricky Patton
20-year corporate professional that caught the golf bug in college thanks to a local muni that was free for students and haven’t looked back since. I’m a 9-handicap that can deliver birdies and double bogeys with equal flair. Long off the tee and a mess around the greens. Chasing down my golf bucket list one trip at a time and sharing insights at https://yourgolfspot.com
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