News

Getting your swing back

by Tina Tombs, golf instructor

Golf is a fickle game, one day we play great and the next it can be gone. Our feel and rhythm vanishes without a trace, the club feels heavy and our distance is gone. If this sounds familiar, don’t worry! It’s a problem even the very best players can have. Anything can set it off from bad weather, rushing to the first tee, a bad night’s sleep, playing with a long hitter…anything.

You just have to realize that your golf swing will vary to some degree, from day to day and week to week. That’s what makes golf the great game that it is! What you need is an “emergency” checklist.

Start with your fundamentals
Check your grip, posture and alignment. Any problems there will affect your swing and feel.

Make the most of your past experiences
What did you work on the last time you lost your swing? Fall back on that information. Often old habits have a tendency to come back and haunt you.

Take your mind off of hitting the ball
Think of taking a fluid swing. Take practice swings with your eyes closed. Feel the weight of the club head and sense rhythm and balance.

Take an extra club on the golf course
Force yourself to take a 7-iron in a situation that you would normally take an 8-iron. Swing ¾ pace until you start to hit the ball solidly again.

Once you’ve recaptured your feel, remember to write down your most successful swing keys when you are playing well. Then you can refer back to them the next time your swing is off.