8/31/09

Declaring Open War on my Golf Slump

If you've been reading my fledgling blog, you may have noticed a mention or two of my ever-rising GHIN index during this slump I've wallowed in for 18 months. A blogger I admire gave me some good advice about how to climb out of it, but even more appreciated were his kind words about hating to see a good golfer with a passion for the game hit that long of a rough patch.

I can make light of my "slump:"

  • I now know how many times the handiap-scoring machine will ask "This score is higher than your normal scores. Do you still want to enter it?" before it stops asking

  • I get a couple of extra strokes in our Old Pal match (however, since I need them, the fun in that only lasts while I'm studying the scorecard on the first hole).

  • I get to sleep in a little later on the mornings of competitive tournaments (for you non-golfers, that's because they send lower handicap golfers off first)

  • I get alot more use out of my Bushnell rangefinder (because I keep re-measuring distances on the range to get past my disbelief that I only hit my 7-iron 115 yards!)
But the sad (and scary) truth is that I've begun to "expect" that I will score poorly every time I go out to play. I always try my best and but lately the high scores aren't "getting" to me the way they always have. Having spent months utterly frustrated and near tears, I find myself beginning to simply accept them. Until....

Got the new GHIN report this week. I've gone from a 3.2 in March (up from a 2.3 last year) to a 5.7 . Editor's note: for those who might think I shouldn't whine about being a 5 handicap, it's not the number that's relevant - it's the increase and the golf behind it . And while my beau doesn't have the GHIN system at his course, he dropped from a 6.8 to a 5.6 as of August 1.

Dayna 5.7 - beau 5.6. Hmmmm. Competitive juices are beginning to bubble.

I'm thrilled for him because he's worked so hard to make some big swing changes over the past 12-15 months and he's waiting patiently for it to become ingrained and translate on the course. But..hmmmm. Competitive juices starting to boil.

I sit here drumming my fingers on my keyboard and clenching my teeth. Dare I say it? No more excuses if I do.... Ok, here you go, world.... I am ready to expect more of myself. It's time to care again. It's time to get pissed off about shooting in the 80s. It's time to play the game I know I'm capable of playing. I can't run now - it's time to play.

6 comments:

  1. She's baaacck...!!!! Missed ya, girly golf.

    First off, EVERY eligible score goes in the computer, high or low, regardless.

    Outside the LPGA and the college golf campuses, each city may have only a dozen or so low (<5.0 index) lady golfers. Our club has a few. One is a good friend of my son's and moved to Atlanta and works with ex-LPGA golfer, Rosie Jones. Corrie hurt her hand and her ball striking suffered incredibly. She was told to work backwards to the full swing and, hopefully, by the time you get there, it is fixed (wrist and long game).

    Her short game is 100% better and her index was up, but going back down nicely.

    Love your posts. No more three week vacations on the golf blog tour, young lady...

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  2. This is why I have to be a single-digit!

    I totally know what it means to "rise," but don't know what it feels like to be truly low.

    But seriously, who gives a s@#t how far you hit a 7-iron as long as you can get the job done? I know it's probably frustrating for you because you know how much farther you can hit it. Hitting a 7-iron 140 yards doesn't make a 5-index. You need to have the whole game--like you do.

    My good friend, and club champ, has really helped up my game. I think she wants me to be a single-digit as much as I do. Playing with her makes me really want to be a better golfer. Hopefully I'll play you next year as a 9 instead of a 14. ;o)

    BTW, I beat Hubbie this year (a few times) straight up. The competition is definitely fun!

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  3. PAGING DR. GIRLYGOLF: Report to the putting green immediately!

    I'm sure you'll get plenty of advice on this topic, but nothing bad can come from improving your putting.

    Putting well tends to work backwards and take the pressure off the other areas of your game; from chipping to your iron game to driving the ball.

    Seeing a pro is probably a good idea, too, but definitely put in a little extra time on the putting green.

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  4. Hi Dayna!

    I know you're getting plenty of advice about how to get out of your slump, but my experience is that when a good player starts struggling, it's usually just something small that's gotten out of whack. Do you mind if I throw my two-cents in?

    It sounds from your posts like your approach shots are giving you some trouble. (21 putts = a lot of missed greens.) I'm in the middle of doing 4 posts about Steve Stricker's deadhands approach shot - I started it Wednesday and will finish Saturday. I tend to approach things a little differently than most people, so maybe reading those posts will trigger a memory of something you've unintentionally changed.

    By the way, the second post also applies to putting, so that will please Matt as well.

    Good luck.

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  5. Hi Dayna,

    I know how you feel, but hand in there. Your perseverance and commitment to improving will pay off.

    My frustration comes from not getting to play enough. I was once able to play everyday. If I wasn't on the golf course I was on the practice range.

    Now I get to play only a few days a month.

    Don't give up, fight back and beat those golf demons back in the ground where they belong.

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