How Can I Keep My Swing From Breaking Down?

Golfer:

I often start the round well, but by the end of the round, my swing starts to break down and gets sloppy. I hate it when my swing becomes unglued after I had a good round underway. How can I continue to score my best on the remaining holes?

Dr. Cohn’s Answer:

You said the key word: score. Your mental error is focusing too much on the swing or breakdowns in the swing and not paying attention to getting the job done. You may get tired, swing faster, or guide your swing as you near the end of the round. In any case, you can’t let a couple of bad shots steer you down the path of “playing golf swing.”

(1) Abandon playing golf the “right way” for the “functional way.” Put aside judgments about your golf swing and think about getting the ball in the hole any way you can. Don’t try to fix the problem either. This will probably make matters worse. At the most, use one swing cue (that has worked in the past) to help you get some tempo or feel back. Stick to the basics and don’t search for a magical swing key that will fix your swing. You are sure to play army golf if you change swing cues every shot.

(2) Use your “go-to” shot to keep the ball in play. Hit the shot you are confident you can get into play. This maybe a low cut or punch shot. Get the job done—don’t worry if it’s not the shot you should play.

(3) Save your energy for the end of the round. Don’t grind between shots by thinking intensely about your next shot. You can’t possible focus for four hours straight. Instead, relax your focus between shots and reserve your mental energy for the end of the round.

Join Peaksports Online Mental Training System

How do champions win over and over again? By mastering the mental game. Now you, too, can harness the power of unbeatable mental toughness in sports--every time you compete!” Visit peaksportsnetwork and access over 500 performance-boosting sports psychology and mental training tips and programs.