Been there. Might be there tomorrow :) It took a couple of Bob Rotella books and me learning to literally smile at the ball before I go into my backswing before I started getting out of my funk a few months back. Being a teacher, I over-analyze everything. Truth to tell, my scores didn't start dropping until changed my thinking and expectations. Started taking myself less seriously and seriously found more love for the game that has turned into better scores.

I asked in another post what everyone thinks about during their swing and what they do to clear their mind and stay undistracted by their thoughts. It was a couple of days after that post that I was at the range and was really frustrated. I was trying everything I could think of. Finally, I decided to smile at the ball during my downswing. I could feel the tension drop like a sack of wet rags. I launched my 7 iron 170 or so dead at my target. I tried smiling again, and off it went. Again and again, I was consistently sending my 7 iron distances (with accuracy) I hadn't known since before I got my T100's. Basically, I figured out that when I smile during my swing, I don't think. I look at my target, decide what I want to do, smile, and take the shot. That's just me, though.

I do think our slumps have more to do with our overthinking than anything, which I'm sure has been touted on here many times. How to get out of your own head is not easy for the average amateur, and it's easier for a scratch golfer to say "just hit the ball" because they have already mastered the things the average guy hasn't. But I do know striking the ball better becomes less problematic when you realize golf is more about letting your brain tell the body what to do and learning to trust it'll do that. I've stopped trying to be Jordan, Patrick, JT, Hogan, Jones, Palmer Tiger, and Jack . . . I've got my own game and the more I play and practice--smiling, of course--the better things have gotten rather quickly.

20 years ago, I would shoot 74 or 75 consistently. Sometimes lower. Sometimes higher. My first child was born and I was lucky to get to play at all. Eventually, I was only playing 1 or 2 times per year. Last summer, I got back into playing consistently and by fall my scores went from 95 to 83 and back to 97 when I first played my T100's and new TSi2 driver and woods. My head was all screwy because I should be getting close to breaking 80 again, right? Happy to report my first round after revamping my thought process was 81.

Since that horrid 102 round, I have had rounds of 92, 91 and 85. Hope this does jinx me. Can only keep plugging away. Playing with my instructor on Wednesday.

Chuck -

Two weeks ago, I was so excited. I played the best I've ever played... every swing, every club, every shot was on point. Everything was working... long drives, working the ball, and putting smoothly. I was so excited to get back out... and fell flat on my face the next round. Nothing worked right... I was rushing every shot... couldn't feel anything like I felt the last time... SO frustrating. I don't have a teaching pro but I may need to engage one based on your experience.

My instructor has been very helpful. Seems to always be the same things. Shoulders not lined on target, back shoulder to high, not using my big muscles, and of course swing too hard. It is working. In the mid high eighties and still working on it. Wish the guys would get the greens more consistent. They have been getting them ready for the City Amateur and were not cutting them all at the same time. Better scores from the Champion this year. Some young college kid shot four under for three days. Last years winner shot eight over. The MUNI is coming along and the scores are dropping.

When you are having troubles it is good to see a PGA teaching pro. It took him about five minutes to recognize my issues. Following his instructions. Hope to be ready in September.

It is early in the year,hopefully you will get it back soon. Let us know if it was a 30 minute fix. Good Luck and play well in 2022.