cosine,
Everyone, no matter what activity , goes through "slumps". Golf, Tennis, Shooting, Card Playing, Racing Cars...
We are human.
We humans compound the problem by "trying harder" , whether by actual doing the activity, or "thinking it to death".
Correct Basic Fundamentals and using tools that fit user to task are all that are required for any activity. The truth is, everything is Correct Basic Fundamental repeated and in doing so we get "better" , we "improve" and then we "build upon" these Correct Basic Fundamentals.
Stair-Stepping if you will. We humans get impatient, and instead of taking the next step, we want to take two steps at a time.
Psych is a factor as well. Seems to be a threshold and past that that peak curve, we blow it. We simply have not repeated the correct basic fundamentals enough to be where "we" want to be.
Subconcious mind can work for or against one. If one goes to bed telling themselves " I cannot hit a golf ball" then the next day, sure enough one cannot.
On the other hand if one were to say before bed "I can hit a golf ball, and need to remember the correct basic fundamentals, one often awakes and the answer(s) are revealed.
You changed stance and need the left foot back to where it needs to be, crack the knee, swing at hips, head down, hold the grip like an egg, focus on ball, follow thru...
My observation is most folks take too fast a backswing, therefore getting out of position for when they do hit it.
Folks rush the entire process.
Stepping away and not stressing is good. That is another reason why folks mess up - they get too serious, and have less fun.
Go take some cut up golf balls and that old pitiful putter you keep around just to have and piddle with putting at tin cans. Correct Basic Fundamentals are there, will be practiced, no scores, just piddling fun.
No worries about losing a good ball, no worries about that old pitiful putter getting knicked, scratched or dirty.
Buddy of mine has nice fly rods. Been awhile since he went fly fishing and could not do squat out when he went out.
I suggested he get a Starter Flyrod kit, like at the box store. He bought a 6wt, fiberglass, and it was heavy and not as lively as his nice custom ones.
Got to piddling in the yard using yarn. Had a ball. Wife whom never cared for flyfishing before - afraid of hurting or breaking a "nice rod" started piddling.
Wife got a Starter kit too.
These two nuts, went to a farm pond, and instead of using nice flys he ties, used the less expensive ones in the kit.
Wife starts chasing grasshoppers, and turns a rock over and finds a bug or worm...funny. These two got into bream, crappie and bass. Had a ball.
Just got back to correct basic fundamentals and fun, for her, no worries of busting a rod or "having to do it right", in fact she was using hers like a cane pole some.
'I want to be a little girl again for a little bit"
It is only a fun activity - keep it simple. The Advancements will come when least expected.
Tip: Coffee cans are easier to get golf ball in than soup cans.
Steve
