I know many golfers suffer from starting their round slow, hitting mostly blocks, fades and slices in the first few holes. Their swing then kicks in for them and they start hitting it ok to pretty good, solid and straight for the next 10 to 12 holes. Then, as the expression goes, they can't get the horse to the barn and crash and burn on the home holes. John suffers this fate and explains it, asking if increased adrenalin is the problem.
John Neswadi says:
Don, My biggest problem seems to be increased adrenalin as my round continues. I always start by hitting no more than 50 golf balls on the practice range. I hit the pitching wedge, my 7 iron, my seven wood and my driver. I almost always start with a fade or a push. As my round progress's I start hitting the ball straighter. Then on the last three or four holes I start pulling or hooking. How can I start & finish the same as I hit the ball in the middle five to fourteen holes?
Note: I am 68 and have a current 17.4 handicap.
Thanks for any help,
John
The Surge says:
For starters John, I like your pre-round warm up routine. A good warm up routine should first start with stretching before any hitting. You do not mention this so I have to interject here that if you don't stretch, you should start. Hitting 50 balls should have you stretched and your swing grooved for hitting good shots right from your first swing on the first tee. But since you say that the first few holes you hit fades and pushes, then get in the grove to hitting it straighter, the only conclusion I can draw is that your present routine is not sending you to the first tee stretched and ready.
I would suggest seeking some professional help choosing and setting up your stretching program, starting with seeing your doctor. You can then visit a trainer at a local gym or physical or occupational therapist to get their input on stretching, which may have some fees attached for their advice. Lastly, you can research strength and conditioning books at your local book store to help you choose and setup your pre-round warm up routine.
The bigger issue I see in your question involves your crashing and burning on the home stretch. You question the problem being too much adrenalin messing you up. I suspect that because you end your rounds with pulls and hooks you believe that too much adrenalin is the problem, pumping you up and speeding you up, as most golfers feel hooks are a power shot.
I am going to go in the other direction and suggest that instead of too much adrenalin, your pulls and hooks could be the result of not enough energy. You might be 'running out of gas.' If that is the case, you may now be thinking and wondering how you can be hitting pulls and hooks having less energy to swing.
When your blood sugar gets low and your energy level is drained, you slow down. The body and arms move slower. A good weight transfer to the forward side, with the hands and arms swinging aggressively to a good impact position, now can't happen. The weight transfer to the forward side slows down. So do the arms. The result: the club beats the hands to impact. If the face is over rotating, pulls and hooks become the result. There is also the high probability that the weight transfer instead becomes a hang back to a reverse weight shift, which also can over release the arms and hands and club face, causing the pulls and hooks. One can also under release, opening the club face and hit blocks, fades and slices.
If loss of energy is the issue, your doctor is again the good starting point for getting help and answers. Seeking out the help of a diet and nutrition expert is another good source to get answers and help.
One final simple test you can do is to bring snacks to the course with you to eat during the round. Snacking every few holes keeps the energy level up and thus performance up. The key is the type of snacks and drinks you choose. Sugar and caffeine is your ENEMY. You want long lasting energy drinks and snacks like peanut butter crackers, bananas, fruit and most energy bars are great. Notice I say snacks, not hot dogs and hamburgers or ham sandwiches.
Foods that require major digestion are not the right stuff to eat. Heavy foods can bloat and slow the body down. Blood is now diverted to the stomach for digestion taking it away from the brain and the extremities which need it to function properly. I wrote a few lengthy articles on diet and nutrition and playing golf and they should be in the archives.
Very often, when watching PGA Tour events, we see a player walking off the tee eating a banana, apple, crackers or even a sandwich. Years ago, I believe it was Al Geiberger, always had a peanut butter sandwich or two in his bag. He absolutely needed it to keep his energy level up for the entire 18 holes. I am quite sure I saw a pro eating a sandwich on TV at this year's US Open. I always have energy bars in my golf bag and I usually also bring an apple. When I am walking 18, following DJ on Tour, I am NEVER without my snacks.
I can't tell you how many times over the years students have asked me about why they play the front nine well and fall apart on the back. Questioning them many times reveals they didn't eat breakfast or lunch before playing and never snacked during the round. Many times if they snack, they choose the wrong ones. Feeling sluggish, tired and with low to no energy, they go for the boost. They eat a candy bar and/or wash it down with a soda or sweet tea. (Note: I can't tell you how many times at junior tournaments I have seen Mom's or Dad's give candy bars and soda to their child at the turn). This is great blast of energy but not long lasting. Within a hole or two they come crashing down from the sugar high. They crash and burn with their mind and body malfunctioning into a bogey train or worse, before they ever know what hit them.
So seeing your doctor is probably the best starting point to get checked to make sure there are no physical problems. Bring some energy bars, crackers and fruit to the course and see if snacking helps. Remember your body is like your car and golf carts on the course. You have to feed the engine 'the right stuff' to keep the body going and performing to the max.
The Surge!