I think most of us go through it at least once, if not multiple times. Those times when my ball-striking gets wonky, I'll just take a day or two off and focus on something other than golf. When I'm ready to get back at it, I start with chips and short pitches (it's what works the best for me to turn my swing around).

I had that same thing happen 2 years ago, prior to a the first tournament of the year & was scared to hit my first iron shot. while on the range trying to correct the issue. I had ball marks on the hosel of several clubs. I had to place tees down and try to swing thru them to help get back on track, I did take a week off from hitting but after the first tournament which I hit the everything ok, it still took me mentally about 4 more rounds to get secure again.

Just relax don't press it and do some drills for solid contact at impact. Good Luck

Yes, it happens at least once a year.I go back to the basics and pull it back together. Sucks when it happens, I feel for ya. Hit um straight , Dave....

I absolutely lost it all at a 3 day outing last month. Didn't help that I was deathly ill, but I completely had a crash and burn. I'm a solid 1, and it was awful. Decided to take a full month off, not even look at the bag, which is near impossible for me. Especially since I live on a golf course. I feel your pain!!......

Yes, don't worry. Everyone goes through a rough spell, even pros do. What I would reccomend doing when you aren't hitting the ball like usuall is don't try to figure it out yourself. When things go south for me, after the round I call my swing coach and he tells me what I need to fix, instead of me potentially messing up more then I fix. I wish you the best of luck!

Hi Carl,

Your friend gave you some sound advice. I learned a long time ago from watching a segment with Ken Venturi -- the long-time CBS Golf Announcer and 1964 US Open Champion at Congressional.

He was talking about the shanks and his teaching moment was that the shanks are usually caused by a couple of different things ...one of the biggest culprits being a result of coming into the ball with a very strong inside to outside swing path on the downswing.

When things happen like you described, I try to self correct, make a couple of "better" shots, then let it go for the day or 2-3 days before resuming again.

Been there and done that....and it is painful. I recommend taking 4 full days off from golf.

Day 5 - nothing but putting
Day 6 - chipping and pitch shots
Day 7 - range work with PW and 8
Day 8 - take off
Day 9 - go straight to course and play

Do not go to range other than for Day 7 and only hit the PW and 8....and stay away from the range for a month and just play.

Carl, I feel your pain. Three weeks ago one of my golfing Buddies and I went out to play. While I normally shoot low 80's high 70's on this day I couldn't hit my way out of a wet paper bag. Wound up shooting a 123 on my home course swing left on everything worst feeling in the world and the harder I tried the worse it got. As Barry stated I took a few days off then hit the range focusing on fundamentals and little short shots and gradually into full swings. Glad to say it was short lived but until this week. This is the first week I don't approach a shot wondering if it will come back. Finally got my confidence back as well as my swing. Keep grinding it will all return as quickly as it disappeared.

Yes, I think it has happened to just about everyone at least once and can really get in your head. How can someone who plays and practices a lot, strikes the ball relatively well with a decent swing, has good fundamentals, all of a sudden lose it and start shanking? I don't know, but it happens to the best of us. It is such a "where did THAT come from" feeling the first time it happens. When it continues, it gets deep in your head and scares the crap out of you. The first knee-jerk reaction for me is to always look at the clubhead to see if something is broken. I was at the range once when I shanked a couple in a row. Bewildered, I brought the clubface up close to my eyes to inspect the head, hopeful that there was a crack or something and that it wasn't anything I was doing wrong. At that moment, there happened to be some guy I didn't know from Adam walking by on his way to another hitting bay, who seemed to be paying no attention to me. As I was closely inspecting the club, he passed by and said "It ain't the club!" and kept walking. Will never forget that. Even so, every now and then when I shank one, I still turn the club over and inspect the head in hopes that it wasn't me. It's never been the club.

Hang in there. You'll recover. It's just like a bad cold.

Yep happens to everyone :(

Time off always helps me. I dont spend time reading about golf (or swings). I just stay away. Once I come back start slow. Putting/wedges and then slowly work your way up. It'll come :)

Thanks guys. Your comments describe exactly that sick, helpless feeling that I experienced for a short time on the range. I really thought about taking that old saying of "I think you need to take off a couple of weeks and then quit." I play with a group of guys on a regular schedule and I had already committed to play the next day when the S disease struck me. To make a long story short I played but I just tried to strike the ball with as little thought process as possible with the exception of what direction to hit my target. I held my breath on every full iron shot and it was business as usual. I shot a few strokes over my average but no shanks. You cannot believe how relieved I was even though my score was not that good. Another saying of when you get thrown from your horse you need to get right back on him is true. I really appreciate your comments and I don't wish what I felt on any golfer who loves the game as much as I do.

Hi again Carl. I have given lessons for over 38 years and have seen it lots. As a playing pro, I have had that awful feeling more than once. However, if it happens again, it is a simple fix-on the spot. A person shanks because there weight is either toward their toes instead of the balls of their feet, or in your case, because they have straightened their right knee instead of keeping it flexed. Try it with a club. Stop at the top of your swing. Notice where the club is pointed. Then, straighten your right knee and see where the club is pointed then. You in effect change your swing plane to the right of the target. So, keep the right knee flexed and your problem will be fixed.

The hardest 5 inches on the course are between our ears. I played the worst 4 rounds in 3 years 2 weeks ago, and then just took a week off and came with no aspirations other than to take it easy. Trying to fight it with more intense work just makes it worse Didn't set any records, but it was just about back to where it had been.