Cabin Fever

I've not played for a few weeks either socially or competitively. I've managed to get a few range sessions in but the results have hardly been inspiring. I was really looking forward to getting out on Saturday morning with the usual suspects but given the foul conditions forecast and in particular the torrential rain we've endured here in the last 48 hours, I'm not sure how great the course will be and whether I'd actually be up for the challenge.

On the other hand I can't really find the mental fortitude to go over to the range. I'm desperately trying to bed in the swing changes from my last lesson and had foolishly thought I'd cracked it after an inspired session a few Sunday's back. Of course since then the old faults have started to creep back again and I'm still searching for the missing link.

This lack of golf and inability to regularly recreate the correct swing in practice have left me with the golfing equivalent of cabin fever. I need my fix and  need it now. What to do? Do I go out and play and sod the score but have that lingering whiff of frustration and regret if I play poorly or the course is barely playable or do I bite the bullet and knuckle down to a couple of hours of swing meditation at the range.

Either way I hate this time of the year, particularly in the run up to Christmas. It seems the course is at its most drab to look at and play on. There is a pre-Santa hiatus in the competition calendar and it is hard to get any kind of enthusiasm up to go out and hit balls or play. At least once Christmas is over, there is a chance for a few games over the festive period and then we are into 2011 and the days start getting longer until Spring arrives.

Fortunately there is plenty of comment, banter, opinion and humour on the Golf Monthly Forum so I can at least get some kind of fix amongst fellow golfers in a similar position. Check out the links at the side of the page and sign up.

On a tangent, it was great to see the remembrance silence observed so diligently at a lot of workplaces and golf clubs. I know many clubs sounded their klaxon so even those braving the storms out on the course could join in. I've a lot of friends that have served or are still on active service both at Royal Ascot and beyond and so I always try to ensure this one moment in the year is observed. It is also why I support the Help for Heroes campaign and why I'm desperate to get 50 followers on here. Once I do I'm going to donate £100 to the H4H charity. If you haven't already done so, start following. If you do, pass the blog address onto your golfing mates and your own club. It would be great to get to 50+ and give the cheque for Christmas. As a reward to those who join I'll be running a competition for the followers and you can win a dozen Pro V balls. Go on, make the effort. If not for me, then for those H4H helps.