For the last couple of months, my golf game has deteriorated so much that it feels like I’ve gone back to the first days of this game.

It has become frustrating for me as it’s such a mental game. I feel demoralised and sad every time I get off the course.

It’s difficult not to berate yourself up in your head when you slice, shank or top your shot. You feel like such a fool knowing that you can play this stupid game but for some reason, it feels like nothing works for you anymore.

They call me “Bunker Blunden” so that’s saying something. I get into EVERY LEFT SIDE BUNKER FOR EVERY HOLE.

It’s THAT BAD.

I’ve also stopped playing Stroke competitions because I hold up the pace of play and I get so tired. For example, in one hole, it took me 19 strokes to get to the hole.

It’s THAT BAD!

I play two 18 hole games and a 9 hole game every week plus I go to the range to hit hundreds of balls to practice however once I’m out on the course, it feels like I haven’t used a golf club before!

Something happens on the course that I revert to being a beginner.

It started when I began gripping the club tightly to the point where I burst the blood vessels on my fingers bruising my entire hand.

As a result, I stiffened my arms and locked my wrists when I played. Every shot however, ended up to the left, (slice – as I play as a left handed) plus I was in pain with bruised left hand afterwards.

I thought it had something to do with the fact that I’m right handed with everything that I do.

My powerful side is my right yet for any racquet or club sports, I play with my left hand as it feels comfortable. I thought the strength in my right hand and arm was making the ball spin to the left all the time – and into all the left side bunkers.

I was so frustrated (and desperate for answers) that I then went to a Trackman studio nearby to get the statistics. I hit hundreds of balls again using the technology on computer screens that feeds back data of your swing just to understand what was happening.

It basically proved my assumption. See how all my “stiff” shots go left.

So I changed my grip to a baseball grip thinking it may help. It helped the movement of my wrists but it meant having to get used to this new grip. Luckily, i wasn’t getting bruised either.

I also got a lesson by a golf pro who looked at what I was doing and then determined that the reason I was not golfing properly was that:

• My mindset needed work (I over complicated things in my head)
• My wrists needed to unlock and just flow through the swing.

He said “there’s nothing wrong with your swing!”

He gave me a drill of hitting balls with a half swing and to practice twisting my wrists through the swing. It feels awkward because it feels like I’m hitting balls towards the left but I just need to remember to bring my wrists over and the ball will go straight – as long as the wrists turn through the swing.

I went back to the golf studio to practice this drill and sure enough even at half swing, saw how most of my shots are fairly centred.

I have to keep practicing these shots to build muscle memory. Most of all I just need to stay loose and not tense up.

I need to sort this out because I love playing this sport. When I’m playing golf, I’m not thinking about anything else. It’s just me – the ball – the course – the clubs – the environment – and watching the bird life. However, when I play terribly, every time I’m out there I work myself up resulting in a terrible game.