Every now and then, you’ll find yourself in a golf slump when you’re just not playing your best (you might be playing terribly, in fact), and you just can’t shake it. For some golfers, a slump can feel like it’s unending. And, because slumps can come out of nowhere, it can be hard to know what set it off and how to reset your game. So when this happens, I always recommend one of these tried and true strategies to help get back in the groove.

Don’t panic

First off, if you notice your game starting to take a downturn or feels off, don’t stress. This panic can create negative momentum and send you into a full-force slump. Instead, look at it logically and without an emotional lens. Chances are, the issue isn’t as big as it feels.

Reflect

Give some thought to what’s going on. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you’re in a slump, so take a step back to consider what could be contributing to this. Think physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. A change in any area of your personal life, your mechanics, or even illness can all throw off your golf game. If you can identify what’s contributing to the slump (maybe it’s a negative mentality when you hit), then you can work on making changes. Speaking of changes . . .

Change it up

Sometimes we get into habits, which can be good when those are positive habits. But your slump could be the result of a bad habit taking over, so change some things to shake up those habits; for example, hitting the back-nine first, or playing later in the day when you usually play in the morning. Maybe you didn’t realize how stressful that third hole is, and it’s making the whole front nine go south.

Ignore your score

Golf is one of those games where we care a lot about the score, but focusing on it too much can cause stress and distraction, sending you into a slump. So, consider ignoring the score for a while and just take the time to rediscover what you enjoy about the game.

Focus on the process

Think about what you have control over in your golf: your mechanics, your thoughts, your attitude. Focus on those elements instead of the outcome. When we focus too much on the score or other elements of the game that we don’t have influence over, we miss the important piece of paying attention to the actual game.

Think positively

You might fall into a slump because of negative thinking, but if you’re in a slump, chances are, your thoughts aren’t as good as they could be. Work on thinking positively about yourself and your skills and choose appropriate thoughts for your game, such as your reminders for a strong swing.

Take a lesson

Sometimes we just need help. All the positive thinking, focus, and changes in the world can’t help if there’s a physical issue you aren’t aware of. So if you’re stuck in a slump after trying these tips, consider meeting up with your local pro to help bust you out of that slump.

Have you ever been in a golf slump? Let us know how you get back into the swing of things in the comments.