4 Tips To Fix A Mid-Round Slump

PGA Professional Katie Dawkins shares her quick-fix tips to recharging your swing energy on the course

Katie Dawkins and drills for mid-round slump
(Image credit: Future - Tom Miles)

If you hit a mid-round slump, you need a quick fix to recharge your battery. I often have my pupils do a quick parachute drill or two while waiting on the course to re-energise their swing and get things back on track.

Keeping your physical energy up is essential, especially when paired with equipment built to support you like the XXIO 14 range, which is designed to deliver effortless power, essentially doing the heavy lifting for your swing so you can finish strong.

Hit A Home Run

I love a baseball swing to really switch the bigger muscles back on and engage a more efficient action. As we get tired the body almost switches off and the swing begins to be very arms orientated.

Hover your club above the ground and get the body turning, feel like you’re about to hit a home run in the New York Yankees stadium. Wind up and unwind, you’ll hear a good whoosh through impact.

When you come to hit your next drive the ball will just get in the way of a rotational whirlwind and disappear down the fairway.

You can also do this by turning the club upside down to give it a swish that sounds loudest through impact.

Katie Dawkins demonstrating the baseball drill

A baseball swing will switch your big muscles back on

(Image credit: Future - Tom Miles)

Happy Gilmore!

Throw a few Happy Gilmore practice swings in while you’re waiting. Rehearsing a few of these will get your body moving in sequence again and help you send power through impact and to a finish.

A mini version could be you throwing a rolled up jumper or jacket to your playing partner. Weight goes back and then weight goes through to deliver the ‘package’ to your partner.

Katie Dawkins demonstrating a 'Happy Gilmore' drill

A Happy Gilmore move will help to get your body moving in sequence

(Image credit: Future - Tom Miles)

Brush Up On Your Grass Cutting Skills

Often when energy is lost, poor shots occur and fear sets in. This immediately makes a golfer pull up before the ball and usually mishit it. They forget to brush what’s under the ball.

Refocus and turn your attention away from the ball and think about getting the tee or the grass underneath it. Practice swings should mimic what you are trying to achieve, so make sure you make contact with the world each time before fully finishing the swing.

Katie Dawkins taking a practice swing and making sure she takes the grass

Take a practice swing and make sure you brush the grass

(Image credit: Future - Tom Miles)

Power Up And Fuel The Engine

Don’t forget to fuel yourself throughout your round. If you fail to fuel you’ll run the risk of losing the plot both physically and mentally. Reach for nutrient dense snacks such as bananas and nuts/seeds over the halfway house chocolate bar or sausage roll!

Add a regular sip of water or sports drink every few holes. Make sure it’s easy on the sugar otherwise you’ll buzzing and will then have a total crash. Follow this fuelling guide and you’ll keep your focus and energy balanced until the ball drops into the hole on 18.

Katie Dawkins eating a banana to re-fuel on the golf course

Golfers should refuel during a round

(Image credit: Future - Tom Miles)

Throw these drills in if play slows down and your energy dips. You’ll soon see your game powering up again and your golf ball whizzing effortlessly into the distance.

Katie Dawkins
Advanced PGA Professional and freelance contributor

Katie is an Advanced PGA professional with over 20 years of coaching experience. She helps golfers of every age and ability to be the best versions of themselves. In January 2022 she was named as one of Golf Monthly's Top 50 Coaches.

Katie coaches the individual and uses her vast experience in technique, psychology and golf fitness to fix problems in a logical manner that is effective - she makes golf simple. Katie is based in the South of England, on the edge of the New Forest. An experienced club coach, she developed GardenGOLF during lockdown and as well as coaching at Iford Golf Centre, The Caversham- Home of Reading Golf Club and Salisbury & South Wilts Golf Club.

She freelances, operating via pop-up clinics and travelling to clients homes to help them use their space to improve.

She has coached tour pros on both LET tour and the Challenge Tour as well as introduced many a beginner to the game.

Katie has been writing instructional content for magazines for 20 years. Her creative approach to writing is fuelled by her sideline as an artist.

Katie's Current What's In The Bag

Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 9degrees.

Fairway: TaylorMade Qi10 5wood

Hybrid: TaylorMade 4 & 5

Irons: TaylorMade 770 6-AW

Wedges: TaylorMade Tour Grind 4 54 & 58

Putter: TaylorMade Tour X 33"

Favourite Shoes: FootJoy HyperFlex with Tour Flex Pro Softspikes on the course.