Golfers across the world, at all levels of the game often come up against a brick wall and they seemingly can´t find a way to break through and come out the other side.

I have seen the tell-tale signs over and over again as I walk up and down the ranges of the local courses.

A golfer, who is disillusioned with their game, fighting just to get a feel for the club.

It is a struggle against your own determination and your ego, your determination is trying to push you forward, to beat the struggle and get you through and back to playing the game you love.

While your ego, ever shrinking is telling you how useless you are and how you should feel embarrassed about the way you are striking the golf ball.

These are the first signs for many, quickly followed by a quick fix lesson, something to work on, but the struggles continue.

You begin to take the advice of all your playing partners, entering into an abyss of torment and a place so dark that even the odd good shot feels wrong.

Lost, you consider the possibility of quitting, throwing the clubs out (or in a lake!) anything to get you away from the demoralising, blood boiling performances you are churning out week after week.

STOP!!!!

Let us take stock of a situation that really isn´t as bad as it may appear to be.

OK so you have been on a downward spiral for some time, you have lost the love for the game that over the months or years has given you so much enjoyment and pleasure.

You feel that there is no light at the end of the long, dark tunnel.

But wait; You have faced turmoil’s in golf before, and you will face them again.

What you need to do is reassess what has happened, what has changed.

And to do this effectively and objectively you need to take a break from the game.

Divorce the game in every aspect, except assessment.

No golf, no range time and definitely no golf on the TV or YouTube.

A break must eliminate every part of golf from your life.

During the first few weeks you will feel refreshed, revitalised.

After a month or so you will objectively figure out what was going wrong with your game and you will develop the “urge” to get back into it.

Wait, don´t rush, come up with a plan on how you are going to get back into golf.

Head to the range and practice your favourite area of the game.

Feel the buzz it gives you and remember this is a new beginning, a new relationship with the game, a fresh start.

A break may seem like the worst thing to do, but there are thousands of golfers across the world that are struggling just the way you did, and they continue to beat balls down the range, searching for the secret.

The secret to me is clear, and always has been;

ENJOYMENT

As soon as you lose the enjoyment and the buzz of feeling the club strike the ball you may as well step away for as long as it takes.

Stop digging yourself into a deeper, more depressing hole and walk away.

When you are ready to get back out there you will know.