You do both. You definatly take a period of time off doing something else...winters are made for this...those Canadian's will chime in here I am sure. This break is essential to allowing you to clear the head of getting too analytical about your swing and when you return, your body will let you feel the swing better. This is what you had early on. It was a feel, or a natural approach to the way you were meant to play. We can talk and analyze the game to a noxious level at time. It's fun. But trying everything you hear or read or are told, "This is absoutly the only way to do this...(shootn4par?) is the wrong way to go about it. It is a simple idea of doing what works for you, then sticking to it. Fiddling around with every gadget and DVD and website and suggestion will get you to where you are now. Confused. I like to think of it as a buying a car. There are so many to pick, and each one is different. But they all get you to where you are going eventually. Not every car is the right fit for everyone. But the driver will know what feel right eventually. Can you improve? Sure. But stick to a plan. One that is obtailable. Goals that are too lofty in a shot period will only setup a failure that gets you going backwards.

If you were in the 80's you had good stuff there. Not sure if you needed a better short game (my guess becase this is the hardest part of the game), so get your old long game back and maybe get your time on the greens and bunkers to help the score out. This will regain your confidence again and you can start to pick 1 element of your swing to work on.

Hope this helps.

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I'm a golfaholic, no question about that. Counseling wouldn't help me. They'd have to put me in prison, and then I'd talk the warden into building a hole or two and teach him how to play. ~Lee Trevino