Looking for feedback on my year in golf / recommendations for off-season

[ArrrrJay]

First a little background.

I started playing golf the last few months of summer 07. 2008 was 95% par 3 courses, and 2 or 3 attempts at a full length course. I had a poor game overall. Would hit my irons thin or fat 60% of the time (mostly fat), sliced the driver horribly, and had no short game. would score in the low 40's at my local par 3's.

I caught the bug, and wanted to give a full go at golf and see if I could be any good, or weather it would simply be a drinking game with friends.

For 2009, I joined a golf club at a local muni, and started playing and practicing A LOT. Would try to play at least once a week, and practice between rounds. I got a new set of irons, a new driver shaft, and a new putter (half way through the season). The driver shaft change had me hitting major slices for a bit (came back recently too).

Here's my scores the year, all at a par 71.

4/17 - 118
4/18 - 105
4/24 - 119
4/25 - 112
5/02 - 119
5/16 - 114
5/17 - 105
5/30 - 105
6/21 - 99 *Year's goal achieved
6/27 - 100
6/28 - 107
7/03 - 97
7/05 - 109 *New driver shaft
7/12 - 103
7/18 - 98
7/19 - 101
7/24 - 102
7/25 - 110
7/26 - 103
8/02 - 99
8/07 - 89 *Split front and back 9 2 days consecutive
8/16 - 95
8/23 - 90
9/06 - 89 *First 89, a par 72, new course to me, big elevation changes
9/12 - 89 *First 89 at home course
9/19 - 93
9/27 - 96
10/3 - 93 *Wet/aerated
10/11 - 100 *Wet/aerated/windy

My game is getting more consistent, but I still have some major fundamental flaws that I think will stop me from getting better. I come over the top, hit lots of fades/slices, and can't leave a divot past the ball. I duff some 6+ irons still, putt poorly from over 10 feet, short game leaves a lot of long putts, and only drive the ball around 220-240. I started the year a 34 handicap or something, ended a 21.1 handicap.

I've been thinking of taking some lessons over the winter, try to improve my swing at the golf domes. I want to work on my pivot, release, come from the inside, leave a divot past the ball and compress it, etc.

I have no clue who where to start with that. No one I know can give me a recommendation for an instructor.

Any thoughts, comments, recommendations are appreciated.

Hope everyone else in the north had a good year in golf. I am envious of those that can play year round, but they have to deal with hurricanes and tornadoes in return (i keed i keed).

[cody west]

amazing that you improved by 13 strokes congratulation,
here are my recommendations-
get a putting machine like hole that shoots the ball back to you, dont get one with a mat because they only let you practice putts 10 feet and in. you jsut want the hole because then you can practice long putts
also get some of those foam practice golf balls and a 5 gallon bucket or a net or a hoola hoop, something that you can practice leaving the ball where you want to on chips.
these two things alone will make you so much better

[ArrrrJay]

amazing that you improved by 13 strokes congratulation,

Thanks.

My putting game comes and goes, but the usual problem is speed. I'm not good at reading greens, but even at the easiest greens I usually have problems figuring the speed of the putt. Not sure if it's just practicing thousands of different putts or a problem with my putting fundamentals. I can pick a line and have an idea of how hard I need to hit it, but usually am short. When I try to putt it far enough on tough putts, I go 6 feet past. I've thought about perfect garage practice setups with nets and such, but I have an apartment with no spare room, and outside is not an option as winter is here...

[jamo]

My putting game comes and goes, but the usual problem is speed.

Speed definitely comes with practice as does green reading, but it also comes with having a putter you like, although you said that you just got a new one. But practice, definitely.

As for everything else, you seem to know what you need to do, and thats the first step, so to say. You should film yourself hitting a ball and post them. You can get some really good feedback on this forum.

[shankapotamus]

Thanks.

I use to have the same problem with speed. I found out I had terrible tempo. Now I focus on taking it back and through at the same pace.

[ArrrrJay]

Speed definitely comes with practice as does green reading, but it also comes with having a putter you like, although you said that you just got a new one. But practice, definitely.

I don't have access to a video camera for that, but hopefully that can be part of a lesson I take soon. I feel in general I am too flat, don't pivot forward enough, come over the top, and am forced to use my hands to square the club face. Probably playing the game harder than I need to.

I have a putter I like (only tried 3 on the course IRL).

I use to have the same problem with speed. I found out I had terrible tempo. Now I focus on taking it back and through at the same pace.

I plan on practicing putting a lot, but am not sure if practicing on fake hard turf will help or translate to a normal course that I normally play.

[bogeyhitter25]

I'd say that that's a pretty good season. 13 strokes is great, but now that your getting lower and lower handicap wise, it's going to get a lot harder to improve. I'd say really work on your swing. Fix that slice and make better contact. That'll help a lot. Work on your short game and putting a lot as well. But still it's alot different to have a chip near the green trying to get up and down for a par instead of double or triple. Dedicate a lot of practice time to every category equally over the course of the winter season.

[motsco]

Great! very Good! Awesome! Just imagine what next year will bring you :)

[GamerJG]

congrats on your improvement in such a short time. you have officially caught the golf bug. i recommend if you aren't able to get out to the course, do a lot of reading and thinking about the game. there are many sites online that give free tips and try to absorb as many as you can. if you have a garage, i'd recommend getting a practice net to work on the swing. you may also have an indoor facility somewhere nearby where you can practice in the offseason. i also live in the northeast and there are ranges that are heated with overhead cover. if you really want to continue your improvement, i'd focus on mastering inside 100 yards. the short game is crucial to lowering your scores. good luck and keep it up.

[MiniMoe]

Personally, I would not take a lesson if I could not practice and play to help ingrain what I learned. Save that for the first part of the spring. I would read a bunch of books about all aspects of the game. I'm not talking very technical books, but stuff that helps you learn to use what you have to play your best. Bob Rotella writes about the mental side of the game, the series of books from Harvey Penick is also a good read. It would be good to read a few books on basic golf principles and swing fundameltals, but don't get too hung up on changing your swing. Just read to learn what other think about the swing. Next spring when you take lessons, you will have a better understanding of what your instructer wants you to do.

[Rob]

Sounds like you have good ideas,but a 21 handicap probably has more to worry about than pivot,ect.What I mean is,it`s all good,but you may be thinking to much when you get over the ball,and that`s not good.Get lessons,practice,and when you play,don`t think too much. Good luck!

[ArrrrJay]

Personally, I would not take a lesson if I could not practice and play to help ingrain what I learned. Save that for the first part of the spring. I would read a bunch of books about all aspects of the game. I'm not talking very technical books, but stuff that helps you learn to use what you have to play your best. Bob Rotella writes about the mental side of the game, the series of books from Harvey Penick is also a good read. It would be good to read a few books on basic golf principles and swing fundameltals, but don't get too hung up on changing your swing. Just read to learn what other think about the swing. Next spring when you take lessons, you will have a better understanding of what your instructer wants you to do.

I've read Bob Rotella's "Golf is not a game of perfect", great read.

I do have 2 golf domes I can drive to, but are not very close, probably a once a week drive on the weekend. I'd like to try to work on my swing in the off season, as I am hesitant to do so during the golf season while my scores are improving.

Sounds like you have good ideas,but a 21 handicap probably has more to worry about than pivot,ect.What I mean is,it`s all good,but you may be thinking to much when you get over the ball,and that`s not good.Get lessons,practice,and when you play,don`t think too much. Good luck!

I don't think of any of those things while I'm swinging. Just an observation of the parts of my swing I know suck. I don't get my weight onto my left side very well, and end up rotating around the center of my body, coming over the top, and leaving divots under or before the ball. I've worked on this enough to be able to pick the ball off the ground well.

Thanks for all the responses and advice!

[insomnijack]

Keep it going and enjoy yourself! You're going in the right direction, that's the way to do things, good luck.

[2bGood]

You work on your body, Stretchand do core training. Yoga is a good idea. I did allot of core traiing one off season and picked up 20 yards - very cool. I never kept up with it, but I plan to do it agian this off season.

If you are doing the range thing consider haveing a few range sesions where you play a round. Bring a card of course you know well and hit shots rather than pound the ball. Hit a drive to a target, if you miss the target, practice a low chip out to the middle under a an pretend tree, then hit a 120 yard shot to a green. In the end you' will rarely hit the same club twice in a row and this will help. When you do this use your pre shot routine for each shot.

You'll still want to have session where you just work on your swing mechanics, but simulating a round is sothing I found very helpful.

[Parker0065]

I do have 2 golf domes I can drive to, but are not very close, probably a once a week drive on the weekend.

We have a golf dome in Albany, NY and I usually go there twice a week during the winter and hit 2 large buckets while I'm there. I would go completely cabin fever insane without it over the winter months,,lol! I think it would be a great idea to take lessons at one of the golf domes in your area if they are available. It would definitely give you a head start on next season working out some of your swing faults with an instructor! Good Luck!

[DBeane]

Off season? You should move to Texas, we dont have an off season. A good off season tip would be to stay in shape, that way you dont spend the first month of your playing season trying to feel normal over ball.

Congrats on a good first year. I would say this, it is obvious that golf is filled with peaks and valleys, but the plateaus can be the most frustrating. Remember they are the most rewarding when you finally get through them and move on to the next step, whatever it may be for you.

-Beane

[sonomajake]

You need to take lessons. If you have swing flaws best to get them corrected early on or you will never reach your full potential. Even if you only got one to really learn the basics of the setup you would be way ahead.