Super hacker to decent golfer..... Who's done it?

[inthehole]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fromthecoast

I've even taken a lesson locally but I did not get much out of it.

That's your problem right there. One lesson isn't going to change anything. You need to stick with them and see a pro on a regular basis if you want large improvements.

Honestly, it's not an absolute.     I've never taken lessons.     Another poster above haven't taken lessons.    i have nothing against them, but lessons aren't a requirement as you seem to profess.   Granted, I play a whole lot of golf, and soak up everything I can find about the game on TV, youtube, forums, etc.      There are soooooo many resources to us learning to play today that weren't available before - it's not that hard to learn the basics today without lessons.      It all depends on how you're wired - I like the challenge of figuring it out on my own.    My wife relies on her instructor and won't listen to a thing I say (golf related).   Different strokes ...

[number1hacker]

I took up golf October 2010, I was 32. A friend of mine kept pestering me to go, I put him off numerous times until I finally gave in. He took me to the course, luckily it was deserted. First hole par 4. I took out the driver (borrowed girlfriends clubs) and gave it an almighty swing, the ball was still on the tee and I was almost flat on my ass. Ended up taking a 10 then went on to par the second hole I ever played. I was hooked from that hole on. I can't remember what I scored that day but it must of been more than 120.

After that day I went and bought myself a set of Dunlops and started to practice pretty much every day with rounds of golf on Saturdays and Sundays and it took me a almost a year to break 90. I upgraded my clubs and that made a big difference and  I went on to break 80 10 months ago. My game now is more consistent and I'm usually scoring low 80's or high 70's, best being 76.

I have never had lessons but I do watch the golf channel and take some advise from some of the better players at my local course. There's a couple of Asian tour players there and they're pretty cool blokes who don't mind helping me out.

I can definitely still improve if I had more time and money! Got a little boy now who takes up a lot of my time...

[sopel10]

Honestly, it's not an absolute.     I've never taken lessons.     Another poster above haven't taken lessons.    i have nothing against them, but lessons aren't a requirement as you seem to profess.   Granted, I play a whole lot of golf, and soak up everything I can find about the game on TV, youtube, forums, etc.      There are soooooo many resources to us learning to play today that weren't available before - it's not that hard to learn the basics today without lessons.      It all depends on how you're wired - I like the challenge of figuring it out on my own.    My wife relies on her instructor and won't listen to a thing I say (golf related).   Different strokes ...

I agree that we are all different.  But there is a reason why most of players on higher level have instructors.  Even with todays technology where you could tape your swing over and over and try to figure out things on your own, these players get an instructor.

[Lihu]

I took up golf October 2010, I was 32. A friend of mine kept pestering me to go, I put him off numerous times until I finally gave in. He took me to the course, luckily it was deserted. First hole par 4. I took out the driver (borrowed girlfriends clubs) and gave it an almighty swing, the ball was still on the tee and I was almost flat on my ass. Ended up taking a 10 then went on to par the second hole I ever played. I was hooked from that hole on. I can't remember what I scored that day but it must of been more than 120.

After that day I went and bought myself a set of Dunlops and started to practice pretty much every day with rounds of golf on Saturdays and Sundays and it took me a almost a year to break 90. I upgraded my clubs and that made a big difference and  I went on to break 80 10 months ago. My game now is more consistent and I'm usually scoring low 80's or high 70's, best being 76.

I have never had lessons but I do watch the golf channel and take some advise from some of the better players at my local course. There's a couple of Asian tour players there and they're pretty cool blokes who don't mind helping me out.

I can definitely still improve if I had more time and money! Got a little boy now who takes up a lot of my time...

Eventually, he'll take your clubs too. It's won't be long before you could be taking him to the golf course.

[number1hacker]

He's already going with me!

http://thesandtrap.com/t/73215/fathers-and-sons

See this thread for the video!!

[inthehole]

Quote:

Originally Posted by inthehole

Honestly, it's not an absolute.     I've never taken lessons.     Another poster above haven't taken lessons.    i have nothing against them, but lessons aren't a requirement as you seem to profess.   Granted, I play a whole lot of golf, and soak up everything I can find about the game on TV, youtube, forums, etc.      There are soooooo many resources to us learning to play today that weren't available before - it's not that hard to learn the basics today without lessons.      It all depends on how you're wired - I like the challenge of figuring it out on my own.    My wife relies on her instructor and won't listen to a thing I say (golf related).   Different strokes ...

I agree that we are all different.  But there is a reason why most of players on higher level have instructors.  Even with todays technology where you could tape your swing over and over and try to figure out things on your own, these players get an instructor.

Agree - but I do think the key in your statement is "players of a higher level".     Sure, if you're going to compete and try to get every bit out of the tools you have, lessons become more important.    My point was directed at the OP in that lessons aren't absolutely necessary if a person wants to improve to the point of playing decent bogie golf.

[Phil McGleno]

And youre still a 15.-Learning the basics is one thing.--knowing how to pick out biggest things and how to work on them is 'nother matter entirely.[quote name="inthehole" url="/t/73507/super-hacker-to-decent-golfer-whos-done-it/18#post_968173"] Honestly, it's not an absolute.     I've never taken lessons.     Another poster above haven't taken lessons.    i have nothing against them, but lessons aren't a requirement as you seem to profess.   Granted, I play [U]a whole lot[/U] of golf, and soak up everything I can find about the game on TV, youtube, forums, etc.      There are soooooo many resources to us learning to play today that weren't available before - it's not that hard to learn the basics today without lessons.      It all depends on how you're wired - I like the challenge of figuring it out on my own.    My wife relies on her instructor and won't listen to a thing I say (golf related).   Different strokes ...    [/quote] Bogey golf?-Hell You can get to a low single digit without lessons and a little skill and luck.-THen youre gonna hit your head on the ceiling and have to work many times harder to uningrain your faults.

[sopel10]

And youre still a 15.-Learning the basics is one thing.--knowing how to pick out biggest things and how to work on them is 'nother matter entirely.

Bogey golf?-Hell You can get to a low single digit without lessons and a little skill and luck.-THen youre gonna hit your head on the ceiling and have to work many times harder to uningrain your faults.

^^^This.

I realized long time ago, that to reach my goal of being close to scratch/low single digit, I would have to take lessons.

I agree that if you want to be in 90's most of the time, and break it once a season, you can probably do it on your own.

[GHIN0011458]

I have never had a lesson and I actually prefer it- when something goes wrong, I have worked on that and fixed it myself so I don't need to go back to the person who helped fix it because I know the process it took to get past it.

[iacas]

I got to a 1.8 without any lessons at all.

But suffice to say I'm still working on backing out of the habits that created, and some of the things it did with my swing.

No doubt in my mind that with a quality (key point there) instructor, I'd have probably shot better scores sooner (though not by a lot), and I'd be shooting better scores NOW too (though I can't complain - I can play to a scratch handicap when I get the time to play a little).

[inthehole]

And youre still a 15.-Learning the basics is one thing.--knowing how to pick out biggest things and how to work on them is 'nother matter entirely.

Quote:

Originally Posted by inthehole

Honestly, it's not an absolute.     I've never taken lessons.     Another poster above haven't taken lessons.    i have nothing against them, but lessons aren't a requirement as you seem to profess.   Granted, I play a whole lot of golf, and soak up everything I can find about the game on TV, youtube, forums, etc.      There are soooooo many resources to us learning to play today that weren't available before - it's not that hard to learn the basics today without lessons.      It all depends on how you're wired - I like the challenge of figuring it out on my own.    My wife relies on her instructor and won't listen to a thing I say (golf related).   Different strokes ...

Bogey golf?-Hell You can get to a low single digit without lessons and a little skill and luck.-THen youre gonna hit your head on the ceiling and have to work many times harder to uningrain your faults.

We're losing the whole context of this thread - with regard to the OP who would someday like to shoot bogie golf (presumably not to compete at a high level like some others here) ...

[14ledo81]

I honestly can't remember my first scores for 18, but I do remember scoring in the mid 60's on a nine hole course.  That would put me around 120-130 range when I started.  Now I can score in the upper 80's, lower 90's on a 6000 yard course.  It probably took around 3 years to get to that point.  The last 3 years (I have been golfing for about 6) have been stagnant.  I feel one of my biggest issues now is distance.  I do not think I will get much better (longer) without some instruction, or at least some focused practice.

I do plan on trying to use a camera this summer to identify priority pieces and work toward getting better.

[GHIN0011458]

We're losing the whole context of this thread - with regard to the OP who would someday like to shoot bogie golf (presumably not to compete at a high level like some others here) ...

Answer is bogey golf is do-able for anyone IMO. Work on short game, give yourself an extra shot to hit the green and stay away from trouble.

[iacas]

We're losing the whole context of this thread - with regard to the OP who would someday like to shoot bogie golf (presumably not to compete at a high level like some others here) ...

He'll still get there most quickly working with a great instructor.

[Lihu]

He's already going with me!

http://thesandtrap.com/t/73215/fathers-and-sons

See this thread for the video!!

Cool. He's got some good hand-eye coordination!

Do they have little plastic balls at the range you play for toddlers? This could set a precedence as I am thinking of taking a nephew out, and am looking for some places that cater to them.

[Lihu]

He'll still get there most quickly working with a great instructor.

This is the key, so to speak.

If you work with a bad instructor, it's more destructive than even playing on your own. Been there and done it. That's why it took me so long to learn to swing properly, and why I needed a great set of instructors, here, to set me straight.

If I had started off with the correct instruction, I think I would be where I am today (without ever having been injured) two years ago.

Just 4 months ago, I was hitting weak fades, now I am hitting push-draws. I get complements on hitting the ball more solidly and in control.

I don't think bogey golf is really attained by someone who hacks without any good lessons. Bogey golf is supposed to be an easy stepping stone to single digit golf. If you don't have the fundamentals and depended upon a great short game to get to bogey level, then the next level is nearly impossible.

At this point in time, my short game is killing me. But. . . I know what I need to do to get to the single digits. There's no mystery. I know exactly where my shots are lost and I don't need to keep detailed stats to do so. It's obvious.

Great instruction is a must, and really will get you there quicker.

[inthehole]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iacas

He'll still get there most quickly working with a great instructor.

This is the key, so to speak.

If you work with a bad instructor, it's more destructive than even playing on your own. Been there and done it. That's why it took me so long to learn to swing properly, and why I needed a great set of instructors, here, to set me straight.

If I had started off with the correct instruction, I think I would be where I am today (without ever having been injured) two years ago.

Just 4 months ago, I was hitting weak fades, now I am hitting push-draws. I get complements on hitting the ball more solidly and in control.

I don't think bogey golf is really attained by someone who hacks without any good lessons. Bogey golf is supposed to be an easy stepping stone to single digit golf. If you don't have the fundamentals and depended upon a great short game to get to bogey level, then the next level is nearly impossible.

At this point in time, my short game is killing me. But. . . I know what I need to do to get to the single digits. There's no mystery. I know exactly where my shots are lost and I don't need to keep detailed stats to do so. It's obvious.

Great instruction is a must, and really will get you there quicker.

I like your stepping stone analogy.       Just seems to me that my journey from 36 to bogie was probably alot easier than it's gonna be to get from bogie to single digits.     I'm not used to dedicated practice (I just like to play ALOT).    If I really want it though, I know what I have to do ...

[Lihu]

I like your stepping stone analogy.       Just seems to me that my journey from 36 to bogie was probably alot easier than it's gonna be to get from bogie to single digits.     I'm not used to dedicated practice (I just like to play ALOT).    If I really want it though, I know what I have to do ...

Get some instruction from @iacas ?