Has anyone ever 'figured it out?" ie garbage to glory?

[inthehole]

^ I guess it depends if you're a tournament golfer, serious mid-capper with family responsibilities and limited playing time, or higher capper finding their way through "breakthroughs... we all have different "get it" levels.

[Bird E3]

You also have to remember that we all have different standards.  Dave2512 is a 9 index, something that most players would kill for, yet every time it comes up he says what a crappy player he is.  I was happy for many years as a 10 and never cared if I got any better.  I have a good friend and avid golfer who is lucky if he's an 18, yet he enjoys the game more than many of the single digit handicappers I know.  I've never, ever seen him get down on himself. Some players never seem to be satisfied, and those players will have a different definition for "figuring it out" than I do.

I think it's interesting that the 18 enjoys golf more. I'm the kind of player who never gets mad, but it's wierd being a low handicapper, If I get a triple bogey on the first hole my round is pretty much ruined most of the time. High handicappers don't have that problem. I'm playing for score, where I think the 18 is playing for a few really great shots.

[pecos24]

I think it's interesting that the 18 enjoys golf more. I'm the kind of player who never gets mad, but it's wierd being a low handicapper, If I get a triple bogey on the first hole my round is pretty much ruined most of the time. High handicappers don't have that problem. I'm playing for score, where I think the 18 is playing for a few really great shots.

Though this is off topic from the thread I would have to disagree with your statement, at least as far as I am concerned.  I am shooting for a score it's just 20 strokes higher than the score you are shooting for.

[Jim Ludden]

I think it's interesting that the 18 enjoys golf more. I'm the kind of player who never gets mad, but it's wierd being a low handicapper, If I get a triple bogey on the first hole my round is pretty much ruined most of the time. High handicappers don't have that problem. I'm playing for score, where I think the 18 is playing for a few really great shots.

I feel the same way. If i start off with a double bogey I'm thinking "ok, i can make this up with a couple birds on the front side." I probably shouldn't think this way but as a 7.8 HC it makes it hard to right a round and be in the 70's with a couple doubles. High HC's aren't wired that way, they're goal is to make 3-4 pars and they've played well that day.

[Mr. Desmond]

I found myself wondering while reading the board that it's interesting that there doesn't seem to be any accounts of anyone just 'getting it figured out' or 'finally finding the game'

It's strange but you would think this kind of thing would happen. Does anyone ever go from a normal crappy men's leauger to top notch amateur or pro? If not, why?

It seems to me if it were the case the golf were the kind of thing that you could learn or improve on like a skill you would routinely see people quickly going from a 5 to a +3 handicap but that really is never the case. It seems the best golfers find themselves (quickly) in a situation where they recognize that they are really talented and that drives them to become better or the best but rarely do you find someone that has not been very good for quite some stretch (Say a few years) all of sudden start to get it together and perform at the highest level.

After spending years practicing golf now and following a lot of other people's progress I'm starting to think that its an either you have it or you don't situation. It seems rare if not non-existant that someone struggles for a long time as mediocre player and then has some kind of breakthrough where the become one of the best. Is this true and if so why?

I feel your pain.

But I don't think it's you have it or you don't. I think it is a matter of instruction and feedback. Decent flexibility and a healthy body also give an added assist.

No, I haven't figure it out. I'm still working on the same keys that Erik and Mike gave me over a year ago. The difference is that I use more video now. I think you progress more with lessons that are videoed and practice where you video. The more video, the better. During a lesson, I like immediate video feedback, so if I am working on a key but my instructor doesn't think it is important, I can stop him, point to the two 55 inch screens and say, "No, I need to get to this key first because it screws everything else up. Show me, give me the feeling I need. I want to know."

I've advanced more in 6 weeks than in a year with instruction that has video. That will get me from inconsistent mid capper to consistent lower capper.

[golf-noob-bruce]

No, I haven't figure it out. I'm still working on the same keys that Erik and Mike gave me over a year ago. The difference is that I use more video now. I think you progress more with lessons that are videoed and practice where you video. The more video, the better. During a lesson, I like immediate video feedback, so if I am working on a key but my instructor doesn't think it is important, I can stop him, point to the two 55 inch screens and say, "No, I need to get to this key first because it screws everything else up. Show me, give me the feeling I need. I want to know."

Wait, what? Are you saying you're telling your instructor what's important? Shouldn't it be the other way around?

[Lihu]

I am relatively new to golf (6 months with some breakthrough, <~1 year of taking decent lessons, 3 years working at it, and a total of 4 years), so every time I go out there I figure out something. The garbage to glory was a series of little golf epiphanies. For instance, this past weekend was an eye opener. I needed a little more work on Key 2, and am making some progress towards that end. No surprises, it just takes time to figure out what is the actual issue, and figuring out how to implement the changes and get the correct body feel.

Overall, I am happy with my progress. I only started hitting the ball more solidly about 6 months ago, I started being able to hit the heel of the face more consistently 3 months ago, now I am able to hit all my clubs. The balls are just starting to get out the correct distances on occasion. I don't see any miracles that will get me there. It's really slow and progressive. Went from about a 23 handicap down to about a more solid 15.1 in the past 6 months, and it is taking way less "mental effort" to make the shots.

Just taking little positive steps at a time.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bird E3

I think it's interesting that the 18 enjoys golf more. I'm the kind of player who never gets mad, but it's wierd being a low handicapper, If I get a triple bogey on the first hole my round is pretty much ruined most of the time. High handicappers don't have that problem. I'm playing for score, where I think the 18 is playing for a few really great shots.

I feel the same way. If i start off with a double bogey I'm thinking "ok, i can make this up with a couple birds on the front side." I probably shouldn't think this way but as a 7.8 HC it makes it hard to right a round and be in the 70's with a couple doubles. High HC's aren't wired that way, they're goal is to make 3-4 pars and they've played well that day.

I see it more as making the best of a bad situation.  I started a round a few years ago bogey, bogey, quad, then played the remaining 15 holes at 2 over for an 80, quite acceptable for a 12 handicap.  How much better might it have been but for the start?  Who knows, but that quad might have been what "got my attention" and made me focus the rest of the way.  It's no worse than the time I was 3 under through 11, then finished at 4 over.  Even though this round was 4 strokes better than the other one, it felt worse because of the situation.

[mmoan2]

I figured it out this Friday after expecting to break 80 and working my tail off to make 87. Sit on the couch with a six pack and laugh at the guys on TV missing 4 footers for $150,000. It's much easier!

[Mr. Desmond]

Wait, what? Are you saying you're telling your instructor what's important? Shouldn't it be the other way around?

I would like a fundamentally sound swing with minimum compensations -- so one must make clear what they want to the instructor. If you know generally what you are working on and why, then I give my instructor feedback. I am, after all, paying for this series of lessons. I know what a swing should look like -- that's fortunate.  If I see something in my swing that if not corrected, will lead to several compensations, I am going to work on that key before progressing to the next key of the lessons. I accept his instruction and methods, but I also know the basics and my issues.

[Jim Ludden]

I see it more as making the best of a bad situation.  I started a round a few years ago bogey, bogey, quad, then played the remaining 15 holes at 2 over for an 80, quite acceptable for a 12 handicap.  How much better might it have been but for the start?  Who knows, but that quad might have been what "got my attention" and made me focus the rest of the way.  It's no worse than the time I was 3 under through 11, then finished at 4 over.  Even though this round was 4 strokes better than the other one, it felt worse because of the situation.

I agree, it's better to turn a round to the better than start off on fire and leak oil to the end. Last week I shoot 37 on the front and couldn't miss and finish the last five holes in 6 over to finish at 80. Very depressing

[Vinsk]

[quote name="David in FL" url="/t/75754/has-anyone-ever-figured-it-out-ie-garbage-to-glory#post_1019165"]No. Nobody EVER "figures out" this game. :no: And to be clear, just as soon as you think, or worse, say that you have, the golf gods will hand you a beat-down of epic proportions! LOL! You nailed it with that my friend. And thank you. I was about to start a thread suggesting....well, quitting. I just spent 3 days with Golf Made Simple and thought I had it. Beautiful ball striking. I even posted my new swing on my member swing thread showing beautiful ball compression. Walked 9 holes today in 91 degree heat but felt calm and confident. I didn't hit a single shot like the ones in my video. Not one. When I did hit a good shot, it was my old sweep style. No divot, no spin and poor distance. I started to think maybe I'm just not cut out to play golf well and my 8 hcp was just a good run but it's over. He'll, I was so excited 2 weeks ago I've been looking at getting some Ping i25's or even Ping S55's! But I guess I have no business even trying to hit the S55's. Oh well. But you made me laugh and I'm feeling better. So thanks for that.