Am I hopeless?

Background: I've been playing off-and-on (poorly) for about 20 years but finally decided to get serious this year. I took a session of four lessons starting in April and I've been going to the range once or twice a week and playing about once a week, but I just haven't seen much improvement. I've never broken 100, and lately I've regressed to where I'm shooting 110-115. Is it possible that I'm just not meant to be a good golfer? Has anyone struggled like this until it finally clicked ? I love the game but it feels like I'm wasting my time and money.

I never shot under 100 consistently until this year. Now I regularly shoot in the mid to upper 80s. So, yeah, I struggled for a long time before it finally clicked for me.

I began in 1978 and was shooting 100-110 average around 1980. Never got better, I'd play 25-40 rounds a year on average, maybe breaking 100 one-third of the time at best (and most of those were of the 97, 98 or 99 total variety) and my best until this year was a 91. For a variety of reasons, I last played golf in 2003 before my wife decided she wanted to learn how to play this year. So we took semi-private lessons (her and myself, 6- one-hour lessons for $400 total). I would advise against group lessons. Anyhow, he mainly helped me with my grip and my position at the top. It clicked for me, and I broke 90 (actually shot an 85) the third time out this year. I have yet to hit 100 and my highest score is 97 (of which, 10 were penalty shots).

The BIGGEST thing that helped this year was watching instruction on the golf channel online. Specifically, Dean Reinmuth's series on alignment. My slice was GONE and I was hitting them STRAIGHT! First time ever!

I would have continued playing whether I had improved or not; as long as you are keeping pace with the group ahead, it doesn't matter how many shots you take. Around here, a good round is about 4 hours so if you play within 15 minutes either side of that, no one should really complain. (We've taken off as the first group and finished in about 3 hours, shooting about what we normally shoot, and that was before this year when I started taking less shots!).

Take private or semi private lessons if it was group lessons you were taking before. Go to the range and work on chipping and putting more than the driving range.

Do you still enjoy playing? If you do then you have no problems. Stick with the lessons and the practice, make sure you are practicing what you are being taught and not slipping back to what feels comfortable and you will improve.

Give it another year and if you haven't improved and/or you aren't enjoying it then find something else. Seriously, I worked as a teaching pro for a few years a long time ago and I had no hesitation in telling a few people where they could find their local tennis/fishing/swimming/etc club.

You might want to try the instruction that I am using now. You can search Google for “The Golf Swing and It’s Master Key Explained.” This is the swing that most pros use, with left shoulder control making it very easy.

I hate to keep talking about this. It sounds like I’m on a crusade, but I like to help others when I can. I was shooting in the 90s when I found this instruction 3 months ago. Now I’m shooting mid 70s. I don’t know if it will work for you, but it’s only $6.00 with a money back guarantee.

Do you have average coordination? If you do then do yourself a favor and get Ben Hogan's 5 Lessons because it is

entirely possible for a man or woman with average coordination to break 80 in 6 months of practice . You may be hopeless, but you're probably not. The golf swing is simple, and that's all you really need to play good golf.

madcityscott, I'm in the same boat as you... I started with a series of 4 lessons this spring, and have been practicing consistently all spring/summer.

I have two big problems - Driving, and Consistent Contact.

From the tee, I cannot consistently hit that ball. Probably 1 out of 10 is a nice, straight, high shot. The rest are 100-yard rollers, or go off 45 degrees left or right (which usually means a lost ball and penalty stroke). If I'm on a 500-yard par 5, and I start with a 75-yard roller, I'm going to end up with at best an 8 on that hole...

From the fairway, I just don't have consistent ball contact. Sometimes I hit a nice solid shot, other times I'm slightly topping the ball, leading to a low ball flight and no distance. Other times, I hit the dirt before the ball (is that "chunking"?), leading to a 20-yard embarressment.

The common thread from both the tee and the fairway - a complete lack of any distance, even on "good" shots. 6I, 7I, 4H, 5W - they all seem to go about the same distance. I cannot get 200 yards from the fairway (or off the tee for that matter). So par 4's, the BEST I can do is get on in three. Par 5's, the BEST I can do is on in 5.

From 100 yards and in, my game is fine. SW, PW, 9I full swings are very consistent. Plus, my chipping onto the green is very nice. I have even chipped one in a couple weeks ago.

Playing is fun, but it's frustrating that I can't seem to do better. Practice on the range is deceiving, because you hit several bad shots in a row, and then find your 'groove' for several shots. But on the course, there's no opportunity to take a dozen practice shots and find my groove. You only get one chance at each swing.

I know I'm venting, but I would like opinions as to what is the best 'next step' for someone in my situation?

Where do you struggle the most? Off the tee? If so, consider using irons to tee off regardless of the yardage. What does your instructor think of your swing?

I'd say try a couple rounds of just your natural game. It's possible you are a feel player trapped in a swing thought world. If you've ever seen Caddyshack, I really believe in that whole thing about...there's a force in the universe, let things happen and be the ball thing.

And course management will get you much farther than you might think. Just know what you can and can't do with each golf club. Be honest, and I bet those scores come down a few strokes.

If you hit a driver off the tee, try your 3-wood instead. I don't even carry my driver with me. Maybe next year, but this year I leave it at home. I hit my driver 20 yards shorter than my 3-wood, consistently. My goal for next year will be to hit my driver. This year I am having too much fun scoring well without it!

You are lucky because with a little practice you can improve you game and break 100 consistently.

1) record on your score card the following:
a) fairway hit
b) green hit
c) putts per hole
d) up and downs

by recording the above you will find out what to work on during practice.
95% of golfers need to work on the following:

putting or 2 putting every hole = 36 strokes per round
chipping from just off the green
pitching from 30, 40 50 yards from the green.

practice putting everyday on distance control
practice chipping around the green as often as you can
practice pitching from 50 yards and 100 yards

don't forget to have fun and see the improvements on your golf game.

I was the same way and the thing that helped me most was just playing. I improved the most when I played. So if I ever have a choice of playing or going to the driving range I choose playing, even if it is just a par 3.

For me, the driving range is good for improving my swing, but if I want to get better at scoring I find it more useful to simply play golf as much as possible.