Most Miserable Week of Golf EVER

So I've been on a vacation with my family to the Hammock Beach Golf Resort in St. Augustine, FL. I have been playing golf for about 2 and a half months, and about a week ago I got my first real set of irons, a 6-PW Cleveland Mashie set with 4 and 5 hybrids. While I am at the range, I usually hit my iron shots DECENTLY, though they are always fat or thing, and my 6 iron always slices about 30 yards off target. I can hit it about 130-150 yds. I played the Ocean course Thursday and Friday, I had a bit of fun, but I shot a 122. I had to take 2-3 shots off the tees for half of the holes, as I kept slicing into oblivion or hitting the ball like 50 yards. On the off occasion that I hit a 220yd drive or a 200 yd hybrid shot, I would immediately chunk the ball about 20 yards with my irons. I had about 5 good iron shots throughout my whole round. My pitches would either fly over the green and into a bunker, or go about 10 yards from the spot I pitched it. My chips are ALWAYS shots that barely even get off the ground, and would roll to the end of the fringe. It was VERY frustrating. Today I played the conservatory course, planning to play all 18 holes in one morning. I was shooting 50 through 7 holes, and I couldn't even get ANY of my iron shots off of the ground. Well, on the eighth hole (a par 3) I hit 2 balls into the water, and gave up. I hit about 10 shots on the final par 4 of the back 9, and I gave up and went home, utterly disappointed and even considering giving up golf.

My swing sequence seems to be pretty decent, but I almost always end up hitting the ground about an inch behind the ball whenever I play on the course. I focus on rolling my left forearm back during the back swing, and rolling my wrists and arm forward during my downswing (if I don't do this, my shots go nowhere). I try to follow through well, but my club digs into the ground and I am unable to follow through. NOTHING irritates me more than when I chunk the ball 10-20 yards. I just drop the club and beat myself up on the inside.

If anyone has any tips to help a beginner golf like myself, I would really appreciate it. I have gotten 4 lessons since I started, and I watch how-to videos on youtube all the time. Any reading or video series that could help my problems with my irons would be a life saver for me.

Lessons.

You have only been playing 2 1/2 months, I have been doing this for over 25 years and your ranting on a golf site? I see you have already made the investment in new equipment why don't you make the investment in learning how to use them....lessons. Sorry if I sound a little insensitive but 2 1/2 months????? Welcome to golf hope you enjoy it.

I guess the thing that just frustrates me the most is that I can acceptably hit the ball on the range, but once I get on the course I choke on almost every single shot. I'm not sure what happens to me...

Oops when I got to the part where you said I have only been playing 2 1/2 months I stopped reading. Just keep working on what your instructor is teaching you or try someone different, it takes time and lots of practice but eventually it will come around for those willing to persevere

Is it a mental thing?

No it's a grass range. I've never been to a range with mats

Keep working and playing.  At east you are playing golf.  I've played for 40 years, but now I live on an island with no golf available.  Recovery from heroin addiction can't be much worse than golf withdrawals.

This is very common.

EVERY new golfers says this.

The driving range and the golf course are 2 different planets.

Range = Playing off a perfect lie, perfectly flat, and hitting the same club 25 times in a row has nothing to do with real golf.

Anyone can hit perfectly at the range, you will soon understand.

Then you will proceed to top the ball, slice, and shank the ball in real golf.

Welcome to golf.   You have now experienced the mind**** that is driving range vs. golf.

Do not fool yourself.  They are 2 different sports!

Good luck!

could be a mental thing, u may have charles barkley syndrome.

do you have a pre-swing routine? a pre-swing thought?

I'm new and these help me out a lot. I just don't have enough time in yet for my swing to be instinctive so I need to be conscientious of certain important things regarding my swing that will wreak havoc for me on the course if i forget to do them. for instance, I have a tendency to release my irons late which causes a push/slice so I have to remind myself to practice swing and emphasize the feel of an early release. I also have to remind myself not to move my head at all... especially off the tee. I try to carry no more than 3 pre-swing thoughts with me otherwise I start seizing up.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/39411/quickie-pitching-video

http://thesandtrap.com/t/60526/erik-hitting-a-few-chips-and-pitches

These two videos were by far the best tips I have received to date (that showed almost immediate results) for me. Thanks Erik.

Have you thought about getting a simulator?