Proper Steps To Improve?

[ShawnSum]

Before I stopped playing I was shooting mid 70s consistently, this was after having 2 lessons on some very specific things wrong with my game at that time (pushing/slicing right). That was over 10 years ago and I've been playing again just over a month now and I can already feel that burning desire in my gut to want to improve again! I made a deal with myself that I would quietly work on my game myself until I was shooting in the 70s again before I tracked down another PGA Pro for more lessons. This past Sunday I shot a 78 but I want to get it lower and compile some data/notes/tendencies before seeking out someone for 1 on 1 lessons so I can show them I'm serious about improving.

Right now I would say at least 80%-85% of what I'm able to accomplish on a golf course comes down to feel and being naturally athletic and I'm scared that's only going to get me so far (mid 70s) if I don't learn more. Does anyone here at TST have a similar story, if so how did you approach progressing closer to becoming a scratch golfer?

[iacas]

Why wait? To further ingrained bad habits and to take longer to get into the lower scores?

[ShawnSum]

2 minutes ago, iacas said:

Why wait? To further ingrained bad habits and to take longer to get into the lower scores?

Good point and to be completely honest it's for financial reasons. At the end of the year I rack up a lot of overtime and a bonus check so my idea was to take all that extra cash and put it away and then use it to pay for multiple sessions throughout 2020.

In the meantime though I want to get a good quality swing video up here and start working on stuff. Going to see if I can two friends to record some swings while we are out on the course again. I want to get some driver swings and iron swings recorded simultaneously from down the line and caddie view so I can give you guys plenty of footage. 

[Shindig]

15 minutes ago, ShawnSum said:

Good point and to be completely honest it's for financial reasons. At the end of the year I rack up a lot of overtime and a bonus check so my idea was to take all that extra cash and put it away and then use it to pay for multiple sessions throughout 2020.

In the meantime though I want to get a good quality swing video up here and start working on stuff. Going to see if I can two friends to record some swings while we are out on the course again. I want to get some driver swings and iron swings recorded simultaneously from down the line and caddie view so I can give you guys plenty of footage. 

Get a camera if you don't have one, and get a simple tripod.  I have a friend's hand-me-down from nine years ago I have been using, it works great.  Getting some video on the range without having to bring other people into it is super simple, if you have a range that doesn't have solid barriers between bays. 

[Patch]

I was a mid/low 70s player before I had to leave the game for physical rehab issues. My rehab included learning how to walk again, other muscle building stuff. Little things like standing, and keeping my balance....lol

I started slow, learning the game again from my putter to my driver. Short strokes led to the longer, full swing strokes. This worked well for me since I knew I would never be a long knocker of the ball again. 

When I got back to where I could swing a club again, my instructor of many years was no longer around anymore. I assumed he went the fairways in the sky, and not the hazards below.

One thing I had, was copious notes from many years of prior swing instruction, and course management to fall back on. I studied those notes quite carefully, and applied them as needed to my new golf rehab. 

Once I had what I considered a pretty good swing, I elected to focus less on swing instruction, and more on actual golf shots. The golf shots I would normally be playing from, when playing 18 holes. Practicing every shot I could think of, from various, good, and bad lies was my practice regimen.

Over a several month period I went from from high 90s, sometimes  low 100s, to low 80s, and an occassional high 70s scores. 

The above is how I got back into the game. The two major reasons I was able to get back, was those golf instruction notes I kept, and my own mental toughness to not be denied my golfing goals. 

[cooke119]

Wow, you shoot in the high 70's and you want to improve from there, good for you.

I have nothing to offer you given I shoot in the mid 90's. I could use some of your advise. My biggest problem is that on a par 4 for example I can get close to the green in two, but walk off with a six of seven, bottom line my short game sucks big time! I have taken chipping lessons but still I skull them, or land too far away from the pin then two or three putt. Very frustrating.

All the courses near me do not allow you to practice chipping onto the practice green so I'm left with a golf range, but there I'm hitting off a mat which doesn't help with different types of lies.

[ShawnSum]

1 hour ago, Patch said:

I was a mid/low 70s player before I had to leave the game for physical rehab issues. My rehab included learning how to walk again, other muscle building stuff. Little things like standing, and keeping my balance....lol

I started slow, learning the game again from my putter to my driver. Short strokes led to the longer, full swing strokes. This worked well for me since I knew I would never be a long knocker of the ball again. 

When I got back to where I could swing a club again, my instructor of many years was no longer around anymore. I assumed he went the fairways in the sky, and not the hazards below.

One thing I had, was copious notes from many years of prior swing instruction, and course management to fall back on. I studied those notes quite carefully, and applied them as needed to my new golf rehab. 

Once I had what I considered a pretty good swing, I elected to focus less on swing instruction, and more on actual golf shots. The golf shots I would normally be playing from, when playing 18 holes. Practicing every shot I could think of, from various, good, and bad lies was my practice regimen.

Over a several month period I went from from high 90s, sometimes  low 100s, to low 80s, and an occassional high 70s scores. 

The above is how I got back into the game. The two major reasons I was able to get back, was those golf instruction notes I kept, and my own mental toughness to not be denied my golfing goals. 

That is a hell of a come back man, very inspiring stuff!! Back before your injury I am assuming you had a long term instructor that you met with from time to time? 

58 minutes ago, cooke119 said:

Wow, you shoot in the high 70's and you want to improve from there, good for you.

I have nothing to offer you given I shoot in the mid 90's. I could use some of your advise. My biggest problem is that on a par 4 for example I can get close to the green in two, but walk off with a six of seven, bottom line my short game sucks big time! I have taken chipping lessons but still I skull them, or land too far away from the pin then two or three putt. Very frustrating.

All the courses near me do not allow you to practice chipping onto the practice green so I'm left with a golf range, but there I'm hitting off a mat which doesn't help with different types of lies.

I would very much like to improve down to par/scratch! Thanks for the compliments but it's awkward for me to try and give advice because I'm such a "feel" type player. I'm always willing to share what was taught to me many years ago about correcting a slice/push to the right but that's really all I've got for tips..lol. Short game is kinda my thing and always has been, just got a feel for it I guess.

[saevel25]

1 hour ago, cooke119 said:

Wow, you shoot in the high 70's and you want to improve from there, good for you.

Each time you reach a new standard (baseline), you feel like you can still improve.

[Double Mocha Man]

6 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

Each time you reach a new standard (baseline), you feel like you can still improve.

True story.  In everything from golf, to interpersonal communication to cooking up a good shrimp scampi.  Always room to be better.  If we are doing it right we all die improving...

[Patch]

1 hour ago, ShawnSum said:

That is a hell of a come back man, very inspiring stuff!! Back before your injury I am assuming you had a long term instructor that you met with from time to time? 

I would very much like to improve down to par/scratch! Thanks for the compliments but it's awkward for me to try and give advice because I'm such a "feel" type player. I'm always willing to share what was taught to me many years ago about correcting a slice/push to the right but that's really all I've got for tips..lol. Short game is kinda my thing and always has been, just got a feel for it I guess.

I had the same swing instructor for a few decades. He was a certified pga swing guru, and club maker/fitter. 

He built my first set of custom clubs. He fitted my irons individually for my swing characteristics. 

I saw him on a regular basis, sometimes as much as 5, or 6 times a month. As I improved, I saw him less, but at least once a month. 

We even golfed together on occassions. His treat.

[Shindig]

9 hours ago, cooke119 said:

Wow, you shoot in the high 70's and you want to improve from there, good for you.

I have nothing to offer you given I shoot in the mid 90's. I could use some of your advise. My biggest problem is that on a par 4 for example I can get close to the green in two, but walk off with a six of seven, bottom line my short game sucks big time! I have taken chipping lessons but still I skull them, or land too far away from the pin then two or three putt. Very frustrating.

All the courses near me do not allow you to practice chipping onto the practice green so I'm left with a golf range, but there I'm hitting off a mat which doesn't help with different types of lies.

Yikes, it sounds like your short game is a major liability.  

How's your SGP?  That's something you can practice on the practice green.  Plenty of drills on this site.

Getting to the point where you are a competent chipper should help you quite a bit -- it's an easy low hanging fruit if you can find somewhere to practice hitting 10-50 yard shots off of grass.  Even if it's just one hour some afternoon, being able to get club on the ball should help.

[DaveP043]

20 hours ago, ShawnSum said:

In the meantime though I want to get a good quality swing video up here and start working on stuff. Going to see if I can two friends to record some swings while we are out on the course again. I want to get some driver swings and iron swings recorded simultaneously from down the line and caddie view so I can give you guys plenty of footage. 

 

20 hours ago, Shindig said:

Get a camera if you don't have one, and get a simple tripod.  I have a friend's hand-me-down from nine years ago I have been using, it works great.  Getting some video on the range without having to bring other people into it is super simple, if you have a range that doesn't have solid barriers between bays. 

I use my cell phone, and a simple flexible tripod that I can attach to my bag, so I record when I'm on the practice range.  You don't really need to record the same swing from two angles, just move the camera and record from the two angles.  Your swing will be pretty consistent, even if the results seem widely variable.  Read all of the stuff here:

https://thesandtrap.com/b/playing_tips/filming_your_swing

so that the video you get will be the best possible.  Record in slow motion, most cell phones can do this.  

Good luck!

 

[cooke119]

18 hours ago, Shindig said:

Yikes, it sounds like your short game is a major liability.  

How's your SGP?  That's something you can practice on the practice green.  Plenty of drills on this site.

Getting to the point where you are a competent chipper should help you quite a bit -- it's an easy low hanging fruit if you can find somewhere to practice hitting 10-50 yard shots off of grass.  Even if it's just one hour some afternoon, being able to get club on the ball should help.

Yes my short game is killing me. I use to be able to take my shag bag and go to the school yard and practice chipping but they put a stop to that. I teamed up with a guy today playing 18 and he was really good. He had me putting more weight on my left leg, (I'm a righty), feet closer together and coming through on my chips. I was doing much better following his tips. Now I need to find a place to practice, that is the problem. I'll keep looking. We do have a Par 3 course near us, (longest hole is 165 yards), maybe I'll spend more time there and just work on my short game. I have a lot to improve on.

[Double Mocha Man]

12 minutes ago, cooke119 said:

Yes my short game is killing me. I use to be able to take my shag bag and go to the school yard and practice chipping but they put a stop to that. I teamed up with a guy today playing 18 and he was really good. He had me putting more weight on my left leg, (I'm a righty), feet closer together and coming through on my chips. I was doing much better following his tips. Now I need to find a place to practice, that is the problem. I'll keep looking. We do have a Par 3 course near us, (longest hole is 165 yards), maybe I'll spend more time there and just work on my short game. I have a lot to improve on.

There's got to be a quiet corner in a park nearby... or a practice chipping area at your local golf course.  What about your front yard/back yard?  That's where I learned to chip when I was a kid.  Long evening hours with the neighborhood kids in the front yard (I just mowed by edict of Dad) when we weren't playing baseball in the street or catching fireflies.

[nevets88]

NYC is god awful for short game practice. You have to drive hours just for a decent public short game area. The only way to get in decent short game practice is to play at dusk when no one is there and use the green side area when no one is around the hole. Or if slow play, chip and pitch while you wait to tee off for next hole. You can use mats at the range, but they don't have the variety of lies and stances or like, sand. If I had a short game area near me, I'd have a way better short game.

[Double Mocha Man]

23 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

NYC is god awful for short game practice. You have to drive hours just for a decent public short game area. The only way to get in decent short game practice is to play at dusk when no one is there and use the green side area when no one is around the hole. Or if slow play, chip and pitch while you wait to tee off for next hole. You can use mats at the range, but they don't have the variety of lies and stances or like, sand. If I had a short game area near me, I'd have a way better short game.

... just remembering why I live on the West Coast near the ocean... though I once lived in Newport, R.I. above NYC.

[Shindig]

1 hour ago, Double Mocha Man said:

... just remembering why I live on the West Coast near the ocean... though I once lived in Newport, R.I. above NYC.

Do you practice your short game in or near the ocean?

Public short game practice areas in Los Angeles are largely terrible.  At least I can work on the mechanics at some places, but I can think of one place that mows their green that one pitches to (Encino/Balboa Sepulveda complex). 

[Double Mocha Man]

1 minute ago, Shindig said:

Do you practice your short game in or near the ocean?

Public short game practice areas in Los Angeles are largely terrible.  At least I can work on the mechanics at some places, but I can think of one place that mows their green that one pitches to (Encino/Balboa Sepulveda complex). 

I definitely do not practice my short game IN the ocean. That would be like practicing for water hazards. But I can go to a beach just down the hill and practice sand shots or chips in the grass area. Though usually my front yard suffices or I practice at the course which is a couple miles away.