Why am I so inconsistent?

[mkrosal]

I'm just starting out, i've been going to the range a couple times a week for the last 4 or 5 weeks and I'm still very inconsistent. I feel like my trouble is with my grip. I've tried all different types of ways to grip the club and nothing feels comfortable. It is kind of hard to explain but my right hand always ends up too much underneath the club. Does anyone have any routines or special ways to know you have a good grip? or can you point me to a video or existing thread because i know it is a tough thing to describe. Thank You!

[CG031]

Get Ben Hogan's Five Fundamental's...it's at almost any book store. It discusses the basic five fundamentals, including the correct grip and that should help you if you are a beginner.

[grizfan]

You're inconsistent because you are not very good and don't know what you are doing, at least that is what someone told me when I first started to learn this game. Pretty brutal, but usually pretty accurate, too. So, what to do? As CG031 mentioned, Ben Hogan's Five Fundamentals is probably the best ten bucks you'll spend on your golf game. Read the entire book, then keep it handy for reference, that would be a great start.

But, from looking at the gear you have in your sig, you're not afraid to spend money on golf. So... get lessons. That will go further to help your game than any money spend on clubs. Chances are, you do need some help with your grip, but I'm willing to bet there are three or four other things about your swing that are bringing you down; things you don't even know about. Get lessons now, before those bad habbits get too ingrained in your swing. I'm speaking from experience. Few people can work out a good swing on their own. I tried for years. This summer, I took the plunge, read some books (including Five Fundamentals) and most importantly, I got lessons. For the 1st time, thanks to lessons, I'm seeing repeatable, consitent improvements in my game. Best money I spent. Next Spring, when I have time to spend on golf, I'll be back for more lessons.

[mkrosal]

  grizfan said:

You're inconsistent because you are not very good and don't know what you are doing, at least that is what someone told me when I first started to learn this game. Pretty brutal, but usually pretty accurate, too. So, what to do? As CG031 mentioned, Ben Hogan's Five Fundamentals is probably the best ten bucks you'll spend on your golf game. Read the entire book, then keep it handy for reference, that would be a great start.

Harsh but I agree. I'm definitely going to pick up that book now because i've had a few people tell me to read it. I've actually stocked my entire bag for under $200 just by bargain shopping. I'm getting ready to take a beginner's class at my university so I've held off on the lessons; i just caught the bug and couldn't wait to start going to the range. Thank you for the advice though and i'm thinking i will get some private lessons after i take my class.

[grizfan]

Sorry about coming across a bit "dick-ish", really wasn't my intention. But, that was the advice I got this Spring, and it really helped put me in a good frame of mind about this game. Then I read the Ben Hogan book, which sort of reinforced this mindset. Basically, before this, in my mind a good golf swing was something sort of mysterious, but if I kept hacking away long enough, it would reveal itself to me. Turns out, there is a correct technique to a good swing. Proper instruction and practice is the secret. Hogan's book helped a lot, so did lessons.

Oh... and my hat is off to your bargain hunting skills. If you can hone your golf skills to match you bargain shopping skills, you'll be a force to be reckoned with.

[alomar123]

Cause you need more practice, I can be inconsistant too cause i hate hitting the ball the same way everytime(it gets boring), plus it needs improvement. A repetitive swing is what you need and that takes time

[retexan599]

Some things that are helping me with consistency have to do with being very precise in my set-up. For each club I stand a certain specific distance from the ball; for each club I position the ball either forward or back in my stance, same each time. I keep my grip position the same for most shots. Includes chipping and putting. I open my left foot for certain clubs but not for all clubs, and keep it the same each time with that club. Of course, these things are all my intention and sometimes things get out of whack. But I have these 'specifications' (and some others) written down and review them before a round. I think of it as 'removing variables from the problem'.

[grizfan]

  retexan599 said:

Some things that are helping me with consistency have to do with being very precise in my set-up. For each club I stand a certain specific distance from the ball; for each club I position the ball either forward or back in my stance, same each time. I keep my grip position the same for most shots. Includes chipping and putting. I open my left foot for certain clubs but not for all clubs, and keep it the same each time with that club. Of course, these things are all my intention and sometimes things get out of whack. But I have these 'specifications' (and some others) written down and review them before a round. I think of it as 'removing variables from the problem'.

That's actually a good point. While skilled, experienced players can step up and just hit their shot, I for one really need to focus on the basics and go through my checklist. Check my grip, stance, balance, posture, position from the ball, position of the ball in my stance, hand position, then, once those are taken care of, I focus on a nice, clean take-away and a good follow through. Good things happen when I make sure I pay attention to the basics.

[tm22721]

Steady acceleration monitored through lag pressure feedback felt in the index finger of the trailing hand. This keeps the shaft flexed through and beyond impact sustaining the line of compression through the ball.

Keep the upper arms connected into follow through.

Attack on an inside path.

[geast]

I started recording videos of my swing while at the range. I was too cheap to spend money for lessons, so recording myself with my point-and-shoot camera was the way to go. I just compared my swing to videos online and started fixing stuff one by one. Granted this is probably the slowest method, but now I know how fix my swing myself.

[LongDrive04]

Well...Are you doing the same thing over and over???? If you are then I don't know but then again if you are changing it up swing after swing then that may be a problem......

[DriverTees]

Don't ever, ever think about your swing on the course. Get lessons, and more lessons untill you feel pretty comfortable with your swing. Still spend a lot of time on the range, and don't neglect your putting obviously. Try David Leadbetter's videos aswell.

[MeltDownZ]

Consistency comes from maintaining your balance, spine angle, weight shifting, and swing action. And, each one of these is a several month project unto itself requiring an understanding of several compound actions. Unfortunately, each golfer seems to settle in on his own setup of fundamentals that works for him. So, you'll inevitably go through a process of trial and error in addition to all the straight forward practicing.

One word of advice: Many books are written from the perspective of a golfer who is managing their own swing tendencies. Hogan's book is one of these. While his book has many fantastic concepts, some are not suitable for the average player. In particular for his book, the weak grip and the extreme driving of the hips is probably going to cause you more problems than it solves. I would rather recommend books written by coaches or teachers such as Marshall Smith.

[hostage46]

  MeltDownZ said:

Consistency comes from maintaining your balance, spine angle, weight shifting, and swing action. And, each one of these is a several month project unto itself requiring an understanding of several compound actions...

Really is true, I'm new as well and what used to comfound me a month ago is second nature.

Invest in the lessons, I promise you it will steeping the learning curve and prevent you from ingraining bad habits.

[Grndslmhttr3]

Trying a bunch of different grips over the course of a few weeks won't help your consistency much. Once you learn how to grip the club properly, it will feel weird, but you need to put up with the unnatural feeling of the club in your hands and keep working with it until it feels natural.