5th & Final round for the year......

[WilsonWedgeMan]

i'm ready to take up knitting... spent countless hrs on the range makin' good headway... only to fall apart on ther grass... I don't get it. I don't have the extra time to play alot, so it's meaningful when I do get out...but not today...frustration personified. it HAS to be the fact that a SCORE is being kept, not hit it again and try to do better like the range. Holy Cow what a travestyand embarrasment to the golfing world. I even darn near wrecked the cart... but, per the last time I played this course...a miraculous chip on the final hole, from off the green that holed, made it almost bearable.........almost. as a musician, I understand natural ability. I also know that varies with everyone, and all the work won't make you as good as you wanna be, unless it's trained properly. i'm thinking lessons...or maybe a 3 day school that's not TOOOO expensive.
It's October... time to get my bow out and hit the treestand...the bucks are movin'.

[aquacooled]

we play golf, but we never win..

[Rafcin]

sounds like you need a solid dose of Rotella or

Valiante . It's common to people to be a "range master" just to fail miserable on the course. IMHO the mental approach to every shot is the difference. At the range you have (usually) two simple thought processes - execute the swing properly and aim at (general) target. On the course you have "other" thoughts.. water left.. trees right.. wind.. elevation... lie.. ball above feet... ball below feet...don't hit short... don't hit long... don't snap-hook into houses left... don't slice into the road right... etc, etc, etc. First level is to incorporate "TARGET" back into your game on the course Trust me, it's easier said than done. Second level (unachivable for most of us) is to eliminate "mechanic" swing thoughts on the course, trusting the range-proven swing to take care of itself. Don't give up. How rewarding is a triumph if challange is not hard

[Xt1ncT]

Second level (unachivable for most of us) is to eliminate "mechanic" swing thoughts on the course, trusting the range-proven swing to take care of itself.

Some good advice right there.

It's pretty much what I try to do, and it seems to have worked the last few weeks. When at the range, I work on my swing. Make sure I really groove what I'm trying to do - most of the time it's the same thing, getting that first part of my takeaway correct - I'll warm up using a wedge, then move onto a 6 or 7 and hit 5 balls. Evaluate, then do it again. All the while trying to use the same routine as on the course, and really groove the swing. I'll end up hitting 10 drivers, 10 hybrids and about 20 wedge shots. Then when I go to the course I warm up hitting a few wedges, then hit about 5 7 irons to get the complete my warmup, then it's 20 minutes on the pracise chipping green and 15 minutes on the putting green. But I try to forget about the mechanics and concentrate on scoring well.

[WilsonWedgeMan]

Thanks Fellows... wonderful insight that you've given. I appreciate the advice, and will try to heed it.

[Jarno]

I just say try to stick to it. I don't think their is a certain type of person that can and can't work, golf is a game of reactions. Hit it in the rough can you react? If you hit a fade or draw can you make it work?

I have a older member of our course, who I play with a lot, he has a short quick tempo swing, with a large pull fade on his driver and a straight fade on his irons. Yet he's 90% of the time in the fairway. He knows what he hits and makes it work.

One of my main lessons: If the shot worked don't worry about how it got there.

But I'd wait until next season, and stick to some good 8-pointers!