Taking my game to the course

[wubskis]

WHen was your last lesson?

As I said, I have pre-existing anxiety issues, so I don't really surprise myself with what I worry about anymore, I just know my brain is capable of latching onto a negative thought and not letting go.

My last lesson was a short game lesson, so my last full swing lesson was maybe 4-5 months ago? I kind of lost faith in the guy teaching me, he seemed like he didn't really care at all, and never got round to working out my options to replace him. It's something I definitely need to sort out, especially since the UK's winter basically means it's range only time unless the course is in good keep, which generally means it's out of my price range as a university student. There's a lesson package you can get at a (fairly) local course which comprises two 60 minute lessons, a video analysis lesson and you get to play the 6-hole par 3 course they have there with the pro by your side - this is something I'm very much interested in for next summer, I just think it's a shame this par 3 course is so short, because you'll never need more than a 9-iron. At any rate, getting "caddied" by a tutor sounds like a pretty awesome way to get some insight in real-time, that's immediately applicable and not just stuff for you to think about when you're on the course.

[JML22]

Ya know it just kind of goes away
at the beginning of the season i was always worried about hitting it fat. then i just went to the range and if i hit it fat i'll be like where the •••• did that come from
Just keep goin, basically you want to stop all lateral movement of your hips , upper body is ok but hips is kind of a no no onto your back foot
Once oyu start really turning properly hitting it fat becomes a thing of the past.
Eventually something will click and you'll be like oh man how did i not figure tihs out earlier
Lessons are ok if you know the direction you're trying to go, if you get a lesson for the sake of a lesson that wont work very well
You have to want to get better and actually go work on things.

[jl923]

What about when the swing disappears in the middle of the round? happens to anyone else? I've been starting real well and inevitably my swing will desert me for 6-9 holes and come back at the end. Happens every time.

[wubskis]

Ya know it just kind of goes away

The area I'd most like to improve in is becoming a consistently better ballstriker with my irons. I feel that if I can get to the stage where I can really rely on my iron game, everything else will just slowly creep up and improve with practice. I don't really want an extra 10 yards off the tee, I could do with narrowing the scope of my misses with my driver/woods, but if I had a solid long iron game I could just put the driver/woods back in the bag until I see a "can't miss" fairway. I can already do 'good enough' around the greens so that I'm not nuking my scorecard in any given situation, and my putting is already at a stage where I feel confident enough to feel that I can rely on getting two putts from crazy areas of the green.

I think my plan for winter when I'm home from university for a month will be to look around and try to find an instructor I'd like to work with over summer 2011, and to really work on my ballstriking with them.

[Topper]

Meanwhile, on the course, if you gave me 100 shots to play, I would probably completely mis-hit around 15, banana slice/hook 25, make decent enough contact with 50-55 ("get the job done" contact), and hit about 5-10 shots I'd feel real nice about. When I say mis-hits on the course, this can be anything from completely shanking something, topping something 25 yards in front of me off the tee, catching it so thin it never gets above 5 yards off the ground, etc.

I have absolutely the same issue. In the spring and early summer I spent a fair amount time at the driving range hitting off mats. Then I went to the grass driving range and couldn't believe the difference at how poorly I hit the ball off the grass. Then I took my game to the course and I hit the ball even more poorly. I think part of the problem is psychological in my case combined with an inability to make a consistent rotation during the golf swing.

I have had constant issues with topping shots all summer, especially off the T. I finally had time to play 9 holes today but had to warm-up on the mats because the grass range was closed due to all the rain we've had. I felt like a pro hitting off the mats. Unfortunately, I know it's not "real".....unless they astro-turf the entire course. If you figure something out, then let me know!

[glk23]

If you already have anxiety issues, either take drugs or go faster. The longer you stand there the worse off you are going to be. Also either get rid of practice swings or limit to one limbering type swing. Early in the year I would go through a mental checklist before swinging to make sure everything was right. Played quick enough because I take no practice swings but golf buddy mentioned my slowness.

Went out for a practice round and tried taking my grip, walk up to get my alignment and swing. Had great results and been doing it ever since with a few modifications but still pretty quick. I know you said you don't want to go faster but if you are going to suck might as well do it quickly. Understand when I am talking about fast and speeding things up, that doesn't include the swing only the routine.

[wubskis]

If you already have anxiety issues, either take drugs or go faster. The longer you stand there the worse off you are going to be. Also either get rid of practice swings or limit to one limbering type swing. Early in the year I would go through a mental checklist before swinging to make sure everything was right. Played quick enough because I take no practice swings but golf buddy mentioned my slowness.

I already take daily meds, which I guess attests to just how nervy I get on the course. I definitely like your idea of spending less time near/over my ball and just loosening up with one armsy-flail type swing. Between that idea, and the recommendation to keep a stern watch over my tempo, I think I've got enough to keep in mind the next time I go out. Which, because of university, won't be for another two weeks or so :/

[JML22]

Dude
university isnt as busy as some people say it is
Just stay on the ball and you'll always find time to do what you want to do.
i'm in professional school and if i dont get out and do what i want to do on weekends i'd go crazy and kill myself

[wubskis]

Dude

Well, it's made a

lot harder by not having personal transport, because getting parked on campus is absolutely impossible, even with the £200/year parking pass. This means I have to rely on other people, so by the time you combine everyone's schedules, golf becomes a rarity. I'm looking into joining a club of sorts, which seems like it goes to the range once or twice a week, which would be better than nothing. Winter in the UK makes all but the best courses unplayable due to lacklustre maintenance. The only plus side is that I would be working on my ballstriking a lot if I played over winter, then five or six-putting on the absolutely horrific winter greens that are just sections of fairway with a circle drawn using spraypaint and a pit dug in the middle. I hate them so much .

[JML22]

coudl take videos and just work on your swing *shrug*