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Do you ever think "I'm always going to suck?"


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Depends on what you think 'sucking' is ( for an amateur )

Breaking 100 is great for a lot of people

Breaking 90 is very good

Breaking 80 is fantastic

Breaking 70 is amazing

Be happy you have the ability to even play the game, enjoy time with mates and be outside. Many people consider these things an impossibility

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I'm going to suggest something else that worked for me.  I dropped from a 110 to an 86 pretty fast using this.  Not for everyone, but it worked for me.

I bought the "Golfer's Logbook" (~$20 from amazon).  Its a hardcover book that has a very elegant charting method to show where you are dropping strokes.  My experience has been that people have no idea where they are dropping strokes, but it is almost always in the same place.  If you don't chart what has gone wrong, you can't fix it.

When on the course, I use my own scorecard.  Where the four-six names would usually go, I write:

JB (my initials for my total score)

F

TG

Dwn100

P

This stands for F - Fairway Hit (F is fairway, R is miss right, L is miss left, OB, or W), TG - To Green (number of strokes to get on the green for that hole), Dwn100 - How many strokes to get down when you get within 100 yards, P - Number of putts.

When you get home, copy it over into your golfers logbook.  Its amazing how quickly your flaws jump out.  When I did it, I realized my Dwn100 and P were really strong (Good short game), and my Fairways weren't horrible, but my TG score was really bad.  After a lesson on irons and approach shots, and some time on a range that has fake greens to hit at, my score plumetted.  If, for example, you see a string of OB, Ws and Ls on your F section, go to 3 wood for a round instad of driver and see how you do.  You need to find out where you are dropping shots.  And don't say "its everywhere!"  It isn't.  If it were, you'd be at 120, not low-90s.  Its a specific part of your game.  Figure out what that part is.

You can't get better until you know whats wrong.  Play 4-5 18 hole rounds doing this and I think you'll see a pattern jump out.

  • Upvote 1
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Think of golf like some fickle girlfriend/boyfriend.  Sometimes you gain their favour.  Sometimes not.  Either way just be glad you aren't working :D

Vic aka Ringworld aka Community Director at Greenskeeper.org aka All Around Nice Guy.


I feel your pain. I recently purchased three things that in a short and I mean short amount of time have markedly improved my playing. Let me start first by saying that my critical deficiency is impact. I am or was (you have no idea how happy I am to say was) a club flipper. I hated myself for being a club flipper. I would have put cigarettes out on my forehead to correct this problem if I thought it would have worked. Well, I got my three things and between them all I am cured. Yes, I hit one fat like everyone else once in a while but in two weeks I made dramatic improvement and I mean dramatic. The three items were.

1. Sybervision Impact Zone with Bobby Clampett. I respect the impact zone philosophy that Bobby teaches and I agree that dynamics are what counts and not style. I know it's pricey and seems kinda hokey but there is something about it that in my humble opinion really works. Plus you can return it within thirty days if you don't like it. If you use it everyday that is plenty of time. I will do a complete review of this product in a few weeks but I will say that for me it was a worthwhile purchase.

2. Gary Wiren Impact bag. Great cause I can use it in the living room. I practice with it 15 minutes a day usually (3), 5 minute sessions.

3. Tour striker 56-degree wedge. It really does give you the feel of what a club can do for you if you let it.

The total on all this is around $400.00 which I agree is pricey but to hit a pall consistently pure and straight is so worth it. I spent $2000.00 on lessons at Golf Tec and in a year they could not do what this combination has done in 2 weeks. I hope this helps. Greg



He has me split up my buckets, large bucket = 3 small buckets (120 balls).

First bucket is warmup (10 balls) and wedge drills shooting to flags at 50 feet, 75 feet, 100 feet.  Shooting in groups of five balls at each one to track percentages that land on the mini-greens (15 feet) to the flag.

2nd bucket is split between 9i - 5i using groups of eight balls aiming at targets that are on alternating sides of the "fairway" to get used to hitting to a target not just being happy with straight.

3rd bucket is split between woods and Simulated course.  Again aiming for targets at appropriate distances for the club.  Simulated course is hiitting with clubs as you would on a course based on the distances he provides.  Right now the distances leave the driver out of the equation, and focus on 3w, hybrids and irons.  This is to get me used to hitting different length clubs back to back, as I sometimes will hit thin or fat when I switch.   He gets me track every shot if I hit left, right, short and long of the target during this drill to 1) record the results as he wants me to during course play, 2) to force me to pause, put the club down, write something, then go back through gripping the club and addressing the ball.

Originally Posted by SpacklersEdge

What sort of structure in the range sessions did you get?



Joe Paradiso

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... I, too, spent, and sought out, and searched, and practiced til my hands bled..literally. had 2 instructors who taught [COLOR=#FF00AA]DIFFERENT styles[/COLOR][COLOR=#FF00AA[/COLOR], which made things actually WORSE for me, because it's hard to un-learn something. finally, a new co-worker is a good golfer( 6 handicap), and he took the time to show me several small 'things,for a lack of better word..and they've done more than anyone/anything else. ... .

There have been individual rounds which became a lost cause, but I have been able to optimistic overall. WWM is on to something: finding that individual who can explain things to you. I have taken lessons from a number of people the last 40+ years, and only about half of them would I go back to - they just didn't suggest things which I could readily do. One guy was a 6-foot-2 former basketball player who was super flexible and advocated the Big Swing. I tried it for several seasons, but didn't get much except too long a backswing and OTT. Just didn't work for a 5-foot-9 former wrestler. I suggest you decide how you want to hit the ball, what sort of game you want, and then find someone who can help you get there. As far as unlearning goes, I would avoid most of the swing tips here on Sand Trap and in Golf Digest and other famous sources. Otherwise, you get those [COLOR=#FF00AA]DIFFERENT styles [/COLOR]problem big time - one swing style has elements which conflict with other swings styles. I might suggest you also divide practice range thoughts from golf round thoughts. At the range, you can tweak the swing, and work on drills to get it grooved. On the course, focus on alignment and just let it happen. Too many swing thoughts on the course destroy your rhythm. And try to have fun (it's allowed...:-O) Another tip: Everyone says the #1 most important thing is your short game. For mid to high HDCP players, the #1.1 most important thing is to put your tee shots in the fairway. Not 300 yds. down range, but in the sunshine of the hole you're playing. Haven't been able to play much this season, but last season was interesting. My rounds were either in the upper 80s or the upper 90s - some days I let it happen, other days I didn't.

  • Upvote 1

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  Dv8621 said:
Originally Posted by Dv8621

I feel your pain. I recently purchased three things that in a short and I mean short amount of time have markedly improved my playing. Let me start first by saying that

The total on all this is around $400.00 which I agree is pricey but to hit a pall consistently pure and straight is so worth it. I spent $2000.00 on lessons at Golf Tec and in a year they could not do what this combination has done in 2 weeks. I hope this helps. Greg


Oh, do I hear you there! Two years ago I decided to get more serious about learning golf instead of just going to the range, and hoping I'd break a 100 once in a while. So I signed up for Golf Tec, and did that for close to a year. Man, that was a waste of time and money. Swing maybe 10 times during a lesson and nothing that I could actually repeat. It all looked pretty good by their rotation numbers, but still hitting the ball fat most of the time. Very frustrating. During one of the practice sessions I started experimenting with keeping my weight more forward and the results were encouraging. Still, it felt a little like cheating on my instructor. After the lessons were finished, I decided enough was enough and clearly this swing was not working. I saw the S&T; commercials on TV, read the Golf Digest article and went to the range. First ball I hit (6 iron) went a 170 yards (maybe 140 yards before) and the compression felt fantastic. I was hooked like never before. About 5 weeks later I broke 90 for the first time. Gone was the slice, and suddenly there was a nice draw.

Due to a lack of playing, I did stay stuck in the low nineties and then earlier this season I picked up the S&T; book again (I had a copy last year but gave it away to my dad who needed it too!). In addition to the book, I bought the TourStriker Pro (7 iron) and The Impact Zone. While my rounds are still seesawing, I am pretty consistently in the mid to high 80s now. Yesterday I played 9 holes at my new club, and shot 40 for the first time in my life. I've also been reading the Stan Utley's short game books, which has helped immensely. Read the S&T; book for sure. For $10, the Impact Zone is worth reading I think. Both books helped me get a much better understanding of the swing and ball flights. I can actually work the ball a little now, and enough to get around most trees.

As for range vs course, I think the main difference is that on the range it is easy to focus on your swing and not worry about the ball. Target, swing, success. On the course, I find I generally stay too focused on the ball, which causes the swing pattern to change dramatically from the range. When I don't focus on the ball and just focus on a smooth takeaway, it takes care of itself. Easier said than done though.

Anyway, I agree with the other post that said that thinking 'you suck' versus 'what can I learn from that' is another key ingredient. Obviously we want to score well, but I'd suggest playing it one shot at a time. Thinking it through, hitting it and learning from it. Then, regardless of your score, you are playing golf instead of merely scoring golf. You'll have more fun and the scores will start dropping as a result from learning.

One final comment re S&T.; The last few weeks I've been playing the Nullarbor course in Australia with my dad. He's not a great golfer (100-110) but he was hitting the ball pretty straight all week, just no distance. When we got to Perth, I asked him if he would indulge and go to the range and try S&T; for a session (he never read the book I gave him!). If it didn't work, he should forget all of it and go back to his normal (not terribly effective) swing. As we got the range, I had him a bunch of 5 irons. They went 125 yards on 'good' hits. I took a video of it, and he had a massive weight shift to the right on his back swing. So I started with him trying to start more centered. After a few shanks, he hit one solid. It flew 160 yards (I know, nothing spectacular but  major improvement nonetheless). As we followed through the steps, he started hitting nice draws. I added the tee in front of the ball, and he started compressing the ball. Within 15 minutes, he went from hitting 125 yards to consistently hitting 175 yards. I think it was the best birthday present I could have given him because he was grinning the remainder two days of my visit. We played golf the final day, and although his score did not magically improve overnight, the quality of his shots did. One of his friends joined us and said he'd never seen my dad hit the ball so well.

I know this forum is S&T; heavy - and with good reason. I spent thousands on instruction from PGA professionals to little avail and just more frustration ("I have all these lessons and I still cannot beat my friends!"). The $25 for the S&T; book is the best investment you can make, and it will improve your game and enjoyment. Good luck!


So for me, it depends where you want to go and how hard you want to work. If your goal is to drop 5 strokes and have a good time with a medium amount of effort, Develop your strengths. If you have a decent short game, make it really good. If you can play a decent fade, refine it and play it. you will see a difference if you play the shots you can hit and avoid the ones you know you can't.

If you want to be a good golfer, there's no substitute for the work. A lot has been said about instructors and routines, and I agree with all of that. Once you understand where the flaw is, though, you gotta do the work. I've played maybe 4 rounds this year, but I've hit thousands of balls. It's interesting for me, because my game went in the crapper last year (HC jumped almost 5 strokes) and I was determined to get back to the level I know I can play at. Last year, I played a lot but didn't do near the practicing that I normally do at the beginning of the season. This year, I won't play my usual amount of golf until I'm comfortable with my swing. 2 weeks ago I had a coveted 8 am tee time at a popular course, but ended up going home because I stood on the first tee and just didn't know where the ball was going to go. I'll admit that's a bit extreme (so maybe a bit of an OCD with me) but I've seen glimpses at times this year to where I know my game can go, and I'm just not willing to settle for less.

There's nothing wrong with either, and you can always try the first and then the second. The second one may be more rewarding, but it's a whole lot more work!


I personally think that if you want to drop 5 shots you just have to practice your short game and putting: try to do more up&down;'s and no 3 putts and this will do the trick! ;)

At least it did for me! Cheers!


Oh, the Golf Tec days. By the time it was all over the only way I was getting 32 degrees rotation is if my instructor's head was on the tee.


I always suck.  But there will always be one or two shots that make me look like a hero only to bring me back for more punishment.  Golf is not about playing well, it's about playing with what you have that day.  And the key to any game is to score, score score :D

Vic aka Ringworld aka Community Director at Greenskeeper.org aka All Around Nice Guy.


Definitely feel like this applies way too much to me lately.  Having the worst hosel rocket problem on my chip shots and i just constantly find myself murmuring under my breath, **** me .  Don't get down on yourself tho.  Practicimo practicimo practicimo!

Handicap: 5

Home Course: The Highlands (Grand Rapids, Michigan)


To the OP the best advice you will ever get is focus on the short game and putting! 80% of a golfers shots are from 100 yds in. If you can become a good "feel" player and clutch putter then you will shave strokes off your score dramatically. Instead of wasting time on the range focus on going to the green and getting a consistent stroke. As the old saying goes "there is more than one way to skin a cat." Thats the beauty about golf, there isnt one right or wrong way to swing the club or stroke the ball. Find something that is comfortable for you and always remember CONSISTENCY trumps the new tip on the range any day!


If you are still going to the range and looking for the best solution to straightening out the swing stick to the fundamentals. Keep the left elbow straight throughout the swing and work on steady sound footwork. Take a look at the pro's and you'll notice one thing, they are rock solid sound and consistent from the waste down. The less movement you have during your swing the more likely you are to make solid shots at impact!

Good Luck and Happy Venting! :)




Originally Posted by GoldenBearCub

Definitely feel like this applies way too much to me lately.  Having the worst hosel rocket problem on my chip shots and i just constantly find myself murmuring under my breath, **** me.  Don't get down on yourself tho.  Practicimo practicimo practicimo!



If you are having problems with hosel shanks, try a straight back straight throught swing path. Keep your head down and dont "dip" with the knees. Keep a nice flex and smooth back and smooth through tempo. As long as you dont look up to see that perfect shot then you shouldnt find yourself making contact with the hosel! This usually occurs when you swing outside to inside on your swing path or as some call it "coming over the top"



Cheers!

  • Upvote 2



Originally Posted by tristanhilton85

There are times when I feel this way... I've been trying to break 90 forever and can't seem to do it and it does get frustrating... usually that is the time to step back for a week or so and then come back fresh.  Often times I'm trying to do too many things at once and taking that bit of time off helps me to forget some of the crap.

On a side note, I really feel like the breaking 90 is going to happen really soon... I had a great pretty good round going last week... I was actually hitting good tee shots AND had a good short game... those two things never match up for me... The only problem with that round is I only played 8 holes before I took off... winds were hitting 60 mph...


That is the best advice you could give someone. When the golf game is starting to go south the best thing to do is to take a week off and regroup yourself. People are sometimes terrified to take a week off but when your mind is full of swing thoughts the best thing to do is just take a little time off. When i am not playing up to my standard for a month or something like that i  take a week off and it helps me out alot.




  rush2252 said:
Originally Posted by rush2252

To the OP the best advice you will ever get is focus on the short game and putting! 80% of a golfers shots are from 100 yds in.


You know, I'd like to see a shot chart of random golfers who shoot 95-105 on a par 72 course.  I'd bet it would be closer to 50%.

Well, maybe not if the threshold is 100 yards.  But I'd still be curious to see it.  Maybe I'll try to chart my next round.  I keep tracks of chips, putts and tee shots, but I haven't kept a chart with a 100-yard distinction because I only consider the short game to be things within 50 yards of the green or so.

Brandon

Brandon a.k.a. Tony Stark

-------------------------

The Fastest Flip in the West


Hey I was like you too. Just got back into the game. I went on You Tube and came upon the Shawn Clemet web site. He has 200+ videos and his ideas are great. 100% turn around in my game!!! Give it a try!


Note: This thread is 4970 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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