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

[Yuri Gadow]

I've only been playing for a few years—so instead of the grain of salt you might want the shaker.

I've been in a few discouraging periods where I wondered if I'd ever learn what to do or if maybe I was just not wired for golf. I also do several other sports, mainly mountain biking (all-mountain and downhill) and flying gliders. I've found the mental crossover to be really helpful. I'd bet almost any other hard, technical sport would be helpful, though in trying to think of any help scuba has given me in golf, other than a much improved attitude, I can't—but then I haven't done any technically hard dives. In my case other sports have helped me learn how to learn to execute physically (that is, how I, uniquely, learn, not anyone else) and given me a bunch of different perspectives on what's going on when my mind and body are and are not working together (the brain can complete a surprising amount of self-reflection in a few meters of flying beside a bike instead of on it.)

Maybe setting aside regular golf for a season and learning something new and o utside your comfort zone would have you coming back next season with new potential... Just a thought.

[sacm3bill]

Originally Posted by redddog

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

Yes, after just about every round for the last 2 years.

I've been stuck at my current handicap that whole time. About once every two weeks I'll think I've made a breakthrough at the range, but after a round or two that swing thought completely stops working. For the brief time that it does work, something other than my ballstriking will usually be uncharacteristically bad that day and keep me from shooting a good round. I've tried, in my mind, literally everything: Studying the swing, videoing the swing, hitting balls for an hour every day (and not just blindly - working on one skill/drill or another), getting instruction... In the 3 years I've been golfing I've had 4 different instructors and none have helped - other than perhaps the one S&T guy I went to, but at 2 hours away (he's the closest) and a $150/hr rate I can't see him on a regular basis.

I don't need to play well every time, but I do need to see some improvement over the long run for it to be fun for me, and that just isn't happening. I'm so frustrated I'm often quitting after 9 holes.  My only saving grace is my wife, who gets out with me about once a month and is an enjoyable playing partner, and whenever I threaten to quit the game for a while she says "You can't do that because then I wouldn't get out to play".

Originally Posted by iacas

If you think "I'm always going to suck" then get help from a GOOD instructor.

They are harder to find than I imagined they would be.  Giving yet another one a shot this weekend.

[redddog]

Originally Posted by Stretch

So does sucking for 20 more years.

Touche, mon frere. Touche.

[newtogolf]

I started playing seriously in July last year, took about six lessons and was pretty frustrated the entire year with the result I was getting.  I heard from enough people at the beginning of this year that my swing was a mess, and decided to switch instructors.  In three lessons he has me hitting straighter, and longer with a lot less effort than I was before.  I just finished a range session and didn't want to leave.  The biggest difference now is when I mishit (which is usually fat or thin, but still straight) I know why, where as last year I was at a total loss.  Another major difference is he's given structure to my range sessions so I make the most of them.

As others have stated, you need to find a good instructor, and practice what and how he tells you.  Results will come fast once you've found the right instructor.

[max power]

Golf is hard, and it never stops being hard.  If you're a 36 handicap you just want to break 100.  If you're a bogey golfer you want to be a single digit 'capper.  If you're around a 6 or 7 (see my HI) you want to find a way to eliminate the occasional round of 87 or 88 and start converting more birdie opportunities.  I imagine even scratch golfers have lots of things they'd like to improve.  I've got lots of friends who grew up playing all kinds of sports, and like most athletic people they're pretty good at most sports, even ones they've just started playing.  They also play golf and none of them is a "good" golfer.  Most of them will never be as good as you are, and that goes for most golfers period.  I'm usually paired up with 1-3 strangers every time I play a round, and not many have legitimately broken 100.

Finding a good instructor is clearly a smart option, but it doesn't mean you can't get better without one.  As suggested, if improving is more important than the experience of playing you may want to devote 6-12 months to just focused practice, with an occasional round thrown in.  My best friend here in town is a lousy golfer, but the one or two great shots a round are what keep him coming back, and it's starting to become 2-3 great shots a round.  Hopefully you will continue to play and enjoy the game.

[Chief Broom]

I'm of the school of thought that believes that time spent playing is better than time spent on the driving range.  That isn't to say I dismiss the range, but if I'm striking the ball well on the range then I want to take that out on the course ASAP.  I also believe in the law of averages and in order for you to shoot a good score you've got to give yourself plenty of opportunities to do so.  That only happens on the course.  I like the posts where it's suggested to use the range to identify what's going on in your swing and to work on simple drills and routines to develop those swing tendencies you want to foster and repeat without undue thought.  The thing about the range is you can jump in and work on your game in 30 minutes to an hour, whereas playing even a quick 9 takes an hour and a half and that's making good time.  Time constraints can make improving your game tough.

I'm no expert.  At best I'm a bogey golfer, but I have been able to see a slow progression in my game and skills and that is necessary I believe for enjoying the game.  I suggest struglling golfers endeavor to spend more time playing on the course, but do so in a way that is beneficial.  Play during off peak times so that you can spend more time on each hole.  You might not even play a full 9 instead playing only a couple of holes but dropping balls when you aren't happy with the previous shot so that you can figure out how best to play a hole given your own particular game and skill set.  As has been said smart play is just as important as improving your skills when it comes to shooting better scores.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by max power

I'm usually paired up with 1-3 strangers every time I play a round, and not many have legitimately broken 100.

I like how you inserted the word "legitimately" in there.  I played with some buddies yesterday, and one of them (my co-worker) beat my score by 5 strokes.  I shot a 99 (lol) and he shot a "94".

The difference is I counted every single stroke, including penalty shots, and those two took 3-4 mulligans each, improved their lie every few holes and dropped a few times taking stroke & distance without counting the penalty shots for going OB.  The kicker?  As of this morning he is still stoked about his back nine 44 that he shot, which is the best stretch of 9 holes he has had in a while.  Unfortunately, it wasn't a "legitimate" 44.

Actually, now that I think about it, he probably took more like 5-6 mulligans.  I gave him 2 mulligans on the opening tee shot since he hit both about 3 feet.

Brandon

[newtogolf]

Sounds like my golf buddies who always razz me about "playing by the rules" during a round, then brag about their great scores after the round without mention of the mulligans, foot wedges, gimme putts from up to 5 feet out, and failure to take penalty shots for balls lost in the woods or pond.

Originally Posted by bplewis24

I like how you inserted the word "legitimately" in there.  I played with some buddies yesterday, and one of them (my co-worker) beat my score by 5 strokes.  I shot a 99 (lol) and he shot a "94".

The difference is I counted every single stroke, including penalty shots, and those two took 3-4 mulligans each, improved their lie every few holes and dropped a few times taking stroke & distance without counting the penalty shots for going OB.  The kicker?  As of this morning he is still stoked about his back nine 44 that he shot, which is the best stretch of 9 holes he has had in a while.  Unfortunately, it wasn't a "legitimate" 44.

Actually, now that I think about it, he probably took more like 5-6 mulligans.  I gave him 2 mulligans on the opening tee shot since he hit both about 3 feet.

Brandon

[WesTyler]

My guess is that you are looking at others around you and comparing yourself unfavorably.  Maybe it's your scratch golfing buddy, maybe it's the pros on tour. You see this tall, steep, craggy mountain that you have to climb before you reach their level, and you're getting overwhelmed. Well, stop looking at the peak. That's not your concern. You need to worry about your next step. Maybe you need to double-check your alignment. Maybe you stand up whenever you swing (my personal demon). Don't worry about breaking par; that's an overwhelming goal. Just go fix one small thing, and start achieving smaller goals.

I would say "chin up," but then you'd be looking at the top of that mountain again. So... good luck!

[Meddle]

My handicap hovered around 20 for a long time until I made a commitment to improving my putting and short game instead of hitting the range. I don't know what kind of practice you do, but I bet those scores will start going down with more short game work.

[franky21]

What has helped me is playing to my strengths and really trusting what i am doing. I am not a very accurate driver so i use my 3 wood and 3 hybrid just to stay in play. It may be hard for me to reach those long par 5's in three but i am a good chipper and putter so i am playing to my strenghts. So my advice to you is play to your strength and hit a club off the tee that will at least give you a chance to attack the green. A 200 yard hybrid shot is better then a 255 yard drive that is in the woods.

[SpacklersEdge]

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

Originally Posted by newtogolf

I started playing seriously in July last year, took about six lessons and was pretty frustrated the entire year with the result I was getting.  I heard from enough people at the beginning of this year that my swing was a mess, and decided to switch instructors.  In three lessons he has me hitting straighter, and longer with a lot less effort than I was before.  I just finished a range session and didn't want to leave.  The biggest difference now is when I mishit (which is usually fat or thin, but still straight) I know why, where as last year I was at a total loss.  Another major difference is he's given structure to my range sessions so I make the most of them.

As others have stated, you need to find a good instructor, and practice what and how he tells you.  Results will come fast once you've found the right instructor.

[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...

[grwynn]

My advice is no better than the next guy's but...

Focus on your short game.  The most shots can be recovered with improved putting and chipping.  Instead of pounding balls on the range, practice shots of ~25 yards or less.  If there are no short game practice areas set up, then just buy a bucket of balls, drop the bucket on a level site and hit short pitches at the bucket.  Work on chipping and "bump and run" shots.  Sometimes, just rolling the ball is easier than attempting a finesse pitch shot.

Don't forget putting.  Consider changing to a "belly" or long putter.  Practice 3-6 foot putts.  This may be boring but it improvement in this area really makes a difference.

[Meddle]

I think another thing to think about is, sucking at something is relative. Everyone sucks at golf when you compare them to somebody much better. Out there someone is working their ass off to break 100, who sucks compared to you.

[junger369]

I know I'm not really adding anything that someone else didn't already say but my opinion is that I'm pretty sure this is common and a lot of golfers feel that way whatever level they're trying to break.  (100, 90, 80, etc.)

I went through that a little more last year.  Went to 2 different instructors who taught 2 different things and wanted to try and fit me into a "pro" golf swing but even if you watch the pros, nobody has that perfect golf swing so it is fitting a square peg into a round hole.  This year, I'm trying to key on a few things that seem to work for me and forget the rest and for the most part, it works.  However, those "perfect" swing thoughts do creep into my mind at times which really screw me up.

Lastly, my piece of advice is to spend as much practice time (or more) on your short game if you don't already.  In the past, I couldn't consistently break 90 because it was always a struggle to have both my full shots and short game work on the same day.  However, this year I'm trying to really work on my short game and I feel like it's paying off.  If I'm not hitting my full shots well, then my "bad" round is going to be in the low 90s.  But if I'm hitting it well, I know I have a good shot at being in the low-mid 80s.  Work on your short game and get more consistent on that part of your game and some of your short game shots will be just as fulfilling as a great drive.

(One more piece of advice is try and get a practice schedule that helps you concentrate on something you want to accomplish.  I used to go to the range and just hit balls hoping that I'll hit good shots with very little organization.  Try and be organized when you practice and know what you're looking for.  golf.com has a really good practice schedule and I think golfdigest.com has something similar too.)

[max power]

If your iron and tee game are already solid then by all means focus primarily on the short game.  But amateurs drop the most shots with their long game, and improved ballstriking will also translate to the short game.  The stats back this up, as well as my observation of nearly every other golfer I've ever played with.

Originally Posted by grwynn

My advice is no better than the next guy's but...

Focus on your short game.  The most shots can be recovered with improved putting and chipping.  Instead of pounding balls on the range, practice shots of ~25 yards or less.  If there are no short game practice areas set up, then just buy a bucket of balls, drop the bucket on a level site and hit short pitches at the bucket.  Work on chipping and "bump and run" shots.  Sometimes, just rolling the ball is easier than attempting a finesse pitch shot.

Don't forget putting.  Consider changing to a "belly" or long putter.  Practice 3-6 foot putts.  This may be boring but it improvement in this area really makes a difference.

[bunkerputt]

Stop the presses!  I just figured out why I suck at this game!  It was my clubs all along!

Here's the deal with how to think about improving at this game.  I care only because I was (and still am) there with you.  The question is really a question of attitude.  So I'm going to give you some advice on the right attitude for improvement.  Objectify your strategy.  Using the word "suck" is bringing it into the subjective.  That gives you exactly less than zero information that you can actually use to get better.  For example, here are two fictional players "Bob" and "Jim" presented with the same shot, a reasonably straightforward chip from the fringe and how each goes about his business:

Bob steps up to mindlessly hit the chip, takes a look at the hole, makes a few practice strokes, and chips it 20 feet past.  "I suck!", says Bob, slamming his club into his bag, and grabbing his putter with a vengeful snatch.

Jim looks at the shot and thinks, "How much do I need to carry this chip and how much does it need to roll out?  I think I can carry it to that brown patch of grass and it will roll out to the hole.  I think my PW is my best chance to get that kind of carry/roll combo, even though I'm not quite comfortable with that club."  Jim takes a few practice strokes, convincing himself that it matches the shot he's pictured, and hits the ball, overshooting the brown patch only slightly, but underestimating the green speed, and summarily rolling it 20 feet past.  "What happened there?", Jim thinks....  "Well, I hit it solid based on the grass mark in the dead center of the clubface.  My stroke is good, but I need to get a little bit better feel for how far this club flies when I chip it.  It also rolled out more than I expected, so I either got a flier from the grass or I misjudged the green speed.  I probably picked a landing spot that was too close to the hole.  I believe my line was decent, but the shot was carrying too much speed.  I might have done better by taking the club I was more comfortable with, but I don't want to second guess my first intuition..."

Both of these guys are hitting the same shot the same way.  Only one of them is a real golfer.  Bob has feelings.  Jim has information to work with.  Bob feels bad about his game.  Jim doesn't feel so much either way, but knows where his game is at.  Golf is as much about controlling your attitude as it is about controlling your swing.  Your attitude affects your swing.  We don't let our swings control our attitude.  If you want a real breakthrough in this game, you have to work on your attitude on the course (and range) just as much, if not more than you work on technical execution.

Like I said, I and everyone who's honest about it is right there in that same boat....