I'm embarking on a quest to become a superior ball-striker...

[jmhunter]

Somewhat off topic, but my golf game has been 100% self taught. I over heard the "pro" in a shop the other day say something about chipping that has really helped my short game: "A chip should feel like putting with a wedge", albeit you need to try and get under the ball. I took that to heart today when I played, I even did a chip in to the hole at about 20 yards, with my PW. It really helped.

Sometimes with golf, it can be as simple as hearing the right words. I realised that prior to hearing that tip, I was trying to modify a pitch into a chip, even though I knew how to chip.

[Big Lex]

This is an interesting thread. Golf lessons--from a _single_ instructor, repeatedly over the months helped me when I started out.

The other thing that helped me get better was one summer (I was about a 15 hcp at the time) I stopped thinking about the swing as much as possible, except to focus on hitting a "shot" of some sort on every swing. So, every shot, I was trying to fade, draw, hit it high, low, whatever. I really improved by doing this. It surprised me how I was able to pull off the shots quite often. I certainly didn't have great control over how much fade or draw, and I had my share of double crosses and lousy strikes, but in general I got alot better by doing this--dropped my number by 2-3 over a year or so.

Try it some time.

[scotton]

My new trademarked phrase when it comes to iron play, don't steal it:

I prefer "Don't chunk it, hit it and funk it."

Granted it doesn't have your ring, but I'd rather hit it thin than fat any day. Actually, the only thing in my mind when hitting an iron is "CRISP". In capital letters.

[$2 Nassau]

This is an interesting thread. Golf lessons--from a _single_ instructor, repeatedly over the months helped me when I started out.

Interesting post, and very timely (for me anyway).

Last night I played 9 holes and it was brutal. It was in my league and I was really struggling, I've been struggling all year so far but it reached it's pinnacle last night on the 4th hole. My partner asked me what was wrong. I told him I'm not surewhat I'm doing wrong with my iron game and have changed my swing 10 times this year because of it. He said "what makes you think you are doing anything wrong?....stop thinking so much and hit the ball....you know how to put a good swing on a ball, so just go do it. Pick the shot you need to hit for that situation and hit it, stop trying to hit the most perfect golf shot known to man....it ain't gonna happen." The very next shot was my 2nd shot on a par 4. Ball was in the fairway right at the 150 yard marker, pretty decent headwind but pin was more towards the front of the green so I had a little less than 150. I grabbed a 7i and choked up a bit...the only thing I said to myself pre-swing was "keep this shot low." I stepped up and hit a pretty solid iron shot (and kept it low, under the wind) that landed pin high on the right side of the green about 15 feet from the pin. 2 putt for par, which felt very good. The rest of the round I took the same approach and hit some nice shots. Sure, there were some bad ones in there but they were misses when trying to execute a shot, not chunks that travelled 9 yards or hosel rockets that were a result of trying some new swing or tip that I saw in golf digest or on the golf channel before going to the course.

[iacas]

The other thing that helped me get better was one summer (I was about a 15 hcp at the time) I stopped thinking about the swing as much as possible, except to focus on hitting a "shot" of some sort on every swing. So, every shot, I was trying to fade, draw, hit it high, low, whatever. I really improved by doing this. It surprised me how I was able to pull off the shots quite often. I certainly didn't have great control over how much fade or draw, and I had my share of double crosses and lousy strikes, but in general I got alot better by doing this--dropped my number by 2-3 over a year or so.

I like to tell this story.

I took a kid (I was helping to coach a high school team at the time) out who was purely a bogey golfer. He'd shoot 43 on a good day, 45 on a bad day. We played from the white tees at my course, but I never let him hit more than a hybrid off the tee. On each shot (except putts and chips) I told him a kind of shot and the club he had to use. For example, to a pin tucked front right behind a bunker from 138 yards, I'd tell him to cut a high 5-iron to the pin. Off the tee, I'd tell him to hit a running draw with a 4-iron. That sort of thing. Darnit if the kid didn't miss one green (and fail to get up and down) and three-putt once for a 38. All because swing thoughts and mechanics were out the window - it was all about "feel" and just producing funny shots. Low draws, high draws, 3/4 or less swings with some clubs... that sort of thing. So yeah, I recommend everyone try to hit a "shot" of some kind on every swing.

[phanb]

I used to be a great ball striker as a junior... I was a solid 4-6 handicapper in my 3rd year of golfing... I gave up the game 12 years ago to concentrate on playing collegiate basketball and because of knee injuries I had to stop playing...

I've picked up golfing to soothe my competitive nature and this is year two. I'm currently a 10 handicap and on my way down... what I've learned this year

*I'm waiting to get knee surgery again, and so 4/5 or my full swing is more than enough
*you have to visualize the shot coming off of the clubface... it helps tremendously
*lie dictates your shot, don't force a shot
*more then 1 full practice swing is too much, practice the path of the swing, not the swing