Jump to content
Check out the Spin Axis Podcast! ×
Check out the Spin Axis Podcast!
IGNORED

Most Miserable Week of Golf EVER

zmwendland

By zmwendland
in Golf Talk

 Share
Note: This thread is 5062 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!

Recommended Posts

zmwendland Member

zmwendland

Posted
Posted

So I've been on a vacation with my family to the Hammock Beach Golf Resort in St. Augustine, FL. I have been playing golf for about 2 and a half months, and about a week ago I got my first real set of irons, a 6-PW Cleveland Mashie set with 4 and 5 hybrids. While I am at the range, I usually hit my iron shots DECENTLY, though they are always fat or thing, and my 6 iron always slices about 30 yards off target. I can hit it about 130-150 yds. I played the Ocean course Thursday and Friday, I had a bit of fun, but I shot a 122. I had to take 2-3 shots off the tees for half of the holes, as I kept slicing into oblivion or hitting the ball like 50 yards. On the off occasion that I hit a 220yd drive or a 200 yd hybrid shot, I would immediately chunk the ball about 20 yards with my irons. I had about 5 good iron shots throughout my whole round. My pitches would either fly over the green and into a bunker, or go about 10 yards from the spot I pitched it. My chips are ALWAYS shots that barely even get off the ground, and would roll to the end of the fringe. It was VERY frustrating. Today I played the conservatory course, planning to play all 18 holes in one morning. I was shooting 50 through 7 holes, and I couldn't even get ANY of my iron shots off of the ground. Well, on the eighth hole (a par 3) I hit 2 balls into the water, and gave up. I hit about 10 shots on the final par 4 of the back 9, and I gave up and went home, utterly disappointed and even considering giving up golf.

My swing sequence seems to be pretty decent, but I almost always end up hitting the ground about an inch behind the ball whenever I play on the course. I focus on rolling my left forearm back during the back swing, and rolling my wrists and arm forward during my downswing (if I don't do this, my shots go nowhere). I try to follow through well, but my club digs into the ground and I am unable to follow through. NOTHING irritates me more than when I chunk the ball 10-20 yards. I just drop the club and beat myself up on the inside.

If anyone has any tips to help a beginner golf like myself, I would really appreciate it. I have gotten 4 lessons since I started, and I watch how-to videos on youtube all the time. Any reading or video series that could help my problems with my irons would be a life saver for me.


onesome Dedicated Member

onesome

Posted
Posted

You have only been playing 2 1/2 months, I have been doing this for over 25 years and your ranting on a golf site? I see you have already made the investment in new equipment why don't you make the investment in learning how to use them....lessons. Sorry if I sound a little insensitive but 2 1/2 months????? Welcome to golf hope you enjoy it.


zmwendland Member

zmwendland

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Originally Posted by onesome

You have only been playing 2 1/2 months, I have been doing this for over 25 years and your ranting on a golf site? I see you have already made the investment in new equipment why don't you make the investment in learning how to use them....lessons. Sorry if I sound a little insensitive but 2 1/2 months????? Welcome to golf hope you enjoy it.

I guess the thing that just frustrates me the most is that I can acceptably hit the ball on the range, but once I get on the course I choke on almost every single shot. I'm not sure what happens to me...


onesome Dedicated Member

onesome

Posted
Posted

Oops when I got to the part where you said I have only been playing 2 1/2 months I stopped reading. Just keep working on what your instructor is teaching you or try someone different, it takes time and lots of practice but eventually it will come around for those willing to persevere


Pakoh Dedicated Member

Pakoh

Posted
Posted
Sounds like you just learned that hitting on the range and hitting on the course aren't exactly the same thing...

zmwendland Member

zmwendland

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Originally Posted by Pakoh

Sounds like you just learned that hitting on the range and hitting on the course aren't exactly the same thing...

Is it a mental thing?


14ledo81 Super Member

14ledo81

Posted
Posted
Are you hitting off mats on the range?

-Matt-

"does it still count as a hit fairway if it is the next one over"

DRIVER-Callaway FTiz__3 WOOD-Nike SQ Dymo 15__HYBRIDS-3,4,5 Adams__IRONS-6-PW Adams__WEDGES-50,55,60 Wilson Harmonized__PUTTER-Odyssey Dual Force Rossie II

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1
1
1

zmwendland Member

zmwendland

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Originally Posted by 14ledo81

Are you hitting off mats on the range?

No it's a grass range. I've never been to a range with mats


Fourputt Incredible Member

Fourputt

Posted
Posted

Keep working and playing.  At east you are playing golf.  I've played for 40 years, but now I live on an island with no golf available.  Recovery from heroin addiction can't be much worse than golf withdrawals.

Rick

"He who has the fastest cart will never have a bad lie."

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1
1
1
1

Used2PlayALot Well Established Member

Used2PlayALot

Posted
Posted
Originally Posted by zmwendland

I guess the thing that just frustrates me the most is that I can acceptably hit the ball on the range, but once I get on the course I choke on almost every single shot. I'm not sure what happens to me...

This is very common.

EVERY new golfers says this.

The driving range and the golf course are 2 different planets.

Range = Playing off a perfect lie, perfectly flat, and hitting the same club 25 times in a row has nothing to do with real golf.

Anyone can hit perfectly at the range, you will soon understand.

Then you will proceed to top the ball, slice, and shank the ball in real golf.

Welcome to golf.   You have now experienced the mind**** that is driving range vs. golf.

Do not fool yourself.  They are 2 different sports!

Good luck!


  • Administrator
iacas Hall of Fame Member

iacas

Posted
  • Administrator
Posted

Switch clubs and targets on every ball and roll your ball on the range and hit from whatever lie you get.

Odds are you won't do so hot on the range if you do that, either.

The point was made by others, but that's another way of looking at it. You can get in a bit of a groove hitting to the same target with the same club and propping your ball up.

Erik J. Barzeski — ⛳ I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • Author, Lowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

divot dave Great Member

divot dave

Posted
Posted
Originally Posted by zmwendland

Is it a mental thing?

could be a mental thing, u may have charles barkley syndrome.

do you have a pre-swing routine? a pre-swing thought?

I'm new and these help me out a lot. I just don't have enough time in yet for my swing to be instinctive so I need to be conscientious of certain important things regarding my swing that will wreak havoc for me on the course if i forget to do them. for instance, I have a tendency to release my irons late which causes a push/slice so I have to remind myself to practice swing and emphasize the feel of an early release. I also have to remind myself not to move my head at all... especially off the tee. I try to carry no more than 3 pre-swing thoughts with me otherwise I start seizing up.

IN MY BAG
Driver: Taylormade SLDR Mini Driver
3 Wood: Calloway RAZR Hawk
Hybrid: Ping 19*
Irons: Mizuno JPX 825
Wedges: 52, 56 Cleveland
Putter: Odyssey White Ice

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1
1
1

BWChuck Established Member

BWChuck

Posted
Posted
Originally Posted by zmwendland

My pitches would either fly over the green and into a bunker, or go about 10 yards from the spot I pitched it. My chips are ALWAYS shots that barely even get off the ground, and would roll to the end of the fringe. It was VERY frustrating.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/39411/quickie-pitching-video

http://thesandtrap.com/t/60526/erik-hitting-a-few-chips-and-pitches

These two videos were by far the best tips I have received to date (that showed almost immediate results) for me. Thanks Erik.


  • Administrator
iacas Hall of Fame Member

iacas

Posted
  • Administrator
Posted
Originally Posted by BWChuck

http://thesandtrap.com/t/39411/quickie-pitching-video

http://thesandtrap.com/t/60526/erik-hitting-a-few-chips-and-pitches

These two videos were by far the best tips I have received to date (that showed almost immediate results) for me. Thanks Erik.

Thanks.

Those two threads are item 1A and 1B when I say the short game is relatively simple and people should spend more time practicing their full swing. :)

Erik J. Barzeski — ⛳ I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • Author, Lowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

14ledo81 Super Member

14ledo81

Posted
Posted
Keep working and playing.  At east you are playing golf.  I've played for 40 years, but now I live on an island with no golf available.  Recovery from heroin addiction can't be much worse than golf withdrawals. :cry:

Have you thought about getting a simulator?

-Matt-

"does it still count as a hit fairway if it is the next one over"

DRIVER-Callaway FTiz__3 WOOD-Nike SQ Dymo 15__HYBRIDS-3,4,5 Adams__IRONS-6-PW Adams__WEDGES-50,55,60 Wilson Harmonized__PUTTER-Odyssey Dual Force Rossie II

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades
1
1
1

Note: This thread is 5062 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!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Want to join this community?

    We'd love to have you!

    Sign Up

  • TST Partners

    Carl's Place
    PlayBetter
    Golfer's Journal
    ShotScope
    The Stack System
    FitForGolf
    FlightScope Mevo

    Coupon Codes (save 10-20%): "IACAS" for Mevo/Stack/FitForGolf, "IACASPLUS" for Mevo+/Pro Package, and "THESANDTRAP" for ShotScope. 15% off TourStriker (no code).

  • Posts

    • GolfLug
      Swing Thoughts & Mental Game

      By GolfLug · Posted

      I mean there has to be some thought. For eg., something like 'soft knees and wrists' at set up and maybe a dynamic 'left arm to chin' as a trigger to start DS. I have these one or two anchor thoughts and have served me well. In fact, my wildest swings are the one where I have no thoughts or if I forget to walk thru my anchor thoughts. In contrast my best rounds are where I am consistent with the anchor thoughts.    OTOH, if I am running my entire half hour lesson (hypothetical) with some pro that I had last Saturday or whatever before every swing then I'm probably in trouble before I even get over the ball.      
    • iacas
      Brendan Sorsby Sports Betting

      By iacas · Posted

      Two bits. Bit 1 The NCAA's appeal of Brendan Sorsby being granted a temporary injunction will not be heard until February, so there will be nothing to prevent Sorsby from playing the full season and potential CFP.  Bit 2 The Big Ten Conference will hold a meeting and is expected to ban all of its athletic programs from playing Texas Tech in the regular season. Georgia has done the same. The SEC will meet to consider a similar ban. Fellow Big 12 members TCU and Kansas State are spearheading a similar ban, but the conference charter might not allow it. Meanwhile, Big 12 athletic directors are meeting this week to explore what options the conference might have.
    • iacas
      Swing Thoughts & Mental Game

      By iacas · Posted

      No, but I'm also in disagreement that golfers have no thoughts over the golf ball, and/or don't ever think I've met someone I truly believe is thinking nothing but "target" or something on most shots.
    • RetiredOldMan
      Too Old?

      By RetiredOldMan · Posted

      StuM,  I have, in the past, added a left handed club. (Ususally a 7 iron) However, I usually take a stroke penalty and move the ball to where I want it.  I play for fun and in a pinch can use theback side if my club if I don't want the penalty stroke.    RetiredOldMan,  Terry 
    • saevel25
      Brendan Sorsby Sports Betting

      By saevel25 · Posted

      So, Brendan Sorsby, Texas Tech transfer QB, was found guilty of sports betting by the NCAA. He admitted to it. He placed thousands of bets over multiple years while at Indiana and Cincinnati. This included betting on his own teams.  The NCAA rules ban athletes from betting on any sport (college or pro).  A retired visiting judge from Tarrant County, Texas has put an injunction on the NCAA ruling. He is a visiting judge because the first judge was a graduate and big fan of Texas Tech, and he recused himself. The judged ruled the following... "Under Curry's order, Sorsby is permitted to play for Texas Tech's 2026 season on the condition that he continues his treatment for a gambling and anxiety disorder and serves a two-game suspension (missing games against Abilene Christian and Oregon State)."  Don't get me wrong, I don't particularly care for the NCAA. That still doesn't mean that a college can choose when or where to say, "Yea we agree to these rules for all our sports, well except in this case." Here is a breakdown from S&W. The Hidden Weapon in Sorsby’s Injunction: How a Lubbock County Court Order Quietly Neutralized the NCAA’s Most Powerful Enforcement Tool - Law Offices of Snell & Wilmer By Ryan J. Regula On June 8, 2026, Lubbock County District Court Judge Ken Curry issued a temporary injunction in Brendan Sorsby v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, Cause No. DC-2026-CV-0791 (99th Judicial District... The main judgement made sense. Sorsby, I am going to have all this harm done to me if I don't get to play. The Judge, I agree. The penalty for gambling is too harsh, so here are all these things you must do, and I will grant this injunction against the NCAA. Basically, an analogy would be when a person goes into court for a DUI and they agree to all these other things to not end up in jail.  What sucks for the NCAA is the NCAA has appealed to Texas’ Seventh Court of Appeals, based in Amarillo. All four justices that preside over the court are graduates of Texas Tech University School of Law. It would be hilarious if all four of them had to recuse themselves 🤣. For those who like to read legal rulings...  
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.

  I accept