Solid Golf Swing - Now What?

[skillzwhogolfs]

So I have been working on my golf swing a lot lately (maybe to much) but have finally got a swing that I believe is pretty solid and feels good. Now what to get better? My best score is only 73 and really want to shoot under so what would you guys suggest I start doing? putting better, short game better, focus on reducing mistakes, anything else? just wondering what other good players have done once they got a good swing.

[dak4n6]

I believe that when you get down near scratch you approach the condition that you always hear about the tour players, that the main thing that seperates them is putting. Sure their other stats may vary in different ways - fairways, GIR, scrambling, driving distance, etc, but overall when everything is considered, it's the flat stick that earns the big paycheck at that level.

[Beachcomber]

1.) I'd focus on your nutrition, conditioning (strength training) so that you prevent injury and stay healthy.

2.) Register and play in local stroke and match play tournaments - where there is better competition.

You need to do 1 to keep playing - and not get injured.  And you need 2 to see if your game / swing is really as good as you think it is.  You'll learn very quickly where your weaknesses are in tournament conditions and pressure.  Then you can tailor your practice sessions accordingly.

Good luck!

[skillzwhogolfs]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

1.) I'd focus on your nutrition, conditioning (strength training) so that you prevent injury and stay healthy.

2.) Register and play in local stroke and match play tournaments - where there is better competition.

You need to do 1 to keep playing - and not get injured.  And you need 2 to see if your game / swing is really as good as you think it is.  You'll learn very quickly where your weaknesses are in tournament conditions and pressure.  Then you can tailor your practice sessions accordingly.

Good luck

This is a good idea and I guess you are right its only a good swing if i can repeat it during tournament play with pressure thanks.

[Yukari]

I am on the same boat as you.  However, I do play in tournaments--just your local men's club tourneys.  I finally got to the point where my swing does hold up, for the most part, during men's club tournaments.

But I also play $20 per stroke (yes that is correct) with my brother-in-law once in a while.  For some reason, my swing does NOT hold up when I play my brother-in-law.  I don't know whether it is because he is not that good so it brings me to his level or the fact that I am more concerned about the $$$ per stroke.

My thought is I am too concerned about $$$ per stroke when I play with my brother-in-law, so I don't focus on my swing.

I usually shoot in the low 80's and sometimes in the 70's (shot in the 70's 8 times this year with 73 being the lowest).  But when I play with my brother-in-law, I would be lucky to shoot low 80's.  It is usually high 80's to low 90's.  Purely mental.

We will be playing again tomorrow, so I went to the driving range today to focus on concentrating on my swing rather than $$$.  One thing I did notice the last couple of times when I played my brother-in-law is that I don't make a full shoulder turn like I normally do.  That leads to all kinds of bad shots.

Tomorrow, my key thought will be "FULL SHOULDER TURN!!!"

We'll see if I can mentally keep that thought for the entire 18.

Sorry for the rambling, but the bottom line is to develop mental toughness so that your swing holds up during pressure situations.

Oh, and I agree with DAK4N6 that the difference at the pro level is the putting.  Just look at Tiger.  He used to make everything.  Now he's lucky to make 1/2 of must make putts.