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Beginner Struggling


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Originally Posted by robey1978

Roper, I see what you are saying and you make a good point. I am trying to use the majority of the clubs in my bag and I am only using these clubs a few times going round the course. Do you think, as a novice, it is better to use fewer clubs and try and master these clubs first before introducing more clubs? Say, 5 wood off the tee, 7 iron on the fairway and wedge on approach.

I've always thought it best to try and use more clubs because I've heard people say they never take certain clubs out of their bags because the are scared to use them and I didn't want to only use certain clubs. I wanted to be able to use a broad range of clubs (which I obviously haven't mastered either!).

I would recommend that you stick with a few clubs you feel confident about, at least until you can start to gain some level of consistency. Something you might think about is take the odd irons (9,7,5) and a 3 wood, then whatever wedges you like along with your putter. That keeps it a little simpler, and you learn some shotmaking by getting your 7 to fill where you might hit an 8. At any rate, you won't start to see the need for the missing clubs until you gain consistency, and then I would add them when you can hit your 7 iron and be fairly sure of how far it will go. If possible, you should also look into getting hybrids for at least your 3 iron (when you start using a full set if you follow my advice), and possibly even down to a 4 and 5 iron. This really helps you get the ball into the air, and I often will swap out my 4 iron for a 4 hybrid on a non-windy day, because it's easier to hit and it gets into the air effortlessly compared to its iron counterpart.

 

 

My bag:

Driver: G10 10.5* w/ Pro Launch Red Reg 

3 Wood: G10 w/ Pro Launch Red Reg 

18* and 21* hybrids: G10 with Pro Launch Red Stiff 

4-PW: Ping Eye 2 Irons w/ Reg GS 95 

56* and 60*: Tour-S Rustique Wedges w/ Stiff KBS Tour 

Putter: Scotty Cameron Pro Platinum Newport 

 

 

 

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Originally Posted by robey1978

Logman, it was a long journey from Mars! :) I just thought there was the right way to swing or the wrong way. I've been taking lessons for about 5 months now and I feel I'm a little way down the track that I'd rather keep going the way I am for now, but thank you for the advice.

Good luck mate, enjoy the journey

Taking the above advice may lead to destruction of your golf game. Laughing at it may reduce stress.

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Originally Posted by robey1978

I feel like I'm almost there but there are just a few things that aren't quite right and it affects my score significantly.

I hope you're a patient guy 'coz that feeling isn't going to go away any time soon ....

In the meantime, enjoy learning the great game of golf.  It's well worth the effort and for sure, 'the more you put in, the more you get out'.

p.s. Audaxi is giving you some good advice.  I wish that someone had said the same thing to me 10 years ago - and that I'd believed him ....

Driver: Cobra 460SZ 9.0, med.
3 Wood: Taylor stiff
3-hybrid: Nike 18 deg stiff
4-hybrid:
Taylor RBZ 22 deg regular
Irons:5-9, Mizuno MP30, steel
Wedges: PW, 52, 56, 60 Mizuno MP30
Putter: Odyssey 2-ball

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I know how you feel. I've been stuck at 25 for a long time.

:ping:  :tmade:  :callaway:   :gamegolf:  :titleist:

TM White Smoke Big Fontana; Pro-V1
TM Rac 60 TT WS, MD2 56
Ping i20 irons U-4, CFS300
Callaway XR16 9 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S
Callaway XR16 3W 15 degree Fujikura Speeder 565 S, X2Hot Pro 20 degrees S

"I'm hitting the woods just great, but I'm having a terrible time getting out of them." ~Harry Toscano

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Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Seems we all struggle with the same problems. I have never shot under 100 and I hope to break this next year. Fall started :(

After each round (9 holes most of the time) I always have the feeling that I have played 5 to 10 strokes too much. Most of these are embarrassing puts and at least five toppers.

The biggest difference for me between the driving range and the course is that at the driving range it doesn't matter if a ball has a slice or hook. You just pick up another one and start all over again. At the course it makes a big difference. So the tension in the body and the mind is completely different. Besides that, like almost all starting player, I'm focusing to much on distance in stead of on consistency. I do play wonderful shots (at least in my eyes) and varies these with the ones mentioned above. While this is a drawback, it gives my the feeling that the swing is there and that it is just a matter of time when all pieces fall together resulting in a much more consistent play.

So, likes other have mentioned here: Hang in there and go step by step. And we may not forget that we can't all be scratch players.

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This sounds so familiar. I remember times where I was happy getting 2 out of 10 balls flying somewhat straight. Some things that helped me in the beginning to manage the first steps:

  • Start with the very basics and them right and really ingrained: Grip, Posture, Address
  • Slow down on the range: Not only with how fast you swing (Distance will come with proper technique, no sense in trying to hit the ball as hard and fast as you can causing a major slice or a fat shot) but also take your time inbetween shots. Get accustomed to a pre-shot routine, do some practise swings, do swings without a ball in front of a mirror
  • Reduce your backswing. Seriously, don't try to be the next Dustion Johnson, limit your backswing to around 90-100° arm radius, will make it much easier to get back to the ball on the correct plan consistently.
  • Do one step at a time: It is easy to get flooded with information, especially on the internet, but really try to take one step at a time.
  • Accept that swing changes will cause you to feel uncomfortable and, in the beginning of the change, hitting the ball worse than before
  • No need to take your driver or even woods on the course if you are not confident with them. Happens just way too often, people swinging their driver as hard as they can resulting in a slice 9 out of 10. But what they do is thinking "I hit a great drive once and played par on this hole, so I need to use the driver more often". You can play bogey golf with only your irons.
  • Get a good coach and/or post your swing on this site here. Evolvr does also seem to be very helpful
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One Thing to gain consistency is to just slow it down & force yourself to swing easy & keep it on the fairway. The better you get the harder you can swing, but as a beginner a hard swing is never good, just work on a nice easy tempo & make good clean contact

John

Fav LT Quote ... "you can talk to a fade, but a hook won't listen"

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Audaxi, thanks for the advice. I think I'll give it a go with less clubs. Hopefully playing a round with fewer clubs will give me a bit of consistency with these clubs. I already have a 3 & 4 hybrid in the new set I bought. I enjoy taking the 3 off the tee. It's a lot easier to hit than my woods. Thanks again
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Chas, thanks for your comment. I think that's half my problem, generally I'm not a very patient person. If I take up a sport of hobby I want to be proficient at it pretty quickly. This isn't the first time I've tried to play golf. I've tried a few times in the past but never had the patients. This time I've stuck with it but I've still been very frustrated. I had a lesson yesterday and the pro said that since I started taking lessons I've come on a lot and if I stick with it, it will only be a matter of time before the scores start to come down. It just doesn't feel that way. It feels like I'll never get my score down. In a way I think that's why I love golf. It's such a humbling game. No matter how good you are at your profession or anything else, there is always an element of golf that will bring you firmly back down to earth with a bump!
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Dremeber, it sounds like you are describing my round of golf! I'll have some really good shots sandwiched in between several poor ones. It is the best feeling in the world when you hit those shots that are right but they get lost in amongst the bad ones. When I do a couple of practice swings out on the course it's smooth and relaxed and I'm feeling good. As soon as that little white ball goes down in front of me I feel the overwhelming need to try and send it into orbit! I know that if I hit a relaxed smooth swing the ball will go further than if I try and smash it but something inside me just doesn't want to listen! I am also really bad for lifting my head to see where the ball has gone before I've even hit it! When I started back in February my goal was to break 100 before the end of the year. I need to reduce my score by at least 10 shots (on a good day) to be able to do that. We live in hope my friend!
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Ruufiyo, thanks for the advice. There are elements of that I am already trying to incorporate into my game. I do still take my driver out with me but it is only for show! I haven't used it on the course for some time. I think I will take it out of my bag for the time being. I haven't tried reducing my back swing but what I have done is slow my back swing right down. I found it difficult at first but I had to as I strained my intercostal muscles back in May from over swinging and I was out for 6 weeks. This has helped (when I remember to do it!). All good advice though, thanks again.
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Note: This thread is 4172 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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