Best next step?

[Weeping Monk]

So i love playing golf but i am awful. Hardly ever break 100. Quick background: played a season and a half (sporadically) around 'o5/'06. Got married, bought house, blahblah,just got back into it again at the end of this year. Got about ten rnds in and got the bug. So i am wondering what the next best step is to improve. The choices, as i see it... Lessons fitting New clubs range time I plan on joining a course that has reasonable rates next year (MA, most courses close next week), so i will effectively be playing golf fairly often. To me it seems like straight lessons is probably the best expenditureof time and money. However, a fitting seems practical as well as i am 6'2" and using the chart from Callaway i should have 3/4" added to my clubs (i top/blade a lot of balls so i either need that length or its just a function of a bad swing... or both) i havehad lessons like 7 years ago and my ball mostly goes straight but a lot of short low shots chopped down fairway really kills me. Biggest weakness? Long irona, hybrid shots. Just cant do it. 5i and down i am OK, or at least far more consistent. Any thoughts?

[RFKFREAK]

I'm in a similar boat and do not have much advise to give but I'd say lessons. Learn to hit the ball well consistently and then look at buying clubs

[ReviewMyGolfPro]

Absolutely lessons! And don't wait to take them until the spring.  In my particular case a poor set up and backswing were holding me back.  After a few lessons in the fall last year I had some great mirror drills and other indoor activities to do to reinforce my new learning.  Then in the spring more lessons and that club fitting.  In my opinion you'll be fit better when you are also on the improvement path.

Good luck and welcome back to the game!

[Weeping Monk]

  ReviewMyGolfPro said:

In my opinion you'll be fit better when you are also on the improvement path. Good luck and welcome back to the game!

Thank you, and this is an aspect I had not really thought about. It makes sense. I'm not sure I can get lessons anywhere right now (or for very long anyways). All the courses and ranges are shutting down and we don't have any of those indoor ranges out here. Even the video golf place went under last year. I'll poke around though.

[ReviewMyGolfPro]

  Weeping Monk said:

Thank you, and this is an aspect I had not really thought about. It makes sense.

I'm not sure I can get lessons anywhere right now (or for very long anyways). All the courses and ranges are shutting down and we don't have any of those indoor ranges out here. Even the video golf place went under last year.

I'll poke around though.

You're welcome.  I hope you will use our site as a resource.  Perhaps some pro's in your area work out of fitness facilitates this time of year.  I see some of that in our area.  Good Luck.

[JKolya]

I was in a similar place to you earlier this year. I played for about a year and a half 10+ years ago, but life, profession, and injuries got in the way. In April this year I decided I wanted to get back into it, and took a lesson. The lesson was not the greatest, and I did not really benefit from it at all (read: my experience, not a knock on lessons).

In July I got fitted for and bought some clubs - I had the intention of waiting until I had a consistent swing, but was tired of renting clubs at the range and I came across a deal I could not pass up. Anyways, I took a few more lessons and started reading a ton on here and practicing some drills. I was going to the range 3-5 times a week and my practice was very intentional and methodical. I saw some progress, but not a ton. The problem for me was I could not see what I was doing and it was hard to go off of feel. Ie, one day you hit it great and the shot "feels" a certain way, but the next time that same feel did not replicate the shot. I signed up for Evolvr a couple of weeks ago, and in only two video replies I have noticed a huge difference. I would highly recommend a swing thread on here and/or Evolvr.

So more specifically to your questions:

Fitting: I am similar (6'2) and always had short clubs.  Had a fitting and got Ping G25s yellow dot, plus 1". Honestly, given that I couldn't repeat a good swing I do not think it was the best. I am very pleased with the irons, but I think the lie is off for me. I will probably get them adjusted in the near future. So, if you have clubs that work it could go either way - fitting could help, but I would imagine lessons/swing changes would be a better investment if it is a case of one or the other.

Lessons: Go for it. Just be patient and if you have options find an instructor who is good. Hands on has an aspect that cannot be matched with video responses. That said, video offers a lot that in person lessons without video does not. You can rewatch the video and actually see what is happening.

MySwing/Evolvr : Personally, I do not think you can go wrong with these options. Go get a lesson, but also video your swing and start a thread or sign up for Evolvr. The thing I have learned is I can easily see what I am doing wrong, but I cannot determine which "wrong piece" should be a priority to work on. The Evolvr guys (who will also reply on your myswing thread) will help you prioritize your pieces so you build a solid swing from the ground up as oppose to random (correct, but in the wrong order) pieces. You will not be disappointed.