where to start? bewildered and confused.

[Aamir Aslam]

Help please.

Returned to playing golf last year after an outing with work friends.  Had a blast (despite a score of 109), enough that I fancied taking up golf again.  Had played intermittently in my youth but never had any lessons.  So, got some new clubs and have had a few lessons and practice quite regularly.  Problem is over the last year that although my swing has improved (according to my pro) my scores haven't.  One of the problems is that I think that the more I research golf mechanics the better I will become.  Hence, I have read numerous books (Utley, Clampett, Price, Faldo - to name a few) and watched even more online content.  Couple this with a few training aids (tour striker pro and educator) and you have a very confused individual.

At present, when I go to the range I have such an array of drills, swing thoughts that I find it difficult to focus.  Furthermore, I get stuck on trying to hit good shots with drills  - which I suppose is not right - and the session will deteriorate into just trying to hit the ball a certain distance (e.g. 150 yards with a 7 iron yesterday).

I don't have any short term or long-term goals I suppose apart from the generic "getting better" (which thus far, I don't seem to be doing).  Just wondering how others have managed - what have they focused on for how long, what goals, etc.

i was thinking - perhaps,  that, in the first instance, I would just practice my short game with measurable goals - ie how many balls within 10 foot of the pin etc. And only move on to driving and irons after that.

All advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

[iacas]

Two thoughts for you…

1. When you practice, spend a lot of your time making the fastest, longest swings you can make while still making solid contact nearly every time. For many, that means half backswings at 60% speed only, as their MAX.

2. Throw out swing thoughts and focus on just one. If your instructor can't prioritize a single swing thought for you, find a new instructor.

Good luck.

[Aamir Aslam]

Cheers - took your advice yesterday - limited my practice to chipping and short pitches (20yrds) with my 56 and 60 deg wedges.  Was focussing on recreating impact position, keeping lower half quiet on backswing and delivering the club with hip turn  - weight on left.  Really consistent and was good fun - think I'll focus on this for future sessions until it's ingrained (presently I really have to think during the backswing as otherwise my legs get active and I'll hit it fat/thin.