Considering Quitting

[Gunther]

Funny, I'm always in the minority on the lessons thing ... just seems to me there are so many online resources (youtube), everybody's phone has a video camera on it nowdays to video your swing, golf channel with instructional shows on every night, and discussion boards like this ... that it's MUCH EASIER than it ever was to figure out how to swing a golf club properly than it ever was in the past.   Lessons are fine, but so many people use them as a crutch & don't put in the effort to try and figure it out on their own (my wife is a perfect example of this). Golf is hard.   If you want to improve, you have to take the initiative to try and figure it out using whatever resources are available to you.

Right there with you. Never had a lesson and don't ever want one, although seriously considered it over the past few months. I'm a total feel player, don't understand the mechanics, just know what my body feels like when I make a good swing. When my buddies make a bad swing and start to explain it's because their hands were turned a certain way or some other technical rationale, I start to get tired head. A few keys I use: if I hit it left, it's usually cuz my hands were faster than my body, opposite if I hit it right. If I hit it fat, usually cuz I was moving during the swing, typically my head and if I hit it thin it's cuz I lifted up. That's about it. Often said I'm the least-informed 5 cap in America (when I was a 5, long time ago now, it seems), with probably the ugliest swing. Different strokes I guess.

[iacas]

Funny, I'm always in the minority on the lessons thing ... just seems to me there are so many online resources (youtube), everybody's phone has a video camera on it nowdays to video your swing, golf channel with instructional shows on every night, and discussion boards like this ... that it's MUCH EASIER than it ever was to figure out how to swing a golf club properly than it ever was in the past, when all the last generation had was Ben Hogan's book (ok, slight exaggeration, but you get my point).   Lessons are fine, but so many people use them as a crutch & don't put in the effort to try and figure it out on their own (my wife is a perfect example of this).

I agree that it's easIER today to get better at golf on your own. But do you know what the easIEST way to get better at golf is? Lessons with a good to great instructor.

Everyone in the world who knows a thing or two about golf can list the 10 or 20 things they see wrong with their swing. What they can't do very well is prioritize properly, or understand what things are compensations for other things, what things will go away as a result of another change, what things are unique personal things that don't need to be changed, etc.

OP - I don't know how old you are, but I can tell you without equivocation that most younger guys just swing too hard - I've seen this time and time again.   Just back it down a bit, slow up your backswing so that you're sure it's on plane and where it needs to be - do this until you're making consistent contact and getting the ball flight you want.     Then you can ramp it up - if you even need to.

There's a little bit more to it than that, c'mon. "Just make sure you're on plane" is something people struggle with their entire lives. Major champions struggle with it now and then.

We can't just say "hit the ball far and straight, and into the hole." Golf isn't that simple.

Golf is hard.   If you want to improve, you have to take the initiative to try and figure it out using whatever resources are available to you.

Question for you: have you bought Lowest Score Wins? :) I'm only asking because it's one of the best resources out there.

I'm a total feel player,

You and everyone else.

don't understand the mechanics, just know what my body feels like when I make a good swing.

Please define "good." You're listed as a 5 or whatever, but I guarantee that your motion could be improved. It's the job of the instructor to understand the mechanics. There's more in the thread above so I'm not going to belabor the point here.

Ultimately, I don't have any financial stake in whether you take lessons or not, but I do encourage people to seek out GOOD to GREAT instructors and take lessons, because I do care about all of the members of this site, and want them to get the most enjoyment and play their best golf.

[loonsailor]

Going back to the original post...

You talk about playing, and about your swing, but you don't talk about practice.  Playing a par 3 course is fun, but it's not practice.

I'm in sort of a similar place to you, except that I don't feel discouraged by it at all.  I started playing about 2.5 years ago, when my sons got me out for my 60th birthday and I found that I enjoyed the game much more than I expected to.  I've taken a few lessons from a TPI level 3 instructor, and they've helped.  But they weren't going to help all by themselves.  Personally, I really enjoy practice.  I go out a few times a week for an hour or so, and work on chipping, 20-50 yd. pitches, putting etc.  What the lessons have done is to give me a better idea of how to practice, and what to work on.

Like most people, I began by spending time on the range and trying to it it far, but I found that it wasn't helping.  The reality for me is that I'm never likely to drive the ball 300, or even 250.  That means I'm not gonna reach many greens in regulation (except par 3's) and my usual path to par is going to be getting the ball up and down.  So, I work on those skills - pitching, chipping and putting.  The funny thing is that now that my pitching is becoming reliable and accurate, my confidence is growing, and my drives and long irons are getting better, either because I'm less stressed about it or because the work I do on my short game is improving my stroke.

So, my suggestion is to stop worrying about your scores for a while, and spend little or no time with your driver.  Go out and get some focused practice.  I find that I enjoy it al least as much as I enjoy playing, and I can do it when I don't have time even for nine holes.  Start near the green on short chips, then back up to 20 yd. pitches, 30 yd. pitches, etc.  It'll clear your mind, give you some great time outdoors, and build your confidence.  Practice from the green out, rather than from the tee in.  If you do that, my guess is that you'll enjoy your playing time more and, coincidentally, your scores will start to drop.

BTW, my index is down to 23.0, which ain't great but it is falling and I'm pretty sure I'll get it below 20 before too long.  I usually play on a difficult course, slope 131, and usually break 100.  Having started only at age 60 my goals are realistic.  I'm improving and having fun and I don't worry about it much beyond that.

[iacas]

@zeitgeist , have you read these posts? Do you have any thoughts?

[Infamous 273]

The only advice I can give is what helped me get better before I was consistent off the tee: lag putting and chip/pitch shots.

[colin007]

You know what helped me? At the bare minimum? Understanding what makes the ball curve. It's extremely frustrating when the ball is going sideways and you don't know why. OTOH, I guess it could be maddening if you know why the ball is curving but you can't make it stop...

[whatwoodtigerdo]

You know what helped me? At the bare minimum? Understanding what makes the ball curve. It's extremely frustrating when the ball is going sideways and you don't know why. OTOH, I guess it could be maddening if you know why the ball is curving but you can't make it stop...

Or if you blade it or chunk it. Then they all kind of go straight.

[newtogolf]

You know what helped me? At the bare minimum? Understanding what makes the ball curve. It's extremely frustrating when the ball is going sideways and you don't know why. OTOH, I guess it could be maddening if you know why the ball is curving but you can't make it stop...

You may understand what makes the ball curve but I'm sure there are a lot of golfers that incorrectly believe they know what makes the ball curve.  In Haney Blueprint, Haney tells viewers that if you want to hit a fade, swing to the right, and to hit a draw swing to the left (right hand golfers) but completely ignores what the position of the club face is.

[mdl]

I would say to ask yourself why you play.

If I played because I thought I was ever going to really be any good at it I would have quit a long time ago. Playing well is relative anyway.

I play because I like hitting a ball (even if it doesn't always cooperate).

I play because I enjoy spending time with my family and friends in an activity.

I play to relax and only think about what I need to do on my next shot (the rest of the world doesn't even exist for those hours on the course).

I play to get outside and get some exercise.

I play because I enjoy playing sports and games and enjoy doing the best I can do on that day with what I brought to the dance.

Playing to a certain level and shooting low scores isn't on my list. If it happens it happens and if it doesn't it doesn't.

Agree with all of this except only sort of with the bolded part.  Part of the reason I play is because I enjoy sports and games partially because I enjoy the process of figuring them out, practicing, and getting better.  For that to be fun I have to believe that if I stick with it for a lifetime I can keep slowly improving and be quite good for an amateur eventually.  I'm 33, so have many years before I have to accept significant limitations from physical decline.

Of course, at this point, I consider your 5.1 HC quite good!  Hence I agree with your playing well is relative.  If you went back 4 years when my best days, with some luck, were low to mid 80s and suddenly gave me the game I have now then I'd be pumped and feel like I was a good player.  Now if I go out, hit the ball average for me, have some normal bogeys, don't have a lights out day around the green, and hit a few really terrible shots that lead to doubles and shoot an 84 and I'm not pissed or anything, still enjoy getting out and playing for all the reasons you list, but I don't feel like I played particularly well!

***************

One thing I'd say to the OP related to that is that aside from finding good instruction and implementing more useful practice time, try to concentrate on enjoying the good shots.  Especially as a newer golfer who's not great it can get really frustrating to hit so many shots that don't go anywhere near how you want.  But try to shift your mentality to every shot being another chance to hit a good one.

Slice a drive into the trees?  Instead of frustratedly banging it back out, consider that shot just like an approach after a perfect drive.  Challenge yourself to hit a punch out with the trajectory you want that settles right where you're aiming.

Miss that one and only get it partially out with an approach that only leaves you a look at the front left of the green?  Take it as another chance to hit a solid shot.  Don't try a hero hard fade to the back right pin.  Just set your aim at the front left corner of the green.

Hit a solid shot 15 left of your aim point into a bunker?  Consider that a good shot!  If you'd had an open look and aimed for the center of the green you'd be near the middle of the green!

[mdl]

One other thing that I've used only a few times on the course when I was really pissed and totally lost my mental game.  In a non tournament round if you really get frustrated and just aren't enjoying it, consider the rest of the round a practice round, stop going for lowest possible score.  Simply choose a shot shape and trajectory for each shot and try to hit that.  Try a high draw with the driver.  Push it low right?  Oh well, you know you're not that good at that shot anyway.  Punch it out.  Now, let's try opening the stance a tad, club up one club, and hit a 3/4 low knockdown fade.  Etc.

The point here for me is that there's only a few shapes and trajectories that I feel relatively consistent with.  I know my chances of hitting exactly the shot I want with a 3/4 knockdown fade are low anyway, so I'm not pissed if it doesn't work, unlike if I try my stock shot for an approach with my PW, where I know I'm not 100% but I'm disappointed if I miss the green and if I'm in a bad mental space I'll just get more pissed.

Then at the end of the round I can just be pumped about the super high baby draw I played just right with my 8i to 12 feet and the stinger fade with my 3i that went exactly as I envisioned and ended up in the center of the fairway and not be pissed about the bad shots.  Like I said, I've actually used this strategy rarely, but it's one option if you're really getting yourself down with unrealistic expectations.

[colin007]

You may understand what makes the ball curve but I'm sure there are a lot of golfers that incorrectly believe they know what makes the ball curve.  In Haney Blueprint, Haney tells viewers that if you want to hit a fade, swing to the right, and to hit a draw swing to the left (right hand golfers) but completely ignores what the position of the club face is.

You are of course correct. I know that for me, my personal most paradigm shifting moment on this website was the Ball Flight Laws thread.

[Gunther]

You and everyone else. [CONTENTEMBED=/t/70065/everyone-is-a-feel-player layout=block] [/CONTENTEMBED] Please define "good." You're listed as a 5 or whatever, but I guarantee that your motion could be improved. It's the job of the instructor to understand the mechanics. There's more in the thread above so I'm not going to belabor the point here. Ultimately, I don't have any financial stake in whether you take lessons or not, but I do encourage people to seek out GOOD to GREAT instructors and take lessons, because I do care about all of the members of this site, and want them to get the most enjoyment and play their best golf.

No, I hear you. Actually sitting at 9 right now; been in a major slump since Dec or so but up 3 strokes since just March. Bunch of good scores kept me afloat for awhile. Almost made it to 10 so I panicked a few weeks back but last few rounds it's come down so I'm off the panic button. I think more than anything it's a fear of having to start over, recreate my swing and lose 6 mos to a year of enjoyable golf. I know I'd be better off in the long run if I just committed to some lessons. Couple other reasons I don't, you've probably heard them before: 1. I don't have the time to play more than once a week. When I was a 5, I played every Sun and went to the range every Thurs nite. With my job and my daughter playing club vball, that's been severely cut back to maybe 3 times p month play and virtually no range time. I do swing in my house a couple times a week but that's a weak substitute. So, if I started taking lessons, it would take me a long time to incorporate. 2. Lame, I know, but I do take a little pride in being a pretty decent player and never having taken a lesson. I'm sure down the road I'll do it cuz I just can't stand to play badly but I'm muddling along for now, picking up things here and there. This site has been very instructive.

[iacas]

I think more than anything it's a fear of having to start over, recreate my swing and lose 6 mos to a year of enjoyable golf. I know I'd be better off in the long run if I just committed to some lessons.

It's not really on-topic, but I will say that it's a myth that you have to completely start over when you take lessons. The instructor should build on what you have and do already and simply prioritize properly so that you can improve.

[chasm]

It's not really on-topic, but I will say that it's a myth that you have to completely start over when you take lessons. The instructor should build on what you have and do already and simply prioritize properly so that you can improve.

This is on the money, if the instructor is any good. On returning to the game six months ago I took the decision to take lessons from the start. The young pro I went to just worked with what I had, revising the priorities each time I went back, so that I was never -am never - working on more than a couple of things at a time. My swing is still evolving, but it looks very different to the one I took to him in January. If he'd tried to get me to make that jump at the start I couldn't possibly have done it.

[Gunther]

It's not really on-topic, but I will say that it's a myth that you have to completely start over when you take lessons. The instructor should build on what you have and do already and simply prioritize properly so that you can improve.

Yes, I would insist on this when I ultimately do commit to lessons.