Sometimes I want to quit.. Help!

[mslice15]

Hi, I'm new here. A friend referred me. Anyway, I just started playing about 2 months ago and got a friends pair of handmedown Taylormade RBladez. I am taking lessons because my dad who them at a business raffle and had no intention on using them so I took them, and right away I noticed that I have really good distances with all my irons, but terrible consistency. My instructor says my swing is pretty good, but a little too inside and over the top so I've been working on fixing that. The last time I went to my instructor he made no swing changes just made me turn my feet out a little and my shots got a little more accurate, but nothing spectacular. But every time I go to the course, I start slicing , or hitting the ground too much, or topping the ball, or this, or that, you name it. My instructor says I have pure natural talent and if I put the effort in I could make it pretty high in the golf world. I spend 1 day a week at my lessons and 2 a week at the range and 1 a week playing. I think I want to go to lessons twice a week and the range once and play a round once. Please help me stop from quitting what everyone says I have potential to be good at. EDIT: I'm also thinking about taking lessons at Mistwood Golf Course with a PGA instructor instead of GolfTec.

[gtaj]

I'd say spend time hitting short chips and pitches. Work on making sold contact to get a feel for that. At the same time practice hitting the ball before the ground on those chips as well as center contact. Always chip or pitch to a target. Sounds like you just need some time and reps getting a feel for contact. Don't worry too much about form have a clear intention and your body and mind will work the details out. It's a great game you can play all your life but it's difficult. Hang in there!!

[mslice15]

I'd say spend time hitting short chips and pitches. Work on making sold contact to get a feel for that. At the same time practice hitting the ball before the ground on those chips as well as center contact. Always chip or pitch to a target. Sounds like you just need some time and reps getting a feel for contact. Don't worry too much about form have a clear intention and your body and mind will work the details out. It's a great game you can play all your life but it's difficult. Hang in there!!

I think I'll definitely start doing this; about how far should I be? just off the green or about 10-15 yards off?

[mmoan2]

You're going to be extremely frustrated for about a year, trust me. Just keep at it.

[virtuoso]

Change the practice/lesson ratio the opposite direction you were thinking. Go 10 practice sessions for every one lesson.

[dave s]

Give it some time!  Golf lessons are a great idea.  Kudos to you for understanding the importance of that aspect of the learning process.

You want to try difficult?  Pick up a guitar!  I can't imagine too many other activities that look as easy as golf and playing guitar yet are both REALLY hard to achieve any level of competency in a short period of time.

Keep up with the lessons. Continue to find time to practice.  And also practice that short game!  Pitching, chipping and putting will play a really important role in your scoring until you can get the full-swing issues sorted out.

Good luck and keep us posted on the progress you'll soon see.

dave

[mslice15]

Change the practice/lesson ratio the opposite direction you were thinking. Go 10 practice sessions for every one lesson.

do you have any advice on whether I should stay with GolfTec or go to the PGA instructor at Mistwood?

[virtuoso]

do you have any advice on whether I should stay with GolfTec or go to the PGA instructor at Mistwood?

Couldn't really say. Don't know anything about the PGA guy at Mistwood. I've heard mixed things about golftec. One thing for certain, if you want to get even remotely decent at this game, you need to beat balls until your hands bleed....no matter how much talent you have.