What goes up, must come down??

[i2!ch]

About two weeks ago, my score was steadily decreasing. BUT, after I shot one of my best rounds, my teacher started something entirely new. We worked on what separates the good from the bad, keeping my shoulder line completely squared at and throughout impact and maintaining a good followthrough where the arms stay in front of my sternum. I didn't understand (and still don't) what was so hard about it at first but now my score has just skyrocketed. it went from mid 80's to the point where keeping score is a terrible pain. My coach said scores always go up before they can continue to drop but his words really weren't too reassuring after i walked off without finishing my round on the same day he told me that.

just wanted to hear some other peoples opinions on this.

[Peter_in_Atl]

About two weeks ago, my score was steadily decreasing. BUT, after I shot one of my best rounds, my teacher started something entirely new. We worked on what separates the good from the bad, keeping my shoulder line completely squared at and throughout impact and maintaining a good followthrough where the arms stay in front of my sternum. I didn't understand (and still don't) what was so hard about it at first but now my score has just skyrocketed. it went from mid 80's to the point where keeping score is a terrible pain. My coach said scores always go up before they can continue to drop but his words really weren't too reassuring after i walked off without finishing my round on the same day he told me that.

How much have you practiced what you've just been taught? It takes a while to get it. Your muscles need to "remember" what to do. That only comes with repetition.

[iacas]

About two weeks ago, my score was steadily decreasing. BUT, after I shot one of my best rounds, my teacher started something entirely new. We worked on what separates the good from the bad, keeping my shoulder line completely squared at and throughout impact and maintaining a good followthrough where the arms stay in front of my sternum. I didn't understand (and still don't) what was so hard about it at first but now my score has just skyrocketed. it went from mid 80's to the point where keeping score is a terrible pain. My coach said scores always go up before they can continue to drop but his words really weren't too reassuring after i walked off without finishing my round on the same day he told me that.

Tiger Woods, 2003, 2004 compared to 2005. Need I say more?

Okay, if you insist: Tiger Woods, 1998, 1999 compared to 2000, 2001. Yes, scoring goes up. You're not working on scoring - you're working on making a better pass at the ball. Screw scoring - I have two modes when I'm playing golf: scoring and practicing. When I'm practicing, I couldn't care two wits about my score. I might blade a shot and it might settle down two feet from the pin, but I'm not happy. When I'm scoring, that's all that matters - I'll take any ugly swing if the result is good. I recommend not keeping score when you're actively working on something pretty big. Relish the good shots and focus on making the swing. Your scoring will come around when you get comfortable enough to pull off the new, improved swing repeatedly.

[RainmanP]

The golf swing is not one big muscle movement. It is a system of dozens of tiny movements performed automatically by dozens of tiny muscles that have learned to work with each other. When you change even one tiny thing all those little muscles have to re-learn their new parts in relation to the whole. Building muscle memory takes a lot of repetitions.