Well, it looks like I may need a new hobby. :)

[TryingtoPlay]

Boy am I terrible player. I spent last night and all morning working on my swing at the range as I was trying to rebuild it into something far better than what I tend to do.  I wouldn't say that I hit the ball well, but I was consistently shaping the ball right to left with a more conventional path and I was able to hit some good shots. This is the swing that we have been trying to work on in lessons. When I got out to the course this afternoon though I was utterly hopeless. I simply could not hit the ball at all. I am talking a 13 on a 123 yard par 3 level hopeless. I reverted to my old swing after nine holes because I had just shot a front nine 73. Yes, a front nine 73. I love the game of golf, particularly the professional game, but I have just been so terrible my entire life that I sometimes wonder I bother playing. Maybe I will pick up darts or something.

[David in FL]

I hear that tennis is fun...

[JonMA1]

I know the feeling all too well @TryingtoPlay. Not sure I'm able quit this game. I'd need some sort of intervention.

If you haven't already, take a look at the thread below. Not everyone is destined to be a single-digit player. Either we enjoy the game - at whatever level we're at - or we don't.

 

[TryingtoPlay]

5 minutes ago, JonMA1 said:

I know the feeling all too well @TryingtoPlay. Not sure I'm able quit this game. I'd need some sort of intervention.

If you haven't already, take a look at the thread below. Not everyone is destined to be a single-digit player. Either we enjoy the game - at whatever level we're at - or we don't.

 

Thanks for the link. I see your Buccaneers logo. I am a Dolphins fan. 

It is just unfortunate because I am still young, fairly athletic and quite healthy. I understand the game of golf and the basics of the golf swing, I.E. what induces what E.t.c. I just can't seem to put it together.

[woodzie264]

35 minutes ago, TryingtoPlay said:

Boy am I terrible player. I spent last night and all morning working on my swing at the range as I was trying to rebuild it into something far better than what I tend to do.  I wouldn't say that I hit the ball well, but I was consistently shaping the ball right to left with a more conventional path and I was able to hit some good shots. This is the swing that we have been trying to work on in lessons. When I got out to the course this afternoon though I was utterly hopeless. I simply could not hit the ball at all. I am talking a 13 on a 123 yard par 3 level hopeless. I reverted to my old swing after nine holes because I had just shot a front nine 73. Yes, a front nine 73. I love the game of golf, particularly the professional game, but I have just been so terrible my entire life that I sometimes wonder I bother playing. Maybe I will pick up darts or something.

Try bourbon...once a round starts to go south, you might as well enjoy it one way or another

[JonMA1]

It's a really tough game to learn, by far the hardest I've ever tried. It took me 2 years just to get to the level of "bad" and I'm still there. I see folks out there almost every time I play who are just struggling to get anything in the way of consistency.

I think a bigger problem than being bad at golf is believing we should be better. That expectation of keeping up with everyone else's progress can really ruin a nice day on the course.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[JetFan1983]

32 minutes ago, TryingtoPlay said:

Thanks for the link. I see your Buccaneers logo. I am a Dolphins fan. 

It is just unfortunate because I am still young, fairly athletic and quite healthy. I understand the game of golf and the basics of the golf swing, I.E. what induces what E.t.c. I just can't seem to put it together.

You'll be fine, bud. Game's really hard, but if you put your mind to it, I truly believe a "young, fairly athletic" person can improve at this game. And I know the feeling of not being able to break 120, and it's a crappy feeling, but not something you should take too seriously. It's just a game. 

But really put your mind to what you're doing. Try to be a better student of the game.

[CarlSpackler]

Rome was not built in a day and neither is a golf swing. I enjoy playing even when I'm not hitting the ball well. I just want to be out there. Relax and Swing On. 

P.s. - Being a Dolphins fan can be corrected quickly however. 

[newtogolf]

The game is hard and feel isn't real.  What you think you're doing, you're probably not, the only way to be certain is to record your video and post it here.  If you're struggling just to hit the ball on the course which your scores seem to indicate, stop working on shaping the ball and focus on the first 3 of the 5 Keys.  

[TryingtoPlay]

1 hour ago, JonMA1 said:

I know the feeling all too well @TryingtoPlay. Not sure I'm able quit this game. I'd need some sort of intervention.

If you haven't already, take a look at the thread below. Not everyone is destined to be a single-digit player. Either we enjoy the game - at whatever level we're at - or we don't.

 

Thanks for the comment. It was probably absurd of me to think that I would be able to even play with a completely different swing than I am accustomed to after only two weeks (five practice sessions). Once I went back to my normal swing after the first ten holes I was back to playing the crazy, erratic golf that I am used to. At least I was able to play some though. Anything is better than hopeless.

25 minutes ago, newtogolf said:

The game is hard and feel isn't real.  What you think you're doing, you're probably not, the only way to be certain is to record your video and post it here.  If you're struggling just to hit the ball on the course which your scores seem to indicate, stop working on shaping the ball and focus on the first 3 of the 5 Keys.  

I appreciate the comment. I will take another look at Hogan's book.

Edited October 9, 2016 by TryingtoPlay

[newtogolf]

2 hours ago, TryingtoPlay said:

Thanks for the comment. It was probably absurd of me to think that I would be able to even play with a completely different swing than I am accustomed to after only two weeks (five practice sessions). Once I went back to my normal swing after the first ten holes I was back to playing the crazy, erratic golf that I am used to. At least I was able to play some though. Anything is better than hopeless.

I appreciate the comment. I will take another look at Hogan's book.

The keys I was referring to are not Hogans, though Hogan possessed them.  Give this thread a read;

 

 

[Patch]

I am of the opinion that a golfer, who gets irritated by their own game is out there for the wrong reason. Lower scores are relative to the individuals playing. There is a lot more to the game of golf than just lower scores. Thats not to say a golfer shouldn't strive to score lower. They should, but they should also have fun while trying to score lower. 

[paininthenuts]

8 hours ago, TryingtoPlay said:

Boy am I terrible player. I spent last night and all morning working on my swing at the range as I was trying to rebuild it into something far better than what I tend to do.  I wouldn't say that I hit the ball well, but I was consistently shaping the ball right to left with a more conventional path and I was able to hit some good shots. This is the swing that we have been trying to work on in lessons. When I got out to the course this afternoon though I was utterly hopeless. I simply could not hit the ball at all. I am talking a 13 on a 123 yard par 3 level hopeless. I reverted to my old swing after nine holes because I had just shot a front nine 73. Yes, a front nine 73. I love the game of golf, particularly the professional game, but I have just been so terrible my entire life that I sometimes wonder I bother playing. Maybe I will pick up darts or something.

My initial thoughts were that you should indeed take up another sport, then I realised you are from the U.S. and most American sports are pretty daft. A game called American Football, where you don't actually touch the ball with your feet, a game called baseball, which is what we call rounders and is only played by kids, and basketball, a game that has to be played by people over 8ft tall. 

My suggestion is that you come to terms with your ability, and set goals that suit that ability. I am pushing 60 years old, and only been playing a year. I play off of 21, and my ambition is 18. I have given up taking lessons because I now know that any differences they will make can only be minor ones, and I will have to get worse before I get better. I play with golfers who are far better than me, I have come to terms with the fact I shall never reach their level. Inconsistency is just part of playing the game. The Monday before last I was 13 over, the following Wednesday I was 36 over. The handicap system was invented for people with lesser ability, so take advantage of it and just enjoy the game.

[Rainmaker]

This will happen sometimes . .especially when you're taking lessons.  Too many thoughts in your head to actually swing the club.  Here's what I do about it:

1.  Don't play golf during big swing changes.  Just go to the range, instead. 

2.  When you do play golf, use or make up a "max score" . .ie . .double par.  Once you've hit double par on a whole, pick it up.  Don't take that 13 on a par 3.  Take a 6.   

3.  When it's really bad, stop keeping score.  Consider it practice and play for good shots instead of a good score.  Take free drops anywhere (since it's practice, anyway).  So, if you hit your tee shot OB, just drop a new ball, center of the fairway 125 yards out.  So that way you're practicing your approach shots instead of wasting your time hitting out from the trees . .you probably don't need as much practice with that as you're getting,lol. 

That's what I have done when going through periods of just not being able to put the club on the ball.  Hope it helps.  Know that it will pass . .keep practicing, taking lessons and getting better. 

[boogielicious]

12 hours ago, TryingtoPlay said:

Thanks for the link. I see your Buccaneers logo. I am a Dolphins fan. 

It is just unfortunate because I am still young, fairly athletic and quite healthy. I understand the game of golf and the basics of the golf swing, I.E. what induces what E.t.c. I just can't seem to put it together.

 

11 hours ago, JetFan1983 said:

You'll be fine, bud. Game's really hard, but if you put your mind to it, I truly believe a "young, fairly athletic" person can improve at this game. And I know the feeling of not being able to break 120, and it's a crappy feeling, but not something you should take too seriously. It's just a game. 

But really put your mind to what you're doing. Try to be a better student of the game.

@TryingtoPlay,

I agree with @JetFan1983 about keeping a gaming attitude. It is game and we should have fun playing it. But we also can get frustrated.

I highly recommend creating a My Swing thread if you haven't already done so. The best thing about this forum is no matter what our locations, backgrounds, occupations, team-allegiances, etc., we all came to this forum because we like golf. Many of us came here to find out how to improve. Posters on this site want to help each other get better. A video of your swing will start you on the road to improvement.

[TryingtoPlay]

1 hour ago, boogielicious said:

 

@TryingtoPlay,

I agree with @JetFan1983 about keeping a gaming attitude. It is game and we should have fun playing it. But we also can get frustrated.

I highly recommend creating a My Swing thread if you haven't already done so. The best thing about this forum is no matter what our locations, backgrounds, occupations, team-allegiances, etc., we all came to this forum because we like golf. Many of us came here to find out how to improve. Posters on this site want to help each other get better. A video of your swing will start you on the road to improvement.

I appreciate it. I have plenty of videos on my phone of the swing that I have been working on. I don't know how to upload any though as there seems to be a memory limit for file attachments.

Edited October 9, 2016 by TryingtoPlay

[newtogolf]

6 minutes ago, TryingtoPlay said:

I appreciate it. I have plenty of videos on my phone of the swing that I have been working on. I don't know how to upload any though as there seems to be a memory limit for file attachments.

Here are the instructions to embed videos; https://thesandtrap.com/how-to/embed-videos/

 

[TryingtoPlay]

4 minutes ago, newtogolf said:

Here are the instructions to embed videos; https://thesandtrap.com/how-to/embed-videos/

 

They are all actually on my phone though. I have never uploaded them anywhere so I have no URL to paste.