At what point do I realize I'm not good at this game?

[breeves]

I've tried for longer than I can remember to rid myself of the dreaded over the top outside to inside swing. Took lessons and tried every fix I can read about. I try a swing thought at home with my camera and replay on the TV. Think I'm on to something and go to the range to try it out. Take the camera there too. Get home only to watch the never ending horror show. I'm a 15 handicap, I have no idea how I break 100 with my swing. My practice swing (same as home swing) looks encouraging, the real swing with a real ball is the same old swipe at the ball. Sometimes get decent ball flight, but I'm beginning to think this just ain't the game for me. It's maddening  and very frustrating. I don't like playing well below my physical ability, so this making me considering just screw it and face the cold fact you don't play this game very well. Just don't know where to go from here. Maybe the boat and the lake is the answer.

[mcanadiens]

9 minutes ago, breeves said:

I'm a 15 handicap, I have no idea how I break 100 with my swing.

What? You must be playing some pretty nasty golf courses to have a 15 HI and not break 100. Put it this way, I break 100 most of the time and I'm five points higher than you are. 

Since you got the video technology anyway, post up a myswing thread and let the lads take a look. Can't hurt anything.

 

Edited August 10, 2017 by mcanadiens

[Marty2019]

17 minutes ago, breeves said:

I've tried for longer than I can remember to rid myself of the dreaded over the top outside to inside swing. Took lessons and tried every fix I can read about. I try a swing thought at home with my camera and replay on the TV. Think I'm on to something and go to the range to try it out. Take the camera there too. Get home only to watch the never ending horror show. I'm a 15 handicap, I have no idea how I break 100 with my swing. My practice swing (same as home swing) looks encouraging, the real swing with a real ball is the same old swipe at the ball. Sometimes get decent ball flight, but I'm beginning to think this just ain't the game for me. It's maddening  and very frustrating. I don't like playing well below my physical ability, so this making me considering just screw it and face the cold fact you don't play this game very well. Just don't know where to go from here. Maybe the boat and the lake is the answer.

 

I feel for you.   Yesterday, I had one of the worst range sessions I've ever had.   Shank, shank, shank.  After a while, I lined up without a ball, and just tried to have the club hit the ground in a consistent spot.  I picked a spot, and tried to hit the ground in front of that spot with a 7-iron.  I could not do it.  My impact spot on the ground moved by an inch or more every swing.   In front, behind, outside, inside.  I started to wonder if I have some sort of neuro-muscular disease that I am not aware of.  Or maybe I just completely lack eye-hand coordination.   I went to the practice chipping area, and I couldn't even chip the ball.  Fat, thin, chunk, clunk. 

I go from "I don't need lessons." to "I'm not even good enough for lessons.  It would be too embarrassing." 

Crazy thing is, the last time I played, I hit the ball great. 

My advice for you is, get together with your golf buddies, and play a round without keeping score.  Just enjoy the day.  Sorry, that's all I got for you.  If you read my little rant, thanks for reading. 

 

[breeves]

I said I don't know how I break 100 with my swing, not I'm not breaking 100. 

[Vinsk]

12 minutes ago, breeves said:

I said I don't know how I break 100 with my swing, not I'm not breaking 100. 

Boy do I feel your pain. Gotta find a good instructor or if you're video savvy then join Evolvr or get going in the Member Swing area. You are not alone by any means. Start here before anything.

 

Edited August 10, 2017 by Vinsk

[klineka]

I strongly suggest posting your swing in the swing thread section especially since you have video of it already. 

What is your typical ball flight?

I also tend to have somewhat of an over the top swing, definitely more out to in swing path but I still have been able to break 80 occasionally. My general shot shape is a fade, sometimes I do come way over the top too much especially with driver and it turns into a big slice, but there is more than one way to deliver the club to the ball on the downswing. My slight over the top action doesnt prevent me from making solid contact. Are there times where I wish I was more consistent with it? Absolutely. But I know I'm not going pro, so I play to enjoy the game and try to get better as I go.

I've seen numerous articles that state 75-85% of all amateur golfers never break 100. So congrats, youre already in the top 20-25% since you can break 100. Golf is hard. 

Its impossible to assess how good/bad your swing and over the top motion is without seeing video of your swing.

[CarlSpackler]

Do you enjoy the game? If not, give it up. If you do, focus on slow and steady improvements. It won't come overnight. 

[David in FL]

The first thing to realize is that you are pretty good at this game.  A 15 hcp is within a stroke of being in the top 50% of the golfers who carry a handicap, and probably better than 80% of all golfers out there!   

http://www.usga.org/Handicapping/handicap-index-statistics/mens-handicap-index-statistics-d24e6096.html

What never leaves, regardless of skill level, is the feeling of frustration.  The 25 hcp wants to break 100, and would kill to get to 15.  The 15 dreams of single digits, the single digit golfer dreams of scratch, the scratch golfer just knows that he's only a swing or 2 away from the tour, and the tour player wants that first win, or major.  God, but it's a maddening game!

Stick around here.  Post a swing video.  Certainly find a good instructor if you can, and you will improve.  But be warned, you'll always be frustrated by the damn game.  

Edited August 10, 2017 by David in FL

[MarvChamp]

5 minutes ago, David in FL said:

The first thing to realize is that you are pretty good at this game.  A 15 hcp is probably better than 80% of the golfers out there!

What never leaves, regardless of skill level, is the feeling of frustration.  The 25 hcp wants to break 100, and would kill to get to 15.  The 15 dreams of single digits, the single digit golfer dreams of scratch, the scratch golfer just knows that he's only a swing or 2 away from the tour, and the tour player wants that first win, or major.  God, but it's a maddening game!

Stick around here.  Post a swing video.  Certainly find a good instructor if you can, and you will improve.  But be warned, you'll always be frustrated by the damn game.  

Best advice ever! Thank you sir! -Marv

[WUTiger]

1 hour ago, breeves said:

My practice swing (same as home swing) looks encouraging, the real swing with a real ball is the same old swipe at the ball.

Here's my comments regarding @MarvChamp advice to @ThumbtackR9 in the Shorten My Swing thread.

Quote

"The "turn to tight without tension" meshes with a lot of golf lesson advice. When I try to turn past tight... I'm allowing harmful hand flourishes to creep in, which must be compensated for on the downswing. This can lead to O-T-T and other bad vectors."

I also suggested that a 3/4 swing (don't turn past tight) is easier to handle for many, and easier to keep one's balance.

Further, as others have said, try lessons and/or Member Swing videos.

[jkelley9]

We all struggle with this. Every one of us, I'm sure, albeit at different levels of play.

You have to force yourself to focus, and change. 

You can't be "afraid" to miss big. This is the number one problem for me. I'm so afraid of hitting a massive slice that I tighten up and make my same old bad swing. 

Yesterday I FORCED myself to play (what I felt was) the right swing. I hit 8 of 9 greens. Just one data point, sure. But it's getting my mind right. I'll have bad days in the future, but what I need to do is continuing to try getting my mind right and make the right swing. Not the "ol' swing."

[Hacker James]

No ti rendas, por favor no cedas!

Non renunciare mai, quello che desideri!

 

[Midpack]

2 hours ago, CarlSpackler said:

Do you enjoy the game? If not, give it up. If you do, focus on slow and steady improvements. It won't come overnight. 

+1. For the last two rounds, I've had 12 good holes and 6 where I seemed to be brain dead. Fortunately the good holes, four birdies (two each round), and the truly great shots here and there keep us all coming back. The great drives, sticking approaches, salvaging par with a great up & downs, making long or difficult putts. Even if they're few and far between, it tells your brain you can play better.

And I enjoy the social aspect of playing in a foursome. Just as important as golf itself.

Edited August 10, 2017 by Midpack

[uitar9]

This is only my 6th year but have discovered its a damn strange game. If this was baseball, we all wouldn't be trying to play in the bigs. If this was hockey, we wouldn't all be trying to play in the nhl.

We'd all just go out with our friends and play the game, laugh about stupid play and then go for beer.

Not with golf. Golf, we all want to be scratch golfers, despite the fact it is not a reasonable expectation. Regardless of how much time I play and how many lessons I take, at my age and my bodily physical abilities, I believe I will only play at the level I am at today.

I have to accept that and enjoy the game every time I go out. 

[mcanadiens]

5 minutes ago, uitar9 said:

If this was hockey, we wouldn't all be trying to play in the nhl.

No kidding. Back when I was slightly less fat, I'd play drop in on Sunday mornings. Set the sport of hockey back years I'd say.

I'm damn brilliant at golf by comparison.

Edited August 10, 2017 by mcanadiens

[DaveP043]

17 minutes ago, uitar9 said:

This is only my 6th year but have discovered its a damn strange game. If this was baseball, we all wouldn't be trying to play in the bigs. If this was hockey, we wouldn't all be trying to play in the nhl.

We'd all just go out with our friends and play the game, laugh about stupid play and then go for beer.

Wait a minute, this is how I'm doing it!.  Am I playing golf all wrong?

 

[Kalnoky]

The golf carrot is always just out of reach. Even golfers who are single digit handicaps like to say they are no good at golf. They will pick up their wedge, and show me where it hit the toe. And I'm thinking, "yes, but you are safely on the green". But that's not good enough for them. So FWIW I think a golfer is forever trying to reach their potential. 

Also well to remember a lot of these guys learned to play from dad when they were kids. So, they might make it look easy but that is literally decades of experience. In other words, unless you are a homeless person with zero responsibilities, you have to put in years of work to get really good. The golf swing is made in a crockpot.

The goal of golf (IMO) is to get competent enough where you can enjoy a competitive yet fun round with the guys. 

 

 

Edited August 10, 2017 by Kalnoky

[Vinsk]

40 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

Wait a minute, this is how I'm doing it!.  Am I playing golf all wrong?

 

Yes. You may start with a good laugh while playing with me. Then a chuckle, clear your throat a few times...well...then you may find yourself holding back some tears...and not of laughter. Then as we sip (chug) our beers...you would stare off into the distance and think to yourself..."man...I thought I'd seen it all".