Any Advice For a Brand New Hack???

[N8theGr8_1988]

Hi all, 

  I'm a 30 year old beginning golfer with absolutely zero experience outside of the occasional round of mini golf. Being a lifelong athlete and uber competitive, I'm always seeking the ultimate challenge in order to keep my sanity intact (with the stresses of being a husband, father, provider, and student.) Don't really want the excess wear and tear of slow-pitch softball anymore (it's a lot more grueling than you think,) and although I adore the game of tennis (I'm a 4.5 level singles player,) my small town isn't really abounding with any noteable competition. However, I do have quite a few old school friends and some acquaintances that golf regularly. I've always admired the game but until recently I've yet to have the drive to pursue it myself. Which brings me to the meat and potatoes of this thread: As of now because of time constraints, I'm restricted to video lessons and I've been learning the fundamentals of driving from the tee box. So fr so good, but my best shots always come with a very short, compact backswing (not quite 3/4.) I can consistently hit high arching shots with minimal slice at about +/- 215 yards. When I get into more of a full backswing, my head tends to come off the ball, albeit minimally. This results in very inconsistent ball striking. Inconsistent may be too generous of a word. More often than not, it ends up being a wickedly sliced line drive, or a 20 yard dink that jumps 10 yards to the right (I am lefty, swinging lefty.) Any tips on getting better contact/control with a fuller backswing? I can generate enough clubhead speed to send one about 300 yds every blue moon, but the slice and inconsistency make it unfeasble to say the least. Mechanics are there, I think I may just be subconsciously rushing through the down swing when I feel my head pull off the ball.

[Vinsk]

If you’re good using video lessons then I think the program here Evolvr would be excellent for you. Some really good instructors. You can post your swing on the ‘My Swing’ thread and get free advice but if you want to jump in and get some more one on one instruction Evolvr is the way to go.

[N8theGr8_1988]

8 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

If you’re good using video lessons then I think the program here Evolvr would be excellent for you. Some really good instructors. You can post your swing on the ‘My Swing’ thread and get free advice but if you want to jump in and get some more one on one instruction Evolvr is the way to go.

Thanks! Forgive my ignorance, but how could I access Evolvr?

[klineka]

6 minutes ago, N8theGr8_1988 said:

Thanks! Forgive my ignorance, but how could I access Evolvr?

http://evolvr.thegolfevolution.com

[Patch]

Welcome

Golf to me when compared to other sports that involve a ball is the most challenging of the bunch. I say this after playing most of them. So, you have picked a good, life long game

As for your actual game, 215 yards is not a bad thing. Knowing you can hit the ball farther, you could play the 215 drive, while the longer drives develope. Quite a few amateurs don't hit the ball much further than 220-230 as it is from what I see.  

Another option is to continue to play those longer swings, while gaining more control of  the ball flight as you progress through your golf journey. How long it takes for that control to happen will depend on you, and your instruction. Of course with a wilder long game, you will be more dependent on your short game for better scores. 

Maybe, instead of using your driver, perhaps you will have better results using a 3W, or even a 5W, for those longer tee shots?

What ever you do, never ever let your last shot, good, bad, or really ugly have any impact on your next swing. That last shot is over, and done with. 

[Lihu]

Coming from a brand old hack, I’d say your making good progress and should just enjoy the process of improvement. 😊

[Blackjack Don]

+1 

Time and patience. If you are anywhere near like me and most people I watch, it will take a long, long time to get your left hand competent with the right hand. It's taken two years of practice three to five days a week for me to get my left wrist strengthened enough to start hitting the ball well. But when you get it right, there is no finer competition available, all ages welcome. Welcome to the insanity.

[N8theGr8_1988]

39 minutes ago, Blackjack Don said:

+1 

Time and patience. If you are anywhere near like me and most people I watch, it will take a long, long time to get your left hand competent with the right hand. It's taken two years of practice three to five days a week for me to get my left wrist strengthened enough to start hitting the ball well. But when you get it right, there is no finer competition available, all ages welcome. Welcome to the insanity.

Sounds challenging (which equates to "fun.") I look forward to the journey!

[cooke119]

Stay with the 200+ drive until you get your longer drives under control, it is always better to be in the short grass. If you're play a ~380 yard par 4 and you drive 200 that leaves you a nice 3 or 5 wood to the green. Chip on and you're putting for par. IMHO straight is always better than hitting out of the rough. Keep working on the drives at the range and they will come around with time but don't forget the fairway woods and irons. I've been told by some that the driver is the least important club in the bag, (don't know if I believe that but it is something to keep i mind).

[Shindig]

I have a few nitpicks but in general you give some very good advice.

12 hours ago, cooke119 said:

Stay with the 200+ drive until you get your longer drives under control, it is always better to be in the short grass. If you're play a ~380 yard par 4 and you drive 200 that leaves you a nice 3 or 5 wood to the green. Chip on and you're putting for par. IMHO straight is always better than hitting out of the rough. 

Er... certainly the fairway is better than O.B. or in a water hazard, and for many players, it's better to be in the fairway than the rough for the same distance shot.  However, almost every golfer will do better 20 yards closer to the green, even if they're in the rough.  Obviously there are a few exceptions to this (U.S. Open rough comes to mind), but for most of us on most courses, 20 yards is a bigger advantage.

12 hours ago, cooke119 said:

Keep working on the drives at the range and they will come around with time but don't forget the fairway woods and irons. I've been told by some that the driver is the least important club in the bag, (don't know if I believe that but it is something to keep i mind).

Definitely work on everything at the range, including the driver.  However, whoever told you that it's the least important club is mistaken -- drives are the second-biggest difference between players of different abilities;  driving well is a bigger difference to lowering one's handicap than putting or chipping. 

----

That having been said, the summary of cooke119's advice is very good:  have a tee shot you can put into play, get on or near the green in regulation with shots you can (relatively) control, and work on every club on the range. 

[Blackjack Don]

There are four parts: 

Driver, ball striking, short game, and putting. Work on all of them at the same time, but it takes time.