HeadGolfool

I would definitely put your driver back in the bag. The big question do you have the time and money for lessons to fix your swing that is causing the problem? If not you are going to have to give up your desire for distance in favor of learning how to keep the ball in play, out of trouble and learn to score. You will gain some confidence start learning how to hit it straighter and eventually start being able to hit longer clubs. That's a big challenge as most high handicapped golfers are only interested in hitting it long, never learning how to get the ball in the hole with the least amount of strokes and pretty much stay at the same level forever.

When you have days when things just aren't going right or even if they are and all of a sudden you have some bad holes in the middle of a round, change your mindset from trying to make a certain score. I will play a different game where I forget about mechanics and put all my focus to hitting the ball from point A to point B to a very specific target. No matter what the out come, I channel all my focus to the next target and I do this all the way into the hole. I'm just seeing how close I can hit to each target and not worrying about the out come. It's will amaze you how free your swing will become and how good your shots will get. Before you know it your back on track.

What I see a lot of golfers do especially with long irons is trying to help the ball in the air which will lead to thin shots and loss of distance. What helps me sometimes when I'm not making solid contact is moving the ball back in my stance with my weight forward and hit some punch shots to get the feel of solid contact with my weight on my left side at impact. Have you ever noticed that it's easier to make solid contact with short irons? You trust the loft will get the ball in the air, you make a good weight shift to your left side at impact and you make solid contact. With long irons most golfers don't have that same trust and try to help things along. Hope this helps.

Every time I go the range at my club or any other, I am always curious as to what most golfers are trying to accomplish. I observe them just beating one ball after another without any real purpose. They all say the same thing when they get out on the course “Can’t figure it out, I hit the ball so good on the range”. They miss the fact that when hitting one ball after another they got into a rhythm, they were on a perfectly flat lie and most aren’t really hitting to a target. Hitting balls in a machine gun like fashion without a plan or purpose is really just warming up. I get the best results on the range when I practice at playing. Here’s what I mean: After I’m warmed up, if I’m not there to work on a specific shot, I set up holes on the range to try and make my practice like playing. I visualize some targets like a fairway and I hit my driver, then I will hit an iron like I’m trying to hit a green and I’m very specific at a target, then I may hit a chip and so on. I will play many different types of visualized holes, par 5’s, par 4’s and par’3s. This is how you play and practicing this way will prepare you much better for your rounds. If you have a difficult time with certain holes where you play a lot, set it up visually on the range and practice playing it. Try and fine some different lies that you may encounter on the course instead of a perfect flat lie. Maybe bare lies, uphill, downhill etc. Work on a specific shot that you want to get better at like a punch shot, which I think is one of the most valuable shots any golfer especially an average golfer should master. Or perhaps you want to learn to hit higher shots for your shot approach shots into greens, whatever it is, practice it. Practicing with a purpose and a plan and making it more like playing will improve you game so much more than just hitting one ball after another just to see how far they go. I would love to hear everybody’s successful practice routine that pays them the most dividends.

Quote: Three reasons. 1) 14% of golfers take lessons. So good luck to the 86%. 2) Of the 14% who take lessons, an obscenely large chunk of them are taking lessons from schmucks. 3) Of those who are left, some of them don't practice. They attend a lesson, think they've "got it," and don't put in any effort after the lesson. They play better for awhile and then go right back to their old habits. So according to your stats that few golfers will ever get better as they don't take lessons or aren't committed enough to do what it takes to improve. Which pretty much was my point. For all those other of the majority I am just advocating a way for them to shoot better scores. Quote: The bold part I never said. I just think that hitting the ball 135-150 consistently (something a guy shooting 95 isn't guaranteed to do very "consistently") isn't really playing golf, and you're going to be limited to shooting scores in the 90s or, on good days, the upper to mid 80s. If that's your goal, great. But I think it's a bit of hooey to call hitting nothing longer than an 8-iron "course management" and an even bigger bit of hooey to call that "improving" at golf. I never said that all golfers had to do was hit an nothing longer than 8 iron, there are many high handicappers that can be quite consistent with a 5-6 iron or Hybrids. For golfers that shoot in the 90's that with better course management can easily shoot in the 80's, are improving at golf better than the majority of golfers you say don't take lessons or practice if they do. Never seen a score card where you mark what club you hit to shoot the score you posted. It's obviously a choice golfers have to make for themselves. If they aren't going to take lessons from someone other than a schmuck and their not going to practice if they do, they can continue the play the way the way they are or learn another technique even if it doesn't consist of hitting the ball longer and all the things low handicappers do.

I think you missed the point of my post. I believe in good golf instruction, but I don't see most golfers making the commitment it takes to get better through lessons alone. If that was the case why aren't golfers improving? Also, I stated that I hear mixed messages from golfers about wanting to shoot better scores. If they aren't willing to make the commitment and take the time it takes to improve their swing, I am just suggesting another option to improving that can done quickly and easily. If you don't think good course management skills are important at all golf levels that's your prerogative. Golfers I have worked with using this method actually got more confident and over time started hitting the ball longer, shot better scores and are a lot less frustrated with the game. Most golfers usually play within their own handicap level and will win skins out scoring their buddies that are all over the yard. I also stated that it's not as glamorous for some that get more pleasure from hitting an occasional long drive or a great approach shot and as other post have stated they get more satisfaction from this. Personally I still believe low score wins. Lastly I did state in another post that if you can hit the ball 135-150 yards consistently you can shoot in the 80's as I have many friends that do and I certainly wasn't trying to spam this forum by having a link to my site in my signature. It's the first time I have joined forums and did not know this was unacceptable. Won't happen again

I have spent a lot of time observing golfers at the clubs I have belonged to over the years and I see a very similar pattern in regards to golfers and golf lessons. HERE'S WHAT I MEAN: At my current club we have like 5 different pros that work the shop and give lessons and we also have an LPGA Pro that does nothing but give lessons at a designated station on the range. I have watched with amusement as numerous golfers have taken lessons from as many as 4 of these different pros all with-in a 4-5 month period. Most have shown no real improvement in their games and I’m certainly not blaming it on the Pros. Here’s what’s lacking: Golfers don’t typically make a plan with the Pro and map out a program and what their expectations will be. In today's “got to have it now society” most people don’t have the time, patience or commitment to make a swing change work. Sure you may see some initial improvement with some lesson, but it will be just a matter of time before you hit some bad shots and abandon what you were working on. Time to find another teacher. When PGA pros make swing changes it takes months before they feel comfortable and they hit 1,000 balls a day. I hear golfers say “what they were teaching me just didn't’t feel comfortable” Your current swing may feel comfortable but you’re shooting “95”. So many golfers say you want to get better but aren't’t willing to do what it takes. Here’s what I mean: I have friends and friends of friends that are “95-100” shooters that say they want to shoot better scores. I show them how to make adjustments to the score on the card to meet their skill level, show them how to hit to zones and avoid trouble, change their mindset from giving up their desire for distance in favor of doing whatever it takes to score and they will all shoot the best rounds of their golfing life. It really is easy to improve, but it’s not as glamorous as hitting an occasional long drive or a miraculous shot out of trouble. So even after shooting some of their best scores ever, they will abandon this playing style and go back to their inconsistent go for broke, long ball game. So I hear a lot of mixed messages from golfer when they say they would do anything to shoot better golf. I’m not against lessons, but lessons without a plan, a commitment to time, patience and knowing that you may get worse before you see real improvement is a waste of time and money. Most golfers I observe are not willing to make this commitment. If you’re not, you would find it far easier and faster to improve your scores with the swing you have by learning the principles I talk about in the previous paragraph. If you really want to accelerate your scoring improvement take lessons for specific areas of the game like chipping, putting and one of my favorites: a punch shot. A punch shot is easy to learn, easy to hit and a safe shot that can be used in so many situations that can save you strokes. Hope this is useful. Richard

You've made a great choice going to the Stack & Tilt swing you will see tremendous results as you become more comfortable. My natural shot with it is a draw. I set up with a square club face and don't open the face like suggested in the book. Because you are swing from the inside if done correctly you will hit a draw naturally, you have to be careful if you get stuck on your back foot or quit rotating you can hit a big hook. If I don't slide my hips enough and don't keep rotating I can hit a lot of pushes. Good Luck with it!!

I carry 4 wedges but mainly for different approach shots, but around the greens I use my 60 degree most of the time. I have just good at hitting different shots with it, I can hit it high, spin it and hood it and makes it run. I do use a 54 degree wedge sometime on longer running shots. I know a lot of really good players that use one main wedge for most of their chipping so it's not unusual.

I started using the S & T swing just reading the article that came out in Golf Magazine years ago. I went form an 8 to a 4 handicap in less than 4 weeks. My whole shot pattern narrowed and I was consistently hitting fairways and green. By far I think it is the easiest swing to learn and I would recommend it to all average and high handicap golfers. Even though I was always a good golfer I always had trouble getting over on my left side at impact. S & T solved that problem and will do the same you. I think the book is better than the video as it gets a little redundant.

Lee Travino says hitting off mats is the worst thing you can do for your golf swing, it gives a false sense that yoy are hitting the ball solid. I think there is some value to practicing at home with a camera or mirriors where you can work on club positions at different spots of your swing. I see so many golfers take lessons from one teacher after another and never commit the time that it takes to make a swing change or thay buy the latest and greatest new club looking for that magic pill. Every golfer I have helped ou,t has made the biggest improvement in their scores by learning to manage their round. In other words, how to get the ball in the hole with the least amount of strokes. I didn't say it consisted of hitting the ball a mile, in fact it may not be pretty and glomorous like the equipment companies are promoting, but they are shooting scores they never thought possible. Trouble is most golfers egos won't let them play to score vs. trying to hit the ball far. To bad because golf can be a lot easier than most golfers are experiencing.

Glad it helped you, I have to work on this all the time. When i start going sideways I find that it usually come from not turning my sholder in a circular motion and not enouh tilt forward on backswing. If I do this then it's easy to rotat and keep the hands outf the swing.

I'm not saying that they don't need good fundamentals with their long game, but most high handicappers hit a driver off every tee even though they can't hit the fairway 40-50% of the time and then when they get close to the green their chipping skills are so bad they usually can't come close to getting up and down. I have friends that I've worked with on course management and improving their short games that can't hit a driver 200 yards that can shoot in the 80's pretty much on any course. The've learned to keep the ball in play away from trouble and distance isn't their concern. Learning course management and spending more time on their short game has them shooting scores they never thought possible.

This post was originated by Richard: So Listen, I’m often reluctant to originate a post because I take a very different approach from 90% of the golf word that post here. What’s ironic is I grew up in golf and spent many of my years with the same beliefs as the rest the golfing world and golf industry on what it takes to improve your golf game. ** Side Note: I’m not talking about becoming a low single digit handicapper which takes a huge commitment and a lot of time. What I’m talking about is taking a difficult game for the average golfer and making it so much easier by attacking the game from a different approach than has been generally status quo forever. From my experience as a golfer of 40 odd years and readily available golf statistics, the handicaps of average golfer still remain around “15” and haven’t improved in all these years even with all the high tech golf equipment being produced and the latest and greatest training aids. Real golf improvement can be accomplished quickly and easily from one fundamental mindset: The moment you change your mindset from trying to hit the ball as far as you can , to doing whatever it takes to score, you are on your way to shooting lower scores instantly. There are a lot of good instructors out there, but most instruction remains on the range and very few golfers are taught how to get the ball in the hole with the fewest amount of strokes. Everyone is looking for the next magic club that can take their game to the next level. If that was the answer why aren’t golfers improving? I will make a bold statement that I know will ruffle some feathers: If you can hit the ball 135 yards consistently in play, can chip the ball on a green from 30-40 yards and 2 putt most of the time you have what it takes to shoot in the 80’s. It’s not currently happening because most golfers are using the same old methods to try and improve with the same old results.

Everyone thinks they need more lessons to improve, when what they really need is to think their way around the course better and learn to play to their strengths. You being a 10 handicapper, can take you game to the next level by spending the majority of you time working on your shots from less than 100 yards. Even as your game improves you are going to miss 30-40% of the greens in regulation, so having a great short game will take you to the next level faster than trying to perfect your swing. Distance is so over rated and many times can be your biggest enemy. At 61, I am so much shorter than I was when I was younger but I am so much better with my strategy and mental side I can still play to a 3.