A few rounds from quitting

[inc0gnito]

For example, take baseball where you stand up to face the pitcher and swing to hit the ball. With no teaching practically anyone can hit the ball, you merely swing your arms around your body. Now where the same principle applies, but you put the ball on the ground and you have to bend over , now all problems happen, but why should it when all you have done is bend over ? It should be easy to replicate.

Another thing that has helped me recently is to really change the concept of hitting the ball. I feel now that I’m trying to throw the club down the target line instead of hit the ball. Working wonders for driver and 3 wood.

I've had and will probably continue to see a Pro, however without doubt is finding the right Pro. That's the hardest thing I found.

Ain’t that the truth. I’ve put off seeing a pro for so long because I was afraid they’d screw me up even more than I was! Now I think I’m savvy enough to take the lesson and take the bits I feel will work. Like my last lesson I’ve worked on something I identified from the video and adapted the one thing he told me to do. I’ve certainly seen improvement over the last two rounds.

Like you I'm a perfectionist and golf is far from perfect, being a perfectionist certainly makes it harder due to the standards we set ourselves.

One thing I realised recently was that it’s ok to leave it short. In my mind I believed that good golf meant hitting a perfect drive down the middle, then an approach shot onto the green. Everything else was failure. Just recently I’ve made the simple realisation that hitting it down the fairway towards the hole ‘is good enough’. It’s made me feel more relaxed and approach shots more rewarding.

 

[inc0gnito]

I’m wrestling with something similar. I’ve been practising 10+ hours a week for over a year, had something like twenty lessons - but have my scores improved? Not really, no. I can strike the ball better than I used to, can hit some beautiful shots. But I can hit a push slice with the driver over to the far side of an adjacent fairway, reload and hit a pull hook out of bounds - and have no idea what changed between the two swings. Of course, I understand that the slice was because the face was to the right of the path, and vice-versa, but how I got there? No idea.

This is indeed the most frustrating thing in golf. Because it’s a face to path relationship, the bad shots can be explained by multiple possible causes. And cuz we can’t see our own golf swing on the course, it’s damn hard to know what’s causing the problem in situ.

Off the tee is the biggest detriment to my game too atm. I’m getting better again though but still work to be done.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Consistency with driver is killing me at the moment.

It might not be consistency of your driver, more when you choose to use it.

The better you get as a golfer, the less you need to rely on the all out distance of a driver to make par.

 

[badgb21]

I’ve been back to golf for the last 15 months and feel your pain!
The progress, or lack of it and often regression is like nothing else and nothing like we expect even when we know it’s a difficult game.

If you stick with it and are keen enough to practice and play sufficiently you will move along the path of better consistency over time.
One thing for sure, it isn’t like riding a bike for most of us.

I believe most of us need a plan when tackling a big challenges, whatever they are and golf is no different.

Here’s what really helped me and mostly got my head straight;
Break the game down and tackle it in separate parts; Putting/wedges/Irons/hybrids, woods/Driver
Lessons at the range and on the course, practice at home and the range, videoing on phone (great idea), playing with others to give feedback, soak up internet knowledge, oh and practice some more.

Putting; learn some basics, try some grips, read up, experiment and find what works best.

Wedges: I was taught this drill and it has been working very well; feet close together, weight on front foot, ball back in stance. Seems to give me some reliability.

Irons; Stop swinging over the top, keep body pivoting around spine, don’t sway.

Hybrids woods and driver; take time at set up and keep left arm tensioned out (they don’t say straight anymore?). Don’t try and smash it!

Learning a set of drills for each part will help to keep it together around a course and hopefully prevent the total meltdowns.

Also a valuable lesson is to take your medicine when you get into a problem. Shooting out through a gap I the trees from the rough is one for the future. Get the ball back in play and focus onwards, don’t carry those bad shots in your head for the whole round, it’s too depressing.

Good luck and stick with it.

It will come. Just not in a way you’ll expect!

 

[inc0gnito]

I can shift from hitting the ball well to looking like a complete beginner. For example, the previous two nights I was chipping the ball so well it felt so natural. Low shots, high shots, left right, it felt so good. Then today shanks thins pulls out of nowhere. This is a repetitive story over the two years and any gains I make come and go like the weather.

Happened again on Sunday. Hitting chip shots in the garden. Felt so good. Was working on different distances and trajectories then BOOM, right outta nowhere it all felt wrong. Now the last two days have been thins and chunks. Everything feels wrong and even though I’m trying all the ways that have worked before nothing is working.

I just wanna know why! Why it can go so drastically wrong so quick (other than “that’s golf”). It’s not like it’s one bad shot. It’s a complete chronic shift to the opposite side of the spectrum without knowing why. Is there some kinda self-diagnostic process? By bank balance can’t afford trips to the pro every time this occurs.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Happened again on Sunday. Hitting chip shots in the garden. Felt so good. Was working on different distances and trajectories then BOOM, right outta nowhere it all felt wrong. Now the last two days have been thins and chunks. Everything feels wrong and even though I’m trying all the ways that have worked before nothing is working.

I just wanna know why! Why it can go so drastically wrong so quick (other than “that’s golf”). It’s not like it’s one bad shot. It’s a complete chronic shift to the opposite side of the spectrum without knowing why. Is there some kinda self-diagnostic process? By bank balance can’t afford trips to the pro every time this occurs.

Golf is tough, a game of fine errors(a few degrees out here and there and its a poo shot).

I have periods like you describe and most people do. One day chipping lovely, picking the ball off the grass like a pro etc and then next day thins and fats. On full shots, some days straight and the right height of flight and the next slicing, pull hooking, low flight, high flight, basically just not in control of it. One of the reasons why my favourite thread on the forum is the 'I played today' thread, as it makes you realise everyone is having those ups and downs and you aren't alone, always cheers me up hearing someone has had a blinder or a shocker or just enjoyed the walk/round.

It is part of the golf ride and if you ever find the secret, let me know it. It batters you mentally, but you must always believe the next shot is going to be your best one ever.

If you put up a video of your swings etc, sure someone will be able to help you out and best of luck in the ride.

 

[Nickrat]

Saturday I shot 26 stableford, Sunday 43.

That's just golf

 

[JV24601]

Whereas I believe the answer to this type of thing should always be, "go and see a pro", I genuinely believe it isn't necessarily the best solution.
Reason being, there are too many pro's out there - in my experience - who are not good enough.

I can truthfully say that all of the pro's I have seen, I believe have genuinely tried to fix problems. The problem is when they don't get it right.
I think we all need luck, to find a pro who really knows what your individual issues are and to address them in the right way.

Too many out there who teach the same things and can spot an issue, but can't necessarily fix it.

 

[JV24601]

Happened again on Sunday. Hitting chip shots in the garden. Felt so good. Was working on different distances and trajectories then BOOM, right outta nowhere it all felt wrong. Now the last two days have been thins and chunks. Everything feels wrong and even though I’m trying all the ways that have worked before nothing is working.

I just wanna know why! Why it can go so drastically wrong so quick (other than “that’s golf”). It’s not like it’s one bad shot. It’s a complete chronic shift to the opposite side of the spectrum without knowing why. Is there some kinda self-diagnostic process? By bank balance can’t afford trips to the pro every time this occurs.

Firstly, I'm sorry but I don't have an answer.
Secondly, I'm sorry but there isn't an answer as I'd have found it by now.

Finally, you're not alone. I'm a perfectionist, but nobody I've played with would know that.
I really do believe that there isn't a more inconsistent golfer than me. I can play a round every single week where I can't feel or hit a bad shot. Nothing changes and before you know it, I can't feel or hit a good shot and it's like I'm picking a club up for the first time.

Sorry for the unhelpful post. I keep looking every day and if I ever find the answer, I'll let you know!

 

[inc0gnito]

Firstly, I'm sorry but I don't have an answer.
Secondly, I'm sorry but there isn't an answer as I'd have found it by now.

Finally, you're not alone. I'm a perfectionist, but nobody I've played with would know that.
I really do believe that there isn't a more inconsistent golfer than me. I can play a round every single week where I can't feel or hit a bad shot. Nothing changes and before you know it, I can't feel or hit a good shot and it's like I'm picking a club up for the first time.

Sorry for the unhelpful post. I keep looking every day and if I ever find the answer, I'll let you know!

I can relate. Except to the part about not hitting a bad shot every week 😬

Although I think I’ve discovered ‘my’ key to consistency. I’ve been watching stuff from Russell Heritage on YouTube. Mainly his videos about correct hip turn and depth. And it’s really been helping. I have the feeling now of what it should feel like and when I get that I get a better more consistent strike. And when I hit bad shots I know if it’s because of my hip turn (chips and irons). And it’s not some conceptual thing it’s a feel thing which matters.

I look forward to golf again.

 

[User20204]

My game is in despair at the moment, on Friday was probably the first time I've understood why people want to chuck it, it's no fun when you have no answers to how badly you're playing.

 

[Parsaregood]

I'm going to put this out there if you really want to break 100, you will. If you've been playing a while already, take a block of lessons and put time into learning what advice your given. It will surprise you how easily you can break 100. I can lose multiple golf balls and still shoot between 75-80

 

[inc0gnito]

I'm going to put this out there if you really want to break 100, you will. If you've been playing a while already, take a block of lessons and put time into learning what advice your given. It will surprise you how easily you can break 100. I can lose multiple golf balls and still shoot between 75-80

I lose a lot of shots from inconsistency in all parts of the game. Although I can lose a few balls of the tees, I can go through periods where I just can’t get the pace of putts, where I hit it fat with pitches, shank chips, or hook irons real bad. Between rounds and within rounds. But as I said above I recognise that a lot of that major inconsistency is down to lower body work and turning properly in the back and downswing with the hips.

With some practice of this I know it’s gonna shave shots off my scorecard.

 

[Parsaregood]

I lose a lot of shots from inconsistency in all parts of the game. Although I can lose a few balls of the tees, I can go through periods where I just can’t get the pace of putts, where I hit it fat with pitches, shank chips, or hook irons real bad. Between rounds and within rounds. But as I said above I recognise that a lot of that major inconsistency is down to lower body work and turning properly in the back and downswing with the hips.

With some practice of this I know it’s gonna shave shots off my scorecard.

Your short game and putting has nothing to do with your lower body action. Practice that you will break 100 no sweat 👍

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Your short game and putting has nothing to do with your lower body action. Practice that you will break 100 no sweat 👍

I agree and if anything the lower half needs to be passive on short shots and especially putting

 

[Oldham92]

Sounds more like you're putting too much pressure on yourself. Try getting back to just playing for the fun of it and you might find an improvement

 

[inc0gnito]

I agree and if anything the lower half needs to be passive on short shots and especially putting

That’s paradoxical. The lower body does have something to do with chipping and putting, even if it’s just to keep it passive. But anywho, I disagree with lower body not being important in chipping. I’ve found my tendency was to extend or turn my right hip toward the ball which just invaded the space for the club to move through.

 

[Swinglowandslow]

I've recently improved my chipping/short distance pitching by sticking to one format.
I use only the hands/arms to swing, and I use only my 54 wedge. Therefore the only variable is the length of the arc of the swing. That is determined ( hopefully)by where I want the ball to land.
I don't use different clubs to chip with , like some pros advocate .
I swing a few practice arcs, and then straight into the hit , trying to use the same arc/tempo.
I had found my problems were when I practice swing, then pause , then hit.
The hit always seemed to get struck harder than the practice swing.
Hope that made sense😀

 

[Sairamtim]

My friend played 36 holes last week on two courses with different groups of friends.
Hit 91 in the morning and called me as best golf he has played and his best ever score.
The afternoon round scored 118. So a swing of 27 shots in a day.
I think the more technically solid your swing is then the less prone you are to such variation. But the reality is it can happen to any of us.
Ask Rory 79, 65 on 1st and 2nd day.

 

[Orikoru]

My friend played 36 holes last week on two courses with different groups of friends.
Hit 91 in the morning and called me as best golf he has played and his best ever score.
The afternoon round scored 118. So a swing of 27 shots in a day.
I think the more technically solid your swing is then the less prone you are to such variation. But the reality is it can happen to any of us.
Ask Rory 79, 65 on 1st and 2nd day.

Or JB Holmes.