At what point should we stop?

[kid2]

I've been playing this game now for 7 yrs.
I've jumped in with both feet into the mechanics of my swing and tried to find what works and what doesn't. That's still ongoing by the way.

Lately I've been struggling a bit. With ball contact and also direction.
I've always seen the game left to right and i would prefer that not to change.
As a fader I have the usual culprit in the "chicken wing" but I try to keep it at bay. It's not always easy though..
I've matched my equipment to how I play. Softer shafts seem to help. Also I'm looking into maybe some ping G30 irons hoping the offset may also help with the dispersion.
Now don't get me wrong here. Im Not searching for a perfect swing.
Im looking more for a efficient swing that will hold up under pressure.
I can shoot 1 or 2 over on a good day but the bad ones look like I've have just taken up the game which shouldn't be the case off of a 5 handicap.
I'd much prefer to be a steady 5 loosing shots to short game rather than swing inconsistencies.
So is there a point where you say I've had enough and just be happy with what you have?

Or should you keep chasing the dream of getting lower?
For me I want to get lower but I'm hopeful that technique hasn't put a dampener on that happening.
I'm close to stopping all competition play and working on things in the hope that I can make my swing more efficient and relative to my handicap.
But then the other side of me says finish out the season with what you have and implement the changes over the winter...

Is getting rid of a chicken wing a big change or a small change.

 

[Hobbit]

About 15 years ago, after being a Cat 1 for about 20 years, I decided see just where could I take my game with the right coaching. I couldn't fault the coach, as he was an ex-European tour player and had a number of current tour players on his books. He had all the gizmo's, and was very clear in his teaching methods.

Short version, it just didn't work out for me. And after most of the summer spent looking for balls in the deep rough, or another county, I decided there was no more left in the tank, and just to accept my game as it was. It took a few months of relearning the old way, and removing the confusion, but it was by far the best decision I made.

I've continued hovering around 4 or 5, with the occasional trip up to 6, but at least I'm enjoying the journey.

 

[kid2]

About 15 years ago, after being a Cat 1 for about 20 years, I decided see just where could I take my game with the right coaching. I couldn't fault the coach, as he was an ex-European tour player and had a number of current tour players on his books. He had all the gizmo's, and was very clear in his teaching methods.

Short version, it just didn't work out for me. And after most of the summer spent looking for balls in the deep rough, or another county, I decided there was no more left in the tank, and just to accept my game as it was. It took a few months of relearning the old way, and removing the confusion, but it was by far the best decision I made.

I've continued hovering around 4 or 5, with the occasional trip up to 6, but at least I'm enjoying the journey.

Cheers pal..
I'm similar. After hearing how long it took Andy Sullivan to change to a fade (9 months) after Nick Dougherty asked him what he was working on and how it was going. He said it's coming along ok but I'm still not fully comfortable with it yet.. that's a tour pro with all the time In the day to practice. Kind of makes you wonder..

What I would like is just to eradicate the poor swings and bad shots from my game. I see other 5 handicappers solo ballstrikers but flakey short games and wonder how id get on with a more effecient swing.
I was 1 under gross through 12 holes last weekend and stood on our 13th par 3 197mtrs.

5 wood in hand and had already hit 3 super shots earlier with it. What do I do only top id into the lake between me and the hole.
It's this type of stuff I can't stand.
I went from -1 to + 2 and then also dropped 4 more shots over the next 2 holes from poor swings also.. And then parred my way home.

I understand it's not a game of perfect but there has to be a middle ground.

 

[Imurg]

Personally, I haven't started and I don't intend to.
I didn't start playing until I was 30 so I was never going to get really good without huge amounts of work, time and effort which I neither want or can devote to it.
I play to enjoy. If I get good on the way then fine but it's not what drives me.
I know little, if anything, about the swing and I don't want to.
I know a bit about the tech in clubs and balls but, again, it's not what drives me to play.
Others are different, each to their own and all that, but I feel that my journey will be a long and happy one because I'm not constantly striving to get better/lower or understand why the ball sometimes goes where it shouldn't...
I'll never fall out of love with the game because, just like a Woman, you'll never understand it.....so I don't try.

 

[mashleyR7]

Most guys would give the left ........ to be where you two are!

 

[kid2]

I play to enjoy. If I get good on the way then fine but it's not what drives me.
I know little, if anything, about the swing and I don't want to.
I know a bit about the tech in clubs and balls but, again, it's not what drives me to play.
Others are different, each to their own and all that, but I feel that my journey will be a long and happy one because I'm not constantly striving to get better/lower or understand why the ball sometimes goes where it shouldn't...
I'll never fall out of love with the game because, just like a Woman, you'll never understand it.....so I don't try.

That's a brilliant attitude Murg.
It's something od love to have but I'm always striving to get better.
Not because I think it makes me superior to someone else but because for me I'm one of those people that loves a challenge.

I suppose playing football all my life I still have that competitive spirit which is probably why I won't stop trying...

 

[kid2]

Most guys would give the left ........ to be where you two are!

I understand that mate.
But trust me one of the things of always said when I took the game up was that I hope when I get low enough I don't find it a chore. I don't want it to be a slog week in week out trying to post a score.
I've always said that. At the moment I haven't reached that point. If I start bad I'm always working to try get in the buffer. Constantly giving myself goals when the main one has been out out of reach.
The lower you get in this game to more flaws the game exposes.
Which is why I suppose I'm constantly trying to get one over on it..
That's why I enjoy the battle.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I'm the same as Imurg - started late and just play to enjoy the game - no lessons or practise and if I have a bad round then i just go and play another round the next day. I'm chuffed when I play well and get cut but never set any goals performance wise - straight you put yourself under pressure and this is supposed to be a hobby for us and I have no intention of being under pressure both HC or score wise

 

[pokerjoke]

Work at your game and keep working if you want to improve.
Some people turn up once a week and play crap and then wonder why after they have had a moan to everyone in the club.

There is no reason why you cant enjoy the game either way wether you want to improve or not or wether you want to be competitive or just a social round.

I also come from a sporting background and love the competitive side and strive to be the best I can be and I cant see anything wrong with that.

 

[Face breaker]

I only took the game up seriously a couple of years back at the ripe ole age of 40 so my expectations were fairly realistic due in part to being slightly heavier and not quite so supple as I was 20 odd years back, having said that I'm now playing bogey/par on most holes (with the odd birdie/double bogey chucked in for good measure) so I've at least reached my expectations if not exceeded them...

I've recently aquired an issue with my driver and the 3-wood isn't playing ball at the moment either but being able to smash an 18* hybrid straight as an arrow and to around the 200yd mark helps no end in achieving my hopefully none to shabby scores...

I take a relaxed attitude to my golf, I'm not the competitive type, I don't have a HC and I'm in no real hurry to aquire one, I play for the enjoyment of it, nothing more, nothing less...:thup:

 

[the_coach]

like most stuff in life if folks close themselves off from learning they don't stand still but go backwards some

my take golf being a pretty difficult game all told that's even bunch more reason to develop with good practice what you already got assuming the personal goal is wanting to get better - that doesn't mean major overhauls every month even every year

but real truth there's only a few folks like Bubba who don't practice the game that much - though even Bubba spends a whole bunch of hours in the gym working on conditioning/balance/flexibility

depends what's causing the chicken-wing first off as to how big a 're-work' or not the fix might be

- for instance don't clear & rotate good into/through impact then a bunch more difficult to get the 'natural' rotation of the lead arm 'elbow looking down to ground'
so after impact & the initial couple feet of the follow-through

if the lead hip has cleared good the lead shoulder rotated so opened to target while all still rotating in posture - so no standing up early extension - then the lead arm will be able to rotate to have a feeling of the lead palm facing up to 'catch the raindrops' - all that good stuff happens won't be any chicken-wing city

 

[SammmeBee]

Learn to play the game and to get the hole into hole......

 

[Wabinez]

I'm the same. Play off 6, but can have off periods where it is a struggle. In one of those periods at the minute.
My swing has flaws, and until I work them out, I won't improve any more...so have to keep trying. In so deep now trying to work it out, I don't know where my game/swing are, so can't just stop. Minefield!

 

[Slab]

How many poor tee shots are acceptable to a cat 1 golfer in a round? Reading kid’s posts it would seem, none

The way it reads you had a good round going and hit a poor tee shot on a par 3 and dropped 3 shots (not just 2 or even 1 shot but 3!) then 4 more over the next 2 holes!

I don’t know you at all but it could be that you need to more easily accept the odd bad tee shot is inevitable even at the highest level and more effectively (& importantly) manage your performance after the inevitable happens

You can look at the technique all you like but don’t dismiss that it could also be what happened in your head that caused the subsequent poor shots and cost you the round score

You can ignore this opinion because it comes from a cat 4 player or you can give it 5 minutes of your time to think through... Your score with the second ball from a re-tee or drop on the par 3 should have been a par at worse but with chance of birdie, you got bogey with it! (& pretty much did the same for two more holes)

Unless you really think it’s just poor technique that turned you from a cat 1 golfer to a cat 4 golfer for 3 holes then back to cat 1 player again?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I actually enjoy the process of having lessons, working on my game and trying to improve. This year hasn't been so good and until the health issues finally go away it won't get better. On the plus side I've played without any worry being grateful to be out there and have switched practice focus to short game and not swing mechanics

I won't stop because as I say I like it and also because no sport has come easy to me and I've had to work for any fleeting success I've had. Different strokes and all that

 

[kid2]

How many poor tee shots are acceptable to a cat 1 golfer in a round? Reading kid’s posts it would seem, none

The way it reads you had a good round going and hit a poor tee shot on a par 3 and dropped 3 shots (not just 2 or even 1 shot but 3!) then 4 more over the next 2 holes!


Unless you really think it’s just poor technique that turned you from a cat 1 golfer to a cat 4 golfer for 3 holes then back to cat 1 player again?

Doesn't matter what Category golfer you are. Opinions are always welcome..
It's definitely technique based.
I know this because I'm very strong mentally when playing.
Bad shots don't get to me as much as others.
But here's the rub. .. her shot on that hole was poor technique.
Had to drop in the DZ. Very poor ground and susequently the ball landed in a hole. 100myrs to the pin and I hit 52 degree wedge. The ball came out low and run ing which now puts me through the back of the green in 5in rough.
So now faced with an up and down to a pin that's only 4 mtrs on the green with a severe slope. short sided.
Not knowing how the ball will come out
I hit a flip shot that carries about 2 yards too far and catches the slope. So now im faced with a 30ft putt for a 5. I lag it to 2ft and walk off with the 6.

Next shot is a par 4 up over a hill. I hit 3 hybrid for position and it leaves me 115mtrs to the pin. Wind into me I go down the handle of my 8 iron to flight the ball down a little. I airmail the green. Again I'm now face with much the same shot from the rough with a much tougher flag and green.

Flop shot again but this time it needs a bit more strength. I want clean under it.
Now it's a case of trying to get up and down for bogie but I take the double.
In none of these instances was I angry or thick with myself for what happened.
My role focus was minimizing the damage to the card and always the shot in hand..

So it may look like it's head related. I
And you could put it down to a bit of bad luck but I know my game and I know there are weaknesses in my swing that I need to address.
I think it's a learning curve to be fair. And maybe it's always going to be a tweak here and a tweak there....
But I suppose it's what keeps me going. 😀

 

[Tashyboy]

Personally, I haven't started and I don't intend to.
I didn't start playing until I was 30 so I was never going to get really good without huge amounts of work, time and effort which I neither want or can devote to it.
I play to enjoy. If I get good on the way then fine but it's not what drives me.
I know little, if anything, about the swing and I don't want to.
I know a bit about the tech in clubs and balls but, again, it's not what drives me to play.
Others are different, each to their own and all that, but I feel that my journey will be a long and happy one because I'm not constantly striving to get better/lower or understand why the ball sometimes goes where it shouldn't...
I'll never fall out of love with the game because, just like a Woman, you'll never understand it.....so I don't try.

Nah then comparing golf to a woman, you will never understand either. Brilliant.

getting lower yes I would like to, but it's not my main priority. Enjoying it that's my main priority.

 

[Slab]

Doesn't matter what Category golfer you are. Opinions are always welcome..
It's definitely technique based.
I know this because I'm very strong mentally when playing.
Bad shots don't get to me as much as others.
But here's the rub. .. her shot on that hole was poor technique.
Had to drop in the DZ. Very poor ground and susequently the ball landed in a hole. 100myrs to the pin and I hit 52 degree wedge. The ball came out low and run ing which now puts me through the back of the green in 5in rough.
So now faced with an up and down to a pin that's only 4 mtrs on the green with a severe slope. short sided.
Not knowing how the ball will come out
I hit a flip shot that carries about 2 yards too far and catches the slope. So now im faced with a 30ft putt for a 5. I lag it to 2ft and walk off with the 6.

Next shot is a par 4 up over a hill. I hit 3 hybrid for position and it leaves me 115mtrs to the pin. Wind into me I go down the handle of my 8 iron to flight the ball down a little. I airmail the green. Again I'm now face with much the same shot from the rough with a much tougher flag and green.

Flop shot again but this time it needs a bit more strength. I want clean under it.
Now it's a case of trying to get up and down for bogie but I take the double.
In none of these instances was I angry or thick with myself for what happened.
My role focus was minimizing the damage to the card and always the shot in hand..

So it may look like it's head related. I
And you could put it down to a bit of bad luck but I know my game and I know there are weaknesses in my swing that I need to address.
I think it's a learning curve to be fair. And maybe it's always going to be a tweak here and a tweak there....
But I suppose it's what keeps me going. 😀

At least you've considered whether its in the head. Hope you get it sorted


I've been meaning to put some time into practicing my dropping technique too, don't spend anywhere near enough time practicing this element

 

[patricks148]

sort of in the same boat, driver wise.

I only took the game up in my 40's, but have always seen my handicap going down until the end of last year that is.

Driving is the main problem, i cannot get it off the tee With a driver, way too much going on, be it technique and poor flexibility. Though this is not an issue with irons. in fact I've never hit my irons better or been a better putter in that time.. Also had at least 6 lessons looking at driving and the swing and always hit it absolutely perfect in each of those!!!!

Last chance saloon now will be a final swing change. after that who knows may give up or at least competitive golf anyway.

 

[Nashy]

I know the feeling of constantly trying to push for a lower handicap. I played off lower than I am now, I could play 4 days a week and practice another evening as I had the time. Short game improved and I became more consistent.

Fast forward 6 years and I don't have the time or the will to spend every hr on the course or practice area. I want to spend some quality time with family so I will only play 1 day at a weekend. I have a different outlook now and that's the fact I pick a club up once a week, so if I can play to my handicap or buffer I am happy with that. I just enjoy playing the game and being out there with some family/ friends enjoying myself whilst competing at the same time. My scores are actually getting better because of this and I am finding that even with my B or C game I am scoring pretty well.

This game takes so much commitment to play at the lower levels, sometimes the sacrifice for some isn't worth the reward. For others who have the time I say go get it! I will enjoy watching you play some shots I simply cannot pull off. There might come a time when I can afford to spend more time practicing and as well as have a good family balance, but for now I will stick to what I have and enjoy it.