Do some people just never get it?

Raging Beard

Raging Beard

Hacker
Joined
Dec 2, 2016
Messages
17
Location
Windsor, UK
www.ragingbeard.com
Over last 5 months or so I have had 3 lessons early on and another recently. I play on a course 1-2 times a week and hit the range 3-4 times a week most weeks, it varies of course. I just don't seem to be getting anywhere!


I just hit the range with a basket of 50 and a 7 iron, trying to practice what I was taught from last lesson. It was bad. No real good strikes, many awful ones, 4 hit the right wall of my bay.


Some days I feel like what is the point lol, perhaps some people just do not have the motor function required! I am due to play tomorrow and almost felt like calling can cancelling... I can't strike a ball on the range now so what chance to I have on the course?!


Right rage, whinge and moan over. Of course I will soldier on.
 
Every day is completely different, and anyway, golf is about the people, not the score. Go out, have a laugh, even at your own expense, if a score comes along, great, but if it doesnt, why ruin a good day out.
 
Played last Sunday and couldn't hit anything so of to the range Thursday and Friday as I was playing my first competition on Sunday . Still couldn't hit anything anyway played Sunday and did pretty well considering. If your like me perhaps your over thinking it.
 
Unless you do it professionally to feed your family it is still just a game. If you don't enjoy it you shouldn't bother with it, if you know you can play better it's just practice you need, and dedication, and I honestly believe it more fun getting to the handicap you want than being there!
 
Used to play the odd round with an ex-international lacrosse player. He never got it. He may have had the odd cut to 27 but I can't remember any. Fit, athletic guy with great skills at lacrosse. Never, ever looked like he could find the right timing And synchronicity for golf.
 
If the strike isn't any good then I suggest either
1. The ball position could be wrong
2. You are swaying about during the swing
3. Your head is moving up and down.

Check the ball is in the centre of your stance (for a 7 iron) and keep your head still
 
Been playing loads recently and thought I was getting somewhere. Then went out on the course on Saturday and could barely hit the ball for a few holes.

First tee in front of 20 people lost 2 balls one OOB left next OOB right.
 
You'll get there, just keep at it. Took me ages to start improving. I worked so hard but got nowhere at first, but now 4 years down the line and this year I've seen some serious improvement. Could barely play to 24 at the end of last year, and yet a year later and I shot 80 the weekend just gone and can play to my 15 handicap. It's just hard work and persistence. Keep having the lessons and keep practicing and you'll eventually start making some progress.
 
I hate to say it, but your probably right. Some people spend years and a boat load of money on lessons and range time to never get to single figures, others do not and get there anyway. I played with the probably the best player in the club on Sunday in the roll up. He hasn't touched his clubs in a month and shoots 67 (-5), other people playing in it are having 3/4 rounds a week and hitting a couple of hundred balls on the range and can't manage any better than mid to high 70s.
 
Well a mixed bag or replies lol, I was hoping nobody would agree with my theory. I do believe it's possible some can never get it, but I'm not resigning myself to that just yet!!!

Most importantly it is something I do with my dad, so really will carry on regardless.

Thank you for the encouragement :)
 
Change your definition of "getting it"?

Anyone can learn to hit a ball within their ability.

First set realisitic expectations.

If you need a full set of hybrids to hit a 7 iron 90 yards that's fine. You can still get a half decent score if you play within your ability.
 
the lad i play most of my golf with is a good player. the one who kind of got me into it. best man at my wedding. cracking bloke. has a massive beard actually too. last month he looked like he'd never picked a club up before. lost 11 balls. 4 of them off one tee. couldn't do it. then last sunday he played great. hit some beautiful shots. only lost 1 ball. two very different rounds but we still had a great laugh. mainly at him it has to be said. have fun with it. relax. slow down and you'll be fine i reckon.
 
i for one have never improved by one stroke from full swing lessons. not a single stroke. that's after well over 40 lessons and a few different pro's.
I've always told them that the problem is in my downswing and the way i release the club. all the pros disagreed and said it was in other areas. despite me thinking i knew they where wrong i listened to them, done exactly what they said and saw ZERO improvement over two years.

in the end i binned the lessons and worked on what i thought the problem was and ignored all the crap the pros told me. i went from 15 to a 7 handicap in 3 months.
for me i knew my arms weren't working properly. it turned out that i held on to all the rotation in my forearms during the downswing until last minute and then flip the club. now i just feel like i let the hands fo from the top
 
Last edited:
I'm not the best at practicing, but i would never just go and hit one club. I'd end up being too robotic and not actually learn much, as that isn't how you play on the course.
Why not take a variety of clubs and mix it up a bit. Start with some wedges, then hit some 7 irons, 4 irons and drivers. Hit some pitches and chip between longer shots etc
 
What I would say is 3-4 times range 1-2 times a week golfing . The golfing no problems. 3-4 times at the range with a seven iron. I would look at changing the range time with differant clubs. Deffo work on your short game. Was reading a book in Portugal the other month. In essence the guy who wrote it said that when you are swinging your club, there should be no swing thoughts whatsoever. You just do it the way you have been taught. The more you think about your swing path, cocking wrists, keeping head still, twisting hips, releasing wrists, belt buckle facing direction of ball etc etc etc. The more you will knob it. Don't put pressure on yourself.
 
It takes around a decade to become a Dr, to find your level in golf is often about the same amount of time..

Golf is not easy
 
A golf lesson is a surefire way for me to switch my ability to hit a golfball absolutely off for a while. Seriously off. Like to the point where I hardly make contact with the ball at all. It is immensely frustrating. Every time. I can deal with that frustration for a few days or even weeks, but at some point I just decide that I don't bother anymore and just hit the bloody ball. And that is usually the point when it clicks. When I don't approach the ball with the feeling that I am "implementing a change" anymore, but just whack it away. That does not mean that lessons are bad. Quite the contrary. If I stick with the frustrating phase long enough, the change ususally had time enough to creep into my muscle memory and works without the neccessity to think about it anymore. But it does mean that lessons are a bit painful. And best taken at times when you are not too keen on playing well (as far as that is possible ... I mean, of course we always want to play well, but it is probably easier to handle a disastrous streak now than in the height of the comp season).
 
hovis said:
in the end i binned the lessons and worked on what i thought the problem was and ignored all the crap the pros told me. i went from 15 to a 7 handicap in 3 months.
for me i knew my arms weren't working properly. it turned out that i held on to all the rotation in my forearms during the downswing until last minute and then flip the club. now i just feel like i let the hands fo from the top
Click to expand...

Maybe you didn't improve because you didn't do what the pros were asking you to do ?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Junior
Driving range practice drills
2 3
Replies
55
Views
2K
bobmac
bobmac
Orikoru
How much do you spend on practice?
4 5 6
Replies
110
Views
3K
Neilds
N
P
Is this stealing?
2 3
Replies
50
Views
2K
Petercool
P
T
Anyone else hate driving ranges?
Replies
16
Views
1K
jim8flog
jim8flog
C
Pine ridge Camberley
Replies
0
Views
317
Chubbers40
C
Top