Golf is an unforgiving mistress.
Do some people just never get it?
- Thread starter Raging Beard
- Start date
Capella
Journeyman Pro
The thing is that with golf, usually, when you are about to quit and give up comletely, you hit one of those magic wonder shots that make it all worthwhile and that makes you think you are getting somewhere after all. I know a few people who have tried and decided it wasn't for them right at the start, and I know many, who did play when they were young and then dropped out because life got in the way with uni and the first real job and a family and the like, and some who had to give it up due to injury or health reason, but I don't know anyone who was infected with the golf bug and then later quit because he or she was not getting anywhere. It is just too addictive for that.
Orikoru
Tour Winner
If you only started playing 5 months ago it's surely too early to give up. I would say keep going and see where you are when it's been a year. Unless it's no longer enjoyable, in which case don't bother. The key with golf is that you don't always have to be great to enjoy it. I mean it helps - but even so, I've played terrible rounds before and still but glad I went out and played.
Craigg
Q-School Graduate
Had a rubbish 11 holes this afternoon, then flushed an 8 iron on the Par 3 18th. Damn this game, I'm now going to have to have another go! (That's just about the jist of golf really. That one shot that teases you back next time).
Keep at it.:thup:
Keep at it.:thup:
Raging Beard
Hacker
No no I won't be giving up, I will play on no matter what anyway as is something I do with dad and brother.
I played probably longer than 5 but I'd say 5 months is really when any form of golfing activity became frequent for me.
I don't expect to be good at the game, all I want is to know I will at least hit the ball up and forward, still feels 50/50 to me
I played probably longer than 5 but I'd say 5 months is really when any form of golfing activity became frequent for me.
I don't expect to be good at the game, all I want is to know I will at least hit the ball up and forward, still feels 50/50 to me
Doon frae Troon
Ryder Cup Winner
OP......I used to coach a guy like you, it was similar to teaching Mr Bean to play.
He was desperately keen, practiced a lot but did not improve from a basic 24 handicap [limit in those days]
I had him swinging well, short game was passable, confidence pretty poor but building.
In the end we parted good friends and I told him he would probably not improve much but to make sure he enjoyed playing.
I moved away but we kept in touch as our wife's were friends. Five years later we arranged a game and I was amazed that he had a 12 handicap and had turned into a decent player. He played off 12-14 handicap for about 25 years as a member of the RAC club and won a few trophies along the way.
Moral of this story is that if that guy could make it anyone could.
Raging Beard
Hacker
Lol good to hear! And now I'm trying to think did Mr Bean ever play golf in any episodes? I can picture it now
Robobum
Money List Winner
So he halved his handicap after you stopped coaching him and told him he'd always be crap?? 😳😳😳
Stick with it. It'll come. I know the course at Wexham and to be honest you aren't disgracing yourself and the cards seem to containg one car crash hole that rockets the scores. Fear not. I'm capable of doing that on several holes over an eighteen hole round. It's something I am working hard to eradicate (I think some of it is mental). Use the winter to play, learn and improve. You may not get very proficient but as long as you're having fun don't worry
lukeysafc100
Head Pro
Perhaps hitting 50 balls at the range is the issue! Because you just hit and hit - not really fully working on what was said on the lesson! You may hit 4 out of 50 well!
Think to your lesson how many balls did you actually hit! less than 20 I'd say!
Get a basket of 20 balls and spend 2/3 minutes with each ball - spending time to work on the swing path and what was said during the lesson. Get some alignment sticks (clubs work the same) - set up with them so you are aimed at your target line. Concentrate on the swing not hitting the ball.
Then I bet you'll hit 10/15 well out of 20.
Think to your lesson how many balls did you actually hit! less than 20 I'd say!
Get a basket of 20 balls and spend 2/3 minutes with each ball - spending time to work on the swing path and what was said during the lesson. Get some alignment sticks (clubs work the same) - set up with them so you are aimed at your target line. Concentrate on the swing not hitting the ball.
Then I bet you'll hit 10/15 well out of 20.
Raging Beard
Hacker
50 is the smallest they do, but I don't fire them off quick time, I do take my time.
Used 7 and driver today, 7 went ok with some good and bad, nothing amazing. Driver however went awesome
started bowing my left wrist on the downswing and bam, my slice is gone! Always had an unplayable slice, ball would go as far right as it did forward, but today the pretty much all went straight! A few bad contacts but no slices, looking forward to using the driver now lol.
Used 7 and driver today, 7 went ok with some good and bad, nothing amazing. Driver however went awesome
started bowing my left wrist on the downswing and bam, my slice is gone! Always had an unplayable slice, ball would go as far right as it did forward, but today the pretty much all went straight! A few bad contacts but no slices, looking forward to using the driver now lol.chip barm
Club Champion
if you're making progress on a particular area of your game, be prepared for another to complete go away. spent time at the range hitting long to mid irons off the floor because i was weak there. took what i'd found to the course and it worked well but i suddenly could not hit my driver. my iron method ruined it. so i make notes now. like yesterday when i used my new 5HL for the first time. 'low swing path. slow and straight take away. stay low in posture. driver arms. not iron arms. loft dictates foot position and ball in stance'. so i'll refer to them periodically. for me it's just remembering what i need to do to hit that club well.
davemc1
Journeyman Pro
Thats quite a few swing thoughts for 1 individual club. Are you able to clear your head playing the shot?
If so, tell me how? as I suffer from too many thoughts, it could be the best tip ever
I have different swing thoughts for my woods, hybrids, irons and wedges lol.
The swing looks pretty similar by all accounts, but I seem to have different check points with them. The only thought that's consistent through them all is feeling like I'm pushing my right should towards the ball at impact.
chip barm
Club Champion
i know what you mean but new club with lots to figure out. took me 60 or 70 balls to hit 10 or 15 on the trot really well so when i got to that point i made my notes like usual. the idea is it'll become second nature when i pull it out of the bag but i always have those notes to refer to.
I've taken a more constructive approach. I'll hit 20 or so wedges and nine irons to loosen up. Then I'll take 5 balls per club to specific targets and make a not of accuracy (and where the misses are) and go through the bag up to driver. A break, a few more pitches and then back through the bag for another five per club, noting the outcome. It's more "golf realistic" and taken my mind away from techincal thoughts on the range and more into developing a decent pre-shot routine and thought process about each ball, and recording the outcome really makes each one count
chip barm
Club Champion
if i'm just going for a general practice and not trying to work out a new club, i'll do a similar thing. i also try to hit a range par five. like take a driver and choose an area between two markers to emulate a fairway. then take a long iron or fairway wood off the mat. again choosing an area to play into. then a 9i or wedge choosing a very specific target. repeating that choosing different areas or targets. gets you letting go of the club and having to address each ball properly.
