Help needed

[NEWQUAYTR7]

Help needed, i started playing last october & was immediately bitten by the bug, i've had two lessons & things were going ok untill just recently. I go to the range everyday & hit 90-150 balls, now heres the problem, on the range playing with irons i can hit a fade, draw, straight down the middle, in other words it's ok but as soon as i get on the course it's like i'm a complete novice who likes to hit fat shots all day & tops his drives....please can someone helpppppppppppppp

 

[USER1999]

Warm up properly before playing, don't just jump out of the car and assume you will play well. Remember that 170 balls on the range is like playing two rounds in half an hour. No wonder your swing grooves on the range. If you only play one shot every five minutes, this is more the way golf is played, and I bet you don't hit it down the range well if you slow down to this rate either.

Consistency comes with experience unfortunately, and I don't think there are any short cuts.

Question: If you only started playing recently, why are you trying to shape the ball flight? This is not really an issue, until you get to a single figure handicap
(maybe not even then, Olazabal has spent a lifetime trying to draw his driver, and still can't). If you concentrate on hitting one shot, straight or whatever is most consistent, this will improve your strike.

Also, check your alignment on the course. It is easy to line up straight at the range because there are features around you to line up square to. On the course you need to pick a point in line with where the ball is going to go, about 6 inches in front of the ball, and line up with the line between this point and the ball. Align the club first, then grip, and then finally take your stance.

Do you have the same tempo on the course as on the range. Often, because you are trying to hit a specific target, you try to hit it harder. Choose enough club, and swing easy. Don't try to force it. Also, make sure you hit the ball before looking for it. An anxiety to see if you have hit the target is a common cause of bad striking. Wait for your shoulder to lift your head.

Driving ranges also give you a consistently level lie, which never happens on course, often not even on the tee box.


Could be loads of reasons, but you asked the question.....

 

[The_Golfer]

Well put MURPHTHEMOG, NEWQUAYTR7 I think you will do well to try and take note of this good advice. Many of us will pass on advice, through our own experiences, and all of it will be directed to help you, but as MURPHTHEMOG put it, there are no shortcuts.. As with everything in life, the more you put onto it, the more you get out.
With Golf you will need time, effort, commitment and patience, but most of all you will need to have the ability to get straight back up when you fall (metaphorically speaking) because as sure as eggs are eggs you will experience highs and LOWS.
To play well and truly enjoy golf you have to endure the journey and learn from the experiences along the way as it's all part and parcel of the process, I just wish I could get there quicker myself!!! Best of luck with your game NEWQUATR7.

 

[Up_Point_1]

Firstly welcome to the game NEWQUAYTR7.

I have to agree with the comments made above. You’re extremely new to the game of golf and sadly it won’t all fall into place overnight.

Firstly the best way to improve is (as mentioned above) practise, practise and more practise. Try when you go to the range to specifically work on one thing at a time that you’ve been taught in your lesson. I see people at my local range just randomly knocking 150 balls off into various parts of the landing area and think it’s doing their golf game some good.

Secondly definitely persevere with the lessons. They’ll get you started off on the right foot with regards to grip, posture, stance, alignment etc.

Don’t be too hard on yourself either if it goes a bit pear shaped when you’re on the golf course. I’m off 7 and on my day I can shank, fat, thin, hook or slice it with the best of them ;-)

Golf has that canny knack of biting you on the a**e just when you think you cracked it

Best of luck,

DHM.

 

[The_Golfer]

NEWQUAYTR7, if it helps here are some of my notes I take out when my game is faultering, my notes may not be to your liking as they are specific to me but the idea of taking such notes out to the course seem to work, try it out.

Once again best of luck......

Fundamentals

1. Stance & distance from ball.
2. Grip, be comfortable
3. Y shape from chest at address
4. Rhythm- backswing slow & controlled.
5. Show veins of left arm at impact & keep legs, hips and body turning through impact.


Concentration

1. Breathe easy
2. Look around your intended target; be aware of its surroundings, think strategy.
3. Focus on the intention of the shot, think it through.
4. Commit to the shot maintaining the fundamentals.
5. Hold your pose on every shot.

Dealing with situations

1. Never get angry or annoyed at a bad shot, this is an accident, it wasn’t the intention.
2. Always follow the fundamentals, bad shots generally come from bad fundamentals.
3. Always try and think of how a bad shot happened, agree/understand and then forget it and move on.
4. Never beat your ball on the next shot after a bad shot, instead assess the situation, agree a strategy of recovery and commit to the shot maintaining the fundamentals.
5. The only thing you need to think of is your current shot, chasing a target is niaive, take each shot seriously, give it your best attention and be happy to play the shot; only he who sows reaps rewards, he who chases outcomes misses the journey and more to the point the learning and experience.
6. Enjoy the game, watch how others play and have fun, laughter can help the day go that much better.

 

[Up_Point_1]

Good list that Danny, i'll use it for pointers next time i'm having a rough day on the course.

 

[NEWQUAYTR7]

Thank's fella's, certainly some good advice out there,i went out this afternoon on the local 9 hole par 32 & shot 48 with some dreadful putting, but i will be taking in your advice & once again thanks

 

[Teetotal]

It's going to take a year before you get through the pain barrier and don't feel as though everyone is waiting for you to make a complete ass of yourself.
Try playing nine holes - it may help you to focus more. I found 18 mentally draining when I first started.

 

[Magic]

I Have only been playing for 11 months and have gotten my handicap down to a fairly repectable 14.
The only lesson i have had is with the pro who accompanied me on 18 holes. It has made the biggest improvement to my game and at the cost of less than a quater the price of a decent driver.
I may not have the swing of a pro and probably never will have but that does not stop me thinking like a pro.
Stick with it and remember most of us do this for fun.