I need to improve or give up (spoiler alert i don't want to give up!)

[Orikoru]

I'm not a huge advocate of having loads of lessons, but if I could only hit driver 110 yards I would absolutely get one. You must be getting the fundamentals completely wrong and could do with someone showing you the basics. Even my wife can hit it further than that and she only has me to teach her.

 

[need_my_wedge]

If you want to improve, get a set of lessons.

It's all well and good getting advice from mates, random people on a golf forum, or watching youtube videos on what you are supposed to be doing. More often that not though, you will not be doing what you think you are doing, you need someone who is skilled and can explain what you should be doing to help guide you in the first place. It's unlikely that you would ask a car mechanic to help fix a tooth problem or a builder to fix your computer, they may have an opinion, but your problem is more likely to be solved by a professional that specializes in that particular field.

Get recommendations for a local pro, book lessons and have more than one lesson! Many pro's offer a package deal for 5 or 6, stagger them 2 or 3 weeks a part. After each lesson, discuss a particular aspect with the pro on what to focus, and then practice that a lot until the next lesson. Don't give up if it doesn't feel like it's working, too many people have a lesson, try it, don't practice it enough, feel it's not working and then discard it as pointless. The body has a lot of moving parts, changing and improving all the moving parts in a golf swing requires practice and effort on your part, but needs the right direction. If it's not right, and you just practice not right, it will never be right.

 

[Blackdog67]

Thanks for all of the advice guys. I have emailed the pro at my local club (Ferndown Forest Golf Club) where i visit the range to see what lesson packages they have on offer.

 

[BridgfordBlue]

I have been trying to get into golf off and on for several years. For many years it was just getting out for 9 holes after work with colleagues a few times a year and so i didn't really expect to improve. However in the last 6 months i have made an effort to spend more time trying to improve, I am currently going to the range once a week as i thought the more i practiced the better i'd get but if anything i'm getting worse! It has reached a stage now where i am so frustrated i feel i need to see some improvement or i will just give up on golf. I don't want to give up as i enjoy getting out with my friends but i was hoping to be showing some signs of improvement.

I have never been athletic and i wasn't particularly good at sports at school. I loved playing football (soccer) but i was never very good at it. I don't get much height on my iron shots and I am averaging 77 yards carry distance with my 9 iron and although i hit my driver better than my irons i am only getting around 110 yards of carry distance with it. Is it possible that i am just not suited to golf or is it possible for anyone to reach a reasonable standard, by reasonable i just mean getting to a point where i can break 100.

Any advice?

Just on your last point, given the right fundamentals, i think it’s absolutely possible for anyone to break 100. My cousin was in a very similar situation to you, he had a few lessons on the basics (he had the strongest grip I’ve ever seen to begin with and also struggled with distance as he was very rigid with his body so was only using his arms) and did a bit on course management and he now regularly shoots in the nineties.

One thing that held him back was he was watching all these YouTube vids and trying to fix everything all in one go and not really understanding how it’s all connected, it’s very difficult to play golf anyway, let alone when you’ve got all these different thoughts all swimming round in your head at the same time. That’s where a pro can really help I think, one step at a time and focus on drilling in the basics when you practice and I’m sure you’ll see improvements.

 

[Blackdog67]

Just on your last point, given the right fundamentals, i think it’s absolutely possible for anyone to break 100. My cousin was in a very similar situation to you, he had a few lessons on the basics (he had the strongest grip I’ve ever seen to begin with and also struggled with distance as he was very rigid with his body so was only using his arms) and did a bit on course management and he now regularly shoots in the nineties.

One thing that held him back was he was watching all these YouTube vids and trying to fix everything all in one go and not really understanding how it’s all connected, it’s very difficult to play golf anyway, let alone when you’ve got all these different thoughts all swimming round in your head at the same time. That’s where a pro can really help I think, one step at a time and focus on drilling in the basics when you practice and I’m sure you’ll see improvements.

Yes, i think you're right. I do think i have got slightly worse after watching too much Youtube! I'll stop that immediately and get some professional help!

 

[theoneandonly]

Just get fitted for a £500 driver.?

 

[need_my_wedge]

Don't give up if it doesn't feel like it's working, too many people have a lesson, try it, don't practice it enough, feel it's not working and then discard it as pointless.

Meant to add in here, when you make changes to something you have been doing for a while, it will very likely get worse for a bit. The lesson may be an instant fix because the pro is there to guide, but when you get out on the course and try to do the same thing, it might not come off. This is where you need to persevere, it's too easy to revert back to what you know, we all do it because we're seeing a change for the worse almost immediately, and would rather go back to what we had than keep up with the change. Having said that, try not to practice and think about the changes too much when you're playing with mates, just play, knowing that over time the practice will improve it.

 

[Blackdog67]

Just get fitted for a £500 driver.?

My complete setup didn't cost anywhere near that and i certainly would get that one past the "financial controller"!

 

[timd77]

My complete setup didn't cost anywhere near that and i certainly would get that one past the "financial controller"!

Next lesson - how to order golf stuff to arrive when the financial controller isn’t around…

 

[bobmac]

Make sure that the first lesson covers the following...
How to hold the club correctly.
Learn how to stand at the start of the swing.
Learn how to stand at the end of the swing.
That will be a good start

 

[Red devil]

Thanks for all of the advice guys. I have emailed the pro at my local club (Ferndown Forest Golf Club) where i visit the range to see what lesson packages they have on offer.

Well done. As most have said this is the best approach. In my opinion lessons are invaluable if one wants to make a go of this frustrating but addictive game

 

[BiMGuy]

Get some coaching from a decent professional and stop watching YouTube for tips.

A good pro should not only give you lessons, but also a coaching plan for between lessons and advice on how to practice on your own.

And when you have been to a pro, do some practice, and don’t except miracles. Golf is hard.

 

[Springveldt]

Yes, i think you're right. I do think i have got slightly worse after watching too much Youtube! I'll stop that immediately and get some professional help!

Watching YouTube can be good but it can also be a total killer for your game. The ones I found most beneficial for my game were probably the Crossfield ones on wrist angles and a Mike Malaska one on moving your hips back instead of around.

The down side to watching too much golf instruction is that I understand the golf swing pretty well and when I was going through a bad patch I was convinced I knew what was wrong and how to fix it. Eventually it got to the stage I could barely keep my driver on the planet (usually my most confident club) so I went for a lesson and the pro sorted me out within 15 minutes. I was completely wrong on what I thought I need to do and I was actually exacerbating the problem with my own "fix".

If you are only hitting a 9 iron 77 yards and a driver 110 yards then your technique is terrible and you need to see a pro. Doesn't matter how unathletic a man is, he should definitely be hitting driver further than that. I've played quite a few rounds with guys in their 70's with bad hips who still hit their drivers 180-200 yards.

 

[rksquire]

If you want actual advice, just post your issues on Twitter and you'll get lessons for free! That's what Eddie Pepperell:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1491069675174006784

My favourite (although this particular one was tongue in cheek) is, "I once got down to 3, so know a bit, this is what you need to do....". So don't give up. If Eddie struggles, absolutely no reason why we would be any different.

 

[RichA]

Do you own a hybrid?
If you're neither a great ball striker or fast swinger of the club, you might find more consistency and confidence just using one club to get you from tee to within 100 yards of the hole.
One forgiving, easy to hit hybrid might replace your driver and half your irons while you improve and at least increase your enjoyment a bit.
It'll cost you nothing to give it a go at a shop.
***I'm not an expert - it's just a thought.

 

[garyinderry]

My mate has decided he wants to get into golf this year.
He has been round the par 3 course a few times before Christmas. Just swinging his swing and enjoying the walk. I've given him a few pointers on chipping and he took to that fairly quickly.
He asked me to take him to the range and we did for the first time on the 11th January.
I told him to swing and let's see where he is at. He barely made any contact with the mat. First thing I told him was not to be afraid to actually hit the mat with the club. This was one of his first attempts at that.

 

[garyinderry]

Over the next 3 visits we worked on some basics.

How to grip the club.
How to stand over the ball.
Cut down the backswing.
Keeping a better arm structure.
Keeping headmovent to a minimum
Stop coming so much over the top.
Swing smoothly.
Getting onto the left through the shot.
Finish position.

He went by himself last night and sent me this video. Delighted with his progress.

 

[Region3]

Next lesson - how to order golf stuff to arrive when the financial controller isn’t around…

A friend of mine still uses a G10 headcover on his brand new driver. His mrs has no idea he’s changed it about 4 times ??

 

[timd77]

A friend of mine still uses a G10 headcover on his brand new driver. His mrs has no idea he’s changed it about 4 times ??

?

<makes mental note for future reference>

 

[Blackdog67]

Over the next 3 visits we worked on some basics.

How to grip the club.
How to stand over the ball.
Cut down the backswing.
Keeping a better arm structure.
Keeping headmovent to a minimum
Stop coming so much over the top.
Swing smoothly.
Getting onto the left through the shot.
Finish position.

He went by himself last night and sent me this video. Delighted with his progress.

Wow! That's impressive.