Lots of practice = Downhill :(

[fairmorn308]

Well the last few days i have been practicing alot since my lesson last tuesday but i dont seem to get consistant shots etc.

Its getting me down a wee bit. the thing is when i do connect it does fly very well. I have been at the range every day and then playing on course and today i ended up hitting 300 balls at the range over a long period and worked my way thru my bag ( took a long time ) been trying a few different things before i was happy but was unable to get correct feel all day due to playing off the mats etc

Well The problem i was having before lesson was a push fade and meant i was looking a bit of distance right thru the range of clubs etc but now when i connect good its a very small fade which is really good as i always had a fade in my game neway.
Think i just need to keep at it tho cause sometime am getting a pull now but thats due to me blocking with my follow thru as one of the things i need to adapt into my swing is like roll my hands over are contact which will cut out the push fade etc. I did leanr i need to slow down my swing a wee bit and watch the takeway of the club and keep eyes over the ball until contact as before i used to life my head early which caused the push fade etc.

Thing is am a little worried about playing this weekend as i have 36 holes 2mo at my home course then another 36 holes at a links course on sunday.

Am in 2 minds to withdraw and just continue pracitcing until i feel happy with my game.

 

[Bossman96]

Think you are over doing it mate. Any changes your pro has shown you will take time to bed in. You say when you connect it flies well, so you know you can do it right. Give yourself more time, 300 balls at a go won't prove anything. Accept the fact that you may need to go backwards a bit before you go forwards. You will get there in the end.

BTW, had lessons off mats myself, my shots nothing like off grass. Don't read too much into it.

 

[RGuk]

I never pull out of comp's....there's always something to learn and enjoy.
However, 72 over 2 days could well be over doing it!

300 practice balls is only really a good idea if you are ingraining a swing that's really on song.....i.m.o.

Lecture over...

 

[fairmorn308]

300 balls was for me to learn the new swing over the range of clubs in my bag. to hit all these balls it took me hours. But playing off the mats isnt the same and i dont really have a choice as its the same at the practice ground at my home course.

72 holes will be fine as am young / fit and full of beans and want to do my best. I have been home for last 12 days and played alot of golf and am home for the next 6 weeks before returning to work and really want to see a improvment.

I am willing to put the work in aswell.

 

[RGuk]

BTW, had lessons off mats myself, my shots nothing like off grass. Don't read too much into it.

Oh, the old mat bashing chestnut!

I went from 28 to 8 in just over 3 years and never once practiced my full swing anywhere but at a mat range.
OK, the strike is not quite right and you may have the odd thing going weird because of the lack of divot. But, a straight shot is a straight shot.

 

[OldWindy]

300 practice balls is only really a good idea if you are ingraining a swing that's really on song...

...and a good way to ingrain a bunch of faults. Ease up a little.

 

[Bossman96]

BTW, had lessons off mats myself, my shots nothing like off grass. Don't read too much into it.

Oh, the old mat bashing chestnut!

I went from 28 to 8 in just over 3 years and never once practiced my full swing anywhere but at a mat range.
OK, the strike is not quite right and you may have the odd thing going weird because of the lack of divot. But, a straight shot is a straight shot.

True, but if your swing is anything but spot on, and you catch the mat before the ball, you hit a bad shot. On grass you get away with it a bit more. Just my opinion.

 

[fairmorn308]

its only a number 300 end of the day

It was my choice to hit that many and i wanted to get a swing and feel for all clubs in my bag and it took 300 to work the way thru the clubs.

Its not like i was banging them one after each other i was taking my time. thinking about previous shot ie if there was a fault etc and try correct things etc. Also was doing my pre shot routine aswell for them all.

 

[Gazzery]

I would rater hit 300 balls on the course than on the range, the max i hit off the mat is 80, i dont find it natural to just keep hitting into a big field, but that a personal thing and we all have our own ways of getting to where we want to be.

 

[mickytwodesks]

fairmorn308, i'm not sure why people are overly concerned about you hitting 300 balls down the range. If you went through the bag then you would have only hit about 25 balls with each club! if, however, you had only hit a 7 iron or a driver for 300 balls then i could see the justification. If your willing to spend the time practicing and focus on the previous lesson with the Pro then i say good on you. It takes time to bed-in swing changes (someone mention 1000 times for muscle memory).

when faldo changed his swing, he practiced so much his hands bleed. now that maybe over doing it...

as for pulling out of playing this weekend, whats the point? if you have the oppertunity to play - then play. you're not a pro, its not your job, its fun. get out their and bash some balls mate.

 

[chipsandegg]

hi there,
i took up golf about 4 years ago through i guy i work with. I was absolutley hooked straight away and played and played sometimes 2 rounds a day almost every day (work permitting, i work 4 on 4 off). one day i went for a game and it was absolutely pouring down so i thought i would try the range for the first time. it was brilliant, as many balls as i could hit and keeping completely dry. the thing is, as time went on i was spending more time at the range than the course. i started having hour long lessons at the range and before i knew it i was having a lesson every 8 or 10 days, sometimes without actuially playing on the course in between.
i think going to the range is great if you want to work on a partcular aspect of your game but you are much better playing even just 5 or 6 holes at your course rather than hitting hundreds of balls. i think a little and often is always the best way with practising at the range. i used to find that i was picking up bad faults in my swing etc without actually playing on the course which is soo wrong. playing 36 holes a day over 2 days is a brilliant idea, just dont do as i did and get bogged down with hitting millions of balls at the range. if you are swinging poorly all you will do is become more tense and annoyed with your self and just add to the problem. i would even suggest rather than going all the way through your bag, once warmed up just use say a 7 iron and hit 50 or 60 balls with that.
Dont withdraw form your games, go and have fun. you will learn far more about this wonderful game from 4 rounds on the course than you ever would from hitting hundreds of balls every day at the range.
Regards, Andy

 

[Marko77]

you meant to be playing Murcar tomorrow? I was and withdrew for similar reasons however regret that now - wish I was still going and try play through the problems.

Its easy to quit/withdraw.

 

[fairmorn308]

well guys update from today

I shot a 78 net 72 which means i made buffer this morning and shot 75 net 69 this afternoon the CSS is 70 for today and i know i got my handicap cut but there is still room for alot of improvement.

I continued to follow the changes the pro made apart from one thing which i did do off the tee. Which was roll hands over on follow thru. Without doing this with my wedges and irons i was hitting them well specially my wedges which i was impressed about.

Roll on 2mo and see what comes of it

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Well done to day and good to see the hard work paying off. I had a lesson yesterday and the pro has got me more upright in address and looking for a more compact turn concentrating on making sure the weight moves across and I don't reverse pivot. Also had a tendency to gain and lose height in the swing so also working on maintaing my spine angle and height.

Not been the easiest transition and had a go at the local range this morning with mxed results. Only hit one bucket but decided I'd go to the club this afternoon and play off turf to get more feedback on my shot and assess my clubhead path via my divots.

The main problem I had was the wind was quite gust and blowing slightly into my face and from left to right which is probably the worse direction to have when practicing. Another mixed session so more work needed. Bumped into the pro as he was locking up and demonstrated my swing (without a ball) and he was happy that my turn was fine so at least I'm still working on the correct turn/path