Please help!

[iku]

I started playing this season and was quite happy with my results going around the course in 85-90 shots and, I thought, improving game after game.

I noticed that my short game (<50 yds) was letting me down and because I had never taken a short game lesson from a pro I decided to take one last week. That's the good part of the story as the lesson really sorted out some issues that I didn't even know they existed. Maily about set up and ball position.

The problem started when the pro offered to have a look at my full swing as we still had some time left.

He asked me to hit 3 balls with a 7i to the 150 yds flag at the range. To be honest I did better than usual placing all three within 10 ft from the flag so I turned at him expecting compliments but...

Well, apparently my swing was massively flawed, I couldn't stay on the plane, the take away was to high, the follow through was not sufficient, etc...

So he made some changes and yes on video the "new" swing looks better but I just can't hit the ball. We are talking about 8 duffs out of 10 shots here.

The pro is a nice qualified guy and all his customers that I know are satisfied so I don't think he's conning me to sell me more lessons.

But I'm desperate a frankly terrified of going out on the course now. Sunday I'm supposed to play with people I don't know to make things even worse...

Even if I try to go back to my swing something must have clicked in my brain because it's worse than before.

Did anyone experience such a shock going through a swing change!? Please tell me it's normal.

 

[One Planer]

It's normal.

You'll generally find you get worse before you get better.

Just a question. How much has he changed after one lesson?

My pro generally changes little things so as not to offset my swing too much rather than making mass changes and me not being able to it a cows a$$ with a banjo.

 

[danbaylis]

I have the same challenge, I always find the first round after a lesson is a nightmare.

Try and practice as much as possible before your round and then try not to think about it when on the course as you'll become too mechanical (easy said than done!)

As one of my playing partners says to me, if you play rubbish then you obviously did not practice enough, easy for him when he plays off 5 and has a very very consistent swing!

Just remember to swing smooth and try and relax!

Good luck bud!

 

[bobmac]

But I'm desperate a frankly terrified of going out on the course now. Sunday I'm supposed to play with people I don't know to make things even worse...

Iku, what's the worst that can happen?
Your long game may be a bit off but your new improved short game will probably impress your new golfing friends. And if they are good players, they may even be able to help you with your long game too. Win win
Just remember, it's only a game.

 

[iku]

Thanks for your support it gives me a bit of hope!

Just a question. How much has he changed after one lesson?

He made me swing on a completely different plane as mine was changing 3 times during the swing. Now my swing looks better, just it doesn't involve hitting the ball further than 40 yds...

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Changing your swing is never going to give instant results. It requires time, effort and patience and usually more than one lesson.

The problem is, the golf swing is made up of faults and compensations. Removing the faults doesn't always remove the compensations, they just become your new faults

You have to look at the long term goal and accept that the persuit of a better swing and lower scores will mean short term woes.

It's important that you understand and trust what you have been told and that you have the ability to take the positives, no matter how small out of every time you play.

When I had lessons last year I would go whole rounds playing like a knob but every now and then I'd see something that I knew meant I'd got it right. As time went on I started to get it right more often and evetually my h'cap started to fall.

 

[Khamelion]

Like the OP I started playing again this year and had a few lessons as a birthday present , I thought I was doing alright, I was hitting the ball a good distance, but the pro picked up on a few things and my swing has improved.

Now I'm striking the ball better, I'm hitting it further and in a direction I want it to go (most of the time)my posture is better, but I've still a long way to go.

My improvements have been:-

• Stand up and straighten back, no more looking like quasimodo
• improved flexibility, allowing a fuller swing
• Better follow through and release
• Standing further away from the ball
• Concentrating on keeping left arm straight (Still a work in progess)
• Getting left hip out the way
• Weight transfer

All the above have been things I've been told to work on over the last few months and are all things I still need to improve and yes it did realy screw up what I was doing previously, but after a few driving range sessions things started to improve.

It's not an overnight cure to all ills, but a slow and steady progression to get the brain reprogrammed to remember the new stuff and forget the old stuff.

Good times will come, but you will have to be patient.

Regards
Dave

 

[One Planer]

I know this may not apply, but I have been guilty of doing it after I have had a lesson.

You may be focusing to much on what the pro has changed and forgetting other key areas swing such as your transition and weight transfer amongst other things.

Just relax, hit some balls at the range and soon you'll have it grooved.

 

[Bratty]

The pros claim that they have to hit 2,000 balls for EACH swing change, in order for it to become "natural".

So only real way to improve is to practice, but try not practice it when playing.

 

[NobbyNobbs]

Hello Iku,
Just to re-affirm what others have said, really..

Got 4 hrs of lessons with my Pro for Xmas, which showed that I'd developed my own fancy style in the time since I'd last seen him.. Had the same kind of thing, went from putting the ball at least somewhere near where I intended to nowhere near at all. Lost confidence in all of it.

The main problem for me was that I'd have a lesson, practice once, (twice maybe..), and then crack on and play. Early on in a round, when it's looking good, the 'new' swing is my friend, but soon it starts feeling strange, and I'd go back to what I was doing before...

Had a couple more lessons, and stuck to the practice a bit better, and now my swing is starting to feel, well, almost 'proper'. Just need the scores to follow suit now!

Stick with it as best you can, buddy,
Craig.

 

[sev112]

Ignore the new swing for your round at teh weekend, if it;s an important round

use the new swing at the range

Before long the new will become more natural to you - those 40 yards will soon turn to lovely straight shots in no time

i still vividly remember teh pro grabbing my hands and yanking them 45 degrees to teh right, despite my protests and complaints that my hands werent built that way, and i couldnt hit the ball in the air doing that. He just said "and you want to stay a 21 handicapper for how long ?"

he was right

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Try and get some balls down the range before the weekend. Go out with your mates and just accept it'll be a bad one. Personally I wouldn't go back to the old swing and I'd persevere with what the pro has shown you. To chop and change is a minefield and you'll get so confused it'll make it 100 times worse. Stick with the new plane and swing and just try and enjoy it