The most effective way for me to get better at golf

[Canary_Yellow]

I read with interest a post last night regarding the value of lessons if you're not able to put in the time to practice what you're taught at a lesson, with the general consensus seeming to be that unless you are able to practice 3 - 4 times a week and really put the time in lessons are not necessarily the right move.

I'm very keen to get better at golf. I estimate that I will be able to go to the driving range at least once a week every week throughout the winter, and will play as near to once a week as I can - weather dependent.

What do people think would be the best way for me to improve my game? The options I can see are as follows:

1) Just play as much as I can;

2) Take lessons and practice what I learn in my once a week driving range session;

3) Read books, such as Dave Pelz short game bible etc;

4) Watch You Tube tuition videos such as those by Shawn Clement; or

5) Some combination of all or some of the above.

I'd be particularly interested in hearing how those that have taken up golf in their twenties or older and have gone on to get handicaps in the low teens (or lower) have gone about achieving that. I have sufficient money to pay for some lessons over the course of winter - I just don't want to do that and then not really get anything from it.

 

[Andr3w]

I've improved my game a lot from watching youtube lessons. Just be aware that there is a lot of rubbish out there and a lot of conflicting philosophies. My advice would be to follow the guys that teach fairly conventional stuff and don't worry about stacks and tilts and one-plane swings etc. Mark Crossfield would be a good place to start and you've mentioned Shawn Clement whom I like as well.

 

[Birchy]

If you have a lesson and practice once a week until it beds in then go for another lesson and do the same again etc you will get better. The mistake a lot of people make when taking lessons (according to our pro) is they have a lesson then go home and dont practice it and then go for another lesson and then wonder why nothing has changed.

Dont try and learn too much too fast and you will get better.

P.S Theres no substitute for a proper lesson from a PGA professional imo.

 

[cookelad]

1 & 2 have done me ok so far (admittedly I was playing in my teens!) books and youtube can make you want to correct things that you don't need to correct in your own game a pro will tailor lesson(s) to your game and give you specific drills that you can work on at the practice ground!

 

[Canary_Yellow]

Thanks guys. I was on the verge of booking some lessons then just slightly put off by the thread I read last night.

I find books and youtube good to an extent, but I find it difficult to know what my swing looks like and then to work out exactly what I'm doing wrong. I find them good for the fundamentals, but not so much beyond that really. The driving range I go to has mirros behind some of the bays which I find pretty useful, but still I don't think it's a substitute for (or even anywhere close) a PGA Pro observing.

 

[patricks148]

I read with interest a post last night regarding the value of lessons if you're not able to put in the time to practice what you're taught at a lesson, with the general consensus seeming to be that unless you are able to practice 3 - 4 times a week and really put the time in lessons are not necessarily the right move.

I'm very keen to get better at golf. I estimate that I will be able to go to the driving range at least once a week every week throughout the winter, and will play as near to once a week as I can - weather dependent.

What do people think would be the best way for me to improve my game? The options I can see are as follows:

1) Just play as much as I can;

2) Take lessons and practice what I learn in my once a week driving range session;

3) Read books, such as Dave Pelz short game bible etc;

4) Watch You Tube tuition videos such as those by Shawn Clement; or

5) Some combination of all or some of the above.

I'd be particularly interested in hearing how those that have taken up golf in their twenties or older and have gone on to get handicaps in the low teens (or lower) have gone about achieving that. I have sufficient money to pay for some lessons over the course of winter - I just don't want to do that and then not really get anything from it.

I started playing golf 6 years ago age 42. Never played at all before had no interest in it.

I just played golf and didn't have any lessons till i was down to 9 (7 now). my first handicap was 24 and was down to 16 within a month or so.

I don't hit balls at all practice wise. Earlier in the year I changed my swing after being stuck at 9-10 for about 3 years. Helped by a bit of plastic called a swingyde. I use that a couple of times a week on the patio with a back door mat.

Ive got a mark on it and just swing and hit that. I check the reflexion in the patio doors.

If you are having lessons, you don't have to be hitting balls all the time. not for full swings anyway.

I think you can get down to a reasonable handicap without lesson if you have the basics right.

don't think there is anything wrong with just playing though.

Get out play and enjoy and you will get better. I'm not sure hitting hundreds of balls on a range would always make you better.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I started playing golf 6 years ago age 42. Never played at all before had no interest in it.

I just played golf and didn't have any lessons till i was down to 9 (7 now). my first handicap was 24 and was down to 16 within a month or so.

I don't hit balls at all practice wise. Earlier in the year I changed my swing after being stuck at 9-10 for about 3 years. Helped by a bit of plastic called a swingyde. I use that a couple of times a week on the patio with a back door mat.

Ive got a mark on it and just swing and hit that. I check the reflexion in the patio doors.

If you are having lessons, you don't have to be hitting balls all the time. not for full swings anyway.

I think you can get down to a reasonable handicap without lesson if you have the basics right.

don't think there is anything wrong with just playing though.

Get out play and enjoy and you will get better. I'm not sure hitting hundreds of balls on a range would always make you better.

That's exceptionally impressive. I would say that you must have a real natural talent for golf. I'm not sure I'm quite the same in that regard, but helpful tips nonetheless!

 

[bobmac]

Some combination of all or some of the above.

That's the quickest road to 'information overload' IMO
As we all learn in different ways and at different speeds the best answer I could give you is.............
Depends
I would say however, an hour a week working on a drill the pro has given you is probably time better spent than spending 2 hours working on the miracle cures you may read about on the internet.
Go and see your pro, explain your strengths and weaknesses and figure out a plan to improve your game.
Then play and practice

 

[CMAC]

don't think there is anything wrong with just playing though.

Get out play and enjoy and you will get better.

^
^
^
This :thup:

 

[drutz]

I have lessons and try to go to the range after a lesson, normally 2-3 days after then play at the weekend. I find this helps me to put into practice what I have been taught and also helps me improve my course management. It might not work for everyone but can't do any harm as it is in effect two practice sessions after your lesson.

 

[patricks148]

That's exceptionally impressive. I would say that you must have a real natural talent for golf. I'm not sure I'm quite the same in that regard, but helpful tips nonetheless!

Not really I played Cricket to a highish level, but a cricket shot is not so good for the golf
Don't get me wrong at the start i played a lot, but never been one to go to a range. There's guys on here who obsess about equipment and hit hundreds of balls into nets and on ranges every week. If your doing it wrong why practice doing it wrong?

All i'm saying is yo don't have to be bashing balls, swinging a club on the right path will help just as much, well it does for me anyway.

There is a guy who was just started same time as me and he had lessons from the start and was ***** for at least a year, but was down to 4 the last i heard and that was a few years ago so could be even lower by now.

 

[pendodave]

I started at about the same age as you and have played for about 6 years now.

Sadly not down as low as Patrick, but play off 13. Play with a couple of mates with similar golfing histories.

Even with 3 of us, it is obvious that different people find different things helpful, so there's no 'right' answer to your question. A little bit of everything is probably the best bet, according to your own tastes.

You don't mention putting. Get yourself a mat and a ramp (I use a boomerang ramp) and do a few minutes in the living room as often as possible. Will remove a couple of shots with very little effort.

Lots of lessons may not be useful, but having someone check that there is nothing fundamentally bad every now and then is a good idea. Especially with a video. What you think is happening and what is actually happening are often completely different, especially early on.

If you self teach, even a simple digital camera or phone will be a handy tool to check things over and compare what you are doing with what you see on the web.

If you can, play with good players (single figures) every now and then. Watching a good swing, good short game and good course management in the flesh is a fantastic learning experience.

good luck.

 

[devdor]

Someone who is a professional golfer advised me to just relax and keep it simple. It's like forgetting the angle, the mechanics and the correct swing and just play for fun. It worked for me though. You can also watch golf videos on Youtube.

 

[Wolfman]

My experience and reply is based on the simple fact which is are you a natural to golf or not, i wasnt and struggle

Some people can pick up golf and 1 month later play off a decent hcp but they still lack playing experience


Some people take years to lower their hcp yet during this time pick up very important golf experience and other skills


Golf is more than a hcp, its a journey, enjoy it good and bad ups and downs, if you are playing purely for the low hcp i would pack it in now and save the grief and frustration !


Play the game get better / get worse who cares just enjoy playing the game good or bad and take off the pressure about hcp

 

[Snelly]

Get a good understanding of the basics; grip, stance, alignment, tempo, etiquette and shot types. Just playing without these basic building blocks in place would be utterly futile.

Once they are there, just play. A lot.

 

[Slicer30]

Due to commitments I can only get out once a week so alot of my practice is indoors at home, so here are some things I have had success with.

1. Youtube videos - scoured all the tips, lessons etc and like others have said had so many things in my head I could barely hit it. In the end I picked 1 video for each major component - Grip, stance, posture etc. I watched and replicated these videos, 10 in total and started hitting the ball well. When something goes wrong on my swing I can usually watch these 10 vids and find the culprit. Mark Crossfield is my preferred source for these videos.

2. Course Management - take a scorecard at home and plot your way around your course. This was a real lightbulb moment for me when I realised that being smarter and taking less risks could get me round in mid 80's.

3. Rotella books - can read at home, and give me a much better attitude on the days when things are not going to plan. Getting rid of the "its not going to be my day" attitude turned bad swing days into hitting buffer and doing no damage.

4. Swing and grip trainer - £10 helped me establish a proper grip and showed how unorthodox my previous grip was. Finally helped me understand the importance of a good grip. Biggest bonus was that it was short and weighed the same as a SW. I could do a full swing indoors in front of a mirror.

5. Ping putting app - helped convince me that my old putter took alot of effort to get consistent results, changed to the odyssey and have real confidence in my putter now.

6. new addition - Swingreader App for the iphone - record your swing and play it back in slow motion. allows you to mark points during the playback so you can check for sway, head movements etc. It also has a cool function that allows you mark angles so if you record a good swing you have a reference point to refer back to in the future.

 

[bobmac]

Due to commitments I can only get out once a week so alot of my practice is indoors at home, so here are some things I have had success with.

1. Youtube videos - scoured all the tips, lessons etc and like others have said had so many things in my head I could barely hit it. In the end I picked 1 video for each major component - Grip, stance, posture etc. I watched and replicated these videos, 10 in total and started hitting the ball well. When something goes wrong on my swing I can usually watch these 10 vids and find the culprit. Mark Crossfield is my preferred source for these videos.

2. Course Management - take a scorecard at home and plot your way around your course. This was a real lightbulb moment for me when I realised that being smarter and taking less risks could get me round in mid 80's.

3. Rotella books - can read at home, and give me a much better attitude on the days when things are not going to plan. Getting rid of the "its not going to be my day" attitude turned bad swing days into hitting buffer and doing no damage.

4. Swing and grip trainer - £10 helped me establish a proper grip and showed how unorthodox my previous grip was. Finally helped me understand the importance of a good grip. Biggest bonus was that it was short and weighed the same as a SW. I could do a full swing indoors in front of a mirror.

5. Ping putting app - helped convince me that my old putter took alot of effort to get consistent results, changed to the odyssey and have real confidence in my putter now.

6. new addition - Swingreader App for the iphone - record your swing and play it back in slow motion. allows you to mark points during the playback so you can check for sway, head movements etc. It also has a cool function that allows you mark angles so if you record a good swing you have a reference point to refer back to in the future.

And after only 25 years, you're down to 14

 

[Slicer30]

And after only 25 years, you're down to 14

only 25yrs?
there is also the possibility that playing every week for 3 years is the real reason I am down to 14! and all of the above merely gave me the impression I was doing something

 

[woody69]

2. Course Management - take a scorecard at home and plot your way around your course. This was a real lightbulb moment for me when I realised that being smarter and taking less risks could get me round in mid 80's.

Excellent tip. I've just had the same realisation. After the tee shot why take on the 220 yard approach that 9/10 ends up left or right of the green usually requiring a chip and then a 2 putt, when I can take a shorter iron to within 120 yards and then another short flick to get within 1 putt distance. You have the extra shots with a high handicap, so I should start using them!

Surely you should be breaking it down into where you think you need to most improvement? Pick one area that needs the most amount of work and just focus on that e.g. putting, or shots from 120 yards in etc. No point trying to improve EVERYTHING in one go

 

[Neils]

I personally get a lot out of youtube videos and just going to the driving range when I can, helps when I have a friend to go with every weekend. Also for putting I practice with a Clearball putter, it helped me get the hang of it pretty fast.