My golf game sucks!

[pourcyne]

As you prepare for the tourney:

- Play "best lie" with a partner. Gets your mind off what you are doing on your own.

- Don't keep score.

- Go to a hitting range and just hit a bucket of balls.

- Try fasting. You might hit better when you're feeling lean and mean.

- Walk the course instead of using a cart. It subconsciously encourages you to hit longer, especially if it's hot out.

- Do something else to train. Lift weights. Run. Swim. You may not hit any better, but you will feel better, physically and mentally.

- Go to a course that is unknown to you and where nobody knows you and let loose.

- Participate in the tourney as an honorary figure on the condition that you can not win...you will hit like a genius when the pressure's off.

 

[CyBobby]

As you prepare for the tourney:

- Play "best lie" with a partner. Gets your mind off what you are doing on your own.

- Don't keep score.

- Go to a hitting range and just hit a bucket of balls.

- Try fasting. You might hit better when you're feeling lean and mean.

- Walk the course instead of using a cart. It subconsciously encourages you to hit longer, especially if it's hot out.

- Do something else to train. Lift weights. Run. Swim. You may not hit any better, but you will feel better, physically and mentally.

- Go to a course that is unknown to you and where nobody knows you and let loose.

- Participate in the tourney as an honorary figure on the condition that you can not win...you will hit like a genius when the pressure's off.

"Don't Keep Score".....It does seem to take the pressure off, at least somewhat. I play with a couple of guys who "Never Keep Score", I think its the only way they can stand to play the game.

If nothing else works just try not keeping score and concentrate on having a good time...as they say thee score isn't everything!

Have a Great Time playing golf guys and gals...& don't take the game Uber Seriously.

 

[urb1]

I had the same problem a few years ago and went to the pro at Longview, who I had been to for a lesson 10 years ago. This guy can watch you hit about 10 balls and then tells you what to correct.

(I am pretty much back in the same boat this year.)

 

[Fishhead]

Your golf game sucks? Join the club. See what I did there?

 

[jbindm]

Do you use a cart or walk? If you normally use a cart, try walking nine. Walking to the ball slows things down a little and gives you some time to regroup and focus on your next shot. Could help get you back on track.

 

[Cyclonepride]

On a related note, I had my first golf lesson, and it turns out that my swing is entirely wrong (even though I get reasonably decent results). Sounds like my right arm is entirely too involved in the swing. I tried working on it a bit and couldn't get the ball up in the air for longer than 75 yards. So I quit and just accepted my bogey golfer ways.

 

[JY07]

I had the same problem a few years ago and went to the pro at Longview, who I had been to for a lesson 10 years ago. This guy can watch you hit about 10 balls and then tells you what to correct.

(I am pretty much back in the same boat this year.)

I just picked up golf this year (I decided to actually put some effort into it, anyway), and after spending the first month slicing or missing every shot, I finally went in and took a couple lessons

like he said, they'll pick up right away what you're doing wrong and how to fix it.. it was a night and day difference after a half hour or two of lessons

 

[mikedp]

Go see John at Golf USA in Ames, $20 half hour lesson, was in same funk with long irons and shooting 90-105 and a 15 handicap, last 5-7 rounds have been 80-95, still a few issues but really helped me to focus on just a couple of managable issues. Key was grip and slow down back swing. My 2 cents worth.

 

[mikedp]

Do you use a cart or walk? If you normally use a cart, try walking nine. Walking to the ball slows things down a little and gives you some time to regroup and focus on your next shot. Could help get you back on track.

This is totally true and works, cart golf is: Hit, jump in cart and drink and talk till next shot, vs. walking you think about shot as you approach and walk past yardage markers to understand club needs. I say walking is worth 5 strokes to me, especially up close around green.

 

[Tailg8er]

A ****** day on the golf course is still better than any day at work..

I've been playing recreationally (~7 times/year) for about 5 years now & have yet to break 100. I'm really inconsistent, plus I usually don't finish my rounds sober.. I should, & will one of these days, take a couple lessons, but until then I'll just keep chunking away at that little white ball.

 

[tm3308]

Agree with just step up and hit it. I'd focus on slowing down your backswing too... Lots of times you can be inconsistent if you get going too quickly. It's all about tempo.

Slowing down the downswing can be just as important. For the past few years, my backswing was plenty slow enough, but I would try to explode through the ball on the downswing. That led to a lot of poorly-hit shots because I was over-swinging. Recently, I've slowed down my downswing (at least at the beginning of it) and I'm hitting the ball better than I have in years, maybe ever.

I'm a guy who would like to get serious about my golf game, but I can't afford to play often enough right now to make that a reality. I do plan on picking up a few training aids so that I can work out some of my issues without going to the course 2-3 times a week, though. Impact bags look like a very good tool for developing proper form at the point of impact.

 

[ISUME]

This is totally true and works, cart golf is: Hit, jump in cart and drink and talk till next shot, vs. walking you think about shot as you approach and walk past yardage markers to understand club needs. I say walking is worth 5 strokes to me, especially up close around green.

I think this would depend on the person. Some people tend to over analyze previous and upcoming shots which lead to a lot of mishit balls.

At this point it is worth the OP trying to walk 9, but I would almost suggest hitting a bucket at 70 to 80% swing.

 

[tm3308]

This is totally true and works, cart golf is: Hit, jump in cart and drink and talk till next shot, vs. walking you think about shot as you approach and walk past yardage markers to understand club needs. I say walking is worth 5 strokes to me, especially up close around green.

This really depends on the person. I definitely shoot better while using a cart than I do when I walk the course. This is mostly due to the fact that I'm not in good shape, so walking adds a level of fatigue to the round that can only hurt my score (and often does).

And even though you have less time, I don't have an issue with thinking about my next shot/approach while in a cart. If anything, I'm more likely to get distracted by something if I'm taking more time to get to my ball than if I just get there as quickly as possible.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Another thing I do when my drives are a problem- no practice swings. I just stand behind the ball, envision the shot and then walk up and hit it.

 

[DIRustCohle]

I am not sure what happened in the last year and a half but my golf game has gone from respectable to total garbage. I am so ****** right now I can't even hit the ball and friends and beer don't help. I have to play in a tourney this weekend that I won a couple years back and right now my game looks like I just started playing. Embarrassing. I used to play this game as much as I could and right now I can't get away from it. I feel like tin cup when he goes to the practice range at the us open. Any suggestions?

So what 9 hole scramble did you win? :wink:

 

[ThatllDoCy]

That's tough. Keep a positive attitude, it is probably a very simple fix. Get Hank Haneys essentials of the golf swing, watch/read and go to the range. Start with your grip, have someone video your backwsing. Try to have fun. It's not about the score.

Practice your chipping, pitching and putting. You may not hit a lot of greens and will be able to build confidence and have fun by getting up and down. Start at 100 yards and work your way in.

 

[DIRustCohle]

Another thing I do when my drives are a problem- no practice swings. I just stand behind the ball, envision the shot and then walk up and hit it.

 

[jbindm]

This really depends on the person. I definitely shoot better while using a cart than I do when I walk the course. This is mostly due to the fact that I'm not in good shape, so walking adds a level of fatigue to the round that can only hurt my score (and often does).

And even though you have less time, I don't have an issue with thinking about my next shot/approach while in a cart. If anything, I'm more likely to get distracted by something if I'm taking more time to get to my ball than if I just get there as quickly as possible.

Totally true. For some people, walking up to the ball might just give them a bigger window of time to overthink things or get distracted. I just know that for me, walking gives me time to shake off whatever ****** shot I just hit and refocus for the next one. And I like walking the course. Cart golf to me is more of a nuisance. I wish Des Moines offered a public course that was walking only or offered a day/evening for walkers exclusively. I know it's impractical but one can daydream.

 

[erikbj]

My problem is the amount of golf in able to play......we had our first baby last summer. About 2 months before the baby ingot down to a 4 handi.....now I'm lucky to get out once a week and I'm facing being a double digit. No time to hit balls after work or play 3-5 times a week....results in golf game struggling, mine is my short game disappeared.

 

[jbindm]

My problem is the amount of golf in able to play......we had our first baby last summer. About 2 months before the baby ingot down to a 4 handi.....now I'm lucky to get out once a week and I'm facing being a double digit. No time to hit balls after work or play 3-5 times a week....results in golf game struggling, mine is my short game disappeared.

You're lucky to be playing once a week right now. The first summer after my first kid was born I played twice. Last summer was slightly better; I got out five whole times. This summer I'm on pace for three rounds.