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Joined: 7/04/2008
Posts: 2
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Posted: Aug/02/2008 6:12 PM PST
I have been playing a lot of golf this year (multiple rounds per week) and continue to struggle. I cannot seem to get any consistency in my shots even though I'm taking lessons. What I would like is to know how (what steps, training program, etc.) you took to improve your game?
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Joined: 5/01/2008
Posts: 57
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Posted: Aug/02/2008 8:33 PM PST
This is a very common question, similar to "what made the lights come on for you?" Invariably for most good golfers, the point of departure between a frustrating struggle and learning to swing with authority and accuracy is converting from an arm swing to learning how to swing with the large muscles of the torso against a well leveraged lower body. In my view, it is easier to learn the latter in the first place but it just doesn't seem to get taught for the most part. Go to any range in America and you'll likely see the teacher working on club position which does not teach you how to swing, but teaches you how to "place" the club into position with the hands and arms.
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Richmond, KY
Joined: 10/22/2007
Posts: 76
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Posted: Aug/02/2008 10:05 PM PST
I come from having played sports all my life but..I improved my game by going out and playing.
I should clarify that I think theres a world of difference in going out and playing a round of golf and going out and hacking a ball around a golf course.
I think too many people go out to play and they rush everything. What helped me was playing alone, being able to focus on MY shot, where MY ball was, where i wanted MY ball to go, taking the time that I needed to hit MY shot.
Hitting a successful shot takes understanding of how everything works and focus on making that work as second nature. Don't think about how this is supposed to do this then I gotta be there...focus first on how you want your shot to turn out from start to finish, then focus on making a correct impact. All the other fine tuning can come later but you gotta first make solid contact and hit the ball in the direction you want it. Don't be afraid to experiment. Just because someone else told you how to hit a golf ball doesn't make their way right for you. Try something different..change your grip, change your position, whats the worst that could happen?
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Joined: 7/15/2008
Posts: 11
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Posted: Aug/02/2008 10:12 PM PST
Practice, practice, practice...
http://www.golf.net
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Joined: 12/05/2007
Posts: 589
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Posted: Aug/03/2008 9:23 AM PST
AirDevil,
I started by taking the area i was losing the most shots on and working on that the most. At first it was simply hitting the ball and keeping it somewhat in play. Once i could regularly hit the ball 200 + yards off the tee and somewhere on the course i began to work on short game to eliminate flubbed chips and skulled chips over the green. as i worked on the short game it was improving my ball striking and i was hitting the ball farther but I was getting erratic off the tee hitting the ball 280-300 yards but hooking and slicing it OB and losing shots. So then i began to be more intelligent with club selection (sometimes hitting 3 iron off the tee on a 380 yard par 4 instead of trying to bomb it 330 with the driver and leave my self 50 yards) as well as adding additional focus on alignment, grip, and more advanced things with my swing that I gleaned from video tips. Now i'm at the point where I really need to start working on bunker play and putting. My home course doesn't have many bunkers and I'm rarely in them but when I go to another course with lots of bunkers I have very little experience. I'm also missing WAAAAAAYYYYY to many 7 foot putts. i could have had a few rounds in the low 80's high 70's already if I could figure out how to putt!
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West Lothian
Joined: 11/08/2007
Posts: 130
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Posted: Aug/03/2008 12:31 PM PST
CP,(or anyone)
to improve your putting try reading 'Putting Out Of Your Mind' by Bob Rotella.
It is an EXCELLENT book that doesn't get technical on the stroke but concentrates on the mind side.
This guy is in tow with many top pro's including Open back to back winner Padraig Harrington. I am sure he is from your side of the pond and has many Americans past and present on his books.
On the main point just try to ingrane a decent, consistent swing and work from there.
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Joined: 5/01/2008
Posts: 57
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Posted: Aug/03/2008 6:33 PM PST
CP, here is something which came to my email box today which may help your sand play:
Here are the steps: (note: These steps apply to a normal sand bunker. Not wet or hard sand)
1. Choke down on the golf club (Have your right index finger about an inch from the bottom of the grip). Choking down gives you control of the club and allows you to "feel" the shot rather than hitting it.
2. Narrow your stance a little and play the ball a few inches forward in your stance. This will also aid in controlling the shot, and it will contribute to higher ball flight.
3. Dig into the sand with your feet a little and get comfortable.
4. Keep your body completely still throughout (no twisting hips).
5. Start your swing with your arms and keep your swing vertical. The end of the grip butt should be pointed at the ball at the top of your backswing. (Don't bring the club straight back, remember steep is better here!)
6. Your left arm should be parallel to the ground and fully extended at the top of your swing.
7. Then start your downswing at the sand focusing to hit 1 inch behind the ball. Don't focus on hitting the ball, hit the sand an inch behind and the ball will get out every time!
8. Your arms and body follow the ball as it leaves the sand.
9. Remember - a steep angle into the sand is key here. You don't have to swing too hard; we are not blasting the ball out, we are advancing it.
Drill:
Go into a bunker and take 3 clubs your pitching wedge, sand wedge, and a lob wedge(if you have one). Remember that you can get creative with shots; just because it's a sand wedge doesn't mean that you'll "feel" the most comfortable or get the best results. But I want you to notice the difference in design and performance.
Hit a few shots with each club and really notice the difference in how the ball comes out of the sand. Then choose the club that bests suits you. But remember, with all these clubs swing steep and hit 1 inch behind the ball. You can even draw a line behind the ball and aim for that line.
At home, office, or at the course take practice swings and focus on bringing the club up at a steep angle. Watch as your grip end points to the ground. And stop there - this is the position that you want to be in. A great way to see if the grip is pointed over the ball is sticking a tee in the grip handle. Do that a few times to ensure that you know where to stop the golf club and start your steep downswing. Then the downswing is easy! Just hit an inch behind the ball. Practice this for a few days then go have fun in a bunker!
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Joined: 12/05/2007
Posts: 589
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Posted: Aug/04/2008 12:06 PM PST
the problem I have is everyone teaches the basic explosion shot out of the bunker which for a high handicapper is great because you really just need to get out of the bunker at all costs. I'm pretty good with that, now my issue is getting it close to the target out of the bunker which can be a slippery proposition. My home course doesn't have any bunkers in the practice area and there are so few on the course so my practice time is very limited.
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Joined: 5/01/2008
Posts: 57
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Posted: Aug/04/2008 12:58 PM PST
Yep. Then the issue becomes primarily how far behind the ball you enter the sand and how hard of a swing you take, both of which take some trial and error practice. Sand texture, sand moisture, and how far into the sand the ball is lying also come into considerstion. If the ball is buried for example, closing the club face a bit will cause it to dig deep, while if the ball is sitting up and you want a high soft shot, open the face and skim the sand just under the ball. (Hope we're not jacking this thread!)
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Joined: 12/05/2007
Posts: 589
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Posted: Aug/04/2008 8:56 PM PST
thanks for the tips. Airdevil, the best way to improve your game. Start playing for money! I love practicing for the sports i play but many people dont. But if they know they are playing for money, it gives them added incentive to put the practice time in. Even if it's just $1 a hole, it puts added pressure on you to perform and changes the game completely
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