I am Flunking Weekend Golf

[DFinch]

It affects your view of the game in general because you set a high standard for yourself and those shots don't live up to it. The question becomes, what are you going to do about it?

You basically have to either: 1. Commit the time and effort to reduce/eliminate those shots using whatever approach you think will work for you or 2. Accept that you are going to duff shots and that's how it's going to be because you're not the player you used to be but you still want to play/enjoy getting out or 3. Give it up because you don't enjoy it anymore when those shots keep happening.

I'm a perfectionist. I can relate.

I just retired so I've committed to an extensive evaluation of my entire game. It has cost me 4 strokes on my index this year. On any given day I feel like I can shoot 68 but it's just as likely to be an 85. I have duffs that would have never happened a year ago. But, in between those terrible swings has been some of the best ballstriking of my life. I recently had 7 birdies and 4 triples. I've gone +13 for 4 holes and even on the other 14. I've gone +5 on 2 holes and -1 on the other 16. Still, it's those duffed shots that create a STRONG temptation to abandon the work I'm doing because those shots are so outside how I view myself and my game that I can barely handle it mentally. THAT is where my real work is and I would bet it is for you as well.

 

[BIG STU]

Dave I know exactly where you are coming from. You have me 8 years but I can still relate. From a background of playing Mini Tours and big money matches I used to practice and play every day. About 10 year ago I stopped both. I play one day a week and hardly ever practice. Like you I expect a lot of myself and when i get a couple of blow up holes my enjoyment level goes to the basement. I am not going to belt a lot of range balls because my body will not take it anymore and I have grasped that reality. For me most of my fun now is tinkering with and playing vintage clubs. One of the fun things I do is I take sets of vintage clubs and see what I can shoot with them. Working for a metal recycling company I find lots of stuff. I will pull stuff straight off the pile clean it and check it and see what I can shoot with it. I have been known to go out and play with sets that I have less than $10 in the whole shooting match. I actually play better with my vintage stuff because my expectations are lower. Part of mine is lack of focus on the course. In other words I am not playing for money so I do not knuckle down as much but still for some reason I still have great expectations of myself. When I play with the bunch I play with I still have some competitive fire and want to beat them and we do not play for one thin dime. But I do not focus like I should. My most enjoyable rounds are by myself on my home course playing Lord knows only what for clubs. There can be a mix of vintage blades and hickory shafted clubs. I used to walk some in the fall carrying a Moonlite type bag and 8 clubs ( all vintage) but I do not know if I can do that this fall from bad ankles and back. Sometimes I lay off playing a week or two and mess with something in the shop or find something new and I get the urge to try them. I am working on something now. Over in the Classics Section you will find I posted a personal challenge. Later on this summer I am going to try to break 100 on a 8000+ yard course here at sea level with persimmon woods and blade irons and balata balls. Gives me something to work at. In a nutshell I have to constantly remind myself that I am lucky at my age and injuries to even be playing. My mindset is that I am 25 but my body is as beat up as and 80 year old. Good luck to you

[platgof]

Man, I feel your pain. The mental part of golf is huge!! Age is a real kick in the arse on the mental side. I had to rebuild my game because I totally forgot how to swing properly, and my scores took a hard dive. Now I am in rebuild and Miller's tip on the left shoulder made a big difference in helping me finish the golf swing properly. I wonder as we get older and loose some flexibility , how much the mental side suffers? It sounds like you are in great shape, amazing actually. The ability to stay focused and trust your swing are harder as we age. I am now playing some of my best golf ever and it was a lot of hard work.

[firstbatch]

> @DaveLeeNC said:

> > @MountainGoat said:

> > I work with this all the time. Older guys tend to lose their lower body power and balance, and they start playing the game with their shoulders, arms and hands. That leads to mis-hits.

>

> First of all this post was not about the state of my golf, but the state of my relationship with my golf game. I was not looking for swing help here, but your comment is interesting. And in my case I wonder if the opposite is true. One thing that took the place of my golf time is my road bike. I ride (depending on the season) 120 to 200 miles per week and pretty routinely ride at 18 to 19 mph (solo) for an hour or two (longer on occasion). I would guess that my lower body is stronger now than it was five years ago and I wonder what that might mean.

>

> But golf swings are hard to fix when you are willing to work on them, so not much to be gained in my case most likely.

>

> dave

 

> @DaveLeeNC said:

> > @MountainGoat said:

> > I work with this all the time. Older guys tend to lose their lower body power and balance, and they start playing the game with their shoulders, arms and hands. That leads to mis-hits.

>

> First of all this post was not about the state of my golf, but the state of my relationship with my golf game. I was not looking for swing help here, but your comment is interesting. And in my case I wonder if the opposite is true. One thing that took the place of my golf time is my road bike. I ride (depending on the season) 120 to 200 miles per week and pretty routinely ride at 18 to 19 mph (solo) for an hour or two (longer on occasion). I would guess that my lower body is stronger now than it was five years ago and I wonder what that might mean.

>

> But golf swings are hard to fix when you are willing to work on them, so not much to be gained in my case most likely.

>

> dave

 

Count me major league impressed at 70 you can ride road bikes @ 18-19mph avg speed at those distances. Impressive! With regard to golf if a player can’t find the bottom ( low point) of their swing on iron shots the game is very annoying. Since you have been a 5 hdcp you’ve known how to accomplish that and simply need to find it again. You’re in great great shape and congrats to you.

 

[DaveLeeNC]

> @firstbatch said:

> > @DaveLeeNC said:

> > > @MountainGoat said:

> > > I work with this all the time. Older guys tend to lose their lower body power and balance, and they start playing the game with their shoulders, arms and hands. That leads to mis-hits.

> >

> > First of all this post was not about the state of my golf, but the state of my relationship with my golf game. I was not looking for swing help here, but your comment is interesting. And in my case I wonder if the opposite is true. One thing that took the place of my golf time is my road bike. I ride (depending on the season) 120 to 200 miles per week and pretty routinely ride at 18 to 19 mph (solo) for an hour or two (longer on occasion). I would guess that my lower body is stronger now than it was five years ago and I wonder what that might mean.

> >

> > But golf swings are hard to fix when you are willing to work on them, so not much to be gained in my case most likely.

> >

> > dave

>

> > @DaveLeeNC said:

> > > @MountainGoat said:

> > > I work with this all the time. Older guys tend to lose their lower body power and balance, and they start playing the game with their shoulders, arms and hands. That leads to mis-hits.

> >

> > First of all this post was not about the state of my golf, but the state of my relationship with my golf game. I was not looking for swing help here, but your comment is interesting. And in my case I wonder if the opposite is true. One thing that took the place of my golf time is my road bike. I ride (depending on the season) 120 to 200 miles per week and pretty routinely ride at 18 to 19 mph (solo) for an hour or two (longer on occasion). I would guess that my lower body is stronger now than it was five years ago and I wonder what that might mean.

> >

> > But golf swings are hard to fix when you are willing to work on them, so not much to be gained in my case most likely.

> >

> > dave

>

>

SNIP

With regard to golf if a player can’t find the bottom ( low point) of their swing on iron shots the game is very annoying. Since you have been a 5 hdcp you’ve known how to accomplish that and simply need to find it again.

SNIP

>

Yes, I can find the bottom of my iron shots swing! It is right there at the bottom of that big divot that starts about 1.5 inches behind where my ball used to be :-)

 

dave