Set my personal scoring record...THANKS MONTE

[ferrispgm]

Anyone who knows me or has seen some posts knows I'm a huge proponent of Monte's teaching. I started working with him 5 or 6 years ago solely via his clinics in AZ. Started off with a pretty ugly swing...bent over way too far at the waist, sucked the club way inside, fired the hips, EE and spotty contact. My initial handicap was a 5 but with potential to shoot anything from 70 to 90 depending on the day. My new index before this last round is +1 and now my worst rounds are still in upper 70s. Fast forward to last week and posted my best round ever of 66 which is my personal best by 4 shots. That includes an idiotic bogey on 15 and 4 missed putts I left a half roll short in the jar. Huge thanks and anyone on the fence needs to take a lesson. He says it a lot but the key truly is to stick with it and not let a few bad rounds change your course. I had been playing awful the last month (4 or 5 rounds) but kept at it and finally had a breakthrough round.

[bdcava]

Congrats, that’s awesome!

[cardoustie]

Great story, congrats

nice to see long term hard work pay out

[MonteScheinblum]

False modesty aside, of which I have none, the OP Succeeded for one reason. He committed himself to a process of improvement, instead of abandoning progress at the first sight of a down week.

Progress is not linear and measured over months and years, not shot to shot or round to round...which is what derails the improvement of the overwhelming majority.

[Hawkeye77]

That’s awesome and you have worked hard!

Won’t start another thread, but this thread had me find the first vid of my swing instituting a suggestion from Monte (I hear the gentle, “touch the elbows”) from the first lesson on St. Patrick’s Day, 2014. Was sitting on an index of 13.4. As of this morning sitting on 5.7 in spite of my stubborn and slovenly habits and 90% free of two plus years of tennis elbow. Last year finished abruptly at 6.8 (new, sustained low at that time) and wondered if I’d be able to keep it going (and if expected surgery would be successful).

Congrats man! I’ve enjoyed reading what you’ve shared. My post isn’t looking for any pats on the back for anyone other than Monte - just supplying some context for why I am adding my own thanks to a great instructor and equally great person.

[Golfbeat]

That really awesome! Congrats! How long had you been playing before going to the clinic if I may ask?

[ebrasmus21]

Nicely done!!!

[ferrispgm]

I didn't take up golf until after I turned 16...so like 10 years at that point....pretty much worked horrible teachers up to that point....my earliest one had me take the club back with my hip turn, drag the club on the ground until it got to my rear foot and then have a significant hip bump forward and keep my head down at the ball into the follow through....easy to see why i developed a bad habit of taking it back flat and slinging in inside out on the way down lol. Unfortunately i was new to golf and didn't know any better at the time. Instructors since only gave me the same old cliche info.

[ferrispgm]

I want to add on here that in my case at least, the process works like this: Get a lesson, works great for a few weeks, then off and on of struggle/good. The big "AHA" moments typically come 6 months later after a month or so of poor play. Probably not true but it feel likes it's my brain/body's last chance to hold on to the flaws before the real progress is made.

[Golfbeat]

Inside take away = so destructive.

[Krt22]

Nice work!

[MonteScheinblum]

That’s correct. I say it all the time, lack of skill, flexibility, core strength, practice time, etc., are not near the top of the list.

1a and 1b are poor perception of what you’re trying to accomplish and lack of commitment to staying on course when things go awry.

Those 2 things account for 90-95% of the reason golfers don’t improve.

[TourSpoon]

I stumbled upon Monte by accident and after watching some of his online material decided to take a video lesson. He gave me one small adjustment in my setup to allow my right hip to move properly that saved me months. He's got a great understanding of where I need to be so its work the 2 things he gave me and send him another video.