Is it easier to just accept that you will always be just an "ok" golfer

[fletcher6490]

I've taken a few lessons, practiced everyday for the past month or so and when I get out to actually golf, I stink. My inconsistencies are still there, but now I have a million thoughts running through my mind during my backswing. I think for my own sanity, I might just accept my swing and be ok with having a lot of mediocre rounds,a few good and tons of bad ones. Is anyone else going through this?

[Tanner25]

I've taken a few lessons, practiced everyday for the past month or so and when I get out to actually golf, I stink. My inconsistencies are still there, but now I have a million thoughts running through my mind during my backswing. I think for my own sanity, I might just accept my swing and be ok with having a lot of mediocre rounds,a few good and tons of bad ones. Is anyone else going through this?

 

I will say this is a really important thread. After 30 years of golf, some lessons etc. My score hasn't changed. Part of me, wished I never thought about the swing that much but there was some improvement, when I started the downswing from the ground up. With that said, for the average golfer, course management is way over looked. Recently, I played by myself and had a tin cup moment. I had a 175 yard shot and needed to clear a small pond of water by about 160. I tried using my Heavenwood and put two in the water and finally, punch an iron shot left of the water. That was the play. I would have saved a stroke or two and the grief of losing the ball, by staying left of the water.

 

Tanner

[shanempowell]

I struggle with this as well. Although I refuse to give up and accept I can't get better. When I go play I've come to accept that I have the swing that I brought to the course that day and try to limit thoughts to one or at most two total.

 

But when I'm practicing and thinking about my game I think about lots of things both swing related and course management related. I also strive to get better.

 

My index has been as low as 4 and as high as 14 (currently 9) within two years so I know I have the potential to score well. There are days where I want to give up and accept being a mediocre player, then I hit a few really good shots or make birdies and I realize I can get better.

 

One thing that has really helped my inconsistencies on the course is working on my mental game. Playing and thinking one shot a time is easy for me when playing well. But when bad shots creep in it becomes more difficult. When I feel my one shot at a time mindset slipping and thinking about bad shots I refocus and break the round up into smaller portions in my head. For instance I made triple bogey on number one this morning. Instead of thinking about all the bad shots I just made and how they could impact the remainder of the round I first set a goal to make pars on 2 & 3 (I'd be happy +3 after three at my home course), then wiped my brain clear except for focusing on hitting a good tee ball on two.

 

I feel your pain op but with your dedication to practice and instruction there is no reason you shouldn't improve. Golf is hard, improving by a few strokes is difficult and gets more so the better you become. Take pride in small improvements and before you know it you'll be scoring better.

[jut111]

I've taken a few lessons, practiced everyday for the past month or so and when I get out to actually golf, I stink. My inconsistencies are still there, but now I have a million thoughts running through my mind during my backswing. I think for my own sanity, I might just accept my swing and be ok with having a lot of mediocre rounds,a few good and tons of bad ones. Is anyone else going through this?

 

Dude, you've practiced for a month. This game is the exact opposite of instant gratification.

[fletcher6490]

I've taken a few lessons, practiced everyday for the past month or so and when I get out to actually golf, I stink. My inconsistencies are still there, but now I have a million thoughts running through my mind during my backswing. I think for my own sanity, I might just accept my swing and be ok with having a lot of mediocre rounds,a few good and tons of bad ones. Is anyone else going through this?

 

Dude, you've practiced for a month. This game is the exact opposite of instant gratification.

 

I've played for years, this was my first shot at lessons though. I'm just saying for my own sanity and piece of mind, I should just be ok with my swing. I'm sick of being frustrated because I'm not as good as I want to be. Golf is supposed to be fun, right?

[fletcher6490]

Keep in mind, I shot a 102 today. The worst score I think I've ever shot, or at least I don't remember ever shooting so high of a score. This might explain my frustrations haha.

[q-school]

I've been taking lessons and practicing and watching videos for twenty plus years and I still suck. I'm pretty sure on a per practice and per lesson basis I'm the worst golfer on the planet.

[jut111]

I've taken a few lessons, practiced everyday for the past month or so and when I get out to actually golf, I stink. My inconsistencies are still there, but now I have a million thoughts running through my mind during my backswing. I think for my own sanity, I might just accept my swing and be ok with having a lot of mediocre rounds,a few good and tons of bad ones. Is anyone else going through this?

 

Dude, you've practiced for a month. This game is the exact opposite of instant gratification.

 

I've played for years, this was my first shot at lessons though. I'm just saying for my own sanity and piece of mind, I should just be ok with my swing. I'm sick of being frustrated because I'm not as good as I want to be. Golf is supposed to be fun, right?

 

Swing changes after playing for years will take even longer. As to your own peace of mind, only you can answer that question. Personally, I'd have zero peace of mind accepting this was at good as it gets. But everyone is different.

[MountainGoat]

Golf is supposed to be fun, right?

 

Who said that? I'm virtually a full-time golfer, and I can think of 100 things that are more fun than golf. For me, golf is always engrossing, frequently exasperating and sometimes satisfying. But, fun? No.

[95124hacker]

I struggle with this myself. It comes down to expectations. Were you a good player before and do you think you can get back to that level? What do you enjoy about the game? Are you trying to break par? Break 80? How much time & dedication do you truly have to give to improving? Are you physically and mentally strong?

 

For me personally, I didn't play golf until my mid 20's, took a break for several years to start a family, and got back into it recently. I have a full time job and practice 2-3x a week and play about 2-3 rounds a month. I broke 80 once (78), have 1 ace to my name. I want to consistently score in the low/mid 80's.

[Cwebb]

You can't expect much while going through swing changes....especially for the first time. You're attempting to "play golf swing" on the course and it's really difficult to score well that way

[Golfjack]

If you haven't had lessons before and only have started for a month being a long time golfer, don't give up. It's way too soon. But yeah I understand that after going it yourself for so many years it's hard to listen to someone else and even harder to ingrain and remove old bad habits. It'll probably take 6 months to a year to even start seeing results during which you will doubt yourself frequently and seriously. Could give up and go back to old reliable or keep trying to change for the supposedly better. Depends on your goals.

[Socrates]

You can't expect much while going through swing changes....especially for the first time. You're attempting to "play golf swing" on the course and it's really difficult to score well that way

This ^^^

 

It can take months or longer for swing changes to even become sort of natural. Last season while making changes, I had rounds where I lucky to break 90 and then there were rounds where I was under par. When I got fixated on golf swing while playing - disaster happened. When I just trusted it, I could put it all together. A year and a half later, some of the changes are becoming more natural, but I still find myself playing golf swing instead of golf, especially early in the round.

 

As long as you are making progress in your practice sessions, it will just take time until you can take it to the course.

[RichieHunt]

Easier?

 

Of course.

 

But, it's up to you and what you want to do and be. For me, achievement is fun. Doing things I thought I could do, but wasn't convinced of, makes life pleasurable. I love playing golf and I refuse to take the easy way out and accept that I won't get entirely better.

 

Don't sell yourself short.

 

"But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texas?

 

We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard." - JFK

 

 

RH

[Lefty_3Jack]

I'll give you the short answer, yes. Unless you were brought up playing or you practice everyday with a focused plan and then play a lot you're always going to be "inconsistent". The only weekend warriors who shoot in the 70s every round are ex really good players in their youths. It's a crappy, yet true reality.

[deathbymuffin]

I guess I'm just not willing to accept that at this point in my life. Part of the allure of golf is this belief that I can get better and better with my command of the game.

 

Improvement comes in fits and starts. You just have to keep grinding and when you start to feel lost, go see a professional to sort you out and get u back on track.

 

I have friends who have embraced a commitment to mediocrity on the links. They say they don't care enough to make changes to their games, yet their frustration is evident as they hit the same crappy shots over and over again. Doesn't seem like much fun to me, but to each his own.

[Mcgeeno]

Interesting thread.

 

I've played 80+ rounds and hit 500 balls a week for four five years now, started taking lessons again and have stayed between a 3-6 cap the entire time.

 

My buddy decided he was "overthinking the game" and stopped practicing. Plays once a week and has gone from 18 to 11 in a couple seasons.

 

I'm envious.

 

I do know I have a bad swing flaw though and need to fix it to get true consistency. I also love the practice grind it's my hobby,

[bunta]

I used to bang through a bucket of balls faster than you can eat a cheeseburger. Now i treat every shot as if i was in a f'in major.

[DFinch]

The hardest part is separating practice on the range with playing golf on the course.

 

The "million thoughts" on the course is death. You should allow yourself one swing thought or feel on the course...maybe two. One is better.

 

You're allowed as many as you want on the range, but once you're on the course you will not "fix" your swing, you'll only play worse and get frustrated. Play with what you brought that day and be disciplined enough to leave it alone and work on it only on the range.

 

The alternative is to practice on the course. You're better off not keeping score and recognizing you're practicing, not playing golf for score.

[jslane57]

Golf is a funny game. Science, equipment, and a random good shots get regular folks thinking they can be good. How good are you at basketball, baseball, and tennis? How much athletic potential do you have? If the answer is way more than what is showing, then yes, keep up the practice! But will you surpass your potential just because golf should be easy? Nope...

[BB28403]

It's weird, I almost gave up last year but then golf sucked me back in!

 

Found out in 4 driving range sessions:

Not rotating chest enough

Spine angle wrong

Balance wrong

Club face not square at impact

Need to work out more because im better when Im fitter and stronger.

 

So far some changes im making.

 

Also being more patient , when I get nervous or too conscious of stuff around me my swing gets fast, and then hit bad shots.

 

 

[pheenomz4774]

I think every golfer can always get a little better. Maybe set some smaller goals to keep the "carrot on the stick".

 

The full golf swing is super important but there are other things you can do to lower scores. Short game and putting improvements can really change your outlook on the tee and fairway.

 

Keep grinding! Being and ok golfer is ok, better than 90% of the bad golfers out there.

[fletcher6490]

After sleeping on it, I've realized I will never be alright with accepting "ok". I think my terrible round yesterday just put me in one of those moods.

[Tanner25]

After sleeping on it, I've realized I will never be alright with accepting "ok". I think my terrible round yesterday just put me in one of those moods.

 

 

Course management (stay clear of water and traps), using the clubs you are most comfortable with (maybe not the club you should use), should always bring you under 100 every time. Also, for the time being, play easier courses. There some things that you can change, that are not swing related.

[dg_1983]

Of course it is easier to just give up, not work hard, not work out the kinks, not test yourself only to fail, only to get back up and test yourself again, to fail a little less, then finally test yourself and pass. only to set another test, this time harder, and fail that.

 

Can I accept that though, and make that a conscious decision right now? Nope.

 

I was playing Panmuir at the weekend in a strong wind, 3 times I was asked to hit 210 yards into a par 4 greens into the strong right to left cross wind. Pulled out the 3 iron, fizzed a low held off fade into the heart of the 3 greens.

 

My playing partner who is fairly new to the game, didn't even bat an eye lid. Only I know the hard work over the last 20 years its taken to pull of those 3 shots.

[games]

After sleeping on it, I've realized I will never be alright with accepting "ok". I think my terrible round yesterday just put me in one of those moods.

 

Happens to everyone, OP. Sometimes, you just need to sleep on something to put it in perspective...

[cagecitizen]

I shot 82 and 83 at my home course in back to back weeks; played Bethpage Black yesterday and shot 102.

 

Golf is hard and everyone goes through bouts where your game isn't clicking. If I only focus on the bad round I just had I would miss the big picture - that my index has dropped sharply in the past year and that I have gotten better overall. Even pros have rounds where they shoot 77 and feel like hacks. Identify the areas of your game that are holding you back and make a plan to improve things over time.

[MWM400]

If you're starting with a solid foundation, a few lessons and some practice can make a big difference. But in my experience, it's hard to make sustainable change without longer term instruction and a disciplined practice routine (i.e. not just going out and pounding balls at the range).

 

I think it's worth it, if you can afford it financially, to commit to several months of lessons one time to get to a point where you feel like you have "your swing". You have to get to a point where you know what you're doing and why it's working. You have to do this once in your life and then just try to maintain that. If you get out of sorts, you at least have something you know you need to get to.

 

If you're like I was, and likely most amateurs, you're probably always trying some new "feel" or thought that you think will solve what you're doing. I can't count the times I really thought I had it figured out only for it to last for one round or one range session. Then I'd move on to something else. About 8 years ago I decided I was going to once and for all learn how to do it right. But I could no longer go to the range once, think I've got it figured out, then head to the course. I had to practice much more than play for a period of time.

 

I found an instructor and saw him at least every other week for about 4 months and focused on one thing at a time. I didn't move on until I had that one thing grooved. I practiced religiously and I'd actually do the things on the range that I was supposed to be doing rather than just try to hit good shots. After all this, I played the best golf of my life for a good 2 years. I went from a legit 16-17 down to a 7-8 (ball striking was always my issue, short game was always decent).

 

Then I went through almost 2 years where I didn't play at all followed by sporadic playing the last few years. I'm just now trying to get my game back and it's been a bit of a struggle. I just recorded my swing and compared it to where it was when I was playing really well. I realize I'm going to have to commit to practicing again, but I at least know what I need to get back to. I know what "my swing" looks like.

 

The hardest part is committing to practicing the right way. It's so easy to read some threads here, watch a few videos, head to the range and take full swings incorporating the last video you watched, hitting it better, then going to the course the next day frustrated as hell as to why you can't swing like you did at the range the day before. It's a vicious cycle that most of us go through. Being willing to take time to practice is one thing. But being willing to practice the right way is another. You have to really want it bad enough.

[naval2006]

I fully support all the golfers with great expectations in this thread. This is the knack of it: the next round will be THE round, no matter what. And you work towards that.

 

Personally I've been scoring pretty much the same for the past 12/15 years but I still enjoy the thrill of a good start, a couple of birdies and the chance of shooting par or lower, even though it happens once a year. The bad round, you forget by Monday. The slump, you fight hard to leave it behind.

 

Most golfers are not gifted, so the next ability worth having is grind.

[jay8s]

I have just gotten back into golf after kids. I had golfed weekly since age 15, and was not the best, or the worst on the course. Coming back now after a 5 year lay off, I have much lower expectations for my game. It is after all a game. I would live and die by shots before, not I just manage the course. Short grass is much easier to play from than long. I can scramble out bogies and am fine with that. 9 over is not bad. I can push when I want to, but it leads to shots that I can't make anymore. Maybe with time, but for now it is all fun for me.