Why are you not getting better ?

[Ron del Barrio]

Just curious to read some comments about why your game has plateaued ?

[GoTime]

Lack of time

[llewol007]

I don’t have the time to commit. 4 kids all in activities of some sort. If I can sneak to a driving range to chip and hit approach shots, I’d take it. Other than that ,it is a matter of figuring it out on the course and I usually do.

Edited September 25, 2022 by llewol007

[Gregakin]

Too much range time vs. too little playing to make the changes stick.  Specifically, just playing casual golf where I don't have to worry about results.  I work on a move and then off to a tournament or group betting game...and fall back into old habits. Vicious cycle. 

[Dufferonius]

11 minutes ago, Gregakin said:

I work on a move and then off to a tournament or group betting game...and fall back into old habits. Vicious cycle. 

It takes a lot of repetitions of a new move or motion for it to become ingrained.  Particularly when it's replacing an old, learned one that has been ingrained.

[Springsteennut]

It’s got to be the equipment! Probably not just an overall lack of coordination.

[golfortennis]

I don't think it would apply to many here, but I'm not so sure how many people want to really improve.  I remember one time a fellow telling me "you'll find your comfort zone."    My first thought was, I don't want to find a comfort zone, I want to get better.

 

BUt I know people who have potential, play several times a week, yet there is never a lesson or any real practice.  Which is fine if that's you want, but don't talk about wanting to improve.  IMO, anyway.

[DLiver]

Funny I was just asking myself this today! I have been trying to improve my swing for about a year, and I am just now starting to see results. However because I have been largely ignoring short game and (particularly) putting, my scores haven't changed much.

 

FWIW, I am retired, and play regularly with other retired guys who have low indexes. Every one of them thought that, once they retired and had all the time in the world to work on their games, their handicaps would drop. But they never seem to get better. I think it takes a lot of thought, analysis, info and determination to get better at golf.

[jdl]

My brain won't shut the hell up.

[BagofToast]

14 minutes ago, jdl said:

My brain won't shut the hell up.

This ^^^^^^^

[kwcsports]

3 hours ago, GoTime said:

Lack of time

Same here. I'm 56 now and just don't play or practice enough. I was once a 4, now I'm happy in the low 80's. Maybe once I retire ( 3 years & 3 months ) I'll have more time. 

[Blaiser]

Probably because I don't recreate proper playing conditions when I practice. Rarely do I drink 5 beers while at the driving range.

[Dufferonius]

@jdl & @BagofToast, y'all might be well-served by reading Zen Golf. He discusses this kind of thing extensively, how it hurts your game, and ways to overcome it.  (Spoiler: You don't "overcome" it, per se, but learn to disregard it.)

 

In another thread, The Inner Game Of Golf and Genie Within Your Subconscious were mentioned.  I don't know those books, but the titles suggest similar instruction.

 

[Fuscinator]

Thanks to destroying my right elbow, I think I might be getting better.😎

[Chilli9880]

Same for me with time, kids and family commitments. When I do have time, I'd rather play than get lessons and work on stuff. I still do practice here and there when I have 30-40 minutes but between finding a coach and booking that time, I'd rather play 9. 

[Albatross Dreamer]

3 hours ago, DLiver said:

Funny I was just asking myself this today! I have been trying to improve my swing for about a year, and I am just now starting to see results. However because I have been largely ignoring short game and (particularly) putting, my scores haven't changed much.

 

FWIW, I am retired, and play regularly with other retired guys who have low indexes. Every one of them thought that, once they retired and had all the time in the world to work on their games, their handicaps would drop. But they never seem to get better. I think it takes a lot of thought, analysis, info and determination to get better at golf.

I dunno if this is entirely accurate. As many people have mentioned we lack time. So it's not that we don't want to improve, but it might not be worth the trade off of how long it'd take for those things to positively affect our scores vs getting more rounds in when possible. It's a lot easier to make changes in your game when you have 30+ hours a week to play vs the <10 many people do.

 

Although if some people spent half as much time getting reps as club ho'ing maybe they'd be a lot better off. 😆

[mizuno player]

 

 

The reason in my opinion. Not getting proper coaching or teaching at a young age. Before all the bad habits could be engrained. If I had it to do over this is what I would have focused on. Proper instruction from the start. 

 

Physical limitations. I was a very good athlete when younger but had some hip mobility issues and bad back. You learn to swing so it doesn't hurt. And that could be different everyday. 

 

I could practice everyday for a year and honestly I don't think I'd be dramatically better. 

 

 

[DArnie]

Just age! 😎

[OnTheBag]

42 minutes ago, Albatross Dreamer said:

I dunno if this is entirely accurate. As many people have mentioned we lack time. So it's not that we don't want to improve, but it might not be worth the trade off of how long it'd take for those things to positively affect our scores vs getting more rounds in when possible. It's a lot easier to make changes in your game when you have 30+ hours a week to play vs the <10 many people do.

 

Although if some people spent half as much time getting reps as club ho'ing maybe they'd be a lot better off. 😆

I was about to reply to @DLiver and decided to combine my response with yours.  

 

I am semi-retired, which means I didn't make enough money in my day job to fully quit working when I got old.  Fortunately, I spent my entire adult life in the golf industry.  I play A LOT, but age has taken a toll.  Someone above mentioned "Finding a Comfort Zone."  I've found that to be very true for myself and the guys I play with.  We are all playing at a 6 or less.  Most were ++ at one time in our life and one guy was a journeyman on tour in the 80's.  

 

At some point, the desire and commitment necessary to "get better" far outweighs the joy found in the game.  Many of us find a place where we are satisfied with our performance week in and week out, so we chose to play the game for social interaction, an occasional bet, exercise, and enjoyment.  We all want to hit a few shots a round better than we do.  But my groups are happy to turn in a 75-85 round after round while enjoying time in the sun with old friends.  

 

Life is short folks, don't miss the sunset while looking for the sunrise.  

[SE Gamer]

4 hours ago, golfortennis said:

I don't think it would apply to many here, but I'm not so sure how many people want to really improve.  I remember one time a fellow telling me "you'll find your comfort zone."    My first thought was, I don't want to find a comfort zone, I want to get better.

 

BUt I know people who have potential, play several times a week, yet there is never a lesson or any real practice.  Which is fine if that's you want, but don't talk about wanting to improve.  IMO, anyway.

 

Lot of truth above. 

 

Over the past 5 years or so I was kind of lackadaisical about improving. This winter I put in a hitting area in my home office (have since added a LM). Hit a bunch of balls. Lots of wedges. Just focused on consistent ball striking and it paid off. Had one of my better years in recent history.

 

But I think the bigger impact was due to course management changes. I've always been a pretty good player. Still relatively young. And just never moved on from playing super aggressive. Chasing pins, hero shots, etc. This year I played much more conservative. With a primary goal of giving myself easy looks at par. Ended up with more birdies, eagles, and rounds under par than I can remember. 

I know question in the OP is, why aren't you getting better? Yet I did the opposite of that this year. But I've been there before with a stagnant game. Not putting in the work. Not evaluating my approach. The turnaround this year took some work. But it honestly wasn't that difficult. Which I hope might help others realize that even committing to some simple things can make a big difference. 

[JetSpeed79]

I’m not getting better because it just wouldn’t be fair to my friends. I spend all my time and energy pretending to be this mediocre just to spare their feelings. It’s exhausting.  
 

 

(It’s either that or the fact that I travel for work and am gone half the time. One of the two.)

[Roejye]

It's an amalgamation of a lot of things for me. I can barely get out to play more than once a week lately, the days are getting shorter and I'm working longer. The discretionary funds aren't there for lessons right now, and even if they were, it goes back to lack of time. Then even if I had time to practice, I much prefer to play. I have been trying to think of ways to improve during the off season, and trying to think of good ball striking drills that can be done inside, but it comes down to how much time can I put into it.

[Andy5000]

Honestly aside from what a previous user mentioned about not really being serious about improving (seriously taking lessons and getting lots of practice in), I think mine is equipment. Bought most of my clubs off the rack and I know 100% they are not what I should be using and it’s hurting my game (too stiff and heavy shafts). Looking into getting fit soon for irons and maybe driver.

 

[PhilsFanDrew]

6 hours ago, mizuno player said:

 

I could practice everyday for a year and honestly I don't think I'd be dramatically better. 

 

 

 

I've been to the driving range maybe 10 times from April until now this year and I'd say a good 5-6 of those sessions were between April-May.  I practice putting and chipping at home and play once a week sometimes twice if I get time to get a 9 hole twilight round in.  My handicap in April was around 12.8 and it's now 11.3. 

 

I think if a had time to play 36-45 holes consistently a week I could probably work down to high single digits but I feel that would be my absolute ceiling. 

[elwhippy]

Older, less flexible, a few nagging injuries. 

[Pastit]

14 hours ago, Ron del Barrio said:

Just curious to read some comments about why your game has plateaued ?

injuries and ageing limit practice other than short game in the garden. Wood game still first class but approach shots are weak along with bunker play. Suspect arthritis in right elbow is leading to too much OTT in iron play. 

[golfortennis]

10 hours ago, OnTheBag said:

I was about to reply to @DLiver and decided to combine my response with yours.  

 

I am semi-retired, which means I didn't make enough money in my day job to fully quit working when I got old.  Fortunately, I spent my entire adult life in the golf industry.  I play A LOT, but age has taken a toll.  Someone above mentioned "Finding a Comfort Zone."  I've found that to be very true for myself and the guys I play with.  We are all playing at a 6 or less.  Most were ++ at one time in our life and one guy was a journeyman on tour in the 80's.  

 

At some point, the desire and commitment necessary to "get better" far outweighs the joy found in the game.  Many of us find a place where we are satisfied with our performance week in and week out, so we chose to play the game for social interaction, an occasional bet, exercise, and enjoyment.  We all want to hit a few shots a round better than we do.  But my groups are happy to turn in a 75-85 round after round while enjoying time in the sun with old friends.  

 

Life is short folks, don't miss the sunset while looking for the sunrise.  

 

And that is perfectly fine.  Nothing wrong with that attitude at all.  But, and this a royal you, not you specifically, you need to own that attitude, and not lament you should be playing better when it's real easy to see 4-5 things that could have quick results.  Those are the people that drive me nuts.  

[Tanner25]

14 hours ago, jdl said:

My brain won't shut the hell up.

 

I am trying to shut off my brain during the swing and just be reactive to the target.

[ewaldbeukes]

12 months ago, I made a commitment to getting better again (was a decent scratch player high school / university) and it was going great - handicap came down about 40% and was shooting some nice scores again - 73, 75s etc. But, a herniated L4,L5 disc is killing my game at the moment... some things that I observed.

 

I had to make a commitment and then plan out HOW I was going to put in the time. Without the time, it doesn't really matter if we want to get better - its unlikely to happen. As an example I commute to the office 1.5 hours in the morning and 1.5 hours in the evening and work a full day. Then I have to get my child to bed and if I am lucky I have an hour or so to prep before the next day before hitting the hay - efficiency is key. So I figured out I can leave earlier, miss some traffic and fit in a gym session (I do strength and some mobility - I did the TPI screening which is well worth the few bucks to do). I also have a range 10 mins drive from the office, so I can do 3-5 days a week where I fit in 30 balls on the range during lunch. I have had to be very purposeful about keeping this time sacred in my diary. 

 

Technically, been embracing Decade for strategy and then trying to find a way to swing my swing consistently (my back injury has forced me to go much more upright vs rotational) so sticking to the key fundamentals that make that swing type work. Decade and analytics showed me I was losing loads of strokes off the tee (so had to find some consistency in the tee shot) then approach so lots of time working on the swing. Getting shallower and more consistent is my only real thing I am working on - you can see it in the contact with the ball: a decent strike is clear, then work back to trying to figure out what made it good.. Tried a coach a few times, and although I keep learning about the swing I cant find anyone that does not coach some form of method!

 

But it has taken effort and it was a decision I made for myself to put golf first for a year (play 1x per week and average about 3 practice sessions). I think the easiest places to fall down are:

 

- lack of time / commitment

- lack of understanding how to improve (where is YOUR game weak)

- how to make some basic fixes to get more consistent

 

Good luck!

Edited September 26, 2022 by ewaldbeukes
Spelling

[OnTheBag]

56 minutes ago, golfortennis said:

 

And that is perfectly fine.  Nothing wrong with that attitude at all.  But, and this a royal you, not you specifically, you need to own that attitude, and not lament you should be playing better when it's real easy to see 4-5 things that could have quick results.  Those are the people that drive me nuts.  

I couldn't agree more.  Those same players that throw clubs during a round, but haven't spent meaningful practice time, bother me on an epic level.