Golf is hard

[sparky1_2007]

I hate how I work on a new swing all winter and then when I get out on the course, all of those golf lessons, all of the time on the range hitting golf balls just goes away.

 

I know it's just muscle memory and it'll take time to get it out of my system, but dam is it ever frustrating to go to the range, get in the rythm of a new proper in to out path golf swing only to lose that feeling and shank/slice right.

 

rant over. Anyone else going through the same thing I am now? I am dying to get back out on course and keep at it

[Ferguson]

1 hour ago, sparky1_2007 said:

I hate how I work on a new swing all winter and then when I get out on the course, all of those golf lessons, all of the time on the range hitting golf balls just goes away.

 

I know it's just muscle memory and it'll take time to get it out of my system, but dam is it ever frustrating to go to the range, get in the rythm of a new proper in to out path golf swing only to lose that feeling and shank/slice right.

 

rant over. Anyone else going through the same thing I am now? I am dying to get back out on course and keep at it

 

Never.  I play with the same swing god gave me many, many years ago.  I may not turn as far, but I flush most of my shots. 

 

My game is now driven and guided by tendencies.   I play the first three holes with an open mind.  If the ball seems to moving right to left, I line up and play a draw for the remainder of the round.  Likewise, if the ball moves left to right, I play the fade.  I try not to overcome what feels natural on that given day.   

 

[elwhippy]

As the great Sam Snead once said "You gotta dance with what you brung". 

[sparky1_2007]

3 hours ago, elwhippy said:

As the great Sam Snead once said "You gotta dance with what you brung". 

 

What I brung is a 100 yard right slice off the tee, haha.

 

Thankfully irons are still somewhat consistent, so if it's rough there, I just switch to that and leave the woods in the bag

[jholz]

I'm always finding new and creative ways to shoot 81...

 

You gotta have fun with it.

[bellken]

yep, been there, and, still revert back on occasion. We are suppose to working on stuff at the range, and, then, just playing golf on the course, but, I find, I need to work on my swing on the course at times. I do feel, I am making progress, but, in a cold, windy, wet weather round, every thing I have been working on disappeared. That was disappointing, but, I am keeping at it, and, am finding some of the improvements I have made are sticking. 

[caniac6]

I had shoulder surgery last November, and prior to that, I hadn’t played since the end of July. Early in my comeback, it was very frustrating because I had very little strength in my shoulder. My swing was terrible because I was trying to do too much to make up for the lack of speed. It’s coming back, and my last round was probably the first one I didn’t think about my swing, and just played. I’m still not quite 100%, and the scoring isn’t quite there, but I’m at a point where I won’t be worried about mechanics.

[Noneame]

I live where the winter is cold, but to quench my thirst, got myself a launch monitor for my garage and hit every day.

 

This week was the first semi-OK weather here, and got out on the course, excited to see improved results.  Couldn't find the center of the club all day, driver was almost always skulled/grounded dead.  I'm right there with ya and also very frustrated.

[Chungy]

My damn driver..

[Denny100]

You can hit 500 balls on a driving range where theres no consequence and perform a move nicely.

 

Stand on the tee of a golf hole..... breeze a little into you and off the left, hazards in front of you, and a medal card in your pocket.....all of a sudden those 500 balls are quickly forgotten if this ONE ball that actually means something goes wrong.

 

Putting is my weakness and on the occasions I go out with my father late at night he will say things like "hit a few chips from that spot" or "hit a few putts from that spot" when ive hit a poor putt.

 

Its pointless, because every subsequent putt or chip after the initial one that mattered, ill just adjust and hit them better and better. The putt or chip that actually mattered was rubbish.

 

I think with the advent of the best 8 out of 20 handicapping system in particular, my attitude has almost become being consistent isnt too important. Just try and really cash in on those good days where things are working, and keep a familiar technique that keeps the ball in play

[Rocky Ball-boa]

I'm almost the opposite, I am terrible at the range. I can hit it great on the course, and then have the bright idea to go to the range to continue the good feeling,o r "grind it in, make it settle".. and it looks nothing like the 40-50 shots I just hit on the course minutes ago.

Never been to a grass range, but when we have winter tees, they're often off mats, so I don't think there's a mat/grass type difference. Just mental, I reckon.

[EagleAteBirdie]

You will only get better when you put yourself under pressure on the range.  Targets, mental pictures of hazards, OOB etc. Swing faults raise their head much easier, so you can fix them and make them stick, under self-inflicted pressure. Too many amateurs swing freely on the range and then try and take that free (zero consequence) swing to the course.  It doesn't work for 90% of us.  

 

Bring your course swing to the range, not your range swing to the course. 

 

[dufferaaron]

On 5/4/2023 at 4:09 AM, EagleAteBirdie said:

You will only get better when you put yourself under pressure on the range.  Targets, mental pictures of hazards, OOB etc. Swing faults raise their head much easier, so you can fix them and make them stick, under self-inflicted pressure. Too many amateurs swing freely on the range and then try and take that free (zero consequence) swing to the course.  It doesn't work for 90% of us.  

 

Bring your course swing to the range, not your range swing to the course. 

 

I'm actually working on the complete opposite. My mechanics are great on the range, but I get overzealous and put too much pressure on the course. The last two rounds, I've focused on executing a good swing on the course without fearing the consequences and it's helped immensely.

 

That being said, I'm trying to set myself up to minimize the consequences - if I have to fly 160 yards of water to a 165 pin, I'm pulling my 170 club. Maybe it's the courses I play, but executing my swing and hitting a good shot will help me score 9 times out of 10.

[ANimz]

On 4/21/2023 at 10:52 AM, sparky1_2007 said:

I hate how I work on a new swing all winter and then when I get out on the course, all of those golf lessons, all of the time on the range hitting golf balls just goes away.

 

I know it's just muscle memory and it'll take time to get it out of my system, but dam is it ever frustrating to go to the range, get in the rythm of a new proper in to out path golf swing only to lose that feeling and shank/slice right.

 

rant over. Anyone else going through the same thing I am now? I am dying to get back out on course and keep at it

Appreciate the grind!  haha.  I wish I had someone talking me through my rounds at times.  Each year I focus on a few things to improve.  I was cruising, by my standards, through the beginning of the year, had a back/hip injury, and then completely lost my swing.  Played 3 rounds last week, and didn't feel like I had it somewhat back until the last round.  Just keep playing and working on it.  

[Texasaggie2016]

Swing your swing and don’t change much. Some days you have it..most days you don’t. Lol

[dukedoc]

I’m glad I don’t have to play golf for a living, because I’d be dead in about a week.  
 

Golf is hard because we consistently face our toughest opponent - ourself.  
Yes, we battle the elements, the course, and our physical limitations, but often the biggest obstacle is the space between our ears.  
 

Also, it’s just a hard-a** thing to do.  But as hard as it is, I also think that’s why we love it so much.  It gives us those moments when everything seems to come together despite our limitations.  

 

 

[Naptime]

This year I started playing 3x/wk compared to 3x/year.  Makes a huge difference in grooving a swing and retaining lessons learned on the course.

[Haroputt]

Quick Rant

Bought a few putter after hearing about the  toe hang idea

cant believe I got gullible and bought into that 

I dont think it makes a difference if face /toe /  balance putter 

Putting still crap 

Just an example marketing ploy  makes me stay away from the Putter forum 

Cant understand why there is an obsession over putters 

I think it time for me to sell the ones that I accumulated over the years 

[Nilenetsrak]

Get a L.A.B putter or at least give it a try.  

[HeyHenlee]

Amen brother

[mangohead]

Conversely, I have not played in almost a year and has one of my best rounds ever today.

I should not play more often

[MikeW2]

Golf is beyond hard, I’m on a 10-12 year downward spiral with my driver. No matter what I do I cannot hit this club consistently. Lessons fitted clubs drills trying different swing thoughts…nothing helps. I’ll have a day where I hit everything perfectly with unreal accuracy, then I’ll have a day where I’m not as accurate but 25-30 yards longer than normal, then I’ll hit nothing but ground balls which is infuriating but survivable, then I have days where I hit one straight next one is a 30 yard pull or a 50 yard pull hook then I get a 50 yard push block. I never know which guy I’m going to be with driver it is killing me mentally. The weirdest part of this is that every other facet of my game is better than it has ever been. It’s to the point where I don’t want to play anymore.

[dropkicked]

See Ball. Hit Ball. Find Ball. Repeat.....

 

Golf is Golf.. just play with what you have that day and enjoy the fact that you're not pushing daisies..

[Golfbit2X]

On 5/30/2023 at 10:47 AM, dropkicked said:

See Ball. Hit Ball. Find Ball. Repeat.....

 

Golf is Golf.. just play with what you have that day and enjoy the fact that you're not pushing daisies..

100% agree with you, dropkicked. Survived cancer two years ago so still 6 feet above ground and playing this crazy game is just icing on the cake for me. 

 

I also think that having survived cancer and the threat of death has also allowed me to play freely and gives me a better perspective on this game. 

 

I've seen a lot fellow golfers in my golf league lose their temper when they make mistakes.

 

Learn to accept that you will make mistakes and don't let golf get the better of you. 

 

What really counts is your "rebound ability" or bounce back capability to hit a good shot after making a mistake. 

 

Also, a golfer has to have a memory of a goldfish...

 

[elwhippy]

A merciless game. Eight medals since I played half decent or to my handicap. Struggling with committing to shots and constantly second guessing myself. It will pass but most frustrating at the moment. Four out of next six rounds are on Top 100 UK layouts (3 x heathland and today's a fiery links course). so that should relight the fires. 

[SupSup99]

Brutal game. One that can’t be intimidated you have to sneak up on it!

[PedronNiall]

On 5/30/2023 at 10:47 AM, dropkicked said:

See Ball. Hit Ball. Find Ball. Repeat.....

 

Golf is Golf.. just play with what you have that day and enjoy the fact that you're not pushing daisies..

We are as we are. I took some time off from playing because there were some fixes that needed to occur. I simply cannot enjoy golf if I'm not playing well. Misses happen, but there's zero fun in it for me when I feel like I'm not at least giving myself a chance at good results. 

 

Couldn't do it if I'm cold topping, thinning, and fatting every other shot. Luckily I found a good instructor that I came to trust enough to buy into his insights to clean up & simplify my swing. With the time I put in and what we worked on along with some input from another player I also trust I went from blowing up into the 90s on bad days to scratch in just over a year, with the biggest improvements being almost exponential and coming in about a three month window. 

 

The company can certainly make for some enjoyment even on bad days, but without having a good all-around game I'd rather spend my time on a much simpler, more straightforward pastime. 

[iNeedMoreGolf]

Range and course are two different things. Even pros know that. Course you care about every shot so you tense up a bit more. I think a big point is to just understand we are not pros and going to hit a few bad drives, approaches, chips and putts. Each shot is so different from the next no matter what. Soft ground harder ground grain this way or that way wind no wind fast green mid green slow green blah blah lol its tough it is what it is. Pros have more of a right to be mad over a bad shot they eat sleep and breath golf. Even if we play 3 times a week thats not pro enough.

[SupSup99]

It comes and goes. You gotta love it sometimes and hate it sometimes but just keep at it!

[Golfbit2X]

That's exactly what happened to me yesterday, SupSup99.

 

I definitely pushed my luck and got a little bit too cocky when I got a chance to play the Black again after shooting 91 less than 2 weeks ago. 

 

Like the day I shot a 91, I didn't warm up at all expecting to break 90 this time...

 

The Black had other ideas and added a fast-moving squall thunderstorm that caught my flight on hole # 3.

 

Shot 50-60, 110 for the round but I'm still thankful that I came out in one piece.

 

I learned my lesson now and will make sure to warm up and check the weather from two different sources next time.