quote:

Originally posted by XLT:
Not sure if your hitting off mats or grass if it's mats I would highly suggest find a grass driving range. hitting off mats ...
...
hope this helps.

Well, it would have had I not already known it So thanks!

Mostly hitting off mats so far. The place I'm taking lessons doesn't want n00bs tearing-up the grass and, besides not wanting to tear it up, my 3-1/2" lawn is way too high to be hitting off of, so I use a mat at home, too.

But the closest driving range is grass and my next-door-neighbor that provoked my new hobby doesn't mind his "grass" getting chewed up, so I am getting some experience hitting off grass.

When we were taught chipping Monday, we chipped off the fringe surrounding a practice green.

quote:

Originally posted by 66tas:
Dude your gonna suck on the course for a while as a begining golfer.

Oh, I expect that--no matter how much I practice and how many lessons I take.

quote:

Originally posted by 66tas:
Don't let your drive to be good before you go actually play kill the desire when you don't play to YOUR expectations.

Ha! I don't have any expectations .

Ok, that was a lie. I expect to not totally suck, but my rational mind suggests I probably will

My drive right now isn't to be good. My drive is to learn the fundimentals of a good swing for each "category" (driver, irons, chipping, putting), and be able to execute them, before hitting the links. That's all.

In terms of shooting I regard what I'm doing now as kind of like dry-fire practice. It should lead to the time I spend on the course more productive and enjoyable.

quote:

Originally posted by 66tas:
Now go have fun and get outta yo head.

That almost certainly is never going to happen. I am a very analytical type.

The neighbor that precipitated my new hobby, when we were talking about the then upcoming Rocket Mortgage Classic, and knowing me, figured my guy would be Bryson DeChambeau, because he is an exceedingly analytical player.

Regardless: I'm having fun before even having gotten on a course. And having fun was the goal.

Yes, I kept playing until a destroyed nerve at L-5 crippled me. Took 3 years to break 90, then, kaput.

I read this post when it first came out, and again now, and its a lot of fun reading. Thanks for the updates. The only thing I can say is, have fun. You already know the biggest secret is to relax, and expect to have a great day outside
, by yourself, with friends, leagues or not. Don’t ever take yourself seriously, and you’ll have a fun hobby for life. I hear you on the hot, humid weather. This is the Midwest, I thought the rules stated no more than 7 days above a 60 dew point. Have fun, I can’t wait to hear about it!

My wife and I drag raced for 45 years. We both raced. Loved it. Very exciting but we're getting older and it was finally time to move on. Friends of my wife talked her into taking up golf and she really loves it. Finally she talked me into going. But for me it was agonizingly BORING. Guess I was even decent at it or so they tell me. But when I go I can't wait for it to be over.

If you can stomach his stupid clothes, the idiots he has standing in during his exercises, and the poor publishing quality, this video series has some really solid tips.

Update

So, after nearly having given up entirely I found the major swing flaw that had been holding me back (failure to keep the left arm straight on the down-swing), and learned to take the whole thing a bit less seriously. I resumed practice, made progress, got stuck with the driver, upgraded that inexpensively, invested in a couple relatively inexpensive training aids, etc.

Finally, this morning, went and played nine holes with the guy who precipitated my getting into this. Got the whole gamut in one go: Had some good drives and many horrible ones. Good hits with some of the other clubs, and many that were horrible. Got to use every club in the bag. Got to hit out of the rough (many times) and bunkers. Even the fairway a few times . Lost balls in the woods and one in the water. Got to play while getting rained upon.

My friend claims I did exceptionally well for somebody playing for the first time.

I had a riot. Can't wait to play again

Good to hear!
I played so crappy today I had to double check I was holding the right end of the club.
Keep at it!

That's just how golf is for awhile, if you make a few good hits just think about those and keep moving on. one day things will come together and you will have a round you will be thrilled with. it doesn't have to be pretty as there are no pictures on the score card.

Awesome! Best time of the year to be out!

Hit Balls
Hit Balls
Hit Balls

Golf is hard, but it’s fun and good exercise.

I fall into the group that shoots 80 one day 110 the next day. Being consistent it tough, and takes time.
I enjoy being outside, walking and hitting balls. I try not to take it to serious, keep it fun.

Ensigmatic, here's a tip from another guy who never played enough to get good but plays enough to enjoy it.

Move your ball out of the rough. Seriously. I know you aren't supposed to. I know your score won't be "real" but who cares?

As I was learning to play I hacked and cursed my way around the course "playing the ball as it lies" and it frustrated me to no end. I realized two things; I wasn't playing for money, and the only thing my partners really cared about was me keeping pace with the game. Also, I don't practice from the rough so why complicate things?

As I have improved I now play the ball "down" (legitimate golf) but with exceptions. If I am playing poorly (because, golf) I will excuse myself to playing shots from places I like.

My other exception is when I place TPC or PGA Tournament courses. Typically those courses are expensive and remarkably difficult. I was playing TPC Sawgrass (Think island green on number 17 and you'll know it.) when the caddie I was using gave me the advice I'm giving you. He said, "if you aren't a 10 handicap or under you may as well move the ball to the center of the fairway and enjoy your round. Why pay hundreds of dollars to just be mad? This course is difficult for professionals! You really don't stand a chance."

That advice has made me a much happier golfer.

When your ready to keep score, try this method.
Count to 10 on any hole, after that mark it an X.
then score the remaider of your holes and count the X's.
You may score a 40 with 3 X holes.
Then next time score a 45 with 2X holes etc.
No reason a 20 on a hole should ruin your score.
It lets you have throw away holes without ruining the whole day
Glad your having fun

I don't play much now - back issues - and was never all that good, but had fun. The only thing that really irritated me was losing a ball that should have been findable.

The one thing I learned was that there was not a lot of sense in trying to 'kill the ball' by swinging harder. Better to keep your normal swing and just use a longer club.

As an engineer, I wanted to know what was behind some of the somewhat unusual stuff one encounters playing the game, so picked up a copy of "The Physics of Golf" which settled most of my questions (and some I had never thought to ask). Fun read (not a physics text!) and well worth the time if you have an inquisitive mind.

When I was growing up in Michigan (across the state, on the southern shores of Lake Michigan) the state had the largest number of golf courses per capita. That was long ago, and may have changed, but it was a great place to pick up the sport. Plenty of choices, well spaced fairways not crammed in cheek-to-jowl, (I well recall some tightly-packed courses in Silicon Valley where one good long hooked drive meant crossing two other holes' fairways!) - and the competition kept the public golf courses on their toes, price-wise.

I am 74 YO and have a 9.9 handicap index (up from 7.9). My best round this summer was 76. I have taken many lessons in the last several decades; some good, some bad. As you have found out, video really helps in self-diagnoses. The best insight I have had from a golf instructor was this: "What (I) see as a fault in my swing is not a fault; it is a symptom. Fix the cause and the symptom will disappear." You saw that your left arm wasn't straight at impact: that is a symptom. The cause is something else that a GOOD instructed can make you understand. When you understand, you will own it.

quote:

Originally posted by rsbolo:
Move your ball out of the rough. Seriously. I know you aren't supposed to. I know your score won't be "real" but who cares?

True, but I really had little problem playing out of the rough yesterday. Well, no more problem then playing off the fairway, anyway

I've practiced a lot in our back yard. Grass is cut so high a golf course rough is almost like a fairway by comparison. And my favorite local golf store has a chipping practice area that is exactly like a well-maintained course's rough.

We did move my ball if it was unplayable or playing where it lay meant simply going sideways to the fairway.

quote:

Originally posted by rsbolo:
He said, "if you aren't a 10 handicap or under you may as well move the ball to the center of the fairway and enjoy your round. Why pay hundreds of dollars to just be mad? This course is difficult for professionals! You really don't stand a chance."

That advice has made me a much happier golfer.

That makes a lot of sense.

It's unlikely I'll ever play a course like that

quote:

Originally posted by Timdogg6:
When your ready to keep score, try this method.
Count to 10 on any hole, after that mark it an X.
...

Interesting thought. Thanks for the hint.

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:
I don't play much now - back issues - and was never all that good, but had fun. The only thing that really irritated me was losing a ball that should have been findable.

The balls I lost yesterday (only four, miraculously) were well and truly lost. Three in the woods and one in a big ol' pond well off the fairway.

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:
The one thing I learned was that there was not a lot of sense in trying to 'kill the ball' by swinging harder.

There's no sense in it at all, really.

I started out pretty well, yesterday. Then, as the game wore on I got worse. I'm certain I was hurrying, abandoning fundamentals, and trying too hard/swinging too hard. I'll try not to do that next time.

quote:

Originally posted by joel9507:
When I was growing up in Michigan (across the state, on the southern shores of Lake Michigan) the state had the largest number of golf courses per capita. That was long ago, and may have changed, ...

I don't know about the rest of the state, but I'm literally surrounded by golf courses here. There is probably somewhere on the order of dozen of them w/in a half-hour drive or less. A half-dozen or so w/in fifteen minutes or less.

quote:

Originally posted by cne32507:
The best insight I have had from a golf instructor was this: "What (I) see as a fault in my swing is not a fault; it is a symptom. Fix the cause and the symptom will disappear." You saw that your left arm wasn't straight at impact: that is a symptom. The cause is something else that a GOOD instructed can make you understand. When you understand, you will own it.

In this case the non-straight arm was indeed the fault. The symptom was erratic ball flight. I'd luck out and hit one, or several, good, then it'd be all slices and ground balls--or outright missing the ball on the swing.

When I keep my left arm straight, avoid chicken wing, keep my arms/shoulders out of it, and avoid swinging in (I rarely swing out): The balls will sail away as high, straight and effortlessly as ever I could hope.

The trick for me, right now, is to keep all those flaws out of my swing. I'm not very good at doing that yet

As Hammer1967 notes:

quote:

Originally posted by Hammer1967:
Hit Balls
Hit Balls
Hit Balls

I need to do more of that.

"When I keep my left arm straight, avoid chicken wing, keep my arms/shoulders out of it, and avoid swinging in (I rarely swing out): The balls will sail away as high, straight and effortlessly as ever I could hope."

I guess I wasn't clear: You bend your left arm at impact because of a bad move earlier. Bending your elbow and cupping your wrist are instant corrections your body makes to keep from hitting the ground. When you try to keep your elbow straight, your body senses to correct the earlier bad move(s). It may be "casting", that is swinging to the left or in, and/or moving your upper body forward or down or squatting at impact. I do all of these some days. "Staying over the ball" or "staying behind the ball" or "swinging around your chest" are good thoughts. You are correct to notice the "chicken wing" and try to avoid it. "keep my arms/shoulders out of it" I have been working on this very thing this summer. Much more power comes when you stay balanced and turn fast. Slip a headband over your arms above your elbows. Take a few slow swings and notice how your arms "stay in front" of you and your elbow hinges down instead of left.

If I could go back and change one thing about my golf game, I would get proper instruction from the beginning rather than let my high school buddies teach me.

Lucky for me though, I eventually suffered a back injury in my mid years and can no longer play golf.

quote:

Originally posted by dsiets:
If I could go back and change one thing about my golf game, I would get proper instruction from the beginning ...

^^^ Million dollar advice. ^^^

quote:

Originally posted by cne32507:
I guess I wasn't clear: You bend your left arm at impact because of a bad move earlier. Bending your elbow and cupping your wrist are instant corrections your body makes to keep from hitting the ground.

Ah, ok. Gotcha.

I'm not consciously, or even unconsciously, bending my lead arm on the downswing for that reason. I know that if my swing is good I rarely more than skim the ground under the ball. No, this is simply a failure to consciously, or through muscle memory born of repetition/practice, simply keep my lead arm straight through impact. I don't bend it so much as let it relax.

quote:

Originally posted by cne32507:
When you try to keep your elbow straight, your body senses to correct the earlier bad move(s). It may be "casting", that is swinging to the left or in, and/or moving your upper body forward or down or squatting at impact. I do all of these some days.

I know this well.

I've been struggling with the driver. Mostly hitting ground balls or slicing badly. Couldn't understand it. Don't do it with the irons. Don't often do it with the woods. So the other night, in the rain, I hauled out the mat to see if I could diagnose it. (Yeah, it was bugging me that much.)

Finally did a reset--went back to the basics I was taught for a step-wise setup. Turned out I'd been standing too far from the ball, which led to me to swinging in and either hitting it off the bottom of the toe or slicing.

Corrected that. Got a baby draw. Hit another. Solid, square contact and right down the middle.

quote:

Originally posted by cne32507:
Slip a headband over your arms above your elbows. Take a few slow swings and notice how your arms "stay in front" of you and your elbow hinges down instead of left.

I acquired an IZZO Smooth Swing training band. Good $12 investment. It does just that. I need to work with it more.

When I put that band on, keep that lead arm straight through the swing, and set up properly, the results are nothing short of amazing.

Maybe I should have played yesterday with that on

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

quote:

Originally posted by dsiets:
If I could go back and change one thing about my golf game, I would get proper instruction from the beginning ...

^^^ Million dollar advice. ^^^

I did that. Took eight hours of group lessons.

My problem isn't so much not knowing what to do, but putting it into practice. That's just going to take repetition.

ensigmatic -- your irons appear to be knock offs of the TaylorMade Burner, made in the mid-1990's. They should be decent enough clubs for you to learn the basics. The irons have design features which make the sweet spot on the club a little bigger, and thus easier to make decent hits.

Use what you learn in lessons to improve the consistency of your swing. A consistent swing and a consistent impact on the sweet spot of the club is the heart of playing golf well. This can be learned more easily on the driving range and on a golf course. Some things to consider -- some of which has already been discussed in above posts:
- Don't try to kill the ball with a he-man swing. A smooth & easy swing punches the ball a long ways if the ball is struck in the center of the club face.

- To determine where you're hitting the ball on the club face, use masking tape (or similar) on the club face to better see your impact locations. Two-inch wide generally works well. Change the tape often, say after after 2-3 hits. As your skills progress, and as your swing speed increases, you should be able to see the ball impacts on the club face without tape. This occurs with the grass getting crushed between the club and the ball, and/or with the club's grooves/face tearing slightly in the ball's cover. A pro-level golfer will produce a pattern of impacts that may have a 1/4" dispersion on the club face. Think of this as your "target", in relaying guns to golf. You want a small impact target on the club face.

- Short-ish irons are generally the easiest to hit. Given the likely lofts of your clubs, practicing swing consistency should be easiest with the 7 and 8 irons. Possibly the 9 iron, a long shot on the 6 iron. You can learn a lot about your swing -- and how far the ball flies with a good hit -- with these irons.

- Practicing from a mat works, as long as you understand a mat's limitations. The worse being that it doesn't punish your impact as much with a strike that is too low. A low strike on grass results in excavating a heavy divot before the ball. A low strike on a mat often means the club skids across the mat and still hits the ball -- possibly even with a fairly decent hit. Learn to hit off a mat where you barely hear the sound of the club striking the mat. When you're consistent with that, hitting from grass generally is no big deal.

****
I'm trying to get back into golf after an extended absence. My irons are TaylorMade Firesole, woods are TaylorMade 360. I believe I bought them in 1999 or 2000. I've owned a couple of sets prior to the Taylors, going back to my youth. My Firesoles are OK, but they're getting long in the tooth.

I took lessons in the 90's to correct swing issues from my youth, and from a lot of softball and baseball. GolfTec was the best -- they did video analysis and put sensors across my shoulders, hip, and back to document swing mechanics. I worked my handicap down to 11, and held it from the mid-90's to maybe 2010. My buddies tended to travel throughout the Denver metro area to play different courses. We all shot about the same, and got to the point that walking on to a new course and shooting in the low- to mid-80's from the next-to-the-back tees was a boat load of fun.

After 5 or 6 years of not swinging a club, my swing is now inconsistent. Swinging a pick axe, sledge hammer, a wood splitting maul, and weed whacker at our family ranch hasn't helped. The first round I played this summer was....bad. I'm spending a fair amount of time at the practice range, trying to get consistent strikes, reviewing old notes from lessons. My primary focus in getting the ball impacts back on the center of the club face. Masking tape is helping. A measured approach to swing speed is helping -- both the backswing and downswing to strike the ball. I generally try to limit my practice to 40-50 balls. Most of my hits are with 6 through 9 irons. I find that when I'm hitting these clubs really well, the wedges, long irons, and driver take care of themselves.

If I can equate my driving range practice to rifle practice, I'm trying to do dot drills. I'm not shooting for groups. Every single shot counts, and I'm trying to "clean" the dot drill. Golf isn't about group impacts on a target, but rather that every single shot counts.