What makes this game tough for YOU?

Boston_golfer

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I've had days where I hit 90% of fairways. I've had days where most of my approach shots were GIR, and if not hey were no more than a short chip away. I've had days where I could get long putts to within inches, and sink 10 footers like it was no ones business. If I could get all those things happen on the same day, I'd be shooting under par...BUT I can barely break 90. What is it about this game we play that makes it so hard to get every aspect of it to fire consistently? I know for me it's lack of practice. I love playing so much, that I'd rather play 9 holes than hit the range any day of the week. I also know that if I spend 30-40 minute chipping and putting before a round, it'll be better that hitting the range for 30 minutes.

What's keeping you from being the golfer you know you could be?
 
Man. I have days when I'm in the groove. I do my preshot routine on every shot, I visualize the shot shape, and I'm not trying to fix anything. If I miss a green I get up and down, long putts are 1 foot past the pin, and every shot I see in my head I create.

And then I have other days when I'm so burned out from working, business travel, taking care of the house, and going to school that I can't even bring myself to focus and actually complete a very basic preshot routine. On those days sometimes I can bring my focus in, and pull off an amazing shot! Other times I just can't see it, and my shot goes OB everywhere. On these days I'm likely to follow a quad bogie with a birdie.

Whiskey
 
My lower back keeps me from practicing. If I practice, I may not be able to play that week. So I choose play over practice.

But truth be told, at the moment I have enough working in my game that I should be shooting lower scores. If I were able to practice, maybe I could shave a stroke or so, I'd maybe dare to dream for more.

But as it is, I may have to accept the possibility that I've peaked. The competitor in me is wholly dissatisfied to even type such a thing. But the realist in me is OK with it.

Once injury became more frequent, I honestly never expected to reach my present level. So whatever comes... it's been a helluva ride.
 
Consistency off the tee. Example of it was hitting 9/14 FIR averaging 294 followed by a 2/14 FIR averaging 251 the next round.
 
Getting off the tee is the first one. It sets up the rest of my game and my game goes as my driving goes. Grint average 32.5% FIR. Absolutely horrible to me and something I've massively struggled to fix.

The second is, for lack of a better word, the yips on my short game. Take a 12 meter short shot. I practice a good stroke a couple of times but when I address the ball that stroke can completely change, usually to a weaker or lighter stroke that leaves the ball either still in the rough or barely on the green.
 
Getting off the tee is the big one for me. When I hit a good tee shot I often get pars and bogeys. When I don't it can get worse. My short game bails me out all the time. I can't tell you how many times I have gotten a hard fought 6 to keep from taking the max on a par 4.
 
Boston_golfer;n8880308 said:
I've had days where I hit 90% of fairways. I've had days where most of my approach shots were GIR, and if not hey were no more than a short chip away. I've had days where I could get long putts to within inches, and sink 10 footers like it was no ones business. If I could get all those things happen on the same day, I'd be shooting under par...BUT I can barely break 90. What is it about this game we play that makes it so hard to get every aspect of it to fire consistently? I know for me it's lack of practice. I love playing so much, that I'd rather play 9 holes than hit the range any day of the week. I also know that if I spend 30-40 minute chipping and putting before a round, it'll be better that hitting the range for 30 minutes.

What's keeping you from being the golfer you know you could be?

This is an interesting question. You see I do not at all believe for one minute that most anyone can be the player they want to be if simply were just not for this thing or the other thing. I do think most anyone can learn how to hit golf balls and do so really well enough and do so with most all their clubs. But the biggest separator imo is then being able to do it consistently enough. That part for many people is a life long battle. Thats the part (once good ball striking is learned) that comes easier for some people and yet for so many others is a war and can last a lifetime. Doing well enough repeatedly enough. Just not ingrain-able for many people. Know how to do it and can do it and even do it well but never quite able to ingrain it for any kind of real repeatable consistency.
 
The toughest part of the game for me is when I get stuck doing the same error over and over. That kicks in the negativity and I start my downhill spiral. It has been the biggest learning experience in the game and has transferred over to a valuable life lesson as well. I have learned to identify, embrace and overcome a lot of these obstacles. It has also taught me to ask for help when I am having a problem. Never to old to learn new stuff.
 
Great putters are born not made and I didn’t get the putting gene. Golf has come much easier to me than most, but I’m still a scratch golfer that putts worse than many 10 handicappers I know.
 
Lack of talent, first and foremost. But much of it is because the game demands a level of precision that quickly deteriorates for me (most of us I suspect) when I am unable to devote the time needed to maintain skills.
 
My answer? "Discipline."

You can have all the time and money, but if you lack the discipline to go out and hone your skills, it won't matter.

Money and time sure help, though.

Edit: my main stumbling block? I can't hit the same bottom of the swing spot enough. That's the symptom. The causes are many.
 
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There are a million things that make this game hard for me. The most generic answer is my inconsistent tee game but there are plenty of reasons. A lack of time to practice, an ego, and inconsistent (and conflicting at times) golf instruction leading to set backs.
 
For me it is getting started and into a groove. Lately I have been shooting 4-6 over par on the front an d the back is 2 over consistently. I need to get out of my own way from the start. Probably more of a mental preparedness issue I think for me
 
Consistency.

Some days it’s like I can’t miss, but on others I’m fatting shots, spraying drives, and 3 putting. The worst part about it is that my head and swing feel the same as the good days.
 
To me it's all between the ears. If I could get out of my own way sometimes - I'm pretty sure I could play a lot better golf than I do. That includes (but is not limited to) not trying to drive for distance and not letting bad holes get to me. I know my own game - it's just working with those limitations and limiting the mistakes.
 
For me it's the mental game and getting over one bad hole or shot. That will come with time, but I don't have enough fingers to count the number of times I have had 2 or even 3 bad holes in a row. Another main speedbump is my frequency of playing, or lack of. When I play more often, it shows in the scores, so I think I put too much pressure on myself to score well when I get chances to play.
 
For me it is consistency, and unfortunately consistency only comes from playing/practicing regularly. I am hoping to get out more in the coming months, but with how infrequently I have played over the past 1.5 years, it is impossible to expect any sort of consistent ball flight, short game, putting etc.
 
Putting. I can usually overcome less than desireable ball striking with my short game. But my inconsistency with the putter holds me back from maintaining an index that is a couple of shots lower than it is.
 
Consistency. Lack of practice, lack of rounds played, etc.
 
Age... I have to accept that my best days are behind me in terms of scoring. More specifically, it is wedge play. I played 9 holes yesterday and shot 1 over, with 3 birdies. Twice, I had a full wedge in my hand and missed the green, leading to a bogey and a double bogey. It is totally ridiculous that I do not par those holes and shot 2 under.
 
It matters what day it is but lately it has been short game, green side chips and putting. I should be able to be able to 2 putt or short chip and 1 putt almost all the time and I am still averaging 40 putts per 18. I have reworked my swing so driving and other full swing shots work OK, still too many mistakes on them too but not as much as short game.

Keep on practicing to get to where I want to be.
 
To keep the theme going, consistency is the big issue for me as well. I have the skill to hit every shot I want to hit, I just can't always execute when I need to. I almost never practice, and that's really the underlying issue. But I play golf for no other reason than to have fun, and practice isn't fun. Sure, I'd like to score better, but I'm not willing to put in the necessary work or time. I'm ok with my current level, at least on most days.
 
Expectation.

There are many things I struggle with, but it seems every round it's something different, so you might argue that consistency is the issue, but I feel when I play my best, I have "pre-accepted" whatever the outcome is. Getting out of my own way is the struggle. As long as I'm not concentrating on the result so much, but letting my swing be free (especially applies on the putting green) is the best method for me to play better overall. Most of us aren't getting paid to do this, so who cares if I hit it OB!?!
 
Not enough time to practice. Practice time in order to groove the swing. It all becomes muscle memory for me. But most weekends the muscles never remember what happened 3 weeks ago when I played last. Life gets in the way but I go out and do the best I can & it's usually OK. Even knowing that, I still put pressure on myself to play better. Just because I know I can. It's hard for me to justify playing bad just because of lack of practice time.
 
Tenputt;n8880571 said:
Age... I have to accept that my best days are behind me in terms of scoring. More specifically, it is wedge play. I played 9 holes yesterday and shot 1 over, with 3 birdies. Twice, I had a full wedge in my hand and missed the green, leading to a bogey and a double bogey. It is totally ridiculous that I do not par those holes and shot 2 under.

Why do you think age is a factor? I've seen plenty of guys your age and older put up some low numbers. You play pretty darn well and I really don't think your age has anything to do with scoring when your a good ball striker. I do agree about the wedges. Missing the green from 100 and in is super frustrating
 
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