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Frustrating day at the course.

ChaseA17

ChaseA17

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May 27, 2013
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Location
Roswell, GA
I started playing on memorial day weekend of this year and have been hooked ever since. My first step was a short 1-hour lesson and from there I have been playing 1-2 rounds/week with days on the range a few times in between. Up until this past weekend, I had started consistently hitting my driver (somewhat) straight, and my irons were getting in the air, getting great distance, and somewhat straight. Not to mention, I was finally getting nice, solid contact on all of my shots. My short game has stayed the same, I am a decent pitch/chipper and an OK putter.

Well last weekend I started watching videos on YouTube about to how improve my swing and changed my grip and many of the ways I was swinging. I went to the range shortly after that and it was a distaster! I tried an interlocking grip and not only did it feel very awkward, I couldnt get proper to contact to save my life. I abandoned the interlocking for my more comfortable "baseball" grip and just haven't been able to bet back my old swing! I played today and had maybe 5 shots that were even in the air and decent.

I feel like I have completely lost the ability to do what I was able to do just a week ago! I think my main problem is that I am changing my grip on the club mid-swing and the club is in a terrible position when it comes in contact with the ball. Not to mention my entire swing tempo and path is different from where it was a week ago.

I am planning on getting another lesson after taking about 1-2 weeks off to regroup (not to mentioned we have our first baby coming in a few weeks). Hopefully the lesson will get me back on track.

Anyone ever experience this?
 
Just a bad day. Stay away from youtube videos, get real lessons.
 
You sir are experiencing the game of golf. She is a fickle bear. She giveth, but mostly, she taketh away. Keep working, get that lesson and always make sure it is fun! It will ebb and flow regularly, just be ready for whatever the golf gods hand out.

Also, if your grip is changing mid-swing, you may want to stick with that interlock grip. The whole purpose is to keep your hands connected. It might feel weird at first but it will become comfortable and will likely help your game.
 
ChaseA17 said:
Well last weekend I started watching videos on YouTube about to how improve my swing and changed my grip and many of the ways I was swinging. I went to the range shortly after that and it was a distaster! I tried an interlocking grip and not only did it feel very awkward, I couldnt get proper to contact to save my life. I abandoned the interlocking for my more comfortable "baseball" grip and just haven't been able to bet back my old swing! I played today and had maybe 5 shots that were even in the air and decent.
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Yup, watching You-Tube can jack any swing up... Keep getting lessons from a real PGA pro like you said and it will help...
 
Spiritomb said:
Just a bad day. Stay away from youtube videos, get real lessons.
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Trust me, that is exactly what I intend to do.

Did I mention I hit a car? There is one hole that runs parallel next to a somewhat busy road. I tee'd off with a 4 iron and hooked it into traffic and BAM hit the back of a (moving away from me, so not head-on) car!!! I checked with the clubhouse on the way out to see if anyone dropped off a note or anything. That and almost hitting someone again off the tee is why I am taking some time off before a lesson to re-group.
 
First of all welcome to THP! You're among fellow addicts here. :D

This absolutely happened to me when I first started getting really into golf. Still does sometimes. I think that it's very easy to read a bunch of tips and get your head jumbled trying to put them all to work. I was actually talking to a friend about this as he is trying to teach his sons and his wife to golf right now. You're on the right track with lessons. That is the best way to get in to a repeatable swing that produces good results. It's ok to try tips that you pick up, but as a general rule I never work on more than one thing at a time. Helps keep my mind clear and let me focus on making solid contact with the ball. Past that, practice, practice practice. It will come around for you.

Good luck and keep at it!
 
ChaseA17 said:
Trust me, that is exactly what I intend to do.

Did I mention I hit a car? There is one hole that runs parallel next to a somewhat busy road. I tee'd off with a 4 iron and hooked it into traffic and BAM hit the back of a (moving away from me, so not head-on) car!!! I checked with the clubhouse on the way out to see if anyone dropped off a note or anything. That and almost hitting someone again off the tee is why I am taking some time off before a lesson to re-group.
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Wow. You should thank the Lord for getting away with that!
 
Golf can be frustrating at times. Very very frustrating. I was paired with an older gentleman one time and he told me "Golf is a game of just enough good shots to keep you coming back for more"
 
The golf swing is among the most stressful and unnatural acts in sports, short of cheering for the Yankees.
- Brad Faxon
 
Spiritomb said:
Just a bad day. Stay away from youtube videos, get real lessons.
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There are a few good YouTube instructors. The trick is knowing who is good and who is not.

Shawn Clement for example is fantastic.

But with any video instruction, the hard part is getting the feel of what they're trying to impart. That's a challenge even with in-person lessons too BTW. Just because the guy says "let your hands drop into the slot" doesn't mean you have any clue what that's supposed to feel like.

Keep in mind that the place to work on swing changes is on the range. You can't get your head full of positions and swing thoughts when you're trying to play, or your swing will fall completely apart. Go back to the basics and focus on swinging to your target.
 
Welcome to golf my friend.
 
ChaseA17 said:
I started playing on memorial day weekend of this year and have been hooked ever since. My first step was a short 1-hour lesson and from there I have been playing 1-2 rounds/week with days on the range a few times in between. Up until this past weekend, I had started consistently hitting my driver (somewhat) straight, and my irons were getting in the air, getting great distance, and somewhat straight. Not to mention, I was finally getting nice, solid contact on all of my shots. My short game has stayed the same, I am a decent pitch/chipper and an OK putter.

Well last weekend I started watching videos on YouTube about to how improve my swing and changed my grip and many of the ways I was swinging. I went to the range shortly after that and it was a distaster! I tried an interlocking grip and not only did it feel very awkward, I couldnt get proper to contact to save my life. I abandoned the interlocking for my more comfortable "baseball" grip and just haven't been able to bet back my old swing! I played today and had maybe 5 shots that were even in the air and decent.

I feel like I have completely lost the ability to do what I was able to do just a week ago! I think my main problem is that I am changing my grip on the club mid-swing and the club is in a terrible position when it comes in contact with the ball. Not to mention my entire swing tempo and path is different from where it was a week ago.

I am planning on getting another lesson after taking about 1-2 weeks off to regroup (not to mentioned we have our first baby coming in a few weeks). Hopefully the lesson will get me back on track.

Anyone ever experience this?
Click to expand...

Chase, we need to talk. I know a couple guys in Atl that can assist with lessons. They'll work with you and your schedule. Just starting out in golf, you need hands on assistance.

Btw please tell Stephanie we said hello.
 
keep trying that grip, but nothing else new, use your "old"swing. One thing at a time. You had already trained your hand/brain with the 10 finger grip. My first instructor had me use that...don't know why.. it is supposedly the least used grip.
 
most "basics" of golf write-ups will say that the base of one's game is the grip. There must be something to that. If we're going to subscribe to that, then it makes sense to become as natural and CONSISTENT with your grip with each club and on each shot. Playing good/great golf is about being able to repeat a consistent and fundamentally sound (forget Jim Furyk for now) swing.

I've played my best golf when I'm thinking about nothing more than lining up the face and putting the ball downrange with an easy tempo swing. I don't think about backswing, lag, follow through, shot shape, nothing.
 
Tadashi70 said:
Chase, we need to talk. I know a couple guys in Atl that can assist with lessons. They'll work with you and your schedule. Just starting out in golf, you need hands on assistance.

Btw please tell Stephanie we said hello.
Click to expand...

PM sent. Thanks for all of the advice, guys. Another lesson (or two) is in my future.
 
Thats golf. I can shoot in the 80's and then one day shoot over 100 with terrible contact. It takes time to get consistent and usually it means you are trying too hard and too many swing thoughts. It takes time to build the correct muscle memory. Just keep swinging. It will come back to you.
 
It's a fickle game. Rarely will you have all parts of your game clicking at once. I shot an 81 on the afternoon of June 4th and went out 14 hours later on the same course with the same weather and shot 69. I can't figure out the consistency thing and I've been playing fairly well for 35 years!
 
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