Here's a simple way to get better at golf! RIGHT NOW!

[GolfLivesMatter]

Agreed.

The mental game is a big topic in golf. IMO, it has more importance with practicing than it does on the course.

Golf can be mentally exhausting when practicing rudimentary "boring" movements because they seem "too easy". For example, I think people tend to not practice putting because they think it's "boring"....or....they don't know what or how to practice. Sand practice is very similar, yet I see countless folks add 4 strokes to their round based on lousy sand shots....and another 5 to 6 for bad putting, and they can't figure out why they can't break 90. I wish I understood the mindset because sand shots and putting are probably the easiest shots to practice. Besides that, I use a firmer sand bunker to assess where the low point of my swing is for my regular shots. I draw a line and see if I hit behind or at the ball and in front. The sand doesn't "lie". LOL.

 

[wazzubrew]

Golf can be mentally exhausting when practicing rudimentary "boring" movements because they seem "too easy". For example, I think people tend to not practice putting because they think it's "boring"....or....they don't know what or how to practice. Sand practice is very similar, yet I see countless folks add 4 strokes to their round based on lousy sand shots....and another 5 to 6 for bad putting, and they can't figure out why they can't break 90. I wish I understood the mindset because sand shots and putting are probably the easiest shots to practice. Besides that, I use a firmer sand bunker to assess where the low point of my swing is for my regular shots. I draw a line and see if I hit behind or at the ball and in front. The sand doesn't "lie". LOL.

How are sand shots easy to practice? I think a lot of not practicing this stuff is because I don't know how to practice. I could practice all day but if I'm not doing it right it's not doing anything for me. I'm starting to learn golf in my 30's and never learned any drills or practice routines. Out of the sand seems like something that can only be learned on the course, at least around here.

 

[GolfLivesMatter]

Have you read The Talent Code? It’s a bit focused on just one aspect of learning (myelin), but he visits a piano academy where they break things into chunks.

A friend I’ve mentioned was telling me how students starting Olympic recurve archery in Korea spend months without picking up a bow. They might spend a month or two just learning to lift their arms the RIGHT way without raising their scapula. Only once they have mastered key fundamental moves do they start adding stressors (bow, arrows, then target last).

I have not read that, but it makes perfect sense.

 

[Flipit]

THPers, @TrueMotionTim Tim did a simple video of how you can improve your golf game, Right NOW! If you don't have time for a video (this probably doesn't apply to you) here's the cold hard Truth: STOP WATCHING YOUTUBE! Check it out to see why.

Close to 100% of beginners who see us, when we ask them, "How have been learning golf up to this point?", they respond, without hesitation, "YouTube!"

And what does that person's swing typically look like? Terrible SetUp (too "athletic") , club is flat and behind them going back, ripped way inside, and the downswing is a heave, over the top banana slice. Can't wait for the debate.

Stop trying to get better at golf by watching YouTube

YouTube is great for watching entertaining golf videos, but if you're watching YouTube to improve your golf game, don't expect to get better.

www.truemotiongolf.com

I’ve figured it out, don’t play! I haven’t hit one bad shot in 2 weeks.

 

[Flipit]

My golf partner was crotchety as all heck. I once asked him if he lost his ball and he told me “no”.
”Oh, you found it?”
”No, I didn’t look for it so it’s not lost.”

Are you suggesting I’m crochety?

 

[GolfLivesMatter]

How are sand shots easy to practice? I think a lot of not practicing this stuff is because I don't know how to practice. I could practice all day but if I'm not doing it right it's not doing anything for me. I'm starting to learn golf in my 30's and never learned any drills or practice routines. Out of the sand seems like something that can only be learned on the course, at least around here.

Sand shots are easy because the cause and effect (outcome) is immediate. Too much sand is a chunk. Too little is a bladed shot. The trick is finding the strike through experimentation, and bounce is your friend (pending the sand type). I can watch 100's of YT videos...and all are good...but the only way to truly get a feel for those shots is practice. I draw a line just behind the ball and try to take as little sand as possible. I also know the right hand can release early and dig a ditch for a chunk...or....flip the face and blade the shot. I have also found that a very still lower body helps stay centered to not sway. Watch the Tiger, Day, McIlroy TM short game video to get an idea....it really helped me aside from instruction.

 

[razaar]

The simplest way to get better is to develop lead hand dominance or ambidextrous talent. This is a feature of great golf swings.

 

[GolfLivesMatter]

This may be veering away from Matt's thread, and I can delete it if so. But if there's interest I can share some research results on learning in a new thread(s).
Here's a crude summary of research studies on retention I put together for a talk. The best explanatory model for the result, at present, is synapse sensitivity and its decay with time.

Retention on the Y axis, time on the X axis.
Closed circles represent subjects who learned material and then did not review the material before being tested 7 days later.
The open circles represent subjects who learned the material, and then worked with the material again in 24 hours (and then didn't review the material again for the next 5 days).

View attachment 8986887


Take home: If you learn a new move or feel or something and don't work with it again within 24 hours, you've lost about 40% of what you learned relative to someone who does work with it again within 24 hours. I have friends who take lessons and expect to be at the same place a couple weeks later. Not how it works. Most of us already know this with languages and math, but few of us apply it to getting better at golf or some other skill we care about.

Makes sense. When I practice a piano piece on day one, then revisit the next day my retention is much better...not necessarily in terms of mastering, but noted improvement. If I don't play for 10 days the piece almost appears "new" to me.

 

[wazzubrew]

Sand shots are easy because the cause and effect (outcome) is immediate. Too much sand is a chunk. Too little is a bladed shot. The trick is finding the strike through experimentation, and bounce is your friend (pending the sand type). I can watch 100's of YT videos...and all are good...but the only way to truly get a feel for those shots is practice. I draw a line just behind the ball and try to take as little sand as possible. I also know the right hand can release early and dig a ditch for a chunk...or....flip the face and blade the shot. I have also found that a very still lower body helps stay centered to not sway. Watch the Tiger, Day, McIlroy TM short game video to get an idea....it really helped me aside from instruction.

Ok... But how often do you get to practice out of the sand? Like, once per hole that has a bunker after paying for a round? That's more what I was talking about.

 

[wazzubrew]

The simplest way to get better is to develop lead hand dominance or ambidextrous talent. This is a feature of great golf swings.

I'm a righty that golfs lefty. I feel like this may cause other problems in the swing, though. Or maybe I just haven't been golfing long enough and this is actually helping me.

 

[TrueMotionMatt]

This may be veering away from Matt's thread, and I can delete it if so. But if there's interest I can share some research results on learning in a new thread(s).
Here's a crude summary of research studies on retention I put together for a talk. The best explanatory model for the result, at present, is synapse sensitivity and its decay with time.

Retention on the Y axis, time on the X axis.
Closed circles represent subjects who learned material and then did not review the material before being tested 7 days later.
The open circles represent subjects who learned the material, and then worked with the material again in 24 hours (and then didn't review the material again for the next 5 days).

View attachment 8986887


Take home: If you learn a new move or feel or something and don't work with it again within 24 hours, you've lost about 40% of what you learned relative to someone who does work with it again within 24 hours. I have friends who take lessons and expect to be at the same place a couple weeks later. Not how it works. Most of us already know this with languages and math, but few of us apply it to getting better at golf or some other skill we care about.

Attention and Motor Skill Learning?

 

[TrueMotionMatt]

Have you read The Talent Code? It’s a bit focused on just one aspect of learning (myelin), but he visits a piano academy where they break things into chunks.

A friend I’ve mentioned was telling me how students starting Olympic recurve archery in Korea spend months without picking up a bow. They might spend a month or two just learning to lift their arms the RIGHT way without raising their scapula. Only once they have mastered key fundamental moves do they start adding stressors (bow, arrows, then target last).

Good Read for coaches or parents of high level athletes

 

[razaar]

I'm a righty that golfs lefty. I feel like this may cause other problems in the swing, though. Or maybe I just haven't been golfing long enough and this is actually helping me.

Ambidextrous work in your case. The right side also plays a part in the golf swing given it is a side on discipline. But the lead side which is the pulling side needs to be dominant.

 

[GolfLivesMatter]

Ok... But how often do you get to practice out of the sand? Like, once per hole that has a bunker after paying for a round? That's more what I was talking about.

I'm lucky enough to have access to practice traps at my club for which they are most often unused. If you don't have access to a trap or traps at your course then maybe there's a practice center near you? Otherwise you're right, that would be tough to do on the course.

 

[Flipit]

My golf partner was crotchety as all heck. I once asked him if he lost his ball and he told me “no”.
”Oh, you found it?”
”No, I didn’t look for it so it’s not lost.”

It actually worked. Got my game back and played my best round in months.