Trying to Break 100
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Annhl8rX
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I appreciate the advice, but there are few things that make it more complicated than that for me. The idea of hitting something safe off the tee makes sense, except for the fact that I have some sort of mental block that keeps me from being able to hit an iron from the tee box. I've tried everything I can think of and everything that has been suggested, but I still screw if up about 80% of the time. When you couple that with the fact that I also can't hit a fairway wood or hybrid to save my soul, the SLDR Mini is my safest club from the tee box.
I also seem to do much better when I take a full swing than when I try to take something off. Every time I try to club up and swing smooth and easy I end up with a terrible result.
I have no doubt that your advice is generally sound, and I'm just a weirdo. I've had that problem all my life. The tried and true mechanics have never been my friend, whether we're talking about peewee basketball or dirt bike racing. It seems golf is just the latest activity that my awkward physiology makes more difficult.
golfinFF
Active member
just remember to swing full speed from a 3/4 position at the top, do not swing easier.
i under stand that mental block trust me been there still hate taking irons off the tee. pick a target in the distance tree/roof line/bunker and then a spot in the fairway where you want the ball to land thats on that line and swing to it let the ball get in the way.
its not taking something off a full swing its more of a punch/knockdown shot take the club 3/4 back and then full swing speed and release through the ball. Distance should be controlled by how far you take the club back and then through the ball not how hard you swing. you will gain consistency if you control distance with how far the club swings vs how hard you swing.
Annhl8rX
Well-known member
That makes a lot of sense, and is something I've never heard before. I'm gonna have to give that a shot.
-CRW-
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My coach always tells me to do this if I find myself struggling during a round. He says you could play an entire round of golf this way and probably be surprised (happy) with the results.
Golfinff has a good idea there. I also struggled for years to "take something off" my swing, because I interpreted that as "swing slower" and got rotten contact & my form fell apart.
You might also want to do this experiment:
take some 100% swings - all out, max effort. Call that 100%. Then try to make the same swing but using only 80% (or 75%, or whatever). Same form, same range of motion, but not trying to kill the ball. That's probably your normal swing speed there. I think this helped me to visualize and feel "smooth" but not slow.
Hope this helps!
Annhl8rX
Well-known member
Another round today and another disappointing result. I went 56/56 for a 112. I've gone from trying to consistently break 100 to around the 110 region again in my last few rounds. Part of it comes from playing a few more difficult courses for the first time. I definitely struck the ball well today. Apart from two shots, my SLDR Mini was really working off the tee.
I still just can't seem to hit an iron from the tee box, though. I hit them fine from the fairway, but can't do it from the box to save my soul. I've tried using a tee and not using a tee. I've tried really rehearsing my swing, and I've tried just walking up and hitting it. There is just some kind of mental block there that is driving me nuts.
I still just can't seem to hit an iron from the tee box, though. I hit them fine from the fairway, but can't do it from the box to save my soul. I've tried using a tee and not using a tee. I've tried really rehearsing my swing, and I've tried just walking up and hitting it. There is just some kind of mental block there that is driving me nuts.
Hamfist
I promise not to murder Canadan.
Well, it sounds like the Mini is your teebox club. Go with it! Use whatever is working.
Hamfist
I promise not to murder Canadan.
Why, in the name of all that is unholy, can I not hit a driver?
Edit: or any club that is not an iron?
Question: do you guys and girls have a noticably different swing with woods versus irons?
When I hit my irons, I hit them much better when I do an early wrist set. When I try to do that with a wood, it's a train wreck.
Edit: or any club that is not an iron?
Question: do you guys and girls have a noticably different swing with woods versus irons?
When I hit my irons, I hit them much better when I do an early wrist set. When I try to do that with a wood, it's a train wreck.
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Chip
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Went back for a lesson today and the teaching pro really took my negative response on the results today badly.Never saw so much doubt and disbelief in an individual in a long time.I have to say he is going well beyond what I expected for me to figure out this goofy game.We went back to the basics again -grip/stance/backswing and transition.Seemed like nothing was working during our meeting and almost like he wanted to pull his hair out.It was getting very bleak and I almost wanted to tell him I give up on golf in general.Than at the last minutes he pulled up videos of a guy he teaches that barely broke 120 4 years ago.This last fall he finished 4th in his club championship with all 70 rounds.That was eye opening to me,and maybe gives me some hope I can do this.That video of the before swing and the news paper clippings really showed this might be possible.During the lesson I only hit 5 shots really well out of the 50 or so swings.But it was 5 more than I had the last 2 weeks of pure anguish.Never know,maybe I can be a 70 shooter in 3 years instead of 4?He assured me this will work and it does work.The flicker of hope springs eternal as they say
Den60
New member
Yes, absolutely! But rather than swing "less" swing more in control. If you miss hit a lot, shorten the back swing and get better consistency in your contact.
Den60
New member
Your swing with a driver is more about sweeping the ball, catching it on the upswing. I do better with my irons back in the stance but with my driver it is off my left toe - to the point that it first seemed to be too far forward. I do tee my driver up quite high so my miss is under it. I went for years not hitting a driver until my instructor told me I should use it.
Edited to add. My 3 wood I hit the same, more sweeping the ball off the turf than hitting down on it but the ball is not as far forward as the driver and when I tee it up I tee it lower than my driver.
Chip
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Also going to play the red tees and tee from the fairway if I have to.The pro said to do this and count every shot by playing them out.No gimmies or pickups.I kinda feel bad for the groups behind me but I'm hoping they will show encouragement towards me.Looking forward to play Cog Hill Dubs Dread and Kemper lakes this season.Even though I might be teeing off from the ladies or the fairway.Im sure they won't mind
Annhl8rX
Well-known member
It has been for several months now. In fact, it has been the only club I carry longer than my 5 iron. Two rounds ago, though, it betrayed me. Fortunately I had thrown my driver in the bag to hit at the range (which was closed) that day, and I hit it well. It's back out of the bag, though, until I can get more consistent with it.
Hamfist
I promise not to murder Canadan.
Damn you, traitorous club!
BuckeyeMark
Well-known member
Someone shot 107 today!!! Someone shot 107 today!!!!
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Yantropov
Member
You're probably trying to "kill" the ball with your irons from the tee box. Simply try to relax, use a smooth swing and try not to think that you're going to fail!
Hamfist
I promise not to murder Canadan.
Lol. Guess who is riding his big-ass handicap to the #1 ranking in his sim golf league?
Annhl8rX
Well-known member
Ha! Nice. From the way I understand it the higher the handicap the harder it is to capitalize on the "benefit" of the handicap, so you must be playing well.
BuckeyeMark
Well-known member
What a day!!! Had not swung a club since early in December and was terrified what was going to happen when I finally got back on the course.
Things did not start well - took a snowman on the par 4 first hole and a ten on the second hole par 5. But I was hitting it solid and made a bogey on 4, double on 5 and A PAR on 6, bogeys on 7 and 8 and double on 9. Didn't total the front nine but I knew I was going pretty good.
Made a double and a bogey on 9 and 10. Hanging in there and made my second part of the day on 13. Then blew up on 14. The snowman arrived - two penalties, and general disaster. Wretched. Pulled myself together and made bogey on 16. Finished with two doubles.
54 on the front, 53 on the back. 107!!! A personal best!
Couple of keys:
* Driver stayed in the truck.
* New SCOR wedges I picked up in the TBH market place were sweet. Not dialed in yet but so good.
* No hero shots.
* Bombed a putt from 40 on 6 to save bogey ... oh that felt good to see it go looking for the hole and drop in!
* Was in the fairway all day - several 200 yard + drives. That helps!
And ... YOU helped. I thought a lot coming down the back nine of what I could post here to those who have been so supportive and helpful. I wanted to card a good score and bring it here to TBH. Knowing the group here would be happy for my good score kept me bearing down, concentrating, taking it one shot at a time and it came together.
I need seven more shots ... and they were are definitely out there. For the first time I feel like a 99 might be out there waiting for me.
Thanks to everyone here who has helped me so much with encouragement, tips and more. I went out the door telling my wife I'd prolly shoot 200 and she said "You never know." As always, she was right! So keep swinging!!!
Things did not start well - took a snowman on the par 4 first hole and a ten on the second hole par 5. But I was hitting it solid and made a bogey on 4, double on 5 and A PAR on 6, bogeys on 7 and 8 and double on 9. Didn't total the front nine but I knew I was going pretty good.
Made a double and a bogey on 9 and 10. Hanging in there and made my second part of the day on 13. Then blew up on 14. The snowman arrived - two penalties, and general disaster. Wretched. Pulled myself together and made bogey on 16. Finished with two doubles.
54 on the front, 53 on the back. 107!!! A personal best!
Couple of keys:
* Driver stayed in the truck.
* New SCOR wedges I picked up in the TBH market place were sweet. Not dialed in yet but so good.
* No hero shots.
* Bombed a putt from 40 on 6 to save bogey ... oh that felt good to see it go looking for the hole and drop in!
* Was in the fairway all day - several 200 yard + drives. That helps!
And ... YOU helped. I thought a lot coming down the back nine of what I could post here to those who have been so supportive and helpful. I wanted to card a good score and bring it here to TBH. Knowing the group here would be happy for my good score kept me bearing down, concentrating, taking it one shot at a time and it came together.
I need seven more shots ... and they were are definitely out there. For the first time I feel like a 99 might be out there waiting for me.
Thanks to everyone here who has helped me so much with encouragement, tips and more. I went out the door telling my wife I'd prolly shoot 200 and she said "You never know." As always, she was right! So keep swinging!!!
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Hamfist
I promise not to murder Canadan.
That's the way to keep grinding! One shot at a time, keeping your head in the game.
AmIGinger
New member
Way to go!! Always glad to hear about success, keep it up and you'll be sub 100 before you know it!
Chip, I've been playing golf my whole life. I've taken lessons from at least half-a-dozen pros. I've been on Trackman, video, and I've watched nearly every YouTube video available. I've done the drills assigned by my pro religiously. Despite all that, I've shot over 100 for a good portion of my golfing life, and probably more 90's than anything else. When things are going well I can be consistently in the 80's. Once in my 40+ years I've broken 80.
With all that golf, I've only recently achieved the feeling of what a proper golf swing should feel like. I've spent my entire life with an over-the-top hacker's slice despite pro after pro telling me the right things to do and trying to be encouraging as I fail to do them. I too have seen the expression of hopelessness on my pro's face.
My point is saying all this is you aren't alone. Ninety-plus percent of golfers don't have good swings. An awful lot of them have simply learned to manage the poor swing they have enough to get them in the 90's or 80's. This won't be the last time a pro seems exasperated at your failure to accomplish the seemingly simple tasks he's giving you. It might take you a year, or two, or five or 20 to finally get the feel of a proper golf swing. For some people, it comes easier. Their natural athletic ability puts them on the right track almost immediately. They can't relate to us because they've never known anything but the feel of a good golf swing. For the rest of us, it's a struggle.
Don't give up. Eventually, you'll go "Ahhhhh....that's what that guy was trying to get me to feel 10 years ago." But hopefully, in that 10 years before the lightbulb comes on, you can learn to manage the swing you have well enough to start scoring better. And I use 10 years only to again point out it can be a ridiculously hard thing to "get". For you it might happen in a year. Or a couple months. Or 20 years. The point is, just keep at it. It will get better.
Yes, it's frustrating when you watch the pros or come across that guy who has been playing a year-and-a-half and is consistently breaking 80. But realize the VAST majority of golfers are like you and me, not him.
deuce
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First off, congrats on the PB! Always great to get the score lowered.
As to your seven shots, you got them right on the first two holes ... bogey golf gets you those seven strokes right there, and that's just a matter of time. I've struggled majorly with blowing up on one or two holes and playing decent on the rest, so I know how annoying this can be. On the days I've scored well, I've kept my game to shooting double bogeys at the worst. Once the weather warms up, keep this round in mind, and when you get that round where everything is clicking and you can avoid those blowup holes ... you'll be under 100 for sure!
Keep it up, you're closer than you think!
Hamfist
I promise not to murder Canadan.
Just bumping the thread. Looking forward to getting out again,mthis cold weather is chapping my hide, making me wait.
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