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Are You Trying to Get Better?

JB

JB

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I know it sounds like a silly question, but it's a real one. Are you working to better your game? Or are you more of a "just play" kind of person. If you are, what are you doing and is it working?
 
I go back and forth. I have had years where I have put in effort to get better, and have. More recently though, it's been just go out and play with very little practice, and the scores show that. Mentally I continue to go back and forth on which path I want to go down. I certainly want to get better, but there are so many other things going on in life that make going to the range 2-3 days a week seem more like a hastle.
 
My initial response is "of course" but if truth be told that's probably not the case.

I just dont have the time anymore and I'd rather spend the time I do have playing golf, not playing golf swing.
 
Definitely trying to get better.
 
I'm trying to get better but I'm also trying to do it on my own (don't have a teacher). With two kids and a job and a half it's hard to find time to really re-work a swing. Plus we don't have a decent training area (range and short game) place anywhere close to me. Last year I worked hard on my short game and I saw great improvements in scoring, that paired with the correct equipment (thank you THP videos on grinds) I had some good scoring opportunities and almost broke 80 for the first time. I'm going to continue off of what I was doing last year and see if I can play "smarter".
 
kind of tough to answer, but i'll say "yes." i mean, i really WANT to be better. i go to the range to try to work on my swing. i chip and pitch several times a week. go to the practice green several times a week.

but i'm not really working on something specific. and i'm not working with a coach. but i do REALLY want to be better.
 
Not really. Have kind of accepted that at this stage of my life, most of my free time is going to my young kids, which I am just fine with. When I do have free time, I'd rather just get out and play with friends rather than practice.
 
Trying, yes. Succeeding, not yet. Iron play is the biggest thing holding me back as I am missing far too many greens. Working on my alignment and cutting down on my swing to make more consistent contact to achieve more predictable results. Went back to playing everything to draw (driver down to PW) instead of fighting it and trying to hit everything straighter. This seems to yield more predictable results for me. Putting has shown improvements this year and will continue to strive to make that aspect of my game better.
 
Both.. I know I can get lower scores by eliminating stupid shots, duffed chips, and bad putts. I really want to get some lessons this year and get some training aids, but higher mortgage (moving from condo to house) means less golf money.

So it might be a play and hope I get better kind of year..

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Not really. There's just not enough hours in the day or days in the week. When my kids are in First Tee and I find myself with a couple hours at the range twice a week it's a different story. For now, I'm pretty OK with not really getting better.
 
Mainly just playing, but I get into it every so often where I want to putt every day or try to go to the range once or twice in a week to work on a certain club or range of clubs. Mainly depends on how busy my life has been at the time.
 
I am trying to get better, but that doesn't mean I'm spending much time on the range. However, this year will be different, at least I plan on it being different; it terms of range work. Like most, I'm assuming, when one part of my game gets better another part suffers. I'm currently suffering with putting - Argh!
 
Always. I tried the self improvement method for years and progress was slow. 2 off seasons at Golftec helped. I reference those lessons all the time.
I put in a gc2 sim in my garage for the specific purpose of improving. I constantly do slow motion swings on the road with no club to help groove my swing. I record my swing once a month to make sure I’m staying on track.
I practice chipping and pitching mechanics at home. I also use the Puttout system every couple of days.

Here’s where I struggle. I tend to play golf swing and not golf. My major focus the last couple of weeks has been to improve mentally. I’ve been working on a constant pre shot routine and not get bogged down in swing thoughts. Train it and trust it. Accept the results.

All of it is a constant work in progress.
 
I'd like to say I'm actively trying to get better but the majority of my time is spent on the course. I'll definitely take a look at where I'm losing strokes and address that on the range/practice areas but I'd much rather be playing.

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Yes, I want to get better and I am definitely TRYING to get better. I have started back up with lessons this month, usually go see coach every 3 to 4 weeks. I feel like I practice with purpose when I go to the coach. I have been at the range at least twice a week and play at least 1 round a week. I don’t always keep score because that’s not the most important factor in me determining improvement.
I feel like I am improving! My scores may not always show it. My alignment has improved significantly but I’m still working to learn the most probable distance that each club will go. I have recently installed Arccos and that helps me a lot! I don’t use the Caddy but I do go back over my shots when I get home. I then return to the range to see if I can replicate the distances. I have also been practicing to get my hips around, gotta keep the horse in front of the cart! When that happens the ball definitely goes straighter and further.
I recently shot a 104 at SeaCliff Country Club which I was very happy about and on another day at Alondra Park GC, according to Arccos I also had my longest drive ever, 268 yards and basically straight.
 
I will be now. I have decided to finally take lessons. Coming from being a solid player to what I've shown on course since last summer I can no longer fix on my own.
 
This year is going to be a year where I really put the work in. I usually just play a bunch of rounds without focusing on anything in particular. Plan to change that this year.
 
yes and no. Yes in that I am trying to get back to where I was pre-injury...no in that I am not going to the chipping area and working on that, not going to the range 3 times a week to dial in the swing...when I have time, I just go play and since I seldom practice, realistically I am not going to improve much over getting back to holding position.

Last night was perfect example. For 3 holes I felt good. Par/birdie/bogey. On hole 4 I twisted a little hard and my hip started bothering me. Over the last 5 holes, not one shot got over knee level. Anyone that has played with me knows how ridiculous that is. I tend to hit it high enough that it is a running joke, "wish I knew where it landed" as I look at the ball inches from the crater it left when it landed. I tend to not get a lot of roll out with any club. So when on holes 5, 6, 7,8, and 9 I never was able to stay down, I was suddenly looking like someone swinging for the first time. On a completely unrelated note, I went bogey/bogey/double (when I lasered a ball into water that usually I don't even notice)/bogey/double when a routine chip became a rocket. Been a while since I launched a 10 yard chip 50 yards.

If/when I get the ability to stay down on the ball instead of standing up during the swing, I should get back to being a mid-teen handicapper. When healthy, I have the distance to be scratch or close to it, every shot in my bag to easily be a single digit handicap, but lack consistency. And therein lies the rub. To get better, I would need to practice 3-4 times a week and play once. But I don't care enough to do that. I would rather practice 3-4 times a year and play hundreds of times.

I am trying to get better where better is where I was when healthy. But not better as in maximizing my potential.
 
Working to get better for sure. Itching for grass ranges to open around here
 
Trying to get better. Bought a pack of 8 golf lessons this winter. Took 2 winter trips to play in FL. Swing practice in the garage. Spend time considering/evaluating new equipment. Stretching and strength training (should do more stretching). Season starts tomorrow and it's going to be a good one.
 
I enjoy playing and I know the enjoyment would be better if I was better. To that end, I am trying to get lessons set up and I work on my wedge and putting almost every day. I know my big drawback on my wedge is my touch.
 
This year starting probably in May, I will be working to get better. Until then I will just play a couple of rounds since I haven't played much in the last couple of years to knock the rust off and enjoy the game with friends.
 
I have regular lessons and work on both full shots, chipping, and putting. One area of increased focus is bunker shots. I previously considered myself a good bunker player but after practicing in wet, packed bunkers my technique was not there at Haig. I believe I can resolve it with a few practice sessions in a bunker with dry fluffy sand but we'll see.

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I'm definitely trying. Probably more so this year than any other.

I took a deep look at my rounds on Game Golf at the end of last season to try to come up with a plan. I've had a brief lesson. I also picked up a 13' tour links putting green and have been putting in at least a half hour a day working on improving my stroke. More recently I've started a daily stretching routine, to try and build some more stability and flexibility.

Most of the goals I've set for the year are results rather than process based, so we'll see how that goes as the year goes on.

I absolutely can't wait for the courses to open. (Especially now that I live close enough to hop over to practice regularly)
 
If I had the time to dedicate to the game like I did when I was in high school & college, then yes, absolutely I would be trying to get better. I mean that's why we play the game, right. I don't want to be average and just go out to hit the ball around. I want to take it seriously & concentrate on getting better each and every time I go out. However ... that's just not in the cards. For numerous reasons that I'm sure a lot of us all have. LIfe, work, kids, time, etc. So I will be content with just getting out once in a while playing with THP'ers and whoever else wants to play.
 
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