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What do you have to do to be "good" at golf?

Because imo whatever their physical make up is and however crazy their swing may seem their physical make up simply allows them more easily able to get the club head in the correct position required at point of contact on a consistent basis.
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I do believe there are physical attributes which enable more success at golf. It's easier to have a powerful golf swing if you're not overweight. It's easier if you're flexible. It's easier if you're tall.

But I refuse to accept that the only people who can play golf at a high level are those who are skinny, flexible and tall. Inbee Park and Shanshan Feng would likely agree.

Here's the thing - golf is a timing game. It's my firm belief that people who are better athletes often succeed because they automatically lock in on the things which those of us who are less coordinated do not. They feel the effects of gravity on their swing. They realize the important of rhythm. And they often incorporate those crucial elements without ever thinking about them. Meanwhile, those of us who are less athletically inclined after 20 years of struggle suddenly discover the importance of rhythm and think, "Why didn't I realize that from day one?" Or they realize that to succeed you need to swing to a target, while those of us who struggle spend most of our golfing career trying to hit the ball.

I think through lots of athletics, the "natural athlete" develops a better sense of timing and rhythm. In a lot of cases, they only had to deal with the "can't break 100" club for a very short time. Their rhythm and timing learned through hockey, baseball or whatever quickly moved them into the 90's club and then the 80's club. Their athletic bodies also may make up for flaws in their game. They may hit a poor drive for example, but having the power to hit a 250-yard 3-wood can save the hole, where those of us who are not so athletic may not have that option.

So yes, it's easier. However, I refuse to believe that it will NEVER be possible for me to play as good golf as Canadan, Jeff Spicolli or Tadashi70. It's certainly more difficult, but I don't think it impossible. It also is not likely to happen, simply because I can't devote the time necessary to overcome my athletic deficiencies. But I do believe it *could* happen. I don't think anyone should look in the mirror and say, "90's is the limit for me because I just don't have "it""
 
To play REALLY good golf...low 70s consistently, sub 5 index stuff (and yeah, thats just my opinion of "really good"), you need the body, the ballstriking, the whole shmear.
To play what's been posited as "good" golf, under 100?

You need to be able to find the ball. Not hit it OB or in the hazards. You can do it 2, 3 times a round, not 8 times.
You need to hit the ball in the air. Ground balls are short, hard on the nerves, and don't stop on greens.
You need to not 3 putt a lot. Don't 4 putt. 5 is, as they say, right out.

Thats pretty much it to me. If you're over 100, you're making some fundamental mistakes. The strokes are coming from somewhere, either penalties, putts, or just flubbed (not short, not left or right, flubbed) shots.
Under 90, and certainly under 80, you're working on improving what you're doing. Under 100, is eliminating big errors.

OP seems to be athletic enough (martial arts), has the gear (fitted), knows to some extent the technique (lessons). Either he's playing from 7400y or there's some source of extra strokes in his game.
 
Realize we are amateurs and will hit bad and good shots . It is just a game , the more we enjoy it and appreciate the difficulty and anger it brings at times . The better you will score and take the good and bad breaks as they come .

It's as hard as you make it basically
 
It would be interesting to hear from some of our better golfers.

For those of you who now shoot consistently in the 70's, do you feel golf has always come easier for you? Or was there a point in your career that you wondered if you'd ever become "good?" Do you look at "hackers" on the range and think, "I recognize that golfer - that was me for a long time." Or do you think, "How does someone get that uncoordinated?"
 
Wade

you can't worry about every inch of the swing . All you can worry about is getting the ball from point a to b in as few shots as possible.
That is why most that over analyze the swing have trouble playing golf . But they play golf swing well.. ( <<< this took me 38 years of playing to learn )
 
wadesworld said:
I do believe there are physical attributes which enable more success at golf. It's easier to have a powerful golf swing if you're not overweight. It's easier if you're flexible. It's easier if you're tall.

But I refuse to accept that the only people who can play golf at a high level are those who are skinny, flexible and tall. Inbee Park and Shanshan Feng would likely agree.

Here's the thing - golf is a timing game. It's my firm belief that people who are better athletes often succeed because they automatically lock in on the things which those of us who are less coordinated do not. They feel the effects of gravity on their swing. They realize the important of rhythm. And they often incorporate those crucial elements without ever thinking about them. Meanwhile, those of us who are less athletically inclined after 20 years of struggle suddenly discover the importance of rhythm and think, "Why didn't I realize that from day one?" Or they realize that to succeed you need to swing to a target, while those of us who struggle spend most of our golfing career trying to hit the ball.

I think through lots of athletics, the "natural athlete" develops a better sense of timing and rhythm. In a lot of cases, they only had to deal with the "can't break 100" club for a very short time. Their rhythm and timing learned through hockey, baseball or whatever quickly moved them into the 90's club and then the 80's club. Their athletic bodies also may make up for flaws in their game. They may hit a poor drive for example, but having the power to hit a 250-yard 3-wood can save the hole, where those of us who are not so athletic may not have that option.

So yes, it's easier. However, I refuse to believe that it will NEVER be possible for me to play as good golf as Canadan, Jeff Spicolli or Tadashi70. It's certainly more difficult, but I don't think it impossible. It also is not likely to happen, simply because I can't devote the time necessary to overcome my athletic deficiencies. But I do believe it *could* happen. I don't think anyone should look in the mirror and say, "90's is the limit for me because I just don't have "it""
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In that post I never implied it would be impossible for you or anyone. I also never said one had to be tall and slim. And I stated that being athletic was a different thing. Many people are athletic but not good at golf. And many people I know are not athletic yet can play a pretty darn good golf game. I am talking of ones physical make up (not necessarily athleticism) that just might be better in line with what is required to hit golf balls more easily than someone else. The way ones arms move in relation to their shoulders, hands, legs move, the natural position of all their body parts at any given time during the swing, etc etc..all those things will different for everyone.

Just like how some rest their hands on hips inwards and others outwards. Just get 50 people together and ask them all to naturally raise their left arm up like they want to scratch an itch near behind their left ear and hold that position. You would see different results. Some elbows higher, some lower, pointing more out, others more down, some in front, some more back, hands turned in, turned out, use of different fingers , etc , etc. Its all due to everyone's different dimensions and different movements to do the same task.

All I am saying is that for some people their physical make up (not necessarily athleticism) will imo allow them more easily and more consistently to swing the club and still get the club head in the correct position for that split second of and at impact. Their movements are simply a bit more in tune (or in line) and more easily will land the club head at the correct spot in the correct position without as much help as other people need. They just have less to fight against. If we told the 50 people that there was (hypothetically) only one correct way to scratch that itch then we would find some of those people naturally already have their arm and hand in that correct position or real close to it. They would be able to do it more often more consistently. While others would have to work to get theirs into this (hypothetical) correct position. It just would not be as easy for them to do and do it as consistently. Even tempo (which you speak of) is easier to obtain when all else mentioned is better in line.
 
jmatt said:
OP seems to be athletic enough (martial arts), has the gear (fitted), knows to some extent the technique (lessons). Either he's playing from 7400y or there's some source of extra strokes in his game.
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I have broken 100 plenty of times on an easier course, and shot an 89 there once. But it was a wide open course and at worse I would have 2 penalties a round. A wayward sliced drive was almost always playable. This new club I joined is much more difficult. I played with THP member Dgvillere today and shot a 110 with 37 putts and 8 penalties. Most penalties from lost balls in the woods or water. I had 3 pars, but 3 or 4 double pars! I had this same talk with him after our round and said just do what I did on the holes I pared. But I don't have the consistency to do that. I'm trying to find out where that consistency comes from. Maybe, for me, the answer is time, patience, and experience.
 
Your last sentence is exactly where it comes from. You may not ever be a 5, but over time you'll get better CRW.
 
tequila4kapp said:
I understood the original OP to kind of be asking about what his next steps are for becoming good.

Here's what I see. You've been taking, on average, a lesson every other week for 14 months. That is a reasonable cadence over a long duration, so that's great. But the fact it happened with multiple instructors seems like we might be getting diminishing returns on our investments of time and money (which is why I was interested to hear from Freddie, to get an instructor's perspective). My first thought is to settle down, find one person to work with. Discuss your goals with that instructor and develop a plan to achieve them. Then see it through. The game is hard enough without introducing multiple concepts and technique in such a short period of time. I think you may be unintentionally making this harder on yourself than it needs to be. This might be a little more "Keep It Simple Stupid" than you were looking for, but that's my 2 cents.
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The friend's lessons was just to get me started. The guy after that was a waste of time. The guy after that helped, but I got to a point to where I was no longer improving with him. The current guy has given me 11 lessons. I didn't know what I was missing until I started working with him. And I plan on staying with him for a long time since he's my instructor at the club I just signed a one year contract with.
 
i think you only need a few things to play good golf if you define "good golf" as consistently breaking 100.

1. a relatively consistent, repeatable tee shot. it doesn't have to be long. it doesn't have to be straight. it just has to be reliable and repeatable. but it shouldn't be more than 30 yards of curve.
2. relatively good contact with irons. you can miss a bit to the heel, a bit to the toe, a bit fat, or a bit thin, and still be very playable. you don't have to flush everything. but you can't get around a golf course blading everything or chunking everything.
3. an ability to pitch the ball. it doesn't have to spin, and it doesn't have to be a flop. just be able to hit a higher short-game shot than a chip.
4. eliminate 3-putts inside 20 feet.

after you achieve 1 and 2, it becomes a matter of playing the correct set of tees. after that, with correct course management you're all but guaranteed to break 100.

for me, breaking 80 is all about hitting greens. unless i have the worst putting day ever, if i hit 10 or more greens i'll break 80 (which you should!!!).
for me, breaking 90 is all about keeping my tee ball in play and at least 200 yards. if i get a wicked case of the duck hooks, i bring 90 into play.
for me, breaking 100 is all about keeping penalty strokes off my card. if i get wild with the driver and put approach shots in the water, doomsday.
 
Have fun, when I'm having fun I play well.

How do I practice? Am I just beating balls or working towards a goal with each shot?

Is it a grind or not? If it's a grind, I need to step back and take a break, I don't feel I'm improving when it gets to that point (thankfully, I haven't had that feeling at all this year)
 
-CRW- said:
The friend's lessons was just to get me started. The guy after that was a waste of time. The guy after that helped, but I got to a point to where I was no longer improving with him. The current guy has given me 11 lessons. I didn't know what I was missing until I started working with him. And I plan on staying with him for a long time since he's my instructor at the club I just signed a one year contract with.
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Cool, sounds great! In terms of the "where's the consistency" talk and how long it takes to get there I wouldn't count the time preceding your current guy.

It is a hard game. I've gotten to the point where I feel pretty confident off the tees, mostly know my driver swing and it is fairly repeatable. I'm usually somewhat competetent around the greens. Iron play...ugh, the only consistent thing is my inconsistency. Lessons? check. Former athlete? Check. Work on the game regularly? Check. But I'm still inconsistent. It is a hard game. If it was easy many of us probably wouldn't like it as much :)
 
I should also add that ego and course management are also big issues for me. There were holes that he played his 3 wood because they had really tight fairways with lots of trouble. But I can't hit my 3 wood off the tee (or the deck for that matter) consistently enough to play it on the course. Maybe I should be hitting my 4i off the tee on those holes and will give it a shot.

He also had to reign me in several times with course management suggestions and they led to my bogies and few pars. I think playing more often with better players will help me too. At the very least I can get course management training.
 
I need to practice more and stay out of my own head
 
tequila4kapp said:
Cool, sounds great! In terms of the "where's the consistency" talk and how long it takes to get there I wouldn't count the time preceding your current guy.

It is a hard game. I've gotten to the point where I feel pretty confident off the tees, mostly know my driver swing and it is fairly repeatable. I'm usually somewhat competetent around the greens. Iron play...ugh, the only consistent thing is my inconsistency. Lessons? check. Former athlete? Check. Work on the game regularly? Check. But I'm still inconsistent. It is a hard game. If it was easy many of us probably wouldn't like it as much :)
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Starting my clock with the current instructor is probably a good way to look at things.

Short of my inconsistencies, my game is sort of the opposite. I'd break it down as follows:

3w/3i - 20%
Driver - 50%
Irons - 75%
Short game/putting - 80%

That is consistency only. I can get on the green with chips/pitches 80% of the time, but not always in a good position. Sometimes I'm 2 feet from the hole, sometimes 20. With most being more like 10-15 feet. Not always easy to 2 putt and hard to get many 1 putts.
 
He also had to reign me in several times with course management suggestions and they led to my bogies and few pars. I think playing more often with better players will help me too. At the very least I can get course management training.
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I had a playing lesson with my pro one day. On a short par 4 (320-ish) with a bunker in the middle and high grass to the front right, I pulled out a 3-wood, as I had always done. He said "what the heck are you doing?" and proceeded to explain to me that if I hit 4-iron or even 5-iron, I would take the bunker in the center of the fairway out of play, as well as the high grass on the right. The way the hole plays downhill to the green, I'd be looking at no more than an 8-iron into the green.

Since that day I don't think I've made worse than bogey on that hole.

Recently playing match play with a friend of mine who is about as good a golfer as I am, we were both about 180 out from a hole cut in a small sliver of the front of the green. I hit a shot towards the hole, but one I thought would probably come up a bit short and be on the front apron - which is exactly what happened. He went for the flag, flew a bit long, bounced off the back of the green and under a bush. I got up and down for par. He tried to hack it out, advanced it about 3 feet, skulled his pitch over the other side of the green, chipped on and 2-putted for a triple. He's not an inconsistent player, but he sure looked like it on that hole. Bad decisions can cause you to have to attempt shots of an extremely high skill level, which often don't turn out well. In short, it may not always be your swing, but rather the swing you force yourself into.

-CRW- said:
Starting my clock with the current instructor is probably a good way to look at things.

Short of my inconsistencies, my game is sort of the opposite. I'd break it down as follows:

3w/3i - 20%
Driver - 50%
Irons - 75%
Short game/putting - 80%

That is consistency only. I can get on the green with chips/pitches 80% of the time, but not always in a good position. Sometimes I'm 2 feet from the hole, sometimes 20. With most being more like 10-15 feet. Not always easy to 2 putt and hard to get many 1 putts.
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Sounds like you need more work on putting. Three putts should happen no more than once or twice a round, and those should happen when your first putt was extremely difficult (like 50 feet away). If you're 20-feet or closer, you should 2-putt 98% of the time.
 
-CRW- said:
I had 3 pars, but 3 or 4 double pars! I had this same talk with him after our round and said just do what I did on the holes I pared. But I don't have the consistency to do that. I'm trying to find out where that consistency comes from. Maybe, for me, the answer is time, patience, and experience.
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Time, patience, experience, and good work efforts is all you can do. Besides good consistent mechanics, a good tempo is a huge part of consistency too imo and both need to be practiced and learned. . Tempo doesnt always mean slowing down a swing. One can swing slower and still have very poor tempo. A swing has to be smooth and fluid on a consistent basis. I think once one has sound mechanics good or poor tempo is what makes it all flow together nicely or not.

-CRW- said:
I should also add that ego and course management are also big issues for me. There were holes that he played his 3 wood because they had really tight fairways with lots of trouble. But I can't hit my 3 wood off the tee (or the deck for that matter) consistently enough to play it on the course. Maybe I should be hitting my 4i off the tee on those holes and will give it a shot.
.
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This is all part of playing to ones strengths and minimizing the weaknesses as well as playing smarter managed golf imo. I look at the hole in front of me and think what would be position "A" for me to get to that seems very doable? Hmmm, a shorter hole and a dog leg with a risky driver landing zone. May be my 5w or 4iron is a higher percentage shot that gets me to that nice wide part of the fairway where I still have a nice short iron to the green and from a good angle. That would be my desired position "A". You will be surprised how good the ego feels when you played the humble shots and in the end were successful with the hole. Trust me that also makes you feel proud and happy.
 
Good golf is relative. I'm a believer in the biggest things a golfer can do to improve their score is work on the short game and playing smart golf. Just proper course management can save you a few strokes a round.
 
wadesworld said:


Sounds like you need more work on putting. Three putts should happen no more than once or twice a round, and those should happen when your first putt was extremely difficult (like 50 feet away). If you're 20-feet or closer, you should 2-putt 98% of the time.
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I guess I've neglected putting to a degree because I've always looked at 36 putts as par for putting and my average is 38 per round or 2.11 per hole. Over the last 5 rounds on tough courses I've only 3 putted 18 times, or just over 3 times a round on average.

So with that being said, how many putts is "good" for an amateur golfer. Let's say really good so that good isn't subjective. Or break it down by scoring range/handicap. How many should a guy shooting in the 90's have per round. How many for someone in the 80's, 70's?
 
A couple years ago I figured that I'd never shoot in the 80s and I was always thrilled with breaking 100.

Then a combination of fluke and bad fundamentals (flat swing, strong grip) gave me a ton more distance and enabled me to completely eliminate the right side of every course I played. All of a sudden the same skill level that would shoot 96 was shooting 88.

If you can't hit it straight just make sure you always miss the same...its amazing how much easier it gets to navigate a golf course.
 
-CRW- said:
I guess I've neglected putting to a degree because I've always looked at 36 putts as par for putting and my average is 38 per round or 2.11 per hole. Over the last 5 rounds on tough courses I've only 3 putted 18 times, or just over 3 times a round on average.

So with that being said, how many putts is "good" for an amateur golfer. Let's say really good so that good isn't subjective. Or break it down by scoring range/handicap. How many should a guy shooting in the 90's have per round. How many for someone in the 80's, 70's?
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I'm a 15 handicap, mostly scoring in the mid 80s to low 90s. I currently average about 32 putts per round, down a couple from last season. If I have more than 35 putts in a round I go drink a beer and shake it off. Do it again and I hit the practice green.
 
tequila4kapp said:
I'm a 15 handicap, mostly scoring in the mid 80s to low 90s. I currently average about 32 putts per round, down a couple from last season. If I have more than 35 putts in a round I go drink a beer and shake it off. Do it again and I hit the practice green.
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Thanks. I'm curious to see what everyone has to say on this later/tomorrow. I wonder if it will vary greatly or if we will see some general consensus.
 
-CRW- said:
Thanks. I'm curious to see what everyone has to say on this later/tomorrow. I wonder if it will vary greatly or if we will see some general consensus.
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Putts per round is a pretty pointless stat. I can have 18 putts and shoot a 90. Just miss every green, chip close and one putt. I can also shoot a 90 with 54 putts. Hit every green and 3 putt.

Shooting low is about managing blow up holes and knowing how to score. I haven't figured out the whole scoring deal yet but working on it.
 
I am not good yet so I can't answer your question. But I have improved this year, and I think the best way to get good is to steadily progress. To do that I think you need to maximize the time you have to improve the most.

For example, let's say you go play 18 and have a bad first hole. You have two choices. You can get upset and lose most of the benefit of that round, or you can take it a hole at a time. If the situation allows, drop an extra ball. Practice that uphill lie shot. A bad hole could turn into the most productive round you've ever had. And that allows you to improve faster.

Keeping your golf time fun is also critical. Just keep telling yourself you aren't good enough to get upset. For me taking it a hole at a time really helps. I can have a triple on the first hole, and insyead of thinking "this round is over" I know I still have 17 chances left for success. That's 17 holes to try new things and work on weaknesses.

The last round I didn't even total my score until I got to the car, and I was 1 shot off my PB.

To me these are the real keys to getting better. Maximize the time you have and you will have more fun, and improve faster. Of course, continue lessons, productive range sessions, etc.
 
For me it's lessons and practice. I've come to terms with the fact that if I want to play the type of golf that will satisfy me, I have to practice, and a lot. I'm talking a 70% practice 30% play. And I'm ok with that. I'm a range rat and I enjoy practice. Also I think others have touched on it a bit, I practice short game a lot. Putting and chipping. It has shaved probably 2 to 3 strokes off my game just from devoting so much practice to short game work.
 
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