GenErr
Well-known member
On the green and around the green from 50 yards in. Laziness is holding me back as I'd rather play than practice.
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The mental game. I lose focus sometimes. Get frustrated. I've been reading books. I'm working on it.
The mental game. I lose focus sometimes. Get frustrated. I've been reading books. I'm working on it.
See, I'm starting to fight with this a little. 250 out on a par 5, I'm learning I have just as much chance to get up and down from laying up than when I try to go ahead and give it a go. Of course, the proximity of hazards and OB make the decision easier sometimes, but there are times when I mishit a mid-iron and I'm stuck in a bad spot on my 3rd. I used to never be able to hit FWs and hybrids very well, but as that part of my game has improved, I've started to see my par 5 scores improve by giving it a go and just keeping it in play. Now I'm getting up and down for birdie instead of getting up and down for par from 120 and in. There are a TON of factors to determine with that, but that's the mindset I've been having lately.
Flexibility.
I do stretches, and while I have seen better flexibility, at my age it's slow coming.
Also, I have my blow up holes,and sometimes it comes from laziness. For example yesterday a poor approach shot left me with a tree guarding my third shot into a par 5. I had to walk because the hole was closed to arts because of rains the previous day. I flubbed (twice) the 7i runner shot I thought I needed to hit when in reality, it was open for a wedge shot.
Also in Pittsburgh, I had a tough lie and went after a Heavenwood, flubbed it (again twice) before getting back to the fairway. Bad decisions are hole killers!
I'll work on better decision making!
Yoga should Cure your flexibility issue
I'll third this... Alignment has really hurt my consistency getting off the tee. I've now started to tee up behind a divot in line with where I want to hit. Club face then feet follow. It's helping, although I still sometimes adjust back to bad habits mid set upThe bolded are very true for me as well. I have to be very meticulous about checking my alignment or it can get bad. I now check both my clubhead line and my feet line immediately before swinging, and it seems to be helping.
Making bad mental decisions especially around the greens. I have some physical issues like an ongoing bad knee and since I broke my hip, well it's been a pain in my arse, however the knee and hip only affect my long game. It's the scoring game where I seem to screw up the most and now that I know some good techniques, (thanks to a recent Dave Peltz school) and I practice this stuff all the time, it's the damn mental screw ups that hammer my scores. Putting has always been a thorn in my side and as I get older, the yips just keep kicking my arse.
To the fix my main issue (mental screw ups) would be to have a game plan before I approach the shot. Maybe while riding up in the cart have some thoughts going on so when I get over the ball, I don't draw a blank. Why is making up your mind over a shot so hard? If you're not going to be committed to a process, it will rarely work as planned. One of my issues is know what club to choose for different lies around the greens and where to land the ball. I practice shots like this but somehow when it's game time, actual execution of the proper shot seems to go out the window.
I could have written those exact words Mike. I feel your pain. I don't think my swing has ever been this out of sorts. We had a pretty good discussion in the MD tjread about my lack of work to fix it....thanks Kevin for being you and keeping it realMy swing is holding me back.
Putting is good short game has improved but my swing itself has gotten worse so it's been a grind.
This year I haven't had time or funds to take lessons so it's going to have to be something I either deal with or grind to improve on my own
I hear you on the short game mental screw-ups. I think that's my main thing too. Just careless mental errors - also when reading greens - like not noticing how much of an uphill or downhill putt it is, so I'm throwing strokes away. Another example in today's round: I was 10 yards off the green, short sided. Should've been an easy little 58* wedge, but I ignored the fact that the shot was directly into the grain of the grass. Caught it thin and sent it back over the green and down hill 30 yards away. I could've played it entirely different - and I need to both notice these situations and practice them.
Ole Grey if you haven't read it, you might want to pick up a copy of
"The Unstoppable Golfer" by Bob Rotella. It focuses mainly on short game stuff. I'm still reading it but I think it really applies here.
For me personally it's all mental. It's been my absolute focus. I know I have the ability to play to a low caper but I get in my own way.
My swing is holding me back.
Putting is good short game has improved but my swing itself has gotten worse so it's been a grind.
This year I haven't had time or funds to take lessons so it's going to have to be something I either deal with or grind to improve on my own