Golf forum

Lo all, I am failing to improve at all despite having tried quite a few lessons and practicing hard several days a week for a year. Practice includes range short game and plenty of on course. I honestly do work hard at what im told as I whole heartedly want to improve. I have had to ask myself serious questions am I really just unable to ever play a decent game of golf TBH am I wasting my time.

I should mention I play right handed for the sake of the explanation below (I am actually left handed though in life).   

Theres no easy way to say it but I dont think my lessons with the pro have had any positive effect at all. I'm not saying is his fault but clearly he and I doesnt = better golfer. Would another pro likely suit me better , I suppose most will say just try but im wondering if anyomne has had a similar experience and gotten a better result by changing. Having spent hundreds of pounds on lessons with zero improvement isnt too heartening.

My driving has turned from a hook to a massive fade/slice as my swing has

 ' improved' , out of desperation the other day I went to a range and tried some things as you do. I looked at what I was doing and it was obvious that it wasnt my swing path and I just dont straighten the club head on 'returning to the ball' no matter how 'strong' I try and grip.

I thought I'd try and release my wrist which I find almost impossible and as im messing with it I found that where as I was trying to wrap my right wrist over the top before the strike ( to straighten the face) , instead I tried using my left wrist I.E pointing my knuckles down on my left hand before impact. Presato, I can even hit a draw doing this ( impossible before) and definately cannot fade or slice whilst doing it. I have also tried a little of this with my irons and it too seems positive I.E stops shots leaking off to the right ( they dont slice they just fade with my irons).

My questions to my peers are  :P

1) Do you use your left wrist as the 'straightening lead' , I.E have I actually hit on something I should have always been doing rather than wrapping the right one over.

2) Should the pro not have advised/spotted this , he has videod me about ten times.

3)  Any tips or drills to make me use my wrists correctly.

Cheers  Mas

Well Mas Tiff, I feel you have explained your problems pretty well, so I will give you my input.

First of all I would like you think of the position you are in when you address the ball as this is the eventual position at impact except that the weight has been transferrd to the left foot and the hips are beginning to turn out of the way, whilst maintaining the angle of the wrists for as long as possible throught impact. By using your left hand as a guide in keeping the clubface square, you have hit upon a very important aspect of the swing.

I have no doubt there are some pros who might be interested in improving your golf, but IMO there are not too many. Money is their only motivation when they are giving lessons and the majority have no record of being skilled enough in playing, let alone teaching.

This wrapping the wrist over will only produce one kind of shot and that is a quick hook or a smother. In actual fact if the ball is struck correctly, the wrist does not roll over the left until way into the follow through and this is a natural occurrence.

Golf is a game of accuracy and it is imperative that one knows where the ball is going. To achieve this more consistently then a sound method must be employed.

Tips and drills, there are many, but myself I have always kept it simple as I have been a lazy one for practice. I usually only hit wedges if at the range and I start using one hand only, my right. To hold the club with one hand at the top of the backswing it must be set correctly with the right hand under ther shaft or one will find it impossible to hold it up, unless of course you are a gorilla. I have always been an advocate of the clubface being open at the top of the swing and closing it naturally by the time of impact.

I usually do this exercise by placing the range bucket opposite me at address and about two inches behind the ball. If you start hitting the bucket then your plane needs radical attention.

I have to admit, I expected a smug reply or two from folk saying

"its not the pro it's you you obviously dont listen to him " , and the odd " dont blame the pro blame yourself "

 To hear what I was always suspecting could in fact be true is refreshing TBH. I think you can tell from my post I am really trying to understand my game and dont expect miracles :P 

The more lessons I turned up for to hear the same thing followed by something like

" straighten your arms and come back and see me in a couple of weeks " , the more I thought I was a cash cow TBH. I will have no hesitation giving my money to someone who can actually help me but I think the hunt could be a difficult one. 

John , I must admit to not really using drills as such ( the pro has never set me any either) and if there is a wrist drill I am going to seek it out and try it for some time and then post back if I may . Thanks for your input.     Mas

I am sure that I could put you on the right track with just one round with me. I know how to play this game, just that now at 71 years old I am unable to do what my brain is telling the body to do. hence my high handicap.

I enjoy seeing people improve and hit good shots and quite honestly there is no secret to it, anyone can do it.

Unfortunately without the correct method in the first place then practice is a waste of time as all one is doing is practising crap.

When I joined my club in Somerset there were only three single figure handicap golfers, including myself and when I left 16 years later we had 40 players in single figures. All down to my efforts.

Already at my new club I am looking after about five players, two of which are single figures now, one who has come down from 28 to 18 in the past three months since I have taken him under my wing.

I just love to see everybody play nice golf.

Stuart, I see that that your scoring has slipped as of late, which tells me that you are falling back into bad habits. Remember the day you played at Sherfield with me and try and remember how you felt when striking the ball, because, as you know, you hit more than your fair share of beautifully struck irons.

If I played with you regularly then this would not happen, but we are too far apart for this to be a reality. Get yourself down to South Winchester with the boys and I will check out what you are currently doing.

What we think we are doing and what we are actually doing are completely different things and it is only an outside observer, who understands the mechanics of a golf swing who is able to see the problems and offer the correct solution.

The proof of the pudding was really shown that day with your exceptional 78. 

Hi John, reason scoring has slipped is I crocked my wrist gardening the day before the Golfshake Open and cannot hinge it on the backswing without a lot of pain. That's why I took nothing more than a five iron from the tee at Gloucester. I actually played pretty well given I was putting pressure on my short game to score bogey golf (amazing how you can score by just keeping the ball in play). Was in pain again on Saturday, even when putting! Nothing compared to what I hear you're going through after your knee up though.

Resting the arm right now and hopefully will be up for South Winchester. Always happy to meet up and get a refresher course!

Wayne, If you are moving down then perhaps you could get close to David, as he is so alone out in the sticks. We could also do with a splash of colour to brighten up our days.

Sorry to hear about your wrist, Stuart, that obviously accounts for the scores. I am just hoping that my knee will be repaired buy the time South Winchester comes around. 

What we think we are doing and what we are actually doing are completely different things and it is only an outside observer, who understands the mechanics of a golf swing who is able to see the problems and offer the correct solution.

 Isnt that 100% correct -I think I have a slow takeaway and am slow throughout but at times people say _Slow down you idiot you are not in a race. Yes John how true your words are. Sometimes we cant see the wood for the trees. Slow and easy.

Hi David, I am probably more guilty than you when it comes to swinging too fast. I never used to, but with a restricted backswing now I always feel that I just don't have enough time and the result is just a fast slash at the ball. Strange that this only occurs with my woods.

Even when I am told about it I struggle to slow it down. 

I didnt actually see an offer to take up :P   , the word 'could' was used if Im not mistaken and he's probably right.  However on  a serious note , I can assure you I would be very happy for any help from just about anyone as over the last few months I have come very close to giving up a game which I thoroughly enjoy.

The thing is , I particularly enjoy both the social aspect of the game and the outside in beautifull surroundings aspect. I also like golf clubs as despite not being perfect , they are one of the few places left in the U.K where good manners are still the majority practice as is a bit of peace and decent company. I dont enjoy the way I play and if it werent for the former three mentioned points then I would have quit ages ago.

Regards

Mas

Never give up Mas. The fact that you are aspiring to improve,which we all are trying to do,means that you love the game and want to give of your best when playing. I may be way off the mark here but maybe you are trying too hard and perhaps need to relax more and let it flow if you can when playing. I know it isnt easy but you may have too many swing thoughts going on. Its just a thought I had Mas after reading your posts again-as I said I may be well off the mark and if so I apologise.

**I thoroughly enjoy.**

Mas what pleased me, was the term above, you said enjoy rather than "Enjoyed" which means it's still got you so chill, relax and allow your potential to flow rather than force it before it's time.

You shouldnt feel ther need to apologise , if some one doesnt genuinely want other folks opinions they shouldnt post on a public forum in my humble opinion ( o.k im never humble).

It's interesting though that this topic has had several helpful genuine replies , it obviously strikes a chord with golfers.

As for your advice , as it happens I suffer badly in medals from a desire to do well and am never nervous as in shaking my boots. What I suffer from is embarrassment at my handicap and score and a terrible stress/frustration  from wanting to do better so what you arer saying is 100 percent correct. I would add i am not a club thrower etc they really p*** me off , it is all deep inside. Saying that though my swing/wrist etc is far from O.K but thats a seperate issue.

I set my handicap on here here before I got a club one and it was genuinely meant as it is what I have to play off of in society days ( which are off yellows of course) . Off of 28 I was considered to be unfair. Off Yellows I go round in 92 to 97 average on our fairly tough course where as most folk on 28 cant break 100 or more if they are being true.

At the golf club in a medal I cant even play to 28, every time I play in one I mess it up.  If you had a round with me and then saw me in  a medal you'd think my twin brother was playing instead of me :P 

If you want nerver racking , Im judging at a championship dog show in the Midlands on Saturday now that is nerve racking :D

Cheers as ever   Mas