Finally worked out the game of golf!

[andylocky6]

Just want to share something with everyone, I just came back from the range a changed golfer, I was a fairly incosistant golfer with a common bannana slice with my driver and hybrids and no consistancy with any club really but something happened today I really was mindful of snapping the wrists in my swing and mindful of puting my weight on my archers not the balls of the feet and bingo my drive is now a nice power fade and all irons and hybrids are a subtle draw and boy am I hitting further not only that I can put the ball exactly where I want on command, I was so shocked I bought another bucket of balls and whack! exacly where I wanted it to be fair I hit maybe 12 bad ones out of say 200 but even they were not that bad. It seems like a confidence thing as well after hitting so many good ones I was so confident the next one was going to be just as good or better. Normally I use a 8 iron for the 150 yard target today I used a PW and right at the flag instead of my Hybrid 4 for the 200 yard target I was using a 6 iron, I hope this was no fluke Im going back tomorrow and having a round on the weekend, my confidence is so high I am sure it was no fluke couldn't be I hit so many.. I have been practicing hard to keep up with my little brother who took it up a few years before I started again he is off 17 handicap I played as a teenager fairly regulary but didn't take it back up again untill this year, I think I will shoot my best round ever no doubt this week. Anyone else suddenly just got better overnight as I did?

[noshuz]

Sounds like yer doing something right. Check back in a couple of weeks......

[SoonerBS]

I hate to bust your bubble, but everybody is a pro on the range. You are golfing off level ground on every stroke and are never challenged with course management or bad lies. The range is good use to practice shots and repeat a good swing, but it's hard to take it as a "changed" game evidence.

Sorry to bust your bubble. I go out during the weekdays and play nearly 27 to 36 holes just practicing shots on the actual course. If I want to hit 3 balls on a shot, I do it. I use a cart and move to holes that are not being played. There is no better way to get some TRUE practice in than to do this.

HOWEVER, I don't want to discourage your range work as we all have to get that in, too, if we are going to practice the game at all. Good luck to you and I hope the practice pays off.

[andylocky6]

I hate to bust your bubble, but everybody is a pro on the range. You are golfing off level ground on every stroke and are never challenged with course management or bad lies. The range is good use to practice shots and repeat a good swing, but it's hard to take it as a "changed" game evidence.

Sorry to bust your bubble. I go out during the weekdays and play nearly 27 to 36 holes just practicing shots on the actual course. If I want to hit 3 balls on a shot, I do it. I use a cart and move to holes that are not being played. There is no better way to get some TRUE practice in than to do this.

HOWEVER, I don't want to discourage your range work as we all have to get that in, too, if we are going to practice the game at all. Good luck to you and I hope the practice pays off.

I am aware that the range is diferent to the course on a mental side as well as the perfect lie and ball position but even at the range I haven't hit em' this well which make me think there has to of been a change in my swing which I was so focused on while hitting em' the snapping of the wrists has eliminated my slice and increased my power so I still will be able to take that on the course.. I like the idea of getting more practice on the course however it's much easier to go the range a couple of hundred meters up the road I like to have a round once a week

[connecticutter]

I hate to bust your bubble, but everybody is a pro on the range. You are golfing off level ground on every stroke and are never challenged with course management or bad lies. The range is good use to practice shots and repeat a good swing, but it's hard to take it as a "changed" game evidence.

Sorry to bust your bubble. I go out during the weekdays and play nearly 27 to 36 holes just practicing shots on the actual course. If I want to hit 3 balls on a shot, I do it. I use a cart and move to holes that are not being played. There is no better way to get some TRUE practice in than to do this.

HOWEVER, I don't want to discourage your range work as we all have to get that in, too, if we are going to practice the game at all. Good luck to you and I hope the practice pays off.

I'm the opposite, I am worse on the range than the course. The local range doesnt have good visiual targets so I always feel like I am spraying shots all over the place.

[SoonerBS]

I'm the opposite, I am worse on the range than the course. The local range doesnt have good visiual targets so I always feel like I am spraying shots all over the place.

That why practice on the course is essential . . . . .

[oldplayer]

I can tell you are fairly young and haven't been playing very long, have you. I don't want to be rude, but golf is a game that can never be mastered, and if you think because you had a good range session that you have it all worked out I'm afraid you are in for some disapointment. Great news that some things you tried are working out, but in golf nothing ever stays the same. You have to keep refining what you are doing and bad habits creep in without realising it. To become a good player is a long term project and is often called character building as you have to overcome frustration and sometimes even despair when the game gets tough. The good times are very good but even the best players in the world have had times when they cannot find their game. Practice and perseverence is the key along with a good attitude and mental strength.
It is good to hear you are enjoying yourself and improving. I don't want to be a wet blanket, but if you are serious about the game take your recent improvement in the context of what I have said.

[Kiwi Player]

I don't want to rain on your parade either but you can't say that you just got better overnight after one glorious range session. If it happened six months ago and continued to this day and you dropped 10 shots off your handicap maybe then. But not right now.

As a guy that came back to this game about 4 years ago after a lengthy break, I can't tell you how many times I have been at the range and suddenly a certain drill or swing thought caused something to 'click' in my swing and I began flushing beautiful clean shots with every club in the bag. It's so great I used to do what you did, go and get another bucket. By the time you leave the range you're certain you've finally nailed it. Until Saturday morning on the first tee, or even at your next range session, you try to repeat that perfect swing and instead of that beautiful high draw you were nailing at the range you send a big banana ball sailing into the trees.

Report back to us in a couple of weeks after you've played a few rounds and had a few more range sessions. I'm sure we will all be curious to hear if the big improvement lasts. Also to hear if you shoot your best round ever this week.

Good luck.

[Home-slicer]

Don't listen to these naysayers andy. I think you have the game figured out. Quit your job immediately and head strait to q-school. I am heading to the range now to try wrist snapping and putting my weight on my archers instead of my balls. See you on tour!

[noshuz]

I can't tell you how many times I've walked off the range after another AHAA moment only to return the next time to ask myself WTF happened? That's why I say check back in a couple of weeks......

[lorenzoinoc]

On a similar note, I have a friend who once told me he'd just taken the greatest dump of his life. So great, he felt he'd never have to take another one again.

But a couple of days later, he was back at it.

[andylocky6]

I can tell you are fairly young and haven't been playing very long, have you. I don't want to be rude, but golf is a game that can never be mastered, and if you think because you had a good range session that you have it all worked out I'm afraid you are in for some disapointment. Great news that some things you tried are working out, but in golf nothing ever stays the same. You have to keep refining what you are doing and bad habits creep in without realising it. To become a good player is a long term project and is often called character building as you have to overcome frustration and sometimes even despair when the game gets tough. The good times are very good but even the best players in the world have had times when they cannot find their game. Practice and perseverence is the key along with a good attitude and mental strength.
It is good to hear you are enjoying yourself and improving. I don't want to be a wet blanket, but if you are serious about the game take your recent improvement in the context of what I have said.

Look it was just the title of this thread... Of course I haven't mastered the game of golf I shoot in the 90's.. all im saying that I had a significant improvement that I think will stick and I think my scores will drop because of this... Im about to go to the range now and try again practice makes perfect.. having a round on Saturday that will be the true indicator.. im not that young 25.. Played alot as a teenager Trying to fix all my bad habits.. Thanks for the imput though.. I was pretty excited what happened yesterday and maybe needed to be brought back down!

[andylocky6]

I don't want to rain on your parade either but you can't say that you just got better overnight after one glorious range session. If it happened six months ago and continued to this day and you dropped 10 shots off your handicap maybe then. But not right now.

As a guy that came back to this game about 4 years ago after a lengthy break, I can't tell you how many times I have been at the range and suddenly a certain drill or swing thought caused something to 'click' in my swing and I began flushing beautiful clean shots with every club in the bag. It's so great I used to do what you did, go and get another bucket. By the time you leave the range you're certain you've finally nailed it. Until Saturday morning on the first tee, or even at your next range session, you try to repeat that perfect swing and instead of that beautiful high draw you were nailing at the range you send a big banana ball sailing into the trees.

Report back to us in a couple of weeks after you've played a few rounds and had a few more range sessions. I'm sure we will all be curious to hear if the big improvement lasts. Also to hear if you shoot your best round ever this week.

Good luck.

I'll keep you posted!

[andylocky6]

Don't listen to these naysayers andy. I think you have the game figured out. Quit your job immediately and head strait to q-school. I am heading to the range now to try wrist snapping and putting my weight on my archers instead of my balls. See you on tour!

Hahahaha.. Thanks I think!

[Not a hacker]

On a similar note, I have a friend who once told me he'd just taken the greatest dump of his life. So great, he felt he'd never have to take another one again.

But a couple of days later, he was back at it.

Have you ever thought of going into philosophy? Your posts are becoming increasingly insightful and enlightening. Thumbs up.

As for you Andy, dream on. Anyone who has ever played the game has had driving range epiphanies that turn out to be nothing more than golfing mirages when you get to the course.

[andylocky6]

Have you ever thought of going into philosophy? Your posts are becoming increasingly insightful and enlightening. Thumbs up.

As for you Andy, dream on. Anyone who has ever played the game has had driving range epiphanies that turn out to be nothing more than golfing mirages when you get to the course.

Like I said Hacker.. If my score s not my best or near my best I'll eat my words..

[lorenzoinoc]

Have you ever thought of going into philosophy? Your posts are becoming increasingly insightful and enlightening. Thumbs up.

I've begun to realize that when it comes to bodily function, I have a special gift.

[Not a hacker]

Like I said Hacker.. If my score s not my best or near my best I'll eat my words..

I wish you all the best, just don't want you getting your expectations too high.

[andylocky6]

Day two of new swing... ( at range I know I know it's just the range ) Again didn't hit one slice worst result was aiming right for draw and hitting straight but for someone who has never tried to shape the ball and just hoping it goes somewhere near where I'm aiming I still think my swing has improved 10 fold.. First shot was a worm burner hook with the 8 Iron and I thought everyone here was right but after that my shots bar a few were crisp.. two shots with my Lob wedge did spray but the rest were landing withing 5 meters of the flag 100 yards out with the Lob.. just trying to get the same draw on every shot and tinkering with how much I need to aim right but some today were again the best I have ever hit.. I left 18 balls at the end for my Driver and scored myself 13 out of 18 the 5 that I didn't count were not bannana slices but rather a over draw.. I gave myself 15 to 20 meters left or right of target as a good shot anything more then that I didn't count, that may sound lieniant but if I could get that close normally I would say was a great shot 6 of those 13 were right at were I was aiming the other 7 were within my desinated 15-20 meters of where I was aiming, before you all tell me I'm dreaming or gonna say but it's not on the course I'm aware of this and will be playing 18 on Monday so untill then I'm not going to get ahead of myself. Just thought I would let you know though it wassn't just one lucky day at the range!

[lorenzoinoc]

And I wanted to give an update on that friend of mine. Spoke to him a little while ago and he mentioned he'd taken a big, healthy steamer earlier today.

I hope the crap metaphor is apparent so this doesn't seem like gratuitious filth.

[andylocky6]

Day two of new swing... ( at range I know I know it's just the range ) Again didn't hit one slice worst result was aiming right for draw and hitting straight but for someone who has never tried to shape the ball and just hoping it goes somewhere near where I'm aiming I still think my swing has improved 10 fold.. First shot was a worm burner hook with the 8 Iron and I thought everyone here was right but after that my shots bar a few were crisp.. two shots with my Lob wedge did spray but the rest were landing withing 5 meters of the flag 100 yards out with the Lob.. just trying to get the same draw on every shot and tinkering with how much I need to aim right but some today were again the best I have ever hit.. I left 18 balls at the end for my Driver and scored myself 13 out of 18 the 5 that I didn't count were not bannana slices but rather a over draw.. I gave myself 15 to 20 meters left or right of target as a good shot anything more then that I didn't count, that may sound lieniant but if I could get that close normally I would say was a great shot 6 of those 13 were right at were I was aiming the other 7 were within my desinated 15-20 meters of where I was aiming, before you all tell me I'm dreaming or gonna say but it's not on the course I'm aware of this and will be playing 18 on Monday so untill then I'm not going to get ahead of myself. Just thought I would let you know though it wassn't just one lucky day at the range!

Just to add the range is in yards but here in Australia we know meters thats why I have both measurements.. Don't know why they have the range in yards all the courses are in meters.. im sure it's just to confuse us!

[GoHuskers]

Best of luck with your round. Keep track of your Fairways/Green in Regulation and putts.
This will give you insight into assessing your game.

Those driving range sessions where it all comes together are great, but do yourself a favor and drop some coin on a good instructional book. I tinkered with my swing for years without any real sense of what makes a good swing. The end result was I spent countless dollars (probably in the high hundreds, low thousands) at the driving range without any significant improvement then I bought a couple of David Leadbetter books off Amazon for about 15 dollars in total and BINGO I know what I should be doing. Now I have goals to acheive in my practice sessions and I don't have to worry about 100 balls on target. Misses are going to happen you just need a consistent miss to take to the course.

[Horseballs]

I hear Leadbetter's instruction only works if you have your pants jacked up to your armpits. True or false?

[pingman360]

I hate to bust your bubble, but everybody is a pro on the range. You are golfing off level ground on every stroke and are never challenged with course management or bad lies. The range is good use to practice shots and repeat a good swing, but it's hard to take it as a "changed" game evidence.

Sorry to bust your bubble. I go out during the weekdays and play nearly 27 to 36 holes just practicing shots on the actual course. If I want to hit 3 balls on a shot, I do it. I use a cart and move to holes that are not being played. There is no better way to get some TRUE practice in than to do this.

HOWEVER, I don't want to discourage your range work as we all have to get that in, too, if we are going to practice the game at all. Good luck to you and I hope the practice pays off.

i agree with what you said kinda... i do think that it's easier on the range... but... i think it's still hard to recreate shots on the course that you will be faced with... for instance, when i practice chipping its almost impossible to create the type of lie for my next shot... i dont know it just seems like hitting balls on the range is the best way to practice your swing.... then when you play you just have to make minor adjustments to make sure you hit the ball like you want to...

i think that if you can sure go out on the course occasionally and practice so different types of shots... but for me in my teaching area which is set up on the range we have it set up so that we have a section for uphill, downhill, and both sidehill shots, as well as a place with rough, and a bunker... this is only for teaching and not open to the public... but there are only 2 instructors at my range (me and my boss) so this is where we practice... but i find that prob 85% of the time i just practice on the flat area... its just the best way to work on what you need to...

[bjdrivers]

I can tell you are fairly young and haven't been playing very long, have you. I don't want to be rude, but golf is a game that can never be mastered, and if you think because you had a good range session that you have it all worked out I'm afraid you are in for some disapointment. Great news that some things you tried are working out, but in golf nothing ever stays the same. You have to keep refining what you are doing and bad habits creep in without realising it. To become a good player is a long term project and is often called character building as you have to overcome frustration and sometimes even despair when the game gets tough. The good times are very good but even the best players in the world have had times when they cannot find their game. Practice and perseverence is the key along with a good attitude and mental strength.
It is good to hear you are enjoying yourself and improving. I don't want to be a wet blanket, but if you are serious about the game take your recent improvement in the context of what I have said.

exactly. in the words of Hank Haney (which i'm sure pingman will dispute) "Tiger is always tinkering, always working on something to get better. He knows if he doesn't improve, he will only get worse."

[andylocky6]

Best of luck with your round. Keep track of your Fairways/Green in Regulation and putts.
This will give you insight into assessing your game.

Those driving range sessions where it all comes together are great, but do yourself a favor and drop some coin on a good instructional book. I tinkered with my swing for years without any real sense of what makes a good swing. The end result was I spent countless dollars (probably in the high hundreds, low thousands) at the driving range without any significant improvement then I bought a couple of David Leadbetter books off Amazon for about 15 dollars in total and BINGO I know what I should be doing. Now I have goals to acheive in my practice sessions and I don't have to worry about 100 balls on target. Misses are going to happen you just need a consistent miss to take to the course.

Thanks mate for your imput, I have been getting most of my tips off the internet some of which have been really helpful others not so good.. But yeah you might be right a good instructional book might be the go.. Any good ones you know of besides David Leadbetter so I can look at a few? Cheers mate!

[SoonerBS]

I hear Leadbetter's instruction only works if you have your pants jacked up to your armpits. True or false?

You hit the ball on the screws there, Ledbetter is the biggest NERD in golf, LOL!! I have instructional videos by Ledbetter and sometimes it is just funny to listen to him talk and try to interject his dry humor. His clothes are very nerdy . . . . . .

[andylocky6]

Just an update after my round yesterday.. Yeah it wasn't perfect but my drives and Irons were as good as they have been, had one horrible hole ( 9 on par 4 ) which did screw up my scorecard and my short game and putting weren't great but I have been practising my full swings at the range and neglected my short game so if I can get that right my scores will be better again.. So again, I still insist I have turned a corner.. Keen to get back on the course ASAP

[A V Twiss]

Whilst I have not had the same "road to Damascus" experience as you I have noticed that my ball striking has improved over the last few months. I feel that this is because what I was taught in my lessons is finally sinking in and bearing fruit. I am off 17 and my last round had 5 pars and a birdie in it. My problem is stopping the stupid card wrecking scores namely the 2 sevens and an eight with the rest of the holes being bogies. Keep it up and embed these new actions into your swing until you can do them in your sleep. Then work like stink on your short game and putting. Its a long road we golfers travel but a great journey.

[andylocky6]

Whilst I have not had the same "road to Damascus" experience as you I have noticed that my ball striking has improved over the last few months. I feel that this is because what I was taught in my lessons is finally sinking in and bearing fruit. I am off 17 and my last round had 5 pars and a birdie in it. My problem is stopping the stupid card wrecking scores namely the 2 sevens and an eight with the rest of the holes being bogies. Keep it up and embed these new actions into your swing until you can do them in your sleep. Then work like stink on your short game and putting. Its a long road we golfers travel but a great journey.

Yeah, just going to keep at it and eventually with any luck the bad shots that happen in my game become less frequent.. Just as I improve on one aspect of my game I realise how important if not more important the short game and putting are.. 5 pars and a birdie is a great result, I was only lucky enough to get one par and a whole heap of bogies.. My problem is similar I don't mind getting bogies and the occasional double bogie but the 7's 8's and 9's really do add up..