80 lessons on and now i'm playing the worst golf of my life

[J3CPG]

Yes that figure is correct, I have had 80 lessons and this week I had 11 points in a stapleford comp at my club. I always have an hour lesson so to some that figure is 160.

About me:
I have been playing about 12 years. I'm 44. Live in Reading Berkshire U.K.
I am now a 13 handicap, playing to a 40

I have never been so depressed about my golf and I can't see myself rejoing next year.

When I fist started I had a few lessons in the first year.
I joined a golf club with no handicap and they gave me a 24 handicap, it was sugested that I have lessons to improve.
So, being keen I had an hour lesson off the pro every month sometimes 2, I kept this up for 6 years and got down to 14.

I didn't have a lesson for 3 years off him because he would leave me shanking the ball when the time was up.

I had a couple at another club.

When the new pro joined last year I said that I would give him a year of hour lessons one a month.

When I started lessons with him I was a 12 and he completley changed my swing, grip, how I chip and how I putt.

I practice about twice a week, remembering what I have been taught.

In the last 6 months I said to him it's not working I am playing worse than I did. I am skuding woods which I very rarely done before, and now that I am chiping with my weight 50/50 (not 60/40) I now only get about 2 out of 10 where as before I was about 4 or 5 out of 10. I have alway said I don't chip well with 50/50 but said it was best because the ball stops quicker. He then said he thought about my problem and we focussed on taking the club back straighter, We done lessons on shifting my weight back to the right. Standing straighter.

I hook the ball so I have to take the club back straighter and not on the inside, when I drive he has my weight 40/60 on my back leg, but a different pro about 2 weeks ago I had a lesson with told me that for someone who hooks the ball should never have his weight on the back leg it would be a disaster.

I just wished that I never started having lessons from the new pro.

I am now totaly confused on how to hit a ball. I no longer feel comfortable over the ball. I only now hit a good shot by mistake.

By being keen and trying to improve I have destroyed the game that I once loved so much.

I am now embarresed to play with anyone, because I now do shots that a starter would do.

I do know that no one on here can help me, I am just venting my frustration.

I think the only way forward for me is to play through it and try and forget everything he has taught me and try and clear my head.

Thanks for reading

[greghutton]

Re: 80 lessons on and now i'm playing the worst golf of my life

I have sent you a pm J3CPG

[J3CPG]

Re: 80 lessons on and now i'm playing the worst golf of my life

Thanks Greg

I'm playing tomorrow so I shall get one of the guys to video me taking a shot, I'm hoping that I can't do worse than 11, I didn't mention that in that 11 points I had a 3 pointer and I sunk 2 long putts so yes that score could have been worse, I have never done so bad as this before, I had 18 points once when I was very angry at work, only once though.

I played in the club championship last year,(only handicap 12 and under) I was off 12 - and done well, 82 in the morning and 87 in the afternoon, those days are long gone.

When I play with high handicaper now, I look at their swing with envy and wish I could strike the ball like that.

This must be funny to read, or even sound like it's a joke, but I can ensure everyone that the only joke here is me playing golf.

The thing is: you think about it all the time and it brings you down, I have the perfect life, I have my own buisness and can afford to have golf lessons and play mostley when I like, have a great wife and 2 young kids (i'm 44) but playing bad golf and having everyone knowing you are **** just is not conducive to a happy life.

[J3CPG]

Re: 80 lessons on and now i'm playing the worst golf of my life

I played on Saturday and took the money off my friends, 33 points and it was very windy and the rough is a killer, I even pitched in from a 100 yards for a 4 pointer. I was reading a golf book the night before and tried to take a few tips to the golf course. "The golf instruction manual" by Steve Newell. Things like: long irons or woods - you should favor the right side, I never knew you should with a long iron, I was doing this with my 4 iron. Worked a bit. I still can't drive though, my driving was rubbish, always fading/hooking, the book said I should tilt my spine at adress, this helped a bit(I was better then Thursday, but I still have no strike on the ball/ no power).

I took a few videos today, please excuse the shakeness of the video, by young daughters were taking them, they are only 7 and 8, it was a nightmare trying to get them to video me and not the ground.

Let me know what you think!

All with a 7 iron I think, or was it a 5? can't remember..sorry

Video side view:

Swing 1 - YouTube
Swing 1 1 - YouTube

Video Front view
Swing 2 - YouTube
Swing 4 - YouTube

I still find it hard to take the club back in a straight line.

[greghutton]

Re: 80 lessons on and now i'm playing the worst golf of my life

33 points in those conditions... well done! and well done to the girls I have seen a lot worse camera work

I would say all in all the swing looks solid however what I do see is someone who looks like they are still thinking of a lot of things over the ball and in doing so creating tension. Now don't get me wrong it is useful to have swing thoughts but if you are thinking of multiple things it can be very difficult to swing without too much tension. If you are going to generate good clubhead speed your muscles perform best in a relaxed ready mode (just like the comparison of a sprinter at the start of the 100m). I honestly do not think it will be hard for you to regain your previous swing feelings and striking of the ball.

Don't think of spine tilt and weight on the back foot with driver. Simply following fundamentals of ball position, grip and an even weight distribution will help put you in a good posture from face on.

For the next couple of practice sessions on the range spend your time hitting full shots more relaxed (relaxing starting from the hands through the rest of the body) and with a swing speed of 50% (and I mean 50%) - forget about the distance for now this is just learning to strike the ball again, reminding the muscles the way you used to swing and gain a really solid contact. Once embedded we can then begin to increase the tempo.

As I said I don't think your swing needs pulled apart and you are far closer to hitting the ball well than you think!

[sparky07]

Re: 80 lessons on and now i'm playing the worst golf of my life

I know exactly how the original poster feels. I too have had more golf lessons than you can shake a stick at and instead of getting down to 5 or 6 I'm lucky to play to 10 these days. Thankfully my short game and course management is good enough to get me round, but my long game is shocking.

I suppose it doesn't help that I've tried 3 or 4 various pros for lessons for one reason or another but I've never felt so depressed or confused about my swing.

Swing out at impact, swing right at impact (I'm left handed), supinate, hold it off, turn your hips, slide your hips, keep the back heel on the ground, lift the back heel off the ground, set early, set late, fan it, keep it closes are just a few of the many many swing thoughts that I currently have and it's killing me.

Inconsistant teaching and lack of talent are threating to ruin yet another season of golf and I'm cheesed off with it.

[BrianW]

Re: 80 lessons on and now i'm playing the worst golf of my life

Greg has given some great advice. Practice some nice easy swings with relaxed arms and wrists. Be clear on how you should be striking the ball through impact, the three feet before and after is the most crucial part of the swing. Try swinging a mid iron back and through this zone and pick up on how relaxed and tension free you can feel.

[davieboy1872]

Re: 80 lessons on and now i'm playing the worst golf of my life

my observations, im no pro so take from it what you will

dtl videos weight looks as if its on the heels, no real tempo to the swing (try slower back swing, slight pause, then accelarate on the down swing)

fo videos. weight shift is a bit non existent, a wee bump of the hips to initiate down swing. the biggest problem though is the casting of the club. the lag has gone before hands reach the right hip

[davieboy1872]

Re: 80 lessons on and now i'm playing the worst golf of my life

oh, and keep those elbows tucked in more

"ebbies in"

[davieboy1872]

Re: 80 lessons on and now i'm playing the worst golf of my life

I still find it hard to take the club back in a straight line.[/QUOTE]

i had same issue with taking club back in straight line too, my solution was this: -

rather than leading with the hands, the first move for me is to try and PULL my right shoulder blade under my neck. this gets me to the half way position really consistently, then complete the shoulder turn. its worth a try right???

[J3CPG]

Re: 80 lessons on and now i'm playing the worst golf of my life

Thanks guys.

I shall try and post some more videos I have done using the software V1, Great App.

I think I have sorted myself out using You Tube and V1.

One thing that really helps me is the "Thumbs UP" on the back swing, It make me take a longer back swing and sets me in a good position to hit the ball.

Using this simple "Thumbs Up" rule in the last 5 comps I have shot parr in 3, Buffer in 1, and in my last comp last week I was 2 under parr and was cut .6

So I would say I am on the mend but there is still room for improvement.

Thanks Davieboy1872 I shall take your advice down the range with me the next time, thanks for helping.

I am done with lessons, on that point I have learned my lesson.

The internet is where you should learn or on V1 software that just costs £3-12, great app!

[davieboy1872]

Re: 80 lessons on and now i'm playing the worst golf of my life

one app thats helped me is the tiger woods my swing app, thinks its only a couple of quid just now. you can slow mo your swing and place lines to show movement problems etc.

i done it recently which showed up early release or casting. a wee bit of work and my lag is now good. ive went from carrying an 8 iron 145 yards to 157 yards in less than a week.

only problem with the app is im not sure how you upload videos on forums like this??

good luck anyway

[The Hud]

Re: 80 lessons on and now i'm playing the worst golf of my life

You might find this healpful

Body Swing Connection - Titleist Performance Institute @ 2011 PGA Show - YouTube













I hope you find this link helpful, all the best.



Body Swing Connection - Titleist Performance Institute @ 2011 PGA Show - YouTube

[Calisooner08]

Re: 80 lessons on and now i'm playing the worst golf of my life

Probably feel like doing this: How To Hit Bigger Drives - Golf Lessons Springfield MO - YouTube