Fed up with my game!
 

I have recently become fed up with my golf game. I truly think that I am for what ever reason not meant to golf, or at least I am not naturally talented at golf. Growing up I was very involved with traditional sports, (baseball, basketball, football, etc...), and did very well at all of them. Golf has been a different story; nothing has come easy. I play nearly 52 weeks a year and still struggle to break 95. I have decided to invest in a series of 10 lessons in hopes of improving. If I don't improve dramatically this year I have a feeling that my enthusiasum for golf will wane rapidly. I want to enjoy golf for getting together with friends, enjoying the outdoors, etc.. but I am VERY competitive by nature and simply cannot stand to be horrible at something.

Has anyone erlse gone through similar feelings? What did you do?

Buddy, you are describing every golfers feelings, from the PGA Tour Pro, down to you and I. If all of us were happy with our game, and all of us were naturally good at it, we wouldn't need instructors and the OEM's could put out a one size fits all iron, driver, and ball. We have all been there. That is the joy of golf. Until you and I go out and shoot an 18, we can always improve. I was so fed up with my game a few years ago, I took a 9 month hiatus (last of the summer, winter and early spring). I worked on everything during that time and had no desire to play. It helped just unplugging, walking away for a bit, working, and coming back when I felt ready. You put these pressures on yourself and naturally, you are going to fall short, sometimes. Take the good with the bad and plug away, but never walk away for good. Good luck man. We all have your back.

Hopefully it gets better for ya man, would hate to see ya give up golf. Personally I have never even thought about stopping, I just love it to much no matter how bad my round goes. Shooting 100 and being on the course is better than working or sitting at home doing nothing.

Pretty much have been where you are--and I try TOO hard to be competitive(which leads to a multitude of mental mistakes). When I completely relax, I do much better with the game, and last fall was shooting in the low 80s, but now in the desert for the winter-I'm lucky to break 90 and get frustrated.
Again, relAXING AND absolutely NOT RUSHING MYSELF really helps.
Hope to see you during the summer, possibly at Pumpkin Ridge.
Jeff

4 easy steps

1: gets lessons
2: practice
3: ????????????
4: profit

Oregon Golfer -

I feel your pain. See my thread from earlier today: "Worst range session ever" :)

Have you decided where you are going to take lessons or who you are going with?

This is my 2nd set of lessons. First was a prettty traditional deal about 10 years ago. It was good, but progress was fairly measured. I'm now with Matt Averil at Red Tail. I really like him, he's a solid instructor, their entire program is great because it is extremely focused on meeting the golfer's particular goals and developing a specific plan to do just that, and they have the most TrackMan machines of any place in Oregon - and that technology really speeds up the entire learning process (I get video feeds with graphics and instructor comments). I highly recommend Red Tail in general and Matt in particular. If you are interested send me a PM and I'll get his contact info to you.

I'm right there with ya, most of the time, but just really love it. I love the lessons idea. Have take a few myself with some improvement, which will still wax and wane at times. This will add a new level of frustration. Take a look at your bag and ask yourself if you are playing the best stuff for you. If you could play in the 80s with super game improvement irons, would you do it?

I felt the same way after today's round. Like you, I played other sports growing up (soccer, basketball, Cross Country, track) and only took up golf last year at the age of 29. I worked my azz off last year and got down to a 94, I took about 3 months off and came back in November and have been working really hard this winter to get more consistent and get into the 80's. Long story short, I lost 5 balls today, 3 putted 6 times, fought pushes, pulls, chunks, thin shots, etc...

NOW.....

What brings us all back is the one shot that you hit that is perfect. Perfect swing, solid compression, perfect draw. Today, for me, that shot was a 4W on the 9th hole that I nutted. 262 yard Par 4 and I landed it 6 ft from the hole. Missed the eagle putt but made birdie.

Stay strong and keep the faith!

OG I don't know you or your game. But just from what you said you are building on bad habits with no break. Those habits have become ingrained and are now part of your game. Lessons is the best fix as well as stepping back and taking stoke I your game. If you are able to, Chris Smith is the director of instruction at Pumkin Ridge and is an excellent teacher and person. I would by him a beer and just listen to what he has to say. His wisdom will change your mental approach to the game.

Alot of great advice here already. We have all been there at some point and it will test your will for sure. Just tough it out and get some lessons. You have to make a change before things get better. The great thing is it will only take one "aha" moment to make it enjoyable all over again. Good luck with it.

Hang in there, man. I have gone out for 14 years expecting something in the mid-70s and with the exception of two lucky days, have come home with something more along the range of high-80s or low-90s. Occasional 100 on the dot, 2x in the last two years. I still have as much fun as ever, just keep focusing on the good shots.

My advice would be to not be so mechanical, free your mind to hit the shot you want and just take time to appreciate that you are outside having fun, probably with friends and not working. Even though your scores might not improve greatly, with more reps you'll hit start to hit more good shots and that is what is more fun to me. I'd almost rather hit a 280+ drive and make bogey than to shank 3 shots up to the green and roll in a lucky putt for par.

Keep the faith. It will come around.

You're angry because you're not gifted at golf...?
52 times a year and you expected to what, shoot in the 80s?

I have a friend who started playing 3 years ago, never taken a lesson, but has broken 80 twice. He played/practiced everyday for the first two years, reading and watching everything about golf that he could. I would not say he's gifted either, he just worked damn hard at it.

Unfortunately, not everything will come easy... It's good to see that you're taking lessons, but I also hope that you understand you're going to actually have to practice outside the course to build on those lessons. Taking lessons and then trying to apply it on the course will lead to even more frustration and time/money wasted. As you know, to become really good at anything, it takes time and patience. Golf will come around, just don't think it's something you should've already grasped because you've played it a few times.

Thanks for the words of encouragement guys!


dtak84: No, I don't expect to be good because I play 52x/year or because I have "played it a few times". Like your friend I hoped to improve more rapidly because I DO give so much time and effort to improving. I play 18 holes 1-2x/week, go to the driving range 1-2x/ week, read every magazine, watch every instructional show, read every book, etc... I posted this thread as a way to vent my frustration and as an avenue to seek helpful advice. Thanks

One recommendation...quit looking at all the tips in magazines, instructional shows, and books. Find one swing method...one or two swings tips & stick too them.

All those swing tips just contradict each other and cause too many swing thoughts to be running through your head.

At least they do for me if I do that lol

I can relate in alot of ways. Like you, I am extremely competitive and expect myself to do well at everything I do. Some portions of golf have come much easier to me than they do to others it seems. Partially due to natural build, and partially due to playing a small amount of golf at a young age, swinging the club came very naturally. Firing my hips through the ball, and generating a lot of clubhead speed was never any problem for me. So from day 1 I have hit the ball along ways, and am a decent ball striker... sometimes.

While these things have come easily, other things, like short game and maintaing focus, have been much much more difficult for me. When I struggle through a round, I become very frustrated, and really have a hard time enjoying myself. If I would just relax and realize I'm still very much a beginner, I could probably enjoy myself more and in the end improve faster. It's just hard to do that.

Take some time off if you have to, but you know you love golf too much to quit.

A well adjusted person is one who can play golf as though it were a game.

Playing golf is a lot more than a low score. A most WONDERFUL opportunity to open one's mind and to explore one's self.

Learn who you are, Be true to yourself.

Good Luck, and NEVER QUIT.

Take it from someone who hasn't physically been able to play since December and who loves the game better than most. Relax, have fun and enjoy the fact that you are capable of getting out there taking on the challenge. Lessons will definitely help but you really need to work on the mental game too. As my coach tells me all the time "You just have to figure out how to get out of your own way". I've definitely made progress in that respect but I'm not quite there. I think this little medical layover I'm having will give me a new perspective on just how wonderful it will be to be able to just swing a club and be healthy again. I strongly suggest you read some Rotella books on the mental game. They will help more than you can imagine.

Honestly the first time i played this year was so bad we quit early because of frustration. Im all ways up for a challenge so to the practice range i got and hopefully looking to improve to the 80s this year. if its not ur day grab a beer lol!

OG, I feel your pain...I seem to struggle no matter what. You have some good advice already in this thread, so all I can add is try and keep it as fun as possible. Golf is hard...way harder than it looks.

If youre fed up, then quit. I quit like 3 times per month.