[royarnekara]

I thought it would be interesting to create a poll and see what people thought was the most important aspect to improving at golf. I know the poll may not include everything but I tried to capture what I think are some of the possible answers...

1) Better Equipment
2) More Lessons
3) Playing more versus practicing more
4) Practicing more versus playing more
5) Watching more golf on TV

[mosypeSom]

Good topic, I think in every single situation out there being different a person could see positive results from any of the top 4 for sure, I'm not sure that watching more golf on TV would help someone's game, but maybe some I guess.

My hardcore vote would be #2 More Lessons. That is something that can help identify issues and help define a clear cut direction for your game. Now granted it all kind of works hand in hand with practicing maybe not so much more, but certainly more effective practice sessions.

I didn't answer this question at all did I?

[scewLacysmazy]

Improving really means a lot of different things. Is it about lowering score or becoming a better ball striker, or having more fun at it. If we are going on lowering one's handicap, then I dont think any of them matter as much as #4.

1 - Sure getting equipment fitted for you matters, but after that, its preference for much of it. But equipment can play a major roll in picking things that best fit the golfer rather than going with "what you are supposed to play"
2 - Lessons are very important, but many go overkill and they end up bogging down their mind with too many swing thoughts and the game is no longer fun. However getting past a certain point can only be achieved with lessons. That in turn leads to practice. But golf is also a game about feel and nobody can teach feel. Many lesson taught players are extremely mechanical and you can spot them a mile away.
3 - Never works and people that believe it does, are not practicing correctly and definitely not practicing short game.
4 - This one can work when done properly. But it is more than just beating balls. Some article in one of the magazines said something like 64% of golfers practice their short game (chipping, pitching, etc...)less than 8% of the time.
5 - You can pick up good habits, but that is about it.

[addifttiest]

Lessons is what I would vote for if there was a poll. Practicing vs. playing would be a close second, but playing is a lot more fun.

[ZZipZZipe]

For me nothing else replaces actually going out and playing. I play my best if I lay 3 or more times a week.

[AlistDakisa]

I am to the point with my game that I believe my next best option is lessons. I have taken it about as far as I can on my own. The one other thing I need is a good short game practice area. When I was a member at a club before moving to Tucson, I had a fantastic short game practice area and it really helped. My index got down to 6.6, now it is back up to 9.3...

[Wymdqcvb]

I don't think that there can be one best answer for everyone. It will be different for everyone. One player might not need lessons, but if he gets a new set of irons made in this decade, maybe he will hit the ball better and score better. Another player may have all the equipment, they just need to take lessons to get over the hump.

For myself, I just need to play more. I have great equipment for me, I took a series of lessons a few years ago and am swinging well. I just need the opportunity to get out and play. That is how I will improve. I am looking through the July calender and I might get to play once this month. I have only played 6 times in 2009 and have been 80 or below in all but one round. I know I can improve, I just need the opportunity to show myself that I can do it.

[SaamanthaSterlyng]

I would think it matters where your at in your golf game. If you are new to golf I would think lessons followed by practice more/ play less would be best.

[finasteride]

Improving really means a lot of different things. Is it about lowering score or becoming a better ball striker, or having more fun at it. If we are going on lowering one's handicap, then I dont think any of them matter as much as #4.

1 - Sure getting equipment fitted for you matters, but after that, its preference for much of it. But equipment can play a major roll in picking things that best fit the golfer rather than going with "what you are supposed to play"
2 - Lessons are very important, but many go overkill and they end up bogging down their mind with too many swing thoughts and the game is no longer fun. However getting past a certain point can only be achieved with lessons. That in turn leads to practice. But golf is also a game about feel and nobody can teach feel. Many lesson taught players are extremely mechanical and you can spot them a mile away.
3 - Never works and people that believe it does, are not practicing correctly and definitely not practicing short game.
4 - This one can work when done properly. But it is more than just beating balls. Some article in one of the magazines said something like 64% of golfers practice their short game (chipping, pitching, etc...)less than 8% of the time.
5 - You can pick up good habits, but that is about it.

Couldn't have said it better myself...so I won't try. Right on JB!

[Effopsytupt]

I am going with #6. (You can add it to your list if you want) #6 would be gaining a thorough understanding of the golf swing, and why certain swing flaws make the ball fly the way it does. When a person has a decent grasp of cause, and effect with regards to ball's flight, they will hit the ball towards their target more often. If you know what swing/grip/stance issues causes a slice, hook, thin, fat, shanked, topped, skied, pushed, or pulled shots, you know what to do to prevent these problem shots. You become your own swing instructor.

[royarnekara]

Improving really means a lot of different things. Is it about lowering score or becoming a better ball striker, or having more fun at it. If we are going on lowering one's handicap, then I dont think any of them matter as much as #4.

Great repsonse JB...see my response to each below...

1 - Sure getting equipment fitted for you matters, but after that, its preference for much of it. But equipment can play a major roll in picking things that best fit the golfer rather than going with "what you are supposed to play"

I agree that fitting is extremely important but what about technology...you know SGI verusus GI versus Blades...do you really think they can improve someone's game? I think the answer all depends on what the person wants out of their game like you said originally.

2 - Lessons are very important, but many go overkill and they end up bogging down their mind with too many swing thoughts and the game is no longer fun. However getting past a certain point can only be achieved with lessons. That in turn leads to practice. But golf is also a game about feel and nobody can teach feel. Many lesson taught players are extremely mechanical and you can spot them a mile away.

I think lessons are critical from one standpoint and it is a teahcing philosophy that one teacher I took lessons from follows called PGA (Posture, Grip and Alignment)...I think at every level players need to always be checked on these three areas as you do not have a chance to swing the club sucessfully without them. Unless you are going to groove some unusual move which could take a very long time to perfect. Other then that lessons are only as good as the players ability to practice and hone the positions the coach is trying to teach.

3 - Never works and people that believe it does, are not practicing correctly and definitely not practicing short game.

I agree...I think playing is important and has its place in a persons plan to improve but you cannot simply get better by playing...you need to practice and get comfortable with things on the range and then work to take it to the golf course.

4 - This one can work when done properly. But it is more than just beating balls. Some article in one of the magazines said something like 64% of golfers practice their short game (chipping, pitching, etc...)less than 8% of the time.

Agree on the beating balls part...I will go to the range and in the time it takes me to hit a medium bucket (70 balls) the guy next to me has gone through two large buckets. I think there is also a difference between working on something and also practicing what you want to try and take to the golf course. My game has evolved to the point where I usually spend 3/4 of the bucket working on a move that my coach and I are trying to achieve and then the last 1/4 I work on ym pre-shot rountine and hit various clubs in the bag...I also spend 1/2 my pracitce session chipping or putting (or both) but then again I aspire to play FSGA (and maybe USGA) events some day.

5 - You can pick up good habits, but that is about it.

I am glad you said that...as I first wrote #5 kind of as a joke but I have learned alot watching tournaments (I DVR them and watch what I can during the week...except for the Majors). If you listen you can pick up some tips that may work for you but I usually like to watch certain players swing the club and try to ingrain their tempo in my mind (Els, Goosen, etc...)

All in all since I started this thread I would have to say the most important aspect to improving at golf would be some combination of all the above...you need to think about what you are trying to achieve and devise a game plan that incorporates each of the five to some degree depending on where you are in the process...

[royarnekara]

I am going with #6. (You can add it to your list if you want) #6 would be gaining a thorough understanding of the golf swing, and why certain swing flaws make the ball fly the way it does. When a person has a decent grasp of cause, and effect with regards to ball's flight, they will hit the ball towards their target more often. If you know what swing/grip/stance issues causes a slice, hook, thin, fat, shanked, topped, skied, pushed, or pulled shots, you know what to do to prevent these problem shots. You become your own swing instructor.

Good one...but wouldn't one hope that lessons with a Pro teach you these things...one of the best lessons I ever received was on the back of a napkin...it was the flight of the golf ball lesson as follows:

If the ball starts out left but curves to the right...then your swing path was left but your club face was open at impact. The ball started left because of your swing path but as the inertia effect wore off and the spin of the golf ball took over the ball went right because you had the club face open at impact thereby, putting left to right spin on the ball. Now why you swung left was probably an over-the-top move but why? Grip? Alignment? Posture? could be any combination...also could be why the club face was open at impact.

This works for any direction your ball starts out at and how it ends up...

[scewLacysmazy]

Great repsonse JB...see my response to each below...



I agree that fitting is extremely important but what about technology...you know SGI verusus GI versus Blades...do you really think they can improve someone's game? I think the answer all depends on what the person wants out of their game like you said originally.

I think it is the other way around. People playing "what they think they should" rather than playing what they should. But I am not here to critique. If it makes someone happy to play what they play then all the power to them.

I will use an example. Only an example. You list in your signature that you play the Pro V1 and ProV1x. Both very good balls. But both of those balls are for VERY different swings and very different players.

Changing a ball like that will produce drastic differences. Now if you said I play the
Pro V1
Srixon Z star
Tp Black
Nike One Tour
etc...
Those are all similar balls.

Again I am not judging and I am sure it works for you, especially as someone that puts in the time to better himself on the course like you do. But we see this all the time. I have had the opportunity to play with over 20 of the members of this site. In that time NOT ONE person out of the group had been fitted for their irons. Not one person had been fitted for a shaft, and NOT ONE person had been fitted for a ball.

So that opens up another question. Is it all about marketing? It has to be right?

[royarnekara]

I think it is the other way around. People playing "what they think they should" rather than playing what they should. But I am not here to critique. If it makes someone happy to play what they play then all the power to them.

I will use an example. Only an example. You list in your signature that you play the Pro V1 and ProV1x. Both very good balls. But both of those balls are for VERY different swings and very different players.

Changing a ball like that will produce drastic differences. Now if you said I play the
Pro V1
Srixon Z star
Tp Black
Nike One Tour
etc...
Those are all similar balls.

Again I am not judging and I am sure it works for you, especially as someone that puts in the time to better himself on the course like you do. But we see this all the time. I have had the opportunity to play with over 20 of the members of this site. In that time NOT ONE person out of the group had been fitted for their irons. Not one person had been fitted for a shaft, and NOT ONE person had been fitted for a ball. So that opens up another question. Is it all about marketing? It has to be right?

Very good point...and as for your example I have both Pro V1's listed because I am in a dilema of which I want to play...my swing speed is such that I do get distance benefit from the Pro V1x but I love the feel of the Pro V1 around the green and with putting. I am currently dedicating some time (probably a couple of dozen) to the Prov1x to see if I can get more comfortable with the feel off the putter and with chipping. However, I much rather give up a few yards to get better feel on and around the greens so the Pro V1x has its work cut out for it...Ha! Ha!

But I hear you on being fitted and I experience the same when someone will ask me to look at their swing. I will ask them why they bought the irons they are playing and they usually say soemthing like becuase I got a good deal on them etc...fitting is soooooooooooooooo important....

[DJkillos]

I say none of the above. IMO, the most important part of getting better in the mental aspect.
If you believe that you can be good at this game and stay within your limits and maintain the, "I can do this" attitude no matter how bad your swing is on a given day; thats the key.
I know that for me, when the switch flipped and I went from being a 30+ handicap to having a handicap in the teens was when I learned to let go and just play the game 1 shot at a time.
I used to let a bad shot totally destroy my confidence, which in turn totally destroyed my round. Now, when I hit a bad shot Im able to let it go and move on to the next shot; not having the negative thoughts or worrying about swing mechanics. I leave the swing thoughs on the range and I just play the game.
IMO, you can have every shot in the bag, but if you dont have the mental toughness to deal with the ups and downs of a round; you dont have what it takes to excell at this game.

[scewLacysmazy]

Mental toughness is a huge factor, but MOST will never get past the teens (with a legitimate GHIN) without having a lesson at some point.

[Olympicdreams]

First #2 then #4. Practice doesn't do much if you aren't doing it correctly. Get your lesson(s) and then practice what was taught.

That's what I HAVE to do, see my teacher. I hit the range before my round today and was striping them straight down the middle. First tee, set up to hit it down the middle, hit it straight left, again, into the carp on the left and taking another penalty. Used my hybrid off the tee until the back nine, when I put a hybrid tee shot into the tall grass straight left, decided that I could do that bad with my driver, then proceeded to start hitting drives straight down the middle. Problem is, I was aiming at least 30 to 45 degrees right of center. I wasn't drawing them back in, I was hitting them straight down the fairway. Did notice I was chicken-winging a few swings. I might also be too fast turning my hips and maybe that's leading to my hitting shots left. Maybe I need to make a thread in the ask the pro section!

[suiviouse]

I think it depends where you are in your experience level with golf. If you're just starting by all means get lessons. There is no substitute for solid fundamentals. I've been playing for 13 years now and have found the most important thing for me is SHORT GAME PRACTICE PERIOD! I've had lessons, had my equipment fit to me and have my swing pretty well grooved. Being in the Navy, when I'm on sea duty my handicap will always go up about 4-5 points due to the inability to practice the short game. When I'm on shore duty I'll hit the range for an hour 3-4 nights a week. 20 minutes on woods and irons, and 40 minutes on wedges and putter. 2 years ago before I went back to sea my handicap was 8.1. Now it's at 12.4 and will probably be there until I'm back to practicing faithfully. Remember, there's only one club that gets used on every hole.

IMHO, Dutch