It is going to happen far more often than you think the better you get, your perception of bad just becomes different. You will still get just as frustrated.

The shanks are one of those things that can completely disappear on their own after taking a break though, so +1 to above.

I'll assume being a golf noob that the swing thought of "omg please don't shank this" isn't a good one.

Every single player here has gone through it, you just cant let it screw with you. Put your clubs down for 3 weeks and then try again. Id be pretty surprised if you still were shanking it.

smoke a joint, or whatever your vice may be, then grip it and rip it.

BTW. In regards to the Real Sports episode on Hack Golf. You know what I wasn't thinking when I was shanking the ball all over the place...I wish the hole was bigger. LOL

After taking 2 golf-virgins golfing this past Friday and not-so-coincidentally, shooting the best round of my life, I really realized what my problem was:

relaxing

I relax and really loosen up my hands/arms/body when I don't care - and that makes a huge difference for me. In other words, try not giving a ****.

Grats on the personal best!

This weekend me and a bunch of friends played in the afternoon and I had a few ciders before and during my round. Coming down the back 9 as my inhibitions left me I started to strike the ball just beautifully. I know it wouldn't always have such an effect, but it was nice!

Can we just tell them to keep the Ryder Cup or do we have to go through the charade that this will be competitive?

All,

Help me. I've been casually playing for 5+ years.

In the beginning, golf wasn't fun cause I got no air under the ball and couldn't get over any hazard. Plus, distance was weak, so I ended up playing 6i and above, just so my shots could be tolerable.

I used to fight a hook (see low ball flight above). Read the hogan book, and followed it pretty well. Practicing grip for 30 mins, mirror time, reading the book while on plane flights, etc. I got decent, was able to regularly shoot low 90s and have some fun.

Things went south again, I started slicing (common for Hogan technique users?). I take lessons. First lesson, I am hitting it really well with the basic idea of 1) shake hand with someone behind you on backswing, 2) swing through ball and aim left as it's not possible for me to hook, and 3) shake hand with a person in front of you on follow through. Had fun, went for a few more lessons, and in those 2 private lessons, I didn't hit one good shot at all. Not one! For two hours! It was mindboggling.

Now, I find myself in a crappy place. Distance bad, slicing, but I end up using the driver anyway, otherwise it will take me 4 -5 iron shots to get to the green.

I have gone from being completely bad in one direction, to the other direction.

Advice? More lessons? A different book to read?

All input appreciated!!

CLIFFS - used to hook, now slice, golf ain't fun, how to improve now?

Stack and tilt??

Fairly sure the rule in this situation calls for the drop to be within two cub lengths, actually.

Taylormade Penta TP5 is a fantastic ball, especially on the greens. Great feel off the driver as well. Definitely can feel the difference over your standard RockFlite.

I get them on lostgolfballs.com, basically same price as cheapo balls if you buy them used.

Watch the Easiest Swing in Golf video on YouTube. Brian Sparks is the instructor. Do the drill he demonstrates. It will help.

Most common flaw in the golf swing for the average 20+ handicapper is too much tension.

Just wanted to let the thread know that I went to the range today. I purposely played pull hooks with my irons, hit them all crisp. Took regular full swings and everything seemed ok. Going to play a round tomorrow and see what happens. Still tentative with my 56 and 60, but I could do without them if necessary.

I would also be interested in this seen as I'm moving to the area for the upcoming year

How did it go?

Session went pretty good. I'm going to play 18 tomorrow. Just going to stick with my swing for now get to the winter and then I'll revamp it.

Patiently waiting for your post proclaiming you're selling your clubs and never playing golf again.....

BO

Yellowdoyle:

Try this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Golf-Is-Not-Ga.../dp/0743508092

Cliff notes:

1. Have a consistent pre-shot routine and practice it.
2. While swinging, think about the shot you're trying to create, not the mechanics you're trying to replicate.
3. 70% of your practice time should be on short game. Most of that time should be wedges, chipping and 3-5ft putts.
4. The full swing practice should mostly be with something that you can hit a decent distance and keep in play. For a high handicapper who hits hard that might be a long iron. For shorter hitters maybe that is a hybrid or 3w. I suspect for most high-handicappers that isn't a driver.
5. Something like 60% of your practice time should be focused on going through your routine and hitting your ball to a target, practicing competition basically. Only spend 40% of the time working on mechanics. (That might look like 90% mechanics when working on a change and then 90% your routine once you've finished incorporating the change).

There might not be a single sentence about mechanics in it, but it also might be the most valuable golf book you ever read. Most of the content applies equally to most other sports.

Also, for youtube instruction for I like Shawn Clement. I'd be interested in what others think of him.

Caveat: I am a low 20s handicapper myself. The above are just the things I'm doing to, hopefully, change that.

I like this book and have read it every year for the past few years, but I think it should definitely not be taken as Gospel by the high handicapper looking to improve their handicap significantly. If you're a 25 handicapper, you should spend enough time on your short game to make 90% of your three foot putts and to two putt most of the time and to always get it on the green inside of 50 yards (with occasional up-and-downs). But past that, you simply need to learn to get rid of the terrible missed shots. Solid contact from the teebox and decent lies is super-important. And you need distance off the tee to shoot par consistently: Taking four-iron off the tee is only good advice if your goal is to score 20 over instead of 25 over, it's terrible advice if you want to get to the point where you're consistently in the 80s.

How much time a high-handicapper should be spending on his short game is not as simple as saying: "elite golfers spend 75% of their time there" as if that settles it. Elite golfers don't shank fairway woods 30 yards. They don't hit the ground three inches behind the ball on their tee shots. They don't skull 100 yard wedges into the woods behind the green. Amateurs need to get rid of those shots a lot more than they need to get their two putt percentage from 80% to 95%.

And it always depends on the player too. I don't spend tons of time on my short game as a 1 handicap because my game lives and dies by my driving of the ball. If I drive it well, I shoot around par every time. If I drive it the way I've been driving it the last couple of years, I can easily shoot in the 80s. So, 70% of my practice time these days is spent pounding longer clubs.

I know a lot of older grinders who are so consistently 250 down the middle, that they pretty much only practice their short game. Hit it straight, get it near the green, and grind. Just depends on the player.

Everyone always says to practice your short game a lot more than your long game, but I agree it just depends.

As about a 3.5 handicap, I feel like driving the ball well is more important for me. I would say that for the most part, I'm a good putter, my wedges are good, and I'm pretty bad up close around the greens. (Bunker play is terrible [with new way too fluffly sand at my club] and I still fight the chipping yips by putting from all over the place).

This leads to me being pretty good at making bogeys from pretty much anywhere, so I feel like it would take me hours upon hours to really get to where my short game is significantly improved. The difference for me between shooting in the 70s and the mid 80s is how often I'm hitting the fairway. The game is infinitely easier if 12/14 drives are playable at the green instead of pitchouts or penalty shots.

Although if you are someone who struggles 2 putting from distance and/or struggles with putts 6 feet and in, that is definitely the #1 place to start. I actually hit it okay the other day and shot a goddamn 92 because primarily because I couldn't make a putt.

Im one that needs to practice long game more. I can go weeks without hitting a practice putt or chipping at the practice green and it would look like I do it for hours every day. No idea why it is but the short game just doesnt seem to leave me often.

Heh I'm the opposite.

I drive and strike the ball fantastically but am an absolutely horrendous chipper / pitcher. If someone only saw me chipping / pitching, they'd probably think I shoot 100 because I literally blade and duff chips with regularity -- it's pathetic.