Help, I'm ready to quit golf.

[Anonymous]

I've been taking weekly lessons for 4 months and still can't hit the damn ball with any consistency. If you saw me, you'd still think it was my first time hitting the ball. When I'm at the driving range (admittedly less now that it's cold), I see people constantly making good strikes and wonder if they were ever where I'm at, or maybe they just picked it up faster. I'm an average athlete, but just suck at golf and as much as I want to enjoy it, I leave the range feeling frustrated after so many months without improvement. Anyone been through this and persevered?

[Anonymous]

Uh, myself and my entire family, lol. My husband is an Advil golfer. He hits them good sometimes. Sometimes not. Same with Tiger and all the pros right? They totally suck sometimes too.

If you enjoy it, stay with it. If not try something else. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Uh, myself and my entire family, lol. My husband is an Advil golfer. He hits them good sometimes. Sometimes not. Same with Tiger and all the pros right? They totally suck sometimes too.

My husband is more of a Xanax golfer.

[Anonymous]

Very simple solution.

Remember that golf is a game where one good shot can make up for two bad ones.

So if you reset your expectations (at least initially) to one in three, you'll be fine.

[Anonymous]

I am an "in the woods" golfer. Are you only hitting at the driving range? Or are you actually out on a course. As bad as I am, I get worse at the driving range.

[Anonymous]

You need a new instructor. After working with a few different ones off and on for years I figuered I was hopeless. Then found one that finally got through to me what I was doing wrong and now I look like one of those other golfers whose swings you admire.

[Anonymous]

Take indoor lessons this winter. Focus on the basics. You'll definitely see the difference in the spring when you're out on the course. Enjoy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need a new instructor. After working with a few different ones off and on for years I figuered I was hopeless. Then found one that finally got through to me what I was doing wrong and now I look like one of those other golfers whose swings you admire.

+1

My husband and I started out taking lessons from the same pro. DH made great progress while I went nowhere. I switched to a different instructor, and she broke things down in a completely different way that just made sense to me. I can't say I am an amazing golfer, but I can hit the ball and enjoy a round.

[Anonymous]

Try shortening your backswing. Also work on your balance and your core.

[Anonymous]

"My husband and I started out taking lessons from the same pro. DH made great progress while I went nowhere. I switched to a different instructor, and she broke things down in a completely different way that just made sense to me. I can't say I am an amazing golfer, but I can hit the ball and enjoy a round."

Years ago friends of mine also took up golf together and had a similar experience with instructors.

Over the years they have also found out that she averaged about 5 strokes/9 holes worse when playing with her husband compared to playing with her friends.

[Anonymous]

Of course you should quit golf. It is not a sport and it is boring. Take up morning walks with a neighborhood group.

[Anonymous]

I agree with taking lessons. But if you can’t do that, perhaps try practicing differently. Too many people try to develop accuracy and distance at the same time, and both end up crappy. Go to the range with only one club that you’re going to focus on that session (taking the whole bag will tempt you to keep switching around when you get frustrated). Take slower, gentler swings with not so much backswing, working on just the accuracy of your swing. Every time you hit a ball and it doesn’t go where you want, study how it traveled so you understand what it means about your mechanics. There’s a big difference between a slice/hook and a ball that makes a straight line right/left. Get the mechanics of your swing reliable, and then gradually work on increasing distance without sacrificing the mechanics.

[Anonymous]

How's your vision? That ball is tiny. Maybe you're not really seeing it 100% or your depth perception is off, so you're hitting it at a point that isn't ideal.

Maybe you need a different height of tee. I switch them out when I switch from irons to woods during practice.
Maybe your clubs suck.

Maybe your instructor isn't that good. I had one instructor that was really nice, but didn't improve my game much. Another one subbed for him one day and it was like night and day. Something he said just really connected with me.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Take only one club to the range - try a 7 iron - and take nice easy good tempo half swings. Make slight adjustments to your grip and ball position until you find the right combination but only with easy half swings. Half swings well struck will go further and straighter than full swings poorly struck.

Review some YouTube videos about creating lag and hitting down at the ball so that you take a 2-3 inch divot just after you make contact with the ball. Again, just easy tempo half swings.

The golf swing is all about tempo and hitting down at the ball - impact. Once you get decent tempo and impact the ball will go pretty far and straight. Don't worry about distance which can come after you get the basics down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course you should quit golf. It is not a sport and it is boring. Take up morning walks with a neighborhood group.

Right, because I see that on ESPN all the time and it's super exciting.