A bit of a lesson today

Over the last few months I've been feeling that I'm getting to grips (sorry) with this game at last; just about into the 80s and looking forward to taking some short game lessons in the summer and if not to break 80 then at least to threaten the respectable teens.

Or so I thought.

Working from home today so a bit of a long lunch and off to the range.

Disaster.

Might as well have never have picked up a club before in my life - in fact most people picking up a club for the first time would have better results just swinging by instinct.

You name a mishit and it was there in that bucket. I'd have been lucky to break 200 if that had been for real.

I nearly left the clubs in range car park saying "never again" - of course deep down I didn't mean it so I came back here looking for some sympathy.

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I firmly believe that we should try to experience all that life affords, except, perhaps, bestiality and of course Morris Dancing.

Maybe you took your wifes clubs and didn't realise...???

Maybe those range balls were rocks painted white and not even Tiger could hit em....

Maybe (insert next sympathy line here.............)

Its all good bdbl.....

When we next going to the range to prove it was a oncer...!!!

Cheers

Robin,

Funny this (or maybe not so funny at the time) I went to the range Monday evening and started shanking balls like it was suddenly fashionable. What was more frustrating was one ball would be perfectly down the middle and the other a real hozel rocket. I had started coming slightly out to in on some shots and after realising the problem sorted it out.

The point is that as we become better golfers it only takes a slight flaw in a good swing to wreck it, the hackers swing funnily enough can be more forgiving. Come on Robin, it will only be a small problem.

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Best Regards
Brian

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Funny o'l game!

Get to the course QUICK!

The last time I had this happen (couldn't hit a range ball to save my life), I played the same day and shot a new PB. When you're only thought for the round is 'I have no idea where this is going, so I'm ready to accept whatever I get', your swing gets better.

Scragger, Brian, cheers, both of you.

I think one of the issues was that my expectations of my swing had, human nature being human nature, out grown the improvement in my swing which meant I was pressing too hard to start with and when it went pear shaped couldn't ease off. As I say - a lesson.

However I can smile now - see - and least it was only the range.

That's a comforting thought; eventually I hope that the more you get used to a better swing, the easier it is to spot & correct the problems.

bdbl,

I know what you are going through.

I'm getting ready for the new season (have worked hard over the winter) and went to the range on Saturday and Sunday and was hitting the ball beautifully.

Went yesterday and started hitting some awful shots. The bad shots got me frustrated which made me tense and I continued to hit some even worse shots.

My way of dealing with it was knowing that I have the ability play good shots and that this was just a 'one off'. You know you can play well so don't let this get you down.

robin
you are in good company!
i played well at the weekend and went to the range last night and it took over half a bucket to hit anything like a decent shot.
so i sat down had a ciggie and a brew checked the sole of my clubs and noticed the marks at the toe end and realised i was too near the ball.
once i readjusted my set up i started hitting some nice shots

Robin,

Think about the good shots and bin the bad ones.

Have a practice routine and stick to it.

When off to the range have a goal and once it is achieved walkaway on the positive note.

An example of this is to hit 5 good drives in a row or 5 50m pitches within a few metres of your target.

Golf is a lot like life

Hi All

Good evening to all those in this time zone and good whatever it is to others; an update. Thanks for your encouragement; I got back on the horse this evening .

A mixed bag of results.

Some shots I didn't think I was capable of; Majestic; I'll remember the feel of those. In fact I’m smiling as I type this.

A much larger batch of "OK to so-so to oh-dear"; the kind I'd expect normally playing at my level so not a problem.

Then the nasty minority; just like yesterday but this time because I was not overwhelmed by the sheer volume of rubbish shots I can describe what happened in the hope of some advice – a bit difficult I know without video.

When it went badly wrong I’d finish the swing off balance - having moved towards the ball - with the club barely above hip height with arms & club pointing to a squarish mid-off (or roughly on the line of a push for non-cricketing nations); the ball flight a push slice off the heel. Not good at all

I then wasted some time playing with my weight at set up before realising I was just getting stuck on my heels.

In the end, for no rational reason just a feeling, I concentrated on slowing down the transition between back & down swing – something I’d been working on but had got a bit lax with; this helped but I don't why.


Any thoughts? Suggestions?


Cheers


Robin

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I firmly believe that we should try to experience all that life affords, except, perhaps, bestiality and of course Morris Dancing.