Thanks alot Geoff Ogilvy!!

In this month's Golf Magazine Geoff was asked if he could turn an 18 handicap into a scratch golfer in six months. He replied "if youre fairly new to the game, yeah. But it's hard for an 18 handicap of 20 years just to get to a 17. Too many bad habits"

Boy did he have me in mind when he said this. I have golfed over twenty years and never really improved. Handicap has always been between 16 and 20. Currently 19 and highest of playing group. I've had a few weeks when I thought I was on my way only to fall back into the bad habits Geoff mentioned. Lessons help for a while but then I get to mechanical and start steering instead of swinging.

My question to the forum is how would a person go about starting over. Trying to forget history. Begin with sound fundamentals which I feel like I have, but always willing to learn, and train Mr. Brain to stay out of the way. I want to prove Mr. Ogilvy wrong. I want to be shooting mid 80's consistently by end of summer.

Your going to think I am crazy, but switch sides. It's a bold move, you have to get all new equipment...gloves and clubs and expect to increase your hdcp at first, but this is one way to do it.

Another way is to have a lobotomy, but this is a bit drastic.

Probably the most practical is to buy into a major series of lessons...somthing like 15-20, and get it at a serious discount. Most pros will be willing to reduce the price if you pay all up front. Then you tell the pro exactly what you want...a complete overhaul. Treat you as a rank beginner. Treat it as a completely new sport in your head, and you just might pull it off.

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I'm a golfaholic, no question about that. Counseling wouldn't help me. They'd have to put me in prison, and then I'd talk the warden into building a hole or two and teach him how to play. ~Lee Trevino

LMAO...I agree 100% switching to lefty will start you all over again FOR SURE...years ago I got this bright idea of carring a left handed 7 iron for special shots if needed, up against a tree, bush, etc.. so I picked one up and went to the range to give it a try...lol...long story short, never did get any good at it, not enough to be usable, completely wiffed it the first half dozen swings, I am talking complete wiff, ball still were it was when I started. Hardest thing I ever did in golf, very strange sensation, I knew what to do, just couldn't get my body to do it.

Now days for them shots, I practiced and got good enough to flip a club upsidedown hitting it off the toe left handed, making contact, nothing more, but that is all I needed, just move the ball. Keeping an extra club just for these shots proved to be a waste of resourses.

This is a good post because it throws something up that really doesn't get mentioned that much, and that's scoring versus overall playing enjoyment. This is when you say 'what's the difference?' But, there's a big difference.

If I were serious about reducing my average scores, I would spend most of my time practicing putting and chipping. How many of us do that? Hardly any, if we're honest, yet something like putting is one area where we really could be as good as the pros if we put in enough practice. But we don't. Truth is, we all want to hit monster drives and huge towering iron shots so, that's what we practice the most.

Back on your main point, though; I think there is a way to start again by building the swing very systematically and sticking to it. For example, you may decide that a well exectued one-piece takeaway is the way to go. Do it and stick to it. Same with other components (obviously, so long as you're not doign something ridiculous). Build something you really feel in control of.

I think there are two big problems we amateurs have. First is we keep on tinkering with our swings. I know I do, even if I'm hitting the ball well (how crazy is that?), because I think there's always something else to add (usually something that will hit the ball just that little bit further). By the time you get too old, you realise it's better to hone what you have rather than trying to change it.

The second big problem is that we mis-identify faults in our swings. The number of times I've been around the houses, slightly changing the grip, focussing on takeaway etc,etc only to eventually find that the real problem was somewhere else is unbelievable. Related to this, we all seem to have images of what we're trying to achieve. A lot of these get taken too far. For example, I was always told to keep my head dead still - a real swing killer. Next is the straight left arm. All well and good, until we try to keep it rigid way past impact and so on, and so on.

So, my advice is twofold: To reduce your score, focus on the elements of the game that will give you the greatest chance of doing just that, i.e. chipping and putting. Second, if you really want to improve your swing, identify what works for YOU, practice that and stop trying to incorporate the latest drill or moves - especially if they come under the 'Tiger Woods Magic Move' category - I know I ain't ever going to swing the way he does so his magic move slotted into my swing likely won't do the trick!

I agree with oldwease.

If you want to improve your swing and ball striking go get a lesson. If you want to lower your score practise chipping and putting.......alot. The chipping is the most easily improved. You can do it almost anywhere.

Tell your golf instructor you want to lower your scores and he will no doubt take you to the putting and chipping greens instead of the driving range.

GregJWillis is right on the money. I also got me a lefty 7I just to obtain better balance. I ought to use it more but it seems such a waste of money to buy a bucket of balls and wiff them from the wrong side. In the winter time I do it with my own balls and nobody around. It really helps you understand were your body needs to be and what muscles are the driving engine in the swing. But it really works miracles on your chipping. Once you get decent from the other side it is surprisingly easy from your normal side.