"If you put your mind to it, you can do it." True, False, or Somewhere in between?

[alexandjacob]

limit

correct u r

BUT................MY potential may not let me achieve what i want, only reach my potential

i will keep trying................trust me


nice win lsu boy

 

[trickyric67]

I believe that unless you have a medical limitation anyone can learn to be a solid ball striker and a good to great at the short game. therefore anyone who is truly commited to sacrificing the time it takes can become a low single digit handicapper. I find most people are way to lazy to do the work. they want to take a lesson practice once or twice and break 80. reality is a part of life. becoming a doctor takes 11 years of school and training and being a competative athlete takes a lifetime of hard work too. not everyone will be tiger woods but anyone can be a low handicap competitor. the teacher can only give the information, not supply the work ethic.

 

[duckjr78]

I believe that unless you have a medical limitation anyone can learn to be a solid ball striker and a good to great at the short game. therefore anyone who is truly commited to sacrificing the time it takes can become a low single digit handicapper. I find most people are way to lazy to do the work. they want to take a lesson practice once or twice and break 80. reality is a part of life. becoming a doctor takes 11 years of school and training and being a competative athlete takes a lifetime of hard work too. not everyone will be tiger woods but anyone can be a low handicap competitor. the teacher can only give the information, not supply the work ethic.

I completly agree. And people with severe medical limitations (blind, missing limbs) are able to break 80 at this wonderful game of ours.

 

[greenfree]

I believe that unless you have a medical limitation anyone can learn to be a solid ball striker and a good to great at the short game. therefore anyone who is truly commited to sacrificing the time it takes can become a low single digit handicapper. I find most people are way to lazy to do the work. they want to take a lesson practice once or twice and break 80. reality is a part of life. becoming a doctor takes 11 years of school and training and being a competative athlete takes a lifetime of hard work too. not everyone will be tiger woods but anyone can be a low handicap competitor. the teacher can only give the information, not supply the work ethic.

That's not true , not anyone or everyone can be a low hdcp'er or a scratch golfer, just like in other sports not everyone has the ability/talent no matter how hard they try , that's reality.

 

[duckjr78]

That's not true , not anyone or everyone can be a low hdcp'er or a scratch golfer, just like in other sports not everyone has the ability/talent no matter how hard they try , that's reality.

So how do you explain people with extreme handicaps becoming single digit handicaps?

I can't get over someone with average ability complaining about how hard they try and they still can't do something. That means you are lying to yourself one of two ways. Either you aren't being honest with yourself about your potential, or you aren't being honest with yourself about how hard you are trying.

And in golf, where there are virtually no physical imperatives to respectable play (breaking 90 consistently), you are basically lying about how hard you are trying.

Maybe it's not a bad thing. I don't practice or play as much as I should to reach my potential because I don't want to spend more time away from my family. But I don't complain when I have trouble reaching a milestone on the course, either. I know exactly why I haven't been able to shoot under par. I only play twice a month. You won't hear "woe is me" about not being a scratch player, even though it is what I want. Because if I wanted it so bad, I would go get it, sacrifices be darned.

I got to play golf with a pro years ago who taught me a bit about doing what you want to do with your life. He could shoot even par from the white tees on a good golf course while talking and entertaining whomever he was playing with. He was a heckuva putter, chipper, pitcher, iron player, fairway wood player, and straight as a string driver of the golf ball. He wasn't very long, however, but for good reason. He was barely over 4 foot tall. I wonder how often he said, "I just can't do it, no matter how hard I try." Not very often, I'll bet. He just went and did it.

 

[birly-shirly]

I'm not sure how you would measure the limits on someone's potential, but I'm pretty sure that many people, probably the majority, wildly underestimate how much work a minority of people are willing to put in to get good at something.

I also think that the majority of people probably wildly underestimate the intensity of effort that a minority put in, whenever they're working at whatever it is they do.

And the amount of thought, reading, daydreaming, introspection spent by those who are obsessed with a goal is probably completely hidden to everyone else.

I don't mean this to sound harsh, but I really wonder how many people want to be uncommonly good at something, whilst investing an average or normal amount of effort, emotion, or intellectual energy in getting there.

I really believe that there's an awful lot of people out there, putting a few hours in at something, doing the tasks that come most easily to them, and then saying "Hey, I'm working hard at this."

Lots of people seem to ask whether it's too late to get good at golf if they don't take it up 'til their teens, or twenties or later.

I don't know. But I know of very few people who, once they have to juggle work, relationships, responsibilities and recreational abuse of their body, have either the time or the mono-obsessional zeal of a teenager for learning something.

I'll never have the time again for golf that I had as a kid. I count myself lucky that I've held on to whatever game I still have. And I'm not that old. Or responsible.

 

[alexandjacob]

actually the answer is

So I ask you alex, How much do you want to be really good at golf? How much time after work do you spend on your short game? How often do you stop by the driving range? Do you practice your pitching in your back yard? Have your neighbors stopped looking at you funny because they are now used to seeing you practicing your swing in your front lawn at all hours of the night? Have you taken a job as a cart boy so you can get free golf, free practice, and time to spend around a pro and learn? And honestly, alex, have you even had your clubs fitted to your swing?

I don't want the answers to these questions, because I already know how much you want it.[/QUOTE]

every question deserves an answer

the answers to all the above are yes...except front lawn all hours of the night, I stop at midnight

all of these things have been done BETWEEN..

1- FACET SHOTS (STEROIDS FOR MY BACK FOR PAIN)

2- traction for my discs.and neck

3- 3 surgeries on my back

4- pain and muscle relaxer pills

right now my goal (short term objective) is to walk without pain. I have not been able to do that in 5 years

when I had my surgeries the dr said.....golf is over for you......yep got a new doctor.

golf is over for me when I say its over, if i can walk i give myself a chance....on the backswing..feels like a

sharp knife down my back..........SO to ans your questions yes yes yes yes yes and NO

Will i ever stop trying???....the day Brian stops believing he is the best..is the day i STOP TRYING

 

[duckjr78]

So I ask you alex, How much do you want to be really good at golf? How much time after work do you spend on your short game? How often do you stop by the driving range? Do you practice your pitching in your back yard? Have your neighbors stopped looking at you funny because they are now used to seeing you practicing your swing in your front lawn at all hours of the night? Have you taken a job as a cart boy so you can get free golf, free practice, and time to spend around a pro and learn? And honestly, alex, have you even had your clubs fitted to your swing?

I don't want the answers to these questions, because I already know how much you want it.

every question deserves an answer

the answers to all the above are yes...except front lawn all hours of the night, I stop at midnight

all of these things have been done BETWEEN..

1- FACET SHOTS (STEROIDS FOR MY BACK FOR PAIN)

2- traction for my discs.and neck

3- 3 surgeries on my back

4- pain and muscle relaxer pills

right now my goal (short term objective) is to walk without pain. I have not been able to do that in 5 years

when I had my surgeries the dr said.....golf is over for you......yep got a new doctor.

golf is over for me when I say its over, if i can walk i give myself a chance....on the backswing..feels like a

sharp knife down my back..........SO to ans your questions yes yes yes yes yes and NO

Will i ever stop trying???....the day Brian stops believing he is the best..is the day i STOP TRYING[/QUOTE]

As a back surgery vet myself, I applaud your stick-to-it attitude. I will say that my game is better now than at any point in my life other than high school when I played 5-6 times a week. I don't know if the surgery had more to do with that or me finding this website and learning more about the golf swing in 9 months than the previos 15 years.

And you say you do work on your game and you got a second opinion after the "you'll never golf again" doc, so obviously you believe you can do it. So why bother with the "I'll never get better" line? If it was in jest, I apologize, I didn't get it.

My point is that we all (except for a minute unfortunate few) can play golf with some level of respectability. And saying "I'll never be able to do it" is the first step to not getting there.

 

[trickyric67]

The realities of serious injury and surgical limitations may have altered your true potential, but if you are truly dedicated you will become great at the things you can do and find a way to maximize the things you are limited at.
I had elbow surgery last year and I am scheduling to have a torn rotator cuff and labrum in the near future. I have lost about 30-40 yards on tee shots and at least 20 on irons since the injuries happened. I have worked extra hard on fairway woods, hybrids and short game. I have become scary good from inside 10 feet as a putter. I put a green and sand trap in my back yard and I grind to become better at the things I can do. I am still playing to a single digit and they will have to pry it from cold dead hands!

 

[greenfree]

So how do you explain people with extreme handicaps becoming single digit handicaps?

I can't get over someone with average ability complaining about how hard they try and they still can't do something. That means you are lying to yourself one of two ways. Either you aren't being honest with yourself about your potential, or you aren't being honest with yourself about how hard you are trying.

And in golf, where there are virtually no physical imperatives to respectable play (breaking 90 consistently), you are basically lying about how hard you are trying.

Maybe it's not a bad thing. I don't practice or play as much as I should to reach my potential because I don't want to spend more time away from my family. But I don't complain when I have trouble reaching a milestone on the course, either. I know exactly why I haven't been able to shoot under par. I only play twice a month. You won't hear "woe is me" about not being a scratch player, even though it is what I want. Because if I wanted it so bad, I would go get it, sacrifices be darned.

I got to play golf with a pro years ago who taught me a bit about doing what you want to do with your life. He could shoot even par from the white tees on a good golf course while talking and entertaining whomever he was playing with. He was a heckuva putter, chipper, pitcher, iron player, fairway wood player, and straight as a string driver of the golf ball. He wasn't very long, however, but for good reason. He was barely over 4 foot tall. I wonder how often he said, "I just can't do it, no matter how hard I try." Not very often, I'll bet. He just went and did it.

I said not "everyone" can and your arguing that how do i explain someone overcoming a physical problem to become a single digit hdcp., simple answer, they can and some other's with similiar disabilities are trying just as hard and want it just as bad and they can't, why is that so hard to understand? your arguing that they are lazy and not putting in the effort i say b.s.

There are people that do, not everyone is a lazy ass and there are lots of people in all kinds of sports that don't reach their goals and it isn't through lack of effort or dedication, not everyone can win a gold medal in the olympics can they, but lots are trying their asses off to do just that. Explain that, are they lazy?

 

[Waynkie Doodle]

Well then it isn't an issue of lack of practice. It's an issue with what is being practiced.

Everyone who can swing a golf club at an average speed and controllability can break 90 easily. People can play for years and practice more than average and never improve. It's not because they aren't trying, it's because in reality they aren't changing anything. They get on that tee box and make the same swing in the exact same way they have their entire life and what do they expect?

Something different than what happened the last time. In what world does that make sense?

 

[alexandjacob]

everyone???

Well then it isn't an issue of lack of practice. It's an issue with what is being practiced.

Everyone who can swing a golf club at an average speed and controllability can break 90 easily. People can play for years and practice more than average and never improve. It's not because they aren't trying, it's because in reality they aren't changing anything. They get on that tee box and make the same swing in the exact same way they have their entire life and what do they expect?

Something different than what happened the last time. In what world does that make sense?

everyone??? and you base that on what??

your assumption that people might not be changing anything...might be correct...BUT..not in my case

 

[greenfree]

Providing you know the basics (and that is a massive, most don't ), You need to get out in your back yard, with a window (mirror), a video camera, NO BALL (very important) , and get those fingers blistered to shreds and FIND that \ your swing. And it takes HARD work , and time.
No teacher has the magic, not even Brian Manzella, but can help. And you can trawl every forum going.
If your fingers, palms don't have warts and blisters you haven't worked hard enough , PERIOD. There are no shortcuts.

Makes no sense whatsoever, no ball, but lot's of warts and blisters on your hands if only, ya think you might need some talent. It's not about just working hard or having the knowledge, lot's of people do that and have that and they do not reach the goals that they want to reach, period.

 

[greenfree]

Well then it isn't an issue of lack of practice. It's an issue with what is being practiced.

Everyone who can swing a golf club at an average speed and controllability can break 90 easily. People can play for years and practice more than average and never improve. It's not because they aren't trying, it's because in reality they aren't changing anything. They get on that tee box and make the same swing in the exact same way they have their entire life and what do they expect?

Something different than what happened the last time. In what world does that make sense?

What if they have a good swing and shoot in the seventies and have good instruction and work till they have warts on their ass, but they want more ,they want to shoot in the sixties and be on tour and win majors and be #1 in the world, is it possible that they might not do any of those thing's? is there just a slight possibility that they can't achieve their goals, what's the problem then? what excuse can you come up with for them?

Can you always get what you want, even if you do everything right, can you? Is that realistic, it's not about quitting or not trying hard enough or all those other excuses it's just the way life is, not "everyone" can achieve their goals period, but you can still try and you can still achieve but that does not mean you will.

 

[birdie_man]

In between.

There is current reality, and then what you want.

Both important at times I think.

Acknowledge whenever necessary. But shoot for what you want, absolutely.

I would hope to be attracted to something I can be good at.

Either that or something that I really like. Either is fine I assume.

Programming intent I think may be more important than a lot of people know. It's probably no cure-all though...what I mean is...some people I think give it a bad rap with all the pressure they may put on everyone.

"Are you helping/teaching? Or are you pressuring??"

 

[ej20]

Aim for the stars and if you land on the moon,that's still ok.

 

[greenfree]

Aim for the stars and if you land on the moon,that's still ok.

Exactly. You can't always get to the "stars" even if you want it desperately, but the moon might be okay and for others maybe the moon sucks and only the stars will do and if they can't get there there's a point when they just have to accept that it's not going to happen, that sucks, but that's part of life, learning how to accept failure( you don't have to like it) and learning from that failure. You don't always win.

 

[birdie_man]

Yes i do disagree with the statement...i NEVER used the word achieving. My disagreement was with the

comment of "anything can be achieved". absolutely false. When a person says ANYTHING..its usually not

accurate. I can want something a 100 percent, but may not be able to achieve it..can i get close?? sure..I

don't doubt that, but its anything that my concern is with. I want more then anything to break 100

I want it ..doesn't mean i will achieve it.

I am fairly certain (short of 100%, but somewhere well within the 99.9th percentile) that I could never be a world class high jumper (for example)...

I do not have the physical makeup...

What if I wanted it with "all my heart"?? That would be pretty silly. But still. That would be an "anything." So would anything ELSE.

I had better look elsewhere (than that goal) if I want to accomplish whatever it is I set out to accomplish...

...

BTW Howard...you can break 100! You told me you can hit your 7 iron around 150 yards (when your back is ok) correct? (hope my memory is correct)

NOTE: Howard for sure is trying his best to break 100. I hope he can.

 

[natep]

Some of the people who think they can succeed will.

None of the people who think they can't succeed will.

Who's got a better chance to succeed?

 

[greenfree]

Some of the people who think they can succeed will.

None of the people who think they can't succeed will.

Who's got a better chance to succeed?

"Some" and "chance". Exactly. But not "all" will. I'm not talking about the one's that don't try or don't believe they can , i'm talking about the one's that think they can and try hard etc. only some and not all will reach their goals.