Thinking about donating the bag and clubs to the pond............

[jbrunk]

Ok so I am at a crossroads. I am carrying around my little 6.4 and am as unhappy playing this game as I have ever been. Why? Because I can’t hit a 7 iron 160 yards. I know that some of you would look at that statement with confusion so let me elaborate a bit.

I am 5’10 200, and am pretty athletic although very inflexible. I have 2 golf swings: 1 that is ‘full speed’ and results in occasionally great and occasionally terrible shots and not much in between. Drives would carry 260 easy, little draw, weak irons………….80--85. Swing 2 is a 60-75% swing that produces good (never great) shots, lots of gir’s and lot of 25-30 foot putts, distance is 1-1.5 clubs shorter than swing 1……..77—80. Impact is much better, but I can’t and won’t play this game feathering 7 irons 140 yards into the greens. Not when I know I could hit it 160 had I ‘done it right’.

So I am left with the thought that maybe I can’t swing full, given my inflexiblity, and do it right at the same time. I shot 79 last night after a front nine where I couldn’t keep it on the planet. It was so unsatisfying because I had to limp through the back nine hitting 1 club longer into every green. I hate it.


Anybody else been there?

 

[Brian Manzella]

Everyone.

Nobody owns this game.

I can't wait to play again soon.

 

[JonWil]

You are ten times the golfer I will ever be but I know your pain. We all want to play as well as we believe we should. The levels vary but the desire does not. You don't need to drown your clubs; you need to 'Get it done!' Hope you hang in there.

 

[softconsult]

I think about it just exactly opposite of you. I hit the iron with a 7 on it between 160 and 165. I think throttling back is a great idea. I watched the Seve video posted here yesterday afternoon, then went to my practice range and hit 100 balls with his image in mind. Accuracy improved, yardage less. I have trouble doing it on the course. I am two clubs longer than our top player, he's 71 and about a 2.
He is not going after irons at 100%. I would gladly swap swings with him, but of course that's not how this crazy game works.

Hang in, you'll be fine.

 

[faux_maestro]

I understand where you are. I've been there as I'm sure most of us have in one way or another. I've been hitting it better/longer lately using some of the "ideas on the release" stuff. Hang in there, sometimes it's one small thing that changes your whole outlook on everything.

 

[birly-shirly]

I'm not a bomber - but I think I'd be willing to bunt it around if it kept me on the fairway. Personally, I think the game is more fun played from the short grass and with a bit of control - even if in doing so you give up some scoring potential.

YMMV. And if you believe that better technique would yield both greater distance and accuracy, then I can see how frustrating that would be. Hope you stick with it though.

 

[JMAC81955]

I probably want to throw the clubs away every couple of months or so. This game is a journey and it's humbling sometimes. Most of us are never gonna be great players. It's great to be out there playing though.

Hang in there. Don't give up. Move forward.

 

[mgranato]

I think you're playing a dangerous game with your melon when you start putting distance expectations on each of your clubs.

What is the tightest grouping, with reasonable distance, can you hit ten 7 irons? That should be your 7 iron distance... regardless of what it used to be, or what you want it to be. What it shouldn't be is what can you hit it some of the time. Trying to play at the top end of your distance capacity is a guaranteed way of assuring you'll be constantly disappointed in your shots and score. Been there, done that.

 

[pokerlife]

Just let go man and play the game like a kid! As adults we sometimes get lost in our own minds of how we want everything to be in order to be happy.. Play a round with some kids next week. Watch how well they hit the ball and go find it and hit the ball again. They enjoy the game for what it is.

 

[JMAC81955]

I played on Tuesday afternoon with my friend's 93 year old father. He consistently hit a beautiful 130-150 yd fade off the tee.

It was beautiful to watch. I hope if I make that far I can hit that kind of tee shot.

 

[jbrunk]

I think you're playing a dangerous game with your melon when you start putting distance expectations on each of your clubs.

What is the tightest grouping, with reasonable distance, can you hit ten 7 irons? That should be your 7 iron distance... regardless of what it used to be, or what you want it to be. What it shouldn't be is what can you hit it some of the time. Trying to play at the top end of your distance capacity is a guaranteed way of assuring you'll be constantly disappointed in your shots and score. Been there, done that.

I think you are probably right. And it isn't just distance to have more distance. It's about my frustration with not being able to hit it better than I do given my committment level. I am just not ready to give in to the possibility of my physical limitations dictating my ability to improve.

 

[Jared Willerson]

This is common with players that have goals. Serious goals. Deep down, I think I know where you are coming from because there is kind of a base distance you need to be able to hit each club to really be able to compete in real tournaments. I have struggled with this thought process myself. In reality it is self defeating and places enormous expectations on every shot. I recently competed in a tournament in which the winner does not carry his driver more than 230. He has a great wedge game and it was fun playing in the final group with him. He played his game and placed no unnecessary expectations on any club he hit


You will get there.

 

[dschultz6072]

This is going to sound strange but try to go out with the intention of airmailing greens, all round. Downwind doesn't count.

 

[Robbohank]

Ok so I am at a crossroads. I am carrying around my little 6.4 and am as unhappy playing this game as I have ever been. Why? Because I can’t hit a 7 iron 160 yards. I know that some of you would look at that statement with confusion so let me elaborate a bit.

Swing 2 is a 60-75% swing that produces good (never great) shots, lots of gir’s and lot of 25-30 foot putts, distance is 1-1.5 clubs shorter than swing 1……..77—80. Impact is much better, but I can’t and won’t play this game feathering 7 irons 140 yards into the greens. Not when I know I could hit it 160 had I ‘done it right’.

Anybody else been there?

Jbrunk,

If you're correct about the numbers you stated here it would seem you have an "85%" swing in there that might provide the best of both worlds. I feel like I can play almost any golf course if I'm hitting consistent and accurate 7-irons from 150. I understand there's a crossover point where you give up accuracy as you try and max out, but I don't understand why you have to back off 30 to 35% from that point to get it under control.

Obviously you can play if you're a 6, but it can be a frustrating place to be as it gets that much more difficult to keep lowering that hdcp.

It's too great a game to give up on it and I can tell you have a passion for it. Pesevere.... you'll figure it out.

 

[SPmoser87]

Distance isn't the end all, be all to improve at this game. It definitely helps, but I mean, I regularly get my tail beat by a guy at home that hits his tee ball about 210 yards. One of the best putters I've ever seen and a great wedge player. He can't even reach 2 of the par 4's in regulation. His course management and ability to hit shots where he wants them just wears me out. It's all a matter of perspective and how you want to go about playing.

So yeah, swing harder if you want, just accept that it may take time to adjust to the changes in ballflight.

 

[Shot Limit]

I don't think this conversation is really about scoring right? I mean we all want to be better ball strikers, so I'd say everyone of us has been there. Maybe take a few weeks off to reflect on the things you enjoy about the game.

Stick with it.

 

[gep]

I was there ... I am 62 yrs old and have been playing for 50 plus yrs... a few weeks ago I decided that all my efforts to improve etc ...were not working ...I purchased the Soft Draw pattern from Brian.. and a lot of stuff clicked for me... I learned years ago and the swing was taught differently than today.... that pattern suited me... and you may just need to hit on something that will put fun back into the game and the enjoyment of just hitting it solid...

 

[mgranato]

I think you are probably right. And it isn't just distance to have more distance. It's about my frustration with not being able to hit it better than I do given my committment level. I am just not ready to give in to the possibility of my physical limitations dictating my ability to improve.

What about it dictating the route you take to improve?

 

[faux_maestro]

What about it dictating the route you take to improve?

This is a great point. I'm a little thick in the upper body and not incredibly flexible either. I was trying to get my left arm at the top a little lower, flatter, whatever you want to call it. I'm not flexible enough to comfortably do that so I'm doing other stuff now. You have to do what you can within your own limitations. I sometimes forget that there are many ways to skin the cat, not one way.

 

[ZAP]

How about just throwing my putter in a pond? I think one of the great things about golf is it will chew you up and spit you out many times. Then you will have some times when you feel like you could rule the world. Kind of like a roller coaster. Take some time and look around when you are up and hold on for dear life on the way down. Learning to enjoy both is the tough part.