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Well I want to have a clear view of where Im heading and where Ive been in my golf game. This post is merely a diary and need no responses but of course responses are appreciated.

Golf has in many ways been my escape. My dad died last summer and I took up golf a month after that. Every time my head started getting cloudy the need to hit some golf balls in beautiful nature emerged.

I'm not sure, but maybe that emotional bond to golf has made me that much more enthusiastic.

I am a 23 year old boy/man from Norway that study economics. Not many people actually know this but I have a dream of combining golf and my education. Maybe on the board of some golfclub, who knows.

Well that the intro, here's the real business. My golf game.
HC: 29,5
Short term goal: Under 20
Long term goal: Under 10.

To keep progress with my improvements I will write a little bit about the different aspects of my game and what I'm trying to improve at the time beeing.

Full swings
Positives: Balance is really coming together and finishing solid is quite good.
Negatives: A out to in golfswing. Had this since I started playing almost a year ago and this has not improved.
I have found out though that I can actually get a straight shot (the end result) with my swing, but I have to find the right tempo and ill end up with a beautiful pull/fade.

But I'm not going to settle with that pull fade, Im going to struggle to find out what is causing my out to in swingplane. Reason beeing, if I don't get the tempo right I end up with a heavy slice or a heavy pull.

As I figure out from watching my swing it could be these reasons:
1. Resisting to much head movement in the backswing causing me to not complete the turn.
2. Not beeing able at this present time to seperate the hips from the shoulders in neither backswing or downswing.
3. Spine angle collapsing forward on the down swing.
4. Rarely gets a descending blow but I'm not focused on that now. I feel it has something to do with my release.

I will do an in depth analysis of my swing once I get a camera.

Short game
Chipping:
- Can only chip decent with my wedge. Also I have no real distance control so I feel the need to.
A) Learn how to chip with atleast three clubs and vary the distances and find some way for me to remember how the distances felt.
B) Direction controll: Actually pulling these as well a bit. I will have to find that out after the distance control is finished from point A.

Pitching:
A)Struggle strongly with distance control and mental control. Even though I'm nowhere near a pro I always go for the flag with my pitch shots, you go figure
B) I have to make up my mind how I'm going to initiate the pitch swing and what swingthoughts I should focus on. Right now I'm doing everything and nothing leading me in endless questions about how this swing should be.
C) I wan't to learn pitch shots with a little more run. Would come in handy.

Putting:
This is by far the most promising part of my game. But:
A) Reading greens is not quite there. Struggling with matching pace of the ball and slope. My philosophy is that there is many perfect lines to make the put, but there is only one speed for each line. The more sloping a green the more lines you can find that will make the put but thats not a good thing.
B) A unsteady backswing. Causes me not much problems on the shorter puts but on the longer puts I easily get of center hits or pulls/pushes.


That was it for now. Maybe ill get a time to practice a little bit tomorrow on my chip game and come here and note the progress.

Good job, Max. You have defined goals, you've identified where your strengths are and what you need to work on.

In my case, when I practice, I spend 80% of my time on the short game: pitching, chipping, and putting. This has helped improve my scores more than anything.

In my case, the problem is with my long game. My strongest part of the game is putting, chipping, and pitching. This year I will focus a bit more on the long game. I'd say I'm a single digit in the short game, low-mid in the middle irons, and mid in the long game. Three years ago I was a 30 HI, now I'm a 12.1. If I can get my long game going...who knows.

Thanks Avatar. Well I guess that's true, focusing on short game will lower your scores faster than anything else

I have a little update to ad in my diary.

Wen't to the range today and hit 90 balls

I learn't somethings from the session:
- When I accelerate very fast through the shot Im pulling and having that dreaded out too in swing.
- If I'm extremely loose and swing away my shots are decent enough, but with some slices and pulls.
- I have to find a middle way between a very vertical swing and upright swing, neither extremes cures my swingpath but somewhere in the middle I think will help me.
The range was more like a feel experience than trying to work on different aspects. I only wanted to test different swingthoughts and see what happened.

Lessons learned::
-It looks like I have to swing the 4 iron faster than my 8 iron because it releases too early and its the ground if not.
- Spine has to stay over the ball through the swing, atleast it felt that way.

Now the good part:
Short game today:
Made some great progress. As mentioned I have struggled with distance controll and only having one club I can chip with. NO MORE

I made some changes mentally to how the chip is going to be done. I found out that thinking of the chip as a put with a little bit (not much)more weight on my front foot and hands leaning a little bit forward helped me quite a bit.
I also found out how I have to controll distance.. Feel and not length of backswing.
I asked myself before evey shot while taking pratcice swings. "Is this the right amount of momentum?) If not I did it again until I agreed with the picture in front of me.

That mental image and doing a mental calculation of distance helped me vastly. I could chip with the sand wedge from 10 yards, 15 yards and 20 yards.
With 5 balls at least 3 of them was within one putt range when I concentrated.

I also tried chipping with the pitching wedge but that was much harder, although I made some decent shots. I don't trust the extra roll for now and will continue using the sand wedge unless there is a very long one coming up.

Thats all for now

There you go. If you chip it close, you can one putt, and that helps! You'll start to develop more feel as well and believe you can get up and down. Confidence really helps.

I would also humbly suggest you take some lessons. You don't want to ingrain any bad habits. Trust me, I know.

Thanks again Avatar for the nice reply. Well I agree on the lessons, but I have one thing in mind though, its expensive.

Therefore I'm only going to take lessons on my full swing. Recent times has shown me I can improve vastly on my putting and my chipping on my own. I also believe these type's of shots are very personal, and one should find his/hers own way If possible.

My knees has not enjoyed the golfswing at all, so first I should really see physiotherapist before any lessons taken. WIth that said they are "fine" now except the lower thigh muscle connected to the knee is consequently warm like there is a inflammation coming up.

At one point I could not even walk properly because the strain I put to my knee's

Sorry to hear about your knees. I think seeing the doc is a good idea. Also, a golf pro can help you work around any physical limitations you may have so you don't aggravate things further, which would be a bummer!

Thanks man. Man what a fast reply

My knee's are okey though, Ive been through much worse than this and ill find away around it
Im going to start walking and running more and trying to build up some muscles that can support them.
Also Im going to ask my physiotherapist what I can do too reduce the strain on my legs.


I really like my chip shots today, I just wanna get out there and play a round where I focus on getting into as many chip possibilities as possible

New update:

Followed Avatars advice and ordered a lesson for tomorrow.
I have noticed during practice swings and shots with hybrid/woods/driver that the out too in swing path is even more visible then.
So I decided to kill two birds with one stone and ordered a lesson for how to drive the golfball with woods/hybrids.
Hopefully he will easier see what I'm doing wrong and what he teaches me with the longer clubs I can somewhat apply that as well to my iron game

NEW UPDATE:

Had a lesson today as mentioned yesterday on the driver.

The pro told me a couple of things. I did two things who was putting me a litlte of.
First of all I didn't look at the ball during the swing causing me to shift.
Second I didn't turn flat enough.

Did those things and things seemed to even out. Hit better drives than I used to when I focused correctly, so lets see if things don't even out a bit

Course management/training method management:

I want to be a scratch player eventually on my home course. So I did a little analysis on how the course is played.

On my Course the two par 5's are 500 yards and 472 yards, meaning not very long.
Par 4's are 300 yards dogleg left (impossible to make the green in one due too tree's). And a 330 yards dogleg left. Also impossible to hit in one because of trees. Third par 4 is 420 yards.
Our par threes are everything from 140 yards to 165. With severe uphill, downhill and slight doglegs.

On the par threes I would have to have good distance control because the wind plays a factor in our country and because there's only one flat par three. For me beeing a leftie I would also benefit greatly if I could draw the 6-5 iron.

As you might have seen I don't have to strike the ball very long on our course. There is a lot of hazzards though (water, bunkers etc) so a predictable flight is rated higher then to bomb shots here. (If I wan't to be a scratch player on this course).

I have thought many times I needed more distance, but I obviously don't.

I don't even need too use all my clubs in the bag.

For instance: The par 5's

First one: 470 yards.
I need an average of 156 yards per shot to make the green in three.
An approach shot on 156 yards though will be easier to miss than 100 yards shot. There a water right and bunker left so its important to make the green somewhere.
Then I need 470-100= 370 yards average on two shots and a 100 yard approach shot.
If I drive the ball 220 like I did yesterday I need a 150 yard shot on the second. That is my 7 iron.
So today Im going to try driver, 7 iron, pitch with PW on that whole.

Im actually going to write it down so I don't get tempted to go overboard on the course.

Par 4 5th whole. Dogleg left 300 yards uphill par 4.
At this hole as well I can give myself a pitching wedge to the green. Im thinking this game is difficult enough, Why not try to use the fewest clubs I can?
My pitching wedge has a maximum of 110 yards in it.
Then I need a 190 yards or more tee shot. I could then use my 3-wood, 3-hybrid or Driver to get that distance. ill even go with a smooth driver or 3-wood. I wan't to stay with familiar clubs here.
So strategy here: 3-wood/driver tee shot/Pw approach.

Par 5, 6th whole. 500 yards.
Its very nice and open so ill chose my driver again.
lets say 220 yards.
Gives me 280 yards on two shots.
If I want to get close to pitching wedge distance I need a 180 yards second shot. That is my 5 iron or 4 iron. Problem is if I don't strike that iron solidly ill end up in a fairway bunker. I don't dig it. Therefore Im going with a 7 iron second shot. Gives me 140 yards and a 140 yard approach shot.
Strategy:
Driver- 7 iron- 7-8 iron.

Par 4- 330 yards.
This whole is difficult wit very little room for error. One needs a 200 yard shot to even have a clear view of the downhill approach to the green.
I either need my 3-wood or driver on this shot. A smooth driver or a normal 3-wood.
ill pick my driver.
Leads me with a 130 yard downhill approach shot. Depending on the wind I will either choke down severely on the 7 iron and punch it down and let it roll or hit a 9 iron.
Clubs: Driver- 7 iron

Par 4- 400 yards.

My normal drive (if I hit it good) goes 250 here, its severely down hill.
Im then left with a 170 yard approach shot with a very tight fairway and water in front of me.
I will then lay it up.
7 iron lay up with a 50 yards or so pitch with my sandwedge.

I did this course management for one purpose, and one only. Cut down on the clubs I practice with. These clubs will be put into practice:

Driver
8 Iron
7 Iron
P-Wedge
Also I will practise chipping intensely. Everytime I miss a green that will have to be spot on to get up and down.
Putting is of course also a key factor.

I am as you know a 29 hc. And have a looong way to go before I become scratch. But I started thinking that I need to train myself to be scratch, and not hitting all of the clubs in the bag just because Im insecure with a lot of clubs.
The only way to get good with the driver is by hitting it, therefore it goes in the yes list and I don't care if my scores struggle to start with. I will benefit greatly in the future from training just the way my yardages allow me too and not thinking distance, but accuracy with a given distance.

I will try this on the course today and comeback with feedback on how it goes.

Max, you are definitely a student of the game and you are approaching it intelligently. Play to your strengths, which it sounds like you are doing. Good course management will save you many strokes.

Thanks for the kind words Avatar, I try my best .

Just realized something that I have to do. Lately It has been all play and almost no training, except a driver lesson and some chipping.

Also realized something else. The mind and the muscle seems 100% dependent on repetition, at least that's how I interpret loosing skills in chipping and putting after my driver lesson and only playing, not practicing.

Driving the golfball and hitting woods has definately improved. I still pull/slice it but I get a relatively constant approach to the ball with my new driver technique and can actually mostly keep the ball in play. Thats a tremendous improvement for me.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to work on the wood game on our range. Its only 137 yards long

The only way I can practice it is getting up early and practicing on one of the par 5's.
These areas needs work:
Putting:
Chipping:
Pitching:
Iron shots:
Woods shots:
Bunker shots:

To improve scores I believe putting, chipping and pitching is most important.

I can spare 3 days a week.
Day 1: 1 hour 45 minute
1 hour chipping
15 min iron shots
15 min pitching
15 min putting

Day 2: 1 hour 45 minutes
1 hour putting
15 minutes chipping
15 minutes pitching
15 minutes bunker

Day 3: 1 hour 45 minutes
45 minutes woods
30 minutes Irons
15 minutes putting
15 minutes chipping

Summary:
1 hour 30 minutes putting
1 hour 30 minutes chipping
30 minutes pitching
45 minutes Iron shots
45 minutes Wood shots
15 minutes bunker shots

Maybe ill change the priority but my main focus is to repeat the different aspects and give my self the possibility of remembering the shots and not forgetting them as I go along and train other shots.

I will also try to build my pitch and bunker shots around my iron swing, because I wan't to make it simple. Right now I feel my pitch shots are more like an arm swing than anything else and makes them a little bit unpredictable.

You do that, Max, and you'll see your scores drop. I worked a lot on my short game last year and saw a big improvement...now if I can get my long game under control.

Any progress of late on the long game Avatar? What do you struggle with?

Had a fantastic round today, this is really a training diary but I have to include this round.

I am as you know a 29,5 handicapper, but today I played well enough on 9 holes that I have to drop down to 28,5, and with two holes I didn*t get any points on.

I made some mistakes along the way, and dropping only 1 hc doesn't seem so fantastic but my ball striking was beyond anything I have ever done.

I didn't top a single shot and I didn't duff a single either. My rythm and tempo was amazing, It felt like I could do it all day. But eventually I messed my tempo up but it gave me and incredible lesson, to just how important it is for proper impact.

Short game was a little bit below what I can do at my best but my long game was absolutely dead on. I still had my out to in swing path but much reduced and generally I struck the ball very well.

We played with two older guys who had played for 5 years or so. The one guy gave me so much compliments for my swing I was almost getting embarrassed. He said it was so loose and beautiful to watch and that it looked like I was coiling perfectly and unwinding perfectly.

He also said I was going to be a great golfer and that my swing already was in the better part of any of the members of my local golfclub.

I have never experienced this kind of compliments so it was just the perfect spice to a round with solid ballstriking.

I know now that I can play better than bogey golf and with constant rythm and better short game I will get there. It was so encouraging because I have been struggling of late..

What a game, back to struggling

Irons shot all of the map eventually. Swing felt awkward.

But I think I knew what it was.I have a shoulder inflammation and I trained my shoulders yesterday.. They where sore today because I overdid it a little bit and I played awful today. I also remember another time when I was playing worse than ever, and guess what, same thing. My shoulder was sore from workout.

I have to find some way to train easier and not before play days, because it just didn't work.

I have my first tournament tomorrow so ill have to do some light stretching today to see if I can fix something.