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I'm 21 and fairly new to golfing. I got a little bit interested back about 2 years ago.. I'd went to the range frequently, and eventually got out and played 18 holees with a friend in Central PA. I shot a 150-something, LOL, I can't even remember. It was his first time too, and he was even worse (I think he went 200+).. LOL.

I got interested again this summer, and went out to the range about 2 weeks ago.. I still got a wide range of horrid shots in between the good ones. Little toppers that might go 30 yards, Huge popups that go 60-70 yards.. Hard slices right off the tee that gives me 15-20 yards forward, and 40-45 yards to the right.

I'll occaisionally get into grooves where I hit 2 or 3 drives about 220-230 yards dead perfect.

I went again a week later, and did a little better.. Maybe I'd get a string of 5 or 6 dead-center drives in a row that felt good.. But I still get the wide range of embarrassing shots that belong on blooper videos. Between pop-ups and toppers, they are in there between the good ones and they suck.

What I am asking is, what's the #1 key to consistancy for beginners to not make these gaffes. I am not worried about hitting slices that go 30-40 yards right of the target as long as I get solid contact with the ball and they go 200+ yards forward.

So basically, I am looking to make consistant solid contact. What's the best way for a beginner to make that consistant solid contact.

Also.. When I do make solid contact and I get one of those perfect straight drives, They feel GREAT.. I mean, I know right away I got ahold of it and it's going straight, but still, 220-230 yards is still a little short to have my "perfect" shots be.. Where and how to I tap the rest of my power? I'm not a bulky, strong weightlifter, probably about 5'7-5'8, 165-170 pounds.

HELP ME HIT THE **** BALL! LOL


Josh

Sounds like we're in the same boat. I was at the driving range last week, hit a few good ones, but still had that occasional dribbler that goes 20 feet out. 175 yards is about my max with a 3 wood.

Since we're about the same level, don't know that I can help much, except to say that hopefully you'll just get better with practice. I went to the driving range for a couple of months before stepping on a course. Now I go to a 3-par course every week, and that's helped me gain some confidence in terms of just playing and hitting the ball.

Welcome to the forum. Anxiously waiting to see what other folks have to offer.

Josh, first off welcome to Golf Rewind. You will find this is the best golf forum on the net. We discourage flame wars and excess testostoren.LOL. Everybody here is a good listener and will give you there best honest opinion. Hope you enjoy this place as much as the rest of us do.

The best advice I can give you at this point is to take some lessons. It will be money well spent, and costs much less then a new driver. If you get the lessons early on in your golfing endevor you will not find yourself practicing as many bad habits. I cannot stress how important this is, if you try to do it all by yourself you will ingrain alot of bad habits and may even give up this wonderful game. The quickest way to enjoyment is to take a lesson and practice, then take another lesson and practice, etc.

Hope this helps.

Yes listen to forged, lessons would defintly be the best. They can watch you and tell you what your doing wrong and how to fix it, theres nothing better than a good lesson.

Josh, the advice about seeing a PGA professional for lessons is good. Trying to do it all by yourself is very difficult and often results in frustration. It sounds stupid, but what you have to do is be able to repeat the swing that gives you those sweet hits over and over, and the only way to do that is to identify what produced them and learn to reproduce them again and again.

Starting with the correct grip, posture, and set-up to the ball is absolutely imperative. Get those things wrong, and you'll never play well.

Another thing, don't feel bad about your distance at the range. Most range balls are pretty dead, and a 220-230 yard drive with a rock at the range will be a rocket with a decent ball on the course.

Good luck, and keep us posted on your progress.

Any free information on the web whre I can find stuff on grip, posture, and set-up?


Josh

If you can't/won't get professional help. watch better golfers at the range, ask them to help you with your grip and posture.

The golf swing is primarily made with rotation of the upper and lower body, watch the moves of the better golfer and emulate the secquence.

I hope this helps, I think I would enjoy working with you as you seem to be very enthustastic about learning.

You will be miles ahead in improvement and stress level if you will seek out a golf teaching professional.

Good Luck in you endevor

Ah, yes, the same advice was given to me by the woman who donated her old clubs to my cause.... I had told her at one point that I thought I could learn the game on my own by reading books, looking at videos, etc. She passed this along to a car full of her (lifelong golf-playing) relatives, who apparently howled in laughter.

So, yes, the professional advice is probably good. Unfortunately, although my wife fully supports my developing addiction to the game, I don't know that she'd go for springing for lessons. She's out of work, and we have a (second) kid on the way, so it's best that I work with what I have, I think.

If you don't want to go the pro route, start reading voraciously, and keep going to the range. I read Hogan's "Five Lessons" or whatever it's called - my wife brought it home from the library, and I copied the summary chapter. Then look at a book by Leadbetter, in which he elaborates on Hogan's book using tons of additional photos that weren't used in the original book. And read it with a critical eye - he has useful tips on why Hogan's lessons were successful for him, and why they may or may not be successful for you.

And, subscribe to Golf magazine. My wife used one of those credit card "bonus points" things to get it for me, and I actually have picked up some tips from it. Used one of them to get me out of a sandtrap, and it felt great.

Actually, many of the golf magazine websites have tips sections. Golf magazine's is at http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/ - click on instruction. There's some at www.golf.com, but I haven't found that as useful... and there's still another Golf magazine that has online tips, but I don't remember the address right now.

Maybe my final piece of advice will be helpful, if possibly depressing... remember that it's a hard game, and to get good, or at least consistent, you will have to practice a lot. There's a lot to remember - stance, grip, shoulder up, arms straight, square to the target, etc., etc., etc. Well, at least, I've decided that that's the case for me. I've only been playing seriously for about 6 months, and still feel pretty klutzy out there most of the time. I'd imagine it will take a long time for that feeling to go away, but maybe that's just me.

Edit: Just found a bookmark to a page that might help you out: http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline...rivatelessons/ - Golf Magazine's private lesson page. You can fill out a questionnaire that will generate a profile of what kind of golfer you are, and they'll present a bunch of articles designed to improve your game. I had to guestimate on many of the questions, since I haven't golfed enough to be able to tell, for example, if I typically slice the ball or hook it. ****, it goes all over the fairway sometimes.... But, you can browse through the Private Lessons page and find some tips that might help you. Enjoy.

Hehe, one more edit. If you're obsessive, like me (!), this page has some good philosophy on it about how to improve your game: "Stockpile your Swing Keys" http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline...4_7_lh,00.html

(sorry, don't know how to do fancy URL text links here, yet.)

I've started a list of swing keys - things to keep in mind that will hopefully eventually become second nature, or that I can turn to when I'm not having a good day. Like today at the range - I realized that I'm off-target in my setup. I lined up a club with my feet.... and it pointed to the left of the target, consistently. Hopefully, I can try and remember that when I'm out on the course next time.

Josh, welcome to the forum. I've been here less than a week and these are some good folks:) . I'm a self taught player,but probably would be further along than I am if I had gotten lessons. Anyway, if you want to go the DIY route, it takes a little bit of commitment and a lot of practice! I have a few advantages as far as my flexibility and strength-but my biggest asset in self-teaching comes from attention to detail and being able to imitate almost any physical action I see(This is how I learned to skate and surf as a teenager). Basically, if you have patience and will power,go for it on your own-but lesseons from a good teacher will go a long way.

Patience and willpower are good tips. I'm having trouble with the willpower part right now. (!)