Golf?

Just played a 24th 18 hole round with this foursome yesterday! 18 different courses spanning from early March to yesterday.
We have a unique scoring system for 2v2 scrambles, and we rotate teams and have a spreadsheet with results, data, money winnings etc.
Throw in my usual 20 weeks of golf league, plus outings and other events and I'm sure I've played over 50 rounds this year. Might be done for 2024, but we already have a Myrtle Beach golf trip planned for January. Good stuff!

TS last.JPG
 
Here's a question for @Matt M or anyone else who is a low handicapper.
I'm pretty much stuck where I am, and I play decent at times, pretty good other times and of course tank at times too.
I'm struggling with mechanics/power off the tee box. (and my mental game is garbage at times, but that's a whole different convo)
Anyway, in-person lessons are fairly expensive. It's not out of the question, but I wonder if there's another route to go to focus on specifics parts of the game via an online instructor or something of that nature.
I'd love any input!
 
ranbalam said:
Here's a question for @Matt M or anyone else who is a low handicapper.
I'm pretty much stuck where I am, and I play decent at times, pretty good other times and of course tank at times too.
I'm struggling with mechanics/power off the tee box. (and my mental game is garbage at times, but that's a whole different convo)
Anyway, in-person lessons are fairly expensive. It's not out of the question, but I wonder if there's another route to go to focus on specifics parts of the game via an online instructor or something of that nature.
I'd love any input!
Click to expand...
I really think the way to go is pay the money and get a couple lessons. I've done it the last couple years and it's really improved what I'm trying to do. The other big issue is actually practicing. When I was a member at a club I was playing at least 3 days a week and you just get way more comfortable on the course that way, and your mental game improves a bit along with ball striking. Now, because I don't practice or play as much as I need I'm still making mistakes and get into old habits sometimes. I'm hoping to play more this year, so hoping I can get away from the 14 I'm currently at and more back down to the 4 I used to be.

I will say there are a couple insta guys that have shown some videos to improve, and they're actually a couple of the things I've been working on. But I do think going to a pro and starting there to assess would be the way to go.
 
ranbalam said:
Here's a question for @Matt M or anyone else who is a low handicapper.
I'm pretty much stuck where I am, and I play decent at times, pretty good other times and of course tank at times too.
I'm struggling with mechanics/power off the tee box. (and my mental game is garbage at times, but that's a whole different convo)
Anyway, in-person lessons are fairly expensive. It's not out of the question, but I wonder if there's another route to go to focus on specifics parts of the game via an online instructor or something of that nature.
I'd love any input!
Click to expand...
Here's one that shows basically what I've been working on to get my power back, along with not swaying off the ball. They have been my two issues mostly. This is a good drill that feels not right initially.

 
Matt M said:
Here's one that shows basically what I've been working on to get my power back, along with not swaying off the ball. They have been my two issues mostly. This is a good drill that feels not right initially.

Click to expand...

The sway is mostly what is killing my power. One of my main golf buddies pointed it out at a simulator right before our Myrtle trip, and so sure enough I could NOT get off the tee because I was trying new and uncomfortable stances and swings hole after hole. By our 3rd round I was back to my predictable sway, but at least I was putting drives in the fairway again.

I'll read through and try this drill. And I think I am ready to start looking for a pro to take a few sessions with. Luckily I live in a state with a ton of courses, so golf pros aren't hard to come by.

Thanks for the input, and good luck getting back to a 4, not sure I'll ever get that low but I'll have fun trying!
 
ranbalam said:
The sway is mostly what is killing my power. One of my main golf buddies pointed it out at a simulator right before our Myrtle trip, and so sure enough I could NOT get off the tee because I was trying new and uncomfortable stances and swings hole after hole. By our 3rd round I was back to my predictable sway, but at least I was putting drives in the fairway again.

I'll read through and try this drill. And I think I am ready to start looking for a pro to take a few sessions with. Luckily I live in a state with a ton of courses, so golf pros aren't hard to come by.

Thanks for the input, and good luck getting back to a 4, not sure I'll ever get that low but I'll have fun trying!
Click to expand...
I don't know if I'll get back there either, but I do want to start playing more and that should help. Good luck with the lessons!
 
My buddies and I played four courses in four days in South Carolina. (actually, we got 7 holes in on the Monday we flew in)

For anyone that is interested in golf trip info, I'll give my ranking plus a pic of these four in the Pawleys Island area.
#4
Litchfield Country Club
Friendly staff, nice layout, greens were in pretty bad shape. I realize it's January, but we learned the next day that other courses had them in fine shape. With so many other options, we wouldn't play again.
IMG_0952.jpg

#3
The Tradition
Kinda rude, lectured in the clubhouse before we even said hi. "Gentlemen, we do 4 hour and 30 minute rounds here at The Tradition, do NOT fall behind."
k.
The course was challenging, greens were great.
Solid breakfast sandwich too.
IMG_1016.JPG

#2
Willbrook Plantation
Super fun course, great staff, also great breakfast sandwiches. This one, and that the next we will probably book next year.
IMG_0982.jpg

#1
River Club
Tricky, fun, great shape, also great staff. This was the consensus #1 of our group.
IMG_0967.jpg


Last year we did the Barefoot Resort area and didn't have as great of an experience with the staff as we did at most of this area's courses.
 
ranbalam said:
in-person lessons are fairly expensive
Click to expand...
Late to the game here, and not a low cap player but just wanted to emphasize the power of in person lessons and wanted to share my experience with lessons.

First thing I want to point out is even though the lesson(s) are expensive, you really don't need to book several consecutive lessons in my opinion. Especially because you've already honed in on one area. If you set up a lesson with the expectation to work on just one thing, a decent instructor can watch your swing for a few swings, give you some things to try, watch you attempt to implement, and talk you through it. Mental and physical side of the change.

Then you can usually leave for a few weeks, even a few months work on really implementing this one thing until it becomes the natural way of doing things. If you really want, you could do a refinement/tune-up lesson a month later over that one thing again.

If you're playing a ton (like 3-5 days a week) then more frequent lessons can be valuable. But I think for the average guy one lesson can last you a LONG time.

A big part why I lead with that is a lesson generally costs the same as 1-2 rounds at a public course. But if you just skip playing for one week and take a lesson instead, it's really not significantly expensive. But it's likely something you can carry with you for a few years.
 
displayname said:
Late to the game here, and not a low cap player but just wanted to emphasize the power of in person lessons and wanted to share my experience with lessons.

First thing I want to point out is even though the lesson(s) are expensive, you really don't need to book several consecutive lessons in my opinion. Especially because you've already honed in on one area. If you set up a lesson with the expectation to work on just one thing, a decent instructor can watch your swing for a few swings, give you some things to try, watch you attempt to implement, and talk you through it. Mental and physical side of the change.

Then you can usually leave for a few weeks, even a few months work on really implementing this one thing until it becomes the natural way of doing things. If you really want, you could do a refinement/tune-up lesson a month later over that one thing again.

If you're playing a ton (like 3-5 days a week) then more frequent lessons can be valuable. But I think for the average guy one lesson can last you a LONG time.

A big part why I lead with that is a lesson generally costs the same as 1-2 rounds at a public course. But if you just skip playing for one week and take a lesson instead, it's really not significantly expensive. But it's likely something you can carry with you for a few years.
Click to expand...
That's a great, thoughtful post. Thanks. I'm probably doing it...there are probably a dozen courses within 20 miles of me so finding a pro won't be difficult.
 
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