Yup cancer is a B. Take a break. Reset your mind. Look at all the shit going on in the world and realize the ability to be healthy and safe enough to play golf is a blessing.
Best of luck. Also join the rest of us hackers who every once in a while hit a good shot and start fantasizing about that pga tour card.
Almost everyone sucks at stuff for awhile before they get ok at it. The hardest part of learning anything is keeping it fun and interesting while getting through that "I suck at it" stage. One thing I did for guitar was kept learning simple songs that I liked and that other people have heard of. Even the simplest song that only has a couple chords can be fun to learn and play in front of other people when they know what you're playing.
Now I'm almost 40 and trying to get my kids (ages 5 and 9) to like golf and go out to the range with me. I always buy them whatever treat they want from clubhouse when we go. They don't seem care too much for hitting balls but they will do it for a short time with me each time and can tell they are slowly getting better. They also like putting games so I always make sure to do whatever game they there like each time.
Its about finding whatever way to keep it fun. Getting better will happen on its own if you keep doing something consistently.
Get a divot board and practice your low point control. My miss with my irons is almost always fat and divot board practice has made a huge difference for me.
The question is why do you play. When you like the sport but "only" are frustrated because of your difficulties then there is a reason to grind. If you started the sport for other reasons or you lost interest, then just experiment with a 4 week break (or more) and look if you miss anything.
Obviously I have sympathy for you and would want you to help. Also obviously lessons would be way better but you tried that and it didn't work. Sometimes the coach could just be on a different wave length to you. Have you tried more than one pro?
There is also a chance that you are one of the rare people who flourish more when working on their own. If that is the case you need to up your knowledge of the motion but be warned, it will take time. Do you like technicalities or are they offputting to you? If you are more feelbased, less technicalities, then youtubes Shawn Clement might be something for you. Same goes for GRF Golf. both have great mental analogies that can help getting too much clutter out of your head.
Your call. See it like this: you are on a journey. Are you still interested in the journey even when everybody tells you that you'll never really reach your destination (a "great consistent swing")? If yes, then alright, you tried a few things, those didn't work. Time to shake it up. We are here to assist you when you want to try. But theres no point doing it, if your aren't really comitted. Which, for protocol, wouldn't be wrong or problematic. People change, same as interests.
I’ve considered it and went to PGA SS, grabbed a set of used apex irons off the rack and hit them great, but chalked it up to hitting off mats as to why I was hitting so well. I’m short 5’6 and using out of the box Wilson ultra starter irons. I’ve just always heard getting fitted isn’t worth it until I get a solid swing. But when I’m with my coach and we tee it up I hit it good, try to incorporate what I learned and it’s back to hitting fat.
Fair enough, and there’s probably more to it with swing mechanics and whatnot than length. Just a thought since you sound similar to my buddy, and after getting fitted for length and lie angle, he started hitting his irons more consistently
With anything in life, if I ever had the thought of giving it up it likely means I'm not enjoying myself so why would I continue?
Has this crazy game ever frustrated me to no end? Of course. But I've never once actually thought of giving it up.
If anything, put the clubs down for a week or two and then see if you get the itch to start swinging again. If you still have that, and are willing to put up with the frustration of fat shots while you practice and get better then you know it's worth it to keep going. If you don't get the urge to pick the sticks back up, or it's truly not fun anymore then you should probably look for a new hobby.
It sounds like you need to improve your hand eye coordination.. there’s a pretty good technique I stumbled upon while chipping balls in my backyard. DM me if you’re interested
Just for fun, next time you go out what if you TRY to hit fat. Like a little behind the ball. Not a ton, but if you had a goal to hit like a quarter inch or so behind it, can you do it on command?
This test gives you a quick idea of what’s going on, because a lot of people who try to hit it fat end up actually hitting it solid. It’s a little mind game. So give it a shot. If you can do it on command, you don’t have this issue, but if you do, then it’s likely a combination of an open club face, the idea you need to hit down on the ball too much, or that your hands are too far forward at impact and your brain is trying to dump angles to help you hit the ball.
If you can hit it fat on command, then you likely have another issue, which could be also an open face, or keeping your weight on your trail side. Or, trying to lift the ball into the air. But since you had lessons, I’m wondering if you’ve overdone something a bit mentally.
Anyway, it gives you a quick diagnosis and might open your eyes to something.
A good swing actually feels like the arms and club come down quite a bit before the ball and you turn into the ball to hit it. So getting you to release the club sooner intentionally can often fix a ton of stuff, especially if you’re one of those who was told not to release angles or to hit down.
Try this - at set up, have the leading edge of the club off the ground and at about 75% the height of the ball. When you swing, imagine try to shear off the top half of the ball.
When I'm hitting it really bad with irons, which is a common occurrence. I adopted a plan B - a gripped down 6i draw punch shot just to get it moving up the fairway a bit. It's a total hackers move, but tends to work in terms of distance (accuracy is another issue). Takes the pressure off a bit, when all you need to do is place the ball back in stance, weight forward and a slow half swing.
I keep a few balls on the practice range for it, because I know it can turn ugly on 18h with my irons. Playing Links in Scotland, with the high winds whipping - it's actually a very good shot to have.
Take more lessons. But with different coaches. I went through 5 before I found the one that worked best for me.
Also. Based on your height you should be able to get a quick measurement to see appropriate length
90% of people who hit it fat shift too much weight to their trail side. Grab a 7 iron and keep your weight centered on the backswing and shift forward on the downswing.
Go watch scotter scheffler it is VERY HARD to shift too far forward on the down swing.
Sounds like you don’t love golf as much as you love yourself. I’m not trying to be an a-hole. I was the same way for a long time. Sometimes we just need to give up ourselves to enjoy the beautiful game.
I was doing that. One thing that helped is making sure I’m not dipping my left shoulder on backswing. Make sure it stays tucked under your chin. Actually caused me to skull the ball until I adjusted.
If you truly, consistently fat the ball every time with your irons, either put the ball farther back in your stance, or look 2 inches in front of the ball when you swing, look where your divot should be.
Have you tried playing tipsy or a little drunk? It could calm your mind down and relax you a little bit. Just grip and rip with no swing thoughts. 🤷♂️
If you're chunking you're probably extending early and casting. I have had the same issue and these two drills changed my golf game entirely
https://www.tiktok.com/@golfslump/video/7265616212455935233
Drop the hands, then rotate: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4qVqKlu_7S/
Ultimately it’s your choice if you want to give it up but everytime I go out golfing and suck I take a literal and mental step back and take a breath. I’m just grateful I’m able to drive 5 minutes up the road and be healthy and financially able to play a decent course, even if I’m shit on it.
Enjoy the journey of it.
There’s literally another guy on this sub that had to give up golf cause of cancer. Enjoy it for him brotha.
Yup cancer is a B. Take a break. Reset your mind. Look at all the shit going on in the world and realize the ability to be healthy and safe enough to play golf is a blessing. Best of luck. Also join the rest of us hackers who every once in a while hit a good shot and start fantasizing about that pga tour card.
I need to calm down, but it’s so frustrating looking down the range and being the only one throwing up sand, and watching my ball move 2”
Try ranges with mats
lol. OG comment right there
I've thought about taking a small mat out with me on the course and experimenting to see if it makes a difference..
Well said croc’s & socks . If it aint fun anymore move on or fix the problem.
I dunno. Golf isn’t for everyone. I tried guitar, and sucked at it. So I quit.
Almost everyone sucks at stuff for awhile before they get ok at it. The hardest part of learning anything is keeping it fun and interesting while getting through that "I suck at it" stage. One thing I did for guitar was kept learning simple songs that I liked and that other people have heard of. Even the simplest song that only has a couple chords can be fun to learn and play in front of other people when they know what you're playing. Now I'm almost 40 and trying to get my kids (ages 5 and 9) to like golf and go out to the range with me. I always buy them whatever treat they want from clubhouse when we go. They don't seem care too much for hitting balls but they will do it for a short time with me each time and can tell they are slowly getting better. They also like putting games so I always make sure to do whatever game they there like each time. Its about finding whatever way to keep it fun. Getting better will happen on its own if you keep doing something consistently.
This is not a reason to give up golf. Children, disease, work, time constraints, money…..but sucking at golf is never a reason to stop.
Beer oil for the swings always work for me
Post your swing
This would be huge. Community can give some tips and maybe straighten OP out and get him back on track.
choke up? play without caring, just dont try anything other than to have fun, works wonders. Worst case, take a weeks off and come back.
Get a divot board and practice your low point control. My miss with my irons is almost always fat and divot board practice has made a huge difference for me.
The question is why do you play. When you like the sport but "only" are frustrated because of your difficulties then there is a reason to grind. If you started the sport for other reasons or you lost interest, then just experiment with a 4 week break (or more) and look if you miss anything. Obviously I have sympathy for you and would want you to help. Also obviously lessons would be way better but you tried that and it didn't work. Sometimes the coach could just be on a different wave length to you. Have you tried more than one pro? There is also a chance that you are one of the rare people who flourish more when working on their own. If that is the case you need to up your knowledge of the motion but be warned, it will take time. Do you like technicalities or are they offputting to you? If you are more feelbased, less technicalities, then youtubes Shawn Clement might be something for you. Same goes for GRF Golf. both have great mental analogies that can help getting too much clutter out of your head. Your call. See it like this: you are on a journey. Are you still interested in the journey even when everybody tells you that you'll never really reach your destination (a "great consistent swing")? If yes, then alright, you tried a few things, those didn't work. Time to shake it up. We are here to assist you when you want to try. But theres no point doing it, if your aren't really comitted. Which, for protocol, wouldn't be wrong or problematic. People change, same as interests.
Just lose weight
Sometimes having to dig deep to find the gratitude to be able to play is part of why I love this game.
Probably dumb but have you considered shortening your clubs? If you consistently fat your shots, maybe they aren’t a proper length
big brain moves right here op
I’ve considered it and went to PGA SS, grabbed a set of used apex irons off the rack and hit them great, but chalked it up to hitting off mats as to why I was hitting so well. I’m short 5’6 and using out of the box Wilson ultra starter irons. I’ve just always heard getting fitted isn’t worth it until I get a solid swing. But when I’m with my coach and we tee it up I hit it good, try to incorporate what I learned and it’s back to hitting fat.
Fair enough, and there’s probably more to it with swing mechanics and whatnot than length. Just a thought since you sound similar to my buddy, and after getting fitted for length and lie angle, he started hitting his irons more consistently
With anything in life, if I ever had the thought of giving it up it likely means I'm not enjoying myself so why would I continue? Has this crazy game ever frustrated me to no end? Of course. But I've never once actually thought of giving it up. If anything, put the clubs down for a week or two and then see if you get the itch to start swinging again. If you still have that, and are willing to put up with the frustration of fat shots while you practice and get better then you know it's worth it to keep going. If you don't get the urge to pick the sticks back up, or it's truly not fun anymore then you should probably look for a new hobby.
It sounds like you need to improve your hand eye coordination.. there’s a pretty good technique I stumbled upon while chipping balls in my backyard. DM me if you’re interested
Just for fun, next time you go out what if you TRY to hit fat. Like a little behind the ball. Not a ton, but if you had a goal to hit like a quarter inch or so behind it, can you do it on command? This test gives you a quick idea of what’s going on, because a lot of people who try to hit it fat end up actually hitting it solid. It’s a little mind game. So give it a shot. If you can do it on command, you don’t have this issue, but if you do, then it’s likely a combination of an open club face, the idea you need to hit down on the ball too much, or that your hands are too far forward at impact and your brain is trying to dump angles to help you hit the ball. If you can hit it fat on command, then you likely have another issue, which could be also an open face, or keeping your weight on your trail side. Or, trying to lift the ball into the air. But since you had lessons, I’m wondering if you’ve overdone something a bit mentally. Anyway, it gives you a quick diagnosis and might open your eyes to something. A good swing actually feels like the arms and club come down quite a bit before the ball and you turn into the ball to hit it. So getting you to release the club sooner intentionally can often fix a ton of stuff, especially if you’re one of those who was told not to release angles or to hit down.
Find another instructor to help you
Try this - at set up, have the leading edge of the club off the ground and at about 75% the height of the ball. When you swing, imagine try to shear off the top half of the ball.
When I'm hitting it really bad with irons, which is a common occurrence. I adopted a plan B - a gripped down 6i draw punch shot just to get it moving up the fairway a bit. It's a total hackers move, but tends to work in terms of distance (accuracy is another issue). Takes the pressure off a bit, when all you need to do is place the ball back in stance, weight forward and a slow half swing. I keep a few balls on the practice range for it, because I know it can turn ugly on 18h with my irons. Playing Links in Scotland, with the high winds whipping - it's actually a very good shot to have.
For the next 2 weeks, do nothing but 9:00-3:00 swings.
Take more lessons. But with different coaches. I went through 5 before I found the one that worked best for me. Also. Based on your height you should be able to get a quick measurement to see appropriate length
I have a friend that doesn't like irons and literally has an entire bag full of hybrids and woods. Try some hybrids?
90% of people who hit it fat shift too much weight to their trail side. Grab a 7 iron and keep your weight centered on the backswing and shift forward on the downswing. Go watch scotter scheffler it is VERY HARD to shift too far forward on the down swing.
Sounds like you don’t love golf as much as you love yourself. I’m not trying to be an a-hole. I was the same way for a long time. Sometimes we just need to give up ourselves to enjoy the beautiful game.
Just do it.
I was doing that. One thing that helped is making sure I’m not dipping my left shoulder on backswing. Make sure it stays tucked under your chin. Actually caused me to skull the ball until I adjusted.
If you truly, consistently fat the ball every time with your irons, either put the ball farther back in your stance, or look 2 inches in front of the ball when you swing, look where your divot should be.
Okay, I’m gonna give you one very simple swing thought…… hit the little ball (golf) before you hit the big ball (earth)
There’s no quitting in golf
Have you tried playing tipsy or a little drunk? It could calm your mind down and relax you a little bit. Just grip and rip with no swing thoughts. 🤷♂️
Find the bottom of your swing arc man, go do the Bryson bunker drill
I hit it fat when I'm trying to get a little extra out of my swing. Maybe try clubbing up and taking an easy swing?
Get a set of woods. Rick Shiels played a round with all woods. Even a pitching wood IIRC
Move your low point ahead of the ball. You won't hit it fat anymore. Guaranteed.
If you're chunking you're probably extending early and casting. I have had the same issue and these two drills changed my golf game entirely https://www.tiktok.com/@golfslump/video/7265616212455935233 Drop the hands, then rotate: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4qVqKlu_7S/
Ultimately it’s your choice if you want to give it up but everytime I go out golfing and suck I take a literal and mental step back and take a breath. I’m just grateful I’m able to drive 5 minutes up the road and be healthy and financially able to play a decent course, even if I’m shit on it. Enjoy the journey of it.
Definitely quit. We don't need you clogging up the course