Went up over 2 strokes need help

[ezra76]

I went from 13.1 to 15.5 and climbing. Losing multiple balls per round off the tee. Not trying to qualify for the US open but I can't find my way back to consistency. I started the the season 81-84 off the blues but can't even break 90 now. 

 

I don't have time for a ton of huge changes. I play about 27 holes a week and can hit into a net or fuller swing wedges at the park. 1 thing to focus on with a drill would be great for now. Thanks guys. 

Edited May 15 by ezra76

[iacas]

9 minutes ago, ezra76 said:

I don't have time for a ton of huge changes.

 

Good news… there are things you can do (some setup, etc.) to make some good changes. If you're content to get a few strokes better (just not taking a few penalties would do it).

 

Bad news… if you want to make actual changes, it's going to take time, even though they probably aren't "huge" in scale… the work required is going to be big, and it'll take months.

 

To start:

• Grip
• Setup

To the first, stop waving the club around so much. It's coming loose in your hands and grip, and it's partly because the grip is poor and partly because that's just your swing right now - waving the sweet spot around. Lotta off-plane energy being spent.

 

 

Fix that. Fix the setup.

 

Then make some left-arm-only backswings starting with the clubhead 3' in front of the impact area (no ball) that primarily uses your chest to move the club back.

 

Good luck.

 

P.S. You should post a single slow-mo (high speed) video from each of two GOOD camera angles.

 

P.P.S. Being able to practice as little as 15 minutes a day at home hitting AlmostGolf balls into a sheet in your garage can have big gains.

[ezra76]

50 minutes ago, iacas said:

 

Good news… there are things you can do (some setup, etc.) to make some good changes. If you're content to get a few strokes better (just not taking a few penalties would do it).

 

Bad news… if you want to make actual changes, it's going to take time, even though they probably aren't "huge" in scale… the work required is going to be big, and it'll take months.

 

To start:

• Grip
• Setup

To the first, stop waving the club around so much. It's coming loose in your hands and grip, and it's partly because the grip is poor and partly because that's just your swing right now - waving the sweet spot around. Lotta off-plane energy being spent.

 

 

Fix that. Fix the setup.

 

Then make some left-arm-only backswings starting with the clubhead 3' in front of the impact area (no ball) that primarily uses your chest to move the club back.

 

Good luck.

 

P.S. You should post a single slow-mo (high speed) video from each of two GOOD camera angles.

 

P.P.S. Being able to practice as little as 15 minutes a day at home hitting AlmostGolf balls into a sheet in your garage can have big gains.

Thank you. What grip changes would you recommend? I use a club with a grip trainer for a few years. 

[joedizzy1978]

If youre looking to return to form, aim to what YOUR ideal was when playing well.  Making changes at set up may appear simple in explanation, but they are not when it comes to on course implementation.  Always keep a cache of swing videos of when you were playing well, to avoid unnecessary changes. If you have those videos, upload them as well. A list of things that youve recently been attempting to implement/change that could have contributed to poor form would also be helpful. 

Edited May 15 by joedizzy1978

[hammersia]

It's a spectacular montage 

[TheDeanAbides]

21 minutes ago, ezra76 said:

Thank you. What grip changes would you recommend? I use a club with a grip trainer for a few years. 

It's too palmy. Make sure it's running through the fingers at the base of the hand. Think holding and wielding a hammer. 

 

 

[ezra76]

4 hours ago, hammersia said:

It's a spectacular montage 

You should have seen before I edited out all the "F#ck"'s

[ezra76]

4 hours ago, joedizzy1978 said:

If youre looking to return to form, aim to what YOUR ideal was when playing well.  Making changes at set up may appear simple in explanation, but they are not when it comes to on course implementation.  Always keep a cache of swing videos of when you were playing well, to avoid unnecessary changes. If you have those videos, upload them as well. A list of things that youve recently been attempting to implement/change that could have contributed to poor form would also be helpful. 

I do have quite a few and that's a good idea. I was using this swing aid called the "hanger" and also had purchased Monte's no turn cast video. 

 

I'm going for a lesson with the guy that my kid did a golf camp with in the morning. 

[Pepperturbo]

Lots of advice here.

 

The best advice I can offer; keep calm, don't overthink golf, just stay focused on the basics.  From my ole school thinking, start with proper grip, butt leaning on bar stool, proper club head length away, knees over balls of feet, slight weight on inside left foot, a-line your hips, shoulders and chest to target, and remind yourself of slow takeaway, keep right elbow tucked, full turn then - let it happen.  Sounds a bit weird, maybe too simple for some, but that's my process every time.

 

When I have seen friends' handis moving upward, it's mostly because they take their golf mechanics almost for granted, then one day, lose all sight and sense of what they're doing out there, that's why the wheels fall off.

Edited May 15 by Pepperturbo

[KMeloney]

If you could stop your backswing just before your left shoulder passes under your chin and makes you raise your head up out of the way, I think you'd be much better off. Instead, your swing gets too long, the club dips and crosses the line, and you get stuck coming down. You have to hang back, and try to lift the ball into the air. Balance gets all out of whack.

[ezra76]

Went for the lesson this morning. Just working on path a little more in to out and clubface less shut. Changed nothing in my grip, setup or swing. I guess going to work on more of a push draw. 

 

Lessons are tough. I've had at least a dozen and never made much difference. 

[iacas]

1 hour ago, ezra76 said:

Went for the lesson this morning. Just working on path a little more in to out and clubface less shut. Changed nothing in my grip, setup or swing. I guess going to work on more of a push draw. 

 

Lessons are tough. I've had at least a dozen and never made much difference. 

 

My advice at this point: find a new instructor.

Best wishes on your journey.

[ezra76]

12 minutes ago, iacas said:

 

My advice at this point: find a new instructor.

Best wishes on your journey.

This was the new one 😅. Everone says something different but at least I got some good insight  face/path. My irons are too shut and my driver is too open. 

 

 

[iacas]

4 minutes ago, ezra76 said:

This was the new one 😅. Everone says something different but at least I got some good insight  face/path. My irons are too shut and my driver is too open. 

 

I read what you wrote.

 

An instructor who didn't change your grip or setup, or backswing… is not one worth seeing again, IMO.

 

 

Your sweet spot moves from the left picture to the right picture. You've moved your hips toward the ball 3" at that point, too. There's no way you're going to really control the path or face well from there.

 

You have setup and backswing work to do. The fix for you is not to just "swing more out."

[MonteScheinblum]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

 

I read what you wrote.

 

An instructor who didn't change your grip or setup, or backswing… is not one worth seeing again, IMO.

 

 

Your sweet spot moves from the left picture to the right picture. You've moved your hips toward the ball 3" at that point, too. There's no way you're going to really control the path or face well from there.

 

You have setup and backswing work to do. The fix for you is not to just "swing more out."

I’m sorry to say I agree.  I’ve been very unpopular for saying this over the years, but the vast majority of instructors just haven’t put in the time and effort to educate themselves.  The OP saying he’s been to a dozen and none have helped is a narrative I hear all too often…..

 

Good news is, that it’s getting better every day.

 

Move you path is not a solution, it’s an endgame.

 

It’s like telling someone who just graduated college to go make money.

Edited May 16 by MonteScheinblum

[TheDeanAbides]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

 

My advice at this point: find a new instructor.

Best wishes on your journey.

I was waiting for a qualified person to say that.

[ezra76]

I appreciate the feedback. It's frustrating having spent a little over $300 on instruction this year and gone up 2 strokes. I think for now I'm just going to lower my expectations, have fun and just be content I'm going to be playing in the 88-94 range. 

[Rbsiedsc]

6 minutes ago, ezra76 said:

I appreciate the feedback. It's frustrating having spent a little over $300 on instruction this year and gone up 2 strokes. I think for now I'm just going to lower my expectations, have fun and just be content I'm going to be playing in the 88-94 range. 

you do know if you are doing lessons and changing something, your scores will go up while you are getting the new things to take in and then they will drop once it becomes more natural

[ezra76]

3 minutes ago, Rbsiedsc said:

you do know if you are doing lessons and changing something, your scores will go up while you are getting the new things to take in and then they will drop once it becomes more natural

I'd be fine with that but don't have anything to work on. Not even 1 drill. 

[Rbsiedsc]

3 minutes ago, ezra76 said:

I'd be fine with that but don't have anything to work on. Not even 1 drill. 

what did your lessons you did then have you do? no drills or feels from that? Changes from lessons take months to years to take hold so if its been a while since you had them you still have things to work on

[TheDeanAbides]

26 minutes ago, ezra76 said:

I'd be fine with that but don't have anything to work on. Not even 1 drill. 

I think that if you've spent this money and nobody has addressed the issues that even hacks like me can see then you need to rethink. You only get one golfing life (probably) and you don't need to waste it accepting poor mechanics and poor golf because your local pros have been, frankly, awful. 

 

Like @iacas said, there is a clear road to much better golf. Golf you really want to play, if you're honest. You just need to work with someone who knows what they're doing, and those people are here. 

Edited May 16 by TheDeanAbides

[ezra76]

11 minutes ago, Rbsiedsc said:

what did your lessons you did then have you do? no drills or feels from that? Changes from lessons take months to years to take hold so if its been a while since you had them you still have things to work on

Last 3 were to hit a paper bag left of target line with follow through. Then skillest lesson was turn shoulders and hips together with a way bigger/max hip turn, then throw the club right of target. Then today was just face open driver, face closed irons. Setup irons more back, tee driver higher, swing more in to out. I mean if I'm still going suck at least youtube is free 🤣

 

Edited May 16 by ezra76

[TheDeanAbides]

11 minutes ago, ezra76 said:

Last 3 were to hit a paper bag left of target line with follow through. Then skillest lesson was turn shoulders and hips together with a way bigger/max hip turn, then throw the club right of target. Then today was just face open driver, face closed irons. Setup irons more back, tee driver higher, swing more in to out. I mean if I'm still going suck at least youtube is free 🤣

 

God in heaven help me. I'm so sorry that you had to pay for this.

Edited May 16 by TheDeanAbides

[MonteScheinblum]

42 minutes ago, TheDeanAbides said:

God in heaven help me. I'm so sorry that you had to pay for this.

I’m sorry to say this is common.

 

Nearly every first timer comes in and says….”I’ve had lessons from multiple instructors and no one has been able to tell me why I have (fill in the blank ball flight issue) as my miss.  All I got was (fill in the blank tired cliche tip).”

 

I watch one swing and it’s a basic issue that this forum would recognize in 2 seconds.

 

I show them why it creates their miss and show them how a few tour players do it, then they say, “Why didn’t the last 5 guys tell me about this, I’ve never heard about this before.”

 

These are not subtle issues, these are things like ball too far forward causing over the top, massive hip sway causing fat shots, too close to the ball with weight in heels from butt sticking out and S curve causing massive EE and shanks….basic stuff.  Numbers and strike improve in 1 swing, then we spend 58 minutes getting past, “This feels weird.” 😜😜😜😜😜

[TheDeanAbides]

8 hours ago, MonteScheinblum said:

I’m sorry to say this is common.

 

Nearly every first timer comes in and says….”I’ve had lessons from multiple instructors and no one has been able to tell me why I have (fill in the blank ball flight issue) as my miss.  All I got was (fill in the blank tired cliche tip).”

 

I watch one swing and it’s a basic issue that this forum would recognize in 2 seconds.

 

I show them why it creates their miss and show them how a few tour players do it, then they say, “Why didn’t the last 5 guys tell me about this, I’ve never heard about this before.”

 

These are not subtle issues, these are things like ball too far forward causing over the top, massive hip sway causing fat shots, too close to the ball with weight in heels from butt sticking out and S curve causing massive EE and shanks….basic stuff.  Numbers and strike improve in 1 swing, then we spend 58 minutes getting past, “This feels weird.” 😜😜😜😜😜

Yeah, it's clear even from the small number of players we see posting here that this is a far bigger problem than it should be. Is it an issue with the training coaches get? I liken it to MDs(or GPs in the UK) who get their training 20 years ago and then do nothing to learn or update after that. My partner just got diagnosed with a condition that no longer exists! It's been superseded by a new name that better describes it and includes other aspects. This was by a top specialist too. 

 

It seems to me that lots of teaching pros teach these tired cliches or short cuts due to similar outdated learning, but I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the reasons why this happens. 

 

As an aside, I noticed that we have a couple of new forum users who teach falling into this category...

Edited May 17 by TheDeanAbides

[MonteScheinblum]

1 hour ago, TheDeanAbides said:

Yeah, it's clear even from the small number of players we see posting here that this is a far bigger problem than it should be. Is it an issue with the training coaches get? I liken it to MDs(or GPs in the UK) who get their training 20 years ago and then do nothing to learn or update after that. My partner just got diagnosed with a condition that no longer exists! It's been superseded by a new name that better describes it and includes other aspects. This was by a top specialist too. 

 

It seems to me that lots of teaching pros teach these tired cliches or short cuts due to similar outdated learning, but I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the reasons why this happens. 

 

As an aside, I noticed that we have a couple of new forum users who teach falling into this category...

There are many teaching pros who do the medical equivalent of bloodletting with leeches as a catch all.

[TheDeanAbides]

4 minutes ago, MonteScheinblum said:

There are many teaching pros who do the medical equivalent of bloodletting with leeches as a catch all.

You know we still use leeches in the UK, right? 

[RayPlan]

5 hours ago, TheDeanAbides said:

Yeah, it's clear even from the small number of players we see posting here that this is a far bigger problem than it should be. Is it an issue with the training coaches get? I liken it to MDs(or GPs in the UK) who get their training 20 years ago and then do nothing to learn or update after that. My partner just got diagnosed with a condition that no longer exists! It's been superseded by a new name that better describes it and includes other aspects. This was by a top specialist too. 

 

It seems to me that lots of teaching pros teach these tired cliches or short cuts due to similar outdated learning, but I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the reasons why this happens. 

 

As an aside, I noticed that we have a couple of new forum users who teach falling into this category...

These teaching pros need to watch more YouTube videos

[golferdude54]

3 hours ago, MonteScheinblum said:

There are many teaching pros who do the medical equivalent of bloodletting with leeches as a catch all.

 

How great is Stand By Me, by the way? Such a classic.

[ezra76]

On 5/15/2025 at 8:55 AM, iacas said:

 

 

 

P.S. You should post a single slow-mo (high speed) video from each of two GOOD camera angles.

 

P.P.S. Being able to practice as little as 15 minutes a day at home hitting AlmostGolf balls into a sheet in your garage can have big gains.

I made a couple videos hitting 7iron after doing some swings with training aids.  

       

 

Edited May 17 by ezra76