Handicap doubled.

[Jonesy13]

about this time last year I started to take lessons. Now I have seen my handicap doubled. Has this happen to anyone? And if so, How long should I wait to give up hope.

[luv2golow]

Never give up hope. Usually there will be periods when it will get worse before it gets better. Find out where you are giving up your strokes and focus on practicing those things. Gonna be a long winter.... lots of time to rejeuvinate your mind for the season to come.;)

[SoNgMaN]

what was it before and what is it now?

it's hard to believe that with ESC that it would double unless you were a <10 index

[hogannut]

It took TIger over 2 years both in 1998 and then again in 2004, so try not to get discouraged. Not exactly sure what you are working on, but if you are not going to the range at least -2 times per week AND working on the drills your instructor told you to do then there is no reason you should be taking lessons. Keep the $ and spend it on green fees.

Not trying to be rude here and not passing judgement but when going through swing changes you must be prepared to work on it, even if it means sacrificing playing time.

You have 6months now to work on your game. Plan on working on your game at least 1-2 times per week in the winter.

Also, IMO....if you are going to the range and are working on things your teacher is telling you to work on maybe you could try another instructor just for a 2nd opinion.

I was a 3 this year and went through swing changes and really didn't feel comfortable until mid AUgust and started playing well at that point. I was almost a 6 at one point and am a 4 now.

Hang in there, trust what you are doing will pay off in the long run.

[TourIQ]

I'd get a new coach, and not sure who you are using nor does it matter.

[Hombre Lefty]

if you are not going to the range at least -2 times per week AND working on the drills your instructor told you to do then there is no reason you should be taking lessons. Keep the $ and spend it on green fees.

I respectfully disagree. One of my pet peeves that i keep bugging my wife about is she keeps saying she wants to get so much better in this area and that one, but when i say let's practice she says she's rather play 18.

If you're happy playing the way you are (this goes for anybody) then play 18 as often as you can. But if you truly want to get better you will almost NEVER do it on the course. If anything, you need to forego your rounds for a few weeks (maybe not now since it's fall but say next year) and practice proper fundamentals. People forget that playing 18 holes was always intended as a TEST of your golfing proficiency. Saying you will play a round without ever practicing or getting lessons is almost exactly like saying you're going to your algebra test having decided not to study and having never seen your instructor. How do you think you would do on the algebra test just winging it? Golf is exactly the same, to do well you need to have done your homework. Unless a bad score is acceptable to you (and many people fall into this category, although the original poster seems not to be) then you have to practice more than you play until you get to where you want to be. it's the only way. About the only thing a round of 18 is good for as far as learning is in dealing with emotions and practicing course management. I may be in the minority, but i actually prefer to be on the range, and then play 18 when i feel ready to play my best.

[goshawk]

Jonesy, you made the decision to make swing changes a few months ago. I don't know what your hdcp was before you started, but if you doubled it, I would say that's pretty normal. It does take some time for the new swing to become instinctive, as opposed to having to think about it all the time. The ONLY thing that will speed up this process is proper practice. And I'm not talking about going to the range and banging balls. That serves no purpose other than a physical workout. Spend the time at the range concentrating on nothing but the swing moves you were given. It should take longer than your "normal" range session because you should be analyzing every swing to make sure you're feeling what you were taught.
Your range time should be concentrating on the method, not the result. It can be a slow process, but when you no longer have the "think" about the swing, you'll be on your way to a lower hdcp.
One word of caution though. Don't forget to continue practicing on the short game. It doesn't take long to lose some of your touch around the green. Getting the driver and irons working properly is great, but it's the short game that will save strokes. For instance, if your new swing gets to the point of hitting a high, arching 7-iron onto the green from 180 yards and you 3 putt, what have you really accomplished?

[hoganapexplus]

Practice,practice,practice. Swing changes are tough and even just trying to implement a few things can be challenging when you have done things a certain way before. Stick with it and see if next spring looks the same. If it does either get more lessons from the same guy to firm up their ideas or look for a new coach.

[Jonesy13]

I can`t say if it is lack of confidence in the things that are suppose to make my swing more repeatable. It might also be that I`m so focused on these changes that I have let other parts of my game slip.

[Fiji]

Jonesy, you made the decision to make swing changes a few months ago. I don't know what your hdcp was before you started, but if you doubled it, I would say that's pretty normal.

I agree. When you do such changes it will get worse before it gets better but it will improve for sure. Just be consistent with what you've changed and don't forget the short game as goshawk said..

[johnthegolfer]

I can`t say if it is lack of confidence in the things that are suppose to make my swing more repeatable. It might also be that I`m so focused on these changes that I have let other parts of my game slip.

Practice what your teacher is preaching when you are at the range.

When you get out on the course, just play.

Try not to use time on the course to fix your game. When I was learning the game, I would always have so many 'swing thoughts' which I had been taught or had read in the latest golf magazine that I could not make a nice swing.

Now I try to work on the swing at the range and the only thing I focus on when playing is my tempo. After my shot I might analyse that shot for a moment but then make sure not to focus on anything I had done wrong when I play my next shot (just file away any 'problems' to be dealt with at the next range session/lesson).

It made a world of difference.

JTG

[trunckslammer1]

If you're happy playing the way you are (this goes for anybody) then play 18 as often as you can. But if you truly want to get better you will almost NEVER do it on the course. If anything, you need to forego your rounds for a few weeks (maybe not now since it's fall but say next year) and practice proper fundamentals.

Agreed. If you are happy with your game and just want to play golf as a social outing, then just play. To improve, you have to take lessons and practice, spend time on the range, short game, putting etc.
Over the years, I have done all of that and it shows. This year, no range time, just playing and it shows too. I really have to grind it out for good scores, otherwise, it is just a walk in a park.

[hogannut]

I respectfully disagree. One of my pet peeves that i keep bugging my wife about is she keeps saying she wants to get so much better in this area and that one, but when i say let's practice she says she's rather play 18.

If you're happy playing the way you are (this goes for anybody) then play 18 as often as you can. But if you truly want to get better you will almost NEVER do it on the course. If anything, you need to forego your rounds for a few weeks (maybe not now since it's fall but say next year) and practice proper fundamentals. People forget that playing 18 holes was always intended as a TEST of your golfing proficiency. Saying you will play a round without ever practicing or getting lessons is almost exactly like saying you're going to your algebra test having decided not to study and having never seen your instructor. How do you think you would do on the algebra test just winging it? Golf is exactly the same, to do well you need to have done your homework. Unless a bad score is acceptable to you (and many people fall into this category, although the original poster seems not to be) then you have to practice more than you play until you get to where you want to be. it's the only way. About the only thing a round of 18 is good for as far as learning is in dealing with emotions and practicing course management. I may be in the minority, but i actually prefer to be on the range, and then play 18 when i feel ready to play my best.

Playing the game is NOT practice. This is applicable for all sports/games. Of course ANY kind exposure is bound to produce some kind of results I'm not arguing that.

I will say 100% (and back me up here instructors) as a former CGTF instructor if you did a 1 hour range session once a week and played once a week you would improve more than just playing. PGA guys don't spend hours and hours on the range and putting green for no reason.

I do agree that being in a game situation does help with the mental side of things, but you will have way more mental confidence and therefore ability if you "trust" your mechanics and practice is the only way to build solid mechanics.

Take a look at John Daly. Immense natural talent, doesn't practice very much and therefore has not performed as well as he could have since he first hit the scene in the early 90's.

Just ask any musician if practice is necessary in order to play the concert.

[Hombre Lefty]

Just ask any musician if practice is necessary in order to play the concert.

lol i agreed 110% with all of your points until that one. I see an awful lot of successful musicians out there with only a passing familiarity with their instrument :rofl: