Not good at asking for help; but I really need help and advice
 

Good morning,
I'm new to the forum as of this morning and need to vent somewhere. I'm so frustrated and angry with my lack of success with trying to play golf reasonably well that a part of me wants to simply quit. I watched some of the most unathletic players you've ever seen hit balls really well yesterday at the range while my stroke cut across more balls than I could even count. I deliberately didn't take my sons with me because I was embarrased for them to see me struggle to such an extent. I've ordered the alignment golf dvd and when it arrives it really will be my last attempt to find a guide that will help me physically put into place the principles from G.O.L.F. I understand them in my head, but I completely fall apart on the application. I'm not good at asking for help, but I really need some help. Is there anyone in the Dallas or McKinney Texas area that can help? or any advice from the forum that I can hang my hat on?

Basic Training
 

Welcome aboard, Determined, and thanks for this first post. You are not the first golfer to experience problems with the dreaded 'cut across'. In fact, it's probably safe to say that 90 percent of the golfing populace cuts across the ball (some more than others).

We are here to help.

:)

How long have you been playing golf?

How much time are you able to devote to the game (practice and play)?

Have you participated in other sports? Especially those involved with hitting a ball, e.g., baseball, hockey, ping pong, polo. Or, with throwing a ball, e.g. baseball, basketball. How did you do?

In the absence of notable athletic prowess, would you consider yourself reasonably well-coordinated? At the very least, when you walk, do your arms swing?

Let me put it like this . . .

If you can devote a reasonable amount of time to mastering a relative handful of fundamentals, then you can enjoy a respectable performance on the range and on the course. I suggest you start with the Grip (few poor golfers have a good grip) and, to coordinate the basic elements of the swing, the MacDonald Exercises here: http://lynnblakegolf.com/index.php/G...20861548192705.

Good luck!

P.S. Love your signature!

:salut:

Thanks for the quick response & encouragement. I've been "trying to play" for about a year. I do consider myself to be athletic as I had a successful collegiate tennis career and still maintain a very structured fitness routine to date. I can practice and/or play 2 to 3 times a week; more if I involve my kids. I know I need to start from scratch, and I'm anxious for the alignment golf dvds to arrive. In the meantime, I will jump right on the MacDonald Exercises.

The Right Track
 

Start with the Grip. It will take a few weeks for the correct alignments to become second nature.

As you work toward this end, do your MacDonald Exercises. There you will learn the correct relationships of the Body, Arms and Hands and how they are integrated into a sound Golf Stroke. Study and emulate the Address photos of Larry Nelson . Also, my own Grip and Flying Wedge alignments.

You're now on your way. Stay with it . . .

This stuff works!

:3gears:

Dude tennis? You came to the right place. The book was written by a tennis player who was frustrated by golf and developed a right sided approach to the game.

You are going to love the Right Forearm Flying Wedge. Something you won't find anywhere else.

O.B.Left,
That's encouraging to know. After spending some time combing through the forum, I'm chomping at the bits for the Alignment golf dvd's to arrive. The fact that I could hit a tennis ball powerfully and accurately, yet a golf ball weakly and without accuracy, is frustrating to say the least. I know it's there, I just need to put the pieces together. I look forward to the journey.

"Golf's unique move" as Homer referred to it, is the ability to straighten the right arm without unbending the right wrist. Something that can be the source of frustration for good athletes who take the game up.

As a side note , this business of straightening the right arm....it can be done passively (as in swinging) or actively (hitting). Both methods are very right sided in a way. This sounds like a riddle I bet. Welcome to TGM.

I was thinking along these lines myself, but since I am an European myself, I didn't mention it.

O.B.Left & Air,
I'll be 41 next week and I'd like to enjoy this game for many years to come. I'm wondering which stroke will be more sustainable when I'm 60, 70, or older. I've read the generalizations that flexibility lends itself to swinging and strength lends itself to hitting. I saw the home video on this site of Mr. Hogan "swinging" at what looks like an advanced age. He looked like he had trouble walking to the ball, but once he began his stroke, the fluidity and amount of snap he generated with his pivot was amazing. What are your opinions on the sustainability of swinging and hitting? Thanks

Well I'm 62 and it isn't the age that has kept me back - so far - but bad alignments...the age is not going to get any better, but the alignments are.
Yoda is 64 and has good alignments - He's doing just fine.