Hi, I'm Ginsu and I have a problem

[ginsu]

I think this is the best venue to formally introduce myself. What is my problem, you ask? I suck at golf, but LOVE this game. But enough about me, let's talk about me: I shoot in the low 110's mostly and can't find the time to consistently improve. Between work as a retail store manager(read: works a lot of weekends and extra hours) and family(wife and very busy 3-year old) I only get to play once or twice a month, and almost no range time. I've taken one lesson, and it helped a lot, but my schedule got worse and could't practice. All that to say: Hi long time lurker, short time poster and glad to be here. You guys foster a real sense of community here and that's what has kept me coming back. If you're ever in Vantucky hit me up, and i'll be sure to make you feel better about your game in four holes or less

[julie2golf]

Don't feel bad about what you score, at the moment you just can't get to the golf course.(don't you just hate it, when life interferes with your golf ).
Your golf will get better when you have more time to get out on the course. It won't happen overnight, but it will happen.

[JEFF4i]

You can improve, it's just knowing where to start. If you can find the time I highly recommend a couple lessons, you'll see your game drastically improve.

[SiberianDVM]

What you need is more club swinging time. As well as more short game time. Do whatever you have to do to get at least 5 hours a week of practice. The the range would be best, but if you can't find one that is open when you're off then, you're gonna have to substitute: a Whippy Tempomaster to swing, a putting mat, and a chipping area in your yard.

[bames]

When you do play keep track of Fairways, GIRs, and Putts for the round. Choose one of these areas to work on at the range/putting green until you've seen improvement, at which time you can move onto another area. This may require that you not hit something other than driver to work on fairways, or lay up on the 205 yard second shot, or focus on lag putting that will eliminate 3 putts. This is something I did and if it weren't for a triple on a par-3 today I would have broken 40! It seems overwhelming to tackle it all at once.

[ginsu]

Hey thanks for the input guys. I can feel the beginnings of some game deep down inside, it's just getting opportunities to improve. I've gone back to the Hogan book again lately and am working on the grip right now. I cut an old shaft right at the end of the grip and keep checking my grip for a few minutes daily. I am lobbying for a chipping/putting area as a part of the backyard redo we are working on, but it's a long shot for sure. Once holiday (or as I like to call it-the killing season) is over I am connecting with the pro that I've met to get a couple more lessons and scheduling dedicated practice time each week. I'll break 100 next season. Guaranteed. If I can get my chipping and putting in line, it'll be a lock. I'm decent from tee to 65 yards out, from there in I don't trust myself and the wheels come off. I am master of the 3-putt. had 18 3-putt greens last time out. Take one putt off each of those holes, I'd have shot 93.

[Bubble Head]

You sound like me. Though my kids are old enough to make it a little easier.

1. Get the range time. I found one that is only 5 min out of my way on the way home. I can hit a small bucket and still get home at a reasonable time. Time lost to rest of my life, 1 hour a week for some practice.

2. Stay with the lessons.

3. I bought a big gun driver and it stays in the car unless I am playing a scramble. I am not good enough to hit more than 1 fairway in 5. Better to be 30 yards shorter and a good lie.

4. Tracking the details of your score is great. I don't track greens in regulation yet. I just track hitting the fairway on par 4 or greater holes and putts per hole. I hit 1.8 putts per hole. Not great, but it is not holding me up. My problem was hitting fairways. I put away the big stick and dropped my score by 4 strokes for 9.

By the way, there are several of us near Portland. Gotta love the rain.

[HighTopFade]

I still can't get over the username. "can slice anything".

[Poe4soul]

Ginsu,
You don't need much of an area to practice chipping. I bought some of those "almost balls" and even pitch in my house. I haven't broken anything with them. I've skulled a few into the wall - no damage. I hit small flops onto the bed, low spinners across the living room. When it is not raining I will chip in the back yard. I bought a small chipping mat and hit from my patio to 20 to 30 yards out. I'm now deadly from green side.

[JEFF4i]

How true are the ball flights as far as distance on those "almost balls?" I'm curious because I wouldn't mind some for my place, but unless I know the ball is going to travel exactly how it would in reality, then it would be futile.

[ginsu]

The almost golf balls are great, except the kid and the cat both love them as much as I do, so they seem to disappear as quickly as I can find them. I'm beginning to do some carpet putting lately, and I was beginning to chip about the yard a bit, but the monsoon season has set in, drastically limiting my options. Lessons are a given, the wife has already said a series of them is my Christmas gift. I'm basically on hold until Jan. 1. The next 8 weeks are just too hectic in the retail world to do much else...