Frustrating game. When I lived in CA, I played a fair amount, never a lesson. I got "decent" I guess; never kept track of my handicap but used to hit low 90s consistently, broke 90 a few times. I decided a few years ago I really wanted to be good. As a coordinated, athletic guy with good muscle memory developed from years of swimming and other sporting pursuits, I decided to take a lesson. There was no reason I couldn't hit in the 70s if I put my mind to it, right? So I took a lesson. Biggest mistake ever. Well, biggest poor coaching selection probably. This is about how it went down. Instructor: Take a few swings for me, let me see what you've got. Me: Swing, swing, swing, swing Instructor: Looks good, you have a nice swing for a guy who's never taken a lesson. I notice you don't ever really release the club though. I want you to swing, again, but this time, think about [three new ideas, which we'll call] A, B, and C. Me: OK, swing. Instructor: Better. Now, swing again, but this time think about D, E, and F. Me: OK, swing. Instructor: Good. You did D and E well, but you missed F. And it's like you forgot about A and B. Swing again, but remember all six things, and also, try doing G and H as well. Me: Ok, swing. [By this time, who knows where the ball is going.] Instructor: Better on G and H, pretty decent on A, C, D, and F, but the rest were off. Now swing again, but also I, J, and K. Me:


And so on and so forth, me swinging once, and him introducing 2-3 new concepts or ideas with each swing. 15 minutes into the lesson, I had swung the club 15 times, and had 45 new things to remember. By the end of the hour, I was so screwed up I had no idea what I was doing. I didn't play again for about 4 years. He totally ruined it for me. I quite literally had no desire to set foot on a golf course. Finally, last year, I got an invite to play Caves Valley, which is about the nicest club in the Baltimore area (hosted a US Senior Open a few years back) so I went out and practiced a bit and bought a new driver and 5-wood. Really surprised myself - I played very well. We got rained out about 12 holes in, but I was probably 6 over or something. I was on pace to play the greatest round of my life. Caddy was huge though - probably responsible for knocking 5 strokes off my score alone. Haven't played since, but I got invited to go back to Caves July 4 weekend, so I have to go back to the range and try to figure it out again. My new woods are nice, Taylor Mades and I can hit them very nicely. Irons are some really, really old "Tour Made Scorcher" brand (Taylor-Made Burner knockoffs) that are probably 20 years old now; I bought them secondhand off some guy I knew when I was a teenager. But they work.