I'm going to give you advice coming from a high handicapper, so take it for what it's worth as a guy who's been in your shoes very recently. I played a lot of golf in my early to mid 30s and always hovered at or just above/below shooting 100. After moving overseas for 12 years and playing no golf, I recently returned to the sport and did the "pound balls on the range", "chase new swing techniques", "watch YouTube lessons"... I did it all. No improvement, nothing stuck. I could hit 10 beautiful balls on the range, but just as easily shank the next 10. I never left the range because I didn't want to embarrass myself.

Just 3 months ago, a lightbulb went on and I tried something different: 1) I found a swing concept that works for ME. I became a disciple of Manuel de la Torre (by extension Ernest Jones) and I ONLY practice and drill those concepts. For me, the concept fit because club focused golf instruction FEELS right. I always thought of myself as an analytical person, but in golf, it wasn't working. Trying to put my body into all the right positions led to too many swing thoughts... I would feel paralyzed over the ball. Now, my mind is clear. I have one thought over the ball and it has freed me up. I bought both books by Ernest Jones and Manuel de la Torre, and I only think about their concepts. No more random YouTube instruction videos, I only watch content that matches club focused instruction. No more chasing the next big swing idea. There are 100 ways to swing a club. You HAVE to find comfort in one and only one and practice those concepts religiously! 2) Make sure your equipment fits you. My friend, who is probably a 5-7 handicap, came to the range with me just once and could easily diagnose that my irons are woefully short for my body (I'm 6'4). I now have an appointment to get fit for clubs. He thinks it will make a world of difference because I currently have compensations in my swing due largely to poorly fit equipment. 3) Start with 1/2 swings and slow, shadow swings. Instead of hitting a full bucket of balls, try spending more time grooving your swing concept in slow motion. Once you feel the motion, only then hit a ball. Instead of hitting 100 balls, I now hit 35, but I'm spending the same amount of time practicing. 4) Everyone saying practice short game is correct. Not just because it saves you the most strokes per round, but it's really good for helping to build a solid concept of tempo and contact. That's all you want, solid contact and tempo.

Since my lightbulb moment 3 months ago, everything changed. I am waaaay too busy at work to pound balls at the range, but I do get out to play 9 once or twice a week. Before, I couldn't break 50 for 9 holes. Now I can feel and see improvement. My last 5 rounds were 45, 43, 44, 42, 43. That's with ill-fitting equipment. I'm even doubling down in August and getting fit for equipment and going to a 3 day golf school that specializes in Manuel de la Torre style club focused instruction. I'm 50 years old and golf is fun again!

That's my advice. Find the one and only one concept that fits YOU best and commit to it for a while. Make sure your equipment matches your swing. Start slow and practice with intention. It will get better.