Practice, Goals, and progress. How can I become better?

Question
QUESTION: Dathaeus,

Hello, my name is Josh and I have recently become serious about my golf game.  I have been playing off and on for the past 5-6 years.  Just last year, I started golfing 2-4 times a week.  This year, I have decided to devote a substantial portion of my time to become a better golfer and hopefully begin to play in amateur tournaments once I feel I have improved enough.

At this time, on my best day, I can pull off 4-6 pars, 1-2 birdies, 1-2 db, and the rest bogeys.  I typically shoot in the mid-high 80s.  I have never had any lessons, but I constantly watch pro swings and compare them to my own.

I am 23 years old and have always had talent in sports.  I have wrestled, golfed, played tennis, soccer and track and field.  I am positive that my athleticism and natural talent is strong enough to support my goal of becoming a professional BUT I need to know what I need to do to become one.

How can I develop a proper and consistent swing?  I understand how to hit most of the shots in golf and can do so in a small percentage (small because of my lack of consistent striking).

This summer, I would like to try and get a few lessons, go to the range 4-5 times a week, golf 2-3 times a week and follow an exercise routine used by Camilo Villegas.  That is if my finances can afford it.

From my analysis, my major problem areas is aim and follow through.  I tend to hit my drives straight.  My low iron shots are mediocre.  My biggest problems seem to be from 150 and lower.  How can I improve? What suggestions do you have for a poor college student who has great confidence in his abilities but lacks the funding to improve?

I would greatly like to make my collegiate golf team this upcoming year but I need to have an average score of 77 or better.  How can I get there?  Please help.  I greatly appreciate any and all advice that you may provide from your expertise.

Thank you,

Joshua

ANSWER: Hello and thank you for asking.  First, the stat that was most glaring was the average 1-2 birdies per round.  Are you sure about that?  That is highly inconsistent with payers of your ability, and if it is true I need to know it is accurate because that changes the whole process for you.

Otherwise, you say you hit the drive fairly straight but do you know how far it flies?

I also will need an analysis of your short game, from inside 100 yards, mid-range 40-60 yarders, pitch shots, chip shots, flop shots, bunker shots, and then putting from lag to within 3 footers.

Also how much time do you have to devote to this and also do you have a place you can practice for free?

If you can please answer all these at my more active page at

http://answerway.com/profile.php?expid=Dathaeus

and ask me the question there, thank you.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Daltheaus,  I tried to log on the other site but I am having problems receiving the confirmation email to ask.  If I receive it soon, I will post the below answer:


Thank you for your response.  I will do my best to answer your questions as honestly as possible to help your analysis.
Birdies- I am usually good for one birdie per round.  It just depends on my striking for the day.  I can get GIR on some par 5s or short par 4s.  On those holes, I can sometimes pull out a birdie.
Drives- I can typically hit a straight drive, in the fairway or first cut of rough, at a distance of about (estimated) 280.  Drives are straight (75-80%) but sometimes land left or right of where I aim.
Short game- I greatly need improvement from 70-100, and 10-40.  I normally take a SW, with full swing, from 40-70 and can do so pretty accurately. I believe I need to add a gap wedge to improve my game in gapped yardage area.  I just started to learn flop shots and have about a 15% success rate, so I haven抰 been using it.  Chip shots and pitch shots are somewhat easy for me, but I lack the spin or accuracy for good placement. Thin or fat shots are a problem. My main problem with this area is accuracy and getting on the green in regulation.  By the time I get on the green, I抦 putting for par from about 10-30 feet.
Putting- I tend to think my putting is fairly consistent and accurate.  My lag putting from far distances is pretty good.  I抳e holed many long putts and can normally get within 2-3 feet.  However, with more length, 3 feet turns into 4-5 feet.
Practice- I am capable of practicing every day during the week for 1-3 hours and, on weekends, I am completely free.  There is a local course that might allow me to practice shortgame and putting.  There is also a local driving range that may allow me to practice for relatively cheap.  I was thinking of paying the owner a fee to use the facility over the summer.  
I live in PA, so practice facilities are somewhat limited.  Once again, thank you for your input and help.  I have tried to be completely honest in this analysis.  Please let me know if I can provide anything else.  Thanks.  
-Joshua

Answer
Ok let me start with the general first:

- Best way to practice a ton and not spend too much money is work at a golf course with decent practice facilities.  I do not know your job situations but we all work at a golf course unless we have a lot of cash to spend for membership, even if you have to work as a bag room attendant.

- This is how your practice routine should look like for what your time allotment was stated as above and you are serious about your game:

Mon: 2 hours hitting balls, 1 hour putting (or less depending on daylight, time, etc...)
Tue: 2 hours pitching/chipping, 1 hour putting
Wed: 2 hours pitching/wedge game under 135 yards, 1 hour putting
Thu: 2 hour hitting balls, 1 hour putting
Fri: 2 hours pitching/chipping, 1 hour putting
Sat: 18+ holes/putting
Sun: 18+ holes/putting

You can vary some things here and there slightly but not to much.  If you know for SURE you need to make a swing change, substitute another day of chipping for full swing and get some more reps in.

When I was working hard, most of my days, with some slight variance, would look like this:

08:00: Chipping
09:00: Putting
09:30: Breakfast
10:00: Full swing on range
11:00: 18 holes
14:30: Lunch
15:00: 9-18 holes (might play multiple balls)
18:00: Chipping/putting
19:30: Dinner

Keep in mind, doing this is for GAME IMPROVEMENT.  Not all tour pros have this regimen.  Tiger used to do this about 3-4 times a week because he always works on something, but not anymore since he is trying to be a "good father" and still needs to leave time to take care of all his girlfriends.

If you need further analysis on different parts of your game please work on them and send me specific questions on each, and try to do it on Answerway.com again, thank you.  This site does not allow me to keep this answers so it is a waste of my time after a while.