Another newbie

[Buckbeak]

Hi all,

This is my first post since joining, so I'm sorry if this topic has been brought up many times before/is in the wrong section/or just too boring to answer! Also, I must apologise in advance for my complete lack of knowledge.

Anyway, I've just joined my first proper golf club and I am keen to get my first handicap and start seeing some improvements in my game this year.

I do have some lessons lined up in the next couple of weeks, which I'm sure will help with this, but I was wondering what sort of clubs I should be using as a novice, or whether it doesn't really matter at this stage?

In my bag is: Callaway X2 Hot driver, Wilson deep red hybrid, set of Nike VRs 4-PW, 56 degree wedge and Wilson Infinite putter.

I play okay for a novice I think, some good and some bad shots. I normally finish the round in the higher 90s on average (around the 24-28+ mark and some bad days well over that).

The whole point of this post is to see if there's anything I can do to help improve my game. I've obviously got the coaching coming up, but will playing regularly also help bring down my score? And is there any specific clubs that would help a novice bring it down? And is there anything missing from my bag that would help me?

Thanks if you've managed to keep reading this far.

 

[Midnight]

Welcome to the forum mate.

Where do you play ? I cannot offer advice on improving your game mate as I am pretty crap at this game. There will be people along who can offer a lot of good advice.

Stick at it and enjoy. The one thing I would say is even when things go wrong, still enjoy it as there are loads of people who would happily swap places with you.

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

Welcome along, its good to see you have arranged professional help, my advice is ignore all advice on here and be guided by the pro, he will see you warts and all and is definitely best placed to advise you.

Where do you play ?

 

[ScienceBoy]

I cannot offer advice on improving your game mate as I am pretty crap at this game.

Still used to beat me every time we played

 

[Buckbeak]

Thanks for the advice all. I'm looking forward to my professional lessons, although a little scared that he'll tell me my swing is 100% useless!

I moved to London a few years ago and live quite close to Mitcham Golf Club, so I joined there at the start of the year. Not the longest course, but the greens and tees are really well kept and everyone seems friendly enough – so can't complain too much.

 

[IanM]

What you are doing is fine! Just keep at it.

Lessons at this point are far better and much cheaper than any magic equipment.

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

Thanks for the advice all. I'm looking forward to my professional lessons, although a little scared that he'll tell me my swing is 100% useless!

I moved to London a few years ago and live quite close to Mitcham Golf Club, so I joined there at the start of the year. Not the longest course, but the greens and tees are really well kept and everyone seems friendly enough – so can't complain too much.

Lee Trevino said of his own swing 'I look like a caveman clubbing his lunch', he did ok, so don't worry you are not useless. All of us on here of whatever h/c are blessed with L.O.F.T so just enjoy yourself.

 

[User101]

Welcome along, its good to see you have arranged professional help, my advice is ignore all advice on here

I said something not to similar to that the other week and some got affy defensive and offended...

My advice to the OP, drive for show, chip and putt for dough, as good advice now as it was 30/40/50 years ago.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Thanks for the advice all. I'm looking forward to my professional lessons, although a little scared that he'll tell me my swing is 100% useless!

I moved to London a few years ago and live quite close to Mitcham Golf Club, so I joined there at the start of the year. Not the longest course, but the greens and tees are really well kept and everyone seems friendly enough – so can't complain too much.

Don't worry about what your swing might look like. You are a beginner. Besides - hardly any of us have anything even vaguely like what we see the pros do on TV, we develop our own swing. And the best way to start is to get an understanding of some basics and work on these. You'll then develop your own swing on a decent foundation and you'll find that such a swing will work for you to deliver what you expect to achieve.

One difficult thing to fully and completely accept, is that we just don't learn to play golf and we are away; because playing golf is hard and for 99.99% of us impossible to master (if we accept that the very top pros have pretty much mastered it - but they are the only ones); because in many ways golf is in the head as much as in the swing. We can develop a good amateur's swing - but unless our thinking is in the right place - and we are in command of our thoughts and expectations - we will struggle to put together the scores we think our swing merits. But that is golf. It is a game of managed personal expectations and incremental improvement towards realistic goals. But you'll find that no matter the struggles, disappointments and frustrations along the way - the rewards that golf can provide in feelings of achievement, satisfaction and camaraderie are immense.

Welcome to the cruise...or do I mean the asylum

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

I said something not to similar to that the other week and some got affy defensive and offended...

My advice to the OP, drive for show, chip and putt for dough, as good advice now as it was 30/40/50 years ago.

I will put my hard hat on then

 

[clubchamp98]

Welcome.
Golf is like any other game you get out what you put in.
In the early stages I found it helps to practice your 80yds and in (short game chipping etc) as on bad days you can still score ok.

You are doing it correct with your lessons so you don’t get any bad habits.
Just practice what your pro tells you to do and don’t listen to anyone else.

Good or bad days just enjoy the walk in the park.

 

[The Autumn Wind]

Hi Buckbeak,

Having lessons and playing as much as possible (to put what you are taught into practice) is a great way to start out.

The best advice I can give you is to have fun and enjoy the improvement. I play with far too many 'angry' golfers who seem to always expect perfection and are always disappointed. Enjoy the challenge of the ball NOT going where you want it to, and you'll love this fantastic sport of ours.

 

[ScienceBoy]

There is no magic wand, you can potter around as much as you like... I could go on...

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Welcome along

 

[jusme]

Golf clubs have changed a lot over the decades and right now, as has been for a while, you can get your hands on very forgiving golf clubs. These will help your game a fair bit until you groove in a more consistent swing.

I see no reference to your clubs from the posts but am glad to read that what you have right now do fall into the area of 'forgiving clubs. Just wanted to say that clubs you have will not hinder you learning the game.

 

[SaintHacker]

Ignore them all, go and spend as much as can afford on shiny new clubs, its the only real way to improve
Welcome to the forum btw

 

[r0wly86]

Welcome.
Golf is like any other game you get out what you put in.
In the early stages I found it helps to practice your 80yds and in (short game chipping etc) as on bad days you can still score ok.

You are doing it correct with your lessons so you don’t get any bad habits.
Just practice what your pro tells you to do and don’t listen to anyone else.

Good or bad days just enjoy the walk in the park.

This is the best advice possible IMO.

Consistency in your long game will come just with time and clocking hours of swinging a club, of course lessons help. But being green side in two but taking 4 to get in the hole ruins your scoring.

Putting, chipping and pitching are the best ways of improving your scores. If you can keep the ball straightish and in play and are good around the greens you will always score well.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Welcome and hope to see you on some of the meets.

Planning regularly generally improves your scores, as each area slowly improves(whether that is putting, chipping, pitching, full irons, woods, driver).

Enjoy the game and laugh on the bad days is my biggest tip and revelled in it on the good days(as there aren't many!!)