SocketRocket
Ryder Cup Winner
Take the group lessons. Have a pen and paper with you to take notes and ask if you dont understand, Good luck and enjoy.
Complete Beginner
- Thread starter DanJen79
- Start date
Canary_Yellow
Journeyman Pro
What a shame, Cabby, had you just had a couple of lessons you could be playing on the PGA tour now.
I’ve had a few lessons that were a bit of a waste of time and money, either because the pro wasn’t great at explaining the feel they wanted me to have, or because their style of tuition didn’t suit me.
However, overall I think lessons have helped for me, but only when combined with a lot of practice and further reading / YouTubing to get more understanding of the issue the pro had identified (ie as many different explanations of the same thing to see which resonates with me).
For a beginner I would say having a couple of lessons focussed solely on the basics of grip, posture etc is always a good idea. Once those are dealt with, I think the next phase is to just hit a lot of balls and see what happens.
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
I think having lessons once you have been playing for a while is a totally different arguement to having some group lessons as a totall beginner.
Surely having some constructive instruction at the outset will result in someone having the right basics set within the mind, rather than trying to learn by yourself and probably getting the basics all wrong and more than likely lead to greater frustration and possible departure from the game.
Very few of us are those annoying natural athletes that can do anything perfectly at the first go.
Surely having some constructive instruction at the outset will result in someone having the right basics set within the mind, rather than trying to learn by yourself and probably getting the basics all wrong and more than likely lead to greater frustration and possible departure from the game.
Very few of us are those annoying natural athletes that can do anything perfectly at the first go.
Orikoru
Tour Winner
Yeah I think group lessons at the very beginner are ideal. That's what I did when I first started at the age of 14 or whatever it was. They just tell you how to stand, how to hold the bat and so on. Then you take that and go your own way with it for a bit before having a one-on-one lesson if you so choose to a little while later.
DanJen79
Newbie
Thanks to everybody for all your input...I’m all booked up for Thursday evening group sessions, so we’ll see how it goes. As long as I get taught some basics to go away and practice, I think I’ll be happy enough.
When you all first started out, did you mainly go to the range to practice, or go out on course and just go for it?
When you all first started out, did you mainly go to the range to practice, or go out on course and just go for it?
Ye, guess I shoulda stuck in there :whoo:however, the way my game is at the moment it's the NBA I've more chance of playing in.
jusme
Challenge Tour Pro
I think both has its place. I use the range to fix faults or groove a swing back in if it goes a little off. You have to be careful you have a plan at the range and take your time. Too often I see people there, including myself, just bashing balls one after the other without much thought. Avoid this!
The range gives you a flat and perfect lie every time. You rarely get this on the course, so practice on the course is important. This includes the difference of turf, and all types of lies - uphill/downhill/sideways etc. Also no rough on the range. Incorporate both into your game
bobmac
Major Champion
Learn how to hold the club correctly,
Learn how to stand correctly at the start of the swing
Learn how to stand correctly at the end of the swing
Keep your head still in the middle and you'll be fine
Learn how to stand correctly at the start of the swing
Learn how to stand correctly at the end of the swing
Keep your head still in the middle and you'll be fine
The Autumn Wind
Assistant Pro
Welcome to the forum.
Spending time on the practice range is great to work on improving your game, because you hit far more shots in a much shorter time period. The course is more fun though, and it's where you get to measure your progress. So have fun doing both !
My tip - spend a lot of your practice time improving your putting and short game. Don't think it's all about hitting long shots !
Good luck and enjoy the sport.
TreeSeeker
Assistant Pro
There was a good deal for just the par 3 course at the club nearest to me, which i used alot. And when the weather was bad i'd use the range... so i mostly used the range.
Started off using 100 balls a go at the range, after being on here a little swapped down to 25 or 50 and feel that i got more out of it.
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
I would advocate using the range to ingrain the correct set up and get use to the correct way of swinging and then get out on the course and play and learn how to deal with different lies. Work on the short game and putting as well. Enjoy the learning, enjoy the practice and enjoy playing
Interesting vid from Mark Crossfield last night about lessons, basically sayin don't expect the pro to have all the answers, you have to put the work in.
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
Saw that but as a complete beginner, I think the OP would still be better off getting the basics taught correctly from the outset rather than having to make compensations that will take time to clear up later. I think he makes a valid point that the pupil has to take away the information given, work at it and feed back the progress or lack of it
Agreed, does the OP state his age ?? As like anything, if you come to a sport later in life, you're unlikely to progress in the same way as someone who starts much younger.
DanJen79
Newbie
Of course, I wouldn’t expect the Pro to have all of the answers...I assume like any sport, everyone develops their own styles, has their own quirks and just develops differently to anyone else. I’m very happy to put plenty of work into it as long as it turns out to be something I enjoy. Fingers crossed the Pro makes it interesting and fun to start with!
DanJen79
Newbie
I’m 38, so I’m not expecting miracles. As long as I can hit relatively straight to start with I’ll be happy.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
On the clubs - I'd go with recommendations of the others - though I wouldn't worry about getting them reshafted - regripped yes - reshafted nope.
And definitely go for lessons. I think group lessons at first get you the basics of 'about the game'; stance; grip; swing. My view is simply that you need to understand how to stand and hold a golf club and then spend time trying to hit the damn ball. You don;t need one-on-one lessons for that. Once you got the idea and have decided to persevere (even although it might seem nigh on impossible) then go for one-on-one lessons to get the basics sorted properly.
BTW - I didn't go for lessons when I started (parents couldn't afford such an extravagance - weren't even considered) - and so I learnt out a book and playing with my mates - and in time I got good enough by playing a lot to not embarrass myself.
I didn't practice because not having had a lesson I didn't actually know how or whatto practice. So when a few years ago my game fell apart I was stuck. I couldn't get back to what I had taught myself over a period of 35yrs and had no idea what I was doing wrong and so couldn't fix myself.
I have now had a couple of lessons. The pro spotted my issue immediately and we worked on how to fix it - I had absolutely no idea that I was doing what I was. And now my main problem now seems fixed - and I can practice what I have been taught - and so things are actually improving - not just getting back to what they were 'before'.
So yes - def Lessons.
And definitely go for lessons. I think group lessons at first get you the basics of 'about the game'; stance; grip; swing. My view is simply that you need to understand how to stand and hold a golf club and then spend time trying to hit the damn ball. You don;t need one-on-one lessons for that. Once you got the idea and have decided to persevere (even although it might seem nigh on impossible) then go for one-on-one lessons to get the basics sorted properly.
BTW - I didn't go for lessons when I started (parents couldn't afford such an extravagance - weren't even considered) - and so I learnt out a book and playing with my mates - and in time I got good enough by playing a lot to not embarrass myself.
I didn't practice because not having had a lesson I didn't actually know how or whatto practice. So when a few years ago my game fell apart I was stuck. I couldn't get back to what I had taught myself over a period of 35yrs and had no idea what I was doing wrong and so couldn't fix myself.
I have now had a couple of lessons. The pro spotted my issue immediately and we worked on how to fix it - I had absolutely no idea that I was doing what I was. And now my main problem now seems fixed - and I can practice what I have been taught - and so things are actually improving - not just getting back to what they were 'before'.
So yes - def Lessons.
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DanJen79
Newbie
Well, I’ve not been back long and I must say I really enjoyed the lesson. There were only 5 of us, The Pro was a really nice fellow and I think we all got enough time to make it worth while.
I was the only complete beginner, but I think I held my own. He said my set up was very good and the only obvious problem to begin with was that I wasn’t following all the way through, which I have now started doing and it feels much better than what I was doing...and the ball more consistently went in the right direction!
Thank you everybody for all of your input and encouragement and I think I’ve found myself a game that I shall enjoy for a long to come.
I was the only complete beginner, but I think I held my own. He said my set up was very good and the only obvious problem to begin with was that I wasn’t following all the way through, which I have now started doing and it feels much better than what I was doing...and the ball more consistently went in the right direction!
Thank you everybody for all of your input and encouragement and I think I’ve found myself a game that I shall enjoy for a long to come.
