first timer golf lessons - new clubs needed from the start?

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impreza280

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Hi - I recently decided that I would like to take up golf and enquired at my local golf club about lessons. At the first lesson, I turned up with my set of golf clubs which I got 30 years ago but which have seen little use. The Pro said he couldn't teach me with them as they were no good, so I put my trust in him to source me some clubs and handed over £800 to him personally for a set of brand new irons which he brought to the 2nd lesson (as well as £500 for 10 lessons). However, 8 lessons in, I'm not really enjoying it (for reasons I won't yet go into) and I'm now feeling like I would have been no worse off using my existing clubs until I moved on from being a beginner. Did I really need these clubs from the beginning? Is this common practice for a Pro to try and upsell like this?
 
If this isn't a wind-up.. yes you've been ripped off. Any half decent pro would certainly be able to give you a lesson, no matter what clubs you have - and if it's a beginner lesson he could even lend you a club if you didn't have any. Ripping you off to the tune of £800 for new clubs for a beginner is absolutely outrageous. If he's done that, he's only worried about his pocket.
 
Orikoru said:
If this isn't a wind-up.. yes you've been ripped off. Any half decent pro would certainly be able to give you a lesson, no matter what clubs you have - and if it's a beginner lesson he could even lend you a club if you didn't have any. Ripping you off to the tune of £800 for new clubs for a beginner is absolutely outrageous. If he's done that, he's only worried about his pocket.
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No it's not a wind up sadly. I now have a very nice set of clubs which I won't be using. Feels like I was told to get a brand new car to learn to drive in. I have put my trust into the "pro" and I've now got a very bitter taste in my mouth regarding golf. On further checking he's not listed as a Pro on the PGA directory.
 
If you have hardly used them you could make a good bit of the money back. All is not lost.

I'd love to know why you aren't enjoying it after 8 lessons. By this stage you should be able to hit a ball and have some fun.

Are you out playing inbetween lessons and going to the range?
 
impreza280 said:
No it's not a wind up sadly. I now have a very nice set of clubs which I won't be using. Feels like I was told to get a brand new car to learn to drive in. I have put my trust into the "pro" and I've now got a very bitter taste in my mouth regarding golf. On further checking he's not listed as a Pro on the PGA directory.
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What clubs they that he's got you? As in brand and model.

As Gary said - you might be able to sell them without losing much if they're still shiny and new, put half that money towards a decent second-hand set, then find yourself a different pro who isn't a conman and a charlatan. Or just use whatever you've learnt from him (if anything) and just get out on a course and start hacking it round. The weather is great now, and there's no better place to learn golf than on the course.
 
garyinderry said:
If you have hardly used them you could make a good bit of the money back. All is not lost.

I'd love to know why you aren't enjoying it after 8 lessons. By this stage you should be able to hit a ball and have some fun.

Are you out playing inbetween lessons and going to the range?
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The irons are Taylormade Sim 2 with senior shafts - I'm sure I could sell them if that is what I choose to do.
I have been to the range a few times. I started watching a few tuition videos on Youtube e.g. Danny Maude and that seems to have made things worse. My "pro" said that watching them was a bad idea, so I'm confused, especially when some have had over 4M views.

Why I am not enjoying it? Aside from my progress plateauing, the "pro" convinced me I needed a driver, 2 fairways and putter to complete my bag. He has not given me 3 of these 4 clubs after over 2 months Each time I have tried to arrange a lesson in the last 3 weeks I ask about the clubs and then he doesn't come back to me. So now I'm more concerned with being ripped off than enjoying golf. I previously enjoyed a round of pitch & putt and was pretty good at it - right now I despise the thought of anything to do with golf.

I presume he's got some sort of access to discounted clubs and makes a bit on the side?

Out of interest, what sort of financial arrangement is he likely to have with the golf club? employee, contractor or pays a % to the club for each lesson? The club passed my details on to him - I didn't contact him directly.
 
impreza280 said:
The irons are Taylormade Sim 2 with senior shafts - I'm sure I could sell them if that is what I choose to do.
I have been to the range a few times. I started watching a few tuition videos on Youtube e.g. Danny Maude and that seems to have made things worse. My "pro" said that watching them was a bad idea, so I'm confused, especially when some have had over 4M views.

Why I am not enjoying it? Aside from my progress plateauing, the "pro" convinced me I needed a driver, 2 fairways and putter to complete my bag. He has not given me 3 of these 4 clubs after over 2 months Each time I have tried to arrange a lesson in the last 3 weeks I ask about the clubs and then he doesn't come back to me. So now I'm more concerned with being ripped off than enjoying golf. I previously enjoyed a round of pitch & putt and was pretty good at it - right now I despise the thought of anything to do with golf.

I presume he's got some sort of access to discounted clubs and makes a bit on the side?

Out of interest, what sort of financial arrangement is he likely to have with the golf club? employee, contractor or pays a % to the club for each lesson? The club passed my details on to him - I didn't contact him directly.
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YouTube videos can help, but I think you need to know what you're doing wrong in the first place - otherwise the ideas presented in the video might not specifically apply to you.

£800 for Sim 2 irons!? He really has mugged you off. Must have had some in the back of his pro shop that he couldn't shift. They've been out 4 years!

I would say just chuck any old putter in your bag and get out on a par 3 course and start playing. Give that 'pro' a wide berth for a while.
 
I started with a package of 6 lessons for £50 (total) during which the pro game me a random 7i to practice with and playing a par 3 course with rented clubs.
 
3 slazenger clubs from sports direct is all you need for some starter lessons
James Robinson on Rick Shiels shot level par with the set that cost about £100 so they are perfectly adequate !
 
As a very new starter your swing will change quite a bit as you progress. That includes swing speed which might affect what shafts you should have. Whatever clubs he thinks you might need now, that might not be the case in a few months time. Your 30 year old clubs might have served you very well through the lessons as he helped you build a swing.

The clubs he’s sold you might serve you well but his choice was an ignorant guess if he hadn’t seen you swing a few times.

If he is self employed, as many professionals are, you might not get too much joy with the manager. If the manager says he’ll speak to him, ask him can you be there. Let the manager act as a mediator. Ultimately, you need to get the pro to act professionally, and at the very least pay you for what you haven’t received. If you don’t get that it becomes theft, but that’s further down the road and different discussion.
 
Sorry to say but you have been completely done over

There is no doubt

£800 for sim2? Those are £400-500 irons now

You don't need fairways and woods when learning. They can be good but you can get around with irons if you need even still golf bidder for £800 you could have had a pretty decent set of clubs .

The guy is a chancer
 
If you needed anymore convincing, here are brand new SIM 2 Max irons new for £430

TaylorMade SIM 2 Max Irons - Clubhouse Golf

Buy TaylorMade SIM 2 Max Golf Irons Steel Shafts at Clubhouse Golf - for a bigger choice with better value, 5 star customer service, and free UK delivery.
www.clubhousegolf.co.uk www.clubhousegolf.co.uk

He's taken you for a ride I'm afraid. And he is an utter scumbag.
 
You really should report this to the golf club owners/management.
As you describe it, you have been assessed as an easy mark and ripped off.
 
When I first read the post, I thought it was £800 all in for the club's and the 10 lessons.... But £1300 is a wtaf scenario....
 
Neilds said:
Never mind the rip off with the clubs, I’m surprised no one has mentioned that the pro charges £500 for 10 lessons! That is also a rip off.
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Is it? Based on what? We don't know any information

Where is he based? How long are each lesson

My old pro pre COVID was £60 an hour

My current pro is £35 for half hour or £50 an hour

10 lessons for £500 isn't unreasonable depending what type of lessons
 
PJ87 said:
Is it? Based on what? We don't know any information

Where is he based? How long are each lesson

My old pro pre COVID was £60 an hour

My current pro is £35 for half hour or £50 an hour

10 lessons for £500 isn't unreasonable depending what type of lessons
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I’m basing it on my club where 5 lessons are £100-150 depending on pro or assistant. I would hope a beginners package would be similar
 
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