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stuarttunstall

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Hi all

As I head to my later years and retirement I am looking to learn and play golf..

Looking to take some lessons at a local club with the PRO and maybe join said club at a later date.

Looking now for the relevant equipment and will be after advice in due course so stupid questions may follow :)

Any advice in the meantime regarding equipment etc would be appreciated :)

Stuart
 
Take your time, go second hand and build a set. The temptation is too go big too early. The reality is that at this stage you don't know what will suit, what your eye will like. You can blow a lot quickly and end up replacing it all just as quickly

Plenty of second hand sites, also check out FB marketplace for local gear.

Tap into the advice here regarding gear, we've all been through it 👍

Oh, and welcome 😊
 
Welcome. Lots of clubs do group beginner sessions or courses. Good way of meeting people at a similar stage to you and can be cost effective.

If you give a rough location then people can probably suggest a few.

+1 on cheap 2nd hand. You don’t even need a full set to get you started onto the range or even round the course.
 
 
Go secondhand

Try
golfclubs4cash.co.uk

You do not need a matching full set but irons PW upwards (probably you should stop at a 6 iron) should match.
52 and 56 wedge

On their listings they tell you what type of player they are for as a beginner at later years of life go for shafts that are aimed at senior or sometimes called a flex shafts unless you are naturally very strong from playing other arm sports like squash or tennis.

Lofted driver no less loft than 10.5 degree
5 wood
24 or so degree hybrid/rescue club
 
I think it‘s a good time to buy second hand.

Check out the usual online classifieds sites! Right now, I found several complete sets (driver, 3-wood, 5-wood, irons 3–SW, putter) for less than €100,00, which, at least in the photos, looked to be in excellent condition! I think the sellers decided to take up golf, realized it looks easier than it actually is, and gave up—their loss, your gain! :giggle:
 
Welcome , I am approaching retirement too and took up golf again after a lengthy layoff (I was crap back then too) in October.
Half the fun has been browsing eBay for cheap decent clubs to see if I can get a real bargain to gradually replace my 25 yr old beginners budget set…
Eventually I found what really suited me ……

Still spend too long on eBay / Vinted though…..
 
Looking for the local branch phone number of the Samaritans might help. Bloody game does yer head in. But that one shot. That one shot brings you back for more.
Welcome to the forum me man.
 
I just started recently. Well i got the clubs in August and 'joined' my local club in December.

From what people have suggested here the set of clubs i got tends to tick most of the boxes however i went new. I went with the cobra fly xlII set and its has the 6-SW irons, 5 hybrid, 5w & driver. Nice stand bag included. It was about £600 all in. I have seen similar sets on facebook marketplace now for £300 so i would probably take everyone's advice here and buy it used if i went back in time. I expect most brands have a similar entry level set available.

I have added 4 & 5 irons because even though they are harder to hit i do want to master them. I got them used from ebay resellers.

The real winner has been the membership i got. Its called an academy membership and its a bit like an off peak reduced cost membership. Its allowed me to play consistently over the last 4 months and really has improved my game and allowed me to be a regular face around the club. It wasnt cheap buying the clubs and getting the membership but since then i would say its been pretty much £1.50 for a bucket of driving range balls and £2.50 for an after game drink. I bought a bag of 100 reclaimed balls when i first started and over the last couple of months i would say i have more than i started with. Same ball for last 5 rounds.
 
Lessons are key. Equipment not so much just starting out, get some clubs on the cheap and upgrade as you improve.
Welcome and enjoy! Best sport in the world
 
I am going to book a few lessens in the very near future to get started, apart from crazy golf never picked a club up lol but it is something I do want to do now ready for retirement in a couple of years

Thanks all so far for the advice it is appreciated :)
 
Maybe one last piece of well-meaning advice: Don’t forget that golf is “just” a game ! You’re usually your own harshest critic - rarely anyone else ! Have fun and don’t put too much pressure on yourself, especially when - yet again! 🙄 - you’ve missed a shot ! 😩

I know, I know: Look who’s talking ! 😔

But I’m working on it (too) ! 😇
 
stuarttunstall said:
I am going to book a few lessens in the very near future to get started, apart from crazy golf never picked a club up lol but it is something I do want to do now ready for retirement in a couple of years

Thanks all so far for the advice it is appreciated :)
Click to expand...
Enjoy the ride.
Laugh at the bad shots
Revel in the good shots
When you have lessons chat with the pro who will probably recommend or even supply you with clubs to begin with.
Remember it’s more important to be a good golf partner than a good golfer.

Oh and whatever you do never buy a double-headed chipper 😂

Have fun and keep us all updated
 
Yeah I am looking forward to getting started :) I agree it is just a game but I want to be good at it but like you say shrug off the bad shots but learn from them and any advice I can get from the PRO or on sites like this to improve will be good.

No way am I expecting to walk in and be good at it, far from it I think it will be a long slog until I can say I am not bad at this lol

I did speak to the local PRO at a club and he does supply clubs to use at lessons..

Another thing why I want to have lessons, I may just not like it when I start, I think I will but you never know :)
 
stuarttunstall said:
Yeah I am looking forward to getting started :) I agree it is just a game but I want to be good at it but like you say shrug off the bad shots but learn from them and any advice I can get from the PRO or on sites like this to improve will be good.

No way am I expecting to walk in and be good at it, far from it I think it will be a long slog until I can say I am not bad at this lol

I did speak to the local PRO at a club and he does supply clubs to use at lessons..

Another thing why I want to have lessons, I may just not like it when I start, I think I will but you never know :)
Click to expand...
The biggest problem with golf is we all want to be good at it.
It doesn’t matter how good you are everyone wants to be a bit better.
We have seen world number ones, Ryder cup players, major winners all totally lose their game in an effort to be a little bit better.
It’s the hardest mind numbing soul searching sport ever invented.
And not one of us here would change it.
I’m still think starting out was my favourite period in the game.
You have so much to look forward to that you don’t even know about yet.
 
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