Started having lessons...

[KhalJimbo]

So as a new comer to the game (Only been playing regularly since November) I decided to get myself some lessons.

I had my first one on Saturday, it went quite well.

I went through the basics of my swing and stance. The pro said I can hit the ball fine but we are working on the fact it is veering off to the left quite a bit, he changed my stance and showed me in slow motion what to do to improve my swing by using my hips more. I started hitting a lot more balls straight after that.

I decided to get some more lessons, so I booked a package which consists of 4x30min lessons on the range and 2hr playing lesson on the course.

I've been practicing my swing at home by holding a club across my chest and am now starting to feel more comfortable swinging with my hips rather than my arms and back now, still a lot of work to do though.

Will be able to practice a bit more on Friday at the range and have a follow up lesson on Saturday to start one of my first 4 (as I booked a package after the first lesson he said they'll count Saturday as a freebie) so looking forward to progressing.

Roll on spring now when it will be a bit warmer!

 

[Curls]

Great idea to get a lesson so early in your (hopefully) life-long career! We all have bad habits the pros try to knock out of us, better to get in while the habits aren't so ingrained/plentiful.

Many here will tell you you should just get out and play, and in ways I agree, but for me playing well is usually more enjoyable than hacking it around so if you want to improve already I'm sure you will. Don't ever lose sight of the best thing about the game though; be good company and the good company you keep will keep you coming back even when the ball isn't going where you tell it to.

Happy golfing

 

[TheCaddie]

So as a new comer to the game (Only been playing regularly since November) I decided to get myself some lessons.

I had my first one on Saturday, it went quite well.

I went through the basics of my swing and stance. The pro said I can hit the ball fine but we are working on the fact it is veering off to the left quite a bit, he changed my stance and showed me in slow motion what to do to improve my swing by using my hips more. I started hitting a lot more balls straight after that.

I decided to get some more lessons, so I booked a package which consists of 4x30min lessons on the range and 2hr playing lesson on the course.

I've been practicing my swing at home by holding a club across my chest and am now starting to feel more comfortable swinging with my hips rather than my arms and back now, still a lot of work to do though.

Will be able to practice a bit more on Friday at the range and have a follow up lesson on Saturday to start one of my first 4 (as I booked a package after the first lesson he said they'll count Saturday as a freebie) so looking forward to progressing.

Roll on spring now when it will be a bit warmer!

Having recently invested in lessons myself, I cannot stress how valuable they have been to me. I have only had two so far (another 10 to go! - special offer), and already I have found drastic improvements in my swing. Still a loooooooooooooong way to go, but I can immediately see the light and cannot wait to have another lesson and keep practicing.

Also, now is the best time to get lessons, when it's cold and wet. Not long now til Spring! Good Luck!

 

[KhalJimbo]

Thanks! I thought I'd get some lessons in sooner rather than later, so I don't learn bad habits and then need to unlearn them. Also I've joined our works Golf Society which should kick off around March, they said beginners are allowed but I still don't want to look like an idiot lol!!

I know its a week apart since having my first lesson, but the rest I'll space out about 2 - 3 weeks apart with at a minimum about 3 - 4 rounds of practice on the range before hand.

Just out of interest though, when is it recommended to get a handicap measured?

 

[TheCaddie]

Thanks! I thought I'd get some lessons in sooner rather than later, so I don't learn bad habits and then need to unlearn them. Also I've joined our works Golf Society which should kick off around March, they said beginners are allowed but I still don't want to look like an idiot lol!!

I know its a week apart since having my first lesson, but the rest I'll space out about 2 - 3 weeks apart with at a minimum about 3 - 4 rounds of practice on the range before hand.

Just out of interest though, when is it recommended to get a handicap measured?

You can only get an official handicap by being a member of a golf course.... so then I suppose?

 

[Curls]

Hi Khal,

Do you need a handicap for the society, or are you thinking of joining a club? If it is for the society I would be surprised if some guys didn't have a "Golfshake" or similar handicap. These are unofficial handicaps you keep online, updating your own scores. It's based on honesty and societies might well decide to give you a run out with it and adjust according to how well you do! It is common that you will have a society handicap, which varies wildly as you go, but it's all in the name of good fun.

If you are joining a club, in order to get a CONGU (official) you will need to submit three cards (played with an existing member and played under strict rules conditions, there's no "oh I lost a ball I'll just throw one down, it makes for a steep learning curve so as much as possible try to get yourself used to that mindframe). The lowest of the three is generally taken as your handicap, though I've heard stories of some deviance from that. In the main if you shoot 104, 96, 89 it is the 89 that counts. You may feel your first handicap is too high/too low. Don't worry, it isn't long balancing itself out!

 

[KhalJimbo]

Thanks, the handicap is just for my own personal gain really, it's not needed for the work society. I do need to look at clubs to start joining after I've finished my lessons, trouble is I have 9 clubs all within a 25 min drive from me.

I need to go around a visit them all, I can't do a full membership due to not being able to play enough to break the costs even but I can look into their flexi\discounted green fee options which should all give me access to an official handicap.

 

[Curls]

Believe me having 9 courses on your doorstep isn't trouble!

Do they all offer those part-memberships? If not, they're out! I'd say you could narrow that down fairly quickly, might only have to play a couple to find "The One"... Lots of guys on here have been around (isn't that so chaps?), you could always ask for advice on the best one to join.

Probably best to start a new thread titled "Advice to beginner, what club to join in "__" area." as many won't read lessons threads because it gives them the shivers Definitely state that you only want a part-membership, and what your goals are (just get better or do you want to play in lots of comps etc).

 

[KhalJimbo]

All good ideas there Curls. Thanks, I'll start that thread.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Thanks, the handicap is just for my own personal gain really, it's not needed for the work society. I do need to look at clubs to start joining after I've finished my lessons, trouble is I have 9 clubs all within a 25 min drive from me.

I need to go around a visit them all, I can't do a full membership due to not being able to play enough to break the costs even but I can look into their flexi\discounted green fee options which should all give me access to an official handicap.

Where do you live to have so many so close? Keep going with the lessons, get the fundamentals sorted and work on the drills you've been given. Once the warmer weather comes in the spring you'll have a good base to build a game upon and can then look to join somewhere and get loads of golf in

 

[Fastineth]

Watching your swing back in slow motion certainly helps.

 

[KhalJimbo]

So I had another lesson again yesterday, and again I saw a big improvement on the range.

The previous lesson we changed my grip, and I changed it even further to be more comfortable. Hard to explain, but instead of my thumb on my left hand sticking down and my right hand being on top, I now wrap my thumb around the club too but still interlock my pinky finger. If that makes any sense? He said it's not conventional but can see it works as both hands are still on top of the club.

He said since changing my club and with all the practice I've improved considerably more than he expected. I'm now hitting about 80/100 dead straight or where ever I am aiming.

He said just keep practicing my swing like that and soon it'll be 99/100 balls going where I want them too.

He then asked what I wanted to learn (since he planned on helping me with my swing some more) and I asked him to show me how to control power in my swing, so I can hit only a few yards or hit it as hard as I can. So we worked a bit on chipping, he showed me how to swing through on a chip shot, he said the main difference between a full shot and a chip is you only swing back between 9 and 11 o'clock in a chip shot.

I have a dedicated chipping and putting lesson booked for two weeks time where we'll work on that.

For the rest of my lesson he showed me how to control ball height by having the ball further back for a lower shot or closer to my front foot for a high shot.

After my lesson I went and got some more balls on the range and worked on what I had just learned. He was very impressed with my progress.

My only other thing was asking how to transfer my skills from the range to the course and I told him how bad I did after my last lesson when I played on the course afterwards, he just said its all about relaxing and letting it be natural. Work on the range until the skills become natural, then take them to the naturally to the course. He was saying from his experience people fluff it up on a course when they start stressing and trying too hard.

Next lesson is Chipping and Putting
Then I'll ask for a lesson on Hybrids\Woods\Driving
Then its a course lesson on the 9 hole.

All in all I'm loving playing Golf.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Glad its going well although if I was being picky, a swing around 9-11 o'clock is actually a pitch shot and not chip which is more of an elongated putting stroke. That said, and as I said, its a small pick I'm glad your moving forward in leaps and bounds. Keep putting the hard work in, and start getting out and playing as there's a world of difference between a teaching bay, the range and the course

 

[KhalJimbo]

You're right, I got pitching and chipping confused. He was talking about adding a few wedges to my bag as I only have a PW. Not sure which ones I need due to the different lofts, but thats another thread all on its own.