Starting out

[Stamper]

Evening all,

I'm literally just starting out in the world of golf so am still very much green as grass.

I've started out by buying a generic set of clubs to get a feel of what clubs I'll mainly be using and what each club is capable of. From there I'll look to buy better quality as and when (or even if!) I improve and find my bearings.

If any of the veterans can offer any advice that would be massively appreciated. Such as, are there any essentials I should be buying, particular clubs I'll no doubt need to buy a higher quality of, brands/kit to avoid, thing's I'll probably buy but don't actually need etc etc.. Any input welcome.

I'll be active in the forums and hopefully pick things up as I go.

Cheers!

Jonny

 

[bobmac]

Go and have a lesson immediately if not sooner.
Learn the basics now and they will keep you on the straight and narrow in the future.
One thing you must learn and that's new shiney clubs will not make you a better golfer. Practicing the right things will.

 

[the_coach]

echo the above

if you do that you'll save yourself a good deal of heartache

 

[Rooter]

the professionals have spoken! Buying gear does not make you good! Practicing the right stuff will! (note the right stuff!! Ie get taught what to practice!!)

Have a look around your local clubs for group lessons, or blocks of 6 etc, wish i had started that way...

 

[pbrown7582]

the professionals have spoken! Buying gear does not make you good! Practicing the right stuff will! (note the right stuff!! Ie get taught what to practice!!)

Have a look around your local clubs for group lessons, or blocks of 6 etc, wish i had started that way...

they are right lessons from the start will set you off down the right track. Shiney new branded gear can wait.

 

[drew83]

Maybe get yourself along to the get into golf sessions?

http://www.getintogolf.org/

1)lessons & basics
2)meet newbies that you may find become friends to arrange games with
3) You are all in it together so if you are a person prone to getting embarrassed/shy a group session may work better?

other than that, enjoy!!

 

[Dan2501]

Ignore the above. Below you'll find a list of everything you need to be excellent at golf:

A driver with an extra stiff shaft - preferably a Titleist or an SLDR - Buy this, and make sure you tell anyone you play with that you're using an x-stiff. They'll immediately think you're awesome. You'll look even more awesome if it's in an old Titleist, or if you decide on the SLDR option, make sure to tell them you lofted up, and exactly why.

Black glove - All quality players use a black glove.

Poker Chip Ball Marker - No serious golfer plays without one of these babies. (Warning: you may be called a bigot)

64 degree lob wedge - How else will you play a flop from a tight lie? If it's already rusty, even better

Titleist Pro V1X balls - They're used by the majority of pros. Surely that's all you need to know? If you get yellow ones, even better.

Staff Bag with your name on - Everyone will think you're a pro if you have a staff bag with your name on. Maybe stick a couple of company logos on as well to make it look like you have sponsors

Old Scotty Cameron putter - Buy one of these and make sure to tell everyone about it. If it's the one Spieth uses, then even better. You also need to learn to putt left-below-right, look at the hole not the ball on short putts and learn aimpoint

New Golf Thinking - Read this book. It'll shave shots off your handicap. Apparently.

Old Ben Hogan blades - All good players use blades. You should too.

Sock headcovers for your woods - Serious players use knitted sock headcovers. Remember, they look better broken in. Rub them in mud a bit before taking to the course.

A mizuno 1 iron - Doesn't matter if you can't use it. A Mizuno bladed 1 iron will make you look like a serious player.

Buy all that and you'll soon be playing off scratch. You're welcome.

 

[Snelly]

Get a sound understanding of grip, alignment, stance, swing tempo, etiquette, rules and traditions.

Once you have grasped them, hit thousands and thousands of golf shots. Keep doing what works, stop doing what doesn't. And try and watch the club hit the ball when you play.


Equipment means nothing. Nor do fancy shoes or white belts.

 

[drew83]

Get a sound understanding of grip, alignment, stance, swing tempo, etiquette, rules and traditions.

Once you have grasped them, hit thousands and thousands of golf shots. Keep doing what works, stop doing what doesn't. And try and watch the club hit the ball when you play.


Equipment means nothing. Nor do fancy shoes or white belts.

Fancy, totally agree. But a pair of properly comfy shoes.....they will be a godsend come the 18th!! Don't have to spend mega bucks, but just comfy!

 

[JustOne]

Ignore the above. Below you'll find a list of everything you need to be excellent at golf:

A driver with an extra stiff shaft - preferably a Titleist or an SLDR - Buy this, and make sure you tell anyone you play with that you're using an x-stiff. They'll immediately think you're awesome. You'll look even more awesome if it's in an old Titleist, or if you decide on the SLDR option, make sure to tell them you lofted up, and exactly why.

Black glove - All quality players use a black glove.

Poker Chip Ball Marker - No serious golfer plays without one of these babies. (Warning: you may be called a bigot)

64 degree lob wedge - How else will you play a flop from a tight lie? If it's already rusty, even better

Titleist Pro V1X balls - They're used by the majority of pros. Surely that's all you need to know? If you get yellow ones, even better.

Staff Bag with your name on - Everyone will think you're a pro if you have a staff bag with your name on. Maybe stick a couple of company logos on as well to make it look like you have sponsors

Old Scotty Cameron putter - Buy one of these and make sure to tell everyone about it. If it's the one Spieth uses, then even better. You also need to learn to putt left-below-right, look at the hole not the ball on short putts and learn aimpoint

New Golf Thinking - Read this book. It'll shave shots off your handicap. Apparently.

Old Ben Hogan blades - All good players use blades. You should too.

Sock headcovers for your woods - Serious players use knitted sock headcovers. Remember, they look better broken in. Rub them in mud a bit before taking to the course.

A mizuno 1 iron - Doesn't matter if you can't use it. A Mizuno bladed 1 iron will make you look like a serious player.

Buy all that and you'll soon be playing off scratch. You're welcome.

Very good :thup:

 

[garyinderry]

Go to the range and get lessons if you have the money. If not check youtube for all the basics.

Go to the local par 3 course. Play this till you can hit the ball reasonably well and you can chip and putt.

Then venture to a local Muni. This should be longer and allow you to practice your longer clubs. Keep playing here till you can play reasonably well. Maybe even join the club for a year or two. This will be cheaper than a fancy dan members club and challenge you enough in your early golfing career.

Once you are breaking 100 get a handicap and start playing comps.

join that fancy dan members club.

Once you have played for many years, collecting board comps and cuts along the way join that top course like Formby or hillside (if funds allow)

Get to scratch here then try and qualify for the open.

Win the open.


Enjoy the journey.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Listen to Bob. He's a wise old sage and a set of lessons asap to learn the basics will give you a solid foundation and when you want to upgrade you gear it'll open up more clubs for you to try

 

[Foliage Finder]

I can also advocate lessons. I was in your position just about a year ago. I went straight in for lessons with my local PGA pro at the driving range. We have successfully tackled grip, stance, alignment and club face position early on. Now, with correct basics learnt, we're moving on to the best movements to create an efficient, powerful, repeatable swing. This has saved months of scrabbling around hacking balls without professional guidance.

I'm now looking to join my first club very soon, and I'm close to breaking 100. All of this and I play with hand me down irons and woods that are about 20 years old with the addition of a driver and putter from sports direct, totalling about £25 for both.

One piece of advice though, when you have the basics sorted (grip, stance, alignment, clubface), get out on a course as soon as you can! As Gary says, local par 3 courses, or municipal (council-run) courses are great to start with. I waited until I THOUGHT I was ready to get out into the local muni course, about 5-6 months, and this was far too long. I got there and saw people slicing it into trees, thinning shots that fizz along the ground etc and realised you don't have to be as good as I thought to play on an easy shorter course. Being out on the course engages all of the other key course management elements needed to be a good golfer (club selection, managing risk of shots, tackling weather conditions etc).

Good luck and welcome to the forum!

 

[craigstardis1976]

Hi Stamper:

A couple of lessons now will be worth ten lessons in the future.

I started with a generic set. In reality, I could have spent roughly the same amount on some well used clubs that would have been built better.

I am just an intermediate golfer (have not played that long) but get the basics of the game down as quickly as you can. I don't think the swing is really that difficult to learn as long as you come from a good starting point.

And in your spare time, hit balls with your putter on the living room carpet. Do all you can to develop a relationship with how the ball feels coming off the clubface. Above all, have fun!

Craig

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Ignore the above. Below you'll find a list of everything you need to be excellent at golf:

A driver with an extra stiff shaft - preferably a Titleist or an SLDR - Buy this, and make sure you tell anyone you play with that you're using an x-stiff. They'll immediately think you're awesome. You'll look even more awesome if it's in an old Titleist, or if you decide on the SLDR option, make sure to tell them you lofted up, and exactly why.

Black glove - All quality players use a black glove.

Poker Chip Ball Marker - No serious golfer plays without one of these babies. (Warning: you may be called a bigot)

64 degree lob wedge - How else will you play a flop from a tight lie? If it's already rusty, even better

Titleist Pro V1X balls - They're used by the majority of pros. Surely that's all you need to know? If you get yellow ones, even better.

Staff Bag with your name on - Everyone will think you're a pro if you have a staff bag with your name on. Maybe stick a couple of company logos on as well to make it look like you have sponsors

Old Scotty Cameron putter - Buy one of these and make sure to tell everyone about it. If it's the one Spieth uses, then even better. You also need to learn to putt left-below-right, look at the hole not the ball on short putts and learn aimpoint

New Golf Thinking - Read this book. It'll shave shots off your handicap. Apparently.

Old Ben Hogan blades - All good players use blades. You should too.

Sock headcovers for your woods - Serious players use knitted sock headcovers. Remember, they look better broken in. Rub them in mud a bit before taking to the course.

A mizuno 1 iron - Doesn't matter if you can't use it. A Mizuno bladed 1 iron will make you look like a serious player.

Buy all that and you'll soon be playing off scratch. You're welcome.

In the same vein

Are you telling me that a GPS/DMD-gizmo isn't an essential? Come on - how on earth is the guy supposed to know how many yards he has to hit the ball

And - oh yes - and when playing a new course he must always ask for a course guide that shows the position of the pin on each green and the position of the HNSP on each tee

 

[M1ke]

Ignore the above. Below you'll find a list of everything you need to be excellent at golf:

A driver with an extra stiff shaft - preferably a Titleist or an SLDR - Buy this, and make sure you tell anyone you play with that you're using an x-stiff. They'll immediately think you're awesome. You'll look even more awesome if it's in an old Titleist, or if you decide on the SLDR option, make sure to tell them you lofted up, and exactly why.

Black glove - All quality players use a black glove.

Poker Chip Ball Marker - No serious golfer plays without one of these babies. (Warning: you may be called a bigot)

64 degree lob wedge - How else will you play a flop from a tight lie? If it's already rusty, even better

Titleist Pro V1X balls - They're used by the majority of pros. Surely that's all you need to know? If you get yellow ones, even better.

Staff Bag with your name on - Everyone will think you're a pro if you have a staff bag with your name on. Maybe stick a couple of company logos on as well to make it look like you have sponsors

Old Scotty Cameron putter - Buy one of these and make sure to tell everyone about it. If it's the one Spieth uses, then even better. You also need to learn to putt left-below-right, look at the hole not the ball on short putts and learn aimpoint

New Golf Thinking - Read this book. It'll shave shots off your handicap. Apparently.

Old Ben Hogan blades - All good players use blades. You should too.

Sock headcovers for your woods - Serious players use knitted sock headcovers. Remember, they look better broken in. Rub them in mud a bit before taking to the course.

A mizuno 1 iron - Doesn't matter if you can't use it. A Mizuno bladed 1 iron will make you look like a serious player.

Buy all that and you'll soon be playing off scratch. You're welcome.

pmsl Brilliant!

 

[kevmcc]

I'm also just starting out. I played a bit in my teens, but have been persuaded to take it up again by two friends. First visit to the driving range today with a set of second hand Dunlop clubs from eBay. I was happy that I remembered how to hit a ball in a straight line and over 100 yards.

heres to many hours of frustration....

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

heres to many hours of frustration....

but these hours just make the joy so much more intense