Jensen
Tour Rookie
When you mentioned the Leadbetter Golf Academy, I did wonder if it was Wynyard Hall. A scratch player at our place went there, it was Andrew Nicholson he saw, very technical too much for a beginner
Taking up Golf - Help and Advice
- Thread starter Sekiro
- Start date
When you mentioned the Leadbetter Golf Academy, I did wonder if it was Wynyard Hall. A scratch player at our place went there, it was Andrew Nicholson he saw, very technical too much for a beginner
Sekiro
Active member
Yes that’s my local or “home” course I guess, although we do have one around 5 mins away; Billingham Golf Club and then Knotty Hill Golf Centre a little further in the other direction. If I’m willing to travel upto say 20-30 minutes there’s probably around 20 or so courses in the area.
jamiet7682
Active member
I suggested package set as the least hassle way to get playing within your budget. If you are willing to put in some time to research then there is no doubt the second hand route will get you better clubs will more resale value.
Ive just completed my set after inheriting a very cheap donnay/slazenger set. I used all the options, ex demo from American Golf, new from American Golf and Decathlon, used of Facebook marketplace and used off buy/sell on here. Taking me 10 months to completely upgrade the set.
bobmac
Major Champion
If there are that many courses in your area, why not phone the pro shops and ask if they sell second hand clubs. You'll get professional advice and you might even negotiate a free lesson with the purchase.
need_my_wedge
Has Now Found His Wedgie
You'll get a lot of varied opinions on here, based on everyone's individual experience. AG is a pet hate for some, perfectly OK for others. The Wilson sets are a good option to start with as you get a full set with bag, but as many have said above, you don't need a full set, a half set will be fine to start. Something like 5,7,9 irons, wedge and sand wedge, 3 wood and putter would be more than enough.
Golfbidder also do some package sets for beginners, a similar price to AG for both Wilson and Lynx, both sets are fine to get your journey going.
https://www.golfbidder.co.uk/golf-accessories/26/golf-package-sets.html?filter=mens
If you go back to AG, don't buy the Fazer gear.
Lessons can be had for substantially cheaper than you get at the Leadbetter Academy, they're trading on Leadbetter's reputation, but it's in the elite section for lessons. You'll be able to pick up sessions for £25 a pop if you hunt around, you won't have to block book either, just phone around a bit.
Don't be put off by your initial checks, best start with some cheaper kit and a couple of lessons (get the grip right before anything else), and enjoy the ride.
Golfbidder also do some package sets for beginners, a similar price to AG for both Wilson and Lynx, both sets are fine to get your journey going.
https://www.golfbidder.co.uk/golf-accessories/26/golf-package-sets.html?filter=mens
If you go back to AG, don't buy the Fazer gear.
Lessons can be had for substantially cheaper than you get at the Leadbetter Academy, they're trading on Leadbetter's reputation, but it's in the elite section for lessons. You'll be able to pick up sessions for £25 a pop if you hunt around, you won't have to block book either, just phone around a bit.
Don't be put off by your initial checks, best start with some cheaper kit and a couple of lessons (get the grip right before anything else), and enjoy the ride.
Sats
Challenge Tour Pro
I think the key is to make sure golf is going to be a long term thing, no point forking out loads of money for it to go by the wayside. Hence the starter sets - cheap and they get you out on the course. I personally brought a old set of dunlops when I started 2nd hand for £25. I now have invested much more but you start somewhere. It doesn't matter how you get out there, only that you do.
Ethan
Money List Winner
In the old days, advice was to buy a cheap half set of clubs and just start to try to hit the ball. My first half set did not have any 2 matching clubs in it, all were mongrels. One had a punched face rather than grooves, which even in the 80s was rather antiquated. Maybe get a few pointers on grip and posture. Learn to hit the ball hard first, and with control later. Then after a few months of that, if it looks like you have any aptitude, consider getting a couple of lessons from one of the assistant pros. Not an immersion course with Butch Harmon, just some guidance. Once you start to get decent, then consider buying something a bit better to use.
Sekiro
Active member
Thanks everyone for the support and solid advice, I’ll make a few calls to the surrounding courses to see how much I can get a few lessons for and then take things from there (I think the idea of getting clubs on the back of a few lessons sounds like the most logical route as at least the coach will have supported me through the basics and know where I’m at with things before recommending and clubs).
Robster59
Tour Rookie
I'd look at the "less fashionable" but still good brands such as Benross.
This is an example of what you can get at a good price.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BenRoss-...280528?hash=item3da7be6f90:g:wQkAAOSwUxxfEshO
This is an example of what you can get at a good price.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BenRoss-...280528?hash=item3da7be6f90:g:wQkAAOSwUxxfEshO
rudebhoy
Q-School Graduate
A lot of courses run "get into golf" group lessons which are either free or minimal cost. It's a great way to meet folk at the same beginner stage, lot of potential playing partners.
if you prefer individual coaching, you should be able to get a course of 5 or 6 lessons for around £100.
ScienceBoy
Money List Winner
Get yourself a game plan, figure out what you can do and try to use it to make a score on each hole. Even if your good shot is a 170 yard straight thinned hybrid, as that can work well if there isn’t anything to carry over!
fundy
Ryder Cup Winner
yeah suck the life out of having some fun before hes even started!!!!
hit it find it hit it again dont think too much, cheer the good shots laugh at the bad ones
sammyboy
Newbie
That would be a fabulous set of clubs for a beginner. Really really impressed with that find. And it will knock the socks off any of the new rubbish 'sets' which have been posted.
I think that I could go around and score as well with those as I could my more modern clubs all day long. Even the driver would work well. The irons look very forgiving but I'm sure you can work them as well. Technology hasn't really moved on since them - apart from strengthening lofts and telling golfers the ball goes further.
All you would need is a putter. I wouldn't bother with more specialized wedges yet or anything else. Once he can go around a decent course in 90 with them he can look at upgrading. But that will probably be a while off.
ScienceBoy
Money List Winner
What is wrong with playing golf rather than hunting for balls in the woods or topping a driver? Better to make actual progress up the hole to get to the real fun bit, chipping and putting!
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
Find yourself a set or half set of 2nd hand clubs. If they are old enough (70s or earlier) @Crow on here might buy them off you for double what you paid (so don't tell us the cost if that's the route you go down). That said - he might not offer you a penny for them 
Seriously though - as everyone here says - you don't need to go old to go very inexpensive - to go at least half decent. Stick pretty much any old golf club into any handicap golfer's hands and he'll be able to hit it - maybe not that great - but from a beginners perspective it'll look just fine. And that's because most will have had one or more lessons of some sort from pretty much the start of their playing the game.
Gumtree is probably a good friend. Young 22yr old lad I now just taken up the game as his pals have done so as a result of the pandemic. He bought a set of Mizuno irons (TP-9s he thought) for £160. He knows they are blades and that they will be very tough for him to learn with - but he was sweet-talked into buying them and thought they looked really nice (they do) and just wanted to get going playing. I told him it probably wasn't the best idea and that he'd find it difficult and most probably very frustrating - but also that for £160 for the set it doesn't really matter as he'll be able to move them on whenever and most likely won't lose a penny on the transaction.
Seriously though - as everyone here says - you don't need to go old to go very inexpensive - to go at least half decent. Stick pretty much any old golf club into any handicap golfer's hands and he'll be able to hit it - maybe not that great - but from a beginners perspective it'll look just fine. And that's because most will have had one or more lessons of some sort from pretty much the start of their playing the game.
Gumtree is probably a good friend. Young 22yr old lad I now just taken up the game as his pals have done so as a result of the pandemic. He bought a set of Mizuno irons (TP-9s he thought) for £160. He knows they are blades and that they will be very tough for him to learn with - but he was sweet-talked into buying them and thought they looked really nice (they do) and just wanted to get going playing. I told him it probably wasn't the best idea and that he'd find it difficult and most probably very frustrating - but also that for £160 for the set it doesn't really matter as he'll be able to move them on whenever and most likely won't lose a penny on the transaction.
Last edited:
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
Not sure I'd want to go out if I was to go back to the beginning and just hitting without any concept of grip etc. I know even having had lessons and hit balls at the range with my dad that transition to even a par 3 course seemed like a massive step and I panicked and had no concept of what was going on. It was only my dad reminding me to go through what I'd been shown especially in terms of address and alignment that it suddenly started to fall into place.
Orikoru
Tour Winner
That's a bit dramatic isn't it!?
It's only smacking a little white ball at some flags! It's not rocket surgery.Golf_Bot
New member
Having never played before and only taking up golf just 2 months ago through boredom of lockdown (I am now massively hooked!!!)... I basically started my golf journey by first watching bids on ebay for full "cheap" golf sets mostly sets under £100. Knowing that if I decided not to continue with it after buyin a cheap set then the financial hit would be minimal. (Also I'm not rich enough to spend more)
So after about a week of watching bids, I soon realised quite a few sets were selling cheaply, so I took the plunge to bid on some (tip: bidding last minute worked for me), eventually on my 3rd bid for a set I was successful in securing a full set (irons, wedges, drivers, bag, balls, and tees) for a bargain bucket £29!
Although, they're a mixed bag and they're old clubs with plenty wear and tear on them (still don't know if they're considered decent)... I've actually found over the 2 months of range practice and course play I've really enjoyed hitting with them and I have improved my game at a decent rate too, and all without any lessons. Instead i opted to watching vids on YouTube, talking to other golfers, and then just getting out there and swinging like Woods! To summarise, in my first round I scored 150+ (gave up counting), but now after 5 rounds, my last score was 109 which I'm thoroughly pleased with as I see myself improving with each round.
Moral of the story, do what feels comfortable for you, buy according to what you can afford, have lessons if you want to and can afford, but more importantly, just get out there and start swinging and enjoy the game!!!
My plan now... is to keep playing, keep improving, keep having fun, and when I reach a wall in my game... I might consider tuition, I might upgrade to new and better clubs, but for now I love it just the way it is!
Good luck!
So after about a week of watching bids, I soon realised quite a few sets were selling cheaply, so I took the plunge to bid on some (tip: bidding last minute worked for me), eventually on my 3rd bid for a set I was successful in securing a full set (irons, wedges, drivers, bag, balls, and tees) for a bargain bucket £29!
Although, they're a mixed bag and they're old clubs with plenty wear and tear on them (still don't know if they're considered decent)... I've actually found over the 2 months of range practice and course play I've really enjoyed hitting with them and I have improved my game at a decent rate too, and all without any lessons. Instead i opted to watching vids on YouTube, talking to other golfers, and then just getting out there and swinging like Woods! To summarise, in my first round I scored 150+ (gave up counting), but now after 5 rounds, my last score was 109 which I'm thoroughly pleased with as I see myself improving with each round.
Moral of the story, do what feels comfortable for you, buy according to what you can afford, have lessons if you want to and can afford, but more importantly, just get out there and start swinging and enjoy the game!!!
My plan now... is to keep playing, keep improving, keep having fun, and when I reach a wall in my game... I might consider tuition, I might upgrade to new and better clubs, but for now I love it just the way it is!
Good luck!
bradleywedge
Active member
If it helps, I've got all the gear and no idea.
bobmac
Major Champion
Glad to hear you're enjoying your golf but.....
You may have some faults that you are grooving in so when you do have a lesson, it's much harder to fix the problem.
I would suggest having a lesson sooner rather than later and get your basics checked.
