learning to golf

nfanel
nfanel Posts: 2,558
edited May 2008 in All Encompassing Trip
do most people take lessons when they're starting out? and if so, is it better to have zero experience or to have played a little bit before taking lessons? the one place i called said it's better to take them as a beginner because there are no bad habits to break... but i'm sure he was pushing for the business so he might not be completely unbiased. :)
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  • myhook
    myhook Posts: 284
    nfanel wrote:
    do most people take lessons when they're starting out? and if so, is it better to have zero experience or to have played a little bit before taking lessons? the one place i called said it's better to take them as a beginner because there are no bad habits to break... but i'm sure he was pushing for the business so he might not be completely unbiased. :)
    I would recommend lessons. I took a 6 week lesson and it fixed all my bad habits. I took lessons when I was 18 and was "new" to the sport but I have been putting what I have learned from those lesson into my game for the past 12 years.
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  • rival.
    rival. Chicago Posts: 7,775
    golf is a fun one.

    first off, i don't know how serious of a player you plan on being, but lessons can be expensive as all hell. so if you casually just want to go out with your friends and have a good time (like me), i would think it is totally unnecessary.

    just hit up the driving range when you can. practice your swing, get used to your clubs then you should be alright.

    i only get to go golfing 5-10 times a summer, and i f'ing love it. i am god awful, but it is such a fun day out. i don't even keep score. my goal is to complete each hole in less than 9 strokes, and to have at least one awesome shot per hole.
  • mca47
    mca47 Posts: 13,337
    Lessons are nice, even for people who have been playing a while. A trained eye can catch all kinds of stuff that you are doing wrong.

    I'd recommend them if you can afford them.
  • acoustic guy
    acoustic guy Posts: 3,770
    Keep your head down when you swing!
    Get em a Body Bag Yeeeeeaaaaa!
    Sweep the Leg Johnny.
  • Solat13
    Solat13 Posts: 6,996
    nfanel wrote:
    do most people take lessons when they're starting out? and if so, is it better to have zero experience or to have played a little bit before taking lessons? the one place i called said it's better to take them as a beginner because there are no bad habits to break... but i'm sure he was pushing for the business so he might not be completely unbiased. :)

    My buddy just took up golf two years ago and he got his first lessons this spring. Basically they spent the first few lessons breaking all his bad habits - like swinging like a baseball player, to going to far back in his back swing and to not having a nice easy stroke. Only after he got out of his old habits did they start to work on his game.

    I'll let you know in July how hard learning the game is. My new boss told me that he wants to take things easy this summer because he ran the old company for 20 years so he said there will be a lot of Thursday and Friday afternoons spent at his country club and he wants me to play in his foursome. Now I just have to buy some clubs and learn how to play too ... lol. I've done a bunch of par 3 courses but never a full round of 18.
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  • upina2001
    upina2001 Indiana Posts: 764
    i just started seriously playing this last year.
    shot a 54 on 9 holes Tuesday night.

    not bad for only ever playing maybe 15 times ever.
    i play softball and its hard to not want to just hit the SOB as hard as you can.

    Easy back, head down on the ball, and swing easy; the club does all the work.

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  • Steve Dunne
    Steve Dunne Posts: 4,965
    Be the ball, Nic, be the ball!

    See your future Nic, make, MAKE your future!
    I love to turn you on
  • acoustic guy
    acoustic guy Posts: 3,770
    upina2001 wrote:
    i just started seriously playing this last year.
    shot a 54 on 9 holes Tuesday night.

    not bad for only ever playing maybe 15 times ever.
    i play softball and its hard to not want to just hit the SOB as hard as you can.

    Easy back, head down on the ball, and swing easy; the club does all the work.

    Exactly, Don't use your arm mussels.
    Get em a Body Bag Yeeeeeaaaaa!
    Sweep the Leg Johnny.
  • sweet adeline
    sweet adeline Posts: 2,191
    take lessons, or some places have group lessons that can be cheaper.

    work on the fundamentals, grip, stance, etc.

    a subscription to golf digest or golf for women might help too as they are generally packed with a lot of helpful tips.

    be the ball.
  • BinFrog
    BinFrog MA Posts: 7,314
    No doubt - take lessons. Stop bad habits before they start. It's much easier to learn from scratch than re-learn.
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  • pjtradeking
    pjtradeking Posts: 4,045
    I would go to the driving range a few times on your own and see what happens....You could find that you have natural abililty and it may come easy and no lessons will be needed. You could find that you hate it alltogether and dont want to spend a dime on a lesson or ever see a golf course ever again. That is what I did YEARS ago. As it turns out, I started playing right handed and couldnt break 100 to save my life. I am ambidextrous.... After about a month or two, I switched to left handed and shot 81 the first time out. I have never wanted nor needed a lesson. I can go out one day and shoot 95 and the next day go shoot 75. I am completely okay with this based on the amount of time I have to practice and dedicate to golf. I am of the opinion that unless it is something you are wanting to take very serious and be very good at, do it on your own for a while and see what happens. Do it on the driving range first though. Dont just go out and play the course the first time out. That may just sour you on golf forever! ;)
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  • dreaminincolor
    dreaminincolor Posts: 87
    I want to learn how to play golf too!!!
    Please let me know how it goes as i'd consider lessons!

    my entire family plays golf and i've walked holes with them and had tons of fun! i've also been to the driving range and wasn't too bad-i even watch golf on tv too sometimes:)
  • Gremmie95
    Gremmie95 Posts: 749
    it's all circular........go to your home ball. Your bags are packed, it's time to go home.
  • norm
    norm Posts: 31,146
    sweet adeline wrote:
    take lessons, or some places have group lessons that can be cheaper.

    work on the fundamentals, grip, stance, etc.

    a subscription to golf digest or golf for women might help too as they are generally packed with a lot of helpful tips.

    be the ball.

    and remember...

    "a flute with no holes isn't a flute. a doughnut with no holes is a danish"

    :)


    take some lessons, then practice at the range, then start playing a few rounds.....and then we'll tackle putting...;) :D
  • nfanel
    nfanel Posts: 2,558
    thanks for the tips everyone. i think i'm going to sign up for lessons. and as for this...
    pjtradeking wrote:
    I would go to the driving range a few times on your own and see what happens....You could find that you have natural abililty and it may come easy and no lessons will be needed.

    i've been to the driving range and, yeah, natural ability is definitely not something i need to be concerned about. :D
  • nfanel
    nfanel Posts: 2,558
    cutback wrote:
    and remember...

    "a flute with no holes isn't a flute. a doughnut with no holes is a danish"

    :)


    take some lessons, then practice at the range, then start playing a few rounds.....and then we'll tackle putting...;) :D
    what? :eek: you mean playing mini-golf doesn't make me a putting pro? :D
  • chromiam
    chromiam Posts: 4,114
    nfanel wrote:
    what? :eek: you mean playing mini-golf doesn't make me a putting pro? :D

    Yeah that's what I thought... but boy was I wrong, putting is definitely the weakest part of my game. :D
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  • Steve Dunne
    Steve Dunne Posts: 4,965
    cutback wrote:
    and remember...

    "a flute with no holes isn't a flute. a doughnut with no holes is a danish"

    :)


    take some lessons, then practice at the range, then start playing a few rounds.....and then we'll tackle putting...;) :D

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  • Stone Is God
    Stone Is God Posts: 1,331
    I got fed up with golf last year so I put the sticks down and picked up a fishing pole. I'll end up playing some this year but shooting a 43 followed by a 53 would drive my nuts. It usually got better when I got drunk because then I didn't care.
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me.
  • sweet adeline
    sweet adeline Posts: 2,191
    cutback wrote:
    and remember...

    "a flute with no holes isn't a flute. a doughnut with no holes is a danish"

    :)


    take some lessons, then practice at the range, then start playing a few rounds.....and then we'll tackle putting...;) :D

    also: the shortest distance between two points, is a straight line. in the opposite direction.

    thank you very little.

    i shot a 78 last weekend w/2 double bogeys. this weekend, i'm going for the course record.

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