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learning to golf

nfanelnfanel 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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  • myhookmyhook 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.
    Hey, you wouldn't hire a clown to fix a leak in the jon so why do you let these hooligans tear down the biz? YEEAAHHH. I don't care if he is Mr. Notorious BIG, can he croon?
  • 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.
  • mca47mca47 Posts: 13,297
    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 guyacoustic guy Posts: 3,770
    Keep your head down when you swing!
    Get em a Body Bag Yeeeeeaaaaa!
    Sweep the Leg Johnny.
  • Solat13Solat13 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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  • upina2001upina2001 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 DunneSteve 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 guyacoustic 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 adelinesweet 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.
  • BinFrogBinFrog MA Posts: 7,309
    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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  • pjtradekingpjtradeking 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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  • dreaminincolordreaminincolor 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:)
  • Gremmie95Gremmie95 Posts: 749
    it's all circular........go to your home ball. Your bags are packed, it's time to go home.
  • normnorm 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
  • nfanelnfanel 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
  • nfanelnfanel 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
  • chromiamchromiam 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 DunneSteve 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

    nananananananan.....vavavavavavavav......nanananananana
    I love to turn you on
  • Stone Is GodStone 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 adelinesweet 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.
  • Get_RightGet_Right Posts: 13,296
    lessons first
    and you can go out and hack it up to have fun, but if you want to be serious about the sport take lessons-also good idea to do it before you invest in a good set of clubs
  • elvistheking44elvistheking44 Posts: 4,441
    Dont keep score right away, it will just frustrate you. How can you expect to shoot a 54 one day and then a 44 the next. Unless you practice all day and play every other day you will only be average...... forever. Most people dont have time to be that good. Ive been playing golf since I was 7, I turn 33 this summer. I can go out shoot par on the front nine and 7 over on the back. Its 90% in your head, just have fun and dont try too hard, golf will frustrate you more than make you happy if your head is in the wrong place. Go to the range when you can, hit some balls, practice your swing and take it to the course when you feel like it. If you expect to be good or consistent anytime in the near future you will be frustrated. Have fun and dont take it too serious.
  • normnorm Posts: 31,146
    sweet adeline wrote:
    i shot a 78 last weekend w/2 double bogeys. this weekend, i'm going for the course record.


    nice!! :) i wish my back wasn't shit....i miss playing golf....:(
  • sweet adelinesweet adeline Posts: 2,191
    cutback wrote:
    nice!! :) i wish my back wasn't shit....i miss playing golf....:(

    play through the pain!!!

    oh, and nfanel get some lessons!!!
  • SVRDhand13SVRDhand13 Posts: 26,390
    i started by going to the range a lot and playing courses with people who were experienced. now im in a golf class at my college (which kinda sucks because theyre moving way too slow for me) and im taking intermediate lessons over the summer.
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  • nfanelnfanel Posts: 2,558
    well i just signed up and my first lesson is next wednesday. i'm excited! :)
  • Solat13Solat13 Posts: 6,996
    nfanel wrote:
    well i just signed up and my first lesson is next wednesday. i'm excited! :)

    Nice work. Who knew that it was possible to actually get good advice on a thread in the AET? :p
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  • SVRDhand13SVRDhand13 Posts: 26,390
    nfanel wrote:
    well i just signed up and my first lesson is next wednesday. i'm excited! :)

    just remember that you will have your good day and you will have your bad days. i was under the assumptino that after you practice for a while you go out and hit every ball where you're supposed to.

    i had no clue that even the best golfers just "don't have it some days". knowing this earlier would have saved me from a lot of stress and frustration haha.
    severed hand thirteen
    2006: Gorge 7/23 2008: Hartford 6/27 Beacon 7/1 2009: Spectrum 10/30-31
    2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
    2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
    2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
    2017: RRHoF 4/7   2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4   2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18 
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    2025: Pittsburgh 5/16+5/18
  • upina2001upina2001 Indiana Posts: 764
    "If everyone that plays golf on a normal course isnt a hacker, we'd all be on the PGA tour."

    Meaning, even the people that play all the time may not be good. You'll have good shots and bad shots; it just sucks because you'll have 1 or 2 great shots and you know you are capable, it's just putting it all together. And others are right, if you're not that good, dont keep score.

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  • GreenTeaDiseaseGreenTeaDisease Posts: 3,359
    I played a lot as a kid (would never do it now). I would agree that you need lessons. you could go out and have some beginner's luck hitting the ball with no experience, but in the long run you will eventually need to swing "correctly." Also putting is HARD. and a chipping swing is different, etc. definitely need lessons for that sort of thing.

    golf is frustrating and boring and mosquitoes bite you and it's terrible for groundwater, habitats, and other good things. it's not worth the damage it causes.
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