Tell me about learning to play golf

In My Humble Opinion
1

The boyfriend has suddenly been taken with golf fever, and he’s drawn me into it with him a bit. My plan is to find a decent thrift store set of clubs, hopefully a nice forgiving ladies’ set with graphite flexy shafts (I don’t really need the ladies’ shortness, I don’t think, but I know I’ll need the distance) and use those until I know I’m going to stick with it enough to upgrade. I’ve been reading a lot online and in print, and our plan is to hit the driving range together Wednesday and Thursday and maybe go play actual golf on Friday at one of the cheap courses around here. He’s been to the driving range twice, I think, and played one round of 9 holes. I’d like to take some actual lessons before I get too far in, so as not to practice bad habits, myself, but I can’t be spending a fortune on yet another silly hobby. I mean, clearly this is something, like fishing, where you can spend as much as you please, but from what I can tell it doesn’t have to be nearly as expensive as I expected.

So tell me, how did you learn to play? How much did you spend? Did you take lessons? How much did the lessons cost, and how did you find a good teacher? Group or private? Where do you like to play, and how much does it cost you?

Any ladies? Do you use ladies’ clubs? Those “club fitting” things on the websites suggest that mine ought to be ladies + 1 inch, which would make them the same size as men’s, right? So I should also be looking at mens’ clubs with the features I want, right? Do you go to a female teacher? Do you care? Have you ever punched anybody in the face who came trotting out on the seventh hole to measure your shorts?

Does anybody play seriously, tournaments and such? How long did it take you to get to a competitive level? Do you feel you’re naturally talented, or that you work hard?

In other words, I want to hear about everybody’s experiences learning the game, and I’d appreciate any suggestions for me (and for Himself.) It’s pretty impressive - Himself, the Thrift Store King, has so far spent, I think, about $50 on this hobby. He’s got clubs, a bag, shoes, balls, and tees, as far as I know. He already had the sweater vests, but he’s looking for some of those pantaloon things. I myself am on the Great Plaid Hunt.

2

I started golfing when I was about 14. I’d say the best advice is to start with a good stance, about shoulder width (jump in the air with your eyes closed. How you land is pretty darn close to your most stable postion). “Knees bent, ass out, chest up, head down.” Is the next most important thing to remember. After you have your stance, you can begin a VERY slow backstroke. At first, the harder you try to hit the ball, the worse you’ll do. Take it slow and easy. Try and keep your left elbow (if you’re right handed) straight for as long as possilbe. Your left arm is your power arm, and your right arm is for control. The follow through is very important, too.

I never had formal lessons, but I’d suggest going out to the range with somebody who’s played awhile. While a pro can fine-tune your game, the average golfer can pick out major defects with your technique. You should be able to get a decent set of clubs for around $200, including the bag. Go for used, I got my first set at Play it Again Sports. As for other costs, walking is much cheaper than renting a cart. I don’t know your background, but when I was in school full time, I could play 9 holes at the university course for $4.20, or $9.20 to share a cart, at the student rate.

Again, remember, KEEP THAT HEAD DOWN. Bite your shirt if you have to. Seriously. Let others spot the ball for you, and let your right shoulder bring your head up.

3

Take a golf class at your local community college. You’ll get all sorts of great information about what you need to buy when starting out of even if your going to like it.

My problem at the school was they didn’t have left handed clubs. My father was a lefty and always played right handed. He taught me as a kid to play right handed and so did the school. I borrowed a friends left handed clubs and it made an amazing difference so who knows how much better I would have been if I started out playing left handed. A neighbor’s daughter passed away and they gave me her left handed clubs so I haven’t priced them for myself.

Golf isn’t a cheap sport to get involved in.

I actually met my husband because of golf. Well, I worked at a country club and he was a member there so we didn’t actually meet playing golf. He’s played his whole life and is good and in tournaments. I’ll never play at his level. He’s been playing for years and plays a lot. I don’t know if it’s because of natural ability or not. He plays **a lot ** but he also plays tennis a lot so he might be good because he’s pretty athletic.

I’m not so into it but I can play without embarrassing myself in a group. One summer I joined a women’s group but I just wasn’t into the whole thing. It’s fun though and a great way to meet people.

4

Lessons. Nothing like having a professional help you with the basics for establishing a good golf swing. With just a few lessons you’ll have lots to work on at the driving range.
One key thing I learned as a beginner was to confine practice to the driving range, and to just relax and have fun on the course. I would carry maybe one or two “swing thoughts” with me while playing a round, but I would never attempt any major changes with grip, stance, backswing, etc. while on the course.
It’s a wonderful game you can enjoy throughout your lifetime.

5

I think that if you’re starting out golfing as a sentient, thinking human, a couple of lessons would be greatly beneficial to your enjoyment of the game.

I started out as a 10 year old swinging the thing like a bat. Only in recent years have I got a little more serious about improving my swing. I wish I talked to someone when I started.

While there are a lot of elements to a proper golf swing, a good coach makes swinging a club SIMPLER, not more complicated. Yeah, it’s going to feel like a waste of money if you pay a guy $120 bucks for a few lessons and you only wind up golfing twice this year, but if you really want to stick with it, get a coach.

Anyway, I used to golf a TON. In high school I had a job where I worked either a 7:00am-2:00 pm shift, in which case I’d play after work or I worked a 3:30 shift, in which case I’d play before work. I played 5-7 days a week, every week. On days off, I’d play 27-36 holes. In the mornings, I’d play for money against all the teachers from my high school.

I used to practice putting and chipping and sand shots and trick shots all the time.

Now, I only golf 5-10 times per year, and I don’t practice at all.

6

I agree with Caridwen, taking a class is a great idea. It gives you more “alone” time to just swing than an instructor, and it’s cheaper. And, at your level, you’ll get the same benifit as a private instructor, until you begin to “come into your own,” so to speak. I forgot to mention I took a class in mid school, was on the high school golf team, and yet another class in college. Even after golfing a couple years in HS, the class really paid off.

7

As mentioned, a class or a group lesson would be the best way to start. Golf can be extremely frustrating the first time on a course, a lesson will at least have you hitting the ball most of the time (you will whiff - a lot - your first couple of times out).

As for playing nine holes - try to find a par three or “executive” course to play on your first few times out. A regular course has rough, water, sand, and lots of eyeballs wattching you play. Nobody needs that when they’re beginning. You will get frustrated and embarrassed if you play on a regulation course the first time out. The people behind you will get mad, too. It seems unfair, because everyone needs to learn sometime, but playing behind a beginner just sucks. The number one pet peeve of most golfers is slow play, and a beginner just can’t help but play slow. Par three courses are the places to learn the game.

8

I started playing in my early teens, and had a hand-me-down set of lefty clubs for a long time until I splurged on a better set of clubs in college.

It’s definitely a game where playing regularly is essential, which is why I still suck after 10+ years. I don’t have the time or money to play often enough to be good.

If you’re just playing to have fun, I wouldn’t worry a whole lot about investing in top-notch equipment and professional lessons. When I’m out on the course, I’m there to kill a few hours, get some exercise and have fun, so I’m not terribly concerned with whether or not I’m opening my hips a half-second too soon.

Heck, I don’t even own a pair of golf shoes any more.

9

Well, the good news: I found a nice set of ladies’ golf clubs pretty cheap!

The bad news: It’s pink. Very, very pink.

Himself made fun of me, so I told him I got the pink ones to increase his burning humiliation when I beat his sorry ass.

Seriously, just because you give money to breast cancer research, does that mean you have to dress yourself up as a giant uterus? Whatever happened to the lord loving a secret giver?

And where can I find some pink plaid?

10

Now you have to get some nice golf balls to go with those pink clubs. Here ya go.

I play about once a week, and try to practice once a week. I shoot in the mid-80s on most courses. I have played for about 14 years. I didn’t get a lesson for the first five of those years, and I really sucked. I was convinced that if John Daly (a pro golfer) didn’t need lessons to golf well, I could probably do it, too. I was wrong. I got a semester’s worth of lessons at a community college and I went from shooting 120 on 18 holes to more like 100. Golf became a lot more fun.

Then I stopped the lessons for about another 5 years. I couldn’t get any better no matter what I tried. Then I started a few private lessons and I quickly lost another 10 strokes, and golf is even more fun. I expect to start breaking 80 this year.

My advice – go out and get group lessons to start. Don’t worry about equipment until you start shooting around 50 or less on a 9 hole course. Expensive equipment doesn’t make up for a lousy swing, but it does improve the results of a decent swing.

While learning, I strongly advise you to stick to 9 hole executive courses. 18 holes is a lot and it is very. very easy to get frustrated. Frustration and cost are the two things that drive most golfers out of the game, so try to make it easy on yourself.

Also, you’re going to play very slow. It may take you 5 or 8 shots to get to the green, when most average golfers on the course may need only 2 or 3. Try your best to keep up with the group in front of you: one or two practice swings, NOT five, pick out your club as you’re walking to the ball, and just keep things moving.

Most importantly, please be courteous to your fellow golfers. If a group behind you keeps waiting on you, once you go to the next tee, hit your tee shots and then wait. Let them play through by allowing them to hit their tee shots, get on the green, and then you follow by hitting your second shots. Allowing faster groups to play through is common golf courtesy that is almost unheard of these days, and it makes everyone’s experience better: faster groups don’t get frustrated by waiting, and slower groups don’t feel the pressure of being rushed by people behind them. I cannot emphasize enough how well this kind act will be received by most golfers.

11

I just started golfing recently. I don’t get out very often but it’s pretty fun. I got club last Christmas, but still like stealing my hubby’s set whenever I can (he has these outrageously expensive Mizunos).

I took a ladies golf clinic and found that really fun, plus you get to meet a bunch of other women that are just starting out, so that’s a bonus.

12

I just signed up for a lesson next week - kind of feel I want to take at least one before I really get going in earnest, because practice doesn’t make perfect, it makes permanent. Couldn’t find any group lessons nearby, although I may ask. We’re going to try to hit the driving range tonight so I can try out my Hello Kitty Threw Up clubs.

13

Are there any community colleges or adult schools in your area?

Overall I learned the most from the golf class I took at the community college. Not only did they teach you how to play, they taught rules and etiquette. What to do and what not to do. We practiced in the gym on bad days and went to a range. Plus, you didn’t feel funny because almost no one knew what they were doing. There were people of all ages and met a few people I got pretty friendly with that I used to practice with.

After that I took a few lessons. But you really need to practice or play a lot to get good.

14

Well, Midlands Tech has Golf I and Golf II. From reading the course description, it seems Golf I would be duplicating all the stuff I’ve been reading on my own, and it’s a classroom course. I’d like to take Golf II, which is classroom and on the course, but that starts at the beginning of February and I think that’s a little too soon to be as helpful as I really could use. Maybe there will be a summer version?

15

One time last summer I scored a certificate for a free 4-some at a local course. I’m an inveterate ballhawk, and it just so happened I found 3 pink balls the week before we went out (2 of them were the lovely “crystal” type!) I told my buddies I was treating them to the round, but they had to play with the pink balls. Two of the guys lost theirs in the first couple of holes, but the third guy hung on to his for the entire round, and took home the lion’s share of the cash. He proceeded to use the same damn ball to take money from me the next time we played, and I’m sure when I see him in April he’s gonna make some wiseass crack asking if I have any more of those pink balls for him!

16

I played a little when I was young, and took it up in my 20s. I played several rounds a year before taking a few semi-private lessons - but spent most of my early rounds playing with my Dad, who was a good teacher. I’m not a great golfer and never will be, but its fun. I didn’t get a chance to play at all this year - kids and school and work.

Unless you are unusual, most women don’t drive long and get frustrated on a long regulation 18. Particularly beginning women. And particularly those long monster “prove you are a man” courses that they’ve been building in the last 20 years or so. I prefer newer “executive 9s” - par 29 that only have a few long holes on them - and older turn of the century to mid-century courses. It will be easier to keep up with your husband on those courses and you won’t spend as much time saying “I hate this game.”

I keep score for a hole or two, and if I don’t feel like continuing, I don’t bother. To me, its suppose to be fun, and writing 15 on the card isn’t fun. But if I’m going to bother to keep score, I keep it (fairly) accurately so I know how I’m doing against myself.

Pink is very hot in women’s golf right now. For a while it was the “old lady” color - the color that “real” women golfers avoided - pink balls, get real!

17

I saw these at Target the other day and was seriously considering buying some. They just look fun to play, darn it!

Oh, one other tip for new golfers: if you driver has less than 13 degrees loft on it, take it out of the bag and use your 3 wood – or even your 5 wood – to tee off. I guarantee that you’ll hit the ball better more consistently with either of those clubs.

18

Oh, none of the cool kids use their long irons anymore. In fact, my set doesn’t even have any! There’s a hybrid club, and the irons start at 5.

19

I was skimming through an “outdoors” catalog a while back (Cabelas?) and they had camoflage pattern golf balls. Now THAT would be a challenge!

Zsofia - this advice is intended for both you and the BF. My biggest advice is to practice on the range or practice green (or your backyard, any mown field, or your carpet), but when you are on a course, get to your ball and hit it. The folks behind you didn’t pay money to see a beginner take 20 practice swings, get detailed instruction from their partner, and search endlessly for multiple lost balls. (You can buy x-outs and “found” balls for as little as a quarter or less. Hell, I have at least a hundred in my garage I could send you for the cost of shipping.) If a gap opens up between you and the group ahead of you, either hustle to catch up or ask the folks behind you if they want to play through.

Another thing to work on early on is watching your ball. It is common for people to be upset at bad shots and not watch where they go. So not only do they hit a bad shot, but then they have to wander around looking for it. Watch your ball until it stops, pick out a landmark to remember the direction, and walk straight to it. And if you are playing with your BF, you should get in the habit of watching each others’ shots.

While it is fun to talk on the course, it is not just a casual friendly stroll. Not much bothers me more than being behind a group where the golfers all stroll casually to one person’s ball, chat a bit, then watch that guy hit, replace his divot, clean his club and replace it in the bag, then they all stroll over to the second guy’s ball. While guy #1 is at his ball and getting ready to hit, guys 2-4 should be as close to their balls as they can be without getting in his way, calculating yardage, thinking about what club they will use, even taking a practice swing if it doesn’t disturb the 1st guy.

Early on, your most important goal is going to be making consistent contact with the ball on your full swing shots. Essentially advancing the ball a decent distance towards the hole without bouncing it along the ground or popping it up. At this point, you could probably carry no more than 5 or 6 clubs. A 3 wood and/or a hybrid/rescue for teeing off and par 4s and 5s, a 5, 7, and 9 iron or wedge, and a putter. Add more as you start consistently making good contact, and distance control becomes a realistic concern.

Once you start hitting the ball consistently, the way you will drop your score most significantly is through your short game - chipping and putting.

As a beginner, have fun, and don’t worry about the score - or lost balls. Improve your lie when you get a bad break - heck, if you aren’t sure of your ability to hit the ball solidly from a perfect stance, what chance do you have from a divot, deep rough, a steep hill, etc. And feel free to pick up if you are particularly hacking up a hole - or carry it to the green and then putt out. When you get better, you can worry about keeping score and following all the rules.

It can be kind of tricky when members of the same 4-some use different tees. If you are the shortest hitter, feel free to go up to the ladies’ tees and hit first, instead of waithing for any big hitters to wait for a clear shot from the back tees. But just make sure everyone in your group knows what is going on. You don’t want to be standing on the red tees when some gorilla unleashes a worm-burner from 80 yards behind you…

(And did I mention keep pace?)

20

I’m really glad that currently, at least, everybody I’d be playing with is a beginner, so we’ll all be sucking and playing from the ladies’ tees. And everything I’ve read has had “BE READY TO HIT YOUR DAMNED BALL!” in bold italic letters with blinking lights. I haven’t made it out onto a course yet, but since we’ll be at the par 3s and trying to go during off times and I’m READY TO HIT MY DAMNED BALL, theoretically, I hope we won’t be too much of a nuisance to anybody else!

Is there such a thing as a beginners’ ladies’ golf league? I’d like to meet some people, and this is supposed to be a “social sport”, right?