Learning golf, need some help.

[Deth]

Hi everyone.

Two weeks ago, me and two of my budds decided to go golfing for fun. We had never played before (other than mini putt) and thought "how hard can it be"? Well, lets just say we all mulliganed our first 5 holes (We didn't even count penalty strokes...). By the end of the day, I was able to finish a hole in about 7-10.
The major thing that seemed to kill us, were the dud hits. By this I mean: when you are 5 meters from the green, and you are trying to chip it on the and it takes you 3 shots, cause I couldn't get the ball in te air for a short distance. Also, after the initial drive when you are 150 feet from the hole and you hit a 15 yarder...
I am assuming these we caused by inproper conection with the ball, and will get better with the right sized clubs/practice.

The final thing that was killing me was the drives. I could get distance, but they would always hook right. The hook decreased a bit throught the day, but it was still pretty bad.
And ideas on how to fix this?

Thanks.

[guitarman]

Hi everyone.

Two weeks ago, me and two of my budds decided to go golfing for fun. We had never played before (other than mini putt) and thought "how hard can it be"? Well, lets just say we all mulliganed our first 5 holes (We didn't even count penalty strokes...). By the end of the day, I was able to finish a hole in about 7-10.
The major thing that seemed to kill us, were the dud hits. By this I mean: when you are 5 meters from the green, and you are trying to chip it on the and it takes you 3 shots, cause I couldn't get the ball in te air for a short distance. Also, after the initial drive when you are 150 feet from the hole and you hit a 15 yarder...
I am assuming these we caused by inproper conection with the ball, and will get better with the right sized clubs/practice.

The final thing that was killing me was the drives. I could get distance, but they would always hook right. The hook decreased a bit throught the day, but it was still pretty bad.
And ideas on how to fix this?

Thanks.

There is a lot of basics and fundementals of the swing. Do your self a favour and find a good golf instructor. It will save you alot of frustration.

[bk51]

Gman is right on. People spends tons on equipment and gimmicks. You can buy a better game - buy a set of lessons from a qualified instructor and a range membership where you can practice what s/he tells you. Now is a good time to look for indoor ranges where you can work on your game over the winter.

You made an astute observation - you had trouble near the green. After your instructor works on your fundamentals - grip, alignment, stance, posture (GASP), ask him/her to focus on the short game, chipping and putting. A good short game can compensate for a lot of mistakes from tee to green.

As you've found out, it's harder than it looks. Lots of what you need to do to swing the club properly is counterintuitive, especially for people who have participated in other sports with similar motions. You might be able to relate the golf swing to other sports you've played, be be prepared to leave all that at the door and treat golf as something new and different. You'll be way ahead of most newbies.

[Deth]

Ok, thanks guys.

[hogannut]

Go and get a book called Ben Hogan 5 Fundamentals of Modern Golf. It is probably the best book ever written for the basics. This book will show you the proper grip, stance and what is known as the "static" positions. If you are interested in learning the game you MUST get the basic grip and setup before even attempting to learn how to swing the club.

This is a great time to start as you have the winter months to work on this. In the spring go and take some lessons for sure, but if you can show up to your first lesson with at least an understanding in "theory" of the basics you will get more value for your money during the lesson.

[Deth]

Ok 1 quick question

I would consider myself taller than normal 190cm (6'2" for those iperial people) and I would assume I will get taller as I am only 16.

Anyways, are thier longer clubs, or do I have ot get them custom, or do I just have to bend my knees a lot?

[guitarman]

Ok 1 quick question

I would consider myself taller than normal 190cm (6'2" for those iperial people) and I would assume I will get taller as I am only 16.

Anyways, are thier longer clubs, or do I have ot get them custom, or do I just have to bend my knees a lot?

Most will tell you on this forum that regardles of height you should be custom fit for your clubs. It is a good idea.

[cldale]

Ok 1 quick question

I would consider myself taller than normal 190cm (6'2" for those iperial people) and I would assume I will get taller as I am only 16.

Anyways, are thier longer clubs, or do I have ot get them custom, or do I just have to bend my knees a lot?

I'd recommend talking to one of the fitters here. If you are going for your first set and don't own already they can set you up with a good set that is built to the game you do/don't have right now, and you won't waste money buying a set from a retailer, getting it fit, and then possibly spending mroe on things like hybrid irons to replace your 3,4,5's or something like that.

[guitarman]

I'd recommend talking to one of the fitters here. If you are going for your first set and don't own already they can set you up with a good set that is built to the game you do/don't have right now, and you won't waste money buying a set from a retailer, getting it fit, and then possibly spending mroe on things like hybrid irons to replace your 3,4,5's or something like that.

The problem here is that it can add up to a fair bit of money for someone that has now only played one round and so may not be sure if they stick with it. Especially if the OP is talked in to buying component clubs. Reselling them they will not get near their money back. Although properly fit clubs are bound to make the golf experience more enjoyable you'd want to be real sure your going to stick with it if you end up spending hundreds of dollars.

[cldale]

The problem here is that it can add up to a fair bit of money for someone that has now only played one round and so may not be sure if they stick with it. Especially if the OP is talked in to buying component clubs. Reselling them they will not get near their money back. Although properly fit clubs are bound to make the golf experience more enjoyable you'd want to be real sure your going to stick with it if you end up spending hundreds of dollars.

Of course your right, although in my defense, its unfathomable how someone can NOT become addicted to this game.

[goshawk]

Deth, I would suggest first getting a good quality set of clubs, preferably cavity-back heads as they are much more forgiving on mis-hits. Second, get a membership at an indoor facility (one of the domes or something similar to Oasis in Markham) to have a place to practice and work on your swing over the winter. Third, find a qualified instructor in your area. With you just starting out, it's important to develop the correct habits now rather than trying to fix them later (which is much more difficult). And lastly, always remember that this is a game. It's meant to be enjoyed, not the source of intense frustration. Keep it fun!