[Pa Jayhawk]

I am by no means a teacher, but more of an observer and processor. So take most of this with a grain of salt. Just concurring with most of the advice given. Most importantly, take lessons in the beginning as there are fundamentals in golf that sometimes seem to defy logic to one who hasn't played and it is important to learn these before the alternative habits become very difficult to break. You don't need to take lessons constantly, but more to learn the fundamental. I took 5 weekly 1 hour group lessons at first to learn the fundamentals, then simply 1 x 1/2 hour private lesson shortly after to get things in sync. If you don't trust the instructor you you have, there are plenty out there. Find one you like. Personally I have found in general most instructors at a course better suit my ideals. They usually make just as good a living if you play their course, as they do by teaching you a lesson. Although this is not to say there are not good instructors out there. Just be leery of the ones that want to teach you once or twice a week for the next 6 months. To much info is not usually a good thing (refer to later comments)

Practice short game more than anything else. It is the bread and butter to scoring well. Hitting 1000 balls at the range is not practice unless you have a purpose, it only makes you tired which breeds bad habits in the golf swing. Hit 1000 balls around the practice greens between chips, pitches and putts and you will become a master.

Don't strangle the club, you need a light grip to play well and is the most common mistake I see in people starting out, next to hitting a 1000 balls thinking shear numbers helps their game.

If I had it to do over again I would have bought the book Hogan's Five Fundamentals of golf in the beginning, as it is something I read at the beginning of each year. Although I would do so after lessons and not at the same time to avoid to much info at first. Or maybe as a method of gaining confidence in what is being taught.

After you have developed and decent repeatable and reliable swing and think it is time to move on to nice clubs, get fitted. It doesn't cost anymore outside of the fact that you usually can not do so with clearance bargain clubs.

Don't think to much, and if you must do so while playing, try and limit your swing thoughts to one thought. The range is the place to groove your swing by trying new things, not the course. To many thoughts leads to "Paralysis by analysis", and is probably the most common flaw I see once people get away from strangling the club. Also likely the most common factor I have seen in friends that have given up the game.