If you had to do it over again?

[CaptnPea]

Do what?
Start learning how to swing a club.
I've played all of maybe 10 rounds in my life.

That is where I am at. I've been reading some, even bought Golf Diegests Breaking 100, 90,80 book, and listing to golfing friends. I've played all of maybe 10 rounds in my life.

At lunch daily I can squeeze in the time hit a small bucket (40 or so). Even developed my first ever golf blister. I have a really good slice going, but, do grab ahold of it once in awhile.

There are a ton of drills out there, if you was I, what ones would you focus on here going into week 2 of swinging the club?

 

[Witmaster]

If it was me I would get lessons. I'd have a pro instruct me properly rather than hack my way through one compounded mistake to the next.

That way I'd be spending less money on lost balls and have more to spend on good scotch

 

[CaptnPea]

How much should I pay?

My nearest club offers lessons at $40/45minutes, seems resonable?

 

[SiberianDVM]

If I had it to do all over again, I'd pick richer parents and start swinging a club when I was 3 years old.

But since I can't, I think 1 lesson a month is plenty. Spend the rest of your time at the range for the first 6 months before tackling a course.

 

[Highdraw34]

Taking a lesson is by far the best thing you can do. A good pro will teach you the things that may sound small but make all the difference in the world. A good pro should cost about 45$ for a half hour. They almost always have package deals that cut the rate. They are going to teach you things like grip, stance, posture, ball postion, swing paths. These are things that you can learn from Golf Digest but the problem with that is over compensation. For instance you may read a tip in Breaking 100 that copletely contradicts the tip in breaking 90. My biggest mistake when I started was trying to take every tip, drill and excersize to the range with me. I would hit 100 balls while trying to accomplish ten different goals. Pick one thing and work it out. When that works move on to another tip.

 

[DaveE]

How much should I pay?

My nearest club offers lessons at $40/45minutes, seems resonable?

That's not a bad price. If I could do it over again I'd get a series of lessons like I did a few years ago. You don't have to bunch the lessons too close together but it's a good idea to make the commitment. And you should save some money too.

I've made more improvement since then than I had the twenties years before.

 

[Rockford35]

$40 for 45 minutes is a steal. In 45 minutes, the dude or gal will make you enjoy golf that much more. It will seem like pennies after you are hitting the ball with more vigor and confidence.

I sound like a Viagra salesman.

R35

 

[CaptnPea]

Here's the real deal...

Assistant Pro, $400 for the season limit 2 lessons/wk...

Wait a second... there's no way the boss/wife will let me get away with that...

 

[Highdraw34]

Oh yeah I forgot to mention putting and short game. I go to the range every day and play twice a week. I putt everyday and sometimes that is all I do. The lessons will help you get on the green but it is what you do once you are there that will really define you as a golfer. Plus the putting green is free.

 

[Glenn70]

I agree with what everyone else has said...the price you quote seems very good, and yes, lessons are the way to go. In fact, I'm signing up for some more lessons myself in the next week or so.

By the way...Highdraw....not all putting greens are free. As hard as that is to believe....in Bergen County, NJ ( right outside NYC ) there is a group of 4 courses that charge $5 to use the putting green. I live about 20 mins away, but I haven't been to these courses, so I don't know how they police this....but needless to say, the idea of charging to use the putting green is enough to turn me off going to these courses.

Check out the rates at the attached link. I didn't believe my brother when he told me about it last year....but there it is, right on the rates schedule.

http://www.co.bergen.nj.us/BergenGolf/Fees.html

 

[Butcho22]

If you are just strating out, YOU NEED TO HIT OFF REAL GRASS!!!!!

I can't stress that enough. So many bad habits are ingrained early on from simply hitting of mats at a driving range.

Yes, get a lesson

First, learn more about who you are getting a lesson from. Run a google search on them or something.

 

[Highdraw34]

I agree with what everyone else has said...the price you quote seems very good, and yes, lessons are the way to go. In fact, I'm signing up for some more lessons myself in the next week or so.

By the way...Highdraw....not all putting greens are free. As hard as that is to believe....in Bergen County, NJ ( right outside NYC ) there is a group of 4 courses that charge $5 to use the putting green. I live about 20 mins away, but I haven't been to these courses, so I don't know how they police this....but needless to say, the idea of charging to use the putting green is enough to turn me off going to these courses.

Check out the rates at the attached link. I didn't believe my brother when he told me about it last year....but there it is, right on the rates schedule.

http://www.co.bergen.nj.us/BergenGolf/Fees.html

This would be me if I could not do my free putting.

 

[Glenn70]

What shocks me is that there are enough courses in the area that you don't have to travel very far to get to a course where it is free. I would love to know how many people actually pony up the 5 clams.

 

[CaptnPea]

If you are just strating out, YOU NEED TO HIT OFF REAL GRASS!!!!!
Run a google search on them or something.

My lunch range (@$4/bucket - I'm thinking is a good deal) and club range are both grass and use pretty decent balls, not the heavy things you find at most places.

Nothing on the Associate Pro, plenty on his boss, seemed to be pretty active back aways. I'm sure at my level anyone with a little coaching technique can get me going, I'll ask around and see what ppl thinks.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[golfman2760]

just get tips of the groundskeeper at your local golf course who gets tips from his pro

nah im on the same level I need to go for a few lessons

but someone said you get those teachers who teach you the same thing they teach everyone

you've got find someone who understands that different people need different tips

not everyone swings the same or reads the course the same etc