Golf for the rank beginner

[JR]

And it doesn't hurt to have a decent knowledge of the rules and basic golf etiquette.

Don't most lessons include golf etiquette? If they don't, they should.

No idea.

And yes, they should because what golfers really like is some foursome ahead of them doing their scorecards on the green.

 

[Chef]

Is golf easy? No.

But, if you think you're going to master the game and become the next Tiger Woods, then don't even bother.

You main objective of playing golf is to have fun. Plain and Simple.

Get some buddies, a couple of carts, and a 12-pack of beer, and have a ball.

Some of the most fun I've ever had on a golf course was when I didn't particularly play well, but had a great time anyway.

 

[Cosmo]

Agreed, Chef. I've always wondered what would happen if I had the money to invest in either a membership or a lot of time at the driving range. I don't really have the money for either. So I have fun with the game, but I limit my expectations. I don't have the money to play enough to get a repeatable swing.

My goal was to not embarrass myself on the course, and that's pretty much where I am now. I shoot in the mid 90s. I have fun. I don't slow up the people who are much better than I am because even when I play poorly, I play quickly. As long as I'm fairly competent out there, I tend to have fun. That's all I ask for.

 

[ArnoldBabar]

I would golf if I could assure that I wasn't slowing down and pissing off 1) the golf-playing members of my party and 2) the parties behind us.

My brother is an avid golfer and invites me, but I know I would ruin his day and mine both.

 

[trifectarich]

By all means, go for the group lesson.

You might also be able to find a local teaching facility where there's a deal like five lessons for $99.

Enjoy whatever it is you want to get out of the game. If all you're interested in is getting outdoors for a couple of hours once a month, enjoying the company of good friends and you're content with shooting 115, there's nothing wrong with that. (Just don't take 5 hours to do it.)

For others, shooting 102 means not being able to live with yourself until you get it into double digits. Then you think you have the ability to break 95, and when you've done that . . . it's a vicious, addictive, never-ending challenge.

Good luck, and, most of all, have a good time.

Your proper position on the golf course is right behind the group in front of you, not in front of the group behind you.

 

[JackReacher]

My goal was to not embarrass myself on the course, and that's pretty much where I am now. I shoot in the mid 90s. I have fun. I don't slow up the people who are much better than I am because even when I play poorly, I play quickly. As long as I'm fairly competent out there, I tend to have fun. That's all I ask for.

That's the way I like it. Nothing too serious. Don't embarrass yourself. Shoot under 100 (even with a beer every couple holes). Play quickly, but enjoy it.

Man...I really need to get out and play again.

 

[cranberry]

My goal was to not embarrass myself on the course, and that's pretty much where I am now. I shoot in the mid 90s. I have fun. I don't slow up the people who are much better than I am because even when I play poorly, I play quickly. As long as I'm fairly competent out there, I tend to have fun. That's all I ask for.

That's the way I like it. Nothing too serious. Don't embarrass yourself. Shoot under 100 (even with a beer every couple holes). Play quickly, but enjoy it.

Man...I really need to get out and play again.

That's my game, too. And I'm somewhat comfortable with it ... for now, at least. My advice for developing a decent social game:

TAKE THE LESSONS.

Keep in mind you can get good used clubs because of all the guys who trade in for the latest and greatest driver every spring. You don't have to carry every possible club. Driver, 3- wood, a utility club, 5, 7 and 9 irons, pitching and sand wedge and putter will get you through most situations.

Take pride in good golf etiquette even if you're not playing well. Also, when you hit bad shots -- and we all hit plenty of them -- smile and keep moving. Nobody wants to suffer a beginner having tantrums because he hit a fat 5-iron. So what if you only hit it six feet? The rest of your foursome probably thought you were going to hit it into the lake.

 

[93Devil]

My goal was to not embarrass myself on the course, and that's pretty much where I am now. I shoot in the mid 90s. I have fun. I don't slow up the people who are much better than I am because even when I play poorly, I play quickly. As long as I'm fairly competent out there, I tend to have fun. That's all I ask for.

That's the way I like it. Nothing too serious. Don't embarrass yourself. Shoot under 100 (even with a beer every couple holes). Play quickly, but enjoy it.

Man...I really need to get out and play again.

That's my game, too. And I'm somewhat comfortable with it ... for now, at least. My advice for developing a decent social game:

TAKE THE LESSONS.

Keep in mind you can get good used clubs because of all the guys who trade in for the latest and greatest driver every spring. You don't have to carry every possible club. Driver, 3- wood, a utility club, 5, 7 and 9 irons, pitching and sand wedge and putter will get you through most situations.

Take pride in good golf etiquette even if you're not playing well. Also, when you hit bad shots -- and we all hit plenty of them -- smile and keep moving. Nobody wants to suffer a beginner having tantrums because he hit a fat 5-iron. So what if you only hit it six feet? The rest of your foursome probably thought you were going to hit it into the lake.

And buy balls you are comfortable to walk away from in the woods after 60 seconds of looking.

Nothing drives me crazier than a guy looking five minutes for a ball when he is not even keeping an accurate score anyway!!!

 

[dixiehack]

In the scenario I described Sunday, I paid an extra dollar to rent two clubs, both of which looked as though they had been used to pacify chipmunks in a previous life. After fumbling through the bin for a minute, I settled on a driver and a 6-iron, the later having been apparently designed for someone a half-foot shorter.

When I wasn't topping the ball to send it dribbling past the rope line (which was often), I was able to get, at most, 100 yards out of the driver after it was done bouncing. For the 6-iron, I maxed out at 50 yards, and that was at the very end. I have no clue what to do with my hands. For the first half, I was holding the clubs like Chris DiMarco does when putting (since that's what I've gone to in putt putt) and that seemed to not work at all.

 

[Ace]

Take the lesson and have fun.

Most guys go in swinging hard and thinking they don't need anyone to tell them what to do.

If you get help from the start before you've ingrained bad habits or thrown your clubs in the pond, you are way ahead.

And even if you struggle at the start, just have a good time and enjoy. And try to move it along. Don't linger looking for that ball in the weeds. Drop and go.

 

[JR]

That's my game, too. And I'm somewhat comfortable with it ... for now, at least. My advice for developing a decent social game:

TAKE THE LESSONS.

Keep in mind you can get good used clubs because of all the guys who trade in for the latest and greatest driver every spring. You don't have to carry every possible club. Driver, 3- wood, a utility club, 5, 7 and 9 irons, pitching and sand wedge and putter will get you through most situations.

Take pride in good golf etiquette even if you're not playing well. Also, when you hit bad shots -- and we all hit plenty of them -- smile and keep moving. Nobody wants to suffer a beginner having tantrums because he hit a fat 5-iron. So what if you only hit it six feet? The rest of your foursome probably thought you were going to hit it into the lake.

When I was about 12/13/14 my dad and I played fairly regularly. He was about a two handicap and I was OK--shot in the high 80's/low 90's. One day I miffed a shot and threw my club about twenty feet.

My dad looked at me and said, " If you ever do that again, I'll take your clubs away".

I hate club throwers. Grow up.

And the only suggestion I'd make to Cran's excellent advice--if you're a novice, leave your driver at home. Hit a 3 wood off the tees.

 

[slappy4428]

In the scenario I described Sunday, I paid an extra dollar to rent two clubs, both of which looked as though they had been used to pacify chipmunks in a previous life. After fumbling through the bin for a minute, I settled on a driver and a 6-iron, the later having been apparently designed for someone a half-foot shorter.

When I wasn't topping the ball to send it dribbling past the rope line (which was often), I was able to get, at most, 100 yards out of the driver after it was done bouncing. For the 6-iron, I maxed out at 50 yards, and that was at the very end. I have no clue what to do with my hands. For the first half, I was holding the clubs like Chris DiMarco does when putting (since that's what I've gone to in putt putt) and that seemed to not work at all.

you can give me five strokes a side... We'll play 20-20-20

 

[EE94]

Is it possible for someone in their 30s with little athletic ability to take up this sport and not embarrass themselves?

I found myself with two hours to kill on Sunday, and did something I've never done ... stopped by the local driving range and invested in a bucket of balls. Despite the fact I had zero clue what I was doing, it was strangely entertaining. I've played a grand total of nine holes in my life, and that was 15 years ago, but now I'm kind of interested. The guy at the range, who looked like Carl Spackler's first cousin, said they are doing a group lesson night in May, where you get a group lesson and a meal thrown in for $25.

Understand that I have no illusions of grandeur. I would not be able to invest in more than 3-4 rounds per year, and would need to find some thrift store clubs to do so. Mostly I don't want to totally humiliate myself, which means I couldn't stomach shooting more than 120 for very long. I can tell that I have very little power, but don't know how much of that is the product of never having a lesson.

Get the lesson.

Going from 10 strokes to finish a par four to six strokes to finish the hole is pretty easy. Taking away those last two strokes to reach par, not so much.

A person giving you the basic foundation of a swing will be very important. All you need to do is get the ball in the air and make it go straight. Once you can do that, the game starts to become very fun.

what he said. don't go out on a course if you have no clue what a golf swing is.

you don't need Hank Haney breaking it down for you, but if you know the basic what and why, it is way more enjoyable for both you and the groups behind you

Even one or two lessons will give you that

Oh, and don't swing hard as you learn - you'll be surprised at how far a ball will go if you just make proper contact

 

[cranberry]

And even if you struggle at the start, just have a good time and enjoy. And try to move it along. Don't linger looking for that ball in the weeds. Drop and go.

This is a really good point. If you hit the ball 15 yards into the rough, sure, give a quick look in the area you think it fell because it might be sitting out where you can find it. But DON'T spend 10 minutes, or even five minutes, searching through the brush for a ball. Always have an extra ball in your pocket ready to drop.

And when you drop, go ahead and drop in a place where you can actually hit it. You don't have to hit it out of four-foot high elephant grass to demonstrate to everyone that you're not cheating. You're a beginner.

Finally, and this is important: DON'T WEAR JEANS or, God forbid, cutoffs.

 

[Boom_70]

I started playing golf when I was about ten---that's when plus fours were still in fashion---and it is not, by any stretch of the imagination "insanely easy". If it were, I'd be on the Seniors Tour.

My advice is to take some lessons, group or otherwise.

And it doesn't hurt to have a decent knowledge of the rules and basic golf etiquette.

jr jr the golf course czar
he’ll wager a toonie you won’t shoot par

His mission is to enforce the rules
And punish the golfers who act like tools.

While everyone is having a drink at the bar,
He’s out in the parking lot checking your car.

It’s a beautiful day but jr is vexed
The guy in his foursome is sending a text.

Don’t talk about work, don’t eat in the cart
Go into the bushes if you have to fart.

In your honor I’m taking a leak on the green
Fore!, jr, and God save the queen

 

[trifectarich]

I would golf if I could assure that I wasn't slowing down and pissing off 1) the golf-playing members of my party and 2) the parties behind us.

My brother is an avid golfer and invites me, but I know I would ruin his day and mine both.

As long as you have some idea what you're doing, no one minds you shooting 115 as long as you do it reasonably. When you're four over par on a hole, pick up your ball and put it in your pocket; when your group makes it to the next tee, you're back in the game. When you're preparing to hit your ninth shot on a par 3 and you're still not on the green, unless you're the only group on the course, that's when people get irate.

 

[JR]

A lot of public courses up here make you pick up and take a ten on a hole if you're trying to get down in fifteen and you're still a hundred yards from the green.

 

[rtse11]

I encourage you to take lessons but also check out golflink.com. They'll email you good lessons and tips.

 

[Madhavok]

I miss having golf in my life. For four or so years I played four times a week, sometimes more and would shoot low 90s-maybe an 88 here and ther- and have fun.
Ever since moving to Colorado two years ago, I've picked up a club once and played just once. The first eight or holes was so atrange. It was like I never played the game before. I knew what I was doing wrong but it took the front nine for me to get a hint of how I used to play back.
Needless to say it wasn't pretty. I believe I shot a 55 on the front and earned a 40 on the back.

I need to get back into it this season.

 

[RickStain]

Taking up golf (never even picked up a club) was on my grand list of "2009 Things to Do" that I wrote up and then three away three days later when the pregnancy test turned positive.