Just one tip you'd pass on to a beginner...?

[Maddog10]

Keep your head down until you know the ball is well into the air. It seems like all beginners are so eager to see where their ball is going that they look up too soon.

[rehmwa]

Keep your head down until you know the ball is well into the air. It seems like all beginners are so eager to see where their ball is going that they look up too soon.

thanks, always a great reminder for me, this is essential for putts, chips, and pitches....else I pull and miss my lines

for full swing, I've had issues overdoing it -  forcing the head to stay down can restrict the followthru (IMHO, YMMV).  good instruction I had was to address with the chin up (not hunched, so good posture) to avoid the feeling of interference - and then the head ONLY comes up as a result of the followthru.  (don't 'lift' the head to watch, rather "let it come up" as the shoulders come around).  It's ok to watch your flight,  it's not ok to TRY to watch it

That way the ball is on its way first, but you aren't trying to stifle the swing either....(i.e., just take the head turn out of the swing, let it do it's thing and not "try" to move it or hold it)

((However, I understand you intend this bit for newbies, not 5's, 10's and 15's))

[mdl]

the scorecard is the last place that improvement shows up.

As you get into the game and start improving this is a good one to remember.  Took a long time for this to sink in for me.  Walk away from the round excited about how you hit more shots just like you wanted than you used to, not pissed that you feel like you're hitting the ball better but scoring the same.

[dsc123]

I usually tell people to focus on a spot 6 inches in front of the ball rather than the ball itself.  That's something that they can start doing mid round and hit fewer fat shots.  I rarely give tips but when I do that's it.  Its worked and people seem appreciative.

[KyleAnthony]

focus on contact and swing technique NOT distance or hitting the ball hard

[sooper8]

Guys- I really appreciate all of these beginner tips.

I've been on the driving range almost every day over the holidays and I've been trying some of these ideas (sometimes just one at a time, sometimes a couple per day) and sometimes I just try to forget all of them and just swing the club.

One of the biggest improvements is that 90% of the time understand why I mis-hit or I didn't hit my target. I am even understanding what the changes in my swing do to the path of the ball.

I can honestly say I have hit shots I would have amazed me only 1 month ago. No wonder this game is addictive, it feels damn good to hit a nice shot! (soon enough I am going to feel confident to post up a video of my swing on the 'my swing' area)

Only downside is, I am having a little shoulder ache. I think I need to work on muscle tone in that area - occasionally it feels like they are falling out of the sockets. Any exercise tips?

Many, many thanks!

[Ernest Jones]

No wonder this game is addictive, it feels damn good to hit a nice shot!

QFT and the better you get the more addictive it gets.

(soon enough I am going to feel confident to post up a video of my swing on the 'my swing' area)

Go ahead and do it now! My swing is god awful and it's readily available for ridicule at any time! I've even posted an off-hand swing! There's really nothing to worry about (right @David in FL ?), everyone is here to help each other and if anyone acts like an ass in your thread they will most likely get stomped by the rest of us before you even have to respond. I've rarely seen anyone dump on another posters swing and truth be told it's kind of a cardinal sin to do so. Jump in, the waters fine!

Just be ready for some tough love and constructive criticism, some guys get all bent out of shape because the responses aren't "wow, you swing just like Tiger Woods!" Like everything else in life, you have to accept that you need to improve if you expect to improve.

Good luck!

[flopster]

Swing as hard as you can (well I heard that for kids). Don't bother carrying a driver or 3 wood or any iron below 6, find a hybrid to tee off with. You want to make playing golf fun not frustrating and those clubs are just too difficult to hit for a new golfer.

[march11934]

Find your swing at the range and learn how to take it to the course. Lessons or not if you're a star on the mats, it means nothing when you standing on the t-box or fairway. I'm still trying to figure this one out myself.

[nevets88]

Just be ready for some tough love and constructive criticism, some guys get all bent out of shape because the responses aren't "wow, you swing just like Tiger Woods!" Like everything else in life, you have to accept that you need to improve if you expect to improve.

Good luck!

Just seeing your swing on video is more devastating than any criticism. Video tells all.

[Ernest Jones]

Just seeing your swing on video is more devastating than any criticism. Video tells all.

Yep, the first video I made is also the first one in my swing thread and it was pretty traumatic , come to think of it, I still get traumatized when viewing self video. I like seeing the improvement on some of the stuff I'm working on but I hate seeing the deterioration and plain old horridness of everything else…lol. Sigh, ****...

[nevets88]

Yep, the first video I made is also the first one in my swing thread and it was pretty traumatic , come to think of it, I still get traumatized when viewing self video. I like seeing the improvement on some of the stuff I'm working on but I hate seeing the deterioration and plain old horridness of everything else…lol. Sigh, ****...

In a way, it's good, your expectations are more reasonable afterwards. Small steps.

[Ernest Jones]

In a way, it's good, your expectations are more reasonable afterwards. Small steps.

Yeah, no freakin' kidding , you'll note that I have never started a "how long till I make the TOUR" thread.

[mvmac]

Keep your head down until you know the ball is well into the air. It seems like all beginners are so eager to see where their ball is going that they look up too soon.

Yeah they start kicking their wrist angles out way too early and the elbows start to bend apart (chicken wing), so the looking up is just a reaction to that.  If they "stayed down", they would hit it 5ft behind the ball.

for full swing, I've had issues overdoing it -  forcing the head to stay down can restrict the followthru (IMHO, YMMV).  good instruction I had was to address with the chin up (not hunched, so good posture) to avoid the feeling of interference - and then the head ONLY comes up as a result of the followthru.  (don't 'lift' the head to watch, rather "let it come up" as the shoulders come around).  It's ok to watch your flight,  it's not ok to TRY to watch it

Hunched over is good golf posture

Only downside is, I am having a little shoulder ache. I think I need to work on muscle tone in that area - occasionally it feels like they are falling out of the sockets. Any exercise tips?

Hit shots with a tee under your left arm so the upper part of your arm stays "pinned" to your pec.  Shoulder won't be able to pop out.

[MS256]

I went into a slump one time in the middle of a round (when I was playing very well) just from seeing the shadow of my swing during a practice swing. (Yuck. Depressing!)

[Ernest Jones]

Ha Ha! That's funny.

[David in FL]

QFT and the better you get the more addictive it gets. Go ahead and do it now! My swing is god awful and it's readily available for ridicule at any time! I've even posted an off-hand swing! There's really nothing to worry about (right @David in FL ?), everyone is here to help each other and if anyone acts like an ass in your thread they will most likely get stomped by the rest of us before you even have to respond. I've rarely seen anyone dump on another posters swing and truth be told it's kind of a cardinal sin to do so. Jump in, the waters fine! Just be ready for some tough love and constructive criticism, some guys get all bent out of shape because the responses aren't "wow, you swing just like Tiger Woods!" Like everything else in life, you have to accept that you need to improve if you expect to improve. Good luck!

I actually just ordered one of those cell phone holder thingies to attach to an alignment stick so I can video my swing..... .....baby steps! :-)

[Ernest Jones]

I actually just ordered one of those cell phone holder thingies to attach to an alignment stick so I can video my swing..... .....baby steps! :-)

Attaboy! :beer: