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New to golf. Any advice?


uclaball21
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I have been playing about 6 months maybe hitting the range once a week and playing once a month. I consider myself a pretty strong and athletic person (about 6'1 200 lbs) I hit the ball pretty far 3w about 275. I don't really use my driver cause I can't hit it to save my life. I do keep a real score like counting drops and out of bounds the only time I will move my ball is if I'm in the rocks or on a cart path cause I don't think it's worth it to break my club. I first shot a 113 and have gotten down to around 98-95 on average and my best was a 90 on a very short flat course with no real obstacles. What is some advice you would give me? Get lessons? I watch a lot of YouTube videos haha and I think those really help me. Oh ad I'm 25 btw. Thought it was about time to learn how to play this before I embarrass myself in front of a boss or client. But I love playing, I love the individual challeng of the game, and I'm just trying to get better. Any advice for me would be great.
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I have been playing 7 weeks.  The only advice my extremely novice self can give you is, try and play more.  Dont know your time/money situations but if you can, play more and hit the range more.  I also try and learn as much as I can from my buddies that play as well.  Good Luck man!

Also, don't ever post on this forum that you did anything non-golf related on a golf course.  You will get jumped.

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Thanks. I try and play as much as possible. Most of my friends I know from basketball and football and not many play golf. I work from 7-6 weekdays so it's tough for me to get out there.
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putt for show and drive for dough. To really cut out strokes take stats of where you lose strokes. Obviously you cant say oh I missed fairways and fix it the next day and shave 10 strokes. While your fixing that driver you will forget how to hit irons or vice versa but keeping track helps.

Dont get too concerned with distance, consistancy is much more important. somebody on here said it best, The scorecard doesnt say what club you hit so if it takes you a 7i to go 130 then do that. Course management and not taking unneccesary risks helps.

These are just some of the things I have learned. I am nowhere near perfect either so take it with a grain of salt but thats what I have learned during my time on this forum.

Bag: Ogio Ozone XX

Driver: :titleist: 910 D2 (Project X 7A3)

3 Wood: :titleist: 910F ;(Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana 'ahina 82)

Hybrid: :titleist: 909H 19* (Diamana Blue)

Irons: :titleist: 755 3-P (Tri Spec Stiff Flex Steel)

Wedges: :titleist: (Vokey 52* 56* 60*)

Putter: Ping Karsten Anser 2

Balls: :titleist: Nxt tour/ Prov1x

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I've only played since February of this year.  I've found I can solve more swing problems in one hour long lesson than I can in several trips to the driving range.  I try to get on the range at least twice a week to reinforce what I've learned and try to play at least 9 holes once a week.

Of course, I'm an old retired guy and may have more free  time than you have.

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Originally Posted by uclaball21

I have been playing about 6 months maybe hitting the range once a week and playing once a month. I consider myself a pretty strong and athletic person (about 6'1 200 lbs) I hit the ball pretty far 3w about 275. I don't really use my driver cause I can't hit it to save my life. I do keep a real score like counting drops and out of bounds the only time I will move my ball is if I'm in the rocks or on a cart path cause I don't think it's worth it to break my club.

I first shot a 113 and have gotten down to around 98-95 on average and my best was a 90 on a very short flat course with no real obstacles. What is some advice you would give me? Get lessons? I watch a lot of YouTube videos haha and I think those really help me.

Oh ad I'm 25 btw. Thought it was about time to learn how to play this before I embarrass myself in front of a boss or client. But I love playing, I love the individual challeng of the game, and I'm just trying to get better.

Any advice for me would be great.


The advice you got about the short game is good, but at this early stage of your career I think a higher priority is getting good fundamentals in your full swing, which means a few lessons and some range time.  Avoiding a bad habit at this stage is a heck of a lot easier than learning to break a bad habit down the road.  Good luck.

But then again, what the hell do I know?

Rich - in name only

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I am a beginner myself.  I took 4 lessons so far and I plan on going to a golf clinic later this month.  The lessons have REALLY paid off, along with going to the driving range about 3 or 4 times a week at least.  I played a round yesterday and played the best game of my life.  Learn the fundamentals and practice practice practice.

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If i had one piece of advice it would be to practice hard from green to tee and learn the basic swing. I think most people dont spend enough time chipping and putting. That is where you will shave more shots off of you score. And, have fun for Gods sake
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UCLA, if money is an issue don't worry a lot about paying for range time. Most courses have a putting green and even a chipping green, bring your own balls and practice is free. I spend about 3 hours a week putting and chipping at a course that has no driving range but has a very nice practice area. I also bought a small net to work on chipping in my backyard. I pay $50/month at an executive course and play it 2-3 times (9 holes) a week. There's plenty of cost effective ways to play some golf and not go broke.

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Sell your stuff for what you can get and quit now, before you addict yourself to a lifetime of misery.  Don't you know they call it golf because all the other four-letter words were already taken?

Seriously, I have been playing for 40 years and still look forward to every round.

Don

In the bag:

Driver: PING 410 Plus 9 degrees, Alta CB55 S  Fairway: Callaway Rogue 3W PX Even Flow Blue 6.0; Hybrid: Titleist 818H1 21* PX Even Flow Blue 6.0;  Irons: Titleist 718 AP1 5-W2(53*) Shafts- TT AMT Red S300 ; Wedges Vokey SM8 56-10D Putter: Scotty Cameron 2016 Newport 2.5  Ball: Titleist AVX or 2021 ProV1

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Originally Posted by Blacksheep

If i had one piece of advice it would be to practice hard from green to tee and learn the basic swing. I think most people dont spend enough time chipping and putting. That is where you will shave more shots off of you score. And, have fun for Gods sake

I agree 100%.  I was crushing the ball with my driver, 3 wood and hybrid all day yesterday but when I got close enough for the sandwedge and putter....I tanked bad.   I need to spend more time chipping and putting.  If I spend more time on the close game, I'm going to shave off quite a few strokes.

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Originally Posted by vo-man

Practice your short game.  That's where it counts.  Chip, pitch, putt.


I think this is good advice for beginners.  Learn the easy stuff first, and how to make a small swing/pitch shot with good technique then slowly lengthen your swings.  Once you get some good short game shots down, focus on your longer clubs and being able to not loose strokes off the tee box.

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Originally Posted by uclaball21

Thanks. I try and play as much as possible. Most of my friends I know from basketball and football and not many play golf. I work from 7-6 weekdays so it's tough for me to get out there.


Get off at 6, get home, eat, get to the course by 7, play 9 holes, even once a week, and watch your game improve steadily. It does take practice and hard work to get better though. I've worked harder at this than I did even Hockey growing up. And still, I have my bad days, very very bad. But I have a lot more good days. Practice makes perfect, and playing is practice.

In the Ogio Kingpin bag:

Titleist 913 D2 9.5* w/ UST Mamiya ATTAS 3 80 w/ Harrison Shotmaker & Billy Bobs afternarket Hosel Adaptor (get this if you don't have it for your 913)
Wilson Staff Ci-11 4-GW (4I is out of the bag for a hybrid, PW and up were replaced by Edel Wedges)
TaylorMade RBZ 5 & 3 Fairway Woods

Cobra Baffler T-Rail 3 & 4 Hybrids

Edel Forged 48, 52, 56, 60, and 64* wedges (different wedges for different courses)

Seemore Si-4 Black Nickel Putter

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You seem to have developed a basic swing on your own. You might want to take some lessons - tell the pro your situation, and mention a couple of major problems you're having. A good pro can help you become more systematic in your swing, show you why certain things happen.

As has been suggested, get a lesson on short game. Ten years ago I considered myself a pretty good short-game player, but I picked up some solid tips during a short-game lesson. Learning one system of chips and pitches will simplify the game greatly, and improve your consistency. A putting lesson is helpful also.

As for driver, I wouldn't worry about it during season 1. If you're getting 270 from the 3W, go with it. Also, this will allow you to work extra on your fairway woods to build that set. (You can work in a driver during season 2. Or, if driver simply doesn't work out, the 3W will take care of you).

Focus, connect and follow through!

  • Completed KBS Education Seminar (online, 2015)
  • GolfWorks Clubmaking AcademyFitting, Assembly & Repair School (2012)

Driver:  :touredge: EXS 10.5°, weights neutral   ||  FWs:  :callaway: Rogue 4W + 7W
Hybrid:  :callaway: Big Bertha OS 4H at 22°  ||  Irons:  :callaway: Mavrik MAX 5i-PW
Wedges:  :callaway: MD3: 48°, 54°... MD4: 58° ||  Putter:image.png.b6c3447dddf0df25e482bf21abf775ae.pngInertial NM SL-583F, 34"  
Ball:  image.png.f0ca9194546a61407ba38502672e5ecf.png QStar Tour - Divide  ||  Bag: :sunmountain: Three 5 stand bag

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Thanks for the advice guys. I think the worst part of my game is when I'm in distance of hitting the green like 150 and in. I seem to always push it right or miss the green on the left side. I can't seem to hit my pitching wedge the right distance haha. Also do you guys practice on grass at the driving range or hit off the mats. I see all the videos and whatnot all talk about hitting down on the ball and take a divot after the ball. But a lot of the time when I swing I hit the ball then the ground and it's hard for me to follow through. Anyone else have that problem?
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Play EARLY in the morning on the weekends when you can.....  peaceful,  and more importantly,  if you're not already,  walk the course, and leave the golf-carts to those who aren't athletic.

You'll find yourself playing better golf if you walk vs. ride.

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