Jump to content
IGNORED

Taking a beginner out on a course for the first time.....any advice?


Note: This thread is 4986 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Recommended Posts

So my gf has been taking lessons with a professional and I was thinking of taking her out to a course (on a weekday so it's not crowded) for her first time. Any advice? I remember how nevous and frustrated i was my first time, but that was a while back. I was thinking since she practices off of tees mostly right now, that after her tee shot, if her ball is in the fairway, would it be permissible to tee it up slightly off the fairway or whereever for her subsequent shots to ease her into course play? The idea is to wean her off the tees completely at some point but i want her to enjoy the course and get acquainted with golf etiquette out on the course. Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

In my Mizuno Aerolite IV Stand Bag:

Driver: Titleist 910D2 (9.5°, RIP Alpha 70S)
Wood: Titleist 910F (15°, RIP Alpha 70S)

Irons: Mizuno MP-68 Irons (3 - PW, C-Taper S+), Mizuno MP-33 2 Iron (C-Taper S+)

Wedges: Vokey Spin Milled (56.11 - Bent to 54°, 60.07 Tour Chrome, C-Taper S+ DSS)

Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 (34")

Ball: Titleist Pro-V1x

GPS: Garmin Approach g5

Most useful training aids (for me) that I use: Tour Striker Pro 7 Iron, Swingyde, Tour Sticks alignment sticks, Dave Pelz Putting Tutor

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Let people play through as soon as they are in range.

Play a flat, wide open muni or 'executive' course, or a par 3 course....

No tees in the fairway. If you do though, please pick them up after the shot.

Be patient.

driver: FT-i tlcg 9.5˚ (Matrix Ozik XCONN Stiff)
4 wood: G10 (ProLaunch Red FW stiff)
3 -PW: :Titleist: 695 mb (Rifle flighted 6.0)
wedges:, 52˚, 56˚, 60˚
putter: Studio Select Newport 1.5

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Tees like rocks are bad for mowers, dont leave them in the fairway.

Wouldnt a crash course be better way to learn??? Then again your just lucky to have a GF that will go with you my GF cries if we compete in anything haha.
 Driver:callaway.gifBig Bertha 460cc 10* Hybrids: adams.gif A7 3-4H  Irons: adams.gif A7 5i-PW
Wedges: cleveland.gifCG 12 50*, CG 14 56*, CG12 60* Putt Putt:odyssey.gif White ICE Tour Bronze 1 Putter
Link to comment
Share on other sites


Yes, it goes without saying that I would make sure we don't leave the tees on the fairway.

 

In my Mizuno Aerolite IV Stand Bag:

Driver: Titleist 910D2 (9.5°, RIP Alpha 70S)
Wood: Titleist 910F (15°, RIP Alpha 70S)

Irons: Mizuno MP-68 Irons (3 - PW, C-Taper S+), Mizuno MP-33 2 Iron (C-Taper S+)

Wedges: Vokey Spin Milled (56.11 - Bent to 54°, 60.07 Tour Chrome, C-Taper S+ DSS)

Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 (34")

Ball: Titleist Pro-V1x

GPS: Garmin Approach g5

Most useful training aids (for me) that I use: Tour Striker Pro 7 Iron, Swingyde, Tour Sticks alignment sticks, Dave Pelz Putting Tutor

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Pitch and putt.

Mizuno MP600 driver, Cleveland '09 Launcher 3-wood, Callaway FTiz 18 degree hybrid, Cleveland TA1 3-9, Scratch SS8620 47, 53, 58, Cleveland Classic 2 mid-mallet, Bridgestone B330S, Sun Mountain four5.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Take her to a par 3 course,it will play like a normal course for her because she won't hit greens and will be shorter.

aeroburner tp 10.5 stiff
superfast tp 2.0 3 wood stiff
Halo 25 and taylormade tp 19 degree hybrids
miura cb 202 and wedge
tp 52* wedge, tp 56* taylormade spider mallet putter

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Just be certain that you keep pace. If necessary pick up and move ahead. Just letting others play through isn't always the best solution, because then you are just being a moving log jam. If there is nobody coming up behind you, then do as you like, but when a group is overtaking you, either get moving or step aside until they pass. If there are several groups coming up on you, then you had best just keep moving even if she has to pick up and drop the ball near the green.

A short course (par 3 course or short executive course) is best for a beginner until he/she gets comfortable with the processes of being out there. It's better for her game, it's better for the other golfers around you, and she will have more fun if she doesn't have to take 15 strokes to get to the green on a par 5.

Rick

"He who has the fastest cart will never have a bad lie."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

I think for a begginers first time its good to play Best Ball(most likely all of your balls). Let her Tee up on every hole of course, but if she duff's she'll have more fun playing best ball.

Its a good way to show someone the Pace/Etiquette of the game and learn without it being an exasperating experience.
 Driver:callaway.gifBig Bertha 460cc 10* Hybrids: adams.gif A7 3-4H  Irons: adams.gif A7 5i-PW
Wedges: cleveland.gifCG 12 50*, CG 14 56*, CG12 60* Putt Putt:odyssey.gif White ICE Tour Bronze 1 Putter
Link to comment
Share on other sites


I'm not sure I have advice as I just took my wife out for the first time last week. Similarly, she had been swinging her clubs on the range, but this was her first time playing a round (9 holes). It was mid-week, mid-day, and the course was nearly empty. We started at the range where I only let her hit 5 "good" shots, really just making good contact. Then we went straight to the 1st tee.

Yes, she was stressed, even though she was hiding it well. However it was very obvious when she first dealt with a ball above her feet. It was so tempting to dive right in with ALL the ways to change her swing and stance for the shot, but I knew it would go in one ear, and out the other. So I chose just 3 things to help her with; keeping her head still, width of her stance, and alignment of the club head before the swing. But for the most part we tried not to talk about swing, and really focused more on basic strategy (reading fairways and greens).

By the 3th hole, she finally relaxed and the rest of the round was a bunch of fun. She tried to keep score, but I shut it down saying, "Let's just enjoy being out." At the 8th, she was so relaxed and hitting the ball well that she bogeyed the 170yd downhill par 3. It was a lot of fun to surprise her with the news.

She is ready for our next chance to get out. But as we have 2 kids under 5 years old, both of us getting out are few and far between special days.

In my bag:

One for slicing
One for hooking
One for knocking it in the cup

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Did the same with my wife for the first time a few weeks back. Was kind of fun but very stressful to her. She has a bad hip so she did not play every hole, and got very intimidated by the 500yd holes. She did okay, but really prefers the short par 3 stuff. We have a par 3 course here locally so I guess thats where we will golf together. Also it really adds to the golf budget when your suddenly paying to greens fee's, more balls, beer ect. :)

09 Burner driver
3-pw Dci 962 irons
54-11 gw
Backstryke 2 Ball putter

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Great advice guys, thanks. I'm not a big fan of par 3 courses because around here, you basically hit your tee shot off of mats. I want her to get used to playing on grass and on a real course. I think I will take her out for a 9 hole round on a normal course, or an executive 9 hole course is a good idea. I did walk on as a single one time and got paired up with this couple, where the lady was obviously a "beginner". She couldn't hit anything and she wound up just sitting in the golf cart after the third hole for the rest of the round and I thought what a terrible way for her to get introduced to playing on a real golf course. Of course, it was also a Saturday afternoon at the peak time, and he was rushing her and simultaneously attempting to "teach" her with groups behind us. It was obvious she was having a miserable time, and I don't want my gf to go through that type of experience.

 

In my Mizuno Aerolite IV Stand Bag:

Driver: Titleist 910D2 (9.5°, RIP Alpha 70S)
Wood: Titleist 910F (15°, RIP Alpha 70S)

Irons: Mizuno MP-68 Irons (3 - PW, C-Taper S+), Mizuno MP-33 2 Iron (C-Taper S+)

Wedges: Vokey Spin Milled (56.11 - Bent to 54°, 60.07 Tour Chrome, C-Taper S+ DSS)

Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 (34")

Ball: Titleist Pro-V1x

GPS: Garmin Approach g5

Most useful training aids (for me) that I use: Tour Striker Pro 7 Iron, Swingyde, Tour Sticks alignment sticks, Dave Pelz Putting Tutor

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Great advice guys, thanks. I'm not a big fan of par 3 courses because around here, you basically hit your tee shot off of mats. I want her to get used to playing on grass and on a real course. I think I will take her out for a 9 hole round on a normal course, or an executive 9 hole course is a good idea. I did walk on as a single one time and got paired up with this couple, where the lady was obviously a "beginner". She couldn't hit anything and she wound up just sitting in the golf cart after the third hole for the rest of the round and I thought what a terrible way for her to get introduced to playing on a real golf course. Of course, it was also a Saturday afternoon at the peak time, and he was rushing her and simultaneously attempting to "teach" her with groups behind us. It was obvious she was having a miserable time, and I don't want my gf to go through that type of experience.

Thats why take her to play best ball. She wont get frustrated with bad hits or be rushed because the two of you will be playing at your pace. She'll get to see Chipping/Putting/Driving but not get frustrated when she hits a duff because she'll get to go play your better ball afterwards anyways. This migth stop her from being like that other lady you saw and getting frustrated/quitting.

 Driver:callaway.gifBig Bertha 460cc 10* Hybrids: adams.gif A7 3-4H  Irons: adams.gif A7 5i-PW
Wedges: cleveland.gifCG 12 50*, CG 14 56*, CG12 60* Putt Putt:odyssey.gif White ICE Tour Bronze 1 Putter
Link to comment
Share on other sites


Best ball is great advice, and will maintain a good pace of play as well.

 

In my Mizuno Aerolite IV Stand Bag:

Driver: Titleist 910D2 (9.5°, RIP Alpha 70S)
Wood: Titleist 910F (15°, RIP Alpha 70S)

Irons: Mizuno MP-68 Irons (3 - PW, C-Taper S+), Mizuno MP-33 2 Iron (C-Taper S+)

Wedges: Vokey Spin Milled (56.11 - Bent to 54°, 60.07 Tour Chrome, C-Taper S+ DSS)

Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 (34")

Ball: Titleist Pro-V1x

GPS: Garmin Approach g5

Most useful training aids (for me) that I use: Tour Striker Pro 7 Iron, Swingyde, Tour Sticks alignment sticks, Dave Pelz Putting Tutor

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Moderator
I would definitely do an executive 9 hole before going out on a full fledged course, even if it's only 9 holes. If you play a regular course, I'd go around twilight or when there it's empty.

Steve

Kill slow play. Allow walking. Reduce ineffective golf instruction. Use environmentally friendly course maintenance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

I could go either way on the tee up every ball idea. I think not keeping score and giving minimal (MINIMAL) swing/setup advice are key. A par 3 course could also be a good idea. Someone above recommended playing best ball. I think it depends on what your wife is like. If she's an ex-athlete or very competitive, that seems like it might take the fun out of it. If she's more nervous about playing too slow (for you or the groups behind) or will just get frustrated hitting 8 shots to the green instead of taking that as a competitive challenge and preferring to grind through, then best ball could be a good idea.

Matt

Mid-Weight Heavy Putter
Cleveland Tour Action 60˚
Cleveland CG15 54˚
Nike Vapor Pro Combo, 4i-GW
Titleist 585h 19˚
Tour Edge Exotics XCG 15˚ 3 Wood
Taylormade R7 Quad 9.5˚

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Note: This thread is 4986 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.

The popup will be closed in 10 seconds...